While many people had changed their phone ringing tones to “odun nlo sopin o baba rere”, Favour changed hers to “vindicate me oh lord,” an extract from an audio Bible.
“Hello miss” a voice that sounded like Cynthia’s called her attention.
Favour looked up to see Cynthia’s smirk. Although she had been sedentary, she jerked into alertness when she heard Cynthia’s voice.
“Hello miss” she echoed Cynthia’s malicious greeting. “Do you have anything to tell me?”
“I’m wondering why you don’t want to take action concerning that culprit who wants to ruin your career. Just thinking aloud.”
“Culprit?” Favour asked. Was what she was doing concerning Sanmi obvious?
“Because of a guy. I always knew there had to be a weakness of yours” Cynthia said and Favour opened her mouth in bewilderment.
Cynthia smiled and left Favour standing, a few steps to her office.
Favour’s encounter with Cynthia prompted another session of plotting and graphing.
She knew that Cynthia, though malicious, wouldn’t say things she didn’t know anything about. She must know a great deal about the problem that weighed her down. She on the other hand, only knew that Sanmi wasn’t the culprit. And that was not enough to know who the real culprit was. Boluwatife was the next suspect who had no evidence to brand her as the culprit.
Favour’s head continued to think in circles for the next two days. When she was finally exhausted, she resorted to her last hope. She closed her eyes.
“Oh God, I have a confession to make. I want to be the kind of director that you can be proud of, whether I’m female or not. Right now, not because of Sanmi but because I want to be that kind of director you want, please, I need the wisdom to solve this…” she stopped talking to God abruptly. An idea had just popped into her mind.
“Oh God! I thank you. Why didn’t I think of this earlier? Why didn’t I talk to you about this earlier?” She laughed and laughed. When she finally became conscious of the fact that the office was not soundproof, she stopped.
The final days to New Year’s Eve happened to be exciting for Favour. Cynthia had watched as Favour’s countenance transformed from sad to calm, from calm to happy, and from happy to joyful. With the current situation of things, with no signs of a solution yet, it looked like Favour had purposefully signed a contract with Amnesia.
“She’s crazy, or don’t you think so?” Aanu asked Tony during the last break time of the year. Tony just sighed.
“She’s been a good director and I’m so sad to see her go. She has endured so much being the only female director we have.” A teardrop fell from Aanu’s eyes.
“But she’s a Christian who knows God. Let today just pass and unveil tomorrow. I believe she’s got something up her sleeves.”
Aanu continued to cry. “I miss her already. Cynthia must be so happy wherever she is”
“Hey, don’t you believe that our department can weather this through? I thought you were close to her? Didn’t you learn from the episodes of faith she has exhibited over time?”
“I need to go back to the office. It’s like you don’t understand.” Aanu left Tony standing alone.
The hall was decorated with finesse, blinking lights were everywhere and soft music gently wafted through the hall filled with employees and employers of For You architecture and Homes. Employees wove through the crowd to get to one another.
The women’s soft chatter and constant peals of laughter were heard continuously at a side of the hall. A few important clients also graced the annual party. These people, however, only walked in the circles of the board of directors and the chairman.
A white elegant fascinator on her neatly tied bun, one of her classic gowns on her body, this time, pink in color on a complimentary white open-toed heels, Favour held the glass of wine in her hand while surveying the whole hall. It wasn’t time for the bomb plan to go off but she prayed that it would work. She sighed in reassurance when she remembered how the idea had come to her.
The chairman who was in a striped black suit eyed her from the corner where he stood. Favour smiled confidently at him in return. He, out of pity had agreed on Favour’s earnest request. If her plan succeeded, he would heed more of her advice in the future. If it flopped, she was going to return the money and leave the company. Though he was going to be sad if she left, there was nothing else he could do. He was never a party to bullying the female director but… he glanced at his heavily made-up wife. Though he loved her, she would spark at any hint of attention to any other female. Her insecurities were going to be written all over her.
The other directors were with their wives. only Favour had no one at her side. Favour’s eyes sought out her members in the crowd. Unlike the other department’s members, they had shadows of sadness following them around. She smiled when she realized that it was because of her. Their loyalty was out of this world.
The felicitation ended sooner than usual, causing Favour’s heart to palpitate seriously. Even her fingertips were on edge. They felt ice-cold despite all the reassurances that everything would be fine.
The MC called up the chairman after some extraordinary exaggerations about him. A young lady walked up beside the chairman at his beckoning. She had a few plaques in her hand.
For the first time, she thought that she shouldn’t have made such a ridiculous plan. Involuntarily, her knees went wobbly. Not being able to stand it anymore, she stood up from where she was seated and found her way out of the hall to catch her breath.
