Office Politics: The Plans of Mice and Men 2...by Myne and Tisha

"So where were you?" Funmi bit out striding angrily out of Ayo's office. I left a file on your desk earlier this morning and now I cannot find it!"

After the discovery of Funmi and Bisi's alliance this morning, it was easy to guess how the missing file and all the other ones in the past including other different things that should have gotten her into trouble happened.

"I did not see any file on my desk," Iphey replied as she fell into step behind.

"How will you? Going out for lunch and staying two hours!" Funmi turned around and glared at her. She felt like throttling the other girl's neck. Bisi had given her the lowdown on their confrontation and she was mad as hell. Imagine the small girl, after displacing her friend, she had the guts to stand up to her! Well Bisi could blame herself for trying to befriend her in the first place. See where that had gotten her.

"It wasn't like..." Iphey began.

"Pschewwwww," Funmi hissed. By now they were standing in front of her office. "Just find that file!" She snapped testily and then left Iphey standing there. She stalked in and slammed the door behind her.

Iphey walked to the water dispenser and pressed out some water in a white plastic cup and headed to her desk. She walked gingerly since it seemed even her steps annoyed some people to no end. Iphey laughed inside, her time in the ladies before searching for Funmi showed that she was still looking great. But more than that she felt great inside. After the last few hours, she was in no mood for more drama today.

It was like the day had flown by, so many things had happened, one revelation after another. After Bisi, she had shrugged it off to focus on better things and something beautiful had really come her way. She sashayed as behind her mind’s eye she could see Chinedu, tall, dark and handsome. TDH was a dime a dozen but Chinedu stood out from the rest, his features were imprinted behind her eyes so even if she closed her eyes, she could still see him and it was weird but it seemed like they were connected.

Iphey smiled. She was working alright, but only just managing to concentrate. Half of her mind was on Chinedu. She could not even remember what the reasons for her not wanting to go out with him in the first place were. Yes, he had a shady history but he had showed himself to be an honorable man so far and those were the qualities that really mattered to her.

“A penny for your thoughts,” Tunde from marketing teased her, you are grinning like the cat that got the cream."

Iphey laughed. Tunde thought it a contagious laughter that demanded for all who heard it to laugh also. He grinned widely at her.

“Are you sure you are not getting it somewhere?” he finally asked a quizzical look on his face.

“I don’t do premarital sex if that’s what you are asking?” Iphey laughed again, “I just don’t see why you can’t be happy and in love in a relationship without premarital sex?”

"You look like someone has given you some good loving," he insisted with a wink.

“Actually I am just happy o, no particular reason, God’s been good.”

“Uh hmm…tell me...”

Funmi was passing by and gave them a dirty look. "Tunde, Ayo wants you, now!"

Tunde stood to attention, blinked at Iphey and marched off.

Funmi did not pause in her tracks. She was walking with Bisi, who kept her face strictly ahead. A few paces behind them, Tola for Master Card section gave Iphey a smile and a wave. Iphey smiled back and went back to the files before her.

Iphey smiled to herself as she relived the kiss with Chinedu in the car. Her toes curled in her pumps and began to tingle. She considered whether to call him or wait for him to call first. She didn't want to make any hasty decision but it was not as if she was planning to marry him in the next month, she was just going to give him a chance to see if they could make it work between themselves.

She remembered what she discussed with Aisha a couple of weeks ago. After they had discussed finding Bisi in his apartment, the conversation had diverged to general talk.

“Aisha, most girls are hasty to get into serious or permanent relationships. For me, I have now decided that I'll give the guy a test-drive…”

Aisha’s eyes went wide, “Do you mean…?”

Iphey grinned mischievously, “No, not the way people usually mean a test-drive. I mean a time frame in which I check out the guy and see if I like him on all levels and can check if we are on the same levels when it comes to values and compatibility of personalities.”

Aisha smiled and said, “That’s what most people do but they define it with different terms." They both laughed before Aisha continued. "As long as you don't end up in a marriage of convenience.”

Iphey sighed and said, “I could never do a marriage of convenience, I would drive someone crazy.”

She smiled again and set her pen down. If she did end up with Chinedu, it would be nothing like that. She was already halfway in love with him. Something moved beside her and when she focused her vision, she watched her boss, Ayo seeing off a slinky lady. On his way back, he caught her eye and leered. When he saw that he had got her full attention, he stopped, rubbed his hands and licked his lips. Iphey turned away quickly. Did he think she found those gestures attractive? They were a disgusting turn-off. She hissed quietly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Iphey spied Funmi striding towards him. Let them sort themselves out and leave her out of it, she prayed. At least her adversaries will be reduced at the office when Bisi got sent forth on Friday. Now that she knew Funmi was out to get her sacked, she just had to be more careful with her work, keep her head down.

She worked steadily, yet before long her mind was on Chinedu again. She was tired of doing the battle of not thinking about Chinedu, so she let her mind linger on him, she had better do something about this. She day dreamed about the kiss all over again. His lips on hers, their tongues meshing, his hands on her waist, holding her tightly. Iphey sighed.

And to think she had been dreaming about him without knowing until this morning. That should have told her she would meet him. It was a course-mate in college who said that "when you start dreaming about a guy, love is either setting the wheels rolling or about to blot him from your horizon". The first was possible, the first had proved impossible so far. It looked like Chinedu had come to stay. She was happy it was no more all in her mind, where he’d been loitering all day and night for the past couple of weeks. She looked forward to seeing him later in the evening when he came to pick her up.

She asked herself whether she had time to call and tell Aisha about Chinedu, and that they were finally going to give it a go. She also wanted them to talk so she would have all the back ground information she needed. She needed advice about the way to proceed with this guy since she believed he was something special. Her mom was going to be so happy but she herself had to be sure that was not making a mistake. The case of James was still pending.

“Here you go.”

Iphey snapped out of her reverie and looked up. Jane stood before her, hand outstretched. She was holding a file.

"The shark didn't know that I saw her hiding it in the bulk counter room. No mind her, you hear?" Jane smiled as she handed the file over.

"Thank you so much." Iphey clapped quietly as the receptionist walked away.

God was on her side sha, all her enemies will be scattered for sure! He had guided her every step so definitely. His hand was evident on every part of her life. It would all work out fine with Chinedu too, all she needed to do was put one step in front of the other and commit it into his hands…


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That's it folks. The plans of mice and men will always come to nought when you keep your nose clean. Funmi and her conniving, I just wonder why she no go mind her own sef? LOL. Please vote on who you want for the next chapter which is coming up on Sunday and please leave your comments too, thanks.

This was a collabo I did with Tisha of I LOVE BECAUSE I CAN. Tisha says she's "pretty and intelligent but not street smart". I want to add that she's also talented. I love her poems. Check this out from the last one.

"I am restless
i wanna kick some one
i wanna scream, shout
i am restless
i want to let go
and just jump and shout
gone shopping
it doesn't take off
the pressure like
when i was younger..."