Chapter thirteen- Work for you
The next day at work, she walks through the door face devoid of smile she didn’t greet the receptionist as she normally does. The old woman looks at her weirdly and thanks,
‘ What could be her problem is she having a tough time in this place?’
 She is walking into the elevator when she hears her name,
“ Tilda do you mind coming over? I have something to discuss with you. The woman calls after her.”
 She nods her head and turns towards the woman and she asks,
“How may I be of help to you this morning mum?”
She smiles and replies,
“I saw you going home yesterday feeling sick. And I thought you couldn’t make it today but you are as hard as a metal. I am proud of your energy.”
She looks on at her as if seeing things and the woman sees this and questions,
“Why are you staring at me this way? Did I say something wrong?”
She shakes her head sadly and replies,
“Thank you for been proud of me. To be honest, I have only heard this word once in my life and that was when I gained a scholarship to study abroad. My mother knew they were taking a lot of her burden and she was so excited that she blurted it out without thinking. I am sorry if I am burdening you with my words. I should go, I need to return this money to the company.”
She nods her head but then she shakes it again and asks,
“Which money are you talking about? Is it the treatment fees given by the company?”
Tilda nods in affirmation and she smiles and says to her,
“You don’t have to return it. Everyone receives this money when they fall sick while working in the company. Some even pretend to be sick and they receive the money out of cheating.”
Tilda looks down at the envelope in her purse and she questions,
“Do they give as much as 500,000? If they do, then it’s will be the reason people will take ailment to get it.”
When she finishes speaking, she looks at the woman and sees that she is staring at her blankly and she looks back at her in confusion. The woman sees this and explains her reaction,
“It is only the general manager that can take that much fees from the company. I guess since you are the secretary to the CEO, you take as much as he does.”
She shakes her head and retorts,
“The manager even called my parents and informed her about me going home sick. And he sent this money from his own account, I don’t feel right about this so I can only take it back to him right?”
The woman nods her head and whisper’s to her,
“If I were you, I would just keep it after all I never asked for it. But if taking it to him will make you feel better, take it to him and demand an explanation. After that, check on your boss in his office he seems to be going through a bad time as you are.”
She sneers and thinks,
‘If only you knew, I wouldn’t want him to walk into the company if I was God. He’s just the devil.’
…
She knocks on the door and she hears him tell her to come in. She enters the room and sees him paying attention to whatever it is on the desktop in front of him. She looks at him closer and thinks,
‘He is not bad looking at all. I feel like he looks like Fred but he is more masculine than him. And his voice when he speaks, sends shivers down my spine.’
He looks up and sees her smiling in his way but in her thoughts. And so, ye shakes his head and also thinks,
‘I like the way you look at me. It makes me feel like I am not the only one with the interest. Should I ask her out? Gosh, Jacob, get a hold of yourself, it’s not your first time seeing a pretty lady.’
He sighs silently and speaks,
“Miss Tilda, what do I owe, this visit? Are you here to submit something to me?”
She breaks out of her and shakes her head but she nods it and says to him, stretching her hand with her purse towards him.
“I am here to give this to you.”
He looks at the purse and back to her with a confused expression. She senses this and looks at what she has in her hand and she quickly whisper’s sorry to him. She fumbles with her purse hurriedly and manages to pull out the envelope after several trials and he watches her with amused expression on his face. When, she pulls it out, she smiles nervously and says to him,
“I am here to return this money to you. I feel uncomfortable receiving this amount from you.”
He smiles and retorts,
“You don’t have to feel bad about it, when one falls sick, the company gives the person some treatment fees. And they couldn’t prepare it on time as there was a lot to do. So, I paid it for you so that when they are done with the paper work, I will receive the money.”
She listens on and thinks,
‘Is that so?’
She nods get head and says to him,
“So, I should keep this money without any other thoughts right? Because, I wouldn’t want to feel uncomfortable around you. Considering that you saw me in that situation yesterday. You have already helped me enough.”
He shakes his head and replies to her,
“You can leave from here. And that money in your hands is not mine but yours so you can keep it. Don’t make me feel bad for helping you out. You should get back to work, you might have a lot on your hand after skipping work yesterday. Are you really okay? You don’t have to return to work until you are perfectly fine.”
Tilda nods and says,
“I am doing very fine.”
She turns to leave but then, she looks back and asks with a pleading smile on her face,
“Can I really not work for you?”