TWISTED FATE EPISODE FOUR

Eventually I had agreed to go home and rest. I took the sheet, nicely covered Lenny then rested his head on the pillow. I kissed him goodbye and promised to be back to check on him. It didn't matter what everyone else thought, to me he was just asleep. He needed to rest after everything we had been through. I was having a bad headache from all the crying and maybe the banging of the head on the steering wheel.

When I got home, I found a lot of people waiting and when I entered the house, a few people started crying. My best maid came with me and Leila to my room and we cried. Lenny and I had great plans together. He would sell houses as I did the interior decoration in them. Then, we would have two babies, a handsome little man and a little princess. All these were cut short in a few hours.

I didn't feel like talking to anyone so I asked Leila and Sophie my best maid to let me rest and the night was not what I had expected. I couldn't sleep as all I could see was Cindy and the rage in her eyes as she shot Lenny. The sound made by the gun was still clear in my mind. I was there but I couldn't save his life. Dad told me earlier that the brakes to Lenny's car had been tampered with and that was the cause of the accident. Cindy really wanted us dead and this wasn't about stopping the wedding it was something else.

* * * * * * *

Lenny and I met in their office. He was one of the young bosses and I was just a cleaner.

I started working on a Monday morning and when I walked into the changing room, I met my worst nightmare. It was my first time there and I met this lady who wore the name tag June and without greetings or orientation she handed me a mop and a bucket.

June: your work is to mop all the offices on this floor, start with the one at the far end then finish with the corridors.

I picked the mop then started walking away.

June: and make sure it's spotless clean. I don't want to go cleaning after you and I don't want to be called in the office for a mistake you have made.

Me: you have made your point. I know what spotless means.

June: okay, but you might want to work on that attitude princess.

I left her there and went to the office to start my cleaning.

I mopped the floor as I went from desk to desk wiping and within no time, people started walking in.

there was this lady whom I don't know what was wrong with. She had an attitude and didn't seem to like me from the word go. She walked to her desk swept it with her finger then turned to me.

June: excuse me new girl, wipe my spot I want to sit

I assumed her and continued with my work. She walked over to me.

June: hey, am talking to you. I have work to do and I need my desk cleaned.

Me: I heard you. When am done here, I will wipe your desk. Oh, and the new girl is called Roxana.

Her: am not interested in whoever the hell you are. It's your job to mop before I sit and you better get to it before you lose your job.

She left me standing there and walked towards the other ladies who were gathered at another desk gossiping before work.

It was my first day yet everyone treated me so badly. I wanted to pack my things and go home but I needed this job, I needed somewhere to start from.

Minutes later a fine young man walked in. He was what I would define as cute because handsome was an understatement. He was tall and slender and had this well ironed suit and a pink shirt.

I stared at him for a while before I heard the ladies laughing.

"These are the ones who come with the intention of finding husband's whose standards they can't meet. One of them said pointing at me with her nose. "who would want to date a cleaner?" one of the ladies said. "well, at least she is beautiful and has some assets to show" another one responded. "but with all that beauty, why would she settle for such a humiliating job?" the first lady asked. "Not all beauty is brain you know" said the one who had asked me to clean her desk. They were literally discussing me not bothered that I was listening.

The guy who I had seen walked by again, this time heading to his desk which was separate from the rest. He said hello to the gossips passed by then stood there watching how I cleaned as he waited for me to finish with his desk.

Lenny: Hi

Me: Hi

Lenny: you must be new here

Me: yeah it's actually my first day

Lenny: my name is Lenny and you are?

Me: Roxana.

Lenny: such a pretty name. Are you done with my desk?

Me: yes.

I finished up with the cleaning then went to the corridors. The day dragged as there was not much to be done.

Later that evening, back at the changing room I found the other girls changing and I had another moment with June.

June: finally the princess is here.

I ignored her and started changing.

June: there were a few complaints from your department today.

I was silent but there was another lady who came to my rescue her name was Vivian.

Vivian: you of all the people should know just how petty and mean the ladies in that department are. I think they are just mad because Roxana here is a little tough than the previous girl they would bully around.

June: I wasn't talking to you miss know it all.

Vivian: I know, am just pointing out what you already know.

I was silent all that while, I didn't know what June's problem was and I didn't want to be part of it. June finished whatever she was doing and left.

I was let with Vivian my defender.

Vivian: Don't mind her, she behaves like that with people she consider to be a threat to her.

Me: and why would she think that, threat over what?

Vivian: if you stick around long enough, you might find out.

Months went by and I had a hard time in that office. The only thing that kept me going was Vivian being there for me, Lenny saying hi and smiling whenever we bumped into each other and back home Leila was there to give me the moral support.

One morning I went to work a little late, apparently Jack had showed up at the gate saying he wasn't going to leave until I talked to him. He was down on his knees begging me to take him back and apologizing for all the things he had put me through. I pushed him out of my way and left.

When I got to the office, June was there waiting for me as if she was the boss. I got in, said hi but she didn't respond. She went out then a few minutes later walked in with Vivian following her.

June: Roxana!

I turned to look at her.

June: if you want to keep your job, you better show up on time and clean before people start checking in. stop being rude to people who have the power to fire you.

Me: do we have a problem that I don't know about?

June: first of all, there is no combination of you and me that makes "we". Secondly am just doing my job.

Me: remind me your job again?

June: to correct your mistakes and teach you how to talk to people. I hope am clear on the time you should report to work. Pick a rug and follow me, someone poured tea on their desk and it needs to be cleaned.

Me: do not talk to me like that, I believe that person can clean their own mess and if am the one to do it, talk to me like a human being.

June: okay human being, take a rug and follow me. Don't make me ask again.

She left ahead of me and as I hurriedly followed her, I bumped into Lenny who was all dressed up and was headed to the board room for a meeting. The water poured on him as my little bucket of water fell and all his papers dropped on it.

Lenny: what is wrong with you, can't you watch where you are going?

Me: I'm so sorry sir, I never saw you coming.

I bent down to collect the already soaked papers. He grabbed the papers from my hands squeezed them in his hand then threw them down.

Lenny: you just ruined my presentation and this shirt; find a way to clean it because if I don't make it for that presentation, consider yourself fired.

I stood there in shock cupping both my cheeks in my hands not knowing what to do.

I had never seen Lenny so upset. He was one of the bubbliest people I knew. He treated everyone so well regardless of whom they were.

He walked away as I picked the bucket and went back to the changing room.

June was standing there all along watching and when Lenny left, she gave me a stern look as she followed him to get the shirt from him.

I was brought the shirt and since I couldn't clean it there, I carried it home.

his friend William had given him his shirt as he had worn a T-shirt inside. the presentation happened but I never got to see him after that. I was so embarrassed that the last person I wanted to meet along the corridor was him.

For the next two weeks Lenny did not show up in the office, he had been sent to other branches to facilitate how business was running.

He came back on the last Friday of the second week but i didn't see him the entire day. I was still too. Embarrassed to even face him.. I walked into the office to do the final cleaning before going home as it was almost time and people had already started leaving. When I was done I looked up and Lenny was still seated at his desk. I was avoiding him, so I tried to hurry and walk out before he realized i was there but he looked up and our eyes accidentally met then he smiled.

Lenny: come.

I looked around before I made my way to him. He was silent for a while and I stood there patiently waiting for him to speak.

Lenny: I need your opinion on something

Me: okay, am listening.

Lenny: I need to get my girlfriend a gift for her birthday but I can't figure out anything. Can you help me with that?

Me: I wouldn't know what your girlfriend likes.

Lenny: assuming you were a guy, what would you get your girlfriend for her birthday?

Me: maybe a handbag, perfume, shoes, a nice phone, a house, a car, chopper, the list is endless.

He nodded still looking at me and playing with a pen in his hand.

Lenny: what would you like your boyfriend to get you for your birthday?

Me: I don't have a boyfriend.

Lenny: assuming you had one.

I took a deep breath.

Me: for me, a gift wouldn't be really necessary, what I would want from my man is love, respect, trust and quality time with him. Everything else wouldn't matter and whatever he chose to bring me as a gift, i would appreciate..

Lenny: okay. Thank you for your honesty..

I smiled as I started to walk away. I really wanted him to go back to being that sweet guy who flashed a smile at me every time I met him and maybe him not yelling at me was as good. I didn't get far before he called me back. i turned to look at him as he got up and walked towards me and before he could say what he wanted to say, June walked in....