Chapter 3

Mr christ oxford is sitting in his big armchair behind his desk. Through the large window he observes the outside, the road traffic, the people passing by. His ideas are remote to the point where he does not follow his collaborator enter. Bob walks up to him and pats him on the shoulder, he comes to

_ Oh it's you

_ are you dreaming or what

Bob will sit down, so long as Christ turns his chair around to face him

_ What are the news

Bob places the shirt in his hand on the table

_ with the HRD we conducted the counting and unanimously chose a candidate. First we would like to know if you have a penchant for one of them.

He leans back in his chair and crosses his feet

_ what is your choice ?

_ well we chose Miss Noah she has a lot of experience, she is versatile, having a degree in communication is an asset for us, in addition she has no children which will mean no constraints, I think that she can do the trick, what do you say?

He smiles and takes a pen that he puts in his mouth

_ what's this ?

He smiles again and claps hands his friend is confused

_ I was stupid or whatever amused you

_ I'll tell you what happened this morning when I came. I was on the way normally driving when suddenly a girl appeared in front of me, I just had time to brake in time otherwise I would have hit her

_ oulalala she did not see where what

_ Of course she didn't look before crossing and when I rush to help her get up she sends me off insulting me. Can you imagine I apologize even she allows herself to insult me ​​when it is she who is at fault

_ you ignore the badly brought up girls of Douala.

_ hahahaha and you don't know the best, hahahaha the world is really small

_ so tell me

He takes the folder where the file of the selected candidate is and goes to stand in front of the large window. He opens it and leafs through it, Bob is impatient to know the rest of the story.

_ are you going to decide to talk or what

_ ah yes the girl in question is Miss Noah

_ what ?

He turns

_ eh yes. that's her.. if you didn't notice during the interview she was nervous

_ hahahaha it's not possible werrrr the girls mouth room. Are you sure it was her?

"I'm not blind though.

Bob died laughing. Christ goes to his fridge and takes out a can of beer which he opens and drinks. He comes back to sit

_ so that means that we will take the second application

_ why ? You chose Miss Noah and me too her file interested me I specify her file well but the person I do not know

_ so what do we do

He picks up his can of beer and leans back with his feet crossed

_ call her. She wants the job she will work

_ hahahahahaha Christ you really want her to work or you want revenge I know you too well, you are very resentful I know it hurt you the fact that she insulted you for nothing

_ I want to give her a chance to redeem herself if she works well it passes otherwise she will see me even in her dreams

Bob died laughing. He looks at his friend who is enjoying his drink, he looks so serious.

_ I don't like what you want to do here

_ but what did I do? If I was mean I wasn't going to accept it but you see I remain professional despite everything

_ it's going to say that to the one who does not know you. you have something in mind

_ Nothing at all. She just has to prove herself I don't know how a girl with so much professional baggage can be so clumsy it's a real shame. You are going to prepare her trial contract for her, she will come to sign for tomorrow

_ and if she refuses since she recognized you

_ who would refuse to work with Christ oxford? Tell me who? Nobody, I am the reference in terms of communication

_ if I didn't know you I was going to tell you anything. Ok, so we'll do that. I will call her

_ Keep me informed. Don't forget at noon we have a meeting

_ very good

He gets up and leaves.

? '' Hi friends I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Bob the right arm of the great Christ Oxford I'm practically his general manager when he's not there I'm in charge. I'm 36 years old and I'm engaged to a pretty young lady that I adore, if all goes well we will have our wedding at the end of next year. With my fiancée we have a child who makes us very happy.

I've known Christ for years, we went to school together, he was always a hard worker, an ace in business and fortunately his business always smiled on him. You will think he is a boaster, but no, he only does it to taunt others, but in reality he is humble. It's hard to believe but it is. If you haven't been his friend, if you don't know him as I know him, you will pass a false judgment on him. Christ had a lot of luck in business but too bad when it came to women it wasn't the case. His ex-wife was unfaithful to him, a beautiful woman who could break any man's heart. What didn't Christ do for her, to put her at ease. Their separation destroyed him, he became empty, loneliness invaded him, I had to support him all the time so that he knew he was not alone. For 4 years that it lasts, he has completely changed. And what about the image he has of women now, I who thought he was going to start his life over again, it's totally impossible Christ hates the female sex to believe that it's all women who have it deceived it's still crazy ca. For someone as mature and responsible as him to have this kind of thinking is simply a mental problem. If I ask him to go see a shrink, he'll call me names. But hey, the more time passes, the more he heals from his wounds. I would like to see him one day with a woman that he tells me that he is in love again at his age he is still young to start a new life and found another home pfff it remains a utopia.

I occupy an office which is not far from his, sometimes at closing time he brings in one of his dead cats, that means his c*l plan. From my office I follow them get laid it annoys me, I always blame him it's not a life that suits him he should find a woman he can trust, but alas my advice goes out of his way the head. Am I going to force it? No. He is old enough to know what he wants, I do my job as a friend and collaborator.

I'm in my office, I'm preparing for the meeting earlier, I don't have time to call the new recruit, I'll do it afterwards. I already feel sorry for her, since she behaved badly towards him, he's not going to give her the milk, I know him very well. Already even as a boss he is very boring, very strict rigorous almost never satisfied if she puts 6 months at his side I will applaud him. This incident story makes me laugh. Life is terrible anyway. My door opens it's the HRD, a good friend too ''

_ the boss said what

_ he agrees with our choice it will be necessary to prepare the contract

_ okay great. Did you warn him or else I do

_ uhhh no let me do it

_ okay no problem. See you later then

_ Will you be present at the meeting?

_ of course I'm going to prepare my report like that before your boss shouts at me. You have to ask him to find a woman he exaggerates with bad humor, a man who is always tense stuippp

_ hahahaha leave it. Even if he groans, he does not die. Speaking of women, your little sister can do the trick

_ stuippp I care about his life

She walks out leaving me laughing. It's like that here we don't like to tease each other and make the kongossa on the boss. It's since his divorce that he has become boring, but everyone knows that deep down he is a beautiful person, he is very sensitive, he does not hesitate to reach out a hand to help one of his employees. I get to work, it's going to go quickly today I have to come home early to pick up my wife from her parents, we don't live together yet, she wants to do things right, I don't mind.

On the other side of town, Carla has been up for a few hours, she's been cooking and now she's sitting in front of the TV to brighten her eyes and waste time. By dint of holding the phone in her hand and searching the job offers to which she can apply, she has weakened her eyes, already affected by the lighting. So to avoid being glued to this device that has become inseparable, she left it in the bedroom. Lydie comes to find her in the living room, holding her dish of food in hand.

_ please i want to watch a series

_ eat after you go to study.

She quickly swallows a mouthful before adding

_ but I spent the whole day studying, do you want to make me crazy or what?

_ watch your language madam. You have to serve dad

_ do it for me I eat

_ stuippp

She gets up and goes to do the service until her sister changes channels to watch her mysterious series. After the service Carla goes to call her father who is coming to sit down to eat. It is already past 6 p.m. At this time of day, everything is calm, everyone is in their corner. Forced to watch the series demanded by her sister, Carla is in bed and prefers to bite her nails, she is already thinking of going for a manicure. His father interrupts him in his thoughts

_ Carla it's as if your phone is ringing in the room

_ who knows me I'm sure it's Moussa pffff

It is with casualness that she still goes to retrieve the phone which unfortunately or fortunately does not display her boyfriend's number, but an unknown number she picks up

_ hi

At the other end of the handset is Bob who was about to hang up because of the fairly long time it took Carla to pick up.

_ ah good evening it's mr Bob from oxford

Listening to these few words, Carla took a more serene, more responsible position.

_ Good evening Mr Bob, what can I do for you

_ you have been selected for the position of executive assistant, we are expecting you tomorrow before 8 a.m. to complete the formalities and of course to pass some psychology aptitude tests you have all that, it's routine

Carla can't believe she wants to shout on the phone but pulls herself together you have to behave

_ yes yes sir it's understood

_ great meeting tomorrow be on time. Have a good evening

_ good evening sir

She hangs up and lets out a cry of joy as she leaves her room. These cries alerted her sister and her father who turned their gaze towards her. To his father to ask him what put him in this jovial state

_ Have you heard any good news?

_ yes dad. Got shortlisted for the job or interviewed this morning

Her astonished father turns well to congratulate her

_ but Dido my daughter congratulations, I told you not to worry you are a winner

_ thank you dad. I am still surprised, I assure you that I did not expect it at all. Thin. Lydia you say nothing

She swallows the little food that sticks to her throat before replying

_ I am more surprised than you. It could be the trap huh

_ ah my daughter stop having dark thoughts. This man is just professional and maybe he didn't even recognize him this morning.

_ indeed dad I say to myself too

Lydie is not of the same opinion and does not fail to let it be known

_ hummm a person insults you for nothing and recruits you in his company and you say that he is professional, here in Douala? Hmmm I don't think so. Now the idea that he didn't notice it may be true otherwise I don't see anything else. Either way, I hope it's ok and you'll work fine.

_ ah I hope so too

She goes back to her place on the chair. Mr. Noah is very happy for his daughter, an emotion that took away his appetite.

_ thank you for the food but I'm not hungry anymore your news has just filled my stomach

_ you're welcome dad. I will give you your remedies

She is going to get rid of it and take his remedies which she brings him, he drinks them. Carla remembers that she has to buy another box which is about to be emptied.

All evening she hasn't stopped thinking about her new job, what if it was a trap as her sister suggested? she wondered.

So much the better she will fall into this trap and come out of it with her head held high. Her clothes already ironed and fitted, she can't wait until tomorrow to start her service. She already sees herself doing the elevator, entrance hall, Oxford business house, large office and all the comforts possible. It reminds her of her last real job she had before the covid came that screwed everything up she was treated so well and paid well. The light illuminates his eyes, his sister has just turned on she has surely finished revising and is going to bed. This night seems endless, the wait is long and patience becomes heavy. She still looks at her phone to reassure herself that she has set her alarm clock to 6am, no way to come late. No sooner had she fallen into Morpheus' arms than her alarm clock rang. Oh shit, she thinks she hasn't slept enough, no choice to get up and get ready. Before going out, she leaves some instructions for her sister, who will also be going to school in a few minutes. This time she wasted no time finding a taxi, she arrived at the company at 7:30 a.m. Forced to stay at the entrance to wait for the bosses. It was at 8 o'clock that she saw Mrs. Edimo arrive. She is very beautiful in her flared dress and dotted with small cartoons, she smiles at him

_ Good day Mrs

It's up to her to send him her smile

_ Hello Miss Noah. Sorry for the slight delay, we can go up together

I found this woman very nice, she took me to a room where she left a form to fill out. These are the aptitude and psychological tests that Mr. Bob told me about yesterday. Well it's not much I fill it quickly and wait. So far I don't know if the boss is there, oh too bad I don't even want to see him he stresses me out especially since I don't know what's going on in his head I ask myself so many questions especially this one that keeps coming back, did he recognize me.? A few minutes of waiting, a young girl came to retrieve the document, she must be Mrs. Edimo's secretary. She takes me into her office. Ms. Edimo checks my answers seeing her expression on her face she looks satisfied.

_ very good. I will give you the contract to read before signing

That's what I've been waiting for ever since. I rush over to dissect it with my eyes. It seems correct to me, 3 months of trial as usual after that I will be entitled to a CDI and all the advantages that go with it. I would do anything to get my CDI even if I have to lick the floor Hahahaha, no I'm kidding I also have my dignity I feel on a level. I delicately affix my signature on the two copies, I return one to him and I keep the other. She asks me to follow her. We go to what will now be my office. It's clean, everything is ok, the appliances are spot on, the comfort is there. There's a door on the right, probably the one that goes into the boss's office. A few chairs occupy the aisle, surely for visitors. I also see a filing cabinet where documents are grouped, shelves and some boxes for archiving

_ I hope you know how to handle machines, she asks me

_ yes madam I touch everything

I had the chance to work everywhere and to touch everything that can be found in an office so nothing surprises me. What annoys me is that there is no TV yes I like to watch TV. I had one in my previous office, I watched music and movies more often, I'm not addicted to series. Maybe it's because of the distraction caused by the TV that made me make a lot of mistakes. Let's hope that here I won't.

_ Sir is not there yet. This door you see is his so you will always be in contact and visitors will be able to pass through there in case they come to you otherwise they will go directly to the main door without going through here again

_ okay madam

_ well I'll let you settle in, I'll send you phone cards where the numbers are listed that correspond to each department and office.

She left and I sat down. Phew, I have work to do. I start first by turning on the machine, there is no password so much the better. I get acquainted with documents on the table certainly there is work behind schedule. A few minutes later I receive Mrs. Edimo's secretary, she brings me the sheet of numbers I need. Then I follow the voices in the office next door, the boss has arrived, he has passed through his door. The stress rises yemalehh. I'm starting to get confused I search all the documents on the table, no concentration I'm quite stressed. My intercom rings, I jump. Here it started I pick up

_ Mr Oxford

_ I want to see you right away

He hangs up. Aiyaaaaa my part came today when we write ''I have the honor'' we don't know what to expect. Maybe it was Lydie who was right, he recognized me and wants to trap me. I went out this morning still without praying ehh god forgive me I just want to work.

She gets up and arranges her dress, looks good if her hair is well done and goes to Mr. Oxford's office

TO BE CONTINUED....