6 months Later.............

Six months has gradually gone by. Looking at my desktop calendar, I counted down to the days my annual leave would begin. I couldn't wait to see my mum again,we had seen last about a year and half ago when she had paid me a surprise visit. 'My mum,my rock'. I muttered as I stared at her picture on my desk. My colleagues often mocked me saying my mates had pictures of their wives and kids on their desk but I had a picture of my mother. I didn't care. 'My mum is my world'. I had always replied them.
There was a light tap on my door,looking up from my mum's picture I invited whoever in. The door opened and my boss walked in. Immediately I got to my feet to pay obeisance to my hero,my mentor. I have come to learn a whole lot from this man.
"Good afternoon sir" I greeted him as I bowed my head.
"Good afternoon my boy" he responded as he took his seat opposite mine at the same time placing his walking stick on my desk. Since I took ownership of this office after my promotion,it was his first time coming in here. " So how are you Abel?"
"Very well sir" I replied as I took my seat. "Its an honor having you in my office sir, your first time here."
" Yes it is,I just decided to move around a bit today,its being so long, maybe its just my way of taking in the whole scenery before I retire"
"Seriously sir,you are retiring soon?"
"These old bones have to son,I will be seventy five in two weeks time"
"Wow!" I exclaimed. " You don't look it one bit sir,I have always thought you were in your sixties " I told him and watched as he laughed out loud.
" I wish,anyway I thank God for the health he has blessed me with,it has helped me look younger than my age"
"Really it has sir,we will miss you when you retire sir"
"I will be coming in once in a while at least until Ella can fully manage on her own"
"I trust your daughter will do a good job sir" I said in her favor. She had never come to his office again since their last encounter. They had bumped into each other on several occasions and had just greeted casually,most times he even being the first to extend a greeting...such a snub!
" Actually Ella is my niece but over the years she has come to be the daughter I lost" Mr. Anderson said and I saw a kind of pain on his face that said a lot.
"Really Sir? I thought she was your daughter"
"My kid sister's only child, my kid sister is the only surviving relative I have,we lost our parents and three siblings at different times in the history of my family" He said forcing a smile.
"Sorry about that sir,you said you lost a daughter,so sorry about that too"
"Thanks Abel, I actually had a wife and two kids, a boy and a girl. They were my everything but death took them from me all in one day......my children were in a boarding secondary school in Abuja,before resumption,they and their mother went to Port Harcourt to visit her parents. Their plane to Abuja crashed killing all on board including my wonderful family,that was some sixteen years ago,my children were thirteen and fifteen at that time" He said with so much pain in his voice. "After that incident,it took me a whole five years to bounce back to my usual self,it still hurts like yesterday but I get to find the needed strength to go on"
"So sorry Sir, I never knew"
"You couldn't have known Abel. A year after I lost my family, Ella lost her dad in a ghastly motor accident somewhere in Aba,after the funeral,she and her mum relocated to the UK,my sister has never come back to this country in fifteen years, Ella came a few times at my insistence. They are the only family I have,Ella owns every thing I have worked for in my life"
And she was being so bossy about it, I thought to myself. Well how fortunate she was,Mr.Anderson was handling her an empire on a platter of gold,he could only hope she could handle it all.
"Well life goes on as they say" My boss said as he made himself for comfortable,crossing one leg over the other.
"You are right sir"
"Is that a picture of your girlfriend?" He asked turning the frame to his direction..."No can't be" he replied his own question
" My mum"
" You look so much like her"
"So people often tell me"
"Are you the first child?" This was the first time Mr. Anderson was really getting personal with him,all their discussions had been work related,wondering to what he owed this personal discussion,he replied.
"Yes I am the first Sir,I have a younger brother and two younger sisters"
"I see,so who's the girl in your life? Don't tell me you don't plan settling down soon?" At this juncture I couldn't help but wonder what got my boss in this mood? Is this what retirement does to one? Gets them all chatty?
"Well I have no one in my life now sir" I said to him and was forced to narrate a story I had told myself I will never talk about again.
"Its sad really,no man likes it when a woman looks down on him but the good thing about the story is that your life has turned out well,I am sure if this Oluchi girl should see you now she will surely regret all she said to you but not withstanding,you shouldn't shut your heart to love Abel"
"When the timing is right maybe I will Sir"
"There's someone who seems to like you a lot"
"Me?" I asked,taken aback
"Yes,my niece Ella" he replied with a smile.
"Miss Ella?" I asked nearly falling off my chair. Hadn't heard a good joke in a long time!
"Strange right? She does like you,at home your name is the only music I hear,she has asked me so many questions about you"
"Well sit,maybe she just wants to know for company related issues"
"I may be seventy five boy but not stupid. I know when a woman is in love"
"In love?"
"You may see her to be all tough but inside she's a sweet little girl,if only you can take the time to know her".
" I am shocked sir" I said in all honesty. The almighty Ella asking questions about me? In love with me? No, Mr. Anderson might have dreamt it,I concluded from within.
"Well,keep up the good work son I am impressed with your work,your studiousness, your ability to multi task is amazing,keep that flag flying and you will go places" Mr. Anderson said as he slowly got to his feet,picking up his walking stick.
"Thank you so much for stopping by sir" I told him getting to my feet at the same time accepting his hand for a handshake,still mesmerized by what he had told me about the almighty Ella. With a pat on my arm,he walked out of my office with the aid of his walking stick.

I sat back in my chair, my last and only encounter with Ella came to my mind,it was six months ago but I still remembered it well, her attitude that day had pissed me off so bad and I had prayed never to cross her path again, I can't stand irritable women especially those who felt they had it all. He was glad he had put her in her place that day and she had never stepped her feet in his office again. They had met at management meetings, passed each other at different offices with just a wave or a muttered greeting. And now old man Anderson says she's in love with him? Nah, the old man was beginning to see things,no girl in love treats the man she loves the way she treated him six months ago,neither does she pass him by without striking a conversation with him.
Looking at my desktop calendar again, my eyes fell on the circled date,I was going on my annual leave in four days,I will have the time of my life with mum and forget Mr.Anderson ever related to me his dream.


The story continues watch out for the finale of, Abel's Journal...... The Ositas are planning a wedding!!! Hayyyyyyyy!!!