Song of the chapter: Never Knew I Needed.

Job?!

Get a job, he said. Make your dad proud, he said. Seduce a woman, he said.

Niyi muttered nonsense to himself, complaining about the injustice in the world. He had been rejected by ten companies he applied for managerial position.

“Dear Mr/Mrs. Adekanye,” read the recent rejection e-mail, “Thank you for your application for the position of Management at Bibble & Co. We really appreciate your interest in joining our company and we want to thank you for the time and energy you invested in applying for our job opening.”

“We received a large number of applications, and after carefully reviewing all of them, unfortunately, we have to inform you that this time we won’t be able to invite you to the next phase of our selection process. Though your qualifications are impressive, we have decided to move forward with a candidate whose experiences better meet our needs for this particular role.”

The rest was just depressing rubbish. He didn't get the job, again. What was he going to do now?

He scratched his lower jaw and eyed the empty Heineken bottle that stood beside his laptop. It's until a matter of time his money dries up and he promised Elijah he won't steal anymore.

An idea shot in his mind. Didn't he see a vacancy at IndiGo Enterprises where Elijah worked? A mischievous smile crept up his face. He browsed using the Google search engine for more information. Niyi had his eyes on the Market Research Analyst position and he was going to get it. Eleventh is definitely his lucky charm.

“Oh,” he muttered to himself. They were reviewing the first ten applicants tomorrow. Niyi was going to need one mighty intervention.

Sewa drew her arms forward and backward as she mopped the floors of the room a guest had just exited. She had made the bed, swept the floors clean, threw the used bed sheets and covers in the laundry basket, and wiped the windows and knobs.

Just when she thought she wouldn't have to work for others, she found herself at the lowest position ever. She wouldn't worry too much though. She is going to work harder, get herself a new restaurant and live her dreams.

She pushed the cart containing the dirty laundry and mop out of the room and to the washing area of the hotel. She worked till her shift ended at 8pm. Once she left the hotel, she hurried to the club where she had her night shift. She worked as a barmaid there. People danced to afro-music blared aloud, some leaned against the walls or sat at the bar and others chatted amongst themselves.

“I'm here,” she yelled into the barman's ear and wrapped the low black apron around her waist he handed her.

“Hey newbie, I was thinking you wouldn't come. Your shift ends by 11, okay? Fawaz is going to take over from you.”

“Oh okay!”

He showed her where the drinks were and gave specific directions to cocktail drinks. “Hope you got all that?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Don't disappoint the boss.” He nodded his head towards the VIP section on the open upper floor.

“I won't,” Sewa promised.

She put on her best smile and attended to customers as fast as she could. Time flew as she worked and she became more accustomed to the noise. She wiped the glasses clean when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

A tall dark man stood behind her in an apron similar to hers. “I'm Fawaz. You must be the new bartender.”

“I'm Sewa. Is my shift over?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Thank you,” she gave him a small smile and placed the glass in a tray. She pulled the strings of the apron loose and hung it on a rack. She glanced at Fawaz who was attending to a customer and greeted him with a good night.

It was well late into the night and there were only buses out and about. Sewa boarded one going to the direction where she lived with her mother. She tried to suppress the yawns that escaped her lips. She rubbed her tired eyes and watched the cars speed past. The bus jerked because of pot holes but drove on nonetheless.

Everywhere was silent as a graveyard when she finally got home. She used her spare key to open the door. As she stepped in, she found her mother dozing off on the only couch they had. Apparently, her mother had been waiting for her to arrive home.

“Mummy, I'm home.” She patted her mother's arm gently.

Her mother jerked in her seat startled. “Sewa, you are home. Let's pray before you go in.”

The two women thanked God for their uneventful day and prayed for a good night's rest before turning in.

Sewa closed the door to the room and shuffled her tired feet. She took off her clothes, folded them and put them together with the rest of her dirty worn clothes. Exhausted, she crashed in her bed and slept off.

The rest of the week passed in a blur. The same routine every single day until Sunday came. Sewa was at the backyard of her own washing her clothes. As she shook dirt off the clothes to dip them into the washing basin, a shiny black card fell out. She dropped the clothes in the soapy water and picked up the card. It was Elijah's business card.

She hadn't thought of him for a while. Thinking of him brought memories of his friend. His friend that ruined her life! The so-called Mr Gbenga. He should be awarded for his fantastic acting skills.

Wait, she thought. While she has not gathered enough money to repay Elijah, why has not gone to meet him to collect her money from him or his friend? They might have been working together for all she knew.

Scowling, she made up her mind. She was going to collect her money either way and clear her tarnished name. She was no thief. She was Sewa Ade and nobody messes with her.

Niyi got the job! Miracles do happen.

He knotted his tie and straightened his stark white shirt. He wore his watch over his left wrist and buttoned the cuffs at the wrists. He held his blue jacket on his arm and strolled out of the bedroom.

Elijah, who was still not happy about Niyi's new job, sipped his Nescafe coffee from his favorite white mug.

“Smile, brother, smile. You won't even see me most of the time. Wait, you're driving us, right?”

“No. Better go and take Okada.”

Niyi grumbled and snatched Elijah's bread lathered with butter. He stuck out his tongue and left the house, ignoring Elijah's cursing.

He walked to the bus stop where a lot of people were also waiting for buses or bikes. The Nigerian sun didn't take pity on him making Niyi sweat. Thank God for deodorant and cologne.

A familiar car pulled to a stop in front of him and beeped. The car window wound down and Elijah's light complexions face frowned up at him.

“Get in!”

Niyi didn't need to be told twice. He got in the passenger seat and wore the seatbelt. The cold air of the car AC blew on him, to his great relief.

“You forgot your briefcase, idiot.”

Niyi, wide eyed, smacked his forehead. “Thank you, Elijah. I don't know what I would do without you.”

“Oh I know. Living under bridges,” Elijah snarled.

“I love you too.”

“Don't love me o.”

The traffic didn't hold them up for too long and they arrived at the company in thirty minutes. They got out of the parked car with briefcases in hand. Side by side, they walked up the stairs towards the glass door of the building. The doors opened as a pair of people were coming out. The two men paused in their steps as they recognized one of the people. A scowling woman in particular.

Sewa.