"Sit down," Jide said to him and took a seat himself.
Jason pulled out a chair and sat upright. He knew what this discussion was about and didn't feel too comfortable.
"The entire team will stay back today to correct the alignment, because the PM will be here tomorrow morning to inspect our progress," Jide kept his gaze on him as he spoke. "But I'll like to know why you let the turbine swing out of position. Were you sleeping on the guage?"
Jason's eyes dropped at the question. He knew he'd gotten himself into trouble. It was a costly mistake that he wished he could handle alone, but ofcourse, that was far from possible. He needed the team's help. He searched for words to say to his Boss, to express his remorse.
"I take responsibility for that swing. I, I apologize for the extra work it's going to cause. Where do we start with rectifing it?" Jason spoke looking at Jide.
"I will not tolerate such clumsiness next time. You, Tega, and Shola should see to the alignment at lunchtime," the Superintendent replied and stood up.
********** ********* **********
The work to be done wasn't finished until it was closing time. So when other workers were getting ready to join the bus at the close of work, some members of the Mechanical Department had to stay behind to complete the work: Jide, Jason, Tega, Shola, Idris, and Stacey - the later two being a part of the flushing team.
"I heard you guys are working overtime. That's good," Chika said. She was walking with Stacey.
"Overtime ke? We're staying back to correct some mistakes," Stacey replied. "PM is coming to inspect the work tomorrow morning."
"Ok. So you'll all find your way home after work?"
"I dunno if there's a better arrangement," Stacey replied tactifully dodging the conclusion she assumed Chika was heading for. "Alright. See you tomorrow." And she left Chika to join the others at the construction site.
After about an hour of teamwork, they got the system aligned and concluded the work for the day. Everyone then dispatched. Stacey was waiting for a cab just out the company gate, by thd road, when Jason came out with his bike and saw her.
He removed his helmet and asked, "Going home?"
"Yes," she replied. Her heart raced at the possibility of riding home on the bike.
"Do you mind?" he asked, tilting the bike as if suggesting she should climb on it.
She smiled and worked towards him. This would be the best day of her life, she thought.
Climbing up the bike wasn't difficult, as she leaned on his shoulder to do so, but then, the seat was so tilted forward, she was more or less on his back. And to her, it was cool but very uncomfortable.
"Is this your first time on a bike?" Jason asked her as she tried to find a comfortable position on the bike.
"Yes it is - my first time."
He handed over the helmet to her. "Here, put it on. You'll have to put your hand around my waist to get your balance."
What? Do I have to? She wished she hadn't taken the offer in the first place. This was way into her personal space. She knew it would also look ridiculous if she changed her mind and came down. There were a few people at the gate, watching. She just put on the helmet and held his shoulders.
"I'm waiting ma'am," he said.
Stacey reluctantly slipped her hands around his waist. She couldn't deny the fact that she felt more comfortable in that position. She just disliked having to be that close to a stranger, and it did matter that he was also a colleague.
"Enjoy the ride," he said and started the bike. He was going to give her an experience to remember, he thought. A smile spread across his lips as he zoomed off.
The journey that should have taken ten minutes took twenty, with Jason zooming here and there, following the longest cut possible. Stacey had her heart beat doubled in excitement all through the journey, enjoying every bit of it. So by the time they came close to the street where they both lived, she wished she was living farther away.
He stopped in front of her house and helped her come down.
"Hope you enjoyed it?"
She removed the helmet and responded, "Oh my! I did. It was fun. Thank you very much." She looked like someone that had really had a good time.
"You're welcome," he said, taking the helmet from her and wearing it. "Perhaps we could do it again, tomorrow?"
"Too much excitement in such a short time? I'll pass," she said.
"See you tomorrow morning at the bus stop then," Jason said giving her a wink. Then he drove away.
* * *
Jumoke, a friend of Linda's, picked up her phone and dialled her number.
"Hello Linda,"
"Jummy, Hi,"
"You and Jason just flew by without you stopping to check on your girl?"
"Flew by where?" Linn asked surprised.
"Ah ah. I just saw you both zoom past my boutique now," Jummy answered.
"I haven't seen Jason today. I'll call you back later," Linn said and dropped the call. She tried to calm her emotions. So Jason had the effontry to give another girl a ride? And he hadn't called her all day? She picked up her purse and car keys and left her room.
* * *
Stacey entered the gate smiling. She met her sister at the door entrance.
"What happened?" Lois asked her, smiling back.
"A colleague gave me a ride on a motor bike. It was wonderful,"
Lois stared back at her in bewilderment, "A colleague gave you a ride on okada and you're grinning and saying it was wondeful?"
"No o'," Stacey shouted, laughing at the picture her sister had. " Motor bike. Zoom zoom. Uncle Ralph's kind now."
Lois joined in the laughter. "Oh really? I heard the sound as I was coming out but couldn't have guessed you were on it. Enjoyment sis."
"Yeah. You're dressed. Where are you going?" Stacey asked.
"It's thursday now. Church," her sister replied.
Stacey hissed. "We stayed back to do some work, and now I'm so tired, I can't make it."
"It's okay. Let me hurry before I go late," Lois said quickly dashing out of the gate.
"Bye," Stacey called after her and then went into the house.
* * *
Later in the evening, Linda appeared in Jason's house unannounced. She went straight to the BQ and barged into his room, expecting to find him with the girl;
Jason wasn't there. She cursed and left the room.
Meanwhile, Jason left the house few minutes earlier to hers, to apologize for the previous day. He met her apartment locked. He decided to give her a call.
Linda was still within his compound when she saw her phone ringing. She picked the call.
"Linn hi,"
"Jason, where are you?"
"At your doorstep, babe. And you?"
She hesitated. If he really was at her place, then she needed to confirm. She quickly got into her car and replied, "I'm on the road coming home."
"Ok. I'll wait here." Jason dropped the call and walked back to his car, thinking. He met Linn at a party a few months ago and they hit it off together. She was beautiful, intelligent... but that was about it. He didn't feel that deep satisfaction of happiness he craved for in the relationship. And now, he wasn't even as attracted to her as he thought he was.
He opened the car door and sat inside. Was he here to apologize, or to call the relationship off? He hadn't decided. There were more serious things bugging his mind and he needed a break.
"Will you like to spend the rest of your life with Linda?" the question just popped up from somewhere in his head and conjured a sudden dreadful feeling of repulsion at the thought of spending the rest of his life stuck with Linda.
"No way," he said to himself, shaking his head.
Then the voice came again, "You are right, you can't. So do the right thing for both of you. Put sin away."
Jason, for the first time, didn't feel like fighting the voice off. His encounter the previous night in his sleep came flooding back. This name of Jesus delivered him from what he could only describe as a hell visitation.
His mum invited him to her church some weeks ago, where he heard the gospel preached in a different kind of way that caught his attention. Unlike all the stuff he'd heard and disagreed with, this guest preacher from California spoke some light and he found himself muttering a prayer of repentance after the preacher made an altar call, even though he didn't join others out to the altar. He felt stupid the moment he left the church hall that day. Everything seemed the same to him and he reminded himself he wasn't going to join the madness and drama he saw church folks do. He didn't visit church again.
But something did happen... He thought back to the day his friend, Jack, made a ten thousand dollar bet. Jack asked him to listen through some messages by one Minister, which he had downloaded into his ipod, and if he still found no interest in God, he would pay him the bet, denounce Christianity, and eat a can of lizard eyes. Crazy man, Jason thought.
He accepted the bet anyways and spent some time listening to the messages. He even got a bible and a few other materials and did a study. The things he discovered were so off the charts. They were like nothing he had imagined, given the kind of religious practice he'd seen people around him engage in. He listened to all the messages in the ipod twice and he listened to some more teachings.
By the time he was done, indeed he had a change of mind about God, but he found himself resisting any change these new insights brought to his life. Jack, contacted him a week afterwards to enquire and he lied that he didn't find the time to listen to the messages. And then he turned down the bet.
And ever since, he's been hearing the voice, having nightmares, second guessing his decisions, and feeling uncomfortable with a lot around him, including Linda.
"Hey,"
He was startled out of his thoughts by her voice.
"Sleeping?"she asked, standing with her arm resting on his car door and jingling her keys.
"Just resting, waiting for you."
She turned around and walked towards her apartment. Jason came out of his car and followed her.
"Linn, about yesterday, I think I-"
"Shut up Jason. You don't have to," she said without looking back. She knew a better way to get the truth out of him without having to deal with his excuses and possible lies.
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