Turmoil

Its been two days, Adriel, and she has not said a thing. Even Daddy has not said anything.

Yesterday I explained to Georgie what happened, and he was in the 'ki ni big deal?' group. He tried to understand though, and he's covering for me for the next three shifts, but he's not accepting my resignation.

I was still trying to explain my predicament, and how I could not continue working at the poolhouse after what happened, when I noticed a man and a little girl coming towards us at the pool side. The little girl I saved came back again to the pool with only her dad.

"Good evening," the man began and reached out his hand to Georgie for a handshake. But he ignored my hand and gave me a hug instead. The little girl raised her hands, and I automatically hugged her as well. I looked from father to daughter, and wondered the reason for their visit, as they didnt look like they were ready to swim. It didnt take long before I got the gist of their visit.

"Are you the head life guard at this establishment?" the man asked Georgie. By this time Don had seated himself comfortably within earshot. It crossed my mind briefly that he had been missing almost throughout yesterday, but it was only a fleeting thought.
Georgie nodded in affirmation.

"I would like to commend you," the man continued in his funny accent. "on the excellent training you gave your assistant here. She saved my only daughter for me yesterday, within ten seconds. I mean, one second I was laughing at a joke, and paddling water, the next I heard a scream. And the very next moment she dove in and saved my girl. I did not know that Africans could swim so well."

Georgie's facial expression had been changing as the man's words sunk in, but at his last statement it was stony.
Sensing that he'd made a gaffe, he grunted and continued. "I am here today to thank her for her honourable act. Where I come from, when a man," then glancing at me, he quickly added. "or woman saves your life. You owe that person your life until you can do the same for that person in return. I would like to recommend some sort of promotion for her, and also give her anything she requests, as a gift."

At this point all eyes shifted to me. I shook my head in refusal, then breathed in deeply, to calm myself down before speaking.

"I am greatly honoured," I began, taking his tack - official speech. "by your recommendation and gift, but I was only doing my duty as a lifeguard in this establishment, Sir. It was just my job. If Georgie here was the one on duty he would have done the same." I added, pointing to him.

"At least accept my gift," he insisted, beckoning another fellow who I had not noticed before to come closer. The second man quickly brought out a pen and small notebook, and waited, his hand poised over it ready to write everything I said next down.

I shook my head again. "I am very grateful for the offer, and the gift, but I must refuse it. It goes against my work ethics to receive gifts for doing my job Sir."

Georgie spoke up when he saw the confusion in the man's face.

"Sir, I must say that I do not understand her as well." He began. "Here you are, ready to give her a gift for saving your daughter's life yesterday, but she is here to resign."

"Resign?" repeated the man, obviously more confused now.

"Resign?" echoed Don.

"Yes Sir," answered Georgie. "She wanted to resign. I was just pleading with her when you arrived."

"Please don't leave," the little girl chipped in. "How will you save other children?"

I looked at the scene. This was Nigeria for God's sake. Georgie was refusing my resignation because he needed an assistant, I'm sure. And the little girl must think that children always got drowned here. If I wasnt there, someone else would do it.

I resisted the urge to shake my head again.

"Ok," I said instead. "I'll stay."

Don breathed, Georgie smiled. But the girl's father still refused to be apeaced. He wanted to compensate me. He finally left with my phone number.

I refused to speak to Don about it. But I must tell you, the way he didnt insist on talking it out, it got me thinking....maybe he'd another love interest now.

I still have to stand the silence at home. Let me prepare for that mental torture instead of worrying if the guy I have a crush on has stopped liking me back.

God dey

Going Home...

I am dreading going home....and I am sure you all know why.

Its not that she'll kill me or cut off my arm or something, but I cannot imagine what i must endure for letting them down like this.

Some might ask, 'ki ni big deal? (What is the big deal)....So you learnt how to swim secretly....So you saved a bunch of kids from drowning...so you took a job doing that part time....so you were caught...

You didn't do anything horrible! You were not caught with a man on top of you...You did not have to confess that you were pregnant...You were not caught with weed in your purse....You were not caught dancing topless in a strip club (the catcher would also have some explaining to do, I bet)...You were not caught doing yahoo-yahoo

But there is a big deal. This is about being truthful, about being trustworthy. This is about being reliable, about being true to my word. This is about whether they can trust that whatever I say is true....

I wonder if they will ever believe me again......

And I still have to sleep in that house...Pray for me....I am going to need it.