Eight

I was still trying to decide between confronting Shade or going to apologize to my Team Leader for the mess when I received my team leader’s e-mail - “Come to my office”.

That was all.

I was sure she was going to have my head on a plate.

“Ma, I am really sorry for the mix-up”, I said as I entered her office, trying to assuage her anger before she attacked.

“Sit down”, she said, without looking up from her PC.

Then slowly, with a calm and deadly sarcastic smirk, she turned to look at me and said, “What is all this rubbish you and Shade think you are doing? I cannot understand how a simple form that we fill every other day is causing this ‘back and forth’. Give me a logical explanation.”

“Ma, I know that you are disappointed but I can swear to you that I consulted with Shade as you instructed and she helped me with the form. I even asked her to crosscheck before -”

“Do I look impressed with this explanation?” she cut me off, saying. “Do you think I can I give that explanation to Mr. Olusesan at our meeting this evening?”

There was nothing left to say… but I couldn’t look away and I couldn’t answer. I stared her straight in the eyes. I knew that it wasn’t my fault and somehow, I felt that she knew it too.