“It's weekend, girl, don't you have a life? Because we are all set to leave, and you are still busy with your system” Joy queried Prisca.
“Cut me some slack babe, I need to win this gig I'm working on, like my entire career depends on it”
“Oh! Really, Prisca? So, is that why you come to work on Sundays? Because technically, you are the only employee who does that”.
“Shhh…. Don't say that out loud, Joy, you want to make me the laughingstock of the office?” Prisca questioned in a hush tone.
“Of course, if it gets you a man” Joy laughed as she ducked to avoid being hit by the empty plastic bottle Prisca threw at her.
Next, Prisca responded, “I do have a life, just distance….”
But Joy wasn't having it, so she quickly cuts in and questioned, “What life? Eric? That promise and fail? Babe, don't worry tomorrow I will make it up to you? Is that who you call a life?”
“Joy! Stop! I will not sit here and listen to you speak ill of my man.” By now Prisca was turning red as she was really embarrassed over the attacks and confrontations from Joy.
Joy, however, wasn't backing down as she kept at it, “Ok lover girl, when has he ever kept to his promise? I mean, will tomorrow ever come?”
“Yes and in fact, he has invited me over for the weekend. That's why I need to hurry with this.” Prisca lied just to get Joy off her back.
Which seemed to work as joy left her office to go pick up her bag and meet with her boyfriend, who was already waiting for her.
Prisca worked until late and thought to call Eric if she could breeze in for the weekend, but the call went straight to voicemail so she just left him a text.
The next day, Prisca woke up to a miss call and text from Eric that the weekend was not a good time as he's travelling for work and out of the network area, he ended the text by promising, as usual, to make it up to her when he gets back.
Prisca, although disappointed, took it in good faith as she understood he's working, and it will be unfair for her to complain.
“On the bright side, I have a whole weekend to work on my project” Prisca said to herself as a smile became visible on her face.
MONDAY
Prisca was rounding up her project when Joy walked in, she grabbed a seat and had her attention fixed on Prisca.
“What?” Prisca questioned as she rounded up and shut down her computer.
“I don't know, but I thought I saw Eric in town yesterday…. were you not supposed to travel to meet him? Did he come instead?…. Wait, whose child was he with?” Joy questioned as she tilted her head quizzically.
Prisca breathed out heavily, “Yeah I was supposed to travel but then Eric cancelled”
“Of course! Sure he did” Joy said with a mischievous smile.
She continued, “Don't you think maybe Eric is a married man? Do you need God to come down to tell you?”
“Don't start Joy I really am not desiring this”
“Think about it Prisca, just think about it” Joy said as she exited back to her office.
Was Prisca troubled? Yes she was, but she desperately wanted Joy to be wrong too.
However, the thought that she's been with Eric for over a year, and they've really not spent time together as a couple became a thing of concern.
He's always busy, never straightforward and doesn't ever come with a reasonable excuse.
On her birthday he didn't show up and promised her they would have a private celebration the next day, but it never did happen as he claimed to be off work on an emergency.
This made Joy nickname him, “babe don't worry tomorrow I will make it up to you.”
When asked what he does, he's never coming out straight.
Prisca was disturbed with the revelations Joy made, he tried Eric a few times, and it kept going to voicemail.
So she decided to hire a private investigator to find out what Eric was really up to.
The findings were shocking as Eric is not even his real name nor the apartment he claimed to be living in, his real apartment.
The private investigator handed Prisca all the details she needed to burst him, and she set out to his residence to confirm things for herself.
**Eric's Apartment **
Prisca rang the doorbell severally but got no response, she was about to chicken out as she felt it was stupid. Just then, a lady came and opened the door.
“Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Eri.... Sorry, Mr. Stanley, I am looking for Mr. Stanley.” Prisca said, trying to hold herself together by not seeming suspicious.
“Ohh Mr. Stanley went for school run did he know you were coming?”
“Oh yes, he asked me to wait, can I come in?”
“Sure why not?”
“So you are?” Prisca questioned as she walked in behind her, turning her head 360 and getting a good view of the place.
“I'm Mary, I'm his wife's caregiver”
“His wife?” Prisca questioned in a high-pitched tone but quickly pulled herself together. She cleared her throat and then apologized for being so loud.
“Who did you say you are again?” Mary questioned with a piercing gaze.
“Oh I'm Rachel, I'm his business associate.” Prisca lied.
“Hmhhmm… Have a seat.” Mary responded expressing doubts as she excused herself.
Prisca immediately texted Joy letting her in on everything, Joy wasn't surprised and responded, “I always knew he was no good.”
While Prisca was seated, she decided to snoop around and do some more digging. Then she stumbled on Mary attending to Eric's wife, who was in critical condition and surviving on machines.
She stood there just staring at them, not knowing what to feel… Then she felt a hand grab her. She wanted to scream, but the person quickly covered her mouth and pulled her aside.
“What are you doing here?” Eric questioned in a hush but angry tone.
“How on earth did you locate this place? You need to leave Prisca, you crossed the line.”
Prisca was angered as she reacted by giving Eric a slap. “How dare you?” Prisca thundered, but then she didn't feel the need to react any further as she had gotten her answer to why he never kept to any of his promises.
“Joy was right about you, and I'm glad I have seen you for who you are.”