The office in Lagos was alive with the normal noises of telephones ringing and clicking, the clacking of fingers on keyboards, and the hum of printers, however something was just not right. Amaka could sense it immediately. Not just her, but the whole office looked edgy, eyes shifting about. It was as though they all knew something was wrong but no one was brave enough to say it. It was an anxious type of atmosphere, similar to the air is before it rains really hard.
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Is this company about to shut down?
Amaka could see it in her colleagues' faces. Tunde, the usually carefree joker of the team, was now glued to his desk, furiously typing away as if staying busy could protect him from the inevitable. Then there was Bisi, her best friend from work, who had begun working nights. Amaka wondered if it was because Bisi needed the money or if she was trying to show them that she was the best one and they would never fire her. Even their normally talkative and lively manager, Mr. Eze, has not been the same lately. His usual wide smile had been replaced by a thin, worried line, his voice more strained than usual.
There was this elephant in the room that no one wanted to talk about.
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Amaka sat with her colleagues in their weekly team meeting in the big conference room. Mr. Eze stood at the head, talking about deadlines, projects, and goals, but Amaka couldn’t focus. Her mind kept drifting to the rent that was due soon, the school fees she still had to pay for her younger siblings, and the unease in her stomach that made her feel like her job could disappear any day now. It was a scary feeling, but no one wanted to admit it.
“Any questions?” Mr. Eze asked, looking around the room.
Amaka stared at her notepad, not looking at him. She sensed Bisi squirming in the seat next to her.
There was silence. The elephant in the room—the fear that they were all on the brink of losing their jobs—was huge, heavy, and looming over them, but no one dared to address it. Mr. Eze’s eyes scanned the room as if he wanted to say more but couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Later that evening, Amaka stayed late to finish up some work, as had become her habit. Bisi came by her desk, pulling up a chair. They would always stay late, long after everyone else left, and just hang out with each other in the empty office.
“You feel it too, right? Bisi asked quietly, glancing around to make sure no one else was within earshot.
Amaka sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t know why we’re all pretending like everything is fine when it’s obvious something is wrong.
“But who’s going to bring it up? Bisi asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “If we start talking about it, then it becomes real. What if management thinks we’re causing trouble?”
Amaka understood the fear. You can't miss the elephant once you've mentioned it. However, the longer they all remained quiet, the more the burden grew.
Then a few days later the same thing was starting to go down at the house. Even Amaka's parents, the rock of the house, the pillars of tranquility, had been fighting more than normal. Their voices carried through the thin walls of their modest house in Surulere, and it was impossible not to notice the cold silences that replaced their usual laughter.
Amaka sat with her younger brother, Chike, in the living room one evening. The television was on, but neither of them was really paying attention. The tension between their parents was palpable as was the unspoken concern at work.
“Do you think they’ll… you know, separate? Chike asked quietly, his voice tinged with fear.
Amaka’s heart sank. It was the very question she had been avoiding. Their elephant was huge and it had been looming for weeks. “I don’t know,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
That night, as Amaka lay in bed, she heard her mother’s soft sobs from the kitchen. It was in the middle of the night and the house was completely silent except for her mothers cries which rang out like daggers in the still air. Amaka hesitated before deciding to walk into the kitchen. She found her mother sitting at the table, her hands covering her face.
“Mummy, what’s going on? Amaka asked, gently placing a hand on her mother’s shoulder.
Her mother wiped her tears away and looked at her with weary eyes. “Your father and I… we’re trying, Amaka. But it’s been hard. I didn't want to burden you and Chike, but enough is enough with the pretending. Things are not the way they used to be.”
It felt like a weight had been lifted from the room. Amaka and her mom talked the night away, just getting everything off their chests that they had held in. The elephant in their room had been recognized, and as much as it hurt, there was also some odd relief.
Well, the following morning at work, the time that they had all feared eventually came. Mr. Eze called an urgent staff meeting. Amaka’s heart raced as she entered the conference room. She could sense the tension in the air, yet there was some sort of strange calmness. Everyone knew what was coming.
Mr. Eze cleared his throat, his expression serious but resigned. I've heard all the rumors," he said. “And I want to be honest with you all. Yes, the company is facing challenges. This is a tough time and regrettably there will be some firing.
As he spoke, Amaka felt the tension in the room dissolve, replaced by a mix of fear and relief. The elephant was finally out in the open. It hurt, but at least now they weren’t pretending anymore. They could face whatever was coming together.