LOGINShare
DAYLIGHT
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56“Good Morning, Isioma. How are you today? You are looking as radiant as ever”, he added as he stared down her hips and winked.
“I am doing very well. Thank you, sir.” She responded as quickly as possible; she didn’t want to start her day with someone making moves at her, and not even someone now — her boss. She felt uncomfortable with the stare. But she was becoming used to it.
She made a quick run, or walk to her office Isioma’s office was on the fourth floor, adjacent to Mr. Ross’ which was not so much of a distance from the elevator.
Now, Mr. Ross was a good-looking, leanly-muscled, dark-skinned bald, chiseled-shouldered African-American man. He ticked the box of Isioma’s list: he was good-looking, he was rich, he was smart, he had a good smile, a clean and white set of teeth, and dark skin. Not to mention that he has African Ancestry too. But Isioma was never attracted to him.
For one, she knew and had accepted that he was her boss. She engaged with him in a boss-worker capacity.
Secondly, she had a no-relationship-at-work rule. She couldn’t possibly date someone she was working with. This was her longest-standing rule; it didn’t just start today, it started in her days of working as a doctor. Her reasons were not far-fetched.
For one, things could get messy and dirty. Also, mixing relationships with work only meant one party would suffer — and it was only the weaker party. Unluckily, in this scenario, Isioma was the weaker one.
Sitting on her sit, she decided to pray. Her words of prayer were often few and scanty but today, she decided to say a few more words
‘Thank you, Jesus, for another beautiful day like this. I’m here at work; I’m hopeful and happy that today the right words would come. I’m thankful that today would be successful and I shall give all glories to you. Amen’
And here comes the few extra words:
“But God, I am confused as to my Boss Mr. Ross, and why he could be doing the things he’s doing. Staring at me, and making some moves when he’s beside me. Dear Jesus, I am confused.” she said these words with fear but with uttermost faith in her heart
Isioma was confused about Ross.
The day had started. Isioma started her computer system and started to write. Usually, the daily tasks were sent from Mr. Ross to the entire staff of about thirty-seven writers, but today, things were different: she didn’t get an e-mail.
“Why could that be?” she thought to herself.
She checked her emails in and out to be sure she hadn’t skipped a thing. She even searched her spam folder to ensure that it wasn’t marked as one; but still, nothing.
Staring at the wall, it flashed into her memory.
“Maybe he had forgotten”, she consoled herself. Although Mr. Ross never misses any details, she thought there might be a first time to everything.
Refusing to waste any more time, she decided to start writing her blog post on boundaries.
She began. Boundaries are not walls. Rather, see them as semi-permeable membranes or in more subtle terms, gates: only certain things are allowed to get in and get out
For the umpteenth time, she got lost in her thoughts. Initially, when she relocated to California from Nigeria, before moving to Houston, Mama would often call her twenty times a day.
“Ke du, how are you doing? Are you finding that place convenient?” Mama asked.
“Yes, mama, I am fine, she would often respond with reluctance” In the next couple of hours, mama would call.
“Good Afternoon, Nne. I just called these from you. Hope you aren’t feeling too cold. Have you put the stock fish and crayfish you took along inside the refrigerator?”
“Yes, Mama, I have done that.” She would more often than not, respond with a fake smile. She didn’t want to come off as rude or condescending.
Also, she had often heard stories of young boys and girls who traveled to Europe and The Americas and forgot their parents in Nigeria — or even where they had come from; she didn’t want to be included as those. Therefore, she needed to keep in touch. But right now, Mama was testing her patience.
Mama would call in the evening again. “Isioma, I know it is 8:45 PM, but can you help me find out how to renew my N*****x subscription? It expired last month and I’m just wondering if you can help me renew it.”
That was it. Mama was calling her at 8:45 to renew her N*****x subscription? She was teasing her patience at this point. She remembered what her therapist Doctor Nicole had said about boundaries and how they were essential in situations like this.
“Mum, I understand and appreciate that you call me. But I’m very busy now. And I would only be answering your texts and not phone calls.’’
Mama for a minute was dumbfounded. Her daughter had just insulted her. ‘You suckled both of my breasts for 3 years, and this is what can come out of your dirty mouth’, Mama said as she hung up the call.
She didn’t bug. She knew just like Dr. Nicole had said, boundaries — particularly ones like that — would not be accepted easily by people.
Impressively, Mama listened. She didn’t call her at odd hours, and when she did, it was mostly emergency. She couldn’t have her first daughter who was living in a completely different world upset with her.
Now into reality, Isioma started to type again, “Sometimes our parents or people we love might not respect our boundaries, but we have to uphold them”
Before getting a chance to move into the next paragraph, Isioma heard a knock on the door of her office — now that was weird. Writers were often not disturbed or distracted by visitors during afternoons — the business hours of the day.
“What could be the issue?” she thought to herself.
“Yes. Please, come in.” it was her boss, Mr. Ross’ secretary, Rania.
Rania was a white woman. She was blonde. Her accent goes her out as someone from France or Spain.
“Good Afternoon, Rania. How can I hope you today?” Isioma asked
“The Boss would like to meet you in his office,” Rania responded
Related chapters
Houston Reels THE FIRST CALL
In a normal work setting, particularly in Marshmello Printing Press, it was very unusual for her boss, Mr. Mike Ross to send for a worker unprovoked. There had to be a reason. Isioma and Mr. Ross had not spoken much lately. There had to be a reason for this. Why did he send for me? Have I done anything wrong to him? What could be the reason for the sudden call? He never calls me.She decided to voice out exactly what and how she felt. “Is everything okay? Did he tell you that there was anything wrong? I know you are his secretary; you should know better when anything is wrong. Do you think I did anything wrong? Rania, are you sure there is nothing because it is very unusual for him to send for me.” Rania, for a second, stood confused. Why did Isioma think it was okay for her to ask such questions? Was she a mind-reader that would know what exactly her boss thought? How was she supposed to know why their boss called? Even if she did, did Isioma expect her to disclose information? Fo
Houston Reels EMPTY
Today was Isioma’s day off of work. She mostly had Thursdays off except in rare situations when she needed to do some ghost-writing, or when she needed to be at work. It was in the brochure and contractual terms she had signed before her employment in Marshmello Printing press. Isioma woke up in the early hours of the morning, Her alarm clock beeped twice, and after the third time of snoozing it, the courage to finally face her enveloped her at about eight in the morning.As she would do before commencing her day, she went down on her knees to pray.“Thank you, Lord Jesus, for today. That I am alive today is not because it is not by my power that I am here today but because you love and chose me and I do not take it for granted. Thank you for loving me because without your love I do not know where I would be today. Your grace, your love has kept me this far to be very honest.”While she prayed, she was interrupted by her phone’s ring tone. It beeped. Today was the day she set for her
Houston Reels HAIR
Stepping out in a red gown with blue sequins, Isioma was ready for her off-day. She had made arrangements to visit the spa and get some groceries from the market. It was a free day and she had already checked her mail to make sure that nothing was disturbing her work-free, stress-free day.On this very day, Isioma decided to take the train. It was something she loved to do on days like this. For some reason, it made her feel alive, bright, young, and free. Taking the cab, or even ordering an Uber ride or even Taxify felt like too much automatism, which on days like this, she was trying to avoid.At the train station, she sat a man who would not stop talking about the headlines in the newspaper he was reading. A man who one can presume to be in his late forties, with his chin containing hair sparsely scattered, containing very scanty strands of hair that can hardly be referred to as a beard. “I cannot imagine why the price of gas keeps increasing, and our income every month
Houston Reels Untouchable
Isioma Ejiofor wrote in her daily journal: material things cannot get you every girl,Some girls know their worth. You might bring the fanciest cars, you might take me to the highest mountains. But it might never be enoughMiss Tony Hair Salon was one of the best places in Houston, Texas. Isioma had read about it on one of the famous blogs she frequented during her less busy days. It was one of the most visited hair salons in the whole of Texas. They offered facial treatment, hair care, manicure, and pedicure, makeup services amongst others. Sometimes, the men who followed their wives to the salon would use two stones to kill a bird. The men, defying all odds of masculinity, would get their feet washed and their faces taken care of. Upon entry, one could almost assume it to be a unisex salon.After Nicky greeted her, she proceeded to sit on a wooden chair. Nicky was an Afro-Indian woman who owns could presume to be in her late thirties. She had a few Nicky Tony owned and ran the salo
Houston Reels Hunger
Looking up, Isioma saw a man who was almost if not a little bit taller than her. He was stretching a few dollar notes towards Isioma in a bid to pay for her hair, but Isioma would want none of that. She was financially buoyant and could afford to pay for her two hundred dollars box braids.“Thank you for the offer, but I have this one covered,” Isioma said, turning down the offer she had received from the man. “I insist please let me pay for it,” the man pleaded. Isioma finally gave in to her hair being paid for by a stranger.“Thank you,” Isioma said with a smile on her face. Her smile was as broad as that of a little child who had just been blessed by secret Santa.Usually, when men like that helped women, it often came with a price. Their mentality was always a mentality of nothing goes for nothing. If they scratched your back, you had to scratch theirs in turn. But his case was very much different. He paid for the hair, waved his palm halfway, and walked away.Isioma was thankf
Houston Reels This is why he is the boss
Rania the secretary of the hotel was just called by her boss, Mr. Mike ross to come and give an account of the last sales they made from advertising one skincare product in their last quarter of the year. The media franchise of the Marshmello Printing Press had been running beauty campaigns for one of the most expensive luxury brands in the United States.One would think that the company got the advert placement based on merit alone. Sure, they may have gotten it a little off of merit. People like Isioma stay heartbroken every day just so that the company would have enough heartbreak stories to churn out every single year, but there was something more that most people did not know about.Dr. Skims was one of the most popular companies in the whole United States. They sold beauty products to women in all shapes and forms. They had a brand for their liquid wash, their moisturizers, and their sunscreen. Their motto was, “making beauty accessible for every woman.”When they first launched
Houston Reels His touch
The office was super cold. There was a kind of silence that filled the air that had never been sensed before in the entire company. The atmosphere and the air conditioning in the room was blowing so cold that one could feel the dry mist inside of his nostrils.On work days like this, the office would smell like old files and coffee, but on this very day. It smelled very clean. It was almost as though he was expecting someone unusual.‘“Isioma, I’ve heard you were writing a story on boundaries and therapy. That’s beautiful.’” he said as he stared at her lips. "You are very beautiful" He muttered under him breathe again and couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by Isioma’s beauty. He paused and looked at how beautiful she was. Her lips were glossy pink and her eyes were beaming and glossy. He licked his lips as he stared at them. It was certain: Ross was sexually interested in Isioma. He stood up from his black flexible chair and moved towards the visitors' chair where Isioma was sitt
Houston Reels RUSTLING LEAVES
Texas was very warm at that time of the year. Hot air filled the atmosphere of Houston, the trees whistling, the almost stunk aroma of the woman roasting kebabs from across the street, and the rustling dead leaves from last fall. Everything reminded Isioma of her last relationship with Kent. Well, not only the leaves were dead, but her love life was also dead. She received a call from Mama last year, and as usual, the topic of discussion was her love life. “Isioma, when are you bringing a man to this house?” she asked with so much which so much repressed anger in her tone.“You know you aren’t getting any younger. Very soon, your breast will start to fall. Do you think your child can suckle oh fallen breast?” she added.Isioma remembered how lost she was when she traveled to Enugu last year for her cousin’s white wedding in St. Mathews’ Catholic Church back home in Nigeria, and how she had felt lost. She felt lost not because she was angry that her beloved and almost favorite cousin
Latest chapter
Houston Reels His touch
The office was super cold. There was a kind of silence that filled the air that had never been sensed before in the entire company. The atmosphere and the air conditioning in the room was blowing so cold that one could feel the dry mist inside of his nostrils.On work days like this, the office would smell like old files and coffee, but on this very day. It smelled very clean. It was almost as though he was expecting someone unusual.‘“Isioma, I’ve heard you were writing a story on boundaries and therapy. That’s beautiful.’” he said as he stared at her lips. "You are very beautiful" He muttered under him breathe again and couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by Isioma’s beauty. He paused and looked at how beautiful she was. Her lips were glossy pink and her eyes were beaming and glossy. He licked his lips as he stared at them. It was certain: Ross was sexually interested in Isioma. He stood up from his black flexible chair and moved towards the visitors' chair where Isioma was sitt
Houston Reels This is why he is the boss
Rania the secretary of the hotel was just called by her boss, Mr. Mike ross to come and give an account of the last sales they made from advertising one skincare product in their last quarter of the year. The media franchise of the Marshmello Printing Press had been running beauty campaigns for one of the most expensive luxury brands in the United States.One would think that the company got the advert placement based on merit alone. Sure, they may have gotten it a little off of merit. People like Isioma stay heartbroken every day just so that the company would have enough heartbreak stories to churn out every single year, but there was something more that most people did not know about.Dr. Skims was one of the most popular companies in the whole United States. They sold beauty products to women in all shapes and forms. They had a brand for their liquid wash, their moisturizers, and their sunscreen. Their motto was, “making beauty accessible for every woman.”When they first launched
Houston Reels Hunger
Looking up, Isioma saw a man who was almost if not a little bit taller than her. He was stretching a few dollar notes towards Isioma in a bid to pay for her hair, but Isioma would want none of that. She was financially buoyant and could afford to pay for her two hundred dollars box braids.“Thank you for the offer, but I have this one covered,” Isioma said, turning down the offer she had received from the man. “I insist please let me pay for it,” the man pleaded. Isioma finally gave in to her hair being paid for by a stranger.“Thank you,” Isioma said with a smile on her face. Her smile was as broad as that of a little child who had just been blessed by secret Santa.Usually, when men like that helped women, it often came with a price. Their mentality was always a mentality of nothing goes for nothing. If they scratched your back, you had to scratch theirs in turn. But his case was very much different. He paid for the hair, waved his palm halfway, and walked away.Isioma was thankf
Houston Reels Untouchable
Isioma Ejiofor wrote in her daily journal: material things cannot get you every girl,Some girls know their worth. You might bring the fanciest cars, you might take me to the highest mountains. But it might never be enoughMiss Tony Hair Salon was one of the best places in Houston, Texas. Isioma had read about it on one of the famous blogs she frequented during her less busy days. It was one of the most visited hair salons in the whole of Texas. They offered facial treatment, hair care, manicure, and pedicure, makeup services amongst others. Sometimes, the men who followed their wives to the salon would use two stones to kill a bird. The men, defying all odds of masculinity, would get their feet washed and their faces taken care of. Upon entry, one could almost assume it to be a unisex salon.After Nicky greeted her, she proceeded to sit on a wooden chair. Nicky was an Afro-Indian woman who owns could presume to be in her late thirties. She had a few Nicky Tony owned and ran the salo
Houston Reels HAIR
Stepping out in a red gown with blue sequins, Isioma was ready for her off-day. She had made arrangements to visit the spa and get some groceries from the market. It was a free day and she had already checked her mail to make sure that nothing was disturbing her work-free, stress-free day.On this very day, Isioma decided to take the train. It was something she loved to do on days like this. For some reason, it made her feel alive, bright, young, and free. Taking the cab, or even ordering an Uber ride or even Taxify felt like too much automatism, which on days like this, she was trying to avoid.At the train station, she sat a man who would not stop talking about the headlines in the newspaper he was reading. A man who one can presume to be in his late forties, with his chin containing hair sparsely scattered, containing very scanty strands of hair that can hardly be referred to as a beard. “I cannot imagine why the price of gas keeps increasing, and our income every month
Houston Reels EMPTY
Today was Isioma’s day off of work. She mostly had Thursdays off except in rare situations when she needed to do some ghost-writing, or when she needed to be at work. It was in the brochure and contractual terms she had signed before her employment in Marshmello Printing press. Isioma woke up in the early hours of the morning, Her alarm clock beeped twice, and after the third time of snoozing it, the courage to finally face her enveloped her at about eight in the morning.As she would do before commencing her day, she went down on her knees to pray.“Thank you, Lord Jesus, for today. That I am alive today is not because it is not by my power that I am here today but because you love and chose me and I do not take it for granted. Thank you for loving me because without your love I do not know where I would be today. Your grace, your love has kept me this far to be very honest.”While she prayed, she was interrupted by her phone’s ring tone. It beeped. Today was the day she set for her
Houston Reels THE FIRST CALL
In a normal work setting, particularly in Marshmello Printing Press, it was very unusual for her boss, Mr. Mike Ross to send for a worker unprovoked. There had to be a reason. Isioma and Mr. Ross had not spoken much lately. There had to be a reason for this. Why did he send for me? Have I done anything wrong to him? What could be the reason for the sudden call? He never calls me.She decided to voice out exactly what and how she felt. “Is everything okay? Did he tell you that there was anything wrong? I know you are his secretary; you should know better when anything is wrong. Do you think I did anything wrong? Rania, are you sure there is nothing because it is very unusual for him to send for me.” Rania, for a second, stood confused. Why did Isioma think it was okay for her to ask such questions? Was she a mind-reader that would know what exactly her boss thought? How was she supposed to know why their boss called? Even if she did, did Isioma expect her to disclose information? Fo
Houston Reels DAYLIGHT
“Good Morning, Isioma. How are you today? You are looking as radiant as ever”, he added as he stared down her hips and winked. “I am doing very well. Thank you, sir.” She responded as quickly as possible; she didn’t want to start her day with someone making moves at her, and not even someone now — her boss. She felt uncomfortable with the stare. But she was becoming used to it. She made a quick run, or walk to her office Isioma’s office was on the fourth floor, adjacent to Mr. Ross’ which was not so much of a distance from the elevator. Now, Mr. Ross was a good-looking, leanly-muscled, dark-skinned bald, chiseled-shouldered African-American man. He ticked the box of Isioma’s list: he was good-looking, he was rich, he was smart, he had a good smile, a clean and white set of teeth, and dark skin. Not to mention that he has African Ancestry too. But Isioma was never attracted to him. For one, she knew and had accepted that he was her boss. She engaged with him in a boss-worker capaci
Houston Reels THE PAST AND HOW IT AFECTS THE PRESENT
Mustering a little bit of courage and inner fierceness, she went back into the house, a detached two-bedroom apartment with unsightly walls and trim where the paint had begun to peel. “I am confused, Kent. Do you for a second fathom the kind of shame ostracism as a girl dating a White man on campus. I am supposed to be a model for the other girls who are Black on campus. But I chose to date you amidst all of the rumors, hoping that you would not put me to shame, but here you are, doing the exact opposite of what I thought you would do.”“But, Isioma, I have listened to you over and over again.”“Kent, I’m breaking up with you. You and I aren’t the same: you are never going to understand what racism or systematic racism is. Your people — they are rich, considered first in society. I’m not sure I can say the same for mine. And what’s worse is: Now, you —a White man— are saying the word.”Kent smirked. “Isioma you are overreacting; it’s just a word.”. `.She didn’t utter a word. Instea
