Wounded Pilgrim 23

KEEPING DISTANCE

Bartholomew was not someone who could withstand a lot pressure regardless of where he was or whom he was with. How it amazed him how he had managed to succumb to the pressure from Anastacia to go help her look for a house. He had feared to be thrown into unplanned spending at a time of the month when things were pretty much tight financially. However, to much of his amazement she financed the whole operation which sort of softened his heart to cooperate.

The afternoon efforts were much fruitful since they did not only find a house that she fell in love with but they got to move her belongings from her aunt’s place to the house. It a spacious bedsitter on the second floor of an apartment overlooking the city below. She didn’t have much belongings apart from three heavy suitcases and her handbag that never left her right hand. They went to one supermarket where she bought an executive mattress, a few utensils, cutlery, a plastic chair, table, gas cooker and headed back to the house again.

It was already getting dark outside and Bartholomew was really exhausted wishing he would just get an airlift right to his house. He was also hungry since he left the breakfast he had prepared in hurry after getting Anastacia’s call thinking she would get to the agreed place earlier than him and probably get bored waiting for him there. How wrong was he got there and called her?

“I am going to the bathroom now but I will be really quick, will call you when I get there” was all she answered when he called to inquire where she was. She was the reason he never got to hear the sermon since every time he remembered he left his breakfast untouched just to come pick her and that also she was sited next to him against his wish, his mind wandered away.

Anastacia offered to cook something for him before he could leave after he announced to her his intention to leave. He adamantly refused to accept the offer citing he needed to get to his house early enough while it was still safe.

“But you are a man” she protested.

“I don’t things for granted ever since they robbed and hurt me last year” he almost shouted.

“Tell me about it please” she was manipulative and insensitive to his sentiments but he persisted till he stood up to show he was serious that he was leaving.

“If the women we are to marry are this troublesome and uncaring then who will be our wives?” he thought.

“Okay then now that you know my place you are welcome to check in” she said when they finally parted outside the gate. He pretended not to hear and urged the taxi driver to drive away.

The next day at work Bartholomew could not help being late for he must have slept late trying to compile some reports for the previous week so that as it was the custom of Monday submit the reports to his seniors on email. Anastacia on the other hand spent the better part of the day in the boardroom with some briefing and a little orientation. She didn’t feel disappointed on failing to see Bartholomew on that particular day. She understood he was definitely busy in his area of duty and they would meet some other day when she settles down and she has the chance to visit his office.

On the other hand, Bartholomew choose to keep a good distance between him and her just in case she tried to reach out to him. His secretary was the one whom she put to handle his visitors whether they were employees or people from outside. For the next week at work he became extremely busy with his work. And at times when he was not in his office he was in the boardroom in meetings.

Two texts sent at different times scared Bartholomew when he finally got to go through his unread texts. One was of course from Anastacia in which she wanted to know why she had to go through his secretary to see him. The other was from Eliezer who was humbly seeking audience with him for a few minutes after failing to see him three times in that week. While he wanted to respond to them he felt he was just okay not responding to them. The company auditors were soon going to pay their offices a visit and that meant he had to set everything in order pretty quickly.

Eliezer had come to his house twice on evenings but failed to find Bartholomew and that expressed his disappointment and humbleness in the text he had sent him. After lots of thinking he gave him a call and asked him to come see him over lunchtime on Friday.

“Eliezer you look terrible, are you okay?” Bartholomew asked him when they met at the restaurant. The sight of Eliezer shocked Bartholomew to the core and he was lost of words on what to say or ask.