HER GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

Chapter 10: Murphy’s Law

"Guy's you need a refill", Dave asked happily.

"No man we should be on our way it's getting late" James said checking his phone,” Besides we have had enough already"

"Does that go for the lady too?" Dave asked smiling at her.

He was smartly dressed in black regular fit trousers. A white shirt with a blue bow tie and a black half coat. Well seven side burns and a pair of goggles. Linda bet ladies were coming to the bar because of him and he was damned if he was single.

"Am good if he is we are like... You know", she shrugged, "one"

"I get it thanks for stopping by I got to take care of my two friends there", He said pointing at a table across the room. James and Linda both turned around to look at them.

"Is that Tania? She is looking good", Linda complimented swirling her drink with a straw.

"You know her? She is my boss’s girlfriend"

"Yeah we went to the same high school she was a brainy"

"And so were you", James chirped in.

"She still is you're free to go say hi", Dave suggested walking away.

Linda looked at James who was getting restless. He nodded to give him an okay. Anita had just texted him she was going to be late they had a lot to take care of. Nick had no idea Linda and Tina knew each other. The moment he saw her going to the washroom he send a word to Dave. But Dave had not seen Linda go to the washroom so he followed the directives given by his superior. Waited patiently for her until she heard her screaming. Dave froze. The last time a woman screamed he got into trouble. Big trouble. Once bitten twice shy. He was not going to repeat the mistake twice so he stood there like as skeleton. When Linda emerged she was smiling at him.

"Screaming helps why you here handsome?"

"Ooh! Sorry I didn't know it was you never mind", Dave said walking away quickly.

On his way out he warned Nick that his target was already compromised. Bad for him he did not read the text until he saw Linda walking to their table. His heartbeat was rising steadily. He turned around to find Dave with his eyes. He was at the bar busy serving drinks. It was only until he fished out his phone to text him that he saw his message. What a waste of some good company. But he was aware of Murphy’s Law of combat, whatever can go wrong will go wrong.

"Tania? Remember me? Linda from high school", she said both of her hands holding her purse. She looked nervous.

"Of course I remember you who wouldn't come join us”, Tania offered getting up to hug Linda

They were of almost equal heights. Both pretty and voluptuous dark skinned women. Their braids lay on their backs and their body shaping dresses left two pairs of firm protruding well shaved legs. Someone could have confused them for twins only that there resemblance was not that similar and the color and design of their dresses was a little bit different. Linda's dress screamed money and effluence while Tania’s was all about comfort and confidence.

"Thank you", she said taking a seat.

All that time nick was waiting to be introduced. Regretting why he went to the club with his girlfriend. He should have heed to Dave's warning. Or perhaps listened to Eed sheerans shape of you lyrics-the club is the best place to find love. Nick did the exact opposite; he brought love to the club. On the bright side he was making up for ditching Tania when she lost her job.

"Linda meet Nick my boyfriend soon to be fiancé", she bragged holding his arm.

"Ooh nice to meet you Nick" Linda said shyly.

"Likewise. You two catch up let me talk to the boys", He excused himself with his glass of champagne.

"Fine", Tania warned with a weak Smile that disappeared sooner than it came. Nick just raised his glass and squeezed his way through the crowd.

Every well interacting couple have their secret language. Some resemblance of an army Morse code that they use to refer to some shameful stuff and communicate without other people noticing. The smile was a warning to Nick not to hit on other women just because she was occupied with an old friend. They talked a lot but most of the time Tania was keeping an eye on nick who was seated at the bar with James and Dave. Talking and laughing probably about girls. She was sure it was girls or what else do men talk about? Maybe business, goals and such stuff but in their crew of three two came from rich families and one. Well one she didn't know much about except that he was the only one that knew whether she was the only girlfriend or just another side dish. Some kind of john the Baptist who was preparing the way for the coming of the messiah. Everyone knows it didn't end well for John in the bible. The guy was decapitated for paving a way to man who would die for the sins of Humanity. Exactly what transitional girlfriends go through. Tania did not want to be a conduit.

"So what do you do?” Tania asked.

"I work in a law firm though am planning to quit", Linda said looking sad.

Before processing the quitting her well-paying job part Linda's profession struck Tania's nerves. She was the kind of person Ruth needed on their team. Smart, bold and professional.

"Why?"

"A lot of things but mostly job segregation am given meager cases that are doing less for my professional experience and of course there is the s****l harassment thing"

"So sad. I was fired last month", Tania said looking relaxed like it was something normal. That was because she had gotten used to it.

"Am so sorry how're you fairing on? Found another job?” Linda asked curiously.

She exhaled sharply, "Not yet you know all the downsizing thing due to the pandemic has affected all institutions besides I don't want to get employed anytime soon".

"What are you doing for now?"

"I have this woman she was actually my boss but after firing us she resigned too. We want to start an NGO and we could really use a woman like you", Tania said with traces of concern in her voice.

"Sure, fill me in"

Tania was happy to take her through the plan Ruth had in mind. She took her laptop and sat next to her scrolling through the report and propositions Ruth had come up with. Linda nodded as the two former school mates took turns to discuss and explain their points of view. They were not friends back in high school but they stumbled into each other sometimes_ on the mark sheet most of the time. And everyone who went to the same school with them must have known them. Two great competitors in academic matters. One from a well off family which made some people wonder why she was even working hard and the other from a humble background. Linda was a great debtor and staunch member and leader of numerous clubs in school while Tania was good in Sports and activities.

"That's very promising let her know am in", Linda said happily.

"Actually I'll send her your number and send you a copy of this draft", Tania Said typing something on her laptop.

"Even better, have you met James yet?” Linda asked staring at the boys.

"Not yet he looks handsome"

"Yeah he is"

"What you're into him?" Tania inquired jokingly.

"Pff! No am not"

"Really? You can tell me if you're our enmity was academic and pretty sure it ended a long time ago", Tania said packing her laptop.

"You sound like a lawyer now. Don't worry it's nothing catch up later?" Linda asked leading the way.

"Yap when you're ready to talk about James", Tania whispered in her ear as they joined the boys at the bar

Nick ordered a glass of wine for everyone. Ironically he had to pay. They were celebrating new friends and enlarging their social circle. They talked about politics, the pandemic and even at some point thanks to Tania the chinwag addressed the elephant in the room. Gender issues and how they were affecting individuals, the society and the country at large. They discussed on how they could go against the wind if antiquated beliefs and socio-cultural factors that had been creating a gap between the two genders. When they left most of them promised to support Tania. Most because the humorous banter had attracted a huge crowd of young and old people. Male and female. Linda and James were the first ones to leave. Then nick and Tania. Dave was still working. He felt like working the whole night. Tania had just provided him with the redemption he needed. Helping women and men. On one side they were people he once deemed as weak and harassed them for the same reason while he was young and foolish and on the other were people who could not speak up due to fear of stigmatization and the society could not stand by them because they were perceived to be stronger. One of his agendas that week was to meet the Ruth woman. The only way they were going to help was together with inclusive membership aiming at bridging the gap. That same night a movement was born one that would change the way people acted and reacted towards gender.