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  Slowed by a Baby

  An African Woman’s Journey ~ Book 2

  Eileen K. Omosa

  …

  Copyright

  Slowed by a Baby: An African Woman’s Journey ~ Book 2

  Copyright ©2020 Eileen K. Omosa

  eBook Edition. An original work of Eileen K. Omosa

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted without prior and written permission from the author. Brief excerpts for use by reviewers are acceptable as permitted by copyright law. The book is a work of fiction. The characters, names, settings, incidents, and dialogues are all either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the various products referenced in this work of fiction. There are no affiliated gains associated with their use at this time.

  Thank you in advance for telling your family, friends, and colleagues about this book.

  We Grow Ideas/ Eileen K. Omosa

  Slowed by a Baby

  978-1-9991828-6-1

  First published, August 29, 2017

  Canada

  www.eileenomosa.com

  Synopsis

  Is being a millionaire’s wife and pregnant an automatic ticket out of the world of employment?

  After marriage, Richie asks Sophia to resign from her job and become a stay-at-home-mom. His wife continuing in employment will reflect negatively on his ability to provide.

  Sophia cannot envision life without her job, she’s on her way to building a career with a stable income.

  How will Richie convince Sophia that he has enough wealth for his wife not to work a single day, when Sophia is focused to prove that a woman can balance a career with motherhood?

  Slowed by a Baby is a contemporary women’s fiction with a romantic twist. The novel follows Sophia’s journey, a fictional character, to provide insights into what it takes for an African woman who has gained education to balance requirements for career growth and cultural expectations of a female member of the community.

  Sophia’s journey starts in Ignited by Education and concludes in Trapped Inside the Family Box. The Trilogy tackles themes of social change, a quest for equality, social justice and girl and women's empowerment through education and employment. A trilogy where education, culture, ambition, and love intertwine.

  Acknowledgements

  I am grateful to every individual consulted while I went about creating Slowed by a Baby. The following people made a professional contribution:

  Editor: Ken Amuaya

  Wardrobe editor: Darleen Masakhwe

  Logistics: Eugene Wambongo

  Cover design: cathyscovers.wix.com/books

  Books by the Author

  An African Woman’s Journey Trilogy

  Ignited by Education

  Slowed by a Baby

  Trapped Inside the Family Box

  An African Woman’s Journey Boxset

  An Immigrant’s Marriage Trilogy

  The Fear Within Us

  The Family Between Us

  The Love Within US (2021)

  To Love Outside the Club Series

  The Housegirl Becoming Angela

  Dare to Marry a Billionaire’s Daughter (2021)

  Dare to Marry the Enemy’s Son (2021)

  Contents

  Acknowledgements

  Books by the Author

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  One last request

  About the Author

  Books by the Author

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  ~~~~~~~

  Richie Mwasimba jolted out of his chair and hurried out of the office. He needed to see Sophia to appease his mind, the only way he could then focus on the time-bound document on his computer screen.

  Determined to be promoted into the position of director, he was fully aware that could only happen through hard work to turn the idea from his father into reality, a new department.

  Richie moved with a gait wished for by many of his age-mates. His well-trimmed black hair and clean-shaven face concealed the troubling thoughts clouding his mind that morning.

  Taking long strides towards the east wing of Akoth Towers, he knew that he was about to break a rule he had made–a promise to Sophia that the only time he would visit her office was to consult on work-related matters.

  He knocked on her door, like it hurt his knuckles. Hesitated for a moment, then pressed the handle and walked inside.

  Sophia looked up and saw the person she least expected, her husband. From her seated position, Richie, in a black Armani pinstriped suit, appeared taller than his six-foot one inch.

  Distracted by his unexpected arrival, she smiled, revealing the full depth of the dimples on her heart-shaped face. Her hands went to her head and smoothed her braids upwards, as if making sure the braids pinned to the top of her head were still intact.

  She rolled her chair backwards and stood up as he reached her desk. He stretched his sturdy chest across the mahogany desk to reach her, without success. With smiley eyes, he held her left hand to his mouth and kissed the back of her slender fingers.

  Sophia pointed him to one of the visitor chairs in front of her desk. “Nice to see you, please make yourself comfortable,” she welcomed him, supposing nothing other than work-related issues had brought him into her office before nine in the morning.

  Revealing his long well-arranged white teeth, he made eye contact with her. “Thanks, Sunshine. I will not be here for long, I missed you.” He sat on the visitor chair as he glanced at the door connecting Sophia and Michael’s offices.

  She chuckled as her oval eyes sank deeper under her eyelids, revealed her laugh lines. “Now, now, I see someone losing their managerial position for missing his wife, a wife busy with her office tasks.” She tilted her chin towards Michael’s office. “How will people interpret that?”

  With both arms resting on her desk, he gawked and leaned more towards her and spoke in a muffled voice, “How nice it would be for both of us not to leave the north wing, no need to hurry out of bed to get to work.”

  The smile faded from her face as her eyes widened. “The best part is that I am not about to lose my PA post, which means you will stay in bed while I come to work.”

  Noticing how serious she appeared, her eyebrows pulled in, he held back the laughter threatening to escape from his mouth, though his cheery eyes betrayed him.

  She asked, “Are you aware of our upcoming trip? Will you come with us to Rwanda?”

  Richie frowned as his dar
k-grey chiseled face went a shade darker, at her mention of the trip.

  Realizing Sophia had detected his strained facial expression, he said, “I wish it was a trip to Italy with you...” He sat upright, pushing his shoulders back and chest forward, “Back to that hotel room of last year.”

  He watched as her face brightened up, he guessed that his statement had reminded her of their official trip to Rome, six months before their wedding.

  Upon her mentioning the trip to Rwanda, Richie had wanted to ask if she would still travel all over the world for work, as she did before their marriage. How he wished to let her know of his desire, that she resign from her job and stay home. That way, she would give the support he needed to put more effort into his managerial, and soon to be director of a department.

  According to his plans, if Sophia stayed home, he would be the only one hurrying out of the house each morning, and the only one tired at the end of each workday. Unlike when they both arrive home tired.

  He also worried about what his family members, friends and co-workers would think of him if Sophia did not resign. That, he was not working hard enough, earn enough money to release his wife from the arduous world of employment.

  He stood up and startled Sophia who had been staring at him. He walked around the desk and stood behind her as she turned in his direction. “No spying on the PA computer, Michael will punish both of us.”

  Sophia worked as a personal assistant to Michael Mwasimba, the Director of Marketing.

  “Would you believe it if I told you that my mind is too preoccupied to register whatever is on that screen?” He asked as he leaned forward, held her face between his hands and kissed her before he walked away.

  He paused at the door and said, “Sorry, I broke my promise. Please prod me to follow you home at the end of your workday.” He winked at her, opened the door and stepped out of her office.

  She stared until the door came to a complete close.

  Chapter 2

  ~~~~~~~

  Sophia stood up and gently smoothed the pleats of her Issey Miyake midi skirt. She sat back and spell-checked the report she had been working on. Satisfied with her output, she emailed the document to Michael.

  Almost reflexively, she went to the women’s washroom where she checked her face in a mirror, washed her hands and checked her face again. She was thoughtful, recalling the sad expression on Richie’s face when she had mentioned her upcoming travel to Rwanda.

  Next, she reflected on the many occasions when Richie had asked her to resign from her job. Her response had remained the same, that she liked her job, and preferred to remain in employment.

  Other than the considerable money she earned, Sophia cherished that her knowledge in finance and business management was applicable to the goals of her employer, the Mwasimba Group of Companies.

  While her PA duties involved reading through and analysing documents, and accompanying Michael to official meetings, she had never stopped updating herself on developments in the world of finance and money markets. Subsequently, her knowledge on global financial markets had never ceased to fascinate and challenge Richie since their days at university, though he was an equally competent student.

  Sophia had avoided telling Richie how frightened she became whenever the thought of being unemployed crossed her mind – it brought back memories of the poverty her family had endured, before the Mwasimba Group of Companies employed her.

  Resigning from her job was tantamount to going back to the time when Mariko, her father, had been in unfathomable debt, with her siblings out of school most of the year due to lack of school fees.

  Earnings from her PA job had lifted her family from below the poverty line, and ensured her brothers were back in school fulltime. Joy, her sister had consequently completed her degree program in design, while Silas, Joy’s follower, was now in university pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering.

  Mariko’s life had transformed. He was now the owner of a profitable grocery store in the village, Mariko & Family Stores.

  Sophia yanked some tissue paper from a nearby box and wiped out some of her eyeshadow. She reflected on the time she had mentioned her need for an internal transfer after Richie had asked when she would resign from her position. Instead, Richie had made it clear, if she insisted on staying in employment, she had to continue in her position as PA to Michael, his eldest brother.

  A click, click sound made by quick short steps caught Sophia’s attention. The thud came to an abrupt stop along the corridor before the door opened and one of the managers in the marketing department stepped inside. She paused long enough to exchange greetings with Sophia before proceeding to the furthest toilet cubicle.

  Sophia turned her eyes back to the mirror while she pondered what her life would be like if she resigned from her job. She would have no salary, and no money of her own.

  She washed and dried her hands, opened the door, and walked out with one wish, that her thoughts on being unemployed would remain in the washroom.

  As she walked to her office, her mind was occupied with Richie’s request that she quit her job. Tilting her chin slightly upwards, her mind wandered to the subtle florescent light peeping out of the lofty ceilings. How she wished to have a two-minute break between the cushioned chairs in the waiting lounge of the east wing, with its large glass windows that displayed an outside view of greenery, offering a reflexive therapy.

  Sophia approached the solid mahogany reception desk at one end of the waiting lounge.

  Liz, the floor receptionist made eye contact with Sophia. “Oh, I thought you had followed your husband to his office, he did not look happy when he walked by here.”

  “He is missing his wife. He will be okay soon,” Sophia said without breaking the eye contact.

  Liz exposed more of her sparkly teeth, a sign of frequent visits to a dental hygienist. “If I were you guys, I would stop for the day,” she said as she glanced at her computer screen, attracted by a ping indicating a new message.

  She turned her attention back to Sophia, “Does he still have access to his former residence?” she asked as she tilted her chin upwards, to indicate the topmost floor of Akoth Towers, where Richie had lived and only moved out after he married Sophia.

  Sophia glared, “See you another time. I have more important work waiting at my desk.” She walked away, not wanting Liz to see the irritation her statement had caused to Sophia.

  Liz, who was Sophia’s junior in age by one year, worked as the floor receptionist of the marketing department.

  A graduate in human resources management, Liz had turned down a job offer to work in the busy Human Resource Department at the Mwasimba Group of Companies. She preferred the less demanding tasks of floor receptionist, fully aware that the receptionists on the ground floor of Akoth Towers took care of most of the work of answering telephone calls and vetting visitors before they arrived at her floor.

  Putting in too much effort at the office was not one of Liz’s favourite ways to pass time.

  Chapter 3

  ~~~~~~~

  The kring, kring, kring sound stopped as Richie neared his desk. He hesitated just long enough for his mind to register the caller ID. He spun his chair around and heaved himself onto the soft Portuguese leather before lifting the phone receiver and hitting the redial button.

  He replaced the receiver after one ring. As soon as the receiver hit its resting place, the kring, kring, kring sound from the phone disrupted the quiet in his office once more.

  He shot out of his chair and paced the room until the ringing stopped. He was reluctant to answer the phone, still undecided on whether he should buy a house or not.

  Sophia had become adamant that they move out of the north wing of his parents’ house, to their own residence. Each time he wanted to fulfil her aspiration, he felt apprehensive about whether she would in return agree to resign from her job and stay at home – his version of a happy family life.

  One
glance at his Rolex got him worried. It was now nine o’clock, two hours since he arrived in the office to finalize a report that was due in two days.

  It was already Wednesday, and he was scheduled to make a presentation on Friday. It was imperative that he convinces the company directors of the need for a new department to monitor global financial markets. Yet, all he had done was puzzle over how to persuade Sophia to resign from her job.

  His brow pulled in as his eyes fell on the cell phone resting on one end of his desk, obstructing the lower half of a framed photo of him and his wife, cuddled. He picked up the cell phone and shoved it into the first drawer of his desk.

  He stared at the desk phone, pondering whether he should pull out the cable connecting the headset to the telephone line. The phone had become a constant reminder of his need to call the real estate agent.

  Richie had done his research, reducing his lengthy list of city suburbs where they could reside, from a dozen, to five, then to two. He had already decided that Sophia would be delighted with his choice of a house in one of the leafy residential suburbs of Nairobi. He swivelled his chair to face the panel of windows forming one wall of his office and stood up as he massaged the back of his neck. His eyes roamed over the shorter buildings next to Akoth Towers, to the faraway trees, full of green leaves watered by the March/April long rains.

  He wished he could stop worrying about Sophia’s desire to move from his parents’ house, and instead focus on finishing the half-done presentation on his computer.

  The need to convince the company directors to approve funds for the proposed department was pivotal to him. A new department meant he could work his way up from his current position of a manager, to a director.