False conclusion.

It was one of such rare days that I arrived at my organization without meeting the attendance register on the desk of the Manager's Secretary. I checked my time and realized that it was just 7.00 am and work starts by 8.00 am.

I noticed the presence of Manager's car in the parking lot but the Secretary wasn't in the office yet. In a few cases that I had experienced such before, I would enter the Manager's office where the book is kept, bring it out and put down my name after writing the date. After doing that, the book is left in its position on the secretary's table for others to come and write their names.

After realizing that the register wasn't on the secretary's table, I knocked on the Manager's door to pick up the book. A little touch on the door knob pushed the door backward as it wasn't locked. I opened and saw Sandra coming out of the rest room zipping her trousers. Looking at the arm of the chair, Manager's suit was hung on it.

Could the story of the Manager going out with Sandra be true? If yes, how careless are they to have brought the romance affairs to the office?

Many questions were running through my mind as I picked the register and left the office. Sandra followed me to the secretary's table where we both put down our names on the register.

I was signing my name when I heard the sound of the door behind me. I looked back and saw the Manager coming out of his office.

Oooh, so he was in the restroom from where Sandra came when I entered, I concluded.

On my way to resume at my duty post, I got a shout-out from the company's accountant, my colleague in discussing people affairs that least concern us.

I checked my watch and saw that the time was 7.30 am. Thirty minutes that I have before the day's work starts is enough to discuss my new confirmation discoveries to the accountant.

"You are looking so gorgeous," Mary, the accountant, remarked as I was approaching her office.

"My sister, those under the care of Oga (Manager) should get such a compliment." I replied

"What do you mean by Oga's care? Are we not all getting paid for our work here?" Mary asked.

"Well, the money is for the job that we are doing. I am tired of working without recognition in this company. It's obvious now that what counts for one's career progression here goes beyond efficiency at the job. It includes efficiency with Oga in the office."

"What do you mean?" Mary asked

"Well, I caught the reigning most dedicated staff pants down with Oga. She must have been very dedicated in many areas."

"Didn't I tell you?" Mary laughed

It was a flying rumor in the organization that the Manager was dating Sandra. It took another dimension when Sandra was awarded the prize of the most dedicated staff, a decision that many staff believed was as a result of the romantic relationship between her and the Manager.

"Where is Sandra now?" Mary asked

"I saw Sandra tied a wrapper and took a cab probably going back home immediately she left the office."

I raised my palm open and Mary brought hers to make a clap.

"That lady is ruining her life by frolicking around a married man."

Before finishing the last statement, the Manager knocked at the door on his usual manner of checking round offices in the organization before the start of work. That was the end of the scuttlebutt for that morning. I left for my duty post after exchanging greetings with the boss.

I visited the canteen to take my lunch in the afternoon and met Sandra there. I looked at her like a piece of used tissue paper.

"A client sent me to you. I am so sorry that I couldn't deliver the message in the morning. I was nearly embarrassed and I rushed back home to put things in order." Sandra approached me to deliver a message and coincidentally, Mary walked in at this point and joined the conversation.

I was confused about what she meant by embarrassment. Was it an attempted case of rape? No sign of that. "How were you embarrassed," I asked.

"I came in as the second person after Oga in the morning. I went into his office to pick the attendance register when I suddenly noticed a stain of blood on my trouser. My period had started. I quickly took permission from Oga to use his restroom to salvage the situation. I was lucky to have a piece of cloth in my bag. I tied it round my waist after cleaning myself and headed home to change."

The revelation shocked Mary and I. We looked at ourselves and felt guilty for reaching a wrong conclusion earlier.

"Where was Oga then?" I asked.

"He was in the conference room."

The conference room was an extension of the office. I never thought that Manager could be there. All that came to my mind was giving an approval to the scuttlebutt that had been flying around the organization about an affair between Sandra and the Manager.

Sandra delivered the client's parcel to me and left.

"It's good to dig deeper about an action or observation before concluding." I muster the courage to advise myself and Mary.

"What if many of the gossips in this organization have their own hidden truth like this that was revealed about Oga's affair with Sandra this morning?"

We agreed to do away with gossip as they are damaging to people's characters and personalities in most cases.