Bernice and James had a workplace romance. HR frowned upon it, but what did they expect of people who worked eight to twelve-hour shifts? These people barely had a life outside the office, and the only other likely place to find a lover was the single neighbour.
She couldn’t remember when she first noticed James, or as he liked people calling him, Jay. Nothing was outstanding about his physical appearance, but he left an impression once you spoke to him. He had a funny way of articulating issues that made him easy to talk to.
They worked at a call centre for a bank and were entry-level employees. While they were glad to have moved up the ranks from the unemployment group, payday was stressful. It came with the joy of receiving money but stretching that pay to fit the bills and dreams of the young and ambitious employees caused headaches. James lived at home, but he had a business bleeding him dry. Bernice, on the other hand, had the one-bedroom apartment that she needed to furnish.
While they earned the same amount, Bernice’s seemed to multiply despite having more bills than James’. She joined two merry-go-round groups that helped her save and buy items for her house. She also had side hustles sometimes, which helped her afford a few nice things.
Initially, James admired this in her, but it soon became a problem for him. He often told her that she was being extravagant. They argued over things like food and ways of lowering its cost. James went to Bernice’s house once, and they decided to have chapatis and beans. Bernice went to buy both chapatis and boiled bean stew. When she returned, James had prepared an argument about why she needed to buy a jiko to save on cooking costs. Bernice explained to him that while that was a good idea for a larger family, she didn’t think it was applicable in her case because she lived alone and she ate two chapatis at most. So, factoring in the time it took to prepare the meal, it made more sense to her to buy if she wanted to have some.
Despite explaining her positions on many financial decisions, the discussions always ended with James calling her extravagant and sometimes insinuating that she had sponsors. They even argued about the electronics that she bought. Even though James never contributed a cent to her bills and she didn’t ask for his help, he often argued against any progress she made.
Bernice excused his behaviour because she saw how frustrated he was with the failing business. She tried asking him to reconsider his strategy but couldn’t get through to him. She watched him pour more resources into a dying horse that he was passionate about, but it disappointed him repeatedly. Sometimes, she had to carry extra food to the office because he had spent his money on it.
Their relationship carried on for months despite the frequent arguments over finances. Perhaps the physical intimacy clouded their judgement on the relationship. Further, lacking the time to go out and interact with other people aided the relationship’s longevity.
During the cold season, Bernice had several shifts that required her to leave the house early, affecting her health. Coupled with the fatigue from the long shifts, she was admitted to the hospital for almost a week.
Nothing puts things in perspective like a health scare. As the doctor informed her that part of her problem was burnout, he urged her to reconsider her priorities. She was glad that her job gave her good medical coverage, but it also affected her health. She was also aware that she couldn’t just quit her job but needed to find a compromise.
Secondly, since James worked at the same place, he couldn’t openly act like they were in a romantic relationship during the period. So, he could hardly provide the emotional support that she needed. He couldn’t visit her as much as she would have liked because he had to adhere to his shift. That made her realize that their relationship was anchored on physical intimacy.
The fragility of their relationship became more apparent when she was discharged from the hospital. The hospital was far from where she lived, so she decided to take a cab home. James was to meet her at home after his shift at work. They got there at about the same time. He found her alighting the cab as he walked towards the gate. When they got to the house, the fight started.
“You know you could have saved the money you used on that trip if you had used a matatu instead,” James told Bernice.
“Not today James,” Bernice responded.
“I know you don’t like hearing this, but I know what I’m saying,” James responded.
“I used my money that I have gotten from the job that put me in that hospital bed to do something that reduces my stress. When I am well enough, perhaps you can float your opinions but not today,” Bernice responded.
James tried to prolong the discussion, but Bernice pointed out that she was using her own money to support the lifestyle she wanted and, in anger, asked James to use the advice on himself. The situation turned ugly, with both of them saying hurtful things to each other. In the end, Bernice broke up with James.
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