Serendipity

Work has been hectic. I have just gotten off a long call with my boss and it has left me feeling drained. For the past one month, I have been trying to get a hold of a big account and I have done everything in my power to make it happen but I guess things don’t always go the way we want them to go.

Taking a deep sigh, I put my legs on the table and exhale. This is the first time in weeks that I am not worrying about anything except all the effort I had put in which has just gone in vain. I laugh at myself when I look at my stilettos from Cora.

I had vowed not to buy anything until my birthday because I have something planned but then I had to impress my bosses so I figured it was best I wear a good pair of heels.

My phone starts to ring, it’s Grey my sister and best friend. I always get shocked when I hear people that are not close to their siblings because Grey and I have always been inseparable from childhood. We were born ten months apart, I don’t know how my parents did it but it happened and we like to call each other twinnie and people that don’t know us buy that story.

‘Should I pop the champagne or the whisky?’ She asks immediately I pick up.

She has seen how I have worked so hard for this project and we were ready to pop the champagne had it gone the way I wanted it to go.

‘Whiskey will do.’ I say removing my legs from the table.

‘Are you okay?’

I sigh deeply and the tears that I have been suppressing finally fall. I don’t have to pretend with my sister, I can just be as raw as humanly possible.

‘Hey Kris, talk to me.’

‘I thought this was going to be my big break. I have not worked on anything as hard as I have on this project and it breaks everything in me that it didn’t go as planned.’

‘I know how hard you worked. How about you come over to my place and we can drink it over.’

‘As much as that sounds like a good idea, I don’t want to come and disturb your night with Jordan.’

Jordan is Grey’s husband. My sister seems to have all the luck on her side because even though we completed school at the same time, she landed herself a job as head Accountant for a big accounting firm whilst I am still in a back office trying to prove to my boss that I have so much to bring to the table.

Whilst guys used me for sex and left after I opened my legs, her high school sweetheart engaged her immediately they graduated college and they have been married two years with a kid on the way.

‘He doesn’t mind, you are my sister Kris. There is nothing that can come between us.’

‘I know. But I don’t want to take advantage of that.’

‘You know you are always welcome.’ Jordan yells in the background

‘Don’t tell me I am on speaker.’

‘You know I put my phone on speaker when I am home.’

As much as I want to hate her right now, I just can’t do it because she is still my sister.

‘Let me talk to you later.’

‘You are mad at me?’

‘No Grey, I need to get home, it’s getting late.’

‘I love you Kris, so much and if you need someone to talk to best believe I will be here.’

‘Sure.’ I say and cut the line.

I pack my laptop into my laptop bag and put my phone in the handbag. I pull down my bandage black dress and walk out of the office. All the lights are off meaning again I am the last person to leave but I prefer it this way because everyone is obviously talking about how I have lost this account.

‘Late night again?’ Mr. Mwanza the night guard asks.

I sigh deeply then smile.

‘Another late night but at least it’s a Friday.’

‘You need to rest.’

‘So do you.’

My car is the only one in the parking lot: my life is so miserable. I put my things at the back and get in. I could just go home and rest but then I don’t have the energy to cook so I decide to pass through Jazz Club to get ba Bonnie’s famous chicken. We used to drive there every night with Grey whilst in UNI and that habit hasn’t died.

I manage to get there in forty minutes but the place is so parked I have to bribe one of the guards to find a spot for me to park. After I ensure that my things are safe, I change into slippers that I always carry in the car and walk over to the stand.

‘You are here.’ Ba Bonnie says, I am a regular so he knows me facially though I doubt he even knows my name.

‘I am starving.’

‘Where is your sister?’

‘At home taking care of the husband.’

He laughs lightly.

‘Same order?’

‘Yes please.’ I say handing him a one hundred kwacha note but he shakes his head.

‘What?’

‘It’s on the house today.’

‘Oh wow, one thing that has gone right today.’ I say with a smile.

‘Give me fifteen minutes and your order will be ready.’

‘Alright.’

I would have loved to go and get myself a beer or two but I have come with my work laptop, I am skeptical about being away from the car for a long time.

I walk there and stand just outside admiring everyone. There was a time when I used to have this much fun as well. But then after I turned twenty six last year and things weren’t going the way I thought they would, I decided it was high time I checked my self.

I had to cut off partying and instead started putting in more effort at my job hoping things would be different but now it’s like things are even worse than they were before I put partying away.

‘I wouldn’t have guessed that you would be here.’ I hear someone say.

I turn around only to find a familiar face.

‘Good evening Sir.’

I can’t remember his name but he was one of the investors I was supposed to impress earlier today.

‘Call me Kweller.’

‘What sort of a name is Kweller?’

That wasn’t supposed to come out but it did and I want to regret it but I don’t because he is probably one of the reasons I am here and I hate him.

‘I have always wondered as well.’

I roll my eyes and look at the time on my watch but it’s not even fifteen minutes yet. I still have about seven minutes before I can get my food.

‘You were brilliant in there.’

I look at him and all the anger I am feeling is about to be unleashed on him but then I remind myself that he is in my boss’s circle and I might run into him one of these days.

‘I wasn’t brilliant if we couldn’t get the account.’

‘I shouldn’t be telling you this.’

‘So don’t tell me.’ I say cutting him off.

‘I think my food is ready.’ I add walking away from him and I am shocked when he starts walking behind me.

I feel uncomfortable, not because he is watching me or anything but there is just something about his aura that doesn’t sit well with me.

‘Right on time.’ Ba Bonnie says handing me my food but I notice he has another pack of food which he gives to Kweller.

‘See you next Friday boss.’

‘See you Bonnie.’

‘You also come here?’

‘Who can avoid Bonnie’s famous chicken?’ He asks and I find myself smiling.

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️