Chapter 1 - Arranging Chaos
I had just finished a two-hour Skype meeting with some of my business representatives in Seoul. I had zero plans to speak to those buffoons again. They had just one simple job to do - convince our clients to buy into the new automobile groundwork and I would take things up from there. Of course, they had to constantly and naively screw things up. Whatever made me trust them to deliver? They had better get their visas ready to leave Seoul within the week.
I was getting exhausted. I had to do all the work around here. When my transfer letter came in from the New York headquarters, I was undoubtedly excited at the prospect of starting afresh in a new city. Not that I hated Lagos. I mean, Lagos is everything but certainly not my forte. Abuja seemed like a better option. I took it. Now, I was stuck with idiots who probably got their jobs through their ego driven fathers. Trust fund babies!
I texted my assistant to cancel the rest of my meetings for the day. It was 2pm already and my head was in overdrive mode. She texted me back saying I couldn't cancel the one with Bamboo Ford & Co. Demola would have to understand. There was no way I was going to face him like this. He was one of our long time clients and he was also a big money shipper. VIP, that one. Amongst all, he was a friend. I texted her again saying I would speak to him about rescheduling.
It wasn't easy being in a position like mine. Working for Grey & Grey, I wouldn't say I got lucky. No. I worked hard for whatever I had now. Nothing came on a platter of gold.
DIRECTOR OF AFFAIRS
At 30, it was fulfilling to see that I had gotten to a place people my age were still scuffling and fighting to be. I didn't sleep my way through. I didn't have any connections whatsoever. It was sheer grace and hard work. Nothing more.
The door to my office opened simultaneously with my phone ringing. I held the phone in my hand, surprised at the caller, while motioning to my assistant to come in. She sat down opposite me with her tab in her palms, staring down at the gadget intensely. I turned my eyes back to the phone screen, swiping right.
"Muna!" My voice was laced with intentional shock. A soft laugh came through the other end. She still had it, that very weird and funny laugh that was somewhat contagious.
"Look at who was going to get married without informing me" she replied.
"That's the first thing you choose to say after what... four years? You're still a monkey".
" Awww. I know you missed me. I missed you too. I heard you're in Abuja now. We should link up soon babe"
I looked at my phone in sheer disbelief. What was happening?
"Muna, have you been stalking me?".
"I have my sources. Anyway, drinks on me. I'll see you at The Pastery Crib at 7pm. Don't be late"
And with that, she was gone, just like the last time we spoke four years ago. Muna Asiegbu. She had never been one for stability or connections. It worked for her.
I turned to see my assistant still seated. I had almost forgotten about her.
"Anna, what is it?"
Anna was in her early twenties. She turned 24 on her last birthday. I didn't give her the job because she needed to get the experience, I offered her the job because she was as rigid as a mule. I needed something like that in my workspace or I would be falling behind on schedules. I was really terrible at remembering anything. Anna looked up at me, uncertainty growing strongly, soaking up her confidence.
"Izuchukwu & Sons pulled out of the deal this morning. They didn't give any solid reason. Now, Z Mobile is threatening to back out if we don't review our sharing percentage".
I sat there, dazed and unable to move. We could cope with the loss of Izuchukwu & Sons, not Z Mobile.
" What are they asking for?" I whispered.
"50:50"
"No way. That's outrageous!" I snapped back.
"That's what they want"
I stood up, my head felt so heavy. I was losing control and God, it was sickening. Everything was falling apart so quickly, so haphazardly. I paced around for a few minutes and sat down. There was no use pretending I was in a state of mind to handle the issue.
"Tell them we'll get back in a few days". Anna nodded and walked out. I grabbed my phone, bag and car keys. I could literally have a panic attack if I didn't leave this office. I sat in my car for what seemed like ages, taking deep breaths and stabilizing myself. My phone rang again, jolting me from my zen mode. It was Maxwell. His voice somehow brought me succour each time. It was deep and masculine and soothing.
" How's my baby girl doing today?"
I wanted to un-burden myself to him but I remembered he was dealing with a lot of pressure too. He had put in a resignation letter at the construction company he had worked at barely two weeks after proposing to me. He always wanted to venture into the importing business. I wasn't comfortable with the quick and bold move but he was. With a wedding on the way and a new career venture, none of us saw it coming. The devastation that hit. He lost everything. Money invested, money wiped! Now, he was capitalizing on his life savings to get back on track. I was okay with pushing the wedding back by a few months to give him time to gain some grounds but being the stubborn human he was, he wouldn't let that happen. I couldn't dare offer to lend him money, I would never hear the last of it. To him, it would never be an option. Yes, he was that old fashioned. I loved every piece of him still.
"I'm fine honey. Just leaving the office. How's your day going?"
He muttered something I didn't hear and said he would call me back. I put on my GPRS. It would take me months to get used to Abuja roads. I got lost thrice in the first few weeks of moving down here. It wasn't funny. I figured I could get in a few hours of sleep before 7pm, so I changed my route home, instead of the gym as I would have on every other day.
"No way. That's outrageous!" I snapped back.
"That's what they want"
I stood up, my head felt so heavy. I was losing control and God, it was sickening. Everything was falling apart so quickly, so haphazardly. I paced around for a few minutes and sat down. There was no use pretending I was in a state of mind to handle the issue.
"Tell them we'll get back in a few days". Anna nodded and walked out. I grabbed my phone, bag and car keys. I could literally have a panic attack if I didn't leave this office. I sat in my car for what seemed like ages, taking deep breaths and stabilizing myself. My phone rang again, jolting me from my zen mode. It was Maxwell. His voice somehow brought me succour each time. It was deep and masculine and soothing.
" How's my baby girl doing today?"
I wanted to un-burden myself to him but I remembered he was dealing with a lot of pressure too. He had put in a resignation letter at the construction company he had worked at barely two weeks after proposing to me. He always wanted to venture into the importing business. I wasn't comfortable with the quick and bold move but he was. With a wedding on the way and a new career venture, none of us saw it coming. The devastation that hit. He lost everything. Money invested, money wiped! Now, he was capitalizing on his life savings to get back on track. I was okay with pushing the wedding back by a few months to give him time to gain some grounds but being the stubborn human he was, he wouldn't let that happen. I couldn't dare offer to lend him money, I would never hear the last of it. To him, it would never be an option. Yes, he was that old fashioned. I loved every piece of him still.
"I'm fine honey. Just leaving the office. How's your day going?"
He muttered something I didn't hear and said he would call me back. I put on my GPRS. It would take me months to get used to Abuja roads. I got lost thrice in the first few weeks of moving down here. It wasn't funny. I figured I could get in a few hours of sleep before 7pm, so I changed my route home, instead of the gym as I would have on every other day.
