Becoming Mrs

Everything was a lie.

Lola dropped her bag on the cushion with rather an unintended force, hazy vision, and unsteady steps. She pulled herself down on the chair, and let out the flood she had been holding ever since she heard the word, ‘I lost interest’. Her baby shoe felt heavy, and she tugged on it with an unsteady hand, trying to release it for a long time, was all futile.

All Lola felt at the moment was to curl herself as a ball, and maybe a nice cold stone ice cream, just to make her bitter heart a bit sweet. And a slow sad love song will be so welcomed at the moment. She shook her head slowly and sighed. How many times would she repeat the circles? The tears, the encouragement, the new hope. It feels all useless at the moment.

“Babe!” she heard her friend’s loud voice. Lola didn’t bother to sober up, after all, Laura was more than a friend to her; she was family. “What the heck happened? You look a mess.” Lola resisted the urge to roll her eyeball. She was a mess.

She tried to speak but came up with muffled words, tangled and lost in the air. Laura dropped beside her, carefully lifting her bag, and dropping it in another chair. She crossed her legs over each other, just the way she believed a sophisticated lady had to sit down. “You know, you can pour your mind, body, and soul to me. That is one of the reasons we are friends.” Laura said, in what Lola insisted was a fake British accent. Lola would have corrected her, but she lacked the strength at the moment.

Lola’s response was a sob, and more tears flowed from her eyes. Laura unfolded her leg, eyeing Lola in a way that says, ’it can’t be that serious. She moved closer to Lola, holding the shaking hands in place. Laura turned Lola’s face directly to hers staring into her eyes as if she was trying to communicate with a little child, and she needed the child to assimilate each word properly. “I said, what’s the problem?

“Dave broke up with me?”

With a speed that would shame Usain Bolt, Laura released Lola’s hand, she stood up and took to shaking her legs. She clapped her hands dramatically three times, and looked at Lola with a dim eye “What am I supposed to do, Lau. Ain’t I beautiful enough? Ain‘t I wealthy enough? Don’t I have a good character?” The questions brought Laura to a halt. She moved back to Lola and resumed holding her hands.

“Lola, don’t ever question yourself again like that. I mean, did you check your mirror this morning? You are one of the most beautiful and sexy ladies I know of. If it is all about riches, you are the third richest woman in the country. If we are talking about character, yours is captivating and kind. All the homeless people you have helped will guarantee that.” She squeezed Lola’s hand more reassuringly. “You haven’t just found the right person. I promise you that when the right person comes, it will all be fine.” She squeezed Lola’s hand more. Lola responded with a nod.

Laura called the maid, “Go to the nursing room, and bring me some paracetamol and a glass of water.” The maid wore a short black skirt, and a white short-sleeved shirt with a black jacket – the official attire for the maids, that was handpicked and styled by Laura. She stared at Lola and Laura repeatedly looking lost and confused. Laura glanced back at her. “And what are you still waiting for here? Do you need me to make use of a megaphone to communicate with you better?” The maid scurried away from her presence.

“It is going to be okay, Lola. I know you would meet a man who would love you so much that you would forget about Dave or whatever that fool is called.” Laura looked in the distance like she was lost in thought. “And the fool doesn’t even have money. Didn’t you just buy a car for him?”

Lola nodded, not sure where the conversation was heading now. From assurances of getting a better husband to bad-mouthing her ex.

“I knew it. Don’t mind the fool, he was only after your money. I am glad that he couldn’t achieve his evil goal.” Lola was about to reply when the maid returned with the drug and water. Laura collected it and dismissed the maid.

“Did you eat sha? I don’t want you taking drugs on an empty stomach.” Lola nodded, and Laura gave her the drug. It wasn’t long before, she dozed off on the chair.

***

Lola wore a pink pantsuit, with a Louis Vuitton handbag and a four inches heel. Two bodyguards clad in black suits and a thick glass walked behind her and glance at the environment to see if there was any danger coming close to her. Lola was not going to let the weekend breakup get to her, she was going to go on with her life and forget Dave just like she had forgotten Chucks, Samuel, Taye, and the rest of them. Men were fools and scum and she was too beautiful to waste herself on them. she will focus on making more money and becoming the richest woman in the country, Africa and she wouldn’t mind making it to the world.

As she took each step, everyone makes a little bow while she waves her hand a little to dismiss them. She was going to take over the world, and there was no stopping her this time, not even love. If she couldn’t find love, she wouldn’t mind buying it, after all, she had enough money to purchase love. That was what she was going to do, she was going to purchase love become a Mrs. and everyone lived happily ever after. She got on the elevator to the last floor of her office. Lola made use of the floor alone, apart from her personal assistant, there was no distraction as she danced to her office shaking her curvy butt. The guards stood outside while she moved inside the room. Lola wouldn’t have minded working without guards at her beck and call but multiple attempts on her life had thought her better than that. People had even tried to kidnap her but thankfully they only carted away with her handbag and a token of a hundred thousand naira’s she had placed inside the bag.

Lola’s office was decorated by one of the best interior decorators in town, it was coloured sky blue. she believed that blue was good for productivity, so she painted everywhere with blue and touches of white. Her swivel chair was neatly behind a huge black desk, and two chairs for the visitors. A few steps ahead, there was an armchair of two-seaters and also a one-seater, a small table was placed in the middle. Behind the one-seater chair was a small refrigerator. The air-conditioner in the room was on full blast. Lola removed her suit jacket placing it behind her chair. she called her personal secretary who brought in her schedule for the day.

Feyikemi had been working with her for five years and knew almost everything about Lola. she knew her best food, best colour, the name of the men she had gone out with in the past five years, and also, she knew how desperate she was for a man of her own. Sometimes Lola felt that Feyi pitied her, especially those days she did drop coffee on her table without glancing back at her.

“Your schedule is full today, ma. By 9: OO am you are having a board meeting with the managing directors of all the companies. By 11:00 am you are meeting with the C.E.O of Shealton hotels, the meeting is scheduled for two hours, then at 1:00 pm you have an interview with our broadcasting channel…”

Lola blanked out and stared at Feyi who kept on reciting her schedule for the day. Feyi was good at her work and that made Lola love her more, regardless of her pay. She was performing the duties that were definitely worth her pay. Feyi was Lola’s adoptive younger sister but she never took their relationship for granted and knew her place in the organization. Feyi was slim, tall and had a curvy behind, and to crown it all, she had a man to call her own. Something Lola wished for desperately but has been proving impossible.

Sometimes, she stared at young men hawking from the window of her car. How many men had she brought out of the trash but only ended up jilting her? After bringing them out of the slum, cleaning them, introducing them to the 0.1 that matters in the society and finally setting them up to own something of their own, they only end up bringing a poorer woman who lacked etiquette to rule over them.

She had vowed to stop bringing those ingrates out of the slum, even if she wasn’t going to get a man of her class, at least she was going to get one closer to her class.

Feyi was silent now and was waiting for her to be dismissed. Lola turned in her chair, “How was your weekend?”

It was a normal procedure. Lola always asked about her weekends and tried to help her with whatever she can.

Feyi smiled, “It was okay.”

“I am glad one of us weekend is okay. Mine was eventful and I wouldn’t want to repeat it again.”

She knew better than to probe her boss about what happened.

Lola picked her suit jacket, her tab and walked out of the office with Feyi behind her asking a series of questions and jotting down things.

“I have booked a flight for the international conference you have next week.”

Lola nodded.

“Do you need anyone to accompany you? I could hire a temporary secretary for the journey.”

She stopped on her heels, bringing Feyi to a stop with her. “Why would I need a temporary secretary when I have a personal assistant? You know I hate working with strangers especially when I have an important meeting, they just don’t get the signals.”

Feyi looked sorry, “My son is sick and I needed to take care of him.”

Lola raised a brow, “And you are so sure he won’t be well up to that moment. Where is your faith? If you are looking for an excuse, please, give me a better one or else you are stuck with me on this trip, better book your flight too.”

Feyi nodded. Lola was nice but she had her limit. She knew better than to annoy her, and if she was going to convince her it was when she was in a better mood.

Immediate she set into the elevator; the bodyguards accompanied her but she stopped them. “I am only going to the board room; I don’t need you guy. Feyi also stay behind and deal with the necessary corresponding. The Directors will bring their secretaries to take down the minutes and I can also record.”

Feyi let out a breath while Lola smiled. Meetings with the Directors were always intense and she knew that their looks were always intimidating. Although she had years of practice, sometimes she felt intimidated by them, especially the old men that always wore a frown and still couldn’t believe that a woman was heading them.

It wasn’t her fault that she was the only child of Chief Makinde, who had left her with just a company. It was through her efforts, hard work and persistence that she had grown into a group of companies.

She was about to open the door when someone also held the door to the room. She stopped and looked at the man. He was tall that she had to glance up to see his face. She was certain he was one of the Directors but she could have sworn that this was the first time she was seeing him. There was no one behind him meaning he was alone, and he was sweating a lot. Maybe, he had hurried here.

“I am sorry but I have to go in first. Is your boss in?”

The audacity.

She knew that most of the Directors were male and they mostly have female secretaries but just looking at her. Did she resemble a secretary? Can a secretary afford her suit?

Speechless, she pulled his hand away from the door, hissed and walked into the room. In a minute, he was also inside and she saw him searching for his place. She sat down at the head table and glanced at him.

The board room was the second biggest room in the office apart from the auditorium. A long table sat in the middle of the board room and comfortable cushions were placed in front of the table. There was a total of thirteen cushions and extra thirteen chairs for the secretary. A small card was placed on the table to help her identify each of the company Directors. Although she was familiar with a handful of them, it was still difficult to recognize some, just like the novel guy that just came in. Another reason they usually hold meetings.

He was sitting in front of the card Shealton Hotels. She remembered Feyi mentioning that she would have a meeting with him soon. Although, the hotel wasn’t fully part of her company yet. She was just about to acquire it because of financial difficulties.

She cleared her throat and moved closer to the small microphone on her table, “Good day to you all. I am glad to see every one of you in today’s meeting and I also observe that I am seeing new faces here. In light of that, I would introduce myself again. I am Lola Makinde, C. E. O of Makinde group of companies. Let’s open this meeting officially.”

She took in the look of shook on the Shealton guy and also saw some old men grumbling at the fact that they had to obey a woman’s order. Especially, an unmarried one.

The meeting took more than the necessary time allocated to it. Lola hated it when her schedule was disrupted but it was best to discuss the matters fully.

She was the first to vacate the room at the end of the meeting. She gazed at the Shealton guy and smirked.

Thirty minutes later, he was ushered into her office. Immediately, she saw him her smirk grew bigger.

“Welcome, Mr…” She let it trail off as she did not know his name.

“Samuel. Samuel Akinbowale. I am sorry about earlier; I had no idea who you were.”

She tsked, “Of course, you have no idea. Unless you wouldn’t have talked to me in that manner.” She eyed him as he sat apologetic looking like his future was in her hand. If she thought about it in a way, his future was truly in her hand but she wasn’t the bragging type. “So, how can I be of help to you. I wasn’t expecting you in today’s meeting. We are yet to sign a contract to make your hotel officially part of my business.

He adjusted his tie, and cleared his throat, “Of course, ma, I understand but I just wanted to know more of our future partner.”

She stopped him, “What do you mean by a partner? I am not aware of this issue of partnership. My proposal is to acquire Shealton and make it mine.”

He was sweating. Lola loved the look on his face, there was nothing better than having an upper hand in a business transaction. After all, the one in a financial crisis is Shealton. Makinde was the saving grace.

He brought out some documents from a file he was holding. Lola was not aware he was holding a file, she had been more attracted to his face, and how smart he looked, that she had omitted that important detail.

“I know you are aware of our financial crises but I assure you that you have more to gain from being our partner than being the owner of Shealton.”

She wasn’t convinced. So, she raised a brow for him to continue.

“As you know, there is a lot of loans you will acquire along with the hotel. That would be a shortage for you.”

Still not a valid point. She checked her watch; the time was against her. “Can you please go to the main point? I am all aware of that.”

He pushed a document in front of her, “This is a contract that states that you can share out of our profits but you will have nothing to do with the past loans. It will be all on Shealton.”

“How are you going to profit with that? Are you thinking like a wise businessman?”

She leaned on her chair, scrutinizing him. He looked very young, like a man in his early thirties. His gaze was focused on whatever document he was trying to find to convince her. She smiled at the way he picked the document easily and wondered what his hands could do to a woman. She bet he was as careful as he is with his documents with a woman too.

“Are you married?” She said.

He stopped and stared at her before speaking. “Yes, ma. I was married with a child.”

Was. Interesting. Maybe after all he wasn’t as careful as she had thought.

“Was? What happened, are you divorced?”

“No, she died.” He sounded sad and looked like she was making her remember a memory he doesn’t want. He must have loved her a lot.

He pushed another document in front of her, “These are the list of things that Shealton would be in charge of.” He pointed at things, but she wasn’t listening to him anymore. Her brain was brewing in the way it does whenever she has a new business idea.

“How about I pay all your debt and you just do one thing in return?”

She smirked as she saw his wide eyes. He must not believe that she had enough money to pay for all that is making them go bankrupt.

“Are… Are you sure?” he stammered.

She smiled. “Of course, I am sure. The only thing you should be afraid of is what I will ask you to do.”

He was silent for a while as if he was thinking of it. What was there to think? She hadn’t even mentioned her offer.

“What do you want?”

She smiled “To be your Mrs.”