: BE STILL
LAGOS, NIGERIA
AUGUST 2014.
Peace. It was the first thing that struck him when he saw her in that hospital months ago. He could remember feeling that same peace when he went to John Hopkins to pick his cousin, the day he noticed her for the first time. He felt the calmness again spreading through his insides, putting out the embers of anger and bitterness that always coursed through him. Its weird right? Other men should feel desire or lust first, staring at a woman. Even he couldn’t deny that he felt it at times towards other women, but right now was different. She was different. She had her brows drawn together, causing a frown. She had on her frame, a simple dress unlike the last time and make-up if she had any on, was minimal; I could barely notice it. She was differently beautiful, it wasn't the kind of beauty that hits you, it was the kind you begin to notice when you stared too long. Long lashes, well curved brows, small bow lips, a thin body, average height. The outline of her body wasn't visible because the dress she wore wasn't clinging to her. There was an air around her, telling everyone she doesn't care what they had to say or offer. Her hair was the most luscious thing about her. It was a thick, long, curly afro that framed her face nicely, almost burying her features.
"Hey Chris, here is the representative of Dr. Andrews. You really need to get a secretary; you have been here for almost a month" Nina's voice came through, breaking his thoughts and their staring contest.
"Hello" she said more like a whisper, wishing at the moment she was anywhere but here.
Haaa! He remembered that voice now. It was soft, so soft just like the first day it stilled his heart. But he could remember she was rude, she had called him mad and a fool in Yoruba, thinking she had the upper hand with a foreign language. Now that the tables were turned, he wondered how she would feel because he was about to have the upper hand. After all, he was a vindictive person.
"Sit” he ordered with as much indifference as he could, "Excuse us Nina." Chris loved Nina like a sister with all her excesses, including sitting on his desk when he was about to have a business meeting even knowing how it might look to a third party. Not like he cared what his rude visitor thought anyway.
"Alright love" Nina said and walked out.
I glanced at my clock before meeting her gaze. "You are 1 hour, 15 minutes late. You did not expect us to sit on our thumbs waiting for you did you? Here is the review of the meeting. It contains our plans for next month and stock prices" he delivered in a sturdy voice, trying to intimidate her.
"Traffic was horrible and the meeting was moved here to the headquarters without prior notification. We were supposed to have the said meeting at the branch in Oke Ado, but we were told on getting there to come over here, which we deserve an apology for as changing venues last minute is unreasonable and terribly inconvenient." She replied and even dared to look at him like he was stupid.
"First you call me a fool(ode), then go on to tell me I’m mad(werey) and now I’munreasonable? Wow, how impolite can you get?" a quizzical look sat on his face.
Pamela who had had her fill of this uncomfortable situation bit out harshly "Excuse me?"
"Hold on”. He continued, dismissing her with a simple hand gesture, “The venue was changed and an email was dispatched to all concerned parties last night. QUALITY LIFE is no longer at Oke Ado, it has been bought and merged with CHANCE corporation".
Pamela scoffed, "I did not get the so called email and even if there was any, sending it at night isn't sufficient. Also, bringing up an old unrelated conversation here is unprofessional."
Chris was amazed at how smart she was, most people couldn’t handle it when he was cold and bossy but she was meeting him head onand he loved a challenge.
So he smiled a bit, since they were at an impasse. "I need your side to sell back the shares you had in QUALITY LIFE. It is holding up the merger."
"How much?" she asked with a flat, professional tone.
"Are you even qualified to sell it out? Last I knew you were a doctor, Miss...? trying to get her to tell me her name.
"I am a representative, give me the full information to lay out". She refused to tell him her name still, he only needed to check her details that were previously forwarded to him for that piece of information, so she saw no need to tell him her name.
"Alright, 1 million". Chris bargained, moving forward in his seat, elbows resting on the table which he leaned on.
Pamela's eyes narrowed into slits in anger. To her this was the definition of scam. Coupled with the fact that she didn't like him one bit. "Are you kidding me?" her American accent flooding her speech. "There is no way I will take it if it is anything below 3 million Naira, after knowing how important this stock is."
Chris gave her additional info on how important the stock was so he had no choice but to quickly finish all these little details and be in Italy next month.
"Alright 4 million" he said with a smirk on his face, almost teasing her, not because the shares were worth the amount. He was only trying to mess with her, to make her falter in stance and confidence.
"6 million" she counter offered, strongly still.
"Now you are just joking. There is no way in hell I’m buying those at 6 million" he begun to shake in slight anger.
"Alright 4.8 million" she replied smiling sweetly. She was a master at the manipulation game, she wanted him angry so he would take a lesser bargain but still high on her side and so he smiled knowing it was something he would have done. He couldn't help the slight pride blooming in him. If she ever needed a job, he had one for her.
Enough chit chat. Chris pulled on his game face and fixed her with a cold stare. "3.5million. No more, no less and you will get the owner of the stock to agree because the price is more than fair, or I will look for ways to tank those shares legally and it won't be more than Five Hundred thousand" he countered, playing hardball.
"Deal" she replied easily. He stretched out his hand for a handshake indicating their done agreement but she ignored it. Cute or not, now she was being unnecessarily rude and unprofessional. "Thanks for the meet, we will get back to you" and walked out, head held high with the grace of a swan.
Chris stared at the retreating figure, his body rigid with shock minutes after she left.
It gave him a kind of sadistic pleasure that she just ignored him.