TO HOLD A ROSE

EPISODE V - THE UMBRELLA CAFÉ

The blue skies looked dark and the sun hid behind the clouds, gleaming through spatial gaps in the thick clusters. Abel's mood was not so different from the gloomy look the day donned.

Waiting for a response from his partners weighed in on him like a husband waiting for his labouring wife in a lobby. He found himself restless, pondering over how to face Joshua the next day. And for the first time, he sensed an impending delay that could derail his perfect relationship with Joshua. News had already spread of inflation in the economy, and he feared it would alter his initial budget analysis. It also meant an inevitable longer process for his partners. He paced back and forth in his office, sweating even in the air-conditioned coldness of the room.

And then it came, the call from his partners, a day earlier and with a sudden vibration. Abel expected the call for Friday and it surprised him that it came on a gusty Thursday morning. He stared at his phone ringing on the table for a few seconds, and then he took a deep breath and picked it up.

"Hello Mr Williams," said the gritty voice on the phone.

"Hi George," Abel replied. "I trust you are good today. Tell me please, what's the news?" He rested his butt against the edge of his table with his forefinger pressed against his lower lip. Anxiety gripped his voice as he held the phone to his ear.

"I'm sorry Mr Williams," he went straight to the point. "We have been unable to finalise our findings with our contractors. A breakdown in negotiations will force us to look for a new supplier for the substation gadgets. Besides that, we have sorted all other things and I can say that we would give you a positive feedback within another week. Please accept our apologies for the delay."

Abel's heart trembled. His eyes sunk into their sockets and his mouth failed to muster a word. He began to think about the consequences. First, Joshua would be furious, with his trust breached and the promises made to him broken. And it could mean a loss of the contract. "Okay, thank you George," his voice faded.

He sat on the long sofa with his elbows resting on his knees and his head fallen to his chest. He thought about what he would tell Joshua. He felt it was best to call him now and tell him he needed more time. But he feared it would push him off to other suitors. Joshua was not a patient man, and he had fallen in love with AbTec majorly for their time efficiency. Now Abel had to find a way to manage the relationship with Joshua and he knew it would be far from a walk in the park. He picked up his phone and dialled up Mr Joshua. His heartbeat synched with the dial tones and his throat clenched.

"Mr Abel," Joshua said with enthusiasm. "You called a day earlier; I hope that means good news."

"I'm afraid not Mr Joshua. We had a minor setback." Abel replied with brutal honesty. He could hear Joshua's breath getting heavier. "Mr Joshua are you there?"

"Yeah I heard you the first time," he said. "I just have nothing to say."

"Please you have to understand. I know I promised tomorrow but the delay was not intended," Abel pleaded; he knew he had no other choice than to persuade Joshua to hold on for another week.

"I do not have to understand anything Abel," the anger in his tone increased. "We discussed this and you assured it won't take long. Now you're asking for extra time again?"

"Please hear me out, I wish it'd gone as I said, but this is for the best. We want to ensure proper processes and we cannot rush it. It's imperative to be careful in our approach."

Joshua kissed his teeth. Then he said, "When are we looking at now?"

"Just another week Mr Joshua," Abel replied.

"Another whole week? Jesus?" Joshua fumed.  He was furious that he had to wait another week. He had hoped to be discussing launch by now and not still stuck with preliminary findings. A month on initial negotiations seemed extravagant. Besides, Joshua hoped the project would start before June. He planned to leave the country for the summer with his family. "I don't think I want to do that Mr Abel."