OMARI

25: YANDI

Yandi arrived at Primis later than anticipated, it was past ten when she got to the parking space and entered into the restaurant.

"Hey," she waved, Lawrence standing to hug her. "Sorry I'm late."

"I see why," he grinned, looking down at her attire. She wore a white oversized dress shirt over a long denim skirt and white sandals, her hair freely flowing down her back. "You look beautiful."

"Why thank you," she smiled, sitting across from him.

"Sleep okay?" he asked, looking through his menu.

Oh she did, she slept real good, her subconscious answered.

"I did, you?" she chirped, dismissing her thoughts.

"I slept alright, ready to get this show on the road," he beamed.

"You are one determined boss. I thought you'd return whenever you felt like it," she laughed.

"Nah, I too go to court sometimes. Sure, I have my days when I leave it to my pupils,  my  lawyers... but I just enjoy work," he smiled, signaling to the waiter to get their orders.

"I'm considering starting my own firm," Yandi said once the waiter left.

"Why? You're already partner at Minchin," he questioned.

"Yeah but I too want to work on my terms, do things the way they're meant to be done, y'know?" she said firmly.

"But you know the market is pretty saturated so you'd have to be on your A- game," he remarked.

"I am aware, which is why I'm considering it," she replied confidently, noticing him nod in somewhat contempt.

"You don't think it would be harder starting your firm now?"

"No, I wouldn't, why?" she arched a brow.

"I'm just saying there's a lot that goes into it and making partner has to be the big break for you. Leaving would probably be a risk of sorts and starting over would also mean you need clients of your own..."

"I think I can handle the pressure of starting my own firm as anybody else has," she defended, sensing his tone a quite condescending.

"Of course," he smiled.

Their food arrived and they changed subject, but Yandi couldn't help think of his comments at her plans to open a firm of her own. Laurie was pretty enthusiastic, and so was Mrs Saidi. She was yet to ask Omari of his thoughts about it. Point was, Lawrence's feedback was not supportive in the least.

Once their breakfast was through, they walked around the stores, Lawrence finding a few things to get for himself before leaving.

"The weather here is different compared to the North," he remarked, smiling down at Yandi.

"Winter is slowly approaching though, we're trying to enjoy the last of the summer daze," she replied nonchalantly, putting her shades on.

They entered a clothes store and Lawrence placed his hand on her back when they stopped at Yandi's name being called from behind them.

Sean looked at her with a confused expression seeing her with someone that wasn't Omari.

"Sean, hi," she smiled, Sean looking at Lawrence as though he was waiting to get some sort of introductory explanation.

"Meet Lawrence, Lawrence meet Sean, Bisa's cousin," she introduced briefly, not bothering to go further in to who was what to her and what was going on.

"It's good to see you," Sean said with a smile, "Hopefully we can hang again with Bisa and them- minus Simi of course," he tried to joke.

"Yeah, sure," she smiled, turning to a confused Lawrence standing between them. "Well, see you around?" she nodded, walking off when Lawrence took her hand in his.