Atonement

21. A pasta date

The sun shine down, revealing the beauty of it's temperature, hot and bright. Anwar climbed down his horse after almost two hours of riding.

"Take him back in." He instructed one of the workers there as he unlatched the buttons of his gloves. It has been a beautiful day until. He collected a bottle of cold water from another worker and walked into the resting lounge.

His phone rang, it was Sultana. He got a new phone and a new simcard for her because she complained to him about not reaching him when Sultan is not around.

"Assalamualaikum warahmatullah." Her voice came through the receiver. He smiled and responded.

"I just wanted to check up on you." She said after a minute of silence.

"I miss you." He said. Adjusting well on one of the chairs, he turned on the television and tuned down the volume to zero.

"I have missed you too."

"You know what? i will just send the driver to pick you up. You said you wanted pasta yeah?"

"Oh that, yes. i have been craving for it for a while now. Yes please,That will be a nice idea, i have been bored."

"OKay then, he will be there after asr. I will call you before then. I have a meeting right now." He turned the back of his hands and checked the time on his wrist watch.

"I thought you are on a break." She asked sounding a bit confused.

"Oh well! what can i do? some meetings i just have to attend."

"Good luck then. I should look for something to wear." They said their byes and disconnected the call.

Anwar checked through his mail then lastly replied to some important messages.
He took his bath, changed into a black kaftan then proceeds to his father's guest lounge where the meeting is going to hold.
Reaching there, he met with familiar faces, some his family while some executives from the company. The meeting was set due to some challenges the company is facing. It was an emergency meeting so he needed to be there. His father said he is the brain box of the company.

He sat adjacent his father in the extremely large parlor where fourteen other people including his father were seated.

"Lets proceed please." He stated and Nameer, his cousin passed a file to him.

"This is the pictures of the cement factory in Gombe. The manager there said it was due to the weather. Also we are currently running on a loss, the factory have allegedly lost five hundred and seventy million naira." All attention turned from Nameer to Alhaji Mato, the manager of the cement factory in Gombe.

"The money was used for renovations." He argued. Fidgeting his hands.

"The pictures are saying otherwise." Anwar angrily threw the file to him. The parlor went dead silent, all the other occupants afraid to say a word.

"I want every single kobo to be accounted for before Monday. If not.." He turned to Nameer. "You know what to do better."

"Okafor, what were you saying about price increment?" Alhaji Waziri said folding his arms.

"The dollar price is increasing hence the price of our imported goods. The profit rate at this point will reduce making our competitors several steps ahead of us."

"Did i just hear imported goods Mr Okafor?" Anwar chirped in. He warned all the employees about importing goods from other countries. His main aim is to empower Nigeria not otherwise. Frustrated, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"There are some goods we can't get in the country Mr Waziri. Alot even, if we limit ourselves then how can the company prosper?" One of the occupants, also a shareholder reasoned. Low murmurs started, some people agreeing with his statement while a few disagreed.