The Affair

18. Sparks!

Day by day we find ourselves dragged left and right. Our Needs and Wants entangled in a furious embrace. The mind being the battlefield, which side will prevail? Our pressing Needs or our Luscious Wants?

Excuse me Ma. Ma?'

'Yes?' She answered, turning to face the person who was calling her.

'Your meeting with the consultants.'

'Yes, Yes, the consultants.' Eva said arranging random documents on her table in an attempt to collect her thoughts. '...the consultants. Uhm... which consultants?' She finally asked unable to recall any scheduled meeting.

'The consultants for the Shipping case you're working on?' Nonye the secretary replied. 'Practically the only case you've been working on for the past few weeks.'

Eva wasn't dumb. She could sense the blatant annoyance in her words. Her colleagues and coworkers were jealous that she hooked or more like, got hooked by a huge client and felt their boss played favorites with her. If only they knew.

'Ok. I'll be there in a few minutes. Let me gather what I need'

Nonye threw her a side eye before walking out of the office. Eva took a deep breath in and then exhaled.

'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I can't allow Ebuka's request cloud my mind like this, especially when I'm at work.' Eva said to herself. 'I'll call him after the meeting and reject his proposal. It's stupid that's what it is. Stupid. I'm even more stupid for even giving it a second of my time.'

After prepping herself, she stood up from her chair with renewed confidence and determination and walked out of her office straight to her meeting, feeling like a huge load has been lifted from her now that she had made her decision.

There was a knock on the door.

'Come in.'

Kosi looked up from his work to see who was at the door and glowered.

'Hello Ebuka. How may I be of assistance?'

Ebuka exuded confidence and wealth as he walked into Kosi's office wearing a clean and crisp suit.

'May I?' He asked, motioning to the chair opposite Kosi.

'Of course.'

Without saying another word, Ebuka took the seat offered and stared at Kosi. Seconds went by without either party saying anything. Annoyed at the silence, Kosi opened his mouth to speak but Ebuka interrupted him.

'I heard you're quite the Engineer.'

'I try.' Kosi replied sounding modest.

'No. No. I've done my research and you're one of the best in this firm.'

'What do you want Ebuka. I know you didn't come here to praise me on my technical skills.'

'Oh but I did. Well, I also came for so technical advice.'

Kosi's eyes narrowed at him.

'Go on.'

'You see I have this bicycle I love. I got it when I was a lot younger. I had it for years until my family moved away and I was unable to take it with me.' He paused, seeing the steel in Kosi's eyes and he carried on with a smile. 'The years go by and I am back to my old city and out of nostalgia, I decide to see what has become of my former home and silently hope to see my favourite bicycle. Unsurprisingly, a new family has moved into the house and they have a teenage son who loves this bicycle as well and went as far as pimping it up...'

'It's no longer your bicycle. Let. It. Go.' Kosi interrupted. 'And I'm an engineer not a mechanic...'

'Semantics.' Ebuka dismissed him with a wave of his hand.