Fortitude

6-Fatigue

Raziya

"What! " exclaimed Lily from the other end of the line.

"I know right! I just saw it when I arrived. It's the exact same car."

"Did you like, say anything?"

"Was I supposed to say anything?"

"I don't know,"

"How does 'I was having a photoshoot with your car without consent at the church premises' sound to a client?"

"I was thinking something more suave like 'You wouldn't leave a fine chick walking all alone with wheels like that just lying around.'"

Eww.

"You're impossible, "

"You're uptight, "

Springing to an upright position on the office chair in my room I shrieked out "I'm not!" A bit too desperately.

"Are too,"

"Don't start that, and besides, who just blindly accepts rides from some random guy,"

"Correction, client who deserves total respect, "

"You're exhausting, I need to finish up my work and send it to him before the day ends,"

"Office affairs brewing, ya'll are already having late night chats and it's only been one day," her voice sly enough for me to envision the smirk on her face.

"BLUE BIRD!" I exclaimed incredulously.

She burst out into her usual high pitched laugher as I just shook my head at her untimely amusement.

"Goodnight bird brain,"

"Goo... good... goodnight, " she managed to squeeze into her laugh.

I hang up and got back to working on the 3D projection of the renovation. I'd gathered a couple of ideas for his bedroom from a page in a magazine he'd given to me earlier on. Transferring everything to my phone from the laptop, I scrolled through my contacts looking for his name.

I barely had more than four chats on my screen. Mostly because I'd disconnected from my once upon a time large group of friends after they all got married or started dating or planned hang outs excluding me. There's a swahili saying that says 'Akufukuzaye hakuambii toka' (He who chases you away doesn't directly tell you to leave). Sticking to it, I just withdrew. The only person I was now talking to was Jabari, then Lily came into my life. The rest of the chats were clients, wholesalers, retailers, carpenters, you get the point.

Finding it, I let out a sigh of relief upon noticing that he was offline. I quickly typed out a text informing him of my progress then attached the project photos. It literally wasn't more than two minutes after I put my phone down.

Buzz.
Buzz.

Mr. Taji: Hey!
Mr. Taji: This is great, can't wait!

I should really change that name.

I'd put a Mr. to it assuming that he was someone probably mid forties or fifties who wouldn't appreciate the nonchalant effect first names had with them.