Piece Of Mind

Chapter 2

In a room having its walls made of a silvery grey metal and grey marbled floors with one of its walls made of plexiglass which showed a view of the busy city, everyone seemed to be talking all at once and at the same time. All except one.

"Sir, our stocks are falling steadily and at this pace we'll have to start paying extra for very little"

"Prices at the stock market are increasing rapidly and not very much in our favour sir"

"Sir, I think it's high time we dissolve the infant industries and focus more on the bigger picture"

"I agree with Mr. Essien sir. Let's start paying maximum attention to SSPI than any other. Once we have this in check, the rest will fall into place"

"Mr. Hart sir, if you don't mind my suggestion, I think it's time we dive more into the aspect of real estate"

"Brilliant idea! We could generate more revenue from there because after all, SSPI is a million to billion naira corporation. We can definitely manage real estate...."

"Sir??...."

"Mr. Hart sir??..."

"Sir please we need your say in this"

"Sir, are you paying attention?"

And that's how it was and had been all morning with him having his name and several ideas from the board members being thrown about while he desperately battled to keep his eyes open from falling asleep and also to take in all these suggestions. Thankfully he had his secretary to do that.

The papers and files in front him made the reality even stronger that the weight of this company was now upon his shoulders and he was responsible for its growth. When did time fly so fast and so suddenly? How he wished he could turn back those hands to when he didn't have to suffer all this. To when all this brain storming and company money making talk was upon the head of his father and not him.

Too bad they were only wishes.

If someone asked him five years back where he would see himself in the future, Kue Hart would never mention being at the fore front of his father's company as CEO who by way of reason had his father as the founder of the profound SSPI —the South Side Petroleum Industries.

"Your premium coffee sir?"

Kue turns towards Chioma, his secretary who held the steamy plastic cup and was standing above him at his side. He takes it and offers his gratitude as he takes gradual sips of the bitter liquid while slowly swerving in the black rolling leather chair and staring blankly at the projector screen where one of the members of his board stood explaining the whole bunch of numbers, graphs and charts on it.

Kue wasn't taking in anything. His brain was at the brink of going blank. All he cried for was sleep. He wasn't able to sleep well the previous night and when he finally got a lick of it, he had received an emergency call saying that there was a board meeting which of course would require his presence as CEO. Who the hell calls a board meeting at 7 freaking am?!?! Was this the down side of the luxury work life?
Till this very moment, he can't seem to see the emergency that required his dire attention that he had to forfeit his sleep. Either way he knew he would have to come here at some part of the day. Obviously the early part of it.

"Mr. Hart...." The man in front of the projector screen concludes as he turns to Kue. "I strongly believe if we go into partnership with this company, we'll be able to generate double the money we make quarterly nevertheless the quadruple portion annually. It'll go off the charts!"

The man had completely lost Kue there. What was he talking about?

"Wait, what company?" He asks in his usual semi deep baritone as he sets the coffee cup down on the table. He notes the hesitancy and trepidation in the man and also the uneasiness of the others seated at the long rectangular tempered glass table. Kue's look is puzzled as he waits for the man to speak and he does so in a slightly shaky voice knowing fully well what dear Mr. Hart was capable of doing to him because of his soon to be uttered words. There was no going back now.