Tina glanced at the wall clock, she was late again! Aarggh! She thought. This was the second time this week and she hated being late. She knew it had to do with those dreams she’d been having. It was already 10 minutes to 9 and she was still at home for a 9o’clock appointment. She dressed up quickly, picked up her bag and car keys, locked up behind her and got into the car.
“Musa!” She screamed. “Please open the gate now!”
“Yes ma” Musa answered as he ran out of his small cubicle and opened the gate. It was a Thursday, so there wasn’t much traffic on the road, as there was the general weekly environmental exercise in Lagos. She glanced at the clock in the car and realized it was already ten minutes past 9. She picked up her phone, put on her hands free and quickly called Teju her PA to inform her 9 o’clock appointment that she would be there in 20 minutes. She drove with speed and within 15 minutes, she had reached her office somewhere in Ikoyi, Lagos. She picked her bag, pulled out her laptop bag and practically ran into the building.
“Goo morring ma!” The security at the entrance saluted her with a grin on his face showing his brown unevenly shaped teeth.
“Morning Mr. Segun” Tina replied as she went in. She climbed a fleet of stairs to the floor of her office.
“Good morning ma” Teju greeted with a smile as she spotted her boss coming in through the door.
“Morning Teju” She replied. “Where’s my 9 o’clock appointment?” She asked as she looked around the office without seeing anybody waiting for her.
“Ma, he’s in the rest room. He just stepped out not too long ago” Teju replied.
“Okay. Please usher him in once her gets back” Tina said as she adjusted her laptop bag and stepped into her office. “And please, make me a cup of coffee I didn’t sleep well last night” She added just before she closed the door.
Tina leaned against the closed door and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She then walked over to her desk, dropped her bags on the table and took out her laptop from her laptop bag. She sat on her seat and pulled out her work shoes from a shoe rack hidden somewhere under her table, removed her flats, replaced them with her work shoes and put her flats back on the rack. She hated wearing heels around, so she resorted to keeping her work shoes at work. The thought of actually wearing them all the way from home to work and back on an everyday basis made her cringe; it was just too much stress in her opinion. She put on her laptop and was about to log into her laptop when the phone on her desk rang. She picked it up.It was Teju informing her that her appointment was about to come in. Tina stood up and went over to the side of her office with the sofas. Just as she sat down on one of the sofa’s, her 9 o’clock appointment walked inwith Teju behind him holding a steaming cup of coffee.
Tina sat transfixed as she stared at the man walking towards her. He was the most beautiful and almost perfect work of God’s creation she had ever laid eyes on, and he wasn’t smiling. She just sat there staring at him. He was really tall, had smooth chocolate brown skin, lightly built with broad shoulders, dark brown eyes, curly and well groomed black hair, nicely shaped facial hair and well groomed nails. Yes, nails! He wore a polo tee-shirt, a pair of denim jeans and Nike shoes. He had stopped right in front of her and she was tongue tied! She just sat there staring at him stupidly when she heard Teju clear her throat and said
“Ma, this is the coffee you requested for”. It was then she was jolted back to reality.
“Thanks Teju. You can put it on the table” She said as she gestured to Teju to drop it on the coffee table right in front of her. She quickly composed herself as Teju dropped it and step out. She then faced the man again and stood up to introduced herself.
“Good morning, I’m Tina Jacobs” She said as she stretched out her hand for a handshake.
“Good morning to you too, I’m Abayomi Ige” He replied with a stern face, receiving her handshake. “You’re late, you know?” He continued as her stared hard into her face. “I had to wait for you for over 40 minutes. Do you think I like to waste my time? I’m a very busy man and I dislike waiting! If not because I had promised Mike I would see you today, I would have left immediately it was 5 minutes past 9” He finished, still staring hard at her with a frown on his face. His look, his stance and his presence made her feel really small and out of control.
Tina was surprised at his attack, the accusatory tone in his voice and the way he looked at her. What is wrong with this one o? You get mouth sha. Fine face, bad mouth. Ptschewwww. She thought angrily as she profusely apologised putting on the most apologetic face she could muster and then offered him a seat.
“I apologize again for coming late” Tina started. “Would you like anything to drink?” She asked. He shook his head and she continued “Mike has briefed me about your business concept and I just need to clarify some things from you.” She said as she brought out a pen and a notepad. “When do you intend to kick off the business?” She asked
“In three months’ time” he answered. “I’m sure Mike told you I don’t live in Nigeria. I have a number of businesses here though, but this one is very dear to me and I would love it to kick off on a right note. It’s really frustrating doing a start-up in this country and can’t afford to mess this one up from the beginning” He continued. “I need a very good strategy on exactly how to position myself in the market place. I need you and your team to come up with the perfect branding.” He said as he gestured with his hands and reclined further into the sofa.
Tina noticed his well-trimmed nails again. Omo, this guy fine sha. Does he go to the salon or what? She thought as she noted a few points as she asked several other questions. They spent about an hour going over the objectives of the business, the target customers, competitors and other things that could help her team come up with the ‘perfect’ branding. They were through by 10.40am. By then, Abayomi had loosened up a little and had even smiled once.
‘She’s really good at this’ He thought as he could now see why Mike insisted he gave this job to her. He had been quite skeptical at first because he didn’t particularly trust Nigerians (although he was one), especially one who he had never heard of. Mike had been right, she was really thorough. Most of the things she had raised with him had actually never crossed his mind before. He had to go back to his drawing board to straighten a few things out.
“So, I guess we’re through for now” Tina said as she rearranged the scattered sheets of paper on the coffee table. “We should give you a call if we have any more questions” She said “And this time, I promise not to be late to any of our appointments.” She continued with a smile.
“Okay! That would be very comforting.” Abayomi replied with a wide grin on his face revealing a lovely set of milky white teeth and a perfect set of dimples.
Oh My God! Dimples!!! Tina thought as her heart began to beat faster.
“I apologize for my earlier outburst” He continued. “I’m sort of a time freak and I get irritated when others don’t keep to time.”
“It’s okay. It was all my fault, you don’t need to apologize” Tina replied. “Thanks so much for coming. See you later” Tina said as they shook hands.
“The pleasure was mine” Abayomi said. “This is my business card, in case you need to call me. I have yours already” He continued as they both walked towards the door. Tina opened the door and they both walked out of her office. She bade him goodbye and stepped back into her office.
Dear God, why are you tormenting me with all these hunks na?? Almost every week you parade one of your most beautiful male creatures before me. God, don’t you know that you’re tempting me ni? I’m not like all those desperado ladies who want to marry at all cost. Yes, I want a man of my own, but not like this now. If they keep coming like this, God, I wouldn’t be liable for my actions o, Tina thought as she replayed Abayomi’s features again. The guy was really fine sha! God, I submit my emotions to you this day. Help me to stay true and focused on you, amen, Tina said a quick prayer as she picked up all the materials from her meeting with Abayomi and sat down to work.
Within 30 minutes, she had come up with different concepts and ideas for the branding. She picked up the office phone and called Teju to call the others into her office: Siji, Ovie, Amarachi and Ayo. Without these four, Tina knew she couldn’t have gotten this far. Siji was the IT guru behind all IT related strategies in the business. Ovie was the graphic design wiz; the kind of ideas he brings up are just off the hook! Amarachi was the marketing guru and an associate CIM member. She had both her undergraduate and post graduate degree programs in the UK. She had also interned for 2 big companies during her study. As for Ayo, he was the ‘sniffer’ in the park. He had a knack for getting information about rival companies and how to beat them, especially whenever they needed to brand or re-brand a business. He also has very good intuition and was almost always right. Tina reclined in her chair as she waited for them to come in and start working to put this together. She needed a serious distraction from daydreaming about Abayomi. She picked up her pencil and began to scribble down some ideas.