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Damex333: Oya start the story. Lets enjoy pls. Dont take long.

I have posted the entire story already...
here is the link


https://www.nairaland.com/1322268/pleasant-surprise

Hey guys,
I am inviting you to read my story: 'A pleasant surprise' right here on nairaland.
I promise u will enjoy it.
And guess what... The story is 99percent complete... As at the time of this advert..

Please Read and comment...
Constructive criticism is welcome
note the keyword: CONSTRUCTIVE

thanks
DNA1

Continuation of chapter nine




She stood still for some seconds wondering what to do. Then she drew a deep breath and summoned the courage to walk closer to her house. When she had gotten close enough, she called out “Hey!” unsure of what to do next.


The figure looked up and then began to stand upright, while she began to retreat. “Hey Laura it’s Greg,” the figure replied and began to walk towards her, taking his hood off.


“Greg you gave me a fright. What are you doing here?” She asked, relieved it wasn’t some hoodlum.

“I told you I would pay you a visit didn’t I?” He replied, extending his hand for a hand shake.

“Yes you did, but…so soon? I mean I saw you barely two days ago.” She said, shaking his hand.

“I was able to find the time.” He replied.

“Yeah…sure.” She replied. “Why didn’t you call me, to tell me you were coming, I would have prepared-”


“Sorry I didn’t know you don’t like august visitors…I should probably get going.” Greg joked.


“Don’t be ridiculous.” Laura protested. They both laughed at that.

“Let me help you with that.” He said as he collected her shopping bag from her, while she proceeded to open the door.


When they got in, they hung their coats and Laura zoomed off to her mini kitchen to whip up something for dinner. Greg took the parlour in, before he went to join her. They chatted as she cooked and he gave her a helping hand here and there.



After they had had dinner and cleared up the kitchen, they went back to the parlour to relax, then Greg told her what was on his mind.


“Laura.” He said, his voice was a little unsteady.

“Yes.”

“There’s something important that I will like to let you know.” He stated firmly.

“Okay. What is it?” She asked, wondering what was on his mind.

“I don’t know what you will think but I beg you to hear me out.” He pleaded.

“Ride on. I’m listening.” She said confidently, as her mind raced over a thousand and one things he might want to tell her.

“Ever since the first moment I set my eyes on you, I haven’t stopped thinking about you Laura,” he paused while she rolled her eyes.

I should have known this was what he came here for. She thought to herself.


“You are the woman of my dreams. Your charisma is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I cherish every moment I spend with you and I don’t want to spend any moment apart from you, henceforth. I know you still harbor resentments over your past, but I beg you to let go of it and give me a chance. I promise not to do anything that will hurt you. I promise Laura. I’m not here to speak many words. I know you have heard a number of love poems in the past. I’m only here to state my cause. I ask that you consider my request without letting the pain of the past affect your judgment.” He said, staring at Laura hopefully.

Right now, nothing was more important than hearing Laura say ‘yes’. He saw her lips moving- she was saying something.


“Greg I’ve heard what you said; but I must tell you that right now, I’m not interested in getting involved in a relationship. I have a lot of things on my mind right now and I don’t want to make my life more complicated by adding such a commitment to it.” She said.

Don’t be a fool girl. Voice 1 warned. You know you are attracted to him, why are you making up such silly excuses?


Let her be, silly. She’s doing the right thing. I warned you from the very beginning that this guy is just like others. Can’t you see? He is beginning to show his real self, said voice 2.


Fine! Have it your way. All I know is that, this is a good man, and good men are hard to find. Said voice 1.

Laura sighed, while Greg stared at the floor. Moments later, he sat up straight.

“I understand what you have said. But I still beg that you consider my request. You might think differently about it in a few days from now. Please take some time to think about it.” Greg begged.


“I assure you I will,” said Laura, giving him a small smile that made his heart flutter. Then the smile diminished in a split second and was replaced with a frown, as she asked him a question. “It’s really late. Where will you be spending the night?”

“I booked a hotel room, before coming here.” He replied quickly.

“Okay.” She said relieved.

“Before I leave, I must show you something.” He said, standing up and dipping his hand into the pocket of his coat which hung on the wall. When he turned, she saw a small, red coloured box in his hand, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

“I bought this for you.” He said, smiling at her.

“No…I…I couldn’t possibly accept that.” Laura stuttered, astonishment written all over her face.

“Why? It’s a gift.” Said Greg, confused.

“I…I can’t possibly accept a ring from you Greg…I-”

“It’s not a ring,” he chuckled.

“What is it then?” She asked, raising her eyebrows and standing up.

“Well, see for yourself,” he said as he opened the box and brought out a beautiful silver bracelet.

“Wow! It’s beautiful,” she smiled.

“Yes, it is, but it will be more beautiful sitting on your wrist.” He said, dropping the box on the center table and holding the bracelet proudly.

“Seriously you didn’t need to buy me anything. You came all the way from New York to see me, I mean that’s enough already. You didn’t need to go out of your way to buy me a gift.” She protested, thinking twice about accepting the gift.


“I bought it from Arizona. I just bought it to say ‘thank you’.” He said, ignoring her protests.

“You’ve already thanked me enough.”

“All the same, thank you.” Greg said. “Come on, let’s see how it fits.” He said, urging her to stretch out her right hand. She obliged, and he strung the bracelet round her wrist. It was really beautiful.

“Wow. Thanks I appreciate.” She beamed with a smile.

“The pleasure is mine.” Greg bowed. “I must get going now,” he added, checking his watch.

“How are you going to get to your hotel?” She asked, concerned.

“I will call a taxi.”

“Okay. So why not wait till he gets here?” She suggested.

“I will, if you insist.”

“I insist,” said Laura, while Greg sat down and dialed a number on his phone.



Moments later they heard the sound of a taxi. “Taxi’s here”, said Greg as he stood up to go. He walked towards the door, picked up his coat and wore it.

Laura followed him to the door. “Good night Greg,” she said as he opened the front door.

He turned to face her, then stoked her chin. “Good night. I will be leaving first thing in the morning,” he said.


“Have a safe trip then,” said Laura, her voice barely audible as tears formed in her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat, she was missing him already.

“Thanks, I’ll call you.” He said. He took one last look at her, then walked into the driveway, where the taxi was waiting, entered the car and waved back to her before the car zoomed off, leaving Laura standing alone in her room.

She used her back to push the door shut and then sat on the floor, her back resting on the door. She stared at the bracelet on her right hand. It really looked lovely. She took in a deep breath. She could still perceive his perfume. She missed him already. How she longed to be able to let go of the past in order to experience genuine love, but she just kept finding herself acting under the control of voice 2.


She summoned the strength to get up. She walked lazily to her room and lay down on the bed, weary with emotions. She knew it was going to be a long night.








*** *** *** ***




Greg sat silently in the back seat of the car, thinking about the conversation he had had with Laura. He was happy he finally got to tell her what was on his mind, although he was disappointed by her response. It didn’t change how he felt about her all the same and he made up his mind to keep on bringing up the topic until she gave him a favourable answer.

Lord please grant me this one request; please. He prayed silently. He later got to his hotel room and prayed once again, before he lay down on his bed to sleep.






.........................................................................................................................................

So that's it...
One last update and we'll be done
watch out for chapter ten...


love u all............
hugs and kisses
DNA1

aiit people
next update is here....

tijehi: Hmm Still reading o. Like it anyways. Somethind different.s

thanks tijehi..
yeah, i love to write stuff that deviate from the norm


trying ta create my own niche

i hope u enjoy reading...
i'll appreciate comments



thanks..........

princesa: Am in, but not read yet. When am tru with chores over here, am gonna read and give my review if you don't mind, that is. (cos sometimes i can get blunt oh )

Aww Princessa..........good to see u on my thread,,


yeah i'll appreciate constructive criticism...it's d only way i can get betta....

xoxo

Hi Princessa i just stumbled unto dis story.....it's nice. Pls come and complete it, i want to c how it will end.....

ps: Do check out my story too
thanks

ng4am: Nice write up, pls come and upload more, I ve been a silent follower of ur story but now I ve commented so u can come and finish up, more ink to ur pen.

thanks for ur comment

keep a date dis nite

Samtolly4JESUS: Keep it up dear... Its wonderful!

thanks bro....your comments av inspired me so far...

chistar01: @DNA, i like stories like this, short and pricise. Not like me who likes beating around the bush..

So are you ending the story tonight or when exactly?

yeah, me too...i am not good at over stretching stories....
As for finishing...i guess i will finish by tomorrow...



Seriously it all depends on nepa....i no get battery 4 my laptop

I have noticed that all the books i av read on nairaland are based on Nigerians.....











So...

My next story is going to be about a young Nigerian lady- her quest to let go of her past and find true love.



Trust me, the story is gonna blow ur minds away....





Why?






because as usual i have deviated from the norm in my writing style....


So...

It's not gonna be ur average romance story...



It's basically gonna focus on flashback....




And i intend to adress one major issue in our society today...





Yeah, u guessed right...



Let's see the effect divorce will have on our lead character, Ehinomen.


Stay tuned...
I'll let u guys know when i start posting the story, so keep following this thread....or better still..


Follow me....

Love u loads...

DNA1

Now that the story is coming to an end, I'm beginning to feel nostalgic....









I hope u all enjoyed reading it as much as i enjoyed writing?






You might wanna go thru d whole story from the beginning again in order to refresh ur memory and




yeah, buckle up for the huge surprise coming ur way....







Next update is this night.....if nepa agrees...

To my quiet readers/ silent admirers....
I think u should register ur presence now, cuz this story is coming to an end real soon... Three updates max.






Thanks for following....

chistar01: See this DNA oh, so its only the girls you can thank shey?.. Well done:>

Bros no vex...
I no 4get u at all
thanks for following...

thanks girls.........your comments mean so much to me...
they are like battery to my laptop
and
ink to my pen..**winks**
thank u so much for following my story....

DNA1

Next update...
coming up
tomorrow or d day after..
pls stay tuned...
#winks#

CHAPTER NINE



Meanwhile Greg continued to look through his power point slides throughout the flight, anticipating the kind of questions Mr Richardson will ask. He was so engrossed in what he was doing that he didn’t notice when the plane descended. He rushed down and took a taxi immediately to Mr Richardson’s company.


He got there around quarter past 4, and went to see the PA immediately. For once the PA was polite and they had a little chit-chat before he went in to see Mr Richardson.

Mr Richardson was generally a nice man to be with. He was inquisitive too and he asked Greg all the questions he had anticipated and more. After hours of talking, Greg was eventually able to convince Mr Richardson to invest in Mansonian furnitures. It was half past seven when Greg left Richardson’s office. He brought out his phone to call Laura. That was when he saw her text message.


He felt sad that she left without waiting for him to return. What did you think? Where you expecting her to stay put and wait till you return. She’s a worker remember? His mind told him. Be a gentleman. Call her to say thank you.


He dialed Laura’s number. She didn’t pick until after several rings.


“Hello,” she croaked. The phone call had woken her up from her peaceful sleep and there was still sleep in her eyes and a roughness in her voice.

“Hi Laura. Are you sleeping?” He asked.

On hearing the sound of his voice, she bolted up immediately and cleared her throat. She had no idea it was him when she first picked the call, because her eyes were only half open, so the name on the phone screen looked blurred initially.

“Hi. Yes I was, but I’m awake now.” She cleared her throat. “How did the meeting go?”

“It was great. Can you believe it? Thomas Richardson has agreed to invest in my business.” Greg replied with excitement.

“Wow lucky you! Congratulations.”

“Thanks Laura and thank you for your help today. I’m indebted to you.”

“No, you are not. I’m the one who is indebted to you. Thanks for everything you did for my family-”

“Please don’t mention okay?” He cut in. “How was your flight?”

“It was fine. I got home by 5 pm.”


“Okay” he sighed. “I miss you already Laura. I wish you could have stayed longer.”

“Yeah, it’s just that I had to come back to work.” She replied slowly, weighing her words carefully.

“I know. It pains me that I didn’t get to see your face one last time and tell you thank you face to face.”He confessed.

Laura simply kept quiet; her brain empty at that moment.


He continued, “I’m going to have to come over to Texas so I can see you once again.”

At that, Laura chuckled. “You don’t have to do that Greg.”

“I definitely have to.”

“You have a lot of work on your hands right now. I think you should concentrate on them.”

“I know but I insist on coming and I’m going to find the time, one way or the other.”

“Right.” Laura gave up.


There was silence for some seconds, then Greg decided to let her rest. “Sleep tight Laura; let me not disturb your sleep.”

“You’ve already taken away the sleep from my eyes, but goodnight all the same.”

“Not yet. I’m not going to bed just yet. I’m returning to New York now.” He said.

“Ok then. Have a safe trip.”

“Thanks. Do have yourself a lovely night” sweetheart…he wished he could have added that. Then he cut the phone and boarded a taxi to the airport.

Throughout the ride to the airport and during the flight, Greg couldn’t stop thinking of Laura. He was thinking of what Cherry had told him previously.
‘Beauty has walked right into your home and you refuse to do anything about it?’

Right now, he felt like he had just lost the opportunity of a life time.
‘Beauty has walked out but I have to get her back. I have to make my feelings known to her. My feelings don’t mean anything if they are locked up in my mind’. He thought to himself. Even when he got home, his mind was still on her. He eventually went to sleep, assuring himself that he will pay her a visit as soon as possible and finally tell her about his feelings for her. There was only one question on his mind, ‘What will she think’



*** *** *** ***


After the phone call, Laura could sleep no longer. A part of her itched to see Greg again, while the other part was indifferent. She wondered what it would be like if he truly came over to Texas to see her. She suddenly remembered how she had looked this morning, without her hair combed, when he came to ask for her assistance. She quickly got up and started arranging her house, swearing that he will never catch her unprepared again.



*** *** *** ***


The next day, Laura went to work. She was happy to see Maureen again. They hugged each other tightly and started chatting with each other. They had so much to talk about and it couldn’t wait till break time.

“I missed you, Maureen.” Laura said for the umpteenth time.

“I missed you more.” Maureen replied.

Laura looked at the look of sincerity in Maureen’s eyes and the tears came to her own eyes. She couldn’t believe how she could ever have thought that Maureen is insincere and not worthy to be trusted. ‘Thanks to Greg for helping me see the light’ she thought to herself.


“Are you alright Laura?” Maureen asked, noticing the tears in her friend’s eyes.

“Yeah I’m fine. I’m just glad to be back that’s all.”

“Ok. So… tell me every that happened in New York from the very beginning.” Said Maureen and Laura began to tell her about everything she had encountered in New York, while Maureen listened intently. Then it was Laura’s turn to ask.

“How has life been?” Asked Laura.

“Very boring without you, I can’t wait to start a new life.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that to me over the phone, I thought you were joking. What are you planning to do?”

“You won’t believe it. I’m getting married!” Maureen exclaimed as a smile lit up her face.

“You…married??” Laura couldn’t believe her ears.

“Yeah. Jeff finally proposed.” Maureen said, grinning from ear to ear.

“What! I never even knew you were dating.” Said Laura trying to pull her legs.

“Laura!!!” Maureen screamed, falling for the joke.

“As in….. dating seriously.” Laura replied, still feigning ignorance.

“Perhaps you’ve not been paying much attention to me these last few months, that’s why. I have been talking about Jeff continuously for some time now. He finally summoned up the courage to ask.” Maureen explained.


“As in ask you out….or ask you to marry him?” Laura asked, still trying to get under her skin.

“Da.mn Laura! He asked me to marry him.” Maureen confirmed.

“Oh my goodness. Congratulations……..!!!!! I’m so happy for you.” Said Laura embracing her friend.

“Thanks girl.”

“So when is the wedding?”

“In four weeks.”

“Oh. Why so soon?”

“Why not?” Maureen laughed. “I’ve not got much to plan.”


There was a blank look on Laura’s face.

“I mean I’ve hired a wedding planner to help me out. So I don’t have much of a problem.”

“Ok…that’s good.”

“You will be my chief bridesmaid right?” Maureen asked excitedly.

“Anything for you, dear. Wow! I can’t believe your years of being a spinster have come to an end.”

“Same here. Oh my gosh. I don’t know what to expect.”

“Hahaha. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine okay?” Laura assured her.


As they continued their chit-chat, a parent walked in with her daughter. “Looks like we’ve got work to do.” Maureen whisphered to Laura. So they turned their attention to their work, until school was over for the day, after which they hung out at the school cafeteria. Hours later, they left for their respective homes.


By evening, Laura was doing the dishes when her phone began to ring. She picked up the closest napkin to her and dried her hands then picked up the phone.

It was Greg, calling to check on her. For reasons she could not explain, her throat was dry, she just listened to his sweet voice over the phone, managing to murmur a ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to some questions he asked her. By the time she dropped the phone, she was missing him already. She managed to complete all her chores before going to bed.



*** *** *** ***



The next day, Laura went to work as usual, after which she decided to stop over at the saloon and the grocery store. By the time she had finished purchasing the items she needed, it was already getting dark.

She proceeded to return home. As she walked into her street from a corner, her eyes met an unusual sight. From that distance, she saw the figure of a human being, wearing a dark coloured coat and hood, sitting down on the doorstep of her house.

She froze for a second, fear gripping her heart. Who could that be? She wondered. Her hand was already shaking. She was holding her bag of groceries, everywhere around her was dark and her street was quiet and lonely. Her front security light was switched off, making matters worse.


.........................................................................................................................


Alright people...
this is where it ends for tonight
your comments are dear to my heart
love u all
hugs and kisses
Bleep

Let Boma be the one, I think I like his character

*** *** *** ***

Laura heard a knock on the door. She had woken up pretty early (around 4:00 am) and started preparing to leave. She had showered and brushed her teeth. She wore a black trouser and a white long sleeved shirt. She had not yet applied any make up and her hair was in its usual early morning disarray. She was packing her luggage when she heard the knock. Thinking it was Crosby, she opened the door casually only to find Greg standing in front of her. She gasped.

“Greg!” The colour rose to her cheeks.

“Hello Laura. Sorry to disturb you so early” Greg smiled as he apologized.

“No, it’s no problem” she smiled wryly, her hand still on the door knob.

“May I come in?” he asked.

“Sure.” she said, stepping aside for him to enter. She shut the door after he passed, then turned round to face him.

Damn why am I so sluggish. I should have brushed my hair quickly and applied some make-up-

His voice cut into her thoughts.

“Did you sleep well?” He asked.

“Yes I did and you?” she asked, noticing his blood shot eyes.

“I had a hectic night, but I’m fine. Em... I need you to do me a favour please,” he begged.

“Oh okay. What is it?”

“Do you remember the businessman in Arizona I told you about?”

“Yeah, the one you’ve been trying to fix an appointment with” she confirmed.

“Well, I finally got an appointment.” he announced.

“Oh that’s great. See, I told you to be patient. His PA knew what he was doing” she said enthusiastically. “So when is the appointment?” she asked.

“5 pm today,” he replied.

“Oh! Er…so when did he inform you?” She asked surprised.

“8pm last night.” He answered abruptly.

“Why the short notice?”

“The appointment was actually supposed to be for someone else. The person apparently had something much more important to do, so he called to cancel the appointment at the last minute and the PA as kind as he is, decided to fix me in that slot” he explained.

“Oh…okay…okay that’s good. I wish you a safe trip. I hope you are prepared for the meeting?”

“Yes I am, to a large extent, but there’s a little problem.” he said, hesitantly.

“What is it?” She asked.

“I have a meeting to attend this morning. I have to meet with the head of procurement before he goes ahead to purchase some supplies today. The procurement is really urgent because there is a promo going on, and today is the final day. That’s why I must meet with him this morning. He needs someone with the knowledge of our accounts to guide him in making the right decisions on what to procure. If he procures any unnecessary asset, it could become a long-term liability for the company; and that’s where I need your help,” he explained.


“Er…okay… so how exactly do you want me to help?” She asked.

“I need you to stand in for me-”

“Me? I don’t know anything about your company’s accounts, besides I am supposed to return to work today, remember?”

“I know Laura it’s just that I can’t leave such an important matter to the head of procurement and the head of finance alone. Someone with a good knowledge of accounting has to be there. Someone who can look at our accounting history and foretell the effect of any decision we take now.”

“And that will be me?” Laura asked, doubtful.

“Yes, Laura. I know you have the skills. You will even be in a better position to do it than me.”

“I don’t get. Why can’t you go instead? I mean I have work to do in Texas,” she tried to back out.

“The meeting is by 5 pm. I will have to be at the airport as early as 8 am to catch the 9’0 clock flight and I know this meeting is going to take hours. There’s no way I can attend both meetings, he explained.”

“Then why did you agree to the appointment, knowing full well that you had an urgent meeting this morning? And also why did you wait till the deadline of the promo before meeting with your procurement officer?” she asked, confused.

“To answer your first question, the PA told me that there are no available slots until five weeks time-”

“Five weeks? Who is he? The President?”

“I don’t know, he is a very busy man. I have been trying to get this appointment for two months now. I became desperate, if his investment is going to help my business, it has to come as early as possible. Every second counts.” He explained.

“I understand.”

“And to your second question. The promo only lasted 10 days. Throughout last week I couldn’t go to work, because… you know-” Greg gesturized helplessly.

“Oh oh… I … I … I get,” she cut in, knowing he didn’t go to work since aunt Rose had died. She thought about the request for a while, and eventually came to the realization that she didn’t want him to lose any of the opportunities.

“Alright, fine. I will help out.” She said.

“Gee. Thanks Laura.” He smiled, relieved.

“But you are going to spare at least one hour to brief me on-”

“Not to worry, I will take you to the office very early and introduce you as our new consultant before I leave; and I will brief you on other things you need to know. There’s really nothing to worry about.” He assured her.

“I’ll call one of my colleagues to tell her there’s been a change of plans.”

“Thanks Laura. I’ll never forget this.” Still heaving sighs of relief.

“When are you returning?” Laura inquired.

“As soon as the meeting is over. I should be back in the night, say 3a.m.” Greg answered. “I better get dressed. It’s past five already” Said Greg, looking at the wall clock in the room. “Thanks once again Laura. This means a lot to me.” He said, holding her right hand and looking into her eyes.

“You’re welcome” Laura smiled, shivering at his touch. He opened the door and left the room, while Laura picked up her phone to call Maureen. She sat down on the bed, wondering what made her agree to this.

Maureen picked, after the phone rang for a long time. She was still sleeping so her head wasn’t clear when she was talking. After several attempts, Laura was finally able to get Maureen to understand what she was saying; she finally agreed to help.



*** *** *** ***


Greg couldn’t believe Laura had agreed to help him out. He was so excited, he hurriedly rushed to phone his procurement and finance officers, instructing them to be in the office by 7 am. Then he rushed to shower and get dressed. By 6am he went downstairs to have breakfast with Laura. He ate hurriedly but with much gusto, while Laura just drank her cup of tea. Then he put his suitcase in the car, and the chauffeur drove him and Laura to the office.

In the car, Greg began to show Laura everything she needed to know, on his laptop. They discussed about the company account for the majority of the ride, with Laura asking all the questions and Greg answering patiently. When they got to the place where the company was situated, Laura was bewildered. It was really beautiful and exquisite.


“You’ve sure done a good job with what your father left you” she couldn’t help commenting.

“Thanks Laura.” He answered, taking her into the building. They climbed elevators, went in and out of several offices, before they got to the board room. The procurement officer and the financial manager were already seated promptly; it was not even 7 am yet.

“Good morning gentlemen.” Greg said, stretching his hand to shake them.

“Good morning sir,” they both responded, rising up from their seats to shake his hand.

“Meet Ms Winter. She is our new consultant.” Greg said, quickly introducing Laura to the two men.

“You can call me Laura,” Laura smiled pleasantly, offering her hand for handshakes too.

“Good morning Laura, you’re welcome,” said the procurement officer.

“Nice to meet you madam,” the finance officer said.

“Same here,” Laura said, smiling politely at both of them.

When they sat down, Greg explained to the two gentlemen why he wouldn’t be able to stay for the meeting. Then he showed Laura every other thing she needed to know before they started the real discussion. He spent a few minutes with them and then left for the airport, leaving Laura to do the job.


The meeting took quite some time, but they were eventually able to make a headway, as Laura gave the best advice she could, on the items to procure. At 11:30 am the meeting ended. Greg was already on the plane, so she didn’t bother to call him. The chauffeur drove her straight home, where she packed her luggage. After telling Crosby goodbye, the chauffeur took her to the airport. She boarded a flight and left for Texas immediately.

By the time Laura entered the house in Texas, she was exhausted, but it felt very good to be home. She kicked off her shoes and made herself a cup of tea. As she sipped it down, she composed a text and sent it to Greg. Telling him about how the meeting went and telling him she had gotten home safe and sound. She also sent Maureen a text to tell her she had arrived. Then she stood up to make dinner, after which she showered.

She came out of the bathroom with only her towel and sat down to devour the spaghetti and chicken pepperoni, as though it was going to run away, if she wasted any more time. She was really hungry. As usual she barely touched breakfast because she was planning to fly that day.

The after effect of rushing the food soon came, as she began to yawn. She lay on her bed, still with her towel and not long after, she drifted into a deep sleep.

..........................................................................................................................

Hmmm...what happens when Greg finds out that she has returned home??
Find out in chapter nine...
keep a date...
i will post it on or before Tuesday...
love u all

Here's the continuation....
Thanks for your patience guys

chistar01: Hmm, hi, came across your username on my 'test your creativity' thread and trust me when i say you a good writer, and you have a realy nice story to prove it. But as most of your readers av clearly stated, often updates would help you earn more views and readers.

And as for the mod editing some of your words, i used to think the same thing too, but i figured out it was an autocorrect program the website runs on, it basicaly autocorrect 'foul' words and replace them with less foul words.

So when are we going to get ur new update nah?? I guess we all are curious on what Greg would the next day.

Aww...thanks chistar01, I appreciate the fact that u came to look for my story....
i will update it by 2mr or Tuesday at the latest...i'm a little slow in typing...
yeah, now that i know it's d computer that corrects those words, i will find a way to tell my story without them..
thanks once again
lots of love...

I'm pulling out of d game, I'm not too good at writing these kind of stories...

The sound of his phone ringing brought Stephen out of his reverie. He was surprised how long he had been lost in his thoughts. The WWTBAM show was already over and the network news was just about to finish. He picked up his phone.

"Hello" he said.

"Sir. I have bad news for you." said the person at the other end of the phone.

"Bad news? What is it?"

"An uncontrollable fire just broke out at one of your shops in Alaba. The entire building was raised down"

"What! Which one of them?" Stephen asked, fear gripped at him...

"The electronics shop"

There was a thud, as Stephen as fell down, hitting his head on the tiled floor. The person on the other end heard the noise, but was not sure of what he heard. "Hello?" he asked. "Hello? Hello??"

Stephen had passed out.

Next..... ......

P.s please guys we are creative writers here, let's navigate the story away from drugs and illicit sex... Let's bring out the best in this story...that's what creative writing is all about....thanks

Stephen managed to compose himself throughout the duration of the flight, tensing up again when the pilot announced that the plane was about to descend.
'I hope I find the taxi on time' he prayed silently.

On landing, Stephen mixed up with the crowd, trying to avoid the immigration officers, he had been warned that they were tougher and more thorough than the ones back home.

He edged his way through the crowd, trying to hide behind a white old woman walking in front of him.

He had taken only a few steps when he sighted an immigration officer walking briskly towards him, his heart began to pound and sweat poured down his face, despite the cold weather. He froze on the spot, only for someone to bump into him from behind, he turned slightly and stared into the eyes of a police officer!
Next....

wow....i must say 'well done' aunty Serah...i admire ur writing style, esp d way u keep Jesus in focus...i am quite new on nairaland but i am posting stories too...
We might do a collabo someday perhaps...
More ink to your pen...#winks*
lots of love
ps...Boma seems to be a good guy; i'm liking him already...

CHAPTER EIGHT


On reaching her room, Laura shut the door and sauntered lazily towards her bed. She sighed heavily as she sat on it. Her mind wandered to the past few days. It had been a stressful week indeed. She was eager to begin a new week in Texas on a good note. She got up and took her shower, then changed into her comfortable pajamas and lay on the bed. She couldn’t sleep though. Her mind kept roaming about.

She thought of when she first heard about Aunt Rose’s demise and how she had summoned the strength to come over to New York. She remembered her first encounter with Crosby. She smiled wryly, remembering how she had thought Crosby was Gregory. She remembered her first encounter with Gregory- she had caught him staring at her in the dining room. She had no idea how long he had been staring.

She remembered how she had cried in his arms the next day, and all the things he had said about his past. – he was really a strong man, to have taken over the business and managed it up till now, despite all the challenges he faced.
She remembered meeting his sisters. Their sanguine nature was like nothing she had ever encountered. Their presence seemed to drain the huge house of all its sadness. She missed them already.

Her mind also drifted to aunt Helen and the rest of the family members whom she met during the burial. She was happy about the family re-union, she was only sad that aunt Rose wasn’t present.

She remembered her conversation with aunt Helen. Aunt Helen had been trying to match make her with any nice young man she met, for several years, till she left Texas. She wasn’t surprised that even during a burial ceremony, her eyes were still wide open for any nice gentleman she could match make her with. She loved her and just wanted the best for her. Laura laughed when she remembered how the conversation had ended.

Then she thought of the movie Cherry and Latoya made her watch, with Greg. She wondered how she was able to come out of the cinema alive. She had almost died of embarrassment that day. Greg on the other hand had looked so calm from the beginning to the end-

Greg…

Greg…

Greg was a nice man, she had concluded. Even the voices in her head both agreed he was a nice and charming young man. He seemed to always have everything under control- his business, his private life, even his sisters- he was a good elder brother to them, and now he was trying to be her own good friend, she thought. A friend that will always be there for her. A friend she could talk to whenever she felt overwhelmed by her situation.

So far, he had proven to be a nice man, and he had listened patiently to the things that hurt her the most, and counseled her from the bottom of his heart. He had also made her realize that she was hurting Maureen and the rest of her friends by keeping them at bay. She made up her mind to treat Maureen better when she returned to Texas.

She also remembered when he offered her a job and she declined. He didn’t seem too surprised. Perhaps he appreciated the fact that she valued her job so much, she remembered the statement he had made the first day they met ‘it’s great to have teachers like you…teachers that really love this job’. He was the first person to ever tell her that. Every other person felt she was wasting her potential and loosing precious time, working as an elementary school teacher.

Greg was special in many ways… As her mind lingered on Greg, it was as if something suddenly activated voice 2; her almighty antagonist. “Hey Laura I think you are going too far with these thoughts. You came here for a purpose, which you have fulfilled; you should focus on returning to your quiet life in Texas” voice 2 warned.

“And for how long do you intend to continue living that quiet life?” voice 1 asked.

“For as long as possible” voice 2 sneered.

If there’s one thing I am sure of, it’s the fact that Greg is a friend I can trust. She concluded before she finally dozed off into a pleasant sleep





*** *** *** ***




“Tomorrow? Why should you call me at such short notice?” Greg asked, upset.

“If you had been listening, you would have heard me say that the client just called me now to cancel his appointment. You are not the next person on the waiting list. I just decided to schedule you, out of pity. If you can’t make the appointment, I will schedule someone else for that slot, but bear in mind that there is no free slot until about five weeks from now. Do you mind waiting?” the man on the phone asked.

“Of course I mind waiting. Goodness. Five weeks” He complained. Taking a deep breath he continued, “Um… I will need some time to think about this. I will call you back to confirm if I will be available,” said Greg.

“I will appreciate it if you can call back within the next thirty minutes, so that I can schedule someone else for that slot, if you won’t be available. It’s getting late into the night.”

You should have thought of that before calling me, Greg thought, forgetting that it was not really the man’s fault.

“I will call back within the next thirty minutes,” Greg said, exhaling deeply.

“Fine. I will be expecting your call.” The man in Arizona said, before cutting the call.

Greg dropped the phone on the table, staring at it in astonishment.

Tomorrow, 5pm. What kind of predicament is this? He asked himself. He knew that if he was to make the appointment in Arizona, he had to allow for five hours on the flight and two hours taxi ride from the airport to the businessman’s office. That means he would have to leave New York early in the morning.

What do I do about the meeting I have with Nelson? He asked himself again. Nelson was the head of procurement at Mansonian furnitures. There were some supplies Nelson needed to procure urgently for the company, but he needed to first of all consult the head of the accounting department- Greg since aunt Rose had died. Any little mistake could cause the company long-term loss. It was urgent because he was going to purchase these supplies at a discount rate, with the promo ending tomorrow. He would have procured it since, but Gregory had not been to the office throughout the previous week. Thus he had called him earlier this evening; and Greg had agreed to meet with him first thing in the morning, and considering the sheer number of items on the list, the meeting could take hours.

There was no way he could risk leaving New York late, or else he would arrive Arizona very late and he was 110% certain that Mr Luke Walter or whatever his name is, will not let him see his boss, even if he was only one minute late.
On the other hand, he couldn’t wait for five weeks to see Thomas Richardson; the businessman. Right now his own business was almost going bankrupt and a huge investment from a rich man like Thomas Richardson, could change the fate of Mansonian furnitures. But the only way Richardson’s investment could really help Manson’s business is if it came sooner than later. Every day counted. He had been trying now for over two months to get an audience with him. Another five weeks would be a huge delay and could bring a huge setback.

Greg was at crossroads. He didn’t know what to do. He stole a glance at his watch. He had 10 more minutes before the offer elapsed. He took a deep breath, picked up his phone and dialed Walter’s number, telling him he will be available for the appointment the next day and thanking him politely for the opportunity.

He dropped the phone and shoved both hands into his dark wavy hair. He had no idea what he was going to do. Perhaps Nelson will have to use his discretion. But then again, how does one use his discretion in matters of such great importance. Any unnecessary procurement could cause the company to be in debt for years to come. Nelson needed to consult with someone who had the skill of projecting into the future and knowing the effect of a given decision on the future of the company. That’s why he needed to attend the meeting. The finance manager had his own clear-cut role to play, he couldn’t step into Greg’s shoes on his behalf.

A thought suddenly struck him- Laura is an accountant. A professional at that. Hmm. What do I do now? Can I really ask Laura to stay one more day? She has to return to work tomorrow and she is already going to be late because of me.
Greg stood up, pacing the floor of his study for several minutes before he finally sat back down, still as confused as he was before. He decided to shove the meeting with Nelson off his mind and concentrate on preparing for the meeting with Thomas Richardson. He spent hours carefully arranging his documents and preparing slides for his presentation tomorrow. He just had to be well prepared. This could be the chance of a lifetime.

By 1 a.m, he was still preparing for the next day’s meeting. He finally finished at 1:20am then went to his room to grab some sleep. He knew he would have to wake up early the next morning.


.........................................................................................................................................

To be continued....
Thanks for your comments.....
luv u all

@ moderators:
wait o...i don't undastand...wot's up with the moderators of dis forum...they are changing some of the words i used in this chapter to words that don't make any sense....
for goodness sakes, i DELIBERATELY used these words for effect...
please if u are one of the 'computer' guys on this forum and u are reading this, i would like to talk with you one to one, there are better words that can stand in for the ones i uploaded originally.
i certainly didn't upload 'poo' or 'Naughty Lady' and u guys completely erased a whole word from one of the last sentences....
please i need a correspondence to talk with...you guys are seriously watering down the picture i am trying to paint.
thank you.
i await your reply

CHAPTER SEVEN


A shiver went down her spine when their palms came into contact. Hers became sweaty right away and her fingers trembled. She was barely managing to walk. Her legs felt like jelly. Her head was light.

What is happening to me? She thought. Why does he make me feel like this? She wondered.

“You need to get your palm out of his hand if you are to regain consciousness.” voice two warned.

“No! That’ll be rude. You’ll be fine, okay? Stop freaking out. Besides, he is not the first man to ever hold your hand.” Voice one countered.

“Yeah, and the other men who have ever held your hand, have been nothing but jerks” voice two complained.

“Here we go again. Give this man a break. Don’t convict him of a crime he didn’t commit” said voice one.

“Yeah, I agree. Give him a chance to prove how guilty he is. But I must warn you- once he has your heart in his hands, he will do with it as he pleases. He will break it to pieces, throw it out of the window and then move on to the next pretty girl he sees. Withdraw your hand, girl. It’s making you vulnerable” voice two was shouting now. “It’s bad enough that you have agreed to spend one more day here. Don’t make yourself regret it.” Voice two said with a note of finality.

At that, Laura jerked her hand free from Greg’s, startling him. Their eyes met. His full of confusion, hers full of doubt, uncertainty, fear. She broke the eye contact, then he looked away. He continued walking slowly towards the front door. She swallowed the lump in her throat and fell in step with him. There was an awkward silence for a few moments then Crosby opened the door of his room and stepped into the corridor.

“Er… Crosby, please get us some fruit juice. We will be at the garden” Greg said to Crosby.

“Right away sir.” Crosby answered, walking briskly away.

Greg opened the front door and stood beside it like a gentleman, while Laura passed first. Then he followed her outside. He walked slowly behind her, watching her as she walked to the garden to take a seat.

Damn! Why is he walking behind me? She asked herself. He wants me to sit down first so that he can sit opposite me. She sighed, settling down onto one chair. No no no no no, not the seat opposite me. No, s*h*i#t! She grumbled in her mind as he sat opposite her, and she did everything possible to avoid any eye contact. She could barely breathe; her mouth was dry. Then she heard a sound- he was talking to her.

“So we were in the middle of talking about you when my phone rang in the car” Greg said. She managed a smile.

“I haven’t apologized for that yet, I’m sorry” Greg said, trying to get her to talk. She didn’t say anything. She just stared at the table, clasping both palms on the table. Her hands were trembling. She hoped he didn’t notice.

“You were telling me about your friends” he continued, “I notice you hardly mentioned any male names. You don’t have male friends or something?” he asked.

“I do. I mentioned a few.” she squeaked.

Okay. Er… so you didn’t tell me the reason why you keep all your friends at a distance.” Said Greg, staring at her face to see her reaction.

“Er.. Greg, I’ll rather not talk about that.” she said uneasily, looking everywhere else but him.

“Come on Laura you can tell me anything. I’m your friend and that’s what friends are for.”

“Seriously it’s not a big deal.”

“If it’s not a big deal, then you won’t mind telling me, Laura. It’s not healthy to keep all your friends at bay. Whatever it is that is troubling you, surely you can confide in someone else than yourself.” Greg said, then he held Laura’s chin so that their eyes met. “You’ve got to learn how to trust people, that’s why you have people around you”, he said, letting go of her chin. He continued. “You are not alone in this world okay?”

“I….I don’t know.” Laura stammered, biting her lower lip to keep her tears at bay. She couldn’t quite figure out where to start from; she wasn’t even sure she should open up to him in the first place.

At that, Greg reached across the table and covered her hands with his, stroking them gently. She flinched at his touch.
“I’m here for you, you can tell me anything,” he said gently, then he let go of her hands.

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
At that moment, Greg caught sight of Crosby. He was bringing the juice.

“Thanks Crosby, you can go now.” Greg said, collecting the tray from Crosby and setting it down on the table. He picked up the jug and poured some juice into both cups.
“Here you go,” he said, offering one cup to Laura. She offered a ‘thank you’ and placed it down without even taking a sip. Greg’s questions had brought back some painful memories and she wasn’t in the mood to drink anything.

“I’ve been hurt severally by the ones I loved and trusted with my heart. And each one of them did a lot of damage to me.” She said sadly. “They left a lot of painful scars on my heart-” her voice trailed off for some moments, until she managed to regain the strength to continue “My closest friend since kindergarten was like the sister I didn’t have. We told each other our secrets and stuffs. We attended the same high school, went for parties together, slept in each other’s houses. Until one day in our senior year. I introduced her to my boyfriend. She became cold and started acting differently. She stopped sitting close to me or picking my calls. Not long after, my boyfriend started avoiding me as well. You can imagine how lonely I felt, but it was nothing compared to the shock I felt when I ran into them making out at the back of school one afternoon. She wasn’t even remorseful! I just made up my mind not to draw anyone so close to me, since then. It is only people that are so close to you, that can hurt you so deeply, you know.” Laura said, a look of anguish on her face.

“Hmm.” Greg grunted. “That must have been painful, but that was also a long time ago. Why haven’t you given anyone a chance since then?” he asked.

“Apart from the fact that the girl acted like such a b#i*t*c#h, the guy was a total jerk. He left her for some other girl, in a matter of weeks; and the same goes for every other guy I have dated.” She paused. “The two guys I recently dated seemed to be the most serious. They promised they were interested in marriage, but they both left after getting what they wanted. I don’t know what it is with you guys. It’s like your brains are all configured in the same distorted way. You meet a girl, you like her, you screw her up and then you move on to the next girl. It’s sickening.” said Laura frustration and disgust written all over her face.

“Come on Laura not all guys are like that.” Greg defended.

“I am talking from my own experience, it’s not like I read it off a book, or someone told me. It happened to me! I would never have believed any of them could do that to me. They appeared so innocent initially. I loved them with all my heart. I didn’t consider what had happened to me in the past. I gave each one of them my heart without looking back. They just treated me like trash and walked away, leaving me all alone with no one I can trust, and here you are saying I am not alone on this world. I no longer have my parents, I never had any siblings, my best friend turned out to be an enemy after all, and all the men I ever gave my heart to, made a nuisance of me. From what perspective do you expect me to view life. Huh? Talk to me Greg.” She said, shaking visibly from the anger and the hurt. “People have mistreated me and made me feel so unwanted. There was nothing else I could possibly do. I had to keep every new friend I made at a distance because that is how it all starts. You meet someone, you like the person, you draw the person close to you and then the person turns round and hurts you.” Her voice had risen high now. “I’ve been through this cycle many times and I have promised myself that I’m not going to go through this again. So it’s as simple as that. The only way I can protect myself is by not allowing anyone to come close enough to be able to hurt me.” She shrugged.

Greg was shocked at her story and the bluntness with which she said it. He let in sink in for a few moments. Then continued, “I’m guessing that is why your friends in college referred to you as a nerd, because of the way you kept locking them out of your life?” he asked.

“Yeah, I suppose so,” she replied uninterested.

“Er… you see, life goes on. Don’t allow your past to tie you down to one position, or else you will continuously remain in that position. People may have hurt you in the past, but have you ever stopped to think about the reason for their behavior? They might have been hurt in the past, and inflicting pain on someone else might be the only way they can vent their anger, although that is very wrong.” Said Greg trying to get her to reason from his point of view.

“Why should it always be me? I have never hurt anyone else like that, so why should people take out their anger on me?” Laura asked confused.

“Did you just say you have never hurt anyone?” He asked, leaning close to look into her eyes. “How about the people you lock out from your life. Don’t you ever think that some of them hold you dear to their heart, and locking them away might inflict pain on them and make them feel ‘unwanted’?” he used his fingers to draw inverted commas in the air.

Laura sighed after considering what he just said. “Where are you going to with this?” She asked.

“All I’m saying is that you should give every new person you meet, a chance. Life is full of opportunities and not everyone is a monster. Not everyone is going to turn round and stab you, but if you don’t lower the walls of protection you have built around you, you will never know who will be your true friend among the many people you meet in life.” He stopped to breathe then he continued. “Everyone has pains but some people have simply learnt not to carry their resentments through life. I have been hurt severally too. All the girls I dated in the past ended up leaving me after getting what they wanted. In fact, one of them almost ruined by business. But I didn’t let the hurt hinder me. I had to move on with life. I still went ahead and associated with other people, males and females alike. So it’s not only guys that behave like jerks; we have female jerks too.” Said Greg.

The last statement caused Laura to raise an eyebrow. Seeing the look on her face, Greg quickly corrected the statement. “Okay may be that didn’t come out right. What I’m saying is, don’t just sit down at the sidelines and point accusing fingers at people. You will be missing out of life’s action. Get on the field and participate in life. You will lead a much happier life if you can put the past behind you. I know it’s difficult but it’s not impossible. You are a pretty young lady, and you deserve a good life, so give yourself the best. Is that all right?” he asked.

Laura simply nodded. There was a bit of silence as Greg took a few sips from his cup. Then he changed the topic, “So you will be leaving tomorrow. What do you say I offer you a job here as an accountant?”

The offer came as a surprise to Laura. She gasped. “Oh, em thanks, but no. I…I love my job and I’m not ready yet for the stress of being an accountant. Perhaps in the future I might do a masters course and probably get back to my field, but for now, I love where I am,” she managed to say.

“Okay. The offer’s still open in case you change your mind.” Said Greg sipping from his juice.

“Thanks.” said Laura, smiling.

Just then Greg’s phone rang. He picked it up and conversed with the person for almost ten minutes before he dropped the phone. “Please pardon me. It was a business call.” He begged.

“Oh it’s okay.” said Laura curtly.

“The head of procurement wants me to meet with him first thing tomorrow morning. There are some supplies he needs to procure urgently.” he explained.

“Okay” she said.

“So…here I go again. I have barely even had a chance to complete the things in my schedule, and here I am, agreeing to attend an impromptu meeting first thing on a Monday morning.” he complained.

Laura chuckled. “It’s for the good of your company” she reminded him.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Don’t mind me, I whine like a baby at times,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Finish up your juice and let’s go in, it’s getting late.”

Laura picked up her cup of juice. As she began to sip from it, her eyes met his over the top of her cup. She simply took a sip and lowered the cup down. “Let’s go in,” she coughed. “I will finish my juice inside.”

“Okay” he said, rising to his feet. She picked up her cup and they walked back silently into the house, each person wondering what the other was thinking. When they got inside, they chatted for a while before taking dinner, then Laura rose up to go.

“I have a busy day tomorrow. I need to rest now.” She said.

“That’s okay” said Greg. In his mind, he wished she would spend more time with him. He got up anyway and escorted her to the door. “Have a goodnight rest” he said as he opened the door for her.

“You too” she said curtly as she climbed the stairs to go to her room.

Greg stood watching her until she disappeared. He summoned the courage to go his study to do some work. His morale was really low. All he cared about right now was Laura. He wished he could tell her how he felt about her, but he still felt strongly that the time wasn’t right. He wasn’t sure yet if she felt the same way about him. Her shyness could be natural; he had no reason to believe that his presence particularly made her shy. The poor girl was finding it difficult to let go of her past. She had a wrong idea of guys. Telling her about his feelings right now, would make it look as though he was simply toying with her emotions, knowing that she was in her most vulnerable state. She needed time to get to know him more and trust him.

He clenched his fists at his side as he thought of the guys that had wronged her. They had really left a bad impression about guys in general and now he was going to have to work extra hard to gain her trust.
First things first, he thought to himself. She has to trust me as a friend before I bring my feelings into the matter, he concluded as he reached the door of his study.

As soon as he sat down, his phone started to ring. Tiredly he withdrew the phone from his trouser pocket, squinting as he looked at the screen. The person calling him was the personal assistant of the business man in Arizona. Greg squeezed his fore-head in surprise and looked at his watch. It was half past eight. What could he possibly be calling me for at this time of the night? He wondered. He picked the call, non-chalantly. He had grown weary of the man’s overbearing attitude.

“Hello,” he said uninterested.

“Hello. Am I on to Mr Gregory Manson?” The voice at the other end of the phone asked.

“Yes. This is Gregory Manson on the line.”

“I am Luke Walter, calling from-”

“Yes, I know who you are” said Gregory irritated already. He had a throbbing headache and was barely managing to pay attention to what Walter was saying.

“Okay. A client just called to cancel his appointment and since you are the most persistent on my waiting list, I have decided to schedule an appointment for you in that slot.”

Greg sat up, his heart beating faster. Finally the *i*di#ot was fixing an appointment for him. “Okay, what slot are we talking about here?” He asked full of excitement now.

“Tomorrow, 5pm.” The voice answered.

“Tomorrow!!!”
............................................................................................................................................................

Haha..guys.........wot's Greg gonna do now? should he take the offer at such short notice? (Trust me, this could affect EVERYTHING!)
Coming up shortly....(as long as nepa gives me light to type)
chapter eight!!!
love u allll..... muah..

happy new month to u all, btw