₦airaland Forum

Chapter 09


Kite wasn't comfortable being seated in this high class restaurant at Transcorp Hilton with Ise Williams like this, they were drawing lots of stares and she didn’t like it. A guy of his net worth and wealth couldn’t go unnoticed especially in a classy restaurant such as the one they were in now. Usually she could blend in with the crowd but being with Ise, it wasn't possible, he was just too well known.  Maybe it was all in her mind but she felt like their eyes were boring into her back and so had kept her eyes down since their arrival. She was quite shy and hated being the centre of attention. Ise Williams didn't seem ruffled one bit, he was probably so used to the attention that he didn't notice it anymore. Seated very comfortably, his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows as he delved into the hearty meal in front of him unconcerned that he was probably the topic of discussion at all the tables.


What was she even doing here? This was a far cry from places she usually had lunch, the place was too posh. This was the first time she would be in a Chinese restaurant or eat Chinese food, she was sure a meal here would run into at least five figures.


"You're surprisingly quiet? Aren’t you enjoying the kung pow zhiji?" He asked her and she looked up at him.

"The what?" She asked.

He realised she didn't understand what he'd said "fried chicken with nuts and peppers."

"Oh," she looked down at her plate, the meal was great but the problem was the stares they were getting. It was making her so damn self conscious and then the damn restaurant wasn’t also happening.Why had she even agreed on having lunch with him? It wasn’t as if he’d given her a choice anyway, he’d more like ordered her to lunch with him and then she’d been sort of happy at the prospect of free lunch. The question she should be asking was why he’d asked her out to lunch? Was he still feeling sorry for her because of her mother’s condition? Was she like a charity case to him?

"You could try out the Ji rou chao fan, might be more to your taste" He was saying pointing at what looked like chicken tossed in fried rice and vegetables."Or the Qie zi sauce" he pointed to a  sauce with fried black looking stuff that looked like the egg plant " goes great with gali chao fan or curried rice,  and then, the Tudow xiang niu rou here is quite nice, it’s fried potatoes tossed in vegetables and beef. You shouldn't just concentrate on one meal, you should have a little of everything." He told her seeing she'd been on one meal, when the table was laden with different dishes.
"I'm not used to seeing so much food and I'm enjoying this one quite well." She told him her eyes going over the different dishes on the table. Her eyes had been wide with amazement when Ise had been ordering in the foreign language. Not just because he’d been speaking the language but because he’d ordered about five different meals and they’d come in large dishes just for the two of them.
"This is quite a lot of food." She said

"The chinese love to have a full table of food. They love it when you eat and remain leftovers, makes them feel good that you ate to your fill."

"That's weird, over here you dare not waste food or leave anything behind. How do you even know so much about China?" ‘Wait?’ had she really just asked that? This was Ise Williams, she was sure he could speak at least five different languages.

"I spent about two years in China setting up our offices there some years back. and I learnt quite a lot, a little of the language, their food and some other stuff, really beautiful place."

"Weren't you feeling odd and alone, I doubt there were many blacks there."

"Yeah but the people were nice, always happy to see a foreigner, I went to a remote town once and all the children were always like ‘Hei Ren’ as in black person, I doubt they'd ever seen a black person there before. I was shuttling between Beijing and shanghai most of the time anyway and those are really urbane cities with quite a lot of foreigners. I really enjoyed my stay there, they have really good food."
She smiled as she watched him demolishing a whole fish served in sweet and sour sauce, he was such a foodie.  Izu had been a foodie too, she thought helplessly and she'd enjoyed cooking for him, she'd enjoyed doing everything for him. She sighed, he still occupied most of her thoughts. Why had he left her like that? Was the question that kept going through her mind.
"Are you okay?" Ise asked and she looked up to see him searching her face.
She looked up at him forcing a smile for his benefit "yeah."
"How's your mother?" he asked looking concerned.
"She's still doing okay. I spoke with her on the phone today and she sounded good." She replied, the doctors had said she was okay for now but the surgery had to be conducted soon.
"When is her surgery scheduled for?"
"Ummm." Kite hadn't made arrangements for it yet, she needed money to schedule an appointment of which she didn't really have but with the three hundred thousand he’d insisted she kept, she could book the appointment. "They've not come up with a date yet." She lied.
"Okay, let me know when they do. Or if you need my help I could contact some doctors I….”
"No, no, that’s really not necessary, the doctors at the teaching hospital can handle it ." She replied.
" Okay, but you really shouldn't worry yourself over it, you know you have no control over the situation, it’s in God’s hands." He told her.
She smiled, not forced this time. "I'll try." Ise Williams, God? This guy kept surprising her.
"Tell me about you." He said suddenly and she looked up at him.
"Me?" She asked back. Why would he want to know about her? She was of no importance to him.
"Yeah."
"Why?" She asked
He shrugged "Duh? Maybe because I want to know?" He asked back.
She rolled her eyes "'duh' doesn't fit you." She told him " and I'm not really comfortable talking about me but I'll give a general overview. I'm Okiemute Omoh, from Delta state, urhobo tribe, brought up by a single parent, my mom. I'm the first and only female of three kids, graduate of business management from Delta state university, three years back….that’s all, finished."
"What brought you to Abuja?" He asked.
"Youth corps, was posted here with..." She stopped herself just in time before adding her boyfriend; she didn't think he needed to know that."I was posted here." She said again.
"And you stayed back after you were through?"
She shrugged "it seemed like a good idea at the time. I had a job in a small firm where I was kind of the P.A and secretary to the manager, and the pay was manageable, so it was a better option than going home."
"What happened then? Were you fired?" He asked
"Hey! No! ofcourse not. It just....didn't work out." It was quite embarrassing telling him she'd been constantly sexually harassed by her boss who had even resorted to tricks to get her. When that hadn't worked he'd threatened not to pay her and that was when Izu had stepped in. What had followed had not been funny but they'd made money off the guy. In his life he would think twice before harassing a female worker.
He raised a brow like he wasn't satisfied with her reply but wasn't going to ask questions. "So what did you do after that?"
She looked at him "nothing." after she'd quit her job she'd depended on Izu for sustenance.
He frowned " Nothing means stealing right?"
Stealing! Who did this guy think he was? So because she’d not had a job, he automatically assumed she’d stolen to survive? If not that he was now her boss, she would have given him a piece of her mind but she was afraid of loosing a job she’d not even began yet, so instead she said as calmly as she could  " Look, don't you have to get back to your office or something instead of questioning me like this. One would think a guy like you would be busy, aren't you supposed to be on the phone or attending to something important?"
"Why don’t you just say you don't want to answer the question and I won't pry any further instead of bringing up my work." He replied her.
"But seriously, shouldn't you be back at the office by now? You might have some people waiting for you. It's over an hour now since we've been out."
"Its okay, I had my PA cancel my appointments or attend to the ones she can on my behalf."
"Oh? Why did you do that?" That was news to her, he’d cancelled his appointment because of lunch with her?
"Because I knew I would be a while."
"Do you usually take this long during lunch?"
"Not really."
"So...you did this because of me?" She asked carefully, why would he cancel his appointments for lunch with her?
He shrugged smiling as he looked at her, Kite frowned a bit confused.
"Why?" She asked again.
"I wanted to know you more." He told her still looking at her. She’d noticed he looked at her a lot. Why was he so interested in knowing her like this?
"Why?" She found herself saying again. This couldn’t be how he interviewed all his workers to be.
"You seem to have grown fond of that word, haven't you?" He asked and she would have laughed if she wasn't so confused.
"I'm so confused." She told him "and I'm not used to all this." She waved, talking about the restaurant. "Is this how you have lunch everyday? In restaurants like this? Its got to be expensive."
 "I take only special people here." He replied
She frowned again "Mr Williams, could you please spell it all out to me? Is there something I'm missing here?"
He watched her for about a minute, she bravely held his gaze before he finally broke the silence, saying "Can I ask a question, it’s a personal one, that’s why I’m asking a special permission.”
“Sure” She said wondering what this question was.
“Are you in a relationship?”
“What?” She asked, that had been the last question she’d been expecting. “Why?”
“Could you stop with this ‘why’ already? Because I want to know that’s why I’m asking the damn question!” He told her “Now are you going to answer.”
“Why do you want to know? Its not exactly your business. I don’t have to answer the question.” She told him. What was this guy playing at, sef? First Lunch and then asking weird questions, what was this all about?
******
Ise watched Kite, trying to read her. She obviously didn’t have a boyfriend at the moment but why didn’t she just answer, it was a simple question, yes or no! Couldn’t she tell that he liked her? Or how was a guy supposed to show he cared about a girl these days? He shook his head.
“What? Why you shaking your head?” She asked him.
“ Girls and there fronting things.” He shrugged.
“What? I’m not fronting.” She denied immediately “I just don’t see it as your business.”
“So you’re telling me that you’ve not noticed that I like you? Or do you want me to sing it first before you’ll understand?”
He saw her pause as what he’d just said sunk in. She’d really had no inkling, he thought.
“You like me how?” She asked frowning.
This wasn’t going how he would’ve liked. The expression on her face wasn’t raising his hopes. She was looking at him like she suspected him of being up to something.
“How else do you figure?” He asked her back “I like you how a man likes a woman, why’re you looking at me like I have dubious intentions?”
She seemed at a loss for words, she opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it back.
“ You’re acting like I just said something strange? Is it so unbelievable?” He asked her and then added “I’m very attracted to you and if you wouldn’t mind I’d like to have a relationship with you.” He said.
Finally finding her tongue, she said “I…I just came out of a relationship six months back,” She began, stammering a bit “ I’ve not really gotten over it yet so…ummm..I don’t think I’m ready to start something else yet.” She said, not able to look at him. Their meals had been long forgotten by now, they hadn’t touched it for a while.
Where was the confident woman who’d approached him not so long ago back at essenza? The one who’d been defiant and bold, stealing his things and talking back at him? The girl he saw here was shy and not at all in her element, what in the world was the problem? Could it be her mother’s illness getting to her? He sighed. He wasn’t happy she’d rejected his advances but what could he do? He knew very well there was no point pushing the issue. If she didn’t want, then that was it. He was going to have to accept it and find a way to move on.
He smiled slightly “ Maybe I chose the wrong time to tell you this but I respect your decision.” He told her, his hand going over hers on the table. He saw her eyes take it in before she looked at him, he withdrew his hand. Not many women would reject his advances like she’d done which should say something about her personality. One of the reasons he was wary of the opposite sex was because he wasn’t sure if they wanted him for him or his money.
“So….your break up was ugly I take it.” He said
She snorted “If you could call it that.”
“What?” He asked to be sure he’d heard right.
“If you could call it a break up.” She told him.
“Do you care to go into details?” He asked. There was a story here, he wished she would share so he’d know why she wasn’t ready to go into a relationship yet, might even help him in the long run.
She looked up at him “No, but I’ll say this, men can be such douches. As in how can one throw away a relationship of seven years and just disappear so strangely? Without an explanation? How does that even happen? I’ll never understand men.” She said more to herself than him.
Ise raised an eyebrow, there was definitely a story there, she must have been hurt really badly if her boyfriend had just up and left her like that. He wasn’t sure what to say next but he didn’t have to. He saw Sal approaching with Kenny. This meant something was up. He sat up and as if Kite sensed something was up followed his gaze.
“What’s up?” Ise asked when they got closer.
“ Not good.” Were Kenny’s first words “TANOIL are backing off the merger.”
“What? Why?” Ise spat. Tanoil was an Israeli company they were partnering and working with in order to delve into oil sector.
“ Yoav Efrait is reneging on signing the agreement, he’s not giving any tangible excuse but I guess AXEL has something to do with it. They might have given them a better offer, we’re going to have to be in Tel Aviv by tomorrow before they back out completely. Here are the complaints you need to go through.” He handed a folder over to Ise, who got up as he received it.
Ise’s brain began working immediately, these AXEL guys just wouldn’t quit, they were WOLCORPS biggest competition. He and Kenny had to leave immediately. He turned to Sal who was with his phones “Have Princess arrange for the Jet and cancel all my appointments till I return, I’m not sure how long we’ll need to be away.” Sal turned immediately and began making the necessary calls. Turning to Kenny he said “we don’t have time, we have to leave in the next two hours, rendezvous at the airport? You’ve notified your P.A, haven’t you?”
Kenny nodded.
He turned to Kite, he’d not forgotten her, how could he? It was too bad they were cutting short their conversation. “I’m sorry Kitty, Duty calls. Have you met Kenny…..” He said then remembered they had. “Oh…Sorry.” He thought he saw a look pass between them as they both murmured some sort of greeting, if he wasn’t saddled with the present issue he would have taken the time to analyse what that had been about, but it was obvious the two didn’t really care for each other. Hmmm, a memory of their cozy dansing flashed through his mind, now they acted like they couldn’t stand the sight of the other, he wondered briefly what had happened but didn’t dwell on it. There would be time for that after this TANOIL business was resolved.
“Sal will have you dropped off, after he drops me off at the airport.” He said. He was going directly to the plane since he had all he needed on board. A change of clothes, travel documents and all. The Pilot and flight attendants were outsourced and their company would have been notified by Princess, he was sure they would be at the private jet even before he got there. He would just have to wait for Kenny to rendezvous with him and then they’d be off.
“Ummm..no really, you’ve done enough already…I can find my way.” Kite said but he was having none of that. He couldn’t just leave her to find her own way, it was a pity they couldn’t finish lunch but he wasn’t going to leave her without a ride.
“No way, no argument about this, I’ll feel bad if I don’t. come on, lets go.” He beckoned while Kenny watched them with interest. It was a pity, Ise wished he could have spent more time with her. Anyway when he got back, they would continue where they’d left off. He’d decided he wasn’t giving up on that relationship yet. Something told him she was meant to be his.
She got up and followed, walking by his side as they left the restaurant, while Kenny and Sal walked ahead.
He didn’t bother about the bills because he had a tab with the restaurant and they would send whatever bill he’d incurred over to his office for settlement so he didn’t have to bother with the payment.
“I’m sorry this had to come up.” He began saying to her “The perks of my job,” he said sarcastically.
“Its okay.” She smiled “I still enjoyed lunch.”
“So you’ll see the HR tomorrow, I’ll leave a message, they’ll let you know what your job will be, okay? And every other thing, Job specification, pay and other benefits.”
She smiled and he felt his insides go all churny again, he had to have this girl, bad break up or no, he was pursuing her until she agreed to date him.
“Thanks so much, you really don’t know how……” Her voice trailed as her gaze landed on someone, she stopped in her tracks. They’d been walking through the outer hallway leading to the exit of the building. He followed her gaze and it stopped at a guy.
Ise guessed him to be in his late twenties, light complexioned, about the same height as he was, but was a bit heavier.
“Izu.” He heard her breathe. Kenny and Sal who’d been in front of them had continued on their way without noticing they’d stopped.
The guy, also shocked at seeing her and was making his way over. Ise looked at her “You know him?”
“That’s my boyfriend……. my runaway boyfriend.” She said, her voice barely a whisper.
*********

beycitee: madam repo,Ur 2nite never still reach abi ?

Chilax jare, I dey come.

Can't paste on the blog now so will post 9 and 10 here in a bit.

wumsgreen: Repo I D̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣γ̲̣ vex seriously oh.maxi don kidnap u GƠ̴̴̴̴̴̴͡ him place ba.if I use kite style u no GƠ̴̴̴̴̴̴͡ like am oh

Abeg sufri sufri nao, I've managed to wean myself off that section. I'm writing at the moment, please I apolOgise, no more distractions.

Eze Promoe: [color=crimson]Report girl, you mean you won't be updating on this forum again [/color]

One who awaits has ended, so no updates here again but check out false pretenses, that's d one I'm on now.

tijehi: repo babe, you're on Princesa's page reading cat fight and yelling abi. You dont want to complete your fantastic story. not sooooooooooooooo fairrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ooooooooooooooo

Ssshhhhhh! Why you come open my *you know what!!* like this nao. I wee update, I wee update, no worry nao!

*Yells* "Cat fight!! Cat fight*"

Simply wonderful, loving the drama

I dey fear to show my face since...am sooooooooo sorry *apologising profusely*, guys please bear wit me. I've been distracted, but I'll make it up to you guys, I promise.(Thinking 3 chapters at once although not sure how I'll write all that at once).


As for when will I update, I've given myself tonight as a deadline, so expect at least one chapter tonight. Thanks guys for your amazing patience.

@ sambroose and lOpez, na wa o, the story has been removed because of publiblishing tinz. Abeg guys wait til d ebook is available. You'll be able to download for free for a while then. Abeg nor vex.