Tehilah spent more days than intended in Lagos, and then returned to Port-Harcourt after two weeks in Lagos. After Wale explained that the call had been from his mother, she had not thought anything of it, and had put it out of her mind. In a bid not to allow her past keep her prisoner, she had let down her guard. While she was in Lagos, she got a meeting with the man who sat beside her at the exhibition. He had asked her to call, and when she did, he arranged for her to meet with him at his company building. His company was a leader in Information technology, and the man was of the northern extraction, from a family of oil businessmen.
Tehilah became baffled by his interest in book writing, as it had no relationship with his field of expertise. For the meeting, she chose a well-tailored jumpsuit and a pair of flats. Her naturalist kinky hair was stretched and matted into an up-do. When she stepped into the gleaming lobby of Bamanga group of companies, she asked for directions from the βplasticβ receptionist, who told her to take the elevator to the top floor. The top floor had only one door marked βCEOβ.
Seeing the man at the exhibition, he had been so down to earth that one could have easily related with him, but now that he was sitting behind his mahogany desk, in his posh office, Tehilah was intimidated by the affluence and power. Tehilah did not know which was more intimidating; the city skylights from the ceiling to floor length glass windows, or Haliru Bamanga dressed in a power suit.
βGood day sirβ she said, trying not to allow her voice shake.
βOh call me Haliru. You are the most interesting woman I ever metβ he showed her to a chair and left his desk, to sit across her. βI listened to your reading at the exhibition, and got a copy of the book. I am amazed at such intelligence in such a beautiful womanβ he said and that got Tehilah started.
She went into a long tirade about how women should not be stereotyped, as someone could be beautiful, and still be intelligent. Before long, they were engaged in a friendly debate over women and how women are portrayed. The more they talked, the more Haliru was intrigued by her. His eyes shone with his admiration for her, and soon all the fright Tehilah had about their meeting had been discarded as she relaxed and chatted with him like they were long lost friends.
βWe have been talking and I have not thought to offer you anything, how bad of meβ he said and pressed the intercom on his desk. Soon, a young, lithe lady walked in and asked Tehilah what she would like to have.
βTeaβ Tehilah responded.
βWe are alike in that respect, because I prefer tea anytime of the dayβ
The secretary went out and came back with a tray carrying two cups of tea. Haliru waited for them to be served before he brought up the real reason he had invited her over.
βWell, I called you here because I see a gold mine in you and I want to tap from it. I have a new publishing company, and I want you to be a part of itβ he took a sip, watching her over the rim of the teacup. βIt is not the usual thing you are used to, I have been talking with a lot of people and I want to give ours the standard that is only obtainable abroadβ
βYou see, I have only published one book, but I am working on others. Still, I donβt think I want to go with a new publishing company. Koksy approached me at the fair, she wants to work with me, and I think you know, it is every writerβs dream to work with Koksy. I am sure she can transform my books into the bestsellers I want them to beβ Tehilah became uneasy. It was hard to turn down this nice man.
βJust so you know, my company will take you places Koksy can only dream about. We are new but the people we are bringing in, are not new. Let me show you somethingβ he said and ran his fingers through the pile of files on his table. He selected one and passed it to Tehilah.
βLook in itβ he said, and Tehilah opened the file and saw an application to join Bamanga publishing house from Koksy. She was stunned, if Koksy was asking to join here, then this must be the real deal. She mulled the thought in her head, Bamanga seemed too good to be true, it was something seasoned writers were looking for, and it just fell on to her laps. She wondered about the reason he had chosen her.
Could he have ulterior motives?
βYou can choose your manager. We canβt take Koksy thoughβ Haliru stood up and went back to sit behind his desk.
βWhy wonβt you take Koksy, she is A-listβ Tehilah inquired. If Koksy would be accepted here, then she would choose Koksy to manage her. Everyone said, she was magic, and could turn any writer who worked with her to magic.
βI believe in giving people a fair chance. That is why I am making you this offer, and not Gosigo, who is an established writerβ Haliru fixed her a stare that got Tehilah discomfited. βWe also have an in-house publicist that would work with you, and transform you and your books into what the public will fall in love withβ
βGive me a copy of the contract and I will study it with my lawyer. I will get back to youβ Tehilah managed to say.
βBrilliant, but make haste in deciding as there is no time to waste. There are others who want this offer and they have applied for it, sent in manuscripts and allβ
βWhy meβ Tehilah suddenly asked. She just couldnβt leave without asking. Even though he had said he loved giving people fair chances, there were other writers that she could have picked over herself.
βI feel good about you, not just as a business associateβ he said and passed a file containing the 13 pages contract to her. Tehilah tucked the file in her hobo bag and stood up to leave.
βHow about we have lunch together?β Haliru asked
βOh, some other time, as I have other appointmentsβ she replied curtly.
βI will hold you to that. Do have a nice dayβ he said and allowed her leave.
As Tehilah exited the companyβs premises, she dialed Waleβs number. He had not called her since she left Lagos, and she was getting worried. She had read many relationship books that advised her to wait until he called. But since she had broken the first rule by sleeping with him on the second day, she felt no obligation to keep the other rules.
βHello Waleβ Tehilah called his name in a unique way, rolling her tongue around the βLβ sound. βHow are you doing?β she asked when he picked up the call.
βIβm good bae, just missing youβ Wale sounded distracted.
βIndeed, you missed me so much you could not callβ
βSorry bae, I have been so swarmed with work. There was a problem at the office and I was in charge of finding solution. Nevertheless, you were always on my mindβ
βI miss you too, but that is not the reason I called. I called to give you good news. I was approached by Bamanga group of companiesβ Tehilah announced.
βReally, what do they want with you, I know they are into information technology. In fact, I have been pitching a proposal to them for a long whileβ
βWell, they just went into publishing and their CEO approached me personally. They gave me a contract, which I will review with my lawyerβ
βWow, I am proud of you. I have news too, I am relocating to Abuja. I have been transferredβ
βJust when I decided to relocate to Lagosβ Tehilah became sad. When she made up her mind to work with Bamanga, she had decided to relocate finally out of her parentsβ house and get an apartment in Lagos.
βWe can still make this work; it all depends on our feelings for each otherβ Wale said before he ended the call.
Tehilah didnβt know why she suddenly felt afraid and uncertain about the future of their relationship.
Interesting as always. Thank you. I like this.
Thank you for reading.
Interesing
Thanks for reading, glad you enjoyed it.
Good piece. Loving dis series.
I am glad you do. Thanks for reading.
Very good story. Thank you
Thank you too, for reading.
Nice one ma’am
Thanks for reading.
Good story….keep it up.
Thanks for reading.