“Here’s my phone, Moses is on the line.” Dunni looked at him quizzically, “has he been on the line all this while?” “Yes, and please can I have my phone when you are done?” Toni rolled her eyes at him, “Of course you’ll have your phone back, or maybe I should have it?” she asked mischievously. Ola wagged his finger at her, and he was out of her office. “Hello, stranger,” the sound of Moses’s voice made her almost want to cry. Dunni closed her eyes, letting the sound of his voice wash over her. Taking in the sound of his breath over the phone. She smiled at his silence. He always did that thing – greet and wait for her to speak first. It was a game they played, and she was always the one to give in and break the silence. This time around, she was taken aback by the power in the sound of his voice and how she could literally feel him standing in her office. “How are you?” she asked, forgetting she was waiting for him to speak. “Ahhhh! Are we not too old for this game?” Dunni queried, miffed that he had beaten her to it as always. Moses held his phone tightly, allowing the softness of her voice cut deep into his soul. He was not sure how long he could stay away from her. He wanted to see her, gaze into her eyes and feel the connection they had. The project was taking longer than expected. He’d been tempted so many times to take a week off, but he knew what that would do to the project, and he was not ready to take that risk. This was a massive project, and not only did he need to do a perfect job, but he also had a reputation to maintain for future projects. He heaved. Savouring the sweetness of Dunni’s voice and the smile he could imagine on her face would do for now. Ignoring her question, he asked, “How are you?” “Fine as can be. So much work to do here but we got it under control. And yourself?” “These guys here are slave drivers. I don’t think they ever rest. Trying hard to keep up.” “I think you are the chief slave driver. They must be rushing to finish the project to get rid of you.” His peals of laughter could be heard over the phone, which brought a smile to Dunni’s face. “I don’t mind getting rid of me too if it would bring me to you.” “Is that a line engineered by the toss of your dice?” Moses groaned in frustration. Dunni laughed. “I am not the one who makes critical decisions from the toss of a dice.” “You should try it sometime,” he retorted drily. “Yeah yeah!” He wanted to ask of Mr Flowers, he heard Ola alluding to over the phone but was not sure if he really wanted to know. Ignorance they say is bliss. The jealousy he felt was suffocating him. For all, he knew this could be one of Dunni’s many admirers that would fade away with time. The thought of anything else was too scary. Losing Dunni would make life not worth living. This was no cliché. It was his reality. “It’s been so hard to keep in touch. Your phone is either dead or just ringing.” “Guilty as charged. It’s the timing. I have called you a couple of times and gave up. On other occasions, it’s the wrong time. Your midnight over there is morning the next day here. It would be nice once you are back.” “That should make me feel better, but something tells me, the work you have for me will be worse than the slave drivers here.” “You could not be more right,” Dunni concurred. Moses wanted to spend more time talking with her, but he knew he had to let them go, she had work to do. “You sure you are good?” he asked Dunni again. She wanted to tell him of her heart troubles but changed her mind. He was facing a challenging project, and she was insensitive by wanting to dump her personal problems on him. “Nothing I can’t handle,” she replied. They chatted for a few more minutes before Ola came back for his phone. Dunni rounded up with Moses and passed the phone to Ola. “Guy, I need my phone,” Ola spoke into the phone now on video.” “Dunni, your phone should be charged by now, but I don’t think you should be using the business time to chat.” “What!” she grabbed his phone back while he objected throwing his hands up in resignation. “That’s precisely what I have been suffering since you left. Please wrap that project up, or you may not find me in Designtex upon your return.”
” Why did I not think of a video call, Moses you look like a stone age man. I could walk past you and not recognise you.” Dunni teased him going around her table to Ola so Moses could view the two of them at the same time.
Moses swallowed with no come back for her as he drank in her beauty like a thirsty soul. If her voice was making a mess of him, seeing her was breaking every resolve to be patient. He had to find a way to make Dunni begin to see him in more than the capacity of a friend and business partner. “Now I think you need to leave. You are using business time for frivolities.” Dunni smirked, happy to have the last word as she ended the video and handed Ola’s phone to him, pushing him out of her office.
My heart bleeds for Moses but hey! Life is filled with twists and turns. The story continues. Happy Friday guys!!
Dunni smiled at Tade’s text message, feeling warm all over. “Looking forward to this weekend.”
She was more excited about falling in love than the concept of being in love?
She shrugged off the look of disapproval she could literally see on Moses’ face like he was standing before her. That was a phase in her life she had to close and move on. If a relationship could have happened between them, it should have long ago, or so she liked to think. She did not need his approval on who she could date.
Dunni replied to the text, “same here.”
I better get back to work, she muttered to herself, putting her phone away. She had just finished her Skype meeting with Ola and Moses. Ola was due back next week, but Moses had to stay back.
She hated the feeling of emptiness that his absence triggered. She could not explain the reason for the feelings than allude to the close relationship they shared. However, she reached the conclusion that things had to change.
She could not wait for Ola to come back. She smiled as she remembered the grief in her mother’s voice when she was told Moses would be away longer than expected. Dunni loved to tease her mom of Moses being her acquired sixth child.
“He will come before you, dear. You will still remain the last,” was her mum’ swift response.
It was a sore point for Dunni, growing up she hated the fact that she was the last and had often begged her mum to have another child so that she would have a younger one.
“Not to worry mum, Moses will find a way to come to home at least twice before the end of the project,” she encouraged her mum who in turn teased back that Dunni needed it more.
Mother and daughter laughed about it as they caught up over the phone. Dunni had been very busy lately to make the trip to visit her mother in Ibadan.
She could not wait for Moses and Ola to come back and get her life back not that she had any before now.
*****
Dunni did not have any difficulty locating the house. She meandered the muddy dirt road grimacing with every roll of her tyres at the need to go straight to the car war wash. She heaved a sigh of relief when she turned into a well-tarred road, a look of wonder on her face when she saw the edifice of a house situated on a cul de sac. She blared her horn as the electronically controlled gate smoothly slid into the left side. At the same time, the security guard stood by the right in his sharp blue shirt and black trousers. Did anyone need a security guard with an electronic gate she wondered? If the house looked gigantic from the outside, it was humongous when you drove in. The house was a masterpiece design. She fell more in love with the architecture the moment she stepped out of her car. Tade was already out walking down the mini road that led to the car park filled with exotic cars that Moses will hate to know he missed when she told him.
“Wow! What a piece. This is a beauty. Did you say you want to sell it or rent it out?
“Tade smiled. She is doing a number of you. I should be jealous because it would be nice to get half the look in your eyes for me than a house.”
“I can’t help it. Houses are my dream and passion. That’s why I am an Architect.”
“What about a tour when you settle down?”
“Oh, I would be delighted. Thank you,” Dunni gushed with the excitement of a little child.
“Where is Toni?” Dunni asked, a frown forming on her forehead, afraid she had not noticed the girl in her moment of ecstasy drooling over a house?
“She is inside -suddenly remembered that her room had to look perfect. She wants to show you her room and all the drawings pasted on every available wall space in the room.”
“I think you have a budding Michael Angelo. You just don’t know it yet.”
“Ha! I can’t wait, and it better translate into money during my lifetime,” Tade joked. One could not miss the pride in his voice.
“Would you mind if I took a tour of the house? She is beautiful.”
“Is the house now a she?” Tade asked with raised eyebrows and a tinge of amusement spreading over his lips.
“I like to think of houses as women, and it has nothing to do with feminism,” Dunni warned.
“I know,” Tade answered drily which earned him a laugh from Dunni.
“What was that?” She asked getting more intrigued with her attraction to this man and excited that it was the same, and he was not hiding it.
She would not think what next and would simply enjoy the moment. Relationships don’t have to always end in marriage; maybe that’s why ladies burden themselves with too much pressure looking for Mr Right rather than enjoying the relationship. She was going to go with the flow for the first time. Just let’s see where it would lead her. No demands, no expectation just out of having a good time and being a friend.
“Do you want to share?”
She turned aghast that she had tuned out.
“I am so sorry.”
“That’s fine. It’s just funny the way you’ve turned all excited like Toni when she’s offered a new toy.”
“Did you just call me a little girl?” Dunni asked with a frown and her hands akimbo mustering every effort to look stern amidst the laughter building up and twitching at the sides of her mouth.
“I think you need some excellent grandma spanking, she tried in the voice of Big Momma.
Dunni wowed and ahhed around the house as Tade gave her the tour.
“What’s the name of the architect?” Not sure but it was some Arab guy, Solape met while doing her masters.
“Does he live in Nigeria?”
“Oh no, he lives in Abu Dhabi- they met in the UK.
“He is very creative.”
“I think so too, but hey! That’s not my department. It is just sad she could not have lived long in the house she was so passionate about.”
Dunni turned her gaze away from the view to Tade. The pain in his voice mirroring the anguish on his face.
“You miss her?” Dunni asked which sounded lame even to her ears.
But if Tade felt so too. He did not say but answered her question without missing a bit.
“Every day and in every way. Buttercup is the spitting image of her.”
“Talking about Toni, I have not seen her.”
Dunni glanced at her watch and gasped! “I can’t believe we’ve spent over one hour touring the house. I think I should go and check for her.”
She turned around to go in search of Toni but not sure which direction.
“This way Tade propelled her forward, holding her hands as he led her through the maze of walkways and doors to the living room.
Toni was propped in one of the setees watching a cartoon that had just finished. Dunni recognised as Beauty and the Beast. The little girl’s face brightened with a broad smile that tugged at the strings of Dunni’s heart.
“Do you want to see my room?” Toni asked with excitement that rubbed off quickly on Dunni.
“Yes, I will be more than happy to, and she tickled Toni who squealed with delight running off in the opposite direction.
“I’ll leave you two and finish the cooking.”
Dunni smiled, she had momentarily forgotten Tade was with them.
“You look good together. Solape will have been pleased to meet you.”
“The pleasure would have been mine to see the lady who raised such an impressionable young lady.”
“Are you saying I had no hand in the job?”
“No, Dr Braithwaite, You must have done a fantastic job too. Just that we were talking about the mother. You did not come across as one with a jealous streak in him.”
“You women think that we are all wood and stones without emotions. I know a lot of men who do as much as raising the child as the women, but all you hear is society singing the women’s praises. It is not encouraging at all. I think we the men should revolt at society’s injustice.”
I can just imagine you, men, with clothes stripped and rubbed in ashes like the Aba women’s riot of 1966.
This is 2012, we wear African designed attire looking like men stepping off an edition of the GQ magazine. All strutting the streets of Victoria Island, beautiful specimen of the male species. No noise. No words, just a single placard with words Dads contribute too.”
“Really,” Dunni laughed hysterically. “I got to go to Toni, I will be right back if I don’t lose my way.”
“You can’t miss it. Turn left, right and left—the door with the picture of a pink teddy.”
Tade smiled pleased with the way they connected. Dunni made him laugh and forget his pain. He missed Solape every day, regretted the role he played at her last moments, the guilt eating at him. But with Dunni, he felt so alive again. It was like a breath of fresh air, and he wanted to keep taking it in for the rest of his life.
Slowly Tade before you scare her off. He cautioned himself.
Food ready and table set. Tade set out to look for his daughter and their guest. He could hear Dunni’s soft voice through the partially closed door. He stood outside the door listening, not wanting to interrupt.
Dunni was reading one of Toni’s books, he read to her before going to bed, and it appeared she was doing a better job than he’d done.
His heart contracted. Was it possible to fall in love so quickly with someone? He wanted her, and at the same time, the timing did not feel right.
He knocked and waited for an answer. Toni answered, knowing he was the one.
Tade swallowed his breath, completely taken with the sight before him. Toni cuddled in Dunni’s arm which held the book for her to see as she read.
He knew he was totally lost to this woman, and there was no going back. He only prayed for time to mark his dead wife’s first anniversary before making any move.
The evening went incredibly well, and it was time for Dunni to leave. Toni cried, not wanting her to go. What Dunni did not know was Toni was not the only one who was reluctant to let her go. Tade wanted her to stay not just for a single day, but forever. A forever he had no right to ask of her.
“Women fall in love in a man’s presence. Men tend to realise they are in love in a woman’s absence.” Unknown.
Todays’ write up if for Omoyemi. Thanks for your comment. That was enough to ginger the next post.
Moses called Dunni’s mobile phone for the umpteenth time. He was exasperated that he could not reach her as her phone was switched off for the last two hours. A boarding call was made for his flight, he picked his bags, checking his surrounding that he had not left anything and joined the other passengers as they made their way to the final check-in.
Moses journey was not scheduled until a fortnight away. However, bidding for the project had come earlier. He saw the email that afternoon about their apologies to reschedule to an earlier date as the project time had moved. It was a good thing for the overall project from a business perspective, even though he had to drop everything and hop on the next flight.
This is one contract they desperately wanted. Architex Designs was not the only one bidding, there were architecture firms from London, US, and Dubai. They knew they could do this and would get the contract. This was one shot they were willing to take.
He could have waited until the next day. However, they were not ready to take any chances. Beijing was about seventeen hours away by direct flight. Unfortunately, there was no direct flight available, and he had to settle with connecting flights at two stops. The bid, according to the email, was in five days’ time. Ola who could not up, and leave would join him in a couple of days.
They had decided when planning the bid earlier in the year that Ola and Moses will handle the Beijing project.
Dunni had another project, she was handling up north of the country which was clashing with the dates for the bid. Hence, they agreed that while Moses and Ola will handle the Beijing project, Dunni could face the Kakawa housing project in Kaduna located along the Kaduna – Zaria road.
The project was a 3-4 housing units for a Stone milling factory that opened up about four years ago. They had employees moving from all over the country and where having problems with accommodation.
The company opted to build houses and rent to their employees through a subsidised scheme. This they found was cheaper compared to the annual housing bonus they paid.
Dunni was excited to get started with this project, it was a block of twelve flats each, and they had twenty of these blocks to design.
It was a hectic time for their firm, and everyone was pulling their weight.
*******
Placing her pillow over her head to block the bright daylight that streamed through her half-closed Venetian blind. Dunni reached out for her alarm to stop the shrilling noise that filled the room shattering every dream of any extra minutes of sleep she desperately needed. She groaned as she hesitantly dragged her sleep-deprived self from the comfort of her bed and trudged to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Staring at a pimple on the left corner of her cheek, she took out her face mask and rubbed it on her face. She grimaced at the additional minutes she needed to add to her morning ritual today. If she failed to attack the pimple today, she would be paying dearly by tomorrow.
She went downstairs to get a glass of warm water to drink and settled for a quick fifteen minutes yoga routine. That was all she could spare this morning or else she will not be able to beat the early morning traffic.
Forty-five minutes later, she dashed into her car, throwing her lunch and handbag to the passenger seat. Turning on the radio, she drove off towards Victoria Island, joining the already building traffic on the Lekki – Epe express road.
“Morning, she greeted the security guard cheerfully as she drove through the gates and stopped to have a brief chat with Dupe the receptionist.
“That’s such a lovely hairdo you have,” Dunni complimented her beautiful weave and was rewarded with a broad smile from Dupe.
“Thank you,” said Dupe. “You should try braiding yours one of these days. Come to think of it, she said with a crease across her forehead, “I don’t think I have seen braids on you before.”
“A look of terror flashed through Dunni’s face.
“Is it that bad,” Dupe asked with a chuckle.
“You have no idea. I can’t stand the tension on my head. You guys that can are lucky. I tried many times but failed. The farthest I got was spending 6 hours to braid and loosening it all the next day. The pain was just unbearable.
Moses and Ola would attest to it. Imagining engaging two clueless men to lose braids. Nah! Braids are not for me.”
This was news to Dupe, she recently joined the firm and loved the relationship among the partners. She found it hard to believe they were just friends. Nonetheless, there was nothing to show if they had been romantically involved.
“Was this recently?” she asked, curious as she tried to wrap her head around the other two bosses struggling with a woman’s hair. The thought was too hilarious that she could not help but release the pent-up laughter.
I know! Smiled Dunni, that was many years ago during our undergraduate days.
“Wow!
And you are still together,” Dupe gushed who had a secret crush for Moses, even though he never had as much as treated her in any way but professional. However, this did not stop her from daydreaming of a possible romance brewing with one of the Bosses. The picture of Moses loosening braids was not only hilarious, but it was also getting her all mushy.
“Any idea if Moses or Ola is in yet? I did not see any of their cars in the parking lot.”
“Ola arrived a few minutes ago, but Moses is yet to come in this morning.”
“Thanks. I have run along. I have a couple of skype meetings this morning. Please hold off all my calls till 11:00am.
She popped her head through Ola’s office on the way to hers. He was in a meeting on the phone, so she waved and gestured ‘talk to you later’.
Dunni set up her laptop for her skype meeting and presentation to Emesem, a housing development firm in Calabar. She had met with them last month and scheduled a skype meeting with their MD who was away in Italy but did not want to delay the start of the project. The outcome of the skype meeting would determine the next course of action and when she had to fly down to meet the Engineering and Project Management team.
Although she found the skype meeting strange at first, she was able to adapt quickly. This was not without some hitches. An instance was when, for a weird reason, the image coming from the other end was upside down on her screen. It was halfway through the meeting she blurted out her problem. Only to discover, it was just a button she needed to click, rotate and it was fine.
Apparently, Emesem is a tech-savvy company, so using technology to work for them in 2013 was a no brainer. Dunni was still getting used to using the computer for her drawings and scaling. She preferred her drawings by hand. Although the tech world was not a comfort zone, she was ready to stretch herself to get this contract.
Dunni was all done with her meetings when Ola walked into Dunni’s office just as she concluded the skype meeting.
“All good?” he inquired.
“Perfect! I just sealed the Emesem deal,” squealed Dunni with the delight of a child.
“Fantastic! Great job, Dunni. Let me know where we can pitch in if you need help,” Ola offered with a smile of genuine pleasure lightening up his face and showing off his 5 o’ clock shadow.
“I have got this one. The MD loved all, but one of the designs sent and wanted two or more adjustments, and they are good. I will be flying to Calabar in ten days’ time,” Dunni replied, smiling with self- satisfaction.
“Where’s Moses, I have not seen him this morning?” she asked, changing the subject.
“I think he tried to reach you on the phone. He is on his way to Beijing.”
“Beijing! Dunni asked a look of surprise filling her round face. “Have I lost track of time? I thought Beijing was scheduled for three weeks or so away.”
“Two actually. Moses received an email yesterday scheduling an earlier date with apologies that the project was ahead of their schedule, which is a good thing business-wise. I don’t know how many projects happen that way. Still, the little experience we have, we know how projects are usually delayed. He got the first available flight last night. I would be going tomorrow.”
“Hmm, it would be nice if our competitors are not able to respond as quickly as we did.”
Dunni was excited at the prospect of clinching that contract but not sure why she felt so despondent at the thought that she missed Moses call before he left.
Swivelling her chair around to take her handbag from the side table by her right. She dug frantically into her handbag for her phone. Not successful in locating the phone, she started bringing out items from her handbag, a transparent cosmetic bag, pens, small notebook, sticky notes, face wipes, a novel, a bottle of water and a black poker dot neck staff.
Ola watched bemused. “Why don’t you just go for a suitcase? With the number of stuffs, you women carry in your handbags, it’s a wonder you don’t suffer from back and neck pain.”
Dunni ignored his comment. This was not the first of such discussions, and it won’t be the last. “There you are! Oh no, it is switched off.” She laughed, showing the screen to Ola.
“I wonder why you have a mobile phone when you cannot be reached at all times.”
“You want to join Moses on that bandwagon?” she gave him the stinky eye. Moses always complained that with a mobile phone, you were always meant to be reached. “I will improve, it’s not something I do deliberately but maybe my subconscious rebels against this thing. No respite from the world.”
She switched in her phone, and several messages started popping in.
“You see! She said triumphantly how a sane person can keep up with all these distractions.”
“Welcome to the new world. You may be the only one living in the 16th century,”
“Whatever, she rolled her eyes.”
Dunni eagerly searched for Moses message on her phone. A smile spreading across her lovely face.
“Moses should be here to see this smile on your face. If I did not know better. I will think you have fallen for him.
“In both your dreams,” She replied, typing out a message.
“Really Dunni. What is so repulsive about Moses?”
“You guys have become family. It just does not happen.”
“It does not happen, or you won’t happen?”
She looked at him suspiciously. “What are you up to Ola, Did Moses put you up to this?”
“Nothing,” he raised his hands in mock surrender. “Just thinking it will be nice to keep you in the family and not lose you to someone crazy dude out there.”
“There are no crazy guys out there. Enough talk about the little or no romance in my life. Maybe, just maybe there I would have time to meet the right guy with you and Moses off my back.”
“Are you saying we are responsible for chasing guys away? I am hurt.”
“No, I am saying you guys keep me working so hard that I have no social life.” She giggled, knowing that was not true.
“That’s is something to work on when we get back. I will get Moses on it.”
“Grr, what did you say you wanted. And when do you leave?” Dunni changed the subject from her to business. She never liked it when the guys zeroed in on her case.
She was a little petrified to be left to handle the company alone. It was not something she had done. She had always had the guys with her. They all made the decisions but sought each other’s input.
As if reading her thoughts, Ola said ‘you’ll be fine while we are gone and ramp up our profit margin.
“Will you be good for the period we are away?” He asked, looking out for her welfare.
“Would you have asked Moses this question, if he was the one seating here?”
“Dunni don’t bring up the sexist card, please. I am only looking out for you on the honour of our friendship.
“I will be fine,” she said, putting on her big girl hat even when she felt far from it.
“No worries. I have this covered. All should be fine with the rest of the team we can handle any of the projects that can’t wait while you are both gone.”
She checked her phone to see if Moses had received her message, but it was still showing undelivered.
“What time does Moses flight arrive in Beijing?” Dunni asked scrolling through her phone hoping by some magic she’ll receive a message from Moses. He’d barely left for twenty four hours, and her world had become so small and empty. She sighed, taking her eyes from the phone to Ola.
“I don’t have the details, although I think it’s a fifteen hour flight. Moses is on a connecting flight which may take longer.”
“I will be on the lookout for his messages and keep my phone close by,” she said with a laugh at her lame joke.
Ola stood up to leave with a knowing smile on his face.
“What’s that smile about?”
“What smile, he asked innocently. He was not about to let Dunni know what she was yet to realise herself.
“You have this mischievous look in your face,”
“I think I just had an ‘eureka’ moment?”
“What’s that – a design?”
“Nope – but nothing to worry about.”
Dunni shrugged and went back to her work as he left her office. She had to energy to siphon any information Ola was not willing to give. It was always a failed mission. She could hand tie Moses and blackmail him into telling her. It was a different ball game with Ola.
“See you later and we’ll keep our meetings via skype,” he said, closing the door after him.
Ola thought to himself. Dunni was in love with Moses, and she did not even know it. He may be wrong, but time will tell.
Oladele Peters, Moses Akale and Dunni Adesida were all classmates at the prestigious Federal University of Technology, Minna, where they studied Architecture. They met as pre-degree students, Ola and Moses were 18 years at the time while Dunni was 16, all fresh from college but with one thing in common; a passion for designing houses.
Ola was the only one who knew from day one that he wanted to study Architecture, Dunni was more of Interior design, but since they did not have the course at the university, she felt the closest to it was Architecture. Moses had no clue.
They had met during their first year on campus and bonded fast although from different parts of the country but from the same western region.
On this fateful day, while they were filling their forms for their course of study after the pre-degree program, Moses brought out a dice from his pocket – one for Estate Management, three for Quantity Survey, and five for Architecture. Those were some of the courses in the School of Environmental Studies. Two, four and six will point me to the School of Science, two for Computer Science, four for Geology and six for he was scratching his head and Ola shouted, “back to your village!”
“Nah,” Dunni joined in cheekily. “We’ll send him to biochemistry or microbiology. He could help with research in the cure for cancer. His gambling dice could help him there.” Dunni brought out a coin and started tossing it up and trying to catch while laughing hysterically.
Dunni and Ola never thought Moses was that serious, until the dice fell on five, and he settled to fill his form. They both were looking at him like he had grown horns out of his ears. “You serious about this dice thing man?” Ola asked shielding his eyes from the hot scorching sun while trying to look at Moses with disbelief. “I have used it for every major decision, and it is yet to fail me,” He explained shrugging his shoulders.
“For my senior school leaving certificate, I asked how many A’s. I threw the dice and gave me five. I got five when the result came out.”
“It gave you five for architecture now, maybe the dice just falls on five every time and you know it that’s why you put architecture on five,” Dunni argued.
She challenged him to change the numbers and throw again. He put architecture on one this time, and the dice fell on one.
“Unbelievable!” Exclaimed Ola. “We should be using this dice more often,” Dunni joked. “Who would you marry? How many children will you have,” Dunni chanted one of the folklore songs she used to sing as a child while pretending to skip with an imaginary rope.
“Wouldn’t life be so easy if all decisions I made were from the toss of a dice?” “Should I eat or not?” Dunni laughed so hard she failed to see the look of anger on Moses’ face. “That’s enough Dunni,” Ola called out nodding at Moses. “I am out of here,” Moses hissed. You know where to find me when you are all done making fun.” Dunni ran off to pull him back which did nothing to his 6.2 inches lanky frame. “I am sorry,” she apologised, stifling the laughter threatening to erupt out of her as she replaced it with a smile that inflicted pains to her cheek muscles. “You can use your dice for all you want just ignore us when we joke about it,” Ola nodded at him when he came back. A nod that said it all. Dunni looked at them both and shook her head. “I wonder why I am still hanging out with you guys when you start all this your secret code languages.” “You are better off with us that all the other hungry sharks out there wishing to devour you. We are here to protect you,” Moses boasted, a little smile tugging at his mouth with crinkles around his eyes.
“Let’s fill these forms and get on with our registration,” commanded Dunni. She hated it when they went big brother on her. She had had enough of being babied at home. She was a big girl away from home in the university and on her own, making all the decisions and able to protect herself. No one will boss her out here.
Thirteen years after, they have remained not only close friends but Partners in Architex Designs. A company they formed and ran together. It was a scary venture for them but after working in other Architecture firms and kept feeling there was something more they could offer. They decided to put money together and set up the firm.
In the early days, they face rejection after rejection that they contemplated shutting down the company. Suddenly, things turned around for them after they designed a house for one of the city’s top Bank Managing Director in Victoria Garden City.
They had only gotten the job because Moses uncle decided to take a chance on them. He gave them the job after much pestering from Moses. He got more than he bargained for as his house became a cynosure on the Island. His friends wanted him to connect them to his Architects.
He was so pleased with their work that he asked them to design the Commercial Bank’s new head office in Victoria Island. From that moment, they have received more contracts than they could handle having to expand from a team of three Architects to twenty, all in the space of two years.
Five years after they started the business, running a small architectural firm raking in billions of dollars across the country and continent. They recently got a bid to be the exclusive architect for a project in London handled by one of the world’s top construction company with head office in Beijing.
Moses despised dice back at college was still being used by him much to their chagrin. However, they had come to accept the place of the dice as the fourth partner in the company but not without Dunni and Ola’s objection.
21stcenturybelle 