?ENDLESS
TEARS?
SEASON 2
EPISODE 16
Amara finally opened her eyes to the bright lights of the day. She didn’t need to check the time to know she woke up late. Her eyes were heavy from lack of sleep. She had woken up twice with nightmares.
Amara wondered why a flimsy note containing three words had effectively sent her into a state of constant panic. I should have taken Kelvin’s offer, she thought. If she had slept over at his place, she surely wouldn’t have had nightmares.
Amara brushed her hands against her heavy eyes, trying to keep them open as she stood up from the bed, her joints aching from rolling all night long. She pulled her short nightshirt over her head, dropping it carelessly on the bed as she made for the bathroom. Her phone stopped her in her tracks and she backtracked to check the caller. As expected, it was Tega.
“You don’t have to tell me that I am late Tega, I already know that” she murmured to the ringing phone and cut the call, switching off the phone instantly. Her head was already pounding enough, she didn’t need Tega’s ranting voice to add to it.
She dropped the phone and proceeded into the bathroom, turning on the shower instantly. She gratefully welcomed the cold feel of the water against her skin but she didn’t have the luxury of time, so she quickly washed up and got out of the tub, brushed her teeth and entered the room, toweling herself dry as she went.
She pulled out a black trouser and a bright yellow top, hoping that the bright colour would brighten up her day. After brushing and pinning down her hair, she grabbed her car keys and her bag and left her bedroom, opting to have Tega order in her breakfast from an eatery.
Amara bounced out of the apartment, trying to feel more enthusiastic about the day, despite her pounding head and aching body. However, as she locked the door to her apartment firmly and turned to her car, whatever enthusiasm she had summoned evaporated instantly.
She stared at the deflated tires of her car in complete horror. Her bag hung limply on her arm as she walked stiffly towards her car. She walked round the car, horrified to see that all the four tires were in the same state. Her heart beat and headache increa-sed dramatically as she sp-otted a note un-der the windscreen wiper. She dragged it out with angry hands and opened it.
ENJOY YOUR DAY!!!
Amara crumbled the note in anger, clenching her fist around it. She swallowed and stuffed the crumbled note in her bag. No! I would not let this destroy my day. She told herself sternly. She marched out of the compound, her angry strides making her walk fas-ter.
She tried to put a smile on her face but she wouldn’t, she could only look around grimly, searching for a taxi to take her to Ara P. she sp-otted a taxi and flagged it down. “Ara P” she murmured and jumped in. she didn’t need to give an address since Ara P was known by all.
The taxi driver smiled, recognizing her but she didn’t have time for any chatter. She closed her eyes, blocking her mind against this new complication in her life. It seems her past was determined on haunting her continuously. If only Amara knew what she had done wrong to deserve it, she might even consider atoning for her sins.
Amara opened her eyes when the taxi slowed and the driver announced that he had arrived at her destination. She paid the man, not waiting to get her change as she marched towards her company. She noticed a small crowd around the building and frowned de-eperly.
She was even more stunned to see that the crowd was made up of her staff. They were all talking animatedly with frowns on their faces. They noticed her presence and turned to her, looking agitated.
“What is going on?” she asked in agitation as alarm bells went off in her head.
“Everything is in disarray ma’am” someone said.
“Someone broke into the company”…… “It might have been a burglary”….. “But nothing is missing”………
Amara could not keep up the endless chatter of voices, murmuring different things. She noticed Tega, moving throu-ghthe other staff members towards her. Amara pulled her aside. “What is going on Tega?” she asked in confusion.
“I tried calling you but your phone was off after the first ring boss” she said with a de-eper worried look on her usually smiling face. “Everything is upside down. Docu-ments are scattered all over the floor, most, if not all, of our supplies have been destroyed, including the flowers and materials we just purchased two days ago for Bracket’s event. They are all in pieces” she declared. Amara stared open-mouthed at Tega.
This cannot be happening! “I think it might be a competitor; we should inform the police; this is so terrible…” she whined as she looked around in agitation. “We might get Insurance to pay for the damages….”
Tega’s voice faded out as Amara stared unseeing. Her headache was threatening to split her head into two and she dropped her bag on the floor, ru-b-bing furiously at her temples. Lisa!
Tega held Amara, trying to pacify her and the remaining members of staff also came around, hoping to offer their support in any way they could. “It would be fine boss” Tega said and her staff members also re-echoed. “Let’s call the police and-”
“No” Amara cut in. she took a shaky breath. Her head suddenly felt too ti-ght and she dragged out the pins holding it down, allowing her hair to go free. “That would be suicidal” she said stiffly. “Our clients might feel unsafe and we might scare them if we suddenly invite a pack of police officers over. It would surely make the news” she swallowed ha-rd as she saw the financial strain this might cause. “The best thing would be to see what we can salvage…”
“Everything is totally destroyed” someone said.
Amara took a de-eper breath. “Let’s take this as a test for us all; we need to bring out something out of nothing. Who knows, we might come up with something spectacular. Bracket is a big company, we can’t have them withdrawing their contract just a week to the event”
Her staff heaved a sigh and nodded, seeing her point. “I have taken some pictures, I think it would be helpful”
Amara glanced at Azeez. He was always very sensible and proactive. “That is very good” she said trying to put in an encouraging smile to help her staff. “I would just make a few calls and then, we would go in” she said and moved away from the crowd.
Her legs shook slightly as she thought of the great impact this would have on the company’s purse. Tega knowingly followed Amara, and stood in front of her boss. Amara scrolled unseeing at the phone, looking for Kelvin’s phone number as her eyes clouded with tears.
?ENDLESS
TEARS?
SEASON 2
EPISODE 17
Amara stared at the phone as tears clouded her eyes. Why had she called Kelvin in the first place? If she had known that he would yell at her instead of try to pacify her like she badly needed, she would never have called him. She tried to remember when Kelvin had ever yelled at her and could not come up with an answer.
But as much as she wanted to dwell on that, she had a bigger problem at hand and she couldn’t be seen hanging onto the shoulders of a man when her staff were looking up to her for direction. If Kelvin arrived, then it was none of her business, but she would be seen as irresponsible if she truly stayed here with her staff standing outside. The people in the environment must definitely be suspicious that something was amiss.
She squared her shoulders and walked to her murmuring staff that fell quiet immediately she got closer. “OK guys” she began. “First, I would go in to fully inspect the offices, then, we would all go in”
“But… the security men already did that”
“Yes ma’am” one of the security men answered. “We checked everywhere except your office which was locked”
Amara nodded then glanced at the two security officers who stood with them there. Somehow, she felt she couldn’t trust them. How could someone have broken into the company and destroyed things when she had two security officers on stand? She definitely had her questions and doubts, but they could still wait. First, she had to get her staff in. “I know that. Still, I am going in to inspect. It is my duty to ensure your safety”
“I am going with you” Tobi said as she turned to leave.
“No Tobi-”
“I can’t let you go in alone boss, if you must go inside, I would go with you”
Amara smiled at him. “Thanks Tobi” she said gratefully and walked towards the building with Tobi walking firmly beside her. Tobi opened the door and walked in ahead of Amara. Amara walked in cautiously behind him and blinked as a shudder ran throu-ghher.
She blinked back tears as she stared at what used to be a very orderly place. Tables were overturned, some chairs were broken, docu-ments were all over, and water was also on the ground, obviously emptied from the dispenser. Lisa has overstepped her bounds! But how do you deal with someone whose whereabouts is unknown. Amara clenched her fists angrily at her sides and Tobi tou-ched her arm.
“It is OK boss, we would have it all fixed and it would be the way it was before”
Amara nodded grimly and swallowed, walking ahead. She feared what she would find when she opened the room holding her supplies and she avoided the room, checking offices first. Finally, unable to postpone it much longer, she opened the door to the sto-re and gasped.
She gripped the handle of the door fiercely. Everything had been destroyed, turn beyond redemption. She had thought her staff had exaggerated the damage, but as she inspected with blurry eyes, she knew that they hadn’t.
Tobi tou-ched her arm slightly. “We would be able to salvage some things boss, we would work together”
Amara gave Tobi a watery smile. He was really intent on easing her pain and she was glad to have him there. She might not have been able to handle it of she had entered alone. Lisa couldn’t come to threaten her years of ha-rd work. “I would not allow this” she murmured aloud. “Someone must pay for this”
She turned away from the sto-re instantly, unable to stand the sight of the damage done there. “I would check my office, Tobi, please check the conference room” she said authoritatively, walking towards her office. Tobi hesitated, then reluctantly carried out his boss’ orders.
Amara got to her office and extracted her key from her handbag. She inse-rted the key in its hole and twisted. The door opened and breathed in relief when she saw that her office looked pretty much the same. She walked into her office, looking around cautiously, not wanting to be careless. For the first time, she noticed that the air conditioner was on.
Didn’t I turn that off before leaving? She wondered vaguely. Her heartbeat increa-sed as a strange thought crept to her brain. She went to the toilet door and, with her heart in her mouth, she opened it slowly. She heaved a sigh when she found it empty. She exhaled. Tell me I am already becoming paranoid! She walked back to her table, bending to check un-der.
“Amara”
Amara shrieked and jumped up in fright, coming face to face with Kelvin. Her breath came out in fast gasps as she tried to regulate her breathing. “Kelvin” she gasped out, controlling her breathing. “You scared me” she breathed. Why did she allow this to get to her so much. Lisa had no doubt succeeded in making her jumpy.
Kelvin’s face showed anger and exhaustion. “I told you not to do anything Amara” he bit out angrily.
Amara raised her chin defiantly. “You have no right to give me instructions Kelvin, this is my company and-”
“You could have been hurt Ara” Kelvin cut in angrily. “Someone could have hurt you in here, you can’t just put yourself at risk” he raked his hand throu-ghhis hair. “If you would only do what you want, why did you call me”
“I have been asking myself the same thing” Amara returned stonily. “I would not be scared of entering my own company because of Lisa Kelvin”
“And what if it is not Lisa uhn? What if someone else is doing this?”
Amara stared at Kelvin’s angry face as her mouth fell dry. She didn’t even want to consider the fact that she might be dealing with someone else. It was bad enough if she knew who was after her, but if she had no clue as to who was after her downfall, that would be complete disaster. “It can only be Lisa” she said, trying to convince herself as well as Kelvin. “But what is your problem anyways? I am the one at risk here not you”
“Don’t you get it?” He barked and marched towards her, grabbing her by the arm and hurling her against his che-st. Amara gasped. “I would rather get hurt a thousand times than see you get hurt again” he bit out throu-ghclenched teeth.
Kelvin was boiling with rage and feeling her small form against his body served to even feed his anger, but then, he wasn’t angry at her, he was angry at himself. Angry that he could not stop himself from wanting what he couldn’t have. He groa-ned and, giving in to the unavoidable temptation, he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.
This is a mistake! A mistake! The words danced around in his head but they were not enough to stop him from pulling her ti-ghter against him. He had been longing to do this for years, been wanting to hold her in the circle of his arms and ki-ss her endlessly; it had been a longing that wouldn’t go away.
He took her mouth hungrily, filling the ki-ss with all the love he had kept bottled up, forgetting everything that could pull them apart, only wanting to savor this precious time. Amara softened in his arms as he de-eperened the ki-ss and her hands travelled to his ne-ck.
“Boss”
The voice rang loud and clear, pulling Amara away from Kelvin instantly.
“I am… sorry… I didn’t know…” Tobi said in agitation as he made to retreat.
Embarra-ssment flooded Amara’s cheeks as she looked around. Kelvin just stared at Tobi, wondering why he hadn’t had the sense to close the door. As Amara looked around, her eyes fell on something on a chair. “What is Tina’s bag doing here?” She asked startled.
Kelvin, still trying to keep his head straight, followed her gaze until he was staring at the bag in question. “Thought you said you both do business together, she might have forgotten it here” he asked frowning.
“Yes. But the problem is that I have not seen her in days” she frowned as she walked towards the bag and lifted it. Now that she thought about it, it was strange that Tina hadn’t contacted her. “I have neither seen nor heard from her in several days now. What does this mean Kelvin” she asked bewildered.
Knowing that an enemy was after her would have been sensible, but a friend? Could her friend be doing this? Tina?
TBC…
HABA!