Chapter 8 My first client

I woke up feeling a bit drowsy. I had a romantic dream in my sleep with a major character that looked familiar. No wonder when my alarm which I set at 6 AM woke me up, I was too lazy to get out of bed to prepare for my day. At that moment, I felt like going back to sleep to continue my dream.

"Just hope it will come true." I wished myself what I had seen in my sleep before I stood up, I've been sitting on the bed for over thirty minutes. It's now 6:35 AM. "I'll be late for work!" I immediately sprang up from my bed, I can't afford to lose early customers out of lateness. They're those who come early to request flowers. Just here, the special order of yesterday flew into my mind. I have a great customer I'm so eager to see.

I dressed my bed, walked to the sink to brush my mouth, then I took about twenty minutes to wash myself. My hair is damp, thick and heavy from the wetness that it's a heavy load. Drying it is now a necessity but I have no dryer, I haven't bought it yet since I packed in. I can borrow Laura this, it wouldn't be a great deal. I take a quick walk to her apartment a stone's throw.

After drying my golden honey blonde hair, it looks straight and silky, no longer tangled and rough as it was before. "Now you look like a human." Laura speaks and rolls her eyes, I blush. I must have looked like a beast to her before.

"Laura, guess what!" I look into her eyes waiting for her to response to this great news I'm about sharing with her.

"What?" She replies excited.

"I've got a VIP customer today, he's visiting my shop today." I speak with delight. "My first portrait customer."

"Really, who is that?" Laura's eyes warm with excitement, she's really a good soul to be delighted at my good. As a competitor, most would be jealous and wish they got such customer themselves.

"It's a cool guy I met online who reacted to my post, he said he needs a portrait and would be coming to my place to meet me for the order today."

"Really! Why did you say he's special?"

"Because he looks like a pure-breed CEO!" I stamp my foot in excitement.

Laura gives me a suspicious look, "I hope you haven't fall for this man already?" My cheeks reddens, I'm getting shy, this' the truth I wouldn't love to admit so soon. It's a surprise that Laura would hit the nail on the head so quickly.

"Not really bad to fall in love but don't let that interfere with your business. Right? Keep love away from business."

"Will it affect my business?" I shake my head in confusion.

"Of course it can, when you let yourself captured by some cool guy, you might get timid, which isn't so good for a marketer like you. You ought to be polite and free, not shy when a customer comes calling. If you love someone, you wouldn't be able to hide your feelings no matter how hard you try. It would affect the way you talk to the person and your business as well."

I looked down in shame, "Well thanks." I saw the wisdom in what Laura said, she was older than me, in her late forties I think, so she's more experienced in both the business and love aspects. I admit what Laura just said, but my heart can't stop thinking of this gentleman, from the way I see on his profile.

"Let me just see him as my wealthy customer." I managed to say to Laura before exiting her apartment.

I returned to my house to complete the chores I had left before it's time to go to work. In twenty minutes flat, I was done. I pick up a fitting red gown that's just two inches above my knees. I hadn't worn such before, I know for such I would attract uncountable eyes on my flawless, curvy body. Red actually matches with my profession, I'd be attracting lovers to come buy from me. Secondly, I also have to look presentable for my new VIP customer, my appearance can make him come back or not. It's just one of the tactics of marketing.

As for shoes, I have only two options, a flat black cover shoe and a pair of sandals mom bought for me. After some thoughts, I go for the sandals. Shoes are more perfect for office work. I apply a little make up to look more radiant although I'm already beautiful.

I take one final look at myself in the mirror before stepping out of my house, my appearance is satisfactory to me. I walk carelessly through the green field with the cold morning breeze blowing mildly on me. The sun is fast approaching from the horizon, a sense of gratitude fills my mind.

As I arrive at my business place, I see only a few traders. I'm really early to work, thank goodness. In a jiffy, I begin setting up my wares awaiting my VIP customer, he needs to come see me prepared so he'll trust me more with his work. I glanced into my hand watch, it's 8:01 AM.

As usual, customers came in their numbers before 9 AM, some to demand for flowers while others for the portraits I had painted before now. A ping comes up from my phone, I carry it up, the name Nezi Amo appears on the top. Tension begins to build fast in my chest, is he already here? Oh my God, I can't wait to see what he looks like physically.

"Hello, good morning. Are you in your office this morning." I smiled, which office is he talking about, this stance? What would make this lowly place of mine turn into an office in his mind.

"Good morning sir. Yes, I am." I responded to avoid arguments.

"I'm coming in twenty minutes time, on my way now" He added a smiley face to his text. I let out a relaxed sigh, satisfaction beaming on my face. Just wish...I just don't know what to exactly wish for now. Would he like me as I like him?

Twenty minutes later, a black limousine pulled up beside my sales stance and a tall, handsome and charming young man with a muscular stature, short black wavy hair and charming blue eyes came out. He wears a navy-blue suit which perfectly fits him, making him look like the best man in the world.

"This must be him," I said to myself as I seemed to arrange some things to avoid sensational gazes. All eyes are on him, Lours Street rarely has such VIP customers calling around. Despite the looks on him, his eyes steadily rested on my body, scanning me from head to toe. A slight smile lit on his face.

"Good morning Miss." He greets me in a deep, manly voice. A warmth cascaded over me. His husky voice could make women swoon.

"Good morning sir." We said almost at once. He reached out for my hand, I gave it out and we shook hands.

"How was your night, hope you're doing great this morning?"

I'm amazed at his concern. "Yes, I'm doing good and you?"

"What is your name, find it not so good to talk to someone abstractly?"

"I'm Ava and you, Sir?"

"Just call me Nessian." He snapped.

"Wow, what a nice name!" I exclaimed in my mind blushing, I quickly changed the blush to a smile to prevent Nessian from sensing something. He heaved and put up a serious look, the niceties were over and he seemed ready for serious business.

"I have a special task I need you to do for me. I need it in three days' time, will you be able to deliver it?"

"What's that Sir, do you have a sample?" Nessian exhales, fixing his eyes on mine, I look down.

He got his face into his expensive phone, encased in a gold porch. This attracted me to the watch on his left hand, he wore a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300A-010, which fetched 31.19 million US Dollars, by statistics it was one of the richest watches in the world. "Is this the great man I'm dealing with?" My heart started skipping, Nessian must have noticed my ecstasy. No one could escape being excited in such a case as I was. Even Laura would be more excited than me.

"I need a full portrait of me and my girlfriend, have her picture in my phone. It's gonna be a special birthday gift to her which I will present to her once I go back to America." On hearing this, I was downcasted. I realized there was no chance for me, America and his girlfriend were two insurmountable challenges I couldn't go through. I resolved to do my work and part from him feeling like a loser.

"Will you like it if I present it to you in a day, that's tomorrow?"

"Will you get it perfectly done in such a short time?"

I smiled. "I'm an expert in this field Sir. I will satisfy your taste." Nessian scanned me again and gave me a warm smile. "Well, you can do it but why not call me Nessian?" I looked away nervously.

"Ok," I managed to utter. "Good!" Nessian commented in a manly voice.

"This is the picture." He showed me an image of him and a slim lady who had every feature of a model. There was a coincidence, the lady wore a fitting red gown which stopped above the knees just like mine. I made some comparisons, she was slim while I was curvy. She was of average height when I was tall, a brunette while I'm a honey blonde. "What's her name?" I decided to play nice a bit.

"Lucy."

"Wow, what a nice name!"

"Your name is nice as well." Nessian gives me a warm smile.

"Thanks." I inspected the picture more, taking note of all the features and attributes. It was not a difficult one for me, I was determined to make out something more perfect than what Nessian might be expecting.

"How much will you charge?"

"Eighty pounds." I smiled to myself, this' the highest amount of money I've negotiated with a customer since I started my business. However with the face Nessian kept, it proved like a very small amount of money to him.

"Well," he replied after a brief pause. "Just do your work perfectly, I will give you more than that if you fulfill your promise."

"Alright sir, I'll set to work at night. Tomorrow in the afternoon, your work should be done."

We shook hands and as he was about to go back to his car, I realized I had forgotten something. "Hello." He turned waiting to hear what I wanted to say.

"Can you please send the image on my Facebook?"

"Alright I will. If any suggestion comes in, I will let you know online." I nodded with a slight smile. He got into his luxurious car and the driver drove off.

I watched as his car went down the street to the adjoining May Avenue. I wondered what type of work he was doing. 'CEO' rang in my mind like a bell. Guilt came over me for betraying myself by trying to fall for the first charming man that came my way, most especially dreaming to get someone that already had a girlfriend.