Chapter 4 Just for a second...

Thank you so much, we're privileged to do business with Soter Group, Teddy said escorting Carlos, Soter's account manager to the door.

We're glad to do business with you, Carlos said smiling. And I must add that your office environment is the best I've seen in a long time.

Thank you Raina replied.

She had left them to take a phone call and she was back.

I'll take my leave now, Carlos said and walked out.

He's a simple man, Teddy said, smiling at Raina when Carlos gone out of hearing range.

Yeah. Raina replied, breathing a sigh of relief, they were finally over with the long-awaited business deal. She felt happy and fulfilled.

And what was with that CEO, Soter, he was unnecessarily mean to you, Teddy said suddenly. Hmm? Raina asked.

Don't tell me you didn't notice it, Ray.

Oh, I thought he was just being professional and business-like, Raina replied, pretending not to have been affected by Soter.

Teddy turned to stare at her, and slowly a smile spread across his face.

What? Raina asked. Nothing, he replied, still smiling. He started to walk away, then paused, and stared at her again, the silly smile still on his face.

Raina rolled her eyes and made a face at him. Whatever you're thinking, do well to keep it to yourself, she said.

Indeed, now run along, Nana would be waiting for you already, Teddy said walking away.

Nana? Raina thought. Oh, she had forgotten she was having lunch with Nana today. Nana would be furious if she cancelled.

Thank you, Teddy, she mouthed, though he was long gone.

She was grateful to Teddy, he was more like the older brother she never had.

They had met way back in high school. Teddy had been one of Guy's close friends so naturally they became friends too.

And over the years Teddy's loving, and warm aura had kept her whole.

Teddy and Guy had a fallout a few years back, but that did not affect their friendship. Teddy was her solid rock and she was glad to know him.

As she got into her Mercedes-AMG CLA, her phone beeped, it was a text from Nana.

'Sweetie were you?'

I'm on my way, love, she texted back.

Nana was one of Raina's few close friends after Teddy. She was a Nigerian who had migrated to the UK at age 19. Nana was delicately beautiful, caramel-dark-skinned, slim, and tall, with a lovely gap in her shiny white teeth. She had long curly, soft black hair that Raina loved so much.

They had met at a conference in Chelsea. It was an all-women conference.

Nana had been one of the guest speakers, and Raina had been captivated by her. The way she was dressed, the way she talked, the way she smiled, literally everything she did spoke grace and affluence.

After the conference, Raina had been surrounded by a few women saying hi and hellos, and making small business talks but all her attention was on Nana who was talking to a group of women too.

Raina had excused herself from her group to use the restroom, and was almost walking out of the conference room when she heard her name, she turned startled. It was Nana.

Raina was surprised. Hi Nana, ho... How did I know your name? Nana completed her question smiling.

Yes, Raina said, blushing. Well, you're quite more popular than you think, more like the well-known, pretty, young CEO of Rayted, Nana said, still with that genuine warm smile on her face.

They had talked for a while that day before Nana left for a meeting.

Since that day, they had become friends, and over 5 years, sisters. Nana and Raina were both 25 years old. At the prime of their youth, as people would say. They understood each other well and connected perfectly.

But now Nana was getting married. They were going to check out wedding gowns at Brown's Bride. An employee of Nana had given them a glowing review so she and Nana had agreed to visit them.

Raina packed her 2023 Audi A3 in front of Nana's company. The name Brewista was boldly engraved in front of the building.

Raina remembered once asking Nana about the inspiration behind the name Brewista.

Nana had chuckled. It means the brewing expert, and since I'm an expert at coffee making, I chose the name for my company. It comes with a story though, Nana added.

That was Nana, instead of just going right to the story, she would first tease Raina and keep her in suspense to be sure she was curious enough.

What's the story Nana, Raina asked making a pitiful face.

Alright, I'll tell you. Nana said smiling, her gap tooth always made her smile angelic.

Well, when I was young, back in Nigeria, we rarely knew what real coffee was, Nana began her tale. My only definition of coffee was the Nescafe we took to stay awake. I didn't know there was something like going to a restaurant and ordering a refreshing cup of coffee over a conversation with a friend. Those were luxuries only the rich enjoyed.

One day, a young German man called Mr Mekanna opened a Tea shop near where I lived in Jos. Back then, Jos had many foreigners, and so his business boomed. It's often said that the foreigners loved Jos because of how similar it was to their weather. Is that true? Nana had asked.

Raina had chuckled, bemused. She was drifting already, to a life she had never lived. She had imagined herself standing on one Jos' high plateau, the very one Nana had stood on with her younger brother Sardic, to take the photo hanging on her Ivory-coloured living room wall.

Raina imagined herself soaked in the warm, cold Jos sun lost in the beauty of the place and its people. She imagined herself breathing in its cold and refreshing air on a cold harmattan morning, just as Nana had described it. The mornings are usually very cold in December and also refreshing... Nana had once told her with an ethereal smile that conveyed many unspoken desires.

Are you listening? Nana had asked her startling her out of her daydream. Yes, I am, Raina answered.

Back then, I was staying with my old Granny and my younger brother, Nana continued.

I applied to work for Mr Mekanna as a cleaner and I was accepted. Over time, I went from cleaning to serving coffee and making it.

The first time I made coffee, his son, Ephrem had just arrived from Germany, and I served them coffee. I could clearly remember how hard my heart was beating that day, Nana said.

They took the first sip and nothing extraordinary happened, a part of me expected a spit-out or an angry scold, from Mr Mekanna, but nothing happened. They took the second, and third... and soon their mugs were empty.

Ephrem had brought the mugs to the counter himself. Hey Brewista, he said smiling. My father has found a germ this time, he murmured and walked away.

It was a single art of art appreciation that had meant the world to me, and so when I came to the UK and decided to live my coffee-making dream, Brewista was the only name that soothed me perfectly. Nana said.

From coffee to love, Raina had replied, teasing Nana. How she wished just for a second, Guy could love her the way Ephrem loved Nana. That delicate, intricate kind of love. Just for a second.

Would you keep waiting, Raina? her inner voice whispered.