Chapter 3 THE MEETING

The awkward silence in the room, as Mr. Rosa paced frantically as he told Jack and me about the financial problems.

"Where did it start"?. Sandra asked

There was no answer, everyone remained calm, the room filled with despair, I observed Jack was not remorseful about the news at all, I was inquisitive too. Know why we would be in so much financial debt that our work building is about to be taken away from us.

I turned to Jack, hoping he would reply to me

"Can you tell me what happened"? I adjusted my chair to look him straight in the eye.

"Well". Jack was about to say something,

"Don't say anything, Jack". Mr. Rosa interrupted,

"Why shouldn't he ?". I asked

"Well let's say I made some financial decisions, and it is affecting us". Mr. Rosa replied

I looked at Jack because I was not convinced about what my foster father just told me.

"Is this true?". I asked Jack

"Yeah, yeah".

"As a family, I called you all here because you are the most important people in this company". Mr. Rosa said, "Well, thank you for the accolades". I replied curtly

"You don't have to be rude Sandra"

" I am not rude Dad"

"Then why the face"

"Because you said I am part of the company, and yet I had no idea about the financial decisions you took"

"Well, I have a solution". Mr. Rosa said as his voice began to rise.

"What is the solution". I asked, "Jack are you not saying anything?". I asked Jack as I turned to him.

"What do you want me to say?"

"I have a plan". Mr. Rosa said repeatedly.

"We just have to make some necessary adjustments then we can know how to forge ahead". He added, "This meeting is over".

Jack hurriedly left the room, without turning back.

A few hours later, work was done, and it was time for closure I got a call from Emily...

"Hey birthday girl,"

"Not doing fine". I said sulkily

"What's the matter?"

"It's work"

"Well that can wait"

"Well, I have made plans for both of us". Emily added

"What plans?"

"We are going to the club, and I want to introduce this amazing guy to you"

"hmmmmm, what's his name?"

"My friend Annie works at his firm, he is a wonderful guy, I heard he would be at the club, so I want us to meet him"

"So you've never met him ?". Sandra asked.

"Well no one knows him that much, he is not an accessible type of guy"

"But then again I have a VIP ticket to the club he would be in tonight, so we just have to go and party with him". Emily replied.

"Well, you should have told me that you don't know him?". Sandra replied.

"hahaha, pulling your legs so you could come to the party". Emily replied as she defended herself.

"Can you come by at my place, so we could dress up for the show?".

"Yeah, sure". Emily said.

The phone went dead, I packed my books, cleared my office went to Mr. Rosa's office to inform him I was about to go. As I got into the office of Mr. Rosa

"Hello dear, I know I told you I would arrange the payment". Mr. Rosa said on the phone.

He was frantically speaking on the phone, I wanted to stand back so I would not eavesdrop on his call. To my shock, I heard

"I love you baby".

"I know, I know Esther it's been weeks since I have not seen you"

"I miss sex with you so much". He said as he scratched his head.

I withdrew back so he would not see me. A few seconds later, he looked towards the door, he saw me and suddenly changed the conversation and finally ended it. The phone went dead.

"Hello, Hello Sandra,". He said nervously,

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Not for so long". I replied.

"I am about to go, sir,". I said as I pointed towards the exit door.

"Okay, okay, see you tomorrow then". His hands inside his pocket, his chest slightly out posing a stance of control over the situation at hand.

"Goodbye sir"

"Uh-hmm. Are you going home?".

"No Dad, I am going to meet my friend for my birthday"...

"Hamm, Okay, remember to come back early,".

"Sure Dad

"Stay away from boys too". He added sarcastically

"Yeah Yeah ".

I got into the elevator and headed downstairs, ordering a Taxi from my phone to come pick me up. When I arrived downstairs, the taxi was already waiting for me. I got into the taxi and headed home. I couldn't get my mind away from the fact that the chances were high that my foster dad was cheating on my mom, I couldn't just wrap my head around it. The mixed feelings were just confusing.

"maybe that was the reason she was crying this morning". I said to myself.

The taxi arrived at our lawn, and I got out hurriedly went in.

"Hello, who is home?"

"I'm home Mom",

"is anyone there?

No one came in and went upstairs, the rooms were wide open. I opened my bag and brought out my phone to call Jack, as I was about to make the call, I heard sounds in my foster parents' door opening, and it was a man coming out juggling, it was the repair guy fixing my parents' bathroom.

"hey, Sandra".. Mrs. Rosa said as she looks me, she held the hands of the plumber man.

"When did you come back?"

"It is not been long since I came back".. I replied

"Well thank God I called the plumber to come to fix our toilet as I said earlier"..

"sure"..

"so what are you doing at home so early?".. Mrs. Rosa asked frantically.

"Well I need to get my stuff, to go for my birthday celebration"

"Okay dear have fun"..

I watched my mom hold the hand of the plumber man as they both laughed, and they went downstairs together.

The event I just witnessed was surprising, but my mind was drawn to eh fact that I was already late for the club party. I got in took my clothes, got a taxi and went to Emily's home.

I got to Emily's home she was already dressed, and she helped me prepare the birthday cake, we had a little celebration. After that, we got a taxi and headed straight to the club.

The club was filled with many people trying to get in, the bouncers were very strict they only worked with protocols.

When it was our turn Emily showed them our invites, and they let us in, as we got into the place, the noise and the sound was something I had never witnessed in my life.

It was so immersive that you would be stuck in the vibrations of the walls, we couldn't hear ourselves. We moved straight to the VIP section where we were officially meant to stay.

Meanwhile at the other end was a dashing young man who got out of his car, the whole crowd was cheering at him, he was so dead gorgeous with an athlete's body, he was given a free pass and all the women drooled at him.

"that's him".. Emily said,

"Who?"

"James. Duh". Her eyes rolling

"Oh that's James Oh my God, he is an angel"..

"Yeah he is"

"How did you know him".. I asked

"I know few people".. She replied with a smile.

"what of?"

"I don't think he is here"

"But James is a hell of a man".. I said to Emily.

I couldn't stop looking at him, as he continued to make his way to the VIP sections, along with him were two bodyguards, wearing black polo and a blue jean, muscular in stature.

Immediately our eyes clocked together, I felt like the world was about to end, it would be me and this James of a man. So lovely to keep staring, I became excessively shy as I couldn't behold his face. Lost in the thought of him

"Come here"..

Someone with a husky voice spoke to me, as I snapped back from my thoughts.

"SI?".. I replied, "Yes I mean you".. The bodyguard said to me.

As I moved towards the bodyguard swiftly in other to respond to the call

"Hey, you where are you going?"..

"Hey, I said where are you going?"

The bodyguard string armed me, I pointed at him that I was being called by someone when he turned he saw it was his boss Mr. James.

"Alright, go on".. He gave me a direction.

As I got into the VIP section, I heard Emily scream my name, and she gave me two thumbs up with a smile. I smiled back at her.

"what's your name Missy?". The gorgeous man said with a baritone voice that tingled my fancy.

I was being lit up from the inside, my hormones began to run wide I wanted him to devour me at an instant. I began to drip within my underwear, my legs shaking, as I stood there dumbfounded about how a man could be this heavenly.

"Hi hi. My. My. My. Name is Sandra".. I replied as I trembled.

"Nice name"..he said with a smile on his face.

"So what are you doing here?"