Rival Lovers

Too Much

Done with Mr. Jude, she called Belinda into her office and, for the first time in a long while, asked rather than wait for information on how the businesses had been working, especially with their current challenge. Belinda had no immediate reply from Kiki. Instead she gulped nervously, shifting from foot to foot. Irritated, Kiki asked her to sit before speaking and that seemed to stop her fidgeting, but not her nervousness.

"In the past few days we've had clients calling back to back threatening to pull off. Workers who claimed that they can not afford to work and not get paid. I've tried so far to pacify them and encourage the staff to keep working as they would get their full pay."

Belinda listened to her well-spoken, never cussing boss, as she let out a string of curse words before turning to her, letting her (Belinda) forward all calls from top clients to Kiki but, later, as she would be leaving to see her lawyer just after their meeting and to fire any incompetent staff as she had no time to pay slackers since a dedicated staff won't be flinching at any slightest provocation threatening to quit. Besides, they have always been diligent in rewarding their staff and the same magazines and papers which publish trash about her (Kiki) and her business dealings still can't deny nor hide such facts, so it is also one of the driving reasons why people from all over the world want to work for her.

******

Fey was seated in her meeting with potential investors about a new idea she had. In fact, her pitch had been great, everyone loved it but, while sharing their ideas with her, she was physically present, mentally absent and not bothered in the slightest, as she had them caught already, but the one which eluded her yet was the one which filled her thoughts.

While Fey drove out of her office parking lot, she was moved to look across and she saw the one person who, currently, was adding up to her already stressed life, standing there looking so lost and, despite being short on time, she could not pretend not to have seen Kiki. So, Fey drove towards Kiki and, even closer, Kiki looked worse, but it isn't her place to ask questions since they are just lovers or maybe..., she offered Kiki a ride but was ferociously turned down. Good for Fey, as she had inadequate time but harsh for a simple act of kindness.

She had driven off but found her mind still going back to that scene just like now trying without success to think about the right approach to address Kiki. She saw the news and, in fact, had given clear instructions to her housekeeper to purchase every paper and magazine with news about Kiki. When she had woken up alone in her bed, Fey felt cold because of the absence of the warmth she had slept in bed with. But helpless to the situation, with her TV turned on (rarely used) for the sole purpose of hearing another voice while alone, and the last time she watched her TV was when she wanted to watch the official announcement of the new Chairman of her biggest competition and the channel was still unchanged of its Business News Channel. At that moment, before she could think about changing channels, she heard Kiki being mentioned and that was how she first found out about Kiki's current situation. That took her back to the previous night when she had returned seeking rest and comfort and got just that and also the sadness of her benefactor (in a way) which she had ignored and wished she had at least given Kiki an ear to ease her burden and she (Fey) also felt that was why Kiki had failed to wait or even wake her before leaving. Filled with regret, she took leave of her investors, to their surprise, claiming urgent business and went in search of her lover.

Though she could not have known, she arrived just five minutes after Kiki had exited the office and was on the way to her lawyer's, so instead, she met with Kiki's assistant, Belinda, who informed Fey that her (assistant) boss wasn't available in the office and because she was suspicious of Fey she could not tell Fey where her boss had gone to but would be happy to pass on Fey's message. Well, Belinda only said that, but in all truthfulness she dreaded having to give any more devastating news to Kiki. Any moment now, her boss would shut the door in her face if she tried coming into her boss' office as she seemed to bear more bad news than good recently.

Fey thanked her and refused the assistant's request. Rather told Belinda to inform her boss to call Fey's office as soon as Kiki returned to her office. Fey drove back to work and tried to work while waiting for the call which, Oh! its almost closing time but it hasn't come yet.

If Kiki had a bad morning, then the afternoon till late in the day would make the bad morning seem like the normal everyday experience which may not be so pleasant, but one has learned to take it all in till it becomes mundane.

Kiki arrived at her lawyer's office to find that he had just left that morning for his annual vacation and had left strict instructions for his assistants not to disclose the details of his location to anyone, not even his high-paying clients. More so, the assistants only contact him when there is an urgent matter. He would only reply if he finds the matter worth his time, interest and pockets.

She tried so hard at getting even a little clue and went as low as to offer them some money, but it was obvious that the assistants were either loyal to their boss or plain scared of getting into his bad book. After all, he is not a man not known to go a little over the board or do unconventional things to people he considers to have offended him. Kiki wanted to pull her hair as she got behind the wheels of her car. She had spent hours there hoping to convince them to change their minds, which unfortunately did not work so. She only hoped her persistence would move them to contact their boss on her behalf and then, the said boss would remember how much she fattened his pocket with her money, which she hoped would inspire him to use his famous unconventional methods to keep her enemies and competitors in check.

All that remains is for Kiki to allow herself to go mad or go to a certain place where she knows she can vent her emotions in a different way which will also bring pleasure to her.