Patching Up Pieces

Chapter 4

Treasure rolled her eyes. “Please, when mentioning human beings, leave that one out. Even if I looked like a scarecrow, being female is enough. Rubbish.”

“True though,” Kemi nodded. “I tried talking to him the other time he tried hitting on me that he should forsake that kind of lifestyle. My advice made him run – not my age, not my marital status.” She scoffed.

Treasure looked over at her, eyes wide open. “He hit on you too?” She shook her head. “So, I was right after all – anything in skirt.”

They stopped at the door with HEAD ANALYST written in black on a lustre gold block. Kemi tapped. A deep voice invited them in.

Kelvin was seated behind a medium-sized office table, typing away on his computer. Even with the amount of files and loose papers on the desk, he had managed to keep them well arranged and neat.

“Good morning, sir,” Treasure spoke up. “I am done collating the sales data of AUC Company you gave me. I have also written a report on it.” She handed over the flash drive, along with the documents in her hands to him. “It’s filed under the name ‘AUC Report’. If you would like me to quickly brief you…”

“Thank you,” Kelvin said shaking his head. “I will look through it later. You two never disappoint.”

He collected the items from her, smiling up at both ladies. He had a handsome face – even Treasure had to agree – with skin that could be compared to hot chocolate laden with milk. He kept his beard low, carved, and clean. He cleared the right corner of his desk and placed the documents he collected.

“I have more work for you. Please, sit,” Kelvin said, gesturing to the dark blue chairs across his table, Kemi and Treasure briefly glanced knowingly at each other as they sat.

“As you would have noticed, the workload is increasing by the day. We are getting more clients, which of course is a good thing, right? More clients mean more money coming in and the confirmation that we all smile to the bank at the end of the month. So,” Kelvin continued, standing up to retrieve a big file from the polished brown cabinet behind his chair which had rows of files arranged.

“I would need you both to work on these micro-data for our newest client. It should be ready in the next forty-eight hours. Share the work between yourselves. It’s quite a bundle. I have what I would give to the other members of the team.” Kemi took the file from him.

He smiled at the distraught look on their faces.

“Don’t envy the others,” Kelvin continued as he returned to his chair. With his elbows on the table supporting his chin, he looked from one lady to the other. “They have punishment for always being late and behind schedule. Your work is very light compared to theirs. You can get to work.” He dismissed them with a smile and went back to typing on his computer.

“Yes, sir,” both women chorused as they stood up and took their leave.

“I don’t understand, but any time I am in that office, I don’t seem to breathe properly,” Treasure said as they left the office and walked towards their desks, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly.

“If I didn’t know you, I would have said you are having a crush on Mr Kelvin. But,” Kemi quickly added when she saw the look on Treasure’s face, trying hard to suppress her smile, “I do know you and that is not the case. I guess it’s just him. He has some kind of authoritative aura around him. You just want to listen to him speak.”

“Yes... something like that. Anyway,” Treasure said. “How are we splitting this work? It looks like more data collation judging from that size.” She eyed the file. The sight of the huge file was not appealing.

“Calm down. Do you want to set it ablaze with that look?” Kemi chuckled.

“I am still going to have more sleepless nights apparently.” Treasure sunk into her chair and placed her head on the desk.

Kemi was amused. “Look who is worried about her beauty sleep. It’s nobody’s fault that you take work home so you could meticulously handle it. There’s hardly any error in your work due to this. I’m sure the reason the data collation took so long was because you were reviewing it a gazillion times. Don’t complain about the talent you flawlessly have at being on top of your game. I really admire that in you. Do I tell you to stay up late? Probably Mr. Kelvin?” She playfully nudged Treasure before turning to walk to her chair.

Treasure raised her head. “I don't know what else I would be doing if not working. See, in three years, I want to be sitting at a top position, giving orders, being paid twice or more what I earn now,” Treasure told her. “And in other to meet that target, I have to put in more effort. Learn all I can at the shortest possible time and be a pro at it. I have no other choice.” With renewed energy, she sat up.

Turning her attention to the file, Kemi smiled and scanned through the papers, stopping to read through the instructions prepared by Mr Kelvin. “The major work has been done for us by this corporation,” she said as she flipped the pages. “They have done their research – market survey that is – and only need our help to sort the data, forming data models in a way they can make sense of it. It’s on customers’ satisfaction in relation to their services and pricing. They want a final report summarizing all these info, and a brief Power Point presentation on the strategies that would improve their customer satisfaction.

“They asked really good questions.” She glanced up at Treasure who had come to stand beside her to take a look.

“It’s what we know how to do best, dear,” Kemi added smiling. “The only real work here is that they chose to carry out their survey via questionnaire format, and also the in-depth information on their services and prices. Thus, the reason for all these plenty papers. I see why they pushed this work to us.” Kemi gave a small laugh. “I will handle the greater part of the collation, along with the final report. You can focus on the presentation when we are done.”

Treasure couldn’t believe her ears. “What? Me? Presentation? But you are the expert in that area. You should do that. You know I haven’t done any major presentation, and you are indirectly taking the bulk of the work.”

“I need to give room for others to become experts too and I am delighted to hand it over to you. You will do a great job at presenting, no doubt. No objections,” Kemi added, raising a finger to hush her. “Draw your seat closer, let’s begin. You would be assisting me in the collation so I am not taking any bulk work. It’s still balanced. And no need to take work home.” She winked.

Treasure stared at her. If there were really angels, she thought, Kemi would be one. The opportunity she had been waiting for, just handed over to her on a platter. She carried her chair over to Kemi’s side, a smile spreading on her once bland face and they began to work.

* * *

KELVIN MAKINDE wished desperately that he could get a break. A week, he thought, would do. He stared at the pile of work on his desk and sighed heavily. Even after distributing the work, he still had a ton of things to do: to double-check the research data he had given to the research team, to read through the reports that would be handed over to the manager early the next day, and to prepare for a presentation to a client coming in mid-day the following day. He glanced over at the day’s schedule he had written on sticker notes and placed at the edge of his computer. Dinner date with Eva, his girlfriend, was at 7 PM. He checked his wristwatch. It was some minutes past five. He would have to perform some kind of magic to finish the work on his table and make it in time for his date.

One had to be cancelled, and it was definitely not work. There was also the paperwork he needed to wrap up which he would use in the 7 O’clock meeting with the Managing Director and other Heads of Department the following morning. He could not go anywhere. Not tonight.

Eva would be upset, he thought, rubbing his knuckles over his eyes. This would be the third time in two weeks he was cancelling their date. The last time he did, she made a huge fit, yelling and threatening to leave him. She was being unreasonable, nagging too much these days and he was getting fed up. He expected her to understand that work was important because that is where he gets the money he lavishes on her anyway.

He picked up his phone and dialled her number. He prayed it would not ring. It did. He prayed she would not pick. She did. Tough luck, he thought grudgingly.

“Hi, baby.” He put up his most charming voice, hoping it would make things easier.

“Hello, love,” Eva’s soft voice flowed into his ears. “I was just picking the dress I would wear this evening. I am sure I would leave you breathless, baby. I got myself a spa treatment today, just for you, sweet. Tonight is going to be magical.” She rattled on in her singsong voice.

This is going to be harder than I thought, Kelvin said to himself, two fingers at his right temple.

“Umm, baby?” He paused. “I am so sorry I wouldn’t be able to make it tonight. I have paperwork to complete for a meeting holding tomorrow morning. I promise, I will –”

“What are you talking about, Kelvin?” Eva cut him off, disgust painting her voice. “How dare you do this again? What flimsy excuse are you giving this time? What am I going to do about my evening that I have already planned out? Do you think I am something you can pick up and drop any time you wish? Is your work more important than me?”

“No, baby. It’s not like that, please try to understand –”

“Understand what? That work always, always comes before me? That spending time together means nothing to you? That is what you want me to understand? In fact, I am done.”

“Babe…” Kelvin began, but was greeted by the dial tone instead. He sighed. He called her back. Her line was not reachable. He tried her other line but she didn't respond. He left a message, apologizing and promising to make it up to her, and then he went back to work.

It was eight O’clock when Kelvin finally shut down the system for the day. He was among the three people still left in the office: the security man, the Accounts manager – who he met when leaving – and himself. He was exhausted but glad he was able to finish the work for the day.