Gladys had a line between her brows as she focused on the sheaf of papers before her. The bright sunlight flooding her office through the blinds did not help the tension headache still tapping at her temples. A voice broke her concentration.
Are you going straight home after work?” Ola asked from the doorway.
“Yes, I still have some analysis to finish up then I‘ll be ready. Can you drop me off today? I would have walked home but the heat will be a killer with this headache.”
“Where‘s Edward? I thought he was back. Isn‘t he coming to pick you up?”
“No, he came back from Abuja but had to go to France.”
“Yeah, the life of a hot-shot businessman is not easy.” She perused the expression on her friend‘s face and added with a laugh, “Not for their girlfriends too.”
Gladys exhaled on a sad smile. She‘d seen Edward only twice since their meeting the day after they‘d spoken on the phone to talk about the way forward for them. Their respective busy work schedules meant they only saw once before his flight to Paris yesterday. Thank God for phones and emails.
She turned back to Ola, “Will you drive me?”
“Sure but only if you agree to look over my wedding colors later. We could go over to Tantalizers for a light dinner. I know you like their fried plantain.”
“Are you choosing your colors already?” Gladys was excited for her friend. “OK give me a few more minutes, I just have to finish this today.”
She was the one delaying the performance metrics analysis which her team was working on to help improve the subsidiaries‘ service, enhance productivity and increase revenues. The team lead wanted her recommendations to be sent up to management tomorrow. She had those ready but had to sort them out across the appropriate groups, departments, and teams.
An hour later she was seated across a table with Ola, and dodo lay on a wide platter before them garnished with peppered snail cut in small pieces. The scent almost had her swooning and saliva flowed into her mouth. She licked her lips and picked up her fork.
Ola chuckled as she joined her, “Can‘t resist, can you?”
“Just don‘t tempt me with fried plantain.” Gladys savored the mouthful and swallowed. She took a sip of the orange juice beside her and continued eating. She looked up only at the hushed gasp. Ola had picked up and began to flip through the pages of the tabloid someone seemed to have forgotten on their table.