Dedicated to lovesurroundsme. ❤

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. - Hebrews 4:14‭-‬16 (MSG)

Present Day, 2020

Morning, they say, is always a time to start over and receive renewed strength to keep pushing forward. Well, morning it was but starting over wasn't even on Olatayo's mind neither did he have the strength to move anywhere. All he wanted to do was bury himself in work and that's what was going to happen.

"Good morning, sir," Kazeem greeted as he collected his boss' charcoal black jacket and matching leather bag, before he followed him into the building's elevator.

Adekiitan Olatayo Sijuade.

His names projected authority and royalty. However, he preferred to be addressed by his middle name rather than his first. He wasn't ashamed of it, he just wanted to keep a low profile.

Olatayo kept a full but well-trimmed beard with his normal skin haircut. He made it a point of duty to look sharp everyday and this morning was no different. Dressed in charcoal black trousers, a gleaming white shirt like those worn by actors in Korean movies, teal-coloured striped tie with matching brown belt and shoes, he exuded all that his names projected.

Authority. Royalty.

"Good morning, Kazeem," Olatayo replied as he adjusted his tie and stood ram-rod straight in the elevator. Thankfully, nobody was getting on at any of the floors. Well, nobody could as he always came to work as early as possible. It was just a habit he had picked up while he was in the boarding house since his secondary school days and he couldn't seem to drop it, even as he grew.

"What's my schedule like today?" He asked as he rubbed the silver-coloured band on his ring finger.

"You have the monthly board meeting at 10am. An interview with The Next Shot at 1pm and finally, a meeting with Mr. Coker of Creative Creations to discuss your next photoshoot at 3pm."

"Is that all?" Olatayo asked, with a thoughtful look.

"Yes, sir. That's all of the important meetings for the day. However, your parents have asked that you call them whenever you're free, sir."

Olatayo raised an eyebrow as he hmmmm-ed. The parents were obviously up to something again. Whatever it was, he should probably call them first and hear what they have to say. He sighed and made a mental note to call them.

"Kazeem, please get me a cup of coffee and get the head of H.R for me as soon as he arrives."

"Yes, sir."

The elevator dinged signalling their arrival on the office floor. Olatayo stepped out with Kazeem just a step behind him, as a few of his employees who had arrived greeted him in various pitches of "Good morning sir". He acknowledged the greetings with a head nod or a small smile while walking on to his office.

He wasn't an overbearing boss, or so he thought. These employees had just decided to also show up early ever since they discovered that their boss came to the office quite early. Some with eye-service so as to impress him or get a promotion, others just as a sense of loyalty or work ethic. But who was watching, right?

He strode into his office and stood by the window just staring at the vastness of the city. The sun was shining just a tad brighter this morning and he felt slightly unburdened, just slightly.

T.D Corporations, his company, was located in the choicest part of the Lekki Peninsula 1 in the city of Lagos, in a high-rise building about 30 floors with the company on the 30th floor. There was something about being on the last floor of a building. It gave a feeling of being insurmountable, you know, being unbeatable and unconquerable. His office was the largest on the floor holding a dark mahogany table, a dark brown ergonomic chair and two single sofas for visitors. Behind the table was a full wall bookshelf with almost every book and magazine edition on architecture, building, marketing, advertising, accounting, and a few mystery novels. To the left of the table was a full floor-to-ceiling glass window with automatically operated window blinds, and ceramic vases holding artificial plants on either side of the window. And to the right of the table was the wall with an invisible door, which led to a mini-bedroom equipped with a 6 by 4 feet sized bed frame and mattress, a small-sized coffee table, a bathroom and toilet with the essentials in it. The room was decorated in various tones of the brown including the bed sheet and rug. The mini-bedroom served as a form of haven — a place to rest when he was tired or didn't want to go home.

He turned to his table as he took his seat, gave himself an "I-can-do-all-things-through-Christ" pep talk more as a routine than actual believing, before he lifted the lid of his laptop and started the work for the day.

                          ******

"We shall reconvene next month to review what has been achieved based on today's meeting and move on to make more plans for the next six months. Thank you so much for your work so far," Olatayo said to close the board meeting.

All the members of the board present rose on their feet as Olatayo shook hands with them before leaving the board room.

"The interviewer from The Next Shot is already waiting in your office, sir," Kazeem reported.

"Alright. Let's get this over with."

As he strode into his office, the said interviewer rose to her feet and extended her hand in greeting.

"Good day, Mr Sijuade. I am Roseline Nwachukwu from The Next Shot. Thank you for accepting our request for an interview," she said in a stately and calm voice.

"Good day, Miss Nwachukwu. The pleasure's all mine. Shall we?" Olatayo said as he moved to sit, while also gesturing for her to have her seat.

The interview was going smoothly until she asked about the different stories surrounding his wife's death.

Tayo responded with a deadly calm that rivalled that of a graveyard.
"I thought I particularly requested that personal questions be avoided during the interview. Please, I won't be answering that and I believe that will be all. Thank you," he said as he reached for the intercom, dialling in his P.A.

Roseline took that as her cue as she gathered her stuff to leave while apologizing profusely.

Kazeem walked in, assessed the situation and ushered the frazzled young lady out of his office. The minute he was alone, Tayo sank low into his chair as tears gathered in his eyes. His fingers found their way to his wedding band to turn it as he was wont to do.

A knock on his door signalled him, as he sat upright and stared at his laptop's screen.

Clearing his throat, he called out, "Yes."

Kazeem walked in once again, looked at him and was quite uncomfortable as he tried to tell him about his next appointment.

He couldn't right now. He needed some time alone so he could clear his head.

"Please, reschedule that appointment for another time next week. Also, remind me to call my parents before you leave for the day. That will be all."

"Okay, sir," Kazeem replied as he moved to leave.

Moving from his table, Tayo stood before the window as he sighed again.

I thought I was over this. Apparently, I'm not.

I am here, son.

                         ~~*****~~

Kazeem had just settled after the board meeting and was seated at his desk once he was certain that his boss wouldn't need him the next hour. Stretching his neck muscles, he began to put together the notes from the meeting in a report and also prepare for the next meeting. He paused to pick up his ringing phone without looking at it, placing it between his shoulder and left ear before he continued typing the report.

"Hello. Am I speaking to Mr. Kazeem of T.D Corporations?" the caller said.

"Yes. This is he."

"Okay. I'm Mr Coker from Creative Creations."

"Oh, yes. I'm so sorry for not recognizing your number. We'll soon meet up with you at Bites 'n' Chops," Kazeem replied, as he continued typing.

"Yes, that's why I called. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to make today's meeting. But I already have a substitute in place who is just as good, and probably even better than I am."

Kazeem stopped typing with his right index finger hanging over the key j.

Ah ah ah. Look at this man. Eeeeh, what kind of problem is this today? Work is about to end for the day but my village people said "nooo, let's introduce an obstacle".

"Mr Kazeem? Are you there?"

"Yes yes. Urm, okay. I'm not sure my boss would be happy about that but I'd get back to you."

"Alright. Thank you. The name of my friend is Ayomiposi Faleye and she'll be waiting at the same venue. I'll send her contact details as soon as I hang up. I'm so sorry once again."

"Okay," Kazeem replied as he hung up. His mind began to run at a mile per second as he moved towards his boss' door thinking of how to break the news to his boss. Then he heard the intercom ring.

**********************************

Note: The Writer's Cut will most likely be a normal fixture in coming chapters. You'd get to see what other characters in the book have to say or think.