Dedicated to PauletteOdongo❤❤

For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,' says the Lord , 'plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)

"You should have consulted me first now. Àbí, irú kí leleyii now, ehn? What is all these now?" Ayomiposi Faleye growled causing the couple on the opposite table to glance at her.

Posi, as she was fondly called, was currently in her favourite restaurant, Bites 'n' Chops, eating her favourite small chops combo with a glass of chilled Chapman. She had her left hand around her glass of Chapman and had the look of someone who wanted to fling the contents at her companions.

It seemed she believed that her glare was enough to kill but it only accentuated her small facial features and made her look adorable. Her small round face held almond-shaped eyes with the lightest shade of brown eyes, long but scanty eyelashes and naturally well-shaped eyebrows. Only her slightly deep voice corrected people's perception of her. Or so she thought.

It was common knowledge that once Miss Faleye, as her employees or acquaintances called her, began to add "now" after every sentence that she was on the precipice of anger and just a little poke was sure to send her over the edge. The "now" was a sure signal to any smart person to give her space to cool off before approaching her for anything for she was known for her fiery temper.

It was probably to reiterate the fact that she didn't believe she was adorable.

However, space was not to be given this day as the people who seemed to have rolled her to the said precipice were her best friends, Gerald and Funmilayo, who were seated opposite her in the long backed cushioned chairs. And one more thing, they didn't care if she rolled off the edge as they just rolled their eyes and continued to smile like they had won a lottery.

She was fierce, but her friends didn't seem to think so.

The trio had met and had been friends since their University days. Gerald Coker was a six-foot-four-inch dark-skinned guy with eyes that transformed into slits whenever he smiled fully that one would almost think he had no iris or pupil. He was clean-shaven with a really pointed nose unusual for a Nigerian. He always tried to keep the peace wherever he was, but could be mischievous too.

Funmilayo Animashaun was almost a total opposite. Posi and Gerald almost always called her a dwarf due to her five feet slim frame. Light-skinned with eyes beautiful and huge enough to scare any person, framed by long curled lashes and well-plucked eyebrows, she was the straight-forward, unpretentious person and her friends loved her for it.

"And what would consulting you have yielded?" Funmilayo asked amusedly as she sipped her Coca-Cola drink. "Ehn, tell us, Miss 'Her Royal Highness' Faleye."

The what being that Gerald and Funmilayo had signed Posi up for a job without asking her. Gerald ran an art studio along with his career as a Physiotherapist and had been given the job to do the paintings and photos of a particularly important personality. However, he had changed his mind at the last minute to take the job and signed Posi for it.

"At least, I would have known and been prepared for it. I had plans, you know."

"Posi, learn to be spontaneous. Life isn't always about planning, ehn. Live spontaneously, do something fun sometimes."

"Are you saying I am boring now?" Posi asked incredulously with her eyes wide beneath her huge cat-eye frames.

"No, that's not what I am saying, babes. I just want you to be free, you know, unshackled from the pain of your past or behind those hideous frames you call spectacles. I want you to fly free like a bird with your wings spread wide, soaring on the wind of your predestined l-," Layo said with her eyes taking on the glow of one lost in another realm and arms spread out to show the wings of said bird.

"What Layo is trying to say is that," Gerald cut in while giving Layo a why-do-you-want-to-ruin-this look, "it would be really great if you can do this job. It's a really important one and we know we can trust you to handle it perfectly. Besides, you will definitely get the exposure you deserve. You will have to visit the client first to discuss what he/she wants and all. And of course, the pay is yours."

Posi's face took on that of the Le Penseur statue in Paris, before Funmi's voice broke in.

"Òré mii, you will meet people and you may even find love. All the blind dates we set you up on were sabotaged by you and your reason was that you didn't need to be set up to meet the love of your life. The way I see this, it's a win-win," added Layo.

Posi stared at her with her mouth open and just shook her head. She should have known Funmi would bring up her love life. Her friend was the romantic amongst them and she always had stars in her eyes.

"Win-win? For you or for me?"

"For you. For me. Same difference," Funmi countered, shrugging.

Posi wished she could just wipe the smug grin off her friend's face.

"It's not your fault. Is it your fault ni? No na. It is because you have found your own that's why you will not let the singletons rest."

Layo and Gerald looked at each other and began to smile sheepishly.

"Correction. He found me."

"Huh, look at you. Would you have met if not for me?"

"Ladies, let's not argue ehn. I'm very sure if I leave you guys to continue, this will go on forever. So," Gerald said, turning to Posi again, "will you take the job?"

Posi looked from one to the other, then sighed. "Do I have a choice? Ye-."

Layo squealed before she could even complete her statement and went round the table separating them to embrace her.

"Leave me alone, you. Gerald, carry your babe. Gerald na," she shouted as much as was acceptable in a public space but it only came out muffled, as Layo was bent on squeezing the life out of her.

When she finally released her from the hug, Posi faced Gerald. "You ehn. I will catch you. No spaghetti for you today."

"Ahn ahn."

Gerald looked like he was about to plead till she gave in but Posi just adjusted her clothes, picked her mobile phone and said, "Antar Laniyan ni. Anyways, I will do the job. When is the first meeting?"

"Erm, it's today at 3pm."

Posi swung her head up and pinned both her friends with a glare. She moved closer to them causing her friends to back away as much as the sitting arrangement could allow.

"Miss Faleye, you need to take things easy, ma. Let's discuss this before you take any action. Please ma," Layo pleaded with a mixture of teasing and actual fright. Posi could be unpredictable but her punishments like banning them from her social media accounts or refusing to feed them her famous stir-fry spaghetti which Gerald loved due to his weird love for spaghetti, were actually very hilarious.

"This is me being calm, my dears," she laughed wickedly. "I will get you guys. Don't worry."

She suddenly relaxed on her seat and began to sip her Chapman with a straw while giving them the evil eye she had perfected over the years. If her friends were any other people, they'd have been shivering. But they weren't.

(Few minutes before the meeting with Posi)

"Love, what do you think about giving Posi the Sijuade job? Thing is I have been having this prompt for us to do so for a while now but I just put it aside. It got stronger these past few days," Funmi said with a serious face. They were seated in the car as they had just arrived at Bites 'n' Chops, their favourite hang-out location in town.

"Really? Why did you wait till now to tell me about this? Besides, you know she doesn't like things being sprung upon her. And I am to meet the client today," Gerald responded with raised brows.

He understood when his fiancé said things like this, but Posi was very sensitive about this sort of arrangement especially when it came to her job. Asides that, the client was a very important person. This "oversight" could turn out bad for his business.

"Yes, I'm sure. I don't know what God wants to do with this. I just believe we should give in to this."

"Okay then. Let's say a quick prayer before I call the client's P.A," Gerald said as he held Funmi's hands.

"Father God,... "

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Glossary of Words
Àbí, irú kí leleyii -- What is this?
Òré mii-- My friend