“How is Business?” Donald asks looking at his friend.
He somehow knew about the recent challenges his friend’s company was facing, he wasn’t clear about it and just wanted to hear from his friend. You know a friend in need is a friend indeed.
Kingsley sighs and adjusts to partly face his friend.
“Business has been… ” he sighs again “Not too good, there has been a challenge that recently happened” Kingsley started and explained all that his company has been facing.
Donald felt absolutely sad for his friend, he knew Bernard Tech faced some issues but didn’t know it was this bad. But he knows Kingsley Bernard to be a very intelligent man and knows how to find himself out of a situation
“Is there not something you could do?” he asked.
“Well, our engineers are looking into the situation, and we spent a lot on this project and we have not been able to come up with a solution,” sighing he looked away and put his face on his palm “Like I said we have spent lots of money on this project and we are on the edge of getting bankrupt and I don’t want to lose my company, I just didn’t know what went wrong, I really can’t understand… I… I wish there was something we could do” he faced his friend.
“We have thousands of mouths we are feeding, I don’t want this feeling again, I… I… I was affected by what happened in the company I once worked in. When I and other workers there were laid off, it did kind of affect me financially but I was thankful Moana was there, we managed to pull through all of that, but not all fingers are equal, what of the one’s that don’t have any other option aside from the present job they have? How will they survive? They have worked with us for years and have been such great employees, I don’t… I don’t want that to happen” Kingsley explained looking distressed.
Donald sighed and looked away for a while, a thought flashed across his mind but he shrugged it off, he turned back to his friend.
“What of Audriana? I heard of all the wonderful things she has done in the Tech industry. She knows right?” he asked.
“Yeah she does,” Kingsley gave a weak chuckle “Ande if she doesn’t hear it from me it will break her and she has a lot going on, I don’t want to be the reason she cries bitterly, she is my princess, but she doesn’t know the present situation of the company, I just told her about the failed model, she doesn’t know the company we built together with our amazing teams will be going bankrupt in some months to come, what am I saying week to come” Kingsley sighs.
Donald nods in understanding. The thought that came to him minutes ago came back and he tried shrugging it off but it kept coming, he asked himself if he should ask his friend, give him a win-win offer, it wouldn’t hurt to help each other.
“I understand what is going on, I have been in that situation before, yes I didn’t build this empire from scratch, I inherited it from my Papa but I too faced some challenges too and overcame it so this is all a stage my friend don’t think too much about anything” he began
“I have an offer,” he said and Kingsley looked at him.
…
She tied her brown hair up in a bun and checked through all the racks that had bra and panties hung on them, she didn’t find what she was looking for and decides to go to the shoe section with a reminder to come to check properly for her desired undergarment.
She walked out of the underwear section at the far end of the mall where the female department is located, with a few undergarments in her hand then turned to the right which leads to the shoe section, and bumped into someone, the undergarments in her hand fell down and some of the shoes the woman she bumped into was holding.
“So sorry abou–” she stopped when she raised her head to look at the woman she bumped into.
Her eyes went wide so did the woman and squeals came out of both their mouths and they dropped what they were holding and hugged each other, they did get some look for shoppers nearby and apologized for the disturbance.
“Oh my GOD Moana, I missed you,” Patricia said hugging Moana again.
“Me too, sister” Moana replied “Look at you, looking all good and all” Moana said looking at her childhood friend from head to toe.
“Oh please don’t flatter me, you look superb my dear, how have you been?” Patricia asked
“I have been good, how is business?” Moana asked
They bent and picked up their wears, Moana gave Patricia one of the heels that were beside her feet, she thanked her and they continued to the shoe section.
“So you are finally back? Like you’re here to stay?” Moana asked.
“Well yes, I hope so I really love it here. Back home in Spain is great, but here is better than ever,” Patricia said to her.
“Okay, but anyways I love that you are back again and we will get time to bond like old times,” Moana said and they hugged each other again.
They both agreed to have lunch at the local diner just down the road, it is their usual spot from when they were kids up till now, it brings so many memories for them.
“So how is everything?” Patricia asked and she took a forkful of her salad.
Moana ordered a plate of chicken salad and orange juice, while Patricia ordered a plate of Mediterranean salad and white wine.
“Everything is good, I love this chicken, it’s like their food gets better every single time,” Moana said.
“Yeah, it is great,” Patricia said.
“I… I heard about Cade…” Moana began holding her friend’s hand in hers
“No, it’s okay, I…” she cleared her throat “I saw your message of condolence, even when I wasn’t here I was glad I had a sister or rather a family who cared for me and have us in their prayers,” Patricia said.
Moana smiled and gave her a gentle comforting squeeze on her hand and nods in agreement
“It was quite hard on us but… we thank GOD for helping us scale through at the most challenging moments of our lives” she adds.
“I am glad Patricia, I am, how about Dimitri? he must have grown to be a handsome young, man,” Moana said.
Patricia sighed “Yeah, he is and he is doing well,” she said to Moana but it was more like she convincing herself.
There is nothing absolutely wrong with her baby, but he just needs to adjust so of his not impressive character/attitude he has grown in these past years.
“So…” Patricia took a sip from her wine before continuing “How about your beautiful Audriana? The last I saw of her, she was one of the top five women to have so much influence in tech, she is doing a wonderful job” Patricia comments.
She will be very glad for Audriana and Dimitri to end up together but wouldn’t want that to happen, she doesn’t want a woman having to endure her son’s behavior all because she wants him responsible. She would accept no such behavior if she was to have a daughter and don’t want any girl going through that stress.
“Thank you so much, Pat, I am so proud of my baby though I am totally clueless as to what she and Kingsley do, the result of their hard work is brilliant,” Moana said.
“Yeah, I wish her so much luck in all her endeavors”
“Thank you”
They continued talking, about anything and reminisce about their adventure together in the past.
…
“Do think about what I told you Hermano” Donald said and Kingsley nods.
He stood up to leave and shake his friend’s hand.
“I will let you know about my decision and please my regards to Patricia and Dimitri,” he said and turned to leave.
“Sure, I will let them know, and send mine to Moana and Audriana” Donald replied and Kingsley nods and went out of his office.
He wished deep in his heart Kingsley consider his offer, he knows his friend was in a very challenging stage, and bringing this up at this time is very bad of him and the thought alone makes him so sad.
…
Kinglsey was in his car in thoughts, he was thinking of accepting his friend’s offer but, will he hurt the one he loves to save his company? He was definitely in a tight corner here.
He looked at the possibilities of him accepting the offer, it is a win-win case here.
With that thought in his mind, he started his car and drove out of the driveway to his home.