"R-right a-away sir".Mr Gibbs bobbed his hand and ran away from the seething man.
He was clearly frustrated.
Ashely bit her lip,holding the small baby in one hand,her bag in the other. It was one in the afternoon. She had no choice,but to take the baby with her. The baby whined. It is okay,it is okay. She chanted in her head while cooing the baby.
She got in her car. Drove hurriedly. She entered the small posh building. It was only three stories high with less than fifty employees,but the pay was good. She saw Margret minding the reception. Margret's eyes widened.
"Hurry! He is in a mood today".she chided.
She ran to the lifts holding the baby in one hand ,while holding the file delicately in the other.
She entered his office and he was not there. She ran barefoot to the conference room.
Opening the door,she blushed as all gazes went to her.
She met her boss's unwavering glare.
"Here is the completed report Sir. "She gave him. He checked it out then glared
,"why are you late?".
"Sir,I had taken a leave off absence today. My god son,well his mother is indisposed. I had to watch him today. I just came to deliver our proposal".she raised her chin defiantly,meeting his steely obsidian eyes.
"Of course Miss Ashely. You are excused."her dismissal was eminent. She gulped ,then looked at the Chinese investors ",Zāī jīān ".She bowed. Then to the other half "Adikato".another bow. Then left in a hurry.
The investors seemed pleased enough. She hoped it would be enough to sate her boss.
The meeting ended after an hour or so. Ashely did not want to go home until her job was certified safe.
She worked on the Property development of an estate in the Cape Town wine farm region. They will be expensive to purchase,but hopefully with the promise of high players with deep pockets see a house on a wine farm go gaga ,they can pay any amount. She planned a proposal ,she hardly noticed the time. Checking continuously to the little baby whose pursed lips looked cute. She had fetched the car seat after dropping the proposal in the boardroom, opting to do something to appease her boss.
Her phone rang.
"Yeah".she said while typing away on her computer.
"Ashely!Where are you?Why are you not answering the door? Please ,Where is my baby?".the girl cried over the phone.
"Taco...Taco listen to me. Calm down. Breathe in and out sweetheart."she cooed while typing away. Such is the common occurrence of her friend.
"Now,your son is fine. I just got called in today ,So I had to take him with."she explained balancing the phone on the shoulder. The baby as if sensing his mother. He started crying.
Ashely cooed him.
"I am coming. Don't move".the frenzied mother ordered.
"Tacomina! I can guard my God son".She whined while cooing the baby. In her small cubicle. People looked at her. She stood up with a bottle and the baby to the kitchen.
"I do not doubt your maternal instincts but I am worried your resident dragon will consume my baby!".she shrieked.
"My boss is not going to eat your baby,he is not a real dragon".Ashely chuckled.
"But he sounds like one".Tacomina giggled despite herself.
The aforementioned boss cleared his throat. Ashley's hand froze.
"Taco,I want to keep my job. Please come and take my beloved God son. Bye".she said .
He looked at the baby,seeing the curly hair and lips.
"How old is he?".he asked cooly .
"Little over three months sir."She said.
He touched the baby cheeks. The baby opened his eyes. He was captured by the doe eyes he'd met already.
"Ashley by any chance is the mother a waitress?".he asked.
"Yes. Sir". She nodded slowly. But with apprehension at how he knew such vital information.
"What is his name?".he asked. Suspiciously softly.
"José Mpho Nathaniel Ndlovu".she said.
"You know,you have to tell me these things. Today we were lucky,the investors liked your maternal streak. "then he walked away. Yes their boss was cryptic like that. It was when he walked in the passage that the doors to the elevator opened revealing a distressed lady. With messy hair now let down from the messy pony tail. He watched her walk down the hallway to the service room.
She could not find Ashely. She took all of her baby things into the baby bag then stood up and walked to the passage again,bumping into the man who has long stood frozen cause his source of frustration was standing in front if him. She was wearing geek glasses too.
"Sorry...uh".
"Mr -".he began to say when a piercing baby cry sounded.
She pushed him away hurriedly and ran to the direction of the cry. Taking the baby from Ashley's hands and hurriedly breastfed her.
"You are José's mother?".she heard the voice.
"Sir?".Ashely asked seeing the dazed look in his eye and her friends shy face.
"So you are Mr Long".she nodded.
He nodded his head.
"You are?".he asked carefully as if afraid he would scare a gazelle.
"I am Ta-Tacomina Ndlovu. I am sorry for my son. Please do not fire away or hurt Ashely".she begged.
He looked at her startled. "I am not a monster".he said.
Then he turned around when he noticed he had been watching her breastfeed like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
"Mr Long,here".she called.
He turned to see her hold out a R100.00 bill.
He furrowed his brows."That was your tip. Miss Tacomina".he sternly stated the obvious.
"It is too much".she argued.
"It is a tip. Do not make me regret letting José stay in."harshly then walked away at a brisk pace.
"My boss likes you".Ashely stated.
"No he does not".She argued blushing.
"Yes he does. Once someone brought in a ten year old for only ten minutes. Yep she was fired".Ashely laughed.
Taco's eyes widened."Really?".
"Really. And Mr Long is a miser. He always ,always says 'pay to get more in return'."then looked at Ashley with narrowed eyes.
"Which begs the question. What is he expecting from you. How did you meet anyways?".Ashely easily towered over the poor short girl.
Taco said adjusting her baby gently to make him burp.
"It was just a coincidence. I served him coffee,today when he left this generous tip."She shrugged.
"No. There are no coincidental occurrences. It was a chance encounter. There are 59 million citizens of South Africa,of which half you will never cross paths with them. What were the odds that you a coloured Tsonga waitress ,meets a Chinese tycoon wanna be today. That is continents apart,races apart ,cultures apart in a world of seven billion , you met him. A huge chance encounter. So yes. He likes you."Ashely said holding her shoulder looking down to her.
Taco smiled.
"Whatever sherlock".
"I love you".Ashely cooed to the duo.
"I love you".Taco smiled.
They hugged.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay with me. I have a spare bedroom. You could use the money for-".Ashely began her usual rant.
"Ashely. I am a single mother. You are a beautiful bachelor. I need to do this on my own. Live your life. You have helped me more than enough. You still do. I am forever grateful for that okay?".she asked.
"Fine".She gave up. Ashley knew Taco was too proud and stubborn for her own good.