The next morning was as cold as others have been for the past few days as it was July and thus the cold season was chewing through the country. The silver black BMW was headed towards the BESMA Group building. As it approached the dark grey painted gate, the guards saluted the vehicle, or the person inside it, as they let him in. The driver let the vehicle straight to the underground parking and parked at the spot labeled 'RESERVED FOR CEO ONLY'. The driver got out and ran to the opposite back door and opened it. Well-polished brown leather shoes stepped on the hard concrete and a man in his mid-twenties stepped out in his well pressed all black suit, including his shirt and tie. He slightly taller than the driver and seemed to command authority even simply by sight. He handed over his briefcase to the driver who immediately shut the car door and followed the man, a step behind, in to the parking elevator.
"Did you get the information I asked for?"
"Almost complete boss. You will have the complete report by noon as requested." The driver replied readily as he stood behind his boss in the elevator after pressing number thirty-three. The elevator went straight to the floor and opened in the top most floor of the building. As soon as the first man stepped out, all secretaries in the floor greeted him respectfully in unison. "Good morning Mr. Bran. Welcome back." The man simply just nodded as he headed straight to the CEO's office followed by his driver. The floor went back to being a busy floor. The men were followed by a secretary who immediately began updating the man sitting down. The driver stood next to the secretary.
"Boss, welcome back." She began with a smile." While you were away, Halal establishments called with a business proposal for you, they want to do business with BESMA Group. Mr. Jacob from the Justice Law firm said he found a legal solution to the company's land problem in DD City and Mr. Simon, the Joseph's family doctor asks you call him as he has an update on your mother. Then, boss, we kindly request a new General Manager as we have not had one for a while and the work has been accumulating for a while. All other minor issues have been sorted and I emailed you the report for the same. Thank you." She concluded as she looked at her boss.
"Schedule a meeting with Halal in the morning tomorrow and with Mr. Jacob in the afternoon. That will be all, Margret." He said with finality. She slightly bowed and left the office shutting the door quietly behind her.
"Call Dr. Simon and tell him I shall see him today afternoon." Bran said to the man standing before him, who slightly nodded and turned to leave. Before he opened the door, he heard the man add, "And get me the details of that woman, Watson."
Watson nodded as he opened the door and went straight to his desk labeled 'CEO'S PA'. As soon as he sat down, Margret came to him.
"Please ask Boss Bran to consider getting us a GM. Or at least promoting the assistant GM and getting a new assistant."
"Yes Maggie, I shall do just that. Let him settle down from his business trip and he shall work on it."
Watson watched Margret walk back to her 'EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 'seat satisfied with the answer and he went straight in to digging up information for the woman his boss seemed quite interested in. He had worked for his boss for five years now and this was the first woman he seemed very curious about. He had seen him curious before, about Julie, but this situation felt quite different to him. He hoped it would not turn out to be like Julie. 'Oh Julie, you crossed the wrong guy…' He thought to himself then immediately snapped out of it as soon as he remembered he had work to do. He got his phone out and booked an appointment with Dr. Simon at two in the afternoon. The man in the big office was so emerged in his work. He was surprised to find a lot of work after he had left for only three days. After a while, there was knocking on his.
"Enter." He responded audibly without looking. Watson entered with a document in hand and placed it before his boss.
"Sir, here is the report you wanted about the couple next door." Bran took a look at his watch and was surprised to see it was already quarter to noon. He looked at the file before him, put his pen down and walked to the window that showed him the beautiful site of the city. His assistant observed him for a while. After a brief moment, it hit him what he was expected to do.
"Well, Boss, the man, William Collins studied arts in the Kenyan University of Arts, majoring in theatrics. He is twenty-six years and was born in the western region of the country. So far, he is still up and down looking for work as he does small gigs to get him through. He is known to be rowdy and quite a drunkard." Bran put his hands in his pockets and continued to observe the city as if he were not the one being spoken to.
"Any parents? Siblings? Family?" He asked his assistant.
"No Sir. At least not from the information I got. He seemed to have been adopted. It is said he was found dumped in a garbage pit around where he was born. He was never actually adopted from the foster home. So he stayed there till he was eighteen then released in to the world. I called the home he was in and they said he has always been a troubled child. He was always caught up in fights as he was always so aggressive. All other minor details are in his file." Came the reply.
"Find his biological family." Came the order from Bran.
"Yes Sir. As for the young lady, Ms. Natasha Claire, she is but twenty-three years, a graduate from The University of Business here in the city, majored in Business Administration. She was born around the coastal region in the country. She is the second born in a family of three, both brothers. Her parents are still in the coast. She is currently working as a receptionist at the Blue View Hotel along Ngongo avenue still within the city. All other minor details are in her file." Watson concluded as he waited for any comments. Bran sighed then walked away from the window and sat on the office's couch. He looked at his assistant, who could not tell what he was thinking. He crossed his left leg over the right leg and leaned back to the couch.
"Get her here for an interview by Wednesday morning. Since tomorrow we have appointments, make sure she is here by the day after tomorrow." Bran said as he stood back and walked to his desk. Sitting down, he saw his confused assistant look at him. "Is there a problem Wats?" He asked with one of his brows raised.
"No. No Sir. Which post should I tell her to prepare for?" He asked with his voice going soft.
"Which one is vacant?" Came the reply.
Watson understood the answer in the question and walked after slightly nodding to his boss. As soon as he stepped out of the door and had shut him, he was even more confused. 'The boss has never employed anyone from the blues in all the years I had known him. What is happening?' He asked himself as he leaned with his back against the door. Maggie noticed it and observed his friend go to his desk with his face confused.
"Are you okay Wats?" She asked concerned. She watched him nod his head in disapproval and start to work. She was used to it. The CEO's PA was a very private man, that is why he made it to be his personal assistant or private assistant. Sometimes one could never know. She turned her head and continued with her work.
Exactly half an hour to two in the afternoon, the CEO stepped out of his office, followed by his assistant. They went in to the elevator and straight to the parking lot. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Heal Care Hospital, otherwise commonly known as the HCH. Stepping in to the elevator, Watson pressed the twelfth floor. The door opened and the two men moved to the office labeled 'Chief Surgeon-Dr. Simon Peter'. As soon as the receptionist saw the guest, she stood up with respect.
"Please go on in Mr. Brandon. He has been waiting for you." She said with a smile on her. Bran just nodded and went on in, leaving Watson at the waiting area with the receptionist. It was exactly two o'clock when Bran opened the door to his friend's office.
"One of my favorite clients. Mr. Brandon Joseph. Always on time-never late. Welcome dear friend." Said Simon as he stood up to give his dear friend a brotherly hug. He was in his late thirties but he treated Bran more like a brother. He had been the Joseph's family doctor since Bran was seven when his mother first developed a spinal cords problem and he had watched Bran grow from a boy in to a successful man and businessman.
"Please sit." He continued to welcome his friend. "Tell me, how have you been? How is business?"
"Business is fine Simon. I have also been fine. I hope you have been fine too. How is your better half and her young ones?" Bran responded.
"Good too. The twins are doing okay, growing bigger every day." Simon responded. After catching up for a few minutes, the conversation shifted to the main agenda of the day.
"Brandon, your mother is responding well to her medication. Her spine is slowly improving and she can now be able to stand, sit and walk longer than before. Her muscle spasms are gradually becoming bearable and soon they will not be able to hinder her movements. Just ensure she does not do any heavy work. That she does not lift anything heavy or overdo her walking, sitting or standing. Especially ensure that she avoids bending. Everything she sits or sleeps on should continue being orthopedic. But, all in well, she is doing better than expected."
After about half an hour, Bran walked out of the doctor's office looking relaxed than before. Watson knew he must have received good news for him to be like that. Over the years, he had learnt to study his boss' expressions and body language. He followed him out of the building and within thirty minutes, they had arrived back in the office.