Chapter 8
Manburg Quarry was located at the far end of Manburg as you approach the welcome to Zonex road sign. That rendered it strategically convenient for granite stone and quarry dust sourcing for the Manburg/Zonex road construction project. Having been in operation for just five years, there was a huge probability of an elongated lifespan as Manburg's biggest Quarry. The Quarry which boasted of state-of-the-art equipment, high production and a demanding clientele, was bound to be the one-stop supplier to JCC should they be awarded the tender. It belonged to a British national who had a number of Quarries across Crushland. He also owned a cement factory within a kilometre radius which fed on the Quarry products of its sister entity. Owing to his busy schedule, he had entrusted the General Management to a very competent and experienced artisan called Jordan. He had been at the helm of the Quarry's management since its inception to know all the ins and outs of this line of business.
Having undergone apprenticeship in Geology, Jordan was not only as an expert as far as prospecting and extraction and blasting of stones was concerned, but was also as good as they came in terms of global business networking which rendered it feasible for Manburg Quarry to end up exporting some of its limestone and granite to neighbouring countries. This necessitated a scenario whereby haulage trucks and extra heavy-duty trucks would form long loading queues by the Quarry. For fear of losing such a formidable human resource, the British owner of the Quarry had resolved to remunerate him heftily. He was one of the big earners in Crushland such that he had invested immensely in real estate. It was a matter of wonder why he had gotten into the thirties of his life without fathering anyone given his mania for sexy ladies. Most gold-diggers in and around Manburg had tried to seduce him into marriage based on his financial prowess, but he had not yielded to such casual manipulation. He had told himself that he would marry a woman of his class, and would rather wait until he found her.
Jilian and Jason arrived at the Quarry before 9 bells and were lucky to bump into Jordan who took them around the Quarry together with the operations manager. They were gratified with not only the quantity and quality of the raw materials but also the cost should they sign a memorandum of understanding, which they shelved in lieu of the tender award.
"This is my site Manager, Jason, who is overseeing our ongoing Redbury/Greylands project" she had officially introduced him whist they were holding a brief meeting.
Jason, who had arrived in high spirits suddenly began feeling uncomfortable. He was not loosely given to mood swings, but Jordan's full-of-himself indulgence had caused that.
"I thought you were already a Mrs, Lilian" he had added after asking her marital status.
"I hope you are not single and searching as me" he had uttered with a subtle tone of affection.
As he went about his easily noticeable eye-contact seduction, Jason could not hide his frustration as his nonverbal cues read. Jilian also noticed it, but pretended as if she wasn't. The putting of his arm around her neck whilst looking at her in the eye, as they roamed around the Quarry yard, did not only send a blow to his emotional chords but also made him break into a deliberate patch of silence.
"How do you see our operations, Mr Manager?" he had inquired Jason.
"From the look of it, very big" he had given an honest assessment, but with a subdued and indifferent tone that only Jilian realized.
Jordan's boastful and inconsiderate mannerism did not at all make Jason happy. Jordan may not have noticed it, but his promise that he would pass by Jilian's office one of the days was an unwelcome utterance from where he stood. In the midst of all these skits, Jilian remained in control of her stage faculties. It came as a huge relief when they eventually vacated the Quarry. It did not settle down well with him when Jordan made the insinuation that he would love to talk more about Jilian's single status.
"I never knew there could still be beautiful women like you outside wedlock, me and you need to talk Jilian, we seem to have a lot in common" he had said in his bothered presence.
As they drove back, they made a brief stop in the central business district which was 10 km from the Quarry. They parked their vehicles by the roadside for a brief walk around. Both had just passed through via the highway with none of them having fathomed its details.
"It never occurred to me that Manburg has such state-of-the-art facilities, way better than Redbury" she uttered to a mum Jason who was still in a state of egocentric defeatism.
"The construction of a dual carriageway will make it better, I suppose" he responded with a low unusual voice.
"I understand why you feeling low Jason, just let it go man" she registered her concern.
"I'm okay Jilian, just feeling out of the ordinary" he downplayed the concern.
"I noticed that Jordan's egocentric posture put you off, but you mustn't allow that to cast a shadow on your day darling" she sweetly spoke as she attempted to elate his low spirits.
"I will be fine, don't bother Jilian" he assured her as he downplayed it all.
They roamed around the Manburg CBD side by side. The enchanting buildings and the lively people they crossed as they moved engendered a quick swing in his mood once again. She had realized that he needed a morale boost of some sort after Jordan's emotional battering exploits. She was determined to retain his top-class services as an artisan in her projects, hence the need to extend him intimate and material patronage. She would do anything to keep him, it was in blocks at the back of her head. It had never occurred to him that he would see someone making advances to his woman whilst he is there.
As much as they had just started their romantic relationship, it had become obvious that he was fast getting possessive. Was it fair on her part given that he was married? Had he any official right to stand in the way should someone make such advances? Furthermore, theirs was still more or less a convenient arrangement of to quench sex needs. Be that as it may, his behaviour at the quarry seemed to suggest that there was already a transcendence towards a sense of belonging beyond casual intimate lines, but was that inner feeling mutual or she was just after his sexual bangs? Whatever it was, there was no clarity with regard to the definition of their relationship as yet.