Mr Zucker was the brain behind the many success of the sport hub. He had being there since its conception. He also served as the overall adviser and manager of Jack various companies. He acted and treated Jack like a son. He never spoke about his real family or entertained any questions about them. Jack found it strange though, but didn't probe further. But he was grateful, because the old man was always there to aid him in his many journeys of life.
"Never knew you would be here boy' else would have got'en some documents for your signatory. We got to prepare for takwendo sports". He said pouring out coffee into a coffee mug, as soon as the cafeteria placed them on the table.
"Oh I see, do what you can do and holla at me, when it's urgent" Jack exclaimed, standing up.
"I Hope you eating? you look malnourished boy" the elderly man said pitifully, and Jack laughed.
"Oh Com'on I do. Thanks"
"You don't. Naaaah. I don't believe" Mr Zucker said, shaking his head.
Jack talked some more with him, before proceeding to see the kids in their duplex.
Jack drove to the location where the kids lived. It was a little drive from the administrative block.
He observed that the hall project he had contracted few weeks ago was already in progress. He smiled to the excellence of the work and the exquisite taste of the design.
It was a hall building. He had wanted to have a much larger hall, since the former one was becoming too small to contain the kids and was starting to choke them, especially since their numbers had being increasing day by day. More kids from prominent homes were starting to apply into the hub.
As Jack walked into the building, a large number of kids who were busy studying , on sighting him, flocked towards him, and surrounded him. He was the father they always looked forward to see. Both the small and big ones, ruffed around him, trying to relate the activities he had missed since his absence.
He laughed at their jokes and also lifted the smaller ones on his shoulders. They chatted with him, and also told him how much progress they had made
so far.
They had missed his presence and had waited for him especially to brief him on their recent tournaments where they won in the game of football and baseball.
The footballers, were directly trained by jack, since that was his specific field of expertise. Other sports had other professionals who trained them too, and most of them always performed excellently in any competitions with other teams.
He took them out for the usual talks, where he encouraged them to give in their very best in whatever thing they did. He questioned them about their performance at school. He challenged them to do better, assuring them of his full support to their dreams.
They finally dispersed to their various field for the day's training, as many of them still happily clinged at him.
Maria spent the days that followed, rehearsing for the role, she had being given. She tried to follow every step she had being taught to play the character. Tobi also worked along side with her, helping her with some costume that would aid her, also inviting Tina over to help.
Tina was a graduate of threatre arts from the University of Michigan. Tobi had once tried to help her get an acting job, which didn't work out. She had then found a career in writing. She wrote for a local magazine in the states and won a award. She had also built a huge fanbase.
She was now popular among the professional state city writers club.
Maria drove to the academy to see Mr Jason the next day, when he called to inform her that there was an urgent change in the character she had to play.
''Ugent change? What urgent change?" She asked unsatisfied about his explanations.
He had immediately cut the call after telling her, he couldn't explain it on phone.
She wondered his reason for doing that. What urgent change could he be talking about? She had spent days trying to rehearse the character she had being given, only for her to be told of a change? Did he mean to give her some other character's role?
"Good day sir" she greeted as soon as she entered his office. He was sitting opposite the glass window in his well decorated office. Various artistic design hunged on the wall and pictures of popular actor and actresses, he had featured in his movies.
"Welcome" he answered with a tiny voice, pointing her to a chair just opposite his own and cleared his throat, before going silent.
Maria sat down and waited for him patiently to talk. He continued with the book he was reading and immediately cleared his voice and proceeded to talk, when he noticed her displeasure at the sudden quietness.
Well, I called to inform you of the recent development in the shooting of my movie. A popular actress in the city have decided to play your role, even without being paid, and I have decided to make that change, since it would help to bring more publicity to the movie."
Maria shook her head in dismay as he spoke. She however waited patiently for him for finish, hoping he would give her another alternative.
What then happens to me" she finally asked, when it seems he was not going to say anything about her anymore.
" I think you will have to wait, until I am able to find another role for you" he said dropping it like a bombshell to maria, she almost looked devastated.
What? She couldn't believe her ears. Even in her wildest dream, she hadn't expected Mr Jason to treat her that way.
How would he give her hope and then dump her in the middle of that? Why did he promise to help, only to shatter her hope and expectations? She couldn't understand.
As Maria walked out of his office, she felt sudden anger all over her. The man was being unfair to her. She wished she had vented her anger on him right there in the office.
She just wasn't ready to do that now. But she was definitely going to come back for him.
If he thinks, he would just use and dump her just like that, he thought wrong.
She had only walked out of the office to avoid doing or saying anything that would fuel any heated argument between them.
She believed she might one day still be needing his help. She was however grateful, that he had even considered her in the first place.
He might not have being able to help to her after all, but thankfully he had being supportive of her friend Tobi. Tobi had informed her, that he had at some point lent him some money to rent a new place for his studio.
"thank you for all the efforts you made to help" she murmued, as if he could hear her.
As she walked down the hall, she mistakely bumped into a lady, she hadn't seen coming. The lady looked elegantly and sophisticatedly dressed. The gown she wore had precious stones plastered on it. She stanked of wealth.
Maria immediately turned to plead with the woman who was already spitting fire through her eyes. She had being clouded in her own thoughts about what had just happened, and hadn't seen her coming.
"Are you blind?" The lady fired at her, as she looked down feeling sorry for herself. This last few days was shattering her confidence. The world seemed not to be fair to her anymore.
" I am very sorry" she apologized, trying to pacify the angry woman who was busy eyeing her maliciously.
" You had better be. Next time look where you are going, you foolish girl" she spoke harshly and walked passed maria, who stood in awe, wondering why she was having such a bad day.
Suddenly her phone began to ring, and she hoped it was Mr Jason calling her back to say he had changed his mind.
It was Mandy. She picked the phone and placed it on her ear.
Come to the hospital maria, mama is sick" she heard her say in the receiver, and her feet almost gave way. What could have possibly happened to her mother again? They had just being out of the hospital few days back, After the doctor assured them that the anesthesia she had being given would suppress the disease, pending when they had more money to pursue the real treatment.
"What is all this?" She lamented.
She dropped the phone in her bad and hurried out from the hall to quickly wave down a taxi.
She wondered why everything had being falling apart on her. She had not only being denied a job which she intended to make money from, her mother had also just being admitted again in the hospital. She also wished to run the law school programme. The portal still had two more days to its deadline.