The business idea continued to spike crazy imagination and enthusiasm between Collins and Bruce. George was appalled at the amusement of the two about it. They envisaged wildly,how each would rock around in town with cars that turned heads. With excusite and vintage mansion homes . With every bunch of girls swarming around them all day long. With vacations and holidays abroad and a chance to own each and every exotic design of clothes. That was the sweet fantasy of Bruce and Collins. George was not particularly happy and wholly immersed in this idea. He was still fighting the inner urge to change and get honest income to invest in what these two men being foolhardy, deceived themselves.
George could not find a way to blot out the image of Angela from his mind. Working at the Big Blue was always serving as a reminder of who he was. He could still visualize how Angela broke down in tears that night he went to her house. He could literally feel the lose of his would be sister in law. It consumed him to the point that his performance started to deteriorate markedly at the Big Blue. Hussain almost realize it but Bruce ,who was always closer to him rightly recognized it. He remembered the day at Southland high school, when he had accompanied Angela to pick Claire. How Claire looked beautiful and healthy in every part of her body. He started to feel that soft hand that greeted him that day. How he felt a deep connection and trust with her. He still remembered with agony, the day they abducted her, when she had momentarily locked her gaze with him through the transparent windshield of the van and nearly acknowledged him. Tears dropped steadily down his cheeks when he remembered her being carried away from the van into a strange car and with equally strange people.
It was five days after the abduction and George still had not resiliently, gotten over from that. It was still fresh as though it happened just some minutes ago. Bruce entered his office without call that afternoon. He was still hot with the idea of investment and his face displayed the thrill in him.
" So what are you saying brother?" he started hopping George to know what he was about to say. " Collins and I have thought it better we even think of what to call out investment. I saw it better that you get involved."
" It's okay. You two can go on first." George whispered dejectedly in a low voice.
" I can see a sign of disinterest in you." Bruce peeked seriously.
" No I'm with you still." George stated vaguely.
" George there's something troubling you.What is it? "
" Nothing big. Everything is okay and don't put much worry on that." George preserved and chose not to share his tribulations with him. He knew it would be wiser to do so.
" Okay then I will not worry about that." Bruce paused for a moment then went back to his topic almost carelessly ignoring the emotions of his fellow man. " So tommorow I would be at the bank to open the business account that we spoke."
" That's too soon?" George worried.
" Not too soon . Just too late considering the time the idea came into existence."
" So you discussed this with Collins?"
" Absolutely! Already discussed and we also thought and decided that we are going to deposit our own stake that same tommorow."
"What? You guys are fast?"
Why hadn't you involved me before hand? " George asked .
"Brother! You have been so cold over the time and we just couldn't bother you."
" So now I'm hot you can now bother me right?" George's temper was escalating slowly.
" No Not that way brother George." Bruce defended wisely and calmly and continued.
"It's that we want to do it fast because You never know. Hussain may wake up one morning and Big Blue is no more. Leave alone that , what if he would never send us to another mission altogether. You need to wake up bro.This is the time. They say it knocks once in every..."
" Man's door!" completed George now trying to get the sense of it. He gave a brief thought of it and asked." So what do you want me to do?"
" Okay it's simple! Collins has already given me his money and myself will also contribute mine tommorow morning at the bank. So it's you!"
" You're saying that I hand in mine right now?"
" That is what brought me here!"
George contemplated wisely about it for a moment then as if he was partly convinced, he withdrew his phone , accessed his bank account and stopped for a brief. " I would send it to your account then you would deposit all of it altogether."
" Perfect!" Bruce commended as he read him his account number. George send all his money to Bruce's account.
Moments after Bruce had left, Susan came into his office. George thought of how hectic he had to deal with all his employees. He didn't know what Hussain's felt before when he was in this position. Leading a big company like this is tedious and demanding.
" Okay now what of you again?" George asked Susan when she finally sat down at the armchair opposite to him.
" George , I have a concern!" Susan sighed in with a loud gasp.
"You guys keep on whirling my mind with this and that. With surprises and emergencies to respond. Did you ever did this to Hussain?" Great perturbation and irritable tone sounded in his words.
" I swear !" Susan composed herself and continued, " I would never bother you again. This that I'm about to tell you will prevent me from doing so."
" Eeh! what is it?" George tried to tame his irritation and listened carefully.
Susan dipped her hand into her handbag and fumbled for seconds with the papers inside it. It came to the realization of George that she was having her handbag and seemed like she was packed to go. An aching thought rushed through his mind that this woman , maybe leaving for good.
She finally settled at the right one and took it out with a confidence that George never expected. It was a handwritten letter that was fastidiously appealing to the eyes. George picked it with fear and read it. The most disturbing sentiments of the letter confirmed George's previous perception.
*The Big Blue has been my most faithful and reliable employer. I would like to profoundly thank the whole fraternity of this company for that. Nonetheless, I would like to notify you of my resignation from this company effective from 14th of tomorrow. I have personally considered this as right decision to my safety. Thank you. *
George was paralyzed. His mouth agape as though he read a divorce contract of an old marriage. He let the letter fall freely from his hands onto that table and drew his right hand to his chin and cupping it with astonishment. He tried to conceptualized the content of the letter.
Since Hussain handed his management of the company to him, he still felt incomplete to rightly stand the role. Here is Susan in front of him with a determined move to leave the company. An official resignation. He expected that a mere employee, a sweeper like her, would just quit job by word of mouth and just fail to attend to her duties. This was different. It had costed her to write it to him so that he could feel the somewhat overt leaving of this company. What turned off all his nerves was how Susan completed her letter. It rightly struck him that Susan knew the obvious . She did not roll out the statement " ...right decision to my safety." just for the sake. There was deep meaning in that.
" So you're leaving the Big Blue?" George inquired as if he did not understand the letter.
" Yes! George things change." Susan replied coldly.
" What exactly made those things to change?"
" Person considerations."
" That is what I want . Those personal considerations so that if there's anything wrong we are doing or I'm doing, it can be corrected."
" You did nothing wrong."
" From what point did you think that we deprived you of safety? You say you are not safe."
Susan looked dazed with eyes wide open like she had seen an apparition before her. It dawned on her that she wrote of safety in her letter and never thought that it would spike thought about her inner motives. She sensed she had blundered by using that word. She was almost divulging that she feared working in a company of criminals. The true fear was being arrested together with the culprits.She thought quickly and lied outrightly. "Collins threatened to kill me!".
George could feel the lie and interposed.
" Are you sure?"
Susan looked confused and defended slyly "Yeah! He even pointed a...I mean he wants me dead even now."
" Pointed what?" George became more alarmed.
" A knife at me." She continued with the lie.
" If that is so, then let me grant you your wish. I will communicate it to Hussain that he finds another." George concluded.
She left his office and marched out of the Big Blue premises having talked to Alice about it. When she was at the gate, Collins was from the main Warehouse organizing the workmen when he certainly saw her leave. He was not sure.