"Good evening sir" Tisane bowed in greeting.
"Good evening my boy. Nice of you to accept my invitation" Mr Fadeyemi smiled as he sat down while staring at Tisane.
'I am standing before the one and only Mr Fadeyemi!'
Tisane could feel his heart beat kick up a notch.
Sensing his nervousness, Mr Fadeyemi gestured with his hands.
"Be at ease boy. Have a seat, by the way what do you drink, scotch or wine?"
"Am okay sir" Tisane quickly said.
"Come on, you can't have a good conversation without a drink" Mr Fadeyemi cajoled.
"O-okay sir, water would be fine"
"Still trying to be modest are we?" Mr Fadeyemi shook his head as he gave the attendant the order.
"So what do you think?" Mr Fadeyemi spread his arms.
"Of what sir?"
"Of this place"
"Oh, it's magnificent and beautiful sir"
"Exactly" Mr Fadeyemi stated.
"Magnificence and beauty are all we should aim for. They are the sole rewards of our hard work and success"
Tisane watched Mr Fadeyemi moved his arms in confident gestures. This was a man he only saw on TV shows and Press Interviews.
Yet now here he was, seated just opposite such a man. He couldn't begin to describe how he felt.
"Tisane, could you give me in full detail what actually happened between you and my son?" Mr Fadeyemi asked with a serious look on his face.
'Heuk!' The moment had arrived.
Tisane knew he would have to face the consequences of his actions but it was a different story when it involved the man seated in front of him.
"Uh...actu---" Tisane began.
"You don't have to be tense about it. I just want to understand the situation" Mr Fadeyemi spoke calmly.
Tisane nodded as he felt a sense of relief.
"Sir I am sorry for the way I acted. I was just not in the right state of mind" Tisane pleaded.
"Apology accepted. But what led to it in the first place?" Mr Fadeyemi inquired.
Tisane seemed to be hesitating.
"Is this because of a girl?"
Tisane's eyes widened in surprise.
"Don't look surprised. Most young guys fight over two things, one money, two girls"
"Oh" Tisane scratched his head awkwardly.
"So it's a girl?"
"Yes sir" Tisane slowly nodded, with his face to the ground.
"What's her name?"
"Melvina" Tisane had an embarrassed look on his face.
"Wait, Melvina?" Mr Fadeyemi looked surprised.
"Yes sir" Tisane flinched at Mr Fadeyemi surprised tone.
"Haha...hehe. So you've also fallen prey to her charming beauty Eh?" Mr Fadeyemi stared at Tisane in amusement.
Feeling more and more embarrassed due to Mr Fadeyemi's amusement, Tisane felt beads of sweat appearing on his face.
"There's nothing wrong in chasing after the woman of your desire. But the question remains; can you afford her?" Mr Fadeyemi had a deep stare in his eyes.
"Sir?"
"Young man, every girl has a price, once you can afford it, they are yours forever"
Tisane stared with a sense of understanding.
"By the way, what do think you of Melvina?
"She's..."
"Beautiful, sexy, hot, amazing?"
"She's the right one for me sir" Tisane stated.
"Nice. But are you sure?"
"I am sir" Tisane declared after a moment of silence.
"Then you should prove it"
"What do you mean sir, prove it how?"
"What kind of girl do you think Melvina is Tisane?"
Tisane was clueless on how to answer.
"Do you think she's the kind of girl that would fall for a simple guy?"
"...."
"In order words Tisane, do you think she would fall for a guy of your present status?"
"I--I don't know sir" Tisane answered dispiritedly.
"The answer is no Tisane. Listen, Melvina is a girl that grew up and lived in glamour and wealth since she was born. To date such a girl means that you must be financially capable to sweep her off her feet anytime, any day"
Seeing that Tisane was quite speechless, Mr Fadeyemi smiled.
"So I ask this....are you ready to wine and dine with the big boys? To be a guy that a girl like Melvina would fall in love with?"
Tisane seemed to have come to a conclusion, as his expression showed determination.
"I am sir"
"Ready for what? I want to hear you say it" Mr Fadeyemi pressed further.
"I am ready to live and work at the top in order to elevate my status and standard of living" Tisane declared staring squarely at Mr Fadeyemi.
Nodding his head, Mr Fadeyemi seemed satisfied.
"In that case, welcome aboard the NPLC" he stood up, walked forward and stretched out his hand towards Tisane in a handshake gesture.
"Uh..." Tisane just sat there and stared at Mr Fadeyemi's outstretched hand.
"What? Is there something wrong?" Mr Fadeyemi asked with a frown.
Realizing his rudeness, Tisane jolted from his seat.
"No no no....not at all sir. Am sorry, I just didn't expect that it would be this easy"
"Really? Hahaha" Mr Fadeyemi burst into rich laughter.
"That what they call luck dear boy and you seem to be quite lucky" Mr Fadeyemi took his seat as he poured himself another glass of scotch.
"But on a serious note my boy. Just because you are lucky doesn't mean that it will that way forever. Your luck will surely run out if you don't work hard and take your job seriously. I'm not employing you because you are lucky, it's because I see you as a dedicated and passionate fella. But I hope that you don't disappoint me"
Mr Fadeyemi's voice became cold and his expression hardened which sent chills down Tisane's spine.
"I won't sir. I promise to repay you for your confidence in me"
"Good then. Now that we've talked, I think it's time to fill our tummies, what do you say?"
"Food? I am actually okay sir, you don't need to trouble yourself" Tisane quickly declined.
"I wouldn't take no for an answer boy" Mr Fadeyemi stated, giving no room for refusal.
"*Sigh*....as you wish sir"
**************************
"Esther what's the matter? You've been like this for some time now. Is anything bothering you?"
Joyce inquired with a worried look on her face.
"It's nothing Joyce, I'm just wondering how our brother is faring out there" Esther spoke with a sad look on her face.
"Just that? Look, am worried too but he is a matured boy and can look after himself. No need to get worried" Joyce said calmly.
"Yes you are right, but he's still our brother isn't he?" Esther said, still clearly agitated.
"Yes he is, and as our brother we should have faith that he would be alright"
"Don't you think that we should still try to reach out to him?" Esther suggested.
"What do you mean?" Joyce inquired.
"I mean like call, text or something"
"And what if he doesn't answer?" Joyce said skeptically.
"Why wouldn't he?" Esther nocked her eyebrow.
"Esther, I know how much you really want to see our brother, but you shouldn't really be so enthusiastic about it, I mean---- "
"Sis I get what you are trying say, but am not like dad and I believe bro Tisane would come around if given the chance" Esther stated stubbornly.
Seeing her stubborn countenance, Joyce couldn't help but giggle.
"What? What's so funny?" Esther felt a bit confused.
"Nothing" Joyce shook her head still smiling.
"So should we call him now?" Esther inquired immediately.
"Nope. Better still let's go see him" Joyce stated.
"Wait really? You mean go where he lives?"
"Yeah, besides we have not gone out since we came back from school"
"Nice, I'll go get dressed!" Esther said excitedly.
"Not today silly" Joyce corrected.
"Huh?"
"We shall visit him tomorrow"
------------------------------------------
"Is this where bro Tisane lives?" Esther inquired as they both stared at the one-storey building before them.
"Yes it is. This is the very place that we were directed to when we asked the people around" Joyce confirmed.
"Okay, It looks a bit....." Esther held her chin in a thoughtful manner.
"You mean it looks ugly, unkept and a bit smelly" Joyce stated.
"....." Esther stared at her sister speechlessly.
"What? That's the truth isn't it?"
While they were bickering among themselves, a limousine gently and carefully drove and stopped in front of the apartment.
Joyce and Esther froze upon seeing the eye-catching vehicle. The driver came out as soon as the car came to halt and opened the side door carefully as someone highlighted from the limo.
"What the---! " Joyce and Esther exclaimed in unison as the person who came out of the limo was none other than...
"Bro Tisane!! " Esther called out.
"Huh?" Tisane was quite surprised to set his eyes on his two sisters. Moreover how did they know that he lived here.
"What are you girls doing here?" Tisane couldn't help but ask as they got closer to one another.
"We came to see you" Joyce said.
"Bro Tisane, have you become a celebrity that you now ride in a limo" Esther asked enthusiastically.
"Well this....." Tisane wondered how he should break the news to them.
"Let's go inside first. Then I'll explain" Tisane observed their questioning gazes and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.