Muffled voice, 'don't worry, just come in,' says Miss Rahama.
Cynthia opens the door and goes into the office.
'Good afternoon Ma!'
'Good afternoon. Pls, have your seat, let me quickly round this up. I saw you on the camera by the door, that's why I said you should just enter,' says Miss Rahama without looking up at her. Cynthia sits down at her table.
The office is big and it has two sections, although not divided but by the arrangement, the two sections are noted. One section is clearly where she handles her official matters, it has just a table and three chairs, one for her to sit and the two other chairs for her guests to sit on. The other section has a TV against the wall, TV console, a U-shaped set of couches with a tea table. On the TV console are the remote controls, decoders, WiFi router and humidifier. From the setting of the other section, it's obvious she uses it to entertain family and friends who might have come to visit her. Against the wall of the office cutting through from the official section to the entertainment section of the office is a long and huge glass shelf filled with books with the height of the shelf up to the ceiling of the office. At the rear side of the glass shelf is an aluminum ladder. Resting on the wall directly behind Miss Rahama's chair is a beautiful portrait picture of herself. Against the wall towards the door
are wooden closed wardrobes. On her table, apart from file trays, pen and business card stands, there are moderate sized artifacts and plastic flowers. Cynthia keeps looking round the office in admiration.
'But wait… if she's a Miss and not Mrs does that mean she hasn't given birth at all? How come there's only a picture of her in the office? Oh! Maybe she was probably married, later got divorced and the husband was granted custody of the child.' Pauses. 'Even at that, that shouldn't stop her from having either one or two pictures of her kids in her office. Maybe she's never married and doesn't even have any children. No now, this woman is too rich for that. Even if she doesn't want a relationship, she can easily get a sperm donor or even approach the sperm bank and get things done quietly. Anyways, everyone with their different strokes. No lies, this office makes sense. Chai! Pls, don't forget me. Cynthia, wake up! You really need to start making moves, time is going, you are not getting any…'
Miss Rahama closes the file before her and places it in the Outgoing tray. 'So sorry for keeping you waiting. I had to attend to that file.'
With a smile, 'oh, no problem, Ma.'
'Let me have the documents you brought,' Cynthia removes them from the envelope and hands them over to her, she collects and goes through them one after the other to check if they are properly drafted. 'It's alright. Tell Mr. Joel that I will get back to him after proper consideration.' She starts putting them back into the envelope.
'Alright Ma.'
'So they said you will be relating between my firm, I and your company…'
'Yes Ma.'
'Alright. Since then, we've not met again and to be honest, I don't even remember your name, it was because you added the company's name that I know it must be you…' She slouches on the chair, 'so tell me about yourself.'
Clears her throat, 'Ok Ma…'
'Enough with the Ma, pls. Call me Miss Rahama, that's what everyone calls me and I'm ok with that.'
'Alright Ma…' she remembers. 'I'm sorry… Miss Rahama. My name is Cynthia Morgan. I am 27 years old. I'm a graduate of Law from the University of Luxembourg.'
'Ok… that's nice.'
'Thank you, Miss Rahama.'
'So how many years Post Call are you?'
'Five years.'
'Oh! That's good. But why corporate practice? Why didn't you start off with litigation?'
'Well, that's where I found a job. Although, I'm looking towards litigation now, so that I can have a blend of both litigation and corporate practice. No one knows when the need for the two area of practice would appear.'
She smiles and sits properly with her hands folded on the table, 'hope you know you might not be earning as much as you are earning right now in your present work if you leave it for litigation. Litigation is not as profitable as other areas of practice but the time you will make it, it would look like you did ritual or you robbed a bank or something. However, before you get to that point, you'll till and till. Mind you, I'm not trying to discourage you. It's a general knowledge that litigation is interesting and educative than most corporate practices. I'm sure by now, you know this.'
'Yes, I'm aware of that. Although, my plan is not to totally leave my present work but to find a possible means whereby I can handle both at the same time without one affecting the other. Also, money is important, that's why everyone leaves their bed in the morning without a choice and returns to it in the night with great tiredness.'
'You see, that's where young lawyers get it wrong. Money is good and important no doubt about that but if you make it the main purpose of you doing something, you might not get the money you are seeking. Be it corporate or litigation or even academics that you decide to focus on as a lawyer, let being the best be your focus. Create a routine for yourself whereby you always outdo a great step you've accomplished. If you do this often, that money will not only come to you but run to you. Are you with me?'
Nodding her head, 'yes Ma….' Smiles, 'Miss Rahama.'
Miss Rahama smiles, 'don't worry, you will get used to it. Also, you need to work on your relationships. Don't burn bridges. Nobody is a waste, keep an open mind. I got my first personal client through the referral from one of my lecturers in the University. Assuming I said, well, I'm done with the University, they are no longer relevant to me, would he have referred me?'
'No!'
'That's it. Everyone in your life, maybe in the past, present or future all have a part to play towards you making it in life. Although, this part that they have to play might be good and might be bad, but they all have a role.' She stands up and walk away from her table, Cynthia follows her with her eyes. She walks to Cynthia's back and lays her hands on her shoulders and starts massaging them slowly and softly. 'You don't meet anyone by mistake. There's a reason for that meeting and you just have to observe that person and yourself so that you can know the purpose for which the both of you have met.'
'Wait! What's going on? Why is she touching me? Is this appropriate?' Pauses. 'Oh! She's really good at this. Huh? I still don't think this is right, although I'm enjoying it' Miss Rahama stops and goes to sit on the chair beside Cynthia. 'At last, she stopped… a part of me doesn't want her to stop though.'
'From that client I got from my lecturer, I was referred to more and more clients and that gave birth to what I am today. Just one person and by what?'
The both of them choruses, 'by not burning bridges.'
'You just remain steadfast and diligent at what you do. Right now, it might seem tough but things will set in place at the right time. A single client can make you and can also mar you but if you are the observant type, you will be able to decipher this quickly and disassociate yourself from such person or persons.'
'Wow! Thanks a lot for the wise words, Miss Rahama. I will never take it for granted.'
Miss Rahama smiles, places her hand on her thigh and robs, rests on the thigh to stand up. She starts walking back to her chair.
'Don't worry. We've met each other and this time that we've met, things will take a new and possible turn for and around you.' She sits down in her chair. 'There are some conferences that I'd like you to accompany to attend. At those conferences, you will learn more about the profession and also the opportunity to meet more people that could be of help to you as you proceed in life.'
With a sarcastic smile, 'that's a great idea Miss Rahama but I don't think that would be possible because of my work.'
Miss Rahama cross her legs and waves what Cynthia said down, 'don't worry. You leave that to me. I will personally handle that myself. The most important thing is that you make yourself available each time I send you the notice.'
'Oh boy! Wow! Someone pls wake me up, this must be a dream. Wow! God, pls bless this woman for me oh. This is way too much. If this is a dream, pls, let me continue dreaming, I don't want to wake up. So I will be able to enter where she'd enter and meet those shed meet at the Conferences? Guy, that's a great opportunity. God, pls, let this not be mere, empty promises. Let this woman be able to help me just as she promised.'
Cynthia is excited, 'no problem, Ma. Since you said you'd help at the office front, then I have nothing holding me back from attending them.'
'Alright then. You can go now.'
'Ok Miss Rahama.' She stands up and walks out of the office to the passage, to the reception and to the Secretary's desk. 'Thank you, very much Ma.'
'Alright Ma,' the Secretary replies.
Cynthia walks out of the building.
Back into the car, Mr. Pius could see the happiness written all over Cynthia's face.
'This one you returned smiling and all happy, are they sharing money inside so that I too can go inside to get mine. Thank God I'm also hearing white and black.'
Cynthia laughs shortly, 'you are not serious. They are not sharing inside, I'm just happy with the things I witnessed inside that office.'
'Ehnehn? Alright now, no problem. So before I start the engine, where are we going to, the office or we are going to our regular spot?'
'This man ehn… I don't really have much on me. It's now I remembered self, what's wrong, the Boss has not shown love this month. Everywhere is just dry.'
'My dear, I thought I was the only one that noticed it. Despite this, someone gets always getting from the friends and clients coming to the office regularly still greedily acts on the little ones that the general staff ought to get. Set of greedy and shameless people.'
'You are still in this same issue? You better let go so you can have peace of mind. Anyways, just let's go there. God will make things happen,' says Cynthia.
Mr. Pius ignites the engine and drives out of the compound.
'Hmmm! A single referral opened door for her. That lecturer must really be a good person. Because if he is a lawyer can also handle the brief, why give it out. Or was she lying? Thank God, I still have the contact of some of my lecturers, my teachers in both elementary and high school. Also my old schoolmates, I must rebuilding a close relationship with them. It might be any of that they would be instrumental to all that I desire. Less I forget, why was she massaging my shoulder? Well, maybe she noticed the tension there and decided to help. It really helped, no cap.'
'Mr. P?'
'Yes?'
'When it's your turn and your time, even God can't stop you…' Mr. P abruptly stops the car. 'Ah! What's wrong? Why did you just stop the car like that?'
'Tell me, what happened inside that house. When you entered the car, you were just smiling and smiling. Now, you are dropping different motivational quotes. If you know there's something you got there, in that house, pls, tell me. Let me go and collect mine. Happiness is not meant for just a single person, it should be general.'
'Well, I dont understand what you are saying but I promise, there's nothing special inside the house. I'm just having a flashback on things generally. But if you don't believe me, thank God we are still within the estate, just reverse and go inside the building and see things for yourself.'
'It's alright.' he ignites the engine once again and continues driving.
'This man is really funny oh. So you think I was given something inside the office. I was given something and you didn't see it in my hand while coming out. Interesting… very interesting.'
'Ish, you might have eaten or consumed it before coming out of the office.'
'Thank God, you said office, not bar or restaurant. Just pls, focus on the road. I can't tell the Boss stories if anything happens to his car.'
'My dear, you will tell this story.' They laugh.
'Ehnehn, less I forget, I won't be able to buy much today. You know how things are right now.'
'See you, what were you expecting before? You think I will order like before? No now, I too know how how things are generally. You even a lady, you have things that consumes money from you than I a man. So I understand. The major thing right now is to eat so as to keep the body and soul together, not overfeeding like there's no tomorrow.'
'Thank for the understanding. I thought it nice to let you know before we get there and it now starts to look like you didn't get all you thought you would get. With time, we will get back to having thing the way we use to have them without any hesitation.'
'My sister, I'm really waiting for that time.'