The air outside smelled like hot pavement and brewing stress, but Teni didn't care. She needed caffeine.
She ducked into a small coffee shop near her office, the kind of place that smelled like roasted beans and ambition. She ordered a caramel latte, something to keep her mind sharp for the long day ahead.
As she stepped out, coffee in hand, her phone buzzed. She quickly hailed a woman selling fruits across the road, her heels clicking against the pavement as she rushed to her office space which was a medium but stylish rental in Lekki Phase 1.
Teni barely had time to breathe as she stepped into her office space.
The moment she stepped in, the familiar scent of fresh linen and polished wood greeted her. The studio was compact but elegant, a white and gold theme with sleek glass shelves showcasing handmade pieces. Spotlights and chandelier above cast a warm glow on the jewelry displays, making the gemstones shimmer like liquid fire. A mirrored counter in the center held Teni's premium designs, carefully arranged on velvet pads—chunky gold rings, delicate beaded bracelets, and layered pearl chokers.
The walls were lined with floating shelves, each one featuring a different collection ranging from Minimal Luxe, Afro Royalty, to Custom Gems. The elegant setup with glass display cases reflecting the soft glow of warm LED lighting. The scent of fresh coffee lingered in the air, but she barely noticed. Everything screamed luxury and hard work.
Kemi, "The Assistant With Energy for Two" stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed, her brows furrowed in frustration.
She was short and curvy, with a sharp bob cut dyed honey-blonde. Dressed in high-waist jeans and a tucked-in Ankara-print top, she looked effortlessly stylish.
"They finally arrived, but… you won't like the way they handled them," Kemi muttered, arms folded.
Teni's heart sank as she eyed the slightly battered cartons. The corners were bent, and one even had a small tear along the side. Logistics in Lagos always had a way of testing her patience. She sighed, walking closer and carefully peeling the tape off one of the boxes.
Inside the mess of packaging, the jewels were stunning but fragile. Ruby-studded bangles, their deep red stones catching the light like fire, Gold-plated butterfly pendants, perfect for Instagram influencers and soft girls, Emerald cufflinks, an order she had made in hopes of attracting high-end male clients, Diamond-accented nose rings and anklets, her bestsellers among Lagos baddies.
But some pieces were tangled together, and a few had minor scratches, several smaller velvet jewelry boxes and satin pouches were nestled together, but some looked out of place. She picked up a deep red box, running her fingers over the embossed gold lettering before flipping it open.
A stunning emerald-cut citrine pendant on a delicate gold chain gleamed under the lights. It was perfect except for the tiny scratch on the clasp. Her jaw tightened.
"These people will not kill me," she murmured, picking up another package. This time, it was a set of sterling silver rings, jumbled together as if they had been tossed in without care. Some gemstones were slightly loose.
She could feel anxiety creeping in this was a huge order, and she had already stretched her finances thin to restock. If too many pieces were damaged, she'd be sitting on debt instead of profit.
Kemi gave her a knowing look. "Do you want me to start checking everything?"
"Yes," Teni exhaled. "And take pictures of any damage. I'm going to have a serious conversation with these logistics people."
She glanced at her untouched coffee, now going cold on her desk. The excitement of receiving new stock had quickly turned into stress. The weight of responsibility pressed down on her, and for the first time that day, she felt like she was barely holding it together.
Her grip on her coffee tightened. "I swear, if another supplier messes up my order, I will sue."
Teni clenched her jaw. "This is exactly why I hate dealing with these logistics companies. They have no respect for fragile goods!"
Kemi nodded fiercely. "We need to start handling our own shipping. Maybe get a trusted delivery guy."
Teni exhaled. That would cost money. Money she didn't have, anxiety kicks in the more she couldn't even do a video fir contents as she used to do when her goods arrive, she was losing it slowly.
As they sorted through the mess, Teni's initial frustration turned into a heavier worry. She had invested her last cash into this. If she didn't sell fast, she was done for.
Kemi seemed to notice. "We'll sort this, madam. We always do."
Teni forced a smile. Did they? Hours passed in a blur of sorting, untangling, and checking for damages, by the time they finished half the work, Teni was exhausted.
She crashed onto the cushion chair in the corner, rubbing her temples. Her coffee? Long forgotten.
She picked up her phone which slipped from her hand as she unlocked it, "ah 8:23pm, as how?" she had not had anything apart from the grilled chicken and wine she had earlier and now she's not even hungry she just wants to cry and sleep, different emotions ran through her mind she was tired frustrated broke and had a lot of bills to sort . Then she realized that she had missed some calls, after some calculations she stood up and told Kemi to call it a day, realizing she had already stayed over an hour past her usual closing time.
The moment Kemi stepped out after switching off the air conditioner, the chandelier, the desktop computer, the jewelry showcase lights, the ceiling spotlight bulbs leaving just one on for Teni, the background music system which Teni never knew was playing, and the office printer, the only sound left in the room was the gentle whir of a standing fan, lazily blowing in the corner. Teni let out a tired sigh as the silence of the office settled around her.
She reached for her phone, her fingers hesitating before finally dialing back the call she had missed. Her eyes widened slightly as the screen displayed "ah 7 missed calls." With an exasperated shake of her head, she muttered under her breath,
"Seven missed calls? Did I steal your kidney or something?"
Letting out a sigh, she dropped the phone onto her lap and closed her eyes as the ringing tone filled the silence, waiting for the call to connect.
"What could he have to say?" She muttered but she was too damn tired to think.