C1 Good friend

Present Day, Lagos, Nigeria.

Esosa's POV

I was sitting in my office putting a call through one of my business partner in Chicago. After six years of suffering and hustling, God blessed me with my own company. I loved the line of business my dad was into years back before everything crashed, so when I got enough money from my job I decided to go into the same traveling agency business because I knew it's going to get me places like I ever wanted. I am happy where I am today and I'm glad I took the right decision of leaving the village for acity.

While I was still on a call, my door flew open and one of my female clients and good friend, Mrs Ani, walked in with tissues on her hands dabbing her teary eyes and behind her was my

secretary. I furrowed my brows in confusion, something must be wrong I told myself.

"If you’ll excuse me Mr. Smith, I’m sorry to hang up on you, but I have a very urgent issue to attend to right now, please can I give you a call back?" I asked.

"Sure, just call me whenever you're less busy to finalize our discussion" I heard him say on his end.

"Thank you" I said and then I hanged up. I gaze up at my friend and I could see how hurt she looked. I stood up, standing in between my executive comfy chair and table. "Mrs Ani? Is everything okay?" I asked. I saw Amy, my secretary step forward.

"Ma’am, I’m sorry ma’am, I tried stopping her but she wouldn’t listen to me, i……"

"Its ok Amy, you can leave, she’s not just a client but also my friend. You can leave us alone please" I interrupted my secretary from explaining. Amy gave a nod and exited the office immediately. "Mrs Ani please seat" I said quietly. My big friend took a seat just across my table and sniffle on her tissue.

"Do you want water?" I asked but my friend shook her head in response. "Anything you want to make you feel better?"

"Death! I feel like dying!" She muffled out, this were the first few words she'd ever spoken since she got to my office. "This is so heartbreaking" she added just as I was trying to process what she meant by death and then her sobs emerge louder.

I left my seat and walks up to her sitting position and pulled her into a comforting hug from behind rubbing her arms soothingly to calm her down. "Shush! Don’t say that, okay? You deserve to live more than a hundred years" I whisper to her and patted her hair.

"No, living is useless right now. It sucks to give in your all to make something work out but only to find out you’re not even being appreciated" she muffles out in a coarse voice and I hug her tightly.

It breaks my heart to see my big friend who I see as my only second mum I have in Nigeria crying this way. "I won’t ask you to stop crying, cry it out as much as you want" I whispers softly to her ears and she nods and cried uncontrollably.

"Am. I. Not. Beautiful enough?" she choked out hiccupping after couple of minutes she's been crying.

"Of course you are!" I exclaimed and released her from the hug tilting her chin up to look her in the eyes. "Look at me" I begged, a few seconds later she looked up at me trying to blink the tears away that were causing blurriness to her eyes.

"You’re such a meaningful and amazing being God has created, don’t ever try letting anyone make you feel less than that" I said to her cupping her face into my hand.

"Then why? Why?" she asked softly sniffing and I furrowed my brows trying to get what she meant.

"Why what?" I asked. Silence was all I got from her as a response.

"Please can I get a tissue?" she requested not glancing up at me.

I let go of her hand and walked to my drawer to get a box of tissue for her, "Here" I handed her the box of tissue and went to sit on my table facing Mrs Ani.

"Thank you" she said quietly and sniffs out on the tissue while I watched her.

I gave a sigh, "How are you feeling now?".

"Awful" she replied with a snort and heaves a deep sigh. "I’m sorry for coming over to your office in my state of mind; I know it’s not…."

"Hey, you don’t need to apologize for coming here, I’m glad you came to me rather than to someone else" I cut in.

"Are you sure?" she asked embarrassingly.

"Yes" I gave her an assuring smile.

"Thank you" she flashed me a smile and dabbed her eyes with the tissue one more time.

"C’mon, stop thanking me, I haven’t done anything yet. You are my friend and I can't just leave you when you're sad this way".

"No you have done something big. Watching me cry and comforting me without sending me out of your office means a whole lot to me, so thank you"

she blabs and I roll my eyes playfully at her and flashed her a smile.

"It’s a pleasure" I stared at her seeing she's a bit calm now, I had to know why she was crying, "Uhmm, Mrs Ani?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you mind telling me what’s wrong?" I asked and then there was another awkward moment of silence again. "Uh, it’s fine if you don’t want to

talk about it now" I quickly added when I saw her nervousness.

"No, I mean yes. Oh my, what the hell am I saying?" she laughs nervously while I shrugs with a smile. "I meant sure we can talk it over with a cup of

ice cream, yeah?"

"Ice cream?" I snorted with a raised brow.

"Yeah, weird right?"

"No, not at all. I find it cool. Actually is something I usually do when I’m feeling sad sometimes" I grin at her.

"Really?" she almost exclaimed and I nodded with a wide grin plastered on my face. "Finally, I found something common about the both of us" she added.

"Yeah, yeah" I replied chuckling lightly and she joined me. I felt a bit relief to see her becoming a bit cheerful again.

"So, are you free enough to go out now? I mean it’s fine if you can’t……

"I’m ready if you are" I cut her from blabbing. No matter how busy I could be, I always make out time to be with my friends who needs me the most, and knowing I don't keep much friends at least the few I have mean so much to me. I stood up from the table and stretched out my hand to pick up my purse from my table.

Mrs Ani smiles with a nod "Thank you, please give me a minute to have a retouch on my makeup because I’m certain my face looks like

a zombie right now".

I smiled "Sure, take your time" I sat back down on the table waiting for her to finish up while I glance through some mails on my phone.

"Do I look better now?" I heard her asked and I gaze up from my phone.

"Wow, your face is much brighter now. You’re such a beauty Mrs Ani" I admired her. Truly she is a beautiful woman with a beautiful heart.

"Thank you" she blushes. "Can I make a request?"

"Sure" I answered with a shrug.

"As awkward as this may sound, please from henceforth I don’t want you to call me Mrs Ani; I’d prefer Catherine or Lady C. okay?"

I was awestruck for a moment because she was someone I look up to as a mum figure since my mum is not in Nigeria, in fact she is way older than me but you wouldn't believe it based on how our closeness of friendship was.

"But i…."

"No buts, just grant my request, would you?" she cuts me midsentence and I just stared at her for what seems like forever. "Please" she added and she knew whenever I hear the word 'please' it changes my mind in some circumstances.

"Fine, I’d prefer calling you Lady C, how about that?"

"Fair enough" she nods happily.

"Okay" I said still not happy with her new changes.

"Can we leave now?"

"Sure". I stood up with my purse and iPhone Max in hand. "After you" I said gesturing her to the door and she nods and headed for the door while I followed right behind her.