Tegan 6

 

Photo: from Google

Tegan: Pet

“Where’s Te-, T-boss?” Dozie asked Kunle and Shade. They were having lunch of jollof rice and plantain in the cafeteria. Kunle sat opposite Dozie and Shade at the table. The other members of the staff filled the cafeteria with talks and laughter.

“Why are you asking? Since when was it our business to know where T-boss is?” Kunle raised an eyebrow, perusing Dozie. He probably thought Dozie didn’t want to heed his advice to stay away from Tegan. Dozie, of course, didn’t heed the advice.

Dozie, noticing Kunle's perusal replied, “She was supposed to go through my article. I gave it to her in the morning and I haven’t seen her since morning.”

“She’s in a meeting oh,” Shade responded, going through some Instagram posts on her phone.

“Meeting? Since then?”

“Oh, you even know when she went for the meeting,” Shade said, dropping her phone on the table. She used the fork she held to capture a piece of plantain and put it in her mouth.

“Well, yes. But the meeting has gone on too long.”

“Ahhh, why won’t it go on long? Do you know who she’s with? I would even spend the entire day with him.” 

“Who is she with?” Kunle asked Shade, suddenly interested in the conversation.

“Kyrian Oladimeji.”

Dozie took a swig of the coke he had been nursing. “And for some reason that name is supposed to make us fidget. Lola was seriously nervous when he arrived.”

“Guy, are you trying to tell me you don’t know who Kyrian is? Even you Kunle?” 

When Kunle shook his head and Dozie muttered something under his breath, maybe a curse, Shade continued.

“Kyrian Oladimeji is the CEO of KY Stiches. The bad ass fashion designer that has won awards all over Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. The bad ass fashion designer who is also known in West Africa. Every guy wants him to do something marvelous to their clothes. Every lady either wants him to design something for them or just look at them with his beautiful eyes.”

“Ohhhh, that Kyrian,” Kunle and Dozie said together, dawning with understanding.

“Yes oh, that Kyrian. I can see the light has come back to you people’s brains,” Shade scoffed.

“You for just talk KY na. Who know em full name before,” Kunle eyed Shade. Everybody know the guy. E sharp oh.”

“My dear, he’s fucking sharp. If you see his face ehn—”

Dozie interjected, “Abeg abeg. E do. We shouldn’t hear word again because Kyrian Oladimeji is in our office.”

Shade snorted at that. She looked at Kunle who was laughing, but she wasn’t intimidated. “Dozie, if you see his face ehn, you go salute. Kyrian is so fine. He has chiseled abs. He’s tall, dark and sexy. Completely smokin' hot. The perfect depiction of a Yoruba demon. Una two,” she pointed fingers at them, “no reach am.”

Dozie scowled at her, while Kunle insulted her in Yoruba. He tried to recall how the designer looked like. Of course he had seen pictures of him on the internet, in magazines, even on Fashion Today. Yeah, the guy was hot all right. And he had been with Tegan for long. What the hell were they discussing? Were they the only ones holding the meeting? Was Lola with them? Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen Lola either. Maybe she was with them. He hoped she was with them.

 

God, what was wrong with him? He picked up his bottle of coke again. This time, he took more than a swig. His throat felt dry. Why was he so concerned that Kyrian was with Tegan? It was clearly business. Nothing more. He pushed his half empty plate away from him, suddenly no longer hungry.

“We no reach am, but you dey follow Dozie up and down like fly wey dey follow shit.” Kunle’s final blow brought Dozie back to the table.

“Ori re ko ye, Kunle. Waka.” Shade shot her palm out at Kunle.

Dozie chuckled a bit. “Guys, let’s go back to work, jare. I’m done eating.”

“Same here,” Kunle drank the last drop of water from the Eva plastic bottle and stood. Shade picked up her phone and stood as Dozie stood too, taking his almost empty bottle of coke.

As they walked back to the office, Shade decided to give him a heart attack.

“Kyrian is single, so is Tegan. They’ll look really good together. Perfect cou—"

Dozie, who was taking the last drop of his coke almost chocked on it before she finished her last sentence.

“Bro, are you okay?” Kunle asked as Dozie coughed.

“Why are you still drinking the coke sef? I thought you said you were okay. Pele,” Shade was massaging his back.

“I’m fine, thanks Kunle. Shade leave me, I'm fine.” He wriggled free from Shade and walked ahead of them, still coughing a bit. He discarded the bottle of coke in the nearest waste bin.

“Ahan, I was only trying to help,” Shade looked offended.

He passed Tegan’s office on the way to their cubicle. He noticed she wasn’t still there. He tried not to believe he wasn’t jealous that she was spending time with another man. 

“Perfect couple. Pfft. Stay professional, Chidozie,” he scolded himself as he sat down, “you’re supposed to stay professional. She’s a beautiful and desirable woman. Of course any man would want her. She’s not yet yours. So breathe for goodness sake.”

“Is it just me or is he talking to himself?” Shade whispered to Kunle as they approached their tables.

“Maybe, maybe not,” was all Kunle said as he sat down too.

Dozie was restless for the next 30 minutes until he saw Tegan walk to her office. 

A man was with her.

 Scratch that, a demigod. He recognized the face instantly. Shade was right, the man was hot. Kyrian was dressed in a tailored black suit, probably designed by him. He wore a white shirt and a dark blue tie. His shoes were a shiny black. His perfectly trimmed beard made Dozie touch his goatee absentmindedly. His hair wasn’t full, a nice low cut. His complexion was dark and to Dozie, actually lovely. Oh, he loathed the man instantly. He and Tegan walked into her office together.

“Dozie, you’re staring,” Kunle tapped him. “Even you, Shade.”

Dozie averted his eyes from Tegan’s office and buried his head in his work. He couldn’t even hear what Kunle and Shade were talking about. He raised his head again when Tegan’s door opened, and Kyrian stepped out. Finally, the man had left. He didn’t wait a second before bolting for Tegan’s office.

Tegan was exhausted. She had forgotten she had that meeting earlier, when she was mirthful. The meeting with Kyrian and the other executives had been tiring. Kyrian didn’t only want to feature in the next edition of Fashion Today, he wanted to be on the cover. He also wanted to be a sponsor of the magazine. So many things had to be talked about. Documents had to be signed, deals had to be talked through. 

Before the end of it, she was begging to just stand up. As if that wasn’t enough, Kyrian always asked her what her opinion was for everything. If her bosses and other people didn’t get the hint that the man definitely had a crush on her, they were superficially blind. That had made her uncomfortable too. What if they started giving her the cold shoulder because of it? The only person who was genuinely excited about the attention she was receiving was Lola. 

After the meeting, Kyrian had offered to buy her lunch.

“Tegan, thanks for all your input during the meeting. It meant a lot to me,” he said, as soon as they walked out of the conference room. 

Lola was a few meters from them. She must have an antenna or something,  because she couldn’t understand how Lola knew the meeting was over that quick.

“It’s nothing, just doing my job,” she replied him as they walked, Lola behind them.

“Can I buy you lunch? For keeping you long,” he offered.

“Mr. Oladimeji—”

“It’s Kyrian. I keep asking you to call me Kyrian.”

“Okay, it’s just a bit weird calling you that. Anyway, Kyrian,” she said, enunciating the name, “buying me lunch won’t be necessary.”

“But I insist, for the stress I put you through.”

“That means you have to buy lunch for everyone else cos you stressed them too.”

He laughed, a rich laughter that was soothing to the ears. His dimples flashed as he did so. Yeah, she had to admit, he was good looking.

“Okay, you got me there. I just want to buy you lunch. It’s the only way I can actually get to see you outside the office, just for 30 minutes. You always decline my invitations.”

She figured it’d be rude to decline this one now. Besides, she was hungry.

“Okay, then. Just lunch. I need to be back in the office soon.” She could feel Lola rejoicing behind her.

“Perfect,” he smiled.

He took her to get Chinese in his range Rover which was seriously neat. They ate and talked briefly, since she was on the clock. He drove her back and walked her to her office. After promising to call her later, he had left.

Now she was sitting in her office, looking at the pile of work on her desk and wondering when she’d finish everything when a knock rattled her.

“Come in,” she thought it’d be Lola, ready to gulp juicy details. She turned on her computer.

“Hi,” his voice brought her head up from her computer.

“Hi,” she said, genuinely happy to see him. She hadn’t noticed what he wore before, but now, she fed her eyes with the look of him. He wore a white shirt, tucked in a blue trouser. His tie was also blue, the same shade of his trouser. She noticed he had a frown on his face, which made him look extremely handsome. She wondered why he’d look handsome even when he frowned. “What’s up?”

“You’ve been a bit scarce,” Dozie said, sitting.

“I’ve been in a meeting. You know this.” She stopped typing and looked at him. “Are you okay? You’re not your usual self.”

“You noticed,” he said dryly.

She raised an eyebrow, “Dozie, I’m exhausted. To top it off, I still have work to do. If there’s something you need, spit it out.”

“Who was that guy?”

“Excuse me?”

“The guy you’ve been in a meeting with.”

“A client. A soon to be partner or sponsor, whatever. Is that what you came to ask?”

“No, not exactly.” He took in a deep breath and changed his tone. “I had missed seeing your face, that’s it.” He smiled now, that smug smile of his. He looked at her the way he had the night before and she felt herself blush.

“Err, okay.” She didn’t have a response for that.

He stood, putting his hands in his pocket, he said, “I know we’re staying professional in the office, but I can at least give you a compliment. You look beautiful, as usual. Can I call you tonight?”

Why the hell did everyone want to call her later?

“Sure, you can,” she said instead.

He smiled again and left her with her work and thoughts.

                                   ***

“He asked you who Kyrian was?” Taylor paused the sketch she was finishing and faced Tegan who was recounting her day to her. They were in the living room and Taylor’s sketches were scattered all over the centre table. She sat on the biggest couch, her other drawing books on the couch too.

“He said he missed seeing my face, that’s why he was asking who Kyrian was.” Tegan said, changing the TV channel from CNN to Soundcity.

“I’m happy Kyrian is trying to be a sponsor. He has a lot of influence and it’ll be good for Fashion Today. I thought he had gotten over you with the way you just didn’t give him face.”

“I thought so too, Sis. I almost entered inside the ground during the meeting. Anyway, the Chinese was good.”

“Hot girl. Na Dem dey rush you. Kyrian wants you. Dozie is practically worshipping you. You’re everyone’s favorite pet. Which jazz are you using?”

Tegan laughed, “Taylor please. You have Kachi. I didn’t even ask for the attention.”

“But you like it. I know you do,” she pointed her pencil at Tegan.

“I like Dozie’s.”

“Of course you do. That’s why I’m surprised you didn’t realize he was jealous.”

“What? Jealous of who?”

Taylor raised an eyebrow at her.

“Kyrian? But it was a meeting,” she swallowed her laughter.

“And after the meeting, you had lunch.”

“Dozie doesn’t know we had lunch. It was just food anyway.”

“Nne, Kyrian is like everything Dozie isn’t. Of course he’d feel intimidated.”

“The only difference is Kyrian's wealth and age.”

“Duhh, that’s everything.”

“No, Tay. Dozie is bold and talented and—”

“And you’re definitely smitten. Who could have thought the mighty Tegan would like a guy.”

“I hate you, Tay.” She frowned at her sister.

“Sure you do.” Taylor put the pencil in her mouth and examined her sketch. “I need to get these sketches done by tonight so I can start working on the dresses tomorrow. The wedding is soon. Jee, my wedding is soon.” She pressed her hand on her temple.

“Let me see them,” Tegan, grateful for the switch in conversation, admired her sister’s designs.

“Wow, Tay. These are really good.”

Taylor almost had tears in her eyes. “Thanks, Tee. I’m glad you like ‘em.” 

“I guess the girls and I will be looking glamorous that day.”

“Yes oh. Y'all will be glowing.”

Tegan’s phone rang. She checked the caller ID. It was Kyrian. Her face fell a bit. She was expecting someone else.

She picked it, “Hello Mr., Hello Kyrian.” Taylor minded her sketches and left her to her conversation.

“I’m glad you corrected it,” he said through the phone. “Hi Tegan. How’s your evening going?”

“I’m relaxing. You know how exhausting the day was.”

“I do. I apologize again. Although, I can’t wait to work with you.”

It dawned on Tegan then that she’d be seeing a lot of Kyrian. It would be difficult to reject his advances.

“Well, I guess so.”

He engaged her in small talk. When her phone started beeping while it was still on her ear, she brought it to her face to check. Another call was coming in. 

Dozie.

“Kyrian, I gotta go. I have an important call to take. Thanks for calling me. If you could please hang up.” She heard Taylor’s smirk.

“Oh, no problem. Good night.”

“Goodnight. Bye.” He hung up and she picked Dozie’s call, which was on the second ring. “Hey,” her voice was calmer.

“Hey, I hope it’s not too late to call.” He sounded concerned.

“No, it’s not. How are you?” she twirled her cornrowed hair with her finger. When Taylor snorted with laughter, she stood and went to her room to continue the conversation.

“I’m fine. Better than before.”

“What was wrong before?”

He chuckled, “it’s nothing. You, on the other hand, looked like you were gonna collapse before I left. How are you?”

“I’m okay. I’m relaxing.”

“I was afraid you’d be asleep when I called.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not then.”

She heard him laugh, “I guess so. You asked me to stay professional at work, so I couldn’t talk about yesterday.”

She swallowed. She had been sitting on her bed before he said that, now, she rested her back on the purple bedsheet.

“Yesterday was great.”

“I know. I want to do it again. Since you vehemently called it a hangout, I decided I should do something different.”

She was a bit confused, “do what differently?”

He took in a deep breath before he spoke again, “Tegan, I’d like to take you on a date. This time, I’d take you were I want to take you. So, what do you say?”

If she thought about it too much, she might chicken out. So she answered, “I’d love to go on a date with you.”

She could hear him exhale the air he had been holding. 

“That’s, hmm, that’s great, Tegan. I’ll text you the details for Friday night. Since it’s a public holiday, you could stay out late.”

She laughed, “you thought this through before you called me.”

“Yes, boss. And since I don’t still own a car, we might be using an Uber.”

She laughed again at that, “No issues.” She heard voices in the background.

“Okay, boss. I gotta go. Have a good night. I’ll send you something to make you sleep well.”

With that, he hung up. She held the phone in her hand and stayed where she was. In less than a minute, a text came in.

“Roses are red, violets are blue.

I hope my dreams are filled with you.

I’d take you over roses, cos they got nothing on you.

Angels by you, my rose flower.”

Gosh, she placed her hand on her mouth as her eyes watered.

“You’re not going to cry. Big girls don’t cry, let alone over wonderful romantic messages.” She read the text over and over again before she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Friday soon came and Dozie was pumped. The days had been filled with work and seeing Tegan briefly. The nights had been filled with hearing her voice briefly and sending her texts. He was really looking forward to tonight. He adjusted his jacket and brushed his hair again. 

The date he scheduled with Tegan was a dinner date. He had told her to dress up and he too would. He wore a white shirt, inside the black jacket. He chose a pair of black trousers too that the white shirt was tucked into. He made sure he had a fresh haircut and a trim for his goatee. He looked at himself in the mirror again and smiled to himself. 

“You got this, bro.”  He wore his perfume and shoes, then headed downstairs. Luckily, Cynthia didn’t meddle in his preparation. He shouldn’t have used the word “luckily”, because as he descended the stairs, his entire family forgot the movie they were seeing and fixed their eyes on him.

“Ahan, Chidozie, kedu ife na-emezi?” Mrs. Agu scrutinized him, with a smile on her face.

“Wawu, mummy he’s even wearing jacket. See the shoes, well polished.” Cynthia teased.

“Ah, you women won’t kill me,” Dozie put his hands in his pocket and walked towards them.

“Chidozie, what’s the occasion?” Mr. Agu, who had been quiet, decided to ask.

Dozie and his dad had always been close, so he didn’t feel telling him he was going on a date was a problem.

“I have a date, dad.”

“Same girl from Sunday?” Mrs. Agu asked. She quickly told her husband that Dozie had gone out on Sunday.

Dozie hesitated, just for a second before he answered, “yes.”

“Wow, I’m impressed, You never really got out with them more than once,” Cynthia snickered.

Dozie felt it would be safer to ignore his sister.

“That means she must be special,” Mr. Agu commented.

“She is,” Dozie smiled.

“Aren’t you too young to be having a special girl?” 

It was as though Cynthia decided that she’d be a pain in his ass that day would be to upset him. No, she didn’t just decide. She was always a pain in the ass.

“Don’t you have fabrics to sell or something?” Dozie fired back.

“Duhh, it’s 6pm. I’m closed for the day.”

“Your mates are still busy right now. Maybe you should rethink your closing hours so that you’ll have something to do rather than stick your nose in my business.”

“Oh, you’re so—”

“Enough, both of you.” Mr. Agu, who had watched them exchange words initially, stopped Cynthia from whatever come back she had. To Cynthia, he said, “Ada m, leave your brother alone. He’s not too young to have a special someone.” To Dozie, he said, “respect your sister. She’s only looking out for you.”

When they both wanted to speak again, he raised his hand and they decided it was best to stay quiet.

“So, Dozie, how are you going on this date of yours with your special someone?”

Dozie decided that Cynthia wouldn’t and couldn’t ruin his evening.

I’m taking an Uber, Daddy.”

Mr. Agu thought for a second, before he responded, “since it’s such a special date, you could use the Land Rover. Treat the lady right.”

Dozie’s face lit up like a thousand torches, “are you for real?”

“I wouldn’t waste time if I were you,” Mr. Agu responded and went back to his movie.

“Thanks Dad, you’re the best.” Dozie walked up to his parents and planted kisses on their foreheads, while Cynthia protested that she had never been permitted to use the Land Rover.

“Give it up, Sis. You have your own car,” Dozie picked up the car keys from the small basket on a shelf in the living room, where keys were kept.

“Do we get to meet this special lady?” Mrs. Agu asked cheerfully.

“Yes, when I propose to her and she agrees to marry me.” He saw the stunned reaction on the three faces and laughed. “See y’all later. Don’t wait up for me.”

                                   ***

“I thought you said we were going in an Uber?” Tegan asked Dozie, admiring the Land Rover parked outside her house.

“Well, I changed my mind. Actually, my father made me change my mind.”

“Your father?”

“Let’s just say he didn’t want me taking a lady on a date without a ride. I sorta see his point, feels right picking you up myself. You look ravishing.”

Tegan, dressed in a midnight blue gown that stopped slightly above her knee, blushed. The gown had a thin strap and was beautified by glitters. It exposed a generous amount of her back. She wore a pair of silver heel slippers and also carried a silver purse. She chose a short black wig that stopped at her jaw. A pair of silver stud earrings and a bracelet were the jewelries she wore.

“Thank you. You said dinner, I had to dress it.” She looked at the car again. “So, this is your father’s car?”

“Excellent choice on the gown.” He drew her to himself hugged her and kissed her on her forehead. “Now, if you could please step into the car, which is my father’s car, I’d be glad.” He opened the car door for her.

“How nice of you to act like a gentleman,” she teased, leaning into the car.

Dozie smiled and walked over to the driver’s seat.

“You can drive, right?” she asked him as soon as he sat down.

Her question made him laugh. “Darling, I drove the car here.” He buckled his seat belt. “Better strap on, my lady. You’re in for a ride.”

“Yay! So, tell me how you got the ride.”

Dozie started the car and moved out of her street before he relayed how he got the car.

Tegan, who was listening with keen interest to his tale had been laughing all through. “You actually told Cynthia to check her working hours?”

“Yes. She’s a pain in my ass. Anyway, my parents wished me well and I drove the car to meet the lady currently beside me.” He took his eyes off the road for a jiffy to look at her. Then he concentrated on the drive. 

There was no point telling her about the last part of the conversation.

Thinking of it now, he had only said that to get his mom off his case, but he couldn’t help but wonder about his response. He had never thought about marriage with any lady before. Now he was thinking about marriage, even if it was a joke, and it centered on Tegan. It was just the second date, technically. Jeez, he had to calm down…

“Where are you?” Tegan asked.

“What?”

“Where’s your mind? Cos it’s definitely not in this car.

“I’m sorry. I was just lost in thought.”

“Clearly, which is why I asked where you were.”

He gave a one sided smile, “it doesn’t matter. I’m right here now.”

“If you say so. Now, where are we going?”

“Have some patience, fair lady. We'll be there soon. Meanwhile, there’s something in the compartment for you.”

“Really?” Tegan beamed. She opened the compartment, and there, wrapped in a red ribbon was a single red rose. “Awwn,” she said, bringing it out from the compartment. She brought it to her nose and inhaled the scent.

“A rose for the lady,” Dozie said, turning off the engine of the car.

Tegan had been lost in finding what was in the dashboard that she didn’t know when they had pulled up into the parking lot of the restaurant. She touched the rose and smiled.

“It’s real.”

“Of course it is. You’re real and you deserve beautiful things. Always.”

“Thank you,” she blushed.

He took her palm and kissed it. “You’re welcome. Now, are you ready for our date?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Let’s go, then.”

Translations

Ori re ko ye- your head is not correct.

Pele- sorry

Kedu ife na-emezi- what's going on oh?