Chapter Eighty-One – Business Clashes

A knock at the door saved Kwame from any further compromises. Stephanie bade her goodbyes as one brother from the Bible Study made his entry. This brother, by the name Mark, initially planned to say nothing but who doesn’t love to inject themselves in a seemingly brewing scandal.

“I didn’t know you and Stephanie were close” he commented.

“Oh, we aren’t really. She just had some questions and I answered them” Kwame replied. In moments like this, the gift of melanin simply cannot be overstated. Kwame’s face was burning and had he been transparent, the blush would have revealed itself and compelled Mark to believe these words were lies and that Kwame was back to his mischievous ways as before. Regardless of this averted crisis, Mark still didn’t believe it.

“Oh okay. I would just be careful if I were you. She’s not the kind of girl you want to mess with” Mark ended.

Oh, but Mark, that’s where you are wrong. She was precisely the girl he wanted to mess with. His dream later that night would confirm this.

*

Lara knocked on Mara’s door a bit more forcefully than was necessary. One of the roommates walked to the door and opened it in annoyance.

“Yes?” she asked rudely. Lara chose to ignore. All her frustrations were intended for just one recipient. She wouldn’t be sidetracked by this nobody.

“Is Mara around?” Lara asked.

“Mara, your friend is here” the roommate said, opening the door wider and letting Lara in.

Mara sat up on the bed. She refused to come down.

“I have been texting you since and you’re not replying” Lara complained.

“I’ve been busy” Mara’s cheeky response came.

“Doing what? Lying on your bed? I could tell you were online; you know? We need to sort out this mess you’ve made.”

“What mess? Honestly, Lara please don’t stress me. I’m not in the mood at all.”

“I shouldn’t stress you? First of all, why don’t you come down from up there so we can talk properly. Second of all, you’re the one stressing me. We’ve lost hundreds of cedis from your little giveaways and then from your credit model. We need to figure out a clear solution.”

Mara climbed down grudgingly from the bed. She didn’t like the fact that the other roommates were listening in on the conversation so she requested they come to my room instead. The two trudged in silence to the room where I was laying lazily on the bed and resumed the discussion.

“After our last conversation, I texted the girls who owe. One of them gave me the money and I put it in the box when I came to the room the other day. The other three said they’ll send it soon. I can follow up on that when I see them tomorrow.”

“So, what happens to the ones you gave it to for free?” Lara demanded. Her tone was sharp. Mara’s meek and mild exterior immediately evaporated.

“There’s nothing about it. It was given to them for free and that’s that. Can’t you see these several boxes towering in the corner there? I hardly think giving away a few free products is sufficient enough to collapse our business and warrant all this fuss. You’re blowing up my phone like I’m a petty thief. I’m a partner in this business and I have a right to give away things when I see fit.”

Lara’s eyebrows raised in what can only be translated us “can you believe the audacity of this girl”. Having known her all these years, what quickly follows is speech so foul and wounding that the recipient can never recover.

Once in secondary school, one girl stole from Lara’s chop box. When she caught her, Lara had initially intended to reprimand her privately. The girl in reply had answered loudly and rudely. Lara had raised those eyebrows.

After that, the girl’s life was never the same. She was ashamed to speak up in public till we graduated and recently I heard from an old friend that the girl still complains about it bitterly to this day and flinches at the mention of biscuit.

Knowing these facts, I gently inserted myself into the conversation.

“Why don’t we all calm down and take a breath. Lara, Mara said she’d get the money from those who are owing. That’s a start. As for the ones given away for free, maybe let it go?”

“Let it go?” Lara demanded, like I’d asked her to sell her nudes on the dark web. “She should pay for them at least” she conceded with a pained expression on her face.

“Excuse me? I’m not paying for things I have technically already paid for” Mara said. This girl wasn’t understanding the dangerous territory she was in.

“Are you stupid?” Lara scoffed. Mara was taken aback.

Once again, I had to interject. “Mara, maybe go to your room now. When everyone is calm, then we talk about the way forward.”

Mara crossed her arms. “Whatever. But tell Lara she can’t talk to me like that on top of my own business.”

With that, she sauntered off. The door banged behind her. I thought Lara would explode.

“Araba…”

“I know. Calm down. She’s, our friend. Just let it rest. Besides, just allocate some money as money to be used for promos and then deduct the money lost from the free products from that. Does that make sense? That way, if Mara gives away any more products, you deduct it from that. Okay?”

“I get you. That’s not a bad idea. But this should be her first and last. I won’t work with her anymore if she continues this bush behavior.”

I hate to say, but I love to say, I was right. I did tell them so, reader, did I not?