Chapter Seventy-Nine – The Angel and the Devil

While I was out in Boateng’s car, Lara was able to get Mara alone and talk to her.

“What’s up? What did you want to talk about?” Mara asked, leaning against the desk.

“Thanks for coming. I was going through our accounts and stuff and I noticed a lot of missing inventory. I was wondering if you knew about it” Lara said, looking at Mara so intently she could pass out.

“Oh right, that. I actually gave some of the combs to customers on credit and then I dashed some out to some friends of mine.”

Lara couldn’t believe her ears.

“What do you mean you dashed them out? Mara? We need the stock to make money. If you’re dashing them out how do you hope for us to make any profit? Also, why would you alter our business model without telling me? If you’re going to give out stock on credit, shouldn’t you let me know beforehand?”

Mara didn’t like Lara’s tone.

“Besides, what is the plan to get those girls to pay?”

“They are friends of mine and they said they’d pay.”

“Mara? How could you be so naïve? You haven’t even finished paying Carl back for the loan he gave you and you’re already dashing out merchandise to people and given out things on credit. How can you do business like that?”

“Okay, so first of all, I don’t like the way you’re speaking to me. It’s my business and you decided to join in so how can you now be telling me how to run the business?”

Lara couldn’t hold back the scoff that she let out. It definitely offended Mara even more.

“Mara, I invested in this business with my money and I’ve been working hard at this business with you. My room is literally overrun with stock which you would have had to keep in your thieving room. So, I think I am definitely entitled to have a say in how this business is run.”

I entered the room just in time to catch the last bits of the business dispute.

“We will have to find a way to fix this mess” Lara said.

Mara was too annoyed to offer a response.

“Wow. The rain really beat you o. I thought Boateng was coming to pick you up?” Lara said, when I entered.

“Oh, so you are aware you intentionally ambushed me and forced me to be trapped in the car with a person I didn’t want to talk to? That’s the second time you’re doing that. Why?”

Mara was grateful for the change in conversation.

“First of all, that’s a lie. You definitely wanted to talk to that boy. You’re just playing with your own emotions at this point. I’m just trying to help you.”

I took of my clothes in irritation.

“Honestly, Lara, I didn’t want to say anything because I know you have good intentions but your constant interception is rather making things worse for me. Come to think of it, the only reason Boateng got upset and slept with Aseda was because you decided to tell him I was talking to Sly again."

"That’s not fair” Lara observed.

“And you’re right. At the end of the day, I was talking to Sly and Boateng did have a right to know and anything that happened was a consequence of my own actions. All I’m saying is, your constant butting in isn’t helping me at all. I get you’re trying to help or whatever and I’m grateful but please stop.”

Mara looked back and forth between us. She couldn’t tell if we were arguing or having a conversation. Her brow was furrowed in confusion.

“I guess my good intentions didn’t come off the way I intended. I’m sorry” Lara apologized.

I thanked her.

“So, what happened when you two were trapped together?” Mara asked.

I narrated the story to them.

“I mean, I don’t know, Araba. Boateng is my friend and he’s cool and all but what he did was just awful and below the belt. He’s a known womanizer and I’m really wondering if it’s wise to assume that that’s suddenly going to change because of you” Mara observed candidly.

“He has never cheated on a person he’s actually in a relationship with” Lara chipped in.

“Are you sure about that? Because I’m pretty sure there was some emotional cheating on Marilyn with Araba” Mara retorted.

“That’s a stretch” I said.

“Is it? Because he was ready and prepared to spend Valentine’s with you even though he was with her. I don’t know but that has to count for cheating in some way.”

“I think it was just dumb not cheating” Lara said in Boateng’s defense.

“How many ‘dumb’ decisions is one boy allowed to make before we start saying it how it is?” Mara asked.

Her question did get me thinking.

“Besides, who is to say that if you were to reconcile now and then evolved into a relationship, he wouldn’t do another ‘dumb’ thing when he gets upset?”

Mara was really hitting these arguments. Lara had no response to the latest submissions. She thought for a minute.

“I think everyone is capable of dumb decisions. I’ve made a few. Even you Mara have made a few – the recent one being the business. Araba made several really dumb decisions herself last semester. Regardless of all these we all give each other a chance. I have known Boateng longer than all of you. I have seen him grow and mature. Araba, dare I promise you, that he’s never going to cheat on you if you are together for real?”

That was definitely another angle to marinate on.