I'm very sorry ma, Steve replied realizing he had made a mistake yet again. He addressed her as 'ma' though he was older than her. I'm sorry he replied again with heads bowed to signify apology and also to avoid the stench of alcohol from Ivy's breath. Get lost she said slamming the door behind her. Since they arrived in Nigeria, it was from one mistake to another for him. Well, he knew it was to his advantage to stop the mistakes else he would be gotten rid of. Is everything alright sir? hotel security asked.
The noise from the slammed door attracted his attention. No, not at all Steve replied without thinking. What's wrong? hostel security asked with a quizzical look as he was the only one outside. Oh sorry. I meant everything is alright he replied, trying so much to regain his composure. With a friendly pat of his shoulder, the man dressed in blue and black walked away.
The news was about to begin and Ivy couldn't wait. She had been waiting all day for this. She hoped it would be worth the wait. She silently wondered why in this present day and age, certain things had to be restricted from the online world.
Every other thing she needed as regards stocks, shares and all that, she could get online but this, she couldn't. She sat on the couch as the news began. It took about twenty five minutes before the new price of stocks in the Nigerian market was announced. Just as expected, the company AGROTECH ( it was an oil, agricultural and technological based industry in the African market) had gone bankrupt and so it's stocks plummeted. Another company was acquiring it and there was an opportunity for new shareholders to come on board. Ivy was prepared to take this opportunity. Yes, it was a good one.
She was going to acquire just enough shares to be an executive in the company. Her long term plan was to buy more shares and ultimately become the owner of the company. She smirked. She was quite an ambitious lady. The agricultural and oil industry in Africa was a large one. On the global scale, world powers were trying to get more influence in the continent so they could have access to the vastness of the African soil and it's abundance of oil (which was improperly managed). On a smaller scale, international companies were expanding and investing in African countries with the most potential in these sectors. Ivy smiled. Yes, there is it she said.
Now all that was needed was for the deal to go through with officially signed papers confirming the percentage of shares she was to own with the new ownership. Only when the deal was done would she tell her father about it.
She took the remote control and turned off the television. That was enough tv for the day. Her phone beeped. It was a text message from Steve. Your guest would be here in an hour it read. Ivy threw her head back. She felt dizzy and wondered why. She was a heavy drinker and usually just a bottle of alcohol could not make her tipsy.
She laid down on the couch, clinging to her doll. She gently stroked it's head. She closed her eyes, hoping to get rid of the dizziness she felt. She wondered if her dad's opinion about her coming to Nigeria would change after he heard about the deal.
Well, did it matter? She was already an adult and could do whatever she wanted without caring about her old man's feelings. She remembered how her mum always told her to listen to her dad more. It wasn't that she never did. There were just times she wanted to have her own way. Was that wrong? Her parents never had to consult her before doing anything. She believed she could do same.
Just two months ago, her dad had turned down her suggestion of opening an art museum in the company's head branch and the hotels and recreational centres owned by his company for the umpteenth time. Her idea wouldn't bring money to the company so he didn't want to hear about it again. Ivy's idea was to create a museum in branches of the company and the office where her artworks could be displayed for viewing.
He owed her that much since he refused to let her pursue her passion and talent. He didn't think same. He suggested she opened a museum elsewhere. They both knew that was not feasible as Ivy was not after making money from her paintings.
All she wanted was to add to the company's aesthetics. Her dad was having none of it. He saw art as a distraction for her. Probably he would have considered if they were going to come up with ways to make money from her drawings. Despite her dad's lack of interest and support in her paintings, he carried on. At different points in her life, her dad had scolded and punished her. She didn't give up and was a just as stubborn as he was.
Little wonder she was always getting into trouble with her dad. When her mum was still alive, she would calm her husband and give Ivy a good talking to anytime she got her father angry. Now, she was no more. Thoughts of her mother clouded Ivy's mind. Her mother was her only true friend and till this day, Ivy missed her. Ivy still blamed herself for what happened to her mother.
She remembered how she insisted on following her mother on that journey. She was supposed to be home so she could continue her class with a private tutor her parents hired for her during the holidays. She wasn't at all interested in extra lessons but had to do so to fulfill all righteousness.
All that changed when she found out that her mother would be travelling out of town for a week.