I walked on the red carpet they had set aside for CEO's and employers and all exclusive invitees. My vision became hazy as the lights invaded my sight, I felt like I was in the sun because when the lights stopped flashing. I could see nothing at first. I took a step forward and I could not feel the next ascent of stairs.
I was caught by Andrew my personal assistant, he was my date for the party. Stacie had trudged all over the floor to let Luther come to the party with me. she told me that it would increase the bond we had with one another. I was recalcitrant and I shut my ears shut to her petulant requests. If I were to invite him over as my date, he might get the wrong idea, I understood that Stacie was just in for my best interest but I decided not to listen.
Stacie and the rest of my crew were trooping in at the back of me getting their own spot in the sunlight.
" hey! Ms. Peace are you the CEO of the GREEN FOODS"
"This is your first public appearance, why?"
" Are you antisocial?"
"We heard that you have children, are you into a scandal?"
how did you become one of the most popular gardens for fresh vegetables?"
" were virtues your core values that fostered your companies growth? "
Loud vociferous reporters bustled around the whole event area. Security men held the reporters as one almost dabbed a microphone into my face. Andrew, collected the microphone and tossed it into the reporters face. I could not imagine that my company had grown to have influence, I did not even think that there would be reporters at such an event. I watched other CEOs and respectable managers that I was familiar with confidently take pictures at the Photo booth.
I covered my face while crossing the photo booth area, Andrew helped me cover my face. He was being very helpful. I did not want my face to appear on newspaper or any news outlet. It was too risky, he could find out where I was.
I entered the villa centre and a large arc of flowers, both artificial and real arced beneath my head. It made me feel transcendent as I saw the carving of ice at a side, it was a statue of a giant tree. It was a part hosted by an environmental and health agency, so I had expected the theme to be mostly organic. The halls blinkered with massive chandeliers, I wanted to trip while starring but I had gotten my shielding once again from Andrew. I had to comment because he was looking so deadpan serious about protecting me and being my date for the night. The Andrew I knew was nervous,shy and clumsy but looking at him in the suit, he took on a whole new entire demanour.
" Are you fine? You are extremely quiet?"
"I am fine ma'am…I am just not used to social gatherings and events like these. I prefer the garden."
" it is all right. once in a while we should all come out and attend events like these, right crew?"
"Eye_i_eye captin!" they chorused. I laughed and I decided to address them.
" see I want you all to go out and be amiable and friendly to every member of any company. Treat them like you would your own team mates. Treat them like you would pamper the seedlings. Remember that our values are built on the foundation of love and peace. You guys don't have to follow me where I go, please go and enjoy the party. Survey every nook and cranny and be your self." I addressed my team mates,I could see tears I some of them eyes and I could see wide grins plastered across their face. I smiled to myself; who doesn't like a bit of relaxation and a break once in a while. It would be their first time that they would come out to to associate themselves with other companies. I knew they would strategically form business connections at the same time, it was something that I could count on my collection of just 20 members of my company to achieve.
After they had been dismissed I could embark on my adventure all alone.
I looked across the hall and a waiter approached me with cups of different content.
" Is there fruit wine that is non-alchoholic?"
" yes madam, the dark red wine."
" Thank you."
I walked with my heels, I tottered a bit, I wish I had not allowed Stacie to choose my footware, I wish I had come with my ballerina shoes instead. The gown was long and I was tempted to step on it, but I know God had protected me.
I noticed Mr. parker, talking, he was a lawyer that I was farmiliar with, he had helped me arrange several files and sign them. I decided to join his clique of friends.
" Hello Mr. parker, how are you doing?" I stretched out my hands for a shake. His eye braws were raised, and he held my hands and placed a kiss on them,I could feel his beards brisk my hands like a tooth brush dried from harmattan.
" Hey! What a surprise! Hey everyone this is Ms. Peace she is a marvelous and accountable woman. I watched her business grow from a shabby shed and a backyard farm to what it is today!" I smiled sheepishly. Hands were outstretched to shake my hands and I felt myself being shaked of balance.
After some while, the whole discussion went well until it turned to talk about politics, I kindly excused myself and I saw Andrew striding over to my side and Stacie holding him back. She waved at me from afar and I waved back. It was nice to see that she had been enjoying herself.
I continued walking and striding aimlessly, watching the bartenders serving people, at one stand, there were couples who had a eating competition by the side.
The party hall made me claustrophobic, my memories flashed to the incident that separated me from him. I went to a bench that was reserved for people who did not want to stand too long. I flet so small in the huge event centre, it was wide as football stadium.
There was a Dj that was easy to miss at the end of the centre which was easy to miss in all the activity going up in the room. Everyone had already cleared up and were entering another hall
I expected the event centre to be noisy but it wasn't. I heard an announcement from the speaker,
" All CEOs should head down to the main hall centre for announcements." A speaker had announced. I decided to follow the exit that people seemed familiar with.
I journeyed further to a tunnel like structure at the side of the room, I could see flash lights and boom at the end.
Rows of chair seats were arrayed. As I entered, people glanced at me like I had some prints on my face that said, stare at me. I so desperately wished that I had come with my face mask and face cap, what if some influencer would post me online and he would find out about my whereabouts.
She is so pretty I heard people whisper, as I walked through the crowd, I watched people pathways as I journeyed to the chairs that were reserved for the CEOs. I glanced at the back of the reservation seats to spot my team. I saw them and they all waved at me. I just raised my hands up and I turned back to relax.
I finally got a chance to sit down and the host of the event had started calling out names or rewards for the best company, best marketing strategy, best sales etiquette…I could not keep a list. They were so many people where I had sat, I wondered who they were. I saw CEOs being applauded as they went up the stage. If I was to be really honest, I wished that I was already home resting but anytime I would glance at the back and see my teammates, having fun and stuffing food and snacks on the table that had been reserved for my company. I would be encouraged to keep on sitting. I felt rather uncomfortable and watched because a male CEO that sat next to me could not stop looking at me, I did not want to look up, I'd known that I am beautiful woman but they should not keep on with the stare, there was a whole stage in front of you, do I have a miniature stage on my face?
I heard the audience clapping and I frugally clapped three claps. The whole dazzling lights had made my vision a little bit hazy. I started playing with the spoons and napkins, I was feeling a little bit bored. I had already been amazed by everything I wanted to be amazed by. Event centre is good, employees are enjoying themselves, and I am out here sitting down in a crowd of people that I don't know and a man weirdly looking at me for more than five minutes.
" All right, all right. The last but not the least…This position here is for two of our best companies, Get It and Green Foods! Please come up. They are the holders for the best fast growing companies."
I stood up and I was curious to meet the CEO of Get it, I had heard a lot about him and he is our new contractor. I should build a cordial relationship with him. He seemed like a potential investment in so many other areas.
" I walked up the stairs that would lead me to the stage, very strangley; the man who had been staring at me got up as I did. I walked up the stage and the esoteric presence followed me up He must have been the owner of Get it. I wanted to take a look back to observe his face circumspectively . He was the owner of the recent contract and I have not been able to see him since I was busy, he also was; so we were unable to sign the contract but something sent chills down my spine when I heard him call out my name.
" Peace." I was probably imagining things, I decided not to look back and I journeyed to where the hostess was. I was delusional, with all this bustling sound all you could clearly hear was the CEO of Get It calling out your name like him. How did he know my name? I collected my trophy and I smiled to show my appreciation for the award. I saw my crew shouting and screaming out loud. I could hear them vociferously in the midst of the applauds.
" That's our boss, we love you Ms. Peace, be my wife!!!!!!"
I chortled and my feathers from my dress tickled my chin a bit, I took the microphone and I decided to say a few words.
" I am very happy that you all recognized my company's growth and success and deemed me worthy of getting this award. I would not have done it if I did not have amazing people as a crew that helped me foster my vision, at some point along the line. My vision became theirs and theirs mine. We worked like a family and I want to say.. I love you all, you are the best." I gave them a thumbsup and made a fist to encourage them. The particular area where they were seated were filled with cheers. I could see Stacie hang around quiet little Andrew, with her hands hanged around his neck. I am sure he wished that I never asked him and I to separate, he must have resented me for it. I smiled. I felt better, I must have imagined him being on the stage with me, that would be ridiculous. I shaked my head to the side and I laughed once more. I noticed that they were taking ppictures so I threw in poses that I thought would be fit.
" Hey, Mr Thane, you had just been there staring, I know our Ms Peace here is a beauty. Aren't I right crowd? She threw her mic to the crowd and giggled. 'Anyone can be called Thane'… any body, that is coincidence.
The esoteric man decided to walk further and I looked up to stare at his face, I wanted to know if I was not just loosing my mind. I knew that we were in a big room filled with a lot of people. There could be 50 people bearing my name, I just had to be open minded. After convincing myself, I looked up and I dropped my glass trophy as it shattered on the ground.
" Peace."