HOTSHOT - EPISODE 4

To the HR's surprise, Desola stormed out of the office and boarded the standby cab outside the office waiting for a passenger. She promised to double his pay. On hearing that, he zoomed off without asking the destination. Time is money as the say and that was a perfect proof.

He pulled over at the hospital and she handed to him almost more than double the price she promised. He called her attention to the over paid balance but she wasn't having any of that. At the front desk, she asked to be directed to her mothers ward after giving details of whom she was.

“I am sorry ma. You cannot be allowed in right now. She's currently at the theater". She politely said.

“Was it that bad? What really happened?" She curiously asked. It wasn't in the Nurse's capacity to answer that question and she wished she could help. Just when she was almost going to yell at the nurse for answers, she saw John come out from what seemed like a ward. She rushed to him and asked “Is she there? How's she feeling now?"

“Errrr... First, I haven't seen her myself. She's being operated on and so we are in the same river of unpolished thoughts".

“So where was that you came out from?" She said with stuttered words as she glances at the entrance.

The single part of a double door opened from their far right. A man in his white lab dress, taking away his nose mask approached them.

“Thats the doctor." John said to his sister.

“The operation was successful as we had to remove almost five bullets from her. The most dangerous one was the stray bullet on her spine. She's lost blood but we've asked for support from the blood bank. She will be wheeled to her ward and then you can see her." He encouraged them with a smile.

They followed him to his office on the upper floor for further details on their mother's condition. The bill was laid before them and they suddenly bursted into laughter. Doctor wondering if there was any hidden joke on the bill he presented.

Obviously, they don't run a bank that they could suddenly go and withdraw from neither do they own any hidden investments. The doctor made it known to them that he wouldn't have attended to her without any upfront but because her situation was very critical and also on his oath, he had to do his best. She was on life support and also in a coma. Her little brother comforted her as they returned home after checking on their mother.

Days into weeks as they slowly rolled into months. With continuous and constant check up on their mother, she was yet to open her eyes to the real world and feel her surroundings. Indeed, the break from the outside world filled with stress was needed by her only with the scare guaranty that she would live and walk back on her feet. The results from the doctor kept getting scarier.

With a hard knock at the doctor's door, Desola walked in joyfully and sat like a boss lady that she truly is. One cannot be glittering and sparkling when their beloved is in an unappealing state with little or no hope. There could be an exception to the rule and that's exactly what the doctor was curious to know as he relaxed suspiciously in his chair. Still smiling, she brought out a cheque and signed right in front of him paying off all their hospital debts. Not forgetting to tell the doctor if there was any need for extra cash, he shouldn't hesitate to give her a call.

Everything happened like a flash before him. He couldn't get the opportunity to ask her where she got the money from before she bade him bye and in her words “I have to be somewhere very urgently. See you later".

Her story when narrated to him shook him to his heart and he had been merciful to her by doing all his best to survive her mother.

“I hope she isn't doing what exactly is on my mind." He smirked his lips. But that wasn't his business as long as there is cash inflow. Her appearance didn't make his conviction solid but he silently prayed she hadn't fallen into such wagons.

It was night as she prepared herself in her room. Dressed in an orange jersey and a tight blue jean to match, she took her backpack and shoes in the other hand. Eyes rolling round the room, she double checked if everything was perfect before she left. That's her trademark. The switch made a sound and suddenly the room went dark. Turning towards the hallway, she saw her brother standing before her. Like one who missed her stepping, admitted to him that she was frightened by his appearance.

“He is out there waiting." He said and turned his back at her and made his way to his room.

“I am so sorry I kept you waiting. I hope you aren't offended" she said with a chubby smile on getting to the living room.

“Not at all. Can we go now?" He asked.

“With all pleasure, Yes. We can and please don't take that long route we had the last time. It's too stretchy and tiring" she pleaded with Jack.

“On my honor!" He smiled.

One last yelling at her brother to remain indoors as always as she made her way out to his car with her hands interlocked in his.

With the silent ignition of the car, headlamp on, they zoomed off.





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HOTSHOT - EPISODE 3

Slowly he dragged himself to the door and he saw the men in their overall outfit. An immediate tap from his sleep if asked who they were needed no introduction as the logo on their overall did the talking. He slammed the door and went searching for the receipt as proof of payment in his mother's room. Minutes gone and still didn't return to the visitors who were on duty. He went back begging for more time to be sure of where it was as he searched in the unimaginable places. Efforts seeming to be futile, he resulted to his last lifeline; calling his mum on the phone.

One habit the children have always complained of is her inability to answer her phone on first and second attempt of immediate ring. Frustrated after trying over seven times, he begged the gentle men who actually were gentle and patient with him. Finally he dialed again but a male's voice was the receiver. Confused, he immediately aborted the call and checked if he dialed a wrong number. On his treat of confirmation, his phone rang bearing his mother's contact name. He answered and still heard the man's voice. If the phone was stolen, the thief wouldn't bother to call. Rather, the culprit would have done what's needful by doing away with the Sim card a long time ago.

“Hello, please am I on to the son of a woman who wore a blue native blouse and a mixed color wrapper today? He said in a familiar accent.

“Yes you are. I'm John by name." He responded calmly even if his countenance behind the phone was otherwise. Eager to know what was wrong, the caller broke a very sad news.

“I am sorry to inform you that she's just been rushed to the nearest hospital due to a fatal accident by some group of boys who had a clash. Unfortunately, she was the only victim who seem to have a very urgent attention. I called to inform you. Please take heart and I will forward you the address of the hospital as soon as I abort the call"

This could only happen perfectly in his imaginations. His mum had promised to return after she launched a hunt on one of her debtors. Biggest debtor at that. For years, she's been calm and patient enough to have only allowed her debtor pay not up to ten percent which had been exhausted a long time. Nevertheless, he had a situation at hand to settle.

The familiar men were power holding officials and were at the point of duty to disconnect their source of electricity. His inability to bring forth their last payment receipt left them no other choice than to do what they have to do. At his sight, he rushed outside and asked them not to disconnect their wires from the electric pole. It would only result to as false actions. He was sure they paid but all his words seemed like lies before them. He begged and his pleas fell on deaf ears.

He urged them to consider their previous and loyal payments as a chance to believing him. Still, they were adamant. Suddenly, he charged at them and what seemed like threat became serious. Soon, a scene was created. The neighbors pleaded but it only escalated when John proffered as an obstruction to the ladder of height. The men got angered and threatened to throw him out of their way. Considering he was of young age.

John yelled and told them to ask from the landlord if they weren't faithful to their obligations. If for this one you cannot forgive then what makes the officials convinced that they would be interested in paying their dues regularly anymore. He bluntly argued.
The noise woke the landlord's pregnant wife as she was irritated and headed to the source of argument. John narrated to her what the problem was and she immediately asked her youngest daughter to bring their own copy of receipt. The matter got settled at that instance.

With various but mild jubilations, he was encouraged by many and envied by some. Misjudged by others, they could only take that as lack of manners.

“You don't argue with your elders no matter the circumstance." A much older boy said.

“Yoi fight for the truth. Then leave it to take its course. He couldn't have put up such bravery if he wasn't sure of his deeds. So he's justified if you ask me". Another woman said.

On his way to the hospital as described by the text, he put a call through to his sister. Her phone was on silent. His eagerness and worry tripled. His sister would never take such message lightly. She could do worse things. Probably she's heard from the same man and have arrived there before him.

“So madam Roseline, can we discuss your salary now?" Just then she reached for her handbag and saw she's missed numerous calls from her brother. It has never happened. “It must be urgent" she said to herself. Then a text popped and she couldn't believe her eyes.

The HR noticed the sudden countenance and asked if she was okay. Roseline immediately pointed out her mother was in dire need of possible assistance. She further pushed if she could return for the interview if she goes to see her mum.

“Sure you can." The HR manager granted her to leave.

“Please do what you have to do. But I cannot guarantee your welcome when everything calms down". This was a confused state for her.

What she needed to take care of her mum is in her hands; her work. If she skips this, there's no guaranty she would be accepted when she returns. If she accepts to go ahead with the salary discussion, it would make her farther from her mum as she has to work thirty more days before she could get any money whatsoever for treatment.

“This is my life here" she said with a sorry face.

“I am fully aware. But your mother needs you now." The HR manager relied.

With teary eyes and red face, she could only comfort herself by staring closely at the HR manager. This was the decision she had to make.






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HOTSHOT - EPISODE 2

Caught in the air, glaring and in full surprise, she imagined if she was having a day dream. She felt what she heard could have only sounded right in her play field of weird imaginations. With an utmost polite manner, she asked the young gentleman to repeat what he said which he gladly did in a clear and resounding manner.

Should she jump and give him a big tight hug or just rush in her signature. She could only figure out what to do in less than a second as the young man kept staring at her.

“She only said she would be back in a jiffy and never mentioned to me that I had become the new financial manager here, right now" she emphasized.

It was obvious through her stutter that she needed to gain her balance. Different thoughts raced through her mind. What she would do immediately she received her first salary. How she would take her mum for the best medical treatment she's long overdue. Her little brother's fees needed to be paid and their small cubicle of shelter needed to be renovated. Their only source of water also required an urgent attention as their pumping machine had been damaged for only God knows how long resulting to all of them having to fetch water with big bowls placed on their heads.
Could she have declined such an automatic response even with a part of her still uncertain. Her sweats glands did the best they could as they emitted gallons of sweats with the ever ready pores not withholding any.

“Would you mind I glance through before I append on them?" That was the best she could say after different battles of decisions have been conquered in her head.

“Of course ma'am. But in a limited time". He aptly said with a touch of widened smile. Shortly, the telephone rang and both parties in the room stared at each other simultaneously.

“Oh! Do you suggest I answer that?" After seconds of stolen glances at each other.

The door once again flung open as she was about appending her signature on the documents.

“Thank goodness" she whispered out softly.

“I apologize to have kept you waiting". With a sincere and humble heart, the HR manager rendered her words as she took her seat.

For a while she pretended to be staring at her laptop screen which only aided her to take an advantage of Desola's innocence. Exchanging a mimed glance between Mike and herself; the young gentleman, she eventually let out a big chunk of laughter. In sheer curiosity, Desola stared at her and wondered what could have caused the laughter. Soon Mike joined and it almost seemed like she was going to be left out if she doesn't follow suit. The physically calm but inward nervous Desola helped in painting her cool as the HR manager's voice could only say “it is my pleasure to inform you that you've been pranked."

Desola trying to assimilate and sink in those words, Mike left the two ladies and smiled as be made for the door. She was just about to jeopardize her dreams if she hadn't arrived on time. Despite the pressures mounted on her by Mike while she ran through the documents to clear her doubt that she was safe at all cost, something kept holding her back from picking up that pen.

“Although something keeps me worried here and I'm afraid it might be a clause on your golden chance here. Not too many people are privileged to have this opportunity especially for the fact that you don't have up to six months experience."

Those destabilizing words pierced Desola.

“I would like to know which you prefer doing. What you find profound pleasure at most. Would that be you giving up on your passion to be a DJ or save yourself the stress the mess of having to be boxed in a room with everything given to you at your finger tips? Help my curiosity please" she said again.

“Where on earth did she get to know I love to be a DJ? Could it be she knows someone that knows someone that knows me?" Desola thought out loud.

With a broad smile which appeared to be out of uncertainty, she replied saying “Being a DJ was something I had to learn to do even when I had the passion. It was something I did with great joy and what fended my pockets when there was nothing while in school. I lived on that for a while"

“Oh! Whoa!! I like your drive for survival" she replied back.

Meanwhile, little John left at home was been celebrated as the man of the moment. Many wondered how a ten year old will be so fearless and brave. He declared the true stand of a man's identity by defending what's was right and stood by his words firmly. He was ready not to compromise his minute amount of integrity, not for anything. One could sum up two and two together and arrive at the conclusion that he only did what he had to do because that was the family's only hope.

A loud bang at the door woke him from his slumber. He waited to hear the second knock to be sure if what he heard was right. There the knock came again and his baritone voice in its small form of mightiness spoke asking who was at the door.

“We are the one. If you don't mind please we want to see you" one of them said.






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HOTSHOT - EPISODE 1

With the best sound she could get while blending songs into another, she got carried away. A sweet offer could have passed away if she didn't drift her eyes towards her phone. An unknown caller had been ringing her phone for the last time after a couple of missed calls.

"Hello" she said in panic.

"Hello Miss Roseline. We are sorry to have disturbed your busy schedule. I am Roby calling from Basic Cleft. We are only curious to know if you could make it for a personal interview in the next three hours" the manly voice replied behind the phone.

"Why not? Of course I can. I could be there in the next two hours if you don't mind." She struggled placing her words.

"That will be no problem. We will be expectant then" he said and hung up.

Her loud scream attracted her younger brother to her room asking if he was called. He couldn't have heard right because his headphones were loud enough to for the next person seated to hear word for word the music he was listening to.

"Oh yes! I didn't call you but now that you're here, you can be of good help. You will help me edit my CV and add this to it." She directed him on what to do with a stern warning.

"No mistakes! Please I beg of you. This is my life here" she said and hurried to the bathroom.
Few minutes later, he shouted with a question at his bathing sister "How many years of experience big sis?"

"Six months, I think. Just put in there eight months. I know it wasn't up to a year though." The running shower didn't let her hear the rest of his words.

To be called and requested to put up an appearance for a private interview was something close to the best feeling ever for her. This is an organization she's always dreamt of and a very reputable one at that with loads of competition everyday. On her successful return back from the UK after several years of sponsorship and scholarship grants, she's applied to several organizations. Some responded back while others just shelved her application. To those that responded, she never got to the final stage of the interview leaving her to wonder if having a first class degree was ever useful in a time where things are to get better. As a matter of fact, if her mother hadn't insisted on her return, she would have landed herself a very good job in the UK. The beckons were loud with mouth watering offers. But the greatest tool implied by her mother was never to cause a brain drain in her home country. If everyone decided to work outside the country, who then is to develop the country with his own quota of efforts. Well, that worked on her and in no time she booked her ticket back to the country.

So, it was not a new thing to impress and cause whoever was in charge of the interview to have an instant feeling for her through the qualifications stated on her CV. Half an hour gone and she's yet to be on the busy Lagos road. She overheard her brother singing while washing the car outside so she assumed he would be through with his washing before her. She was going to call her mum who was on an occasion somewhere but changed her mind remembering the countless times her phone would ring before getting an answer. Sending a text was the best option.

Fifteen minutes gone by and she's yet to be through with her make up. Letting out a long hiss when she found out she's applied too much foundation on her face. She rubbed off and applied another immediately. Still, she could see through her window that her brother was still washing. She assumed he would be through soonest as she didn't pay close attention to his actions. There she came to the hardest of everything. Her lashes. She could remember the first time she tried that on, she felt an extra weight but soon enough she got accustomed with it.

"Why wear the lashes to the interview?" She said to no one in particular.

"You could give the wrong impression." Her spirit mind answered her.

“I need to give a convincing look and show how capable I am for this position." She replied herself.

Her brother's sudden shout syncing the chorus to his favorite song jeered her and she saw she had spent exactly an hour in her room. She picked her CV and looked round in her room for perfection. Satisfactory remarks she gave herself as she slid her feet into her shoes; flat shoes for comfortability as she preferred them always. On getting outside, she could only let out her frustration and anger through a long stare at her brother who wasn't through with washing the car. Desola gave an innocent look as she hissed and headed out.
She could only have thought with all her hastiness would still be delayed for another hour at the waiting room.

Reminiscing how she had to jump from one bus to another and even pay for an extra seat so they could leave the park after waiting almost thirty minutes with no passenger in sight. Desperation could have only made her do that.
With a typical Nigerian driver with his loud mouth ready to be triggered if pushed by anyone. They don't waste time to hurl unpleasant words at their offender. No one is right in their own perspective except them. No one dare drive in their way except he or she is ready to waste his day on a spot claiming rights.

Gbam! It has happened. The bus driver had just bashed an expensive new model car while having a hearty discussion with his conductor; copilot.

“Pilot, what are we to do now?" He said fidgeting.

In his response, he said in his typical Yoruba dialect “With all your years in Lagos, have I never told you it won't work? Speak the language I hear".

Obviously, the conductor still had his home training and manners intact. One could perceive something led to his current state as copilot. After another forty five minutes gone with the offended and the offender yet to reach an agreement. On another hand was a faction ready to drag the poor copilot into a deep mess if he doesn't refund their money as everyone was in a haste. Desola confused, could only walk away from the scene and eventually walk a while before getting to the state owned commercial bus station.

The double glass door flung open as she alighted at her final destination. She could see the company far ahead as she sighed and said “I wonder why I didn't board this in the first instance" she hissed at her statements conclusion.

“Ma'am you can go in now. The HR is ready to meet you" the front desk staff said with a bright smile. Tired Desola walked majestically with her hearts racing faster than a rotor into what seemed to be compared to as her own living room.

In a small house she lived, she would have thought their living room was the biggest in the world not until she saw this.

“Please have a seat." The HR manager said with a sip from her coffee and Desola responding with a kind gesture. As rigorous as the interview seemed to her, it only took the HR manager nothing less than five minutes assessment.

“I am impressed with what I've seen so far and I must say you're the right person for this position with such a huge qualification. I do hope you know that this position is such a humongous one. The shoes left behind aren't small to wear so you must be on the alert anytime and any day to work your bones for the company" she said without lifting her eyes from the CV before her.

“Please, I will be back in a jiffy" she rolled herself away from the chair. Only if Desola knew what that meant. Thirty minutes gone and she wasn't back. Fifteen minutes added and she was still not near her sight. What seemed like forever, she was becoming bored as her anxiety was almost weaning off.

The door flung open and a gentle man walked in with series of blue files containing audited accounts waiting for a signature to be appended. Blessed with a nicely built physique, Desola could only begin to imagine the number of male workers she would meet, number of friends she would have to keep up with when she resumes work.

“You're the new financial manager I suppose? Please do me the favour of appending your signature on these documents" he said with a very broad smile as he proceeded in laying the documents before her. She could only open her mouth wide in full blasts of amazement.



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