An Offer

"How is Business?" Donald asked as he watch his friend.

He was in on the recent setback Kingsley company just had due to the recently failed testing of the new feature they have been working on for years. He knew of the drama it caused but wanted to fully know all that happened and help in ways he could but Kingsley was the one who could tell him all that.

Kingsley sighs and adjusts in his seat as he looked for ways to put things.

"Business has been... " he sighs again "Frankly, not good. I am sure you are aware of the recent setback we had a couple of weeks ago?” Donald nods “It’s crazy how things just changed drastically,” he said as he further explained all that happened with his company.

When Donald heard all that Kingsley explained to him, he felt so bad for the issue his company was now facing and thought of how he could help him as a friend would.

"Is there not something you could do?" he asked after Kingsley’s explanation.

"Well, our engineers are looking into the situation at the moment, we are trying to figure out what exactly went wrong if there was a glitch in the making that would have caused it and all those. Audriana reminded us to do that so that we can see where it’s all coming from”

Donald nods his head as he kept quiet and processed all the new information he is getting.

“Because this was one of the biggest projects we ever did, we invested so much in it, and now that Kindswel’s Motors removed their investments alongside the other potential investors we had, we are struggling to keep up financially since we had to pay up the full damages and all those that were involved in this failed project,” Kingsley said.

“There is this new strategy, the ‘SBS’ it’s short for Saving Business Strategy,” Donald said and was going to continue but Kingsley beats him to it.

“Audriana told me and it made me realize that we would have implemented that else this wouldn’t have happened,” Kingsley said.

“Oh, it is really important that business owners know about this ‘Saving Business Strategy’ so as to avoid getting into loss as this” Donald said.

“I learned my lesson already” Kingsley looked defeated “It’s just that we have lots of families whose source of income is tied to the growth of this company and now that this happened…” he stopped himself as he remembered how he was relieved of his former job at Chesaer & Deasher.

It wasn’t easy on him or his family then since they were experiencing a major financial crisis then his daughter encouraged him to make Bernard’s Tech which has been a huge success and a major source to many talents like himself and his daughter.

“I know how it felt to be relieved of my job, especially from a company I grew with, a company I wished will keep growing and moving forward but it ran into bankruptcy and laid off lots of employees who had no other source of income than that job and I don’t want things to be like that, I don’t want to start laying off my workers” Kingsley shook his head.

“I can see how dedicated they are to the growth of this company and I don’t want this to break their heart or make them lose hope in this company. My concern is with how they will survive, how they will cope, how this company will get back on our feet without laying off the workers and all those”

“Don’t stress over this too much” Donald said with a sigh and looked away for a while, as a thought flashed across his mind.

He had the resource to help his friend out but a little part of him wants to be selfish and ask for something in return, something he knows will not be convenient for mostly Audriana but he had no other option to solve that issue he with his son.

Thinking now might not be the right time to say that, he shrugged it off, and turned to look at his friend.

“That’s all I have been able to do since the issue occurred”

"What of Audriana? I heard of all the wonderful things she has done in the Tech industry. She’s aware right?" he asked.

"Yeah, she does," Kingsley gave a weak chuckle "I didn’t want to tell her since she has a lot going on with her but if she heard it from an outsider instead of me, it would hurt her “ Donald nods in agreement “She is doing the best that she can and I don’t want it to be a source of stress for her”

Donald nods in understanding then that same thought came back to him and he tried shrugging it off but it kept coming. He asked himself if he should ask his friend and give him a win-win offer, it wouldn't hurt to help each other.

"I understand what is going on, I have been in that situation before. I know that I didn't build this empire from scratch, I inherited it from my Papa but I faced some challenges too and overcame it so this is all a stage my friend, don't think too much about anything" he states.

He couldn’t help himself and just said what was in his mind “I’ll help with the funds you need to keep your company running” he offered and Kingsley’s face brightened at that. he didn’t want to wipe that smile off his face but he need to state his conditions before moving forward.

"I have a condition," the smile on Kingsley’s face flattered a bit as he waits for what he was going to say.

…

The brown-haired woman tied her hair up in a bun as she checked through all the racks that had bras and panties hung on them. She didn’t find what she has been looking for since she came into the store. She got tired and decides to head to the shoe sections with a mental note to come back and check the others.

As she made her way out of the undergarment aisle, she made a quick turn not seeing a lady coming her way, they rammed into each other and stepped back to keep their stance and not fall on the floor. The few undergarments she held on her shoulder went to the floor and the shoes that the woman held too.

“So sorry abo-” the brown-haired woman was apologizing but stopped herself when she looked at the face of the lady she bumped into.

Her eyes widened as her lips broke into a large grin when she recognized the dark-haired woman she bumped into.

“Oh my GOD, where in the world have you been?” Moana the brown-haired woman, wrapped her arms around Patricia while the latter did the same. They squealed like little girls that are seeing each other after a long time and had to apologize to the other shoppers for the noise.

“I have been around lately” Patricia answered and they lean back from the hug “I missed you so much, how have you been?” she asked.

Moana sighed then grinned “Been really good, just tired from working too much but I’m good, how about you?”

“Well, same for me too” she looks at her friend and pinched her cheek “You look really good, better than I saw you last”

“Oh, don’t flatter me… you still look like you just came out of a runway fashion show. Beautiful as always” Moana complements.

“Please, don’t patronize me. We both look good as always, one thing we mostly have in common” Patricia winked and Moana laughed “You’re done shopping?” she asked.

Moana shook her head and they continued walking to the shoe section.

“I am not yet done, still have to get back to the undergarment aisle… couldn’t find what I wanted at the moment” she answered “Are you?”

“I really didn’t want to shop, I just needed to get out of the house for a while. Donald and Dimitri are busy with a project and they are not really home these days so I just keep myself busy by coming here to look at new fashion-released clothing and buy some I like” Patricia shrugged.

“You guys are here to stay? Always thought that you were still in Spain and just come here for visit”

“We were thinking of letting it stay that way, our son was already managing things well but I missed this place and wanted us to leave here for as long as we want to”

“It’s great to have you back here, I’ll not mind a little ‘girl-turn-mommy-time’ when we get the chance” Moana suggested.

“I wouldn’t mind too, please. I want to catch up on the times we haven’t been in contact, what say we head for lunch after shopping?” Patricia suggested.

“I would love that,”

Moana was done with shopping in no time, Patricia was able to pick up one or two things to buy then they head out to have lunch at a small diner just downtown. It was a place they usually went to when they were in high school before they went to separate colleges in their later years.

They were settled and catching up on things that had happened over the years of them not being in contact.

Moana ordered a plate of chicken salad and orange juice while Patricia ordered a plate of Mediterranean salad and white wine.

“You are really doing a good job with that, I must commend,” Patricia said then took a sip from her juice “Tell me, how’s everything with you?”

Moana smiled “Everything is good, everything is well” she answered “This chicken taste so good” she comments when she took a sip of her juice “It’s like their food gets better every single time,” Moana said.

“Yes, it does” Patricia agrees. “How’s Audriana? I have heard so much about her amazing work in the tech industry, she’s really doing well” she commends.

“Thank you, she is good. She just finished a recent project, I am not really knowledgeable in terms of techie stuff but I think it is a new security feature they just released, it helps businesses feel safe and secure while they go about their business, financially and data-wise” she explained.

“It’s cool, she is doing a great job” Patricia nods her head “I will love to meet her one of these days”

“Definitely you would,” Moana said then held her friend’s hand in hers. “I am sorry about Cade, I should have been th-”

“No, come on,” Patricia waves it off “It’s fine, I do appreciate your condolences all through that time, it really helped with the healing. You also called to make sure we were okay and that was really sweet of you,” she said with a smile. Her eyes were glassy and she blinked the tears away.

“I am glad that you are okay”

“Me too,” she sighed then let out a chuckle “Dimitri was the one more affected but he is good now, he took his brother’s place in the company. cade would have taken it but things happened” she shrugged.

“How is Dimitri doing? He is doing great with handling you guys’ properties after all the scandals he almost caused” Moana said and widened her eyes at how she put it “I didn’t mean it that way”

“No offense taken, I knew what my boy did, not very proud of those things but I am glad that he chose to be better and lay good examples,” she said.

“That’s better, how’s is business going for you? Mine has been stressing me out lately and Audriana is getting worried” she sighs.

“Then you should take a break or something” Patricia suggested.

“Probably when the fashion weekends”

Patricia’s eyes widened as realization dawns on her face “I almost forgot about that, I took a break from work for a really long time and forgot the fashion weeks are around these times” she said.

“I should probably have that vacation, it sounds nice to actually take a long break” Moana sighs.

“It does, do that and let me know when you’re available, we have a lot of catching up to do”

“Sure, I will”

…

“Please think of what I told you Hermano,” Donald said to Kingsley who seems to be deep in thought.

Kingsley looks at him and then nods his head in response, he stood to his feet and stretched his hand for a shake.

“I will inform you of my decision to your offer,” he said when they shook hands.

Donald stood to his feet too and smiled “Thank you, please say my regards to your family”

“And to yours, bye for now” he bids him and Kingsley turned to leave his office.

Donald wished in his heart that Kingsley would consider his offer and they can work towards making things right and better for themselves.

Kingsley made his way to the elevator which took him to the ground floor in no time, he went outside the building and to his car where he sat there for some time in silence as he thought about his friend’s offer.

Donald was right about it being a win-win case but he didn’t want to take actions that will jeopardize the life or plans of someone who has nothing to do with all these in the first place.

Letting out a sigh, he thought about it once more then started his car and drove out of the parking lot.