Chapter 60

Although Pat and Olivia had been friends for so long, there were many things that Pat never knew about her Friend, she basically knew her within the confine of their relating in school and the fact that she was an international student. They had some funny experience too which includes their lesbian affair although it did not last due to Olivia's change of mind. She had told Pat that she was not comfortable with it, and she had to her be. It did not come in between their friendship, even when Pat found other partner(s). Olivia never discussed her family then and hadn't uptill now that she stayed in her house, she never disclosed anything about her family. She never saw any need to probe into her background, neither did any issue arose that would call for that. She believed that was also a factor in their long lasted relationship, as it was all about the both of them and remained that way. It was her trip that opened her eyes to whom her best friend was. She had gone to eat after a stressful day, it was an Italian outfit that specializes on intercontinental cuisines. She wasn't not expecting to meet anyone that she knew, because she was just visiting the country the first time ever. The waiter had just served her her order, and she sat down to do justice to it, when someone walked up to her and mentioned her name. She felt it might not be her, so she didn't respond but concentrated on getting settled to eat,  but the lady came closer and touched her, she turned and was shocked to see her course mate while in school. She was another close friend of herself and Olivia, infact Olivia met with her first and introduced her as a friend. They hugged and she asked her to take a seat, she had forgotten her name, she thought of the best way to ask her without sounding embarrassing.

My dear please remind me your name again? She asked, please don't feel embarrassed she added.

Abigail, my name is Abigail, she answered. I won't be embarrassed, it's been a very long time. How is Olivia your friend? She asked immediately.

She is fine, we were together before I left Africa for this business trip. Pat said.

Pat then called the waiter, who handed over the menu to Abigail as she made her choice of meal, while they chatted, it was a long chat that brought memories, it was not devoid of questions and inquires on some old friends and classmates. It went in from their to what life held for them at present how they were handling business and work. They also brought issue of family, with Abgail telling her she had three children, a girl and two boys. Pat mentioned her marriage but did not talk about children. The waiter interrupted them once when he brought Abigail's order and served it, after which the conversation continued even as they ate. 

They had talked generally about life for a while, before Abigail returned the conversation to Olivia. She was keen to know how she would reach Olivia, and Pat wondered why. She was not ready to give her Olivia's contact, they had just met after so long a time. It wasn't even days, but years, and she would just hand over her friends contact without knowledge of what she wanted. Abigail noticed this, as she was always avoiding talks that was leading to intensive discourse about Olivia. That was when she told her that she needed her to help the husband get a contract he was gunning for. According to her, the husband had applied for the contract and from what they had observed, there was a very big possibility that he might lose the bid as several other companies were also interested in the contract. Her husband had got an inside information that if he knew Ben Hart or any of her daughters, especially Olivia Hart, the contract would be his. On mentioning the name, she told the husband that she had a classmate with that same name but she wasn't sure if she was the very one in charge. She had searched online through every social media, to no avail, her husband was planning they go on a trip to Paris to search for either the family or anyone that was close to them. She had just left the husband office to get some food, and as luck would have it, she met her. While she talked, Pat could see that she saw her as God sent and that there was no way she was letting her go without getting the connection to Olivia. While she was thinking of what to do, she noticed that Abigail was dialling a number. Her thought was that she was letting the husband know she was on her way, but she heard her give the name of the eatery where she was and asked that whoever she was talking to meet with her immediately. The tone with which she said it would make anyone leave whatever the person was doing to meet up with her. Pat wondered whom the said person would be, but felt that it was irrelevant as she focused on how to manage her on the contact she was demanding, She felt it would be unwise to release Olivia's contact without her consent. It wasn't long before a Toyota Corolla drove into the parking lot, exactly opposite where they were facing, young man of about 45 years alighted and Pat could see the urgency at which he shut the door and hurried into the eatery. He stopped as he entered, and looked around as if he was  searching for someone, that was when Pat suspected  must be Abigail's husband. He turned towards them, got to their table and stopped. He then bent and gave Abigail a peck, waved at Pat and sat down on the empty seat beside his wife.

Sweetheart, nature has placed your solution in our hands, she said to her husband. This is Olivia Harts best friend, and my friend too, she was the third of or trio. She added.

Pat was still dumbfounded, she couldn't understand what was going on, she had been with Olivia in Africa for long now, so she does not understand the connection between Olivia and signing of contract. She felt there might be a mistake somewhere, but she didn't want to cause a scene or embarrass the couple.Abigail's husband was next to speak, he introduced himself as Bill, and mentioned his company name. He then went further to repeat what her wife had told Pat before he arrived. He added that the contract is his life and he was ready to give Pat some percentage of she would connect him with their friend Olivia. He then said what surprised Pat, 

"Olivia Harts signature is all I need to get that contract, she is the one inchargé of all foreign contracts issues by he government."

 Pat listens with interest, while she took her mind through a long trip back to the house in Africa and to the day she met Olivia in that eatery with her husband. She started the journey from there, tracing back to when she left for the trip. All she was searching for was a clue that would indicate that Olivia was really that powerful, she had never heard her make calls that sounded business like, neither has she seen her with documents that looked like contract papers or business. Although, she was always handling things on her iPad or phone, her body language or gestures would have shown some seriousness on whatever she was doing if it was that important as such. She finally agreed to help, but in her mind, she was doing it to verify the trueness of what they were saying. She and Abigail's husband agreed that they were leaving together to Africa, so she joined Abigail and the husband in the car to go pick her luggage for from the trip. It was supposed to be a two hours flight, and while they drove to the hotel, Abigail called the airline front desk to book her husband for same flight that she was to return in. 

That was when she, (Pat) called Olivia, she wanted her to pick her up at the airport as they had something important to discuss, after the call, Abigail announced the feedback she got from the airline, that all flights was cancelled till further notice, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Pat had to call back Olivia not to continue and informed her what happened. She proceeded to send a detailed email on the story of the contract and introduced Abigail and the husband. 

While Bruno and Mike were busy enjoying cautiously Lucy's sexy body and getting turned on, Olivia was busy replying  the email sent to her by Pat. She was not observant enough to see the mail on time, hence her apologies in the reply. It wasn't long she sent the relpy that her phone rang, she looked at it, the number was foriegn. She picked and the voice was that of Abigail. She couldn't hold back her excitement as her voice rose high while they spoke. she asked Abigail that the husband should send her a copy of whatever he submitted to the contract office. Then she told her to hold on to the line, while she took the other phone and called her dad's office. She demanded for clearance from the Airport authority of the country via his Dad's office,so that she would send a private jet to pick her friend and the couple.  The Dads PA responded after few minutes, she dropped the line and told Abigail who was waiting to hand over the phone to Pat. She told Pat to get to the airport with Abigail and the husband in the the next 1hour as a flight would be there in 2 hours time to pick them down to Africa. Pat could not understand what she meant by the instruction, but before she could ask questions, the line dropped. She had no option than to pass the information she got, and while she was still talking, Abigail's husband had carried her luggage into the car, Abigail was already in the front seat, she had to get into the rear seat as Bill drove off to the airport. On the way to the airport, Pat who was sitted at rear, was so quiet, the entire events were like dream to her. She was never going to believe that the Olivia she knew and stay with was that powerful. Even as they were headed to the airport already, she was still skeptical about it, reason being that there might be a mix up somewhere as regards the name. She kept probing at Abigail and Bills face, but she noticed they were calm and confident. She then told herself to be patient till they got to the airport.

Meanwhile, Mike, Bruno and Lucy saw and  heard all that transpired on the phone, but Lucy was already aware of the capacity at which Olivia operates, Bruno had no idea and was not bothered to know. Mike was the only one who though he knew she was her wife's friend, she was from the Harts family, she was wealthy and a director of a big multinational corporation, but he was and had never thought she was that powerful, as to send a private jet and evacuate friends from a country where restrictions had been placed on flights. He took a good look at Olivia again, and wondered what kind of creature she was. He hadn't seen someone so near complete a creature. She was beautiful, infact beautiful was an understatement as he lacked a better adjective to qualify her, she was also kind hearted, above all she was super intelligent and smart. All these attribute on one person made him respect her. He imagined what life would be, being part of such a powerful family, his financial status would change and he would be recognized everywhere. He thought of his present office finding out he was the husband to the most sorted signature for contracts. He told himself he would need to trade cautiuosly in all that he does, because such a lady wouldn't think twice to booth him out or even make his life miserable with the kind of contact and power she has. She looked at Lucy, and prayed that whatever brought her should be over so that she would return to Paris, as she was the only visible temptation and obstacle standing before him and his faithfulness to Olivia. This he was sure because Lucy would let out their secret affairs to Olivia if he refused to submit to her demands.

Bill, Pat and Abigail arrived the airport, the gate was locked and the security staff were not allowing anyone in, so they were packed outside the gate waiting for clearance. This was because, when they were told flights had been cancelled indefinitely, Pat had told the security that they were there for the private arrangement of a jet to pick them. While she talked to the security, she saw a jet landing, and on the body was boldly written Ben Hart. That was when she started seeing things as being real, all the while the security had parked them, she had tried reaching Olivia on phone but she never picked. She was almost panicking and was about to suggest that they went back to the hotel, before she saw the flight land. She immediate added that they were there for Ben Hart. The security then called from his walkie talkie, it was loud enough that when he asked if the jet was for some people, and who the people where, the response was that a certain Pat, Abigail and Bill. They were asked for their identification, which they presented. The man opened the gate and they drove in. Once they got to the car park, Bill did the formal documentations required to allow the car sleep over at the car lot, he then handed over the key to the department of the  airport authority management inchargé of that, before they proceeded to the check-in gate, and in few minutes, they were on board to Africa. While on board the flight, everything seemed to be real to Pat, she felt bad that she had lived the way she did not knowing the kind friend she got. She remembered Nelly and thought that if she had known Olivia could give her contracts that were more than ten times value, she wouldn't have got into that kind of relationship. She was resetting everything she had donebin the past and decided the first thing she would do when she arrived would be to apologize to her. On board the flight, they were served different kind of meals, and drinks. The kind of treatment they got can only be understood by those who joined the presidents of countries on air trips.