FIVE

"Lora?"

He called as they straightened up. He found beauty and virtues in her at just first sight that he was unable to tear his eyes away from her.

"Do you by any chance know me?" Lora asked stunningly.

"Urm...not really, from the identity card...I mean, I urm...saw ur name there." He stammered feeling uncomfortable.

"Oh!"

"Your face isn't looking any bit familiar, are you a new worker?"

"I'm not, just had a break."

"Oh! Well, I am Austin, the new visual merchandiser here, just got in two days ago" He smiled disarmingly wondering why he was feeling so uneasy around her. Normally it was a lady's thing to do but it was so obvious that Lora was the Man here.

"New visual merchandiser? how come Naomi never mentioned this to me? She thought. " oh Austin, I am Lora as you already know "

Austin's grin widened.

"So where were you off to, Lora?"

"To your office actually, here's the stock book for new supplies." Lora now wore her usual serious look when it came to business.

"It's good I reduced stress for you. Let me have it."

She handed it. " Thanks. "

"Nice meeting you Lora" stretches his hand for a handshake "We could always work together."

"Yea, sure" she returned it as they forced smiles.

HER OFFICE

"How come you never mentioned this to me, Naomi?"

"What?" Naomi Prompted

"That the former merchandiser was replaced."

"Oh about that? I forgot and what's that his name again, urm..."

"Austin." Lora cuts in

"Whoa! you know already. He was employed two days ago and what flatters me about him is that he's got lots of skills that in these few days, he has created many designs which seemed to attract the attention of our customers unlike the previous one. Girl, he's got the brain."

As Naomi complimented him, Lora kept nodding her head. She had found determination in this Austin of a guy and thought it would be comfortable working with him.

Austin's office

Austin placed the stock book on his desk and supported it with his phone so it wouldn't fly off. Then he turned and faced his system to start work but couldn't get his head straight, so he faced Fred, his co-worker who had been sitting and giving attention to his work.

"I met this girl, Lora"

"So?" Fred's eyes were still fixed on his system.

"I think she's nice."

"Really?" Fred replied, almost absently

"What do you mean 'really?' haven't you noticed that?"

"I haven't taken my time to study her cuz av become so addicted to my work that I don't look anybody's way. But since you've mentioned it, I will start studying her"

He smiled conclusively.

"I never asked you to start studying her, after all, you don't know anything about ladies," Austin said and laughed mockingly at him. Fred only smiled lopsidedly at this.

"I haven't gotten much work done today, if you don't mind, can I get back to work?"

"Geez! You've been on the system for the past eight and you said you haven't done anything? It's not like they would accept your presentation anyway, you know, as usual."

Austin laughed again and this got Fred pissed off but he rather expressed it than utter a word because he knew Austin was right. Austin makes better designs than other merchandisers that had worked here including Fred but this didn't increase his ego.

* * *

It was 6 pm and this was the usual time Kings supermarket closed for the day. Austin had quickly done the merchandise as both Lora and Naomi filled each departmental store shelf with their new supplies and as always, it attracted the attention of customers. 'Naomi was right. Lora had thought.

Lora gathered the documents that had been lying on her table and packed'em into its file, arranging herself subsequently.

"I'm off! make sure to report early tomorrow." Lora said and started towards the door

"Be seeing you."

Lora's car was parked outside with the chauffeur standing close to it. As soon as she emerged from the supermarket, the chauffeur slid under the driving wheel and turned on the ignition.

"Hey, Lora!"

Lora turned after hearing her name in the background. A ray of sunlight was reflecting on Austin's face and in other to get a clear view of her, he made a shade with his hand over his head.

"Austin."

"Am afraid this might sound wrong but can I urm... have ur contact so we could ... most times get in touch?

"What a way to ask a lady for her contact...stammering? You won't talk straight " She said smiling.

He scratches his head shyly

"Sorry but..."

Lora cuts in

"I'm very tired and need to go home. Be seeing you, Austin." She got into the back and the chauffeur drove off.

Austin stood blankly. He felt he had messed things up by demanding her contact too early and he had looked silly after that. Anyway, the game wasn't over yet, as a matter of fact, it was just starting!

A few minutes later, the chauffeur drove into the mansion as Lora hounded out of the car, collected the car keys and remote from him, and told him she would be handling the car. The servants bowed as she stepped in dashing her smiles. Isha sat by the corner of the dining picking from her nails that she didn't realize Lora was back.

"Nanny?" She called and Isha looked up at her. She got to her feet.

"Madam Lora, it's you. I trust work went smoothly?"

"Sure." She gazed around the house "Where's Bill?"

"In the room and am afraid he might pounce on you again," Isha said worriedly

Lora's face turned pale and she was already trembling on hearing this. How was she going to make this again? or doesn't Bill have no human sympathy in him? She was already feeling herself again after the day's work not until this information puzzled her and sickened her further.

"Alright, I will just go " She started at making slow pace till she got to her room. Bill was there, drinking and staring out at the busy streets.

"I have waited for you, baby". He said the moment he turned back.

"Really?" She said in a trembling voice.

"I have missed you."

Lora took a few steps backward as Bill gently approached her. His eyes were like fire was in them and this frightened her more. Bill grabbed Lora and wrapped his arms around her waist mumbling a few words into her ears.

"You know, if only I ain't in the mood tonight, I would have had this sexy body of yours already in my arms but not today. I ain't doing nothing."

He smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Okay."

She returned the smile but wondered why Bill changed all of a sudden. She knew for a fact that he was never going to turn a new leaf but she just had to flow along anytime he acts nice cuz it comes once in a blue moon.