From Grass to Grace

CHAPTER 5

"How would you like to meet up over coffee tomorrow morning and sign the contract by 8 a.m. so we could start work in earnest? I'll come to see the shop immediately after the contract has been signed." Jake spoke into the phone a few weeks later.

"Sure sir, I'll be there. I have 20 ships in total and they are in good condition. I'll see you tomorrow sir as we are ready for you" the voice at the other end said.

"Tomorrow it is then" Jake concluded and hung up as he fell back into his chair and spun around in the small office he had set up for himself in his new apartment as he sighed the past week's activities. He had been calling lots of ship owners to ship in his new client's products and he had lots of contracts to sign come tomorrow and the next.

He smiled and was most grateful to the man God had used to get him this far. Seff! He should visit him and could even make him his client after all Seff was the richest in the business industry as a whole.

Jake reached for the card he was given at the hospital and dialed the number on it.

"Good morning, This is the Secretary, The Doves, may I ask who is on the line?" A voice at the other end asked.

"Good morning ma'am, this is Jake Martins and I'd love to speak to the CEO, Mr. Seff Newtons".

"Okay, I'm sorry Mr. Martins. The CEO is currently unavailable but he gave strict instructions to refer you to his home when you called. I'll read his home contact to you now". She said and Jake smiled.

"Go ahead ma, Thank you" Jake replied and she called out the numbers for him to write down after which he said thank you and hung up.

He called the home numbers then because he had to meet Seff Newton today for business purposes as well as thank him again for the beautiful life he was now enjoying.

"Hello, Good morning, Jake Martins on the line." He said when the line was picked up.

"Morning, Sanaya Newtons speaking. May I ask who you wish to speak with?" A beautiful voice replied though in a rude tone and Jake frowned, he wondered who she was, could be Seff's wife.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I'd love to speak with your husband Seff Newton". Jake replied and was taken aback when the lady began laughing in amusement. He wondered what he had said wrong.

"Mr. Martins. I have no husband, please. I'd get Seff for you". She said laughing and began screaming Seff's name right into the phone as Jake creased his eyebrows. 

Who the hell was she that could laugh into the phone that way?

"Hello husband, Mr Martins is on the line" he overheard her say while still laughing on the line as Seff's voice came to his ears.

"Jake?"

"Morning Mr. Newtons. I hope I didn't disturb your morning?" He asked politely.

"Not at all, but please call me Seff, except we are having a business conversation"

Jake smiled. He had made a new friend in Seff and he knew they would last, come what may.

"Seff it is then. But then, talking about business, I'd love to have a business conversation with you and tap into the ideas of a successful businessman. I know you are a busy man and would have a tight schedule, so can you make a slot for me?" Jake asked and Seff began laughing.

"I thought we were friends. Friends meet up anytime to talk about anything Jake. Are you free this morning? I could clear it up for you". He offered and Jake was most grateful.

"Yes, I am very free, I'll come right away. Thanks, Mr. Newton. I mean, Seff? And they both burst out laughing.

"Seff! You were going to drop me at the shopping mall. How would you cancel on me that way." Jake heard the lady's voice taunting at the other end.

"I'm sorry, Naya. You could use your car and stop being lazy" Seff replied to the lady.

"I'm not being lazy Mr Seff Newton. I just thought you'd drop me off. You aren't even taking care of me like before" she grumbled and it sounded like she was leaving.

"I'm sorry sweetheart but you can get a driver you know. This young man here is a busy one. Sorry to disappoint" Seff said after her.

"I don't want a driver!" She screamed so hard and it made Jake smile.

"Sorry about that Jake. This means I'll be expecting you in minutes?" Seff asked.

"Yes, I'll be there before you know it. By the way, who is that lady? I guess I was mistaken when I called her your wife. She laughed so much at me" Jake was getting embarrassed as Seff began his laughing episode.

"That's my younger sister Sanaya. If you are fast enough. I guess you'll get to see her annoying face when you arrive". Seff replied to him amidst laughter.

"Oh, I'm sorry for the mistake. See you soon, Seff" Jake said and they hung up.

Jake sat back on his chair and listened to the voice he had just heard laughing. It had sounded too good to be true even though she was rude. Jake then recalled he had a rude wife as well and his demeanor changed again. He was done with rude people. He wondered why the Mayors had not bothered reaching out to him with divorce papers as they had claimed as he stood up to prepare for his first visit to Seff's mansion.

****

"Morning Jake" It's a blessing to have you in my humble abode this morning. I see your leg is fully healed now." Seff was most happy to see him and hugged him like they were long-time friends.

"Thanks Seff. And yes, my leg is perfectly well. I even drove down here on my own. Thank you for accommodating me despite your busy schedule." Jake said happily.

"What are friends for?" Seff said smiling as he took him to the balcony behind the house that opened into a vast area of land looking like a park for adults. There was a swimming pool right over the balcony and Jake breathed in the refreshing scent of clean water.

Jake could smell money right from when he stepped his foot into Seff's house. The mixture of lilac and cream was the exact definition of royalty. The story building had very beautiful artwork circulated and the lilac sofas made it look like a throne room. Aside from the guards outside, there were no servants in the house.

"You don't have servants?" Jake asked in surprise as he was used to the busy nature of the Mayor's house which was full of servants and he assumed all rich homes would be that way.

" Nope, I'm fine with just my sister. I love a private and peaceful life and I rarely trust humans" he said to a surprised Jake smiling.

"I know you are probably wondering how we eat and survive. You are staring right at a chef" Seff said and they both burst out laughing.

"That is beautiful. I'm a perfect Chef too. I was more of a live-in husband when you met me. We could make a great meal sometime, you know." Jake said smiling.

"That will be beautiful. I am totally in for that cooking competition" Seff said and they laughed again.

"Wait! Do you have a wife? Do you have kids too?" Seff was surprised.

"Yes, I guess you don't know much about me. Husband to Earl Mayor's daughter and I have two kids. They are twins, Tony and Tonia" Jake replied, now lost in the thoughts of his children. He missed them so much, day and night they haunted him. He had to work fast and get them out of that miserable house.

"That's a beautiful thing, Jake. I'm sure it is the Earl Mayor I know of the Mayor's Enterprise. I'd love to meet them sometime. But why are you frowning?" Seff asked.

"Maybe he doesn't have a happy home" Someone replied behind them and Jake knew even before he turned who she was.

"Sanaya! You shouldn't run your mouth that way with someone you just met for the first time" Seff scolded and she smirked.

"I'm not being rude, I know that's what you'll say next and I guess I already met him over the phone. Mr Jake Martins right?" She asked Jake, raising one eyebrow.

"Yes, that's me" Jake replied, mesmerized by the beauty before him. She looked gorgeous, with her thick black hair falling over her shoulders and her eyebrow flickering rudely at him. Jake sized her down to her dress and noticed how the orange gown she wore hugged her curves perfectly. She was beautiful.

"I'm sure we don't need any other introductions as you know my name already."

"Yes, I've also found out you are not a wife, Miss Sanaya," Jake said smiling at her and she laughed.

"I just found out you are an unhappy husband though" She smirked at him and Seff sighed in frustration.

"Can you please just go where you are headed?" He tried pursuing her away.

"It's okay Seff. She's right actually. Dorin and I don't exactly have a happy home. We are on the verge of getting divorced even" Jake said in a low voice and lowered his eyes.

"Oops! I am so sorry Jake. I now see why you decided to steal my brother from me by 8 a.m.". Sanaya said not being sorry at all.

"Now that's what you wanted. Go already" Seff whined frustrated already.

"You think you can get rid of me, brother? I'll be back to this house to meet you, okay? I hope I don't meet you when I'm back, Mr Jake" She raised one eyebrow again and flickered it as she spun around and began walking away.

"Was nice meeting you too, Miss Sanaya" Jake said to her retreating he couldn't get his eyes off and she scuffed.

"I'm so sorry, Jake. My sister is one hell of a troublesome human being. I don't know how I put up with her" Seff apologized.

"It's fine. I didn't get offended. She's nothing close to the wife I put up with. You won't survive a day with that woman" Jake said and laughed.

"I'm sorry about her too. Why divorce?"

"She needs a divorce after cheating on me," Jake said and Seff was laughing in surprise now.

"You mean she cheated and then asked for a divorce?"

"It's more like, she cheated and blamed me for cheating and then asked for a divorce," Jake said and they both began laughing again.

"Women! Women!!" Seff said and they smiled at each other as they shook their heads.

"And the kids?" Seff asked.

"With their mother and grandparents but I hope to take them out of that house someday that's why I'm here so you could help me get to the point where I'd be able to have my kids with me. I've missed them so much, it's been months since I last saw them" Jake was disheartened.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Jake. This means we should get to business and talk about family issues later, right?"

"Exactly," Jake said smiling.

"This way then Mr Martins, let's talk business," Seff said leading him to another sphere of the house that took them to his home office. It looked the size of Jake's apartment even when he knew his house was large.

"I'll get coffee," Seff said and left him to admire the beautiful painting of his Sister Sanaya that hung just above his office chair.