LIZZIE'S WORLD: Time for a new opportunity

It is nearing 11am and my eyes are red from all the sleep that’s weighing down my eyelids that I have battled – and lost a couple of times – to keep open.

I decide to fetch myself a cup of coffee from the machine near Chris’ office that I rarely use because I don’t like coffee, but I figure that this classifies as an emergency that only caffeine can rescue.

I wind my way slowly to the machine, feeling like I am lagging 100 kilos of junk on my shoulders; who had any idea that sleep deprivation could feel so much like a hangover.

As I set my cup down to fill it up, I spot my reflection in the metal machine casing; even despite the fuzzy image, I can still see how red my eyes are. I sigh and shrug my shoulders; there’s really nothing I can do about it, is there? Besides, I still have that meeting with Fatma and her people, and thank heavens it’s Fatma because who else would forgive me my appearance?

“Your people are here,” Ciru calls from behind me as I turn away from the machine to look at her.

“Send them up,” I say, a huge yawn escaping my mouth on that last word.

“Wow,” Ciru shakes her head at me. “Are you sure? You look like you could use a bed rather than a meeting.” I shrug; what else is there to do?

I take a sip of my coffee, hoping it is the instant wake-up bullet it promises; but no. My eyes are still heavy and I still feel extremely lethargic. I sigh loudly; time to get on with this meeting. Maybe I can run away home immediately it’s done and find a way to rest my tired bones.

PROPOSAL

I am just settling into my seat when I hear a knock on my door and look up to see Fatma walk in with a gentleman next to her.

“Oh hey,” she smiles – and then she takes one look at me and her mouth forms an ‘O’ of shock. “What happened to you last night?!”

“Didn’t get much sleep, I was working on a, eh, a project,” I say.

“Right,” she winks. I know what that wink means but I decide to ignore it since there is a stranger in the room. I head round my table and go over to give her a hug and shake the man’s hand.

"This is Pete,” she says. “He’s our new head of creative and I thought I would bring him round to meet one of our most valued clients,” she says.

“Nice to meet you, Pete,” I say as professionally as I can. And then we sit down and for the next half hour, discuss the vision I have for our next round of advertising.

“This all sounds simple to execute,” Pete says as we wind up. “I’ll have some storyboards and ideas ready for you in about a week. Let me just consult with the team and firm it up.” I nod. Then I stare wistfully into my cup of coffee, which is now empty.

“Shall I buy you another one? Do you have time?” Fatma asks as she stands up. “Pete can go back to the office without me – if you want to talk I’m here for you,” she says.

I am about to accept her proposal when my desk extension rings. I pick it up. It’s Ciru. “Chris wants to see you in his office, immediately,” she says.

“What?!” I yelp. I really don’t feel equipped to handle anything more serious than shutting down my computer. “Ok, let him know I’ll be right there.” Then I turn to Fatma.

“No can do, I’m sorry. Boss man wants to see me. Can we meet later?”

“This evening?” she asks.

“No… I’m having dinner with… well…,” I shrug. I don’t want to say ‘boss man’ again. We both laugh.

“Ok, I get it,” she says. “Let me know when you are free, ok?” I nod and head as quickly as I can towards Chris’ office, where I find him on the phone.

He waves me into a seat, wraps up his phone call, and turns to me.

“Liz, the global CEO is about call you,” he says. “And he is going to ask you to take over from me – in an acting capacity – when you speak.”