to South Africa from the UK, they reeled him in with what was rumoured to be a very competitive pay package.
Lucky knew very little about the new employee besides his name – Eric Rukhava – and the hype that had surrounded him since Chemtex sought him out. She imagined him to be a portly man in a loud tie and spectacles. She wasn’t a fan of CFOs. They spoke in long-winded jargon and had no concept of the value of artistic freedom, especially when it clashed with the budget. Nevertheless, she was curious.
“Don’t you think we should tone down the enthusiasm a bit?” she suggested, getting to her feet.
Lucille giggled. “Don’t want to appear too eager, do we? Well, I want to know whether he’s worth all the drama.” She waved and disappeared.
Lucky shook her head and followed, amused and a little exasperated by the fuss. As far as she could tell, if you had seen one CFO, you had seen them all.
She was wrong. When Eric Rukhava walked into the packed showroom on the heels of Kgosana Sedibe, her eyes widened. He was tall and thin, with broad shoulders and light-brown skin, and carried himself with the grace of an antelope. He had a neat brush cut and an even neater goatee. Even in his smart navy-blue suit and crisp white shirt, he looked more like a basketball player than a corporate executive.
Kgosana began with a joke to break the ice, followed by a reminder of his upcoming trip. He was going on leave, leaving the company in the capable hands of the managing director. “And now,” he said with a wide smile, “we come to the part you’ve been waiting for. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the whispering.”
There was a muffled ripple of laughter across the room as all eyes turned to the newcomer.
“Well, the wait is finally over.” Kgosana chuckled. “I’d like to introduce our new CFO, Eric Rukhava. I trust that everyone will do their best to make him feel at home and give him any assistance he might need while he familiarises himself with the company. That goes for D&T too, Lucky,” he added, wagging a finger at her.
Lucky’s jaw dropped in surprise, but she joined in everyone’s laughter, feeling only slightly embarrassed. It was true that D&T seemed at loggerheads with the CFO more often than the other departments. When she glanced Eric’s way, she caught him looking at her. His eyes widened ever so slightly and her breath caught in her throat. Why was he looking at her that way, as if he knew something she didn’t?
Eric stepped forward amid the applause. He was calm and confident, unfazed by the crowd before him. “I appreciate this opportunity and I look forward to working with all of you.” There was another smattering of applause before he went on. “I have a lot of catching up to do, so I’ll be going over the records of every department.” He smiled. “I suppose I might as well start with D&T.”
A groan went up from the D&T staff, while the others laughed.
“I like a man who gets right into it,” said Kgosana, slapping Eric on the shoulder. “All right everyone, back to work.”
“Typical,” muttered one of the designers as the staff dispersed. “Why do they always pick on us?”
“Because you creative types are so difficult to work with,” teased Lucille, winking as she passed.
“Whatever you do, Lucky, don’t let him cut our budget,” warned Randy.
“Don’t worry,” Lucky told him. “I won’t.” She liked the look of Eric Rukhava. He seemed like the sort of man she could reason with.
“Lucky Nthini?”
She turned around and looked up into his penetrating gaze, and for some reason she felt a little short of breath. What was it about those eyes? She felt as if he was staring right into her soul. She managed to smile. “Welcome aboard, Mr Rukhava.”
“Thanks.” He held out a large hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“You too.” She took his hand and felt a little shiver run up her arm. Nerves, she told herself, but nerves had never felt quite this pleasant. Lucky dropped her hand quickly. She was anxious, that was all. Financial types always made her anxious.
“I’ve already started taking a look at the reports for D&T, and I’d like to discuss them with you tomorrow morning,” Eric went on.
Lucky raised her eyebrows. “Just let me know when you’re ready.”
“Excellent. See you then.” He smiled and walked away, and she noticed for the first time that he had a slight limp, as though one leg was the tiniest bit shorter than the other. If she hadn’t been paying close attention she probably wouldn’t have noticed.
Lucky watched him, feeling strangely flustered. What was wrong with her today? Was it the stress of the convention? That had to be it – there was no other logical reason for her to feel so off balance. Eric Rukhava was just a man – a money man, for that matter! She took a deep breath to calm herself and made her way back to her office. After a few steps she turned to glance over her shoulder and caught him looking at her with a half-smile on his face. She turned away quickly, her pulse racing. There was something in that smile, something unnerving … and exciting.
* * *
Lucky opened the door to her flat and was almost flattened by a tornado of brightly coloured fabric.
“Oops! Sorry!” Brenda burst into laughter. “Didn’t see you there.”
“How could you miss me?” asked Lucky in bewilderment.
“You kind of blend into the décor, dear,” Brenda said apologetically. She looked, as usual, like she had fallen out of a teen magazine from the nineties. She wore purple-and-orange striped leggings under a baggy Mickey Mouse T-shirt, an ancient pair of Doc Martens and a bright floral scarf worked into her braids.
Her style was in complete contrast to Lucky’s – neutral colours, simple cuts and as few accessories as possible. It made no sense to Lucky that her out-there flatmate worked in a bank, and no one who saw Brenda in her uniform would recognise her.
“How was work?” Brenda chirped.
“Okay. The new CFO arrived. His name is Eric Rukhava.”
“Ooh, what’s he like? No, let me guess – brooding and mysterious, pinstripe suit, thick beard and a strange ring on his little finger.”
“Uh, no.” Lucky couldn’t help smiling. Her flatmate was something of a conspiracy buff. She had convinced herself that Chemtex’s former CFO had left because she’d had a torrid affair with the CEO. No amount of reasoning could put a dent in one of Brenda’s conspiracy theories, so Lucky didn’t even try.
“No?” Brenda looked crestfallen. “Too bad. I guess one scandalous CFO is enough, anyway. Ooh – I’ve got more info on the money launderer.”
Lucky groaned. No matter how many times she told her flatmate not to discuss her work, Brenda kept sharing her crazy suspicions of the bank’s customers.
“You should have seen what he was wearing today. A really expensive suit – and a gold chain.” Brenda raised her eyebrows, as if this was all the proof she needed.
“A gold chain means nothing,” Lucky pointed out.
“That’s not all!” Brenda glanced at her pink plastic watch. “But I’ll fill you in when I get back. Bye!”
“Back from where?” Lucky watched the door slam and shook her head, then headed towards her bedroom. She caught sight of several dirty dishes in the sink and sighed. Brenda was one of those people who didn’t see why they should do something immediately if it could be left till later.
The pair first met in the registration queue at Tshwane University of Technology when they were starting their first year. They were hot and tired, and Brenda had decided to amuse herself by trying to guess what the students in the line were thinking, based on their facial expressions. The pair ended up in the same residence and