Crossing boundaries

CROSSING BOUNDARIES

The spirit of rivalry in man operates in so many ways, as it's capable of making humans do some many unexpected things just always be above their supposed rivals. Rivalries most times leads to jealousy, hatred and even destroy relationships sometimes. But the most important thing rivalry brings at our door step is a room for improvement.

The sophisticated bakery and the Five Star bakery are both located in the city of Lagos State, Nigeria few blocks away from each other.. The two bakeries are the most well known bakeries in the state, as they both produce similar commodities. Due to the fame and popularity they have both enjoyed over the years, the rivalry between them has being growing from strength to strength.

 The sophisticated bakery is owned by the Simon's family and it has been in existence for over three decades. It's is also one of the first bakeries to own modern day commercial baking equipment in the state. It was previously initially managed by Mr. Simon Joseph, the sole founder of the business. After many years of been in charge, he made way for his aire Mark Simon to take charge of his empire. The Five Star bakery on the other hand became a power house in the baking business about twenty years ago. It was initially owned by late Mallam Abdul Isah, who passed it over to his wife Hajiya Halima Abdul after his death. She in turn, turned the almost bankrupting business around with the money paid to her from her late's husband's death insurance. She deliberately refused to get into another marriage after her husband's death, just to focus more on raising her two daughters Hadiza and Aisha. Unable to continue meeting up with the demands and stress from the bakery business, she passed over the management of the company to her eldest daughter Hadiza. Mark and Hadiza were both old time friends as they both were in the same class, but due to the heated rivalry between the two families and religion, their friendship sank deep into the sea.

Every 27th of December yearly which will be in three days time in the city of Lagos, a food festival is usually held which serves as an advising ground for starting up bakeries and restaurants, and also to serve as a bazzer ground for farmers. Over the years it just served as an advising and bazzer event, but the organizers are planning on making it more competitive this year. In which bakeries and restaurants will be grouped in two, to come up with something unique recipe that has never been seen.

Exhausted from work, Mark is on his way to his car to head back home, before he got stopped by a mail man.

 "Good day sir, are you Mr Mark?" The mail man asked.

 "Yes I am, how may I help you?" Mark replied as he turned away from his car.

 "Sir I have a mail delivery for you. Please I will need to sign before I hand them over to you", the mail man said as he brought out his register.

 "Okay", Mark answered as he signed in the register.

 "Thank you and have a nice day", the Mail man appreciated as he handed over the mail to Mark.

 "You too", Mark said as nicely as he opened and read the letter without any hesitation.

  'Good day sir, we cordially invite your bakery to our annual food festival. This year we want to inform you that we are changing the format of everything, by making it competitive for the first time ever. We are writing to inform you that your bakery will be teaming up with the Five Star bakery, so as to come up with a new recipe that no one has ever tasted nor seen and also to promote peace and development in the region. Thank you for your maximum cooperation', the letter said.

 "This must be a really big joke", Mark said to himself after reading the letter over and over again for clearity purpose, as he quickly rushed into his car to go inform his father about the latest development at home.

Hadiza returned back home from their bakery, to find her sitting and waiting in the lobby as though she is waiting for someone.

 "Good evening mummy", Hadiza greeted as she walked towards her. "Why are you moody? And it seems as though you are waiting for someone".

 "Good evening my dear and not moody, I was waiting for you to come back that's all", Hajiya Halima said.

 "Mummy I hope there is no problem?" Hadiza asked as she worried sat by the arm of the chair her mother is seating on.

 "I want you to read this letter in good faith, as what the letter proposes will promote the development and unity in our society", Hajiya Halima urged Hadiza as she handed over the letter to her.

After thoroughly going through the letter, Hadiza was left in a state of confusion and shock than even before she read the letter. As she wondered deep within her what must have driven the organizers to act in such order, by grouping them together with their arc rival's.

 "Mummy are this people really serious? They are definitely high on something", Hadiza said angrily to her mum. 

 "Calm down and think of it this way, this will be a good chance for all this rivalry and unnecessary enemity to come to an end", Hajiya Halima explained.

 "Mummy are you serious? I don't agree with this decision of yours", Hadiza said fuming about the whole situation.

 "My decision is final we will honor the invitation and you will have to get in touch with the Sophisticated bakery to fix a date", Hajiya Halima said.

 "Mummy why must we contact them first? I am not in support of all this".

 "You just have to be, this will also be a good avenue for publication for us all, so we will be taking it".

 "Okay if you say so", Hadiza said still not in support of her mother's decision as she walked into entered their house.

"Daddy, daddy", Mark calmly and continuously kept on calling as he searched for his father in their house.

 "I am here, inside my room", Mr Simon replied.

 "Good evening sir", Mark greeted as he walked into his father's room.

 "Good evening my boy, I know why you so troubled so just calm down", Mr Simon said with a broad smile on his face.

 "Daddy you do?" Mark asked in shock after seeing that his father isn't upset by the whole situation.

 "Yes I do, I actually even suggested the idea to them", Mr Simon said confidently to him.

 "But daddy why? I don't understand what you are even saying now".

 "Am a dying old man, I need to make peace with everyone around me before my time comes that's why. So just go and rest, tomorrow you will contact the owner's of the Five Star bakery to fix an appointment with them", Mr Simon ordered.

 "But daddy..."

 "No buts it's an order, I want to sleep now. Close the door when you are leaving", Mr Simon said as she laid down back on his bed.

Mark slept that night filled with emotional fright on how to face his long time friend, who he almost dated but it couldn't work out because of their families history and religion. Hadiza also slept that night wandering on what to do, how to react and so on when they finally meet. The next morning Mark and Hadiza secretary got in touched and fixed a appointment for both of them by noon. They are to both to meet in a restaurant located in between the two bakeries.

"I thought you wouldn't come?" Mark asked as he walked towards Hadiza from behind.

 "Don't even get your hopes up, can we go straight into doing what brought us both out here?" Hadiza asked as she is not interested in getting into any personal discussions with him .

 "Atleast leats let's sit down and talk, this will both benefit us so please stop being grumpy. You are still the same Hadiza I know", Mark replied as he winked at her.

 "And what's is that supposed to mean? See no personal questions, this is strictly business hope you understand?" Hadiza requested angrily.

 "Yes ma", Mark replied as he stood attention.

 "Stop that, we are in public", Hadiza pleaded as she darged him away after making sure no one is watching them.

 "Hadiza wait, wait. See am not feeling to fine why don't we reschedule this meeting for later this evening", Mark requested as he quickly changed his mood to look sincere.

 "Like seriously, you will never change. Mitchew am done with all this", Hadiza said as she angrily walked away from him.

 "Hadiza please wait", Mark said as he rushed towards her and slammed her gently against the wall. "Please listen to me there is more we need to discuss..."

 "Discuss what? Please get off me people are watching us", Hadiza interrupted as she tried pushing him away.

 "Hadiza please just listen to me, meet me here at 7:00 pm that's all am asking", Mark resisting to move away.

Hadiza was left speechless not knowing what to say to him as he walked away. They had a history, which had a negative odd of repeating itself again. Hadiza went back straight home even though it is still noon. She tried avoiding her mother, since she is the only one at home. It was obvious to her that he wasn't by anyway willing to talk about a new recipe, but about something more complicated. 

Mark arrived the venue by 6:30pm to avoid coming late, as he sat in desperation waiting for Hadiza's arrival. Hadiza arrived late on purpose, as she tried making it seem she isn't interested in what he has to say. 

 "Thank you for coming, I thought you wouldn't make it", Mark said already getting excited by her presence.

  "What's all this please can we get to work, so we can leave this place early?" Hadiza impatiently asked him.

 "Okay fine, you win. I didn't call you here so we could work, I did so, because I want us to have a conversation", Mark replied.

 "About what?"

 "What happened between us in the past".

 " There is nothing to talk about, you acted like a jerk and betrayed me and all we ever shared together. I don't wan to talk about that please", Hadiza said.

 "Hadiza please just hear me out, I am sorry for doing all that but I tell you I knew a day like this would come. A day when no one would tell us how to live anymore, or force us into anything", Mark replied.

 "That's not an excuse for shattering me into pieces, you know what am done here", Hadiza said as he picked up her bag and left the restaurant.

After seconds of contemplation on what to do next, Mark rushed out to meet her.

 "Hadiza please I never stopped loving you and I still do", Mark shouted for afar after noticing he couldn't catch up with her.

Hearing his voice Hadiza paused for a while and turned over to him without moving, as he ran towards her.

 "What are you saying Mark?" Hadiza asked in shock.

 "Hadiza I made a promise to you years ago to never stop loving you and so it is now. I Know you are not in a relationship, I can't tell why but all I know is that you are all I need".

 "This must be a joke right? We can't work because of our religion, business and so on", Hadiza explained to him.

 "See I don't care about all those things all I care about is just you. With you by my side I will be able to move mountains", Mark said.

 "How am I not even sure you will leave just as you left the other time".

Moving closer to her mark kissed her on her forehead and held onto her waist.

 "I am here to stay, I want you to be the mother of my kids, I want to grow old by you", Mark said.

 "What if we should have kids, which religion will they practice?" Hadiza asked for clearity.

 "At first christianity, but at eighteen they will have the freedom to choose between the two religions". Mark replied. "Hadiza please just give me even if it's just a trail, I beg of you I still do love you".

 "So when are we breaking the news to them all?" Hadiza asked with a broad smile as she wrapped her hands around his neck, kissing him light on his lips.

 "On the day of the festival", Mark said as they both kissed again.