The Mechanic

1

Art from Pinterest
Credits to the owner

A bird screeched loudly, jolting Sebina out of sleep. She bolted upright, her dyed red hair all over the place because her hair cover had slipped from her head in the night. Groaning slightly as she wiped drool from the side of her mouth, she slowly got out of bed in the dark and blindly made her way to the bathroom.

By the time she was done getting herself ready for this blue monday, the sun was shining brightly and after a hearty breakfast of oats and fruits, she brushed her teeth then headed to the garage to drive to work.

As she waited in the early morning traffic on the highway, she quickly glanced in her rearview and used her middle finger to remove the slight shine on her ombre lips. Traffic was moving like a snail and this was part of travelling that she hated the most because she lived more than an hour from the city, where her offices were based.

Countless times, her father asked her why she didn't move to the city when she could clearly afford it but she always brushed him off, telling him she liked living with him, in the peace of their small town. Yes, she had her own place but she still lived at home, being the only person her father had so far from home. All the other relatives were scattered all over the country, the closest being a whole district away.

As some Kenny G played in the background, a call suddenly interrupted her music. She answered on realising who it was-her PA.

"Talk to me, sensei," she said as a smile graced her face.

A deep laugh filled the car as the PA laughed. "Good morning, madam."

"Morning to you too, Ntai," she replied.

Ntai had been her PA since a year ago and he was a young man, just trying to find his way in the industry, like she had been about ten years ago when she quit her job as a bank teller to start her mechanical shop-fixing and revamping cars with the help of a few employees. The company had failed twice, aided by the fact that people wouldn't trust a female mechanic with their cars but about three years ago, she had managed to land a big client in the form of a small trucking company which refered some of its clients to her. And not just any clients-wealthy clients. Business started taking off from there and now she was raking in the money considering how many clients she could land in a week. She was either fixing cars or revamping them every week and she worked hard for her money because everyday, one would find her in the workshop with her dirty overalls and toolkit, working hard on a car with her employees. She had her father to thank for this.

"Madam," her PA said. "You've got three meetings today with 2 referrals and the owner of a new trucking company who wants to enlist your maintenance services on his fleet."

"Im wearing a suit and heels today. Who's manning the workshop?"

Ntai laughed. "You're for real, madam? You? Are wearing heels? I have to see this to believe it."

"Quit teasing," Sebina chuckled. She didn't blame her PA for being a little humorous about the fact that she was wearing heels. She always wore flats if she had to be dressed up but most of the time, since she was in overalls, she always had on training shoes.

"Well, your first meeting is in thirty minutes so be here by 8. You'll find your coffee-"

"I hate coffee," she laughed, knowing that they did this everyday with Ntai.

"I meant your tea, in a flask on your desk. I'm going to make sure that everything is fine in the workshop, madam. You'll say when you get here."

"Mm-hhm." Sebina cut the call and drove on.