Turn The Paige✔

CHAPTER FIVE

Jane opened the door and smiled broadly. "Come in, Mr Adesanya. It's nice to meet you. I'm Jane Mukherjee." She gestured to Brian with a casual sweep of her hand. "This is my colleague, Brian Rochester."

"Thank you," Mr Adesanya said as he walked in. "You have quite a pleasant place here, don't you?" he said, surveying the room.

Jane chuckled. "It is not much, but at least it helps to keep us sane," she joked.

Mr Adesanya laughed and looked at Brian. He raised an interested eyebrow and gave Brian a firm handshake. "It's good to finally meet you, Brian."

Brian bowed his head slightly as he accepted the handshake. "I am happy to meet you too, sir. Please have a seat."

Usually, he was not the type to stare, but Brian struggled to keep his eyes from lingering on Mr Adesanya. He was a smartly dressed man in a grey pin stripe suit and red tie. Ordinarily, it was commonplace in a university to see people looking sharp. Brian may have passed him by during a symposium. What made him so remarkable was the mind blowing resemblance Paige had to him.

Mr Adesanya had a seat on the sofa and leaned back slightly. His brown eyes twinkled as he focused his piercing gaze at Brian. "I called Paige, but her phone was switched off. So I called her friend Madeline, but did not quite get the directions."

Jane nodded as he spoke. "I am sorry to hear that. Would you care for some coffee or tea before we send for her, sir?"

"Thanks for your hospitality, but I prefer water. Don't worry about sending for her, I'll go a check on her myself," Mr Adesanya replied.

Jane took a slightly chilled bottle of water from the fridge and placed it on a tray in front of him. She set a tall glass beside the bottle, and turned to pick her phone from her bag. He mouthed a silent 'Thank you' before she retreated.

He took a quick look around the room. "Is the lab next door where my daughter has been doing her project work?"

"No sir. I have been supervising her at the A Block lab. My colleague and I would be glad show you if you would care to see it for yourself," Brian said.

Jane looked from Mr Adesanya to Brian, and from Brian back to Mr Adesanya. Brian was trying to keep calm under the cool but watchful eye of Paige's father, and Mr Adesanya looked like a man on a mission. She wished she could grab a popcorn and watch the show as it would unfold, but decided to extract herself from the situation before a potential escalation.

Jane looked at watch and gasped. "Oh dear! It's five minutes to eleven. I would have loved to tag along, but I have a practical I need to supervise," she said as she hastily slung her bag over her shoulder and walked to the door. "Brian must have forgotten. Not to worry, I am sure he will give you all the information you need, sir." She laid her hand on the door handle, looked back and smiled connotatively at Brian.

Brian smiled back. " I will do all I can. Thank you Jane, and have a good day," he said. His eyes however glared daggers and said 'I will get you for this.'

Jane nodded discreetly and left, not before giving Brian an 'It is not my problem, you are on your own' look.

Mr Adesanya sipped his glass of water, and set it down on the tray. He adjusted the neck of his tie, and shrugged his blazer off, carefully folding it over his arm.

The silence which settled over the room was deafening.

"Brian."

"Yes, sir."

"How is work?"

"Fine, thank you."

"Pardon?"

"Fine, thank you sir."