Chapter 81

It was exactly one month to Janet's finals when Marcus told her he wanted her to meet with some of his business associates, "So, I wanted you to meet with some of my associates that I know will be interested in your company, you know, just to get some interested investors before you start. Babe, this is important."

Janet could not believe her ears, but she was also not prepared to meet these people. If she knew anything about Marcus, she knew that he did not hang around random and small businessmen because the thirteen times he had "casually" invited her to be his plus one for some event with high profile members of the business world, that he said were his "friends", she had met with a lot of important people. In fact, in all of these events, the way these people had received them because of him, she knew that she would not be able to meet with these people if she was with him, or at least, not important to him. The first time she went to meet these "friends", the governor of their state was there and the way he was chatty with Marcus told her all she needed to know about her boyfriend. Even then, he told her that the event was just a casual party. Casual? The party had governors from different states, mayor's, CEOs of different multinational companies. Janet knew that his use of the word, "casual" meant an extremely important event in her own dictionary. So, now that he said "important", she felt like she was going to pass out from the pressure of trying to do her best. She did not have a pitch planned but if she had time, she could come up with something.

"When do you want me to meet them?" She crossed her fi gets and hoped that he would say it was going to be in three weeks or atleast a month. That would give her time to overcome the urge to throw up or the urge to want the earth to open up and swallow her.

"Tomorrow. Most of them will be in town tomorrow and the next time they will all be together at the same time will be based on schedule and even at that, it will still be an issue getting every single one of them together. So, please prepare a wonderful presentation."

Janet felt her heart thumping very hard. She had never been as nervous as she felt in this moment and she felt as thought she wanted to throw up.

"Um, okay"

"I did not want to just take you unawares, that's why I'm giving you a twenty-four hours notice before the meeting. Don't be late and do a good job"

"Sure. I'll start working on it immediately"

"Alright, I'll talk to you later, I need to sort some thing out, love you"

"Love you too"

Immediately Marcus hung up, she ran to the bathroom and threw up into the toilet. She stayed there for what seemed like fifteen minutes, she did not know what to do or where to start from. So, she called Fawn.

"Janet, some of us need to work. This is not really a good—"

"Fawn, I think I'm gonna die"

"What? What does that even mean?"

"Marcus...I am giving presentation... business associates that may as well be God himself because he said it's extremely important...I don't think I can do it...like, what do I say? How do I say it? I have less than twenty-four hours to come up with something worth pitching to these guys and my head feels so heavy...I think I'm running a temperature...I think I might pass out...look, I don't think I can do it...what of I fail...what of I disappoint him and everyone...what of he ends up breaking up with me because I disappoint him in front of all those people...what of this people think I will waste their investment because of my own poor presentation? Oh my God!!"

"Janet, get a grip of yourself, I don't understand what you are saying but can you calm yourself before you give yourself a heart attack? Listen, take a deep breath, and make sure you do because I can hear you and I will know if you do or if you don't"

Janet took a deep breath and said, "I think I'm calmer"

"Good. Now, tell me what happened"

"So, Marcus wants me to do this huge presentation for his associates. Now, I presume these guys are extremely important people. Marcus hangs out with extremely important individuals. Did I tell you about the times he told me that I should be his plus one to events and then I go and all of a sudden I see governors and presidents of companies and CEOs? My point is, all these time I meet with these type of guys, he says it's something casual, but today, he said it is very important. I feel like I am about to meet with God himself, and the pressure is making me sick"

"Wait. So, he wants you to meet the people that will boost your career in your field and literally make you a big shot and you're having a panic attack?"

"Yeah, that sums it up even if it totally takes out all the other context."

"Janet, listen to me. You know I love you right?"

"Yeah?"

"And I want you to have the best of everything"

"Yeah?"

"I want you to achieve your dreams, even if it makes you uncomfortable. In this case, you have been given the opportunity to create your reality, you would not have to work as hard as other newbies in your field if you do a good job tomorrow. Janet, think about how big your company will be in the next ten years because of your decisions today. Your younger self of five years ago did not envision herself in the position you are right now. Janet, make the most out of your life, please. And remember that you deserve what you're getting and what you're going to get subsequently."

This was the reason why Janet loved Fawn and why Fawn was the next person she'd call if she needed any help getting out of her own head. The more Fawn assured her of the great things she could accomplish, the more Janet started getting ideas on how to wow her audience tomorrow. She knew that even if she did not want to do a fantastic job for herself, she owed it to Fawn, her biggest cheerleader, she needed to do very well tommorow.

She sniffed and said, "Thank you so much Fawn, you're the best human I know, I don't know what I'd do without you"

Fawn chuckled and said, "Just make us proud. I know you can do it, now go do it."

Janet smiled. The two women talked about other random things briefly before Fawn announced that she had to go back to her counter so that she would not get queried.

Janet got up and decided to go to the library to get more idea on how her presentation would look like. With some help from some technology professionals, she was able to get what she would pitch in the following day, but she also realized that she had not had anything to eat the entire day.

When she got home, Marcus called her and asked her how everything was going and if she was ready for the meeting. She told him that she was still getting prepared but that she had done a large percentage of work already. He told her how proud of her he was. They talked about their day but she skipped out on how she felt when he told her about the meeting, the pressure he mustered on her and how her friend helped her out of it. She did not want him to think of her as someone that is easily shakened. Just like Fawn said, she deserved what she was getting or going to get.

The next day, Janet had been preparing for the meeting and almost overslept when her phone rang. She jerked and checked her phone, it was Marcus.

"Babe, where are you? Remember, the meeting is in fifteen minutes and I already emailed you the address of the meeting, did you get it?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course, I'm on my way already." She jumped out of bed and began to wear her clothes. She was trying to get into her suit pants but it was difficult to hurry up with her neck bent trying to make sure her phone does not fall and make Marcus hear that she was nowhere to being on time. She bit her lips at all the times she wanted to cuss out.

"Okay, I'll see you soon. Love you, don't be late"

"Okay, love you too."

Immediately he hung up, she removed the white suit she wanted to wear initially, she knew that with the risk she was about to take in order to beat traffic, a white suit pants was the worst outfit choice. She opted for a black one instead. She did her hair neatly and tightly. She applied a little bit if makeup so that she will not look like she was rushing. By the time she was done, she had less than two minutes left. She shut her door and when she was outside her apartment, she called Marcus and said, "Babe, there's a little bit if traffic and I've been stuck in it so I might not make it there early enough. Can you stall them for fifteen or maybe twenty, if you don't want me to look like I came from a marathon."

"Is it that bad? What route did you take? I could send someone to come get you"

"Babe, even if you send someone right now, except it's a chopper, there's nothing anyone can do right now, I'll be there soon."

Then she waved a cab down, when the cab came, she looked at the driver, handed him a piece of paper and said, "Can you take the fast route to this location?"

"Sure"

"Without any gridlock right?"

"Yeah"

She was at the location in ten minutes so she called Marcus to ask for the conference room number. He decided to come pick her up himself. When he saw her, he knew that she lied to him but he was not going to talk about it till after the presentation, especially since this was the first time she was lying to him.

He hugged her and then she looked up and said, "Babe, I'm sorry, I lied to you earlier, there was no traffic, I overslept, and she you called me, I was literally trying to get dressed."

Marcus smiled and said, "It's okay love, I knew. Glad you come out plain. They are waiting for you inside."

She took a deep breathe and asked, "How's the crowd?"

He held her shoulders, kissed her forehead and said, "Relax, I know you'd do a good job. I just put that much pressure on you yesterday because I wanted you to bring your A game"

They walked into the hall and Janet set up everything and started her presentation.

Till she was done, none of the men interupted to ask her a question or say anything demeaning or condescending, it was like they were all anticipating her presentation. It looked like they were expecting the performance. It felt like there would have been a problem if she did not deliver as she did. When she finished, one of the investors said, "I love your presentation, I don't mind investing in this franchise, we will still need to discuss certain additions that I think it will need."

Another person said, "Awesome delivery. I have been sold already. Set up a time to discuss the company's memorandum and other important business affairs."

Others were equally impressed by what she did. Marcus just relaxed in his chair smiling. He knew she could do it and he was the proudest person in the room. When the tension from business had relaxed, he announced, "Gentlemen, I want to proudly and formally introduce you all to the love of my life, Miss Janet Curtis."

"You have a keeper in your hands, Marcus" one of the men teased Marcus as they all congratulated him on getting a woman like Janet.

He introduced her to every one of them and after they had all gotten acquainted with her, he told them more awesome things about her while she just watched him. She felt more love for him, she wondered what she could have done in her previous life to have landed a man who loves her, respected her, showed her off, brought her closer and closer to her dreams, pushed her to be the best version of herself and was not scared go love her loud and proud. The way he spoke about her made everyone in the room look at her with respect and it did not matter that she was not in their level financially or otherwise, his love made her worthy of feeling like she deserved to be here.

As the men left the room one ofter the other, till the last person left, his eyes were always on her. She would catch him staring at her and smiling. She just kept wondering how she'd ever be able to pay him back for all that he was doing for her.

When they were finally together, she ran and jumped on him and held on tight. He laughed and said, "This feels right, you did an amazing job out here today. I am so proud of you. I don't think I say it enough"

"Are you kidding? You say it all the time. Marcus, thank you so much! You know, since I knew you, I don't think my life has ever gone backwards, there's always new heights to be attained with you. To the point that I cannot even remember what my life used to be like before I met you. As a matter of fact, I don't even want to know"

Marcus chuckled and said, "Ditto Babe. I don't think I can't remember what mine used to be like but I too don't want to know."

She got down from his body and said, "Thank you for loving me right, and for showing me what love really feels like. Marcus, I love you so much. I cannot explain how you make me feel. Sometimes I feel like I cannot believe because of how intoxicating it is."

Marcus chuckled and said, "You realize you're describing the feeling of drugs right?"

She tiptoed on one time and then held the back of his neck to pull his head close to her face. When their lips were some inches away from each other, she said, "You are my drugs"