Binary Hearts

5| The Interview 💌

Mrs. Abosede raised an eyebrow. "And how do you handle feedback and criticism on your designs?"

"I see feedback as an opportunity to improve. I always listen carefully to clients' and users' perspectives and make necessary adjustments to enhance the final product," Ada answered confidently.

Just as Mrs. Abosede was about to interject with a critique, the door opened, and Chidi Okoye himself walked in. The room fell silent.

"Good morning, everyone," Chidi said, taking a seat. "I wanted to personally monitor today's interviews."

Mrs. Abosede's demeanor softened slightly. "Miss Adaora, can you tell us about a project where you had to collaborate with a team under tight deadlines?"

Ada took a deep breath. "Sure. In one of my previous roles, we had a project with an extremely tight deadline due to a client's last-minute changes. I coordinated with the team, delegated tasks based on each member's strengths, and ensured constant communication. We managed to deliver the project on time without compromising quality."

Chidi nodded, clearly impressed. "Thank you, Miss Adaora. That will be all for now."

Ada felt a rush of relief as she left the room. She had done her best, and now it was out of her hands.

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Back at Tunde's office, Ada walked in with a triumphant smile on her face. She found Tunde hunched over a workbench, meticulously soldering components onto a PCB board. The sight of him so focused made her momentarily forget her news.

"Tunde!" she called out, her voice filled with excitement. "I got the job!"

Tunde looked up, a mixture of surprise and genuine happiness flashing across his face. "That's fantastic, Ada! Congratulations!" He set down his tools and walked over to her, giving her a warm hug.

"Thank you," Ada said, pulling back and looking into his eyes. "I couldn't have done it without your support."

"You earned this," Tunde replied, smiling. But Ada could see the fatigue in his eyes and the stress etched on his face.

"What are you working on?" she asked, moving closer to the workbench.

Tunde sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm working on a new product. It's something I believe students and people in general will really benefit from."

Ada's curiosity was piqued. "Tell me more about it. I want to help."

Tunde's eyes lit up with passion as he explained, "It's an electronic gas measurement device, built using Arduino Uno. The device is designed to accurately measure and display the remaining gas in a cylinder in digital form. It uses a gas sensor to detect the level of gas, and an LCD screen to show the exact amount left. This way, students can easily monitor their gas usage and know when it's running low, preventing any unexpected shortages. It's a simple yet effective solution to help manage their resources more efficiently."

Ada listened intently, nodding. "That's brilliant, Tunde. How can I help?"

"Well, there's still a lot of work to be done. I need to finalize the design, test the prototype, and figure out the best way to market it," Tunde said, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

Ada smiled, her determination shining through. "Let's do it together. I have some experience with prototype and design from my past projects. We can make this happen."

Tunde looked at her, gratitude and something deeper in his eyes. "Thank you, Ada. Your support means more than you know."

They spent the next few hours working side by side, bouncing ideas off each other and making progress on the project. Ada surprised Tunde by showing him the prototype design she's been working on for him, explaining each component and how it will work according to his requirements.

As the evening wore on, they took a break, sitting on the couch with takeout containers of suya. The atmosphere was relaxed, a stark contrast to the intense focus of earlier.

"You know, Tunde," Ada said between bites, "I really didn't want to attend the interview coz I didn't want to meet Chidi Okoye who couldn't help me save my mom. But I kept thinking about my mom and how she always encouraged me to never give up. That gave me strength."

Tunde nodded, swallowing a mouthful of food. "Your mom was right. You're strong and capable, no matter anything tht happens, put your progress as priority. And you have a bright future ahead of you, I'm sure of that."

Ada smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her. "Thank you, Tunde. I really appreciate your support."

Tunde looked at her, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Anytime, Ada. We're a team now."

They finished their meal in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. As they tidied up, Tunde's phone buzzed with a message. He glanced at it and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Ada asked, noticing his expression.

"It's nothing," Tunde replied, shaking his head. "Just some work stuff. But it can wait until tomorrow."

Ada nodded, sensing there was more to it but deciding not to press him. "Alright. Let's call it a night then."

They settled into their respective beds, the room quiet except for the soft hum of the air conditioner. As Ada lay in the dark, she thought about the day's events and the new chapter of her life that was beginning. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, she felt hopeful and determined to make the most of the opportunities ahead.

Tunde's voice broke the silence. "Goodnight, Ada."

"Goodnight, Tunde," she replied, smiling to herself as she drifted off to sleep.