Sammy grabbed her phone properly as if she’d been waiting for that message for ages. When she answered yes to the ‘my girls’ WhatsApp group, where three of them were, she immediately saw Dolapo’s response.
“Sammy, can we meet at yours?” Relief washed over Sammy for a fleeting moment. An evening with her friends was exactly what she needed: a temporary escape from what was happening or what could happen in her relationship.
With a quick reply, “Yes, let’s do mine. See you girls in the evening,” she shoved the phone back into her pocket. Turning to her employee, Aisha, Sammy forced a smile.
“Aisha,” she said, her voice strained, “I need to head out now. Ensure you finish the dress you’re working on and lock up properly before leaving. You can reach me anytime if you need anything, okay?”
Aisha, curious, raised an eyebrow. “Sammy, is everything alright?”
The question hung in the air, starkly contrasting the rhythmic Jamie Grace’s music playing in the background. Sammy longed to confide in Aisha, to unload the tangled mess of emotions swirling within her. But the words wouldn’t come.
“Nothing’s wrong, dear,” she replied, touching Aisha’s shoulders too quickly. “Thank you.”
Sammy started packing her things, her movements like that of a robot. Suddenly, Tunji’s message flashed through her mind again, his words like hard pill, difficult to swallow. He’d gotten a job in the UK. He was leaving.
She was still lost in her thoughts when her ringtone — Tunji — jabbed her back to life. She rolled her eyes. ‘Babe, did you get my message?’ Tunji asked, hyper-excited. ‘Yes, I got it. Congratulations.’ Sammy said coldly, which was unlike her.
‘Babe, are you okay?’ Tunji knew something was off about her. ‘Should I come to pick you up at the studio? We could have dinner at my place. I’ll make something for us,’ he said, hoping it would lift her mood.
“Babe, I have other plans. You know what? Can we talk later? I have to go.”
“Babe, is it because of the job offer? It will change our lives, yes, but we will work things out. Common, babe, it’s not that hard. The reason…”
“It’s not that hard, really? She scoffed. ‘‘Look, just…call you later.’’
“Alright. I’ll call you. I love you, Sammy. He said and waited for her response. ‘I love you too.’ she rolled her eyes again, but this time, there was a feeling in her belly she could not place her hands on. The way Tunji says he loves her always reassures her that he truly does.
***
A warm glow of fairy lights shone gently over Sammy’s cozy living room. Dolapo, perched on the plush velvet sofa in a flowy Ankara maxi dress the color of ripe mangoes, popped open a bottle of fruit wine with practiced ease.
“So, spill the tea, Dolapo,” Sammy said, reclining in a worn armchair adorned with mismatched throw pillows. She had changed her usual work attire and was wearing comfy leggings and a baggy graphic tee. “What’s up with you?”
“I got a full-time contract with a monthly salary of $175,” she muttered, tapping the email on her phone screen. “It’s not ideal, not at all, but it’s a job…”
“Hold on there, D. $175 for full-time? We can do better than that!” Sammy exclaimed.
Nestled amidst a colorful cushion fort, Sola snorted skeptically, “Dolapo, honey, that’s practically an insult. You’re worth way more than that!”
Dolapo sighed, her shoulders slumping. “But you know, it would come in monthly, you know? With the rent going up and all…”
“Come in monthly at the expense of your skills and worth?” Sammy countered, her voice firm. “In case you do not know, you are a badass writer, Dolapo! Remember that video script you wrote for the campaign for that bakery in Lekki? You nailed! The CEO called in, and they were singing your praises!”
Dolapo’s eyes flickered with a spark of defiance. “Yeah, I rocked that campaign!”
“Exactly!” Sammy beamed. “Don’t settle for peanuts, girl. Keep searching, put yourself out there, and trust me, the right opportunity will come. Look at it this way: What if you get to write more than you bargained for in a month? I am certain it would not give you ample opportunity to do other work. Girl, you would be stuck, and the money would be like working like an elephant and getting rewards like an ant. It isn’t just worth it.”
Taking a little sip of wine, Dolapo nodded resolutely. “You’re right, Sammy. I won’t be a doormat. I deserve better than a measly $175.”
“Omo, challenges just full this life anyhow. Can you imagine? Sometimes, you need to make sacrifices and let go of these jobs that pay peanuts to get bigger and better ones,” Sammy said almost unconsciously.
Sola said, “Speaking of challenges, what’s happening with you, Sammy? You’ve been quiet about your Fashion Week. How is preparation coming?”
‘‘Fashion week is the least of my problems right now. Preparation is coming well, and everything is under control. What’s bothering me is that Tunji has a new job.’’ Sammy hesitated, then took a deep breath.
Sola’s eyes widened, “Babe, that’s good news! What’s the problem?”
“He’d be moving to the UK in less than a month,” Sammy said, disappointed.
A collective sigh filled the room.
“I’m happy for him, truly,” Sammy confessed, her voice a mere whisper. “But the thought of a long-distance relationship… it scares me.”
“Oh, Sammy,” Dolapo squeezed her friend’s hand. “It’s scary, I won’t lie. But have you considered talking to him? Telling him about your fears and concerns?”
Sola added, “Long distance can work. It requires communication, effort, and maybe even a trip or two. But if your love is strong enough, it can survive.”
Sammy’s eyes welled up. “Maybe you’re right. I would go to his and talk to him face-to-face to see how we can work around it.”
A wave of silence washed over them, broken only by sips of wine.
Dolapo cleared her throat. “Okay, spill it, Sola,” she said gently. “We’re here for you, remember? What’s going on with you?”
Sola’s smile faltered, a flicker of pain crossing her eyes. “There are… issues,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I need to handle them myself for now. I promise I’ll tell you everything when I’m ready, okay?”
Dolapo and Sammy exchanged a knowing glance. While they respected Sola’s privacy, a worry simmered beneath the surface. “Of course,” Sammy said, placing a comforting hand on Sola’s shoulder. “Whenever you need to talk, we’re here. No judgment, we are here to support always, with love.”
As Dolapo held up a glass for a toast, her voice rang out, “To overcoming challenges and whatever life throws our way!”
“To overcoming challenges!” Sammy and Sola replied in unison, clinking their glasses together.
***
Dolapo decided to finish a novel she had been stalling on for months. She settled on a sofa in her tiny living room.
Her apartment was a room and parlor self-contained. There were two of her kinds of apartments in the compound, but she had been living alone as no occupant had taken the space.
For months, the only soundtrack to her days was the rhythmic clack of her keyboard crafting copies, building fictional characters, and the comforting hum of the old refrigerator she had taken from her parents the year she started staying off campus.
Her parents always called her to check on her safety. “I’m safe, Dad,” she always said.
She had been going through her school books as test week was approaching, but later decided to relax with Ngozi Adichie’s Things Around Your Neck. Clutching a bottle of cashew nuts, her favorite stress relievers, she dove into the fictional world. She laughed at humourous dialogue and gasped as a betrayal unfolded on the page. She savored each emotional twist while reading the book.
Just as she reached for another handful of nuts, she heard a sharp knock on the front door, interrupting her happy hour. Dolapo froze, the book tumbling from her grasp. Her heart hammered in her chest, a primal fear gripping her. The compound gate was always locked tight, accessible only to those living within. Visitors always phoned ahead.
“Who could it be?” she asked under her breath, panic sending shivers down her spine. Had she forgotten about a delivery? Unlikely. She quickly texted My Girls’ group to check on her after 10 minutes, indicating that she might be in danger.
With so much dread and every creak of the floorboard under her cautious steps, the pounding of her pulse amplified.
Finally, with a fortifying breath that did little to calm her racing heart, Dolapo reached for the doorknob. She flung the door open, bracing herself for the unknown.
To be continued in the next episode
Adeola Oke 
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