I woke up the next morning, and the first thing I did was reply to Yemi’s message. What do you expect? I couldn’t sleep at night with everything on my mind. No, I’m not dumb. I’ve decided to keep both guys around until I’m certain who’s the better option to stick with. The best approach, I figured, was to stay as emotionally detached as possible and observe how things play out.
My message to Yemi:
Hello, Yemi. I’m sorry for how I reacted yesterday. I guess I expected too much from you and was disappointed to see you acting possessive. I’m sorry if mentioning the money upset you. I’m still thinking about forgiving you… Maybe an evening at Radisson Blu will sway my decision? Lol. Thank you for being a good friend. I truly appreciate it.
I sighed deeply after sending the message and decided to call Daniel.
“Good morning,” I began warmly. “I called to check on my man. Did I wake you?”
A sleepy yawn echoed from his side. “Yes, you did, and I like it. Waking up to your call has already made my day. Dear Lord, may it stay this way forever.”
“Hahaha, you’re such a clown. Better get up and prepare for work.”
“No work today,” he said with a lazy tone.
“Why not? What happened?” My voice laced with concern.
“I took some time off. Told my boss I needed a break to process everything that’s happened this week. He’s nice and actually encouraged me to take the rest of the week off.”
“Ah! Look at you enjoying life! Please find me a job at your firm o. Big salary and freedom to work when you want?”
He laughed. “My dear, when they want to overwork us, they don’t hesitate. Let me enjoy this while I can.”
“Fair enough. So, what are your plans for the day?”
“Nothing much—just movies and daydreaming about what I’ll do when you become my wife.”
Oh my! The way he said that sent shivers down my spine. My knees felt weak, and my mind swirled. Focus, Dami.
“Daydream away, abeg! Have a good day.”
“I will, wifey. And you too. I’ll call you when I’m fully awake.”
His pet name for me—wifey—played on repeat in my mind, its sound soft, almost angelic. I smiled as I ended the call, then knelt to pray:
“Lord, I hope I’m making the right decisions. Please let the right person stay and the wrong person go. Give me the wisdom to see the signs and the strength to act on them when the time comes. Amen.”
The day unfolded in high spirits. I greeted everyone at work with infectious energy, even drawing Tokunbo’s teasing comment about whether it was my birthday. Life felt good.
At around 10 a.m., Yemi called. We talked for 40 minutes, laughing and teasing as if nothing had happened the day before. He joked about my “spoiled brat behavior” and accused me of creating drama just to secure a Radisson Blu dinner. I played along, telling him I agreed so long as I got what I wanted.
We planned to meet Friday evening. He even advised me to use Uber instead of driving because of traffic. By the end of our chat, I was eagerly counting down to Friday.
Friday.
The week crawled by, but Friday finally arrived. Daniel had asked if we could do TGIF together, but I lied, telling him I was hanging out with my girls. I’m not sure why I lied—maybe to avoid making him feel insecure or to steer clear of any potential drama.
I dressed for the evening in my killer black contour dress—a showstopper that hugged all the right places and sparkled just enough to catch the light. A swipe of Ruby Woo lipstick made sure my lips demanded attention.
In the Uber, the driver smiled and complimented my look. It made my day. My phone rang as we crossed Third Mainland Bridge.
“Hey, stranger,” I answered.
“Hello, strangest. Where are you?” Yemi asked playfully.
“On my way. Just crossed Third Mainland Bridge.”
“We?” he teased.
“Yes, my boyfriend and I.”
Silence.
I burst into laughter. “Oh my God! You should’ve seen your face just now. I bet you turned blue.”
“You’ll pay for this,” he said after a pause, his voice mock-threatening.
We laughed and ended the call.
The dinner was delightful. By 10:30 p.m., Yemi suggested we hit a club on Bishop Oluyole Street. To my surprise, Patoranking was performing live. I couldn’t stay seated; I had to dance. Yemi sat and clapped, his laughter pure and joyful.
Around midnight, I noticed someone entering the club with his arm around a woman’s waist. They danced their way in, and the man looked oddly familiar. I squinted, unsure if it was who I thought.
“Yemi, excuse me. I think I just saw someone I know,” I said.
I approached the man, tapped his shoulder lightly, and he turned to face me.
It was Daniel.