The road to forever 2 Staying here and knowing that Obakeng will see me from time to time is something else. It makes me dread going out. He stays not far from my home. On the other side he’s been calling me nonstop. I ignore his calls. I don’t know what he expects from me. … Read more
The road to forever 1 “Ausi!” My little brother screams when he sees me walk through the gate. I grew up without my mother being in my life. My father raised me on his own. As I grew I kept on asking my father about my mother and he’d tell me that she never wanted … Read more
NOT MY USUAL WORLD EPISODE 15 They both lay quietly, their arms wrapped around each other. For a while neither of them spoke. Ronke rested her head on Tobe’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. She let out a soft breath. I still can’t believe this. She lifted her head slightly and … Read more
NOT MY USUAL WORLD EPISODE 14 Tobe stood at the door. For a few seconds neither of them spoke. Ronke stood there breathing heavily, as if she had rushed all the way from her office. Her hair was slightly out of place and her eyes still carried the weight of everything that had happened earlier … Read more
NOT MY USUAL WORLD EPISODE 13 The café slowly returned to its normal rhythm, but for the three people standing near the counter, nothing felt normal anymore. They stepped outside and sat at a small table near the café entrance. Ronke finally wiped her tears, though her hands were still trembling. Ekene watched the two … Read more
NOT MY USUAL WORLD EPISODE 12 Tobe barely slept that night. Jet lag kept him awake, but it wasn’t only that. Something about the city felt strangely familiar, like a place that had been waiting for him for a very long time. By morning he decided to take a walk before going to check out … Read more
NOT MY USUAL WORLD EPISODE 11 The sky over New York was pale with early morning light. Tobe’s flight touched down quietly, the hum of engines fading as he stepped onto the tarmac. Six years of planning, striving, and now, America awaited him again. A new chapter unfolding. He carried a small suitcase, but inside … Read more
NOT MY USUAL WORLD EPISODE 10 The winter morning in Shanghai carried an unusual calm. Tobe stood in his apartment, surrounded by half-packed boxes. The space that had once felt like a dream now seemed oddly hollow. Six years had passed. Six full years in China. He ran a hand over the table where countless … Read more
NOT MY USUAL WORLD EPISODE 9 Life did not stop for Ronke after the China exhibition was approved by Chief Adebayo. Work continued in the United States branch of her father’s company. Meetings, reports, travel schedules and corporate responsibilities filled her days. From the outside her life looked perfect. Inside, it often felt incomplete. It … Read more
NOT MY USUAL WORLD EPISODE 8 The cold air of Boston touched Ronke’s face the moment she stepped out of the airport, but she barely noticed it. Everything inside her felt colder. Eight months had passed since Tobe disappeared from her life without a trace. Eight months of sleepless nights, unanswered questions, and the heavy … Read more