Chapter Eight

Funmi sat on her bed that night, long after the office lights had gone off and the glow of her laptop faded. She hadn’t slept. Instead, she found herself whispering a quiet prayer.

“Lord, I don’t know what this is. But I see Kayode’s heart… and I feel drawn. If this is from You, please guide it. Help us honour You. But if it’s not, take it away gently. I won’t fight You.”

There was a peace that followed. It didn’t answer every question, but it quieted her soul. Whatever was ahead, she would allow God to lead.

The kiss had been a turning point.

There was no more pretending. Funmi could no longer deny that she liked Kayode, and deeply too. Trying to silence that part of herself would only make her miserable, and distract her from her duties. Always the pragmatic one, she knew if God’s hand was in this, then the safest thing she could do was be honest with herself, and with Him.

After the kiss, Kayode had called like he promised. With distance between them, they spoke more freely. He apologised gently, making it clear he hadn’t planned it and wasn’t the kind of man who went around kissing women spontaneously.

“You sound so genuine,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips as she listened to his voice.

“Are you sure you’ve thought this through?”

There was a pause.

“I have,” he said. “I want you.”

Those five words became the beginning of a journey neither of them expected.

“Well,” Funmi replied softly, “that’s a programme I can get on board with.”

“But I need your help, Funmi. I need you to help me not to lead us into temptation. I want you badly, and I am the kind of man who struggled with keeping his hands to himself before I gave my life to christ. Don’t indulge me. I will do my best to be honourable, but whenever my weakness shows up, be strong enough to remind me to whom we belong, till He gives you to me as my wife.”

“Wife? Kayode, are we getting ourselves here? Okay o,” she said and he could hear the smile in her voice.

He had smiled too, so wide he had to press a hand to his face. She couldn’t see it, but the joy was real. Holding her that day had lit a fire he wasn’t even looking for, but one he couldn’t deny. Still, he reminded himself that he wanted more than sparks, he wanted substance. This had to be deeper than physical. He wanted a relationship that pleased God, not just one that pleased them.

“We should celebrate. Just something light, so I know this isn’t a dream,” he said.

“I’m in,” Funmi replied. “Where do we meet?”

He hadn’t expected that. He figured she would be guarded. But she was just as open, and perhaps just as surprised by herself.

With the lockdown still in effect, he invited her over for a relaxed evening. He ordered takeout from a decent restaurant still operating under limited hours and got snacks and drinks from a neighbouring store. Nothing elaborate. Just comfort.

They started a movie and barely made it halfway through because they were talking, laughing, and pressing ‘pause’ more than they pressed ‘play’. Somewhere between sharing popcorn and reflecting on childhood TV shows, the room felt warmer. Safe. Familiar.

By midnight, they had moved from movie to music, chatting about everything and nothing at once. Funmi, nestled on the far end of the couch with a throw blanket over her legs, hadn’t realised when her eyes started to close. Neither had Kayode, who eventually rested his head on the other side of the couch.

At 7:00 a.m., Funmi stirred and opened her eyes slowly.

She was still fully dressed in her work clothes from the day before, the blanket slipping slightly off her shoulder. Kayode’s head was tilted back against the couch, fast asleep. She blinked.

How did we fall asleep like this? she thought, sitting up gently.

This is how mistakes are made, she added silently, adjusting the blanket and glancing at Kayode’s sleeping form.

But she also smiled. He hadn’t crossed a line. No suggestion. No pressure. Just presence.

When he finally stirred awake and blinked at her, she spoke first.

“I should go,” she whispered.

He sat up, still groggy. “At least let me make you breakfast.”

“Kayode…”

“It’s just pancakes. Nothing else,” he grinned. 

She hesitated, then nodded. “Fine. But only pancakes.”

Before she could change her mind, he went to his room to get a clean towel, handed it to her and gestured towards the guest bathroom. “Feel free. There’s a pack of toothbrushes under the sink.”

She gave him a look. “You run a full guest suite now?”

“I try,” he said with a wink.

In the bathroom, she had lost track of time responding to mails and messages. By the time she returned, clean-faced and back in the same outfit from the day before, she found the table set and Kayode in the kitchen.

The pancakes were stacked like a work of art, topped with strawberries and honey drizzle.

“You’re really doing the most,” she said, amused.

He pulled out a chair. “Only the best for someone who stays up solving the world’s problems.”

She laughed as she took a bite. “I could get used to this.”

“I want you to…” Kayode said softly, holding her gaze till she looked away, blushing.

They lingered through breakfast, talking about food, work, and random topics until the doorbell rang.

Kayode froze.

His mother.

He had completely forgotten she was arriving for her planned week-long stay. He had even arranged the taxi that brought her. But the previous day had turned everything upside down, and for once, he had no plan for explaining anything.

He opened the door slowly. “Maami!”

“My son!” she said with her usual brightness, pulling him into a hug then lingering by the door.

“Come in,” he said, taking her overnight bag.

As soon as she stepped inside, her eyes landed on Funmi.

“Oh… you have company,” she said, her brow lifting slightly.

Funmi stood up quickly. “Good morning, ma. Welcome.”

“Thank you, my dear,” she said, surveying her from head to toe. Then she turned to Kayode. “Please get me cold water.”

Kayode nodded and excused himself to the kitchen.

The moment he left, she turned back to Funmi.

“So… are you Kayode’s girlfriend?” she asked with no warning.

Funmi blinked. “Ma?”

“I mean, you’re here. You’re in his house. And I recognise that towel you are holding. I bought it for him when I travelled to Ghana two years ago, but he has never used it. Until now.”

Funmi tried to smile, not sure if this was interrogation or mere curiosity.

“I’m… just a friend, ma,” she said politely.

The older woman leaned closer, lowering her voice with a mischievous grin. “My son never brings women home. Not one. So, forgive me if I’m a little curious. And you’re lovely. But are you his friend, or his special friend?”

“Mummy, please,” Kayode said, returning with the glass of water.

“You this boy,” she muttered, taking the cup but not drinking from it. “Always ruining good conversations.”

Kayode shot Funmi an apologetic look, and she chuckled quietly.

But to everyone’s surprise, the conversation mellowed. Kayode’s mum launched into stories about how people were using absurd methods to wear masks and dodge lockdown fines. She showed them a video on her phone where a tricycle rider was renting out used masks for passengers—“Fifty naira per mask!” she exclaimed, laughing hysterically.

Even Funmi couldn’t stop laughing.

But then the older woman paused. “Funmi, how old are you?!”

Silence.

Funmi cleared her throat, then raised her chin. “I’ll be thirty-five this month, ma.”

Iya Kayode blinked. Then smiled. “Ah! Sorry oh. I thought you were Kayode’s girlfriend. But you’re a very nice woman.”

“Mummy, please stop,” Kayode said, already picking up her bags.

“Okay okay. Take me to your guest room. Bye bye to our friend.”

“Bye ma,” Funmi greeted politely. 

Five minutes later, he returned. Funmi was standing, her bag already in hand.

“You don’t have to leave,” he said, almost pleading.

“I think I should.”

“Please don’t go.”

“I think I’ve overstayed,” she said softly.

He followed her to the front door. Before she could leave, he reached out and gently pulled her into a hug, resting his hands lightly on her back.

“You’ll never overstay your welcome here,” he said. “Or in my heart.”

She relaxed against him.

“This is awkward, Kayode.”

“I know.”

“You know your mum won’t be the last person to comment on the age thing.”

“I don’t care, and trust me, nobody cares about such things anymore,” he said firmly. “Does it bother you?”

“I’m still figuring that out.”

He smiled. “Then we’ll figure it out together.”

He leaned in, coming for a kiss, but Funmi pushed him away gently.

“I am a work in progress,” he said with a smile, but moved back, then said “Thank you.”

—————————————————————————————————————–

After her online worship service on Sunday, Funmi returned to the office to wrap up Friday’s pending tasks. She didn’t want to carry anything into Monday.

Kayode called to check in.

“You’re working again?” he teased.

“Only for a little while.”

“Should I come get you?”

“Kayode…”

“What? I’m just offering a ride. Your driver is going to report me to HR soon, because I am taking his job.”

She laughed. “You’re unbelievable.”

He showed up at 4:00 p.m. But by 6:00 p.m, Funmi was still crunching numbers. He stepped out to get dinner, determined to feed her before dragging her away from her screen.

By 7:00 p.m when he returned, he found two unfamiliar faces in her office, George from HR and Grace, her Assistant.

They all stared at him.

“Do you have an explanation for this?” George asked, brows raised, shocked to see him. They only knew him as a vendor.

“I’m sorry,” Kayode stammered, but addressed Funmi instead of George. “I didn’t know you had company.”

“It’s fine,” Funmi said quickly. “Kayode, please sit.”

George and Grace looked at one another, silently reading the situation. Funmi wrapped up quickly and dismissed them.

As soon as they left, she turned to him. “I’m so sorry. I lost track of time.”

He didn’t speak. Just handed her a pack of food.

“Are you upset?”

“No. Just embarrassed. You could have texted to warn me.”

“I didn’t plan for them to stay long…”

“I know.”

She walked back to her desk, laptop still open.

“But I need to finish this. I should have been here on Friday night instead of spending the evening watching films. I don’t want to be a casualty of this pandemic. Businesses are crumbling, Kayode.”

“So spending Friday evening with me was a mistake?”

“No. But I wouldn’t have needed this meeting if I hadn’t left work unfinished.”

His silence grew deeper.

“I just… I’ve worked hard to be here. I can’t let anything derail me.”

“So that’s what I am? A derailment?”

She looked up. “No. But I need you to understand, I didn’t get here by luck. I got here by focus.”

Kayode nodded slowly, confused.

“Our philosophies on love, work, and life are clearly different. I believe in working hard too, but I work to live not the other way round. If this relationship will work, we need to prioritise each other too, not just work,” he said quietly .

Funmi stared at her screen, her heart aching. This wasn’t how she wanted this to go.

She wanted him. But she also wanted him to accept all of her.

They sat in silence, both unsure of what came next.

But Kayode watched her quietly, then smiled.

“Okay Boss Lady, continue your work, I will wait till whenever…”

“I don’t want you feeling like you are making all the sacrifices,” Funmi protested.

“Don’t worry, you will get your chance to make sacrifices too,” he countered and they held each other’s gaze for a moment, till Funmi looked away.

“Go! Kayode, you are distracting me,” she said blushing, happy that he wasn’t making this tough for her. In her past relationship, this was the part when friction started.

It seemed Kayode was determined not to join the statistics.

‘Thank you Jesus’, she said under her breath, remembering how her often repeated prayer had brought a miracle she had written off.

A man who prioritised her.

“Lord, bring good things to me, unplanned, pleasant surprises that make my life better, in Jesus’ name.”