"chapter 5: falling without permission

The problem with feelings, Amelia decided Monday morning, was they never ask permission.

They hide inside small things — a kind question, a message checking your hand, a hand held two seconds too long.

Then one day you wake up and that person don enter your head without knocking.

That was happening to Amelia.

She stood before mirror, holding two blouses. Blue or white. White or blue.

"Oh please," she whispered to herself. "You dey go work, not to see king."

She wore white. Then changed to blue. Then back to white.

Sophie stood doorway with cereal. "You dey fight with your clothes?"

"No."

"You don change shirt three times. I dey count."

Amelia grabbed bag. "No be your business."

Sophie laughed. "You dey think about Mr Hayes again!"

"I dey think say my sister dey talk too much."

"You always tell me make I no let handsome face confuse my heart. No forget your own advice o."

Amelia softened. Since mama died, she na the one wey dey remember bills, school fees, food. Romance na luxury. Survival first.

"I know," she said quiet. "I no go forget myself."

Sophie hugged her. "But if something beautiful come, no run from am."

Outside, sky grey, road still wet from night rain. Amelia walked to bus stop, hand inside coat pocket.

She no know say Daniel don already dey think about her.

---

Daniel don dey office one hour when Oliver entered without knocking.

"How was weekend?"

"Fine."

"How is Amelia?" Oliver asked casually.

Daniel fingers stopped typing. Just for second.

"Who?" Daniel said.

Oliver leaned back. "Wonderful. Stage where we pretend we no know name of woman we dey think about."

"I'm not thinking about Amelia."

"Of course not."

Daniel closed laptop. "Why you dey here?"

"To give advice. You don spend years dey convince yourself say alone is easier. Easier no mean better."

Daniel looked away.

Oliver softer: "Nothing wrong to care about someone. Nothing weak to admit say person dey make your day better."

"Nothing changed."

"Then why you don read same paragraph three times?"

Daniel stared. Oliver grinned and left.

Daniel reopened laptop. Same paragraph. He rubbed forehead. Ridiculous. He dey run company, negotiate millions, but one woman with quiet voice and apology habit scatter him brain.

He returned to work — because work na where he dey hide when feeling scare am.

---

Amelia reached office before nine. Grace smiled.

"Mr Hayes ask whether you don come early today. He wanted to know if your hand don recover."

Amelia heart jumped small. "He did?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

Grace eyebrow raised. Amelia face warm.

Barely she on computer, Daniel beside desk.

"Good morning, Amelia. How is hand?"

"Much better."

He glanced at plaster. "Sure?"

"Yes. I fit type, write, carry folder, perform all duties expected of ordinary office worker."

His mouth twitched. "Very detailed medical report."

"I thought you go appreciate information."

"I appreciate accuracy."

"Then you suppose happy."

He laughed — brief, quiet, real. Amelia stared before she could stop. When he forgot to be serious, he looked different. Younger. Human.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just surprised you fit laugh before ten."

"Careful, Miss Bennett. You dey very comfortable around me."

"Is that problem?"

He studied her — small crease between eyebrows, curious eyes waiting. "No," he said at last. "I don't think it is."

Quiet for second. Office seemed quieter.

"I need revised Riverside report by noon," he cleared throat.

"You go get am."

"And Amelia? Don't carry heavy thing today."

"Na order?"

"Recommendation."

"Everybody dey get personal recommendation from director?"

"No."

"Then I must be special."

Words escaped. Silence. Face hot.

"I mean—"

"I know what you mean." His eyes held hers. "Have a good morning."

She covered face after he left. "Oh no. I just flirted with my boss. And I liked it."

---

Morning passed fast. She sent report 11:45. Reply in three minutes: _Received. Good work._ She smiled at screen, then stopped herself. Two ordinary words. Why she dey happy?

Lunch with Grace, small café across road. Chicken sandwich, juice. Wooden tables, bread smell.

Grace phone rang — landlord — she went outside to answer.

Amelia sipping juice when voice: "Amelia Bennett?"

She looked up. Thomas Reed grinned.

"Thomas?!"

Her friend from university. Business admin, shared notes, complained about assignments. Not seen for almost a year.

"You work here?" he asked.

"Hayes & Co, across road."

"Impressive."

They laughed, talked. Then Thomas soft: "How you been really? I heard about your mum."

She smiled small. "I'm okay. Busy."

He squeezed her hand gently across table. "I'm glad you doing better."

Across café, Grace returning, saw their hands close together, thoughtful.

---

Daniel intended to eat in office. He had meeting by two, needed review contract. But after reading same paragraph four times, he needed air.

He told himself office too warm. Not because he saw Amelia leave with Grace. Not because he wondered where she go.

He entered café, ordered black coffee, looked for table —

Saw her. Laughing with dark-hair guy, face bright like he rarely saw at office.

Nothing unusual. People have friends.

Yet when man reached across table touch Amelia's hand, something unpleasant tightened in Daniel's chest. Sudden, stubborn. Like jealousy.

His grip tightened around coffee cup.

He didn't like standing in middle of café, watching woman who had every right to spend time with whoever. Didn't like how man looked at her.

_Who is he to her?_ Question entered mind, he had no right to ask.

Amelia voice: "Daniel?"

She stood, surprised. "I didn't know you come here."

"Sometimes."

She: "Just coffee?"

"I have meeting."

Teasing warmth in her voice. He glanced table. Young man stood.

"Oh! Daniel, this is Thomas Reed. We went university together."

Thomas smiled friendly. "Nice meet you." Handshake. "Mr Hayes? From Hayes & Co?"

"Yes."

Thomas to Amelia: "Your friend works for very good company."

"He's my boss, Thomas."

Thomas eyes wide. "Oh, sorry—"

Daniel polite but face unreadable.

Thomas to Amelia: "I'll send you job details this evening okay?"

"Thank you."

Thomas left. Amelia to Daniel: "That was unexpected."

"Clearly."

"You seem different."

"Do I?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps I'm tired."

"Perhaps."

He left. She wondered why brief conversation felt uncomfortable, and why she cared what he thought.

---

Daniel afternoon foul mood. Not rude, just quieter, answers short. Assistant avoided unnecessary questions.

At 3:15, Amelia brought final Riverside report.

He looked up. "Come in."

She placed folder. "Final checks done."

"Good."

She stood. "Can I ask you something? Did I do something wrong today? In café? You seemed upset after."

He placed folder down. Truth embarrassing — he had been jealous. No right, but feeling came anyway.

"I'm not upset," he said. "Distracted. Personal matter."

She nodded slow. "Alright."

She turned door. "Amelia."

"Yes?"

"I wasn't angry with you. I don't want you to think you did anything wrong."

Something in her eased. "Thank you."

She left. Daniel sat quiet, thinking difference between privacy and loneliness. He had believed they same. Perhaps he wrong.

---

That evening rain tapping bus window. Amelia head against glass, thinking Thomas. Kind, familiar, safe. Someone who knew girl she was before grief.

But thoughts kept returning to Daniel. Quiet expression, brief answers, way he looked at Thomas.

"Stop it," she whispered. Woman nearby glanced.

Home, Sophie sofa. "Did you dance?"

"Yes."

"With Mr Hayes?"

"No! With Thomas."

"Thomas? Who is Thomas? Male friend? Handsome?"

"Sophie!"

Sophie laughed. Then softer: "Do you like him?"

"I don't know."

"Do you like Daniel?"

"That's more complicated. He's my boss."

"That explains complicated, not why you keep thinking him."

Amelia leaned back. "I don't know what he feels."

"Have you asked?"

"No! I can't walk into office ask whether he's falling in love with me!"

Sophie burst laughing. Amelia covered face. "I hate this conversation."

---

Monday after, Daniel arrived earlier. Weekend thinking Oliver words: _Other people have hearts too. You can't expect them to wait for you to decide whether you're ready._

9:15, knock. Amelia folder.

"The planning team confirmed delivery dates."

"Thank you."

She turned door.

"Amelia? Would you like to have lunch with me today?"

She stared. "Lunch? With you?"

His mouth twitched, palms unusually warm. He negotiated millions without fear, but asking lunch felt like stepping onto bridge he no see end.

"Is this work lunch?" she asked.

He could say yes, easier. But he promised himself stop hiding.

"Not entirely."

Heart beating faster. "Oh."

"If you busy, another day."

"No. I'm not busy."

"Then would you like to come?"

She smiled. "Yes. I'd like that."

Relief moved so fast he almost laughed. "Good."

She reached door, turned. "Should I bring spreadsheet?"

He stared, then laughed. "No, Amelia. You don't need spreadsheet for lunch."

"Are you sure? I no want come unprepared."

"Go get work done."

"Yes, sir."

She left. Daniel stood seconds after door closed. No idea if lunch go change anything. No idea if she sees him as more than employer. But first time, he took small step to find out.

And that was enough.