Chapter 2

          Olufèmi and Olushola continued talking. They talked about many things. The discussion soon moved on to various themes. They discovered each other through their opinions. They were still at it when Olushola received a message notification. She turned on the screen of her cell phone, then smiled without revealing the content of the message to her interlocutor. As she chatted with him, she packed her belongings into her leather handbag. Olushola was dressed in a blue oval dress. She wore brown ballet flats and a bracelet bearing the initial « J ».

          She was a magnificent beauty, especially with the golden braids on her head. In fact, Olufèmi wondered how it was possible for her to be alone as he passed through this place. "Surely an arrangement on God's part", he said to himself.

          "I'm sorry, but I have to get back. It's getting late." Said the girl, looking a little disappointed. "Oh, I haven't seen the time. Sorry." Olufèmi pressed his connected watch and he'd just realized they'd spent two hours chatting.

          "No, don't worry. I just remembered I had other things to do for the evening." Olushola lifted her bag and she pulled out a scarf, which she wrapped around her neck just before standing up. "Shall I walk you to the road ?" asked the young man beside her.

"I'll gladly accept." Olushola smiled as she joined the young man's side.

          The two young people walked slowly through the garden that surrounded them, their footsteps muffled by the soft carpet of damp greenery. Twilight bathed the place, offering a palette of pastel colors that danced on the petals of the flowers. The roses, still damp from the evening dew, reflected the crimson and pink hues of the fading sky.

          Above them, the sky was a glittering dome of stars. Each star a reminder of the vast universe to which they belonged. A gentle breeze swept through the garden, swaying the branches of the surrounding trees and carrying with it the intoxicating scent of blooming jasmine.

          As Olushola and Olufèmi continued their walk through the garden, a slight silence fell between them, broken only by the gentle murmur of the breeze. Olufèmi, shy, searched for words, while Olushola, with her warm smile, tried to make the conversation flow.

          "This garden is really beautiful, isn't it ?" she said, pointing to the tall, starlit trees.

          Olufèmi nodded, a slight smile on his lips, "Yes, it's a special place." He paused for a few seconds before continuing, "with someone special." Olushola laughed softly. "You tease!" She patted him on the shoulder, to which the young boy responded by trying to dodge. Both were grinning like children.

They walked for a while, simply listening to the gentle chirping of the crickets and the distant murmur of the water flowing in the small fountain in the center of the park. As they neared the garden's exit, Olushola suddenly stopped, her eyes shining with a mischievous gleam.

          "You know, Olufèmi," she began, "I've really enjoyed our evening. I hope we can meet again soon."

          Olufèmi, a little surprised by her frankness, replied softly, "Me too, miss. I had a great time with you." He bowed in courtesy, but it was only to tease her. She smiled.

          "So, there's a good chance we can meet again soon or very very soon? I wouldn't mind often spending pleasant evenings together." He stared insistently into Olushola's eyes, waiting for her to give an answer, but not just any answer, of course an affirmative one.

          "Very sure we'll see each other again in the days to come. Remember to bring umbrellas in case it rains." "You can count on me, pretty girl."

          He stopped a motorcycle cab driver usually called zémidjan or zem in Benin. She indicated the destination and negotiated the price with the zem. They stood for a moment, gazing into each other's eyes, before Olushola leaned over and placed a light kiss on Olufèmi's cheek. He blushed slightly, touched by this unexpected gesture.

          About to get on the bike, she added: "Fèmi, it suits you like that. I'll register you under that name. Olufèmi smiled and said: "Have a nice evening Shola".

          The two waved goodbye and the zem started up. "See you soon, Olufèmi", she murmured before the motorcycle pulled away, leaving him alone, his heart pounding, watching the girl ride away under the starry sky.

          He couldn't believe his eyes!!! He'd just had a chat with a girl. Not that he'd never done it before, but it was the first time he'd achieved this feat with a complete stranger. Someone he knew from nowhere and had never seen before. As far as he was concerned, he'd just won the match of the century! His shyness returned and he found himself wondering if it was really him who had been chatting to the girl earlier. When he remembered how he was no longer ashamed to speak and how his trembling voice had completely disappeared, he wanted to stay like this for all the other days to come. Unfortunately, it was just a role he'd played. And yes, he had put himself in someone else's shoes in order to succeed in this mission.

          It was all over for the Cassanova in him. He would have to wait for another decisive moment before he could hope to rediscover this character, or let's say this other aspect of himself that had just disappeared. Let's not forget, though, that the greatest effort came from Olushola. She was a very sociable and friendly girl with an almost divine smile. She knew how to create and guide this interview between them. She had only just left, but her face, her voice, her perfume were all still in Olufèmi's mind. It was impossible to forget her, especially that evening.

          Olufèmi set off for home. He whistled as he walked through the streets of his neighborhood. The softness of the night enveloped the neighborhood, and the starry sky offered a silvery glow to the familiar streets. Every step he took seemed both light and heavy. He was no longer guiding his steps; rather, they were guiding him now. His feet went on and on, without him even knowing where he was going. His whole head was still full of the moment he'd just shared.

          The houses in the neighborhood were bathed in a soft light, a few windows still lit, betraying the nightlife of its inhabitants. It wasn't that late yet, so a few groups of young people could be seen on either side of every street corner. The atmosphere was lucrative, while others gathered around tables filled with bottled drinks, accompanied by good sounds.

The facades of the houses, though always familiar to Olufèmi, had something different tonight, as if the night brought with it a mysterious, introspective atmosphere. 

          He knew he was only a few steps from home, but the journey suddenly seemed longer, as if he wanted to prolong that special sensation, that feeling of living a moment out of time. But finally, after crossing the busy streets, he arrived in front of his house, whose soft light through the curtains bore witness to the family cocoon awaiting him inside.

          He entered his home to find his mother sitting on the sofa in the living room, TV on. She was watching the Novelas and holding a baby, Olufèmi's little sister named Vignilé. Olufèmi placed the bag he'd brought back on the table and walked over to his mother.

          "My apologies mummy, I took longer than expected. I had an unexpected issue I needed to sort out", he said.

- His mother: Did you find the products I asked for ?

- Olufèmi: Yes, Mom, they're in the bag.

- His mother: Perfect, I've already finished cooking. I'll use them tomorrow.

- Olufèmi: Okay, what did you cook ? I'm so hungry, mother !

- His mother: Glutton ! Come and hold your little sister, I'm going to take a shower.

          He smiled and retrieved Vignilé from his mother's arms. She got up and left him with the little girl, continuing towards the bedroom. 

          "So, how are you ?!" Olufèmi smiled as he held her little sister's tiny finger. Vignilé was barely a year old and she was so beautiful. She gave him a sublime smile in return, which made her brother smile too. He was still raving, trying not to forget the wonderful evening he'd just spent in the company of a complete stranger he'd met unexpectedly. There was nothing in between yet, but ideas were already scattering in his head. He was settling comfortably into a utopia.