Joy straightened her pencil skirt as she stepped out of the Uber, deep in thought about whether she made the right decision to meet Fred, her ex, they had beeen very good friend in school and it wasn't any surprise when they became lovers but it ended as soon as it began, making it harder for them to go back as being good friends. If only they hadn't extended the friendship, maybe they would have still been close. This thought once bothered her for the early years they drifted apart, but not anymore, maybe that was how it was meant to be.
As friends, they were inseparable, and their mutual friends thought them to be lovers even when they weren't, and when they finally were, there was a shift from how they used to be. They usually were more focused on becoming someone great in their respective fields, while Fred dreamt of owning his tech company someday, Joy wished she could travel around the world. They were encouraged to stay focused and never give up on their dreams, as lovers, arguments became routine.
Fred was constantly checking her phone to make sure she wasn't communicating with any male friend, even her coursemates. He became controlling and allowed jealousy to take control of him every time. This was not what she envisioned their relationship to be like when he officially asked her to be his girlfriend and lover, the friend she could easily confide in without thinking twice was gone.
After another night of shouting and exchanging hurtful words, she had said to him, “Maybe we just need space.”
And he replied, “Maybe you’re right.”
And that was the last time they spoke, until now
"Hello, Joy, it's me, Fred", he had said over the phone. She was shaken for a bit,
"Hi, Fred, so you still have my number?", she managed to say, against many more words she wished she could pour at him
"Can we meet? I'm in Lagos."
And here she was, many nights she had held her phone in her hands and wished he would even send her an sms, till she finally moved past that phase, faced her studies, and graduated with a first class degree, now working at one of the top digital marketing firms in the country, Fred did better too, as she has always believed he would, also building one of the top tech firms in the country.
She walked into the restaurant, where they were once a regular, and everything seemed the same: maybe some faded tablecloths, and an older version of themselves. Fred sat at their favourite spot, watching her with the same smile he had always had on his now older face,
"You still like this corner", she said to ease the tension around them
They had an awkward shoulder hug, a contrast from the heartily hug they once shared as friends
"And you are five minutes late as usual," he replied, making them burst out laughing as they ease the tension and relived those old memories over a bottle of wine and goat meat pepper soup.
The awkward silence fell again, snapping her back to the present.
“So how’s life? heard you are working with an agency in Ikoyi?” Fred asked
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m a brand manager now.”
He smiled, That's my brainy girl,
"And you? I know you are a tech boss now."
“Hehe, I just opened a new branch in Ghana last month.”
“That’s great,” she said. “I saw your interview on TechCisco. You’ve come far, Fred.”
He shrugged. “Trying my best.” Then, after a pause,
“I didn’t expect you to call,” she said, "thought you had forgotten I existed."
Fred looked down at his empty wine glass, wishing it could refill itself. “I didn’t expect myself to, either. I guess I finally mustered the courage to, there was a sad look on his face, filled with remorse
I shouldn't have allowed us to go our separate ways, especially for these long years. I realized no one ever believed in me, not even myself, than you did; you were my foundation. Trust me, I've had many more friends, but none like you."
Joy breathed a sigh, " You hurt me, you know." I always hoped for your calls, and was scared to call too, because I saw you moved on, also scared that I was no longer the version of me you loved, but it's all forgiven now. Thankfully, we are both doing well, also I will be getting married next week.
Fred sighed in defeat. "I just wanted to say thank you."
"For what?" she asked, surprised.
“For the memories,” he said. “For believing in me when no one else did. For teaching me that love isn’t always forever, but it can still be good."
He stared at her for a moment. Then slowly nodded in understanding as he spoke, “Everyone comes to your life for a reason, you know. You were my beginning, the reason I even started dreaming big. Maybe that is what we were meant to be, each other’s foundation.”
Her eyes glistened, but she smiled through it. “A good foundation.”
He chuckled quietly. “Yes, a good one.”
Their date came to an end as she ordered another Uber. The evening now feels colder than when she came in, with drizzles of rain showering outside, but she feels warmth on the inside; her ride was here.
He pulled her for a final hug, not as awkward as the earlier one they had had, “Thank you, Joy, for reminding me that not all endings are sad.”
She smiled, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you for the memories.”
Then she got into her car, waved once, and it drove off into the Lagos night, her heart lighter than it had been in years.
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