The Guy I Never Met

Counting Down

Chapter 15: Counting Down

Kemi woke up before her alarm. Again.

6:30am. The room was still dark.

Not because she had energy.

Because her heart was doing the counting for her.

Home is near.

Any day now.

They could call today.

She sat up slowly. Her back ached from work. But she ignored it. She had learned to carry pain quietly.

The first thing her eyes went to was by the door.

Her traveling box. Her traveling bag.

Both already packed.

She didn’t check inside them again. She just kept them there.

Every night before sleep she would touch the bag and whisper, Soon.

Every morning she would pray, God, let today be the day.

She was waiting. And hoping. For the day to come.

Work didn’t care if she was tired. Work didn’t care that she was waiting.

So she went.

She already had her normal job cleaning.

She put on her uniform, carried her work bag, and headed out.

Every floor she cleaned felt like one step closer to home.

On her break at 1pm, she sat down to rest. Dust on her feet. Sweat on her neck.

She pulled out her phone.

One new message. From Ola.

Kemi!!! I passed. I passed the exam!!!

Kemi stared at the screen.

She read it once. Twice. Three times to be sure.

Then she laughed. Out loud. A real laugh that came from her chest.

Her fingers were shaking as she typed back:

Ola!!! I’m so proud of you!!! I KNEW you would do it!

This is the beginning o. This certificate is going to open great doors for you. I can feel it in my spirit.

All the things you’ve been praying for, all the late night work, all the stress God is seeing it. Your best days are still coming. Don’t stop now.

Her reply came in 10 seconds.

Thank you Kemi. You always believe in me. Even when I don’t. I was scared I would fail.

You kept telling me you're doing great.

Kemi leaned back and looked at the sky. It was blue and wide.

For the first time in weeks, the waiting didn’t feel so heavy.

Because someone she cared about was moving forward.

And she was moving forward too. One day closer to home.

On her way back that evening, she was quiet. Thinking.

When she got home, she boiled water, washed her feet, and sat on her bed.

Before she slept, she did two things:

1. She touched her packed bag by the door.

2. She prayed. God, keep Ola. Give him wisdom. Keep me. Let us both get to where we’re supposed to be. And let my own call come soon.

Then she lay down.

Counting down.

Waiting.

Hoping.