I'LL BE HERE
1644 Words
She woke up slow.
Not with a jump.
With a stretch that started in her toes and moved up.
Like her body remembered it was allowed to rest.
Like her bones remembered what peace felt like.
First thing she felt: warm.
Grey blanket over her shoulders.
Soft.
Smelled like clean laundry and faint cologne.
Leo’s cologne.
The kind that lingers without shouting.
Second thing she felt: wooden floor under her socks.
Cool.
Safe.
Like the ground wasn’t going to fall from under her.
Third thing she heard: fingers on laptop keys.
Steady.
No rush.
Like someone who wasn’t waiting for her to perform.
She didn’t open her eyes yet.
Pretended she was still asleep.
Because if she opened them, she’d have to say thank you.
And thank you felt too big for what he did.
Thank you felt too small too.
*Liana: _mumbles, fake sleep voice_ Mmm… birds…*
Leo didn’t answer.
Just kept typing.
But the typing paused for half a second.
She heard it.
She felt it.
*Leo: You were snoring.*
*Liana: _eyes still closed_ Liar. I don’t snore.*
*Leo: You were. Sounded like a generator starting,* he laughed a little... soft, like he didn’t want to scare the quiet.
*Liana: _snorts, eyes fly open_ I don't snore,* she replied, looking at him with that fake-offended face.
She sat up fast.
Throw pillow fell on her lap.
Hair messed.
Lip gloss gone.
Face soft from sleep.
No armor.
No shop voice.
Just Liana.
He didn’t look at her.
Eyes on laptop.
Like he didn’t just cover her like her father used to.
Like it was nothing.
Like it was everything.
*Liana: I wasn’t sleeping.*
*Leo: I didn’t say you were.*
*Liana: Good. Because I was watching the documentary.*
*Leo: The one about migratory birds?*
*Liana: …Yes.*
*Leo: So what did the narrator say about the African Grey?*
*Liana: _long pause_ …That it migrates and fly...*
Both of them burst out laughing.
Same timing.
Same breath.
The kind of laugh that chases dust out of a room.
*Liana: Okay fine. I slept.*
*Leo: Okay fine. I covered you.*
*Liana: I didn’t ask you to.*
*Leo: I didn’t do it for thanks.*
He finally looked at her.
Just a glance.
Quick.
Then back at the screen.
But that glance said everything.
It said: _I saw you. I didn’t look away._
*Liana: _pulls the blanket tighter, voice small_ It was warm.*
*Leo: _nods, still typing_ The room is warm.*
*Liana: Leo…*
*Leo: Hmm?*
*Liana: Nothing.*
She stood up.
Legs a little numb from the floor.
Walked to the window.
Sun had moved.
Golden hour now.
Light on her face, on his desk, on the chessboard still set between them.
Like the game paused, not ended.
*Liana: We didn’t finish the movie.*
*Leo: We didn’t finish chess either.*
*Liana: _turns to him, half smile_ You won twice.*
*Leo: You laughed twice as loud.*
*Liana: _soft_ Fair trade.*
He closed his laptop.
Stood up.
Stretched.
Walked past her to the kitchen corner.
No big speech.
No “how are you feeling now.”
Just little talks.
The kind that heal without asking permission.
*Leo: You want noodles? I make it fast.*
*Liana: With egg?*
*Leo: Two eggs. One for Liana, the girl who snores....* he chuckled.
*Liana: One for Mr Two-Moves-Ahead... and for your information I wasn't snoring... it was just taking deep breath...* she replied, smiling at her silly excuse.
She sat at the wooden chair again.
The second one.
Pulled out.
Waiting.
Like it had been waiting for her.
He cooked with his back to her.
She watched his shoulders.
Calm.
Steady.
The same way he played chess.
The same way he texted “I’m here” at 10:12pm.
The same way he didn’t ask her to explain the tears.
Just noodles boiling.
Just them breathing.
Just sync.
*Liana: _quiet, to herself_ He didn’t make me explain the tears. He just gave me air.*
Leo didn’t hear.
Or pretended he didn’t.
He just slid a bowl across the table when it was ready.
Steam rising between them like a small cloud.
Noodles done.
Bowls empty on the table between them.
Liana pushed hers away, licked her lips.
Full.
Not just in her stomach.
Leo didn’t laugh.
He just stacked both bowls, stood up, rinsed them in the kitchen sink.
Water running.
Quiet.
No music.
No podcast.
Just water and vehicles starting outside.
Benin, doing Benin things.
Liana stayed in her chair.
Legs crossed, arms hugging her knees.
Eyes on the floor tiles.
Cool under her socks.
Like her room last night.
Like safety.
Leo dried his hands on a towel, hung it up, walked back.
Didn’t sit across from her.
Didn’t sit close.
He pulled the second wooden chair, set it beside hers, left a small space between them.
Not touching.
Not distant.
Just _present_.
Just _here_.
He didn’t ask “you okay now”.
He didn’t say “talk to me”.
He just sat.
Elbows on knees, eyes on the window.
Watching the sky turn orange.
Watching the day exhale.
One minute passed.
Two.
Three.
The kind of quiet that doesn’t ask for words.
The kind of quiet that says _you don’t have to fill me_.
Liana’s shoulders dropped.
One inch.
Then another.
Her breathing slowed.
Not the sharp “I’m holding it together” breathing.
The soft kind.
The kind that comes when someone stays without demanding.
A bird flew past the window.
Leo tracked it with his eyes.
Liana tracked Leo tracking the bird.
A small, real smile touched her lips.
No one saw it.
But the room felt it.
*Leo, after a long while, voice low, no pressure:*
*The weather is fine today.*
*Liana, after a long while, voice smaller:*
*Yh, it only rain when I'm on an errand...* she laughed.
Leo chuckled.
Low.
Warm.
That was all.
No explanation.
No “thank you for yesterday”.
No “I cried at 10:12pm”.
Just sky.
Just air.
Just two people breathing in the same rhythm.
Leo didn’t move closer.
Liana didn’t move away.
The space between their chairs stayed.
Respectful.
Safe.
Full.
Outside, Benin kept being loud.
Inside, this room was quiet.
And for the first time in a long time, Liana wasn’t counting minutes till she had to be strong again.
She was just… here.
Seen.
Unrushed.
Held without hands.
*When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here. When you’re ready to laugh, I’ll catch the pillow. When you’re ready to be quiet, I’ll match you.*
Just ears.
Just presence.
_soft exhale_
---
Leo didn’t walk her far.
Just to the junction where she could get a ride.
Hands in pockets.
Eyes on the ground a little.
Like he didn’t want her to see him soft.
*Leo: You're good?* He asked.
*Liana: _nods with a small smile_ Yes.. I had a nice time.*
*Leo: Good. That’s all I wanted.* _he looked up, small smirk_ *If your head starts doing things again...*
Liana chuckled.
*Leo: _leaned down, face just 3 inches apart_ Then I’ll be here.* His voice was calm.
Like a promise that didn’t need witnesses.
Keke was waiting.
Same driver from yesterday, maybe.
Same yellow paint, same chair.
But Liana was different.
She climbed in.
No cardigan this time.
Sun was warm but gentle.
Golden hour light painting everything.
Painting her.
Cold breeze hit her face and she didn’t pull away from it.
She leaned into it.
Eyes closed.
Mouth slightly open.
Letting the wind wash her.
For once, the noise didn’t feel like noise.
Generators coughing? Background beat.
Keke driver shouting “Benin driver, you nor fit drive? Comedy.
Suya smoke? Music from local bars, cars...
It all felt like life, not survival.
She sat back.
Arms spread a little on the chair.
Legs stretched out.
The girl who always folded herself small was taking up space today.
Her phone buzzed.
Just her own playlist.
She’d forgotten she had one.
She pressed play.
Burna Boy. “Last Last.”
Not sad Burna.
Peaceful Burna.
She hummed.
Quietly at first.
Then louder.
Like she was allowed to take up sound too.
She watched trees clap.
Watched sky turn pink.
Watched Golden more signs buzz but this time they didn’t remind her of bills.
They reminded her she was alive to see them.
No circles in her head.
Shop. Keke. Home. Breathe. Repeat.
Today it was: Shop. Leo. Keke. Home.
She got home 4:45 pm.
She pushed the door open and the house was loud.
But the good loud.
The family loud.
*Tasha: Liana! You came back early! You didn't go to the shop today?*
*Megan: _running, jumping on her legs._*
Liana dropped her bag.
Kicked off her sneakers.
The wooden floor was cool under her feet.
Like Leo’s.
Like safety.
Megan leaned on the wall, arms crossed, trying to look older than 14.
But her eyes were soft.
*Megan: You smile different today.*
Liana’s throat tightened.
Just a little.
She pulled Megan down too.
*Liana: _quiet_ Today I went to a friend’s place. Just to breathe.*
*Megan: Umm yeah, you do come home very tired everyday.... soon I'll be like you, an adult,* she said, laughing.
*Liana: Adulthood na scam...* she laughed. *Sometimes I remember when I was little, I always want to grow and become an adult and now it's kinda exhausting and make me miss being a child.... so I'll advice you to still make good use of your childhood..* she teased.
And their conversation continued with laughter.
The kind that filled the house.
For months she's been coming home too tired, too stressed, her head full... like a man who carries the world.
Today she came home with air in her lungs.
And they didn’t ask her to be strong.
They just gave her more hugs.
She came home with a clear head, with jokes.
She came home like a girl...
- Writer
