Under one umbrella with Ayomide

--- *LOVE UNDER THE UMBRELLA - By Anumaka Ngozi* *EPISODE 1: The Rain and The Bookshop* Lagos rain does not fall, it pours its anger. That Tuesday, I had left my house in Yaba early to go and look for a second-hand physiology textbook at Nkem's Bookshop. I had only 5k in my purse and I needed that book for my pre-degree exam. I did not check the weather. By 2pm, the sky turned black. Then the rain started. Heavy, noisy, flooding the road in minutes. Danfos were honking, people were running, and I was stuck inside that small bookshop with my slippers soaked and my dress sticking to my body. I was frustrated. I was cold. I was hungry. That was when the door opened and cold wind entered. He walked in with a big black umbrella dripping water. He was tall, his green shirt was slightly wet at the shoulders, his hair was low-cut with small curls, and he had a small beard that made him look so calm. He was holding a small nylon with what looked like food. Nkem, the bookshop owner, shouted "Ah! Ayomide! You still came in this rain?" He smiled. That smile. God. He said "I promised you I would return the book today." While Nkem was searching for something, he looked at me. I quickly looked away. I was not looking fine at all. My hair was scattered, my eyes were red from almost crying. He said softly, "You have been here for long?" I said "Since 1pm. Rain trapped me." He nodded and looked outside. The rain was even heavier now. The road had turned to a small river. "You stay around here?" he asked. "No, I came from Yaba. I will need to wait for it to stop." He was quiet for a moment, then he said "My umbrella is big. I can walk you to the bus stop when it reduces a little. The buses will not enter this street." I wanted to say no immediately. My mother told me not to follow strange men. But there was something about his voice. It was not pushy. It was not flirty. It was just... kind. "I don't know you," I said. "I know," he said and laughed a little. "I am Ayomide. Nkem knows me. I come here every week. You are safe. If you want, you can keep the umbrella and I will come for it tomorrow." That shocked me. Who gives a stranger his umbrella in Lagos? I did not know what to say. I just said "...thank you." When the rain reduced from heavy to light drizzling, he opened his umbrella. It was really big. Black and strong. "Ready?" he asked. I nodded. That walk was supposed to be five minutes to the main road where I would get a bus. But Lagos traffic made it ten, fifteen, twenty minutes because the road was flooded. We had to walk slowly, jumping small gutters, laughing at okadas splashing water. He asked me my name. I told him. He asked me what I was studying. I told him I want to be a medical writer. Most people laugh when I say that. They say "Is that a course? Go and be a real doctor." But he didn't laugh. He stopped walking, looked at me under that umbrella with rain falling around us, and said "You will do it. I believe in you. You sound like someone who loves what she does." My heart did something strange in that moment. Something warm. When we got to the bus stop, he refused to collect money for following me. He just said "Text me when you get home so I know you are safe. My number is on the bookshop card." He gave me the bookshop card. At the back, he had written his number with a pen: _Ayomide - 081..._ I entered the bus, soaked, holding that card tight like it was gold. That night, I stared at that number for 30 minutes before I finally texted: "I got home safe. Thank you for today. - Bookshop girl" He replied in one minute: "Thank God. Good night, bookshop girl. I hope it rains again tomorrow so I can see you again." I smiled like a fool in my room that night. I knew something had started. And I was right. *End of Episode 1.* ---