SOFTLY YOU FOUND ME

CHAPTER FIVE:A MOTHER'S ADVICE

I didn’t realize how much I had changed until Mama Aishat noticed.

It was a quiet evening at home. The smell of dinner simmering on the stove filled the small apartment, and the hum of the city outside was a gentle reminder of life continuing. I was unusually distracted, humming softly to myself as I arranged the plates, and Mama Aishat’s eyes followed me quietly.

“You’re different these days,” she said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.

I froze. Different. That word carried weight. I wanted to brush it off, but I couldn’t.

“I… I don’t know,” I whispered, unsure if I wanted to admit it even to her.

Mama Aishat came closer, sitting on the edge of the small kitchen chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She looked at me with the kind of patience that only mothers possess—eyes that see everything without judgment.

“Is it… a boy?” she asked softly.

My cheeks warmed. “Maybe,” I admitted.

She smiled gently, not teasing, not pressing—just observing. “Aishat, life is full of struggles. You have so much on your shoulders already. But kindness… kindness is not a burden. It is a gift. And when someone gives it to you without expecting anything in return, it is rare. Treasure that.”

I looked down, thinking of Daniel. All the quiet ways he had noticed me, all the soft gestures, the patience, the understanding. I wanted to tell her everything, but words felt too fragile.

Mama Aishat continued, “Do not be afraid to open your heart. But remember, love does not fix everything. It walks beside you. It lifts you, but it does not carry your burdens for you. Choose someone who will stay beside you, not someone who will try to rescue you.”

Her words sank into me like a warm embrace.

“Remember this too,” she said, her voice quieter now, almost a whisper. “No matter what happens, the best love is the one that helps you grow, that makes you stronger, not weaker. That respects your journey and believes in you.”

I nodded, feeling a strange mix of fear and hope. Daniel wasn’t perfect. Life wasn’t perfect. But maybe… maybe love didn’t have to be loud or dramatic to matter.

That night, as I lay in bed thinking about him, I realized Mama Aishat was right.

Kindness, patience, understanding… those were rare. And if I was brave enough to accept them, maybe my heart could learn to hope again.

Because sometimes, love doesn’t announce itself.

Sometimes, it just walks quietly beside you.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough.