Chapter 2 A Life-Altering Loss

The days after her father's funeral passed in a blur of grief and uncertainty. Olayemi couldn't remember much of the service or the subsequent days-only that everything felt like a bad dream she couldn't wake up from. She was left with the sobering reality of living without the one person who had always been her guiding light. Her mother, once a lively and strong woman, seemed broken, as though a part of her had also died with her husband.

Olayemi's thoughts often drifted back to the last moments she spent with her father in the hospital. He had been ill for months, but the finality of his death hit her harder than she had imagined. She had stood by his bedside, holding his hand, watching as his chest rose and fell slower with each passing minute, until finally, he was gone. She hadn't been able to say goodbye in the way she wanted, and now, every night, she found herself crying quietly into her pillow, hoping that somehow, she could bring him back.

The day of the funeral was the last time they visited their old house. It was empty now, stripped of everything that had once made it a home. The movers had already come to take whatever they could sell, and the rest was abandoned. Her mother, silent and distant, had no words to say about leaving the place they had lived in for years. Olayemi couldn't bear to look at the house one last time, so she had turned away quickly, trying to avoid the flood of memories.

Now, they were in a small, one-room apartment in a shabby neighborhood. It was a far cry from the comfortable life they had once enjoyed. Olayemi hated it. The walls were thin, and they could hear the conversations of their neighbors through the paper-thin walls. The apartment was cramped, with barely enough space for their belongings. It was not how she had imagined her life at this stage, but it was the reality they faced.

Her mother had tried to put on a brave face, but Olayemi could tell she was struggling. The sadness in her eyes never seemed to fade, and every day, she grew more distant. Olayemi could no longer be the carefree student she had once been. Now, she had to be the pillar of support for her mother and herself.

She spent hours searching for ways to make ends meet. She scoured job listings, trying to find something that would pay enough to cover the bills and food. But everything was so competitive, and with her university schedule, there was no time for a full-time job. Sometimes, Olayemi would walk past cafés or shops and think about how nice it would be to work in one of those places-just to escape the suffocating weight of her responsibilities, even for a moment. But reality kept her grounded. She had to finish her degree. She had to find a way to make this work.

Despite the mounting pressure, Olayemi attended her classes, did her assignments, and tried her best to maintain the façade of a normal life. But inside, she was falling apart. Every day felt like an uphill battle. She couldn't sleep without thoughts of what her father would have wanted for her. He had always pushed her to succeed, to rise above the circumstances they were born into. He had told her, "Never let life's challenges define you. You define your life, no matter what."

But Olayemi was struggling to see how she could define anything when it felt like the world was crumbling around her.

One afternoon, as she returned from a particularly grueling day at the university, she found her mother sitting in the tiny living room, staring at the television. The screen was static, but her mother was lost in thought. Olayemi knew that her mother hadn't spoken to anyone in days, and her own heart ached for the woman who had once been so strong and confident.

"Mama," Olayemi said softly, her voice breaking the silence. "I'll find a way. We'll make it through. I promise."

Her mother blinked, as though snapping out of a trance. She gave her daughter a weak smile, her lips trembling. "I know, Olayemi. You're strong like your father."

But Olayemi wasn't sure if she could be strong enough. She had tried to hold it all together, but the weight of everything-her responsibilities, her dreams, her grief-felt too heavy to bear.

That evening, as she sat by the window, watching the sun dip below the horizon, Olayemi felt a sense of despair settle over her. She knew she had to do something. She couldn't keep going like this. But what choices did she have?

She picked up her phone, scrolling through her contacts, trying to think of someone who could help. Her friends at school had their own lives, their own struggles. There was no one to turn to. As she stared at her phone, she remembered a name from her past: Ovie.

Ovie had been a presence at the university for some time-charismatic, yet mysterious. He was known to be a troublemaker, a notorious figure on campus. But he had also shown an interest in her before. Olayemi had always dismissed him, seeing him as nothing more than a distraction. But now, with her back against the wall, she wondered if she had any other option.

Her fingers hovered over the screen, hesitating. This wasn't the path she wanted to take, but she couldn't see another way.

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