"Calm down?" Lara shouted. "I just found your daughter in bed with my little girl!"
"Please," Mabel said softly, trying to diffuse the situation.
"Don't beg me," Lara snapped. "Tell your daughter that if I find her anywhere near my daughter or my house again, I'll have her arrested!"
Mabel's expression hardened. Her voice was calm but firm as she replied, "Lara, I'm going to have to ask you to leave my house right now. Or I'll have you arrested for trespassing."
"What?" Lara's anger faltered, replaced by confusion. "Did you even hear what I just said?"
"I did," Mabel replied evenly. "Now, leave."
Lara huffed, storming out of the compound as quickly as she had come.
Mabel waited until she was out of sight before turning to Dami.
"Come here, love," Mabel said, opening her arms.
Dami collapsed into her mother's embrace, sobbing quietly.
"I love her, mummy,"
"I know dear, I'm sorry."
A week had passed since the incident with Helena's mother. Dami had tried everything to reach Helena—calls, texts, emails, even driving by her house—but nothing worked.
Until today.
Dami's phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.
"Meet me at this location."
Below it was a location pin.
"Mum, I'm stepping out for a bit," Dami called as she grabbed her keys and rushed out the door.
---
The location was a small café Dami had never heard of. When she walked inside, her heart stopped.
Helena sat at a table in the corner, dressed like she was trying to go unnoticed.
Dami ran to her, throwing her arms around her.
"Helena! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Helena said, her voice low. "My mom took my phone, my laptop… I've basically been on lockdown."
"What about you? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I've missed you so much," Dami said, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."
"No, it's not," Helena replied, squeezing her hand. "It would have happened eventually. Dami, I miss you."
"I miss you too," Dami said. She took a deep breath before adding, "Helena, I love you. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner."
Helena smiled, her heart swelling. Hearing those words made everything worth it.
"Helena, I've been thinking. What if you came to live with me? Then no one could keep us apart."
"What about your mom?" Helena asked.
"She knows," Dami said. "She's okay with it."
Helena hesitated. "I have to go. I've stayed too long." She stood and leaned down to kiss Dami softly. "I love you."
Before Dami could respond, Helena slipped out the door.
"I love you too," Dami whispered to herself.
---
Dami stayed in the café, her head resting on the table as she tried to calm her racing thoughts.
"Damilola."
Dami lifted her head to find Lara standing over her. She didn't look angry—just tired.
Dami stood quickly. "I'm sorry. I was just leaving."
"Sit down, girl," Lara commanded, and Dami obeyed.
"You really think you love her, don't you?" Lara asked, her voice low.
"I do," Dami said firmly.
"No, you don't. This isn't some romance novel where love conquers all. This is real life. What do you think will happen? She wants to be a doctor. Society will reject her. No one will hire her. Is that the kind of life you want for her?"
Dami didn't answer.
"If you really love her," Lara said, her voice colder now, "you'll go far, far away and leave her alone."
With that, she was gone.
Back at home, Lara's words echoed in Dami's mind: "If you really love her, you'll leave her alone."
Dami reached into her bag and pulled out the flyer Mr. Benson had given her weeks ago. It was time to make a really hard decision.