Mike stared at the email again. The subject line glared back at him:
"Invitation to Join Tech Incubator Program Abuja."
His heart pounded.
This was it.
A real break. A chance to push his software development career to the next level with mentorship, funding, and access to networks he'd only dreamed of.
But it meant leaving Lagos. Leaving Danika. Leaving everything.
He scrolled through the email details. The program started in two weeks. It was a three-month commitment. No exceptions.
His phone buzzed.
A message from Danika:
"Hey… we need to talk. Can you come over tonight?"
Mike's chest tightened.
He typed back:
"I have something to tell you too. See you tonight."
That evening, Danika's shop was quiet.
The day's last client had left an hour ago. The soft hum of the portable dryer was the only sound.
Mike sat on the plastic chair near the door, the room feeling smaller than before. Danika leaned against the counter, arms crossed.
"So," she began, voice cautious, "I ran into Zubby today."
Mike's stomach sank.
"Where?"
"At the market. He asked about the shop. Wanted to know if I was seeing someone."
Mike said nothing.
"I told him yes. That I'm with someone serious."
"And how did that feel?" Mike finally asked.
She shrugged. "Scary. Like a ghost I thought I'd buried was standing in front of me."
Mike nodded. "I get that."
Silence fell.
"I got accepted into a tech incubator in Abuja," Mike said, breaking it. "It starts in two weeks."
Danika blinked. "Abuja? That's far."
"Too far," Mike admitted. "But it's a chance to grow."
"And us?"
Mike looked down. "I don't know."
She stepped closer. "I don't want to lose you. But I don't know if I can hold on while you're gone."
Mike reached for her hand.
"We've already been holding on through harder things."
Her eyes searched his.
"What if we can't hold on this time?"
He swallowed hard.
"I don't want to lose us."
"But what if love isn't enough?" she whispered.
Days passed, and the space between them grew.
Phone calls became shorter. Texts less frequent.
When they met, it was like walking on broken glass every word measured, every touch hesitant.
One afternoon, Mike found Danika sitting outside the shop, staring blankly at her phone.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"Zubby called again."
Mike's jaw clenched.
"Why won't you block him?"
Danika looked away. "I'm scared. What if he gets angry? What if he makes things worse?"
Mike sighed. "We can face that together."
She looked at him, hope flickering.
But deep down, both wondered if their fragile love could survive the shadows of past mistakes and the pull of distant dreams.