The garden behind the guesthouse had become their silent place . Amara had arrived early, the soft morning light reflecting on grass, and Dapo was already there, being nervously by the edge of the
stone path.
He froze when he saw her, as if he could never believe she had come.
"Good morning," she said softly, trying to hide the flutter in her chest.
"Morning," he replied, voice low, careful, like every word had to be measured. "I didn't know if you'd want to see me again today."
"I… wanted to," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dapo's gaze softened, but the tension in his shoulders remained.
"Amara… I meant what I said yesterday. Piece by piece. I'll wait for you, I'll prove to you that I'm worthy of your trust… and your heart."
Her chest ached at his words. She wanted to believe him so badly but part of her was still wary. Her heart had been trampled once; she wasn't about to give it freely again.
They began walking together, slowly, along the small path lined with hedges and wildflowers. The air smelled like wet earth and growing things—a reminder that life could still be beautiful even after the storms.
For a while, they walked in silence, the quiet comforting rather than awkward. Then Amara spoke, testing the fragile balance.
"Dapo… I need to know how you'll handle it if I'm… distant sometimes."
He glanced at her, eyes darkening with seriousness. "Then I'll respect it. I won't push. I'll give you space if you need it, but I won't let go. Not now, not ever."
A flicker of warmth rose in her chest, and she allowed herself to walk a little closer to him, her hand brushing his lightly. He noticed, and for a brief moment, his lips curved into the faintest smile.
"You're still wary," he said, almost teasing, though there was pain beneath it.
"I'm not sure I can trust myself yet," she admitted. "Not fully."
Dapo's hand moved to hover near hers, but he didn't close the gap. "Then I'll wait. I don't need your trust all at once. I'll earn it, piece by piece."
Amara smiled faintly, letting herself believe—just a little—that things could be different this time.
They reached a small clearing with a wooden bench, the sunlight streaming through the branches above them. They sat together, just close enough that their knees brushed, and for a few moments, it felt like the world had narrowed to only the two of them.
Dapo leaned back slightly, glancing at her. "You know… I've missed this. Missed us."
"Us?" she asked softly, teasing.
"Yes, us," he said, voice low and earnest. "Even with everything that happened, I never stopped caring about us. About you."
Amara felt the warmth rise in her chest again. "And now?"
"Now," he said, his gaze locking on hers, "I want to make things right. Even if it takes forever. Even if I have to rebuild every moment from scratch."
Her lips quivered as she reached for his hand, letting him take it. The contact was electric, simple, but filled with unspoken emotion.
For a while, they sat quietly, letting the sun wash over them, letting their hands stay intertwined. Then a sudden voice broke the spell.
"Amara! You here?"
Amara's heart jumped. She turned to see Tomi, her close friend, jogging toward them with her usual energetic grin. "Hey! I thought I'd find you here. Dapo too? Wow, you two are early risers!"
Dapo's fingers tightened slightly around Amara's hand. He didn't know Tomi well, but the way she said her name, the way she laughed so easily around her… a subtle heat rose in his chest that he didn't like.
Amara smiled warmly at Tomi. "Hey! I was just enjoying the garden. Want to join us?"
"Of course!" Tomi replied, plopping down next to her. She gave Dapo a quick glance and a playful smirk. "I see we have some company. You're the famous Dapo I've heard so much about!"
Dapo straightened slightly, his jaw tightening, but he forced a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you," he said carefully.
Tomi leaned closer to Amara, whispering something that made Amara laugh. Dapo watched, his eyes flicking between the two, a tiny pang of jealousy settling in his chest. He had promised himself patience, but seeing Amara laugh freely, lean toward someone else—even a friend—made his chest tighten.
Amara noticed his subtle tension. "Dapo… it's fine. She's just a friend."
"I know," he said softly, though his voice had a slight edge. "I'm… fine."
Tomi looked between them curiously. "Are you two…?"
Amara laughed lightly, shaking her head. "We're figuring it out."
Dapo squeezed her hand gently, silently communicating that he was still here, still present. But the flicker of jealousy remained—a reminder that he cared deeply, that he couldn't stand the thought of anyone else holding space in her heart, even for a moment.
As Tomi excused herself to leave, Amara watched her go and then turned to Dapo. "See? Nothing to worry about."
He nodded, but the tension didn't fully leave. He took her hand in both of his, squeezing gently. "I just… want to be sure you know where I stand."
Amara smiled softly, leaning slightly toward him. "I know, Dapo. And I appreciate it."
For the first time that morning, he allowed himself to relax a little, though the spark of jealousy lingered, reminding him how much he loved her—and how much he didn't want to lose her again.
The garden was quiet once more, the sun climbing higher, and they sat together—hands entwined, hearts cautiously open, and a subtle tension lingering in the air. A tension born of past mistakes, present desire, and a future that neither could predict… but both were willing to fight for.
And somewhere deep inside, Dapo knew one thing for sure:
He would do whatever it took to make Amara his, completely, this time.