Vida had dropped Sade off at school before heading to work. She needed to be at the office before 8:00am, she had an important presentation scheduled for 8:30am with one of the company's biggest clients.
By the time she arrived the office was already buzzing with activity. Designers hurried from one workstation to another, discussing colour palettes, furniture selections, lighting concepts, and floor plans. Samples of fabrics, wallpapers and wood finishes were neatly arranged across large tables, while mood boards lined the walls, each one bringing a client's dream home to life.
Vida worked as an interior designer at one of lagos' leading interior firms. Every projects came with its own challenges, but that was exactly what she loved most about her job.
As she walked towards her desk, she was greeted by familiar smiles.
"Morning Vida"
"Morning"
She returned each greeting with a warm smile before placing her handbag on her desk.
"You're cutting it close'
Vida looked up to find Tomi leaning against the partition separating their workstations, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand.
"I know", Vida replied, switching on her computer. "The traffic after i dropped Sade off was something else".
Tomi laughed "This is lagos. Traffic is practically part of the weather forecast"
Vida chuckled.
"You sound like you've finally accepted your fate."
"I gave up fighting it a long time ago."
They both laughed before turning their attention to the presentation they had spent the better part of the previous week preparing.
"So," Tomi said as she opened the project file on her laptop, "are you ready to impress Mr. Adeyemi and convince him that his living room could be better than what he had in mind?"
Vida simled.
"if he listens this time, i'll consider it a miracle"
Tomi closed the project file and looked over at Vida.
"Let's just hope he doesn't change his mind halfway through the presentation."
Vida sighed.
"He probably will."
They both shared a knowing look before laughing.
Mr. Adeyemi had a reputation for being one of the firm's most meticulous clients. Every meeeting with him ended with at least one new request, no matter how perfect the design looked.
"I still can't believe he wanted to replace the Italian marble with ceramic tiles because his cousin said they looked the same," Tomi said.
Vida shook her head i amusement.
"Please don't remind me."
"I nearly questioned my career choices that day."
Before Vida could respond, the vibration of her phone interrupted them.
She glanced down at the screen, a smile slowly appeared on her face.
Tomi noticed immediately.
"That smile wasn't there a second ago."
Vida picked up her phone without saying a word.
The message was from Daniel
"Good morning beautiful, hope you had a peaceful night. I just wanted to wish you a beautiful day ahead."
She read it twice before locking the screen.
"So..." Tomi began, trying to catch a glimpse of the message. "what did he say?"
Vida looked up, unable to hide the smile lingering on her face.
"He just wished me a good morning."
"That's all?"
Vida nodded.
"He wished me a peaceful day too."
Tomi folded her arms.
"I like him."
Vida laughed out loud and said "Tomi, you've just met him once."
"And?"
"You can't possibly like someone after one conversation."
"I don't like him because of the conversation." Tomi shrugged. "I like effort. Most people wait till afternoon before remembering to text. This man woke up and thought of you."
Vida looked down at the phone again.
Maybe Tomi was reading too much into it, or maybe.... she wasn't.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she typed a reply
"Good morning Daniel, Thank you, i hope you had a peaceful night as well. Wishing you a wonderful day ahead."
She read it over once before pressing send.
"There," she said, setting her phone aside.
Tomi smiled "That wasn't so difficult, was it?"
"No."
"but you still overthought it."
Vida smiled sheepishly.
"A little."
"i know you."
Before either of them could say another word, the office intercom crackled to life.
"Ms. Vida Williams and Ms. Tomi Adebayo, kindly proceed to conference room one, Mr. Adeyemi has arrived."
The smile disappeared from Vida's face as professionalism too over.
Tomi picked up the sample boards they had prepared.
"This is it." she said
Vida nodded confidently.
"Let's go make him fall in love with his house."
Together, they walked towards the conference room, mentally rehearsing every detail of the presentation they had spent days perfecting.
Outside the glass doors, Mr. Adeyemi and his wife were already seated, accompanied by two members of their team.
Vida took a quiet breath before reaching for the door handle.
"Ready?" Tomi whispered.
Vida smiled.
"More than ever."
She pushed the door open.
The conference room fell silent as Vida and Tomi walked in.
"Good morning, everyone," Vida greeted with a warm smile.
"Good morning," the clients responded.
Mr. Adeyemi stood to shake their hands.
"It's good to see you again, Ms. Vida."
"You too, sir. Thank you for making the time."
Once everyone had settled into their seats, Vida connected her laptop to the projector. The room dimmed as the first slide appeared on the large screen.
The image displayed a sophisticated living room finished in warm neutral tones, accented with deep walnut wood, textured fabrics, and subtle gold details.
"Our goal," Vida began confidently, "was to create a space that feels luxurious without sacrificing comfort. We wanted every element to reflect elegance while still feeling like home."
She clicked to the next slide.
"This is the proposed layout. We widened the seating arrangement to improve movement around the room while creating a better conversation area for family gatherings."
Mr. Adeyemi nodded slowly.
"I like that."
Vida smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that."
Tomi stepped in, placing samples of fabric, marble, and wood on the conference table.
"We've also selected materials that are durable and easy to maintain without compromising on quality."
Mrs. Adeyemi picked up one of the fabric samples.
"This feels lovely."
"It's stain-resistant as well," Tomi explained. "Especially helpful if you entertain guests often."
Mrs. Adeyemi smiled approvingly.
"That's thoughtful."
Vida continued the presentation, walking them through the dining area, the master bedroom, and the family lounge. Every decision had a reason behind it, and she explained each one with calm confidence.
The room remained attentive.
Even Mr. Adeyemi, who was known for questioning every detail, hadn't interrupted once.
Until the final slide.
He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"I still think the chandelier in the living room should be larger."
Tomi instinctively looked at Vida.
Here we go.
Vida smiled politely.
"I expected you might say that."
A few people around the table chuckled.
She clicked back to the rendering of the living room.
"If we increase the size of the chandelier, it becomes the first thing people notice when they walk into the room."
She pointed towards the screen.
"But the real focal point is your custom feature wall. If the chandelier competes with it, the room loses its balance."
Mr. Adeyemi studied the image carefully.
Vida continued.
"Interior design isn't about choosing the biggest or most expensive pieces. It's about making every element work together."
The room fell quiet.
Even Mrs. Adeyemi looked from the screen back to Vida.
After a long moment, Mr. Adeyemi smiled.
"I stand corrected."
Tomi tried to hide her grin.
Vida simply smiled.
"So… we keep this one?"
He nodded.
"We keep it."
Mrs. Adeyemi laughed.
"I've never seen anyone win an argument with my husband this politely."
Everyone around the table laughed, including Mr. Adeyemi.
"I suppose that's why she's the designer."
By the time the meeting ended, the clients were smiling as they shook hands.
"This is exactly what we were hoping for," Mrs. Adeyemi said.
"Thank you," Vida replied warmly. "We'll begin preparing the final drawings immediately."
As the clients left the conference room, Tomi waited until the door closed before turning to Vida.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you?"
Vida raised an eyebrow.
"Enjoyed what?"
"Correcting Mr. Adeyemi."
"I wasn't correcting him."
"You absolutely were."
Vida laughed.
"I was protecting the design."
Tomi slipped her arm through Vida's as they walked back toward the studio.
"And that, my dear, is why you're the best designer in this company."
Vida smiled but said nothing.
Compliments had never meant much to her.
Satisfied clients did.
Just as she reached her desk, her phone lit up again.
A new message.
Daniel.
Vida picked up the phone, unaware that this simple conversation was quietly becoming the part of her day she looked forward to most.
Tomi slipped her arm through Vida's as they walked back toward the studio.
"And that, my dear, is why you're the best designer in this company."
Vida smiled but said nothing.
Compliments had never meant much to her.
Satisfied clients did.
Just as she reached her desk, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Daniel Calling…
Without realizing it, she smiled.
"You should answer that," Tomi said, already making her way to her own desk.
Vida shook her head, laughing softly.
"I know."
She picked up the call.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Vida."
Daniel's voice carried the same calm confidence she remembered from the night before.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Not at all," she replied, settling into her chair. "I just got back to my desk."
"Oh? Busy morning?"
"You could say that."
"So… how's your day been?"
She leaned back slightly.
"Pretty good."
"I'm glad to hear that."
There was a brief pause before he spoke again.
"I've actually been wondering how you were doing since this morning."
Vida smiled.
"Well, I just finished a presentation."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It was for one of our biggest clients."
"And?"
"It went really well."
"I knew it would."
She laughed softly.
"You sound very confident."
"I am."
"Why?"
"Because you don't strike me as someone who does anything halfway."
His response caught her off guard.
She wasn't sure what to say.
"So…" Daniel continued, breaking the silence. "A successful presentation deserves a celebration."
Vida smiled knowingly.
"Does it?"
"I think so."
"And how do you suggest I celebrate?"
"I was hoping you'd let me take you to dinner."
She laughed quietly.
"So that's where this conversation was heading."
"I won't deny it."
"You planned this?"
"I'd rather say I was being optimistic."
Vida shook her head, amused.
"You don't give up easily, do you?"
"Not when I believe something is worth pursuing."
His honesty made her smile.
She glanced across the office.
Tomi looked up just in time to notice the expression on Vida's face.
She mouthed, "Is that him?"
Vida rolled her eyes playfully before giving the slightest nod.
"So?" Daniel asked gently. "What do you say?"
Vida hesitated.
She had promised herself, five years ago, that she would be careful.
Careful with her heart.
Careful with her trust.
But Daniel wasn't asking for forever.
He was asking for dinner.
A simple dinner.
She let out a quiet breath.
"I suppose… dinner wouldn't hurt."
A smile spread across Daniel's face, though she couldn't see it.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"It is."
"Great. I'll text you the time and location after work."
"I'll be waiting."
There was a brief silence before Daniel spoke again.
"Congratulations on your presentation, Vida."
"Thank you."
"And thank you for saying yes."
She smiled.
"I'll see you later."
"I'll see you later."
The call ended.
Vida lowered the phone slowly, still looking at the screen.
Tomi was standing beside her desk before she even noticed.
"Well?"
Vida looked up.
"I said yes."
Tomi clasped her hands together excitedly.
"I knew you would."
Vida smiled to herself.
For the first time in a very long time…
She found herself looking forward to the evening.