PROLOGUE

In my early 20s, we crossed paths on a remarkably sunny day, where the world gleamed with temporary joy. It was one of those perfect days when strangers smiled, children frolicked in the park, and the air was sweet with the scent of ice cream and cotton candy.

However, my day unfolded in stark contrast. Frantically navigating crowded streets, I sought my phone to request my roommate's assistance with misplaced keys. Makeup smeared, I stumbled over abandoned shoes, spilt coffee on my shirt, tumbled downstairs, and earned a small bruise. To top it off, the scorching sun mocked me, shades forgotten. The day seemed irreversibly grim, expecting nothing beyond mundane meetings and feigned smiles.

Yet, as fate would have it, an unexpected encounter defied clichés. Colliding forcefully, pain surged through my shoulders. Ready to unleash my frustration, I lifted my head, only to be silenced by the vision before me—an angel, I surmised. Time paused as you mouthed an apology, but all I saw were perfect teeth framing a love-shaped mouth, complemented by soft curls, green-rimmed frames, and honey-coloured eyes. Perfection.

"I am so sorry," I think you uttered, but I was entranced, nodding slowly, head semi-bowed to conceal my blush. Swiftly, I bypassed you into the office building.

In the restroom, I sighed deeply, gazing into the mirror. Flush-faced, my curly fro sat perfectly, brown eyes sparkled, thick lips remained uncracked, and oversized frames framed it all. Another sigh—I sensed the beginning of a journey, or perhaps, my journey.

CHAPTER 1

“Go bring the files for the marketing company. We need to focus on ways to win that pitch. We damn well know we need a lot of financial assistance at this point.” 

“Baba? Baba? BABAAAAAA!!!!!”

I jump up and try to give my boss the best sorry expression ever. 

“I am so sorry Aisha. I slipped a bit.” I apologize. 

She nods to show she’s cool and goes off to repeat her instructions. I breeze over to my workstation to prepare the document. God, I feel a bit warm. I notice this as I place my hands over my neck. I might be coming down with something soon and I silently pray to all the living gods to defer this unfortunate future incident. I can’t avoid going under the rock right now. Not with this pitch coming, and not with Aisha and maybe the entire GREY AND BREY MARKETING CORPORATION hanging on me. Sigh, I hate this situation. Lately, I have had a lot of unfortunate encounters. From Dada dying last summer to losing my best friend to one of the silliest quarrels ever known to mankind. There is only so much a little girl can take. For goodness sake, I am twenty-five and my life should be going better than this, or so I think. 

I quickly snap out of my self-pity and focus on the work ahead. The day ends in a blur, to be honest. I barely remember anything. But I do remember seeing her face today. 

She looks up briefly and smiles at me. I give a shy smile and quickly bow my head down. At this point I wish I had a bigger fro, but oh well...

The day does end in a blur with Linda saying I did I good job as usual and me saying my thank you. What can a girl like me do?

”You sure do look like a horse ran through your dirty tracks, missy.” 

”Hello to you too Santana.” I respond to my roommate. 

She rolls her eyes and goes into her room while making sure to put the no-disturb sign on. 

“what a bitch!” I of course mutter this to myself. 

I walk into my room and it looks like a hot mess. Well, a hot mess by my standards means a few clothes hurled here and there, my bed not properly tucked in, and a few others. 

I step out of my work clothes and toss them into the laundry basket by the corner. I love that grey-pink basket. Got it from a thrift store. It suits my pale pink room, with my dark blue curtains. I have a lot of artwork including my work hanging on my walls. Let's not talk about my excessive love for houseplants. My humidifier and plants give my room a fresh breezy feel. 

Moving butt naked to my bathroom I can't help but catch my reflection in the mirror. I look worn out. My freckles are starting to spread out beautifully. My fro has gotten thicker, fuller, and longer. My long many hours of hair care is starting to pay off hugely and I am not complaining either.

 My body looks like art. At least Satana makes sure to shout it down my ears every day. I am beginning to believe it. I look like I have had Brazilian bodywork done by one of the best surgeons. My hips are full and broad, with a nice big junk in the trunk. I am extra curvy with an average height. It is genuinely still hard to accept my looks. 

I get the ”you are beautiful” comment every day. It just doesn't phase me. It is the same way nobody believes me to be single. Or the same way they cringe when I say my name is Baba.

“Who in the hell names you Baba?” I should be a billionaire if I get paid for how many times I get that comment thrown at me. 

Sigh! I do love my name though. I find it endearing and chic. These thoughts occupy my mind till I am done bathing and shivering from the cold coming from the air conditioner I left on a blast. I put on a huge tee and jumped right into the bed. I make sure to wear my huge hair satin. It used to be mom’s. Dada used to say that. Now I am not so sure anymore. He probably got it and pretended it to be hers. A way of making me feel better. I miss Dada. A whole lot. I feel a huge void that feels bigger as the day passes.

I feel the cold ring that sits on my septum. It's a beautiful piercing. I have quite a few that include my nipples. Nobody knows about that and they won't find out about my hidden tattoos either. I am surfing through social media, my eyelids closing from the tiredness of the day and I see her!! I let out a scream and before my eyelids can blink twice, Santana is pounding on my door screaming in anxiety. I get up to open up for her and she's giving me the stink eye. She realizes nothing bad has happened. 

”Next time be quite specific.” She says this while making sure to give me her dramatic eye roll. I of course return that because I am little miss petty.

She ends up leaving the room muttering under her breath. I bang my door right after her and scream again. Only this time inaudibly. She has a social media account! I mean she’s supposed to. It’s the twenty-first century. 

“Rainbow_me” it reads. What a converted way to announce to the world she’s gay. This makes me silently happy as I wouldn’t be chasing the wind. Nothing more embarrassing than falling for a straight girl and realizing it weeks later. It’s funny how Insta Man decided to suggest her as an account I should follow. Who told Insta Man I was maybe in love with my new co-worker and why do we share a mutual that is Santana? I threw my blanket off my body as I matched over to Santana’s to question her. 

I can hear Santana’s groan as she throws off her covers to open the door for me. I wonder what that girl is up to but it’s none of my business. 

“Yes, what do you want?” 

She’s giving me the stink eye and she’s making sure not to mask her irritation. 

“Ewww Santana! One would think you were touching yourself and I interrupted. Let me in already!” I barge my way through her room and sitting right in front of me is the thickest dildo I have seen. I make gagging noises that throw Santana in a fit of laughter. 

“Well I am not here to look at your nastiness” I point to her bed making her know how disgusted I feel.

“Okay, what do you want? I am with my boo thang on FaceTime” she gives me a suggestive wink and I return a gagging expression to her. I shove her to the bed as I wait for her to tell Ayo she is going to call him back. 

“So what do you want?” She is smiling so brightly and jumping on the bed giving it light bounces.

“So do you know who this is?” I shove the phone close to her face for her to see. 

“Oh, my God! Of course, I do Baba. That is Lolay. We used to be school paddies. Why are you asking?” This time she is wearing a smirk as she wiggles her brows. 

“I…uhm…you know what forget it.” I stand up to leave her bedroom and Santana blocks the way by spreading her arms. 

“Where the hell do you think you are going to young woman? Bed now!” I roll my eyes as I return to her bed. If Santana was gay I might have had the hots for her. She is dominant in the right proportion and do not get me started on how pretty she is. 

“Okay Baba,  you know you can open up to me. I know I am not you know who..”

I cut her in immediately. “Oh my God Santana! We agreed not to bring her up ugh!” I reply with a scowl on my face. 

“Okay fine, fine. The point here is you better tell me what’s up. You never mention anybody. For all I know, that kitty hasn’t felt a tongue in the last ten years.” I immediately gasp and she throws a pillow at me. I catch the pillow and throw it back at her. This leads to a pillow fight that lasts for the next five minutes. 

Exhausted we lay side by side on her bed. Luckily for me, Santana’s bed is your typical king-sized bed and there is enough space for our hoofing and goofing. I wait for her to catch her breath before turning to her to tell her my real reason for coming to her room. 

“Uhm Lolay works in my office now,” I say with a blank expression. 

“This is why you came to my room? To tell me Lolay works in your office? For God’s sake Baba! Why did you not wait till morning at least? I was just about to cum!” She groans into her pillow. 

“Wait hollup, you and Ayo bone on FaceTime?” I am laughing my guts out and I laugh harder when I see Santana’s blush. That girl rarely blushes. This Ayo guy must be something. 

“Uhm and so?” She says this while blushing harder. 

“You know we are long distance, Baba. It’s been hard as hell. And truthfully speaking, down there…” she touches her vagina to prove her point 

“Down there has not been getting any sigh.” She falls back to the bed. 

“Well, Santana my dear baby” I pull her in for a hug. 

“You don’t have to freak out okay? She places her head on my breasts and sighs loudly. 

“Common let’s go to bed.” I say as I cuddle her gently.” She holds me tightly in turn. 

“So what about Lolay?” She says this quietly. This is Santana’s cue for sleep. She is naturally loud. 

“I feel like we have chemistry.” I wiggle up to sit and she joins me. 

“Chemistry?” She is looking at me intensely. It is my turn to blush. 

“Yes…I just…uhm…” 

“Hold on, you do know she is in a relationship right?” Santana is wearing her sad face. I feel so embarrassed now. 

“Relationship?” I fall back to the bed and let out a silent scream. 

“Yes, relationship Baba. They have been together for like a year plus.” She comes to hold me. 

“A year plus ugh. I just assumed you know. She is pretty fine Tan.” I call Santana my pet name for her. She hates that name. 

“Ugh, you and that dreadful name.” She slaps my bum and it jiggles. She’s laughing now and I join her. We both laugh till our eyes tear up. 

“You know, with an ass and face like yours, what is a one-year relationship huh?” I do not see her face as she falls asleep holding me. I do not reply to her as I muse over what she said. Santana is your typical “as long as there is no ring” girl. Ayo used to be in a “serious situationship” till he met Santana and all of it is currently history. 

I cannot compare a situationship with an actual relationship, can I? Ugh. Women stress me so much oh my goodness. Sometimes I silently wish Sky Daddy made me straight. But after seeing men? Hell no, I rather stay coloured. I muse over Lolay and wonder when is the best time to strike as I fall asleep.