09/02/2026
Chapter 3: A Voice Behind the Messages....
That evening, as the sun dipped below the rooftops, Amara sat by her window, scrolling through her phone. She noticed Tunde hadn’t sent a message in a few hours. It was unusual. He was always the first to check in.
Just as she was about to put her phone down, it buzzed.
“Hey, Opaychukwu. Are you free for a few minutes?”
She hesitated. “Yes… why?”
“Can we talk? Like, actually talk. Not just texts.”
Her heart skipped. A phone call felt different, more real, more personal. She stared at the screen for a moment before replying.
“Okay.”
A few seconds later, her phone rang. She took a deep breath and answered.
“Hello?” she said softly.
“Hi,” Tunde’s voice came through, warm and calm. “So this is what you sound like.”
Amara laughed nervously. “And this is what you sound like.”
There was a brief silence, but it wasn’t awkward. It felt comfortable, like sitting beside someone without needing to say much.
“You sound exactly how I imagined,” Tunde said.
“And how is that?” she asked.
“Gentle… and kind.”
Amara felt her cheeks grow warm again. “You don’t even know me that well.”
“I’m getting there,” he replied. “One message at a time… and now, one call at a time.”
They talked about simple things, how their day went, what they had for dinner, the songs they liked. But hearing his laughter and the softness in his voice made everything feel more real.
After a while, Tunde said, “I’m glad I asked for your native name that day.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s when our conversation really started. It felt like I was talking to the real you.”
Amara looked out the window, watching the evening sky turn darker. She realized he was right. Something had changed since that moment.
“Well,” she said, smiling, “I’m glad you asked too.”
They stayed on the call a little longer, neither of them in a hurry to hang up. And when they finally did, Amara placed her phone on her chest, staring at the ceiling.
For the first time, Tunde wasn’t just a name on her screen. He was a voice, a laugh, a presence.
And somehow, that made everything feel even more special.
To be continued…
Photo 📸 AI generated
✍️ Ogbue Ozioma Blessing
(O'zedz)
