Everywhere stank of luxury as I sat in the leather seat of Mama Chinedu's Lexus. The beautiful smell of rose air freshener mixed with Mama Chinedu's perfume and the cold AC filled my nose.
She tapped me lightly with an inviting smile. I guess it was a way to welcome me.
"Good evening Ma'am." I greeted her with a smile. "Seriously, you didn't have to come pick me up."
"Oh, come on." She tapped the start button and her engine came alive. It was smooth and almost noiseless. The opposite of the chaotic Lagos noise. "I was nearby and I decided to stop by since it was almost your closing hours at work."
I nodded. "Thank you, Ma'am."
She smiled as she moved the car out of the office parking lot. “You're welcome.”
We drove in silence.
Soon we were turning onto the main road. In no time, we were stuck in Lagos's signature traffic. With hawkers shouting their wares and tapping on people's windows as if to force them to buy. A conductor was almost getting violent with another road user. The sky was slowly pocketing the sun.
“So, how was work?" She asked, breaking the silence. Her hands were steady on the wheel.
I took a deep breath. Each air that seeped into my lungs depicted the way I felt instead.
“Exhausting as usual. My boss made me run in circles with work today.”
She nodded and made an unfamiliar turn.
"Let's see if we'll avoid this traffic."
"Okay," I replied.
I watched as she looked from the side mirrors to the rear mirror. She honked at a hawker. Then she straightened the wheel.
"Do you like it there? I mean, do you feel fulfilled." She asked, quickly cutting a stare at me.
"Honestly? Sometimes, I feel the job isn't for me. But on days I close a deal or do something right, I just feel this joy within me."
Mama Chinedu kept nodding as I spoke. It was as if she understood more than I was saying. "I once felt that way, too.”
I looked at her in surprise. “You?”
“Of course,” she said, switching lanes effortlessly.
“I once worked at a multinational firm. It was a long time though. Long before I met my husband.
"So why did you quit?" That was my inquisitiveness setting in. "Was the pay poor?"
"Zee, it wasn't about the pay. In fact, it was great. It was more about how I felt. Like I was slaving for someone else. The endless meetings, late nights, chasing promotions that might be lost at the end.”
I didn't take my eyes off her. “I had no idea you worked a nine-to-five.”
She chuckled. “Trust me, there's so much about everyone you don't know, Zerah. But I had a backup before I left." She paused. Carefully, she took another turn. Now I could recognize the way home. "I had the luxury of choice which most people don’t. I just wanted to be my boss. So, when I felt I had enough capital. And with the help of my husband, who was my fiance then, I started up my business, you know of now.”
I couldn't get my mind off her. “But, you don't regret leaving?”
She took a moment, shaking her head as if to find the right words. “My only regret was not leaving sooner. I just didn't realize that I had the power to change my own story.”
I nodded as those words sank in.
A car quickly swerved dangerously into our lane without any signal. Mama Chinedu quickly hit the brakes. Thanks to the seatbelt I had on, I would have shattered her windshield.
“Lagos drivers,” I muttered.
She chuckled. “So sorry." She apologized like it was her fault. "If you're not patient enough. Lagos drivers will teach you patience.”
We drove in silence again. This time darkness was already all over the face of the earth. I watched as the street lights passed by. My thoughts were still on Mama Chinedu's revelation. I just wondered how she had it all under control. Making decisions without fear and they turn out well in the end for her.
“I just wish to be bold like you. To make decisions boldly and follow through,” I said suddenly.
She shot me a quick look. "Listen, before I make any move. I make sure I have it all planned out. I told you I had the luxury of choice."
I nodded.
She tapped the steering wheel lightly. “Look Zerah, sometimes you might be confused if you're on the right path. I know you feel that way sometimes, don't you?"
I nodded again.
"The truth is, no one truly has it all figured out at once. Not even me. It took me years to realize that.”
I looked at her with so much focus. “But you always look like you have it all under control.”
She smiled. “Control isn’t about having all the answers. That's one thing I learned in life. Just make peace with your present and the future you don't know. The universe will willingly put you in control of your life."
Again, I let her words sink in. This time it hit deeper than I thought.
Now we were approaching our street. Our house was in full glare. A big black gate with lights flickering from different windows.
She pulled up in front of the gate and shut the car. I tried to get down but she pulled me back. She turned and looked at me, her expression gentle.
“I hope you see meaning in our little conversation today. Just take the next step even if you're not sure of where you're going. Life will always reveal the path to you as you go.”
I smiled. "How are you so full of wisdom?" I said.
She laughed. "Now you're teasing me. Get down from my car, yeye girl naughty girl."
I smiled, unclasping my seatbelt. “Good night, Ma'am.”
"Good night, my dear.”
As I stepped out, I heard her switch on the engine. Then she drove past me to the garage. I watched as the streetlights cast a soft glow over her car until she was inside the garage. Then, I walked into the compound and into my apartment.