Zara stared at the sketch. It was rough, drawn in charcoal someone standing at the cliffs, arms outstretched. The lines were shaky, rushed. But there was no mistaking it. It was Kemi.
Dayo stepped forward, frowning. "Did you?"
"No," Zara whispered. "I didn't draw this."
A cold wind slipped through the flower shop, rustling the curtains.
They decided to go back to the cliffs one last time. With the rain gone, the sea looked brighter, but something in the air still felt heavy.
Behind the old shed, they noticed a narrow path. Overgrown with weeds, it led to a rocky edge that dropped straight to the sea. At the very end, they found it.
A bracelet. Kemi's initials engraved on it.
And beside it, a weathered notebook. Dayo's name written on the first page.
It wasn't just letters. It was Kemi's journal.
The final entry read:
I'm afraid. If he finds this, he'll destroy it. I saw him last night, near Ireti's house. If anything happens, tell Dayo to ask the man with the scar on his face. He knows what happened.
Zara looked up. "The man with the scar... that sounds like Mr. Aluko. He used to work with the town council. He still lives near the square."
They rushed back into town, hearts pounding. But when they reached Mr. Aluko's house, the gate was open.
And the door? Hanging loose.
Inside, the living room was empty.
Except for a single photo frame on the table of Kemi. Standing beside Mr. Aluko.
Then they heard a voice.
"She never left," the old man said from the hallway. "Kemi is alive. She changed her name. She's been in Lagos all this time."
Dayo's knees gave way as he sat down slowly, stunned. Mr. Aluko handed him a number.
"She asked me to keep her secret. But now.... I think it's time."
A week later, Dayo met Kemi in Lagos. Tears, hugs, laughter, it all felt like a dream. She was older now, softer, but still Kemi.
Zara waited back in Elubi. When Dayo returned, he didn't come empty-handed. He brought answers. And he brought love.
They sat once again at the café by the sea, lemon tea steaming between them.
"You stayed through the storm," Dayo said.
Zara smiled. "Now that the rain's stopped falling... maybe we can finally begin."
The End