Girlfriend's Day? With Him, Everyday Feels Like It
ABOUT US - Episode 10 (Special Episode)
I didn’t even remember it was Girlfriend’s Day. I swear. I saw it on someone’s Instagram story around 9am…pastel colors, teddy bear bouquet, balloons, all those cute things and I smiled, the way you do when something is sweet but very much not your business.
I was at work. My eye was on emails, my mind was on lunch and I had texted Olamide earlier that morning:
“Rest well, okay? You’ve been going too hard. Just sleep and eat. I love you’’
He replied with: “Yes ma. I’ll be fine. Be safe too. I love you too.”
Around 5pm, I started noticing the shift in energy in the office. Somebody’s boyfriend sent her a bouquet that looked like it was delivered by angels. Another person got matching crocs and a spa voucher. There was squealing, whispering, mild envy and in one corner, a girl trying to hold back tears after discovering she wasn’t the only girlfriend her man had celebrated today.
I just minded my business. I was so tired, I just wanted to get home as soon as possible. Anyway, as I was getting ready to leave when my phone rang. it was Olamide.
“Hey love,” I said, tucking the phone between my shoulder and ear as I packed my bag.
“Hi baby. Are you still at the office?”
“Yeah, I’m about to leave now.”
“Perfect. I’m downstairs.”
I paused. “Downstairs where?” I was confused
“Your office.”
I didn’t even argue. My heart had already started misbehaving. I just miss my man. I grabbed my things and ran. Not walked, I ran. When I stepped outside, there he was , leaning against his car in a black tee and grey joggers, arms folded, looking like the calm after a storm. He smiled when he saw me. That smile that says, “You’re my entire day.”
I walked up to him slowly, giving him side-eye.
“I thought we agreed you wouldn’t be picking me up home and spend time resting.”
“I did rest babe,” he replied, pulling me into a hug. “But then I missed you and I had a few things to drop off.” He opened the car door, and sitting on the passenger seat was two white boxes tied with silk ribbons from my favorite Bento cake brand, a sleek gift bag, and a smaller black box with silver ribbon. I turned to him slowly.
“You didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Olamide.”
“Babe, open it,” he said softly, smiling.
Inside the gift bag, I found a journal but not just any journal, the exact daily planner I had shown him in passing weeks ago. Soft brown leather, gold initials on the cover, and thick, clean pages sectioned out for schedules, to-do lists, notes, and reflections. He knew I’d been trying to organize my days better.
He’d heard me say, “I want to start planning intentionally again not just surviving.”
I swallowed. “You remembered.” “Of course I did.” Then came the photo album. it was thick, cream coloured, bound with a linen cover with a small bow held it closed. I opened it and paused. Every single page had a picture of me. Not selfies, not posed shots, Just me. Each page was filled with pictures of me. Pictures he had taken of random moments, me laughing, working, talking, sleeping, smiling and just you know unaware.
Under each picture was a handwritten note. sometimes it was a sentence, sometimes a paragraph and they were all from him.
“This is the face you make when you win an argument. (I let you win though babe)
“You were ranting about work here. I was just thinking about how beautiful you are when you’re passionate.”
“That Sunday you cooked and forgot the salt. I still finished it. because I’m a lover, not a fighter.” By the fifth page eh, my chest was already tight.
I looked up at him, already blinking back tears. “Olamide… what is this?”
“It’s a small memory vault,” he said. “You deserve to have proof of how loved you are even when you forget.” I didn’t even try to wipe the tears. I just leaned forward and hugged him tightly, holding him like he was the only real thing in the world.
“You’re ridiculous,” I said into his neck.
“I know.”
“I’m serious. Who told you to be this sweet?”
He pulled back, brushing a strand of my hair from my face.
“You make it easy.” I chuckled
Then he handed me the final box. Inside was a Polaroid Instax, and underneath it, a high end vlogging camera. I stared at it, stunned. He smiled. The way he looked at me, like he’d do it all over again, without question. This man really got me good.
“You’re always saying you want to document more, so I got you the tools for the memories you’ll create and the ones you’ll forget you did.” I was already gone. I was smiling like a fool.
‘‘Thank you babe. I love you’’ I said reaching out to hug him.
‘‘I love him more’’ he said softly hugging me.
He drove me home, stayed with me for some while, We sat beside each other while we looked through the album again, eating the cakes as we laughed at some of the photos, arguing about whether I was frowning or concentrating in one particular shot and when he finally got up to leave, I walked him to the door, still holding the journal to my chest.
“Happy Girlfriend’s Day, My Love.” he said, kissing my forehead.
I smiled. “With you, every day feels like it babe.”