Gladys had a line between her brows as she focused on the sheaf of papers before her. The bright sunlight flooding her office through the blinds did not help the tension headache still tapping at her temples. A voice broke her concentration.

Are you going straight home after work?” Ola asked from the doorway.

“Yes, I still have some analysis to finish up then I‘ll be ready. Can you drop me off today? I would have walked home but the heat will be a killer with this headache.”

“Where‘s Edward? I thought he was back. Isn‘t he coming to pick you up?”

“No, he came back from Abuja but had to go to France.”

“Yeah, the life of a hot-shot businessman is not easy.” She perused the expression on her friend‘s face and added with a laugh, “Not for their girlfriends too.”

Gladys exhaled on a sad smile. She‘d seen Edward only twice since their meeting the day after they‘d spoken on the phone to talk about the way forward for them. Their respective busy work schedules meant they only saw once before his flight to Paris yesterday. Thank God for phones and emails.

She turned back to Ola, “Will you drive me?”

“Sure but only if you agree to look over my wedding colors later. We could go over to Tantalizers for a light dinner. I know you like their fried plantain.”