THE WAKE-UP CALL

tly love at first sight, but there was something-something

ght shift at the hospital. His stethoscope still dangled from the side pocket of his messenger bag, forgotten. She was behind the co

s most people wear to keep their jobs. It was quiet, self-assured. She smiled like

he approached the counter as sh

in a slow, sof

ng zoomed in her eyes-curi

replied. "Please, how

nd himself speaking really slow, taking longer than he needed to. He asked

k, he realized that he hadn'

tioned her to his fr

k," he said, almost offhandedl

's a new tone

't s

ughed. "So wh

got to

ou, and you can't reme

d, "I'll go back"; a

e was at a different desk. He

" she said, glancing at the

d, "but I forgot to

n she smiled with a so

ced himsel

shook

d about everything-their childhoods, their careers, their goals. She was humble, focused,

had chosen him, and he had answered the call

ntuitive, more open to chance, but it worked. They balanced each other, and they both

out blinking. There were no long speeches, No fair

ze's mother cried through the whole thing, clutching her daughter's hand like she was giving away a national t

ze sat alone at the back of the venue. Their hands int

re ready for this

r w

f it, Marr

Maybe, we are not, but we'll f

agree on something now, be

ka

ot until we're both where we want

used, "Yo

a

about the way she lit up when she talked about becoming a s

said finally

they kissed like lovers, that was them-alway

obs. They laughed often, Danced in the kitchen on quiet nights, Made love without pressure or purpose, No accidents, No p

the early hours of the morning. Adaeze, in turn, was climbing fast at her bank-more meetings, more targets, more stress. They talk

stress. "We're just bu

o each other," Nat

dinner table and wonder: is this still the same woman wh

cklace she'd once admired in a magazine. She ki

needed something to pull them back to each other -

g, over breakfast

id, setting down his coffee

er gaze from her t

agree

use. She blink

her to say mor

be ready,

. "Nathan... I don't

them. He smiled, trying to keep it light. "We ag

s have changed. I'

e felt a chill between th