Esther sat by her bedroom window, the early evening breeze fluttering the curtains like whispered memories. In her hand, she held a single rose petal, one she had quietly tucked into her bag earlier. Its soft fragrance lingered on her fingers, stubborn and familiar, like a feeling she hadn't asked for but couldn't quite let go of.
Thankfully, her classmates had eagerly taken most of the roses off her hands. There was no way she was going to drag them all home, her small room couldn't possibly hold something that extravagant.
A soft knock broke her thoughts.
"Essie?" Zainab's voice came gently from the doorway.
Esther straightened, quickly slipping the petal under her pillow as her sister stepped inside. There was something in Zainab's eyes, concern, mixed with curiosity, as she made her way to the bed and sat beside her.
"I saw a bunch of roses downstairs," Zainab said softly. "Did you put them there?"
Esther looked away, her fingers instinctively knotting together in her lap. "Yeah… Dija got them for me," she muttered, not quite meeting her sister's gaze.
Zainab didn't press. Not immediately. She just sat there, studying her sister's face like a book she'd read a hundred times and still couldn't put down.
"Essie," she finally said, voice low and even, "I know when something's not right. I'm not asking because of the roses. I'm asking because I care. What's going on?, did something happen between you and Mr. Lewis while you were staying at his place?" After Sarah's accusations, Zianab needed to get things clear with her little sister.
Esther hesitated. Her throat tightened, her heart warred with her pride, but something about Zainab's calm presence made it hard to hide.
"Did he hurt you?" Zianab pressed
"No…" Esther quickly replied "He didn't hurt me or anything," she said quietly. "It's just… I think I fell for him."
Zainab blinked, surprised but not judgmental.
Esther rushed to explain. "I mean, I'm over it now. I really am. It's just, he's trying to come back. He's trying to… pursue me."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Zainab asked gently.
"I didn't want to drag you into it. And honestly, I didn't even know what to make of it myself."
There was a short silence, just the breeze brushing against the window screen.
"Are you sure you're over him?" Zainab asked, turning fully to face her.
Esther opened her mouth to lie again, to keep things neat and uncomplicated. But the words wouldn't come. She simply looked down at her lap, her silence speaking louder than any confession.
Zainab exhaled. "Then listen to me," she said, voice firm but warm. "If you still have feelings for him, and he feels the same about you… then you deserve to be with him."
Esther looked up, startled. "But… Sarah?"
Zainab gave a small, tired smile. "Sarah is Sarah. You can't let her control your life just because she's loud about what she wants. You've always put everyone else first, me, Mom, even her. But you matter too, Essie. Your happiness matters."
Esther looked away, her eyes stinging.
"I'm not saying it's going to be easy," Zainab continued. "But if he truly loves you, and you love him, that's the kind of rare thing people spend years hoping for. Don't let family politics or guilt make you walk away from it. Not if it's real."
"I just…" Esther swallowed hard. "I don't want to break what's left of our family. Mom's already so on edge, and Sarah, she'll never let this go."
Zainab reached over and took her hand. "Then don't fight this alone. I'll talk to Mom with you, if it comes to that. As for Sarah… she'll throw her tantrum, like always. But you can't keep sacrificing your life to make room for hers. Especially not when she's never done the same for you."
Esther looked at her sister, truly looked at her, and for the first time in days, she felt seen.
"Thanks, Zai," she whispered, voice cracking just a little.
Zainab smiled, squeezing her hand. "Always, Essie. You deserve someone who loves you like you're the only one in the world. And if Daniel's that person… then don't let anyone talk you out of it. Not even yourself."
Zainab gave her hand one final squeeze before flashing a grin. "Now that we've tackled your love life, can we talk about your birthday, which is in two days, by the way?"
Esther laughed softly, the tension finally easing from her shoulders. "Zee, it's next week, and you know I don't do birthdays."
"Next week, two days, same thing," Zainab shrugged, her smile mischievous. "The week's practically over, and your big day is knocking. So, what do you say we finally throw a little party for you this year? Nothing dramatic, just close friends and some cake."
"Nah, I'm good," Esther said, waving her off with a slight shake of her head. "There's too much going on right now. A birthday party is the last thing on my mind. Plus, it falls on a Monday, and I've got lectures all day."
Zainab raised a brow. "You'd find any excuse not to celebrate, wouldn't you?"
Esther didn't answer right away. Her smile had faded a little.
Zainab's voice softened. "I get it. I know why you don't like celebrating. But you're turning twenty-two, Essie. It's a big deal. You've made it through a lot more than most people our age. That deserves to be honored, even if it's just with cupcakes and music in the backyard."
Esther looked away, the truth pressing against her chest like it always did this time of year. It wasn't about being too busy. Birthdays reminded her of loss. Of the silence that followed after candles had been blown out. Of the years where celebration felt selfish when everything else felt broken.
Zainab could see the shadow in her sister's eyes and didn't push further.
"You know what," she said, standing, brushing invisible lint from her jeans. "We've still got two days to negotiate this."
"There's no negotiating it," Esther called after her, lips tugging into a smile she didn't even try to fight.
As the door clicked shut behind Zainab, Esther fell back onto the bed, gazing up at the ceiling. A birthday party. It still sounded strange on her tongue, like something that belonged to someone else. But maybe… maybe it wouldn't be so bad this year.
She smiled to herself, fingers brushing the corner of her pillow where the rose petal lay hidden.
It really wouldn't hurt to celebrate, for once.
Then, like a bucket of cold water, the thought of lectures, assignments, and an upcoming practical snapped her back to reality.
Focus, Esther. You don't have time to drift.
Still… maybe just a little cake.
And just like that, the weekend faded into memory, giving way to the long-dreaded Monday, except this Monday wasn't supposed to be just another day. It was her birthday.
Esther slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Something about the morning felt… off. Off in the way quiet feels when you're expecting noise. No faint singing from down the hall, no scent of a half-burnt birthday cake from the kitchen, no giddy voices whispering secrets they thought she couldn't hear.
Odd.
Still half-hopeful, she convinced herself that maybe they were planning something small, like a surprise breakfast. She showered quickly, pulled on a casual dress, and twisted her curls into a messy bun. Her heart lifted just a little as she padded down the hallway, anticipating the inevitable "Surprise!" or at least a warm "Happy Birthday!"
But when she stepped into the living room, all she got was silence.
Zainab and their mother were already seated at the dining table, calmly eating breakfast like it was just another Monday.
"Good morning," Esther greeted, her eyes flicking between them, trying to catch some hidden grin or a wink, anything.
"You're finally up. Good morning," Zainab said, pulling out a chair for her. "Come eat before you run late."
Esther stood frozen for a second, confused. "Um… today feels kind of special, doesn't it?" she hinted, lowering herself into the chair with a suspicious glance at them.
Her mother raised an eyebrow as she reached for the butter. "Special? I don't think so. Seems like any other Monday to me."
Esther blinked. "Wait, seriously? Aren't you two forgetting something? A certain day perhaps?"
Zainab gave her a vague shrug and took a sip of her tea. "Can't say I'm following. Maybe you're dreaming."
Dreaming? Her heart dropped.
They couldn't be serious. They never forgot her birthday. No matter how quiet she kept it or how often she brushed it off, there was always something. A card. A cupcake. A song sung out of tune. And just yesterday, Zainab had been pestering her about celebrating this year. So what was this sudden blackout?
"You should probably eat and get going," Zainab added casually. "You don't want to be late for class."
Esther stood slowly, eyes narrowing as a flicker of hurt settled behind them. "Right. Of course. Just a normal day," she said quietly, pushing the chair back. "Forget I said anything."
She left the table without touching her breakfast, a tight knot growing in her stomach. She hadn't asked for a party, no big gestures or fancy cakes. But she hadn't expected this. Not even a simple happy birthday?
Maybe she shouldn't care. Maybe she meant it when she said she didn't want a fuss.
But walking out that door with no one remembering stung more than she thought it would.
Ahh, the fresh breeze that greeted her at campus had never felt so comforting.
Esther closed her eyes for a second, letting the air wash over her skin. Okay, so her family hadn't remembered her birthday, or pretended not to. Maybe that hurt a little more than she wanted to admit, but there was still hope. If there was one person in the world who would never forget her birthday, it was Dija.
Dija always remembered.
She had a tradition of sending the cheesiest messages, calling right at midnight to scream "Happy Birthday!" and singing off-key until Esther hung up laughing.
But now that she thought about it… Dija hadn't called either.
Esther frowned. That couldn't be right. Maybe her phone had been off? Or there was some network issue?
Yes. That had to be it.
Then, just ahead, she spotted Dija stepping out of the cafeteria. Esther's heart lifted, and she hurried toward her.
"Hey, girl!" she called out.
"Hey, bestie!" Dija beamed, pulling her into a tight hug. "You're looking extra cute today. Is it a special day or something?"
Esther pulled back, blinking. Her brows knitted as she stared at her friend, confused. "Wait… what do you mean 'is it a special day'? Of course, it's a special day, don't tell me you forgot too?"
She kept her eyes on Dija's face, half-expecting her to burst into a grin and call out some hidden trumpet squad from behind the cafeteria wall.
But Dija just looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?" she said, chuckling lightly. "Girl, it's just another Monday. Same ol', same ol'. Now come on, we're gonna be late for lectures, and you know Professor Kallon doesn't play with latecomers."
She looped her arm through Esther's and tugged her gently forward before she could push any more. Dija could practically feel her mouth itching to spill the surprise, but she held it in. Not now.
Because if there was one thing she couldn't ruin, it was the elaborate plan Mr. Lewis had orchestrated for today. She had been the one to tip him off that Esther's birthday was coming up. And once he shared what he was planning, a fairy-tale evening, complete with lights, music, and a personalized celebration, Dija had immediately called Esther's family to help.
They had all agreed to play along, even Zainab, despite her soft spot for her sister's feelings. It wasn't easy watching Esther look so let down this morning, but it was going to be worth it.
Tonight would be unforgettable.