Sister’s Engagement

The heels of Evelyn's stiletto clicked against the marble floor as she made her way into Empowered, the magazine company where she worked as a senior editor.

Head held high, she sashayed through the open-plan office in a chic black pantsuit that exuded an air of quiet power, a confident aura radiating from her like the scent of her signature perfume.

She stopped by Naya's desk, her best friend and confidante. Their eyes met, and a silent conversation passed between them. Evelyn raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

"So," Evelyn began, her voice a conspiratorial whisper, "did you have sex with him?"

Naya rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Good morning to you too, Evie. It's so good to know the first thing you want to talk about so early on a Monday morning is my sex life," she said, and Evelyn giggled.

"Well, you can't blame me. Good morning. Now tell me. Did you do or did you not do?" Evelyn asked and Naya giggled.

"I didn't do," she said, and Evelyn's face fell.

"Aw. Why? Don't tell me you changed your mind at the last minute again?" Evelyn asked and Naya nodded.

"That's exactly what happened. I don't feel ready yet. Or maybe I'm just not willing to do it with him," Naya said and Evelyn sighed.

"So? What did he say?" Evelyn asked curiously.

"That he was done. He broke up with me," Naya said and Evelyn frowned.

"Did he really say that? You guys made up, right?" She asked, and Naya shook her head.

"Nope. I can't be bothered by it. And to be honest with you, I feel sort of relieved he broke up with me. Now I don't have to feel pressured again," Naya said and Evelyn sighed.

"Here I was thinking that at least one of us will have something good going romantically. Tega and I broke up ten months ago, and now it's you," Evelyn said with a shake of her head.

"Let's look on the bright side. Something good is going for us both professionally," Naya said with a grin.

"And talking about romance, I saw your sister's engagement post," Naya said, making Evelyn frown.

"My sister? Chloe?" She asked in confusion, and Naya nodded.

"Yes. She posted it last night on her WhatsApp status. Didn't you see it? Or is it a prank?" Naya asked and Evelyn fished inside her handbag for her phone.

She went straight to the updates on WhatsApp and there it was on her WhatsApp status, a picture of her flaunting an engagement ring in a fancy background with a caption that said 'I said yes to my boo'.

"I didn't even know she had a boyfriend," Evelyn said, genuinely surprised.

"Me too. So, you really didn't know? She didn't say anything to you?" Naya asked and Evelyn shook her head.

"If I didn't hear it from you, I wouldn't have known. Well, congrats to her. I will be waiting to hear from her," Evelyn said and Naya giggled.

"Won't you call to congratulate her since you've seen it on her status?" Naya asked and Evelyn shook her head.

"There's no way I'm doing that. Chloe is my younger sister and if she is going to keep something of this importance away from me and wait for me to see it on her status, then she can as well keep waiting for my phone call until her wedding day," Evelyn said and Naya grinned.

"My harsh babe!" Naya teased.

"Well, I'm going to my office. I need to get started. We've got a magazine to put out."

"Speaking of which, have you seen the latest article draft from Angela? It reads like a grocery list."

Evelyn groaned, "Of course. Let's get this editing party started," she said as she headed for her desk.

No sooner had she taken her seat before her phone buzzed, and she picked it up expecting to see a call from her sister, but smiled when she saw it was her dad.

Perhaps he was calling to talk to her about Chloe's engagement, she reasoned, since her father rarely called her during the week, let alone first thing on a Monday morning.

"Good morning, Dad," she greeted pleasantly.

"Good morning, sweetheart," her dad's warm voice boomed through the phone. "How's the busiest editor in Lagos doing today?"

Evelyn chuckled, a familiar comfort washing over her. "Same old, same old, Dad. Drowning in deadlines and wrangling writers."

"Sounds thrilling," he teased. Then, his voice grew a touch more serious. "Actually, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"This is about Chloe's engagement, isn't it?" She asked knowingly.

A short pause followed. "Yes. It is, in a way," he admitted reluctantly.

"Can you believe that she hasn't informed me yet? I only just saw it on her status now, thanks to Naya…."

"Evelyn, can you come home this weekend?" Her father cut in, interrupting her tirade.

"Home? You mean to Asaba? Why? What's happening there?" Evelyn asked with a puzzled frown, wondering what her father wanted to see her for.

"I need you to be present for an important family meeting. Chloe will be here too. With her fiancé…

Evelyn's interest piqued. "What will we be discussing at the family meeting that can't be discussed over the phone in a group call? Next weekend is too sudden," Evelyn said and her father was silent for a couple of seconds.

"I know, sweetheart, but this is important. Trust me, it wouldn't be on such short notice if it wasn't. Can you clear your schedule? I will send money for your flight if you want me to. Besides, it's been a long time since you last visited. I would love to see your face," her father said and Evelyn sighed, a million questions swirling in her mind.

Family meeting? Asaba? And most importantly, Chloe and her fiancé?

Evelyn glanced at the mountain of paperwork on her desk, a wave of apprehension washing over her. There was a big fashion shoot looming, and her workload was already a beast. But something in her father's voice, a hint of worry she couldn't ignore, made her bite her lip. "Alright, Dad," she finally sighed. "I can make it work. But you have to tell mummy to prepare banga soup and starch for me."

"You got it, sweetheart. Whatever you need," Relief colored her father's voice.

Hanging up the phone, Evelyn leaned back in her chair, a heavy feeling settling in her stomach. Asaba. Family meeting. Chloe and her fiancé.

One thing was certain. This weekend trip home was going to be anything but ordinary.