Dreams to vows

Chapter 10: External Pressures

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams".  — Eleanor Roosevelt

POV: Priscilla

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks, and I’m beyond grateful to be meeting up with Tayo and Ada today. I need this break—this chance to just sit and breathe and, honestly, vent a little. We’re tucked away in our usual spot at the café, the one with the loud music and the staff who know our orders by heart. It feels safe here, like we can talk about anything and everything.

As soon as we sit down, Ada jumps right in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Okay, ladies, you will not believe what happened to me last week. So, you know that fashion show I was freaking out about? Well, guess who got approached by a designer from New York?!”

Tayo and I both gasp, practically in unison. “Are you serious?” I ask, my voice louder than I intended. A few heads turn our way, but we don’t care.

“Yes!” Ada beams, her energy contagious. “He said he loved my designs and wants to discuss potential collaboration. Can you imagine? New York! I’m still pinching myself.”

“That’s incredible!” I say, genuinely thrilled for her. “You’ve been working so hard. This is huge!”

Ada’s smile falters slightly, just for a second. “Yeah, it is. But I’m also terrified. What if I’m not ready? What if I mess this up?”

“You won’t,” Tayo says firmly. “You’ve been preparing for this moment for years. You’ve got this, Ada.”

We all take a moment to celebrate Ada’s success, but the conversation soon shifts to Tayo. I can tell she’s been waiting for the right moment to speak, her usual confident demeanor a little subdued today.

“I’m happy for you, Ada,” Tayo begins, her tone serious. “But on my end, things haven’t been so great. Work has been... overwhelming. My boss is piling on projects like I’m some kind of robot, and I’m struggling to keep up. I even missed my mom’s birthday last week because I was stuck at the office. It’s like, no matter how hard I work, it’s never enough.”

My heart sinks. Tayo is one of the most hardworking and dedicated people I know, but hearing her talk like this, I realize just how much she’s been carrying alone. “Tayo, I’m so sorry. That’s awful,” I say, reaching out to squeeze her hand. “Have you talked to your boss about it?”

She shakes her head. “It’s not that simple, Pris. In this economy, the last thing I want to do is complain and risk my job. But honestly, I’m burning out, and I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.” I  and Ada placed our hands on hers on the table to show that we will always be here for each other

We sit in silence for a moment, each of us processing our own struggles. It feels like we’re all on the edge of something—Ada with her big break, Tayo with her work stress, and me... well, I’m somewhere in between, trying to figure out how to keep everything from falling apart.

The freelance work is picking up, but it’s been tough. And John... well, things haven’t been easy between us lately.” I took in a deep breath and narrated my own struggles with them

Ada’s eyes widen. “What happened? You two seemed so happy.”

He has been so distant lately and the worse part is that I don't know what he is going through that has made him shot me out like this

“Pris, that sounds rough,” Tayo says softly. “But relationships go through rough patches. What’s important is how you both come back from this.”

“I know,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. “But it’s hard, you know? I’m trying to make this business work, and he’s dealing with his own pressures. I’m scared we’re losing each other.”