Binary Hearts

101 | The Perfect Mix-up

A Surprise Gone Wrong

Adeola was unstoppable. The idea of surprising Tunde in Abuja had sparked in her mind, and she couldn't shake it. She packed swiftly, fueled by the thrill of what was to come. After arranging everything at home, she gave Sam, her loyal housekeeper, the final instructions to hold down the fort. There was a gleam in her eye as she closed her suitcase and headed out, imagining Tunde's reaction when he saw her standing at his doorstep unannounced. Her flight was booked, her suitcase packed. She was ready.

Back in Lagos, Adaora was entangled in her own dilemma. Hannah, her colleague, had proposed a project for upgrading Paystack, and though it sounded promising on the surface, Adaora felt the company should aim higher. In her view, they had the potential to make Paystack the best in the industry, pushing the boundaries of what was currently possible. She had a bold proposal of her own, one that would take the system to a new level, but submitting it came with risks. Not only was Hannah's project already gaining traction, but Adaora's relationship with Chidi, the CEO, complicated matters. She wasn't sure if Chidi would see her proposal objectively, and she didn't want to create tension by challenging Hannah's ideas directly.

The uncertainty gnawed at her until she couldn't hold it in any longer. She called her friend Bam Bam, the one person she knew would be brutally honest. Bam Bam was the friend who could talk for Africa, always brimming with energy and opinions. The moment Adaora explained her hesitation, Bam Bam cut in sharply.

"Adaora, listen to me! Submit that proposal now now! Why are you letting that... witch..."—she dropped her voice into a conspiratorial tone, referring to Hannah—"...stop you from doing what you know is best for Paystack?"

Adaora laughed, touched by her friend's fierce loyalty. "Alright, I hear you. I'll submit it. But I need to go over it one more time."

Bam Bam rolled her eyes and gave her a look that said no-nonsense. "Girl, don't let her get a hold of it. I'm serious. Submit it today."

With a grin, Adaora promised, "I'll do it, Bam Bam. I'll submit it, but I need to make sure it's perfect first."

Their conversation ended with Bam Bam's stern reminder not to let "that witch" get the upper hand, and Adaora felt a little lighter. True to her promise, she finally handed the proposal to Bam Bam to deliver directly to Chidi, sidestepping any chance for interference.

At the same time, Adeola was stepping onto her flight to Abuja, heart pounding with anticipation. She'd gone over her plan a hundred times in her head, relishing the image of Tunde's surprise. But unbeknownst to her, Tunde had just boarded a plane to Lagos. Life, it seemed, had other plans.

When Tunde's flight landed in Lagos, his driver was waiting, ready to take him to his office in Ojo for a quick check-in before heading home. He hadn't told Adeola he was leaving Abuja, so he figured he'd surprise her by showing up at her place later in the evening. But when he arrived at his office, he noticed something unusual—the door to Adeola's office was locked. She was never gone at this time without mentioning it.

Before he could think too much about it, his phone chimed with a WhatsApp notification. Curious, he opened it to find a photo from Adeola. He tapped on it, and his eyes widened.

There she was, grinning at the camera, standing at Abuja airport with a suitcase at her side.

For a moment, he just stared, then burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the empty hallway. His shoulders shook as he realized the irony of it all. The surprise had backfired perfectly, and now they were in different cities, each unknowingly planning to surprise the other.

After collecting himself, he quickly typed back, "Surprise gone wrong 😂"

Her response was almost immediate. "What do you mean?"

Grinning, Tunde snapped a quick selfie of himself sitting comfortably in his office at Lekki, his tie slightly loosened, eyes gleaming with amusement. He hit send, and in a few seconds, he saw the blue double ticks that signaled she had seen it.

On the other side of the screen, Adeola's reaction was nothing short of epic. She stared at the photo, mouth open in disbelief. Here she was, hundreds of miles away, only to find out that her surprise was now a hilarious mix-up.