The morning I woke up, the first thing I saw was the old ceiling of my childhood room. I was so shocked that I just stood there. The cracks were still there, the same ones I used to count when I was younger. My heart was aching. It was more than ten years that I hadn’t been in this room.
I lifted myself up from the bed. The curtains looked tired, the old brown wardrobe was still standing in the corner and even the calendar on the wall had not changed. I took out my phone, expecting my smartphone. But I got my old Nokia torchlight phone in my hand.
I turned it on. The green screen lit up.
May 14, 2011.
My heart stopped. That day. The day I never forgot. The day I made a mistake I regretted for years.
I was twenty then, stubborn and careless. My father wanted me to attend a family meeting at my uncle’s house. He told me it was important. Elders would be there. But I ignored him. I followed my friends to a football match instead.
I thought it was no big deal. Another family meeting. I would go to the next one.
But there was no next one. That day turned out to be my last chance to sit with my uncle. Two weeks later, he was gone. People said he had prepared something to share with me, advice I never got to hear. I carried that guilt for years.
And now, somehow, I was back on that very day.
“Mama!” I called, my voice shaking.
“Yes, my son, you are awake?” she answered from the kitchen.
My eyes were about to pop out because of the tears. In my past life, my mother had disappeared for a long time, but now she was there again, alive and making her usual beans with a nice little tune. I was dying to wrap my arms around her and keep her close forever. However, my thoughts were all over the place.
This was my second chance.
I dressed quickly. I knew what was coming. My friends would call or text soon. That was how it happened before.
Sure enough, my phone beeped.
“Guy, we dey wait for you. Don’t dull, match start by 4.”
The message caught my eye. The attraction was intense, similar to the first time. The sound, the joy, the sense of being included. Yet I recalled the suffering that came after. I was not in the mood for that. I walked away from the cab stand where the guys were, and headed to my uncle’s place after putting the phone away.
The compound was alive with voices. Elders sat under the mango tree, sipping palm wine. Children ran around playing. And then I saw him. My uncle.
He sat in his white kaftan, smiling at me. He was looking strong and healthy.
“Ah, John! So you remembered to come,” he said. “I thought football had stolen you again.”
I laughed, though my eyes burned.
“Good, sit with me,” he said. “I have something to tell you.”
The meeting started. The elders talked about family and unity, about not forgetting where we came from. I listened to every word.
My uncle leaned toward me. “John, you are smart. You're not expected to waste your time on this that wouldn't last. Stay close to family. Life is shorter than you think.”
I nodded, holding back tears. His words cut deep. I knew I would remember them forever.
When the meeting ended, he patted my shoulder. “I’ll call you soon. There’s something I want us to plan.” His eyes shone with pride.
I swallowed it down with great difficulty. I really wanted to let him know how this instant was so special to me, but no words came out of my mouth. However, this time I hadn't overlooked it. I had been present. I felt that my spirit was lifted when I drove home. I used to be filled with regret for years, but now I had made it right.
My mother was waiting for me at home with beans and plantain. I sat opposite her and observed every detail like the way she beamed with joy, the way she gently tapped the spoon on the plate. In another existence, I had lost her too early. But here, I had her again, even if just for today.
"Mom," I spoke very quietly, "thanks for everything."
She stared at me, confused, then burst out laughing. "You're sounding like an old man. Eat your food before it gets cold."
I laughed too, my chest full.
That night, I lay on my bed, staring at the same ceiling. I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. Would I wake up back in my real timeline? Would I stay here? I had no idea.
But I knew this: I had been given one more chance, and I had taken it.
If tomorrow sent me back, I would carry this peace with me. If I stayed here, I would live better. I would listen more. Love harder. Never waste big moments on small things.
Because I finally understood. Life is about the people we hold close. The words we don’t let slip by. The time we don’t waste.
I closed my eyes, whispering a quiet prayer.
For the first time in years, my heart felt free.
