Chapter 5: When Silence Speaks

David checked his phone again.

Nothing.

He tried to focus on work, but his mind kept drifting back to Amanda.

Even Tobi noticed.

"Guy, wetin happen?" he asked during lunch.

David sighed.

"I haven't heard from Amanda since yesterday."

"The wrong-number girl?"

David nodded.

Tobi shrugged.

"Maybe she's just busy."

"I hope so."

"But if she's been texting you every day, I understand why you're worried."

David managed a faint smile.

"I didn't realize I'd get used to hearing from her."

By 9:30 p.m., David was lying on his bed when his phone finally vibrated.

His heart skipped a beat.

Amanda: I'm sorry.

He replied almost instantly.

David: Amanda! Where have you been? I was worried.

A few moments later, another message came.

Amanda: My mum collapsed this morning. We rushed her to the hospital.

David sat upright.

David: Oh no. How is she now?

Amanda: The doctors say she's stable. She's sleeping now.

David let out a long breath.

David: Thank God. I was beginning to imagine the worst.

Amanda stared at the message for a while before replying.

Amanda: Thank you for worrying about me.

Later that night, she called him.

Her voice was softer than usual.

"You sound tired," David said gently.

"I am."

There was a brief silence.

Then Amanda spoke again.

"You know something?"

"What?"

"When everything happened today... after my family... you were the first person I wanted to talk to."

David was quiet.

Those words meant more than she probably realized.

"I'm honored," he finally said.

Amanda smiled.

"I don't even know why I trust you this much."

"Maybe because we started as strangers."

"Or maybe..." she said thoughtfully, "...because you've never given me a reason not to."

David didn't know what to say.

He simply listened.

Sometimes, being present meant more than having the perfect words.

Before ending the call, Amanda whispered,

"Thank you for staying."

David smiled.

"I'm not going anywhere."

She laughed softly.

"Good."

When the call ended, David looked at the first message Amanda had ever sent him.

A wrong number.

Who would have thought a simple mistake could bring someone into his life like this?

Little did he know...

The next step in their story would change everything.