Before I say I do - episode 4 - by Matilda🪷🫧

The apartment is a different world now, full of noise, movement and color. Amara’s mother, Mrs. Adeyemi, is directing two younger cousins carrying garment bags, talking a mile a minute. Amara has changed into something presentable, a smile fixed carefully in place. MRS. ADEYEMI: “Where is my son-in-law? Daniel!” Daniel emerges from the bedroom, freshly showered, doing an impressive job of looking like a man about to get married tomorrow. DANIEL: “Good morning, ma.” MRS. ADEYEMI: (hugging him) “Tomorrow, eh! Finally. Your mother called me — she’s already at the hotel, she said you should call her back.” DANIEL: “I will.” Amara watches this exchange from the kitchen doorway, arms folded, unreadable. Her mother catches her expression. MRS. ADEYEMI: “Amara, why do you look like that? Somebody stole your joy this morning?” AMARA: (forcing a laugh) “Just tired, Mummy. Wedding week.” Mrs. Adeyemi doesn’t fully buy it but lets it go, distracted by a cousin holding up two fabric samples. Later — the apartment has cleared out slightly. Daniel finds Amara alone on the balcony, city noise humming below. DANIEL: “You didn’t tell her.” AMARA: “Was I supposed to? Ruin everyone’s flights, the hall deposit, the four hundred aso-ebi already sewn?” DANIEL: “That’s not why you didn’t tell her.” Amara turns, surprised he’d push. DANIEL: “You didn’t tell her because you haven’t decided yet.” A pause. She doesn’t deny it. AMARA: “Did you block her?” DANIEL: “Yes. In front of my mother, actually, since she called right after you left the room.” AMARA: “How convenient.” DANIEL: “Amara, I’m trying.” Her phone buzzes. She glances at it and freezes. AMARA: (quiet) “…What.” DANIEL: “What is it?” She turns the phone toward him without a word. It’s a message — not from Sarah. From a number saved simply as “K.” The message reads: “Saw the wedding hashtag. Congratulations doesn’t feel like the right word. Can we talk before tomorrow?” Daniel reads it twice, confused. DANIEL: “Who’s K?” Amara locks the phone quickly, tucking it against her chest, her earlier composure cracking for the first time. AMARA: “Nobody.” DANIEL: (slowly, echoing her from last night) “That’s never a good answer.” She meets his eyes — and for the first time, it’s Amara who looks caught. Inside the apartment, Mrs. Adeyemi’s voice calls out cheerfully from the living room. MRS. ADEYEMI: “Amara! Come and see your dress, they want to do final fitting before tonight!” Amara holds Daniel’s gaze a second longer, then turns and walks back inside, leaving him alone on the balcony, staring at the space where the phone had been.

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