Chinwe had been drowning in work for months. Every morning felt like wading through concrete, every evening felt like returning from a battlefield with invisible wounds. She was faced with reports, deadlines and endless calls that had begun to blur into one long, exhausting rhythm.

Today was not different. Her list of to-dos for the day could not get any fuller. She was on the move to visit a customer while trying to join an online meeting when her phone pinged. A new email. 

She swiped open her inbox, expecting another memo about reports or compliance. Instead, the subject line alone made her blink:

“INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN OUT-OF-STATE TRAINING PROGRAM”

Her heart skipped a beat. Out-of-state? Training? Hotel? Free food? 

She scrolled, eyes widening as she read:

Dear Chinwe,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to participate in an upcoming training program with details as follows:Training: Professional Development & Leadership WorkshopLocation: Kano StateDates: Jan. 14, 2026 – Jan. 16, 2026

Accommodation: Hotel stay will be provided during the training period.

Purpose: to enhance staff’s skills in leadership, teamwork, and strategic thinking, while providing opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.

Please confirm your attendance by replying to this email by COB today. Additional information regarding travel arrangements, session schedules, and training materials will be shared upon confirmation.

Chinwe’s fingers hovered over her phone screen. Two days. Two whole days away from this relentless grind. Her pulse quickened, a thrill she hadn’t felt in months. She felt a little ridiculous smiling at her screen, but she couldn’t help it. Finally. Finally, some breathing space. 

Her mind immediately wandered to the stories she’d heard from the previous cohort, about the buffets, laughter and small freedoms that felt like tiny miracles. With a quick tap, she hit Reply, confirming her attendance. A little bubble of excitement bloomed inside her chest, spreading warmth that made her fingers tingle. For the first time in weeks, she could think about something besides work. Something like… adventure.

Then, she remembered her meeting and quickly joined. Not even a scolding from this performance meeting will touch my mood, she thought, smiling to herself.

As work wrapped up for the day, she shared the good news with her colleague, Amara, who grinned and nudged her. “Make sure you bring back goodies o, Chinwe,” she said. “You’ll see, it’ll be a feast, just like Mr. Shola told us.

”Chinwe laughed quietly to herself. “Amara, you know me. I will not be that person. Wetin go come do my steeze? Abeg o.”“

O gini? You get person, boyfriend, for there?” Amara teased.“

Ah, look at this married woman o. What if I find my Mr. Right?”“

In two days?” Amara scoffed.“You never can tell,” Chinwe said, shrugging.

Just as Amara opened her mouth to respond, her phone rang. “My husband is here. Goodnight, Chinwe.

”“Good night, Amara,” Chinwe said.

Once again, as she had done all the way to her customer’s office and back, she set her phone down and leaned back in her chair. For a moment, she let herself imagine the hotel lobby, the city streets she would walk through, the possibility of ease for even just forty-eight hours. She even let herself smile at the thought of the buffet. Okay, maybe a little bit won’t hurt, she thought, a small thrill tickling her chest.