Before we left the country, Tope insisted we make one last stop — her home.
It was a quiet area on the outskirts of town. Simple houses, dusty roads, and clothes dancing in the breeze on old clotheslines. As we stepped into her family compound, her mother welcomed us with a warm smile and open arms. Her father, though quiet, stood proudly beside her.
Tope introduced us one by one. Then, my parents walked in, dressed simply but with a presence that couldn't be ignored. Her parents looked surprised — almost unsure how to act in front of such polished guests.
But then something happened that I'll never forget.
My dad stepped forward and said, "We are here not just because our son is traveling… but because of your daughter."
Tope's parents exchanged glances.
"She changed his life," my mother added, her voice soft. "She stood by him when no one else did. And because of her, he became a better person."
There was silence. Tope's mother wiped a tear.
Then, my father continued, "We would like to help — not as charity, but as family. We want Tope to come with our son, and we'll take care of all her expenses. She deserves that opportunity."
Tope froze.
Her father's eyes welled up.
"No one has ever said something like that about our daughter," he whispered.
There wasn't a dry eye in the room.
And that day, it wasn't just Tope's house that changed — it was her life, her family's story, and the connection between two very different worlds that came together through love, growth, and destiny.