The morning began quietly for Kemi. Sunlight slipped through the curtains, and the distant sounds of Lagos traffic drifted in. It was a big day—her chance to finally present her marketing idea to the board. She rehearsed her points one last time, grabbed her bag, and rushed out the door.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly—until it didn’t.

Halfway across the Third Mainland Bridge, the keke she boarded sputtered and broke down. The driver muttered to himself, passengers complained, and Kemi glanced at her watch—8:25 a.m. Her presentation started at 9. She was doomed.

Then a sleek black car slowed beside the road. The window rolled down, and to her shock, she saw Tunde, her old university friend—the same guy who once teased her for being too serious.

“Kemi?!” he called out.

“Tunde?!” she blinked. “You?”

“What are you doing stranded here?”

“It’s a long story. Can you drop me off at Lekki Phase 1?”

He grinned. “Hop in. You’re lucky I hate seeing people suffer in traffic.”

She hesitated only a moment before climbing in.

The first few minutes were awkward. They hadn’t seen each other in years. But as they talked about old times—their lecturers, their campus days, and their embarrassing memories—the tension eased.

Kemi laughed more than she had in weeks. For a moment, she forgot she was late for the most important meeting of her career.

Then her phone buzzed.

“Kemi, where are you?” her boss snapped.

“Sir, I’m almost there,” she lied.

“You’d better be. The chairman is waiting.”

Her hands shook. Tunde noticed. “Don’t panic,” he said. “We’ll make it.”

But moments later, the traffic thickened. Cars weren’t moving. A minor accident up ahead had blocked the road.

Kemi groaned. “This is it. I’m finished.”

Tunde smiled faintly. “Maybe not. You’ll see.”

By the time they finally reached her office, it was 9:30. She rushed inside, her heart pounding. She expected anger, maybe even dismissal. But when she entered the boardroom, she froze.

Sitting at the table, beside the chairman, was Tunde.

Her eyes widened. “Wait… what?”

The chairman smiled. “Ah, Kemi! I see you’ve already met our new partner—Mr. Tunde Balogun.”

Kemi stared at him in disbelief.

Tunde just winked. “Told you not to panic.”

It turned out his tech company had just merged with hers, and he was now overseeing the project she had worked so hard on.

“Please,” the chairman said, gesturing to her laptop. “Continue with your presentation.”

Kemi took a deep breath. Despite the chaos of her morning, she spoke clearly, passionately, and with confidence. When she finished, the room was silent for a moment—then filled with applause.

Later, her boss pulled her aside.

“You did well today,” he said. “We’ve decided you’ll lead the new joint project—with Mr. Tunde.”

Kemi almost laughed. “With him?”

“Yes. You two seem to work well together.”

Outside the office, Tunde waited by his car, that same teasing grin on his face.

“So,” he said, “you’re my new partner. Who would’ve thought?”

Kemi shook her head. “Definitely not me. You really like surprises, don’t you?”

He chuckled. “I don’t plan them. Life just throws them my way.”

Over the next few weeks, they worked side by side. Long meetings turned into late dinners, and friendly debates turned into quiet laughter. Tunde was still playful, but beneath the jokes, Kemi saw a depth she hadn’t noticed in school. He admired her focus. She admired his calm.

One evening, after a long day at the office, they stood outside watching the city lights dance across the lagoon.

“You know,” Kemi said softly, “if that keke hadn’t broken down, I wouldn’t be here talking to you right now.”

Tunde smiled. “Then I guess the flat tire was the best thing that ever happened to us.”

They both laughed, realizing how unpredictable life could be.

Sometimes, the roadblocks aren’t there to stop you—they’re there to redirect you.

And as the night breeze brushed past, Kemi couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, some unexpected turns were meant to happen.