A loud knock on a Saturday morning brought Reuben to the door. He opened it, still groggy from sleep, only to find Esaaba standing there, beaming with a basket of food in hand, smiling from ear to ear.

Reuben opened the door, greeted by Esaaba, standing there with a basket of food, her face lit up with a wide smile. "Good morning, Reuben. I'm here to see your friend," she chirped.

"Yes, I know," Reuben responded, keeping his tone neutral, "but on Saturday mornings, he’s usually not around. He plays tennis to unwind. Didn’t he tell you?"

Esaaba's smile faltered slightly. "No, he didn’t mention it. I just figured he might be busy working, so I came over to help."

Reuben shifted his weight, growing impatient. "Well, he won’t be back anytime soon. Saturdays are his tennis days."

"I'll wait," she said, determined.

Reuben shook his head firmly. "That’s not going to work. My girlfriend is on her way, and she's a bit of an overthinker. If she sees you here, she might get the wrong idea, and neither of us wants that drama."

Esaaba frowned, clearly unhappy with his refusal, but sensing there was no room for negotiation, she eventually turned and left, looking upset.

As soon as the door closed, Reuben felt his own frustration bubbling up. The constant encroachment on his personal space by Reggie and Esaaba was wearing on him. Picking up his phone, he dialed Reggie, who was just finishing up his game.

"Ru, what’s up?" Reggie answered, sounding upbeat.

"Your girlfriend was just here," Reuben said sharply.

Reggie sighed. "Geez, what did she want?"

"She showed up unannounced, again. We can’t keep encouraging this behavior. It’s bad for you, and it’s bad for me. You need to talk to her," Reuben replied, irritation clear in his voice.

"Alright, alright. Don’t be mad. I’ve already sorted things out. She’s moving into her own place next week, so she won’t be showing up at your door unannounced anymore."

"It better be true," Reuben said, his tone serious. "I don’t want to be dragged into this mess."

After the call, Reggie hurried to Esaaba’s place. She was waiting for him, visibly upset.

"I went over to your place today, and your friend sent me away," she said, her voice tinged with frustration.

Reggie sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?" he asked.

"Can’t I pay my man a surprise visit anymore?" she shot back.

"No, you can’t, not when I don’t live alone. Please understand," he said, trying to reach for her, but she stepped back, pushing him away.

"I don’t trust you anymore, Reggie. You’re not being transparent with me," she said, her anger simmering beneath the surface.

Reggie felt the weight of her words. "Esaaba, what more do you want from me? Haven’t I done everything you’ve asked?"

She shook her head, her frustration mounting. "It’s not enough anymore. I want to meet your family. That’s the only way I’ll know you're serious, the only way I can trust you."

Reggie's smile faded as her demand hung in the air.

Other Chap: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22