Amina

The wind whipped her hair in her face. Amina sighed, wiping the stray strands of hair and tears. She had never had it easy in her twenty-five years on earth.

She watched the lanky doctor walk out of their tiny apartment, her heart shattering into pieces. The prognosis wasn't good. Her mother was dying! The cancer was spreading fast. She brushed off the gloom and walked into the house.

"Mama, you're going to be fine," she assured the frail-looking woman, who writhed in pain.

Her mother's eyes brimmed with unshed tears, "But how? We don't have that kind of money," she choked on her words.

Amina swallowed the sob and smiled, "I'll find the money for your treatment, Mama," she assured and kissed her forehead, "Get some rest. Idris is here if you need anything."

She grabbed her backpack and stormed out of the house, weaving her way through the face-me-I-face houses in the neighbourhood. Life had been unfair, especially after her father's death.

Baba's death came untimely. He had entrusted his wealth in the hands of the wrong people. It had cost them everything. It didn't help that those they called family spearheaded the betrayal.

Here she was, practically begging for gigs for which she knew she was more than qualified. This wasn't the life Baba envisioned for her and Idris, her younger brother. She had considered giving up countless times, but one look at her mother and brother kept her going.

With determined steps, she vowed to make a name in the industry. As she neared the beach, she spotted an Oyinbo man. He looked lost in a world of his own, creating magic on the canvas.

Although he was far from finished, she could make out the image. He was capturing the Oniru beach and a section of the crowd. She followed his eyes and confirmed the group of young men backfliping, just as it was on the canvas.

He was tall and exuded confidence. She could tell from his firm but gentle strokes on the canvas. She gave in to the nudge from her heart. The click from her Canon EOS R3 drew his attention. He straightened, and a pair of green eyes were fastened on her.

"I erm... Sorry to distract you," she apologized.

He straightened, "It's no bother," he assured her, revealing beautiful dentition.

He had a beautiful smile, one that was infectious.

"I'm Wyatt," he said, shaking hands with her.

"Amina," she supplied, matching his smile and grip.

"Can I have a look?" he asked, approaching with a slight limp.

She noticed he was tall, but she was taller. The gasp from Wyatt as he peered at the camera made her realize she had made quite an impression on him.

"Hmmm... You sure take mean photos."

"I do my best."

"So modest," he teased.

"Can I have your complimentary card? I'd love to visit your studio."

"I don't have."

"Which one of them? The card or a studio?"

"Both," she answered, head bowed.

"Why? A talent like you shouldn't be hiding. Share your gift with the word."

"I know. It's just that I'm broke, I've got family issues to deal with, and you know how the system works."

"While I agree, it's no excuse. You've got to put yourself out there. The world wouldn't want to miss out on your talent."

"I love to think that way, but I'm overwhelmed by everything happening around me. Giving up on everything is so tempting," she blinked the tears away.

"Life happens to the best of us. When life throws lemons at you, it can be hard to make lemonade out of them, but with the right initiative and ingredients, you can make a mean lemonade. Start somewhere. Build a site, create good contact, keep shoving your talent so hard in their faces that they have no choice but to contract."

Amina nodded as his words sank in.

"So what do you do when life throws lemons at you?"

"Make a mean lemonade," she grinned.

"Here, let me be your first contact. Here's my card. With what I've seen on your camera, you could land yourself a major deal, one I'm privy to. Good luck, Amina. Time to draw some inspiration," he smiled, dumping his clothes and walking towards the water.

For the second time that day, she watched a man walk away. But the feeling this time was different. She felt empowered!