“No man will save you. For such a smart woman, you’re still swimming in fairy tales that make us feminists weep in shame,” Zizi continued. “He doesn’t exist, and he’s not coming to save you from your self-pity. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you’ll let a sane man into your life.”

“How often do you speak to your family?” she asked Godwin. “Every day,” Godwin responded with a tone that questioned her judgment for asking him such an obvious question. “I’m actually considering moving my wife and children to England for better opportunities.” Kemi felt ashamed for letting weeks pass between her own calls back to her family.

“Being different doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you or that you aren’t perfect as you are. It simply means getting special support so you can live your best life.”

Brittany was realizing Jonny didn’t like her thinking too much. She made him nervous whenever she came asking questions he couldn’t answer or wasn’t ready to. He often responded with silence.

Belonging and acceptance were curious siblings indeed, Muna often thought. These feelings made men grovel. One could try to belong for decades without ever fully being accepted.

“Diversity and inclusion are also about breaking stereotypes,” she said. “Not only showing Black and brown faces in ads. Trust me.”

Was she ever going to be enough without accentuating herself?

It scared Kemi sometimes, this odd shift where she could strut into boardrooms and walk out with million-dollar deals then crumble into herself if a guy she fancied responded lukewarmly.

Hearing those familiar intonations was enough to excite Kemi and conjure up memories of her own family. She eavesdropped, soaking up the cultural source that was her lifeline.