Mrs Ahmed Shehu

11

SURAIYA

Yarah and Yazan Sa'ed Dantata are the second most beautiful kids I've ever seen. The most beautiful kids are Adeelah, Teslimah and Nurudeen. Yarah and Yazan are next on that list.

And then there's Hanan's sister, Hauwa. She's also beautiful and she's living in one hell of a book plot. I mean, she has two wonderful men in love with her. I'm willing to put everything I have on the line for a front row seat and lots of popcorn just to see where this goes. She's the nicest person too and I'm honoured to meet her and her mother, Linda.

Seeing Yarah and Yazan does wonders for the kids and it is a futile effort trying to get Nurudeen away from the cot where both babies sleep. Yazan is going to look like Zayd and Yarah is an exact replica of her mother. Talk about strong genes on both sides of the family.

"Wait o." Jameelah gets our attention and I already know what she's going to ask as she looks from Teslimah to Adeelah and then to Nurudeen. "Ahmed Shehu, why are these kids not in school?"

Ahmed, who stands between Zayd and Luqman, smiles at her. "There's an issue that needs to be sorted out in school so they'll be home for the rest of the week."

Thank God they didn't ask me. Je balbutierais. I'd stammer.

Catherine asks the next question. "But it's nothing serious, right?"

Ahmed shakes his head, still smiling. "Nah, it's nothing too serious. It'll be sorted out in no time so you guys shouldn't worry too much. Let's not take the spotlight away from the new Dantatas."

Hanan hisses from her bed. "All of you should get out."

We all laugh at that. Eventually, Nurudeen leaves the cot and he comes over to where I'm sitting. He doesn't allow me carry him. He chooses to stand between my legs instead, leaning back against me.

"Suraiya."

"Hmm."

"The babies are tiny."

I chuckle. "They are. That's how babies are. They'll grow with every passing day."

"So I was really that tiny?"

I nod. "You were...There are pictures to prove it."

"I looked bigger."

"Well, maybe you were bigger than Yarah and Yazan are right now but at some point in every one's life, we were all tiny."

He looks at me. "Even you?"

I nod again, smiling easily at him. He has my heart, all of it. "Even me. If you want, I can show you my baby pictures when we get home."

His face lights up. "Yes!"

I chuckle again. "Remind me when we get home, okay?"

"Okay!"

When I raise my head, I realize our conversation had been watched by almost everyone in the room. They all look away with smiles on their faces and my cheeks warm. I wonder how it came off to them. It isn't long before the conversation shifts back to Ahmed as they want to know if he's still travelling. Wait a minute...His flight is tomorrow night. Merde! It seemed like we still had a few more days.

Ahmed nods, fixing his sleeve. "Yeah, I'll be leaving tomorrow In Shaa Allah."

Zayd walks over to sit beside Hanan. "How long will you be gone?"

"For now, I'm sure of being away for a week. However, there are some sneaky clients so it might be longer. Two weeks top In Shaa Allah."

Hussayna turns to me. "Suraiya, you'll be with the kids, right?"