Mrs Ahmed Shehu

13

SURAIYA

Je suis vissė. I'm screwed.

Well, I'm not screwed yet but if I don't come up with a plan by the end of this month, I'm going to be screwed in every way possible. The end of the month is twenty days away and then I have an extra seventeen days to think of something that'll work out well. I should be able to handle it...Right?

Today's November 10th and it's a Thursday. Teslimah is going to be five next tomorrow (Saturday) and Ahmed wants to do something small for her. Unfortunately, work has been keeping him extremely busy these days so it kinda falls on my shoulders. His birthday is next Sunday and the kids have already told me they want me to help them put something together for him. I couldn't say no. Ahmed has been a wonderful person to work for and live with, even though we're not close, and so it's the least I can do.

Why am I freaking out? Oh, that's easy. I'll tell you.

The kids are leaving for Cardiff on December 17th and they won't return until January 6th or 7th so they can get ready for school. Ahmed told them about the trip this morning, wanting to get their reactions, and they were more than excited about it. Without them around, there's no need for me to be here. So, I need to find out how I'm going to spend my holiday and where I'm going to do so.

Niamey is out of the question. I'm not going back there anytime soon. My family has been bombarding me with calls and texts lately and I'm getting sick and tired of it all. The new agenda they're pushing is marriage and they keep pulling the "you're not getting any younger" card. Mum is being very annoying about it and it's a miracle I haven't snapped yet.

I have no doubt someone spoke about me at home; he or she probably compared me to others my age that are married and successful with jobs that don't involve "taking care of kids that aren't theirs". I won't be surprised if they asked my parents how much longer they were going to allow me "stray" and what they would do when people start talking about how the youngest daughter of Boukar Shehu doesn't want to uphold the family name the way her siblings did. They would then end the conversation by saying they are only looking out for my family, knowing fully well that their reputation is something my parents don't joke with.

It's really not their fault. Those people just don't know what to do with their lives. I just wish they'd mind their business and leave me alone. Il y a tellement de choses que je peux continuer ā prendre. There's only so much I can keep taking.

My phone rings and I accept the call, recognising the number as that of the confectionary house Ahmed recommended. He said the owner is Amal's cousin and that she was the one who provided the cupcakes and cookies that we ate on the day of Eid. She's good; I'll give her the due credit.

"Assalam Alaykum." She says over the line. "Hi, Suraiya."

"Waalaykum Salam. Hello, Husna. I guess I called at a bad time earlier."

"Yeah, kind of. I was packaging some orders and I knew I was going to mess things up if I stepped aside to pick the call. I'm sorry."

"Oh no, I should be the one apologising." I tell her. "I hope the orders have been packed."

"Yeah, Alhamdulillah. They've taken them for dispatch."

"I'm glad to hear that."

There's movement on her end. "You're calling concerning Teslimah's cake, right?"

"Yup. Ahmed asked that I cross check everything, just to be sure nothing's being left out."

She chuckles. "Typical Ahmed Shehu...The cakes have been baked. I just finished preparing the buttercream. I'm about to start working on the fondant and then I'll get started on layering everything all together. I promised you a cake by tomorrow evening and In Shaa Allah I'm not going to disappoint."