Mrs Ahmed Shehu

16

AHMED

It's amazing, how five days can redefine an already existing relationship; how it can show you more sides of a person and tell you more about them than six months ever did.

It's also amazing how five days of being friends with Suraiya has made me want to beat myself up over and over again for not telling her I'd want to be friends with her sooner.

She's fascinating; I mean that in every way possible. I'm selfishly happy I'm the only one getting to see these new sides of her and once in a while, I wonder if her family know just how much they're missing out on simply because they don't want to give her a chance. Well, sucks to be them.

From the colours she loves to the books she reads and to the animated way she talks about stuff (a way I never knew she could talk like), Suraiya's brilliant, witty, and wallahi I have never met a geek like her. I knew she read (I caught glimpses over the month) but now that I've gotten a glimpse of her brain, I'm mesmerised. Do I want more of it? Yes, yes I do, and I am going to be selfish and get it.

Asking her to dinner was somewhat impulsive. I don't regret it though because her saying yes made me happy. I do plan on opening up to her but the main reason I wanted to take her out was because I'm sure our tonight's destination is a place she'd love; especially on days when she wants to go out and read.

I'll have to find bookstores in Abuja, just for her. I want to see the kind of books she picks out so I'll know what to get each time I travel. Yes, I want to do that for her.

Our day starts with Fajr and like always, I strain my ears to hear her recite. She recites beautifully. In Shaa Allah, maybe when the kids get back, I'll get her to recite while I (I mean, the kids and I) listen. In Shaa Allah she won't say no. If she does, we'll have to find a way to get her to say yes.

Breakfast is hot chocolate and toast (this woman spreads a lot of Nutella). When I tell her she's on her way to getting high on sugar, she raises a brow at me. "That's rich coming from you, Ahmed Shehu."

"I'm innocent."

She snorts. "Yeah right."

Knowing I won't win the argument, I give in. We trade childhood stories as we eat and she was honestly a quietly crazy child. And to think Mama said I was cunning. She needs to have Suraiya share her tales. She and Baba will hardly be able to get their jaws off the floor. Our interior team arrives at exactly 10:30AM. It's headed by Jonathan's cousin, Jane, who doesn't mind at all that she's working through the break.

"They make me feel very single at home." She tells Suraiya and I. "So I'm more than happy to be productive with my singleness."

"I hope you get a great man soon," Suraiya says with a smile on her face. "If that's what you want."

Jane smiles back. "Amen. That's what I want, Suraiya, but I'm not in a rush. Better to be safe than sorry, right?"

Suraiya and I nod. "Right."

We take the team round (there are four of them) and the last destination is my room. It's Suraiya's first time in it and I wonder how it looks from her point of view. Asma and I settled for black, white, and touches of grayish-blue (I can't remember the exact name it was called).

There's a mini sitting area with twin single seat sofas and a small coffee table, a work desk and its accompanying chair, a wall mounted vanity dresser with its dark top, the full length mirror, the king sized bed that used to be ours and its nightstands, the walk-in wardrobe and then the terrace with its chairs. Oh, there's a mini file cabinet too which isn't as full as it used to be because Asma's design files are gone.