Mrs Ahmed Shehu

22

AHMED

Photos from the dinner are uploaded on the organisation's official Instagram account during the week. While I normally don't pay these posts much attention, I do so this year.

There are some single shots of Suraiya and they get a lot of attention, especially by men who I'm tempted to find and give a piece of my mind. Do I save the photos? I do. I save the ones with both of us too. Every one of those shots was taken without us being aware but they turned out very beautifully and I'm not stupid enough to not save them on my phone.

Those comments though...Especially those who ask who she is and whether or not the organisation can provide her contact details because they want to "meet her and chat". I report a lot of the comments and my joy knows no bounds when some of them are taken down. They're crazy; every single one of them.

Suraiya doesn't say anything about the photos so I don't do say anything too. She's fixated on the upcoming events and her excitement's so beautiful. It rubs off on me too and I gladly welcome it. The only downside to it all is that we're going to be stressed when it ends. The person I pity most is myself because after all this, I'll be on my way to New Zealand. I don't know why I couldn't get a direct return flight booked so I'll have to make a transit stop in Addis Ababa. Well, when that time comes, I'll deal with it.

The kids' break falls in the wedding period and they're more than excited to come with us to Osun for Jonathan and Busola's white wedding. I'm still going to kill that man because I don't understand how you'll just wake up in the middle of the night and cause chaos. Don't get me started on the others who have now learned the bad habit of randomly coming to the group to drop big news that would normally need time to get used to.

We all leave Abuja for Osun on Thursday evening and it's not the easiest trip. Thankfully our accommodation points are overly comfortable so we call it a night very early. If it weren't for the traditional marriage Busola's family insisted on having, I have no doubt we would have spent most of Friday sleeping.

The event is colourful though and very enjoyable even though my focus is on Suraiya more than half the time. She's been happy all week and like I always tell myself, happiness really looks good on her. She and the women stay together and while Nurudeen sticks to me like a second skin, Teslimah and Adeelah stay with her throughout. They're the perfect image; three of them together.

That night we all have dinner in the backyard of Busola's family house and we eat until there's no more space for anything else. Jonathan and Busola are just a cute mess and we all act like they're being disgusting which ends with all of us laughing. Goodnights are said soon enough and I'm unable to talk to Suraiya before she and the girls leave. I don't mean to pout slightly but I can't help it.

I can't wait to return to Abuja. At least there, both of us will talk nicely and as much as I'd like. Just a few more hours and we'll be done with this place. I can manage.

The white wedding starts at 10AM the next morning and if there's one thing I love, it's the fact that it's not held in a church. It's held in a clearing on the outskirts of town; a clearing that was transformed to a fairy-tale destination by the planning team. Busola's beautiful and so is Jonathan. Their vows are lovely and Jonathan tearing up is a sight.

We tease him (come on, it's payback) and even though he's on the verge of the tears, he promises to get back at us. They're pronounced husband and wife soon enough and, thankfully, they don't do any heavy kissing for the sake of the kids that came along.

We don't leave until the next morning and I'm more than exhausted by the time we land in Abuja. As we make our way to the awaiting cars, my phone rings. Seeing that Mama's the one calling, I accept the call and bring the device to my ear.