Mrs Ahmed Shehu

26

AHMED

The reality of the day's events hits me as we're checking into a nearby hotel and my knees give way. Baba catching me stops me from falling and Mama rushes over to help him hold me up.

"Ahmed –"

"I'm okay." I tell them. The world takes a moment to steady. "I just need a minute."

I'm in love with Suraiya. I didn't get to Niamey too late. I just paid over a million and half. I'm getting married to her in a few hours. I didn't lose her.

"Ahmed." I focus on Baba as he asks "Did you eat today?"

It takes a moment to really think. The world starts to spin again and I manage to shake my head. "Not really." Are my words slurring? "I had cereal this morning but that was it. I don't think I've taken anything since then."

"Even water?" Mama asks and I nod. She starts to pull me forward. "We have to get you something to eat. You'll collapse at this rate."

I let her lead me and while I ensure I don't fall on my own two feet, my heart and mind jubilate over the fact that Suraiya's coming back home with me, as my wife. I didn't lose her. In Shaa Allah I'm never going to lose her.

The restaurant isn't so busy and I'm too exhausted to admire the interior. If there's time for breakfast tomorrow, I'll do so. If there isn't, toh, until I visit again. My phone keeps beeping with notifications and I fish it out of my pocket, putting it on the top of the table they make me sit at.

A minute later, a drink is placed in front of me and I don't know what it is but I feel better with each sip I take. The tiredness lifts slowly and the world stays steady. When I finish the drink, Baba takes it from me and Mama gives me another already opened bottle.

I smile at her. "Do you want to kill me with sugar this night? Even after all the times you preached to me as a child?"

She chuckles. "Drink, Ahmed. You need it."

I do take the drink and I finish it almost as quickly as I did with the first one. I then hold my head in my hands for a minute, breathing in and out. God, this is real. All of it is real. If someone had told me at the start of the year that this would be happening, I would have laughed. Look at us now.

As soon as I raise my head, Baba slaps my back. It's a small slap but it hurts. I stare at him in shock and he eyes me. "Keh, if you ever scare me like that again!"

I reach up to rub the sore spot. "Baba!"

Mama looks ready to melt. "Oh, Alhamdulillah." She turns to the man she loves. "Shehu, I told you that there was something blooming between them. I told you sooner or later they were going to get together but this man –" She turns back to me. "Fast tracked everything."

I stare at them both, in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

Mama doesn't stop smiling. "You've liked Suraiya for a while now, Ahmed. It was obvious to everyone except you two and your father here." She ignores Baba's glare. "I didn't think it was going to ever happen as at the time I brought her to Abuja but when you came for Eid with her, I had to take note of it. It wasn't even that obvious after Ramadan. Eid-el-Adha! Oh Allah. You two were sneaky but cute."

I can only stare at her, surprised at everything she's revealing.

"I had a feeling whatever was between you two was going to come out in its own time." She continues. "And like your father, I was ready to support whatever decision you made. I love Suraiya. We all do. So, you having feelings for her and wanting to be with her was something we kept our minds open to. We just didn't expect you to call out of the blue and state that you were on your way to Niamey because you can't let go of her." She adjusts her veil. "That's why I was speechless when I called and you asked that question."