Chapter Twenty

"The videography for this particular ad should carry an African theme, I don't know but you and your team should brainstorm and come up with something, this is a huge work and I'm expecting something, at least a draft of your ideas by next week." Sufyan instructed as he scrolled through his tablet.

The lady nodded. "I understand sir, we won't disappoint."

He looked up at her with a smile. "Thank you Marie, I appreciate you."

She blushed and hurried out.  Lillian poked her head into his office.

"Nuha is here sir, should I send her in?"

He nodded with a look of surprise, it'd been long since he had seen her, she had been out of the country for her master's program.

She walked into the office with a frown, and a flowery scent enveloped the air.

"You'll think with how long I've been coming here Lillian would actually allow me to be able to surprise you but no! She has to be a spoilsport, boring and a blabbermouth." She complained.

Nuha was dressed in a peach colored flowy maxi skirt and a white stylish long sleeved bodycon blouse, a black veil was flimsily covering her hair. She dumped her mini purse on his desk and collapsed on the seat.

"I missed you so much Sufyan, I knew I had to run down to Nigeria just to see you."

He shook his head at one of her antics. "Of course you did."

She sat upright. "I'm not joking this time, although I'm not here entirely because of you but I did miss you so much."

"I missed you too Nuha, you look amazing."

She stood up and twirled, "I do right? Must be because of all the pampering I've been receiving since I got home and all those other weird skin stuff my mom is insisting I apply."

"It suits you, when did you return and why didn't you inform me you were in the country?"

"I came last week and that's what I'm saying, it was supposed to be a surprise." She sat back down. "I was supposed to waltz in here and sweep you off your feet but every romantic bone in Lillian's body is either broken or non-existent because she couldn't even grant me that."

Sufyan laughed. "She's just doing her job."

"Too much of it I must say, anyways... Let's go out." She gave him a pout knowing that he wouldn't want to and as expected, he shook his head in refusal.

"Here we go again Nuha, you can't just come in here and decide to take me away from work at your own convenience."

"But that's not it!" She protested. "I wanted to surprise you."

"It has gone wrong." He picked up his tablet ready to ignore her.

"Sufyan..." She whined.

"No." He shook his head.

"I have important news."

He refused to reply her.

"Wallahi I do, it's very very important."

He sighed. "We aren't going to Oakley's." He knew her too well.

She gave him a big smile. "we are baby."

"No we're not, you have an unhealthy addiction to that place."

"The same unhealthy addiction you have to Khair's Treats."

"Mine is understandable." He said standing up, she did the same.

"It's an amazing place and I missed it."

"Get used to not going there, nobody cursed you with that place."

She frowned at him. "You're so rude, okay fine, we'll go to Tea room."

"Only ladies go to that place." He complained.

"You're such a nag, we're going there whether you like it or not."

"I'm going out for lunch." He said to Lillian as they passed her desk.

"I have in mind wicked things for you Lillian, very wicked things." Nuha said pointing a finger at her.

"No you don't, let's go."

Nuha was chatty all through the car ride, Sufyan sat in the passenger seat quietly listening to her. The drive was a short one and soon they arrived at Tea room.

"Did I ever tell you that my cousin is bestfriend with the owner of this place?" Nuha asked as they walked into the place.

"You mentioned it." Sufyan lied knowing she'd have engaged him in a tale about either the owner or her cousin.

"It's a good spot for pictures though, here take a picture of me." She shoved her phone at him and he slided it back to her.

"No."

"Do it for the gram Sufyan, God! Stop being so stiff." She passed it to him and he grudgingly took her pictures and then returned her phone.

"Eww, what's this? No! My eyes are closed here, SubhanAllah! Never! I look depressed in this..." She kept complaining as she slided through her phone, Sufyan tuned her out and signalled the waitress over, he ordered a burger and a smoothie.

He picked up his phone and his fingers hovered over Sabeerah's number although he didn't have her in mind when he'd carried the phone. It was four nights ago when they'd met up at Khair's Treats, he couldn't figure out where he'd messed up things or when he had said something wrong, okay that was a lie, he could point out things he shouldn't have said but she'd laughed them off eitherways. So what had he done wrong to cause her mood to switch so fast it had left him stunned?

She had reduced to replying him coldly until he had to simply focus on his meal, she scrolled through her phone in a bored manner, he tried to make conversation again but he was ignored, they both kept quiet until she stood up and announced she was leaving. Sufyan had tried to walk her out but she had refused him rudely.

"I can find my own way out Sufyan, thank you very much."

And she had left.

Sufyan had thought of nothing else for the next two days but he couldn't figure out what he had done wrong, many times he had told himself to call her but he also wanted to retain his self respect. She had called him late to meet up and he had hurried there, the least he could do for his ego now was prove that she wasn't that important in his life that'll make him chase her like an idiot.

"Earth to Sufyan." Nuha snapped her fingers in front of his face, he jolted.

"What are you thinking about?" She leaned her elbow on the table and placed her palms on her face, giving him an interested look. "Is it about a girl?"

"What's the important news?" He switched topic, she gave him a knowing look.

"So someone else caught your eye and heart and mind and soul, I was gone for only six months baby. I almost feel betrayed."

"No one caught my long list of things you've mentioned."

"I believe you." She said sarcastically. "The important news is..." She lightly hit the table to create tension, Sufyan rolled his eyes.

"Get to it already "

She slumped back on the chair. "Spill."

"You're the one who was about to spill." 

The waitress came back with his orders, she turned to Nuha. "What'll you like ma'am?"

She ordered an escalope with salad and a strawberry juice then turned back to him after the waitress had left.

"Your mood is off, what's wrong? Is it your mom? That woman is the most overbearing person I've ever encountered, no offense."

"Every taken, I've told you to stop calling her overbearing."

"Okay I'm sorry. Tell me what's wrong?"

"I'm fine Nuha, it's just work."

She gave him a sympathetic look. "Please cheer up."

He gave her a warning look and she sat upright. "Fine, fine. The important news is..."

She hesitated and his warning look intensified.

"The news is..." She hit the table lightly again. "You're looking at me, Nuha, the soon to be Mrs Nuha." She banged the table startlingly him and the ladies at the table close by.

He gave her one of his brightest smiles. "You're getting married?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Shocking right? He chased me for almost two years and when I finally agreed to date him, I never knew someone could love me as much as he does."

"That's beautiful, I'm very happy for you. When's the date?" Sufyan asked, he was genuinely elated. He knew Nuha's earlier feelings for him had long died but he was still a little worried when they'd stayed close friends, he didn't want it to return because she was one important person in his life that he didn't want to hurt. She liked to call him his bestfriend and he had hoped that she'll leave it at that, it gladdened him that she was getting married to someone who loved her as much as she'd said, she deserved it.

She was one of the sweetest and most generous person he'd ever met, very free spirited and ambitious too.

"On the 26th of next month." She replied.

"And you are just telling me?" He asked with a pretense anger.

"That's not it! The date was fixed when I got back, his family came to see mine and they both agreed there was no need for delay. You know you're my best friend, I'll never intentionally tell you late and besides you're the first male friend of mine I'm telling." She gave him a toothy smile.

He chuckled. "How did you both meet?"

She laughed before launching into a funny story of what had happened the first time they'd met, her happiness was contagious.

When he got back into the office, he stopped by Lillian's desk.

She smiled at him. "How was lunch?"

"Jolly, she's getting married and she's so excited about it."

Lillian gave him a pleasantly surprised look. "I thought she was interested in you."

Sufyan laughed and shook his head.

"She's over me, we're best friends now."

"I'm happy for her. I forgot to ask you about the wedding."

He shrugged. "It went very well."

Lillian's husband had refused to allow her attend, it had pissed Sufyan off but there was nothing he could do, he had wanted to go confront him but she had pleaded with him profusely not to.

"You really should have been there." He said softly.

She turned away from him and pretended to busy herself with some files on the desk.

"It's past now, I'll meet with them some other time." Her voice was sad.

"Lillian..." She shook her head begging him with her eyes to not say anything.

"Marriage isn't a do or die affair, please." He pleaded.

"He took me out." She said. "It was a surprise he had planned, that's why he didn't want me to go."

Sufyan knew she was lying. "Stop lying to me of all people for God's sake." He yelled at her.

"What do you want me to do?" She yelled back. "I can't leave him, where do I go? He's the only man who'll accept me as I am, how many other man will stick with a woman who can't bear them a child?"

"A man who loves you will, men don't just get married to women because of children. They get married for companionship, they get married because they wish to spend the rest of their life with the woman they love!"

She bursted into laughter. "You say this now but even you wouldn't want to marry a barren woman, not with the way you love kids. So please Sufyan, I am begging you to please leave this issue alone, I am the one wearing the shoes and I know where it hurts." 

"Please..." He tried again.

She shook her head. "No! I don't want you to say anything else, I am satisfied with how things are and long as he's with me and me alone, I'll take it however it is."

Sufyan could only stare at her helplessly, there was nothing else to do, she'd made up her mind. It hurt him that he couldn't help her.

He swore to himself that he'll never treat whoever he ends up marrying this way, no matter what happens.