AMRJ One Shots

Anniversary!

Author's Note:

IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE I STARTED AMRJ! Thank you all who have been with me through my own amazing journey of writing and having the most amazing readers! I would give you cake to celebrate but I can't so I wrote a chapter instead in which Safia and Yusuf eat cake... So here's a chapter for you: 

Yusuf’s POV

After that scare, Safia was treating me so amazingly. It was nice at first, but then it got annoying. I told her the whole incident and how the gun was a fake so there was nothing to worry about. Besides, my ankle had healed. Well, the arthritis was still there but it had improved.

“But it was just so weird and shocking. These things don’t normally happen,” She said again one evening. She sounded traumatised. “Unexpected crazy things never happen in my life.”

“Yes they do.”

“But thugs with guns never get involved!”

“It happened, get over it,” I said, bored of the way her fascination wouldn’t wear off.

“I’ll have you remember, my life is rather uneventful. Well, before you anyway.”

“That reminds me! Our third anniversary’s coming up!” Safia let out a gasp. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”

“I… Aren’t you meant to be the one who forgets?”

“Do you want me to forget? Because that’s fine with me. I’ll just cancel the fancy dinner and stay home. I think there’s a match on that day too. Yeah, that’s starting to sound more appealing.”

“You liar! There’s no fancy dinner.” Safia narrowed her eyes at me and I smiled secretly.

“I guess you’ll never know.” Safia sat still for a moment, lost in thoughts. Probably trying to figure out what to do for the anniversary or trying to remember the exact date.

“I need to go visit Amy. Let me know if the kids wake up.”

“You’re going to leave me all alone?”

“You seem occupied anyway.” She pointed down at the book in my hands.

“I guess you’re right,” I replied, opening the book where an old piece of paper was being used as a bookmark.

It was late in the evening and the kids were asleep. Safia had a strict routine in which they had to be asleep by nine. It meant I got less time with them but I didn’t dare try to repeat  my complaints in case she started one of her parenthood/childcare lectures. I had to admit, she did know a lot. And she was doing very well, masha’allah.

I knew why she had gone to Amy. She needed ideas for what to do for me. We’d exhausted all the typical food surprises. Flowers, chocolates, perfumes (for her to wear at home), clothes, gadgets and all other typical gifts had been exchanged numerous times. I didn’t stress too much about it because I knew whatever I got Safia, she’d get happy. She was like a child. Just the idea of receiving a present was enough for her.

But she always found it tougher because I didn’t like having too many unnecessary things. I was grateful for what presents she bought me and I always showed appreciation. At the same time, I kind of told her not to buy me anymore things. So recently, she’d started to attempt creativity. Hence, my favourite poem.

I was looking forward to what Safia would come up with this time. I reminded her she had three days and it seemed like she forgot the date of our anniversary too. It felt good to be the one who knew the date.