I’ve given up being with Salman once. I refuse to do it again.
Client Questionnaire
Here at Eternally Yours we know that dating can be difficult, but it can also be exciting, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be helping you on your quest to locate your perfect match. We’ve designed this questionnaire to help us get to know you so that we can find prospective partners who align with your needs, goals and energy. It’s not just about finding someone who fits you; it’s also about you fitting somebody else. Maybe this person won’t be your most compatible match on paper, but they may have the potential to challenge you in meaningful ways. Take your time to fill it out but don’t overthink it – there are no wrong answers!
Full name
Salman Hossain
If you could go anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?
Edinburgh. It’s far away from my parents and a pretty wicked city. But most of all, I know she’d want to go there too, and I want to be anywhere she is. She’s the one who makes a place worth seeing.
What are your deal-breakers (habits, beliefs, etc.)?
No pretending. I don’t need a version of you; I want the real you.
What did you learn from past relationships?
To stop running. That you can’t make decisions based on the unknown. That sometimes you’ve got to make the ‘wrong’decision to figure out what’s right.
What are some key values or traits you want in a relationship?
Communication. Transparency.
How would your closest friends describe you in three words?
Not over her.
How do you like to be supported by a partner?
I want them to communicate with me. I don’t want to have to try and read their mind.
What are your greatest hopes and/or fears about dating?
That I’ll get my heart broken again.
Are you currently emotionally available for a new relationship?
Only if it’s with her. Damn, this whole questionnaire is about her .?.?.
26
‘Where have you been?’ Ma’s voice is shaky and high-pitched. ‘I got home and you weren’t here. Do you know how worried I’ve been about you?’
I shut the door behind me and the lock clicks into place. I kick off my shoes. After the botanic garden I took myself to a café, trying to figure out how I would broach the subject without Ma leaving the conversation mid-way through, like she’s done in the past. I drank several iced cinnamon dolce lattes, hoping that the sugar rush would help me figure it out, but even after several hours I still don’t know how to ask her about it without getting on my knees and begging her to tell me.
‘I was out,’ I say. ‘I needed some time to think, that’s all.’
‘About what?’ she asks, her eyes narrowing as she steps closer to me. For the first time in a long time I notice all the fine lines on her face and the silver strands that have made an appearance amid her black hair.
‘Can this conversation wait? I just want to lie down for a bit.’ I start to walk but Ma stops me in my tracks, assessing my face.
‘Have you .?.?. have you been crying?’
‘It’s fine, Ma.’
‘Well, it’s clearly not if you’ve been crying, Poppy,’ she says, unyielding. ‘Is it the pain? Did you take your medication? Do you want me to call the GP and ask if they can prescribe you anything stronger? See, this is why I told you to stay at home!’
