Page 19

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Mommy ta juyo da mamaki tana kallon Iya da Zahra. Da gudu Zahra ta ƙaraso, fuskarta cike da damuwa, ta ce da damuwa a muryarta, "Mommy please, mu tafi gida, don't cause commotion here"

Mommy ta hare ta, tana hura hanci. "No, Zahra. I need to put this woman back to her senses."

"Mommy, pleeeaase," Zahra ta maimaita cikin murya mai taushi, da tausayi a fuskarta.

"Ke Zahra, sake ni!" Mommy ta daka mata tsawa tana fisge hannunta.

Iya ta kalli Mommy, ta ce, "Ke kuma Amina, na sha faɗa miki, ba haka ake rayuwa ba, komai zurfin ciki. Me yasa baki faɗa min abinda ke faruwa ba? Da ƴan sanda zan zo da su, su janye ta, su ɗaure ta har sai ta fadi gaskiyar abinda take yi. Idan ma tare suke tafiya karuwancin, sai a tabbatar!"

"Iya mu tafi gida," Mommy ta roƙa tana ƙoƙarin riƙe Iya don ta san irin tsaurin halin Iya.

"Ban gan dama ba!" Iya ta faɗa a fusace. "Ko za ki yi mini dole ne?"

"Iya, but this is not what we agreed upon," Zahra ta faɗa da ƙwalla a ido. "Ba mu yi magana akan ki zo kiyi faɗa ba."

Iya ta ƙi sauraron kowa. Ta tako da gadara har gaban Maman Haulatu da ke riƙe da fuska, gefen da Mommy ta mareta. Ta nuna ta da yatsa, ta ce cikin kakkausar murya, "A rayuwarki kada ki ƙara yi wa jikata kallon banza balle ki buɗe baki ki ɓata mata rai. Idan kin sake kuwa, za ki gane da wacece Iya."

"Mama don Allah ku yi haƙuri. In shaa Allah ba za ta ƙara ba," ɗayar matan ta sake faɗa ce cikin nutsuwa da ban haƙuri.

"Wai ku matan nan ku gaya mini, mun san ranan mutuwar mu ne?"

"A'a, wallahi, babu wanda ya sani," matar ta amsa a raunane.

"To haka sha'anin aure yake, gaibu ne. Idan ba ku yarda da ƙaddara ba, sai ku faɗa na ji. Ko shishigi kuke so ku yi wa Allah ne?" Iya ta ƙare maganarta tana kallon su. Shiru babu amsa, sai ta ce da su Mommy, "Mu tafi gida. Ke kuma ki kiyaye gaba!"

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A hanyarsu ta komawa gida, Zahra ta kasa ɓoye damuwarta. "Sai da nace miki Iya, kar ki ce komai a gidan mutane, kawai ki kira mommy mu tafi. Amma sai kika biye wa zuciyarki. Wannan ba laifin ki bane? Next time za ki ga wanda zai ƙara kai ki wani wuri."

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Shirye-shiryen bikin Zahra na tafiya daidai, babu kama hannun yaro. Hannunta ya warke gaba ɗaya, kamar ba ta taɓa jinya ba. Haladu ya ƙi dawowa don cire ɗaurin saboda tsoron haɗuwa da Mommy. Sai dai wani mutum aka tura ya zo ya kwance mata.

Bikin saura kwana tara. Iya ce ke jagorantar kusan komai. Duk da hakan, Daddy bai dawo da Mama ba, bai kuma ba ta izinin shigowa gidansa ba.

Zahra da Habiba suna zaune a ɗakin Iya. Iya ta miƙa musu wani abu a cikin kofi. "Ga wannan, ku sha."

"Me wannan ne Iya?" Habiba ta tambaya da shakku.

"Uwar ki ce! Ki ji jairar yarinya. Na baki abu da zai kashe ki ne? Ai shi yasa tun farko ban rika kulaki ba. Tausayi ne kawai na uwarki a gidan nan ya sa nake kulaki yanzu."

Zahra ta karɓa ba tare da wata magana ba, ta miƙe tsaye zata fita.

"Ke kuma ina za ki?"

"Ban ci komai ba Iya. Idan na sha wannan maganin da ban san ko na meye ba, zan iya yin amai. So I better eat first."

Iya ta bita da kallo har ta fita, sai ta juyo ga Habiba da wata guntun dariya.

Zahra kuwa, kitchen ta nufa kai tsaye. Ta zubar da maganin a cikin sink, ta wanke kofin sosai. Kullum Iya tana bata irin wannan magani, ta karɓa cikin ladabi amma tana zubarwa a ɓoye. Ta koma dining ta buɗe kula; fried rice da plantain ne. Ta mayar ta rufe. Da sauri ta duba ƙofar ɗakin Iya, sannan ta haura sama.

Mommy tana neman muƙullin mota, ta shirya fita office, Zahra ta shigo ɗakin. "Lafiya?" Mommy ta tambaya tana kallon fuskarta da ke cike da launin damuwa.

"Ƙalau. I just want to be with you."

"Gashi zan fita."

"Ina za ki je?"

"Office zan je. Ina da abubuwan da zan kammala kafin bikin."

"Let me pick my veil. Ki sauke ni a hostel. Zamu je wanke kai da Sofi."

"Tun yanzu? Bai yi sauri ba?"

"No, it's not early. Ina so na kammala duk wani abu kafin weekend. I need some rest."

"Ok, if you say so. But please faɗa wa Iya kafin mu tafi, don bana son damuwa."

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Mommy ta ɗauko Sofi daga hostel, sannan ta sauke su a saloon. Ta ba Zahra kuɗi masu yawa.

"What time should I come and pick you?" Mommy ta tambaya.

"No, don’t bother. Jameel will bring us back."

"Ok. Take care of yourselves."

"Bye!" suka yi mata, suka shiga cikin saloon ɗin.

Zahra ce aka fara gyara wa kai. An tsefe mata mayan Calabar, an wanke kanta, aka saka ta a dryer. Tana ciki sai kiran Jameel ya shigo.

Ta duba wayar ta murmusa kaɗan, sannan ta ɗaga.

"Hello amaryar Jameel," muryarsa ya fito cike da ƙauna.

"Na'am angon Zahra, da fatan kana lafiya?"

"Lafiya ƙalau amaryata. Har yanzu baki shirya ba?"

"Ina saloon already. Mommy ta sauke mu. Zan kira ka idan mun gama."

"Ok, just give me a call."

"Sure"

"A gyara min kai da kyau fa."

"Kar ka damu, ranka shi daɗe," ta faɗa tana dariya.

"Good. Sai na ga kiran ki."

"Alright, bye." Ta kashe.

Bayan awa biyu an gama gyaran kai. An yi mata stretching, aka gyara gashin doughnut style, sai walƙiya ke fita. Pedicure ake mata lokacin da Sofi ta ce da sauri, "Zahra!"

"What?"

"Result ɗin mu ya fito fa."

"Who told you?"

"Gashi course rep ya posting."

Zahra ta shiga platform. Bayan scrolling da yawa, ta ga saƙon;

“Hello finalist. I'm happy to inform you that our final result is out. You can now login to your portal to check.”

Da sauri ta fita daga group, ta shiga portal. Ta saka matric number da password, amma ta tsaya shiru. Tana jin wani irin fargaba a ranta, fiye da kowanne lokaci. Bayan dogon numfashi, ta yi Bismillah ta shiga. Sannu a hankali ta duba result ɗinta.

Kusan duka courses tana da A, da wasu few B. Amma akwai wani daya da F, kuma hakan na nuna tana da spillover. Kuka ta fashe da shi sosai.

Sofi, wadda result ɗinta ke da C da D, amma tana murna, ta juyo jin irin kukanta.

"Zahra, what happened?"

Zahra bata ce komai ba. Ta cire ƙafarta daga injin pedicure, ta duƙa tana kuka.

Sofia ta ƙaraso wajen ta cikin damuwa; "Zahra please talk to me."

Zahra ta miƙa mata wayarta. "Kira min Jameel ya zo ya kai ni gida."

"I don’t understand. Me akayi?"

"Safiya, I can't stay here."

Sofi ta girgiza kai cikin mamaki. Zahra ta kira ta da cikakken sunanta, lallai akwai matsala.

Sofi ta ɗauki wayarta don kiran Jameel, dinta ne ya sauka akan result ɗin Zahra, ta duba sosai nan ne ta gane dalilin da yasa ta kuka, ta kira Jameel. Yana ɗagawa, ta ce "Jameel please, ka zo ka ɗauki Zahra."

"Ina take?"

"Ga ta nan."

"Give her the phone."

"She can't talk to you."

"Why?"

"Just come. Za ka gane idan ka zo."

Ta kashe wayar, ta koma ta rungume Zahra tana lallashi. Amma Zahra ta ci gaba da kuka kamar ranta zai fita.

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Jameel ya iso cikin mintuna. Ya hango su suna fitowa. Sofi ta rataye handbag ɗinta, tana riƙe da Zahra da hannu ɗaya. Zahra na kuka kamar.

"Me ke damunta?" Ya tambaya da damuwa.

"Mu ƙarasa mota tukuna."

Ya buɗe motar, Zahra ta zauna. Sofi ta miƙa mata jaka. "Please Zahra, ki nutsu. Sai mun yi waya."

Ta juya zuwa Jameel. "Za ta maka bayanin komai idan ta sauka."

"Let me drop you off." Jameel ya buƙaci hakan

"No, don’t worry. Just be with her, try to console her, she's been crying for over thirty minutes."

Jameel ya shiga, ya kulle mota. Ya juyo gare ta. "Zahra, please ki dena kukan nan. Yana taɓa min zuciya."

Kamar ya ce ta ƙara kuka. Ya kama hannunta. "Please Zahra. ɗago ki kalle ni."

Ta ɗago. Idonta ya kumbura ya yi ja. "Me ya same ki? Why are you crying? Are you sick?"

"Jameel, I’m a failure." Ta fashe da kuka mai tsuma rai.

"Who told you that?"

"I don’t need to be told."

"Me ya faru? You know you can confide in me, right?"

Kai kawai ta iya gyaɗa.

"Ok talk to me."

"I failed my final exam, Jameel. I don’t know how to face my parents after all they’ve done for me. What will they feel if I bring a failed result home?"

"Zahratiey please. It’s okay. Kin sani ba ke ki ka fara yin spillover ba. You’re a brilliant student. Spillover does not define you. Our wedding is in 9 days, don’t let this ruin your joy. You’ll go back and rewrite it after the wedding. So I see no reason to be this bothered."

"You won’t understand what I’m feeling. Just take me home."

"Ok. Amma sai kin dena kukan nan kafin na kai ki gida." Ya faɗa yana share mata hawayenta.

Sai da ya gan ta fara rage sautin kukan kafin Ya tada motar suka tafi.

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A bakin gate, ya tsaya. Ya juya gare ta. "Are you fine?"

Kai ta gyaɗa.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Zaki iya shiga gida?"

"Eh."

"Ok. Take care of yourself. I’ll call you later."

Ta sauka, ta taka a hankali zuwa gate. Ta kwankwasa, sai ta jingina da bango saboda jiri.

Maigadi ya buɗe gate da sauri. "Hajiya lafiya?"

Zahra ta shiga compound tana jan jikinta, ba tare da ta amsa shi ba. Jameel ya bi ta da kallo yana jin wani irin tausayinta ya cika zuciyarsa.

Bata yi nisa ba, ta fadi a tsakiyar compound.

Maigadi ya yi kanta da gudu. "Hajiya! Don Allah tashi!" Shiru. Da sauri ya nufi sashin Musharraf, ya ƙwanƙwasa ƙofa da ƙarfi.

Musharraf da Abdul Hakim suna kallon ball, suka kalli juna. Musharraf ya miƙe. "Waye kenan?"

"Ni ne! Hajiya ƙarama ce ta faɗi!"

Su duka suka fito da sauri.

Musharraf ya duƙa a gabanta, yana taɓa fuskarta. "Zahra! Zahra! Buɗe idonki…"