Page 27

Da daddare bayan sallar Maghrib, ɗakin Zahra shiru sai ƙamshin turaren wuta da ya cika ko ina. A kan gadonta ta kwanta, idanu sun kumbura, hawaye na ta zuba ba tare da ta iya tsayar da su ba.

Sai ga ƙofar ta buɗe, Sofi ta shigo. Ganin halin da Zahra ke ciki yasa ta dakata da sauri, tana kallon ta da mamaki.

“Subhanallah, Zahra! Kuka kuma? Me ya faru?” ta tambaya cikin sautin murya mai taushi.

“Babu komai, Sofi… kaina ne ke ɗan min ciwo,” ta amsa da muryar da ta yi rauni, tana shafa gefen kanta, amma idanu na ci gaba da sheƙar da hawayen da ba su daina zuba ba.

Sofi ta ɗan kalleta. “Haba, sai ki kwanta kina kuka? Ai kamata ya yi ki faɗa a kawo miki magani. Bari in sanar wa Mommy, ta kawo miki magani. Daga nan zan wuce hostel, dama nazo ne in sallame ki tunda na ji an ce ba yau za a kai ki ba.”

“Eh… ba yau zan tare ba. Amma da kin kwana, idan yaso gobe sai ki koma. Dare fa yayi,” Zahra ta ce, muryarta na fita a hankali.

“Kar ki damu, Sameer ne zai zo ya ɗauke ni,” Sofi ta amsa.

“Ok.” Zahra ta riƙe hannun Sofi, muryarta ta yi ƙasa-ƙasa kamar tana buƙatar ƙarfi, “Nagode sosai kawata, da duk hidimar da kika rinka yi min. Allah ya saka da alkhairi, ya kawo mu naki bikin.”

“Ameen, Zahra. Kuma ki daina gode min, babu godiya tsakanin mu.”

Zahra ta rungume ta, tana jin wani kuka yana shirin kubce mata, amma ta matse zuciya gudun tambayoyi. Sofi ta zame jikinta a hankali, ta fita daga ɗakin.

Ta biya ta backyard inda Mommy ke zaune da mutane, ta sanar mata cewa Zahra na ciwon kai, a aika mata da magani. Mommy ta yi mata godiya, sannan ta ba Raudat key ɗin dakinta, ta ce ta ɗauko magani daga side drawer ta kai wa Zahra. Sannan tayi wa Sofia tarin alkhairi.

Da zarar Sofi ta fita daga ɗakin, hawaye suka sake ƙwace wa Zahra kamar ruwan sama. Kukan ya ƙara ƙarfi, zuciyarta na ƙuna da wani nauyi da ba ta iya faɗa.

Sai ta ji ƙarar turo ƙofa. Ta ɗago da idanu da suka yi ja kamar jar garwashi. Ta juyo don ganin wanda ya shigo.

“Subhanallah! Zahra, ciwon kan ne yasa kike kuka haka?” Anty Raudat ta ƙaraso da sauri.

Ta zauna gefenta, ta janyo ta jikinta. “Jikinki ma yayi zafi… ko dai mu kai ki asibiti ne?”

Zahra ta sake fashewa da sabon kuka, muryarta na rawa.

“Ya Illahi… kodai na kira miki Mommy ne?”

Kai kawai ta girgiza, hawayen na zuba.

“Me zan yi miki to?”

“Anty… ki kira min Ya Musharraf,” ta ce cikin rawar murya.

“Ok, let me call him. Ki daina wannan kukan, zai ƙara miki ciwo.”

Anty Raudat ta kira Musharraf sau biyu amma bai ɗauka ba. Ta miƙe. “Let me go and call him, baya ɗaukar waya.”

Daidai lokacin Farhana ta shigo so duba jikin Zahran. Ganin ta, Anty Raudat ta ce; “Yauwa, Farhana. Don Allah ki tafi shashin su Musharraf, ki ce masa yazo yanzu, Zahra na son ganin shi.”

Farhana ta ce “to” ta fice, ita kuma Anty Raudat ta koma wajen Zahra.

A can part ɗin Musharraf kuwa, abokansa na ta raha suna shirye-shiryen tafiya ɗaukar amarya. Shi kuwa yana zaune a gefe, yana murmushin da bai kai zuciyarsa ba. Don tunanin sa yana tare da Zahra, ko Zahra ta riga ta san halin da ake ciki?

Farhana ta yi sallama ta shiga. Gabaki ɗayan su a ɗakin suka bi ta da ido. Musharraf ya mike da sauri. “Farha, me kika zo yi? Lafiya?”

“Anty Raudat sent me to call you. Ta ce Zahra na son ganin ka. Amma daga yanayin maganarta… bana tunanin lafiya.”

Zuciyarsa ta tsinke. Ko dai wani ya sanar da ita ne?

Ya sa takalmi, yace. “Guys, ina zuwa. Farha, let’s go.”

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Anty Raudat ta cigaba da ƙoƙarin tausasa Zahra, amma duk maganganunta na komawa banza don kamar ƙara zugata ta keyi.A zuciyarta, ta fara jin ba ciwon kai kaɗai ne matsalar ba.

Ƙofar ta sake buɗewa. Musharraf ya shigo da Farhana a baya. Ya ƙaraso bakin gadon, yana kallo cikin damuwa.

“What’s wrong with her?” ya tambaya cikin yanayi mai nuna damuwa.

Anty Raudat ta miƙe. “Ga shi nan, ka tambaye ta. Sai kuka take yi, taki faɗin komai. Ƙawarta tace kai ke mata ciwo, but I doubt if that’s the real reason.”

Musharraf ya zauna inda Anty Raudat ta tashi. Zahra ta jingina kanta a kafadarsa, tana sakin kukan da ya fi na farko raɗaɗi.

“Princess… talk to me. Me ya faru?” ya ce yana shafa bayanta a hankali, kamar yana son ya shanye damuwarta gaba ɗaya.

Cikin kuka mai nauyi ta ce; “Yaya… it’s Jameel.”

“Jameel? Me ya miki?”

“Tunda aka daura aure, he didn’t call… sai lokacin da ya kira kawai ya tambaya ko Daddy na gida. Idan na kira shi, baya ɗagawa. I sent him messages, but he’s not replying. Yaya… I’m scared. He doesn’t sound ok. Gashi yanzu an ce tarewa ba yanzu ba… hakan na nuna akwai matsala.”

“Is that why you’re crying?” ya tambaya yana shafa gashinta da hannunsa, yana jin zuciyarsa na zafi da damuwa saboda damuwarta.

Kai ta gyada, tana lumshe ido, tana jin yadda suka yi mata nauyi.

Ya yi shiru na ƴan mintoci, yana shafa kanta a hankali ta yadda zai kwantar mata da hankali. Anty Raudat da Farhana suna tsaye, suna kallonsu.

Tun tana yarinya, Musharraf ya zama mata wani abu fiye da ɗan uwa, shi ne aminin zuciyarta, wanda yake kula da ita, yake fahimtar ta ko da kuwa kowa ya kasa, yana kiranta Princess, ya kuma kula da ita kamar Princess ɗin.

“Princess,” ya fara cikin murya mai lallashi, “me yasa kike da saurin saka damuwa a ranki? Though Jameel’s behaviour is weird, ai kamata ya yi ki yi addu’a ki kyautata zato. Today is your wedding day… Idan baki yi farin ciki yau ba, yaushe za ki yi? So now… wipe your tears.”

Ta share hawayenta, tana jin zafin zuciya. Musharraf ya daɗa sa ta a jikinsa yana lallashinta da kalamai masu kwantar da hankali.

Da Musharraf ya gama lallashinta, Zahra ta share hawayenta a hankali, amma har yanzu idanunta cike suke da launin ja na kuka. Hannunsa ya ci gaba da shafa kanta cikin taushi, sannan ya sauke hannun ya kama nata, yana matse shi a hankali.

“Kin san me yasa nake kiran ki Princess?” ya tambaye ta cikin murmushi mai rauni.

Ta girgiza kai, tana kallonsa da idanu masu rawa saboda kukan da ta yi.

“Saboda duk lokacin da na ganki, ina ganin ki ne kamar ƙaramar sarauniya… duk da kina kuka, kina da kyau fiye da yadda kike tunani. Kuma duk wata sarauniya tana da damar jin rauni, amma daga ƙarshe ta tashi ta yi ƙarfi.”

Zuciyarta ta buga. Kalaman sun jiƙa mata zuciya da wani irin sanyi da ƙarfafawa, irin wanda ke sa mutum ya ji tausayin kansa ya haɗu da ƙaunar wanda ke gabansa. Ta lumshe ido, hawaye na tsiyaya ba don baƙin ciki kaɗai ba, har da jin an fahimce ta.

“Yaya…” ta ce a hankali, muryarta kamar ta tsinke, “kai ka fi kowa fahimta ta.”

“Ina ƙoƙari, Princess,” ya ce yana matsa hannunta a cikin nasa. “Kuma zan ci gaba har zuwa ranar da ba zaki ƙara kuka ba.”

Wani ɗan shiru ya biyo, sai sauke numfashi take yi a hankali. Musharraf ya ɗan yi wasa da gashinta, yana kallon fuskarta.

“ki yi min alƙawari, ba za ki ƙara ɓata min ranar aure na da kuka ba,” ya ce yana ɗan ɗaga gira cike da wasa.

Ta ɗan yi wani ƙaramar dariya mai rauni, sai shi ma ya yi mata dariya.

“Yaya… ka kira min Jameel, please,” ta ce da ɗan ƙarfin gwiwa fiye da da.

“Ban zo da wayata ba, amma zan koma daki in kira shi. Zan sanar miki idan na yi magana da shi. Deal?”

“Deal,” ta ce tana goge ragowar hawayen idonta.

“Good. Now, can I get a real smile from my Princess?”

Ta yi dariya kaɗan, tana ƙoƙarin yin murmushi na gaskiya.

“Congratulations on your wedding,” ta ce, tana ɗan sake dariyarta da gaske a karon farko. Dariya su Anty Raudat suka yi.

Shi ma ya yi dariya, zuciyarsa ta yi sanyi ganin ta fara warwarewa. “Riƙe kayan ki, ai ba yanzu aka ɗaura auren ba, sai yanzu za ki ce min congratulations?”

“Ai tun bayan auren sai yanzu muka haɗu. Besides, kai ma baka congratulating dina ba,” ta ce tana turo baki.

“To, thanks dear. Congratulations to you too.”

Murmushi ta yi, tace; “Thanks.”

“Bari in tafi, ana jirana. I will call you. Kuma kar ki ƙara kuka, idan ba haka ba… zamu bata.”

Musharraf ya fita daga ɗakin yana jin bala’in tausayin ‘yar uwarsa. If this little thing is making her cry, ya zata yi idan ta ji cewa ba Jameel ba ne angonta? “Hmmm… Allah gamu gareka,” ya furta a hankali, zuciyarsa na cike da wani nauyi da bai san ta ina zai sauke shi ba.

Farhana ta matso kusa da Zahra ta ce, “Better take things easy on yourself kafin zuciyarki ta buga.” Anty Raudat ta girgiza kai ta miƙa mata magani ta sha, sannan ta tura ta yin wanka kafin ta fita ɗebo mata abinci.

Bayan Zahra ta fito daga wanka, ƙamshin sabulun jikinta ya gauraye da kamshin turaren wuta, ya samar wa ɗakin wani sassanyar ƙamshi. Amma duk da ta ɗan sake, idanuwanta sun kasa yin walwala; sun kumbura saboda kuka, kamar sun gama gajiya da ma’anar rayuwa. Ta ci abincin da Anty Raudat ta kawo mata cikin ƙarfin hali, sannan ta kwanta. Nan take bacci ya yi gaba da ita, baccin gajiya jiki, da zuciya, ta gaji da tunani. Farhana ta lullube ta da bargo, tana jin wani abu yana tsage mata zuciya, suka fita suka barta.

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Da zarar Alhaji Bashir ya isa gida, ya kira Hajiya Saudatu zuwa sashensa. Shi da Alhaji Usman suka yi mata faɗa sosai, suna gargaɗinta kada ta sake maimaita irin kuskuren da ta yi yau.

“Saudatu, ko da ranki bai so auren, tunda mijinki ya nuna sai an yi, sai ki bari ayi. Amma ba wai ki rufe ɗa namiji a ɗaki kamar ɗan cikinki ba, sannan ki je ki aiwatar da abin da zuciyarki ta raya miki ba. Wannan rashin biyayya ne tsantsa, kuma kin nuna kamar bai isa dake ba,” in ji Alhaji Usman cikin faɗa.

“Kayi haƙuri Yaya, na yi nadamar abin da na aikata, kuma In Sha Allahu ba zan sake ba,” ta ce da murya mai cike da nadama, idanuwanta a ƙasa.

“Yauwa, haka nake son ji. Kai kuma Dawood, tunda ta yi nadama kuma ta bada haƙuri, ka yafe mata. Ku haɗa kan ku, ku samar wa ɗanku farin ciki da kwanciyar hankali,” Alhaji Usman ya ƙara da faɗi..

“In Sha Allahu, Yaya,” Alhaji Dawood ya amsa, yana ƙoƙarin kashe wutar da ta fara huruwa a zuciyarsa.

A ɓangaren Jameel kuwa, tun da suka dawo gida ya shige ɗaki, ya rufe ƙofa, ya kwanta, ya rufe kansa da bargo tun daga kai har ƙafa. Wani zazzabi ya sauko masa lokaci guda, yana haɗuwa da zafin da zuciyarsa ke ji.

He still can’t believe cewa an daura auren Zahra da wani yau ba shi ba. Kamar an tilasta masa zama cikin fim da ba shi ne ya rubuta ba, kuma ba shi da ikon canza komai.

Rayuwa bata yi masa adalci ba. Bai taɓa son wani abu bayan iyayensa sama da Zahra ba. Ita ce mafarkinsa tun yana da daɗewa. Amma yanzu zai ganta tana rayuwa da wani a matsayin mata da miji, tana kwana da shi a ɗaki ɗaya, har ta yi masa ciki ta haifa masa yara.

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un… Ya Allah ka ji tausayina,” ya furta a hankali, yana ƙoƙarin goge hawayen da suka fara taruwa a idanuwansa.

Ya ga duk kira da saƙonnin Zahra, amma ya kasa ɗagawa. Bai san me zai ce mata ba, kuma bai san ko zai iya controlling kansa idan ya ji muryarta ba. Oh ni Jameel… Ashe auren Zahra bai cikin ƙaddarata. Tabbas wannan babbar jarabawa ce. Allah ka bani ikon cinye ta.

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A gefe guda kuwa, Zahra ta cika da tambayoyi marasa amsa. Duk wani saƙo da ta tura masa, shiru ne yake biyo baya, tamkar sun ɓace a cikin wani baƙin rami. Amma duk da haka, wani ɓangaren zuciyarta na ƙoƙarin ƙin yarda cewa shi Jameel ne ya watsar da ita haka.

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Mama kuwa, tun da ta dawo gidan Alhaji Bashir, a sama take zaune. Zuciyarta cike da haushin yadda ake kallonta kamar ta zama ba ta da wata daraja a cikin gidan. Duk lokacin da ta sauko ƙasa, Iya sai ta bita da baƙaƙen maganganu. Wannan yasa Mama ta rasa marmarin saukowa ƙasa, ta sauke bakin ta a saman. Idan tana buƙatar wani abu daga ƙasa, sai dai ta aika sako.

Hajiya Turai ta kirata, ta gaya mata duk abin da ke faruwa. Mama ta baza kunne don jin menene matakin Daddy na gaba, domin idan ta ji, zata sanar da ita su ƙara shiri. Hajiya Turai bata halarci bikin ba saboda saurayinta ya zo daga Plateau, kuma bata iya barinsa ta zo biki ba, in ji ta.

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Kwanaki uku bayan aure ta kama ranar Litinin. Yawancin baki sun watse; saura kawai Anty Salima da Farhana, sai kuma Baaba Tani, ‘yar’uwar Alhaji Bashir.

Zahra ta gaji da kira da saƙon Jameel da baya amsawa. Musharraf ya yi mata ƙarya yana cewa ya yi waya da shi, kuma ya samu matsala a wajen aiki ne, baya son ya ɗaga mata hankali shi yasa baya ɗaukar kiran ta. Amma a zuciyarta ta san wannan ba hujja bace. Farhana ma a ranta bata yarda da maganar ba, amma ta yi shiru don kada ta kara tada hankalin Zahra.

A wannan ranar, Zainab matar Musharraf da Maryam matar Abdulhakim suka kawo ziyara. Hiran da suka yi ya kasance mai daɗi, tamkar tsofaffin abokai. Dukansu suna da fara’a da sauƙin kai, suka sa Zahra ta manta da wasu daga cikin damuwarta.

Da misalin ƙarfe takwas na dare bayan sallar Isha, Alhaji Bashir ya kira taro a babban falon gidan. Wannan irin taro ba ya zuwa sai da dalili mai ƙarfi. Dukkanin ‘yan gidan sun halarta, koda Khalil da bai gama fahimtar me ke faruwa ba. Sai Habiba kawai ce bata nan, tunda an kaita Port Harcourt.

Zahra tana hira da Farhana lokacin da Khalil ya shigo ya gaya mata Daddy na nemanta. Ta so Farhana ta raka ta, amma ta ƙi. “Kika san ko sirri zaku yi ne na uba da ƴa? Tashi ki tafi kada ki bar shi yana jira.”

Zahra ta shigo falon, ta tarar da kowa a zaune cikin natsuwa. Iyaye suna kan kujeru, yara kuma suna ƙasa. Gabanta ya dan fadi. Ta nufi wurin Mommy, amma Daddy ya ce;“Mamana, zo ki zauna kusa da ni.” Ta ƙaraso ta zauna kusa da kafafunsa.

Daddy ya kalli Mommy ya ce; “Ki kira Salima da Farhana, suma maganar da zan yi ya kamata su sani.”

Mommy ta miƙe don cika umarninsa. Ya ƙara da cewa; “Ke kuma, Sahura, zaki iya bamu waje, don baki cikin mu.”

Mama ta ɗago fuska cike da mamaki, zuciyarta na harbawa. Wato ya gayyato wasu amma ni yake cewa na fita?

“Baki ji me ya faɗa bane?” Iya ta tsawata da murya mai kaifi. Mama ta miƙe cikin ɓacin rai, ta haura sama ba tare da ta ce komai ba, amma a ranta tana bin kowace kalma da aka yi mata da tunani mai zurfi.

Bayan Mommy ta dawo tare da su Anty Salima, Daddy ya umurci Abdulhakim da ya buɗe taro da addu’a. Kowa ya yi shiru, zuciyoyin da dama na bugawa da sauri, kowa na jiran jin dalilin wannan taron.