Page 46

Sati ɗaya Mama ta kwashe tana jinya. Sau ɗaya kawai Mommy ta zo ta duba ta. A ranar da ta koma gida, sai zuciyar Mommy ta yi nauyi, ta ga yadda Alhaji Bashir ke kula da Mama cikin ƙauna kamar ƙwai yana tattalinta da wani irin tausayi da hankali, zuciyarta ta murɗe. Ta fara tunanin; Shin ni ma yana yi min irin tattali haka? Wannan tambaya ce da ta daɗe tana ƙoƙarin maida wa zuciya, amma a ranar ba ta iya ɗauka ba. Kuka ya kwace mata, kuka mai raɗaɗin kishi da ciwon rai.

Mommy na da kishi mai zafi, sai dai karatun Alƙur’ani da ibada ne ke sanyaya mata zuciya. Duk da haka, a lokacin nan kishin ya rinjaye komai.

Bayan an sallami Mama daga asibiti, Daddy ya dawo da ita Kaduna. Irin kulawar da yake nuna mata sannu, ɗawainiya, soyayya a fili, ya ƙara cika Mommy da zafin zuciya. Ba wai tana baƙin cikin yana nuna wa Mama soyayya bane, amma duk lokacin da ta ga yadda yake rawar jiki a kan Mama, sai zuciyarta ta ce; Ko dai soyayyar da yake min bata kai wacce yake yi wa Sahura ba?

Ta ƙoƙarta ta daure amma abin ya gagara. Sai ta nemi izini a wajen Daddy akan zata je Abuja ta zauna da iyayenta kwana biyu.

“Haba Amina,” Daddy ya tambaye ta cikin mamaki, “har yaushe Inna ta bar gidan nan da zaki cen kina son bin ta? Ko dai akwai wani abun da kike son kike kiyi ne?”

“Ba don Inna ba ne,” ta amsa cikin nutsuwa, “na yi kewar mahaifina, kuma ina ganin ya kamata na je na duba Zahra.”

“Kenan kina nufin ba za su iya kula da Zahra ba sai ke kin tafi?” Daddy ya tambaya, yana ƙoƙarin gane asalin damuwarta.

Mommy ta sunkuyar da kai. “Ba haka nake nufi ba… kawai dai ina jin tafiya ita ce mafita.”

“Amina…” ya kira sunanta cikin taushin murya. Idonsu suka haɗu. Cikin idonta ya karanta wani abu da bai saba gani ba; hawaye ya gani kwance a cikin idanunta.

“Are you ok?” ya tambaya a hankali.

Kai ta girgiza, amma hawaye suka fara gangarowa daga idanunta. Daddy ya matsa kusa da ita ya riƙe hannunta. “Please, ki gaya min menene. Don na san akwai wani abu da yake cin zuciyarki.”

Kuka ya tsananta, tana riƙe da saitin zuciyarta. A cikin kuka ta ce; “Zuciyata zai fashe… wallahi idan ban bar gidan nan ba zuciyata zai fashe, Bashir!”

Daddy ya zaro ido cikin mamaki. Shi ne karon farko da Mommy ta kira shi da sunansa kai tsaye cikin irin wannan yanayi. Wannan ya tabbatar masa cewa damuwar ta ta kai kololuwa.

"Menene talk to me please kar nima yawa zuciyar ta fashe."

"Ba zan iya zama a gidan da aka daina sona ba. Ka daina sona ka daina tarairayata, ta matar ka kawai kake..." Ta kuma fashewa da kuka.

Ya rungume ta da ƙarfi. “Amina, me yasa kika fara tunanin cewa ban son ki? Kina tunanin zan iya daina son ki? Idan har kin yi wannan tunanin, kin yi wa zuciyata rashin adalci.”

Ya ja hannunta ya kawo ta gabansa, idonsu suka haɗu sosai. A wannan lokaci ne ya lura da zallar kishi a cikin idanunta. “Ni dai Bashir ɗinki ne, mai sonki. Ban canza ba, kuma ba zan canza ba, don haka tun wuri ki cire wannan was-wasin.”

Mommy ta sake fashewa da kuka. Ta rungume shi da ƙarfi kamar kar ta sake shi. Shi kuma ya fara patting bayanta, yana lallashinta da kalmomi masu daɗi. Soyayyarsu ta sake sabuntawa, irin wacce ba ta tsufa kullum sabo, kullum sabunta shi da suke yi.

---

Kassim kuwa, tun ranar da ya tsere daga gida, Port Harcourt ya nufa. Ya yi sati ɗaya a hotel kafin ya kama wani ɗakin haya mai kyau a cikin yankin ɗaliban jami'ar jihar. Ya ɗauki lokaci ya ƙawata ɗakin da kayan more rayuwa, kitchen cike da abinci da duk wani abin buƙata.

Ba matsalar kuɗi gare shi ba. Ya kwashe kuɗin Zahra daga asusun ta, da na aikin da Hajiya Turai ta biya. Duk da siyayyar da ya yi, a hannunsa ya rage masa sama da miliyan uku.

A can Port Harcourt ya fara sabuwar rayuwa. Ya manta da Laure da ƴaƴansa gaba ɗaya; bai kira su ba, bai aiko musu abinci ba. Haka nan ya manta da Zahra da ya zalunta. Yanzu shi ya tsunduma cikin rayuwa sabo, cike da jin daɗin duniya da rashin tsoron Allah.

---

Tun ranar da Kassim ya bar Ibadan, Laure ta koma kwana a ɗakin Zahra. Ba don komai ba sai don bata son kalar ƙamshin da ɗakinta yake yi, sai kuma tsabtar da ɗakin Zahra ke dashi da ƙamshinsa da yake ba ta nutsuwa. Ta fi samun hutu a nan, kamar dai zuciyarta tana samun sabuwar kwanciyar hankali.

Yau ta farka da ɗan ƙarfin jiki fiye da kullum, sai ta ɗauki tsintsiya ta fara gyara waje. Yanzu haka, idan ta ga wani ƙazanta ko ta ji wani ɗan wari, tofa sai ta rinƙa amai. Shi yasa take ƙoƙarin tabbatar da tsafta a ko’ina, in ba haka ba, gaba ɗaya rana bata da lafiya.

Da farko ta share falon, ya yi ɗan tsabta, sannan ta koma ɗakinta don ta gyara. Tana cikin share ƙasar gadon ne tsintsiyar ya fito da wani takarda, tana ɗaukowa sai ta gane; paper ɗin da ta kwafa lambar wayar Zahra ne a ranar da zata bar gidan.

Ta tsaya cak tana kallo, zuciyarta ta buga. Shin in kirata? Ta daɗe tana tunani, daga ƙarshe ta zauna a bakin gado ta ɗauki wayarta, ta dial number ɗin. Sai gashi ya fara ringing.

---

A wancan lokacin, Zahra ta fito daga wanka kenan. Tana shafa mai a jikinta cikin kulawa, tana jin fatarta tana fara dawo da haske da taushinsa na baya. Ta tsaya gaban madubi tana kallo, idanunta suka sauka a gefen wuyanta, inda aka barta da shedar dukan Kassim. Ta yi wani murmushi mai ciwo, murmushi wanda ya ƙunshi zafin da ya ci zuciya. Dukkan nan ya riga ya zama tarihi, ta faɗa a zuciyarta, amma auren Kassim dake kanta har yanzu shi ne kaɗai abin da yake hana ta nutsuwa gaba ɗaya.

Sai wayarta dake gefenta ta fara ringing. Da murmushi ta ɗauka a zaton Farhana ce, domin tun da ta dawo da layinta kullum suna kiran juna, suyi ta hira. Amma lambar da ta gani a screen ɗon ba ta san shi ba.

A hankali ta ɗaga.

“Hello Zahra.” Wata murya ta fito daga cikin wayar.

“Hi…” Zahra ta amsa a hankali, tana ƙoƙarin gane muryar.

“Zahra ce?”

“Eh, nice. Wace ce?”

“Ni Laure ce. Kishiyar ki.”

Kalmar “kishiya” ta doki kunnenta da wani irin zafi mai kaifi. A ranta ta ji kamar an goga mata wuka a zuciya. Amma daurewa ta yi, ta yi murmushi.

“Kishiya kuma? Ai ni ba ni da aure.”

“Ni ce matar Kassim fa,” Laure ta ce kai tsaye, tana tsammanin Zahra bata gane da wace take magana ba.

“Oh...Laure sai yau?” Zahra ta faɗa cikin mamaki.

“Wallahi paper da na rubuta lambar ki ne ya ɓata, yanzu kenan na tsince shi, shine na kira.”

“Ok, ya gida, ya yaran?”

“Lafiya ƙalau. Amma wai na tambaye ki, Kassim ya sauwaƙe miki ne? Na ji kince baki da aure.”

Zahra ta yi murmushi mai nauyi, ta ce; “Bai sauwaƙe min ba. Amma dole ne ya yi, lokaci muke basa. Idan bai yi abin da ya dace ba, kotu za ta shiga tsakaninmu. Yanzu dai bar maganar Kassim, ban son jinsa don yana sosa min rai.”

“To shikenan, tunda kika ce haka. Na ga saƙonki, nagode.”

“Saƙo kuma?” Zahra ta tambaya cikin mamaki.

“Eh, ɗan uwanki ya kawo mini har gida. Yanzu haka na kama babban shago, na yi furnishing, zan fara aikin saloon.”

Zahra ta kasa motsi. Musharraf ya tafi Ibadan? Yaushe? Me yasa bai gaya mata ba? Amma ta daure, ta yi dariya don kar Laure ta gane mamakin da take ciki.

“Kin iya aikin saloon?” ta tambaye ta.

“Eh, tun daɗewa na koya, rashin kuɗi ne kawai ya hanani buɗe shago.”

“Ayya, Allah ya taimaka yayi jagora.”

“Amin. Nagode sosai.”

“Nice da godiya, Laure.”

Suka ɗan yi hira. Laure ta ba Zahra labarin yadda Kassim ya gudu ya bar ta da yara biyu a bariki, babu kulawa, babu kira. Bayan tattaunawa suka katse kiran.

Zahra ta jefa wayar gefe, zuciyarta ta cika da mamaki da takaicin halin Kassim. Ace ka bar mace da yara biyu haka, ba ka damu da ko sun ci abinci ba? Amma a gefe guda zuciyarta ta yi tambaya; Musharraf kuma yaushe ya tafi Ibadan ba tare da sanar da ita ba?

Ta miƙe ta nufi wardrobe, ta ɗauki doguwar riga lace, ta saka ta ɗaura ɗauri sannan ta yafa mayafi.

Inna da Sen sun tafi asibiti gaisuwa. Zahra na fitowa daga ɗaki sai ta ga Sameer, cousin ɗinta, a zaune a falo yana kallon ball, a gabansa akwai fruits.

Ƙamshin turarenta ya fara ratsawa cikin falon kafin ta fito. Juyowa ya yi, da ganinta sai ya saki murmushi.

“Ashe dai manyan baƙi ne a gidan,” ya ce.

Zahra ta yi murmushi itama, ta ƙaraso ta zauna kusa da shi. “Kai Ya Sameer, ashe kana gari? I thought kana Kano.”

“A’a, tun last week nake nan. Ban san kina nan ba lokacin da na zo ai da na shigo mun gaisa.”

“Ayya, ni ma yau sati ɗaya kenan da na taho.”

“Masha Allah. You look good.” Ya ce yana ƙare mata kallo.“Fita zaki yi?”

Kai ta gyaɗa.

“Ok, let me drop you tunda tsofaffin basu nan.”

Murmushi ta yi. “Don’t worry, zan yi amfani da motar Grandpa. I might stay long inda zan je, kar na ɓata maka lokaci.”

“Ina zaki je?”

“Shopping.”

“Ok, ba damuwa. Ni bari na koma gida.”

Suka fito tare daga gidan. Yana biye da ita har wajen mota. Ta buɗe motar Sen zata shiga, sai ga shi Sameer ya ciro bundle na ₦500 daga motarsa, ya miƙa mata.

“Gashi, ki ƙara kuɗin shopping.”

Zahra ta karɓa da murmushi. “Nagode, Yaya. Allah ya ƙara buɗi.”

---

A babban supermarket ta fara tafiya. Da farko niyyarta kawai siyayya ce ta cream wanda zai ɓatar da tabon dukan Kassim. Amma ganin kuɗin da Sameer ya bata sai ta ɗan ƙara siyayyar kayan maƙwalashe, da sabon pouch ga wayarta.

Daga nan ta wuce wajen shan ice cream.

Da ta shiga, ta samu wuri ta zauna. Wani mutum a opposite table ya ci gaba da kallonta cikin nutsuwa da girmamawa. Ya zauna cikin farar shadda mai sheƙi, yara biyu a gefensa suna jiran order ɗinsu.

Zahra ta order vanilla da strawberry. Aka kawo mata cikin leda, ta ɗauka ta fito. Mutumin ya ci gaba da binta da kallo, saboda nasu order bai kammala ba, suna jiran shawarma a haɗa musu.

A waje yayyafi ya fara. Zahra ta yi sauri zuwa motarta. Ta shiga ta ɗan tayar da mota, amma sam! Bata tashi ba. Ta gwada sau da dama amma abin yaki.

A gefe, mutumin cikin shadda ya fito da yaransa. Ya hangi Zahra a gaban motarta tana dubawa, da alama tsiya motar ta mata, ya saka yaransa a mota sannan ya dawo gefen Zahra.

A lokacin ta buɗe bonnet, tana zuba ruwa, tana ƙoƙarin sake tayar da mota. Sai kawai ta ji ƙamshi mai daɗi ya ratsa hancinta.

Da ta juyo, sai ta gan shi tsaye kusa da ita, yana riƙe da umbrella.

“Lafiya?” ta tambaye shi cikin ɗan razana, ganin yadda ya tsaya kusa sosai da ita, idanunsa na bin ta da kallo mai ƙarfi amma cikakken mutunci.

Sai kawai ya miƙa mata umbrella. Ta tsaya kallon shi ba tare da ta amsa ba, sai ya riƙe hannunta ya damƙa mata umbrellan. “Let me help you.” ya furta cikin deep voice ɗinsa mai cike da nutsuwa.

Zahra ta tsaya cak, ta kasa magana. Idonta kawai na kallon sa, zuciyarta na dokawa da tsantsan shock...