THE HOUSE RULES

*ZAYD ARMAAN*

*CHAPTER NINETY FOUR:94:*

*THE HOUSE RULES*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

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Raihana ta sauko daga ɗakinta a hankali, wayarta a hannunta, tana tafiya cikin corridor ɗin gidan ba tare da ta lura da komai da ke gabanta ba, hankalinta gaba ɗaya yana kan kitchen, tana ƙoƙarin gano inda yake, duk da cewa ita kanta ba ta san hanyar ba, ba wai ta san inda take zuwa ba ne, amma somehow, instinct ɗinta kawai ya ja ta zuwa wani corridor da ke can gefe, kusa da hanyar da za ta kai part ɗin Zayd, ba ta ma damu da tunanin ko ta bi hanyar da ta dace ba, she just kept walking, abin da ba ta sani ba kuwa shi ne, hanyar da ta ɗauka ta kai tsaye ce zuwa kitchen ɗin gidan.

Da ta karasa can ƙarshen kuwa ta hango kitchen din, ta tsaya na ɗan lokaci, idanunta suka fara yawo a wurin, kitchen ɗin kuwa? Mai uban girma, ya kusan kai girman bedroom ɗin da ta kwana a ciki, komai a jere fess, a neat order, babu abin da ke nuna cewa ana yin girki a wurin, countertops ɗin suna kyalli, cabinets ɗin a rufe, kitchen island ɗin yana tsakiyar wurin, everything clean and perfectly arranged, Raihana, ta kalli wurin daga gefe zuwa gefe, “So neat…” ta furta a hankali, sannan ta shiga gaba ɗaya, ta fara buɗe cabinets ɗin ɗaya bayan ɗaya a hankali, amma babu wani abu mai amfani sosai, daga nan ta lura da wata ƙofa a gefe, ta ƙarasa ta buɗe, store, ta leƙa ciki, sai ta tsaya cak, babu komai, not even a box, hatta tsinken ashana ma ba ta gani ba, ta jinjina kai a hankali kamar wadda ta tabbatar da wani abu, “Okay…” ta furta, sai ta rufe ƙofar, ta dawo kitchen island ɗin, ta jingina da shi na ɗan lokaci, ta ɗan ƙwabe fuska, “Yanzu me zan yi?” ta faɗa a hankali, tana kallon gas din, ba ta san inda za ta fara ba, gashi wata azababbiyar yunwa ke cinye mata ciki.

Daga ƙarshe sai ta ƙarasa wajen fridge ɗin ta buɗe shi, cold air ya bugi fuskarta a hankali, ta leƙa ciki, empty, almost empty, abubuwa kaɗan ne suka rage a wani gefe, amma babu wani proper food da za ta ce ga abin da za ta ci, ta dan lumshe idanunta sai kuma ta sake bude su a hankali, sai idanunta suka sauka ƙasa, a can gefe ta hango bottles biyu na juice, ta ɗan matsa kusa, ta ɗauko ɗaya, ta duba bottle ɗin na ɗan lokaci, suma din masu aikin kayan ta ne suka bar ragowar juice din lokacin da ake hada kayan, kar ya zama waste shine suka ajiye a fridge, ta ɗan jinjina kai, “At least something,” ta rufe fridge ɗin, ta riƙe bottle ɗin a hannu, ta juya da niyyar komawa ɗakinta, amma da ta fara wucewa ta corridor ɗin, idanunta suka sauka kan wani mutum da ke kwance a kan sofa ɗin falon, ta tsaya cak, ta yi pause na wasu seconds, Zayd.

Yana nan a kan kujerar, jikinsa ya ɗan jingine jikin headrest din sofa, idanunsa a lumshe, hannunsa ɗaya a kan kirjinsa, kamar wanda yake resting ko bacci ya ɗan kwashe shi, Raihana ta kafe idanunta a kansa, “Wannan yaushe ya zo nan?” ta faɗa a ranta, ko da wasa bata jin motsinsa ba, har ta shiga kitchen, ta ɗan matso kanta kaɗan tana ƙoƙarin tabbatar ko da gaske bacci yake yi, amma something about him still felt too controlled to call it sleep, ta sake kallonsa na ɗan second, sannan nan take ta janye idanunta, she didn't want to get caught staring, ta matse bottle ɗin juice a hannunta, ta gyara veil ɗinta daya zame kaɗan, sannan ta wuce, kafin ka ce me, ta riga ta ɓace daga wurin, Zayd kuwa, bayan wasu seconds, idanunsa suka buɗe a hankali, ba wai yana bacci ba ne, rassss, tun lokacin da ta sauko yake ganinta, ya yi ta kwance a sofa ɗin ne kawai idanunsa a lumshe kamar wanda yake resting, alhali hankalinsa gaba ɗaya yana kanta, idanunsa suka bi hanyar da Raihana ta bi, har sai da ta ɓace gaba ɗaya daga ganinsa, sai ya sauke numfashi, ya tashi daga sofa ɗin a hankali, ba tare da ya yi wata magana ba ya nufi part ɗinsa.

Bayan ɗan lokaci, ya shiga ɗakinsa, ya yi wanka, ya fito sanye da black jeans trouser da dark purple short-sleeve shirt, shirt ɗin ya zauna sosai a kan well-structured body ɗinsa, gashin kansa lummm lummm, haka sajensa yayi kyau a lumshe, fuskarsa fresh kal kaaal, ya daura wristwatch dinsa, sannan kamshi, uban kamshi, kamar an yi barin turare a cikin ɗakin, ya ɗan tsaya a gaban mirror, ya kalli kansa for seconds, ya ɗauki turaren ya sake fesa kaɗan a wuyansa, then he simply walked out, calm, collected, maimakon ya fita inda za shi, sai ya nufi kitchen ɗin a hankali, takunsa na da wannan irin calm, majestic movement, kamar babu wani abu a duniya da zai iya sa ya yi gaggawar tafiya, da ya ƙarasa bakin kitchen ɗin, sai ya ɗan tsaya na wasu seconds, idanunsa suka zagaya wurin, ya kalli fridge ɗin, kitchen island, cabinets ɗin da suke a rufe, sannan ya sake kallon wurin da Raihana ta tsaya ɗazu, fuskarsa ta kasance calm, amma idanunsa suka ɗan tsaya na ɗan lokaci, kamar yana ƙoƙarin fahimtar abin da take nema a nan, sai kawai ya ɗan ɗaga gira, bai ce komai ba, ya juya ya fita daga kitchen ɗin, kai tsaye ya nufi part ɗin Seeyama.

Da ya shiga falon, abin da ya fara gani shi ne irin yadda ya bar wurin a daren jiya, TV ɗin nan, pillows ɗin sofa warwatse, bottles ɗin ruwa da juice a nan da can, plate ɗin abincin da ta ci ma har yanzu yana nan, ya tsaya na ɗan second yana kallon wurin, same mess, again, ya sauke numfashi, ya girgiza kai a hankali, sannan ya nufi ɗakin Seeyama, lokaci ya riga ya wuce goma, amma har yanzu tana cikin bacci, Zayd ya ƙarasa bakin gadon, ya tsaya yana kallonta na ɗan lokaci, sai ya ɗan rankwafa, ya buga gefen pillow ɗin da hannunsa, “Seeyama,” ta ɗan motsa, sai ya sake bubbuga pillow ɗin, a hankali ta buɗe ido, idanunta cike da bacci suka sauka a kansa, ta kalle shi na wasu seconds kamar tana ƙoƙarin fahimtar me yake yi a ɗakinta a wannan lokacin, sai kawai ta koma rigingine ta kwanta, ta gyara pillow ɗin ƙarƙashin kanta, sannan ta sake buɗe idanunta ta zuba masa.

Zayd kuwa ya tsaya kawai, bai ce komai ba, sai ita ce ta fara magana, “Babe… what? Why are you staring at me like this?” Zayd ya ɗan kalle ta, fuskarsa babu wani expression mai yawa, sai ya ce a nutse, “Tashi ki zauna,” ba ta yi musu ba, ta tashi ta zauna a hankali, gashinta a ɗan rikice, idanunta har yanzu cike suke da bacci, Zayd ya ci gaba, “What time is it now?” Seeyama ta ɗan ƙara lumshe ido, kamar tambayar ta zo mata da wuri, ta kalli agogon ɗakin, sannan ta dawo da kallonta kansa, “Fifteen minutes past ten…” Zayd ya ɗan ɗage gira ɗaya, “And you're still lying there?” ya yi shiru na seconds kaɗan yana kallonta daga sama har ƙasa, “A matsayinki na matar aure, ba maganar ki tashi ki kimtsa gida, ko ki yi wanka, bare a zo maganar breakfast.”

Seeyama ta turo baki, wannan irin turo bakin nata na sangarta, kamar ba ita ce ake magana a kanta ba, ta gyara zamanta a kan gadon, sannan ta fara magana cikin wannan irin muryar da take amfani da ita idan tana son ta samu sassauci, “Toh babe…” ta ɗan ja maganar, “Ni fa ba ni da mai taimaka min,” Zayd ya tsaya yana kallonta, Seeyama kuwa ta ci gaba kamar tana gabatar da cikakken explanation ne da babu yadda za a yi a ƙi karɓa, “Rabi na ce Mommy ta kawo min, amma ta ce sai yau,” ta ɗan ɗaga hannunta tana nuna kanta, “Ni wallahi duk na rasa me zan yi, gashi har underwear dina ma na tara,” ta ɗan dafe goshinta, “Ni ba zan iya wankewa ba, dole sai tazo,” Zayd ya ɗan kafe idanunsa a kanta, Seeyama kuwa kamar ba ta lura da irin kallon da yake mata ba, sai ta ci gaba, “Kuma ai ka ga gidan ba datti,” ta ɗan waiga ɗakin kamar tana neman hujja, “Ni ina bedroom, falo and the rest of the rooms… kuma ba mai zama a ciki bare a baci, dama ɗakin ka ne, kuma shi ma ba a ciki ka kwana ba,” ta ɗan ɗaga gira, “Kuma koma ka kwana, I know you can fix the bed and clean the toilet before Rabi comes,” ta ƙare maganar cikin cikakkiyar nutsuwa, kamar ta gama warware masa dukkan matsalolin gidan.

Amma kafin Zayd ya samu damar cewa komai, sai ta sake tuna wani abu, “Kuma maganar breakfast…” ta ɗan yi murmushi kaɗan, “Babe, akwai a freezer, if you want to eat, you can warm it up, please,” ta gyara zamanta, “Na yi ordering jiya da yawa saboda irin haka, wankan ma sai na tashi anjima zan yi,” ta ɗan turo baki cikin shagwaba, “Don Allah, ai ina ganin shikenan ko?” ta faɗa tana kallonsa kai tsaye, ta kafe shi da idanunta kamar tana jiran ya ce mata ta yi gaskiya, Zayd kuwa, was more than speechless, ya tsaya kawai, bai motsa ba, ko alamun kiftawa bai ba, kallo ɗaya yake mata wanda ya yi tsawo fiye da yadda ya kamata, fuskarsa ta kasance calm, amma idanunsa sun cika da wani irin “Are you actually serious right now?” expression da bai faɗa da baki ba, Seeyama ta ɗan karkatar da kanta, “Babe? Ta ɗan ɗaga gira, “Why are you looking at me like that?” Zayd ya sauke numfashi a hankali, sai ya ɗan rufe idanunsa na second ɗaya, ya sake buɗewa, a fili yake cewa, this woman was going to test his patience this morning.

Zayd ya ci gaba da kallonta, ya ɗan yi shiru na wasu seconds, idanunsa har yanzu a kanta, kamar yana ƙoƙarin fahimtar yadda ta iya faɗin duk waɗannan abubuwan cikin irin wannan cikakkiyar nutsuwar, sai daga ƙarshe ya ɗan girgiza kai a hankali, muryarsa ta fito cikin nutsuwa, ba da tsawa ba, ba kuma da wani irin kaushin murya ba, “Can you listen to yourself, please?” ya ɗan yi pause yana kallonta kai tsaye, “A haka kike matar aure?” Seeyama ta ɗan buɗe baki, amma ta kasa cewa komai, Zayd ya ci gaba cikin wannan irin calm ɗin nasa, amma wannan karon akwai wani seriousness a cikin muryarsa da ya sa Seeyama ta daina wani ture turen baki, “This is your house, not gidanku da ake miki komai a can,” ya ɗan ɗaga gira, “As far as I am concerned, komai da yake cikin wannan gidan, gidanki ne, ke za ki yi,” Seeyama ta ɗan kalle shi kamar ba ta gama fahimtar inda yake nufi ba, Zayd ya ci gaba, “And I'm saying this as an order, start right from here,” ya nuna ɗakin da ɗan yatsanshi, “Ko tsinke babu mai ɗauke miki,” Seeyama ta ɗan lumshe ido, fuskarta ta fara sauyawa, Zayd kuwa bai damu ba, “And listen to me attentively,” muryarsa ta ɗan yi nauyi, amma har yanzu bai ɗaga murya ba, “Babu wata Rabi da za ta zo gidan nan ta zauna da ke saboda ta yi miki aiki, ke ce za ki yi komai da kanki, ko da wasa naga kin aika min wata dakina da sauran gyara zaki sha mamaki,” Seeyama ta sake buɗe baki, “But babe—” “Ba ki iya komai ba, learn,” ya faɗa a nutse, ba tare da ya bari ta ƙarasa ba, “Learn, simple, ba wai kina da wani choice ba ne,” ta yi shiru, Zayd ya kalli agogon hannunsa, sannan ya dawo da kallonsa kanta, “Yanzu ki tashi daga kan wannan gadon,” Seeyama ta kalle shi, “Ki shiga ki yi wanka, na ba ki thirty minutes,” ya ɗan yi pause, “Within thirty minutes, ki same ni a parlour,” Seeyama ta zauna kawai tana kallonsa kamar irin movie din nn take kallo, “Ki zo ki haɗa breakfast for everyone in the house,” ya ƙare maganar cikin nutsuwa, kamar ya gama faɗin abin da yake so, kuma babu wani room for argument, Seeyama kuwa ta zuba masa ido, bakinta a ɗan hangame, kamar har yanzu tana processing ɗin abin da kunnenta suka ji, Zayd bai jira response ɗinta ba, kawai ya juya ya nufi ƙofar ɗakin, ya fita ya bar ta a zaune a kan gadon.

Seeyama ta ci gaba da kallon ƙofar da ya fice, bakinta har yanzu a hangame, ta sake kallon ƙofar, this was not what she expected, absolutely not, ta sauke numfashi a hankali, hannunta ya tafi kanta ta shafa kanta zuwa fuskarta, for the first time that morning, Seeyama ta fara fahimtar cewa watakila gidan nan ba zai yi mata sauƙi kamar yadda ta zata daga daren jiya ba.

Yana fita, sai ta janyo wayarta kusa da ita, ta buɗe ta shiga neman Mommy, tana gunguni a hankali kamar wadda har yanzu maganar Zayd take ci mata tuwo a ƙwarya, ba ta daɗe ba, wayar ta fara ringing, Hajiya Hauwa ta ɗaga tana sallama, amma Seeyama ta tare ta da sauri, har sallamar da Mommy ta yi ba ta amsa ba, “Mommy, ni gaskiya I'm tired! Kin ji fa wai Rabi ba za ta zo ba, bai yarda ta zo gidan nan da sunan ta taimaka min da aiki ba, jaka ya maida ni wannan uban gidan! Nufinsa duk ni zan gyara komai da komai, sannan na yi girki kamar wadda ba halitta aka yi ba!” Ta ɗan ja numfashi, kamar maganar ba ta isa ba, “Toh wallahi ni dai Mommy, ki yi sauri ki zo ki taho min da Rabi, and if he doesn't like it, duk abin da zai yi sai dai ya yi, haba wallahi, na gaji da binsa, idan ya ga ina binsa, ya fi min ɗanyen kai!” Ta tabe baki, sannan ta ɗan gyara zamanta a kan gadon, “Jiya ba ki ga yadda ya yi laushi ba? Na zata abin arziki ne, ashe jira yake safiyar Allah ta yi ya ɗora daga inda ya tsaya!” Ta yi wani irin tsaki, “Ko don ya auri ƴar matsiyata, shi ne ni ma zai maida level ɗina iri ɗaya da nata? Kila ma shegiyar ita ce ta ce masa ba ta son maid, shi ne ni ma zai hana ni? Toh wallahi ba zai yiwu ba, over my dead body!” Muryarta ta ƙara ɗagawa kaɗan.

Hajiya Hauwa ta yi shiru kawai tana saurare, ba ta katse ta ba, sai bayan Seeyama ta ɗan yi shiru, sai ta sauke wani dogon numfashi, “Seeyama…” muryarta ta fito a hankali, “Har abada ba za ki yi hankali ba kenan? Daga kirana ba ki amsa sallama ba, ba gaisuwa, kin hau ni da wasu soki-burutsunki,” ta ɗan yi pause, “Haka kike masa magana shi ma kenan?” Seeyama ta turo baki, “Toh ni Mommy, ina ma na ganshi bare na masa magana?” ta ɗan yi ƙasa da murya, “Ni dai ba ya zo da dare ba, sai da asuba, sai kuma yanzu na ji yana cewa in haɗa breakfast for everyone in the house,” ta murguda baki kamar irin Zayd na tsaye gabanta, “Kenan kinga Mommy ta tare matar so ɗin? Wallahi tallahi, ba zan haɗawa wata ƴar iska abinci ba, ni ma nawa da zan ci ban san ta ina zan haɗa ba, shi ya sa na siya na ajiye a fridge,” ta ɗan yi tsaki, “Sai wata ƴar iska mai suna kishiya zan wa breakfast kamar wata asararriya…” Hajiya Hauwa ta katse ta, “Kina nufin ta tare kenan?” “Ina jin na ga jiya ya shigo ya sha shadda, yau da asuba ma ya zo, kinga kenan a gidan ya kwana, and now he says I should prepare breakfast for everyone,” ta ɗan yi shiru, “Ai da ba ta a gidan, sai ya ce na haɗa masa ba sai yace everyone ba, tunda dai daga ni sai shi.”

Hajiya Hauwa ta yi jimmmm, ta yi shiru na wasu seconds, kamar tana haɗa abubuwa a zuciyarta, daga ƙarshe sai ta ce, “Toh shikenan, ga ni nan zuwa gidan, zan zo, zan kuma taho da Rabi,” Seeyama ta ɗan saki ajiyar zuciya, “Amma ba na so ki sake masa wata magana,” ta ɗan yi tsauri a muryarta, “Abincin ma ki yi warming na fridge ɗin ki ba shi, kin ji ni ko?” Seeyama ta turo baki, “Na ji,” “Toh, sai kin zo,” “Yauwa,” daga nan kiran ya katse, Seeyama ta kalli wayar na wasu seconds, sannan ta jefa ta a kan gadon, ta sauke numfashi mai ƙarfi, “Hmm…” ta tabe baki, sai ta miƙe daga kan gadon ta nufi toilet, har yanzu fuskarta cike da ɓacin rai, a fili yake cewa wannan morning ɗin Zayd ya riga ya lalata mata mood.

Bintu ta kalli Hajiya Balaraba tana turo baki, hannunta riƙe da nata, tana girgiza shi a hankali, “Mommy, wallahi ba da gani ba ne, kin san yanzu Baffanmu ya hana ni fita, yanzu ma da ƙyar na samu Mama ta yi min dabara na fito, kewarki ce kawai ta dame ni, kamar na shekara ban ganki ba,” Hajiya Balaraba ta shafa kumatunta tana murmushi, idanunta kafe a fuskar Bintu kallonta, tana bala'in son shagwaɓar nan ta Bintu, ji take kamar ta haɗiye ta, “Toh shikenan, tunda dai kin zo ai da sauƙi, ni kaina ina ta kewarki,” Bintu ta ɗan yi murmushi, sannan ta gyara zamanta a kan kujerar, Hajiya Balaraba ta ci gaba, “Ni ba abin na zo gidanku da kaina ba, na yi raising alarm, shi ya sa kawai nake haƙuri nake dannewa kwana biyu amma ina cike da kewarki, daughter…” Bintu ta ɗan yi murmushi tana ɓoye fuskarta, sai kuma ta ɗan yi pause, kamar tana neman yadda za ta fara maganar, “Uhm, Mommy…” Hajiya Balaraba ta kalle ta, “Na ce wai dama mijin da Anty Seeyama ta aura yana da mata ne?” Hajiya Balaraba ta ɗan ɓata rai, “Ban gane ba, wacce kuma Seeyama?” Bintu ta ɗan sosa kai, “Uhm… ta Mommy Hauwa fa,” Hajiya Balaraba ta ɗan kura mata ido, kamar tana son karanta wani abu a fuskarta kafin ta amsa, “Ohhh… Seeyama,” ta faɗa a hankali, “Me ya faru ne?” Sai Bintu ta ɗan yi dariya, “Wallahi wai Mama ce na nuna mata hoton gidan Anty Seeyama, shi ne ta ce wai nan ne suka je jeren kanwata,” ta ɗan karkatar da kanta, “Wadda na ce miki an yi bikinta, na ce mata ba nan ba ne, amma ta dage wai nan ne, shi ne fa na ce zan tambaye ki,” Hajiya Balaraba ta yi diffff, kamar ruwa ya cinye ta, fuskarta ta tsaya cak, staring at Bintu bata ko kiftawa, murmushin da ke kan fuskarta ya dan dusashe, Bintu kuwa ta lura, ta zuba mata idanu, amma Hajiya Balaraba ba ta ce komai ba, shirun ya yi tsawo, sai Bintu ta ƙara matsowa kusa da ita, tana ƙara matse hannunta da ke riƙe da nata, “Mommyyy…” ta ja sunan cikin shagwaɓa, Hajiya Balaraba ta ɗan zabura kamar wadda aka dawo da ita daga wani irin tunani mai nisa, “Yes, darling?” Bintu ta ɗan turo baki, “Kin yi shiru kuma,” Hajiya Balaraba ta sauke numfashi a hankali, ta ɗan kalli Bintu, sannan ta ce cikin wata murya mai sauƙi amma akwai wani abu a ƙarƙashinta, “Ya sunan ƙanwar taki?” Bintu ta ɗan yi shiru, sannan cikin rashin tunanin komai ta amsa, “Raihana,” Hajiya Balaraba ta gwalo idanunta waje, “Raihana dai?” “Eh,” Bintu ta amsa, amma zuwa wannan lokacin fuskarta ta fara nuna mamaki, ta kalli Hajiya Balaraba sosai, “Mommy… what is it?” Hajiya Balaraba kuwa ba ta amsa nan take ba, idanunta sun tsaya a kan Bintu, amma kamar tunaninta ya riga ya yi nisa, Bintu ta ƙara matsowa kusa da ita, “Mommy?”