THE DECISION OF A GENTLEMAN
*ZAYD ARMAAN*
*CHAPTER-TWENTY THREE:23*
*THE DECISION OF A GENTLEMAN*
*JIDDAAH BARKUM*
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Zayd ya hau stairs ɗin cikin nutsuwa, takunsa ba su da sauri, amma kuma ba su da kasala.
Yana isa saman floor ɗin… ya bi doguwar corridor ɗin da aka kawata da framed abstract paintings da soft wall lights masu ba wajen wani irin nutsuwa.
Da ya isa ƙofar master bedroom ɗinsa… fingerprint sensor ɗin ya haska, beep!
Ƙofar ta buɗe a hankali, ya shiga.
Bedroom ɗin ya kasance mai faɗi sosai, amma duk da alfarma da tsadarsa… komai yana cikin tsari.
Glass windows masu tsawo sun buɗe, hasken rana na yammacin ranar yana ratsawa ta cikin sheer curtains masu launin ash, yana ba ɗakin wani irin haske mai laushi.
A gefe akwai king-size bed an shimfiɗa kyakkayawan farar duvet mai tsafta.
Zayd ya tsaya na ɗan lokaci, ya cire agogon Rolex ɗin hannunsa, ya ajiye shi a saman bedside table, sannan ya kwance cufflinks ɗinsa masu diamond, ya buɗe maɓallan wuyan shirt ɗinsa kaɗan.
Ya sauke numfashi mai nauyi, a hankali ya sake shafa fuskarsa da tafin hannunsa, kamar yana ƙoƙarin wanke gajiyar kwanakin da suka shuɗe daga zuciyarsa.
Bai zauna ba, kai tsaye ya nufi bathroom, automatic sensor lights suka haska da ya shiga.
Bathroom ɗin ya kasance faɗi, an yi shi da farin Italian marble, tare da black marble accents masu ƙara masa armashi, a gefe akwai freestanding bathtub, sai babban rainfall shower mai glass enclosure.
Mirror mai tsawo ya haska fuskar Zayd, ya tsaya gabansa na wasu daƙiƙu, ya zuba wa kansa ido.
Idanuwansa sun nuna gajiya da rashin isasshen bacci, sai ya ɗan yi murmushi,
“Looks like you really need this rest...”
Ya buɗe famfon ruwa, ruwan sanyi ya fara gudana, ya haɗa tafin hannayensa biyu, ya tara ruwa, sannan ya wanke fuskarsa sau ɗaya… sau biyu… sau uku.
Ya ɗaga kansa, ƙananan ɗigon ruwa suka gangaro daga fuskarsa zuwa wuyansa, ya jawo towel mai laushi, ya goge fuskarsa a hankali, sai ya sauke wani dogon numfashi, kamar wanda ya samu ɗan sassaucin gajiya.
A nutse ya ƙarasa wajen shower dan ya watsa ruwa.
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A ɗaya ɓangaren… Mommy Hauwa na kwance cikin yalwataccen parlourn gidanta, ta jingina da cushion mai laushi, sanye take cikin wata atamfa embroidery mai matuƙar kyau da kyalli, an yi mata light makeup, wayarta kuwa manne take a kunnenta.
A ɗaya ɓangaren layin… Hajiya Balaraba ce, kawar Mommy Hauwa tun shekaru da dama.
Mommy Hauwa ta yi wata irin dariya mai cike da gamsuwa,
“Wallahi Balaraba... na fara samun kwanciyar hankali.”
Hajiya Balaraba ta yi murmushi,
“Ina jinki?”
Mommy Hauwa ta gyara zamanta,
“Eh mana. Kin ga abin da ya faru kwanakin nan?”
Hajiya Balaraba tayi murmushi daga can,
“Eh na gani.”
“To ai...” ta yi dariya,
“Ni dai yanzu na tabbatar Fateema ba za ta ƙara wani tunani ba.”
Hajiya Balaraba ta ɗan yi shiru,
“Me kike nufi?”
Mommy Hauwa ta ce da ƙwarin gwiwa,
“Ke ba ki san Fateema ba ne. Tun farko ma fa ban taɓa jin tana son haɗa Zayd da Seeyama ba. Amma...” ta ɗaga yatsa,
“Yanzu dole ta sauya ra’ayi. Saboda ta gani da idonta irin fitinar da ta samu ɗanta.”
Ta yi murmushi mai cike da wani kuduri,
“Yanzu ai za ta gane cewa... dole Zayd ya bar wannan tuzurantakan, ya yi aure.”
Hajiya Balaraba ta ce,
“Don’t tell me you planned this.”
Mommy Hauwa tayi dariya,
“Not at all, ko ɗaya wallahi.”
Sai ta ci gaba,
“Ni dai na san Zayd. Ba zai taɓa ƙin abin da uwarsa ta ce masa ba. Ko yaushe... maganar uwar ita ce ta first priority a wajensa.”
Ta yi dariyar gamsuwa,
“Da zarar Fateema ta ce... ‘Zayd, ka auri Seeyama.’” ta tafa hannu a hankali,
“Shi kenan. An gama komai.”
Hajiya Balaraba ta yi dariya,
“Kin yi saurin yanke hukunci fa.”
Mommy Hauwa ta ce da tabbaci,
“Ba sauri ba ne. Na san ɗan nan. Yana girmama uwarsa fiye da komai. Ko da ba ya son abu... idan Fateema ta ce haka... zai yi shiru ya karɓa.”
Ta jingina da kujera tana murmushi,
“Shi ya sa nake cewa... wannan karon... Seeyama ce za ta zama matar Zayd.”
Hajiya Balaraba ta ɗan yi shiru, sai ta ce,
“To... idan kuma Fateema ba ta amince ba fa?”
Murmushin Mommy Hauwa bai gushe ba,
“Ai yanzu ba na tunanin hakan zai faru. Na san ta. Bayan abin da ya faru... dole ta nemi hanyar da za ta rufe komai. Seeyama ita ce mafita. Yo mutumin da baya kallon mata, ni fatana ma Allah ya sa lafiya yake.”
Hajiya Balaraba ta yi wata ƙaramar dariya,
“To... ko da ba ta amince ba...” ta sauke murya,
“Akwai mafita.”
Mommy Hauwa ta ɗan daidaita zamanta,
“Wace mafita?”
Hajiya Balaraba ta yi murmushi mai cike da ma’ana,
“Ki bari... da farko mu ga abin da Fateema za ta yi. Idan ta amince... Alhamdulillah. Idan kuma ta ƙi...” ta ɗan yi shiru,
“…to akwai hanyar da za ta amince.”
Mommy Hauwa ta ɗaga gira,
“Wace hanya kenan?”
Hajiya Balaraba ta yi dariya kaɗan,
“Ba komai ake faɗa ta waya ba, Hauwa. Idan muka haɗu... zan gaya miki.”
Mommy Hauwa ta yi murmushin da ya nuna ta gamsu,
“To shikenan. Ni ma dai ina jiran lokacin da Fateema za ta buɗe baki ta ce... ‘Zayd... lokaci ya yi da za ka auri Seeyama.’”
Suka fashe da dariya tare.
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A hankali… Ummie ta taka zuwa ƙofar ɗakin Zayd, ta ɗaga hannu, tayi knocking a hankali,
“Come in.”
Muryarsa ta fito cikin natsuwa.
Ummie ta buɗe ƙofar a hankali ta shiga, ƙamshin turaren da ya fesa bayan ya yi wanka ya mamaye ɗakin.
Sanye yake cikin wani ash-grey cotton lounge set, mai sauƙin kyau amma designer, ƙafafunsa sunyi haske sosai, gashinsa har yanzu ɗan jike yake da ruwa.
Ba ya kan gadonsa, yana zaune ne a kan sofa da ke gefen babban window ɗin ɗakin, ƙafarsa ɗaya ta ɗan haye kan ɗaya, a hannunsa wani hardcover book ne da yake dubawa cikin nutsuwa.
Da ya ɗago ya ga Ummie… nan take ya rufe littafin, ya miƙe tsaye,
“Ummie.”
Ta yi murmushi,
“Zauna mana.”
“A’a.”
Ya ƙaraso gare ta, ya kamo hannunta cikin girmamawa,
“Ke kika zo ɗakina, ai ni zan tarbe ki.”
Ya raka ta zuwa sofa, ya tabbatar ta zauna cikin kwanciyar hankali, sannan shi ma ya koma ya zauna a gefenta.
Shiru… na wasu daƙiƙu, sai ƙar AC mai laushi kaɗai ake ji.
Zayd ya ɗan karkata jikinsa gare ta,
“Everything okay?”
Ummie ta yi murmushi,
“Eh.”
Ta ɗan yi shiru, sai ta kalli ɗanta sosai, tun yana ƙarami… idan tana son yin magana mai muhimmanci, haka take fara kallonsa.
Zayd ya lura, ya ajiye littafin gaba ɗaya, ya haɗa hannayensa,
“Ina sauraronki, Ummie.”
Ta sauke numfashi a hankali,
“Habibiii...”
“Na’am.”
“Ka san ina yawan cewa... Allah yana haɗa mutane ta hanyoyin da ba sa zato.”
Ya gyada kai,
“Na sani.”
Ta ɗan lumshe idanunta,
“Kasan yau na je gidan su Raihana?”
Ta faɗa tana kallon fuskarsa.
Bai yi mamaki ba, saboda ya riga ya san Ummie ta fita da safe, amma bai san inda ta je ba,
“A’a.”
“Ban sani ba,” ya amsa a hankali.
Ta ɗan lumshe idanunta,
“Wallahi... tun daga ranar da wannan fitinar ta faru... zuciyata ta kasa samun nutsuwa game da yarinyar nan.”
Zayd ya yi shiru, yana sauraron ta.
Ummie ta ci gaba,
“Na san kai namiji ne. Allah ya ba ka ƙarfin zuciya. Mutane sun yi magana... sun zage ka... sun ɓata maka suna... amma ka ci gaba da tsayawa.”
Ta ɗan yi shiru,
“Sai na tuna da ita.”
Ta ɗora hannunta a ƙirji,
“Na ce a raina... ‘wace irin rayuwa wannan yarinya take ciki yanzu?’ Mutane sun gama yanke mata hukunci. An zageta. An ci mutuncinta. An nuna ta da yatsa. Alhali ba ta aikata komai ba.”
Idanun Ummie suka ɗan yi laushi, Zayd bai motsa ba, ya yi shiru kawai.
Ummie ta ci gaba,
“Na ga yarinyar.”
Ta ɗan yi shiru,
“Na zauna da ita. Na yi magana da ita. Na ga iyayenta. Na ga gidansu.”
Ta ɗan yi murmushi,
“Wallahi Zayd... na dawo da zuciyata cike da wani irin kwanciyar hankali.”
Har yanzu… Zayd bai katse ta ba, yana sauraro ne kawai.
Ummie ta ci gaba cikin natsuwa,
“Na ga yarinya mai tarbiyya. Mai kunya. Mai biyayya. Mai ilimi. Mai tsoron Allah.”
Ta sauke numfashi,
“Amma...” sai muryarta ta ɗan yi rauni,
“Na ga yarinya da ta sha wahala.”
Zayd kawai ya ci gaba da kallon Ummie.
Ta ci gaba,
“Na ga yadda ta rame. Na ga yadda idanunta suka kumbura saboda kuka. Na ga yadda take ƙoƙarin ɓoye ciwon da ke zuciyarta.”
Ta girgiza kai,
“Wallahi abin ya taɓa ni.”
Zayd ya haɗe hannuwansa sosai, har yanzu bai ce komai ba.
Ummie ta ci gaba,
“Ka san me ya fi bani ciwo?”
Ya girgiza kai,
“A’a.”
Ta ce cikin taushin murya,
“Na ji tsoro.”
Zayd ya ɗan ɗaga gira,
“Tsoro?”
Ta gyada kai,
“Eh. Na ji tsoron... kar wata rana ta yi aure a wani gida...” ta ɗan dakata,
“…inda za a ci gaba da tsangwamarta saboda abin da bai taɓa faruwa ba.”
Zuciyar Zayd ta ɗan motsa, amma ya ci gaba da sauraro.
Ummie ta ɗora da cewa,
“Mutane da yawa sun ji labarin. Ko da yanzu gaskiya ta fito... ba kowa ne zai gaskata ba.”
Ta sauke numfashi,
“Wasu za su ci gaba da kallonta da idanun zargi.”
Ta girgiza kai cikin takaici,
“Wata rana idan ta shiga gidan aure... akwai masu iya tuna mata wannan al’amari. Akwai masu iya muzanta ta. Akwai masu iya sa ta ji kamar ba ta da daraja.”
Ta ɗora hannunta a ƙirjinta,
“Amma... mu...” ta kalli Zayd kai tsaye,
“Mun san gaskiya. Mun san ba ta da laifi. Mun san an zalunce ta.”
Ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, sai ta ce cikin muryar uwa mai cike da tausayi,
“Shi ya sa... zuciyata ta kasa samun nutsuwa.”
Zayd ya sauke idanunsa ƙasa, bai san dalilin da ya sa kalaman Ummie suke shiga zuciyarsa haka ba.
Ummie ta ci gaba,
“Na rungume ta yau.”
Ta yi murmushi mai rauni,
“Ta yi kuka kamar ƙaramar yarinya. Ba saboda rauni ba... saboda ta samu mutum na farko da daga wajen bayan cikin gidansu da ya ce mata... ‘na san ba ki da laifi.’”
Shiru ya sake mamaye ɗakin, sai ƙarar iska daga AC.
Ummie ta ɗan gyara zamanta,
“Zayd...”
“Na’am.”
“Ni uwa ce. Idan na ga wanda aka zalunta... zuciyata ba ta iya wucewa kamar ba ta gani ba.”
Ta yi murmushi,
“Kuma yau... na ga yarinyar da nake jin tsoron kada duniya ta ci gaba da yi mata hukuncin abin da ba ta aikata ba.”
Ta ɗan yi shiru,
“Shi ya sa... na ga ya dace in gaya maka abin da ke zuciyata.”
Zayd ya ɗaga kansa, idanunsa suka sauka kan fuskar Ummie, bai ce komai ba, bai tambaya ba, sai ya ci gaba da kallonta cikin nutsuwa… yana jiran kalmar da ta san za ta sauya alkiblar wannan tattaunawar.
Ummie ta ɗora hannunta a kan nasa,
“Habibi... ba zan matsa maka ba. Ba zan ba ka umarni ba. Ba kuma zan ce dole sai ka aure ta ba.”
Ta yi murmushi mai taushi,
“Amma... zuciyata za ta yi farin ciki... idan ka nemi auren yarinyar nan.”
Shiru ya ratsa ɗakin, Zayd ya ɗan buɗe idanunsa cikin mamaki, kamar bai yi tsammanin wannan maganar ba.
Ya yi shiru na wasu daƙiƙu, sannan ya ce cikin natsuwa,
“Amma Ummie... ai ban san ta ba.”
Ya ɗan yi murmushi kaɗan,
“Ita ma ba ta san ni ba.”
Sai ya yi shiru na ɗan lokaci,
“What if... akwai wanda take so?”
Ya sauke numfashi a hankali,
“Ba na so ta ji kamar ana son yi mata dole ne saboda abin da ya faru.”
Ummie ta yi murmushi mai cike da natsuwa, ta ɗan gyara zamanta, sannan ta ce cikin murya mai sauƙi,
“Habibi... na san abin da yake zuciyarka. Shi ya sa tun farko na ce ba na ba ka umarni. Ba kuma na zo ne domin na matsa maka ba.”
Ta ɗan yi shiru kafin ta ci gaba,
“Amma ina son ka san wani abu.”
Zayd ya ɗaga idanunsa ya kalleta cikin nutsuwa.
Ummie ta yi murmushi,
“Ko da ba wannan ƙaddar da ta haɗa sunayenku ba... wallahi Zayd... da ace na haɗu da Raihana kafin yau, da zuciyata za ta kwanta a kanta.”
Ta girgiza kai a hankali,
“Ba don tausayi ba. Ba don abin da ya faru ba. A’a. Na ga tarbiyya. Na ga kunya. Na ga nutsuwa. Na ga yarinyar da ta san darajar iyaye.”
Ta yi murmushi mai laushi,
“Wallahi... irin wannan yarinya ba kasafai ake samunta ba.”
Zayd bai ce komai ba, sai dai idanunsa sun sauka kan littafin da ke gefen sofa.
Ummie ta ci gaba cikin hikima,
“Ka san ni sosai. Tun kana ƙarami... ban taɓa zaɓa maka aboki ba. Ban taɓa tilasta maka wani abu ba. Saboda na san Allah Ya ba ka hankali.”
Ta ɗan matsa kusa da shi,
“Shi ya sa yanzu ma... ba zan ce maka ka aure ta ba. Amma...” ta ɗan yi murmushi,
“Idan ka ga babu abin da zai hana... idan ka ga zuciyarka ta amince... idan ka yi istikhara ka ga alkhairi...” ta shafa hannunsa a hankali,
“Toh... wallahi zuciyata za ta yi farin ciki matuƙa idan ka nemi auren yarinyar nan.”
Shiru ya sake sauka a ɗakin, Zayd ya ɗaga idanunsa ya kalli Ummie.
A karon farko… ya ga yadda Ummie tayi maganar, ba kawai shawara ba ce, magana daga zuciyarta take.
Cikin sanyin murya ta ƙara da cewa,
“Amma idan ka yi istikhara... ka ga zuciyarka ba ta kwanta ba...” ta yi murmushi cikin yarda,
“Wallahi zan karɓa. Ba zan taɓa fushi ba. Domin abin da nake nema ba shi ne a cika burina ba... abin da nake nema shi ne Allah Ya zaɓa maka abin da zai zama alkhairinka.”
Ta miƙe a hankali,
“Ka yi tunani. Kar ka yi saurin ba ni amsa. Ka yi addu’a. Shi ya fi.”
Ta juya za ta nufi ƙofar ɗakin.
Amma kafin ta kai… sai muryar Zayd ta dakatar da ita,
“…Ummie.”
Ta tsaya, ba tare da ta waigo ba,
“Na’am, Habibi?”
Sai ya ɗaga kansa a hankali, idanunsa suka sauka kan fuskar Ummie, ya yi shiru na wasu daƙiƙu, kamar yana aunawa tsakanin zuciyarsa da abin da ya kamata.
Daga ƙarshe… cikin sanyin murya ya sake cewa,
“Ummie...”
“Na’am, Habibi.”
Ya ci gaba da kallonta, sai ya tambaya cikin nutsuwa,
“Idan na amince...” ya ɗan yi shiru,
“…za ki yi farin ciki?”
Tambayar ta fito da sauƙi, amma ta fito ne daga zurfin zuciyarsa.
Ummie ta tsaya cak, idanunta suka sauka a kansa, sannan wani murmushi mai cike da taushi ya bayyana a fuskarta, ta gyada kai a hankali,
“Zan yi farin ciki sosai. Saboda zuciyata ta ga alkhairi a cikin yarinyar nan. Duk da haka...” ta ƙara cikin natsuwa,
“Idan Allah Ya nuna maka ba ita ce alkhairinka ba... zan karɓa da zuciya ɗaya.”
Zayd ya yi shiru, ya lumshe idanunsa na wasu daƙiƙu, kalaman Ummie suna sake yawo a cikin zuciyarsa.
Lokacin da ya sake buɗe idanunsa… sun ɗan yi ja kaɗan, sai ya ɗora su kai tsaye kan fuskar Ummie.
A hankali… cikin murya mai cike da girmamawa ya ce,
“Na amince.”
Ummie ba ta motsa ba, kamar ta kasa yarda da abin da kunnuwanta suka ji.
Zayd ya sake maimaitawa cikin natsuwa,
“Na amince, Ummie. Ki je ki ci gaba da abin da kika fara. Idan ta amince... idan iyayenta suka amince... ni ma na amince. Zan aure ta.”
Shiru… wani irin shiru mai nauyi ya mamaye ɗakin, hawayen farin ciki suka cika idanun Ummie.
Ta dafe bakinta da tafin hannunta,
“Alhamdulillahi Rabbil-’Alameen...” ta furta cikin rawar murya.
Kafin ta ƙarasa gare shi… ta riƙe fuskarsa da hannaye biyu, ta shafa kumatunsa cikin ƙauna irin ta uwa,
“Allah Ya saka maka da alkhairi, ɗana. Allah Ya sanya alkhairi a cikin lamarin nan. Allah Ya sa wannan ya zama mafi kyawun zaɓi a rayuwarka.”
Zayd ya yi murmushi kaɗan, murmushin da bai kai zuciyarsa ba, amma ya cika da yarda da ƙaddar Allah.
Ya kama hannun Ummie cikin girmamawa,
“Ki ci gaba da yi mini addu’a. Shi ne kawai abin da nake buƙata.”
Ummie ta share hawayenta tana murmushi,
“Wallahi, Habibi... tun ranar da Allah Ya ba ni kai... babu ranar da ban yi maka addu’a ba.”
Sai ta rungume shi da ɗan ƙarfi, ta lumshe idanunta, a zuciyarta kuwa… ta yi godiya ga Allah, domin ta san daga wannan lokacin… an buɗe sabon babi a rayuwar Zayd Armaan da Raihana.
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