THE TWO SUITORS
*ZAYD ARMAAN*
*CHAPTER-TWENTY SEVEN:27*
*THE TWO SUITORS*
*JIDDAAH BARKUM*
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Bayan ɗan lokaci, Hajiya Balaraba ta gyara zamanta,
“Wai har yanzu Alhaji bai dawo ba?”
Mommy Hauwa ta tabe baki,
“Ya dawo ke kuwa?”
Ta ɗan daga gira,
“Bayan yana can yana cin duniyarshi a ƙasashen waje da mata kala-kala?”
Hajiya Balaraba ta kalleta tana dariya,
“Yanzu ma da wata budurwar ya tafi kenan?.”
Mommy Hauwa Ta girgiza kai,
“Kawai kallonsa nake, banda lokacinsa ne, ya yi abin da zai fi masa.”
Sai ta ɗan jingina bayanta,
“Tunda ni nasan inda na kama.”
Hajiya Balaraba ta fashe da dariya, Mommy Hauwa ma ta bi ta da dariya, har suka kai ga tafa hannu.
—————-
*ARMAAN MANSION …*
Daren ya yi tsit.
Zayd yana kwance a kan gadonsa, ya ɗora kansa a kan hannayensa yayi pillow dasu, idanunsa a rufe.
Bai yi bacci ba, kawai yana kwance ne cikin tunani, kamar hankalinsa ya ƙi ba shi damar samun nutsuwa.
Sanye yake da wata simple black cotton T-shirt da dark grey lounge trousers, kayan gida ne masu sauƙi, amma har yanzu suna ƙara fito da tsari da nutsuwar jikinsa.
Wayarsa da ke gefen pillow ɗinsa ta sake ringing karo na uku kenan.
A hankali… Zayd ya buɗe idanunsa, ya kalli wayar na ƴan daƙiƙu, kamar ba ya son ɗaukar ta, sai ya miƙa hannu ya janyo ta kusa da shi.
Screen ɗin ya haska fuskarsa.
FELICIA CALLING…
Zayd ya ɗan lumshe idanunsa, ya san wannan muryar kafin ma ya ɗaga wayar.
A hankali ya swipe ɗin answering call, ya kai wayar kunnenshi.
Muryar yarinyar ta fito cike da shagwaɓa,
“My man...”
Zayd ya rufe idanunsa, sai ya sauke ajiyar zuciya a hankali,
“Felicia...”
“Finally!”
Ta yi ƙaramar dariya mai ɗauke da ƙorafi,
“I’ve been calling you.”
Zayd bai amsa nan take ba.
Felicia ta ci gaba,
“Ina ka saka wayarka? Na kira ka sau biyu... three times actually.”
Zayd ya buɗe idanunsa kaɗan, ya kalli ceiling, sai a hankali ya ce,
“How are you?”
Muryarsa a sanyaye take.
Felicia ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci,
“I’m fine, babe.”
Sai ta ƙara da sauri,
“But what’s up with you? Kana bacci ne?”
“No.”
“Then why didn’t you answer?”
Zayd ya sauke wayar kaɗan daga kunnensa, ya ɗan kalli screen ɗin,
“Na gani ne yanzu.”
“Babeee.”
Muryarta ta fito cikin shagwaɓa.
Zayd ya yi shiru.
Felicia ta sake magana,
“Do you even remember what’s happening next week?”
Zayd ya ɗan daga gira,
“Next week?”
“Yes!”
Ta yi dariya,
“My graduation, babe..”
Sai ya ɗan lumshe idanunsa, ya tuna, tabbas ya tuna.
Graduation ɗinta daga Columbia University, New York, yana zuwa nan kusa.
Ta daɗe tana magana akan ranar, ta kuma daɗe tana tunatar da shi cewa ya yi mata alkawarin zai zo.
Zayd ya shafa gefen goshinsa da yatsunsa,
“I remember.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“So you’re coming?”
Zayd bai amsa nan take ba, sai Felicia ta yi shiru na ƴan daƙiƙu,
“Zayd...”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t tell me you forgot the date.”
Ya ɗan buɗe ido,
“Felicia—”
“So you did forget!”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then?”
Zayd ya sauke numfashi,
“Yeah...”
Amma kafin ya ƙarasa— Felicia ta katse shi,
“Just tell me, are you coming or not?”
Muryarta ta sauya daga shagwaɓa zuwa irin ta wadda take son amsar da za ta kwantar mata da hankali,
“I miss you so much.”
Ta ɗan yi shiru,
“Dan Allah, Zayd... kazo.”
Zayd ya lumshe idanunsa, muryarta ta sake shiga kunnensa,
“You promised me.”
Ya yi shiru,
“Ka ce za ka zo.”
Sai ta ƙara cikin ƙaramin murya,
“And I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.”
Zayd ya buɗe idanunsa a hankali, kallon ceiling ɗin ya yi na ƴan daƙiƙu, babu amsar da ta fito daga bakinsa tukuna.
Domin a wannan daren… kamar yadda ya kasa gane me yake so a cikin zuciyarsa tun daɗewa… haka yake jin cewa wannan tafiyar ma… ba za ta kasance da sauƙi ba.
Felicia ta yi shiru na ƴan daƙiƙu, kamar tana jiran ya faɗi abin da take son ji, sai muryarta ta sake fitowa cikin shagwaɓa,
“Babe...”
Zayd ya lumshe idanunsa,
“Hmm?”
“Please...”
Ta ɗan yi shiru, sannan ta fara magana da sautin da ya fi na farko laushi,
“Mommy ta ma tana ta tambayarka.”
Zayd bai ce komai ba,
“She keeps asking me, ‘Is Zayd coming?’”
Ta yi ƙaramar dariya,
“Even my siblings suna ta cewa suna son ganinka.”
Zayd ya ɗan buɗe ido, amma bai yi magana ba.
Felicia ta ci gaba,
“My little brother was like, ‘Tell Zayd he better come this time.’”
Ta yi dariya,
“And my sister keeps asking me when you’re coming because she wants to see you too.”
Sai muryarta ta sake zama mai shagwaɓa,
“Dan Allah, babe...”
Zayd ya sauke ajiyar zuciya,
“Come on.”
“I really want you there.”
Ta ɗan yi shiru,
“Mommy tana son ganinka, siblings ɗina ma suna son ganinka...”
Ta yi ƙaramar dariya,
“Ni kuma...” ta ɗan ja maganar,
“I miss you.”
Zayd ya ɗan shafa goshinsa.
Felicia ta sake cewa,
“Please don’t disappoint me this time.”
“Ka yi min promise fa tun da dadewa cewa ka za zooo.”
Zayd ya lumshe idanunsa,
“Felicia...”
“Hmm?”
Ya yi shiru na ƴan daƙiƙu, kamar yana ƙoƙarin yanke shawara, daga ƙarshe…
“Okay.”
Felicia ta yi shiru.
Zayd ya sake faɗa cikin sanyin murya,
“Okay, I will come.”
Na ɗan lokaci… shiru ya ratsa tsakaninsu, sai kwatsam muryar Felicia ta tashi da farin ciki,
“Really?!”
Zayd ya ɗan kau da wayar daga kunnensa,
“Babe, oh my God!”
Ta fara dariya tana magana da sauri,
“I knew you would come! I knew it! Babe, I’m so happy”
Zayd ya ƙara kau da wayar daga kunnensa yayin da muryarta ta ƙara tashi,
“I can’t wait to see you! I’m going to tell Mommy right now! She’s going to be so happy—”
Zayd ya girgiza kai a hankali,
“Felicia...”
“Hmm?”
“Goodnight.”
Ta sake fashewa da dariya,
“Goodnight, my man!”
Zayd bai sake cewa komai ba, ya kashe wayar, ya ajiye ta a gefen pillow ɗinsa, sai ya koma ya jingina kansa a kan hannunsa…
——————
*MALALI …*
Daren ya yi nisa, gidan ya yi shiru, kowa ya koma ɗakinsa bayan an gama cin abincin dare.
A ɗakin Baffa Musa kuwa, fitilar gefen gadonsa ce kaɗai ke haskawa cikin sauqi.
Baffa yana zaune a gefen gadonsa, ya gama cin abincin da Umma ta kawo masa, farantin da ya rage kaɗan a kai yana gefe, yayin da yake shan ruwa a hankali.
Umma ta zauna a ɗaya daga cikin kujerun da ke kusa da shi, ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci.
Baffa ya kalleta,
“Kin yi shiru.”
Umma ta ɗan gyara zamanta,
“Eh...”
Ta sauke numfashi,
“Akwai maganar da nake so mu tattauna.”
Baffa ya ɗora gilashin ruwan da ke hannunsa a gefe,
“Game da Raihana?”
Umma ta jinjina kai,
“Eh.”
Baffa bai ce komai ba, sai Umma ta fara masa bayani a hankali, ta gaya masa abin da Raihana ta faɗa mata game da Haris, da yadda ya ce yana son ya turo a zo da magana gaban Baffa.
Baffa ya saurara har ta gama, bai katse ta ba, bai yi gaggawar bada amsa ba.
Sai da Umma ta yi shiru gaba ɗaya… Baffa ya ɗan jingina bayansa da kujerar,
“Na fahimta.”
Umma ta kalle shi.
Baffa ya sauke idanunsa ƙasa na ƴan daƙiƙu, sannan ya ɗago su,
“Gaskiya ne,” ya fara a hankali, “Haris mutumin kirki ne.”
Umma ta ɗago idanunta ta kalle shi,
“Na bincike shi sosai kafin na ba shi permission ɗin zuwa wajen Raihana, kasuwancinsa, iyayensa, tarbiyyarsa, yadda yake mu’amala da mutane... duk na bincika.”
Ya ɗan yi shiru, sannan ya ɗaga idanunsa zuwa gare ta,
“Ban ga wani abu a cikinsa da zai sa in ce bai dace ba, mutum ne da kowa zai iya ba amanar ’yarsa.”
Umma ta jinjina kai a hankali,
“Ni ma haka nake gani.”
Baffa ya sauke numfashi,
“Amma akwai wani abu da ya kamata mu yi la’akari da shi.”
Umma ta ɗan karkatar da kanta,
“Me?”
Baffa ya gyara zamansa,
“Mutanen nan da suka zo game da Raihana... mahaifiyar wannan yaron Zayd ta zo da kanta, kuma ƙanin mahaifinsa ma ya zo neman izinin ya zo wajen Raihana.”
Umma ta yi shiru tana sauraro.
“Saboda haka,” Baffa ya ci gaba, “ya kamata mu ba su dama su zo, ba don mun riga mun yanke hukunci a kansa ba, amma don mu ga komai da idanunmu.”
Ya ɗan dakata,
“Mu fahimci juna, mu san su, su ma su san mu, daga nan ne za mu iya duba wanda ya fi dacewa.”
Umma ta yi shiru na ƴan daƙiƙu,
“Amma Haris fa?” ta tambaya.
Baffa ya kalleta,
“Haris shi ne ya fara zuwa.”
Umma ta jinjina kai.
“Saboda haka,” Baffa ya ce, “a ganina ya kamata ni da kaina in sanar da shi cewa akwai wani mutum kuma da yake neman Raihana.”
Umma ta ɗan ɗago gira,
“Zayd?”
“Eh.”
Muryar Baffa ta kasance cikin natsuwa,
“Ba zai yi kyau Haris ya ci gaba da wannan maganar yana tunanin shi kaɗai ne mai neman Raihana ba, alhali akwai wani da iyalinsa ma suka zo da maganar.”
Ya ɗan yi shiru,
“Kuma tunda Haris shi ne ya fara zuwa, ya kamata ya sani tun daga farko, wannan shi ne adalci.”
Umma ta gyara zamanta, tana kallonsa,
“Amma ba mu riga mun ba shi Raihana ba.”
Baffa ya yi murmushi kaɗan,
“Tabbas, shi yasa nake cewa mu ba su dama ne kawai.”
Ya ɗaga hannunsa a hankali,
“Ba Haris ne muka ce za mu ba Raihana ba, ba kuma Zayd muka ce za mu ba ta ba.”
Ya kalli Umma kai tsaye,
“Mu dai mu buɗe ƙofa, su zo, mu san su, Raihana ma ta san su, daga nan idan lokaci ya yi... sai mu zauna mu duba wanda ya fi dacewa da ita.”
Umma ta sauke ajiyar zuciya,
“Allah Ya zaba abin da ya fi alkhairi.”
“Amin.”
Baffa ya jinjina kai,
“Amma abu ɗaya ne kawai nake so.”
“Me?”
“Kada mu ɓoye wa Haris cewa akwai Zayd.”
Ya ɗan dakata,
“Kuma kada mu yi wa mutanen Zayd alkawarin cewa Raihana za ta aure shi.”
Muryarsa ta yi ƙasa,
“A halin yanzu... dukansu masu nema ne.”
Umma ta jinjina kai a hankali,
“Na fahimta.”
Baffa ya koma ya ɗauki kofin ruwan da ke gabansa, ya ɗan sha kafin ya ajiye shi,
“Da zarar Haris ya sake zuwa, zan sanar da shi da kaina.”
Umma ta yi murmushi,
“Toh, shikenan.”
Ta miƙe a hankali tana tattara kayan abincin,
“Allah Ya tabbatar mana abin da yake mafi alkhairi ga Raihana.”
“Amin,” Baffa ya amsa.
——————
*ARMAAN MANSION*
A hankali Zayd ya lumshe idanunsa, sai kuma ya buɗe su a hankali, ya sauko da fararen ƙafuwansa daga kan gadon, ya ɗan zauna na kusan mintuna biyu, kamar yana ƙoƙarin tattara tunaninsa, kafin ya miƙe.
Ya zura home slippers ɗinsa, ya ɗauki wayarsa daga saman bedside table, sannan ya nufi ƙofa, kai tsaye ya sauko downstairs.
A cikin falon kuwa, Ummie na zaune a kujerar da ta saba zama, tana kallon wani abu a wayarta.
Zayd ya ƙarasa gare ta a hankali, ba tare da ya ce komai ba, ya zauna a gefenta, sannan ya ɗora kansa a kafadarta,
“Ummieee...naah”
Muryarsa ta fito da wata irin shagwaɓa da ba kasafai yake yi ba.
Ummie ta yi murmushi, ta ajiye wayarta gefe, sannan ta shafi fuskar ɗanta da ɗayan hannunta,
“My baby... ka tashi?”
Zayd ya ɗan lumshe idanunsa, sannan ya buɗe su,
“Ehh...”
“Toh me za ka ci yanzu?” ta tambaya cikin tsantsar kulawa, “Duk da dare ne, akwai wani abu da kake so in haɗa maka?”
Zayd ya girgiza kai a hankali,
“Babu komai, Ummie, ki huta.”
Sai ya zame jikinsa a hankali, ya kwanta a kan kujerar, sannan ya ɗora kansa a kan cinyarta.
Ummie ta yi murmushi, hannunta ya koma cikin gashin kansa, tana shafawa a hankali.
A wannan lokacin ne Suhaila ta fito daga kitchen, hannunta ɗauke da plate ɗin spring rolls da samosa.
Da ta hango Zayd kwance a cinyar Ummie, sai ta tsaya, sai ta fashe da dariya,
“Yau kuma shagwaɓan ne?”
Zayd bai ko kalleta ba.
Suhaila ta matsa kusa da su, ta motsa kaɗan,
“Ka haye cinyar Ummie gaba ɗaya ka kyale tsohuwar nan ta huta mana.”
Zayd ya ɗan ɗago ido ya kalleta, kallon da ya yi mata na ƴan daƙiƙu ya isa ya nuna mata cewa ba shi da niyyar tashi, sai kawai ya maida idanunsa gefe ya yi mata banza.
Suhaila ta tabe baki,
“Fine.”
Ta nemi waje a kan carpet ɗin, ta zauna, ta ajiye plate ɗin gabanta sannan ta fara ci a hankali.
Falon ya sake yin shiru, Ummie kuwa tana ci gaba da shafa gashin Zayd.
Bayan ƴan daƙiƙu, Zayd ya kira ta cikin nutsuwa,
“Ummie...”
“Naam, my baby?”
“Ina so in je New York next week.”
Hannun Ummie ya ɗan tsaya, Suhaila ma ta ɗago kai daga kan abincinta.
Ummie ta kalle shi,
“What’s happening there? Is it business, or is there something you need to go for?”
Zayd ya ɗan girgiza kai,
“A’a.”
Ya ɗan buɗe idanunsa,
“A graduation ceremony ne.”
Da sauri Suhaila ta saka baki,
“Akhiii Zan bika!”
Zayd ya amsa kai tsaye,
“No.”
Suhaila ta turo baki, ta kalli Ummie,
“Ummie, ki ce ya tafi da ni.”
Ummie ta girgiza kai,
“A’a, tunda yace no, ki barshi.”
Suhaila ta sake tabe baki, amma ba ta ƙara magana ba.
Ummie kuwa ta juya wajen Zayd, ta shafa kansa a hankali,
“Toh, Allah Ya kaimu, Allah Ya sa za mu gani.”
“Amin.”
Ya amsa a hankali, yana sake lumshe idanunsa.
Ummie ta ɗan kalli fuskarsa,
“Habibi...”
“Uhmm?”
Ta shafa gefen fuskarsa,
“Ya maganar zuwa wajen Raihana fa?”
Nan take idanun Zayd suka buɗe, ya ɗago kansa kaɗan ya kalli Ummie,
“Wace wannan?”
Suhaila ta fashe da dariya,
“Haba dai Akhii!”
Ta faɗa tana dafe bakinta.
Ummie kawai ta girgiza kai tana murmushi,
“Yarinyar da na je wajen mahaifinta.”
Zayd ya yi shiru.
Ummie ta ci gaba cikin nutsuwa,
“Na sanar musu cewa za ka je ku haɗu, ku san juna, kaga yakamata ka je, ko?”
Zayd ya sake lumshe idanunsa.
Ummie ta yi shiru na ƴan daƙiƙu, sai ta tambaya,
“Yaushe za ka je? Ka saka rana, sai Imraan ko Sameer, wani a cikinsu ya raka ka.”
Zayd ya ɗan yi shiru,
“Okay, Ummie.”
“Ka je, habibi, na san za ka je...” ta ɗan dakata, “but when?”
A hankali Zayd ya buɗe idanunsa, muryarsa ta fito cikin nutsuwa,
“Gobe.”
Hannun Ummie da ke cikin gashin kansa ya ɗan tsaya, ta sauke ajiyar zuciya a hankali,
“Gobe?”
Zayd ya jinjina kai,
“Ehh.”
Ummie ta sake shafa kansa, sai ta kalli fuskarsa na ƴan daƙiƙu.
A zuciyarta kuwa, ta san wannan tafiyar... ba kawai tafiya ce ta zuwa ganin wata yarinya ba, wataƙila ita ce farkon matakin da zai sauya abubuwa da yawa.
Zayd kuwa ya sake lumshe idanunsa, kamar babu wani abu mai nauyi da ke gabansa.
Sorry for the typos
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