AN ANSWER A RETURN
*ZAYD ARMAAN*
*CHAPTER FORTY THREE:43*
*AN ANSWER, A RETURN*
*JIDDAAH BARKUM*
⸻
*HARIS*
Haris ya fita daga gidan a hankali,
da ya isa motarsa, ya buɗe ƙofa ya shiga, amma bai kunna motar nan take ba.
Kawai ya zauna.
Hannayensa biyu suka sauka kan steering,
ya yi shiru, ya lumshe idanunsa na wasu seconds, sannan ya sauke wani dogon numfashi daga ƙirjinsa.
“Yaa Raabbii…”
Ya furta a hankali, kamar har yanzu bai yarda da abin da ya faru ba.
Ya zo da zuciyar cewa yau komai zai daidaita,
ya zo yana tunanin zai faɗi gaskiya, ya nemi gafara, sannan Baffa ya ba shi damar ci gaba da neman Raihana.
Amma…
“A’a.”
Ya sake maimaitawa.
Ya buɗe idanunsa, kallonsa ta tsaya kan hanya, amma hankalinsa yana can.
Ya yi ƙoƙarin kunna motar, sai ya sake dakatawa.
Me zai yi yanzu?
Ya san Baffa bai yi kuskure ba, idan da shi ne mahaifin Raihana, da wataƙila shi ma zai yi irin wannan hukuncin,
amma wannan bai sa abin ya yi masa sauƙi ba.
Ya sauke kansa kan steering na ɗan lokaci,
“Raihaan…”
Ya furta sunanta a hankali, wani irin ciwo ya ratsashi.
Saboda a yau… ya zo ne domin ya gyara barnarsa,
amma yanzu gashi ya fita kamar wanda aka raba da ita.
A ƙarshe ya ɗaga kansa, ya kunna motar,
amma kafin ya tashi, ya sake kallon gidan Baffa na ƴan seconds, kamar yana son haddace wurin.
Sai ya ja numfashi, ya saka gear,
motar ta bar wajen a hankali.
⸻
*BAFFA*
Bayan Haris ya fita, Baffa bai motsa daga inda yake ba,
ya zauna shiru, idanunsa suna kan ƙofar da Haris ya bi.
A hankali ya sauke ajiyar zuciya.
“Hmm…”
Ya furta, ya jingina da kujerarsa.
A gaskiya… akwai wani abu da ya gani a idanun Haris,
wani abu da ya kasa fassarawa,
ya ga nadama, soyayya ma akwai,
amma… akwai wani abu kuma,
wani abu da Haris bai faɗa ba.
Baffa ya ɗan runtse idanunsa,
“Meye wannan dalilin da ka ɓoye?”
Ya tambayi kansa a hankali.
Ba wai ya yarda Haris maƙaryaci ne kawai ba, a’a,
akwai wani abu da ya sa Haris ya fara wannan ƙaryar tun farko,
kuma yadda ya yi magana yau ya ƙara tabbatar masa da hakan.
Amma meye?
Baffa ya girgiza kai,
“Lokaci ne kawai zai nuna.”
Ya ɗan yi shiru, ya san ya yi abin da ya dace,
ko da zuciyarsa ba ta ji daɗin ganin yanda ya fita daga gidansa cikin wannan yanayin ba.
⸻
*RAIHANA*
A ɗayan ɓangaren kuwa…
Raihana tana zaune a ɗakinta.
Tun lokacin da ta ji Yaya Hamza ya zo ya sanar da Baffa cewa Haris yana waje… zuciyarta ta kasa zama wuri ɗaya.
Ta zauna, ta tashi, ta koma ta zauna,
ta kalli kanta a mirror, ta gyara hijabinta, ta sake gyara shi,
sai ta sauke numfashi.
“Ya Allah…”
Zuciyarta tana bugawa da sauri.
A yau ne, yau ne za a ba Haris amsa.
Tun da sassafe take jin wani irin nervousness da ita kanta ba ta iya bayyanawa,
amma a ƙarƙashin wannan tsoron… akwai farin ciki.
Domin a zuciyarta, ta riga ta fara tunanin abin da zai biyo baya,
Haris, aure, sabuwar rayuwa.
Ta rufe fuskarta da tafin hannunta,
“Raihana, ki daina tunani haka.”
Sai murmushi ya subuce mata.
Amma kafin ta sake samun nutsuwa, ƙofar ɗakin ta buɗe,
Maryam ta shigo, ta tsaya bakin ƙofar tana kallonta,
sai ta ɗaga gira.
“Har yanzu kina nan?”
Raihana ta kalleta,
“Ina zan je?”
Maryam ta yi dariya ta ƙaraso,
“Kin ce min yau ba kya jin kunya?”
Raihana ta ɗan turo baki,
“Maryam…”
“Hmm?”
Maryam ta zauna kusa da ita,
“Kin san yan uwan Haris suna can tare da Baffa ko?”
Raihana ta yi saurin kallonta,
“Na sani.”
“Hmmmm.”
Maryam ta yi mata kallon wasa,
“Kin san me nake tunani?”
Raihana ta ɗan daure fuska,
“Me?”
“Cewa yau… za’a ba Haris ke ya zama mijinki.”
Raihana ta buɗe ido,
“Maryam!”
Maryam ta fashe da dariya,
“Me? Gaskiya nake faɗa!”
Raihana ta ɗauki pillow ta jefa mata,
Maryam ta kauce tana dariya,
“Allah ya sa Baffa ya ce yes kawai!”
Raihana ta sauke idanunta, murmushi ya bayyana a fuskarta,
“Ki daina…”
“Me zan daina?”
Maryam ta ƙara mata dariya,
“Kin riga kin shirya sunan ‘Mrs. Haris’ a zuciyarki to ki daina wnn kafirin gulmar.”
“Maryam!”
Ta sake jefa mata pillow, Maryam ta kama shi tana dariya.
Amma Raihana ta kasa dariya sosai a wannan karon,
domin a zuciyarta… ta riga ta fara jin wani irin farin ciki.
Maryam ta ci gaba da teasing ɗinta,
Raihana kuwa ta yi shiru, zuciyarta tana bugawa.
Tana jiran Baffa ya shigo ta ji me zai fada ga me da zuwan family n Haris,
tana jiran kalmar da take tunanin za ta ji.
⸻
*NEW YORK CITY*
Zayd ya sauko daga gadon, ko kallon inda Felicia take bai yi ba,
kai tsaye ya nufi bathroom.
Bayan ɗan lokaci ya fito, ya shirya tsaf cikin nutsuwa, lokacin ya kusa ƙarfe huɗu na asuba.
Bai ɓata lokaci ba, kai tsaye ya nufi wardrobe, ya ɗauki akwatin kayansa sannan ya fara tattara duk wani abu nasa da ke wajen.
Komai nasa yana ɗauka ne cikin nutsuwa,
amma yadda yake motsi ya isa ya nuna tsananin bacin ran da kuma damuwar da yake ciki.
Da ya gama, ya rufe akwatin, ya ɗaga shi ya jingina shi gefe,
sai ya ƙarasa wajen wayarsa, ya ɗauka ya saka a aljihunsa.
A lokacin Felicia ta matso kusa da shi,
“Please, babe…”
Zayd bai kalleta ba.
“Ka yi haƙuri, ban san abin da na yi zai ɓata maka rai haka ba, wallahi ban taɓa ganin ka cikin irin wannan fushin ba.”
Zayd ya jefa mata wani shegen kallo, Felicia ta haɗiye sauran kalaman da tayi niyyar furtawa suka makale mata a baki.
Zayd ya ja trolley ɗinsa, ya nufi ƙofar,
bai waiwaya ba, bai ce mata komai ba,
kawai ya buɗe ƙofar ya fita.
Ya tsaya a compound din gidan na ƴan seconds, sannan ya ɗauki wayarsa,
ya danna wani number, bayan ring guda biyu aka ɗaga.
“Hello, sir?”
“Ka zo.”
Muryar Zayd ta kasance cikin nutsuwa,
“Yanzu?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, sir, ina zuwa.”
Zayd ya kashe wayar,
bai ɗauki lokaci mai tsawo ba, bayan wasu mintuna, mutumin da ke kula da gidan ya iso.
Bai da nisa da wajen gidan, saboda yana zama a wani compound da ke kusa.
Da ya ƙaraso, kai tsaye ya nufi wajen Zayd cikin girmamawa,
“Good morning, sir.”
Zayd ya miƙa masa key ɗin gidan,
“Take this.”
Mutumin ya karɓa da hannu biyu,
“Sir?”
Zayd ya kalli ƙofar gidan,
“There’s someone inside,” ya ɗan dakata,
“da safe idan ta fita, ka tabbatar ka kulle gidan.”
Mutumin ya gyada kai cikin girmamawa,
“Yes, sir, I’ll take care of it.”
Zayd ya ɗan gyada kai,
“Good.”
Ya ɗauki trolley ɗinsa, sai ya kalli mutumin,
“Mu je.”
“Airport, sir?”
“Yes.”
Mutumin ya buɗe masa ƙofar mota nan take,
Zayd ya shiga, ya zauna a baya, mutumin ya shiga driver’s seat.
Motar ta tashi a hankali.
Bayan ɗan lokaci, Zayd ya jingina kansa da kujerar, idanunsa a kan window,
New York tana barin bayansa,
amma a zuciyarsa… ba wai New York kawai yake bari ba,
akwai wasu abubuwa da ya san daga wannan daren za su canza.
Sai kawai ya ɗan jingina ya lumshe idanunsa.
*NEW YORK — JFK AIRPORT*
Zayd bai hau jirgin nan take ba,
bayan ya isa airport, ya yi kusan awa biyu yana jiran lokacin boarding.
Ya zauna a ɗaya daga cikin kujerun airport ɗin, trolley ɗinsa a gefensa, wayarsa a hannunsa,
amma hankalinsa… ba ya wajen.
Idanunsa suna kallon mutane suna ta wucewa gabansa, amma kamar ba ya ganin kowa.
Ya buɗe wayarsa, ya duba lokaci, sai ya sake rufe ta.
Ya jingina bayansa da kujerar, ya sauke ajiyar zuciya a hankali.
A duk tsawon rayuwarsa… bai taɓa jin irin wannan yanayin ba.
Ba wai saboda yana tsoron jirgin ba, a’a,
abin da yake damunsa shi ne inda jirgin zai kai shi, Nigeria, gida.
Amma yau… da yake komawa gida sabida Ummie ba saboda kansa ba,
sai gabansa ya kasa daina faɗuwa.
Ya ɗan lumshe idanunsa,
“Astagfirullah,”
ya furta a hankali, sai ya girgiza kansa kamar yana ƙoƙarin kawar da tunanin.
Bai san me zai tarar a gida ba,
bai san me Ummie za ta ce masa idan ya dawo ba,
amma abu ɗaya ya sani… dole ya koma.
Sai ya ɗauko wayarsa ya turawa Sameer message,
“My flight should land in Abuja around 4:40 PM Nigerian time, in shaa Allah.”
Ya danna send ya kashe wayar ya maida aljihu.
A lokacin ne aka fara announcement ɗin boarding,
Zayd ya ɗaga kai, ya kalli screen ɗin.
“Ladies and gentlemen, flight passengers are kindly advised that boarding for the flight to Abuja will begin shortly at Gate…”
Ya mike a hankali, ya ɗauki trolley ɗinsa,
ya gyara sleeve ɗin rigarsa, sannan ya fara tafiya zuwa gate.
Kowane mataki yana kusantar da shi gida,
amma abin da yake ji a ƙirjinsa… ya ƙara nauyi.
Sai ya tsaya na ɗan lokaci kafin ya shiga,
ya sauke ajiyar zuciya,
“Bismillah.”
Kawai ya furta, sai ya ci gaba.
⸻
*HOURS LATER — IN THE AIR*
Jirgin ya yi nisa da New York,
Zayd yana zaune a kujerarsa, kansa a jingine da headrest,
window ɗin kusa da shi yana nuna duhun sama.
Ya rufe idanunsa, amma barci bai zo ba,
tunaninsa ya koma abubuwan da suka faru kafin ya bar New York.
Ummie, muryarta,
“Ashe ba za ka rabu da wannan yarinyar nan ba?”
Zayd ya buɗe idanunsa, ya sauke numfashi,
sai kuma tunaninsa ya koma Nigeria, Raihana…
Ya ɗan daure fuska, kamar sunan kawai ya isa ya sa wani abu ya motsa a cikin ƙirjinsa.
Ya kalli window, sai kawai ya sake lumshe idanunsa.
Jirgin Zayd yana ƙara kusantar Abuja,
sai muryar captain ta fito daga speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are beginning our descent into Abuja, please ensure your seatbelts are securely fastened and your seats are in the upright position.”
Zayd ya sauke numfashi, Abuja.
Ya ɗauki wayarsa ya kunna screen,
a dai-dai lokacin, wani message ya shigo daga Sameer.
“We’re on our way to Abuja, the driver and I will pick you up once you land.”
Zayd ya amsa:
“Okay, let me know when you get there.”
Sameer ya sake turo masa:
“Already on the road.”
Zayd ya ɗan murmusa,
ba za su jira shi a Kaduna ba, saboda babu direct flight daga Abuja zuwa Kaduna,
shi yasa Sameer da driver ɗin suka riga suka kama hanya zuwa Abuja domin su ɗauko shi daga airport.
Zayd ya ajiye wayarsa, ya jingina kansa da kujerar,
sai muryar captain ta sake fitowa.
“Cabin crew, prepare for landing.”
A hankali ya kalli window, fitilun Abuja suka fara bayyana a ƙasa,
zuciyarsa ta sake yin wani irin faɗuwa.
Zayd ya ɗaga kansa daga kujerar, ya kalli window,
a ƙasa… haske ya fara bayyana, Nigeria.
Zuciyarsa ta sake bugawa, a wannan karon sosai,
ya haɗiye yawu, sai ya ɗan jingina kansa baya.
Yana kallon ƙasar da yake komawa bayan dan lokacin da ya yi baya nan,
bai san me zai tarar ba, bai san wane irin tarba ce take jiransa ba,
amma ya san abu ɗaya — komawarsa wannan karon ba zai zama kamar sauran dawowarsa gida ba.
Jirgin ya fara saukowa a hankali,
Zayd ya sauke ajiyar zuciya.
*ABUJA — ARRIVAL AREA*
Zayd ya fito daga cikin airport ɗin da trolley ɗinsa a hannu,
ya tsaya a wajen arrival area, idanunsa suna yawo kan motocin da suke ta shigowa suna fita.
Ya ɗauki wayarsa ya duba lokaci, 5:42 PM.
Ya buɗe chat ɗin Sameer,
Zayd: Where are you?
Amsar Sameer ta shigo bayan seconds kaɗan.
Sameer: Almost there, sir, give me about 20 minutes.
Zayd ya ɗan sauke ajiyar zuciya,
“Okay.”
Ya ajiye wayar.
Amma mintuna ashirin zama talatin sai arba’in,
daga ƙarshe har suka kai kusan mintuna arba’in da biyar.
Zayd ya fara tafiya kaɗan yana jiran su, hannunsa ɗaya a aljihunsa, ɗayan kuma yana jan trolley,
ya duba wayarsa karo na biyu,
sai dai kafin ya sake kiran Sameer, idanunsa suka sauka kan motar da ta shigo parking area.
Motar ta rage gudu, Zayd ya tsaya, ya ɗaga kai,
Sameer ne, da ya hango Zayd, sai ya yi saurin nuna masa hannu daga cikin motar.
“Sir!”
Zayd bai ce komai ba, kawai ya ɗan gyada kai.
Motar ta tsaya, Sameer ya fito da sauri ya ƙaraso wajensa,
“Sorry, sir, traffic ya yi yawa.”
Zayd ya kalle shi na ƴan seconds,
“It’s fine.”
Sameer ya karɓi trolley ɗin daga hannunsa,
“Welcome back, sir.”
Zayd ya ɗan kalleshi,
“Thanks.”
Sameer ya ɗauki trolley ɗin ya kai shi cikin boot,
driver ɗin ya fito ya buɗe masa ƙofar baya,
Zayd ya shiga, Sameer ya rufe masa ƙofar, sannan shi ma ya shiga front seat.
Motar ta tashi,
a cikin motar, na wasu minutes babu wanda ya yi magana,
Zayd ya jingina kansa da kujerar, ya kalli Abuja ta window.
Wani irin yanayi ya mamaye shi,
bayan dogon lokaci yana kallon birnin daga window, sai Sameer ya juyo kaɗan.
“Sir…”
“Hm?”
“Everything okay?”
Zayd ya ɗan yi shiru,
“Yeah.”
Sameer ya kalli fuskarsa ta mirror, a fili yake ganin akwai wani abu da yake damunsa,
amma bai sake tambaya ba.
Bayan sun ɗan yi tafiya, Sameer ya ce,
“We’ll be heading straight to Kaduna,”
“About three hours, depending on the traffic.”
Zayd ya kalli agogon hannunsa, sai ya koma kallon window,
“Okay.”
Motar ta ci gaba da tafiya, Abuja ta ragu a bayansu,
hanya ta fara buɗewa, sun bar birnin a hankali, suna ɗaukar hanyar Kaduna.
Zayd kuwa ya kasance shiruu,
amma kafin ya rufe idanunsa, tunaninsa ya sake komawa kan kalamanta na daren jiya.
“Ashe ba za ka rabu da wannan yarinyar nan ba?”
Zayd ya sauke ajiyar zuciya,
ya san komawarsa gida ba zai kasance mai sauƙi ba.
⸻
*KADUNA — LATE EVENING*
Sa’o’i suka wuce, hasken rana ya riga ya dusashe yayin da motar ke ƙara kusantar Kaduna.
Sameer ya kalli dashboard, sai ya ɗan murmusa.
“Sir, we’re almost there.”
Zayd ya buɗe idanunsa, ya ɗago kai daga kujerar,
“Hmm.”
Ya kalli window, fitilun garin Kaduna suka fara bayyana daga nesa.
Zayd ya yi shiru, sai ya ɗan gyara zamansa,
gida… wannan kalmar ta sake dawo masa cikin zuciya,
ya san akwai abubuwan da suke jiransa a can,
kuma bai san ko yana shirye da su ba.
Motar ta karkata zuwa cikin street ɗin da Armaan Mansion yake,
da security ɗin da ke bakin gate ya hango motar, nan take ya miƙe tsaye,
da sauri ya buɗe gate ɗin.
Motar ta shigo a hankali, ta wuce cikin compound ɗin, sannan ta yi parking a inda aka saba.
Zayd bai tsaya jiran wani ya buɗe masa ƙofa ba,
kai tsaye ya buɗe ƙofar da kansa ya fito,
ya ɗan tsaya na ƴan seconds.
Idanunsa suka sauka kan gidan, Armaan Mansion,
gidan da ya yi kwanaki yana nesa da shi,
gidan da a yanzu yake jin kamar ya fi kowane lokaci girma a gabansa.
Kai tsaye ya nufi entrance ɗin,
amma yayin da yake ƙara kusantowa… gabansa ya fara faɗuwa.
Ba irin faduwar da ya saba ji ba,
wata irin mahaukaciyar bugawar zuciya ce ta mamaye ƙirjinsa.
Ya ɗan tsaya, ya sauke ajiyar zuciya mai zurfi,
ya ɗaga idanunsa zuwa ƙofar gidan.
A karon farko tun da ya bar New York…
Zayd Armaan ya ji kamar bai shirya abin da yake gabansa ba.
Hannunsa ya ɗan matse, sai ya ci gaba da tafiya,
mataki ɗaya, sannan wani, har ya isa gaban ƙofar.
Ya ɗaga hannunsa zuwa handle ɗin, ya tsaya,
sai ya yi shiru, kamar yana tattara courage ɗin da zai buɗe ƙofar da kansa.
Daga ciki… bai san abin da yake jiransa ba.
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