HOMECOMING AND HEALING

*KADDARAR ZUCIYA*

*CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: 17*

*HOMECOMING AND HEALING*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

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AFTER THE LAST PAPER

Lokacin da Inteesar ta fito daga dakin jarabawa (examination hall) bayan ta gama rubuta paper ɗinta na ƙarshe a wannan semester ɗin, sai ta tsaya na ɗan lokaci a harabar Nile University, ta ɗan ɗaga kanta, tana kallon ɗaliban da suke ta fitowa daga wurare daban-daban na makarantar, wasu suna murna, wasu kuma suna ta korafin wahalar jarabawar da suka gama yi, iskar yamma mai laushi tana kaɗa mayafinta a hankali, yayin da ta lumshe idanunta na wasu seconds tana jin wani irin sauƙi da ba ta saba ji ba cikin watannin da suka gabata, a hankali, wani murmushi ya bayyana a fuskarta, “It’s over…” ta furta cikin sanyin murya, tana jin kamar an cire wani babban dutse daga zuciyarta, for the first time in months, she felt genuinely relieved, Amira, wadda take tsaye kaɗan daga nesa tana jiran ta, ta rugo da gudu ta rungume ta, “Alhamdulillah! We are finally done!” ta faɗa cikin tsantsar farin ciki, tana girgiza Inteesar kamar ba za ta iya riƙe murnar da ke cikinta ba, Inteesar ta yi dariya, a wannan karon ba tare da ta tilasta kanta ba, dariyar ta fito ne daga zuciyarta, a natural way, har ta ji kanta kamar ta manta yadda take yin irin wannan dariyar a baya, “Wallahi na gaji, Amira, ina jin kamar na yi barci na tsawon kwana uku casss!” ta faɗa tana riƙe da hannunta, Amira ta fashe da dariya, “Three days? Ke kuwa, ni kam zan yi sleep for one whole week! No calls, no books, no lecturers, no stress, just me, my bed, and my peace!” Inteesar ta sake yin dariya, “Allah ya ba ki ikon aiwatar da wannan shirinki, ni dai da zarar na isa gida, zan kwanta ne kawai,” “Of course! And don’t forget to enjoy yourself, we’ve suffered enough this semester,” “Very true,” Inteesar ta amsa, tana gyada kai, su biyun suka sake sa dariya, suna taya juna murnar kammala wannan zangon karatu, ga Inteesar kuwa, wannan ƙaramin lokacin farin ciki ya zama kamar wata alama ce cewa sannu a hankali, tana fara samun kanta daga cikin duhun da ta daɗe tana ciki, ba wai duk ciwon da ke zuciyarta ya warke ba ne, but at least, she was finally learning how to breathe again.

A wannan daren, tana kwance a kan gadonta a gidan Yaya Umar, wayarta ta fara ruri a saman bedside din da ke gefen gadonta, ta juya kanta a hankali, ta miƙa hannu ta ɗauki wayar, da ta kalli screen ɗin, sunan da ya bayyana ya sa wani irin murmushi ya shimfiɗa a fuskarta, Daddy ❤️ Da sauri ta ɗaga kiran, “Assalamu Alaikum, Daddy,” ta faɗa cikin muryar da ke ɗauke da annashuwa, “Wa alaikumus salam, Princess ɗina!” muryar Daddy ta amsa daga ɗayan ɓangaren, “Congratulations, my daughter, na san kin kammala jarabawarki ta ƙarshe a yau,” murmushi mai faɗi ya bayyana a fuskarta, har ta kasa ɓoye farin cikinta, “Thank you, Daddy,” “Yanzu kam sai ki shirya dawowa gida mana, duk gidan nan ya yi kewarki, Mommy ma tun safe take cewa ta gaji da ganin fuskarki a video call kawai,” Inteesar ta yi dariya mai sauti, tana jin wani irin ɗumi ya bazu a ƙirjinta, “Ni ma na yi kewarku sosai, Daddy, wallahi I can’t wait to see you all,” “To sai ki taho maza, yayunki ma suna ta tambayar yaushe za su ga ƙanwarsu, gidan nan ya yi shiru ba tare da ke ba,” ta ɗan yi shiru na seconds kaɗan, tana ƙoƙarin haɗiye wani irin motsin rai da ya taso mata, gidan gida, iyali, Daddy da Mommy, wannan shi ne wurin da zuciyarta take marmarin komawa tun lokacin da ta bar Katsina, “Allah ya bar min ku, Daddy,” ta faɗa a hankali, “Amin, Princess, Allah ya tsare mana ke, ki yi sauri ki dawo,” “In Shaa Allah, Daddy,” bayan sun yi sallama, Inteesar ta sauke wayar a hankali, tana ci gaba da murmushi, wannan ɗan gajeren kiran ya ishe ta wajen sa ta ji kamar an cire wani sauran nauyi daga zuciyarta, for once, she had something beautiful to look forward to, and that was home.

A daren da Inteesar za ta tafi Katsina, Yaya Umar yana tsaye a balcony na ɗakinsa a Abuja, hannayensa a aljihun wandon barcinsa, yana kallon hasken fitilun da ke kewaye da gidan, amma duk da kasancewarsa a balcony, hankalinsa ba ya kan abin da ke gabansa, a hankali ya sa hannunsa daya ya ciro wayar sa kuma a screen ɗin wayar akwai hoton Inteesar, ya daɗe yana kallon hoton ba tare da ya ce komai ba, fuskarsa a sanyaye take, amma idanun nasa suna ɗauke da wani irin baƙin ciki da yake ƙoƙarin ɓoyewa a kullum, he missed her, ya yi kewar muryarta, dariyarta, yadda take yawan yi masa magana cikin shagwaɓa, da yadda kasancewarta a gidan take sa wurin ya kasance mai cike da annashuwa, amma yanzu, duk abin da ya rage masa shi ne tunani da hotunanta a wayarsa, a hankali ya sauke ajiyar zuciya, ya ɗan runtse idanunsa, “Princess…” ya furta ƙasa-ƙasa, kamar yana magana da ita duk da cewa ba ta kusa da shi, “Har yanzu?” Muryar Nana ce ta katse masa tunanin, Umar bai juya nan take ba, sai da ya sake kallon hoton da ke wayarsa kafin ya kashe screen ɗin, ya ɗaga kansa ya kalli matarsa, Nana ta matso kusa da shi, ta tsaya a gefensa tana kallon fuskarsa, “Har yanzu kana kallon hotunanta?” Umar ya yi murmushi mai ɗauke da ciwo, sannan ya mayar da wayar aljihunsa, “Na san abin da za ki ce, Nana,” “To ka faɗa min, me zan ce?” ta tambaya cikin sanyin murya, “You’ve been standing here for almost an hour, and your mind is clearly somewhere else,” ya ɗan girgiza kansa, yana kallon nesa, “Ba komai,” Nana ta yi ajiyar zuciya, “Yaya Umar, you don’t have to pretend with me,” ya yi shiru, ta kalle shi cikin tausayi kafin ta ci gaba da magana, “Na san kana kewarta, kuma na san ba abu ne mai sauƙi ba ka zauna a gida ɗaya da ita, ka san tana kusa da kai, amma a lokaci guda ba za ka iya kusantar ta yadda kake so ba,” Umar ya lumshe idanunsa na ɗan lokaci, “Na yi alkawarin ba zan sake takura mata ba,” ya faɗa a hankali, “Na san na bata mata rai, na san na sa ta shiga cikin wani hali da bai kamata ta shiga ba, the least I can do now is respect her decision,” Nana ta gyada kai a hankali, “That’s right, ka ba ta lokacin da take buƙata, don’t force her to forgive you before she’s ready,” “Ba zan yi hakan ba,” ta ɗan yi shiru, tana kallonsa, “Amma ba ka daina sonta ba,” wannan karon, Umar bai ce komai ba, ya sunkuyar da kansa, hannayensa a haɗe a gabansa, shiru ya mamaye tsakaninsu, amma wannan shiru ya isa ya ba Nana amsar da take nema, bai daina sonta ba.

Nana ta matso kusa da shi, ta ɗora hannunta a kafadarsa, “Ka yi haƙuri, kaji,” Umar ya jinjina kai a hankali, sannan ya jingina kansa a kafadarta, Nana ta sa hannu tana shafa sajensa a hankali, yayin da yake sauke ajiyar zuciya mai nauyi, for once, he allowed himself to feel the pain he had been hiding behind his silence, domin wani lokaci, mutum na iya son wani da dukkan zuciyarsa, amma hakan ba yana nufin zai iya gyara duk abin da ya lalata ba, kuma Umar ya fara fahimtar hakan.

Washegari, Inteesar ta sauka a garin Katsina, tun daga lokacin da motar gidan ta shigo babban compound ɗin, ma’aikatan gidan suka fara tururuwa zuwa wajen motar cikin farin ciki, da ta fito, murmushi ya bayyana a fuskarta, “Princess, sannu da zuwa! Sannu da zuwa!” suka fara cewa, wasu suna karɓar kayanta, wasu kuma suna yi mata maraba cikin annashuwa, “Nagode sosai, ya gida? Ya kowa?” ta tambaya tana amsa gaisuwarsu ɗaya bayan ɗaya, “Lafiya ƙalau, Princess, Allah ya kawo ki lafiya we are happy you are finally here we k missed you,” “Amin, thank you,” ta ɗauki handbag ɗinta, ta nufi ƙofar falon ƙasa da sauri, zuciyarta na bugawa da wani irin farin ciki, kafin ta gama tura ƙofar, Mommy Haleema ta taso daga kan kujera da sauri, “Intee!” “Mommy!” Inteesar ba ta tsaya wata-wata ba, ta faɗa jikin Mommy kai tsaye, ta rungume ta sosai kamar wadda ba ta son sake ta, “Mommy, na yi kewarki sosai,” ta faɗa cikin muryar da ta fara ɗaukar alamun kuka, Mommy Haleema ta rungume ta tsam a ƙirjinta, tana shafa bayanta a hankali, “Ni ma na yi kewarki, my daughter, kin san yadda na yi kewarki kuwa? Kullum sai na duba hotunanki ko da kuwa na kira ki,” Inteesar ta ɗan ɗaga kanta daga ƙirjinta, tana murmushi, “Sorry, Mommy, na san na sa ku damuwa,” Mommy ta shafa kumatunta, “Shhhh, ba sai kin yi mana sorry ba, the important thing is that you’re home now,” ta sake rungume ta, tana jin wani irin godiya a zuciyarta ganin yadda ɗiyarta ta dawo gida lafiya, kafin su saki juna, Daddy ya sauko daga matakalar sama, da ya gan ta, wani gamsasshen murmushi ya bayyana a fuskarsa, “Princess ɗina!” “Daddy!” Inteesar ta ƙarasa gare shi da sauri, ta rungume shi sosai, Daddy ya shafa kanta cike da tsantsar so da ƙauna, sannan ya ɗan ja ta baya domin ya kalleta sosai, “Alhamdulillah, Allah ya miki albarka, ya ƙara miki lafiya da nisan kwana,” “Amin, Daddy,” ya yi murmushi yana kallon fuskarta, “Kin yi kyau, Princess,” Inteesar ta yi dariya, “Really, Daddy?” “Of course! “To, na gode, Daddy,” nan take muryar Yaya Sameer ta cika falon yayin da yake takowa cikin farin ciki, “Toh, shikenan fa! Ta dawo za ta kwace mana iyaye gaba ɗaya, shagwaɓarta dai ta isa haka!” Inteesar ta juya gare shi, ta yi masa kallon banza na wasa, “Yaya Sameer! Ni fa yanzu na shigo gida, kuma wannan ne abin da za ka fara faɗa min?” Sameer ya ɗaga kafaɗunsa, “To me kike so na ce? Welcome back, Your Highness?” Dariya ta ƙwace daga bakin Inteesar, “Exactly! At least ka san yadda ake tarbar mutum,” Yaya Faisal, wanda yake biye da Sameer, ya kalleta sannan ya taɓe baki, “Wallahi kuwa, amma dai gaskiya kin rame,” Inteesar ta buɗe baki tana kallonsa da mamaki, “Yaya Faisal!” “Me na yi kuma? Gaskiya na faɗa mana,” ta juya zuwa ga Daddy da sauri, ta turo baki gaba cikin shagwaɓa, “Daddy, ka ji su ko? Instead of welcoming me properly, look at what they’re saying!” Daddy ya yi dariya, sannan ya miƙa mata hannu, “Rabu da su, daughter, come here,” Inteesar ta koma kusa da shi, tana murmushi cikin gamsuwa, “Thank you, Daddy, at least someone understands me,” Sameer ya yi murmushi, “Allah ya kyauta, ashe yanzu har Daddy muka rasa daga zuwanki Anya bamu shiga uku ba,” “Exactly!” Inteesar ta amsa da sauri, tana nuna shi da yatsa, falon ya cika da dariya, har Mommy Haleema ta kasa ɓoye annashuwarta, a wannan lokacin, duk wanda ke falon yana kallon yadda annashuwa da ainihin hasken Inteesar suka dawo fuskarta, bayan watanni na kuka, tsoro, da tsananin ciwon zuciya, ta sake samun kanta a cikin mutanen da suke ƙaunarta, the familiar voices, the teasing, the laughter, and the warmth of her family’s embrace made her realise how much she had missed this place, a nan ne ta ji cewa tana gida, kuma tana cikin kariya ta dangi.

Bayan kowa ya watse zuwa harkokinsa, Inteesar ta shiga ɗakinta, ta na shiga, sai ta rufe ƙofar a hankali, ta ajiye handbag ɗinta a gefe, sannan ta baje a kan gadon tana kallon silin, komai yana nan a yadda ta bar shi, gadon da ta saba kwanciya a kai, labulen da take so, kayan da aka tsara cikin tsari, da kuma ƙamshin ɗakin da ya sa ta tuna da abubuwa da yawa na baya, ta yi murmushi a hankali, “I missed this place,” ta furta ƙasa-ƙasa, ta juya gefe, ta rungume pillow ɗinta, tana jin wani irin kwanciyar hankali da ta daɗe ba ta samu ba, can wayarta ta fara ringing, ta ɗauko ta, ta kalli screen ɗin, number aliyu ne, ta ɗan tsaya tana kallon number nasa, a baya, irin wannan kiran zai iya sa ta ji wani irin rashin jin daɗi, har ta fara tunanin yadda za ta kauce masa, amma a yanzu, duk da cewa ba ta shirya fara wata sabuwar dangantaka ba, ta fara fahimtar cewa ba duk wanda ya nuna mata kulawa ne zai cutar da ita ba, bayan seconds kaɗan, ta danna receive, “Assalamu Alaikum,” ta faɗa cikin sanyin murya, daga ɗayan ɓangaren, Aliyu ya sauke ajiyar zuciya mai sauti, “Wa alaikumus salam, wow, muryarki ta fito daban yau, Inteesar,” ta ɗan ɗaga gira, duk da cewa ba ya ganinta, “Daban kuma?” “Yes, different, you sound happier today, na san dakin jarabawa ya miki kyau tunda an kammala,” Inteesar ta yi murmushi, “Haka ne, an gama Alhamdulillah, yanzu haka ma ina Katsina, a gida,” “Ma sha Allah!” Aliyu ya faɗa cikin farin ciki, “So you’re finally home?” “Yes,” “That’s good, I’m really happy for you, Intee, na san semester ɗin nan bai kasance mai sauƙi ba a gare ki, at least yanzu za ki samu lokacin hutawa,” ta ɗan yi shiru, tana sauraron sa, ba ta saba jin wani yana magana da ita cikin irin wannan sauƙin kai ba tare da ya matsa mata da tambayoyi ba, “Nagode,” ta amsa a takaice, “Ina fatan wannan dawowar za ta kawo miki natsuwa ta dindindin, ki huta, ki more lokacinki da family ɗinki, you’ve earned it,” wani ɗan murmushi ya bayyana a fuskarta, “In Shaa Allah,” “Okay, ba zan riƙe ki da dogon waya ba, I just wanted to check on you and congratulate you properly,” “Thank you, Aliyu,” “You’re welcome, Inteesar, enjoy your stay,” “In Shaa Allah, sai anjima,” “Take care,” “You too,” ta katse kiran, sannan ta ajiye wayar a gefenta, a karon farko, ba ta ji haushin kiran nasa ba, duk da cewa zuciyarta ba ta shirya karɓar wani ba, ta fara yaba da natsuwa da ladabin da Aliyu ke nuna mata, he wasn’t demanding anything from her, ba ya tilasta mata ta amsa saƙonninsa, ba ya tambayar dalilin da ya sa take yin shiru, kuma ba ya sa ta ji kamar tana bin sa wani bashi saboda yana nuna mata kulawa, kuma wannan abu ne da ta fara lura da shi, amma duk da haka, Inteesar ta san cewa akwai sauran abubuwa da take buƙatar gyarawa a cikin zuciyarta kafin ta iya buɗe wa wani sabon mutum ƙofa, for now, she was content with taking things one day at a time.

Bayan kwanaki biyu da dawowar Inteesar, gidan Daddy ya cika da baƙi, annashuwa, da hayaniyar da aka daɗe ba a ji ba, Mommy Haleema ta shirya babban taron cin abinci na dangi (family dinner) domin taya Inteesar murnar kammala jarabawarta, kuma an gayyato duk cousins dinta da suke kusa da ita, falon ƙasa ya canza salo gaba ɗaya, an yi masa ado cikin tsari, yayin da ƙamshin abinci kala-kala yake tashi daga dining area zuwa sauran sassan gidan, akwai muryoyin hira daga kowane gefe, dariya tana tashi lokaci-lokaci, kuma kowa yana cikin yanayin farin ciki, ga su Ikram, Sadiya, Humaira, Ummie, Hajjo, da Husna, duk sun hallara a falon, suna zaune cikin annashuwa, suna ta hira da shewa kamar yadda suka saba, Ikram ta kalli Inteesar daga sama har ƙasa, sannan ta ɗaga gira cikin zolaya, “Wai dama haka kika koma, Intee? Gaba ɗaya kin rage jiki! Ko Nile University karatun akwai zafi ne?” Inteesar ta gyara zamanta, ta turo baki cikin shagwaɓa, “Karatun ne dai da hidimar gari, amma yanzu kam na dawo muku, so you all should stop complaining!” Humaira ta fashe da dariya, “To, ai mun dawo da ke kenan, amma dai gaskiya kina buƙatar ki ci abinci sosai, we need our old Intee back!” Inteesar ta yi murmushi, “Don’t worry, Mommy za ta kula da ni,” Ummie ta taɓe baki, tana kallonta da ido ɗaya, “Haka kika ce kam! Amma dai muna so mu ji yadda rayuwar Abuja take, kar ki ce mana kin manta da komai,” Inteesar ta ɗan yi shiru kafin ta yi murmushi, “Abuja dai Abuja ce, but honestly, I missed home,” Husna ta matsa kusa da ita, ta ɗora kanta a kafaɗarta, “Mu ma mun yi kewarki, Intee, gidan nan fa ya yi shiru sosai ba tare da ke ba,” Inteesar ta rungume ta da hannu ɗaya, “Na sani, ni ma na yi kewarku sosai,” suna cikin wannan hirar ne, sai ga Yaya Sameer da Yaya Faisal sun shigo falon, Faisal ya kalli taron ’yan matan, sannan ya yi dariya, “Lallai yau kam gidan nan ya zama na mata gaba ɗaya, amma dai kar ku cika mana kunne da surutu,” Husna ta turo baki, “Yaya Faisal, ka kyale mu mu ji da ƙanwata mana, tunda dā kun raba mu da ita!” “Ni na raba ku da ita?” Faisal ya tambaya, yana nuna kansa da hannu, “Wannan ƙaryar ce fa!” Sameer ya shiga maganar da sauri, “Ni dai ba ni da hannu a ciki, amma idan kun fara hayaniya, zan iya fita daga gidan,” dariya ta ƙwace daga bakin kowa, Inteesar ta kallesu tana girgiza kai, “You people haven’t changed at all!” Sameer ya yi murmushi, “Ke ma ba ki canza ba, har yanzu kina da shagwaɓa,” “Yaya Sameer!” ta faɗa, tana ɗaga hannunta kamar za ta ture shi, amma murmushi yana bayyana a fuskarta, falon ya sake cika da dariya, daga baya aka tafi cin abinci a babban tebur, inda dukan su suka taru ciki har da Daddy da Mommy, an jera abinci iri-iri, kuma kowa yana cikin nishaɗin tattaunawa, Inteesar tana zaune kusa da Mommy, tana sauraron hirar da ake yi, lokaci-lokaci tana shiga maganar tare da ƙara dariya, a hankali, tana fara jin kanta kamar wadda ta dawo rayuwa bayan dogon lokaci a cikin duhu, amma a tsakiyar wannan farin cikin, wata tambaya ta zo da ta sauya yanayin zuciyarta, Hajjo ta kalli Inteesar cikin zolaya, tana ɗan murmushi, “Intee, wai ya maganar Yaya Umar ne? Tun da kika tafi, ba mu sake jin ɗuriyarsa ba, shi ba zai zo Katsina ba?” Nan take, falon ya yi tsit na wasu seconds, murmushin da ke fuskar Inteesar ya tsaya cak, idonta ya sauka kan cokalin da ke hannunta, wanda ta dakatar da shi a tsakiyar plate din, Umar, sunan ya ratsa zuciyarta kamar wani abu da take ƙoƙarin mantawa da shi, amma har yanzu yana da wani gurbi a tunaninta, ba ta ƙara jin tsoronsa kamar dā ba, amma hakan ba yana nufin komai ya wuce ba, there were still wounds she hadn’t fully healed from, Daddy ya ɗan kalleta na daƙiƙa guda, yana lura da yadda ta canza yanayi, Mommy Haleema ma ta fahimci hakan, don haka ta yi saurin shiga tsakani cikin dabara, “Hajjo, ke dai da saurin magana kike! Ki kyale Umar can da harkokin gabansa na aiki a Abuja,” ta juya zuwa ga Inteesar, ta yi murmushi domin sauya akalar zancen, “Yanzu dai tunda Intee ta gama jarabawa, babban shirin da yake gabanmu shi ne ta ɗan canza gari don ta huta, ta yi enjoying ɗin kanta na wasu makonni,” Daddy ya jinjina kai cikin gamsuwa, “Haka ne kam, ma’ana dai ya kamata ta tafi Lagos wajen Yaya Adamu ta yi hutu na wasu makonni,” jin hakan ya sa Humaira ta yi saurin ɗaga kai, idanunta suka cika da farin ciki, “Mommy, don Allah har da ni za a tafi? Kin san dā can mun yi maganar hakan da Intee!” Mommy ta yi dariya, “To ai daman tare nake son ku tafi don ku taya juna murna, ku shirya kawai ku wuce can,” “Really, Mommy?” Humaira ta tambaya, tana kallon Inteesar cikin farin ciki, Inteesar ta yi murmushi, “Of course! Lagos, here we come!” “Yessss!” Humaira ta faɗa tana ɗaga hannunta sama, falon ya sake kacamewa da murna da tafi, yayin da suka fara tattauna abin da za su yi idan suka isa Lagos, shi ma Yaya Faisal ya goyi bayan tafiyar, “Gaskiya hakan ya yi, ku tafi can wajen Farida, ku taya ta rashin jin da kuka saba,” Farida ita ce ɗiyar Yaya Adamu, wadda take daidai sa’o’insu, dama can, idan suka haɗu, gidan ba ya zama tsit saboda yawan hidima, wasanni, da dariyar da suke yi, “Wallahi kuwa, za mu more sosai!” Humaira ta faɗa, tana kallon Inteesar, Inteesar ta gyada kai, “I think I really need this break,” kuma a wannan karon, ba ta faɗi hakan don kawai ta faranta wa wani rai ba, da gaske take nufi, tana buƙatar ɗan canjin yanayi, ta fita daga wuraren da suke tuna mata abubuwan da suka faru, ta ɗan more rayuwa tare da mutanen da suke sa ta ji daɗi, a cikin kwanaki biyu, Inteesar da Humaira suka kammala shiri tsaf na tafiya birnin Lagos, duk da cewa ba ta manta da abubuwan da suka faru a baya ba, Inteesar ta fara jin wani sabon farin ciki yana ratsa ta, perhaps this trip was exactly what she needed, a chance to rest, a chance to laugh without forcing herself, and maybe, just maybe, another step toward healing.

A daren da take shirin tafiya Lagos, Inteesar tana kwance a ɗaki tana ƙoƙarin rage gajiyar da ta dameta, wasu daga cikin kayanta sun riga sun shiga suitcase, yayin da handbag ɗinta take ajiye a kan kujerar da ke gefen wardrobe, ta ɗauki wayarta tana duba saƙonnin da suka shigo, sai wayar ta fara ruri a hannunta, ta kalli screen ɗin, number Aliyu ne da har yau bai samu Arzikin saving ba… Ta ɗan yi ajiyar zuciya, ba wai tana jin haushinsa ba ne, amma wani ɓangare na zuciyarta har yanzu yana buƙatar sarari, ba ta son ta fara ba wa wani mutum damar shiga rayuwarta kafin ta tabbatar cewa ta shirya, ta share kiran farko, amma Aliyu bai karaya ba, ya sake kira, sannan ya sake kira sau da yawa, Inteesar ta kalli wayar tana ɗan cizon leɓenta, “What’s so urgent?” ta tambayi kanta a hankali, ganin ya matsa ne ya sa ta ja nannauyan numfashi, sannan ta ɗaga kiran, “Assalamu Alaikum,” “Wa alaikumus salam, Intee,” Aliyu ya amsa, muryarsa tana da natsuwa kamar yadda ta saba ji daga gare shi, “Na kusa cire tsammanin za ki ɗaga kiran nan yau,” Inteesar ta ɗan gyara zamanta, “Sorry, ban samu damar ɗagawa ba,” “No problem, ina fatan dai ba ki cikin wata damuwa?” “A’a, lafiya ƙalau,” “Alhamdulillah,” ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, tana jiran ya faɗi abin da ya sa ya kira ta sau da yawa, “Ina shirin tafiya ne gobe da safe,” ta ƙara da cewa, “Zan tafi Lagos,” “Lagos?” Aliyu ya tambaya cikin mamaki mai ɗan nuna farin ciki, “Ma sha Allah! That’s nice,” “Yes,” shiru ya ratsa layin na ɗan lokaci kafin Aliyu ya yi gyaran murya, “Intee, don Allah ina da wata alfarma guda ɗaya da nake so a gare ki,” ta ɗan ɗaga gira, “Wace alfarma ce?” “Ina so na zo airport gobe kafin jirginku ya tashi, domin kawai na ganki mu gaisa one on one,” Inteesar ta yi shiru, Aliyu ya yi saurin ƙara magana kafin ta samu damar amsawa, “Don Allah, kar ki ce a’a, ba zan ɗauki lokacinki da yawa ba, I just want to see you for a few minutes, mu gaisa properly, that’s all,” Inteesar ta ja numfashi a hankali, tana kallon suitcase ɗin da ke gefen wardrobe, “Aliyu, why do you want to see me so badly?” ta tambaya cikin sanyin murya, ba tare da nuna fushi ba, ya yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, “Because I want to see you, Inteesar, ba na son in tilasta miki wani abu, kuma ba na tsammanin kina shirye ki fara wata sabuwar dangantaka yanzu, I understand that,” ta yi shiru tana sauraron sa, “Amma ina ganin babu laifi idan muka haɗu mu gaisa, I don’t want to rush you, I just want you to know me a little better, and you can decide whatever you want at your own pace,” maganganunsa sun sa Inteesar ta kasa amsawa nan take, akwai wani abu game da yadda yake magana da ita da ya bambanta da abin da ta saba gani, ba ya magana kamar wanda yake ganin cewa dole ne ta amince da shi saboda yana nuna mata kulawa, amma duk da haka, ta yi shakka, “Ban san ko hakan zai yiwu ba,” ta amsa a hankali, “Muna da shirin tafiya, kuma ba na son mu makara,” “Na fahimta, zan zo da wuri, ba zan hana ku tafiya ba, I promise,” ta sake yin ajiyar zuciya, a zuciyarta, akwai wani ɓangare da yake son ƙin amincewa domin kawai ta kiyaye iyakar da ta gina tsakaninta da mutane, amma akwai wani ɓangaren kuma da yake tunanin cewa watakila ba lallai ba ne ta riƙa guje wa duk wani mutum da yake son saninta, bayan dogon tattaunawa da roƙo, da ƙyar da daɗi ta amince, “To shikenan, ka zo,” ta faɗa a ƙarshe, “Amma kar ka ɓata lokaci, don ba za mu daɗe a can ba,” Aliyu ya yi murmushi daga ɗayan ɓangaren, ko da yake ba ta iya ganin sa, “Thank you, Inteesar, I really appreciate it,” “Don’t make it a big deal,” ta faɗa cikin ɗan gajeren murmushi, “We’re just meeting to say hello,” “Of course, just a hello,” “Okay, sai gobe,” “Sai gobe, Intee, Allah ya kaimu lafiya,” “Amin,” ta katse kiran, sannan ta ajiye wayar a gefenta, na ɗan lokaci, ta zauna shiru tana kallon wayar, Aliyu ba mutum ne mai ɓoye kansa ba, yana fitowa fili ya nuna abin da yake ji, amma a lokaci guda yana ƙoƙarin nuna mata cewa ba zai tilasta mata ta yi abin da ba ta shirya ba, ta runtse idanunta, sannan ta sauke ajiyar zuciya, “Let’s see how tomorrow goes,” ta furta a hankali, bayan haka, ta miƙe ta koma shirya kayanta, gobe za ta tafi Lagos, wata sabuwar tafiya ce a gabanta, wata dama ta huta, ta yi dariya, ta kasance tare da iyalinta ba tare da tunanin abubuwan da suka faru a baya ya mamaye ta ba, kuma a karon farko cikin dogon lokaci, Inteesar ta fara kallon abin da ke gabanta da ɗan ƙaramin bege, ba wai ta shirya sake ƙauna ba, ba wai ta manta da abin da ya faru ba, amma tana fara fahimtar cewa healing ba yana nufin dole ne ta manta da komai ba ne, sometimes, it simply means allowing yourself to live again.