A FRIEND BEFORE A LOVER

*KADDARAR ZUCIYA*

*CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: 21*

*A FRIEND BEFORE A LOVER*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

———

Rayuwa ta ci gaba da tafiya a hankali, tamkar iskar safiya mai sanyaya rai, sabuwar shekarar karatu ta ƙarshe, wato final year ta Inteesar a Jami’ar Nile, ta fara ɗaukar gabaɗayan hankalinta, assignments, presentations da projects sun fara cika mata lokaci, har ya kai ga jadawalinta na yau da kullum ya zama cike maƙil, sai dai duk da yawan abubuwan da take yi, akwai wani abu da ya fara zama kamar wani ɓangare na rayuwarta ba tare da ta shirya wa hakan ba, Aliyu, ba wai saboda yana matsa mata lamba ba, ko kuma yana ta zuba mata kalaman soyayya a kullum ba, a’a, tun bayan dawowarta Abuja, Aliyu, wanda yake can mahaifarsu ta Katsina, ya nuna mata cewa ba lallai ne mutum ya zama masoyi ba kafin ya zama babban dalilin kwanciyar hankali da sanyin rai, wani lokaci, kasancewar mutum a rayuwarka kawai yana iya zama abin da zuciyarka take buƙata, ko da kai kanka ba ka fahimci dalilin hakan ba, wata safiya, cikin sanyin gari, Inteesar da Nana suna zaune a kan dining suna yin breakfast, wayarta ta fara ringing, ta nuna shigowar kira, da ta duba screen ɗin, sai ta ga lambar Aliyu, wadda har yanzu ba ta adana ba, Nana ta ɗan karkatar da kanta tana kallon wayar, murmushi ya bayyana a fuskarta, “Friend ɗin nan naki ne ya kira,” Inteesar ta harare ta cikin shagwaɓa, “Wayyo ni! Kowa ya sa min ido,” ta faɗa tana ɗan buga ƙafarta a ƙasa saboda kunyar da ta ji, yayin da Nana kuwa sai murmushi take yi, tana kallonta cike da sha’awar ganin yadda ƙaramar kanwarta ta take ƙoƙarin ɓoye abin da ita kanta ba ta fahimta ba, Inteesar ta ɗaga wayar ta kai a kunnenta, sannan ta amsa cikin tattausan sauti, “Assalamu Alaikum,” “Wa Alaikumus Salam,” muryarsa, kamar kullum, cike take da nutsuwa, ko ta waya ne, Aliyu yana da wata irin hanya ta magana da take sa mutum ya ji kamar ba shi da wani dalilin gaggawa ko tashin hankali a duniya, “Kin tashi lafiya?” “Lafiya,” “Kin yi breakfast?” Inteesar ta yi murmushi, “Eh,” “Alhamdulillah, na kira ne kawai na ce bari na ji muryarki kafin na shiga wani meeting,” Inteesar ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, ta kasa tantance abin da take so ya ƙara faɗa, amma wani ɓangare na zuciyarta bai so kiran ya ƙare da wuri ba, a hankali ta tambaya, “Shi kenan kawai?” Aliyu ya yi dariya mai sauti, “Me kuma kike so?” Ta turo baki, duk da cewa ba ya ganinta, “Nothing,” ya sake murmushi, kamar ya fahimci abin da take ƙoƙarin ɓoyewa, “To, shi kenan, Allah Ya sanya albarka a ranar ki ta yau,” “Na gode,” “Ki kula da kanki,” “Kai ma,” bayan ta ajiye wayar, ta ɗago kai ta tarar Nana na kallonta da wani irin murmushi mai ɗauke da ma’anoni da dama, “Intee,” “Hmmm?” “Wallahi, wannan ba friendship kawai ba ne,” “Yaya Nana!” Ta faɗa cikin shagwaɓa, tana ƙoƙarin ɓoye murmushin da ya ƙi barin fuskarta, Nana kuwa dariya kawai ta yi, sannan ta ci gaba da shan shayinta, kamar ba ita ta tayar da hankalin ta ba, amma a zuciyarta, ta riga ta fara lura da sauyin da ke faruwa a hankali.

A Nile University kuwa, Amira ta riga ta saba da ganin Inteesar tana murmushi na musamman a duk lokacin da wayarta ta haska, ba irin murmushin da take yi don girmamawa ba ne, ko wanda take yi idan wani abu ya ba ta dariya kawai, akwai wani abu daban a cikinsa, wani irin natsuwa da a baya Amira ba ta cika gani a fuskarta ba, suna zaune a cafeteria suna cin abinci, suna hira kan yadda Inteesar ta ɗan rikice har ta tsure a lokacin presentation ɗinsu na ɗazu, dukansu suna ta kwashewa da dariya, musamman da Inteesar ta sake kwaikwayon yadda ta tsaya tana neman kalmar da ta manta a tsakiyar bayaninta, a dai-dai lokacin ne wayarta ta sake vibrating a kan tebur, Amira ta leƙa da sauri, ta hango lambar da ta saba gani a screen ɗin Inteesar, Aliyu, ta ɗaga gira ɗaya, ta ce cikin jan hankali, “Hmmm,” Inteesar ta yi saurin janyo wayar zuwa gare ta, “Me?” Amira ta fashe da dariya, “Kin lura kuwa? Da can, idan an ambaci namiji sai ki yi kamar za ki yi faɗa saboda haushi, yanzu kuma idan wayarki ta yi haske, sai murmushi kike yi kafin ma ki duba wanda ya kira,” Inteesar ta girgiza kai, “Ba haka ba ne,” “To, yaya ne?” Ta yi shiru tana juya cokalin da ke hannunta, ta so ta ba Amira amsa mai gamsarwa, amma gaskiya ita kanta ba ta da ita, bayan ɗan lokaci sai ta furta, “Gaskiya ban sani ba,” Amira ta yi murmushi, ta miƙa hannunta ta dafa nata, “Ki sani kawai cewa healing ɗinki na tafiya daidai yanzu, kuma ina farin ciki da hakan,” murmushin da ya bayyana a fuskar Inteesar a wannan karon ya bambanta da na baya, ba murmushin jin kunya ba ne, sai dai wanda ya fito daga wani wuri mai zurfi a zuciyarta, ta kalli Amira, wataƙila da gaske take samun sauƙi, wataƙila a hankali take koyon yadda za ta rayu ba tare da kowace tunawa ta baya ta zama sanadin ciwo a gare ta ba, kuma wataƙila, kasancewar Aliyu a rayuwarta yana taimaka mata fiye da yadda ta sani, a hankali, hirar Inteesar da Aliyu ta waya ta zama wani abu na yau da kullum a rayuwarsu, kusan kowane lokaci suna samun damar yin magana, wani lokacin Aliyu zai kira ta da daddare, ba don ya yi mata maganar soyayya ba, sai dai ya ba ta labarin wani abin dariya da ya faru a wajen aikinsa a Katsina, wani lokacin kuma zai yi mata korafi kan traffic, ko ya ba ta labarin yadda wani abokinsa ya faɗi wata magana a office har duk ma’aikatan da ke wurin suka kasa riƙe dariya, Inteesar ma ba a bar ta a baya ba, ita ma za ta ba shi labarin Amira, ko wani lecturer da ya ba su assignment mai matuƙar wahala, ko yadda wani ɗalibi ya ba da amsar tambaya da ta sa ajin gabaɗaya suka yi dariya, abin mamaki, hirarsu ba ta buƙatar wani babban batu kafin ta yi daɗi, ko da babu wani abu na musamman da ya faru a ranar, za su iya shafe lokaci suna magana kan ƙananan abubuwan rayuwa, su yi dariya, su yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, sannan ɗayansu ya sake buɗe wata sabuwar magana, har wani dare, suna cikin irin wannan hirar mai daɗi, suka shafe sama da awa ɗaya a waya ba tare da sun lura lokaci ya tafi da nisa ba, “Subhanallah!” Aliyu ya faɗa kwatsam yana kallon agogonsa, “Karfe goma sha biyu har ya yi?” Inteesar ta yi dariya, “Ni ma ban lura ba, gaskiya,” Aliyu ya girgiza kai yana murmushi, sannan ya rage sautin muryarsa, “To, bari ki je ki yi barci, kina da lecture da safe, ko kin manta?” “Eh,” ta amsa masa a hankali, tana jin wani irin rashin son a yanke hirar da suka saba yi, sai shiru ya ɗan ratsa tsakaninsu, ba shiru mai nauyi ba, irin wanda yake sa mutum ya ji ba shi da abin faɗa, a’a, shiru ne mai cike da jin daɗin kasancewa tare, ko da ta hanyar waya ne kawai, bayan ɗan lokaci, Aliyu ya kira sunanta a hankali, “Goodnight, Intee, and sleep like a baby,” wani sabon abu mai ɗumi ya daki zuciyar Inteesar lokaci guda, ta lumshe idanunta na ɗan lokaci, tana jin kalaman nasa suna ratsawa cikin zuciyarta da wata irin laushi da ba ta saba ji ba, da ƙyar ta iya amsawa, “Goodnight, Aliyu,” kiran ya ƙare, amma murmushin da ke fuskarta bai ɓace ba, ba kalaman I love you masu nauyi ba ne, ba kalaman soyayya da za su sa ta ji ana neman amsar da ba ta shirya bayarwa ba, sai dai wata tsantsar nutsuwa, wata irin kwanciyar hankali da take sa zuciyarta ta ji sauƙi, ba tare da an tilasta mata komai ba, kuma a gare ta, hakan ya fi duk wata kalma mai daɗin ji muhimmanci, Humaira kuwa, wadda take can garinsu, ba ta taɓa gajiya da tsokanarta ba, video call ɗinsu na kusan kowane dare ya zama wata dama ta musamman da suke amfani da ita wajen dariya da yi wa juna tsiya, wata rana suna waya, Humaira ta ɗan matsa kusa da camera, ta kalli Inteesar da wani irin murmushi na mai shirin tayar da hankali, “Ke Intee, ni dai bana son jin wai friendship,” Inteesar ta ɗago kai daga abin da take yi, “Me kuma na yi?” Humaira ta kyalkyale da dariya, “Mutumin nan ya yi passing examination ɗinsa tun tuni fa!” Inteesar ta zaro ido, “Humaira!” “Me? Ƙarya na yi ne?” Ta girgiza kai, tana dariya, “Ke dai ki bar ni,” Humaira ta gyara zamanta, sannan ta yi wata tambaya da ta sa Inteesar ta sake dariya, “Wai har yanzu ba ki save number ɗinsa da sunansa ba?” Inteesar ta ɗan ciji leɓenta kafin ta amsa, “Na yi saving, na saka me?” Humaira ta dafe kanta da hannuwa biyu, “Allah na! Ke dai baki da kirki! Har yanzu ba ki save number guy ɗin nan da wani suna na musamman ba? Wallahi idan na zo Abuja, zan yi miki saving da kaina da ‘Soulmate’, because with what I saw, that’s the perfect name for that gentle man!” Inteesar ta fashe da dariya, “Humaira, kinada hankali!” “Ni? Ai ni mai hangen nesa ce, ke ce kawai kike pretending not to see what is right in front of you,” “Please, shut up!” Duka suka sake fashewa da dariya, sai dai ko bayan sun yi sallama, kalaman Humaira sun ci gaba da yawo a zuciyar Inteesar, soulmate? Ta girgiza kai tana murmushi, kamar tana son korar tunanin, a’a, ba ta shirya ba, ba ta ma san ko abin da take ji zai kai ta wani wuri ba, abin da ta sani kawai shi ne, a yanzu Aliyu ya zama mutum na musamman a rayuwarta, kuma hakan ya isa mata, aƙalla, a yanzu.

Bayan wasu kwanaki, Aliyu ya zo birnin Abuja saboda wani muhimmin meeting da ya shafi harkokin aikinsa, da ya kammala abubuwan da suka kawo shi, sai ya ɗauki wayarsa ya kira Inteesar, ta ɗaga kiran bayan ya ɗan yi ringing, “Intee,” “Hmmm?” “Ina Abuja yanzu haka,” ta ɗan yi mamaki, ta gyara zamanta, “Da gaske?” “Eh,” “Yaushe ka zo?” “Yau da safe,” “Subhanallah!” Aliyu ya yi dariya, “Kar ki firgita, na ce bari na gaishe ku, tunda muna cikin gari,” Inteesar ta yi shiru na wasu daƙiƙu, ba don ba ta son ganinsa ba, sai dai tana tunanin yadda ya kamata ta amsa masa, a ƙarshe ta ce, “Uhm, amma ai za ka ƙaraso gidanmu mu gaisa ko?” Aliyu ya sauke wani nannauyan numfashi na jin daɗi, kamar dai wannan ce amsar da yake son ji, amma ya kasa tambayarta kai tsaye saboda gudun kada ta ji kamar yana matsa mata, ya yi murmushi sannan ya amsa cikin muryarsa mai nuna girmamawa, “Yadda kika ce, ranki ya daɗe,” Inteesar ta yi dariya, “To, shi kenan, sai ka zo, I’ll send the location via WhatsApp right now, in Shaa Allah,” “Okay,” ya amsa, sannan suka yi sallama cike da annushuwa, a duk tsawon lokacin da suka yi magana, babu wanda ya furta cewa yana jin daɗin damar ganin ɗayan a zahiri, amma murmushin da suka yi bayan kiran ya ƙare ya isa ya bayyana hakan, da yamma, Aliyu ya ƙaraso gidan, sanye yake cikin wani kyakkyawan blue kaftan mai sauƙi, wanda ya yi daidai da yanayin natsuwarsa, agogon hannunsa mai kyau ya ƙara nuna irin tsarin da yake da shi, ba tare da buƙatar wani abu mai ɗaukar hankali ba, ya gaishe da Nana cikin mutunci da karramawa, sannan ta yi masa maraba ta ba su wajen dan samun damar zama a falo, Inteesar ta tanadar masa abinci da abin sha, bayan sun zauna, sai hirar rayuwa ta fara gudana cikin walwala, babu maganar soyayya, babu wani batu mai nauyi da zai sa ɗayansu ya ji dole ne ya yi wani bayani, sai dai dariya, raha da labaran abubuwan da suka faru a rayuwarsu, Aliyu yana ba ta labarin yadda wani abokinsa ya yi barci har yana minshari a tsakiyar meeting na kamfaninsu, “Wallahi, Intee, da kinga yadda mutumin ya sunkuyar da kansa! Ni dai na kasa kallonsa saboda tsoron kar dariya ta fito min,” Inteesar ta rufe bakinta da tafin hannunta, amma hakan bai hana dariyar da ta taso mata fitowa ba, “Seriously? A meeting?” Aliyu ya gyada kai, yana ƙoƙarin kwaikwayon yadda mutumin ya sunkuyar da kansa, “Har sai da wani ya taɓa shi a hankali kafin ya farka!” A wannan karon Inteesar ta kasa riƙe kanta, ta fashe da dariya mai sauti, tana karkatar da kanta gefe guda, dariya ce ta gaskiya, mai walwala, wadda ba ta da wata damuwa a cikinta, a daidai lokacin ne Yaya Umar ya fito daga ɓangaren ɗakinsa da niyyar wucewa ta falon, da ganinsa, Aliyu ya miƙe tsaye nan take cikin girmamawa, “Assalamu Alaikum,” “Wa Alaikumus Salam,” Aliyu ya yi murmushi, sannan ya ce, “Yaya Umar, ai ban san kana ciki ba, haba Intee, da kin faɗa min mun gaisa tun farko,” Inteesar ta juya da sauri ta kalli Umar, idanunsu suka haɗu, na wasu daƙiƙu kaɗan ne kawai, amma kamar wani abu mai zafi ya motsa a cikin zuciyar Umar, wani abu da ya yi ƙoƙarin dannewa na tsawon lokaci, amma ganin Inteesar cikin wannan yanayin ya sa ya kasa kauce wa abin da yake ji, Inteesar kuwa ta ɗauke idanunta da sauri, tana gyara zamanta cikin rashin natsuwa, “Na zata ko kana barci ne,” “Eh, I just woke up,” Umar ya amsa cikin sanyin muryarsa, sannan ya miƙa wa Aliyu hannu suka gaisa cikin mutunci, bayan ɗan gajeren hirar girmamawa, Umar ya yi musu sallama ya wuce zuwa study room ɗinsa da ke ƙasa, kusa da falon, sai dai maimakon ya rufe ƙofar ɗakin, sai ya bar ta a buɗe, ya zauna a gaban teburinsa, ya zaro wani file na aiki da niyyar karantawa, ya buɗe shi, ya ɗora idanunsa a kan rubutun da ke ciki, amma hankalinsa bai kasance a wurin ba, dariyar Inteesar da Aliyu ke yi a falo tana ratsawa cikin kunnuwansa, ya yi ƙoƙarin maida hankalinsa kan file ɗin, ya karanta layi ɗaya, sai ya koma ya sake karantawa, amma kamar hankalinsa ya ƙi bin umarninsa, domin tun bayan dawowar Inteesar gidan nan, bai cika jin tana yin irin wannan dariyar ta gaskiya ba, ba irin dariyar da take yi don girmamawa ko saboda kawai wani ya faɗi abin dariya ba, a’a, wannan dariya ce mai fitowa daga zurfin zuciya, dariya ce da ya daɗe bai ji ta yi ba, dariya ce da a da yake alfahari da kasancewa ɗaya daga cikin mutanen da ke iya jawo ta, amma yau… wani mutum daban ne ke sa ta dariya, Umar ya tsaya cak, idanunsa a kan rubutun da bai fahimci ko kalma ɗaya daga cikinsa ba, duk da cewa yana farin cikin ganin Inteesar cikin walwala, ganin tana murmushi ba tare da nauyin damuwa a fuskarta ba, zuciyarsa ta kasa hana kanta jin wani irin ciwo mai nauyi, ciwo ne da bai so ya amince da shi ba, amma ya kasa musanta shi, sai wani irin raɗaɗin kishi ya ratsa zuciyarsa, raɗaɗin kishin da ya yi tunanin ya riga ya binne shi, ya lumshe idanunsa, ya jingina da kujerarsa, yana ƙoƙarin daidaita numfashinsa, a hankali, tunaninsa ya koma kan alƙawarin da ya yi wa Daddy, da kuma alƙawarin da ya yi wa kansa, alƙawarin cewa ba zai sake takura wa Inteesar ba, ba zai sake matsa mata ta koma inda zuciyarta ba ta shirya ba, ba zai sake sa ta ji kamar farin cikinta yana hannunsa ba, ko da kuwa hakan zai karya nasa zuciyar, ya buɗe idanunsa a hankali, yana kallon file ɗin da ke gabansa, ka yi alƙawari, Umar, ka bar ta ta zaɓi farin cikinta, ya furta a cikin zuciyarsa, kamar yana ƙoƙarin tunasar da kansa cewa ba kowane abu da zuciya take so ba ne mutum yake da ikon nema, amma kalaman da ya yi wa kansa ba su hana ciwon da yake ji ba, sun dai tunasar da shi cewa dole ne ya zauna da shi shi kaɗai.

A can falo kuwa, Aliyu ya riga ya lura da yadda yanayin Umar ya sauya tun lokacin da ya fito, ya lura da yadda idanunsa suke bin kowane motsi na Inteesar, da kuma irin sanyin da ke sauka a fuskarsa a duk lokacin da ya kalleta, Aliyu bai ce komai ba, ya ci gaba da hirarsa da Inteesar, amma a hankali hankalinsa ya fara tattara wasu bayanai, bayan wani lokaci, ya gyara zamansa ya kalle ta, “Intee,” “Hmmm?” “Ke da Yaya Umar ba same parents kuke ba, ko?” Inteesar ta ɗago da sauri, ta kalle shi cike da mamaki, “Me ya sa ka faɗi haka?” Aliyu ya yi murmushi kawai, irin murmushin da yake ƙoƙarin ɓoye abin da ke zuciyarsa, “Babu komai,” “A’a, ka faɗa mana,” ya yi dariya, “Wallahi babu wani abu, kawai na tambaya ne haka kawai,” Inteesar ta haɗe gira tana kallonsa, kamar tana ƙoƙarin gano abin da ya sa ya kawo wannan tambayar, daga ƙarshe ta girgiza kai, “A’a mana, Yaya na ne fa!” Aliyu ya ɗan gyada kai, “Hmmm,” bai ƙara cewa komai ba, amma wani abu a cikin zuciyarsa ya fara tabbatar masa da cewa akwai wani babban labari da ke ɓoye a gidan nan, wani labari da bai sani ba, ya sake kallon Inteesar, sannan ya kawar da tunanin a hankali, ba kowace magana ce ya kamata mutum ya bincika ba, musamman idan bai san ko wanda abin ya shafa yana shirye ya yi magana a kanta ba, wataƙila akwai abubuwan da lokaci kaɗai zai iya bayyana masa, saboda haka ya zaɓi yin shiru, ya koma kan hirarsu ta baya, yana ba ta damar ci gaba da jin daɗin lokacin da suke tare, kuma ba tare da Inteesar ta sani ba, Aliyu ya riga ya zama mutumin farko da take tunawa da shi a duk lokacin da wani abu mai daɗi ya faru da ita, idan wani abu ya ba ta dariya, tana jin sha’awar ba shi labari, idan ta samu nasara a wani abu da ta daɗe tana ƙoƙarin yi, yana daga cikin mutanen da take son su sani, idan kuma rana ta kasance mai gajiyarwa, wani ɓangare na zuciyarta yana jiran lokacin da za ta ji muryarsa, ko da kuwa na wasu mintuna kaɗan ne, ba wai saboda yana da amsoshin dukkan matsalolinta ba, a’a, sai dai saboda kasancewarsa yana sa ta ji cewa ba lallai ne ta kasance cikin shiri a kowane lokaci ba, za ta iya yin dariya, za ta iya yin shiru, za ta iya faɗin abin da ke zuciyarta ba tare da tsoron cewa za a yi amfani da shi wajen cutar da ita ba, amma har yanzu, a cikin zuciyarta, ba ta kira abin da ke tsakaninsu da sunan soyayya ba, domin tana kan matakin koyon yadda ake sake amincewa da mutane ne bayan dukan raunin da ta sha, ba ta son ta yi gaggawar sanya wa wani sabon yanayi suna, sannan daga baya ta gano cewa ta fahimci abin da take ji ba daidai ba, ita dai tana son ta ci gaba da jin daɗin wannan kwanciyar hankalin da ta fara samu, shi kuma Aliyu, mutum ne mai haƙuri da hangen nesa, ba ya gaggawa, ba ya matsa mata da tambayoyi, ba ya neman ta ba shi amsar da ita kanta ba ta sani ba, domin a wurinsa, akwai wani abu da ya fi sauri samun soyayya muhimmanci, amincewa, yana son ya zama aminin da Inteesar za ta iya amincewa da shi da dukkan zuciyarta, kafin ya zama mutumin da zai nemi ta ba shi wannan zuciyar, domin idan har wata rana ta ba shi zuciyarta, yana son ta yi hakan ne saboda tana so, ba don ta ji dole ba, kuma wataƙila wannan ne sirrin da ya sa kasancewarsa a rayuwarta ya bambanta da na sauran mutane, ya ba ta sarari, ya ba ta lokaci, kuma a hankali, ba tare da ya sani ba, yana zama wani ɓangare na warkewar zuciyarta.

A can garin Katsina kuwa, rayuwa na tafiya kamar yadda aka saba a gidan Alhaji Kabeeru, amma a ƙarƙashin yanayin rayuwar da aka saba gani, akwai wani abu da ya fara sauyawa a hankali, wani abu da har yanzu ba a fahimci girman sa ba, wani dare, bayan sun gama gudanar da sallar Maghrib, Alhaji Kabeeru da Mommy Haleema suna zaune a falonsu cikin natsuwa, gidan ya yi shiru, sai sautin motsin wasu daga cikin ma’aikatan gidan da ke gudanar da ayyukansu a can gefe, Mommy Haleema tana zaune tana gyara wasu ƙananan abubuwa a gabanta, yayin da Alhaji Kabeeru yake jingine a kan kujera, fuskarsa ba ta nuna wata damuwa sosai ba, can sai ya sauke wani nannauyan numfashi, numfashin ya fito da wata irin gajiya da takura, wanda ya sa mommy ɗago kai da sauri ta dube shi, “Alhaji, lafiya kuwa?” Ya ɗago mata ido, ya yi ƙoƙarin yin murmushi, amma murmushin bai kai ga idanunsa ba, “Lafiya lau, na lura ne kawai… kwanakin nan jikina yana min wani iri daban,” nan take hankalin mommy ya tashi, ta ajiye abin da ke hannunta, ta gyara zamanta sosai tana fuskantar sa, “Wani irin abu ne ke damunka?” Alhaji Kabeeru ya dafa ƙirjinsa a hankali, “Ban sani ba, amma ina jin gajiya sosai a kullum, wani lokacin ma numfashina kamar yana min wahala wajen fita,” “Subhanallah!” Ta faɗa, muryarta ta sauya saboda tsoro, “Alhaji, ai tun da ka fara jin haka ya kamata ka gaya min tun da wuri!” Ya sake ƙoƙarin murmushi, yana son ya rage mata damuwa, “Ba wani abu ba ne, wataƙila shekaru ne kawai suka fara kawo hakan,” “Ka daina wannan maganar!” Ta faɗa da sauri, tana girgiza kai, “Wallahi Alhaji, wannan ba abin wasa ba ne, magana ce a kan lafiyarka!” Ya miƙa hannu ya kama nata, yana son ya kwantar mata da hankali, “Ki kwantar da hankalinki,” amma mommy ta kasa samun natsuwa, ta girgiza kai, idanunta suka fara nuna irin tsoron da take ƙoƙarin ɓoyewa, “A’a, yanzu kam dole ne ka yarda,” Alhaji Kabeeru ya ɗan ɗaga gira, “Me kuma?” “Mu koma hospital a sake duba ka,” ya buɗe baki kamar zai ƙi amincewa, “Ha—” “A’a, Alhaji, don Allah ka yarda,” ta katse shi cikin sauri, tana matse hannunsa, “Bari na kira Abubakar, ko yana kusa, sai mu je a sake duba lafiyarka yanzu,” Alhaji Kabeeru ya tsaya yana kallon matarsa, a cikin idanunta, ya ga tsantsar tsoron rasa shi, tsoron rasa mutumin da ta shafe shekaru masu yawa tana rayuwar aminci da shi, mutumin da ta saba dogara da shi a lokutan farin ciki da na baƙin ciki, mutumin da kasancewarsa a gefenta ta ɗauka a matsayin wani abu na yau da kullum, har sai da wannan sabon yanayin ya fara tunasar da ita cewa lafiya ba abu ba ne da ya kamata a ɗauka da wasa, a hankali ya sauke numfashi, “To, ki kira Abubakar ɗin,” “Alhamdulillah,” Mommy Haleema ta amsa, sannan ta miƙe da sauri tana neman wayarta, hannunta ya ɗan rawa saboda tashin hankalin da ya cika zuciyarta, ta fara laluben wayar ba tare da ta lura da inda ta ajiye ta ba, amma a cikin wannan rudani nata, ba ta lura da yadda Alhaji Kabeeru ya lumshe idanunsa na wasu daƙiƙu ba, ba ta lura da yadda fuskarsa ta nuna azabar da jikinsa ke masa na ɗan lokaci ba, kuma ba ta ga yadda ya sake matse ƙirjinsa da ƙarfi, yana ƙoƙarin jure wani yanayi da shi kansa bai fahimci girman sa ba, Alhaji Kabeeru ya buɗe idanunsa a hankali, ya kalli matarsa wadda take ta ƙoƙarin samun wayarta, a karon farko cikin shekaru masu yawa, wani irin tsoro ya ratsa can cikin zuciyarsa, ba tsoron zuwa asibiti ba ne kawai, ba tsoron jin likita ya ba shi magani ba, sai dai wani irin tsoro mai zurfi, wanda ya taso daga tunanin cewa watakila jikinsa na aika masa da wani babban saƙo, saƙon da ya daɗe yana ƙoƙarin ƙyale shi, saƙon da bai san ko a shirye yake ya karɓa ba, ya kalli hannayensa na ɗan lokaci, sannan ya ɗaga idanunsa zuwa ga mommy Haleema, ta kasance tana ƙoƙarin murmushi a gare shi, duk da damuwar da ta cika fuskarta, shi ma ya yi ƙoƙarin mayar mata da murmushin, amma a wannan karon, zuciyarsa ba ta ba shi damar yin kamar komai yana tafiya daidai ba, domin a wani wuri can cikin ransa, ya fara jin cewa wannan ba gajiyar shekaru kawai ba ce, kuma ko yana son amincewa da hakan ko a’a… dole ne ya fuskanci abin da ke zuwa.