WHEN PATHS DREW CLOSER

*ZAYD ARMAAN*

*CHAPTER -FOUR: 4*

*WHEN PATHS DREW CLOSER*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

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Suhaila ta sauke wayarta tana murmushi.

“Ummie, zai kai ni.”

Ummie ma ta yi murmushi, “ai ba zai ƙi ba, Suhaila. Kin san yayanki, duk abin da kike so, shi ma yana ƙoƙari ya yi miki ko da shi baya so.”

“Ko da yake baya son shiga cikin taron mutane, idan saboda ke ne, zai haƙura ya je.”

Suhaila ta yi ƙaramin dariya, “wallahi Ummie, ni ma ba son fita nake ba. Amma kin san Aseeya. Tun lokacin da mahaifiyarta take aiki a gidan nan, sun yi mana kirki sosai. Yanzu ma duk da Allah Ya buɗe musu, ba su watsar da mu ba.”

“Baki ga yadda take ta saka ni cikin shirye-shiryen bikinta ba. Komai sai ta ce, Suhaila ki zo, Suhaila me kike gani?”

“Kinga idan ban je ba, za ta ji kamar na raina ta ne. Ba ma saboda komai ba, ina so kawai ta ganni.”

Ummie ta jinjina kai cikin gamsuwa, “haka ne. Mutum kam ba abin rainawa ba ne. Ko yau talaka ne, gobe Allah zai iya ɗaukaka shi. Ko kuma ya kasance mai hali, amma ya kasance mai kirki. Abin da ya fi muhimmanci shi ne kyakkyawar mu’amala.”

Ta ɗan yi murmushi, “Allah Ya ba Aseeya zaman lafiya. Ya sanya gidan aurenta ya zama gidan alkhairi. Ya kuma ba su zuri’a ta gari.”

“Ameen,” Suhaila ta amsa cikin nutsuwa.

*——*

Maryam ta ƙarasa ɗaura dankwalinta irin ɗaurin Zahra Buhari. Ya zauna mata sosai.

Duk da kasancewarta baƙar fata, ba mummuna ba ce ko kaɗan. Tana da nata kyawun na musamman, irin wanda ba ya buƙatar ƙarin ado sosai.

Ta juya ta kalli Bintu, “ya kika ganni?”

Bintu ta ɗago daga shafa hoda da take yi. Ta kalli Maryam na ɗan lokaci kafin ta taɓe baki, “ba laifi, kin yi kyau.”

Ta maida kanta ta ci gaba da abin da take yi.

Maryam ta girgiza kai, “to dan Allah ki yi sauri. Kafin a kira Magrib mu bar gidan nan. Bari na je na duba Raihana. Ita ce fa ta fi kowa nauyin jiki.”

Ta ƙarasa tana fita daga ɗakinsu. Kai tsaye ta nufi ɗakin Umma.

Ta tsaya bakin ƙofa, “assalamu alaikum.”

“Wa alaikumus salam,” Aminu ya amsa mata daga cikin ɗakin.

Ta shiga tana murmushi. Ta tarar da Aminu zaune yana cin abinci.

Ta yi dariya, “aciciii ashe abinci ake cii? Ina Umma? Ina Ray ɗin?”

Aminu ya ɗago, bakinsa cike da abinci. Ya nuna mata ƙofar dakin Raihana da yatsansa kafin ya ce, “tana ciki.”

Maryam ta sake dariya, “Aminu, ci a hankali mana. Abincin ba zai gudu ba.”

Ta wuce kai tsaye zuwa ƙofar ɗakin Raihana. A hankali ta daga labulen dakin.

A daidai lokacin kuwa, Raihana tana buɗe wardrobe ɗinta.

Maryam ta tsaya cak, “wai dama baki shirya ba?” ta faɗa tana dafe goshinta, “dan Allah ki hanzarta mana. So kike mu zo mu fita, Baffa ya canja shawara? Yanzu da magrib ake kokarin kira yanzu, sai ki ji an kira Isha.”

Ta ƙarasa kusa da ita tana ci gaba da magana, “kuma fa Baffa ya ce da zarar ƙarfe tara ta yi, mu tabbata mun dawo gida.”

Ta ɗan haɗe hannu tana kallon Raihana, “don Allah, yau kar ki ɓata lokaci. Ke idan kika fara shiri, kamar ana yi miki bridal makeup ne.”

Raihana ta yi dariya tana ci gaba da lalubo kayan da za ta saka, “wallahi ba ni na ɗauki lokaci ba, kawai ban gama zaɓar abin da zan saka ba.”

Maryam ta lumshe ido, “Ray, ki sauri kawai. Ni fa yau ina son mu isa kafin mutane su fara cika wajen.”

Maryam ta ƙarasa ta zauna a gefen katifar Raihana. Ta zuba mata ido kawai ba tare da ta ce komai ba.

Raihana ta juya ta kalle ta, sai ta fashe da dariya, “wannan uban kallon da kike min fa?”

Maryam ta ɗan turo baki, “to ni dai ki yi sauri.”

Cikin nutsuwa Raihana ta shirya. Ta saka wani lace mai matuƙar kyau haɗin maroon da milk. Straight gown ne mai sauƙin gani, bai wani manne mata a jiki ba, kuma bai mata yawa ba. Tsaf ya zauna a jikinta cikin nutsuwa da kamala.

Ta ɗauki dankwalinta tana shirin ɗaurawa. Da sauri Maryam ta miƙa hannu ta ƙwace, “kawo. Ki zo na ɗaura miki.”

Raihana ta miƙa mata tana dariya.

Maryam ta girgiza kai, “saboda idan kika ɗaura da kanki, za ki yi wancan ɗaurin naki mai kama da mai zuwa tallan masara.”

Raihana ta saki dariya, “ke ni fa ba son wahala nake ba.”

Maryam ta harareta, “whatever. Amma dai ki sani dinner za mu je, ba gadar rawa ba.”

Duk suka yi dariya.

A hankali Maryam ta fara ɗaura mata dankwalin. Ta gyara shi cikin tsari, ta lanƙwasa gefuna, ta fito da ƙaramin salon da ya ƙara fito da kyakkyawar fuskarta.

Da ta gama, ta matsa baya kaɗan. Ta yi murmushi cikin gamsuwa, “yauwa. Yanzu je ki kalli madubi.”

Raihana ta miƙe ta tsaya gaban mirror. Ta kalli kanta na wasu daƙiƙu.

Maryam ta bi ta da kallo tana murmushi, “kin gani? Kin san kin yi kyau.”

Sai ta sake cewa, “dan Allah ki shafa ko hoda ce kaɗan, da lipstick.”

Raihana ta sake kallon fuskarta cikin mirror. Sannan ta juya ta kalli Maryam, “ke, ba wani kwalliyar da zan yi. Bar ni haka. Mutum duk fuskarshi ta cabe kafin ya dawo gida.”

Ta ƙarasa tana ɗaukar turarenta. Ta fesa kaɗan a jikinta. Sannan ta ɗauki ƙaramin handbag ɗinta mai launin maroon.

Maryam ta girgiza kai tana murmushi, “ai ke, Allah Ya miki baiwar kyau. Ko ba kwalliya da kyanki. Mu kam, dole sai mun haɗa da ƴan dabaru.”

Raihana ta yi dariya, “to Allah Ya ƙara muku dabarun.”

Maryam ta ɗan bugi kafaɗarta, “mu je kafin Khausar ta fara kiran waya kamar za ta zo ta ɗauke mu da kanta.”

Duk suka yi dariya. Sannan suka fito daga ɗakin tare. Kai tsaye suka ƙarasa ƙofar ɗakin Umma.

A hankali Raihana ta ɗaga labulen ƙofar, “Umma, za mu tafi.”

Umma ta ɗago ta kalle su. Murmushi ya bayyana a fuskarta, “Allah Ya tsare. Ku kula da kanku. Ku kama kanku sosai. Sannan ku dawo daidai lokacin da mahaifinku ya ce. Kar ku ɓata masa rai.”

Raihana da Maryam suka amsa tare cikin ladabi, “in sha Allah, Umma.”

Ta sake musu addu’a, “Allah Ya kiyaye hanya.”

“Ameen.”

Suka fito daga ɗakin.

Maryam ta juya ta kalli Raihana, “bari na je na kira Bintu. Na san ta gama shiryawa.”

Raihana ta gyada kai kawai. Ita kuma ta zaro wayarta daga cikin handbag ɗinta. Ta fara neman number Khausar.

*⸻*

A wani ɓangaren gidan kuwa, Mama Sabuwa na tsaye gaban Bintu bayan ta gama bulbula mata uwar humra.

Ta gyara mata mayafinta sannan ta ce cikin ƙasa da murya, “kina jina?”

Bintu ta gyada kai, “eh Mama.”

Mama Sabuwa ta matso kusa da ita, “kar ki kuskura ki zauna inda Raihana ta zauna. Za ta dusashe miki kyanki. Babu wani namiji da zai kalle ki idan tana kusa da ke. Kin ji?”

Bintu ta sake gyada kai, “na ji Mama.”

Mama Sabuwa ta ci gaba, “ki nemi wani gefe daban ki zauna. Sannan duk inda kika ga ’yan mata masu gayu, ki je ki sake jikinki da su. Sai ki ga kun zama ƙawaye. In sha Allah, sai kin samo saurayi mai maiko a wajen nan.”

Ta sake miƙa mata ragowar humrar da ke cikin ƙaramin roba, “sannan, idan wani cikin mazan ya zo ya yi miki magana, ki fake ido, ki sake shafa wannan humrar. Kin ji Bintuna?”

Bintu ta karɓa tana murmushi, “to Mama. Zan yi duk yadda kika ce.”

Ta juya da niyyar fita.

A dai-dai wannan lokacin kuwa, sai ta ji muryar Maryam daga tsakar gida, “Bintuuuu! Bintu!”

Maryam ta shiga ɗakinsu ba ta ganta ba, shi ya sa ta san tabbas tana ɗakin Mama Sabuwa.

Bintu ta amsa da ƙarfi, “gani nan!”

Ta sake kallon mahaifiyarta. Mama Sabuwa ta yi mata alamar ta tafi, “ki tafi. Kuma kar ki manta da abin da na gaya miki.”

Bintu ta gyada kai. Ba tare da ta sake cewa komai ba, ta fita daga ɗakin cikin sauri.

Suka jera su uku, Maryam, Raihana, Bintu. Har suka isa bakin layin da Khausar take.

Raihana ta sake ɗaukar wayarta. Ta kira. Da aka ɗaga, ta ce, “dallah ki fito, gamu a tsaye a ƙofar layinku.”

Daga ɗaya ɓangaren, Khausar ta yi dariya, “gani nan. Kar ku motsa.”

Ba ta wuce mintuna biyu ba, sai gata. Ta fito cikin sauri.

Khausar kawarsu ce. Amma kawancenta da Raihana ya fi na kowa ƙarfi. Tun suna ƙanana. Tare sukayi Primary sukayi, secondary tare. Da ace ba dan jami’a ba, da har yau suna class ɗaya. Admission ne kawai ya raba su, kowa da makarantar da ya samu.

Da ta ƙaraso, sai ta tsaya cak tana kallonsu, “wayyo Allah, ka ga ƴan matan Baffa. Kun sha kyau. Sai ƙamshi kuke zubawa.”

Maryam ta yi dariya, “ni dai dan Allah, ku mu tafi kawai.”

Khausar ta haɗe gira, “wai, nufinku Adaidaita Sahu za mu hau? Da duk wannan gayun? Ta fashe da dariya, “wallahi, ni ba zan hau Adaidaita na je Dinner ba. Ga Bolt nan, na kira. Nan da two minutes za ta ƙaraso ta ɗauke mu.”

Nan take, duk suka fashe da dariya.

Maryam ta nuna ta da yatsa, “sai dake, babbar yarinya.”

Bintu tace, “ahh kin tsaya mana khausar.”

Khausar ta ware idanu, “me?”

Raihana ta girgiza kai tana dariya, “to waye ubanmu a Kaduna, da ba za mu hau Adaidaita Sahu ba?”

Khausar ta buɗe baki za ta yi magana, a dai-dai wannan lokacin, wata mota ta shigo layin.

Fitilunta masu ƙarfi suka haske su gaba ɗaya. Saboda duhun Magariba, hasken ya sauka kai tsaye kan fuskokinsu.

Raihana ta ɗaga hannu ta kare idanunta, “ji wani wulakanci. Ko waye wannan, zai haske mutane haka?”

Da sauri Khausar ta yi dariya, “a’a, Bolt ɗin da na kira ne. Ku zo, mu tafi.”

*⸻*

*ARMAAN MANSION*

*7:45 PM*

Suhaila ta sauko daga saman stairs cikin takunta na ƙasaita.

Sanye take cikin wani haɗaɗɗen lace mai launin red da black. Dinkin ya cika da duwatsu masu kyalli, hasken chandelier na falon yana bugawa jikin kayan har suna walƙiya.

Gown ɗin ya zauna daidai a siririn jikinta. Domin Suhaila, yarinya ce mara jiki. Irin wacce za ka ce idan ka hure ta, za ta faɗi.

Ta sha makeup cikin tsari. Ba mai yawa ba, amma ya ƙara fito da kyakkyawar fuskarta.

A hannunta tana riƙe da ƙaramin fan. A ɗaya hannun kuma, handbag ɗinta da wayarta. Veil ɗinta kuwa yana makale a shoulder dinta cikin tsari.

Ta ƙaraso falon. Ta tarar da Ummie zaune tana karanta wani littafi.

“Ummie,” ta kira tana turo baki, “wai har yanzu Akhii bai fito ba? Shi ne fa ya ce in shirya tun ƙarfe bakwai, za mu tafi.”

Ummie ta yi murmushi, “to ki ɗan jira mana. Maybe yana ƙarasa shiryawa ne. Tunda ya ce zai kai ki, ai zai kai ki.”

Suhaila ta na shirin sake magana, sai suka ji takun sawu daga saman stairs. Kafin ma ya karaso kamshin turarensa ya cika falon. Duk suka ɗaga kai.

Zayd ne. A hankali yake saukowa.

Sanye yake cikin black trousers da black shirt masu kyan gaske. A kansa kuma, black face cap. Sai agogon hannunsa kaɗai. Babu wani ƙarin ado. Amma duk da haka, kwarjininsa ya cika wajen.

Da ya iso ƙasa, kai tsaye ya nufi wajen Ummie. Ya durƙusa a gabanta kamar yadda ya saba. Ya kamo hannunta cikin girmamawa. Suka yi musabaha.

Sannan ya kai hannunta bakinsa, ya sumbace shi.

Ummie tana kallonsa da wani irin farin ciki. Ta ɗora hannunta kan kansa, “barakallahu feekha, Zayduna.”

A hankali ya amsa, “wa fiki barakallah, Ummie.”

Kafin su ƙara magana, sai Suhaila ta turo baki, “dan Allah ni dai a katse wannan soyayyar. Ka tashi mu tafi.”

Ummie ta kasa riƙe dariyarta. Ta yi dariya sosai, “tashi ku je. Allah Ya tsare.”

Sai ta kalli Zayd, “da Sameer za ku fita?”

Ya girgiza kai, “a’a, Ummie. Ni kaɗai nake son fita. Bayan na ajiye ta, zan tsaya wajen Imraan na ɗan gaishe shi kafin ta gama.”

Ummie ta gyada kai cikin gamsuwa, “okay. Take care of yourself. Kaji ko?”

Kafin ya amsa, sai Suhaila ta sake turo baki, “Ummie, ni fa?”

Ummie ta yi dariya, “okay, take care of yourselves. Allah Ya tsare min ku.”

“Ameen,” suka amsa tare.

Daga nan, suka juya suka nufi ƙofar fita.

Ummie ta bisu da kallo. Idanunta cike da ƙauna da alfahari. A ranta ta yi addu’a a hankali, “ya Allah, ka ci gaba da kare min su.”

Suna fitowa compound ɗin, da guards ɗin da ke bakin security post suka hango Zayd, duk suka miƙe tsaye lokaci guda, “good evening, Boss.”

Zayd ya gyada musu kai kaɗan, “evening.”

A daidai lokacin, lead security officer ya ƙaraso da sauri, “Boss, which route are we taking tonight?”

Zayd ya girgiza kai cikin nutsuwa, “no. I’ll be driving myself tonight. You don’t need to follow me.”

Officer ɗin ya ɗan yi mamaki, sai dai bai nuna ba, “yes, Boss.”

A hankali ya yi wa sauran guards ɗin alama. Nan take ɗaya daga cikinsu ya fito gaba. A hannunsa akwai key fob ɗin motar. Ya miƙa shi da hannaye biyu cikin girmamawa, “your key, Boss.”

Zayd ya karɓa ba tare da ya ce komai ba. Kai tsaye ya nufi motarsa, black Rolls-Royce Spectre. Sabuwar motar lantarki. Baƙa ƙirin. Glass ɗinta duk tinted. Hasken compound yana bugawa jikin motar kamar madubi.

Ya buɗe driver’s door. Ya shiga cikin nutsuwa.

A lokaci guda kuma, Suhaila ta buɗe ƙofar passenger seat. Ta zauna tana gyara veil ɗinta.

Engine bai yi wata ƙara ba, sai hasken dashboard da ya kawo a hankali.

Zayd ya danna start button. A hankali ya saka motar a gear. Gateman ya riga ya buɗe babban gate.

Da motar ta fara motsi, dukkan guards ɗin suka sake miƙewa tsaye. Suna kallonta har ta fice daga Armaan Mansion.

Sai da gate ya sake rufewa, sannan suka koma bakin aikinsu.

Shiru ya sake mamaye compound ɗin. Sai ƙamshin alfarma da Boss ya bari a bayanta.

*Not edited*

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