A STEP INTO FOREVER

ZAYD ARMAAN 

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX:66

A STEP INTO FOREVER 

JIDDAAH BARKUM

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Bayan sun hau kan titi Maman Khausar ta kalli Maman Ihsan:

“Me yace?”

Maman Ihsan ta sauke numfashi.

“Yace ɓangaren waccan amaryar ne ake shirya wa, jibi ne ɗaurin auren.”

Maryam ta buɗe baki kaɗan.

“Jibi?!”

Maman Ihsan ta gyada kai.

“Juma’a.”

Maman Khausar ta yi shiru, tana kallon gidan.

Maman Ihsan ta sake kallon babban gidan na ɗan lokaci. Gidan ya yi girma, ya yi kyau, ya cika da kayan more rayuwa. Amma duk da haka, tunaninta ya koma ga Raihana da yadda za ta zauna da kishiya.

Hajiya Balaraba ta kalli Bintu wacce su Mama Sabuwa na fita. Itama ta kaɗada kanta tayi gaba, kallonta take da wani irin calm smile a fuskarta.

“Yanzu kinga zamu kwana biyu bamu haɗu ba,” ta faɗa a hankali, tana ɗan matsowa kusa da ita. “Sabida na riga na sanar miki bikin yarinyar Haj Hauwa zamuyi, kuma jibi ne Jumu’ah, daurin aure. Ba dai wata hidima zamuyi ba, amma kinsan dai tunda diya mace ce dole akwai ƴan abubuwan da baza a rasa ba.”

Ta ɗan yi murmushi, hannunta yana shafa gefen fuskar Bintu a hankali.

“Zuwa Sunday dai na san dai duk yadda ake ciki na nutsu na dawo dai-dai, sai muje can ɗin ko?”

Ta ƙarasa maganar tana ɗan karkatar da kanta, kamar tana son ta tabbatar Bintu ta fahimci abinda take nufi.

Bintu ta turo baki, ta shagwabe fuska kamar ƙaramar yarinya.

“Mommyyyyy…”

Ta ja sunan, tana kama hannun Hajiya Balaraba.

“Nima fa bikin kanwata akeyi, amma nace zan barshi nazo sabida kwana biyu nayi kewarki. Dan Allah kawai mu barsu suyi bikinsu, mu mu tafi abinmu.”

Ta ƙarasa tana kallon Hajiya Balaraba da manyan idanunta, cikin wani irin pleading look.

Hajiya Balaraba tayi shiru. Ta kalleta na ƴan seconds, ji take wallahi ko da wasa kamar ta maida ita ciki saboda yadda take jin wata azababbiyar ƙaunarta. Fuskar Bintu ta sa ta kasa ɓoye taushin da ya kama zuciyarta.

A hankali sai ta rungumeta gabadaya, tana kwantar da kanta a kirjinta. Hannunta kuma na shafa kan Bintu zuwa bayanta a hankali.

“Baby, kiyi haƙuri kinji ko?”

Ta ɗan ja numfashi, sannan ta ci gaba cikin murya mai laushi:

“Kin san Haj Hauwa nice besty ɗinta. Ba zai yuwu ace hidimar bikin ‘yarta nayi stepping back, na barta ba. Ita kaɗai ce ɗiyarta mace.”

Ta ɗan ja Bintu da ƙarfi a cikin rungumar, tana sake matse ta kamar tana son ta lallabata.

“Ki yi haƙuri kinji. Da zarar an gama, zamu ɗora daga inda muka tsaya.”

Bintu ta ɗago kanta daga kirjinta, tana jinjina kai a hankali. Leɓenta har yanzu a ɗan ture yake, amma murmushi ya fara bayyana a fuskarta.

“Toh Mommy, naji.”

Kafin Hajiya Balaraba tayi magana, wayar Bintu dake gefenta ta ɗanyi haske. Bintu ta yi saurin kallon screen ɗin. Sai ta miƙa hannu ta ɗauko wayar. Da ta ga mai kiran, expression ɗinta ya canza na ɗan second. Ta yi saurin danne power, tana kashe wayar gaba ɗaya.

Hajiya Balaraba ta zuba mata idanu. Brows ɗinta suka ɗan haɗu.

“Daughter…”

Ta kirata a hankali, cikin tone mai ɗauke da zargi.

Bintu ta ɗago, ta zuba mata manyan idanunta.

“Who’s calling and why did you switch off the phone?”

Bintu ta ɗan yi murmushi, tana shafa girarta da yatsa ɗaya, kamar wadda take ƙoƙarin nuna komai normal ne.

“Uhmm Mommy, daga gida ne. So suke naje a cigaba da aikin abincin gobe da ni. Ni kuma wallahi ban son zuwa, duk a gajiyar da mutum.”

Ta ɗan ɗaga kafaɗunta sama, tana ƙoƙarin nuna rashin damuwa.

Hajiya Balaraba ta sauke ajiyar zuciya. Ta ci gaba da kallon Bintu na ƴan seconds, kamar wadda ba ta gama yarda da amsar ba.

“Karki yarda ki ci amanata, baby.”

Muryarta ta yi sanyi, amma warning ɗin da ke cikinta ya fito fili.

“Dan ban san abinda zan iya aikatawa ba idan hakan ta faru.”

Bintu taji gabanta ya faɗi. Na ɗan second, murmushin dake fuskarta ya tsaya. Amma sai ta dawo da shi, tana ɗan ɗaga gira.

“Toh ni Mommy, wa ma ya san abinda nake yi bare na samu wani mai yi? Ni fa ke kaɗai ce.”

Ta ƙarasa tana nuna kanta da ɗan shagwaɓa, kamar tana son ta kawar da zancen.

Hajiya Balaraba tayi ƙaramar dariya.

“Hmm… toh shikenan.”

Ta miƙe, ta kama hannun Bintu sannan ta taimaka mata ta miƙe tsaye.

“Mu je. Driver ya maida ke gida. Karki tsaya ko ina, kinji ko?”

Ta ɗan matse mata hannu, tana kallonta sosai.

“Yess, Mommy.”

Bintu ta amsa tana murmushi. Daga nan ta ɗauki jakarta. Hannunsu na saƙale da juna, suka fito daga cikin gidan zuwa compound. Suna tafiya a hankali, Hajiya Balaraba na gaba da Bintu a gefenta, kamar wadda bata son ta sake ta ko na ɗan lokaci. Sai suka nufi wajen motar da zata mayar da Bintu gida.

A gajiye amma fuska a sake cike da annushuwa suka shigo gidan. Su Inna Salamatu na baje a tsakar gida, nan su Mama Indo ma suka yaɗa zango. Aka hau maida yadda aka yi. Kowa bakinsa ya kasa yin shiru, ana ta faɗar yadda gidan Raihana ya haɗu ya tsaru.

“Wallahi gidan ya yi kyau sosai.”

“Kin ga yadda aka shirya komai kuwa?”

“Allah ya sa albarka.”

Cewar Mama Indo tana kallon Umma.

Kowa na ta magana da excitement, sai dai Mama Sabuwa kuwa, da jin sun fara bada tsarin yadda gidan yake, sai ta miƙe a hankali, tana taɓe baki sannan ta nufi ɗakinta ba tare da ta ce komai ba.

Inna Salamatu ta lura da ita. Sai ta ɗan dakata tana kallon bayanta, kafin ta miƙe ta bi ta ɗakin.

Mama Sabuwa tana cikin cire hijabin jikinta kenan, Inna ta shiga ɗakin sai ta juyo.

Inna ta kalleta.

“Sabuwa, lafiya dai? Kowa na zaune ana harkar arziki, sai ki shigo ɗaki. Ai sai ace baƙinciki kike da irin gidan da Raihana ta samu.”

Mama Sabuwa ta taɓe baki, ta ɗan ɗaga gira, sannan ta zauna kan kujera tana ajiye hijabinta a gefe.

“Toh Inna, ni da na yi ƙara na je jeren ma Malam ɗin da yace babu ruwana da sabgarsa, da matansa, har ma da yayansa. Wallahi yanzu ma matsawa aka yi, shiyasa na je. Kuma da na je ɗin ma sai da aka ci mutuncina.”

Inna ta zauna gefenta, ta ɗan karkatar da kanta tana kallonta da attention.

“Kamar ya babu ruwanki da sabgar yaranshi da matanshi? Me hakan ke nufi kenan?”

Mama Sabuwa ta juya kai gefe, leɓenta ya ɗan matse. Murmushin taƙaici ya bayyana a fuskarta.

“Sakina yayi ranar da ya ɗaurawa Raihana aure.”

Inna ta zaro ido, ta buga tafin hannunta a kirjinta.

“Saki?! Kamar ya?!”

Mama Sabuwa ta dawo da idanunta kanta, ta sauke wani numfashi.

“Saki dai.”

Ta faɗa a sanyaye, kamar kalmar ita kaɗai ta isa ta bayyana komai.

Inna ta ƙara matsowa kusa da ita.

“Da ya sakeni, niyyata ma na tattara na bar masa gidan ya karata shi da matan nashi na so waɗanda ya aura da yardarshi. Ni da aka bashi kamar dole ya karɓa ne saboda ke. Amma wallahi Inna yara ne suka dage na zauna. Ba don haka ba, da tuni na san na yi.”

Inna ta kaṅkance idanu, tana kallon Mama Sabuwa cikin mamaki.

“Yanzu ya sake ki, kika kasa buga waya ki sanar da ni? Shine kika yi shiru?”

Mama Sabuwa ta yi shiru.

Inna ta cigaba:

“Yanzu kin gama idda ne, ko kuwa kin kusa?”

Mama Sabuwa ta ɗan ɗago kai.

“Zan gama dai watan nan.”

Inna ta gyada kai a hankali, tana girgiza ƙafafunta.

“Bari ya shigo, zai gane. Allah da girma yake.”

Ta faɗa tana kallon Mama Sabuwa na ƴan seconds, kafin ta sauke numfashi a hankali.

A waje kuwa, Mama Ihsan baiwar Allah duk gajiyar kasuwa da ta zuwa jere bai sa ta huta ba. Kawai ta miƙe ta nufi ɗakin Raihana.

Raihana tana tsaye gaban mirror ɗinta, tana haɗa wasu daga cikin abubuwan amfaninta cikin wani ɗan box ƙarami.

Mama Ihsan ta shigo.

Raihana ta juyo tana kallonta.

Mama Ihsan ta yi murmushi.

“Raihana, ki zo muje mu ƙarasa gyaran yau ɗin. Duk da yamma tayi, amma idan ta kama ma sai ki kwana a can, dan mu samu a ƙarasa abinda za a yi. Tunda gobe kamar haka kina ɗakin ki.”

Gaban Raihana ya faɗi. Ta ɗan sauke idanunta ƙasa, cikin ƙasa da murya tace:

“Toh.”

Mama Ihsan ta juya.

“Ki hanzarta, kinga Magrib ta kusa. Ina tsakar gida ina jiranki.”

Raihana tayi nodding kawai.

Bayan fitar Mama Ihsan, ta ɗan yi shiru a tsayen kamar mai tunani. Idanunta suka tsaya a wuri ɗaya, kamar zuciyarta na ta faɗa mata wani abu da ita kanta ba ta san yadda za ta fassara shi ba.

Sai kuma a hankali ta ƙarasa wajen wayarta. Ta ɗauka, ta koma bakin gadonta ta zauna. Ta yi shiru cikin tunani tana juya wayar a hannunta. Yatsunta suna shafar gefen wayar a hankali, idanunta kuma sun kasa sauka daga screen ɗin.

Daga ƙarshe kawai ta shiga message. Ta rubuta:

“Zan koma gidan Mama Ihsan.”

Shine kaɗai abin da ta rubuta. Ta sake karanta saƙon na ƴan seconds, kafin ta tura. Sai ta miƙe ta ɗauki veil ɗin abayar jikinta, ta fito.

Khausar da Maryam na zaune gefen tabarma a tsakar gida, suka ɗago kai jin fitowar Raihana.

Mama Ihsan ta miƙe.

“Muje ko?”

Sai ta juya wajen su Umma.

“Bari mu wuce mu ƙarasa gyaran da zamuyi, dan kila gaskiya ma, yau sai dai ta kwana a can.”

Umma ta kalli Mama Ihsan, ta ɗan yi murmushi cike da damuwa.

“Ba ki gaji ba tun safe kina ta zirga-zirga? Ai anyi gyaran iya na jiya ma ai yayi. Dan Allah karki wahalar da kanki.”

Mama Ihsan tayi wa Umma hararar wasa, ta ɗan ɗaga hannunta.

“Kinji ki da wata magana! Kuma wahalar me? Allah na tuba. Abin da ba dawwama za ayi ba, anayi. Daga gobe ma ta bar gidan gabadaya, sai kuma wani lokaci.”

Sai ta juya wajen Raihana.

“Mu je.”

Raihana ta fara takowa.

Khausar tayi murmushi, ta ɗan kalli mayafin abayar Raihana daga sama har ƙasa.

“Haba matar aure! Da wannan ɗan mayafin abayar zaki fita? Gaskiya ki sako babba ko kuma hijabi.”

Raihana ta zabga mata harara kamar za ta barar da ita, sai ta cigaba da tafiyarta kamar bata ji ba.

Khausar tayi ƙaramar dariya, tana kallonta.

Sai Umma ta ce:

“Hala baki ji abinda aka fada ba? Ki koma ki sako hijabi.”

Raihana ta tsaya cak. Ta lumshe idanunta na ɗan second, kamar tana ƙoƙarin haɗiye wani abu. A ranta kuwa, ta ji kamar ta rufe Khausar da duka saboda ita ce ta fara magana!

Ta juyo a hankali ta nufi ɗakinta. Khausar kuwa tana zaune, tana ta zabga murmushi.

Bayan ɗan lokaci Raihana ta fito sanye da hijabin. Khausar ta kalleta, ta gyada kai.

“Yanzu kin yi.”

Raihana ta ɗan harareta, amma ba ta ce komai ba. Suka fice tare da Mama Ihsan.

Bintu ta shigo gida, hannunta da uban ledoji. Ko kallo jama’ar gidan ma basu ishe ta ba, kai tsaye ta wuce ɗakin uwarta.

Mama Sabuwa da Inna suna zaune suna hira. Ta shigo ta ajiye ledojin a gefe, sannan ta ajiye bag ɗinta da mayafi. Ta zauna a gefe tana sauke ajiyar zuciya.

Inna kam kallonta kawai take, kamar ranar ta fara ganinta. Bintu ta kalleta.

“Haj Inna, barka da zuwa. Saukar yaushe?”

Inna ta sauke numfashi, still staring at her.

“Dazu nazo, ai ba kya nan.”

“Ohh, sannu da zuwa. Kin sha hanya.”

Inna ta ce, tana ɗan gyara zamanta.

“Kema daga jeren kike kenan?”

Bintu ta taɓe baki, ta ɗan ɗaga gira.

“Wanne jere kuma?”

Mama Sabuwa tayi saurin cafke maganar, tana murmushi.

“Inna, wallahi wata Hajiya ce ke sonta kamar me! Wai tana kama da ‘yar ta da ta rasu, shine fa take ta hidima da ita har gidauniyar da take tallafawa marayu ta ɗaura Bintu a kai.”

Ta ɗan kalli Bintu, murmushinta ya ƙara faɗaɗa.

“Baki ga ba dai abin arziki. Kala kala! Wallahi ba a cewa komai sai ‘sam barka’…”

Zayd na tare da Imraan a guest house, wayarshi tayi vibration. A hankali ya ɗago wayar, ya sauke idanunshi saman screen ɗin—number Raihana ce kwance a kai da ɗan ƙaramin text ɗinta. Ya karanta a hankali, wani shegen murmushi ya subuce masa. Ya ɗan ɗaga gira ɗaya, still looking at the text, kafin ya ɗan matse leɓensa kamar yana ƙoƙarin ɓoye murmushin.

Imraan ya kalle shi da gefen ido, ya ɗan karkatar da kansa.

“Rascal, what are you smiling at? Ba dai wani abun kake shiryawa ba?”

Zayd ko kallonsa bai yi ba. Kawai ya miƙe, wayar a hannunsa, sannan ya fara nufar compound yana dialling number Raihana.

Su Mama Ihsan kuwa, basu fara gyaran jiki ba sai da sukayi sallar Magariba, kuma cikin ikon Allah aka kawo wuta. Ɗan haka kawai sai suka shige ɗakin aka cigaba da gyara.

Wayar Raihana dake gefe ta sake ringing a karo na biyu.

Mama Ihsan ta kalli screen ɗin, sannan ta kalli Raihana.

“Ki ɗaga wayar mana.”

Raihana ma ta kalli screen ɗin. Ta ɗan tsaya na ƴan seconds, wallahi ba da son tazo ta yi magana ba, amma ta miƙa hannu ta ɗauka. Har za ta yi shiru, amma ganin Mama Ihsan a wajen ya sa ta ɗan lumshe idanunta, ta riga ta san waye a ɗayan ɓangaren, cikin sanyin murya tace:

“Ina yini?”

Zayd ya ɗan jingina da motar shi, ya ɗora ƙafa ɗaya gefe, sannan ya lumshe ido na ɗan second. Bai amsa gaisuwar ba, kai tsaye cikin muryarshi ɗin nan yace:

“Where are you?”

Raihana ta ɗan kalli Mama Ihsan ta gefe, kafin ta ɗan haɗe rai, ta maida wayar sosai a kunnenta.

“I texted you inda nake ai.”

Zayd yayi shiru. Shiru irin wanda ya sa Raihana ta ɗan ɗaga gira, tana jiran ya yi magana. Mama Ihsan tana tsaye a wajen tana jiran ta gama, kafin su cigaba da aikin.

Raihana ta ɗan juya gefe, kamar ta fara jin haushi. Har za ta kashe wayar, sai muryar Zayd ta fito cikin sanyi amma cike da authority:

“Did you think that warrants you to go without waiting for my approval?”

Raihana tayi rolling idanunta cike da ƙosawa. Ta manta da Mama Ihsan gaba ɗaya, dama already ta ɗan juya mata baya kafin ta fara magana:

“Toh ba dai na faɗa maka ba, me kuma kake so?”

Zayd yayi shiru. Mama Ihsan ma ta zuba mata idanu, tana kallonta.

Zayd ya lumshe idanunshi, ya ɗan dafe gefen motar da hannunsa, wani abu na yawo a zuciyarshi kafin ya buɗe idanunsa. Cikin commanding tone yace:

“Where is the house located?”

Raihana ta murguda baki, ta ɗan girgiza kanta cikin irritation.

“Me ruwanka da inda gidan yake? Dan Allah ka barni ni kam.”

Daga haka ta kashe wayar ta ajiye a gefe. Ta sauke wani numfashi, tana kallon wayar na ƴan seconds kafin ta ɗago idanunta.

Take idanunta suka haɗe da na Mama Ihsan dake kallonta babu ko kiftawa.

Raihana ta ɗan tsaya cak.

Mama Ihsan ta ɗaga gira ɗaya a hankali.

Raihana kuwa ta maida idanunta gefe, kamar wadda aka kama tana aikata wani abu da ba ta son a tambayeta a kai.