THE MORNING AFTER

*ZAYD ARMAAN*

*CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE: 71*

*THE MORNING AFTER*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

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Subh ta waye cikin nutsuwa. Bayan an yi sallar Asuba, Raihana da Suhaila suka zauna na ɗan lokaci a kan sallayar, kowacce tana addu’a a cikin ranta. Daga nan Suhaila ta ɗauki Qur’aninta ta ajiye shi gefe, sannan ta gyara hijabinta.

Raihana kuwa ta yi wani ɗan shiru kafin daga bisani ta miƙe a hankali daga kan sallayar. Suhaila wadda ke kallonta ta ɗan daga kai, “Where are you going, Anty Rayy? Kina buƙatar wani abu ne? Na ɗauko miki?” Raihana ta yi mata murmushi kaɗan, wannan murmushin nata na kunya wanda bai cika bayyana a fuska ba, “Zanje na gaida Ummie ne… da Inno.” Suhaila ta yi murmushi, “Ba zaki bari sai da safe ba ki koma ki kwanta? Naga fa ba wani baccin kirki kikayi ba jiya.” Raihana ta ɗan sunkuyar da kai, “Bari na gaishe su, sai na kwanta idan na dawo.”

Suhaila ta ɗan kalli fuskarta na ƴan seconds, sannan ta gyada kai, “Toh.” Ta miƙe tsaye, ta gyara doguwar rigarta, ta cire hijab din ta ajiye, sannan ta kama hannun Raihana cikin sauƙi, “Muje, na raka ki ɗakinsu.” Raihana ta kalleta, sannan ta danyi murmushi.

Suka fito daga ɗakin Suhaila suka fara tafiya cikin corridor ɗin gidan. Yanayin asubahin ya sa Armaan Mansion ya yi shiru sosai, sanyin asuba mai dadi yana shigowa ta manyan windows, yana sanyaya cikin gidan da wani irin calm atmosphere.

Raihana kuwa tana tafiya kusa da Suhaila, hannunta a cikin nata, amma zuciyarta… ba ta da wannan nutsuwar. Tun da ta buɗe idanunta daga barcin da ta yi, abubuwan daren jiya suka fara dawowa mata ɗaya bayan ɗaya.

Har suka isa ƙofar ɗakin Inno. Suhaila ta buɗe ƙofar a hankali. Inno tana zaune a kan prayer mat, Qur’ani a hannunta. Da ta ɗago kai ta gansu, murmushi ya bayyana a fuskarta, “Amarya ce …” Raihana ta yi murmushi shyly sannan ta matsa kusa, “Assalamu alaikum, Inno.” “Wa alaikumussalam, kishiyata.” Raihana ta zube a gabanta, ta gaishe ta cikin ladabi.

Inno ta ajiye Qur’anin gefenta sannan ta ɗora hannu a kan Raihana, tana shafa mata kai cikin ƙauna, “Ya baqunta? Kin tashi lafiya?” “Alhamdulillah.” Inno ta ƙara murmushi, “Good, Allah ya sa kin ji daɗin zama damu.” Raihana ta ɗan sunkuyar da kai. Inno ta sake shafa mata kai, “Allah ya sa zaman gidan nan ya zame miki alheri, kin ji?” “Amin…” Muryar Raihana ta fito a hankali. Suhaila tana tsaye kusa da ita tana murmushi.

Bayan sun gama gaisawa, Suhaila ta ce, “Mu wuce wajen Ummie.” Raihana ta gyada kai. Suka fita daga ɗakin Inno. Amma da suka kusanci ɗakin Ummie… matakan Raihana suka fara yin nauyi, kamar yadda jikinta ya tuna mata da abin da zuciyarta take ƙoƙarin mantawa. Ta tsaya na ɗan second. Suhaila ta juya ta kalleta, “Are u okay?” Raihana ta ɗan gyada kai. Suhaila bata sake cewa komai ba, sai kawai ta ƙara matse hannunta, “Come.”

Suka shiga. A take idanun Raihana suka fara yawo cikin ɗakin. Ummie tana zaune a kan prayer mat, casbaha a hannunta. Amma… a gefe ɗaya na ɗakin, a kan sofa, Zayd yana zaune cikin brown jallabiya, wanda ta fito da hasken fatarsa sosai, bayansa a jingine a hankali da sofa, fuskarsa cike da wannan irin nutsuwar da ba kasafai ake gane abin da ke cikin ransa ba.

Raihana ta ji gabanta ya faɗi, numfashinta ya ɗan tsaya na second. Ta ji kamar ƙafafunta sun daina son motsawa. Suhaila kuwa ko kaɗan bata lura da wannan tashin hankalin nata ba. Ta kamo hannunta sosai. Raihana ta ɗan kalli Suhaila, “Come.” Suhaila ta ja ta a hankali har suka isa gaban Ummie. Raihana ta durƙusa, “Assalamu alaikum, Ummie.” Ummie ta ɗago kai, fuskarta ta haska da murmushi, “Wa alaikumussalam, daughter.” Ta miƙa mata hannu, “Zo.” Raihana ta matsa kusa da ita. Ummie ta taɓa kumatunta a hankali, “Kin tashi lafiya?” “Alhamdulillah.” “Good.”

Raihana ta yi murmushi kaɗan. Ummie ta kalli Raihana da murmushi mai cike da kulawa, “Ai da kin kwanta kin huta da kyau da safe sai mu gaisa, ko?” Raihana ta yi murmushi kawai, ba ta ce komai ba. Hannayenta biyu suna kan cinyarta, tana wasa da fingers ɗinta a hankali, ɗaya tana gogawa ɗayan kamar wadda ta rasa abin yi da hannunta.

Amma a cikin zuciyarta… Allah ya sani, lalura ce kawai ta zaunar da ita a wajen nan. Domin tun lokacin da ta shigo ɗakin, tana jin yadda idanun Zayd suke yawo a kanta. Kallon nasa ba irin wanda mutum zai iya cewa yana kallonta kai tsaye ba ne, no. Yana kallonta ne ta gefen ido, a hankali, kamar mutum wanda baya son a gane cewa yana kallon wani.

Raihana ta haɗiye yawu, ta yi ƙoƙarin mayar da hankalinta kan Ummie, amma zuciyarta ta ƙi sauraron ta. A hankali ta ɗan ɗago kai, idanunta suka nufi saitin da Zayd yake. Yana nan zaune a kan sofa ɗin, wayarsa a hannunsa, yana ɗan danna screen ɗin cikin nutsuwa. Kamar dai… nothing happened, kamar dai Allah bai sa daren jiya ya faru tsakaninsu ba, kamar dai ba shi ne ya bar ta cikin wani irin yanayi da har yanzu jikinta ke tuna masa ba.

Raihana ta sake haɗiye yawu, ta sauke idanunta da sauri, sai ta sake ɗaga su bayan wasu seconds. Har yanzu Zayd yana kan wayarsa, fuskarsa a completely calm mode, babu expression, babu alamar damuwa, babu wata alama da za ta nuna cewa ya ma san Allah ya yi ruwansu a wajen nan.

Raihana ta ja numfashi a hankali, ta sake kallon ƙasa. Ta san dole ta gaishe shi, bata iya fita daga ɗakin nan haka ba. So, sai ta yi gathering courage ɗinta, ta gyara zamanta kaɗan. Sai cikin sanyin murya, wadda har ita kanta ta ji kamar muryarta ba tata ba ce, ta ce, “Ina kwana.” Wayar na hannunsa, hannunsa ya ci gaba da motsi a kanta, bai ɗago kai ba, bai amsa ba.

Raihana ta ɗan tsaya, ta lumshe idanunta na second ɗaya, did he seriously ignore me? Suhaila wadda take kusa da ita ta kalle shi, sannan ta kalli Raihana, “Akhie, Anty Rayy na gaisheka.” Sai a lokacin Zayd ya ɗan dakatar da motsin hannunsa, a hankali ya ɗago kai. Daidai lokacin… Raihana ma ta sake ɗago nata kan, their eyes met. Da bala’in sauri Raihana ta ɗauke nata idanun gefe, kamar wadda aka kama tana aikata wani laifi. Zuciyarta ta yi wani irin dumm! Ta ɗan gyara hijabinta da sauri. Then, kamar tana ƙoƙarin nuna cewa komai normal ne, ta sake buɗe bakinta karo na biyu, “Ina kwana?”

Zayd ya kalleta, fuskarsa har yanzu babu wani expression na musamman, sai kawai ya ce, “Lafiya.” That was it. Raihana ta yi shiru, ta ɗan haɗe yatsunta waje ɗaya, tana kallon ƙasa. Zayd ya sake komawa kan wayarsa kamar babu abinda ya faru. Sai bayan ɗan lokaci ya ɗaga kansa gaba ɗaya, ya miƙe tsaye. Raihana ta ji motsinsa daga gefenta, amma bata ɗago kai ba. Zayd ya saka wayarsa a aljihun jallabiyar, sai ya kalli Ummie, “Sai anjima. Allah ya ba mu alkhairi.” Ummie ta amsa ta na murmushi, “Amin.” Ya amsa yana nufar kofar ya bude ya fice.

Raihana tana kallonsa, ba ta san dalili ba, amma da ya fice, sai ta ji kamar wani abu da ya daɗe a tsaye a makogwaronta ne ya faɗo. Ta yi wani ɗan ƙaramin numfashi, sai ta juya wajen Suhaila. Suhaila ta riga ta fahimci cewa lokaci ya yi da zasu tafi. Ta miƙe tsaye, “Muje.” “Toh.” Ta kama hannun Raihana, ta ja ta a hankali. Raihana ta miƙe, amma jikinta har yanzu yana da wani irin weakness, ta ɗan risina, “Sai anjima, Ummie.” Ummie ta kalleta cikin ƙauna, “Toh, ki kwanta ki huta da kyau, don Allah don’t stress yourself, kin ji ko?” Raihana ta ɗan yi murmushi, ta jinjina kai a hankali, “Toh.” Ummie ta ƙara mata murmushi, “Bye.” Raihana kawai tayi murmushi.

Suhaila ta ƙara matse hannun Raihana, suka juya suka fara fita. Hannayensu biyu a locked together, Suhaila tana tafiya cikin natsuwa yayin da Raihana take bin ta a hankali. Ummie kuwa ta bisu da kallo har suka ɓace daga ƙofar, sai ta sauke wani dogon numfashi tana lumshe idanunta.

Bayan Suhaila da Raihana sun shiga ɗaki, Raihana ta nufi toilet, ta yi wanka da ruwan dumi mai daɗi, wanda ya sa jikinta ya ɗan saki. Bayan ta fito, ta daure towel a jikinta sannan ta saka hijab ɗinta a kai. Suhaila ta mike daga inda take zaune, “Bari na ɗauko miki kaya.” Raihana ta gyada kai, “Toh.” Ta nemi waje ta zauna a kan sofa, tana jiran Suhaila.

Ba daɗewa ba Suhaila ta fito daga closet ɗinta ɗauke da doguwar riga mai kyau ta wani material mai laushi, lemon green, tare da dankwalinta. Ta kuma ɗauko sabbin underwear ta ajiye su duka a kan gadon. Sai ta kalli Raihana tana murmushi, “Wannan zai yi miki, free size ne.” Raihana ta yi murmushi, “Nagode.” “Come.” Suhaila ta zauna kusa da ita, “Zo na gyara miki gashinki.”

Raihana ta ƙarasa ta zauna a gabanta. Suhaila ta fara gyara mata gashin a hankali, tana ware shi da hannunta tana combing ɗinsa. Sai dai duk lokacin da ta kama wani ɓangare na gashin sai ta ɗan tsaya tana kallonsa, “Wallahi your hair is so long.” Raihana ta yi murmushi. Suhaila ta sake shafa shi, “And very soft.” Ta ci gaba da gyara mata har ta gama tsaf.

Bayan ta gama, Suhaila ta ba ta waje ta shirya. Bayan Raihana ta fito, Suhaila ta kalleta daga sama har ƙasa, “Kinyi kyau.” Sai ta nuna mata gado, “Amma ki kwanta please.” Raihana ta girgiza kai tana murmushi, “Zan je kitchen ne na taimaka musu, bana jin bacci.” Suhaila ta zaro ido, “Aikin me kuma yanzu?” Ta kalli agogo, “Gaskiya ki kwanta, Allah kowa yanzu bacci yake, six o’clock AM fa!” Raihana ta yi murmushi, “Zan yi ni kaɗai kawai, mu je ki nuna min komai.” Suhaila ta ɗan kalleta na wasu seconds, ta san Raihana ba za ta hakura ba, musamman da ta ga ta dage. Ta sauke numfashi, “Toh shikenan, mu je.”

Suka fita daga ɗakin suka fara saukowa downstairs. Da suka isa kitchen, Suhaila ta buɗe mata store ɗin kitchen ɗin ta fara nuna mata komai, “Ga rice, ga flour, ga sugar, ga gyada nan, infact komai akwai a nan,” sai ta juya wajen wani dogon cabinet a gefe, “Wannan kuma spices ne, idan kina son wani abu ki tambaye ni.”

Raihana tana kallon komai tana gyada kai, sai ta ɗan kalli Suhaila a hankali, “Me yake ci da safe?” Suhaila ta tsaya, sai ta yi ƙaramar dariya, “Wai… Akhie?” Raihana ta gyada kai, “Tabbas.” Suhaila ta sake dariya, “Wallahi wani lokaci baya cin abinci ma a gidan nan, sai a office, amma dai na san kunun gyada da kosai shi ne favorite dinsa.”

Raihana ta jinjina kai, “Ummie da Inno fa?” Suhaila ta sake dariya, “Su kam komai suna ci.” “Toh.” Sai ta juya ta fara aiki. Ta ɗauki bowl ta jika shinkafa da gyada ta ajiye, daga nan ta ɗauki wake, ta gyara shi sosai ta hada da attaruhu da onions sannan ta zuba a blender.

Suhaila tana kallonta tun farko har ƙarshe, “Anty Rayy da me zan taimaka miki.” “Babu komai.” “Are you sure?” Raihana ta yi murmushi, “Eh.” Suhaila ta sake cewa, “Ki bar ni mana zamu fi sauri.” Raihana ta sake girgiza kai, “Ba komai, ki zauna kawai.” Suhaila ta kalleta na ɗan lokaci sannan ta danyi murmushi, “Okay fine, amma idan kin gaji, ki faɗa min.” Raihana ta gyada kai. Ta ci gaba da aikin. Suhaila ta koma ta zauna a kusa, tana kallonta kawai.

Raihana kuwa ta ci gaba da aikin, ba da daɗewa ba kitchen ɗin ya fara cika da ƙamshin kunun gyada da kosai. Ta haɗa lafiyayyen kunun gyada, sannan ta fara soya kosai, daga nan ta fara haɗawa Ummie da Inno fankasau da miyar taushe.

Tana tsaka da aikin ne sai aka buɗe ƙofar kitchen ɗin, Kubura ce ta shigo. Da ta hango Raihana tsaye a kitchen tana aiki, sai ta buɗe baki da mamaki, “Kaiii!” Ta ƙaraso da sauri, “Anty Amarya! Daga zuwanki sai aiki?” Ta kalli Suhaila da idanu a buɗe, “Innalillahi!” Sai ta nuna Raihana, “Anty Suhaila, kika barta tana ta aiki maimakon ki taso ni?!” Suhaila ta fashe da dariya, “Ai na yi ƙoƙarin hana ta, ta qi.”

Kubura ta girgiza kai tana kallon Raihana, “Anty Amarya, yau kam karki sa mu shiga uku a wajen Yallabai, dan Allah ki bari!” Raihana ta yi dariya a hankali, “Ba komai, ina son in taimaka ne kawai.” Kubura ta dafe goshinta, “Wallahi ni ban yarda ba, amarya tun kafin ma ta huta sai a fara ganinta a kitchen!” Suhaila ta ƙara dariya.

Haka Kubura ta dage ta karɓi aikin daga hannun Raihana, ta ƙarasa miyar, sannan ta shiga haɗa tea mai kayan ƙamshi. Da misalin ƙarfe takwas da rabi na safe, komai ya kammala. An shirya komai a table, aka kai fankasau da miyar taushe, kunun gyada da kosai, sannan aka ajiye tea ɗin mai ƙamshi a gefe. Suka fito daga kitchen ɗin.

Amma kafin ma su samu damar zama, Inno ta sauko daga upstairs. Da ta hango Suhaila tana shirin zama, sai ta tsaya a kan stairs ta ɗora hannu a kugunta, “Yau kuma ke ce ƙarfe tara a ƙasa?” Suhaila ta ɗago kai. Inno ta girgiza kai tana dariya, “Ke da sai ki kai eleven kina kwance saboda bala’in lalaci!” Suhaila ta fashe da dariya, “Ahh Inno!” Ta zauna tana dariya sannan ta ja hannun Raihana, “Come, zo ki zauna.”

Raihana ta zauna kusa da ita, amma kanta a ɗan sunkuye, tana murmushi saboda yadda Inno ke magana. Suhaila ta kalli Inno, “Wallahi yanzu ma ba nice na fito da kaina ba.” Sai ta nuna Raihana tana murmushi, wacce kanta ke ƙasa nan, “Kin ga Anty Rayy ce ta fito da mu, wai mu zo na raka ta, ta yi muku breakfast ita kaɗai.”

Inno ta ɗan kalli Raihana. Suhaila ta ci gaba tana counting da yatsunta, “Ta yi muku fankasau ke da Ummie…” Sai ta nuna flask ɗin kunun, “Sannan tayi wa Akhie kunun gyada da kosai…” Inno ta buɗe baki, “Kaiii! Masha Allah!” Ta ƙaraso ta tsaya gaban Raihana, tana kallonta da murmushi, “Kingan yarinya mara lalaci, mara son jin jiki.” Ta shafa kafadar Raihana a hankali, “Daga gani ba za ki yi son jiki ba, gaskiya ai maza ba sa son mace mai son jiki da kwuiwa.”

Raihana ta yi murmushi, ta ɗan ɗago kai. Inno ta ci gaba cikin farin ciki, “Na yi wa Zaydu murna, ya samu mace.” Ta kalli Suhaila sannan ta sake kallon Raihana, “Matayen yanzu masu bala’in son jiki, amma ace yarinyar nan har kin tashi a safen nan kin yi waɗannan uban ayyukan?” Raihana ta yi saurin sunkuyar da kai tana murmushi.

Inno ta ɗan yi dariya, “Wallahi sannu kin ji, Allah ya yi miki albarka.” “Allah ya sa albarka a wannan aure.” “Ameen,” Suhaila da Kubura wacce me tsaye kofar kitchen tana murmushi suka amsa lokaci guda.

Inno ta kalli su gaba ɗaya da murmushi. A daidai lokacin ne Ummie ta sauko, ta tsaya na ɗan lokaci tana kallonsu daga nesa, murmushi a fuskarta, “Me ke faruwa ne haka?” Inno ta juya, “Hajja Fati, zo ki gani mana.” Ummie ta ƙaraso tana murmushi, sannan ta zauna.

Amma kafin su fara wani abu, sai takin step daga stairs ya katse musu hanzari, Zayd me ya sauko. Ya shirya tsaf zuwa office, ba suit ya saka ba yau. Sanye yake da wata fitted dark-brown polo shirt mai kyau, wadda ta zauna sosai a jikinsa, ta fito da bold kirjinsa sosai, ya haɗa ta da tailored black trousers. A ƙafarsa akwai black leather loafers sai shinning suke suna daukar ido, yayin da wani luxury wristwatch mai simple design yake ƙyalli a hannunsa. Gashin kansa kuwa an gyara shi tsaf, neatly styled ba tare da an cika masa komai ba. Fuskarsa tana da wani irin fresh morning glow, idanunsa suna da nutsuwar da aka saba gani a tare da shi.

Ya karaso har corridor ɗin, bai ma shigo falon sosai ba. Tuni ya yi sallama da Ummie a ɗakinta kafin ya fito, saboda haka bai sake tsayawa ba. Ya kai hannu ya ɗauki car key ɗinsa daga kan ƙaramin stool ɗin da ake ajiyewa, zai wuce.

Amma sai Inno ta ɗago murya, “Ina kuma za ka je?” Zayd ya tsaya, a hankali ya juya kansa zuwa gare ta. Inno ta kalleshi da idanu a buɗe, “Matarka ta hana idanunta bacci ta tashi tun asuba, ta maka abin kari, amma shine zaka fice?”

Zayd ya ɗan yi shiru, idanunsa suka sauka kan table, daga nan suka ɗaga suka tsaya kan Raihana. Raihana kuwa tun lokacin da ta ji kamshin sa ya cika falon ta sunkuyar da kanta, tana ƙoƙarin kada ta kalleshi. Inno ta ɗaga hannunta, “Kai jama’a!” Sai ta kalli Ummie, “Hajja Fati, wallahi ki ga abin Allah!” Ummie ta ɗan yi murmushi tana kallon Zayd.

Inno ta ci gaba, “Wai Zaydu ne da mace, har tana masa abin kari daban da namu a matsayinsa na mijinta!” Suhaila ta rufe bakinta tana ƙoƙarin hana kanta dariya. Kubura kuwa ta ɗan juya gefe tana dariya. Zayd ya kalli Inno ba tare da ya ce komai ba. Inno ta ɗaga gira, “Aure fa ya yi a rayuwa!” Ta yi ƙaramar dariya, “Da yaushe za a wani damu a maka abin kari? Tun da kowa ya san ba wai ci kake ba, sai ka je office ka ce ka ci a can.” Ta ɗan tsaya, “Amma tunda ita ta ɗauke ka mijinta mai daraja, ga shi nan ta yi. Ko ba za ka ci ba dai, gashi nan ta girka maka ta fita hakkinka!”