THE UNEXPECTED VISITORS

*ZAYD ARMAAN*

*CHAPTER 104*

*THE UNEXPECTED VISITORS*

*JIDDAAH BARKUM*

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Seeyama ba ta sake ɓata lokaci ba, ta ɗauki wayarta da ke gefenta, ta miƙe a hankali, sannan ta shiga ɗakinta, ta zauna a gefen gado, nan take ta fara kiran Safina, a can kuwa, Zayd da ya shiga gidan, ya zauna a parlour na wasu mintuna, hankalinsa ya riga ya koma kan abubuwan da yake da su a yau, ya ɗan kalli agogon da ke gabansa, sannan ya ɗauko wayarsa ya kira Sameer, bugu biyu kacal Sameer ya ɗauka, “Morning, boss,” “Morning, is everything set for today?” “Yes, boss, everything is perfectly arranged, the hall is ready, the team is on standby, and all the documents have been prepared,” Zayd ya ɗan jingina da kujerar, fuskarsa a nutsaye, ba tare da an iya karanta abin da yake tunani ba, “And what about the people coming from Lagos?” “They’ll be here before eleven, in fact, they specifically requested that we make everything official by 11 a.m,” Zayd ya ɗaga gira kaɗan, yatsunsa suna ɗan bugawa a hankali a kan gefen kujerar, “Good, I don’t want any delays,” “Understood, boss, everything will be handled accordingly,” “Alright, keep me updated on any changes,” “Of course, boss,” ya katse wayar ba tare da wani ƙarin bayani ba, Zayd ba irin mutanen da suke yawan maimaita magana ba ne kafin mutane su fahimci abin da yake so, 8:20 a.m, kai tsaye Zayd ya nufi ɗakinsa, da ya buɗe ƙofar, idanunsa suka fara zagayawa cikin ɗakin, kamar yana duba ko wani abu ya canza tun bayan tafiyarsa, Raihana tana nan har yanzu a kan sallayar, ta kudundune cikin barci, a gefenta, a kan ƙaramin stool, Qur’anin da ta karanta yake kwance cikin tsari, Zayd ya tsaya na ɗan lokaci yana kallonta, “Still sleeping…” ya furta a hankali, ya rufe ƙofar a hankali, sannan ya ƙarasa cikin ɗakin kafin ya wuce bathroom, bayan ya gama wanka, ya ƙarasa wajen hanger din towel din dan ya ɗauko babban towel, nan idanunshi suka saukan kan shanyar raihana, ya tsaya na dan seconds yana kallon abun a ranshi yana wondering ya Wnn zai bushe a nan.. Kawai sai ya dauka ya dunkule a hannunshi snn ya fito cikin tsari irin nasa na kullum ya ƙarasa wardrobe dinshi ya boye a ciki, ya ɗauki karamin towel ɗinsa ya goge gashin kansa, sannan ya fara shiryawa domin ranar da ke gabansa, bayan wasu mintuna, Zayd ya tsaya gaban mirror, ya buɗe wardrobe ɗinsa ya zaɓi wani dark charcoal tailored suit, wanda ya yi masa daidai sosai, farar shirt mai tsabta ta zauna sosai a jikinsa, tare da black silk tie mai ƙyalli, ya saka silver watch a hannunsa, sannan ya gyara cufflinks ɗinsa a hankali, yana tabbatar da cewa komai yana a inda ya dace, daga nan ya ɗauki polished black leather Oxford shoes ya saka, sannan ya tsaya yana duba kansa a mirror a karo na ƙarshe, ya yi kyau cikin sauƙi, irin kyau mai tsada da ba ya buƙatar iyayi, ba wai don kayan da ya saka kaɗai ba, amma saboda yadda yake ɗaukar kansa, komai game da shi yana nuna confidence, authority, da irin nutsuwar mutumin da ya saba samun abin da yake so ta hanyar tsari, ba hayaniya ba, ya ɗauki kwalbar turarensa, ya fesa kaɗan a wuyansa da gefen rigarsa, kamshin turaren ya bazu cikin ɗakin, yana barin wani ƙamshi mai ƙarfi da sanyaya zuciya, wannan kamshin ne ya farkar da Raihana, a hankali ta buɗe idanunta, da farko, barci ya yi mata yawa har ba ta fahimci inda take ba, sai ta juya kanta kaɗan, nan take idanunta suka sauka kan Zayd, yana tsaye gabanta ya bata baya, yana kallon kansa a cikin mirror yayin da yake gyara tie ɗinsa, Raihana ta ɗan lumshe idanunta, tana ƙoƙarin kawar da sauran barcin da ke cikinsu, “Subhanallah…” ta furta a hankali, har ita kanta ba ta san dalilin faɗin hakan ba, ta ci gaba da kallonsa daga inda take kwance, idanunta suna bin suit ɗin da ya yi masa daidai kafin su koma kan reflection ɗinsa, Zayd ya ɗan karkatar da kansa, kamar ya ji motsin da ke bayansa, a cikin mirror, idanunsa suka haɗu da nata, Raihana ta yi saurin kau da kanta, ta ja hijab ɗin da ke kanta ta ɗan rufe gefen fuskarta, pretending she hadn’t been staring at him, Zayd ya gama komai, amma ya lura da ita sosai yadda take kallonsa, sannan da zarar ta gane ya lura, sai ta ɗauke kanta da sauri tana jan hijab ɗinta, bai ce komai ba, ya ɗauki wayarsa, ya juyo yana ƙoƙarin saka ta cikin pocket ɗin suit ɗinsa, daga nan ya fara takowa a hankali zuwa ƙofar, his mind already on the meetings waiting for him at the office, Raihana ta sake leƙowa kaɗan, pretending not to pay him any attention, amma wannan karon ta buɗe idanunta ta ci gaba da kallonsa har sai da ya zo daidai inda take, sai kawai ta ɗaga murya amma ƙasa-ƙasa, “Ina kwana,” Zayd ya ɗan kalleta, amma bai tsaya ba, “Lafiya,” Raihana ta ɗan zaro ido, “Lafiya?” ta maimaita a ranta, staring at him in disbelief, ta yi ƙaramar kwafa, bayan duk wannan gaisuwar da ta yi masa, wannan ne kawai amsar da zai ba ta? Da Zayd ya kusa kaiwa bakin ƙofa, sai Raihana ta miƙe da sauri ta biyo shi, “Baka yi breakfast ba fa…” A lokacin ne Zayd ya tsaya ya juyo, ya kalleta daga sama har ƙasa, while Raihana ita kuma ta ɗauke kanta gefe, kamar wacce aka kama da laifi, a hankali Zayd ya ce, “Kin bani ne?” Raihana ta turo baki, still refusing to look him in the eyes, sai ta ɗan ɗaga gira, “Ai ba ka ce min za ka fita ba, sai kawai ganinka na yi ka shirya,” Zayd ya zuba mata ido na wasu daƙiƙu, as though he was beginning to understand what she was trying to say, “Kina nan kina bacci, a ina zan faɗa miki?” Raihana ta yi shiru, for once, she had no proper response, sai ta ɗan sosa gefen kunnenta, tana trying to come up with something that wouldn’t make her look foolish, “Uhmm…” Ta ɗago idanunta na ɗan lokaci, sannan ta sake sauke su, “Don Allah toh… kafin ka tafi, ni dai ka ɗauko min kayan da zan saka, please, a ɗakina,” Zayd ya ɗan ɗaga gira, “Ni ne ɗan aikenki?” Raihana ta kalle shi da idanun roƙo, tana fatan zai amince kawai ba tare da ya yi mata tambayoyi da yawa ba, “Don Allah,” ta ƙara ɗan matsowa, “Wallahi ba zan iya shiga ɗakin ba, macijin nan yana can… idan na gan shi fa?” Ta girgiza kanta, fuskarta ta ƙara nuna tsoro da zarar ta tuna abin da ya faru, “Please, just this once,” Zayd ya kalli agogon hannunsa, sannan ya sake kallonta, he clearly had a schedule to keep, and he wasn’t interested in spending the entire morning arguing over something as simple as clothes, ya yi shiru na ɗan lokaci kafin ya ce, “Wuce mu je,” Raihana ta ɗan buɗe ido, tana mamakin bai ja maganar da tsawo ba, “Zan raka ki ki ɗauko,” sai ya ɗan tsaya, ya ƙara da nutsuwa, “Amma idan ni ne kadai zanje na ɗauko miki saidai kar ki sa kayan,” Raihana ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, a ranta kuwa ahafff ai nasan sai yayi magana, sai ta ɗan ɗago kanta tana kallonsa, shi ma a lokacin ita yake kallo, ta ɗan turo baki kafin ta ce a hankali, “Amma za ka rakani ciki?” Zayd ya ɗan ɗaga gira, a fili yana mamakin dalilin da ya sa take sake tambayar abin da ya riga ya amsa, amma bai ce komai ba, Raihana ta ɗan ɓata fuska, “Ka yi magana mana,” Zayd ya ɗan matsa gefe ya ba ta hanya, “Mu je toh,” a hankali ya fara tafiya, Raihana tana binsa a baya, they walked through the corridor in silence until suka zo bakin ƙofar ɗakinta, da suka isa, sai Raihana ta tsaya ta matsa gefe, leaving him to face the door first, Zayd ya kalleta, “Get in first,” nan take ta zaro idanu, “Ni gaskiya? Ka fara shiga, ba kai ne namiji ba kuma mijinaaaaa—” Sai kawai ta yi shiru, ta gane abin da bakinta ya faɗa, mijina, my husband, ta lumshe idanunta na ɗan lokaci, as though she could somehow take the words back before he had a chance to react, Zayd kuwa ya zuba mata idanu kawai, Raihana ta ƙi kallonsa, ta juya kanta gefe, feeling utterly embarrassed by the words that had slipped out without warning, Zayd ya girgiza kai a hankali, then stepped forward and pushed the door open, ya shiga, ya ƙarasa wajen switch ɗin ɗakin ya kunna, nan take haske ya mamaye ko’ina, yana bayyana ɗakin da ta dade tana tsoron shiga tun bayan abin da ya faru da macijin, sai ya juya ya kalli Raihana, wadda har yanzu take tsaye a bakin ƙofa, bai ce komai ba, a hankali ta fara takowa, ta ɗan shigo cikin ɗakin, sannan ta kalleshi, “Mu je wajen wardrobe ɗin toh,” Zayd bai yi musu ba, ya san cewa idan ya fara gardama da ita, zai iya ɓata lokaci fiye da wanda yake da shi, wataƙila ma har baƙinsa su iso har su tafi ma kafin ya bar gidan, ya ƙarasa wajen wardrobe ɗin, Raihana ma ta zo da sauri, a fili take son ta gama abin da ta zo yi ta fita daga ɗakin, ta fara buɗewa, ba tare da ta tsaya tana dubawa sosai ba, kawai tana fara jan kaya ɗaya bayan ɗaya tana jibga su a hannunta, sannan ta fara juyowa tana kokarin miƙa masa, “Ka riƙe min waɗannan, na ɗebo sauran,” Zayd ya haɗe hannayensa a ƙirjinsa, ya kalli kayan da take riƙe da su, sannan ya ɗago idanunsa zuwa fuskarta, a hankali ya ce, “Za ki bar gidan ne kike ɗebo waɗannan kayan?” Raihana ta kalleshi, a fili tambayar ta rikita ta, “Kamar ya?” Zayd ya ɗaga gira kaɗan, sannan ya nuna kayan da ke hannunta da idanunsa, Raihana ta haɗe rai, “Dakinka zan koma da zama, ni fa ba zan sake zama ɗakin nan ba,” ta ɗan dakata, sannan ta ƙara cikin ɗan haushi, “Kuma ka san me ya sa ma zan tsaya faɗa maka?” Daga haka ta ƙara matse kayan a jikinta, tana riƙe da su sosai a ƙirjinta, ba ta sake tsayawa yin wata magana da shi ba, ta juya ta fara tafiya, Zayd kuwa ya tsaya kawai yana binta da kallo, fuskarsa ba ta nuna komai ba yayin da yake kallonta tana tafiya da kayan nata, daga ƙarshe kawai ya juya, shi ma ya fice daga ɗakin ba tare da ya sake cewa komai ba, yana fitowa daga ɗakin, wayarsa ta fara ringing, ya duba screen ɗin Sameer ne, ya ɗaga wayar ya kara a kunnensa, “Hello?” “Boss, we’re at the gate now with your convoy,” Sameer ya sanar da shi, “Alright, I’m coming,” ya katse wayar, bai ɓata lokaci ba ya nufi gate ɗin, cikin minti ɗaya kacal ya isa inda suke, Sameer ya buɗe masa ƙofa, Zayd ya shiga motar, ya zauna a back seat yana daura seat belt dinsa yayin da driver yake jiran umarninsa, bayan ya zauna, Zayd ya gyara cuff ɗin suit ɗinsa, sannan ya kalli gaba, “Let’s go,” nan take motar ta fara motsi, ba tare da wani jinkiri ba, convoy ɗinsa suka tashi daga wajen gidan suka nufi office, a jere gwanin shaawa.

A can Malali kuwa, wajen ƙarfe 12 noon, suka fara shirin tafiya, Maryam ta shiga ɗakin Umma, wadda take zaune a kan kujera mai laushi tana kallon TV, ta ƙarasa ta zauna a kujerar gefenta, fuskarta dauke da murmushi, Umma ta juyo ta kalleta, tana mayar da hankalinta gare ta, itama fuskar ta ta dauke da murmushi, “Lafiya dai, Maryam? Kike ta wnn wannan murmushin?” Maryam ta ƙara murmushi kaɗan, sannan ta gyara zamanta, “Umma, gidan Rayy za mu je ni da Bintu, kina da wani saƙo da zan kai mata ne?” Umma ta faɗaɗa murmushinta, “A’a, Maryam, ba ni da wani saƙo na musamman, kawai dai ku gaisheta, it’s been a while since we checked on her properly,” Maryam ta gyada kai, “Toh, in Sha Allah, za mu gaishe ta,” “Allah ya dawo da ku lafiya,” “Amin, ya Allah,” Maryam ta amsa tana miƙewa, daga nan ta fito daga ɗakin, ta fara kiran Bintu da babbar murya, “Bintuuuu! Zo mu tafi!” A can kuwa, Mama Sabuwa tana zaune tana kallon Bintu, wadda take shirin fitowa, Mama Sabuwa ta kalli Bintu, sannan tace “sai ku je ai, amma idan ita Seeyama ta ganki fa? Ba kya tunanin hakan zai iya kawo matsala tsakaninki da hajiyarki idan ta gane kishiyarta ‘yar uwarki ce?” Bintu ta tabe baki, fuskarta ta nuna cewa maganar ba ta dame ta sosai ba, “Toh, me zai faru? Ai ba ‘yar hajiyata ba ce, ‘yar kawarta ce, besides, ni ina ruwana da ita tunda ba wajenta naje ba,” “Bintu!” Mama Sabuwa ta sake kiranta, wannan karon muryarta na ɗauke da ɗan gargaɗi, Bintu ta sake tabe baki, “Ni dai Mama sai mun dawo,” ta faɗi haka tana miƙewa, ta fice zuwa inda Maryam ke tsaye tana jiranta, Khausar kuwa ba ta unguwar, tana gidan kakarta, don haka su kaɗai suka shirya tafiya, suna fitowa, Maryam ta lura da yadda Bintu ta nufi wata mota kai tsaye, ta tsaya na ɗan lokaci, tana kallon motar kafin ta juyo ta kalli Bintu, “Wannan motar fa?” Bintu ta haɗe rai kaɗan, kamar tambayar ta ba ta yi mata daɗi ba, “Saurayina ne, he offered to drop us off, ko bazaki shiga bane?” Maryam ta ɗan kalleta, amma ba ta ce komai ba, ta bi ta zuwa motar, ta buɗe ƙofar baya ta shiga, yayin da Bintu ta shige gaba, tun bayan gaisuwar da Maryam ta yi wa saurayin Bintu, ba ta sake magana sosai ba, ta juya kanta zuwa window, tana kallon hanya yayin da Bintu da saurayinta suka ci gaba da hirarsu a gaba, the two of them seemed completely occupied with each other, exchanging smiles and talking as though they had all the time in the world, Maryam kuwa ta bar su da hirarsu, tana jiran lokacin da za su isa gidan Raihana, bayan sun ɗan yi tafiya, suka iso ƙofar gidan Raihana, saurayin Bintu ya tsayar da motar, ya kalleta, “Ga shi nan, mun iso,” Bintu ta yi murmushi, “Thank you, baby, zan kira ka idan muka gama,” “Alright, just let me know when you’re ready,” ta gyada kai, sannan ta buɗe ƙofar motar ta fito, Maryam kam dama ta fito tuni, suka nufi gate ɗin tare, da suka isa, suka yi sallama da gateman, wanda ya fito ya amsa musu, “Wa kuke nema?” Bintu ta kalli Maryam, sannan ta mayar da hankalinta ga mutumin, “Raihana muke nema, don Allah, za ka iya kiranta?” Gateman ya gyada kai, “A’a ku kirata dai, ba wajenta kuka zo ba,” ba tare da ɓata lokaci ba, Maryam ta fara kiran Raihana ta sanar da ita cewa suna gate, Raihana tana jin labarin cewa suna gate, nan take ta miƙe da sauri, ko qarashen zancen bata ji ba, ta nufi waje, ta fara tafiya da sauri zuwa gate din, a daidai lokacin da take zuwa, Seeyama ma ta danno motarta, ta rage gudunta, amma ganin wasu mutane a bakin gate ya sa ta sauke glass ɗin motar a hankali, tana kallonsu da wani irin kallo na raini, her eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to make out who they were, sai kawai idanunta suka faɗa cikin na Bintu, wadda ita ma take kallonta without even blinking, Seeyama ta ɗan tsaya cak, “Ke?!” Ta furta hakan cikin mamaki mai gauraye da fushi, sannan ta sauke sunglasses ɗin da ke kan idanunta kaɗan domin ta kalli Bintu da kyau, “Me kike yi a nan?!” Bintu ta tsaya cak, tana kallonta cikin nutsuwa, Seeyama ta ɗan karkatar da kanta, wani smug expression ya bayyana a fuskarta yayin da ta kalli Bintu daga sama har ƙasa, “Wait a minute…” Ta yi wata ƙaramar dariya ta raini, “Don’t tell me keche yar aikin da mommy ta kawo gidan nan?”