Chapter 10: The stranger who wouldn’t look at her

Bayan sun sauka a Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Rahama ta ɗauki handbag ɗinta tana bin sauran fasinjoji zuwa inda za su karɓi kayansu. Ta gaji da tafiyar, kuma abin da take buƙata a lokacin shi ne ta samu wurin zama ta huta

Rayyan kuwa yana gabanta, yana tafiya cikin nutsuwarsa kamar yadda ya saba. Bai ko waiwayo ya duba ta ba, balle ya tambaye ta ko ta gama ɗaukar kayanta

Rahama ta kalle shi daga baya, ta ja dogon numfashi ‘wai da gaske wannan mutumin ba shi da mutunci ne, ko kuwa ni yake yi wa haka?’ Ta girgiza kai, ta mayar da hankalinta kan kayanta

Bayan sun karɓi akwatunansu, suka fita zuwa wajen da motocin da suke parke, alamar suna jira wasu ne. Wani mutum ne ya tsaya kusa da wata mota yana duba wayarsa, da Rayyan ya hango shi, sai fuskarsa ta sauya zuwa murmushi

“Ahmad!”

Mutumin ya ɗago kai da sauri, da ya gan shi sai shi ma ya yi murmushi “Rayyan! Welcome man”

Suka gaisa cikin fara’a, suka yi musabaha sannan suka ɗan rungume juna

“Ya hanya?” Ahmad ya tambaya

“Alhamdulillah! Lafiya”

“Good! Na yi tunanin jirginku zai ɗan makara”

“Nope, da wuri muka taso without any delay”

Rayyan ya ɗauki akwatinsa ya nufi booth na motar, ya buɗe ya saka kayansa, sannan ya shiga ciki ba tare da ya waiwayi Rahama ba

Rahama ta tsaya tana kallon yadda suka gaisa, sai ta ɗan ɗaga gira ‘Oh, so wannan ne mutumin da zai ɗauke mu?’

Ta ɗan jira ko Rayyan zai waiwayo ya kira ta ko ya gaya mata inda za ta zauna, amma bai yi haka ba. Ya zauna cikin motar yana duba wayarsa, kamar dai ba tare da ita yazo ba

Ta kalle shi na ɗan lokaci, sannan ta girgiza kai “Allah ya kyauta” ta furta a hankali

Ta ja akwatinta zuwa motar, ta buɗe ƙofar ba tare da ta jira yace mata wani abu ba, ta saka kayanta sannan ta shiga

“Assalamu alaikum”ta ce sannan ta gaishe da Ahmad cikin ladabi

Ahmad ya juyo ya kalleta, ya amsa da fara’a “Waalaikumus salam, welcome to Lagos”

“Thank you”

“Ya hanya? Though nasan isn’t stressful ai”

“Mun gaji fah, amma Alhamdulillah” Ta ce

Murmushi kawai Ahmad ya yi ya tayar da motar, suka bar wajen airport

Rahama dai ta kama kanta ta yi ƙoƙarin zama cikin nutsuwa, ta kalli Ahmad ta mirror , sannan ta juya ta kalli Rayyan wanda yake zaune yana duba wayarsa, bai ko ɗaga kansa ya kalle ta ba tun lokacin da ta shiga motar

Ta ɗan gyara zamanta, tana jin haushinsa a ranta, ta so ta faɗi wani abu, amma ta tuna cewa ba ta san Ahmad sosai ba, kuma ba ta son ta fara nuna rashin jinta a gabansa, don haka ta yi shiru, ta koma kallon waje

Bayan sun ɗan yi tafiya, suka isa wani lounge da aka tanadar musu. Wurin yana da kyau sosai, Ahmad ya faka motar a gaban entrance ɗin, sannan ya kashe motar

Rayyan ya buɗe ƙofar motar ya fita. Ya zagaya ya ɗauki kayansa, sannan ya tsaya yana magana da Ahmad

Rahama ma ta sauke nata kayanta daga motar. Ta tsaya kusa da akwatinta tana kallon su, tana jiran aƙalla Rayyan ya gaya mata abin da za su yi next

Amma sai Rayyan ya juya ya kalli Ahmad, bayan ya ajiye kayansa  “Ahmad ka kai ni eatery na saya abinci. Idan na shiga, ba lallai na iya fitowa nan da nan ba”

Ahmad ya gyada kai “No problem, mu je”

Rahama ta ɗan buɗe baki tana kallon Rayyan da mamaki  ‘wait…. wai zai tafi ya bar ni a nan nr’

Ta yi tsammanin zai gaya mata inda za ta shiga tunda a bakin kofar ya barta, ko kuma ya tambaye ta ko tana buƙatar wani abu kafin ya tafi, amma sai ya juya zai koma motar

Rahama ta tsaya jikin motar, tana kallonsa cike da mamaki

Rayyan ya ɗaga kai, ya watsa mata wani dirty look, nan take ya daure fuska“Za ki tufewa mutane ƙofar motar ne ko yaya?”

Ta firgita da yadda ya yi mata tsawa ta ce “Na shiga?”

“Na ce, za ki matsa ne ko sai na hankaɗe ki?”

Rahama ta ji kamar an zuba mata ruwan sanyi, ba ta yi tsammanin zai yi mata magana haka ba, musamman a gaban Ahmad

Ta ja da baya da sauri “Sorry” ta faɗa a hankali, muryarta ta ɗan rawa, ta matsa gefe, ta ba shi hanya

Rayyan ya shiga motar, ya rufe ƙofar, sannan Ahmad ya tayar da motar suka bar wajen

Rahama ta tsaya tana kallon motar har ta fita daga harabar lounge ɗin

Da motar ta ɓace daga ganinta, ta sunkuyar da kanta, haushinsa taji tana ji, nan take idanunta suka fara cika da hawaye

Ta yi ƙoƙarin danne su, amma wasu na bin wasu “Allah ya isa” ta furta cikin murya ƙasa-ƙasa

Ta goge fuskarta da bayan hannunta, sannan ta murguda baki tana kallon hanyar da motar ta bi “Wani irin mutum ne wannan? Ko dai ba shi da manners ne?” Ta ja numfashi, ta sake goge hawaye

“Na rantse, da ace ba don Daddy ba, da ban yarda na zo da wannan mugun ba”

Ta juya ta kalli ginin lounge ɗin. Duk apartments ɗin da ke cikin ginin an tsara su iri ɗaya ne

Rahama ta ja akwatinta ta nufi main entrance din wanda ke kama da setting room, babba ne wanda kana kallon kofofin bedrooms a cikinsa

Komai yana da kyau, kuma setting parlorn yana da kayan da mutum zai buƙata domin ya zauna cikin jin daɗi, ta ajiye handbag ɗinta, ta dawo wajen ƙofar ta ɗauki akwatin da ta bari a waje

Kallon kofofin take, daga gani kasan a kulle suke, hakan yasa sai ta zauna a kan akwatinta a bakin ƙofar, ta gaji sosai

Ta jingina da bangon kusa da ƙofar, ta ɗora hannunta a kan akwatinta, sannan ta rufe idanunta na ɗan lokaci

Ta yi tunanin yadda ta fara ranar cikin farin ciki, ba tare da sanin cewa haɗuwarta da Rayyan za ta sa ta ji haushi har haka ba

Ta buɗe idanunta, ta kalli cikin ɗakin, sannan ta sake rufe su, bari dai na huta, zan yi tunanin komai daga baya

Ba ta ankara ba, bacci ya fara ɗauke ta. Kanta ya karkata kaɗan, hannunta ya saki riƙon akwatinta, sannan ta yi shiru

Ba da daɗewa ba, bacci mai nauyi ya kwashe ta a zaune, a kan akwatinta, a bakin ƙofar dakin

Bayan sun isa ya faka motar, sannan Rayyan ya fita ya nufi wajen sayen abincin Ahmad ya bi shi a baya

Bayan sun shiga, Rayyan ya duba irin abincin da suke da shi, sannan ya yi odar abin da yake so, yana jira aka shirya masa, Ahmad ya tsaya kusa da shi

Bayan ɗan lokaci, Ahmad ya kalle shi “Rayyan, why did you talk to her like that?”

Rayyan ya ɗaga kai daga wayarsa “Talk to who?”

Ahmad ya kalle shi da mamaki “Rahama mana… The girl you left at the lounge”

Rayyan ya mayar da hankalinsa kan wayarsa “Ka kyale ta kawai”

Ahmad ya yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, sannan ya sake magana “Ba haka ake yi wa mutum ba Rayyan, ba ka ma san ko ta taɓa zuwa Lagos ba, ko yadda take ji ba. Ka bar ta a can, sannan ka yi mata magana kamar ta yi maka wani laifi, infact ko ‘yarda ce hakan bai yi daidai ba musamman a gaba na”

Rayyan ya ɗan ɗaga kai, fuskarsa babu murmushi “Ahmad I don’t want to discuss this”

“Fine, amma ka sani, ba za ta ji daɗi ba”

Rayyan bai amsa masa ba, yayi banza da shi

Aka kawo abincin da ya saya, ya karɓa, suka fita zuwa motar Ahmad ya buɗe ƙofar, Rayyan ya shiga, sannan suka koma hanyar lounge ɗin

Ko da suka shiga mota Ahmad bai sake tayar da maganar ba. Shi kuma Rayyan ya ci gaba da duba wayarsa, kamar abin da ya faru bai shafe shi ba

Bayan sun isa lounge ɗin, Ahmad ya faka motar a inda ya ɗauko Rayyan ɗin, Rayyan ya fita da abincinsa, ya ɗauki kayansa, sannan ya nufi cikin entrance din

Ahmad ya kalle shi ta window  “See you later, man”

Rayyan ya ɗaga hannu a taƙaice “Later”

Ahmad ya tayar da motar ya bar wajen

Rayyan ya ƙarasa wajen ɗakunan da aka ware musu, yana riƙe da leda mai ɗauke da abincin da ya saya, da ya isa ƙofar ɗakin farko sai ya ganta a zaune a bakin ƙofar kanta a jingine da bango, tana bacci

Ya tsaya na ɗan lokaci yana kallonta, ya ɗan daure fuska, sannan ya girgiza kansa a hankali. Maimakon ya tashe ta ko ya tambaye ta dalilin zama a wajen, sai ya wuce ta kawai ya buɗe ƙofar ɗakinsa ya shiga ciki

Motsin da ya yi ne ya sa Rahama ta motsa, ta buɗe idanunta a hankali, tana ƙoƙarin gane inda take. Da ta ga ƙofar ɗakin Rayyan ne ya shiga, sai ta gyara zama da sauri

Ta kalli she a cikin dakin, sannan ta kalli ledar da ke hannunsa

Wai shi ne ya dawo da abinci?

Ta yi shiru tana kallon ƙofar ɗakin na wasu secs, sannan ta goge fuskarta ta miƙe tsaye. Ta ɗauki akwatinta ta shigar da shi cikin dake gefe, ta ajiye shi a gefe, sannan ta koma bakin ƙofar tana tunanin ko za ta tambaye shi ko ya kawo mata wani abu itama 

Amma ta tuna da yadda ya yi mata magana kafin ya tafi, sai ta fasa

“Allah ya kyauta” ta furta a hankali, sannan ta koma ciki

A ɗakin Rayyan kuwa, ya ajiye ledar abincin a kan tebur, ya zauna a gefen gado yana fitar da system nasa, Kafin ya buɗe ledar, sai wayarsa ta fara ringing

Da ya kalli screen ɗin, sai ya ga sunan Safiyya, nan take fuskarsa ta sauya, ya ɗauki wayar ya amsa

“Hello Habibi!”

Rayyan ya yi murmushi “Hey baby”

“Finally! Na yi ta jiran ka kira ni, kun isa lafiya?”

“Eh mun isa lafiya, I just got back to the lounge”

“Alhamdulilla! Na damu fa, tun da safe ban ji muryarka ba”

“Sorry baby, tafiya ce da banso ba,

I’m not in d mood”

Safiyya ta yi dariya a ɗaya gefen wayar.

“It’s okay, amma yanzu ka samu ka huta?”

“Eh, zan huta yanzu dai sweet”

“Good, ka ci abinci kuwa?”

Rayyan ya kalli ledar da ke kan tebur “Na saya yanzu zan ci”

“Okay, Habibi Ka tabbatar ka ci sosai, kar ka manta da abinci sbd aikin da kake yi”

Rayyan ya yi murmushi “I won’t, baby”

Hirarsu ta ci gaba Safiyya ta ba shi labarin wasu abubuwan da suka faru yau a wajen aiki, shi kuma yana sauraro yana amsawa, wani lokaci yakan yi murmushi, wani lokacin kuma ya yi dariya a hankali saboda wani abu da ta faɗa

A lokacin Rahama ta fito daga ɗakinta don ta ɗan duba ko akwai wani abu da za ta iya amfani da shi. Da ta wuce ta bakin ƙofar ɗakin Rayyan, sai ta ji muryarsa yana magana a waya cikin yanayin da ba ta saba gani a gare shi ba

Ta tsaya ba tare da ta yi niyya ba, kallonsa take kamar ya samu tv, Rayyan yana murmushi? Yana dariya ? Ikon Allah

Rahama ta ɗan karkatar da kanta tana kallonsa ta ƙofar da ba a rufe sosai ba, sosai ta manta ma me take yi 

Ta ci gaba da kallonsa, tana ƙoƙarin fahimtar ko da gaske wannan shi ne Rayyan ɗin da ta sani. Mutumin da tun safe yake mata kallon kamar ba ya son ganinta, yanzu yana murmushi yana magana cikin taushin murya, ita fah har a gidansu bata ga yayi murmushi ba

Rayyan ya ɗan juya kansa, sai ya hango ta a ƙofar tana tsaye kamar wawiya , ya dakata na ɗan lokaci, yana kallonta

Rahama ba ta yi saurin kawar da idanunta ba still tana tsaye,

Rayyan ya koma kan wayarsa, ya ce “Okay baby, I’ll call you later”

“Alright Habibi, take care of yourself I love you”

“I love you too”

Ya katse wayar, sannan ya ajiye ta a kan gado

Ya ɗaga kansa ya sake kallon Rahama, wadda har yanzu take tsaye tana kallonsa “What’s wrong with you?” ya tambaya cikin fushi “Why are you staring at me like that?”

Rahama ta firgita kaɗan da yadda ya yi mata magana cikin tsawa, ta fara kame kame “Ni? na yi maka wani abu ne”

“Then why are you standing there staring at me?”

Ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci, sannan ta girgiza kai “Nothing”

Rayyan ya yi tsaki, ya miƙe tsaye ya ɗauki wayarsa, ya ɗauki ledar abincin da ke kan tebur, ya ajiye ta a wani wuri, sannan ya fita daga ɗakin ba tare da ya sake kallonta ba

Rahama ta bi shi da kallo har ya fita, da ta tabbatar ya tafi, sai ta ƙarasa cikin dakin tayi wajen da ya ajiye ledar abincin, ta buɗe ta, ta kalli abin da ke ciki, sannan ta zauna a kujerar kusa da table 

Yunwa take ji sosai, kuma tun da ya bar abincin a nan, sai ta ga ba wani laifi ba ne ta ɗan ci

Ta buɗe takeawayn abincin ta fara ci “Hmm, at least abincin yana da dadi” ta faɗa a hankali, tana ci gaba da cin abincin

Ta ci gaba da cin abincin cikin jin daɗi, tana jin yunwar da ta dame ta tun lokacin da suka isa Lagos tana raguwa

Ba ta daɗe da fara cin abincin ba, sai aka buɗe ƙofar

Rayyan ne ya shigo, da ya ga Rahama a zaune tana cin abincinsa, sai ya tsaya cak

Ya kalli ledar, sannan ya kalleta “Ke! Waya ce ki ci?”

Rahama ta ɗago kanta, abincin yana bakinta, ta haɗiye abin da take taunawa kafin ta amsa “Amma ai yunwa nake ji”

Rayyan ya ƙaraso, fuskarsa a murtuke “Who gave you permission to touch my food?”

Rahama ta kalli abincin, sannan ta kalle shi “Na ga ka ajiye shi ne. Kuma yunwa nake ji sosai wlh”

“Did I tell you to eat it?”

Ta yi shiru na ɗan lokaci.

Rayyan ya nuna mata ledar “Listen to me carefully. Idan na ajiye abu kika sake taɓa shi, sai na koya miki hankali, tunda ke ba ki da shi”

Rahama ta ji zafin maganarsa, amma ta yi ƙoƙarin kada ta nuna masa yadda ta ji, ta sunkuyar da kanta tana kallon abincin da ke gabanta

A ranta kuwa ta ce, Oho! Tunda na ci, na ƙoshi ynx kai ka sani

Ta ɗauki cokalin ta ƙara cin abincin, amma a hankali, tana ƙoƙarin kada ta sake kallonsa

Rayyan ya zuba mata ido na wasu sakanni, kamar yana jiran ta mayar masa da magana. Da ya ga ta yi shiru, sai ya girgiza kansa a fusace “Unbelievable”

Ya ɗauki wasu kayansa, ya nufi ƙofar ɗakin

Rahama ta ɗago kai ta kalle shi, amma ba ta ce komai ba, ya fita ya rufe ƙofar

Rahama ta sauke ajiyar zuciya, sannan ta kalli abincin “Allah ya ba ni haƙuri da wannan mutumin” ta faɗa a hankali “Kai dan mutum yaci abinci sai ya yi kamar ka ci dukiyarsa”

Ta ci gaba da cin abincin har ta ƙoshi. Bayan ta gama, ta tattara kayan abincin ta ajiye su a gefe, sannan ta koma ɗakinta sbd ta huta

Da daddare, Rahama ta fito daga ɗakinta tana duba ko Rayyan ya dawo. Tun bayan fitarsa da rana, ba ta sake ganinsa ba

Ta leƙa wajen ɗakin nasa, amma ba ji ga motsi ba

Ta koma ɗakinta, ta zauna a kan gado tana duba wayarta. Bayan ɗan lokaci, sai ta ji motsin wani a wajen ƙofar, ta fito ta duba, sai ta ga Rayyan yana shirin fita da wasu kayansa

Ta tsaya tana kallonsa “Za ka fita ne?” ta tambaya

Rayyan kamar ba zai amsa ba sai kuma ya daure ya ce “Eh”

“Yanzu?”

Ya ɗaga gira “Do you have a problem with that?”

Rahama ta girgiza kai da sauri “A’a! Na tambaya ne kawai”

Rayyan bai ƙara cewa komai ba. Ya ɗauki kayansa ya fita, ya rufe ƙofar da kafarsa 

Rahama ta tsaya tana kallon ƙofar da ya fita, sannan ta koma ɗakinta