Tana isa yola ta kira number din Hamma Suraj wanda in no time ya isa airport daukan ta. Koh da be fito waje ya fadi ba, his expression said it all, he was highly surprised about his sister’s sudden visit kuma gashi yaga tazo da kaya masu yawa, alaman ba irin casual visits inda take yi bane ta gansu ta koma. Be ce mata komi ba, shuru suka zauna a mota once in a while suna dan taba hira. In ka ga Suraj kamar ba Suraj inda ke shaye shaye da fadace fadace ba few years ago, ya wanku, ya gyaru ya koma makaranta yayi starting afresh. Yanzu haka ya gama ya kama business kuma Alhamdulillah he’s making it. Yayi aure da diyar sa daya tal wanda aka mayar mata sunan Ummati, wato Rabi’atu. Ita kam Auta Hidayatu tana final year dinta a university inda take karanta dream course dinta, wato civil law. +
Har suka isa gida bata sani ba, hankalinta na can yayi nisa cikin tunani. Sai da Hamma Suraj ya tabo ta kan ta fito daga motar. Masu aikin gidan ne guda biyu maza suka rugo da gudu dun kwasan kayan Laylah, sai gaidata suke a ladabce. Ta dade tana kallon gidan tana yaba kyaun sa, sabon gida ne wanda baa dade da shigar sa ba dun koh 3 years iyayenta basu yi ba da tarewa a gidan wanda ke cikin garin jimeta, dun yanzu level ya sanja an rabu da zama kauyen Girei.
Dan kwalla da ya zubo tayi saurin sharewa kan ta fara taku a hankula towards main entrance na gidan. Ba komi ne ya sa ta kwalla ba illa tuna rayuwar su a baya da tayi. Hakika da 10 years ago zaa fadi mata cewa ita Badejo watarana zata mallaki irin dukiyar da take da a yanzu ba koh kadan bazata yarda ba. Kasashen duniya nawa taje? Manyan mutane nawa ta hadu da? Motoci masu tsada nawa gareta, gidaje, plots ga successful business empire da take da. Indeed Allah shine abun godewa. Yanzu in life, abu daya ya rage mata; to repent and move on in life.
Tana shiga ta izza Ummati da Abba zaune a living room din downstairs suna kallon news. Cike da murna ta qarasa inda suke ta fada Jikin Ummati sai hawaye kawai suka kufce mata. Ji tayi wani mugun so da kaunar iyayenta na da da shiga zucin ta.
“Laaa yau ina ganin shegantaka”. Fadin Ummati “Badejo yau kika fara zuwa gida ne, da zaki tasa mu gaba kina kuka”. Share hawayen ta tayi kan ta juyo ta zauna kusa da Abba tana fadi musu cewar tayi kewar su sosai.
“Kuma yanzu insha Allah na dawo yola, zan zauna nan da ku”.
“Ke haba”. Ummati ta fadi cike da murna, dama ta dade tana wa Badejo fadan zaman kanta da take yi a Abuja.
“Allah Ummati ba komi bane, kawai ina missing Yasmeenah ne”. Tayi karya.
“Karya ne Badejo, ban yarda ba. Yau watan ki daya da dawowa gida amma duk na lura kina boye mana wani abu. Kina da damuwa amma kin kasa fitowa ki fadi mana”. Ummati ta fadi kan ta fara emotional blackmail irin nasu na iyaye.
“Yanzu ban kai ki yi sharing matsalar ki da ni ba ko Badejo, ni Uwar da na dauke ki wata tara a cikina, ni zaki boye wa problem dinki……”.
“Toh Ummati ai komi nufin Allah ne, lokacina ne be yi ba”. Ta fadi mata.
A kwana a tashi, har Laylah ta kai 2 months da dawowa yola and life was moving on quietly smoothly tho not very smooth dun har lokacin son khalifa Al-Haydar da ya mamayi zuciyar ta na nan na azabtar da ita, ta kasa mancewa dashi gashi shi kam tuni ma ta san ya mance da anyi irin ta. Murna a gun Laylah baa cewa komi randa Auta ta dawo gida hutun end of semester. Raba dare suka yi suna ta hirar yaushe rabo, dukan su kowa na cike dare a farin cikin ganin dan uwansa. Kashe gari da safe bayan an gama karin kumallo suka wuce dakin su suka shirya tsaf kan suka fito da niyyar hanging out together, just the 2 of them.
Hadaddiyar Toyota venza dinta wanda gift ne to her from the minister of information as birthday gift da tayi turning 26 suka shiga suka dau hanya. Basu tsaya ko ina ba sai kauyen Girei. Tunda suka shiga garin yara kananu ke bin motar da gudu suna shafa ta. Dariya me qara Laylah ta saki, tana dariya har da riqe ciki.
“Malam a lafia?”. Auta da ke tuqi ta tambaye ta.
“Auta kin tuna sanda muma muke bin mota in mun ga daya?”. Ta fadi duka su biyu suka fashe da dariya.
“Da wannan shegen mutunin da ya taba watsa mana tabo…..”. Auta bata gama magana ba dariya ta kufce mata.
“Muka fasa mai glass din bayan mota da dutse muka guda muka boye gidan malam Jauro”. Laylah ta fadi gami da sauke glass din gefen ta. Dama bata rasa ýan kananun change haka. Bundle din 50 naira fresh mints ta ciro daga pigeon hole din motar ta deba da dan yawa ta watsa waje. Nan yaran da ke bin su suka tsaya suna kwasan kudin, har wasu ýan samari da ke zaune a majalisa suna hira suma suka rugo a guje dun kwasan rabon su. Daga nan suka cigaba da tafiyar su shuru, ba abunda ke tashi a motar in ba waqar Beyoncé ba me suna 7/11. Auta na tuqi tana dan swaying jikinta to beats din waqar while Laylah was sorted quietly, obviously lost in a trance. Suna isa daidai wani tsohon masjid tayi saurin tsayar da Auta.
Wani dan yaro da bazai wuce 12 years ba a shekaru suka hango riqe da donation box. Matsowa gunsa Laylah tayi ta mai magana.
“Me kake yi da box dinnan?”.
“Taimako nike nema dun gyaran masjid”. Ya fadi mata. Auta tawa rada a kunne, nan da nan Auta ta koma mota can ta dawo da dan jakar Laylah wanda kudade ne ciki nan ta ciro wrap na 500 naira ta miqa masa.
“Maza wuce ka kawai wa liman”. Ta umurci yaron su kuma suka juya zasu wuce.
“In je Ince musu in ji wa?”. Ya tambaye su.
“Baiwar Allah”.
“Baiwar Allah”. Suka kalli juna ita da Auta suka fashe da dariya kan suka riqo hannun juna. Suka cigaba da takawa da qafa.
“Auta Saniya”. Laylah ta fadi tana dariya kan ta tunkuda ýar uwarta ta ruga a guje kamar yadda suke yi sanda suke yara. Ba tare da bata lokaci ba ita ma Auta ta ruga a guje tana bin Laylah. Gudu suke basu tsaya ba, mutane ana ta kallon su ana mamakin koh lafia ýan mata haddadu kamar su zasu kama gudu cikin unguwa. Basu tsaya koh ina ba sai da suka isa kwanar layin su, inda gidansu na da shine na biyu a layin. Kallon Auta tayi ita ma Auta ita take kallo kawai suka fashe da dariya. Ohhh gone are those days. Har cikin gidan suka shiga wanda yanzu ya zama kango, tsakani da Allah Laylah ta zube a qasa tana shan kuka. Ta ma rasa me ke sa ta kuka, tunowa da kuruciyar ta da tayi? Koh kuma rayuwar da ta fada? Koh kuma son khalifa da ke neman jefa ta cikin hadari.
Da taga kukan yayi yawa, a hankula ita ma ta durkusa qasa ga fara rarrashin ýar uwarta.
“Are you alright?”. Auta ta tambaya a hankula “Ina ta lura dake, there’s something that has been eating you up, yaushe muka fara boyewa juna abubuwa?”. Auta ta tambaya. Share hawayen fuskar ta tayi kan ta riqo hannun ýar uwarta zuwa kan wani dakali suka zauna. For about 15 minutes, shuru ba me cewa kowa komi. Sai da Laylah tayi taking time, tayi preparing kanta mentally for what she was about telling her sister.
“I am a call girl”. Ta fadi a hankula “or should I say I was”. Ta qara.
“Wh….a…aaa….at”. Auta ta fara in’ina. “Do you know what you’re saying, a call girl…… karuwa fa kenan”. Auta ta fadi a rude. Nan Laylah ta riqo hannun ýar uwarta kan ta fara bata labari just the way she narrated it to khalifa Al-Haydar. Ba abunda ta boyewa ýar uwarta. By the time she was done, Auta kuka har da majina.
“You went through all that? Alone…… For me…. For Hamma… For our parents. Bade….”. Bata gama ba ta fashe da kuka tana hugging ýar uwarta tightly. “Kin shiga duk wannan ordeals din for us. Kin bata rayuwar ki dun ki gina mana namu.,,, Ya Allah”. Kuka Auta tayi sosai ba kadan ba, irin kukan nan me sosa zuci. Ji tayi wani kaunar ýar uwarta na da da mamaye zuciyarta. A haqiqanin gaskia sacrifice inda Laylah tayi for them bata ganin zata iya yin sa but nevertheless she took the painstaking risk, just to put smiles on the faces of her loved ones. Ta shafawa kanta baqin paint just to support her family, indeed she’s a diamond in the rough, samun mutum irin ta, me irin zuciyarta sai an tona.
Sun dade a gun dun sai da suka yi kukan su ya ishe su kan suka miqe suka koma inda suka yi parking din mota. Wannan karon Laylah ce ta ansa driving din. Suna tafe Laylah na ba Auta labarin haduwar ta da Khalifa Al-Haydar. Auta kam sai mamaki take yi, wai yayar ta ce ta hadu da Khalifa Al-Haydar har soyayya ta shiga tsakaninsu. Khalifa Al-Haydar inda ya fi network fluctuating, yau bashi nan ba shi can, khalifa Al-Haydar inda kowa ke son sanin koh shi wanene. Bayan ta gama bata wanan labarin ta kuma fara fadi mata about plans inta for the future. A haka har suka isa wani qaton shopping mall wanda akwai eatery a ground floor, nan suka shiga siyan snacks. Kawai from nowhere suna tsaye jiran a kawo musu order dinsu Laylah taji an auko mata. Juyowar da zata yi ta ga ýar yarinya ce wadda bazata wuci shekaru 3 ba. Murmushi Laylah tayi kan ta zuquna ta fara yi wa yarinyar wasa dun ita mutum ce me tsananin son yara kananu. Yarinya kam ga kyau sai shegen wayo. Haka yasa nan da nan Laylah ta ji yarinyar ta shiga ran ta. +
“What’s your name?”. Ta tambaya. Yarinyar ta buda baki zata yi magana kenan wani murya ya tsayar da ita.
“Mahmoud”. Ta fadi a hankula tana kallon ýar yarinyar wanda sai lokacin ta lura da shegen resemblance dinta to Mahmoud who was obviously her dad. Matsowa kusa da Laylah yayi ya qure ta da kallo, ita ma shi take kallo. Ba me cewa kowa komi. Ita kam dama Auta tuni ta wuce can game arena. A wannan halin wata mata me ciki tsoho ta qaraso inda suke, ýar yarinyar ta wadda daga gani bazata wuci 5 years ba na nan nane da jikinta.
“Mommy!”. Kauthar ta fadi tana tsalle.
“Ina kuka shige muna ta neman ku”. Matar ta tambaya.
“Zainaba?”. Laylah ta fadi. Zuciyar ta nata saqe saqe iri iri. Yanzu zainaba ce ta auri Mahmoud? Haka ne koh kuwa mere coincidence ne? Amma kuma ýar yarinyar ta kira ta mommy ai. Laylah cike da fara’a take masu magana. Shi Mahmoud shock, surprise duk dai gashi nan ya rasa me ma zai ce. Ita kam zainaba ansa gaisuwar take kamar bazata yi magana ba, fuska ba wani walwala.
“Toh ai sai ka taho mu tafi….. Sai anjima”. Zainaba ta fadi tana jawo hannun Mahmoud. “Laylah…. Kauthar be fast”. Ta fadi.
Murmushi kawai Laylah tayi a zuciyarta tana fadin Mahmoud ya cika alkwari, even though alkawarin was in suka yi aure first daughter dinsu will be named Laylah amma even though ba ita ya aura ba ya cika alkawarin. Wucewa ita ma tayi zuwa game arena inda Auta take tace mata su zo su wuce gida. Har suka isa gida Laylah tana can duniyar tunani, kawai tuno 6 years ago take, lokacin da Mahmoud ya buqaci suyi aure.
*”Me kike nufi? Baza ki iya aure na ba? Dun kina da samari masu kudi koh, masu bata ki da kudi koh?”*.
*”Mahmoud…… It’s not like that, you’ll never understand”*.
*”yeah cause I’m that daft! Kinyi asara wallahi, tunda har kika bari kwadayin abun duniya ya rufe miki ido and let me assure baza ki taba samu namiji wanda zai so ki tsakani da Allah kamar yadda na so ki ba Badejo. Wannan manyan mutanen sai dai su lalata miki rayuwa amma tunda ke yanzu kudi ke gaban ki, Allah ya bada saa, a cigaba da karuwanci lafia”*.
“Yaushe zaki daina haka? Can’t you see, he isn’t worth all the pain and hurt. Wata hudu kenan, da yana sonki kamar yadda yike fadi he would’ve shown up by now. Do me a favour and forget him please”. Auta ta fadi kamar zata yi kuka.
“Ya kike so nayi Auta”. Kawai ta fashe da kuka, abunda ya zama mata new hobby. “I love him and I can’t help that I do so alot. Just a text, one text. I’m not asking for much, koh da he’s calling us off be kamata ya bani silent treatment ba, ya fito fili ya fadi mun”.
“Kinji ki, kamar wata yarinya karama. Just forget him and move on, shima it’s so obvious he has moved on. Dama masu kudi haka suke, da wulakanci ake haifar su a jinin su. You shouldn’t expect too much from a man of such status”. Auta ta fadi tana hugging din sister din ta. Sai da ta gama rarrashin Laylah tayi convincing dinta akan ta mance da Khalifa Al-Haydar tayi moving on tukun ta rabu da ita. And on that very day, kan Laylah ta kwanta barci sai da ta goge contact dinsa da duk wani hoto nasu da wayarta. Time to move on and focus more towards building a more better future.
“Haka ne?”.
“Yeah! It’s worth over a 20 million”.
“Sounds lucrative, wana me kudi ne haka?”. Ta tambaya.
“Khalifa Al-Haydar…… In preparation for his upcoming wedding”. Ya fadi mata. 1
“Kh…kha…lifaaah Al-Haydar is getting married?”. Ta fadi cike da mamaki.
“Yes ma’am, it has been kept confidential. Har yanzu press basu sani ba, muma kinga din ana so a bamu contract din organising wedding dinne”.
“A….Aa…. meer i’ll get back to you”. Ta fadi ta kashe wayar cikin hanzari. Kai ta daura akan steering wheel ta fara kuka. Lallaima khalifa Al-Haydar, this explains the reason for the silent treatment. Dama it’s that easy for one to fall in and out of love? Da har khalifa ya mance ta cikin wata hudu har ya sama wata yana shirin aure da ita. Sai da ta ci kukan ta ta qoshi ta goge face dinta zata starting mota sai ga call din Yasmeenah. Sai da tayi ýar murmushi kan ta ansa, she was thinking of her tace sai ta kai gida zata kira.
“Seriously? I think our spirits are connected, was just thinking of you”.
“Awwwwnnnn my baby boo. Ba kin je yola kin mance ni ba”.
“Ni na isa Yas-yas dina guda”.
“Ba wani nan, that trick won’t work on me. So tell me, ya kike?”. Ta tambaya. Suka dan fara taba hira. Har Laylah zata fara magana sai Yasmeenah tayi beating dinta to it dun haka ta bada attention to what she was trying to tell her.
“I think it’s time to pay Borno a visit”. Yasmeenah ta fadi reluctantly.
“Really!”. Laylah ta fadi cikin ihu “Tell me I’m not dreaming, pinch me someone, you’re going home….. finally”.
“Thanks to you, you gave me the little push I needed. Your presence in my life has been nothing but a blessing Laylah”. Ta fadi, muryar ta kamar zata yi kuka, ita kam Laylah dama ta riga ta fara dan zubda hawaye.
“That’s sweet. I love you Yasmeenah”.
“I love you more baby”. Ta fadi kan suka sanja topic kuma. “So tell me, has he called?”.
“Nah nah, heard he’s getting married”.
“Forreal! Amma ba labari”.
“Ummm the press still haven’t gotten hold of the news. I was offered the contract to plan the events”.
“And? You took the offer?”.
“Still thinking about it”.
“Lay….”.
Ta tuno first one on one convo dinta dashi kawai sai ji tayi lips din ta na curving into a smile. Things just the mere thought of her good memories with him does to her.
Ta dade tana zaune shuru, tayi game a wayarta ta gaji kan ta kashe wayar ta zauna lost in thought. Kawai from nowhere taji kamar mutum ya zauna a seat inda take zaune.
“Abdulmalik?”. Ta fadi gami da juyo kai.
“Sunan sabon saurayin naki kenan”. Mahmoud ya fadi fuska a hade.
“Ohhh it’s you”. Ta fadi a hankula kan ta dan matsa zuwa extreme end din chair din.
“Ki ce levels ya sanja, baa zama kusa da talakawa”. Ya fadi yana ýar dariya. “Ina saurayin naki? Minister of what? Koh senator ne? Or a governor’s son. Oh my God! Don’t tell me controller din custom ne, koh MD din NNPC”. Ya fadi cike da tsokana.
“Mahmoud please”. Ta fadi murya na rawa, she was trying hard to resist herself from crying. Be san halin da take ciki ba yazo ya kama zolayar ta.
“Kwadayi dai mabudin wahala, gwara mutum ya gane”. Ya miqe ya wuce ba tare da ya juyo ya Kalle ta ba. A hankali hawayen da take ta resisting so hard not to spill ya fara zuba. Kuka ta fara mara sauti. Kalmomin Mahmoud sun mata zafi sosai gashi even in that situation she was still reminiscing about khalifa, how he would always wipe away her tears, how he would always tell her how he hates to see her in tears, how he told her that all her sorrow and miseries are his too…. ashe ashe, duk a baki ne. Miqewa tayi jiki ba qarfi ta yi hanyar motar ta ta hau tuqi zuwa gida. 3
Tana isa gida, sai da ta tsaya a garden ta wanke tear stricken face dinta, ta dan yi dabbing powder yadda Ummati bazata gane ta yi kuka ba, abunda da mutum me dan haske, komi ya sai an dan gane alamar kuka a face dinta. Tana shiga gida ta izza Ummati da kanwar ta wadda ta kawo musu ziyara zaune a sitting room suna kallo. Gaida su tayi kan ta wuce zuwa bedroom din Abba. Gaida sa shima tayi kan ta sama wuri ta zauna kusa da shi a kan gado. Can ta kwanta da kanta a kirjinsa suka cigaba da kallon news ba me cewa kowa komi.
*News headline; Alleged future Mrs Al-Haydar sighted today at the Jabi lake mall having a good time with her soon to be son Fadeel Al-Haydar* 2
Cike da fara’a ta matsa kusa tana miqawa ko waccen su hannu ana gaisawa suna welcoming dinta to counselling sessions din amma da ta miqawa zainaba hannu sai tayi kamar bata ganta ba dun haka ta gaidata amma shuru kamar ba da ita ba. Hakan ya sa Laylah kiran sunanta dun ta san da ita ake.
“Zainaba ina kwana”.
“Uhmmm”. Kawai ta ce abun ya daure wa Laylah kai. Rana daya ta sanja mata. Koh hushi take cewa bata neme ta ba bayan sun rabu. Anyways ta kawar da wannan tunanin ta sama wuri ta zauna. Haka mata suka ta zuwa. All in all su 15 ne a class din sai counsellor dinsu, making them 15. Tana isowa kam aka fara tattaunawa akan topic dinsu na ranar which was; *Betrayal* wato *Cin amana*. Kowa cikinsu na kawo experience dinsa.
“Malama ke fa?”. Aka tambaya Laylah koh ta taba experiencing betrayal. Immediately mind dinta yayi flying to khalifa Al-Haydar amma kuma what was the use of her narrating the story to them kuma koh ta basu labari karyata ta zaa yi dun khalifa Al-Haydar ba karamin mutum bane dun haka ta gyada kanta alamar aah.
“Nikam I just remembered wani mugun cin amana da na taba witnessing”. Koh bata juya ba, ta san muryar wanda ke magana.
“About 10 years ago, lokacin ina kauye mahaifin mu ya mutu. Saboda wahala da rayuwa ya mana, aka tura ni Abuja aikin gidan wata mata. Da naje na fara aiki sha tara na arziki ana mun a gidan, har makaranta suka maida ni. Saboda tsananin karamci na roqa aka dau qawata aiki a gidan amma tsananin butulci irin na dan Adam, tazo ta ci amananmu; ni wadda na kawo ta da auntie wadda ta riqe mu tamkar kannen ta”. Ta dan tsaya tana duba fuskar Laylah for an expression amma sai taga face dinta was expressionless, there was neither happiness nor grief written on it. Koh alamar tension babu fuskar ta sai ma wata ýar murmushi da take yi.
“Toh ita kam wannan qawa ta ki me tayi ne”.
“Wataran auntie ta fita ta dawo ta kamata a gado da mijinta. Tayi seducing dinsa to bed saboda abun duniya”. Ta cigaba da basu labari wanda duk karya ne ya fi yawa a ciki su kam mata sai tir suke da halin wannan yarinyar without them knowing koh wacece, basu san cewa tana zaune cikinsu ba.
“Amma wannan yarinyar Allah ya tsine mata”.
“Shegiya karuwa! ýar wuta kawai”. Kowa ya dinga tofa albarkacin bakin sa. Kwalla fal suka cika idanun Laylah jin yadda kowa ke ta debe mata albarka bayan ba haka labarin yike ba.
“Aikam cikin dare auntie ta watsar mata da kaya waje”.
“Ai haka yafi”.
“Taje a cigaba da yawon iskanci a titi”.
“Ba kawarki ce ba. kin damu da jin asalin abunda ya faru? Kin damu da bin baya ki san Inda taje? Wani irin rayuwa ta shiga? Ashe yatsar mutum na ruba ya cire ya zubda? Kun bani kunya. Kuma da aka ce miki mijin ya ije ta can wani wuri kin je kin ga hakan da idanun ki? Da har zaki zo kina ya da labarin gaibu. Baki san asalin labari ba, Amma kun zo kun zauna sai faman zage zage kuke. Ashe ciwon ýa mace ba na ýa mace bane? Koh kaddara ne baku yarda dashi ba? Koh kuma jarabawar subhanahu wata’alah. Kuna abu kamar ba masu Ilimi ba. In mutum ya aikata mara kyau a ina aka ce a tsine masa? Addu’ar shirya ya kamata ku na mata. Gaskia in haka wannan foundation din yike ban ga amfanin zamana ba, ba zan zauna in da ake gulma da cin amana ba”. Ta fadi tana kallon zainaba wadda ita ma ita take kallo, jiki a sanyayyaye.
“There’s about 15 more minutes to the end of the session, ki shiga na sauke ki”. Ya fadi.
“Aah yaya Mahmoud na gode”.
“Senator ya hanaki harka da ya ku bayi kenan”. Ya fadi yayi ýar dariya.
“Aah ba haka bane”.
“Toh shiga muje”. Bata kuma cewa komi ba tayi hanyar motar ta shiga. A daidai lokacin zainaba na fitowa ta hango faruwar haka, ji tayi zuciyar ta ta fara wani irin tafarfasa. Tana ta cije cije. Su kam shuru suka kama hanya zuwa gidansu Laylah, ba me cewa kowa komi har sai da aka kusa isa gidan.
“Kin bani kunya”. Ya fadi a hankali. Dago kai tayi tana kallonsa bata ce mai komi ba.
“Duk abunda na zama a rayuwa saboda ke ne, I strived hard dun naga na gina mana rayuwa me kyau amma ke kuma fa? Kika bar kwadayi ya rufe miki ido, daga zuwa aiki kika shiga kwana da mijin Baiwar Allah, kin kyauta kenan? baki tsaya a nan ba aka kore ki amma still you went ahead to be his mistress, kika kashe ma wata aure saboda selfish interest dinki”. Tun da ya fara magana Laylah ke kallonsa bata ce komi ba, kukan ma ta kasa.
“Ke!”.
“Dallah rufe mun baki!”. Ta fadi da karfi.
“Da ka fadi abunda ke ranka waya hana ka? Saurare ni kaji me zance. Koh na rana daya ka tambaya how life was? Ka tambaya koh labarin da matar ka ta fadi maka haka yi ke koh ba haka ba? Ka taba gani na da wani? Da zaka ta watsa mun magana yadda kake so. Ehhh naji nayi karuwancin kuma ya kawo mun kudi, kai da matar ka da kuka sa kinibibi a gaba me ya kawo muku? In kudi kake so ka saukar da kai ka tambaya, in ma aiki ne kayi ladabi in nemo maka, stop barking like a mad dog. No wonder bature yace empty barrels makes the loudest noise. I’m not surprised dun indai gulma da hassada ne a jinin talaka yike. Kuma na gaba yayi gaba wallahi”. Ta zuba dark shades dinta a ido kan ta fita daga motar ta mai banging door dinsa ta shiga cikin gida. 2
Da gudu ta ruga ciki, koh tsayawa gaida iyayenta bata yi ba ta wuce cikin hawaye. Dakin ta ta nufa ta rufo qofa ta zube a qasa ba abunda take yi sai aikin kuka. Ummati ce ta biyo ta daki cikin damuwa amma sai taji kofar a rufe, tayi kira tayi kira shuru kawai sai tace Allah ya shirya ta koma qasa inda take zaune da ýar uwarta wadda har yanzu bata koma ba.
Har yamma Laylah ta qi fita daga dakin ta abun tun baya damun su har ya fara damunsu. Ummati tayi knocking dun duniya shuru. Ita ma Auta ta dawo kiyi ta fama shuru. Har sai bayan isha da Hamma Suraj ya leqo gidan duba su aka fadi mai abunda ake ciki nan yaje bakin qofar yana ta faman kiran sunanta amma shima ta qi kula sa kuma ga shesshekar kukan ta suna ji.
“Tun safe bata ci komi ba”. Ummati ta fadi with worry laced all over her voice and expression.
“Ina spare keys din gidan suke”. Ya tambaya.
“She’s running a very temperature”. Ta fadi tana rubutu a wani dan takarda “Go get these stuffs now”. Ta miqawa mijinta takardan. Kan ya je pharmacy ya dawo ta samu ruwa a dan bowl da hand towel tana goge mata jiki to help with the fever. Yana dawowa ta fara fixing cannula din aka sa mata saline nan da nan. Drugs din kuma aka ije sai ta farka ta dan sa abu a ciki tukunna.
Koh kadan Hamma Suraj be matsa daga dakin ba ranar. Wuri ya samu ya zauna idanunsa na kan ýar uwarsa. Sai can cikin daren at around 3am kan Laylah ta farka. Lokacin barci ya dan fara tafia da Hamma Suraj, kamar a mafarki yaji tana magana.
“Water…”. Ta fadi a hankula. Miqewa yayi ya dauko jug din ruwa da matar sa ta ije kan ta wuce barci, ya zuba a glass ya miqa mata yana mata sannu. Sai da ta shanye ruwan ya karbi glass din ya ije kan ya fara tambaya ya take ji.
“Just a headache”. Ta fadi mai.
“Are you sure? Your body doesn’t ache? Your eyes, your…..”.
“Hammaaaa” ta ja sunansa “Nace i’m okay, cross my heart”. Ta fadi kan ta dan lumshe idanunta tana sauke ijiyar zuci.
“Are you ready to talk about everything?”. Ya tambaya amma sai ta share tambayar sa ta fadi mai ita yunwa take ji. Nan da nan ba tare da bata lokaci ba ya hada mata tea da sandwich ya kawo ta dan ci kadan after which ta kwanta ta koma barci. Sai lokacin shima Hamma Suraj ya wuce ya same matar sa suka kwanta.
“Hey! What’s wrong”. Ya tambaya yana tallafo ta zuwa jikinsa. Shuru tayi bata ce komi ba tana ta kuka a jikinsa shikuma yayi ta rarrashinta har dai ta haqura ta daina kukan barci yayi gaba da ita. Tashi yayi ya bar dakin ya wuce ya sama matar sa.
“Na rasa how to go about this, abu na damunta ta qi fadi. Ni dama ban yarda da dawowar ta yola ba”. Ya fadiwa Zubaidah da tayi shuru tana sauraron sa.
“Haquri zaka yi, mu bi ta a hankula. She’ll open up gradually”. Ta fadiwa mijin nata tana daurawa baby Ammah diaper.
“Yawwa least I forget, nayi inviting Mahmoud da family dinsa for dinner on Friday night”.
Murmushi tayi kan ta ansa shi da “Allah ya kaimu ranar lafia”. Shikuma ya ansa ta da Ameen kan ya cigaba da tambayar ta abubuwa da babu a gida.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Shima pretending yayi kamar be ganta ba ya wuce ciki, tana ganin ya shige ciki ta biyo sa.
“Me kake nufi?”. Ta tambaya, hannunta a qugu.
“Kamar ya me nike nufi?”.
“Ka fini sanin komi ai”.
“Wai dun ban zo daukar ki da wuri ba?”. Ya tambaya.
“Ni ba maganar da nike ba kenan, me na daukar wancan Karuwar a motar ka”.
“Zainaba….”. Be ma kai ga gama maganar da zai yi ba ta katse sa.
“Ohhh wato yaudarata zaka yi yanzu koh? Cin amanar da zaka mun kenan. Yarinyar ta shekaru tana zaman kanta, shine zaka fara bin ta koh, dun ka kwaso cuta ka zo ka sa mun, toh wallahi bari in….”. Bata gama magana ba taji saukar mari a fuskar ta.
“Shashasha kawai! Ance miki haka nike”. Ya ja tsaki ya dau car key dinsa yayi hanyar waje. Jan motar sa kawai ya fita ba tare da ya san Inda zashi ba. Sai da ya sha bulayin sa a kan titi kan ya dau hanya zuwa Girei gun mahaifiyar sa.
*First public appearance of multibillionaire khalifa Al-Haydar together with son and fiancée Saima Mohammed*
Abunda caption din hoton ya fadi kenan, hoton kuma na khalifa ne together with Saima sunsa Fadeel a tsakiyar su sun riqe masa hannu suna tafia cikin shopping mall. Da ka ga fuskokin su kaga annushuwa. Tsaki ta ja ta cigaba da scrolling, can kuma ta kuma ganin wani hoton nasu with caption.
*Couple of the year khalifa Al-Haydar and Saima Mohammed together with son Fadeel Al-Haydar at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates*
Cike da frustration ta wurgar da wayan kan ta goge dan guntun kwallar da ya sauko mata. Why was her heart making such a noise? She could feel it breaking into a million shards. Meyasa ta kasa mance khalifa, whether awake or asleep, the heart is always walking towards him. Meyasa ta zama mara zuciya? Despite everything she still yearns for a sight of him, meyasa har yanzu take ji a ran ta their story isn’t over yet. The heart pays no heed to her anymore.
“Fuck you Al-Haydar”. Ta fadi kan ta kuma dan dabbing powder a face dinta. Tana cikin adjusting scarf dinta ne ta ji muryar Zubaidah na kiranta cewar baqin su sun iso. Sai da ta fesa perfume ta kuma ma kanta kallon as full length mirror inda ke jikinta wardrobe inta kan ta fita. Tana taku dai dai, typical Laylah. In all situations wannan ego da self esteem dinnan is always there.
Tun da ta fara saukowa idanun Mahmoud suka fada kanta. Ji yike wani irin sensation yayi overwhelming dinsa. No matter how much he tried, ya sama kansa da kasa dauke idanunsa a kanta. Zainaba kam da ke can suna gaisuwa da Zubaidah shi take kallo ta gefen ido, zuciyar ta na tafarfasa. Wato in bata dauki action da wuri ba, in no time Mahmoud da Laylah zasu yi rekindling relationship dinsu, ita kuma nothing would be left of her dama relationship dinsu is already rocky. Laylah kam tana saukowa sannu ta hada ta da su, kan ta sa hannu ta dauko Kauthar, wanda a kama sak Babanta take.
Ita ma zainaba zaman ta ba abunda take yi in ba tunanin yadda she’ll put a stop to the Mahmoud-Laylah saga that’s about getting started again ba.
‘Never! Never. Bazan taba bari su dawo tare ba’. Ta fadi as zuci.
Laylah kam despite wasan da take da yaran Mahmoud, hakan be hana mind dinta flying to United Arab Emirates ba, to khalifa Al-Haydar.
‘Koh maita da rashin zuciyar duniya ya qare a kaina ne daga yau na rufe chapter dinka Al-Haydar’. Ta fadi a ranta. 1
Unknown to her, Mahmoud da ke zaune adjacent to her hankalinsa baya ko ina sai a kanta. Duk yana ta lura da body language dinta, wani irin abu yike ta ji na faruwa dashi, his heart was trying to narrate a new story to him. The feeling was quite alien yet it was calming yet disturbing in a sense. Da ya kalli direction inta sai yaji wani sanyi a zuciyar sa, gashi ita kuma bata ma san yana yi ba. Tana can tana nata abu. Ana haka ne wayar ta ta fara ringing, tana dagawa taga caller identity din sai da ta saki wani murmushi da ya sa zuciyar Mahmoud sumersaulting. Sabida tsananin kasaita irin na Laylah sai da ta bar call din ya tsinke aka kuma kira kan ta daga wayar. 2
“Babyyyyyyyyyy”. Ta fadi cikin wani murya me tsananin dadi. Mahmoud harda choking saboda ji da yayi ta kira wani baby. Jawad ne ya kirata, friend dinta wanda mahaifin sa shine current senate president. Jawad ya dade yana bibiyar Laylah, duk da sanin asalin profession dinta be guje ta ba, ya nema suyi dating amma ita kuma a cewar ta it’s a slap to her face ta fita da qaninta kasancewar ta girme Jawad da shekaru har biyu. Hakan be hana su mutunci ba. 2
“Na dawo England kawai nazo ganin ki Yasmeenah was telling me kin bar Abuja”. Ya fadi cikin muryar shagwaba “ya zaki tafi ki bar baby dinki”.
“Nace ba”. Zainaba ta fadi a hankula.
“Ina ji”.
“Wani shawara zamu dan yi, as my ‘friend'”. Ta fadi with sarcasm laced all over her statement “I need you to advice me on something”.
“Let’s hear your problem”. Laylah ta ansa ta nonchalantly.
“It’s not much of a problem actually, I just needed to hear your opinion”.
“Shoot, I don’t have all day”. Laylah ta fadi still arranging the desserts.
“Wata karuwa ce….”. Ta fadi kan ta tsaya dan lura da expression din fuskar Laylah, sai gani kawai tayi Laylah ta tsaya da abunda take yi ta kama tray din gum tana sauraron ta. “As I was saying, ta gama gararin yawon ta, jumping from one man to another yanzu tana neman seducing mun miji”. Dariya taji Laylah ta saki me karfi, har da riqe ciki.
“You mean the remains of another lady?”. 1
“Excuse me…”.
“Haba qawata, Karki mance fa ragowar wata kike ci”. Laylah ta kuma fashewa da dariya. “Dun haka ina ganin be kamata ace kina complain kasancewar you started the snatching game”. Laylah ta fadi kan ta wuce ta buda fridge dun ta ciro fruit punch inda suka hada da Zubaidah. 1
“You mean to say I snatched Mahmoud from you?”.
“Ohhhh! Feels good to know you have common sense”. Laylah ta fadi tana mata murmushi.
“Ni zaki zaga! Karuwar banza”. Ta daga hannu zata kai fuskar Laylah sai dai kuma Laylah was quick to catch a grip of her. Gam ta riqe hannun zainaba kan ta juye mata fruit punch me shegen sanyi da ta ciro daga fridge, tas ta juye mata a jiki. She was dripping from head to toe. 1
“Kinyi kadan ki ce zaki lying filthy hands inki on me”. Laylah ta fadi tana watsa mata wani mugun kallo wanda ke cike da tsantsar tana. Funny how 2 ladies who were once inseparable could turn to sworn enemies overnight. Ita ma zainaba mamaki ne ya rufe ta, wai ita Laylah ta kwara wa juice a jiki. 3
“What the hell happened in that kitchen”. Mahmoud ya tambaya cike da mamaki.
“Mu wuce”. Ta fadi tana jan hannunsa. Shikam kamar wawa ya wuce zololo yana binta. “Come on girls!”. Ta kwalla wa yaran tsawa. Har sun kai bakin qofa Hamma Suraj da Zubaidah suna biye dasu suna tambayan ta meya faru bata ce komi ba. Sai da zasu shiga mota ta kira Hamma Suraj.
“Suraj kake koh wanene, I don’t care. Ka ja wa kanwar kunne, ta daina shiga gonata”. Tana fadi ta shiga mota tayi slamming door. Shikam suna shiga gida rai a baci ya wuce to dakin Laylah, sai kwalla mata kira yike.
“What.did.you.do“. Ya tambaya rai a baci.
“I poured some juice on her…. simple!”. Ta bashi ansa hankalinta na kan wayarta.
“Simple? Kin ci wa baqina mutunci, matar abokina ki ce simple? Kina da hankali kuwa! Kishi hauka ne? So what if she married your ex?…..”. Hamma Suraj yayi ta jaraba a tunanin sa kishi ne yasa Laylah watsa wa zainaba juice. Zubaidah kam ita dai tana tsaye tana ta faman basa haquri shikam inaaa ta inda yike shiga ba ta nan yike fita ba.
“You’ll go to her house and apologise in kina son zaman lafia dani”. Ya fadi. 2
“That would be over my dead body”. 1
“Me kika ce?”.
“You heard me right! Bazan bata haquri ba, not in this lifeti…..”. Bata gama magana ba Hamma Suraj ya kwashe ta da mari.
“Ke har kin isa in saki abu ki ce ba zakiyi ba?”. Ya fadi yana watsa mata wani kallo, ita kam hannu ta kai ta riqe cheek inta inda ya mare ta, abun na bata mamaki, kamar a movie, wai ita Hamma Suraj ya mara, saboda wancan Shegiyar matar.
“Kuma in kina son kanki you’ll go apologise, first thing tomorrow!”. Ya juya zai fita, har ya kai qofa jin abunda ta fadi yasa ya tsaya on his tracks.
“I still stick to my words! Bazan bata haquri ba”. Juyowa yayi ya watsa mata wani kallo.
“You dare defy me? Ni yayanki?…..”. 2
“She said she sold her body, isn’t that….. prostitution”. Ya fadi kan ya riqe bakin sa yana kuka. “She really did that?, da gaske ta sayar da jikinta, for me? For us? For everyone?”. Ya fadi yana kuka sosai kamar dan yaro karami. Zubaidah kam sai faman basa haquri kawai take ta yi. Da kyar ta iya rarrashin sa ya miqe suka wuce bedroom dinsu. Barcin da Hamma Suraj be yi ba kenan ranar, da ya tuna kalaman Laylah sai yaji hawaye sun fara zubo mai. Indeed he has been nothing but an incompetent brother. A lokacin yayi realising all his life he has been dependent on his sister kuma koh na rana daya be taba tambayar ta ina take samun kudin ba, ina take samun connections din ba, if she’s happy, her true reason behind rejecting Mahmoud. All his life, ya zaci tana ganin level dinta ya wuce na Mahmoud ne ya hanata auran sa. Hakika he’s nothing but a shame and failure to his family. Tuno rayuwar sa a baya kawai ya shiga yi. Yadda ya bari abokai suka runjaye sa suka bata mai bright future dinsa, suka tarwatsa happiness din family dinsa. If and only if be shiga shaye shaye ba da Abban su be sama partial paralysis ba, if and only if be shiga shaye shaye ba da iyayen sa da kannen sa basu wahala yadda suka wahala ba a rayuwa, da basu wulakanta ba. 1
“Da bata sayar da jikinta ba”. Ya fadi a hankula, hawaye suna gangaro mai.
Tunowa yayi da ranar da tazo ta dauke sa zuwa rehabilitation, inda aka biya magudan kudi, yadda ta rin ka kuka tana cike forms din. Yana gama therapy dinsa tayi gwagwarmayar nema mai admission. Yana gama ta mai hanyar aiki with the Nigerian force, ta basa jarin fara factory dinsa. Yadda ta fita ta shiga dun ganin an basa auran Zubaidah. Ranar kam Suraj ya sha kuka, wanda tun da aka haife sa be taba yin irin sa ba. Hakika Laylah ta kwace kwaryar girma daga hannunsa, duk responsibilities inda ya kamata ace as the man and first child of the family shi yike yi, ita ce ke yi. Hasalima in abubuwa suka kwaye masa sai dai ya gudu gun ta neman taimako.
Ita ma Laylah haka, kuka ta sha har barci ya kwashe ta. Sai da ta tashi the next morning realisation din all the things she uttered dawned on her.
“Crap!”. Ta fadi a hankula. Bata so ace Hamma Suraj yaji wannan secret din nata ba dun ta san he’ll let himself get overwhelmed by guilt. Har ta shiga bathroom wanka tunani take ta yi, duk taji ba abunda ke mata dadi. A ranta sai tsine wa khalifa Al-Haydar take yi, a cewar ta shigowar sa rayuwar ta ne ya ruguza komi, shi ya kawo mata bad luck. Tana fita wanka sai da ta kira Yasmeenah cause she needed someone to talk to, to just let everything out.
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