Author : TAKORI Category : African Stories & Novels
huta kadan sai ki tafi Ma'am”.
Ba ta san me ya sa ta kasa yi masa musu ba. Gabadaya yau ya canza mata kamar yadda ita ma ta canza masa. Wata sabuwar fuska ce da ita mai dauke da kunya, wani muhimmin bangare na diya mace da bai taba gani a tare da ita ba. Kullum ayyuka ta ke kamar namiji, order kawai ta ke bayarwa (with guts and professionalism). Amma yau sai ta fito a asalin kamanni da dabi’un diya mace. Ta zauna a doguwar kujerar leda (leather chairs) farare da ke falon tana karewa falon kallo. Hashim ya tsara shi da kyau. Babu tarkace sosai, daga kayan kallo sai mackbook da yake amfani da ita bisa wani dan tebiri. Sai ash tray da ‘yan kananun tobbacco a ciki. Mamaki ya kamata, da ma Mr. Hashim yana taba smoking?
Kasa yin shiru ta yi a lokacin da ya iso dauke da kofunan glass guda biyu, lemu mai sanyi na chivita da gorar ruwan aquafina, ya zo har gabanta ya ja tebur ya dora. Cike da dan murmushi mai nuna girmamawa ya ce,
“Ranki ya dade, ruwa ko lemu zan zuba ma bakuwata?”
Gani ya yi tana girgiza kai, ta tsare shi da ido, sannan ta ce authoritatively,
“Mr. Hashim why are you smoking?”
Ya yi saurin kai dubansa ga dan ash-tray din, shaf! Ya manta bai kawar da shi ba, other side dinsa ne da ko Innarsa ba ta sani ba, kuma bai taba son wani nasa ya sani ba. Ya sa hannu ya dan shafo kansa daga keyarsa zuwa goshinsa cikin rashin sanin abin cewa. A hankali ya dubi tsakiyar kwayar idanunta da ke kafe akan sa ya ce,
“Yes Ma! But not always, only when I’m bored”.
Halima ta kura masa ido, yana ji kamar furious (fusatattun) idanunta na yi masa bulala, ta ce,
“Da hankalinka da tunaninka da ilminka ka ke siyan abin da zai cuce ka Mr. Hashim? Idan ba ka damu da rayuwar ka da lafiyar ka ba I know your family cares, other people around you also cares… ya kamata ka yi kiwon lafiyarka ko don saboda su. I’m highly disappointed da zuwana gidanka, because I hate it”.
Ta dauki jakarta za ta fita, taku biyu ta yi ya sha gabanta.
“Please Halima excuse me, na yi miki alkawarin zan bari a hankali, it is not easy in bari a lokaci guda. I’m always bored with work in na dawo gida sabida banda iyali da za su debe min kewa.
A ofis aiki, a gida aiki, so ina dan zuka kadan, in sami sanyi a zuciyata”.
“Wane irin sanyi ne a smoke (hayaki)?”
Halima ta tambaya tana kokarin danne bacin ranta.
“Ka yi karatun Alqur’ani mana maganin kore kowacce damuwa ne, ko ka yi auren, ai kana da halin yin sa i'm sure”.
Ta sa kai za ta wuce, bai san sanda ya riko hannunta ba. Cikin mantawa da cewa Ogiyarsa ce,
“It’s a promise zan bari Halimah, please bear with me. Na yi maki alkawari daga ranar da na yi aure I will quit smoking”.
Halima ba ta da abin cewa, sabida yadda ya bi ya narke mata tamkar mijin da ke gaban matarsa. A hankali ta zame hannunta daga nashi, shi kuma ya kasa dauke ido a kanta. Jakarta ta bude ta fiddo magungunan malaria da paracetamol da ta sayo masa a hanya, ta dora a kan hannun kujera. Kanta a kasa ta ce,
“Make sure ka sha magani yanzu”.
Ta sa kai ta fice daga falon zuciyar ta na racing a cikin kirjin ta akan dalilin da ba ta sani ba. Watakila hakan na da nasaba da hannunta da Hashim ya rike, wani abu da babu namijin da ya taba kwatantawa a gare ta. Ta jima cikin mota kanta kwance a kan sitiyari kafin ta tada motar a kasalance ta bar estate din zuciyarta na ci gaba da tsere a sararin kirjinta.
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BABI NA HUDU
Engnr. Halima Zubair zaune a kujerarta mai juyawa dama zuwa hagu. Washegarin zuwanta gidan Hashim. Takarda ce a hannunta wadda ta fito daga ofishin Chairman. Hashim na daga gefenta a tsaye yana jira ta gama nazarin takardar ta ba shi amsa don ya san yadda zai tsara musu komai. Takarda ce ta gayyatar taron ma’aikatan sadarwa na duniya wanda za a yi a kasar Holland birnin Malta. Inda ofishin Chairman ya turata ta wakilci Nigerian Communications Commission a matsayin ta na mataimakiyar shugaba. Mutum uku daga ofishinta za su tafi karkashin rakiyarta; P.A dinta, Hashim Yakasai, Adama Joseph, (akawun ofishi) sai daya daga cikin lauyoyinsu Attorney Alkasim Bello. Da tana da halin zamewa wannan tafiya da ta yi, sabida a rayuwarta Halima ba ta son hawa jirgin sama ko kadan.
A daddafe ta gama karatu, kuma tun dawowarta daga Mexico ba ta kara hawa jirgi ta fita kasar waje ba.
To amma Daddy yana da uzuri zai je Porthearcourt wata seminar din shi da Hanan, sannan wannan taron yana da matukar muhimanci ga ma'aikatar su domin dukkan ma’aikatan hukumomin sadarwa na duniya sun tura deligates din su. Kamar yadda ita da tawagarta su ne deligates din Nigerian Communications Commission.
Ba tare da nuna damuwa a kan fuskarta ba, Halimah ta ce, ya rubuta takardar approval zuwa ofishin Chairman. Wato ta amince za ta yi tafiyar ke nan.
Tun jiya da ta dawo gidan Hashim ta ke jin kanta wani irin sukuku! Komai na duniya ya daina yi mata dadi, zuciyarta ke mata wassafe-wassafe da kissime-kissime iri-iri duk a kan Engnr. Hashim. Jikin ta da zuciyarta yana kokarin gaya mata; ita HALEEMAH ta rasa wani bangare mafi muhimmanci a rayuwar diya mace. Ga dai kudi; ga mukami; ga mulki; ga tarin ilmi; ga motoci kirar jiya-jiya, amma babu life-supporter and partner. Hashim da yake namiji ya kasa jure nashi loneliness din har sai da ya hada da quenching dinsa da smoking.
To ita kwaya za ta sha ko cocaine za ta shaka ya gusar mata da nata kadaicin? Za ta iya rantsuwa jiya har mafarki ta yi da Hashim cikin wata irin rayuwa da ba ta ko son tunawa sabida nauyinta.
Don haka ne yau tunda ta zo ofis ta kasa hada ido da Hashim Yakasai, order kawai ta ke ba shi, kanta na kasa. Suna cikin magana Hanan ta bude kofar ofishin ta shigo babu ko daukar excuse.
“Sis Leemah, ashe Holland za ki tafi shi ne ni za'a kada ni wata Porthearcourt?”
Idanunta suka kai kan Hashim, dake tsaye a gefen daman Halimah, sai ta ga kamar ta san shi, somewhere else, nan da nan kwakwalwarta ta tariyo mata inda ta sanshi...…
“This irresponsible man…...!”
Ta fada da karfi,99 tana nuna shi da dan alin ta.
“How dare you enter here?”
Halima ta dago kai ta balla mata harara.
“He’s my P.A”.
“Kina nufin wai shi ne P.A din da ki ka dauka?”
Halima ta gyada mata kai.
Hanan ta hau masifa tana fadin da ta san shi ne da ba ta bada offer ba, ya yi mata rashin kunya randa ya zo.
Halima ta harare ta, ta ce, “Yanzun ma ai sai ki kore shi in kin isa, please me ki ke so? Kin zo kina sa min ciwon kai”.
Hanan ta yi kwafa ta juya ta fice tana fadace-fadacenta wanda ba ta rabo da shi. Allah da ya halicce ta ya halicce ta ne da mita da rashin mantuwa. Sannan gata da wuyar afuwa. Halima ta juya side din da yake ba tare da ta dube shi ba, ta ce,
“I’m sorry, kanwa ta tana da hayaniya, sannan ga rigima”.
Dan murmushi ya yi.
“Kada ki damu, na dade da gane hakan, ni na yi mata laifi ai, na tsaya ina ta kallon ta the very first time i saw her (as a baby Human Resource Manager), ina ta mamaki ne sabida kankantar ta, to the extent that I’m lost a cikin kallon ta, shi ne abin da ya ba ta haushi”.
Nan ya labarta mata yadda suka yi da Hanan a ranar da ya zo.
Halimah ta yi ta dariyar da ba ta shirya ba. Son girma irin na Hanan na bata mamaki.
“Ashe Hanan ce ta sa aka yi kwallo da kai a kan kwalta?”
Dan murmushi ya yi, domin ya shagala da kallon dariyar ta, wani abu mai kyau da bai taba gani daga gare ta ba; kamar furen fulawa ta koma don kyau. Shi kadai ya san a halin da ya kwana jiya a kan Halimah, zazzabi ya warke, sai zazzabin tunanin Halima da wani irin daddadan feeling akan ta da ya maye gurbin sa.
Kamar Halima ta san hakan, tun daga ranar ta ke dojewa haduwar su. Ta fi yin magana da shi ta waya ba ta kiransa face to face domin a duk sanda ta ganshi kwana ta ke mafarkinsa cikin wata irin rayuwa da ba za ta iya kwatantawa ba. Don gujewa sharrin shaidan, sai ta takaita haduwar su.
Cikin sati daya shirye-shiryen tafiyar su Holland ya kammala, visar su ta zo hannun su.
Prof. ya tara su su ukun ana i-gobe za su tafi, ya jaddada musu su kula masa da Halimah, kada su barta ta yi komai da zai wahalar da ita. Adama Joseph ta tabbatar ta ci abinci sau uku a rana, kuma a kan lokaci.
Alkasim Bello ya dinga rubuta mata rahoton komai, shi kuma P.A ya san aikinsa dama, hatta jakar hannun ta yana so ta kasance karkashin kulawarsa.
Halima ba za ta gaji da jin kunya ba a duk lokacin da Daddy ya yi wa ma’aikatan NCC wannan keke-da-keke a kanta ko a kan Hanan. Su kam har sun saba, ba ya zame musu sabon abu.
Tun a airport za ka fahimci irin girman da ma’aikatan ke baiwa Halimah. Trolley dinta na hannun Hashim tare da tasa, yayin da handbag dinta ke hannun Adama Joseph. Hatta wayar hannunta sai an bugo Adama ke daukowa ta mika mata.
A cikin jirgin Ethiopian air ita da Hashim suna a first class seats yayin da Alkasim da Adama ke can economy class.
Prof. ya sanya P.A a first class kusa da ita ne saboda kada ta nemi wani taimako babu ko dayansu a kusa da ita. Dadin dadawa komai nata har ipad dinta yana hannun Hashim din.
Kujerarta na kusa da tasa, tana daga jikin taga. Lokacin da jirgi ya karci kasa zai daga cikin ta ya yi hautsinawar da yake yi in ta shiga jirgi. Ba shiri ta kama hannun Hashim da dukkan karfin ta ta kankame sosai tana salati, ba tare da ta san abin da ta yi ba.
Har sai da jirgi ya daidaita a sararin samaniyar subhana, sannan ta iya dawowa hayyacinta, ta kuma lura da abin da ta yi. Kunya ta kam ta. Shi kam Hashim kallonta kawai yake yi, ya kasa dauke ido a kanta. Cikin jin kunyar abin da ta aikata ta sakar masa hannu tare da gyara zama cikin kujerarta, a hankali ta ce da shi,
“Sorry, bana son karar tashin jirgi, ina shiga ne kadai idan ya zame min dole”.
Hashim wanda ke kokarin sanya ear-piece a kunnensa ya ce, “I can relate’. Da haka ya kunna karatun Alkur’ani ya sa a kunnensa. Tun daga ranar da Halima ta yi masa fada a kan sauraron Alkur’ani maimakon smoking ya ke kokarin kamantawa, ya mayar da shi abin jinsa. Ba surar da yake jin dadin sauraro irin Suratul Yusufa.
Halima ta ga sai lumshe ido yake yi, ta kasa yin shiru ta ce.
“Are you listenig a music?”
Bai ji ta ba, sai da ta bubbuga hannun kujerarsa.
“Na ce is it a music you are listening?”
A hankali ya bude kwayar idanunsa wadda dogayen gassun idonsa suka lullube. Halima ji ta yi wani abu ya tsirga a zuciyar ta da ilahirin gangar jikin ta. Yaa Allah! He is so handsome fiye da duk sanin da ta yi masa a baya, ko kuma watakila don ba ta taba zama so close da shi irin haka ba ne? Lokaci guda duk wani tunani nata ya soma fita daga saiti, gangar jikinta ta shiga karbar wasu irin sakonni da ba ta taba ji a rayuwarta ba.
Hashim ya sa hannu ya cire ear-piece daya daga kunnensa na dama ya sanya a kunnenta daya. Bai sani ba gabadaya ba ta cikin nutsuwa, the call of nature (sha’awa) irin wanda Ubangiji ya halitta a tare da kowace baligar diya mace mai shekaru da koshin lafiya kamar nata; na babu abin da ya yi saurawa mace a rayuwa sai wannan, shi ne ya ziyarce ta a wannan lokacin. Rufe idanunta ta yi a lokacin da ya makala mata ear-piece din a kunnenta na dama, suka ci gaba da sauraron karatun tare. Nutsuwa na saukar musu. Karatun da ya nutsar da zuciyar Halima, ya kawo saiti cikin rudanin gangar jikinta, daga sabon unexpressable feelings din da ya ziyarce ta akan Hashim.
Tsoron Allah ya cika mata zuciya, ta amince shaidan ya ziyarce ta a 'yan dakikan da suka gabata, dole ta kara taka-tsan-tsan a cikin mu’amalarta da Hashim. Ta gama lura zuciyarta na matukar sonsa, so mai tsanani, wanda ke sabbaba mata sha’awarsa, wanda ta san hakan haramun ne a cikin musulunci.
Daga ita har Hashim lumshe idanu kawai suka yi, suna sauraron suratu Yusufa, abincin da aka ajiye musu ba su ko kalle shi ba. Kamshin turarensa na shiga hancin ta a hankali. Zukata kadai ke aiki, aikin da baki ba zai iya furtawa ba.
Duba da matsayin da kowanne yake da shi ga dan uwansa (hierarchy of social class). A zuciyar sa Hashim ya san ko feelings zai kashe shi, ko so zai yi karshen numfashin sa, Halimah Numan, haka zai ganta ya bar ta. Ta fi karfinsa ta kowane bangare, bai san me ya sa zuciyarsa ta yi masa wannan lahanin ba a kan Halimah, zuciyar sa ba ta yi masa adalci ba ko kankani in dai Halimah ta zaba.
Yayin da Halimah ke kissima wace irin sa’a za ta yi idan Hashim ya zamo mahadin rayuwarta? Wace hanya za ta bi Hashim ya so ta irin son da zuciyarta ke masa? Ba ta daga ido ta hango wani hierarchy ba irin wanda shi yake hangowa. Ko gargadin Daddy a gare su. Abin da zuciyarta ke gaya mata kawai, “This is her Mr. Right, her soul-mate", wanda Ubangiji ya assasa kaunarsa a ruhinta, don sanin cewa shi ne daidai da rayuwarta.
Har aka soma shelar daura belt jirgi zai sauka a garin Malta Hashim da Halima suna cikin halin da suke ciki, idanuwa a lumshe, da warin ear-piece a kunnen kowannen su. Har sai da wata ma’aikaciyar jirgi ta zo kansu ta yi musu magana. Ita kam Halima ba ta ma ji ta ba, sai jin hannayen Hashim ta yi zagaye da ita yana fastening mata belt din. Wannan ya ba ta damar shakar masculine turarensa da kyau (Eternity Moment). Ta kara lumshe ido ta kankame jikinta wuri guda lokacin da jirgin ya karci kasa, ya soma zura gudu a kan kwalta da irin karar da ba ta so. Ba ta san lokacin da ta kara kankame hannuwan Hashim ba, har sai da ya gama gudunsa ya tsaya waje daya sannan ta sake shi tana sauke ajiyar zuciya.
Ko da suka fito daga jirgi jakar hannunta ta karba daga hannun Adama, suna tafe zuwa inda motoci suke tana kokarin roaming layin ta don kiran Daddy don gaya masa sun sauka lafiya, yayin da Hashim ke fidda musu jakunkunan su. Suka samu motar da za ta dauke su zuwa masauki tana jiransu, nan aka kwashe su zuwa Star Hotel Malta.
Dakin da aka bai wa Halima duk ya fi nasu girma da kayatuwa. Tana shiga ta fada wanka, kafin ta fito abinci na jiranta. A saukake ta yi kwalliya cikin doguwar riga dark blue mai adon duwarwatsu masu haske, ta zauna don ta ci abinci, amma kawai sai ta samu kanta da kasa kai ko loma daya a bakinta, ba tare da ta san halin da Hashim ke ciki ba.
Mikewa ta yi don fita zuwa dakinsa ba tare da tunanin komai ba. Dacewa ko rashin dacewar hakan, kawai ita so ta ke ta ganshi in ba haka ba, ba za ta samu nutsuwar yin komai ba.
Tana kokarin fita yana kokarin shigowa, sai suka yi karo garam! Da goshinsu. Hashim ya dan ja da
