DIYAM CHAPTER 2
Tana saka kaya Murjanatu ta shigo dakin, daga ganin fuskarta Diyam tasan akwai problem, ta ajiye skirt din hannunta tana bawa Murjanatu data zauna a kan gado dukkan attention dinta. Ta daga gira daya sama tace “me yace kuma?” Murjanatu tace “he asked me about Judith” Diyam ta hade rai tace “what about her” Murjanatu tace “he asked wai bata kawo mana maza gida? Na gaya masa bata kawo wa but he didn’t sound convinced.” Ta sunkuyar da kanta kasa tace “am afraid he is going to send her away” Diyam ta dafe kanta tana zagaye dakin da bacin rai a fuskarta sannan tace “tell him nace Judith is my friend, if he wants to get to her he will have to go through me. Ni na kawo ta gidan nan, in yana son ya kore ta sai ya fara kora ta tukunna” Murjanatu ta saka hannayenta biyu ta toshe kunnuwanta tace “ba dani ba, bani Murjanatu ba. Uwata ta daina haihuwa ballantana ta sake haifo ni” Judith ta bude dakin ta leko kanta tace “hey girls, food is ready” sai kuma ta tsaya tana kallon yadda suke kokarin kakaro murmushi.1 A bayan lecture hall dinsu ta hango Sadiq. Shi kadai kamar kullum, da sigari a hannunsa kamar kullum, tayi saurin dauke kanta ganin yana kokarin juyowa. Amma sai ta tsaya a kofar hall din bata shiga ba tana so taga yau zai shiga ko yauma zamansa zaiyi a waje. Sai da aka kusan fara lecture din sannan ya taho, a gabanta a jefar da sigarin hannunsa ya saka kafa a murje ta, zai wuce Diyam tace ” you know smokers tend to die young ko?” Ya kalleta for some seconds, ya busa mata hayakin bakinsa yace cikin husky voice “says who? I can’t believe malama kamar ki ta yarda da wannan saying din. Kin manta kaddara? Ina islamiyyar taki ta tafi?” Ta sa hannu ta kade hayakin daya huro mata tace “maybe ni da kai munyi understanding kaddara differently. Tell me why do we pray? Why do we struggle? Me yasa muke neman duniya kuma muke neman lahira in dai har an riga an rubuta komai, me yasa ba zamu kwanciyar mu ba mu jira abinda aka rubuta mana yazo ya same mu. Yes kaddara rubuyacciya ce, major abubuwan da zasu faru a rayuwar mu a rubuce suke but what is in between depend on choices din da muke making. Wannan shine fahimtata. Yes, kamar yadda ka fada shekarun da aka rubuta maka ba zasu chanza ba amma how you are going to spend them depend on you, ko dai kayi spending dinsu healthy and happy in ka daina shan sigari ko kuma kayi spending dinsu with lung cancer in ka cigaba da smoking” ya kalle ta daga sama har kasa yace “go to hell, both you and your preaching” ya shige class din ya barta a tsaye. Taji zafin maganar sa amma sai ta hadiye ta bishi a baya. Suna shiga class din wani guy ya kalli Sadiq yace “the Nigerian guy. Why do you skip madam Sally’s class yesterday, don’t you want to depend your country anymore?” Sadiq yayi banza dashi ya shige ya samu guri ya zauna. Sannan yan ajin suka juyo gabaki daya suka zubawa Diyam ido, ta yi gyaran murya tace cikin harshen turanci “abinda na fada rannan gaskiya ne, gaskiya ne based on sani na. Shima kuma musa min din da yayi gaskiya ne based on sanin sa. We may have come from the same country but we live in different worlds. Muna zama cikin different mutane, muna kallon rayuwa from different perspectives. My being right doesn’t makes him wrong. You as potential lawyers should know that” duk yan ajin suka kada mata kai cike da gamsuwa sannan ta wuce ta shige seat din karshe ta zauna. Madam na shigowa ta fara tambayar Diyam “will you like to continue with that day’s argument?” Diyam ta girgiza kai tace “no ma’am, it’s okay” ta juya gurin Sadiq tace “what about you, are you satisfied as well?” ya gyada kai yace “am okay ma’am. We now understand each other” sai ya juya a hankali ya kalli Diyam, itama ta dago kai suka hada ido and she smiled at him, a take ya fahimci cewa she have the brightest smile he have ever seen. Bayan sun gama dukkan lectures dinsu, ta fito tana tsaye tana jiran Murjanatu sai gashi ya taho, ya tsaya dan nesa da ita kadan yace “waiting for a friend?” Ta daga murya tace “yeah” sai kuma taga ya zo zai wuce ta, tace “my name is Haleema. Haleema Usman Kollere. But people call me Diyam” ya gyada kai yace “I am Sadiq, Sadiq Abubakar Sadiq. Most people call me Bassam. You can call me that as well”.2 Tayi murmushin ta mai kyau tace “nice to meet you Bassam” ya danyi dariya yana jujjuya kai yace “You have a beautiful smile, very beautiful. Ban san me yasa ba kya yawan yinsa ba. Ta daga gira daya sama tace “if it is beautiful than it is precious kenan. Abu mai tsada kuma kasan ba’a ko ina ake ajjiye shi ba” ya sake dariya, his eyes twinkling, amma bai ce komai ba, tace “and you. Ban dauka ka iya dariya ba” ya gyara fuskarsa yace “believe me, I do laugh alot. Yanzu ne dai I am in kind of not laughing situation. But na miki alkawari in na fita daga ciki we will laugh more” daga haka ya juya da sauri ya bar gurin.1 Yana tafiya Murjanatu tana karasowa. Tana kallon bayansa tace “who is that guy? Amma ya hadu fa” Diyam tayi murmushi bata ce komai ba, Murjanatu ta sake cewa “ko shine rannan kuke maganar sa da Judith?” Suka jera suna tafiya da Diyam tace “yeah shine” Murjanatu ta bata rai tace “then it is official, gaskiya ina taya yayana kishi. Lallai ma Diyam din nan” ta turo baki, Diyam tace “oh ashe baku hadu ba daga ke har yayan naki tunda insecurity yana damunku. Ashe kujerar taku bata kafu ba, ai hausawa sunce fargaba asarar namiji” Murjanatu ta harari bayan Bassam da har yanzu suna iya hango shi tace “ohh dama wancan namiji ne? Ai na dauka macece ta aske kanta ta saka wando. Ai wannan yana ganin yayana zai narke a gurin dan tsoro. Wannan daga ganin sa rainon madara da cerelac ne, yayana kuwa tuwon biski yaci da kunu dan haka ba sa’an sa bane wallahi” Diyam da take ta dariya tace “naga alama kam. Tuwon biskin ne yasa kansa yayi tauri da yawa” ta fada tana lakucewa Murjanatu hanci, Murjanatu tace “ouch, sai kin nane min hancin kinsa na rasa mashinshini?” suka yi dariya baki daya, sannan Murjanatu ta fara rokon Diyam akan ta fita dasu yawo yau da yamma “Please, Please Diyam, this routine is killing me slowly, ai ance taba kida taba karatu ko?” Diyam tace “sai jibi weekend sai muje muyi siyayyar abubuwan da bamu dasu a gida” Washegari Friday, Diyam tana zaune a seat dinta tana rubutu taji ance “hi Diyam” ta dago tana kallonsa bata ce komai ba, sai kuma ya shafa kansa yace “Assalamu alaikum” tace “ameen wa alaikas salam Bassam” ya kalli seat din kusa da ita yace “can I?” Ta gyada kai ba tare data dago ba. Ya zauna ya fito da book dinsa pretending to be reading amma ita tasan ba karatun yake ba. Can ya ajiye littafin yayi tagumi yana kallonta yace “can I ask you something?” Ba tare da ta kalleshi ba tace “sure” yana taping hannunsa akan desk yace “me yasa ake ce miki Diyam? It means water right? Me yasa ake ce miki water?” Ta daina rubutun ta na kallonsa tace “maybe I am as important as water is to some people” yayi dariya yace “your boyfriend maybe” tayi murmushi kawai. A lokacin lecturer din su ya shigo, ya gyara zamansa yace “boring, boring, boring” ta sake murmushi kawai tana wandering me yake yi a makarantar in bashi da interest a karatun.Yana tashi da safe kamar kullum abinda ya fara yi shine duba wayarsa, hopping to see ko dan text message ne ko da kuwa daga brother dinsa ne amma kamar kullum nothing, ya runtse idonsa ya bude, haushin su yake ji gabaki dayansu, wato suna nufin zasu iya cire shi daga rayuwarsu ko? Suna nufin zasu iya shafe babinsa su manta dashi, wato suna nufin koma me zai same shi basu da problem ko?+ Ya sake duba account balance dinsa yaga kudin ciki ko ticket ba zai siya masa ba in ma yace gidan zai koma. Jin dadinsa daya ya biya kudin hotel room dinsa in advance tun kafin suyi blocking dinsa daga family account. Ya jima yana tunanin abinyi sannan yayi scrolling through contact dinsa ya nemo number din brother n sa ya tura masa text message. Ya duba wallet dinsa ya ga cash din daya rage masa, yayi tsaki tare da komawa ya kwanta a ransa yace “makarantar ma ba za’a je din ba”. Ya jima a kwance sannan kuma ya mike da sauri ya shiga toilet, ya yanke shawarar abinda zaiyi. Idan ba zasu turo masa kudi ba to shi zai nemi kudi da kansa. Yana gama shiryawa ya tafi wani sabon mall da aka bude nan kusa da hotel ɗin sa, tunda sabon guri ne yasan suna bukatar ma’aikata dan haka yaje ya nemi aikin salesman, bai sha wahala ba saboda yadda suka ganshi fes fes dashi dan gayu suka bashi aikin, zasu ke biyansa daily kuma pay din babu laifi, at least ya samu kudin abinci kafin komai ya warware masa. A bangaren Diyam kuwa yau Saturday tun da suka tashi suke aikin sanitation din gidan kamar yadda suka saba yi duk sati. Sai da suka share ko’ina suka goge sannan ta shiga toilet tayi wanka ta fito ta tsaya gaban mirror tana kallon reflection dinta. She have come a long way. Last year kamar yanzu in aka ce mata zata zo inda take a yanzu she won’t believe it, her life have been so fast, so dramatic and so challenging kuma she have succeeded all those challenges har ta kawo inda take a yanzu. Ta dauki mai tana shafawa a hankali tana noticing irin laushi da santsin da fatar ta take kara yi kullum, tabbas weather din London ta karbe ta.5 Sai kuma taji tana kewar gida, ta gama shiryawa ta fita parlor ta zauna jiran su gama su fito su tafi shopping kamar yadda suka shirya. Anan ta dauko wayarta tana noticing time sannan ta kira Inna. Bugu daya ta dauka daga dukkan alamu tayi missing dinta itama. Ta gaishe ta, Inna tana ta tambayarta lafiyar ta data Murjanatu, sannan Diyam tace “ya naji ki shiru? Ina rigimammiyar taki ne?” Inna tace “babanta yazo ya dauke ta sun fita” Diyam ta lumshe idonta ta bude tace “ya zo garin kenan?” Inna tace “eh dazu da safe yazo, shine ya dauketa suka fita wai za’a siya mata keke, ko me zatayi da keke tana mace? Yace min ai zuwa nan da wani satin zai samu yazo ya ganku” Diyam ta kawar da maganar ta hanyar cewa “sun shirya kenan, shi da yar tasa” Inna tace “ina fa? Ta dai bishi da kyar. Daga gani ba da son ranta ba dan dai babu yadda zatayi” Diyam ta kwantar da kanta a jikin kujera tana jin duk tension din data bari a Nijeriya yana dawo mata. A hankali tace “ki gaishe ta inta dawo, a gaishe min da Asma’u” suka yi sallama lokacin da Judith da Murjanatu suka fito kusan a tare. Duk su ukun suka tafi shopping din a tare, Diyam tana driving, Judith a side dinta Murjanatu kuma a baya. Annashuwa suke ji suna ta wake waken su da dararrakinsu. Murjanatu ce tace su je sabon mall din da wata kawarta tagaya mata an bude, nan take suka karbi address din suka saka a GPS ya kaisu har kofar mall din. Suka fito suka yi locking motar suka shiga suna yaba kyau da haduwar gurin. Suna shiga suka ji ance “welcome, what do you want to buy today” suka juya gaba dayansu a tare, idon Diyam ya sauka a kan Bassam da yake kallonsu da murmushi a fuskarsa, for the first time ta ganshi babu cigarette amma headphone din yana nan sai dai ya sauko dashi wuyansa, three-quarters wando da farar riga mai tambarin mall din wadanda suka kama shi suka fitar da ainahin cikar zatin sa. Cikakkiyar sumar kansa a taje a gyare tas. He looks so handsome and matured. Nan take murmushin nasa ya bace, ita kuma ta fara yi tace “Bassam?” Ya shafa kansa ya juya baya yace “damn it” Diyam tayi dariya tana zagayo wa gabansa tace “wow. This is no nice of you Bassam. Mutum mai dogaro da kansa ba sai ya jira an yi masa ba, ka burge ni sosai. And you look good” ta fada tana kallonsa daga sama har kasa. Ya kalle ta shima yace “you don’t look bad yourself” tace “thanks” sannan ta gabatar dashi a gurin su Murjanatu wadda tunda ta ganshi ta gane shi ta kuma bata rai take ta zabga masa harara. Amma ba karya, ita kanta tasan kyakykyawa ne. Shi ya zagaya dasu zuwa gurin duk abinda suke son siya, in sun je kuma zaiyi musu bayanin different brands na abinda zasu siya da kuma banbancinsu. A haka suka yi ta lodar kaya kamar Allah ya aiko su, kayan abinci kayan kwalliya kayan sawa, kayan ciye ciye da kayan shiririta, har sai da Bassam da kansa ya tsorata da siyayyar tasu yana gudun kar su je biya kudin su ya gaza suzo suji kunya kuma shi gashi bashi da kudin da zai biya musu amma dai sai yayi shiru. Amma suna zuwa gurin biya sai yaga ta basu credit card, ya dauke numfashin sa yana jiran yaji ance insufficient fund amma sai yaga an ciri kudin an miko mata card dinta. Nan aka loda musu kayan a manyan ledoji aka bawa labourers su kai musu mota, shi kuma ya bisu da niyyar ya tare musu cab amma sai yaga sun doshi wata lafiyayyar mota sun bude an saka musu kayan a ciki. Ya tsaya yana mamaki, a car? Student? In UK? Who is she? She definitely is not on scholarship kamar yadda ya dauka daga farko. Ya zagaya side dinta ya dafa windown yace “so, this is your car?” Tayi dariya tace “not mine, ara nayi from a friend of mine” tana jin Murjanatu tayi gyaran murya amma bata kula ta ba. Tace “to naga gurin aikin ka, zanke kawo maka ziyara” ya daga kafada yace “it is just a temporary part time job, kafin inyi clearing some situation” ta gyada kai tace “the not laughing situation?” Yayi dariya yace “yeah, one and the same” tace “da fatan ba zai ke hana ka zuwa school ba kamar yadda ya hana ka zuwa ranar Friday” ya kalle ta cikin ido yace “I will come, ko dan in ganki ma” tayi saurin fitar da idonta daga cikin nasa tace “see you on Monday then” suna jan motar daga gurin Murjanatu tace “you really are playing with fire” babu wanda ya bata amsa a cikin su. Daga nan basu koma gida ba sai suka shiga gari yawo, shiga can fita can suna ta bin GPS, suka tsaya wani restaurant suka ci abinci, suka je gidan wata kawar Murjanatu suka yi sallah, basu suka dawo gida ba sai yamma likis. Da dare Diyam na kwance a kan gadon ta, jikinta likis saboda gajiyar zirga-zirga da sukayi tayi duk da cewa a mota suke. Ita kanta taji dadin fitar duk da dai bata nuna wa Murjanatu a fuska ba, she maintained her serious face. Ta tashi ta dauki ledar sweets da biscuits din da ta siyo da yawa kamar wata yarinya, ta jera su a bedside drawers dinta sannan ta dauko ledar m and m’s ta kwanta ta na jefa wa a baki tana duba lecture note dinta. Wayarta dake gefenta ce tayi kara, tana dubawa taga alert na kudin daya haura wadanda ta kashe musu, ko bata tambaya ba tasan daga inda kudin suka taho. Ta danyi tsaki ta ajiye wayar dai dai shigowar wani text message din. Ta sake dauka ta karanta kamar haka: For the shopping you went to. Hope baki sha wahala da yawa ba. Kuma da fatan baki siyo sweets da yawa ba dan na sanki kamar shazumamu. Your Love.Ta kalli jakar alawar kusa da ita ta sake karanta text din sai kawai tayi murmushi, sai kuma ta bata rai ta mike da sauri ta tafi dakin Murjanatu. Ta tarar da ita tana arranging kayan kwalliyar data siyo tace “ke kika gaya masa munje shopping?” Ba tare data kalleta ba tace “sure. Wani abu ne” Diyam tayi tsaki tace “Will you please stop telling him duk abinda nake yi? I need some privacy and some space” Murjanatu dai bata ce mata komai ba har ta yi mata banging kofar ta tafi, sai kuma tayi murmushi a hankali tace “hypocrite”. Sai da Diyam ta gama duk abinda zata yi ta yi shirin bacci sannan ta dauko wayarta ta tura masa reply+ Thanks Ta jima tana kallon kalmar, tana so ta kara rubuta wasu kalaman no matter how small wadanda zasu nuna masa irin yadda take ji a zuciyarta a game dashi amma ta kasa. Bata so tayi giving up, not now, not ever. Haka ta tura masa kalmar guda daya ta koma ta kwanta tana jin ranta babu dadi. Bassam kuma ranar kasa bacci yayi, yayi ta tossing akan gadonsa. Abu na farko daya ke ransa shine sabon aikin daya samarwa kansa, yaji dadin aikin nasa sosai dan shi tunda yake bai taba aikin neman kudi ba, komai yi masa ake yi. Yanzu yasan at least bashi da fargabar running out of money. Abu na biyu kuma da yake ransa shine Diyam, ya rasa dalilin da yasa yarinyar ta tsaya masa a ransa tun encounter dinsu ta farko, he just can’t stop thinking about her. A haka har bacci ya dauke shi. Cikin dare ya farka idonsa ya sauka akan hoton Khausar dake kan bedside dinsa, ya saka hannu ya kife hoton ya juya ya cigaba da baccin sa. Ranar Monday ya rigata zuwa hall dinsu. Sai ya zauna akan kujerar da take kusa da wadda take zama koda yaushe ya dauko littafi yana bubbudawa kamar mai karanta wa amma sam hankalinsa baya kai, hankalin sa yafi karkata zuwa ga kofar da students suke shigowa zuciyarsa tana kara dokanta da son ganinta. Can ya ganta ta shigo, suna hada ido tayi masa murmushi and all his problems melted away. Tun kafin ta zauna lecturer dinsu ya shigo dan haka basu yi magana ba suka mayar da hankalinsu kan lecture. Amma Diyam tana lura dashi yafi mayar da hankalinsa gurin kallonta maimakon gurin lecture, and her heart sank. Lecturer yana fita ya juyo gaba-daya gurinta yace “so, miss Nigeria, you are from Yobe state, right?” Ta dan bata rai tana kallonsa tace “Yobe kuma?” Yace “eh, rannan kince min sunan ki Haleema Usman Kollere, and I know Kollere is in damagum local government, yobe state” tayi dariya tana rike baki tace “you are amazing” yayi murmushi proudly yace “I know my geography” ta mike tsaye tana zuba kayanta a jaka, shima ya mike, tace “You surely do, but I am not from Yobe. Kamar yadda na fada ranar nan ni yar kano ce, yes, my grandparents na uwa da uba duk fulanin Kollere ne amma ni a kano aka haifeni, kano ne a birth certificate dina dan haka kano nake amfani dashi” suka jera suna fita daga ajin tace “so you are from Abuja, where in Abuja are you from?” Yace “somewhere” ta tsaya a waje tana kallonsa tace “wayo ko? Wato ni na bude baki na gaya maka daga inda nake shine kai kuma zaka wani ce min somewhere ko?” Yace “a,a ke fa kawai kince min ke yar kano ce, kano ai tana da girma” direct tace masa “Municipal. Yakasai. Kai fa?” Ya sosa kai yana kallonta, taga bashi da niyyar fada tayi gaba tace “ohhh, I hate stingy people” ya biyo ta da sauri yace “I don’t want to lie to you, kinfi karfin haka. And I also don’t want to tell you yet” tace “saboda me?” Ya sake yin shiru. Ta karkata kai tana kallonsa tace “someone as shiny as you must have come from the Villa, not less” yayi dariya yace “You are wrong, ko kusa da Villa ban kai ba” tace “where then?” Ya kalli surrounding din gurin yace “ina zamuje ne naga mun fito waje” ta gane so yake ya chanja maganar tace “cafeteria, yunwa nake ji, I over slept har na makara kuma munyi fada da Murjanatu taki tashina” yayi dariya yace “me ya hadaku?” Tace “girl’s stuff, you won’t understand” ya rungume hannunsa a kirji yana kallonta yace “stingy, are we?” Tayi dariya tace “ba zaka gane ba fa” yace “okay, let’s go. Nima banyi breakfast ba”. Shi yayi musu order abinci, bacon and eggs, da coffee. Suka fara ci sannan yace “so, how did a Fulani girl daga rugar Kollere ta samu kanta a Oxford?” Ba tare data kalleshi ba tace “luck” yace “hmmm?” ta ajiye chokalin hannunta tana kallonsa tace “you talk about kaddara ranar nan ko? To ita ta kawo ni nan, I was destined to be here and here I am. How about you? How did a guy from somewhere in Abuja find himself here” shima yace “luck” ta daga gira daya sama tana kallonsa sannan yace “okay, I was lucky to be born into a wealthy family” tayi murmushi tace “Villa?” Yace “definitely not” sukayi dariya baki daya.6 Ranar kusan tare sukayi komai, har suka tashi daga school suka kuma tafi tare, sai daya rakata har bakin block dinsu sannan yayi mata sallama ya tare cab zuwa gurin aikinsa. Yana jin zuciyarsa fari kal kamar takarda, duk wani bacin rai da stress duk ya gushe daga ransa. He is finally finding happiness. Diyam kuma tana shiga parlon su ta yarda jakarta ta kwanta ta lumshe ido, tana jin Judith ta shigo parlon tana yi mata magana amma sai tayi pretending kamar bacci take yi nan kuwa idonta biyu, lissafi kawai take yi a ranta. Most of the time shi yasa tafi son zaman makaranta saboda in tana can tana mantawa ne da duk wasu problems dinta amma tana zuwa gida sai taji kamar damuwowinta jiranta suke yi a bakin kofa. Jiya da daddare sukayi rigima da Murjanatu, kuma ita tasan Murjanatu gaskiya take gaya mata, tasan yaudarar kanta kawai take yi taki admitting hakan. Ta dauko wayarta tana kallon hoton dake kan screen din tana murmushi, sai kuma ta shiga cikin ta fara kallon pictures tana ta dariya ita kadai. She missed Nigeria sosai, but wannan zaman da take, wannan karatun da take, shine kadai solution dinta a yanzu. Me yasa mutane including Murjanatu suka kasa fahimtar hakan? Sai bayan la’asar Murjanatu ta dawo. Kafin nan Diyam ta shirya musu pasta saboda tasan Murjanatu tana so duk dan su shirya. Tana shigowa kallo daya tayi wa Diyam ta kara tura baki gaba ta wuce daki, sai da tayi wanka ta shirya cikin riga da wando budaddu kalar ruwan toka da suka kara wa bakar fatar ta kyau sannan ta dawo parlon ta tsaya ta rike kugu tace “shine kika taho kika barni ko? Kuma na tambaya ance min tare da wannan tsinannen Bassam din kuka taho” Diyam ta mike zaune tace “ayyah Fanna, karki tsine masa, kinsan bakin ku dafi ne dashi, kar kisa ya tambade shi da baiyi miki komai ba” Murjanatu ta zauna ta dora daya kan daya tace “tunda yake kula matar yayana ai yayi min laifi, kuma wallahi daga ke har shi ku shiga hankalinku idan ba haka ba yana zuwa next week sai na gaya masa, kuma kunsan sauran” Diyam tace “oh oh, to gaya masan mana, an gaya miki kowama tsoronsa yakeji kamar ke, ni kinsan daga ke harshi dai dai nake daku. Naci nasha tsumin fulani barebari sai dai su ganni su barni” nan kuma suka koma wasan fulani da barebari, sannan suka ci abincinsu tamkar ba sune jiya suka yi fada ba.