Ka Ce Ba Ka Ji?

I made a mental note of how late I would be out tonight sannan na kira kani na Abdul. Akan dubu biyar muka yi ciniki. I’ll pay him idan zai bude min kofa na shiga gida.

“But I gave you 3k last time now” I protested. 

He laughed and said “to ko dai nayi bacci na ne?”

“Mayen kudi. I will pay when I get home.”

Umma called a few minutes later to ask how my siblings and I were doing. She always does that when she is on Call at the hospital. Umma is a Nurse, Baba kuma Principal ne a wata boarding school ta gwamnati. Yana can kauyen da makarantar take. We lack nothing as an average family.

Na shirya mata karyar komai lafiya kuma ni ina daki saboda muna da test gobe a school. She prayed for my success like always. I shamelessly said ‘amin’ without an iota of guilt. Jollyment ke jira na if there is such a word. Waya ce ta shigo min muna magana nayi mata sallama na amsa kiran.

“Baby boy ka fito kuwa? Na ji shiru.”

I smiled mischievously before informing her na iso hotel din, ina lobby. She told me the room number again. Jiki na rawa na shiga elevator. Yau zan gwangwaje ba karya. I was introduced to Sugar mummies by a friend. Been at it for a year now. Na kori kowa two weeks ago bayan mun fara Magana da new catch dina. She is beautiful from the pictures we exchanged. Kudi kuwa har na sake waya da wanda ta turo min. 

Kofar dakin na kwankwasa and she asked ko ni ne daga ciki.

“Ni ne Sweet Maama. Ki shirya don ina shigowa zan fara yi miki ruwan kisa kisai.”

She giggled excitedly like a teen “can’t wait.”

A hankali aka bude kofar nayi tozali da abar kaunata. She looked beautiful kamar a hotunanta. Da ganin fatarta ka san matar manyace, an ci an tada kai da bugun Abuja. Na ware hannuwa zan fara aikin da ya kawoni tayi ciki ta barni da su a iska. Haka na bi bayanta muna tafiya tana rangwada. Zan zauna ta nuna min kofar da mu ka shigo.

“Koma ka cire takalman ka.”

She had that no nonsense umarni tone which annoyed me given that I am not here as a twenty-two-year-old which is not even half her age. Kauna ce ta kawo ni kuma ita na zo mu nuna wa juna,

Da shagwaba na buga kafa ina kashe mata idanu “gaskiya ni ke ce za ki cire min.”

The way she rolled her eyes and gave me a dirty look sai da zuciya ta tayi skipping. I obediently removed them silently remembering my Umma. Her phone rang and she smiled at me.

“Zan amsa waya, jira ni.”

She had an accent when she speaks in Hausa. So, it was not surprising when she started talking in Yoruba. I found myself smiling saboda ina fahimtar duk abin da take cewa without her knowing. She wouldn’t expect that from a typical Hausa boy living in the North. I have lived in Lagos for seven years with my Aunt tun daga yaye. A can na fara school har na gama primary kafin na dawo gida. 

Idanun mu akan juna su ke muna exchanging smiles as she kept talking.

“Ya riga ya iso kuma ya dace da kwatancen irin wanda ake so.” She was silent briefly “its fortunate kamar yadda ku ke so ba maraya bane, yace duka iyayensa suna da rai.” 

Lokaci guda na shiga matsanancin tashin hankali. Cikina ya kulle saboda fargabar da na shiga. Ga wani zazzabi from nowhere. Wace ce it? Me za su yi da ni? I didn’t want to react kada ta fahimci na gane abin da take cewa. Cigaba da zama kuma will be more than foolish. 

Ta yi min nuni da hannu na sha lemo. Na kai hannu na dauka. My palms were all sweaty amma ban kula ba. Na kawo glass din bakina to hide my reaction naji ta ce,

 “Maganin da na saka masa a juice will make him sleep har ku gama cirewa. Ni dai aikin jini ne bana so ku barni da shi saboda haka ku yi a hankali. Ko ku taho da professional mahauci.”

I choked as I spit the juice out and let the glass fall on the rug as if by accident. My eyes were bulging out of their socket saboda tari. Ta taho da wayar a hannu tana kallona suspiciously. 

“Toilet please, cikina ne ya murda.” Na sami kaina da cewa kafin ta tambayeni

She wanted to help me up naki amincewa. Ta nuna min da hannu. Na kama kofar zan bude ta ce “kayi sauri ka zo a fara ruwan kisa kisan ko.”

My tongue refused to move. I was numb with fear. Especially when she switched to Yoruba again and told the other person na sha juice din kadan. It will take about 30 minutes to put me down.

My heart sank deeper in my chest…

What do you think is happening?

To be continued…