sauki dan kusan zan iya cewa mun kammala, ana koya mana ne yadda za'a kula da twins din ana monitoring dinsu har su warware. Sai lokacin sultan ya samu damar fita dani yawon ganin gari, ai kuwa nasha gararamba lungu da sako na New York sai da ya shiga dani. A lokacin ne ya kaini gidan sa ya nuna min. Tun sanda yace min can zamu je na kudurta a raina cewa bazan shiga ba, muna zuwa yayi packing ya zagayo ya bude min kofa naki fitowa, ya tsaya yana kallona "ko sai na fito dake ne?" Nace "no kawai dai bazan shiga bane" in yayi mamaki ma ya boye bai nuna min ba yace "ohh really? Duk zirga2 da nake yi gurinki ke ko shiga ki saka min albarka a gida na baza kiyi ba? Thanks a lot" wani barin na zuciyata yace min, he is trying to control you, don't give in, na daga kafada nace "sorry, kawai dai naga kamar shiga gidan ka is way ahead of limit" shima kafadar ya daga yace "if you think so, amma matsalata guda daya ce, what I plan is in munzo nan zan barki anan zanje wani guri in karbo sako a gurin wani wanda gobe zai bar gari gobe kuma gurin da zamu hadu is no place for a lady especially lady din da ba zata iya shiga gidan fiancé dinta ba" na daga masa hannu nace "technically kai ba fiancé na bane yet" yayi murmushi tare da jingina da jikin motar yace "OK, yanzu ya kike so ayi?" Na kalleshi ya langwabar da kai side daya, na dauke kai a zuciyata ina cewa, don't fall for that, ya sake zagayo wa ta side din dana mayar da fuskata yace "na rasa me yasa har yanzu kin ki trusting dina, if I want something da tuni na karba, you are too precious for that, I just want you to see my house, nan shine inda na zauna for thirteen years, tun ina twelve years nake rayuwa a gidannan har na kai twenty five years" ba fito daga motar ina karewa gidan kallo, madaidaici ne, sama da kasa, da veranda a kofar gidan, gaba daya gidan a kewaye yake da flowers masu kyau. A hankali na tambayeshi "amma kai kadai ka zauna a gidan tun farkon zuwanka? Ina nufin girki da kula da gida" ya daga kafada yace "farkon zuwan mu akwai house help da driver da suke zuwa kullum, daga baya muka kore su muke kayan mu da kanmu, fifteen years na fara driving, Amir ya iya girku sosai, so we managed" na runtse ido na ina jin zafi a raina, sultan tun yana karamin yaro yake zaman kansa kuma a lalatacciyar kasa kamar America. Sultan ne ya dawo dani daga tunani na yace "look in baki yarda dani ba ga key ki bude ki shiga ki rufe kanki, just look around in na dawo sai mu tafi" ba kalleshi da tuhuma nace "how do I know baka da spare key?" Dariya yayi sosai yace "Wallahi bani da spare key, kinji na rantse miki dai" na karbi key din ina kunkuni na matsa baya, ya rufe kofar ya zagaya seat din driver ya shiga ya kunna motar yace "in kin shiga sama zaki hau, kasan anan friend dina yake zama, amma nace masa zamuzo dan haka ya fita" na gyada masa kai sai kuma ya tsaya yana kallona, na daga masa kafada alamar what? Yace "this is New York not Abuja, ki shiga ciki kiyi locking kofar sannan sai in tafi" Na turo baki na juya ina kallonsa yana yi min dariya har na shige cikin gidan na rufe kofa sannan ya tayar da motar ya tafi. Kallo daya na yiwa palon kasa na hau sama. Ina shiga wani katon hoton Sultan ba gani hannunsa rike da guitar fuskarsa da murmushi, akwai yarinta sosai a fuskarsa, na karasa gaban hoton ina kallonsa, na daga hannu a hankali na shafa fuskarsa ina jin wani sabon sonsa a raina, na shiga uku ni Maimunatu ya zanyi duk sanda aka raba ni da Sultan? Ba wani tarkace a palon amma kamar yadda nayi tsammani tas yake ko digon datti babu a ciki, na cigaba da kallon pictures din jikin bango, duk yawancin su shi da Amir ne, wani suna yara wani sun dan girma, gaskiya Allah ne kadai yasan shakuwar da take tsakanin Sultan da Amir. Wanj hoto ne ya dauki hankali na, Sultan ne da school uniform ana bashi gift a makaranta, gashin kansa a hargitse kamar wanda ya dawo daga filin dambe. So you are brilliant also. Na shiga bedroom dinsa naga gado ne kawai sai sif din kayan sa, na bude sif din a raina ina cewa kaima ai bude min kayana kake yi. Anan na saku baki ina kallo, sets din kaya ne sunfi karfin a kirgasu, a jere neatly, takalma, undies, p-caps abin ba'a magana. A raina nace dan gayu. Na koma kitchen naga babu kayan abinci amma akwai kayan electronics iri iri. Gaba na ne ya fadi da naga fridge, ko zan ga giya a ciki, a hankali na bude fridge din kamar mai taba wuta, na duba kaf banga alcoholic drink ba, na sauke ajjiyar zuciya na dauko orange juice na dawo palo na zauna ina sha.

Kamar daga sama naji ance "hello" a tsorace na juya saboda nasan nayi lucking kofa, wani black American na gani kansa ya sha kitso kamar wata budurwa a tsaye a bakin kofar palon. Na mike tsaye a tsorace ina kallonsa. Sosai naga shima ya tsorata yace da American English "Sorry, na dauka kun tafi shi yasa na dawo kuma banga mota ba sai kuma naga sama a bude, na dauka ya manta bai yi locking bane. Am so sorry, please karki fada masa" ajjiyar zuciya na sauke nace masa "babu komai" har ya juya zai tafi sai kawai wani tunani ya fado min a raina, this is my chance to know more about sultan. Da sauri nace masa "wait, at least tun da ka shigo ai ya kamata mu gaisa ko?" Da fara'ar sa ya dawo amma yana dan rarraba ido, daga dukkan alama Sultan ya kora masa warning akan zuwana. Na nuna masa kujera ya zauna nace "my name is Maimoon" yace "I know, sultan talk about nothing else" ya miko min hannunsa yace "I am Steve " nayi ignoring hannun daya miko min nace "so how long do you know Sultan?" Yace "as long as I can remember" na gyada kai nace "to yanzu misali in aka tambaye ka is he good, bad or in between me zaka ce " mamaki ne ya bayyana a fuskarsa yace "Sultan is more than good, he is the best person dana sani a rayuwata, duk wanda ya gaya miki wani abu bayan wannan karya yake yi. Ba dan Sultan va da yanzu ina cikin hoods ina trading drugs, he saw me through sec sch and college, bani kadai ba muna da yawa wadanda sultan ne uban mu a garin nan, cinmu, shan mu, suturar mu duk Sultan ne. Da akwai sanda za'a aiko masa da kudin makaranta daga gida sai ya dauka ya biya mana kudin makarantar mu sai ya aika gida yace kudin sun bata ko sun kare, muna kallo daddynsa zai aiko har gida azo a kama shi a rufe a cell, wani lokacin sai yayi sati sannan a fito dashi. Saboda Sultan ya ciyar damu ya koyi playing guitar, zai dauka ya tafi market square yayi playing ana bashi kudi in ya tara yazo ya siyo mana kayan abinci. Daga baya ya koyi art, sai yaje ya zana mutum ya biya shi kudi yazo ya raba wa mabukata. He once told me saboda orphans yake karatu, duk kudin da zai samu akansu zai karar, in dai yana da rai babu dan da zai yi kukan rashin gata" hawaye naji yana kokarin tahomin nayi sauri na mayar dashi, nace "naji ance kuma yana yin drugs da alcohol" ya bata rai sosai yace "drugs? No, not Sultan, he hates drugs, ko bashi da lafiya sai anyi da gaske yake shan kwaya ballantana haka kawai" na gyada kaina nace "alcohol?" Ya dauke idon sa daga nawa ya kalli gefe, he then shifted from one leg to another, as a psychologist, tin kafin yayi magana nasan amsar da zai bayar, a hankali yace "sometimes, but only when he is frustrated" nayi shiru na kasa yi masa wata tambayar kuma, ya cigaba da magana "he has a bad temper you know, yana da zuciya sosai, wani lokacin in ransa ya baci gaba dayan mu sai jikin mu ya gaya mana, it is his way of releasing his temper, baya harkar mata sam dan babu wanda zai ce ya taba ganin budurwar Sultan duk kuwa da 'yammatan da suke binsa kamar jela cos he is handsome you know and girl fall for his kind but baya kula su" ni dai kawai sauraronsa nake yi ina saving duk maganganunsa a kaina. Nan ya zauna yake ta zuba min labarai na rayuwar Sultan a America, wani inyi dariya wani kuma inji kamar zanyi hawaye. Muna haka mukaji tsayuwar mota, ya tsorata sosai ya mike yana leka window, dariya sosai abin ya bani, wato they respect and fear him at the same time. Nace masa "relax, ba shigowa zai yi ba" ya kalle ni yace "why? shida gidansa?" Nace "nice nace karya shigo" ina kallon sultan ya dauko wayarsa ya kira ni yace in fito mu tafi. Daga gidan bamu koma John Hopkins ba park ya kaini, muka zauna akan bench muka sha ice cream, anan nake tambayarsa "dama kana playing guitar baka taba min naji ba?" Ya danyi murmushi yace "kinga pictures dina kenan. Yes, ina playing guitar da, amma tunda na koma Nigeria na daina, one day zan yi miki kiji" sai gab da magrib sannan ya mayar dani, muna tsayawa yace 'akwai inda nake so in kaiki in an jima please, ki shirya zan zo around 8pm" serious tone din da yayi maganar dashi ne ya saka ni ban masa musu ba. 8 pm dai dai yazo ya kira ni a waya yace in fito, nayi shigar doguwa riga budaddiya, nayi rolling babban veil daya rufe min jikina sosai. Tunda na fito ya dora idonsa a kaina tamkar ba dazu muka rabu ba, nazo gabansa na tsaya nayi gyaran murya "kallon ya ishe ka haka malam" with seriousness yace "hace I ever told you you are beautiful?" Na juya idona nace "only a million times" yace "to bara in kara daya akai, you are very beautiful" yadda yake kallona yasa na rufe fuskata da hannuna nace "thank you" sai da muka yi tafiya ta kusan 30minutes duk da dai ba gudu yake ba, Sultan naturally baya gudu a mota, sannan muka zo inda zamuje. Kallo daya nayi wa gurin na fahimci ina ne, Club, na juyo na kalleshi da bacin rai nace "am not going in there" yace "ba wai na kawo ki nan gurin bane saboda naga kin dace da gurin, na kawo ki ne saboda ina son in nuna miki wani abu kuma inaso in gaya miki wata magana, na kawo ki nan ne saboda ina ganin in kika gani da idonki zaki fi gane manufata" ni dai kawai jinsa nake dan ni banga me zan gani ko ji a club ba amma yadda naga alamar babu wasa a fuskarsa ya saka na fita na bishi. Muna zuwa kofar gurin naga masu gadi sun fara gaishe shi, da sauri suka bude mana kofa, ana budewa naji wata hayaniya da karar kida da warin sigari, ga fitilu masu kala suna kawowa da daukewa. Tsoro ne ya shiga zuciya ta, na shiga uku ni Maimunatu yau ina na kawo kaina? Amma curiosity ya hana ni komawa da baya. Banyi tsammani ba kawai naji hannun sultan a jiki na, abinda bai taba aikawata ba, nayi sauri na ture shi ya sake kamoni yace "stay still, a guri irin wannan someone will just grab a beauty like you daga nan kuma babu babu wanda zai sake jin labarinki" bansan sanda na makalkale hannunsa ba, ina jinsa yana mun dariya ni dai ban kula shi ba, a raina ina cewa kai da kasan haka gurin yake ka kawoni? Wani mutun da nake tunanin ogan gurin ne yazo yana gaishe da sultan kamar zai cinyeshi, daga nan ya buda mana hanya muka bi ta cikin mutanen da kyar muka wuce har muka wuce stage muka zo wani gurin da babu mutane sosai, sai a lokacin na saki hannun Sultan, ya kalleni yana dariya na harare shi. Daga ganin gurin VIP section ne dan kujeru ne masu kyau a gurin, na samu kujera na zauna Sultan ya jawo kujerar kusa dani ya zauna shima, nan take aka cika gabanmu da kwalabe, kallo daya nayi musu na gane menene, na kalli Sultan da alamar tuhuma sai a lokacin ya lura da abinda aka kawo, da sauri yayi wa attendant din daya kawo magana da wani yare da ban gane ba, kafin minti daya an kwashe su an kawo wadansu, still nace ba zan shaba. Nace "sultan what are we doing here?" Ya sake matsowa ya saka idonsa a cikin nawa ya fara magana "Maimoon na kawo ki nan ne saboda ina so inyi miki bayani akan abinda kike ta yi min magana akai. Change. This place is where I practically grew up, kullum for over ten years anan nake raba dare, this people are my family, su kadai na sani a rayuwata" yana magana yana nuna cikin chunkoson mutanen club din, nima na bisu da kallo, irin mutanen da ake kira da ghettos, niggas da babu abinda suka sani sai shaye2, clubbing da crime. Wannan ita ce rayuwar da Sultan ya kasance a ciki for 15 years, it is a miracle ma that he is what he is. Na juyo da idona kansa ya gyafa min kai ya cigaba "farkon zuwana America daga ni sai Amir ne kawai, bamu san kowa ba, sai daga baya muka fara friends, a lokacin na lura kusan 50% na Africans da suke zaune a america basu da muhalli, basu da gata ga kuma tsananin talauci, rana daya na kori driver na na kori house maid dina na debo mutun goma na kawo gidana, daga nan supplies suka fara yi mana kadan saboda kudin da ake aiko mana dashi kawai nawa ne ni da amir, nan muka fara shiga trouble na kudi dan haka dole na fara improvising, ina playing guitar ina kuma making drawings for money, lokacin ban wuce 15 years ba. Kin san duk inda aka tara mutane irin wadannan to dole akwai matsala, my house was always in chaos but I held on, I felt like they are my responsibilities, lokuta da yawa one of them will get in trouble with the police sai in fito ince ni ne, cos nasan babana zai aiko ayi bail dina amma su in sun shiga sun shiga kenan" na gyada kaina murya can kasa nace "I know" yace "what?" Nan na bashi labarin haduwata da Steve a gidansa da duk labaran da ya bani, bai ce komai ba kawai ya sunkuyar da kansa, na cigaba da cewa "I also know about the orphanages" mamaki ne karara ya baiyana a fuskarsa yace "who told you that" nan na bashi labarin haduwa ta da wannan mutumin ranar dana fara shiga motar sa, na tambayeshi " amma me yasa baka son mutane su san cewa kai ka gina?" Ya shafa kansa yace "saboda badan mutane nayi ba, na dora wa kaina alhakin kula da duk wasu yaran da basu da galihu as long as I am alive kuma abinda nake archiving kenan with the orphanage, in dai har yaran sun samu muhalli, abinci, sutura, ilimi da kuma little bit of love, shikenan abinda nake bukata not people's praises" na bude baki zanyi magana yace "damn it, wannan ba shine abinda ya kawo mu nan ba, na kawo ki nan ne saboda ina so in gaya miki cewa I want to change, I want to be the person you want me to be but it will take time, i can't just change overnight, it is not possible, amma nayi miki alkawarin I will always give you my best, amma ina so kema kiyi mini wani alkawari" ya kamo hannayena duk biyun ya rike a cikin nasa, na kalli fuskarsa ina son in karanta idonsa amma emotions din da na gani sunyi yawa, yace "promise me that you will never let go of me, no matter what" hawayen da bansan sanda na fara su ba naji suna bin kunchi na, anya zan iya yi maka wannan alkawarin Sultan? A hankali nace "I promise I will also give you my best" murmushi yayi yace "thank you" sai kuma yace "I have a little something for you" ya saka hannu a aljihu ya dauko wani dan karamin box ya bude, zobe ne a jiki na diamond, a samansa anyi shape din moon, na bude baki kawai ina kallonsa, ya kamo left hand dina ya saka min a ring finger dina, sai kuma kawai ya tsaya yana kallon finger din, nima na kalla naga zoben yayi min kyau sosai kamar an gwada kafin ayi shi. Ya dago kansa yana wata dariya mai kama da sheshshekar kuka, ni ma dariyar nake yi, yace "yayi miki kyau sosai, ashe na fadi size dai dai" na karbe hannuna ganin bashi da niyyar cikawa.

Mutumin daya shigo damu gurin ne naga ya zo gurin mu da wata katuwar guitar a hannunsa ya mika wa Sultan yana masa magana excitedly da wani yare, ya karba yana dariya yace min "wai sun yi missing kida na, suna so inyi musu" da sauri nace masa "nima ina so" ya jima yana kallona sannan yace "then I will play for you" daga haka ya mike tsaye, nan take naga an zagaye gurin kowa na nutsu. Daga ganin yadda ya rataya guitar kasan gwani ne. Idansa cikin nawa ya