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Agli subah uski aankh 9 baje khuli thi. Kamre mein uske siwa koi nahi tha. Deewar se lagi khidkiyon ke parde simte hue the. Aasman surkhi badalon se dhaka hua tha, halki halki barish abhi bhi ho rahi thi.
Aur phir zehan mein neend se mehv ho jane wala har dukh, har qissa, har qasina phir se waazeh ho gaya. Woh brick Lane mein kho gayi thi. Usne Faris Wajdan se larai ki thi. Woh khwab mein darr gayi thi.
Aur phir woh ehsaas. Usne bheegi aankhon ko masal dala. Nayi subah ki shuruaat aansuon se nahi honi chahiye. Gala khankar ke, mushkil se apne aap ko compose kiya. Har negative khayaal ko jhatak diya.
Usne uth kar wardrobe se kapde nikale. Neem garam pani se shower lekar fresh hui. Balon ko dryer se sukhakar khula chhod diya. Safed trouser par gulabi rang ki kameez aur uspar gulabi hi rang ka ooni sweater pehna. Kitchen mein neeli jeans par safed rang ke ooni sweater mein malboos Faris nashtay ka intezam khud dekh raha tha.
Zeb tan kiye woh kamre se bahar aayi to khilaaf-e-maamool aaj main nahi ayi thi. Use shadeed hairat hui, magar khud se guftagu ka aaghaz kiye baghair woh kitchen mein chali aayi. Apne liye glass mein pani dal kar piya. Ek sarsari si nigah mez par dhare nashtay ke lazezaat par dali.
Half fry egg, ek toast, mango shake, cake, chai.
"Good morning." Faris ka rawayya waisa hi tha jaisa har subah hota tha.
Halaanke guzashta raat brick Lane mein jo scene usne paish kiya tha, uske baad is rawayye ki qatayi koi gunjaish nahi banti thi.
"Ab tumhari tabiyat kaisi hai?" Woh kach ke glass mein mango shake dalte hue bola.
"Behtar hai." Woh khali glass par piano ke andaaz mein ungliyon ko jumbish de rahi thi.
"Baitho," apni kursi sambhalte hue usne Jannat ko baayein haath se ishara kiya. Ek aur kharash numa surkh lakeer nazar aayi.
Jannat apni is harkat par jee bhar ke sharminda hui. Pata nahi usse kya hua tha. Usne aisa pehle to kabhi nahi kiya tha. Aur phir jab yaad aaya, usne usse ek adad thappar se bhi nawaz chuki hai to nichla lab beshaq daanton tale aa gaya. Dil sharminda tha, magar maan fauran se dat gaya. Is thappar ka to khair woh mustahiq tha, bahut zyada.
Lekin ab ke jungli billi ki tarah usne hamle ki jo koshish ki thi, us par dimaag bhi uski side nahi le raha tha. Ab jo us poori tarah se sambhli thi to usne kuch khauf, sharmindagi aur pareshani ke mile jale asraat ke saath use dekha tha.
Faris ne abhi tak ghussa nahi dikhaya tha. Na hi narazgi ka izhar kiya tha. Woh uski haalat ke pesh-e-nazar khamosh reh gaya hoga, magar bhoola to har giz nahi hoga. Phir usse yaad aaya usne raat bhar uska kitna khayal rakha tha, aur kaise usse khauf zadgi se nikaala tha. Lekin iska matlab yeh to har giz nahi ke woh saza ka nahi soch raha hoga? Wohi waham, wohi sarghoshiyaan, wohi be-aetebaari, aur wohi sawal, ek ek harkat ka hisaab lene wala ab itni badi baat kaise nazar andaaz kar gaya? Aankhein uthai to nigahein Faris se dochar ho gayi.
"Nahi, main inteqaam lene ka nahi soch raha. Aur na hi maine khane mein zeher milaya hai." Aur Jannat ka dil chaha, zameen phate aur woh usme sama jaye. Lekin apne tassurat se bilkul zahir nahi hone diya ke aisi koi khwahish uske andar jag chuki hai.
"Chaaho to khana chakh kar de doon, Shehzadi Sahiba." Uski aankhon mein shararat thi. Woh uski kefiyat se lutf utha raha tha.
Andar hi andar woh bahut saara chikhi, lekin bahar se khud ko compose karke sanjeeda hi khadi rahi.
"Jis din zeher doge, us din chakne ki baat bhi nahi karoge." Badi mabooti dikha kar kursi khainch kar baith gayi. Woh uski haazir jawabee se mutasir huye bina na reh saka. Haan ab woh theek thi. Faris ko tasalli hui.
"Meri wife kitni genius hai." Usne tanz nahi kiya tha magar Jannat ko woh achha khaasa tanz hi lagi. Upar se uski muskurahat. Usne nazar phir li. Ek toast khane ke baad usne cake ka piece aur mango shake apne qareeb kar liya.
Faris ki khamosh nigahein uspar jamee hui thi. Usne fork se cake ka hissa kaat kar mooh mein dala. Faris Wajdan ko saat saal ki Jannat ki ek jhalak nazar aayi, jaise aankhen matka kar naraz hokar ek aur mango juice se insaf kar rahi thi. Magar jo samne baithi thi, bilkul khamosh, kuch had tak udaas aur bohot had tak pareshan.
"Aise kya dekh rahe ho?" Woh kuch jazbuz hui.
"Jab main choudah saal ka tha to ek chhoti si bachchi meri zabardasti ki mehmaan bani thi." Woh apne cup mein chai dalne laga.
"Uski khwahish thi ke uski khatir madaarat mango juice aur cake se ki jaye. Bhala koi mehmaan aise kehta hai?" Tea pot rakh kar apna cup uthaliya.
"Woh bohot batuni thi, bohot zyada. Main chahta tha ke woh apna juice aur cake jaldi khatam kare taake main usse wapas uske ghar chhor aaoon, magar woh bohot aahista aahista kha rahi thi. To maine uska ek aur juice khud hi kha liya."
Jannat ne sar uthakar usse dekha.
"To tum tab bhi zaalim the?" Tawaqqo ke ain mutabiq usse tap chadhi. Woh muskurati nigaahon se usse dekhta raha. "Ab main do teen ghanton tak uske saath bound ho kar to nahi baith sakta tha. Aur phir woh bohot sharaarti aur active thi, aur mujhe us par baqaida nazar rakhni pad rahi thi. So, uske liye zaroori tha ke main usse ghar hi chhod aaoon." Usne kandhe uchka kar apni position clear ki.
Jannat ne use yun dekha jaise keh rahi ho, "tumhara koi ilaj nahi."
"Main..." Wo uske yu achanak puchhne par ghadbhada gayi. "Haan! Tum?"
"Main..." rukk kar kuch socha. Ek hi lamhe mein bachpan aur ladakpan ki bohot si baatein, qisse, waqeaat, Nana ki daant aur shararatein yaad aayi thi. "Main to bohot decent bhi thi, bilkul shor nahi karti thi, na hi shararti thi, aur itna kam bolti thi. Nana ke sab dost meri tareef karte the."
Faris ne apni muskurahat zabt karli. "Achha?" Uska achha zaroorat se kuch zyada lamba ho gaya tha. "Haan to aur kya?"
"Yani agar hamari beti hui to woh tum par jayegi. Khamosh, pur sukoon, shararatein bhi nahi karegi, bolegi bohot kam."
"Bilkul!" Foran se sar hilaya, phir hila kar pachtayi. Saari guftagu bache ki taraf mud gayi thi.
"Beta mujh par jayega phir," Faris ne kuch soch kar kaha.
"Mujhe khadoos aulaad nahi chahiye," woh beshaqti se keh gayi.
Woh uske andaaz aur lehje par dheere se muskura diya. Jannat Kamal ne us lamhe ke liye mabhoot hokar dekha. Woh hansta hua kitna acha lag raha tha. Foran hi nazrein hataayi.
"Koi paidaishi khadoos thodi na hota hai. Waqt aur haalaat bana dete hain," woh keh raha tha.
"Main to nahi bani."
Aur Faris ruk gaya. "Haan! Yehi to uski khoobi thi."
Usne haalaat ko bhi apne rawayye aur shakhsiyat par haavi nahi hone diya tha. Woh talkhiyon se guzarkar bhi apni zindagi ke liye talkh nahi hui thi.
Jannat ne fork se cake ka tukda munh mein daalte hue straw daanton tale dabaya.
Faris ko laga yahi munasib waqt hai, nayi ibtida ke liye pehel kar leni chahiye.
"Dosti karogi mujhse? Bohot acha ladka hoon main. Saari umar saath nibhaunga."
Jannat ke dhadkan tez hogayi. Sawaal bohot achanak aur ghair mutawaqqa tha. Offer bhi waisi hi hairat angez thi. Woh uska jumla dohra raha tha, uski jagah par aakar, uski nigaahon mein aara tha. Woh use bilkul bhi nazar andaaz nahi kar pa rahi thi.
"Aur yeh dosti ki offer tum kitni ladkiyon se kar chuke ho?" Bhanwe sikood kar nigaho se ghurte hue poocha. Bilkul Faris Wajdan ke andaaz mein... Aur aisa karte hue use woh bohot achi lagi.
"Tum pehli ho, aur tum hi aakhri ho."
Jannat ka dil zoro se dhadak gaya, aur aankhon mein hairat aayi. Dil chaha jatt se Adina Zubair ko is dawe par la patke, magar phir ruk gayi. Baat dosti ki thi, mohabbat ki to nahi.
"Sochungi," laaparwahi se itra kar kaha, phir cake ka aakhri tukda munh mein dala. Ab woh pehle se kaafi behtar lag rahi thi.
"Kitna sochogi?"
"Jitna bhi sochu, tumhe is se kya?"
Faris ne taaeed mein sar hilaya. Bohot zyada sochne mein woh haq bajanib thi, ispe usse koi aitraaz nahi tha.
"Paanch baje tayaar rehna, kahin bahar chalenge." Woh chicken ka bikhra simat rahi thi jab Faris ne aakar kaha. Khayaal tha shayad woh ab bhi ghussa ya narazi dikhayegi ya koi sakht baat to zaroor karegi, magar usne kuch na kaha. Bas ruk kar use dekha. Three piece suit mein malboos, siah rang ka long coat bazu par dale, doosre haath mein mobile uthaye khada tha. "Westfield Mall chalenge, shopping ke liye. Bahar khana khayenge. Mausam kuch sard hai aur barish ka bhi imkaan hai, to outing ke liye kuch din intezaar kar lete hain."
Wo rukh badal kar phir se bartan dhone lagi. Faris bhi kuch lamhon tak khamosh raha. Jaane uske asraat ab kaise the? Ehsasat aur kefiyat kaisi hui thi? Mizaj to uske lamhon mein badalte the. Kisi lamhe bohot zyada khush, kisi pal bohot zyada udaas. Lekin uski khamoshi mein Faris Wajdan ke zid ya tangi ke asraat nazar nahi aa rahe the, aur yeh ek khush aain baat thi uske liye.
"Apna khayal rakhna." Usne coat pehente hue Jannat Kamal se kaha. Aur Jannat Kamal ne kuch hi dair baad automatic darwaze khulne aur signal ke sath band hone ki awaaz suni. jhaag zada theli khol kar woh hothon tak layi, phoonk maarke udaaya, phir dheere se gungunati baqi bartan saaf karne lagi.
Westfield London Mall ke Kids section mein gulabi aur aasmaani rang ki cheezon ka khumaar tha jo Jannat Kamal ki trolley mein ikattha ho chuka tha. Woh to bohot soch samajh kar cheezein utha raha tha, magar Jannat ka bas nahi chal raha tha aur shopping mall khareed le.
Woh uski ek aisay junoon aur khushi ko dekh kar muskurata hi raha. Jannat do rangon ki cheezein khareed rahi thi, keh rahi thi agar beta hua to beti ke liye khareedi gayi cheezein charity kar degi aur agar beti hui to phir beta ke liye khareeda gaya saman khairaat mein jayega.
Aur agar twins hue to? Faris ne sawal kiya. Woh lamhe bhar ke liye thami. Yeh to usne socha hi nahi tha. Usay uljha kar wo mutabasim chehere ke sath rukh morr kar kuch aur dekhne laga.
"Tab hum aadhi cheezein rakh lenge aur aadhi charity kar denge," usne peeche jaakar kaha. Be dhiyani me wo hum keh gayi.
"Thik hai, Hum zaroor aisa hi karenge," Faris ne zor de kar kaha.
"Main sirf apni baat kar rahi hoon," Jannat ne kaha.
"Nahi, tum hamari baat kar rahi ho," Faris ne jawab diya.
Faris ne apni muskurahat ko roknay ke liye apna raasta badal diya.
"Agar triplets hue to?" Kuch dair baad peeche se awaaz aayi. Gehri saans le kar Jannat ne apna raasta modha. Woh aankhon mein shararat liye stand par likhe naye paida hue bachon ke kapron mein sar diye hue tha.
"Pehle ek, phir do, phir teen, kuch dair baad kehoge chaar," usne ghura.
"Is baar twins theek hain," Faris ne kaha. "InshaAllah agli baar triplets!"
"Mere saath zyada free hone ki koshish mat karo." kuch aur samajh mein nahi aaya to daant kar chali gayi.
"Yeh baat ek biwi apne shauhar se keh rahi hai?"
"wahi shauhar jo kuch waqt pehle keh raha tha, Main tumhe talaq de dunga." Akhri jumle mein bharpoor naqal utari gayi.
"Magar wo ab nahi kehta." Jacket ke jaybo me hath dale wo uske pichhe tha.
"Mujhe ab bhi sunai deta hai," Jannat ne kaha. Woh trolley dhakelti ja rahi thi.
"Phir tum uske dil ki nahi sun rahi ho," Faris ne kaha.
"Main sunna bhi nahi chahti," woh zair-e-lab muskurate hue uske pichhe raha.
"Waise naam ke baare mein kya socha hai?"
"Mr. Shirazi" wo jabt karke Faris ki taraf muri.
"Shaayad tum bhool rahe ho, main ne dosti ki offer abhi qabool nahi ki," Jannat ne kaha.
"Kar lo, phir itna tang nahi karunga," Faris ka lehja sulah jo tha.
"Yani tum maanta ho tum mujhe tang kar rahe ho," lab bhinch kar poocha gaya.
"Main ne aisa to hargiz nahi kaha," wo saaf mukar gaya.
Dono haath coat ki jebon mein the. Muffler usne adatan gardan ke gird hothon tak odh rakha tha. So wo bas uski aankho se jhlakti sararat hi dekh sakti thi. Muskurahat hargiz nahi.
tum zara dair ke liye wahan nahi baith sakte?" Usne zich ho kar haath se uske peeche ishaara kiya jahan ek gora shauhar bench par bacha khel raha tha. Biwi shopping mein masroof hogi.
"Haan, taake tum dobara ghum ho jao aur phir wahi shor machao."
"Tumne jaan bujh kar mujhe ghum kiya. Tumne jaan bujh kar yeh kiya, woh kiya, tum zalim, drama baaz, dhoka baaz, jhoote, fraud ho."
Ab Faris uski naqal utar raha tha. Gusse ke bawajood, Jannat pechaan gayi. Chehra khichta hua laal ho gaya. Daahna haath ek pal ke liye sharm se aankhon par rakha, phir se bhincha aur use ek khatarnaak nazar di.
"Adil mujhe mashwara de raha tha. Sar ma'am ke mobile mein track app install kar le. Usse nahi maloom, uski ma'am khud gum hone se pehle apna mobile kam karti hain."
"Tum..." uska paara chadha. "Ab mere peeche aaye to dekhna" Jannat ne dhamki dekar chali gayi. Faris ne kuch der ke liye muskurahat banaye rakha aur phir se chhote chhote jooton ko dekhne laga. Muffler usne gardan par thehra liya.
Bilkul saamne toddlers ka section tha. Aur usse aage chhoti bachiyon ke khilone rakhe hue the.
Khilonon mein gulabi rang ka ek mini kitchen set in mein numaya tha aur behad numaya tha. Faris ke qad jam gaye, haath bejaan ho gaye. Nigaah us jagah par jam gayi. Jannat ki nazar us par pad gayi to woh apni jagah ruk gayi.
Faris ki aankhein veeran, chehra har asar se bilkul aari ho chuka tha. Labo par muskurahat nahi thi. Aankhon mein zindagi nahi thi. Woh uske saath, is mall mein, uske humraah jaise ab nahi thi.
Usne sar uthakar us taraf dekha jahan Faris ki nigaahien thahri thi. Lekin wahan koi nahi tha. Kuch nahi tha.
Aisi hi ek halat uski pehle bhi hui thi. Shayad car accident ke waqt. Bua ke ghar ke saamne barish ke dauran? Shayad tab jab usne Adina Zubair ka zikar kiya tha? Magar nahi, yeh ta assur mukhtalif tha. In sab se mukhtalif. Kareeb aakar uske bazu par dheere se haath rakha. Zamood tuta na wo apne khayal se wapis aaya.
"Faris!" Hilaakar awaaz di.
Talaism toot gaya. Darwaze band hue, shor thm gaya. Awaaz mein khatam ho gayi. Faris ne kuch chonk kar uski taraf dekha. Jannat ne apna haath hata liya. Faris teen minute tak musalsal ek hi jagah nazar jamaye aur saath hi saath beparwaah khada raha. Woh zahir na bhi karti tab bhi yeh wazeh tha ke woh pareshan hui thi.
"Haan bolo," Faris ne uski taraf tawajjo di, magar puri tarah se nahi.
"Kuch nahi, counter par jaana hai," usne kaha.
"Bas aur kuch nahi?," usne kapkapate haath coat ki jebon mein daal diye the. Jannat ne nafi mein sar hilaaya.
Woh apne wallet se credit card nikalte hue trolley dhakel kar counter ki taraf badh gaya. Jannat Kamal ne uske peeche chalte hue ek baar phir usi samet dekha magar usne koi bhi aisi cheez ya koi bhi aisa shakhsh nahi dekha jo kuch dair ke liye Faris Wajdan ko freeze kar diya tha. Apna hum samajhte hue, usne sar jhataakar aage barh gayi.
Shopping ke baad, woh usse halal food restaurant mein le aaya. Uski aamad ka sun kar suited-buited manager khud menu card le kar aaya. Aao bhugat dekh kar Jannat ne khud se hi andaza laga liya, woh yahan ka regular customer hoga. Phir malik ke saath uske gehre rishte honge. Woh menu card uthaye order note karwa raha tha aur woh apne aas-paas nazar dauda rahi thi. Siyaah aur golden division mein restaurant ka interior waqai mein khoobsurat tha. Usne tasveerain kheench kar Mrs. Sherazi ko bhi bheji. Aas-paas doosri tables par aur bhi bahut si Muslim families nazar aa rahi thi.
"Toh mera contact number ab tumne kis naam se save kar rakha hai?" Khana serve kar diya gaya to Faris ne poocha.
"Kisi naam se nahi," usne be-neyaazi se kaha.
Faris ki nazar table par uske barabar mein rakhe mobile par thi. Agar ab woh call kare, toh yaqeenan screen par naam ubar aayega. Usne uss neele peele dilon wale kaghazi husband yaad kiya. Pehle wali Jannat yaad aayi. Kaghazi shauhar ke sath hi woh bohot khush thi.
"Yeh to mere sath meri zayadati hai," woh kehe bina na reh saka.Jannat ne sar uthakar usse dekha. "Achha, tumhare sath zyadati hai? Bhala kaise?"
"Jab kaghazi shauhar tha tab ahmiyat thi, ab asli shauhar hoon toh..."
"Ahmiyat tumhari us waqt bhi nahi thi," usne jhat se kaha. "Main paagal thi jo yeh soch rahi thi, tumhare dil mein jagah bana lugi, Yeh to mujhe baad mein pata chala ke tumhara to sirf dimaag hai, dil to sire se hai hi nahi."
Woh spoon mooh tak le jate hue ek lamha ke liye ruka, bas ek lamha ke liye. Restaurant ki roshniyon mein uski aankhon mein hasaas si mubhain lehar uthi. Aur wahi leher muskurahat ban kar uske honthon par bikhar gayi. Leher Jannat usse nahi dekh rahi thi. Woh ab use nahi dekhti thi. Na uski aankhon mein apna nishaan, na uske dil mein apni jagah.
"Yeh to tumne bilkul theek kaha."
Jeb se mobile nikal kar number dial kiya. Jannat ka mobile jagmag karne laga. Upar bara likha tha, "Aunty ka beta" aur background ki tasveer sardi, barfili aandhi toofan se ghira hua pahaadon ki thi.
Jannat ne ghabraakar foran apna mobile plate par rakha. Aunty ka beta hairaan kun tha magar Faris ko background tasveer se gham pohncha tha.
"Tumne mere naam ke sath K2 ki tasveer lagayi hui hai?" Khayal aaya aankhon ko dhoka hua hoga.
"Haan to?"
"Kyun?"
"Kyun kya matlab? Meri marzi, main koi bhi tasveer laga sakti hoon. Ab tum mujhe khana khane doge?"
"Sure" daat pish kar ke kaha aur phir apna mobile utha liya. Jannat ne jazbaat se usse dekha.
"Kya kar rahe ho?"
"agar tum mere naam ke sath khaufnaak tasveer laga sakti ho to main kyun nahi?" Lamhon mein sab set kar ke mobile rakha. Honthon par ek jala dene wali muskurahat sajaye phir se khana shuru kiya. Jannat lab bhinch kar usse dekh rahi thi. "Mujhe parwah nahi, tum koi bhi tasveer lagao," usne kaha, magar andar se. "Achhi baat hai," usne sar hilaaya.
Khana khane ke baad long drive ka plan tha. Wapas aakar raat ke gyarah baj gaye. Woh so gaya to chupke se uska mobile utha kar apne mobile se missed call di. Screen par naam roshan hua. Bara bara sa likha hua tha, "mummy ki bahu" aur background mein ek zombie tasveer lagi hui thi. Usne tap kar Faris Wajdan ko dekha. Dil chaaha mobile tod doon magar jabt kar ke uth gayi.
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