Chapter 61: CHAPTER - 60

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Raat ka jane konsa paher tha jab khouf ke aalam me uski achanak aankh khul gayi thi. Paisaani pasine se tar batar, aur saase bhi chadhi hui thi. Kohni ke bal jara sa upar hui ki pani ki bottle utha sake, magar side table par kuch nahi rakha hua tha. Wo roohan sa ho kar sar takiye par gira liya.

"Faris… " usne band aankho ke sath usay hilaya. Halk me kaate chubh rahe the. Faris ne uski awaaz par bedar hote hue hi karwat badli.

"Paani… paani chahiye."

Woh usi waqt uth kar room fridge se bottle nikal laya tha. Baazu ke sahare usay utha kar bithaate hue glass diya. Usne paani yun piya jaise sadiyo ki pyasi ho.

"Theek ho?" Woh pooch raha tha.

Usne sar ko jambish di. Sar pillow par rakha, aankhein band kar li. Baar baar Ruby ka khat aur baatein zehan mein aarahi thi. Woh pichhle teen dino se Rayyan ke hawale se uljhan aur pareshaani mein mubtala thi. Har raat isi tension mein aankh khul jaati thi. Kabhi khwabo se ulajh kar, kabhi kisi khauf mein phans kar. Neend theek se nahi aati thi. Tabiyat bhi theek nahi rehti thi. Jhunjhalahat ke aalam mein uska chehra yun ho gaya jaise abhi ro de gi.

"Ab kya hua?" Woh pooche bina nahi reh saka.

"Bhookh lag rahi hai," lete lete bheegi aankhon aur roti awaaz mein boli.

"Aue ismein rone ki kya baat hai?" Woh jo apni side par aake baitha tha, taajjub ka shikar hua. "Abhi sone se pehle hi toh khana khaya tha." Woh roohansa hokar bol rahi thi. Uska dukh kuch aur tha, izhaar kisi aur baat par kar rahi thi.

"Tumhara koi ilaaj nahi." Woh bar barate hue kamre se chala gaya. Jannat ne aankho par baazu rakh liya. Zehan uljha hua tha. Rayyan ke hawale se woh kisi bhi nateeje par pohnch nahi pa rahi thi. Usay kya karna chahiye? Aur kya nahi karna chahiye? Woh pichhle kai dino se tazabzub ka shikar thi. Abhi bhi sochon ka toofan zehan mein andak aa raha tha. Mrs. Shirazi se woh baat nahi karna chahti thi ke mubada unhein pareshaan kar de. Aur Faris se baat karne ki himmat woh khud mein paida nahi kar pa rahi thi.

Faris uske liye phal kaat kar le aaya tha. Woh uth kar baith gayi.

"Tumhein bukhaar ho raha hai." Peshani par haath rakh kar bola.

"Nahi, bas aise hi," keh kar uska haath hata diya. Ab woh fruit kha rahi thi to woh ghoom kar apni jagah par waapis aa gaya tha. Table clock raat ke dhai baje baja raha tha. Ek baar phir sone ki koshish ki lekin Jannat ki fikr aaray agayi. Karwat badal kar usay dekhne laga. Woh khaali plate side table par rakh kar apni jagah par waise hi baithi hui thi. Mutfakkar nigahe nim tariki me yaha waha bhatak rahi thi.

"Phir se koi tension le rahi ho?"

"N-Nahi toh.…"

"Phir kya soch rahi ho?"

Usne gardan mod kar Faris ko dekha. Phir seedha hote hue bed crown se tek lagayi. Comforter ungliyo mein dabaye, iztiraab chhupane ki koshish mein pareshan. Woh ab usay dekh rahi thi.

"Agar mujhe koi baat disturb kare, ya agar koi aisi baat ho jiske baare mein mujhe ye lage ke…"

Woh ruk gayi, usay samajh nahi aa raha tha woh baat kaise shuru kare.

"Ke kya?"

"Agar koi aisi baat ho jiske baare mein mujhe lage ke main tumse karugi toh shayad tumhein gussa ajaye."

Lahaaf ki zad mein hont chhupe hue thay, toh Jannat uski muskurahat dekhne se qasir thi.

"Toh…?"

"Toh yeh ke main tumse woh baat kaise karoon?" Badi fikrmandi se poocha.

"Tum mere gusse ki parwaah kab se karne lagi?" Usne aahistagi se poocha aur Jannat kamaal apni jagah tham gayi. Sawaal durust tha. Haq sach baat kehte hue usne kab Faris Wajdan ke gusse ki parwaah ki thi? Khauf ki dhund chhat gayi. Soch ke darwaaze khul gaye. Koi ehsas khayaal ban kar ubhra. Faris muntazir nigaho se usay dekh raha tha magar woh usay 'Good night' keh kar karwat badal gayi.

Faris chand lamho tak apni sochon mein ghode daudata raha ke aakhir aisi kaunsi baat ho sakti thi jiske hawale se woh uske mumkinah rad-e-amal se itni pareshaan lag rahi thi. Magar uske zehan mein koi baat nahi aarahi thi. Uska zehan khaali raha tha.

Woh office room mein apna kaam kar raha tha jab Jannat ne dastak de kar andar daakhil hui thi. Office table ke paas aake usne laptop ki screen band kar di. Faris ne nazar uthayi toh Jannat ne haath badhake uske glasses bhi utaar diye. Faris ne gehri saans lekar Jannat ko dekha.

"Mere saath bahar chalo, lawn mein."

"Kyun?"

"Kyunki mujhe tumse bohot zaroori baat karni hai." Jannat ne uska baazu pakad kar uthana chaha, toh Faris uth gaya. Jannat ne uske dono haatho ki girift mazboot kar ke usay lawn mein le aayi. Lawn lights ki roshni aur aasman ki intehaai tareeki mein woh kuch dair uske saath khuli hawa mein tehlti rahi.

Phir woh ek darakht ke neeche aake khadi ho gayi. Kuch lamhon tak apne andar himmat paida karti rahi. Faris usay dekh kar uske jazbaat samajhne ki koshish karta raha.

"Toh…? Kya baat karni hai tumhe mujhse?" Jannat ne sar utha kar usey dekha.

"Rayyan! Tumhara bhatija… me chahti hu tum usay ghar le aao!"

Faris wajdan sadme se gunj apni jagah khada reh gaya. Use bilkul andaza nahi tha wo rat ke is paher, usayi lawn me la kar esi baat karne wali hai.

"Faris!" Usne hath khade kar ke jannat ko mazid kuch kehne se rokna chaha tha. Wajood me lawa sa bhar gaya tha.

"Mujhe nahi maloom tumahre aur Hammad bhai ke darmiya kya ikhtilaaf rahe hai, lekin wo Yateem bachcha hai tum uske chacha ho uske baap ke jagah ho…"

"Jannat please…" usne apna hath chhurate hue usay tahammul se roka tha ki wo baat wahi khatam karde mazid ek lafz na kahe.

"Maine auntie ko rote hue dekha hai, wo beemar rehti hai wo rayyan ke liye har waqt pareshan rehti hai. Wo tumse itni mohabbat karti hai aur tum…"

"Faris tum unhe is tarah takleef kese pahucha sakte ho?" Wo minnat bhare lehze me baat karti hui boli thi aur wo ekdam se pichhe hua. Raat ki tariki uske wajood me utri. Andar bahar aag phel gayi.

"Paise bhej kar tumhe lagta hai farz adaa kar diya sirf itna kaafi nahi hai…"

"Tumne uski halat nahi dekhi, wo waha kese reh raha hai. Tum ye bhi nahi jaante  tum kabhi usse milne nahi gaye!" Darshti se apna baazu hatate hue piche hata.

"Thik hai agar tum nahi milna chahte to kamas kam mujhe ya auntie ko to milne de sakte ho!"

"Faris, tum khud baap banne wale ho, yeh zulm hai!"

"Jannat Enough!" usne sadid gusse ke aalam mein dahad kar kaha tha aur woh ek dum sakte mein aa gayi thi. Faris ke aasab mushatail the, uski aankhon mein surkhi chhayi hui thi. Uske expressions pathar ki tarah sakht lag rahe the. Woh mutawajjeh nigahon se use dekh raha tha.

"Faris?" uske labo se be-aawaaz nikla. Uski saansein phooli hui thi, jabde bhinche hue aur peshani ki ragain ubhar aayi thi.

"Aindah…" uski sanse fuli hui thi. Jabde bhiche hue, aur peshani ki lakire ubhri hui thi. "Aindah tum uska naam nahi logi mere saamne, aur na hi milne ki koshish karogi," Faris ne Jannat ki aankhon mein dekhte hue khoon jama dene wale lehje mein kaha. Jannat kamal sadme mein thi. Kitni begangi thi Faris ke lehje mein, kitna ajnabi sa tha uska andaaz.

"Agar tum chahti ho ke hamare darmiya sab theek rahe, toh…" usne ek lamba waqfa le kar saans kheenchte hue kaha, "toh tum is maamle mein nahi pado gi." Yeh keh kar woh ek lamha bhi wahan nahi rukha aur Jannat pathraai hui nigahon se use dekhte reh gayi.

Uska dimagh maouf ho gaya tha. Uske andaaz, lehje aur itne sakht rawaiye par woh dehshat mein thi. "Tum Faris se kabhi is maamle mein koi baat nahi karogi," yeh baat Mrs. Shirazi ne usay kaha tha. Ab Jannat ko samajh mein aaya ke Mrs. Shirazi ne aisa kyun kaha tha. Usse andaza nahi tha ke woh itni si baat par is tarah react karega.

Ek choti si maang par itna hyper ho jayega.

Woh kuch dair tak apni jagah munjamid khadi rahi. "Use ilzaam mat do, Jannat, main bhi nahi deti," usne apni soch mein kaha.

Foto mein dikhne waale kisi tanha, khamosh bache ki tasveer jaisi ek zindagi, raazon mein doobi hui thi. Na samajh mein aane wala dhoop-chaav jaisa rawaiya.

Jannat ne apne aap par taari jamooh ko tod kar qadam uthaye aur apne bedroom ki taraf badh gayi. Darwaza khol kar andar aa gayi.

Ab woh washroom ke samne khadi thi. Usne kuch pareshani ke aalam mein darwaza bajaya tha. Andar Faris kapdo ke saath hi shower ke neeche khada tha, magar uske jism ki aag bujhne ka naam nahi le rahi thi. Na hi pani ke shor mein koi awaaz ghum ho rahi thi.

"Darwaza kholo Faris!" Woh use awaaz de kar keh rahi thi, jism par ek kapkapi si taari thi. Faris shower ke neeche seerh taakk baitha tha, aankhen band kiye hue, saans le raha tha, apne andar se ubharti gussa ko dabaane ki koshish kar raha tha. Uske dahine haath se khoon pani ke saath apna rasta bana raha tha.

Yeh jaante hue ke darwaza andar se lock hai, Jannat handle ghumaaye ja rahi thi. Woh awaaz dete hue use bulati rahi, lekin Faris sun nahi raha tha. Darwaza bajate hue woh cheekhne lagi, aur phir achanak woh ro padi.

"PLEASE FARIS, DARWAZA KHOLO!"

Aisa pehle bhi ho chuka tha. Usne pehle bhi awaaz di thi, usne pehle bhi minnat ki thi, royi bhi thi, magar tab bhi darwaza nahi khula tha. Ab bhi darwaza nahi khul raha tha. Jannat ke aas paas sirf andhera tha, aur woh apne khauf mein ghiri hui thi.

"FARIS, please…"

Uska haath darwaze par tham gaya tha. Uski siskiyan ab buland ho gayi thi. Shower band ho gaya tah, shor khatam ho gaya.

Pehle lock khulne ki awaaz aayi, phir darwaza bhi khul gaya. Faris uske samne poora bheega hua khada tha, uske baalon aur kapdo se paani tapak raha tha. Jannat ne aansuon bhari aankhon se usay dekha. Uski aankhon mein koi tasur nahi tha. Puri khaamoshi, puri sannata liye, woh ek mujasme ki tarah uske samne moujood tha.

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