Chapter 64: CHAPTER - 63

---

Kitni der tak gaadi mein khamoshi chhayi rahi. Woh driving karta raha. Aur Jannat bahar dekhti rahi.

Safar lamba tha. Sadke kahin sunsaan aur kahin aabadi ho jaati thi. Aasmaan, sheher ki roshniyan, aabadi, aur unka safar... khamosh safar, udaas safar.

"Tumhe pata hai, tumhare papa kitne ajeeb insaan hain. Ghanta ho gaya hai, hum sadko pe ghoom rahe hain aur unse yeh nahi hua ke ice cream hi khila dein." Woh apne bachche se mukhatib thi.

Steering wheel par grip jamaye Faris ne use sakht nazron se dekha.

"Main ne kaha mujhe khamoshi chahiye."

"Haan to main kaun sa tumse baat kar rahi hoon?" Kandhe uchhaka kar rukh badal gayi. Jawde bhinche kar usne qareebi ice cream parlour ke samne gaadi rok di.

"Insaan muravattan pooch hi leta hai ke gaadi mein khana chahogi ya bahir." Woh darwaza kholne hi laga to bol padhi.

"Farmaiye! Kya khwahish hai?" Tap kar poocha.

"Ab tum pooch hi rahe ho to, kyun na pehle pizza kha liya jaye?" Zabt kar ke woh uski taraf mod gaya.

"Shaam ka khana khaye abhi do ghante hue hain."

"Tin ghante." Fauran hi tashih ki. "Yeh jo ek ghanta se hum sadko par khwar ho rahe hain isey bhi to count karo." Balki ruk kar apni ungliyon par hisaab kitaab shuru kiya.

"Hamari jab kitchen mein ladai hui to us waqt aath baje rahe the. Phir jab bahar nikle to us waqt nau baje ka waqt tha. Ab das baje wale hain. Kuch der baad tin ghante poore ho jayenge."

"Main tumhe apne saath kyun laaya hoon?" Jhalla utha.

"Ham khud aaye hain." Jhatak kar boli.

Steering wheel ghumate huye gaadi ko sadak par dal diya. Kuch der baad woh pizza hut mein maujood the.

Uske liye order de kar woh khud ajnabi ke tarah seene par bazoo bandhe baitha tha. Is waqt uska na to kuch khane ka mood tha aur na hi koi baat karne ka. Kaafi se zyada jhillaya hua tha. Use to jaise kuch bhi acha nahi lag raha tha. Pizza se farigh ho kar phir ice cream parlour ka rukh kiya gaya. Khule aasman tale, bulandi se railing ke us paar sheher ki roshniy ko dekhte Jannat Kamal apni ice cream se lutf andoz hoti rahi. Faris apna cup haath mein liye chup chaap baitha tha. Uske asraat pehle se kuch behtar the. Aankhon ki sakhti kam ho chuki thi. Maathe par ab koi bel nahi thi. Woh uske kandhe se sar lagaye upar kahin aasman ki taraf dekh rahi thi aur lagataar bolti ja rahi thi. Uski tamaam baaton mein kahin bhi Aarzoo Jahangir ka zikr nahi tha. Tajjub nahi tha. Qissa, nafrat ya iske rawaiye ko le kar haqaarat nahi thi. Usse is baat se farq nahi pad raha tha ke woh apni maa se nahi milti. Is baat se bhi nahi ke woh unse nafrat karti hai.

“I'm sorry!” Usne chup hote hi kaha.

Bahut achanak aur bina kisi hawala diye.

“Kis liye?” Usne hairaan hote hue pucha. Faris khamosh raha. Shayed woh apne rawaye ki maafi maang raha tha.

“Meri taraf se bhi sorry kuch soch kar usne bhi keh diya.

“Kis liye?”

“Main bhi to kaafi ulta seedha bol gayi.”

“Woh to tum hamesha bolti ho.” Bhonwen sukad kar usne Faris ko ghura. Matlab ke. Had hai? Jhunjhla gayi.

“Main ne apna sorry wapas liya.” Keh diya.

Woh ek muskurati nazar us par daal ke kahin door dekhne laga. “Agar main tumhare saath na aati to kahaan jaate?” Aasmaan ki bulandiyon mein roshan sitaron ko khojte pucha.

“Yahin aata, jahan hum hain.”

Usne muta'ajab ho kar ataraf mein nazar daudayi.

“Matlab yeh tumhare liye koi khaas jagah hai.”

“Tum dekh sakti ho yahan se poora sheher nazar aata hai.”

“Aakhri baar tum yahan kis ke saath aaye the?” Usne pucha.

“Main yahan akela hi aata hoon.”

Usne dekha, pahadi ke neeche ghoomti hui sadak ke us paar sar-sabz sabze ke beech mein ek qasr-nama ghar nazar aa raha tha. Uski tamaam batiyan raat ke is pehar is tarah se roshan thi ke din ke ujale ka gumaan ho raha tha. Manzar intehai khoobsurat tha.

“Tum woh dekh rahi ho?” Faris ne haath badha kar ishaara kiya.

“Haan.”

“Yeh Shirazi House hai.”

Jannat ne chonk kar sar uthaya.

“Mere dada yahin rehte the. Is qasr mein.”

“Oh! Toh isliye yeh jagah tumhare dil ke bahut qareeb hai.” Apne bhoolepan mein bol gayi. Faris ki nazare thehri rahi. Chehra be asar raha.

Woh ab gardan unchi karke door tak dekh rahi thi. “Ghar mein kaun rehta hai?”

“Koi nahi.”

“Toh lights kyun on hain?”

Khamoshi…

Usse rukh morh kar Faris ko dekha. Usne jacket ki jibon mein haath daal liye. Woh apne bhai, baap, aur dada-dadi ke baare mein koi baat nahi karta tha. Jannat mehsoos kar ke khamosh ho gayi ke woh uska dil behlane aayi thi, zyada tension dene nahi. Bag se mobile nikal kar kuch messages type kiye. Woh Mrs. Shirazi ko tasalli de rahi thi ke sab theek hai, aap so jaayiye. Phir foran se uski taraf mutawajjeh hui.

Woh cup haath mein liye baitha tha. “Waise ek sawal hai mere dimaag mein. Aur kaafi arse se hai. Magar maine tumse kabhi nahi poocha.” Usne kaha.

“Kaisa sawal?” Gardan morh kar usse dekhne laga. Itni der tak khamosh rehne ke baad ab woh guftagu mein hissa le raha tha. Aankhon mein surkhi thehri thi magar asraat kaafi had tak normal ho chuke the. Woh bahut relaxed lag raha tha.

“Main is par kabhi baat nahi karna chahti thi. Lekin kuch kehte kehte ruk gayi. Tum jaante ho, mujhe pehli baar divorce kis liye hui thi?”

Faris peach par bazoo phailaaye uski aankhon mein dekh kar reh gaya. Usne expect nahi kiya tha ke woh apne maazi se jude kisi azab bharay waqt ka hawala de sakti hai. Woh bhi is majbooti ke saath.

“Tumhe bura nahi lagta? Matlab tumhe pehle bahut nafrat ho gayi thi mujhse ke main aisi hoon aur yeh ke maine ek bachay ki jaan lene ki koshish ki. Phir aisa kya hua ke tumne is baat ko humare darmiyan se nikal diya?” Faris uske ajeeb o garib sawal par muta’ajjib sa baitha raha. Kya woh apna maamla chhidak kar uska dimaag bhatakane ki koshish kar rahi hai? Ya phir woh waqai mein uska mauqif jaan na chahti hai?

“Mujhe ek ne chhod diya ke main aisi hoon. Mujhe doosra yeh jaan kar kaise apna sakta hai ke main waisi hi hoon.” Uski awaaz kamzor thi, na aankhein nam thi, na asraat mein kisi dukh ka shaiyba tha. Woh jaise apni nahi kisi doosre, teesre ya chauthe insaan ki baat kar rahi thi.

Aise jaise uske andar ek uljhan ho. Koi ghoor jo khulne ka naam na le.

“Tum phir se kuch ulta seedha soch rahi ho?”

“Nahi to, yeh to bas ek sawal hai.”

Woh chup ho gaya. Kuch der tak chup hi raha.

“Main bahut pehle jaan gaya tha tum kisi ki jaan nahi le sakti.” Cup liye huye usne sip liya. Jannat dam sadhe usse dekh kar reh gayi.

"Yeh alag baat hai ke tasleem nahi karna chahta tha." Jo kar door tak dekha. Ishara un takleef dain baaton ka tha. Tanaz aur ta’anon ka tha. Us zehni azab ka jis se woh usse do char karta raha tha.

“Kya matlab? Kaise jaan gaye the?” Jannat ki aankhon mein hairat utari. Uski haqeeqat to sirf uske paas hi thi. Agar kahin se maloomat leta bhi to usse positive jawab to kabhi na milta. Khandan mein sab hi use mujrim samajhte the. Toh iski himayat mein koi kuch bola to hargiz nahi hota, to phir…

Uski ice cream lagbhag khatam ho chuki thi.

“Jab mujhe Anaphylactic shock hua tha tab...” Usne kaha. Cup se aur kuch Ghoot liye.

“You saved my life, remember?”

“Isse yeh kaise sabit hua ke main be-gunah hoon?”

Woh kuch lamhon tak soch mein doob gaya aur saamne ke jhadiyo ko dekhte raha.

“Tumne mujhe CPR diya tha.”

“Haan toh?” Iske liye yeh itni badi baat nahi thi ke iska yun zikar kiya jaye. Yeh jaane ke bawajood ke is rishte ko nibhaane ka mera koi iraada nahi. Woh ruk gayi. Aankhon mein nafehmi ka asar liye use dobara dekha. Faris ne gardan morh kar Jannat ko dekha. Kya woh abhi bhi nahi samajh sakti?

“Kya matlab?”

“Agar tumhare liye kisi ki zindagi se zyada apna mufad ahem hota toh tum mujhe CPR nahi deti, simple!”

Woh izhaar kar ke uski mushkil asaan karna chahti thi. Jannat hairan hokar use dekh rahi thi. Kaisa faida? Kaun sa faida?

“Tum kehna kya chah rahe ho?”

“Faris Wajdan ki widow hona zyada faida mand sabit hota ya doosri baar talaq yafta hona?” Usne jhullakar kaha toh Jannat ki aankhein phati ki phati reh gayi. Munh hairat aur sadme se khula.

“Allah…! dono haath gaal par aur phir apne munh par rakh liye. Yeh to mere zehen mein aaya hi nahi.”

Hairat, shock, aur sadme jaise dimaag ki chulain hil gayi thi. Faris ne gardan morh kar use dekha.

“Afsoos ho raha hai ab?” jabde bhich kar puchha

“Bohot zyada.”

Woh taseef se sar hilaakar uth gaya.

"Ruko…!" Turant apna purse uthaaya aur tezi se uske peeche aayi.

“Uff! Main kitni be-waqoof hoon, kitni be-waqoof hoon." Apna sawal, Faris ka jawab, uska mauqif, apni zaat par uski aisi nazar, reaction par aisa tajziya. Lab bhinch kar muskurahat dabaati uske qareeb hui.

"Agar zara sa bhi... Angoothee ki pur ko ungli se jod kar kaha, “Zara sa bhi mera criminal dimag hota toh tumhari saari property mujhe mil jaati, Shirazi Enterprises ki nayi CEO main hoti!”

Woh uski roshan aankhon mein shararat ka rang dekh sakta tha.

“Main tumhe apne saath kyun le aaya?” Bud buda kar reh gaya.

Uske barabar chalte huye woh dil khol kar nahi. Aur is tarah hansi hui bohot pyaari lagi. Aisa pehli baar hua tha ke maazi ki kisi takleef de baat par uske chehre par dukh bhare asraat nahi the. Woh hass kar uska mauqif enjoy kar rahi thi.

“itni si baat se meri puri shakhsiyat ka andaza laga liya?”

“Dekho tum kitni aasan ho.” Woh jibon mein haath daal kar keh raha tha. Aur woh uske aage piche ho rahi thi.

“Tum mujhe underestimate kar rahe ho, main tumhari soch se zyada khatarnaak hoon. Main kuch aisa kar sakti hoon jo tum bhi nahi kar sakte.” Faris ke labo ko muskurahat chhu kar guzri.

Haan wo esi hi thi, sadik dil sachhe jajbat se masumiyat se. Apni dua se na mumkin ko mumkin karke dikhane wali.

"Maslan?"

"Main tumhari Jaan le sakti hu…!" aankhon mein aankhon daal kar boli.

“Woh to tum le chuki”

“oh wow, kya tumne abhi tasleem kiya tum ek zombie ho?” Aankhein chamak uthi. Chehra khushi se khil utha. Woh muskurakar reh gaya.

“Main ek zombi ke saath phir rahi hoon.” Awaaz thodi buland thi. Qareeb se guzarte ek uncle aur aunty sahiba ne mud kar achambhe se use dekha phir uske saath.

“Sorry! Meri wife ko daure padte hain.” Usne usse apne baazu ke ghere mein lete huye maafi maangi. Jannat ke sar par lagi talwo me bujhi.

“Kya kaha?” Woh uski grip mein machal kar chikhi thi. Woh usse saath le kar seedhiyon ki rukh kar chuka tha utarte waqt wo usse ek do mukke to kha hi chuki thi.

"Tumse meri Khushi jara bardasht nahi hoti?" Uska mood thik karne uske sath gayi thi. Wapsi pe apna mood kharab karke aa gayi thi.

"Meri wife ko doure padhte hai" Passenger seat par bethi thi. Jam kar nakal utari. Budbudate rahi. Wo muskurahat dabaye suni na suni karte hue driving karta raha.

Ghar pahunchte hi woh Mrs. Shirazi ke kamre mein chala gaya. Woh bed par neem draaz unke intezaar mein jaag rahi thi. Halanke Jannat ne message karke unse kaha tha sab theek hai. Woh so jayein magar Faris ko dekhe bina unhe neend nahi aa sakti thi. Jaate waqt bharam tha, magar ab uske asraat behtar the, phir bhi aankhon mein abhi bhi gham ki nami thi. Unke paas baith kar, unhone gaal par haath rakha. Phir apni grip mein le kar use khud se laga liya.

Kuch der baad Jannat unhe dekhne aayi toh adh khule darwaze mein hi ruk gayi. Faris unke paas hi so gaya tha. Mrs. Shirazi uske baalon mein haath pherte hue duaayein padh kar phoonk rahi thi. Sar uthakar usse dekha.

“Lights off kar doon?” Usne sergoshi mein poocha.

Unhone ashaas mein sar hila diya. Comforter Faris par phailate hue usne side table ka lamp band kar diya. Paani Mrs. Shirazi ki maiz par rakha aur lights off kar ke aahista se darwaza band karti apne kamre mein aa gayi.

Bed par baithte hue usne ek gehri saans li. Pure din ke waqiaat dimaag mein daud gaye. Us khulase ko socha jo aaj us par hua tha. Aarzoo Jahangir ki is tak pahunchne ki koshish samajh se bahar ho gayi, aur bhi is surat mein jab ke woh apne bete ki nafrat se waqif thi.

Usne laptop uthaya. Unka naam search karke unse related articles padhti gayi. Woh interviews jo unhone diye the, woh clips jo online viral ho gayi thi. Unki adaayein, makeup, dressing sense kamal ka tha. Western dress ho ya Eastern, har roop mein dhal kar qayamat dhara rahi thi. Do saal pehle tak ke jo interviews the unmein unki personal life zyada discuss nahi hoti thi, magar ab jo interviews the unmein woh bahut dhadak se apne bete ka zikar karti thi aur bahut fakhar se apni baatein share karti thi.

Saath uska naam jodti thi. Haaliya interview usne phir se dekha. Aaj samajh mein aaya Faris ne TV kyun band kar diya tha. Woh Aarzoo Jahangir ko dekhna to dur ki baat, unki awaaz tak nahi sunna chahta tha. Itne qareeb ke rishton ke liye itni nafrat aur talkhi use andar tak aziyat mein daal gayi thi.

Maae chhod deti hain, maae tor deti hain. Magar jaane kya baat thi ke apni maa ki tamaam nafrat sahte hue bhi woh unse kabhi bhi nafrat nahi kar saki thi. Aakhri waqt tak uski khwahish rahi thi ke woh use apna lein. Aakhri waqt tak usne chaaha tha wahan ki ho jaye. Marne ke baad bhi unki narazgi aur nafrat kis tarah se chain nahi lene deti thi. Dil aaj bhi gham se bhar jaata tha. Apne nuqsan par ro padta tha.

"Suna hai aap dadi banne wali hain." Interview ko is maqam tak le aayi jahan se usne nahi dekha tha. Anchor sawaal kar rahi thi. Aarzoo Jahangir ka chehra khil utha tha. Woh jawab dete hue bahut khush nazar aa rahi thi. Anchor unke bete ka poochh rahi thi. Bete ki kuch ek tasveerain background par dikhayi ja rahi thi. Aur woh bata rahi thi ke unka beta apni life ko private rakhna pasand karta hai aur woh khud bhi aisa hi chahti hain.

Kuch purani posts aur articles bhi the. Ek aisi post bhi thi jab unhone apne social media accounts par bahut achanak Faris Wajdan ki tasveer share kar ke uske saath apne rishte ko sab par zahir kar diya tha. Is baat ko lagbhag do saal ho chuke the. Kitne arse tak yahi khabrein ghoomti rahi thi aur woh kuch hairat se comments padh rahi thi jo is tasveer ke neeche diye gaye the. Kuch fans ke asraat the aur kuch mukhalifon ke hasadana tabsaray aur tajziye.

"Yeh jaanti hai ise social media mein in kaise rehna hai."

"Ab yeh achanak se beta kahaan se aa gaya?"

"Beta to qabool karna hi tha. I mean, look at it, he his CEO of Shirazi Enterprises"

"Ek qatil ko apne saath jod kar reputation kharab kar legi."

Jannat ka dil ruk gaya.

"Did he really kill her father and brother?"

Aur woh aakhri comment. Woh aakhri sawaal. Jannat ki saanse tham gayi. Dil ruk gaya. Aas paas sannate phel gaye. Sakte, pathraayi hui nigah se Faris ki tasveer ko dekha.

"Waise unki yeh baat to theek hai, tum mujhe nahi jaanti." Ek hi pal mein kai manzar ubhre, aur ussi ek pal mein use kai baatein yaad aagayi. Mushtail aasab ke saath laptop band karke paray dhakel diya. Log bhi itni khatarnaak baatein karte hain, Allah se nahi darte. Usne apni soch ko bhatakne nahi diya. Dimaag ko uljhan nahi di. Khud par qaabu paate hue uth kar khidkiya khol di. Kitni hi der tak aankhein moonde gehri saansen leti rahi. Yeh hai jhoot, ghalat bayani, hasad mein kiye gaye tabseray sawaal, usne socha, baar baar socha. Aur phir apne dimaag se in khayalon ko nikal diya.

Rayyan Shirazi Hamad Shirazi ka beta tha. Aur Hammad Shirazi Faris Wajdan ka saga bhai nahi tha. Kya rishton ka ikhtilaf is darar ka sabab bana hai ya phir is nafrat ke peeche koi aur wajah hai? Woh gehri soch mein doobi apni jagah khadi rahi thi.

❏❏❏