Uljhe Dor (The Mehrotras book 1)

2. Pehla Project

"Bela! Jaldi karo, late ho jaogi. Nau (9) baj gaye."

"Aayi, papa. Do (2) minute." Bela semi tranparent kurta aur jeans pehen kar bahar aati hai. Bela chappal nikalti hai shoe rack se aur pehen rahi hoti hai lekin uske baal uske chehre par aa rahe hote hain.

"Baal baandh lo. Din bhar aankh par baal aate rahega to kaam kaise karogi?"

"Ham apne baal sambhal sakte hain. Lekin garmi bohot ho rahi hai aaj kal. Ham baandh hi lete hain. Aur hamare baal utne bhi lambe nahi hain, kamar tak bhi nahi pahuchte."

Bela apne baal ko ek low pony mein baandh kar aati hai. "Dahi- shakkar khayi?" Bela apna jeebh nikalti hai. "Bhool gayi na? Kya hoga tumhara hamare bina." Prof. Narayan andar se ek katori mein dahi aur cheeni lekar aate hain.

"Is liye aapko hamare saath hamesha rehna padega."

"Ek baar shaadi ho jaye. Dekhna, tum bhool jaogi apne papa ko."

"Kaisi baat kartein hain. Ham aapko kaise bhool sakte hain? Aapne hamein akele paala hai, jaroorat ki har cheez di hai, hamara kitna khayal rakha hai, hamein jara si bhi takleef nahi hone di aapne. Ab ham aapko ham akele kaise chhod sakte hain jab aapko hamari jaroorat hai? Aapko chhod kar nahi jayenge ham, aapko saath lekar jayenge."

"Pagli, tumhare sasural mein ham kya karenge? Achha, yeh sab baatein chhodo. Tumhe der ho rahi hai. Jaldi se yeh khao aur bhago."

"Aap chinta mat kariye. Aruna Chawla ma'am bhi janti hain ki Bela ke bina unki company unchaiyaan kaise chhooegi."

"Lekin uske liye pehle Glam Events pahunchna padega."

Prof. Narayan Bela ko dahi cheeni khila dete hain aur Bela unka aashirvad lekar chali jaati hai.

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Shaivi apne aap ko sheeshe mein dekhti hai. Baal to khule hi thik hain. Shaivi apne lambe baal ko kanghi kar leti. Apni sleeveless top aur lambe skirt ke saath matching scarf gale mein daal deti hai. "Chachi ji, main nikal rahi hoon. Shaam tak aa jaungi."

"To mujhe kyun bata rahi ho? Jo karna hai karo, bas apne baap ki tarah naak mat katwana hamari."

Shaivi auto ke liye wait kar rahi hoti hai lekin koi bhi uske interview wale company ki taraf nahi ja raha hota hai. "Bhaiya, Glam Events office chaloge?"

"Nahi, sorry ma'am."

Barish hone lagti hai aur Shaivi bus stand ke niche ruk jaati hai aur barish ke kam hone ka intajar karti hai. "Chhata bhi nahi layi main. Ekdam jhalli ho tum, Shaivi."

Jab barish kam hoti hai to Shaivi bus stand ke niche se bahar aati hai lekin ek bright orange colour ki mehengi sports bike uske saamne se gujarti hai aur us par keechad uchhal deti hai.

"Andha hai kya? Dikhta nahi hai? Keechad uchhal diya mujhpar. Mere saare kapde gande ho gaye."

Bike aage traffic signal par par rukti hai, aur Shaivi bike ke number plate ki photo kheech leti hai, phir bike tezi se chali jaati hai.

"Pagal kahin ka. Kapde kharab kar diya. Ab ghar jakar badalna padega. Kahin late na ho jaun." Tumne photo to kheech liya par iska karogi kya, Shaivi? Police ke paas to jaogi nahi. Itni chhoti si baat ke liye itna bada jhanjhat kyun palna? Wise bhi, ya to ameer hoga ya pagal jo itni mehengi bike khareed li. Chor bhi ho sakta hai. Inmein se koi bhi case achha nahi lag raha hai. Lekin agli baar milga to main use chhodungi nahi.

Shaivi bhag kar ghar jati hai aur naha kar, kapde badal kar wapas nikal padti hai.

Auto dhoondhne ke chakkar mein late ho gayi main. Shaivi receptionist se puchhti hai interview ke bare mein. Receptionist usko ajeeb tarah se dekhti hai. Lagta hai main bohot hi late hoon. Wo phir bhi use apni details de deti hai. Receptionist use 5th floor par jaane ke liye kehti hai, jo use pohochne par puri khali dikhti hai.