Uljhe Dor (The Mehrotras book 1)

29. Apne Ghar Jao, Bela

  Shaam dhalne wala hota hai jab Kunal Bela ke ghar pohochta hai. Jor se ghar ke darwaza pit'ta hai. Bela darwaja kholti hai. Bela shaadi ke jode mein nahi thi lekin mangalsutr aur sindoor abhi bhi the, jise dekhkar Kunal ka gussa chadhne lagta hai.

  "Aap yahan kyun aaye hain?" Bela dheemi aawaj mein puchhti hai.

  "Ghar le jaane, jaldi se apna saman bandho."

  "Ham aapke saath kahin nahi jayenge. Jis tarah aapne dobara hamari bezzati karke hamein apne ghar se nikaala tha, uske baad ham aapke saath dobara kyun chalenge?"

  "Kyunki main tumhe lene aaya hoon."

  "Aap aise kyun hain? Aap kya samajhte hain apne aap ko ki aap ek baar kahenge aur ham aapke pichhe pichhe aa jayenge? Hamein bohot gussa aata hai aapke is vyavhaar par. Aapke paas hoga paisa, lekin ham aapke mohtaaj nahi hain."

  "Why is it always money with you, bloody! Paise ke alawa kuchh nahi soojhta hai tumhe?" Kunal ek gehri saas leta hai apne aap ko shaant karne ke liye. "Wapas chalo, Bela. Tumhe liye bina main kahin nahi ja raha hoon."

  "To pade rahiye bahar. Hamein farak nahi padta hai, ham nahi jayenge."

  Kunal Bela ki ore ek kadam leta hai aur Bela ka sahas dagmaga jaata hai. "Dadi chaahti hain tum rasmon mein shamil ho. Wo tumhe bahu maanti hain to tum apne farz nibhaogi, samjhi?"

  "Hamne kaha na, ham aapke saath kahin nahi jayenge."

  "Kaun hai, beta?" Prof. Narayan kamre se bahar aakar kehte hain.

  "Jisse hamari shaadi hui thi, jisne hamein ghar se nikaal diya. Lekin aap chinta mat kariye, ham aapko chhod kar kahin nahi jayenge."

  "Chalna padega, Bela. Don't fucking don't test my patience right now. Dadi chaahti hai tum wapas chalo to tum chalogi."

  "Aapki Dadi, aapki marji, aapka status. Sab aapka hai to aap janiye."

  "Bela, tumhe iske saath jana chahiye."

  "Nahi, Papa, yeh aap kya keh rahe hain? Aapko chhodkar ham kahin nahi ja rahe hain. Aur aapki sehat bhi theek nahi rehti hai, ham aapko-"

  "Bela, ham bacche nahi hain. Ham apna dhyaan rakh sakte hain. Aur phir, ham kaun sa kahin ja rahe hain, jab man kare aakar mil lena hamse."

  "Par Papa," Bela ke aankh se aansu girne lagte hain. Prof. Narayan apni beti ko dekhkar apne aap ko rok nahi paate hain aur unke aankh se bhi aansu girta hai. Kaise mod par lakar jeevan ne tumhe khada kar diya hai, Bela? Aue kitna dukh-dard likha hai meri bacchi ke jeevan mein? Ram ji, himmat dena meri bacchi ko zindagi ke is mushkil padhaav ko paar karne ka.

  "Bharosa nahi hai tumhe hampar? Ham pandra (15) saal se tumko aur apne aap ko sambhaal rahe hain. Ham apne aap ko sambhaal lenge."

  "Lekin us samay aap bimar nahi the. Hamein apne paas rehne dijiye na, mat kariye hamein apne aap se door."

  "Bela, tumhari shaadi ho gayi hai. Tum dono ke beech jo bhi galat fehmi, man-mutaav hua tha use bhool jao aur aage badho."

  "Ham apni bezzati kaise bhool jayein, Papa? Aapne hamein sikhaya hai ki kuchh bhi ho jaye lekin apni bezzati kabhi sehan nahi karna chahiye, phir aap khud hamein aisa keh rahe hain?"

  "Bela, beta kabhi kabhi purani baaton ko pichhe chhod dene mein hi bhalayi hoti hai. Kuchh baaton ko bhool jana hi sahi hai. To bhool jao jo pehle hua aur dobara pichhe mud kar mat dekhna. Sab kuchh hamare haath mein, hamare hisaab se nahi hota hai. Is baat ko jitna jaldi sveekar kar logi, jeevan utna hi kam kathin lagega. Bela, shaadi hui hai, rishta juda hai, apna rishta nibhao, apne kartavy nibhao. Vada karo hamse, tum apne rishte ko ek mauka dogi."