Jannat Ke Pattay

Part 2

"Aba ne mujhe kabhi scarf lene ya sar dhakne par majboor nahi kiya, thank God! Haan Aram ghar ke bahar scarf leti hai. Uske Abu, Taya Furqan kuch sakht hain na." Phir woh bed se tek lagate hue neem daraz hokar batane lagi. "Par mission ka to koi masla nahi hai. Aba Spain jane ki ijazat na dete. Magar Turkey mein Sabin phopho rehti hain. To woh maan gaye the. Waise bhi unhein apni beti par poora bharosa hai."

Phir woh chand lamhe apni dost ki batein sunti rahi. Zara khamosh hui to usne phir nafi mein sar hilaya.

"Kal nahi! Dawar bhai ki mehndi kal hai. Tum aa rahi ho na? Aur haan, mein aur Aram lehnga pehn rahe hain. Saare cousins bohot excited hain. Khandan ki pehli shadi hai na. OK! Ab tum jaake mail check karo, mein bhi soti hoon. Raat bohot ho gayi hai."

Alwidai kalmaat bolne ke baad usne phone takiya par uchal diya. Phir bahar jane ke liye uth khadi hui. Bahar lounge khamoshi mein dooba hua tha. Haya ne aahista se apne kamre ka darwaza band kiya. Nange paon chalte lounge se kitchen mein aayi. Siyah kameez aur khule trouser mein uska qad aur bhi daraz lag raha tha. Kitchen mein andhera phaila hua tha. Woh darwaze par ruki aur haath badha kar kitchen ki light jalaai. Saari battiyan jal gayin. Usne aage badh kar fridge ka darwaza khola aur pani ki bottle nikalne ko jhuki. Jhukne se baal phisal kar saamne aa gaye. Haya ne narmi se unko peeche hataya aur pani ki bottle lekar seedhi hui. Counter par rakhe rack se glass uthaya aur pani glass mein undelne lagi. Tabhi uski nigah...

Counter par rakhi safed cheez par pari. Woh jaise chonk uthi, bottle wahi rakh kar aage aayi, woh safed aadhe khule gulabon ka bouquet tha, saath ek safed lifafa bhi tha.

Haya ne guldasta uthaya aur dhire se paas la kar aankhein mondon se usko soongha. Dilfareb taazgi bhari mehak usmein utar gayi. Phool bilkul taaza thay jaise abhi tode hoon, jaane kaun yahan rakh gaya. Usne band lifafa uthaya aur palat kar dekha. Uske pate wali jagah par "Haya Salman" likha hua tha. Bhejnewale ka koi pata nahi likha tha. Bas courier ki ticket lagi hui thi. Aur ticket par ek roz qabl ki tareekh likhi hui thi. Usko to kabhi kisi ne yun phool nahi bheje, yeh kya maamla tha. Uljhte hue Haya ne lifafa chaak kiya. Usmein ek mota kaghaz tha. Usne do ungliyan daal kar kaghaz bahar nikala. Safed kaghaz bilkul saaf tha na koi lakeer na design. Bas uske wast mein do lafz likhe hue the.

"Welcome to Sabanci"

Woh sunaaye mein reh gayi. Yeh kya mazaq tha? Bhala khat bhejne wale ko kya maaloom ke main Sabanci ja rahi hoon? Khat par to ek roz qabl ki tareekh likhi hui thi, jabke qabooliyat ki mail to abhi pandrah minute pehle mili. To phool bhejne wale ko ek din pehle kaise pata chal gaya?

Agar Zara ko usne khud na bataya hota to woh yehi samajhti ke ye uski harkat hai.

Yeh khat Sabanci University ki taraf se bhi nahi aasakta tha, kyun ke uspar local courier ki mohar lagi hui thi. Phir kisne bheja hai ye? Woh pani ka glass wahi slab par rakh kar bouquet utha kar sochti hui apne kamre mein chali gayi.

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Usne lock mein chaabi ghumayi hi thi ke gate ke paar se Zara aati dikhayi di. Woh darwaza khol kar muskurati hui seedhi hui.

"Haya, mujhe to koi mail nahi mili."

Zara ne aadhe khule gate ko dhakel kar andar qadam rakha. Uske chehre par udaasi thi.

"Koi baat nahi, ek do din mein aa jayegi, fikr mat karo. Humne ek saath hi apply kiya tha. Mujhe aa gayi hai to tumhe bhi aa jayegi."

"Magar scholarship coordinator ke office ke bahar jo list thi usmein bhi mera naam nahi hai."

"Aur mera?"

"Sirf tumhara hai hamare department mein se aur Environmental Sciences ki ek ladki Khadija ka hai. Mujhe lagta hai mera selection hi nahi hua."

"Ooh..."

Use waqai afsos hua tha. Uski Zara se ab baat ho rahi thi.

"Khair! Tum kahin ja rahi thi?"

Zara chehre par basahat late hue boli.