Jannat Ke Pattay

Part 22

"Acha... magar kyun?"

Lekin "kyun" ka jawab sunne ka waqt nahi tha aur phir unko interview ke liye call kar liya gaya tha.

Woh khush shakal Turkish diplomat unke intezar mein baitha tha. Woh Khadija ke aagay chalti hui samne hui aur apni file sheeshe ki khidki ke sorakh se andar kar di. Uska dil zor zor se dhadak raha tha. Agar uska visa mustarad ho gaya to...?

Us officer ne unki filein uthain, un se forms nikale aur filein wapas band kar ke rakh dein. Agar usne visa dena hota to unse interview karta, kuch to padhta, koi sawal to poochta. Magar woh bas sarsari sa form dekh raha tha, to kya woh waqai uska visa mustarad karne laga tha?

Form par ek nigah dorakar usne sar uthaya aur sanjeedgi se un dono ko dekha, jo bin palak jhapke, saans roke usko dekh rahi thi.

"Aap kidhar thin? Main itne dinon se aap ka wait kar raha tha." Usne sath hi mez par rakha ek kagaz uthaya. "Mujhe Sabanci University ne yeh list bijwayi thi, isme aapke naam hain taake main aap ka visa laga doon. Khair, visa kal tak stamp ho jayega, aap mein se koi ek kal aakar dono passports pick kar le, shaam chaar baje tak, right?"

"Right!" Fart-e-jazbat se unki awaaz nahi nikal rahi thi. Dil yun dhadak raha tha jaise abhi seenay tod kar bahar nikal aayega. Woh jaise hi uske office se nikalain, ek sath hi ruk gayin aur ek doosre ko dekha.

"I am sorry, Haya."

"I am sorry, Khadija."

Ek waqt dono ke labon se nikla tha aur phir woh dono hanste hue ek doosre ke galay lag gayin. Bilakhir usay yaqeen aa gaya tha ke haan, woh waqai Turkey ja rahi hai. Woh bhi poore paanch mahine ke liye. Woh Turkey jahan woh rehta hai. Woh jo hamesha se uske dil ke saath raha tha.

"Welcome me, O Sabanci!"
                           ■■■
"Bhai to chale gaye the mujhe drop kar ke. Main aap ke cell se unko call kar loon ke woh mujhe pick kar lein?" Diplomatic Enclave se nikalte hue Khadija ne pareshani zahir ki to usne muskurate hue sir jhatka.

"No problem, main aap ko drop kar doon gi, Khadija."

"Aap mujhe DJ aur 'tum' keh sakti hain."

"Sure." Usne parking mein khadi gaadi ka lock khola. "Mujhe Jinnah Super tak jana tha. Yun na karein ke kuch shopping kar lein? Aapne kuch to lena hoga, Khadija?" Uski taakeed ke bawajood bhi woh takalluf khatam na kar saki. "Sweaters lene hain, wahan bohot sardi hogi."

"Phir wahin chalte hain."

Saino Shor ke bilmuqabil chabutra khaali tha magar din ke waqt woh itna veeran nahi lag raha tha, jitna pichli raat laga tha. Aur woh awaaz... woh sir jhatak kar aage badh gayi.

"Oh, Needle Impressions par sale lagi hai. Aayein, kuch dekh lete hain." Woh kaafi dinon se soch rahi thi ke yahan se koi acha shirt le aaye aur aaj to sale bhi lagi thi. Woh aur Khadija aage peeche Sheezay ka darwaza dhakel kar andar dakhil ho gayin.

Shop ke andar wahi makhsoos mahol tha, heater ki garmi aur bahar ki khunki ka mila jula tasur. Zard spot lights se chamakti chhat aur har taraf show cases par phailay karhai wale kapray...

Woh mahosi stand pe lage namoonay dekhti aahista aahista qadam badha rahi thi. Samne work table thi jis ke peeche khada mustaid salesman usay dekh kar foran mutawajjeh hua tha.

"Ji ma'am."

"Yeh pink wala dikhayein, jis par white embroidery hai." Usne ungli se peeche roll kiye huay thaan ki taraf ishara kiya. Salesman ne gardan pheer kar dekha.

"Ma'am! Yeh main ne samne rakha hai, yeh samne hi pada hai." Woh us se chand foot baen janib ishaara kar raha tha jahan ek family khadi us kapde ka muaina kar rahi thi.

"Oh, thanks." Woh chand qadam chal kar baen janib aayi, jahan mez par woh khubsurat karhai wala shirt ka front hain phaila hua tha.

Haya ke bilkul baen janib ek naujawan sir jhukaye kapde ko haath se masal kar check kar raha tha. Uske saath ek nafees, muamarsi khatoon aur ek kam umar unchi ponytail wali ladki khadi thi.

"Ma yeh pink wala le lete hain, Saniya bhabi ka complexion fair hai, un par suit karega, kyun bhai?" Woh ab naujawan ki rai maang rahi thi. Haya na chahte hue bhi unki taraf mutawajje hui. Usay bas yahi jaldi thi ke kab woh naujawan us kapde ko chhode aur woh usay dekh paaye. Us waqt bhi gulabi shirt ka kapda us khas ke haath mein tha. Usne usay haath mein yun pakda hua tha ke uski hatheli wali taraf upar thi. Haya uske haath mein pakre kapde ko dekh rahi thi, dafat-an uski nigahen kapde se us shakhs ki kalai par phailti gayin. Woh buri tarah chonki.

Uski kalai par kaante ka surkh gulabi nishaan tha. Jaise jala ho... ya... koi birthmark...

Woh uske saath hi khada tha. Gulabi kapde ko haath mein masal kar check karta hua mukammal tor par apni family ki taraf mutawajje tha. Woh yahan se uska neem rukh hi dekh sakti thi.
Woh daraz qad tha. Rang saaf aur aankhon par frameless glasses thay. Chehre par mutanat aur sanjida gi thi. Jeans aur jacket mein malboos woh achha khaasa smart naujawan tha.

Haya ne dobara uske haath ko dekha jis mein usne kapda pakad rakha tha. Us pal uski behan ne woh kapda narmi se apni janib kheencha. Gulabi resham uski hatheli se phail gaya. Ab uski ungliyan samne thin jin ke upar ke poron ki qudrati lakeer pe bhuri si lakeer pari thi.

Usay beikhtiyar sheeshe mein aayi woh ungliyan yaad aayeen.

Bohat ehtiyat se usne idhar udhar dekha. Khadija qadre faasle par khadi dummy ka libaas dekh rahi thi. Aas paas koi uske jaanne wala nahi tha. Yaqeenan woh yahan tamasha kar sakti thi.

"Pinkie"

Usne danasti qareeb khade naujawan ki taraf chehra kar ke buland awaaz se pukara. Woh apni behan ki simt dekh raha tha, usne shayad suna nahi. Albata uski behan Haya ko apni taraf dekhta paa kar kuch bolte bolte reh gayi thi.

"Pinkie!" Usne zara zor se pukara.

Kam umar ladki ne na samjhi se usay dekha. Uski walida bhi beti ki nigah ke taaqub mein uski taraf dekhne lagi thin. Un dono ke yun ruk kar Haya ko dekhne ki wajah se us naujawan ne bhi gardan mori. Haya ne dekha, uska chehra jhalsa hua tha. Jhalsne ka nishaan bohot gehra na tha, bas itna ke aadha chehra saaf gandumi rang ka lagta to doosra hissa gehra sanwla.