Wo university ki imarat ki bairuni seedhiyon se utar rahi thi, jab uska mobile baja. Wo wahi teesri seedhi par ruki, file aur kitabein doosre haath mein transfer ki, aur baari baari se coat ki dono jebein khangali, phir androni jeb mein haath daala aur chinghaarta hua mobile baahar nikaala.
Yeh uska Pakistani SIM wala phone tha. Dusra mobile, jo Jihan ke paas tha, ke bawajood wo aaj kal ise hi istemal kar rahi thi.
Chamakti screen par Turki ka koi ghair shanasa sa number likha aa raha tha. Number kis ka tha, use qatan yaad na aaya. Number yaad rakhne ke maamle mein wo bahut choor thi. Use apne Pakistani mobile number ke aakhri do hote tak bhoolte the aur Turki wala to khair sire se yaad na tha.
"Hello!" Wo phone kaan se lagaye hue wahi seedhi pe baith gayi. Kandhe se bag utaar kar ek taraf rakha aur filein god mein.
Jaha tera nakshe qadam rakhte hai..khayaba khayaba Eram dekhte hai.
Awaaz ajnabi thi bhi aur nahi bhi, magar us call ka utar chadhav aur andaaz... sab shanasa tha. Wo lab bhinch gayi.
"Abdul Rahman baat kar raha hoon aur baat karne ki ijaazat chahta hoon." Go ke wo parha likha lagta tha magar andaz se kahin na kahin Mumbai ke kisi nichle tabqe ke shehri ki jhalak aati thi.
"Kya baat karni hai aapko? Aakhir aap mujh se chahte kya hain?"
"Milna chahta hoon. Batayein kya yeh mumkin hai?"
Uski reerh ki haddi mein ek sard leher daud gayi. Hathilyan be ikhtiyar paseene mein bheeg gayi.
"Main nahi mil sakti."
"Kyun? Jis phone call mein aapki dost ne aapke cousin ko apne saath chalne ki offer di thi, usmein ghaliban unhone Buyuk Ada ka zikar kiya tha. Princess Islands... Shehzadon ke jazire... Kya aap udhar nahi aa rahi hain?"
Toh wo uski calls tape kar raha tha aur tab hi usne Pakistan wale mobile par call ki thi kyunke wo Turkey wale phone ke Jihan ke tahweel mein hone ke baare mein jaanta tha.
"Main Buyuk Ada nahi ja rahi. Aindah aap na to mera peecha karenge, na hi meri calls tape karenge. Warna main aapki jaan le loongi, samjhe!" Usne jhala kar phone kaan se hataaya aur surkh button zor se dabaya. Mobile off ho gaya.
Wo gehri sans le kar uth khadi hui. Jaane kab yeh shakhs uska peecha chhodega.
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Samundar ki jhaag bhari neeli lehron par se hawa sarsarate hue guzar rahi thi. Woh dono ferry ki balcony mein khade samne samundar dekh rahe the. Jihan qadrey jhuk kar railing pakray khada tha aur Haya gardan seedhi uthaye lab bhinche samne uf pe dekh rahi thi.
DJ abhi abhi camera le kar balcony ke doosre sire tak gayi thi, so in dono ke darmiyan khamoshi chha gayi thi.
Woh jab se Kadikoy ke bandargah pe ferry mein sawar hue the, tab se aapas mein baat nahi kar rahe the. Ferry waise bhi khacha khach bhara tha. Jagah dhoondhne mein hi itna waqt guzar gaya. Ferry ki nichli manzil jo charon taraf se sheesho se band thi, uspar jude tamam sofas aur kursiyan bhar gayi thi, so woh balayi manzil par aa gaye jo open air thi. Khula sa wasiha aata jahan har taraf sofe aur kursiyan thi, magar ek nisht bhi khaali na thi. Unko bilaakhir kar ferry ke kinare pe bani tang ki balcony mein khade hone ki jagah mili. Woh itni tang thi ke samundar ki jaanib rukh kar ke ek waqt mein ek banda hi railing ke sath khada ho sakta tha. Balcony ki gallery lambi thi aur logon ki ek taweel qitaar wahan khadi thi.
Woh dono bilkul daayein taraf ke kone mein the. Hawa be had sard thi, phir bhi Jihan siyah sweater ki asteen keene tak moday hue tha. Magar use be had sardi lag rahi thi ke usne siyah lambay skirt ke upar sirf sarmayi sweater hi pehna tha, so usne siyah stool ko sakhti se kandhon ke gird lapeta kar baazu seene pe bandhe rakhe the.
