Shaam mein woh Ayeshe ke laptop ke samne baithi, Rohail se Skype pe baat kar rahi thi. Jihan dopehar mein hi wapas chala gaya tha aur woh uske baad seedhi ghar aa gayi thi. Jab tak Rohail online nahi hua, woh sochti rahi thi ke teen saal purani baat Rohail ne kyun nahi batayi. Teen saal pehle kya kabhi usne isharo kinayon mein bhi bataya ke usay Sabeen Phuppho ka beta mila tha. Uski har soch ka jawab nafi mein tha. Teen saal pehle unki zindagiyon mein kya ho raha tha? Woh Shariah and Law ke dosray saal mein thi. Unke ek door ke chacha ki shadi hui thi, aur... aur... Rohail ne aik din bohot hungaami andaz mein call karke Abba se paise mangay thay.
Woh ek dum se chonki. Teen, saarhay teen saal qabl ek din Rohail ka achanak hi phone aaya tha, usne Abba se do ya teen lakh rupay mangwaye thay.
"Abba! Mein jhoot nahi bol raha, mujhe waqai hi zaroorat hai."
Aur har "kyun" ke jawab mein woh yahi kehta ke Pakistan aake bataonga.
Haya ko uski pareshani dekh kar pakka yaqeen tha ke usne kisi dost ki koi qeemti shay gum kar di hai aur usi ki qeemat bharne ke liye maang raha hai. Phir pata nahi Rohail ne Abba ko wajah batayi ya nahi, magar ab saaray maamlay ko dobara yaad karte hue woh sochne lagi ke kya un do waqiat ka koi bahami talluq tha? Seedha seedha poochti to Rohail shayad chhupa jata, so usay anday tisray mein nishana bandhna parey ga.
Rohail online aa gaya tha aur ab uska chehra screen par nazar aa raha tha. Rasmi baaton ke baad usne baghair kisi tamheed ke poocha.
" Tumne Jihan ka kaun sa nuqsan bharne ke liye Abba se paise mangwaye thay?"
Lamhay bhar ko to Rohail ko samajh nahi aaya ke woh kya keh rahi hai, phir woh zara herat se bola.
" Yeh tumse kis ne kaha hai?"
" Tum pehle mere sawal ka jawab do. Tumse Je
Jihan ka koi nuqsan hua tha na? Jab woh tumhare paas America aaya hua tha to tumne Abba se paise mangwaye thay." Andar hi andar woh khud bhi ghabra rahi thi, kya pata aisi koi baat hi na ho.
" Tumse yeh Jihan ne kaha hai?" Woh achambay se pooch raha tha.
" Jis ne bhi kaha ho, tum mere sawal ka jawab do, Rohail."
Woh chand lamhay khamosh raha, jaise shash o panj mein ho.
" Tum Jihan se kyun nahi pooch letin?"
"Woh sab kuch bata chuka hai magar tumse is liye pooch rahi hoon taa keh yeh jaan sakoon ke mera bhai mujh se kitna jhoot bol sakta hai?" Talkh lehje mein keh kar usne Rohail ke chehre ko dekha. Wahan wazeh talmalaahat darr aayi thi. Jazbati blackmailing kaam kar gayi thi.
"Baat jhoot bolne ki nahi hai aur mujhe pata hai usne tumhein kuch nahi bataya. Woh bataye ga bhi nahi kyunke usne mujhe bhi mana kar rakha tha. Phir bhi, main tumhein bataye deta hoon." Phir woh zara tawaqquf se bola. "Woh ek raat ke liye bohot achanak mere paas aaya tha, uske baayein kandhay par goli lagi thi aur usay barwaqt tibi imdaad chahiye thi, magar woh hospital nahi jana chahta tha. So uske kehne pe maine apni ek doctor friend ko bulaya jo tab apni residency kar rahi thi. Usne mere apartment mein Jihan ko treat kiya aur bandage waghera ki. Phir Jihan ne mujhe bas itna bataya ke uske peeche koi hai aur woh kisi se bhagta phir raha hai. Uske paas Turkey ke ticket ke liye paisay bhi nahi thay, so uske paisay maangne par maine Abba se keh kar raton raat paisay arrange kiye thay. Woh subah hotay hi wapas Turkey chala gaya. Phir haftay baad hi usne paisay wapas bhijwa diye. Bas yahi baat thi."
Woh haq daq sune jaa rahi thi.
"Abba ko pata hai is baat ka?"
"Nahi, aur tum bhi mat batana. Woh pehle hi Jihan se munaffar rehtay hain. Yeh baat bataayi to..."
"Woh to bas Jihan ki laaparwahi ki wajah se usse khinchay khinchay se thay magar ab aisa nahi hai."
"Nahi, woh kisi aur baat pe us se barghishta thay, ab mat poochna ke woh kya baat thi. Main abhi jaldi mein hoon, baad mein bata doon ga, magar itna yaqeen rakho ke woh jis zakhmi haalat mein mere paas aaya tha, mujhe woh usi din se acha lagne laga tha aur main yeh wasooq se keh sakta hoon ke woh sach bol raha tha jab usne us raat mujhe kaha tha ke Rohail, I am not the bad guy, balki jo mere peeche hain, woh buray hain."
