Usne chaabi ki hole mein ghumayi aur phir almari ka patt khola. Samne wale khane mein jahan chand kaghazat ke upar usne jali hui itraaf wala puzzle box rakha tha. Ab woh wahan nahi tha. Uske zehan ne lamhon mein kadiyon se kadiyan milayi, agle hi pal woh patt band kar ke bahar aaya tha.
"Bahar --e Gul!" Seedhiyon ke dehane par khade ho kar usne aawaaz di.
Bahare kaafi dino se uski aawaaz ki muntazir thi, magar Abdul Rahman ko apni masroofiyat mein almari kholne ka mauqa shayad aaj mila tha. Isliye ab aawaaz sun kar woh jo TV ke samne bethi thi, tabidari se uthi aur sar jhukaaye modeb andaz mein seedhiyan chadhne lagi.
Teesri manzil ke dehane par pohanch kar usne jhuka sar uthaya. Woh uske saamne khara tha. Woh abhi abhi hotel se aaya tha, so tie ki knot dheeli kiye, coat ke baghair tha. Use mutwajeh paakar Abdul Rahman ne sawali nishaan uthaya.
“Kya Bahare Gul mujhe batana pasand karengi ke woh puzzle box kahan hai?”
“Main pasand karungi.” Bahare ne sadgi se ishaara karte hue haan mein sar hilaaya. “Maine woh Haya ko wapas kar diya.” Woh chand lamhe kuch keh nahi saka. Uska chehra be ta'asur tha. Magar Bahare ko maloom tha ke use dhackka laga hai. "Kiski ijaazat se?”
“Woh tumhari cheez nahi thi Abdul Rahman! Jis ki thi, maine use de di.” Woh chand sanaye use dekhte raha, phir uske saamne ek panje ke bal farsh pe baitha aur seedha Bahare ki aankhon mein dekha.
“Kya tumne mujh se raaz daari ka waada nahi kiya tha?”
“Main Rahman ke bande ko khush karne ke liye Rahman ko naraz nahi kar sakti thi. Main jhoot nahi bol sakti thi.” Uski badi badi aankhein bheeg gayi. “Jo jitna acha jhoot bolta hai Bahare! Yeh duniya usi ki hoti hai.”
“Lekin phir uski aakhirat nahi hoti, yeh Ayeshe Gul kehti hai.”
Woh zakhmi andaaz mein muskuraya.
“Phir to mujhe tumhare doosre waade ka bhi aitbaar nahi karna chahiye.”
"Nahi! Hum waqai jazire par kisi se tumhare baare mein baat nahi karte. Woh nahi, ek aur waada bhi tha hamare darmiyan, hamara little secret." Bahare ke kandhon par ek dum bohot bhaari bojh sa aa gaya. Usne udaasi se Abdul Rahman ko dekha jo muntazir sa use hi dekh raha tha. Bahut pehle Abdul Rahman ne usse oad liya tha ke agar woh mar gaya to woh use janaza bhi degi aur uski mayyat ko oon bhi karegi.
“Tum sach bolne wali Bahare Gul par aitbaar kar sakte ho. Poora adaalar—balke poora Turki tumhe chhod de, magar Bahare Gul tumhe kabhi nahi chodegi.
Aur ho sakta hai ke ek waqt aisa aaye, jab tum mujhe pehchaan ne se bhi inkaar kar do. Tum kaho, kaun Abdul Rahman, kahan ka Abdul Rahman?”
“Tum aise baatein mat kiya karo, mujhe dukh hota hai.”
Aur is baare mein bhi Ayeshe Gul ki koi kahawat zaroor hogi. Woh zara sa muskuraya.
“Usko chhodo, woh to bohot kuch kehti rehti hai. Main doosre kaan se nikal deti hoon.” Usne naak ke samne se makkhi udaa kar goya Abdul Rahman ko apni wafadari ka yaqeen dilaya. “Woh to mujhse itni khafa hui thi ke maine tumse shaadi ki baat kyun ki.”
Lahza bhar ko ruk kar Bahare zara tashweesh se boli. “Tum mujhse shaadi karoge na Abdul Rahman?”
Saath hi usne gardan mod kar irad gird bhi dekha. Ayeshe qareeb mein kahin nahi thi. Woh dheere se hans diya.
“Mager main tumhari naye dost mein dilchaspi rakhta hoon.” "Woh tumse shaadi kyun karegi? Woh apne cousin ko pasand karti hai aur uska cousin bohot handsome hai.” Bahare ko jaise bohot gussa aaya tha.
“Aur tumhari dost ko Abdul Rahman jaisa koi badsoorat nahi lagta hoga, hai na?”
“Yeh sach hai. Usay tum bilkul pasand nahi ho, magar mujhe tumse zyada koi handsome nahi lagta.” Woh muskurate hue uth khada hua. Bahare ne gardan uthakar use dekha. “Suno!… Woh Haya ke puzzle box pe jo paheli khudi thi, woh kisne likhi thi?” Woh jaate jaate zara chonk kar wapas palta.
