Presentation achi chali gayi, jabke walime ka function is se bhi acha. Aaj usne navy blue libaas pehna tha aur bada sa dupatta waise hi liya, jaise Eram ki mangni par liya tha. Baithi bhi zara alag thi magar yeh nahi ke kat kar rahi thi balki har ek se mili, wahi sawal o jawab ka silsila albata jari raha.
"Chehre se to hatao." Yeh woh fiqra tha jo hairat aur achnabey se bohat se logon ne aakar dohraya aur jawab mein woh ek saadi muskuraahat se kehti rahi.
"Thank you! Main bilkul theek hoon."
Albatta sab ki baatein dil par bohot zor se lagti theen. Fatima ne kitni dafa usay aankh se ishara kiya ke chehra poora khol le magar jawab mein woh abru se peeche ki taraf ishara karti jahan movie maker movie bana raha tha. Woh jhunjhla gayi.
"Ohho! Family video hai, apnon mein hi rahegi. Bahar thori dikhayenge."
Bilkul! Woh isbat mein sar hila kar doosri jaanib dekhne lagi. Sirf Shehla thi jo usay yun mili jaise koi tabdeeli hi na aayi ho. Us ki aankhein albata ab bhi waisi hi udaas aur thakan se bharpoor thi. Magar Haya ko ab wajah jaan’ne ki zaroorat nahi rahi thi. Usne abhi ek do functions hijab mein attend kiye the, kal Fatima se behas ka asar abhi tak dil pe tha aur Shehla to pichlay do saal se har khushi, har gham mein aise hi shirkat karti rahi thi.
Aur phir jab insaan kehta hai ke woh imaan laya hai to woh aazmaya bhi zaroor jata hai.
Jaane Shehla ki takleef kitni thi aur kab se thi.
Salam ho hum ajnabiyon pe! Usne gehri saans lete hue socha. Shaadi ke liye doosray shehron se aaye kuch rishtedaar Taya Furqan ke ghar thehray hue the. Taya ne raat mein sab ka khana kiya tha. Is waqt bhi unka ghar mehmaanon se bhara hua tha. Jab woh presentation ka batane unki taraf aayi.
Lawn mein andhera utar aya tha. Taya baraamday mein hi kharay the. Andar janay wala darwaza khula tha magar aas paas koi na tha. Andar se albata gehma gehmi aur rounaq ki si awazein aa rahi thi.
"Aaj presentation achi ho gayi hai. Umeed hai project humein hi milega."
Woh narmi aur bashashat se batane lagi. Jo sard mehri ki deewar un dono ke darmiyan dar aayi thi, woh usay girana chahti thi. Jo bhi tha, usay fitri tor par Taya Abba se bohot muhabbat thi.
"Khair! Mujhe to itni umeed nahi hai. Pata nahi, tum theek se kar ke bhi aayi ho ya nahi." Wahan hanuz rukhaayi thi. Woh bohot ukhrey ukhrey se lag rahe the.
"Nahi Taya Abba, sab bohot acha ho gaya." Wo poora homework kar ke gayi thi.
Woh khamosh rahe. Tanay huye abru aur maathay ke bal. Woh us se khush nahi the. Usne ek aur koshish karni chahi.
"Acha, Baqir sahab bata rahe the ke side B mein vendor kuch masla kar raha hai. Supply rok di hai. Main soch rahi thi agar main khud..." Woh ek dum ruki, darwaza khol kar Dawar bhai bahar aa rahe the. Haya kisi mekhani amal ki tehet dupatta do ungliyon se thodi uthakar naak tak le gayi..Taya me chonk kar us ki is harkat ko dekha aur phir andar se aate Dawar bhai ko, jo usay dekh kar ruk gaye the, jaise mutazabzab hon ke khara rahoon ya wapas chala jaun.
"Yeh tum kis se parda kar rahi ho?" Taya ne kadey tewaron se usay dekha. Lamhe bhar ko to uski samajh mein kuch na aaya.
"Ji?"
"Tum mere betay se parda kar rahi ho?"
"Taya Abba, main to..." Usne kuch kehna chaha magar woh ek dum bohot buland awaaz mein bolne lage.
"Mere betay awara hain? Lofar lafange hain? Bad niyat hain? Kya kiya hai mere beton ne jo tum unke samne parda dalne lagti ho?" Unchi, ghusseeli awaaz ne andar bahar khamoshi taari kar di.
Woh bilkul saakit, baghair palk jhapkaye unhein dekh rahi thi. Uski samajh mein nahi aa raha tha ke ho kya raha hai. "Tum mere hi ghar mein kharay ho kar mere beton ko ghatiya aur neech sabit karna chahti ho? Tum mere beton ko zaleel kar rahi ho?" Woh ghusse se dhaare. Dawar bhai ne nafi mein sar hilaya, jaise unhein qat’aan na laga ho ke unhein zaleel kiya gaya hai.
