Aaj woh shaam mein Bahare se mil kar wapas aa gayi thi. Jihan ko zara sa bukhaar tha, so woh us ke paas rukna chahti thi. Jihan ne bhi koi aitraz nahi kiya tha. Albata Bahare ne zara sa munh bana liya tha.
“Tum mujhe bilkul bhool gayi ho.”
“Main apni chhoti billi ko kaise bhool sakti hoon.” Jaate waqt us ke dono gaal choomte hue Haya ne kaha tha.
“Hum Ashiyana wapas kab jaayenge?”
"Kyun, tumhein Urwa ke sath maza nahi aa raha?" Usne Mrs. Abdullah ki nawasi ka naam liya, jo apni maa aur nani ke humrah Sabeeha Noor ke ghar aaj kal aayi hui thi.
"Nahi!" Bahare ne naak sikodi. "Woh itni chhoti aur bewakoof hai, mujhe us ke sath zara bhi maza nahi aata."
"Haan! Tum to bohat badi ho jaise!" Usne hans kar Bahare ke sar pe chapat lagayi aur phir apni cheezen sametne lagi thi.
Raat tak Jihan ka bukhaar qadray utar gaya tha. Usne ek do dafa kaha bhi ke woh chali jaye, magar ab woh hotel ja kar kya karti? Khuwamkhwa fikar lagi rehti, so wahin couch pe baithi rahi.
Glass door ke aagay se parda hata hua tha. Bahar se aati chandni se darwazay ke uoar latakta wind chime chamak raha tha. Yun jaise qatra qatra chandni pighal kar us ki ladion se tapak rahi ho.
Jihan kaafi der se dawa ke zair e asar pur sukoon so raha tha.
Woh wahin couch ke siray pe tiki usay dekh rahi thi. Abaya bhi sath hi rakha tha aur us jamni qameez ke ooper usne shocking pink dupatta lay rakha tha. Jihan ka mobile uske sirhane side table pe rakha tha. Usay dekhte hue usay baar baar Eram aur Waleed ka khayal aa raha tha. Jihan ne kaha tha ke usne phuppo ko Haya ke number se call karne ke liye uska phone uthaya tha magar phir call mila kar band kar diya. Shayad usne waise hi uska phone check kiya ho. Shayad usay aise kaamon ki aadat thi. Aur agar woh uska phone check kar sakta tha, to woh bhi kar sakti thi. Usay mutabadil password bhi maloom tha.
Jasoos ki jasoosi bhi dilchasp kaam tha. Aur phir usay Jihan pe kuch sabit bhi to karna tha na.
Us ne bina kisi aahat ke jhuk kar pair jooton se juda kiye, phir nangay paon uthi aur baghair chaap ke dabe qadmoun se us ke sirhane aa khadi hui. Us ka phone pani ke jug aur glass ke sath hi rakha tha. Jihan so raha tha, aankhein band, haule hole saans leta.
Haya ne haath phone ki taraf badhaya. Abhi woh mobile se bas balisht bhar door hi thi ke... ek jhatke se us ne uski kalai pakdi.
"Ammi!" Bukhla kar karahte hue woh ek qadam peeche hati.
Us ki kalai pakde Jihan zara sa kohni ke bal utha aur neend bhari aankhon se usay dekha. "Kya kar rahi thi?" Woh jaise heran hua tha. Andhere mein bhi Haya ke chehre par urti hawaaiyan saaf nazar aa rahi thi.
"Tum to so rahe the!" Woh itni shocked thi ke pata nahi kya bol gayi.
"Tum kar kya rahi thi?"
"Pani... pani le rahi thi." Us ka saans jaise ab tak rukka hua tha. Jihan ne ek nazar pani ke jug par daali, phir gardan mor ke couch ke mez ko dekha jahan pani ki chhoti si bottle rakhi thi.
"Wo garam ho gaya tha, yeh thanda hai, is liye yeh le rahi thi." Us ki nigahon ka safar dekhte hue us ne jaldi se wazaahat di. Jihan ne ek khamosh nazar us par daali, phir uski kalayi chhod di. Us ne jaldi se zara larazte hathon se jug se pani glass mein undela aur glass pakre wapas couch pe aa baithi.
"Are you sure tumhein pani hi chahiye tha?" Sar wapas takiye pe daale, woh ab bhi usay hi dekh raha tha.
"Haan, of course!" Us ne zara sa shanay uchkate hue glass labon se lagaya. Dil abhi tak dhak dhak kar raha tha. Yeh aadmi aakhir sota kab tha?
