Woh chalte chalte us jungle namay ilaqay tak aa pohoche the.
Unche sar sabz darakht aur unke darmiyan se darya kisi tang jharne ki tarah beh raha tha. Pani ke upar pul ki soorat mein lakri ke phatte lage hue the aur darmiyan mein lakri ka ek bara sa takht tha. Takht pe surkh qaleen bichha tha aur iske teen saath, teen sides par mander bana kar gau takiye lage the. Chouthi taraf mander nahi thi taake wahan tangain latka kar baitho to pani paonon ko chhu le.
Sabz pani, sabz darakht aur upar neela aasman. Pul ke us paar jhupadey se bane the jin mein se ek se woh abhi abhi namaz parh ke nikli thi. Zuhr se Asr tak woh bas chalte hi rahe the. Is maqam pe Jihan unhein chhod kar apne kisi kaam se chala gaya tha. Us ko ek ghante tak aana tha. Woh us asna mein khana khakar ab namaz se farigh hui thi. Bahar nikal kar dekha to Bahare pul ke takht par baithi, pair ke anguthey se pani mein daire banate hue thi.
Haya ne apni surkh heels utaar kar andar jhupadey mein rakh di. (Jihan kaunsa dekh raha tha) aur paon se zara sa abaya uthaye nange pair chalte pul tak aayi. Bahare ke saath baith kar usne paon pani mein daale to woh takhno tak sabz meliq mein doob gaye.
Jihan Sikandar ka Turqey waqai hi khoobsurat tha.
"Abdul Rahman kab aayega?" Bahare god mein rakhe apne guloobi purse pe lage moti pe ungli pherti pani ko dekhte hue boli thi.
"Aajayega abhi. Tumne itni der kya kiya?" Usne gardan morh kar muskurate hue Bahare ko dekha. Woh khane ke baad jab namaz parhne lagi thi to Bahare bahar aa gayi thi.
"Kuch bhi nahi kiya." Usne bujhe bujhe chehre ke saath nafi mein sar hilaaya. Jihan ki daant ka asar abhi tak baqi tha.
"Kya tum is liye udaas ho ke usne tumhein daanta hai?"
"Woh har waqt daanta hi hai, magar maine kuch ghalat nahi kiya."
Samne se ek parinda udta hua aaya, pani ki satah se apne panje takrate hue, apni chonch mein zara sa pani bhare bina ruke phir pharpharata udta gaya. "Kya tumne waqai hi hamari baatein suni thi?" Istifsar karte hue bhi woh jaanti thi ke agar usne kuch suna hoga to bhi woh samajh nahi payi hogi.
"Nahi suna maine kuch. Sab mujhe hi kyun ilzam dete hain?" Woh khafgi se keh rahi thi aur sar utha kar door jaate parinde ko dekhne lagi jo upar aasman par udta ja raha tha.
Shayad us ke liye chonch bhar pani hi kaafi tha. Uski wusat bas itni hi thi.
"Acha phir udaas kyun ho?"
"Haya, kya main jab pandrah saal ki ho jaaungi to shadi kar sakungi?" Aur Haya ka munh hairat se khul gaya. "Tumhein aisi baat kyun suji, Bahare? Ghuncha ki shadi bhi pandrah saal ki umar mein hui thi na?"
"Ghuncha kaun..?"
"Hamari jaddisi mein rehti thi, hum sab log gaye the unki shadi pe Abdul Rahman bhi gaya tha. Tasveer bhi hai mere paas. Dikhau?"
Haya ne mekhani andaaz mein sar hilaaya. Bahare ne apna purse khola, andaruni khane ki zip kholi aur ek lifafah nikaala. Use uske mobile ki jhalak nazar aayi thi.
"Tumhara phone tumhare paas tha?" Usko achnaba hua. "Main sochi thi tum nahi laayi."
"Main le aayi thi, charging ho gayi thi."
"Kya main ise dekh sakti hoon?" Haya ne phone lene ke liye haath aage badhaya to Bahare ne jaldi se zip band kar ke purse paray kar liya.
"Main ne kuch ghalat nahi kiya. Tum mera yaqeen kyun nahi karleti? Main achhi ladki hoon." Haya ne gehri saans bhari. "Accha theek hai, main tumhara yaqeen karti hoon. Main jaanti hoon ke Bahare Gul achhi ladki hai aur achhi ladkiyan kabootar nahi banti. Woh baatein idhar se udhar nahi karti." Usne haath wapas kheench liya tha.
