Baab 1..
"Umer aa raha hai parson," lunch par Nano ne achanak us se kaha. Woh khana khana bhool gayi. "Parson aa raha hai? Aapko kis ne bataya?" Usne bechaini se Nano se poocha. "Jab tum us waqt so rahi thi, woh bhi tumse baat karna chahta tha, magar main ne jab yeh bataya ke tum so rahi ho to phir usne jagane se mana kar diya." Nano ne tafseel batayi thi. Alizey ke chehre par muskurahat ubhri.
"Chhuttiyan guzaarne aa raha hai?"
Usne poocha.
"Haan yahi samajh lo, foreign service chhor raha hai. Keh raha tha, chand haftay tak police service join kar le ga." Alizey ko hairat ka jhatka laga. "Umer aur police service, mujhe yaqeen nahin aa raha Nano! Itni achi post chhor kar aakhir woh karega kya yahan? Uncle ne us se kuch nahin kaha?"
Usay abhi bhi yaqeen nahin aa raha tha.
"Jahangir se us ka koi jhagra ho gaya hai. Usne mujhe tafseel nahin batayi lekin they are not on talking terms now-a-days."
"Is mein kaunsi nayi baat hai, yeh to pichle kai saal se ho raha hai."
Alizeh ko waqai koi hairani nahin hui thi.
"Haan magar ab phir koi jhagra hua hai dono mein. Ab aayega, to pata chalega ke kya hua."
Nano bhi zyada fikar mand nahin lag rahi thi.
"Yahin rahega kya?"
Usne Nano se poocha.
"Haan keh raha tha ke posting milne tak yahin rahega. Mujh se pooch raha tha ke tumhare ya apne liye kisi cheez ki zarurat ho to usay bata dein, woh le aayega. Apne liye to maine kuch nahin kaha lekin tumhare liye kuch perfumes lanay ke liye kaha tha. Meri baat par woh hansne laga."
Alizeh ke zehan mein beikhtiyar aik yaad lehrai. "Keh raha tha yeh to koi mangwane wali cheez nahin hai, jaanta hoon Alizey ke saamne jaunga to perfumes ke baghair kaise jaunga. Phir maine us se kaha ke kuch achi kitaabein le aaye tumhare liye, khaas tor par painting ke baare mein koi nai kitaab."
Nano usay bataayi gayi thi.
"Aap ne aise hi takleef di, Nano."
"Aray nahin, woh khud israar kar raha tha. Khair, tum zara us ke liye kamra set karwa dena, aur annexi bhi zara saaf karwa dena. Us ka sara samaan bhi aa raha hai. Abhi filhaal to yahin rakhwaye ga, phir jab posting milegi to le jaayega." Nano ne usay hidaayaat dete hue kaha tha. Phir woh lunch karne ke baad uth kar chali gayi thi. Woh bohat der tak wahin baithi bohat kuch sochti rahi thi. Zehan mein bohat kuch taaza hota ja raha tha. "To Umer Jahangir, aakhir kar tum wapas aa hi rahe ho."
Usne muskurate hue socha. Phir kuch zehan mein aane par woh uth kar us kamray ki taraf aa gayi jahan woh hamesha theherta tha. Darwaza kholte hue usay bohat khushgawar sa ehsas hua tha. Woh aksar us kamray mein aakar kuch waqt guzara karti thi, aur hamesha hi yahan aakar usay yun lagta jaise woh yahin kahin mojood tha. Us ki rocking chair usay saakit haalat mein bhi usi tarah jhoolti hui nazar aati thi, jis tarah woh usay jhulaya karta tha. Har cheez par jaise us ka lams tha. Har taraf us ki jaise awaaz goonjti thi. Wohi dheema, gehra aur thehra hua lehja. Wohi pur-sukoon dil ke kahin andar tak utar jaane wali awaaz, aur phir wohi khilkhlate hue beikhtiyar qehqe, uske kamray mein aakar sab kuch jaise zinda ho jaata tha. Illusion aks ban jaata tha, aur aks haqeeqat ban kar us ke ird gird phirne lagta tha. Kamray mein wohi makhsoos khushboo basi hui thi. Umer ke istemaal mein aane wali chhoti chhoti cheezein usi tarah apni jagah par thi jaise unhein kal hi rakha gaya ho. Usne yaad karne ki koshish ki. Pehli baar woh kab aaya tha. Usay apne zehan par zor nahin dena pada. Usay achi tarah yaad tha ke woh kis saal, kis tareekh, kis din aur kis waqt aaya tha. Baaz baatein aap kabhi bhoolna nahin chahte, aur woh kab gaya tha, usay yeh bhi yaad tha. Baaz baatein aap kabhi yaad rakhna nahin chahte. Alizeh ke liye tab se aaj tak woh yahin tha, usi kamray mein, kam az kam us ke liye. Usay apne peeche darwaza khulne ki awaaz aayi thi, woh be ikhtiyar palti.
