Baab 11..
Woh kitchen se wapas lounge mein aagayi thi aur wahan aakar usne Shehla ko uske mobile par call kiya tha.
"Hello Shehla! Main Alizeh hoon," usne rabta qaim hotay hi kaha tha.
"Haan Alizeh! Tum aaj university kyun nahi aayin?"
"Nahi, aaj main university nahi aaungi."
"Kyun bhai, kya hua? Tabiyat to theek hai?"
Shehla ki awaaz mein tashweesh thi.
"Main bilkul theek hoon, bas dair se jaagi hoon. University ka time nikal gaya."
"Raat ko parhti rahi ho?"
"Nahi yaar! Parhti kahan rahi hoon, tumhein bataya to tha ke Umer aa raha hai aur saari raat main aur Nano ussi ka intezaar karti rahi."
"Acha, to kya woh agaya hai?"
"Haan, bohot late aaya tha."
"Kya haal hai uska?"
"Abhi to meri usse mulaqat bhi nahi hui. Main to intezaar karte karte so gayi thi. Woh mere sonay ke baad hi aaya aur abhi main jaagi hoon to woh so raha hai. Lunch se kuch dair pehle uthega to baat hogi. Main ne tumhein is liye phone kiya tha taa ke tumhein inform kar doon, warna tum khwamkha pareshan hoti rehtin." Alizeh ne wazahat ki thi.
"Kal to university aaogi na?"
"Haan, kal to zarur aaungi. Khuda Hafiz!"
"Khuda Hafiz," Shehla ne doosri taraf se mobile off kar diya tha. Shehla ko phone karne ke baad woh apne kamray mein aagayi thi aur usne do din pehle milne wali ek assignment par kaam karna shuru kar diya tha magar baar baar uska zehan Umer ki janib hi jaraha tha. Kisi na kisi tarah barah baje tak woh is assignment ko likhti rahi thi aur phir uth kar ek baar phir kitchen mein aagayi.
Nano shaami kababon ke liye banaya jane wala masala check kar rahi thin. Alizeh ne bohot arsay ke baad unhein is josh o kharosh ke sath kitchen mein kaam karte hue dekha tha. Woh muskurati hui bahar lawn mein aagai, kuch phool aur shakhein kaatne ke baad woh ek baar phir dining room mein aagai thi aur wahan usne unhein dining table par pare hue guldaan mein arrange karna shuru kar diya tha. Woh tarteeb mukammal kar chuki thi aur table se faaltu phool aur shakhein akathi kar rahi thi jab usne dining room mein wohi makhsoos mardana awaaz suni.
"Hello Alizeh!" Woh kuch gadbada gayi thi.
Dining table ki doosri taraf ek kursi ki pusht par woh apna coat latka raha tha. Woh dum sadhe usay dekhti rahi thi. Woh ab table par apna mobile aur sunglasses rakh raha tha. Guzray huay chand saalon ne us mein kuch tabdeeliyan kar di thi. Us ka hair style badal gaya tha. Civil servants ke haircut mein woh bohot sober lag raha tha. White shirt ke sath neeli tie lagaye woh bohot formal get up mein tha. Alizeh ne dining room mein phaili hui cologne ki mehak ko mehsoos karne ki koshish ki thi. Woh apna cologne tabdeel kar chuka tha.
“Kaisi ho tum?”
Woh ek baar phir uski taraf mutawajeh ho chuka tha. Alizeh ne uske chehre par bohot madham si muskurahat dekhi thi.
“Main theek hoon, aap kaise hain?”
Alizeh ne ek gehri saans lete huay us se poocha tha.
Aur woh ek baar phir jawab mein muskuraya tha.
“Perfectly alright. Granny kahan hain?”
Us ne uske sawal ka jawab dete hi poocha tha.
“Woh kitchen mein hain!”
Aur woh kuch kahe baghair kitchen ki taraf chala gaya.
"Kya usay mujhse sirf itni hi baat karni thi?"
