"Pichle dinon saleena mazhar ko glamour agency ke dakhili hall mein dekha gaya hai. Reporters ke mustaqil sawalaat per bhi wo khamoshi se sar jhukaye apne bodyguard ke hamraah chali gayin. Muqtalif agencies ke maahir tabsira nigaaron ka yahi khayal hai ke saleena apne comeback ki tayyari bharpoor andaaz se karna chahti hain lekin wo capital (paise) ki kami ke bais khamosh hain. Tabsira nigaaron ke hisaab se aane wale dinon mein saleena muqtalif commercials mein bhi nazar aa sakti hain."
Was'i se qeemti TV lounge mein chalte tv ki awaaz per dakhili darwaze se ander dakhil hoti Maria lamhe bhar ko theher gayi thi. Office white besh (excess) qeemat sofon per birajman Wajid hassan afsos bhari nigaahon se tv screen ko tak raha tha. Wo shayad abhi abhi kaam se wapas aaya tha. Uski dress shirt ke upri button aaram deh se andaaz mein khule the aur tie ki greh dheeli thi.
Maria ko lamhon hi mein apna wajood jalta hua mehsoos hone laga tha. Ladies three piece suit mein, work heels pehne, chote kate baalon ke saath wo bawaqaar lag rahi thi. Wo ek khubsurat aurat thi. Wajid ke ain layaq.
"Din kaisa raha, wajid?" Wo muskura kar aage aayi toh wajid chonka. Wo uski maujoodgi se beqabar lagta tha. Phir thakan zadah sa muskura kar tv off Kiya. Wo Maria ki maujoodgi mein saleena ko nahi dekhna chahta tha. Usne baarha (many times) kaha tha ke wo use chod chuka tha lekin Dil ke kisi khaane mein wo aaj tak puri aab wa taab ke saath panha thi.
"Waise hi....normal work day tha. Tumhari meeting kaisi rahi?" Maria apne baap Akram a'awam ki NGOs ko regulate karti firm ki director in charge thi. Uske under kayi baar sokh NGOs social work kiya karti thien.
''Hunn. Achha tha. Larkana (city in sindh) ka project humein mil chuka hai. Jald hi primary education par kaam shuru karenge. Fundings ki baabat baat hui hai lekin kuch khaas investors abhi dilchaspi lete nazar nahi aa rahe is project mein. Junhi is project ke jackpot ka andaza hoga toh log khud hi kheenche chale aayenge.'' Usne qaalis karobari zuban mein mudda bayan kiya to Wajid samajh kar sar hilane laga. Mariya ki zeerk (clever) aankhein uske nichde rang per jami thien.
"Kya hua? Tum theek ho." Usne haath aage badha kar uske ruqsar par rakha toh Wajid ne na mehsoos tareeqe se uska haath apne ruqsar se hataya.
"Haan theek hun."
"Saleena ki wajah se pareshan ho?" Narm lehje mein kiye gaye istifsaar par wo buri tarah chonka tha. Itni buri tarah ke Mariya ko uske andaaz par hairat hone lagi. Use apne andar khaali pan sa mehsoos hone laga tha.
"Nahi. Matlab. Ab usse mera kya taaluq hai?" Bamushkil muskura kar kaha lekin uski rangat ajeeb si thi.
"Tum mujhse share kar sakte ho, Wajid." Usne haath badha kar uska haath apne haath mein liya to Wajid ke purkashish naqoosh par saayah sa lehraya.
"Haan. Pareshan hun uski wajah se. Ek saal se bohot crisis mein hai wo. Pata nahi kaam ke bagair khud ko kaise manage kar paa rahi hai wo?" Aur uski baat sunte hi mariya ke ander ek aag si jalne lagi thi. Usne tang hote seene ke saath uska haath thapthapaya tha.
"Tum baat kyun nahi kar lete usse." Kuch lamhon baad usne kaha toh Wajid ne sar nafi mein hilaya. "Mein uski Koi madad nahin kar sakta.Wo meri kisi madad ke liye raazi nahin hogi."
"Kya mein baat karun usse?" Une kaha toh Wajid narmi se muskuraya. Phir apna haath uske haath se nikaal liya. Mariya ko kabhi apna haath itna khaali mehsoos nahi hua tha.
"Nahi. Wo humara masla nahi hai." Wo uth khada hua. Saath hi sofe ke hathe se apna coat bhi utha liya.
"Wo humara masla nahi hai. Lekin tum use humara masla bana rahe ho, Wajid." Usne bahot zabt se kaha tha. Wo aage badhte badhte theher sa gaya. Phir mud kar use dekha.
"Meine dobara use kabhi approach nahi kiya, mariya." Ye sach tha. Usne kabhi saleena ki jaanib palat kar bhi nahi dekha tha. Mariya ne zabt se gulaabi padti aankhon se use dekha aur phir uth kar uske muqaabil aa khadi hui. Wo wajid se choti thi.
