Subha dhale khaasa waqt guzar chuka tha. Lakdi ke farsh wale safed mehel per kayi zard lamhaat pighal kar behte chale gaye the. Suraj thanda mehsoos ho raha tha. Ghaas ke unche neeche qaton per meysam paudon ki taraash qaraash mein masroof tha. Usne jungli ghaas ukhaad kar sabza zaar ki safai kar di thi.
Ghar ke ander kitchen se utha patak ki awaazein aa rahi thi. Armaan aasteenein peeche ko chadhaye, pasta bana raha tha. Gosht aur bhune masale ki ishtiha angez mehek ne safed mehel ko apne ihaate mein ke rakha tha. Meysam chonke sabza-zaar mein masroof tha toh usne khane ki zimmedaari leli thi. Waise bhi case ke baad uska sardar ke paas chand din theherne ka irada tha.
Usne ek nazar peeche mud kar dekha. Sardar lounge mein birajman haath mein koi kitaab liye padh rahe the. Kitchen se lounge ka aadha hissa nazar aata tha. Usi peher bahar se meysam bhaagta hua ander dakhil hua tha. Sardar ne kitaab neeche kiye bagair kaha.
"Kyun bhaag rahe ho, meysam? Kya olympics ki daudh mein hissa lene ka irada hai?"
"Sahab ji. Wo bahar ek mam sahab aayi hain."
Ab ke sardar ne kitaab neeche ki thi. Wo bhi aasteenein barabar karta kitchen se bahar nikal aaya tha.
"Konsi mam sahab?"
"Kehti hain unki gaadi kharab ho gayi hai. Sheher jaane ka koi zariya nahi. Wo bahar khadi hain. Kya mein unhein ander le aaun?"
Agle hi Lamhaat mein sardar aur armaan ke saamne seb jaise gaalon wali ladki khadi thi. Uske naqoosh teekhe aur baal siyaah the. Kandhon se zara neeche girte, steps mein kate baal. Libaas se wo koi fashion icon lagti thi. Uske ruqsar, pathanon ki manand dhoop mein khade rehne ke baais surkh ho rahe the aur sabz aankhein muskura rahi thien.
"Gaun ke raaste mein pariyan kab se utarne lagi hain, dada. Aur wo bhi din ki chamchamati roshni mein?" Usne sardar ki jaanib jhuk kar halki si sargoshi ki thi. Sardar ne us per ek nigaah daali phir saamne khadi ladki se muqatib hue.
"Aapka naam kya hai beta? Aur gaun ke sunsaan raaston per akeli kya kar rahi ho?"
"Mein sheher ke raaste hi Jaana chahti thi lekin kisi ne mujhe yahan se short cut bataya tha. Chunke mujhe jaldi pohonchna tha toh yahan se safar karna behtar laga. Lekin meri gaadi raaste ke ain darmyan mein kharab hogayi. Naam saira hai mera. Saira armaghan."
"Short cuts khatarnak saabit ho sakte hain." Armaan ki jasusi hiss phadki thi. Kyun na phadakti? Aakhir ko qaabile sataish detective jo tha.
"Mujhe nahi pata tha. Kya aap kuch der mujhe yahan rehne per raazi ho sakte hain? Tab tak mein sheher se apni dost ko call karke bula lungi." Usne kaha toh un dono ne ek dusre ki jaanib dekha tha. Armaan ko koi aitraaz nahi tha. Use toh pehli nazar mein mohabbat hone ka khadsha mehsoos ho raha tha. Sardar bhi use tanha sadak par chodne ke haq mein nahi the. Meysam albatta tajassus se bharpoor nigaahein liye us khubsurat mam sahab ko dekh raha tha.
"Khana khaya hai aapne?" Sardar ne pucha toh usne nafi mein sar hilaya.
"Chalo koi baat nahi. Hamare saath kha lena. Jao meysam khana lagao." Armaan meysam ke peeche kitchen ki jaanib badha tha. Sardar use apne saath liye lounge mein aa baithe the.
"Sorry bete. Lekin is ghar mein koi aurat nahi jo aapko company de sake. Aapko mardon ko hi bardaasht karna padega." Aur saira pehli dafa hans padi thi.
"Mujhe koi aitraaz nahi hai, uncle. Aap itne sweet lag rahe hain."
Sardar muskuraye the. Kitna shauk tha unhein ke ghar mein bahu lekar aayein. Lekin majaal hai jo yasir badtameez shaadi ke liye haami bharta ho. Unhein toh pota poti dekhe bagair hi is duniya se apna pata saaf hota mehsoos ho raha tha.
