Bakht (Mehrulnisa Shahmeer)

ch 7

Halay jab uper aayi toh mehrmah uska raat ke function ka joda istari kar rahi thi. Usne buland awaaz mein salam kiya tha lekin jawab nahi mila. Halay ko dekh ke aaj wo muskurayi bhi nahi thi lekin halay ne gaur nahi kiya. Wo kisi alag hi jahan mein pohonchi hui thi. Wo gungunati hui fresh hone ja rahi thi. Jab apne uqab se aati mehrmah ki awaaz pe thatki thi.

"Muddahat ki mayun ki raat tum kahan thien?" (Uff unko kaise pata chala. Halay ko koft hui thi.) Jhoot bolna fuzool tha kyunke wo jaanti thi meher sawal tab karti hai jab wo sab jaanti hai.

"Aap jaanti toh hain." Usne baat ghumayi thi. (Zara dekhun toh unko kya pata hai)

"Halay bako mat sach sach sab batao." Wo gusse mein thi.

"Ek dost ka accident ho gaya tha wahin gayi thi."

(Lafzon ki ye her pher uski zindagi mein konsa tufaan layegi wo abhi is baat se beqabar thi.)

"Konsa dost?" Usne chubhte hue lehje mein pucha tha.

"Hai ek aap nahi jaantin." Uske thook nigla tha.

"Aap nahi jaanti Instagram pe dosti Hui thi hamari."

"Waah halay sultan waah. Ab sultan family ki ladkiyan Instagram ke doston ke liye raat ko teen baje sadkon pe aawara gardi karengi. Tuf (shame) hai tum pe halay." Usme dono haath uper utha liye the goya kisi na deeda hasti ko shabashi di ho.

"Aapi please mein koi aawara gardi nahi kar rahi thi. Usko chot lagi thi mein bas usko dekhne hospital gayi thi aur kuch nahi. Aap mera yakeen karein." Halay ruhansi ho gayi thi. Wo jhoot nahi bolna chahti thi lekin sach bolke Qayamat bhi nahi laana chahti thi. Wo jaanti thi agar usne sach bataya toh mehrmah tufaan khada kar degi lekin wo ye nahi jaanti thi ek zara sa jhoot konsi aandhi leke aayega.

"Halay jo bhi ho ye galat tha bohot galat. Sheher ke haalat ka nahi pata tumhein jo tum akeli nikal padi thien? Kya hota agar wo ladka mar jaata. Usko kuch ho jaata ya agar wahan police aa jaati. Mere khudaya mujhe toh soch soch kar haul (terror/ anxiety) uth rahe hain." Meher ka bas nahi chalta tha ke halay ko do thappad de maare.

"Aapi mein aap se wada karti hun aindah aisa kuch nahi hoga. Mein kabhi aisi koi galati nahi karungi balke mein us ladke se dosti bhi khatam kar dungi. Bas ab aap ye baat yahan khatam kar dein please." Halay ne goya minnat ki thi.

"Konse hospital mein hai wo?" Meher ne thehre hue lehje mein pucha tha.

"Jinnah hospital." Halay madham awaaz mein boli thi.

"Us ladke se dosti khatam karo aur aindah hum is baare mein baat nahi karenge. Agle ek mahine tak tum kahin bhi akeli nahi jaogi mein saath jaungi." Usne faisla sunaya tha.

"Jaisa aap kahein lekin ak mahina zyada hai bohot yaar please rehen karein."

"Do mahine." Wo sard awaaz mein boli thi.

"Acha acha jaisa aap kahengi wahi hoga. Maan gayi mein ab bas karein."

"Saare hitler ke ja nasheen mere hi ghar paida hone the." Wo bad badayi thi.

"Mein sun rahi hun halay ab teen mahine."

Halay ne bebasi se apni badi behen ko dekha tha aur isse pehle ke uski saza saal tak pohonchti usne wahan se bhaag jaane mein afiyat samjhi.

Uska saara mood barbaad ho chuka tha lekin safeer ka khayal aaye hi wo phir se khil uthi thi. Wo dono ek hain use aur kya chahiye tha.

Muddahat ki baraat ka function sheher ke ek bohot bade hall mein tha. Halay ne off-white pairon tak aati gherdaar frock ke saath red dupatta liya hua tha. Baal dheele Jude mein bandhe rakhe the jisse nikalti baalon ko kayi latein uske chehre par jhool rahi thien. Gale mein guluband (necklace) aur kaano mein bade bade aaweze pehne wo bohot pyaari lag rahi thi aur aaj toh chehre pe ek alag hi nikhaar sa tha. Safeer ki mohabbat ka nikhaar.