Raat ki madham sargoshiyon mein wo dono ek restaurant mein ek dusre ke aamne saamne birajman the. Pase manzar mein bajti dheemi mauseeqi (harmonious) aur zard roshan battiyon tale jagmagata resturant narm garm sa tha. Un dono ki kursiyan sheeshe wali buland deewar ke saath lagi thien. Yahan se chehra pher kar dekhne per, neeche pura sheher chalta hua nazar aata tha.
"Kya koi masla chal raha hai kaam per?"
Wajid ne narmi se istifsaar kiya tha. Saahir usse zara faasle per baitha hua tha. Wo rookha chehra liye bahar dekh rahi thi.
"Mujhe apne masail hal Karne aate hain." Usi berukhi se kaha. Wajid lamhe bhar ko chup sa hogaya tha.
"Kya tumhari biwi ko pata hai ke tum mujhse yahan. Is five star hotel ke restaurant mein mil rahe ho?" Uska tanz bohot thanda sa tha. Wajid ke chehre ka rang badla.
"Okay. Use nahi pata. Agar wo is mulakaat ke qabar ho jaane per koi bhi jaarehana radde amal degi toh uska zimmedaar kon hoga? Tum ya mein?"
Usi thehre hue andaaz mein pucha tha. Haath baandh kar.
"Mein use handle kar lunga."
"Behtar. Tum hi use handle karo toh behtar hoga. Lekin museebat ye hai ke wo tum se handle hoti nahi hai. Wo apni zindagi ki mehroomiyon ka badla mujhse leti hai. Aur aise waqyaat ronuma hone ke zimmedaar sarasar tum ho. Tum ne usse shadi karke use wo maan diya hi nahi jo ek biwi apne shohar se chahti hai. Tum shadi karne ke baad bhi mere peeche aate rahe. Ab bhi yahi kar rahe ho. Kya tum dono meri zindagi se jaa nahi sakte? Taake mein chand din ke liye hi sahi. Lekin sukoon ka saans le sakun?" Taish se bolte bolte uski awaaz buland hogayi thi aur saans buri tarah phool gaya tha. Kayi logon ne palat palat kar unki jaanib dekha tha. Wajid ka chehra ab ke hatak se surkh hua tha.
"Mein. Mein tum se shadi karna chahta hun." Aur wo uska muh dekh kar reh gayi thi. Phir beyakeeni se use dekhti hans di. Uski aankhon mein kirchiyan si bhar gayi thien. Un mein jalan si hone lagi thi.
"Shadi! Is lafz ka matlab bhi malum hai tumhe?" Bohot Zakhmi andaaz liye kaha tha usne.
"Tum jaanti ho ke mein hamesha tum se shadi karna chahta tha." Bohot kamzor si safaai ubhri thi. Wo chand pal kirchi bhari aankhon se uska wajeeh chehra dekhe gayi.
"Tum hamesha se aisa chahte the, wajid. Lekin aisa karne ke liye jo guts darkaar hote hain. Tum unse bahramand (accomplish) nahi ho. Tum mein, mujhe haasil karne ke guts kabhi the hi nahi."
"Mein tumhein bohot khush rakhunga. Tumhe bas. Mere liye khud ko badalna hoga. Tumhe ye adakari chodni hogi. Mere khandaan ke liye zara izzat ka pesha iqtiyaar karna hoga. Tumhe bas." Aur uske aao dekha na tao. Saamne rakha paani se bhara glass uske chehre per phenk diya. Wajid yakdam us oftaad per uth khada hua tha. Saahir usi sukoon se un dono ki jaanib dekh raha tha. Wo zakhmi nigaahein uthaye use dekhti rahi. Uski aankhon mein zabt ki surkhi utar aayi thi.
"Mujhe kisi ne kaha tha. Ke agar koi tumhe khud ke liye badalne ka kahe toh uske muh per paani phenk kar wahan se uth jaana. Aur guess what. Mein yahi karne lagi hun." Wo agle hi pal uth khadi hui thi. Ek nafrat aamez nigaah uske makrooh wajood per daali.
"Tum kahan jaa rahi ho?" Usne aage badh kar uska haath thaamna chaha lekin wo uska haath usi tezi se jhatak chuki thi. Saahir ko use peeche dhakelne ka mauka hi na mil saka.
"Mujhe haath lagane ki jurrat bhi mat karna. Ghatiya aadmi. Ghatiya siyasatdaan. Ghatiya hai tumhara saara khandaan. Na shaklein achi hain na a'amaal. Manhoos chehre hain tum sab ke. Qeher naazil ho tum logon per khuda ka." Buland awaaz se use bad duaein deti wo tezi se darwaza dhakelti bahar nikalti chali gayi thi. Saahir uske peeche lapka tha. Bahar nikal kar wo chand pal gehre gehre saans leti rahi. Phir bheegti aankhein bedardi se ragad kar, car ki pichli nishast ka darwaza kholti ander aa baithi. Saahir uska ishara samajh kar agli seat per baith gaya tha.
