Agle dino mein Yasir ka zakhm kaafi had tak bhar gaya tha. Sardar bhi apne ghar jaa chuke the aur wo bhi apne apartment chala aaya tha. Armaan apni job per jaa raha tha aur saira apne kaam per. Selena bhi shoot per wapas chali aayi thi. Sultana aur uske darmyan ek andekha sa khanchau tha. Wo yakeenan use pasand nahi Karti thi. Usne gehra saans liya aur phir sultana ke office ka darwaza paar Kiya. Jo galat fehmi ho gayi thi wo use khatam karna chahti thi. Sultana ke saamne wo gardan uthaye khadi thi. Usne use baithne ke liye nahi kaha tha. Naahi usne baithne ko durust samjha tha.
"Aap befikar ho jayein, madam. Yasir mujhe pasand nahi karta. Wo mujh mein interested nahi hai. Hum dono mein sirf ek work relationship hai jo jald hi khatam ho jayega. Ek waqt baad wo apne raaste hoga aur mein apne raaste. Mujhe bhi ek waqt tak lagta raha ke shayad meri maujoodgi yasir ke career ke liye baais e takleef hogi. Lekin." Wo lamhe bhar ko thehri thi. Saamne birajman, dubli patli si sultana ne use unhin sapaat aankhon se dekha tha. Navy blue libaas mein malboos, professional se taasuraat chehre per sajaye.
"Mein galat thi, madam. Yasir baaki sab ki tarah kamzor aasaab ka insaan nahi hai. Naahi kamzor aqaid ka banda hai. Wo har lihaaz se bohot mazboot hai. Use meri kharab shohrat koi nuksan nahi pohoncha sakti kyunke wo apne liye gaye faislon ke nataij face karne ka aadi hai. Wo bahar maujood har us reporter ko jawab dena jaanta hai jo uski saakh per koi bhi ungli uthayega. Use koi kuch nahi kar sakta. Wo kamzor nahi hai." Usne keh kar khushk halaq se bohot sa thook nigla tha. Sultana per uski baaton ka jaise koi asar nahi hua tha.
"Kya usne tum se khud kaha hai ke wo tumhe pasand nahi karta?"
Uske chehre per istehzaya muskurahat thi. Selena ke chehre per na samjhi si ubhri.
"Ji madam. Usne mujhe khud bataya hai ke wo mujh mein dilchaspi nahi rakhta."
"Aur tum ne is baat per yakeen kar liya?" Uske aabru achanbe se uper ko uthe the.
"Ji madam. Wo kisi aur ladki ko pasand karta hai."
"Kya tum mujhe bewakoof samajhti ho, selena? Ya tum khud hi itni bewakoof ho?" Usne theher kar waqatan janne ke liye sawal kiya tha. Wo uske sawal per jazbuz hui thi.
"Usne wazay alfaaz mein mujhse kaha hai ke wo kisi ladki ko pasand karta hai aur mujhe pasand nahi karta."
"Mein uski. Maa hun selena. Uski aankhein bilkul mere jaisi hain. Kya tumhe lagta hai ke mein uski aankhon mein maujood jazbe ki galat wazahat kar sakti hun?" Aur uske paas is sawal ka ka koi jawab nahi tha. Wo yakdam bohot ulajh si gayi thi.
"Madam mein aapki baat samajh nahi pa rahi hun. Aap kya kehna chahti hain?"
"Mazeed kuch nahi kehna chahti. Bas itna kehna hai ke meri firm mein kaam mukammal karo aur aindah yahan ka kabhi ruq nahi karna. Mujhe dobara tumhari shakal dekhne mein koi dilchaspi nahi hai." Usne kadwe taasuraat chupane ki zara si bhi zehmat nahi ki thi. Usne gehra saans liya tha. Wo uski nafrat ko samajhti thi. Har nafrat ki backstory hua karti hai. Is nafrat ki bhi thi.
"Wo aapke saath aisa rawaiya rakhne per Sharminda tha, madam. Wo aap se mehez is liye taluq nahi rakhna chahta kyunke use lagta hai wo aapko takleef pohonchs dega. Wo aapko har takleef se bachana chahta hai isi liye wo aap se dur rehta hai."
Sultana ke file ki waraq gardani karte haath lamhe bhar ko saakit hue the. Gale mein guilty si ubhri. Aankhon mein chubhan hui. Usne zabt se chehra utha kar selena ko dekha tha. Wo usi beriya saada se andaaz mein kehti jaa rahi thi.
"Wo aapko maaf kar chuka hai. Wo aapko bohot pehle maaf kar chuka tha."
Aur wo jo kuch bohot talq sa kehne lagi thi yakdam saakit hui. Duniya theher gayi. Waqt theher gaya. Zindagi theher gayi. Uski samaat jaise ta'ajjub hui thi. Aankhon mein takleef ke baais gulaabi si nami utarne lagi thi.
