Sare shaam hi shagufta usse milne chali aayi thi. Uske hosh mein aane per wo unhein behad kamzor lag rahi thi. Wo pareshan si uske aage jhuki.
"Selena darling. Theek ho na tum? Weak feel kar rahi ho?" Unki aankhon mein apne liye fikr dekh kar wo lamhe bhar ko muskurayi thi. Phir sar asbaat mein hilaya.
"Mein theek hun, maa. Aap kaisi hain?"
"Tum theek ho toh mein bhi theek hun. Tum ne mujhe dara hi diya tha." Usne sukoon ka saans kharij karke lamhe bhar ko use dekha tha.
"Ye sab keh rahe hain ke tum ne kisi bodyguard ko dhoka diya hai. Use kisi maamle mein andhere mein rakha hai. Kya ye sab sach hai?"
Usne sar hilaya tha. Shagufta ke chehre par ek na gawar sa tasur ubhra.
"Wo guard hota kon hai is baat se offend hone wala? Tumhara usse aisa koi taluq nahi tha. Kahin tum uski tension toh nahi le rahin."
Usne unki jaanib sanjeedgi se dekha tha. Bas lamhe bhar ko.
"Meine use istemaal kiya tha, maa. Aur mujhe is baat per behad afsos hai. Usne mere saath itni dil jama se kaam Kiya aur meine kya kiya uske saath?"
Wo zara mutaasir nahi hui thi. Balke uske jazbaati radde amal per use hairat hui thi. Uski aankhon mein agle hi pal na samjhi si ubhri.
"What! Ek adad aam se bodyguard ke liye tum itna emotional kyun ho rahi ho, selena? Kya tumhari zindagi mein tamaam masail khatam ho gaye hain jo tum us adnaa se guard ke khafa hone ki pareshani bhi apne sar per musallat kar rahi ho?"
Use toh bohot ta'ajjub hua tha. Selena ko apni kanpattiyan sulagti mehsoos hone lagi thien. Usne gehra saans lekar khud ko bhadakne se roka tha.
"Mujhe mazeed is baare mein koi baat nahi karni. Aap please yahan se jayein. Mujhe araam karna hai."
"Ek guard ke liye tum apni maa ko yahan se jaane ke liye keh rahi ho? Uski haisiyat kya hai? Kya wo wajid jitna ameer aur baarsokh hai?"
Unki aankhon mein dheron tanz aur haqarat dekh kar use jaise yakeen nahi aaya tha. Usne bamushkil gehra saans liya tha.
"Nahi hai wo wajid jitna ameer aur baarsokh. Nahi wo uske jitna paise wala. Naahi uske paas talukaat hain. Lekin usne mere saath ehsaan se kaam liya tha, maa. Usne mujh per ehsanaat kiye hain. Usne mujhe insaan samjha hai. Usne mujhe kisi goonge jaanwar ki manand ameeron ki mehfilon mein kabhi nahi ghaseeta hai. Usne mere liye. Sun rahi hain aap. Mere liye goliyan khayi hain. Mere liye barasti baarish mein apne zakhm ki parwah kiye bagair wo mujhe dhoondne chala aaya tha. Aur haan." Wo lamhe bhar ko ruki thi. Uski aankhein surkh thien. Darwaze se ander dakhil hote haneefa uski buland zakhmi si awaaz per wahin theher gaye the.
"Jis baap se aapne mujhe bohot saalon pehle juda kar diya tha. Usne mujhe mera wo baap lautaya hai. Jis gharane ke liye mein zindagi bhar tarasti rahi, usne mujhe mera wo gharana lautaya hai, maa. Usne mujhe bataya hai ke mein ehem hun. Usne mujhe meri ehmiyat ka ehsaas dilaya hai. Usne meri hifazat ki hai. Mere haathon se istemaal hone ke bawajood bhi. Is baat ka ilm hone ke bawajood bhi wo. Mujhe us nafsiyat qaatil se bachane aaya tha, maa! Aur kya aap jaanti hain. Ke mustafa hassan ne apne bete ko mere saath aisi zyadati karne per kyun nahi roka?"
Aankhein bohot surkh thien. Awaaz mein kharashzada si larzish thi. Shagufta ke safed padte chehre par lamhe bhar ko khauf sa ubhra tha. Bahar khade haneefa ne aankhein band kar li thien..
"Uu. Uska yahan kya zikr?"
"Mein batati hun uska yahan kya zikr. Aap ne baba ko us per faiqiyat di thi. Wo is baat ko kabhi nahi bhula saka tha. Uske bete ne meri zindagi barbad kar di, maa aur wajah sirf aap hain. Is saari tabahi ki, mere masum bachpan ke tabah hone ki, meri zindagi kaanton per ghaseete jaane ki zimmedar sarasar aap hain!"
