Jummah ko unka nikah tay kar diya gaya tha. Jumme ko aane mein abhi teen din baaki the. Haneefa aur uske aise koi khaas mehmaan the hi nahi jinhein wo dawat dete. Mehez saira thi jo har din aa jaaya karti thi. Wo bhi after shoots aur interviews mein masroof thi. Mehez shaam mein hi faraagh hoti. Ek shaam wo yunhi apne shopping kiye naye kapdon ko ulat pulat kar dekh rahi thi jab saira uske kamre mein jhaanki. Use bagaur dekha.
"Itne din ho gaye yasir se baat nahi hui. Ab mujhe wo yaad aa raha hai."
Uske kehne per saira ki aankhein yakdam hi chamki thien. Wo ander chali aayi. Selena jo aine ke saamne khadi thi, use kandhon se thaama. Sabz aankhon mein dheron sanjeedgi ubhar aayi.
"Pata hai. Jab rishte ki baat tay ho jaaye toh hone wale shohar se mulakaat nahi kiya karte. Na use dekhte hain. Naahi use khud ko dekhne dete hain. Bilkul bhi nahi." Uski aankhon mein na samjhi ubhri.
"Kyun!"
"Uski ek bohot gambheer wajah hai." Saira ne chehra kuch aur sanjeeda bana liya tha. Selena ab palat kar use bagaur dekh rahi thi.
"Aur aisi kya wajah hai?"
"Kehte hain ke agar nikah se qabal dulhan ko dekha jaaye toh wo shohar ko nikah ke baad utni khubsurat nahi lagti. Wo use aam si lagti hai." Uski aankhein hairat se phail gayi thien. Saira ne bamushkil apni hansi zabt ki thi.
"Waqai? Tum mazaak kar rahi ho na?" Use toh sach mein pareshani lahaq ho gayi thi.
"Bilkul. Kya tum yasir ke saamne aam lagna chahti ho? Kya tum uske saamne khubsurat nahi lagna chahti?" Wo chand pal use khaali khaali nazron se dekhti rahi thi. Ye inkishaf uske liye naya aur chonka dene wala tha. Saira ne kamaal andaaz se use yakeen dilaya tha. Agle din wo chote se bagheeche mein, haathon ko mitti mein luthede, paudon ke liye taaza mitti goondh rahi thi. Maali bhi uske saath hi maujood tha. Wo uski hidayat per bhaag bhaag kar samaan la raha tha. Jump suit mein malboos, sar per phooldaar rumaal baandhe, ruqsar per jhulti lat liye. Wo masroof si dikh rahi thi. Aaj use kaam se faraaghat haasil thi aur haneefa ne bhi use bahar nikalne se mana kiya tha.
Nikah mein mehez do din reh gaye the. Wo gungunati hui mashgool thi. Labon per halki si muskurahat bhi thi. Kaam taqreeban ho hi gaya tha. Wo uth khadi hui. Phir dakhili darwaze ki jaanib badh aayi. Ander se koi usi pal bahar nikla tha. Safed dress shirt ke saath khaaki rang ki pant pehne. File per chehra jhukaye. Un dono ne ek dusre ki jaanib nahi dekha tha. Be dhyani mein kadam uthati selena beiqtyaar kisi se takrayi thi. Phir yakdam hi dar kar peeche hui. Saamne wale ne bhi beyakeeni se chehra utha kar dekha tha.
"Tum. Tum kab aaye?"
Yasir ko apne saamne dekhne ki tawaqqu nahi thi use. Wo use dekh kar lamhe bhar ko thehra tha. Nigaahein uske chehre par bhatkin. Ruqsar, maathe aur thuddi per mitti lagi thi. Sookhi sookhi si. Wo jo kuch kehne laga tha ruk sa gaya. Wo uske aise dekhne per thitak gayi thi. Phir kuch yaad aane per jaldi se apni mitti wale haath uski aankhon ke saamne kiye.
"Tum mujhe abhi nahi dekh sakte." Tezi se kaha.
"Kyun?"
"Bb....bas nahi dekh sakte."
"Koi wajah toh hogi na." Usne uske haathon ko saamne se hatane ka takalluf bhi nahi kiya tha.
"Saira ne kaha hai ke jo ladkiyan nikah se pehle apne hone wale shohar ko dekhti hain wo unhein nikah ke baad utni khubsurat nahi lagtin. Wo unhein aam si lagti hain." Andaaz bohot sanjeeda tha. Saamne Khade guard ne gehra saans liya tha.
"Aur tum ne is wajah per yakeen kar liya?"
Wo hairan bhi nahi hua tha. Saada se lehje mein puch raha tha.
