LOVER

Chapter 39

SHUBHISHA POV
(Morning After the Storm)
Subah ki halki si roshni dheere-dheere curtains ke beech se room mein aa rahi thi, jaise khud bhi shor nahi machana chahti ho. Raat ka bojh abhi bhi hawa mein tha, lekin uske saath ek ajeeb si shaanti bhi.
Manisha sabse pehle uthi.
Kuch seconds ke liye use kuch yaad hi nahi aaya-na rumors, na live session, na darr. Bas ek warmth thi. Safe wali warmth.
Phir uski nazar gayi.
Shubman wahan hi tha.
Bed ke paas chair par baitha hua, thoda sa side mein jhuka, aankhen band. Ek haath mattress ke edge par tha, jaise neend mein bhi use chhodna nahi chahta ho.
Manisha ka dil bhar aaya.
Aap gaye nahi...
Woh halki si hilli. Blanket ki awaaz sunte hi Shubman ki aankhen khul gayi-thakaan ke bawajood alert.
"Uth gayi?" usne dheere se poocha.
Manisha ne nod kiya. "Aap... kab se yahin baithe ho?"
Woh casually shoulders uchaal deta hai. "Bas itna ki confirm ho jaaye tum theek se so rahi ho."
Manisha uth kar baith gayi, uska chehra dekhte hue-dark circles, thaki hui aankhen, lekin wahi familiar calm. Wahi jo kal raat use sambhaal raha tha.
"Shubhi..." uski awaaz thodi si kaanp gayi. "Aapko yeh sab karne ki zarurat nahi thi."
"I wanted to," usne softly kaha. "Majboori nahi thi, Mani. Choice thi."
Ek pal ke liye silence aa gaya-woh wala silence jo heavy hota hai, lekin uncomfortable nahi.
Manisha ne gehri saans li. "Aapko lagta hai... cheezein aur bigadengi?"
Shubman ne jhoot nahi bola. "Haan."
Uski ungliyan blanket mein ghus gayi. "Aur phir bhi aap yahin ho."
"I'm here," usne firmly kaha. "Aur rahunga."
Manisha ne uski taraf dekha, aankhon mein darr aur trust dono saath.
"Agar iska asar aap par pada toh? Aapki image, aapka career... log already baatein bana rahe hain."
Shubman thoda aage jhukta hai, seedha uski aankhon mein.
"Mani, cricket ne mujhe ek cheez sikhayi hai-pressure ka matlab match chhodna nahi hota. Pressure ka matlab hota hai smart khelna."
Uske chehre par halki si smile aa jaati hai. "Aap har cheez ko match bana dete ho."
Woh bhi muskura deta hai. "Habit ho gayi hai."
Phir serious ho jaata hai. "Sun lo. Main tumhe choose kar raha hoon. Noise nahi. Headlines nahi. Tum."
Manisha ki aankhen bhar aati hain-iss baar darr se nahi, sukoon se.
Tabhi phone vibrate karta hai.
Shubman screen dekhta hai.
Trending alerts.
Manisha ka naam.
Un dono ka naam.
Kal raat ki photos-blur si, door se li hui, lekin sach chhupane ke liye kaafi nahi.
Manisha ki awaaz dheemi pad jaati hai. "Shuru ho gaya... hai na?"
"Haan," woh calmly bolta hai. Phir uski taraf dekhta hai.
"Par is baar hum bhaagenge nahi."
Manisha ne dheere se poocha, "Phir aap kya soch rahe ho?"
Shubman khada hota hai aur apna haath aage badhata hai.
"Saath mein bahar niklenge. Na statements, na safaiyan. Bas hum. Log fear nahi, confidence dekhen."
Manisha ek second ke liye rukti hai, phir apna haath uske haath mein rakh deti hai.
"Main aap par bharosa karti hoon," woh dheere se kehti hai.
"Bas wahi kaafi hai," Shubman bolta hai.
Tabhi hallway se Ishan ki awaaz aati hai.
"Guys... tumhe yeh dekhna chahiye."
Living room mein TV chal raha hota hai. News panels loud debate kar rahe hote hain, social media screenshots flash ho rahe hote hain.
Ashika Manisha ki taraf dekhti hai, concern saaf.
"Mani-"
Manisha seedha khadi ho jaati hai.
Aaj pehli baar use chhupne ka mann nahi karta.
"I'm okay," woh kehti hai. Phir Shubman ki taraf dekhti hai.
"Jab aap saath ho."
Shubman uska haath thoda aur tight pakad leta hai-ek silent promise.
Jo bhi aane wala hai... woh dono saath face karenge.
Aur Manisha ke dil ke kisi kone mein ek baat quietly settle ho jaati hai-
Yeh ending nahi hai.
Yeh fight ki shuruaat hai.

SHUBHISHA POV
Airport ki glass walls ke us paar subah ka shor tha-announcements echo ho rahi thi, suitcases floor par ghis rahe the, log apni-apni duniya mein bhaag rahe the. Sab kuch normal lag raha tha. Par Manisha ke liye... yeh subah alag thi.
Yeh goodbye wala din tha.

Shubman aur Ishan departure gate ke paas khade the-sports bags kandhon par, faces composed, jaise yeh routine ho. Test matches ke liye nikalna waise bhi unki zindagi ka hissa tha. Lekin is baar... sab kuch thoda zyada heavy tha.
Manisha thodi si door khadi thi. Na bilkul paas, na bilkul alag. Jaise khud ko emotionally prepare kar rahi ho.
Shubman ne use dekha. Aur bina kuch bole uski taraf chal diya.
"Aap ready ho?" Manisha ne poocha, awaaz sambhaal kar. Too calm. Almost rehearsed.
"Haan," Shubman bola. Phir thoda sa pause. "Par honestly... mann nahi tha jaane ka."
Manisha ki aankhon mein ek pal ke liye softness aa gayi. "Duty call hoti hai. Aap cricket se bhaag thodi sakte ho."
"Tumse bhaag sakta hoon?" usne dheere se poocha.
Uska dil thoda sa skip kar gaya. "Aap aise baatein mat kijiye," woh halki si smile ke saath boli. "Main strong hoon."
Shubman ne uski taraf dekha-jaise uske chehre ke peeche ke darr ko padh raha ho.
"Strong hone ka matlab yeh nahi hota ki tumhe darr nahi lagta."
Manisha chup ho gayi.
"Tum dar rahi ho," usne softly kaha. "Aur main dekh sakta hoon."
Manisha ne gehri saans li. "Haan. Dar lagta hai. Jab aap paas hote ho na... toh sab manageable lagta hai. Aur jab aap jaate ho-lagta hai jaise phir se khud ko armour pehnana padega."
Shubman ka expression thoda sa tight ho gaya. "Tumhe yeh sab akele nahi jhelna chahiye."
"Akele nahi hoon," woh jaldi se boli. "Par phir bhi... silence zyada loud ho jaata hai."
Ishan ne un dono ko dekh kar jaan-boojhkar thoda distance bana liya. "Boarding start ho rahi hai," usne kaha, par voice gentle thi.
Shubman ne Manisha ka haath pakda-tight nahi, bas steady. Jaise keh raha ho main yahin hoon.
"Sunna," usne kaha. "Test matches important hain, I know. Par tum bhi important ho. Aur agar kabhi lage ki sab zyada ho raha hai-tum call karogi. Time, place, situation matter nahi karega."
Manisha ne aankhen upar uthayi. "Aap promise kar rahe ho ya sirf keh rahe ho?"
"I'm promising," usne bina hichkichaye kaha. "Aur main promise todta nahi hoon."
Uski aankhen bhar aayi, par woh royi nahi. "Main bhi promise karti hoon," woh boli. "Main khud ko kho nahi jaane dungi. Aur main aapko doubt karne ka mauka nahi dungi."
Shubman ne uska forehead apne forehead se laga diya-public place, par moment sirf unka tha.
"Tumhe proof dene ki zarurat nahi hai," usne kaha. "Bas tum rehna... wahi kaafi hai."
Gate ke announcement ne moment tod diya.
Shubman ne ek last baar use dekha. "Main jaa raha hoon... par chhod ke nahi."
Manisha ne halki si smile di. "Main wait karungi... par ruk ke nahi."
Usne uske forehead par ek soft kiss diya-fearless, deliberate.
"Tum meri grounding ho, Mani."
Aur phir woh mud gaya.
Manisha ne use jaate hue dekha-ek cricketer, ek fighter, aur ab... koi jo uska tha.
Later That Evening - Manisha's Apartment
Flat ajeeb si khamoshi mein dooba hua tha. Jaise walls bhi Shubman ki absence feel kar rahi ho.
Manisha couch par baithi thi, phone haath mein. Shubman ka last message open tha:
Reached. Long travel. Don't overthink. Miss you already.
Usne phone screen lock ki aur aankhen band kar li.
Tabhi doorbell baji.
Shehneel.
Manisha ne door khola toh saamne woh khadi thi-simple clothes, ek haath mein coffee, doosre mein chocolate.
"Akeli rehne ka plan tha kya?" Shehneel ne half-smile ke saath poocha.
Manisha ne bina kuch bole use hug kar li.
Shehneel ne kuch nahi kaha. Bas pakad ke rakha.
Couch par baith kar, coffee cups table par rakhte hue, Shehneel ne seedha poocha,
"Tum thik ho?"
Manisha ne honesty choose ki. "Nahi. Par better hoon."
Shehneel ne nod kiya. "Good. Fake 'I'm fine' se better hai."
Manisha window ki taraf dekhne lagi. "Woh jab jaate hain na... lagta hai jaise phir se duniya face karni padegi. Rumors, opinions, judgments."
Shehneel ne uska haath pakda. "Aur is baar?"
"Is baar... lagta hai main akeli nahi hoon," Manisha ne dheere se kaha. "Par responsibility zyada feel hoti hai. Unke naam ke saath mera naam bhi hai ab."
Shehneel smiled. "Toh dar lagna normal hai. Par tum weak nahi ho. Tum bas human ho."
Phone vibrate hua.
Video call.
Shubman.
Shehneel ne aankh maari. "Main kitchen mein ja rahi hoon."
Screen par Shubman ka face aaya-thaka hua, par smile genuine.
"Dinner hua?" usne poocha.
"Haan," Manisha boli. "Shehneel aayi hai."
"Good," usne kaha. "Mujhe relief mila."
Manisha thoda ruk kar boli, "Aap thik ho?"
"Haan," usne kaha. Phir softly add kiya, "Par tum yaad aa rahi ho."
Manisha ki awaaz halki ho gayi. "Aap jaante ho na... main strong rehungi?"
"Main jaanta hoon," usne kaha. "Par strong rehna obligation nahi hai. Kabhi kabhi bas rehna bhi kaafi hota hai."
She smiled. "Aap baatein achhi karte ho."
"Tum inspire karti ho," he replied.
Call cut hone ke baad, Manisha ka dil thoda halka tha.
Shehneel wapas aayi. "Love looks stable on you."
Manisha softly boli,
"Scary hai... par right bhi."
Raat dheere-dheere settle ho gayi.
Door kahin, Shubman match ke liye prepare kar raha tha.
Aur yahan, Manisha-khud ke liye aur uske liye-strong ban rahi thi.
Distance aa gaya tha.
Par trust bhi.
Aur dono jaante the-
yeh separation unhe todne nahi...
aur mazboot banane aaya ha