Kabhi to nazar milao

Subah

Munna reached home quite late. Sameer and Pandit had been waiting eagerly for him.

"Jaldi bata bhai, kitne taanke lage?" Pandit rubbed his hands.

Munna looked at them and shook his head sadly.

"Yeh ghanti ke jaise kya hil raha hai... bata na kya hua",  Pandit shouted impatiently.

Munna looked at Sameer with the same sad expression... then burst out laughing, " Bhai, poora dum laga diya tune aaj darwaza band karne mein... teen ungliyon mein fracture hua hai aur ek ka nakhun ukhad gaya hai... shukar mana teri car ka darwaza toot ke nahi gira."

Sameer smiled.

"Oho, bechare ko itni lag gayi... isse achha toh kutai hi kar dete... do chaar din laal neela hoke pada rehta fir theek ho jaata",  Pandit made a face.

Munna looked at him angrily, "Tujhe badi hamdardi ho rahi hai... bhai, taras khana hai toh uss ladki pe kha jisse is gadhe ki shaadi hogi... uski toh zindagi fracture ho jayegi iske saath... pata bhi hai yeh Sharad aur iske ghar wale kaise hain... bhabhi ki taiji se kam nahi hain... do chaar haath aage hi honge... aise logon ke saath aisa hi hona chahiye... doosron ki izzat, unka dard, unki takleef inke liye kuch maayne nahi rakhti... tujhe lagta hai kisi ko dard deke yeh ladka ek second ke liye bhi uske baare mein sochega? "

Pandit stared at him with open mouth, "Bhai tune toh dil pe le li... main bas mazaak mein keh raha tha..."

Munna sat on the bed, wiping the sweat off his face.

Sameer sat with Munna and hugged him, "Thank you Munna, aaj teri wajah se main ek galti karne se bach gaya... warna Naina ka naam beech mein aa jata."

Munna punched him in the stomach, "Ab tu mujhe thank you bolega?"

Sameer held his ear, smiling sheepishly.

They hugged, Pandit joining them.

Naina wanted to meet Sameer and give the gift she had bought for him. But the phone at home was not working since morning. She didn't know how to contact him.

"Iss phone ko bhi aaj hi kharab hona tha... ab kaise milun Sameer se..." She paced the room, wrenching her hands.

"Kya badbada rahi hai behen?" Preeti noticed her condition as she came out after her bath.

"Preeti, dekh na, phone nahi chal raha... main Sameer se kaise baat karun?" Naina whined.

"Mat kar... ek din mujhse baat karke kaam chala le", Preeti shrugged.

"Offo... mujhe milna hai usse... gift dene ke liye... kaise bulau jab phone pe baat hi nahi ho paa rahi."

Preeti spread her towel in the balcony and came back to the room.

Standing in front of Naina, hands on waist, she asked, "Jab jijaji ko tujhse milna hota hai aur baat nahi hoti toh woh kya karte hain?"

Naina recalled the time when he had come to her hostel room first time...  through the balcony... and how he had come here  few days back through the balcony again.

She looked at Preeti, "Woh toh balcony se aata hai, pipe se chad ke."

Preeti poked her fingers on her sister's head, "Meri pagal behen, woh toh isliye kyonki hamare ghar mein woh abhi darwaze se nahi aa sakte... lekin tu toh unke ghar seedhe jaa sakti hai na... bina balcony ki pipe chadhe."

Naina frowned, "Ab ghar kaise jaun uske?  Chachiji se kya kahungi? Swati ka bahana banaya toh usko batane ke liye bhi phone nahi ho sakta... kahin woh peeche se aa gayi toh?"