Maktoob

Woh balcony mein khadi thi.

Aasmaan se girti dheemi-dheemi fuhaarain uske chehre par pad rahi thi. Woh aankhein band kiye unhe mehsoos kar rahi thi.

Baarish ki boondein uske andar jalte alaav ko thanda kar rahi thi.

Labon par tabassum bikhra tha.

Abhi tuloo-e-aftab hua nahi tha.

Fajr ki namaz padhne ke baad use neend nahi aayi thi.

Aashir ne khidki ke bahar dekha, jahan baarish ho rahi thi. Baarish dekh kar woh bhi balcony mein chala aaya.

Saamne ke paudhe bheege hue, nikhre-nikhre lag rahe the.

Upar aasmaan mein badal the, jo na mukammal kaale the, na safed.

Baarish ki rimjhim awaaz...

Use fiza achhi lag rahi thi.

Kabhi-kabhi toh aise mausam ka deedar hota hai.

Usne gehri saans li.

Tabhi uski nazar bagal wali balcony par padi.

Woh palkein jhapak nahi saka.

Wahan woh dono haath hawa mein phailaye khadi thi.

Chehra mukammal bheega hua.

Labon par muskaan.

Noor-ul-Ain fizaon se zyada khoobsurat lag rahi thi.

Aashir use taktiki baandhe dekh raha tha.

Woh kitne sukoon mein thi.

Yeh uska chehra gawahi de raha tha.

Chehre par lipti hui baalon ki ladiyan...

Woh koi khushgawar manzar lag rahi thi.

Aashir ke labon par ek huzn thehar gaya.

Tabhi baadalon ke garajne se uska tilism toota.

"Main yeh kya kar raha tha?"

Usne khud-kalami ki.

Par andar khamoshi thi.

---

Naashte ki table par woh dono mamool ke mutabiq naashta kar rahe thein. Tabhi Noor ne khamoshi ka kufl toda.

"Kitne baje chalna hai ghar?"

Aashir ko hairani hui.

Mohtarma usse mukhatib hain.

"Aapki tayyari jab ho jaaye," usne sarsari sa jawab diya.

Noor ne sir ko jumbish di.

"Noor-ul-Ain, main aapse ek sawaal pooch sakta hoon?" woh goya hua.

Noor ne ek nazar utha kar use dekha.

Aashir ke chehre par tajassus tha.

Usne sir ko kham diya.

"Aapne ghar shift hone ki baat par Ammi ko mana kyun nahi kiya?"

Usne aakhir dimaag mein chalte sawaal ko pooch hi liya.

Noor ko shadeed beizzati ka ehsaas hua.

"Mujhe pata hai aap mere saath ek kamra share nahi karna chahte. Isi liye masla hi raha hoga aapka. Ek kaam kariye, Moani ko phone lagaiye aur khud mana kar dijiye."

Wahi teekha lehja, jiski jhalak usne kal dekhi thi.

Aashir ghabraya.

"Maine aisa kab kaha? Aap mere saath nahi rehna chahti, isliye poocha maine."

Usne apna difa kiya.

Noor ne use ek ghuri se nawaaza.

Use gussa aane ke bajaaye uske is lehje par hansi aayi.

"Noor-ul-Ain, aapne haan kyun ki?" usne sawaal dohraya.

Noor ne paani ka glass labon se lagaya.

Ek ghunt lekar woh goya hui,

"Main Ammar Bhai ki shaadi mein koi khalal nahi chahti."

Mukhtasar jawab.

Aashir ne jaise baat samajhte hue sir ko jumbish di.

Noor ne saara zaroori saamaan takreeban do baje tak pack kar liya tha.

Aashir bhi tayyar tha.

Usne Noor ka luggage khud utha liya.

Dono Malik Mansion ke safar par rawana ho gaye.

Ab toh yeh waqt hi batayega...

Ghar naya hoga.

Ya...

Woh chal pade hain

Naye safar pe.

Bas pata nahi,

Manzil hogi ya nahi

Unke mann ki.

---

Sab lounge mein baithe the jab Ammar ki aamad hui.

"Aakhirkaar aa hi gayi Noorie," Ammar ne use dekhte hue kaha.

Noor muskurai.

"Main bata raha hoon, meri shaadi mein bahut maze-maze ke events hone chahiye," Ammar ne baithte hue kaha.

"Toh ek kaam karte hain na, Ammar Bhai. Aap har event mein present rehna," Sumaira boli aur Noor ki taraf dekha.

"Main toh honga hi, magar kyun?" usne poocha.

"Woh kya hai, mehfilon mein joker hone chahiye aur aapke hote hue hum paise kyun kharch karein?"

Iss baar jawab Noor ki taraf se tha.

Sumaira aur Noor ne taali di.

Paani peete hue Ammar ko khaansi ka daura pada aur paani ki kuch cheentein Aashir par ja padi.

"Tareeka na seekhna tum," Aashir ne daant lagayi.

Ammar fauran uski taraf mudha.

"Aapne dekha? Yeh Aira aur Noorie kya bakwaas kar rahi hain. Main, Ammar Malik-Malik-itna khubsoorat naujawan ko joker keh rahi hain yeh dono!"

"Toh galat kya kaha?" Aashir ne kandhe uchkaye.

Ammar ne Aashir ko aise dekha jaise usne uske saath hi bewafai kar di ho.

Sab hansne lage.

"Haan haan, biwi ki side toh lenge aap!" Ammar ne use chheda.

Biwi.

Lafz sunte hi Noor sakht hui.

Uski hansi gayab ho gayi.

Aashir ke gale mein bhi ek girah ubhri.

Halka-phulka mahaul sabke liye tha.

Un dono ke liye...

yeh unke rishte ka aaina tha.

--------Raat ka khana kha kar sab apne-apne kamron mein maujood the.

Noor bhi Aashir ke kamre mein aayi.

Aashir ka kamra.

Haan, uske liye yeh sirf Aashir ka kamra tha.

Darwaza khulne ki awaaz par Aashir ne ek nazar us par daali.

Noor wuzu karke Isha ki namaz padhne lagi.

Aashir ne dekha.

Woh bahut aaraam se namaz padh rahi thi.

Jaise saara waqt tham gaya ho.

Aur waqai, Allah ke liye toh waqt tham hi jaata hai.

Usne socha.

Namaz ke baad woh bed ke paas aakar khadi hui.

Phir woh Aashir se mukhatib hui.

"Sone ka kya intezaam hai?"

Uski awaaz par Aashir uski taraf mudha.

"Bed ke ek kinare par main hoon, doosra toh khaali chhoda hai maine."

Usne kandhe uchkaye.

Noor ne use dekha.

"Aap uncomfortable hain mere saath bed share karne mein?"

Usne apne mann ka khadsha zaahir kiya.

Aashir ne nafi mein sir hilaya.

"Mujhe laga koi Bollywood drama hoga. Aap bed le lijiye, main sofa..." Noor badbadayi.

Aashir ne uski baat wazeh suni.

Woh hans pada.

Noor ne use teekhi nazron se dekha.

Jab woh let gayi, toh light off kar di gayi.

Kuch lamhon ki khamoshi ke baad Aashir ki awaaz goonji,

"Movies kam dekha kariye aap."

Lehja tamaskhur bhara tha.

Noor ki saansein tham gayin.

Meri zubaan kyun kaabu mein nahi rehti?

Usne socha.

---

Aaj Sunday tha.

Aashir ka dost Haseeb usse milne aaya hua tha. Woh dono lounge mein baithe baatein kar rahe the, jabki Noor is baat se anjaan thi.

Woh wahan aa gayi.

Tabhi Haseeb ki nazar Noor par padi.

"Assalamualaikum, Ms. Siddiqui."

"Wa-alaikum-assalam." Noor ne jawab diya.

"Aap Noorie ko jaante ho?" Ammar ne hairani se poocha.

"Bilkul. Client hai meri."

"Client?" Is baar Aashir ne poocha.

"Ji. Ms. Siddiqui apna firm set up karna chahti hain. Uske liye inhe ek achhi jagah chahiye thi. Inhone mujhe contact kiya."

Haseeb ne wajah batayi.

Aashir ne sir hila diya.

"Par aap yahan, Ms. Siddiqui?"

Noor kuch bol paati, usse pehle hi Aashir ki awaaz aayi-

"Yeh biwi hai meri."

Noor ne fauran gardan mod kar Aashir ko dekha.

Woh bilkul mutmaeen nazar aa raha tha.

"Oh."

Haseeb ne sir hilaaya.

"Oh, bhabhi! Ab toh aap bilkul fikr mat kariye. Main jald se jald aapko ek achhi si jagah batata hoon."

Usne muskurate hue kaha.

"Bhabhi."

Aashir ke zehan mein yeh lafz goonja.

Kisi bahar wale ko Noor ke liye yeh lafz kehte hue sunna - yeh usne kabhi socha nahi tha.

Bhabhi.

Shayad yeh lafz kabhi Aashir ne Asiya ke liye apne doston ke muh se sunne ka khwaab dekha tha.

Magar pata nahi kyun...

Noor ke liye sun kar use bura nahi laga.

Balki kuch mehsoos hua magar kya woh yeh samjhne se qasir tha.

Asiya aaj kal uske khayalon mein kam reh rahi thi.

Balki...

Noor ki aadatein zyada uski nazron mein rehne lagi thi.

---

Aaj sabne shopping ka mansooba banaya.

Ammar, Sumaira aur Ammi ek gaadi mein chale gaye.

Bahana tha -

"Hum aate waqt bags kahan rakhenge?"

Balki iraade kuch aur the.

Koi kehta nahi tha toh kya...

Dooriyan toh dikhti thi.

Aakhir Noor ko Aashir ke saath gaadi mein jaana pada.

Gaadi mein bahut khamoshi thi.

Kuch der baad Aashir ne khamoshi ka kufl toda.

"Aap apna firm shift kar rahi hain?"

Noor ne uski taraf dekha.

"Nahi. Apne liye naya firm khol rahi hoon."

"Naya firm?"

Aashir ne hairani se poocha.

Itni kam umr mein...

Yeh keh nahi paaya.

"Phir woh Allahabad wala firm?"

Usne baat jaari rakhi.

"Ji. Woh Abba ka firm hai. Main har hafte do din ke liye jaati hoon."

Noor ne mukhtasar jawab diya.

Use uske sawaalon par koft ho rahi thi.

Yeh itne baatuni kab se ho gaye?

Usne socha.

Aur phir Aashir ka ek aur sawaal aaya.

"Aur cases?"

"Hearing hoti hai toh main jaati hoon. Waise bhi main branch head hoon. Malkin is firm ki bhale hi main hoon, par hoga Abba ka."

"Intelligent."

Aashir ke mann ne kaha.

Phir koi sawaal nahi hua.

Noor ne sukh ka saans liya.

Magar Aashir ke zehan mein ek aur baat thehar gayi thi, Mohtarma sirf khubsurat nahi thi Balki zaheen bhi thi.

Woh sab shopping kar rahe the.

Abhi sab menswear section mein Ammar ke liye sherwani pasand kar rahe the, tabhi Ammar palta.

"Noorie, tum batao na, kaunsa rang loon main?"

Woh Noor se mukhatib hua.

Noor ne nazrein daudha kar har piece ko dekha.

Phir naak sikodi.

Aashir uske taassuraat ka mutaala kar raha tha.

"Ammar Bhai, main kya sochti hoon... silwa lete hain. Mujhe yahan ek bhi achhi nahi lag rahi."

Usne mashwara diya.

"Haan, sahi keh rahi ho tum." Ammar ne taeed ki.

"Mujhe apni Heera ke liye best dikhna hai."

Ammar ne soch kar baat chhodi.

Zahima Begum ne use ghuri se nawaaza.

"Besharam!"

Aashir ne ek chapat raseed ki.

Noor ka kehkaaha chhoot gaya.

Saath Sumaira ne bhi hans diya.

"Banda ab izhaar bhi na kare," Ammar badbadaya.

"Banda lihaaz karke."

Aashir ne fauran kaha.

Lehja bahut halka-phulka tha.

Noor ki nazrein fauran us par padi.

Woh Ammar ko chhed raha tha.

Bahut din baad usne Aashir ka yeh lehja suna tha.

"Noorie Bhai ko baad mein niharna, abhi zara shopping pe dhyaan dein."

Sumaira ke alfaaz uske kaanon mein pade.

Gaalon par surkhi chha gayi.

Usne khiffat chhupane ke liye Sumaira ko ek chapat raseed ki.

"Zaalim," Sumaira budbudayi.

"Aashir, Noor ki madad karo select karne mein."

Zahima Begum ne hukm diya.

Noor ko yakeen tha Aashir bahana bana dega.

Par usne sir ko jumbish di.

Woh uske saath aa gaya.

Noor ko laga tha woh sirf khada rahega.

Par hairat toh use tab hui jab ek neeli saari ki taraf ishara karke Aashir ne kaha-

"Noor-ul-Ain, yeh saari subtle hai. Mehendi ke function mein achhi lagegi."

Noor kuch bol nahi paayi.

Yeh aisa kyun kar raha tha?

Usne kuch kehne ke liye lab khole hi the ki uski nazar Zahima Begum par padi.

Woh bhi dono ko dekh rahi thi.

Noor ne fauran sir hila diya.

"Ji."

---

Shopping ke baad bill pay karne ke liye Noor apna scanner khol hi rahi thi ki Aashir ne use mana kar diya.

Noor ko gussa aaya.

Woh koi tamasha nahi karna chahti thi, isliye usne us waqt kuch nahi kaha.

Gaadi mein baithte hi woh Aashir se mukhatib hui.

"Aapko mera bill pay karne ki zarurat nahi thi. Main khud kar sakti hoon."

"Ji, aap bilkul kar sakti hain."

Aashir saamne dekhte hue gaadi chala raha tha.

"Par baat zarurat ki nahi thi."

Noor ne uski taraf dekha.

"Toh?"

Aashir ki awaaz ahista thi.

"Biwi hain aap meri. Farz hai kuch mera... chahe hamara rishta kaisa bhi ho."

Bas itna hi kaha tha usne.

Noor ko laga jaise thandi subah mein kisi ne uske upar thande paani ki barsaat kar di ho.

Woh kuch bol nahi saki.

Aage ka safar khamoshi mein kata.

---

Raat mein Noor sofe par baithi kisi soch mein gum thi.

Aashir ka badla hua rawaiya use pareshan kar raha tha.

Pichhle chhe mahine mein woh dono

kitne la-ta'alluq rahe the.

Kadam dono nahi badha rahe the.

Woh bhi la-ta'alluq tha.

Woh bhi.

Phir achanak...

Itni aashnaai kyun?

Ek toh pehle hi Aashir se mohabbat use kitne sakht imtehaan se guzar rahi thi.

Aur ab yeh.

Woh jaanti thi -

Aashir uska hokar bhi uska nahi tha.

Aur shayad isi haqeeqat ne uske dil ko sabse zyada dara rakha tha.

"Ibtida khubsurat thi,

Imtehan ka gumaan Kiya na tha.

Muyassar woh hue thein hamein.

Taqdeer mein milna tha

Saath bus likha na tha."

Woh khud se mukhatib thi.