Chapter 110: ּ ֶָ֢.CH109

"Mubarak ho, aap daadi ban gayi, Beta hua hai" Ye khabar thandi phuwar ki tarah aarzoo Jahangir ko apne wujood par parti mehsoos hui.

"Uski koi tasveer?" foran se poocha tha. Wo is tasveer ko apne laakho followers mein share karna chahti thi. Wo apne dadi ban jane ki khabar poori duniya ko sunana chahti thi. Wo ek maa hai, ek saas hai, aur ab dadi bhi. Wo Faris se jude tamam rishte se jud jana chahti thi. Magar bache ki koi tasveer na thi. Sham tak dobara call ki, tasveer ka poocha. Faris Wajdan ke qareebi dosto mein bohot se log aise the jin tak Aarzoo ki rasai mumkin thi, lekin tasveer kisi ke paas na thi. Jo bache ke aqeeqe par gaye unke paas bhi nahi.

"Tasveer lene ki ijaazat nahi thi."

Aarzoo lab kaat kar reh gayi thi. Wo jaan gayi thi, is tarah ki sakhti wo kyun kar raha tha. Wo hargiz nahi chahta tha ke uske bacche ki tasveer mein Aarzoo Jahangir ke saath jod kar phaila di jaye. Zabt pakar kar dobara message likha,

"Koshish to karo, ghar milne chali jao. Mujhe bas uski ek jhalak dekhni hai."

Usay bara baje shoot par jana tha, teen baje uska interview tha, chhe baje meeting thi, aur wo apne sabhi zaroori kaam choray, beqarar si bethi hui thi. Dil chahta tha Pakistan pahunch jaye aur apne potay se mil le.

"Naam kya rakha hai?"

"Zayn."

"Zayn Faris Shirazi," zair-e-lab dohraya.

Neelgu jooto ki ek random tasveer apne Instagram par share karke usne apne dadi ban jane ki khabar poori duniya ko suna di. Uska pota Zayn Shirazi. Mubarakbaad ke mohabbat bhare paighaam moosul hone lage. Aisi nojawan dadi par sab ko rashk aane laga. Kuch hi minute mein tasveer par kai million likes ho gaye, magar wo khush na ho saki. Wujood andar se khokhla sa...

Mubarakbaad ke message mazaak udate mehsoos hue. Kuch bhi uske hisaab se nahi ho raha tha. Zindagi mein pehli baar wo apni barhti hui kamiyabi par khush nahi ho pa rahi thi. Likes ka graph uske labo par muskarahat nahi la raha tha. Jo wo hasil karna chahti thi, usay hasil karne mein buri tarah nakaam ho rahi thi.

"Mein bacho ke kapron ke liye ek brand launch karungi, ZF ke naam se."

Javeriya Habib ne gehri saans lekar apni ma'am ko dekha tha. Unka focus apne kaam se hat raha tha. Unke khayal mein wo ghair zaroori mamlat par zyada tawajju dene lagi thi. Wo apne bete Faris Wajdan ka zikr ab zyada karne lagi thi. Apni ma'am ko wo samjha nahi sakti thi, magar woh dekh sakti thi wo apne maksad se bhatak rahi thi apne irado ko badal rahi thi. Achanak se badlta unka rawaiya uski samajh se bahar ho raha tha.

•••

Zayn ki paidaish ke doosre maheene wo Islamabad wapas aa gaye the. Jo dost pehle nahi mil sake the, wo ab aa rahe the. Junaid bhai ki family Canada se wapsi ke baad pehli fursat mein milne aayi thi. Baccho ko unhone agle din van me bheja tha.

Zaid, apni nanhi behan Zoya aur unke chashmatu cousin naye mehmaan par jhuke usay baghor dekh rahe the. Rayyan bhi paas hi baitha tha, wo bhi baby ko dekhna chahta tha.

"Iski aankhein kyun band hain?" sar uthaye Zaid ne Jannat se poocha.

"So raha hai is liye."

"Itni der se kyun so raha hai? Aap isko jagaye, I want to see his eyes!"

"Faris ki dekh lo!"

"Unki nahi dekhni mujhe," bigad kar jawab diya.

Darwaze par neem daraz mobile par kuch dekhta Faris tap kar reh gaya. Apne bed par bacho ke ghere mein baithi Jannat Kamal ne ba mushkil se muskarahat zabt ki.

"Yeh unka baby hai, to unki jaisi aankhe hai"

"Yeh aap ka bhi to baby hai. Aap ki jaisi aankhe kyun nahi hain?" Zaid jealous ho gaya. Baby sach much mein piyara tha. Bahut piyara tha.

"Iske baal golden shade kyun hain?" Zaid ka sawal tha.

"Kyun ke iske papa ke bhi aise hi baal the jab wo chhote the."

"Yeh aap ka baby hai ya Janna Jani?"

"Bilkul mera baby hai!"

"Phir yeh unke jaisa kyun hai?" Jhanjhlai hui awaaz.

"Kyunke wo iske papa hai, jaise aap ke bhi papa hai."

Zaid ne bhawe sikud kar Faris ko dekha. Faris ki nigahe bhi kaat-daar thi. Dono ki dushmani aaj bhi top par thi.

"Babi! Baby royega?" Sawal Zoya ne kiya. Wo itne chhote se baby ko bharpoor study kar rahi thi. Wo uske liye gudde jaisa tha. Gudde se rone ki awaaz aati thi, magar ye wala gudda bilkul chup tha.

"Haan, jab bhook lagti hai tab rota bhi hai."

Unhone Zayn ki chhoti chhoti bandh ungliyo ko kholne ki koshish ki. Phir uski nanhi si thori ko chhua.

"Can I see his feet?"

Jannat ne kambal ka fold kholte hue uske paon dikhaye. Chhote chhote se. Zoya ne shauq bhari aankhon ke saath un paon ko chhua.

"So cute!" Phir khilkhilayi, zaid aankhein chamak uthi.

"Iske pau aapke pau jaise hai. Hath bhi."

Faris ki mukhalifat jo karni thi.

Faris jhanjhlahat ke aalam mein uth kar baith gaya.

"Chalo, tum apne ghar jao ab."

"Kyun?" Zaid gusse se bhar gaya, ladne marne ko tayar.

Zabt pakad kar Jannat ko dekha jo muskaraahat dabane ki koshish kar rahi thi.

"Kya hai, Faris! Baccha hi to hai."

"Yeh meri fiancee hai, hai na Janna Jani?"

Janna Jani ne hansi ke saath isbaat mein sar hilaya, to uska shauhar bar-baraata hua uth gaya. Bacche Zayn ke kapde, uske chhote chhote khilone aur baby cot par latakte khilone dekh rahe the. Rayyan ko Zoya sambhal rahi thi. Wo usse pyar kar rahi thi aur usse chocolate khila rahi thi.

Allah Allah kar ke Zayn bedaar hua, to bacche ek baar phir us par jhuk gaye. Ghaneeri palko ke neeche, hazel aankhein numaya ho rahi thi. Uski rangat gulabi si thi. Chhote chhote, bareek honth khile hue thay. Jamaai lete hue usne angdaai li, to Zaid ko usse pyar ho gaya.

"Main isse dosti karunga. Main iska best buddy banuga, Janna Jani!" Usne mosin irada kar liya. Jannat muskarate hue usse sun rahi thi, aur unke maasoomana sawaalon ka jawab de rahi thi. Baccho ke saath uska wo din bohot khushgawar guzra tha.

•••

Rayyan Shirazi apne chhote bhai ka bohot zyada khayal rakhne wala aur pyar karne wala bada bhai tha. Usay bohot fikr hoti thi jab wo rona lagta tha ya jab wo shor karte hue beqabu ho jata tha.

Usay pata hota tha ke baby jab rota hai to usay feeder dena hai, gaal par hont rakhne hai. Wo intehai hassas aur utna hi caring tha. Jannat usay dekhti, to toot kar pyar aa jata.

"Good boy, bhai ke paas baitho, main feeder le kar abhi aayi," usne us raat kaha aur wo bhai ke paas baitha raha. Khilone utha utha kar dikhata raha, hath par pyar kiya, phir mathe par.

Faris samne hi sofa par laptop uthaye baithe tha, apna kaam kar raha tha. Magar nazar Rayyan par padi aur thehar gayi.

Wo usay chhote chhote ghair mafhoom se alfaz mein jaane kya keh raha tha, magar andaz se wazeh tha ke wo Jannat ko copy kar raha tha. Wo Jannat ki tarah Zayn ko pyar karna chahta tha.

Zayn ne rona shuru kar diya, aur Rayyan ek dum se bohot pareshaan ho gaya.

"Papa!" foran se usay mutwajjeh kiya, ki baby ro raha hai!

Faris ne laptop rakh kar Zayn ko utha liya. Zayn ro raha ho aur Rayyan ki rone wali shakal na bane, yeh na mumkin na tha. Aankhe bhar aayi, chehra surkh hone laga.

"It's okay, ise bhook lagi hai, isliye ro raha hai. Abhi chup ho jayega." Magar wo lab bhinche siskne laga.

"Jao, mama se kaho, jaldi aaye!"

Bhari pareshani ke saath wo bahar bhag gaya. Jab tak Zayn Jannat ki baaho mein pur-sukoon ho kar so nahi gaya, tab tak Rayyan bari fikr mandi se baitha raha. Uske hairan kun aur masoomiyat bhare tas'suraat Faris Wajdan ko ajeeb si kefiyat mein mubtala kar gaye.

"Rayyan aap par gaya hai," us raat Faris ne bila taradud mrs. Shirazi se keh diya. Woh nam aankho se haans di.

"Mujhe to tumhare jaisa lagta hai."

"Tareekh gawah hai main bohut rude tha."

"Yeh Mudahat ka naam tareekh kab se ho gaya?"

Faris muskara kar reh gaya.

"Wo aap ki tarah bohot caring aur hassas hai, mummy!"

"Tum bhi aise ho," unhone kaha.

Woh aankho me narmi bhari nigaho se dekh kar reh gaya.

•••

Office se wapsi ke baad wo kapre badal kar Jameela Dawood ke kamre mein aaya. Rayyan apni dadi ki god se nikal kar Faris ki taraf bhaga tha. Zayn ko feed karwati hui Jannat ye manzar dekh kar muskurai thi.

"Dekh rahi hain, jab papa samne ho to phir koi aur nazar nahi aata."

Mra. Shirazi haans di.

Faris usay uthaye bed par aa baitha tha. Ab ghour se uski baat sun raha tha. Chhote chhote lafz the, toote phoote, pyare pyare. Hath se ishara bhi kar raha tha. Baat Zayn ki thi.

Woh bata raha tha ke uska bhai kitna roya tha.

"Itni mushkil se chup karwaya hai. Doodh bhi nahi le raha tha," Jannat ne bataya. To wo jhuk kar Zayn ki taraf mutwajjeh hua. Khoob sher ho kar wo ab so gaya tha. Bhare bhare gulabi gaal... bhinche hue haath upar uthay hue. Bohot pur-sukoon tha ab wo.

"Bahut chalak aur active hai, mashallah se. Bechari Jannat halkan hui rehti hai,"

Faris ke labo par muskarahat aa gayi.

"To gaya kis par hai?"

"Tum par aur kisi par?" Jannat ne foran jawab diya.

"Main aisa nahi tha."

"Ab chaar mah ki umr mein tum kaise the, ye yaad hai tumhe?" Jannat tap gayi.

"Lekin mujhe yeto yaad hai tum kaisi thi. Dr. Mustafa kehte the meri nawasi bohut active hai, bohot shararti hai, chaalaak hai, tez hai."

"Ek to iski yaadasht... Tumhe kuch bhoolta bhi hai ya nahi?" Jannat sharm se surkh hui.

"Tumse mutaliq kuch nahi bhoolta."

Wo ghur kar reh gayi.

•••

Raat ka khana khane ke baad wo Zayn ko sula rahi thi jab Rayyan apne qad jitna blanket kheenchta bed se utar kar bahar bhaag gaya.

"Rayyan!" Beikhtiyar awaaz di magar wo nahi ruka. Khilkhalate hue raahdari mein tez tez qadam uthata Blanket se ulajh kar gira, phir uth kar blanket ka kona mazbooti se pakda aur woh Faris ke study room ke aadh khule darwaze ko dhakel kar andar gaya.

"Papa"

Wo samne hi couch par baitha tha. Sar uthaya aur foran bhaga bhaga aaya. Chehra khila hua tha. Faris ke chehre par muskaraahat aa gayi. Haath barhakar usay bazu se pakad kar utha liya. Uski god mein baithe, usne apna blanket sar par daal liya. Chhupne ki koshish kar raha tha.

"Rayyan!" Wo awaaz deti hui study mein aayi thi.

Wo uski god mein blanket mein chhup kar baitha hua alert ho kar bilkul chup ho gaya tha.

"Faris! Kya tumne Rayyan ko dekha hai?"

Usne bhi yoon zaahir kar diya jaise wo usay nazar nahi aaya.

"Nahi, maine nahi dekha."

Aankhon mein chamak bhari shararat liye, Rayyan ne apna gaal apne papa ke seene par rakha aur khush hua ke Mumma ko nazar nahi aaya. (Yaani ache se chhupa hua hoon!)

"To yeh chhote chhote pair kiske hain?" Wo unke samne hi jhuk gayi.

"Billi ke hain," jawab Faris ne diya tha. Ek bazu mein Rayyan ko liya hua tha, doosre haath se typing jari thi.

"Billi ke pair itne pyare pyare!" Jannat ne beikhtiyar uske talwo ko chuha to usne foran hi khilkhalate hue apne pair upar ko kheench liye, jis se harkat paida hui aur Mumma ko shak ho gaya.

"Yeh tumne kise uthaya hua hai, Faris?"

"Billi ko!?"

"Billi ko?"

"Ji bilkul!"

"Mujhe nahi lagta, yeh billi hai," usne blanket kheench kar hataya aur wo ek dum se machal kar cheekha,

"Papa! Ehtejajan "ke, pakda gaya hoon, madad karo!"

"Tum humein disturb mat karo, please!" Usne usay baazu mein chhupa liya.

"Tumhari billi ka sone ka waqt hai."

"Achha, tum jao. Hum aa jayenge."

Faris ne laptop rakh diya. Jannat ne muskura kar dono ko dekha aur study room se chali gayi. Rayyan ne gardan moor kar dekha ke mumma gaye ya nahi? Phir chamakti shararti aankho ke saath khilkhilaya. Adh khule darwaze se Jannat ne yeh manzar muskura kar dekha aur sar jhatak kar chali gayi.

•••

Faris apne karobar ke silsile mein America gaya. Manhattan Beach par apne ghar mein guzari gayi woh pehli raat usay bohot bhaari mehsoos hui. Reh reh kar Jannat aur baccho ka khayal aata raha. Timing ka masla tha, jitni baar call ki, Rayyan se baat nahi ho saki. Teesre din waqt tay kar ke video call ki to pehla chehra Rayyan ka hi nazar aaya.

"Rayyan! Dekho, Papa!"

Wo aankhon mein nami liye, nichle lab tale upar wala lab dabaye bohot emotional sa khada tha. Usne Papa ki awaaz itni der baad suni thi. Wo apne Papa ke paas ja bhi nahi sakta tha. Papa mobile se bahar nahi aa sakte. Uska dukh bohot bara tha.

"Kya tum Rayyan ko candy de sakti ho?"

Faris ne is baar Jannat ko mukhatib kiya, Rayyan ko god mein liye mobile samne rakha, muskurahat dabayi.

"Is waqt?"

"Haan, is waqt."

"Abhi to Rayyan ke sone ka waqt hai."

"Rayyan brush bhi to karta hai," Faris ne side li. Woh do saal ka chooza zara jara aur hasaas hua. Sari baate samajh aati thi, ta'ssurat bhi. Papa ko usse kitna pyaar tha.

"Achha, theek hai."

"Abhi do mere samne do. Aur jo iska favourite color hai, usi me dena hoga."

"To kaunsa favourite color hai Rayyan ka?"

"Sukh!" (Surkh). Foran jawab diya.

"Oh surkh colour?" Jannat ne bhinch kar uska gaal chuma.

Faris ke samne hi candies se bhara box khol kar Rayyan ke samne rakha. Usne surkh wrapper wali ek candy khud nikal li. Dusri nikal kar mobile ki taraf barhai, Papa ko dene ke liye.

Uski mohabbat, uska andaaz, uska khilta hua chehra, har baar Faris ka dil naye siray se jeet leta tha.

"Yeh bhi Rayyan ki hai."

"Do do?" Jannat mu'taraz hui.

"Ek Rayyan abhi khayega, ek subah kha lega. Hai na, Rayyan?"

Usne asbat par sar ko jambish di, maamla tay ho gaya.

Kuch der tak usne apne Papa ko dekha, awaaz bhi suni, sir bhi hilaya. Phir baatein shuru ho gayi.

Kuch Faris ki samajh mein aayi, kuch nahi aayi. Jannat translate kar rahi thi. Bata rahi thi, woh kya kehna chaah raha hai. Zyada tar roz marra ki routine ke waqiyat the, Ek shikayat Jannat ki bhi thi jo bahar jaane nahi diya. Kitchen mein "gaash" (glass) toota tha, aur "Ashka" (Aqsa) uske saath khelte hue lawn mein gir gayi thi. Aur usne "Ash keem" (ice cream) bhi khai thi.

Woh uski sunta raha, muskuraata raha. Phir Jannat se baat hui, aur Jamila Dawood se bhi. Masrufiyat zyada thi, isliye jaldi se apna kaam mukammal karke Pakistan wapas aana zaroori tha. Bacho ke bagair ab uska guzara namumkin sa tha. Is doran apne zaroori mamlat ko dekhte hue usay apni company ke liye ek program ka hissa banna pada.

Jis kursi par woh baitha tha, us kursi par baith kar Azam Shirazi kai baar interviews de chuke thay. Ye uska pehla tajurba tha. Zati zindagi se mutaliq koi sawal nahi tha; tamam guftagu karobari nu'iyat ki thi. Woh pur-aitmaad aur confidence ke sath Shirazi Enterprises ko represent karta jawab de raha tha.

Ehtetam se pehle, khatoon anchor ne Azam Shirazi ki tareef karte huye achanak guftagu ka rukh uski niji zindagi ki taraf mod diya.

"Uski kamiyabi ka sara shera kis ke sar jata hai?" Woh pooch rahi thi.

"Meri maa!"

Uska jawab ne khatoon anchor ke chehre par muskurahat bikhair diya Jaise is jawab ka hi intezaar tha. Program ko ratings chahiye thi aur Lady Esperanza ka naam na liya jaye, aisa kaise ho sakta tha?

Bari screen par Arzoo Jahangir ka chehra numaya kar diya gaya aur Faris Wajdan ke ta'asuraat ek dum se badal gaye.

Kya ye script ka hissa tha? Kya ye sawal aur iske mumkin jawabat ka pehle se tay tha? Shows ke producers, directors aur channel ke malik jis aurat ke isharo par chalte thay, woh aurat apni madhkhalat se kaise baaz aasakti thi?

"Bila shuba, Arzoo Jahangir ek bohot hi kamiyab businesswoman hain. Hal hi mein jo unhone jawan nasl ke liye startup program launch kiya hai, woh bohot hi kamaal ka hai. Aisi aurat ki aulaad kamiyabi ki bulandiyon tak..."

"Mazrat ke saath, lekin aap kiski baat kar rahi hai?" Usne kuch sakhti se baat kaat di thi. Anchor ne chonk kar usay dekha. Screen ki taraf ishara kiya.

"Main aapki maa, Aarzoo Jahangir, Lady Esperanza ki baat kar rahi hoon."

"Lekin main is naam ki kisi khatoon ko nahi jaanta."

Apne luxury flat mein screen ke samne khadi Aarzoo Jahangir ko is ek jawab ne uska wujood dhamake se fana hota mehsoos karwa diya. Usay nahi pata tha ke uska beta bhari duniya ke samne is tarah sakht alfaaz mein uska rishtha manzoor karne se inkaar kar dega.

"Main apni maa ki baat kar raha hoon. Unka naam Jamila Dawood hai. Woh ek artist hain. Aaj main jis maqam par hoon, Allah ke baad unki wajah se hu, Kamiyab hoon to isliye ke unhone mera hamesha saath diya hai"

Aarzoo Jahangir apne apartment mein thi aur Jamila Dawood wajdan House mein. Screen unki bhi roshan thi. Program woh bhi dekh rahi thi. Chaar mahine ke Zayn ko uthaye Jannat kitchen se bahar aa rahi thi. Rayyan uske saath tha. Feeder haath mein pakde, woh zara chir-chira sa roye ja raha tha. Use neend aa rahi thi. Woh bacho ko sulane ke liye doosre kamre mein ja rahi thi. Irada tha, fursat mein baad mein program dekh legi.

Jamila Dawood ka chehra tar hone laga.

"Magar Aarzoo Jahangir aap ki biological mother..."

"Sorry, main unhein nahi janta."

Yeh jawab de kar mic utarte hue woh break ya program ke ikhtitam ka intezaar kiye bagair apni jagah se uth gaya tha, goya is program ka hissa banne ki ab usmein koi khwahish baqi nahi thi.

Screen taarik hui toh Aarzoo girte hue andaz mein sofa par baithti chali gayi thi. Dimagh sun ho gaya tha. Kaan saaye saaye kar rahe thay. Aarzoo Jahangir ka beta apni maa ko nahi jaanta? Jise poori duniya jaanti thi, woh apni aulaad ke liye ek gumnaam shakhsiat thi.

Us jawab ke kitne hi clips agle ek ghante mein share kar diye gaye, aur kitne hi articles likhe gaye. Ek taraf woh thi jo baat-baat par apne bete ka zikr karti thi, doosri taraf beta tha jo usay apni maa tasleem karta hi na tha.

Us raat Aarzoo Jahangir ko laga, woh ab kabhi bhi Faris ka zikr media par nahi kar sakegi. Woh uske mutalliq kisi bhi sawal ka jawab ab kabhi nahi de sakegi. Us raat usay apni shikast tasleem karni pari thi.

Us raat usay khamosh hona pada tha.

•••

Washbasin par jhuk kar Faris ne thande pani ke kayi cheente maare thay. Lady Esperanza ka naam, tasveer, anchor ka sawal, aur ab social media par chhidne wali behas uske hosh o hawas par chha rahi thi. Iztarari kefiyat mein bathroom counter ko mazbooti se pakde, woh kafi dair tak wahi jhuka raha.

Subah uski flight thi. Woh aaraam karna chahta tha, magar neend aankhon se koson door thi.

Jameela Dawood ne call ki toh usne utha li.

"Tum theek ho?" Unhon ne fikar mand lahje mein poocha. Usne kaha, woh theek hai. Tafseel se baat bhi ki, magar woh theek nahi tha. Sukoon jaise ab sirf ghar laut kar hi mil sakta tha.

Safar ke dauran bhi woh bechain raha.

Ghar pahunchte hi, jab woh gaari se utaara, toh pehli nazar uski biwi par hi pari. Woh Zayn ko uthaye seedhiyo par uska intezaar kar rahi thi. Rayyan haath chhuda kar uski taraf bhaga. Uski harkat bekhtiyari thi; poore pandrah din baad woh ab usay dekh raha tha.

Usne Rayyan ko uthaliya. Ab wo apni biwi se mila, aur apne chhote bete Zayn se bhi. Usne Rayyan ko neeche utaara aur chaar mah ke is chhote chhooze ko godh mein uthaliya tha, jo dup me aankhe jhampkata usay dekhne ki koshish kar raha tha, jara sa heran Pareshan ki chehra naya tha.

"Zayn! Dekho, Papa!" Jannat ne puchkarte huye kaha.

"Zayn!" Usne beikhtiyar uska gaal chooma.

Pandrah dino me woh bhool bhal bhi gaya tha ke kaun Papa hai aur kaun Faris. Rona shuru

"Kya ho gaya?"

Aur hamesha ki tarah, uske rone par Rayyan foran alert ho gaya. Bada bhai jo tha!

Andar gaye toh Jannat ne usay lounge mein couch par leta diya.

"Rayyan, yahan baitho!"

Aur woh baith gaya, yun jaise yeh roz ka mamool ho. Jhuk kar chhote bhai ko pyar karta, uski band ungliya khol kar kuch pakrata, uske gaal par pyar karta. Bari zimmedari ka izhaar karta hua.

Faris kapray badal kar bahar aya, toh yeh manzar dekh kar ruk gaya.

Rayyan ke ta’asuraat bohot hi pyare thay. Samajhdari aur zimmedari ka tassur dete hue.

Uska chehra khila hua tha. Masoom aankhon mein pyar nazar aa raha tha. Woh itna khush tha ke hase jaa raha tha. Gaal bhare bhare se aur gulabi ho rahe the, aankhein roshan uske Papa ghar aa gaye thay.

Sara waqt woh uski god mein chadha raha.

Cars, khilone utha utha kar dikhata raha. Uski pyari pyari baatein thi, sawaal the, Jannat unhein dekhti muskurati rahi.

"Tumhare jaane ke baad isay bohot tez bukhaar ho gaya tha," shaam mein woh usay seene par sulaye hue thi jab Jannat ne kaha. Woh Zayn ko baby cot mein lita kar abhi uske paas aayi thi.

"Yaqeenan tumhein miss kar raha tha."

"Bataya kyun nahi?"

"Aunty ne mana kar diya tha. Kaam ki tension kam thi, iski bhi fikr mein daal dete!"

Woh Rayyan ki pusht par haath rakhe hue tha. Beikhtiyar girift mazboot kar li.

"Tumne toh miss nahi kiya!"

Ab usne Jannat se poocha tha.

"Bilkul bhi nahi!" Baazu mor kar sar ke neeche rakhe, aahistagi se boli toh woh muskurahat daba gaya.

"Baar baar call aur message toh bohot karte rehte the?"

"Mujhse zyada calls aur messages is baar tumne kiye hain." Usne jata diya.

"Mujhe toh Rayyan se baat karni thi." Bahana tayar tha.

"Ajeeb baat hai ke har baar baat sirf mujhse hi hui." Uski aankho mein shararat aa gayi.

Woh muskara kar reh gaya.

•••

Dining hall mein naukar ne Faris ki taraf jhuk kar Adina zubair ki aamad ki ittila pahunchayi toh har taraf ek sannata chha gaya. Chhuriyo aur kaanto ki harkat tham gayi.

Faris ne nazar utha kar Jameela Dawood ko dekha. Unki aankhon se pareshani jhalakne lagi thi. Jannat ne beikhtiyaar Faris ko dekha. Rayyan uski barabar wali kursi par baitha hua tha. Woh usay apne haath se khana khila rahi thi.

"Usay andar aane do!"

Faris ka jawab Jannat kamal ki dhadkan tez kar gaya.

Jameela Dawood ne bhi kuch mutawajjah nigahon se Faris ko dekha.

Mulazim ko huqm deta, woh napkin se haath saaf karta dining table chhod kar uth gaya tha.

"Aap khana khaye mummy, main abhi aata hoon."

Jameela Dawood ke ta’asuraat badal gaye thay. Woh ek dum se bohot pareshan aur fikar mand nazar aane lagi thi. Jannat unke pehlu mein bethi, glass mein paani daal kar diya. Phir uth kar raahdari mein aa khadi hui. Jameela Dawood ne apne pote ko khud se laga liya tha.

Adina Rayyan ki maa thi. Woh bachay ko yahan se le jaane ka poora haq rakhti thi. Woh Hammad ki nishani ko kho nahi sakti thi. Jane kya hone wala tha.

"Kahan hai mera beta? Mujhe apna beta chahiye!"

Haider ke hamrah andar daakhil hotay hi woh shadeed gusse ke alam mein chhillayi thi.

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