Chapter 20: •CHAPTER-19•

•••

Aadil  Ahmed ne video email kar di thi. notification mosul hote hi faris ne video play kar di. screen par manzar wazeh ho chuka tha. Uski gaari parking area mein us maqam par khari thi jahan aam do raaf kam thi. aqab mein main road tha jis par ikka dukka gadiya hi guzarti dikhayi de rahi thi warna road sun saan hi tha.

jis waqt woh gadi se tek lagaye jannat se baat kar raha tha, us waqt doosri row mein safaid Corolla gaadi ke peeche koi moujood tha.

jab woh gaari nikaal kar wahan se ja chuka to usse kuch hi der baad mobile par phone karti jannat ke aqab se woh namodaar huwa tha. phir usne jannat ke qareeb aa kar kuch kaha tha. woh aik jhatke se ghumi thi. khauf aur pareshani ke aalam mein woh usi saraiyyat se jane ke liye mudi hi thi ke uski daeni kalayi us shakhs ki girift mein aagai. choorian chur mura kar tooti thi.

bekhasta hi faris Wajdan ki aankhon mein khoon utara tha. muthiyaan bhinch gayi thi.

jannat ne apna haath chhurane ki sae ki thi. yeh uske andaaz se wazeh tha, woh madad ke liye chala rahi thi ghair abad hissa tha. is taraf koi bhi nahi tha jo uski madad ko aa jata.

woh usey khenchte hue le jane laga. sath hi kuch keh bhi raha tha. apna haath churate hue aik dam hi jannat ne uska mun noch lena chaha. nakhun ke nishaan gaal aur gardan par parre. aur agale hi lamhe usne jannat ke gaal par thappar jadh diya. woh neeche ja giri. ain isi lamhe saira khaala ka beta Faisal aa gaya tha aur phir dekhte hi dekhte chand aur logon ka majmaa bhi ekhatta ho gaya.

Usne jannat kamaal ko apne dahina haath ki kalayi thaam kar uthte dekha aur haath barha kar video rok di. kitne lamhe beet gaye. usey pata hi nahi chala, phir woh kursi chhore kar utha tha. raahdaari mein bhaari qadam uthate hue, seedhiyan charh kar apne kamre ka rukh karte waqt uski kefiyat ajeeb si ho rahi thi. jaise koi saqeel shai uske seene par aan pari ho. jaise use saans laine mein dushwari ho rahi ho.

kamre ka darwaza dhakel kar woh andar aaya to woh samne baithi thi. Sar tak lehaaf taane sofe par simat kar baithi laptop par koi film dekh rahi thi. Popcorn ka packet hathon mein tha. dry fruits ki plate chocolates chai ka cupp coffee table par rakhe the.

inhamak se koi scene dekhte aankhon mein Ishtiaq tha aur labn par tabassum easy ho kar baithi thi woh laa parwai liye hue andaaz tha uska jaise kuch der pehle tak un ke darmiyan koi talkh kalami nahi hui thi. jaise bees pachis roz pehle koi haadsa paish nahi aaya tha. jaise uski choorian nahi tooti theen. zakham nahi aaya tha. jaise lawaris samajh kar uski izzat par haath daalne ki koshish nahi ki gayi thi.

"Tum ne faris ko bta ya nahi?"

"Mein ne zaroori nahi samjha!"

woh sakit o Samat use dekh raha tha aur woh etraaf se yaksar be niaz kisi scene par be sakhta muskura rahi thi.

"Mujhe girne se dar nahi lagta Khan! mein pandrah din pehlay parking area mein giri thi. aur phir khud uth kar bhi gayi thi. ab bhi agar girungi to uthne ki himmat hai mujh mein."

aur tab hi nigahon ki tapish ka ehsas karte hi jannat ne gardan mourr kar use dekha. Uske tasurat se lamhe bhar ke liye woh choank si gayi.

"Ghalti to meri hi hai na! faris ne to kaha tha ke sath hi chalo, mein ne hi zid ki ke sidra ka walima attend kar ke hi jaugi!"

lekin agale hi pal aankhon mein khafgi liye usne bhanwain sukairh kar chehre ka rukh badla aur laptop  screen par nigehain jamali . kuch hi der mein woh kamre se chala gaya tha. jannat kamaal ko andaza hi nahi tha ke jo message aur voice recording usne pachees roz qabal parking area mein faris wajdan ko rote hue bheji the, woh aaj scene kar li gayi theen.

•••

Nashte ki table par mrs Shirazi ne faris wajdan ki khamoshi ko kuch ziyada hi mehsoos kiya tha. aik to woh khasi takheer se aaya tha. upar se tha bhi aam huliye me. goya aaj uska office jane ka koi irada na tha.

toast par jam lagate hue jannat ne be khasta nazar utha kar use dekha. rat jage ki gawahi deti aankhon mein thakan utri thi. mamool ke mutabiq na woh apne tab par head lines dekh raha tha na hi mrs. Shirazi se koi baat kar raha tha.

Nili jeans par siyah Jarsi numa shirt mein malboos, surkh muffler ko gardan ke gird dheelay andaaz mein daaley woh zich karne ko use bhi nahi dekh raha tha.

"Faris?"

"Mein theek hu mummy" usne chaye ka cupp utha liya.

"Aaj office nahi jaoge?" Mrs. Shirazi ne poocha.

Nafi mein sir hilate hue usne ghoont bhara.

"Mujhe kaam se kahin jana hai!"

Mrs. Shirazi ne samajh kar sar hila diya. magar uske tasurat ki wajah se un ki tasalii ab bhi na hui lekin unhon ne mazeed sawal nahi pooche.

"Medicine to le rahe hona koi problem to nahi?"  ab ke faris ne sar utha kar unhen dekha.

"Bilkul, koi problam nahi hai."

chai ka khaali cup rakh kar woh chala gaya tha. nashta bhi theek se nahi kya tha. Mrs. Shirazi ne fikar mandi se use sidiyon ki taraf jate dekha. dil na jane kyun andesho mein ghir gaya tha.

woh kuch aur soch rahi thi, jannat kuch aur faris kuch aur.

"Woh saari raat jaag kar office ke kaam niptata raha hai"  unhen pareshan dekh kar jannat ne foran se baat sambhali .

Mrs. Shirazi ne choank kar use dekha. lamhe bhar ke liye un ki aankhon se tashweesh gayab hui. yaqeenan woh kuch aur soch kar pareshan ho rahi theen. Jannat ne un ke dahine haath par apna haath rakh kar tasalli. woh samajh gayi thi. mrs. Shirazi ki pareshani

Hamad ke bete se mutaliq thi. pase parda koi na koi aisi baat zaroor thi jawan maa bete ke darmiyan be naam

ki khamoshi hayil kar deti thi.

nashte ke baad woh unhen mamool ki terhan lawn mein le aayi. aur tab hi

usne faris wajdan ko sadar darwaze se bahar nikalta dekha tha. woh saraiyat se qadam utha taa Porsche ki taraf ja raha tha. andaaz mein ujlat numaya thi. remote key se gaari ka lock kholte hue usne ruk kar sarsari se andaaz mein mobile screen par kuch dekha phir gaari mein sawaar ho gaya. jannat sar jhatak kar mrs. Shirazi ki taraf mutwajjah hogayi thi. Jo ab bhi aankhon mein fikar aur uljan liye faris ko hi dekh rahi thi.

Us raat woh kaafi takheer se ghar aaya tha. jannat jo uski aamad se pehle tak mrs. Shirazi ke number se musalsal uska number try kar rahi thi, yak dam la talluq hui. woh seedha un ke kamre mein chala gaya tha jo bar waqt phone par rabita na hone ki wajah se kaafi fikar mand nazar aa rahi thi. jannat darwaze mein hi khadi thi jab woh un ke paas baith kar madham aawaz mein unhen bta rha tha ke use zaroori kaam ke silsilay mein dosre shehar jana par gaya tha. ankhen ab bhi gulaabii thi. thakawat ang ang se ayaa, khana woh bahar se kha kar hi aaya tha

so araam ki gharz se woh moazrat chahte hue foran hi uth gaya tha. jannat kamre mein aayi to woh kapre badal kar lights off kiye bed par nim daraaz tha. goya is waqt use mukammal khamoshi aur sukoon ki khwahish thi. apna mobile uthate jannat ehtiyat se darwaaza band karti bahar aagai thi. ain isi lamhe uska mobile baj utha.Saira khaala ki call thi. usn call receive kar li.

"Assalamualaikum khaala kaisi hain aap?" uska rukh faris ki taraf tha.

"Mein bilkul theek hoon Jannat! tum kaisi ho? so to nahi gyi thi?

"Nahi, abhi waqt hi kitna huwa hai." Sidhiya charhte hue woh shawl apne gird theek se orhane  lagi .

"Aap sunaiye,  sab khair hai na?"

"Khair to hai! lekin woh Zaman hospital mein hai."

go ke use Zaman Nami shakhs mein sire se koi dilchaspi nahi thi magar phir bhi jis tarah khaala ne khabar sunai thi, woh chonki zaroor thi.

"Hospital mein magar kyun?"

"Kisi ne use bohat buri tarah se mara pita hai. taang, haath aur bazu tut gaye hain!"  jannat ki ankhen phail gayi.

"Mein abhi hospital se aa rahi hoon. Allah ne karam Kiya, bachat ho gayi, warna jis haalat ko woh pouncha huwa hai bs!"

aankhon mein taajjub liye woh terrace ki taraf jane ka irada tark kiye sidiyon par baith gayi.

"Magar yeh sab huwa kaise? kuch bataya usne?"

"Office se wapsi par do gadiyon ne uska rasta rok liya tha. chaar paanch log the. unhon ne us par tashadud kiya hai. lekin woh kaun log the, Zaman kuch bata nahi raha. police mein report darj bhi nahi karwane di."

waqiya afsos naak tha magar andar hi andar use be intahaa khushi mehsoos hui thi. aur is khushi ka izhaar woh chaah kar bhi saira khaala ke samne nahi kar saki thi.

•••

subah ka ujala har so phail chuka tha. Apne shandaar bed room ki deewar geer khidkiyo par se usne parde khech kar hata diye the. glass door slight kar ke, balcony par jhuk kar usne wasee raqbay par phaile sirsabz lawn ko dekha. nigahein phoolon ki kiyario aur jagah jagah par bane fawwaro se hoti hui bairooni dewaron par jhuke amaltas ke darakhton par thehr gayi. dhoop chahar so bhikri thi. mausam acha ho raha tha.

khuli fiza mein gehra saans lete hue usne jhuk kar neeche dekha. nazar jannat kamaal par ja thahri. woh mrs. Shirazi ke sath lawn mein mojood thi. hashash bashaash aur hanste muskurate chehre ke sath woh un ke samne lawn chair par sar uthaye baithi thi. Mrs. Shirazi ke aage Easel par safaid canvas mojood tha. side table par be shumaar oil painting tubes pari thi.

Plate aur aik brush un ke hathon mein tha aur baqi brush ke dhair samne parre the. usne pehle apni amma ko aur phir un rangon ko dekha jo kabhi un ki zindagi ka ahem hissa rahe the.

aur us canvas ko dekh jis par wo professional andaz me rang bikherne lagi thi. sath hi woh jannat ko bhi dekhte hue hash rahi thi jo haath hila hila kar musalsal bole jarahi thi. samne bethne ke andaaz se wazeh tha ke use hi Canvas par utaara ja raha hai aur shayad yahi wajah thi ke woh ab itna rush lag rahi thi. kitni hi der tak woh un par nazar jamaye apni jagah khada raha tha.

"Aap ko kitna waqt lagey ga mujhe paint karne mein?" aur neeche bohat neeche chehre par musarrat shih ke rang liye jannat ne mrs. Shirazi se poocha tha.

"Is haath ke sath to mein kuch keh nahi sakti." unhon ne surkh o safaid rang ko plate par mahaarat se mix karte hue jawab diya.

"Kya aisa nahi ho sakta ke mein har paanch minute ke baad uth kar dekh liya karoon ke aap ne kitna bana liya hai?"

"Nahi, aisa nahi ho sakta." mrs Shirazi ne mana kar diya. be sabri jannat ka woh waqt barri mushkil se guzra, adhe ghante ke baad jab woh mukammal bana chuki to unhon ne easel ka rukh us ki taraf mour diya. mrs. Shirazi ne use heran kar diya tha. unhon ne ghulaab paint kiya tha. jis ke rangon ka imtizaz esa  hi tha jaise barf ne aag pakar li ho.

mein chehare paint nahi karti jannat lekin yaha mein ne tumhe hi paint kya hai. giili aankhon ke sath woh kaafi der tak ghulaab ko dekhatii rahi. barf ko pakadati aag ya aag mein hi jam hoti barf.phir sar utha kar usne mrs. Shirazi ko dekha.

"Yeh me hi hoon, haina?"

"Jannat ho. phoolon jaisi hi nazar aati ho." unhon ne mohabbat paash nazron se usay dekha.

"Mere nana mera naam Warda yani ghulaab ka phool rakhna chahte the." kuch yaad kar ke woh inhen bitanay

lagi.

"Kyunke meri paidaiesh se chand roz pehle unhon ne khawab dekha tha ke aik sarsabz baagh hai, jis mein be shumaar phool hain. aur do parinde hain, jin mein se aik un ki jholi mein aa girta hai." usne ruk kar kuch socha

"Nana ka aik dost tha, jis ne unhe jannat naam bataya aur tab nana ko laga ke jannat mein jaise har tarah ke phool sama jate hain, unhen yeh naam mere liye bohat acha laga aur unhon ne mera naam jannat rakh diya." mrs shirazi muskuratay hue use khamoshi se takti rahi.

"Abb aap aur kya paint karen gi?" usne poocha.

"Shayad usey.." unhon ne jannat ke aqab mein aankhon se ishara kya. usne murr kar peeche dekha. faris wajdan phone par baat karte hue Porsche ki taraf ja raha tha. woh seedhi ho baithi.

'Faris ko zehen mein rakh mrs. Shirazi kya paint karegi?'  wo soch me pare gayi.

'aag, sholey, aandhi, tufaan, berfile pahad' haan woh jannat ke liye aisa hi tha. uski shakhsiyat ko aise hi kisi manzar mein samoye ja sakta tha.

"Chalein, ab aap kuch rest kar le." usne maiz se kitaab uthali. aur phir wahein se padhna shuru kar diya jahan se usne chorra tha.

•••

woh aatish daan ke samne easy sofa par tangen seene se lagaye baithi thi. mishaal se kuch nazar aa raha tha to is ki ankhen. shehad jaisi gehri purkashish ankhen hain jin ki palkon par nami thehri thi.

glass table par diary, kitaab, qalam aur shits bhi rakhi thi. mobile bhi paas hi para tha. mrs shirazi ka diya huwa task jaise mukammal hone ko tha. woh bohat qareeb thi jawab se taqreeban pa hi chuki thi. likh kar notes bhi bana liye the. apni soch aur samajh ke mutabiq zindagi ke bohat mamlaat ko bhi is aayat ki nigah se dekh kar jaan chuki thi. lekin phir bhi Yusra wahi tha. woh abhi tak uski gehraion mein mein utar nahi payi thi. huroof ke raaz ma-ani samait abhi tak samajh nahi payi thi .

sab se upar jo safha rakha tha is par kuch ayaat ke print rakhe thay. jaise ke hazrat Zakaria alaihi salam, aur zoja e ibrahim alaihi salam ki ayaat theen. woh pehle bhi unhen kaafi der tak dekhatii rahi thi. ab bhi apni nigah hain un ayaat par jamaye baithi thi. mauzo aik hi tha. sitam azeem banjh hona. woh samjhna chahti thi, ayaat banjh jaise nuqs ko kaise wazeh karti hain. phir us nuqs ko radd kar ke use mukammal kaise karti hain.

woh yahan sochon mein ghiri baithi thi aur neechay aqsa coffee ka mug uthaye dahap dahap seedhiyan chadhti upar aa rahi thi.

"Kahan ja rahi ho?" Faris wajdan ne use raahdari mein hi rok diya tha. woh kaam nipta kar study room se abhi bahar aaya tha.

"Woh jannat aapi ne kaha ke woh bore ho rahi hain to.."

"To? tum ne socha ke kuch kartab dikha deti hoon taa ke woh entertain ho sake!"

aqsa ne gar bara kar use dekha phir usi saraiyyat se sar hila kar jhuka gayi.

'Yeh faris sahab bhi na ab mein koi kartab dikhane wali lagti hon? halaank is ke abba kehte thay ke un ke sahib barray suljhe hue, sober aur decent hain.

zara sa sar uthaya. "mein jaoon sahab? Coffee thandhi ho rahi hai"

"Idhar lao"

"Jee?" woh hanoof ban se dekh kar reh gayi. Faris ne haath barha mug le liya.

"Ab jao"  ghoont bharte hue sidiyo ki taraf ishara kya.

aqsa dekh kar reh gayi. "Yeh jannat aapi ko deeni thi."

uska ishara dosre mug ki taraf tha. faris ne woh bhi le liya. chaaro na char aqsa ko forn ho kar jana para.

woh sittting room mein daakhil huwa to jannat ne kuch heran ho kar use dekha. Coffee ka mug uske samne table par rakh kar woh samne single sofe par Barajman ho gaya. yuhin baithy baithy maiz par bikhare ka kagzat par sarsari si nigah dorana chahi magar jannat ne kisi Chil ki terhan apni saari cheeze jhapat kar uthali. aankhon mein khabar daar ka notice lehraane laga. woh easy ho kar ghoont ghoont coffee apne andar utarta raha. nigehain uske chehre par markooz rahi.

"Divorce ke baad tumhare konse plans hai?" andaaz sarsari sa tha. jannat ne achambhe se use dekha. shadeed herat aur be yakeeni se.

"Aur sawal poochhne wale tum kon hote ho?" phir sambhal kar, eyebrows charha kar poocha.

"Wohi jis ke marne se tum bewa ho sakti ho." jannat ne satpata kar use dekha, phir zair lab bar bara kar reh gayi. ab is baat ko yeh kabhi bhoolay ga bhi ya nahi? usne jhunjhula kar mug table par rakh diya.  woh sofe ki pusht se sar tikaye taang par taang rakhe shahana andaaz mein betha tha. full neck sweater ki zip seene tak khenchi hui thi.

"Mein yeh sawal sirf mummy ki wajah se pooch raha hoon." usey gehri jhachti nigahon se dekhte hue usne ghoont liya.

"Tum bohat khaas ho un ke liye is liye!"

"Haan un ke liye hoon! tumahre liye to nahi! so tum is terhan ka sawal puchne ka koi haq nahi rakhte. Tumahare liye bas yahi baat ahem honi chahiye ke tum ne mujhe khayi se dhakka dena hai. ab neeche girte hue mein pattharo se takra kar marti hoon, ya naher mein doob kar ya phir zindah bach jati hoon.!"

"It's none of your concern!"

"It is my concern!" woh be had sanjeeda tha.

"Agar tum zinda bach gayi to?"

jannat use dekh kar reh gayi. aglw hi lamhay uske lab bhinch gaye. aankhen surkh ho gayi. is arsay mein pehli baar usey ehsas huwa ke yeh uski zabaan hi hai jo har baar faris wajdan ke samne uska tamasha bana deti hai.

"Allah ke fazl se bohat se back up plans hain mere aur sab hi musbat hain. nahi mera sir phatega, nahi mein doob kar maroon gi"

"Mein ne kab kaha tumahre satha aisa hona chahiye?" woh sawalia nishaan ban gaya.

"Dekho!" jannat ne haath ke ishare se use be had mehal se mazeed kuch bhi kehne se baz rakha. warna dil to chaah raha tha ke koi cheez utha kar uske sar par de maare lekin!

"Yeh nikah aik contrect hai , yeh contrect hi rahega! mein ne is haqeeqat ko tasleem kar liya hai, kya ab tum dekh nahi rahe mein ab apni limits mein hoon?"

"Tumhe apni limits mein aane mein teen mah lag gaye. mein teen din mein sab bhool jaoon?"  jannat apni jagah tham kar reh gayi.

"Tum kya chahte ho, mein tumhe likh kar du? tab ja kar tumhe yaqeen aaye ga?" woh zich hui .

"Haan! tumhara kya bhrosa, baad mein saaf makr jao"

"Mein aisi nahi hoon." zabt kar ke kaha.

"Yeh baat mujh se behtar kon jaanta hoga?" lehjey mein tamaskhur khil gaya.

jannat use dekh kar reh gayi. kaise lafzon mein uljha kar woh uski durgat bana deta tha aur woh kaise pagalon ki tarah har baar uske jaal mein phas jati thi. aika aik hi use shadeed qisam ka gussa charha. woh is par phatt pari.

"Tum khud ko samajte kya ho? haan?

"Wohi jis ke marne se.."

jannat ne apne kaanon par haath rakh liye.

"Mein kuch nahi sun rahi! mujhe koi aawaz nahi aa rahi! Lalalalala.."

sath hi usne itna shor machaya taa ke Faris ki aawaz us tak na puhanche phir ghusse se jhunjhalahati apne kagjat samet ti sittting room se hi nikal gayi. Coffee to uski waise bhi thandhi hogayi thin. Mazeed ki talabb bhi nahi rahi thi.

Faris ne haath barha kar woh safha utha liya jise woh jald baazi mein chhor kar gayi thi. lekin usse pehle ke woh kuch parh paata, jannat ne peeche se jhapat liya.

"Apne kaam se kaam rakho!"

"Yeh baat keh kon raha hai? mazaaq urata huwa lehja, woh mazeed sakti wahan se walk out kar gayi.

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