December ki ek sard shaam thi jab Multan ke purane shehar par dhund utarna shuru hui. Haveli Qasim Wali ke unche darwazon ke bahar neem ke darakht par kaway apne ghonslon ko laut rahe the, aur unki kaon kaon andheri gali mein goonj rahi thi. Haweli ki deewaron par lagi purani surkh eenton par sardi ki nami chamak rahi thi, aur andar sehne mein lage anaar ke ped par aakhri danay ab bhi latke hue the — jaise waqt ne unhe chhoona bhool gaya ho. Sehne ke beechon beech lage phuwaray ka pani barson se band tha, uske sangmarmar ke hothon par kai jami hui thi, aur us par ek billa aaram se baitha apne panje chaat raha tha. Maghrib ki azaan door kisi masjid se aa rahi thi, aur usi waqt haveli ke andar, deewan-khaas naami kamre mein, chaar log ek gol mez ke gird baithe the — aur unke darmiyan padi thi ek purani jaydaad ki file, jis ke pannon par waqt ke daagh the aur jis ki wajah se do khandaan aaj aamne saamne the.
Mez ke ek taraf Riffat baithi thi. 42 saal ki woh aurat, jis ke chehre par waqt ne narmi se apne nishaan chhode the — aankhon ke kinare halki jhurriyan, magar aankhon mein ab bhi wahi tez roshni jo jawani mein hoti thi. Us ne gehre sabz rang ka shawl odha hua tha, aur us ke haathon mein tasbeeh ke daane dheere dheere ghoom rahe the. Woh bewah thi — us ke shohar ka inteqal aath saal pehle hua tha — aur us din se us ne apne bete Fahad ko hi apni poori duniya bana liya tha. Fahad, 25 saal ka naujawan, apni ammi ke bilkul paas baitha tha. Lamba qad, gehri aankhen, aur chehre par woh sanjeedgi jo umr se pehle aa jati hai jab zimmedariyan jaldi kandhon par aa jayen. Us ne apni ammi ke kandhe par haath rakha hua tha — ek aisa ishara jo mehfil mein sab ki nazron se guzar gaya, magar kisi ne kuchh na kaha.
Mez ki doosri taraf Asif baitha tha — 27 saal ka, chauda seen, tez nazrein, aur chehre par woh sakhti jo aksar bade bhaiyon ke chehron par hoti hai. Us ke saath us ki behan Saba thi, 23 saal ki, narm chehra, badi aankhen, aur dupatta sar par theek se jamaaye hue. Asif aur Saba apne marhoom chacha ki aulaad the, aur un ka daawa tha ke haveli ka aadha hissa un ke walid ke naam tha, jo Riffat ke shohar ke bhai the. Riffat ka kehna tha ke us ke shohar ne zindagi mein poori haveli khareed li thi, aur kagazat us ke paas the — aadhe jale hue, aadhe purane, magar maujood.
Un ke darmiyan baitha tha wukala ka ek buzurg aadmi, Wakeel Imtiaz, jo dono khandaanon ko jaanta tha aur jis ne is mulaqat ka intezam kiya tha taake muamla adalat jaye baghair sulajh jaye. “Dekhiye,” us ne apni ainak theek karte hue kaha, “yeh haveli sirf eent aur pathar nahi. Is mein aap sab ke bachpan ki yaadein hain. Adalat mein jaane se pehle ek baar dil se baat kar lein.”
Riffat ne gehri saans li. “Wakeel sahab, mujhe ladai nahi chahiye. Magar mere shohar ne apni zindagi ki kamai is ghar mein lagayi thi. Main apne bete ka haq nahi chhod sakti.”
“Koi aap se haq chheen nahi raha, Riffat bibi,” Asif ne thande lehje mein kaha. “Hum sirf apna hissa maang rahe hain. Mere abba ne is haveli ki tameer mein apna khoon paseena lagaya tha. Woh kagaz aap ke paas jale hue hain — hamare paas gawah hain.”
Kamre mein sannata chha gaya — itna gehra ke deewar par lagi purani ghadi ki tik tik saaf sunayi de rahi thi. Ghadi ke saath hi latki thi ek tasveer — do bhaiyon ki, jawani ki — ek chehra Riffat ke shohar jaisa, doosra Asif jaisa. Saba ne us tasveer ko dekha — aur usay laga jaise woh dono chehre use dekh rahe hain, kuchh kehna chahte hain. Us ne apni nazrein hata lin — magar tasveer us ke zehen mein bas gayi.
Bahar sehne mein kaway ki kaon kaon ab bhi goonj rahi thi — jaise woh bhi is faisle ke muntazir hon. Riffat ne apni tasbeeh ke daane tez ghoomaye — us ke dil ki bechaini us ki ungliyon mein thi. Fahad ne apni ammi ka haath apne haath mein liya — dheere se, taake koi na dekhe. Magar Saba ne dekh liya — aur us ke dil mein phir wohi ajeeb si kashish hui — jaise usay kuchh samajh aa raha ho, magar woh samajhna na chahti ho.
Fahad ne apni ammi ka haath pakad liya. “Asif bhai, gawah adalat mein kaam aate hain, sulah ki mez par nahi. Hum yahan sulah ke liye aaye hain.”
“Bhai kehne se rishta nahi banta, Fahad,” Asif ne kaha, magar us ki aankhon mein nafrat se zyada thakaan thi. “Rishete wafa se bante hain.”
Saba ne ab tak kuchh nahi kaha tha. Woh bas apne bhai ke paas baithi, apni ungliyon se dupatte ka kinara marod rahi thi. Kabhi kabhi us ki nazar Fahad par padti, aur woh foran neeche jhuka leti. Fahad ne bhi use dekha tha — pehli nazar mein hi us ke dil mein kuchh ajeeb sa ehsaas hua tha, magar us ne use daba diya tha. Aaj ke din dil ke liye koi jagah nahi thi; aaj sirf jaydaad thi, kagaz the, aur purani ranjishein thi.
Wakeel Imtiaz ne file kholi. “Kal main registry office jaunga. Dono taraf ke kagaz nikaalunga. Agle hafte phir milenge. Tab tak —” us ne dono taraf dekha, “— koi nayi deewar nahi banayega, koi taala nahi badlega. Yeh haveli dono ki amanat hai.”
Mez se uthte waqt Riffat ke pair ladkhadaye. Fahad ne foran use sambhala, us ki kamar mein haath daal kar. Asif ne yeh dekha aur us ke chehre par ek ajeeb sa taasur aaya — jaise us ne kuchh aisa dekha ho jo usay dekhna nahi chahiye tha. Saba ne bhi dekha, aur us ke gaalon par halki surkhi daud gayi.
Bahar sehne mein, jab sab apne apne ghar jaane lage, Fahad ne Saba se kaha, “Saba bibi, kagazat ki copyan exchange karni hongi. Apna number de dijiye taake WhatsApp par bhej sakun.”
Saba ne hichkichate hue apna number diya. Asif ne teekhi nazron se dekha. “Sirf kagazat ki baat hogi,” us ne sakht lehje mein kaha.
“Bilkul,” Fahad ne muskurate hue kaha, aur apne phone mein number save kiya — “Saba”. Us raat, dono khandaan apne apne gharon ko laut gaye, magar haveli ke darwaze ke peeche kuchh aisa reh gaya jo ab un ka peechha karega — ek anjaan si kashish, ek ankahe jazbaat ka beej, aur ek ghalat number jo abhi dial hona baaqi tha.
Riffat ka ghar haveli se do galiyan door tha — ek chhota sa magar saaf suthra makaan, jis mein woh aur Fahad rehte the. Us raat Riffat apne kamre mein leti, chhat ko tak rahi thi. Us ki aankhon ke saamne baar baar woh manzar aa raha tha — haveli ka sehne, anaar ka ped, aur Fahad ka chehra jab us ne “apna haq” ki baat ki thi. Usay apne bete par fakhar tha. Magar fakhar ke saath ek aur ehsaas bhi tha, jo usay dara raha tha — ek aisa ehsaas jis ka naam lene se bhi woh kaamp jaati thi.
Aath saalon se woh bewah thi. Aath saalon se us ne apne jazbaat ko dafan kar rakha tha — samaj ke dar se, bete ke mustaqbil ke khayal se, aur us sharam se jo har raat us ke dil ke darwaze par dastak deti thi. Magar aaj, jab Fahad ne us ka haath pakda tha sab ke saamne, jab us ne us ki kamar mein haath daal kar sambhala tha, to us ke dil mein kuchh aisa jaaga tha jo soya hua tha. Us ne karwat badli aur apne aap se kaha, “Riffat, pagal ho gayi ho. Woh tumhara beta hai.”
Magar dil kahan manta hai.
Doosri taraf, Asif ke ghar mein, Saba apne kamre mein baithi apne phone ko dekh rahi thi. Us ne Fahad ka number save kiya tha — “Fahad Bhai”. Us ke bhai ne use sakhti se kaha tha ke is muamle mein dil mat lagana, magar dil to bachcha hai — woh kahan sunta hai. Saba ke zehen mein baar baar Fahad ka chehra aa raha tha — us ki sanjeedgi, us ka apni ammi se pyaar, us ki woh muskurahat jo us ne use dekh kar di thi. Aur usay yaad aa raha tha woh lamha jab Fahad ne apni ammi ki kamar mein haath dala tha — us manzar ne us ke dil mein ek ajeeb si jalan paida ki thi. Jalan? Kis baat ki jalan? Woh khud nahi jaanti thi.
Asif bahar baithak mein baitha tha, cigarette pi raha tha. Us ke zehen mein bhi kuchh chal raha tha — magar us ka dard alag tha. Us ne apni behan ko dekha tha, us ki nazrein Fahad par padte hue. Asif apni behan se beinteha pyaar karta tha — bachpan se us ne use maa baap dono ka pyaar diya tha, kyunke un ke walid ka inteqal jaldi ho gaya tha aur walida bhi do saal pehle guzar gayi thi. Saba us ki zimmedari thi, us ki izzat thi. Aur aaj, jab us ne Saba ki aankhon mein Fahad ke liye woh chamak dekhi, to us ke dil mein ek ajeeb sa khauf jaaga — khauf use khone ka. Woh khauf, jo aksar mohabbat ka pehla roop hota hai, magar Asif abhi is baat se anjaan tha.
Raat ke das baje, Riffat ne Fahad ko phone kiya. “Beta, kal subah registry office jana hai. Wakeel sahab ke saath. Tum tayyar rehna.”
“Ji ammi, main tayyar hun. Aap so jayen, fikar na karein.”
“Beta, ek baat kahun?” Riffat ki awaaz mein hichkichahat thi. “Tum roz raat ko mujhe phone kar liya karo. Bas do minute. Tumhari awaaz sun kar mujhe neend aati hai.”
Fahad muskuraya. “Ammi, main aap ke paas wale kamre mein hun. Deewar ke us paar. Aap ko phone ki kya zaroorat?”
“Phir bhi,” Riffat ne kaha, aur us ki awaaz mein kuchh aisa tha jo Fahad ne pehle kabhi nahi suna tha — ek tanha aurat ki iltija. “Tum kar liya karo. Das baje. Roz.”
“Theek hai ammi. Roz das baje. Wada.”
Us raat, Fahad ne apne kamre mein let kar bahut der tak socha. Us ki ammi ki awaaz us ke kaanon mein goonj rahi thi. Usay yaad aaya bachpan — jab abba ke inteqal ke baad ammi ne use seene se lagaya tha aur kaha tha, “Ab tum mere sab kuchh ho.” Us din se us ne than li thi ke woh apni ammi ko kabhi dukh nahi dega. Magar aaj kal, jab bhi woh apni ammi ko dekhta, us ke dil mein kuchh aisa hota jo bete ke pyaar se zyada tha. Woh is ehsaas se ladta tha — har roz, har pal. Kyunke woh jaanta tha ke yeh ehsaas samaj ki nazron mein gunaah tha. Magar dil to dil hai — woh gunaah aur sawab ke hisaab se kahan chalta hai.
Aadhi raat ko, Fahad bistar se utha — neend nahi aa rahi thi. Us ne chaadar odhi aur ghar se nikal gaya — paidal, haveli ki taraf. Raat ke sannate mein Multan ki galiyan khaali thin — sirf kutton ke bhaunkne ki awaaz door se aa rahi thi. Haveli ke darwaze par purana chowkidar so raha tha — Fahad ne use jagaya nahi, deewar ke saath lage darakht par chadh kar andar kood gaya — jaise bachpan mein kiya karta tha.
Sehne mein chandni thi. Anaar ka ped, band phuwara, aur har cheez par chandni ki chadar. Fahad deewan-khaas mein gaya — wahan us ke bachpan ki yaadein thin. Us ne deewar ko chhua — thandi, khurdari. “Abba,” us ne dheere se kaha, “aap yahan hote the. Is kamre mein. Mujhe god mein bithate the — aur kahaniyan sunate the.”
Usay yaad aaya — woh din jab us ke abba ne use pehli baar haveli dikhayi thi. “Fahad, yeh hamari virasat hai,” unhon ne kaha tha. “Ise sambhal kar rakhna.” Aur aaj — aaj wohi virasat jhagde ki wajah bani hui thi.
Fahad sehne mein aaya aur anaar ke ped ke neeche baith gaya — usi jagah jahan us ki ammi use sulati thi. Us ne aankhen band kar lin — aur usay apni ammi ki awaaz sunayi di — lori ki awaaz, bachpan wali. “So ja, mere laal,” — wohi alfaaz, wohi pyaar.
Us ki aankhon se aansu behne lage. “Ammi,” us ne dheere se kaha, “main aap se itni mohabbat kyun karta hun? Kyun mera dil nahi manta?”
Jawab mein sirf hawa ki sarsarahat thi — aur door se azaan ki awaaz — tahajjud ki azaan. Fahad ne wuzu kiya — sehne mein lage naal se — aur nafl padhe. Dua mein us ne sirf ek cheez mangi — “Ya Allah, mere dil ko sukoon de. Ya mujhe meri mohabbat de — ya isay mere dil se nikaal de.”
Dua ke baad, usay ajeeb sa sukoon mila. Us ne faisla kiya — woh apne dil se nahi ladega. Woh apni mohabbat ka saamna karega — chahe anjaam jo ho. Kyunke bhaagna — bhaagna buzdilon ka kaam hai. Aur Fahad buzdil nahi tha.
Woh ghar lauta — subah hone se pehle. Us ki ammi so rahi thi — be-khabar. Fahad ne us ke kamre ke darwaze par ek pal ruk kar use dekha — neend mein woh itni masoom lag rahi thi. Us ne dheere se kaha, “Good night, ammi. Kal se — kal se sab badal jayega.”
Agli subah, Fahad Wakeel Imtiaz ke saath registry office gaya. Kagazat nikle — purane, peele pade hue, magar Riffat ke shohar ke haq mein. Asif ke gawahon ke bayanaat bhi darj the. Muamla ulajhta ja raha tha. Wakeel ne kaha, “Dekho beta, yeh muamla adalat mein saalon chalega. Behtar hai sulah ho jaye. Haveli ko do hisson mein baant lo, ya bech kar paise baant lo.”
“Bech dein?” Fahad ne chaunk kar kaha. “Woh haveli meri ammi ki yaadon ka ghar hai. Mere abba ki rooh basi hai wahan.”
“Yaadein dil mein rehti hain, beta, deewaron mein nahi,” Wakeel ne narm lehje mein kaha.
Us shaam, Fahad ne Saba ko WhatsApp par kagazat ki tasveerein bhejin. Saba ne foran jawab diya: “Shukriya. Bhai dekh lenge.” Phir kuchh der baad ek aur message aaya: “Fahad bhai, aap ko bura to nahi laga? Mera matlab, bhai ka lehja sakht tha.”
Fahad ne likha: “Nahi, bura nahi laga. Woh apni jagah sahi hain. Apni behan ki hifazat kar rahe hain.”
“Kya aap ko lagta hai sulah ho jayegi?” Saba ne poochha.
“Pata nahi. Magar koshish karni chahiye. Ladai mein sab haarte hain.”
Us raat das baje, Fahad ne apni ammi ko phone kiya — video call. Riffat ka chehra screen par aaya — thaka hua, magar muskurata hua. “Mera beta,” us ne kaha, “tum ne wada nibhaya.”
“Aur hamesha nibhaunga, ammi.”
Woh dono der tak baatein karte rahe — haveli ki, muamle ki, bachpan ki yaadon ki. Riffat ne bataya ke jab Fahad chhota tha, to woh use haveli ke sehne mein anaar ke ped ke neeche sulati thi. “Tum us ped ke saaye mein so jaate the, aur main tumhe dekhti rehti thi. Lagta tha jaise poori duniya mere haathon mein hai.”
Fahad ki aankhon mein nami aa gayi. “Ammi, main aap ko kabhi akela nahi chhodunga. Chahe jo ho jaye.”
Riffat ne screen ko dekha, aur us ke dil mein wohi purana dard jaaga — woh dard jo mohabbat ka doosra naam hai. Us ne phone rakh diya aur der tak roti rahi. Woh ro rahi thi apni bebasi par — ek maa ki bebasi, jo apne bete se mohabbat karti hai, magar us mohabbat ka izhaar nahi kar sakti. Ek aurat ki bebasi, jo aath saalon se tanha hai, aur jis ke dil mein ab bhi chahat ke diye jalte hain.
December ki sardi badhti ja rahi thi. Multan mein kohra itna gehra hota ke subah ko das baje tak suraj nazar nahi aata tha. Haveli ke aas paas ke mohalle mein zindagi apni raftaar se chal rahi thi — magar chaar dilon mein toofan uth rahe the.
Ek din, Wakeel Imtiaz ne dono khandaanon ko phir bulaya. “Maine registry se poori report nikal li hai,” us ne kaha. “Haveli ka malikana haq mushtarak hai — Riffat bibi ke shohar aur Asif ke walid dono ke naam par. Magar Riffat bibi ke shohar ne baad mein apne bhai ka hissa khareedne ka daawa kiya tha, aur is ki raseed aadhi jali hui hai. Yeh raseed hi sab se ahem kagaz hai. Agar yeh saabit ho jaye ke hissa khareeda gaya tha, to poori haveli Riffat bibi ki. Warna aadhi aadhi.”
“To raseed dhoondni hogi,” Asif ne kaha.
“Woh raseed haveli mein hi kahin hogi,” Riffat ne kaha. “Mere shohar apne ahem kagaz haveli ke deewan-khaas mein rakhte the — deewar ke andar ek khufiya khana hai.”
“Khufiya khana?” Saba ne hairat se kaha.
“Haan,” Riffat ne muskurate hue kaha. “Purani haveliyon mein aise khane hote hain. Mere shohar ne mujhe dikhaya tha — shaadi ke pehle saal mein. Kaha tha, ‘Riffat, agar kabhi zaroorat pade, to yahan dekhna.'”
Wakeel ne faisla kiya, “To kal sab mil kar haveli jayenge. Khufiya khana dekhenge. Jo milega, sab ke saamne khulega.”
Us raat, Fahad ke dil mein ajeeb si bechaini thi. Us ne apni ammi se kaha, “Ammi, kal aap mat jayen. Main aur Wakeel sahab chale jayenge.”
“Kyun beta?”
“Bas aise hi. Wahan Asif hoga, Saba hogi. Mahol kharab ho sakta hai.”
Riffat ne apne bete ko dekha — gehri nazron se. “Tum mujhe bacha rahe ho ya khud ko?”
Fahad chaunk gaya. “Ammi?”
“Tumhari aankhon mein main padh sakti hun, beta. Tum jab Saba ko dekhte ho, to tumhari nazrein badal jati hain.”
Fahad ka chehra surkh ho gaya. “Ammi, aisa kuchh nahi hai. Woh to bas —”
“Bas kya?” Riffat ki awaaz mein dard tha. “Tum jawan ho, beta. Tumhe mohabbat karne ka haq hai. Magar —” us ne ruk kar kaha, “— us ladki se jo hamari dushman ke ghar ki hai?”
“Woh dushman nahi hai, ammi.”
Riffat ne apne bete ka chehra apne haathon mein liya. Us ke haath kaanp rahe the. “Fahad, meri baat suno. Main tumhe khona nahi chahti. Tum mere sab kuchh ho. Agar tum us ladki ke peeche gaye, to yeh jaydaad ka jhagda aur badhega. Aur —” us ki awaaz bhar aayi, “— aur main tumhe kisi ke saath baant nahi sakti.”
Fahad ne apni ammi ki aankhon mein dekha, aur usay wahan kuchh aisa nazar aaya jo us ne pehle kabhi nahi dekha tha — ek aurat ki chahat, ek tanha dil ki pukaar. Us ka dil zor se dhadakne laga. Us ne apni ammi ke haath apne chehre se hataye, magar narmi se. “Ammi, aap thaki hui hain. So jayen.”
Magar us raat dono mein se koi na so saka.
Agli subah kohra itna gehra tha ke haveli ke minar nazar nahi aa rahe the. Fahad, Riffat, Wakeel Imtiaz, Asif aur Saba — paanchon haveli ke deewan-khaas mein jama the. Kamre mein purani lakdi aur itr ki mili juli khushbu thi. Deewaron par bade bade aaine lage the, jin par gard jami hui thi, aur chhat par bana naqsh ab bhi apni shaan dikha raha tha.
Riffat deewar ke paas gayi — woh deewar jo deewan-khaas ke pichhle hisse mein thi. Us ne apne haath se deewar ko thapthapaya, jaise koi purana raaz yaad kar rahi ho. “Yahan,” us ne kaha, “is tasveer ke peeche.”
Us ne deewar par lagi ek purani tasveer hatayi — us mein ek buzurg aadmi tha, sakht chehra, safed dadhi. “Yeh mere susar hain,” Riffat ne kaha. Tasveer ke peeche deewar par ek chhota sa darwaza tha, lakdi ka, jis par taala laga tha.
“Chaabi?” Wakeel ne poochha.
Riffat ne apne gale mein pehni zanjeer nikali — us mein ek chhoti si chaabi thi. “Mere shohar ne mujhe di thi. Kaha tha, ‘ise hamesha apne paas rakhna.'”
Chaabi taale mein gayi, aur darwaza khul gaya. Andar ek lohe ka dabba tha. Wakeel ne use bahar nikala aur khola. Andar kagazat the — purane, magar mehfooz. Sab se upar ek raseed thi — aadhi jali hui, magar us par likha saaf padha ja sakta tha: “…raqam wasool paayi… hissa haveli… farokht…”
Sab ne saans rok kar dekha. Wakeel ne ainak lagayi aur gaur se padha. Phir us ne sar uthaya. “Yeh raseed na-mukammal hai. Is se saabit nahi hota ke poora hissa khareeda gaya tha. Magar is se yeh zaroor saabit hota hai ke kuchh raqam di gayi thi.”
“Matlab?” Asif ne bechaini se poochha.
“Matlab yeh ke muamla ab bhi uljha hai,” Wakeel ne kaha. “Magar ek baat wazeh hai — dono taraf ne kuchh na kuchh diya hai, kuchh na kuchh liya hai. Behtar hai baith kar baat karo.”
Dabbe mein aur bhi cheezein thin — purane khat, tasveerein, aur ek diary. Riffat ne diary uthayi — us ke shohar ki diary thi. Us ne use seene se lagaya, aur us ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Yeh un ki aakhri nishani hai,” us ne dheere se kaha.
Fahad ne apni ammi ke kandhe par haath rakha. “Ammi, hum ise ghar le chalte hain. Aaram se padhiye ga.”
Saba ne yeh manzar dekha, aur us ke dil mein phir wohi jalan hui. Magar is baar us ne apne jazbaat ko pehchana — woh jalan thi, aur jalan ka matlab tha ke woh Fahad ko kisi aur ke saath nahi dekh sakti — chahe woh us ki maa hi kyun na ho. Yeh ehsaas usay dara gaya. Woh apne bhai ke paas sarak gayi.
Asif ne apni behan ko dekha. “Kya hua, Saba? Tabiyat theek hai?”
“Haan bhai, bas thakaan hai.”
Magar Asif apni behan ko bachpan se jaanta tha. Woh jaanta tha ke jab Saba jhooth bolti hai, to us ki palkein jhapakti hain. Us ne Fahad ki taraf dekha — woh apni ammi ko sambhal raha tha, us ke chehre par fikar thi. Asif ke dil mein ek ajeeb sa khayal aaya — kya Saba ko Fahad se mohabbat ho gayi hai? Aur is khayal ke saath hi us ke dil mein ek dard utha — aisa dard jo us ne pehle kabhi mehsoos nahi kiya tha. Woh dard, jo baad mein usay samajh aaya ke mohabbat ka tha — apni behan ke liye woh mohabbat jo bhai ki hadon se aage badh gayi thi.
Haveli se wapsi par, Fahad ne Saba se kaha, “Raseed ki tasveer bhej dun?”
“Haan, bhej dijiye,” Saba ne kaha, magar us ki awaaz mein pehle jaisi garmi nahi thi.
“Kya hua? Aap naraaz hain?”
“Nahi to,” Saba ne jaldi se kaha. “Bas thaki hui hun.”
Fahad ne use gaur se dekha. “Saba bibi, agar kabhi koi baat ho, to mujh se keh sakti hain. Hum dushman nahi hain.”
Saba ne us ki aankhon mein dekha, aur usay laga jaise woh aankhen us ke dil ke andar tak dekh rahi hain. Us ne nazrein jhuka lin. “Shukriya, Fahad bhai.”
Us shaam, Fahad ne raseed ki tasveerein Saba ko bhejin. Saba ne jawab diya: “Bhai keh rahe hain ke raseed na-mukammal hai. Muamla adalat jayega.”
Fahad ne likha: “Adalat mein saal lagenge. Aur dono khandaan barbaad honge. Kya aap chahti hain ke aisa ho?”
Kuchh der tak koi jawab nahi aaya. Phir Saba ne likha: “Main kya chahti hun, is se kya farq padta hai? Faisle to bhai karte hain.”
“Aap ki bhi awaaz hai, Saba bibi. Use dabayen mat.”
Is message ke baad Saba ne koi jawab nahi diya. Magar us raat woh der tak jaagti rahi, Fahad ke alfaaz sochti rahi — “aap ki bhi awaaz hai”. Kisi ne us se pehle aisa nahi kaha tha. Us ke bhai ne hamesha us ke faisle kiye the — kya pehna hai, kahan jana hai, kis se milna hai. Aur us ne hamesha maan liya tha, kyunke woh apne bhai se pyaar karti thi, aur us par bharosa karti thi. Magar aaj, pehli baar, us ke dil mein ek sawal utha — kya meri apni koi khwahish nahi? Kya main sirf bhai ki behan hun, ya kuchh aur bhi?
Das baje, Fahad ne apni ammi ko video call kiya. Riffat ka chehra aaya — aaj woh zyada thaki hui lag rahi thi. “Beta, diary padhi maine. Tumhare abba ne likha tha ke woh haveli ko kabhi bechne nahi denge. Keh rahe the, ‘yeh ghar meri rooh hai.'”
“Ammi, aap ro rahi hain?”
“Nahi beta, bas yaadein aa gayi thin.” Riffat ne aansu ponchhe. “Fahad, ek baat kahun?”
“Ji kahiye.”
“Tum Saba se door raho.” Riffat ki awaaz mein sakhti thi. “Woh ladki hamare liye sahi nahi hai.”
Fahad chup raha. Phir us ne kaha, “Ammi, kya aap ko mujh par bharosa nahi?”
“Bharosa hai, beta. Isi liye dar lagta hai.” Riffat ne gehri saans li. “Tum bhole ho, Fahad. Duniya ko nahi jaante. Woh log — Asif — woh tumhe istemal kar sakta hai.”
“Ammi, main bachcha nahi hun. Main jawan hun, apne pairon par khada hun.”
“Meri nazron mein tum ab bhi wohi chhote se Fahad ho,” Riffat ne narm lehje mein kaha, magar us ki aankhon mein aansu the. “So jao, beta. Kal baat karenge.”
Phone rakhne ke baad, Fahad der tak chhat ko takta raha. Us ki ammi ki baat us ke dil mein chubh rahi thi. Woh jaanta tha ke us ki ammi us se beinteha pyaar karti hai — magar kya yeh pyaar had se badh gaya tha? Kya us ki ammi usay kisi aur ka hone nahi dena chahti thi? Aur agar aisa tha, to kyun? Is sawal ka jawab us ke paas nahi tha — magar us ka dil jaanta tha, aur us ka dil is jawab se darta tha.
Dusri taraf, Asif ne apni behan ko bulaya. “Saba, idhar aao.”
Saba aayi aur apne bhai ke saamne baithi. Asif ne use gaur se dekha. “Tum Fahad se WhatsApp par baat karti ho?”
Saba ka chehra peela pad gaya. “Sirf kagazat ke baare mein, bhai. Kasam se.”
Asif ne gehri saans li. “Dekho Saba, main tumhe rok nahi raha. Magar ehtiyat karo. Woh log hamare mukhalif hain. Aaj dost, kal dushman. Samjhi?”
“Ji bhai.”
“Ek aur baat,” Asif ne kaha, aur us ki awaaz narm ho gayi. “Tum meri sab se qeemti amanat ho. Main tumhe kabhi dukh mein nahi dekh sakta. Tum samajhti ho na?”
Saba ne apne bhai ki aankhon mein dekha, aur usay wahan itna pyaar nazar aaya ke us ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Bhai, aap duniya ke sab se achhe bhai hain.”
Asif ne apni behan ke sar par haath phera. Magar us ke dil mein ek ajeeb si bechaini thi. Us ne apni behan ke baalon ko chhua, aur us ke haath kaanp rahe the. Woh jaldi se uth kar chala gaya — apne kamre mein, jahan us ne darwaza band kiya aur deewar se sar laga kar khada raha. “Ya Allah,” us ne dheere se kaha, “yeh mere dil mein kya ho raha hai?”
Woh apni behan se mohabbat karta tha — magar aaj us mohabbat mein kuchh aisa tha jo bhai ki mohabbat se zyada tha. Us ne is ehsaas ko daba diya, magar dabaya hua ehsaas to aur zor se ubharta hai.
December ka mahina guzarta gaya. Kohra, sardi, aur chaar dilon mein badhti hui bechaini. Fahad aur Saba ke darmiyan WhatsApp par baatein badhti gayin — pehle sirf kagazat, phir haveli ki yaadein, phir zindagi ki baatein. Fahad ne bataya ke use kitaabein padhne ka shauq hai, Saba ne bataya ke use silai kadhai ka. Dono ne ek doosre mein ek dost paya — aisa dost jo samajhta tha.
Magar dono ke dilon mein dosti se zyada kuchh tha, aur dono is baat se anjaan nahi the — bas iqraar se darte the.
Ek raat, Saba ne Fahad ko message kiya: “Fahad bhai, aap soye nahi?”
“Nahi, neend nahi aa rahi. Aap?”
“Mujhe bhi nahi. Bhai so gaye hain. Ghar mein sannata hai. Dar lag raha hai.”
“Dar? Kis baat ka?”
“Pata nahi. Bas aisa lagta hai jaise kuchh hone wala hai. Kuchh bura.”
Fahad ne likha: “Kuchh bura nahi hoga. Main hun na.”
“Kaise? Aap to door hain.”
“Door hokar bhi paas hua ja sakta hai, Saba bibi.”
Saba ne is message ko baar baar padha. Us ke dil ki dhadkan tez ho gayi. Us ne likha: “Fahad bhai, kya aap ko kabhi aisa laga hai ke aap kisi se milna chahte hain, magar mil nahi sakte?”
“Roz lagta hai,” Fahad ne jawab diya.
“Kis se?”
Fahad ne kuchh der tak koi jawab nahi diya. Phir us ne likha: “Us se jo mere sab se paas hai, aur sab se door bhi.”
Saba samajh gayi — ya samajhne ka daawa kiya. Us ne socha ke Fahad us ki baat kar raha hai. Magar Fahad ke zehen mein us waqt us ki ammi ka chehra tha — Riffat ka chehra, us ki thaki hui aankhen, us ki kaanpti hui awaaz. Fahad khud nahi jaanta tha ke woh kis se milna chahta hai — Saba se, ya apni ammi se. Us ka dil do raahon par tha, aur dono raahein kaanton bhari thin.
Us raat ke baad, Fahad ne apne phone mein ek ajeeb si aadat daal li — woh baar baar apne contacts kholta aur Saba ka naam dekhta. “Saba” — bas chaar harf, magar un mein kya jadu tha. Us ne Saba ka number “Saba” ke naam se save kiya tha, aur us ke theek upar “Riffat Ammi” tha — alphabetical order mein R pehle, S baad mein. Kabhi kabhi us ki ungli galti se Saba ke naam par chali jaati, aur woh jaldi se wapas hata leta — jaise koi gunaah karte hue pakda gaya ho.
Saba ne bhi Fahad ka number save kiya tha — “Fahad Bhai”. Aur us ke theek upar tha “Asif Bhai” — us ka bhai, us ka muhafiz, us ki duniya. Dono naam ek saath, ek ke neeche ek. Saba ko nahi pata tha ke yeh chhoti si tafseel ek din us ki zindagi badal degi.
Riffat ne bhi ek aadat daal li thi — roz das baje woh apne phone ko dekhti, Fahad ke call ka intezar karti. Woh das minute pehle se hi phone haath mein le leti, aur jab tak call na aata, us ki nazrein screen par jami rehti thin. Fahad ne kabhi der nahi ki — roz theek das baje call aata. Magar Riffat ke dil mein ek dar tha — dar is baat ka ke ek din yeh call nahi aayega. Aur us dar ke peeche ek aur dar tha — dar is baat ka ke woh is call ki muntazir kyun hai. Kya ek maa apne bete ke call ki itni shiddat se muntazir hoti hai? Ya yeh intezar kuchh aur hai?
Asif ne bhi ek aadat daal li thi — woh raat ko sone se pehle apni behan ke kamre ke bahar se guzarta, aur agar andar roshni hoti, to woh ruk kar sunta. Woh jaanna chahta tha ke Saba kis se baat kar rahi hai. Ek raat us ne Saba ko hanste hue suna — halki si hansi, phone par. Asif ka dil zor se dhadka. Woh darwaza khatkhatana chahta tha, magar himmat nahi hui. Woh wapas apne kamre mein aaya aur der tak jaagta raha.
Yeh sab chhoti chhoti baatein thin — magar inhi chhoti baaton se qismat ke dhage bunte hain. Aur ek raat, yeh dhage ulajh gaye.
Woh raat December ki sab se sard raat thi. Bijli chali gayi thi — Multan mein sardiyon mein aksar aisa hota tha. Riffat apne kamre mein mombatti jalaye baithi thi. Das bajne mein paanch minute baaqi the. Us ne phone haath mein liya aur Fahad ke number ko dekha — “Mera Beta”. Us ke chehre par muskurahat aa gayi.
Fahad apne kamre mein tha — andhera, sirf phone ki roshni. Us ne dekha ke das baj gaye hain. Us ne contacts khole, “Riffat Ammi” dhoonda. Magar andhere mein, jaldi mein, us ki ungli phisal gayi — aur us ne “Saba” par tap kar diya. Video call lag gayi.
Doosri taraf, Saba apne kamre mein thi — woh bhi andhere mein, mombatti ki roshni mein. Us ne apna phone dekha — “Fahad Bhai” ka video call aa raha tha. Us ka dil zor se dhadka. Us ne socha — itni raat ko? Phir us ne call utha li.
“Fahad bhai?” us ne dheere se kaha.
Fahad ne screen par Saba ka chehra dekha aur us ke hosh ud gaye. “Saba bibi? Yeh — yeh galti se lag gaya. Maaf kijiye ga. Main ammi ko call kar raha tha.”
“Oh,” Saba ne kaha, aur us ki awaaz mein mayusi thi. “Koi baat nahi. Aap kaat dijiye.”
Magar Fahad ne call nahi kaati. Woh Saba ko dekh raha tha — mombatti ki roshni mein us ka chehra chamak raha tha, us ki aankhon mein aansu the. “Aap ro rahi hain?” us ne poochha.
“Nahi to,” Saba ne jaldi se aansu ponchhe. “Bas aankh mein kuchh chala gaya tha.”
“Saba bibi, mujh se jhooth mat boliye. Kya hua?”
Saba chup rahi. Phir us ne dheere se kaha, “Bhai ne aaj kaha ke muamla adalat jayega. Keh rahe the ke ab sulah ka koi rasta nahi. Mujhe dar lag raha hai, Fahad bhai. Agar adalat mein faisla hamare khilaf aaya, to humara kya hoga? Humara to yahi ek sahara hai.”
Fahad ka dil pighal gaya. “Saba bibi, main aap se wada karta hun — chahe jo ho jaye, main aap ko dukh mein nahi dekh sakta. Hum koi rasta nikalenge. Sulah ka rasta.”
“Aap kyun karenge hamare liye itna?” Saba ne poochha, us ki aankhon mein aansu the.
Fahad ne gehri saans li. “Kyunke — kyunke aap achhi hain. Aur achhe logon ke saath bura nahi hona chahiye.”
Woh dono der tak baatein karte rahe — mombatti ki roshni mein, andheri raat mein, do dilon ne ek doosre ko pehchana. Fahad ne Saba ko apne bachpan ki kahaniyan sunayin, Saba ne apne khwab bataye — woh teacher banna chahti thi, magar bhai ne use padhne nahi diya tha. “Bhai kehte hain ke ladkiyon ko zyada padhne ki zaroorat nahi,” us ne kaha.
“Yeh galat hai,” Fahad ne kaha. “Aap ko padhna chahiye. Main aap ki madad karunga.”
“Sach?” Saba ki aankhon mein chamak aa gayi.
“Sach. Wada.”
Jab call khatm hui, to dono ke dilon mein kuchh badal gaya tha. Saba ne apne phone ko seene se lagaya aur muskurayi — pehli baar kayi dinon mein usay sukoon mila tha. Fahad ne phone rakha aur chhat ko takta raha — us ke dil mein ek ajeeb si khushi thi, magar us ke saath ek gunaah ka ehsaas bhi tha. Us ne apni ammi ko call nahi kiya tha — das baj kar bees minute ho gaye the.
Riffat apne kamre mein baithi thi — phone haath mein, nazrein screen par. Das baj kar bees minute. Call nahi aaya tha. Pehli baar — pehli baar Fahad ne wada toda tha. Riffat ka dil zor se dhadak raha tha. Us ne Fahad ka number dial kiya — magar “number busy” aaya. Woh dobara try karti rahi — busy, busy, busy. Us ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Kahan ho, beta?” us ne dheere se kaha. “Kis se baat kar rahe ho itni der tak?”
Jab Fahad ne Saba se call khatm ki, to us ne dekha ke us ki ammi ke paanch missed calls the. Us ka dil doob gaya. Us ne foran call back kiya. Riffat ne pehli ghanti par utha liya.
“Ammi, maaf kijiye ga, woh —”
“Kahan the tum?” Riffat ki awaaz mein dard tha. “Main kab se intezar kar rahi thi.”
“Ammi, woh galti se Saba ko call lag gaya tha. Phir baat hone lagi, to der ho gayi.”
“Saba ko?” Riffat ki awaaz badal gayi. “Itni raat ko? Video call?”
“Ammi, woh galti thi. Main aap ko hi call kar raha tha.”
“Galti,” Riffat ne dheere se dohraya. “Haan, galtiyan hi to hoti hain.” Us ki awaaz mein kuchh aisa tha jo Fahad ne pehle kabhi nahi suna tha — jalan. Ek aurat ki jalan. “Theek hai, beta. So jao. Der ho gayi hai.”
“Ammi, aap naraaz hain?”
“Nahi, beta. Maa kabhi naraaz nahi hoti.” Magar us ki awaaz bata rahi thi ke woh jhooth bol rahi hai.
Phone rakhne ke baad, Riffat der tak roti rahi. Woh ro rahi thi apne bete par nahi — apne aap par. Kyunke us ne apne dil mein jhaanka tha, aur wahan usay woh nazar aaya tha jo usay nahi dekhna chahiye tha — jalan. Woh apne bete ke liye jalan mehsoos kar rahi thi — ek aurat ki tarah, maa ki tarah nahi. Aur yeh ehsaas usay andar se tod raha tha.
“Ya Allah,” us ne dua mangi, “mere dil se yeh waswasa nikaal de. Woh mera beta hai. Mera khoon hai. Main aisi gandi soch kaise rakh sakti hun?”
Magar dil se waswase dua se nahi nikalte — woh to sirf iqraar se nikalte hain. Aur Riffat abhi iqraar ke liye tayyar nahi thi.
Doosri taraf, Asif ne sab kuchh dekh liya tha. Woh paani peene ke liye utha tha, aur us ne Saba ke kamre se awaaz suni thi — hansi ki awaaz, baat karne ki awaaz. Us ne darwaze ke paas kaan lagaya — “Fahad bhai” — yeh alfaaz us ne saaf sune the. Us ka khoon khaul gaya. Us ne darwaza khatkhataya.
“Saba! Darwaza kholo!”
Saba ne ghabra kar call kaat di aur darwaza khola. “Bhai? Kya hua?”
“Tum kis se baat kar rahi thi?” Asif ki aankhen lal thi.
“Woh — Fahad bhai se. Galti se call lag gaya tha.”
“Galti se?” Asif ne us ka phone chheen liya aur call log dekha — 22 minute ki video call. “22 minute ki galti? Saba, tum mujhe bewakoof samajhti ho?”
“Bhai, kasam se, woh galti thi. Woh apni ammi ko call kar rahe the, mujhe lag gaya.”
Asif ne apni behan ko dekha — us ke chehre par aansu the, us ki aankhen dari hui thin. Asif ka gussa pighal gaya — magar us ki jagah ek aur jazbaat ne le li — dard. “Saba,” us ne dheere se kaha, “kya tumhe woh ladka pasand hai?”
Saba ne sar jhuka liya. “Nahi, bhai.”
“Jhooth mat bolo.” Asif ne us ke chehre ko apne haathon mein liya. “Tumhari aankhen sab bata deti hain.”
Saba ki aankhon se aansu behne lage. “Bhai, main nahi jaanti. Woh achha hai. Woh meri izzat karta hai. Us ne kaha ke woh meri padhai mein madad karega.”
Asif ne gehri saans li. Us ke dil mein toofan tha — gussa, dard, khauf, aur kuchh aur — kuchh aisa jo usay samajh nahi aa raha tha. Us ne apni behan ko seene se lagaya — kas kar. “Saba, tum meri jaan ho. Main tumhe kisi ke hawale nahi kar sakta. Samjhi?”
Saba ne apne bhai ke seene se lag kar rote hue kaha, “Bhai, mujhe maaf kar dijiye.”
Magar Asif ke dil mein maafi se zyada kuchh tha. Jab us ne apni behan ko seene se lagaya tha, to us ne mehsoos kiya tha — us ke baalon ki khushbu, us ke jism ki garmi, us ke dil ki dhadkan. Aur usay ehsaas hua tha ke yeh ehsaas bhai ka nahi tha. Yeh kuchh aur tha. Kuchh aisa jo usay dara raha tha.
Us raat, Asif ne apne aap se wada kiya ke woh apni behan se door rahega — magar wada karna aasaan hai, nibhana mushkil. Aur mohabbat to wade se kahan rukti hai.
Yeh thi woh raat — ghalat number ki raat — jis ne chaaron ki zindagiyan badal din. Ek galti se lagi video call ne chaar dilon ke raaz khol diye. Fahad ne jaan liya ke Saba us ke dil mein jagah bana chuki hai. Saba ne jaan liya ke woh Fahad ke baghair nahi reh sakti. Riffat ne jaan liya ke us ke dil mein bete ke liye jo hai, woh maa ki mohabbat se zyada hai. Aur Asif ne jaan liya ke us ki behan ke liye us ke jazbaat bhai ki had se aage badh gaye hain.
Magar jaan lena ek baat hai, maan lena doosri. Aur manzil abhi door thi.
Ghalat number wali raat ke teen din baad, Riffat ne Fahad ko apne kamre mein bulaya. Us ka chehra sanjeeda tha. “Baitho,” us ne kaha.
Fahad baitha — darte hue. “Ammi, sab khairiyat?”
“Nahi,” Riffat ne kaha. “Kuchh khairiyat nahi hai.” Us ne gehri saans li. “Fahad, main tum se ek sawal poochhti hun — aur sach batana. Us raat, Saba se 22 minute tak — tum ne us se kya baat ki?”
Fahad ka chehra surkh ho gaya. “Ammi, woh bas — woh ro rahi thi. Use dar lag raha tha. Maine use tasalli di.”
“Tasalli,” Riffat ne dohraya. “22 minute ki tasalli.” Us ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Fahad, main tumhari maa hun — mujhe tum se jalan nahi honi chahiye. Magar —” us ki awaaz toot gayi, “— magar jab maine suna ke tum us se itni der tak baat kar rahe the, to mera dil — mera dil jal gaya. Main tumhe kisi ke saath nahi dekh sakti, Fahad. Kisi ke saath nahi.”
Fahad ne apni ammi ko dekha — us ke aansu, us ka dard. Aur usay ehsaas hua — ke us ki ammi ne anjaane mein apne dil ka raaz khol diya tha. “Ammi,” us ne dheere se kaha, “aap ko jalan kyun hui?”
Riffat ne jaldi se kaha, “Maa ko apne bete ki fikar hoti hai —”
“Nahi, ammi,” Fahad ne us ka haath pakda. “Yeh maa ki fikar nahi thi. Maa ko jalan nahi hoti. Jalan to —” woh ruk gaya.
“To kya?” Riffat ne poochha, us ki awaaz kaanp rahi thi.
“Jalan to use hoti hai jo mohabbat karta hai,” Fahad ne kaha. “Ammi, aap ne abhi apne munh se iqraar kiya hai — ke aap mujh se mohabbat karti hain. Waisi mohabbat jo maa nahi karti.”
Riffat ka chehra safed ho gaya. Us ne apna haath chhudane ki koshish ki — magar Fahad ne nahi chhoda. “Chhodo mujhe!” us ne kaha.
“Nahi chhodunga,” Fahad ne kaha, us ki awaaz mein narmi thi, magar mazbooti bhi. “Aath saalon se aap mujhe chhodne ki koshish kar rahi hain — apne dil se. Magar main nahi jaunga, ammi. Kyunke main jaanta hun — aap ke dil mein main hun. Aur aap ke dil mein rehne ka mujhe poora haq hai.”
Riffat ro padi — zor zor se. Fahad ne use apni baahon mein liya — us ke dard ko samajh kar, zabardasti se nahi. Riffat ne usay dhakka nahi diya. Woh bas roti rahi — us ke seene se lag kar, aath saalon ka dard bahate hue.
“Ro lo, ammi,” Fahad ne dheere se kaha. “Aaj ro lo — kal se rona band.”
Us din ke baad, Riffat ne Fahad se doori ikhtiyar kar li. Woh ab das baje ka intezar nahi karti thi — woh phone ko doosre kamre mein rakh deti thi. Jab Fahad call karta, to woh ya to uthati nahi thi, ya bas do minute baat karke rakh deti thi. “Tabiyat theek nahi hai, beta,” woh kehti. “Tum so jao.”
Fahad samajh gaya tha ke kuchh badal gaya hai. Aur woh jaanta tha ke kya badla hai. Us raat, jab us ne Saba se baat ki thi, us ki ammi ne us ki awaaz mein kuchh suna tha — kuchh aisa jo usay sunna nahi chahiye tha. Magar Fahad bhi ab pehle jaisa nahi tha. Us raat ne us ke dil ka raaz bhi khol diya tha — us ne jaan liya tha ke woh apni ammi se kis tarah ki mohabbat karta hai.
Woh mohabbat nahi thi jo beta maa se karta hai. Woh us se zyada thi — gehri, jismani, roohani. Woh apni ammi ko khush dekhna chahta tha — sirf maa ki tarah nahi, ek aurat ki tarah. Woh us ke chehre par woh muskurahat dekhna chahta tha jo aath saalon se wahan nahi thi. Woh us ki tanhaai khatm karna chahta tha.
Magar woh jaanta tha ke yeh raah kaanton bhari hai. Us ki ammi kabhi nahi maanegi — sharam, samaj, rishta — yeh deewarein itni unchi thin ke unhe todna namumkin lagta tha. Magar Fahad ne than li thi — woh haar nahi manega. Woh apni ammi ko manayega — zabardasti se nahi, mohabbat se. Ilteja se, wafa se, sabr se.
Ek shaam, Fahad bazaar se gulab ke phool laya — surkh gulab, taaze. Us ne unhe apni ammi ke kamre mein rakha, us ke sirhane. Riffat jab kamre mein aayi, to phool dekh kar hairan reh gayi.
“Yeh kis ne rakhe?” us ne poochha.
“Maine,” Fahad ne kaha. “Aap ko pasand hain na? Abba kehte the ke aap ko surkh gulab bahut pasand hain.”
Riffat ka chehra peela pad gaya. “Fahad, beta — bete apni maa ko phool nahi dete.”
“Kyun nahi dete?” Fahad ne narm lehje mein kaha. “Kya maa ko khush karne ka haq sirf shohar ko hai?”
“Yeh baatein mat karo,” Riffat ne sakhti se kaha, magar us ki awaaz kaanp rahi thi. “Tumhe sharam nahi aati?”
“Sharam us baat par aani chahiye jo ghalat ho, ammi. Mohabbat karna ghalat nahi hai.”
Riffat ne apne bete ko dekha — us ki aankhon mein aansu the. “Tumhe pata bhi hai tum kya keh rahe ho? Main tumhari maa hun, Fahad. Tumhe janam diya hai maine. Tumhe doodh pilaya hai. Aur tum — tum mujh se —” woh aage na keh saki.
“Main aap se mohabbat karta hun, ammi,” Fahad ne kaha, us ki awaaz mein koi hichkichahat nahi thi. “Bachpan se karta aaya hun. Pehle woh mohabbat bete ki thi. Magar ab — ab woh kuchh aur hai. Aur main is se bhaag nahi sakta. Maine bahut koshish ki — magar dil nahi manta.”
Riffat ne apne kaanon par haath rakh liye. “Chup! Ek lafz aur mat kehna. Tum pagal ho gaye ho. Yeh shaitaan ka waswasa hai.”
“Shaitaan ka waswasa aath saal tak nahi rehta, ammi,” Fahad ne kaha. “Yeh mere dil ki sachchai hai. Aur main jaanta hun ke aap ke dil mein bhi kuchh hai. Us raat, jab main Saba se baat kar raha tha, aap ki awaaz mein jo dard tha — woh maa ka dard nahi tha, ammi. Woh ek aurat ka dard tha.”
Riffat ka chehra safed ho gaya. “Tum — tumhe kya pata aurat ke dard ke baare mein?”
“Main jaanta hun, ammi. Kyunke main aap ko dekhta hun. Roz dekhta hun. Aap ki tanhaai, aap ki khamoshi, aap ki woh muskurahat jo aap zabardasti chehre par lati hain. Aap aath saalon se zinda laash ki tarah jee rahi hain. Kya yahi aap ki qismat hai? Kya aap ko khush rehne ka haq nahi?”
Riffat ro padi. “Khush rehne ka haq hai, beta. Magar is tarah nahi. Yeh gunaah hai. Samaj humein jeene nahi dega. Log thokenge. Tumhara mustaqbil barbaad ho jayega.”
“Samaj?” Fahad ne kaha. “Wohi samaj jo aath saalon se aap ki tanhaai par khamosh hai? Wohi samaj jo bewah ko dobara jeene ka haq nahi deta? Main us samaj ki parwah nahi karta, ammi. Main sirf aap ki parwah karta hun.”
“Chale jao yahan se,” Riffat ne rote hue kaha. “Mujhe akela chhod do.”
Fahad chala gaya — magar us ke jaane se pehle us ne kaha, “Main aap ko akela nahi chhodunga, ammi. Chahe aap mujhe sau baar nikaal dein, main wapas aaunga. Kyunke main aap se mohabbat karta hun — aur mohabbat haar nahi manti.”
Us raat ke baad, Fahad ne apni mohabbat ka izhaar roz kiya — chhoti chhoti baaton mein. Woh apni ammi ke liye chai banata, us ke pair dabata jab woh thaki hoti, us ke liye us ki pasand ka khana banata. Woh usay “ammi” kehta — magar us ki nazron mein woh izzat thi jo ek mard ek aurat ko deta hai. Riffat yeh sab dekhti, aur us ka dil pighalta — magar woh apne dil ko sakht karti. “Nahi,” woh apne aap se kehti. “Yeh gunaah hai. Main maa hun. Mujhe mazboot rehna hoga.”
Magar mazbooti ki bhi ek had hoti hai. Aur mohabbat ki tapish mein loha bhi pighal jata hai.
Fahad ne apni mohabbat ko alfaaz se zyada amaal se zaahir karna shuru kiya. Woh jaanta tha ke us ki ammi alfaaz se nahi maanegi — usay waqt chahiye, saboot chahiye, ke yeh mohabbat koi jawani ka josh nahi, balke gehri sacchai hai.
Ek subah, Riffat jaagi to dekha ke ghar mein haldi aur desi ghee ki khushbu phaili hui hai. Woh rasoi mein gayi — Fahad chulhe par khada tha, us ke maathe par paseena tha. “Yeh kya kar rahe ho?” us ne hairat se poochha.
“Aap ke liye halwa bana raha hun,” Fahad ne muskurate hue kaha. “Abba kehte the ke aap ko sooji ka halwa bahut pasand hai — khaas taur par sardiyon mein.”
Riffat ki aankhon mein nami aa gayi. Us ke shohar ke inteqal ke baad, kisi ne us ke liye us ki pasand ka khana nahi banaya tha. Woh khud banati thi — sab ke liye, magar apne liye kabhi nahi. “Tumhe kaise pata?” us ne dheere se poochha.
“Abba ne bataya tha — bachpan mein. Keh rahe the, ‘Fahad, teri ammi ko khush karna ho to use halwa khila diya kar.'” Fahad ne halwa parat mein nikala aur apni ammi ke saamne rakha. “Chakhiye.”
Riffat ne ek niwala liya — aur us ki aankhon se aansu behne lage. “Bilkul — bilkul tumhare abba jaisa,” us ne kaha. “Unhi ke haath ka zaiqa.”
“To phir roz khilaya karunga,” Fahad ne kaha, aur us ne apni ammi ke aansu ponchhe — narmi se, ungliyon se. Riffat ne us ka haath nahi hataya. Pehli baar — us ne us ka chhuna qubool kiya.
Ek din, Fahad ne kaha, “Ammi, chaliye — aap ko kahin le chalta hun.”
“Kahan?”
“Jahan aap ka dil chahe.”
Riffat ne bahut saalon se ghar se bahar qadam nahi rakha tha — siwaaye zaroori kaamon ke. Bewah aurat ka bahar nikalna — samaj ki nazrein — woh is se darti thi. Magar Fahad ki zid ke saamne usay haarna pada. Woh dono Shah Rukn-e-Alam ke mazaar gaye — Multan ki sab se muqaddas jagah. Wahan ki faza mein ajeeb si roohaniyat thi — qawwaliyon ki awaaz, itr ki khushbu, aur aqeedatmandon ki bheed.
Riffat ne mazaar par chaadar chadhayi aur dua mangi — der tak. Fahad door khada use dekhta raha. Dua ke baad, Riffat ne kaha, “Maine dua mangi hai.”
“Kya?”
“Ke Allah mujhe sahi raasta dikhaye.” Us ne apne bete ko dekha. “Fahad, main roz dua mangti hun — ke yeh jo mere dil mein hai, woh nikal jaye. Magar —” us ki awaaz bhar aayi, “— magar dua qubool nahi hoti.”
Fahad ne us ka haath pakda — sab ke saamne, mazaar ke sehne mein. “Kyunke Allah jaanta hai ke yeh dua dil se nahi mangi gayi, ammi.”
Riffat ne apna haath nahi chhudaya. Woh dono wahan khade rahe — haath mein haath, logon ki bheed mein, magar apni duniya mein. Ek buzurg aurat ne unhe dekha aur muskurayi — usay laga ke woh maa beta hain. Aur woh the bhi — magar us se zyada bhi.
Wapsi par, bazaar se guzarte hue, Fahad ne ek dokaan par ruk kar ek shawl khareeda — gehre laal rang ka, narm ooni. “Yeh aap ke liye,” us ne kaha.
“Fahad, is ki kya zaroorat thi?”
“Zaroorat mohabbat mein nahi dekhi jati, ammi.” Us ne shawl apni ammi ke kandhon par dala — khud, apne haathon se. Us ke haath us ke kandhon par thehre — ek pal ke liye, zyada der tak. Riffat ne usay mehsoos kiya — us ke haathon ki garmi, us ki saanson ki khushbu. Us ka dil zor se dhadakne laga. Us ne nazrein jhuka lin — magar shawl nahi utara.
Ghar aakar, Riffat ne woh shawl almari mein nahi rakha — us ne use apne bistar par rakha, aur raat ko use odh kar soyi. Shawl mein Fahad ki khushbu thi — aur us khushbu mein usay sukoon mila. Pehli baar aath saalon mein, woh bina karwat badle soyi.
Ek raat, bijli phir chali gayi. Riffat apne kamre mein akeli thi — andhera, sannata. Usay dar lag raha tha. Bachpan se usay andhere se dar lagta tha — aur aath saalon se woh is dar se akeli ladti aayi thi. Magar us raat, darwaze par dastak hui.
“Ammi? Main hun — Fahad. Andhera hai — main yahin baith jaun?”
Riffat ne darwaza khola. Fahad andar aaya — mombatti haath mein. Woh dono bistar par baithe — thoda faasla rakh kar. Fahad ne kaha, “Ammi, aap ko ek kahani sunata hun — bachpan wali.”
“Kaun si?”
“Wohi — jo abba sunate the. Haveli wali — jahan ek shahzadi rehti thi.”
Riffat muskurayi. “Tumhe yaad hai?”
“Har lafz yaad hai.” Fahad ne kahani sunani shuru ki — dheere dheere, narmi se. Riffat sunti rahi — us ki awaaz mein kho gayi. Kahani khatm hone tak, Riffat ka sar Fahad ke kandhe par tha — anjaane mein, neend mein. Fahad ne use hilaya nahi. Woh bas baitha raha — apni mohabbat ko apne kandhe par sulaye hue, mombatti ki roshni mein us ka chehra dekhte hue.
Us raat, Riffat ne khwab dekha — us ke shohar ka khwab. Woh keh rahe the, “Riffat, daro mat. Jo tumhare dil mein hai, woh gunaah nahi. Main tumhe maaf karta hun — pehle se hi maaf kar chuka hun. Jee lo.”
Subah ko jab Riffat jaagi, to woh Fahad ke kandhe par thi. Woh ghabra kar uthi. “Fahad — yeh —”
“Kuchh nahi hua, ammi,” Fahad ne narm lehje mein kaha. “Aap so gayi thin. Main bas yahin baitha tha.”
Riffat ne apne bete ko dekha — us ki aankhon mein neend thi, magar sukoon bhi tha. Us ne dheere se kaha, “Shukriya.”
“Kis baat ka?”
“Ke tum ho.” Riffat ne pehli baar — apni marzi se — apne bete ke haath ko apne haathon mein liya. “Fahad, main — main tum se kuchh kehna chahti hun.”
“Kahiye.”
Magar Riffat ne kuchh nahi kaha. Us ne bas us ka haath daba diya — aur us dabav mein sab kuchh tha. Fahad samajh gaya. Us ne muskurate hue kaha, “Mujhe pata hai, ammi. Aur mujhe intezar hai — jitna bhi waqt lage.”
Riffat ki yeh halat thi — woh pighal rahi thi, dheere dheere. Mohabbat ki tapish mein us ki mazbooti mom ki tarah narm ho rahi thi. Magar abhi woh poori tarah pighli nahi thi — abhi sharam ki ek parat baaqi thi. Aur us parat ko todne ke liye ek toofan chahiye tha — jo aane wala tha.
Magar mazbooti ki bhi ek had hoti hai. Aur mohabbat ki tapish mein loha bhi pighal jata hai.
Doosri taraf, Asif aur Saba ke darmiyan bhi kuchh badal raha tha. Asif ne apni behan par nazar rakhni shuru kar di thi — woh us ke phone ko check karta, us se poochta ke woh kahan ja rahi hai, kis se mil rahi hai. Saba ko yeh pabandiyan ghutn mehsoos hoti thin — magar us ke saath ek ajeeb si khushi bhi thi. Usay lagta tha ke us ka bhai us se bahut pyaar karta hai.
Ek din, Saba ne apne bhai se kaha, “Bhai, main padhna chahti hun. Fahad bhai ne kaha tha ke woh meri madad karenge.”
Asif ka chehra sakht ho gaya. “Fahad? Us se tumhe kya lena dena?”
“Woh achha hai, bhai. Us ne kaha —”
“Maine kaha na, us se door raho!” Asif ne unchi awaaz mein kaha. Phir us ne apni awaaz narm ki. “Dekho Saba, main tumhara dushman nahi hun. Magar woh log hamare mukhalif hain. Tum un par bharosa nahi kar sakti.”
“To main kis par bharosa karun, bhai?” Saba ne poochha, us ki aankhon mein aansu the. “Aap par? Aap ne to mujhe padhne bhi nahi diya.”
Asif chup ho gaya. Usay ehsaas hua ke us ne apni behan ke saath na-insafi ki hai. Us ne use ghar mein qaid kar rakha tha — apne pyaar ke naam par. “Saba,” us ne dheere se kaha, “maaf kar do. Main tumhe padhaunga. Khud padhaunga. Tum jo banna chahti ho, banogi.”
“Sach, bhai?” Saba ki aankhon mein chamak aa gayi.
“Sach. Wada.”
Us din ke baad, Asif ne apni behan ko padhana shuru kiya — roz shaam ko do ghante. Woh use angrezi sikhata, hisaab sikhata, duniya ki baatein batata. Aur in do ghanton mein, dono ke darmiyan kuchh badla — ek narmi aayi, ek qurb aaya. Asif jab Saba ko samjhata, to us ke paas baithta — itna paas ke usay us ke baalon ki khushbu aati. Saba jab samajh na paati, to woh us ke haath par haath rakh kar likhna sikhata — aur dono ke haath kaanpte.
Ek shaam, Saba ne poochha, “Bhai, aap ne shaadi kyun nahi ki?”
Asif ne gehri saans li. “Waqt hi nahi mila. Pehle abba ki zimmedari, phir tumhari.”
“Magar ab to main badi ho gayi hun. Aap ko apne baare mein sochna chahiye.”
Asif ne apni behan ko dekha — gehri nazron se. “Maine socha tha. Magar jab bhi kisi ladki ko dekhta hun, to mujhe tum yaad aa jaati ho. Tum jaisi koi nahi milti.”
Saba ka dil zor se dhadka. “Bhai, yeh aap kya keh rahe hain?”
“Sach keh raha hun, Saba.” Asif ki awaaz mein dard tha. “Main jaanta hun ke yeh ghalat hai. Tum meri behan ho. Magar mera dil — mera dil nahi manta. Main tumhe kisi aur ka hote hue nahi dekh sakta. Jab tum Fahad se baat karti ho, to mera dil jalta hai —” woh ruk gaya, phir dheere se bola, “jalta hai.”
Saba ka chehra surkh ho gaya. “Bhai, aap — aap hosh mein to hain?”
“Nahi,” Asif ne kaha, “main hosh mein nahi hun. Main pagal ho gaya hun. Tumhare pyaar mein pagal.” Us ne apni behan ka haath pakda. “Saba, main tum se zabardasti kuchh nahi karunga. Kabhi nahi. Magar main tum se yeh kehna chahta tha — ke tum mere dil mein ho. Hamesha se thi, hamesha rahogi. Agar tum mujhe thukra do, to main samajh jaunga. Magar kam se kam itna to jaan lo ke tumhara bhai tum se — tum se beinteha mohabbat karta hai.”
Saba ne apna haath chhuda liya aur apne kamre mein bhaag gayi. Us ne darwaza band kiya aur bistar par gir kar rone lagi. Us ke dil mein toofan tha — us ka bhai, us ka muhafiz, us se mohabbat karta tha — waisi mohabbat jo bhai behan mein nahi hoti. Woh dari hui thi — magar us dar ke saath ek ajeeb si khushi bhi thi. Kyunke us ke dil ke kisi kone mein, woh bhi apne bhai se waisi hi mohabbat karti thi — magar us ne kabhi iqraar nahi kiya tha, khud se bhi nahi.
Fahad ne apne dil ka faisla kar liya tha. Woh jaanta tha ke us ne Saba ke dil mein ummeedein jaga di thin — anjaane mein, magar jaga di thin. Aur ab, jab us ka dil apni ammi ke liye dhadak raha tha, to usay Saba se sach kehna tha. Woh usay dhoke mein nahi rakh sakta tha.
Ek shaam, us ne Saba ko message kiya: “Saba bibi, kya aap mujh se mil sakti hain? Haveli ke sehne mein. Akele. Ek zaroori baat karni hai.”
Saba ka dil zor se dhadka. “Kab?”
“Kal subah. Das baje. Bhai ko mat batayiye ga — bas ek baar.”
Saba ne bahut socha — phir us ne jawab diya: “Theek hai.”
Agli subah, kohra chhaya hua tha. Haveli ka sehne khaali tha — sirf anaar ka ped, band phuwara, aur us par baitha billa. Fahad pehle se wahan tha. Saba aayi — dupatta sar par, aankhen jhuki hui.
“Saba bibi,” Fahad ne kaha, “maine aap ko yahan is liye bulaya hai ke mujhe aap se maafi maangni hai.”
Saba ne sar uthaya. “Maafi? Kis baat ki?”
“Maine aap ke dil mein ummeedein jagayin — anjaane mein. Mere alfaaz, meri baatein — un se aap ko laga ke main — ke main aap se —” Fahad ruk gaya. “Dekhiye, aap bahut achhi hain. Bahut khoobsurat — dil ki. Magar mera dil — mera dil kisi aur ka hai.”
Saba ka chehra peela pad gaya. “Kisi aur ka? Kaun?”
Fahad ne gehri saans li. “Main aap ko nahi bata sakta. Bas itna jaan lijiye ke woh meri zindagi hain. Aur main un ke baghair nahi reh sakta. Saba bibi, aap mujhe maaf kar dijiye. Maine aap ko takleef di — magar mera iraada kabhi bura nahi tha.”
Saba ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “To woh sab jhooth tha? Woh baatein, woh wade — padhai ki madad ka wada?”
“Nahi, woh jhooth nahi tha. Main aap ki madad zaroor karunga — dost ki tarah. Magar mohabbat — mohabbat main aap se nahi kar sakta. Mera dil pehle se hi kisi ka hai.”
Saba der tak khadi rahi — aansu us ke gaalon par beh rahe the. Phir us ne dheere se kaha, “Kaun hai woh khushnaseeb?”
Fahad chup raha. Phir us ne kaha, “Ek din aap jaan jayengi. Aur us din aap samajh jayengi ke maine kyun —”
“Rehne dijiye,” Saba ne kaha, aur us ki awaaz mein dard tha. “Mujhe nahi jaanna. Bas itna bata dijiye — kya main kabhi — kya mere liye aap ke dil mein kuchh bhi nahi tha?”
Fahad ne us ki aankhon mein dekha. “Tha, Saba bibi. Ek pal ke liye tha. Magar woh mohabbat nahi thi — woh tanhaai thi. Aur tanhaai ko mohabbat samajhna sab se badi ghalti hai. Maine woh ghalti ki — magar ab main use sudharna chahta hun.”
Saba ne apne aansu ponchhe. “Theek hai, Fahad bhai. Main aap ko maaf karti hun. Aur — aur main dua karti hun ke aap ko aap ki mohabbat mil jaye.”
Woh chali gayi — dheere dheere, jaise us ke pairon mein jaan nahi thi. Fahad use jaate hue dekhta raha, aur us ka dil bhar aaya. Us ne ek dil toda tha — magar jhooth bol kar use jodna aur bada gunaah hota.
Saba ghar aayi aur apne kamre mein band ho gayi. Woh der tak roti rahi. Us ka pehla pyaar — adhura reh gaya tha. Magar rote rote, us ke zehen mein ek chehra aaya — us ke bhai ka chehra. Asif ka chehra — us ki fikar, us ka pyaar, us ka iqraar. “Main tum se beinteha mohabbat karta hun” — yeh alfaaz us ke kaanon mein goonj rahe the.
Aur usay ehsaas hua — ke us ka dil tootne ke baad, woh khaali nahi hua tha. Wahan pehle se hi koi tha — us ka bhai. Woh hamesha se wahan tha — bas us ne kabhi dekha nahi tha.
Doosri taraf, Riffat ne apne bete ki mohabbat ko rokne ke liye aakhri hathiyar istemal kiya — us ne Fahad ke liye rishta dhoondna shuru kar diya. Us ne apni saheli Naseem se kaha, “Koi achhi ladki ho to batao. Mera Fahad jawan ho gaya hai. Shaadi ki umr hai.”
Naseem ne ek ladki batayi — Amina, 22 saal ki, khoobsurat, samajhdar. Riffat ne Fahad se kaha, “Beta, kal ladki wale aa rahe hain. Tum tayyar rehna.”
Fahad ne apni ammi ko dekha — thande lehje mein. “Ammi, main shaadi nahi karunga.”
“Kyun nahi karoge? Har jawan ladke ko shaadi karni chahiye.”
“Main karunga — magar us se jis se main mohabbat karta hun.”
Riffat ka chehra lal ho gaya. “Fahad! Maine kaha na, yeh baat dobara mat karna!”
“Main karunga, ammi. Roz karunga. Jab tak aap maan nahi jatin.” Fahad ne apni ammi ke paas aakar us ke haath pakde. “Ammi, aap ladkiyan dhoond rahi hain taake main aap ko bhool jaun. Magar main nahi bhoolunga. Aap mere dil mein hain — aur wahan se koi nahi nikaal sakta. Na aap, na samaj, na duniya.”
Riffat ne apne haath chhudaye. “Tum samajhte kyun nahi? Main tumhari maa hun! Yeh rishta — yeh soch — yeh gunaah hai! Allah hum par azaab nazil karega!”
“Gunaah woh hai jo kisi ko dukh de, ammi. Mohabbat gunaah nahi hai. Aur rahi Allah ki baat — to main roz dua mangta hun. Aur meri dua mein sirf ek hi cheez hoti hai — aap.”
Riffat ki himmat toot gayi. Woh zameen par baith gayi aur rone lagi. “Fahad, mere bete, mujh par reham kar. Main kamzor pad rahi hun. Tum roz aise kahoge, to ek din main — main maan jaungi. Aur us din hum dono barbaad ho jayenge.”
Fahad apni ammi ke paas baitha — zameen par, us ke saamne. Us ne us ke aansu ponchhe. “Ammi, barbaadi woh hai jo ab ho rahi hai — aap ki tanhaai, meri bechaini. Kya aap khush hain? Sach batayiye — kya aap khush hain?”
Riffat ne apne bete ki aankhon mein dekha — aur usay wahan itna pyaar nazar aaya ke us ka dil pighal gaya. Magar us ne apne jazbaat ko roka. “Khushi se zyada izzat zaroori hai, beta. Aur hamari izzat isi mein hai ke hum is baat ko yahin dafan kar dein.”
“Izzat?” Fahad ne kaha. “Wohi izzat jo aap ko bewah banne ke baad mili? Logon ne kya kaha tha — yaad hai? ‘Ab is ka kya hoga?’ ‘Bete ko paal legi?’ Aap ne sab sah liya — mere liye. Ab main aap ke liye sab sahne ko tayyar hun. Log jo kehna chahein, kahein. Mujhe parwah nahi.”
“Tumhe parwah nahi — magar mujhe hai!” Riffat ne kaha. “Main tumhari maa hun. Main tumhe ruswa nahi dekh sakti. Chale jao, Fahad. Aur is baat ko yahin khatm kar do. Nahi to — nahi to main yeh ghar chhod kar chali jaungi.”
Fahad uth kar chala gaya. Magar darwaze par ruk kar us ne kaha, “Aap jahan jayengi, main wahan aaunga, ammi. Aap mujh se bhaag nahi sakti — kyunke main aap ke dil mein hun. Aur dil se koi nahi bhaag sakta.”
Raat ko, Riffat ne apne shohar ki diary kholi — woh diary jo haveli se mili thi. Us ne usay padhna shuru kiya. Aur ek safhe par us ki nazar ruk gayi. Us ke shohar ne likha tha: “Riffat aaj bahut udaas thi. Keh rahi thi ke woh tanha mehsoos karti hai. Maine use samjhaya ke main hun. Magar main jaanta hun — ek din main nahi rahunga. Aur us din — us din kaun hoga us ke paas? Fahad? Woh to us ka beta hai. Bete apni duniya basa lete hain. Maaen akeli reh jati hain. Kaash main Riffat ke liye kuchh kar pata — kuchh aisa jo use tanha na rehne de.”
Riffat ki aankhon se aansu behne lage. Us ke shohar ne — us ke marhoom shohar ne — us ki tanhaai ko samjha tha. Aur us ne dua ki thi — ke koi ho jo Riffat ko tanha na rehne de. Kya yeh dua qubool hui thi? Kya Fahad ki mohabbat us dua ka jawab thi?
Riffat ne diary seene se lagayi aur der tak roti rahi. Us ke dil mein jung thi — sharam aur chahat ki jung, farz aur dil ki jung. Aur is jung mein, dheere dheere, chahat jeet rahi thi.
Saba ne kayi din tak apne bhai se baat nahi ki. Woh us se nazrein churati, us ke saamne aane se bachti. Asif samajh gaya tha — us ke iqraar ne usay dara diya tha. Magar Asif ne haar nahi maani. Woh jaanta tha ke mohabbat mein jaldi kaam nahi aati — sabr kaam aata hai.
Woh roz shaam ko Saba ke kamre ke bahar aata aur kehta, “Saba, padhne ka waqt ho gaya hai.” Pehle kayi din Saba ne darwaza nahi khola. Magar Asif roz aata — bina naaga, bina shikayat. Ek din, Saba ne darwaza khola.
“Bhai,” us ne dheere se kaha, “aap roz kyun aate hain? Maine kaha na —”
“Tum ne kuchh nahi kaha,” Asif ne narm lehje mein kaha. “Tum bas chup ho gayi thi. Aur chup ka matlab inkaar nahi hota, Saba.” Us ne ek kitaab aage badhayi. “Aaj hum naya sabaq padhenge. Andar aane dogi?”
Saba ne use andar aane diya. Woh dono baithe — pehle jaisa hi mahaul, magar ab hawa mein kuchh alag tha. Asif ne padhana shuru kiya — magar us ki nazrein baar baar Saba par jaati thin. Saba ne bhi mehsoos kiya — magar us ne kuchh nahi kaha.
Padhai ke baad, Asif ne kaha, “Saba, main tum se ek baat kehna chahta hun — aur us ke baad kabhi is baat ko nahi dohraunga, jab tak tum na chaho.”
“Kahiye.”
“Main jaanta hun ke mera iqraar tumhe dara gaya. Aur darna banta bhi hai — main tumhara bhai hun. Magar Saba, main tum se zabardasti kuchh nahi chahta. Main sirf itna chahta hun ke tum khush raho. Agar tumhari khushi kisi aur mein hai — chahe woh Fahad hi kyun na ho — to main tumhe rokunga nahi. Tumhara bhai hamesha tumhare saath hai — chahe tum use bhai mano, ya kuchh aur.”
Saba ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Bhai, aap itne achhe kyun hain?”
“Kyunke tum is ke laayak ho,” Asif ne kaha. Phir woh uth kar chala gaya — Saba ko sochne ke liye akela chhod kar.
Us raat, Saba ne bahut socha. Us ne Fahad ke baare mein socha — us ki narmi, us ke wade, us ka sach. Phir us ne apne bhai ke baare mein socha — us ki hifazat, us ka sabr, us ka be-los pyaar. Aur usay ehsaas hua ke Fahad ne use ek ahem sabaq sikhaya tha — tanhaai ko mohabbat mat samjho. Kya us ka Fahad ke liye jazbaat tanhaai tha? Aur kya us ke bhai ke liye jazbaat — woh jo us ke dil ke kone mein bachpan se tha — kya woh mohabbat thi?
Us ne apne dil mein jhaanka — gehrai se. Aur wahan usay jawab mila. Haan — woh apne bhai se mohabbat karti thi. Bachpan se karti aayi thi — jab woh use god mein uthata tha, jab woh us ke liye khilone lata tha, jab woh raat ko dar se roti thi to woh use seene se lagata tha. Woh mohabbat hamesha se thi — bas us ne usay “bhai ka pyaar” ka naam de rakha tha. Magar ab, jab us ne us naam ko hataya, to wahan sirf mohabbat thi — khaalis, gehri, sacchi mohabbat.
Agli shaam, jab Asif padhane aaya, to Saba ne darwaza khola aur kaha, “Bhai, aaj padhai nahi hogi.”
“Kyun? Tabiyat theek nahi?”
“Tabiyat theek hai,” Saba ne kaha, aur us ne apne bhai ka haath pakda — pehli baar, apni marzi se. “Bhai, maine socha — bahut socha. Aur maine faisla kiya hai.”
Asif ka dil zor se dhadakne laga. “Kya faisla?”
Saba ne us ki aankhon mein dekha — bina jhijhak, bina dar. “Main aap se mohabbat karti hun, bhai. Bachpan se karti aayi hun. Magar main darti thi — samaj se, rishte se, sab se. Magar ab nahi darti. Kyunke maine jaan liya hai ke mohabbat se bada koi rishta nahi hota. Aur aap se zyada mujhe koi nahi samajhta.”
Asif ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Saba — tum — tum sach keh rahi ho?”
“Sach, bhai. Aur suniye — main yeh majboori mein nahi keh rahi. Na aap ke dabav mein. Main yeh is liye keh rahi hun kyunke mera dil kehta hai. Mera apna dil.” Us ne apne bhai ke haath ko apne chehre par rakha. “Aap ne kaha tha na — ke aap zabardasti kuchh nahi chahenge. To suniye — main zabardasti nahi, apni khushi se keh rahi hun — main aap ki hun, bhai. Hamesha se thi.”
Asif ne apni behan ko seene se lagaya — aur is baar usay koi gunaah ka ehsaas nahi hua. Kyunke yeh gunaah nahi tha — yeh do dilon ka milan tha, jo ek doosre ko chahte the, jo ek doosre ke liye bane the. “Saba,” us ne dheere se kaha, “tum ne mujhe zindagi de di.”
Us raat, Asif aur Saba ne ek doosre ko pehli baar us nazar se dekha — jo bhai behan ki nazar nahi thi. Woh ek doosre ke paas aaye — dheere dheere, narmi se, izzat se. Asif ne Saba ke maathe par bosa diya — pehla bosa, paak, saccha. Saba ne apni aankhen band kar lin — aur usay laga jaise woh hawa mein ud rahi hai.
“Dar lag raha hai?” Asif ne poochha.
“Thoda,” Saba ne muskurate hue kaha. “Magar aap ke saath dar bhi achha lagta hai.”
Asif ne use apni baahon mein liya — narmi se, jaise woh sheeshe ki gudiya ho. Us ne us ke baalon ko chhua, us ke chehre ko dekha — itne paas se jitna pehle kabhi nahi dekha tha. “Tum bahut khoobsurat ho, Saba,” us ne dheere se kaha. “Andar se bhi, bahar se bhi.”
Saba ne apne bhai ke seene par sar rakha — us ke dil ki dhadkan sunte hue. “Bhai, kya hum ghalat kar rahe hain?”
Asif ne gehri saans li. “Duniya ki nazron mein shayad. Magar mere dil ki nazron mein nahi. Saba, maine tumhe kabhi dukh nahi diya — aur kabhi nahi dunga. Yeh mera wada hai. Tum meri amanat ho — aur amanat ki hifazat ki jati hai, use toda nahi jata.”
Us raat, dono ne ek doosre ko paa liya — jism se pehle rooh se. Un ke darmiyan jo hua, woh mohabbat tha — dheema, narm, gehra. Asif ne har qadam par Saba se poochha — “theek ho?” — aur Saba ne har baar muskurate hue kaha — “haan”. Koi jaldi nahi thi, koi zabardasti nahi thi — sirf do dil, jo ek doosre mein kho gaye the.
Subah ko, jab Saba jaagi, to Asif us ke paas tha — usay dekh raha tha. “Good morning,” us ne muskurate hue kaha.
Saba ne sharma kar chadar mein munh chhupa liya. “Bhai!”
“Ab bhi bhai?” Asif ne chhedte hue kaha.
“Hamesha bhai,” Saba ne kaha, aur us ne apne bhai ke seene par sar rakha. “Aur kuchh aur bhi.”
Dono hans pade — halki si hansi, khushi ki hansi. Bahar suraj nikal aaya tha — kohra chhat raha tha. December ki sard subah mein, do dilon ne garmi paa li thi.
Us din ke baad, Asif ne Saba ki padhai ko nayi sanjeedgi se liya. Us ne use ek purana laptop diya — “Is par online courses hain,” us ne kaha. “Tum teacher banna chahti ho na? To bano. Main tumhare saath hun.”
Saba ne laptop ko seene se lagaya — jaise woh duniya ka sab se qeemti tohfa ho. “Bhai, aap — aap mere liye itna kuchh karte hain. Main aap ka ehsaan kaise chukaungi?”
“Ehsaan?” Asif ne muskurate hue kaha. “Mohabbat mein ehsaan nahi hota, Saba. Sirf saath hota hai.”
Ek shaam, dono chhat par baithe the — sardi thi, magar dono ne ek hi shawl odha hua tha. Saba ne kaha, “Bhai, ek baat poochhun?”
“Poochho.”
“Agar — agar duniya ko pata chal gaya, to?”
Asif ne gehri saans li. “To hum ladenge. Jaise ab tak lade hain — jaydaad ke liye, haq ke liye. Mohabbat ke liye bhi ladenge.” Us ne Saba ka haath pakda. “Dekho Saba, main tum se ek wada karta hun — chahe jo ho jaye, main tumhara saath nahi chhodunga. Na duniya ke dar se, na kisi ke kehne par. Tum meri ho — aur main tumhara.”
Saba ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Bhai, main darti hun.”
“Main bhi darta hun,” Asif ne imandari se kaha. “Magar dar ke saath jeena — is se behtar hai ke dar ke baghair mara jaye. Hum jeeyenge, Saba. Khul kar jeeyenge — ek din.”
Us raat, Saba ne apne bhai se kaha, “Bhai, mujhe ek kahani sunayen — bachpan wali.”
“Kaun si?”
“Wohi — jab main chhoti thi aur raat ko darti thi, to aap mujhe kahani sunate the.”
Asif ne kahani sunani shuru ki — dheere dheere. Saba us ke seene par sar rakhe sunti rahi. Kahani khatm hone tak, woh so gayi thi — sukoon se, be-fikar. Asif ne use dekha — us ka masoom chehra, us ki band aankhen. Us ne dheere se us ke maathe par bosa diya aur dua mangi — “Ya Allah, is khushi ko hamesha rakhna.”
Chandni khidki se andar aa rahi thi — aur do dilon par apni roshni daal rahi thi. Asif ne socha — ke zindagi mein us ne bahut kuchh khoya tha — abba, ammi. Magar aaj us ne sab se qeemti cheez paayi thi — mohabbat. Aur woh isay kabhi khone nahi dega.
Magar unhe nahi pata tha ke un ki khushi par abhi ek saaya hai — jaydaad ka saaya. Aur woh saaya abhi talna baaqi tha.
Asif aur Saba ke din ab khushiyon se bhare the — magar un khushiyon mein dar bhi tha. Woh dar jo har chhupi hui mohabbat ke saath hota hai — pakde jaane ka dar. Woh dono ghar mein ehtiyat se rehte — darwaze band karke, dheere bol kar. Bahar se woh bhai behan the — andar se kuchh aur.
Ek subah, Saba ne nashta banaya — Asif ki pasand ka — parathe aur chai. Asif ne khate hue kaha, “Tumhare haath mein jadu hai.”
“Ab roz khilaya karungi,” Saba ne muskurate hue kaha. Phir us ne dheere se kaha, “Bhai —”
“Haan?”
“Kya hum hamesha aise hi rahenge? Chhup chhup kar?”
Asif ne us ka haath pakda. “Nahi, Saba. Ek din hum khul kar jeeyenge. Jab yeh jaydaad ka muamla sulajh jayega, jab halaat behtar honge — tab hum apni duniya basayenge. Kahin door — jahan koi humein na jaanta ho.”
“Sach?” Saba ki aankhon mein chamak aa gayi.
“Sach. Wada.” Asif ne us ke maathe par bosa diya. “Tum bas sabr karo.”
Magar sabr ki azmaish jaldi aa gayi. Ek din, Wakeel Imtiaz achanak un ke ghar aaya — bina ittila ke. “Asif beta, woh raseed ke baare mein kuchh baat karni thi,” us ne kaha.
Asif ne use baithak mein bithaya. Saba andar kamre mein thi — woh bahar aayi, chai lekar. Wakeel ne use dekha — gaur se. Saba ke chehre par woh chamak thi jo mohabbat mein mubtala ladkiyon ke chehron par hoti hai. Wakeel buzurg tha — us ne duniya dekhi thi. Us ne Asif ko dekha — phir Saba ko. Aur us ki aankhon mein kuchh samajh aaya.
Chai pi kar, Wakeel ne kaha, “Asif beta, ek baat kahun?”
“Ji kahiye.”
“Tumhari behan — woh khush lag rahi hai. Allah use khush rakhe.” Us ne ruk kar kaha, “Magar beta, duniya ki nazrein tez hoti hain. Ehtiyat karna.”
Asif ka dil zor se dhadka. “Kya matlab, Wakeel sahab?”
“Matlab yeh ke main tumhara khairkhwah hun. Aur khairkhwah ki nazar se keh raha hun — jo bhi hai, use sambhal kar rakho.” Wakeel uth kar chala gaya — magar us ke alfaaz Asif ke dil mein utar gaye.
Us raat, Asif ne Saba se kaha, “Wakeel sahab ne kuchh mehsoos kiya hai.”
“To kya hoga, bhai?” Saba ne dar kar poochha.
“Kuchh nahi hoga,” Asif ne use seene se lagate hue kaha. “Main hun na. Jab tak main hun, tumhe koi kuchh nahi keh sakta.” Magar us ke dil mein dar tha — pehli baar, usay apni mohabbat ke anjaam ka dar tha.
Ek aur din, Saba ne Asif se kaha, “Bhai, main Fahad bhai se milna chahti hun.”
Asif ka chehra sakht ho gaya. “Kyun?”
“Shukriya kehna hai — unhon ne mujhe sach sikhaya. Agar unhon ne mujhe na bataya hota ke tanhaai mohabbat nahi hoti, to main aaj aap ko na pehchan pati.” Saba ne apne bhai ka haath pakda. “Bhai, kya aap ko jalan ho rahi hai?”
Asif ne gehri saans li. “Thodi si,” us ne imandari se kaha. “Magar main samajhta hun. Jao — mil aao. Magar —” us ne muskurate hue kaha, “— zyada der mat lagana. Mujhe tumhari aadat ho gayi hai.”
Saba ne apne bhai ke gaal par bosa diya — pehli baar, khul kar. “Aap duniya ke sab se achhe —” woh ruki, phir muskurayi, “— sab se achhe hain.”
Saba Fahad se mili — haveli ke sehne mein, din ki roshni mein. “Fahad bhai, main aap ka shukriya ada karne aayi hun.”
“Kis baat ka?”
“Ke aap ne mujhe sach bataya. Ke aap ne mujhe dhoke mein nahi rakha.” Saba ki aankhon mein aansu the — magar khushi ke. “Aap ki wajah se maine apne dil ko pehchana. Aur —” us ne sharmate hue kaha, “— aur maine apni mohabbat paa li.”
Fahad samajh gaya. Us ne muskurate hue kaha, “Asif bhai?”
Saba ne sar jhukaya — haan ka ishara. Fahad ne kaha, “Mubarak ho, Saba bibi. Woh achha aadmi hai. Tumhe khush rakhega.”
“Aur aap?” Saba ne poochha. “Aap ki mohabbat — kya woh mili?”
Fahad ne door dekha — jahan us ki ammi ka ghar tha. “Milne wali hai,” us ne dheere se kaha. “Bas thoda waqt aur.”
“Allah aap ko kamyab kare,” Saba ne dil se dua di. Phir woh chali gayi — halki phulki, khush. Fahad use jaate hue dekhta raha — aur us ke dil mein sukoon tha. Us ne ek dil toda tha — magar us toote dil ne apni manzil paa li thi. Aur is se badi khushi kya ho sakti hai.
Magar unhe nahi pata tha ke un ki khushi par abhi ek saaya hai — jaydaad ka saaya. Aur woh saaya abhi talna baaqi tha.
Fahad ki halat din ba din kharab hoti ja rahi thi. Woh khana kam khata, sota kam tha. Us ki aankhon mein surkhi rehti — raat bhar jaagne ki wajah se. Ek din, woh apne walid ki qabr par gaya — sheher se bahar, qabrastan mein.
Woh qabr ke paas baitha — der tak. “Abba,” us ne dheere se kaha, “main aap se kuchh kehna chahta hun. Magar mujhe dar lagta hai — ke aap mujh se naraaz honge.” Us ki aankhon se aansu behne lage. “Abba, main ammi se mohabbat karta hun. Waisi mohabbat jo — jo bete ko nahi karni chahiye. Main jaanta hun ke yeh ghalat hai — magar mera dil nahi manta. Abba, aap to un se mohabbat karte the — aap samajhte honge. Bataiye — main kya karun?”
Hawa chali — thandi, tez. Qabr ke paas lage darakht ke patte hilne lage — jaise koi jawab de raha ho. Fahad ne apni aankhen band kar lin — aur usay laga jaise us ke walid ki awaaz aa rahi hai — “Beta, mohabbat kabhi ghalat nahi hoti. Bas use nibhana aana chahiye. Teri ammi tanha hai — use tanha mat rehne de.”
Fahad ne aankhen kholin — wahan koi nahi tha. Magar us ke dil mein sukoon tha. Us ne qabr par phool rakhe aur wapas aaya — naye iraade ke saath. Woh haar nahi manega. Chahe jo ho jaye.
Us raat, tez toofan aaya — December ka sab se bada toofan. Hawa se darakht hil rahe the, bijli kadak rahi thi. Riffat apne kamre mein thi — khidki se bahar dekh rahi thi. Us ne dekha ke Fahad sehne mein khada hai — barish mein bheeg raha hai, aasmaan ko dekh raha hai.
Riffat ka dil zor se dhadka. Woh daud kar neeche gayi — chhata lekar. “Fahad! Pagal ho gaye ho? Andar aao!”
Fahad ne use dekha — bheega hua, kaanp raha tha. “Ammi —”
“Chup! Pehle andar chalo.” Riffat use andar layi — tauliye se us ke baal ponchhe, use garam kapde diye. “Yeh kya bachpana hai? Sardi lag jayegi!”
Fahad ne apni ammi ko dekha — us ki fikar, us ka pyaar. “Ammi, aap ko meri fikar hai?”
“Zahir hai! Tum mere bete ho!”
“Bas bete?” Fahad ne dheere se poochha.
Riffat ruk gayi. Us ne apne bete ki aankhon mein dekha — aur wahan usay wohi sawal nazar aaya jo us ke apne dil mein tha. Us ne tauliya neeche rakha aur dheere se kaha, “Nahi — bas bete nahi.”
Yeh pehli baar tha — ke Riffat ne zubaan se iqraar kiya tha. Fahad ka dil khushi se bhar gaya. Us ne apni ammi ka haath pakda. “Ammi — Riffat —”
“Abhi nahi,” Riffat ne kaha, magar us ki awaaz mein pehle jaisi sakhti nahi thi. “Mujhe thoda waqt do. Bas thoda sa.”
“Jitna chaho,” Fahad ne kaha. “Main intezar karunga — zindagi bhar.”
Us raat, toofan tham gaya — magar Riffat ke dil ka toofan abhi baaqi tha. Woh apne kamre mein leti, chhat ko tak rahi thi. Us ne apne shohar ki diary nikali — aur usay phir se padha. Har lafz, har safha. Aur jab us ne aakhri safha padha — “Jee lo, Riffat. Meri taraf se ijazat hai” — to us ne faisla kar liya.
Woh ab nahi bhaagegi — us ne than li thi. Woh apne dil ka saamna karegi. Woh jeeyegi — apne shohar ki ijazat se, apne dil ki chahat se, aur apne bete ki mohabbat se.
Magar faisla karna ek baat hai, us par qaim rehna doosri. Agli subah, jab Fahad kaam par gaya, to Riffat ke dil mein phir dar jaaga — apne hi faisle ka dar. “Kya main sahi kar rahi hun?” us ne apne aap se poochha. “Kya main apne bete ko barbaad kar dungi?” Aur is dar ne, is kamzori ke ek pal ne, use ek aur faisle par majboor kiya — bhaag jaane ka faisla.
Riffat ne faisla kar liya tha — woh yeh ghar chhod kar chali jayegi. Woh apni saheli Naseem ke paas jayegi — door, kahin jahan Fahad usay dhoond na sake. Woh apne bete ko bachana chahti thi — us ki mohabbat se, us ke junoon se, aur khud se.
Us ne apna samaan bandhna shuru kiya — do jode kapde, tasbeeh, aur us ke shohar ki diary. Jab woh diary ko bag mein rakh rahi thi, to us ka haath kaanp raha tha. Us ne diary kholi aur aakhri safha padha — jo us ne pehle nahi padha tha. Us ke shohar ne likha tha:
“Riffat, agar tum yeh padh rahi ho, to main is duniya mein nahi hun. Main jaanta hun ke tum tanha ho. Aur main jaanta hun ke tum apni tanhaai ko apne bete ke pyaar se chhupati ho. Magar suno — beta apni maa ko khush dekhna chahta hai. Aur maa ko khush rehne ka haq hai — chahe woh khushi use kahan se mile. Main tumhe kisi qaid mein nahi rakhna chahta — na rishte ki, na samaj ki. Jee lo, Riffat. Meri taraf se ijazat hai. Tumhara shohar.”
Riffat ke haath se diary gir gayi. Us ki aankhon se aansu behne lage — tez, be-rok. Us ka shohar — us ka marhoom shohar — usay samajhta tha. Us ne usay azaad kar diya tha — apni maut ke baad bhi. “Jee lo, Riffat” — yeh alfaaz us ke dil mein utar gaye.
Usi waqt darwaza khula — Fahad andar aaya. Us ne apni ammi ko samaan bandhte dekha, aur us ka chehra peela pad gaya. “Ammi? Yeh kya kar rahi hain aap?”
“Main ja rahi hun, Fahad,” Riffat ne kaha, us ki awaaz mein dard tha. “Tum se door. Taake tum apni zindagi jee sako. Taake — taake hum dono bach saken.”
Fahad ne bag us ke haath se le liya aur door phenk diya. “Aap kahin nahi jayengi!”
“Mujhe rok mat, Fahad! Main tumhari maa hun — mujhe tumhe bachana hai!”
“Aur mujhe aap ko bachana hai — aap ki tanhaai se!” Fahad ki aankhon mein aansu the. “Ammi, aap bhaag rahi hain — mujh se nahi, apne dil se. Magar dil se koi nahi bhaag sakta. Main ne koshish ki hai — aap bhi kar rahi hain. Magar dekho — hum dono haar gaye.”
Riffat zameen par baith gayi. “To phir kya karein? Batao — kya karein? Samaj humein jeene dega? Log kya kahenge?”
“Log kya kahenge — yeh soch soch kar hum ne aath saal barbaad kiye, ammi. Aath saal! Kya aap aur barbaad karna chahti hain?” Fahad apni ammi ke saamne ghutnon par baitha. “Ammi, main aap se ek baat poochhta hun — aur sach batayiye ga. Kya aap ke dil mein mere liye kuchh hai? Woh kuchh jo maa ke pyaar se zyada hai?”
Riffat ne apne bete ki aankhon mein dekha — aur is baar us ne apne jazbaat ko nahi roka. Us ne dheere se kaha, “Haan.”
Fahad ka dil ruk gaya — phir zor se dhadakne laga. “Sach?”
“Sach,” Riffat ne kaha, aur us ki aankhon se aansu beh rahe the — magar is baar woh dard ke aansu nahi the. “Haan, Fahad. Main tum se mohabbat karti hun. Maa se zyada — ek aurat ki tarah. Aath saalon se karti aayi hun — magar maine kabhi iqraar nahi kiya. Khud se bhi nahi. Us raat, jab tum Saba se baat kar rahe the, to maine jaan liya — ke main tumhe kisi ke saath nahi baant sakti. Woh jalan thi, Fahad. Ek aurat ki jalan.”
“To phir aap kyun bhaag rahi hain?” Fahad ne us ke haath pakde. “Kyun inkaar kar rahi hain apne dil ko?”
“Kyunke main darti hun,” Riffat ne kaha. “Darti hun ke main tumhe barbaad kar dungi. Tum jawan ho — tumhe poori zindagi padi hai. Main — meri umr dhalne lagi hai. Meri zindagi guzar gayi.”
“Zindagi guzar nahi gayi, ammi,” Fahad ne kaha, us ki awaaz mein junoon tha. “Zindagi ab shuru ho rahi hai. Hamari zindagi.” Us ne apni ammi ke chehre ko apne haathon mein liya — narmi se, izzat se. “Riffat —” us ne pehli baar usay us ke naam se pukara, “— kya aap mujhe apnayengi? Apne dil se, apni marzi se? Main zabardasti nahi chahta. Agar aap ka dil nahi manta, to main chala jaunga — hamesha ke liye. Magar agar aap ka dil manta hai — to keh dijiye. Ek baar keh dijiye.”
Riffat ne apne bete ko dekha — us ki aankhen, us ka chehra, us ka pyaar. Aur us ne apne dil ki suni — jo aath saalon se chilla raha tha. Us ne dheere se kaha, “Main tumhe apnati hun, Fahad. Apne dil se. Apni marzi se. Kisi ke dabav mein nahi — sirf apni chahat se.”
Yeh alfaaz kehte hi, Riffat ke dil se ek bojh utar gaya — aath saalon ka bojh. Woh halki mehsoos kar rahi thi — jaise woh hawa mein ud rahi ho. Us ne apne bete ko dekha — nahi, apne mehbub ko dekha — aur muskurayi. Pehli baar aath saalon mein, us ki muskurahat sacchi thi.
Fahad ne apni mohabbat ko apni baahon mein liya — dheere se, narmi se, jaise woh duniya ki sab se qeemti cheez ho. “Riffat,” us ne dheere se kaha, “tum ne mujhe zindagi de di.”
Us raat, bahar tez barish ho rahi thi — December ki pehli barish. Bijli kadak rahi thi, magar ghar ke andar sukoon tha. Fahad aur Riffat ek doosre ke paas baithe the — haath mein haath. Woh baatein kar rahe the — aath saalon ki baatein, jo kabhi nahi hui thin.
“Yad hai,” Riffat ne kaha, “jab tum chhote the, to barish mein bheegne ke liye rote the? Main tumhe rokti thi — ke sardi lag jayegi.”
“Yaad hai,” Fahad ne muskurate hue kaha. “Aur main phir bhi bheeg jaata tha. Aur tum mujhe tauliye se ponchhti thin.”
“Dono hans pade. Phir Riffat ne kaha, “Fahad, mujhe dar lag raha hai.”
“Kis baat ka?”
“Is khushi se. Itni khushi — kahin yeh khwab to nahi?”
Fahad ne us ke haath ko apne honthon se lagaya. “Khwab nahi hai, Riffat. Yeh haqeeqat hai. Aur main tumhe kabhi is khushi se door nahi hone dunga.”
Phir, dheere dheere, woh ek doosre ke qareeb aaye. Fahad ne Riffat ke maathe par bosa diya — narmi se, izzat se. Riffat ne apni aankhen band kar lin — aur usay laga jaise waqt ruk gaya ho. Phir us ne apne mehbub ke chehre ko dekha, aur us ne khud us ke honthon par apne honth rakh diye — pehli baar, apni marzi se, apni chahat se.
Woh bosa — woh pehla bosa — aath saalon ki pyaas ka jawab tha. Fahad ne Riffat ko apni baahon mein bhar liya — kas kar, magar narmi se. Us ne us ke baalon ko chhua — wohi baal jinhe woh bachpan se dekhta aaya tha, magar aaj woh unhe pehli baar chhu raha tha — ek mard ki tarah. Riffat ne apne haath us ke seen par rakhe — us ke dil ki dhadkan mehsoos karte hue.
“Fahad,” us ne dheere se kaha, “main — main tayyar hun.”
“Tumhe koi jaldi nahi hai,” Fahad ne kaha. “Humare paas poori zindagi hai.”
“Nahi,” Riffat ne kaha, aur us ki aankhon mein chamak thi. “Maine aath saal intezar kiya hai. Ab aur nahi.” Us ne apne mehbub ka haath pakda aur use apne kamre ki taraf le gayi — apni marzi se, apne qadam se.
Us raat, jo hua, woh mohabbat tha — khaalis, gehra, saccha. Fahad ne har qadam par Riffat se poochha — “theek ho?” — aur Riffat ne har baar kaha — “haan, aur paas aao”. Koi sharam nahi thi — sirf chahat thi. Koi dar nahi tha — sirf bharosa tha. Do tanha dil, jo aath saalon se ek doosre ke liye tadap rahe the, aaj mil gaye the.
Riffat ne apne mehbub ke baazuon mein let kar kaha, “Fahad, maine kabhi nahi socha tha ke main itni khush ho sakti hun.”
“Aur maine kabhi nahi socha tha ke khushi itni qareeb hogi,” Fahad ne kaha. Us ne Riffat ke baalon mein ungliyan pherni — dheere dheere. “Tum so jao. Main yahin hun.”
“Nahi,” Riffat ne kaha, “tum kahin nahi jaoge. Aaj se — tum hamesha yahin rahoge. Mere paas.”
Bahar barish tham gayi thi. Badal chhat gaye the — aur aasmaan par chand nikal aaya tha. Chandni khidki se andar aa rahi thi — aur do dilon par apni roshni daal rahi thi. Riffat ne chand ko dekha aur muskurayi. “Dekho, Fahad — chand kitna khoobsurat hai.”
“Chand se zyada khoobsurat tum ho,” Fahad ne kaha.
Dono hans pade — khushi ki hansi, sukoon ki hansi. Aur usi khushi mein, woh dono so gaye — ek doosre ki baahon mein, be-fikar, be-dar.
Agli raat, jab ghar mein sannata chha gaya, to Riffat ne Fahad se kaha, “Aaj main tum se kuchh kehna chahti hun — jo maine aath saalon mein kisi se nahi kaha.”
“Kaho,” Fahad ne us ka haath pakda.
“Jab tumhare abba ka inteqal hua tha, to main toot gayi thi. Log kehte the — waqt sab theek kar dega. Magar waqt ne kuchh theek nahi kiya — us ne bas dard ko aadat bana diya. Main jee rahi thi — magar zinda nahi thi. Phir tum bade hue — aur maine tum mein apni zindagi dekhi. Magar woh meri zindagi nahi thi — woh tumhari thi.” Riffat ki aankhon mein aansu the. “Aaj pehli baar — main apni zindagi jee rahi hun. Apne liye. Aur tumhare liye.”
Fahad ne us ke aansu ponchhe. “Aur main tumhare liye jee raha hun, Riffat. Sirf tumhare liye.”
Us raat, un ki mohabbat gehri hui — pehli raat ki ghabrahat ab nahi thi. Ab sukoon tha, bharosa tha. Riffat ne apne mehbub ko apne dil ki har baat batayi — apne dar, apne khwab, apni khwahishein. Fahad ne suna — gaur se, mohabbat se. Aur us ne bhi apne dil ki baatein kahin — apne bachpan ke dar, apni jawani ki uljhanein, apna woh pyaar jo us ne saalon se chhupaya tha.
“Yad hai,” Fahad ne kaha, “jab main das saal ka tha, to maine tum se kaha tha ke jab main bada hounga, to tum se shaadi karunga?”
Riffat hans padi — khul kar, pehli baar. “Yad hai! Tumhare abba ne suna tha — woh bahut hanse the. Keh rahe the, ‘Dekho, mera beta mujh se meri biwi chheenna chahta hai.'”
Dono hans pade. Phir Fahad ne sanjeedgi se kaha, “Woh bachpana nahi tha, Riffat. Woh mere dil ki sachchai thi — jo us din thi, aaj bhi hai.”
Riffat ne apne mehbub ke seene par sar rakha. “Main jaanti hun,” us ne dheere se kaha. “Aur main khush hun — ke tumhare dil ne kabhi jhooth nahi bola.”
Us raat, chand phir nikla — magar is baar Riffat ne use dekha nahi. Us ki nazrein sirf apne mehbub par thin. “Fahad,” us ne kaha, “kya tumhe kabhi pachtava hoga?”
“Kis baat ka?”
“Ke tum ne apni zindagi — ek umr-rasida aurat ke liye —”
“Chup,” Fahad ne us ke honthon par ungli rakh di. “Tum meri mohabbat ho. Aur mohabbat mein umr nahi dekhi jati.” Us ne use apni baahon mein bhar liya. “Aur rahi pachtawe ki baat — to suno. Mujhe sirf ek baat ka pachtava hai — ke maine tumhe itne saal intezar karwaya.”
Riffat ki aankhon se aansu behne lage — khushi ke aansu. “Tum — tum mujhe rulaoge kya roz?”
“Roz,” Fahad ne muskurate hue kaha. “Khushi ke aansu — roz.”
Woh dono der tak ek doosre ki baahon mein rahe — baatein karte hue, hanste hue, rote hue. Mohabbat ke yeh lamhe — in se qeemti kuchh nahi hota. Aur unhon ne har lamhe ko jee bhar kar jiya.
Subah ko jab Riffat jaagi, to Fahad us ke paas tha — usay dekh raha tha, muskurata hua. “Good morning,” us ne kaha.
Riffat ne sharma kar apna chehra chhupaya. “Fahad, subah ho gayi. Koi dekh lega.”
“Kaun dekhega? Ghar mein hum dono ke siwa koi nahi.” Fahad ne us ke baalon ko chhua. “Aur dekh bhi le, to kya? Main tum se mohabbat karta hun — aur mujhe is par fakhar hai.”
Riffat ne apne mehbub ko dekha — aur usay ehsaas hua ke woh sahi keh raha hai. Sharam ab bhi thi — magar us sharam ke saath fakhar bhi tha. Us ne apne aap se kaha — haan, main is mard se mohabbat karti hun. Aur mujhe is par sharam nahi, fakhar hai.
Magar abhi ek muamla baaqi tha — haveli ka muamla. Aur woh muamla ab sulajhne wala tha — ek aise tareeqe se jis ka kisi ne socha nahi tha.
Wakeel Imtiaz ne dono khandaanon ko phir bulaya — aakhri mulaqat ke liye. “Dekhiye,” us ne kaha, “maine bahut socha. Adalat mein yeh muamla das saal chalega. Aur das saalon mein haveli khandar ban jayegi. Meri tajweez hai — haveli ko becho mat, baanto mat. Balke dono khandaan mil kar us mein raho.”
“Mil kar?” Asif ne hairat se kaha.
“Haan,” Wakeel ne kaha. “Haveli badi hai — do hisse aasani se ban sakte hain. Ek hisse mein Riffat bibi aur Fahad rahen, doosre mein Asif aur Saba. Sehne mushtarak rahega — jaise pehle tha. Aur jo raseed mili hai, us ke mutabiq hisaab kar lenge — jo zyada ka haqdar hai, use muavza mil jayega.”
Chaaron ne ek doosre ko dekha. Riffat ne Fahad ko dekha — us ki aankhon mein sawal tha. Fahad ne halki si muskurahat di — haan ka ishara. Asif ne Saba ko dekha — us ki aankhon mein bhi wahi sawal tha. Saba ne bhi sar hilaya — haan.
“Hum tayyar hain,” Fahad ne kaha.
“Hum bhi,” Asif ne kaha.
Wakeel muskuraya. “To phir mubarak ho. Aaj se yeh jhagda khatm. Aur —” us ne ruk kar kaha, “— aaj se tum sab ek khandaan ho.”
Faisle ke baad, haveli ki taqseem ka kaam shuru hua. Wakeel ne naqsha banwaya — haveli ke do hisse, bilkul barabar. Mashriqi hissa Riffat aur Fahad ka — jis mein deewan-khaas tha, aur woh kamra jahan Riffat ki shaadi hui thi. Maghribi hissa Asif aur Saba ka — jis mein bachpan mein woh khela karte the. Sehne, darwaze, aur chhat mushtarak rahenge — jaise purane waqton mein tha.
Taqseem ke dino mein, chaaron roz haveli aate — mistriyon ke saath, naqshon ke saath. Aur in dino mein, un ke darmiyan jo deewar thi, woh dheere dheere gir gayi. Riffat Saba ke liye chai banati — “Beta, tum thak gayi hogi.” Saba Riffat ke pair dabati — “Bibi, aap aaram kijiye.” Asif aur Fahad mil kar mistriyon ko hidayat dete — kabhi behas hoti, phir hansi mein badal jati.
Ek din, deewar girate waqt, mistriyon ko ek aur khufiya khana mila — is mein purane sikke the, aur ek khat. Khat Riffat ke susar ne likha tha — apne dono beton ke naam. “Mere beton,” khat mein likha tha, “yeh haveli tum dono ki hai. Ise kabhi mat baantna — na deewaron se, na dilon se. Ghar eenton se nahi, mohabbat se banta hai.”
Khat padh kar, chaaron ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. Asif ne kaha, “Hum ne apne buzurgon ki wasiyat ko samjha hi nahi. Woh kehte the — mat baantna. Aur hum baantne par tule the.”
“Ab nahi baantenge,” Fahad ne kaha. “Deewar to ban gayi — magar dilon ki deewar gir gayi hai.”
Riffat ne khat ko seene se lagaya. “Allah unhe jannat naseeb kare,” us ne dua di. “Unhon ne humein sahi raasta dikhaya — apni maut ke baad bhi.”
Us shaam, chaaron haveli gaye — apne naye ghar ko dekhne. Sehne mein anaar ka ped tha, band phuwara tha, aur us par baitha billa tha. Magar aaj hawa mein kuchh alag tha — khushi thi, ummeed thi.
Riffat ne haveli ko dekha — apne shohar ki yaadon ka ghar. Us ne dheere se kaha, “Sun rahe ho? Tumhari haveli abad rahegi. Tumhara beta —” us ne Fahad ko dekha, “— tumhara beta mujhe kabhi tanha nahi rehne dega.”
Fahad ne apni ammi — apni mohabbat — ka haath pakda. Sab ke saamne. Asif ne dekha — aur usay kuchh samajh aaya. Us ne Saba ko dekha — aur Saba ne bhi samjha. Chaaron ke darmiyan ek khamosh samjhota hua — bina alfaaz ke. Hum sab ek jaise hain. Hum sab ne mohabbat ki hai — waisi mohabbat jo duniya nahi samajhti. Magar hum samajhte hain. Aur hum ek doosre ka saath denge.
Us raat, haveli ke sehne mein chaaron baithe the — chai pi rahe the. Pehli baar, bina jhagde, bina tanav. Asif ne kaha, “Fahad, mujhe maaf kar do. Maine tumhe galat samjha tha.”
“Aur maine tumhe,” Fahad ne kaha. Dono ne haath milaya — sacche dil se.
Saba ne Riffat se kaha, “Riffat bibi, aap bahut himmat wali hain.”
Riffat ne muskurate hue kaha, “Himmat to tum mein bhi hai, beta. Mohabbat karne ke liye himmat chahiye hoti hai.”
Chaaron hans pade — khul kar, pehli baar. Aur us hansi mein saalon ki ranjishein beh gayin.
Muntaqili ka din aaya — December ka aakhri hafta. Subah se hi haveli mein hulchul thi — samaan ke truck, mazdoor, aur mohalle ke log jo tamasha dekhne aaye the. Riffat ne apne ghar ka har kona dekha — aakhri baar. Aath saalon ki yaadein thin us ghar mein — magar ab nayi yaadein banani thin.
“Chalo, ammi,” Fahad ne kaha — magar us ki aankhon mein woh chamak thi jo sirf Riffat samajh sakti thi.
Haveli mein dakhil hote waqt, Riffat ne dehleez par tel ka diya jalaya — purani rasm. “Bismillah,” us ne kaha, aur andar qadam rakha. Us ke peeche Fahad, phir Asif aur Saba. Chaaron ne mil kar fateha padhi — buzurgon ke liye, naye ghar ke liye.
Mohalle ki auratein aayi thin — mubarakbaad dene. Naseem bhi aayi — Riffat ki saheli. Us ne Riffat ko gale lagaya aur dheere se kaha, “Riffat, tumhare chehre par jo noor hai — woh maine saalon se nahi dekha tha. Kya baat hai?”
Riffat muskurayi — halki si, raazdaar muskurahat. “Khushi ki baat hai, Naseem. Bas khushi.”
Naseem ne Fahad ko dekha — phir Riffat ko. Us ki aankhon mein kuchh samajh aaya — auraton wali samajh. Us ne dheere se kaha, “Allah tumhe hamesha khush rakhe. Aur —” us ne Riffat ka haath daba diya, “— jo bhi hai, use sambhal kar rakhna.”
Riffat ki aankhon mein nami aa gayi. “Shukriya,” us ne kaha. “Tum samajhti ho.”
“Aurat aurat ko samajhti hai,” Naseem ne kaha, aur chali gayi — apne raaz ke saath.
Shaam ko, jab sab mehmaan chale gaye, to haveli mein pehli baar ghar wali khamoshi chhayi — sukoon wali khamoshi. Riffat ne rasoi mein khana banaya — pehla khana naye ghar mein. Saba ne madad ki. Asif aur Fahad ne sehne mein charpaiyan bichhayin. Chaaron ne mil kar khana khaya — sehne mein, anaar ke ped ke neeche, chandni mein.
“Yad hai,” Riffat ne kaha, “jab main dulhan ban kar is haveli mein aayi thi — to pehla khana bhi yahin khaya tha — isi ped ke neeche.”
“Aur aaj —” Saba ne kaha, “— aaj phir nayi shuruaat hai.”
Chaaron ne ek doosre ko dekha — aur muskuraye. Nayi shuruaat — sacchi baat thi.
Raat ko, apne apne kamron mein — Riffat aur Fahad apne hisse mein, Asif aur Saba apne hisse mein. Magar deewarein patli thin — aur dil qareeb the. Riffat ne apne kamre ki khidki kholi — chandni andar aayi. Fahad ne use peeche se apni baahon mein liya.
“Pehli raat — hamare ghar mein,” us ne dheere se kaha.
“Hamare ghar mein,” Riffat ne dohraya — aur us ke dil mein itni khushi thi ke woh bayan nahi kar sakti thi.
Doosri taraf, Asif ne Saba se kaha, “Dekho — chand hamare kamre mein aa gaya hai.”
“Chand to roz aata hai,” Saba ne muskurate hue kaha. “Magar aaj — aaj woh hamare liye aaya hai.”
Dono jodon ne apni pehli raat naye ghar mein guzari — mohabbat mein, sukoon mein. Aur haveli ki deewarein — jo kabhi jhagde ki gawah thin — aaj mohabbat ki gawah ban gayin.
Pehla Jummah aaya — haveli mein pehli baar sab ne mil kar Jummah ki tayyari ki. Riffat ne subah se khana banana shuru kiya — biryani, kheer, aur meethi roti. Saba ne madad ki — dono auratein rasoi mein hansti gaati kaam kar rahi thin. Asif aur Fahad ne sehne ki safai ki — purane patte hataye, phuwaray ko dekha.
“Yeh phuwara theek ho sakta hai?” Asif ne poochha.
“Kyun nahi,” Fahad ne kaha. “Mistri ko bulwate hain. Pani phir bahega — jaise pehle behta tha.”
Jummah ke baad, mohalle ke kuchh log aaye — dua ke liye. Buzurgon ne haveli ko dekha aur kaha, “Mashallah, ghar abad ho gaya.” Riffat ne sab ko khana khilaya — khule dil se. Ek buzurg ne kaha, “Riffat bibi, tum ne apne shohar ki virasat ko bacha liya. Woh jahan bhi hain, khush honge.”
Riffat ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye — khushi ke. “Dua kijiye,” us ne kaha, “ke yeh ghar hamesha abad rahe.”
Shaam ko, jab sab chale gaye, to chaaron sehne mein baithe — thake hue, magar khush. Asif ne kaha, “Ek tajweez hai — kyun na hum phuwaray ko theek karwayen? Aur anaar ke ped ke paas ek chhoti si baithak banayen — jahan hum shaam ko chai piya karein.”
“Achhi tajweez hai,” Riffat ne kaha. “Aur main chahti hun ke deewan-khaas mein tumhare abba ki tasveer lagayen — dono bhaiyon ki. Taake unhe dekh kar humein yaad rahe — ke ghar mohabbat se banta hai.”
Saba ne kaha, “Aur main chahti hun ke ek kamra library banayen — kitabon ke liye. Bhai mujhe padha rahe hain — mujhe kitabein chahiye.”
“Library zaroor banegi,” Asif ne us ka haath pakad kar kaha. “Tum jo chaho, woh hoga.”
Fahad ne Riffat ko dekha. “Aur tum? Tum kya chahti ho?”
Riffat ne socha — phir muskurayi. “Main chahti hun — ke is ghar mein kabhi sannata na ho. Hamesha hansi ho, khushi ho. Aur —” us ne Fahad ka haath pakda, “— aur mohabbat ho.”
Chaaron ne ek doosre ko dekha — aur unhe laga jaise un ka khwab poora ho raha hai. Ek ghar — jahan jhagda nahi, mohabbat hai. Jahan deewarein nahi, dil hain.
Agle hafte, mistri aaya — phuwaray ko theek karne. Do din lage — purane pipe badle gaye, sangmarmar saaf kiya gaya, kai hatayi gayi. Teesre din, jab mistri ne motor chalayi, to sab sehne mein jama the — chaaron, aur mohalle ke kuchh bachche.
Pehle ek halki si phuwar nikli — phir tez dhaar. Pani upar utha — chandni mein chamakta hua — aur neeche gira, chhantein udata hua. Bachche khushi se chillaye — aur bheegne ke liye phuwaray ke paas daud gaye. Saba ne unhe rokne ki koshish ki — phir khud bhi hans padi.
Riffat ne Fahad ka haath pakda — mazbooti se. “Dekho,” us ne dheere se kaha, “pani phir beh raha hai.”
“Jaise hamari zindagi,” Fahad ne kaha.
Asif ne Saba ko apne paas khincha — dheere se, sab ki nazron se bacha kar. “Hamari zindagi,” us ne dohraya.
Phuwaray ka pani beh raha tha — saalon baad. Aur us ke saath beh rahi thi khushi, mohabbat, aur nayi shuruaat. Riffat ne apne shohar ko yaad kiya — “Dekh rahe ho?” us ne dil mein kaha. “Tumhari haveli phir se jee uthi hai. Tumhara ghar — hamara ghar — abad hai.”
Us raat, chaaron ne phuwaray ke paas baith kar chai pi — pani ki awaaz sunte hue. Woh awaaz — jo saalon se khamosh thi — aaj zindagi ka geet gaa rahi thi. Aur chaar dil — us geet mein khoye hue — apni duniya mein magan the.
“Yeh pani kabhi nahi rukega,” Fahad ne kaha.
“Kabhi nahi,” Asif ne dohraya.
Aur dono auratein muskurayin — kyunke woh jaanti thin — ke yeh wada sirf phuwaray ke liye nahi tha. Yeh wada mohabbat ke liye tha — jo kabhi nahi rukegi.
Chai ke baad, Riffat ne Saba se kaha, “Beta, aao — rasoi dekhte hain. Kal se khana wahan banega.” Dono auratein rasoi mein gayin — badi, purani rasoi, jis mein mitti ka chulha tha aur deewaron par kaale daagh the — saalon ke khane ki nishani.
Saba ne chulhe ko dekha. “Bibi, yeh to bahut purana hai.”
“Purana hai — magar is ki roti ka zaiqa —” Riffat ne muskurate hue kaha, “— tum khaogi to pata chalega.” Phir us ne dheere se kaha, “Saba, main tum se kuchh poochhna chahti hun.”
“Poochhiye.”
“Tum — tum khush ho?” Riffat ne us ki aankhon mein dekha. “Sach batana.”
Saba samajh gayi ke Riffat kis baare mein poochh rahi hai. Us ka chehra surkh ho gaya. “Bibi — aap — aap ko kaise —”
“Maa hun, beta,” Riffat ne narm lehje mein kaha. “Aur aurat bhi. Aurat aurat ko pehchan leti hai.” Us ne Saba ka haath pakda. “Daro mat. Main tumhe judge nahi kar rahi. Main bas — bas jaanna chahti hun ke tum theek ho.”
Saba ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Bibi, main — main bahut khush hun. Pehli baar — mujhe lagta hai ke main poori hun. Bhai — Asif — woh mujh se bahut mohabbat karte hain. Aur main — main bhi.”
“To phir theek hai,” Riffat ne us ke sar par haath phera. “Dekho beta, duniya kya kahegi — is ki fikar mat karna. Duniya to har baat par kehti hai. Tum bas apne dil ki suno. Aur —” us ne ruk kar kaha, “— aur apne saathi ka saath kabhi mat chhodna. Chahe jo ho jaye.”
Saba ne Riffat ko dekha — gehri nazron se. “Bibi, aap — aap bhi khush hain?”
Riffat muskurayi — sacchi muskurahat. “Haan, beta. Aath saalon baad — pehli baar.”
Dono auratein ek doosre ko dekh kar muskurayin — bina alfaaz ke, sab kuchh keh diya gaya tha. Do auratein, do mohabbatein, ek hi dard, ek hi khushi. Aur un ke darmiyan ek rishta ban gaya — saas bahu ka nahi, maa beti ka nahi — dost ka. Sacchi dost ka.
Doosri taraf, chhat par, Fahad aur Asif khade the — sheher ko dekhte hue. Dono ke darmiyan pehle jaisi talkhi nahi thi — ab bhai-chara tha.
“Fahad,” Asif ne kaha, “main tum se maafi maangna chahta hun. Maine tumhe galat samjha. Aur —” woh ruk gaya.
“Aur?” Fahad ne poochha.
“Aur maine Saba ko tum se door rakha — jab ke —” Asif ne gehri saans li. “Dekho, main tumhe sach batata hun. Saba aur main — hum —” usay alfaaz nahi mil rahe the.
Fahad ne us ke kandhe par haath rakha. “Mujhe pata hai,” us ne dheere se kaha. “Aur mujhe koi aitraaz nahi. Saba khush hai — yahi kaafi hai.”
Asif ne hairat se Fahad ko dekha. “Tum — tumhe bura nahi lagta?”
“Kyun lagega?” Fahad ne kaha. “Mohabbat mohabbat hoti hai, Asif bhai. Chahe woh kisi se bhi ho.” Phir us ne dheere se kaha, “Aur waise bhi — main samajhta hun. Kyunke main bhi —”
“Tum bhi?” Asif ne poochha.
Fahad ne neeche dekha — jahan Riffat aur Saba rasoi mein thin. “Haan,” us ne kaha. “Main bhi.”
Asif samajh gaya. Us ne Fahad ko dekha — phir neeche Riffat ko. Aur usay sab samajh aaya. Us ne Fahad ka haath pakda — mazbooti se. “To hum dono ek hi kashti mein hain,” us ne muskurate hue kaha.
“Ek hi kashti mein,” Fahad ne kaha. Dono hans pade — mardon wali hansi, dosti wali hansi.
“Ek baat kahun, Fahad?” Asif ne sanjeedgi se kaha. “Apni mohabbat ki hifazat karna. Duniya se ladna pade, to ladna. Magar use kabhi akela mat chhodna.”
“Kabhi nahi,” Fahad ne wada kiya. “Aur tum bhi.”
“Main bhi,” Asif ne kaha.
Dono ne haath milaya — pakka wada, mardon wala wada. Aur us waqt, unhe laga jaise un ke buzurg — un ke abba, un ke dada — unhe dekh rahe hain, aur muskurate hue keh rahe hain — “Shabash, beton. Ghar mohabbat se banta hai — nafrat se nahi.”
Raat ko, jab sab apne apne kamron mein gaye, to Fahad aur Riffat chhat par gaye — haveli ki chhat par, jahan se poora Multan nazar aata tha. Chandni thi — poore chand ki raat. Neeche sheher ki roshaniyan jagmagaa rahi thin — jaise zameen par taare bikhre hon.
Riffat ne Fahad ke kandhe par sar rakha. “Fahad, kya tumhe lagta hai hum ne sahi kiya?”
Fahad ne us ke haath ko apne haathon mein liya. “Tumhe kya lagta hai?”
“Mujhe lagta hai —” Riffat ne chand ko dekha, “— ke maine aath saal baad pehli baar saans li hai. Pehli baar jee rahi hun.” Us ne apne mehbub ko dekha. “Tum ne mujhe zindagi di hai, Fahad. Aur main tumhe kabhi nahi bhoolungi.”
“Aur main tumhe kabhi akela nahi chhodunga,” Fahad ne kaha. “Yeh mera wada hai — aaj se, hamesha tak.”
Woh dono der tak chhat par baithe rahe — chandni mein, khamoshi mein. Koi baat nahi thi — magar khamoshi mein bhi baatein thin. Mohabbat ki baatein — jo alfaaz se nahi, dil se hoti hain.
Neeche sehne mein, Asif aur Saba bhi apne kamre ki khidki se chand dekh rahe the. Asif ne Saba ko apni baahon mein liya hua tha. “Dekho,” us ne kaha, “chand kitna khoobsurat hai.”
“Chand se zyada khoobsurat tum ho,” Saba ne kaha — wohi alfaaz jo Riffat ne kahe the. Dono hans pade.
“Saba,” Asif ne dheere se kaha, “kya tum khush ho?”
“Bahut,” Saba ne kaha. “Pehli baar — main poori hun. Tumhare saath.”
Haveli Qasim Wali ki deewarein — jo saalon se jhagde ki gawah thin — aaj mohabbat ki gawah ban gayin. Chaar dil, jo kabhi ek doosre ke dushman the, aaj ek doosre ke humdard the. Ek ghalat number se shuru hui kahani — aaj sahi manzil par pahunch gayi thi.
Aur chand — subah ka chand nahi, aadhi raat ka chand — apni chandni se un sab par apna aashirwad barsa raha tha. Kyunke chand jaanta hai — mohabbat kabhi ghalat nahi hoti. Sirf waqt ghalat hota hai. Aur jab waqt sahi ho jata hai — to mohabbat apni manzil paa leti hai.
Kahani khatm hui — magar mohabbat kabhi khatm nahi hoti. Woh to bas shuru hoti hai — har subah, har shaam, har chandni raat mein.
Saba ka khwab bhi poora hua — usi mahine. Asif ne haveli ki baithak mein chhoti si library banayi — do almariyan, ek mez, aur bees kitabein. Aur Saba ne mohalle ke bachchon ko padhana shuru kiya — roz shaam ko do ghante. Pehle din paanch bachche aaye — phir das — phir bees.
Riffat ne dekha — Saba bachchon ko alif bey padhati hui, un ke sar par haath pherti hui. Us ki aankhon mein nami aa gayi. “Dekho, Fahad,” us ne kaha, “woh ladki — jisay kabhi padhne nahi diya gaya tha — aaj doosron ko padha rahi hai.”
“Yahi to mohabbat ka kamal hai,” Fahad ne kaha. “Woh insan ko poora kar deti hai.”
Ek shaam, Saba ne apne bhai se kaha, “Bhai, aaj ek bachchi ne mujh se poochha — ‘Baji, aap itni khush kyun rehti hain?'”
“Tum ne kya kaha?” Asif ne muskurate hue poochha.
“Maine kaha — ‘Kyunke mere paas sab kuchh hai.'” Saba ne apne bhai ka haath pakda. “Aur yeh sach hai, bhai. Mere paas sab kuchh hai.”
Asif ne use apni baahon mein liya. “Aur mere paas tum ho — is se zyada mujhe kuchh nahi chahiye.”
Subah hone se pehle, jab aasmaan par halki si surkhi phaili, to Riffat ki aankh khul gayi. Woh Fahad ki baahon mein thi — haveli ki chhat par, chandni mein so gaye the dono. Us ne apne mehbub ke chehre ko dekha — neend mein woh itna masoom lag raha tha, jaise wohi chhota sa Fahad ho jo anaar ke ped ke neeche soya karta tha.
Riffat ne dheere se us ke maathe par bosa diya. Fahad ki aankh khul gayi. “Subah ho gayi?” us ne neend bhari awaaz mein poochha.
“Hone wali hai,” Riffat ne kaha. “Dekho — mashriq mein surkhi.”
Dono ne dekha — door, sheher ke paar, suraj ki pehli kiran nikal rahi thi. Multan ki faza mein azaan ki awaaz goonj rahi thi — subah ki azaan. Riffat ne apne haath uthaye aur dua mangi — khamosh dua, dil ki dua. “Ya Allah, tera shukr hai. Tune mujhe zindagi di — dobara.”
Fahad ne poochha, “Kya manga?”
“Shukr ada kiya,” Riffat ne muskurate hue kaha. “Aur ek dua — ke yeh khushi hamesha rahe.”
“Hamesha rahegi,” Fahad ne kaha. Us ne apni mohabbat ka haath pakda — mazbooti se. “Main wada karta hun.”
Neeche sehne mein, anaar ke ped par ek bulbul chahchaha rahi thi — subah ka pehla geet. Phuwara ab bhi band tha — magar Riffat ne socha, ke woh use theek karwayegi. Pani phir bahega — jaise un ki zindagi mein khushi phir beh rahi thi.
“Chalo,” Riffat ne kaha, “neeche chalte hain. Chai banati hun — sab ke liye.”
Dono neeche aaye. Riffat rasoi mein gayi — apni nayi rasoi mein, haveli wali rasoi mein. Us ne chulha jalaya, chai rakhi. Fahad us ke paas khada raha — use dekhta hua. “Kya dekh rahe ho?” Riffat ne sharmate hue poochha.
“Apni duniya ko,” Fahad ne kaha.
Riffat ne chai ke do cup banaye — phir ruk gayi. “Chaar bana leti hun,” us ne kaha. “Asif aur Saba bhi uthte honge.”
Chaar cup chai — ek naye khandaan ke liye. Riffat ne tray uthayi aur sehne mein aayi — jahan Asif aur Saba bhi aa gaye the, neend bhari aankhon se. Chaaron ne mil kar chai pi — subah ki pehli chai, naye ghar mein, nayi zindagi mein.
Koi kuchh nahi bola — magar sab kuchh keh diya gaya tha. Chai ki khushbu mein, subah ki thandi hawa mein, bulbul ke geet mein — mohabbat thi. Aur mohabbat ko alfaaz ki zaroorat nahi hoti.
Suraj nikal aaya — poora, roshan. Haveli Qasim Wali ki deewarein sunehri roshni mein nahaa gayin. Anaar ke ped ke patte chamakne lage. Aur chaar dil — jo kabhi toote the, kabhi dare the, kabhi bhaage the — aaj poore the. Ek doosre mein poore.
Riffat ne Fahad ka haath pakda — sab ke saamne, khul kar. Saba ne Asif ka haath pakda — waisi hi himmat se. Aur chaaron ne ek doosre ko dekha — aur muskuraye. Is muskurahat mein koi sharam nahi thi — sirf fakhar tha. Fakhar apni mohabbat par, apne faisle par, apni zindagi par.
Yahi thi un ki kahani — raaz ka mausam, jo ab khul gaya tha. Aur ab har mausam un ka tha — har subah, har shaam, har chandni raat.
Chai khatm hone ke baad, Riffat sehne mein khadi rahi — anaar ke ped ke neeche, jahan us ki kahani shuru hui thi. Us ne ped ko chhua — us ki chhaal khurdari thi, magar us mein zindagi thi. “Tum ne sab dekha hai,” us ne dheere se kaha. “Meri shaadi, mere bachche ka bachpan, mere shohar ka janaza — aur ab — ab meri nayi zindagi.”
Fahad us ke paas aaya. “Kis se baat kar rahi ho?”
“Ped se,” Riffat ne muskurate hue kaha. “Yeh hamara sab se purana gawah hai.”
Fahad ne us ke kandhe par haath rakha. “To phir isay gawah bana lo — hamare wade ka.”
“Kaun sa wada?”
“Ke hum ek doosre ka saath kabhi nahi chhodenge. Chahe duniya jo kahe, chahe waqt jo laye.” Fahad ne apni mohabbat ki aankhon mein dekha. “Riffat, kya tum mujh se wada karti ho?”
Riffat ne us ka haath apne haathon mein liya. “Wada karti hun,” us ne kaha — mazboot awaaz mein, bina hichkichahat. “Aaj se — main sirf tumhari hun. Aur tum sirf mere.”
Ped ke upar se ek patta gira — dheere dheere, un dono ke darmiyan. Riffat ne use uthaya aur apne dupatte mein bandh liya. “Nishani,” us ne kaha. “Is din ki nishani.”
Doosri taraf, Asif aur Saba bhi apna wada kar rahe the — phuwaray ke paas. Asif ne pani mein haath dala aur Saba ke chehre par chhantein udayin. Saba hans padi — khul kar. “Bhai!”
“Yeh pani gawah hai,” Asif ne kaha. “Ke main tumhe kabhi dukh nahi dunga.”
“aur yeh hawa gawah hai,” Saba ne kaha, “ke main tumhara saath kabhi nahi chhodungi.”
Chaaron ne apne apne wade kiye — ped gawah tha, pani gawah tha, hawa gawah thi, aur chand — jo ab aasmaan mein dheema pad raha tha — woh bhi gawah tha.
Aur haveli — Haveli Qasim Wali — jo kabhi jhagde ka markaz thi — aaj mohabbat ka mandir ban gayi thi. Us ki deewaron mein ab nafrat nahi, mohabbat basti thi. Us ke sehne mein ab aansu nahi, hansi goonjti thi. Aur us ke darwaze — jo kabhi band the — ab khule the — har mehmaan ke liye, har khushi ke liye.
Us raat, das baje — Riffat apne kamre mein thi, Fahad apne kaam se bahar tha. Das baje — wohi waqt, jab pehle Fahad use call karta tha. Riffat ne phone dekha — aur muskurayi. Theek das baje, phone baja — video call. Fahad ka chehra aaya — thaka hua, magar khush.
“Das baj gaye,” Fahad ne muskurate hue kaha. “Wada to wada hai.”
Riffat hans padi. “Tum kabhi nahi badloge.”
“Badalna bhi nahi chahta,” Fahad ne kaha. “Yeh wada — roz das baje — yeh hamari rasm hai. Hamesha rahegi.”
“hamesha,” Riffat ne dohraya — aur us ke dil mein itna sukoon tha ke woh bayan nahi kar sakti thi.
Woh dono der tak baatein karte rahe — jaise pehle karte the. Magar ab baaton mein woh jhijhak nahi thi — ab khul kar mohabbat thi. Riffat ne kaha, “Jaldi aao — khana thanda ho raha hai.”
“Aa raha hun,” Fahad ne kaha. “Bas paanch minute.”
“Paaanch minute,” Riffat ne chhedte hue kaha. “Tumhare paanch minute — mere liye paanch saal hain.”
Dono hans pade. Aur phone rakhne ke baad, Riffat ne khidki se bahar dekha — chand nikal aaya tha. Us ne chand ko dekha aur dheere se kaha, “Shukriya.”
Chand ne kuchh nahi kaha — magar us ki chandni ne Riffat ke chehre ko chhua — narmi se, mohabbat se. Jaise keh raha ho — “Tum ne sahi kiya.” Riffat ne muskurate hue apni aankhen band kar lin — aur sukoon se so gayi, apne ghar mein, apni duniya mein.
Khatm shud.