Shaam ke saath aasman par badal jama thay, aur Hyderabad ki galiyon mein mitti ki khushbu utar rahi thi — woh khushbu jo barish se pehle hawa mein ghul jaati hai aur dil ko ajeeb si bechaini de jaati hai. Haider gali ke nukkar par khara tha, haath mein mithai ka dabba, aur us ke seenay mein dharak raha dil usay baar baar keh raha tha ke wapas mur ja. Magar us ke qadam aagay barh rahay thay, jaise kisi na-dekhi dor se khinchay ja rahay hon. Saamnay wohi purana darwaza tha — neelay rang ka, jis ka paint jagah jagah se ukhar gaya tha, aur jis ke peechay us ki zindagi ka sab se bara raaz chhupa tha. Us ne gehra saans liya, dabba doosray haath mein badla, aur ghanti baja di. Andar se bartan kharaknay ki awaz aayi, phir halki si khansi, aur phir qadamoon ki aahat. Darwaza khula, aur Haider ki saans ruk gayi. Rukhsana khari thi — baal aadhe bandhay huay, maathe par halka paseena, aur aankhon mein wohi thakan jo woh hamesha chhupati thi magar Haider dekh leta tha. “Arre Haider beta, tum? Itni shaam ko? Aao, andar aao,” us ne kaha, aur palat kar andar chali gayi, jaise us ka aana koi aam baat ho. Magar Haider janta tha ke yeh aam nahi tha. Yeh us ki zindagi ka sab se ghair-mamooli qadam tha, aur us ne yeh qadam baghair kisi ko bataye uthaya tha.
Haider ki umar 27 saal thi, aur woh mohallay ke us ghar ka beta tha jo gali ke us paar tha — woh ghar jahan us ke abba ki dukaan se lekar us ki ammi ke achar tak, har cheez mein ek sukoon tha jo Haider ko ab kaafi nahi lagta tha. Do saal Karachi mein naukri kar ke woh wapas Hyderabad aaya tha, aur wapsi ke pehle haftay hi us ne Rukhsana ko dekha tha — nahi, dekha to woh use bachpan se raha tha, magar us din pehli baar us ne use dekha tha. Woh chhat par kapray sukha rahi thi, hawa mein us ka dupatta lehra raha tha, aur dhoop us ke chehray par par rahi thi. Us lamhay Haider ko laga jaise waqt ruk gaya ho. Us din ke baad se woh roz koi na koi bahana bana kar us gali ke us taraf jata — kabhi Saqib se milne, kabhi Hareem ki naukri ki mubarakbad dene, kabhi bas aise hi. Aaj ka bahana mithai ka dabba tha: Hareem ko bank mein naukri mili thi, aur pooray mohallay mein mithai banti thi. Magar Haider ke dil mein jo tha, woh mithai se kahin zyada meetha aur kahin zyada khatarnak tha.
Andar dakhil hotay hi usay ghar ki wohi khushbu mili — zeera, hari mirch, aur geeli mitti ki mili-juli khushbu jo sirf us ghar mein thi. Sehan mein charpai bichi thi, us par Saqib baitha apne mobile mein magan tha, aur andar kitchen se Hareem ki awaz aa rahi thi. “Ammi, mehmaan aaye hain?” Hareem ne pucha. “Haider hai beta, mithai laya hai tumhari naukri ki khushi mein,” Rukhsana ne jawab diya, aur Haider ko sehan mein bithaya. Woh baitha to us ki nazar Rukhsana par thi jo ab kitchen ki taraf ja rahi thi, us ki chaal mein wohi waqar tha jo bewagi ke chhay saalon ne us mein paida kiya tha — ek aisi mazbooti jo tootnay ke baad jurti hai. Haider ne dabba mez par rakha aur Saqib se haath milaya. Sab kuch aam tha. Magar Haider ke andar toofan tha.
Rukhsana ki umar 41 saal thi, aur woh is mohallay ki woh aurat thi jise sab “parosi ammi” kehtay thay — pyar se, izzat se, aur thori si hamdardi se bhi. Chhay saal pehle us ke shohar ka inteqal hua tha, dil ka daura, achanak, baghair kisi alvida ke. Us din ke baad se Rukhsana ne apne aap ko apne do bachon ke liye waqf kar diya tha. Din mein silai ka kaam, shaam ko ghar, aur raat ko tanhai — yahi us ki zindagi thi. Us ke chehray par ab bhi woh kashish thi jo jawani mein hogi, magar aankhon mein ek gehri udaasi thi jo waqt ke saath gehri hoti gayi thi. Woh hasti thi, sab se milti thi, mohallay ki har khushi-ghami mein shareek hoti thi, magar jab raat ko darwaza band hota to woh akeli reh jaati — apne bistar par, apne khayalon ke saath, aur us khwahish ke saath jise us ne chhay saal se dafan kar rakha tha. Haider use dekhta to usay lagta ke yeh aurat ab bhi zinda hai, ab bhi mehsoos karti hai, aur duniya ne use zinda dafan kar diya hai — “bewa” ke lafz ke neechay.
Hareem ki umar 24 saal thi, aur woh ghar ki ronaq thi — tez, zaheen, aur apni ammi ki tarah mazboot. Bank ki naukri us ne apni mehnat se haasil ki thi, aur aaj us ke chehray par woh chamak thi jo kamyabi deti hai. Woh kitchen se bahar aayi, Haider ko dekh kar muskurayi, aur mithai ka dabba khol kar ek rasgulla uthaya. “Haider bhai, aap ko kaise pata chala? Ammi ne to kaha tha kal batayenge,” us ne kaha. Haider ne halki si hansi mein baat taal di — asal mein use Saqib ne dopahar ko message kiya tha, magar yeh baat batane ki zaroorat nahi thi. Hareem ki shaadi ki baat bhi chal rahi thi mohallay mein — ek rishta aaya tha, larka Dubai mein hota tha, magar Hareem ne inkar kar diya tha. “Ammi ko akela nahi chhor sakti,” us ne kaha tha, aur Rukhsana ki aankhon mein us din aansu aaye thay — khushi ke ya dukh ke, yeh koi nahi janta tha.
Saqib ki umar 26 saal thi, aur woh ghar ka beta tha — zimmedar, kam-go, aur apni ammi se behad mohabbat karne wala. Woh ek private company mein accountant tha, tankha mamooli thi magar guzara ho jata tha. Us ki mangni toot chuki thi do saal pehle — larki walon ne dahej ki maang ki thi jo Rukhsana poori nahi kar saki thi, aur Saqib ne khud rishta tor diya tha. Us din ke baad se woh aur chup ho gaya tha. Aaj woh charpai par baitha tha, mobile mein koi video dekh raha tha, magar us ki aankhen baar baar darwazay ki taraf uth rahi thin — jaise woh kisi ka intezar kar raha ho. Shayad woh bhi apni tanhai mein kisi umeed ka muntazir tha.
Chai aayi, mithai khuli, aur baatein shuru huin. Hareem apni naukri ke qissay suna rahi thi, Saqib beech beech mein koi jumla kehta, aur Rukhsana sab ko dekh kar muskura rahi thi. Magar Haider ki nazar baar baar Rukhsana par ja rahi thi — us ke haathon par jo chai ka cup pakray thay, un ungliyon par jo silai ki sui se chhalni thin, us ki gardan par jahan paseenay ki boond chamak rahi thi. Usay apne aap par ghussa aaya. Yeh kya soch raha hai woh? Yeh us ki parosi ammi hai. Mohallay ki izzat hai. Us se umar mein kaafi bari hai. Magar dil kab aqal ki sunta hai? Dil to bas dharakta hai, aur Haider ka dil us shaam itni zor se dharak raha tha ke use laga kahin sab sun na lein.
Us raat Haider ghar wapas aaya to us ki ammi ne pucha ke itni der kahan tha. “Rukhsana khala ke ghar gaya tha, Hareem ki naukri ki mithai dene,” us ne kaha, aur apne kamray mein chala gaya. “Khala” — us ne khud ko dhoka dene ke liye yeh lafz istemal kiya tha, magar us ke dil ne is lafz ko thukra diya. Bist par let kar woh chhat ko dekhta raha. Us ke zehen mein Rukhsana ka chehra tha — woh thakan, woh muskurahat, woh aankhen jo hansti thin magar andar se roti thin. Us ne socha ke woh pagal ho raha hai. Magar phir us ne socha ke shayad woh pehli baar hosh mein aaya hai.Aglay chand hafton mein Haider ka us ghar jana mamool ban gaya. Pehle to bahane thay — Saqib se koi kaam, Hareem se bank ke form ke baray mein puchna, Rukhsana se apni ammi ke liye koi totka puchna. Magar dheere dheere bahane khatm honay lagay aur jana phir bhi jari raha. Ab woh baghair kisi wajah ke chala jata, aur koi us se wajah nahi puchta tha. Mohallay mein yeh aam tha — larkay parosiyon ke ghar aatay jaatay thay, koi buri nazar se nahi dekhta tha. Magar Haider janta tha ke us ki nazar ab buri nahi to paak bhi nahi rahi thi.
Woh shaam ko jata, sehan mein charpai par baithta, aur Rukhsana se baatein karta. Shuru mein baatein aam hotin — mehengai, mohallay ki khabrein, Saqib ki naukri, Hareem ke khwab. Magar dheere dheere baatein gehri honay lagein. Rukhsana use apne shohar ke qissay sunati — kaise woh use hansatay thay, kaise woh dono chhat par baith kar chand dekhtay thay, kaise un ki maut ne sab kuch badal diya. Haider sunta, aur usay lagta ke woh us aurat ke dard ko apne seenay mein mehsoos kar raha hai. Ek shaam Rukhsana ne kaha, “Haider beta, tum bohot achay ho. Tumhari biwi bohot khushnaseeb hogi.” Yeh jumla us ne aise kaha jaise koi dua de raha ho, magar Haider ke dil par khanjar ki tarah laga. Us ne kaha, “Khala, shayad woh khushnaseeb koi aur ho.” Rukhsana ne us ki taraf dekha, us ki aankhon mein sawal tha, magar us ne kuch nahi kaha. Woh uth kar andar chali gayi, aur Haider wahan baitha reh gaya — apne lafzon par pachhtata hua, magar andar se khush bhi.
Haider ne ghar ke chhotay chhotay kaam karne shuru kar diye. Nalka kharab tha, us ne theek kiya. Chhat ka pankha awaz karta tha, us ne us ke bearing badlay. Bijli ka meter kharab tha, us ne electrician bulaya aur khud khara raha. Rukhsana kehti, “Beta, tum kyun takleef karte ho, mistri bula leti,” aur Haider kehta, “Khala, is mein takleef kaisi? Apna ghar samajh kar karta hun.” “Apna ghar” — yeh lafz kehte huay us ki awaz mein jo narmi thi, woh Rukhsana ne mehsoos ki, magar us ne use nazarandaz karne ki koshish ki. Woh duniya dekh chuki thi, aur woh janti thi ke mardon ki nazron mein kya hota hai. Magar Haider ki nazar mein use woh nahi milta tha jo dusray mardon ki nazron mein milta tha — hawas nahi, balke kuch aur tha, kuch gehra, kuch aisa jo use dara raha tha.
Ek din dopahar ko Haider wahan gaya to Rukhsana akeli thi — Saqib daftar mein tha, Hareem bank gayi thi. Woh sehan mein kapray teh kar rahi thi. Haider ne darwazay par dastak di, aur Rukhsana ne use dekh kar halki si hairani se kaha, “Aao beta, betho. Chai banati hun.” Haider baitha, aur us ki nazar Rukhsana par thi — us ne halka gulabi suit pehna tha, dupatta kandhay par tha, aur kaam karte huay us ke baazu upar uth-tay to us ki kalai nazar aati, gori aur nazuk. Haider ne apni nazar jhuka li, magar dil ne phir baghawat ki. Chai peetay huay us ne kaha, “Khala, aap ne kabhi apne baray mein nahi socha? Matlab, apni zindagi ke baray mein?” Rukhsana ne chai ka cup neechay rakha, us ki taraf dekha, aur dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Beta, meri zindagi ab mere bachon mein hai. Mere liye sochne ka waqt guzar gaya.” “Waqt kabhi nahi guzarta, khala,” Haider ne kaha, us ki awaz mein jo jazba tha woh chhup nahi saka. “Waqt to bas ruk jata hai, jab hum use jeena chhor detay hain.” Rukhsana ne usay ghoor kar dekha — pehli baar us ki aankhon mein Haider ne woh dekha jo woh dekhna chahta tha aur jis se woh darta bhi tha: pehchan. Woh pehchan gayi thi. Aur woh dar gayi thi.
Us din ke baad Rukhsana ne Haider se thora fasla rakhna shuru kar diya. Jab woh aata to woh zyada der sehan mein nahi baithti, koi na koi kaam nikal leti. Haider ne mehsoos kiya, aur us ka dil toota. Magar us ne haar nahi mani. Woh janta tha ke Rukhsana ke dil mein jo deewar hai, woh ek din mein nahi giri thi — chhay saal ki tanhai, samaj ka dar, bachon ki fikar, aur apne marhoom shohar se wafa ka ehsaas — yeh sab us deewar ki eentein thin. Haider ne faisla kiya ke woh eent eent kar ke yeh deewar giraye ga, pyar se, sabar se, aur izzat se. Us ne Rukhsana ko tang nahi kiya, us par dabao nahi dala. Woh bas wahan raha — maujood, madadgar, aur khamosh mohabbat ke saath. Woh janta tha ke asli pyar mein jaldbazi nahi hoti. Asli pyar intezar karta hai.
Hareem ne ek din Haider ko sehan mein pakar liya. “Haider bhai, ek baat puchun? Bura to nahi manein ge?” Haider ne kaha, “Pucho.” Hareem ne halki awaz mein kaha, “Aap ammi se pyar karte hain na?” Haider ke chehray ka rang ur gaya. Us ne kuch kehnay ki koshish ki, magar lafz nahi niklay. Hareem ne muskurakar kaha, “Daro mat. Main ne ammi ki aankhon mein bhi dekha hai. Woh bhi… magar woh darti hain. Aap ko pata hai na, hamara samaj kaisa hai? Bewa aurat agar dobara jeenay ki koshish kare to log use jeenay nahi detay.” Haider ne Hareem ka haath pakra aur kaha, “Hareem, main tumhari ammi ki izzat karta hun. Main unhein koi takleef nahi dena chahta. Magar main unhein tanha bhi nahi dekh sakta.” Hareem ki aankhon mein aansu aaye. “To phir un ki tanhai door karo, Haider bhai. Main aap ke saath hun. Ammi ne apni poori jawani hamaray liye qurban kar di. Ab un ki bari hai jeenay ki.” Us din Haider ko pehli baar laga ke us ki mohabbat akeli nahi hai.Magar Rukhsana ka dil itni aasani se manne wala nahi tha. Raat ko jab sab so jaatay to woh apne kamray mein akeli baithti aur apne aap se larti. Us ke zehen mein us ka shohar tha — Rashid, jo use “meri chandni” kehta tha. Woh yaad karti kaise woh raat ko der se ghar aatay to us ke liye jalebiyan laatay, kaise woh us ke baalon mein haath phertay aur kehtay, “Rukhsana, tum meri zindagi ho.” Aur phir woh din yaad aata jab woh subah uthay to Rashid bistar par nahi hil rahay thay. Doctor ne kaha dil ka daura tha, foran maut hui, takleef nahi hui. Magar Rukhsana janti thi ke takleef to hui thi — use hui thi, aur ab tak ho rahi thi. Us ne apne shohar ki yaad ko apne seenay mein dafan kar diya tha, aur us qabar par wafa ka pathar rakh diya tha. Ab Haider aaya tha aur us pathar ko hilana chahta tha. Rukhsana darti thi ke agar yeh pathar hila to us ke neechay se jo dard niklay ga, woh use beh jaye ga.
Woh sochti ke log kya kahen ge. Mohallay ki auratein jo ab us ki izzat kartin thin, kal ko us par ungliyan uthayengi. “Dekho, bewa ne jawani mein phir shauq chharhaya,” koi kahega. “Bachon ki parwah nahi, apni aag bujhani hai,” koi aur kahega. Aur Saqib? Us ka beta jo ab tak apni tootay rishtay ke gham mein hai — woh kya sochega ke us ki ammi ne us se umar mein chhotay larkay se dil laga liya? Aur samaj? Aur us ka apna zameer? Woh Haider se umar mein kaafi bari thi. Yeh farq duniya ko khulta tha, chahe dil ko na khulta ho. Raat bhar woh karwatein badalti, kabhi uthti, wuzu karti, tahajjud parhti, aur Allah se dua mangti ke us ke dil se yeh waswasa nikal jaye. Magar dua ke baad jab woh bistar par let-ti to usay Haider ka chehra nazar aata — us ki aankhen, us ki muskurahat, us ka woh jumla: “Waqt to bas ruk jata hai, jab hum use jeena chhor detay hain.” Aur us ka dil kehta ke shayad Haider theek kehta hai. Shayad us ne jeena chhor diya hai. Shayad woh zinda laash hai jo bas bachon ke liye saans le rahi hai.
Ek raat us ne khwab dekha — woh dulhan bani hai, laal jora pehna hai, aur us ka haath kisi ne pakra hai. Us ne chehra dekhnay ki koshish ki to woh Rashid thay, magar jab us ne dobara dekha to woh Haider thay. Woh cheekh kar uth gayi, paseenay mein sharabor. Hareem daur kar aayi, “Ammi, kya hua? Tabiyat to theek hai?” Rukhsana ne use galay lagaya aur kaha, “Kuch nahi beta, bura khwab tha.” Magar us ke dil mein toofan tha. Us ne faisla kiya ke woh Haider se door rahegi, us se kam milegi, us ki baaton ka jawab mukhtasir degi. Shayad waqt ke saath yeh ehsaas mar jaye. Shayad Haider kisi aur larki se shaadi kar le aur sab theek ho jaye. Magar dil ke faislay aur dil ki khwahish mein zameen aasman ka farq hota hai.
Dusri taraf Haider bhi apni jang lar raha tha. Us ke abba ne ek din use bithaya aur kaha, “Beta, tumhari umar ho gayi hai. Rishtay aa rahay hain. Ek larki hai, parhi likhi, khandan bhi acha hai. Dekh lo.” Haider ne inkar kar diya. Abba ne wajah puchi to us ne kaha, “Abba, abhi dil nahi hai.” Ammi ne kaha, “Dil kab hoga? Burhapay mein?” Haider chup raha. Woh apne ghar walon ko kaise batata ke us ka dil kahan atka hai? Kaise kehta ke woh us aurat se mohabbat karta hai jise poora mohalla “parosi ammi” kehta hai? Woh janta tha ke us ke ghar walay kabhi nahi manein ge. Magar woh yeh bhi janta tha ke mohabbat ghar walon se puch kar nahi hoti. Mohabbat to bas ho jaati hai — be-irada, be-ikhtiyar, aur be-dar.
Saqib ki zindagi mein bhi ek mor aaya. Us ki company mein ek larki kaam karti thi — Mahnoor, 25 saal ki, khushmizaj aur zaheen. Woh Saqib ko pasand karti thi, aur Saqib bhi dheere dheere us ki taraf khincha ja raha tha. Magar Saqib darta tha — pehla rishta tootnay ka zakham ab bhi taza tha. Us ne apni ammi ko bataya to Rukhsana khush hui. “Beta, agar larki achi hai to main un ke ghar jaungi baat karne,” us ne kaha. Saqib ne kaha, “Ammi, pehle thora waqt do. Main khud baat karunga.” Rukhsana ne us ke sar par haath phera aur dua di. Us lamhay use laga ke shayad us ke bachon ki zindagi sanwar rahi hai — shayad ab us ki bari hai apne baray mein sochnay ki. Magar phir us ne is khayal ko jhatak diya. “Nahi,” us ne apne aap se kaha. “Meri bari kabhi nahi aayegi. Aur aani bhi nahi chahiye.”
Hareem ki naukri mein taraqqi hui — use ek ahem project mila. Woh khush thi, magar us ki khushi mein ek kami thi. Ek shaam us ne apni ammi se kaha, “Ammi, aap ne kabhi socha ke agar abba zinda hotay to kya hota?” Rukhsana ne kaha, “Kya hota beta?” Hareem ne kaha, “Woh aap ko tanha nahi dekh saktay thay. Woh kehtay thay na ke aap un ki chandni hain. Chandni ko andheray mein kaun rehne deta hai?” Rukhsana ki aankhon mein aansu aaye. “Tum yeh sab kyun keh rahi ho, Hareem?” Hareem ne apni ammi ka haath pakra aur kaha, “Kyunki main aap ko khush dekhna chahti hun, ammi. Bas khush. Jaise aap hamein khush dekhna chahti hain.” Rukhsana ne kuch nahi kaha, magar us raat woh der tak jaagti rahi — apni beti ke lafzon ko dohrati hui, aur apne dil ki deewar mein parne wali pehli darar ko mehsoos karti hui.Barish ka mausam aaya to Hyderabad ki galiyan geeli honay lagein. Ek aisi hi barsati shaam ko Haider Rukhsana ke ghar gaya. Bijli gayi hui thi, ghar mein mom battiyan jal rahi thin. Saqib kisi kaam se bahar tha, Hareem apni dost ke ghar gayi thi. Rukhsana akeli thi, sehan mein baithi barish dekh rahi thi. Haider aaya to woh chaunk gayi. “Beta, tum is barish mein? Bheeg jao ge,” us ne kaha. Haider ne hanstay huay kaha, “Khala, barish mein bheegna bhi koi buri baat nahi. Kabhi kabhi bheegna zaroori hota hai.” Woh us ke paas baith gaya — thora faslay par, magar itna qareeb ke Rukhsana us ki garmi mehsoos kar sakti thi.
Dono der tak khamosh baithay barish dekhtay rahay. Mom batti ki roshni mein Rukhsana ka chehra chamak raha tha, aur barish ki boondein us ke baalon mein motiyon ki tarah lag rahi thin. Haider ne dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Khala, aap ko pata hai? Jab main Karachi mein tha to wahan bhi barish hoti thi. Magar wahan ki barish mein woh khushbu nahi thi jo yahan hai.” Rukhsana ne pucha, “Kaun si khushbu?” Haider ne us ki aankhon mein dekha aur kaha, “Ghar ki khushbu. Apnaypan ki khushbu. Aap ki khushbu.” Rukhsana ki saans ruk gayi. Us ne nazar jhuka li. Haider ne aagay barh kar us ka haath pakar liya — pehli baar, itne qareeb se, itni himmat se. Rukhsana ne haath chhuranay ki koshish ki, magar Haider ne nahi chhora. “Rukhsana,” us ne kaha — pehli baar us ne use “khala” nahi kaha tha, us ka naam liya tha, aur us naam mein itni mohabbat thi ke Rukhsana ka dil hil gaya. “Main aap se mohabbat karta hun. Bachon jaisi nahi, mardon jaisi. Aur main janta hun ke yeh aasan nahi hai. Magar main aap ko tanha nahi dekh sakta. Aap ne chhay saal tanhai mein guzaray, ab bas. Ab aap ki bari hai.”
Rukhsana ne apna haath chhura liya aur uth khari hui. Us ki aankhon mein aansu thay aur chehray par ghussa. “Haider, tum pagal ho gaye ho? Tum jantay ho tum kya keh rahay ho? Main tum se 14 saal bari hun! Main bewa hun! Mere do jawan bachay hain! Log kya kahen ge? Tumhare ghar walay kya kahen ge? Aur mere marhoom shohar ki rooh ko kya jawab dungi?” Woh ro rahi thi, us ka jism kaanp raha tha. Haider bhi uth khara hua. Us ne kaha, “Logon ki parwah mujhe nahi. Mere ghar walon ko main mana lunga. Aur aap ke shohar ki rooh… Rukhsana, woh aap se pyar kartay thay. Kya woh chahtay ke aap zindagi bhar tanhai mein saro? Kya pyar yahi hai ke jeetay ji mar jao?” Rukhsana ne usay dekha, us ki aankhon mein dard tha, uljhan thi, aur kuch aur bhi tha — wohi jazba jo woh chhupati thi. Magar us ne kaha, “Chalay jao, Haider. Aur phir kabhi aisi baat mat karna. Main tumhari khala hun, aur tum mere bachon jaisay ho. Bas.” Haider wahan kuch der khara raha, phir palat kar barish mein bheegta hua chala gaya. Rukhsana darwazay par khari use jaatay dekhti rahi, aur jab woh nazron se ojhal hua to woh wahin baith kar ro pari — is qadar roi ke usay khud nahi pata chala kab barish ruk gayi aur kab chand nikal aaya.
Aglay kuch din Haider nahi aaya. Rukhsana ne mehsoos kiya ke ghar mein ek khalipan hai — woh khalipan jo Haider ke aanay se bharta tha aur us ke na aanay se aur gehra ho gaya tha. Woh apne aap ko kosti ke us ne use itni sakhti se kyun jharka. Magar phir sochti ke us ne theek kiya — yahi behtar tha, dono ke liye. Magar dil ko kaun samjhaye? Dil to roz shaam ko darwazay ki taraf dekhta ke shayad woh aaye. Aur jab woh nahi aata to dil doob jata.
Chauthay din subah Rukhsana kitchen mein nashta bana rahi thi ke achanak usay chakkar aaya. Us ne deewar pakarni chahi, magar haath phisal gaya aur woh farsh par gir gayi. Bartan bikhar gaye, aur us ke girnay ki awaz sun kar Hareem daurti hui aayi. “Ammi! Ammi, aankhen kholo!” Hareem cheekhi. Saqib bhi aaya, us ne foran apne dost ko phone kiya jis ke paas gari thi. Mohallay mein khabar phail gayi. Kisi ne Haider ke ghar ittila di. Haider daurta hua aaya — us ke chehray par woh ghabrahat thi jo sirf sachay pyar mein hoti hai. Rukhsana ko gari mein dala gaya, Hareem aur Saqib saath baithay, aur Haider apni motorcycle par peechay peechay Civil Hospital ki taraf rawana hua. Us ke haath kaanp rahay thay, aur us ke honton par bas ek dua thi.
Hospital mein afratafri thi. Rukhsana ko stretcher par dal kar andar le jaya gaya. Doctor ne muaina kiya aur kaha ke blood pressure bohot low hai, kamzori hai, foran drip lagani hogi. Nurse ne Rukhsana ki kalai par ek kagazi patti bandhi — patient ID bracelet — aur us par naam likha. Afra tafri mein, do mareezon ke bracelet aapas mein badal gaye. Rukhsana ke sath walay bed par ek aur aurat thi — us ka naam bhi Rukhsana tha, magar us ke bracelet par likha tha “Rukhsana w/o Aslam”. Aur hamari Rukhsana ki kalai par bandh gaya wohi bracelet — “Rukhsana w/o Aslam”. Kisi ne ghor nahi kiya. Kisi ko khayal nahi aaya ke ek chhoti si ghalti kisi ki zindagi badal sakti hai.Haider jab ward mein dakhil hua to Rukhsana ko drip lagi thi, woh behosh thi. Us ne us ka haath pakra — thanda, bejaan sa haath. Us ki aankhon mein aansu thay. Tabhi us ki nazar us ki kalai par bandhi patti par pari. Us ne parha: “Rukhsana w/o Aslam”. Haider ka dil ruk gaya. “W/o Aslam”? Matlab “wife of Aslam”? Rukhsana shaadi shuda hai? Us ka shohar zinda hai? Aslam kaun hai? Us ke zehen mein sawalon ka toofan uth gaya. Kya Rukhsana ne use dhoka diya? Kya woh pehle se kisi aur ki biwi hai? Kya us ki bewagi ka qissa jhoot tha? Us ne nurse se pucha, “Yeh bracelet… is par jo naam hai, yeh theek hai?” Nurse ne jaldi mein kaha, “Ji, patient ka naam aur shohar ka naam likha hai. Sab theek hai.” Haider ka chehra safed par gaya. Us ne Rukhsana ka haath chhor diya aur peechay hat gaya — jaise us haath mein aag ho.
Woh ward se bahar nikla, corridor mein deewar se lag kar khara ho gaya. Us ki aankhon ke saamnay andhera chha raha tha. Itne mahinon ki mohabbat, itna intezar, itni duaein — sab jhoot par bani thin? Us ne socha ke shayad Rukhsana ne use kabhi sanjeeda liya hi nahi tha. Shayad woh bas us ki hamdardi ka faida utha rahi thi. Shayad… us ke zehen mein hazaar khayal aaye, aur har khayal pehlay se zyada zehreela tha. Us ne faisla kiya ke woh wahan nahi rukay ga. Woh ghar chala gaya — baghair kisi ko kuch bataye, baghair Rukhsana ko hosh mein aatay dekhe. Us raat us ne apne kamray ka darwaza band kiya aur der tak rota raha — us mard ka rona jo apni mohabbat ko dafan kar raha ho.
Rukhsana ko do din baad hosh aaya. Doctor ne kaha ke kamzori aur khoon ki kami hai, dawai aur achi ghiza se theek ho jayegi. Hareem aur Saqib ne us ka bohot khayal rakha. Magar Rukhsana ki aankhen baar baar darwazay ki taraf uthtin — woh Haider ka intezar kar rahi thi. “Woh nahi aaya?” us ne Hareem se pucha. Hareem ne kaha, “Aaya tha ammi, us din jab aap behosh thin. Phir pata nahi kyun chala gaya. Us ke baad se woh ghar se bhi nahi nikla. Us ki ammi kehti hain ke woh kamray mein band hai.” Rukhsana ka dil doob gaya. Us ne socha ke shayad Haider ne us ki sakhti ko dil par le liya hai. Shayad woh ab kabhi nahi aayega. Aur is khayal ne use itna dukh diya ke usay apni bemari se zyada takleef hui.
Teesray din jab Rukhsana ko chhutti mili to ghar wapsi par mohallay ki auratein ayadat ko aayin. Un mein se ek ne kaha, “Rukhsana baji, hospital mein aap ke sath walay bed par jo aurat thi, us ka kya hua? Suna hai us ke shohar ne use chhor diya hai?” Rukhsana ne kaha, “Kaun si aurat?” Aurat ne bataya ke us ka naam bhi Rukhsana tha, us ka shohar Aslam use talaq de kar chala gaya tha, aur woh akeli hospital mein pari thi — koi puchnay wala nahi tha. Rukhsana ko yaad aaya ke hosh aanay par us ne sath walay bed par ek aurat dekhi thi jo chup chaap ro rahi thi. Us ne Hareem se kaha tha ke us aurat ke liye khana bhijwaye. Ab use poori baat samajh aayi — aur us ke saath hi ek aur baat bhi samajh aayi. Us ne apni kalai dekhi — bracelet ab bhi bandha tha. Us ne parha: “Rukhsana w/o Aslam”. Us ka chehra safed par gaya. “Ya Allah,” us ne kaha. “Yeh to us aurat ka bracelet hai. Hamaray bracelet badal gaye thay.”
Us lamhay Rukhsana ke zehen mein bijli kaundi — Haider! Us ne ward mein yeh bracelet dekha hoga. Us ne samjha hoga ke… Oh, us becharay ne kya socha hoga! Rukhsana foran uth khari hui, kamzori ke bawajood us ne dupatta sambhala aur Hareem se kaha, “Mujhe Haider ke ghar jana hai. Abhi.” Hareem ne kaha, “Ammi, aap ki tabiyat theek nahi, aaram karo.” Magar Rukhsana ne kaha, “Nahi beta, yeh zaroori hai. Ek ghalatfehmi hui hai, aur use door karna hai.”Dusri taraf Haider apne kamray mein band tha — na khana, na peena, bas deewaron ko ghoorna. Us ki ammi pareshan thin, abba ghussay mein thay. “Yeh larka pagal ho gaya hai,” abba kehtay. Magar Haider kisi ki nahi sunta tha. Us ke zehen mein bas ek tasveer thi — Rukhsana ki kalai par bandha bracelet, “Rukhsana w/o Aslam”. Us ne apne aap se hazaar baar kaha ke bhool ja, magar dil nahi bhoolta tha. Mohabbat mein dhoka khana maut se bura hota hai.
Darwazay par dastak hui. Haider ki ammi ne darwaza khola to saamnay Rukhsana khari thi — kamzor, peeli, magar aankhon mein ek ajeeb roshni. “Baji, aap? Is halat mein? Andar aao,” Haider ki ammi ne kaha. Rukhsana andar aayi aur seedha Haider ke kamray ki taraf gayi. Us ne darwaza khatkhataya. “Haider beta, darwaza kholo. Main hun, Rukhsana.” Andar khamoshi rahi. Phir darwaza khula. Haider khara tha — daadhi barhi hui, aankhen laal, chehra utra hua. Us ne Rukhsana ko dekha aur us ki aankhon mein dard aur ghussa dono thay. “Aap kyun aayi hain?” us ne sard lehjay mein kaha.
Rukhsana ne apni kalai aagay barhai — bracelet ab bhi bandha tha. “Yeh dekho,” us ne kaha. “Parho is par kya likha hai.” Haider ne parha, us ka chehra aur sakht hua. “To? Ab aap apne shohar ka naam chhupa rahi hain?” Rukhsana ne us ka haath pakra aur kaha, “Haider, meri baat suno. Yeh bracelet mera nahi hai. Hospital mein do mareezon ke naam ek thay — mera aur sath walay bed wali aurat ka. Nurse ne ghalti se bracelet badal diye. Woh aurat Aslam ki biwi thi, main nahi. Mera shohar Rashid tha, jo chhay saal pehle Allah ko pyara ho gaya. Tum jantay ho yeh. Poora mohalla janta hai.” Haider ne use dekha — us ki aankhon mein sach tha, dard tha, aur iltija thi. “Tumhein yaqeen nahi to Hareem se pucho, Saqib se pucho, hospital ja kar pucho. Magar khuda ke liye mujh par shak mat karo, Haider. Main ne tumhein kabhi dhoka nahi diya.”
Haider ka dil zor se dharaknay laga. Us ne Rukhsana ka haath pakra, bracelet ko ghor se dekha, aur phir us ki aankhon mein dekha. Aur us lamhay use ehsaas hua ke us ne kitni bari ghalti ki thi — us ne sawal kiye baghair faisla suna diya tha, us ne bharosa kiye baghair shak kiya tha. Us ki aankhon mein aansu aaye. “Mujhe maaf kar do,” us ne kaha, us ki awaz toot rahi thi. “Main pagal ho gaya tha. Main ne socha…” Rukhsana ne us ke honton par ungli rakh di. “Kuch mat kaho. Bas yeh jano ke main tumhari hun — aur hamesha se tumhari thi. Bas kehnay ki himmat nahi thi.”
Us shaam Haider Rukhsana ke ghar gaya — is baar baghair kisi bahane ke, baghair mithai ke dabbay ke. Bas apne dil ke saath. Rukhsana sehan mein baithi thi, ab bhi kamzor magar chehray par sukoon tha. Saqib aur Hareem andar thay — Hareem ne jan boojh kar unhein akela chhor diya tha. Haider Rukhsana ke saamnay baitha, us ke dono haath apne haathon mein liye, aur kaha, “Rukhsana, main ne tum se ek baar kaha tha ke main tum se mohabbat karta hun. Tum ne mujhe jhirk diya tha. Phir main ne tum par shak kiya — us ke liye main zindagi bhar sharminda rahunga. Magar aaj main phir keh raha hun, aur aakhri baar keh raha hun: main tum se mohabbat karta hun. Tumhari umar se nahi, tumhari bewagi se nahi, tum se — tumhari rooh se, tumhare dil se, tumhari us muskurahat se jo tum duniya se chhupati ho. Main tumhein apni biwi banana chahta hun. Izzat ke saath, sab ke saamnay. Batao, kya tum mujhe qabool karti ho?”
Rukhsana ne usay dekha — der tak dekha. Us ki aankhon mein aansu thay, magar is baar woh dukh ke nahi thay. Us ne kaha, “Haider, tum jantay ho main ne kitni raatein ro ro kar guzari hain? Tum jantay ho main ne apne dil ko kitni baar samjhaya hai ke yeh ghalat hai? Main darti thi — logon se, samaj se, apne bachon se, apne zameer se. Magar jab tum mujh se door huay, jab tum ne mujh par shak kiya, to mujhe ehsaas hua ke mera dil ab mera nahi raha. Woh tumhara ho gaya hai. Aur jab Hareem ne mujh se kaha ke ammi, ab aap ki bari hai jeenay ki, to main ne socha ke shayad Allah ne mujhe doosra mauqa diya hai. Shayad Rashid bhi yahi chahtay — ke main tanha na rahun.”
Us ne Haider ke haathon ko zor se pakra aur kaha, “Haan, Haider. Main tumhein qabool karti hun. Apne dil se, apni marzi se, baghair kisi dabao ke. Magar ek shart par — tum mere bachon ko apnao ge, un ki izzat karo ge, aur kabhi unhein yeh mehsoos nahi honay do ge ke un ki ammi ne unhein chhor diya. Woh meri zindagi hain.” Haider ne us ke haathon ko chooma aur kaha, “Woh meri bhi zindagi hon ge. Main wada karta hun.” Us raat chandni sehan mein utar aayi thi, aur do dilon ne ek doosray ko pa liya tha — chhay saal ki tanhai ke baad, ghalatfehmi ke toofan ke baad, aur sab rukawaton ke bawajood.Aglay din Haider ne apne ghar walon ko bataya. Jaise us ne socha tha, toofan aaya. Abba ne kaha, “Tum pagal ho gaye ho? Us aurat se jo tum se itni bari hai? Jo bewa hai? Jis ke do jawan bachay hain? Log hamaray munh par thookein ge!” Ammi ro pari. “Main ne tumhare liye kitnay khwab dekhay thay, beta. Yeh kya kar diya tum ne?” Haider ne sab ki baatein suni, phir pur-sukoon lehjay mein kaha, “Abba, ammi, main ne faisla kar liya hai. Rukhsana achi aurat hai — naik, shareef, aur mohabbat karne wali. Us ne apni zindagi qurban kar di apne bachon ke liye. Kya usay dobara jeenay ka haq nahi? Aur rahi baat umar ki — to dil umar nahi dekhta. Main aap dono ki izzat karta hun, aur aap ki dua chahta hun. Magar yeh faisla mera hai, aur yeh atal hai.”
Nikah sadgi se hua — masjid mein, chand qareebi rishtedaron aur mohallay ke chand mukhlis logon ki maujoodgi mein. Rukhsana ne halka gulabi jora pehna tha — dulhan ka jora nahi, magar us ke chehray par dulhanon wali chamak thi. Haider ne sherwani pehni thi, aur us ki aankhon mein aansu thay — khushi ke. Jab qazi ne pucha, “Kya aap ko yeh nikah qabool hai?” to Rukhsana ne kaha, “Qabool hai” — aur us ki awaz mein woh mazbooti thi jo sirf woh aurat pa sakti hai jo toofan se guzar kar sahil par pohnchi ho.
Aur isi tarah, Hyderabad ke us chhotay se mohallay mein, ek bewa aurat ki tanhai khatm hui — aur umeed ko us ka ghar mil gaya. Umeed ki tanhai ab sirf ek kahani hai — ek aisi kahani jo kehti hai ke jab dil sachay hon to umeed kabhi tanhai nahi rehti.