Barsaat Ka Chand: A Roman Urdu Slow-Burn Love Story

Bijli achanak gayi thi, aur us ke saath poora mohalla ek dum andheray mein doob gaya tha. Rawalpindi ki August wali garmi apne urooj par thi — din bhar sooraj ne aasman se aag barsaayi thi, aur ab raat ke das baj rahe thay lekin hawa mein ab bhi din ki tapish ghuli hui thi. Ayesha chhat par khari thi, us ke chehre par paseena chamak raha tha, aur us ki nazrain andheray mein doobay shehar ki taraf thin. Neeche gali mein kisi ne generator start kiya tha, us ki ghurr ghurr ki awaz raat ke sannatay ko cheer rahi thi, aur door kahin ek kutta musalsal bhoonk raha tha. Magar in sab awazon ke oopar ek aur awaz thi jo Ayesha ke kaanon mein goonj rahi thi — us ke apne dil ki dharkan, jo aaj kuch zyada hi tez thi, jaise usay pehle se kuch mehsoos ho raha ho.

Woh aksar load-shedding ki raaton mein chhat par aa jaya karti thi. Neeche kamron mein ghutan hoti thi, pankhay ruk jate thay, aur andhera aankhon ko chubhta tha. Chhat par kam az kam hawa ka ek jhonka to milta tha, chahe woh bhi garm hi kyun na ho. Aaj bhi woh isi liye oopar aayi thi, lekin aaj ki raat kuch mukhtalif thi. Aaj aasman par baadal chhaye thay — kaale, ghanay, barsaat wale baadal — aur un baadlon ke peechay kahin chand chhupa hua tha, jis ki roshni kabhi kabhi baadlon ke kinaray sonahri kar deti thi. Hawa mein mitti ki khushbu thi, woh khushbu jo barish se pehle aati hai, aur Ayesha ko lag raha tha ke aaj raat barish zaroor hogi.

Us ne gehre saans liya aur chhat ki mundair ke paas ja kar khari ho gayi. Us ke dayen taraf Sharma Aunty ki chhat thi, jahan un ke bachay mombatti ki roshni mein khel rahe thay — chhota bacha apni behan ke peechay daud raha tha, dono hans rahe thay. Bayen taraf puranay Chaudhry Sahab ki chhat thi, sunsaan, sirf ek tooti hui charpai pari thi. Neeche gali mein kisi ke ghar se pakoron ki khushbu aa rahi thi — barish se pehle pakoray talne ki rawaj thi mohallay mein. Ayesha ko bachpan yaad aaya — jab barish hoti thi to Ammi pakoray talti thin, aur woh aur Ali aur Shahid chhat par baith kar khate thay, barish mein bheegte hue, Ammi ki daant khate hue. Kitne saada din thay woh. Kitne khoobsurat. Neeche mohalla andheray mein tha, lekin har ghar ki chhat par mombattiyon ki roshniyan jhilmila rahi thin, jaise zameen par taaray bikhray hon. Door Saddar ki taraf se halki halki roshniyan nazar aa rahi thin — wahan shayad bijli thi, ya generators chal rahe thay. Ayesha ne apne dupatte ka pallu sir par theek kiya aur sochnay lagi. Woh 23 saal ki thi, aur is umar mein mohallay ki larkiyan aksar apne ghar basa chuki hoti thin. Us ke liye bhi do rishte aaye thay — ek us ke chacha ke dost ka beta tha, aur doosra mohallay ke hi ek dukandaar ka — lekin us ne dono ko inkar kar diya tha. Ammi ne poocha tha kyun, to us ne kaha tha ke abhi us ka dil nahi chahta, abhi ghar ki zimmedariyan hain. Lekin asal wajah woh khud bhi poori tarah nahi samajhti thi. Bas itna tha ke jab bhi koi rishta aata, us ke seenay mein ek ajeeb si ghabrahat hoti, jaise koi usay us ki duniya se kheench kar le jana chahta ho, aur woh jana nahi chahti thi.

Neeche se Ammi ki awaz aayi. “Ayesha! Mombatti le aa, andhera hai, Ali ko chot lag jayegi!”

Ayesha ne jawab diya, “Aa rahi hoon Ammi!” aur seedhiyon ki taraf barh gayi. Andheray mein seedhiyan utarna mushkil tha, us ne deewar ka sahara liya. Neeche store room ka darwaza khula tha, aur andar se Ali ki awaz aa rahi thi jo apne mobile ki torch jala kar kuch dhoond raha tha. “Mombatti kahan hain? Ammi, dabba nahi mil raha!”

“Doosri almaari mein dekho, neelay dibbay mein,” Ammi ne kitchen se chillaya.

Ayesha store room mein dakhil hui. Kamra chhota tha aur puranay samaan se bhara hua tha — tootay hue bartan, purani kitabein, Abba ke zamanay ke akhbaar, aur ek purani lohay ki almari jis ka darwaza adha khula tha. Ali, jo 25 saal ka tha, mobile ki roshni mein neelay dibbay ko ghoor raha tha. “Mil gayi!” us ne khushi se kaha aur do mombattiyan nikaal lin. “Aapi, tum bhi lo, chhat par roshni kar lena.”

Ayesha ne ek mombatti li aur usay jala kar haathon mein pakar liya. Mombatti ki roshni mein store room ki deewarain naachne lagin, aur us ki nazar almari mein tangi hui ek purani jacket par pari. Woh jacket Shahid ki thi — gehre neelay rang ki, jis ke kandhay thore ghis gaye thay. Shahid, us ka bara bhai, jo 29 saal ka tha, aksar sardiyon mein woh jacket pehenta tha. Ayesha ko hairat hui ke woh jacket ab bhi almari mein latak rahi thi; us ne socha tha ke Shahid ne use phenk diya hoga.

Pata nahi kyun, us ka haath beikhtiyar jacket ki taraf barh gaya. Us ne jacket ko chhua — kapra thanda tha, aur us mein ek purani khushbu basi hui thi, mitti aur barish aur kuch aur, kuch jo usay bachpan ki yaad dilata tha. Us ne jacket ki jeb mein haath dala, bas yun hi, bila wajah. Aur us ki ungliyan kisi kagaz se takrayin.

Us ne kagaz bahar nikala. Mombatti ki roshni mein us ne dekha — ek bus ka ticket tha. Purana, thora murjhaya hua, lekin alfaaz ab bhi parhay ja sakte thay: “Rawalpindi to Murree.” Aur tareekh — teen saal purani. Ayesha ki bhavein simat gayin. Teen saal pehle? Teen saal pehle to Abba ka inteqal hua tha. Usay yaad tha woh raat — Abba ko dil ka dora para tha, ambulance nahi mili thi waqt par, aur jab tak hospital pohanchay, sab khatam ho chuka tha. Woh raat us ki zindagi ki sab se kaali raat thi. Aur is ticket par wohi mahina, wohi hafte likhay thay.

“Shahid Murree gaya tha?” us ne dheemi awaz mein khud se kaha. “Us raat?”

Ali ne mur kar dekha. “Kya keh rahi ho Aapi?”

Ayesha ne jaldi se ticket apni mutthi mein chhupa liya. “Kuch nahi. Chalo, mombatti le kar chalte hain.”

Lekin us ka dil zor zor se dharak raha tha. Teen saal purana ticket, Shahid ki jacket ki jeb mein. Shahid ne kabhi Murree janay ka zikr nahi kiya tha. Aur us raat — Abba ki maut wali raat — Shahid ghar par tha, ya nahi? Ayesha ko yaad karne ki koshish ki. Woh raat dhundli thi us ki yaadon mein — cheekhain, rona, Ammi ka behosh ho jana, mohallay walon ka jama ho jana. Shahid… Shahid kahan tha jab Abba ko dora para? Woh der se aaya tha, ya pehle se ghar par tha? Usay yaad nahi aa raha tha. Yaad sirf itni thi ke Shahid ne Abba ke janazay ko kandha diya tha, aur us ke chehre par ek aisi khamoshi thi jo us ne pehle kabhi nahi dekhi thi.

Us ne ticket ko apne dupatte ke pallu mein lapait liya aur chhat par wapas aa gayi. Seedhiyan charhte hue us ne socha — kya woh yeh ticket wapas rakh de? Bhool jaye? Lekin us ka dil kehta tha ke bhooli hui cheezain aksar wapas aati hain — aur zyada zor se. Us ne faisla kiya ke woh isay sambhal kar rakhegi, aur sahi waqt par poochegi. Har raaz ka ek waqt hota hai, aur is raaz ka waqt abhi nahi aaya tha. Lekin aayega — zaroor aayega. Mombatti ko mundair par rakha aur ticket ko dobara dekha. “Rawalpindi to Murree.” Aik taraf ka ticket tha, wapsi ka nahi. Aur tareekh Abba ki maut se do din pehle ki thi. To Shahid Murree gaya tha, aur do din baad Abba ka inteqal hua. Shayad woh wapas aa gaya tha. Shayad is mein koi khaas baat nahi thi. Lekin phir us ne ticket ko teen saal tak jacket ki jeb mein kyun rakha? Log puranay ticket sambhal kar nahi rakhte — jab tak un ka koi matlab na ho.

Hawa tez ho gayi thi, aur baadal ab aur neeche aa gaye thay. Mombatti ki lau hawa mein jhukne lagi. Ayesha ne haathon se lau ko ghera aur ticket ko jeb mein rakh liya. Us ne faisla kiya ke woh Shahid se poochegi — seedha, bila jhijhak. Woh us ka bhai tha, us se kya parda? Lekin phir us ke dil mein ek ajeeb si hichkichahat paida hui. Pata nahi kyun, usay laga ke is ticket mein koi aisi baat hai jo usay nahi poochni chahiye. Jaise koi darwaza hai jo khulnay ke baad band nahi hoga.

Neeche se Shahid ki awaz aayi. Woh dukaan se wapas aaya tha. “Bijli gayi hui hai? Generator wala aaya tha?”

“Haan, lekin diesel khatam hai us ka,” Ali ne jawab diya. “Kal subah dalwayega.”

Shahid seedhiyan charh kar chhat par aa gaya. Mombatti ki roshni mein us ka chehra nazar aaya — sanwla, mazboot naqsh, aankhain gehri. Woh apne Abba jaisa lagta tha, aur isi liye shayad Ammi usay dekh kar aksar udaas ho jati thin. Us ne Ayesha ki taraf dekha aur muskuraya. “Tum phir chhat par aa gayin? Garmi mein paseena ho jayega.”

“Neeche aur garmi hai,” Ayesha ne kaha. Us ki nazrain Shahid ke chehre par thehri rahin. Woh soch rahi thi — Murree? Tum Murree kab gaye thay?

Shahid mundair ke paas aa kar khara ho gaya, us se thore faaslay par. Dono neeche andheray mein doobay mohallay ko dekhtay rahe. Hawa mein ab barish ki khushbu aur tez ho gayi thi. Door kahin bijli chamki — pehle roshni, phir kuch second baad garaj ki awaz. Ayesha ke chehre par halki si muskurahat aa gayi. “Barish honay wali hai.”

“Haan,” Shahid ne kaha. “Allah kare ho jaye. Garmi ne to jaan nikaal di hai.”

Kuch der khamoshi rahi. Sirf hawa ki awaz, aur door generator ki ghurr ghurr, aur kabhi kabhi bijli ki chamak. Phir Shahid ne dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Ayesha, tum se ek baat kehni thi.”

Ayesha ka dil ek dum zor se dharka. Us ne Shahid ki taraf dekha. Mombatti ki roshni mein us ka chehra sanjeeda tha, aankhon mein kuch aisa tha jo us ne pehle kabhi nahi dekha tha — ya shayad dekha tha lekin samjha nahi tha.

“Kya baat hai?” us ne poocha, aur usay apni awaz par hairat hui — woh kaanp rahi thi.

Shahid ne gehra saans liya. Us ne aasman ki taraf dekha, jahan baadal chand ko chhupaye thay, phir us ki nazrain wapas Ayesha par aayin. “Main yeh baat teen saal se apne seenay mein dabaye hue hoon. Aur ab mujh se raha nahi jata.” Woh ruka, jaise alfaaz dhoond raha ho. “Ayesha… main tum se mohabbat karta hoon. Us tarah nahi jis tarah ek bhai apni behan se karta hai. Us tarah jis tarah ek mard ek aurat se karta hai.”

Ayesha ko laga jaise us ke pairon tale zameen nikal gayi ho. Mombatti us ke haath se chhoot kar mundair par gir gayi, lekin bujhi nahi — lau ab bhi jal rahi thi, hawa mein naachti hui. Us ne Shahid ko dekha, phir door andheray ko, phir wapas Shahid ko. Us ke hont hilay, lekin awaz nahi nikli.

“Main janta hoon yeh sun kar tumhain dhakka laga hai,” Shahid ne jaldi se kaha, us ki awaz mein iltija thi. “Main janta hoon yeh ghalat lagta hai, ajeeb lagta hai. Lekin yeh sach hai. Aur main ne socha tha ke main isay apne saath qabar mein le jaonga, lekin…” us ne apne haathon ko dekha, jo kaanp rahe thay. “Lekin jab bhi tumhare liye rishta aata hai, jab bhi main sochta hoon ke tum kisi aur ke ghar chali jaogi, mujhay lagta hai ke mera dum ghut jayega. Main ne do baar tumhare rishtay ko rokne ki koshish nahi ki — main ne khud ko roka. Lekin ab nahi rok sakta.”

Ayesha peechay hatti, us ki kamar mundair se takrayi. “Tum… tum hosh mein ho? Tum mere bhai ho, Shahid!”

“Main janta hoon!” Shahid ki awaz oonchi ho gayi, phir us ne khud ko sambhala aur dheema kaha, “Main janta hoon. Aur isi liye main ne teen saal tak kuch nahi kaha. Teen saal, Ayesha. Har roz, har raat, main ne khud se lara hai. Main ne duaen mangi hain ke yeh ehsaas khatam ho jaye. Lekin nahi hua. Aur ab main thak gaya hoon chhupatay chhupatay.”

Barish ki pehli boondain girnay lagin — bari bari, garm, mitti par gir kar chhann se bhap banati hui. Mombatti bujh gayi. Andhera gehra ho gaya, sirf bijli ki chamak mein dono ke chehre nazar aate thay — ek ke chehre par iltija, doosray par hairat aur khauf.

Ayesha ne apna dupatta kas kar lapaita, jaise usay sardi lag rahi ho, halankeh garmi ab bhi thi. “Yeh… yeh nahi ho sakta. Tum samajh rahe ho tum kya keh rahe ho? Ammi sunengi to mar jayengi. Mohalla kya kahega? Allah… Allah ko kya jawab dogay?”

“Main ne sab socha hai,” Shahid ne kaha. “Har raat socha hai. Aur har raat isi natijay par pohancha hoon ke main tumhare baghair nahi reh sakta.”

“To rehna seekho!” Ayesha ki awaz mein aansu thay. “Main tumhari behan hoon! Yeh duniya mein kahin nahi hota!”

“Lekin mere dil mein hota hai,” Shahid ne kaha, aur us ki awaz toot gayi. “Aur main is dil ka kya karoon, Ayesha? Batao, main is dil ka kya karoon?”

Barish tez ho gayi thi. Dono bheeg rahe thay, lekin koi hil nahi raha tha. Ayesha ne Shahid ko dekha — us ka bhai, jo Abba ke janay ke baad us ka sahara bana tha, jo dukaan chalata tha, jo Ammi ki dawai ka khayal rakhta tha, jo Ali ki fees bharta tha. Aur ab woh us ke samnay khara tha, tootay hue lehjay mein us se mohabbat ka iqrar kar raha tha.

Usay apne seenay mein ek dard mehsoos hua — ek aisa dard jo sirf hairat ka nahi tha. Kuch aur bhi tha, kuch jo usay darra raha tha, kyunke usay pehchan’na nahi chahti thi. Us ne mur kar seedhiyon ki taraf daud lagayi, barish mein bheegti hui, aur neeche apne kamray mein ja kar darwaza band kar liya.

Kamray mein andhera tha. Woh bistar par giri aur takiye mein munh chhupa kar ronay lagi. Us ke zehan mein Shahid ke alfaaz goonj rahe thay. “Main tum se mohabbat karta hoon.” Aur us ticket ki yaad — Rawalpindi to Murree, teen saal purana. Achanak usay laga ke is raat mein koi raaz hai, koi gehra raaz, jo us ticket se shuru hota hai aur Shahid ke iqrar par khatam nahi hota.

Bahir barish musalsal baras rahi thi, chhat par, galiyon mein, puray Rawalpindi par. Aur baadlon ke peechay chand ab bhi chhupa tha, jaise woh bhi is raat ka tamashayi ho, jo dekh raha tha lekin kuch keh nahi raha tha.

Subah jab Ayesha ki aankh khuli to barish ruk chuki thi, lekin hawa mein ab bhi nami thi aur bijli wapas aa gayi thi — pankha poori raftaar se chal raha tha. Us ki aankhain sooji hui thin. Raat bhar woh so nahi saki thi. Har baar jab aankh lagti, Shahid ka chehra nazar aata, us ki tooti hui awaz goonjti: “Main is dil ka kya karoon, Ayesha?”

Woh bistar se uthi aur aaine mein apne aap ko dekha. Chehra utra hua tha, baal bikhray thay. Us ne munh dhoya, dupatta sir par liya aur kitchen mein aa gayi. Ammi pehle se wahan thin, chai bana rahi thin. Ammi ki umar pachaas ke lag bhag thi, lekin Abba ke janay ke baad woh das saal buri lagne lagi thin — chehre par jhurriyan, aankhon mein ek mustaqil thakan. Un ka blood pressure aksar high rehta tha, aur doctor ne sakhti se kaha tha ke unhain koi sadma nahi pohanchna chahiye.

“Ayesha, raat ko barish mein kyun bheegi? Bukhar ho jayega,” Ammi ne fikr se kaha.

“Kuch nahi Ammi, bas chhat par thi, achanak barish aa gayi,” Ayesha ne jhoot bola, aur usay apne aap par ghussa aaya — us ne Ammi se kabhi jhoot nahi bola tha.

Ali nashta kar raha tha — paratha aur chai. Us ne Ayesha ko dekha aur aankh maari. “Aapi, raat ko chhat par Shahid bhai ke saath kya khusar phusar ho rahi thi? Barish mein bheeg kar romantic scene chal raha tha kya?”

Ayesha ka dil dhak se reh gaya. “Bakwas na kar, nashta kar,” us ne sakhti se kaha, lekin us ki awaz mein ghabrahat thi.

Ali hans para. “Arre mazak kar raha hoon. Waise bhai kal raat dukaan se kuch mithai laye thay, fridge mein rakhi hai. Tumhare liye laye thay shayad.”

Ayesha ne fridge khola. Waqai, ek dibba tha — us ki pasandeeda barfi. Us ka dil pighla, phir sakht hua. Yeh chhoti chhoti baatain — mithai lana, us ke liye chai mein cheeni kam dalna, sardiyon mein us ka sweater dhoop mein rakhna — yeh sab Shahid hamesha se karta aaya tha. Pehle us ne kabhi ghaur nahi kiya tha. Ab har baat mein usay koi matlab nazar aa raha tha, aur yeh usay darra raha tha.

Shahid dukaan ke liye tayyar ho kar aaya. Us ne Ayesha ki taraf dekha — ek lambi, gehri nazar — phir nazrain jhuka lin. “Ammi, main ja raha hoon. Ali, tu college ke baad seedha dukaan aa jana, hisaab karna hai.”

“Ji bhai,” Ali ne kaha.

Shahid darwazay tak gaya, phir ruka aur mur kar Ayesha ko dekha. “Ayesha… raat wali baat… main ne tum par koi dabao nahi dala. Main sirf kehna chahta tha. Tum jitna waqt lena chaho, le lo. Main intezaar kar sakta hoon.”

Aur woh chala gaya. Ayesha usay jata dekh kar reh gayi. Us ke alfaaz mein koi zabardasti nahi thi, koi dhamki nahi thi. Sirf ek thaka hua, tootay hue aadmi ki iltija thi. Aur isi liye woh aur bhi khatarnak thay — kyunke inkar karna aasan hota agar woh zalim hota. Lekin woh zalim nahi tha. Woh Shahid tha — us ka bhai, us ke ghar ka sahara, woh shakhs jis ne Abba ke janay ke baad apni jawani ghar par qurbaan kar di thi.

Din bhar Ayesha kaam mein lagi rahi, lekin us ka zehan kahin aur tha. Bartan dhote hue, kapray teh karte hue, Ammi ki dawai dete hue — har kaam ke beech Shahid ka chehra aa jata. Aur us ticket ki yaad. Us ne dopahar ko jab ghar mein koi nahi tha, ticket ko bahar nikaal kar dobara dekha. Rawalpindi to Murree. Woh sochti rahi — Murree mein kya tha? Shahid ka wahan koi dost nahi tha, koi rishtedaar nahi tha. To woh wahan kyun gaya tha? Aur woh bhi us waqt jab Abba ki tabiyat… nahi, ticket Abba ki maut se do din pehle ka tha. Us waqt Abba bilkul theek thay. To phir?

Shaam ko jab Shahid dukaan se wapas aaya to Ayesha ne faisla kiya ke woh poochegi. Lekin jab woh us ke samnay aayi to us ki zuban tale se chipak gayi. Shahid usay dekh kar muskuraya — wohi purani, narm muskurahat — aur poocha, “Kya hua? Kuch kehna hai?”

“Nahi… kuch nahi,” Ayesha ne kaha aur mur gayi. Usay khud par ghussa aaya. Woh itni kamzor kab se ho gayi thi?

Raat ko khana khate waqt Ali ne ek khabar sunayi. “Pata hai, Khalida Khala aayi thin aaj. Keh rahi thin ke un ke devar ka beta — woh jo Lahore mein bank mein hai — us ka rishta Aapi ke liye aaya hai. Ammi se baat karna chahti hain.”

Ayesha ka niwala halak mein atak gaya. Ammi khush nazar aayin. “Achha larka hai, suna hai. Bank mein afsar hai. Ayesha, is baar to soch lo.”

Shahid ka chehra ek dum sakht ho gaya tha. Us ne apni plate ko dekha, phir dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Ammi, Ayesha abhi tayyar nahi hai. Usay waqt dain.”

“Waqt waqt karte teen saal ho gaye,” Ammi ne kaha. “Larki ki umar nikalti ja rahi hai. Log kya kahenge?”

“Logon ka kya hai, kehte rehte hain,” Shahid ne kaha, aur us ki awaz mein ek ajeeb si thakan thi. “Ayesha ki marzi ke baghair koi faisla nahi hoga.”

Ayesha ne Shahid ko dekha. Woh us ki taraf nahi dekh raha tha, lekin usay mehsoos hua ke us ke ye alfaaz sirf Ammi ke liye nahi thay. “Ayesha ki marzi” — us ne us ki marzi ka ehtiram kiya tha, hamesha. Aur ab bhi kar raha tha. Us ne kaha tha “main intezaar kar sakta hoon” — aur woh sach mein intezaar kar raha tha, us par koi dabao nahi daal raha tha.

Raat ko Ayesha apne kamray mein leti sochti rahi. Usay apna bachpan yaad aaya. Shahid hamesha us ka muhafiz raha tha — jab mohallay ke larkay usay chherte thay to Shahid un se lar jata tha; jab woh imtihan mein fail hone wali thi to Shahid ne raat bhar usay parhaya tha; jab usay bukhar hua tha to Shahid poori raat us ke sirhanay baitha raha tha. Woh us ka bhai tha. Sirf bhai. To phir us ke seenay mein yeh dard kaisa tha? Yeh bechaini kaisi thi? Jab Shahid ne iqrar kiya tha to usay sirf ghussa aur khauf mehsoos hona chahiye tha. Lekin usay kuch aur bhi mehsoos hua tha — kuch jo us ne dabane ki koshish ki thi, lekin jo dab nahi raha tha.

Woh uthi aur khirki ke paas ja kar khari ho gayi. Bahar chand nikla hua tha — poora chand, baadlon se azad. Barish ne hawa ko dho diya tha, aur chandni mein purana Rawalpindi kisi khwab jaisa lag raha tha. Ayesha ne chand ko dekha aur socha — kya chand bhi kabhi sharmata hai? Kya usay bhi kabhi apni roshni par sharam aati hai?

Us ne apne aap se sawal kiya — agar Shahid us ka bhai na hota, agar woh koi ajnabi hota, to kya woh us se mohabbat kar sakti thi? Jawab us ke dil ne foran diya, aur is jawab ne usay darra diya. Haan. Hazaar baar haan. Shahid mein woh sab kuch tha jo koi larki chahti hai — wafadaari, narmi, himmat, aur ek gehri, khamosh mohabbat jo alfaaz ki mohtaaj nahi thi. Lekin woh us ka bhai tha. Aur yahi ek haqeeqat sab kuch badal deti thi.

Ya shayad nahi badalti thi. Shayad asal sawal yeh tha ke kya dil rishte dekhta hai? Ayesha ne apne seenay par haath rakha. Us ka dil zor zor se dharak raha tha. Us ne aankhain band kar lin aur dua mangi — Ya Allah, mujhay raasta dikha. Main kya karoon?

Jawab mein sirf pankhay ki awaz aayi, aur door kahin ek train ki seeti, jo Rawalpindi station se guzar rahi thi.

Us seeti ne Ayesha ko teen saal peechay dhakeel diya — us raat ki taraf jo us ki zindagi ka sab se kaala safha thi. Abba ko seene mein dard utha tha raat ke gyarah bajay. Pehle sab ne samjha ke gas hai, Ammi ne ajwain ka pani diya. Lekin dard barhta gaya, Abba ka chehra peela par gaya, paseena chhoot gaya. Shahid us waqt ghar par nahi tha — woh dukaan ka hisaab karne gaya tha, ya yun kehta tha. Ali ne mohallay se Hakim Sahab ko bulaya, unhon ne foran kaha ke hospital le jao, dil ka mamla lagta hai. Ambulance ka number milaya gaya, lekin ambulance aadhe ghantay tak nahi aayi — Rawalpindi ki galiyan, raat ka waqt, barish ka mausam. Aakhir parosiyon ki madad se Abba ko ek suzuki mein dala gaya. Ayesha un ka sar apni god mein rakhe thi, un ka haath pakre thi. “Abba, kuch nahi hoga, hum pohanch rahe hain,” woh kehti rahi, lekin Abba ki aankhain band thin, un ke hont neelay par rahe thay. Hospital ke gate par hi doctor ne sar hila diya tha. “Maaf kijiye, hum kuch nahi kar sakay. Dil ka dora shadeed tha.”

Ayesha ko yaad tha ke us ne cheekh maari thi — itni zor se ke us ka gala phat gaya tha. Ammi behosh ho gayin thin. Ali, jo us waqt bhi chhota tha, deewar se lag kar khara ro raha tha. Aur Shahid… Shahid aaya tha aadhi raat ke baad. Kahan se aaya tha, kis haal mein aaya tha — Ayesha ko theek se yaad nahi tha. Bas itna yaad tha ke us ke kapray bheegay thay, us ki aankhain laal thin, aur us ne Abba ke chehre se chadar hata kar un ka maattha chooma tha, aur dheemi awaz mein kaha tha, “Abba, mujhay maaf kar dain.” Us waqt Ayesha ne samjha tha ke woh gham mein keh raha hai. Ab usay samajh aa raha tha ke us maafi mein kuch aur bhi tha.

Abba ke janay ke baad ghar ki duniya badal gayi thi. Shahid ne dukaan sambhal li thi — Abba ki general store, jo Saddar ke qareeb ek gali mein thi. Pehle mahinay bohat mushkil thay — udhaar walay gahak, supplieron ke taqazay, Ammi ki bimari. Ammi ko usi dauran blood pressure ka marz lag gaya tha — doctor ne kaha tha ke sadmay ne un ke dil ko kamzor kar diya hai, unhain sukoon chahiye, koi fikar nahi. Ayesha ne apni parhai chhor di thi — woh FA kar rahi thi, us ka khwab tha ke woh teacher banegi. Lekin ghar ki zimmedari ne us ke khwab ko nigal liya tha. Us ne khud ko samjhaya tha ke yeh qurbaani hai, aur qurbaani mein shikwa nahi hota. Ali ne inter kiya aur ek mobile shop par kaam seekhna shuru kar diya — “Bhai, main bhi ghar chalane mein hissa dalunga,” us ne kaha tha, aur Shahid ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye thay.

Phir rishte aane lage thay. Pehla rishta Chacha ke dost ka beta tha — Islamabad mein clerk tha, tankhwah guzaray laiq thi. Ayesha ne usay dekha tak nahi tha, seedha inkar kar diya tha. Ammi ne poocha tha kyun, to us ne kaha tha, “Ammi, aap ki tabiyat theek nahi, main aap ko chhor kar nahi ja sakti.” Yeh sach tha, lekin poora sach nahi tha. Doosra rishta mohallay ke ek dukandaar ka tha — umar mein us se kaafi bara, biwi ka inteqal ho chuka tha, do bachay thay. Us rishtay par Ayesha ko ghussa aaya tha — kya woh itni hi reh gayi thi ke kisi ki doosri biwi banay? Us ne sakhti se inkar kar diya tha, aur Ammi se kaha tha, “Ammi, main shaadi karungi to apni marzi se karungi, warna nahi karungi.”

Ammi ne us waqt usay galay lagaya tha aur kaha tha, “Theek hai meri jaan, jaisi tumhari marzi.” Lekin Ayesha ne un ki aankhon mein fikar dekhi thi — woh fikar jo har maa ko hoti hai jab us ki beti ki umar nikalti jaye aur mohalla baatain banaye.

Aur Shahid? Shahid ne apne liye kabhi kuch nahi manga tha. Us ne dukaan ko khara kiya tha, Ammi ka ilaaj karaya tha, Ali ki taleem ka kharcha uthaya tha, Ayesha ki har zaroorat poori ki thi. Us ne apni jawani ghar par qurbaan kar di thi — doston ke saath ghoomna, filmein dekhna, apne liye jeena — sab chhor diya tha. Mohallay walay kehte thay, “Shahid to farishta hai, aisa beta naseeb walon ko milta hai.” Aur Ayesha bhi yahi samajhti thi — ke us ka bhai farishta hai. Usay kya khabar thi ke is farishtay ke seenay mein teen saal se ek aag sulag rahi thi, aur woh aag usi ke liye thi.

Agle din se Shahid ka rawaiya badal gaya — nahi, badla nahi, balkay aur wazeh ho gaya. Pehle woh apni mohabbat chhupata tha, ab woh usay chhupata nahi tha, lekin usay thopta bhi nahi tha. Woh ek ajeeb tawazun tha — izhaar aur ehtiram ka tawazun — aur Ayesha samajh nahi pa rahi thi ke usay is se rahat mil rahi thi ya aziyat.

Pehla khat usay apni Quran ki kitab mein mila. Woh subah tilawat ke liye kitab khol rahi thi jab ek chhota sa kagaz neeche gira. Us ne uthaya — Shahid ki likhai thi, jani pehchani, thori terhi:

“Tum jab hansti ho to mujhay lagta hai ke ghar mein roshni ho gayi hai. Bijli jaye ya aaye, tumhari hansi se ghar roshan rehta hai. — S”

Ayesha ne khat ko dekha, phir jaldi se use mor kar kitab mein wapas rakh diya, jaise woh koi gunah ho. Us ka dil dharak raha tha. Woh kitchen mein gayi aur kaam mein lag gayi, lekin us ke hontoon par ek muskurahat thi jo woh rok nahi pa rahi thi. Aur isi muskurahat par usay khud se nafrat hui. Yeh kya ho raha tha usay? Woh apne bhai ke khat par muskura rahi thi?

Doosra khat do din baad mila — us ke dupatte ke neeche, jo chhat par sookh raha tha. “Aaj dukaan par ek bachi aayi thi, tumhari tarah guddi wali. Usay dekh kar tum yaad aayin. Bachpan mein tum bhi aisi hi thin — ziddi, shararti, aur sab se pyari. — S”

Teesra khat — “Ammi ki dawai ka waqt ho gaya hai, main le aaya hoon. Tum fikar na karo, main hoon na. Hamesha rahunga. — S”

Har khat chhota tha, saada tha, aur har khat mein koi mutaliba nahi tha. Koi “jawab do” nahi, koi “haan kaho” nahi. Sirf mohabbat thi, khamosh, sabr wali mohabbat. Aur yahi baat Ayesha ko sab se zyada pareshan kar rahi thi. Agar Shahid zid karta, dabao dalta, to woh aasani se nafrat kar sakti thi. Lekin woh to sirf de raha tha — bina kuch mange. Aur dene wale se nafrat kaise ki jati hai?

Ek shaam woh chhat par kapray utaar rahi thi jab Shahid oopar aaya. Bijli thi, lekin woh chhat ki batti jalana bhool gayi thi — sirf dhalta suraj ki roshni thi, sonahri aur narm. Shahid ne usay kapray teh karne mein madad karni shuru kar di, bila kahe. Dono khamosh thay. Phir Shahid ne ek kameez uthayi — Ayesha ki pasandeeda neelay rang ki kameez — aur usay naak se lagaya.

“Yeh tum par bohat achhi lagti hai,” us ne kaha. “Neela rang tumhari aankhon ko aur gehra kar deta hai.”

Ayesha ne jhat se kameez us ke haath se chheen li. “Shahid! Yeh kya harkat hai?”

Shahid hans para — halki, khuli hansi. “Tareef karna koi jurm hai? Tumhari aankhain waqai gehri hain. Ammi kehti hain ke tum Abba ki aankhain le kar aayi ho.”

“Ammi ka naam na lo is mein,” Ayesha ne kaha, lekin us ki awaz mein pehle jaisi sakhti nahi thi.

Shahid ne usay dekha, aur us ki aankhon mein shrarat thi. “Tum jab ghussa karti ho to tumhari naak phool jati hai. Bilkul bachpan jaisi. Yaad hai, jab main tumhara khilona tor deta tha to tum aise hi naak phula kar roti thin?”

“Yaad hai,” Ayesha ne beikhtiyar kaha, aur phir usay bachpan yaad aa gaya — Shahid usay kandhay par bitha kar mohallay mein ghumata tha, us ke liye imli khareedta tha, us ki guddi ko darakht se utarta tha. Us ki aankhain bhar aayin. “Shahid, please… yeh sab band karo. Main… main nahi kar sakti.”

Shahid ki hansi ruk gayi. Us ne narmi se kaha, “Main tum se kuch nahi maang raha, Ayesha. Sirf itna chahta hoon ke tum meri baat suno. Ek baar, dil se suno. Phir jo faisla karo, mujhay qabool hai.”

“Main ne faisla kar liya hai,” Ayesha ne kaha, lekin us ki awaz kaanp rahi thi. “Jawab na hai.”

“Jawab na hai,” Shahid ne dohraya, “ya jawab ‘na hona chahiye’? In dono mein farq hai, Ayesha.”

Ayesha ne usay ghoora. “Tum lafzon se kheltay ho.”

“Aur tum apne dil se,” Shahid ne kaha, aur us ki awaz mein dard tha, tanz nahi. “Tumhara dil kuch aur kehta hai, aur tumhari zuban kuch aur. Main tumhari zuban ka intezaar karunga — jab tak woh tumhare dil se mil na jaye.”

Woh kapray utha kar neeche chala gaya, Ayesha ko akela chhor kar. Ayesha mundair par baith gayi aur sochnay lagi. “Jawab na hai, ya jawab na hona chahiye?” Kya waqai farq tha? Us ne apne dil se poocha — aur dil ne jawab diya, lekin woh jawab sun’na nahi chahti thi.

Raat ko khane par Ali ne usay ghaur se dekha. “Aapi, tum theek ho? Kuch dinon se khoyi khoyi lag rahi ho.”

“Main theek hoon,” Ayesha ne kaha.

Ali ne Shahid ki taraf dekha, phir Ayesha ki taraf. Us ki aankhon mein kuch tha — samajh, ya shak. “Bhai, tum bhi ajeeb ho gaye ho. Dukaan mein gahak se baat karte hue kho jate ho. Mohabbat wali bimari to nahi ho gayi?”

Shahid ne usay ghoora. “Apna kaam kar.”

Ali hans para, lekin us ki hansi mein kuch soch thi. Khana khatam hone ke baad jab Ayesha bartan dho rahi thi to Ali us ke paas aaya. “Aapi, ek baat poochun? Bura to nahi manogi?”

“Pooch.”

“Tum ne ab tak shaadi kyun nahi ki?” Ali ne seedha poocha. “Do rishte aaye, dono ko mana kar diya. Koi wajah to hogi.”

Ayesha ke haath ruk gaye. “Bas… dil nahi chahta.”

“Ya dil kahin aur atka hai?” Ali ne dheemi awaz mein kaha.

Ayesha ne usay dekha — us ki aankhain hairat se phail gayin. “Yeh kya bakwas hai?”

Ali ne haath uthaye. “Mazak kar raha hoon, mazak! Tum to serious ho gayin.” Lekin us ki aankhon mein mazak nahi tha. Woh kuch janta tha, ya kuch mehsoos kar raha tha. “Waise Aapi, main sirf itna kahunga — zindagi bohat chhoti hai. Jo dil chahta hai, usay itna mat dabao ke woh mar jaye. Dabaye hue dil aksar zeher ban jate hain.”

Woh chala gaya, Ayesha ko soch mein dooba chhor kar. Dabaye hue dil zeher ban jate hain. Kya Shahid ka dil zeher ban gaya tha? Teen saal tak us ne apni mohabbat dabaye rakhi thi. Aur ab? Ab woh zeher nikaal raha tha — khaton mein, baaton mein, nazron mein.

Us raat Ayesha ne apne aap se ek wada kiya — woh Shahid se door rahegi. Us se baat nahi karegi, us ki taraf nahi dekhegi, us ke khaton ka jawab nahi degi. Yehi wahid raasta tha. Lekin agle hi din jab Shahid ne usay chai di — bilkul us ke pasand ke mutabiq, adrak wali, kam cheeni — to us ka wada toot gaya. Us ne chai li, aur un ki ungliyan ek lamhay ke liye mili. Woh lamha bijli se kam nahi tha. Ayesha ne jaldi se haath kheench liya, lekin us ke seenay mein jo aag lagi thi, woh bujhi nahi.

“Shukriya,” us ne dheemi awaz mein kaha.

Shahid muskuraya. “Tumhare liye to jaan bhi hazir hai, chai kya cheez hai.”

“Shahid!” Ayesha ne idhar udhar dekha — Ammi kitchen mein thin, Ali apne kamray mein. “Koi sun lega!”

“To sun’ne do,” Shahid ne kaha, aur us ki aankhon mein ek ajeeb jurrat thi. “Main ne faisla kar liya hai, Ayesha. Ab main nahi chhuponga. Tumhain sharam aati hai to aaye, lekin mujhay apni mohabbat par fakhar hai. Haan, tum meri behan ho. Haan, duniya bura kahegi. Lekin mera dil… mera dil to mera hai na? Us par mera ikhtiyar hai na?”

Ayesha ne usay dekha — us ki aankhon mein aansu thay, lekin us ki kamar seedhi thi. Woh haar nahi mana raha tha. Aur usay ehsaas hua ke woh is mard se lar nahi sakti — kyunke yeh mard us se lar nahi raha tha. Yeh mard to sirf us se mohabbat kar raha tha, aur mohabbat se larna sab se mushkil kaam hai.

Kuch din baad mohallay mein shaadi thi — parosiyon ki beti ki. Poora mohalla dulhan bana hua tha — galiyon mein roshniyan, dhol ki thaap, auraton ke geet. Ayesha ne apna sab se achha jora pehna tha — mehroon rang ka, jis par sunehri kaarh thi — aur jab woh tayyar ho kar baithak mein aayi to Shahid ki nazrain us par thehar gayin. Woh kuch nahi bola, lekin us ki aankhon ne sab keh diya. Ayesha ka chehra laal ho gaya, aur us ne jaldi se dupatta sir par theek kiya.

Shaadi wale ghar mein auratain ek taraf thin, mard doosri taraf. Ayesha auraton mein baithi thi, lekin usay mehsoos ho raha tha ke door se koi usay dekh raha tha. Us ne nazar uthayi — Shahid tha, mardon ki mehfil mein, lekin us ki tawajjuh wahin thi. Un ki nazrain milin, ek pal ke liye, aur Ayesha ne jaldi se nazrain jhuka lin. Us ka dil dharak raha tha — yeh chori chori dekhna, yeh chhupa ehsaas, is mein ek ajeeb si mithaas thi, aur ek ajeeb sa dar bhi.

Mehndi ki raat ko jab dholak baj rahi thi aur larkiyan geet ga rahi thin, Ayesha ki mamoon ka beta — Lahore se aaya hua, khush mizaaj larka — us ke paas aaya aur bola, “Ayesha Baji, aap to gaana gayen, aap ki awaz to bohat achhi hai, Ammi kehti hain.”

Ayesha ne muskuraya, “Nahi, mujhay sharam aati hai.”

“Arre sharmao mat,” us ne kaha, aur us ka lehja thora zyada hi dosti bhara tha. “Lahore mein to sab gaatay hain.”

Ayesha ne mehsoos kiya ke door se Shahid uth khara hua tha. Us ka chehra sakht tha. Woh un ki taraf aane laga, lekin Ali ne usay beech mein rok liya. “Bhai, chalo, bahar chalte hain, mujhay ek baat karni hai,” Ali ne kaha, aur Shahid ko kheench kar bahar le gaya.

Bahar gali mein Ali ne Shahid se kaha, “Bhai, saans lo. Tumhara chehra dekh kar lag raha tha ke abhi us larkay ka gala daba doge.”

Shahid ne apne baalon mein haath phaira. “Woh… woh us se kaise baat kar raha tha…”

“Jaise ek cousin apni baji se baat karta hai,” Ali ne kaha. “Bhai, tumhain apne jazbaat par qaboo rakhna hoga. Agar tum aise hi jalte rahe to sab ko shak ho jayega. Aur phir Aapi ki zindagi mushkil ho jayegi.”

Shahid ne gehra saans liya. “Tu sahi kehta hai. Lekin Ali… jab main usay kisi aur ke saath hansta dekhta hoon to mujhay lagta hai ke mera dil phat jayega.”

Ali ne us ke kandhay par haath rakha. “Main samajhta hoon, bhai. Lekin mohabbat mein sabr bhi hota hai. Tum ne teen saal sabr kiya, thora aur kar lo.” Woh muskuraya. “Waise, Aapi ne aaj jo jora pehna hai, us mein woh waqai…”

“Ali!” Shahid ne usay ghoora, lekin us ki aankhon mein hansi thi.

“Dekha!” Ali hans para. “Tumhare chehre par yeh muskurahat teen saal baad dekhi hai. Achha lagta hai, bhai. Khush raha karo.”

Andar Ayesha ne mehsoos kiya tha ke Shahid bahar gaya tha, aur usay hairat hui thi ke usay is baat par khushi hui thi — ke Shahid ko jalan hui thi. Kya yeh ghalat tha? Kya kisi ki jalan par khush hona ghalat tha? Shayad tha. Lekin us ka dil kehta tha ke yeh jalan mohabbat ka saboot thi — ke woh us ke liye ahm thi, itni ahm ke usay kisi aur ke saath dekh kar us ka dil dukhta tha.

Raat ko ghar wapas aate hue, gali andheri thi — shaadi wale ghar ki roshniyan peechay reh gayin thin. Ali aagay chal raha tha, Ammi us ke saath thin. Ayesha aur Shahid peechay thay, thore faaslay par. Andheray ka faida utha kar Shahid ne dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Aaj tum bohat khoobsurat lag rahi thin.”

Ayesha ka dil dharak utha. “Shahid, koi sun lega.”

“Sun’ne do,” Shahid ne kaha, lekin us ki awaz dheemi thi. “Waise woh Lahore wala larka…”

Ayesha ne usay dekha — us ki aankhon mein shrarat thi. “Jalan ho rahi hai?”

“Bohat,” Shahid ne sach kaha. “Itni ke dil chahta tha ke usay utha kar bahar phenk doon.”

Ayesha hans pari — dheemi, khanakti hansi. “Tum pagal ho.”

“Tumhare liye,” Shahid ne kaha, aur us ki awaz mein itni narmi thi ke Ayesha ka dil pighal gaya. “Sirf tumhare liye.”

Us raat Ayesha der tak jaagti rahi, us ki baat yaad karti rahi. “Tumhare liye.” Kitne saaday alfaaz thay, lekin kitne gehre. Woh sochti rahi — kya us ne kabhi kisi ke liye itna mehsoos kiya tha? Jawab tha — nahi. Aur kya woh chahti thi ke koi us ke liye itna mehsoos kare? Jawab tha — haan. Sirf Shahid se. Sirf usi se.

Barishon ka silsila shuru ho gaya tha. Rawalpindi ki galiyan paani se bhar jati thin, aur mohallay ke bachay kagaz ki kashtiyan bana kar un mein tairatay thay. Ayesha ko barish pasand thi — pehle thi. Ab barish usay us raat ki yaad dilati thi jab Shahid ne iqrar kiya tha, aur us ke seenay mein ek dard uthta tha jo barish ke saath barhta jata tha.

Ek shaam tez barish ho rahi thi jab darwazay par dastak hui. Ayesha ne darwaza khola — Khalida Khala khari thin, bheegi hui chhatri ke saath. “Ayesha beta, Ammi hain?”

Ammi baithak mein thin. Khalida Khala andar aayin aur seedha mudday par aayin. “Dekho baji, main seedhi baat karungi. Mere devar ka beta Faisal — Lahore mein bank mein afsar hai, tankhwah achhi hai, apna ghar hai. Woh Ayesha ko dekhna chahta hai. Larkay ki umar bhi munasib hai. Ab der na karo.”

Ayesha kitchen mein chai bana rahi thi, lekin us ke kaan baithak ki taraf thay. Us ka dil zor zor se dharak raha tha. Ammi ne kaha, “Main Ayesha se pooch kar batati hoon.”

“Poochna kya hai?” Khalida Khala ne kaha. “Itna achha rishta roz roz nahi aata. Larki ki umar nikal rahi hai. Kal ko koi ungli uthaye to?”

Ayesha ke haath kaanpne lage — chai chhalak gayi. Wohi purana dar — log kya kahenge. Aur ab is dar mein ek naya dar shamil ho gaya tha — agar us ki shaadi ho gayi to Shahid ka kya hoga? Woh sawal usay khud hairan kar gaya. Usay Shahid ki fikar kyun ho rahi thi? Usay to khush hona chahiye tha — shaadi ho jayegi to yeh kissa khatam ho jayega, Shahid majboor ho kar bhool jayega. Lekin us ke dil ne kaha — kya woh waqai bhool jayega? Teen saal mein nahi bhoola to ab kya bhoolega?

Shahid us waqt dukaan par tha. Jab woh wapas aaya to Ammi ne usay rishtay ke baaray mein bataya. Ayesha ne dekha — Shahid ka chehra ek pal ke liye bilkul sufaid ho gaya, phir us ne khud ko sambhala. “Ammi, main ne pehle bhi kaha hai — Ayesha ki marzi ke baghair koi baat nahi hogi.”

“Lekin beta, itna achha rishta—”

“Ammi,” Shahid ne Ammi ke haath pakar liye, “aap mujh par bharosa karti hain na? To bharosa rakhain. Ayesha ke liye main sab se behtar chahunga. Hamesha.”

Ammi ne usay dekha, phir aah bhar kar kaha, “Theek hai. Jaise tum kaho.”

Raat ko Ayesha chhat par gayi — bijli thi, lekin usay andhera chahiye tha. Woh mundair par baithi thi jab Shahid oopar aaya. Woh kuch nahi bola, bas us se thore faaslay par baith gaya. Dono neeche shehar ki roshniyon ko dekhtay rahe.

“Khalida Khala ka rishta…” Shahid ne aakhir kaha, us ki awaz mein dard tha. “Tum kya sochti ho?”

Ayesha ne us ki taraf nahi dekha. “Ammi chahti hain ke main haan kar doon.”

“Aur tum?” Shahid ne poocha. “Tum kya chahti ho, Ayesha?”

Yeh pehli baar tha ke kisi ne us se poocha tha ke woh kya chahti hai. Ammi chahti thin ke woh shaadi kar le. Khalida Khala chahti thin ke woh Faisal se milay. Mohalla chahta tha ke woh “umar” se pehle rukhsat ho jaye. Lekin woh khud? Woh khud kya chahti thi?

“Main nahi janti,” us ne sach kaha, aur us ki awaz toot gayi. “Main waqai nahi janti, Shahid. Mujhay dar lagta hai. Ammi ka soch kar dar lagta hai, un ka dil… doctor ne kaha hai unhain sadma nahi pohanchna chahiye. Aur mohalla… aur Allah…”

“Allah dilon ke haal janta hai,” Shahid ne narmi se kaha. “Aur mohalla? Mohalla to har baat par bolta hai. Jab Abba guzray thay to mohalla kehta tha ke hum bikhar jayenge. Hum bikhray? Nahi. Kyunke hum ne ek doosray ka saath diya.” Woh ruka, phir bola, “Ayesha, main tum se ek baat poochun? Aur tum sach jawab dogi?”

Ayesha ne us ki taraf dekha. Chandni mein us ka chehra narm lag raha tha.

“Agar main tumhara bhai na hota,” Shahid ne kaha, “agar main koi ajnabi hota, koi parosi, koi dukandaar — to kya tum mujh se mohabbat kar sakti thin?”

Ayesha ka saans ruk gaya. Yahi sawal us ne khud se poocha tha, us raat khirki ke paas kharay ho kar. Aur us ka dil ne jawab diya tha — haan. Lekin zuban se kehna aur tha.

“Yeh fazool sawal hai,” us ne kaha. “Tum mere bhai ho. ‘Agar’ se haqeeqat nahi badalti.”

“‘Agar’ se dil bhi nahi badalta,” Shahid ne kaha. “Tum ne jawab nahi diya, Ayesha. Aur jawab na dena bhi ek jawab hai.”

Woh uth kar chala gaya, aur Ayesha akeli reh gayi — chandni mein, apne dil ke sawalon ke saath. Us ne apne aap se phir poocha — agar Shahid ajnabi hota to? Aur is baar us ne jawab ko dabanay ki koshish nahi ki. Haan. Woh us se mohabbat karti. Us ki wafadaari se, us ki narmi se, us ki himmat se, us ki us khamosh mohabbat se jo teen saal tak us ke seenay mein sulagti rahi thi. Haan, woh us se mohabbat karti — aur yahi sach usay sab se zyada darra raha tha.

Kyunke agar woh us se mohabbat karti thi, to phir inkar kis baat ka tha? Rishte ka? Duniya ka? Ya apne aap se?

Agle din dopahar ko jab Ayesha store room mein puranay bartan nikaal rahi thi to Ali wahan aaya. Us ne almari ki taraf dekha — wohi almari jahan Shahid ki jacket latki thi. “Aapi, tum ne bhai ki yeh jacket dekhi? Teen saal se latki hai. Main ne kaha phenk do, kehte hain nahi, rehne do.”

Ayesha ka dil dhaka. “Kyun? Purani hai, phenk deni chahiye.”

Ali ne jacket ko dekha, phir Ayesha ko. Us ki aankhon mein wohi samajh thi jo us ne pehle dekhi thi. “Pata nahi. Shayad is mein koi yaad basi hai. Bhai aksar ajeeb hain — cheezain sambhal kar rakhte hain. Jaise…” woh ruka, “jaise koi ticket.”

Ayesha ka chehra sufaid ho gaya. “Ticket? Kaisa ticket?”

Ali ne kandhay uchkaye, lekin us ki nazrain Ayesha par thehri rahin. “Bas yun hi keh raha hoon. Waise Aapi, tum ne kabhi socha hai ke bhai ne aaj tak shaadi kyun nahi ki? Un ke liye bhi to rishte aaye thay. Ammi ne kitni baar kaha. Lekin unhon ne har baar mana kar diya. Kyun?”

Ayesha ne kuch nahi kaha. Us ka gala khushk ho gaya tha.

Ali ne apni awaz dheemi ki. “Main chhota hoon, lekin andha nahi hoon, Aapi. Main ne dekha hai ke bhai tumhain kaise dekhte hain. Aur main ne dekha hai ke tum unhain kaise dekhti ho — jab tumhain lagta hai ke koi nahi dekh raha.” Woh Ayesha ke qareeb aaya. “Main tumhain judge nahi kar raha. Main sirf itna keh raha hoon — jo bhi hai, isay suljhao. Kyunke uljhi hui dor aksar gale ka phanda ban jati hai.”

Woh chala gaya, aur Ayesha wahin khari reh gayi, us ke alfaaz goonjte hue. Ali janta tha. Ya kam az kam, mehsoos karta tha. Aur us ne use roka nahi tha — us ne to suljhanay ko kaha tha.

Us raat Ayesha ne ticket ko phir dekha. Rawalpindi to Murree. Teen saal purana. Us ne faisla kiya — ab woh poochegi. Chahe jo ho, woh sach jan’na chahti thi. Kyunke usay lag raha tha ke is ticket mein woh jawab hai jo us ke saaray sawalon ka hal hai — ya shayad naye sawal paida kar dega.

Lekin usay nahi pata tha ke sach us ke tasawwur se kahin zyada gehra tha, aur kahin zyada dardnaak bhi.

Teen din guzar gaye, aur Ayesha ne ticket ke baaray mein kisi se kuch nahi kaha. Lekin woh ticket us ki jeb mein tha, us ke dupatte mein, us ke takiye ke neeche — har jagah us ke saath tha, jaise koi zinda cheez ho jo us se baat karna chahti ho. Aakhir ek raat jab ghar mein sab so gaye thay, woh Shahid ke kamray ke darwazay par ja khari hui. Darwaza adha khula tha. Shahid bistar par baitha koi hisaab kitab kar raha tha, bijli ki roshni mein us ka chehra thaka hua lag raha tha.

Ayesha ne darwazay par dastak di. Shahid ne sar uthaya, aur usay dekh kar us ki aankhon mein hairat aur khushi dono thay. “Ayesha? Itni raat ko? Sab khairiyat?”

Ayesha andar aayi aur darwaza band kar diya. Us ne apni jeb se ticket nikala aur Shahid ke samnay rakha. “Yeh kya hai?”

Shahid ne ticket ko dekha, aur us ka chehra ek dum badal gaya. Pehle hairat, phir khauf, phir ek aisi udaasi jo Ayesha ne pehle kabhi nahi dekhi thi. Us ne ticket uthaya, usay dekha, aur us ki ungliyan kaanpnay lagin. “Tumhain… tumhain yeh kahan se mila?”

“Tumhari jacket se. Store room wali almari se.” Ayesha ki awaz sakht thi, lekin andar se woh kaanp rahi thi. “Rawalpindi to Murree. Teen saal purana. Wohi waqt jab Abba…” woh ruk gayi, “jab Abba guzray thay. Tum Murree gaye thay? Us waqt? Kyun?”

Shahid ne ticket ko dekha, phir usay meiz par rakha. Us ne gehra saans liya — itna gehra ke us ka seena oopar neeche hua. “Main tumhain batana chahta tha. Barson se batana chahta tha. Lekin himmat nahi hui.”

“Ab batao,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Ab himmat karo.”

Shahid ne apne chehre par haath phaira. “Teen saal pehle… Abba ne meri mangni kar di thi. Murree ki ek larki se. Tumhain yaad hai?”

Ayesha ko yaad aaya — dhundli si yaad. Haan, koi baat hui thi. Abba ne kaha tha ke Shahid ki umar ho gayi hai, aur un ke ek dost ki beti hai Murree mein. Mangni ki rasam bhi hui thi — chhoti si, ghar par. Ayesha ko yaad tha ke us waqt usay ajeeb sa laga tha, jaise us se kuch chheen liya gaya ho, lekin us ne is ehsaas ko dabaa diya tha. “Haan… yaad hai. Phir woh rishta toot gaya tha. Abba ne kaha tha ke larki walon ne inkar kar diya.”

Shahid ne talkh hansi hansi. “Larki walon ne inkar nahi kiya tha, Ayesha. Main ne inkar kiya tha.”

Ayesha ne usay dekha. “Tum ne?”

“Haan.” Shahid uth kar khirki ke paas gaya. Bahar andhera tha, sirf gali ki batti jal rahi thi. “Mangni ke do mahinay baad mujhay ehsaas hua ke main yeh nahi kar sakta. Main kisi aur se shaadi nahi kar sakta tha. Kyunke…” us ne mur kar Ayesha ko dekha, “kyunke mera dil kahin aur tha. Tumhare paas.”

Ayesha ka saans ruk gaya.

“Main ne Abba se baat karne ki koshish ki,” Shahid kehta raha, “lekin himmat nahi hui. Woh khush thay, unhain lagta tha ke unhon ne apna farz ada kar diya. Main un ka dil nahi torna chahta tha. To main ne faisla kiya ke main khud Murree jaonga, larki ke ghar walon se milunga, aur izzat se rishta khatam karunga. Bina Abba ko bataye. Main ne socha tha ke wapas aa kar Abba ko bata dunga, un se maafi maang lunga.”

Us ne apni aankhain band kar lin, jaise woh us din ko dobara jee raha ho. “Woh subah mujhay aaj bhi yaad hai, Ayesha. Fajr ke baad main ghar se nikla tha — tum sab so rahe thay. Main ne Ammi ke pair chhue thay, aur unhon ne neend mein hi mere sar par haath phaira tha. Bus adday par pohancha to halki si dhund thi. Bus purani thi, seetain tooti hui thin, lekin mujhay koi parwah nahi thi. Mere zehan mein sirf ek baat thi — main yeh rishta khatam karunga, izzat se, aur phir ghar aa kar Abba se maafi maangunga.”

“Raasta lamba tha. Murree ki taraf charhai shuru hui to barish hone lagi — halki, phir tez. Khirki se bahar pahar thay, dhund mein liptay, aur main soch raha tha ke meri zindagi bhi isi dhund jaisi hai — kuch nazar nahi aa raha, bas aagay barhna hai. Mere paas wali seat par ek buddha aadmi baitha tha, us ne mujh se poocha, ‘Beta, Murree ghoomne ja rahe ho?’ Main ne kaha, ‘Nahi Chacha, ek zaroori kaam hai.’ Us ne kaha, ‘Zaroori kaam bhi ghoomna hi hota hai, beta. Zindagi mein har kaam ka apna maza hai.’ Main muskuraya tha, lekin andar se toot raha tha.”

“Murree pohancha to dopahar ho chuki thi. Barish ruk gayi thi, lekin hawa mein thand thi. Main larki ke ghar gaya — ek chhota sa makaan tha, pahari ilaqay jaisa, lakri ka. Us ke walid ne darwaza khola. Woh mujhay pehchantay thay — mangni par milay thay. Unhon ne mujhay andar bulaya, chai pilayi. Aur phir main ne kaha…” Shahid ki awaz tooti. “Main ne kaha, ‘Chacha, main aap ki beti se shaadi nahi kar sakta. Mujhay maaf kar dain.'”

“Woh khamosh ho gaye. Phir unhon ne poocha, ‘Kyun? Koi aur pasand aa gayi hai?’ Main ne sar jhukaya aur kaha, ‘Yeh meri majboori hai, Chacha. Main aap ki beti ko dukh nahi dena chahta — isi liye abhi keh raha hoon, shaadi se pehle.’ Unhon ne kaha, ‘Tum ne humari izzat mitti mein mila di, larkay. Meri beti ka kya hoga? Log kya kahenge?’ Main ne un ke pair pakar liye thay, Ayesha. Main ne kaha, ‘Jo saza deni hai, de dain. Lekin jhoot par rishta nahi bana sakta.'”

“Aur larki?” Ayesha ne dheemi awaz mein poocha.

“Woh parda ke peechay khari sun rahi thi,” Shahid ne kaha. “Jab main jaane laga to us ne awaz di. Us ne kaha, ‘Shahid Sahab, rukiye.’ Main ruka. Us ne kaha, ‘Aap ne sach bola, is ke liye shukriya. Bohat se mard jhoot par shaadi kar lete hain, aur biwi ki zindagi jahanum bana dete hain. Aap ne mujhay us jahanum se bacha liya.’ Us ki awaz mein dard tha, lekin nafrat nahi thi. Us ne kaha, ‘Jis se aap mohabbat karte hain, woh khushnaseeb hai. Us ka khayal rakhiyega.'”

Ayesha ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Us ne… us ne tumhain maaf kar diya?”

“Haan,” Shahid ne kaha. “Aur us ki maafi ne mujhay aur tora. Kyunke main janta tha ke main us ka dil tor raha hoon, aur woh phir bhi mujhay dua de rahi thi.” Us ne gehra saans liya. “Wapsi ki bus shaam ki thi. Main adday par baitha tha jab Ali ka phone aaya. Us ki awaz kaanp rahi thi — ‘Bhai, jaldi aao, Abba ko dil ka dora para hai, hospital le ja rahe hain.’ Main ne driver se kaha ke bus roko, lekin highway par thi, nahi ruki. Main cheekhta raha, logon ne mujhay pagal samjha. Ek musafir ne mujhay apna phone diya ke ghar phone kar loon, lekin ghar par koi phone nahi utha raha tha — sab hospital mein thay.”

“Jab bus Rawalpindi pohanchi to raat ke do baj rahe thay. Main seedha hospital bhaga. Wahan…” us ki awaz bilkul toot gayi, “wahan sirf khamoshi thi. Ammi behosh thin. Ali deewar se laga ro raha tha. Aur tum… tum Abba ke chehre par chadar daal rahi thin. Tum ne mujhay dekha, aur tumhari aankhon mein sirf dard tha — koi ilzaam nahi tha. Lekin main ne khud ko ilzaam diya, Ayesha. Har roz, teen saal tak — ke agar main Murree na gaya hota, to shayad…””

Us ki awaz tootne lagi. “Main subah ki bus se gaya tha. Ticket yahi hai,” us ne ticket ki taraf ishara kiya, aur phir khirki se lag kar khara ho gaya, us ka sar jhuka hua tha. “Baaki sab tum sun chuki ho. Bus itna yaad rakho — jab tak main pohancha, Abba ja chukay thay. Main un ke aakhri waqt mein un ke paas nahi tha. Main un ka haath nahi pakar saka. Main un se maafi nahi maang saka.”

Kamray mein khamoshi chha gayi. Sirf pankhay ki awaz thi. Ayesha ne Shahid ko dekha — us ka bhai, jo hamesha mazboot nazar aata tha, ab tootay hue khara tha, us ke kandhay kaanp rahe thay.

“Shahid…” us ne dheemi awaz mein kaha.

“Teen saal,” Shahid ne kaha, “teen saal se main is bojh ke saath jee raha hoon. Abba ki maut ka bojh, aur tumhari mohabbat ka bojh. Dono ne mujhay andar se kha liya hai. Aur phir bhi…” us ne Ayesha ko dekha, us ki aankhon mein aansu chamak rahe thay, “aur phir bhi main tum se mohabbat karna nahi chhor saka. Main ne koshish ki, Khuda ki qasam, main ne har roz koshish ki. Lekin dil… dil to pagal hota hai na?”

Ayesha ke qadmon ne khud ba khud usay Shahid ki taraf barhaya. Woh us ke paas gayi aur us ka haath pakar liya. Us ka haath thanda tha, kaanp raha tha. “Shahid, Abba ki maut tumhari ghalti nahi thi. Doctor ne kaha tha — un ka dil pehle se kamzor tha. Tum waqt par hote to bhi shayad kuch nahi kar sakte thay.”

“Tum nahi samajhti,” Shahid ne kaha. “Main ne apne Abba ko dhoka diya. Un ki khushi ke liye mangni ki, phir peeth peechay tor di. Aur usi dhokay ki saza mili — main un ke aakhri waqt mein wahan nahi tha.”

“Yeh saza nahi thi,” Ayesha ne kaha, aur us ki awaz mein ek narmi thi jo us ne khud mehsoos nahi ki thi. “Yeh qismat thi. Aur tum ne dhoka nahi diya — tum ne sach bola. Larki walon se mil kar sach bola. Yeh himmat ka kaam tha, buzdili ka nahi.”

Shahid ne usay dekha — pehli baar us ki aankhon mein umeed ki kiran thi. “Tum… tum mujh se naraaz nahi ho?”

Ayesha ne ticket uthaya aur usay dekha. “Teen saal tak tum ne yeh ticket sambhal kar rakha. Kyun?”

Shahid ne halki si muskurahat ke saath kaha, “Shayad is liye ke yeh mujhay yaad dilata hai ke mohabbat ki qeemat chukani parti hai. Aur main ne chukayi hai. Aur phir bhi…” us ne Ayesha ka haath kas kar pakra, “aur phir bhi main dobara chukane ko tayyar hoon. Hazaar baar.”

Us raat Ayesha apne kamray mein wapas aayi to us ka dil toofan mein tha. Ab woh sach jan chuki thi — poora sach. Shahid ne teen saal pehle apni mangni tori thi — us ke liye. Us ne apne Abba ke aakhri waqt ko qurbaan kiya tha — us ke liye. Aur teen saal tak woh is bojh ke saath jeeta raha tha, bina kisi se kuch kahe, bina us par koi ilzaam lagaye. Us ne kabhi nahi kaha ke “main ne tumhare liye yeh qurbaan kiya.” Us ne sirf mohabbat ki thi — khamosh, sabr wali, qurbaaniyon wali mohabbat.

Aur ab Ayesha samajh gayi thi ke us ka inkar kis baat ka tha. Woh Shahid se inkar nahi kar rahi thi — woh apne aap se inkar kar rahi thi. Woh apne dil se lar rahi thi, kyunke usay dar tha. Dar sharam ka, dar duniya ka, dar Ammi ka. Lekin dar mohabbat se bara nahi hota. Aur Shahid ne usay yeh sikha diya tha — us ne apne dar par qaboo pa kar sach bola tha, qurbaani di thi, aur phir bhi mohabbat karna nahi chhora tha.

Us ne takiye mein munh chhupaya, lekin is baar ronay ke liye nahi. Is baar us ke aansu kuch aur thay — shukr ke, hairat ke, aur ek aise ehsaas ke jo us ne pehle kabhi mehsoos nahi kiya tha. Usay laga jaise us ke seenay mein koi darwaza khul gaya ho, aur us darwazay ke peechay roshni thi.

Us ne chand ki taraf dekha — khirki se chand nazar aa raha tha, poora, roshan. Aur us ne faisla kiya. Kal. Kal woh Shahid se baat karegi. Dil se baat karegi. Aur is baar us ki zuban us ke dil se milegi.

Subah Ayesha jaldi uth gayi. Us ne ghusl kiya, naye kapray pehne — woh halke gulabi rang ka jora jo Shahid ne usay pichhli Eid par dilaya tha — aur aaine mein apne aap ko dekha. Us ki aankhon mein neend ki kami thi, lekin ek nayi roshni bhi thi. Us ne gehra saans liya aur neeche aa gayi.

Shahid nashta kar raha tha. Us ne Ayesha ko dekha aur us ki nazrain thehar gayin. Gulabi jora… woh jora usay yaad tha. Us ne Ayesha ki taraf dekha, sawal aankhon mein.

“Shahid,” Ayesha ne kaha, us ki awaz saaf thi, kaanp nahi rahi thi, “kya tum aaj dukaan jaldi band kar sakte ho? Mujhay tum se baat karni hai. Chhat par. Shaam ko.”

Shahid ne usay dekha, phir dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Theek hai.”

Ammi ne dono ko dekha, kuch mehsoos kiya, lekin kuch kaha nahi. Ali ne apni chai ka ghunt liya aur muskuraya — us ki muskurahat mein kuch janna tha.

Din bohat lamba laga. Ayesha ne ghar ka kaam kiya, lekin us ka dil chhat par tha, shaam ka intezaar kar raha tha. Us ne socha — kya woh sahi kar rahi thi? Kya yeh gunah nahi tha? Phir us ne socha — gunah kya hai? Kisi ko dukh dena gunah hai. Kisi par zulm karna gunah hai. Lekin do baligh, aaqil insaanon ka ek doosray se mohabbat karna, izzat ke saath, raza ke saath — kya yeh gunah ho sakta hai? Duniya ke banaye hue usoolon ko woh samajhti thi, un ka ehtiram karti thi. Lekin dil ke usool aur hotay hain. Aur us ka dil aaj bol raha tha — saaf, wazeh, bila khauf.

Shaam ko jab sooraj doob raha tha aur aasman par narangi aur gulabi rang bikhray thay, Ayesha chhat par gayi. Bijli thi, lekin us ne batti nahi jalayi. Woh chahti thi ke baat andheray mein ho — ya shayad dhalti roshni mein, jahan chehre saaf nazar aayen lekin duniya door ho.

Shahid aaya. Woh seedha us ke paas aaya aur khara ho gaya. Dono neeche doobtay suraj ko dekhtay rahe.

“Ayesha,” Shahid ne kaha, “tum ne kuch kehna tha.”

Ayesha ne us ki taraf dekha. Us ka dil zor zor se dharak raha tha, lekin us ki awaz mazboot thi. “Haan. Kehna tha.” Us ne gehra saans liya. “Teen saal pehle tum ne apni mangni tori — mere liye. Tum ne apne Abba ke aakhri waqt ko qurbaan kiya — mere liye. Aur teen saal tak tum ne yeh bojh akelay uthaya, mujh par koi ilzaam lagaye baghair, mujh se kuch mange baghair. Tum ne sirf mohabbat ki, Shahid. Aur main…” us ki awaz thori tooti, lekin us ne khud ko sambhala, “aur main tum se lar rahi thi. Tum se nahi, apne aap se. Kyunke mujhay dar tha. Sharam ka dar, duniya ka dar, Ammi ka dar. Lekin aaj main ne socha — dar se bara kya hai? Aur jawab mila — mohabbat. Mohabbat dar se bari hai.”

Shahid ki aankhain bhar aayin. “Ayesha…”

“Ruko, meri baat poori honay do,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Main yeh nahi keh rahi ke main ne faisla kar liya hai kyunke tum ne qurbaaniyan din. Qurbaani ka bojh utha kar mohabbat nahi ki jati. Main yeh keh rahi hoon ke main ne apne dil se poocha — sach mein poocha, bila dar, bila sharam — ke woh kya chahta hai. Aur us ne jawab diya.” Us ne Shahid ka haath pakra. “Woh tumhain chahta hai, Shahid. Sirf tumhain. Hamesha se chahta tha, lekin main sun’na nahi chahti thi. Ab sun liya hai.”

Shahid ne us ka haath pakra, us ki ungliyan kaanp rahi thin. “Tum… tum sure ho? Yeh koi jazbaati faisla to nahi? Koi ehsaan to nahi? Main ehsaan ki mohabbat nahi chahta, Ayesha. Main tumhari raza chahta hoon — poori, saaf, bila jhijhak.”

Ayesha ne us ki aankhon mein dekha — gehri, sachchi aankhain. “Main sure hoon. Aur yeh ehsaan nahi hai. Yeh meri khwahish hai.” Us ne ek qadam aur qareeb aaya. “Shahid, main tum se ek sawal poochun?”

“Pooch.”

“Jab tum ne kaha tha ke tum intezaar kar sakte ho — kya tum waqai kar sakte thay? Agar main ne na kaha hota to?”

Shahid ne socha, phir sach kaha, “Haan. Kar sakta tha. Kyunke tumhari khushi meri mohabbat se bari hai. Agar tumhari khushi kisi aur mein hoti to main…” us ki awaz tooti, “main bardasht kar leta. Mushkil hota, lekin kar leta.”

Ayesha ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Isi liye main tum se mohabbat karti hoon. Kyunke tum ne mujhay chuna — meri marzi ko, meri khushi ko, mujh par apni mohabbat se zyada ahmiyat di.” Us ne apne aansu ponchhay aur muskurayi — pehli baar, khul kar muskurayi. “Ab meri baari hai chun’ne ki. Aur main tumhain chun’ti hoon, Shahid. Apne poore dil se, apni poori raza se. Koi dabao nahi, koi majboori nahi. Sirf main, aur meri khwahish.”

Shahid ne usay dekha — us ke chehre par hairat, khushi, aur ek aisa sukoon tha jo teen saal se us se door tha. Us ne dheemi awaz mein poocha, “Tumhain yaqeen hai? Ek baar phir soch lo. Is ke baad peechay hatna mushkil hoga.”

“Main peechay nahi hatna chahti,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Main aagay barhna chahti hoon — tumhare saath.”

Us ne apne haath Shahid ke chehre par rakhay. Us ka chehra garm tha, thori dari hui khaal. Shahid ne apni aankhain band kar lin, jaise woh is lamhay ko mehsoos kar raha ho. Phir us ne aankhain kholin aur Ayesha ko dekha.

“Main tum se wada karta hoon,” us ne kaha, us ki awaz gehri aur sanjeeda thi, “ke main tumhari izzat karunga — hamesha. Tumhari marzi ke baghair ek qadam nahi uthaunga. Aaj, kal, hamesha. Yeh mera tum se wada hai.”

“Main janti hoon,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Isi liye main yahan hoon.”

Aur phir, dhalti shaam ki sonahri roshni mein, Rawalpindi ki us chhat par, jahan se poora shehar nazar aata tha, Shahid ne Ayesha ko apni baahon mein liya. Pehle dheemi se, jaise woh toot jayegi, phir mazbooti se, jaise woh usay kabhi chhorna nahi chahta tha. Ayesha ne apna sar us ke seenay par rakha aur us ke dil ki dharkan suni — tez, mazboot, zinda. Us ne socha — yeh dil teen saal se us ke liye dharak raha tha, aur usay khabar tak nahi thi. Ab khabar thi. Aur ab woh is dharkan ka jawab dena chahti thi — apne dil se, apni rooh se.

Chand abhi nahi nikla tha, lekin Ayesha ko laga ke us ke seenay mein koi chand roshan ho gaya tha — barsaat ke baad nikalne wala chand, saaf, roshan, umeed se bhara.

Us raat Shahid so nahi saka. Woh apne bistar par karwatain badalta raha, phir uth kar baith gaya. Us ka dil khushi se bhar gaya tha — Ayesha ne usay chun liya tha! Teen saal ka intezaar khatam hua tha. Lekin khushi ke saath ek dar bhi tha — kya woh is khushi ka haqdaar tha? Kya us ne Abba ko dhoka nahi diya tha? Kya us ki mohabbat ki bunyaad par koi gunah nahi tha?

Woh utha, kapray pehne, aur ghar se nikal gaya. Raat ke do baj rahe thay. Galiyan sunsaan thin, sirf kuch kutte bhoonk rahe thay. Woh paidal chalta gaya — qabristan ki taraf, jahan Abba dafan thay. Rawalpindi ka purana qabristan, jahan neem ke darakht thay, aur raat mein sannata tha.

Woh Abba ki qabr ke paas baitha. Mitti ki khushbu thi, aur door se azaan ki awaz aa rahi thi — kisi masjid se, raat ki khamoshi mein. Shahid ne qabr par haath rakha.

“Abba,” us ne dheemi awaz mein kaha, “main aaya hoon. Aap se baat karne.” Us ki awaz toot gayi. “Abba, main ne aap ko dhoka diya. Aap ne meri mangni ki thi, aur main ne tor di. Aap ke aakhri waqt mein main aap ke paas nahi tha. Main janta hoon ke aap naraaz honge. Aur aap ko hona bhi chahiye.”

Hawa chali, darakhton ke pattay sar saraye. Shahid ne apne aansu ponchhay.

“Lekin Abba, aaj main aap se ek aur baat kehne aaya hoon. Ayesha… Ayesha ne mujhay chun liya hai. Us ne apni marzi se, apne dil se mujhay chuna hai. Abba, main us se mohabbat karta hoon — itni ke alfaaz nahi hain. Aur main aap se ijazat mangne aaya hoon. Nahi — ijazat nahi, dua mangne aaya hoon. Kyunke ijazat to Ayesha ne de di hai. Ab mujhay sirf aap ki dua chahiye.”

Woh khamosh ho gaya, aur qabr ko dekhta raha. Phir usay yaad aaya — Abba ki ek baat. Jab woh chhota tha, ek din us ne Abba se poocha tha, “Abba, mohabbat kya hoti hai?” Abba ne hansa tha aur kaha tha, “Mohabbat woh hai, beta, jo insaan ko behtar banaye. Jo mohabbat tumhain khudgharz banaye, woh mohabbat nahi, hawas hai. Aur jo mohabbat tumhain qurban hona sikhaye, sabr sikhaye, wohi sachchi mohabbat hai.”

Shahid ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. “Abba, kya meri mohabbat ne mujhay behtar banaya? Teen saal tak main ne sabr kiya, Ayesha par koi zabardasti nahi ki, us ki marzi ka intezaar kiya. Kya yahi sabr nahi hai jo aap ne sikhaya tha? Kya aap ko mujh par fakhar nahi hoga?”

Hawa phir chali, aur is baar usay laga jaise koi us ke sar par haath phair raha ho. Us ne aankhain band kar lin, aur usay sukoon mehsoos hua — pehli baar teen saal mein, gehra, sachcha sukoon. Jaise Abba ne usay maaf kar diya ho. Jaise Abba ne kaha ho — “Ja beta, jee le. Khush reh.”

Woh der tak wahan baitha raha. Phir us ne qabr par phool rakhay — wahan pehle se kuch phool thay, murjhaye hue — aur dua mangi. “Allah, mere Abba ko jannat naseeb farma. Aur mujhay himmat de ke main Ayesha ka saath nibha sakoon. Aur meri Ammi ko sehat de.”

Jab woh ghar wapas aaya to fajr hone wali thi. Darwazay par Ali khara tha — jaag raha tha, us ka intezaar kar raha tha. “Bhai, kahan gaye thay? Main pareshan ho gaya tha.”

“Abba ke paas,” Shahid ne kaha.

Ali khamosh ho gaya, phir us ne Shahid ko galay lagaya. “Bhai, Abba tum se naraaz nahi hain. Main janta hoon. Kyunke…” woh ruka, “kyunke main ne khwab dekha tha — Abba ka. Unhon ne kaha tha ke woh khush hain. Ke un ke bachay ek doosray ka saath de rahe hain.”

Shahid ne Ali ko dekha. “Sach?”

“Sach,” Ali ne kaha, aur us ki aankhon mein aansu thay. “Ab so jao, bhai. Kal nayi subah hai. Tumhari zindagi ki sab se khoobsurat subah.”

Shahid apne kamray mein gaya aur bistar par leta. Us ne chhat ki taraf dekha, aur socha — Abba, Ammi, Ali, Ayesha. Yeh us ka khandan tha. Toota hua tha, lekin jur raha tha. Zakhm thay, lekin bhar rahe thay. Aur is jur’ne mein, is bharne mein, us ki mohabbat ka bhi hissa tha.

Us ne aankhain band kar lin, aur is baar neend aayi — gehri, sukoon bhari neend. Khwab mein us ne Abba ko dekha — muskuratay hue, us ke sar par haath phairtay hue. Aur Ayesha ko dekha — gulabi joray mein, hansti hui. Aur chand ko dekha — poora, roshan, barsaat ke baad nikalta hua.

Jab woh utha to subah ho chuki thi, aur us ke chehre par muskurahat thi — teen saal baad pehli baar, dil se muskurahat.

Raat geher ho gayi thi. Neeche ghar mein sab so gaye thay — Ammi apne kamray mein, Ali apne kamray mein, us ke mobile se halki si roshni ab bhi aa rahi thi. Bijli thi, lekin Ayesha ne apne kamray ki batti bujha di thi. Sirf khirki se aati hui chandni thi — chand ab nikal aaya tha, poora, roshan, baadlon se azad. Kamra chandni mein nehla hua tha.

Darwazay par halki si dastak hui. Ayesha ne darwaza khola — Shahid khara tha. Us ki aankhon mein sawal tha, aur ehtiram bhi. “Main andar aa sakta hoon?” us ne poocha. “Agar tum chaho to.”

Ayesha ne us ka haath pakra aur usay andar kheench liya, phir darwaza band kar diya. “Main chahti hoon,” us ne kaha, saaf aur wazeh. “Main ne tumhain chuna hai, Shahid. Ab sharmao mat.”

Shahid ne usay dekha — chandni mein us ka chehra kisi khwab jaisa lag raha tha. Gulabi jora, khulay baal, aankhon mein woh roshni jo us ne pehle kabhi nahi dekhi thi. “Tum bohat khoobsurat lag rahi ho,” us ne dheemi awaz mein kaha.

Ayesha muskurayi. “Tum ne pehle kabhi nahi kaha.”

“Pehle kehne ki himmat nahi thi,” Shahid ne sach kaha. “Ab hai — kyunke ab tum ne ijazat di hai.”

Woh us ke qareeb aaya, itna qareeb ke un ke saans mil gaye. Us ne apna haath uthaya aur Ayesha ke gaal ko chhua — sirf chhua, halki si, jaise woh kisi qeemti cheez ko chhu raha ho. Ayesha ne apni aankhain band kar lin aur us ke chhunay ko mehsoos kiya. Us ki khaal par jhurjhuri daud gayi, lekin woh dar ki nahi thi — woh khwahish ki thi, intezaar ki thi.

“Shahid,” us ne dheemi awaz mein kaha, “mujhay dar lag raha hai. Thora sa.”

Shahid ruk gaya. Us ne apna haath hataya aur Ayesha ki aankhon mein dekha. “To hum ruk jate hain. Abhi, isi waqt. Tum jab chaho, tab. Tumhari marzi ke baghair kuch nahi hoga — main ne wada kiya tha.”

Ayesha ne usay dekha — us ki aankhon mein koi bechaini nahi thi, koi zid nahi thi. Sirf mohabbat thi, aur sabr tha. Aur isi sabr ne us ke dar ko pighla diya. “Nahi,” us ne kaha, “rukna nahi hai. Dar is liye hai ke yeh pehli baar hai — mere liye sab kuch naya hai. Lekin main chahti hoon, Shahid. Main waqai chahti hoon. Tum par poora bharosa hai mujhay.”

Shahid ne gehra saans liya. “Phir main tum se ek baat kahunga, aur tum sach jawab dogi. Kya tum tayyar ho? Poori tarah?”

“Haan,” Ayesha ne kaha, us ki awaz mazboot thi. “Poori tarah tayyar hoon. Apne dil se, apni marzi se.”

“Aur agar beech mein tumhara dil badal jaye, to tum mujhay rokogi?”

“Rokungi,” Ayesha ne wada kiya. “Aur tum rukoge?”

“Usi waqt,” Shahid ne kaha. “Bina sawal kiye.”

Yeh wada un ke darmiyan ek muqaddas ahad ban gaya — raza ka ahad, ehtiram ka ahad. Phir Shahid ne Ayesha ko apni baahon mein liya, aur is baar us ke chhunay mein koi hichkichahat nahi thi. Us ne us ke maathe par bosa diya — narm, lamba, izzat bhara. Phir us ki aankhon par, us ke gaalon par. Ayesha ne apni baahain us ki gardan mein daal din, aur usay mehsoos hua ke woh ghar aa gayi thi — us ke apne ghar, jahan woh hamesha se rehna chahti thi.

Shahid ne usay bistar par bithaya, aur khud us ke samnay ghutnon par baith gaya — jaise woh us ki ibadat kar raha ho. “Tumhain pata hai,” us ne kaha, “main ne teen saal tak is lamhay ka khwab dekha hai. Har raat. Aur har subah main uth kar khud ko kos’ta tha ke main khwab kyun dekhta hoon. Lekin ab…” us ne Ayesha ke haath apne haathon mein liye aur un par bosa diya, “ab khwab haqeeqat hai. Aur mujhay yaqeen nahi aa raha.”

“Yaqeen karo,” Ayesha ne kaha, aur us ne Shahid ko apni taraf kheench liya. Un ke hont milay — pehle dheemi se, phir gehraayi se. Woh bosa teen saal ki pyaas ka jawab tha, teen saal ki khamoshi ka izhaar tha. Ayesha ko laga jaise us ke seenay mein koi band darwaza khul gaya ho, aur us mein se roshni beh nikli ho.

Chandni un par baras rahi thi. Shahid ne Ayesha ke dupatte ko narmi se us ke kandhon se hataya, har harkat mein ijazat maangta hua, har nazar mein sawal karta hua — aur Ayesha har baar jawab deti rahi, apni aankhon se, apne haathon se, apne jism ki har harkat se. Yeh koi jald baazi nahi thi. Yeh ibadat thi — do roohon ki, do dilon ki, jo barson se ek doosray ko dhoond rahe thay aur aaj mil gaye thay.

Jab woh ek ho gaye to Ayesha ne apni aankhain kholin aur Shahid ki aankhon mein dekha. Usay koi sharam nahi thi, koi pachtawa nahi tha. Sirf ek gehra sukoon tha, aur ek aisi khushi jo us ne pehle kabhi mehsoos nahi ki thi. Us ne Shahid ke chehre par haath phaira aur dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Main tumhari hoon, Shahid. Poori tarah.”

“Aur main tumhara,” Shahid ne jawab diya, us ki awaz bharra gayi thi. “Hamesha se tha, hamesha rahunga.”

Bahir halki halki barish shuru ho gayi thi — boondain khirki par tik tik kar rahi thin. Chand baadlon ke peechay chhup gaya tha, phir nikal aaya tha — aankh micholi khelta hua, jaise woh bhi un ki khushi mein shareek ho. Ayesha ne Shahid ke seenay par sar rakha aur us ke dil ki dharkan suni. Woh dharkan ab sukoon se dharak rahi thi — jaise teen saal ki bechaini aakhir khatam ho gayi ho.

“Shahid,” us ne dheemi awaz mein kaha, “tumhain pata hai, main ne kabhi socha nahi tha ke main itni khush ho sakti hoon.”

“Main ne bhi nahi socha tha,” Shahid ne kaha, aur us ne Ayesha ke baalon mein ungliyan phairin. “Main ne to umeed bhi chhor di thi. Lekin tum ne…” woh ruka, “tum ne mujhay dobara jeena sikha diya, Ayesha.”

Woh dono khamosh thay, ek doosray ki baahon mein, barish ki awaz sunte hue. Yeh khamoshi alfaaz se zyada bolti thi. Is mein teen saal ka dard tha, teen saal ka intezaar tha, aur ab — aakhir — sukoon tha. Ayesha ne socha — yahi to mohabbat hai. Shor nahi, daaway nahi. Sirf ek doosray ka saath, ek doosray ki raza, ek doosray ka sukoon.

Us raat woh dono der tak jaagte rahe — baatain karte hue, hanste hue, khamosh rehte hue. Shahid ne usay apne bachpan ke qissay sunaye, Ayesha ne apne khwab bataye. Aur jab aakhir un ki aankh lagi to woh ek doosray ki baahon mein thay, chandni mein, barish ki halki awaz mein — duniya se be-khabar, apni duniya mein magan.

Ane walay dinon mein un ki mohabbat ek naye daur mein dakhil hui — chori chori milne ka daur, chhoti chhoti khushiyon ka daur. Woh ab bhi ehtiyat karte thay, lekin ab un ke darmiyan koi deewar nahi thi. Shahid ne Ayesha ko dukaan ka hisaab kitab sikhana shuru kar diya tha — “Tum parhi likhi ho, mujh se behtar hisaab karogi,” woh kehta tha. Ayesha shaam ko dukaan par jaati, aur jab gahak na hote to dono ledger par jhuk kar baatain karte. Ek din Shahid ne usay ek naya register diya tha, jis ke pehle safhay par likha tha: “Meri sab se qeemti munshi ke naam.” Ayesha ne usay parh kar itna hansa tha ke us ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye thay.

Ek jummay ko Shahid ne dukaan jaldi band ki aur Ayesha ko Saddar le gaya — “Ammi se keh diya hai ke dukaan ka samaan lene ja rahe hain,” us ne aankh maar kar kaha tha. Dono ne Saddar ki bheer mein ghooma — kapron ki dukaanain, khilonon walay, chana chaat walay. Shahid ne Ayesha ke liye jhumkay khareeday thay — chhote, nafees, us ki pasand ke. “Pehno,” us ne kaha tha. Ayesha ne wohin dukaan par kharay ho kar jhumkay pehne thay, aur dukandaar ne muskuraya tha — “Baji, bohat jachtay hain.” Ayesha ka chehra laal ho gaya tha, lekin us ka dil khushi se bhar gaya tha.

Wapsi par Shahid ne usay Ayub Park ke bahar kulfi khilayi thi. Dono park ke bahar bench par baithay thay, kulfi khate hue, logon ko dekhte hue. “Dekho,” Shahid ne kaha tha, “woh bacha dekh rahi ho? Bilkul Ali jaisa tha bachpan mein — shararti.” Ayesha hansi thi. “Aur woh aurat? Bilkul Ammi jaisi lagti hai jab woh ghussa hoti hain.” Dono hansay thay — khul kar, bila dar, jaise duniya mein koi gham na ho.

“Shahid,” Ayesha ne kaha tha, “tum ne kabhi socha hai ke humari zindagi kaisi hogi? Aagay?”

Shahid ne socha tha, phir kaha tha, “Socha hai. Har roz sochta hoon. Main chahta hoon ke hum ek chhota sa ghar lein — isi mohallay mein, Ammi ke paas. Tum teacher ban’na chahti thin na? To bano. Main dukaan chalaoonga, tum school mein parhaoogi. Ali ki shaadi karayenge, Ammi ki khidmat karenge.” Us ne Ayesha ka haath pakra tha. “Aur har load-shedding ki raat hum chhat par jayenge, mombatti jalayenge, aur chand dekhenge.”

Ayesha ki aankhain bhar aayin thin. “Itna khoobsurat khwab… kya poora hoga?”

“Hoga,” Shahid ne kaha tha, us ki awaz mein yaqeen tha. “Kyunke is khwab mein tum ho. Aur tumhare saath har khwab poora hota hai.”

Wapsi par unhon ne taazi jalebiyan leen thin — Ammi ke liye, Ali ke liye. Dukaandaar ne jalebiyan kagaz mein lapait kar din thin, aur un ki khushbu rikshaw mein pheel gayi thi. Rikshaw mein baithay hue, bheer se guzarte hue, Shahid ne dheemi awaz mein kaha tha, “Ayesha, main ne socha hai ke dukaan ko thora barhaun. Paas wali dukaan khaali ho rahi hai — sochta hoon ke le loon, aur us mein bachon ke khilonay rakhun. Ali kehta hai ke khilonon ka karobaar achha chalega.”

“Achha socha hai,” Ayesha ne kaha tha. “Lekin hisaab kitab kaun karega? Do dukaanon ka hisaab ek aadmi nahi kar sakta.”

Shahid muskuraya tha. “Isi liye to tumhain munshi banaya hai. Tum dono dukaanon ka hisaab dekhogi. Tankhwah bhi milegi.”

“Tankhwah?” Ayesha ne hansi thi. “Kya doge?”

“Jo tum mango,” Shahid ne kaha tha, aur us ki aankhon mein shrarat thi. “Meri dukaan, mera ghar, mera dil — sab tumhara hai. Bas ek cheez meri hai.”

“Kya?”

“Meri mohabbat,” Shahid ne kaha tha. “Woh main tumhain roz dunga — nayi, taazi, kabhi purani nahi hone dunga.”

Ayesha ka dil bhar aaya tha. Us ne rikshaw ki bheer mein, logon ki nazron se chhup kar, Shahid ka haath pakar liya tha — ek pal ke liye. “Aur main tumhain apni duaen dungi,” us ne kaha tha. “Roz, har namaz mein.”

Rikshaw gali mein dakhil hua tha, aur dono utar gaye thay — phir se bhai behan, phir se ehtiyat. Lekin un ke dilon mein jo tha, woh un ki aankhon mein chamak raha tha, aur jo dekhta, woh samajh jata. Khushqismati thi ke us waqt gali mein koi nahi tha — sirf ek billa tha, jo deewar par baitha unhain dekh raha tha, jaise woh bhi un ki khushi mein shareek ho.

Ek shaam jab woh dono chhat par thay — bijli thi, lekin woh andheray mein baithay thay — Ali oopar aaya tha. Us ne dono ko haath mein haath dalay dekha tha, aur ek pal ke liye ruk gaya tha. Phir us ne aasman ki taraf dekh kar kaha tha, “Waah, aaj chand kitna khoobsurat hai! Bilkul… ” woh ruka tha, “bilkul filmy scene lag raha hai.” Aur woh hans kar neeche chala gaya tha, unhain akela chhor kar.

Ayesha ka chehra laal ho gaya tha. “Us ne dekh liya!”

“To dekhne do,” Shahid ne kaha tha. “Woh humara apna hai. Aur waise bhi, woh pehle se janta tha.”

“Lekin phir bhi…” Ayesha ne kaha tha.

Shahid ne us ka haath kas kar pakra tha. “Ayesha, ek din yeh chhupana band karna hoga. Hum chhup kar nahi jee sakte — na hum, na hamari mohabbat. Ek din duniya ko batana hoga. Aur jab woh din aayega, hum dono mil kar samna karenge.”

Ayesha ne us ki taraf dekha tha — us ki aankhon mein dar tha, lekin umeed bhi thi. “Woh din kab aayega?”

“Jab tum tayyar ho,” Shahid ne kaha tha. “Tumhari marzi se, tumhare waqt par. Main ne kaha tha na — main intezaar kar sakta hoon. Ab bhi kar sakta hoon.”

Aur Ayesha ne socha tha — yahi to farq tha. Shahid ne kabhi us par dabao nahi dala tha — na pehle, na ab. Us ne hamesha us ki marzi ko apni khwahish se oopar rakha tha. Aur isi liye woh us se itni mohabbat karti thi — kyunke yeh mohabbat usay azad karti thi, qaid nahi.

Subah jab Ayesha ki aankh khuli to Shahid ja chuka tha — woh subah jaldi uth kar apne kamray mein chala gaya tha, taake kisi ko shak na ho. Lekin takiye par ek khat tha, us ki jani pehchani likhai mein:

“Raat ko main ne chand dekha tha — poora, roshan. Aur main ne socha, ke barsaat ka chand sab se khoobsurat hota hai, kyunke woh baadlon se lar kar nikalta hai. Tum meri barsaat ka chand ho, Ayesha. — S”

Ayesha ne khat ko seenay se lagaya aur muskurayi. Phir woh aaine ke paas gayi aur apne aap ko dekha. Us ka chehra — kya yeh wohi chehra tha jo kal tha? Aankhain gehri thin, neend ki kami thi, lekin un mein ek nayi chamak thi. Us ke hont thore soojay thay — raat ki yaad. Us ne apne honton ko chhua aur sharma gayi — akele kamray mein, apne aap se sharmana. Kaisi ajeeb baat thi.

Us ne apne baalon ko khola — lambay, ghane baal, jo raat ko Shahid ki ungliyon mein uljhay thay. Us ne unhain mehsoos kiya, aur usay raat yaad aayi — tukron mein, jhalkiyon mein. Shahid ka us ke maathe par bosa. Us ki aankhon mein sawal, aur us ka jawab. Un ke haathon ka milna. Chandni ka un par barasna. Barish ki awaz. Aur woh lamha jab woh ek hue thay — dard bhi tha, lekin us dard mein bhi mithaas thi, kyunke woh dard us ki marzi se tha, us ki khwahish se tha.

Us ne apne aap se poocha — kya usay pachtawa tha? Kya usay sharam aati thi? Us ne apne dil mein jhanka — gehra, imaandaari se. Aur jawab aaya — nahi. Koi pachtawa nahi tha. Koi sharam nahi thi. Sirf ek gehra sukoon tha, aur ek ajeeb si taqat — jaise us ne apni zindagi ka sab se bara faisla khud kiya ho, aur sahi kiya ho.

Us ne socha — kal tak woh larki thi jo dar ke saaye mein jeeti thi. Dar sharam ka, dar duniya ka, dar apne hi dil ka. Aur aaj? Aaj woh aurat thi jis ne apne dil ki suni thi, apni marzi se chuna tha, aur apne chunao par khari thi. Yeh tabdeeli ek raat mein nahi aayi thi — yeh hafton, mahinon ki kashmakash ka natija thi. Har khat, har nazar, har baat ne usay yahan tak pohanchaya tha. Aur sab se barh kar — Shahid ke sabr ne. Us ne kabhi us par dabao nahi dala tha. Us ne kaha tha — “tumhari marzi ke baghair ek qadam nahi uthaunga.” Aur us ne apna wada nibhaya tha. Har qadam par us ne poocha tha, har nazar mein ijazat mangi thi. Aur Ayesha ne har baar haan kaha tha — apne dil se, apni rooh se.

Us ne ghusl kiya — thanday pani se, jo us ke jism ko sukoon de raha tha. Pani ki dhaar mein usay laga jaise woh nayi janam le rahi ho. Purani Ayesha — dari hui, uljhi hui — pani mein beh gayi thi. Aur nayi Ayesha nikli thi — mazboot, khush, mohabbat se bhari.

Us ne wohi gulabi jora pehna — jo raat ko us ne pehna tha. Kapra ab bhi us ki khushbu se mahak raha tha — aur halki si, Shahid ki khushbu bhi thi us mein. Us ne dupatta sir par liya aur aaine mein dekha — aur is baar us ne muskuraya, khul kar. “Ayesha,” us ne apne aap se kaha, “tum ne sahi kiya. Aur tum hamesha sahi karogi — jab tak tum apne dil ki sunogi.”

Us ne kamray ki khirki kholi. Bahar subah thi — tazi, roshan. Chidiyan chahchaha rahi thin, gali mein doodh wala awaz laga raha tha, aur door se masjid se naat ki awaz aa rahi thi. Duniya waisi hi thi — lekin Ayesha badal gayi thi. Ya shayad duniya bhi badal gayi thi — us ki nazar badal gayi thi, to duniya bhi nayi lag rahi thi.

Us ne aasman ki taraf dekha aur dil mein dua mangi — Ya Allah, tera shukr hai. Tune mujhay himmat di, tune mujhay raasta dikhaya. Aur mere Shahid ko khush rakh — us ne bohat dukh sahay hain. Ab usay sukoon de.

Us ka jism thaka hua tha, lekin us ki rooh halki thi — jaise barson ka bojh utar gaya ho. Woh uthi, ghusl kiya, aur neeche aayi. Kitchen mein Ammi nashta bana rahi thin. Ayesha ne unhain peechay se galay lagaya.

“Arre, aaj itni khush kyun ho?” Ammi ne hairat se poocha.

“Bas yun hi, Ammi,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Barish hui hai na, mausam achha hai.”

Ammi ne usay ghaur se dekha, phir muskurayin. “Allah tumhain hamesha khush rakhe, meri bachi.”

Ayesha ka dil bhar aaya. Ammi… Ammi ko kya kahengi jab unhain pata chalega? Doctor ne kaha tha unhain sadma nahi pohanchna chahiye. Kya yeh sadma hoga? Ya khushi? Ayesha nahi janti thi. Lekin woh janti thi ke jhoot par zindagi nahi guzari ja sakti. Ek din sach samnay aana tha. Aur jab aayega to woh aur Shahid mil kar samna karenge.

Shahid dukaan se dopahar ko khana khane aaya. Us ne Ayesha ko dekha — ek lambi nazar, jis mein raat ki yaad thi, aur subah ka wada tha. Ayesha ne usay khana diya, aur jab us ne plate rakhi to un ki ungliyan mili — ek pal ke liye, lekin us pal mein poori duniya thi.

Ali ne dono ko dekha aur apni roti ka niwala munh mein daalte hue kaha, “Aaj ghar mein kuch zyada hi pyaar barsa raha hai. Kya baat hai? Barish ka asar hai?”

“Khaana kha,” Shahid ne kaha, lekin us ki awaz mein hansi thi.

Ali ne Ayesha ki taraf dekha aur aankh maari. Ayesha ka chehra laal ho gaya. Ali kuch janta tha — woh hamesha se janta tha. Aur us ne kabhi kuch kaha nahi tha, kabhi roka nahi tha. Ayesha ne socha — ek din usay Ali ka shukriya ada karna chahiye. Us ki khamosh samajh ke liye.

Shaam ko barish phir hone lagi — tez, musladhar. Bijli chali gayi. Phir load-shedding ki raat thi, lekin is baar andhera Ayesha ko darra nahi raha tha. Woh chhat par gayi, mombatti jala kar mundair par rakhi. Shahid bhi oopar aaya. Dono bheegte hue barish mein kharay thay, lekin kisi ko parwah nahi thi.

“Yaad hai,” Shahid ne kaha, “usi raat — pehli raat — jab main ne tum se iqrar kiya tha, tab bhi barish ho rahi thi.”

“Yaad hai,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Main dar gayi thi. Bhaag aayi thi.”

“Aur ab?” Shahid ne poocha.

“Ab nahi bhaagungi,” Ayesha ne kaha, aur us ne Shahid ka haath pakar liya. “Chahe jo ho jaye.”

Dono neeche shehar ko dekhtay rahe — andheray mein dooba, mombattiyon se jhilmilata. Bijli chamki, aur us ki roshni mein Ayesha ne Shahid ka chehra dekha — sukoon se bhara, khushi se bhara. Woh Shahid nahi tha jo teen saal se bojh uthaye jee raha tha. Yeh naya Shahid tha — azad, khush, zinda.

“Shahid,” Ayesha ne kaha, “Ammi ko kab batayenge?”

Shahid khamosh ho gaya. Yeh sawal dono ke zehan mein tha, lekin kisi ne zubaan par nahi laya tha. “Jab tum chaho,” us ne aakhir kaha. “Lekin soch lo — Ammi ka dil…”

“Main janti hoon,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Lekin jhoot se un ka dil aur tootega, jab sach samnay aayega. Aur sach to aayega, Shahid. Hum chhupa nahi sakte — na chhupana chahte hain.” Us ne gehra saans liya. “Main khud Ammi se baat karungi. Tum mere saath hoge, bas. Mujhay aur kuch nahi chahiye.”

Shahid ne usay apni taraf kheench liya aur us ke maathe par bosa diya. “Main hamesha tumhare saath hoon. Har qadam par.”

Barish tez ho gayi thi. Dono poori tarah bheeg chukay thay. Ayesha ne aasman ki taraf dekha — baadal garaj rahe thay, lekin un ke beech se chand jhalak raha tha. Barsaat ka chand — baadlon se lar kar nikalta hua, apni roshni bikheerta hua.

“Dekho,” us ne Shahid se kaha, “chand nikal aaya.”

Shahid ne chand ko dekha, phir Ayesha ko. “Haan. Aur woh kahin nahi jayega. Baadal aayenge, jayenge, lekin chand wahin rahega.”

Ayesha samajh gayi ke woh sirf chand ki baat nahi kar raha tha. Woh un ki baat kar raha tha — un ki mohabbat ki. Mushkilain aayengi — Ammi, mohalla, duniya. Lekin woh dono ek doosray ke saath rahenge, jaise chand aasman mein rehta hai — kabhi baadlon ke peechay, kabhi saaf, lekin hamesha wahan.

Us raat der tak woh chhat par rahe — bheegte hue, baatain karte hue, khamosh rehte hue. Aur jab bijli wapas aayi to unhon ne dekha ke neeche gali mein bachay barish mein khel rahe thay, hans rahe thay. Zindagi chal rahi thi — apni raftar se, apne rangon se. Aur un ki zindagi bhi chalegi — apne raaste par, apni manzil ki taraf.

Agle din Khalida Khala phir aayin — Faisal ke rishtay ka jawab lene. Ammi ne Ayesha ko bulaya. Baithak mein sab jama thay — Ammi, Khalida Khala, Shahid, Ali, aur Ayesha. Ayesha ka dil zor zor se dharak raha tha. Usay pata tha ke ab waqt aa gaya tha — pehla imtihan.

“Baji, larkay walay jawab ke muntazir hain,” Khalida Khala ne kaha. “Faisal bohat achha larka hai. Ayesha, beta, tum kya kehti ho?”

Sab ki nazrain Ayesha par thin. Us ne Shahid ki taraf dekha — us ki aankhon mein khauf tha, lekin bharosa bhi tha. Us ne Ammi ki taraf dekha — umeed thi. Phir us ne gehra saans liya aur kaha, “Khala, aap ka shukriya. Lekin… main ne faisla kiya hai ke main abhi shaadi nahi karungi.”

Khalida Khala ki bhavein oonchi huin. “Abhi nahi? To kab? Beta, umar—”

“Umar Allah ke haath mein hai, Khala,” Ayesha ne narmi se kaha, lekin us ki awaz mein mazbooti thi. “Aur shaadi sirf umar par nahi, dil par hoti hai. Mera dil abhi tayyar nahi hai.”

“Yeh kya baat hui?” Khalida Khala ne Ammi ki taraf dekha. “Baji, tum samjhao isay.”

Ammi ne Ayesha ko dekha — lambi, gehri nazar. Phir unhon ne aah bhari aur kaha, “Theek hai. Meri beti ki marzi sab se ahm hai. Khalida, larkay walon se keh dena ke hum mazrat chahte hain.”

Khalida Khala naaraaz ho kar chali gayin. Darwaza band hote hi Ammi ne Ayesha se poocha, “Sach batao, koi baat hai? Koi… koi pasand hai tumhain?”

Ayesha ka dil ruk gaya. Shahid ne us ki taraf dekha — us ki aankhon mein sawal tha. Kya abhi? Kya abhi sach bata dein? Ayesha ne Ammi ko dekha — un ka chehra, un ki thaki hui aankhain, un ka kamzor dil. Abhi nahi. Abhi waqt nahi tha. Pehle unhain tayyar karna tha, aahista aahista.

“Nahi Ammi,” Ayesha ne kaha, aur usay jhoot bol kar dard hua. “Koi baat nahi hai. Bas… abhi mera dil nahi chahta. Kya aap ko mujh par bharosa nahi?”

Ammi ne usay galay lagaya. “Bharosa hai, meri jaan. Poora bharosa hai.”

Raat ko Ali Ayesha ke kamray mein aaya. Woh darwazay par khara tha, haathon mein wohi purani jacket — Shahid ki jacket. “Aapi, yeh lo. Bhai ne kaha tha ke phenk do, lekin main ne rakhi thi. Ab lagta hai ke is ki zaroorat nahi rahegi.”

Ayesha ne jacket li. “Ali… tumhain kab se pata hai?”

Ali muskuraya — udas, samajhdaar muskurahat. “Us raat se jab bhai Murree se wapas aaye thay. Main ne unhain bus stop par dekha tha — tootay hue, roye hue. Main ne poocha kya hua, to unhon ne kuch nahi bataya. Lekin main ne un ki jeb se yeh ticket dekha tha.” us ne ticket ki taraf ishara kiya jo Ayesha ne ab bhi sambhal kar rakha tha. “Phir Abba guzar gaye, aur bhai badal gaye. Khamosh ho gaye. Main samajh gaya tha ke koi gehra raaz hai. Aur phir…” woh ruka, “phir main ne dekha ke woh tumhain kaise dekhte hain, Aapi. Bhai ki nazar mein main ne woh dard dekha jo sirf mohabbat mein hota hai.”

Ayesha ki aankhain bhar aayin. “Tum ne kabhi kuch kaha kyun nahi?”

“Kya kehta?” Ali ne kandhay uchkaye. “Ke tum dono ghalat ho? Lekin main ne ghalat nahi dekha, Aapi. Main ne sirf mohabbat dekhi — saaf, sachchi mohabbat. Bhai ne teen saal tak tumhara intezaar kiya, tum par koi zabardasti nahi ki. Yeh koi aam mard nahi kar sakta.” Woh Ayesha ke qareeb aaya aur us ka haath pakra. “Main tum dono ke saath hoon. Chahe jo ho jaye. Tum mere bhai ho, tum meri behan ho — aur ab tum dono ek doosray ki… khair, jo bhi ho, main tumhare saath hoon.”

Ayesha ne Ali ko galay lagaya aur ronay lagi — khushi ke aansu, shukr ke aansu. “Shukriya, Ali. Tum nahi jante tum ne mujhay kitni himmat di hai.”

“Bas ek shart par,” Ali ne hansi ke saath kaha, “mujhay mamoo ban’na hai, chacha nahi. Samjhi?”

Ayesha hans pari — aansuon ke beech hansi. “Pagal!”

Ali chala gaya, jacket chhor kar. Ayesha ne jacket ko dekha — purani, ghisi hui, lekin ab usay is mein koi bojh nazar nahi aaya. Sirf yaadain thin — ek mard ki qurbaani ki yaad, ek ticket ki yaad, aur ek mohabbat ki yaad jo teen saal tak chhup kar jalti rahi thi aur ab roshan ho gayi thi.

Us ne jacket ko teh kiya aur almari mein rakh diya — phenka nahi. Kuch cheezain phenki nahi jatin. Woh sambhal kar rakhi jati hain, yaad ke liye, sabak ke liye.

Raat ko jab Shahid chhat par aaya to Ayesha ne usay Ali wali baat batayi. Shahid khamosh ho gaya, phir us ki aankhain bhar aayin. “Woh… woh janta tha? Itne saal se?”

“Haan,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Aur us ne kabhi kuch nahi kaha. Sirf saath diya — khamosh saath.”

Shahid ne aasman ki taraf dekha. “Ali… woh hamesha se samajhdaar tha. Main ne socha tha ke main akela hoon is bojh mein. Lekin main akela nahi tha.” Us ne Ayesha ka haath pakra. “Aur ab to bilkul nahi hoon.”

Dono chand ko dekhtay rahe — poora chand, roshan, baadlon se azad. Hawa mein barish ki nami thi, lekin ab barish nahi ho rahi thi. Sirf thandi hawa thi, aur chandni thi, aur ek doosray ka saath tha.

“Shahid,” Ayesha ne kaha, “tumhain kabhi pachtawa to nahi hoga? Jo hum kar rahe hain…”

Shahid ne us ki taraf dekha, aur us ki aankhon mein koi shak nahi tha. “Pachtawa? Ayesha, pachtawa to us baat ka hai jo main ne teen saal tak ki — chhupana, darna, bhaagna. Ab jo kar raha hoon, us par fakhar hai. Tum par fakhar hai. Hum par fakhar hai.” Us ne us ke haath par bosa diya. “Aur tumhain?”

Ayesha ne muskuraya. “Mujhay sirf is baat ka pachtawa hai ke main ne itne saal apne dil ki baat nahi suni. Lekin ab sun rahi hoon. Aur woh kehta hai — Shahid, Shahid, Shahid.”

Shahid hans para — khul kar, dil se, teen saal baad pehli baar itni khul kar. Us ki hansi chhat par goonji, neeche galiyon mein, chandni raat mein. Aur Ayesha ne socha — yahi to zindagi hai. Dard ke baad khushi, intezaar ke baad milan, baadlon ke baad chand.

Waqt guzarta gaya — din hafton mein badlay, haftay mahinay mein. Barishon ka mausam apne urooj par tha, aur Rawalpindi ki galiyan kabhi sookhtin, kabhi bheegtin. Ayesha aur Shahid ki zindagi mein ek nayi raunaq aa gayi thi — woh raunaq jo sirf mohabbat la sakti hai. Woh ab bhi ehtiyat karte thay — ghar mein, mohallay mein — lekin un ke darmiyan jo tha, woh chhupaya nahi ja sakta tha. Ammi ne mehsoos kiya tha ke un ke dono bachay khush thay, aur woh khush thin. Ali to pehle se janta tha, aur ab woh aksar un dono ko chherhta tha — “Bhai, Aapi ke liye chai bana do,” ya “Aapi, bhai tumhain dekh rahe hain, sharmao mat.”

Ek raat jab barish zoron par thi aur bijli gayi hui thi, Ayesha aur Shahid chhat par thay — un ki pasandeeda jagah, un ki duniya. Mombatti jal rahi thi, aur baadlon ke peechay se chand jhalak raha tha.

“Shahid,” Ayesha ne kaha, “main ne faisla kiya hai. Main Ammi se baat karungi. Kal.”

Shahid ne usay dekha. “Tum sure ho? Un ka dil…”

“Main janti hoon,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Lekin main ne socha hai — Ammi sab se zyada hum se mohabbat karti hain. Aur jo mohabbat karta hai, woh samajhta hai. Shayad unhain waqt lage, shayad woh royen, shayad woh naraaz hon. Lekin woh humari dushman nahi hain, Shahid. Woh humari Ammi hain.” Us ne Shahid ka haath pakra. “Aur main un se jhoot nahi bol sakti. Har roz jhoot bol kar un ki aankhon mein dekhna… yeh mujh se nahi hoga.”

Shahid khamosh raha, phir us ne Ayesha ko apni baahon mein le liya. “Theek hai. Kal. Main tumhare saath honga. Hum dono mil kar batayenge.”

“Nahi,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Pehle main akeli baat karungi. Woh meri Ammi hain, mujhay un ka mizaaj pata hai. Tum baad mein aana — jab main bulaun.” Us ne Shahid ki aankhon mein dekha. “Bharosa rakho. Main sambhal lungi.”

Shahid ne gehra saans liya, phir sar hilaya. “Bharosa hai. Tum par sab se zyada bharosa hai.

Lekin qismat ko kuch aur hi manzoor tha. Us raat jab Ayesha so rahi thi to usay Ammi ki awaz sunayi di — dard bhari, kamzor. “Ayesha… meri dawai…”

Woh haRbara kar uthi. Ammi bistar par baithi thin, un ka chehra peela tha, paseena maathe par tha. “Ammi! Kya hua?” Ayesha ne un ki nabz dekhi — tez chal rahi thi. “Ali! Shahid! Jaldi aao!”

Shahid aur Ali daud kar aaye. Shahid ne foran Ammi ka blood pressure check kiya — ghar mein machine thi. “Bohat high hai,” us ne fikr se kaha. “Hospital le chalte hain.”

Woh raat qiyamat ki raat thi. Ammi ko hospital le jaya gaya, doctor ne foran injection diya, aur kaha ke khushqismati thi ke waqt par le aaye, warna falij ka khatra tha. Ayesha hospital ke corridor mein baithi roti rahi — “Meri wajah se,” woh kehti rahi, “agar main Ammi ko pareshan karungi to un ka yahi haal hoga.”

Shahid ne usay samjhaya tha, “Ayesha, yeh tumhari wajah se nahi hua. Ammi ki tabiyat pehle se kharab hai. Doctor ne kaha hai ke dawai waqt par nahi li thi — shayad bhool gayin thin.” Lekin Ayesha ka dil nahi mana tha. Us ne faisla kar liya tha — woh Ammi se kuch nahi kahegi. Kabhi nahi. Un ki zindagi us ki mohabbat se zyada qeemti thi.

Do din Ammi hospital mein rahin. Teesre din jab woh ghar aayin to kamzor thin, lekin hosh mein thin. Ayesha ne un ki khidmat mein koi kasar nahi chhori — waqt par dawai, halki ghiza, pair dabana. Ammi ne ek din us ka haath pakar kar kaha, “Ayesha, tum itni fikar kyun karti ho? Main theek hoon. Aur tum…” unhon ne usay ghaur se dekha, “tum kuch chhupa rahi ho mujh se. Maa hoon, samajhti hoon.”

Ayesha ka dil dhak se reh gaya. “Nahi Ammi, koi baat nahi hai.”

Ammi ne aah bhari. “Theek hai. Jab dil chahe, bata dena. Lekin itna yaad rakho — jo baat dil mein dabayi jaye, woh dil ko kha jati hai. Tumhare Abba…” woh ruki, un ki aankhon mein aansu thay, “tumhare Abba bhi aksar baatain dil mein dabaye rakhte thay. Aur dekho, woh… ” unhon ne baat adhoori chhor di.

Us raat Ayesha ne bohat socha. Ammi ki baat us ke zehan mein goonjti rahi — “jo baat dil mein dabayi jaye, woh dil ko kha jati hai.” Kya woh apni mohabbat ko dabaye rakhegi? Kya woh aur Shahid hamesha chhup kar jeeyenge? Aur kya yeh chhupana Ammi se bara dhoka nahi tha? Ammi ko sach se zyada takleef jhoot se hogi — jab unhain pata chalega ke un ke bachon ne un se itni bari baat chhupayi.

Aur phir us ne socha — Ammi ne khud kaha tha ke jab dil chahe, bata dena. Unhon ne darwaza khola tha. Ab usay himmat karni thi — us darwazay se guzarna tha.

Us ne Shahid se baat ki. “Main Ammi se baat karungi. Abhi. Isi haftay.”

Shahid ne usay dekha — us ki aankhon mein khauf tha, lekin fakhar bhi tha. “Tum sure ho? Hospital wali raat ke baad…”

“Isi liye,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Us raat ne mujhay sikhaya ke zindagi ka koi bharosa nahi. Agar Ammi ko kuch ho gaya — Khuda na kare — to main apne aap ko kabhi maaf nahi kar paungi ke main ne un se sach chhupaya. Main un se jhoot nahi bolungi, Shahid. Chahe jo ho jaye.”

Shahid ne usay galay lagaya. “Main tumhare saath hoon. Har qadam par. Aur Ammi…” us ne gehra saans liya, “Ammi hum se mohabbat karti hain. Woh samjhengi. Mujhay yaqeen hai.”

Ayesha ne apni aankhain band kar lin aur dua mangi — Ya Allah, meri Ammi ko himmat de. Aur mujhay bhi. Kyunke jo hone wala tha, woh us ki zindagi ka sab se mushkil imtihan tha — aur sab se ahm bhi. Lekin usay sahi waqt ka intezaar tha. Aur woh waqt ab door nahi tha.”

Agle din subah Ayesha ne Ammi ko chai di aur un ke paas baith gayi. Ammi ko mehsoos hua ke kuch hone wala tha — maaon ko aisi baatain mehsoos ho jati hain. “Kya baat hai, Ayesha? Tum kuch kehna chahti ho?”

Ayesha ne Ammi ke haath pakar liye. Un ke haath thanday thay, kamzor thay. “Ammi, main aap se ek baat kehna chahti hoon. Aur aap ne wada karna hai ke aap poori baat sunengi, beech mein nahi bolengi.”

Ammi ne usay dekha, phir dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Wada.”

Ayesha ne shuru se shuru kiya — Shahid ke iqrar se, apne inkar se, apne dar se. Phir us ne ticket wali baat batayi — Murree, mangni, Abba ki maut, teen saal ka bojh. Aur phir us ne apne dil ki baat batayi — kaise us ne lara, kaise us ne jeeta, kaise us ne chuna. Woh ro rahi thi, lekin us ki awaz saaf thi. Us ne kuch nahi chhupaya.

Ammi khamosh thin. Un ke chehre par koi taasur nahi tha — sirf ek gehri, dardnaak khamoshi. Jab Ayesha ne baat khatam ki to kamray mein sannata chha gaya. Sirf deewar par lagi ghari ki tik tik sunayi de rahi thi.

Phir Ammi ne apne haath Ayesha ke haathon se nikaal liye. Ayesha ka dil doob gaya — kya Ammi naraaz thin? Kya woh usay dhutkar dengi?

Lekin Ammi ne usay galay laga liya — kas kar, jaise woh usay kabhi chhorna nahi chahtin thin. Aur woh ronay lagin. “Meri bachi,” unhon ne kaha, “meri masoom bachi. Tum ne itna kuch akelay saha? Mujhay kyun nahi bataya?”

Ayesha hairan reh gayi. “Ammi… aap… aap naraaz nahi hain?”

Ammi ne usay chhora aur us ke aansu ponchhay. “Naraaz? Apni beti se? Kabhi nahi.” Un ki awaz mein dard tha, lekin mohabbat bhi thi. “Dekho Ayesha, main ek maa hoon. Main ne tum dono ko paala hai, main tum dono ke dilon ko janti hoon. Shahid…” woh ruki, “Shahid ne teen saal tak jo saha, woh main ne dekha tha. Woh khamosh ho gaya tha, toot gaya tha. Main samajhti thi ke Abba ke gham mein hai. Lekin ab samajh aaya…” unhon ne aah bhari. “Aur tum — tum ne do rishte thukraye. Main samajhti thi ke tumhain koi pasand nahi aata. Lekin asal baat kuch aur thi.”

“Ammi, main…”

“Ruko,” Ammi ne kaha. “Mujhay kehne do.” Un ki aankhon mein aansu thay, lekin un ki awaz mazboot thi. “Duniya kya kahegi, is ki fikar mujhay hai. Mohalla kya kahega, is ki fikar mujhay hai. Lekin sab se zyada fikar mujhay tum dono ki khushi ki hai. Tum mere bachay ho. Agar tum dono ek doosray mein khush ho, agar tum dono ne soch samajh kar faisla kiya hai, to main tumhare saath hoon.” Un hon ne Ayesha ka chehra apne haathon mein liya. “Lekin ek shart par — tum dono mujh se kabhi jhoot nahi bologe. Kabhi nahi. Samjhi?”

Ayesha ne Ammi ko galay lagaya aur zor zor se ronay lagi — is baar khushi ke aansu thay, rahat ke aansu thay. “Shukriya, Ammi. Shukriya.”

“Shahid ko bulao,” Ammi ne kaha. “Mujhay us se bhi baat karni hai.”

Jab Shahid aaya to woh kaanp raha tha — pehli baar Ayesha ne usay itna dara hua dekha tha. Ammi ne usay dekha, phir uth kar us ke paas gayin aur us ka sar apne seenay se lagaya — jaise woh ab bhi chhota bacha ho. “Mere Shahid,” unhon ne kaha, “tum ne teen saal tak akelay kyun saha? Main tumhari maa hoon, tum mujh se kyun chhupaye?”

Shahid toot gaya — woh Ammi ki baahon mein bachon ki tarah ronay laga. “Ammi, mujhay maaf kar dain. Main ne Abba ko… main un ke paas nahi tha…”

“Chup,” Ammi ne kaha, “woh qismat thi, tumhari ghalti nahi thi. Tumhare Abba tum se bohat mohabbat karte thay, aur woh jahan bhi hain, tumhain dekh rahe hain. Aur woh chahte hain ke tum khush raho.” Un hon ne Shahid ka chehra uthaya. “Tum ne Ayesha se mohabbat ki — is mein tumhara kya qasoor? Dil par kis ka zor hai? Main sirf itna chahti hoon ke tum dono ek doosray ki izzat karo, ek doosray ka saath do, aur mujhay kabhi akela na chhoro.”

“”kabhi nahi, Ammi,” Shahid ne wada kiya. “kabhi nahi.”

Ammi ne dono ko dekha — ek ko apne dayen, ek ko apne bayen — aur un ki aankhon mein ek ajeeb sukoon tha. “Baitho,” unhon ne kaha. “Mujhay tum dono se kuch kehna hai. Aur yeh baat tum dono ko ghaur se sun’ni hai.”

Dono baith gaye. Ammi ne gehra saans liya. “Dekho, main tumhari maa hoon. Mera dil chahta hai ke main tum dono ko galay laga kar kahun ke sab theek hai, koi fikar nahi. Lekin main tumhain jhoot nahi bolungi — aagay raasta aasan nahi hai. Mohalla hai, rishtedaar hain, duniya hai. Log baatain karenge — karwayi baatain, meethi baatain, zehreeli baatain. Tum dono ko un ka samna karna hoga. Aur sab se barh kar…” woh ruki, “sab se barh kar tum dono ko ek doosray ka saath dena hoga. Kyunke jab duniya khilaf ho, to ghar walon ka saath hi insaan ko zinda rakhta hai.”

“Ammi, hum tayyar hain,” Shahid ne kaha.

“Tayyar hona aur nibhana do alag baatain hain, beta,” Ammi ne kaha. “Mohabbat karna aasan hai — nibhana mushkil hai. Main ne tumhare Abba ke saath tees saal guzaray hain. Hum mein bhi laraiyan hoti thin, ikhtilaf hote thay. Lekin hum ne ek doosray ka saath nahi chhora. Tum dono ko bhi yahi karna hoga — chahe jo ho jaye, ek doosray ka haath nahi chhorna.”

Ayesha ne Ammi ka haath pakra. “Nahi chhorenge, Ammi. Wada hai.”

Ammi muskurayin — thaki hui, lekin khush muskurahat. Phir woh uthin aur apni almari ki taraf gayin. Andar se unhon ne ek dupatta nikala — purana, halke aasmani rang ka, jis par bareek kaarh thi. “Yeh meri Ammi ka hai — tumhari Nani ka. Unhon ne mujhay meri shaadi par diya tha, aur kaha tha ke jab tumhari beti ki zindagi ka sab se ahm din aaye, to usay yeh dena.” Un hon ne dupatta Ayesha ke kandhon par dala. “Aaj tumhari zindagi ka sab se ahm din hai, meri bachi. Nahi — sab se ahm din woh tha jab tum ne sach bola. Yeh dupatta us sach ki nishani hai.”

Ayesha ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye. Us ne dupatte ko chhua — narm, purana, mohabbat se bhara. “Ammi…”

“Allah tum dono ko khush rakhe,” Ammi ne kaha, aur unhon ne Ayesha ke sar par bosa diya, phir Shahid ke. “Aur tumhare Abba… woh jahan bhi hain, woh tumhain dekh rahe hain. Aur main janti hoon — woh naraaz nahi hain. Kyunke woh tum dono se mohabbat karte thay. Aur mohabbat karne walay kabhi naraaz nahi hote.”

Shahid ki aankhain bhar aayin. “Ammi, aap ko lagta hai ke Abba… maaf kar denge?”

“Maaf?” Ammi ne us ka chehra apne haathon mein liya. “Beta, maafi to usay mangi jati hai jis ne ghalti ki ho. Tum ne koi ghalti nahi ki. Tum ne sirf mohabbat ki hai. Aur mohabbat kabhi ghalti nahi hoti.” Un hon ne aah bhari. “Tumhare Abba bhi yahi kehte — ke dil ka mamla Allah ke haath mein hai, insaan ke nahi.”

Us shaam jab Ali ghar aaya to usay sab pata chal gaya — Ammi ne khud bataya tha. Woh khushi se uchhal para tha. “To party kab hai? Main ne pehle hi kaha tha — mamoo ban’na hai mujhay!”

“Ali, khamosh!” Ayesha ne usay mara, lekin woh hans rahi thi.

“Arre Aapi, sharmao mat,” Ali ne kaha. “Waise Bhai, ek baat batao — honeymoon par kahan jao ge? Murree to mat jana, wahan ka ticket tumhare paas pehle se hai!”

Sab hans paray — itna hanse ke Ammi ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye, khushi ke. Aur Shahid ne Ali ko pakar kar us ka sar sehlaya — “Tu nahi sudhrega.”

Khana us raat Ayesha ne banaya tha — sab ki pasand ka. Shahid ke liye qeema, Ali ke liye biryani, Ammi ke liye halki daal. Sab ne mil kar khaya, baatain kin, hanse. Ayesha ne dekha — us ka ghar, us ka khandan, us ki duniya. Kuch mahinay pehle yeh ghar bojh lagta tha — zimmedariyon ka, qurbaniyon ka. Aaj yahi ghar jannat lag raha tha — mohabbat ka, sach ka.

Khane ke baad jab sab apne kamron mein gaye to Ammi ne Ayesha ko roka. “Ayesha, ek baat aur.”

“Ji Ammi?”

“Tum ne jo kiya — sach bol kar — is par mujhay fakhar hai. Lekin ek baat yaad rakho — tumhari yeh kahani abhi khatam nahi hui, shuru hui hai. Aagay imtihan aayenge. Aur jab aayen to…” unhon ne Ayesha ke haath pakre, “to apni Ammi ko yaad rakhna. Main hamesha tumhare saath hoon. Har qadam par.”

Ayesha ne Ammi ko galay lagaya — kas kar, der tak. “Shukriya, Ammi. Har cheez ke liye.”

Us raat ghar mein ek ajeeb sukoon tha — jaise barson ka toofan tham gaya ho. Aur Ayesha ne socha — yahi to ghar hai. Jahan sach bola jata hai, jahan maaf kiya jata hai, jahan mohabbat jeetti hai.

Raat ko Ayesha aur Shahid chhat par thay. Bijli thi, lekin unhon ne batti nahi jalayi. Woh chandni mein baithay thay — poora chand, roshan, baadlon se bilkul azad. Barish ruk chuki thi, hawa mein mitti ki khushbu thi.

“Barsaat ka chand,” Ayesha ne dheemi awaz mein kaha.

“Haan,” Shahid ne kaha, aur us ne Ayesha ka haath pakra. “Baadlon se lar kar nikalta hai. Aur phir kahin nahi jata.”

Ayesha ne apna sar Shahid ke kandhay par rakha. Us ne socha — us ki kahani ajeeb thi, mushkil thi, duniya ki nazar mein shayad ghalat bhi thi. Lekin us ke dil ki nazar mein woh saaf thi — kyunke is mein jhoot nahi tha, zabardasti nahi thi, sirf mohabbat thi, raza thi, aur sach tha. Teen saal ka intezaar, ek purana ticket, ek load-shedding ki raat, aur barsaat ka chand — yahi us ki kahani thi. Aur woh is kahani par fakhar karti thi.

“Shahid,” us ne kaha, “tumhain yaad hai tum ne kaha tha ke tum is dil ka kya karo?”

“Yaad hai.”

“Ab pata chala?” us ne muskuraya.

Shahid ne usay apni taraf kheencha aur us ke maathe par bosa diya. “Haan. Pata chal gaya. Is dil ko us ke ghar pohanchana tha. Aur woh ghar tum ho, Ayesha.”

Chand un par baras raha tha — roshan, pur-sukoon, hamesha ke liye. Aur neeche Rawalpindi so raha tha — apni galiyon mein, apne gharon mein, apne khwabon mein. Kisi ko khabar nahi thi ke is chhat par do dilon ne apni manzil pa li thi. Lekin chand ko khabar thi. Woh dekh raha tha — khamosh, gawah, aur apni roshni mein un ki khushi ko mubarakbad de raha tha.

Barsaat ka chand — jo baadlon se lar kar nikalta hai, aur phir kabhi nahi doobta.

Kuch haftay baad phir ek load-shedding ki raat aayi. Bijli shaam se gayi hui thi, aur garmi ne phir zor pakra tha. Lekin is baar Ayesha akeli chhat par nahi gayi — is baar poora ghar chhat par tha. Ammi apni charpai par leti thin, Ali ne mombattiyan jala rakhi thin, aur Shahid ne purana radio nikala tha — Abba ka radio, jo ab bhi chalta tha. Radio par puranay ganay aa rahe thay, halki awaz mein.

“Yaad hai,” Ammi ne kaha, “tumhare Abba bhi aisi raaton mein radio sunte thay. Kehte thay ke bijli jaye to kya hua, chandni to muft hai.”

Sab hansay. Ali ne kaha, “Ammi, aap bhi na! Abba ki har baat yaad hai aap ko.”

“Beta, tees saal jis ke saath guzaray hon, us ki har baat yaad rehti hai,” Ammi ne kaha, aur un ki awaz mein dard tha, lekin mithaas bhi thi.

Ayesha Shahid ke paas baithi thi — thore faaslay par, lekin itne paas ke un ke haath kabhi kabhi mil jate thay, andheray ka faida utha kar. Har baar jab un ke haath miltay, Ayesha ka dil dharak uthta — wohi purani dharkan, lekin ab is mein dar nahi tha, sirf khushi thi.

“Achha, ek kahani sunao,” Ali ne kaha. “Ammi, aap sunao na — woh wali, jab Abba ne aap ko pehli baar dekha tha.”

Ammi sharmayin — itne saalon baad bhi. “Hat, pagal. Budhiya ho gayi hoon, ab kya kahani.”

“Sunao na!” Ayesha ne bhi kaha.

Ammi ne aah bhari, phir muskurayin. “Theek hai, suno. Tumhare Abba mere chacha ke dost thay. Ek din woh humare ghar aaye, aur main ne unhain chai di. Unhon ne baad mein bataya tha ke unhon ne usi din faisla kar liya tha ke woh mujh se shaadi karenge. Kehte thay ke jis larki ke haath ki chai itni achhi ho, us ke haath ki zindagi kaisi hogi.”

“Wah!” Ali ne kaha. “To Abba bhi romantic thay!”

“Thay to,” Ammi ne kaha, aur un ki aankhon mein aansu chamkay — khushi ke, yaad ke. “Mohabbat karna unhon ne hi sikhaya tha. Kehte thay ke mohabbat mein sab se ahm cheez izzat hai. Jis se mohabbat karo, us ki izzat karo — us ki marzi ki, us ke khwabon ki.”

Ayesha ne Shahid ki taraf dekha — us ki aankhon mein aansu thay. Ammi ki baat seedha us ke dil mein utri thi. Izzat — yahi to Shahid ne ki thi, teen saal tak. Us ki marzi ki izzat, us ke inkar ki izzat, us ke dar ki izzat.

Raat geher hoti gayi. Ali neeche chala gaya, Ammi ko neend aa gayi — woh charpai par hi so gayin, chandni mein, pur-sukoon. Ayesha aur Shahid mundair ke paas kharay thay, neeche soye hue shehar ko dekhte hue.

“Aaj Ammi ne jo kaha…” Ayesha ne dheemi awaz mein kaha, “izzat ke baaray mein…”

“Main ne hamesha koshish ki hai,” Shahid ne kaha. “Aur hamesha karunga.”

“Main janti hoon,” Ayesha ne kaha. Us ne apni jeb se kuch nikala — woh purana ticket. Rawalpindi to Murree. Teen saal purana, murjhaya hua, lekin ab bhi salamat. “Dekho.”

Shahid ne ticket ko dekha aur muskuraya. “Tum ne ab bhi rakha hai?”

“Rakha hai,” Ayesha ne kaha. “Pehle yeh mujhay darata tha — lagta tha ke is mein koi raaz hai. Phir is ne mujhay sach bataya — tumhari qurbaani, tumhara dard. Ab…” us ne ticket ko dekha, “ab yeh mujhay hamari kahani yaad dilata hai. Ke hum kahan se shuru hue thay, aur kahan pohanchay hain.”

Us ne ticket ko wapas jeb mein rakh liya. “Main isay sambhal kar rakhungi. Hamesha. Taake jab hum buddhay ho jayen, to apne bachon ko bata saken ke un ke Ammi Abba ki kahani ek puranay bus ticket se shuru hui thi.”

Shahid hans para. “Bachon ko? Itni door ki soch liya?”

“Kyun?” Ayesha ne shrarat se kaha. “Tumhain bachay nahi chahiye?”

Shahid ne usay apni baahon mein le liya — dheemi se, narmi se, chandni mein. “Tumhare saath to mujhay poori duniya chahiye, Ayesha. Bachay to bas shuruat hain.”

Dono hansay — khul kar, khushi se. Aur un ki hansi chhat par goonji, neeche galiyon mein, chandni raat mein. Ammi ne neend mein karwat badli aur muskurayin — jaise unhon ne sun liya ho, aur khush hui hon.

Aasman par chand poora tha — itna roshan ke taaray sharma rahe thay. Baadal kahin nahi thay — aasman saaf tha, jaise us ne bhi apne saaray gham dho diye hon. Hawa mein barish ki halki khushbu thi, lekin barish nahi ho rahi thi. Sirf thandi hawa thi, aur chandni thi, aur mohabbat thi.

Ayesha ne Shahid ke kandhay par sar rakha aur socha — us ki kahani yahin khatam nahi hoti. Yeh to bas shuruat thi. Aagay zindagi thi — khushiyan, gham, imtihan, jeet. Lekin ab woh akeli nahi thi. Us ke saath Shahid tha — us ka bhai, us ka dost, us ki mohabbat. Aur us ke saath Ammi thin, Ali tha, aur Abba ki duaen thin.

Us ne chand ko dekha aur dheemi awaz mein kaha, “Barsaat ka chand.”

Shahid ne us ke baalon mein ungliyan phairin. “Hamesha rahega.”

“Hamesha,” Ayesha ne dohraya, aur us ne apni aankhain band kar lin — sukoon se, khushi se, mohabbat se.

Aur chand un par barasta raha — roshan, pur-sukoon, hamesha ke liye. Jaise woh keh raha ho — dekho, baadal aate hain, jate hain. Toofan aate hain, thamtay hain. Lekin jo dil sachche hote hain, jo mohabbat pakki hoti hai, woh hamesha rehti hai. Baadlon ke paar, toofanon ke paar — barsaat ka chand, hamesha roshan. Aur jo kahani sachchi mohabbat se shuru hoti hai, woh kabhi khatam nahi hoti.