Barish Karachi ko us raat aise giri jaise sheher ne saanson ko rok rakha tha aur ab achanak chhod diya ho. October ka aakhri hafta tha, woh waqt jab Karachi ki garmi apne aakhri dum par hoti hai aur hawa mein samandar ki nami aur mitti ki khushboo ghul mil jaati hai. Jinnah Hospital ke emergency block ke bahar chhota sa lawn tha, jahan ghaas bheegi hui thi aur paani ke chhote chhote talab ban gaye thay. Raat ke do baj rahay thay. Bijli chamakti, phir garajti, phir barish aur tez ho jaati — jaise aasmaan bhi us khaandaan ke saath ro raha ho jo andar waiting room mein betha tha.
Waiting room ki tube light neeli safed roshni phenk rahi thi. Deewaron par halka peela rang, kone mein ek paani ka cooler jiska nal tapak raha tha, aur saat aath plastic ki kursiyan jin par aadmi aadhe soye aadhe jaage bethay thay. Hawa mein dettol, geeli mitti aur thaki hui chaaye ki mili juli boo thi. Khidki ke sheeshay par barish ki boondein fisal rahi thein, aur un ke peechay sheher ki roshaniyan dhundli nazar aa rahi thein.
Konay wali kursiyon par Ashfaq betha tha — 47 saal ka, shipping company mein operations manager, chehre par thakan ki lakeeren, baalon mein safedi ki jhalak jo us ne kabhi rangne ki zehmat na ki thi. Us ke haath mein ek purana chamray ka camera bag tha, itna purana ke us ke kinare ghis gaye thay, magar woh usay aise pakray tha jaise us mein koi qeemti cheez ho. Bar bar woh bag ko god mein theek karta, kabhi us ka zip kholta, phir band kar deta. Us ke saath wali kursi par Uzma bethi thi — 45 saal ki, ghar sambhalne wali aurat, chehre par woh narmi jo sirf un aurton ke chehre par hoti hai jinhon ne zindagi bhar doosron ke liye jeena seekha ho. Us ne halki sabz shalwar kameez pehni thi, dupatta kandhon par, aankhen laal — royi hui thein ya neend se, kehna mushkil tha. Us ke haath mein tasbeeh thi, daanay dheere dheere sarak rahay thay.
Un ke saamne wali qataar mein do naujawan bethay thay. Faisal — 24 saal ka, lamba qad, halki daadhi, engineering ka aakhri saal — apni kursi ke kinare par betha tha, kohniyan ghutnon par, haath chehre par. Us ki aankhen ICU ke darwazay par jami thein, jahan laal batti ab bhi jal rahi thi. Us ke paas Dua bethi thi — 22 saal ki, university mein parh rahi, dupatta sar par liye, haathon mein apne abba ki tasveer wala locket pakray. Woh locket usay us ke abba ne us ki beeswin salgirah par diya tha — chandi ka, dil ki shakal ka. Us din Rizwan ne kaha tha — “Beta, is mein meri tasveer hai. Jab bhi dar lage, ise dekh lena. Main tumhare saath hoon.” Aaj woh locket us ke haathon mein tha — aur woh use itni zor se pakray thi ke us ki ungliyon par nishan par gaye thay. Us ne locket khola — andar us ke abba ki tasveer thi, muskurate hue. Us ne tasveer ko dekha, phir apne maathe se lagaya. “Abba,” us ne sargoshi ki — itni dheemi ke koi sun na saka. “Jaldi theek ho jayen.” Woh dono Ashfaq ki behan Nasreen ke bachay thay, aur jis aadmi ke liye yeh raat jaag rahay thay, woh un ke walid Rizwan thay — do ghante pehle jinhen seene mein dard ke baad emergency mein laaya gaya tha, aur ab jin ka dil doctors ke haathon mein tha.
Nasreen khud ICU ke darwazay ke paas khari thi, 44 saal ki aurat, chehre par woh khamoshi jo sirf maaon ko aati hai jab un ke bachon ke abba andar hon aur woh bahar hon. Woh kabhi darwazay ko dekhti, kabhi apne bhai Ashfaq ko, jaise kehna chahti ho ke tum yahan ho to main akeli nahi. Us ke haathon mein us ke shohar ki tasbeeh thi — wohi tasbeeh jo Rizwan hajj se laaye thay. Woh daanay pher rahi thi — ek ek kar ke, dheere dheere. Har daanay par woh dil mein kehti — Allah, mere Rizwan ko bacha le. Mere bachon ke abba ko bacha le. Us ne apni zindagi mein kabhi itni shiddat se dua nahi mangi thi. Usay apni shadi ka din yaad aaya — jab Rizwan ne us ka haath pakra tha aur kaha tha — “Nasreen, main tumhara saath kabhi nahi chhoroonga.” Aaj woh apne shohar se wahi wada nibhane ki dua maang rahi thi — ke Allah un ka saath na chhoray.
Barish ki awaaz sheeshay par barhti ja rahi thi. Ashfaq ne apni biwi ki taraf dekha. Uzma ki tasbeeh ruk gayi thi. Us ne dheere se apna haath us ke haath par rakha. Uzma ne haath hataaya nahi, magar ungliyan bhi na hilayen. Woh haath wahan para raha — na qubool, na radd. Bas wahan para raha, jaise barson se para tha.
Faisal ne yeh dekha. Us ne apne mamoo ko dekha, phir apni mami ko. Us ke chehre par woh uljhan thi jo naujawanon ke chehre par hoti hai jab woh baron ki khamoshi ko samajhne ki koshish karte hain aur nakaam rehte hain.
“Chai laaon?” Ashfaq ne dheemi awaaz mein poocha. Uzma ne sar hilaya — na mein, na haan mein. Bas hilaya. Ashfaq uth khara hua, apna camera bag kursi par chhod gaya. Woh corridor ki taraf gaya jahan chai wala apni ketli liye betha tha. Faisal ki nazar us bag par pari. Purana chamra, peetal ka buckle, aur us par ek chhota sa tag jis par kuch likha tha — magar doori se parha na gaya.
Dua ne apne bhai ke kaan mein sargoshi ki, “Mamoo yeh bag har jagah saath le kar phirte hain. Tum ne kabhi dekha is mein kya hai?”
Faisal ne sar hilaya. “Nahi. Aur poochna bhi mat. Kuch cheezen poochi nahi jaatin.”
Woh dono phir khamosh ho gaye. Barish bahar garajti rahi. ICU ki laal batti jalti rahi. Aur Ashfaq chai ke do cup liye wapas aaya — ek apne liye, ek Uzma ke liye. Raaste mein thori chai chhalak gayi thi — us ke haath par giri, halki jalan. Us ne parwah na ki.
Us ne cup Uzma ke saamne kiya. Uzma ne is baar liya — pehli baar, us ne inkaar na kiya. Un ki ungliyan ek lamhe ke liye chhooin. Garam cup, thanday haath. Uzma ne jaldi se haath peechay kheench liya, jaise chhoo lena koi ghalti ho.
Magar Ashfaq ne dekha tha — us lamhe mein Uzma ki aankhon mein kuch tha. Hairat? Sharam? Ya… ya kuch aur. Kuch purana.
Woh apni kursi par beth gaya. Chai ka ghoont liya — karwi, patli, hospital wali chai. Magar us waqt woh chai usay duniya ki sab se achi chai lagi. Kyun ke us ki biwi ne us ke haath se li thi. Barson baad — pehli baar.
Us ne khidki se bahar dekha. Barish tez ho rahi thi. Bijli chamki — itni tez ke waiting room ki tube light ek lamhe ke liye madham par gayi. Phir garaj — itni zor se ke Dua chaunk kar apni ammi se lipat gayi.
Nasreen ne apni beti ko sambhala. “Dar mat, beta. Barish hai.”
Faisal ne apne mamoo ko dekha — jo apni chai pee raha tha, magar us ki nazren apni biwi par thein. Uzma chai pee rahi thi — dheere dheere, jaise har ghoont mein kuch soch rahi ho.
Faisal ne socha — kitni ajeeb baat hai. Do log, itne qareeb bethay hain, magar itne door. Jaise darmiyan mein koi deewar ho — nazar na aane wali, magar mazboot.
Us ne apni behan ko dekha — jo apni ammi se lipti thi. Phir us ne ICU ke darwazay ko dekha — laal batti ab bhi jal rahi thi. Us ne dua ki — Allah, mere abba ko bacha le. Aur… aur mamoo mami ke darmiyan jo deewar hai, use bhi gira de.
Barish bahar garajti rahi. Aur andar, chai ke do cup thay — ek khaali hone wala, ek aadha. Aur do dil thay — jo abhi khamosh thay, magar jaagne walay thay.
Ashfaq ne kuch na kaha. Woh apni kursi par beth gaya, chai ka ghoont liya, aur khidki se bahar barish ko dekhne laga. Us ki aankhon mein kuch tha — koi purani baat, koi purana mausam, jo is barish ne jaga diya tha.
Raat ke teen bajay doctor bahar aaya. Sab uth kharay hue. Nasreen sab se aage barhi. Doctor ne kaha ke Rizwan ki haalat ab stable hai, dil ka daura tha magar waqt par laaya gaya, aglay aathtees ghante ahem hain. Nasreen ki aankhon se aansoo beh niklay — is baar rahat ke. Us ne doctor ke haath pakar liye — “Shukriya, doctor sahab. Allah aap ko khush rakhay.” Doctor ne muskurate hue kaha, “Dua karen. Abhi khatra poori tarah tala nahi.” Dua apni ammi se lipat gayi — zor se, jaise chhorna na chahti ho. Faisal ne gehri saans li, jaise do ghanton se saans rok rakhi thi. Us ne aasmaan ki taraf dekha — barish ab bhi ho rahi thi, magar ab woh barish use dara nahi rahi thi. Ab woh barish use umeed lag rahi thi.
Ashfaq ne apne behnoi ke liye dua parhi, phir apni behan ke kandhe par haath rakha. “Ghabrao nahi. Main hoon yahan.”
“Ghar chalo,” Uzma ne dheere se kaha. “Bachay thak gaye hain. Subah phir aa jayenge.”
Gulshan-e-Iqbal ka flat hospital se bees minute ki drive par tha. Barish mein drive aur lambi lagi. Ashfaq ki purani Corolla paani mein se guzarti rahi. Wiper tez chal rahay thay. Peeche wali seat par Nasreen apni beti ke kandhe par sar rakhay aadhi so rahi thi. Faisal khidki se bahar dekh raha tha — bheegi sarken, band dukaanen, aur kabhi kabhar guzarti hui koi gari jis ki headlight paani mein chamakti.
Uzma aagay bethi thi, Ashfaq ke paas. Dono ke darmiyan wohi purani khamoshi thi — woh khamoshi jo shadi ke pehle saalon mein mohabbat bhari hoti hai aur baad ke saalon mein aadat ban jaati hai. Ashfaq ne ek baar us ki taraf dekha. Uzma khidki se bahar dekh rahi thi. Barish ke qatron mein us ka aks banta bigarta raha.
Flat teesri manzil par tha. Do kamray, ek chhota sa drawing room, aur ek balcony jo Gulshan ki gali ki taraf khulti thi. Barish balcony ke farsh par jama ho rahi thi. Uzma ne darwaza khola, batti jalayi. Ghar mein woh khushboo thi jo sirf apne ghar mein hoti hai — purane lakri ke furniture, elaichi, aur saaf kapron ki.
“Nasreen, tum bachon ke saath andar walay kamray mein so jao,” Uzma ne kaha. “Faisal, tum drawing room mein. Ashfaq, aap…” Woh ruki. Barson se woh isi kamray mein sotay thay, magar aaj us ke munh se yeh jumla atka. “Aap bhi andar aa jayen. Thak gaye honge.”
Ashfaq ne sar hilaya. Woh apna camera bag drawing room ki mez par rakhne laga, phir ruka, phir usay uthaya aur apne saath kamray mein le gaya. Faisal ne phir dekha. Us ki aankhon mein sawal gehra hua.
Kamray mein bistar bichha tha. Uzma ne chadar theek ki, takiye seedhay kiye. Ashfaq bag ko almari ke paas rakh kar bistar par beth gaya. Dono ne kapray badle — Uzma ne bathroom mein, Ashfaq ne kamray mein, peeth pher kar, jaise ajnabi hon. Bistar par let’tay waqt dono ke darmiyan wohi faasla tha jo barson se tha — na itna ke koi poochay, na itna kam ke koi mehsus karay.
Batti bujh gayi. Barish ki awaaz khidki se aa rahi thi. Ashfaq ne andheray mein kaha, “Uzma?”
“Hmm?”
“Rizwan theek ho jayega. Fikr na karo.”
“Allah karay.”
Khamoshi. Phir Ashfaq ne dheere se kaha, “Tum ne chai pi thi?”
“Pi thi.”
“Achi thi?”
“Hospital ki chai kaisi hoti hai.”
Ashfaq halka hansa. “Tumhare haath ki chai jaisi nahi.”
Uzma ne jawab na diya. Magar us ke chehre par andheray mein ek halki si muskurahat aayi — woh muskurahat jo us ne khud bhi mehsus na ki.
“So jao,” us ne kaha. “Subah jaldi uthna hai.”
Ashfaq ne karwat badli. Us ki aankhen khuli rahin. Barish ki awaaz mein usay koi aur barish yaad aa rahi thi — bohat purani, Clifton ki, jab woh dono bheege thay aur hans rahay thay, aur duniya ko koi parwah na thi. Us ne apni biwi ki saanson ki awaaz suni. Dheemi, thaki hui. Us ne haath barhaya, phir rok liya. Haath wapas kheench liya.
Raat gehri hoti gayi. Hospital ki ghari dheere chal rahi thi — jaise waqt bhi thak gaya ho. Waiting room mein ab sirf wohi khaandaan tha; doosre mareezon ke rishtedaar apne apne gharon ko ja chukay thay. Cooler ka nal ab bhi tapak raha tha — tik, tik, tik — aur har boond farsh par gir kar chhoti si awaaz karti.
Faisal uth khara hua. Us ki tangen so gayi thein. Woh corridor mein chalne laga — aahista, taake kisi ki neend na tootay. Corridor lamba tha, dono taraf kamray, aur aakhir mein ek khidki jahan se barish nazar aa rahi thi. Woh khidki ke paas khara ho gaya. Sheeshay par us ka aks bana — thaka hua, pareshan naujawan.
“Mujhe bhi neend nahi aa rahi,” Dua ki awaaz aayi. Woh us ke peechay khari thi, apne abba ka locket ab bhi haathon mein pakray.
“Abba theek ho jayenge,” Faisal ne kaha — zyada khud ko tasalli dene ke liye, kam behan ko.
“Tumhen kaise pata?”
“Bas pata hai.”
Dua khidki ke paas aayi. Dono bahar dekhne lage. Barish ab halki ho gayi thi — boonda baandi. Street light ke neechay paani chamak raha tha. Ek kutta bheega hua, sar jhukaye, gali se guzar raha tha.
“Faisal,” Dua ne dheere se kaha. “Tum ne dekha — mamoo aur mami?”
“Kya?”
“Woh dono… ajeeb hain. Jaise… jaise woh ek doosre ko jaante hi nahi.”
Faisal ne apni behan ko dekha. “Woh barson se shaadi shuda hain, Dua. Aise hi hota hai.”
“Nahi,” Dua ne sar hilaya. “Ammi abba aise nahi hain. Woh lartay hain, magar… un mein kuch hai. Mamoo mami mein woh kuch nahi hai. Jaise… jaise koi cheez toot gayi ho aur kisi ne jorne ki koshish hi na ki ho.”
Faisal khamosh raha. Us ki behan sahi keh rahi thi — magar woh is baare mein sochna nahi chahta tha. Abhi us ke abba ICU mein thay. Ek museebat kaafi thi. Phir bhi, us ke zehen mein us ka sawal atka raha. Us ne apne mamoo ko dekha — door se, waiting room mein. Woh apni biwi ke paas betha tha, magar dono ke darmiyan faasla tha. Faisal ne socha — shayad Dua sahi keh rahi hai. Shayad kuch toota hai. Aur shayad… shayad is raat mein kuch jurne wala hai. Kyun ke museebat kabhi kabhi tooti cheezon ko jor deti hai — jaise barish sookhi mitti ko naram kar deti hai.
“Chalo,” us ne kaha. “Wapas chalte hain. Ammi akeli hain.”
Woh wapas aaye to Nasreen ab bhi ICU ke darwazay ke paas khari thi. Faisal ne apni ammi ke kandhe par haath rakha. “Ammi, beth jayen. Thak jayengi.”
“Beta, maaen thakti nahi,” Nasreen ne kaha — magar woh beth gayi. Us ne apne bete ka haath pakra. “Tumhare abba…” us ki awaaz bhara gayi. “Tumhare abba ne subah nashtay par kaha tha ke seenay mein halka dard hai. Main ne kaha ke gas hogi, ajwain kha lo. Unhon ne ajwain khai. Phir dopahar ko dard barh gaya. Phir…” Us ne apna chehra haathon mein chhupa liya.
“Ammi, is mein aap ka qasoor nahi,” Dua ne kaha, apni ammi se lipat kar.
“Qasoor to kisi ka nahi, beta. Bas… kabhi kabhi lagta hai ke hum apnon ki baat ko halka lete hain. ‘Gas hogi’, ‘thakan hogi’ — aur andar kuch aur hota hai.”
Faisal ne apni ammi ko dekha. Us ne socha — kitni ajeeb baat hai. Hum jin se sab se zyada pyaar karte hain, unhi ki takleef ko sab se kam samajhte hain. Kyun ke hum chahte hain ke woh theek hon. Hum khud ko dhoka dete hain.
Raat ke chaar bajay ek nurse bahar aayi. Sab uth kharay hue. Nurse ne kaha ke mareez stable hai, dawaiyan kaam kar rahi hain, subah doctor tafseel batayenge. Sab ne shukr ada kiya. Nasreen ne sajda-e-shukr ada kiya — wahin, waiting room ke farsh par.
Ashfaq bahar gaya — barish mein. Woh lawn mein khara ho gaya. Barish us ke chehre par par rahi thi. Us ne aasmaan ki taraf dekha. Bijli chamki — door, samandar ki taraf.
Usay apne walid yaad aaye. Das saal pehle, isi hospital mein, isi tarah ki raat. Us ke walid ko bhi dil ka daura para tha. Magar woh bach na sakay thay. Ashfaq us raat bhi bahar khara tha — isi lawn mein, isi barish mein. Us ne dua mangi thi. Magar dua qubool na hui thi. Us din us ne seekha tha ke zindagi kitni naazuk hai — aur phir bhi, us ne woh sabaq bhoola diya tha. Kaam mein doob gaya tha. Paison ke peechay bhaaga tha. Aur apni biwi ko bhool gaya tha — jo us ke paas thi, roz, har roz, intezar karti hui.
“Allah,” us ne barish mein kharay ho kar kaha. “Is baar meri behan ke suhaag ko bacha le. Aur… aur mujhe ek mauqa de. Apni biwi se maafi mangne ka.”
Peeche se qadmon ki aahat aayi. Uzma thi — us ke sar par dupatta, haathon mein chhata. Us ne chhata Ashfaq ke upar kiya.
“Bheeg jao ge,” us ne kaha. “Bemaar par jao ge.”
Ashfaq ne usay dekha. Barish ki roshni mein us ka chehra — thaka hua, magar khubsurat. Wohi chehra jo us ne tees saal pehle dekha tha aur dil de betha tha.
“Uzma,” us ne kaha. “Tum kyun aayi?”
“Tum bahar thay. Fikr hui.”
“Fikr?”
“Haan.” Woh ruki. “Tum mere shohar ho, Ashfaq. Fikr to hogi.”
Woh dono chhatay ke neechay kharay thay — itne qareeb ke un ke kandhay chhoo rahay thay. Barish chhatay par tapak rahi thi. Ashfaq ne apni biwi ka haath pakra. Is baar Uzma ne haath na chhuraya. Woh dono wahin kharay rahay — khamosh, barish mein, ek chhatay ke neechay.
“Rizwan theek ho jayega,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Insha Allah.”
“Aur Nasreen?”
“Woh mazboot hai. Meri nanad nahi, meri behan hai.”
Ashfaq ne muskuraya. “Tum dono ki dosti to mashhoor hai.”
“Tees saal ho gaye,” Uzma ne kaha. “Jab tum se shadi hui, to Nasreen meri sab se achi dost ban gayi. Kehti thi — ‘bhabhi, bhai to kaam mein masroof rehte hain, tum mere saath raha karo’.”
Ashfaq ka chehra utar gaya. “Woh sahi kehti thi.”
“Ab kya faida,” Uzma ne dheere se kaha. Magar us ne haath na chhuraya.
Woh andar aaye. Sab so rahay thay — ya sone ki koshish kar rahay thay. Nasreen kursi par bethi so gayi thi, sar deewar se lagaye. Dua apni ammi ki god mein sar rakhay thi. Faisal khidki ke paas betha tha, aankhen band, magar jaag raha tha.
Ashfaq aur Uzma apni kursiyon par beth gaye. Ashfaq ne apna coat utara aur Uzma ke kandhon par daal diya. Uzma ne hairat se usay dekha.
“Thand lag rahi hogi,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
Uzma ne coat ko apne gird lapeta. Us mein Ashfaq ki khushboo thi — purani, jaani pehchani. Us ki aankhen bhar aayen. Us ne jaldi se ponchh lin, taake koi dekhe na.
Magar Ashfaq ne dekh liya tha. Us ne kuch na kaha. Bas apni kursi Uzma ke thori aur qareeb kar li.
Raat ke paanch bajne walay thay. Azaan ka waqt qareeb tha. Barish ruk gayi thi. Hawa mein woh khamoshi thi jo sirf subah se pehle hoti hai — jaise duniya saans rok kar naye din ka intezar kar rahi ho.
Faisal ne apni aankhen kholin. Us ne dekha — us ke mamoo aur mami ek doosre ke qareeb bethay thay, Uzma ke kandhon par Ashfaq ka coat tha. Us ne muskuraya — halki si muskurahat. Shayad, us ne socha, kuch theek ho raha hai. Shayad is raat ne kuch jor diya hai jo toota tha.
Phir azaan hui. Masjid se awaaz aayi — Allahu Akbar. Sab jaag gaye. Naya din shuru hua. Barish ruk gayi thi. Hawa mein geeli mitti ki khushboo thi, aur aasmaan par halke baadal jinhon ne sooraj ko chhupa rakha tha. Uzma sab se pehle uthi. Us ne wuzu kiya, namaz parhi, phir kitchen mein chai charhai. Elaichi ki khushboo ghar mein phail gayi.
Ashfaq utha to kamra khaali tha. Bistar par us ki jagah thandi thi. Woh bahar aaya. Uzma kitchen mein thi, chai chhaan rahi thi. Nasreen drawing room mein bethi tasbeeh parh rahi thi. Dua abhi so rahi thi. Faisal balcony mein khara bahar dekh raha tha — gali mein paani jama tha, bachay kagaz ki kashtiyan chala rahay thay.
“Assalam-o-alaikum,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
Uzma ne palat kar dekha. “Walaikum assalam. Chai tayyar hai.”
Woh sab chai peene bethay. Khamoshi thi magar is baar woh khamoshi thaki hui nahi, muntazir thi — jaise sab ICU ki khabar ka intezar kar rahay hon. Nasreen ne kaha, “Main aath bajay hospital jaaongi. Doctor ne kaha tha subah mil sakte hain.”
“Main chhor aaoonga,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Main bhi chalungi,” Faisal ne kaha.
“Main bhi,” Dua ne aankhen malte hue kaha — woh abhi uthi thi, baal bikhre hue.
Uzma ne sab ke liye nashta banaya — parathay, omelette, chai. Khana khate waqt thori si guftagu hui. Faisal ne apne university ke baare mein bataya. Dua ne kaha ke us ki class ki larki ne usay notes diye thay. Chhoti chhoti baaten, jo bari museebat ke waqt dil ko sambhalti hain.
Nashtay ke baad Ashfaq Nasreen aur bachon ko hospital le gaya. Uzma ghar par rahi — kapray dhone thay, ghar saaf karna tha. Darwaza band hua. Ghar mein khamoshi chha gayi. Uzma drawing room mein beth gayi. Us ne apne haathon ko dekha — ungliyan thaki hui, ناخنon par halka sa rang jo ab utar raha tha. Us ne gehri saans li.
Phir woh uthi aur kamray mein gayi. Almari kholi. Kapray theek karne lagi. Aur tab us ki nazar pari — almari ke sab se neechay walay khanay mein, purane kapron ke peechay, ek jooton ka dibba tha. Us ne dibba nikala. Upar dhool jami thi. Us ne dhool ponchhi, dibba khola.
Tasveeren thein. Purani tasveeren — woh zamana jab tasveeren film par banti thein, rang thore pheeke par chuke thay. Pehli tasveer mein ek naujawan jora tha, Clifton ke samandar ke kinare, dono bheege hue, hans rahay thay. Larki ne peelay rang ka jora pehna tha, dupatta hawa mein ur raha tha. Larka usay dekh raha tha, jaise duniya mein us ke siwa kuch na ho.
Uzma ki saans ruk gayi. Woh tasveer us ki aur Ashfaq ki thi — tees saal purani. Un ki mangni ke dino ki. Us din barish hui thi, aur Ashfaq usay zabardasti samandar kinare le gaya tha. “Bheegna hai to saath bheego,” us ne kaha tha. Woh dono bheege thay. Ghar aakar ammi ne daanta tha. Magar woh din — woh din us ki zindagi ke sab se khush dino mein se ek tha.
Uzma ne ek ek kar ke tasveeren dekhen. Shadi ki tasveeren. Pehle ghar ki. Faisal ki paidaish par Nasreen ke ghar ki — haan, woh bhi thein, Ashfaq apne bhanjay ko god mein liye. Phir ek lifafa mila. Lifafay par tareekh likhi thi — pandrah saal purani tareekh. Lifafay ke andar ek tasveer thi — aadhi. Phari hui. Tasveer mein Ashfaq tha, haathon mein phoolon ka guldasta liye, kisi darwazay par khara. Tasveer ka doosra aadha hissa ghaib tha.
Uzma ne tasveer ko dekha. Phir usay wapas lifafay mein rakha. Lifafa dibbay mein rakha. Dibba wapas almari mein rakha. Us ke haath kaanp rahay thay.
Woh bistar par beth gayi. Tasveeron ne usay tees saal peechay dhakel diya tha — us waqt mein jab sab kuch naya tha, jab dil dharakta tha, jab zindagi khwab lagti thi.
Pehli mulaqat — rishtay wali. Uzma college mein parh rahi thi. Ashfaq ki ammi aur khala aayi thein — larka dekhne nahi, larki dekhne. Ashfaq saath nahi aaya tha — sharmata tha. Uzma ne chai banayi thi, haath kaanp rahay thay. Ashfaq ki ammi ne usay dekha, us se baaten kin, aur jaate waqt us ke sar par haath pher kar kaha tha — “Beta, tum to hamare ghar ki zeenat bano gi.”
Doosri mulaqat mein Ashfaq khud aaya tha — apne walid ke saath. Woh panchvees saal ka tha, shipping company mein nayi naukri lagi thi. Uzma ne use pehli baar dekha to dil zor se dharakne laga. Lamba qad, sanwala rang, aur aankhen — gehri, sanjeeda. Us ne sirf ek baar dekha, phir nazren jhuka lin. Magar Ashfaq ne use dekha — der tak dekha.
Baad mein us ki saheli ne bataya tha ke Ashfaq ne apni ammi se kaha tha — “Ammi, larki to achi hai. Magar kya woh maanegi?” Aur us ki ammi ne hansi thi — “Beta, tum use mana lena.”
Mangni — chhoti si taqreeb, ghar par. Ashfaq ne Uzma ko ek tohfa diya tha — wohi purana Nikon camera. “Tumhen photography ka shoq hai na?” us ne kaha tha. “Tumhari saheli ne bataya tha. Ab tum meri tasveeren khicho gi.”
Uzma ne camera haathon mein liya tha — khushi se, hairat se. “Tumhen kaise pata?”
“Tumhare abba ne bataya tha. Kehte thay — meri beti ko tasveeren khichne ka bohat shoq hai.”
Woh camera — wohi camera jo ab Ashfaq ke bag mein tha. Pehle Uzma ka tha. Phir dheere dheere Ashfaq ka ho gaya — kyun ke Ashfaq ko us se Uzma ki tasveeren khichne ka shoq ho gaya tha.
Mangni ke baad woh milte thay — kabhi kabhar, ghar walon ki maujoodgi mein. Magar un mulaqaton mein bhi kuch tha — nazron ke ishare, halki muskurahaten, aur woh bechaini jo sirf mangni shuda joron ko hoti hai.
Ek din Ashfaq ne kaha — “Clifton chalo gi?”
Uzma ne hairat se dekha. “Akeli?”
“Akeli nahi. Meri behan Nasreen bhi hogi.” Us ne aankh mari. “Woh thori door rahegi.”
Uzma hans pari thi. “Tum bohat chalaak ho.”
“Chalaak nahi, majboor. Tum se milne ke liye kuch to karna paray ga.”
Woh din — wohi din jis ki tasveer dibbay mein thi. Barish, samandar, peela jora, urta dupatta. Nasreen waqai door khari thi — apni saheli ke saath, jaan boojh kar. Aur Ashfaq aur Uzma samandar kinare thay — haath mein haath, baaten karte hue.
“Tumhen dar nahi lagta?” Ashfaq ne poocha tha.
“Kis se?”
“Mujh se. Shaadi se. Nayi zindagi se.”
Uzma ne samandar ko dekha tha. “Lagta hai. Magar… tumhare saath dar kam lagta hai.”
Ashfaq ne us ka haath zor se pakra tha. “Main hamesha tumhare saath rahoonga, Uzma. Wada.”
“Wada?”
“Wada.”
Barish shuru hui thi. Dono bheege thay. Uzma ka dupatta ura tha. Ashfaq ne pakra tha. Dono hansay thay — woh hansi jo aaj bhi Uzma ke kaanon mein goonjti thi.
“Tum bhee g rahi ho,” Ashfaq ne kaha tha.
“Tum bhi.”
“To saath bheege.”
“Saath.”
Ghar aakar Uzma ki ammi ne daanta tha — “Beti, bheeg kar aayi ho? Bemaar par jao gi!” Magar Uzma ke chehre par jo khushi thi, usay dekh kar ammi chup ho gayi thein. Maaen samajhti hain.
Shadi — bari dhoom dhaam se. Teen din ki taqreebat. Mehndi par Uzma ne peelay kapray pehne thay. Ashfaq ne use dekha to dekhta reh gaya tha. Us ke doston ne chherha tha — “Ashfaq, munh band kar, makkhi ghus jayegi!” Sab hansay thay.
Rukhsati — woh raat Uzma kabhi na bhool saki. Us ki ammi us se lipat kar roi thein. Us ke abba ne us ke sar par haath pher kar kaha tha — “Beta, apna ghar basana. Aur khush rehna.” Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra tha — mazbooti se. Gari mein beth’tay waqt us ne sargoshi ki thi — “Dar mat. Main hoon.”
Pehle saal — khushi ke saal. Chhota sa ghar, magar pyaar bara. Ashfaq subah office jaata, shaam ko ghar aata. Dono saath khana pakate, saath khate. Haftay ko film dekhte — kabhi cinema mein, kabhi ghar par. Itwaar ko Nasreen ke ghar jaate.
Uzma ko bachon ka intezar tha. Magar Allah ko kuch aur manzoor tha. Do saal guzre. Teen. Doctoron ke paas gaye. Ilaaj karwaya. Magar… kuch na hua. Uzma roti thi — chupke se. Ashfaq use samjhata — “Koi baat nahi, Uzma. Hum dono hi kaafi hain.” Magar Uzma jaanti thi ke woh bhi dukhi hai — bas kehta nahi.
Phir Nasreen ke bachay hue — Faisal, phir Dua. Aur Uzma ne unhen apne bachon ki tarah pyaar kiya. Ashfaq ne bhi. Woh dono mamoo-mami nahi, maa-baap ban gaye thay un ke liye.
Waqt guzarta gaya. Ashfaq ki taraqqi hui. Zimmedariyan barhin. Woh der se ghar aane laga. Pehle aath bajay, phir nau, phir das. Uzma intezar karti — khana garam karti, phir thanda hone deti. Baaten kam hoti gayin. Hasi kam hoti gayi.
Phir Ashfaq ke walid ka inteqal hua — dil ka daura. Us ke baad Ashfaq badal gaya — khamosh, sanjeeda. Uzma ne use sambhalne ki koshish ki. Magar woh apne dard mein doob gaya — aur us doobne mein Uzma ka haath chhor diya.
Aur phir woh raat aayi — pandrah saal pehle. Jis ki tasveer ab lifafay mein thi, phari hui.
Uzma ne apni aankhen kholin. Woh wapas haal mein thi — apne kamray mein, tees saal baad. Us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay.
Us ne socha — kahan se shuru hua tha sab? Kab toota tha? Kya us raat? Ya us se pehle? Ya dheere dheere, roz thora thora?
Aur kya jur sakta hai? Kya toota hua jur sakta hai?
Us ne apne haathon ko dekha — wohi haath jinhon ne tees saal pehle mehndi lagayi thi. Ab un mein jhurriyan thein. Magar woh haath ab bhi… ab bhi kisi ka intezar karte thay.
Woh drawing room mein aayi aur khidki ke paas khari ho gayi. Bahar gali mein paani ab bhi jama tha. Bachay ab bhi kashtiyan chala rahay thay — kagaz ki kashtiyan, jo paani mein tair rahi thein, doob rahi thein, phir tairne lagti thein.
Uzma ne un kashtiyon ko dekha. Us ne socha — zindagi bhi aisi hi hai. Kabhi tairti hai, kabhi doobti hai. Magar jo kashti banane wala hota hai, woh haar nahi maanta. Woh phir banata hai. Phir tairata hai.
Us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay — magar woh ro nahi rahi thi. Bas dekh rahi thi. Aur soch rahi thi.
Tees saal. Tees saal ki kahani us ke saamne thi — tasveeron mein, yaadon mein. Khushi thi, dard tha, umeed thi, mayoosi thi. Magar sab se zyada… sab se zyada woh khamoshi thi jo dheere dheere un ke darmiyan aa gayi thi.
Us ne socha — kya woh khamoshi toot sakti hai? Kya Ashfaq badal sakta hai? Kya woh phir se woh ban sakta hai jo tees saal pehle tha?
Phir us ne apne dil se poocha — aur tum? Kya tum badal sakti ho? Kya tum maaf kar sakti ho? Kya tum phir se umeed kar sakti ho?
Dil ne jawab diya — shayad. Dheere dheere. Ek qadam, phir doosra.
Us ne apne aansoo ponchhe. Us ne faisla kiya — woh Ashfaq ko ek mauqa degi. Poora mauqa nahi — thora sa. Ek chhota sa darwaza kholegi. Aur dekhegi ke woh andar aata hai ya nahi.
Kyun ke pyaar mein sab se mushkil kaam maaf karna nahi — umeed karna hai. Aur umeed ke liye himmat chahiye. Woh himmat jo tees saal pehle us mein thi, jab us ne peela jora pehna tha aur barish mein bhee gi thi.
Woh himmat ab bhi kahin thi — andar, gehraiyon mein. Bas use jagana tha.
“Uzma baji?” Nasreen ki awaaz aayi. “Chai piyengi?”
Uzma ne palat kar dekha. Us ki nanad khari thi — haathon mein do cup.
“Haan,” Uzma ne kaha. “Piyungi.”
Woh dono khidki ke paas beth gayin. Chai pi. Baaten kin — halki phulki. Magar Uzma ka dil kahin aur tha — us faislay par jo us ne abhi kiya tha.
Nasreen ne usay dekha. “Baji, aap theek hain?”
“Haan,” Uzma ne kaha. Aur is baar us ki awaaz mein kuch tha — naya, mazboot. “Main theek hoon. Aur… aur ab theek rahoongi.”
Nasreen ne muskuraya — samajhdaari se. “Allah karay.”
Us raat, jab sab hospital se wapas aaye, Rizwan ki haalat behtar thi. Doctor ne kaha tha ke woh hosh mein aa gaya hai, baat kar raha hai. Nasreen ke chehre par sukoon tha. Ghar mein pehli baar halki si khushi ki lehar daudi.
Khaana khate waqt Ashfaq ne kaha, “Kal jumma hai. Main office se chhutti le loonga. Hospital ke chakkar lagate rahenge.”
“Shukriya bhai,” Nasreen ne kaha. “Tum na hotay to pata nahi kya hota.”
“Behanon ke bhai kis din kaam aate hain,” Ashfaq ne halka sa muskurate hue kaha.
Khaana ke baad chai pi gayi. Phir sab apne apne bistaron ki taraf gaye. Ashfaq ne apna camera bag phir uthaya — is baar Faisal ne saaf dekha ke woh usay almari ke upar rakh raha hai, sab ki nazron se door. Faisal ne Dua ko ishara kiya. Dua ne aankhen phaila din.
Raat ko bistar par Ashfaq ne phir kaha, “Uzma?”
“Hmm?”
“Aaj tum ne almari saaf ki thi?”
Uzma ki saans ek lamhe ke liye ruki. “Haan. Kyun?”
“Bas aise hi. Kuch purana samaan para hai us mein.”
“Kya samaan?”
Ashfaq ne karwat badli, us ki taraf dekha. Andheray mein us ka chehra saaf nazar na aaya. “Tasveeren.”
Uzma khamosh rahi.
“Tum ne dekhen?” Ashfaq ne poocha.
“Ek do,” Uzma ne jhoot bola. Ya shayad jhoot nahi — us ne dekhi thein, magar kehna nahi chahti thi ke us ne sab dekha tha. Ke us ka dil ab bhi dharak raha tha.
Ashfaq ne gehri saans li. “Woh din achay thay.”
“Din to sab achay hotay hain,” Uzma ne kaha. “Bas hum bhool jaate hain.”
“Main nahi bhoola.”
Khamoshi. Barish phir shuru ho gayi thi — halki, dheemi, khidki par tap tap. Ashfaq ne apna haath barhaya. Is baar us ne Uzma ka haath pakra. Uzma ne haath kheenchne ki koshish na ki. Magar us ne kaha, “Ashfaq, bachay ghar mein hain.”
“To?”
“To kuch nahi.” Us ne haath chhura liya. Karwat badal li. “So jayen.”
Ashfaq ne chhat ko dekha. Barish ki awaaz sunta raha. Us ke zehen mein woh tasveer thi — peelay joray wali larki, urta dupatta, aur us ki hansi jo samandar ki lehron mein ghul gayi thi. Us ne socha — kahan kho gayi woh hansi? Kab? Kis din? Us din jab us ne office ke kaam ke liye us ki salgirah bhool gayi thi? Ya us din jab pachchiswin shadi ki salgirah par woh Dubai gaya tha aur phone par “mubarak ho” kaha tha? Ya dheere dheere, roz thora thora, jaise samandar kinare ret par paani aata hai aur ret beh jaati hai?
Us ne faisla kiya. Kal se kuch badlega. Woh nahi jaanta tha kya, magar kuch badlega zaroor.
Subah woh sab se pehle utha. Uzma abhi so rahi thi. Woh kitchen mein gaya. Us ne chai banayi — elaichi wali, jaise Uzma banati thi. Woh itna acha nahi bana saka — elaichi zyada par gayi — magar us ne do cup mein daali aur ek cup bistar ke paas wali mez par rakh diya. Phir woh balcony mein gaya aur intezar karne laga.
Uzma uthi. Us ne cup dekha. Us ne chai chakhi. Elaichi tez thi. Magar us ki aankhon mein nami aa gayi. Woh balcony mein gayi. Ashfaq wahan khara tha, bheegi gali ko dekh raha tha.
“Tum ne chai banayi?” us ne poocha.
“Haan.”
“Kyun?”
Ashfaq ne us ki taraf dekha. “Kyun ke tum thaki hui ho. Aur kyun ke…” Woh ruka. “Kyun ke main chahta tha.”
Uzma ne chai ka ghoont liya. “Elaichi zyada hai.”
“Agli baar kam dalunga.”
“Agli baar?” Uzma ne usay dekha. “Roz banao ge?”
“Agar tum peo gi to.”
Uzma ne jawab na diya. Magar us ne chai khatm ki — poori. Aur cup wapas karte waqt us ki ungliyan Ashfaq ki ungliyon se chhooin. Is baar us ne haath peechay na kheenche. Bas ek lamha. Phir woh andar chali gayi.
Ashfaq ne muskuraya. Pehli jeet — chhoti si, magar jeet thi.
Hospital ka chakkar laga. Rizwan behtar tha. Doctor ne kaha ke do teen din mein woh general ward mein shift ho jayega. Nasreen khush thi. Faisal ne apne abba ka haath pakra, aur Rizwan ne kamzor awaaz mein kaha, “Beta, parhai kaisi chal rahi hai?”
“Achhi, abba. Aap fikr na karen.”
Dua ne apne abba ke maathe par bosa diya. Rizwan ki aankhon mein aansoo aaye.
Ghar wapas aakar dopahar ka khaana khaya gaya. Phir aaraam. Shaam ko Ashfaq ne Uzma se kaha, “Chalo, balcony mein bethte hain. Mausam acha hai.”
“Kaam para hai.”
“Kaam to roz hota hai.” Us ne us ka haath pakra. “Bas das minute.”
Uzma ne haath chhuraya. “Ashfaq, yeh kya bachpana hai? Bachay dekh rahe hain.”
“To dekhne do. Biwi ka haath pakarna koi jurm hai?”
Uzma ne usay ghoora. Magar us ki aankhon mein woh purani chamak thi — woh chamak jo tees saal pehle thi jab woh kehti thi “log kya kahenge” aur Ashfaq kehta tha “kehne do”. “Tum nahi badlo ge,” us ne kaha, magar us ki awaaz mein narmi thi.
“Badalna chahta bhi nahi,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Bas tum wapas chahiye.”
“Main kahin gayi nahi.”
“Gayi ho. Yahan se.” Us ne apne dil par haath rakha. “Yahan se gayi ho.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. Phir woh boli, “Chai bana kar laati hoon,” aur andar chali gayi. Magar balcony mein aakar woh us ke paas bethi — thora faasla rakh kar, magar bethi. Dono ne chai pi. Barish nahi ho rahi thi, magar hawa mein nami thi. Door kahin se azaan ki awaaz aayi.
“Yaad hai,” Ashfaq ne kaha, “jab hum Clifton gaye thay aur tumhara dupatta ur gaya tha?”
Uzma ne chai ka cup neechay rakha. “Tumhen yaad hai?”
“Har cheez yaad hai.”
“Jhoot.”
“Sach. Tum ne peela jora pehna tha. Tumhari chappal ret mein dhans gayi thi. Tum ne kaha tha ‘Ashfaq, mujhe uthao’, aur main ne kaha tha ‘khud utho, wazan kam karo’. Aur tum ne mujhe ret mein dhakka de diya tha.”
Uzma hans pari — pehli baar, dil se hansi. “Tum jhoot bol rahay ho. Main ne dhakka nahi diya tha.”
“Diya tha. Meri qameez mein ret bhar gayi thi.”
“Achha?” Woh ab bhi hans rahi thi. “Phir?”
“Phir hum bheege thay. Barish shuru ho gayi thi. Hum ek thelay ke neechay kharay thay. Tum kaanp rahi thi. Main ne apni jacket tumhen di thi.”
“Jacket nahi, shawl thi.”
“Shawl thi. Tum sahi keh rahi ho.” Ashfaq ne usay dekha. “Dekha? Tumhen bhi yaad hai.”
Uzma ki hansi dheemi hui. Us ne door dekha. “Yaad hai. Sab yaad hai.” Us ki awaaz bhara gayi. “Isi liye to takleef hoti hai.”
“Kya takleef?”
Uzma ne jawab na diya. Woh uth khari hui. “Bartaan dhone hain,” keh kar andar chali gayi.
Ashfaq wahin betha raha. Us ne samjha — yaad karna hi takleef tha. Kyun ke yaad dilati thein ke kya tha, aur kya reh gaya tha.
Raat ko khaana ke baad Faisal ne apne mamoo se kaha, “Mamoo, aap ka camera bag bohat purana lagta hai. Aap photography karte thay?”
Ashfaq ne bag ki taraf dekha — woh drawing room ki mez par para tha. “Karta tha. Jawani mein. Ab waqt nahi milta.”
“Kya camera hai is mein?”
Ashfaq ne ek lamhe ke liye hichkichahat ki. Phir us ne bag uthaya, zip khola. Andar ek purana film camera tha — Nikon, tees saal purana, magar saaf suthra. “Yeh mera pehla camera tha. Tumhari mami ne tohfay mein diya tha — mangni par.”
“Waah,” Faisal ne camera uthaya. “Yeh to ab bhi chalta hoga?”
“Chalta hai. Film milti nahi aasani se, magar chalti hai.” Ashfaq ne bag se ek film ka roll nikala. “Yeh dekho. Is mein ab bhi film hai — aadhi khichi hui. Pandrah saal se isi mein hai.”
Dua bhi aa gayi. “Mamoo, aap ne is se tasveeren khichi thein?”
“Bohat. Tumhari mami ki, tumhari nani ki, tumhare mamoo ki behan ki shadi ki — sab isi se.”
“Phir develop kyun nahi karwain?”
Ashfaq ne film ke roll ko dekha. “Waqt nahi mila. Phir bhool gaya. Phir…” Woh ruka. “Phir laga ke kuch tasveeren dil mein hi achi lagti hain.”
Faisal ne bag mein jhanka. Andar ek lifafa tha. Us ne nikaalne ki koshish ki, magar Ashfaq ne jaldi se bag band kar diya. “Bas. Bohat dekh liya. Chai piyo ge?”
Faisal ne Dua ko dekha. Dono ne ek doosre ko ishara kiya. Kuch tha us bag mein — kuch jo mamoo dikhana nahi chahte thay.
Raat ko Faisal drawing room mein leta tha. Neend nahi aa rahi thi. Woh soch raha tha — mamoo aur mami ke darmiyan kuch ajeeb tha. Woh larte nahi thay. Woh to bas… door thay. Jaise do musafir jo ek hi ghar mein rehte hon magar alag alag safar par hon.
Us ne apne abba ke baare mein socha — ICU mein, kamzor, magar zinda. Us ne socha ke zindagi kitni naazuk hai. Ek lamhe mein sab badal jaata hai. Us ne faisla kiya ke woh apne abba se har roz baat karega, unhen batayega ke woh un se kitna pyaar karta hai. Kyun ke kal ka koi bharosa nahi.
Subah nashtay par Ashfaq ne elaan kiya, “Aaj main office nahi jaa raha. Chhutti li hai.”
“Kyun?” Uzma ne poocha.
“Bas. Ghar rehna chahta hoon.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Tabiyat theek hai?”
“Bilkul theek.” Us ne muskuraya. “Tumhare saath rehna chahta hoon.”
Uzma ne nazren jhuka lin. Nasreen ne dono ko dekha aur halka sa muskurayi — behan ki muskurahat, jo sab samajhti hai.
Din guzra. Ashfaq ne ghar ke chhote motay kaam kiye. Pehle us ne woh nal theek kiya jo mahinon se tapak raha tha — tik, tik, tik, raat bhar. Uzma ne kitni baar kaha tha — “Ashfaq, plumber ko bulao.” Aur Ashfaq ne kitni baar kaha tha — “Kal bulaoonga.” Woh kal kabhi na aaya tha. Aaj Ashfaq ne khud auzaar uthaye, nal khola, washer badla. Nal band hua. Khamoshi chha gayi — achi khamoshi.
Phir us ne balcony ka jama paani nikala — barish ka paani jo do din se khara tha, jis mein machhar par rahay thay. Us ne jharu lagayi, paani bahaya, farsh saaf kiya. Phir us ne bijli ka woh switch badla jo kharab tha — jisay chhoone se halka jhatka lagta tha. Uzma ne kitni baar kaha tha — “Bachon ko lag jayega.” Aaj woh theek ho gaya.
Phir us ne darwazay ka woh kabza theek kiya jo cheekhta tha — har baar darwaza khulne par. Phir us ne kitchen ki woh shelf mazboot ki jo jhuk gayi thi. Ek ek kar ke — chhote chhote kaam, jo barson se paray thay.
Uzma dekhti rahi. Har kaam ke saath us ke dil mein kuch hilt a tha. Yeh woh kaam thay jo us ne barson se keh keh kar thak gayi thi. Aur aaj us ka shohar khud kar raha tha — bina kahe, bina shikayat ke.
“Mamoo, aap to mistri ban gaye,” Dua ne hansi mein kaha.
“Mistri nahi,” Ashfaq ne paseena ponchhte hue kaha. “Shohar ban raha hoon.”
Uzma ne yeh suna. Us ki aankhen bhar aayen. Us ne jaldi se munh pher liya, taake koi dekhe na. Magar Ashfaq ne dekh liya tha. Us ne kuch na kaha. Bas apna kaam jaari rakha — dheere dheere, jaise har kaam ke saath koi purana qarz utar raha ho.
Shaam ko jab sab kaam khatm hue, to Ashfaq ne haath dhoye aur Uzma ke paas aaya. “Dekho,” us ne kaha — fakhr se, bachon ki tarah. “Sab theek.”
Uzma ne ghar ko dekha — nal khamosh tha, balcony saaf thi, switch kaam kar raha tha, darwaza khamosh khulta tha. Chhoti chhoti cheezen. Magar un mein bari baat thi.
“Tum ne aaj bohat kaam kiya,” us ne kaha.
“Tum roz karti ho,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Main ne aaj pehli baar kiya.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Kal phir karoge?”
“Kal bhi. Aur parson bhi.”
“To phir…” Uzma ne halka sa muskuraya. “To phir tum such mein badal rahay ho.”
“Badal raha hoon,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Tumhare liye. Hamare liye.”
Us raat jab woh bistar par letay, to ghar mein woh khamoshi thi jo kaam khatm hone ke baad hoti hai — sukoon bhari. Nal nahi tapak raha tha. Koi cheekh nahi thi. Bas barish ki halki awaaz — bahar, door.
Aur do dil — andar, qareeb.
Dopahar ko Ashfaq ne Uzma se kaha, “Bazaar chalen?”
“Kyun?”
“Sabzi laani hai. Aur…” Woh ruka. “Tumhare liye kuch laana hai.”
“Mere liye? Kya?”
“Chal kar dekho.”
Uzma ne inkaar karna chaha, magar Nasreen ne kaha, “Jao na, baji. Main ghar dekh loongi. Bachay bhi hain.”
Bazaar mein Ashfaq ne sabzi kharidi. Phir woh ek phoolon ki dukaan par ruka. Us ne guldasta banwaya — surkh gulab, safed motiya. Dukaandaar ne poocha, “Kisi khaas moqay ke liye?”
Ashfaq ne muskuraya. “Haan. Bohat khaas.”
Us ne guldasta Uzma ko diya. Bazaar ke beechon beech. Log dekh rahay thay. Uzma ka chehra laal ho gaya. “Ashfaq! Yeh kya kar rahay ho? Log dekh rahay hain.”
“Dekhne do.” Us ne us ka haath pakra. “Tees saal ho gaye, Uzma. Tees saal mein main ne tumhen bazaar mein phool nahi diye. Aaj de raha hoon.”
Uzma ne guldasta liya. Us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay. Us ne dheere se kaha, “Tum pagal ho gaye ho.”
“Ho gaya hoon. Tumhare liye.”
Ghar wapas aakar Uzma ne phool paani mein lagaye aur drawing room mein rakh diye. Dua ne dekha to boli, “Mami, yeh phool kis ne diye?”
Uzma ne jaldi se kaha, “Tumhare mamoo ne… bazaar se aatay hue le aaye.”
Dua ne apne bhai ko dekha. Dono muskuraye. Kuch badal raha tha — dheere dheere, magar badal raha tha.
Shaam ko barish phir shuru hui. Tez barish. Bijli chamki. Ashfaq balcony mein khara tha. Uzma us ke paas aayi.
“Andar aa jao, bheeg jao ge.”
“Thori der.” Us ne us ki taraf dekha. “Uzma, ek baat poochon?”
“Poochon.”
“Tum khush ho?”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Yeh kaisa sawal hai?”
“Seedha sawal hai. Tum khush ho — mere saath?”
Uzma khamosh rahi. Barish ki boondein balcony ki rail par tapak rahi thein. Door se kisi gari ka horn sunayi diya. “Khushi kya hoti hai, Ashfaq? Bachay hain, ghar hai, roti hai. Is se zyada kya chahiye?”
“Yeh jawab nahi.”
“To kya jawab doon?”
Ashfaq ne us ka chehra apne haathon mein liya. Uzma ne usay roka nahi — magar us ki aankhon mein dar tha. “Yeh jawab do — kya tum ab bhi mujh se pyaar karti ho? Jaise pehle karti thi?”
Uzma ki aankhon se aansoo beh niklay. Barish ki awaaz mein us ki siskariyan dab gayin. “Pyaar…” us ne kaha. “Pyaar to kabhi khatm nahi hota, Ashfaq. Bas… thak jaata hai. So jaata hai. Aur phir ek din tum uthtay ho aur dekhtay ho ke woh soya hua hai, aur tum usay jagana nahi chahte kyun ke dar lagta hai ke kahin woh uth kar phir so na jaye.”
“Main usay jagana chahta hoon.”
“Mat jagao.” Us ne us ke haath hataye. “Sone do. Achha hai.”
Woh andar chali gayi. Ashfaq wahin khara raha, barish mein bheegta hua. Us ke chehre par paani tha — barish ka ya aansoo ka, kehna mushkil tha.
Raat ko bistar par dono ke darmiyan wohi faasla tha. Magar is baar Ashfaq ne haath na barhaya. Woh chhat ko dekhta raha. Us ne socha — Uzma sahi keh rahi thi. Pyaar so gaya tha. Aur woh usay jagane ki koshish kar raha tha, magar shayad us ka tareeqa ghalat tha. Phool, chai, baaten — yeh sab theek tha, magar kaafi nahi tha. Kuch gehra tha, kuch purana, jo un ke darmiyan deewar bana khara tha. Usay woh deewar girani thi. Magar pehle usay samajhna tha ke woh deewar bani kaise thi.
Agli subah Faisal ne Dua se kaha, “Aao, ek kaam karte hain.”
“Kya?”
“Mami ke kamray ki almari dekhi thi tum ne?”
Dua ne aankhen phailayen. “Tum pagal ho? Mami maar dalengi.”
“Hum chori nahi kar rahay. Bas dekh rahe hain. Woh dibba — tasveeron wala. Mami ne kaha tha unhon ne dekha tha. Main dekhna chahta hoon ke us mein kya hai.”
“Tumhen kyun dekhna hai?”
Faisal ne dheere se kaha, “Kyun ke mamoo aur mami ke darmiyan kuch hai. Kuch purana. Aur mujhe lagta hai ke woh tasveeren us ka jawab hain.”
Dua ne socha. Phir us ne sar hilaya. “Theek hai. Magar jaldi. Mami kitchen mein hain.”
Woh dono kamray mein gaye. Almari kholi. Dibba nikala. Tasveeren dekhen — wohi purani tasveeren, wohi khush jora, wohi din. Phir lifafa mila. Aadhi phari tasveer. Faisal ne tasveer ko gaur se dekha. Tasveer mein Ashfaq tha, phoolon ka guldasta liye. Peeche koi darwaza tha. Tasveer ke neechay tareekh likhi thi — pandrah saal purani.
“Yeh to…” Dua ne kaha. “Yeh to hamare purane ghar ka darwaza lagta hai. Jab hum chhote thay.”
Faisal ne tasveer palti. Peeche kuch likha tha — magar siyahi pheeki par chuki thi. Us ne gaur se parha: “Uzma, maaf kar dena…” Aagay parha na gaya.
“Dua,” Faisal ne dheere se kaha. “Yeh tasveer phari hui hai. Doosra aadha hissa kahan hai?”
“Pata nahi. Shayad phenk diya.”
“Ya shayad…” Faisal ne camera bag ki taraf dekha jo almari ke upar para tha. “Shayad mamoo ke paas hai.”
Woh dono dibba wapas rakh kar bahar aaye. Magar Faisal ke zehen mein sawal atka raha. Us raat khaana ke baad jab sab apne kamron mein gaye, woh der tak sochta raha. Phir us ne faisla kiya ke woh jaldi nahi karega. Pehle dekhega — mamoo aur mami ke darmiyan kya ho raha hai. Kyun ke kuch ho raha tha, yeh to saaf tha.
Aglay din Ashfaq phir subah jaldi utha. Aur phir us ne chai banayi. Is baar elaichi kam thi — us ne gaur kiya tha. Us ne cup Uzma ke paas rakha. Uzma ne chai pi aur kaha, “Aaj theek hai.”
“Seekh raha hoon,” Ashfaq ne muskurate hue kaha.
“Teacher achi mil gayi hai,” Uzma ne kaha — aur phir khud hairan hui ke us ne yeh jumla kaha kaise. Barson baad us ne apne shohar se hans kar baat ki thi.
Din guzra. Ashfaq ne office se do din ki aur chhutti le li. Us ka boss naraaz tha, magar Ashfaq ne kaha, “Family emergency hai.” Pehli baar us ne kaam se zyada khaandaan ko tarjeeh di thi — aur usay ajeeb sa sukoon mehsus hua.
Dopahar ko woh bazaar gaya — akela. Sabzi ke saath saath woh ek mithai ki dukaan par ruka. Us ne Uzma ki pasand ki mithai kharidi — gulab jamun, jo woh shadi ke pehle saalon mein har jummay ko laata tha, phir bhool gaya tha. Ghar aakar us ne dibba Uzma ko diya.
“Yeh kya hai?” Uzma ne poocha.
“Khol kar dekho.”
Uzma ne dibba khola. Gulab jamun. Us ki aankhen bhar aayen. “Tumhen yaad tha?”
“Yaad tha. Bas laana bhool gaya tha. Barson tak.”
Uzma ne ek gulab jamun uthaya aur Ashfaq ke munh ki taraf barhaya. “Khao.”
Ashfaq ne khaya. Dono muskuraye. Nasreen ne door se dekha aur apne dil mein dua ki — Allah, is khushi ko qaim rakh.
Magar raat ko, jab Ashfaq ne phir Uzma ka haath pakarne ki koshish ki, Uzma ne haath peechay kheench liya.
“Uzma?”
“Na karo, Ashfaq.”
“Kyun?”
Uzma ne usay dekha. Kamray mein halki roshni thi — bed lamp ki. “Kyun ke… kyun ke mujhe dar lagta hai.”
“Kis se?”
“Tum se.” Us ne gehri saans li. “Nahi, tum se nahi. Is se — jo ho raha hai. Tum badal rahay ho. Achay ke liye badal rahay ho. Magar mujhe dar hai ke yeh sab… yeh sab khatm ho jayega. Tum wapas office jao ge. Kaam mein doob jao ge. Aur main phir akeli reh jaoongi. Aur is baar… is baar bardasht nahi hoga. Pehle to aadat thi. Ab umeed jag gayi hai. Aur umeed tootna, aadat se zyada takleef deta hai.”
Ashfaq khamosh raha. Phir us ne dheere se kaha, “Tum sahi keh rahi ho. Dar jaaiz hai. Magar Uzma, main wada karta hoon — is baar nahi. Is baar main nahi bhoolunga.”
“Waday to pehle bhi kiye thay.”
“To phir kya karoon? Kaise yaqeen dilaoon?”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Waqt do. Sabit karo. Waday se nahi, amal se.”
“Theek hai,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Waqt doongi?”
“Doongi.” Woh ruki. “Magar jaldi mat karo. Mujhe… mujhe waqt chahiye.”
Ashfaq ne sar hilaya. Us ne haath wapas kheench liya. “Jitna waqt chahiye, le lo. Main intezar karoonga.”
Us raat dono ke darmiyan faasla tha — magar yeh faasla pehle jaisa nahi tha. Pehle faasla be-parwahi ka tha. Ab faasla ehtiyaat ka tha — aur ehtiyaat mein umeed thi.
Aglay din Uzma ki sahaili Shabana ka phone aaya. Shabana us ki college ki dost thi, ab Lahore mein rehti thi.
“Uzma! Kaisi ho? Bohat din ho gaye.”
“Shabana! Main theek. Tum sunao.”
“Kya ho raha hai? Rizwan bhai ka suna — Allah sehat de.”
“Aameen. Behtar hain.”
” Aur tumhare mian? Wohi kaam ka keera?”
Uzma ne halka sa hansa. Phir us ne dheere se kaha, “Shabana, woh… badal rahay hain.”
“Kya matlab?”
Uzma ne sab bataya — chai, phool, gulab jamun, baaten. Shabana khamosh sunti rahi. Phir us ne kaha, “Uzma, khush hona. Magar hoshiyar rehna.”
“Kya matlab?”
“Matlab yeh ke mard aise hi hote hain. Jab darte hain, to pyaar yaad aata hai. Rizwan bhai ki bemari ne unhen dara diya hai. Jab dar khatm hoga, to purane rang wapas aa jayenge.”
Uzma khamosh rahi.
“Dekho,” Shabana ne kaha. “Main tumhen mayoos nahi karna chahti. Magar main ne apni aankhon se dekha hai. Mere shohar bhi aise thay. Jab mere walid ka inteqal hua, to woh farishta ban gaye thay. Teen mahine. Phir wapas wahi.”
“To main kya karoon?”
“Apna dil sambhal kar rakho. Khushi mano, magar poora dil mat do. Abhi nahi. Dekho ke yeh badlao tikta hai ya nahi.”
Phone band hua. Uzma der tak bethi rahi. Shabana ki baaten us ke zehen mein goonjti rahin. Kya woh sahi keh rahi thi? Kya Ashfaq ka badlao sirf dar tha? Kya woh phir se wahi ho jayega?
Shaam ko Ashfaq ghar aaya — hospital se. Us ne Uzma ko dekha. Woh khamosh thi.
“Kya hua?” us ne poocha.
“Kuch nahi.”
“Kuch to hua hai. Batao.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Shabana ka phone aaya tha.”
“Aur?”
“Us ne kaha ke… ke tumhara badlao sirf dar hai. Rizwan bhai ki bemari ka dar. Jab dar khatm hoga, tum wapas waisay ho jao ge.”
Ashfaq khamosh raha. Phir us ne kaha, “Shayad woh sahi keh rahi hai. Shayad shuru mein dar tha. Magar Uzma, ab dar nahi hai. Ab… ab kuch aur hai.”
“Kya?”
Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra. Is baar Uzma ne haath na chhuraya — magar us ki ungliyan sakht thein.
“Ab mujhe yaad aaya hai,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Yaad aaya hai ke tum kaun ho. Ke hum kaun thay. Aur yeh yaad — yeh dar se bari hai. Dar to khatm ho jayega. Magar yaad nahi.”
Uzma ki aankhon mein aansoo aaye. “Tum aise baaten karte ho ke dil maan’ne ko karta hai. Magar dimagh kehta hai — mat maan.”
“To dil ki suno,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Kabhi kabhi dimagh ghalat hota hai.”
Uzma ne halka sa muskuraya — aansooon ke saath. “Tum to philosopher ban gaye ho.”
“Tumhare liye.”
Woh dono hans paray. Aur is hansi mein kuch tha — purana, magar naya.
Raat ko Dua ne apni mami se kaha, “Mami, aap se ek baat poochon?”
“Poochon, beta.”
“Aap mamoo se naraaz hain?”
Uzma ne apni bhanji ko dekha. “Kyun pooch rahi ho?”
“Bas aise hi. Lagta hai ke… ke aap dono ke darmiyan kuch hai. Koi purani baat.”
Uzma khamosh rahi. Phir us ne dheere se kaha, “Dua, shadi mein purani baaten hoti hain. Achhi bhi, buri bhi. Naraazgi nahi, bas… thakan hai. Barson ki.”
“To thakan door karen na.”
“Kaise?”
Dua ne apni mami ka haath pakra. “Maaf kar ke. Mamoo badal rahay hain, mami. Hum sab dekh rahay hain. Unhen ek mauqa den.”
Uzma ne apni bhanji ko dekha. “Tum bohat chhoti ho, Dua.”
“Chhoti hoon, magar andhi nahi.” Dua ne muskuraya. “Aur mami, ek baat kahoon? Jab mamoo aap ko dekhte hain, to un ki aankhon mein wohi hota hai jo films mein hota hai.”
Uzma hans pari. “Films?”
“Haan. Pyaar.”
Uzma ne apni bhanji ke sar par haath phera. “Allah tumhen khush rakhay, beta. Aur tumhen aisa shohar de jo tum se itna pyaar karay.”
“Aameen,” Dua ne kaha. “Magar pehle parhai poori kar loon.”
Dono hans parin.
Us raat bistar par Uzma ne socha — Dua sahi keh rahi thi? Kya Ashfaq ki aankhon mein pyaar tha? Us ne apne shohar ko dekha — woh so raha tha, chehre par sukoon. Barson baad us ne usay itne sukoon se sotay dekha tha.
Us ne apna haath barhaya — dheere se, hichkichate hue — aur Ashfaq ke haath par rakh diya. Ashfaq ne neend mein hi us ka haath pakar liya. Mazbooti se. Jaise chhorna na chahta ho.
Uzma ki aankhon mein aansoo aaye. Magar is baar woh aansoo dukh ke nahi thay. Woh kuch aur thay — kuch jo barson se soya tha aur ab jaag raha tha.
Aglay din jumma tha. Ashfaq ne chhutti li thi. Subah sab ne mil kar nashta kiya. Phir Ashfaq ne kaha, “Aaj main tum sab ko bahar le chalta hoon.”
“Kahan?” Faisal ne poocha.
“Samandar. Clifton. Rizwan bhai ke liye dua karenge, aur hawa khayenge.”
Sab khush ho gaye. Magar Uzma ne kaha, “Main nahi jaoongi. Ghar par kaam hai.”
“Kya kaam?” Ashfaq ne poocha.
“Bas hai.”
Ashfaq ne usay dekha. Phir us ne sab ke saamne kaha, “Theek hai. Tum ghar raho. Magar shaam ko main tumhen kahin le chalunga. Sirf tumhen.”
Uzma ka chehra laal ho gaya. “Ashfaq!”
“Kya? Biwi ko kahin le jaana mana hai?”
Faisal ne seeti bajayi. Dua ne taaliyan bajayen. Nasreen hans pari.
Clifton ka din acha guzra. Samandar ki hawa, bachon ki hansi, Nasreen ka sukoon. Ashfaq ne apna camera saath liya tha. Us ne sab ki tasveeren khichin — Faisal ki, Dua ki, Nasreen ki. Magar us ki nazren bar bar khaali jagah par jaati — jahan Uzma hoti, agar woh aayi hoti.
Shaam ko ghar wapas aakar Ashfaq ne Uzma se kaha, “Tayyar ho jao.”
“Kahan jaana hai?”
“Surprise hai.”
Uzma ne neelay rang ka jora pehna. Halka sa makeup kiya — barson baad. Jab woh bahar aayi, to Ashfaq usay dekhta reh gaya.
“Kya dekh rahay ho?” Uzma ne sharmate hue kaha.
“Tumhen. Tum aaj… bohat khubsurat lag rahi ho.”
“Jhoot.”
“Sach. Allah ki qasam.”
Woh dono niklay. Ashfaq usay ek restaurant le gaya — chhota sa, samandar ke paas, jahan woh shadi ke pehle saalon mein jaate thay. Wahi mez, jahan woh beth’tay thay. Wahi khaana — jo Uzma ko pasand tha.
“Tumhen yaad tha?” Uzma ne poocha.
“Har cheez yaad hai,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
Khaana khate waqt woh baaten karte rahay — purani yaaden, naye khwab. Restaurant ka malik, ek darmiyani umar ka aadmi, unhen dekh kar aaya.
“Arre, Ashfaq bhai!” us ne kaha. “Bohat din baad! Bhabhi, assalam-o-alaikum!”
“Walaikum assalam, Rashid bhai,” Uzma ne muskurate hue kaha. “Aap ko yaad hain hum?”
“Kaise bhool sakta hoon? Har jummay ko aate thay — wohi konay wali mez, wahi khaana. Phir… phir aana band kar diya. Main ne socha ke shayad sheher chhor gaye.”
“Nahi,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Bas… zindagi masroof ho gayi.”
Rashid ne sar hilaya — samajhdaari se. “Zindagi aisi hi hai, bhai. Magar achha kiya ke wapas aaye. Aaj ka khaana meri taraf se.”
“Nahi nahi,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Zid mat karen. Purane grahakon ka haq hai.”
Khaana aaya — wohi zaiqa, tees saal purana. Uzma ne pehla niwala khaya aur us ki aankhen bhar aayen.
“Kya hua?” Ashfaq ne poocha.
“Kuch nahi. Bas… yaad aa gaya. Jab hum yahan aate thay, to tum hamesha meri plate se boti chura lete thay.”
“Aur tum kehti thi — ‘Ashfaq, apni plate se khao’.”
“Aur tum kehte thay — ‘tumhari plate se zyada maza aata hai’.”
Dono hans paray. Rashid door se dekh raha tha aur muskuraya.
“Uzma,” Ashfaq ne kaha — سنجیدگی se. “Tum ne kaha ke tum kitaaben parhna chahti ho, sahailiyon se milna chahti ho. To kal se shuru karo.”
“Kal se?”
“Haan. Main tumhen kitaabon ki dukaan le chalunga. Jo kitaab chahiye, le lena.”
” sach?”
“Sach.” Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra — mez par, sab ke saamne. “Aur suno — main ne socha hai ke hum har mahine ek baar yahan aayenge. Rashid bhai ke paas. Wahi mez, wahi khaana.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Tum badal gaye ho.”
“Log kehte hain,” Ashfaq ne muskurate hue kaha.
“Nahi, sach mein. Pehle tum… tum sirf kaam ki baat karte thay. Ab tum… tum meri baat karte ho.”
“Kyunki ab mujhe samajh aaya hai ke sab se zaroori kaam tum ho.”
Uzma ki aankhen bhar aayen. Us ne jaldi se aansoo ponchhe. “Rashid bhai dekh rahay hain.”
“Dekhne do.”
Paas wali mez par ek budha jora betha tha — dono safed baal, aahista baaten karte hue. Budhi ne Uzma ko dekha aur muskurayi. Uzma ne bhi muskuraya. Budhi ne apne shohar se kuch kaha. Budha ne sar hilaya.
“Lagta hai hum unhen apni jawani yaad dila rahay hain,” Ashfaq ne sargoshi ki.
“Ya woh humen hamara burhapa dikha rahay hain,” Uzma ne kaha.
“Dekho to sahi — kitne khush hain. Haath pakray hue hain.”
Uzma ne dekha — waqai, budhe ne apni biwi ka haath pakra tha. “Hum bhi aise honge,” us ne dheere se kaha.
“Honge,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Insha Allah.”
Khaana khatm hua. Chai aayi — Rashid ki taraf se, elaichi wali. “Bhabhi ko pasand thi,” us ne kaha.
Uzma ne chai pi. “Ab bhi pasand hai.”
Ghar wapas aatay waqt gari mein khamoshi thi — magar achi khamoshi. Uzma ne khidki se bahar dekha. Sheher ki roshaniyan. Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra. Is baar Uzma ne ungliyan us ki ungliyon mein phansa lin.
Ghar aakar sab so chukay thay. Woh dono dabay paon andar aaye. Kamray mein jaakar Uzma ne kaha, “Aaj ka din… bohat acha tha.”
“Kal se har din acha hoga.”
“Tum phir waday kar rahay ho.”
“Yeh wada nahi, iraada hai.”
Uzma ne muskuraya. “Iraada qubool.”
Woh dono bistar par let gaye. Is baar faasla kam tha — bohat kam. Ashfaq ne apna baazu barhaya. Uzma ne us ke baazu par sar rakh diya. Dono ki saansen ek lay par chalne lagin.
“Ashfaq?”
“Hmm?”
“Shabana ghalat thi.”
Ashfaq ne aankhen kholin. “Kya?”
“Tumhara badlao dar nahi hai. Main ne aaj dekha. Tum badal rahay ho — dil se.”
Ashfaq ne us ke maathe par bosa diya. “Shukriya.”
“Kis liye?”
“Yaqeen karne ke liye.”
Woh so gaye — ek doosre ki baahon mein. Bahar halki hawa chal rahi thi. Ghar mein sukoon tha. Aur do dil thay jo barson baad phir se ek saath dharak rahay thay.
Magar kahani abhi khatm nahi hui thi. Kyun ke abhi woh tasveer baqi thi — phari hui tasveer, jis ka raaz abhi khulna tha. Aur woh raaz sab kuch badal dene wala tha.
Us raat Faisal ne apne mamoo se baat karne ka faisla kiya. Khaana ke baad, jab sab apne kamron mein gaye, woh drawing room mein betha raha. Ashfaq balcony mein tha. Faisal us ke paas gaya.
“Mamoo, aap se ek baat karni hai.”
Ashfaq ne usay dekha. “Kaho, beta.”
“Woh tasveer… jo phari hui hai. Mami ke dibbay mein.”
Ashfaq ka chehra badal gaya. “Tum ne dibba dekha?”
“Galti ho gayi. Maaf kar den. Magar mamoo, mujhe lagta hai ke aap dono ke darmiyan jo hai, us ka jawab us tasveer mein hai.”
Ashfaq khamosh raha. Barish nahi ho rahi thi, magar hawa thandi thi. Door se koi kutta bhaunk raha tha.
“Betho,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
Faisal beth gaya. Ashfaq ne gehri saans li.
“Pandrah saal pehle ki baat hai,” us ne shuru kiya. “Tumhari mami ki chaliswin salgirah thi. Main ne wada kiya tha ke main jaldi ghar aaoonga. Magar office mein ek emergency ho gayi — shipment atak gayi thi, client naraaz tha. Main raat ke do bajay ghar aaya. Pholon ka guldasta liye. Darwazay par khara tha. Tumhari mami ne darwaza khola. Us ne mujhe dekha. Phir us ne woh tasveer — jo us ne subah khichi thi, meri intezar mein tayyar ho kar — usay mere saamne phaar diya. Aur kaha, ‘Ashfaq, tumhare liye sab kuch kaam hai. Main kuch nahi.’ Phir us ne darwaza band kar diya.”
Faisal khamosh sunta raha.
“Main ne us raat us tasveer ka apna aadha hissa utha liya. Doosra aadha us ne phenk diya. Ya rakha — pata nahi. Main ne apne hissay ke peeche likha — ‘maaf kar dena’. Socha tha ke ek din doonga. Magar woh din kabhi na aaya. Din guzarte gaye. Main kaam mein dooba raha. Woh ghar mein. Hum saath rehte thay, magar saath nahi thay.”
“Mamoo,” Faisal ne dheere se kaha. “Woh tasveer ka doosra hissa ab bhi aap ke paas hai?”
Ashfaq ne sar hilaya. “Camera bag mein. Lifafay mein.”
“To de den mami ko.”
“Kaise? Pandrah saal baad? Woh hansengi. Ya roengi. Ya kahengi ke ab kya faida.”
“Mamoo, faida hai. Mami ab bhi aap se pyaar karti hain. Bas unhen yaqeen nahi ke aap bhi karte hain.”
Ashfaq ne apne bhanjay ko dekha. “Tumhen kaise pata?”
“Kyun ke main ne dekha hai — jab aap un ka haath pakarte hain, woh haath peechay nahi kheenchteen. Bas kehti hain ke bachay dekh rahay hain. Yeh inkaar nahi, sharam hai. Aur sharam ka matlab hai ke dil ab bhi zinda hai.”
Ashfaq ki aankhon mein nami aa gayi. Us ne apne bhanjay ke kandhe par haath rakha. “Tum baray ho gaye ho, Faisal.”
“Abba ki wajah se,” Faisal ne kaha. “ICU ke bahar beth kar aadmi baray ho jaata hai.”
Dono hans paray — halki si hansi, magar dil se.
Phir khamoshi chha gayi. Ashfaq ne door dekha — gali mein ek street light jal rahi thi, us ke neechay paani chamak raha tha. Us ne gehri saans li.
“Faisal,” us ne kaha. “Tum ne poocha nahi, magar main batata hoon. Woh tasveer wali raat — woh pehli baar nahi thi. Us se pehle bhi… bohat baar hua tha.”
Faisal khamosh sunta raha.
“Teen saal pehle — tumhari mami ki salgirah thi. Main bhool gaya. Poori tarah bhool gaya. Shaam ko ghar aaya to us ne khana banaya tha — meri pasand ka. Magar us ne kuch na kaha. Bas khana khilaya. Aur raat ko jab main ne poocha ke aaj kuch khaas hai, to us ne kaha — ‘nahi, bas aise hi’. Agli subah mujhe yaad aaya. Main ne maafi mangi. Us ne kaha — ‘koi baat nahi’. Magar us ki aankhon mein…” Ashfaq ki awaaz bhara gayi. “Us ki aankhon mein woh tha jo ‘koi baat nahi’ mein nahi hota.”
“Aur pachchiswin shadi ki salgirah par,” Ashfaq ne jaari rakha, “main Dubai gaya tha. Kaam ke liye. Tumhari mami ne kaha tha — ‘mat jao, Ashfaq. Ek din ki baat hai.’ Main ne kaha — ‘client bohat bara hai, jana zaroori hai’. Main gaya. Dubai se phone kiya — ‘mubarak ho’. Us ne kaha — ‘shukriya’. Bas. Do lafz. Main ne socha ke woh samajh gayi hai. Magar woh samjhi nahi thi — woh haar gayi thi.”
Faisal ne apne mamoo ko dekha. “Mamoo, aap ko kab ehsaas hua?”
“Ehsaas?” Ashfaq ne talkh hansi hansi. “Ehsaas to har baar hota tha, beta. Har baar jab main ghar aata aur woh khamosh hoti, to dil kehta — kuch ghalat hai. Magar main… main us awaaz ko daba deta. Kaam ki fikr mein, paison ki fikr mein. Sochta — kal baat karoonga. Kal waqt doonga. Magar kal kabhi na aaya.”
“Phir aaj kyun aaya?”
Ashfaq ne apne bhanjay ko dekha. “Tumhare abba ki wajah se.”
Faisal chaunk gaya.
“Haan,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Jab Rizwan ko dil ka daura para, aur hum sab hospital mein thay, to mujhe apne walid yaad aaye. Das saal pehle — isi hospital mein. Main us raat bhi bahar khara tha. Aur main ne dua mangi thi. Magar woh na bachay. Aur us ke baad… us ke baad main ne apni ammi ko dekha — woh kaise tooti thein. Unhon ne mujh se kaha tha — ‘Ashfaq, tumhare abba ne zindagi bhar kaam kiya. Aur aakhir mein un ke paas kya tha? Paisa? Nahi. Un ke paas main thi, tum thay, Nasreen thi. Bas.'”
Ashfaq ki aankhon se aansoo behne lage. Us ne unhen ponchha nahi.
“Us din main ne socha tha ke badal jaoonga. Magar phir… phir waqt guzra, dard kam hua, aur main phir wahi ho gaya. Kaam, kaam, kaam. Aur ab — ab jab Rizwan ICU mein tha, to mujhe laga ke… ke kahin der na ho jaye. Kahin main bhi apne walid ki tarah na… aur tumhari mami meri ammi ki tarah na toot jaye.”
Faisal ne apne mamoo ke kandhe par haath rakha. “Mamoo, der nahi hui. Mami zinda hain. Aap zinda hain. Aur pyaar… pyaar bhi zinda hai. Bas soya hua hai.”
“Kya tumhen yaqeen hai?”
“Mujhe yaqeen hai. Kyun ke main ne dekha hai — jab aap un ka haath pakarte hain, to woh rokti nahi. Jab aap un se baat karte hain, to woh sunti hain. Aur jab aap ne unhen phool diye, to woh royi thein — khushi se. Yeh sab nishaniyan hain, mamoo. Dil ke zinda hone ki nishaniyan.”
Ashfaq ne gehri saans li. “Tum kab itne samajhdaar ho gaye, beta?”
“Jab main ne dekha ke mere abba mar sakte thay,” Faisal ne kaha — seedha, saaf. “Us raat ICU ke bahar main ne socha — agar abba na rahay, to mujhe sab se zyada afsos kis baat ka hoga? Aur jawab tha — is baat ka ke main ne unhen kabhi kaha nahi ke main un se kitna pyaar karta hoon. Hum kehte kyun nahi, mamoo? Jo sab se zaroori baat hai, wohi kyun nahi kehte?”
Ashfaq khamosh raha. Phir us ne kaha, “Sharam aati hai. Dar lagta hai. Lagta hai ke aglay ko pata hi hoga.”
“Magar pata hone aur sun’ne mein farq hai,” Faisal ne kaha. “Mami ko pata hai ke aap un se pyaar karte hain. Magar unhon ne suna nahi — barson se. Aur suna hua pyaar… woh zinda rehta hai.”
Ashfaq ne apne bhanjay ko galay lagaya. “Shukriya, beta. Tum ne aaj mujhe woh sikhaya jo main tees saal mein na seekh saka.”
“Ab woh tasveer den mami ko,” Faisal ne kaha. “Aaj raat. Der mat karen.”
“Magar kaise? Kya kahoon?”
“Wohi jo aap ne mujhe kaha. Sach. Dil se. Bina dar ke.”
Ashfaq ne gehri saans li. Us ne apne bhanjay ka haath pakra. “Dua karna, beta.”
“Hamesha, mamoo.”
“Mamoo, ek aur baat. Woh film ka roll — jo camera mein hai, aadha khicha hua. Us mein kya hai?”
Ashfaq ne muskuraya — purani yaadon wali muskurahat. “Us mein tumhari mami hain. Sirf woh. Main ne tees saal mein jab bhi usay hanstay dekha, tasveer khich li. Woh roll aakhri hai. Us ke baad main ne camera band kar diya.”
“Kyun?”
“Kyun ke woh hansna band ho gayi thi.”
Khamoshi chha gayi. Phir Faisal ne kaha, “To phir se shuru karen. Camera bhi, aur hansana bhi.”
Ashfaq ne gehri saans li. “Koshish kar raha hoon, beta. Koshish kar raha hoon.”
Us raat Ashfaq kamray mein gaya. Uzma bistar par leti thi, jaag rahi thi. Ashfaq ne apna camera bag almari ke upar se utara. Uzma ne dekha.
“Yeh bag kyun utara?”
Ashfaq ne bag khola. Lifafa nikala. Us mein se tasveer ka aadha hissa nikala. Us ne tasveer Uzma ke saamne rakhi.
Uzma ne tasveer dekhi. Us ka chehra safed par gaya. “Yeh… yeh tumhare paas thi?”
“Pandrah saal se.”
“Tum ne… tum ne isay rakha?”
“Rakha.” Ashfaq ne tasveer palti. Peeche us ki handwriting thi — pheeki, magar parhi ja sakti thi: “Uzma, maaf kar dena. Main wapas aaoonga. — Ashfaq”
Uzma ne tehreer parhi. Phir us ne tasveer dekhi. Phir Ashfaq ko dekha. Us ki aankhon se aansoo behne lage.
“Tum wapas nahi aaye,” us ne kaha. “Us raat ke baad tum kabhi wapas nahi aaye.”
“Main yahin tha,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Bas… kho gaya tha. Kaam mein, fikron mein, zindagi mein. Magar main kahin gaya nahi tha. Tumhare paas tha. Hamesha tumhare paas tha.”
Uzma ne tasveer ko seenay se lagaya. “Pandrah saal, Ashfaq. Pandrah saal main ne socha ke tumhen parwah nahi.”
“Parwah thi. Bas kehna nahi aata tha.”
“Ab kehna aa gaya?”
Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra. “Seekh raha hoon. Dheere dheere. Tum sikhao gi?”
Uzma ne usay dekha. Us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay, magar un mein kuch aur bhi tha — woh chamak, tees saal purani. “Shayad,” us ne kaha. “Shayad sikha doon.”
Woh raat dono ne baaten kin — barson baad, dil khol kar. Ashfaq ne bataya ke kaam ka dabao kaisa tha, ke woh dar gaya tha — budhape se, zimmedariyon se, is khayal se ke woh apne khaandaan ko kuch na de saka. Uzma ne bataya ke woh akeli mehsus karti thi, ke woh chahti thi ke koi us se poochay ke woh kaisi hai, ke woh bhi insaan hai, sirf biwi aur maa nahi.
“Main poochta hoon,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Ab har roz poochunga. Tum kaisi ho, Uzma?”
Uzma hans pari — aansooon ke saath hansi. “Aaj theek hoon. Kal ka pata nahi.”
“Kal bhi poochunga.”
Batti bujh gayi. Magar is baar dono ke darmiyan faasla kam tha. Ashfaq ne apna haath barhaya. Uzma ne us ka haath pakra. Dono ne haath pakray so gaye — barson baad pehli baar.
Subah jab Uzma uthi, Ashfaq pehle se jaag raha tha. Woh usay dekh raha tha. Uzma ne sharmate hue kaha, “Kya dekh rahay ho?”
“Tumhen.”
“Subah subah?”
“Subah subah.” Us ne us ke maathe par bosa diya. Halka sa, narmi se. Uzma ne aankhen band kar lin. Woh lamha — chhota sa, magar poora.
Nashtay par sab ne mehsus kiya ke kuch badla tha. Ashfaq aur Uzma ke darmiyan woh khamoshi nahi thi jo pehle thi. Ab woh khamoshi thi jo do logon ke darmiyan hoti hai jinhon ne raat bhar baaten ki hon aur ab subah ki roshni mein ek doosre ko naye sire se dekh rahay hon.
Faisal ne Dua ko ishara kiya. Dua muskurayi.
Hospital ka chakkar laga. Rizwan general ward mein shift ho gaya tha. Woh betha tha, kamzor magar hosh mein. Nasreen us ke paas bethi thi. Faisal ne apne abba se kaha, “Abba, aap jaldi theek ho jayen. Phir hum sab Clifton jayenge.”
Rizwan ne muskuraya. “Clifton? Kyun?”
“Bas aise hi. Barish mein bheegne.”
Sab hans paray. Rizwan ne Ashfaq ko dekha. “Sala sahab, aap ne to jawani yaad dila di.”
Ashfaq ne Uzma ko dekha. Dono muskuraye.
Ghar wapas aakar dopahar guzri. Shaam ko Ashfaq ne apna camera nikala. Us ne nayi film daali — bazaar se laaya tha, mushkil se mili thi. Us ne Uzma se kaha, “Chalo, balcony mein. Tasveer khichta hoon.”
“Ab? Is umar mein?” Uzma ne sharmate hue kaha.
“Isi umar mein.” Us ne us ka haath pakra aur balcony mein le gaya. Shaam ka waqt tha. Aasmaan par baadal thay. Hawa mein nami thi. Ashfaq ne camera uthaya. Uzma ne dupatta theek kiya, halka sa muskurayi — woh muskurahat jo tees saal pehle thi.
Click. Tasveer khich gayi.
“Ek aur,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Bas karo,” Uzma ne hansi. Magar woh ruki rahi. Click. Ek aur.
Faisal ne door se dekha aur Dua se kaha, “Dekh rahi ho? Mamoo phir se photographer ban gaye.”
Dua ne kaha, “Aur mami phir se dulhan.”
Raat ko khaana ke baad Ashfaq ne Uzma se kaha, “Kal chhutti hai meri. Kahin chalen?”
“Kahan?”
“Clifton.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Clifton? Ab?”
“Haan. Barish ka mausam hai. Wahi purana thela hoga. Wahi samandar.”
“Log kya kahenge? Bachay kya kahenge?”
“Bachay samajh jayenge. Aur log…” Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra. “Logon ko kehne do.”
Uzma ne socha. Phir us ne sar hilaya. “Theek hai. Magar subah jaldi. Bheer se pehle.”
“Deal.”
Us raat bistar par Uzma ne khud Ashfaq ka haath pakra. Ashfaq ne hairat se usay dekha. Uzma ne kaha, “Kya dekh rahay ho?”
“Kuch nahi. Bas… khush hoon.”
“Main bhi.” Woh ruki. “Ashfaq?”
“Hmm?”
“Woh tasveer ka doosra hissa — jo mere paas tha — main ne usay phenka nahi tha.”
Ashfaq ne usay dekha. “Kahan hai?”
Uzma uthi, almari ke paas gayi, dibba nikala, lifafa nikala. Us mein tasveer ka doosra aadha hissa tha. Us ne dono hissay joray. Tasveer poori ho gayi — Ashfaq phoolon ka guldasta liye, darwazay par khara, intezar mein.
“Dekho,” Uzma ne kaha. “Poori ho gayi.”
Ashfaq ne tasveer dekhi. Us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay. “Pandrah saal baad.”
“Der aaye,” Uzma ne kaha, “magar aaye to.”
Us ne tasveer ko dono haathon se pakra, phir Ashfaq ko di. “Ise jor kar rakhna. Phir kabhi mat phaarna.”
“Kabhi nahi.”
Woh dono bistar par let gaye. Tasveer mez par rakhi thi — juri hui, poori. Bahar halki barish ho rahi thi. Andar do dil thay jo pandrah saal baad phir se ek saath dharak rahay thay.
Magar Uzma so na saki. Woh chhat ko dekh rahi thi. Us ke zehen mein woh raat ghoom rahi thi — pandrah saal purani raat. Us ne apni aankhen band kin, aur woh wapas chali gayi — us shaam mein, us intezar mein.
Us din woh subah se tayyar ho rahi thi. Us ki chaliswin salgirah thi. Us ne naya jora pehna tha — neela, Ashfaq ki pasand ka rang. Us ne khana banaya tha — biryani, Ashfaq ki pasand ki. Us ne ghar sajaya tha — phool lagaye thay. Aur us ne apne shohar ka intezar kiya tha.
Ashfaq ne wada kiya tha — “aaj jaldi aaoonga, Uzma. Aaj ka din sirf tumhara.” Us ne yaqeen kiya tha. Kyun na karti? Tees saal ki shadi mein us ne hamesha yaqeen kiya tha.
Saat bajay. Aath bajay. Nau bajay. Khana thanda ho gaya. Phool murjha gaye. Uzma ne phone kiya — phone band tha. Us ne phir kiya. Phir kiya. Raat ke gyarah bajay us ne khana utha diya. Baarah bajay us ne jora badal diya. Ek bajay woh bistar par let gayi — magar neend na aayi.
Do bajay darwazay par dastak hui. Ashfaq tha — phoolon ka guldasta liye, thaka hua, sharminda. “Uzma, maaf kar dena. Emergency thi. Client…”
Uzma ne usay dekha. Phir us ne woh tasveer uthayi — jo us ne subah khichi thi, apne camera se, tayyar ho kar, muskurate hue — aur usay apne shohar ke saamne phaar diya. Do tukray. Us ne ek tukra us ke pairon par phenka.
“Ashfaq,” us ne kaha tha — aur us ki awaaz mein woh dard tha jo sirf tootay dilon mein hota hai. “Tumhare liye sab kuch kaam hai. Main kuch nahi. Yeh ghar kuch nahi. Yeh din kuch nahi. Main… main kuch nahi.”
Phir us ne darwaza band kar diya. Aur andar jaakar woh royi — woh roi jaise kabhi nahi roi thi. Na shadi ke pehle saal mein, na bachon ki paidaish ke waqt, na kabhi. Us raat us ne apne dil ka ek hissa dafan kar diya tha. Woh hissa jo umeed karta tha. Jo intezar karta tha. Jo pyaar mangta tha.
Us ne socha tha — ab bas. Ab koi umeed nahi. Ab sirf zimmedari. Biwi ki zimmedari. Maa ki zimmedari. Bas.
Aur Ashfaq? Woh bahar khara raha tha — darwazay ke us paar. Us ne tasveer ka tukra uthaya tha. Us ne us raat apne dil mein wada kiya tha — kal se sab badlega. Magar kal aaya, aur woh office gaya. Phir parson aaya, aur woh phir gaya. Din guzarte gaye. Hafte. Mahine. Saal. Aur woh wada — woh wahin reh gaya, darwazay ke us paar, tasveer ke tukray ke saath.
Uzma ne apni aankhen kholin. Ashfaq us ke paas leta tha — so raha tha, ya sone ki koshish kar raha tha. Us ne usay dekha. Barson ka dard, barson ka intezar — sab is ek chehre mein tha.
“Ashfaq?” us ne dheere se kaha.
“Hmm?” Woh jaag raha tha.
“Us raat… tum ne darwazay ke bahar kya socha tha?”
Ashfaq ne aankhen kholin. “Tumhen kaise pata ke main bahar khara tha?”
“Main ne dekha tha. Khidki se.”
Ashfaq khamosh raha. Phir us ne kaha, “Main ne socha tha ke main tumhen kho doonga. Aur main ne socha tha ke kal se sab badal doonga. Magar…” Us ki awaaz bhara gayi. “Magar main kamzor tha, Uzma. Kaam ne mujhe jakar liya tha. Main roz sochta tha — aaj us se baat karoonga, aaj usay waqt doonga. Magar roz shaam ko main thaka hua ghar aata, aur tum… tum bhi thaki hoti. Aur hum dono apne apne konon mein chup ho jaate.”
“Tum ne koshish kyun nahi ki?” Uzma ki awaaz mein dard tha — magar gussa nahi. “Ek baar. Bas ek baar dil se koshish ki hoti.”
“Main darta tha,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Tumhari aankhon mein woh dard dekh kar… main darta tha ke tum mujhe maaf nahi karo gi. Aur phir main… main haar maan leta.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Aur ab? Ab nahi darte?”
“Ab darta hoon,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Magar ab dar se zyada… tumhari zaroorat hai.”
Woh dono khamosh rahay. Barish ki awaaz aa rahi thi. Phir Ashfaq utha. Us ne apna camera bag uthaya. Us ne us mein se ek lifafa nikala — purana, peela para hua.
“Yeh kya hai?” Uzma ne poocha.
“Ek khat. Jo main ne kabhi bheja nahi.”
Us ne lifafa Uzma ko diya. Uzma ne khat nikala. Kagaz purana tha, siyahi pheeki. Us ne parhna shuru kiya:
“Meri pyari Uzma,
Aaj tumhari salgirah thi. Aur main phir nakaam raha. Tum ne darwaza band kar diya, aur main bahar khara raha. Main andar aana chahta tha — tumhen galay lagana chahta tha, maafi mangna chahta tha. Magar main himmat na kar saka.
Tum ne kaha ke tumhare liye sab kuch kaam hai, tum kuch nahi. Uzma, yeh jhoot hai. Tum sab kuch ho. Tumhare baghair main kuch nahi. Kaam to bas… kaam to bas ek bahana hai. Asal mein main darta hoon. Darta hoon ke main tumhen khush nahi rakh saka. Darta hoon ke tumhen woh zindagi nahi de saka jis ki tum haqdaar ho. Aur is dar mein main tum se door bhagta hoon — kaam ki taraf.
Magar aaj main wada karta hoon — kal se sab badlega. Main tumhen waqt doonga. Hum phir se woh banenge jo hum thay. Clifton jayenge. Barish mein bheegenge. Haseenge.
Mujhe maaf kar dena, meri jaan. Main tumhara hoon — hamesha.
Tumhara, Ashfaq”
Uzma ne khat parha. Phir dobara parha. Us ki aankhon se aansoo beh rahay thay — tez, be-rok.
“Tum ne yeh… kab likha?” us ne poocha.
“Us raat. Darwazay ke bahar beth kar. Gari mein.”
“Aur bheja kyun nahi?”
Ashfaq ne gehri saans li. “Subah main ne socha — aaj doonga. Phir office mein masroof ho gaya. Shaam ko socha — kal doonga. Phir… phir waqt guzarta gaya. Aur mujhe laga ke ab dene ka kya faida. Tum naraaz thi. Main darta tha.”
Uzma ne khat ko seenay se lagaya. “Pandrah saal, Ashfaq. Pandrah saal yeh khat is lifafay mein para raha. Aur main… main samajhti rahi ke tumhen ehsaas hi nahi.”
“Ehsaas tha,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Bas izhaar nahi tha. Aur bina izhaar ke ehsaas… bekaar hai. Main ab samjha hoon.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. Us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay, magar un mein kuch aur bhi tha — narmi, aur… haan, pyaar.
“Ashfaq?”
“Haan?”
” agar tum yeh khat us waqt de dete, to shayad… shayad sab kuch alag hota.”
“Shayad.” Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra. “Magar ab de diya hai. Der se sahi.”
Uzma ne sar hilaya. “Der se sahi.” Us ne khat ko dobara lifafay mein rakha — ehtiyaat se, jaise koi qeemti cheez ho. “Isay sambhal kar rakhna. Ab yeh hamari kahani ka hissa hai.”
“Rakhoonga.”
Woh dono phir let gaye. Magar ab neend na aayi — dono ko. Woh baaten karte rahay — raat bhar. Barson ki baaten. Dard ki, khushi ki, umeed ki.
Uzma ne bataya ke us raat ke baad us ne kya mehsus kiya tha. Ashfaq ne bataya ke woh kitna toota tha. Dono ne ek doosre ko suna — pehli baar, dil se suna. Bina behas ke, bina ilzaam ke. Bas suna.
Subah ke chaar bajay Uzma ne kaha, “Ashfaq?”
“Hmm?”
“Main ne tumhen maaf kar diya.”
Ashfaq ne usay dekha. “Sach?”
“Sach. Dil se.” Us ne us ka haath pakra. “Magar ek shart par.”
“Kya?”
“Ke tum phir kabhi koi khat na chhupao ge. Jo kehna hai, keh do ge. Jo mehsus karte ho, bata do ge.”
“Promise,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Allah ki qasam.”
“Allah ki qasam khana aasaan hai,” Uzma ne muskurate hue kaha. “Nibhana mushkil.”
“Nibhaoonga. Dekh lena.”
Woh dono hans paray — dheemi hansi, raat ke andheray mein. Phir khamoshi chha gayi. Aur is khamoshi mein neend aa gayi — gehri, sukoon bhari neend. Barson baad pehli baar, dono ek saath, ek dil se soye.
Darwazay ke bahar, Faisal khara tha. Woh paani peene aaya tha, aur us ne sab sun liya tha — khat, maafi, baaten. Us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay. Us ne chupke se apne kamray ki taraf qadam barhaye. Us ne socha — aaj us ne kuch seekha tha. Ke maafi mangne mein der ho sakti hai, magar maafi ka darwaza kabhi band nahi hota. Ke pyaar mar nahi sakta — bas so sakta hai. Aur ke jagane wala chahiye — koi jo himmat karay.
Woh apne bistar par leta. Us ne apne abba ke baare mein socha — hospital mein. Us ne faisla kiya ke kal woh un se kahega — “Abba, main aap se pyaar karta hoon.” Bina sharam ke, bina der ke. Kyun ke der ka kya anjaam hota hai, us ne aaj dekh liya tha.
Subah paanch bajay woh dono uthay. Ghar so raha tha. Woh chupke se niklay — jaise naujawan premi nikaltay hain. Ashfaq ne gari nikali. Uzma peelay rang ka jora pehna tha — wahi rang, tees saal baad. Ashfaq ne dekha to us ki saans ruk gayi.
“Yeh… yeh jora?”
“Naya hai,” Uzma ne muskurate hue kaha. “Magar rang wahi.”
Clifton ka samandar subah ke waqt khaali tha. Halki barish ho rahi thi. Hawa tez thi. Lehren kinare se takra rahi thein. Woh dono samandar kinare kharay thay — haath mein haath.
“Yaad hai?” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Har cheez,” Uzma ne kaha.
Barish tez hui. Woh dono bheege. Uzma ka dupatta ura. Ashfaq ne usay pakra. Dono hans paray — wohi hansi, tees saal purani, samandar ki lehron mein ghul gayi.
Ashfaq ne apna camera nikala. Us ne Uzma ki tasveer khichi — bhee gi hui, hansti hui, dupatta urta hua. Phir us ne camera ek pathar par rakha, timer lagaya, aur daud kar Uzma ke paas aaya. Dono ne ek doosre ko pakra. Click. Tasveer khich gayi — do log, barish mein, samandar kinare, ek doosre ki baahon mein.
“Yeh tasveer,” Ashfaq ne kaha, “us dibbay mein rakhenge. Sab se upar.”
“Rakhenge,” Uzma ne kaha.
Woh dono samandar kinare chalne lage. Ret geeli thi, pair dhans rahay thay. Barish halki ho gayi thi — ab sirf boonda baandi. Aasmaan par baadal chhat rahay thay, aur door se sooraj ki halki roshni aa rahi thi. Samandar ki lehren chamak rahi thein.
“Dekho,” Ashfaq ne kaha, door ishara karte hue. “Woh thela ab bhi hai.”
Wohi purana thela tha — jahan tees saal pehle woh barish mein kharay thay. Thelay wala ab budha ho gaya tha, magar thela wahi tha. Woh dono thelay ke paas gaye.
“Assalam-o-alaikum, chacha,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
Thelay walay ne unhen dekha. “Walaikum assalam. Pehchana nahi?”
“Aap ko yaad hai — tees saal pehle, ek jora barish mein yahan khara tha?”
Budha hans para. “Beta, tees saal mein kitne joray aaye. Magar…” Us ne Uzma ko dekha. “Tum… tum wohi ho? Peelay joray wali?”
Uzma hairan hui. “Aap ko yaad hai?”
“Yaad hai. Tum dono bheege thay, hans rahay thay. Main ne kaha tha — ‘beta, chai piyo ge?’ Aur tum ne kaha tha — ‘chacha, do chai, ek mein cheeni kam’.”
Ashfaq aur Uzma ek doosre ko dekh kar hans paray.
“Chacha, aaj phir do chai,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Ek mein cheeni kam.”
“Ab bhi cheeni kam?” Budha ne poocha.
“Ab bhi,” Uzma ne muskurate hue kaha.
Woh dono thelay ke paas kharay chai peetay rahay. Barish ruk gayi thi. Hawa mein samandar ki khushboo thi. Ashfaq ne apni biwi ko dekha — bheege baal, chehre par paani ke qatray, aur woh muskurahat.
“Tum aaj…” us ne kaha. “Tum aaj bilkul waisi lag rahi ho. Jaisi us din thi.”
“Jhoot,” Uzma ne kaha. “Us din main tees saal chhoti thi.”
“Umr se kya hota hai? Dil to wahi hai.”
Uzma ne chai ka ghoont liya. “Dil wahi hai. Bas thora thaka hua.”
“Ab aaraam karay ga,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Main karwaoonga.”
Woh dono phir chalne lage. Samandar kinare door tak. Baaten karte hue — woh baaten jo barson se nahi hui thein.
“Ashfaq,” Uzma ne kaha. “Tum retire hone ke baad kya karo ge?”
Ashfaq ne socha. “Pata nahi. Shayad… photography phir se shuru karoon. Tumhari tasveeren khichoon.”
“Bas meri?”
“Bas tumhari. Tum meri sab se achi model ho.”
Uzma hans pari. “Aur main? Main kya karoongi?”
“Main?” Uzma ne samandar ko dekha. “Main… main kitaaben parhoongi. Woh kitaaben jo main ne shadi ke baad nahi parhin. Aur shayad… shayad silai karoon. Mujhe silai ka shoq tha, yaad hai?”
“Yaad hai. Tum ne mere liye ek kurta siya tha — mangni par.”
“Aur tum ne kaha tha ke silai terhi hai.”
“Aur tum ne kaha tha ke pehen’na hai to pehno, warna main khud theek kar loongi,” dono ne ek saath kaha — aur hans paray.
Woh lamha — chhota sa, magar poora. Do log, jo ek doosre ke jumlay poore kar saktay thay. Yeh to pyaar tha. Asal pyaar. Jo barson ki doori ke baad bhi zinda tha.
Wapasi par woh ek dhabe par rukay. Nashta kiya — halwa puri, chai. Uzma ne kaha, “Barson baad dhabe par nashta kiya hai.”
“Ab har mahine karenge,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Har mahine?”
“Har haftay.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Tum badal gaye ho, Ashfaq.”
“Achay ke liye?”
“Bohat achay ke liye.”
Woh dono wapas gari ki taraf chalay. Bheege hue, magar khush. Gari mein bethtay waqt Ashfaq ne Uzma ka haath pakra aur us ke haath par bosa diya. Uzma ne sharmate hue haath peechay kheenche — magar phir khud hi us ka haath pakar liya.
“Ab ghar chalen,” us ne kaha. “Bachay uth gaye honge.”
“Chalen.”
Ghar pahunchay to sab uth chukay thay. Nasreen ne dono ko bheege dekha to boli, “Yeh kahan gaye thay?”
“Clifton,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Barish mein?”
“Haan.”
Nasreen ne apni bhabhi ko dekha. Uzma ke chehre par woh noor tha jo barson se nahi tha. Nasreen samajh gayi. Us ne kuch na kaha. Bas muskurayi.
Nashtay par Faisal ne kaha, “Mamoo, aap dono aaj bohat khush lag rahay hain.”
“Kyun na hon,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Zindagi khubsurat hai.”
Dua ne apni mami se kaha, “Mami, aap bohat pyari lag rahi hain.”
Uzma ne sharmate hue kaha, “Chup kar, badmash.”
Sab hans paray. Ghar mein woh khushi thi jo barson se nahi thi — halki, narmi bhari, magar gehri.
Din guzra. Shaam ko hospital ka chakkar laga. Rizwan behtar tha. Doctor ne kaha ke aglay haftay discharge ho jayega. Nasreen khush thi. Us ne apne bhai se kaha, “Ashfaq, tum ne bohat kiya. Allah tumhen khush rakhay.”
“Bas dua karo,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
Raat ko khaana ke baad sab drawing room mein bethay thay. Chai pi ja rahi thi. Baaten ho rahi thein. Ashfaq ne apna camera nikala aur sab ki tasveer khichi. Phir us ne Uzma ki taraf dekha.
“Ek baat kahoon?” us ne sab ke saamne kaha.
Uzma ne ghabra kar usay dekha. “Kya?”
Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra — sab ke saamne. “Main tum se pyaar karta hoon, Uzma. Tees saal se. Aur aglay tees saal tak karoonga.”
Khamoshi chha gayi. Phir Dua ne taaliyan bajayen. Faisal ne seeti bajayi. Nasreen ki aankhon mein aansoo aaye. Uzma ka chehra laal ho gaya.
“Ashfaq!” us ne kaha. “Bachon ke saamne?”
“To? Biwi se pyaar ka izhaar karna koi jurm hai?” Us ne us ke haath par bosa diya.
Uzma ne sharmate hue sar jhuka liya. Magar us ke chehre par woh muskurahat thi jo sab kuch keh rahi thi.
Dua ne apni kursi se uth kar apni mami ko galay lagaya. “Mami! Yeh to film wala scene ho gaya!”
“Film nahi, asal zindagi hai,” Faisal ne kaha. Us ne apne mamoo ko dekha. “Mamoo, aaj aap ne dil jeet liya.”
Nasreen apne bhai ke paas aayi. Us ne us ke sar par haath phera — jaise bachpan mein pherti thi. “Bhai, ammi hotin to aaj bohat khush hotin.”
Ashfaq ki aankhen bhar aayen. “Ammi hotin to kehtin — ‘der aaye, durust aaye’.”
“Ammi yehi kehtin,” Nasreen ne muskurate hue kaha. Phir us ne apni bhabhi se kaha, “Baji, ab to maaf kar den. Itna acha izhaar to films mein bhi nahi hota.”
Uzma ne sharmate hue kaha, “Tum sab mil kar mujhe sharminda kar rahay ho.”
“Sharmana to banta hai,” Dua ne chherha. “Mami dulhan lag rahi hain.”
“Dulhan?” Uzma ne hansi. “Is umar mein dulhan?”
“Umar se kya hota hai?” Dua ne kaha. “Pyaar mein to sab dulhan hote hain.”
Sab hans paray. Chai ka daur phir chala. Baaten huin — halki phulki, khushi bhari. Ashfaq ne apni biwi ka haath pakra rakha — poori shaam. Uzma ne chhurane ki koshish bhi nahi ki.
Raat ko jab sab apne kamron mein gaye, to Dua ne Faisal se kaha, “Bhai, tum ne dekha? Mamoo ne aaj kya kiya?”
“Dekha,” Faisal ne kaha. “Aur tum ne dekha ke mami kitni khush thein?”
“Haan.” Dua ne khidki se bahar dekha. “Bhai, kya pyaar aisa hi hota hai? Itna… itna himmat wala?”
Faisal ne socha. “Pyaar shuru mein aasaan hota hai, Dua. Mushkil to use nibhana hai. Mamoo ne tees saal baad himmat ki. Yeh asaan nahi tha.”
“Tumhen lagta hai ke woh nibhayenge?”
“Lagta hai. Kyun ke ab woh samajh gaye hain. Aur jo samajh jaata hai, woh bhoolta nahi.”
Dua ne sar hilaya. “Bhai, jab meri shadi hogi, to main aisa hi shohar chahoon gi. Jo ghalti karay, magar maafi mangne ki himmat rakhay.”
“Tumhen milega,” Faisal ne kaha. “Allah tumhen tumhare naseeb ka sab se acha de.”
“Aameen.”
Doosri taraf, Nasreen apne kamray mein bethi thi. Woh apne shohar Rizwan ki tasveer dekh rahi thi — jo us ne apne paas rakhi thi. “Dekha, Rizwan?” us ne dheere se kaha. “Tumhare sala ne aaj kya kiya? Tum hote to kitna khush hote.”
Us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay — magar chehre par muskurahat thi. Us ne dua ki — apne bhai ke liye, apni bhabhi ke liye, apne shohar ke liye, apne bachon ke liye. Lambi dua.
Raat ko bistar par Ashfaq ne Uzma se kaha, “Aaj ka din kaisa laga?”
“Achha.” Woh ruki. “Bohat achha. Barson baad.”
“Kal se har din aisa hoga.”
“Wada?”
“Wada.”
Uzma ne us ki taraf karwat badli. Dono ek doosre ko dekh rahay thay. Bahar barish ho rahi thi — halki, dheemi. Kamray mein andhera tha, magar dono ke chehron par sukoon tha.
“Ashfaq?”
“Hmm?”
“Main tum se pyaar karti hoon.”
Ashfaq ne usay apne kareeb kiya. Us ne us ke maathe par bosa diya. Phir us ki aankhon par. Phir us ke gaalon par. Uzma ne aankhen band kar lin. Us ki saansen tez ho gayin. Ashfaq ne us ke honthon par apne honth rakhay — narmi se, aahista, jaise koi qeemti cheez ko chhoo raha ho.
Woh lamha — barson ka intezar, barson ki doori, barson ki khamoshi — sab is ek lamhe mein ghul gaye. Uzma ne apne shohar ko pakra — mazbooti se, jaise kahin jaane na de. Ashfaq ne usay apni baahon mein liya — narmi se, jaise koi khwab ho jo toot jayega.
Un ke darmiyan jo hua, woh jismon ka milan nahi tha — roohon ka tha. Barson ki pyaas, barson ki tanhai, barson ka intezar — sab is raat beh gaya, barish ki tarah. Uzma ne siskariyan lin — khushi ki, rahat ki. Ashfaq ne us ke kaan mein sargoshi ki, “Meri Uzmi, meri jaan.”
“Bas tumhare,” Uzma ne kaha. “Hamesha tumhare.”
Barish bahar garajti rahi. Andar do dil ek saath dharak rahay thay — ek lay par, ek sur par. Jab sab khatm hua, to dono ek doosre ki baahon mein thay. Pasina tha, magar thakan nahi thi. Sukoon tha — gehra, poora.
Uzma ne Ashfaq ke seenay par sar rakha. Us ne us ke dil ki dharakan suni. “Suna?” us ne kaha.
“Kya?”
“Yeh keh raha hai — main tumhara hoon.”
Ashfaq ne us ke baalon mein ungliyan phiren. “Aur mera keh raha hai — main tumhara tha, hoon, rahoonga.”
Woh dono hans paray — dheemi hansi, khushi bhari. Phir khamoshi chha gayi. Neend aane lagi. Sone se pehle Uzma ne kaha, “Ashfaq?”
“Hmm?”
“Kal subah phir chai banao ge?”
“Banaoonga. Roz banaoonga.”
“Elaichi kam dalna.”
“Dalunga.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Woh so gaye — ek doosre ki baahon mein, barson baad pehli baar. Bahar barish ruk gayi thi. Baadal chhat gaye thay. Chaand nikal aaya tha. Us ki roshni khidki se andar aa rahi thi, un ke chehron par par rahi thi.
Subah jab woh uthay, to ghar mein nayi subah thi. Uzma ne chai banayi — do cup. Ek apne liye, ek Ashfaq ke liye. Ashfaq ne chai pi aur kaha, “Aaj elaichi theek hai.”
“Tum ne banayi hoti to zyada hoti.”
Dono hans paray.
Phir Uzma ne nashta banaya — aaj kuch khaas. Aloo ke parathay, dahi, aur Ashfaq ki pasand ka aam ka achaar. Jab woh parathay bel rahi thi, to Ashfaq kitchen mein aaya aur us ke peechay khara ho gaya.
“Kya kar rahay ho?” Uzma ne sharmate hue kaha.
“Dekh raha hoon. Tum kaam karti hui kitni achi lagti ho.”
“Jao, bahar jao. Nashta jal jayega.”
“Jalne do.” Us ne us ke kandhe par haath rakha. “Aaj main tumhari madad karoonga.”
“Tum? Madad?”
“Haan. Parathay belna to nahi aata, magar dahi nikal sakta hoon.”
Uzma hans pari. “Dahi nikalna bhi koi kaam hai?”
“Hai. Bohat bara kaam.”
Woh dono mil kar nashta tayyar karte rahay — chhoti chhoti baaten, halki hansi. Kitchen mein woh khushi thi jo barson se nahi thi. Nasreen jab kitchen mein aayi, to ruk gayi. Us ne dekha — us ka bhai aur bhabhi, saath kaam karte hue, hanste hue. Us ki aankhen bhar aayen.
“Kya hua, Nasreen?” Uzma ne poocha.
“Kuch nahi, baji.” Nasreen ne aansoo ponchhe. “Bas… bohat din baad tum dono ko aise dekha. Khush.”
Ashfaq ne apni behan ko dekha. “Andar aao. Chai piyo.”
Nasreen andar aayi. Teenon ne mil kar chai pi. Baaten huin.
“Bhai,” Nasreen ne kaha. “Tum badal gaye ho.”
“Achay ke liye?” Ashfaq ne poocha.
“Bohat achay ke liye.” Nasreen ne apni bhabhi ka haath pakra. “Baji, tum khush ho na?”
Uzma ne apne shohar ko dekha. Phir apni nanad ko. “Haan, Nasreen. Khush hoon. Allah ka shukr hai.”
Nashta sab ne mil kar khaya. Dua ne kaha, “Mami, aaj ke parathay kuch zyada hi mazedaar hain. Kya daala hai?”
“Pyaar,” Ashfaq ne kaha — aur sab hans paray.
Faisal ne apne mamoo ko dekha. Us ke chehre par sukoon tha. Us ne socha — kal raat us ne jo suna tha, us ka asar tha. Us ne apne dil mein dua ki ke yeh khushi qaim rahay.
“Mamoo,” Faisal ne kaha. “Aaj main university jaa raha hoon. Do din se nahi gaya.”
“Jao, beta. Parhai zaroori hai.”
“Abba se mil kar jaoonga.”
“Haan. Un se kehna ke hum shaam ko aayenge.”
Nashtay ke baad sab apne kaamon mein lag gaye. Ashfaq ne kaha, “Aaj main office jaoonga. Do din ki chhutti kaafi hai.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Jao. Magar shaam ko jaldi aana.”
“Aaoonga. Wada.”
“Wada?” Uzma ne muskurate hue kaha. “Pichlay waday to…”
“Is baar pakka.” Us ne us ke maathe par bosa diya — sab ke saamne. Dua ne seeti bajayi. Nasreen hans pari. Uzma ka chehra laal ho gaya.
“Ashfaq!” us ne kaha.
“Kya? Biwi ko pyaar karna mana hai?”
Faisal ne apna bag uthaya aur bola, “Main chala. Allah hafiz.”
“Allah hafiz, beta.”
Ashfaq bhi nikla. Ghar mein aurten reh gayin. Uzma ne bartan dhona shuru kiye. Nasreen us ki madad karne lagi.
“Baji,” Nasreen ne dheere se kaha. “Ek baat kahoon?”
“Kaho.”
“Bhai tum se bohat pyaar karte hain. Hamesha karte thay. Bas… kehna nahi aata tha unhen.”
Uzma ne apni nanad ko dekha. “Ab kehna aa gaya hai.”
“Achha hai.” Nasreen ne muskuraya. “Der aaye, durust aaye.”
Dono hans parin. Aur kaam karti rahin — saath, khushi se.
Dopahar ko Nasreen ne kaha, “Main hospital jaaongi. Rizwan ke discharge ke kagaz banwane hain.”
“Main chalta hoon saath,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Main bhi,” Faisal ne kaha.
Hospital mein Rizwan betha tha. Doctor ne kaha ke woh ghar ja sakta hai, magar aaraam karna hoga, dawaiyan waqt par leni hongi. Nasreen ne kagazat poore kiye. Dopahar tak Rizwan ghar aa gaya — apne ghar, jo Gulshan mein hi tha, do gali door.
Shaam ko sab Rizwan ke ghar gaye. Nasreen ne dawat ka ehtemam kiya tha — woh khana jo Rizwan ko pasand tha, magar doctor ne halka khana kaha tha, to sab kuch halka banaya gaya tha. Yakhni pulao, dahi, salad. Aur meethay mein kheer — Rizwan ki pasand ki, kam cheeni wali.
Ghar saja hua tha. Phool lagaye thay — Dua ne lagaye thay. Faisal ne apne abba ke kamray mein naya bedsheet bichhaya tha. Sab kuch tayyar tha — jaise Eid ho.
Rizwan drawing room mein betha tha — kamzor, magar khush. Us ke chehre par woh sukoon tha jo maut ke munh se wapas aane walon ke chehre par hota hai. Jab sab aaye, to woh uthne laga. Ashfaq ne use roka — “Bethe raho, bhai. Tum mehmaan ho aaj.”
“Mehmaan? Apne ghar mein?” Rizwan ne hansa — kamzor hansi, magar dil se.
“Aaj tum sab ke mehmaan ho,” Nasreen ne kaha. “Bethe raho.”
Khana lagaya gaya. Sab dastarkhwan par bethay. Rizwan ne pehla niwala khaya aur kaha, “Nasreen, tumhare haath mein wohi zaiqa hai.”
“Doctor ne kaha hai halka khana,” Nasreen ne kaha. “Zaiqa to hoga.”
Sab hans paray. Khana khate waqt baaten huin — hospital ki, doctoron ki, aur zindagi ki. Faisal ne apne university ke baare mein bataya. Dua ne apni class ke qissay sunaye. Ashfaq ne apne office ke mazahiya waqiat sunaye — pehli baar, us ne office ki baaten khushi se sunayen, thakan se nahi.
Khana ke baad chai pi gayi. Phir Rizwan ne kaha, “Main kuch kehna chahta hoon.”
Sab khamosh ho gaye.
“Jab main ICU mein tha,” Rizwan ne shuru kiya — dheemi awaaz mein, magar saaf. “To mujhe hosh nahi tha. Magar… magar mujhe ehsaas tha. Ehsaas tha ke mere bachay bahar hain. Meri biwi bahar hai. Aur mera sala…” Us ne Ashfaq ko dekha. “Mera sala har waqt wahin tha.”
Ashfaq ne sar jhukaya.
“Ashfaq,” Rizwan ne kaha. “Tum ne jo kiya — hospital ke chakkar, paisay, waqt — us ka badla main nahi de sakta. Magar main tum se ek baat kehna chahta hoon. Tum mere sala nahi, mere bhai ho. Hamesha thay, hamesha raho ge.”
Ashfaq ki aankhen bhar aayen. “Bhai, yeh to mera farz tha.”
“Farz se zyada tha,” Rizwan ne kaha. “Aur Uzma bhabhi — aap ne meri biwi ka saath diya, mere bachon ka khayal rakha. Allah aap ko khush rakhay.”
Uzma ne muskurate hue kaha, “Yeh to hamara farz tha, bhai.”
Phir Rizwan ne apne bachon ko dekha. “Faisal, Dua — tum dono ne mujhe fakhr mehsus karwaya. Itne samajhdaar ho gaye ho.”
Faisal ne apne abba ka haath pakra. “Abba, main aap se ek baat kehna chahta hoon. Sab ke saamne.”
“Kaho, beta.”
“Main aap se bohat pyaar karta hoon, abba.”
Khamoshi chha gayi. Phir Rizwan ki aankhon se aansoo behne lage. Us ne apne bete ko galay lagaya — mazbooti se, jitni taqat thi.
“Main bhi tum se pyaar karta hoon, beta,” us ne kaha. “Bohat. Hamesha se.”
Dua bhi aa gayi. Teenon ek doosre se lipat gaye. Nasreen ro rahi thi — khushi se. Uzma ki aankhen bhar aayen. Ashfaq ne apni biwi ka haath pakra.
Woh lamha — woh lamha sab ke dilon mein bas gaya. Ek khaandaan, jo maut ke saaye se guzar kar aaya tha, aur ab zindagi ko naye sire se gale laga raha tha.
Phir Nasreen ne kheer parosi. Sab ne khai. Rizwan ne kaha, “Kam cheeni wali bhi mazedaar hai.”
“Doctor ki hidayat,” Nasreen ne kaha. “Ab se hamesha kam cheeni.”
“Zulm hai,” Rizwan ne hansi mein kaha.
“Sehat ke liye,” Nasreen ne kaha.
Ashfaq ne apna camera nikala. “Ek tasveer ho jaye — sab ki.”
Sab jama hue. Rizwan kursi par betha. Nasreen us ke paas. Faisal aur Dua peechay. Ashfaq aur Uzma saath — haath mein haath. Ashfaq ne timer lagaya, daud kar aaya. Click.
“Yeh tasveer,” Ashfaq ne kaha, “hamare dibbay mein jayegi.”
“Kis dibbay mein?” Rizwan ne poocha.
“Hamari kahani ke dibbay mein,” Uzma ne muskurate hue kaha.
Sab hans paray. Magar un ki hansi mein kuch gehra tha — kuch jo sirf woh samajh saktay thay jo maut ko qareeb se dekh kar aaye hon.
Raat gehri hui. Mehmaan jaane lage. Ashfaq aur Uzma rukay — thori der aur. Rizwan ne Ashfaq se kaha, “Bethe raho. Baaten karte hain.”
Woh dono bahar lawn mein bethay. Rizwan ne kaha, “Ashfaq, tum khush ho?”
Ashfaq ne hairat se dekha. “Kyun poocha?”
“Bas aise hi. Lagta hai ke… ke tum badal gaye ho. Achay ke liye.”
Ashfaq ne muskuraya. “Haan. Badal gaya hoon.”
“Kya hua?”
Ashfaq ne apne behnoi ko dekha — apne dost ko. “Tumhari bemari ne mujhe jaga diya, Rizwan. Mujhe ehsaas hua ke main apni zindagi zaya kar raha tha. Kaam ke peechay bhaag raha tha, aur jo sab se qeemti tha — usay bhool raha tha.”
“Uzma bhabhi?”
“Haan.” Ashfaq ki awaaz bhara gayi. “Tees saal, Rizwan. Tees saal main ne unhen waqt na diya. Aur ab… ab main har din ki qeemat samajhta hoon.”
Rizwan ne apne sala ke kandhe par haath rakha. “Der aaye, durust aaye.”
“Haan. Bas dua karo ke yeh badlao qaim rahay.”
“Rahega,” Rizwan ne kaha. “Kyun ke ab tum samajh gaye ho. Aur jo samajh jaata hai, woh bhoolta nahi.”
Woh dono der tak bethay rahay — purane dost, purani baaten. Aasmaan par taaray thay. Hawa mein raat ki khushboo thi. Aur dono ke dilon mein sukoon tha.
“Koi badla nahi,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Bas dua karo ke hum sab khush rahen.”
Raat ko wapas apne flat aakar Ashfaq aur Uzma balcony mein bethay. Barish nahi ho rahi thi. Aasmaan saaf tha. Taaray niklay thay.
“Dekho,” Uzma ne kaha. “Taaray.”
“Dekh raha hoon.”
“Kitne khubsurat hain.”
“Tum se zyada nahi.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Ab to tum shayar ban gaye ho.”
“Tumhare liye.”
Woh dono hans paray. Phir khamoshi chha gayi — woh khamoshi jo ab bojh nahi thi, rahat thi.
“Ashfaq?”
“Hmm?”
“Woh tasveer — jo hum ne Clifton mein khichi thi — usay develop karwao ge?”
“Karwaoonga. Aur us dibbay mein rakhoonga. Sab se upar.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Uzma ne us ka haath pakra. Dono taaron ko dekhte rahay. Hawa mein samandar ki khushboo thi. Door se kisi masjid se azaan ki awaaz aayi — Isha ki.
“Chalo,” Uzma ne kaha. “Namaz parhte hain.”
“Chalo.”
Woh dono andar gaye. Wuzu kiya. Namaz parhi — saath, ek ja-namaz par nahi, magar ek kamray mein, ek waqt mein. Namaz ke baad Uzma ne dua mangi — lambi dua. Ashfaq ne aameen kaha.
Phir woh bistar par let gaye. Ashfaq ne Uzma ko apni baahon mein liya. Uzma ne us ke seenay par sar rakha.
“Kal kya karenge?” Uzma ne poocha.
“Kal? Kal office jaoonga. Magar shaam ko jaldi aaoonga.”
“Aur?”
“Aur tumhare saath chai piyunga. Balcony mein.”
“Aur?”
“Aur tum se pyaar karoonga.”
Uzma ne muskuraya. “Bas?”
“Bas. Is se zyada kya chahiye?”
“Kuch nahi.” Us ne us ke seenay par bosa diya. “Kuch nahi chahiye.”
Woh so gaye. Bahar hawa chal rahi thi. Gali mein khamoshi thi. Ghar mein sukoon tha.
Aglay dinon mein zindagi apne mamool par aa gayi — magar yeh mamool pehle jaisa nahi tha. Ashfaq ne office mein apne auqaat badal diye. Pehle woh raat ke nau bajay ghar aata tha. Ab woh chhay bajay nikal aata. Us ka boss, Mr. D’Souza, ne ek din poocha, “Ashfaq, sab khairiyat? Pehle to tum sab se aakhir mein jaate thay.”
Ashfaq ne muskurate hue kaha, “Sir, pehle mujhe lagta tha ke kaam hi zindagi hai. Ab pata chala ke zindagi kuch aur hai. Kaam us ka hissa hai — poori zindagi nahi.”
Mr. D’Souza ne usay dekha — der tak. Phir us ne sar hilaya. “Kash yeh baat mujhe bhi tees saal pehle samajh aayi hoti.”
Ghar mein naye dastoor ban gaye thay. Shaam ki chai — dono saath peetay, balcony mein. Jumme ko dhabe ka nashta. Itwaar ko Nasreen ke ghar khana. Aur har raat sone se pehle — baaten. Chhoti chhoti baaten. “Aaj office mein kya hua.” “Aaj main ne kya pakaya.” “Kal kya karenge.” Woh baaten jo shadi ke pehle saalon mein hoti thein aur phir kahin kho gayi thein.
Ek din Faisal aaya — haathon mein ek lifafa liye. Us ke chehre par khushi thi.
“Mamoo! Tasveeren aa gayin!”
Ashfaq aur Uzma drawing room mein bethay thay. Faisal ne lifafa khola. Tasveeren nikleen — Clifton ki, barish ki, bheegi hui, hansti hui. Har tasveer mein woh dono thay — ek doosre ki baahon mein, ek doosre ko dekhte hue.
Uzma ne tasveeren dekhen. Us ki aankhen bhar aayen. “Kitni khubsurat hain.”
“Ek aur cheez hai,” Faisal ne kaha. Us ne doosra lifafa nikala. “Yeh… yeh woh purana roll tha. Jo camera mein tha — pandrah saal purana, aadha khicha hua. Dukaandaar ne kaha ke film kharab nahi hui. Us ne develop kar diya.”
Ashfaq ka chehra badal gaya. “Woh roll…”
“Haan, mamoo. Us mein jo tha — dekhen.”
Ashfaq ne tasveeren lin. Pehli tasveer mein Uzma thi — pandrah saal chhoti, kitchen mein khari, hans rahi thi. Doosri mein woh balcony mein thi, baal hawa mein ur rahay thay. Teesri mein woh so rahi thi — sukoon se. Har tasveer mein woh hansti hui, ya muskurati hui, ya sukoon mein thi.
Uzma ne tasveeren dekhen. Us ka haath kaanp raha tha. “Yeh… yeh kab khichin?”
“Us waqt ki hain,” Ashfaq ne dheere se kaha, “jab tum hansti thi. Main ne har hansi qaid kar li thi. Socha tha — ek din album banaoonga. ‘Meri Uzma ki hansi’ — naam rakhoonga.”
“Aur phir?”
“Phir tum ne hansna band kar diya. Aur main ne camera band kar diya.”
Khamoshi chha gayi. Faisal ne aahista se kaha, “Main chai bana kar laata hoon,” aur kitchen ki taraf chala gaya — unhen akela chhor kar.
Uzma ne tasveeron ko dekha — ek ek kar ke. Phir us ne Ashfaq ko dekha. “Tum ne meri itni tasveeren khichin… aur mujhe pata bhi na chala?”
“Tumhen khabar bhi na hoti thi. Tum apne kaam mein masroof hoti — aur main door khara tumhen dekhta rehta. Sochta — kitni khubsurat hai. Kitni achi hai. Aur main kitna khushnaseeb hoon.”
Uzma ki aankhon se aansoo behne lage. “Aur main samajhti rahi ke tum dekhte bhi nahi.”
“Dekhta tha. Har roz dekhta tha. Bas kehna bhool gaya tha.”
Uzma ne tasveeron ko seenay se lagaya. “Yeh sab se qeemti tohfa hai, Ashfaq. Is se qeemti kuch nahi.”
Us shaam woh dono purani tasveeron ka dibba lekar bethay. Unhon ne nayi tasveeren dibbay mein rakhen — sab se upar, jaise wada kiya tha. Aur purane roll ki tasveeren bhi rakhen — beech mein, jahan un ka waqt tha. Dibba ab poora tha — tees saal ki kahani, tasveeron mein.
“Yeh dibba,” Uzma ne kaha, “hamare bachon ko denge. Agar Allah ne diye hote to.”
Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra. “Bachay nahi diye, magar bhanja bhanji diye. Wohi hamare bachay hain.”
Uzma ne sar hilaya. “Haan. Faisal aur Dua… woh hamare hi to hain.”
Faisal kitchen se wapas aaya — chai liye. Us ne dekha ke dono ki aankhon mein aansoo thay, magar chehron par muskurahat thi. Us ne kuch na kaha. Bas chai rakhi aur chala gaya.
Us raat Faisal apne ghar gaya — apne abba ke paas. Rizwan ab behtar thay — chal phir rahay thay, magar aaraam kar rahay thay. Faisal un ke paas betha.
“Abba,” us ne kaha.
“Haan, beta?”
“Main aap se ek baat kehna chahta hoon.”
“Kaho.”
Faisal ne gehri saans li. “Main aap se bohat pyaar karta hoon, abba.”
Rizwan ne apne bete ko dekha. Us ki aankhen bhar aayen. “Main bhi tum se pyaar karta hoon, beta. Bohat.”
Woh dono ek doosre se lipat gaye. Nasreen darwazay par khari dekh rahi thi — us ki aankhon mein aansoo thay, magar chehre par muskurahat thi.
“Yeh achanak?” Rizwan ne poocha.
Faisal ne muskuraya. “Bas aise hi. Kehna tha, to keh diya. Der kyun karoon?”
Rizwan ne apne bete ke sar par haath phera. “Samajhdaar ho gaye ho.”
“Hospital ki raat ne samajhdaar bana diya, abba.”
Haftay guzarte gaye. Mahine guzarne lage. Barish ka mausam khatm hua. Sardi aayi — Karachi ki halki sardi, jo Lahore walon ko hansi aati hai magar Karachi walon ko pasand hai. Ashfaq ne Uzma ke liye ek shawl kharidi — naram, garam. Uzma ne kaha, “Itni mehengi kyun?”
“Tumhare liye,” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Tum sardi mein kaanpti ho.”
Uzma ne shawl orhi. “Khubsurat hai.”
“Tum se zyada nahi.”
“Phir shuru ho gaye,” Uzma ne hansi. Magar us ki aankhon mein khushi thi.
Ek din Shabana ka phone phir aaya.
“Uzma! Kaisi ho?”
“Bohat achi, Shabana. Tum sunao.”
” Woh… tumhare mian? Ab bhi badlay hue hain?”
Uzma ne muskuraya. “Ab bhi. Aur roz zyada.”
Shabana khamosh rahi. Phir us ne kaha, “Shayad main ghalat thi.”
“Shayad.”
“Nahi, sach mein. Main ne apne shohar ko dekha — woh nahi badla. To main ne socha ke koi nahi badalta. Magar shayad… shayad kuch log badalte hain. Jab unhen samajh aata hai ke kya kho rahay hain.”
“Shabana,” Uzma ne dheere se kaha. “Badalna aasaan nahi. Aur yaqeen karna us se bhi mushkil. Magar jab dono taraf se koshish ho, to ho jaata hai.”
“Khush raho, meri dost. Allah tum dono ko salamat rakhay.”
“Aameen.”
Phone band hua. Uzma ne khidki se bahar dekha. Shaam ho rahi thi. Ashfaq ke aane ka waqt tha. Woh muskurayi — us muskurahat se jo ab us ke chehre par rehti thi.
Dua apni university mein apni dost Mahnoor ko bata rahi thi — mamoo aur mami ki kahani.
“Aur pata hai,” Dua ne kaha, “mamoo ne mami ko sab ke saamne kaha — ‘main tum se pyaar karta hoon’.”
“Schai?” Mahnoor ne kaha. “Is umar mein?”
“Umar se kya hota hai? Pyaar ki koi umar nahi hoti.”
Mahnoor ne socha. Phir us ne kaha, “Kash mere ammi abba bhi aise hon.”
“Ho sakte hain,” Dua ne kaha. “Bas kisi ko pehal karni hoti hai.”
Dua ne apne dil mein socha — us ne is kahani se kya seekha tha. Ke pyaar mehnat mangta hai. Ke maafi mein taqat hai. Ke der ho sakti hai, magar na-umeedi nahi. Aur ke kabhi kabhi, zindagi tumhen doosra mauqa deti hai — bas usay pehchan’na hota hai.
Sardiyan guzrin. Bahar aayi. Phir garmi. Phir… phir se barish ka mausam aaya. October ka aakhri hafta — theek ek saal baad us raat ke.
Us shaam Ashfaq ghar aaya — haathon mein phoolon ka guldasta liye. Surkh gulab, safed motiya — wahi, jaise pehli baar.
“Yeh kya?” Uzma ne poocha.
“Yaad hai? Aaj se ek saal pehle — hospital wali raat.”
Uzma ki aankhen bhar aayen. “Yaad hai. Kaise bhool sakti hoon.”
“To aaj hum phir Clifton jayenge.”
“Barish mein?”
“Barish mein.”
Woh dono niklay. Gari mein purane ganay baj rahay thay — woh ganay jo woh jawani mein suntay thay. Radio par ek purana gana aaya — wohi gana jo un ki shadi par baja tha. Dono ek doosre ko dekh kar muskuraye.
“Yaad hai?” Ashfaq ne kaha.
“Har lafz yaad hai,” Uzma ne kaha. Aur woh gungunane lagi — dheere se. Ashfaq bhi saath gungunane laga. Gari mein do awazen thin — ek mard ki, ek aurat ki — purana gana, nayi khushi.
Uzma ne peela jora pehna tha — naya, magar wahi rang. Ghar se nikalte waqt us ne sheeshay mein khud ko dekha tha. Baalon mein chandi, aankhon ke gird halki jhurriyan. Magar aankhon mein woh chamak — jo tees saal pehle thi.
“Ab bhi waisi lagti ho,” Ashfaq ne kaha — jab woh gari mein bethi.
“Ab to jhoot bhi acha lagta hai,” Uzma ne hansi.
“Jhoot nahi,” Ashfaq ne us ka haath pakra. “Tum aaj us se zyada khubsurat lag rahi ho. Kyun ke aaj tum khush ho. Aur khushi se bara koi shringaar nahi.”
Uzma ne usay dekha. “Tum ne yeh kahan se seekha?”
“Tum se.”
Clifton mein barish ho rahi thi — tez, jaise aasmaan bhi un ki khushi mein shamil tha. Woh dono samandar kinare kharay thay — haath mein haath. Lehren zor se kinare se takra rahi thein. Hawa tez thi. Uzma ka dupatta ur raha tha — baar baar.
Thelay wala ab bhi tha — aur budha ho gaya tha, kamar jhuk gayi thi. Magar thela wahi tha, chai wahi thi.
“Chacha! Do chai!” Ashfaq ne kaha. “Ek mein cheeni kam!”
Budha hans para — khaansi ke saath. “Yaad hai mujhe! Peelay joray wali! Tees saal ho gaye!”
“Tees saal aur ek,” Ashfaq ne kaha.
Woh dono hans paray. Chai pi — garma garam, barish mein. Uzma ne chai ka ghoont liya aur aankhen band kar lin.
“Kya soch rahi ho?” Ashfaq ne poocha.
“Soch rahi hoon ke… ke zindagi kitni ajeeb hai. Ek saal pehle hum yahan thay — toote hue. Aur aaj… aaj hum poore hain.”
“Poore?” Ashfaq ne usay dekha.
“Haan. Poore.”
Woh dono samandar kinare chalne lage. Barish un ke chehron par par rahi thi. Ashfaq ne apni biwi ko dekha — bheege baal, chamakti aankhen.
“Uzma?”
“Hmm?”
“Main ne tum se kabhi poocha nahi — kya tum ne mujhe maaf kar diya? Sach mein? Poori tarah?”
Uzma ruk gayi. Us ne apne shohar ko dekha — barish mein, samandar kinare. “Ashfaq, maafi to us din hi de di thi — jab tum ne woh khat diya tha. Magar…” Woh ruki. “Magar poori tarah… poori tarah to aaj hui hai. Is ek saal mein — har subah ki chai mein, har shaam ki baat mein, har jumme ke nashtay mein. Tum ne har din sabit kiya. Aur aaj… aaj dil mein koi shikwa nahi. Koi dard nahi. Bas… bas shukr hai.”
Ashfaq ki aankhon se aansoo behne lage — barish ke paani mein ghul gaye. “Shukriya.”
“Kis liye?”
“Doosra mauqa dene ke liye.”
Uzma ne us ke gaal par haath rakha. “Doosra mauqa to tum ne khud banaya tha, Ashfaq. Himmat kar ke. Woh raat — jab tum ne tasveer di thi — us ke liye himmat chahiye thi.”
“Tum ne bhi himmat ki thi — maaf kar ke.”
“Dono ne ki thi,” Uzma ne kaha. “Isi liye to hum yahan hain.”
Woh dono phir chalne lage. Door se bijli chamki. Garaj sunayi di. Magar woh daray nahi — barish ab un ki dost thi.
“Ashfaq?” Uzma ne kaha.
“Hmm?”
“Ek saal ho gaya.”
“Haan.”
“Yeh saal… meri zindagi ka sab se acha saal tha.”
Ashfaq ne usay apne qareeb kiya. “Mera bhi.”
“Promise karo — aglay saal bhi aisa hi hoga.”
“Promise. Aur us se aglay saal bhi. Aur us se aglay bhi.”
“Bas karo,” Uzma ne hansi. “Itne waday mat karo.”
“Karunga. Aur nibhaoonga bhi.”
Barish tez hui. Woh dono bheege. Uzma ka dupatta ura. Ashfaq ne pakra. Dono hans paray — wohi hansi, jo ab un ki zindagi ka hissa thi.
Ashfaq ne apna camera nikala — wahi purana Nikon, jo ab phir se chalta tha. Us ne timer lagaya. Dono ne ek doosre ko pakra. Click.
Ghar wapas aakar unhon ne tasveer dibbay mein rakhi — sab se upar. Purani tasveer neechay chali gayi. Nayi tasveer upar aayi. Zindagi aagay barh rahi thi.
Us raat bistar par Uzma ne kaha, “Ashfaq?”
“Hmm?”
” agar main tum se ek baat kahoon?”
“Kaho.”
“Main khush hoon. Sach mein. Barson baad pehli baar — poori tarah khush.”
Ashfaq ne usay apni baahon mein liya. “Main bhi, meri jaan. Main bhi.”
“To phir… so jayen?”
“So jayen.”
Woh so gaye — ek doosre ki baahon mein. Bahar barish ho rahi thi. Andar sukoon tha. Ghar tha. Pyaar tha.
Aur kahin, us dibbay mein, tasveeron ke upar ek nayi tasveer thi — do log, barish mein, samandar kinare, ek doosre ki baahon mein. Us tasveer ke peeche likha tha: “Clifton, barish, aur hum — ek saal baad, phir se. — Ashfaq”
Neeche, chhote harfon mein, Uzma ne likha tha: “Hamesha. Har saal.”
Aur us raat, jab woh dono bistar par letay thay, to Ashfaq ne apni biwi se kaha — “Uzma, tumhen pata hai ke is kahani ka sab se khubsurat hissa kya hai?”
“Kya?”
“Yeh ke yeh khatm nahi hui. Har barish mein yeh phir shuru hoti hai.”
Uzma ne muskurate hue us ke seenay par sar rakha. “To phir har barish mein hum Clifton jayenge.”
“Jayenge.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. Hamesha.”
Kahani khatm nahi hui thi. Kahani to ab shuru hui thi — barson baad, barish ki ek raat ke baad, jab do dilon ne phir se ek doosre ko paaya tha. Kyun ke pyaar kabhi khatm nahi hota. Bas so jaata hai. Aur kabhi kabhi, barish use jaga deti hai. Aur jab jaagta hai, to phir kabhi nahi sota. Woh rehta hai — har subah ki chai mein, har shaam ki baat mein, har tasveer mein, har barish mein. Aur do dilon mein, jo ek doosre ko pa kar phir kabhi khona nahi chahte. Yeh un ki kahani thi — barish ki, pyaar ki, aur doosre mauqon ki.