Rahul nimbu-paani ka glass uthakar chupchaap apne kamre mein chala gaya aur andar se darwaza band kar liya. Aangan mein ab shaam ka sunehra rang dheere-dheere dhal kar ek thande dhundlapane mein badal raha tha. May ki garm hawa ab thodi shant thi, par ghar ke andar ka mahaul aur ghana ho chuka tha.
Sadhna (Mummy) kitchen mein bartan samet te hue ekdum nishchint thi. Unka bholi dimaag ab poori tarah shant tha ki bacha padhai ki wajah se late hua tha. Wo dheere-dheere gungunate hue raat ke khane ki taiyari ke baare mein soch rahi thi.
Lekin Poonam (Maasi) aangan ke pillar se tik kar khadi thi, unka dimaag kisi toofan ki tarah chal raha tha.
Poonam ka gora chehra ab ghabraahat aur shakk ki wajah se halka laal ho raha tha. Unhone apni sadi ka suti pallu apni bhari chhati (boobs) par itna kas kar lapet rakha tha ki unka jism us sanskari maryada mein simatne ki koshish kar raha tha, par unka dil zoor-zoor se dhadak raha tha. Unhone kal raat Rahul ki rone ki aawaaz suni thi, aur aaj uske kurte ke piche lagi mitti aur uske kaanpte haath saaf dekh liye the.
'Nahi... didi toh bht bholi hain, wo bache ki har baat par yakin kar leti hain,' Poonam ne apne andar hi andar socha, unki nigahein farsh par tikki thi aur unka bhari nitambh (hip) deewar ke sahare thoda thama hua tha. 'Rahul jhoot bol raha hai. Wo extra class mein nahi tha. Agar baat sirf ragging ki hoti, toh uske chehre par aisi dehsat nahi hoti jaise uski jaan par ban aayi ho.'
Poonam ne ek gehri saans li. Unki sharmili aur bholi tabiyat aisi thi ki unhone kabhi ghar ke mardon ke maamlon mein ya bahar ki duniya mein pair nahi rakha tha. Par is waqt unhe laga ki agar unhone kuch nahi kiya, toh unka ye bholi parivar kisi bahut bade sankat mein phas jayega.
Wo dheere-dheere dabi aawaaz mein chalte hue Rahul ke kamre ke darwaze ke paas aayi. Unhone darwaze par halki si dastak dene ke liye haath uthaya, par phir ruk gayi. Unhe darr tha ki agar unhone is waqt poocha, toh Rahul phir se koi naya bahana bana dega ya darwaza nahi kholega.
'Mujhe isse akele mein baat karni hogi... jab didi rasoi mein busy hon ya pooja kar rahi hon,' Poonam ne socha. Unki aankhon mein ab ek anjaana suspense tha. Wo ab sirf ek sharmili maasi nahi thi, balki us khamosh raaz ko kholne ke liye pehla kadam uthane ka dimaag bana rahi thi.
Wo wapas kitchen ki taraf badhi. Sadhna ne unhe aate hue dekha aur bholepan se muskuraayi, "Poonam, zara dekhna freez mein dahi jam gaya kya? Raat ko chawal ke sath sab kha lenge."
"Ji didi, main dekhti hoon," Poonam ne apni wahi meethi aur dabi aawaaz mein kaha, par unki aankhein abhi bhi piche kamre ki taraf hi thi, jahan unka bhanja ek bahut bada raaz chhupaye baitha tha. Ghadi mein ab shaam ke 5:30 baj rahe many, aur andhera dheere-dheere ghar ke aangan ko apne aagosh mein le raha tha.
Shaam ke lagbhag 6:30 baj chuke the. Aasman mein andhera poori tarah chha gaya tha aur ghar ke aangan mein bulb ki dheemi peeli roshni phail gayi thi. Ghar ke mandir se ghanti aur sankh ki aawaaz aane lagi—Sadhna (Mummy) apni shaam ki pooja mein baith chuki thi. Wo aam taur par pooja mein aisi doobti thi ki unhe agle aadhe-poun ghante tak aas-paas ki duniya ka koi hosh nahi rehta tha.
Poonam (Maasi) ke liye ye bilkul sahi mauka tha.
Poonam ne apni sadi ka pallu jo unki chhati (boobs) par kasa hua tha, use thoda dhang se lapeta aur dabi saans liye dheere-dheere Rahul ke kamre ki taraf badhi. Unka bhari gora jism suti ki sadi mein dheere-dheere harkat kar raha tha, aur unke dimaag mein chal raha tha ki wo Rahul ko kaise dilaasa dein taaki wo sach ugal de.
Unhone Rahul ke kamre ka darwaza halka sa khatkhataya. "Rahul... beta, darwaza kholo."
Andar se thodi aahat hui aur Rahul ne darwaza khola. Uske baal bikhre hue the aur wo bed par khamosh baitha tha. Apne samne maasi ko dekh kar wo thoda hadbada gaya.
Poonam andar aayi aur darwaza halka sa piche sarka diya, poora band nahi kiya taaki kisi ko shakk na ho. Wo bed ke kinare par baith gayi, unka bhari nitambh (hip) gaddhe par thoda sarka. Unhone apni meethi aur narm aawaaz mein baat shuru ki, ekdum dosto ki tarah.
"Rahul beta, tum mujhse kyun chhupa rahe ho? Dekho, main tumhari maasi hoon, par tum mujhe apni dost samajh sakte ho na?" Poonam ne bht hi bholepan aur pyaar se uske haath par apna haath rakha. Unka gora chehra is waqt sachi dosti aur fikar se bhara tha. "Main tumhari mummy ki tarah bholi nahi hoon. Mujhe pata hai ki kal raat tum kya badbada rahe the aur aaj tumhare kapdon par mitti kaise lagi. Tum mujhe batao, jo bhi baat hai hum dono milkar suljha lenge, tumhari mummy ko pata bhi nahi chalega."
Rahul ne ek pal ke liye apni maasi ki narm aur chintit aankhon mein dekha. Uska dil kiya ki wo sab kuch ugal de, par use un bully seniors (Rohan aur uske dosto) ki wo bhayanak dhamki yaad aa gayi. Use darr tha ki agar usne apni is sharmili aur bholi maasi ko kuch bataya, toh wo darr ke maare bemaar ho jayengi ya baat aage badh jayegi.
Usne turant apna haath piche khinch liya aur ek jhooti muskaan lane ki koshish ki.
"Arre maasi... aap bhi na, bewajah dimaag chala rahi hain," Rahul ne haste hue ek naya bahana ghadna shuru kiya. "Wo mitti... actually jab hum extra class se nikal rahe the, toh corridor mein saaf-safai chal rahi thi. Mera dhyan nahi tha aur main ek purane desk se takra kar gir gaya, bas isiliye thodi mitti lag gayi thi. Aur raat ko... main shayad koi horror movie dekh kar soya tha, isiliye bura khwaab aaya hoga."
Poonam ne gehri nigaahon se use dekha. "Rahul, tum abhi bhi jhoot bol rahe ho..."
"Nahi maasi, sach keh raha hoon!" Rahul ne baat ko khatam karne ke andaz mein apna bag khola aur books nikalne laga. "Aap khamakha pareshan ho rahi hain. Mujhe abhi kal ke assignment ki taiyari karni hai, nahi toh professor kal phir danteinge."
Poonam ne dekh liya ki Rahul kisi bhi keemat par mooh kholne ko taiyar nahi hai. Wo itni koshish kar rahi thi, dosto ki tarah baat ghuma rahi thi, par uske bahane khatam hi nahi ho rahe the. Suspense ab aur gehra ho gaya tha kyunki Rahul ka ye inkaar dikha raha tha ki darr bht bada hai.
Mandir se aarti ki aawaaz ab dhimi ho rahi thi, jiska matlab tha ki Sadhna ki pooja ab khatam hone wali thi. Poonam ne ek thandi saans li, uthi aur apni sadi ko sambhalte hue kamre se bahar nikal gayi, par unka dimaag ab is raaz ko janne ke liye aur zyada bechain ho chuka tha.
Raat ke lagbhag 8:45 baj chuke the. Bahar ki garm hawa ab poori tarah shaant ho chuki thi, par ghar ke andar ka sannata abhi bhi barkarar tha. Sadhna (Mummy) pooja khatam karne ke baad kitchen mein chali gayi thi aur unhone rotiyan belna shuru kar diya tha.
Poonam (Maasi) kitchen ke chote stool par baithi hui khamoshi se sabzi mein chammach chala rahi thi. Rahul ke kamre se loutne ke baad se unka dimaag ek hi jagah thamm gaya tha. Unhone itni koshish ki, ek dost ki tarah uske haath par haath rakhkar sach nikalwana chaha, par Rahul ne aisi deewar khadi kar di jise todna mushkil tha. Uske naye bahane aur uski aakhon ka darr Poonam ko andar hi andar khaaye ja raha tha.
Tabhi, main gate par ek bhari aur niyamit dastak hui—'khad-khad, khad-khad'.
"Poonam, zara darwaza kholna... unke papa aa gaye lagta hai," Sadhna ne kitchen se hi pallu sar par theek karte hue kaha.
"Ji didi," Poonam ne apni dabi hui aawaaz mein kaha. Wo uthi, unhone apni sadi ka suti pallu apni bhari chhati (boobs) par ek baar phir se achhe se failaya, apne bikhre baalon ko piche jhatka aur tez par bina aawaaz ke qadmo se main gate ki taraf badh gayi. Unka bhari badan sadi mein ekdum lipta hua tha, aur unki sharmili nigahein hamesha ki tarah farsh par tik gayi.
Unhone darwaze ke lohe ke bhari kundi ko khola. Bahar Sadhna ke pati khade the. Unka chashma thoda neeche sarka tha, haath mein bank ke kaagzaato ka bhari leather bag tha, aur chehre par dinbhar ke audit ki thakan saaf jhalak rahi thi.
"Jija ji... pranam," Poonam ne behad dheeme se, apni meethi aawaaz mein siri jhuka kar kaha aur piche hat gayi taaki wo andar aa sakein. Unka adab aur sanskar unke har ek dhang mein dikh raha tha.
"Jeeti raho, Poonam. Aaj bank mein bht khach-pach thi... poori peeth dard kar rahi hai," unhone andar aate hue apna bag table par rakha aur ek gehri saans li.
Sadhna turant kitchen se haath ponchti hui bahar aayi, unka bholi chehra apne pati ko dekh kar muskura utha. "Aap haath-mooh dho lijiye, main turant garam-garam rotiyan lati hoon."
Poonam chupchaap kitchen mein wapas chali gayi aur thaliyan lagane lagi. Unhone hamesha ki tarah apni maryada ka dhyan rakha aur jija ji ke samne zyada aana theek nahi samjha.
Kuch hi der mein sabhi log dining table par baith gaye. Rahul bhi apne kamre se nikal kar aaya tha. Wo abhi bhi chupchaap tha, usne apne papa se aakh nahi milayi. Sadhna ke pati apni thakan mein itne doobe the ki unhone ghar ke is ghanere suspense ko bhaanpa hi nahi. Wo roti todte hue bank ki baatein karne lage.
Sadhna bholepan se unki baatein sun rahi thi aur beech-beech mein Rahul ki thali mein roti paros rahi thi. Lekin table ke kinare khadi Poonam ki nigahein lagataar badal rahi thi. Wo kabhi Rahul ke jhuke hue sir ko dekhti, toh kabhi kitchen ki us khidki se bahar andhere raste ki taraf dekhti, jahan unhe lag raha tha ki koi anjaani musibat unki is shant aur sanskari duniya ke darwaze par khadi hai.
Ghar mein sab kuch ekdum niyamit aur shareef dhang se chal raha tha, par is shanti ke neeche Poonam ke dil mein shakk ki ek aisi chingari sulag rahi thi, jo ab bujhne wali nahi thi.
Raat ke lagbhag 12:30 baj chuke the. Ghar ke sabhi log khana khakar apne-apne kamre mein sone ja chuke the. Sadhna (Mummy) aur unke pati ke kamre se unke sone ki dheemi aur niyamit saans lene ki aawaaz aa rahi thi. Poore ghar mein ek gehra andhera aur sannata pasra hua tha.
Poonam (Maasi) apne kamre mein bed par leti hui thi, par unhe neend nahi aa rahi thi. Garmi ki wajah se unka gala ekdum sookh raha tha. Unhone table par rakha jug dekha, par wo khaali tha.
Poonam ne ek gehri saans li, apni suti (cotton) ki patli sadi ko thoda sambhala aur bed se uthi. Unke khule baal unki peeth par bikhre hue the aur andhere mein unka bhari gora jism sadi mein simat kar dheere-dheere chalne laga. Unhone bina koi aawaaz kiye apne kadam kitchen ki taraf badhaye taaki matke se thanda paani pi sakein.
Corridor ekdum sunsaan tha, bas aangan se aane wali chaand ki halki si roshni farsh par pad rahi thi.
Poonam jaise hi kitchen ki taraf badhne ke liye Rahul ke kamre ke paas se guzri, unke kadam achanak wahi ruk gaye.
Rahul ke kamre ka darwaza poora band tha, par darwaze ke neeche ki jhirri (slit) se mobile ki halki si nili roshni farsh par chamak rahi thi. Aur us khamoshi mein andar se kisi ke behad dheeme, kaanpte hue bolne ki aawaaz aa rahi thi. Rahul phone par kisi se baat kar raha tha.
Poonam ka dil ek dum se zoor se dhadak utha. Unhone apna saans rok liya aur darwaze ke thoda aur paas apna kaan lagaya. Unka bhari badan deewar se halka sa tik gaya, aur unhone apni sadi ka pallu apni chhati (boobs) par kas liya taaki unke dil ke dhadakne ki aawaaz bhi bahar na aaye.
Inside the room, Rahul ki aawaaz behad dari hui aur gidgidaati hui thi:
"Haan sir... ji sir... bilkul sir... nahi sir please aisa mat karna..."
Poonam ne apne kaan darwaze par aur satai, par Rahul itna dheere bol raha tha ki unhe saaf-safai se baki ki baatein sunayi nahi de rahi thi. Wo 'sir' karke kis se baat kar raha tha? Aur wo kis baat ke liye mana kar raha tha? Ye sab Poonam ke dimaag ko sunn kar raha tha.
Kuch der baad andar se aawaaz aana band ho gayi, aur mobile ki wo nili roshni bhi bujh gayi. Lag raha tha ki Rahul ne phone rakh diya hai aur wo sone ke liye bed par let gaya hai.
Poonam wahan khadi-khadi halka sa kaanp rahi thi. Unhe ab paani pine ki pyaas bilkul bhool gayi thi. Unka sharmila aur sanskari dimaag is naye suspense ko jhel nahi paa raha tha. Wo bina paani piye, dabe-paanv wapas piche hatti hui apne kamre ki taraf bhagi aur bed par let gayi.
Poonam bed par letkar chadar ko apne seene tak khinch chuki thi. Unka bhari nitambh (hip) aur unka poora jism darr ke maare thoda tharr-tharra raha tha. Wo lagataar dimaag mein wahi shabd dohra rahi thi—'sir, please aisa mat karna'.
'Aakhir kaun hai wo? Rahul kis mushkil mein hai?' wo yahi soch rahi thi.
Tabhi, is ghanere andhere aur sannate ko cheerte hue ek achanak aawaaz hui.
Poonam ke bed ke paas tike table par rakha unka khud ka mobile phone zoor-zoor se vibrate karne laga aur uski ringtone baj uthi. Us achanak hui aawaaz se Poonam ka kaleja mooh ko aa gaya. Unhone hadbada kar phone ki taraf dekha, uski screen ki roshni andhere kamre mein unke gore chehre par pad rahi thi. Screen par ek anjaan number chamak raha tha.
Poonam ka dil zoor-zoor se dhadak raha tha. Unhone kaanpte haathon se phone uthaya aur jab screen par dekha, toh number anjaan zaroor tha, par jaise hi unhone call receive karke phone kaan se lagaya, doosri taraf se ek jaani-peehchani aawaaz aayi.
"Poonam? Sun rahi ho? Main hoon..."
Wo aawaaz unke pati ki thi. Darasal, wo jahan business ke silsile mein gaye hue the, wahan network ki bahut badi samasya thi, isiliye itne dino se unka koi fon nahi aaya tha. Aaj raat unhe badi mushkil se thoda network mila, toh unhone kisi aur ke number se turant apni patni ko fone milaya tha.
Apne pati ki aawaaz sunte hi Poonam ke andar ka saara darr aur ghabraahat jaise ek pal mein gayab ho gayi. Unhe ek behad gehra sukoon mila. Poonam ek sachi pativrata stree thi; pati ke door rehne se unhe andar hi andar akelepan ki pareshani toh bahut hoti thi, par unka sanskari aur sharmila tabiyat aisi thi ki unhone kabhi mooh se apni takleef jatayi nahi thi.
Itne dino baad unki aawaaz sunkar Poonam ka chehra khushi se khil utha. Unhone apni sadi ka pallu jo seene par kasa hua tha, use thoda dheela kiya aur bed par aaram se baith gayi. Unki sharmili fitrat ka andaza is baat se lagaya ja sakta tha ki itne saalon ki shaadi ke baad bhi unhone kabhi apne pati ka naam tak nahi liya tha, hamesha unhe 'aap' ya 'ji' kehkar hi pukarti thi.
Dono ke beech aadhi raat ko lambi baat-cheet shuru hui. Pehle toh dono ne ek-doosre ka haal-chal poocha, phir ghar aur mohalle ki idhar-udhar ki baatein hone lagi. Door rehne ki wajah se dono hi andar se kitne majboor the, ye unki dabi hui aawaazon se saaf pata chal raha tha, par dono hi ek-doosre ko dilaasa de rahe the.
Baat karte-karte unke pati apne kaam ke baare mein batane lage. Unki aawaaz mein ek garv tha.
"Tumhe pata hai Poonam, hamari company ke boss mujh par kitna bharosa karte hain? Abhi pichle hafte hi company mein kuch log paison ki hera-pheri kar rahe the. Boss ko jab shakk hua, toh unhone mujhse kaha ki main un sab par chupke se nazar rakhun... ek tarah se jasusi karun. Maine unpar aisi nazar rakhi ki boss ne unhe range haathon pakad liya. Boss sach mein bahut acche hain, hai na Poonam?"
Poonam ne sharmate hue, dheere se apni meethi aawaaz mein kaha, "Haan... haan ji, bilkul sahi kaha aapne. Acche logon ke sath accha hi hota hai."
Dono aapas mein aisi hi bholi aur gharelu baatein karte rahe. Waqt ka pata hi nahi chala aur raat ke lagbhag 1:30 baj gaye. Unke pati ne kaha ki ab network phir se kam ho raha hai, toh unhone pyaar se apna dhyan rakhne ko kaha aur phone rakh diya.
Phone rakhne ke baad kamre mein phir se wahi sannata chha gaya, par ab Poonam ka dimaag bilkul shant tha. Wo bed par let gayi, par unke dimaag mein abhi-bhi unke pati ki kahi hui ek baat baar-baar ghoom rahi thi—'Boss ne mujhse jasusi karne ko kaha, unpar nazar rakhne ko kaha...'
Poonam ki aakhon mein achanak ek chamak aayi. Unhone andhere chhat ki taraf dekhte hue socha, 'Rahul se maine itna pyaar se poocha, ek dost ki tarah uske paas baithi, par wo kuch bhi batane ko taiyar nahi hai. Wo har baar ek naya bahana bana deta hai kyunki wo darr raha hai.'
Unhone karwat li, unki cotton ki sadi unke bhari nitambh (hip) ke paas se halki si sarki. Unhone apne haath ko takiye ke neeche rakha aur socha, 'Agar mujhe Rahul ki asli samasya ka pata lagana hai, aur is parivar ko kisi musibat se bachana hai... toh mujhe bhi wahi karna hoga jo unhone (pati ne) apni company mein kiya tha. Mujhe Rahul ki jasusi karni hogi! Us par chupke se nazar rakhni hogi ki wo college ke baad kahan jata hai aur kis se baat karta hai. Haan... ye bilkul sahi rahega.'
Ek behad sharmili, bholi aur sanskari aurat, jo kabhi ghar ki deewaron se akele bahar nahi nikli thi, usne apne parivar aur bhanje ke liye andar hi andar ek naya aur bada faisla kar liya tha. Ab suspense is baat ka tha ki ek sanskari maasi, Rahul ki jasusi kaise karegi?