Nilesh ko ghutno par laane ke baad jab Archana wahan se nikli, toh uske kadam bojh se bhar gaye the. Uski saansein bhaari thin.
Jaise-taise wo VT station pahunchi aur Thane ki train pakadi. Train me aaj kaafi bheed thi. Khidki ke paas khadi Archana ne bahar dekha toh use reh-reh kar Nilesh ka wo toota hua, masoom sa chehra yaad aane laga. Wo itni kathor dil ki aurat nahi thi jo kisi sacche aashiq ka dil is berahami se tod de, par uska mission aur uski vardi usse yahi kurbani maang rahi thi.
Poore safar me Archana bina aawaz kiye, chupchaap aansu bahati rahi. Aaju-baaju khadi aam auraton ko laga ki bechari ka ghar me jhagda hua hoga, isliye sab use dilasa dene lagin, par koi uske asli dard ko nahi samajh sakta tha.
Jese-tese train Thane station ruki. Station se bahar aate hi rickshaw stand ke paas usne dekha — Aditya rickshaw ka intezaar kar raha tha. Salma ki maut aur pichle kuch hafte ke tense operations ke chalte, maa-bete ke beech khul kar baat hi nahi ho paayi thi. Aaj Archana ne socha ki wo sirf ‘Archana’ bankar apne bete ke saath waqt bitayegi.
Archana (smile karte hue): Adi… aaj late ho gaye?
Aditya: Haan Maa, thoda sa… wo Aditi ki wajah se late ho gaya. Aur aap kahan gayi thee?
Archana ne jhooth kaha ki wo ‘Kaam’ pe gayi thi. Usne Nilesh ka jikra nahi kiya. (Public places me dono ‘Kamathipura / Mission’ ko hamesha ‘Job/Office’ hi kehte the.)
Archana: Chal beta, aaja kuch nashta karte hain.
Dono line se nikal kar paas ke ek restaurant me baithe. Chai aate hi Archana ke dimaag me apne past ka khayal aaya.
Archana: Tere Papa (Shekhar) ki koi khabar… koi call aaya kya? Wo toh shayad humein bhool hi gaye hain, ya kahin hum hi unhe poori tarah bhool toh nahi gaye Adi?
Aditya (bohot samajhdaari se Maa ka haath pakadte hue): Maa, aap khud ko galat kyun samajh rahi ho? Pata hai na, Papa aapki is police ki job ke kitne khilaaf the! Yahan tak ki wo apni power aur paise use karke aapko seedha Indore me PSI banwana chahte the, taaki unki amiri aur ego bani rahe aur unko koi ‘Hawaldar ka pati’ na kahe. Aapko jeene ka, kuch kar dikhane ka mauka mila hai. Main tab bhi aapke saath tha, aaj bhi hoon aur aage bhi rahunga. Aapki khushi me meri khushi hai, aur meri Maa kabhi khudgarz ya galat nahi ho sakti.
Jahan Adi ke in shabdon se Archana ko rahat mili, wahin ‘Khudgarz’ shabd sunkar use wapas Nilesh ka wo masoom chehra yaad aa gaya ki usne kaise us bechare ka fayda uthaya. Uski shakal pe phir se ek udaasi chaa gayi.
Aditya samajh gaya ki Maa pareshan hai. Usne turant topic badla.
Aditya: Maa, waise Papa ki chinta mat karo. Maine STD booth se unke manager ko call kiya tha. Wo pichle kuch mahinon se Haryana, Rajasthan aur Punjab ghoom rahe hain. Wo wheat (gehu) wali nayi brand ki daru banwane wale hain aur Haryana ke Hissar me nayi distillery laga rahe hain. Unhe sirf apne business ki padi hai, humari nahi! Chalo in sab baaton ko chhoro… ye batao, Ustaad kab aane wale hain?
(Aditya ab Faheem ko ‘Ustaad’ bolne laga tha.)
Ye sunte hi Archana ke chehre par ek ajeeb si sharam aur chinta aa gayi.
Archana (Aankhein jhukate hue): Adi beta… main tujhse nazrein bhi kaise milaun? Mujhe khud se…
Aditya ne use beech me hi toka. Usne table ke aage jhuk kar Archana ko tasalli di.
Aditya: Shhhh… kya kaha tha maine? Main apni maa ko yun ghut-ghut kar jeete aur andar se marte nahi dekh sakta. Aap jo kar rahi ho, usme main poori tarah aapke saath hoon. Main aapko kuch nahi hone dunga. Bas aap khush raho, apni dil ki suno!
Ye sunte hi Archana khud ko rok nahi paayi. Uski aankhon se aansu beh nikle.
Archana: Main jahan tera sahara banana chahti thi, wahan tu mujhe ek baap ki tarah sambhal raha hai! Maine pichle janam me zaroor koi bohot punya kiya hoga jo tu meri kokh se aaya beta…
Mahol ko halka karne ke liye Aditya thoda muskuraya aur sharaarat se bola.
Aditya: Haan-haan, zyada maska mat maaro! Aur haan… zara raat ko aawazein kam nikala karo, meri neend toot jaati hai! (Usne aankh maarte hue hasa).
Archana (pura sharma kar, nakli gusse me): Badmaash! Ek maa se aise baat karta hai besharam? Aur wo toh tere ‘Ustaad’ hi hain na… apne Ustaad se keh ye sab!
Aditya: Abhi ke liye bas Ustaad hain… jab aap unse sach me nikah kar logi na, tab ‘Abbu’ kahunga… meri Angha Begum!
Archana maare sharam ke laal ho gayi. “Pagal hai tu ekdum!”
Par agle hi pal uske chehre par maa wali fikar aa gayi.
Archana (chinta me, aawaz dheemi karte hue): Adi… Kal raat ko jab wo (Faheem) aaye, toh unki shirt ke aasteen (sleeves) par khoon ke cheente the. Aur taxi ka side-mirror bhi poori tarah toota hua tha.
Aditya ki saansein atak gayin. “Khoon?! Aapne pucha unse?”
Archana: Maine poocha toh bole ki kisi nashedi sawari se jhagda ho gaya tha. Par Aditya… unki aankhon me darr tha.
(Kal raat ghar aane ke baad Archana se raha nahi gaya tha. Jaise hi Faheem duty par nikla, uske andar ki Constable jaag uthi. Aaj subah hi usne apne secret police network aur local station par phone ghumaya aur Faheem ke kal raat ke route ki poori detail nikalwai thi.)
Archana (rote-rote, par ek sukoon ke saath): Aur jab sach saamne aaya Adi… toh meri aankhon se ek baar fir aansu chhalak pade. Faheem sach bol raha tha. Sach me ek nashedi passenger ne kiraya dene par bawal kiya tha aur haathapai me Faheem ko chot aayi thi. Wo bechara mard sirf apne parivaar ka pet paalne aur aage ke kharche uthane ke liye sadak ke gundo se maar kha raha tha… par ghar aakar usne mujh par koi gussa nahi utara tha.
Ye sunte hi Aditya ke dil me Faheem ke liye izzat hazar guna badh gayi.
Aditya: Par Maa… maine pucha aapse ki Ustaad kab aayenge, toh aap pareshan kyun lag rahi thi?
Archana: Beta… aaj kal pata nahi wo raat-raat bhar aur din-din bhar lagataar taxi chala rahe hain. Raat ko khane ke baad shift, lunch ke baad shift… aaj kal bas 2-3 ghante hi so rahe hain. Wo bohot thak jaate hain.
Aditya: Aisa kyun Maa? Paise toh hain na apne paas?
Archana (Thoda kareeb aakar dheere se): Beta… unhe lagta hai ki ab tu unki zimmedari hai. Isliye toh wo tujhe apne saare gun (skills) sikha rahe hain. Aur unhe darr hai ki agar aage chalkar family badhi (bacche hue), toh kharcha badhega. Isliye wo khud ko nichod rahe hain.
Aditya: Isi liye kya aapne bhi paise ke liye Chandani Bar wali job shuru kar di?
Archana (jaldi se tokte hue): Nahi Adi, wo bar wali job sirf ‘Project/Mission’ ka hissa hai. Par sach kahu toh… tere asli Papa ke paise ab mujhe use nahi karne hain. Main apne bete ko aur apne ghar ko khud apne dum par palungi!
Aditya: Maa, iska matlab agar paise kisi doosre legal tareeqe se milein, toh aap Ustaad ko itni mehanat se aur aage ki tension se rok logi?
Archana: Haan… par kaise?
Aditya (khushi se): Maa, mujhe Aditi ke papa (Mehta Sahab) Stock Market ka kaam sikha rahe hain! Is last semester ke baad wo mujhe apni company me as an Intern rakh lenge! Mujhe acchi salary milegi aur ghar ke paise ka problem hamesha ke liye solve ho jayega!
Archana ki aankhon me achanak ek chamak aur fakhra (pride) aa gaya.
Archana: Waah mera bacha! Mehta Sahab ne sach me ye kaha? Ye toh bohot acchi baat hai! Suman Didi (Aditi ki maa) aur Anwar Bhai Sahab (Suman ka boyfriend) kitne khush honge na! Ek naya mehman jo aayega unki life me.
Aditya (halka sa cheda): Haan, aur Suman Aunty toh wahi Valentine’s day wale Alibaug Resort ke baare me baat kar rahi thi. Keh rahi thi — ‘Bata teri Maa kab degi ek Khush-Khabri’!
Archana (gaal kheench kar): Besharam kahin ke! Kuch bhi bolta hai! Aditi aur Mehta Sahab ko bura nahi lagega?
Aditya: Nahi Maa, nahi! Wo toh khush hain aur abhi se planning kar rahi hain… agar bhai hua toh ye lungi, behen hui toh ye lungi! Humare naseeb me kahan ye khushi!
Archana: Badmashhhhhh kahin ka! Chal ghar ab!
Par fir se chehre par maa wali fikar aa gayi.
Archana: Par beta… agar sach me mere aur tere Abbuuu… Ustaad ke wajah se wo ho gayi toh? Tu samajh raha hai na main kya keh rahi hoon?
Aditya (haste hue): Matlab… mere chote bhai-behen hone wale hain? Toh hone do na! Main aur Aditi milke unhe sambhal lenge!
Archana: Beta tu samajh… agar sach me ‘kuch’ (pregnancy) ho gaya, aur aage chal kar kabhi tere asli Papa (Shekhar) samne aa gaye… toh hum ye cheez nahi chhipa payenge na!
Aditya (serious hote hue): Maa, aaj faisla kar lo. Aapko wapas usi khokhlapane aur amiri ki bheed me jeena hai… ya apni zindagi apne hisaab se jeeni hai?
Archana: Mujhe meri zindagi sirf mere hisaab se jeeni hai! Par tu us zindagi ka atoot hissa hai Adi. Agar tu nahi… toh main bhi nahi!
Aditya (muskurate hue): Aahaa! Matlab ab aap Faheem Ustaad ke bina bhi nahi reh sakti meri Billo Rani!
Archana ne wapas sharam se sir niche kar liya. Adi samajh gaya tha ki uski maa ab Faheem ke saath us slum me genuinely khush thi.

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Yahi sab mazaak aur aage ki planning karte-karte dono ghar pahunch gaye. Aliya apne bacchon se milne gayi hui thi aur agle din subah aane wali thi. Archana Faheem aur Adi ke liye khana banane kitchen me chali gayi.
Raat ka waqt tha. Khana khane ke baad Archana akele bed par baithi thande dimaag se sochne lagi.
Usne apni aankhein band ki… aur use Aditya ki wo dopahar wali baat yaad aayi.
Suman Behen keh rahi thi — ‘Bata teri Maa kab degi ek Khush-Khabri!
Archana ka dimaag 3-4 mahine peeche chala gaya. Wo Valentine’s week ka time tha. Operation apni shuruaat me tha aur Nilesh ko apne jaal me fasaane ke liye sab karna pada tha.
Wo Alibaug ka wo aalishan resort… jahan 3 alag-alag jodiyan (couples) ek saath 3 din ki chhutti manane gayi thin:
1. Aditya aur Aditi

2. Suman aur Anwar (Aditi ki maa aur unka driver)

3. Archana aur Nilesh

Un teen dino me koi crime, koi khoon-kharaba ya mission ka stress nahi tha. Un teen dino me wahan sirf aur sirf Romance, havas, aur apni desires ko poori tarah jeene ki azaadi thi. Har jodi apne kamre me, aur resort ke alag-alag hisson me apne partner ke saath poori tarah enjoy kar rahi thi.
Archana (Apne mann me muskurate hue): Aaj main bhale hi Faheem ke saath khush hoon aur aaj maine Nilesh ka dil tod diya hai… par Alibaug ki un 3 raaton me jo mere aur Nilesh ke beech hua tha, us pal ko na main kabhi bhool paungi, na Nilesh!
Suman Behen ko lagta hai ki Alibaug ki us chhutti ki teen raaton me me bhee uskki tarah main bhi ‘khushkhabri’ dungi… pagal kahin ki! (Archana akele me hasne lagi).
Par agle hi pal, uske chehre ki hansi gayab ho gayi. Usne sharam aur ek ajeeb se darr ke saath apni aankhein chhipa lin. Phir usne halke se, kaanpte hue haathon se apne khud ke pet (belly) par haath phera. Suman ki baatein yaad aate hi uske dimaag me ek bhayanak darr paida ho gaya.
Aur meri wo haramkhor hone wali bahu Aditi! Uske wo pyaar bhare taane… ‘Aunty at least humein toh enjoy karne do you dumbo!
Aur kaise besharmo jaisi usne Nilesh ko mere room me bheja tha aur Condom ka packet chhipa diya tha!
sharam ke maare kamre se bahar aakar usse packet maanga ! Aur kaise Suman didi mujhe chhedte hue boli thi ki ‘Bina kisi rukaawat ke pyaar kar mere jaisi… aur pura amrit aandar lena….
besharam kahin ki!
“Dekha Archana… kya hua bina rukaawat ke pyaar karne ka anjaam? Phula liya na apna pet Suman Behen ne .....
Archana ka chehra fika pad gaya. Usne kaanpte hue haathon se apne pet par dubara haath rakha aur khud se budbudayi:
Mala-D kha li thi maine… phir bhi yeh darr kyun nahi jaata…”
Uske dimaag mein Alibaug ke wo teen din aur raatein taaza ho gayi.
Uski saansein atak gayin thi. Alibaug ki un 3 raaton ka nasha aur wo be-fikri ab uske liye zindagi bhar ka darr ban chuki thi — Agar aane wale dino me sach me kuch aisa samne aa gaya, toh Faheem aur Shekhar ko wo kya jawab degi?
Uska kamra halki si khamoshi aur un nasheeli, darr bhari yaadon se bhar gaya.