**Ghar Ki Aag**
Episode 8: Hyderabad Ka Safar aur Naye Irade
Nashte ki mez par Rashid Ahmed ki baaton ne sannaata phaila diya tha. "Hyderabad" ka naam sunte hi Saima ka dil zor se dhadakne laga. Ek taraf apne shohar Bilal se milne ka dar aur dusri taraf Usman ke saath is safar ki tanhayi ka nasha.
"Ji Abbu, main taiyar hoon," Usman ne chai ka aakhri sip lete hue Saima ki taraf ek gehri nazar daali, "Saima Api ko bhi thoda change mil jayega, ghar mein reh kar bore ho gayi hain."
Naseem, jo ab tak khamosh thi, ne achanak apna sar uthaya. Usne dekha ke kaise Usman ki baaton mein ek maalikana haq tha. "Rashid sahib, kya mera jana zaroori nahi? Saima akeli do mardon ke beech... mera matlab hai, Bilal toh wahan registry ke waqt hi aayega na?"
Rashid ne muskura kar kaha, "Naseem, tum ghar sambhalo. Hamza ke exams hain aur Ayesha-Hira ko bhi tumhari zaroorat hai. Usman hai na apni bahen ke saath, tum fikar kyun karti ho?"
Naseem ne Saima ki taraf dekha, jisne sharam aur darr se nazrein jhuka li thin. Naseem ke zehen mein ab bhi woh manzar ghoom raha tha jab usne apne hi bachon ko gunah ki hadd paar karte dekha tha. Magar ab uski nafrat mein ek ajeeb si 'curiosity' (tajassus) shamil ho rahi thi.
Safar ki Taiyari (Dopahar 3:00 PM):
Saima upar apne kamre mein packing kar rahi thi. Garmi ki wajah se usne ek bareek lawn ka suit pehna tha, jisme se uske bhare hue jism ki banawat saaf jhalak rahi thi. Tabhi darwaza band hone ki awaaz aayi.
Usman andar tha. Usne aate hi Saima ko peeche se baahon mein bhar liya. Uske haath Saima ke naram pet par kase hue thay.
"Chhodo Usman... koi aa jayega. Ammi ka darr nahi tumhe?" Saima ne thoda peeche hatne ki koshish ki, magar uske jism ne Usman ki garmahat ko qabool kar liya tha.
"Ammi ab nahi aayengi. Woh jaan chuki hain ke unka beta ab bada ho gaya hai," Usman ne Saima ke kaan ki lau ko daanton se halka sa dabaya. "Hyderabad mein Bilal ke aane se pehle hamare paas do raatein hain. Socho... ek naya shehar, ek naya hotel, aur koi rokne-tokne wala nahi."
Saima ne palat kar Usman ki aankhon mein dekha. "Tum bohot badal gaye ho Usman. Pehle mere bhai thay, ab mere... mere kya ho?"
Usman ne Saima ko bistar par gira diya aur uske upar jhuk gaya. "Main tumhara woh nasha hoon jo tum utaar nahi sakti. Tumhe Bilal ke paas jane se pehle itna tadhpaunga ke tum uska lams bhool jaogi."
Hamza ki Bechaini:
Neeche hall mein Hamza baitha tha. Usne pichle kuch dinon se ghar ka mahaul badla hua mehsoos kiya tha. Usman bhai ka Saima Api ke kamre mein baar-baar jana, Ammi ka khamosh rehna, aur Saima Api ke chehre ki woh ajeeb si laali. Hamza jawan ho raha tha, uske jism mein bhi naye rang utar rahe thay. Usne aksar raat ko tanhayi mein Saima Api ke baare mein socha tha, magar unhe kisi aur ke saath—woh bhi apne bhai ke saath—dekhne ka khayal usey bechain kar raha tha.
Usne dabe paaon upar ka rukh kiya. Saima Api ke kamre ka darwaza adha khula tha.
Andar ka manzar dekh kar Hamza ki saans atak gayi. Usman bhai ne Saima Api ki kameez upar utha rakhi thi aur unke gore, bhare hue mammon ko behremi se masal rahe thay. Saima Api ke munh se dabi dabi siskariyan nikal rahi thin.
"Aaah... Usman... maari gayi... itna zor se mat dabao," Saima sargoshi kar rahi thi.
Hamza ne dekha ke kaise uske bade bhai ka haath uski bahen ke jism par raaj kar raha tha. Uske apne pajama mein bhi halchal shuru ho gayi thi. Gusse aur jalan ke bajaye, uske andar ek ajeeb si hawas jaag rahi thi. Woh wahan se bhaga nahi, balki darwaze ki jhirri se dekhta raha.
Naseem ka Naya Roop:
Kitchen mein Naseem akele kaam kar rahi thi. Usne mehsoos kiya ke ghar ki deewaron se ab sharifana awaazein nahi, balki hawas ki garmahat nikal rahi hai. Usne apne jism ko dekha—52 saal ki umar mein bhi woh kisi jawan ladki se kam nahi thi. Rashid sahib toh kab ke thak chuke thay, magar uske andar ki aurat ab bhi pyasi thi.
Usne socha, "Agar mere bache is aag mein jal sakte hain, toh main kyun raakh ban rahi hoon?"
Raat ke 11:30 PM (Safar se Ek Raat Pehle):
Saima apne kamre mein leti thi jab darwaza khula. Magar is baar Usman nahi tha.
Ammi (Naseem) andar aayi thin. Unke haath mein ek glass doodh tha. Saima ghabra kar baith gayi.
"Ammi... aap?"
Naseem ne doodh ka glass rakha aur Saima ke paas baith gayi. Usne Saima ke baalon ko sehlaaya. "Darr mat. Main tujhe danta nahi aayi. Main bas dekhne aayi hoon ke meri beti itni jawan kab ho gayi ke apne bhai ko bhi pagal kar diya."
Saima ki aankhen phat gayin. "Ammi... aap kya keh rahi hain?"
Naseem ne Saima ki aankhon mein dekha, uski nazron mein ab gussa nahi, balki ek ajeeb si saazish thi. "Hyderabad ja rahi ho na? Usman ke saath. Dekho Saima, jo tum kar rahi ho woh gunah hai... magar gunah mein maza bohot hai. Bas yaad rakhna, agar ghar ki aag bahar nikli toh sab raakh ho jayega. Isliye... jo bhi karna, dhang se karna."
Naseem ne Saima ke gale ke nishaan ko apni ungli se chhua aur dheere se muskura di. "Kal se main bhi kuch naya shuru karungi. Hamza bada ho gaya hai, usey bhi toh kuch sikhana chahiye na?"
Saima sunn reh gayi. Kya uski maa bhi is hawas ki bhatti mein koodne wali thi?
Episode 8 khatam.
Cliffhanger: Hyderabad ki train kal subah hai. Usman ne Saima ke liye ek 'special' tohfa kharida hai jo usey hotel mein pehnana hai. Hamza ne jo dekha, woh ab uske dimaag se nahi nikal raha. Aur Naseem ka Hamza ki taraf badhta hua jhukao... kya yeh ghar ab ek kotha banne wala hai?