Part -86
Dopahar ke dhai baje. Jasleen didi ka cabin. Darwaze pe likha tha: Jasleen Kaur, CA – Partner. Manik ne dastak di. Uske haath thode se paseene se geele the. Dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha. Pichhle kuch dino se uske dimaag mein ek hi baat ghum rahi thi – chhat wali raat, Simi, unka woh raaz. Kya kisi ne dekh liya? Kya koi baat fail gayi?
“Aaiye…” andar se thandi, gambhir awaaz aayi. Manik ne gehrI saans li aur andar gaya. Jasleen apni chair pe peeche tek lagaye baithi thi. Kala blazer, safed shirt, chashma aankhon pe. Bilkul professional. Uski posture mein wohi strictness thi jo office mein sabko thoda daraati thi. Manik ki toh gaand mein hawa hone lagi. Usne socha aaj kuch toh gadbad hai.
“Manik… zara darwaza band karo aur baitho.” Jasleen ki awaaz mein koi emotion nahi thi. Manik ne darwaza band kiya. Kursi pe baithte waqt uski taangein halki si kaamp rahi thin. Usne apne haath ko pant pe ragad kar dry karne ki koshish ki. Dimaag mein sirf ek hi scene chal raha tha – chhat pe Simi ke saath wahi raat… koi dekh toh nahi gaya tha? Camera? Simi ne kuch bata toh nahi diya? Jasleen agar jaanti hogi toh…
Jasleen ne file band ki, chashma utara aur ekdum gambhir chehra banakar boli, “Yeh kya suna maine Manik…?”
Manik ka chehra peela pad gaya. Gale mein jaise kuch atak gaya ho. “K… kya hua didi…? Maine… maine kuch galat kiya kya…?” Uski awaaz thodi si kaamp rahi thi. Usne socha ab sab khatam. Job, izzat, sab.
Jasleen ne hoth dabakar usko ghoora. Do second. Teen second. Puri cabin mein ek ajeeb sa silence tha. Bahar se office ki halki awaazein aa rahi thin lekin andar bilkul shaant. Manik ki saansein ruk si gayi thin. Woh Jasleen ki aankhon mein dekh nahi pa raha tha.
Phir achanak uske hothon pe shararti muskaan fail gayi. Woh muskaan dekhte hi Manik ka dil ek baar phir tez dhadakne laga – is baar confusion se.
“Lagta hai tumne sach mein kuch galat kiya hai…” Jasleen ne dheere se kaha. Manik ki saans ruk gayi. Usne socha ab pakde gaye.
“…par main us galat ki baat nahi kar rahi.” Jasleen hans padi. Uski hansi sunte hi Manik thoda sa relax hua, lekin poori tarah nahi.
“Are dar mat! Main toh keh rahi thi ki CA Amit Goyal sahab (Vani ke papa) tumhari bahut tarif kar rahe the. Bole ki unki beti Vani tumhare under mein bahut achha seekh rahi hai. Bahut khush the. Promotion ki baat bhi kar rahe the tumhari.”
Manik ne lambi saans chhodi. Uska dil phir dhadakne laga – is baar raahat se. Paseena uski shart pe thanda ho raha tha. “Bas… bas itni si baat thi didi?” usne hansne ki koshish ki. Uski hansi mein abhi bhi thodi si nervousness thi.
Jasleen ne phir wahi nazar se dekha, jaise kuch jaanti ho. Uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb si chamak thi. “Haan… bas itni si. Baaki jo tumne kiya hai, woh toh tumhare aur tumhare… dil ke beech ki baat hai na?”
Manik ne ghabrakar neeche dekh liya. Usne socha kya Jasleen sach mein kuch jaanti hai? Simi ke baare mein? Usne jaldi se apna face normal karne ki koshish ki.
Jasleen uthi, uske paas aayi, aur dheere se uske kandhe pe haath rakhkar boli, “Relax. Main kuch nahi jaanti. Aur jaanu bhi toh… main apni chhoti bahan se zyada smart hoon. Jo baat chhupani hoti hai, chhupa leti hoon.”
Phir kaan mein phusphusayi, itni dheemi awaaz mein ki sirf Manik sun saka, “Bas itna khayal rakhna… Vani ke papa bahut khush hain. Unhe aise hi khush rakhna. Samjhe?”
Manik ne haklate hue haan kaha. “Haan didi… samajh gaya.” Uske kandhe pe Jasleen ka haath thoda sa der tak raha, phir usne hata liya.
Jasleen wapas apni seat pe baithi aur muskurakar boli, “Ab jao… aur haan, Simi ko dekho na, woh aajkal bahut… khush rehti hai.” Uski awaaz mein ek ajeeb sa tone tha – jaise woh kuch zyada hi jaanti ho, lekin khulkar nahi bol rahi.
Manik bahar nikla toh uski shirt paseene se tar thi. Corridor mein aate hi usne gehrI saans li. Dil mein ek ajeeb si hansi bhi thi. Jasleen didi… shayad sach mein sab jaanti hain. Aur shayad… unhe koi aitraaz bhi nahi. Usne socha Simi ke baare mein Jasleen ka last comment. “Bahut khush rehti hai…” Kya woh really hint de rahi thi? Manik ne sar hilaya. Abhi is baare mein zyada nahi sochna. Pehle kaam pe dhyan dena hai. Lekin andar hi andar ek halki si raahat thi – ki shayad uska raaz safe hai.
Shaam saat baje. Manik ka phone baja. Screen pe likha tha – Anu didi ♡. Usne turant pick kiya. Anu didi ki awaaz sunte hi uske chehre pe soft si muskaan aa gayi.
“Hello, Manu…” Anu ki awaaz mein wahi purani narmi thi jo sirf Manik ke liye hoti hai. Bahar se sakht, par bhai ke liye uska lehja hamesha pyar se bhara rehta hai. Manik ne notice kiya ki aaj uski awaaz mein thodi si thakan bhi thi.
“Haan didi, bolo na…” Manik ne narmi se kaha. Woh apni cabin mein tha, door band karke. Bahar office ke log nikal rahe the.
“Suno na… aaj Friday hai. Kal se Saturday-Sunday hai. Tum ghar aa rahe ho na?” Uski awaaz mein halki-si bechaini thi, jaise bahut din se kuch kehna chaah rahi ho. Manik ne samajh liya ki Anu didi aaj emotional mood mein hain.
“Didi, thoda busy hoon waise…” Manik ne halkе se taala. Usse pata tha ki Anu didi pressure nahi daalengi, lekin unka dil bhi nahi dukhana tha.
“Are Manu… papa (Anand ji) roz poochhte hain ki mera beta kab aayega. Simi bhi chup-chup si rehti hai. Divya bhi bas phone mein lagi rehti hai. Aur main…” Woh ek pal ko ruki, phir bahut pyar se boli, “Main toh bahut miss kar rahi hoon tumhe. Paanch saal ho gaye mummy (Shweta) ko gaye, tab se ghar mein tumhari hansi bahut kam sunai deti hai.”
Manik ka gala bhar aaya. Anu didi kabhi roti nahi, par aaj uski awaaz mein nami thi. Usne socha mummy ke jaane ke baad Anu didi ne hi ghar sambhala tha. Papa ko support kiya, chhote bhai-behan ko sambhala, khud ko strong rakha. Aur aaj woh khud bol rahi thi ki woh usse miss karti hai.
“Aaunga didi… pakka. Kal shaam tak pahunch jaunga.” Manik ki awaaz thodi si bhaari ho gayi thi. Usne apne aankhon ko dry rakhne ki koshish ki.
Anu ne raahat ki lambi saans li. “Sach mein? Wada?” Uski awaaz mein ek ajeeb si bhukh thi – bhai ko dekhne ki.
“Wada didi.” Manik ne firmly kaha. Usne socha is baar sach mein jana hai. Sirf family ke liye nahi, Anu didi ke liye.
“Achha suno, main tumhari pasand ki saari cheezein bana rahi hoon – paneer butter masala, dal makhani, aur woh wali chocolate ice cream bhi fridge mein rakh di hai. Raat ka khana ghar pe hi khaoge na?” Anu ki awaaz ab thodi si halki ho gayi thi, jaise woh smile kar rahi ho.
Manik muskuraya, “Bilkul didi. Tum banaogi toh kaun mana karega?” Usne socha Anu didi ka haath ka banaya hua khana… mummy ke baad sabse zyada usi ka khana yaad aata tha.
Anu ne halkе se haste hue kaha, “Chalo phir… bas jaldi aa jana. Darwaza khula rahega. Aur haan… aate hi mujhe gale lagana. Bahut din ho gaye.” Uski awaaz mein ab clearly nami thi. Manik ne mehsoos kiya ki Anu didi aaj sach mein emotional ho rahi hain.
Phone cut hone se pehle Anu ne ek baar aur kaha, “Manu… ghar mein tumhari zaroorat hai. Papa bhi… hum sab.” Phir call cut ho gayi.
Manik car mein baitha, aankhein nam. Steering wheel ko pakde hue usne socha Anu didi ke baare mein. Jo bahar se lohe ki tarah sakht hain, office mein, rishteydaaron mein, sabke saamne strong. Par apne chhote bhai ke liye hamesha pighal jaati hain. Paanch saal pehle mummy ki death ke baad Anu didi ne hi sab sambhala tha. Papa ko himmat di, Simi aur Divya ko sambhala, aur Manik ko bhi hamesha support kiya – chahe kitni bhi door kyun na ho.
Usne socha ghar jaane ke baad pehli cheez Anu didi ko gale lagayega. Unka dil bhar dega. Unse baat karega, unka banaya hua khana khayega, unki hansi sunega. Papa se milega, Simi se… sabse. Is baar sirf weekend nahi, thoda sa ghar ka sukoon bhi leke aayega.
Car start karte hue Manik ne socha – Jasleen didi ne office mein usko raahat di thi, Anu didi ne dil se bulaya tha. Dono alag-alag tarike se uske liye important thin. Ek professional life mein, doosri personal life mein. Aur ab kal ghar jana tha. Is baar dil se.
Raat bhar Manik ke dimaag mein Anu didi ki awaaz ghumti rahi – “Main toh bahut miss kar rahi hoon tumhe.” Aur usne decide kiya ki is baar jab ghar jaayega, toh sirf body nahi, dil bhi leke jaayega. Anu didi ka dil bharne ke liye.
