Chapter 30
Subah ki dheemi roshni kitchen ki khidki se andar ghus rahi thi. Rafat chulhe ke paas khadi thi, parathe sika rahi thi, lekin uske haath jaise kisi aur duniya mein the. Raat bhar uski aankh na lagi thi. Video call ke woh lamhe — apni ungliyan apni chut mein daalte hue Rudra ke lund ko dekhte hue jhadna — baar-baar uske dimag mein ghum rahe the.
Uski aankhein sooji hui thi. Chehra thaka aur murjhaya hua. Dupatta sar par kas kar lapeta hua tha, jaise uski izzat ab bhi us chhote se kapde ke tukde mein sambhali hui ho.
Parvez table par baitha akhbar padh raha tha. Abdul apne room se niche utar kar aaya. Uske chehre par ek ajeeb si khamoshi thi. Raat bhar woh spy cam ke live feed par Ammi ko dekhta raha tha — uski aansu, uski moan, uski laalach.
“Beta… garam paratha hai,” Rafat ne dheere se kaha, awaaz mein thakaan saaf jhalak rahi thi. Usne Abdul ke plate mein do parathe rakhe aur chai ka cup aage badhaya.
Abdul ne Ammi ka chehra dekha. Sooji aankhein, halki si kampan haathon mein. Usko sab pata tha. Usne sirf sar hila diya aur chup-chaap baith gaya.
Parvez ne akhbar side par rakha aur muskurate hue bola, “Aaj office jaldi nikalna hai. Meeting hai. Tum log khana kha lena.”
Rafat ne Parvez ke plate mein paratha rakhte hue uske kandhe par haath rakha — jaise usko rokna chahti ho, jaise usse maafi maangna chahti ho bina kuch kahe. Parvez ne uska haath pakad liya aur halke se dabaya.
“Rafat… kal raat ke baad se tum bahut chup ho. Theek ho na?”
Rafat ki ungliyan uske haath mein kaanp gayi. Usko Rudra ke garam cum ki yaad aa gayi jo uski chut mein bhar gaya tha. Uski aankhein nam ho gayi.
“Haan… bas thak gayi hoon. Ghar ka kaam…”
Abdul ne roti ke tukde ko plate mein ghumaya. Uski nazar Ammi ke chehre par thi. Usko lag raha tha Ammi ka chehra ab alag tha — ek gehra raaz uske andar chhupa hua tha. Usne apne chhote lund mein halki si harkat mehsoos ki aur turant khud se nafrat karne laga.
Breakfast ke dauran table par sannata chhaya hua tha. Sirf belan ki halki awaaz aur chai ke cup ki khanak sunai de rahi thi. Rafat khud kuch nahi kha rahi thi. Sirf chhote-chhote ghunt paani pi rahi thi.
“Beta… college mein dhyaan rakhna,” usne Abdul se dheere se kaha, uske sar par haath pherte hue. Uski ungliyan thodi der uske baal mein ruk gayi — jaise beta ko pakad kar rona chahti ho.
Abdul ne sirf “Haan Ammi” kaha. Uski aankhon mein dard tha. Woh jaanta tha ki Ammi raat bhar kya kar rahi thi.
Parvez office ke liye nikal gaya. Abdul bhi bag uthakar darwaze ki taraf badha, lekin peeche mudkar Ammi ko ek lambi nazar dekha. Rafat kitchen ke counter par khadi thi, haathon se counter ko pakde hue, aankhein band kiye.
Jab ghar sunsaan ho gaya, Rafat sofa par baith gayi. Uski saansein tez ho gayi. Usne phone uthaya, Rudra ka last message dekha, phir turant delete kar diya.
“Bas… ab nahi. Yeh aakhri baar tha,” usne khud se kaha, awaaz toot rahi thi.
Lekin uske andar ek gehra shak baith chuka tha — Parvez aur Abdul ke baare mein. Rudra ke bheje fake photos aur videos uske dimag mein ghoom rahe the. Woh uthi aur phir se ghar saaf karne mein lag gayi — zor-zor se, jaise har jhadu aur pocha uske gunah ko saaf kar dega.
Uppar apne room mein Abdul roshandaan ke paas baitha tha. Spy cam ka feed abhi bhi uske phone par chal raha tha. Woh Ammi ko dekhta raha — uski safai, uske aansu, uski bechaini.
Uska dil toot raha tha. Lekin usne camera band nahi kiya.....
College ke corridors mein sasti disinfectant aur cigarette ke dhue ki smell faili hui thi. Dopahar ki dhoop purani khidkiyon se andar ghus rahi thi, floor par lambi parchhaiyan daal rahi thi. Abdul sar thoda jhukaye chal raha tha, bag kandhe par latka hua, kaan mein earphones laga hue the lekin music off tha. Aaj usko music ki zarurat nahi thi. Uski apni awaazein kaafi tez thi.
Har kadam ke saath raat wale scenes uske dimag mein wapas aa rahe the.
Ammi sofa par… Rudra uske upar… uski ungliyan uski peeth par kas rahi thi… woh dabki hui moan jo usne chupane ki koshish ki thi…
Uski pet mein gath si ban rahi thi. Sharam. Gussa. Aur kuch aur gehra, jiska naam woh khud se bhi nahi lena chahta tha.
“Abe Abdul… aaj bhi mummy ka tiffin laya hai kya?”
Peechhe se Vicky aur uske do dost aa gaye, muh par wohi purani muskurahat ke saath. Abdul ruk gaya. Uski ungliyan bag ke strap ko zor se pakad li.
Uske bolne se pehle ek bhaari awaaz peeche se aayi.
“Problem kya hai bhai?”
Rudra tha. Lambe kad ka, relaxed shoulders, woh confidence jo seniors ko bhi hichkicha deta tha.
Vicky ka muskurana ruk gaya. “Arre Rudra bhai… bas mazak kar rahe the.”
“Mazak khatam,” Rudra ne thande se kaha. “Abdul mera dost hai. Samajh gaya?”
Seniors kuch burburakar chale gaye. Rudra ne Abdul ki taraf mudkar uske kandhe par haath rakh diya — wohi haath jo kal raat uski Ammi ke jism par tha.
“Chal, canteen chalte hain. Tu aaj bahut tense lag raha hai dost.”
Abdul ne sirf sar hila diya. Jaate hue Rudra normal baatein karta raha — exams, cricket, nayi bike. Bilkul normal. Bilkul dost jaisa.
Lekin Abdul ka dimag kahin aur tha. Baar-baar uski Ammi ka chehra aa raha tha — aansu, laalach, aur woh tootapan jo usne pehli baar dekha tha. Usko Rudra se nafrat thi. Apne aap se aur zyada. Aur sabse bura yeh ki woh dekhne se rok nahi pa raha tha.
Canteen mein corner table par baithkar Rudra ne cold coffee ka sip liya.
“Ghar mein sab theek hai na?” usne casual andaaz mein poocha, aankhein tez.
Abdul ne muskurane ki koshish ki. “Haan… sab theek hai.”
Rudra dheere se sar hila diya, jaise satisfied ho. “Teri Ammi bahut acchi hai yaar. Itni caring. Tu bahut lucky hai.”
Lafz zeher ki tarah lage. Abdul ki ungliyan chair ke kinare ko zor se pakad li. Woh chillana chahta tha. Lekin usne sirf plate ko dekha.
Free period mein woh ek khali classroom mein chala gaya aur phone khola. Spy cam ka live feed load hua. Ammi kitchen mein thi, pehle se saaf counter ko aur zor se ragad rahi thi. Uska dupatta thoda sarka hua tha. Gardan par Rudra ke daanton ke halke nishaan dikhai de rahe the.
Abdul ki saans atak gayi. Ushe sab delete kar dena chahiye tha. Ammi se baat karni chahiye thi. Bhagna chahiye tha.
Lekin woh sirf dekhta raha.
Shaam ki halki roshni curtains se andar aa rahi thi jab doorbell baji.
Rafat kitchen mein khadi thi, knife haath mein, sabzi kaat rahi thi. Uska dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya. Woh awaaz pehchaan li thi — woh bike ki engine ki awaaz uske dimag mein ab daag ban chuki thi.
Usne haath pochhe, dupatta theek kiya aur darwaze ki taraf badhi. Jaise koi armor pehen rahi ho. Darwaza khulte hi Rudra apni purani muskurahat ke saath khada tha. Uske saath ek aur jawan ladka tha — lamba, gym wala badan, tez chehra aur shararti aankhein.
“Aunty, namaste,” Rudra ne pyaar se kaha. “Yeh mera close friend Ravi hai. College project ke notes lene aaya tha. Andar aa jaayein?”
Rafat ka gala sookh gaya. Ravi ki nazar uske jism par ghumi — na zyaada gandi, na bilkul bekhabar. Usne izzat se sar jhukaya.
“Namaste Aunty, Sorry takleef ho rahi hai.”
Rafat andar ki taraf hat gayi. “Andar aaiye… chai bana deti hoon.”
Dono ladke andar aaye. Drawing room achanak chhota sa mehsoos hone laga. Rafat kitchen mein chali gayi, peeche har harkat mehsoos kar rahi thi. Unki nazrein us par thi.
Rudra aur Ravi sofa par baith kar college ki baatein karne lage. Har thodi der baad Rudra awaaz thodi unchi karke bolta, taaki Rafat sun sake.
“Aunty ki chai ki koi misaal nahi,” usne casually kaha.
Ravi halke se hasa. “Haan bhai, sunna toh tha. Aunty sach mein bahut acchi hain.”
Rafat ke haath kaanp rahe the jab usne tray taiyar ki. Jab woh chai lekar bahar aayi, dono ladke uth khade hue. Jab woh jhuki toh dupatta thoda sarka. Usne jaldi se theek kiya, lekin dono ki nazrein us pal pakad chuki thi.
Rudra ne cup lete hue uske haath ko halke se chhua — jaan-bujhkar, der tak. Ravi dekh raha tha, aankhon mein khuli dilchasp.
“Aunty, aap thak gayi lag rahi hain,” Rudra ne pyaar bhari awaaz mein kaha. “Kuch madad chahiye toh bataiye. Ravi bhi bahut helpful hai.”
Ravi muskuraya. “Haan Aunty. Koi bhi kaam — bulb change, heavy samaan, bas bol dena.”
Rafat ka chehra garam ho gaya. Woh kuch dheemi si baat karke kitchen ki taraf mud gayi, lekin Rudra ki awaaz peeche tak pahunchi.
“Baithiye na Aunty. Thodi der baat kar lete hain.”
Woh ruk gayi. Parvez ghar aane wala tha. Abdul bhi jaldi aa sakta tha. Khatra uske jism par physical weight ki tarah mehsoos ho raha tha.
Phir bhi woh wapas mud gayi. Single sofa ke kinare par baith gayi, haath god mein bandh kar.
Pehle baatein normal rahi — college, mausam, mohalla. Phir dheere dheere lahanga badla. Uske khane ki tareef. Ghar sambhalne ki. Uski umar ke hisaab se “kitni young aur sundar” dikhne ki.
Har lafz uski deewar par chot maar raha tha.
Ravi thoda aage jhuka. “Aunty, aap itni simple aur shareef hain… aajkal aisi auratein bahut kam milti hain.”
Rafat ne nazrein neeche kar li. Uski ungliyan dupatte ke pallu ko zor se pakad rahi thi. Andar sharam aur ek gaddar si garmi lad rahi thi.
Bees minute baad jab main darwaza khula — Parvez jaldi aa gaya tha — teeno abhi bhi baith hue the. Rafat itni jaldi uthi ki uski chai ka cup lagbhag girne wala tha.
Parvez andar aaya, thaka hua lekin muskurate hue. “Arre Rudra beta… aur yeh?”
“Ravi, mera dost,” Rudra ne smoothly haath milate hue kaha.
Char logon mein baatein hone lagi. Parvez ko sach mein khushi thi ki Abdul ke aise “achhe aur zimmedaar” dost hain. Usne unko dinner ke liye bhi invite kar diya.
Rafat peeche khadi thi, dil zor se dhadak raha tha. Woh dekh rahi thi — do jawan ldke apne drawing room mein aaram se baith hue the, aur uska shouhar unko dekh kar muskurah raha tha.
Bhrashtaachar ab sirf andhere mein nahi tha.
Woh ab khule aam uske ghar mein ghus aaya tha.