Chapter 3
Arc 1 – Scene 4: First Home Entry
Shaam ke chaar baje the. Aasman ka rang gehra grey ho chuka tha. Bijli ki ek tez chamak ke saath zor ki garaj hui aur poora area andhere mein doob gaya. Power cut.
Ghar mein Rafat kitchen ke counter par khadi thi. Haath mein chaku tha, sabzi kaat rahi thi. Usne turant dupatta theek kiya aur halki si sas li. “Yeh bijli bhi na…”
Bahari barish tez ho gayi thi. Abdul college se lauta tha. Uske kapde geele ho rahe the. Woh darwaze par khada tha jab usne dekha — Rudra bike par baitha hua tha, pura bhiga hua, lekin muskurate hue.
“Arre dost, andar aa jaun. Bijli chali gayi hai na? Main bhi thoda ruk jaun kya?” Rudra ne pucha, awaaz mein dostana lehja.
Abdul ka dil dhadka. Usne andar ki taraf dekha. Ammi kitchen mein thi. Parvez Abbu office se abhi tak nahi laute the. Usne dheere se kaha, “Aa ja bhai… andar aa.”
Rudra bike lock karke andar aaya. Uske kapde body se chipak rahe the, powerful shoulders aur chest saaf dikhai de rahe the. Jab woh drawing room mein ghusne laga toh Rafat kitchen se bahar aayi.
“Kaun hai beta?” Rafat ne poocha, dupatta sahi se lapet te hue.
Abdul ne jaldi se jawab diya, “Ammi… yeh Rudra hai… mera college friend. Bijli chali gayi toh bahar bhig raha tha. Thoda ruk jaaye?”
Rafat ne Rudra ko dekha. Woh ek pal ke liye ruk gayi. Ladka jawan tha, confident, aur uski aankhon mein kuch aisa tha jo usko thoda uncomfortable feel karwa raha tha. Phir bhi usne apni shareef haya ko sambhala aur halke se muskurayi.
“Ji… andar aao beta. Bhig gaye ho. Baitho. Main garam chai bana deti hoon.”
Rudra ne namaste kiya, “Namaste Aunty. Sorry takleef ho rahi hai.”
Rafat ne sirf sar hilaya aur kitchen ki taraf chali gayi. Uske salwar suit ka kameez uske bhari jism par sahi se baitha hua tha. Gaand ki halki si hilti hui chaal Abdul ko bhi dikhai de rahi thi, aur Rudra ko toh bilkul.
Drawing room mein baithkar Rudra ne dheere se Abdul se kaha, “Teri Ammi bahut achhi hai yaar. Respectful.”
Abdul ne sirf muskuraya, lekin uske dil mein kuch aur hi chal raha tha.
Kitchen se chai ki khushboo aane lagi. Rafat tray lekar aayi. Usne chai serve ki — pehle Rudra ko, phir Abdul ko. Jab woh jhuki toh uske dupatte ka pallu thoda sarka aur uski bhari choochiyon ki halki si jhalak dikhai di. Rudra ne dekha. Nazar jaldi se hatayi lekin uske honthon par ek halki si smile thi.
“Bahut acchi chai banati ho Aunty,” Rudra ne kaha, awaaz mein sachcha sa praise tha.
Rafat ne sharmate hue kaha, “Bas… ghar ka bana hua. Aap log baat karo, main khana dekh leti hoon.”
Woh wapas kitchen chali gayi. Rudra ne Abdul ki taraf dekha aur dheere se bola, “Teri Ammi sach mein bahut simple aur achhi hai. Tu lucky hai dost.”
Abdul ne sirf sar hilaya. Uske dimag mein kal raat wali video ghum raha tha.
Bijli wapas nahi aayi. Barish aur tez hoti gayi. Rudra almost ek ghante tak baitha raha. Usne family ke baare mein normal baatein ki — Abbu ka office, Abdul ki studies, ghar ka mahoul. Rafat kabhi-kabhi aati thi, kuch baat karti thi, phir wapas kitchen chali jaati thi.
Jab Rudra jaane laga toh usne Rafat se kaha, “Aunty, aap bahut acchi ho. Kal phir aa jaunga kabhi, agar koi problem ho toh bata dena.”
Rafat ne sirf muskurakar jawab diya, “Theek hai beta. Dhyaan rakhna.”
Darwaze par Rudra ne Abdul ke kaan mein dheere se kaha, “Kal milte hain… aur haan… teri Ammi ko mera salam.”
Abdul andar aaya. Rafat kitchen mein khadi thi, soch mein doobi hui. Usne beta ko dekha aur pyaar se bola, “Beta… yeh ladka accha lag raha hai. College mein doston ka sahara rakhna.”
Abdul ne sirf “Haan Ammi” kaha.
Lekin raat ko jab sab so gaye, Abdul apne kamre mein roshandaan ke paas baitha tha. Usne pehli baar Ammi ke bedroom ki taraf dekha… jahan Rafat abhi bhi dupatta sambhal rahi thi aur soch rahi thi ki aaj ghar mein ek naye ladke ka aana kitna strange tha.
Bahari barish ab bhi tez thi.
Chapter 3 End.
