Update 12
Pankhudi apne gaanv pahunchi. Wahan se seedhe hospital gayi jahan Palak unki maa ko le aayi thi.
Ek nurse aayi ek form lekar. "Aapki maa ko angioplasty ke liye le jaaya jaa raha hai," nurse ne kaha, "Zaroori paymnt jama kar di gayi hai, aapko bas is consent form par sign karna hai."
Pankhudi ne turant sign kar diya. Palak ne Pankhudi ko gale lagaya aur woh dono apni maa ko cath lab mein shift hote hue dekh rahi thi. Ek ghante baad maa ko wapas ICU laaya gaya. Operation sucessful hua tha.
3 din tak ICU mein rehne ke baad Pankhudi ki maa ko ward shift karaya gaya. Pankhudi din raat unki seva me lagi thi.
"Kitna kuch sambhal rahi ho tum akele, Pankhudi," uski maa ne kaha, "Mujhe naaz hai tumpar beta."
Pankhudi muskurayi aur apni maa ka haath pyaar se thama aur kaha, "Aap jaldi theek ho jayengi maa, phir aapko ghar le chalenge."
3 din aur beet gaye. Pankhudi ki maa ki halat ekdum stable thi abhi. Doctor round par aaye.
"Kaisa mehsoos kar rahi hain aap?" unhone ne Pankhudi ki maa se poocha.
"Main bilkul theek hun doctor saab," unhone kaha, "Bas aap jaldi se mujhe ghar jaane ki izajat de dijiye."
Doctor muskuraya. "Inki tabiyat ab bilkul theek hai. Hum inhe kal discharge karenge. Discharge ke baad bas dawaiyan samay pe leni hai aur jaisa kaha jaye waise checkup ke liye aana hoga. Doosri koi takleef nahi hogi." doctor ne kaha, "Bas subah kuch discharge ki formalities hongi, final bill settle karna hoga phir aap inhe ghar le jaa sakti hai."
"Shukriya doctorsaab," Pankhudi ne kaha.
Doctor chala gaya aur nurse ne Pankhudi ki maa ko dawaiyan di. Pankhudi apni sote hui maa ka haath thame bed ke paas ek chair pe baithi hui thi, apni aankhein band kiye. Lagbhag aadhi raat ko uska phone baja. "Private number" dekhte hi usne phone turant utha liya.
"Kaisi ho Pankhudi?" Armaan ne poocha.
"Main theek hun," Pankhudi ne jawab diya, "Tumhare help ke liye bahot bahot shukriya."
"Tumne milna chahta hun," Armaan ne kaha, "Kuch baat karni hai. Hospital ke bahar tumhara intezaar kar raha hun."
Pankhudi ne khidki se jhaanka to ek jaani pechaani Jaguar dikhi. Woh seedhiyon se neeche utar kar hospital ke main gate ke bahar khadi us gaadi ke paas gayi. Armaan wahin khada uska intezzar kar raha tha. Armaan ko dekhte hi Pankhudi ne use gale laga liya. Armaan ne pyaar se uski peeth sehlayi aur poocha, "Kaisi hai maa ki tabiyat ab?"
"Ab woh theek hai," Pankhudi ne kaaha, "Kal unhe discharge kar diya jayega. Thank you so much, tumne help nahi ki hoti to pata nahi kya ho jaata..."
Pankhudi ke aankhon se ek aansu gira.
Armaan ne use gale lagakar shaant kiya.
"Lekin tum yaha mere gaanv aaye, Mumbai se itna door?" Pankhudi ne poocha.
Armaan muskuraya. "Kuch baat karni thi tumse," usne kaha, "Main yeh baat tumse rubaroo hokar karna chahta tha. Gaadi mein baitho."
Pankhudi Armaan ke saath gaadi mein baith gayi. Armaan ne gaadi andar se lock kar di.
"Pankhudi main samajhta hun ki tumhari family tumhare liye sab kuch hai. Aur us din jab tumne insurance ke paise ke liye atmahatya karne ki koshish kari..." Armaan ne kaha, "Mere paas ek offer hai tumhare liye."
Pankhudi dhyaan se sun rahi thi.
"Tumhara 20 lakh ka insurance hai na?" Armaan ne kaha, "Main tumahe 40 lakh dunga. Once time settlement in cash. Badle mein main chahunga ki tum ek contract sign karo, jo mujhe tumhari life pe complete control ka kanoonan haq dega."
"Complete control meri life pe?" Pankhudi ne poocha, "Iska kya matlab hai?"
"Matlab ki main jo chahunga karunga tumhare saath, jaise chahunga tumhara istemaal karunga, aur tum apni aakhri saans tak meri gulaam ban kar rahogi," Armaan ne kaha.
Pankhudi uski baat sunkar ekdum se darr gayi. "Nahi..yeh to..."
"Main tumhe yeh contract sign karne ke liye force nahi karunga Pankhudi," Armaan ne kaha, "Zabardasti karni hoti to main tumhe kab ka uthwa leta aur koi tumhe nahi dhoondh paata. Lekin main tumhe force nahi karna chahta Pankhudi, us raat ke baat to bilkul bhi nahi. Agar humare beech aaj ke baad kuch hoga to woh tumhari marzi se hi hoga."
Pankhudi ab gehri soch me thi.
"Haan, ek aur baat jaan lo ki agar tum is sauda karti ho." Armaan ne kaha, "To tum apni family se dobara na kabhi mil paogi na unhe contact kar paogi. Aur yeh baat tum khud unhe bataogi taaki woh tumhe khojne ki koshish na kare, warna bahot bura ho sakta hai unke saath."
Pankhudi ab darr se thar thar kaanpne lagi thi. Armaan muskuraya aur use shaant karne ke liye uske baalon mein pyaar se haath phera.
"Aur agar main yeh contract nahi sign karna chahu to?" Pankhudi ne kaanpti hui awaz me poocha.
"To main tumhari marzi maan lunga aur tumhe jaane dunga," Armaan ne muskurakar kaha, "Dobara tumne kabhi nahi milunga, aur tumhare saare photo aur video jo mere paas hai, unhe delete kar dunga. Yeh mera waada hai. Tum bahot bahadur ladki ho Pankhudi, aur main tumhari izzat karta hun. Tumpar bahot julm kiya hai maine, ab aur nahi."
Pankhudi kuch bol nahi paa rahi thi. Woh samajh nahi paa rahi thi ki woh aise me kya kahe. Uski aankhon se phir ek aansu gira.
"Main samajhta hun itne bada faisla lene ke liye tumhe samay chahiye. Kuch dino ka time lo, aaram se socho aur mujhe batao," Armaan ne use ek card thamate hue kaha, "Tumhara jo bhi faisla ho, mujhe phone karke bata dena. Agar tumhara jawab haan hai to main paise arrange karwaunga aur contract banwaunga, aur agar tumhara jawab na hai to tumhe ek reputed company se job ke liye call aa jayegi. Salary tumhare pichle job se jyada hogi. Sab kuch pehle jaisa hoga tumhari life me. Aur yeh humari aakhri mulakat hogi."
Armaan ne Pankhudi ko gale lagaya aur uske hoton ko pyaar se chuma.
"Apni maa ke paas wapas jao Pankhudi," Armaan ne kaha, "Tumhara faisla jo bhi ho, hospital ka bill settle karne ka maine jo waada kiya tha use main nibhaunga. Aur tumne bhi jo waada kiya tha, apne aap ko kabhi hurt na karna ka, use bhi hamesha nibhana Pankhudi. Tum anmol ho Pankhudi."
Armaan ne gaadi unlock kari aur Pankhudi gaadi se utar ke bojhal kadmon se hospital ke taraf chalne lagi. Raat usne apni maa ke bistar ke paas baithkar bitayi. Subah uski maa ko disharge mil gaya. Armaan ne hospital ke bill settle karwa diya, aur Pankhudi apni maa ke lekar ghar aa gayi.
Agle kuch din, Pankhudi ne apne pariwaar ke saath bitaye. Uski maa ab poori tarah se theek ho gayi thi. Palak bhi Pankhudi ke saath hone se khush thi. Pankhudi Armaan ke offer ke baare me sochti rahi, us maan ne ya thrukarane ke saare anjaam ke baare me sochti rahi. Ek raat woh so nahi paa rahi thi. Woh apni maa ke bistar ke paas, unka haath thaame baithi thi. Palak ne unko dawaiyan de di thi aur woh gehri neend me thi. Pankhudi ne woh pal yaad kiya ki kaise uski maa ne sangharsh karke dono betiyon ko paala, unko padhaya likhaya, apne krur pati se jaanwaron ki tarah pitakr bhi kabhi apni betiyon ko bhookha nahi sone diya, kaise unhone ke apna saara dard bhulkar kabhi toote hue haathon se bhi rotiyan beli to kabhi khud bhooki rehkar betiyon ko khilaya.
Palak bagal me chaarpai par so rahi thi. Uski aankhon par abhi bhi uska chashma laga hua tha aur uske seene par uski kitaab thi. Woh lalten ke roshni me padhte padhe thak ke so gayi thi. Pankhudi ne pyaar se Palak ka chashma aur kitaab lekar ek taraf rakh di aur apni soti hui behen ke sar par pyar se haath phera. Pankhudi ne apne chaaron taraf us gareeb se toote phote ghar par nazar ghumayi, jo woh apne Pariwar ko dila paayi thi. Unka purana ghar tootna, Raghu ka Palak ko dhamkana, yeh sab yaad kar rahi thi. Woh raat bhar soch me doobi rahi.
Armaan ne kaha ki use apni pehle jaisi zindagi wapas mil sakti hai. But kya woh pehle jaisi zindagi ab jeena chahti hai? Armaan ne kaha woh use ek nayi jib bhi dilwa dega agar woh contract nahi sign karna chahti, lekin kya ek receptionist ki tankha se woh Palak ko doctor banane ka sapna poora kar payegi? Aur Armaan ke chhune se jo uske badan me jo naye ehsaas jaage the, woh unhe aur mehsoos karna chahti thi. Use Armaan par bharosa hone laga tha kyunki use uski jaan bachayi thi.
Agli subah tak woh apna faisla kar chuki thi. Usne us number par phone milaya jo Armaan ne diya tha. Phone kat gaya. Pankhudi ne dobara milaya. Phir kat gaya. Pankhudi ne baar baar call karne ki koshish kari lekin us number par phone nahi mila paayi. Woh hataash hokar baith gayi. Phir achanank se uska phone baj utha. "Private number" dekhte hi usne phone uthaya.
"Yes, cupcake," Armaan ne kaha, "Kya faisla kiya tume?"
"Main woh contract sign karne ke liye taiyyar hun," Pankhudi ne kaha.
"Theek hai," Armaan ne kaha, "Thodi der me ek gaadi aa jayegi tumhare ghar. Usme baith jaana, tumhe mere paas laaya jayega."
Jaisa Armaan ne kaha tha, thodi der me ek gaadi pahunch gayi uske paas. Pankhudi usme baith gayi aur gaadi chal padi. Lagbhar 2 ghante ka raasta tha. Uske apne gaanv se door ek sheher me ek 5 star hotel me le jaaya gaya.
Wahan ek conference room mein Armaan uska intezaar. Pankhudi 5 star hotel ki chakachaund dekh kar mantramugh ho gayi. Usne pehle kabhi aisi jagah nahi dekhi thi.
Armaan ne use apne paas bulaya aur ek kursi par bithaya. Phir unse woh contract aur ek pen Pankhudi ko diya.
"Aaram se padhna," Armaan ne kaha, "Koi sawal ho to pooch lena. Agar iske padhne ke baad tum ise na sign karna chaho, to main tumhe wapas ghar bhijwa dunga. Koi zabardasti nahi hai. Aur agar tum is contract ki shartein maan ne ko raazi ho to har ek page par apne initials lagana aur last page par full signature karna."
Pankhudi ne pen uthaya aur haan me sar hilaya.
Armaan ne ek briefcase kholkar Pankhudi ke saamne rakh diya. Pankhudi ne itne saare paise kabhi nahi dekhe the. "40 lakh hai, jaisa maine promise kiya tha," Armaan ne kaha, "Chaho to gin sakti ho."
Pankhudi ne un noton par ek halka sa haath phera. Uski aankhon me ab bas woh sapne the jo in paison se poore hone waale the. Aur phir apne pariwar ko dobara phir kabhi na dekhne ka khayal uske mann mein aaya aur uski aankhon se aansu gir pade. Lekin usne turant apne aap ko sambhala, apne aansu pooche aur pen uthakar sign karne lag gayi.
"Ruko Pankhudi," Armaan ne kaha, "Yeh kya kar rahi ho? Pehle padhogi nahi ki ispe kya likha hai?"
"Agar tumne mujhe us din bachaya na hota," Pankhudi ne bina padhe hi sign karte hua kaha, "To main zinda hi na hoti. Main tumhari wajah se zinda hun aur meri zindagi par tumhara haq hai."
Armaan hairaan reh gaya ki kaise Pankhudi bina padhe itna bada contract sign kar rahi hai.
"Pankhudi, meri baat suno," Armaan ne halke se uske haath ko roke hue kaha, "Yeh contract mujhe tumhare saath kuch bhi karne ka kanoonan haq dega. Kuch bhi, samajh rahi ho na? Ek baar isko sign kar dogi to tumhari zindagi pehle jaise kabhi nahi hogi. Chahkar bhi nahi nikal paogi kabhi isme se bahar."
"Mere pariwar ki har zaroorat poori hogi in paison se," Pankhudi ne muskurakar kaha, "Mere saath kya hoga is se kya farak padta hai?"
Pankhudi bina padhe poora contract sign karti rahi. Aakhri page par poori signature karke usne Armaan ko woh contract de diya.
Armaan ne phir use ek blank paper pass kiya.
"Is par apne email, social media accounts aur banking ke passwords likh do," Armaan ne kaha, "Aur jab tumhe aakhri baar period aaya tha woh date likho."
Pankhudi kaanp uthi jab use samajh me aa raha tha, ki Armaan ki tarah se uski poori zindagi ko control karna chah raha hai. Phir bhi usne jo bhi information Armaan ne maangi thi woh us kore kagaz par likh di.
"Tumhari jitni bhi govt. issued ID cards hai," Armaan ne kaha, "Saare de do."
Pankhudi ne kaante hue haath se apne saare ID cards, aadhar, PAN, driving license, voter ID, sab Armaan ko de diya.
"Ab apne phone unlock karke mujhe do," Armaan ne kaha.
Pankhudi ne saare passwords hata diya aur Armaan ko apna phone de diya. Armaan ek upar upar se dkha to usme koi passowrd lock nahi tha, Pankhudi ke saare, photos, messages, contact list, saara data ab Armaan acess kar sakta tha.
Armaan ne ek call bell bajayi aur ek ladki andar aayi aur Pankhudi ko dekh kar halke se muskurayi.
"Tumhare fingerprints or baaki biometric data record kiya jayega," Armaan ne Pankhudi se kaha, "Just co-operate."
Us aurat ne ek scanner rakha Pankhudi ke saamne. Uspar Pankhudi ka haath rakh ke uske palmprints, saari ungliyon ke fingerprints aur iris details scan karke record kar li. Phir woh wahan se chali gayi.
"Apna haath aage badhao," Armaan ne kaha.
Pankhudi ne apna dahina haath uski taraf badhaya. Armaan ne ek device strap kar diya uski kalayi par. "Yeh is GPS tracker hai," Armaan ne kaha, "Is se mujhe tumhari real time location milti rahegi. Isko nikalne ki koshish mat karna, warna ek high voltage electric shock lagega jo tumhari jaan bhi le sakta hai."
Pankhudi ne nervously haan me sar hilaya.
"Gaadi tumhe wapas ghar le jayegi," Armaan ne kaha, "Apni family se aakhri baar mil lo. Unko yeh saaf saaf keh dena ki tum dobara kabhi nahi milogi aur woh tumhe khojne ki kosish na kare warna mujhe unke saath kuch aisa karna padega jo main nahi karna chahta."
Pankhudi samajh gayi Armaan ka ishara aur haan me sar hilaya.
"Family ke milne ke baad wapas Mumbai chali jao," Armaan ne kaha, "Main tumhe tumhare flat me milunga kal raat 10 baje."
Pankhudi ne woh paison ka briefcase uthaya aur gaadi me baith gayi. Gaadi wapas uske ghar ke tarah jaane lagi. Pankhudi ke mann me bahot se vichaar daud rahe the.
Jab woh ghar pahunchi tab tak andhera ho chuka tha. Palak chulhe par khana bana rahi thi.
"kahan thi tum didi?" Palak ne kaha, "Maa pareshan ho rahi thi."
"Maine maa se baat kar li hai," Pankhudi ne kaha, "Mere saath aao Palak kuch zaroori baat karni hai tumse."
Palak Pankhudi ke peeche peeche doosre kamre me chali gayi. Pankhudi ne darwaze ki kundi laga di.
"Kya baat hai didi?" Pakal ne kaha, "Darwaza kyu band kar diya?"
Pankhudi ne noton se bhara woh briefcase Palak ko dikhaya.
"Yeh kya hai didi?" Palak ne kaha, "Itne paise kahan se aaye?"
"Meri baat dhyaan se suno Palak," Pankhudi ne kaha, "Main kahin jaa rahi hun aur tumne in paison ko sambhalna hai. Yeh bahot saare paise hai Palak, in paison se maa ki dawaiyan khareedna, apne college ki fees bharna, insurance ke premiums bharna, anaj aur sabjiayn khareedna, apne aur maa ke liye ek accha sa ghar khareedna...yeh paise agle 5 saalon tak apne pariwar ki har choti badi zaroorat ko poora karenge. Aur tab tak tum doctor ban chuki hogi. Phir tum bahot saare paise kama sakogi...phir tumhe kabhi peeche mudke nahi dekhna padega Palak..."
Palak Pankhudi ki baatein sunke itni darr gayi ki woh kaanpne lagi. "Yeh sab kya bol rahi ho didi?" usne poocha, "Tum kahan jaa rahi ho? Kisne diye tumhe itne paise?"
"Main jaa rahi hun chukti," Pankhudi ne nam aankhon se kaha, "Dobara laut kar nahi aaungi."
Palak par jaise keher toot pada. Woh Pankhudi se lipatkar rone lagi. "Nahi!" Palak ne rote hue kaha, "Mujhe yeh paise nahi chahiye! Mujhe doctor nahi ban na! Mujhe meri didi chahiye!"
"Paison se bahot kuch hota hai Palak," Pankhudi ne use samjhate hue kaha, "Paison ki wajah se hi maa aaj jinda hai."
"Aur main maa se kya kahu?" Palak ne kaha, "Woh mar jayengi yeh sab sunengi to!"
"Maine maa se kaha hai ki mujhe London me job mili hai," Pankhudi ne kaha, "Tumhe bhi unhe yahi yakeen dilana hoga. Maine kuch voice messages record kare hai jisme mein un se keh rahi hun ki main theek hun aur jaldi hi milne aaungi. Agar maa mujhse baat karne ki jidd kare to yeh voice messages phone pe chala dena, meri awz sunte hi unka mann shaant ho jayega."
"Kyu kar rahi to aisa didi?" Palak ne rote hue poocha, "Kabhi socha hai tumhare bina humara kya haal hoga?"
"Please ro mat Palak," Pankhudi ne kaha, "Main jaanti hun ki yeh mushkil ghadi hai, lekin main yeh bhi jaanti hun ki tum ek bahot strong ladki ho, aur tum sambhal logi. Mera ke sapna hai Palak, tumhe doctor bane hue dekhna, taaki tum yeh gareebi ki bediya tod sako jo hume bebas banati hai, ji hume har baar jhukne par majoor karti hai. Ek baar tum doctor ban jaogi, tumahre paas bahot saare paise honge, phir tum jo chaho woh kar sakti ho, jahan chaho jaa sakti ho, humare paas paise honge to kisi ki himaat nahi hogi humare ghar par bulldozer chalane ki, kisi ki himaat nahi hogi tumhe haath lagane ki, aur hume kabhi kisi apne ko khona nahi padega. Main is sapne ke liye kurbani de rahi hun, mera yeh sapna poora karogi na Palak?"
Palak ne Pankhudi ko kas ke gale lagaya aur phoot phoot kar rone lagi.
"Kahan jaa rahi ho didi?" Palak ne kaha, "Kam se kam itna to bata do."
"Please mat poocho Palak," Pankhudi ne kaha, "Aur waada karo ki tum mujhe kabhi khojne ki koshish nahi karogi."
Palak bas roti rahi.
"Hey little one," Pankhudi ne Palak ke peeth kar haath pherte hue kaha, "Ab strong girl bano aur muskurao. Mujhe aise rote hue vida karogi?"
Palak shaant hone ka naam nahi le rahi thi. Pankhudi ne use shaant hone tak apne seene se lagaye rakha.
Phir Pankhudi ne apne pariwar ke saath khana khaya. Shayad yeh unka aakhri dinner tha jo woh ek saath kar rahe the. Pankhudi ne ek ek pal ko apni yaadon me kaid kar liya.
Pankhudi ki maa ke sote hi Pankhudi Mumbai jaane ke liye taiyaar ho gayi. Palak ne use aakhri baar gale lagaya.
"Main aapka sapna jaroor poora karungi didi," Palak ne rote hue kaha, "Good bye!"
Palak nam aankhon se muskurayi, kyunki woh Pankhudi ko aakhri baar apna rota hua chehra nahi dikhana chahta thi. Pankhudi bhi halke se muskurayi aur chal padi. Woh ek bus me baith gayi. Bus Mumbai ki taraf chal padi aur Pankhudi ek anjaan bhavishya ki taraf.
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