Part -24Anand aur Anita ek shandaar villa mein the, jahaan unhone saath mein ek hafta bitane ki yojana banayi thi. Aaj unka paanchva din tha. Ve dono baramde mein rakhi ek chhoti mej par baithkar dopahar ka bhojan kar rahe the. Mej par taazi salad, kuch grilled fish aur wine rakhi thi. Chaaron or dhoop ki halki garmahat thi aur hawa mein ek sukoon bhara thahraav tha, lekin unke beech ki chemistry us shaanti ke vipreet thi.
Anand ka mukhya lakshya is rishte mein sharirik santushti paana tha, jabki Anita ke man mein Anand se ek bachche ki chahat thi, halaanki yeh baat vah abhi seedhe taur par zahir nahin kar rahi thi.
Bhojan karte samay bhi unke beech ki antarangta (intimacy) kam nahin hui thi. Anand, ek haath se apna fork pakde, aaram se khana kha raha tha, lekin uska doosra haath mej ke neeche Anita ki jaangh par tika tha. Vah dhire-dhire, sharaarat bhare andaaz mein, Anita ke angon se khel raha tha. Kabhi pyar se sehlata, to kabhi halke se dabaakar chhedta.
Anita bhi is sparsh ka aanand le rahi thi. Vah apni aankhen band karti, gehri saansen leti, aur phir Anand ki taraf dekhkar ek meethi si muskaan deti. Dono ki aankhon mein ek-doosre ke prati gehri chahat aur santushti thi. Is rishte mein jo bhi unka maksad tha, ve dono is pal mein behad khush the.
Anita ne dhire se wine ka ghunt liya, phir apni nazrein Anand ki aankhon mein daali.
Anita: (halki sharaarat aur gudgudi bhari awaaz mein) Suno Anand.
Anand: (muskurate hue, mej ke neeche haath rok kar) Haan, meri jaan? Bolo. Kuch aur chahiye khane mein? Ya yahaan...?
Anand ne haath se halka ishaara kiya aur aankh maari.
Anita: (khilkhilaakar hanste hue) Are! Nahin! Main bas yeh soch rahi thi... hum kitne 'vyast' rahe hain in paanch dinon mein.
Anand: (gehri hansi dabaate hue) Vyast? Yeh to understatement (kam aankna) hai, meri sweetheart! Hum to yuddh star par kaam kar rahe hain.
Anita: (baat ko aage badhaate hue) Vahi to! Pata hai kya? Main subah jab washroom mein gayi thi, to maine dekha...
Anita ne apni hansi ko rokne ki koshish ki, par uski aankhen chamak uthi.
Anita: Humne... humne in paanch dinon mein bees baar sex kiya hain!
Yeh sun kar Anand ka fork plate par girte-girte bacha.
Anand: (aankhen chaudi karte hue) Kya?! Bees baar? Matlab... bees shots?!
Anita: (zor se hanste hue) Haan! Bees! Aur yeh sun kar... mujhe khud par aur tum par... bahut garv mehsoos ho raha hai! Ab mujhe samajh nahin aa raha ki main bhi kitna seh gayi na in paanch dinon mein!
Anand bhi dahaad maarkar hansne laga. Uski hansi poore baramde mein goonj uthi. Yeh sankhya use zara bhi aashcharyachakit nahin kar rahi thi, balki dono ke beech ki adbhut chemistry ko zahir kar rahi thi.
Anand: (hanste hue, apni aankhen ponchhte hue) Anita, tum kamaal ho! Mujhe lagta hai ki yeh record hai! Aur zyada sochne ki zaroorat nahin hai! Main abhi poora active hoon aur baaki do din bhi humein poori shiddat se jeene hain! Hamara lakshya abhi poora nahin hua hai!
Anita ne ek aur khilkhilahat ke saath apni wine ka gilaas uthaya.
Anita: (Anand ki taraf gilaas badhaate hue) To phir, us josh aur baaki do dinon ke liye cheers!
Dono ne apne-apne gilaas takraye. Is mazaak mein, is hisaab-kitaab mein, unke beech ek gehri samajh aur santushti ka ehsaas tha. Ve dono jaante the ki unka agla kadam kya hoga, shayad lunch ke baad.
Dopahar ke bhojan ke thik bees minute baad, bhojan ki santushti aur pichhli hansi-mazaak ki garmi ne unki nishkriyata ko tod diya. Baramde mein halki dhoop aur shaanti thi, lekin us mej ke paas, jahaan unhone abhi-abhi khana khaya tha, jald hi mahaul badal gaya.
Anand aur Anita, lunch karte samay bhi nagn the, keval mej ka kinara hi unki antarangta ko baaki duniya se chhupa raha tha. Ab jab ve uthe, to unke beech ka aakarshan aur bhi spasht ho gaya.
Anand ne platein mej par hi chhod diya aur ghoomkar Anita ke paas aaya. Anita abhi bhi apni seat par baithi thi. Anand ne jhukkar apne dono haath Anita ke kandhon par rakhe aur dhire-dhire unhein sehlane laga. Uska sparsh komal tha, lekin usmein ek gehri trishna thi.
Anand: (dhimi, kaanafusi bhari awaaz mein) Hisaab-kitaab to ho gaya... ab 'baaki' ke kaam par dhyaan dena chahiye, nahin?
Anita ne jawaab nahin diya, lekin uski aankhen band ho gayi, uske chehre par ek gehri, shaant muskaan thi. Anand ne apni ungliyaan uske kanth se neeche uski chhaati tak laai, aur uske ubhre hue, sanvedansheel angon ko halke se sehlane laga. Yeh sparsh ek signal tha, aur Anita ne use turant samjha.
Anand ka haath ab uske sharir par ghoom raha tha—kabhi uski kamar par, kabhi uski chikni peeth par—har sparsh se uski vaasna badhti ja rahi thi.
Anita ne apni aankhen kholi. Usne Anand ko apni or kheench liya aur apne haath se uske land ko pakad liya. Vah pehle se hi kaamechha se sakht ho chuka tha. Anita ne use thaam liya, aur apne haathon se use sehlane lagi, oopar-neeche karte hue usmein aur uttejna bhar di.
Anand ki saansen tez ho gayi. Usne Anita ko uthakar apne god mein bithaaya, is tarah ki uska mukh uske saamne tha, aur uske ang ab bilkul kareeb the.
Anand: (bhaari awaaz mein) Tum... tum jaanti ho ki mujhe aur intezaar karna pasand nahin hai...
Anita ne uski baat ko ansuna kar diya. Uska dhyaan sirf us pal par tha. Usne apne honth Anand ke honthon se jode aur unhein ek gehre, joshile chumban mein kheench liya. Unke sharir ek-doosre ke nagn taap ko mehsoos kar rahe the.
Ek teevra pyaas dono ko kheench rahi thi. Bina ek shabd kahe, unhone khud ko baramde ki garmi aur villa ki gopniyata ke hawale kar diya. Vah jagah, jahaan unhone abhi-abhi bhojan kiya tha, ab unke prem ke khel ka akhada ban gayi.
Vaasna ka yeh khel ek baar phir poori shiddat se shuru ho gaya tha, jahaan na to koi rukavat thi aur na hi koi sharm. Sirf do nagn sharir the, jo ek-doosre ki chahat ko poora karne mein lage the, aur paanch dinon mein bees shots ko yaad karna, is baat ka saboot tha ki yeh khel rukne wala nahin tha.
Manik bazaar se ghar ki taraf laut raha tha, uske dimaag mein ek hi yojana chal rahi thi. Usne socha tha ki Anu didi apne kaam se baahar hongi, Divya aur Pari bhi shayad apni college ki gatividhiyon mein vyast hongi. Yeh ghar mein Neeru bua ke saath akele rehne ka sahi mauka tha.
Kal raat bua ne use sanket diya tha—lagbhag vaada hi kiya tha—ki ve dono agle din zaroor antarang honge. Manik, jo pichhle kuch samay se bua ki taraf aakarshit tha, is soch se hi utsaahit tha. Uske man mein bua ke saath bitaaye jaane wale palon ki tasveeren ghoom rahi thi.
Vah tez se ghar mein ghusa. Hall paar karke jab vah bua ke kamre ki taraf badha, to darwaza khula tha. Usne andar jhaanka. Bua kamre mein thi, lekin unhein dekhkar Manik ke chehre ki khushi ekdam se feeki pad gayi.
Neeru bua packing kar rahi thi.
Unke kapde, zaroori samaan aur dawaaiyaan ek suitcase mein rakhi ja rahi thi. Yeh dekhkar Manik ko apne pairon tale zameen khisakti hui mehsoos hui.
Manik tez se bua ke paas pahuncha. Usne bina kuch soche-samjhe, peeche se bua ko apni baahon mein bhar liya. Uska ek haath bua ke pet par tha, aur doosra haath aage laakar usne bua ke ubhre hue angon ko zor se thaam liya.
Manik: (awaaz mein shikayat, chahat aur niraasha ka mishran) Aag lagaakar kahaan ja rahi ho, bua? Yeh sab kya hai? Aur... aur choot nahin dogi?
Neeru bua zor se chaunk gayi. Manik ki achaanak ki gayi harkat se vah ghabra gayi, lekin phir unhone apni sthiti ko samjha. Unhone dhire se Manik ke haathon ko hataaya aur peeche mudi.
Unka chehra bilkul bebasi aur ghabrahat se bhara hua tha. Unki aankhen bhi thodi nam thi, jisse Manik ki niraasha aur badh gayi.
Neeru bua: (aankhon mein aansoo bharte hue, lagbhag fusfusaate hue) Beta Manik... yeh sab main khushi se nahin kar rahi hoon.
Vah pal bhar ke liye ruki aur Manik ke chehre ko apne dono haathon se sehlaaya.
Neeru bua: (niraasha se bhara hua muh banaakar) Tumhare foofa ji ka abhi-abhi phone aaya tha. Vah bahut ghabraaye hue the... mere sasur ji... matlab, foofa ji ke pitaji ko heart attack aaya hai. Unki haalat bahut naazuk hai. Unhone kaha hai ki main agli train se hi waapas aa jaaoon. Mere liye rukna mumkin nahin hai, Manik.
Yeh sun kar Manik ke sharir mein jaise jaan hi nahin rahi. Uske saare armaan, saari yojanaayein, aur kal raat ka vah vaada pal bhar mein choor-choor ho gaye. Bua ki baat bilkul gambheer aur vaastavik thi. Vah jaante hue bhi zid nahin kar sakta tha.
Manik ne bua ka haath pakda, jo ab suitcase ka zip band kar raha tha.
Manik: (dhime, toota hua swar) Par... bua... kal raat...?
Neeru bua: (pyar se, lekin majboori se) Mujhe maaf kar do, beta. Main kya kar sakti hoon? Yeh meri marzi nahin hai. Haalaat hi aise ban gaye hain. Tum jaante ho, mera vahaan hona kitna zaroori hai.
Manik apna sa muh lekar bua ke paas hi khada rah gaya. Us pal mein vah na to gussa kar sakta tha, na zid, aur na hi apni niraasha zahir kar sakta tha. Vah bas bua ko bebasi se suitcase band karte hue dekhta raha, aur uske man mein yahi baat goonj rahi thi ki unka vaada, unki chahat, sab adhoori reh gayi.
Haalaaton ki majboori thi, isliye Manik ko hi Neeru bua ko station chhodne jaana pada. Poore raaste Manik chup raha, uske man mein us raat ke adhoore vaade ka dard tha. Bua ne bhi use shaant karne ki koshish ki, par Manik ki mayoosi saaf jhalak rahi thi.
Manik ne bua ko train mein bithaaya, unka samaan rakha, aur khidki ke paas khada raha jab tak train dhire-dhire platform se door nahin chali gayi. Jab train aankhon se ojhal ho gayi, to Manik ek gehri saans lekar waapas muda. Uski saari ummeedein aur uttejna ab shoonya ho chuki thi.
Vah is niraasha se baahar nikalne ke liye, seedhe apne bachpan ke dost, Dhruv Rathi ke ghar ki taraf chal pada. Use laga ki Dhruv ke saath thoda samay bitaane se uska man behal jaayega.
Jab Manik Dhruv ke ghar pahuncha, to Dhruv use dekhkar khush hua, lekin vahaan ek aur vyakti maujood thi—Dhruv ki badi behan, Jazz. Jazz bhi vahin baithi thi, apne phone mein kuch dekh rahi thi. Manik ke man mein turant ek aur vichar kaundha. Jazz se uske rishte thode khule the aur usne pehle bhi Manik ki ichha poori ki thi. Yeh uske liye bua ki niraasha ko bhulaane ka ek tarika ho sakta tha.
Dhruv kisi kaam se kitchen mein chal gaya, aur Manik ne is mauke ka faayda uthaya. Vah Jazz ke paas gaya aur dhimi awaaz mein, badi ummeed se bola:
Manik: (thoda sahme hue, lekin seedhe mudde par aate hue) Jazz... yaar, meri kismat aaj bahut kharab hai. Bua achaanak chali gayi... bahut mood off hai. Kya tum... kya tum thodi der ke liye mere saath chal sakti ho? Mera matlab hai... kya tum mujhe... thodi choot de sakti ho?
Manik ki awaaz mein saaf niraasha aur gehri chahat thi.
Jazz ne apna phone neeche rakha aur Manik ki taraf dekha. Manik ko dekhte hi vah uski manodasha samajh gayi. Usne ek gehri, sahanubhuti bhari saans li.
Jazz: (badi bechara sa muh banaakar) Oho, Manik! Mujhe pata hai tumhara mood kyun kharab hai, aur main tumhari help karna chahti thi, sach mein!
Jazz ne apna haath Manik ke haath par rakha, phir dhimi aur udaas awaaz mein boli:
Jazz: Par yaar... meri bhi kismat aaj kharab hai. Tumhein pata hai, mujhe periods aa gaye hain aaj subah hi.
Jazz ne niraasha se sir hilaaya. Manik ko laga jaise aasmaan se zameen par gir gaya ho. Ek ke baad ek do niraashayein! Uski saari uttejna, saari chahat... sab thande pad gaye.
Manik: (udaasi se sir jhukaakar) O... oh. Theek hai. Koi baat nahin, Jazz.
Usne Jazz ka haath chhoda aur Dhruv ke kitchen se aane ka intezaar nahin kiya. Usne Jazz se sirf itna kaha ki vah baad mein milega, aur bina kuch khaaye-piye, udaas sa hokar Dhruv ke ghar se nikal aaya.
Manik seedhe ghar aaya. Darwaza band karte hi use laga ki aaj ka din uske liye kisi pareeksha se kam nahin tha—ek pareeksha jahaan vah buri tarah se asafal hua tha. Uske dimaag mein sirf ek hi baat thi, aaj use kisi bhi haal mein sharirik santushti nahin mil paayegi.
