Chapter - 35
Rahman Bhaijaan ka ghar kuch 10-12 minute ki doori par tha, aur jab tak main samajh pata, gaadi unke ghar ke saamne pahunch gayi. Saamne ek do-manzila ghar tha, tazi painting se chamkta hua, jaise haal hi mein sajaya gaya ho. “Pahunch gaye, Imran, zara main gate khol do,” Rahman Bhaijaan ne kaha. Main jhat se utar kar darwaza khola, aur unhone gaadi gate ke saamne park ki. Gaadi rukte hi Rahman Bhaijaan utre, phir Samreen utri, salwar aur hijab mein, aur usne Rizwan ko Noor se le kar god mein utha liya. Main peeche badha, apne do bag nikaalne laga, tab Rahman Bhaijaan ne ek bag uthaya, aur hum sab gheere dheere ghar mein dakhil ho gaye.
Rahman Bhaijaan ke kehne par hum living room ke sofe par baith gaye, Noor aur main ek taraf, woh aur Samreen saamne. Rizwan Samreen ki god mein khel raha tha, uski hansi kamre ki ronak badhaati thi. “Yeh mausam to bada suhana hai aaj,” Rahman Bhaijaan ne baat shuru ki, “subah thodi boonda-baandi thi, ab thandak achchhi lag rahi hai.” Noor ne muskura kar kaha, “Haan, warna yeh garmi satati thi.” Meri nazar Samreen ki taraf khinchi, uska hijab uske chehre ko sundar tarike se frame kar raha tha, uski aankhon mein halki chamak dekh main thodi der uspar ruka. “Rizwan to pura shaitan ban gaya,” Samreen ne kaha, uski awaaz mein pyaar aur masti ka mishran tha, “din bhar daudta rehta hai.” Main hans pada, “Haan, yeh Noor ka asar hai, bilkul usi ki tarah.” Noor ne mujhe ghoora, “Kya matlab, main kahan shaitan hoon?” Sab hasne lage.
“Imran, bank mein kaam kaisa chal raha hai?” Rahman Bhaijaan ne poochha. “Bas, Bhaijaan, branch mein kaam thik hai,” maine jawab diya, “lekin loan targets aur audits ka dabav rehta hai.” Meri nazar phir Samreen par gayi, jo Rizwan ke haathon se khel rahi thi, uski muskaan ke saath uski aankhein jhuk gayin, aur main jhat se nazar hata liya. “Haan, yeh dabav to business mein bhi hai,” Rahman Bhaijaan bole, “textile ka kaam chal raha hai, lekin naye fabric orders ke liye dimaag khapana padta hai. Bazaar mein competition bhi badh gaya hai.” Samreen ne chimki, “Aur Ayesha Khala to ab bhi Bhaijaan ko daantti hain, kal hi unka phone aaya tha, bol rahi thi, ‘Rahman, kaam chhodo, ghar aao!’” Noor ne haskar kaha, “Ayesha Khala ka to wahi style hai, daant mein bhi pyar chhupa hota hai.” Meri nazar ek baar phir Samreen ki taraf khinchi, uski hansi ke saath uske haathon ki nazakat dekh main ek pal ke liye khoya sa raha.
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Mera dimaag baar-baar kuchh ghanton pehle ki ghatna ki taraf kheench raha tha. Us kameene ne mujhe kitni berahmi se maara tha—chhoton ka dard ab bhi mere jism mein ghoom raha tha, har saans ke saath tees uthati. Sofe par baitha, main Samreen ki aankhon mein kuchh dhoondh raha tha, par woh aisi thi, jaise main koi ajnabi hoon. Uska hijab uske chehre ko raazdaar bana raha tha, uski thandi nazar meri taraf dekhti bhi nahi. Uske is bartav ne uski maar se bhi zyada chubha, mere dil mein gussa bhadak utha.
Nikah ki thakan se hum sab toot rahe the. Noor neend mein jhool rahi thi, aankhein baar-baar bandh. Yeh dekh Rahman Bhaijaan ne mujhe guest kamre ki taraf ishara kiya. Samreen jhat se khadi hui, mujhe dekhte hue boli, “Imran, main jaldi se bedsheet badal deti hoon, phir aap so jaaiye.” Main use ghoorta raha, haan mein sir hila diya. Woh kamre ki taraf chali gayi, uska salwar uske kadmon ke saath lehra raha tha. Meri nazar uski chaal par thami, aur tabhi woh car wali ghatna yaad aayi—woh kameena, uski muththi, aur Samreen ki khamoshi.
Panch-che minute baad Samreen wapas aayi, ek bottle paani mere haath mein thama, aur boli, “Kamra saaf hai, ab tum teeno so jao.” Main thaka-haara kamre mein pahuncha. Noor ne pehle Rizwan ko sula diya, phir khud so gayi. Kamre ki khamoshi mein pankhe ki halki awaaz goonj rahi thi, par dard aur dimaag ka toofan mujhe chain nahi de raha tha. Kuchh lamhon baad main bhi neend ke dariya mein doob gaya.
Agli subah mera jism itna dukh raha tha ki chalna mushkil tha. Pichhli raat ki maar ke nishaan taaze the. Badi mushkil se utha, to mehsoos hua Noor kamre mein nahi thi. Kuchh pal baad Samreen aayi, mujhe ghoorne lagi. Meri haalat dekh, woh aage badhi, mere kandhe par haath rakha, dheere se boli, “Bahut maar diya tumhe, nahi marna chahiye tha.” Mera gussa bhadak gaya, par main chup raha. Woh phir boli, “Tumhe Moov deti hoon, laga lo, aaram milega.” Uski awaaz thandi thi, jaise ehsan kar rahi ho. Main kuchh bol na saka. Usne Moov la kar diya aur kamre se chali gayi. Pehle socha Noor se lagwa loon, par phir ruka—pichhli raat ka haadsa usse kya bolta? Main tube se Moov nikala aur chhoton par lagane laga.
Mere andar gussa isliye nahi tha ki Samreen aur us kameene ne chudai ki, balki isliye ki usne mujh par bewajah haath uthaya, aur Samreen ka rawaiya bilkul thanda tha.
Kuchh pal baad Noor aayi, boli, “Khana tayyar hai, naha-dho kar kha lo.” Woh kitchen mein chali gayi. Main karahate hue bistar se utha, fresh hua, aur nashta karne baitha. Khana khaane ke baad Noor aur Samreen Rizwan aur samreen ke teen bachchon ko le kar Ayesha Khala ke yahan chali gayin baki functions me shareek hone. Ghar mein main akela reh gaya. Dard ki wajah se maine din me aaram karne ki sochi.
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Din bhar aaram karne ke bawajood mera haal kharab tha, gussa satven aasman par chadha hua tha. Isi gusse ke beech maine Rahman Bhaijaan ko phone laga diya.
“Bhaijaan, main Imran bol raha hoon. Aap kab tak ghar aaoge? Mujhe ek bahut zaroori baat karni hai,” maine kaha.
“Kya hua, Imran? Phone par bhi to bata sakta hai, bol,” unhone jawab diya.
“Nahi, Bhaijaan, yeh baat saamne-saamne hi karni hai,” maine keh kar phone kaat diya. Mera dil, jo gusse se dhadak raha tha, ab ghabrahat se kampne laga. Sochne laga, kya maine sahi kiya? Kya mujhe Rahman Bhaijaan ko sachchai bata deni chahiye? Phone laga kar main khud hi phas gaya tha. Maine apne aap ko samjhaaya ki Samreen ke baare mein batana galat hoga—unka poora parivaar toot jayega. Gusse aur jaldbaazi mein maine galat kadam utha liya tha.
Dopahar hote hi Rahman Bhaijaan ghar aaye, haath mein mere liye khane ka dabba liye. Hum dono dining room mein kursiyon par baithe. Unhone khana nikaalte hue poochha, “Kya zaroori baat thi jo phone par nahi bata sake?” Mera gussa thanda ho chuka tha, aur main Samreen ko pareshaani mein nahi daalna chahta tha. “Bhaijaan, kal raat aapko yakeen nahi hoga, lekin ek ladke ne apki car ke paas mujhe dhakka dekar zameen par gira diya,” maine kaha.
Rahman Bhaijaan ka chehra ek pal ke liye ruk gaya. Unki aankhon mein ek udaasi si chha gayi, jaise woh kuchh jante hon. “Mere car ke paas?” unhone dheere se poochha, awaaz mein ek bojh. Main chup raha, Samreen ka hijab-wala chehra aankhon ke saamne ghoom gaya. “Haan, Bhaijaan, andhere mein chehra saaf nahi dikha,” maine jhooth bola, dil mein bojh badhta gaya.
Unhone nazar jhuka li, haath khane ke dabbe par thame. “Rahul tha na?” unhone achanak kaha, awaaz mein ek thandi si ghamgini. Mera dil dhadakna bandh ho gaya. Woh jaante the—Samreen aur Rahul ke affair ke baare mein. “Imran, tu chhupa kyun raha hai?” unhone dheeme se kaha, aankhein ab bhi neeche. “Mujhe sab pata hai.” Unka chehra udaas tha, jaise ek toota hua sapna unki aankhon mein simat gaya ho.
Main kuchh bol na saka, bas unhe dekhta raha. “Bhaijaan, main…” maine shuru kiya, par awaaz khatam ho gayi. Unhone haath utha kar mujhe chup karaya. “Koi baat nahi, Imran. Yeh meri galti hai, maine usse roka nahi.” Woh khana parosne lage, par unki haalat dekh mera dil bhaari ho gaya. Gussa ab shak aur taras mein badal chuka tha. Main chupchaap khana khaata raha, sochta hua ki yeh raaz ab kahan le jayega.
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Rahman Bhaijaan ka chehra udaas tha, aankhein jhuki hui, jaise koi bhaari raaz unke dil par daba ho. “Imran,” unhone dheeme se kaha, awaaz mein dard bhara, “yeh sab meri wajah se hua.” Mera dimaag thamm gaya. Unhone batana shuru kiya, “Main tharki ban gaya tha, galeech chudai wali filmein dekhkar. Samreen, meri biwi, gaon ki, pakki namazi, hijab aur burkha pehenne wali, jo kisi gair mard se baat tak na karti—maine usse is gande khel mein dhakela. Socha, ek baar ki chudai, bas maza hoga. Facebook par Rahul mila, usne fake ID se Samreen se baat ki, Instagram shopping ke bahaane. Maine khud usse roleplay karne ko kaha, mazak samajhkar.” Unki awaaz tootne lagi. “Par Samreen badal gayi. Chhup-chhup usse baat karne lagi, meri baat nahi sunti. Mujhe baad mein pata chala, woh dono kayi baar mile, hambistari bhi ki.”
Meri saansein ruk gayin. “Bhaijaan, kal raat?” maine poochha, dil dhadakta hua. Rahman Bhaijaan ne sar jhuka liya. “Rahul ne tujhe maara, Imran. Meri car ke paas, woh aur Samreen… wahan jarur hambistari kar rahe the. Shayad usse laga tu ne unhe dekh liya, isliye usne tujh par haath uthaya.” Unhone ek thandi saans li, aankhein bheeg gayin. “Maine socha yeh meri tharki khwahish thi, par yeh to meri zindagi ka naas ban gaya.”
Maine dheere se kaha, “Bhaijaan, shayad… aapko Samreen se alag ho jana chahiye.” Unka chehra safed pad gaya. “Imran, kya bol raha hai? Talaq? Ghar...log kya kahenge? Aur mere teen bacche… unka pyar, unki khushi, main kaise chhod doon?” Unki awaaz kampne lagi. “Main yeh sab seh loonga, par parivaar nahi tootne doonga.”
Kamre mein khamoshi chha gayi.
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Main Rahman Bhaijaan ko sunta raha, unka dard mere andar bhi goonj raha tha. Meri haalat bhi to unhi jaisi thi. Dil mein ek sawal ubhra, aur maine seedha poochh liya, “Bhaijaan, woh galeech filmein… kya woh cuckold wali thi?” Unhone ek pal ke liye mujhe dekha, phir sar hila diya, “Haan, Imran, wahi thi.” Main chup raha, par dil mein toofan utha. Phir maine himmat karke poochha, “To kya aap… cuckold hain?” Rahman Bhaijaan ne jhat se sar uthaya, aankhon mein ek gussa sa, “Nahi, Imran, main woh nahi hoon!” Unki awaaz mein sharam aur nafrat ka mishran tha. Main chup ho gaya, baat ko wahi dafn kar diya. Hum dono chupchaap khana khaane lage, bas chammach aur plate ki halki awaaz kamre mein goonj rahi thi.
Jab main aakhri niwala lene wala tha, Rahman Bhaijaan ne dheeme se kaha, “Imran, main cuckold nahi hoon… par shayad banna chahta hoon.” Unki awaaz mein ek ajab si bechaini thi. Main ruk gaya, unhe dekha, aur ek halki si muskaan mere chehre par aa gayi. “Bhaijaan,” maine kaha, “main madad karoonga.” Woh mujhe dekhte rahe. "Main ek cuck hun"
