Bhag 44 : Suruchi ki duvidha
Suruchi apne kamre mein bistar par baithi thi, haathon mein mobile, par screen band. Aankhen khidki ki taraf thi – bahar shaam dhal rahi thi, suraj ki aakhri kiranein deewaron pe laal rang bichha rahi thi. Ghar mein sannata tha – Papa showroom se abhi tak nahi laute the, Musu college ke project ke liye friend ke ghar gayi hui thi, aur Meenu kitchen mein khana bana rahi thi. Suruchi ke paas aaj poora waqt tha – sochne ka, faisla karne ka.
Uske dil mein do taraf ki ladai chal rahi thi.
Ek taraf Papa ki khushi.
Woh yaad kar rahi thi – Papa ke chehre pe woh purani udaasi, mummy ke jaane ke baad wali khamoshi. Raat bhar akela baith kar TV dekhte, kabhi-kabhi aankhen nam. Woh teeno behnein jaanti thi – Papa ne kabhi shikayat nahi ki. Kabhi kisi aur aurat ki taraf nahi dekha. Bas un teeno ke liye jeete rahe – fees, college, shaadi, sab kuch. Ab jab Papa khush lag rahe the – thodi si chamak aankhon mein, thodi si muskaan chehre pe – Suruchi ke dil ko sukoon milta tha. “Papa khush hain… Meenu se unko jo sukoon mil raha hai, woh achha hai. Main interfere nahi karungi.”
Par doosri taraf… ab baat parivaar ki izzat par aa gayi thi.
Showroom mein jo dekha – Papa aur Anjali… cabin mein… doggy style mein… “Suruchi ke din wait kar leti hoon main…” yeh baat uske kaanon mein goonj rahi thi. Papa sirf Meenu tak nahi ruk rahe the. Unki aag bahar bhi jal rahi thi – showroom mein, Anjali ke saath, uske teen din ke liye control karte hue. Yeh baat Suruchi ke dil ko cheer rahi thi. “Papa… aap mujhe bachane ke liye control karte ho… par jab main nahi hoti, toh aap showroom mein hi… yeh kya hai? Yeh pyar nahi… yeh aag hai… jo aapko kha rahi hai.”
Woh soch rahi thi – Aparna Di ko bataun ya nahi? Di pregnant hai – 5 mahine ki. Stress nahi dena chahiye. Par Di bhi samajhdar hai. Di ne pehle bhi Papa ke Meenu wale rishte ko accept kar liya tha. Shayad Di samajh jaaye. Ya phir… Di ko bata kar Papa ko rokne ka plan banaye? Ya chup rahun? Ya Papa se seedhe baat karun?
Suruchi ke haath kaanp rahe the. Usne phone uthaya – Aparna Di ka number khola. Call lagane wali thi, par finger ruk gaya. “Di ko bataun toh kya bolungi? ‘Di… Papa showroom mein Anjali ko chod rahe the… aur mere teen din ke liye wait karte hain…’ Yeh sun kar Di kya sochengi? Woh pregnant hai… stress se baby ko nuksaan ho sakta hai.”
Woh phone side mein rakh diya. Bistar par let gayi, aankhen band kar li. Dimaag mein do taraf ki ladai chal rahi thi.
Ek taraf Papa ki khushi – “Papa khush hain… unki aankhon mein chamak hai… woh pehle jaisa udaas nahi rehte… shayad yeh sab unko sukoon de raha hai. Main kyun rokun? Main unki beti hoon… unki khushi dekhni chahiye.”
Doosri taraf parivaar ki izzat – “Par yeh showroom mein… Anjali ke saath… agar kisi ko pata chal gaya? Agar staff ne dekh liya? Agar koi video bana liya? Ya phir Anjali khud leak kar di? Toh kya hoga? Ghar ki izzat… hum teeno behnon ki izzat… sab barbaad ho jayegi. Papa ka business bhi… sab khatam.”
Suruchi ka dil dhadak raha tha. Woh soch rahi thi – “Main akeli hoon… Musu ko nahi bata sakti… woh chhoti hai. Di ko bataun toh stress… Papa se seedhe bolun toh kya bolun? ‘Papa… main jaanti hoon aap Anjali ke saath kya kar rahe ho… mere din pe control karte ho… par yeh galat hai…’ Papa kya kahenge? Gussa karenge? Ya sharminda honge? Ya phir… mujhe bhi…”
Uski saans tez ho gayi. Woh khud ko rokne lagi. “Nahi… yeh galat soch hai. Main aisi nahi hoon. Main unki beti hoon… bas unki khushi chahti hoon… par izzat bhi rakhni hai.”
Tabhi darwaza khula. Aparna Di andar aayi – thodi thaki hui, pet ubhra hua, lekin muskurahat chehre pe. Rohan gaadi mein wait kar raha tha bahar.
Aparna: “Suruchi… kya hua? Message kiya tha… chehra udaas kyun hai? Koi problem?”
Suruchi uthi, Di ko gale lagaya. Uske dil mein do taraf ki ladai chal rahi thi – bataun ya na bataun?
Suruchi: “Di… baitho… baat karni hai. Bahut badi baat hai.”
Aparna bed par baith gayi, Suruchi ke haath pakde.
“Bata… kya hua? Papa theek hain? Musu? Meenu?”
Suruchi ne gehri saans li. Uski aankhen nam ho gayi.
“Di… maine… maine Papa ko dekha… showroom mein… Anjali ke saath… woh… woh dono… cabin mein… lunch time pe… chudai kar rahe the. Aur Papa ne bola… ‘Suruchi ke din wait kar leti hoon main…’ Matlab mere teen din ke liye control karte hain… par jab main nahi hoti… toh woh Anjali ko…”
Aparna ka chehra safed pad gaya. Woh kuchh der chup rahi. Phir dheere se boli,
“Suruchi… main jaanti thi Papa badal rahe hain… Meenu ke baare mein bhi jaanti thi. Par Anjali? Showroom mein? Yeh… yeh bahut galat hai. Par… Papa khush hain na? Unki aankhon mein chamak hai… woh pehle jaisa udaas nahi rehte.”
Suruchi ne sar hilaya.
“Haan Di… khush hain. Par ab baat izzat par aa gayi hai. Agar kisi ko pata chal gaya… showroom mein… toh kya hoga? Hum teeno behnon ki izzat… business… sab barbaad ho jayega. Main kya karun Di? Bataun Papa ko? Ya chup rahun?”
Aparna ne Suruchi ke haath dabaye.
“Dekho suru… main bhi soch rahi thi yahi. Papa ne humare liye sab kuch kiya. Ab jab unko khushi mil rahi hai… main rokna nahi chahti. Par yeh showroom mein… yeh risk hai. Main kal Papa se baat karungi. Seedhe. Bolungi – aap khush raho… par izzat ka khayal rakhna. Agar yeh baat bahar gayi… toh sab barbaad ho jayega.”
Suruchi ne sar hilaya.
“Di… main bhi yahi chahti hoon. Papa khush rahein… par humari izzat bhi bache.”
Aparna ne Suruchi ko gale lagaya.
“Chinta mat kar… hum dono mil kar sambhal lenge. Papa ko samjhayenge… pyar se. Woh samajh jayenge.”
Dono behne ek dusre ko gale lagaye baithi rahi. Suruchi ka dil thoda halka hua – Di ke saath baat karne se sukoon mila. Par andar se woh tadap abhi bhi thi – “Papa ki aag… badhti ja rahi hai. Main kya karun?”
Raat bhar woh sochti rahi. Kal Papa se baat karegi – Aparna Di ke saath. Par abhi… abhi sirf wait tha. Aur ek chhupa hua sukoon – “Papa khush hain… yeh baat dil ko chhoo gayi.”
Ghar mein sannata tha.
Lekin Suruchi ka dil… abhi bhi tadap raha tha.
