Bhag 45: Sham ko papa se milna aur aparna ka faisla
Shaam ke saat baj rahe the. Ghar ke bahar gaadi ki awaaz aayi. Manik showroom se laute the – thaka hua, par chehre par ek ajeeb si khushi thi. Darwaza khola toh seedhe drawing room mein nazar padi – Aparna sofe par baithi thi, haath pet par rakhe, aankhen khidki ki taraf.
Manik ka chehra chamak utha. Usne bag side mein rakha aur seedhe Aparna ki taraf badha. Uske kadam tez the, jaise koi intezaar khatam hua ho.
“Aparna beta!”
Aparna ne mudkar dekha. Uske chehre par bhi muskaan aa gayi – sachchi wali, dil se.
Manik ne use uthaya aur gale laga liya. Hug bahut pyar bhara tha – thoda tight, thoda lambi der tak. Aparna ne bhi baahon mein jakad liya. Papa ki shirt se showroom ki khushboo aayi – perfume, thodi si mitti ki, aur thodi si garmi.
Manik ne dheere se kaha, awaaz mein khushi bhari hui,
“Badi khushi hui, Aparna beta… tu hamse milne aayi.”
Aparna ne Papa ke kandhe par sar tikaya. Uske dil mein bhi sukoon tha – purana sukoon, bachpan wala.
“Papa… mera bhi man tha aapse milne ka. Bahut din ho gaye the.”
Dono kuchh der waise hi khade rahe. Manik ne use dheere se chhoda, phir uske chehre ko haathon mein leke dekha – pet ubhra hua, aankhen thaki hui par chamakti hui.
“Tu kitni sundar lag rahi hai aaj… meri beti maa banne wali hai.”
Aparna ne sharma kar muskuraya, par usne kuchh nahi kaha. Dil mein woh baat thi – showroom wali, Anjali wali, Suruchi ne jo bataya tha. Par abhi… abhi woh baat nahi karna chahti thi. Papa itne khush the. Usne khud ko rok liya.
Manik ne sofa par baithaya use, khud bag se phone nikala.
“Aaj tera favorite pizza mangwata hoon. Vahi extra cheese wala, olives aur mushroom wala. Theek hai na?”
Aparna ne haan mein sar hilaya.
“Haan Papa… bahut din ho gaye the woh khaye hue.”
Manik ne turant order kar diya – online app se, jaldi delivery wala. Phir Aparna ke paas baith gaya, uska haath pakda.
“Kaisi hai tu? Baby theek hai? Koi takleef toh nahi?”
Aparna ne muskurate hue kaha,
“Sab theek hai Papa. Bas thakan hoti hai kabhi-kabhi. Aap kaise ho? Showroom kaisa chal raha hai?”
Manik ki aankhon mein chamak aayi.
“Sab badhiya beta. Business achha chal raha hai. Aur… zindagi bhi thodi achhi lag rahi hai aajkal.”
Aparna ne sirf muskuraya. Usne notice kiya – Papa ki awaaz mein woh purani thakan nahi thi. Ab kuchh aur tha – excitement, energy. Par woh chup rahi. Pizza ka wait karne lagi.
Pizza aaya toh dono ne saath khaya – chhoti si family dinner jaisa. Hasi-mazaak, purani baatein. Aparna andar se soch rahi thi – “Kal subah baat karungi. Aaj sirf… Papa ki khushi dekh leti hoon.”
Raat gehri ho rahi thi.
Pizza khatam hua.
Manik khush tha.
Aparna ka dil halka tha… par kal ka intezaar bhaari tha.
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Agli subah ghar mein thodi si alag si hawa thi. Suruchi jaldi uth kar taiyar ho gayi thi, showroom jaane ke liye. Usne aaj kapde bhi simple rakhe the – ek plain kurti aur jeans – jaise dil ki udaasi chhupa rahi ho. Aparna raat bhar so nahi paayi thi. Pet pe haath rakhe, baar-baar sochti rahi – Papa ke badalte roop ko, unki khushi ko, aur ab badhti hui risk ko.
Pichhli sham Papa andar gaye to Aparna ne Suruchi ko ishaara kiya. Suruchi samajh gayi.
Aparna ne dheere se bola,
“Suruchi… kal subah main khud Papa se baat karungi. Tu showroom jaana. Aaj raat ko hi sab plan kar lete hain.”
Suruchi ne sar hilaya. Uske dil mein thoda sukoon tha – Di ne zimmedari le li thi.
Aparna ne phir awaaz di,
“Musu! Meenu!”
Dono daudti hui aayi.
Musu: “Kya hua Di?”
Aparna ne muskurate hue bola,
“Kal subah Papa se important baat karni hai. Tum dono ko market jaana hai. Kuch saman lena hai – fruits, vegetables, aur jo bhi ghar mein chahiye. Do ghante se pehle wapas mat aana. Theek hai?”
Meenu ne thoda sa shak bhari nazar se dekha, par kuchh boli nahi. Musu ne excited hokar kaha,
“Theek hai Di! Hum jaldi nahi aayenge. Shopping kar lenge achhe se!”
Aparna ne un dono ko 500-500 rupaye diye aur bola,
“Aur haan musu tera phone tere paas hi rehna chahiye tu kayi baar phone nahi uthati mujhe kuchh chahiye hoga to bata dungi.”
Suruchi ne Aparna ki taraf dekha.
“Di… kal subah kya kahogi Papa se?”
Aparna ne gehri saans li.
“Jo bhi kahungi… pyar se kahungi. Papa ko samjhaungi – khushi rakhna hai, par ghar ki izzat bhi rakhni hai. Showroom mein yeh sab… band karna hoga.”
Suruchi ne haath jod liye.
“Bas yahi chahti hoon Di. Papa khush rahein… par hum sab safe rahein.”
Aparna ne Suruchi ke kandhe pe haath rakha.
“Ho jayega. Kal subah sab theek kar lenge.”
Ghar mein sannata chha gaya.
Papa andar the.
Bahari kamre mein do behnein baithi thi – ek taraf Papa ki khushi, doosri taraf parivaar ki izzat.
Kal subah… faisla hone wala tha.
