Bhag 46: Sach ka Saamna
Subah ke nau baj rahe the. Ghar mein sannata tha – woh sannata jo faisle ke pehle hota hai, jahaan har saans mein ek sawal chhupa hota hai. Musu aur Meenu ja chuke the market. Aparna ne unhe subah hi taiyar kiya tha – ek bada sa bag haath mein, 1000 rupaye pocket mein, aur ek strict hidayat: "Do ghante se pehle mat aana. Kuchh important kaam hai ghar mein." Musu ne excited hokar poocha tha, "Di, kya kharidna hai? Main toh shopping list bana leti hoon!" Par Aparna ne sirf muskuraya tha, "Jo bhi ghar mein chahiye – fruits, doodh, sabjiyan, aur thoda sa makeup for you both. Bas enjoy karo." Meenu ne thoda sa shak bhari nazar se Aparna ko dekha tha, jaise usne mehsoos kar liya ho ki kuchh gadbad hai. Par woh chup rahi, kyunki Meenu jaanti thi – Di ke faisle galat nahi hote.
Darwaza band hua. Gaadi ki awaaz door gayi. Ab ghar mein sirf Aparna aur Manik the. Suruchi showroom pahunch chuki thi – subah ke aath baje nikal gayi thi, Aparna ke kehne par. "Tu jaa, Suruchi. Main sambhal loongi," usne kaha tha, awaaz mein thodi si kampan. Aparna ne use gale lagaya tha, "Haan suru, sab theek ho jayega. Bas trust kar."
Aparna kitchen mein khadi thi, chai bana rahi thi. Pet thoda sa ubhra hua mehsoos ho raha tha aaj – shayad tension ki wajah se. Usne haath pet par rakha, dheere se sehlaya. "Baby, sab theek hai. Mummy sab sambhal legi." Manik bedroom se nikle the – taiyar hokar, showroom jaane ko. Unhone achha sa shirt pehna tha, aaj navy blue wala, jo unhe confident lagta tha. Chehre par woh purani chamak thi – jaise zindagi ab unki taraf muskurayi ho.
"Papa," Aparna ne awaaz di, cup haath mein liye. "Aaj showroom mat jaana. Chai pi lo pehle. Baitho, baat karni hai mujhse."
Manik ruk gaye. Unki bhaunhen uth gayi. Woh sofe ki taraf mudhe, par kadam ruk sa gaye. "Baat? Kya baat beta? Sab theek toh hai na? Tu theek hai? Baby?"
Aparna ne muskurane ki koshish ki, par muskaan thodi si kanp gayi. Woh sofe par baith gayi, Manik ko ishaara kiya. "Haan Papa, main theek hoon. Baby bhi theek hai. Bas... baitho na. Chai pilati hoon."
Manik baith gaye, par unka dil thoda tez dhadak raha tha. Woh soch rahe the – kya hua? Kal raat toh sab normal tha. Pizza khaya tha saath, baatein hui thi purani. Aparna khush lag rahi thi. Toh aaj subah yeh? "Kya hua Aparna? Bol na. Tension mat de."
Aparna ne chai ka cup unke saamne rakha, khud bhi ek sip li. Usne gehri saans li, aankhen neeche kiye. Yeh moment tha – woh moment jahaan sach bolna padta hai, chahe kitna hi dard de. "Papa... yeh baat... Suruchi ke baare mein hai. Aur... aapke baare mein."
Manik ka cup ruk gaya adh mein. Unki aankhen phail gayi. "Suruchi? Kya hua use? Showroom mein kuchh problem? Training?"
"Nahi Papa," Aparna ne dheere se kaha, awaaz mein pyar bhara hua. "Suruchi theek hai. Par... use aapki... aapki sexual desires ka pata chal gaya hai. Woh jaanti hai aapke aur Meenu ke relation ke baare mein."
Manik ka chehra safed pad gaya. Cup haath se girte-girte bacha. Chai ka thoda sa gir gaya table par. Unki saans ruk si gayi. "Kya... kya matlab? Aparna, yeh kya keh rahi ho? Suruchi ko... kaise? Main... maine toh kabhi..."
Aparna ne unke haath ko pakad liya, dheere se. Usne mehsoos kiya – Papa ke haath thande ho gaye the, kamp rahe the. "Papa, shant ho jao. Suno poori baat. Suruchi ko pehle se pata tha aapke aur Meenu ke baare mein. Woh jaanti thi ki aap dono ke beech... woh rishta. Par woh chup thi. Kyunki woh aapki khushi dekhna chahti thi. Aapke chehre par woh udaasi nahi dekhna chahti thi jo Mummy ke jaane ke baad thi. Woh teeno behenein jaanti hain aapne kya-kya kiya unke liye. Fees, college, shaadi – sab. Toh Suruchi ne socha, agar yeh aapko sukoon de raha hai, toh chup rahun. Par ab... ab baat badal gayi hai."
Manik ka munh khula reh gaya. Unki aankhen Suruchi ki tasveer ki taraf mud gayi – diwar par lagi hui, uski college uniform mein. "Suruchi... meri beti... jaanti thi? Aur chup rahi? Par... par yeh sab... maine toh socha tha... koi nahi jaanta. Meenu aur main... sirf ghar mein, chupke se. Aparna, yeh... yeh galat hai. Main... main sharminda hoon."
Aparna ne unke haath ko aur mazboot pakda. "Papa, koi aapko galat nahi keh raha. Hum sab aapki khushi mein shamil hain. Main bhi jaanti hoon Meenu wale rishte ke baare mein. Jab Suruchi ne bataya, toh maine socha – Papa itne saalon se akela the. Ab thodi si khushi mil rahi hai, toh kyun rokun? Par ab... Anjali ki baat aa gayi hai."
Manik ka dil jaise ruk gaya. "Anjali? Showroom wali? Kya... kya matlab? Aparna, tu... tu yeh sab jaanti hai? Kab se?"
Aparna ne sir hilaya, par nazrein na hatayi. "Kal. Suruchi ne kal bataya. Woh showroom mein aayi thi lunch time pe, training ke liye. Par kal uski training cancel ho gayi thi – trainer ki tabiyat kharab. Toh woh wapas cabin ki taraf gayi, aur... aur usne aapko Anjali ke saath dekh liya."
Manik ka chehra laal ho gaya – sharm se, dar se. Unhone haath chhudane ki koshish ki, par Aparna ne na chhoda. "Dekh liya? Kya... kya matlab? Woh... woh cabin mein? Lunch time? Par... par maine toh socha tha sab band hai. Suruchi lunch pe hoti hai na? Teen din... sirf teen din mein... main control karta hoon. Anjali se... sirf wohi din. Baaki din... Meenu... ya ghar."
Aparna ne uski baat kaat di, awaaz thodi tez kar ke. "Haan Papa, pata hai. Suruchi ne hi bataya – aap uske teen dino mein hi Anjali se milte ho. Control karte ho apne aap ko. Par kal training cancel ho gayi. Woh wapas aayi, cabin ke bahar se... aur sun liya. Aapki awaaz... 'Suruchi ke din wait kar leti hoon main...' Yeh baat. Aur... aur woh dekh bhi liya. Aap dono... doggy style mein... cabin mein. Lunch time pe."
Manik ka badan kaanpne laga. Unhone sar jhuka liya, haathon se chehra chhupa liya. Aankhen band kar li. Dil mein ek toofan utha – dar, sharm, gussa khud par. "Yeh... yeh kaise? Meri beti... ne dekha? Suruchi ne... mujhe... aise? Oh God... main... main kya kar raha hoon? Aparna, main... main monster hoon. Betiyon ke saamne... yeh sab. Anjali... woh sirf... sirf aag bujhane ke liye. Showroom mein... risk... par main... main ruk nahi paaya. Pehle Meenu... ab Anjali. Yeh aag... yeh mujhe kha rahi hai."
Aparna ka dil bhi dhadak raha tha. Usne pet par haath rakha, baby ko mehsoos kiya. Par woh khud ko sambhali. Yeh waqt rohne ka nahi tha. Sambhalne ka tha. Usne Manik ke kandhe par haath rakha, dheere se sehlaya. "Papa... rukiye. Sar uthaiye. Dekhiye mujhe. Koi aapko monster nahi keh raha. Suruchi nahi, main nahi. Hum aapki betiyan hain. Hum jaante hain aapne kya saha hai. Mummy ke jaane ke baad... woh raatein, woh akelapan. TV ke saamne baithkar, aankhen nam. Hum teeno ne dekha tha. Aapne kabhi shikayat nahi ki. Kabhi doosri aurat ki taraf nahi dekha. Bas humare liye jeeye. Ab... ab yeh sab... yeh aapko zinda kar raha hai. Aapki aankhon mein chamak hai. Chehre par muskaan. Toh hum khush hain. Sach mein."
Manik ne dheere se sar uthaya. Unki aankhen laal thi, nam. "Par... Suruchi? Woh... woh kya soch rahi hogi? Meri beti... ne apne Papa ko... aise dekha. Anjali ke saath... jaise koi jaanwar. Main... main usse muh kaise dikhaunga? Aur tu... pregnant ho, stress le rahi ho. Baby ko... nuksaan..."
Aparna ne phir unke haath pakde, is baar dono haathon se. "Papa, Suruchi aapko pyar karti hai. Woh udaas nahi hui. Woh tadap rahi hai – aapki khushi ke liye, par ghar ki izzat ke liye. Usne mujhe bataya, aur hum dono ne socha – baat karni hogi. Seedhe. Pyar se. Kyunki agar yeh baat chhupati rahi, toh andar hi andar kha jayegi. Aur Anjali wali baat... woh risk hai Papa. Showroom mein... staff ke beech... agar kisi ne dekh liya? Agar Anjali ne... ya koi video? Toh ghar ki badnami... hum teeno behnon ki izzat... aapka business... sab khatam. Hum yeh nahi chahte."
Manik ne gehri saans li. Unka badan abhi bhi kaanp raha tha, par Aparna ke haathon ki garmi se thoda sukoon mil raha tha. Woh soch rahe the – flashback mein. Woh din yaad aa gaya jab Anjali se pehli baar... showroom ke peeche ke store room mein. Lunch time. Woh skirt... uski muskurahat. "Sir, aap itne din se control kar rahe ho. Aaj... bas ek baar." Aur woh ruk nahi paaye. Phir har teen din mein... Suruchi ke lunch time pe. Jaise addiction. Meenu ghar mein sukoon deti thi, Anjali excitement. Par ab... yeh sab khatam?
"Aparna... tu sahi keh rahi hai," Manik ne dheere se kaha, awaaz tooti hui. "Main... main galat kar raha hoon. Yeh aag... Mummy ke jaane ke baad... main bhool gaya tha khush hona kya hota hai. Pehle Meenu... woh meri beti hai, par... woh aurat bhi hai. Usne samjha liya. Par Anjali... woh employee hai. Showroom mein... yeh paagalpan tha. Kal... kal Suruchi ki training cancel... maine nahi jaana tha. Par Anjali ne call kiya... 'Sir, aaj free hoon.' Aur main... main chala gaya. Kab se... yeh routine ban gaya. Teen din wait... phir aag bujhana. Par ab... ab main samajh gaya. Yeh khushi nahi, barbadi hai."
Aparna ne muskuraya, pehli baar sachchi muskaan. "Papa, aap samajh gaye, yeh badi baat hai. Hum aapko rokna nahi chahte. Meenu wala rishta... woh ghar mein hai, chhupa. Safe. Hum teeno jaante hain, accept karte hain. Kyunki woh pyar hai – twisted, par pyar. Meenu khush hai, aap khush ho. Par Anjali... woh bahar hai. Risk. Toh bas... yeh band kar do. Showroom mein mat. Agar aag lage, toh ghar mein... Meenu ke saath. Ya... agar aur chahiye, toh soch sakte hain. Par izzat ka khayal rakhna."
Manik ne uski taraf dekha, hairan. "Aur chahiye? Aparna... tu... tu yeh kya keh rahi ho? Main... main sirf Meenu tak. Anjali... woh galti thi. Addiction. Ab... ab khatam. Suruchi se... maafi maangunga. Aaj shaam ko. Aur tu... rest kar. Baby ka khayal rakh."
Aparna ne sar hilaya. "Haan Papa, maafi maang lena. Par pyar se. Suruchi tadap rahi hai. Woh soch rahi thi – bataun Di ko ya nahi? Pregnant ho, stress na ho. Par main samajhdar hoon. Hum mil kar sambhal lenge. Aur haan... Rohan ko nahi bataya. Yeh humara family matter hai."
Manik ne uske haath chhume, ab unki garmi wapas aa gayi thi. "Tu... tu kitni badi ho gayi hai Aparna. Meri badi beti. Tu maa banne wali hai, aur mujhe... sambhal rahi hai. Sorry beta. Papa... galti kar raha tha."
Dono sofe par baith kar chup ho gaye. Chai thandi ho gayi thi. Bahar suraj ooncha chadh gaya tha, par ghar mein ab ek naya sannata tha – sukoon wala. Manik soch rahe the – ab se control. Sirf ghar. Sirf Meenu. Anjali ko... bol denge, khatam. Suruchi ko gale lagayenge, maafi maangenge.
Aparna ne pet sehlaya. "Papa, ab chai garam kar lun? Nashta ban jaye?"
Manik ne muskuraya, pehli baar. "Haan beta. Par aaj showroom... main jaunga. Kaam hai. Par waada – Anjali se baat karunga. Aaj hi. Dismiss."
Aparna ne haan kaha. Dono uth khade hue. Kitchen ki taraf gaye. Baatein shuru ho gayi – normal, pyar bhari. Par andar se, Manik jaante the – yeh turning point tha. Aag ab control mein. Khushi... safe rahegi.