“Baarish Mein Tanha”

🖤 IN RASTOGI MANSION

ARJUN POV

Arjun apne room ki badi si window ke paas khada tha…

aasmaan ki taraf dekhte hue.

Raat gehri hoti ja rahi thi…

lekin usse lag raha tha jaise waqt ruk gaya ho.

“Yeh raat khatam kyun nahi ho rahi…” usne dheere se kaha.

“Jaise yeh raat mujhe kisi taraf kheench rahi ho…”

“Par… kahan?” 🤔

Arjun ne aankhen band ki.

Lekin jaise hi usne aankhen band ki…

uske saamne apni maa ka chehra aa gaya.

Unki darri hui aankhen… unka dard…

Arjun ne aankhen turant khol di.

“I’m such a bad son…” usne khud se kaha.

“Main apni maa ko is dard se nikaal bhi nahi pa raha…”

Gusse mein usne apna haath window par zor se maara.

Agla hi pal…

Woh apna phone aur car keys uthata hai…

aur bina kisi ko bataye ghar se bahar nikal jaata hai.

🌸 IN SHARMA HOUSE

Sab log ghar pahunch chuke the.

Veena ne ghar ke andar kadam rakhte hi halka sa muskura kar kaha—

“7 saal baad… main apne ghar wapas aayi hoon…”

“Haan maa…” Rajni ne pyaar se kaha.

Prachi ne turant kaha—

“Ab aap kahin nahi jaayengi maa… yahin rahengi.”

Rajni ne Veena ko unke room tak le jaate hue kaha—

“Maa, aap thak gayi hongi… rest kijiye.”

Prachi ne servant ko bulaya—

“Suresh…”

“Ji madam,” Suresh turant aaya.

“Bachchon ko unke rooms tak le jao.”

“Ji madam.”

Sab apne-apne rooms mein chale gaye.

Arya apne room ke bade bed par baith gayi…

aur chupchaap room ko dekhne lagi.

“7 saal mein kitna kuch badal gaya…”

Phir halki si muskuraayi—

“Aur jo nahi badla…”

“Woh hai… yaadein…”

Kuch der baad usne apna bag dhoondna shuru kiya…

Lekin kaafi dhoondne ke baad bhi bag nahi mila.

“Arre yaar…” usne sir pakad liya,

“mera bag toh choti maa ke paas reh gaya…”

“Abhi le aati hoon…”

Yeh bolkar Arya room se bahar nikal gayi.

Arya, Rajni ke room ke bahar pahunchi…

lekin andar jaane se pehle hi ruk gayi.

Andar se awaaz aa rahi thi—

“Tumhe zara si bhi responsibility hai ya nahi?!”

Yeh Mahesh ki awaaz thi… gusse se bhari hui.

“Kaise chhod diya tumne maa ko airport par akela?!”

“Agar unhe kuch ho jaata toh?”

Andar Rajni ro rahi thi…

Yeh sab sun kar Arya ek kadam peeche hat gayi.

Uska dil bhar aaya.

Woh dheere-dheere wapas mudne lagi…

Tabhi—

Dhakk!

Woh kisi se takra gayi.

Arya ne upar dekha—

Prachi.

Ek pal ke liye dono ki nazrein mili…

Aur agle hi pal Arya wahan se bhaag gayi.

Arya apne room mein aayi…

aur jaldi se door band karne lagi.

Lekin usse pehle hi Prachi ne apna haath door par rakh diya…

aur door khol diya.

Arya chup ho kar door ki taraf dekhne lagi.

Prachi andar aayi…

aur door band kar diya.

Room mein ek ajeeb sa sannata chha gaya.

“Tum kab sudhrogi, Arya?”

Prachi ki awaaz thandi thi… lekin lafz teekhe.

“Tumhari bachpana kab khatam hoga?”

“Rajni ko tumhari wajah se kitna kuch sunna padta hai…”

“Lekin tumhe koi farak hi nahi padta…”

Arya bas chup khadi thi…

sir jhukaye.

“Farak pade bhi kyun…”

Prachi ne kadwi hansi ke saath kaha—

“Tum bilkul apne baap par gayi ho.”

“Unhe bhi kisi ki parwah nahi thi…”

“Tum bhi waisi hi ho.”

Arya ki aankhon mein aansu bharne lage…

“7 saal pehle…” Prachi ki awaaz dheemi ho gayi,

“tumhare father ki wajah se… unki maa ko ghar chhodna pada…”

“Par mujhe tumse kya umeed…”

“Tum bhi unki beti ho.”

Ek pal ke liye woh rukhi…

phir thandi awaaz mein boli—

“Yaad rakhna… Rajni ka chehra kabhi jhukna nahi chahiye…

sirf tumhari wajah se.”

Yeh kehkar Prachi room se bahar chali gayi.

Room mein sirf Arya reh gayi.

Uski aankhon mein aansu the…

lekin awaaz nahi.

Uska dil bhaari ho raha tha…

saans lena mushkil lag raha tha.

Achanak…

Woh room se bhaagti hui bahar nikal gayi.

Seedha… road par.

Usse khud nahi pata tha woh kahan ja rahi hai.

Tabhi…

Tez baarish shuru ho gayi.

Paani boondon ki tarah nahi…

toofan ki tarah gir raha tha.

Arya bina rukhe bhaagti rahi…

Lekin kuch der baad uski tabiyat kharab hone lagi…

saans tez ho gayi…

Car horns ki awaaz… baarish ka shor…

sab kuch ek saath uske dimaag mein goonjne laga.

Aur phir—

Woh beech road par hi ruk gayi.

Dono haathon se apna sir pakad kar…

woh wahin baith gayi…

Aur zor-zor se ro padi… 💔

“Woh road ke beech baithi thi…

baarish uske aansuon ko chhupa rahi thi…

Aur use bilkul andaza nahi tha—

ki agla pal uski zindagi hamesha ke liye badalne wala hai.”

“Usse lag raha tha woh akeli hai…

lekin woh nahi jaanti thi—

ki koi uski taraf badh raha tha…

jo uski zindagi ka sabse bada toofan banne wala tha.”

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