part:5 Ego vs Attitude

Doctor ke jaane ke baad living room mein ek ajeeb si khamoshi chha jaati hai.

Room mein sirf Syeda Mahi aur Syed Ali Shah reh jaate hain…

aur dono ke beech abhi bhi wohi tension hawa mein mehsoos ho rahi hoti hai.

Floor par kuch toote hue glass ke chhote tukde abhi bhi chamak rahe hote hain…

aur un dono ke haathon par halki si scratches bhi dikh rahi hoti hain—

jo unki kuch der pehle hui fight ka saboot thi.

Kuch lamhon tak dono ek dusre ko bina kuch bole dekhte rehte hain.

Unki aankhon mein ab bhi gussa… aur thoda sa ego clearly nazar aa raha hota hai.

Phir suddenly Mr. Shah thodi cold aur controlled voice mein bolte hain,

“Tumhari himmat kaise hui mujh par haath uthane ki?”

Unka tone calm tha… lekin us calmness ke andar ek warning chhupi hui thi.

Mahi bilkul bhi intimidate nahi hoti.

Woh seedha unki aankhon mein dekh kar kehti hai,

“Aur aapki himmat kaise hui mujhe chhune ki?”

Unka jawab itna direct hota hai ke ek second ke liye Ali Shah bhi chup ho jaate hain.

Room ka temperature jaise aur thoda drop ho jaata hai…

kyunki dono ke attitude clearly clash kar rahe hote hain.

Ali Shah thoda sarcastic smile ke saath kehte hain,

“Toh tum hi ho… jiski itni tareef karti rehti hai meri behen?”

Mahi arms fold kar leti hai…

uska posture aur bhi confident ho jaata hai.

“Mujhe kaise pata hota ke aap aa rahe hain?”

Woh thodi sharp tone mein kehti hai.

Phir bina ruke add karti hai,

“Aur waise bhi… aap itni khamoshi se ghar mein aaye jaise koi chor aata hai.

Na koi security… na driver… na koi guard…”

Woh ek second ke liye rukti hai… phir seedha unki aankhon mein dekh kar kehti hai,

“Toh obviously koi bhi aapko stranger hi samjhega.”

Mr. Shah ki jawline thodi tight ho jaati hai.

Unki aankhon mein ab clearly gussa dikh raha hota hai.

Woh dheere se uski taraf badhte hain…

“Yeh mera ghar hai.”

Unki awaaz ab thodi heavy ho jaati hai.

“Main kaise bhi aaun… tumhe kya problem hai?”

Mahi ek inch bhi peeche nahi hatti.

Woh bilkul calm lekin strong tone mein kehti hai,

“Problem yeh hai ke main yahan Miss Zoya ke saath hoon…

aur unka khayal rakhna meri responsibility hai.”

Woh thoda sa aage jhuk kar kehti hai,

“Is ghar mein koi bhi aaye… to pehle mujhe pata hona chahiye.”

Mr. Shah ab uske bilkul saamne khade hote hain.

Unki presence intense hoti hai… lekin Mahi bilkul bhi darr nahi rahi hoti.

“Tum hoti kaun ho mujhe yeh sab batane wali?”

Unka tone ab clearly challenging ho jaata hai.

“Main uska bhai hoon… aur mujhe apni behen ka khayal rakhna aata hai.”

Mahi ki aankhon mein ab gussa clearly reflect hota hai.

Woh seedha jawab deti hai,

“Sach mein?”

Ek second ka pause…

“Kyuki jab aapki behen ko drug dekar hotel le jaaya ja raha tha…”

Uski awaaz ab thodi heavy ho jaati hai.

“Tab aap kahaan the?”

Room ekdum silent ho jaata hai.

Mr. Shah ke expression mein halka sa change aata hai…

lekin Mahi rukti nahi.

“Us waqt na koi security thi… na koi guard… na hi aap the.”

Woh dheere lekin strong tone mein kehti hai,

“Agar main wahan nahi hoti… to pata nahi aaj Miss Zoya ke saath kya ho jata.”

Mr. Shah ab chup ho jaate hain.

Unki aankhon mein pehli baar thodi seriousness aur soch dikh rahi hoti hai.

Mahi last mein calmly kehti hai,

“Isliye agar Miss Zoya ke baare mein koi bhi important baat hogi… to pehle mujhe pata hoga.”

Mr. Shah ka ego phir se react karta hai.

Woh thoda gusse mein kehte hain,

“Main uska bhai hoon.”

Mahi bina peeche hate seedha jawab deti hai,

“Aur main uski PA hoon… aur uski safety meri responsibility hai.”

Phir ek gehri khamoshi chha jaati hai.

Dono ek dusre ko dekh rahe hote hain—

na koi peeche hatne ko ready…

na koi apni baat se pichhe hatne wala.

Yeh sirf ek argument nahi tha…

yeh do strong personalities ka pehla clash tha.

Aur shayad…

yahi clash unki kahani ki shuruaat bhi tha.

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