Contract Marriage: Pyaar Ya Sirf Ek Deal?

2. Ek Nayi Mushkil

Kavya ki zindagi bahar se jitni simple dikhti hai… andar se utni hi mushkil hoti ja rahi hai.

Sab kuch dheere dheere badal raha hai… lekin Kavya abhi bhi har cheez ko sambhalne ki poori koshish kar rahi hai.

Ek shaam, jab Kavya apni part-time job se ghar laut rahi hai… uska chehra thakan se bhara hota hai. Din bhar kaam karne ke baad bhi uske kadam rukte nahi hai, kyunki usse pata hai ki uski family uska intezaar kar rahi hai.

Jaise hi wo ghar ke andar aati hai, wo apni thakan chhupa kar muskurane ki koshish karti hai.

“Aa gayi beta?” maa pyaar se poochti hai.

“Haan maa…” Kavya dheere se jawab deti hai.

Lekin uski nazar turant papa par padti hai… jo chup chaap sofa par baithe hote hai. Unka chehra pehle jaisa nahi lagta… wo kaafi kamzor aur thake hue dikhte hai.

Kavya ka dil ek pal ke liye ghabra jata hai.

“Papa aap theek ho na?” wo unke paas ja kar poochti hai.

“Haan beta… bas thodi si thakan hai,” papa halka sa muskura kar kehte hai.

Lekin Kavya unki aankhon me chhupi sachchai ko samajh jaati hai… sab theek nahi hai.

Us raat Kavya ko neend nahi aati. Wo bas chhat ki taraf dekhte hue sochti rehti hai…

“Papa itne weak kyun lag rahe hai…?”

Agle din subah, jab Kavya kitchen me maa ki help kar rahi hoti hai, tab uski maa dheere se kehti hai…

“Kavya… tumhare papa ki tabiyat kuch dino se theek nahi chal rahi hai.”

Kavya ke haath ruk jaate hai.

“Kya matlab maa?”

Maa ki aankhon me aansu aa jaate hai.

“Doctor ne bataya hai ki unhe heart ki problem hai… aur jaldi treatment karwana padega…”

Ye sunte hi Kavya ka dil zor se dhadakne lagta hai.

“Treatment…?”

“Haan… aur shayad operation bhi karna pade,” maa dheere se kehti hai.

Kavya ke haath kaanpne lagte hai.

“Kitna kharcha hoga maa?”

Maa kuch pal chup rehti hai… phir dheere se bolti hai,

“Lagbhag 5 se 6 lakh…”

Ye sunte hi Kavya ke pairon tale zameen khisak jaati hai.

Itni badi amount… wo kaise arrange karegi?

Ghar ki condition already weak hai… aur ab ye itni badi problem…

Kavya chup ho jaati hai. Uske paas koi shabd nahi hote… sirf aankhon me aansu aur dil me darr hota hai.

Us din se Kavya aur bhi zyada mehnat karne lagti hai. Wo extra shifts leti hai… har jagah try karti hai… lekin jitna wo karti hai, utna hi kam padta hai.

Raat ko jab wo apni choti behen ko aaram se sote hue dekhti hai… to uska dil aur bhi bhar aata hai.

“Mujhe strong rehna hoga…” wo dheere se khud se kehti hai.

“Main papa ko kuch nahi hone dungi…”

Lekin andar hi andar wo jaanti hai… ye itna aasaan nahi hai.

Har din ke saath tension badhti ja rahi hai… aur Kavya ke paas koi solution nahi hai.

Ek din jab wo hospital me bills dekh rahi hoti hai… uski aankhon ke saamne sab dhundla sa ho jata hai.

Itna bada amount… wo kaise manage karegi?

Us pal Kavya ko pehli baar lagta hai…

ki shayad wo akeli itna sab handle nahi kar paayegi.

Lekin zindagi ab uske liye ek naya mod lekar aa rahi hai…

Ek aisa mod… jahan use ek aisa faisla lena padega…

jo uski poori zindagi badal dega.