Main drawing room mein akeli baithi hui thi.
Mera dil ki dhadkan tez ho rahi thi.
Abbu aur Ammi bahar gaye hue the…
Isliye maine socha — aaj is mauke ka fayda uthaya jaye.
Kuch der baad, maine darwaze par halki si dastak di.
Khala ne awaaz suni aur darwaza khola.
Unke chehre par thodi si hairat thi, lekin woh muskuraaye aur andar aane ka ishaara kiya.
Main andar gayi…
Aur woh khamoshi se mere peeche-peeche aaye…
Phir darwaza band kar diya.
Woh mere qareeb aaye aur baith gaye.
Main bilkul khamosh thi, sirf nazar jhukaaye baithi rahi.
Woh mujhse bola,
“Kaisi ho, beti?”
Maine dheemi aawaz mein kaha,
“Ji… main theek hoon.”
Khala ne mera haath apne haath mein le liya aur kaha,
“Main jaanta hoon ke tum yahan kyun aayi ho.”
Meri saans ruk gayi…
Main dar ke maare aankhen band kar li.
Phir maine aankhen kholi aur unhe dekha.
Woh mere baalon mein haath pherna lage.
Maine phir aankhen band kar li…
Aur mujhe ek ajeeb si kaifiyat mehsoos hone lagi —
Jaise main koi khwab dekh rahi hoon.
Phir unhone mujhe apne qareeb kiya…
Aur apne haath se mere sar par pyaar karna shuru kar diya.
Maine aankhen kholi, muskura di, aur kaha,
“Khala… aap kamaal ke hain.”
Khala ne kaha,
“Main jaanta hoon meri jaan… ab hum roz milenge, aur tum har din naya lazzat uthaogi.”
Main sharminda ho gayi aur phir nazar jhuka li.
Khala ne kaha,
“Main tumhe bohot khush karunga… itni khushi milegi ke kabhi bhool nahi paogi.”
Woh mujh par jhuk gaye.
Meri saans tez ho gayi…
Mujhe lagne laga jaise mere jism mein ek nayi jaan aa gayi ho.
Maine muskurate hue aankhen band kar li…
Aur hum donon qareeb ho gaye.
Mujhe lag raha tha jaise main khwab dekh rahi hoon… aur main jannat mein hoon.
Mera jism garam ho gaya…
Aur mere jism mein ek ajeeb si khushi mehsoos hone lagi.
Jaise koi paka hua phal hawa mein gir gaya ho… aur uska ras mere jism mein beh gaya ho.
Main aankhen band karke bas yehi sochti rahi:
“Main jannat mein hoon… aur yeh meri sabse badi khushi hai.”
Phir woh uth gaye…
Maine bhi aankhen khol li.
Khala ne pucha,
“Kaisa laga, meri jaan?”
Maine kaha,
“Khala… mujhe alfaaz nahi mil rahe ke main aapka shukriya ada kar sakoon. Main toh aapke jaadu mein gum ho gayi thi.”
Woh muskuraaye aur bole,
“Main jaanta hoon, meri jaan… tum mujhse bohot khush ho. Aur ab se… hum dono ek doosre ke hain.”