Raat ka waqt tha.
Thakur Mansion andhere me dooba hua… sirf ek kamre ki light jal rahi thi.
Ashwani Thakur ka study room.
Hawa me cigarette ke dhuein ki gehri smell thi. Table par whiskey ka glass untouched padha tha… aur wo khud khidki ke paas khada tha — aankhen andhere me khoi hui.
Uski zindagi bhi kuch aisi hi thi…
thandi, suni, bejaan.
Darwaza halka sa knock hua.
“Thakur sahab… Rekha nahi aayegi kuch din,” ek naukar ne jhuk kar kaha.
Ashwani ne palat kar bhi nahi dekha.
“Hmm.”
“Uski beti aayegi… kaam ke liye.”
Is baar usne dheere se cigarette ka dhuaan bahar nikala…
“Jo marzi.”
Bas itna hi.
Agla Din
Subah ka mansion — shaant, discipline me bandha hua.Aur us shaanti ko todti hui… ek nayi pairon ki aahat.
Kajal.
Simple salwar suit, aankhon me halki si ghabrahat… haath me apni maa ka purana bag.
Wo seedha kitchen ki taraf badh rahi thi… jab usne pehli baar usse dekha.
Ashwani Thakur.
Seedi utarte hue.White kurta, sleeves folded… aankhen seedhi us par tik gayi.
Kajal ke kadam wahi jam gaye.
Us nazar me kuch tha…
Kuch aisa jo seedha dil par nahi — rooh par lagta hai.
“Naam?”
Uski awaaz… dheemi, bhaari… aur bilkul seedhi.
“K… Kajal,” usne mushkil se kaha.
Do second ki khamoshi.
Ashwani ne usse upar se neeche tak dekha. Na hawas, na softness…
Bas observe karna.
Jaise koi cheez pasand aayi ho… par abhi decide nahi kiya.
“Rekha ki beti?”
“Haan.”
Wo uske paas se guzra… itna kareeb ki Kajal ko cigarette ki smell mehsoos hui.Aur ek ajeeb si baat…Use darr laga…par saath hi… pata nahi kyun, wo pal usse yaad reh gaya.
Thakur Sahab vha se chle jate hai.
Fir aati h Shaifali,
Perfectly ready... Kajal ko dekhti h.. aur us se puchti hai
Aee Ladki nyi ho yha a
Kajal : Ji.. Madam
Shaifali : Naam kya h Tera
Kajal: K... kajal
Shaifali usko dekhti h.. ek timid ladki jo najre niche rakhti hai...
Shaifali: thik hai... Ja jakar kaam kr... Jaldi se nashta Tayyar kr..aur chli jati hai
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