Shaam ka waqt hai. Sooraj dhalne ke kareeb hai tabhi unki Rolls Royce Khurana Mansion ke bade se lohe ke gate ke andar enter karti hai.
Mansion ke aas-paas guards tainat hain. Unmein se ek guard alert hokar gaadi ko aate hue dekhta hai.
Hawa mein halki thandak hai. Garden ki ghaas par kuch chidiyan baithi hain jo gaadi ke tyres ki halki si awaaz se udd jaati hain.
Rolls Royce main door ke theek saamne aakar rukti hai. Chauffeur turant baahar aata hai aur rear door kholta hai.
Veer aur Ayaan bahar nikalte hain.
Veer mansion ki un unchi deewaron ko dekhta hai… wahi purana ghar. Uske chehre par ek thakaan bhari smile aati hai.
Andar se kadmon ki tez aahat sunai deti hai.
Main door jhatke se khulta hai. Tabhi mansion ke andar se Veer ke dad Rajveer Khurana, shorts aur T-shirt mein bahar aate hain.
Aur seedha aage badh kar zor se Veer ko gale lagate hain.
"My boy… welcome home."
Veer thoda rukta hai aur phir unhe gale lagata hai. Uski ungliyaan ek pal ke liye unki peeth par ruk jaati hain.
Ayaan chupchaap unhe dekhta hai.
Rajveer chehre par ek shararat bhari muskaan liye uske kandhe par haath rakhte hain.
"Kukreja ka phone aaya tha mujhe… kaafi 'tareef' kar raha tha teri."
Veer kuch nahi kehta. Woh nazar ek pal ke liye neeche kar leta hai.
"Kya Dad, aap bhi…" Woh halki si saans chhodta hai.
Rajveer haste hain.
"Relax relax, mazaak kar raha hoon. Tension mat le. Main interfere nahi karunga… waise bhi I am a retired old man."
Ayaan beech mein bolta hai,
"Rehne do bade aaye retired old man wale. Last hafte ke match mein haalat kharab kar di thi saamne wali team ki. Out hi nahi ho rahe the."
Veer hairani se Rajveer ki taraf dekhta hai.
"Aap log abhi bhi cricket khelne jaate ho?"
Rajveer haath hilate hue kehte hain,
"Nahi, bas yuhin mann kar diya tha toh chale gaye the. Ayaan bhi bade time baad Delhi aaya tha toh socha uska bhi time pass ho jaayega."
Ayaan Rajveer ki taraf jhuk kar bolta hai,
"Haan badhiya time pass hua mera. Wahan pe match dekhne aayi auntiyan apni betiyon ke hi baare mein bataye jaa rahi thi."
Rajveer haste hain.
"Ladka jawaan ho gaya hai… koi pasand aayi unki batayi ladkiyon mein se?"
Ayaan unhe ghoorta hai.
Veer aur Rajveer uski shakal dekh kar muskura padte hain.
Tabhi choodiyon ki khanak ke saath Veer ki mom, Sunaina Khurana aarti ki thali lekar aati hain.
Aur Veer ki taraf dekhti hain.
"Tu khana-wana kha raha hai ki nahi? Pehle se bhi patla dikh raha hai… pichhle mahine toh tu aisa nahi tha."
Woh uske gaal ko halka sa chhoo kar dekhti hain.
Ayaan beech mein kudta hai.
"Khane ka toh pata nahi, peene ka main bata sakta hoon."
Sunaina haste hue Ayaan ke haath par halka sa thappad maarti hain.
Sunaina Veer ki aarti utarti hain aur bina kuch bole usse zor se gale laga leti hain.
Ayaan naatak karte hue muh latkaata hai.
"Apne adopted bete ke liye kuch nahi?"
Sunaina phir uski bhi aarti utarti hain.
"Ho gaya, ab khush?"
Ayaan hasta hai.
"Haan, ab theek hai."
Sunaina aarti ki thali helper ko de deti hain.
"Chalo andar sab, warna thand lag jaayegi."
Phir woh Rajveer ki taraf ghoorti hain.
"Yeh shorts-vorts pehna chhodo aur garam kapde pehno. Pura din half lower mein hi ghoomte rehte ho."
Veer aur Ayaan dheere se unhe dekh kar haste hain aur sab andar jaane lagte hain.
Darwaza band hote hi bahar ki thandak peeche reh jaati hai.
Living room ke andar aate hi sab apni-apni jagah jaa kar baith jaate hain. Veer sofe par jaake baithta hai, jabki helpers uske bags uthakar andar le jaane lagte hain.
Ayaan saamne rakhi plate se samosa uthata hai.
Veer ki nazar Ayaan par padti hai.
"Yeh tere samose ke addiction ka kuch na kuch karna padega."
Ayaan samosa chutney mein dubata hai, Veer ko chidhane wali nazar se ghoorta hai aur ek bada bite leta hai.
Veer paani ka glass uthata hai. Woh ek chhota sa sip leta hai.
"Kuch nahi ho sakta tera."
Ayaan bhare mooh se bolta hai,
"Kuch karna bhi nahi hai mujhe."
Rajveer aur Sunaina dono ki in harkaton par haste hain.
Tabhi helper tray par chai serve karta hai.
Rajveer chai ka cup lete hain.
"Ah… sukoon. Pura din issi ka intezaar tha."
Sab chai peene lagte hain. Kuch pal ke liye sirf cup rakhne ki halki awaaz sunai deti hai.
Veer apna cup table par rakhta hai aur seedha Sunaina ki taraf mudta hai.
"Waise… mujhe itni hadbadi mein kyun bulaya hai? Batane ka kasht karenge, ya abhi bhi suspense mein hi rakhna hai?"
Sunaina ek pal ke liye Rajveer ki taraf nazar ghumati hain, aur phir wapas Veer ko dekhti hain.
Ayaan dono pair fold karke, haath mein samose ki plate lekar aaraam se baithta hai.
Ab entertainment chalu hoga.
Sunaina chai ka cup rakhti hain. Woh ek pal ke liye chup rehti hain.
"Thak gaya hoga. Jaa room mein jaake thoda fresh ho ja. Dinner ke baad baat karte hain."
Veer unhe gaur se dekhta hai. Woh kuch bolne wala hota hai… phir ruk jaata hai.
Woh ek gehri saans chhodta hai.
"Theek hai."
Veer apni jagah se uthta hai aur apne room ki taraf jaane lagta hai.
Uske peeche Rajveer aur Sunaina ek doosre ko chinta bhari nazron se dekhte hain.
Hallway mein uske door jaate kadmon ki aahat ke beech living room mein ek bhaari khamoshi chhaa jaati hai.
Veer apne room mein aata hai. Woh apna jacket sofe par rakh deta hai aur room ke chaaron taraf dekhne lagta hai.
Woh ek pal ke liye rukta hai.
Ab bhi sab waisa hi hai.
Uski nazar ghoomte hue deewar par lage Shah Rukh Khan ke signed poster par rukti hai.
Uske honthon par ek anjaani si muskaan aa jaati hai.
Papa ke saamne bahut rona pada tha isske liye.
Woh neeche rakha guitar uthata hai. Uss par lagi dhool saaf karta hai aur usse lekar sofe par baithta hai.
Veer guitar ko thodi der dekhta hai.
Zamaana ho gaya isse pakde hue.
Woh guitar ka ek taar chedta hai — Twang.
Awaaz besurri hai, par uske chehre par halki si hansi aa jaati hai.
Tabhi uska dhyaan ek kone mein rakhe purane soft toy puppy par jaata hai.
Woh usse uthata hai. Uska soft fur ungliyon mein dabte hi…
Ek pal ke liye… Veer ki nazar wapas uss kaali khidki ke paar jaati hai.
Woh ladki Ayaan par gussa kar rahi thi.
Bolte waqt… uske haath kaamp rahe the.
Usne puppy ko apne seene se ekdam laga kar rakha tha.
Aankhon mein halki si nami thi.
Woh toy ko wapas rakh deta hai.
Bina uske jaane, uske chehre par phir ek halki si hansi aa jaati hai.
Woh phir shelves mein lagi books ko dekhne lagta hai.
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.
Woh smirk karta hai.
Kitna bada bewakoof tha main.
Uski nazar kitabon ke beech rakhi ek diary par rukti hai. Woh uski dhool saaf karke dekhta hai.
Woh diary ko kholne hi wala hota hai.
Nahi… mat padh isse.
Uske chehre se smile gaayab ho jaati hai.
Woh saari books aur uss diary ko paas mein pade khaali box mein daalne lagta hai.
Phir woh poster nikaal kar roll karta hai. Usse bhi ussi box mein daal kar band karta hai, aur box utha ke upar wale drawer mein dhakel deta hai.
Veer apne haathon ki dhool jhaadta hai aur nahane chala jaata hai.
Thodi der baad Veer bahar aata hai. Woh apne towel se baal poch raha hai.
Bahar se awaaz aati hai,
"Sir, dinner ready hai."
"Haan, aa raha hoon."
Veer apna T-shirt pehnta hai aur room se jaane lagta hai.
Room se nikalte waqt uski nazar uss khaali deewar par rukti hai… jahan ab poster nahi hai.
***
Dinner ho chuka hai, aur sab living room mein apni-apni jagah par baith chuke hain.
Ayaan dono pair sofe par rakh ke baitha hai. Woh ek cushion ko apni godh mein kheench leta hai.
Yeh family show kab chalu hoga…
Rajveer ishare se Sunaina ko dekhte hain. Sunaina palat kar Veer ki taraf dekhti hain.
Veer pehle apni ghadi check karta hai, phir un dono ko ghoorta hai.
Khamoshi se tang aakar woh aakhirkaar bolta hai,
"Koi kuch bolega bhi, ya phir main sone jaaun?"
Sunaina Veer ke paas aake baith jaati hain.
"Dekho Veer, gussa mat karna."
"Wow. Great start."
"Veer beta, humein sach-sach batao… koi hai kya tumhari life mein?"
"Romantically? Nahi, filhaal toh nahi hai."
Ayaan apna cushion theek karte hue muskurata hai.
Mujhe deja vu ho raha hai.
Sunaina Veer ka haath pakadti hain.
"Veer… humein lagta hai this is the time."
Veer thoda peeche hota hai.
"For what?"
Rajveer gambheer awaaz mein kehte hain,
"To settle down."
"What do you mean by settle down?"
Sunaina aur kareeb aati hain.
"You should get married, beta."
Veer jhatke se khada hota hai.
"I knew it. I knew it from the start. Mujhe laga hi tha aap log iss liye hi bula rahe ho."
Rajveer shaant par sakht awaaz mein kehte hain,
"Baith jaao. Tum par koi attack nahi kar raha. Sirf baat kar rahe hain."
Woh apne maathe ko haathon se masalta hai.
"Dad, maine mana kiya tha naa ki mujhe abhi shaadi nahi karni hai."
Veer chid kar kehta hai,
"Last month bhi aap log mujhe zabardasti ek ladki dikhane leke gaye the aur bola tha ki yeh last time hai."
"Haan humne bola tha… but ek baar hamari baat toh sun lo."
Sunaina dheere se kehti hain,
"Veer, mujhe aur tumhare papa ko ek ladki pasand hai. Hum chahte hain ki tum ek baar bas usse mil lo. Mujhe pakka yakeen hai ki tumhe woh pasand aayegi."
"Aap log meri pasand ke baare mein tension lena chhod do. Main khud hi dhoondh lunga."
"I know beta tum dhoondh loge… but humein bhi toh tension hoti hai naa. Hamari bhi toh age ho rahi hai ab. Tum ek baar bas usse mil lo… hamare liye. Please."
Rajveer Veer ki taraf dekhte hain.
"Ek baar bas milne hi toh bol rahe hain."
Veer lambi saans leta hai aur aaraam se kehta hai,
"Mom aur Dad, main samajhta hoon aapki feelings ko… but mujhe shaadi nahi karni hai."
Rajveer chidte hain.
"Aise kaise shaadi nahi karni hai? Sabko karni padti hai."
Woh wapas uth khada hota hai.
"Aap log samajhte hi nahi ho meri baat ko."
Sunaina uska haath pakadti hain. Unki pakad halki si kaamp rahi hai.
"Tu bhi toh hamari baat nahi samajh raha hai naa beta."
Sunaina ki aankhen nam ho jaati hain.
"Hamare bhi kuch sapne hain tujhe lekar. Hamare jeete ji tujhe khud ki family banate hue dekhna chahte hain. Tere bachchon ke saath khelna chahte hain."
Rajveer bhi uske paas aate hain.
"27 saal ka ho chuka hai tu. Abhi nahi karega toh kab karega shaadi?"
Veer shaant ho jaata hai. Woh aankhen band karke ek gehri saans leta hai.
Woh dono ke utre hue chehre ki taraf dekhta hai.
Veer dheemi awaaz mein kehta hai,
"Theek hai… uske baare mein batao. Kya karti hai woh?"
Sunaina ki aankhon mein chamak aa jaati hai. Woh tezi se bolne lagti hain.
"Uska naam Naira Malhotra hai. Woh mere NGO mein hi work karti hai as a volunteer. Aur uske alawa woh freelance graphic designer bhi hai. Bahut achhi hai, sabse pyaar se baat karti hai…"
Veer beech mein cut karta hai.
"Shaant Mom, shaant. Maine bas occupation poocha tha. Aap toh poora bio-data dene lag gayin."
"Ruk, tujhe uski photo dikhati hoon. Bahut hi sundar hai."
Woh turant apna phone nikalti hain, screen par kuch tap karti hain aur Veer ki taraf badha deti hain.
Veer photo dekhta hai aur halka sa smirk karta hai.
Naira…
Ayaan usse notice karta hai aur uske paas jaata hai.
"Zara dikhao toh, main bhi dekhu."
Sunaina usko phone pass karti hain.
Ayaan ki aankhen screen dekhte hi phati ki phati reh jaati hain, aur woh lagbhag chillata hai—
"YEH?? YEH LADKI??!"
To Be Continued