Ehsaason Ka Buket

[aries]

Ab ye Thursday hai. Bijli Monday se band hai. Maine Raju ko Saturday se nahi dekha, lekin humare paas is Saturday ka plan hai. Meri maa aaj ghar aati hain, aur maine is din ka intezar poore hafte kiya hai.

Main ghadi ki taraf ek nazar daalti hoon. "Dus baje." Main thoda sa sigh karti hoon aur bahar dekhti hoon. Raat ke badal chaand ko chhupaa rahe hain. Main sofa se uthti hoon aur apne kamre ki taraf daudti hoon. Main decide karti hoon ki main thoda daud loon, apne mann ko saaf karne ke liye. Main ek track pant aur ek lambi sleeve ki T-shirt pehenti hoon. Jaldi se apne sports shoes pehenti hoon aur apne baalon ko ek messy ponytail mein baandh leti hoon. Main apne headphones aur phone uthati hoon phir waapas neeche daudti hoon. Main headphones plug karte hue ek gaana chalu karti hoon aur apne porch par nikal jaati hoon. Main apne ghadi ko dekhti hoon aur decide karti hoon ki mere paas stretch karne ka samay nahi hai, phir daudna shuru karti hoon. Mujhe nahi pata main kahan ja rahi hoon, lekin main seedha apne raste par daudti hoon. Main kabhi-kabhi random turn leti hoon, aur jaldi hi mujhe pata chalta hai ki main ek anjaane mohalle mein hoon. Crap.

Main apni music ka volume kam karti hoon kyunki main ek ajnabee jagah par hoon. Main daudte rahti hoon aur apne aas-paas ko dekhti hoon. Kuch bhi parichit nahi hai. Main dheere kar leti hoon aur sadkon par chalne lagti hoon. Main ek park tak pahunchti hoon aur dekhti hoon do yuva swings par baithe hain. "Kya aap mujhe bata sakte hain ki Parsons Avenue kaise jaaun?" Main puchhti hoon.

"Yeh to kam se kam ek mile door hai." Ladka jawab deta hai aur khada hota hai. Mere haath kaanpte hain.

"Kya aap bas mujhe wahan tak kaise pahunchna hai bata sakte hain?" Main puchhti hoon. Wo mujhe ek aam disha dikhata hai.

Ek ghante ki khoj ke baad, main aakhirkar apne ghar pahunchti hoon. Main andar jaakar darwaza band karti hoon aur uspar jhakti hoon. Meri saans ab tak ki sabse tez hai.

"Tum kya kar rahi ho?" Ek purush ki aawaz mujhse puchhti hai.

"Papa?" Main puchhti hoon.

"Tum kya kar rahi ho?" Wo phir se puchhta hai, lekin yeh thoda khud ko bhalti aawaaz mein hai.

"Main abhi ghar aayi hoon, main daudne gayi thi."

"Is samay itni der?" Wo khada hota hai lekin gir jaata hai. Wo sharaabi hai. Main jaldi se apne shoes darwaze ke paas utarti hoon phir seedhe seedhi chadhne lagti hoon. "Ab, tum ek minute ruk jao." Wo khada hota hai aur thoda jhilt jhilt karta hai. "Yahan aao." Wo mujhe hukm deta hai. Main waapas neeche aakar darwaze ke paas khadi hoti hoon. Wo meri taraf aata hai aur mere shoes par gir jaata hai. Main mehsoos karti hoon ki main apne saans ko rok rahi hoon, jab tak main hawa ka chhota sa gasp nahi karti. "Kya tum mujhe dekh kar hans rahi ho?" Wo puchhta hai. Main tezi se apne sir ko hilaati hoon aur wo khada ho jaata hai.

"Main nahi hans rahi thi."

"Kya tumhe lagta hai ki yeh funny hai?"

"Main yeh sochti hoon ki yeh bekar hai." Ek achanak mujhe ek himmat milti hai, main uske saamne aakar khadi hoti hoon.

"Jaano aur kya bekar hai? Yeh tumhara sochna ki tum is samay raat mein daud sakti ho."

"Kam se kam main saaf hoon." Main ulta jawab deti hoon. Wo apna haath jaldi se uthata hai aur main jhatak jaati hoon. Lekin, wo khud ko rok leta hai.

"Jaao." Wo gusse se kehta hai. Main khade reh jaati hoon. "Jaao!" Wo chillaata hai. Main jaldi se seedha chadh jaati hoon aur apne kamre mein chali jaati hoon. Main apne darwaze ko band karti hoon aur uspar apne peeth ko rakhti hoon. Kuchh minute baad main shaant hoti hoon aur ek shower le leti hoon. Shower ke baad, main sone jaati hoon.

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"Tum bahut bekar lag rahi ho." Alika meri gaadi mein baithte hi mujhe keh rahi hai.

"Yeh sunne layak hai." Main uspar glare karti hoon.

"Kya tumne koi neend li?" Wo puchhti hai.

"Shaayad ek ghanta."

"Neend ki pareshani?" Wo apni darwaze ko band karke seatbelt baandhti hai.

"Haan." Nahi, main dar rahi thi ki mera papa upar aa jayega aur kya kya kar sakta hai, main sochti hoon. Lekin main ye nahi keh sakti.

"Uske liye kya tumhare paas koi dawa hai?" Wo mujhe dekhti hai.

"Mere paas thi. Meri maa bills mein peeche hai." Main apna jhoot jaari rakhti hoon.

"Ye sab tumhare papa ke wajah se hai?"

"Haan."

"Mujhe maaf karna." Wo sigh karti hai aur khidki ke bahar dekhti hai.

"Chinta mat karo."

Baaki ka din dheere guzarta hai. Jaise hi meri aakhri period khatam hoti hai, main khushi se bhari ho jaati hoon.

"Ready?" Alika mere classroom mein jhaak kar kehti hai. Kyunki hum carpool karte hain, main uski ride hoon. Main sir hilaati hoon. Main uthti hoon aur darwaze ki taraf jaati hoon. Wo mujhe dekh rahi hai jab main hallway se nikalti hoon aur seedhe seedhe seedhiyon par jaati hoon. "Kya tumhari maa aaj raat ghar aati hai?"

"Wo abhi apne flight par hai." Jab hum school ke darwaze se bahar nikalte hain tab main apne ghadi ko dekhti hoon.

"Uske itne samay tak na hone ka kya kya hota hai."

"Jaldi hi aadat ho jaati hai." Main parking lot se apni gaadi ki taraf badhti hoon. Main gaadi unlock karti hoon aur andar baithti hoon.

"Mujhe jo kuch bhi tumhse guzarti hai, main nahi samajh sakti." Wo mujhe dekhte hue passenger seat mein baithti hai.

"Apne emotional moments kisi aur ke liye bacha lo." Main kahte hoon. Wo hasi se bhar jaati hai aur aankhein ghumati hai.

"Toh kya tum is weekend Raju se milne ja rahi ho?" Wo aankh maarte hue kehti hai.

"Haan." Main gaadi start karti hoon aur parking lot se nikalti hoon.

"Main chahti hoon ki aaj raat hum mil sakein."

"Apne boyfriend ke saath jaakar kiss kar lo." Main tease karti hoon.

"Shayad main karungi!" Wo hansi se kehti hai. "Tab tum apne ke saath bhi kar sakti ho."

"Mere paas koi nahi hai."

"Abhi nahi."

Maine Alika ko chhod diya aur uske baad thodi der mein ghar pahunch gayi. Mere liye ajeeb tha ki meri maa mujhe pehle hi ghar mil gayi. Main jaldi se apni gaadi band karti hoon aur andar daudti hoon.

"Maa!" Main cheekhti hoon.

"Aviana!" Wo mujhe gale lagati hai.

"Tum mujhse pehle kaise aayi?" Main uska perfume mehsoos karti hoon. Yeh mera pasandida khushboo hai. Wo hamesha aise lagti hai jaise us par hazaron gulabon ka khushboo chhaya ho, lekin itna tez nahi ki bechain kar de. Usne hamesha wahi perfume laga rakha hai.

"Main apni flight ke bare mein jhoot bola."

"Kyun?" Main door se khinchti hoon.

"Taki main ye sunishchit kar sakun ki tum ghar aayi ho aur bijli

chalu hai." Main dekhte hi samajh jaati hoon ki bijli chalu hai. "Kya tumhara aaj raat ka koi plan hai?" Wo muskurahat ke saath puchhti hai.

"Nahi, ma'am."

"Achha hai, main tumhara favorite bana rahi hoon." Wo kitchen ki taraf chalti hai. Main uske peeche jaati hoon aur dekhti hoon ki mera baap table par baitha hai. Wo mujhe gusse se dekhte hain aur phir apne iPad par nazar daal dete hain.

"Wow." Main achanak apni bhukh kho deti hoon. "Kya mujhe case ke baare mein bata sakti ho?" Main topic badalti hoon.

"Yeh murder trial hai." Wo knife se cutting board par chaaku marte hue hasne lagti hai. Main bhi hansne lagti hoon. Mera baap ghoons karta hai aur living room ki taraf chala jaata hai. Mummy hasna band kar deti hain aur aloo kaatne lagti hain.

"Yeh kaafi mazedaar hai." Main unke bagal mein counter par khadi ho jaati hoon.

"Yeh sach mein hai." Wo muskurati hain lekin uski muskurahat unki aankhon tak nahi pahuchti.

"To kya wo log guilty hain?" Wo ab tez se aloo kaat rahi hain.

"Yeh ek million dollar ka sawaal hai." Wo thodi der rukti hain aur aloo ko ek kadhai mein daalti hain. "Haan."

"Kyun log aapas mein kyun nahi milte?" Main apne nakhunon ki taraf dekhte hue puchhti hoon.

"Mujhe nahi pata, beta. Main chahti hoon ki mujhe pata hota."

Mera baap living room se hiccup kar raha hai. Usne zyada sharaab pee li hai. Mujhe doori se hi uski sharaab ki badboo mehsoos hoti hai. "Dinner tayaar hai." Mummy bulati hain. Wo ghar aayi thi tab jitni khush thi, ab utni nahi hain. Mera baap khada hota hai aur kitchen ki taraf jaata hai. Wo thoda jhilt ja raha hai, lekin wo zyada girta nahi hai. Main uske peeche jaati hoon aur table par uske saamne baith jaati hoon. Usne humare liye teen plates mein cheesy potatoes rakha hai.

"Yeh kitna accha lag raha hai." Mera baap mushkil se kehta hai.

"Dhanyavaad." Mummy ka chehra chamak uthta hai, wo usko ek udas muskurahat deti hain. Wo uske plate ki taraf dekhte hain aur unki aankhein usse approval ki umeed karti hain. "Kya yeh accha hai?"

"Haan." Wo apne plate par dekhta hai. Unki muskurahat dheere dheere kam hoti jaati hai lekin wo ab bhi muskurate hain. Wo ab bhi usse pyaar karti hain. Shayad wo is aadmi se pyaar nahi karti, lekin jo kuch bhi unhone saath mein dekha hai usse pyaar karti hain. Wo apne yaadon se pyaar karti hain aur uski soch se pyaar karti hain, lekin us aadmi se nahi jo unke bagal mein hai.