Subah ho chuki thi…
Par Aarohi ke liye raat abhi tak khatam nahi hui thi.
Hospital ke corridor me wahi safed deewarein thi… wahi thandi hawa… wahi white lights…
Bas ek cheez badal gayi thi.
Uski umeed.
Wo ICU ke bahar bench par baithi thi. Raat bhar usne ek second ke liye bhi aankhen band nahi ki thi. Kabhi wo darwaze ko dekhti… kabhi phone me Kabir ka chat.
Usne shayad 100 baar wahi messages padhe the.
Kabir: "Please ek baar baat kar le…"
Kabir: "Itna ignore mat kar…"
Kabir: "Main tujhe lose nahi karna chahta…"
Har baar ye lines padhkar uska dil aur toot jata.
"Main itni buri kaise ho gayi…" usne dheere se khud se kaha.
Usne apna face dono haathon me chhupa liya.
Tabhi ICU ka darwaza khula.
Ek doctor aur do nurses bahar aaye.
Aarohi turant khadi ho gayi.
Uska dil itna zor se dhadak raha tha ki jaise usse khud sunai de raha ho.
"Doctor… Kabir kaisa hai?" usne poocha.
Doctor kuch seconds tak chup rahe.
Bas wahi kuch seconds…
Par Aarohi ko laga jaise puri zindagi wahi ruk gayi ho.
Phir doctor ne dheere se kaha
"We are sorry…"
Aarohi bilkul freeze ho gayi.
"Matlab…?" uski awaaz bahut dheemi thi.
Doctor ne aankhen jhuka li.
"Humne puri koshish ki… par unki body respond nahi kar rahi thi…"
"Nahi…" Aarohi ne dheere se kaha.
"Hum use bacha nahi paaye."
Bas.
Ek line.
Aur sab khatam.
"Nahi!" Aarohi zor se chillaayi.
"Ye jhooth hai! Aap jhooth bol rahe ho!"
Wo doctor ke paas jaakar khadi ho gayi.
"Aapne check kiya na? Ek baar aur check karo! Wo theek ho jayega! Kal hi to usne mujhse baat ki thi… usne mera haath pakda tha…"
Uski awaaz toot rahi thi.
Aankhon se aansu ruk hi nahi rahe the.
Doctor ne kuch nahi kaha.
Kabhi-kabhi kuch sach aise hote hain… jinke baad words ka koi matlab nahi bachta.
Aarohi ICU ke andar bhagne lagi.
Nurse ne use rokne ki koshish ki.
"Please madam"
"Chhodo mujhe!" Aarohi zor se boli.
"Mujhe usse milna hai!"
Finally nurse side me ho gayi.
Aarohi dheere-dheere ICU ke andar gayi.
Wahi room…
Wahi machine…
Wahi bed…
Par sab kuch alag lag raha tha.
Machine ki screen ab bhi on thi… par wo regular beep nahi aa rahi thi.
Sab chup tha.
Kabir bed par pada tha.
Bilkul shaant.
Jaise bas so raha ho.
Aarohi dheere se uske paas gayi.
Uske pairon me itni bhi taqat nahi thi ki wo properly chal sake.
Wo bed ke paas baithi.
Aur usne Kabir ka haath pakda.
Thanda.
Bahut thanda.
Usne turant haath chhod diya.
"Nahi…" usne dheere se kaha.
"Nahi Kabir… aise mat karo…"
Usne phir se uska haath pakda.
"Uth jao na…"
Uske aansu Kabir ke haath par gir rahe the.
"Tum to bolte the na ki main drama karti hoon… to ab ye kya kar rahe ho?"
Wo hansne ki koshish kar rahi thi…
Par uski hansi roone me badal gayi.
"Please uth jao… main ab kabhi gussa nahi karungi…"
Usne Kabir ke baal par haath phiraya.
"Main tumhari har baat sunungi… tum jitni marzi call karna… jitni marzi baat karna…"
Uski awaaz aur dheemi hoti gayi.
"Bas ek baar aankhen khol do…"
Par Kabir chup tha.
Hamesha ke liye.
Aarohi ne apna sar uske haath par rakh diya.
Aur bahut der tak bas roti rahi.
Usse Kabir ki wo last line yaad aayi
"Tu aa gayi…"
Aur phir—
"Late ho gaya…"
Us waqt usne socha tha ki Kabir bas pain me aisa bol raha hai.
Par ab…
Ab usse samajh aa gaya tha.
Wo sach me late ho gayi thi.
Bahut zyada late.
2 ghante baad…
Kabir ka body hospital se le jaaya ja raha tha.
Uske ghar wale ro rahe the.
Uski maa baar-baar bas ek hi baat bol rahi thi
"Mera beta wapas de do…"
Kabir ka bhai chup tha.
Uski aankhen laal thi… par shayad aansu khatam ho chuke the.
Aarohi thodi door khadi thi.
Wo aage jaana chahti thi…
Par usme himmat nahi thi.
Usse lag raha tha ki sab log use dekhkar sirf ek hi baat soch rahe honge
"Ye sab iski wajah se hua."
Aur shayad…
Wo galat bhi nahi the.
Kabir ka bhai uske paas aaya.
Aarohi ne aankhen neeche kar li.
"Sorry…" usne dheere se kaha.
"Sab meri galti hai…"
Kabir ke bhai ne kuch seconds tak use dekha.
Phir dheere se bola
"Galti tumhari bhi thi…"
Aarohi ki aankhon me phir aansu aa gaye.
"Par sirf tumhari nahi," usne baat puri ki.
Aarohi ne upar dekha.
"Kabir tumse bahut pyaar karta tha," usne kaha.
"Usne kabhi tumhe blame nahi kiya."
Ye sunkar Aarohi aur toot gayi.
"Par maine use samjha hi nahi…" wo roti hui boli.
Kabir ke bhai ne bas itna kaha
"Ab jo chala gaya… wo wapas nahi aayega."
Aur wo waha se chala gaya.
Teen din baad…
Aarohi apne room me akeli baithi thi.
Usne room ki lights bhi on nahi ki thi.
Sab kuch dark tha.
Bilkul uske andar ki tarah.
Uske saamne table par Kabir ki ek photo rakhi thi.
Wo photo jisme Kabir has raha tha.
Wahi stupid si smile…
Jo Aarohi ko pehle irritate karti thi.
Aur ab…
Ab usse lag raha tha ki wo duniya ki sabse beautiful cheez thi.
Usne phone uthaya.
Kabir ka chat open kiya.
Usne bahut der tak screen ko dekha.
Phir type karna shuru kiya
Aarohi: "Kabir… mujhe maaf kar do…"
Wo kuch seconds tak screen dekhti rahi.
Phir usne aur likha
Aarohi: "Tum sahi the… mujhe ek baar baat kar leni chahiye thi."**
Aarohi: "Mujhe laga tha tum bas drama kar rahe ho…"**
Aarohi: "Par tum sach me mujhe khona nahi chahte the."**
Uski aankhon se aansu gir rahe the.
Screen blur ho gayi thi.
Usne last line type ki
Aarohi: "I love you… aur shayad main hamesha karti rahungi."**
Usne send kar diya.
Single tick.
Bas ek single tick.
Wo chhota sa grey tick…
Jo usse yaad dila raha tha ki ab kabhi reply nahi aayega.
Kabhi nahi.
Aarohi ne phone apne seene se laga liya.
Aur aankhen band kar li.
Usse laga jaise Kabir ki awaaz uske paas kahin ho.
"Tu aa gayi…"
Aur wo phir se ro padi.
Ek hafte baad…
Aarohi wahi jagah gayi…
Jahan Kabir usse milne bulaya karta tha.
Wo chhota sa cafe…
Jahan wo dono pehli baar mile the.
Usne corner wali table dekhi.
Wahi table…
Jahan Kabir hamesha uske liye cold coffee order karta tha bina pooche.
Aarohi waha baith gayi.
Aur dheere se muskurayi.
"Tumhe sab yaad tha…" usne dheere se kaha.
Usne apne bag se ek chhota sa folded paper nikala.
Wo paper Kabir ke bhai ne diya tha.
"Ye uski pocket me tha," usne kaha tha.
Aarohi ne paper khola.
Usme sirf ek line likhi thi
"Agar tu ye padh rahi hai… to shayad main tujhe samjha nahi paya. Par main bas itna chahta tha ki tu khush rahe… chahe mere bina hi kyu na ho."
Aarohi ki saanse ruk gayi.
Usne paper ko apne seene se laga liya.
Aur bahut der tak roti rahi.
Kabir chala gaya tha.
Par apne saath Aarohi ka ek hissa bhi le gaya tha.
Ab uske paas bas yaadein thi…
Ek adhoori baat…
Aur ek pyaar…
Jo kabhi poora nahi ho paya.
💔
THE END..?!