University ke baad sab ka khayal tha bahar ja kar khana khane ka, lekin mera zara bhi mann nahi tha. Main abhi ek novel padh rahi thi jo meri pehli priority thi. Ye sochte hue, ab main university ke gate par khari thi. Mere classmates aur friends jaa chuke thay.

"Hurrey! Theek hai, Duha, calm down. I know your happiness," maine khudko samjhate hue kaha. Ab bas mujhe kisi paas ke cafe jaana hai. Shaam ke sirf 4 baj rahe thay.

Cafe pahunchte hi maine ek coffee, pastries, aur cookies order kiye aur ek darakht ke paas wali table par beth gayi. Maine earphones lagaye, apni novel kholi, aur phir... waqt hawa jaise udhne laga. Main apni khayali duniya se bahar tab aayi jab Sheiza ka call aaya.

"Assalamualaikum, bolo Sheiza, ab kya kiya tumne?"
"Mera chhodein, aap apna batayein, Duha aapi? 7 baj chuke hain! Kahan hain aap?"
"Kya?! 7 baj chuke hain? Abhi to sirf 4 hue thay! Ya Allah! Acha theek hai, main aati hoon bas."
"Jee jaldi. Acha, ek kaam karein, ghar na aayein. Main bahar hi hoon, aap batayein kahan ho, hum dono ek short drive pe chalte hain."
"Wo to theek hai, lekin meri car?"
"Wo wapsi pe le lenge."
"Lekin main tumhare sath bike pe nahi jaaungi."
"Arey aapi, chalein na! Pakka dono sahi salamat wapas aayeinge."
"Pakka?"
"Jee, pakka."
"Theek hai."

Call cut karne ke baad, mera dhyaan apne aas-paas ke logon pe gaya. Mere saamne wale table par kuch larke bethe thay, jisme se ek ke haath mein guitar tha, aur wo bilkul mere saamne hi tha. Wo khubsurat itna tha... ya wo guitar itna acha baja raha tha... ke meri nazrein kuch pal tak uspe se hat na payin.

Phir, ekdum se guitar ki dhun ruk gayi. Isse pehle ke main kuch samajh paati, usne sar uthaya, aur uski nazrein sabse pehle mujhse mileen.

Mileen? Kya matlab, nazrein mileen?

Meri aankhein khud-ba-khud bari huin, aur maine jaldi se nazrein apne bill pe kar lin. Bina kuch aur soche samjhe, maine jaldi se payment ki, apna samaan sameta, aur seedhi chalne lagi. Gate par pahunchne ke baad, maine aasani se saans li. "Uffff! Ya Allah!" maine apne maathe par haath maara. "Ye Sheiza ki bachi kahan reh gayi?"

Mujhe mera ek haath kuch khaali mehsoos hua. "Ya Allah, nahi na! Mera white coat!"
Kaise jaaun andar? Duha, kuch nahi. Bas seedhe wahi table pe ja kar, bina kahin dekhe, apna coat le kar aana hai. Haan, sirf itna hi. Maine ye tasalli dete hue lambi saans li. Main andar jaane ke liye mudi, aur phir... kuch meri heel ke neeche aaya, aur meri aankhein apne aap band ho gayin. Ya Allah, ab yahan mujhe gira mat dena, please.

"Sambhal kar, Miss Dr."

Ek mardana, gehri awaaz aayi. Ek haath mujhe kamar pe mehsoos hua. Maine jaldi se aankhein kholin. Shukar hai, main giri nahi. Lekin mera mann ho raha tha ke main yahin sharam se doob marun.

"Aap theek hain?" usne pucha.
(Inki aankhein... kisi khule aasman jesi hain...)
"Aap theek hain?" usne phir pucha.
"Jee... jee! I am so sorry, main bas thori jaldi mein thi."
"Haan. Shayad aap kuch bhool gayin," unhone mera coat saamne karte hue kaha.
"Oh! Thank you so much!"
"Aapi!" mujhe peeche se Sheiza ki awaaz aayi.
"Okay, I have to go! Thank you so much again! Allah Hafiz!" maine jaldi jaldi saamne khade insaan ko kaha aur jaldi se Sheiza ki bullet bike par beth gayi. Meri dhadkan bohot tez ho rakhi thi, haath pair thande ho chuke thay. Mujhe bas jaldi wahan se nikalna tha. Shukar, Sheiza time par aa gayi.

Lunch ke baad, Arham mujhe office chhorne aaye thay.
"Aap bhi chalein, coffee pi kar chale jaana," maine kaha.
"Nahi, kisi aur din."
"Please, bas 10 minute, Arham, pakka."
"Acha, theek hai."

Main pehle office mein daakhil hui, aur Arham mere peeche. Isse pehle ke main apne table tak jaa paati, kitchen se Ruhaan apne liye coffee le kar aa raha tha. "Assalamualaikum, Malikan," Ruhaan ne haste hue kaha. Khair, wo muskurahat zyada der tak ruki nahi.

"Ruhaan, ye Mr. Arham hain, CEO of Shaikh & Sons Architecture. And Mr. Arham, ye Ruhaan, my business partner aur..."
"...aur Samrah ka dost bhi," Ruhaan ne jumla muskurate hue pura kiya. Phir dono ne haath milaye.

"Ruhaan, baaki sab kahan hain?"
"Acha haan, Team 1 Mr. Haadi ki site pe gayi hai, aur dusri team Mr. Huzair ki site visit karne gayi hai."
"Okay. Tell Safiya to bring two cold coffees." Phir main Arham ki taraf mudi. "Arham, are you okay with cold coffee?"
"Jee jee, it will be okay."
"Ruhaan, tum bhi aa jao," maine kaha.
"Are you sure?" Ruhaan ne aankhein choti karte hue pucha. Iski in harkaton pe hansi na aaye to kya aaye. "Haan baba, sure."

"Finally!" maine apni heels utaarte hue kaha. Meri nazar Arham pe gayi. Wo haste hue mujhe hi dekh rahe thay. Mujhe dekhte hi unhone apni hansi control kar li. Is par, main khud ki muskurahat na rok saki.

Itne dino mein, sirf aaj ka din hi mujhe sab se zyada khubsurat laga. Samrah ab mere saamne wale sofe par bethi thi. Tab meri nazar uske pairon pe gayi. Samrah ne flip-flop pehni hui thi. Uske pair jagah jagah se laal dikh rahe thay. Haan, main jaanta hoon ye heels ki wajah se hai.

Ruhaan aa chuka tha. Thori baatein aur mazaak ke baad, main jaane ke liye nikla to mujhe pharmacy pe jaane ka yaad aaya.

Ointment lene ke baad, main Samrah ki firm wapas gaya. Main seedha Samrah ke office mein gaya. Wo ab apne kaam kar rahi thi.

"Aap kuch bhool gaye?" maine pareshani se pucha.
"Nahi, bas..." wo meri taraf aaye. Meri chair unki taraf ghumaya, aur neeche beth gaye.

Unhone mere flip-flop nikaal kar, mere pair apne ghutno pe rakhe. Shayad unhone mera sawaliya chehra mehsoos kar liya tha, to unhone ek ointment dikhayi aur mere pairon mein lagane lage.

"Arham, main kar leti. And it's a daily hassle. It will be fine till morning," maine kaha.
"I know. Just let me do it."

Wo ab meri taraf dekh rahe thay. Wo muskuraye, aur uth gaye.
"Allah Hafiz. Khayal rakhna apna."

Aur wo, ek muskurahat chhor kar, chale gaye.

Chapter 8 is here! ✨

Ek taraf aasmaani aankhon wala shayar, aur dusri taraf parwah karne wala me'maar.

This chapter was full of feels! 🥰

Aapki favorite moment konsi thi? The 'sambhal kar' moment, ya 'ointment' wala? 😉

Can't wait to read your comments!

- S.J. Noor