Episode 4
1257 Words
Sooraj poori ab-o-taab se chamak raha tha. Shanzay singhar maze ke samne khari apne baal kanghi kar rahi thi. Achanak se bell baji to woh chonki. Uski nazar ghari ki taraf uthi jahan abhi do baje thay. Aisha ki timing to raat ko 9 baje hoti hai, phir is waqt kaun tha? Woh sochon mein gum jaldi se apne baalon ka jora bana kar upar ki taraf gayi jahan se asani se dekha ja sakta tha ke kaun aaya hai.
Usne khidki se neeche jhanka to wahan usay ek aurat nazar aayi jo jani pehchani lagti thi. "Hain, yeh kaun hai?" Woh shash-o-panch mein khoi neeche aayi aur darwaza khola. Bahar dekh kar uski aankhein khuli ki khuli reh gayin. Wahan Najma khadi thi, khule baalon ke sath aur haath mein kuch samaan bhi tha. Shanzy wahiin sakht khadi usay upar se neeche tak dekh rahi thi.
"Haye Shanzy, kaisi ho?" Najma ne uski aankhon ke samne haath lehraya to usay hosh aaya.
"Ah haan, main... main theek hoon. Aao, andar aa jao..." Shanzy ne uske liye rasta chhoda aur uske haathon se samaan pakda.
"Main bas yahan se samaan lene aayi thi to socha tumse milti chalu." Najma ne wazahat di aur aage badhi. "Kahin woh tumhari boss to andar nahi hain?"
Boss ka naam sun kar Shanzy ne nafi mein sir hilaya aur usay andar le aayi. "Shukar hai tum aa gayi, mujhe waqai tumhari bohot yaad aa rahi thi."
"Oh acha, chalo sahi ho gaya phir." Phir woh dono barh kar sofa par baith gayin.
"Main tumhare liye coffee laun? Tumhe pasand hai na?" Shanzy ne yaad karte hue kaha.
"Arey nahi bhai, coffee rehne do, bas main to tumse milne aayi hoon. Khalid bhi kaam par gaye hain to socha chalo do ghari tumhare paas aa jaun."
Shanzy ne khushi se uski taraf dekha. "Acha hai phir, mera bhi dil lag jayega."
"Haan, waise tumhe raat mein kya hua tha?" Najma ne jaise yaad karte hue kaha.
"Nahi, kuch bhi to nahi." Shanzy ne nafi mein sir hilaya.
"Kuch to hua tha, tumhe aise hi gussa nahi aata." Najma ne shararat se kaha.
"Woh asal mein boss ki baatein bas... tum to jaanti ho ke woh kaisi hain... Najane unhein kya hota ja raha hai." Shanzy udaasi se neeche dekhne lagi.
Najma uth kar uske paas aayi. "Koi baat nahi, sab theek ho jayega. Tumhe tumhari purani wali Aisha zaroor milegi." Najma usay tasalli dene lagi.
"Kher chhodo, aur batao tumhari zindagi mein kya chal raha hai?" Shanzy ne mauzoo badla.
"Haan, bas aise hi hai. Kaam karo, khana banao, phir bachon ka khayal rakho. Shaadi ke baad life bohot masroof si ho jati hai." Najma apni baatein sunane lagi.
Phir kuch lamhon mein woh dheer saari baatein kar ke khamosh ho gayin.
"Tum aaya karo yahan. Tum bhi apni daastan suna diya karo aur mera bhi dil halka ho jaya karega. Hum kaafi der baad hi yun mil rahe hain." Shanzy ne kaafi der khamosh rehne ke baad bola.
"Haan, main koshish to karti hoon. Bas Khalid aksar chhutti kar lete hain aur bachay to tumhe pata hi hai phir. Lekin main koshish kya, karungi ke aa jaaya karun. Tum bhi kabhi aao na hamare ghar, mujhe acha lagega."
"Haan, main bhi zaroor koshish karungi. Boss to subah subah chali jati hain aur shaam gaye tak laut ti hain. Main aksar farigh hoti hoon, yeh khamoshi mujhe kaatne ko daudti hai." Shanzy apne dukh uske samne rakh rahi thi.
"Chalo, main phir chalti hoon. Tumhe bhi boss ke liye khana banana hoga aur mere bhi bachay, Saleem aur Ibrahim, ki chhutti hone wali hai school se. Tum kal chakkar laga lo mere ghar, main tumhe apna ghar dikhaungi."
"Haan haan zaroor, main apni taraf se poori koshish karungi." Shanzy uthi aur gale milne lagi.
Najma ne apna samaan uthaya aur woh dono saath saath chalte gate tak aayin. "Apna khayal rakha karo, khoob khaya piya karo. Dekho, kitni kamzor ho gayi ho!" Najma jaate hue usay hidayat de rahi thi.
Shanzy ne hanste hue usay dekha aur sir asbaat mein hila kar uski taaied ki.
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The sun was shining brightly.
Shanzay was standing in front of her dressing table, brushing her hair.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang and she got surprised.
She looked at the clock — it was just 2 PM.
Aisha usually comes at 9 PM, she thought. Then who is here at this time?
She quickly tied her hair in a bun and went upstairs to look outside from the window.
She looked down and saw a woman who looked familiar.
"Huh? Who is that?"
Confused, she went downstairs and opened the door.
When she saw who was standing there, her eyes opened wide in shock.
It was Najma, with her hair open and some things in her hands.
Shanzay stood there silently, looking at her from head to toe.
"Hey Shanzay, how are you?"
Najma waved her hand in front of her face, and Shanzay came back to her senses.
"Oh, I'm... I'm fine. Come in, please..."
Shanzay moved aside and took the things from her hands.
"I just came to get some things, so I thought I should visit you too," Najma explained while walking in.
"Is your boss inside?"
Hearing the word "boss," Shanzay shook her head and brought her inside.
"Thank God you came. I really missed you."
"Oh, that's nice then."
Then they both sat on the sofa.
"Should I make coffee for you? You like it, right?" Shanzay asked, remembering.
"Oh no, don't worry about coffee. I just came to meet you.
Khalid is at work, so I thought I'd spend some time with you."
Shanzay smiled at her.
"That's great. I was feeling lonely."
"So... what happened to you last night?" Najma asked, remembering.
"Nothing at all," Shanzay shook her head.
"Something did happen. You don't get upset for no reason," Najma said teasingly.
"Well... actually it's just boss things. You know how she is...
I don't know what's happening to her lately,"
Shanzay looked down, feeling sad.
Najma moved closer to her.
"It's okay. Everything will be fine. You'll get your old Aisha back," she said to comfort her.
"Forget it... tell me about your life," Shanzay changed the topic.
"Oh, it's the usual. Work, cooking, taking care of the kids.
After marriage, life gets so busy," Najma shared.
They talked for a long time and then became quiet.
"You should come here often. Tell me your stories too,
It makes my heart feel light.
We don't get to meet like this often,"
Shanzay said after a long silence.
"I do try. But Khalid often stays home, and you know about the kids...
But okay, I will really try now. You should come to my house too. I'd love that."
"Yes, I will try too.
Boss leaves early in the morning and comes back in the evening.
I'm often free, and this silence makes me feel so alone."
Shanzay shared her feelings.
"Okay, I'll go now. You probably need to cook for your boss,
and my kids, Saleem and Ibrahim, will be home from school soon.
Come visit my house tomorrow — I'll show you everything."
"Yes yes, I'll try my best."
Shanzay stood up and hugged her.
Najma picked up her things, and both walked to the gate together.
"Take care of yourself. Eat well! Look, you've become so thin!"
Najma said while leaving, giving her a sweet warning.
Shanzay smiled, nodded her head, and agreed with her.
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- Writer
