Billionaire (Hindi)

Barish us shaam zor se ho rahi thi. Ayesha ne geelay haath apron pe ponchhe aur counter pe rakhi tray dekhi — chhe chocolate truffles, uske haath ke banaye hue. "Meetha" naam ki uski chhoti si bakery thi, teen saal se, apni maa ki recipe se, apne paseene se. Aur aaj bhi, kisi bade board pe uska naam nahi tha. Uske phone pe bhai ka message tha — "Ayesha, paisa? Usne likha — "Aa raha hai."* Jhooth. Paisa paanch din se nahi aaya tha. Aur is baar aane wala bhi nahi tha. Kyunki bhai ne udhaar liya tha — pachaas lakh. Aur wo udhaar kisi aam aadmi ka nahi tha. Darwaza khula. Andar ek aadmi aaya. Kaala coat, kaali aankhein, aur ek chehra jispe lagta tha jaise kabhi muskuraaya hi na ho. Bahar ek kaali Bentley ruki thi. Ayesha ne use pehchana — Arhaan Kapoor. Teen shabdon mein, sabse ameer. "Bakery band hai," Ayesha ne kaha. "Tumhare liye nahi." Usne ek moti file counter pe patak di. "Tumhare bhai ne meri company se pachaas lakh udhaar liye the. Saal ho gaya." Ayesha ka dil dhak dhak karne laga. "Main thoda thoda karke—" "Tumhari bakery itne saal mein nahi bharegi." Uski aawaaz itni shaant thi ki lagta tha volume kam kar diya ho. "Toh ek aur rasta hai. Tum ek mahine ke liye meri assistant bano. Mere ghar raho, kaam sanbhalo. Badle mein tumhara bhai saaf." "Sirf assistant?" Arhaan ne file kholi. "Sab likha hai. Padho." Phir wo counter pe jhuka, itna paas ki uski khushbu mehsoos hui. Uski ungli ek truffle uthai, aur usse Ayesha ke hothon ke paas le aaya — itna paas ki dono ke beech sirf ek inch tha. Usne khaya bhi nahi. Bas dekha. "Aur haan," usne dheere se kaha, "mere ghar mein raat ko bhi kaam karna padega." Ayesha ka gala sookha. Barish tez ho gayi. "Signature," usne pen badhaya. Ayesha ne kaapte haathon se apna naam likha. Us raat, ek naam likhkar, usne apni zindagi likh di. --- Subah Ayesha teen baar taiyaar hui, teen baar kapde badle, aur aakhir mein apni maa ki di hui halki chikankari kurta pehni. Jitna simple ho sake. Das baje wo us address pe pahunchi. Chaubeesvin manzil. Darwaza khula tha. Andar gayi — aur ruk gayi. Ye ghar nahi tha, ye ek banaya hua sthaan tha. Sheeshe ki deewarein, jahan se poori dhuli hui Mumbai dikh rahi thi. Kaala marble, itna saaf ki usme apna chehra dikhta. Itni khamoshi ki apne qadmon ki aawaaz sunai de. "Aa gayi." Aawaaz peeche se. Arhaan corridor mein khada tha — safed shirt, kholi hui tie. Uski aankhon mein wahi thand, par aaj kuch aur bhi. "Ye tumhara ghar hai?" Ayesha ne pucha. "Tha." Wo aage aaya. "Ab jaanta nahi." Usne ek kamra dikhaya. "Tumhara." Aur corridor ke aakhir ki taraf ishara kiya — bas ek alag, door darwaza. "Aur mera wahan." "Kyun itni door?" Arhaan ne usse dekha. "Kyunki pehle koi paas nahi aata tha." Shaam ko Ayesha ne fridge khola — khaali. Sirf paani, do beer, ek purani jam. Ye aadmi khana hi nahi khaata tha. Usne do ande, ek tamatar, ek pyaaz se kuch bana liya — bas. Plate saamne rakhi. Arhaan ne laptop se nazar uthai. "Ye kya hai?" "Khana. Aap sirf coffee peete ho na? Ab ande bhi khaoge." Arhaan ne usse dekha — jaise koi nayi cheez. Koi usse bahas kar raha tha. Usne pehla niwala uthaya. Chabaya. Phir poora plate khatam kar diya. Ek niwala bhi nahi chhoda. "Tum jeet gayi," usne kaha. "Main har roz jeetungi." Us raat, teen baje, Ayesha ki neend khuli. Kitchen ki halki roshni mein Arhaan khada tha — whisky, kholi tie, aur itna thaka hua jaise saalon se soya hi na ho. "Neend nahi aati?" Ayesha ne dheere se pucha. "Saalon se." Usne glass hilaya. "Tumhe kya lagta hai — itna sab jeetne ke baad, insaan chain se sota hai?" Ayesha badhi. Bina soche usne uske kandhe pe haath rakh diya. Arhaan ka poora jism sakht ho gaya. Wo mudha, aur dono ke beech ki doori khatam ho gayi. "Tum nahi jaanti," usne kaha, "ki tum kitni khatarnak ho." "Khatarnak?" "Haan. Kyunki tum ghar jaisi ho. Aur main saalon se ghar se door bhaga hoon." Ayesha ki saans ruki. --- Do din baad, subah balcony mein Ayesha khadi thi. Arhaan peeche aaya. Kuch nahi bola. Bas khada raha — itna paas ki saans mehsoos hui. Phir usne apna haath rail pe rakha, Ayesha ke haath ke bilkul paas. Ungliyan chhoo rahi theen. Ayesha ne haath nahi hataya. "Contract tha na," usne dheere se kaha. "Ek mahina." "Haan." "Toh mahine ke baad?" Arhaan bahut der chup raha. Phir usne apna haath uthaya, rail se, aur Ayesha ki hatheli pe rakh di — pakad nahi, bas rakha. "Ye mahine ke baad pata chalega," usne kaha. Ayesha ne apni ungliyan uske haath mein daal di. Arhaan ne halka sa daba diya. Koi nahi bola. Aur ye khamoshi poori duniya ke shor se zyada bhaari thi. Usi waqt Ayesha ke phone pe ek message aaya. Ek naam. Meera. Message sirf itna — "Tum Arhaan ke ghar mein ho? Achha. Main aane wali hoon. Ayesha ne haath kheench liya. Arhaan ne usse dekha. "Kaun?" Ayesha ne phone dikhaya. Arhaan ke chehre pe wahi thand wapas aa gayi — jo abhi abhi gayab hui thi. "Meera," usne kaha. Aur bas. Ayesha ke pet mein kuch hila. "Achha. Aur ye Meera... kaun hai?" Arhaan ne jawab diya — chhota, saaf, adhoora. "Purani." Aur wo andar chala gaya. Ayesha balcony pe akeli khadi rahi. Uske haath ki hatheli pe ab bhi garmi thi. Uske dil mein ek naam — jo abhi aaya tha, aur poori kahani badalne wala tha. Usne dheere se kaha, itna ki sirf hawa sun sake — "Purani. Matlab... kya?" Bahar barish phir shuru ho gayi. Aur is ghar mein, pehli baar, kuch aisa tha jo uske saath ga raha tha.