Subah ke 8 baje the aur main Rahul ghar ke drawing room mein baitha newspaper padh raha tha. Achanak Priya kitchen se bahar nikli toh uska chehra thoda flushed dikha raha tha. Usne simple cotton kurta pehna tha lekin uske baal jo usually tied hote the aaj loose the aur ek ek strand uske gaal se chipka hua tha. Main neeche se upar tak dekha usse lekin usne meri taraf aankh utha ke dekha hi nahi. Sirf ek chhoti si smile di aur chupke se mobile ko haath mein ghumaane lagi.
Priya aur main shaadi ke baad se yahin rehte the, normal routine mein. Office jaana, ghar aana, dinner, TV. Lekin aaj subah se kuch alag sa feel ho raha tha. Jaise uske dimag mein koi baat chal rahi ho jo woh share nahi kar rahi. Maine poocha, “Priya, subah se itni chup kyun hai? Koi problem hai kya?” Usne jhat se sir hilaya aur kaha, “Nahi yaar, bas thodi si thakaan hai. Chai banaun?” Awaaz mein woh ruk si gayi thi beech mein, aur uski ungliyan jo mobile ko pakde hue thi thodi si tight ho gayi thi.
Tabhi doorbell baji. Main utha aur door khola. Bahar Amit khada tha, mera college ka dost aur ab office colleague bhi. Woh haske andar aaya aur seedha drawing room mein baith gaya. Priya ne usse dekhte hi uska naam liya, “Arre Amit, aaj itni jaldi?” Uske muh se ye lafz nikalte hi uske gaal par halka sa rang aa gaya. Amit ne uski taraf dekha, aankhein milayi do second ke liye aur phir mujhse baat karne laga project ke baare mein. Priya wahan khadi rahi, haath mein ek cup pakde hue. Jab usne Amit ko chai di toh un dono ke haath ek pal ke liye touch hue. Priya ne turant haath peeche kheench liya aur kitchen ki taraf mud gayi, lekin uske kadam dheere the jaise woh rukna chahti ho.
Main aur Amit baith ke baatein kar rahe the. Office ki meeting, client ka pressure, sab normal. Lekin main notice kar raha tha ki Priya baar baar bahar aa rahi thi. Kabhi paani lene, kabhi kuch bhoolne ka bahana. Har baar uski nazar Amit par jaati thi. Amit bhi jab baat kar raha tha toh kabhi kabhi uski taraf dekhta aur halki si smile karta. Koi badi baat nahi thi lekin un dono ke beech mein ek chhoti si tension si mehsoos ho rahi thi. Jaise dono ko pata ho ki kuch alag ho raha hai lekin koi bol nahi raha.
Priya ne ek baar mujhse poocha, “Rahul, tum dono ko aur kuch chahiye?” Usne ye poochte hue Amit ki taraf dekha aur phir jaldi se nazar hata li. Uski body language mein ek pause tha, jaise woh wait kar rahi ho kisi jawab ka. Amit ne kaha, “Nahi bhabhi, bas yahi theek hai.” Usne bhabhi bola lekin uski awaaz mein ek halka sa personal touch tha. Priya ne sir jhukaya aur wapas kitchen mein chali gayi. Main sochne laga ki aaj subah se Priya itni conscious kyun lag rahi hai. Shayad thakaan hi hogi, maine khud ko samjhaya.
Do ghante baad Amit utha aur jaane laga. Priya ne usse goodbye kaha, lekin uske muh se awaaz bahut soft nikli. Amit ne ek baar phir uski taraf dekha, aankhein milayi aur phir mujhse haath milake nikal gaya. Ghar mein ab sirf hum dono the. Priya wapas drawing room mein aayi aur sofa par baith gayi. Usne mobile ko dekha aur ek chhoti si smile aa gayi uske chehre par. Maine poocha, “Kya hua, koi message aaya?” Usne jhat se mobile ko lock kar diya aur kaha, “Nahi, bas ek friend ka forward tha.”
Hum dono baith ke TV on kiye lekin Priya ka dhyan wahan nahi tha. Woh baar baar window ki taraf dekhti, jaise koi intezaar kar rahi ho. Uski aankhein thodi si chamak rahi thi jo pehle nahi hoti thi. Main usse baat karne ki koshish karta raha lekin uske jawab chhote chhote the. Ek baar usne mera haath pakda aur kaha, “Tum thak gaye ho na aaj? Rest kar lo.” Uske haath mein ek garmahat thi jo normal se zyada lag rahi thi. Phir usne haath chhod diya aur uth ke bedroom ki taraf chali gayi.
Shaam hone lagi thi. Ghar mein halki si andheri chha gayi thi. Priya ne light on ki lekin usne mujhse zyada baat nahi ki. Main soch raha tha ki aaj ka din kaisa tha. Amit ka aana, Priya ka behave, sab kuch mix ho raha tha dimag mein. Ek taraf normal life thi aur doosri taraf ye chhoti chhoti cheezein jo mujhe confuse kar rahi thi. Priya ne ek baar phir mobile check kiya jab main kitchen mein paani lene gaya tha. Usne jaldi se screen off kar di jab main wapas aaya. Uski aankhein meri taraf aayi lekin turant door ki taraf ho gayi.
Ab tak tension dheere dheere badh rahi thi. Priya ke chehre par woh secret wali smile ab bhi thi. Main soch raha tha ki aage kya hoga. Kya yeh normal hai ya kuch aur hai jo abhi tak pata nahi chala. Ghar mein chuppi thi lekin andar se kuch alag sa chal raha tha jo dono ko feel ho raha tha.
Shaam ke andhere mein ghar ki chuppi aur bhi gehri ho gayi thi. Main sofa par baitha TV ke screen ko dekhe ja raha tha lekin asal mein Priya ke har chhote se movement par nazar thi. Woh mere saamne hi baithi thi lekin uski aankhein door ki taraf thi jaise koi soch usko kheench rahi ho. Hum dono ke beech mein baat ka silsila ruk chuka tha. Sirf TV ki awaaz goonj rahi thi. Priya ne ek baar mera haath chhua jab woh remote lene ko jhuki lekin uska sparsh ek pal ke liye ruka raha jaise woh kuch aur soch rahi ho. Uske haath ki garmahat ne mujhe confuse kar diya. Maine aankhein utha ke dekha toh woh turant nazar hata li lekin uske chehre par woh halki si laalima ab bhi thi.
Maine dheere se poocha, “Priya tu theek toh hai na? Aaj subah se tu bahut chup hai.” Usne sir jhukaya aur kaha, “Haan Rahul bas thak gayi hoon. Tu tension mat le.” Lekin uski awaaz mein ek rukawat thi jo pehle kabhi nahi thi. Woh baar baar apne mobile ko dekhti aur phir jaldi se screen off kar deti. Maine notice kiya ki jab main kitchen mein gaya toh usne kisi se message padha aur ek chhoti si smile aa gayi uske chehre par. Jab main wapas aaya toh woh jhat se phone chhupa li. Ye sab dekh ke mere dimag mein sawal uthne lage. Kya yeh normal hai ya kuch aur chal raha hai jo main nahi jaanta.
Do ghante baad Priya uthi aur kaha ki woh thodi der bahar ja rahi hai fresh hone ke liye. Maine poocha kahan lekin usne sirf yeh kaha, “Bas paas hi hoon Rahul. Tu rest kar.” Uske kadam dheere the jaise woh rukna chahti ho lekin phir bhi nikal gayi. Ghar mein ab main akela tha. Mujhe laga ki shayad woh kisi se milne ja rahi hai. Internal thoughts mein main sochne laga ki aaj subah se jo chhoti chhoti baatein hui hain woh sab is taraf ishara kar rahi hain. Curiosity ne mujhe pakad liya aur main chupke se bahar nikal pada.
Bahar raat ki hawa thandi thi. Maine dekha Priya ek chhote se park mein Amit ke saath khadi thi. Un dono ke beech mein koi baat chal rahi thi lekin awaazein dheemi thi. Amit ne uska haath pakda aur Priya ne peeche nahi kheencha. Unki aankhein ek dusre mein uljhi hui thi jaise saalon ka intezaar khatam ho raha ho. Main door se dekhta raha. Priya ka chehra ab flushed tha aur uske honthon par ek hesitation thi. Amit ne dheere se kuch kaha aur Priya ne sir hilaya. Phir dono ek dusre ke kareeb aaye. Unke haath ek dusre ko chhoo rahe the. Priya ki aankhein band ho gayi aur uske chehre par ek sukoon sa aa gaya. Woh dono wahan se ek chhote se ghar ki taraf badhe jo paas hi tha.
Andar jaake un dono ne door band kiya. Main soch raha tha ki ab kya hoga lekin mera dil tez dhadak raha tha. Priya aur Amit ke beech jo connection ban raha tha woh dheere dheere gehra hota gaya. Unki aankhein ek dusre ko takti rahi. Priya ne pehle hesitation dikhai lekin phir usne apne aap ko uske kareeb kiya. Amit ne uske gaal ko chhua aur woh dono ek dusre ki saans mein kho gaye. Priya ke dil ki dhadkan tez ho rahi thi. Uske andar ek ajeeb si feeling jaag rahi thi jo pehle kabhi nahi hui thi. Woh dono dheere dheere ek dusre ke saath adjust karne lage. Unke bodies ek dusre se chipak gaye. Priya ne aankhein band karke us pal ko mehsoos kiya. Har touch se uske andar ek naya ehsaas jaag raha tha. Amit bhi usi tarah uske har reaction ko notice kar raha tha. Un dono ke beech mein koi baat nahi thi sirf unki saansein aur dheemi si movements thi. Priya ke chehre par jo tension thi woh ab badal chuki thi ek sukoon mein. Woh dono ek dusre ke saath milkar us lamhe ko poora kar rahe the. Har pal unke liye nayi curiosity la raha tha. Priya ke dimag mein ab sirf yeh tha ki yeh connection usko kitna complete feel kara raha hai. Amit ne uske haath ko pakda aur dono ne ek dusre ko aur kareeb kiya.
Dheere dheere woh pal badhta gaya. Priya ke andar jo hesitation thi woh ab gayab ho chuki thi. Usne apne aap ko uske hawaale kar diya. Un dono ke movements ek dusre se match kar rahe the. Priya ko ehsaas ho raha tha ki yeh sab uske liye kitna alag aur gehra hai. Har touch se uske andar ek naya sukoon fail raha tha. Amit bhi usi ehsaas ko share kar raha tha. Unke beech jo emotional peak aa raha tha woh dono ko ek naye ehsaas se bhar raha tha. Priya ne mehsoos kiya ki yeh connection usko kitna satisfy kar raha hai. Uske chehre par ek gehri khushi ki lahar daud gayi. Woh dono us pal mein kho gaye jahan sirf unki feelings aur bodies ki closeness thi. Koi shabd nahi sirf unka saath aur woh gehra connection. Priya ke andar jo curiosity thi woh ab ek satisfying pleasure mein badal chuki thi. Usne aankhein kholi toh Amit ki aankhein usme hi thi. Dono ne ek dusre ko dekha aur samajh gaye ki yeh pal unke liye kya matlab rakhta hai. Ghar wapas aane ke baad bhi Priya ke chehre par woh smile thi jo ab tak nahi gayi thi. Main soch raha tha ki aage kya hoga lekin yeh raaz ab dono ke beech mein gehra ho chuka tha.