Raat ke andhere mein, Rekha ki saansein ruk si gayi thi jab usne khidki se ek aadmi ki parchhai dekhi. Usne jaldi se dupatta theek kiya, dil zor se dhadak raha tha – yeh kaun tha jo unke gaon ke chhote se ghar ke peeche ghoom raha tha? Aur kyun lag raha tha jaise woh usko hi dekh raha ho?
Rekha, 28 saal ki, apne pati Ramu ke saath iss chhote se gaon mein rehti thi. Ramu tractor chalata tha, subah se shaam tak khet mein ghumta, ghar aata to thak kar so jata. Rekha ka din bhi wahi – subah chai banana, dopahar mein roti belna, shaam ko bacchon ko khilana. Par aaj kal kuch alag sa feel ho raha tha. Gaon ki sadak par chalte hue uski nazar baar baar us naye aaye ladke par padti. Kaun tha woh? Khet mein kaam karta dikhta, par chehra hamesha jhukaye rehta. Aaj raat, woh parchhai usi jaisi lagi.
Subah hui. Suraj ki pehli kiran se hi Rekha uth gayi. Kitchen mein khadi, chulhe par chai garam kar rahi thi. Ramu abhi so raha tha, bacche school ke liye taiyar ho rahe the. Bahar se awaaz aayi – ‘Bhabhi ji, pani bharne ka permission milega?’ Rekha ne mudkar dekha. Wahi ladka khada tha, haath mein bada sa balti, muskurata hua. Uske kaale baal paseene se bhige, shirt half khuli hui, pet par muscles chamak rahe the. Nazar mili, Rekha ki aankhein thodi badi ho gayi. Usne jaldi se nazar hata li, par dil mein kuch kuch sa hua.
‘Arre haan, bhar lo,’ usne kaha, awaaz mein thodi si kampan. Ladka andar aaya, haath se pump chalaya. Har stroke ke saath uski biceps ubhar rahi thi. Rekha chupke se dekh rahi thi, chai ka cup haath mein pakde. ‘Kaun ho tum? Naye ho gaon mein?’ usne poocha, jaise normal baat kar rahi ho.
Ladka ruk gaya, balti bharte hue bola, ‘Ji bhabhi, naam hai Raju. Sheher se aaya hoon, khet par kaam karne. Uncle ji ne bulaya hai.’ Usne seedhe aankhon mein dekha, ek pal ke liye. Rekha ko laga jaise uski nazar uske gaalon par tik gayi ho. Woh sharma gayi, dupatta sar par khinch liya. ‘Achha, to uncle ji ke ghar rehte ho? Gaon mein sab theek hai na?’
Raju ne haan mein sir hilaaya, muskuraya. ‘Haan bhabhi, sab theek. Aapka naam?’ Usne poocha, awaaz mein ek halki si masti. Rekha hichkichayi, ‘Rekha. Ramu ki biwi.’ Raju ne balti uthayi, jaate hue bola, ‘Bahut sundar naam hai, bilkul aap jaisa.’ Aur chala gaya, peeche mudkar ek baar dekha. Rekha khadi reh gayi, chehra laal. Yeh kya ho raha tha? Ramu to kabhi aisa nahi kehta.
Din bhar Rekha ka dhyan bhatak raha tha. Khet ki or jaate hue Raju ko dekha – woh buffallow ko nahlata tha, paani ke chhinte uske sharir par. Ek baar nazrein mili, usne haath hilaya. Rekha ne jaldi nazar hata li, par andar se ek garam si lehar daud gayi. Shaam ko Ramu ghar aaya, thaka hua. ‘Aaj khet mein ek naya ladka dekha, kaam achha karta hai,’ Ramu bola, roti khaate hue. Rekha ne sirf haan kaha, par dil mein sawal utha – kya Ramu ko kuch shak hai?
Raat ko sone lagi. Bacche so gaye, Ramu bhi. Rekha ko neend nahi aa rahi. Khidki se bahar dekha – wohi parchhai? Nahin, shayad andhera. Par kal raat wali baat yaad aayi. Subah uthi to Raju phir aaya, iss baar haath mein doodh ki botal. ‘Bhabhi, uncle ji ka doodh laaya hoon. Aapko pila doon?’ Usne kaha, aankhon mein ek chamak. Rekha ne mana kiya, par woh andar aa gaya, glass mein doodh dala. Haath se haath touch ho gaya – bijli si daud gayi. Dono ruk gaye, nazrein mili. Ek lambi pause. Raju ne dheere se bola, ‘Aapki aankhein… bahut gehri hain.’
Rekha ka dil zor se dhadka. ‘Yeh kya keh rahe ho? Jao ab,’ usne kaha, par awaaz mein dum nahi tha. Raju muskuraya, ‘Kal milte hain bhabhi.’ Aur chala gaya. Rekha diwar ke sahare khadi reh gayi, saansein tez. Yeh attraction kyun? Ramu ke saath zindagi ek jaise din, par yeh ladka… uski muskan, uska sharir, woh nazar. Gaon mein sabko pata chal gaya to?
Agla din, dopahar ka time. Rekha nadi par kapde dhone gayi. Gaon ki auraton ke saath baith kar baatein kar rahi thi. Door se Raju aaya, haath mein ek bada sa jhola. Woh paas hi khet mein kaam kar raha tha. Ek aurat ne mazak mein kaha, ‘Arre Rekha, naya ladka achha lagta hai na? Muscles dekho!’ Sab hanse. Rekha sharma gayi, ‘Kya bakwaas!’ Par andar se khushi hui. Raju ne dekha, door se hi muskuraya.
Shaam ko ghar lautte hue, sadak par Raju mila. ‘Bhabhi, aap akeli?’ Usne poocha, paas aate hue. Rekha ne haan kaha, thoda ruk gayi. ‘Kuch madad chahiye?’ Raju bola, uska haath uske kandhe ke paas. Nazar mili, yeh baar lambi. Hawa mein ek tension. Rekha ne kaha, ‘Nahin, chalti hoon.’ Par pair nahi hil rahe. Raju ne dheere se uske haath ko chhua, ‘Kal nadi par milo, kuch baat karni hai.’ Aur chala gaya.
Raat bhar Rekha soyi nahi. Kal nadi par? Kya baat? Yeh galat tha, par dil keh raha tha jaa. Subah Ramu chala gaya khet. Rekha ready hui, dupatta theek kiya. Jaane ka mann tha, par dar bhi. Tabhi darwaze par dastak – tension badh gayi. Kaun tha? Raju? Ya Ramu bhool gaya kuch?
Rekha ka dil zor se dhadak raha tha. Darwaze par dastak phir hui, dheere se. Usne dupatta theek kiya, saans li aur darwaza khola. Samne Raju khada tha, haath mein ek chhota sa dabba, muskurata hua. ‘Bhabhi, yeh uncle ji ka nashta bhej diya tha. Ramu bhaiya ko kehna, kha lena.’ Usne kaha, aankhon mein wahi chamak.
Rekha ne dabba liya, ungliyan ek dusre se chhu gayi. Woh bijli wali si feeling phir daud gayi. ‘Shukriya,’ usne bola, nazar niche. Raju ruk gaya, andar jhank raha tha jaise. ‘Bacche school chale gaye? Akele ho?’ Usne poocha, awaaz mein ek gehri si chuppi ke baad. Rekha ne haan mein sir hilaaya, andar bulaya nahi par woh khud hi ek kadam aage badh gaya. Kitchen ki or mud gaya, jaise ghar ka malik ho.
Dono kitchen mein khade. Rekha paani ka glass nikal rahi thi, Raju paas hi. Awkward silence. Sirf chulhe ki halki si aawaz. Rekha ko laga uski saansein sunai de rahi hongi. Raju ne dheere se bola, ‘Bhabhi, kal nadi par… aaogi na?’ Nazar uthi, dono ki aankhein mili. Lambi, gehri nazar. Rekha ka chehra garam ho gaya. ‘Yeh galat hai Raju. Gaon mein log kya kahenge?’ Usne kaha, par awaaz mein utna dum nahi.
Raju paas aaya, haath uske haath par rakh diya. ‘Koi nahi dekhega. Bas baat karni hai.’ Touch garam tha, mazboot. Rekha ne haath nahi hataya. Dil mein ladai chal rahi thi – Ramu ka chehra yaad aaya, bacchon ki hansi, par yeh curiosity, yeh garmahat… ‘Theek hai,’ woh boli finally, nazar hata li. Raju muskuraya, ‘Dopahar 2 baje.’ Aur chala gaya, peeche mudkar ek lambi nazar.
Din bhar Rekha bechain. Kaam karte hue bhi dhyan nadi par. Ramu ko khana khilaya, normal baatein ki, par andar se toofan. ‘Aaj khet mein der hogi,’ Ramu bola jaate hue. Rekha ne sirf haan kaha. Dopahar hua, woh dupatta odh kar nikal padi. Nadi ka kinara sunsaan tha, gaon walon ka kapde dhone ka time nahi. Paudhon ke peeche baith gayi, dil dhadak raha.
Thodi der baad Raju aaya, shirt utar ke sir par, sirf baniyan mein. Sharir paseene se chamak raha, muscles saaf dikhte. ‘Bhabhi,’ usne awaaz di, paas baith gaya. Rekha ne nazar nahi uthayi. ‘Kya baat hai jo yahan?’ Usne poocha, awaaz kampkampaati. Raju chup raha pehle, phir bola, ‘Tumhare baare mein sochta hoon din bhar. Sheher mein bhi aisi ladki nahi dekhi.’ Haath uske kandhe par rakh diya, halke se.
Rekha ka sharir kanp gaya. ‘Ramu hai mera pati.’ Par haath nahi hataya. Nazar mili phir, is baar nazar nahi hat gayi. Raju ka chehra paas aaya, saansein mehsoos hone lagi. Private conversation shuru hui – chhoti chhoti baatein, gaon ki, zindagi ki. ‘Tumhari zindagi mein khushi kam hai na?’ Raju ne poocha, ungli se uske baal sahlaaye. Rekha ne aankhein band ki, ‘Haan… routine sa ho gaya.’
Tension badh rahi thi. Hawa mein ek garam si leher. Raju ne usko paas kheencha, baahon mein le liya. Rekha ne virodh nahi kiya, bas saans tez. Awkward silence mein sirf dil ki dhadkan. Phir honth mil gaye – dheere, gehre. Rekha ka sharir pighal sa gaya. Haath uske peeth par, mazboot pakad. Woh bhi uske sharir ko chhune lagi, paseene ki khushboo mehsoos karte hue.
Paudhon ke peeche, nadi ki awaaz sunte hue, dono ek dusre mein kho gaye. Raju ne uske dupatte ko dheere se hata diya, gardan par chumma diya. Rekha ki saansein ruk si gayi, phir tez ho gayi. Usne uske kapde ko halke se khola, sharir ki garmahat mehsoos ki. Rekha ka haath uske chhati par, dil ki dhadkan feel kar rahi. Dono ka sharir jod gaya, dheere dheere, rhythm mein.
Har movement mein ek naya ehsaas – garam, gehra, poora. Rekha ke andar ek lehar uthi, pehli baar itna zinda mehsoos hua. Raju ka haath uski kamar par, mazboot pakad, phir dheemi harkat. Woh uske saath bahi, saansein milti hui. Internal thoughts daud rahe the – yeh galat hai, par itna sahi kyun lag raha? Ramu bhool gayi, gaon bhool gayi, bas yeh pal.
Emotional peak aaya jab dono ki nazrein phir mili, sweat se bhige chehre par. Raju ne bola, ‘Tum meri ho ab.’ Rekha ne sirf muskuraya, ek gehri connection feel hui. Jaise saalon ka sunsaan bhara ho gaya. Harkatein tez hui, poori tarah se ek hone lage. Rekha ka sharir kaanpne laga, ek badi si lehar aayi – poora sukoon, khushi ka peak. Raju bhi uske saath pahuncha, dono saath mein ruk gaye, saansein ek jaise.
Baad mein dono paudhe ke neeche let gaye, haath haath mein. ‘Yeh secret rahega,’ Rekha ne kaha, aankhon mein ab curiosity nahi, sukoon. Raju ne haan kaha, ‘Har roz milenge.’ Suraj dubne laga, Rekha uthi, kapde theek kiye. Ghar jaate hue pair halke, dil bhara. Ramu ko kya pata? Yeh affair ab shuru ho gaya, aur yeh sukoon… woh hamesha yaad rahega.
Par raat ko, jab Ramu so gaya, Rekha khidki se bahar dekha. Ek parchhai? Ya sirf andhera? Kal phir nadi? Yeh khushi kitni chalegi? Gaon chhota hai, raaz kitne din chhupega?