Khamoshi ki awaaz itni tez kabhi nahi lagi thi.
"Please… humein thoda aur waqt de dein."
baba (Ahmad Raza Emaan's father) ki awaaz kaanp rahi thi, aur mera dil toot gaya unhe aise dekh kar.
Maine unhe kabhi itna majboor, itna bebas nahi dekha tha.
Hamare saamne khara woh shakhs… bilkul bhi react nahi kar raha tha.
Jaise baba ki baat uske liye kuch bhi na ho.
Zayan Khan.
Woh aadmi jisne sab kuch barbaad kar diya tha.
"Waqt?" usne dheere se kaha, uski gehri awaaz kamre mein goonj uthi.
"Tum logon ne pehle hi bohot zyada le liya hai."
Maine apne haath zor se band kiye, apna gussa control karne ki koshish ki.
"Hum paise wapas kar denge," maine kaha,Baba se pehle aage badhte hue.
"Bas humein ek chance de dein."
Uski tez nazar mujh par aayi.
Ek pal ke liye meri saans ruk gayi.
Uski aankhon mein kuch tha… kuch darawna, thanda… aur nafrat se bhara hua.
"Tum kaun ho?" usne thandi awaaz mein poocha.
"Main inki beti (Emaan)hoon," maine darr ke bawajood seedha kharay hote hue jawab diya.
Uske honton par halki si muskurahat aayi… mazaak udate hue.
"Of course," usne dheere se kaha.
"Us aadmi ki beti… jisne humein dhoka diya."
Mera dil zor se dharka.
"Mere baba ne kuch galat nahi kiya," maine foran jawab diya, meri awaaz halki si kaanp rahi thi.
Kamre mein phir se khamoshi chaa gayi.
Phir woh ek qadam meri taraf aaya.
Main beikhtiyaar peeche hat gayi.
"Apne alfaaz sambhal kar bolo," usne dheere se kaha, lekin uski awaaz mein khatarnaak sukoon tha.
"Tumhare baba ki 'begunah' hone ki wajah se meri family ne sab kuch kho diya."
Maine mushkil se saans li.
"Mujhe yakeen nahi hai," maine dheere se kaha.
Uska chehra sakht ho gaya.
Ek pal ke liye laga jaise uski aankhon mein dard tha… lekin woh foran gayab ho gaya.
"Jo chahe socho," usne kaha.
"Haqeeqat nahi badlegi."
baba ne dobara baat ki, is dafa aur bhi kamzor awaaz mein.
"Mr. Zayan… please. Hum paise arrange kar lenge. Bas hamara ghar mat lein."
Ghar.
Hamari aakhri umeed.
Meri aankhon mein aansu aa gaye, lekin maine unhe girne nahi diya.
Zayan ne baba ko kuch dair tak dekha… phir dheere se saans li.
"Fine," usne kaha.
Mere dil mein ek choti si umeed jagi.
Lekin aglay alfaaz ne sab kuch tod diya.
"Main tumhein ek option deta hoon."
Mera dil tez dhadakne laga.
"Kya option?" babab ne ghabra kar poocha.
Zayan ki nazar dobara mujh par tik gayi.
Aur us nazar mein kuch aisa tha jisne mujhe bechain kar diya.
"Mujhse shaadi karo."
Jaise waqt ruk gaya ho.
"W-What…?" maine halki si awaaz mein kaha.
"Ek saal," usne bilkul normal tone mein kaha, jaise koi deal discuss kar raha ho.
"Contract marriage."
Main usay dekhti reh gayi.
"In return," usne add kiya, "main tumhari family ka sara qarz khatam kar dunga."
Meri saans atak gayi.
Yeh mazaak tha.
Ya shayad koi bura khwab.
"Tum mazaak kar rahe ho," maine kaha.
"Main kabhi business mein mazaak nahi karta," usne seedha jawab diya.
"Yeh business nahi hai!" maine gusse mein kaha.
"Yeh meri zindagi hai!"
Woh ek qadam aur kareeb aaya.
Bohot zyada kareeb.
"Yeh tumhari family ki zindagi bhi hai," usne dheere se kaha.
Main jam si gayi.
Peeche Mama (saba Ahmed Emaan's mother) ki halki si rone ki awaaz aa rahi thi.
baba chup thay.
Aur unki yeh khamoshi… sab kuch keh rahi thi.
Maine unki taraf dekha, dil toot gaya.
"Baba…?" maine dheere se kaha.
Unhon ne meri taraf dekha bhi nahi.
Us pal mujhe samajh aa gaya.
Hamare paas koi choice nahi thi.
Meri aankhon se aansu behne lage jab maine dobara Zayan ki taraf dekha.
"Main mar jaungi lekin tumse shaadi nahi karungi," maine dard bhari awaaz mein kaha.
Is dafa uska chehra halka sa badla.
Woh jhuk kar mere kareeb aaya, sirf mujhe sunai dene wali awaaz mein bola:
"Tumhare paas itni aasani nahi hai."
Maine aankhein band kar li.
"Soch lo," usne kaha.
"Agar tumne mana kiya…"
Woh peeche hata, bilkul calm.
"Toh main sab kuch le lunga."
Sab kuch.
Hamari izzat. Hamara ghar. Hamari zindagi.
Mere haath kaanp rahe thay.
Yeh koi offer nahi tha.
Yeh ek jaal tha.
Aur main us mein phans chuki thi.