Chapter 3 — Khamoshi Ka Bojh
Subah ki roshni khirki se andar aa rahi thi,
magar Maahi ke andar abhi bhi raat basi hui thi.
Wo uth kar bistar se baithi,
Mustaqeem ka pehlu khaali tha—
jaise uski zindagi ka ek hissa
roz subah chupchaap uth kar chala jaata ho.
Sheeshe ke saamne kharay ho kar
usne apni aankhon ko dekha.
Neend poori thi,
magar sukoon ghaayab.
Aurat jab muskurana bhool jaaye na,
toh chehra bhi bojhal ho jaata hai.
Kitchen me chai ubal rahi thi.
Cup se uthti bhaap me
usne apni saans mehsoos ki—
garam, magar be-qaid.
Wo soch rahi thi,
kya shaadi ka matlab
sirf aik hi hai?
Chup rehna…
samajhna…
aur sehna?
Mustaqeem ne darwaaze se nikalte hue kaha:
"Main late aaunga."
Na wajah,
na poochhne ki gunjaish.
Maahi ne sirf "Theek hai" kaha,
lekin us "theek hai" ke peechhe
bohot se sawaal qaid the.
🕯 Andar Ka Tootta Hua Ghar
Din bhar ghar saaf karte hue
Maahi ko lagta raha
jaise wo sirf farsh nahi,
apni umeedein bhi jhaad rahi ho.
Har cheez apni jagah thi,
bas wo khud kahin fit nahi ho rahi thi.
Uski maa ki baat yaad aayi:
"Beta, shaadi me sab se pehle
apni izzat sambhalna seekho."
Maahi ne tab socha tha
izzat ka matlab sirf sabr hota hai.
Aaj samajh aaya—
izzat ka matlab hota hai
apni awaaz ko zinda rakhna.
📵 Ek Missed Call
Shaam dhal rahi thi
jab Maahi ne phone uthaya.
Uski saheli ka missed call tha.
Usne number dekh kar phone rakh diya.
Kuch baatein
sirf dil me hi reh jaati hain—
kyunke lafzon me aa jaayen
toh sach ban jaati hain.
Aur sach se dar lagta hai.
Raat ko Mustaqeem aaya.
Uske chehre par thakaan thi,
ya bas bay-rukhi—
Maahi farq nahi kar paayi.
Usne khana rakha.
Mustaqeem ne do niwale liye aur kaha:
"Roz ye naya experiment zaroori hai?"
Maahi ke haath kaanp gaye.
"Tumne kabhi poocha
mujhe kya pasand hai?"
Ye sawaal uske hont tak aaya,
magar wapas dil me chala gaya.
Kyunke wo jaanti thi—
jawab sun'ne ki taqat
abhi usme nahi.
🌒 Raat Ki Aakhri Soch
Bistar par let kar
Maahi ne chhat ko dekha.
Uske aur Mustaqeem ke darmiyan
faasla zyada nahi tha—
magar ehsaas ka fasla
samandar jitna gehra.
Usne khud se waada kiya:
"Main tootungi nahi.
Chup reh sakti hoon,
lekin khatam nahi."
Magar use kya pata tha
ke kuch khamoshiyan
sirf bojh nahi hoti—
wo aane wale toofan ka
pesh-khaima hoti hain.
Cliffhanger (Chapter End)
Maahi ko ab pehli baar
ye ehsaas hone laga
ke mohabbat ko bachane ke liye
sirf pyaar kaafi nahi hota…
kabhi kabhi
khud ko bachana bhi
mohabbat hi hoti hai.
(Continued…)