Guys....I never ask you to vote or comment but in lockdown I need support and motivation. Please...

Khala watches Naushad intently looking at his phone. She knows he is waiting for Saira' call. But she also knows he waits for someone else too. It is getting late. Saira doesn't call. Naushad waits and waits..and then finally gives up.

He stands up and leaves for his room.

Not even a second after Khala enters.

'Phir se tu shuru ho gaya? Khana nahi khana aur rato ko jaagna! Tu bhookhe pet nahi soyega. Chal. Uth aur khana kha.'

'Man nahi he. Khala..'  he weakly tells her...

Khala is angry. Real this time. It was his routine to wait for Saira to call. The day she calls he is happy but that doesn't stop him from burning his nights to ashes. He eats food but not as much as he is supposed to. He is smiley until the call ends. He sulks alone. He barely talks. And on top of it, he has increased his burden of work. He returns home but with files. If not files then he himself goes to night patrol. If not patrolling he goes to other departments. He goes to Cantt area and makes meetings. He plainly keeps himself busy. And it doesn't escape khala' eyes how he runs away from everything. He has become a ghost in his hown house. He barely makes visit. And it has irritated the hell out of khala.

Now..its the end of her limits.

'Naushad. Ab mere se ye sab nahi dekha jata. Me ab is ghar me aur nahi ruk sakti. Mere sabra ki inteha ho gayi ab. Ek to ye khali ghar...upar se tere nakhre. Tere mijaaj mujje samajh nahi aate.. Jis tarah se tu khud ko bina kis baat ke saja de raha he..Ab mujhse bardasht nahi hota. Tujhe jo karna he kar..Me nahi rokungi. Lekin ab is ghar se rukhsat hona chahti hu me.

Mene kitne saal gujaar diye..Arwa jab gayi aur tu toot gaya tha tab bhi..me yahi thi. Tab bhi mujhe ye makan ghar najar aaya.

Lekin ab jab yaha koi koi insan nahi he..me is khali makan me nahi rah sakti. Saira is ghar ki jaan thi..aur Naina. Us bacchi me rooh basne lagi thi is ghar ki. Lekin ab...Ab yaha kuch nahi bacha. Tu hamesha apne gam me gum he..aur me yaha akeli. Mujhse ye sab nahi ho paayega. Mujhe mere pushtaini ghar wapas jana he.. Ab mere pas sabra nahi raha.'

Naushad looks at her.

'Behatar hi hoga ye. Mujh badnaseeb ke sath rah kar aapko milega kya! Aap rukiye me akram ko bolta hu ki aapko kal chhod aaye.' He stands up to leave. khala spots a tera rolling down his eye. She holds his hand..

'Naushad..'

This breaks the wall and huge sea is unleashed.

'Khala..me kitna badnasseb hu. Akhir me hi kyu! Mujhse aisa kya gunaah ho gaya ki jo bhi mere najdeek aata gaya mujhse utni hi door ho gaya. Aap hi batao mera gunaah kya he.

Arwa se mene bepanaah mohbbat ki thi. Lekin ek pal me usne mujhe akela chhod diya... Ek baar palat kar nahi dekha. Ek baar meri taraf nahi dekha ki me jinda hu ya nahi..

Aur Naina. Us ko bhi ek pal nahi laga. Ek dam se chali gayi. Ek dam se me uske liye gair(stranger) ho gaya. Check post par ek baar ye nahi bola ki mera us se koi rishta he.

Lekin me us se ummed rakhu bhi to kaise! Ye rishta to shuru hi bina uski marji ke huya tha. Uski manjil Hum  nahi he khala. Jis din usko uska mukaam mila...wo aur bhi door chali jayegi. Aur ye uske liye behtar hi hoga..Akhir kab tak wo apnawaqt mujh par jaya karegi. Me use kuch de bbi nahi sakta.. Uski khwahishe mere akelepan se poori nahi ho sakti. Uski khushiyaan mujh se shuru nahi hoti. Me to sab kuch kho chuka hu. Lekin us ke pass abhi bhi bahut kuch waki bacha he..

Aur me use dunga bhi kya! Mere bikhre khwab? Mere gam? Ya phir meri udas aur mayus jindagi? Behtar yahi he ki wo mujhe chhod kar aage bad jaaye..'

Khala looks at him. People says he is a stone. If it is so, today this stone has just cried an ocean.

'Pagal. Agar itni hi parwaah he to bol kyu nahi deta usko ki wapas aa jaye. Jab tak tu bolega nahi usko pata kaise chalega! Aur jab tu baat nahi karega to tujhe pata kaise chalega ki wo kya mahsoos karti he. Naushad...Us bacchi se baat to kar. Ek baar usko gale laga..us se baat kar...

Tu yaha andhero me aur wo waha akeli..kuch hasil nahi hoga aise bet. Usko wapas le aa..'

Naushad hesitates..

'Kitne salo tak khud ko band rakhega. Kab tak bhagega. Yahi waqt he..Khud ke liye soch.ek baar khud ke liye jee le. Ek baar aage nad kar uska haath tham. Ek baar usse pooch ki kya wo tere sath tere gamo me shamil hogi? Us se pooch kar to dekh Naushad...ek bar. Sirf ek bar. Bhool ja sab kuch..aur khudgarj ban na..beta. phir shayad bahut der ho jayegi..'

Khala leaves his hand. And sits up..

'Pahli baar jab wo yaha se gayi thi to tu usko mere liye lekar aaya tha. Is baar tu tay karega ki wo yaha kis ke liye aayegi. Soch le Naushad..Is baar agar wo is ghar me aayi to kis wajah se aayegi. Me tujhe koi kasam nahi de rahi. Jo karna he kar. Bas yaad rakh ki waqt bahut keemati hota he.'

She leaves....

Naushad is standing and thinking. Khala' words are ringinh in his ears. She told Him to be selfish and brave for once. For once she asked him to live for himself. For once he is allowed to commit a sin. For once he is allowed to leave the perimeter and bask in.

But he has asked her once before to return. She plainly refused. she has told him that this house doesn't feel home to her. He now has no idea how to ask her to comeback. He has nothing in mind regarding how he would go and say things to make her agree to return.. He is offended somewhere and scared too. And he has no instruction set to tell him how to bring her back. What if she denied again....

But he has to make decision, hasn't he!

He goes to coffee table and picks up his keys. It may be late night but not enough late to do something right.

Khala sees him leaving. Her heart cries in joy. Finally...Finally that woman Arwa left premises of this house.
____________________________

Khala is sitting and looking outside window. Thr doorbell goes off. She is not sure who ill be this time. naushad has left just a moment ago.  Did this man changed his decision? Change of heart so soon! Shw goes to open the door..

'Salma khalaaaaa.....Saira aaa gayii..' Saira is there and Naina too..

Before she can ask something Saira has climbed to her lap. She is hugging her.

'Aap bilkul accha khana nahi banate. Lekin Saira ko aapke haath ka keema khana he. Aap banaoge? Pleasee...Saira ne kabse nahi khaya. Please khala..'

Khala wiped her eyes.

'Jarur. Beta. Dulhan...Tum kya khaogi? Bhookh lag gayi hogi. Ab jaakar mujhe chain aaya. Khuda ka shukra he tum log aa gaye. Noor chala gaya tha is ghar se. Andar aao. Muh hath dho lo..me abhi chai lekar aati hu. Aur saira ka pasnadeeda keema. Ruko..' she takes Saira with her..While Naina looks at her feet.

She looks around. Everything is same. The way she had left. Nothing has changed. She goes to Saira' room. Takes a warm bath and comes back.

She giea to kitchen where over enthusiastic Saira and Khala are happily preparing  onion fritters. She stands there.

'Khala. Mujje coffee pini he. Aapko koi problem na ho to me apne liye coffee bana leti hu.'

'Dulhan ye ghar aapka he.. Aap coffee banao. Hum idhar pakode tal lete he. Ruko..us side coffee chada do..' she gives her space. Naina picks coffee and kettle. She pours milk in and coffee powder. Then She waits.

Meanwhile a lost Naushad enters...

'Khala..Khala..'

Hearing him saira runs away. Soon She enters in his arms..

'Abbu....dekho pakode...phir hum keema khayenge. Yayyy...'

Naushad spots Her. She is silently watching her coffee. He puts Saira down. But she pulls him with her and asks him to make her sit on refrigerator.

'Ye ladki nahi sudharegi..' khala exclaims with tear of joy.

Naushad mildly scolds her and places her on dining table. Before he can proceed to naina, she turns ....

'Khala. Abhi mujhe thoda headache he. Me coffee pikar thoda aram karke wapas aati hu. Aap keema akele mat banayiga.' Khala happily nods..

Meanwhile Naushad wAtches her leaving.

So close yet so far away...

Arent stars much lucky than people for they are still in sky...and gracing with their twinkling presence every night..without complain...without any expectation..