Ek Pyari Si Subah
“Utho Riya, 8 baj gaye hai,” maine dheere se kaha.
Vo abhi bhi apni rajai ke andar thi, bilkul aise jaise kisi ne usey fold karke rakh diya ho. Sirf uski naak aur thoda sa sir dikh raha tha. Main uske paas gaya, haath se halkasa hilaya. “Utho yaar.”
Koi jawaab nahi. Bas rajai ke andar se ek halki si movement, jaise neend ne bhi karvat li ho. Phir uski awaaz aayi, adhi soyi, adhi ziddi, “8 toh roj bajte hai. Mujhe sone do please.” Aur voh seedha doosri taraf ghoom ke, sapno mein wapas chali gayi.
Main muskuraya. Ek baar aur koshish ki. “Late ho jaoge.”
Is baar usne jawaab shabdon se nahi, harkat se diya. Uska haath bahar aaya, meri kalai pakdi, aur ek jhatke mein mujhe bed pe kheench liya.
“Suno mister,” usne aankhein khole bina kaha, “main jaldi nahi uthungi. Aur ab tum bhi late jaoge.” Usne mujhe kas ke pakad liya, apna sar mere seene par rakh diya. Uski saans dheemi thi, garam, aur bilkul bharose se bhari hui. Aise jaise main koi kaidi hoon jo zara si bhi harkat kare toh bhaag jaayega.
Aur shayad kaidi tha main. Uske pyaar mein.
“Abhi toh 6 baje hai,” maine dheere se kaha, usse baahon mein aur kas ke bharte hue. “Thoda aur so lete hai.”
Hum dono aur zyada paas aa gaye. Rajai ke andar ek chhoti si duniya ban gayi thi, jahan alarm, deadlines, aur bahar ki awaazein nahi pahunch pa rahi thi. Usne apna pair mere pair ke beech rakh diya, jaise confirm kar rahi ho ki main kahin jaane ki koshish na karun.
Kuch der baad voh halki si hilli. Aankhein adhi khuli. “Tum uth gaye ho?” “Main toh kab se tumhara pillow hoon,” maine kaha.
Usne bina dekhe hi muskura diya. Phir meri t-shirt ka collar pakad ke apna chehra usmein chhupa liya. “Accha pillow ho. Garam bhi.”
Main bas uske baal sehlata raha. Ungliyon se, dheere dheere, jaise neend toot na jaaye. Vo har baar thoda sa aur paas aa jaati, jaise attention ka jawaab de rahi ho. Thodi der baad bahar se doodh wale ki awaaz aayi. Phir kisi pressure cooker ki seeti. Subah apna kaam kar rahi thi; andar hum abhi bhi raat mein the.
“Uthna padega,” maine kaha, bina bilkul mann ke. “Hmm,” usne kaha. Matlab nahi.
Maine rajai hata ke thoda sa parda khisakaya. Dhoop seedhi uske chehre pe aayi. Vo turant chidh chadha ke bol padi, “Arey, princess ko aise uthate hai kya?” “Princess ko toh chai bed pe milti hai,” maine kaha. Usne aankhein khol ke mujhe dekha. “Sach?” “Promise.”
Usne turant rajai fir se kheench li aur aankhein band kar li. “Phir uthne ki koi jaldi nahi hai.”
Main utha, bina awaaz kiye. Kitchen mein jaake chai banayi, thodi kam chini wali, jaise use pasand hai. Cup leke jab wapas aaya toh vo seedhi baith ke pillow ke sahare baithi thi, baal uljhe hue, aankhon mein abhi bhi neend chipki hui.
“Good morning,” maine kaha. “Good morning,” usne kaha, aur chai dono haathon se pakad li jaise koi trophy ho.
Usne pehla sip liya, aankhein band ki, phir boli, “Theek hai. Ab uth sakte hai.” Maine hans ke sir hila diya. Princess ka hukum tha.
Phir voh uth ke bathroom gayi, main office bag pack karne laga. Kabhi kabhi voh door se bolti, “Mera dupatta dikha?” ya “Tumne mera phone dekha?” Aur main har baar jawab deta, jaise yeh sab bhi morning routine ka hissa ho.
Nikalte waqt usne apni chappal pehente hue kaha, “Kal bhi 6 baje hi bolna.” “Kyun?” “Tumhare saath 2 ghante aur chahiye hote hai,” usne aankh maar ke kaha.
Hum dono saath bahar nikle, thode late, thode sleepy, par dil se bilkul time pe. Kyunki kuch subah alarm se nahi, sirf ek doosre ke saath shuru hoti hai.