Adultery Pooja: Newly married innocent Housewife

[LOPAMUDRA]

Old Monk ka teekha taste ab bhi Shubham ke gale me ghoom raha tha.
Shambu aur auto driver dono ek dusre ko aankh maar kar hanse, jaise unhe kuch andar hi andar pata ho.
Hall me ab dhuaan aur humidity ka mix sa environment tha — fan chhip-chhip ki awaaz kar raha tha, aur baarish ki tap-tap door se sunai de rahi thi.

Shubham ne glass table pe rakha aur kaha,
“Bas bhai, ab mai chalta hu. Meri wife akeli hai room me.”

Shambu ne kaha, “Arey raat abhi jawan hai, ek aur le lo.”
Shubham ne zidd se mana kar diya, “Nahi. Bahut der ho gayi.”

Auto driver ne haath utha kar kaha, “Jaane do bhai, naya aadmi hai, thoda time lagega adjust hone me.”
Shambu ne muskurate hue sir hila diya, par uski aankhon me kuch aur tha — ek ajeeb si thandi chamak.

Shubham ne halki si awkward smile di aur hall se nikal gaya.
Corridor me pahucha to hawa ka ek jhonka aaya —
tube light blink kar rahi thi, aur ceiling se paani tapak kar floor pe gir raha tha.

Usne apni pocket se mobile nikala — no signal.
“Yaar…” usne apne aap se kaha, “Bas subah ho jaaye…”

Wo dheere-dheere room tak pahucha.
Jahan se guzra, har kamre ke peeche se halki si aahein bhari behad kamukta se bhari cheekh ki awaaz aayi —
jaise koi andar se kama-agni me duba koi kuch kar raha ho.
Shubham ne kadam tez kar diye.

Jab apne room ke paas pahucha —
to uska dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya.

Darwaza aadha khula tha.

Usne dheere se dhakka diya.
Room me andhera tha.
Sirf table lamp jal raha tha — wahi jahan Pooja diary padh rahi thi.
Dupatta bed pe pada tha.
Curtain hawa me hilla raha tha.

“Pooja…?” Shubham ne awaaz lagai.
Koi jawab nahi.
Bas hawa ka ek sannaata.

Usne washroom ka door dekha — thoda sa khula tha.
Tap se paani tap-tap kar raha tha.
Usne dheere se door dhakka diya…
andar koi nahi.

Mirror ke kone me kuch likha tha —
“She’s not alone.”

Shubham ke haath se mobile gir gaya.
Uska gala sookh gaya.
Aur peeche corridor me ek parchai hilti dikhayi di —
bilkul waisi jaise auto driver ke kadam…