Adultery The First Glance and the Quiet Obsession

[Sikhari]

Pichhle hisse mein park wali chhoti si mulakat khatam hui thi. Arjun ghar laut aaya tha, dimag mein Ritu Aunty ke woh thake hue pair aur halki smile ghum rahi thi. Usne decide kiya tha ki ab zyada force nahi karega. Sirf natural hone dega.Agla Din – Ghar Pe Chai aur Lambi BaatDo din baad Rohan ne call kiya: “Yaar aa ja, mom ne kaha hai tere liye paneer bhurji bana rahi hai. Tu bahut din se nahi aaya.”Arjun hesitation ke saath gaya. Ritu darwaze pe hi thi jab woh pahuncha.“Arre aa gaya? Andar aa beta. Haath muh dhoke baith ja. Bahar bahut garmi hai aaj.” Ritu ne normal, caring tone mein kaha. Aaj woh light green saree mein thi, blouse simple, baal open kiye hue the ghar pe hone ki wajah se. Pairon mein ghar wali soft slippers.Arjun fresh hokar living room mein baith gaya. Ritu kitchen se aayi, tray mein chai aur biscuits.Ritu: “Le beta, garam garam chai. Rohan abhi tak nahane gaya hai, woh 15-20 minute lagega. Tu bata, college kaisa chal raha hai ab? Pehle din toh tune kaha tha diagrams raat ko sapne mein aa rahe the.”Arjun (cup lete hue, muskurate): “Abhi bhi aa rahe hain Aunty. Kal raat ko histology ka slide sapne mein tha. Par aap logon ko toh roz itna heavy hota hoga na hospital mein.”Ritu ne saamne wali chair pe baithte hue pairon ko cross kiya. Ek slipper thoda sa dhila ho gaya, par nahi nikla. “Haan beta, roz ka hai. Subah 8 baje se OPD start, phir rounds, kabhi kabhi emergency. Aaj toh teen delivery hue the. Thak toh jaati hoon, par aadat ho gayi hai. Tu hi bata, tere parents kya kehte hain itni padhai ke baare mein?”Arjun: “Papa toh bolte hain doctor ban ja toh life set. Mom tension leti rehti hai. Aunty, aapne akeli Rohan ko itna bada kiya... aapko kabhi lagega nahi ki thak gayi ho?”Ritu thodi der chup rahi. Chai ka sip li. “Lagta hai beta... bahut baar. Raat ko jab sab so jaate hain, tab lagta hai koi saath baith ke baat kare. Par main sochti hoon – Rohan ko dekh ke himmat aa jaati hai. Tu bhi toh aisa hi hai, padhai pe focus karta hai. Kabhi girlfriend wali baat nahi suni teri.”Arjun (halki si hansi ke saath, nazar neeche): “Girlfriend? Aunty, abhi time nahi hai. Aur waise bhi meri choice alag hoti hai... mature log, jo samajh sakein life ko.”Ritu ne uski taraf dekha, eyebrow raise kiya. “Mature? Tu itna chhota hai abhi, yeh sab sochne ka time baad mein. Abhi career bana. Par haan, samajhdaar ladki mile toh accha hai.” Woh thoda muskurayi. “Mujhe toh lagta hai tu bahut samajhdaar hai. Rohan se zyada.”Conversation aise hi chalti rahi. Ritu ne hospital ki ek interesting case bataya – ek patient jo twins ke saath aayi thi aur complications hue. Arjun ne interested hokar poocha details. Phir baat ghar ke khane ki ho gayi.Ritu: “Aaj paneer bhurji bana rahi hoon teri favorite. Rohan ko bhi pasand hai par woh bolta hai zyada masala mat daalna. Tu kaisa pasand karta hai?”Arjun: “Thoda spicy Aunty, jaise aap pehle banati thi. Aur haan, aapke haath ka khana bahut accha hota hai. Ghar pe mom bhi banati hain par aapka alag flavour hai.”Ritu (haste hue): “Flattery kar raha hai? Theek hai, aaj thoda extra mirch daal dungi. Par beta, yeh sab bolne se pehle soch liya kar – main teri aunty hoon, itna praise mat kar warna main sochne lag jaungi.”Arjun ne sirf smile kiya. Usne notice kiya – jab Ritu hasi, toh usne apna left foot thoda sa aage badhaya aur slipper se play karne lagi. Pair ki sole thodi si pinkish thi tiredness se. Arjun ne mann hi mann feel kiya woh warmth, lekin kuch nahi bola. Sirf dekhta raha subtly.Rohan aaya toh teeno ne dinner kiya. Table pe baatein – college gossip, movies, politics. Ritu beech beech mein comment karti.Ritu: “Arjun, tu movie dekhta hai kabhi? Rohan toh har weekend jaata hai.”Arjun: “Kabhi kabhi Aunty. Last week ek old classic dekhi thi – calm wali, jisme family drama tha.”Ritu: “Mujhe bhi aisi pasand hain. Ab action wali nahi dekhti. Thakaan ke baad dimag ko shanti chahiye.”Dinner ke baad Arjun help karne kitchen gaya. Ritu plates dhone lagi.Arjun: “Aunty, main help kar doon?”Ritu: “Nahi beta, tu baith. Par haan, agar mann kare toh woh cupboard se glass nikaal de.”Jab woh cupboard khol raha tha, Ritu ke paas se guzra. Uske pair bilkul paas the. Woh neeche jhuk kar kuch uthane lagi thi aur us waqt uska right foot thoda peeche utha. Arjun ne close se dekha – soft skin, clean nails, thodi si dryness heels pe. Dil tez dhada. Par woh turant upar hokar glass diya.Ritu: “Shukriya. Tu sach mein helpful hai. Aajkal ke ladke aise nahi hote.”Chhota Setback aur DistanceAgla hafte Arjun ne sirf ek baar call kiya Rohan ko. Ritu se mulakat nahi hui. Usne socha overdo mat kar. Ek din society ki WhatsApp group mein message aaya – “Monthly kitty meet at Kapoor house”. Arjun ke parents ja rahe the, usko bhi bulaya.Wahan Ritu ne usse dekha toh smile di, par baat kam ki. Busy thi guests ke saath.Ritu (jab thoda free hui): “Arjun beta, kya haal hai? Padhai theek chal rahi?”Arjun: “Theek hai Aunty. Aap busy lag rahi ho aaj.”Ritu: “Haan, ghar pe itne log... thoda sa tired hoon. Pair bhi dard kar rahe hain standing se.” (usne halke se pair ko shift kiya)Arjun ne offer nahi kiya. Sirf “Rest kijiye Aunty” bola aur door chala gaya. Ritu ne uski taraf dekha – jaise soch rahi ho ki ladka door kyun ja raha hai.Us raat Arjun ne socha – yeh sahi pace hai. Jaldi kuch nahi hoga. Ritu jaise aurat ko time chahiye, trust chahiye. Aur usko bhi apne feelings ko control karna seekhna hai.