[Lusty_bOOz]

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        CHAPTER 9 — SOONE AANGAN MEIN APNAPAN
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Agli dopehar kareeb do baje, Vikram ki sarkari gaadi Sonam ke ghar ke bahar aakar ruki.

Sonam ne ek sadharan, peele rang ki cotton saree pehen rakhi thi, jiske pallu par halki si embroidery thi. Usne apna chhota sa hand bag liya, saas aur Nana ji ko bata kar gaadi ki taraf badhi. Driver ne aage badhkar darwaza khola, aur Sonam peeche seat par baith gayi.

Vikram khud gaadi mein nahi tha—usne driver ko pehle hi bhej diya taaki Sonam ko koi jhijhak na ho.

Dus minute ke safar ke baad gaadi VIP area ke ek bade se sarkari bangley ke aangan mein dakhil hui. Bangla kafi bada tha, jiske aage hara-bhara bagicha tha, lekin andar se bilkul soona aur benoor lag raha tha. Samaan ke dabba yahan-wahan pade the, aur rasoi mein bartan abhi tak unbox bhi nahi hue the.

Vikram verandah mein khada intezaar kar raha tha. Usne ek aam white linen shirt aur trousers pehen rakha tha.

Gaadi se utarte hi Sonam ne aangan aur bangley ko dekha.

"Aaiye Sonam ji," Vikram ne aage badhkar behad aadar se kaha. "Pehle toh maaf kijiyega ki aapko iss bikhre hue ghar mein aana pada."

Sonam ne ek halki muskaan ke saath kaha, "Ismein maafi ki kya baat hai Vikram ji? Naye ghar mein shift hone par toh aisa hi hota hai. Chaliye, pehle rasoi se shuruat karte hain."

Sonam ne apna handbag ek taraf rakha, saree ke pallu ko kamar par lapata aur rasoi ki taraf badh gayi.

Bangley ki rasoi kafi badi thi, lekin har taraf dhool aur dabba ka dher tha. Vikram bhi uske peeche-peeche rasoi mein aaya aur dabba kholne mein madad karne laga.

"Aap yeh bhare hue dabba mat uthaiye Vikram ji, yeh bhaari hain," Sonam ne kaha.

"Aur aap akele yeh sab karengi? Yeh toh cheating hogi," Vikram ne muskura kar kaha.

Dono ne milkar rasoi ke bartan, masale ke dibbe aur khane-peene ka samaan racks par sajana shuru kiya. Vikram jo bade-bade afsaron aur apradhon ko control karta tha, aaj Sonam ke diye gaye chhote-chhote nirdeshon (instructions) ko behad obediently maan raha tha.

"Yeh namak ka dabba yahan rakhiye... aur woh chai patti ka dabba aage," Sonam batati gayi, aur Vikram wahi karta gaya.

Dono ke beech ek behad sahaj aur meethi jugalbandi chal rahi thi.

Kareeb do ghante ki mehnat ke baad rasoi bilkul chamak uthi thi. Har cheez apni sahi jagah par thi.

Sonam ne haath dhoye aur rasoi se bahar aayi. Usne dekha ki Vikram hall mein rakhi ek purani photo frame ko safai se poch kar meez par rakh raha tha. Woh photo Vikram ki late maa ki thi.

Sonam uske paas aakar khadi ho gayi.

"Aapki maa bohot khoobsurat thin," Sonam ne behad narm aawaz mein kaha.

Vikram ne photo frame ko dekha aur uske chehre par ek gehra bhav aaya. "Haan... unhe bhi ghar sajane ka bohot shauk tha. Unke jaane ke baad yeh sab soona ho gaya tha. Aaj saalon baad iss bangley mein kisi ke hone ka ehsaas hua hai."

Vikram ne Sonam ki taraf dekha. Sonam ke chehre par thakan ki vajah se pasine ki chhoti boondein thin.

"Aap thak gayin hain Sonam ji. Baithiye, main aapke liye paani laata hoon," Vikram ne aage badhkar hall ki sofa par se ek dabba hataya aur Sonam ko baithne ki jagah di.

Vikram rasoi mein gaya aur ek glass mein thanda paani aur kuch biscuits lekar aaya. Usne glass Sonam ko pakdaya.

Sonam ne paani peeya aur aas-paas dekha. "Ghar ab thoda saaf lag raha hai. Bas drawing room ke parde aur aangan mein kuch phoolon ke gamley laga denge toh yeh aur bhi jeevant lagne lagega."

Vikram ne Sonam ke paas hi sofa par thodi doori par baithte hue kaha, "Main yeh sab kar loonga Sonam ji. Lekin aapne aaj jo iss ghar ko apna waqt diya hai... uske liye mere paas shukriya ada karne ke liye lafz nahi hain."

Sonam ne Vikram ki taraf dekha. Dono ki nazrein ek-doosre par tiki thin.

"Vikram ji, shukriya kehne ki zaroorat nahi hai," Sonam ne behad shafaf aur gehri aawaz mein kaha. "Zindagi mein kabhi-kabhi doosron ke liye kuch karke jo sukoon milta hai, woh khud ke liye karke bhi nahi milta. Aap mere parivaar ke liye itna sab karte hain, kya main aapke iss soone ghar ko thoda sa saja bhi nahi sakti?"

Vikram ka dil inn shabdon se bhar aaya. Usne apna haath sofa ke armrest par rakha, aur Sonam ke haath ke behad paas laya—dono ke haath ek-doosre ko chhuye bina bhi ek behad gehra sparsh mehsoos kar rahe the.

"Sonam ji..." Vikram ne narm aawaz mein kaha, "Aapki yeh saadgi hi meri sabse badi taakat hai. Jab bhi mujhe apni duty mein thakan ya pareshani hoti hai, main bas aapki issi shanti ko yaad kar leta hoon."

Sonam ne halki si muskaan ke saath nazar jhuka li. Uske gaal par halki si surkhi aa gayi thi.

Shaam ke char baj chuke the. Aangan mein dhoop ab dhalne lagi thi.

"Ab mujhe nikalna chahiye Vikram ji, shaam ki chai ka waqt ho raha hai ghar par," Sonam ne khade hote hue kaha.

Vikram bhi khada ho gaya. "Main aapko gaadi se chhod dhar aata hoon."

"Nahi, driver chhod dega, aap aaram kijiye," Sonam ne rokna chaha.

"Nahi Sonam ji, yeh meri zidd hai," Vikram ne behad adab se kaha.

Dono gaadi mein baith kar Sonam ke ghar ki taraf nikal pade. Safar ke dauran zyada baatein nahi hui, lekin gaadi ke andar ka sannaata kisi bhi shabd se zyada gehra aur khubsoorat tha.

Jab gaadi Sonam ke ghar ke bahar ruki, toh Sonam ne utarte waqt mudkar kaha—

"Naye ghar ki bohot bohot badhai, Vikram ji."

Vikram ne haath jode aur halka sa sir jhukakar bola, "Yeh ghar ab sach mein ghar bana hai, Sonam ji. Shukriya."

Sonam apne ghar ke andar chali gayi. Uske dil mein ek naya sukoon tha—ek aisa sukoon jo usne doosre ke soone jeevan mein thodi si roshni bhar kar paaya tha.