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          CHAPTER 13 — EK CHHATARI KE NEECHE KA SANNAATA
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Mausam ne achanak apna mizaaj badal liya tha.

Shaam ke teen baje tak jahan halki dhoop khili hui thi, wahan chaar bajte-bajte aasmaan mein kaale baadal ghir aaye. Hawa mein ek ajeeb sa tezz rawani aur mitti ki sondhi khushboo ghulne lagi. Be-mausam ki iss aandhi aur aashanka ne shehar ke rasthon par halchal badha di thi.

Sonam ghar ke kisi zaroori kaam aur Nana ji ki dawaiyan lene ke liye paas ke baazaar gayi hui thi.

Usne halki neeli (light blue) suti saree pehen rakhi thi. Jab woh chemist ki dukaan se bahar nikli, toh aasmaan mein bijli kadak uthi aur agle hi pal musladaar baarish shuru ho gayi. Baarish itni tezz thi ki sadak par paani ka bahaav badhne laga aur sabhi log dukaanon ke chajjon ke neeche chhipne lage.

Sonam ne apne aanchal se dawaiyon ke thaili ko dhak liya aur mandir ke paas bani ek chhote se purane bus stop ke chhat ke neeche aakar khadi ho gayi.

Baarish ke thande thappad aur hawa ki wajha se Sonam ko halki si thandak lagne lagi. Uske paas na toh chhatari thi aur na hi koi auto mil raha tha. Sadak par gaadiyon ki aawajaahi lagbhag ruk si gayi thi.

Sonam ne sadak ki taraf dekha, uske haath mein pakdi dawaiyon ki thaili ko woh bachaane ki koshish kar rahi thi. Uski saari suti saree ke kinare baaris ki boondon se bheeg chuke the.

Tabhi door se ek kaali sarkari SUV dhandhalati hui aayi. Gaadi ki headlights ki roshni paani ki boondon mein chamak rahi thi.

Gaadi bus stop ke bilkul samne aakar ruk gayi.

Gaadi ka pichhla darwaza khula aur usmein se ek lambi chhaaya bahar nikli—hath mein ek badi kaali chhatari (umbrella) pakde hue.

Sonam ne hairani se dekha. Woh Vikram tha.

Vikram ne dark grey formal suit pehen rakha tha. Woh tezz baarish mein chhatari taane hue seedha Sonam ki taraf badha. Uski aankhon mein ek aisi fikar thi jise woh chahkar bhi nahi chhipa sakta tha.

"Sonam ji!" Vikram ne tezz baarish ki awaaz ke beech behad narm par gambhir awaaz mein kaha.

Sonam ne use dekha, uski dhadkan achanak ruk si gayi. "Vikram ji... aap yahan?"

"Main headquarters se laut raha tha, tabhi sadak par aapko dekha," Vikram ne chhatari ko Sonam ke sar ke upar is tarah failaya ki baarish ki ek bhi boond ab Sonam par na gire—bhale hi Vikram ka apna daaya kandha baarish mein bheeg raha tha.

"Aap poori bheeg rahi hain Sonam ji. Aaiye, main aapko gaadi mein chhod deta hoon," Vikram ne aagrah kiya.

Sonam ne sadak par bheed aur pados ke logon ka dhyan rakhte hue thodi jhijhak dikhayi. "Nahi Vikram ji... main thodi der mein auto pakad loongi. Aapki gaadi mein..."

Vikram ne Sonam ki aankhon mein dekha. Uski nazar mein koi samajik chaalaaki nahi thi, sirf ek shuddh aadar aur sanrakshan (protection) ka bhav tha.

"Aise mausam mein koi auto nahi milega Sonam ji. Aur aap mere parivaar jaisi hain, aapko iss tarah baarish mein chhodkar jana mere liye sambhav nahi hai. Kripya baithiye."

Vikram ki awaaz ke uss vishwas ne Sonam ke mann ke saare darr ko khatam kar diya.

Sonam ne halka sa sir jhukaya. Vikram use chhatari ki chhaon mein lekar gaadi tak aaya. Dono ek hi chhatari ke neeche bilkul paas chal rahe the. Baarish ki boondein chhatari ke kapde par tap-tap kar gir rahi thin, lekin uss chhoti si chhaon ke andar ek behad shaant aur garam duniya thi. Sonam ko Vikram ke shoulder se aati suti kapdon aur rain-drops ki khushboo mehsoos ho rahi thi.

Vikram ne gaadi ka pichhla darwaza khola. Sonam andar baith gayi. Vikram ne chhatari band ki aur aage ki seat par driver ke paas baith gaya.

"Ghar ki taraf chalo," Vikram ne driver ko nirdesh diya.

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Gaadi ki khidkiyon par paani ki boondein dhal rahi thin. Inside the car, it was warm and quiet.

Vikram ne mirror mein se Sonam ki taraf dekha. Usne apni jeb se ek safed, dry handkerchief nikala aur peeche Sonam ki taraf badhaya.

"Yeh lijiye... apne chehre aur haathon ko poch lijiye, warna sardi lag jayegi."

Sonam ne woh rumal thama. Rumal mein Vikram ka hi ek aatmiya ehsaas tha. Usne chupchap apne chehre aur haathon ki boondon ko pochha.

"Aapka kandha bheeg gaya hai Vikram ji," Sonam ne mirror mein Vikram ki taraf dekhkar dheere se kaha.

Vikram ne apne bheege hue kandhe ki taraf dekha aur muskura diya. "Yeh baarish toh thodi der mein sookh jayegi Sonam ji... lekin aapko sahi-salamat ghar pahunchana zaroori tha."

Sonam ne nazar jhuka li. Zindagi ke iss mod par, bina kisi adhikaar ya vaade ke, yeh aadmi uski chhotise chhoti takleef ka dhyan iss tarah rakhta tha jaise duniya ki sabse keemati cheez wohi ho.

Gaadi Sonam ke ghar ke gate par ruki. Baarish ab thodi dheemi ho chuki thi.

Vikram ne khud uthkar Sonam ke liye darwaza khola aur chhatari ko dubara unke upar taan diya taaki woh aangan tak safely pahunch sakein.

Verandah ke paas pahunchkar Sonam ruki aur mudkar Vikram ko dekha.

"Shukriya... aaj ke liye," Sonam ke muh se nikal.

Vikram ne chhatari ko thoda jhukate hue haath jode. "Apna dhyan rakhna Sonam ji. Garam chai peeyiyega."

Sonam ne muskurate hue haan mein sir hila diya.

Vikram gaadi mein baithkar rawana ho gaya. Sonam verandah mein khadi hokar uss kaali gaadi ko jaate dekhne lagi. Uske haath mein abhi bhi Vikram ka woh safed rumal tha—ek aisa rumal jo sirf kapda nahi tha, balki ek anjaan rishte ki woh aatmiya chhaon tha jo har toofan mein use sambhal leti thi.