Subah ka suraj abhi bhi apni roshni se duniya ko jagmaga raha tha, lekin Rekha ke ghar mein andhera chhaya hua tha. Uske haathon mein ek purani tasveer thi—ek chhota sa ladka, muskurata hua, apni chhoti si cycle par baitha. Yeh tasveer uske bete Arjun ki thi, jo ab sirf yaadon mein bacha tha. Rekha ki aankhon mein aansoon the, lekin woh unhe rokne ki koshish kar rahi thi. Aaj Arjun ka janamdin tha, aur woh 10 saal pehle is duniya ko alvida keh chuka tha.
Arjun ek khushi ka tukda tha. Chhota sa, gora-chehra, badi-badi aankhen, aur ek muskaan jo kisi ka bhi dil jeet le. Lekin zindagi ne Rekha se uski yeh khushi cheen li. Ek din, jab Arjun apni cycle par ghar ke paas khel raha tha, ek tezi se aati gaadi ne uski chhoti si zindagi ko khatam kar diya. Rekha us waqt ghar mein thi, roti bana rahi thi. Usne awaaz suni—ek zor ka shor, aur phir logon ki cheekhein. Woh daudi, apne haathon se choolha band bhi nahi kiya. Jab woh bahar pahunchi, toh Arjun zameen par pada tha, uska chhota sa sharir khoon se lathpath. Usne apni aankhen kholi, ek baar Rekha ko dekha, aur phir hamesha ke liye band kar di.
Woh din Rekha ke liye ek kabra ban gaya. Uske pati ne bhi uska saath chhod diya tha, aur ab Arjun bhi chala gaya. Ghar mein ab sirf woh akeli thi, apne dard ke saath. Har saal, Arjun ke janamdin par, woh uski pasand ka cake banati thi—chocolate cake, jisme thodi si mishri daal kar woh uske liye sajati thi. Lekin aaj, jab woh cake bana rahi thi, uske haathon mein thartharahat thi. Usne socha, "Kaash main us din usse ghar ke andar bula leti. Kaash main uske saath hoti."
Shaam dhalne lagi. Rekha ne cake table par rakha, ek chhoti si mombatti jalayi, aur khamoshi se baith gayi. Usne apne dil mein Arjun se baat ki, "Beta, tu kahan chala gaya? Maa ko akela chhod kar tujhe acha laga? Tu toh kehta tha hum hamesha saath rahenge." Uske shabd aankhon se aansoon ban kar behne lage. Woh roti rahi, apne haathon se apna chehra chhupaye, jaise woh duniya se apna dard chhupana chahti ho.
Tabhi, ghar ke darwaze par ek chhoti si dastak hui. Rekha ne socha shayad hawa ka jhonka ho, lekin phir awaaz aayi, "Maa?" Yeh awaaz uske kaanon mein ek bijli si girayi. Woh uthi, darwaza khola, aur wahan ek chhota sa ladka khada tha—lagbhag Arjun jaisa, lekin thoda bada. Uske haathon mein ek chhota sa guldasta tha. "Aunty, main aapke pados mein naya aaya hoon. Meri maa ne kaha aap akele rehti hain, toh main aapke liye yeh phool laya," usne masoomiyat se kaha.
Rekha ki aankhen bhar aayi. Usne us ladke ko dekha, aur ek pal ke liye usse Arjun dikha. Woh khamosh rahi, phir dheere se boli, "Beta, andar aa ja. Aaj mera Arjun ka janamdin hai, tu mere saath cake kaatega?" Ladka muskuraya aur andar aa gaya. Rekha ne uske sir par haath rakha, aur uski aankhon se aansoon tapakne lage. Usne cake kata, lekin uska dil ro raha tha. Woh ladka khushi se cake kha raha tha, aur Rekha bas use dekhti rahi, apne Arjun ko usme dhoondhti hui.
Raat ho gayi. Ladka apne ghar chala gaya, aur Rekha phir akeli reh gayi. Usne Arjun ki tasveer uthayi, use seene se lagaya, aur boli, "Tu mujhe chhod kar chala gaya, lekin aaj tune mujhe ek pal ke liye wapas bhej diya. Tera yeh tohfa main kabhi nahi bhoolungi." Usne tasveer ko chuma, aur phir roti hui so gayi.
Subah jab woh uthi, toh usne dekha ki table par ek chhota sa kagaz pada tha. Us par likha tha, "Aunty, aap bohot achchi hain. Main phir aunga. Aapka naya beta, Rohan." Rekha ne woh kagaz padha, aur uski aankhen phir bhar aayi. Usne socha, shayad zindagi use ek mauka de rahi hai—ek naya rishta, ek nayi ummeed. Lekin phir bhi, uska dil Arjun ke liye tadap raha tha.
Woh din ke baad Rekha har roz shaam ko darwaze ki taraf dekhti, shayad Rohan aaye. Kabhi woh aata, kabhi nahi. Lekin har baar jab woh aata, Rekha ke dil mein ek chhoti si khushi jagti, aur saath hi ek gehra dard bhi. Woh jaanti thi ki Arjun kabhi wapas nahi aayega, lekin Rohan ke roop mein uski yaad har baar zinda ho jati thi.
Ek din, jab Rekha bazaar se laut rahi thi, usne dekha ki Rohan apni maa ke saath ghar chhod kar ja raha tha. Unka transfer ho gaya tha. Rekha wahan khadi rahi, unhe jate hue dekhti rahi, aur uska dil phir toot gaya. Woh ghar aayi, Arjun ki tasveer ko seene se lagaya, aur boli, "Ab tu bhi chala gaya, aur yeh bhi chala gaya. Main sach mein akeli hoon ab." Us raat, Rekha roti rahi, aur uski awaaz ghar ki khamoshi mein goonjti rahi.
Yeh kahani ek maa ke dard, uski khushi ke chhote pal, aur uske anant akelapan ki kahani hai. Kya aapki aankhon mein bhi aansoon aaye? Agar haan, toh mujhe batayein, aur agar kuch aur likhna ho, toh woh bhi keh dein.
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