Chapter 5: The Cost of Devotion

Jab hosh aaya, kuch din beet chuke the. Behen Meera—jise kabhi bachaya tha—kapda gila karke chehra poch rahi thi, aankhein ro ro ke laal.

Eucalyptus ki khushboo, haath naram, par gussa har chhune mein. Table par aadhi khichdi thandi padhi thi.

Usne Arjun ko gaali di, chehra pochti hui.

Awaaz dheemi, par har lafz mahal tak jaata. "Usne toh hadd kar di." Kapda chehre par, aankh aage.

Munh dabaya uska.

Meera chauk gayi. "Arre, kya hua?"

"Arjun ab pehle jaisa nahi, Yuvraj ban gaya. Agar usse naraz kiya, toh humare aangan ke keede bhi kat diye jayenge."

Meera ki aankhein aur laal, aansu haath par tapak gaye.

Naak dupatte se pocha. "Amit, Arjun—Yuvraj ne Maharaja se Priya ko Yuvrani banane ki ijazat maang li hai."

Tez-tez bola, jaise lafz jal rahe ho. Baatein hawa mein latak gayi.

"Ab kya karega tu?"

Awaaz kaanp rahi thi, jawab nahi tha.

Achanak yeh sab, Arjun ki tezi sochi bhi nahi thi.

Dimaag mein shaadi ki dhol, haar, Priya ki halki muskurahat, apne khaali haath.

Meera ab bhi ro rahi thi, kandha kas ke pakad liya: "Ghar ke bahar guard bitha diye hain, bolta hai tu kuch ulta seedha na kare."

Guard ki chaal, raat ki fusfusahat sunayi deti. "Jaise main chor hoon," hans ke bola, dukh chhupa ke.

"Shaadi ka vaada kiya tha, ab Yuvraj bana toh tod diya. Kaise ho sakta hai yeh!"

Bed par mukka mara, awaaz tez hoti gayi. Purana brass lamp bhi jhal-mil kar utha.

Dard se aansu aa gaye, par andar ka dard zyada tha. Saans tez ho gayi.

Meera aur bhadak gayi: "Amit, tu bhi dukhi hai na? Main Arjun se milva ke rahungi!"

Baith ke kasam khayi: "Kheench ke le jaungi tujhe!"

"Arre dheere, Meera!" Danton se dard dabaya.

"Woh... mere zakhm pe zor aa raha hai. Dard ho raha hai."

Meera ruk gayi, aankh phail gayi, chhod diya.

Sharm se hat gayi, dawa ka katora uthaya, zabardasti munh laga diya.

"Piyo, Amit. Doctor ne kaha hai. Zidd mat karo."

"Priya kaun hai? Teri behoshi mein poora shehar bol raha tha, Yuvraj-Priya ki jodi kamaal hai. Par saath toh tu tha saath saal!"

Ghusse mein bolti rahi, dil se bhi udaas. "Log bhool jaate hain kisne kya saha..."

"Chai ki tapri pe bolte hain, Priya ne sona diya, chaku se bachaya, badi khandaniyon ko takkar di, ladke ban ke Yuvraj ka peecha kiya."

Aankh ghumayi. "Ab toh bolenge sher ko bhi hara diya."

"Uski izzat kharaab ho gayi, isliye Yuvraj ne turant haath maang liya."

Meera ki awaaz kaanp gayi. "Uski parwah karta hai... aur tu?"

"Mujhe lagta hai Priya ne khud yeh afwaah failayi! Tujhe aur Yuvraj ko dekh liya, sab kuch palat diya."

Ghusse se dekha, jawab chahiye tha.

Darr se, main baith gaya, shant awaaz mein bola:

"Dawa do, gir jayegi. Dekh, soch samajh ke bol."

"Galat. Priya nahi, Arjun hai."

Meera hairan thi. "News kaun control karta hai? Koi ladki nahi, sirf asli taqat wala."

"Uski marzi ke bina ek lafz nahi nikalta."

Katora thap thapaya. "Mahal mein har jagah kaan hai. Arjun chahe toh sab rukwa sakta tha."

Meera ke chehre par dukh aur gussa. "Aisa kaise ho sakta hai?"

Usne hoth dabaye, aansu chamak rahe the. "Woh Arjun nahi raha."

Maine taana mara. "Bas, pyaar ho gaya hai."

Hans ke bolna tha, par awaaz phisli. Pyaar sab ko paagal bana deta hai.

"Har aadmi ke dil mein ek safed chaand hota hai."

Roommate ki baat yaad aa gayi. Pehla pyaar sabse khaas. Meera samajh gayi, sir hila diya.

"Meera, yaad rakh, aadmi ke vaade par bharosa mat kar. Jo bhi udhaar hai, doosre tareeke se chukata hai."

Haath thapthapaya, halka smile. Meera ne aansu poch liye, dhyaan se suna.

Sir hila diya, sukoon mila.

Baal bigaade, maahaul halka kiya. "Chal, ab guard ko bol, main jaag gaya hoon."

"Bahar bol de, Arjun se milna hai."

Naak poch ke, aankh chamak uthi. "Bolti hoon! Jeet ke aana hai!"

Kood ke gayi, umeed ab bhi thi. Main muskuraya, sach chhup gaya.

"..."

Sir hila diya, socha—kuch jung haarne ke liye hi hoti hain.