Auntie on the Line

Golden light. Ek chhoti balcony. Laundry dori par kapde latak rahe hain. Plastic chair, laundry basket, aur ek tea cup side mein. City noise halki si background mein.

KUNAL (27), casual clothes, phone haath mein liye, restless khada hai.

SIMRAN (26), sharp, arms folded, uske saamne.

Silence. Tense. Awkward.

Bol. Aaj bhi “bas ek minute” wala scene hai?

Nahi... main bas...

Kunal, main teen minute se dekh rahi hoon.

Tu phone ko aise pakde hai jaise usme

teri himmat stored ho.

Kunal swallow karta hai.

Simran, main soch raha tha ki...

Haan? Ki?

Humein... maybe... thoda space—

Space?

Balcony pe khade ho, aur space chahiye?

Kunal flustered.

Kunal ka phone VIBRATE karta hai.

Screen pe: BELA.

Kunal freezes.

Office call hai.

Office wali aunty ka naam Bela hai?

Kunal accidentally speaker mode on kar deta hai.

BELA (V.O.)

Kunal beta! Tumhari balcony se jhadoo

niche gir gaya tha. Maine utha diya.

Aur haan, tum log itne serious kyun lag

rahe ho? Shaadi ki discussion chal rahi hai kya?

Simran stares at Kunal. Kunal panics.

Nahi auntie, kuch nahi—

BELA (V.O.)

Arre kuch nahi kaise? Main dekh rahi hoon.

Ladki ke haath folded hain. Ladke ka

chehra gulaab jaisa safed hai.

Yeh breakup ka face hota hai.

Wow. Auntie ko bhi diagnosis aata hai.

Kunal tries to mute. Misses.

BELA (V.O.)

Aur suno, third floor wale Sharma ji ka

mixer kharab ho gaya. Society group mein

mat daalna, warna sab opinion denge.

Auntie, abhi call—

BELA (V.O.)

Haan haan, ek minute. Laal kurta wala

ladka kaun hai? Woh neeche se do baar

gaya. Mujhe suspicious laga.

Kunal, tu breakup se zyada neighborhood

surveillance mein phasa hua lag raha hai.

Simran, please, mujhe bolne de.

Bolna hai toh bol. Excuse nahi chahiye.

Kunal takes a breath.

Main... confused hoon.

Main tujhe hurt nahi karna chahta.

Par mujhe lag raha hai main is relationship

mein... abhi ready nahi hoon.

Simran goes quiet. Beat.

Confused log “good morning” bhejte hain,

breakup nahi.

Kunal looks down. Guilt.

Bela calls again. Kunal groans, speaker on.

BELA (V.O.)

Haan beta, finally sach bola kya?

Kunal and Simran freeze.

Auntie, aap sun rahi thi?

BELA (V.O.)

Arre, sun bhi rahi thi aur record bhi.

Speaker pe ho toh sab clear aata hai.

Simran’s eyes widen.

Record?

BELA (V.O.)

Haan. Society mein bet laga tha.

Main bol rahi thi Kunal aaj breakup karega.

Do logon ne kaha Simran pehle karegi.

Main jeet gayi.

Kya?!

Auntie, aapne poora drama record kiya?!

BELA (V.O.)

Drama nahi beta, documentation.

Waise bhi, sach bolna hi chahiye.

Ghuma-phira ke dil mat todo.

Silence. Simran looks at Kunal. Kunal looks at phone. Defeated.

Mere breakup se pehle mera privacy ka

murder ho gaya.

BELA (V.O.)

Arre beta, society mein sab share hota hai.

Except common sense.

Simran lets out a reluctant laugh despite herself.

Auntie... aap unbearable ho.

BELA (V.O.)

Thank you. Main try karti hoon.

Kunal exhales. Simran shakes her head, half-annoyed, half-amused.

The sunset deepens. Laundry flutters. The balcony feels even more public.

THE END.