Pados Wali

Shruti

Pregnancy ka third month chal raha tha aur mujhe lag raha tha jaise meri skin ke neeche bhi ek alag duniya bas gayi hai. Garmi zyada lagti thi, thandi hawa bhi kabhi-kabhi chubhti thi. Sabzi ka smell achanak se ulti jaisa lagta. Ajwain ki khushboo se nafrat hone lagi thi, jabki bachpan me usi ko main chai me daal ke peeti thi. Aur Akash ko in sab ka patience kam padta ja raha tha.

“Shruti, har cheez ko itna feel mat kiya karo,” usne ek din fridge ke paas khade-khade bola tha, jab main bina wajah ro rahi thi. “Hormones hote hain. Normal hai.”

Normal.

Mujhe ye word ab gussa dilata tha. Jaise mere andar jo kuch bhi ho raha hai, woh sab ek medical footnote ho. Jaise meri body bhi ek office ka file ho jise Akash bina khole “pending” bol de.

Hum Indore ke ek purane saath-manjila society ke chhote se flat me rehte the. Lift aksar atak jaati thi. Corridor me tel aur agarbatti ka mixed smell rehta tha. Neeche chai ki tapri thi, jahan subah society ke uncle log news aur politics dono ka kachra phenkte the. Main fifth floor pe thi, aur pregnancy ke saath seedhiyan chadhna mere liye punishment ban chuka tha.

Us din bhi main balcony me khadi thi. Neeche bacche cricket khel rahe the. Ek ball deewar se takrake mere kaan ke bilkul paas se guzri, aur main ekdum se kaan band karke andar aa gayi. Dil tez dhadakne laga. Saans andar tak nahi ja rahi thi. Aisa lag raha tha jaise flat ki hawa me kuch bhara hua hai, aur main use nigal nahi pa rahi.

Tabhi maine pehli baar us aurat ko dekha.

Naye flat me shift hote hue log aate-jaate rehte the, toh starting me maine zyada dhyan nahi diya. Third floor ke corner flat ke saamne cardboard boxes pade the. Ek aurat khadi thi, white cotton suit me, baal ekdum seedhe, chehre pe halki si muskaan. Aankhen… unme kuch tha. Na gussa, na dosti. Bas aisa lag raha tha jaise woh mujhe dekh nahi rahi, mere andar dekh rahi ho.

Mujhe laga shayad naye neighbour hain.

Usne thoda sar hila ke mujhe dekha. “Namaste,” usne bola.

Uski awaaz soft thi, par usme ek ajeeb sa echo tha. Jaise corridor khali nahi, bhara hua ho.

“Namaste,” maine dheere se jawab diya.

Woh muskurayi. “Aap Shruti ho na?”

Mere pair thode se jam gaye. “Ji… aapko kaise pata?”

“Society me sab jaante hain,” usne bina kisi hesitation ke kaha. “Aur aap pregnant ho. Congratulations.”

Usne ye is tarah bola jaise kisi ne mera secret nahi, mera future bata diya ho.

Mujhe pehli baar andar se thandak si lagi.

Akash office se late aaya. Maine usse dinner ke waqt bola, “Nayi neighbour aayi hai. Madhavi naam hai. Aur ajeeb baat hai, woh mujhe pehle se jaanti thi.”

Akash ne roti todte hue bina nazar uthaye kaha, “Society gossip. Tum overthink karti ho.”

“Main overthink nahi kar rahi. Woh mujhe dekh ke aise bol rahi thi jaise—”

“Jaise kya?” usne thoda irritate hoke poocha. “Shruti, please. Abhi tumhara mood swings, nausea, sab chal raha hai. Har cheez ko sign mat banao.”

Main chup ho gayi. Akash ke saath baat karna kabhi-kabhi aise hota tha jaise kisi closed gate pe knock karna. Andar koi sunta bhi hai ya nahi, pata nahi.

Raat ko main baar-baar balcony ki taraf dekh rahi thi. Madhavi ke flat ki lights kab on hui, kab off hui, mujhe yaad nahi. Bas itna yaad hai ki aadhi raat ko jab main paani peene uthi, toh corridor me ek halki si khushboo thi—mitti, phool, aur kuchh sadh chuka sa.

Mere bachche ne pet me ek chhota sa kick maara.

Main wahi ruk gayi.

“Sab theek hai,” maine apne aap se kaha, pet ko sahelte hue. “Sab theek hai.”

Par awaaz mere liye bhi convincing nahi thi.

Madhavi

Madhavi ne agle din society ke WhatsApp group me pehli message bheji.

“Namaste sabko. Main third floor corner flat me shift ho gayi hoon. Agar kisi ko kisi cheez ki zarurat ho, boliyega.”

Message ke niche teen heart emojis aur ek smiley.

Pehle din sabne polite replies bheje. “Welcome.” “Aapka swagat hai.” “Koi help chahiye toh bataiyega.”

Lekin do hi din me aur baatein shuru ho gayin.

Madhavi har ghar ka naam jaanti thi. Kaun subah kitne baje nikalta hai, kaun kis se lad raha hai, kis bacche ka exam hai, kiski tabiyat kharab hai. Woh society ke gate pe kabhi chane wale se baat karti, kabhi koi parcel utha kar de deti. Dikhne me bilkul normal. Haan, zyada hi normal. Jaise koi neechi awaaz me perfect insaan banne ki practice kar raha ho.

Uske baare me jo sabse pehle weird laga, woh uska dhyan tha. Woh logon ko dekhte hue unke haath, unke jute, unke thode se jhukey hue kandhe notice karti. Jaise har body ke paas uska ek secret ho aur Madhavi use pehle se janti ho.

Ek shaam main kitchen me thi. Akash washroom me tha. Maine fridge khola toh uske andar se ek thandi, dhoosi hui smell aayi. Mujhe ulti jaisi feel hui. Main sink ke paas jhuki hi thi ki doorbell baji.

Maine door khola toh Madhavi khadi thi. Hath me ek steel ka glass tha, jisme nariyal paani tha.

“Main ne socha aapko nariyal paani chahiye hoga,” usne kaha. “Pregnancy me achha hota hai.”

Maine glass ke andar dekha. Paani bilkul saaf tha. Upar ek patla sa safed foam.

“Kaise…?” maine poocha.

“Bas socha,” usne halka sa muskurake bola. “Aapka chehra thoda utar gaya tha. Aur aapko green cardamom pasand nahi hota na?”

Mere haath thode kaanpe. “Aapko kaise pata?”

Woh ek second ke liye chup rahi. Itni der tak ki main uske silent hone ki awaaz sun sakun.

“Main dhyan se dekhti hoon,” usne finally bola.