Shaadi Consultant

“Woh loan tha,” woh boli, lekin awaaz pehle jaisi nahi rahi. “Family matter tha.”

“Family matter tab hota hai jab ghar ke andar rahe,” Mrs. Kapoor ne kaha. “Mehmaan ke beech nahi.”

Ek uncle side se khansne lage. Pandit ji ne ek second ke liye maala ghumana band kar diya.

Rhea ne dheere se kaha, “Maa, bas.”

Mrs. Kapoor ne use dekha. “Nahi. Aaj nahi.”

Auntie ne seedha Rhea ki taraf point kiya. “Yeh sab aapki beti ke liye kar rahi ho? Woh bhi toh ghar jaa rahi hai. Usko bhi toh samajh aayega kabhi.”

Rhea ka face tight ho gaya.

Mrs. Kapoor ne us auntie ki taraf ek step badhaya. “Meri beti ko samajh aap mat sikhaiye. Usne kam se kam apni shaadi ki date ke liye mujhe third party nahi banaya.”

Iss baar Rhea ne sach mein hansi jaisi ek saans chhodi. Par uski aankhon mein kuch aur tha—gusse se zyada, shayad hairani ki maa ne itna seedha bol diya.

Auntie ne ek baar room mein sabko dekha. Har koi dekh raha tha. Koi bol nahi raha tha. Mrs. Kapoor ne wahi moment use kiya aur seating chart table pe phaila diya.

“Table 7 yahan. Table 8 yahan. If you have any problems, discuss them with your own conscience.”

Auntie ne kuch aur bolne ke liye munh khola, phir band kar liya. Woh palat ke chali gayi, bangles khadkhadate hue.

Jab room mein phir se saans chali, tab mujhe realise hua ki meri notes mein ek bhi line nahi likhi gayi thi.

Rhea ne dheere se kaha, “Maa, you could’ve just moved them.”

Mrs. Kapoor ne uski taraf dekha. “Aur phir kal ko koi aur aata. Phir koi aur. Phir sab. Mujhe isi din ke liye paisa nahi milta Dolly ko.”

Main ne uski taraf dekha. Usne meri taraf dekhte hue apni glasses adjust ki.

“Dolly, stage ke flowers kya hue?”

Main jhat se wapas kaam mein aa gayi. “White orchids aur tuberose ka mix final rakh rahi hoon. But I think arch pe thoda structure aur chahiye.”

Mrs. Kapoor ne nod kiya. “Good. And the lighting?”

“Warm, but not yellow.”

“Good.”

Rhea ne apni phone screen on ki. “Maa, can I talk to you for two minutes?”

Mrs. Kapoor ne uski taraf dekha. “Abhi?”

“Abhi.”

Rhea ne mujhe dekh kar kaha, “Dolly, can you check the entry cards?”

Main ne samajh liya. “Haan.”

Main pantry ki taraf nikal gayi, par hall se unki awaazen aati rahi.

“Tu aise sab ke saamne kyun bol rahi thi?” Rhea.

“Kyuki koi aur bolta nahi.” Mrs. Kapoor.

“Main bol rahi thi na.”

“Tum bolti ho, par uthati nahi.”

“Sab uthana aapka kaam hai kya?”

“Jab tak tum kar nahi leti, haan.”

Phir thoda sa silence.

Rhea ki awaaz lower ho gayi. “Maa, mujhe lagta hai aapko har kisi pe gussa aata hai.”

Mrs. Kapoor ka jawab slow tha. “Aur mujhe lagta hai tumhe har kisi se maafi chahiye.”

Main pantry ke counter pe khadi rahi, entry cards haath mein, aur bas itna suna: Rhea ki saans ka break. Phir Mrs. Kapoor ne aur kuch nahi kaha.

Baad mein jab main wapas gayi, toh Mrs. Kapoor table pe jhuki hui thi, apna pen cap laga rahi thi. Rhea window ke paas khadi thi, phone in hand, aankh bahar.

Mrs. Kapoor ne mujhe dekh ke bola, “Dolly, final map bhej do. Aur woh cousin—”

“Chandigarh wala?”

“Haan. Uska naam Rajeev hai.”

Mere haath ka pen ruk gaya.

Rhea ne window se mudkar dekha. Mrs. Kapoor ne bina expression ke kaha, “Yesterday mainne galat likh diya tha. Ab sahi kar do.”

Itna kahkar woh chair pe baith gayi, jaise ek chhota sa correction bhi usse energy kharch karwa chuka ho.

Mujhe pehli baar samajh aaya ki woh woman jo har cheez ko control karti dikhti hai, uske paas bhi galti ko seedha maan lene ka ek alag tarika tha. Maafi ka nahi. Correction ka.

Aur shayad uske liye wahi kaafi tha.

ARJUN

Arjun ka number do din se screen pe aa raha tha.

Main uthati nahi thi. Yeh bhi nahi ki usse baat karne ka mann nahi tha. Bas har call ke baad mujhe lagta tha jaise main ek aur room mein ja rahi hoon jahan pehle se hi expectations light on hain.

Shaadi ke kaagaz, venue, guest list, vendor payments—sab set the. Bas hum dono ke beech ki jo cheez set honi chahiye thi, woh paper pe fit nahi ho rahi thi.

Arjun ka message aaya: “Can we meet for ten minutes?”

Maine reply kiya: “Office ke baad.”

Uska response: “Okay.”

Office ke baad Golu ne mera bag uthaya. “Didi, aaj aapko Arjun bhai se milna hai?”

“Haan.”

“Sach mein?”

“Sach mein.”

“Fight hogi?”

Maine uski taraf dekha. “Tu itna khush kyun ho raha hai?”

“Kyuki aap jab chup hoti ho toh mujhe aur darr lagta hai.”

Maine uske haath se bag le liya. “Ja, print karwa final maps.”

“Main already karwa chuka hoon.”

“Good.”

“Didi,” usne softly bola, “aap theek ho na?”

Maine uski taraf dekha. Uske chehre pe mazaak nahi tha. Main ne bas nod kiya. “Haan.”

“Uska matlab?”

“Matlab haan.”

Usne kuch aur nahi poocha.

Arjun office ke neeche café mein tha. Simple table, bad coffee, aur uske saamne ek glass water jo usne shayad abhi tak touch nahi kiya tha. Mujhe dekhte hi woh khada ho gaya.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Hum baith gaye. Beech mein do cups, ek sugar jar, aur ek silence jo dono ne pehle notice kiya.

Arjun ne pehle bola, “Main fight karne nahi aaya.”

“Main bhi nahi.”

Woh thoda sa hansa. “Tum office ke baad bhi aise hi lag rahi ho jaise kisi ne tumse kuch chheen liya ho.”

Maine uski taraf dekha. “Aur tum aise lag rahe ho jaise mujhe samjhaane ke liye already line tayyar karke aaye ho.”

Usne nazar neeche ki. “Maybe.”

Maine cup ka handle pakda. “Bolo.”

Arjun ne ek saans li. “Main kal se soch raha hoon. Humari date final kar dete hain. Venue bhi. Tum bas haan bol do.”