Nidhi na chahte hue bhi har lamha Rishi ki yaadon ke samundar mein doobi rehti thi. Gaon ka har gali, har mod use purani yaadon ka ehsas dilaate—jaise har rasta unki kisi purani mulaqat ki gawaahi de raha ho.
Ek dopahar, Nidhi hamesha ki tarah dukaan ki taraf jaa rahi thi. Rishi ne door se use dekha; aaj woh akeli thi. Rishi ne andar hi andar bahut himmat jutayi. Uske saath uska dost Sachin bhi tha, jo use hausla de raha tha.
Dhadakte dil ke saath Rishi, Nidhi ke kareeb pahuncha aur badi dheemi par gehri awaaz mein bola:
"Mujhe aapse kuch kehna hai..."
Nidhi thithak gayi. Jaise hi usne palat kar Rishi ki taraf dekha, maano waqt ruk gaya ho. Uske alfaaz sunkar Nidhi ki saansein tham si gayin. Uska dil chah raha tha ki woh ruke aur sunne, lekin dimaag mein samaj ki deewarein khadi ho gayin.
"Log dekhenge toh kya kahenge?" —
Yeh sawal uske zehen mein bijli ki tarah daud gaya. Usne socha ki bina baat kiye hi gaon mein itni baatein hoti hain, agar aaj ruk kar baat kar li, toh badnami ka kya alam hoga?Yeh sawal uske zehen mein bijli ki tarah daud gaya. Usne socha ki bina baat kiye hi gaon mein itni baatein hoti hain, agar aaj ruk kar baat kar li, toh badnami ka kya alam hoga?
Darr aur ghabrahat ne uski mohabbat par parda daal diya. Usne apni kampkapati awaaz ko sambhala aur bas itna kaha:
Jaao yahan se!"
Itna kehkar woh palti aur tez kadmon se ghar ki taraf bhaag nikli. Pichhe chhoot gaya Rishi aur uska adhoora izhaar. Nidhi ghar toh pahunch gayi, par uski tez dhadkanein use bata rahi thi ki usne sirf Rishi ko nahi thukraya, balki apne dil ki awaaz ko bhi daba diya tha.
● "Zubaan ne toh keh diya 'Jaao yahan se', par kya dhadkanon ki cheekh koi sun payega?"
● "Ek adhoora izhaar aur ek darta hua dil—kya Nidhi ka yeh ek faisla unki kahani hamesha ke liye khatam kar dega?"
● "Gaon ki badnami ka darr ya Rishi ki mohabbat? Aaj darr ne baazi maar li, par kal kya hoga?"