Haldi ke jar ka dhakkan last twist par atak gaya, isliye maine zor nahi diya aur use counter ke kone par rakh diya. Workshop ke bartan dhul chuke the, fan ki pattiyan dheere ghoom rahi thin, aur community kitchen ki tiles ab bhi masalon ki garmi rok kar khadi thin.
Patna ke is cultural centre mein log shaam ko nikal chuke the. Bharat ke is hisse ki late evening abhi bhi garam thi, lekin hall ke baahar wali gali mein ab koi awaaz nahi aa rahi thi.
Ishita ne mirch wale jar ko light ke neeche ghuma kar dekha, phir uske pet par naya sticker chipkaya. Maroon kurta uske kandhon par theek se pada tha, black jeans ki silwat seedhi thi, aur uska dupatta ek plastic chair par pada tha.
Light blue shirt ke sleeves maine aur upar kiye, do namak ke jars ko line mein kiya, aur marker uthaya. Committee ne last duty di thi: bache hue masale label karke almirah mein rakhne the, taaki kal ka volunteer andha-dhund na khole.
Kaam seedha tha. Phir bhi meri nazar uske haath ke sticker par atak gayi. Haldi nahi. Dhaniya nahi. Saaf aksharon mein Arnav likha tha.
“Yeh mera naam kyun likha hai?” maine seedha poocha.
Ishita ne marker ki topi band ki, lekin counter se nahi hati. Uski aankhen meri taraf uthin, aur usne koi hasi nahi ki.
“Kyunki yeh jar main common stock mein nahi chhodungi,” usne kaha. “Committee wale isko haldi samjhenge. Main chahti thi tum dekh lo ki main yahan sirf bartan ke liye nahi ruki.”
Woh contradiction saaf thi. Usne pehle kaha tha uski auto saat baje ke slot mein hai. Wall clock aath ke kareeb tha, aur woh abhi bhi yahin thi, dheere kaam karti hui.
“Auto miss ho gayi?”
“Nahi. Maine cancel kar di.” Uski awaaz kam thi, lekin saaf. “Tum bhi nikal sakte the. Tum rukey kyun?”
Maine marker neeche rakha. Jawab ready nahi tha, lekin inkaar bhi nahi tha. Hum akele the, aur yeh baat dono jaante the.
Sticker par seedha sawaal
Ishita ne apna ek kadam aage badhaya, itna ki uski jeans meri jeans se takra gayi. Counter ki patti thandi thi, uske peeche almirah band thi, aur sink ke paas geela kapda pada tha jo kisi ne bhoola tha.
“Agar tum nahi chahte to main abhi nikal jaungi,” usne kaha. “Yeh duty nahi hai.”
Maine uska haath nahi pakda. Sirf itna kaha, “Ruko. Main bhi yahin ruka isliye.”
Uske honth pehle meri jaw line par lage, phir munh par. Chumna tez nahi tha. Woh dheere thi, jaise ab bhi soch rahi ho, lekin peeche nahi hati. Meri ungliyan uski kamar par rakhte hi usne lambi saans li, aur kurta ki silwat meri kalaai ke neeche khisak gayi.
Hindustan ke chhote cultural halls ki kitchens aisi hi hoti hain: extra jars, extra light, aur extra log jo last mein ruk jaate hain. Patna ki yeh shaam un extra logon ki nahi rahi. Sirf do.
Kurta ke neeche uski bra black thi, simple. Maine button nahi faade. Usne khud do button khole, phir meri shirt ke bhi. Skin garam thi. Uski saans meri collarbone par padti rahi jab main uske gale ko chuma.
“Yahan?” maine kam awaaz mein poocha.
“Haan. Counter saaf hai. Chair mat.” Usne jeans ka button khola, zip neeche ki, aur ek pair sandals ko pair se alag kar diya. Ek taang jeans se nikaal kar usne balance pakda, doosri taang baad mein. Main uske peeche nahi dhakka de raha tha. Woh khud kareeb aa rahi thi.
Meri jeans ki belt mein uski ungli atak gayi, phir nikal gayi. Pocket se condom pakadte waqt uski aankhen meri aankhon par thin, sawaal nahi, faisla. Maine wrapper khola, lund par chadha diya, aur uski thighs ke beech haath phera. Uski chut geeli thi, garm, aur usne meri kalai ko wahi dabaye rakha jab meri do ungliyan andar gayin.
“Aur dheere,” usne kaha, phir turant, “bas itna, rukna mat.”
Counter ki kinare uski kamar tik gayi. Maine uski ek taang uthayi, jeans ka kapda takhne par latka raha. Lund uski chut ke muh par ruka, usne khud hips aage ki, aur main andar gaya. Pehla dhakka gehra nahi tha. Doosra uski saans todne jaisa laga, lekin usne meri gardan pakad li.
Kitchen ki tube light safed thi, koi mood lamp nahi. Phir bhi uske seene ki upar-neeche harkat saaf dikh rahi thi. Kurta kamar tak uthha hua tha. Main uske nipple ko munh mein liye bina nahi reh saka. Usne mere baal ki jata nahi ki, sirf sir ke peeche haath rakh diya.
Chodna yahan mechanical nahi ban paya kyunki har dhakke par koi jar hilta. Ek baar mirch wala jar kinaare tak khisak gaya. Ishita hans di, phir us hansne ke beech moan aa gaya. Uski chut tight thi, aur condom ke through bhi garmi saaf thi.
“Mera naam wala wahi rakhna,” usne beech mein kaha, jaise ab bhi duty yaad ho.
“Baad mein.”
Uske kandhon ko maine nahi dabaaya. Usne khud peeche lean kiya, kohni counter par, aur meri hips ko apni taraf kheench liya. Pace badla. Kabhi tez, kabhi ruk kar gehra. Uski aankhen kabhi band, kabhi meri taraf. Paseena uski hairline par tha, mere shirt ke peeth par bhi.
Table ke kone par mitti ka katori pada tha, workshop ka leftover. Usse humne touch nahi kiya. Sirf bodies move ho rahi thin. Meri ungliyon ne uski clit par gol kiya jab dhakke chhote ho gaye. Uski taangein meri kamar ke around kasti rahi, phir dheeli padin, phir phir se kasin.
“Main aa rahi hoon,” usne kaha, koi lambi speech nahi. Uski chut ne lund ko dabaya, uski saans toot kar nikal gayi, aur uske nakhun meri shirt ke kapde mein atak gaye. Main rukha nahi, lekin zor kam kiya, uske climax ke through andar hi raha.
Uske baad meri khud ki tightness badh gayi. Do aur dhakke, teesra gehra, aur main condom ke andar nikal gaya. Relief physical tha, koi bhashan nahi. Hum kuch second waise hi khade rahe, uski thighs meri jeans ke upar, meri forehead uske seene se lagi.
Condom utarte waqt sink ke paas tissue pada mila. Maine use fold karke bin mein daala. Ishita ne pehle jeans pehni, phir kurta ke buttons. Dupatta chair se uthaya, lekin gale mein nahi lapeta, haath mein hi rakha.
Mera shirt ab bhi khula tha. Maine neeche se button lagaye. Floor par koi kapda nahi gira tha. Sandals usne wapas pehne, ek ko thoda adjust kiya kyunki pehle utarte waqt tedha ho gaya tha.
Counter par wahi named jar pada tha. Haldi nahi, dhaniya nahi, sirf Arnav. Ishita ne use uthaya, dhakkan check kiya, aur bagal mein daba liya jaise koi masala nahi, koi nishani ho.
Service door se nikaas
Fan ab bhi ghoom raha tha. Tube light utni hi safed thi. Humne aur jars nahi chhue. Jo kaam adhura tha, woh waise hi pada raha, aur koi inventory nahi chali.
Service door ki sil thodi geeli thi. Ishita ne kundi ghumaai, bahar ki hawa andar aayi, thodi dhool ke saath. Usne peeche mudkar meri taraf dekha, muskurahat chhoti thi, koi promise nahi.
Named jar uske bagal mein dabba raha jab woh seedhi nikal gayi. Maine switch dabaya, kitchen andheri ho gayi, aur main uske peeche darwaze tak hi aaya, uske kadam ke peeche nahi bhaga.