Aasmaan ki aankhein un dono par parein jo zameen pe chand aur sooraj ki jodi lag rahi thi. Woh dono hi chalte chalte bagh ki sabz ghass pe beth gaye aur aasmaan ki taraf dekhne lage jahan se baarish ki boondein kisi bhi waqt baras sakti theen. Aasmaan pe chaaye kaale badal to yahi ishaara kar rahe the.

"Kaisa lag raha hai?" Purvi ka sar aasmaan ki taraf utha hua tha jo Abhijeet ke ghar ke bagh se bohat khoobsurat dikh raha tha.

"Bohat acha lag raha hai. Pehli baar, pehli baar lag raha hai ke shayad, shayad aj phir se woh zindagi jeene ki si khoshish kar raha hun jo arsa pehle zamana ban gayi hai" Abhijeet ke haath ne beikhtiyaar hi Purvi ke haath ko thama tha aur mazbooti se kas liya tha ke jaise dar ho ke kahin ye sahara, ye hath bhi chooth na jaaye.

"Ye zindagi kitni khoobsurat hai na. Tum bhi ise phir se jeena seekh lo kyunke ye waqaie bohat khoobsurat hai" Purvi ka aik aik lafz Abhijeet ke dil ki dharkan bohat khoobsurat andaaz mein dharka raha tha. Use aik pal ko yun laga jaise zindagi itni bhi buri na ho.

"Ye phool kitne khoobsurat hain. Pehle mujhe ye phool khoobsurat nahi lagte the magar jab se tum ache hone lage ho, in phoolon mein bhi aik tilsami khushbu a gayi hai, ye phool bhi tumhari ek ek saans ke saath mehakte hain" Purvi saharzada si phoolon ki taraf dekh ke boli.

"Han, ye phool bohat khoobsurat hain bilkul tumhari tarah" Woh aik dam se hi apni jagah se utha tha aur phoolon ki kiyaari ke saamne beth ke aik gulaab ka phoole torne ke baad use Purvi ko paish karte hue bohat pyaar se bola.

"Khoobsurat aur mein. Tumhe galat fehmi hui hai, mein bilkul khoobsurat nahi" Woh hans kar taal deti hai aur haath barha kar woh khoobsurat gulaab ka phool apne hathon ki poron mein qaid kar leti hai.

"Zaahiri khoobsurati ka to maloom nahi magar itna zaroor janta hun ke tumhara andar bohat khoobsurat hai, bohat paak aur shifaf" Abhijeet ki aankhon mein Purvi ko apne liye bharosa, pyaar, aur dheyaan jhalakta dikhayi diya. Dil ap hi ap Abhijeet ke qadmon pe gir pada.

"Ahaa, to ab ap bhi itni gehri baatein karein ge?" Woh zor se hansi, woh hansi jis mein sharam aur jhijak shaamil thi.

Abhijeet ne halke se Purvi ki aankhon mein dekha aur dheere se hans diya.

"Are, baarish" Achanak hi Purvi khushi se hans di. Baarish ke do mote mote qatre seedha us ke haath pe a kar gire the. Dekhte dekhte baarish shuru ho gayi.

"Abhijeet, tum andar chale jao. Kahin bimaar na pad jao" Purvi tezi se Abhijeet ka haath apne haath mein leti hai aur usko shade pe le ja kar khada kar deti hai aur khud wapis baarish ki un dhad dhad taiz boondon ke beech kisi pari ki tarah jhoomne lagti hai.

"Purvi, mein bimaar nahi padun ga" Abhijeet Purvi ko pukaarte hue un boondon ko paar karte hue, khud ko bhigaate hue dod kar Purvi ke qareeb pahunch gaya aur Purvi achanak hi palatati hai to takra kar Abhijeet ki baahon ke hisaar mein a jaati hai. Woh dono hi aik doosre mein kho se gaye. Ye tilsam hota hi aisa hai, kisi ko bhi jakad ke apne qabze mein kar leta hai. Purvi ke bheege baal Abhijeet ke seene ko reh reh kar choo rahe the aur Abhijeet shayad kisi aur hi duniya mein pahunch chuka tha. Baarish jhil mil karti un dono pe hi farzi phool barsa rahi thi.

"I am sorry" Purvi palkein upar utha kar sarsari sa Abhijeet ko dekhti hai aur mun phair kar shade ke qareeb chali jaati hai.

"Koi baat nahi" Woh bhi Purvi ke qareeb a kar khada ho jata hai.

"Kya zaroorat thi baarish mein bheegne ki. Ab bimaar pad gaye to?" Purvi Abhijeet ki taraf dekhti hai jo do second mein hi sar se le kar paun tak bheeg gaya tha aur phir fikar aur pareshaani ke zair e asar boli thi.

"Mein to pehle hi kamzor hun, tum mujhe aur kamzor to na banao, tum hi to kehti ho ke jeena chahiye zindagi ko. Aj mera bhi dil hai ke aj hi saari zindagi jee lun"

"Chalo phir, jee lete hain zindagi" Purvi muskurayi aur Abhijeet ka haath pakad ke wapas un baarishon ki raahi ban gayi, jahan aj Abhijeet us ka hamsafar tha.

"Tumhe baarish bohat pasand hai?" Woh Purvi ki taraf dekhta hai jo aankhein band kar ke haath phailaaye baarish ke qatron ko apne un haathon mein samaana chahti thi.

"Bohat zyaada. Baarish aur mera, hamesha ka saath hai" Woh aankhein band kiye hue hi jawab deti hai.

"Tumhe baarish pasand hai? Purvi aankhein khol kar Abhijeet ki taraf dekh ke sawaal karti hai.

"Mujhe bhi baarish bohat pasand thi..magar…" Woh dheere se chup ho gaya. Dukh aur karb us ke bheege chehre pe jhalak raha tha.

"Magar kya?"

"Kuch nahi" Woh chup ho gaya.

To Be Continued