Paanch saal baad. Mumbai ka wahi café — thoda renovate ho gaya tha, naye lights, naye tables… par baarish ka mausam ab bhi wahi tha.
Aanya apni second book ke launch ke baad thoda free thi. Socha, ek coffee deserve karti hoon. Café mein ghusti hi ek ajeeb si feeling hui — jaise kuch ya koi bula raha ho.
She ordered, “One cappuccino, extra hot.”
Aur ek kone wali seat par jaakar baith gayi, jahaan ek time pe woh aur Kabir sapne discuss kiya karte the.
Achanak se, peechhe se ek awaaz aayi —
“Excuse me, yeh seat free hai?”
Aanya ne slowly palatkar dekha —
Kabir khada tha. Thoda mature, thoda smart lag raha tha. Uski aankhon mein wahi apnaapan tha.
“Tum?” Aanya almost whisper karti hai.
Kabir halka sa hans ke bolta hai, “Main soch raha tha, shayad yahan mil jaoge tum.”
Dono ek dusre ko kuch seconds tak bas dekhte rahe. Itne saalon ka gap jaise ek pal mein khatam ho gaya.
“London kaisa tha?” Aanya ne pucha.
Kabir hansa, “Achha tha… par har gaane mein Mumbai aur tum dono ki kami mehsoos hoti thi.”
Aanya aankhon se hans padti hai, “Main sochti thi ki hum fir milenge. Lekin pata nahi tha kab.”
Kabir table pe baithte hue bola, “Shayad jab hum dono taiyaar hote.”
Conversation ekdum natural flow mein shuru ho gaya — Aanya apne likhe hue novels ke baare mein batane lagi, aur Kabir apni music albums ke baare mein.
Lekin is baar, sapne apne apne raaste poore ho chuke the. Aur dono ke paas ek naya sapna tha — saath hone ka.
Coffee khatam hone ke baad, baarish aur tez ho gayi.
Kabir ne haath badhaya, “Chalein? Walk karein baarish mein, jaise pehle plan karte the?”
Aanya ne haath pakad ke smile kiya.
“Is baar koi alag raasta nahi hoga,” usne dheere se kaha.
Aur dono baarish mein chal diye — naye raaste par, ek saath.
My Other Short Stories
