Ek ladki thi jiska naam kuch bhi ho sakta hai, lekin hum use Anamika keh dete hain. Anamika ek seedhi, simple si ladki thi jo zindagi ko bahut gehraai se mehsoos karti thi. Use chhoti chhoti cheezon mein khushi mil jaati thi, aur sabse zyada woh rishton ko importance deti thi.

Uski zindagi bilkul normal chal rahi thi jab uski mulaqat Animesh se hui. Pata nahi kya tha Animesh mein, par Anamika dheere dheere uski taraf khichti chali gayi. Animesh perfect nahi tha — kabhi uska behavior thoda rude hota, kabhi woh ignore kar deta — lekin Anamika ne kabhi in baaton ko seriously nahi liya. Use lagta tha ki pyaar mein sab theek ho jaata hai.

Logon ne use samjhaya bhi. Uske friends ne kaha, “Anamika, tum jaisa soch rahi ho, waise Animesh nahi hai.” Lekin jab dil kisi ko chun leta hai, tab duniya ki koi baat sunai nahi deti. Anamika ne bhi wahi kiya — usne sirf apne dil ki suni.

Kuch time baad dono ne shaadi kar li.

Shaadi ke baad Anamika apni nayi zindagi mein poori tarah se kho gayi. Use lagta tha ki ab usse sab kuch mil gaya hai. Woh subah uthkar ghar sambhalti, Animesh ke liye khana banati, uske ghar walon ka dhyaan rakhti, aur har chhoti badi baat mein khush rehne ki koshish karti. Usne apni puri duniya Animesh ke around bana li thi.

Woh khud ko bahut lucky samajhne lagi thi. Use lagta tha ki uski life perfect hai.

Lekin kabhi kabhi zindagi sab kuch ek hi pal mein badal deti hai.

Ek din Animesh bathroom mein tha aur uska phone baja. Anamika ne bina kuch soche phone utha liya. Dusri taraf se ek ladki ki awaaz aayi, “Hello Animesh!”

Anamika ne normal tone mein kaha, “Woh abhi bathroom mein hain, aap kaun bol rahe hain?” Itna sunte hi phone turant cut ho gaya.

Anamika ko thoda ajeeb laga, lekin usne is baat ko zyada importance nahi diya. Jab Animesh bahar aaya, usne casually usse bataya ki kisi ladki ka phone aaya tha.

Lekin Animesh ka reaction usne expect nahi kiya tha.

Woh achanak gusse mein aa gaya aur tez awaaz mein bola, “Maine tumhe kitni baar kaha hai mera phone mat uthaya karo! Aaj ke baad kabhi bhi mera phone mat uthana.”

Anamika ekdum chup ho gayi. Yeh pehli baar tha jab Animesh ne usse itne gusse mein baat ki thi. Uske dil mein ek ajeeb si chubhan hui. Use samajh nahi aaya ki usne aisa kya galat kar diya.

Us din ke baad Anamika ke andar ek halka sa doubt paida ho gaya.

Usne dheere dheere notice karna shuru kiya ki jaise hi Animesh ka phone bajta, woh turant alert ho jata. Kabhi kabhi woh dusre room mein jaakar baat karta, kabhi balcony mein chala jata. Agar Anamika paas hoti, toh woh ya toh call cut kar deta ya phir bahut dheere awaaz mein baat karta.

Yeh sab dekhkar Anamika ke mann mein sawal badhne lage. Woh confuse thi — kya woh overthink kar rahi hai, ya sach mein kuch galat ho raha hai?

Kuch din tak usne khud ko samjhaya, lekin andar ka doubt khatam nahi hua.

Ek din usne decide kiya ki ab woh sach jaan kar hi rahegi.

Us din jab Animesh ghar se nikla, Anamika bhi chupke se uske peeche nikal gayi. Uska dil bahut tez dhadak raha tha. Woh khud se hi darr rahi thi — agar jo woh soch rahi hai woh sach nikla toh?

Animesh ne apni car ek unknown area mein roki. Woh ek ghar ke saamne gaya. Anamika thodi door khadi sab dekh rahi thi.

Darwaza khula… aur ek ladki saamne aayi.

Us ladki ko dekhte hi Animesh ke chehre par ek alag si muskaan aa gayi — woh muskaan jo Anamika ne kaafi time se nahi dekhi thi.

Dono ne ek dusre ko hug kiya… jaise woh ek dusre ke bahut kareeb ho.

Us moment mein Anamika ko laga jaise kisi ne uska saans rok diya ho. Uski aankhon ke saamne sab dheere dheere dhundhla sa hone laga.

Phir bhi woh wahin khadi rahi.

Kuch der baad dono ghar se bahar aaye, car mein baithe aur seedha office chale gaye — jaise kuch hua hi nahi ho.

Anamika pura din wahi aas paas bhatakti rahi. Uske dimaag mein hazaar sawal the, par jawab ek bhi nahi.

Shaam ko jab Animesh aur woh ladki office se saath nikle, tab bhi Anamika ne unka peecha kiya. Animesh ne use us ladki ke ghar chhoda, aur phir khud apne ghar ke liye nikal gaya.

Anamika uske peeche peeche ghar pahunchi.

Darwaza khula. Animesh normal tha — jaise kuch hua hi nahi ho.

Usne casually poocha, “Kahan gayi thi tum?”

Anamika ne halki si awaaz mein kaha, “Ek friend se milne.”

Us raat Anamika ne koi sawal nahi kiya.

Woh bas chup rahi.

Lekin uski chup ke andar ek tufaan chal raha tha.

Poore raat woh so nahi paayi. Usne apni puri zindagi ke decisions ko yaad kiya. Usne socha ki kaise usne sab kuch chhod kar sirf is ek insaan par bharosa kiya tha.

Agli subah, usne finally himmat jutayi.

Usne seedha Animesh ki aankhon mein dekhkar poocha, “Kaun hai woh ladki?”

Animesh ek pal ke liye ghabra gaya, phir usne aankhon mein aankhein daalne se bachate hue kaha, “Kaun ladki? Tum kya bol rahi ho?”

Anamika ne pehli baar apni awaaz utha kar kaha, “Jhoot mat bolo. Maine sab dekha hai.”

Kuch second ke liye kamre mein bilkul sannata chha gaya.

Phir Animesh ne gusse mein kaha, “Agar dekha hai toh phir pooch kyun rahi ho? Haan, main milta hoon usse. Problem kya hai?”

Yeh sunte hi Anamika ke andar kuch toot gaya.

Lekin jo usne agla suna, usne use bilkul khatam kar diya.

Animesh bola, “Tumse baat karne ka mann nahi karta. Tum boring ho gayi ho. Har waqt bas ghar aur zimmedari. Kisi ko bhi bore ho jayega.”

Anamika chup khadi rahi.

Usne socha tha ki shayad Animesh maafi maangega… shayad explain karega… lekin usne toh saari galti usi par daal di.

Us moment mein Anamika ko samajh aa gaya ki problem usme nahi hai.

Problem yeh hai ki usne galat insaan ko apni puri zindagi de di.

Us din Anamika bahut royi.

Lekin us raat usne ek decision liya.

Usne decide kiya ki woh apni zindagi kisi aise insaan ke saath nahi guzaregi jo uski respect nahi karta.

Divorce ka decision lena aasaan nahi tha.

Ghar wale, society, logon ki baatein — sab kuch uske against tha. Sabne kaha, “Thoda adjust kar lo.” “Shaadi itni aasani se nahi todi jaati.”

Lekin Anamika ne is baar kisi ki nahi suni.

Usne sirf apni suni.

Jab usne divorce papers sign kiye, uske haath kaanp rahe the. Aankhon mein aansu the.

Lekin dil mein pehli baar ek ajeeb si shanti thi.

Kuch mahine baad, Anamika dheere dheere apni zindagi dobara jeene lagi.

Usne khud ko samajhna shuru kiya, apne sapno ko phir se uthaya, aur sabse important — usne khud se pyaar karna seekha.

Aaj bhi usse kabhi kabhi dard mehsoos hota hai. Sochti hai kash woh aisa na hota aur hum puri zindagi pyaar se guzar dete. Lekin aaj woh utni kamzor nahi thi. Aaj woh khudke liye jee rahi thi khudke sath jee rahi thi. Apni zindagi apne hisab se chal rahi thi. Usne apne aapko samjha liya tha ki jo usne kiya hai vahi sahi tha aur adjust mushkilo mei toh woh kar bhi leti par khudko kisi aur ke sath adjust kabhi nahi.

Kai baar kuch rishte aise ghav ban jate hain jo kabhi nahi bharte. Par zindagi hame jeene ke liye mili hai. Kisi bhi vajah se jab tak hum zinda hai hame jeena nahi chodna chahiye. Aur khudko khush rakhna chahiye.