Unka divorce kabhi court tak pahucha hi nahi…
na kisi judge ke saamne baat hui,
na kisi kagaz par sign hue.

Phir bhi… rishta khatam ho chuka tha.

Pehle sab normal tha.
Subah ki chai saath,
raat ki baatein lambi…
aur beech beech mein chhoti si hasi,
jo din bana deti thi.

Phir pata hi nahi chala
kab baatein “haan… theek hai” tak simat gayi.

Ab ghar mein awaaz kam,
aur khamoshi zyada rehne lagi thi.

Wo roz uska intezaar karti,
darwaze ki halki si aahat par dil dhadak uthta…
par jab wo andar aata,
to bas bag rakhkar seedha dusre kamre mein chala jata.

“Kaise ho?”
ye sawaal ab bhi hota tha…
par usme pehle wali fikr nahi hoti thi.

Aur jawab?
wo sirf aadat ban gaya tha —
“theek hoon.”

Kabhi kabhi wo chupke se uski taraf dekhti,
sochti —
“kya main ab bhi utni hi zaroori hoon?”

Par ye sawaal uske honton tak kabhi nahi aaya।

Usne apne emotions ko samet liya,
apni baaton ko andar daba liya…
har baar khud ko samjhaya —
“shaayad ye sirf ek phase hai…”

Lekin sach ye tha…
ki wo phase nahi,
ek khatam hota rishta tha।

Na bade jhagde hue,
na kisi ne ghar chhoda…
bas dheere dheere,
dono ek dusre ke dil se nikal gaye।

Ek hi chhat ke neeche rehte hue,
dono ne alag-alag tanhai jee li।

Aur phir ek din…
usne ro kar nahi,
bilkul shaant hokar ye maana —

“Divorce sirf kagaz par nahi hota…
divorce tab hota hai,
jab aap kisi ke saath rehkar bhi
uske bina jeene lagte ho।”

Us din ke baad…
sab waise hi raha — ghar, samaan, routine…
bas rishta nahi raha।

Yahi sabse khamosh,
sabse dardnaak divorce hota hai।