Arjun ek IT company mein kaam karta tha — Pune mein. Salary achhi thi, flat tha, life "set" thi. But ek cheez thi jo usse andar se khaya karti thi.
Usne teen saal se apni maa ko call nahi kiya tha.
Koi bada jhagda nahi tha. Bas wahi hota hai na — "kal karunga, kal karunga" — aur kal kabhi aata hi nahi.
Ek din office mein kaam karte karte achanak phone aaya. Unknown number.
"Bhai, main Ramkishan bol raha hoon. Tumhare gaon se. Tumhari maa... unhe hospital le jaana pada hai. Kuch zyada serious nahi hai, par tum ek baar aa jao."
Arjun ka haath kaanpne laga.
Usne turant boss ko bola, bag uthaya, aur raat ki train pakdi. Poori raat so nahi saka. Khidki ke bahar andhera tha, aur andar — sirf ek cheez chal rahi thi dimaag mein.
"Teen saal. Maine teen saal call nahi kiya."
Subah hospital pahuncha. Maa bed par leti thi. Kamzor lag rahi thi. Par jab Arjun ko dekha — aankhein chamak uthi.
"Aa gaya mera beta," itna hi boli. Aur muskura di.
Arjun ki aankhein bhar aayi. Woh seedha maa ke paas gaya, haath pakad liya, aur bola — "Maa, sorry."
Maa ne haath halka sa dabaaya. "Sorry kisliye? Tu aa gaya na. Bas yahi chahiye tha."