Barish apne charam par thi. Zor-zor se bijliyan kadak rahi thin, maano badal phat pada ho.

"Aa... Aaron, aaj nahi!" Vanya ne Aaron ko khud se door karte hue kaha.

"Oh come on Vanya, bas ek round," Aaron ne kehte hue uski nighty ko alag kar diya.

Aaron ki ungliyan Vanya ki kamar par apni harkat kar rahi thin. Uski saansein Vanya ki gardan par aag ki tarah dehak rahi thin.

"Aaron... ruko, please..." Vanya ne kaampte haathon se Aaron ke seene ko dhelne ki koshish ki, lekin Aaron par jaise koi junoon sawaar tha.

"Shhh... Vanya, tum jaanti ho main khud ko rok nahi paata jab tum mere itne kareeb hoti ho," Aaron ne madhoshi mein fusfusate hue uske kaanon ke neeche apni pakad banayi aur use choomne laga.

Vanya ne apni aankhein zor se meench li aur ek gehri saans lete hue zor se boli, "Aaron, main... pregnant hoon!"

Bijli is baar aur zor se kadki, jiski roshni mein Vanya ne Aaron ka chehra dekha—jo is waqt gusse se laal ho gaya tha.

"Aaron, main sach..." Woh abhi bol hi rahi thi ki Aaron ne uski gardan pakad li. Pakad mazboot karte hue woh use apne paas laya aur sard awaaz mein bola:

"Agar tum mazak kar rahi ho toh band kar do, varna tum acche se jaanti ho main tumhara aur is bacche ka kya hashr karunga."

Aaron ki pakad itni tez thi ki Vanya ki aankhein bahar aane lagi thin. Usne 'na' mein sar hilaya aur apne haathon se baar-baar Aaron ke haath par maarne lagi. Tabhi Aaron ne uska gala chhod diya, jisse woh sambhal nahi paayi aur bed se neeche gir gayi. Uska pura chehra laal ho gaya tha aur woh zor-zor se khaansne lagi.

Vanya farsh par padi tadap rahi thi. Uska gala, jise kuch pal pehle Aaron ne dabocha tha, ab neeli lakeeron se bhar gaya tha. Aankhon se behte aansu farsh ki dhool mein mil rahe the.

Aaron bed se neeche utra. Uski aankhon mein ab woh nasha nahi tha, balki ek aisi dareendagi thi jo Vanya ko andar tak kanpa rahi thi. Usne Vanya ke baalon ko berehmi se peeche kheencha, jisse Vanya ka chehra dard se upar ki ore khinch gaya.

"Suno Vanya," Aaron ki awaaz mein baraf si thandak thi, "Agar yeh koi tumhari chaal hai mujhe shaadi ke liye majboor karne ki, toh ise abhi khatam kar do. Main kisi ka baap banne ke liye paida nahi hua hoon, aur na hi main chahta hoon ki mera naam is gandagi ke saath jude."

Vanya ne kaampte hue Aaron ka haath pakadne ki koshish ki. "Aa... Aaron... yeh sach hai. Yeh tumhara hi ansh hai."

Aaron ne ek ghrinit (disgusting) hansi haste hue use jhatke se chhod diya. "Mera ansh? Ya mere baap ka?"

Usne apni shirt ke button band kiye aur aaine mein khud ko dekhte hue bola, "Mere pita tumhe is ghar mein unki patni ke roop mein lekar aaye hain. Ab chaar diwaaron mein tum unhe kaise khush karti hogi yeh wahi jaanein. Toh batao, yeh baccha kiska hai—mera ya mere baap ka? Main tumse pyaar nahi karta, tum sirf meri ek zaroorat ho."

Vanya ne diwaar ka sahara lekar khade hone ki koshish ki. Uski awaaz ladkhada rahi thi, "Tum... tum aisa kaise keh sakte ho? Jo kuch hamare beech hua, kya woh sab jhoot tha?"

Aaron uski ore palta, uski aankhon mein nafrat saaf thi. "Subah hone se pehle mujhe is problem ka solution chahiye. Ya toh yeh baccha nahi rahega, ya fir tum is ghar mein nahi rahogi."

Jaate-jaate usne peeche mudkar aakhri baar kaha, "Is bacche ko mita do Vanya, varna main tum do

no ko mita doonga!"