Teen mahine mein Sameer aur Sana ne ek bhi candlelight dinner nahi kiya.
Unhone Chowk ke corner par momos khaye, jahan chutney se zyada smoke aankhon mein jaata tha. Unhone NorthLine ke bahar saat-minute wali chai pi, kyunki Sameer ka rider closure pending tha. Ek Sunday ko Gomti ke paas walk plan ki, par Noor Chikan ke buyer ne size chart badal diya aur date video call mein convert ho gayi—Sana spreadsheet share karti rahi, Sameer screen ke doosre kone mein noodles khaata raha.
Phir bhi unke beech kuch tez, practical aur apni marzi ka ban gaya.
Sameer ne seekha ki Sana “dispatch running” likhe to uska matlab call karke “bas ek minute” bolna nahi hota. Sana ne seekha ki Sameer ka “hum dekh lenge” kabhi confidence, kabhi darr aur kabhi dono ka cocktail hota. Usne har version ke liye alag sawaal banana shuru kiya.
“Kab tak dekh loge?”
“Kis paise se dekh loge?”
“Kya likh ke rakha hai?”
Aur jab Sameer sach mein kisi rider ka medical emergency shift cover karta ya wrong deduction ke khilaaf Dubey sir se ladta, Sana bas poochti, “Khaana khaya?”
Yeh unka romance tha. Flowers nahi; follow-up.
***
Thirty-day review ke din Dubey sir ne Sameer ko cabin mein bulaya. Exception logs complete the, morning scanner tests recorded, mis-sort rate target ke andar. Customer callback sheet par Sameer ke initials har row mein.
“Warning close nahi hoti,” Dubey sir bole. “Record par rahegi. But performance improved. Continue.”
Sameer ne chair par thoda aage hote hue poocha, “Promotion cycle mein consider honge?”
Dubey sir ne file dekhi. “Is quarter nahi. Headcount freeze.”
“Increment?”
“Standard.”
Sameer ko relief aur disappointment ek saath hua. Job bachi thi. Kursi ka naam wahi tha.
Cabin se nikalte waqt notice board par ek partner programme ka circular laga tha: authorised pickup/drop point—local entrepreneurs, parcel booking, returns, scheduled collection. Sameer ne QR scan kiya. Form mein deposit, shop proof, background verification, minimum operating hours aur equipment requirements the.
Usne screenshot Sana ko bheja.
SAMEER: Apna business ka gate.
SANA: Gate ke peeche rent hai. Details bhejiye.
SAMEER: Aap excitement ko bhi TDS kaat ke deti ho.
SANA: Deposit kitna?
Sameer ne message read chhod diya.
Shaam ko Zafar Chacha ke stall par Sana notebook lekar aayi. Sameer brochure print karke laya, jo progress thi. Usne ek possible shop ki photo bhi dikhayi—Lucknow mein cheap lane, main road se ek turn andar.
“Rent?” Sana ne poocha.
“Aath hazaar.”
“Deposit?”
“Teen month.”
“Programme security?”
“Pandrah.”
“Shelves, printer, scanner ya phone, board, packaging?”
“Manage ho jayega.”
“Amount?”
“Sana, business mein vision—”
“Vision ko table dijiye.”
Sameer ne brochure fold kar diya. “Har cheez pe interrogation zaroori?”
“Aap job chhodkar sheher badalne ki baat kar rahe. Haan.”
“Humko operations aata hai.”
“Bilkul. Isliye pooch rahi hoon. Aata hai to numbers se darr kyun?”
Sameer gusse mein chai aadhi chhodkar nikal gaya. Zafar Chacha ne usse roka nahi. Sana ne bhi nahi.
Do din unhone sirf good morning bheja. Teesre din Sameer ek spreadsheet lekar aaya. Deposit, programme security, used furniture, basic thermal printer, signage, packaging stock, electricity, internet, expected per-parcel commission, daily break-even volume. Kuch figures estimate, kuch programme documents se.
“Fuel pickup ka missing,” Sana boli.
“Add karenge.”
“Return parcel earning?”
“Lower slab. Woh bhi.”
Sameer ne aankhen nahi ghumayiं. “Dekho, humko yeh karna hai. Par bina samjhe nahi. Tum help karogi?”
Sana ne sheet mein ek column add kiya: ASSUMPTION SOURCE.
“Ab karungi.”
Sameer ne table ke neeche uska haath chhua. “Thanks.”
“Consulting fee badhegi.”
“Lifetime contract kar lete.”
Sana ne use warning look diya. Sameer hansa, par uske bag mein ek chhota ring box tha jo usne abhi nahi nikala.
Spreadsheet ek raat mein business nahi bani. Agle do weekends Sameer ne Lucknow ke teen possible locations dekhe. Pehli main road par thi, rent budget ke double. Doosri sasti thi par stairs ke upar—parcel customer ko board dikhai deta, counter nahi. Teesri wahi narrow lane wali, jahan aas-paas tailoring units aur wholesalers the, lekin walking traffic expected se kam.
Sana har visit par saath nahi gayi. Usne kaha, “Aap entrepreneur hain. Footfall khud giniye.”
Sameer do afternoons plastic stool par chai lekar baitha aur fifteen-minute intervals mein pedestrians, possible customers aur courier riders count kiye. Pehle sheet mein usne “bahut,” “medium,” “dead” likha. Sana ne wapas bheja.
“Numbers.”
“Tumko poetry se problem hai.”
“Rent poetry mein nahi jaata.”
Agli sheet mein actual counts the. Usne programme representative ko call karke poocha ki returns par commission kitna, COD acceptance allowed ya nahi, loss liability kahan transfer hoti, scheduled pickup kis minimum volume par. Representative irritate hua; Sameer ne phir bhi answers mail mein maange.
NorthLine mein Tinku ko jab pata chala to bola, “Bhaiya, apna counter hua to free samosa policy?”
“Employee benefit performance-linked.”
“To hum yahin theek.”
Sameer ne Dubey sir ko abhi notice nahi diya. Yeh Sana ki condition nahi, uska khud ka decision tha. “Agreement approve aur cash reserve clear hone se pehle hero entry nahi,” usne kaha.
Sana ne reply diya, “This is the first sensible cinematic line from you.”
Unke dates bhi calculation ke beech chalte. Ek baar Sameer Noor Chikan ke bahar Sana ka wait kar raha tha. Dispatch van late thi. Sana ne do bundles ke physical pieces count karaye, packing list correct ki aur courier label reprint karaya. Sameer ne bina interfere kiye cartons ko weight scale tak shift karne mein help ki.
Manager ne Sana se kaha, “Data entry complete karke jaiye.”
Sameer ne baad mein poocha, “Tum dispatch bhi dekh rahi thi, phir designation data entry?”
“Welcome to my favourite complaint.”
“Raise maanga?”
“Do baar. Bola pehle consistency.”
“Tumse zyada consistent unka fan hai kya? Woh bhi roz band padta.”
Sana hansi, phir serious hui. “Isi liye business mein mera work free mat samajhna. Help aur permanent unpaid shift alag.”
Sameer ne us sentence ko sheet ke note se zyada dhyaan se liya. “Alag. Promise.”
***
Chirag aur Mehak ka rishta bilkul doosri speed par tha.
Woh bhi milte—kabhi Lucknow chaat walk, kabhi Kanpur mein group lunch, kabhi calls. Chirag ne Pushpa ke saamne Mehak ki job timing defend karna seekha. Mehak ne uski factory worries ko “ho jayega” ke peeche se poochna seekha. Lekin dono marriage shabd ke paas pahunchkar speed kam kar dete.
Ek shaam Aastha Diagnostics ke baad Mehak ne bataya ki uske parents ne Chirag ke baare mein suna hai.
“Kya bola?” Chirag ne poocha.
“Pehla sawaal salary.”
“Romantic family hai.”
“Doosra ghar.”
“Panditji ka portion hai. Hum rent dete.”
“Teesra future.”
Chirag ne gol gappa ka paani dekha. “Future ka written quote kahan milta?”
Mehak ne uski taraf dekha. “Mujhe answer abhi nahi chahiye. Bas mazaak ke bina kabhi sochna.”
“Tum soch rahi?”
“Haan.”
“Hum bhi.”
Yahi unka confession tha. No ring. No placard. Do paper bowls aur future ka bina rate wala quotation.
Mehak ke ghar mein future ka quotation agle Sunday formally maanga gaya.
Uske father, Vinod Dixit, insurance office se retired clerk the; har risk ko form aur maturity date mein dekhte. Mother, Sarita, ghar aur extended family ke beech information exchange chalatiं. Mehak ne Chirag ka naam khud bataya, kisi relative ke version ka wait nahi kiya.
“Kanpur?” Sarita ne pehla reaction diya, jaise distance map se zyada cultural ho.
“Ji.”
“Kya karte?” Vinod ne poocha.
“Industrial unit mein junior technician.”
“Salary?”
Mehak ne jitna maloom tha utna approximate bataya. “Exact unse poochna hoga. Main guess nahi karungi.”
“Apna ghar?”
“Uncle ke portion mein rent.”
“Growth?”
Mehak ko irritation hui, par questions mein poori burai nahi thi. Lab mein bhi patient ko cost aur timing chahiye hoti; “dil achha hai” receipt nahi hota.
“Woh skilled hain. Company chhoti hai. Stability… discuss karni hai.”
Sarita boliं, “Beta, pasand alag, shaadi alag. Tum roz Lucknow mein, woh Kanpur. Job ka kya? Tum chhodogi?”
“Maine chhodne ki baat nahi ki.”
“To woh aayega?”
“Abhi decide nahi.”
Vinod ne kaha, “Pehle milwao. Hum mana nahi kar rahe. Bas ladka WhatsApp par achha bolta ho, usse ghar nahi chalta.”
Mehak almost boli ki Chirag WhatsApp par bhi hamesha achha nahi bolta. Usne sirf kaha, “Main bhi isi liye jaldi nahi kar rahi.”
Us raat Chirag ne call par poora account suna. Pehle mazaak aaya—“Interview mein vernier le jaayein?”—phir usne khud rok diya.
“Exact salary bata denge. Savings kam hai. Amma ko help karte. Factory ka order issue bhi.”
Mehak ne poocha, “Dar lag raha?”
“Haan. Tumhare papa humko reject kar denge to?”
“Main koi tender nahi jo lowest bidder ko mile. Decision mera bhi.”
Chirag kuch pal chup raha. “Isliye love karte.”
Mehak ne aankhen band kiं. “Proper wala?”
“Proper, GST included.”
“Bad joke.”
“Nervous joke.”
***
Hazratganj ki side-road par us Thursday traffic waise hi slow tha. Ek delivery van ne wrong angle par turn liya, uske peeche e-rickshaw band hua aur teen lanes ne ek-doosre ko blame karna shuru kiya.
Sana office se Aastha Diagnostics ja rahi thi. Mehak ki shift khatam hone wali thi. Uska e-rickshaw jam mein ruk gaya. Driver ne engine off karke kaha, “Madam, paanch minute lag sakta, aadha ghanta bhi.”
Do vehicles peeche Sameer rented scooter par tha. Ring box uski shirt pocket mein. Plan tha Zafar Chacha ke stall par chai ke baad propose kare—simple, public, Mehak-Chirag nearby. Usne Sana ka white dupatta pehchana.
Woh scooter side stand par laga kar vehicles ke beech safe gap se aage aaya.
“Sana!”
Sana ne palatkar dekha. “Aap yahaan?”
“Plan tha surprise.”
“Boundary policy kiski copy ki?”
“Surprise destination, stalking nahi. Mehak ko maloom.”
Peeche horn baja. Traffic hil nahi raha tha. Sameer e-rickshaw ke side khada hua. Ring box pocket mein bhaari lagne laga.
“Hum chai stall tak wait kar sakte,” usne khud se zyada kaha.
Sana ne uska nervous face dekha. “Kya hua?”
Sameer ne ek saans li. “Dekho, setting glamorous nahi hai.”
“Aapki shirt enough glamorous hai.”
“Please beech mein insult mat karo, speech bhool jayenge.”
Usne ring box nikala. E-rickshaw driver ka mouth open. Adjacent auto mein do college students turant attentive.
Sameer road par ghutne nahi tika—grease aur moving traffic dono the. Woh bas Sana ke saamne khada raha.
“Hum tumko Taj Mahal, bungalow, business empire promise nahi karenge. Courier counter chale ya na chale, hum loud rahenge, kabhi stupid bhi. Par jab tum correction karti ho na, lagta koi humko chhota nahi bol raha—koi maan raha ki hum better kar sakte. Sana Saxena, tum humare saath… matlab… shaadi—”
Peeche driver chillaya, “Bhaiya, side se bike ja rahi!”
Sameer half-step e-rickshaw ke kareeb hua. “Shaadi karogi?”
Sana ne ring nahi dekhi. Usne Sameer ko dekha. “Business aur wedding alag decisions hain?”
Sameer blink kiya. “Abhi?”
“Haan, abhi. Agar main haan bolun, iska matlab yeh nahi meri salary automatic capital.”
Sameer ka face serious hua. “Alag. Full consent ke bina ek rupiya nahi.”
“Job main continue karungi.”
“Haan.”
“Bad news pehle bataoge. Fix karke baad mein confession nahi.”
Sameer ne halka sa pause liya, phir kaha, “Koshish nahi. Rule.”
Sana ne haath aage badhaya. “To haan.”
E-rickshaw driver ne sabse pehle clap kiya. College students ne “woo” kiya. Sameer ne ring uski ungli mein pehnayi—size thoda loose tha.
Traffic police volunteer aaya. “Proposal ho gaya ho to gaadiyan move ho rahiं. Road clear rakhiye.”
Sameer scooter ki taraf bhaaga. “Haan bhai, ho gaya!”
Sana e-rickshaw mein baithi hansi rok nahi pa rahi thi. Jam khul gaya. Proposal first gear mein hua, acceptance ke saath traffic bhi second mein chala gaya.
Aastha Diagnostics ki lane tak pahunchkar Sana utri to Sameer bhi scooter park karke aaya. Ab crowd nahi tha, sirf chemist shop ki light aur clinic se nikalte do staff members.
“Ring loose hai,” Sana ne ungli dikhayi.
Sameer ka chehra gir gaya. “Exchange karwa denge. Humne tumhari finger ka size Mehak se poochha tha.”
“Mehak pathologist nahi, ring-size specialist bhi nahi.”
“Surprise operation mein data limited tha.”
Sana ne ring ko doosri ungli par try kiya. “Kal resize. Aaj safe pouch mein.”
Sameer ne hichkichakar poocha, “Tumko bura to nahi laga? Traffic, auto, random audience?”
“Mujhe bura lagta agar aap road block karke filmi stunt karte. Aapne nahi kiya.”
“Police volunteer ka pressure tha.”
“Phir bhi.” Sana ka tone naram hua. “Speech achhi thi.”
“Kaunsa part? Better kar sakte wala?”
“Bad months promise nahi kiye. Woh.”
Sameer ne pehli baar proposal ke baad bina grin ke uska haath pakda. “Bad month aaya to?”
“Spreadsheet kholenge.”
“Romance?”
“Uske baad chai.”
“Order ulta nahi?”
“Situation par depend.”
Clinic ka door khula aur Mehak bahar aayi. Usne unke joined hands, Sana ki ungli aur Sameer ka nervous face dekha. “Aap logon ne mere bina kya kar diya?”
Sameer ka grin wapas full brightness mein aaya. “Breaking news.”
***
Zafar Chacha ke stall par baad mein planned audience ko late news mili. Mehak ne Sana ko hug kiya. Chirag ne Sameer ko itni zor se gale lagaya ki ring receipt pocket se girte-girte bachi.
“Abe hum plan mein the,” Chirag bola. “Humko bina liye propose kar diya?”
“Traffic emotional tha.”
Mehak ne Sana se dheere poocha, “Sure?”
Sana ne ring ghumayi. “Haan. Business spreadsheet separate.”
“Romance queen.”
“Due diligence queen.”
Chirag excitement mein Mehak ki taraf mudा. “Hum bhi—”
Mehak ne ungli uthayi. “Affection race nahi hai.”
Woh ruk gaya. “Hum bas bolne wale the chai aur?”
“Jhooth.”
“Thoda.”
Later, stall se side mein, Chirag ne kaha, “Pressure nahi. Par hum tumse love karte. Proper wala.”
Mehak ki aankhen naram huiं. “Main bhi. Proper wala. Lekin shaadi tab jab hum dono taiyaar, na ki Sameer ne traffic mein kar li isliye.”
“Theek. Humara proposal stationary hoga.”
“Aur road block nahi.”
“Terms noted.”
***
Family negotiations ne romance ka volume turant kam kar diya.
Sana ke ghar Kusum Ji sabse pehle pahunchiं. Sameer clean cream shirt, polished shoes aur ek folder lekar baitha. Kusum Ji ne namaste ke baad seedha shoes dekhe.
“Polish fresh hai,” unhone kaha. “Daily?”
Sameer ne sach bola, “Special occasion. Daily mein kabhi-kabhi reh jaata.”
“Handwriting sample.”
Sameer ne folder se budget sheet nikali. “Yeh chalega?”
Kusum Ji ne tilted letters dekhe. “Structure ab bhi weak, lekin accounts dikha raha. Improvement.”
Pandit Ramswaroop aur Pushpa Kanpur side ke elders ban kar aaye. Sameer ke father ne phone par formal approval diya par shaadi planning mein bhaag kam liya. Is absence ko kisi ne dramatic speech nahi banaya; Sameer ne jokes zyada kiye, Sana ne table ke neeche uska haath pakda.
“Main job continue karungi,” Sana ne sabke saamne kaha.
Sameer bola, “Haan. Aur business tabhi jab plan final aur notice period clear.”
Panditji ne poocha, “Loan?”
“Small amount lag sakta. Wedding gift ko automatic capital nahi maanenge.”
Kusum Ji ne pehli baar approving nod diya. “Kam-se-kam ladki ki baat sun raha.”
Pushpa boliं, “Sunna aur maanna alag hota. Shaadi ke baad test hoga.”
Sana ne kaha, “Main test schedule bana dungi.”
Date teen hafte baad ki nikli. Budget modest. Lucknow ka community hall. Guest list “sirf close family” se shuru hokar do pages pahunchi. Pandit Ramswaroop ne expenses ka register liya. Kusum Ji vendors ka handwriting audit. Pushpa food menu. Mehak bride-side logistics. Chirag Kanpur bus. Sameer ko initially “sirf apni sherwani aur time” diya gaya, jise usne insult maana.
Pehli planning meeting Zafar Chacha ke stall ke peeche wale covered area mein hui. Panditji register, Kusum Ji calculator, Sana laptop, Sameer programme brochure aur Pushpa three catering menus laayiं.
“Guest kitne?” caterer ne phone par poocha.
Panditji bole, “Ek sau bees.”
Pushpa boliं, “Ek sau pachaas safe.”
Kusum Ji boliं, “Ek sau satrah confirmed. Baaki handwriting se unreliable.”
Sameer bola, “Do sau plate karwa do. Food kam nahi hona chahiye.”
Sana ne laptop se nazar uthayi. “Extra eighty plates ka payment aapki priceless row se?”
Chirag ne intervene kiya. “Ek sau chaalis plus ten percent buffer?”
Sabne use dekha. Woh khud impressed hua. “Company mein material calculate karte hain.”
Mehak boli, “Reliable trial pass ho raha.”
Venue timing ka next conflict. Hall owner ne eleven p.m. closure bola; DJ ne kaha “baraat late to overtime.” Panditji ne written overtime rate maanga. DJ ke agent ne kaha, “Sir trust rakhiye.”
Kusum Ji phone ke paas jhukkar boliं, “Aap apna quotation WhatsApp kariye. Trust alag file mein rakhenge.”
Transport mein Sameer ne two buses propose kiं. Chirag ne actual Kanpur guest count thirty-eight bataya. Ek mini-bus enough thi. Rinku ne volunteer route captain banna chaha.
“Nahi,” chaaron leads ne ek saath kaha.
“Kaahe?” Rinku hurt hua.
“Tum GPS se zyada action plot follow karte,” Chirag bola.
Shanti Devi guest-room issue sunte hi boliं ki unke building mein “koi ajnabi ladka” nahi rukega, phir jab pata chala Pandit Ramswaroop retired mill worker hain to unke liye ground-floor charpai offer kar di. “Buzurg ajnabi nahi hote,” unka logic tha.
Meeting ke ant mein budget limit se eighteen percent upar tha. Sana ne nonessential flower wall, second dessert aur printed invitation quantity cut ki. Sameer ne DJ retain karaya, lekin premium fog machine khud kaat di.
“Hero entry?” Chirag ne chheda.
“Bride ko asthma nahi, phir bhi dhuaan kaahe,” Sameer bola. “Natural personality enough.”
Sana ne table ke neeche uska knee touch kiya. Business numbers ke baad wedding budget mein bhi Sameer ka “manage ho jayega” dheere-dheere “yeh cut karte” ban raha tha.
Tinku ne catering supervision volunteer ki.
“Experience?” Sana ne poocha.
“Teen cousin weddings,” Tinku bola. “Samosa kab nikalta, sweet counter kahan hota, sab maloom.”
“Security bulao,” Sameer bola.
***
Wedding spreadsheet Sunday raat Sana ne banayi:
Venue.
Food.
Clothes.
Transport.
DJ.
Ritual supplies.
Guest rooms.
Emergency buffer.
File name: WEDDING_CONTROL_V1.
Sameer video call par tha. “Ek row missing.”
“Kya?”
Usne shared sheet mein new line add ki:
MARRIAGE — PRICELESS.
Sana ne formula cell red kar diya. “Budget corrupt kar diya.”
“Romance add kiya.”
“Ten rupees penalty.”
“Lifetime instalment mein denge.”
Sana ne camera off karne ka natak kiya, phir nahi kiya. Screen ke ek taraf wedding numbers, doosri taraf Sameer ka ridiculous grin. Ring loose thi, isliye usne temporary thread wrap kiya tha.
Teen mahine pehle woh is aadmi ko festival ka public hazard samajhti thi. Ab woh usse shaadi karne wali thi.
Public hazard status cancel nahi hua tha.
Bas authorised partnership mil gayi thi.
