Char saal guzar chuke the Vidya aur Manohar ki shadi ko, aur ab unka ghar ek nanhe se bete ki kilkaariyon se goonj raha tha. Vidya ki zindagi ab ek maa ki zindagi thi—apne bete ko apna doodh pilane mein woh khushi aur sukoon mehsoos karti thi. Lekin ek chhoti si pareshani thi. Uska beta utna doodh nahi peeta tha jitna uske stanon mein bhar jata tha. Har baar jab doodh adhura reh jata, Vidya ke seene mein ek teekha sa dard uthne lagta. Woh apne stanon ko dabati, lekin dard ke saath-saath ek ajab si bechaini bhi badhti jaati thi.
Manohar ka koi parivaar nahi tha, sirf ek padosi—Diwakar Chacha, 82 saal ka ek akela aadmi. Chacha ki zindagi bhi ek kahani thi—unki patni cancer se ladte-ladte haar gayi thi, aur unke bacchon ne unhe chhod diya tha. Manohar unka sahara tha, har chhoti-badi cheez mein unki madad karta. Ek din Chacha ko doctor ke paas le gaya to pata chala ki unhe gala ka cancer hai. Doctor ne sakht khaana mana kar diya, aur Chacha ka shareer din-ba-din kamzor padta ja raha tha.
Ek raat, jab Vidya apne dard se pareshan apne stanon ko daba rahi thi, Manohar ne uski bechaini dekhi. Uske dimaag mein ek ajab sa khayal aaya. “Vidya,” usne dheere se kaha, “tumhara doodh to barbad ho jata hai har roz. Kyun na hum ise Diwakar Chacha ko dein? Unke gale ke liye yeh aasan hoga, aur unhe taakat bhi milegi.” Vidya pehle to chaunk gayi. “Yeh kya keh rahe ho, Manohar? Chacha mere baap jaise hain!” Manohar ne uska haath pakda aur samjhaya, “Dekho, yeh koi galat baat nahi. Tum unhe apne pita maanti ho, aur woh bhi tumhe beti jaisa pyar karte hain. Yeh unki zindagi bacha sakta hai, aur tumhara dard bhi khatam hoga.”
Vidya ke dil mein sharam aur sankoch tha, lekin Manohar ki baaton mein ek sacchai thi. Usne haan keh diya, lekin asli mushkil thi Diwakar Chacha ko manana. Jab Manohar ne Chacha ke saamne yeh baat rakhi, woh gusse se laal ho gaye. “Yeh kya pagalpan hai, Manohar? Main tum dono ke liye baap barabar hoon, aur tum aisi baat sochte ho?” Manohar ne unke pairon ko chhua aur bola, “Chacha, aap galat samajh rahe hain. Yeh koi bura iraada nahi, balki aapki sehat ke liye ek tareeka hai. Vidya ka doodh uske bete ke liye banta hai, lekin woh pura nahi peeta. Aap isse peeyenge to aapki taakat laut aayegi.” Chacha chup ho gaye. Unke dil mein sharam thi, lekin woh apni kamzori bhi jaante the. Kai din ki minnaton ke baad, woh maan gaye.
Ek shaam, jab ghar mein sannata chhaya tha, Vidya ne Diwakar Chacha ko apne kamre mein bulaya. Usne apne bete ko sula diya tha aur ek patla sa dupatta apne seene par daala tha. Woh sharmaate hue boli, “Chacha, aap mere liye baap jaise hain. Ismein koi sharam nahi. Yeh aapki sehat ke liye hai.” Chacha ke haath kaanp rahe the, lekin woh dheere se Vidya ke paas baith gaye. Vidya ne apna dupatta hataya aur apne bharpoor stan ko unke muh ke paas le aayi. Uske stan doodh se itne bhari the ki unka rang gulabi ho chuka tha, aur nipple se ek safed boond tapak rahi thi.
Jab Diwakar Chacha ne pehli baar Vidya ke stan ko muh mein liya, Vidya ke shareer mein ek tez si lehar daud gayi. Chacha ke garam saans uske naram, mulayam stan par pad rahe the, aur jab unhone doodh peena shuru kiya, Vidya ke andar ek aag si bhadak uthi. Chacha ke daant uske nipple par halke se lage, aur uske muh se ek dheemi si siski nikal gayi, “Aah…” Usne apni aankhein band kar li, aur uska shareer thartharane laga.