Love Me Tonight
Chapter 5: A Flickering Hope

Once again it was a Monday evening, once more the streets were full of crawling traffic, once more the street lights added glitz to the city, and once more Sameer Maheshwari alighted from his black car outside Club Vortex. The watchman saluted him and so did the doorman… The girl at the entrance asked for his name and he once more asked for a table for one.

The waiter he knew very well came up to meet him, “hello sir… whisky?”

“Lemon soda”, Sameer requested with a smile. The waiter looked surprised, and Sameer chuckled, “hosh me rehna hai yaar… aur haan, uss din puchna bhul gaya… Tumhara naam kya hai?”

“Vishal”, he supplied, “main abhi aaya.”

As the soda was served, Sameer asked, “Suraj kab aayega?”

Vishal looked around, confirming that his manager was nowhere in sight, “7:30 tak aate hai hamesha. Ek ghanta rukte hai… Wahan office hai unka.”

Sameer nodded trying to look interested in the surroundings as he sipped slowly on the tangy soda. A girl caught his eye and smiled… He shook his head, avoiding her scrutinizing gaze. Ten minutes later, she came by, “hey… mind if I join you?”

Sameer smiled, “I am sorry… main apne friend ka wait kar raha hun… He would be here any moment.”

The girl laughed, sliding into the chair opposite him, “well… then maybe I can give you company until he is here… kya pata, shayad tab tak, you would be interested… Aur agar nahi toh tumhara dost shayad interested ho… It would be a shame to give up on a handsome specimen like you. By the way… my name is Leena.”

He sighed, “look Leena… seriously… jiska main wait kar raha hun woh engaged hai… and I am taken…”

She arched a brow, “taken? Whatever does that mean…”

“It means that I am in a relationship”, he sternly informed, “aur sirf wohi mujhe interest feel karwa sakti hai.”

Her smile faltered, but still she scanned him up and down, replying in a thoughtful tone, “tumhe turant pata chal gaya tha what I was offering… you don’t look like a relationship guy…”

He nodded, “you are right… I wasn’t… par uske saath, main hun… She is the only one… And that’s why I didn’t smile back at you… Hope you understand.”

She tapped her nails on the table for a moment, and then sighed as she stood up, “well she is pretty lucky to have landed up with such a hot man… I hope she deserves you.”

He had a watery smile as the girl left, and murmured, “it is me who doesn’t deserve her…”

As he took the last sip of the soda, Vishal returned to the table to quickly take the glass and muttered, “Suraj sir aa gaye… orange t-shirt.”

Sameer sat up alert, scanning the tables and soon saw a guy of his own age chatting with some patrons near a table. Luckily it was the table near the turn for washroom… He stood up and walked towards that direction, chanting internally that this was the only one chance he had and he should not mess it up at all.

To his luck Suraj turned just then, and almost collided with him, “I am so sorry…”

Sameer smiled, “hey… no worries… I am sorry as well… I was thinking something and didn’t pay attention.”

Suraj generously smiled, “it’s alright… enjoy your evening.”

Sameer dramatically sighed, “I wish I could man… main kabse kisika wait kar raha hun lekin pata nahi woh mujhse milega bhi ke nahi… Peechle hafte bhi aaya tha.”

Suraj curiously enquired, “milega? Ya milegi?”

Sameer chuckled, “oh c’mon… hamesha ladki ka intezaar thodi na hota hai… actually I am waiting for Suraj… Iss club ke owner ka beta hai…”

Suraj looked at him in confusion and then stated, “uh… I am Suraj… Lekin main toh aapko nahi jaanta.”

Sameer pretended to cheer up, “oh… wow… Hi Suraj… Main Sameer Maheshwari… SJM Enterprise ka maalik.”

Suraj shook the offered hand, still puzzled, “I am sorry par main ab tak aapko nahi jaanta… Have we met?”

“Nahi”, Sameer shook his head, “lekin mujhe aapse baat karni hai… please.”

Suraj narrowed his eyes, “about what? Aur isse pehle ke aap bhi mujhe offer kare, let me tell you, main yeh club nahi bechunga.”

Sameer was confused, “huh? Main kyun club kharidu?”

“Club nahi chahiye toh kya baat karni hai”, Suraj asked, “job chahiye kya?”

Sameer rolled his eyes, “maine abhi abhi bataya ke mera khud ka business hai… so thanks, mujhe job nahi chahiye. Actually mujhe kisika address chahiye…”

Suraj was wary, “kiska?”

That’s it… The moment of truth… The one statement that would decide everything… Taking a deep breath he said, “Naina Agarwal ka… Jo meri school me classmate thi, and I guess college me tumhari classmate thi.”

Suraj stared at him with renewed focus, and after a moment his eyes widened, “one minute… tum wahi ho na jo uss din yahan pe tha… mere birthday ke din… jiske saath Naina gai thi…”

Sameer was surprised that he remembered, but slowly nodded, “haan… woh main hi hun… and please, koi conclusion nikaalne se pehle meri poori baat sunlo… can we sit and talk? It is very important…” Suraj seemed reluctant, and so Sameer pleaded, “please… main itne dino se usko dhund raha hun… tum last hope ho… please, don’t say no…”

As they stood there with Suraj still staring at him suspiciously, a waiter came up and informed that some person called Mr. Mittal was asking to meet. Suraj immediately flared up, “keh do unse ke mujhe nahi milna… Unko jo karna hai kare, yeh club main nahi bechunga… Aur haan, main unke madad ke bina hi sab kar lunga.”

Sameer was puzzled but cursed that this interruption had made Suraj angry… He just hoped that this incident didn’t make him lose his last chance. Suraj closed his eyes, trying to calm down as the waiter left… Sameer waited patiently, and finally he opened his eyes, and said, “let’s go inside… mere office me baat karte hai.”

Sameer sighed in relief, pleased a bit that he wasn’t rejected. He started to think how to position… He was ready to grovel and plead if needed… He would do anything for Naina… But first and foremost he was a businessman, and it didn’t take much time after that interruption to determine that there was some financial problem in Suraj’s life and the person he had turned to for help was trying to get this club… A club that had been passed on to Suraj by his father…

Inside the cabin Suraj asked him to sit, and offered him whisky… He would have refused given he wanted to be in senses to talk about Naina… But the situation demanded companionship, and so he accepted, “on the rocks please”, thinking it would dilute the effect.

Suraj poured out in two glasses and added ice to one of them while Sameer looked around the small cabin, his eyes narrowing on spotting a photograph with a plaque underneath. A way was found…

“Thank you”, he smiled, taking the offered glass.

Suraj indicated the chair, “main guests ko andar nahi laata usually, but today I don’t want to be outside.”

Sameer nodded in understanding, “family problem? Money, I guess…”

Suraj looked up in surprise, “tumhe kaise pata?”

So he was right… the game was played well… He took a small sip, “waiter ne bataya Mr. Mittal… Aur tumne bola woh club kharidna chahta hai… So I guessed ke yeh property industry wala Mittal hai… And…” Indicating the plaque beneath the photo on wall, he added, “you are also Mittal… probably family…”

Suraj stared at him, “tum konse business me ho? Kya bataya tumne?”

Sameer chuckled, “nahi bataya ab tak… SJM Enterprises… Garment industry… Don’t worry, tumhare club ko koi risk nahi hai mujhse. But let me know agar main kuch madad kar saku toh…”

“Seriously”, Suraj scoffed, draining his neat whisky, “10 lakh ki madad bank karne ko taiyar nahi hai aur tum karoge?”

Sameer’s brows arched, “10 lakh… kaafi bada amount hai… reconstruction hai kya?”

“Debts”, Suraj said as he poured another drink for himself, “Papa ne loans liye the club ke renovation ke liye, aur phir extension ke liye… Club ke saath-saath woh bhi mujhe mile…”

Sameer understood the pressure of loan, “aur Mittal?”

Suraj’s mouth twisted in disgust, “mere chachaji… jinse papa ne loan liya tha… bank se bhi zyada interest charge karte hai, bas assurance tha ke loan repay baad me kar sakte hai… delayed installment type… par ab 5 saal baad full amount maang rahe hai, saath me… Bank ke paas club girvi bhi nahi rakh sakta kyunki yahi zameen chachaji ke paas girvi hai… personal loan me sirf 3 lakh milega…”

Family… Aren’t they supposed to help and heal? Yet they hurt the most…

“I am sorry Suraj”, Sameer sincerely said, “honestly yeh pressure main samajhta hun. Ek point tha jab maine bhi loan liya tha…”

Suraj nodded sympathetically, “it’s bad man… anyways… meri chodo… Tum kya puch rahe the mujhe?”

“Mujhe Naina ka address chahiye”, Sameer stated without any preliminaries, “main bahot time se usko dhund raha hun lekin no luck… Tum uske college me uske saath padhte the, tumhe toh pata hi hoga na…”

Suraj poured his third glass, “par tum usko kyun dhund rahe ho? Aur woh uss din tumhare saath kyun gai?” Sameer reached out and grabbed Suraj’s wrist stopping him from drinking. “What the hell man”, he jerked irritated.

“Sorry”, Sameer immediately said, “maine peene se roka tumhe kyunki main nahi chahta ke nashe ki haalat me tum mujhe Naina ka address de do aur phir socho ke galat kiya. Tum mera last chance ho shayad, lekin tum Naina ke friend bhi ho… I don’t want to take advantage.”

Suraj was shocked… He kept the glass down and then rubbed his hands over his face, “itna serious, huh?”

Sameer smiled, “bahot zyada… Naina uss din mere saath aayi thi kyunki maine bahot pee rakhi thi… Hum school me saath padhte the Ahmedabad me, aur uske baad uss din pehli baar mile… I was going through a very bad phase that day… Hamari koi khaas dosti bhi nahi thi, lekin phir bhi usne mujhe nashe ki haalat me drive karne nahi diya, aur mujhe ghar chodne aayi… Usne mera dhyan rakha, lekin main uska address ya number lena bhul gaya…”

Suraj tilted his head, “kuch parts skip kar gaye kya?”

Sameer nodded, “haan shayad… lekin woh mera aur Naina ka personal matter hai…”

Suraj was silent for a minute and then asked, “usko miloge toh kya karoge?”

Sameer smiled, “phir kabhi usko khudse dur nahi jaane dunga.”

Turning a frame towards Sameer, Suraj pointed, “hum saare friends… do saal college me… Naina hamesha sabse shaant rehti thi… lekin jab gussa hoti thi tab hum sab shaant ho jaate the… Woh hum sabse alag thi lekin phir bhi hamari dost ban gai thi…”

Sameer lifted the picture to look at Naina, “do saal?”

“Naina ne second year se join kiya tha”, Suraj informed, “first year Ahmedabad me kiya tha. Pehle join kiya tab bahot shaant rehti thi…” He pointed to another girl next to Naina, “Shalini… Sabse pehle yeh Naina ki dost bani… And then we got to know ke Naina ka engagement tut gaya tha… Humne socha isi wajah se udaas rehti hogi… Lekin baad me jab woh humse thoda bahot share karne lagi, usne bataya ke woh engagement usne khud toda tha… Koi reason nahi bataya lekin… Hum sab nikkamo ko padhati thi, aur badle me hum usko college ke awaara ladko se dur rakhte the… Usko kabhi samajh me hi nahi aata tha ladko ke intentions… Pata nahi aisi kaisi thi…”

Sameer chuckled, “woh hamesha se hi bahot innocent thi… caring… jhat se sabko maaf kar deti thi… aur hamesha sabki madad karti thi.” Tears welled up in his eyes on seeing the wide smile in the photograph, “please mujhe uska address de do… milna hai usse.”

Suraj sighed, grabbing a notepad and pen, “agar Naina mujhe maarne aaye toh bachane ki zimmedari tumhari.”

“I will do my best”, Sameer grinned, taking the scribbled paper and holding it as if he was holding the most precious treasure of his life… and he truly was… He read and re-read the address, smiling through his tears, and kept thanking him repeatedly.

Suraj picked up his drink again, “stop it man… don’t cry… I am just glad ke mujhse pehle tumhe maar padegi.”

Sameer chuckled, wiping his tears, “jitna maaregi seh lunga… Aur tum… Yeh sharab peene se problem solve nahi hogi, aur naa hi usko bhul paoge… Trust me, I have tried…”

“Tum experience bataoge ab mujhe?” Suraj mocked, “Sameer Maheshwari ke alcohol classes.”

Sameer laughed softly, “nahi… koi classes nahi hai… lekin, help kar sakta hun… Kal meri office aa sakte ho agar toh we can work out something.”

Suraj looked up at him, his hands shaking as he kept the glass down, and then whispered, “address ki keemat de rahe ho?”

“Keemat hoti toh pehle offer karta”, Sameer replied, “yeh keemat nahi support hai… Naina ke friends yaane mere friends… Lekin saath-saath main ek businessman bhi hun toh paise aisai nahi de sakta… so ek proposal hai…”

Suraj’s eyes narrowed, “kaisa proposal?”

Sameer smiled, leaning forward to share his idea… An hour later he walked out of Club Vortex leaving behind a happy and relieved Suraj. As for him… He wasn’t going to wait one single moment to meet Naina… It was late, but still he would go… Now…

Meanwhile at the other end Monday wasn’t going so well for Naina… She had woken up feeling restless and tired… It didn’t make sense. She had slept for a long time, so she should be refreshed. But instead she felt like cuddling up and sleeping once more. She thought some tea would help, but as soon as she set the milk to boil the smell made her nauseous; she rushed to the bathroom and puked. Goodness… Was she coming down with some bug? She had just joined her job… There was no way she could take leave. She washed her face, feeling bit better as she splashed cold water on herself.

Just the thought of tea started to make her feel like puking again, and so she decided to let go and instead start to get ready. She took a long bath, trying to calm her jumpy nerves, and then dressed up in a light blue salwar-kameez. For lunch she thought she would make roti and aloo-sabji, but once more the thought of spices made her nauseous. As she turned away she spotted the tomatoes and her mouth watered… Sighing at this unknown urge she grabbed one tomato, washed it, took some salt in a dish and bit a juicy red morsel. She chuckled to herself, “aaj aur tamatar laane padenge… pata nahi kya hua hai…”

She grabbed two more tomatoes and a couple of slices of bread, packing them all in a box, thinking if that was all she was able to eat in this sickness then so be it.  The travel tired her out, and when she sank into her chair in the library she let out a sigh of relief.

“Mujhe nahi pata tha tum budhdhi ho gai ho”, a voice teased her.

She frowned at the man near her door, “Anmol… tum ruko zara… thoda saans lene do phir dikhati hun budhdhi kaun hai.”

He chuckled, walking into her cabin, “you okay? Thaki hui lag rahi ho…”

“Haan pata nahi kyun”, she sighed, “subah se tabiyat thodi theek nahi lag rahi.”

Anmol immediately touched her forehead, but she recoiled in shock. He drew back his hand hesitatingly, “sorry Naina… I didn’t think… galat mat samajhna… tum meri friend ho… umm, shayad behen jaisi… kuch galat iraada nahi tha.”

“I know”, she quickly assured, “it’s just that… main inta comfortable feel nahi karti.”

He flashed a grin at her, “rakhi baandh do… phir toh comfortable feel karogi na.”

She laughed, “October me rakhi?”

“November”, he corrected, “month change ho gaya.”

“Oh”, she replied, glancing at the calendar on her desk… Indeed the month of October had passed. It had been a little over two week since that night… And yet his touch was still fresh in her mind, and she still felt his every breath and kiss in her dreams. How was it possible for one man to have so much impact on her? Why wasn’t she able to forget him? She should really move on now… Every day she would think she had moved on, but as night fell it would only be his memories that could put her to sleep.

Anmol’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts, “ek month change pe itna introspection? Chal kya raha hai?”

She smiled, “kuch nahi… tum aaj jaldi aa gaye?”

He nodded, “haan… aur breakfast bhi laaya hun… Ek minute.” Rushing back to his cubicle he got a box full of upma, and a cup of coffee, “share karte hai.”

The upma looked delicious, but the smell that hit her nostrils caused her to clap a hand over her mouth and she quickly scurried to the washroom followed by an utterly puzzled and worried Anmol. It was the same as morning… What was wrong today?

When she came out, Anmol quickly asked, “kya hua tumhe? Ulti hui?”

She nodded, “haan… subah se dusri baar hai… subah dudh ubala toh uski smell se hua aur ab pata nahi… upma ya coffee se shayad…”

His eyes widened, “ohhh…”

She glanced at him, “kya? Aise kyun dekh rahe ho… fever toh hai nahi… par thakan hai… lagta hai koi bug hoga… flu jaisa…”

He felt jittery, “uh… Naina yeh kabse ho raha hai?”

She frowned, “ulti aaj hi hui… thakan kuch dino se hai… par woh toh shifting ke wajah se shayad… tum kyun puch rahe ho?”

He had no idea how to ask the required questions or share his thoughts. Could it be possible? But Naina… No… She couldn’t be… Maybe it was a bug after all… But if his doubts were right and Ujwala atya saw Naina like this, she would instantly know… That could be a bigger shock for the girl who he had come to think of as his sister… She shared his passion in books and history, much more than his own siblings… He adored her, though he had never really told her this… If there was ever a slight chance that his doubts were right he needed to gather courage and ask her… Cautiously he said, “Naina… main… main seriously tumko apni behen maanta hun… Jab se mili ho tabse… remember, maine tumko history section dikhaya tha, shayad tabhi se…”

She interrupted, “Anmol… tum abhi yeh baate kyun kar rahe ho? Mujhe pata hai tumko Poonam me interest hai mujhme nahi… Mujhe pata hai tum sach bol rahe ho ke main tumhari behen jaisi hun… Par yeh bol kyun rahe ho?”

“Meri didi ko bhi 2 mahine pehle aisa hi ho raha tha… thakaan aur alag alag smell se ulti jaisa… achanak se apple khane lagi jabke pehle usko apple itna pasand bhi nahi tha”, he informed.

Her eyes widened, “really? Main bhi do din se tamatar khaye jaa rahi hun… you won’t believe… main aaj lunch me bhi tomatoes le aai hun… main soch hi rahi thi ke ghar jaate hue…”

Anmol interrupted, “meri didi pregnant hai…”

Naina paused in her speech, looking at him in confusion. It took her a moment to understand what Anmol was implying… He waited patiently, hoping she would scold him, slap him, yell on him as to how he could say something like this… But to his dismay and concern, she staggered back, her eyes round with shock as she lifted a shaky hand to her belly… After a minute she whispered in fear, “pregnant?”

Anmol reached out to hold her, but she slid down against the wall, sitting on the floor… “Pregnant”, she whispered again, “oh no… oh God…”

He checked the time… they had 30 minutes until someone else arrived… Kneeling down in-front of her, he gently touched her shoulder, “Naina… kya sach me…?”

She looked distraught, “mujhe… mujhe nahi pata… no… it can’t be…”

Pushing aside the awkwardness, he asked, “possibility hai? Tumne hume kabhi bataya hi nahi hai apni life ke baare me…”

Sameer… The name rang in her ears… Her eyes watered… Her heart started to thud… One night… God… It can’t happen… It just can’t happen… How was it possible?

I want you dammit…

Love me tonight…

Her shoulders slumped, as she recollected his passionate confession and her softly whispered words when he had given her the last chance to back out… Oh my God… It was just meant to be a night…  A loud sob escaped her, and Anmol quickly pulled her in his arms… She didn’t even remember who was there with her in that moment, but the comforting embrace pulled at the strings of her aching heart and she cried out…

Anmol tried to calm her down, murmuring nonsense… God… Was she really pregnant? How would she manage it? She stayed alone… And who was the bloody man? How could he leave her? He should be here now… Naina should be his wife… If he ever found out who that man was he would break his jaw…

As the sobs subsided, he drew back and asked, “Naina kaun hai woh? Who is that asshole?”

She looked up at him, seemingly surprised at the questions or maybe she had forgotten it was him and not that man… Wiping her tears, she tried to gather herself, “k… koi… nahi… aisa kuch nahi hoga… tumhe galat fehmi ho rahi hai…”

“Naina”, he started to say… But she shrieked, “aisa nahi ho sakta Anmol… Jab meri life me koi nahi hai toh bachcha kaise ho sakta hai…”

He raked a hand through his hair is frustration, “koi nahi hai toh tum royi kyun? Agar tum sure ho ke pregnancy ka koi chance nahi hai toh aisa reaction kyun tha tumhara? Aur ab tak tumhara haath pet pe kyun hai… are you protecting your imagination?”

She hastily moved her hand away, “mujhe bas shock laga tumhari baat ka isiliye…”

“Stop lying dammit”, he yelled.

Just upon habit she admonished, “library hai.”

He pulled her up to her feet, “do I look like I care? And stop pulling back…” She froze in surprise realizing that she was constantly trying to pull back from his hands. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Naina dekho… Tumhe doctor ke paas jaana hoga… We have to be sure. Uske baad hi hum kuch soch sakte hai…”

“Right”, she mumbled, “main shaam ko ghar jaate hue…”

“No”, he interrupted, “shaam ko nahi… tum abhi chal rahi ho mere saath…”

She shook her head, “Anmol please…”

He once more interrupted, “Naina… shut up… meri baat dhyan se suno… mujhe dikh raha hai tum pareshan ho… aur main itna bewakuf nahi hun… mujhe pata hai tumhe bhi yahi lag raha hai ke pregnancy possible hai, which means tumhare life me koi hai, ya shayad tha… And trust me I want to punch him right now for putting you in this condition, lekin I promise main abhi koi sawaal nahi karunga tumse. Main bas chahta hun ke tum abhi mere saath doctor ke paas chalo… Thodi der me Ujwala atya aa jayegi, and unhone tumko iss haalat me dekha, ulti karte hue dekha toh unko 1 minute me samajh aa jayega ke tum pregnant ho. Please Naina… mere saath chalo… I promise main tumhara dhyan rakhunga…”

Unable to say anything else, she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, “I miss him…”

He wondered what had happened in her life… Was that man an ex-boyfriend? Did he leave her? Or was there some tragic tale? Like… Was he alive or…? Naina need not be troubled with these questions now… Gently holding her hand, he guided her to her cabin, “c’mon… tumhara purse leke chalte hai.”

Outside her cabin she paused, “umm… andar coffee hai…”

He understood, “main aata hun leke.” Quickly grabbing her purse he gave it to her, and used his mobile to drop an SMS to Poonam. She protested once while going out, “library me koi nahi hai.”

He kept tugging her down, “Poonam do minute me aa jayegi… chalo ab. Maine sirf bola hai ke tum bimar ho…”

As he hailed a taxi and they sat inside, she mumbled, “chutti nahi le sakti…”

“I know”, he replied, “bhaiya… Medicare Hospital.”

She glanced out of the window, her hand once more on her belly, “aisa nahi ho sakta.” He looked at her, his eyes softening on seeing her care for the child she claimed couldn’t be there. She looked like a lost child, dealing with situations as they came with no idea of the next moment… It shouldn’t be like this… She deserved happiness… He couldn’t do anything right now, except just be with her. But he really needed to find out about the man soon… Not today though… If she was really pregnant then she needed today to mentally recuperate and accept the fact, plus she also needed to decide what she would do… Somehow he was sure she wouldn’t go for abortion even though the she kept denying the possibility of pregnancy.

Naina, it seemed, was in some kind of trance. She didn’t notice when they reached the hospital, she didn’t react when Anmol asked about the doctor, she didn’t even say anything when they were seated in the waiting room… All she could recall was the one night she had taken for herself, and the lifetime of loneliness that now awaited for her… And a child? God, if there was a child what would she do? She hadn’t thought of this possibility at all… Should she try to contact Sameer? No… It wasn’t his responsibility… If anything the whole responsibility was on her… She had walked into it with open eyes knowing fully well that it was just an arrangement, an hookup, a one-night stand for him… She had given her consent knowing about the rules…

Only one time… No repeat… No strings attached…

He had said it… Not specifically to her, but he had… It really wasn’t his fault that her strings were already attached to him. So… No… She couldn’t burden him for this… Who knows maybe he was already back with Sakshi? The thought caused a painful hitch in her chest, and her eyes filled up… There was still a slight chance though that she wasn’t pregnant… Maybe there was a chance that there wouldn’t be another child who would have to live a life without a father even when the father in concern was alive and well.

“Mrs. Naina Agarwal”, a nurse called.

Anmol stood up and helped her up, moving towards the cabin. Before entering she paused, and looked at the nurse, “Mrs. nahi… Ms. Naina Agarwal.”

The nurse looked surprised, but then nodded, “yes madam.” Anmol couldn’t stop the fleeting smile on his face… Naina was already coming out of the shock. She was starting to think and gain her strength back… He didn’t know who was the father… But if there was a child in picture, then he or she was surely getting a good, kind-hearted, strong mother…

Dr. Suchitra Deshpande was a kind woman and an intuitive doctor. Upon seeing the Mrs. scratched to reflect Ms. on the patient sheet, she glanced at Naina for a moment, and then at the man next to him, her first question being, “you are?”

“Inka bhai”, Anmol stated.

She nodded, “theek hai… aap please bahar wait kijiye… andar yaa toh female relatives allowed hai ya husbands.”

Anmol nodded, and placed his hand on Naina’s shoulder, “main bahar hi hun… kuch bhi zaroorat ho toh mujhe bulana.”

Naina didn’t respond as he left… Suchitra was silent for one more moment and asked, “so… Ms. Naina… aapko kya symptoms dikhe?”

There was a picture on the desk next to the calendar… An outline of a pregnant woman in blue, the child in the womb drawn in pink. Keeping her gaze fixed in it, Naina queried, “do hafte me symptoms dikhne lagte hai?”

Suchitra nodded, “haan… kisi kisiko usse bhi pehle pata lag jaata hai. But blood test se 15 days baad hi confirm ho paata hai. Usse pehle urine test se pata chal sakta hai… Lekin results pe saare tests karwane ke baad hi bharosa karna chahiye.”

Naina nodded, “toh abhi aap konsa test karenge?”

“Main ek doctor hun Naina”, Suchitra softly said, “can I call you that?” Naina nodded once more, this time looking at the lady in-front of her. Suchitra smiled, “tum shardi-khaasi, bhukaar jaisi bimariyo ke liye bahot se doctors ke paas gai hogi. Lekin gynaec ka role thoda alag ho jaata hai… Especially pregnancy ke matters me. Kyunki ek healthy bachche ke liye maa ka healthy hona bhi bahot zaroori hai… Aur mera matlab sirf physical health nahi, mental health bhi hai.”

Naina looked puzzled, “matlab?”

Suchitra gently explained, “matlab Naina… tum yahan se tests karwake chali jaogi toh theek nahi hai… You need to tell me more… Yeh sheet pe Mrs. ke jagah Ms. kyun hai? Tumne do hafte wali baat kyun puchi? Aur tum itni pareshan kyun ho?” Naina stayed silent, her eyes downcast, and so she continued, “main doctor-patient confidentiality rakhti hun… Tum mujhe jo bologi woh baat kahin bahar nahi jayegi. Tumhare bhai ko bhi nahi bataungi.”

“Anmol mera saga bhai nahi hai”, she confessed, “mere saath library me kaam karta hai.”

Suchitra nodded, “okay… tumhare family me…”

“Koi nahi hai”, she supplied.

This case had the full potential to be a complicated one. Suchitra understood the need to cautious and careful. Who knew what had happened with this girl… Was it a lover… Or was it something worse that she didn’t want to divulge… This girl also looked young… She hoped it wasn’t a case similar to the one she had last week…

“I want to know”, Naina whispered, “kya sach me main pregnant hun?”

Suchitra nodded, “theek hai… let’s do a kit test first.” She handed over a bottle and a strip to Naina, giving her a set of instructions as well and sent her off to the bathroom. Ten minutes later, she knocked, “Naina… sab theek hai?”

The door opened with a soft click, and Naina stood there with tears streaming down her face. Suchitra looked inside the bathroom, the strip on the edge of sink showed positive. “It’s alright”, she assured, “aao betho yahan… dekho agar kam time hua hai toh possible hai ke strip test galat ho. Main tumhara urine bhi test karwane bhejungi aur blood test bhi hoga… There is a possibility…”

Naina wiped her tears, “I am sure…”

Suchitra paused, “kya?”

“Aapne kaha 15 days ke baad blood test se sure hota hai, lekin usse pehle urnine aur strip test se pata chalta hai”, Naina reminded, “mujhe 15 days se upar ho chuka hai.”

Suchitra looked at the calendar, “are you sure?”

Naina nodded, “haan… 16^th October. Main kabhi bhool nahi sakti…”

An unknown fear gripped her as she recalled the last week’s case again, and she asked, “Naina… kuch galat… I mean… Kaise… Kisine zabardasti toh nahi ki na?”

Naina looked up puzzled, “zabadasti? Nahi nahi… it’s not that…”

“Oh thank God”, Suchitra sighed, “toh phir tum itni sure kaise ho?”

A small smile curved Naina’s lips, “kyunki mujhe yaad hai… it was my first time… and last…”

Suchitra was surprised, “oh… the father?”

Naina drew in a breath to steady herself, “hamare saath nahi hai… aur honge bhi nahi.”

Suchitra queried, “hamare saath?”

Once more Naina smiled, “haan… ab toh main akeli nahi hun na.”

Suchitra also smiled, impressed by her strength… There was no breakdown, no cursing, no denial, no questions about how she could be saved… Just one test and this girl had already added on more person in her life, even though the man was not there to support her. She slowly explained, “I am glad to see ke tum accept karne ko ready ho… Trust me that’s the most difficult part for single mothers… Lekin hum phir bhi saare tests karenge, okay? Just to be sure… Aur blood test se tumhare health ka bhi pata chal jayega.”

Naina nodded, “results kab tak milenge?”

“Aaj shaam tak”, Suchitra pulled out some papers, “please yeh saare details bhar do. Agar saare tests positive hote hai toh hum check-up aur consultation schedule kar lenge.”

Naina glanced at the forms, “consultation?”

Suchitra nodded, “dekho Naina… bura mat manna… Lekin tum jis situation me ho yeh asaan nahi hai… I am glad ke abhi tumne accept kar liye, aur tumhare me itni strength hai ke tumne abortion ke baare me pucha bhi nahi… Lekin yeh sirf ek moment hai… Dheere dheere kai aur sawaal aayenge tumhare man me, kuch issues ho sakte hai, kuch problems… And you will need someone to talk to. Usually yeh kaam families karte hai, lekin kuch cases me hum doctors hi sab kuch karte hai.”

Naina felt horrified to know that some women actually considered abortion… How could someone kill an unborn child? Suchitra stared at her horror filled face for a moment and understood… She gently stated, “sabka situation ek jaisa nahi hota Naina… Don’t judge.  Kiski life me kya majboori ho yeh hume pata nahi. Tum inn sab baato pe dhyan mat do, bas apne aur apne honewale bachche ke baare me socho. And take your time… Jo sawaal ho puchna.”

Naina nodded once and then slowly filled out the forms. By the end as Suchitra took sample of her blood and pressed cotton on the small puncture, she gently asked, “yeh check-up aur consultation ka fees kitna hoga doctor?”

Suchitra handed over another paper to her, “main jhooth nahi bolungi Naina… meri fees kisi chote clinic ya government hospital se zyada hai… lekin tum jis situation me ho tumhe consultation ki need hai. Yeh rates hai… tum dekhlo aur araam se faisla lena.”

Naina took the paper, made some notes for herself, and then smiled, “thank you doctor. Mere ghar pe phone nahi hai… Can I call you instead to know about the results?”

Suchitra nodded, “haan… yeh mera card hai. 7pm ko call karna… Mere consultation hours khatam ho jayenge tab tak. Aur agar tumhare tests positive hote hai toh hum kal subah milenge.”

“Okay”, Naina replied, “umm… mujhe aaj dudh aur coffee ki smell se ulti hui… is it normal?”

Suchitra smiled, “haan normal hai… kuch smells se hota hai. Tum koi salty biscuits bed ke paas rakh lo… subah aankh khulte hi ek biscuit bilkul dheere-dheere khana, bed pe se uthne se pehle. Nausea me help karega thoda… Lekin first trimester me yeh bahot normal hai, don’t worry.”

After five more minutes and a couple of more questions, Naina stepped out of the cabin. Anmol was pacing the length of the corridor in worry, and when she stepped out he paused, taken aback at the calm smile on her face. Was the test negative then? He even asked so, but was surprised when she said, “abhi ek test hi hua… uska result toh positive hai… Baaki do ka result aaj shaam tak aayega.”

He had no idea how to react, “Naina… main… I don’t know…”

She patted his arm, “thank you Anmol… mujhe sambhalne ke liye aur mujhe yahan laane ke liye. It helped…”

“Are you okay?” He softly queried, “matlab… akele aise…”

She smiled, “main theek hun… mujhe pata hai asaan nahi hai lekin abhi bas itna bol sakti hun ke main udaas nahi hun.”

Anmol nodded, still not sure how to deal with it, “chalo… main tumhe ghar chod deta hun.”

“Par library…”, she objected.

“Tumhare bina bandh nahi ho jayega”, he persisted, “aaj tumhe rest karne ki zaroorat hai. And you need to decide ke Ujwala atya aur Poonam ko kya bologi… Aaj nahi toh kal unko pata chal hi jayega. I guess kisi aur ko kuch bolo usse pehle tumhe khud ko thoda sochne ka waqt chahiyega.”

Naina knew he was right, and so she accepted the proposition. They stopped at a market nearby and Naina bought sufficient stock of tomatoes… She also bought some other vegetables, determined to eat something even if it was without any spices. The sight of oranges made her mouth water and so she got some of them too. And finally from a grocery store she bought a pack of salty biscuits. Anmol was surprised at the odd assortment, and asked. She chuckled, “doctor ne bola subah salty biscuit khane se ulti wali feeling kam ho jayegi… Aur mujhse masale ki smell se bhi problem ho rahi hai toh isiliye aise sabjiya li hai jo boiled kha saku.”

Anmol nodded, “tumhe kuch bhi zaroorat ho toh mujhe phone karna… Padosi ke ghar pe toh phone hoga na… wahan se kar dena…”

She smiled, “thanks! Waise I am surprised… Ladke usually panic karte hai pregnancy ke maamle me… Par tumne toh mujhe sambhal liya.”

He laughed, “actually didi ko jab pata chala tab bhi unke saath sirf main tha… Jijaji business trip pe gaye hue the, aur mom-dad Somnath darshan ke liye gaye the. Aur didi ne toh meri parade lagadi thi… Tum toh easily sambhal gai.”

She laughed along with him, but then somberly replied, “maine bahot pehle sambhalna seekh liya hai. Jab koi saath na ho toh yeh seekh lena chahiye…”

That gave him an opening to ask, “Naina… woh aadmi kaun hai?”

“Hai koi”, she replied with a smile, “guzra hua ek khoobsurat lamha…”

He cautiously asked, “tumhe nahi lagta use pata hona chahiye?”

She shook her head, “nahi Anmol… woh kabhi mera tha hi nahi… maine toh kuch pal chura liye the uske saath.”

He didn’t ask anything else, just instructed her to rest well, think about what she wanted to say to others and also to call him when the remaining reports arrived. Naina kept all the vegetables and fruits, and helped herself to one biscuit. Nibbling on it slowly she glanced out of the window, Anmol’s words echoing in her mind. Under normal circumstances she would have agreed to him… The father of her child definitely had the right to know… But in this case the chances are high that this news would only create unnecessary complications in his life. She didn’t say it, but somewhere in a corner of her heart there was also the fear of rejection… What if he refused? What if he said that she was a burden and the child a mistake? What if he turned them away? That rejection would be a final blow to her fragile heart that had already accepted and tolerated too much… No, she didn’t have the courage to face Sameer’s rejection… This way, without telling him, she could stay in the happy bubble of that one night when he had truly wanted her… And she knew he did… The first time could be blamed on his drunken state… Still he wasn’t drunk enough to be wasted, given how quickly he was ready and hard… But what about the second time when he had awakened her, stating that he needed her again? He hadn’t been drunk then surely… And the third time near dawn… He had held her gaze as he had entered her, his eyes glittering with emotions that had made her feel cherished and needed… She had known that for him it was just that night, but for her it was lifetime of memories… And now that memory was a part of her in form of their child, no, her child… Yes, her child. This was right… This was exactly what was in her fate… If she had stayed back with bua-dadi or taken away by her family then her child’s life would have been snubbed even before he or she got a chance to breathe… Maybe that is God had given her the strength to move away from all relationships. She had cried for so many nights thinking how she was left alone in life, but no more… Now she had her child as company… She was not alone…

By 7:15pm she had received the confirmation of her tests, which she already knew so wasn’t surprised. She did inform Anmol though, and assured him that she was alright. She spent the remaining evening in deciding how to break this news to Ujwala atya and Poonam… She would be meeting them daily, so there was no point in hiding from them. Also, she had to decide about the consultation and check-up… While cooking a simple tomato soup for herself, she thought back to the doctor saying that first trimester was crucial. Because it was the matter of her child she decided that she would stick to Dr. Suchitra Deshpande for the first three months, and then find out a cheaper alternative. By then she would also know most of the details about pregnancy care… Plus she was an avid reader and worked in library, information would be easy to find. She felt happy… Incredibly happy… But still when she slept after her humble meal, she hand one hand on her tummy, and the other reached out by her side on its own… And her last thought before drifting off was of Sameer embracing her and whispering in her ear about how happy he was today.

Meanwhile the same evening, after getting out of the club, Sameer happily drove to the address given by Suraj. The prospect of meeting Naina again was making his heart beat in a totally erratic rhythm. Would she be the one to open the door? He had totally forgotten to ask who she lived with… Maybe she lived alone? But as he entered the gates of the society he knew that she didn’t live alone. Naina or her immediate family would never be able to afford to live in this society. Did she live with a relative then? Or maybe as PG? Who knew what all changes she had made in her life after coming to Mumbai…

Cross-checking the address and house number, he drove through the gates, and parked his car in the drive-way. He took a deep breath, grabbed the roses he had bought for her, and approached the wooden door. Taking a moment to adjust his suit and tie, he combed his hair with his fingers and then rang the doorbell. Two minutes later the door was opened by a frail old woman who had a walking stick in her hand… Her eyes had a glimmer of hope, but it died down on seeing him, and she politely queried, “kisse milna hai aapko?”

Sameer joined his palms together, “Namaste… Jee main darasal Naina se milne aaya hun… Naina Agarwal.”

Her eyes narrowed, “Naina… aap usko jaante hai?”

He nodded, “jee haan… hum school me saath padhte the. Ahmedabad me…”

“Aaiye andar”, the lady welcomed him, “aapko kaise pata Naina yahan rehti hai? Jahan tak mujhe pata hai usne kabhi apne school ke dosto ko yahan ka pata nahi diya…”

He flushed, trying to come up with a plausible explanation… The club… Yes… He smiled, “haan… lekin main usse recently mila tha… Club Vortex ka maalik hai na, Suraj… Woh mera bhi dost hai toh uske birthday pe Naina mili thi…”

The lady’s eyes widened, “ohh… aur tum yahan… uh… usse wapas milne aaye ho?”

His heart thudded, “haan… uska yeh jacket woh club me bhool gai thi… maine socha lauta du.”

“Woh tum the”, she whispered in horror… He was puzzled, not sure what she meant… But then she looked up with eyes full of rage and tears, and her voice was harsh, “woh tum the…? Tum… Jiske saath Naina uss din club se gai thi… Jiske saath Naina saari raat thi… Tum hi the na who?”

Shocked that she knew he couldn’t understand how to react for a moment. Also, he didn’t know what Naina had told… Maybe he should deny… But if he did then his chances to meet Naina would diminish… Swallowing his doubts, he nodded, “haan… woh main hi hun… Naina mere saath hi thi…”

A gasp was heard from the side, Sameer turned to see one more woman, probably the maid clapping her hands over her mouth in shock. Puzzled he looked back at the old lady and started to ask, “Naina…”

A loud slap landed on his cheek, hard enough to make his head turn and skin burn… Before he could recover there was one more slap, slightly less hard but stung just as much… His temper started to rise at the mistreatment… He refused to soothe his cheek, and instead straightened to glare at the woman in-front of him… But once more his words were cut off, because the woman grabbed the lapels of his suit and sobbed, “kyun kiya tumne aisa uske saath? Kyun…?? Meri choti si bachchi… Tumhari wajah se chali gai… Kyun… Kyun… Kyun…”

Sameer froze in shock… What did she mean? Naina had left… No, no… She must have said something else… Grabbing the old woman who was about to stumble he asked, “kaun chali gai?”

“Naina”, she yelled and the walking stick clattered on the floor, the sound deafening in the deathly silence.

No… It can’t be… She was lying… He had just reached here after so much time… so much effort… Suraj had said she lived here… She has to be here…

“Aap jhooth bol rahi hai”, he declared, pushing the woman away. She stumbled, and the maid rushed to hold her, made her sit on the sofa. Frustrated, he stepped back, “aap… aap jhooth bol rahe hai… Suraj ne bataya tha Naina yahan rehti hai… Woh yahin hai… Aap bas mujhe milne nahi dena chahte… Haan… yahi baat hai…”

The maid piped in, “nahi sahab… Naina madam sach me ghar chodke chali gai. Usi din… 17 October ko…”

“Jhooth!” He yelled so loud that the women jumped in fear… Something inside him was shattering so painfully that he collapsed on his knees… He couldn’t lose her… That couldn’t happen… “Please”, he begged, “please mujhe usse milne dijiye… I know main bewakuf hun mujhe itne din lag gaye yahan aane me… Lekin aisa mat kijiye mere saath… Main usse mile bina yahan se nahi jaa sakta. Aap mujhe rok nahi sakti… Aap hoti kaun hai mujhe rokne wali?”

The old woman replied, “main Naina ki bua-dadi hun… Naina mere saath yahan rehti hai… thi…”

He inched forward on his knees, “please let me talk to her… I promise main usko chot nahi pahochaunga… main usko apne se dur nahi karunga… please bua-dadi…”

The woman jerked a bit on hearing his tone, and stared at him as if scrutinizing him, wanting to know if he was telling the truth. He didn’t care… He was ready to go through thousand examinations, if he had to, just to meet Naina. And so he blabbered… The whole tale of his breakup, of how he met Naina, of how she cared for him, of how he had searched for her everywhere came tumbling out… At the end bua-dadi tearfully asked her, “uss din kyun nahi roka use? Aane kyun diya? Itni fikar thi toh yahan aate uske saath…”

He closed his eyes recalling how he had been shocked to find that she had left him… But that was not a tale for other people… That was something between him and Naina… And the plain truth was she had been scared of his behavior, she had not trusted him enough… He had not given her a single reason to trust him… He had not given her the assurance she needed… He had not given her the attention she deserved… “Bas wahi ek galti kardi maine”, he murmured, opening his eyes, taking all the blame as he should, “mujhe usko rokna chahiye tha… main theek se soch nahi paa raha tha aur mujhe laga usko bhi thoda waqt chahiyega.”

Bua-dadi sobbed, “uss din tum usko rok lete toh Naina aaj yahan hoti… ya tumhare saath hoti… Maine bas usko gusse me bola ke uske parivaar walo ke paas wapas bhej dungi aur woh itna darr gai ke ghar chodke hi chali gai…”

Sameer’s face twisted with anger, as he stood up, “uss ghar me unn logo ke paas wapas jaane se zyada toh Naina jahanum me jaana pasand karegi… Parivaar kehlane ke layak nahi hai woh log…”

Bua-dadi looked up surprised, “tumhe kaise… tum wahan…”

He nodded, and then upon seeing her horrified expressions he assured, “main mila nahi unse… bahar se jo baate suni woh kaafi tha…”

Bua-dadi sighed in relief, “maine unko nahi bataya Naina ke ghar chodke ki wajah… Waise hi woh log uss bechari ko dosh dete hai… uska guzra hua kal baar-baar uske saamne laate hai…”

“Engagement”, he murmured.

Bua-dadi was once more surprised, “yeh bhi pata hai tumko?”

He shrugged, “Naina ko dhundne ke liye bahot logo se baate ki… Toh yeh sab pata chala… Lekin wajah nahi pata… bas itna pata hai ke engagement usne khud toda.”

“Mujhe bhi utna hi pata hai”, Bua-dadi responded, “aur ab… samajh nahi aa raha Naina ko kaise dhundu. Socha police complain karu… Lekin darr lag raha hai… Kahin kisi tarah Naina ko pata chal gaya toh ghabrake aur dur na chali jaaye…”

He immediately said in a firm tone, “nahi… aisa mat karna… Naina yahin hai, isi sheher me… Police ko batayenge toh kya pata kuch unch-neech ho jaaye… Main jaanta hun ke yeh tareeqa logical hai, lekin mera dil nahi maanta…”

Bua-dadi somewhat understood this, since she had also been delaying this because of some unknown fear. She once more sobbed as she explained, “main bahot dhunda usko… uske dosto ke paas phone kiya… uska office, par usne apni naukri bhi chod di… bank me gai lekin usne account bandh karwa diya…”

Sameer took a deep breath, and declared, “main dhundunga usko… kaise bhi ho, kitna bhi waqt lage… main dhund nikaalunga Naina kahan hai…”

It seemed someone had shot a dose of energy in the old lady as she stood up eagerly, and came to him, “sach…? Sach bol rahe ho tum?”

He smiled a bit, “haan… dhundte dhundte yahan tak toh pahonch gaya… aage bhi dhund lunga…”

Bua-dadi looked at him for a moment, and softly queried, “lekin kyun? Jab uss din jaane diya toh ab kyun?”

“Woh galti thi”, he tried to explain, “main nahi jaane deta use lekin…”

“Lekin…”, she prompted.

He shook his head, “kuch nahi… please mera yaqeen kijiye… Naina mere liye bahot special hai… I would have told her this in morning that day, if only…” If only she had waited… He thought, but didn’t say. Instead he tried to explain, “school me Naina meri kuch nahi thi… Humne ek dusre se baat bhi nahi ki thi zyada… I mean… bas wahi choti choti baate, notes ke liye ya exams ke liye… bas… lekin phir bhi itne saal baad jab hum mile toh usne mera dhyan rakha…” He looked up guiltily, “main nashe me tha… usko pehchaan bhi nahi paaya pehle toh… Par phir…” A small smile curved his lips, “phir uski aankhen dekhi aur aisa laga jaise main kabhi usko bhula hi nahi. Main mere personal problem ke wajah se udaas tha, gusse me tha… Apni zidd me car leke hi ghar jaata lekin usne mujhe jaane nahi diya… Jo Naina school me ek shabd nahi bolti thi, usne uss umjhe chup kara diya… mere haath se car ki chaabi le li… Life me pehli baar maine kisi ladki ko apna address diya, kisi ladki ko mere ghar aane diya, mere life me aane diya… Meri harkato pe woh hasi, aur mujhe aisa laga jaise main saare dard bhul gaya… Apne se dur nahi kar paaya usko…”

Bua-dadi felt astonished on hearing this… Did that mean Naina cared for his boy? Well… it had been evident from her letter that she did… But she hadn’t believed it until this moment. This man… whoever he was… his entire being changed when he talked about Naina… It was a little filmy when he said that Naina’s laughter healed him, but looking into his eyes, she understood he was telling the truth. He had said he couldn’t push her away, and yet he had done that next morning… And she said so to him, “uss waqt zaroorat thi toh dur nahi kiya, lekin subah hote hi bhej diya… iska matlab Naina sirf uss pal ke liye tumhari zaroorat thi…”

“Nahi”, he countered in a loud voice, “Naina ko main dur nahi kar sakta… Agle din subah to…” He paused… He didn’t want to put the blame on Naina… The blame was his… He tried to calm himself, and clarified, “agle din subah hum dono ko bas thoda waqt chahiye tha khud ke emotions ko samajh ne ke liye… Meri galti yeh hai ke yeh jaante hue bhi ke Naina kitni special hai maine usko jaane diya… Aur uske baad mujhe ehsaas hua ke mere paas usko contact karne ka koi tareeka nahi hai. I am sorry… I am really sorry… Main aisi galti dobara nahi karunga… Naina ko dhund nikaalunga, aur kabhi apne se dur nahi jaane dunga… I promise main hamesha uska dhyan rakhunga. Please trust me…”

Bua-dadi knew that she knew nothing of this man, but compared to Naina’s family this man was at least relentlessly looking for her, and even after reaching here facing another failure he wasn’t ready to give up. He was determined to find her and correct his mistakes… Just this assurance was something that she needed the most right now… Finally there was someone apart from her who seemed to care for Naina and wanted to find her… She sobbed in relief… Feeling a bit awkward, Sameer wrapped one hand around her shoulder, “please aap royiye mat… Naina yahan hoti toh usko kitna bura lagta ke maine uske bua-dadi ko rulaya.”

She looked up at him, wiping her tears, “use iss baat ka bhi bura lagta na ke maine tumhe thappad maara.”

He chuckled, shrugging his shoulders, “I deserved it…”

She queried, “tumhara naam kya hai?”

“Sameer Maheshwari”, he informed, “mera business hai yahan pe… SJM enterprise…”

Her brows furrowed, “listed company… toh tum ho woh young business tycoon jisko iss saal award mila?”

He was surprised, “aapko pata hai?”

“Mera thoda investment hai tumhare company ke shares me”, she informed with a smile.

Sameer quirked a brow in appreciation, “wow! Good choice… par ab yeh sab side pe rakhte hai… bethiye yahan pe aur mujhe Naina ke baare me bataiye… Usko dhunda hai toh mujhe information chahiye… Woh kahan job karti thi, uska bank konsa tha, paise kitne le gai hai, koi dost ya collegue jisse aapne baat na ki ho… sab kuch…”

Bua-dadi nodded, “Pushpa… jaa zara chai bana de… tab tak main baat karti hun…”

Sameer spent the rest of the evening with Naina’s bua-dadi, knowing as much details as possible about Naina. Some of them would surely aid in his search, but some of them were just to satiate his hunger to know more of the girl who had totally captivated him. Bua-dadi even took him to Naina’s room, showing him around… The room was totally opposite to how he usually imagined girls’ rooms to be, or how it was shown in movies… The walls weren’t pink, there weren’t softtoys strewn around, there wasn’t any nauseating smell of bold perfumes or strong potpourri. Rather the walls were a shade of soft cream, the bedsheet a bold blue, there were books along a cabinet against the wall, there were pictures of Preeti, Swati and her from school, of her and bua-dadi, of their school farewell… He smiled on seeing him standing immediately behind Naina… How had he not noticed that before? He ended up having dinner at bua-dadi’s place, where he told her about what he could of his life and of the time he knew Naina… It was quite late by the time he left for home, but he assured bua-dadi that he would find Naina and was surprised when the old woman hugged him… He had wronged her grand-daughter and yet she had it in her to forgive him, because he was a hope at this moment to bring Naina back. He had returned the hug, understanding the selfless forgiveness, and warmth… He knew bua-dadi hadn’t hugged him just because he had promised to find Naina, there was no reason of purpose in that embrace; it was simple forgiveness from her to a man with whom she shared a common grief. He had exchanged numbers, assuring that she could call him anytime at home or office without any reservation of time, and she had welcomed him home again offering him the solace of Naina’s room. That night as he slept, he looked out at the moon and felt his heart fill with a strange happy and light feeling; he hadn’t found Naina yet, but he would soon do it; he didn’t know how she was but he felt as if her restlessness had subsided and she was happy. He vowed to soon increase that happiness more by reuniting her with bua-dadi and offering her himself for a lifetime… Yes, they would be happy… very happy.