Accidentally in Love
Chapter 13: One Step in a Relationship

Once again Naina woke up encased in her husband’s arms, her legs tangled with his, but this time there was no disorientation on confusion as to where she was. In just two nights she had realized that Sameer liked holding her close for the whole night. There was rarely any moment when he wouldn’t be touching her. This morning she woke up with her head on his arms, how she had shifted from the pillow to his arm she didn’t know. He was sleeping on his back, his one hand sprawled on the side and the other holding her to him, as she slept on his arm, her body turned to him.

She lifted her head, admiring his sleeping form just like she had done yesterday morning. And once again she felt that irresistible pull. Giving in to her need she reached up and stroked his hair, then kissed his forehead. She recalled how he had demanded last night that she initiate the kiss, and also made her comfortable by closing his own eyes. She wasn’t as ignorant, she understood his needs, but still she appreciated that he was willing to give her time. After all knowing and understanding didn’t mean she had the courage to follow through. But slowly… she was starting to feel the need too, to kiss him, to touch him… the need to explore more of what this relationship offered. Tilting her head she kissed his cheek, lingering a bit on his jaw. And then her eyes fell on his parted shirt. Had he really felt so hot that he had to open his shirt half-way? Or was that another attempt to make her feel? Whatever it was it had worked, she thought, as she remembered how she hadn’t been able to resist kissing his chest. Last night she had been shy and apprehensive of the newness, but this morning she stared without any hesitation because she knew he was sleeping.

Sameer didn’t have a hefty build, he looked lean, but the touch from last night, and the view today revealed muscles that she wouldn’t have anticipated on seeing him in a shirt. The pads of muscles, the dip near his collarbones, the light sprinkling of hair… everything intrigued her. Lifting her hand she traced a single finger along the parted edge of his shirt, and her heartbeats raced in overtime… She toyed with the button that was closed hindering her view, tempted to open it, but it would be too obvious for him… And what if he woke up… She glanced up at his face once more to check if he was truly asleep… He was… Biting her lip she tried to resist for some time but then unable to hold herself, she leaned forward and kissed his chest lightly… The slightly coarse hair tickled her lips and she felt that sensation slither down her spine and coil into something deeper and more potent at the base of her belly. The overwhelming flood of sensations made her reach up and peck his lips quickly, and then she swiftly got up, grabbed her set of clothes for the day and rushed inside the bathroom.

As soon as the bathroom door closed, Sameer opened his eyes and dragged in a much needed breath. He licked his lips taking in the taste of his wife’s kiss and then grinned. Sitting up on bed, he combed his fingers through his hair… Goodness what a morning. He had woken up as soon as Naina had shifted in his arms, but when she hadn’t tried to get up he had also lain there pretending to sleep. He had remembered that she had been more comfortable to do what she wanted last night when he had his eyes closed. And so he was intrigued to see whether she would do something if she thought he was asleep. The first kiss on his forehead had almost made him smile… it was such a tender loving gesture. At first he had thought that was it… she won’t do anything else except stare. But then he had been surprised when she had kissed his cheek and totally astonished when she had touched his chest. Only he knew how difficult it had been to keep on pretending that he was asleep… Being subjected to her innocent exploration was heaven and hell combined together. He had almost reared up when she had kissed his chest… that had been so unexpected. If she had listened to his heartbeats his game would have been up because there was no way he could control them, and also he was thankful of the quilt that had covered his lower half. He had wondered what was next, and then there had been the sudden peck on his lips before she had fled to the bathroom.

And now he sat on the bed, grinning like a fool because he knew for sure that his wife wanted him just as much as he wanted her. She was still shy, but slowly she was opening up, giving in to her own desires, and using opportunities to explore. He wondered how to give her more opportunity… Thinking for a moment he knew what he was going to do next. Just then the door to bathroom opened and Naina emerged, once again the saree haphazardly wrapped around her. She was surprised to see him awake, and exclaimed in a stutter, “aa…aap uth gaye?”

He saw her flushed face and understood she was recollecting her personal morning adventure. Trying to keep his expressions normal, “haan… kuch awaaz hui bahar aur aankh khul gai. Par ab soch raha hun ke kaash so raha hota ab tak.”

Puzzled she queried, “woh kyun?”

He smiled, “tum taiyar hoke phir pyaar se mujhe uthati na.”

She chuckled, “ab uth gaye hai toh jaiye naha lijiye… Aaj meri pehli rasoi hai.”

He stood up and walked over to her, pleased to see that her gaze shifted to his chest for a moment before she composed herself. Looping an arm around her waist, he pulled her to him, “hmmm… Rasme toh hoti rahegi… Pehle good morning toh bolne do.” He tipped her face up with his fingers and kissed her lips, soft and brief. She blushed, but didn’t pull back or say no, rather held his shoulder with one hand while her other hand still clutched the saree safely to her body.

“Good Morning”, she murmured with a smile and he grinned.

Dropping a kiss on her head, he asked, “kya banaogi aaj?”

She shrugged, “sooji ka halwa hi banate hai pehli rasoi me toh, kyunki meethe se shuruwat karte hai. Aapko aur kya khana hai bata dijiye, woh bhi bana dungi?”

He was slightly taken aback, “uhh… main batau?”

She nodded, “jee… kya hua?”

“Kabhi kisine aisa pucha nahi, aur maine bhi kabhi maanga nahi”, he informed.

She was surprised, “aapne kabhi farmaaish nahi ki kuch khane ki?”

“Kisse karta?” He quizzed, “Ramdhari se? Waise bhi hostel se aadat thi, jo mile woh kha lo.”

She gazed up at him, her heart reaching out to the teenager who had never known the delights of demanding special dishes from his parents. Her hand moved from his shoulder to cup his cheek, “mujhse kijiye… aapko jo bhi kuch khana ho.”

His heart thundered at this new privilege he was blessed with. Delight sparked in the depth of his eyes, he took some time to think through, and then said, “umm… halwa ke saath ek baar Munna ke ghar me poori khaya tha… simple wala nahi… kuch masala tha aur saath me sabji bhi thi. Bahot tasty tha…”

She grinned, “haan… masale wali poori, alu ki bhaji aur halwa banate hai kai baar saath me. Aaj breakfast me wahi banega.”

His expressions turned excited for a moment but then he frowned, “par ghar me baaki sab bhi toh hai. Aur woh khadoos budhiya… Delhi me kabhi mujhe dhang ka khana nahi deti thi… Hamesha baasi roti aur sabji, aur meri pasand ka kabhi kuch nahi banne deti thi.”

She was shocked to hear this, “dadiji aapko baasi khana khilati thi?”

He shrugged, “unse mujhe koi ummeed bhi nahi thi… Bura toh tab lagta tha jab mummy bhi kuch nahi bolti thi.”

She could see his mood turning bad, and so she hastily changed the subject, “purani baate chodiye… Aur nahane jaiye… main taiyar ho jaati hun, warna abhi koi bulane aa jayega.”

He smiled, “thike…”, and quickly kissed her cheek once more before going inside the bathroom.

Once inside the bathroom he brushed his teeth, ditched his clothes and stepped under the cool spray. As he picked up the soap, he suddenly remembered his plan… Dammit… He had thought he would ditch his shirt before stepping inside the bathroom, and that would gain Naina’s attention. But he had totally forgotten it in excitement of food.

Tu bhi na Sameer… aloo-poori khata reh jayega… romance me kuch nahi hoga tujhse.

Should he step out now? Maybe he could cite some excuse. He debated for a moment and then decided against it. He had dumped his tracks to be washed, plus what excuse can he give for stepping out mid-shower… Also she must have already gone downstairs. He sighed, and continued bathing, deciding that he would try it out tonight.

Meanwhile, Naina had finished dressing up, then arranged the room a bit and went downstairs. Sitting in-front of the temple she prayed for some time, and then took everyone’s blessings. Vishakha placed a hand on her head, and then whispered, “beta tum bindi lagana bhul gai?”

Naina lifted her hand to check, “lagaya toh tha… shayad gir gaya.”

“Abhi jaake lagalo wapas”, Vishakha instructed in low voice, “mummyji dekhegi toh taane maaregi.”

Naina nodded and moved upstairs to their room once again. She closed and locked the door, heard a sound of another door, turned and froze… Sameer had just stepped out the bathroom and he was also standing dumbfounded on seeing her.

Her mouth fell open at the sight before her. He wasn’t wearing anything, except a pristine white towel that slung low over his hips. His body still seemed to be wet and his shoulders glistened drawing her gaze to them… She swallowed as she noticed stray drops of water rolling down his arms.

“Naina”, he exclaimed, coming out of his trance, “tum ab tak yahin ho?”

Her gaze flickered to his eyes, and she muttered, “bindi.” He took a step forward and she clutched her pallu, nervous fluttering playing havoc inside her stomach. Quite on their own her eyes roved over his body taking in the way he walked, the bulge of his biceps, and… Oh God… His chest… The partial view this morning had fascinated her but now it was all bare for her… A small sound escaped her lips, almost like a whimper, her legs wobbling. All the while Sameer kept moving towards her… She realized he was closing in, and turned to escape, “sorry… main neeche…”

However her sentence stayed incomplete, as Sameer caught her hand and turned her back towards him, pulling her… She gasped, the palm of her free hand landing on his chest, just above his heart. Her fingers clenched on his flesh, her gaze moving to his throat and chest… Sameer observed his wife, his body heating up at her touch… This was so much better than what he had planned. He wanted to kiss her, pull her more firmly to him but he didn’t… He gave her time to adjust and assimilate. Slowly, never averting his gaze from her face, he let go of her hand, and shifted his arm around her waist… It seemed he had rendered her speechless. She was trembling in his arms, her lips also quivered, and he could see her swallowing repeatedly as if her throat was dry… Holding her gently, he started to walk backwards, and automatically she followed. He stopped in front of the dressing table, keeping a secured hold on her with one arm, he picked up a red bindi that she had stuck on the mirror last night, and put it on her forehead. Surprised she looked up, and he dipped his head, inching closer, noticing the dazed look in her eyes… She bit her lip, and he smiled, brushing his nose with hers and then dropped a soft kiss on her forehead. Before she could comprehend or object, he left her and took a step back.

She stood there, awkwardly blinking, trying to streamline her thoughts about what had just happened. Towel… She had seen her husband in just a towel and was still seeing him… He had caught her and pulled her to him… But he hadn’t done anything else… Not even kissed her. Rather he had put on a bindi on her? Lifting her hand she checked once more, just to be sure, and even looked in the mirror. Yes he had done that… and then he had kissed her forehead, and stepped back. She looked back at him, a small frown curving her lips because she couldn’t decipher his intent… Didn’t he want her? Then why didn’t he make a move? He didn’t even kiss her…

Sameer smiled at her, understanding that she was puzzled with his actions or he should say the lack of it. Even he felt a bit awkward in doing what he did next, but it was necessary that she come to him… He could make a move on her, keep her in a trance of pleasure as he sought more from her… But that wouldn’t give him an idea of if she was okay with it or was just going with the flow because her body felt the need that he aroused in her. And so, hoping he didn’t look like a fool, he spread his arms a bit, gesturing her to come and hug him.

Her eyes widened, cheeks flushed with color and heart thudded madly. He wanted her to come to him… God… A part of her wanted to rush in his arms and let him do whatever he wanted, but another part of her held back because a step forward would mean venturing into the unknown. Dilemma wracked her nerves, in a moment the fear of unknown took over, and she shook her head, turning away from him.

He sighed, lowering his hands and wondered where he had gone wrong. He had been trying to be so gentle… What else could he do to make her feel comfortable? What was missing? His spirits deflated at his wife’s unresponsiveness and he turned back towards the bathroom waiting for her to leave so that he could get ready. Any moment now he would hear the door open and close… and that would mean he would have to start his efforts anew.

Naina had just taken a step towards the door, when her heart thudded hard and she paused… This wasn’t right… It didn’t feel right… She was going in the wrong direction. Sameer was her husband… He had all the rights on her, and more than that she had all the rights on him. Why could she give in to her desire and explore when he was asleep, but not dare enough to do the same when he was awake? He was giving her so much time… The man had literally been asking her each time for a kiss… Just this morning had been the first time when he hadn’t taken permission but rather kissed her softly. And even now when he had her in his arms, he hadn’t done anything to her… He had waited for her to come to him. What was she doing? On one hand she wondered why didn’t he make a move, and on the other hand when he gave her a chance to move forward she would back off. No… this wasn’t right.

She turned back to him only to find that he was facing away from her, his posture tensed but his shoulders slumped as if he was disheartened… or worse, defeated. No… cooking food can wait a few minutes more. She wouldn’t let her husband wait any more. She dragged in a deep breath, and before her courage could falter again, she swiftly moved forward and slipped her arms around him, hugging him from behind.

Sameer’s entire body jerked in surprise… Did she just…? His heart skipped a few beats and he stiffened in her embrace. He still couldn’t believe that Naina was hugging him.

“I love you Sameer”, he heard her soft voice.

He touched her hands that were locked on his stomach, and then detangled himself from her hold, turning back towards her. She gazed up at him, smiling and he relaxed at the expressions in her eyes. There was no obligation… She was doing it because she wanted it, and that was all he wanted. Holding her hand he pulled her to him, feeling bliss as her body nestled against him, and he wrapped his arms around her. “I love you too”, he murmured, tightening his hold.

She burrowed closer, her cheek rubbing on his chest, and his hand spanned her back pushing her body more into him. After a moment she tilted her head back to look at him, and her lips parted in invitation… an invitation he immediately took as he dipped his head and kissed her… His lips moved against hers, demanding, seeking… A whimper left her mouth, and she melted in his arms, her body pressed flush to his.

A knock at the door was ignored by both, but then a voice called out, “bhabhi… aapko neeche bula rahe hai.”

Sameer lifted his head, panting for breath. Naina squeezed her eyes shut, trying to control the tremble in her voice, “mummyji ko bolo main paanch minute me aa rahi hun Deepika…”

He looked at his wife, his lips wet, his expressions surprised. She removed her hands from around him, and placed her palms on his chest, moving up to wound around his neck, “ek aur kiss chahiye.”

Her demand seared through him and he groaned, catching her lips again, deepening the kiss until her head tilted way back and she was clinging to him. Her fingers were twined in his wet hair as she responded to his kiss with equal enthusiasm. God… she was fire… He shuddered and slowly softened the kiss, whispering against her lips, “isse zyada kiss karunga toh niche sabko pata chal jayega.”

She licked her lips, gasping for breath and asked, “kaise?”

He hugged her to him, tilting to rest his cheek on the top of her head, “honth sujh jayenge.”

She was silent for a moment, and then chuckled pulling back from him. He stared at her as she went to the dressing table and applied red lipstick, pulled her pallu over her head again, and then turned her head to look at him, “apna muh saaf kar lena neeche aane se pehle.” He watched her leave, and then puzzled he looked into the mirror only to laugh on seeing her lipstick smeared on his mouth and chest. God damn it he loved his wife too much!

Naina went downstairs only to be greeted by the sight of Nanu and Rohan sitting on the sofa and frowning in the direction of open kitchen. Deepika stood near the kitchen entrance scowling, Naina went up to her, placed a hand over her head and asked, “kya hua?”

Deepika rolled her eyes and gestured towards the scene in the kitchen. Vishakha was standing with her mother-in-law and Ramdhari, and he looked extremely frustrated.

Even as she watched Ramdhari protested, “par dadiji…”

Dadi fumed, “chup kar… main teri dadi nahi hun. Pata nahi kaisa naukar paal rakha hai tumhare papa ne Vishakha… isse toh mera Keshav laakh guna achcha hai, meri har baat maanta hai.”

Vishakha tried to reason, “mummyji… aaj Naina ki pehli rasoi hai… aur aap…”

“Aree toh main kaha mana kar rahi hun”, Dadi protested, “halwa banayegi na woh… Breakfast me sandwich banenge, aur jisko nahi pasand unke liye kal ki roti bachi hai tadka laga dena.”

Sameer came downstairs, dressed in jeans and t-shirt, just in time to hear this. He stood next to Nanu, understanding that once again Dadi was hell bent on imposing her will, and destroying his happiness in the process. She won’t let anything nice be cooked, and no one will stand up to her… Mummy will as usual not say anything, Nanu will say it was just a matter of few days, and naturally Ramdhari could never utter a word. Poor Naina, he thought, her first proper day after wedding and Dadi was all set to ruin it.

Naina turned back for a moment, smiling on seeing her husband, but the next moment she frowned on noticing his downcast expressions. Her gaze moved between Sameer, the silent spectators, and the still ranting Dadi. She drew in a breath, squared her shoulders and stepped inside the kitchen, “mummyji…”

All eyes turned to her, and Vishakha sighed, “Naina beta… kahan reh gai thi?”

Naina smiled, “sorry mummyji… pehle matching bindi nahi mil rahi thi aur phir Sameer ne naha liya tha toh unke kapde nikaal rahi thi cupboard se.”

Vishakha nodded, “koi baat nahi… aa jao… tumhe pata hai tumhe kya karna hai?”

Naina stepped up to the kitchen platform, “haan… pata hai sab kuch.” She picked up the small bowl of sooji and frowned at the quantity, “Ramdhari bhaiya… sooji ka dabba kahan hai? Itne se sooji se toh sirf bhagwanji ka bhog banega. Baaki aur koi nahi kha payega.”

Dadi interrupted in a sharp voice, “tumhe utna hi banana hai.”

Outside Sameer’s fists clenched in anger. Naina smiled calmly, “nahi Dadiji… mujhe sabke liye banana padega na… Pehli rasoi ki rasam hoti hi isiliye hai ke ghar ke bade nayi bahu ka banaya hua khana khaaye aur use aashirwaad de.” Turning to Ramdhari she instructed, “bhaiya… thoda aata bhi nikaalna aur aloo kaat dena… aaj breakfast me masala poori aur aloo ki bhaji banegi.”

“Shayad tumne pehle suna nahi Naina par…”, Dadi started to say, but Naina cut her off, her tone firm, “jee maine suna… lekin shaadi ki rasmo ke dauraan baasi khana nahi khaate. Hamare yahan toh gaay ko bhi pehli roti khilate hai, khudki roti banne se pehle… Toh phir kisi insaan ko baasi khana koi kaise khilaye.”

Sameer’s eyes widened in surprise, and Naina continued further, “aur Ramdhari bhaiya… aaj se iss ghar me baasi khana nahi rahega. Agar raat tak khana bach jaata hai toh aap jaate hue le jaana aur peeche wali basti me kisi gareeb ko de dena. Bhuke ka pet bhi bharega aur hume duyaaein bhi milengi.” Turning to Nanu she asked, “maine sahi kaha na nanaji?”

Nanu grinned, “ekdum theek kaha beta… bilkul sahi faisla hai tumhara.”

Everyone stared at Naina, stumped at the way she spoke up. Dadi sharply reprimanded, “nayi bahu ho… muh pe lagaam rakho. Itna bologi toh asli sanskaar jhalak padenge.”

Naina didn’t falter at all, “main toh sanskaar ki hi baat kar rahi thi dadiji… Yeh saari baate hamare shastro me likhi hui hai… Par agar aapko kisi baat ka bura laga toh mujhe maaf kar dijiye.”

Dadi seemed to have lost her tongue temporarily. Naina smiled and looked at Ramdhari again, raising her eyebrows because he was still rooted to the spot, “bhaiya… der ho jayegi naashte me.”

Ramdhari jerked, “uh… jee… uhh… memsahib… main abhi karta hun.” With that he rushed to do all the tasks Naina had instructed. All the family members still stood surprised, as Naina took the aarti thali from temple, did a small puja of the gas adorning the silver frame with red kumkum dots, and then turned on one burner, placing a pan to roast the sooji.

Without a word Vishakha moved to help Naina, and started to prepare tea for everyone. Naina added sugar and milk to make halwa, and stirred it, while Ramdhari cut potatoes to make bhaji. As Naina mixed dry fruits, leaving the sooji to set, and took the big dish of aata, starting to add spices in it, Dadi couldn’t hold back anymore. She wrinkled her nose and said, “itni subah subah poori kaun khata hai… kitna oily hota hai.”

Naina added water, starting to knead the dough and nodded, “bilkul theek kaha dadiji… Meri Taiji bhi subah ko tala hua bilkul nahi khati… Umar badhne pe sehat ka lihaaz karna padta hai. Aap fikar mat kijiye main aapke liye daliya bana deti hun… saada, simple, bina tel wala.”

It seemed as if smoke would start coming out of Dadi’s ears any moment, but she couldn’t counter the sharp yet polite arguments, she made an arrogant sound and stomped off in her room. Vishakha sighed in relief, smiling at Naina; Ramdhari started to hum a tune as he chopped more potatoes. Outside Deepika turned to grin at her brothers. Rohan chuckled, “Mubarak ho bhai… Jo kaam koi saalo se nahi kar paaya bhabhi ne ek din me kar diya… Dadi ke paas dene ke liye koi jawaab nahi bacha.”

Sameer sat down on the sofa, his eyes trained on his wife who was now chattering with his mother, and he mused, “yeh kya tha? Yeh… yeh meri Naina hi hai na?”

Nanu thumped his back lightly, “nahi beta… yeh Mrs. Naina Sameer Maheshwari hai.”

Surprised Sameer looked at his Nanu, who was grinning wide, and slowly he too started grinning, still in awe of what he had witnessed. When Mr. Somani returned from his walk, he asked about his mother, and Vishakha briefed him about the situation. He went to talk to his mother, and came back looking slightly angry, but thankfully didn’t say anything. If he had tried to rebuke Naina, this time Sameer had already decided that wouldn’t have stayed quiet. The atmosphere at the breakfast table was somewhat tensed as Dadi was served plain daliya, and everyone else had delicious pooris. But Sameer and Rohan shared a secret grin because they spotted Dadi eyeing the big round pooris. Nanu sampled the halwa and proclaimed it was delicious, blessed Naina and gave her 500 Rupees as shagun. Vishakha did the same, but Mr. Somani only shelled out 100 Rupees while Dadi said she had forgotten her purse in the room. Naina smiled and said it was okay since her blessings were enough for her.

Vishakha asked her to sit beside Sameer and have her breakfast. As soon as Ramdhari served her, Sameer caught her hand beneath the table. She blushed a bit, but then popped a bit of poori in her mouth and continued chewing, all the while holding on to his hand. He looked around the table, and thought that this was the first peaceful meal he was having with this bunch of people, and all because of his wife who had the guts to speak when no one else dared to.

After breakfast, Munna and Pandit came along with some more of their old college friends, as they wanted to meet Sameer and Naina. Lunch was simple dal-chawal-sabji for which Ramdhari refused any help. Later on as everyone thought of relaxing a bit, Vishakha asked Naina, “beta… tumhare gharwale shaam tak aa jayenge. Tumhe kuch le jaana ho toh pack kar lena.”

Sameer frowned, “Naina kahan jaa rahi hai?”

“Apne mayke”, Vishakha informed, “Pag Phere ke liye.”

He was shocked, “kya? Yeh mujhe kisine bataya kyun nahi… aur tum… tumne bhi nahi bataya.”

Naina was surprised, “mujhe laga aapko pata hai iss rasam ke baare me.”

However it was evident from his expressions that he had no idea about it. Vishakha tried to make him understand, but he thundered upstairs closing the door of the room with a bang. Nanu had a tensed expression on his face, “uh oh… yeh toh gussa ho gaya.”

“Koi baat nahi nanaji”, Naina assured, “main mana lungi unhe.”

Vishakha nodded, “haan tum upar jao. Thoda araam bhi karlo.”

Naina entered the room, locking the door behind her for the second time that day and smiled on seeing Sameer sitting on the bed, his cheeks puffed as he pouted like a kid. She moved towards the bed, and sat in-front of him, “hi… mujhse bhi naraaz hai aap?”

He nodded, and she chuckled, “umm… toh ab kaise manau aapko… aapka gift aapko de deti hun.”

His brows furrowed as she stood up and went to the cupboard. She pulled out a white opaque plastic bag, and offered it to him, “yeh aapke liye shaadi se pehle kharida tha… Par mauka nahi mila dene ka. Please dekh lijiye…”

He couldn’t ignore her request, and so accepted the bag. On seeing the deep blue checked shirt it contained, he smiled a bit, but said, “achcha hai… par itna kaafi nahi hai… tum kyun jaa rahi ho? Abhi abhi toh shaadi hui hai.”

She held his hand, “tabhi toh jaana padega na… Bas aaj shaam ko jaungi aur kal aap lene aa jaana.”

He pouted even more, “toh main bhi saath chalta hun na.”

She chuckled, “aisa nahi hota… Inn rasmo ke peeche wajah hai… Ladki ko Lakshmi ka roop maana jaata hai. Ab tak main apne ghar me thi, aur phir shaadi ho gai toh yeh ghar mera ho gaya… Main iss ghar ki Lakshmi ban gai. Ab mere gharwalo ne apni Lakshmi toh aapko de di, toh woh kya karenge… isiliye shaadi ke baad ladki ko ek baar wapas jaake wahan rehna padta hai, taaki uske mata-pita ke ghar se Lakshmi roothke chali naa jaaye.”

He frowned, trying to understand, “aur main kahan aata hun iss saare picture me?”

“Aap ghar ke damaad hai”, she offered, “aaj mujhe lene Arjun bhaiya aur Chachaji aayenge. Phir kal aap wapas lene aayenge mujhe… Yeh ek damaad ka pehla kadam hota hai uske sasural me… Aapke liye bahot saara khana banega, aap aayenge toh aapki kharitdaari hogi… Aur phir sabka aashirwaad leke aap mujhe wahan se wapas le aayenge… iska matlab hota hai aap apne sasural walo ki ijaazat se ek unki beti ko apni biwi banakar uske saath ek naya safar shuru kar rahe hai.”

He thought for a moment and then grumbled, “yeh sahi hai… apni hi biwi ko apne paas rakhne ke liye duniya bhar ki ijaazat lo.”

She laughed, then tugged at his arm, scooting closer and leaning on his chest, “main abhi toh yahin hun aapke paas.”

Surprised he held her automatically, and smiled, “kya baat hai… aaj badi romantic ho rahi ho.”

“Bas aisai”, she blushed, “patidev thode zyada achche lagne lage.”

He chuckled, “pata hota toh shaadi se pehle hi shirt utaar deta.”

She blushed, turning her head to his chest to hide her face, “chediye mat na.”

He leaned back on the headrest, with her in his arms, content with where he was. He didn’t want to do anything else at that moment. They talked in low voices for some time, and he was almost on the verge of dozing off when suddenly she asked, “Sameer aapse kuch maangu toh aap doge?”

He looked down at her, “yeh bhi koi puchne ki baat hai… bolo kya chahiye.”

“Meri wish”, she informed, “jo mehndi ke rasam me aapne waada kiya tha.”

He smiled, “yaad hai… bolo kya wish hai tumhari.”

She hesitated for a moment and then said, “aap ek baar achche se mummy se baat kariye… aap dono ke beech me jo problem hai uske baare me.”

Sameer stiffened, every muscle in his body tensing, and then he unwrapped his arm from around her and straightened. However before he could stand up she caught his hand, “Sameer please.”

He jerked his hand away, “nahi Naina… yeh mumkin nahi hai. Tum nahi jaanti uss rishte me kitni kadwahat hai. Tumko jo kuch bhi maine bataya hai woh sab toh sirf jhalak hai… Aur bahot si baate hai jisne dil ko itni chot di hai ke unhe bhulana namumkin hai.”

“Samajhti hun”, she assured, “shayad sab kuch nahi pata par phir bhi samajhti hun. Kyunki aapke aankhon me woh dard dekha hai maine… Bas… ek sach yeh bhi hai ke wahi dard maine mummyji ke aankhon me bhi dekha hai.”

He scoffed, moving to stand near the window, “jhooth hoga sab…”

She stood up and went to him, “aapko wakai lagta hai ke sab jhooth hai? Aap hi ne mujhe bataya tha na phone pe ke Mummyji iss shaadi ko leke kitna khush hai… Taiyariyo me kitni madad ki thi unhone… Aur phir woh camera, jisse Rohan meri photos khichke laata tha aapke liye, woh bhi toh mummyji ne diya na?”

Irked he asked, “inn sab se kya saabit hota hai Naina? 5 din ki achchai kaafi nahi hai 5 saal ki umar se jo saha hai maine uske liye.”

“Aur agar unhone bhi saha ho toh?” She queried.

He frowned, turning to look at her, “kya matlab?”

She tried to explain, “aapne mujhe kitty party ke baare me bataya tha yaad hai?” He nodded, and she continued, “aisa kyun Sameer ke jab aap Delhi me reh rahe the tab mummyji kabhi weekends pe kitty party me nahi gai? Kyunki weekend pe kitty parties me koi nahi jaata… Yeh parties housewives tab rakhti hai jab unke pati office me aur bachche school me ho. Weekends parivaar ke liye hota hai. Aur kitty parties roz nahi hoti… zyada se zyada hafte me ek baar hogi.”

He was confused, “main samjha nahi.”

She tried to share her thoughts, “mujhe aisa lagta hai ke shayad uss waqt koi jaan-bujhke aapko mummyji se baat karne se rok raha tha. Uss ghar me koi hoga jo nahi chahta hoga ke aapke aur mummyji ke rishte sudhre.” She could see he was thinking over what she said, and gaining some courage she continued, “mujhe nahi pata ke unhone kis wajah se aapko hostel me rakha… par aisa bhi toh ho sakta hai na ke woh nahi chahti ho ke aapke saath uss ghar me sautela vyavhar ho… shayad woh aapki bhalai ke liye aapko uss ghar se dur rakhna chahti ho. Shayad unka tareeka galat ho, par irrada nek ho… Shayad jis tarah se aap itne saal tak maa ke liye tarse hai woh bhi apne bete ke liye tadpi ho…”

He sighed, dragging a hand over his face, “mujhe nahi pata tumhare man me yeh saare khayal kyun aaye Naina… lekin tumhari soch me bahot saare shayad hai… socho yeh sab jhooth nikle toh?”

She immediately countered, “aur agar sach nikle toh? Kya aap taiyaar hai zindagi bhar yeh sochne ke liye ke agar aap baat karte toh ho sakta hai jis tarah se aapko bhai-behen ka pyaar mila, maa ka bhi mil jaata?” When he didn’t reply, she sighed, “main aap pe zor nahi daalna chahti… bas yeh sochiye ke agar woh aapko apna beta nahi maanti toh dadiji ne jab meri burai ki thi toh woh mere paksh me nahi bolti… Aapki khushiyo me khush nahi hoti… Aaj jab maine dadiji ke saamne woh sab bola tab wajah sirf aapka dukh nahi tha, mummyji ki aankhon ki lachaari bhi thi… Main unko kuch hi dino se jaanti hun par samajh gai hun ke kuch hai jo unko dadiji ke saamne bolne se rokta hai…”

Having said what she had to, she turned back to go the cupboard, thinking she might as well pack a saree which she would wear tomorrow to come back. But before she could take a step away, he caught her hand, and she turned to him. He gazed at her for a moment, and then exhaled, “thike… sirf tum keh rahi ho isiliye yeh karunga main… Puri zindagi Rohan aur Deepika se nafrat ki par tumhari baat maanke jab ek kadam aage badhaya toh do naye rishte mil gaye. Jab woh dono bhai ya bhaiya kehte hai na toh bahot achcha lagta hai… Isiliye ek baar phirse tumhari baato pe bharosa karke yeh bhi karneko taiyaar hun.”

She smiled, lifting her hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks which even he didn’t know had escaped his eyes. Wrapping her hands around his waist she leaned on him, “I love you Sameer.”

He rubbed her arms, trying to lift the mood because she would be gone soon and he didn’t want her to be sad, “I love you too… Aur suno… tumhari wish ab tak baaki hai… yeh sirf main tumhare kehne pe kar raha hun… Wish ko kisi romantic cheez me use karo toh maanu.”

She chuckled, “thike… woh bhi kar lungi.”

He hummed, “mujhe intezaar rahega.” Then he asked, “jaana zaruri hai?” She nodded against his chest, and he sighed, “thike… toh main kal subah subah hi tumhe lene aa juanga.”

She laughed, “okay… ab main saree pack karlu? Kal wapas aaungi tab pehenke aana padega na.”

He frowned, “raat ke liye dress nahi logi?”

“Nahi… Wahan night dress hai”, she blurted immediately.

He pulled back, looking down at her, “night dress? Kaisa night dress… tum yahan pe toh dress pehenti ho.”

She blushed, “haan woh… night dress laai hun… par sharam aati hai.”

Taking a chance he tentatively asked, “gowns?”

Her eyes widened, “nahii… normal night dress…”

“Dikhao”, he demanded.

She bit her lip, then sighed and moved to the cupboard, pulling out the night dresses she had arranged at the bottom. He picked one up and saw that it was pants and top, mostly cotton, and some hosiery material, and he frowned, “yeh toh simple wale hi hai… pehenti kyun nahi? Tight wale churidaar aur salwar-kameez pehenke soti ho… usse toh yeh zyada comfortable hai na.”

She nodded, “haan… par… bataya toh… sharam aati hai.”

He rolled his eyes, “Naina… ab kya sharma rahi ho… Pati hun, koi paraya insaan thodi. Pag phere se wapas aaneke baad yahi pehenke sona… Dress pehna toh…”

Her eyebrow quirked, “toh…?”

He smirked, “main change karne me help kar dunga.”

She gasped, her face flushing with color, and she tried to move away, but he caught her around the waist and pulled her with so much force that she stood up on tiptoes, clutching his shoulders. His voice dropped a few decibels sending shivers down her spine as he said, “shaadi se pehle kaha tha yaad hai… ke jab tum bhi aisi awaaz karti ho man karta hai tumhe kiss kar lu.”

Her eyes became drowsy, her breathing erratic, and she was surprised at how breathy her voice was when she said, “toh kar lijiye.”

His eyes glittered fiercely, and he nipped at her lips making her moan before capturing her mouth in a no-holds-barred kiss. Desire, hot and white, raged through his veins, his hand wandering possessively over her back. Her bones turned mush, responding to him didn’t remain an option, but became an elemental need as she grasped his hair, kissing him back. Liquid fire pulsed inside her, and she squirmed trying to get as close as possible. He groaned, his entire being poised on an edge that he had never reached before… God… He wanted her… Now… His hand trailed up her back, stroking her spine, and found the dori of her blouse… His finger played with it for a moment, and then he tugged at it, unraveling not just the thread but a torrent of sensations in her body. She gasped, wrenching her mouth from his, and burying her face in the crook of his neck.

“Naina”, he muttered, not sure how to convey what he was feeling.

Her breath was warm on his neck, her fingers trembling at his nape, and then after a minute she held onto the back of his t-shirt and pressed closer, eliminating the bare minimal gap between them. He shuddered, gently caressing her back, one finger dipping inside the line of the blouse, slowly sliding around her rib-cage. His heart thundered at the new freedom she was giving him, and he longed to explore…

However, before he could proceed any further, Vishakha knocked on the door, informing them that Naina’s family members had arrived. She made a surprised frightened sound, jumping back from him, trying to smoothen her saree. Sameer held her, placing a finger over her mouth, and answered his mother, “haan mummy… aate hai do minute me.”

When he was sure there was no one at the other side of the door, he pulled her back in his arms, just holding her close, his heart still beating hard with the realization that she had almost given him permission to do what he wanted. Smiling to himself, he kissed her hair, and then tied the dori of her blouse, securing the knot properly. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with wonder at the sensations she had felt, and he felt warmth explode in his heart, as he understood the innocence and trust both. Cupping her face, he kissed her softly, and murmured, “main bahot miss karunga tumhe.”

She hugged him again, “main bhi… Kal please jaldi aana.” Few minutes later they separated, and she moved to the cupboard to keep the night dresses back and take a saree. She also had to re-touch her make-up and comb her hair, while Sameer checked his t-shirt for any marks of lipstick.

When they went downstairs, tea had been served, and Naina was extremely happy to see Chachaji and her brother. Sameer took Chachaji’s blessings. Conversation followed, too less according to Sameer, and then it was time for her to leave. When she looked back at him before stepping out, he had to exercise monumental amount of control to not pull her back in his arms and refuse her family to take her. The slam of car doors, a small screech, reverse tone, and then she was gone… Sameer sighed, already feeling that it would be the longest night of his life.

Dinner was a subdued affair at Maheshwari bungalow, even though Deepika and Rohan tried their best to cheer everyone up, but there was only awkwardness from his mother and sly comments from Dadi. At one point, Sameer was so fed up that he almost stood up, but his gaze fell on her mother’s face and he paused… Her eyes were… red… and slightly puffy… as if… as if she had cried. Naina’s words came back to him and he wondered if there was indeed some truth in them. He had told Naina that he would talk, but the gap between him and his mother was so wide that forget breaching it, he had no idea how to even reach out.

After dinner he went back to his room, restlessly pacing because he was missing Naina. She had called once after reaching there, but as the time to sleep came closer he wondered how he would sleep without her in his arms. It almost seemed like an alien concept now. Standing near the window he looked at the moon but it was hidden in clouds, he sighed at how empty everything felt without her, and then as he looked down he spied a figure on the lawn. It was close to 11pm… Who would be walking outside so late? Narrowing his eyes he tried to check, and realized it was his mother. Why was she out at this time? He waited for few minutes to see if her husband would join her… maybe for a night time stroll… but no one came. She kept walking alone, as if just like him she was also feeling lonely. Debating for another moment, he gave in and went downstairs, all the while cursing himself for falling in love with a girl who could make him do things he had never even thought of.

Stepping onto the lawn, he glanced back at the house once, ensuring that all the lights except in his room were off, and then gave himself a mental pep-talk… The sooner he talked, the sooner it would get over… He was sure there was nothing like what Naina imagined… So he should talk, and then he could tell Naina that he had made an honest attempt. Taking a deep breath, he softly called out, “mummy…”

Vishakha gasped, quickly wiping her face, “Sameer… tum iss waqt yahan kya kar rahe ho?”

He frowned, noticing her actions, “aap ro rahe ho?”

“Na…nahi toh”, she stammered, “main bhala kyun royu… tum yahan… aise… Naina ki yaad aa rahi hai?”

He stepped forward, “woh toh aa rahi hai… neend bhi nahi aa rahi uske bina… par aap kyun jaag rahe hai?”

She fumbled, “mujhe thoda sar-dard ho raha tha… toh socha hawa me thodi der rahu toh shayad kuch fayda ho.”

He observed the tremble in her tone, and knew she was lying… and somewhere in his heart he started to believe that Naina was right. Keeping his tone firm, he said, “sar-dard me hawa nahi dawai kaam karti hai… aur shayad chai… chaliye kitchen me… main banata hun.”

“Iski koi zaroorat nahi hai”, she replied, but he countered, “mujhe hai… chaliye.”

Helplessly she followed him inside, trying to wipe her eyes dry. Sameer turned on the kitchen lights, and started to make tea, throwing brief glances at his mother as he understood she had indeed been crying. The soothing fragrance of ginger wafted in the air, and a small smile curved Vishakha’s lips, “tumne chai banana kab sikha?”

He pulled out two cups from cabinet, “jab Nanu ke saath rehne aaya tab… Ramdhari ne sikhaya kyunki kai baar raat ko padhai karta tha tab chai peene ki ichcha hoti thi.”

She mused, “mujhe yeh sab pata hi nahi tha.”

He poured out the tea, and offered her a cup, “pata toh mujhe bhi bahot kuch nahi hai… shayad aap batati nahi hai isiliye… ya shayad kyunki maine kabhi pucha hi nahi.”

She kept her eyes lowered as she sipped on the hot tea, and asked, “matlab?”

He queried, “aapko pata hai na, main Rohan aur Deepika se nafrat karta tha.” She nodded, and he continued, “par Naina ne mujhse kaha ke usne unn dono ki aankhon me mere liye sirf pyaar aur izzat dekhi hai… Uske baato pe bharosa karke maine Rohan se baat ki… Aur usne sach kaha tha. Galti meri thi jo Delhi me rehne ke bawjud maine unn dono ko apne kareeb aaneka ek mauka bhi nahi diya… Andhi nafrat me unn dono ko chot pahochayi jabki unki koi galti hi nahi thi.”

Vishakha kept her cup down, “Naina bahot samajhdaar hai… Mujhe khushi hai iss baat ki ke Rohan aur Deepika ke saath ab sab kuch theek hai… Unko apna bada bhai mil gaya.”

“Haan”, Sameer agreed, “par jis rishte ke wajah se main unka bada bhai bana hun woh rishta ab tak nahi sambhla hai.” Vishakha didn’t reply. He kept his empty cup on the table, and said, “aapko pata hai aaj Naina ne mujhse kya kaha?”

She looked up at him, but immediately shifted her gaze away wondering where this conversation was headed. She was not used to having long conversations with Sameer, and found herself in a quandary.  She shook her head in answer to his question, and he said, “usne kaha ke aaj subah jab Dadi wala kissa hua tab usko aapki aankhon me lachaari dikhi.” She opened her mouth to deny, but he stalled her with a raised hand, “aaj jhooth mat bolna mummy… aapko bhi pata hai ke main kabhi aise baat karne nahi aata. Lekin aaj aaya hun, kyunki Naina ko lagta hai ke aap sahi hai… Usko lagta hai ke kuch hai jo mujhe nahi pata… Aur mujhe uspe vishwaas hai… Jhooth bolke uss vishwaas ka mazaak mat udaana.”

Vishakha looked down again, tears escaping her eyes. Sameer continued, “haldi ke din ki kahaani yaad hai? Aap mujhe rasam ki wajah samjha rahi thi… aur maine kaha ke yeh bachpan ki kahaniyo ki tarah hai… Main Naina ki kahaniyo ki baat nahi kar raha tha, unn kahaniyo ki baat kar raha tha jo aap mujhe bachpan me sunati thi…”

She gasped, “tumhe yaad hai ab tak?” He nodded, and then placed his palm over his mother’s hand, “aapne mujhe hostel kyun bheja mummy? Kya sach me aapko mujhse pyaar nahi hai isiliye mujhe dur kar diya? Main jab aapko phone karta tha hostel se, aap kyun mujhse baat nahi karte the?”

Shocked at the last question, she immediately queried, “tum phone karte the? Kab?”

His heart thudded once and he closed his eyes, coming to the realization that indeed Naina was right. His mother didn’t even know about his phone calls. Trying to control his emotions he replied, “har hafte karta tha… aur weekend pe bhi… par kabhi Keshav toh kabhi Dadi, mujhse yahi kehte the ke aap kitty party me hai.”

She covered her mouth to stifle her gasp of outrage, “main mahine me ek baar kitty party me jaati hun… Sameer mujhe bilkul nahi pata tha ke tum call karte the… Mujhe lagta tha ke shayad tum mujhse baat hi nahi karna chahte.”

“Toh ek baar aap saamne se phone karke puch leti”, he countered.

Vishakha sighed, “karna chahti thi… bahot baar… par har baar kamzor pad jaati thi.”

He asked, “wajah kya thi?”

She wiped her tears, explaining, “meri ek galti jiska harzana main aaj tak bhugat rahi hun.”

Sameer stated, “shaadi ke waqt ki shart.”

Once again she was surprised, “tumhe pata hai?”

He gave a short smile, “Nanu ne ek din nashe me sab bata diya.”

Vishakha’s eyes widened for a while and then she said, “haan… usi shart ki baat kar rahi hun… Tumhare papa ke jaane ke baad main bilkul tut gai thi… Tumpe bhi dhyan nahi de paati thi. Jab papa ne mujhse dusri shaadi ki baat ki toh maine mana kar diya… Par unhone mujhe samjhaya ke zindagi bahot lambi hoti hai, tanhaai me nahi guzregi. Isiliye jab Vivek ka rishta aaya toh main maan gai, aur yeh socha ke phirse ek parivaar bana sakti hun… Tumhe papa ka pyaar milega. Shaadi ki sab taiyari ho chuki thi, rasme bhi ho gai… Phir shaadi ke agle din, mummyji ne mere saamne shart rakhi ke main shaadi ke baad tumhe ghar nahi laa sakti, kyunki unko darr hai ke tum mere saath rahoge toh main Rohan ki parvarish nahi kar paungi. Maine bahot manane ki koshish ki unko par woh nahi maane… Vivek se bhi baat ki par unhone bhi keh diya ke unka beta zyada zaruri hai. Papa waise hi samaaj ke taane sunn rahe the ke apni vidhwa beti ki shaadi karwa rahe hai, aur agar uss waqt woh shaadi tut jaati toh samaaj me aur badnaami hoti… Dil pe paththar rakhke maine woh shart maan li aur socha ke kuch din tum papa ke saath rahoge par baad me main Vivek ko manake kisi bhi tarah se tumhe apne saath le aaungi. Papa ko bhi mana liya ke woh kuch din tumhe apne saath rakhe… Par Delhi jaake main haar gai… Vivek maane hi nahi, aur majboori me mujhe papa ko sab sach batana pada…”

Sameer tried to look at the situation from his mother’s perspective and understood to an extent that the situation would have seemed too frightening for a woman who was about to get married. He gently asked, “phir kya hua?”

She looked outside the kitchen window as if reminiscing those days, “ek din kisi tarah bahot zidd karke maine Vivek ko mana liya… Aur tumhe yahan se le gai… Bahot khush thi main uss din… Par wahan tumse sautelo se bhi bura vyavhaar kiya gaya… Jitni tumhari bhuk hoti thi usse kam dudh diya jaata tha tumhe, khane ke naam pe sirf dal-roti khilane ki ijazat thi, aur koi mehmaan aata tha toh kehte the tum naukar ke bete ho… Mujhse yeh sab bardaasht nahi hua, isiliye maine tumhe wapas bhejne ka faisla kar liya… Par Vivek ne kaha ke tumhe hostel bhej de, iss tarah tum nazdik bhi rahoge aur dur bhi… Main maan gai iss lalach me ke tumse kamsekam mil toh sakungi. Lekin mummyji ko pata nahi tumse kyun itni nafrat hai… Hazar minnato ke baad tumse baat karne ki ijazat milti thi… Kabhi sochti thi sab kuch chodke chali jau par Rohan jab mummy kehke mera pallu pakadta tha toh main ruk jaati thi… Vivek jab bhi thoda tumhare baare me sochte the mummyji turant unko bhadka deti thi, aur aaj bhi wahi karti hai. Phir Deepika aai aur faasle aur badh gaye… Uske peeche dhyan dete dete jo beta mujhse dur tha uspe dhyan dena kam ho gaya. Dil ko tassali thi ke tumhare hostel me iss ghar se toh achcha hi vyavhaar hota hoga. Jaanti thi tum mujhse nafrat karne lage the, par uss umar me tumhe yeh saari baate kaise samjhau yeh mujhe nahi aata tha. Aakhir kaar jab Rohan ne bhi apni bhai ko laane ki zidd ki tab Vivek maane tumhe hostel se ghar laane ko… Par tab tum barah saal ke ho chuke the… Aur hamare beech me faasle itne badh gaye the ke unhe mitana namumkin sa lagne laga. Saath hi saath maine yeh bhi dekha ke tum kitne akele ho… Isiliye papa se baat karke tumhe Ahmedabad bhejne ka faisla liya.”

Sameer stood up, his hands clenched, few drops of tears falling from his eyes, “aap apni zindagi ke hisaab se meri zindagi badalti rahi… Ek baar koshish toh karte samjhane ki. Shayad paanch saal ka tha tab nahi, par barah saal ka tha tab toh samjhate…”

Vishakha desperately asked, “tum samajh paate kya uss umar me?”

“Har cheez ka tareeka hota hai”, he replied, “jab paanch saal ki umar se hostel me jeena seekh liya tha toh yeh haalaat bhi samajhna seekh jaata shayad… Aur main andha nahi tha… uss waqt bhi dikhta tha mujhe ke kaise Dadi aapko dabati hai ghar me… Maine kabhi kuch bola nahi kyunki aapne mujhe kabhi kuch bataya nahi… Aur sirf main hi nahi Rohan aur Deepika bhi samajhte the iss baat ko ke shayad aap toh mujhse pyaar karti hai lekin Dadi ke wajah se aap mujhe apne saath nahi rakhte.”

She was shocked, “kya? Unko yeh baate pata thi?”

He nodded, “Rohan ne uss saal kabhi aapki aur dadi ki baat sunn li thi… Aap mujhse yeh sab kehneka raasta nahi dhund paai, haar maanli aapne… Par Rohan aur Deepika jabse main Delhi se wapas aaya hun tabse har saal mujhe mere birthday pe tohfa bhejte hai. Aapko yeh baat pata thi?”

Surprised she shook her head. Sameer scoffed, “unke man me ichcha thi toh unhone raasta bhi dhund liya mujh tak pahonchne ka… Mujhe iss baat ka gussa nahi hai ke aapne apni zindagi sawaarneki koshish ki… Naina se shaadi karke mujhe ehsaas hai iss baat ka ke ek jeevansaathi ki zindagi me kitni ehmiyat hoti hai… Gussa iss baat ka hai ke aapne kabhi bigde rishto ko suljaane ki koshish tak nahi ki… Itna asaan tha aapke liye yeh maan lena ke ab Sameer ke saath rishte aise bigde hue hi rahenge?”

He stood there facing away from his mother, his eyes closed, the silence stretching between them as he silently willed her to just tell it to him once that she doesn’t want the relationship to remain broken. He didn’t know why he was doing this… but somehow in the depths of his heart he had found the will to forgive his mother for what she did… maybe because he still longed for his mother, or maybe because he understood that her intentions hadn’t been wrong, or maybe because he accepted now that she had been helpless, or maybe simply because Naina thought she was good… But still he needed that one step from her… He was willing to bridge the gap but only if his mother showed that courage to take one step towards him.

Minutes passed by, and then he felt a trembling hand on his back, as his mother asked, “Sameer… main tumhare zindagi se anjaan nahi rehna chahti… Kya tum mujhe maaf kar paoge?”

He opened his eyes, exhaling shakily, a smile breaking through his tears, and he turned towards his mother, “bas itna hi sunna tha ke aap koshish karna chahte ho. Maafi mat mangiye kyunki galti toh meri bhi hai jo bahot kuch dekhne sunne ke baad kabhi aapse puchne ki koshish nahi ki.”

Vishakha broke down into sobs, suddenly hugging him and he stiffened in surprise. His mother was hugging him… When was the last time he had experienced this? Definitely not since he was a teenager… With a lot of hesitation and awkwardness he wrapped his own arms around his mother lightly, and once again felt peace and happiness. God… How would he ever thank Naina for this? For coming in his life and brining so many relationships along with her?

“Mummy”, Rohan and Deepika’s voice was simulatenously heard from the doorway. Vishakha straightened and Sameer hastily rubbed his eyes. Deepika looked from her mother to her brother, and then asked, “aap dono ro kyun rahe hai?”

Vishakha chuckled, “kuch nahi beta… bahot saal ka udhaar baaki tha… isiliye.”

They stepped inside the kitchen, and Rohan slowly queried, “aap dono ka… umm… jhagda khatam?”

Sameer laughed softly, “haan… jaise hamara khatam hua tha.”

Deepika’s eyes widened and then she squealed in delight. Rohan clamped a hand over his sister’s mouth, “shsh… itni zor se nahi, warna papa aur dadi uth jayenge.”

This reminded Sameer of something, and he looked at his mother, “aap aaj dinner se pehle kyun roye the… Naina ne subah Dadi ko bola iss wajah se aapko unhone ya Mr. Somani ne daanta?”

Vishakha smiled, “nahi… bas thoda naraaz the kyunki aakhir hai toh woh unki maa.”

Rohan excitedly suggested, “iss mauke pe ice cream banta hai.”

Sameer rolled his eyes, “ab iss waqt ice cream kahan se aayega?”

Deepika giggled, “main bhabhi se zidd ki thi dopahar ko, toh unhone Ramdhari bhaiya se kehke mangvake rakha hai.”

Sameer scratched his head, “yeh Naina aaj pehli baar hi iss kitchen me ghusi hai na? Aisa kyun hai ke saara control uske paas hai achanak?”

“Kyunki ab tumhara control bhi uske hi paas hai beta”, Vishakha teased making Sameer blush.

As the unsual group of four had a midnight ice cream adventure, Sameer silently thanked Naina and hoped that somehow she would know that all was okay, and that he was missing her in this unexpected happiness. Few kilometers away Naina stood in the balcony with a beaming smile on her face, happy to see that the clouds had dispersed leaving the moon to shine in all its glory, and in her heart she felt that the clouds overshadowing Sameer’s life had also lifted.