Always and Forever Part 20 – Weave of Destiny

The afternoon sun shone through the fluttering curtains at the partially opened window, the lull of siesta too strong in the air, barring the two people entwined on the swing. Soft moans could be heard as the man clasped a hand under the woman’s skull, lifting her while he devoured her mouth. One of the woman’s leg was wrapped around the man’s hips as she used the leverage to arch her body meeting the demanding movements of his body. The white shirt and blue jeans of the man, and the pale pink salwar-kameez of the woman was all but a barrier; which it seemed as if none of them noticed. When his hand slid under her kurta, touching her bare flesh she threw back her head in abandon, giving him the opportunity to explore her throat. None of them had noticed the discarded dupatta that had fluttered to the floor lifelessly or even the gently rocking swing. Lost in their own world of desires the semblance of time was also forgotten.

Suddenly, a loud crashing sound rang through the air, resulting in Sameer and Naina jerking apart and the swing rocking erratically. Panting for breath, Sameer sat up, and grounded his legs to control the swing. Naina also sat up gingerly, looking around, a little surprised to find herself in the living room. And her face turned into a shade of crimson on realizing that she had almost forgotten where she was, or the trouble they were inviting.

Sameer also looked around frantically, thinking he was dreaming. How could he kiss Naina like that here? How could he forget where they were? But then again, how could he not? He licked his lips recalling how Naina had kissed him, and thought that it wasn’t his fault that he had forgotten his surroundings. Hell, he could even forget himself happily if she kept on kissing him like that.

The next moment however, caution took over, and he looked at Naina, “tum thik ho?”

She nodded, still mortified. Buttoning up his shirt, he stood up to check at the window, and saw nothing unusual. He couldn’t understand the sound, maybe it came from some neighbour’s place, or some shop downstairs. It didn’t matter. He turned, saw her adjusting her dress, and the dupatta on the floor. How did it reach there? Frowning he bent, to pick it up and offered it to her. He walked a few steps away, to the kitchen and adjoining rooms, cautiously, and felt relieved on hearing no sound from there. Chachiji hadn’t woken up. Thank God for that.

“Sab thik hai. Chachiji so rahi hai”, he assured sitting on the sofa. He thought it best to be a little away from her for some time; otherwise, there was a high chance of losing control again.

Naina shifted on the swing, sitting cross-legged, and sighed in relief, “pata nahi kaise…”

“Mujhe pata hai kaise”, he interrupted grinning, “lekin agli baar aisa hamare ghar pe karna, taaki koi beech me roke nahi.”

She blushed, fidgeting with her dupatta. Looking at the clock, she asked, “ab kya karenge?” And immediately bit her tongue, realizing what she had uttered.

He laughed, quite understanding her fogginess; his own head hadn’t cleared yet. “Baat karte hai”, he suggested, “waise bhi mujhe tumse kuch puchna tha.”

She tilted her head, “Kya?”

He thought for a moment, then directly asked, “Taiji tumhe ab tak pareshan karti hai na?”

Her stomach tightened, and she looked away from his scrutinizing gaze, “umm… main chai banake laati hun.”

“Betho”, he commanded, “3 baje main chai nahi peeta. Mujhe jawab do Naina.”

“Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai”, she lied hesitantly, knowing well that Sameer would see through her.

He leaned back, “jhuth bol rahi ho. Kya kiya hai Taiji ne? Sach sach batao mujhe.”

She was silent for a long minute, thinking about the taunts on her beauty, her mother, her bad fortune. Then slowly assured, “kuch bhi baat nahi hai. Taiji bas aisi hi hai… kabhi kabhi kuch bol jaati hai lekin dil ki buri nahi hai. Mera achcha hi sochti hai.”

Sameer recalled her saying in school “mere ghar me jo bhi jaisa bhi hai sab achche hai.” Naina always assumed the best of everyone. Wasn’t that one of her qualities that he had found endearing? She was so far away from the ways of world at that time that the concept of someone from her family being bad or doing anything wrong had never entered her mind. She had always just believed firmly in her family. But she wasn’t that Naina anymore. She understood things better. It frustrated him that she wasn’t sharing her troubles with him.

Maintaining his cool, he held her gaze, “dekho Naina, main tumko force nahi karunga mujhe sab bataneko. Lekin itna toh main bhi jaanta hun ke ab tum samajhti ho ke kaun sahi hai aur kaun galat. Aur tum jaanti ho ke tumhari jo soch thi pehle ke tumhare parivaar me sab achche hai woh sahi nahi hai. Mujhe aur kisise koi lena dena nahi hai. Lekin tum mujhse yeh baate chupakar sahi nahi kar rahi ho. Aaj tak iss ghar me jo hota aaya hai usme maine kuch nahi kaha, lekin ab agar baat tumse judi hogi toh main kahunga, kyunki woh mera haq hai. Aur tum mujhse chupakar mera haq cheen rahi ho.”

Naina stared at him, surprised on hearing his perspective. He was ready to stand for her against her own family? How could he do that? They weren’t married yet. But then, that hadn’t stopped him from stopping Taiji when she had objected to her clothes. Did Sameer do all that he did today for a reason? Had Taiji said something in front of him? She swallowed and hoped Taiji hadn’t said anything bad about her.

Taiji didn’t know Sameer. For that matter, no one in her family knew Sameer. The suave way he presented himself in business world, in front of her family was a practiced presentation. That was just one shade of Sameer, a shade he had developed over the years to function socially and in the business world. She and only she knew the real Sameer. He wasn’t polished and gentle all the time. His temper had subsided, but it wasn’t gone. If anything, his temper was more deadly now, because it was less often, and had a sure shot direction. He wasn’t cruel, but he could be ruthless enough to cause harm to someone who would dare to encroach on his own. The real Sameer could be like a child who needed pampering, a volcano that could erupt any moment, a naughty flirt who could cause her stomach to clench with just a look, a lover who could evoke sensations she had never felt, a man who could love and protect beyond all boundaries. The real Sameer was anything but the calm and professional businessman – he might have been born with the blood of a businessman, but he had earned the status by redefining himself.

She recalled about Yash, the first and the last boy in college who had dared to tease her. Once during second year, she had worn a red salwar-kameez on Sameer’s demand. Eager to see Sameer’s reaction upon his wish being fulfilled, she hadn’t been paying much attention to her surroundings. She had heard a whistle as soon as she entered the college gates and ignored it. However, the next moment, her dupatta had gotten stuck to a small flowering shrub on the edge of the road, and while she had been trying to remove it, Yash had come over to her. Giving her a lopsided smile, he had asked, “main kuch madad karu? She had said no, but he had dared enough to hold her hand on the pretext of helping her detangle her dupatta. She had jerked and yelped, but even before she could have said or done anything, suddenly the boy was flung down the pavement. Astonished, she had stood stumped, seeing a whirl of punches that Sameer was now throwing on Yash. Munna and Pandit had rushed to get a hold of him, but there had been no one who was brave or strong enough to control the furious tornado that had literally swept Yash off his legs. By the time, she had regained senses enough to calm Sameer, and pull him back, Yash was almost fainting with a bleeding broken nose, and Sameer was still breathing fire. She had tended to his swollen, cracked and bleeding knuckles, understanding for the first time in her life that to what extent Sameer could really go to protect her in any way.

If Taiji had managed to rile him up, then she was clueless of the storm she had called upon herself. And Naina knew that if she told him of all the things that Taiji had been saying to her and about her, then the flare in his temper might be uncontrollable. So she decided to stay quiet, even though his rationalization about that it was his right to know made complete sense to her.

Sameer observed her lost in thoughts, and understood that something was holding her back from sharing with him. He didn’t know what it was and that annoyed him. But, he knew that family had always been a delicate matter for Naina. Now, she had chosen to give him priority, the way she had talked to her own father proved it. But, still such things take time. He was sure there would come a day, when she would share the whole thing with him, even if it was after their marriage.

“Naina”, he uttered softly, pulling her out of her thoughts. When she lifted her head to look at him, he smiled, “koi baat nahi. Lekin bas itna yaad rakhna ke jab bhi batane ka man ho, bejhijak mujhe batana.”

She exhaled and nodded, wanting to share everything right now, but still holding back. Suddenly she remembered something, “Sameer, tum mujhe apni baat kab bataoge?”

He frowned, “konsi baat?”

“Koi baat thi na jo tumhe pareshan kar rahi thi Delhi me”, she reminded him, “tumne kaha tha ke wapas aake mujhe zarur bataoge.”

He stilled, his eyes turning darker, not in passion but in anger. His fists clenched, and he almost trembled as he recalled the confession. He didn’t want to repeat it, if possible he wanted to erase it forever. Unfortunately, he couldn’t – not what Mr. Somani had done, nor what Arjun had done, and neither what he had done. And he had indeed promised to share with Naina. Plus there was nothing that he wanted to hide from her. So, he took a deep breath, and confessed, “tumko toh pata hi hai ke school me jo exam ke paper chori hue uss waqt Munna aur Pandit se chabi ki chaap leke duplicate chaabi banvake laaye the.”

She frowned confused, “haan woh sab toh mujhe pata hai. Lekin tumne paper churane se saaf inkaar kar diya tha. Aur woh papers Arjun bhaiya ne churaye. Par yeh sab abhi kyun?”

He tried to control the burning sensation in his eyes, “chaabi mere paas bhi hai yeh baat kisi tarah Mr. Somani ko pata chal gai thi, aur unhone principal sir ko phone karke bataya ke dono head-boy candidates me se kisine paper chori ki hai. Jiske paas chaabi mile woh chor hai.”

Her eyes widened in shock. This was what was troubling him. How did he know? How could Mr. Somani do that to his own son? Ok, he was a step-son but still… She stammered in confusion, “pa…par kyun? Aur tumhe kaise pata?”

He couldn’t stop the tears falling from his eyes, nor the trembling of his body, “woh mummy ke saamne saabit karna chahte the ke Rohan mujhse behtar insaan hai.”

Naina saw him breaking down, and immediately went and sat beside him pulling him in her arms. He leaned into her embrace, his face buried under her throat, as his body shook with sobs that he tried to control in vain.

Hiccupping slightly, he continued, “unhone mujhe khud yeh baat batai jab main unse Rohan ki baat karne gaya. Maine unko maaf kar diya Naina… karna pada…warna mummy aur Rohan…”

“Shshh”, Naina stroked his hair and back, “tumne bilkul sahi kiya Sameer. Tumne kabhi kuch galat nahi kiya.”

He shifted in her arms, lying down on her lap, and wrapped his arm around her waist, hiding his face in her stomach, muffling the sound of his sobs. Naina bent, holding him as close as possible, giving him the solace of her love and touch.

Sameer recalled all that had happened during the bet. Would it never stop? First, it was Arjun, then Mr. Somani. How many other people had contributed to this disaster in his life? And each time, every time he was reminded of how much he had hurt Naina. Was this his punishment then? To never be able to forget what he had done. He knew he would always regret it, but wasn’t there a way to lessen this pain that he always felt? And look at the irony of life – the person he had hurt the most with his bet was the one now comforting him and assuring him that he never did anything wrong.

Naina’s heart ached as she held his trembling body close. For once now, she wished they were in their home where they would have had the complete freedom. Why did it have to hurt him so much all the time? She could never imagine the extent to which Sameer had gone in redeeming and changing himself for her love. He had even forgiven Arjun bhaiya without any hesitation. Then why did he have to go through this test again and again? Tears leaked from her own eyes as she thought of a way to calm him down.

“Sameer”, she whispered, tugging at his hair, and he silently rolled on his back to look up at her.

She wiped his tear streaked face, “tumne jo bhi kiya sahi kiya. Mr. Somani ne jo kiya agar woh mummy ya Rohan ko pata chal jaata toh ghar me klesh hota. Isiliye tumhara faisla sahi tha. Lekin tum kyun ro rahe ho?”

He swallowed, trying to string his thoughts, “baar baar sab kuch yaad aa jaata hai. Kitna dukh diya, kitni chot pahochayi maine tumko.”

“Aur jo khushiya di unka kya”, she smiled slightly stroking his hair. His mouth curved in a tiny frown, as if he was confused of what she was talking about. She continued, “tumne shart lagake mujhe dukh diya uska hisab itne saalo se rakh rahe ho, toh fir itne saal mujhe jo khushiya di uska hisab bhi karo. Jis pal tum shart ke liye mujhse dosti aur pyaar kar rahe the uss waqt bhi mujhe tumne koi nuksaan nahi pahochaya. Ulta hamesha mujhe hasaya, meri madad ki, mera khayal rakha. Jab shart ki asliyat mujhe pata chali tab bhi tum mere saath rahe, meri saari kadwahat bardaasht karte rahe aur badle me mujhe khushiyan dete rahe.”

He gulped, staring into her eyes, a hopeful expression on his face. He felt as if she was the only one who could provide all the answers to the turmoil inside him.

Naina rubbed his arms and chest, “kuch der pehle tum hi keh rahe the na ke mujhme sahi galat samajhneki kabiliyat hai. Yeh kabiliyat, yeh aatmavishawas, sab kuch tumne hi toh mujhe diya hai. Itne saalo se din me ek second aisa nahi jaata jab tumhare pyaar ne mujhe chua na ho. Har pal sirf pyaar aur khushiya di hai tumne mujhe. Aur khud dekho… itne saal purani baat ko leke ab tak ro rahe ho. Tumhe jitna rona hai aaj aur abhi ro lo, lekin iske baad shart wali baat ko leke kabhi mat rona. Warna mujhe lagega, ke itne saalo me bhi mera pyaar kaafi nahi tha tumhare iss dard ko mitane ke liye.”

He shook his head, lifting his hand to wipe her tears. How could she think that her love was not enough? She and her love was all that he needed to live. “Waada karo mujhse”, she demanded.

His face twisted in anguish, “main kya karu Naina. Nahi bhul paata. Shayad kabhi nahi bhulna, yahi meri sazaa hai. Maine itna galat kiya tumhare saath. Jab bhi khush hota hun, kuch na kuch isi baat ko yaad dila deta hai.”

She looked at him through fresh tears, her gaze soft with compassion, “agar purani yaadein taklif deti hai, to unhe bhul jaane me bhalai hai. Hum apni nayi yaadein banayenge. Aur main tumse waada karti hun ke main tumhe itna pyaar karungi ke tum woh saari baate bhul jaoge jisse tumhe taklif pahonchti hai.”

He kept staring at her, spellbound. She grabbed a cushion, and slid it under his head, elevating him, then rubbed his face again, and softly uttered the words that had begun their relationship, “yakeen nahi ho raha toh, lagi shart?”

Sameer opened his mouth to object, but nothing came out, her words knocking the breath out of him. Then she ducked down, and kissed him.

Her lips brushed over his, petal-soft touches that shocked his system, made his mind go blank. Surprised, he watched, eyes open, as she leaned into him, deepening the kiss, her one hand sliding beneath his neck. Then her tongue flicked his, and again he couldn’t help but respond, her touch calling him back from the dark abyss, the storm inside him igniting into something more elemental.

He slid his fingers in her hair, and took control of the kiss, his tongue subduing hers, his body shaking with the sudden force of his craving for her. She felt warm and alive, her heart beating hard. He rained kisses over her face, her tears salty on his tongue, the scent of her skin making him want to devour her.

“I love you”, he whispered against her lips.

He felt her lips curve in a smile, as she replied, “I love you too, hamesha aur sabse zyada.”

She lifted her head, cleaned his face with her dupatta. He was calm now, but his eyes still held a hint of sadness, and he kept looking up at her as if waiting for her to do something to rid him of all the pain. She racked her brain, trying to think of something to cheer him up, and her thoughts landed upon herself. He liked knowing about her more and more; had spent years devouring any information she provided about her life, and observing her each and every nuance. There was huge chunk of her life before she had met Sameer, and as they were going to start a new life, maybe this was the right time to let him know everything.

“Tumhe pata hai, bachpan me na main motu si thi”, she confessed.

His brows furrowed, then as her words sunk in he started smiling, “jhuthi.”

She laughed, “aree… sach me. Chachiji batati thi ke mujhe meetha khana bahot pasand tha. Shakkar bina dudh nahi peeti thi. Cheeni wali roti mujhe pasand thi.”

His eyes lighted up, “mujhe bhi cheeni wali roti achchi lagti thi. Kitna khane ka man karta tha, par hostel me kabhi banta nahi tha. Chuttiyo me khane ko milta tha, par tab bhi Mummy zyada banati nahi thi kyunki Rohan ko achcha nahi lagta tha. Aur ghar me hamesha wohi banta tha jo Rohan ko pasand ho.”

“Hmmm…”, she smiled thoughtfully, “thike shaadi ke baad, meri pehli rasoi me suji ke saath saath cheeni wali roti bhi banaungi.”

“Sach?”, his face took on an excited animated expression, that satisfied her.

“Haan sach”, she affirmed, “aur tum coffee banana. Hum saath me khayenge.”

He grinned, his head bobbing on the pillow as he nodded in childish excitement. He softly asked, “aur kya karti thi bachpan me?”

She combed her fingers through his hair, “drawing karti thi, stapu khelti thi, Preeti ke saath jhagadti thi, lekin sabse zyada toh main hamesha sapne dekhti thi.”

“Kaise sapne?”, he enquired.

Her eyes took on a distant expression as she thought, “bahot kuch. Papa mujhse bhi pyaar kare. Mummy kisi tarah wapas aa jaaye. Hum logo ka apna ghar ho; main, Arjun bhaiya, mummy aur papa.” She sighed, “fir dhire dhire samajh aaya ke meri mummy kabhi wapas nahi aayegi. Lekin uss baat ka dukh nahi hua kyunki Chachiji thi mere saath. Fir mere sapne unse jud gaye. Sochti thi badi hoke kuch aisa karungi ke Chachaji aur Chachiji ko mujhpe garv ho.”

“Unko hai tumpe garv”, Sameer assured her.

She smiled, “jaanti hun. Par tumhe pata hai sabse ajeeb sapne konse the mere?”

He tilted his head, “konse?”

“Jo main film dekhke bunti thi, khuli aankhon se”, she laughed, and continued, “Salman ko dekhke sochthi thi ke meri zindagi me bhi koi hero aayega, jo mujhe saari khushiya de dega. Jiske liye main duniya ki sabse khubsurat ladki houngi. Jo safed ghodi pe aayega, band baaja baraat leke, bilkul jaise movies me dikhate hai.”

He pouted, “Salman aa toh gaya tumhari zindagi me. Toh fir inn sapno ko ajeeb kyun keh rahi ho?”

She grinned, “ajeeb isiliye kyunki pyaar ko samjhe bina pyaar ke sapne dekhti thi. School me ho ya ghar me, hamesha kitabon me dubi rehti thi. Tumhe pata hai, school me tumhare aane se pehle se Romeo-Juliet ke natak wala selection chal raha tha. Maine jab pehli baar audition diya, tab Lochan sir ne mujhe kaha ke main ratke dialogues suna sakti hun lekin pyaar nahi hai usme. Unhone kaha ke mujhe bhavaarth samajhna chahiye.”

His face scrunched in that adorable expression she had witnessed so many times, and even before he asked she knew what he would say. “Naina, hindi me bolo na”, he blurted making her laugh.

She tugged his hair, “bhavaarth matlab shabdo ke peeche ka matlab. Mujhe pyaar shabd ka spelling aata tha lekin matlab samajh nahi aata tha. Kitni koshish ki jaanne ki, samajhne ki. Ek gaane ka matlab hamare padosi Meghaben ko pucha toh Taiji se thappad pad gaya. Ab sochti hun, ke uss gaane ka matlab agar uss ladke se pucha hota toh bhagwaan jaane kya hota.”

He scowled, “kis ladke ki baat kar rahi ho?”

She smiled, “pata nahi kaun tha. School ke canteen me dekha tha uss din. Munna, Pandit, Hemant aur dusre kuch ladko ke saath antakshari khel raha tha.”

Sameer’s eyes widened slightly as he recalled himself being at that place, “umm… konsa gaana Naina?”

She squinted her eyes, thinking, then hummed the tune and sang the first few stanzas of ‘aag barasti hai sawan me…’ Then she laughed, “main usse puchne bhi jaa rahi thi, lekin tabhi Swati aa gai mujhe bulane. Main woh din kabhi nahi bhul sakti, Chachiji ne itne dino baad aloo paratha banake diya tha, aur woh bhi chori ho gaya. Upar se iss gaane ka matlab ab tak samajh nahi aata mujhe.”

He coughed lightly, trying to control his grin. It astonished him to think that Naina still didn’t know that it was him that day in canteen. Should he tell her now? Or should he wait? And oh how he looked forward to explain the meaning of this song to her. But wait… this place wasn’t right for it. He needed to think of something.

He felt her hand on his chest, shaking him, “kya soch rahe ho?”

“aah… woh…”, he racked his brain for some other incident, “haan, woh tumhare baalo me chewing gum laga diya tha na maine…wahi.”

She laughed, “uski toh baat hi mat karo. Ek to mujhe baal katwane pade aur upar se kitne khush hoke mujhe bata rahe the phone pe ke woh chewing gum tumhare muh se nikla tha.”

He laughed too, “aree… mere pyaar ka pehla tohfa tha woh.” She hit his arm, and he caught her hand lifting it to drop a kiss. He continued speaking, sharing his thoughts, “tumhe pata hai, jis din market me woh kissa hua na, main soch raha tha ke khud aake tumse maafi maangu. Par fir main 2-3 minute tak khade khade bas tumko dekhta hi raha, kaise tum maze se pani-puri kha rahi thi, kitni khushi thi tumhare chehre pe. Pata nahi kyun par main tumhe pareshan nahi dekhna chahta tha, isiliye paper pe sorry likhke uss bachche ke haatho bhijwa diya.”

She smiled, her eyes sparkling with happiness of old memories. He grabbed a silky strand of her hair, and rubbed it between his fingers, “waise… achcha hi hua ke uss din chewing gum laga diya tumhare baalo me.”

“Haww… kyun?”, she asked piqued.

He smirked up at her, “dekho na, tumhe uske wajah se baal katvane pade. Aur fir kitni achchi lag rahi thi. Jab school me maine dekha to thodi der toh pehchaan hi nahi paaya ke tum wahi ladki ho. Aur fir pehchaana to laga ke ab iss naye hairstyle me zyada achchi dikh rahi hai.” He tugged his collar higher, “so tumhare naye khubsurat avatar ka saara credit mera.”

She laughed at his unbelievable rationalization, “tumhare credit ke chakkar me pata hai ghar pe kitni daant padi thi mujhe aur Preeti ko. Maine baal katvaye, aur Preeti ne mere baal kaate. Iss wajah se ghar me jo pralay aaya tha uska andaaza bhi nahi hai tumko. Kisi tarah Chachaji ne thappado se toh bacha liya lekin badle me 10 kilo gehu pisvane bhej diya mujhe aur Preeti ko. Aur wahan hua ek aur siyapa.”

He grinned, enjoying all the recollections “kaisa siyapa?”

She sighed, “maine jo salwar-kameez pehna tha uska dupatta mujhe mil nahi raha tha, toh maine Pooja didi ka hare rang dupatta daal liya. Aur fir market me uss din Golden Circus ka procession aaya hua tha. Toh main aur Preeti dekhne me lag gaye khush hoke, aur dhyan hi nahi diya ke mera dupatta ek dukan ke darwaze me fas gaya. Baad me dekha, tab tak toh woh fat chuka tha. Pata nahi kaise. Aur ghar aake Taiji ki daant – itni safai se dupatta fat nahi sakta, maine zarur kisi ladke ki kalai pe bandha hai faadke, mere pyaar ki nishaani.”

Sameer stared at her surprised beyond words. How could he forget that day? He had quarrelled with his mom, who had been scolding him for running away from hostel. Frustrated, he had left the house and gone to the market to get himself a campa cola, and the sharp edges of the bottle cap had scratched his hand. Looking around for a cloth, he had spotted some green fabric fluttering in the air stuck at the hinges of the shop door. Without even thinking twice, he had torn a bit and tied it to his wound.

He wanted to sit up, and tell her right now, that it was him – it was always him who had surrounded her. He wanted to laugh in elation. Without even them knowing, destiny had been bringing them in front of each other again and again. And how strange it was that after so many years he was finally getting to know about all these incidents. Unintentionally though, Naina had set the base today for his surprise. Now he just needed to finalize a few things in his plan and then he would tell her how all these incidents connected them.

Happy in his thoughts he never realized when he drifted off to sleep. Naina kept stroking his hair. She had seen him thinking about something, but she hadn’t been worried because he had a smile on his face. Whatever he was thinking it was giving him happiness, and that was enough for her. She had seen his eyes fluttering as exhaustion took over and he fell asleep. He must be tired, she thought. His Delhi trip was busy with work and family problems, and on top of that, he had been carrying the load of Mr. Somani’s confession and his own troubling thoughts. She held his hand, linking her fingers with his, silently promising to herself that she would protect him from all the sadness, giving him all the love that would replace every bad and lonely memory he ever had in his life. He had protected her from the demons in her life, and now it was her turn. Something shifted inside her, a sensation of peace settling in her heart, and she too leaned back and fell asleep.

At around 5pm Bela came out to the living room and stood astonished at the sight before her. Naina was sitting on the sofa, her head on the backrest, asleep. Her hand was linked with Sameer’s hand, who was sleeping on a cushion on Naina’s lap. Naina’s other hand was tangled in his hair, as if she had been stroking his hair before she fell asleep. Quite unknowingly, the sight of them made her smile, as she also recalled the initial days of her marriage. But soon her attention was drawn to the clock, and she realized that her husband would soon be home, and Preeti too. And what if bhabhiji came from next door? She quickly went to Naina, and shook her, whispering her name.

Naina’s eyes blinked open, and she squinted. “Uthja beta”, Bela whispered. Naina’s started to sit up, and that’s when she realized that Sameer was sleeping on her lap, and Chachiji had seen them like this. Her eyes widened, cheeks burning in mortification, as she wondered how to explain this to Chachiji. She knew she hadn’t done anything wrong, but would Chachiji understand? Slowly, she lifted the cushion and placed in on the sofa, taking care not to disturb Sameer. Detangling her hand from his, she stood up as Chachiji went into the kitchen.

Naina followed her, and stood silently as Bela set the milk on gas, then turned and crossed her arms, frowning.

“Ch…cha..chachiji… woh main”, Naina stammered.

Bela stalled her with a raised hand, “kya kar rahe the?”

Naina’s eyes widened, “k…kuch bhi nahi… woh Sameer thake hue the thoda, toh hum baate kar rahe the aur dhyan hi nahi diya ke kab so gaye.”

Bela scowled making her nervous, but then she bit her lip as a smile bloomed on her face. Naina stared surprised. Bela laughed softly, “koi baat nahi beta. Lekin thoda dhyan se. Kamsekam bhabhiji ke saamne nahi. Thike?”

“Aap naraaz nahi ho?”, Naina asked hesitantly.

Bela smiled, then turned off the gas and took Naina with her to her own room. She opened a cupboard and from the lower shelf pulled out a small old album, “yeh dekh. Isme tere Chachaji ke aur mere shaadi ke pehle ke paanch photu hai.”

Naina’s lips parted in surprise as she took the album and stared at the black and white pictures. The younger version of her chacha-chachi had got this clicked in a studio, since there was rarely anyone who could afford personal cameras in those days. Chachiji was dressed in a salwar-kameez, and Chachaji in trousers and untucked shirt. The pictures were simple, but in one photo Chachaji had his arm around Chachiji’s shoulders.

Bela laughed, “bhagwaan jhuth na bulaye, iss photu ko khinchwate time hume bolna pada tha ke hum dono shaadi-shuda hai.”

Naina also laughed, “par aapke gharwale?”

Bela took back the album staring fondly at the photos, “shaadi se pehle jhuth bolke ek baar mile the bas. Woh bhi maine zidd ki thi isiliye. Sirf meri behen ko sach pata tha ke main kahan jaa rahi hun, baaki sabko kaha tha saheli ka janamdin hai.”

Naina recalled how she had lied at home for the first time to go to Sameer’s birthday. She bit her lip, “umm… Chachiji… aapko yaad hai gyaarvi kaksha me main Suman naam ki saheli ke janamdin pe gai thi? Pehle aap mujhe chodne aa rahe the, aur fir papa leke gaye mujhe?”

Bela thought for a minute, then nodded, “haan yaad hai na. Apna naya frock pehen ke gai thi tu. Madhuri wala.”

“Uss waqt main Suman nahi, Sameer ke birthday pe gai thi”, she confessed, then continued, “lekin jhuth bolke gai to kuch achcha nahi lag raha tha, aur fir Tauji ke dost ko dekhke ghabrake bhaag aai wahan se. Sameer ko bataye bina.”

Bela was silent for so long that Naina started to worry that she might be angry. But after a moment, Bela planted her hands on her own cheeks, a horrified expression on her face, “hey bhagwaan, iska matlab maine woh peela phool wala calip damadji ke liye bhijwaya tha…!!??!!”

Again, silence stretched as Naina and Chachiji stared at each other, then they both burst out laughing. Shaky with mirth, they clutched hands and sat down on bed. Naina wiped her eyes, “darasal main woh Sameer ko de nahi rahi thi, lekin Munna ne mere haath se leke de diya, aur Sameer ne dekh bhi liya. Aur mujhse kaha – maana mere baal lambe hai, lekin itne bhi nahi ke clip lagana pade.”

Bela laughed again, “bhagwaan jhuth na bulaye beta, yeh baat damadji ke saamne kabhi mat karna.”

Suddenly the doorbell rang, and Naina rushed out while Chachiji hid her precious album again. Sameer had woken up because of the sound and now sat up rubbing his eyes. Preeti entered like a whirlwind, muttering something as soon as Naina opened the door. She spotted him immediately, “Jijaji…! Mujhe laga aap chale gaye honge.”

Sameer grinned at her, “nahi, main yahin hun. So gaya tha.”

She leaned forward and inconspicuously whispered, “akele?”

“Kya karu? Tumhari behen kuch samajhti hi nahi hai”, he whispered back. However, Naina heard him and threw a cushion at him, which he deftly fielded.

Naina looked at her grinning sister, “tu yahan kya bethi hai. Roz toh ghar aate hi bhuk lagi hai chillati hai. Aur aaj Jijaji ko dekhke pet bhar gaya? Chal jaa haath-muh dho le, main nashta banati hun.”

“Aur tum bhi, hasna band karo”, she instructed Sameer, who grinned broader and winked at her.

Thirty minutes later, when Chachaji had also arrived, they enjoyed dishes of piping hot methi pakoda and tea. The conversations ranged from business to wedding preparations.

Chachiji passed on a covered bowl to Naina, “beta yeh bhabhiji ko deke aaja. Abhi Pralay aa jayega tuition se toh kha lega.”

Naina stood up, “ji Chachiji”, and left.

She gave the bowl full of pakodas to Taiji, who accepted it gladly, and then hurried back home. However, just as she reached the door, Pralay came running inside, and Naina stepped back to save him from colliding with her. But, her foot tangled with the welcome mat, and she collapsed on the glass door behind her. “Ouch”, she yelped as her head hit the glass. Sameer heard her yelp, immediately pushing back his chair, he rushed outside, but stopped to a halt at the threshold as he heard Taiji shout on Naina.

“Oh bai”, Taiji fumed, “aankhe hai ke button. Dekhke nahi chal sakti. Abhi ya toh Parlay babu ko lag jaata ya toh darwaza tut jaata.”

“Taiji, woh Pralay daudta hua aa raha tha toh usiko bachane ke liye peeche hati aur darwaze se takra gai”, Naina’s voice trembled.

Taiji took offence immediately, “Neva! Khud andhi ki tarah chale aur dosh Parlay babu ko. Pata bhi hai ke kitna mehenga darwaza hai, tut jaata toh paise kaun deta. Tere papa toh dene se rahe. Ya apni shaadi ki tarah yeh kharcha bhi Anand babu ke upar…”

She trailed off as her eyes landed on Sameer who had just stepped out of the door. Chachaji tried to step out behind him, but Chachiji held him back and signalled in a no. Taiji’s tone immediately changed, “aree bholuram, tum ab tak idhar ho. Naina beta, tune bataya nahi. Ja ja, tu ghar jaa. Aur sir pe zyada chot toh nahi lagi na, baraf ghis lena.”

Naina looked at Sameer, who stood calmly but she could see the storm in his eyes. She knew that there was no way Taiji won’t be paying back for what had happened. She needed to talk to Sameer, to calm him down. Just then Pralay came out, munching on a pakoda, and addressed his mother, “Naina didi ko kyun daant rahe ho? Woh nahi hat ti toh main gir jaata na.” Taiji smiled amiably and fussed over her son. With a jerk of his head, Sameer signalled Naina to come back, which she obeyed.

He watched her ashen face, and asked as soon as she entered inside, “Kahan lagi?”

She looked into his eyes, “main thik hun. Kuch laga nahi, woh toh bas ekdum se takrai na isiliye.”

He searched her face for some time, then nodded, satisfied that she was telling the truth. “Main ab nikalta hun. Munna se office ka thoda kaam hai, toh uske ghar jaunga”, he addressed Chacha-Chachi.

He looked over at Naina once more, and then put on his shoes. As he started to leave, Pralay came up to him, “Jijaji, ek baar bowling karo na.”

Sameer smiled, his eyes shifting from Pralay to the offending glass door, “haan karta hun. Lekin sirf ek ball. Aur fir ek ball tum daalna mere liye.”

Pralay nodded happily, and positioned to bat in front of Chachaji’s house. Sameer went over to opposite side and threw a ball, which Pralay hit up the staircase. Sameer caught the ball as it came bouncing back, and handed it to Pralay, “ab meri baari.” Pralay handed over the bat, and threw a spin wanting to impress his jijaji. Naina who stood watching the game with Chacha-Chachi and Preeti, realized Sameer’s intention barely a second before he acted upon it. The spinning ball touched his bat’s edge, and sailed beautifully across the corridor, smashing straight into Taiji’s imported glass door, which shattered noisily. Taiji hurried outside, and so did a few other neighbours who had heard the noise. Sameer stood with the bat and Pralay by his side, both with a convincing equally guilty expression on their faces, but Naina could see the triumphant glitter in his eyes.

Taiji was in such a shock on seeing the destruction that she couldn’t even wail over it.  Sameer sauntered over to her, “sorry Taiji. Meri galti hai. Pralay ne cricket khelne rok liya, aur main bhi uske saath khelne laga. Mujhe kehna chahiye tha ke niche jaake khelte hai.”

Chachiji came over, “bhagwaan jhuth na bulaye, bhabhiji kuch toh boliye. Damadji aapse maafi maang rahe hai.” She lowered her voice and added, “aur sab log dekh rahe hai. Bade bhaisaab kya bolenge.”

Taiji stirred on hearing the last words, “uhh… k…koi baat nahi beta. Tumhare Tauji samajh jayenge.”

Sameer smiled genially, “jaanta hun ke Tauji samajh jayenge. Lekin fir bhi, meri galti hai na, toh main kal office se log bhijwake naya darwaza lagva dunga. Aap fikar mat karna zara bhi.”

He glanced at Naina once again, nodded at Chachaji, and left even before someone could say anything. Naina stared at his back, astonished slightly, and somehow happy from within despite the fact that she hadn’t wished for him to retaliate.