Always and Forever
Part - 25: Gold Fever

The orange and blue salwar-kameez gleamed in the sunlight as she stood on the balcony combing her long tresses. The streets below were crawling with people owing to some vegetable vendor selling off his wares at discounted rates. A couple of cows roamed around hoping to get some tidbits. A shrill voice floated up the balcony, “Oh bai! Tuver toh ab tak itna mehenga hai. Thoda aur kam karo daam.”

Naina shook her head at the bargaining style of Taiji. She just didn’t possess that flair, Naina thought. No one could bargain better than Sameer. Chuckling at her own thoughts she went back inside the room, lest Taiji saw her and yelled why she was combing in the balcony. These days every moment she kept thinking of Sameer. It was not an unusual behavior on her part, as in school days too she used to keep on thinking about him, but now… every second of her day was filled with him. If she ate, she kept thinking about what meals she would prepare for him after marriage. If she slept, she missed his warmth beside her. If she bathed, she recalled their bathroom adventure. If she dressed, she kept thinking about what he would like. Well… at least today he had eliminated that effort for her, because he had called in the morning demanding she wear orange.

Where did he get these ideas from? Somedays pink, someday red, and now orange… Will he continue doing that after marriage too? At that time he will have access to her whole wardrobe, so he can just pull out sarees or dresses for her. She put on earrings, and her thoughts wandered to the happenings of yesterday. The way he had touched her, what she had seen, the urgency in his actions – everything stunned her. She had never experienced that kind of sensation before. Her whole body seemed to be on fire. And he had touched her so intimately. She shuddered, her body starting to warm up anew at the memories. He had been so frustrated when she had suddenly entered his room. What had he been thinking? Why this sudden reaction to her? Was he thinking of her before she went there? If yes, then what? Was it some new fantasy of his, like the bathroom one? He hadn’t told her anything. Or rather, they hadn’t had enough time to talk.

She had felt him aroused before. The way they had slept together, the way she had been so often pressed to his body it was difficult to miss it. But, this was the first time she had seen it. She swallowed at the memory. Ah God. He was… well… very well endowed. Was it normal? She shook her head at her own mental questioning. How would she know if it was normal or not? It wasn’t as if she had a habit of staring at every male she met. Forget others; she hadn’t even looked at Sameer until yesterday. The memory of that sight caused her stomach to clench and her breasts felt heavy, she bit her lip afraid that a moan will escape. Along with arousal came a tinge of fear.

His description and demonstration of lovemaking was fresh in her mind, and the passages from books were also crystal clear in her memory. She also remembered that he had said that it would cause her pain the first time. Was it going to be really painful? Looking at him that question had popped in her mind as to how could he be inside her if he was so… Her entire face flushed at her thoughts. She stood up and paced the bedroom, listening to the sound of running water as Preeti took her bath. Could she ask Sameer? No no. How could she? How would she even frame that question? Plus she also needed to be mindful of his condition. If she found it so difficult to control then how could she expect him to be in control always? Wasn’t yesterday proof enough? He hadn’t even registered her surprise the first time; otherwise he would have stopped immediately.

What if she hadn’t spoken out? What if she had let him continue? Would he have made love to her? No. That answer was clear in her mind. Sameer had always found a way to control himself and her. He had stayed true to his promise. And if she was honest, no matter how frustrating this wait was, yet there was something incredibly sweet in the idea of waiting for that one special night. All these years, all this longing would culminate to that one night when they would be finally together. But was it really the culmination? No, it was rather a new beginning. A threshold to the life that was hers, and theirs.

She suddenly recalled his words that he had voiced once in school, during their first heart-to-heart conversation – “hamara jo dard haina woh same to same hai… haina?”

How true he was. But now, in their new life she would ensure that the pain of incomplete families that they had suffered from would turn into immense happiness. She would give all the love to him, never let him feel alone, and always cherish every moment with him. With this thought, her apprehensions about their first night also evaporated from her mind. So what if she had to bear some pain at the beginning to have pleasurable moments afterwards. No pain could be more than the pain of staying away from him. Besides she trusted Sameer. He would not have assured her of pleasure yesterday if there was no truth in it. Nothing mattered for him over her comfort. And plus hadn’t she read in books too about the heroines enjoying lovemaking? So, it can’t be wrong. Sameer and book, both were trustworthy source of information.

There was a sound of click, and Preeti came out dressed in a green salwar-kameez. Naina smiled at her, “aaj Rohan ne green pehenneko kaha hai kya?”

Preeti chuckled, “har koi jijaji jaisa nahi hota. Yeh toh aaj mera man hua pehenneka isiliye pehen liya.”

Naina laughed, “chal tu taiyar ho jaa. Main kitchen me hun.”

Bela was making preparations for evening dinner, as she had no clue by when they would be back from the jewelers. Naina sat down to help her, and started shelling the peas. She wrinkled her nose as she found a big, fat worm in one of the pod, “chee… isiliye saste daam me sabjiya bech raha tha woh. Kitna bada keeda hai.”

Bela laughed, “bhagwan jhuth na bulaye beta, yeh toh ek do me hi hai. Darasal woh kaka apne gaanv jaa rahe hai kal se, unki behen ki tabiyat kharab hai. isiliye aaj apna saara maal saste daam me nikal diya.”

Naina nodded, amused at how interwoven lives were in small cities. Everyone in their society must be knowing about the vegetable vendor’s sister being unwell, and must have offered a word of assurance. She wondered if people helped a bit with money or offered something for journey. Her question was immediately answered when Bela said, “maine na kuch purane shawl or tere chachaji ka ek purana sweater de diya. Itni thandi me bus me jayenge toh zarurat padegi na. Aur kal raat wale methi ke theple the na, woh bhi de diye.”

Naina smiled, touched by the kindhearted gesture of her Chachiji. She made a mental note to include it in her story somehow, and also resolved that she would also adopt similar trait in her life, of helping the people in need whenever she could.

Bela sighed, “achcha beta sunn, kuch khane ko lena hai kya? Bhuk lagegi na dopahar ko. Nashte me paratha banaye the, thode se le lu? Sameer ko bhi pasand hai na.”

Naina chuckled, “chachiji, bhuk lagegi toh bahar kha lenge. Aap fikar mat karo. Aur subah muli ke paratha bane the, woh Sameer nahi khaate. Unhe alu ke parathe pasand hai.”

Bela slapped her forehead, “uff… hamesha bhul jaati hun. Ab Bhabhiji ke diye hue naam se yaad rakhna padega.”

Naina frowned, puzzled, “matlab?”

Bela giggled, “aree… woh bhabhiji ne bholuram naam diya hai na. Aur damadji ki shakal bhi bholi si hai.  Khaas kar ke unke gaal dekhe hai? Dekhte hi khichne ki ichcha ho. Toh uspe se hi yaad rakhungi… alu jaise gaal hai na, toh alu paratha pasand hai.”

A moment passed during which Naina stared at her chachiji, and then broke into peals of laughter recalling how she too had wanted to pull his cheeks when they were in school. Preeti came out with her and Naina’s purse, “kya joke hai? Mujhe bhi batao.”

Bela and Naina kept laughing, until Preeti banged on the table demanding to know what was up. But before they could tell her, Taiji entered through the open door, “Oh bai! Subah subah kya udham macha rakhi hai. Bahar tak tum logo ke khi-khi ki awaz aa rahi hai.” She scowled at Naina, “aur tu… apni yeh aadate sudhar le. Sasural me aise thahake lagana nahi chalega.”

Naina didn’t bother to reply, instead smiled to herself, as she recalled the playful teasing and vibrant conversations with her sasuralwale. She checked her watch, 10:30am, “chachiji, chaliye yeh samet lete hai. Sameer pone-gyarah tak aa jayenge, unhone kaha tha.”

On the other side, Sameer left from his home, eager to pick Naina up for the day. Quite apart from pissing Taiji off, he was genuinely interested in buying all the jewelry for Naina. She would look so gorgeous decked up in that wedding lehenga and jewelry, he mused. He tried to draw up an imagination of how she would look, but instead of the wedding attire, his thoughts drifted to yesterday when Naina had almost landed in-front of him straight out of his purple fantasy. God, the way she had stopped him from backing out or escaping. He couldn’t believe that his sweet innocent Naina had developed such a bold streak that she had actually attempted to touch him. He had registered the expression of shock and surprise, when she had seen his erect form. He flushed and chuckled, guess it was good he was exercising and not wearing boxers. Was it the first time for her? How could it be? They had been so… close. Slept together, those several makeout sessions, he hummed as he recalled some of them. And then he had also demonstrated lovemaking to her. But even as he recalled all those incidents he also recalled that yes, they had been close but she had never really seen him, just like he had also not ventured down her waist ever before. But yesterday, her courage, inquisitiveness and boldness and opened the doors for him, and he had been quick to grab that opportunity.

He had touched her and she had melted, moaned, and pressed against his hand. It had been crazy for him, as he had tried to calm her, pleasure her, yet keep a track of his own surroundings so that no one came up and heard them. His lips curved in a lopsided smirk as he recalled her loud moans. God. He would have a hard time making love to her, if his family came to stay with them after their marriage sometimes. He chuckled as he thought of ways to silence her, his eyes glittering with anticipation. And wouldn’t he need that tactic when he came to stay in Agarwal house too? He was sure that sometimes Naina would want to spend a few days with Chachiji, and if she thought that he would stay back alone at their home then she was wrong. No. He would tag along with her, he thought, not the least bit ashamed at the prospect of staying is his sasural.

He stopped at a small signal, and stroked the bunch of flowers he had bought, reminiscing how she had willingly come upstairs with him the second time. It was not like she hadn’t known why he had asked her to come. That was why he had asked. So she had no doubt at all of his intentions. If she would have said no, then he would have gone up alone and taken a bath. But, she had nodded, and started to climb up. The anticipation had hung in the air, he had tried to calm down, but had been unable to. The sight of that unknown tailor taking her measurements had been too much for him. He had felt the urgent need to stake his claim on her, even though he clearly knew that she was only his. She had been aroused and anxious too, no doubt he had moved too fast for her to anticipate or understand. Yet, when he had finally stopped, she had relaxed on his shoulder, and had not even thought of pushing him away. Her faith, her trust in him was unparalleled. And that is why, unlike previous times, he hadn’t felt guilty or anxious about what he had done. He knew that Naina understood his condition, and he knew that she would always believe in him. If he had taught her the basics of physical intimacy since their Roka, then her love had given him the power to express his desires wholeheartedly.

He beeped his horn twice as he parked beneath her society. And soon, he saw her coming out at the balcony and wave at him. He grinned, glad on seeing the effect of their years old signal. Naina came downstairs, followed by Preeti, an excited Chachiji, and a waddling Taiji.

Sameer descended from the car, and stood staring at her over the car-roof, his eyes gleamed on seeing his demand being fulfilled. How easy it was, he mused, and yet how amazing it felt each time. Naina never refused him. He didn’t know what was this craze he had of demanding that she wear specific colors. This had started from college, and she would always comply with his demands. He just felt cherished, and treasured whenever she accepted his demands and wore something he specifically asked for. He now took out a bunch of Gerbera daisies from the car, and walked towards her, watching with satisfaction when Taiji’s eyes widened.

He offered the flowers to her, “kehne ki zarurat hai ke kitni khubsurat lag rahi ho?”

She blushed. Chachiji smiled, averting her eyes from the couple. Taiji glared, “Oh bai! Santre ke rang ke kapde pehne hai isne.”

Sameer smiled, “haan. Maine hi kaha tha. Waise to Naina har rang me khubsurat lagti hai, par aaj usko iss rang me dekhne ki ichcha hui.” He glanced at his watch, “chalein?”

As they all walked towards the car with Naina and Sameer leading the way, he placed a hand on the small of her back in the same possessive gesture that he had used so many times. But, this time he was using it in-front of her family. It didn’t escape Naina’s notice, and she could almost feel Taiji’s gaze on his palm resting at her back. However, there was no question of her objecting. Instead, she looked up at him and smiled.

Vishakha had given him the address of the jewelers, and she had gone there along with Rohan and Deepika in another car with the driver. Sameer had of course taken it upon him to pick up Naina and her family. As he drove to the shop, he let Preeti chatter, and kept stealing glances at Naina who sat admiring the flowers with a small smile on her face. He had tried searching her expressions for any fear or unsurity about what had transpired between them, but all he could see was radiant happiness and peace. The slight pressure on his heart also relaxed, knowing that she was okay, and even though they had ventured in an unknown territory yesterday she was not scared.

When they reached the shop, Vishakha and Deepika greeted Naina with a hug, and Rohan with a jovial hi. After greeting Chachiji and Taiji, Vishakha turned towards Naina, “aree beta, aaj bhi salwar-kameez pehna.”

Naina looked confused, “matlab? Saree pehenni thi kya? Mujhe laga zevar select karne me toh saree zaruri nahi hoga.”

“Neva!”, Taiji taunted, “tujhe bola tha na maine ke sasural walo ke saamne saree pehenke jaaya kar. Par teri moti akkal me koi baat ghuse toh na.”

Vishakha cleared her throat, slightly surprised by the sudden outburst by Taiji, “mera matlab saree se nahi tha beta. Maine toh socha tha ke shayad tum jeans pehnogi.”

“Jeans!!?”, Naina and Preeti exclaimed.

Vishakha nodded, “haan aur nahi toh kya. Sameer ke saath jeans pehenke nahi jaati kya kabhi. Maine photo me dekha tha tumko, tabse ichcha ho rahi thi tumhe waise dekhne ki. Khair jaane do, agli baar zarur pehenna lekin.”

Naina nodded with a smile, and finally they sat down on white mattresses, that had turned slightly yellowish with age. Sameer sat down a little away with Rohan, yet not so far that he would get to see the jewelry, and of course he ensured that he had a clear view of Naina. Glittering necklaces, and shiny earrings were being displayed on the glass counter for their perusal. Vishakha started to hold up some necklaces against her neck, to check how it looked on her. Finally, the jeweler pulled out long thick necklace with round heavy locket. Taiji’s eyes popped out, while Bela looked apprehensive, and Naina wondered how anyone could wear such a heavy piece.

Vishakha again held it up against Naina to check how it looked. Sameer tilted his head, and frowned, the necklace was good, but it didn’t feel like it was for his Naina.

“Aree behenji, sochiye mat itna. Nayi dulhan ke liye yeh haar bilkul sahi rahega”, the rotund jeweler tried to convince.

Taiji couldn’t help but speak up, “Oh bai! Itna mehenga wala haar, woh bhi iske liye?”

The jeweler looked at her with a confused gaze, “behenji aapki toh beti hai na. Fir aapko toh khush hona chahiye?”

That was it. The perfect opportunity for Taiji to spew her venom. She adjusted her pallu, “neva! Main to iski Taiji hun. Iski maa toh…”

She was interrupted by Bela, “main hun. Naina ki maa main hun.”

Sameer who had stilled and narrowed his eyes as soon as Taiji has started to speak, relaxed visibly and Naina who had started to look down also relaxed and looked gratefully at her Chachiji. The jeweler nodded, “mujhe laga hi. Aapka kya kehna hai iss haar ke baare me.”

It was all too new for Bela. She had never seen such expensive jewelries in-front of her, let alone selecting one of them. However, she hesitantly replied, “haar toh khubsurat hai bhaisaab. Par meri beti itni nazuk si hai, uske gale me yeh haar bahot bada dikhega shayad.”

Vishakha smiled, “bilkul thik kaha aapne behenji. Naina ke liye koi badhiya si design dikhaiye…”, she glanced at Taiji and added, “isse mehenga hoga toh bhi chalega, par design Naina ke liye ekdum perfect hona chahiye.”

As several other pieces of intricate jewelries were being showed, one man brought out a box and detangled some earrings from it, and kept them aside. One gleaming pair gold earrings caught Naina’s eye. It wasn’t like she had never seen gold earrings before, but this one was unusual. The top designed like a peacock facing the side, and the jhumka dangling in uneven shapes like the bird’s delicate feathers. The artistry was magnificent and the design unique. Inadvertently she mused how wonderful it would look with the first saree Sameer had gifted her. The blue and green Maheshwari silk saree was rich and elegant, and the earring was the same – a perfect combo. Lost in her own thoughts she reached out and touched the intricate woven gold strings. She picked up one piece, and the weight was perfect – not so light that she would feel she hasn’t worn anything, and neither so heavy that she would feel her ears will fall off. The assistant of the main jeweler caught her admiring the earring, and happily started talking, “ekdum naye dejign hai madam. Mumbai se karigar bulvaye the humne. Woh kya hai na, ab dhire dhire ladiej log naukri pe jaane lage hai, toh hamare cujtomer kehte hai ke bhaari wale jhumke nahi chahiye unko. Isiliye hum log naye dejign banva rahe hai. Daam bhi sahi hai bilkul, sirf sola hazar.”

Naina dropped the earring as if it scalded her. Sixteen Thousand! Oh God. She could never imagine spending that much amount of money on herself. All this wedding shopping has been so expensive; sometimes she wondered why people spent so much on wedding. She hadn’t voiced anything because she had learnt that some things are better done in the name of society they are living in. Maheshwaris wanted to spend money because they were capable of it, and Chachaji-Chachiji wanted to spend money because the wedding was happening in Maheswari family. She needed to remember that none of it was her money. She was just lucky that at least her choice was being considered.

Sameer had been observing the small smile on her face as her fingers had traced the earring, it was the same look she had in the saree shop the other day on seeing the unique blue and green saree. It seemed his Naina loved unique things… and why not? Wasn’t he himself unique? He smirked, and raised his collar in imagination. However the next moment the smirk turned into a frown when she dropped the earring on hearing the price. He had expected her to turn to him with confidence, and he would have immediately gone to her. But the opposite had happened. Why?

Watching her lost in thoughts he cursed, as he realized that when it came to financial matter she was still to accept what was hers. He stood up, and went to her, “Naina… mere saath chalo na zara. Bhuk lagi hai.”

Naina looked up at him, “bhuk? Itni jaldi?”

He made an impatient gesture, “timetable nahi hun main ke har waqt ek time pe bhuk lage. Chalo.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet, then addressed his mother, “mummy, main aur Naina thodi der me aate hai kuch khake.”

Not waiting for an answer he pulled her out of the shop, down the street, looking for a place where he could talk in peace. The freaking place was so crowded. Dammit.

“Sameer”, Naina huffed, “wahan restaurants hai, dusri taraf.”

“Chup”, he commanded and pulled her into another lane, spying a small temple at the end of it. He removed his shoes, and when Naina kept staring at him in confusion, he said, “kisine mujhe sikhaya tha ke mandir me jaane se pehle jute utaarte hai.”

Perplexed Naina removed her sandals and followed him inside. Standing before the idol of Radha-Krishna, he bowed his head and then turned to Naina, “tum mujhse shaadi karna chahti ho na? Pyaar karti ho na mujhse?”

Naina looked around, blushing at this sudden question. However, given it was afternoon time, the temple was deserted. She looked back at him, “haan Sameer. Aisa kyun puch rahe ho?”

He folded his arms, “isiliye kyunki itne time baad bhi tum ab tak main se hum pe nahi aai ho. Kaise samjhau tumko?”

She frowned in confusion, “yeh kya bol rahe ho? Main to abhi se hi tumko apna…”, she blushed, “umm… mera husband maanti hun.”

He relaxed slightly at this confession, “achcha… iska matlab hum dono pati-patni hue… toh Nanu wala ghar hamara hai?”

She nodded, “haan, hamara ghar hai woh.”

“Aur kya kya hamara hai?”, he enquired.

She didn’t know why he was asking these questions, but she knew there has to be a reason behind it. Sameer would never drag her away like this and ask such questions without any reason. What she had done, she wondered. Diligently she answered, “hamara ghar, hamari car, hamara parivaar”

He took a step towards her, “aur?”

Even after all these years the way he would intensely focus on her and slowly move towards her unnerved her. She swallowed, tilting her head back further to gaze up at him, “aur… kya?”

He lifted his hand, and traced one finger down her arm, “meri company? Mere paise? Woh sab kiska? Sirf mera?”

Her mouth curved in confusion, “huh?”

He smirked seeing her lost look at his touch, “chalo chodo. Tumhare bank me bhi toh paise hai na. Itne saalo ki savings. Mujhe gift nahi dogi usme se? Ya mujhe chahiye toh main tumse maang nahi sakta? Ya tum mujhe kahogi ke woh sirf tumhare paise hai?”

She was unable to follow his train of thoughts, “nahi. Woh sirf mere kyun hue. Jo mera hai woh tumhara bhi toh hai. Zyada nahi hai mere paas, lekin agar tumhe kuch de paai ya usse tumhari kuch madad hui toh mere liye khushi ki baat hai. Aur tumko mujhse maangneki zarurat nahi hai. Mere bank me se sidhe withdraw kar lena.”

His eyes glittered, “exactly. Main bhi yahi samjhana chahta hun tumko.”

“Matlab?”, she queried.

He took another step towards her, hovering over her, “matlab… woh earrings pasand aaye na tumko? Toh daam sunke rakh kyun diye? Mudke mujhe bol nahi sakti thi?”

Her mouth fell open in surprise. He continued speaking, “tab aisa hi socha na tumne ke yeh sab jo kharid rahe hai woh toh Sameer ke paise hai. Tumhare nahi. Aisa laga hoga tumhe ke ek taraf Chachaji kharcha kar rahe hai, aur ek taraf Sameer. Tumhara toh kuch nahi hai.”

She was shocked by how accurately he had read her thoughts. And now she also realized what a mistake she had committed. Ever since their Roka, Sameer had repeatedly reinforced that what was his was now hers too. Yet she had hesitated to buy, to call him, to ask him. And unknowingly she had hurt him.

She sighed, “I am sorry Sameer. Mujhe aadat nahi hai. Isiliye shayad… Tumhe dukh nahi pahochana chahti thi. Lekin tum hi socho jis ladki ke paas Mt. Abu trip pe bhi 16 rupaye se zayda nahi tha, uske liye 16,000 sunna bhi kitna daravna hoga. Itni mehengi cheez ko toh shayad chune me bhi dar lage.”

Sameer understood, and nodded, “samajhta hun main. Jab tak Chachaji ke paas thi, main chahta bhi nahi tha ke tum 16,000 ki koi cheez kharido. Kyunki woh paise tumhare nahi hai. Par ab Mrs. Maheshwari woh earrings kharid sakti hai. Aur woh haq tumse koi cheen nahi sakta, main khud bhi nahi.” He leaned towards her, bending slightly, meeting her eyes, “Toh…?”

Her heart fluttered in the exact same way it had all those years back when he had said this word for the first time. At that time she had been so naive that she hadn’t understood what he meant. But now she did. She smiled, “toh… Mrs. Maheshwari ko woh earrings bahot achche lage. Unique hai… Bilkul uss pehli saree ki tarah jo tumne mujhe gift kiya tha. Aur… bilkul mere husband ki tarah…”

Satisfied, he moved towards her and spread his arms, but she placed her hands on his chest. Her eyes were wide, as she looked around, “Sameer… kya kar rahe ho? Mandir me hai hum?”

He was irked, “uff… aisa kis bhagwaan ne kaha hai ke mandir me romance nahi kar sakte? Yeh sabse best jagah hai, warna hero-heroine mandir me kyun milte chup-chupke?”

She laughed at his logic, “wow. Tumse behes nahi karna mujhe iss baat pe. Chalo ab… warna sab sochenge ke hum kahan reh gaye.”

They walked back to the shop, to find Vishakha looking through a book with Chachiji, and Taiji was peering in too. Rohan and Preeti sat with Deepika between them, Sameer smirked on seeing them. Soon, the smirk was wiped off from his face however, as Deepika came running and clung to Naina again.

“Yahan bethte hai”, Naina made Deepika sit on the mattress, and sat exactly behind her.

Vishakha looked up and smiled, “hume yeh saare designs me se kuch khaas pasand nahi aaya, isiliye iss book me se select kar rahe hai. Banva lenge tumhare liye. Aao… tum bhi dekho.” Then she turned to Preeti and said, “tum utni dur kyun bethi ho, yahan aake dekho na.”

Excited at the prospect of choosing jewelry for Naina, she left Rohan’s side and went to the front where all ladies had put their heads together poring diligently over the book.

As Sameer sat down, Rohan leaned towards him, and whispered “mujhe nahi pata tha ke ek haar select karne me itna time lagta hai.”

Sameer chuckled, “tension mat lo. Tumhari shaadi hogi tab sab samajh aa jayega.”

Rohan blushed, and mumbled, “pehle pyaar ka izhaar toh karne do.”

By the time the whole selection was done, it was more than two hours and this time Sameer really felt hungry. Plus not having something tangible to look at was slightly boring for him. Yes, he had chosen furniture from book with Naina, but that was different – they were alone, and he had kissed her, and they could sit close to each other. But here, with all family members present he had to restrict himself, and he didn’t like it one bit.

Vishakha marked another page in the book, “yeh saare designs thik hai na Naina?”

Naina nodded hesitantly, “hmm… thik toh hai… par…”, she glanced over at Sameer.

Vishakha noticed the look, “kya hua? Sameer ko dikhana hai?”

Blushing slightly Naina nodded, and Sameer grinned, finally getting the chance to scoot closer. Taiji couldn’t help but comment, “Oh bai! Ab bholuram ko isme kya samajh aayega? Yeh kapda thodi na hai.”

Sameer took the book from his mother, “Taiji, aap fikar mat karo, jahan baat Naina ki ho mujhe sab samajh aa jaata hai.”

He looked through the designs carefully, trying to judge the weight and how it would look on Naina. He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable wearing very heavy jewellery, and neither did he want her to wear something that she wouldn’t like. But he now understood why they all had taken so much time, because he couldn’t find a single flaw in all the designs. Instead he felt a strange eagerness to see how Naina would look in them.

He looked up at her and grinned, “perfect hai.”

Vishakha smiled, “bas ab payal bachte hai. Uska design mere paas hai.” She took out an old set of silver payal, and showed it to the jeweler, “bhaisaab, aisa banvana hai mujhe meri bahu ke liye, lekin sone me.”

Preeti exclaimed, “wow aunty. Yeh toh kitna khubsurat hai.” And it indeed was. The anklets had three strings of beads fixed one beneath the other, and last line of bead had danglers all along the line. Naina could imagine the sweet chime it must have made. All in all it was the perfect anklet for a bride.

On noticing Preeti’s excitement, Vishakha fondly said, “tumko itna pasand aaya beta toh tumhare liye bhi banva deti hun chaandi me. Bilkul jaise mere hai.”

Bela and Preeti immediately started to object, but before they could utter a word Taiji commented, “neva! Ab iske liye banvane ki kya zarurat hai? Iski thodi na shaadi hai.” She was already irked on seeing such expensive designs being chosen for Naina, and had been frustrated because her opinion was not even asked. After all she was the elder, they should have asked if she liked what was being chosen or not. Instead she felt like a mute spectator who had been brought it solely to witness the good fortune of a new bride, and that too Naina who she felt didn’t even deserve all these fineries.

Vishakha had a sudden dertermined glint in her eye, “kyun nahi? Naina meri beti hai toh Preeti bhi toh meri beti jaisi hui. Waise bhi hum log shaadi me Preeti ko bhi tohfe dete, toh usme se ek tohfa yahi sahi.” She looked at Bela, “aapko toh koi aitraaz nahi hai na behenji?”

Bela didn’t know what to say. On one side she felt that Vishakha was doing everything with good intentions, but on the other hand she was after all ladkewale. How could she accept an expensive gift for Preeti from her? She wished her husband was here to take charge, but unfortunately he wasn’t. Helplessly, she looked around, hoping that maybe Naina could help her, but instead her eyes instinctively landed on Sameer. He smiled, and blinked his eyes in assurance, giving a small nod.

Bela relaxed, “ji, jaisa aap thik samjhe behenji.”

Vishakha smiled, “thike toh fir. Bhaisaab aap yahi payal ek aur jodi banaiye chandi me.”

The jeweler nodded pleased, and promised to call as soon as the order was ready and also personally deliver it to their home. As he and his assistant started to wrap things up, Naina bit her lips gathering courage. When the assistant took the earrings from the thin glass display table, Naina stopped him, “rukiye. Ek baar fir woh jhumke dikhana zara.”

As Naina picked up the delicate jhumkas, Taiji narrowed her eyes, Bela looked surprised, and Vishakha tried to gauge what was up. She tried a lot to say that she wanted to buy it, but even though she didn’t look up she could feel the scrutinizing gazes on her. How could she say it? They weren’t married yet. Declaring in-front of Taiji that their car would pick her up was one thing; but asking to buy an expensive piece of jewelry, that too in-front of so many people was another thing. She didn’t want to hurt Sameer again, but her throat felt dry, and the words refused to come out of her mouth.

Sameer understood her condition, and leaned towards her, “aree waah. Yeh toh bahot khubsurat hai. Dikhao mujhe.” He took one earring from her nerveless finger, and held it up at eye level, as if checking it thoroughly, “hmmm… Aise samajh nahi aa raha. Pehenke dikhao.”

Naina looked at him puzzled, “kya?”

He chuckled, “pehene hue dekhunga toh thik se pata chalega. Lao main hi pehna deta hun.” He didn’t even give her a chance to accept or object. Instead, he shifted so that he was sitting directly in-front of her, and lifted his hands to her left ear, and slowly opened the jhumka she was wearing. It took him some time since naturally he wasn’t adept at opening earrings, but unlike her bra, this one was easy to figure out. He picked up the peacock earring and slipped it gently through her earlobe, then leaned further to put in the earring backing. For a moment he stilled, he was close… so close to her neck. Why the hell had she tied up her hair? He always liked to see her open hair, but today she had pinned her hair back. Even though he had earlier itched to open her hair, but now… oh wow… he could see the smooth column of her neck, the baby-fine hair curling at her nape. And what was that? Oh yes… her pulse… beating rapidly, like a tick in a clock. Unknowingly, he dipped a little, inhaling her fragrance, and felt an irresistible temptation to place a soft kiss on that staccato pulse. Quickly securing the earring he pulled back and looked into her eyes – they were wide open in surprise, but he could see the way her lips were parted slightly, the light color tinging her cheekbones, and the way she clutched onto her dupatta as if she was stopping herself from touching him.

He wasn’t sure what the others were thinking, but right now he wasn’t even concerned about them. He slid off her other earring, and took a chance to glance at her as he slipped on the new earring. Her eyes followed him, gazing at his face, and he smiled seeing her eyes flicker to his lips. He slowed down on purpose, letting his finger graze the sensitive skin on the back of her ear, feeling gratified on hearing her sharp intake of breath. As he looked at the earring gleaming on her ear, his mind drifted off to spin a new fantasy of their wedding night where he saw himself standing behind her and opening the golden earrings she would wear that day. In his fantasy, he kissed her ears, and nibbled on her earlobe as she collapsed backwards on his chest, his hand traced the neckline of her choli, one finger dipping inside slowly…

A small coughing sound from Rohan brought him back to reality, and he quickly composed himself. Cupping her chin with one hand, he turned her head right and left, “bahot achcha dikh raha hai. Haina mummy?”

Vishakha smiled knowingly, lifting a hand to cover her mouth partially, “haan… bilkul. Bahot sundar hai.”

Sameer pretended to think for a moment, then asked the jeweler to pack it. As Naina removed the earrings, handing them over to the jeweler, Sameer looked around at the present family members. Vishakha still kept smiling, Deepika was clueless, Rohan kept on looking everywhere but at them, Preeti was blushing slightly and stealing glances at Rohan, Bela had an adoring smile on her face, but the most perfect reaction was from Taiji… Taiji’s mouth was open in shock at the sight she had witnessed. They were so close. How could he? This kind of behavior was unheard of. And on top of that he had bought those expensive earrings for her. It felt like a dream… no, no… a nightmare to her. It seemed as if whatever Naina placed her hand on became hers. Rich man, expensive sarees, new clothes, fine jewelery. How did her jali hui kundli became so good? If possible, she would have lambasted both of them right now… all this tiscu-tiscu tayen-tayen was totally unacceptable before marriage. But she couldn’t say anything… her lips were sealed by her husband’s order who didn’t want to irk Sameer Maheshwari. She swallowed the bitter bile that had pooled in her mouth and thought that it was okay. There was still some time before the wedding, and Sameer won’t be there to protect Naina always. As relatives would start coming in, there would be plenty opportunities to humiliate this motherless girl in-front of others. She would make sure people know that this marriage was a result of love that a respected family like Maheshwaris could not escape. She would ensure that people know that Agarwals had agreed to this out-of-caste marriage because the girl had embarrassed them and they wanted to get rid of her.

Unknown to the evil intentions of Taiji, the remaining people were laughing and chattering. Sameer suggested eating at a nearby restaurant, which was within walking distance. They had a wonderful fill of pav-bhaji and chole-bhature. Vishakha said that the saree vendor she had asked to meet had called up that morning and was ready to meet at the Agarwal house, so they could all go there.

Sameer grinned knowing the effect of this news on Taiji, and Naina sighed in relief thinking that she would have some more time to spend with all of them. She didn’t want to go home and listen to Taiji’s taunts and criticism. As they reached Nirmal Jyoti society, Naina noticed that Sameer had an additional bag with him. She had the bouquet he had given her in her hands, and also the earrings they had bought. All other jewelry would be custom made and delivered later. So then what was this?

They reached inside to find that Chachaji had already arrived slightly early from work. Taiji immediately ordered Bela to make tea. Naina stood up, “aap bethiye Chachiji. Main banake laati hun.”

Taiji tried to behave well, “beta tu thak gai hogi. Bela bana degi na.”

Naina shrugged, “isme kaisi thakan. Aur waise bhi mummy ne mere haatho ki chai nahi pee hai. Ghar pe banane nahi dete, toh yahin peela deti hun.”

Vishakha noticed how she called Sameer’s home as ghar, and smiled, “haan bilkul. Mujhe tumhare haatho ki hi chai peeni hai. Waise bhi Sameer itni tareef karta hai.”

Naina looked slightly confused, “par tumhe toh coffee zyada pasand hai na?”

Sameer grinned, “puch toh aise rahi ho jaise itne saalo se kuch nahi jaanti. Jab pehli baar tumhare haatho ki chai pee thi 11^th standard me iss ghar me tabse hi toh chai peene laga hun.”

Her eyes widened for a moment, and she blushed, mumbling something and rushed to the kitchen. The ladies talked about the jewelry shopping, quickly updating Chachaji. When they told about the payal for Preeti, Sameer whispered to Rohan, “dekhle… tere pyaar ke izhaar se pehle hi mummy ne Preeti ko aashirwaad bhi de diya. Sab meri wajah se… chal thank you bol.”

Rohan blushed, but countered, “aapke nahi. Bhabhi ke wajah se. Zevar unke liye kharid rahe the.”

Sameer nudged his brother with his elbow, “Bhabhi ke chamche. Bhai nahi hota toh Bhabhi kahan se milti?”

Rohan grinned, “woh bhi hai. Par fir bhi main Bhabhi ko thanks bolunga… aap unse le lena apne hisse ka thanks.”

“Matlab?”, Sameer asked puzzled, “aise thanks kaise lunga?”

Rohan smirked, “jaise kal hum pizza khane gaye uske baad liya hoga, aur aaj bhuk lagne ke bahane jab Bhabhi ko leke gaye tab liya hoga… aur jaise apne kamre me rakhe uss pillow se…”

“Chup kar timetable”, Sameer admonished, but failed to hide the color flooding his cheeks or the foolish grin on his face.

Soon Naina came in with the tea, and Vishakha appreciated it very much saying that ginger tea was her favorite, and it tasted much better than elaichi tea, unknowingly irking Taiji even more. The saree vendor came in after thirty minutes, followed by two females, and between them they carried five big white cotton bundles full of sarees. Naina felt it was just like the experience at the shop in Sindhi Market, but this time Taiji couldn’t impose her wish even for a minute. Right from the start of selection, Vishakha took control, and Sameer didn’t hesitate to sit beside her and choose for her. When Preeti picked up one saree, Rohan signaled to her that it wasn’t good, and this continued until she had picked up one which he liked. Sameer and Naina smiled on seeing this exchange, wishing they would confess their love soon. Sameer knew what was stopping Rohan – they hadn’t spent enough time with each other. Love can blossom in a moment, and flourish over the phone, but to have that solid base where one could speak his heart out some moment of time needed to be spent together. He was lucky that he had spent so much time with Naina even before his realization of love, so when he had finally wanted to confess he hadn’t felt the need to hold back or wait for a single second. But Rohan and Preeti needed some more time, a little bit more, and he knew just the way it could happen.

The saree selection was almost over; there was no need for him to sit here anymore. So he stood up and sought out Chachaji who was sitting on the sofa, looking at his family with a smile on his face. He went up to him and sat down, “Chachaji, mujhe aapse kuch baat karni hai.”

“Haan bolo na beta”, he smiled.

Sameer looked towards Naina and his mother who were laughing over something, “yahan nahi. Akele me.”

Chachaji wondered what the matter could be, but nodded, “thike. Terrace pe chalte hai.”

They informed that they would be back in sometime and left. The terrace was empty, the cold December weather discouraging people from spending time in open air.

Sameer titled his head towards the sky for a moment cherishing the cold whipping wind, while Chachaji waited patiently. Finally he took a deep breath and started, “Chachaji… Main Naina ko ek surprise dena chahta hun. Lekin woh aapke permission aur bharose ke bina pura nahi hoga.”

Chachaji was confused, “kaisa surprise?”

Sameer continued slowly, “aap toh jaante hai na ke mera aur Naina ka yeh safar school se shuru hua tha. Fir college, aur fir yeh kuch saal. Main wahi saari yaade firse baatna chahta hun Naina ke saath. School me wahi library aur classrooms me bethna chahta hun, college ke canteen me kuch pal bitana chahta hun… aur… sabse bada surprise hai… Mt. Abu.”

“Mt. Abu? Wahan toh tum log school trip pe gaye the na”, Chachaji asked recalling the happenings at that time.

Sameer nodded, smiling at the memory, “haan. Wahi woh jagah hai jahan mujhe pehli baar aisa laga tha ke ab main aur akela nahi hun. Pyaar ka ehsaas hua tha par main nasamajh kuch samajh nahi paaya. Jaane-anjaane me Naina ko taklif de di. Isiliye wapas usko le jaana chahta hun wahan pe. Taaki woh jis khushi ki haqdaar hai woh usko de saku. Par yeh aapke ijaazat ke bina mumkin nahi hai…”

Chachaji was curious to know the whole story of what had happened on that trip. He remembered how Naina had become almost like a lifeless doll after that trip, and then how she had collapsed and had to be admitted in the hospital. At the time he had thought that it was because of a quarrel with Swati, but innately he had felt the matter to be something more. After that there had been that sudden accident with Arjun, and Sameer’s punishment at their home. He wanted to know what was the matter?

He didn’t doubt Sameer’s love for Naina even for a second. There was no second thoughts about it; in fact he was happy that Sameer wanted to give more happiness to Naina by erasing some bad memories that he might have caused. Knowing his daughter, he was sure that Naina had forgiven Sameer long back, but it seemed Sameer needed that closure… but still… he couldn’t allow them to go for a trip alone like this. He sighed, “beta, main tumahre jazbaato ki kadar karta hun. Lekin shaadi se pehle iss tarah akele jaana thik nahi lagta. Ek mahine ki hi baat hai, fir tum Naina ko shaadi ke baad apne saath le jaana.”

Sameer shook his head, “nahi Chachaji. Yeh toh main bhi samajhta hun ke hum akele nahi jaa sakte… par yeh bhi zaruri hai ke yeh trip shaadi ke pehle hi ho, kyunki isse hamari school ki yaade judi hui hai. Bas kuch dino me wapas woh saare saal jeena chahta hun. Isiliye, main soch raha tha…” He took a deep breath and continued, “main soch raha tha ke kyun na hum sab saath me chale. Naina, main, Preeti, aap aur Chachiji, aur Munna, Pandit, Swati. Mummy toh aa nahi sakti Mr. Somani ke bina, aur Deepika ka school hoga, lekin Rohan shayad aa sake.”

Chachaji was surprised at this thought – a family trip wasn’t a bad idea. He could take a few days off, since it was the end of the year the workload wasn’t as much. Plus, it had been so long since they all had gone somewhere together. But then, what about… He sighed, “sach kahu toh tumhara idea achcha hai. Par beta… iski ijazat sirf mujhse nahi bade bhaisaab aur bhabhiji se bhi toh leni padegi. Aur Rakesh bhaisaab ka kya?”

Sameer looked at Chachaji incredulously, “aapko lagta hai main yeh kahunga aur Rakesh sir mujhe gale laga lenge?”

There was a moment of silence, a look passed between them, and then they both started laughing. In a rare moment of kinship, Chachaji placed a hand over Sameer’s shoulder taking his support. Just the idea of Rakesh hugging Sameer was too ludicrous to even imagine. They both sobered down, and Sameer wiped a drop of tear from his eyes, of mirth. This was the first time he had shared something like this with an elder apart from Nanu. He recalled the jokes and conversations with Nanu, and thought that until today he had never realized how much he missed that thing – to have one elder with whom he could joke, and also look up to him for advice. Because of Naina, he had found Chachaji who had unknowingly filled some of that gap in his life today.

Sameer sat on the low parapet, “darasal… main nahi chahta ke Tauji, Taiji aur Rakesh sir iss trip pe ho. Galat mat samajhiyega, main unki izzat karta hun kyunki woh mujhse bade hai. Lekin Naina ke saath jo kiya hai unn logo ne, woh bhulana ya jaane dena mere liye asaan nahi hai.”

Chachaji was perplexed, “matlab?”

Sameer looked at the extending row of socities in the distance, the setting sun lending an orange hue to the sky, “matlab… Naina itne saalo se apne papa ke pyaar aur aashirwaad ko tarasti rahi. Kitni koshish ki usne. Par Rakesh sir ne kabhi usko ehmiyat nahi di. Aisa lagta hai jaise Naina unki beti hai hi nahi. Hamari shaadi tay hui uske baad bhi sir ne kabhi sidhe muh mujhse baat nahi ki… mujhse zyada iss baat se Naina ko farq pada hai. Aur Taiji…” He paused, the rage he had felt the other day when Naina had told him about the accusations, boiling his blood again, “Taiji ne Naina pe kaise aarop lagaye hai yeh toh aap bhi nahi jaante. Naina kuch bolti nahi hai, aur Chachiji ghar ko bandhe rakhne ke liye kuch bol nahi paati… lekin mujhse bardaasht nahi hota. Rahi baat Tauji ki toh, unhone aapke liye ya Rakesh sir ke liye bahot jatan kare honge, woh mujhe nahi pata, lekin itna pata hai ke Naina ka paksh kabhi nahi dekha unhone.”

Chachaji was thoughtful about what he was hearing. He knew that Sameer was right when it came to Rakesh. Hadn’t he also wondered that what kind of father would behave like this with his daughter? But what about bhabhiji? What was it that he didn’t know? He tried to prod further, “bhabhiji Naina ko kabhi kabhi thode zyada taana maar deti hain. Par aisa kuch hua hai kya jo mujhe nahi pata…?”

Sameer closed his eyes, recalling the harsh words, and nodded. Chachaji was surprised, “kya? Aur Naina ya Bela ne mujhe kyun nahi bataya?”

Sameer’s lips curved in a strained smile, “Naina ne kabhi kisiki bhi shikayat ki hai kya? Aapko pata hai woh school me mujhse kehti thi ke uske ghar me jo hai jaisa hai sab bahot achcha hai. Main hamesha sochta tha ke yeh parivaar toh kisike sapne jaisa hoga… jahan sabme pyaar hai. Lekin Pooja didi ki shaadi me jo dekha… khair… Naina ne toh tab bhi kuch nahi kaha tha. Par abhi jo hua hai woh Naina ne mujhe batana zaruri samjha kyunki hamari shaadi hone wali hai. Aapko chachiji ne kyun nahi bataya aur kya nahi bataya yeh toh wohi jaane.”

Chachaji thought about it for a moment, wondering how grave the matter was that Sameer looked so sad and angry at the same time. Finally he relented, “Sameer… agar unko puchenge nahi toh hum jayenge kaise? Pata toh chalega hi na.”

A flare of hope ignited in his heart, and his smile brightened, “mere paas idea hai. Par pehle aap soch lijiye. Aapki ijazat hogi toh main sab sambhal lunga.”

Chachaji nodded, “thike. Main tumhe kal subah tak batata hun.”

When they went downstairs, Naina was sitting with Rohan and Deepika, with Preeti by her side, and all of them were talking like long lost friends. Feeling a little left out, he went up to them, but his face broke out in a smile when Naina immediately turned and her eyes lit up on seeing him. As he sat down next to her, he noticed that Rakesh sir had returned, but as usual didn’t participate in anything. He picked up the bag that he had brought with him, and offered it to Naina, “yeh lo.”

Naina was surprised, “kya hai isme?”

Before Sameer could reply, Taiji spoke up, “oh bai! Ek aur tohfa. Aree bholuram, 16000 ke jhumke kam pade kya jo aur tohfe de rahe ho.”

Rakesh, who was sitting on the sofa with a grumpy expression, stirred on hearing about the earrings and turned to look at them. Sameer smiled, “Taiji… 16000 ke jhumke tohfa nahi tha. Woh Naina ne apne paiso se kharide, kyunki jo mera hai woh uska hai. Haan par yeh zarur tohfa hai… aap sabke liye.”

Bela looked confused, “bhagwaan jhuth na bulaye beta, hamare liye ab kya tohfa laaye ho?”

He gestured Naina to open the bag, which she did to find a photo album, and she exclaimed, “aree yeh toh hamare Roka ka album hai.”

Sameer smiled, “haan. Aur yeh aapki copy hai Chachiji.”

Bela and Anand were extremely happy to see the album, and immediately started checking it out, accompanied by a disgruntled Taiji. Sameer noticed that Rakesh sir didn’t get up from his seat, but craned his neck trying to see.

Later after Sameer and his family left, and dinner was done at Agarwal residence, everyone dispersed for the night. Naina took a book to read in bed, knowing that Sameer would call, perhaps a little late as he had mentioned that he had some office work to finish. In the other bedroom, Anand sat lost in thoughts, recalling what Sameer had told him.

Bela finished applying the new cream she had bought, and asked, “bhagwan jhuth na bulaye, kabse dekh rahi hun kahin khoye hue hai. Kya baat hai? Aaj toh aapne daanta bhi nahi ke naya cream leke aai main firse.”

Anand sighed, “Bela… Sameer aur Naina ki shaadi tay hone ke baad yeh pichle kuch dino me bhabhiji ne Naina se kuch kaha hai kya?”

“Aap… aap aisa kyun puch rahe hai?”, Bela asked anxiously, which gave a confirmation to Anand that there was indeed something that they didn’t know.

He turned to her, and asked, “kya hua tha? Mujhe sab sach sach batao… abhi.”

Bela twitched her hands nervously, wondering how to repeat those things, and what would be her husband’s reaction. Yet he had asked. And she couldn’t lie to him on his face. So she hesitantly started speaking, mentioning all the things that had happened. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she repeated that insults that Taiji had hurled at Naina, and how she had helplessly watched, even afraid to tell him as that could break the family ties once more. She mentioned that she knew Naina had told all of this to Sameer, and she had approved of her decision. She smiled through her tears, when she told him of how Sameer had faced Taiji, making sure to declare that he would be there for Naina whenever she needed him.

Anand sat shocked, his heart wrenching in pain on seeing his wife’s tears, and at the thought of Naina having to hear such things. No wonder Sameer was angry. His character was also questioned here. But one thing disturbed him, and so he gently asked, “Bela tumne mujhe yeh sab bataya kyun nahi? Aur kya matlab ke firse ghar me klesh hota aur rishte bikhar jaate?”

Bela tried to wipe her tears unsuccessfully, “woh… Pooja ki shaadi me bhi Rakesh bhaisaab ke saath anban ho gai thi… aur fir hamare ghar ka mahol kaisa ho gaya tha. Main apni hi beti ki shaadi me khulke muskura nahi paa rahi thi. Iss baar Naina ki shaadi me aisa ho yeh nahi chahti thi… isiliye maine socha ke aapko naa batau toh hi achcha hai.”

Anand felt as if someone had punched him in his gut. His wife had felt afraid to share things with him. He had never thought that Bela would feel the need of hiding something from him. Why had it come to this? His subconscious immediately answered that it was because of his own behavior during Pooja’s wedding. He had let family dispute take the upper hand over his relationship with his wife. Instead of trusting her, standing by her, he had let the family accuse her… and not only that, he had also decided that she would leave the house. It was not until Bela had pleaded and urged, and bhabhiji had said that it wouldn’t look good for the family’s reputation in the society, that he had budged from his decision. That day, even after so many years of their marriage, he had made Bela feel that this was never her home. He had made her an outsider. And that had shattered her… Still she had kept her chin up, participated in all the rituals, and handled all responsibilities of a mother. She had not let her gloom settle on her child. He realized now that at that time he had failed as a husband.

He closed his eyes, reflecting back to how Sameer had said that he would respect elders but won’t tolerate anything against Naina. Sameer, even though not married, was successfully fulfilling all the vows of marriage, and he himself had failed. He held Bela’s shoulders, “Bela, mujhe maaf kardo. Pooja ki shaadi ke waqt agar main aisa bartaav nahi karta tumhare saath toh aaj shayad yeh naubat hi nahi aati ke tumhe mujhse yeh sab chupana padta. Bahot galat kiya maine tumhare saath uss waqt…”

“Yeh aap kya keh rahe hai”, Bela interrupted, “mera woh matlab bilkul nahi tha. Mujhe pata hai aapke liye bade bhaisaab aur Rakesh bhaisaab kitne ehmiyat rakhte hai. Main toh bas yeh nahi chahti thi ke Naina ka paksh lete hue aapka unn dono se koi man-mutaav ho.”

Anand’s eyes filled with tears at what he heard. How easy it was for her to forgive him? He had given her so much pain, yet she didn’t hold even a tiny amount of grudge. What a blessing he had received in form of a wife, and he had never taken the time to recognize and appreciate it. He thought of what Sameer had proposed, and immediately decided that Naina and Sameer deserved this trip, and not just them, maybe this trip could help him pamper his wife too. He smiled and hugged Bela, “thank you. Meri zindagi me aane ke liye aur hamare bachcho ko itni achchi parvarish dene ke liye ke aaj woh kisi aur ki zindagi me wahi rang ghol rahe hai jo tumne meri zindagi me ghola.”

Bela didn’t know what to say, but she cuddled against her husband’s warmth, feeling safe and cherished like she always did in his arms. Anand pulled back after a while, “main abhi aata hun.” He stepped out of his room, and went to the living room, quickly dialed Sameer’s number.

“Hello”, Sameer voice sounded a little irritated.

Anand hesitated for a while, then said, “sorry beta. Lagta hai tumko neend se jaga diya.”

Sameer was surprised, “chachaji aap… nahi nahi… main bas thoda office ka kaam kar raha tha. Kahiye na.”

“Beta aaj jo baat tum mujhse kar rahe the, main socha uss baare me, aur mujhe lagta hai ke yeh bahot achcha idea hai”, Chachaji conveyed.

Sameer quickly asked, “iska matlab aap taiyar hai?”

Chachaji took a deep breath, “haan. Lekin tum karne kya wale ho? Aur main tumhari kuch madad kar sakta hun kya?”

Sameer pumped his fist in the air in silent celebration, then elaborated his plan to Chachaji. He explained what he would do, and how Chachaji and Chachiji could help. Of course, Naina was not to be told yet, because this surprise was meant for her. Chachaji thought the plan to be a little risky, but he decided to go for it – this time for Bela and Naina.

“Thike main samajh gaya”, Anand confirmed, then smiled, “ab Naina ko buladu phone pe?”

Sameer laughed softly, “nahi. Aap rakhiye, main 5-10 minute me firse call karunga. Aap bulayenge toh woh puchegi ke hum kya baat kar rahe the, aur mujhe usse jhuth bolna achcha nahi lagta.”

Anand smiled, “aur woh so gai hogi toh?”

Sameer combed his fingers through his hair, then confidently said, “mujhe pata hai woh intezaar kar rahi hogi.”

Ten minutes after Chachaji had disconnected the phone, it rang shrilly, but even before the first ring was over, he heard a door open, then silent hurried footsteps, and then a whispered hello. Chachaji smiled, turning over to his wife, and closed his eyes drifting off to sleep.

“Kal mummy ki flight dopahar ko hai, toh tum subah yahan aa jao na”, Sameer suggested, “saath me breakfast karenge.”

Naina thought for a moment, “umm thike. Subah Chachiji ko bata dungi. Chalo ab tum so jao… thake hue lag rahe ho.”

He chuckled, “haan thaka hua toh rahunga hi na. Pure din mile par… ek kiss bhi naseeb nahi hua.”

Naina giggled, “toh maine thodi na mana kiya tha. Kar lete.”

He made a face, “achcha… kab karta? Taiji ke saamne bouquet diya tab? Ya dukaan me mummy ke saamne? Mandir me toh paas tak aane nahi de rahi thi tum mujhe…”

She blushed, “ab mandir me toh kabhi nahi hoga… baki tumko kiss chahiye thi toh tum mauka dhund lete, ya bana lete.”

He was amused, “tumhe kiss nahi chahiye thi toh jab main earring pehna raha tha aise ghur kyun rahi thi.”

She stammered, “woh… woh toh bas… aise hi.”

“Jhuthi”, he declared fondly, then paused for a moment before continuing, “suno… abhi aa jau… balcony pe thodi der ke liye.”

Naina’s heart thumped. Oh how she wanted it. But she glanced at the watch and sighed, “nahi Sameer. Bahot late ho gaya hai, tum so jao. Kal subah toh milenge hi na. Aur fir… dopahar ko sab chale jayenge uske baad…”

He took a deep breath, “thike… lekin ek shart pe. Subah ko jaise hi tum ghar aaogi, mujhe kiss chahiye. Manzoor hai toh bolo, warna abhi balcony pe aao, main aata hun 15 minutes me.”

She laughed softly, “kahin aane ki zarurat nahi hai. Tum jo bologe mujhe manzoor hai.”

With this promise they both slept, a smile on their face. Naina snuggled in her blanket wishing it were Sameer’s arms instead. Sameer made a note in his journal, anticipation running like adrenaline in his nerves, and he clutched the pillow a little tighter.