Love Me Tonight
Chapter 18: Relationships and Revelations

Aman was busy in cross-checking the meeting schedules for the month to make sure nothing was overlapping with the personal appointments Sameer had handed over to him. January had started light, but now as they were moving towards the end of the month more and more requests for meetings were coming in. On top of that, a trip to Kolkata was supposed to be scheduled. Plus there were Naina’s appointments to factor in, and this sudden visit from his boss’s grandfather which meant any meetings for today and tomorrow had to rescheduled.

As he marked the third overlap that needed correction, Sameer walked out of his office. Only Sameer’s office, his own office and a common lounge area where people could wait for any meetings primarily occupied the fifth floor. Thankfully, no one else was there to witness the wrinkled clothes and sleep deprived state of SJM. Aman stood up, nodding his head in a silent greeting, awaiting instructions, biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from expressing concern at his boss’s state lest he overstep any boundaries.

SJM sat down on the chair opposite to him, gesturing him to sit as well, “have you taken care of all the meetings?”

Aman nodded, “yes, there weren’t much. Three meetings today and one tomorrow. I have rescheduled all of them to next week.”

“Thank you”, Sameer sighed, “Can you also visit Ashray this week? Kaafi time ho gaya hai… Ek baar check karke aana ke sab theek hai aur Priya ke baare me mujhe update chahiye. Especially her family… I don’t want any problems.”

Aman nodded it down in his notebook, “sure thing… main aaj shaam ko hi jaaneki koshish karunga.” He glanced once more at his exhausted boss, “umm… uh… sir… aapke liye coffee mangvau?”

Sameer chuckled, “itna thaka hua lag raha hun?”

“Haan”, Aman answered honestly, “tired bhi… aur thode pareshan bhi…”

Sameer smiled, “I just told Nanu about Naina… about my life… kuch khaas achcha impression nahi create  hua.”

Aman tried to ease his worry, “bhabhi se milenge toh sab theek ho jayega.”

“I hope so”, Sameer sighed, “anyways… tum hum dono ke liye chai aur kuch light breakfast arrange kar doge please? Sandwiches maybe… ya agar canteen me poha bacha ho ab tak toh…”

Aman picked up his phone, “I will check…”

Sameer thanked him and then stood up, walking towards the bathroom to freshen up a bit. Aman ordered the breakfast, which arrived within fifteen minutes. Rather than letting the canteen staff go in with the food as was usually done, he took the serving cart himself and dismissed the man from canteen letting him know that he will call for a pick-up later. Aman wheeled the cart inside, surprised to see Sameer in the main office rather than the lounge, “sir aap yahan?”

Sameer looked up from the file he was reading, “I wanted to give him time to think and decide what he wanted to do. Tum cart leke kyun aaye ho?”

Aman shrugged, “aap personal baate kar rahe the, I didn’t want to risk anyone hearing things by chance.”

Sameer felt gratitude for the younger man, feeling lucky that he had managed to hire him and that Aman has stuck by him even in his difficult time. The door of the lounge opened just then, and Nanu stood there with a puzzled expression, “Sameer? Tum wapas nahi aa rahe?” His eyes moved to Aman and then the cart he was still holding onto.

Aman cleared his throat, gesturing to the covered dishes, “breakfast… Sir ne order kiya tha.”

Nanu queried, “aur yeh tumhara kaam hai?”

Sameer closed the file and stood up, “nahi… Aman mere liye order karta hai lekin canteen ka staff aake serve karta hai. Aaj aapse baat kar raha tha isiliye Aman ne canteen wale ko wapas bhej diya aur khud leke aaya breakfast.”

“Oh”, Nanu commented, and then waited in silence. Sameer also didn’t say anything further. Aman sighed internally at the tense atmosphere, and asked, “lounge me khayenge?”

Sameer nodded, “main le leta hun cart.”

“It’s okay sir”, Aman stopped him, “aap bhul gaye hai shayad ke I used to serve you when I joined. Canteen wale darte the aapse.”

Sameer chuckled, allowing his assistant to wheel in the cart and followed him, “mujhe pata nahi tha… I thought ke tum mujhe impress karna chahte the.”

Nanu stepped aside letting them pass and then took his seat on the sofa again, watching the dynamics between the two men in silence. He wondered if Aman knew about his boss’s lifestyle, and about Naina.

Aman let out a low laugh, “SJM agar chai aur coffee se impress ho jaate toh mujhse pehle aai hui ladkiya aapko impress karne me kamyab ho chuki hoti.”

Sameer shook his head, grabbing the plates of poha while Aman poured tea, “don’t count on it. I don’t remember her name, par koi ek thi jisko yeh tak yaad nahi rehta tha ke main kitni shakkar leta hun.”

Aman added two lumps of sugar to Sameer’s tea and stirred, “aap subah, dopahar aur shaam alag alag quantity me shakkar lete hai… Kabhi chai, kabhi coffee… Aur coffee bhi black ho ya with milk yeh aapke mood pe depend karta hai, jo aap kabhi coffee order karte time batate nahi hai.” He looked at his boss’s grandfather and asked, “aap kitni shakkar lete hai sir?”

“Ek”, Nanu answered, and then looked at his grandson, “tum sach me aisa karte ho?”

Sameer nodded with a smile, “haan… but maine realize nahi kiya tha. Ek din Aman ne bataya tab realize kiya. I used to be frustrated jab proper chai ya coffee nahi milti thi, lekin Aman ke aane ke kuch time baad it was fine…”

Nanu asked Aman, “tumhe kaise pata chala ke Sameer ko kya chahiye?”

“Sir ke saath meetings me jaake”, Aman replied, “restaurants ya cafes me woh khud order karte hai. Tabhi maine note kar liya ke kya differences hote hai. 2-3 weeks me sab samajh aa gaya.”

Sameer sipped the hot tea, and sighed, redirecting the conversation, “kya socha aapne? Decide kiya?”

Nanu blinked at the direct question, warily watching Aman to determine what he should say. After all, this was a personal matter. Aman understood, and looked at Sameer, “sir mujhe kaam hai… main chalta hun. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

As he started to walk towards the door, Sameer called out, “Aman…” When he turned, Sameer smiled, “Naina ne kaha tha tumhe Sunday lunch pe invite karne ke liye. She wants to show off her new puja room. Aur kaha hai ke as a gift you can bring cheese.”

Aman blinked in surprise, and then slowly laughed, understanding what Sameer did and the respect he offered him, “thank you sir. Cheese it is…”

Nanu was surprised; after the door closed, he couldn’t help but ask, “tumhara personal assistant Naina ko jaanta hai?”

Sameer savoured a spoonful of poha before answering, “haan. Jab maine Naina ko wapas dhund nikala tab maine Aman ko apne life ke baare me thoda bahot bataya. Itna detail me nahi jitna aapko pata hai but still… I needed someone’s help. Naina mere liye priority thi… Aur uss waqt uski health itni achchi nahi thi. Pregnancy ka stress, akele sab handle karne ka tension – uss wajah se uska weight kam ho gaya tha, khana theek se nahi khati thi, traveling ke wajah se thakan rehti thi aur theek se so bhi nahi paati thi. I knew I had to spend more time with her, which meant less time in office. Pehle me raat ke 8-9 baje tak kaam kiya karta tha… Ab 5pm ko nikal jaata hun office se usually. Jab Naina ke flat me rehta tha tab usse bhi pehle nikalta tha… Naina ko library pick-up karne jaata tha, aur uska ghar aur library mere office se bilkul opposite direction me hai. Traffic me time lagta tha… Aman helped a lot in managing things… I trust him more than anyone else. Hamari shaadi me ek witness Aman bhi hai.”

Nanu digested this new piece of information. It stung that there were people in his grandson’s life who knew more about him that he did… But he couldn’t do anything about it right now. Rather he chose to eat his breakfast in silence, and then told his grandson of his decision, “Sameer… jis tarah se tumne shaadi ki hai aur apna life handle kiya hai, mere liye accept karna bahot difficult hai. Lekin main yeh bhi samajhta hun ke jab tumko Naina ki pregnancy ka pata chala hoga tab tumhe laga hoga ke shaadi karna hi sahi decision hai. I still wish ke tumne mujhse share kiya hota… I would have helped…”

Sameer was shaking his head even as he spoke, “nahi Nanu… yeh sach hai ke shaadi itni jaldi me pregnancy ke wajah se ki… Lekin mere shaadi karne ka decision pregnancy ke liye nahi tha. I already knew I loved Naina… Agar woh pregnant nahi bhi hoti toh bhi main usse hi shaadi karta. Bas usko theek se manata, dates pe le jaata aur phir aapki presence me shaadi karta. Lekin shaadi toh usse hi karta. Aur rahi baat aapse share karneki, toh it was impossible… Naina apni family se itni dari hui hai ab tak ke unka naam tak nahi leti. Aur mere London jaaneke baad meri life me jo kuch hua uske wajah se aapke aur mere beech me bhi duriya aa gai hai… Pehle jaisa nahi raha… Aapko batana yaane Somani family ko bhi sab pata chal jaata. I was always a disappointment, koi nayi baat nahi thi lekin wapas se woh sab sunne ki himmat nahi thi. Munna aur Pandit bhi apni life me khush the, main unko bhi pareshan nahi karna chahta tha. Mere liye sabse zyada important Naina ko yeh vishwaas dilana tha ke mera pyaar sachcha hai, koi majburi ya vehem nahi.”

Nanu’s heart ached on hearing the affirmation from his grandson that their relationship was not like before, but he didn’t know what he could do about it. Rather he tried to understand his situation, “puri tarah se toh nahi lekin thoda samajh raha hun… Isiliye main tumhare aur Naina ko ek chance deneko ready hun. Usse milne ko ready hun… Lekin abhi yeh yaqeen nahi dila sakta ke main usko accept kar lunga…”

Sameer nodded; even though he would have liked to have Nanu’s approval, he understood how difficult it would be for him to accept all this. Not only he had dumped years’ worth of information on Nanu, he had also confessed to have done things his Nanu surely found disgusting. On top of that, there was the hurt of missing out on his marriage, while finding out that his assistant had attended it. Now he could only hope that even if his grandfather forever loathed him, at least he would find it in himself to approve of Naina.

It was close to 1pm by the time Sameer parked in the driveway of his home. Nanu looked around at the garden, noticing the patches of freshly tilled mud, “yeh mitti?”

Sameer locked his car and leaned against it, taking his surroundings in with a smile, “Naina… Sirf ghaas se kaam nahi chalega. Uska plan hai ke yahan frontyard me kamsekam ek bada ped ho, aur kuch flowers bushes… Backyard ke liye vegetables ka plan hai.”

Nanu asked, “aur tumhe mazoor hai?”

Sameer nodded, “I am just happy to help her do what she wants. Yeh sirf ek bungalow tha, lekin uske aaneke baad yeh ghar ban raha hai dheere dheere. Aur agar Naina ko hamare ghar me flowers chahiye toh market me jitne paudhe hai main sab kharidneko taiyar hun.”

Just then, the door opened, and Naina stood there dressed in a cherry red cotton saree with a broad white varli print border, pairing it with a white blouse. While she didn’t wear any symbols of their marriage, today she had put on a thin silver necklace and pearl earrings, and he noticed a few red bangles from the set he had bought for her for their marriage. To him she looked stunning, and he said so as he stepped towards her, charmed by the blush that appeared on her cheeks. As Nanu followed, she knelt and touched his feet, wondering what his reaction would be. However, Nanu’s hand automatically raised in blessing, making Sameer and Naina sigh in relief. She straightened and smiled, “andar aaiye na sir…”

Nanu walked inside and looked around. The house definitely had a woman’s touch now. He noticed the coordinated pillows, the fresh flowers, and he was sure he could smell incense reminding him that Sameer had talked about a new puja room. He sat down on the sofa, and looked at the girl – no, the woman – who was his grandson’s wife. She was standing with Sameer, both of them talking in a low tone, it seemed his grandson was asking something and she was refusing. It didn’t seem right to him, and he was about to ask about it. But before he could do so, Sameer grabbed her hand and made her sit on a chair, “behes nahi… betho chup-chap.”

She frowned, wrenching her hand back from his hold, “sirf paani laane jaa rahi thi.”

“Koi zarurat nahi hai”, Sameer commanded, “tumne phone pe bataya kyun nahi ke tumhe ulti hui?”

Nanu was a bit surprised at the immediate concern that flooded in him, even though his mind was still not made up about Naina, it seemed the concern for his great grandchild was an automatic response. She lifted her chin up in defiance, “use morning sickness kehte hai… Notice nahi kiya ho toh kaafi pehle start ho gaya tha.”

Sameer’s eyes narrowed, “you almost puked on me several times and I always give you your saltine crackers in morning… so yes, I have noticed. Lekin aaj do baar ulti hui tumhe. Bhavna Tai ne mujhe bataya jab maine dukaan se call kiya tha daliya ke baare me puchne. Now tell me… warna rasmalai nahi milne wali.”

She looked furious for a moment, and Nanu was genuinely worried about his grandson, but then sighed and glanced down at her own lap, “I was worried. Shayad isiliye… Aur tumhe batati toh tum aur tension lete. Waise bhi itne thake hue ho…”

Sameer knelt down in-front of her, unfolding her hands and kissing the back of each one, “it doesn’t matter… chahe jitna bhi thaka hua hun, tumhare baare me khud se zyada hi sochunga. Don’t hide things from me, please… Humne waada kiya tha ek dusre ko, yaad hai na?”

She nodded, “sorry… dobara nahi karungi.”

“Good girl”, Sameer patted her cheek. He stood up and came to sit at the other end of the sofa, calling out at the same time, “Tai… Sabke liye paani leke aaiye na please.”

It was then that Naina seemed to remember Nanu’s presence, and her eyes widened in shock, then she quickly looked down, her cheeks flushing almost the same color as her saree. Sameer chuckled fondly, as Tai served the water and asked Nanu about his health. They carried on a small conversation, before Tai left saying she will set the table for lunch.

Nanu finally decided to ask a few questions to the woman his grandson claimed to love, “tumko main yaad hun Naina?”

She looked up, confused at the question, “jee sir. Aapko kaise bhul sakti hun? Jabse PVKM me padhna shuru kiya hamesha aapko dekha hai school me.”

Nanu hummed, “Sameer ne bataya ke tum dono ki shaadi ho chuki hai… Lekin phir bhi tum mujhe sir bula rahi ho… Isiliye maine pucha.”

She glanced at Sameer for a moment, and then looked back at him, “haan… shaadi toh ho gai hai… lekin Sameer ne aapko bataya hoga ke kin haalato me hui hai yeh shaadi. Isiliye main… umm… main assume nahi karna chahti thi ke aapko nanaji bulau toh koi problem nahi hai.”

He was momentarily impressed at her honesty, and nodded, “shayad tum theek keh rahi ho… Hum dono ko thode waqt ki zaroorat hai.”

Naina also nodded, “jee… khana khake phir araam kar lijiyega thoda, safar se thak gaye honge.”

The lunch was mostly silent, and then Sameer guided Nanu towards the guestroom that Naina used to occupy until few days ago. Nanu took a short nap, he couldn’t sleep much, his head was full of the things he had gotten to know today. He had no idea what to think of Naina yet, and while on the way here Sameer had forbidden him to ask Naina about her past as it usually led her to have a panic attack. He was unclear how to proceed from here. Seeing that it was already past 4pm he got up from the bed, thinking he would take a walk in the backyard. Maybe it would clear his mind a little.

Around half an hour later Naina came to the backyard and was surprised to see the older man walking along the grass, lost in thoughts. She wondered if she should go talk to him but she had no idea what to say to him, and was afraid of the questions he would ask. Lost in her dilemma she didn’t spot Nanu starting to walk towards the house. He reached closer, puzzled to see her standing like a statue, and asked, “kya hua tumhe?”

She startled, “oh… uh… kuch nahi sir… mujhe laga aap so rahe honge ab tak.”

He sighed, “zyada nahi sota dopahar ko main.” Pointing to the far corner he asked, “wahan mitti upar-neeche ki hui hai… Koi paudha lagane wali ho?”

She smiled, “jee… socha hai kuch sabjiyo ka puadha lagau. Kaddu, lauki, mirchi, kadhi patta… aisa sab.”

Nanu was puzzled, “kaddu aur lauki? Itna pasand hai tumhe?”

She laughed softly, “nahi… lauki toh bilkul nahi pasand. Lekin yeh dono paudho ke patte bahot tasty hote hai khane me. Aur kaddu ke phool bhi badhiya lagte hai.”

He had a disbelieving expression on his face, “mazak kar rahi ho?”

“Bilkul nahi”, she assured, “meri library me ek ladki hai Poonam… meri colleague. Uski roommate ek Bengali ladki hai. Toh kabhi kabhi uske tiffin me Bengali khana hota hai. Wahi taste kiya hai. Maine recipe bhi leke rakhi hai.”

He hummed, “maine toh pehli baar suna.”

“Jab paudhe bade hone lagenge tab aapko bhi banake khilaungi”, she exclaimed happily and then asked, “aap chai peeyenge?”

He nodded, thinking it was a good time to get to know her, “Sameer so raha hai ab tak?”

Walking back to the kitchen, she took the milk out from the fridge, “haan. Aaj kal mujhe raat ko ajeeb time pe bhuk lagne lagi hai. Unki neend puri nahi ho paati iss wajah se.”

He sat down at the dining table, “Sameer bhi uthta hai?”

She measured out the milk and set it on gas, “haan… wohi banake dete hai mujhe sandwich ya noodle.”

He was surprised, “usko aata hai?”

She looked back at him with a confused expression, “main bhi pehle aise hi chaunk gai thi. Lekin main toh Sameer se Ahmedabad ke baad mili hi nahi thi. Aapko kaise nahi pata Sameer Mumbai me kaise rehte the?”

As she went back to her task of pounding ginger and cardamom, Nanu thought back to the morning conversation with his grandson, when he had mentioned about sleeping at the railway station, cooking his own food, burning his hand. How had he not known about these struggles? Every letter, every phone call – Sameer always assured him that he was fine and was eating well, and that had been enough for him. Why hadn’t he probed harder?

Stirring the tea Naina mused, “jab wapas usse mili toh mujhe laga ke aap itne ameer hai toh Sameer definitely usi cheez ka fayda utha rahe hai. Success virasat me mil gai… Lekin phir SJM ke baare me padha, Sameer ko theek se jaana. Tab pata chala ke woh meri soch se kitne alag hai…”

Nanu shook his head, “usne mujhse sirf kuch capital liya tha… Aur woh bhi usne wapas kar diya. Aur uske haalat… Usne kabhi mujhse kuch kaha hi nahi.”

She chuckled, “mujhe bhi nahi bataya tha pehle… bas thoda bahot khana banana aata hai bola tha… Isiliye unko sabak sikhane main unhe sabji market le gai. Socha darke bhaag jayenge… Lekin business ki duniya ka sikandar, sabji kharidne me bhi expert nikle. Aise mol-bhaav kiya ke mera regular sabjiwala bhi unka fan ho gaya.”

Nanu laughed, “tum use darana kyun chahti thi?”

“Aisai”, she shrugged, “achanak se koi mere ghar me bag leke aa gaya rehne ke liye, aur mujhpe haq jatane laga… Bus aur train me jaana allowed nahi… healthy khana khana hai… kuch wajan nahi uthana hai… Pareshan kar diya tha mujhe.”

“Isko dhyan rakhna kehte hai”, he replied bit testily.

She lowered the flame to a simmer and added sugar, “mujhe aadat nahi hai ke koi mera dhyan rakhe. Mere parivar ne meri parvah nahi ki toh Sameer toh phir bhi anjaan the almost. Unki fikar mujhe samajh nahi aati thi.” Turning towards him she smiled, “main Sameer ko uthake aati hun.”

Nanu sat stumped at her reply, thinking back to how Sameer had restricted him from talking about her family. What had happened that was so bad? And how she could not understand that Sameer cared for her? He was now even more curious about her family situation.

Sameer stumbled in after her, dressed now in a tracks and t-shirt, yawning and rubbing his eyes. Nanu thought he would sit at the table, but instead he went up to the kitchen platform and frowned, “tumne chai kyun banai?” She smiled, shrugging slightly, and he commented, “mujhe pehle utha deti Naina.”

Nanu couldn’t stop himself from asking, “kyun? Usko chai banani nahi aata?”

Sameer glanced back at his grandfather, “aata hai. Lekin pregnancy ke wajah se Naina ko dudh ki smell se ulti aati hai. Isiliye main use chai banane nahi deta.”

“Main theek hun”, Naina redirected his attention softly, “tum betho sir ke saath, main chai aur biscuits leke aati hun.”

Sameer shook his head, “main chai nikalta hun. Tum bas biscuits nikal lo.”

Over tea and biscuits Nanu made small talk with them, asking about Naina’s work and Sameer’s business expansions. To Nanu’s continuous surprise, Sameer collected the crockery and started washing them at the sink. While Naina took out some peas and a cauliflower from the fridge. Turning towards the older man, she said, “Sameer ne bataya aap raat ko roti nahi khate. Isiliye aaj vegetable daliya ka plan hai.”

Nanu queried, “lekin tum log?”

Sameer wiped off his hands, “hum bhi wahi khayenge. Saath me papad sek lenge.”

Nanu sat and watched them work in perfect sync as Sameer chopped potatoes, carrots and tomatoes, while Naina shelled the peas and cut the cauliflower florets. Daliya was roasted and soaked. Sameer pulled out a big cooker as per her instruction, and she pounded some ginger and chillies into paste. He tried to remember the days Sameer’s grandmother had been pregnant with Vishakha. His own mother was there to help throughout the pregnancy and he never had much input. When Vishakha was pregnant with Sameer, he had seen Alok’s mother help, and then later before Deepika was born the Somani’s had servants working and helping round the clock. He had not helped his wife, neither had he seen his two son-in-laws help. Watching Sameer and Naina was a revelation into how a couple should probably be there for each other at all times. He asked his grandson about the servant and why she was not there for evening; and Sameer told him that Bhavna Tai usually stayed till he was back from office, and often helped out with the dinner preparation, but they had decided that mostly they wanted the evenings for themselves. He also added that at a later stage of pregnancy, Tai would obviously stay back for dinnertime as well, because Naina won’t be able to do much house work at that time.

At dinner, Sameer asked her if she had thought anything for the weekend. Nanu asked what the occasion was. Sameer chuckled, “kuch bhi nahi. Maine aur Naina ne decide kiya hai ke har weekend, usually Sunday, jab hum dono ki chutti hoti hai hum kahin ghumne jaaya karenge.”

Nanu smiled, “yeh toh achchi baat hai. Toh kal office jaoge tum log?”

This time Naina replied, “nahi. Hum dono Monday se wapas jayenge. Maine kuch leaves li hui thi – hum yahan shift hue aur New Year bhi aa raha tha. Sameer ne aaj aur kal ki chutti li hai, aap yahan hai isiliye.”

Sameer reminded her, “bhulo mat, Aman aa raha hai Sunday ko lunch pe.”

She nodded, “yaad hai. Isiliye kal market jaana padega ek baar. Maine socha subah ko breakfast karke pehle market chalte hai. Sabji aur paneer vagera le aayenge. Phir shaam ko Juhu beach chalenge, wahan pe sunset dekhke Iskon mandir jayenge, aur phir kahin bahar hi dinner karke wapas aayenge. Maybe South Indian food.”

Sameer polished off the last spoon of daliya, “kar sakte hai. Nanu ko achcha lagega beach.”

Meanwhile, Nanu was bit surprised on seeing Sameer agree to a temple visit, but then he thought that he would probably wait outside for them, and nodded along to the plan. Once the kitchen was clean, they watched the TV, tuning into a movie that Naina said she liked, before finally retiring to bed.

Next morning he was pleasantly surprised to wake up to the sound of puja bell, and he went outside to check. He followed the sound and peeked into a small room, with a grand marble temple, and basic furniture. Naina was sitting on a low settee, dressed in an indigo saree with the pallu over her head, doing aarti. Nanu smiled and went back to take a bath and get ready. He wanted to see the temple properly.

By the time he came out again, Naina was already in the kitchen, placing a cooker on the gas. He waited until she was away from the cooktop, and then wished, “good morning.”

She turned around with a smile, “good morning sir.”

Nanu’s lips curved in a returning smile, “puja ho gai? Main ghanti ki awaz se uth gaya tha lekin nahaya nahi tha toh andar nahi aaya.”

She nodded, “jee. Subah jaldi uthne ki aadat hai. Library jaaneke liye 5 baje uth jaati thi. Sorry agar aapki neend kharab hui toh.”

“Aree bilkul nahi”, he replied, “main toh khush ho gaya yeh dekhke ke Sameer ke ghar me mandir hai. Mujhe dikhaogi?”

She happily took him to the puja room, “yeh room khali pada hua tha. Jab maine mandir laaneki baat ki toh Sameer pehle ek guest room ko puja room bananeki baat kar rahe the. Lekin woh bahot bada hota phir yeh chota storeroom yaad aaya unko. Hum peechle week hi jaake mandir aur yeh sab furniture leke aaye. Isse pehle toh sirf ek chota sa ganeshji ki murti hai meri uski puja karti thi. Ab woh kitchen me rakha hua hai.”

Nanu examined the temple, marvelling at the intricate carvings, and was delighted to see the ganesh idol in the centre. She explained how they had visited several shops to get all the things needed, showing him the cupboard that now contained several utensils to cook prasad on special occasions, some jute mats, and also some cleaning ingredients. She told him how they added the sofa thinking of his age and that it might be difficult for him to sit on the floor in case there’s some puja that he attends. This pleasantly surprised him as he had not expected to be a thought or consideration while the young couple made the bungalow a home. But Naina’s excited explanation made him feel welcome, something he had felt missing given his argument with Sameer yesterday. She picked up a small bowl, and offered him prasad which he gratefully accepted.

When they went back to the kitchen, Sameer was already there, boiling milk in a pan for tea, he wished them morning, and accepted the prasad Naina offered without any objection. As they sat with cups of tea and biscuits, Bhavna Tai came in. Naina offered her tea as well, and then instructed her to chop a few ingredients, “masala main bana dungi. Aap phir garam parathe utaar dena. Aur dahi bhi nikal lijiye saath me dene ke liye.”

Nanu wondered aloud as to why Naina was not letting Tai cook the entire breakfast, and in response Sameer happily explained that he loved the aloo paratha Naina cooked that’s why. For lunch, she asked Tai to make kadhi, pulao, roti and cabbage sabji. And then added, “hum log breakfast karke market jayenge, toh methi vagera leke aayenge. Aap saaf karne me help kar dena please.”

Piping hot aloo parathas, straight from the skillet, was served one-by-one to both Nanu and Sameer, along with mango pickle and dahi. They both almost burned their fingers in their eagerness to taste. When Naina laughed and asked them to eat slowly, Nanu confessed, “kaafi time ho gaya hai achcha aloo paratha khaye hue.”

Sameer was puzzled, “kyun? Ramdhari nahi banata?”

“Rohan ko pasand nahi”, Nanu said almost without a thought, “isiliye jab bhi parathe bante hai gobi ya toh paneer ke bante hai.”

Sameer scoffed, shaking his head, “as always…”

Tai served a paratha to Naina, while Nanu seemed surprised at Sameer’s response. He thought about his grandson’s assertion, and realized that it had been several years now that every decision in the house had been taken as per Rohan or Deepika’s liking. Even when Sameer had stayed there for a short time after returning from London, or when he had visited, no one, not even him, had made an effort to ask for Sameer’s favorite dishes to be cooked. However, he had been here for less than 24 hours and yet both Sameer and Naina had taken care of his food preferences. He startled when Sameer let out a loud groan, “this is perfect…”

Naina smiled, and then looked at him, “sir… aap bhi khaiyena.”

Nanu nodded and took a bite, unable to contain the low moan, “waah… kya badhiya taste hai.”

Naina’s smile widened in genuine delight. Another round of tea for the men, and green tea for Naina concluded the breakfast. Nanu fumbled in his pocket and took out a 500-rupee note, handing it over to Naina. She looked perplexed. He smiled, “pehli rasoi ki koi rasam toh hui nahi hai lekin tumhare haatho ka bana swadisht khana kal raat bhi khaya aur aaj bhi… Toh Nana-sasur hone ke naate shagun dena toh banta hai na.”

Her eyes widened for a moment before she accepted the money, and bent to take his blessings. Nanu immediately placed a hand over her head, “bas bas… aisi haalat me zyada jhukna theek nahi.”

The day was a revelation to Jaiprakash Maheshwari in many aspects. Seeing his grandson expertly buy vegetables – checking which bundle of methi was the freshest, knowing the difference between the types of tomatoes – he begrudgingly accepted his own fault in not being present for Sameer in his early days in Mumbai. If he had insisted on visiting, he would have known how his grandson was living. He was fascinated on seeing him buy a bunch of blush pink roses for no reason at all, and offering them to Naina, proclaiming his love for her in the middle of the market, without any reservation at all.

Sameer spoke Marathi! His grandson knew a completely new language and he had no idea of it at all.

The boy who liked to roam free on bikes, spend his free time playing cricket or watching movies, had now become a man who drove his wife around the city in the weekend traffic without any complain. He was astounded to see his grandson willingly step inside the temple and pray. Given that Naina wasn’t surprised he assumed that this had happened before. He asked, and Sameer answered honestly that the reason was his wife.

He watched as Sameer held Naina’s hand while walking on the beach, careful to keep his pace slow, as they treaded the waterline. He listened to Naina enthusiastically talking about the things she had read about Juhu beach in magazines in the library. He observed with fondness the argument between the young couple as Naina wanted to eat chaat from the numerous stalls on the beach while Sameer rejected the idea on account of those stalls being unhygienic. He wondered if he should intervene when Naina set her foot down saying she won’t move from there until she was allowed to eat chaat, but he didn’t need to as after a bit of unsuccessful cajoling, Sameer simply picked her up in his arms and started walking. Naina spluttered in shock even as she held onto him, and Nanu laughed aloud, deep-down feeling happy upon witnessing Sameer’s happiness.

He understood the love and concern Sameer held for his wife when even after denying chaat at the beach stalls, he stopped at a nearby vendor that was hygenic and used mineral water, to let her have a dish of pani-puri. Their dinner was at popular South Indian restaurant, and there he observed how Sameer passed on his bowl of sambar to Naina who diligently picked out the cubed vegetables and then passed the remaining dal back to him, while when the masala idli arrived Sameer tediously discarded all the curry leaves before serving it to her. All of this was done without uttering a word about it, and Nanu wondered how this could have been a marriage of only few weeks, it seemed as if they were together for years.

Sunday brought in Aman, a new dynamic; if earlier, he had been envious of how much an assistant knew about his grandson’s life, now he was severely jealous of the ease with which he fit in with the couple. Even though he still called Sameer as sir or SJM, it was clear that their bond transcended the professional relationship. Aman was a brother to Sameer; much closer than Rohan had or probably would ever be. The young man called Naina bhabhi, and presented her with three varieties of cheese that made her eyes sparkle with delight. Naina called him Aman bhaiya and had taken care to get Bhavna Tai to prepare his favorite bharwa baingan for him even though it was something she detested eating in her pregnancy. Nanu felt as if Aman’s presence rubbed salt on the open wounds – that was his own relationship with his grandson. He couldn’t warm up to the man.

When the two young men disappeared into Sameer’s study after lunch, Nanu queried in a slightly harsh tone, “yeh Sameer ka assistant har weekend khane aata hai kya?”

Naina was surprised by the tone, but chose not to comment, instead answered, “nahi… Jahan tak mujhe pata hai Aman bhaiya kabhi kabhi office ki files vagera dene aate the Sameer ko. Jab hum mere flat me rehte the tab woh aaye the do-teen baar – ek baar kaam ke silsile me, phir shaadi ke baad jab sabko khane pe bulaya aur phir shifing me help karne.”

He digested the information, “toh phir aaj achanak kyun bulaya? Kuch kaam hai urgent office ka?”

She brought out the jars of mukhwas and gestured Nanu to sit on the sofa, “kaam ka mujhe pata nahi. Lekin Aman bhaiya jo cheese leke aaye mere liye woh mujhe chahiye the. Sameer office me mangva lete, lekin maine kaha ke woh hamare liye Crawford market tak jaa sakte hai agar, toh hume unko ghar pe hi bulana chahiye khane ke liye.”

Naina’s answer eased the green monster inside him a bit. It was a social nicety. The man had travelled far for them, so in return they fed him. He wasn’t family. It was just a give-and-take. It reminded him of the numerous dinner invites Vivek would pass out to their clients, usually in restaurants, but some long-time clients were invited to their home along with families. He had never liked this invasion at home, but he understood the business formalities. He nodded, humming to himself, “Ahmedabad me bhi kabhi kabhi clients ko ghar pe bulata hai mera damad.”

She stiffened, her hand clutching on her own green saree, trying to control her breath, contain the dark thoughts that swirled around her mind just at the name of the city. Unbeknownst to her turmoil Nanu continued, “maine toh kabhi yeh sab formalities nahi ki thi, lekin shayad zamane ka saath badalna padta hai. Dekho na… Maine kabhi sapne me bhi nahi socha tha ke Sameer yahan Mumbai shift ho jayega. Aur tumse yahan milunga yeh toh dur dur tak soch nahi sakta tha… Pehle jab Sameer ne tumhara name bataya mujhe laga koi aur Naina hogi…”

She looked down and nodded, making a small sound hoping Nanu would take it as a sign that she was listening. To her extreme relief, Sameer and Aman came out of the study room, and Sameer made a beeline for her. Plopping down beside her, he grabbed her hand, linking their fingers, while still talking to Aman about something. Naina felt her heartbeats slow down and she clutched onto his hand tighter. It made him pause in mid-sentence, and he looked at her, “Naina… tum theek ho?”

She nodded, leaning sideways into him. Puzzled, he left her hand making her utter an upset sound, but he instead looped his arm around her, lightly rubbing her back. Aman worriedly enquired, “tabiyat theek nahi lag rahi bhabhi? Main nimbu paani banake lau?”

Nanu was also concerned, “abhi toh theek thi… hum baate kar rahe the…”

“I am okay”, she mumbled in a soft voice, just barely enough for all of them to hear. Sameer talked to her in a low voice, ensuring no one apart from her could hear, trying to ensure for himself that she was okay. Aman sat back, still looking at the couple with worried gaze. Nanu meanwhile tried to think what had happened, one moment they had been discussing Aman’s visit, and then he had commented about Vivek doing the same thing. It took him a moment, but Sameer’s words about not talking to Naina about her family came back to him, and he understood that his reminiscence about Ahmedabad had caused her some kind of stress. He wondered if he should let his grandson know about him, but just then, Naina straightened and smiled at Sameer, making everyone breathe in relief. He decided not to bring up that topic again, but couldn’t help but ponder on what could have happened that even the name of the city would cause so much stress.

Aman piped up, “sir… bhabhi se pucho na.”

Sameer chuckled, “haan…” Looking at his wife once again, he informed, “mujhe 2-3 din ke liye Kolkata jaana padega business ke silsile me.”

Naina didn’t feel happy on hearing that. While he had told her before that he often did go on business trips, it had conveniently escaped her mind, as ever since meeting her again he had not gone anywhere. Now she was used to seeing him every day, eating dinner together. The thought of living alone in this huge bungalow, sleeping alone on the bed, eating along at the dining table, made her shudder. Even if Bhavna Tai stayed back to look after her, it simply wouldn’t be the same. But did she have the right to question him about it? Could she ask him not to go?

Main tumhe saare haq deta hun.

His calm assurance reverberated in her mind, and she plucked the courage to ask, “Zaroori hai jaana?”

He smiled, “zaroori toh hai.” Glancing once at his grandfather, he added vaguely, “Maine bataya tha na tumhe apne rural schemes ke baare me…”

Naina nodded, understanding what he was talking about, and also that he didn’t want to elaborate in-front of his grandfather, probably because to an extent they were in the same industry. His grandfather’s firm was a potential competition, and even though SJM was probably bigger, it didn’t make sense to take unnecessary risks. She queried, “kab jaana hoga?”

Aman butted in the conversation shamelessly, “end of January ya early February. Lekin sir keh rahe the…”

“Thanks Aman”, Sameer interrupted firmly, rolling his eyes at his assistant’s enthusiasm. Naina chuckled while Aman flushed in embarrassment. Sameer shook his head, “jaise ke Aman ne bataya… Iss month ka schedule dekhke end of January hi possible hai… Ya shayad February ke first week. Aur main yeh soch raha tha ke tum yahan akele rehne ke jagah agar mere saath chalo toh? If you want…”

The way her eyes sparkled was an answer enough for him, but still he waited for her to verbally confirm. She smiled wide, “sach? Main saath chal sakti hun?” Then she frowned, “lekin pregnancy me travel…”

Sameer immediately suggested, “hum Dr. Suchitra se puch lenge. Woh jaisa recommend kare waisa karenge…”

She nodded, but couldn’t help worry, “agar doctor ne mana kar diya toh…”

“Toh meri jagah Aman Kolkata chala jayega”, he assured without any hesitation, “main tumhe akele chodke nahi jaunga… Promise.”

Her heart warmed at the confident assurance, “lekin tumhara kaam…”

He held her hand again, squeezing gently, “tumse zyada zaroori nahi hai. Aur Aman handle kar sakta hai… I trust him…”

Aman placed a hand over his chest, and dramatically whispered, “wow… inta bharosa… thanks SJM…”

Everyone except Nanu laughed out at this, while the older man just sat feeling like an outsider watching a family interact among themselves. Once more, he wondered if things would ever be okay once again between him and his grandson. Just then Sameer’s mobile phone rang, he took it out of his pocket to check and scowled.

Extending the device to his grandfather he said, “aapke ghar se call aa raha hai.”

Nanu felt a pang in his heart on hearing Sameer called the bungalow at Ahmedabad as his home, rather than their home. But at the same time he knew that Sameer had not been there enough to call it his own home. Accepting the mobile, he connected the call, “hello…”

His brows furrowed as he listened to the voice at the other end, “Vishakha… kya hua hai? Tum jaanti ho na main Sameer se milne aaya hun… Kehke aaya tha ke ek hafta jaisa rahunga yahan. Phir kyun… Tum… Tum ro rahi ho?”

Another tense silence followed and then Nanu asked, “kya!!? Kaise? … … Aree aise kaise kuch kha liya hoga? Tumhe dhyan nahi hai tumhare beti ne kya khaya? .. … Ruko, main Munshiji ko kehke dekhta hun ticket… … … Oh… Umm… Kabki? Aaj hi…? Achcha theek hai… Rona bandh karo… Main aake milta hun.”

The call disconnected, and he looked at the little device in his hand, still trying to come to terms about what happened. “Kitne baje ki flight hai?” Sameer’s question pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see the SJM mask once more in place on his grandson’s face. Naina was still holding on his hand but even she sat up straight, looking at her husband’s profile with concern. Aman on the other hand seemed alert, ready to jump and obey whatever instruction his boss uttered. The relaxed family interaction that he was feeling so jealous of was completely gone. It was then he realized that the ghosts of Ahmedabad didn’t just haunt Naina, but his grandson as well.

Sadly, he informed, “aaj shaam… 7:30pm.”

Sameer nodded, “aap packing kar lijiye. 4:30pm ko nikalna hoga. Aaj traffic hoga.” Turning towards his assistant he instructed, “club ka reservation cancel kar dena Aman. Main aur Naina kahin aur kha lenge.”

Nanu blinked, “club?”

“Literature club”, Sameer informed, “Naina ka library associated hai iss club se. They have old rare books on display and excerpts are available to read. Usko laga aapko achcha lagega because there are some poetry books as well. So we made a reservation to visit and then have dinner at their in-house restaurant.”

“Oh”, Nanu was at a loss of words because it was extremely thoughtful of Naina to schedule this visit, and he would have truly loved it. Sameer nodded once more, and then he stood up. Naina and Aman stood up at the same time as him, as if by mutual agreement. Aman said goodbyes and took his leave. As the front door closed, Nanu blurted, “Deepika hospital me hai. Usne strawberry kha liya kahin se…”

Sameer stayed unaffected, “chalo wapas Rohan ke peanut allergy ko use nahi kiya… Kuch naya hai iss baar.”

Nanu tried to assure, “beta… aisa kyu soch rahe ho… koi jaan-bujhke thodi na bimar hoga. Galti se kuch kha liya hoga…”

Sameer tilted his head, “the thing is Nanu… I don’t care. Aap packing kijiye, main thoda rest kar leta hun.” He tugged Naina along with him, leaving his grandfather alone in the living room.

Once inside the bedroom, Sameer moved to the window, sliding it open despite the heat of afternoon. He needed fresh air. He needed to control his temper. Naina didn’t need to see him angry or worse, crying. He felt her come up beside him, a soft hand rubbing his arm, “dukhi mat ho Sameer.”

His lips curved in a wry smile, “dukhi nahi hun… Frustrated hun. Saalo se yeh chalta aa raha hai phir bhi Nanu ko lagta hai yeh sab real hai. Unki fikar dekhi tumne?”

“Unko tumhari bhi fikar hai”, she consoled, “lekin Deepika agar sach me hospital me toh chinta ki baat toh hai na.”

He sighed, “jab 12^th me mere cricket tournament ke finals the tab meri so called mom ka Mr. Somani ke saath jhagda ho gaya and she needed to talk to him immediately. Jis din main London jaa raha tha uss din Rohan ne chikki kha li jisme peanuts hote hai aur pure din ulti ki… Jis din main London se wapas aa raha tha Rohan had fever to airport pe mujhe lene koi nahi aaya. Jab Nanu yahan SJM ka event aur mera yeh bungalow dekhne aaye the tab wapas Rohan ne kuch peanut wala kha liya jiske wajah se he was hospitalized.”

Naina was shocked at the picture he was paining, “tumhara matlab Rohan aur Deepika jaan-bujhke…”

He shook his head, “nahi… I called the hospital when Rohan was admitted. The lab report showed considerable amount of peanut, something that would need immediate hospitalization. I have stayed with Rohan, he is careful with what he eats. Shayad pehli baar chikki lalach me kha li hogi… Lekin jab hospital me tha tab usne sirf breakfast me parathe aur lunch me mix-veg curry khaya tha. Ramdhari ne bataya ke parathe usne banaye the lekin sabji Vishaka Somani ne banaya tha…”

She gasped, “tumhari mummy?”

He nodded, “maine kaha tha na… She hates me… Mujhe parivaar ka hissa banne nahi degi woh kabhi. Business alag hai, ghar alag hai, isiliye main sukoon se reh raha hun. Lekin Nanu ke saath mera jo rishta hai woh bhi unse bardaasht nahi hota. Jab bhi Ahmedabad jaata tha koi na koi problem khada karti thi… Aur do baar Nanu yahan aaye tab dono baar yahi situation…”

She was unable to fathom a mother could do this, “lekin… Deepika toh unki khudki beti hai.”

He let out a sarcastic chuckle, “as if she cares… Jab woh mujhse nafrat kar sakti hai toh woh apne ladle bachcho ko istemaal bhi kar sakti hai. Jaise Rohan ko use kiya tha hamesha mujhe neecha dikhane ke liye…”

Taking a deep breath she asked, “tumse itni nafrat kyun? Tumne bataya tha mujhe ek baar… ke 15 saal ki umar me tumhe pata chal gaya ke it’s not dislike, it’s hate.”

He sighed, guiding her to the bed to sit, “she was in love with Mr. Somani from her college days. Lekin Mr. Somani ke grades achche nahi the aur naa hi woh naukri karte the… Business ka sapna leke bethe the. Isiliye Nanu ne unke rishte se mana kar diya. Aur unke khudke office ke ek manager, Alok, ko chuna apni beti ke liye. Pyaar tha nahi lekin unn dinon rishte me zimmedariya hoti thi… Shayad isiliye shaadi ke do saal baad mom became pregnant with me. Jab main ek saal ka hua tab dad passed away in an accident. Another year, and mom remarried. Iss baar Nanu ne Mr. Somani ko reject nahi kiya, kyunki unhe laga ke shayad isime unki beti ki khushi hai. Aur jo insaan ek vidhwa se shaadi karne ko ready ho woh insaan toh achcha hi hoga na… Upar se ek bachche ki zimmedari bhi leneko ready hai, such a good man.” Sameer’s eyes were fixed on their wedding photo, “main meri mom ke liye uss shaadi ki nishaani hun jo woh kabhi nahi karna chahti thi. I don’t know yeh baat kitni sach hai but when I visited Delhi once, I got to know that Mr. Somani is divorced. Unke ghar ke naukar baat karte hai ke mere dad ki death ki baad Mr. Somani divorced his wife so that he could marry mom. Ek aur baat hai jo suni thi, aur mujhe pata hai ke woh bilkul sach hai kyunki Vishakha Somani se isi baat pe mera jhagda hua tha mere 15^th birthday pe.”

Naina asked in a low voice, “konsi baat?”

Sameer squeezed his eyes shut, as if the recollection pained him, “jab mere dad ki death hui uske ek mahine baad hi she reconnected with Mr. Somani. Dono ka relationship restart ho gaya aur Mr. Somani started his divorce proceedings. Uske thode time baad she got to know that she is pregnant. Lekin… She hated my dad so much that she didn’t want to keep any memory of him with her.”

Naina gasped, “kya…”

“She aborted the child”, Sameer stated bluntly, “she killed… I… I don’t even know if I was going to have a brother or sister.  Aur jab maine yeh baat unse ki tab she told me that mere time pe she didn’t get a chance… Tabiyat kharab thi unki aur dad saath the clinic me when they got to know that she was pregnant… She said she wished ke woh akeli hoti uss time, toh woh mujhe bhi…”

As he trailed off, her lips parted in silent horror, her eyes spilled with tears. She was unable to find words that could be considered proper in this situation. How could a mother do this? When Sameer had told her that his mother hated him, she had thought he was exaggerating the situation, or there might have been some misunderstanding. But this… This horror was something she could never have imagined. She placed a hand on her own stomach, unable of think of any situation where she would even entertain the thought of abortion. Ever since she found out about her pregnancy, all her decisions were made keeping her child in her mind. Wanting to find out one more thing, she asked, “sir ko pata hai?”

He shook his head, “samajh nahi aaya pehle ke kisiko kaise batau… It was a shock… I never understood before that why she hated me. Hamesha sochta tha shayad main hi kuch galat karta hun… Lekin uss din ke baad koi galat fehmi nahi rahi. Jab thoda sambhla aur socha Nanu ko baat karu, tab laga ke jab mujhe itna dukh ho raha hai toh unhe kaisa lagega jab unhe pata chalega ke unki beti ne aisa kaam kiya hai. I felt he wouldn’t be able to tolerate this news… I didn’t want to lose him, isiliye unse sirf Ahmedabad me unke saath rehne ki baat ki.”

Her heart ached for him. He had lived with his mother’s hatred and carried the burden of her horrific revelation on his shoulders alone. She tugged at his arm and when he looked at her, she hugged him, “I am so sorry… Mujhe nahi pata ke main kya kahu… Koi aisa shabd jisse tumhara yeh dard kam ho.”

He tightened his arms around her, “kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahi hai… bas mere saath raho. Tum saath hoti ho toh sab kuch achcha lagta hai. I feel happy.”

“Main hamesha tumhare saath rahungi”, she promised earnestly.

He closed his eyes, savouring the promise, his shoulders feeling lighter now that he had shared this secret with her. The frustration about Somani family’s underhanded tactics to interfere in his relationship with Nanu, the anger he felt at the situation, the unburdening of the secret he had carried for so long drained him. It was all too soon that he felt drowsy. Naina helped him lie down and soon he fell asleep, but she couldn’t rest. Her mind was haywire with all that she had heard, the horror she had felt still lingering, she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep, and so she quietly slipped out of the bedroom.

Bhavna Tai had finished all the work and was about to leave when she saw Naina come out of the bedroom, “kya hua memsahab? Kuch chahiye?”

Naina shook her head, “Sameer ke nanaji aaj jaa rahe hai.”

“Aaj hi?” Tai was surprised, “abhi abhi toh aaye.”

Naina informed, “Ahmedabad me kuch problem hai.”

Tai thought for a moment, and then asked, “toh ab raat ka khana? Main kuch banake jau?”

“Nahi it’s okay”, Naina replied, “main aur Sameer kuch halka bana lenge. Lunch waise bhi kaafi heavy tha. Aap dhyan se jaiye.”

After Tai left, Naina used the landline to call Aman, who picked up immediately, “bhabhi?”

She smiled, “tumhe kaise pata main hun, Sameer nahi?”

“Sir apne mobile se phone karte”, Aman declared, “kya hua bhabhi? Sir theek hai na?”

She sighed, “pareshan hai. Tum ghar pahonch gaye?”

Aman responded, “nahi… main aapke ghar se thode dur jo mall hai wahan aaya hun. Mere papa ka birthday aa raha hai toh socha unko watch gift karunga.”

“Achcha idea hai”, she gently said, “suno… tum wapas aa sakte ho? Sameer… Kuch hai jo main tumhe nahi bata sakti, par mujhe nahi lagta ke unhe aaj drive karna chahiye. Nanu ko airport drop karna hai lekin company ke kisi driver ke saamne unhe SJM banke rehna padega.”

Aman immediately agreed without any questions, “main watch kharidke turant wapas aata hun. Aap fikar mat kijiye bilkul.”

She thanked him fervently to which he assured there was no need. After that, she went to the puja room, and sat down on the sofa, contemplating about what she had heard. All these years she had thought her family was so bitter and had hated her so much. However, she couldn’t deny that when she was small the unfair treatment was balanced with a care that only family could offer. Her father was bitter as her mother had died while giving birth to her, but he hadn’t dumped her in a hostel. Chachaji and Chachiji had done their best to provide for her, she had never been underfed, she had been able to go to school, she had never been abandoned when she was sick. If the situation with Manav hadn’t happened then she was sure she would still be in good terms with her family, probably even married to a man of their choice. But most importantly, Chachiji and Taiji loved their children. Chachiji adored Pooja didi and Preeti, and her generous love had even extended to a motherless child who had been rendered in her care. Taiji’s harsh words could cut through anyone’s confidence but she had always been gentle with her son Pralay. Everywhere around her, she had seen mothers care for their child and love them. How in the world did Vishakha Somani carry Sameer in her womb for nine months and not love him? How could she had taken the decision to abort an unborn child just because she didn’t love the man she married? How could she have the heart to tell her son that she wished she could have aborted him as well?

She didn’t know how long she sat there lost in her thoughts when she was startled by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Looking up, she saw Sameer’s grandfather, standing awkwardly by the door. Upon seeing he had her attention, he asked, “Sameer?”

“So rahe hai”, she replied, “aapki packing ho gai?”

He nooded, “haan. Yaqeen maano… Agar Deepika hospital me nahi hoti toh main kabhi nahi jaata.”

Naina calmly observed the man, noting the sadness on his face, as she thought about if she should say something. She gestured him to sit, and then asked, “aisa kya khaya Deepika ne? Ghar me sabko pata hai na ke usko allergy hai strawberry se?”

Nanu sighed, “haan… sabko pata hai. Deepika strawberry aur mushrooms nahi kha sakti… Rohan peanuts nahi kha sakta… Bahot dhyan rakha jaata hai ghar me. Pata nahi kaise…”

There was silence for a moment, before Naina decided to take the plunge, “Rohan bhi toh hospital me admit ho chuka hai ek baar.”

Slightly surprised at the fact that she knew it, he nodded, “haan…”

She kept her gaze steady on him, “tab bhi Sameer ke life me important event tha na? Aur usse pehle… jab woh London se wapas aaye the… aur phir jis din woh London gaye the…” Nanu gaped at her, his mouth opening and closing without any words. She continued in a musing tone, “kitni ajeeb baat hai na. Jab allergy ka itna dhyan rakha jaata hai, tab kuch khaas mauko par hi yeh dhyan me chuk kaise ho jaati hai.” Just then, the doorbell rang, and she stood up, “Aman wapas aa gaye honge… Main chai banati hun sabke liye.” She left the room, leaving the older man to his thoughts.

Sameer woke up, feeling disoriented, looking around for Naina. The bedroom the empty, he sat up wondering where she was. It took him a moment to recollect the incident and their discussion, and he threw his blanket aside, hurrying out of the room. He could hear her exclamation from the kitchen, “yeh bahot sundar hai… Good choice.”

Puzzled he walked towards the sound, when he heard Aman saying, “thanks bhabhi. I hope dad likes it.”

Entering the kitchen, he saw Naina was preparing tea, and Aman stood by her. Sameer rubbed his eyes, “Aman? Tum ghar nahi gaye?”

Naina smiled at him, “tum uth gaye? Jaake fresh ho jao aur change karlo. Main chai bana rahi hun…”

Sameer was still confused, “haan par… Aman yahan? Aur Nanu?”

“Aman bhaiya hume airport le jaane aaye hai”, she stated, “aur sir puja room me hai.”

He wanted to ask why Aman would take them to the airport, but a careful glance at the way his wife’s chin tilted up in defiance; he understood it was her decision. It warmed his heart to realize that she was concerned for him after their discussion, and hence she had asked Aman to come back. Also, wise men didn’t argue with their wives. So he simply nodded and went back to his room to do as instructed.

Tea was a silent affair mostly. Nanu was disgruntled to see the assistant back in the house, and also to know that he would be accompanying them to the airport. There was no way he would talk about family to Sameer in-front of his assistant. He wondered if it was Sameer who called him back so that they couldn’t talk. Or was it Naina who had intervened and made it impossible for him to talk to his grandson and also to her especially about what she had said in the puja room. It soured his mood that his last few hours with Sameer were to be spent in silence.

The drive to airport was equally silent as Sameer sat at the front with Aman who was driving the car, and Nanu was in the backseat with Naina who promptly leaned back and closed her eyes. Jaiprakash Maheshwari bade a morose goodbye to his grandson and his wife, feeling as if the chasm between him and his grandson had only widened in this trip. Sameer stared at his grandfather’s departing back and wondered if this was the final time, he had experienced a semblance of normalcy with his Nanu, if finally the Somani family had succeeded in breaking the one bond he had maintained since childhood. Naina held her husband’s hand, wondering if she had overstepped some boundary by saying the things she had to Sameer’s grandfather, and not knowing how to heal the hurt Sameer was still feeling even after all these years.