That’s The One Chapter 4: The Beginning

The thought about getting married to Naina kept his spirits high that evening as he finalized the preparations for the Saturday evening. Everything was set… Even the excuse to take Naina out with him… Tomorrow morning he would explain everything to her, and they would be set… He hummed to himself for quite some time that night before finally falling asleep with dreams of their first date.

Morning however brought an unexpected trouble for him as he got to know that Naina was going to the temple for some puja with his mother, Preeti and Chachi… He sighed at the inconvenience, but then consoled himself that it was short-lived because Naina would be back in couple of hours… Once he had breakfast, he stepped out into the lawn, thinking he would tend to the flower beds for some time… Naina loved these plants… When she was six, he had found her trying to use a watering can far too heavy for her to pour water on the plants… He had helped her, and then upon her request, promised her to take care of the plants as well… Since then he had sincerely learned about gardening from Nanu, and tended to the gardens in both the houses, followed by an ever curious and helpful Naina… He touched the jasmine shrubs recalling how he had found her hiding behind them… Probably he would never ever forget that moment, those big unblinking eyes, the messy hair, and quivering pouty lips… His doll…

Just as he was crouching down to pull out the weeds, Anand called him from near the parapet, “Sameer…”

He straightened, and smiled, “hello Chacha… Akele hai ghar pe?”

Anand chuckled, “haan… tum free ho? Thodi baat karni thi tumse…”

Sameer nodded, “bilkul free hun…” Ambling over, he jumped across the low boundary wall, “kahiye…”

Anand gestured to the door, “andar chalke baat karte hai…”

As they sat on the sofa, Anand said, “agle mahine Naina ka birthday aa raha hai…”

Sameer smiled, “yes… 20 saal ki ho jayegi Naina… we should celebrate properly… dhoom-dhaam se…”

Anand nodded, “haan woh toh hai… par… ek baat aur hai…”

Sameer noticed the slight worry, and asked, “kya hua Chacha? Koi problem hai?”

“Nahi… nahi”, Anand hastily assured, “problem nahi… bas ek pita ki chinta keh lo… Dono betiya 20 ki ho jayegi matlab Agarwal samaj se rishte aane lagenge… Isiliye tumse baat karna chahta tha… Khaas kar ke Naina ke baare me.”

Sameer’s heart skipped a beat… Naina’s wedding… Chacha wanted to talk to him… It meant even before he would say something, things were already moving forward. In that moment he felt extremely proud of the fact that Chacha was talking to him about his and Naina’s wedding without any hesitation, excited about the prospect, and enormously happy as well. Oh my… This was such a special moment… He tried to control the blooming smile on his face, but failed spectacularly as he nodded, “haan kahiye na…”

Anand glanced once at the door to ensure that no one was back yet, and then haltingly explained, “darasal… Iss baar jab bhabhiji ne bola Naina ke shaadi ka main tabhi se soch raha tha… Agarwal samaj se toh alag-alag rishte aayenge, aur ek baar shuru ho gaya yaane phir milna-milana karna padega… Aur jitne ladko se milenge sabke parivaar ke saamne Rakesh bhaisaab aur Rama bhabhi ki baat niklegi, aur Naina ko dukh hoga…” Sameer nodded in understanding, waiting with bated breath… Anand continued, “isiliye main soch raha tha… umm… Naina ke liye… uh… tumhara dost Munna kaisa rahega…?”

Thunder seemed to have struck Sameer on his head as his mouth fell open in shock… Anand considered it to be surprise and clarified, “Munna ka parivaar hamare hi samaj ka hai… Toh rishta hone me koi dikkat nahi hogi… Aur Munna ko toh Naina ke mata-pita ke baare me bhi pata hai, toh woh iss baat ko bhi sambhal lega… Phir woh tumhara dost bhi toh hai…”

Sameer coughed, not really understanding what was happening… Was Chacha really talking about getting his doll married to his friend, whom she considered as a brother? Had the world around him gone mad? Or was he still sleeping and seeing some horrific nightmare?

Oblivious to the turmoil inside him, Anand continued to add on the misery, “tum bachpan se Naina ke saath rahe ho… Hamesha uska dhyan rakha hai… Bilkul uske bhai ki tarah… Isiliye main yeh baat sabse pehle tumse karna chahta tha… Aakhir Naina ke shaadi me tumhari pasand bhi toh zaroori hai…”

Sameer coughed even more, rubbing his chest… His head started to spin… Surely this was a nightmare… To wake himself up, he pinched his own arm, and yelped loudly followed by more coughing… And that was how Naina and Preeti found them… Bela and Vishakha had stayed back at the temple to talk to the priest, but had allowed the girls to go back home… Naina planned to change and meet Sameer, but her smile widened on seeing him in her home. However, her smile turned to a concerned frown on seeing him coughing badly and also rubbing his chest… Anand was also worried by then and asked what happened, but Sameer was in no shape to answer.

Naina rushed up to the sofa and rubbed his back, “Sameer… kya hua tumhe? Itni khaasi kyun ho rahi hai achanak se…?”

Sameer shook his head, still unable to voice his disturbance. She hushed him, vigorously rubbing his back, and also leaned over to blow on his head, “shsh… it’s okay… kuch bolo mat…”

Anand stared at the sight… Naina was close… so close to Sameer… Rightfully touching him… This was something he had not witnessed before… At least not after the first few years of them meeting each other…

“Preeti paani le aa na”, Naina almost shouted, “khadi khadi dekh kya rahi hai…”

She kept stroking his back and hair, as Preeti rushed to get water. Soon a glass was held before him, and Naina made him drink water slowly. After a few sips his throat didn’t feel like the Sahara desert, and his eyes roved over the concerned face of his doll… She asked gently, “tum theek ho ab?”

He nodded, coughing slightly and glanced at Anand, who was looking at them with wide eyes reflecting shock of revelation. Sameer tried to speak, “uh…”

But Naina stopped him, “shshh… abhi thodi der chup betho… pata nahi kyun itni khaasi ho rahi thi… Gala itna kharab raha toh shaam ko date pe ice-cream bhi nahi kha payenge…”

Sameer mentally face-palmed at her habit of blurting things without thinking… Anand plopped on the sofa still in shock… Naina queried, “Chacha… ab aapko kya hua…?”

“Kuch nahi”, Sameer choked, “umm… tum Preeti ko leke andar jao doll… mujhe thoda kaam hai Chacha se…”

Naina obeyed without any hesitation, smiling up at him, “okay… shaam ko milte hai… mujhe time bata dena…”

Once the girls left, Sameer took a deep breath and stated, “Naina bachpan se Munna aur Pandit ko rakhi bandhti hai…” Anand looked even more shocked at this… Not knowing what else to say since it was now obvious what his relationship with Naina was, he nodded once and went outside. Bela was just coming up to the door, and smiled on seeing him, “aree Sameer beta… bhagwaan jhuth na bulaaye… Naina ke aate hi usse milne aa gaye?”

Sameer shook his head, “nahi… uh… Chacha ko kuch zaroori baat karni thi mujhse…”

Bela was puzzled, “kaisi baat?”

“Naina ki shaadi ki”, Sameer stated with a scowl.

Bela looked delighted, “aree… yeh toh kitni khushi ki baat hai… Main toh kabse intezaar kar rahi hun ke tum aur Naina apni shaadi ki baat karo humse… Chalo achcha hua inhone hi baat ched di…”

Sameer smiled a little upon knowing that Chachi had no misconceptions about their relationship, and sighed, “um… aap Chacha se baat kar lena… Main chalta hun…”

Bela gleefully rushed in, “suniye… kahan hai aap…” On spotting her husband sitting on the sofa, she sat beside him, “bhagwaan jhuth na bulaye… aaj toh aapne dil khush kar diya… Main kabse intezaar kar rahi thi ke Sameer ya Naina hume bata de apne baare me… Par aapne pehel kar di… Sach hi kehte hai… Baap ko sabse zyada chinta hoti hai… Ab bas jhat se Preeti ke liye ladka dhundte hai… Phir Naina aur Preeti ki shaadi ek hi mandap me ho jayegi…”

Anand opened and closed his mouth several times, and then managed to ask, “tum… tumhe pata hai ke Sameer aur Naina… umm… Woh dono…”

“Ek dusre se pyaar karte hai”, Bela finished his statement with a broad smile, “yeh bhala kaun nahi jaanta… bachpan se hi Sameer aur uski doll… Ram milayi jodi hai…”

Anand wondered how he had missed such an important thing of his daughter’s life. He queried, “sabko pata hai?”

Bela nodded, “haan bilkul… Vishakhaji aur main toh aksar inn dono ki shaadi ki baat karte rehte hai…”

Anand whispered in horror, “hey bhagwaan… Main Sameer se Naina aur Munna ki rishte ki baat kar raha tha… Aur yeh bhi kaha ke Sameer bilkul Naina ke bhai ki tarah hai…”

“KYA…!!???”

The shocked loud question came not just from his wife, but his two daughters as well who had overheard the conversation. And gulped as Naina marched towards him, “aapko meri shaadi Munna se karwani hai?”

Anand opened his mouth to say something, but Preeti pitched in, “Naina school se Munna aur Pandit ko rakhi baandhti hai… Sirf Sameer ko rakhi nahi bandha kabhi usne.”

Bela nodded, “haan… bhagwan jhuth na bulaye, aapko yaad nahi kya… Naina 7 saal ki thi jab Rakshabandhan pe Mishraji ki patni ne kaha tha ke Arjun ki tarah Sameer ko bhi rakhi baandh de… Par Naina ne mana kar diya tha…”

Anand tried to recall the incident… It was so long ago, but still he vaguely remembered Naina sitting on the floor coloring a picture of river and mountains, with Sameer sitting next to her handing over her crayons as and when needed. His colleague from office Mr. Mishra had visited with his wife, and on seeing them, she had commented that since it was Rakshabandhan, Naina should tie Rakhi to Sameer…

Sameer had the expression of a mutinous black cloud on hearing the suggestion… Naina had carefully finished coloring a tree and then declared, “nahi… Sameer mera bhai nahi hai… Mera knight hai…”

The woman had asked what a knight is… Naina had happily chirped, “wahi jo ekdum tall hota hai, fighting karta hai, aur protect karta hai… Sameer knight hai.”

Mr. Mishra had laughed and asked, “aur aap princess hai?”

Naina had vigorously shaken her head, “main Sameer ki doll hun…”

Anand rubbed his hands over his face, “itne saal se mujhe pata kaise nahi chala?”

Naina crossed her arms, and accused, “aapki wajah se Sameer itna khaas raha tha… Aapne usko mera bhai bola…”

Preeti shook her head, “agar Munna ko yeh rakhi naa baandh rahi hoti aur woh Sameer ka dost nahi hoti toh ab tak toh uski 3-4 haddi tut hi chuki hoti…”

Bela mumbled, “sathyane ki toh umar bhi nahi hui hai ab tak… pata nahi dimag me aise khayal kaise aate hai…”

Anand stated in an exasperated tone, “aree toh main kya karu… maine toh bas beti ki shaadi ka socha… Munna hamare caste ka hai aur pehchaan ka bhi toh socha… bas… Aur baat Naina ki thi toh sabse pehle Sameer se baat ki… Ab mujhe bhala kaise pata chalega ke yeh sab chal raha hai…”

Naina firmly stated, “caste-waste mujhe nahi pata… agar meri shaadi hoti toh sirf Sameer se hogi… Aur abhi main usse milne jaa rahi hun… Pareshan ho gaya hoga…”

As Naina disappeared, Bela asked her husband, “aapko dharam-jaati ke aitraaz hai…?”

“Kaisi baate kar rahi ho Bela”, Anand sighed, “mujhe kyun Sameer aur Naina ke rishte se koi aitraaz hoga… Woh bas mujhe… Pata hi nahi chala ke unn dono ka rishta aisa hai… Bachpan se hi saath me dekha hai toh unki dosti ko bhai-behen jaisa soch liya maine… Pyaar nahi dekh paaya…”

Preeti seemed to drag in a relieved breath, and then asked, “yeh same mandap me shaadi karwana zaroori hai kya?”

Bela looked at her daughter, “kyun? Tujhe bhi koi pasand hai kya?”

Preeti shook her head, “nahi nahi… lekin mujhe college ke baad parlor ka course karna hai… Shaadi kar lungi toh kaam karne ko kahan milega… Ab har kisiko Sameer jaisa ladka thodi na milega…”

Anand laughed softly, “theek hai… hum tumhari shaadi ki baat abhi nahi chalayenge… Tumhe kaam karna hai toh kaam karo, lekin kuch saal baad milna-milana shuru karna padega.”

At the house next door, Naina rushed inside and immediately collided with Nanu who was going outside with Alok. She apologized quickly… Vishakha heard the commotion and came out of the kitchen, “aree Naina beta… achcha hua tum aa gai… Main kheer bana rahi hun, tumhe seekhna tha na… Aao andar…”

Naina distractedly looked at the stairs, “Sameer…”

“Sameer bathroom me hai”, Vishakha informed, “tum aao yahan…”

Naina followed Vishakha, repeatedly looking over her shoulder at the stairs. Alok noticed this and mused, “yeh aaj itni khoyi-khoyi kyun hai?”

Nanu chuckled, “jawaani ka asar hai… tumhe samajh nahi aayega.”

Alok rolled his eyes, “main aapse toh zyada hi jawaan hun papa…”

“Umar se kuch nahi hota”, Nanu grinned, “dil jawaan hona chahiye.”

Alok shook his head, quite used to his father-in-law’s unique statements, and said, “achcha theek hai… ab chaliye… Phir lunch tak wapas bhi aana hai warna Vishakha naraaz ho jayegi.”

Both the men left, while inside the kitchen Vishakha chattered on happily oblivious to the fact that the person she was talking was not listening anything. Naina stood wringing her hands, unable to focus on anything, worry clawing her insides… She had spoken her mind out in-front of Chacha, but what if he truly had objections to Sameer’s caste? She had never thought about it… How bad Sameer must have felt when he was called and talked to about her marriage, that too with his friend? He was coughing so badly… How could Chacha not know that she loved only Sameer? She was a fool… If only she had been more romantic before them no one would have had any doubts about who she loved… Instead she was such an idiot that she hadn’t even noticed how he had stopped hugging and kissing her in-front of family since so many years.

“Naina”, Vishakha’s voice intruded in her thoughts, “tum sunn bhi rahi ho main kya bol rahi hun?”

Naina blinked, her lips still curved in a frown, her hands still busy in nervous quirks. Before she could reply, a deep voice commented, “aaj woh dhyan nahi de payegi mummy… rehne do.”

Naina gasped looking around, and her eyes widened on seeing Sameer leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed, his legs also crossed at ankle, and a smirk in place on his face. Her eyes moved over his features, and then lowered in mortification as she recalled her declaration of not marrying anyone else except him… Sameer thought she was blushing because she had understood she had announced about their date in-front of Chacha…

Vishakha looked from Naina to Sameer, and then asked, “kyun? Kuch hua kya?”

Sameer informed, his eyes still fixed on Naina, “Chacha ne mujhe bulaya tha Naina ki shaadi ki baat karne.” Vishakha gasped in pleasant surprise. Sameer’s eyes moved to his mother, and he added in a terse tone, “Naina ki shaadi… Munna ke saath…”

Vishakha gasped again, this time in true shock, “kya?”

Sameer nodded, his mouth quirking unpleasantly, “aur unko laga ke mujhse salaah karna sahi hoga kyun main Naina ko bachpan se jaanta hun… Bilkul uske bhai jaisa hun…”

The ladle Vishakha was using to stir the milk fell from her hands, “hey bhagwaan… yeh kya bol rahe ho tum Sameer? Main abhi jaati hun… Anandji aisa kaise soch sakte hai… Belaji aur main toh saalo se tum dono ki shaadi ki planning kar rahe hai, aur Anandji aisi baate kar rahe hai…”

“Rehne do mummy”, he instructed, “aapki hone wali bahu ne sab sambhal liya…”

Naina looked up astonished, wondering how he knew what she had declared. Was he eavesdropping? Vishakha’s eyes rounded in surprise, “sach?”

His voice held ample amount of amusement, and his glittering eyes once more fixed on Naina, as he said, “haan… Chacha ki baat sunke mera gala sukh gaya tha aur mujhe khasi hone lagi… toh yeh almost mere god pe chad gai thi mera peeth aur sir sehlaane… Aur baato-baato me yeh bhi bata diya ke aaj shaam ko hum date pe jaane wale hai…”

Naina clapped a hand over her mouth, her big eyes widening even more… Sameer’s brow furrowed at her reaction, as he understood she hadn’t realized until then about the fact that she had revealed about their date plan… So then, why was she blushing earlier?

Vishakha laughed, “oh my God… I wish main wahan hoti yeh dekhne ke liye…”

Naina looked from one to another, her cheeks flushing red, and she escaped, running away upstairs. Sameer let her go, knowing that his doll would never run away from him… Even if she escaped, she would go to his room, and probably hide under the bed or inside his cupboard; her two favorite hiding places in this house since childhood. Vishakha looked extremely delighted at the turn of events, she turned off the gas, and cleaned the floor after picking up the ladle, “tum jo usko sambhalo… main pados me jaati hun… dekhu zara kya chal raha hai wahan pe…”

Sameer smiled, thanking his mother in his heart for giving him some alone time with Naina. He bounded upstairs, entered his bedroom and locked the door… He closed the window as well, and drew the curtains, wanting absolute privacy for once. The cupboard door was closed, no keys on the lock, so he crouched on his knees near the bed, and peered under it, “doll…” She was there, lying curled up like always, her face hidden in her hands. He chuckled, “tum bahar aaogi ya main andar aau?”

She didn’t reply, so he lay flat on his stomach and slipped under the bed, edging as close to her as possible. As soon as his body touched hers, she made a small sound, tucked her face against his arm and mumbled, “Shameel…”

He smiled as that was exactly how she would respond as a kid whenever he found her in her hiding places. Somehow, in the cramped space, he managed to wrap a hand over her, and kissed her head. Then he gently pulled her out along with him… She finally removed her hands from her face and looked at him… He grinned, sitting up and then picked her up, smoothly depositing her on the bed, earning a squeal from her. Immediately he followed her, and hugged her tight. Keeping his voice soothing, he asked, “kya hua doll?”

She squeezed her eyes shut, informing in a low voice, “mujhe pata hi nahi chala ke maine date ka bol diya…”

He chuckled, “toh phir jab main neeche aaya tum mujhe dekhke itna sharma kyun gai?”

It took her a minute, but she honestly replied, “kyunki yahan aane se pehle maine Chacha se bola ke main tumhare alawa aur kisise shaadi nahi karungi.”

His heart thudded on hearing her words… Wow! His doll was courageous. “I think itna toh Chacha ko samajh aa hi gaya hoga”, he commented.

She shook her head, “mujhe thoda darr lag raha hai… Chacha caste ki baat kar rahe the…”

“Jaanta hun”, he said in an assuring tone, “lekin pakka unko hamare rishte se koi aitraaz nahi hoga.”

She tilted her head back to look at him, “pakka na?”

He nodded, “absolutely…” He moved her hair back from her face, rubbing his knuckles on the curve of her cheek, took a deep breath, and voiced, “maine socha tha date ke liye wait karunga… par tumhari shaadi wala announcement sunke, I feel, this is the most perfect moment…” Gazing into her eyes, he admitted, “I love you Naina… I love you very much…”

She gasped, her beautiful eyes rounding in astonishment… But after a moment, her eyes lit up with so much happiness that his breath caught in his chest. Her small palms framed his face, as she responded without the slightest hesitation, “I love you too Sameer… And I love Shameel too…”

He threw his head back, roaring with laughter… She rubbed her hand on his chest, “hush… mummy sunn legi…” He calmed down, a fond smile lingering on his lips, “mummy tumhare Chacha se baat karne gai…”

She giggled, “bechare Chacha… aaj sab unki parade laga denge… Kaash Papa aur Nanu bhi hote… mazaa aata, haina?”

He shrugged, “mujhe yahan zyada mazaa aa raha hai…” Leaning down he touched his forehead with hers, “mujhe pata hai tumhe perfect date chahiye… I will try my best… Par… Kiss ke liye wait karna zaroori hai? I really want to kiss you now…”

She smiled, looping her arms around his neck, “thodi der pehle tumne hi toh bola… this is the most perfect moment…”

He sucked in a breath at her calm assurance… Without wasting another moment, he cupped her face, gazed into her eyes for a second, and then gently touched his lips with hers. Both of them shivered at the first touch… Their hearts sighed in delight, leading to an automatic curve of their lips into a smile, both of them savoring the moment. They both knew that from now onwards a lot of things will change in their relationship, but at the same time they also knew that the essence of their bond would still remain the same… He will be her Shameel, and she will be his doll… His mouth opened, tentatively tasting her lips one by one, causing her to whimper. The sound made him pull back a fraction of an inch, giving her time to assimilate, to decide. But for her there was nothing to second-guess or back down from, giving in to him, seeking him was as natural as that first time when she had let him hold her hand to help her out of the bushes. Her arms tightened around his neck, pulling him back… With a deep groan, he kissed her fully, coaxing her mouth open and taking her with long slow strokes. She moaned in his mouth, sinking against him, her head tilting back to give him more access. The velvety strokes of his tongue made heat course through her body, it made her respond in like to his actions, and she felt a thrill zing along her veins when he shuddered at her actions. He had no idea how long he kissed her, it just felt like he had touched oasis after ages of remaining thirsty. Slowly, he softened the kiss, sipping at her lips, kissing the corners of her mouth… His breath rushed from his lungs while she panted softly… As soon as he lifted his head, separating their mouth, she collapsed on his chest. He held her close, rubbing her back, stroking her hair, and then titled backwards to lie on the bed, keeping her in his arms.

“Sameer”, she softly called. He hummed, and she asked in a musing tone, “ab hamari first date ko isse zyada perfect kaise banaoge?”

A chuckle rumbled in his chest, “let’s see… 5:30pm ko taiyar rehna…”

She drew a circular pattern on his chest with her nail, “ghar pe kya bolenge?”

“Let’s go with the flow”, he suggested, “waise mujhe lagta nahi hai ab kisiko koi objection hoga.”

She warned, “sab maan jayenge hamari shaadi ke liye toh bhi Papa aur Chacha pakka sawaal puchenge tumse date ke baare me… You know… Ladki ke pita, and all that…”

He assured, “don’t worry… aisa kuch hua toh main sambhal lunga.”

She lay silent for few minutes, and he almost closed his eyes… But very soon she sat up and declared, “mujhe bhuk lagi hai.”

He laughed, “bhukkad girlfriend mili hai mujhe… first kiss ke baad bhi isko bhuk lag rahi hai.”

She frowned, “toh? Kiss se pet thodi na bharta hai?”

He shook his head, “chalo… dekhte hai sab wapas aaye ke nahi…”

The home was empty still… Their families were all gathered in the next door living room. As they crossed over and stood outside the door, they gathered from their conversation that even Alok had been clueless of Naina and Sameer’s relationship. Bela and Vishakha were still berating their husbands while Nanu kept chuckling at odd intervals. Sameer couldn’t stop himself from asking, “papa aap bhi?”

All of them turned to see Sameer and Naina stepping inside, their hands interlocked. Alok and Anand sheepishly smiled, their expressions clearly indicating that they had already listened a lot about their foolishness. Bela motioned them to sit, and happily chirped, “bhagwan jhuth na bulaye, ab yeh sab baate chodo… main toh kehti hun panditji ko bulvake jald se jald shaadi ka mahurat nikalwate hai.”

Sameer immediately objected, “nahi… hamari shaadi college khatam honeke baad hogi.”

Alok, Vishakha and Nanu agreed to this. But Anand voiced, “college khatam honeme toh ab tak ek saal se upar baaki hai.”

Sameer shrugged, “toh kya hua? Naina ab tak sirf 19 ki hai… Agle mahine 20 ki hogi… Shaadi ke waqt umar kamsekam 21 toh honi chahiye na.”

Preeti piped up, “par yeh rule toh sirf ladko ke liye hai na? Ladki ki age toh 18 ho sakti hai…”

“Jaanta hun”, he replied, “par phir bhi hum dono chahte hai ke college khatam ho tab tak wait kare.”

Bela looked worried, “beta hum samajhte hai… par hum samaj me kya bolenge? Koi rishta leke aa gaya toh…”

Vishakha suggested, “ek kaam toh kar sakte hai na… Naina ke birthday ke din inn dono ka roka kar dete hai… Sagai bhale baad me kare… Roka ho jayega toh rishta pakka aur iska matlab koi aur Naina ke liye rishta nahi laa payega. Aur agar koi kehta bhi hai toh hamare paas jawaab hoga…”

While everyone hummed in agreement, starting to discuss more, Sameer looked at Naina, raising his eyebrows in question. Faint blush tinged her cheeks as she nodded, accepting the decision. He smiled and declared, “theek hai… hum dono ko manzoor hai… ab chaliye khana kha lete hai, doll ko bhuk lagi hai… Aur haan, aaj shaam hum dono date pe jaa rahe hai.”

Just as Naina had warned, Bela and Vishakha agreed with a smile, Nanu nodded enthusiastically, but Anand and Alok questioned almost simultaneously, “kya?”

“Date”, Sameer repeated.

Alok queried, “kab jaa rahe ho? Achanak kyun?”

Sameer replied, “achanak nahi… bahot time se plan kar raha tha… Peechle Sunday hi Naina ko pucha tha aur aaj ka din decide kiya tha…”

Anand queried, “kahan jaane wale ho? Saath me kaun hoga?”

Sameer almost rolled his eyes, but controlled and responded, “date matlab sirf main aur Naina honge… Koi aur kyun aayega hamari date pe? Aur jagah surprise hai Naina ke liye… Toh main bata nahi sakta…”

Alok placed his hands on his hips, “aise kaise nahi bataoge?”

“Haan… Batana toh padega”, Anand said, “bina bataye hum nahi le jaane denge Naina ko.”

Alok nodded and added, “aakhir beti hai hamari…”

“Aur meri hone wali biwi”, Sameer replied in a firm clear tone, stunning every one. He narrowed his eyes as he continued, “aur mujhe nahi lagta ke mujhe kisiko bhi yeh prove karneki zaroorat hai ke mujhse zyada dhyan Naina ka koi nahi rakh sakta… Isiliye aap dono yeh filmy dads ki tarah sawaal-jawaab mat kijiye…” His eyes sparkled with mischief, as he added, “warna main doll se kahunga ke kahin chup jaaye, aur phir mere alawa toh use koi dhund nahi payega… Tab toh aap log mujhe rok nahi payenge…”

Anand and Alok glared at him but then sighed and accepted defeat, making the others laugh aloud. The two families decided to eat together, since they hadn’t had enough time to cook properly. Quick dal-chawal-sabji was made where everyone pitched in with something or the other. Vishakha brought in the kheer she had prepared, and Naina reheated the leftover matar-paneer from previous night. It was a fun afternoon as everyone teased Sameer and Naina, tried to find out more information about their date, and happily talked about the upcoming birthday and roka celebrations.

At 5:30pm in evening, Naina was dressed up in the pink dress, her hair brushed and left open, crystal tear-drops in her ears, and a bracelet and watch on her wrists. She turned this way and that, checking her reflection in the mirror… Today she had taken time to properly apply eye-liner, mascara and lipstick… She took her beige clutch, and went downstairs, carrying her new beige pumps in her hand. Chachi and Preeti praised her look, while Anand told her to be careful and not be late. Naina assured him that Sameer would take care of her perfectly, and then slipped on her pumps… Just at that moment the doorbell rang, and she excitedly opened the door…

Sameer stood on the door dressed in fitted blue jeans and a white shirt… She immediately noticed how the fabric stretched a bit at his chest, how the two buttons were open, and the rolled up sleeves. He smiled at her, holding up a single blush pink rose that matched perfectly with her dress. She chuckled, accepting it, recalling how she had told him that hero gave flowers to the heroine when he picked her up for the date… There was one more round of assurance from Sameer, and he promised to feed her on time and also bring her back well before mid-night. Alok, Nanu and Vishakha were standing at the gates… Sameer opened the car door for her to sit, and then rolling his eyes at both the families, sat on the driver’s seat… Everyone waved them off…

Once out of the society boundary, Sameer chuckled, “aisa lag raha tha ke ek minute aur rukte toh sab hamara peecha karte dusre car me.”

Naina laughed, “pehla date hai na… isiliye… next time se unko bhi aadat pad jayegi.”

Sameer shrugged, “chodo ab gharwalo ko… aur peeche ki seat pe dekho…”

She looked back obediently and squealed in delight on seeing the basketful of red and pink roses, “itne saare flowers…”

He smiled, “sab tumhare liye… door pe sirf ek hi diya kyunki pura basket le aata toh sab pagal kehte mujhe…”

She laughed, “thank you Sameer… kitne khoobsurat hai yeh…”

“Uhmmm”, he hummed, “par sabse khoobsurat phool toh maine chupaake rakha hai.”

She tilted her head, “konsa phool?”

He smirked, “hamare date ke end pe ghar jaane se pehle bataunga.”

She pouted, “Sameer… bataona…”

He shook his head, “abhi nahi… trust me… tumhe perfect date chahiye na…”

She pouted bit more, but soon the excitement overrode her dissatisfaction. Glancing at the passing roads she tried to guess where he was taking her, but it wasn’t until he made the last turn and the huge board on the side of the road loomed in sight, that she understood his plan. Her eyes sparkled in happiness, “drive-in cinema!”

He laughed, “haan… do you remember tumne mujhse ek baar kaha tha ke tum yahan aana chahti ho?”

She gaped at him, perfectly recalling the moment, “Sameer… tab main 14 saal ki thi… Aur magazine me dekhke bas keh diya tha…”

He nodded, “tabhi se maine sochke rakha tha ke jab bade hoke hum dates pe jayenge tab main tumhe yahan le aaunga… sunset ke time pe sunset drive-in cinema.”

“Oh this is perfect”, she sighed happily, “maine kabhi nahi socha tha ke hum yahan aayenge.”

He had already purchased the tickets beforehand so that he had an option to reserve spot, and now after getting the tickets punched he drove inside, in the corner-most spot, in the last lane. She laughed out as he parked, “toh tumne apni corner seats ki ichcha puri kar hi li.”

He grinned, “smart girl…”

Taking out a mat from the boot he spread it on the side of the car where there was the boundary wall, and added two cushions on it. She queried, “hum yahan neeche bethenge?”

He nodded, “sirf sunset tak… uske baad car ke andar se hi dekhenge…”

She sat down on one of the cushions, and sighed, “kaash popcorns hote.”

No sooner had she said this that he sat beside her with a bottle of water and two boxes, one containing popcorns and the other chips. She was surprised at his planning, and couldn’t help but ask, “dinner ka bhi koi plan hai kya?”

He simply winked at her and gestured her to see towards the screen. The ground was quickly filling in, and the screen started to flash the movie name… Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge… This was the most perfect movie according to her. As the movie started to play, he gently shifted behind her, tugging her to sit in between his legs so that he could hug her. The car hid them from view of their neighbors and the people in-front of them were engrossed in the movie. As Raj met Simran for the first time, helping her get on the train before the doors closed, he nuzzled her hair, and whispered, “aaj tum bahot zyada beautiful lag rahi ho…”

She smiled, “tum bhi ekdum handsome lag rahe ho… Waise toh hamesha hi lagte ho par yeh combination bahot suit kar raha hai… Aur… umm… shirt ke do open buttons achcha hai…”

He kissed her ear, “tumhara lipstick bhi bahot achcha hai… can’t wait to taste…”

She blushed, her skin glowing golden in the last rays of sun, and his heart thumped in happiness. The sky darkened, the orange hues blending into the deeper shades of purple and blue… They ate some popcorn and by the time it was interval, the gathered up the mat and cushions, and moved inside the car. Sameer suggested sitting on the backseat so that he could hug her, and she blushed but agreed immediately. The rest of the movie went by in teasing, live commentary, and random discussions. Just as the last scene played, and minutes before the lights would turn on, Sameer cupped her face and kissed her deep and hard… She shivered and moaned at the intensity of the sudden kiss but immediately responded sliding her fingers in his hair. He parted from her in a minute as the end credits started to roll, and the lights flickered on… He wiped her mouth with his thumb, and said in a low voice, “tumhari car kiss… done…”

She bit her lips but soon laughed out in delight at having her fantasy being fulfilled. Yes, it wasn’t at the end of date, but still they had kissed in the car.

The dinner was another surprise for her as it was planned on the terrace of one of the famous restaurants in Ahmedabad. A round table was set with candles in the middle, two chairs opposite each other, and the entire terrace was decorated with fairy lights. Given that the restaurant was three storeys high, they were saved from any prying eyes… It was perfect… The star-filled sky overhead, the twinkling fairy lights, the flickering scented candles, the meal menu consisting all her favorite items, and then after the dishes were cleared leaving them alone once more, from a corner of the terrace instrumental music of romantic hindi songs started to play as Sameer held his hand out to her. She was sure that she had an expression of perpetual surprise on her face as she slipped her hand into his and got up to dance. He held her waist while her hands clutched onto his shoulders as they swayed to the tunes… He kissed her cheek after few songs, and asked, “yaad hai maine kaha tha ke sabse khoobsurat phool maine chupaake rakha hai?”

She nodded… He smiled and brought out a small woven jute box from his pocket, offering it to her. She took it, curiously opening the lid and gasped in delight. There on a blue velvet cloth lay a silver chain with a heart shaped pink crystal locket, and beside it was a perfectly bloomed fragrant white jasmine. He flicked her nose gently, making her look at him, and asked, “pehna du?”

She nodded, taking out the chain, handing it over to him and then turned. He slipped the chain around her neck, moved her hair aside and closed the hook at her nape, placing a tender kiss on the spot. She turned back to him, looking at his face. His eyes moved from the sparkling pink locker to her glittering eyes as he fondly said, “this reminds me of the first time I met you… pink kapdo me ek choti si doll, white jasmine ke paas… the most perfect sight… I think usi pal me mere dil ne mujhse keh diya tha – That’s The One…”

Her gaze softened and she kept the box safely on the table, wanting to keep the jasmine flower, and then threw her arms around him, rising up on tip-toe and kissed him… After a moment she murmured against his lips, “main toh jab bhi tumhe dekhti hun mera dil zoro ke dhadak ke kehta hai – That’s The One…” He grinned at her words, and clasped her to him, sealing their lips once more as the last of the candles burned out, leaving a floral fragrance mixed with smoke in the air, and the music player started to play the tune of the evergreen romantic number Pehla Nasha signifying the beginning of a new journey…