Forever yours

Responsibility

"Nahi Miss, Sameer aur maine milke sanshodhan kiya aur fir ek saath baithke likha hai".

"Bahut achcha likha hai! Tum logon ne sach mein saabit kar diya ki agar milke saajedaari mein koi kaam kiya jaaye, toh parinaam aisa ho sakta hai. Baaki logon ko bhi tumse seekhna chahiye".

Sameer-Naina smiled at each other that their joint efforts had paid off well. Sameer's confidence raised as others could see the power of their pair. He knew it wouldn't be long before Naina too realized it.

"Yaar Sameer, yeh chamatkar kab hua bhai? Tu kabse padhai mein itna dhyan dene lag gaya?" Asked a happy but bewildered Munna.

"Haan yaar. Subah se dekh raha hoon, class mein aisa dhyan laga raha hai jaise ki tapasya kar raha ho! Bhai, apni nahi toh hamari izzat ka toh khayal kar le!" Pleaded an amused Pandit.

"Chup karo tum donon, yeh sab kuch Naina ki wajah se hai aur Naina ke liye hi hai". He looked at her & a smile crept on his face, while she was busy smiling at something Swati was whispering to her.

"Dekh Naina, tum donon ki jodi ne toh kamaal kar diya".. Swati whispered to her & Naina smiled reservedly. She knew she was trying too hard to keep him off but was failing miserably & ironically she was not angry about it.

While returning home, even Preeti joined the car ride in the back as she thought the front seat was only Naina's right or at least she should be first!

"Jijajiiii" She squealed in delight! "Mujhe Swati ne bataya aaj class mein kya hua. Aap toh chaa gaye!"

Sameer smiled at her antics "Saaliji, yeh kamaal mere akele ka nahi, hamari jodi ka hai, hamare saath ka hai".

While Preeti raised her eyebrows in affirmation praising her Jijaji's love for her beloved sister, Sameer was busy gauging the said sister's reaction in the rearview mirror.

Naina couldn't suppress the feeling of gratitude for getting acknowledged for her efforts & he noticed that she was starting to trust him again.

In the late afternoon:

"Naina, chalo, aaj tumhe doctor ke paas leke jana hai!" Arjun came hurriedly to Naina's room.
Naina didn't say anything, but got up from the bed & followed him out.

Sameer was pacing the hall but didn't know how to tell Arjun that he too wanted to accompany them. He cursed himself for reminding Arjun in the morning about the doctor visit otherwise right now he would have been the one taking her. Then he slightly tapped his head & started mumbling "kya soch raha hai Sameer? Car mein school saath mein jana ek baat hoti hai par aise tujhe kaun uske saath akele jane dega? Koi na koi toh saath aayega hi na!" But he couldn't deny that he was dying to be by her side, whether or not she wanted or liked. He just couldn't let her be.

He huffed when the brother-sister duo came out. Arjun looked at him & did something which he would never do, act impulsively that too in Naina's matter. "Sameer, tum bhi chalo!"

Naina and Sameer looked at each other. Naina was shocked as this was very out of character for her brother but Sameer could jump in joy.
He grabbed the car keys & when they were about to leave, Chachiji came back from her vegetable shopping.

"Bhagwan jhooth na bulvaye! Kahan ja rahe ho tum teenon?" She asked suspiciously.
"Chachiji, wo Naina ko aaj doctor ko dikhana hai na, toh hum buss wahi clinic ja rahe hai", replied Arjun.

"Arre, fir akele kaise ja rahe ho? Rakesh Bhaisaheb nahi ja rahe hai kya tumhare saath?" She was surprised how could the kids handle such a situation all by themselves.

"Nahi Chachiji, Papa toh kisi kaam se bahar gaye hai". Arjun replied again.

"Aise kaise! Yeh Bhaisaheb bhi na! Pehle bata dete toh tumhare Chachaji office se jaldi aa jaate aur Naina ke saath jaate. Koi baat nahi, main hi chalti hoon!" Chachiji dumped her vegetable bag on the stand by the door & was getting ready to leave when Rakesh walked in.