"Naina, tune socha tak nahi ki chachaji ko iss baat se kitna dhakka lagega... papa ki baat alag hai par unko tujh par kitna bharosa tha." Arjun managed to speak after being tongue tied for a few minutes.
"Chachaji ne hi meri shaadi Sameer se karwayi hai, bhaiya... Mumbai mein... court marriage... Phulla bua bhi saath thi." Naina quietly gave him the next piece of information.
"Kyaaa?" This was too much for Arjun.
He held onto the railing for support... the news had hit him harder than any fast delivery by a bowler.
His little sister had suddenly grown up... she was always more smart, more brainy, more courageous, more determined than him... and she had proved it yet again. He knew he had no right to question her... he had never been able to stand up for her... but then, he had never been able to stand up for himself ever.
He clutched the railing tighter, not sure how he would take the answer of the next question.
"Kaun hai woh?"
Naina looked him straight in the eye, "Sameer... hamare school mein tha yahan... aur Mumbai mein college mein bhi saath tha... yahin rehta hai... Ahmedabad mein... hamare school ke trustee Jai Prakash Maheshwari ka naati... Sameer Maheshwari."
Arjun had guessed right... he couldn't take it. His legs gave way and his back slipped down on the floor...
Sameer Maheshwari... the rich, arrogant, aloof guy... how did he get close to Naina... he had never seen her talk to any boy in school... for that matter, he had never seen Sameer talk to any girl in school.
"School se?" He asked in a faint voice.
Naina sat down next to him. The time had come to tell her brother what all had happened in her life. She narrated everything from the beginning... her feelings for him from the first day, his indifference, her acceptance of the fact that they could never be together... and then the college... how two lonely souls found the answer of their emptiness in each other. She told him how Sameer had helped her in everything, making her stronger. Arjun was surprised to know that chachaji and chachiji were aware and approving. When Naina told him about the situation that led to her sudden marriage... he was aghast. And was impressed with her decision to get married with proper rituals... her persistence to make everyone accept her relationship...
They sat in silence for quite some time after she had told him everything.
Taking a deep breath, finally he looked up at his sister, "Mujhe hamesha se lagta tha tu ek din bohot kuch haasil karegi... aur tune itni jaldi mujhe sahi saabit kar diya... na sirf apne sapne poore kiye balki apna pyar bhi paa liya."
His eyes pooled up as he patted her cheek, "Kaun kehta hai ladkiyan kamzor hoti hain... meri behen ko dekho zara... itni si umar mein yeh kahan pohoch gayi... sirf apni himmat aur mehnat se... Naina, tera yeh bhai aaj tak tere liye kuch kar nahi paaya par aaj tujhe vishwas dilata hun ki teri iss ladai mei tere saath rahunga... main bohot khush hun tere liye."
The tears that spilled from her eyes were a mixture of relief, happiness and respite.
"Thank you, bhaiya." She hugged him for the support he was ready to give.
Later in the room, she waited near the phone, waiting for it to ring, worried about Sameer.
He had reached his house when the brightness of daylight had just started to dim, though outside was still lit enough to see everything clearly. The moment he reached the open door of his house, seeing all lights on in the living room, he realised his friends were home.
"Munna Pandit." He yelled at the door itself.
The scampering of feet from inside confirmed his notion.
