The phone rang again the next moment.
After a bit of hesitation... and two rings... Naina picked it up.
"Phone mat kaatna... ek special baat bolni reh gayi thi." Sameer's voice reached her again.
"Kya?" She asked.
"Ek baar fir, Happy Birthday." He said in a honeyed tone.
A smile spread on her face, "Isse achha birthday main kabhi soch bhi nahi sakti thi... thank you."
"Ahaan... abse aane wala har birthday isse achha hoga... isse kahin zyada khoobsurat... bilkul tumhari tarah... nahi, tumhari tarah khoobsurat kuch nahi ho sakta... par khaas zaroor hoga." He started to dream about her next birthday, when she would be with him, never to go away.
"Tumhare saath toh har din khaas hota hai." She said softly.
"Umm, Naina... aaj bhi aa jaun?" He tried his luck.
"Sameer, tum ab chup karke so jao... kuch ulta seedha sochna bhi mat... Preeti yahin hai... aur chachaji hain... bua dadi hain... agar kisi ne dekh liya toh pata hai na kya hoga?" She said sternly, panicking but trying not to show.
"Achha baba, jaisa tum kaho... lekin subah mandir mein toh milogi na?" He asked.
"Haan, kal subah... ab good night." She was about to disconnect.
"Ruko, ruko, phone mat katna." He said earnestly.
"Abhi kya hua?"
"Woh maine toh good night bola hi nahi." He whined.
"Bol do." She suppressed a smile again.
"Pehle tum bolo... achha wala." He demanded like a child.
She knew what he meant.
Kissing softly into the receiver, she whispered, "I Love you... good night... jaan."
He held the phone against his heart and fell back on the bed, "Itna pyara good night... ab subah ka intezar jaag ke karna padega... tumne toh meri neend hi chura li... good night jaan."
Naina put the phone away with a shy smile, going to bed with dreamy eyes... dream of meeting him in the morning.
The contentment she felt at the day's events overtook the feeling of despair brought about by her father's reaction... helping her to drift into a peaceful sleep.
The elation continued when she met him the next day... spending time at the pond. They both, however, were nervous about the talks to be held today... with tauji and taiji.
The said people reached their house when Bela had just finished serving breakfast to her husband and Phulla bua. They both were inside, discussing about the ways to handle the situation.
"O bai, Bela, bohot thak gaye hain... zara chai nashta taiyar kar de... abhi aate hain hum log." Taiji ordered, peering in from the door before entering her own house.
"Jee bhabhiji." Bela muttered, going back to the kitchen.
Naina helped her with the preparations while Preeti was away for her parlour training.
Fifteen minutes later, taiji walked in, feigning exhaustion, "Yeh shaadi waadi ka kaam toh bada hi mushkil hota hai... kitni thak gayi main toh... Bela, ab nashta karke soungi... dopaher mein kuch halka hi bana lena... kal se bhaari kha kha ke thoda pet dukh raha hai."
Tauji walked in behind her, settling down on the chair as Bela started to serve them.
"Namaste bhaisahab, namaste bhabhiji... kaise hain aap log?" Anand walked out, greeting them.
