Naina froze.
She was used to hearing all types of harsh accusations but Sameer would not be able to take it... she gulped, wondering how much he had heard... cursing herself that she was standing right next to the door...
"Naina... kya hua... tum chup kyon ho? Aur peeche se kuch shor aa raha hai... kya ho raha hai? TV dekh rahi ho kya?" His voice boomed again... absolutely normal.
She heaved a sigh of relief... Sameer had not heard the exact language used by taiji... she closed her eyes for a moment... opening them again quickly as she moved further inside the room... to avoid any more risk.
"Uh... Sameer... woh tauji aur taiji aaye hain... nahi abhi koi baat nahi hui... abhi nashta kar rahe hain... main chachiji ki madad kar rahi hun... baad mein baat karungi... bye." She kept the phone down.
Sameer looked at the instrument in his hand... eyes blazing.
What he had heard had made his blood boil... but he did not let Naina know that each and every cruel word reached him loud and clear. He could sense the relief in her voice when he pretended to be unaware of what was happening. Something had to be done... he could not let Naina go through all this alone.
But why was she hiding it from him? He had felt her hold back something a few times in the past... was that too related to taiji? Was Naina being subjected to some kind of torture by this vile lady?
He clenched his fists.
Phulla bua looked at taiji in disgust, "Jitna chota tera dimaag hai utni hi gayi guzri teri soch hai... kisi baat ko samajhne ki tujhme kabliyat nahi hai toh beech mein mat bol."
Tauji pondered over what his wife had said, and spoke up after a while, "Kya Sameer aur Naina pehle se ek dusre ko jaante hain?"
Anand looked at Phulla bua... not sure how much they could tell at this point.
"Haan, jaante hain... ek hi college mein the... lekin Sameer ko main bhi achhe se jaanti hun aur Anand bhi... humne soch samajh ke yeh rishta tay kiya hai." Phulla bua said after a deep breath.
"Ab samajh aaya kyon yeh ladki uss din aankhen dikha ke keh rahi thi ki hamare bataye hue ladke se shaadi nahi karegi... arre doosra hi khel chal raha tha iska toh." Taiji was happy to have found something to target Naina again.
Tauji pursed his lips as his nostrils flared, "Toh aap log iss ghar mein prem vivah karwana chahte hain... samaj mein jo humara naam hai woh mitti mein mil jayega... sab log hasenge mujhpe... Anand, tumne socha tak nahi ki ghar ke bade se ek baar pooch toh lo itna aham faisla lene se pehle... main iski ijazat bilkul nahi de sakta."
"Anand ne ghar ke bade se hi poocha hai, Naresh... mat bhoolo ki abhi main zinda hun... tum sabse badi hun... humne Sameer se milne ke baad hi yeh faisla liya hai... usse rishta judne se kaise izzat kam hogi yeh zara samjhao mujhe... woh toh sheher ke sabse izzatdaar khandan ka ladka hai." Phulla bua patiently addressed tauji.
"Baat uske khandaan ki nahi humare khandaan ki hai... aaj tak humare ghar mein kisi ne aisi besharmi nahi ki... woh ladki Mumbai mein padhne ke naam par yeh sab kar rahi thi aur aap log usse badhawa de rahe ho... maaf kijiye buaji, par aapko toh apni umar ke hisaab se sochna chahiye tha." Tauji said with false pride.
Anand gritted his teeth... he could not accept a pointed finger at someone whom he respected like a mother.
Phulla bua blinked at him, nodding once to pacify his anger.
She turned to her eldest nephew, "Yeh meri umar ka tajurba hai jisne mujhe sahi galat ki pehchaan sikhayi hai... aur isiliye maine Naina ke liye sahi ladka chuna hai... Mumbai mein padhne ke saath saath Naina ne aur bhi kai bade kaam kiye hain... har saal university mein top kiya, award jeeta, TV show likha jiski sab taraf sarahana ho rahi hai... aur agar tumhe pata na ho toh bata dun, Naina ne gareeb ladkiyon ke liye ek trust banaya hai jiski wajah se kitni hi bachchiyon ko school jaane ka mauka mila hai... ab inn sab baton se tumhare khandan ki izzat badh gayi yeh toh ek baar bhi nahi nikla tumhare muh se... agar usne Sameer se pyar kiya hai toh galat kya hai... aaj hum sab ki razamandi se woh iss rishte ko apnana chahti hai... warna woh baalig hai... chahe toh shaadi kar sakti hai."
