The next day Naina woke up quite early as She set an alarm clock to check Sameer's body temperature if it had fallen off or was still high. She hopefully placed her palm on his forehead and felt that the heat was lesser than last night. She sighed in relief and placed a kiss on his cheek. Sameer sensed a disturbance in his sleep, and so He opened his drowsy eyes only to find his wife lovingly worshiping his charming features.
"Good Morning...baby ki neend puri hogayi?" Naina realized that her child was awake by now, and was staring at her intently.
"Yes! What about you?" Sameer asked her in a soft voice while stretching his hands lazily in the air.
"Haan Ji...tumhara bukhar check karne ke liye mujhe alarm lagani padhi because I know myself. Ek baar so gayi toh fir 8/9 baje se pehle nahi uthugi." Naina said with a cute smile, and He looked at the antique wall clock with a raised eyebrow, only to realize that it was 7:30 Am.
"Half an hour toh jaldi uthi hai sirf." He remarked.
"Haan toh? Woh bhi mere liye zyada hi hai, bande ki feelings dekho na." She said dramatically.
"Whatever," Sameer muttered angrily and tried to sleep again.
"Tum so jao...and aaj no office. Ok?" Naina lovingly cupped his chin, and He gave a scowl expression.
"For what? I am fine." He said in a low voice.
"Dikh raha hai...isliye toh 3 blanket odh kar soye ho." She commented with a lopsided smile, and He felt embarrassed.
"Itna strong baby banne ki zarurat nahi hai ab...tumhari biwi ke saamne tum apni weakness dikha sakte ho. I won't judge." Naina placed her palm on his right cheek while roaming her fingers gently through the softness of his uncombed hair.
"Apni weakness dikhayi isliye toh aaj itna dard seh raha hoon," Sameer said with a painful smile.
"Toh chalo aaj main bhi tumhe apni ek weakness bata deti hoon." She spoke with a solemn countenance, and now He turned all his attention to her words and expressions.
Naina gloomily looked at the vacant wall in front of her, and then at her impatient husband, and started to speak in a regretful tone - "Meri weakness yeh hai ki main jaldi kisi ke bhi baaton me aa jati hoon...koi sorry bole toh maan jati hoon, koi request kare toh mana nahi kar pati...bachpan se yahi aadat hai meri, aur aaj bhi wahi ki wahi stupid Naina hoon main jise emotions me aake kuch samjh nahi aata. Agar mera nature itna kind nahi hota toh shayad Vivaan ko kabhi reply bhi nahi deti main, in fact, maine toh use humari engagement cancel hone ke baad bhi block nahi kiya kabhi baki ladkiyo ki tarah. I'm different Sameer, and I know mera dil bahut soft hai...bahut jaldi trap ho jati hoon main kisi ke bhi conspiracy me."
"Why don't you try to change your habit? Why do you allow those ungrateful people to ruin the peace of your life? Be strong, Naina...tune hi kaha tha na mujhe tu dil se nahi dimag se sochti hai, fir aisa kaise ho sakta hai?" Sameer asked her with an amazed face, and She chuckled bitterly.
"Haan sochti hoon, but sirf dusre mamlo me...jinse main pyar karti hoon, jo mere dil ke behadh kareeb hai, unke saath main practical insaan banke nahi rehti. Main badal na chahti hoon apni is aadat ko, but I can't...I tried several times to convince myself ki Naina ab change ho jaa, don't get fooled by your enemies in the form of a human. You won't even realize when they'll attack you from behind." Naina said with a sorrowful smile and remembered how Vivaan used saccharine words to block the rooms of her brain.
"Anyway! Let's not talk about bad things, we should be away from negative thoughts and feelings. So, now you sleep well...I'll prepare breakfast for everyone." She changed the topic to control her tears, which were on the threshold of falling. She lightly patted his unshaved cheek and got off the bed.
As soon as Naina left the room. Sameer started to ponder over her painful words, there was a shine of anguish in her moist eyes, there was a thickness of emotions wrapped in her cracking voice, there was the burn of extreme abhorrence on her face which only screamed that She was truly heartbroken by Vivaan's betrayal. He saw a different kind of woman in his wife, who was trying to mend the irreparable bits of her heart...to make everyone believe that She was fine, but deep down She wanted someone to understand her misery, to listen to her unpleasant story with keenness, to allow her to share her feelings without fear of getting judged.
Sameer mistakenly took Naina's phone instead of his own as both of them had the same color gadgets. He unlocked the screen, only to realize that it wasn't his mobile. He sighed loud enough to echo effortlessly around the mute room, and before he could keep back her phone. He saw the flash of a new message from WhatsApp and thought it must be Vivaan who might be trying to fool his wife again. He was determined to scold him, and bless him with the verbal abuse, but as soon as He opened the green-color app. He was shocked to read - "You Blocked This Contact." Above the name of that jiggery-pokery man.
He hesitantly tapped on the profile, and the chat window was opened. There was a message or let me rephrase a paragraph sent by Naina to Vivaan before blocking his number - "Hey Dude! Thanks for making me realize once again how wrong I was to believe a manipulative guy like you...thanks for correcting my mistake, and reminding me that You are a douchebag, a man with selfish nature and an obnoxious aura. I never thought one day I would hate you so deeply. Congratulations Mr.Mehta you succeeded in creating the unfading hatred in my heart for you! You didn't do good by using my biggest weakness as your weapon, God is watching everything and you will repay for all the things you did to hurt me and make me feel disgusted. Tum jaisa kamina maine apni zindagi me bhi kabhi nahi dekha, I hope jo bhi ladki tumse shadi kare. She makes your life a living hell."
To say Sameer was shocked would be an understatement. He couldn't believe his fragile girl wrote such a powerful message to Vivaan, he felt pride surging in his heart, and resentment disputing within a moment. He happily placed down her phone to its original position, and a contented smile instantly etched on his dry lips. Now he could forgive Naina without causing her more pain and gloom because She genuinely didn't know her ex-boyfriend was playing with her emotions. She was oblivious of all the conspiracies being built by that wicked guy to trap her like an innocent child.
"How could I not trust her? Relationships aren't built on suspicion and insecurities...it's built on trust. I should have shown support and understanding. Damn! Kya kar diya tune yeh Sameer, because of you She cried so much...I caused her pain in anger, I made her feel vulnerable...I would need to make it up to her to repent for my grave mistake." Sameer thought with a restless face and punched his fist against the bedrest to take out his bottled-up anger.
Naina was making a bottle gourd soup for her sick husband. She added dry crushed black peppers, cumin seeds, and salt in the tadka. She poured the hot streaming liquid into the bowl and put a spoon beside it. Anita came inside the kitchen and was confused to see her daughter-in-law holding the tray of the warm fluid. She stopped to ask her - "Yeh kiske liye banaya hai?"
"Woh Sameer ko fever aaya hai so maine unke liye soup banaya hai. He will feel better." Naina informed her with a meek smile.
"Kya? Mera beta bimaar hai aur mujhe pata bhi nahi?" Anita exclaimed shockingly.
"Kal raat hi aaya hai...abhi kaafi better hai pehle se. He will be fine by tomorrow! Hopefully." Naina assured her with a simple smile and walked out of the kitchen.
"Main bhi aa rahi hoon tumhare saath...dekh toh loon mera beta kaisa hai," Anita said in a worried tone.
"Sure." Her daughter-in-law agreed without looking back at her, and both of them walked into the bedroom, where Sameer was resting.
"Mera bacha." Anita rushed to check her unwell son, and Sameer looked at her with a small smile.
She put her palm on his forehead, and asked him - "Kaisa lag raha hai ab? Tune mujhe bataya kyu nahi ki tu bimar hai."
"I am fine, mummy, aur Naina ne waise bhi kal raat mujhe dawai de di thi toh ab kaafi better feel kar raha hoon," Sameer replied to his panicked mother in a soft voice, and Naina stood at the doorway with a tray in her hands.
"Acha hai...aaram kar tu sirf, aur Naina ne jo soup banaya hai woh chup chap pee lena," Anita warned him in a stern voice, and He could see the motherly affection and care in her tone.
"Jee Mummy." Sameer agreed.
"Naina beta, ise soup peela do, main lunch ki taiyariyaan kar leti hoon jab tak." Anita turned towards Naina and smiled at her gently before leaving the couple.
Naina sighed softly, and approached her baby husband, placing the tray on the side table. She sat beside him, held the warm bowl of soup carefully, and said teasingly while sliding the spoon in his mouth - "Mummy Ji ke saamne bade good boy ban rahe the...hmm? Kal raat mujhe toh ek dawai lene ke liye itna pareshan kar diya."
"Pata hai mujhe, because I know I can't win against her, so better hoga if I agree to everything She says." He replied to her and gulped down the unbelievably-yummy liquid.
"Very nice, ab yeh bhi finish karo warna unhe bula dungi." She threatened him, and blew air on the flaming soup, before putting it inside his mouth.
"Is it good? Taste aa raha hai tumhe?" Naina asked him softly.
"Yes! It's very tasty." Sameer replied to her lovingly.
"Kya soch rahe ho?" She questioned, as she saw him lost in his thoughts.
"Jab bachpan me main bimar hota tha toh mummy koi bhi gana laga deti thi...taki mera dhyan usme lag jaye, and She can feed me khichidi ya soup," Sameer said with a cute smile, and Naina understood that he wanted to listen to music. She took her phone from his side and put on a Romantic Bollywood Song to soothe his pain.
"Yeh Nazar Bhi Ajeeb Thi...Isne Dekhe The Manzar Sabhi...Dekh Ke Tujhe Ik Dafa...Phir Kisi Ko Na Dekha Kabhi."
She continued feeding him the healthy soup, and He enjoyed the flavor of black pepper. Naina pushed aside the bunch of hair strands and roamed the steel spoon in the bowl. Sameer looked at her intensely, momentarily forgetting that they even had an ugly fight two days ago. At this time he just wanted to embrace her tightly, and feel her warm breath under his skin. Naina raised her eyebrows at him with a sweet smile, and He just shook his head while holding her free hand.
"Mera Pehla Junoon...Tu Mera Pehla Junoon...Ishq Aakhiri Hai Tu."
Naina was surprised for a moment when Sameer held her hand in his gentle grasp, it's not that she didn't want this. But she was shocked at seeing him cuddling with her fingers lovingly. Did he forgive her? Did he accept that She isn't in love with Vivaan?" Naina thought with a beaming smile, and Sameer continued wandering his boyish palm on her wrist, which was filled with decorated bangles. He simply moved them back and grinned.
"Meri Zindagi Hai Tu...Meri Zindagi Hai Tu...Gham Hai Ya Khushi Hai Tu...Meri Zindagi Hai Tu...Meri Zindagi Hai Tu."
It was true that even He didn't know if She was his happiness or sadness when the day before yesterday they fought with each other. But now He was certain that his wife can never be the reason for his gloominess...She is the one who brought missing colors of love and passion in his life, she made him believe in miracles by becoming his wife after a traumatic experience with Vivaan...she gave him immeasurable happiness and joy, and now He promised his heart to never doubt her intentions and words. She belongs to only him for infinity!
Her heart danced in glimmer when She felt his lukewarm hands enveloping her back, as He hugged her. Naina was amused by this unexpected closeness, and so She asked him in a gentle voice - "What happened?"
"Nothing," Sameer replied huskily.
"Is there anything I can do for my baby?" She questioned while caressing his silky hair.
He breathed intensely against her soft neck and requested her in a hoarse voice - "Just let me hug you for a while. Please."
"You don't have to request me, you can hug me whenever you want. I'm here for you." Naina lovingly wrapped the sulky baby in her comforting arms and brushed her fingers on his blistering shiver skin.
"How are you feeling now?" She asked him in a soft voice.
"Sukoon." He whispered, tightening his grip on her bareback.
"Aao shona...meri lappy me aake so jao you'll feel more comfortable and better." Naina invited him to take the pleasure of sleeping on her lap, and Sameer was more than delighted to know that She didn't change after their grave fight.
"You're so sweet." He broke the hug, caressed her cheek with a gentle smile.
"Yes I am, and that's why people take advantage of me, but not anymore." She winked at him carelessly, and comfortably stretched her legs on the bed, ushering him to put his head on her thigh. He hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing to do what She offered him and the pain, guilt, annoyance, hatred, anger everything seemed to be vanishing away.
Naina started to roam her hands on his relaxed face, whilst Sameer was thinking of ways to apologize to his wife for his false accusations and previous unacceptable behavior. He didn't want to just say Sorry and end the matter, he wanted to do something special to make her feel that He was genuinely ashamed of his mistake, and wants to compensate for it. He closed his eyes and mused deeply. Naina thought he fell asleep, so She was about to shift his head on the pillow when Sameer grabbed her willowy wrist and demanded - "No...I wanna sleep some more time."
"Ok! Mujhe laga tum so gaye." She said with a cheeky smile.
"Nahi, kuch soch raha tha." He informed.
"Kya? Ki tumhari biwi kitni boring hai?" She asked him amusingly.
"Nope! Meri biwi jaisi toh kisi ki biwi nahi hogi...you are best the way you are." Sameer drew her hand closer to his mouth and placed a tender kiss on her palm.
"Itna pyaar kaise aa raha hai? Do you want something?" Naina questioned him in uncertainty, and He chuckled.
Sameer sighed against her soft palm, and said - "Kya yaar Naina, you're not my mom or I am your kid...ki tujhse kuch maang na ya permission chahiye hogi toh I'll talk to you sweetly. I am your husband, I can ask for whatever I want, baad me maan na...na maan na woh tere haath me hai, because I can't force my beautiful wife to accept something against her consent."
"Aww! Toh batao na fir suddenly tumhari narazgi kaise door hogayi?" She asked with an impatient expression.
"Kya batau ab...I don't want to talk about this right now, like aisa hai ki jis mental state me main hoon abhi usme I just want peace and tera pyar." Sameer said in a husky voice, and Naina was pleased to know that her husband had forgotten everything. She enthusiastically wrapped her hands around his neck and crouched down to place a soft kiss on his parted lips. He opened his mouth to deepen the smooch, but his wife moved back without prior notice, and He looked at the shimmer of amusement in her eyes.
"Yeh kiss ke naam pe dhoka hai Naina." He said annoyingly.
"Haan toh? You're sick na, tumhe aise halat me I can't kiss...toh jab tak tum theek nahi ho jate isi se kaam chalao." Naina replied to him with a cute smile and ruffled his feathery hair.
"Acha chalo ab tum rest karo, mujhe Mummy Ji ko help karwane jana hai fir." She said in a hurry, and Her husband showed reluctance while releasing her hand.
"Mat Jao na." He uttered, in a gloomy tone.
"Baby, I can't sit here with you the whole day...I will try to finish my work as soon as possible. Ok? Take care, and sleep now." Naina patted his cheek lovingly and adjusted her dupatta.
"Listen," Sameer said huskily.
"Yeah?" She turned back to look at his sulky face.
"I Love You Jaan." He confessed out of nowhere, and for a moment She stood there, unmoved, still trying to register these heart-throbbing words. She craved to hear these for two days, and finally, He said he loves her, the happiness was beyond any measure. She bit her lower lip while looking at his charming smile, and said - "I Love You Too."
"I Know," Sameer said confidently, and his eyes held the sea of untold emotions.
"Good For You," Naina spoke with a lopsided smile and strode away.
He tossed on the bed back and forth in restlessness, praying to God to help him find innovative solutions for this problem. He thought of searching on Google for romantic ideas, but then he felt that if He committed this solemn mistake then only He should find a way to mend their relationship. Sameer annoyingly rubbed his forehead against the bedsheet, and after minutes of struggles, He got one splendid modus operandi to win Naina's heart once again with sincerity and dedication.
He smiled in nervousness and hoped for everything to work according to his plan.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Heet and Prisha were sitting on the hard rock, staring at the waving water crashing against the sand beautifully. She sensed that the atmosphere was idyllic and positive. There was a blanket of clouds spread across the horizon sky gathering together to bring an evening of romance and love between couples. Heet glanced at her tranquil face, and slowly slipped his fingers through her gentle ones...She looked amused and surprised by his unexpected move, but the smile on her lips was enough to tell him that She didn't feel uncomfortable or angry.
"I guess, This is the first time in our decades of friendship that we're sitting together without fighting or quarreling with each other on inconsequential topics. Isn't it?" Heet asked her with a sweet smile, and Prisha nodded her head in agreement.
"True! And I'm surprised...like hum aise nahi hai, we are known for new generation Tom and Jerry, itne silent se rahege toh humara impression kharab ho jayega sab ke saamne." Prisha replied to him with a puppy face, and He laughed at her remark.
"Sach me yaar, ever since you confessed your love for me, everything between us changed. From fighting the whole day to sitting like this quietly, it's unbelievable." He said enthusiastically and tightened their intertwined hands gently.
"So what to do now? Mujhe humare beech me yeh awkwardness nahi chahiye hai because of our new relationship. I want us to be like before, ladai karna...ek dusre ko upar chadh jana making the fight intense, prank karna...pareshan karna, aur last me fir patch up bhi ho jana, because we knew we can't stay without each other. No matter how much we annoy one another, a day without our fight felt like an eternity." Prisha said with a dreamy smile and glanced at his tranquil face. She had mischievousness in her eyes, and He deciphered what was her next move.
"No, no...don't even think about it." Heet said with an alarmed look, but Prisha already decided to do some fun.
"Why Baby? Let's have some fun." She quickly rose and started to splash water on his face, making him laugh at her childishness.
Prisha threw a few more drops on his body, and Heet too joined her in this enjoyment. He splatters the salty liquid on her face, and She giggled while running behind him...and they continued to chase one another for a good time, until Heet grabbed her waist, and lifted her off the ground. He whirled her in the pleasant breeze, and Prisha was laughing hysterically as he started to tickle her on her whole body...She felt on top of the sky after being with the best man of her life, they both played with each other like children, and suddenly Heet brought her closer to his hard chest, staring deeply into her shimmering eyes. She forgot to smile once their lips were inches apart from crashing against each other for the first-ever kiss...Heet patiently waited for her permission, and Prisha breathed quite nervously against his rigid chest, indicating to him that She wasn't prepared for their intimate moment. He sighed in acceptance and decided to back out, when unexpectedly he felt her lips moving softly over his young ones, making him surprised for a moment.
Prisha gently wrapped her arms on the back of his head and tiptoed to make the kiss more deeper and intense. Heet held her by waist protectively and brushed his lips lovingly. The kiss brought a bunch of butterflies in their stomach, and Prisha felt her spine-shivering with a different kind of sensation.
After a few minutes, He stopped their unfinished kiss, and amusingly looked down at her blushed face. He smiled, and said huskily - "I wanna say something."
Prisha nodded nervously and tried to look at his intense eyes. Heet leaned closer to her flaming-with-shyness ear, and whispered - "You're a good kisser."
She felt a crimson color instantly painting her cheeks at his remark, and He stifled his bubbling smile.
"You too," Prisha said with a coy smile, and Heet was shocked to see the ever so strong and bold woman shying away from his closeness.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Naina was making new patterns of wedding lehenga, with thin frame spectacles placed over her focused eyes. She grabbed the Prismacolor premier soft pencils and painted the skirt with deep red color...She meticulously worked on the new project and used white and golden shade pens to create designs. Sameer looked over the watch tucked against the wall, and then quietly slipped his body off the warm blanket, walking out of their bedroom. Naina was too occupied with her work to realize the absence of her husband, she continued moving the vibrant shades on the ivory thick paper and Finally completed her first design after marriage. The girl looked beautiful in the crimson lehenga with the combination of dusky pink blouse and dupatta, her figure was drawn perfectly, and the minor details about the sketch were impressive. She was pleased with her hard work, and so She turned back to show her husband the drawing, but He wasn't there.
She simply put off the lamplight and rose from the plush chair to find her missing husband. Naina checked the washroom, and balcony with a hope of getting him there, but much to her disappointment Sameer was still absent from her vision. She was about to go out when she saw him coming inside their bedroom with a white plate in his hands. She stopped abruptly in her tracks and stood to watch him coming towards her with a nervous smile. Sameer presented the chocolate cake in front of her, and on the plate, he wrote with cocoa powder - "I Am Sorry."
Naina was gladdened by his work, and there was a paper placed beside the cake. He gestured to her to take it and read, and She nodded in affirmation.
"I don't know how to apologize for hurting your soul, for making you cry, for giving you sorrow, for accusing you of such a disgraceful crime...I know, my simple sorry cannot take away the pain I gave you in anger, but believe me, you're not the only one suffering. I will do anything and everything to make you smile again. I won't permit my male ego to ruin our beautiful relationship...I will apologize to you a million times if that makes you forget all those bitter memories."
"That time I lost control over my anger and told you many heartbreaking words...I know I am an overprotective and possessive husband which led us to this unpleasant situation, and I would urgently need to work on my jealousy drawback so that I can never hurt you...and make you weep hardly. I am really very sorry for being extremely rude and cruel to you for the last two days. My heart will burn in guilt until you won't forgive me by embracing me, and giving me solace through your words."
"Please Naina, My Jaan...mujhe maaf kar do for distrusting you because of that nasty man. I promise I will never doubt you ever again...I am ready for any sort of punishment, just say once that You have forgiven your stupid doreamon from the bottom of your heart."
Naina had a glisten of tears in her eyes the moment She finished reading his heart-touching apology message. She looked at her husband, who sincerely stood there, waiting for her response, and all she did was to hug him tightly and say huskily - "I can never be angry at you for more than an hour. It was my fault, not of your protectiveness which put us in this mess...I promise to work upon my bad habit of accepting lies and fake words of disgusting people, and give you all the reasons to believe that I am only yours, and nothing, literally nothing in this world can draw us apart."
"Tu naraz nahi hai na mujhse?" He asked her in a soft voice.
"Pagal! Tumse kaise naraz ho sakti hoon main? Tumne toh mere liye kitna kuch kiya hai itne mahino me...I can't even count the number of times you made me feel like the luckiest girl in this world. Tumhari jagah agar main bhi hoti toh shayad yahi karti because we both are afraid of losing each other. So don't feel guilty, I Love You Mr.Rathod." She said with a loving smile and made their most awaited hug even more intense and meaningful by snuggling more into his pleasant arms, feeling a sense of security and safety in his touch.
"I Love You Too Meri Jaan...thank you for forgiving me," Sameer replied to her with a sweet smile.
After a long silence of peace. He whispered in her ear in a soothing voice - "Happy 1st Month Wedding Anniversary to the most beautiful woman of my life."
To be continue...
How was the update?
Any favorite scene or dialogue?