A few days passed. Soon Naaz became very much comfortable with Sidharth and Rita Maa. She started thinking them as her own family so do they. Naaz had become the apple of their eyes. They got very attached to her. Naaz's fear about her in-laws had totally vanished as they were so good to her. She even started showing tantrums sometimes like other children as she knew they would never mind specially Rita Maa. She loved to see her tantrums thinking Naaz as her own daughter. Though Sidharth sometimes used to get angry at Naaz if she didn't obey him, Naaz used to make puppy eyes which melt Sidharth's heart. Naaz had become an essential part of their lives.
Meanwhile Sidharth got Naaz admitted to a school as he really wanted her to study like other children and make a good career in future.
It was a Sunday morning. Sidharth woke up, got freshed but Naaz was still sleeping.
Sidharth opened the curtains and made sunrays fall on her face. Naaz made a face and turned to other side digging her face in the pillow.
Sidharth chuckled seeing it.
"Naaz, get up. Subah hogayi hai." Said Sidharth waking her up.
"Sone do na." Said Naaz in a sleepy voice.
"Itni der nahi sote. Kaal se school suru hone wala hai. Tab kya karogi?"
Naaz didn't say anything and kept sleeping.
Sidharth had no option. He dragged her arms and made her sit. Naaz's eyes were still closed.
"Aankhe kholo Baccha." Said Sidharth in a loving way.
But Naaz nodded her head in no with closed eyes.
"Pehle aap hug karo." She ordered in a sleepy voice.
Sidharth chuckled and hugged Naaz tightly patting her back. Naaz smiled.
After that Sidharth broke the hug and pecked her forehead. Finally she opened her eyes.
"Now get up haan. Bohut nakhre ho gaye tumhare."
Naaz got up and went to the washroom to get fresh.
After sometime...
They both came for breakfast. Rita Maa was serving the breakfast when Naaz went to help her.
"Naaz maine kitni baar tujhe koi bhi kaam karne se maana kiya hai. Tu meri baat sunti kyu nahi hai?" Said Rita Maa showing fake anger.
Naaz didn't stop working and said, "Sidharth ne bhi toh kitni baar aap ko kaam karne se maana kiya hai. Aap unki baat nahi sunti kyu ki aap ko kaam karna accha lagta hai. Thik waise hi mujhe bhi kaam karna aur aap ki madad karna accha lagta hai."
Rita Maa widened her eyes seeing her logics while Sidharth was laughing silently.
"Haaye Ram! Ab tune bhi logics dena start kar diya? Kisne sikhaya tujhe? Iss Sidharth ne?"
"Meri kya galti hai iss mein?" Asked Sidharth making an innocent face.
"Nahi nahi. Teri koi galti nahi hai. Tu toh dudh ka dhula hua hai. Naaz main tujhe baata rahi hoon tu iski tarah mat ban jaana. Pehle se hi ek Sidharth ne pareshan kar ke rakha hai."
"Main inki tarah khadoos kabhi ban sakti hoon? Main toh aap ki pyaari Naaz hoon." Said Naaz making a cute face to which Rita Maa smiled and pulled her cheeks.
"Accha toh ab Maa Beti dono mil kar mere baare mein burai karenge. Sahi hai!" Said Sidharth showing fake anger.
After serving Naaz sat beside Sidharth.
Sidharth was not talking to her and eating silently.
Naaz opened her mouth but Sidharth didn't pay any attention making Naaz frowned.
"Mujhe bhi khilaiye." Said Naaz with an angry pout.
"Kyu khana hai tumhe mere haath se? Main toh khadoos hoon. Huh!" He said in a stern voice.
"Maaaaaa!" Naaz started whining.
"Kyu sata raha hai meri bacchi ko?" Said Rita Maa.
Sidharth didn't say anything.
Naaz pulled her own ears and said cutely, "Sorry! Ab se nahi bolungi."
Seeing this, Shukla Ji's attempt to stay fake angry on his Naaz failed.
"Okay fine. Khila raha hoon. Ab zyada natak mat karo." Said Sidharth maintaining a poker face and started feeding Naaz.
"Kabhi kabhi mujhe samajh nahi aata bacchi yeh hai yaa woh hai baccha." Murmured Rita Maa and nodded her head in disbelief.
After having breakfast, Sidharth dressed up to go outside.
"Maa main bahar jaa raha hoon." He said before leaving.
"Aaj toh tere office ki chutti thi. Phir subah subah kaha jaa raha hai?" Asked Rita Maa.
"Office ki chutti hai isliye doston ke saath hang out karne ka plan hai. Don't worry, main lunch se pehle aa jaunga."
"Yeh kya baat hui? Tu har waqt bahar rahega aur bechari Naaz kya ghar pe baith ke bore hogi? Jab se aayi hai ghar se bahar hi nahi nikli. Ek toh tere office mein Sundays ko bhi chutti nahi dete. Aaj jab chutti mili hai toh tu doston ke saath bahar jaane ka plan bana raha hai. Yeh thik nahi hai."
Sidharth understood the matter. It was true that he never took Naaz out since she had come to Bareilly. Once Naaz told her that in her village she used to finish her household chores early and then play with her friends in open fields or river-side. So it must have been boring for her to keep sitting in home all the day. He should have thought it earlier.
Sidharth went near Naaz who was playing sitting on a sofa and asked, "Tumhe ghumne jaana hai?"
"Haan. Lekin aap ke paas toh waqt hi nahi hai." She replied sadly.
Sidharth looked at Rita Maa and said, "Plan cancelled. Aaj main aur Naaz dono bahar jaa rahe hair aur ghar laut ne mein shaam ho jayegi. Isliye humare liye lunch mat bana na."
Rita Maa smiled.
Naaz also looked at him happily.
"Hum ghumne jaa rahe hai?" She asked.
"Yeah. Now go and get ready fast." Said Sidharth and Naaz ran to her room.
After sometime she came out getting ready.
They were about to leave when Sidharth's phone started ringing.
The call was from Tina.
He picked up the call.
"Hello Sidharth! Kaha hai tu? We are waiting." She asked.
"Woh...." Sidharth looked at Rita Maa who was eyeing him.
"Actually I can't come. Meri tabiyat thodi si kharab hai.... Maybe it's because of season change. Isliye main nahi aa paaunga.... Sorry...."
Saying that Sidharth cut the call.
Naaz widened her eyes and said, "Aap ne jhut bola?"
Before Sidharth could reply, Rita Maa smiled and said, "Agar yeh jhut nahi bolta toh iske dosto ko bura lagta. Aur jis jhut se kisi ko bura na lage, uss jhut mein bhi koi burai nahi hoti."
Naaz nodded her head understanding it.
After that they both left home.
"Dhyan se jaana Baccho." Said Rita Maa.
______________________________________
Sidharth and Naaz were walking on the road as Naaz wanted to see Bareilly City.
"Toh yeh hai humari Bareilly." Said Sidharth. "Tumhare gaaon jitni beautiful toh nahi hai lekin mujhe yaaha rehna pasand hai. Isliye paata hai, mujhe Mumbai mein kaam karne ka offer aaya tha phir bhi main nahi gaya. Mujhe Bareilly chhor ke nahi jaana tha. Aur agar main chala jaata toh Maa bhi akeli padh jaati. Papa bhi saalon pehle guzar gaye, Neetu Di apne sasural mein hai, Preeti Di Bangalore mein kaam karti hai...Maa ko bohut lonely feel hota hoga. So I decided that I would never leave her alone. Main humesha Maa ke saath rahunga."
Sidharth kept talking. Naaz was listening to him silently. Though she was understanding only half of it but she could feel his emotions fully.
After sometime Sidharth noticed Naaz and said, "Main bhi nah, bekar mein tumhe paka raha hoon. Tum thodi samjhogi yeh sab?"
Naaz nodded her head in no and said, "Itna toh samajh gayi ki aap Maa se, apni family se aur iss jagah se bohut pyaar karte hai."
Sidharth smiled.
"Aur aap apne doston se bhi bohut pyaar karte hai. Aap ne unse jhut kaha taa ki unhe bura naa lage."
"Mere dost hai hi pyaar karne layak. Tum unse milogi na toh tumhe bhi paata chalega. I just love them."
"Aur mujhse?"
"Kya?"
"Aap mujhse bhi utna hi pyaar karte ho?"
Sidharth nodded in no and said, "Main tumse utna pyaar nahi karta."
Naaz became sad.
Sidharth noticed it and said, "Main tumhe unse kayi zyada pyaar karta hoon. Kyu ki aaj tak mere jitne bhi dost bane hai, tum unn mein se sabse pyaari ho."
Naaz smiled brightly hearing that.
"Aap bhi mere sabse acche dost ho. Gaao mein mere jitne bhi dost the, unse bhi acche." She said.
"Accha? Lekin kaal se tum school jaana start karogi. Aisa na ho ki school mein tumhe naye dost mil jaaye aur tum mujhe bhool hi jaao."
"Ho hi nahi sakta. Aap ki jagah koi nahi lega." Said Naaz holding Sidharth's hand tightly.
Sidharth chuckled.
Suddenly Naaz saw a park.
"Waha chale?" She said pointing her finger towards the park.
"Chalte hai." Said Sidharth.
Naaz left his hand and started running towards the park.
"Sambhal ke Naaz. Gir jaogi." Said Sidharth going after her.
Kyon na hum-tum
Chale tedhe-medhe se raston pe nange paanv re
Chal bhatak le na baawre
Naaz was running in the park totally lost in herself and Sidharth was enjoying it. He himself also felt that he was back in childhood.
Kyun na hum tum
Phire jaake almast
pehchaani raahon
Ke pare
Chal bhatak le na baawre
"Sidharth!" Naaz called him.
"Kya hua Baby?" Asked Sidharth.
"Mujhe jhula jhulna hai." Said Naaz.
"Jo hukum mere aka." Said Sidharth bowing his head making Naaz giggled.
Naaz sat on the swings and Sidharth pushed them making her swing.
Inn timtimati nigaahon mein
Inn chamchamati adaaon mein
Luke hue
Chhupe hue
Hai kya khayal baawre..
After swinging for multiple times, Naaz got down from the swing.
Suddenly a woman came there. She was in park with her children.
She said to Sidharth, "Hi! Aap dono ko pehli baar dekha iss park mein. Yeh aap ki cousin hai kya?"
Sidharth and Naaz looked at each other.
"Nahi asal mein.... Rehne di jiye. Aap nahi samjhengi."
Saying that Sidharth left with Naaz leaving the woman confused.
Kyon
Na hum tum
Chale zindagi ke nashe mein hi dhut sarphire
Chal bhatak le na baawre
Kyon
Na hum tum
Talashein bageechon mein phursat bhari chhanv re
Chal bhatak le na baawre
Inn gungunati fizaaon mein
Inn sarsarati hawaaon mein
Tukar tukar yun dekhe kya
Kya tera haal baawre
After sometime Naaz saw a stall of chuski.
"Sidharth mujhe chuski khana hai." Said Naaz.
"Nahi. Thand lag jayegi." He said a stern voice.
"Please! Gaaon mein sab chuski khaate the. Mere paas paise nahi hote the isliye khaa nahi paati thi."
Sidharth felt bad hearing that.
He sighed and said, "Okay khaa lo. Lekin zyada nahi."
Naaz nodded.
They went to the stall. Sidharth ordered chuski for Naaz.
"Aap nahi khate?" Naaz asked Sidharth.
"Umm...bohut dino se nahi khaya. Lekin aaj khaa hi leta hoon." Said Sidharth and ordered chuski for himself also.
They started eating.
"Bohut tasty hai." Said Naaz while eating.
"Main jab school mein tha, har roz chuski khata tha doston ke saath mil kar. Aur Maa se daant padhti thi."
"Haaye! Maa aap ko daanti thi?"
"Bohut. Woh tumhe kuch nahi kehti lekin mere time mein bilkool opposite thi. Bohut daant padhi thi mujhe."
"Matlab aap bachpan mein saitaani karte the isliye Maa aap ko daanti thi." Said Naaz with a naughty smile to which Sidharth tried to maintain a poker face but failed.
They both giggled.
Na lafz kharch karna tum
Na lafz kharch hum karenge
Nazar ke kankadon se
Khamoshiyon ki khidkiyan
Yun todenge mila ke mast baat phir karenge
Na harf kharch karna tum
Na harf kharch hum karenge
Nazar ki syahi se likhenge
Tujhe hazar chitthiyaan khamoshi jhidkiyaan
Tere pate pe bhej denge
Soon their teeth became colourful.
Sidharth noticed it first and started laughing.
"Naaz tumhare daant dekho. Bilkool pink ho gaye hai." Said Sidharth while laughing.
Naaz also started laughing after noticing his teeth.
"Pehle aap apne daant dekho. Kaise blue ho gaye hai." She said while laughing.
Hearing that Sidharth took his phone and on the camera.
"I think hum dono ke daant colourful ho gaye hai. Iss hi baat pe ek selfie toh banti hai."
They both took a selfie showing their colourful teeth.
Sunn khankhanati hai zindagi le
Humein bulati hai zindagi
Jo karna hai wo aaj kar
Na isko taal baawre
Ye aha ha
They enjoyed the whole day together and returned home in the evening in an auto.
While returning, Naaz fell asleep being tired. She kept her head on his shoulder. Sidharth smiled looking at her.
Kyon
Na hum tum
Chalein tedhe medhe se raston pe nange paanv re
Chal bhatak le na baawre
Kyun
Na hum tum
Phire jaa ke almast pehchani raahon ke pare
Chal bhatak le na baawre
Inn timtimaati nigaahon mein
Inn chamchamati adaaon mein
Luke hue
Chhupe hue
Hai kya khayal baawre
______________________________________
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