So dearies... here is another part as promised....hope you like it!
Part 17
Chachi: Bhagwan jhooth na bulvaye....aate hi satyanash kar diya....itni mushkil se sindoor mangvaya tha, khaas Pooja ke liye, ki uski shaadi mein yeh pavitra sindoor chadega toh shubh hoga, par iss ne toh saara bikher diya....
Sameer looked down and was embarrassed but smiled inwardly. He recalled seeing it in some movie how a newly wed bride entered her new household with kumkum feet....so, he could replace the dulhan with the dulha. Naina might not have accepted him yet, but this might be an awesome start. The only other person who was sharing the same feelings was his bestie in this house, Preeti. But neither of them gave away their feelings.
Taiji: O bai... Bela! Ek toh bechara itne oonche ghar ka ladka yahan seva karne aaya hai, aur tune aate hi use jali kati suna di... mehmanon se baat karne ki tameez maayke mein chod aayi kya? Aur jis Pooja ke liye tune ise mangvaya hai, wo toh abhi apne mama ke ghar gayi hai. 2-3 mahine baad aayegi na...
Chachi was contrite but twisted her face indicating her instant dislike towards Sameer. But then smiled to praise her maykawala.
Chachi: Ji Bhabhiji, wo mere mausere bhai ki apni koi beti nahi hai na toh Pooja ko bahut laad karte hai, keh rahe the ki ek baar Poooja ki shaadi ho gayi toh aisa mauka dobara nahi milega...issliye Bhaiya Bhabhi ne use 2-3 mahine ke liye rok liya hai wahi par...agar yahan koi rishte ki baat bani, toh hum Pooja ko bulva lenge.
Rakesh: Arre buss kijiye aap log! Aur Bhabhiji yeh yahan koi mehman vehmaan nahi hai... yeh yahan chakri karne aaya hai, aur wahi karega... yeh sab isne failaya hai, toh yeh hi saaf karega.
Chachi: Yeh sab toh theek hai Bhaisahab, par Naina ladki hai, uska har kaam yeh Sameer kaise kar sakta hai...Main aur Preeti milkar khayal rakh lenge Naina ka, aap ise wapas bhej dijiye.
Aur waise bhi Bhabhiji toh ise apne ghar nahi rehne dengi na, aur yahan bhi toh jagah nahi hai... she murmured under her breath.
Rakesh: Jo Sameer nahi kar sakta, wo Preeti kar legi, aur uske evaz mein tum isse koi aur kaam karva lena... aur rahi iske rehne ki baat, toh iske Nana ne kahan hai, jaise hum rehte hai waise hi rahega, koi khatirdari nahi hogi iski....kahi ek kone mein pada rahega....
Tauji: Rakesh, kya bakwas kar rahe ho, ek toh itne ameer ghar ke ladke ke saath itna durvyaavhar, aur upar se jawan ladkiyon ke saath ladka... yeh unhoni iss ghar mein nahi hongi...
Rakesh: Haan...aap sab log mujhe hi sunayiye... main kam kamata hoon toh meri ichcha ka ya meri baat ka koi maan nahi hai...Meri beti ke saath itna bada haadsa ho gaya, uski koi keemat nahi hai, kisiko meri ya mere bachchon ki parvah nahi hai...Tu chal Naina yahan se...
Rakesh started to pull Naina and she cried out in pain.....
Sameer immediately felt that scream sear through his heart, how heartless could Rakesh be or insensitive her family was towards her...He almost sprang forward in action to stop him from pulling her, when Chachaji himself came forth.
Chacha: Ruk jayiye Bhaiyya... Aap kyon Bhaisahab aur Bhabhiji ki baton ko dil se laga rahe hai... Agar aap chahte hai ki Sameer yahan rahe, toh yeh yahi rahega...Hum jagah bana lenge. Rahi Naina ki baat, toh hum sab hai na... sab milkar uska khayal rakhenge, toh wo jaldi theek ho jaayegi, Bela aur Preeti hai, 24 ghante uske saath...Aap chinta mat kijiye, jaisa aap chahte hai, waisa hi hoga.
Rakesh gave a look to Anand and left fuming... Tauji also left shaking his head... Taiji also left saying her usual O bai... and crinking her forehead that now neighbors would get a gossip about their family. Chachi placed a loving hand on Naina's cheek and softened seeing her pain and tears.
Chacha & Chachi: Arre Naina, tu kyon ro rahi hai, yeh sab toh chalta rehta hai...tu buss jaldi se theek ho ja and they wiped her tears.
Chacha: Dekho Sameer, waise toh tum yahan anchahe mehmaan ho, par agar Bhaisahab chahte hai ki tum yahan raho, toh tum yahi rahoge. Par Naina ke liye hum sab hai.... Bela, mujhe zara ek client se milne jaana tha, main khane ke waqt tak aa jaoonga. Preeti beta, Naina ko andar le jao.
Chachi: Preeti, ise andar le ja beta, main haldiwala doodh laati hoon!
Everybody left leaving only Naina, Preeti and Sameer in the hall. Sameer noticed and mentally recorded her family dynamics. The people he instantly disliked were of course Rakesh sir and Taiji coz of their attitude towards Naina. He couldn't form an opinion about Tauji but he was definitely conservative when it came to the girls. He also noted that Chahcha Chachi didn't welcome him openly, but they loved and cared for Naina as much as for Preeti. And he was already aware of the sisters' bond.
Preeti: Chal Naina, andar chalkar thodi der aaram kar le.
Naina Sameer's eyes met briefly but for the first time he couldn't read in them anything except pain, so tightly she had shut her heart to him! He sighed when she left!
Preeti carefully helped her placed her hand in a light sling to avoid further movement and took her to her room. Sameer wanted to follow them, but since it was his first day, he wasn't sure, if he could just walk in uninvited, what would Chachi think? How would Naina feel?
So, he just stood rooted to his spot.
Few moments later Chachiji sauntered back in the hall after giving the milk glass to Naina.
Chachi: O laatsahab, abhi tak yahi khade ho, saaman andar rakho, aur joote wahan stand par. Aur Rakesh Bhaisahab ne kaha hai na, ise saaf karne ko, toh khade kyon ho? Safai karo, ek toh mera saara sindoor bikher diya....Yeh lo kapda aur samet lo aur failne mat dena warna saara farsh rang jaayega! Pehle apne peir jaad lena!
She handed him a duster.
Sameer had no clue as to how to do any type of cleaning, let alone something which came with so many instructions! But he bent down to follow Chachiji's instructions!
Just then Taiji returned back to ask for something as usual when she spotted Sameer on the floor! She was shocked as few moments ago Tauji had instructed her to behave well with Sameer so that he could make business relations with his Nanu & gain control over their legal affairs!
Taiji: O Bai...yeh kya kar rahe ho beta?
Sameer: Ji wo Rakesh sir be kaha tha ise saaf karne ke liye...
Taiji: Ne wah Bela! Teri aakhon ke samne bechara bachcha aise pareshan ho raha hai aur tu dekh rahi hai!
Chachi: Bhagwan jhooth na bulvaye Bhabhiji! Bhaisahab ne hi toh kaha tha isse kaam karvane ko!
Taiji was piqued: Arre beta, tum tou bilkul Bholuram ho! Wo kadva karela toh bolke chala haya! Tumhe zaroorat nahi hai yeh sab karne ki!
Sameer had a confused expression that y did Taiji address him as Bholuram!
Sameer: Koi baat nahi Taiji, main yahan mehman nahi hoon, main kar loonga!
Just then Preeti scampered to the hall.
Taiji: Aye Preeti, idhar aa, ye Bholuram ke haath se kapda le le aur saaf karde!
Sameer: Nahi Taiji, main kar loonga!
But she insisted that Preeti would do the rest & he can observe!
Taiji: Tumne yeh sab kabhi nahi kiya hoga...pehle seekhlo...& she gestured Preeti to complete the task! Bela, Zara wo teri gotewali saariyan toh dikha jo tere maayke se aayi hai!
Preeti: Lao, main karti hoon, aap dekho & she started cleaning! Waise Jijaji, Aapki entry toh ekdum dhamakedaar thi! Aap toh cha gaye, bilkul nayi dulhan.... nahi nahi sorry sorry dulhe ki tarah grahpravesh hua hai Aapka!
Sameer smiled but then turned sad thinking about his reason for being here, his Naina was hurt!
Sameer: Naina kaisi hai? Bahut dard ho raha hoga na? Abhi bhi ro rahi hogi na Rakesh sir aur Taiji ki baatein sunkar? Kya main usse ek baar mil sakta hoon?
Preeti: Dard toh hai, jalne ka bhi aur pyar ka bhi! Abhi dawaii khakar soyi hai! Tauji aur Taiji ki baatein toh bachpan se sun rahi hai, par jabse pyar mein dard mila hai, har baat par rone lag jaati hai!
Sameer felt guilty & lowered his gaze, he couldn't fathom how much she must be suffering inside & now added to it these burns!
Preeti tried to cheer him: Par aap chinta mat karo. Aap ke aane se Naina jaldi theek ho jaayegi, aapki saali hai na aapke saath! Par mein aapko aagah kar doon, hamare parivaar mein rehna aasan nahi hoga! Par koi baat nahi, circus mein aaye ho toh maza lo!
Sameer smiled at her remark & reference to her own family as circus! But it was true, he had never lived with so many people around, it was like a crowd. His family was limited to his Nanu, his mom hardly visited him, let alone live with him. He had spent most of his childhood in boarding schools & hostels where though he had friends, all relations were platonic, boys befriended him coz he was rich & didn't think twice if anyone needed monetary help, & girls thought he was handsome & used to compete with each other to be the lucky one to be able to call him bf.
But he was hardly interested in anyone ever except an ideal chat or if some one needed any help. Coz none of these people ever cared for him, if he was sad, lonely or sick! They just showed a formal obligatory concern & that was it! The hostels supplied doctors & medicines but not care or love! He was on his own except when Nanu visited or called. Ahmedabad had given him 3 gems, his best friends MP & the love of his life, his heartbeat his Naina! His friends took all the bashings for him but never failed him & Naina was the angel of his lonely life who showered unconditional love on him! She might not have been as hurt if he had ever said he didn't love her but the fake love had devastated her! But now Nanu & god had given him this golden opportunity to set everything right & make her believe in his love for her!
Preeti: Jijaji, kahan kho gaye?
Sameer broke out of his trance & shook his head. Just then Arjun entered!
Arjun: Main ye ointments aur creams le aaya hoon... thoda durr jana pada, sab dukanon mein nahi milti. He handed the pack to Preeti. Doctor ne kaha hai, safed tube wali din mein dou baar, ghaav halke garam pani se saaf karne ke baad. Aur lal tube, raat ko sone se pehle.
Preeti nodded her head. That's when he focused his attention on Sameer.
Arjun: Tu andar ja Preeti. Mujhe isse baat karni hai!
She glanced at Sameer but had no choice than to leave!
Arjun: Tum, Sameer Maheshwari! Papa ki wajah se tum yahan aa toh gaye ho, par yaad rakhna meri nazar har waqt tum par hai! Maine school mein tumhe aur Naina ko leke kuch baatein suni hai...aur Naina bhi jab se wapas aayi hai, kaafi badli hui aur chup chap hai! Agar wo kuch kehti nahi iska matlab Yeh nahi ki mujhe pataa nahi! Tum jo kaam karne aaye ho karo, sirf competition ki taiyyari, baaki apni Behen ka khayal main khud rakh sakta hoon, toh tum zaroorat se zyaada uske aas paas nazar mat aana! Ye chot bhi use tumhari wajah se lagi hai! Ab agar use tumhari wajah se aur taqleef hui toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga! Durr rehna meri Behen se!
Arjun had rage boiling in eyes as he warned him & pointed his finger at him. Sameer was sure despite his warnings to the bet boys, rumors were bound to circulate & Naina's cold indifferent behavior would have definitely made him suscipious. He had this golden opportunity to throw his accusations back in his face & show Arjun his place, but he was here to mend broken hearts & relationships! He had already promised Naina willingly that he didn't want to stretch the paper event & honestly he didn't care at all. His priority was only his Naina & so he didn't utter a single word against Arjun, rather tried to pacify him.
Sameer: Mujhe nahi pataa Arjun, tumne kya suna hai! Par main yahan sirf apni galati sudharne aaya hoon, Naina meri dost hai aur competition mein partner bhi! Meri wajah se uska chance nahi jaane doonga! Sameer apne dotson ke liye apni jaan bhi de sakta hai.
Arjun glared intensely & angrily at him & left.
Sameer smiled behind his back & murmured, fir Naina toh mera sab kuch hai!
P.S. okkk! Sorry guys no Samaina here. Next one pakka, longer & loaded with Samaina!
Thanks for the patience!