It has been more than twenty minutes since Aditya started to drive and Naina was already started to feel her eyes drooping. Controlling herself, she sat straight in her seat and put on the radio.
As soon as she pressed the button, the song which was playing was some loud rock kind of songs. So she turned into next channel to hear item songs playing and in another channel, it was playing some song which was not clearly audible.
Annoyed, she turned off the radio and sighed. She shifted her gaze to look at Aditya who had his gaze fixed on the road while driving. Feeling her gaze, he glanced at her.
"What happened?"
"Just tell me what kind of place is this Heeraftpur?"
"Heeraftpur?
Oh you will love that place!" Aditya said excitedly and continued further to tell more about the place they were going to.
"It is actually a kind of village yet you will find many facilities. Though, Rathore's live in Mumbai, they have a special attachment to that place. As it is where Rathore uncle met his love of his life and married her in the same resort where we are going.
That resort is actually a traditional mansion. I have heard from mom that it has history, actually a love story."
Hearing this, Naina's intereste piqued for more information about Heeraftpur. She listened keenly as he continued to speak about the story he had listened from Archana.
"Actually, they say that there were two people who loved eachother. Irrecoverably. Heer and Raftar, so they named the village after them. But the king had also taken a liking to the girl and kept her in his fort, forcibly while he imprisoned the boy she loved. On one fateful night, the girl had tried to rescue the boy and both run away from the village. But that didn't happen as the king found out about her plan of escape. The king tried to win the girl's heart but nothing could change her feelings for the boy she had and then one day, she died after drinking the poison she had managed to get from one of the servents. The minute she died, the boy had also breathed his last breath. They couldn't live together, but they did die together.
They say that, one cannot separate the soulmates even if God wishes to, they unite somehow. Living or dead."
He finished saying, as he finally glanced at her to see the lone tear rolling down from her eyes.
'she's crying?' he asked himself.
He hadn't expected her to cry. Indeed, she was an emotional person. He thought.
Wiping the tear, she asked in low voice.
"What happened to the king?"
"Well, he died from being lonely after few days."
"How long has it been since this happened?"
"I don't know exactly, maybe around more than two hundred years?"
"Two hundred?"
"Yes.... That's what mom said."
"...."
"They are in happy place, together." He said smiling at her as if that is what she wanted to hear. Naina smiled back at him, after hearing him say that.
"And, my uncle? He has things for photography! That's why he had gone to that place and while he fell in love with the view, he also fell in love the woman there, who is now my aunt"
"Wow"
"You will be even more surprised to hear that his mother hadn't allowed in the beginning but eventually she started liking my aunt and granted permission for their wedding."
"You have really an interesting family"
Chuckling, he said. " They are"
"And my cousin's are great. You will come to like them in a span of just few minutes, though they are crazy"
Wondering, who or how they were, as Naina hadn't met them or seen then even in his and Komal's wedding, she asked.
"They didn't come to your wedding?"
He looked at her not understanding.
"I mean, you- yours and her's?"
"They couldn't come due to some reasons, but uncle and aunt did" he mumbled.
"Do they know? I m-mean-"
"Yes, they know everything"
"Oh, okay"
As she was thinking about how the things are going to be with Aditya's cousins and family, Naina had fallen asleep again.
Aditya, saw her sleeping, had let her sleep and drove the car carefully making sure not to wake her up. He drove continuously for more than two hours and stopped near the small dhaba and waited for Naina to wake up, while he sat there and gazed at her warmingly.
After few minutes or so, Naina woke up to see that Aditya has stopped the car in front of the dhaba and all she could smell was food! Looking at her right side, she saw Aditya staring at her with a small smile lingering on his face.
"What? Why are staring at me?"
"Nothing, just... I was just wondering how can someone sleep again and again?"
"I can sleep! Happy now?"
"Very"
Naina glared at him and the very same second, her stomach growled out of hunger making Aditya to chuckle, while she huffed in anger.
"Come let's eat something. Heeraftpur is still very far from here."
Saying, he got out of the car and waited for her to do the same. Naina got out of the car and checked her phone to see the time. It was almost nearing to four. Aditya locked the car and made his way towards the dhaba where the small threaded cots were placed along with the table.
"Naina, sit here. I will be back in a minute"
Saying, he went towards the counter after he saw her nod her head in response.
When he was gone, Naina dialled Arthi's number. She hadn't spoken to her since yesterday night, that is because both of them were drunk!
After four to five rings, the call was picked up and she heard a sore voice.
"Hello?"
"Arthi? How are you?"
"I am just great! What about you?"
"Great? My foot!
Who the hell do you think you are to get drunk in such situations?"
"Naina, what would even matter? At the end everything's going to end right?"
"Arthi! Don't you dare speak like that. Is Karan there?"
"Yes, he is being an ass and not leaving me alone!"
"Good. At least he has some sense, unlike you"
"Naina, you are changing the sides here! And oh, by the way, he told me you got drunk?"
"Yeah, and that was all because of you!"
"Because of me? I didn't tell you to drink anything! Instead, I was searching for you both. You both left me alone!"
"Arthi, I think your hangover hasn't gone yet. Just take care. And I and Aditya are going to Heeraftpur. We will return maybe day after tomorrow."
"Wow, that's great. Finally you are going somewhere."
"Arthi, I will speak to you later." Naina said cutting the call when she saw Aditya making his way towards her.
Keeping her phone inside the sling bag, she sighed as she saw Aditya sitting opposite to her.
Just then, a man came with the menu chart in his hand and gave it to Aditya.
"Naina, what do you want to eat?"
"Anything, but less"
"Anything? You don't like to eat here?"
"...."
Nodding his head, he ordered the food for her and himself. And after fifteen minutes, the man returned with their food and served them.
Naina and Aditya, both ate in silence. She was very anxious to meet his family, as she has not met a single person from his family in all these years. And family was not at all a happy topic for Naina to discuss about.
Finishing their meal in silence, they both continued their journey in silence again. The only sounds they could hear were of vehicles, breeze, chirping of birds and the songs which Aditya had put on the playlist. This time, Naina didn't sleep. She was wide awake. Looking at the passing view and feeling him glancing at her every now and then, heat crept up to her cheeks.
She had shouted at him, in the morning. But then, she hadn't expected him to behave like that. Getting closer to her. She could still feel his touch lingering on her skin and that just wouldn't go. Also he had kissed her! It was the first time ever someone had kissed her, even though it was the swift peck on her forehead. And then he had held her in his arms, very tightly. As if promising to never leave her. She felt goosebumps all over her skin remembering the moments they shared this morning. She was angry at him. But at the same time, it was he who calmed her. She didn't understand what kind of relationship they were having, as it was really getting strange day by day.
Somewhere, unknowingly, he has started to make his way towards her heart and the walls she had built around her heart, were seeming to break down one day.
But Naina was afraid. Afraid that something would go wrong again when everything would seem too perfect like a dream. She had learnt to live in the reality. Now she didn't wanted to be the part any dreams to only have them shattered again. She had lost all strength in collecting herself all these years. If anything would go wrong, she didn't had the courage to live through it all over again.
Soon they reached the resort, the mansion of the Heeraftpur. Naina's eyes widened with awe looking at the fort and is surroundings. It was really a beautiful mansion to look at from the outside. She wondered, how would it look from inside.
Aditya drove inside, after showing the invitation to the guard, who had slided the gate open for them to enter. Aditya then parked his car where everyone else's car was parked, he motioned Naina to get out of the car and then he did the same.
Going back to the trunk of the car, he took out the two bags. One Naina pulled along with her and another him. As soon as they both took few steps towards the main entrance of the mansion, they saw around fifteen to twenty members coming towards them.
Looking at his family, Aditya's face brightened up with a wide grin appearing on his face. While Naina stood beside him, nervously. Wanting to go back home and hide herself under the blanket.
"Why do they seem like, group of army people?" Naina muttered, to which Aditya chuckled.
"Aditya, I think we should just go back"
Naina whispered again as she saw so many people rushing towards them. When she tried to turn around, Aditya stopped her and held her hand in his tightly.
Tight enough to let her know that he was with her and she wasn't alone and everything was going to be alright.
Naina gulped down her saliva, as she pondered that now she not only have to face his family but also have to put up with him holding her hand which she tried to free from his iron grip. But he wouldn't budge.
Pouting, she glared at him and then looked at his army of people whom he call his family neared them excitedly. As they neared, she could feel their aura. Which gave her positive vibes, making her feel a bit relaxed.
"Aditya!"
They all came one by one and welcomed him with showering all the love and hugging him, due to which he left her hand and she was pushed aside as if only he has arrived alone.
Seeing everyone happy at his arrival, she wondered did they expect him to come all alone that they haven't seen her yet? Just when Naina was thinking, she heard a voice that belonged to an old woman who was dressed up in royal cream printed saree and green blouse. Her black and white mixed hairs, tied up into a bun and she had applied vermilion in the partition of her hairs and also had applied the red round sticker in the centre of her forehead.
"Will someone care to welcome our Adi's wife or is she invisible to you all that you are glued to him?"
Hearing her, they all turned their attention towards her and then looked at Naina who all of a sudden felt over conscious under so many pairs of eyes looking at her.
' It was better when they hadn't noticed me'
Naina thought looking at everyone, nervously.
Leaving the trolley bag, she took baby steps towards the old woman who was the only elder person amongst the crowd. Nearing her, Naina bent down and greeted the woman by touching her feet and waited for the woman to bless her.
The whole crowd kept silent and looked at them. As seconds passed, the woman hadn't blessed Naina. Instead she backed off and ordered her to stand straight in her stern voice.
Confused and afraid Naina, did as she was asked to and the very next second, she was pulled into a tight hug by the woman.
"Oh dear, I am not that old enough to have you touch my feet! And also, I do not know the about the world out there, but no matter it is daughter or daughter-in-law, no one touches the feet, just hugs and gets lots of love and blessings. And you are Adi's wife, you have become daughter of Archana, then for us also you are our daughter."
The woman said breaking the hug and caressing her cheeks with affection.
"You really are beautiful, my dear child.
What did you say your name?"
"Naina"
She answered in her soft voice.
"Naina" her name rolled out from her tongue affectionately and holding her hands in her's, she said.
"Just like you, beautiful"
This compliment, came as surprise for Naina which she heard from the elderly woman. It was very difficult for Naina to believe since no one ever has said her anything in all these years, except for her mother-in-law, Nia and seldomely, Aditya. That too he had complimented only about her smile. But at least he did.
"T-thank you -" Naina stopped as she didn't know what to call her.
"Nani. Call me Nani! I am Aditya's Nani's sister. So in that relation, I also your Nani, right?"
Rajeshwari Rathore said, smiling at Naina.
"Thank you, Nani"
Naina said smiling back at her.
________
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Dated - 31 July, 2020
Edited - 18 June 2021