Next morning, Sameer got up and remembered the happenings of last evening when they were together left a smile on her face.... ... he got out of the bed and quickly had a shower .. after getting dressed up he quickly stepped out from his room to have a glance of her... saw Naina was doing aarti in mandir with Nanu.... he went to her all smiling...
She gave aarti to Nanu and about to forward her hand to give aarti plate to Nanu for Sameer, when he said loudly, "voh Nanu, aapko Ramdhari dhundh raha hai baahar.... jaldi jaao na.... pata nahin kyun chilla raha hai..."
Nanu looked him surprisingly and rushed outside... she was still standing there holding thali in her hand looking him surprisingly when he asked, "mujhe nahin dogi.." she raised her brows asking cutely, "kya.." he twirl his hand on diya, keeping his hand on his head, left after winking her, "aarti aur kya..." she keep standing there all stunned on his behavior...
He came to dining table all smiling and sits there when Nanu came and hit on his head, "kyun daudaya subah subah... Ramdhari toh nahin dhundh raha tha baahar mujhe... voh toh kitchen mein tha...."
Sameer said mischievously, making a cute face, "achchha nahin dhundh raha tha... voh actually, mein dekhna chahta tha ki agar bulata toh aap kaise daud kar jaate... aakhir laadla hai na aapka..." he laughed and murmured "Sorry" making him laugh too as Nanu has seen what all he did after he left from mandir... "beta line par toh tujhe laakar hi rahenge... aakhir Nanu hun tera..."
Ramdhari greet them all and serve breakfast with his coffee made by her and juice for Nanu... he keeps searching her whereas she was nowhere around... he starts eating when she came to Nanu, "mein chalti hun Nanu... office mein bohot kaam hai aur important meeting bhi hai.... aur chhutti nahin le sakti na..." she said last line loudly...
Before he propose her to come along with him, Nanu stood and said, "haan haan chal, mujhe bhi usi taraf kuchh kaam hai, tujhe chhod deta hun... vaise bhi abhi teri tabiyat theek nahin hai na... akele aise auto mein jaayegi tu, kahin phir se bimaar na ho jaaye... ab tera dhyan rakhna toh mera hi farz hai na... aakhir maine dil se tujhe beti jo maana hai...." he said keeping an eye on Sameer to see his reaction, suppressing his smile...
Nanu left with Naina leaving him alone making grumpy face, "mujhse toh puchha hi nahin kisi ne... ek hi office mein toh jaana hai, mere saath chali jaati.... chhoti bachchi hai kya jo Nanu gaye hai School chhodne... jaana hi tha toh mujhe bhi le jaate saath mein..."
He too gets up to left when Ramdhari came with a tiffin bag, "voh bhaiya... didi aise hi bina khaaye chali gayi... aap unhein office mein de doge jara varna saara din bhukhi hi rahengi... humein toh unki chinta lagi rehti hai na..." he said making dull face...
He pulled the tiffin bag angrily from his hand and murmured, "bas ab yahi karna baaki hai... saath toh koi jaata nahin bas delivery boy bana diya hai... khaane ka dibba lekar ghumo ab madam ke pichhe... aur aisa kaun sa toofan aa raha tha office mein jo jaldi jaana tha... aaj bhi bina breakfast ke chali gayi.... aur Nanu, voh kyun usey kuchh kahenge... laadli jo hai... chale gaye saath mein, mujhe chhod kar...." he too left for office murmuring...
He entered in office and saw her sitting at her desk and busy in doing her work, in between discussing with Pandit on some files.... he went to her and put the tiffin bag with a thud voice on her table and said with a stern face, "Naina... yeh Ramdhari ne diya hai tumhare liye... breakfast kyun nahin karke aayi... dobara bimaar hona hai kya..."
She replied slowly, "voh Sir, mujhe late ho raha tha isliye... agar der ho jati toh aap meri salary kaat lete na..." he got stunned on her reply and left stomping his feet on the ground... Naina looked at Pandit and they both laughed covering their mouth...
He came to his cabin and keep pacing from here and there angrily when phone rings... he picked up and said, "hello"... got extremely irritated listening the voice from the person who always prompt him against Naina... "voh kai dinon se phone par baat nahin huyi toh socha aaj kar lun... vaise kaisa hai tu aur tere Nanaji kaise hai... vahaan sab theek hai na... mujhe toh chinta hi lagi rehti hai.. ab humein toh doodh mein se makhkhi ki tarah uss ladki ne baahar phinkwa diya hai... chah kar bhi teri madad ke liye nahin aa sakte..."
Sameer replied, "par iss sab se Naina ko kya faayda hoga... property toh saari mere naam hai... Power of attorney bhi usne mujhe de di hai... mujhe aisa lagta hai aapko koi galatfahmi huyi hai shayad..." person on other side, "dekha maine kaha tha na ki tu usaki baaton mein phans jayega... kya pata kal ko tujhe bhi bewkoof bana kar sab hathiya le... dekh beta vaise bhi ab tu shaadi ke laayak hai... kya pata tere Nanaji kal ko us se hi teri shaadi karwa de... phir toh voh hi maalkin hogi na in sab ki... tu samajh raha hai na... chal baad mein baat karenge, tab tak kuchh sochna padega ki kaise iss ladki se tera pichha chhutaya jaaye..."
He too puts the receiver down and words echoed in his mind... "might be Nanu wants him to get married her" left a wide smile on his face, thinking, "kya sach mein aisa ho sakta hai... matlab mein aur Naina.... aaj pehli baar unki baat sun kar kuchh achchha sa feel ho raha hai..." he closed his eyes dreaming about her but again getting flashes of a big lawn... filled with people... a couple exchanging ring... laughing, dancing....
Soon he starts sweating, opened his eyes panting heavily, his head spins badly... suddenly he feels a soft hand rubbing his back, asking, "Sameer... Sameer kya hua... tum.. tumhein itne pasine kyun aa rahe hai... tum theek ho na..." she forwards a glass of water which he took and drink to calm his erratic breathing...
He sits back resting his head when she slowly pressed his head, giving massage from her soft palm on his forehead... a feel of calmness surrounds him... he again recall of his conversation of getting married with her, leaving a cute smile on his lips, thinking, "iske chhute hi saari tension chhu mantar ho jaati hai... kya jaadu hai yaar iske haathon mein..."
Seeing him smiling, she gets relieved and asked, "ab theek ho tum... kya hua tha achanak..." he lost in her eyes seeing her standing close to him.. he asked, "Naina kya kuchh samay pehle maine koi engagement party attend ki thi... kabhi bataya kya Nanu ne tumhein... pata nahin kuchh dhundhali si yaadein hai, kuchh tasveerein par kuchh samajh nahin aaya.."
She smiled inside but said with a blank face, "sorry Sir, mujhe nahin pata... yeh aapka personal matter hai... aap ghar jaakar Nanu se hi puchh lena...." she left cabin leaving him in confused... "ab kya hua.. aise achanak kyun chali gayi... aaj toh maine kitne pyaar se baat ki thi...... par ek baat hai jab bhi paas hoti hai ek sukoon sa milta hai... thodi der aur nahin ruk sakti thi...."
He smiled like a fool hitting on his forehead, "beta kuchh bhi mat soch... chal kaam kar... shaadi ki baat huyi nahin ki sagaai ke sapne dekhne laga..."
He stops working, thinking again, "par agar sach mein Nanu ne aisa socha toh... kya voh haan kahegi mere liye... matlab itna sab hone ke baad.... kitna dil dukhaya hai maine uska.."
His inner self rebuked him, "shakal toh theek hai bewkoof, par harkatein dekhi hai apni... haan kehna toh dur voh toh teri taraf mud ke bhi nahin dekhegi ... pehle sudhaar apne aap ko... bana apane aapko usake laayak phir dekhna sapne... bada aaya shaadi karega..."
His chain of thoughts break when accountant knock on the door to ask for his permission to come in... he forward a file of cheques to get signed by him as tomorrow is salary day for all staff... he signed all cheques and returned to him... he was leaving when Sameer called him back, "ek minute Mr Sharma... aapko nahin lagta kuchh cheques kam hain is mein.." he recounts and said, "nahin Sir.. poore staff ke hai... bas factory mein workers ko cash dete hai toh unka hisaab Munshiji khud rakhte hai... voh aapko separate report de denge..."
Sameer asked again, "par is mein Ms Agarwal ka cheque nahin tha shayad.." he smiled back and said politely, "Sir, par madam toh kabhi bhi salary nahin leti..." he asked surprisingly, "nahin leti matlab.." he thinks might be she is taking money from Nanu directly and asked accountant to show Nanu's pass book...
He came back and show him the passbook in which from last few months there was no such big transaction happen... very less amount withdrawn, that was also not regular... he asked again, "kya Nanu ka koi aur bhi account hai personal" he denied, "nahin Sir, sirf yahi ek account hai... isi mein unke shares, unke profits aur Salary sab jaate hai... voh humein unka tax file karna hota hai isiliye yeh passbook hamare paas rehti hai kabhi kabhi..."
He asked him to leave and surprised that why Nanu is withdrawing very less amount, how their expenses going on, why Naina is not taking salary, how she is managing her expense and household expenses... not getting any clue, he decided to ask Nanu in evening, "sham ko Nanu se hi puchhna padega... yeh sab itna uljha hua sa kyun hai... Nanu ne kaha tha ki saara ghar voh hi manage karti hai toh sab kharcha kahaan se karti hai..."
During lunch time, he called her to have lunch which she refused clearly, "Sir, mein staff ke saath canteen mein kar lungi... thanks for the offer"
He irritates more when Pandit too denied having lunch with him saying, "nahin voh Naina ki tabiyat theek nahin hai na... toh mein soch raha hun usi ke saath rehta hun... kahin theek se nahin khaaya toh phir bimaar na pad jaaye.... ab kisi ko toh uska dhyaan rakhna hi padega na... Nanu ka phone bhi aaya tha... badi chinta kar rahe the... ab koi toh apna hona hi chahiye na uske saath..." giving stress on last line, he too left ....
Sameer saw him going with Naina, said irritatingly, "haan toh mein kya paraya hun koi... mein bhi toh kitna dhyaan rakhta hun uska.... aaj kal lagta hai logono ko mein nazar hi nahin aata jaise... aur Nanu bhi na, mujhe nahin phone kar sakte the... isi bahane usey mere saath lunch karna padta... par nahin, Pandit ko phone kiya hai... ghar jaakar baat karunga unse toh, bohot bigad gaye hai, meri jara bhi parwah nahin hai...." whole day he keeps trying to talk with her but didn't get much of success...
In evening, all staff starts leaving when he saw Naina was still busy in working on some file, discussing something with Munshiji and luckily Pandit has left early.... he came to her desk and tell, "Munshi uncle kaafi der ho gayi hai... aap gaye nahin abhi tak.."
Munshiji smiled and left saying, "bas ja hi raha tha... good night Sameer beta... Naina bitiya ab tum bhi jaao... baaki ka kal kar lenge... apna dhyan rakhna, aur dhyan se jaana... theek hai..." he too left leaving them alone...
Sameer getting chance to spend some time alone, asked her, "ab chalein ghar, kaafi der bhi ho gayi hai... Nanu intzaar kar rahe honge na..."
She looked at him and refused politely, "sorry Sir, voh aise BOSS ke saath jaaungi toh log baatein banayenge... aap jaaiye mein apne aap manage kar lungi... jaise roj karti hun... mera auto aa jayega..."
Sameer got stunned on her direct refusal and left out making grumpy face, "iske auto ki toh... mil gaya toh saare tyre puncture kar dunga, dekhna..." she smiled and too left after him taking her bag...
It was still raining outside and her daily fixed auto didn't come to pick her, so watchman called another auto for her from outside road... during mid-way auto stops, "sorry madam ji.. lagta hai auto kharaab ho gaya hai... baarish ki wajah se lagta hai paani bhar gaya hai..." it was already dark outside, deserted road & top of that drizzling heavily....
She gets down and starts walking when suddenly she realized someone following her... she got scared and suddenly a person came and stood stopping her way... she shocked and shouts, "tum... tumhari himaat bhi kaise huyi mere saamne aane ki... hato mere raaste se.."
But he again stops her way, "lagta hai abhi tak akad nikali nahin teri... suna hai shaadi bhi toot gayi aur ladka bhi chhod kar bhaag gaya.. uppar se ghar walon ne bhi nikaal diya... itna sab ho gaya phir bhi tewar toh dekho madam ke..."
She shouts back while shivering from inside, "tumhein in baaton se koi matlab nahin hona chahiye... mera raasta chhodo... mujhe tum jaise insaan ki shakal bhi nahin dekhni... nafarat hai mujhe tum jaise logon se jo aurton ki izzat nahin karte..."
He too shouts back on her, "meri zindagi barbaad kar di aur ab meri shakal nahin dekhni... meri biwi ne mujhse divorce le liya aur meri betiyaan mujhse nafarat karti hai... yeh sab karne mein mujhe pata hai tu ne hi unki madad ki hai... teri zindagi toh mein barbaad karke chhodunga... teri wajah se jail mein raha hun mein...."
Naina replied, "yeh sab tumhare apne karmo ki saza thi... jail mein the phir bhi akal nahin aayi abhi tak... bhool gaye pichhli baar kaise tumhein pakadwaya tha..."
He smirks evilly, "maine sab pata kiya hai ki kiski sheh se yeh sab hua par aaj tu akeli hai... ab tujhe mujhse kaun bachayega ... ab toh mein legally shaadi shuda bhi nahin hun... toh ab mujhe kaun rokega tujhse shaadi karne se...bohot shok hai na tujhe sabki madad karne ka, ab dekhta hun teri madad ke liye kaun aata hai...." he take little steps heading towards her when she took steps back in fear and keep warning him to not to come near her....
He extends his hand to hold her wrist when she stumbled and about to fall when someone hold her from back firmly.. she lifts her eyes... turned and hugged him tightly... he felt her shivering badly when he too tightly held her in his embrace... "shh.. daro mat mein hun na tumhare saath..."
Naina said with shivering voice, "ss..ssa...sameer... voh yeh... sh..sh..sharad.." he parted a bit from Naina and moved towards him when she hold him tightly from his arm to stop him getting scared...
Sameer keep her hand down and went to him.. give a hard punch on his face... he holds him from his collar and give two more punches in his stomach leaving him scowling in pain.... he strongly holds his arm and twist making him scream loudly , "inhi haathon se chhune ki koshish kar raha tha na..." he twists more to make him scream loudly....
Naina came and asked him to leave him... he looked at her scared face and hold her too from one hand in his side hug, "agar aaj ke baad is ke aas paas bhi dikha toh zinda nahin chhodunga tujhe..." he jerked him hard and push him on floor.... Sharad stood and run from there glaring them both, "chhodunga nahin tum donon ko... dekh lena..."
Sameer turned to her and took her in a bone crushing hug... she cried bitterly when he rubbed her back to calm her... her sobs gets down and he parted a bit and said, "ab chalogi apne BOSS ke saath ya phir bula lun usse vaapas..."
She looked at him when he scrunch her nose, "ab chalo ... dekho kitni bheeg gayi ho... roj roj bimaar padne ka shok hai kya tumhein..." she shook her head and smiled... he hold her from shoulder and took her towards car ... he opened the gate for her and make her sit comfortably...
He too settled on driving seat and turned to her side while adjusting his seat belt and got shocked seeing towards her face... shouts loudly, "Naina..."