"Ab itna toh main tumhe jaanne laga hun." He said staring into her eyes, her heart skipped a beat. Averting his gaze, he walked forward leaving her in a daze.
Finding a vacant place away from the hustle and bustle, he climbed up the parapet wall. Turning around, he saw her rooted on her spot, her gaze moving to and fro between her feet and the parapet. The wedges she was wearing were not much comfortable due to which she was now having difficulty to take a step up.
Understanding her dilemma, he leaned and forwarded his hand. She stared at it questioningly and then placed her bowl of kulfi on it. Placing on the ground along with his bowl, he made a face and said, "Haath do apna." Realising her folly, she nervously put her soft hand in his rough one. The contact arose a warm sensation inside her that made her shudder for a fraction of a second. Holding it firmly, she climbed up a step. At the second one, her heels tilted causing her to stagger back. He pulled her back with a jerk just in time. His grip on her hand tightened, the other one going towards her lower back instinctively. His eyes met with her wide ones. The way she was clutching his hand displayed how much she was scared. Her heart was pounding hard. Their gazes moved to their perfectly clasped hands at the same time before coming back to each other. And as they realised the proximity, they immediately withdrew back swiftly.
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she mumbled, "Thank you."
"Welcome." He nodded while saying.
"Umm...chalo baithte hain." Saying this, he sat facing the sea, dangling his legs. A moment later, he felt Naina sat beside him leaving a considerable distance in between. She had ditched the saree today. She had paired her black full-sleeved Kurta with a maroon Churidar and matching embroidered Dupatta. He quietly returned her bowl.
Devouring the sweet and chilling Malai Kulfi, they sat being pleased with the breezy weather. True to his words, it had actually uplifted her mood. The sound of waves crashing the shore was producing a soothing effect. The water glistened as the reflection of the white gleaming moon fell upon it.
Both of them were relishing the silence, occupied in their own thoughts. Naina was still feeling giddy inside after what just transpired a few minutes ago. Closing her eyes for a moment, she brought herself back to normal, distracting herself by focusing on the blissful and content weather.
To say Sameer wasn't affected would be wrong, after all it had been like ages since having a girl in his arms. One thing that he was unable to comprehend was why the surroundings seemed to have faded down when that happened. Presuming it to be the whole day's tiredness, he shrugged it off.
"Kaisi hai?" He asked referring to the Kulfi, cutting through the silence.
"Achhi hai." She answered looking at him.
He hummed and said, "Main, Munna aur Pandit bohot aate the yahan par. Isiliye abhi tak un kaka ko mera naam bhi yaad hai. Khub baatein karte the hum unse..." She turned towards him and found him looking towards the sea, a pleasant smile appearing on his face as he reminisced those good times.
"Toh...woh sab tumne plan kiya tha?" He asked taking a glance at her, She looked down and nodded. "Maine expect nahi kiya tha, ki tum kabhi bhi aisa kuch bhi karogi?"
Her eyebrows furrowed, "Matlab?"
"Tum waise toh itna shaant rehti ho, aur ab tumne seedha do logo ki blind date fix karwa di, bina unhe bataye." He said tilting his head looking at her.
She felt shy under his gaze. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she replied, "Woh toh...bas aise hi. Dono hi ek dusre se milna chahte the, toh maine socha..."
He smiled, "Acha hai waise, maine pehle kabhi Pandit ko kisi ladki ke liye aise behave karte huye nahi dekha hai. Jab hum college mein the tab toh pata nahi kitni ladkiyon ke saath raha hai woh. Har mahine nayi ladki. Itni girlfriends thi na uski, par bhav ek bhi thik se nahi deti thi." He laughed recalling those times which made her giggle too and the moment he saw her, he felt strangely appeased.
He kept eyeing her until her giggles subsided, "Waise tumne kya sochke Pandit aur Smriti ki meeting fix ki? Matlab, I know they like each other, but fir bhi tumne kuchh toh dekha hi hoga, right?" He asked.
Naina kept her empty bowl aside and said, "Jab woh dono ek dusre ke baare mein bata rahe the tab maine unki aankhon mein ek alag sa emotion dekha tha, ek alag si khushi. Dono hi kafi restless the ek dusre se milne ke liye jabki ek dusre ko jaante bhi nahi the. Kafi excited bhi the ki shayad dono ko apne sapno ka rajkumar ya shehzadi mil gayi hai"- She chuckled in between remembering their dreamy faces- "Isiliye jab mujhe pata chala ki woh ladki Smriti hai aur ladka Pandit, toh maine socha ki thodi planning karke main dono ko milwa sakti hun." She told him how she had framed Smriti to go shopping with her and to the cafe too.
The excitement underlying her tone didn't go unnoticed by Sameer. The gleam in her eyes implied that it was the first time she had done something like that and this was the first time he was seeing her talking without any hesitation which was quite good.
"Itna sab kuch kar liya aur kisi ko pata tak nahi chala. Sahi kehti ho tum, jo jaisa dikhta hai woh waisa hota nahi hai..." He commented as soon as she ended her tale.
Her cheeks flushed at his indirect indication for her leaving a small smile on her face, her eyelashes downcast.
They went silent for a few minutes relishing the breezy wind. Sameer remembered that he still owed a thankyou to her, so he cut through the silence once again, "Ek baat bolni thi tumse." She signed him to continue, "Thank you, us din mujhe woh advice dene ke liye. Main batana bhul gaya tha, deal ho gayi humari uss company se."
"Yeh toh bohot achhi baat hai...Waise maine toh bas ek chhota sa idea diya tha. Baat toh aapne kari na." She said smiling at him. He shook his head at her modesty.
"Tum soch rahi hogi ki itni chhoti si baat ke liye bhi mujhe decision lene mein problem ho rahi thi-" he sighed "-but aajkal yahi hota hai. Company se related har baat ke liye itni baar sochna padta hai, jisse kuch galat na ho jaaye. Pehle toh itne aaram se sab kuch ho jata tha, kyuki sab the saath mein. Ab main nervous ho jaata hu yeh sochke ki agar mujhse kuch galti ho gayi, toh I would fail, which means I would fail Nanu." Gazing up in the sky, he continued, "Bohot expectations thi Nanu ko mujhse, pata nahi main yeh sapna pura kar bhi paaunga ya nahi..."
It was the first time he was letting out his apprehensions in front of her. He didn't realise when he uttered out everything so smoothly. At that moment, Naina observed that he wasn't the CEO of Maheshwari Industries. He was just a common man with a dream in his eyes. His Nanu's dream and dreams come with the fear of failure. From his words, she could feel the anxiety, fear, and lack of confidence brewing inside him. An instantaneous need to reassure him surged through her.
"Aap aisa kyu sochte hain ki aap akele kuch nahi kar sakte? Agar aap nervous hain toh koi baat nahi. Aisa sabke saath hota hai. Shayad aap nahi jaante par aap ek inspiration hai Sameer. Main baakiyon ka nahi keh sakti, par mere liye aap hain. As an employee, aapse bohot kuch seekhne ko mila hai mujhe. Itni badi company ko apne dum par sambhalna woh bhi tab jab aap khud bhi itni problems se guzar rahe the, yeh koi chhoti baat nahi hai. Agar Nanaji chahte toh yeh zimmedari kisi bade ko bhi de sakte the, par unhone aapse kaha toh kuch sochke hi kaha hoga. Unhe aap par bharosa tha ki aap kar lenge aur I know, aap kar lenge."
She took a pause and looked at him before continuing, "Apne sapne se pressurize mat hoiye, usko apni strength banaiye, jo aapko sahi lage wahi kariye, jaise aap pehle karte the. Aur kisne kaha aapke sath koi nahi hai, aapke dost saath nahi rehte toh kya hua, unka pura support hai aapke paas. Nanaji bhi kahin nahi gaye hain, unki sikhayi hui baatein humesha hai aapko guide karne ke liye. Bas khud par bharosa rakhiye. Dekh lijiyega, aapka dedication zaroor aapke sapne ko pura karega." She passed an encouraging smile towards her.
Her words had left him speechless. They were like a boost to his wavering self-confidence. He felt encouraged. He didn't know how she understood his state of mind with such ease. It took him a minute to contemplate what she said, to assess that maybe she wasn't wrong. Nanu won't have given him the responsibility if he wasn't capable of fulfilling it. He had always taught him to believe in himself. She was right, now wasn't the time to fall loose. He would have to do it anyhow.
He kept staring at her with an unknown emotion in his eyes. When he didn't seem to break it, she grew conscious, "Uh..kuch zyada hi bol diya na shayad maine..."
Sameer chuckled at her timid tone. Lifting an eyebrow, he put on a thinking expression and said, "Shayad...thoda zyada...par acha laga...thanks for understanding."
She smiled softly, "Isme thank you ki koi baat nahi hai. Aapne hi kaha tha na mujhse, hum dono ko partners ki tarah saath saath chalna hai. Aapko jab bhi meri help ki zarurat ho, aap mujhse bol sakte hain." The words came out impromptu.
His eyes forgot to blink. The woman beside him was just a year or two younger than him, even then her thoughts were much well reasoned as compared to his. Her sagacious disposition had left him stunned. He had never met anyone like her before. There were many questions swirling up in his mind. How can she be so selfless? Why was she doing all this?
"Ek baat puchu tumse?" He asked without averting his gaze from her. She nodded although being apprehensive about what he was going to ask.
"Itna bharosa kaise hai mujhpe ya kyun hai? Tumhe kabhi nahi laga ki Nanu ache huye toh kya hua, zaroori toh nahi ki mujhe bhi acha hi hona chahiye, maine waise bhi kounsa kuch sahi kiya hai tumhare saath...kya tumhari kabhi koi expectations nahi thi?" His voice was gentle yet a bit restless. He truly wanted to know her perspective. Initially, she had never been so vocal about her thoughts which he attributed to her living independently in the apartment. But today, she had taken him back.
She mused over his out-of-the-blue question which had left her completely stunned. The intensity of his gaze affirmed that he needed answers and she found herself choosing to answer them truthfully.
"Sach kahun..." She began to spoke, "Shuru mein mujhe aapke baare mein kuch nahi pata tha. Hum sirf professionally hi ek dusre ko jaante the. Par Nanaji pe vishwas tha ki unka kuch galat intention nahi hoga iske peeche. Aapke saath rehne par pata nahi kyun mujhe kabhi aisa nahi laga ki aap kuch galat karenge. Haan aap thoda gussa huye but main samajh sakti hu. Hum gussa tab hi hote hain jab humare saath kuch aisa ho jo hum nahi chahte. Aur aapne pehle hi bol diya tha ki aap shaadi nahi karna chahte the. Main jaanti hun aapke liye Maheshwari Industries ki kya aihmiyat hai..."
Sighing deeply, she continued, "Rahi baat meri expectations ki toh woh toh maine bohot pehle rakhni chhod di thi. Life ne mujhe bohot important lesson diya hai aur woh yahi hai ki hum jitni zyada ummeed rakhte hain, woh hume kamzor banati hain aur end mein humein hurt karti hain. Isse acha yahi hai ki koi ummeed na rakho aur aage badte raho..." Giving a sad smile, she looked down at her fidgeting hands.
For the first time, it dawned upon him that somewhere, she didn't deserve all this. He could see the pain underlying that smile. She must have faced something severe that had led her to give up her expectations. That is why she never complained of anything and just kept complying with whatever he said. That night when she was feeling low reminiscing about her past, he hadn't said that she was strong just to console her. He knew she was and today she had proved it again.
Never in a million dreams had he imagined that he would get married and that too in the most unexpected circumstances with the most unexpected person. But now, as he was coming to know about her gradually, he reckoned that it's not going to be as complex as he was thinking it to be. He had accepted this truth long back ago. She really held high regard for Nanu and from what she said just now, he realised she trusted him too.
"Mujhe kabhi tumse koi problem nahi thi Naina. Main frustrated tha, aisa laga jaise kuch der meri aankhen band hui aur jab khuli toh yeh woh life hi nahi thi jisme main tha. Sab kuch badal gaya. Pehle Nanu, fir shaadi aur fir Munna-Pandit ka chale jana. Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha tha, par tumne apni taraf se sab sambhala." He paused to gaze at her and continued, "You know what...mujhe bhi humare future ke baare mein kuch nahi pata. But itna toh main maan hi chuka hun, ki ab hum alag toh nahi ho sakte. Duniya ki nazar mein hum ek couple hain, par ghar mein humari kuch understanding toh ho gayi hai na. Hum samajhte hain ek dusre ko. Chahe tum isko dosti kaho, companionship kaho ya partnership, par may be we can do this together, for Nanu. Bolo, kya tum agree karti ho iss baat se?" He asked.
Ab hum alag toh nahi ho sakte, her heart fluttered as the intensity of those words sunk in. The last time when they had a similar conversation on the balcony, he was doubtful whether they were right for each other or not but today he had uttered out such a huge thing. It wasn't wrong that they had developed an understanding between them. Although she had decided to play her part sincerely, now she was feeling anxious over the repercussions. One day, he would come to know about her past.
She didn't know what had made his view about her change but she was sure it won't be the same once he would come to know about it. What she dreaded was that it won't be in a positive way. Refusing him at the his point would imply that she doesn't respect Nanaji. No matter what, they can't recede from the promise they had made to the person who had done so much for both of them. At least they owed him this much.
His voice brought her out of her thoughts, "Naina...Kya soch rahi ho?" His brows furrowed a little, "Kya tum yeh nahi karna chahti?" There was a touch of dejection in his voice which she couldn't overlook.
The next moment she shook her head urgently, "Nahi, aisa nahi hai." She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath to calm herself down with a thought, 'Jo hoga dekha jayega...' Opening them, she looked at him and said, "Nanaji ne bohot kuch kiya hai humare liye. Ab hum milke iss zimmedari ko nibhayenge."
And then, his lips curved in a heartwarming smile. She felt a sense of accomplishment. Their eyes refused to avert from each other. None of them had anticipated the conversation to take this unforeseen turn but it didn't feel unseemly. They might not had feelings for each other, but they knew that it won't work if they won't do it together. A loud chattering group of some boys passing by brought them back to the reality.
Sameer took a glance at them before saying, "Ab chalna chahiye, hawa thodi tez ho rahi hai aur late huye toh hotels bhi band ho jaayenge."
"Ji." She nodded in approval. He stood up and dusted his clothes lightly. Extending his hand to her, he helped her get up. Discarding the bowls in a nearby dustbin, they made their way towards the car, together. As it was parked near that Kulfi stall, he went towards it. The vendor spotted Naina beside him, "Aho, aapki biwi hain yeh? Shaadi karli aapne?" He asked in delight.
Sameer passed a smile and nodded. "Arey waah. Deva tumha doghanna aashirvaad devo. Aate rahiyega yahan dono." He said in a glad tone.
From her basic knowledge of Marathi language, she understood that he was blessing them both.
Sameer replied, "Haan Kaka. Ab toh hum aate raha karenge."
With that, they both took his leave and walked towards the car. The stars twinkled on witnessing their new advent.
******
A new day, a new beginning with new opportunities. Naina had as usual woken up early and was dusting the table when the doorbell rang. She opened the door and found Ramdhari beaming at her, "Namaste Bhabhi." Adjusting his bag over his shoulder, he joined his hands to greet her.
"Ramdhari bhaiya aap...andar aaiye na..." She said in delight. He picked up a polybag along with a big glass jar which he had placed on the ground. Naina made her way towards the kitchen to bring some water for him as he looked visibly tired after a long journey.
"Aapke babuji ki tabiyat thik hai ab?" She asked handing him the glass.
"Arey aapne kyu takleef ki...hum khud le lete na..." She shook her head, "Aap safar mein thak gaye honge na...pi lijiye..." This time he wasn't surprised by her kind act as he was now aware of her nature.
As she again inquired about his father's health, he replied, "Woh bilkul thik hain ab...bas aaram karne ko bola hai daactor ne, isiliye hum jaldi aa gaye. Aur yeh dekhiye, Amma ne khaas apne haathon se banake yeh Aam ka Achaar bheja hai aur sath mein yeh Kachri aur papad bhi..." He grabbed the jar and handed it to her carefully along with the box.
Naina was more than pleased, after all it's been like ages since she had savored her favorite Aam ka achaar, "Arey waah...yeh toh mujhe bohot pasand hai...Thank you bhaiya..."
Ramdhari chuckled and asked about Sameer to which she informed that he must be sleeping and also notified him about Pandit's arrival.
"Pandit bhaiya aaye the...yeh toh bohot achha hua. Waise bhi kitne din ho gaye the Sameer baba ko unse mile huye. Par aaj itni der tak kaise so rahe hain? Aapko pata hai Sameer baba ka yun ghode bechke sona humein bohot kam naseeb hota hai, warna subah subah uthte hi shuru ho jate hain, kabhi black coffee bana de, kabhi nashta, kabhi kapde istri karde, kabhi kuch kabhi kuch. Munna aur Pandit bhaiya toh humko kabhi kabhi bohot chidate hai, kehte the 'Sameer, tujhe biwi ki zarurat nahi hai, tere paas toh pehle se hai.' Yeh kya baat hui bhala?" He imitated their voices and made a twisted face after finishing off his ranting.
She stifled a laugh seeing his grumpy state in pity.
"Par ab woh aisa nahi keh sakte. Ab aap jo hain unka dhyan rakhne ke liye." He said.
She was taken aback for a moment but passed a soft smile.
After he was done arranging his bags in a corner, she asked if he would have something to eat, "Arey aap na aaram se baithiye. Pehle hi itni dikkat hui hogi humare piche. Upar se aap dono ka office bhi toh tha, usme bhi khana banane ki sirdardi aap pe..."
She looked down and said, "Sameer help kar dete the meri..." An unknown tint of bloom occupied her cheeks thinking back to the times they had cooked together.
Ramdhari was baffled, "Aap sach bol rahi hai na? Sameer bhaiya aur Rasoi? Yeh toh main sapne mein bhi nahi soch sakta tha...Bade Sahab toh itna kehte the tab jaake kitchen mein apne kadam rakhte the..."
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise from this new information. If he was such a stubborn person, then why did he agree to provide help in the first place?
Before she could reply to it, a hoarse voice came from behind, "Haan...aur burai kar tu meri...achaayi toh karne se raha..."
Naina turned around and felt her breath hitched for a sec at the sight. At the staircase, Sameer stood in a full-sleeved t-shirt, his hair ruffled and messy. His broad muscles were being accentuated by the tight-fitting sleeves. However, a loud sneeze jerked her out of her thoughts. The daze of her eyes got replaced with concern as she saw him pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket and placing it on his nose before sneezing loudly again.
"Aapko kya hua? Tabiyat thik hai na aapki?" She asked stepping forward.
He sniffed, "Kya lag raha hai tumhe dekhke? Fit and fine lag raha hun main? Nahi na?!" From his tone, she could discern that he was clearly irritated, so she chose to deal with it carefully. Who'd say that the same person was talking in the most polite way one could do the previous day?
"Kal toh aap bilkul thik the. Par itni tabiyat kaise kharab hui?" She asked gently.
He warmed up a little, "Kal ghar aane ke baad main thodi der balcony mein baith gaya tha. Pata hii nahi chala kab kab mein aankh lag gayi. Shayad 1-1.5 ghante baad utha tab andar jaake soya. Uske baad se hi shuru ho rakha hai yeh." *Aachuuu!*
She became more worried, "Aapko thand lag gayi hai. Dhyaan rakhna chahiye tha na. Dikhaiye fever bhi hai kya." Her hand reached for his forehead to check while he just watched her in astonishment. "Fever toh nahi hai. Aaj kuch important hai kya office mein?" He nodded, "Aaj kuch papers pe sign chahiye mere, ek meeting bhi scheduled hai..." looking at Ramdhari, he said, "Main study mein jaa raha hoon, meri black coffee wahin de dio."
Pressing both sides of his temple, he made his way towards the study. She mumbled something to Ramdhari. He nodded and immediately left for the kitchen.
Sameer was annoyed. His nose had become itchy due to which the sneezing and sniffing increased much to his irritation. Adding more, it was an important day in the office which he couldn't miss out on. He wasn't able to focus on the file laying open in front of him. Exasperated, he closed his eyes and kept both his hands on his face. Just then, a cup of hot simmering tea was placed in front of him.
He gazed up to see Ramdhari standing with a hesitant expression.
"Kya hai yeh? Tujhe pata hai na main black coffee peeta hun subah..." He reprimanded.
Ramdhari got nervous, "Bhaiya woh..."
"Maine bola tha inko." Naina intervened and asked Ramdhari to prepare for the breakfast. Coming forward, she continued, "Waise toh aapko ghar pe hi rehke rest karna chahiye but jaana bhi zaroori hai. Please, aap bas ek din meri baat maan lijiye. Isey pi lijiye. Dekh lijiyega, aapko shaam tak bohot relief mil jaayega. Please." She urged but seeing his sore mood, her voice came out a bit nervously.
He stared at her, not knowing what to say. This caring side of hers was very new to him. Her eyes held concern for him which he was unable to abstain from, so he shook his head in acceptance. She smiled and said, "Aaj black coffee nahi hai aapke liye. Yeh Masala Chai banaayi hai, isme Loung, Kaali mirch, Mulethi, Tulsi, Adrak sab kuch hai jisse aapko kaafi araam milega. Dheere dheere sips leke pijiye."
He didn't even know half of the ingredients which she named but his mind went into flashback when Nanu too used to mention something similar to Ramdhari whenever he would catch a cold or fever.
"Jaldi pi lijiye. Thandi ho jaayegi warna." She insisted.
He nodded and took a sip. True to her words, it soothed his throat and nose. The spiciness from the cardamom and black pepper eased the blockage.
"Main breakfast ka dekh leti hun..." Saying so she left the room. Although the taste wasn't much likable, he downed the whole of it through long sips. He put the empty cup down with a faint smile lingering on his face. Half an hour later, when he came out of the room, he saw her rushing in and out of the kitchen, serving the breakfast, this time wearing a saree.
"Kuch araam mila chai se?" She asked as doon as she spotted him.
The running nose had gotten better. He sniffed, "Hmm...kafi achhi thi...puri tarah toh nahi par kuch relief mila. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Chaliye, breakfast kar lijiye...fr ready bhi hona hai aapko... " He nodded in approval.
Breakfast went on a quick note following which they both went to their rooms to get ready and after a while came downstairs to go. Ramdhari had already packed their lunch box. As Sameer went to bring the file from the study, Naina asked Ramdhari to fill up two thermos flasks for him, one with the herbal brew which she had gotten readied as a remedy for the cold without his knowledge and the other big one with warm water. Keeping them inside a jute bag, she handed them to Ramdhari to keep it in the car with the lunch. After Sameer returned, they left for the office.
Throughout the day, Naina made sure that Sameer has taken the brew on time. She had specifically asked Aarav to make sure for Sameer to only have warm water and give him half cup of the heated brew every two hours. She didn't know where she had gotten the strength to do all this. Perhaps, his words from the previous night were prompting her. But the reason couldn't be attributed to that only. To say she wasn't worried for him, in reality, would be entirely wrong. She was, genuinely. He had been considerate enough to her till now. He hadn't intended to do anything wrong.
She felt weird giddiness ensuing as she recollected how they had talked, sitting like two normal persons. Perhaps it was the magic of the weather. The air had felt different as if someone has sprinkled some kind of an intoxicating essence. She didn't know what was happening. Maybe it was the first time they had talked normally that she was feeling satisfied about. Her trails of thoughts had broken when she saw Smriti entering her cabin.
On the other hand, Sameer was in the meeting with one of his new clients. They were currently talking over the new order. His sneezes were alternating between his sentences deterring him to focus.
"Are you ok Mr. Maheshwari?" The client asked.
"Yeah. It's just seasonal cold." His voice had become hoarse due to prolonged speaking.
Just then, Aarav entered with a cup of steaming hot brown-black liquid, "Sir, Naina ma'am has sent this for you. Isey peeke aapko relief milega."
Sameer took a look at it and thought this wasn't the tea she had given him at the home. He took a sip and found the taste to be bitter. Seeing his client sitting in front of him, he restrained his disliking to become apparent on his face and quietly drank it. No matter how bad it tasted, he couldn't deny that it actually aided his cold. By the end of the day, he felt much better, all thanks to her intellect. Perhaps this time, he had taken the right decision.
******
A week passed by in a similar modus. They were getting accustomed to each other. Amidst this, good news knocked on their doors. Kabir had called Sameer in the evening, asking him to put the speaker on and take it near Naina too since it was something to be told to them both. After a while, Anika had also joined Kabir and informed happily that they were expecting their first child.
To say, Naina and Sameer weren't happy would be a lie. They were overjoyed. Sameer felt happy for his best friend. To celebrate, the couple had invited them both on dinner as Mrs. Singhania had been planning it ever since she got to know about their marriage. At first, they both were reluctant since they didn't want to bother them especially Anika when she needed rest. At last, after an hour-long of constant persistence, they had agreed.
Naina wasn't able to choose what to wear exactly so she again went for a decent Mauve-colored silk saree and kept her hair open whereas Sameer opted for a white T-shirt under a grey suit, keeping it casual.
The Singhania's welcomed them wholeheartedly. Mr. and Mrs. Singhania were elated to see them. Sameer came forward and greeted them both respectively followed by Naina. Bending down he touched their feet receiving their blessings. Just as Naina bent down, Mrs. Singhania held her by her shoulders, "Nahi nahi..." Pulling her up, she said in a loving voice, "Ghar ki laxmi se koi pair nahi chhuwata beta."
Naina didn't know what to say. She felt touched by her gesture. Naina was feeling nervous but all of it evaporated as an excited Anika came into her sight followed by Kabir. Both Sameer and Naina pulled them into a tight hug respectively in delight after handing them the bouquet and the gift they had brought.
Withdrawing back, she held Anika's hands, "Congratulations! Main bohot khush hun aap dono ke liye." She said looking at both of them.
"Thank you so much!" They both said in unison.
Sameer smiled and said, "And, thank you for inviting us. Waise aap logon ne bina matlab mein taklif uthayi, hum fir kabhi aa jaate."
Kabir gave him a bored look, "Abey oh, tu na ab yeh buzurgo wali baatein mat kar, 'taklif kyu uthayi'..." He imitated him before continuing, "Mom-Dad kabse tum dono se milna chahte hain jabse unhe yeh pata chala hai ki unke 'pyaare aur chahite' bete ki shaadi ho gayi hai...isse achha occasion nahi ho sakta tha."
"Offo...Sharda, lagta hai humare bete ko humara pyaar kam padd raha hai..." Mr. Singhania said looping an arm around her wife's shoulders.
"Kya dad...taang khinchte raho aap meri..." Kabir went towards his mother and father, "Sahi hai...Chidate raho aap mujhe.." He twisted his face.
Mrs. Singhania patted his cheeks, "Yeh bacho ki tarah muh fulana band karde, you are going to be a father now."
"Arey ab sab yahin khade rahenge kya. Come on, let's go inside..." Mr. Singhania gestured them all to come inside in the living room.
Anika ushered Naina inside her room, holding her by arm. "Aisa lag raha hai apni saalon purani sakhi se mil gayi ho...ab koi disturb mat karo inko Bhai..." Kabir remarked as he saw the ladies going towards their room.
Sameer lifted an eyebrow and smirked, "Unki chhod, apni bol...bada fast fast jaa raha hai tu toh. Pehle shaadi aur ab baby...kitne surprises dega..." He said pushing an elbow in his stomach playfully.
Kabir flinched but then rubbed his neck in shyness as he said, "Yaar iss baar surprise toh mere liye bhi tha. Pehle toh bilkul believe nahi hua, I was totally numb. Fir realise hua ki main sach mein Papa banne wala hu yaar. Mujhe toh sochke hi gudgudi si ho rahi hai. Main bohot zyada khush hun..."
Sameer smiled seeing the contentment in his eyes and patted his shoulder, "I am really happy for you both."
Inside the room, Anika made Naina sit on the bed and herself took a place beside, facing her. She was fidgeting with her fingers, her facial expressions look strained as if she was worried about something.
"Kya hua Anika, tum thik ho na?" Naina asked placing a hand on her shoulder. "Baby ke baare mein hai kya kuch?"
Anika nodded her head. Naina eyes filled with concern as her guess turned out to be right.
"Main bohot nervous hun Naina..." Anika began to speak in a low voice.
Naina squeezed her shoulder, "Kis baat ko leke?"
"This pregnancy is completely unplanned. Kabir aur maine kabhi iss baare mein sahi se baat bhi nahi ki. Humne yahi decide kiya tha ki abhi thoda aur time denge apne relationship ko..." She said in a meek voice.
Naina's concern amplified as she asked hesitantly, "Anika, tum khush nahi ho kya?"
"Nahi. Aisa nahi hai." She prompted, "Main bohot zyada khush hun Naina. Aur khush kyu na hun. Motherhood is a blessing." She trailed her hand on her flat belly.
"Toh fir kyun pareshan ho?" Naina questioned.
Anika looked up at her, "Jabse Kabir ko pata chala hai, humne ek baar bhi thik se baithke baat nahi ki hai. I am just anxious ki woh sach mein khush hai ya nahi..." Her voice wavered.
A faint smiled emerged on Naina's face. Taking Anika's hand between her palms, she said, "Parents banne ki khushi alag se aankhon mein nazar aa jati hai. Wahi khushi maine aaj Kabir ji ki aankhon mein dekhi hai. Trust me, yeh khayal bilkul nikal do apne dimag se ki woh naraz hain." She gave an encouraging smile towards her.
Anika pulled her in a tight hug and said, "Thank you Naina. Main bohot darr rahi thi. Sirf wait kar rahi thi kab tum aao aur tumse iss baat ko share karun." Parting their frames, she continued, "I feel so lucky to have a friend like you." Her eyes twinkled in admiration. Naina smiled, "Me too. Aur ab stress lena kam, aur khush rehna zyada."
Anika nodded, smiling widely, "Ab chalein? Humare pati soch rahe honge na jaane kaha gayab ho gayi dono..." Naina chuckled. Both of them got up and made their way towards the living area.
They had just settled on the plush sofas initiating the conversation asking about work when an aged woman descended down the stairs. She was dressed up in a decent attire but her sharp gaze elicited an alarming aura. She looked nearly in her sixties. The way she was looking no staring at Naina made her uncomfortable. The surroundings became uneasy as she entered the living area, "Arey zara humey bhi toh milwayiye..."
"Sameer, Naina...yeh Lata didi hain, meri cousin. Aaj shaam ko hi aayi Delhi se..." Mr. Singhania introduced her.
"Namaste buaji..." Sameer instantly got up to touch her feet while Naina greeted her only verbally refraining from touching her feet after Mrs. Singhania had denied her. However, this pinched Lata Buaji. She was one of those people who despite living in modern society had orthodox views about things.
"Bhayi aajkal zamana toh bohot aage pohoch gaya hai...ladkiyon ne pair chhuna hi band kar diya hai..." She remarked giving a slanting gaze to Naina who just stood there looking down, not knowing what to do. Mrs. Singhania came to her rescue, "Jaane dijiye na Didi, maine hi mana kiya tha...Chaliye dinner ready ho gaya hai...Pehle woh kar lete hain."
Buaji shrugged and left not before giving a piercing look to Naina. Sameer disfavored the way Buaji taunted her but kept his cool, not wanting to spoil the occasion. He looked towards Naina who still had her gaze down but then she too looked towards him, as if sensing his gaze. He blinked his eyes in reassurance and shook his head lightly as if telling her not to pay heed to it, in return getting a faint smile from her.
The elders left first leaving the four of them. Kabir and Anika felt pity for her. As soon as Buaji was out of their sight, Anika came in front of Naina and said in an apologetic voice, "I am sorry Naina. We didn't know Buaji aaj aane wali hain warna hum yeh sab kisi aur din ke liye plan karte."
Naina shook her head and replied gently, "Arey koi baat nahi...mujhe bilkul bura nahi laga. Chaliye dinner karte hain sab sath mein..."
All four of them walked towards the dining area and occupied their seats on the 8-seater dining table. Mr. Singhania sat on the head's seat. Sameer sat next to him with Naina next to him. Anika sat beside her with Kabir sitting opposite Mr. Singhania while Mrs. Singhania and Buaji occupied the seats in front of Sameer and Naina.
The dinner was served by the servants. A wide variety of dishes have been prepared, taking Naina by surprise as she had never been introduced to this hospitality before. Mr. and Mrs. Singhania were of a very genteel disposition. Their warm treatment was of great help in shrugging of her anxiety. As the conversation initiated, she came to know that, Mr. Singhania seemed to be in his mid-fifties and was a reputed lawyer in the High court while Mrs. Singhania looked a few years younger than him and had an NGO for children belonging to financially weak families.
They both kept pestering them constantly to have more. Mrs. Singhania also left a playful remark on Naina's tiny appetite. It didn't feel offensive though, as the motherly affection and care had outweighed it.
"Waise Sameer beta, tumne hume kabhi Naina ke baare mein bataya nahi...Bhayi hum bhi toh tumhare apne hi hain...Humse kya chhupana..." Mr. Singhania said in a whimsical way. "Haan beta humein toh bata hi dete..." Mrs. Singhania said agreeing with her husband.
Sameer gave a hesitant smile, "Woh...actually..." He fumbled for the right words, "Actually, sab kuch itna sudden tha aur humein time chahiye tha sabko batane ke liye. Aap toh jaante hi hain na business world mein yeh sab chize kitna effect karti hain..." He said.
"Oh...it's completely okay...Duniya walon ka kya hai...unka toh kaam hi hai har baat mein taang adhaana..." Mr. Singhania chuckled, the others joining him too, except for Buaji who was constantly looking at Naina scornfully. She still hadn't gotten over the incident which happened a few minutes ago.
"Jo bhi ho, jab humein pata chala ki Sameer ne koi ladki pasand kari hai, we were so surprised. Main toh kabse milna chahti thi tum dono se, especially Naina se. Anika toh ab tak itni taareef kar chuki hai, jab bhi tumse milti hai, ghar par itni baatein karti hai tumhari...Aur sach mein mujhe bohot acha laga yeh surprise...dono perfect ho ek dusre ke liye..." She said in a delighted voice.
They both passed a smile looking at each other. However, it disappeared when Buaji entered the conversation, "Sharda, tum bhi na...I hope tum yeh sirf inko dekhke nahi bol rahi ho..." She said bitterly. "Matlab don't take me wrong, par kuch zyada hi simple choice nahi hai tumhari Sameer? Jab tumhe ladki pasand karni thi toh koi apne barabar ki karte. Tumhe toh koi bhi achhi mil jaati..."
Naina felt hurt by her words directed to her. They were like jabs piercing through her heart. Just when she had thought the evening would go well, Buaji crushed them. She couldn't understand why she was making a storm in a teacup. But then she remembered the incident of Mathurs' Party when some more ladies had taunted her about her status.
As if having an insight into her thoughts, Sameer placed her spoon down and said in an extremely calm voice, "Mujhe nahi pata aapka barabar se kya matlab hai Buaji. Mere liye yeh sab matter nahi karta. Mujhe bas apne liye ek understanding aur achhi partner chahiye thi, jo Naina hai. I don't care about anything else." He gave a sweet smile much to her chagrin. Naina just looked at Sameer in admiration for taking a stand for her when she had least expected him to do.
"Aur Buaji, Nanaji ne khud Naina ko pasand kara tha, unki pasand toh galat nahi hogi na..." Kabir chipped in making her silent completely.
"Naina beta, tumhari family mein koun koun hai waise?" Mrs. Singhania asked gently.
She went stiff hearing the word family. She didn't know how to say that she doesn't have a family anymore or should she say that her family had disowned her? It would only give Buaji another subject to humiliate her from what she had discerned from her nature, so she tried to gather as much courage as she could to answer the question, but in vain.
Just then, she felt warm, rough fingers enveloping hers under the table. Her gaze shot towards their hands and then shifted to Sameer. A slight nod of assurance was all she needed implicating that he is here, "Mere ghar mein mere Papa, Mummy aur ek chhota bhai hai..." She answered in a clear voice.
"Achha, yahi Mumbai mein rehte hain woh?" Mrs. Singhania asked.
In reply, Naina shook her head, "Woh log Ahmedabad mein rehte hain."
"Toh tum yahan akele problem nahi hui...?" Mrs. Singhania queried.
This time Mr. Singhania spoke up, "Offo Sharda, tumne bhi kya questioning shuru kardi hai. Please mujhe ghar pe court ki yaad mat dilao. Aur waise bhi, aajkal ki ladkiyan independent ho gayi hain, which is a very good thing."
Naina felt relieved. "Anika, shayad Mom-Dad humein bhul gaye hain. Chalo hum dono walk pe chalte hain..." Kabir chipped in. Anika signed him to shush but he poked out a tongue.
"Yeh dekho, koun kahega yeh baap banne wala hai, jo khud abhi bachpan se bahar nahi nikla hai." Sameer commented in a teasing tone.
Everyone broke into a fit of laughter. Soon enough, the environment turned lightheaded as more chucklesome remarks were exchanged. Kabir and Sameer missed no chance to pull each other's leg entertaining everyone on the table. The nervousness troubling Naina had alleviated as she sat amidst the warm ambience. The beloved Ras Malai was served in the deserts.
"Maine suna hai Naina tum Sameer ki company mein hi kaam karti ho, correct me if I am wrong..." Mr. Singhania began.
Naina dipped her head slightly, "Ji uncle, main Maheshwari Industries mein ek Financial Accountant hun." It was like Sameer's hand had circulated strength into her.
"That's good...Fir toh tum dono milke saara kaam sambhal sakte ho. And Sameer, agar tumhe humari help chahiye ho toh ask without any hesitation." Sameer smiled, "Ji uncle..."
The conversation shifted towards the subject of business. Mr. Singhania discussed a few things with both of them. Naina answered his every question confidently impressing everyone on the table, except for Buaji. 'Kuch zyada hi khush ho rahi hai yeh, batana padega dhang se isko...' Her evil mind conspired.
"Toh tum Financial Accountant ho...maanna padega, kismat chamak gayi tumhari. Tumne kabhi socha bhi nahi hoga na ki tum company ki maalkin bhi banogi...bolo..." Her voice was laced with sarcasm.
Naina took a deep breath and said, "Buaji, mere liye mera kaam sabse pehle hai. Mujhe apni position se kuch farak nahi padta..." She said gently.
A smirk appeared on Buaji's face, "Huh! Shuru mein sab yahi sochte hain. Par paisa aur shohrat milte hi sabke rang badal jaate hain. Even I also think ki paise ke bina kuch nahi ho sakta. Aur tum yeh jo Ms. Goody-two-shoes bann rahi ho na, yeh sirf kuch dinon tak hi chalega. Sameer dekh lena...tum bas company hi sambhalte reh jaaoge..." Satisfied with her words, she sat relaxed in her seat.
Naina gazed at Sameer who had went into the cave of his thoughts, his eyes fixed on the table. Was he doubting that she would do that in real?
"Buaji...yeh paise aur shohrat aapke liye important honge, par mere liye nahi. Mere liye meri zimmedari sabse upar hai, aur unme se ek hai apne husband ke saath humesha khade rehna, woh company humare liye sirf company nahi hai, Nanaji ki virasat hai jiska dhyan humein milke rakhna hai, aur hum rakhenge." She stressed on the last three words.
Mr. and Mrs. Singhania knew Buaji's critical nature but the only thing which was stopping them from intruding was that she was elder and it hadn't been even a whole day to her arrival.
Kabir and Anika were stunned by her words, especially the former. If he was uncertain of their relationship before, now he was sure that destiny had introduced Naina in his best friend's life for a good reason which made him feel relieved. He turned to see Anika who was already smiling as if thinking about the same thing.
Talking about Sameer, his breath hitched when she addressed the company as 'humari'. He wasn't sure if she had said this just to convey it to Buaji but it felt like her each word spoken was true. A sense of proud engulfed him as his gaze refused to leave her. She had not only left her inhibitions behind by talking about her parents but also had taken a stand for them, that too in the most sensible way one could have.
But Buaji wasn't the one to stay quite. She couldn't let her ego get crumbled by a simple girl who according to her wasn't even equal to their status.
"Hmm...kafi achi baatein karti ho. But you listen to me, yeh sab meethi meethi baatein karke tum inn sab ka dil jeet sakti ho, but mera, never! Tumhe toh dekhke hi pata chal rahi hai tumhari class. Tumhe kya lagta hai, sirf yeh mehengi si saree pehenke, yeh oonchi-oonchi heels pehenke tum Sameer ke status ko match kar sakti ho? Isse sachai nahi chhup jaayegi."
Naina's eyes were starting up to water at the brutality in her words. The hard wall of resilience begun to crack with each word coming out of that evil mouth. Even Sameer's hand was failing to fill them up.
Mr. Singhania tried to intervene but Buaji shut him up by showing her hand, "Khub dekhi hain maine tumhare jaisi ladkiyan. Akele rehke kuch kar nahi paati toh chal padti hain aise ameer ladko ko fasane. Kya pata Sameer ke Nanaji ne kya sochke haan bol-"
"Bas Buaji!" Sameer's enraged voice boomed around the area. Till now, he was trying hard to keep his cool since he didn't want to spoil the evening just because of someone who was just a guest. But her vile words were enough to bend him out of shape.
"Main bohot der se chup hun kyuki aap humse umr mein badi hain aur mujhe abhi bhi aap se aise baat karte huye acha nahi lag raha kyuki Nanu ne mujhe humesha yahi sikhaya hai ki bado ko respect deni chahiye. Toh kya badon ka itna farz nahi hai ki woh bhi chhoton ko utni hi respect de?" Buaji was speechless.
He continued, "Itni high class society ko belong karte huye bhi itni chhoti soch kaise rakh sakti hain aap? Aap jaanti hi kya hain Naina ke baare mein? Uske character ko judge karne ka koi haq nahi hai aapko. Insan ki haisiyat uske kapde ya pehenawe se nahi balki uski soch aur samajhdari se pata chalti hai aur Naina jitni samajhdar ladki se main aaj tak nahi mila hun. Mujhe toh yeh samajh nahi aata ki aap-" A light tug on his hand stopped him from speaking further. His gaze shifted on Naina who shook her head slightly gesturing him not to speak anymore. Being the reason, she didn't want the scene to get worse. She knew the degree of Sameer's rage.
Words of understanding were conveyed through eyes. He gained his composure. Hadn't it been for Naina, he would have given Buaji an earful so she would think before uttering such kind of nasty things in future. Buaji couldn't take it anymore and left the dining in annoyance.
"Main aap sab se maafi maangna chahti hun. Buaji ko gussa dilane ke mera koi intention nahi tha. Please aap meri taraf se unko sorry bol dijiyega." She said the last line to Mrs. Singhania. Sameer left her hand feeling irritated of the fact that she was still apologizing for someone else's fault.
"Arey beta. Tum kyun maafi maang rahi ho. Tumhari toh koi galti bhi nahi thi." Mrs. Singhania said. Her eyes held tenderness for the girl who was much more matured as compared to the other girls of her age.
"Haan beta...galti tumhari nahi hai. Didi ka tareeka bhi thik nahi tha. Main baat karunga unse." Mr. Singhania asserted in serious tone.
It was time for bidding goodbyes. Kabir and Anika walked till the car to see them off. None of them saying anything.
"Waise Bhabhi, sahi time pe rok liya aapne isko, warna aaj toh pakka Rudra dev ke darshan ho jaate." Kabir spoke to lighten up the air. Sameer hit his shoulder, a little too hard making him wince.
"Oye, lagti hai. Aur kya tension le raha hai...chhod na. Buaji ko bhi pata chal jaayega. Waise Bhabhi, aapka woh zimmedari wala dialogue badiya tha ekdum..." He joined his forefinger with the thumb as a sign to praise her.
Anika nodded in agreement, "It's okay Naina. Tumhari koi bhi galti nahi hai. Aur yeh baat bilkul nikaal do apne dimaag se ki humein bura laga. Main bohot khush hun tum log aaye. Baki hum firse ek aur meeting plan karenge, jab Buaji chali jayengi." She winked making Naina chuckle. She was pleased to find a friend like Anika.
"Ab planning sirf ek hi chiz ki honi chahiye, baby ki care ki." She said pointing towards Anika's belly. "Tumhe jab bhi meri help ki zarurat ho, mujhe bata dena. Aur Kabir ji, aapko bohot saara dhyan rakhna hai Anika ka, without any complaints."
Kabir smiled in content and looped an arm around his wife's shoulder, "Don't worry Bhabhi, koi shikayat ka mauka nahi dunga main. And please yeh 'ji' mat boliye, Bhale hi main papa banne wala hun par yeh ji kaafi buzurg jaisa lagta hai. It's only Kabir."
All four of them giggled. Soon enough, Sameer and Naina were on the roads driving back to their home. His mood was better after the light-headed talk but Naina could still sense his discomfort.
"Thank you, aaj mera stand lene ke liye." She said testing the waters. When he didn't reply, she asked, "Aap abhi bhi gussa hain kya?"
"Tumne mujhe roka kyun? Kya galat keh raha tha main?" He questioned, not averting his focus from the road.
"Sameer, aap pehli baar shaadi ke baad gaye the. Aisa achha lagta kya agar baat aur badd jaati toh?" She tried to reason.
He rolled his eyes, "Matlab, jo Buaji keh rahi thi woh bohot achha tha."
Before she could say anything, he turned his gaze towards her and said, "Naina pichli baar main kuch nahi bol paya tha kyuki mujhe pata nahi tha. Par iss baar maine bola aur agar aage bhi aisa kuch hua toh bolunga." He affirmed.
This one sentence was enough to silence her. She just stared at the man sitting beside her in wonder. Her heart began to pound as she took in his words, as if standing for her when she was being humiliated wasn't enough. There was an alien yet familiar feeling stemming inside her, trying to push through the tough walls she had built around her heart but she didn't let it in. She wasn't able to comprehend what was this feeling which was warm and pleasant. A fragment of which she had felt before, something which arose only in his presence. But today, it was a little more intense which sufficed to put her nerves to tingle.
What was happening to her?
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Hope you liked this one. I have kept it much longer even though I hadn't planned and I didn't proofread it thoroughly, so, sincere apologies from my side.
Do tell me about the part or dialogue or any specific scene which you liked the most in this chapter.
Buaji's character was a bit tough to write but people like her do exist in the real world. I don't know if I pulled it off well. Give your views.
There's also something which I wanted to tell you people. My practicals are beginning from the next week and also, my semester examinations are nearing. I am telling you beforehand in case I fail to give you any update for a few weeks, though I would try hard, even if a short one.
And lastly, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!!!❤
Do drop your views about the update in the comment box. A vote would also be enough.
Lots of love, Sim❣