Chapter 42

 

EPISODE – 56

 

Wine red Lehenga with heavy zardosi work was spread all over the bed. A matching dupatta lied next to it. Then there were many jewelry boxes lying open, golden 'Kaleerein' and a pair of thick golden anklet. There were four perfume bottles, mascara, eye-shadow, gloss, foundation, glitter, eye-liner, lip-liner and everything else from her make-up kit was scattered on the adjacent dressing table.

 

Naina was sitting on a chair at a little distance from all these things. She was all alone. Her head was resting against the back of the chair, her eyes were closed and from her grave expressions she looked like anything but a bride. The only thing about her that made her look like a bride was the 'Wedding-Chooda' that she was already wearing.She didn't even realize when Neetika entered her room.

 

"Naina.... Kya haalat bana ke rakhi hai room ki and why the hell is everything scattered like this aur tu kar kya rahi hai...Tayyar kyun nahin ho rahi? Aaj teri hi shaadi hai...Meri nahin... Yaad hai na tujhe?" Neetika said it all in one breathe. But Naina was silent.

 

"Shaadi ka plan change kar diya hai kya? Raj ko inform kar doon ki madam ka mood change ho gaya hai and the wedding stands cancel!" Neetika teased her. She had to react to this.

 

"Uda lo mazaak... Meri yahan band baji hui hai and you... Huh!!"

"Kya hua?" Neetika asked her softly keeping her hand on Naina's shoulder.

"Pata nahin!"

"Hmmm... Wedding blues haan!"

"May be... I don't know."

"Tu sirf nervous ho rahi hai... Aur kuch nahin hai."

"But why should I be nervous? Main Raj ko kitne saalon se jaanti hoon, I love him and I am happy with this marriage. Then..."

"To kya... Shaadi to pehli baar kar rahi hai na... and tell me something... Honestly haan... Jab Raj ne tujhe pehli baar kiss kiya tha tab bhi tu thoda nervous hui thi na... Some sort of anxiety was there?"

 

Naina looked at Neetika. Her eyes bore her affirmation.

"Waise ek baat bata Naina..." Neetika said kneeling down next to her her chair. She continued.

"Yeh anxiety shaadi ko le ke hai ya... ahem-ahem... Suhaag... Raat ko le ke."

 

Naina glared back into her eyes and answered in a smilar tone as Neetika's,

"Aapko kis liye hui thi... Aapki shaadi se pehle.... aapki yeh so called... anxiety."

 

Neetika signaled her to bring her ear closer and she did. Neetika whispered,

"Navin ko ab sari zindagi jhelna padega yeh soch ke."

She winked.

 

Naina giggled.

"Bilkul sahi match mila hai Bhaiyya ko."

"Aur Raj ko bhi... Provided ki tu ab tayyar ho jaaye aur shaadi ke liye time pe tayyar ho ke mandap pe pahunch jaye. Aur agar tu late hui to Navin mujhpe chillane waala hai."

"But Bhaiyya hain kahan? Subah se nahin dikhe."

"Dikhega kahan se... Apni behen ki shaadi ki tayyariyon mein jo laga pada hai. Aur waise bhi woh ab tujhe shaadi khatam hone se pehle milne waala bhi nahin hai."

"Kyun?"

"Because he don't want you to know ki woh upset hai."

"Why?" Naina was worried now.

"Tu bhi jaanti hai what you mean to him... Ab tu shaadi karke chali jayegi to bechara upset to hoga hi na."

"Yeh Bhaiyya bhi na... Main kaunsa duur jaa rahi hoon... Delhi mein hi to hoon."

"Don't be too sure."

"Kyun... Is Raj being considered for a transfer?"

"Nahin... just that ki ab tune ek minute bhi aur waste kiya to apni hi shaadi pe nahin pahunch paayegi. Stop thinking so much... Tu change kar le.... Tujhe main khud sajaaungi! Aur Navin ki tension mat le...Main hoon uske liye... Tu bas apne Raj ke baare mein soch."

She winked again and left.

 

 

********

 

Rajveer was already in mandap wearing a silver elaborated sherwaani with a maroon stole. He was looking absolutely smashing. All the young girls in the wedding had their attention strictly on him. In no time they all were to loose an extremely goodlooking bachelor. He, for them unfortunately, was the groom. Some of them were envying Naina's luck while the others were busy making enquiries if he had a brother who they knew would be as hot as him. But only if he had one.

 

Rajveer was trying very hard to hide his expressions of boredom siting alone there and also he was desparate to see his bride. The only sentence uttered by the 'Pandit' he heard was to call the bride. Before than one he was not interested and after that one, he was not able to.

 

Naina was standing in front of him in that beautiful wine red trousseau he had selected for her. Her make was very heavy and so was the jewellery. Her eyes were lowered, lips were spread in a very little smile, and cheeks were red... little because of the blush-on and more because she was actually blushing. As she sat next to him, his heartbeat grew faster. He could not take his eyes off her but she hadn't even looked at him yet. He was completely spellbound.

 

Finally after a couple of minutes she looked at him. Her twinkling eyes showed the happiness of this marriage. He was still looking at her unblinkingly. Her heavy eye lashes lowered again breaking the short lived eye contact.

"Raj you are making me conscious." She whispered.

"Uh.... Sorry!" He turned his face looking a little apologetic.

 

She looked at him again and smiled. Navin was watching all this from a distance. He could not hear them but he could comprehend them. He went straightaway to them and sat behind two of them. He poked his elbow in his waist that caught Naina's attention as well.

 

"Shaadi ke mandap mein to tujhe romance nahin soojh raha na... Don't forget, teri shaadi abhi hui nahin hai."

"Abhi ho jaayegi... Bas yeh pandit mantra thode jaldi padh le to... Warna phere poore hote hote hum dono buddhe ho jaayenge." He whispered and continued after a small pause,

"Abbey tune isko kahin paise to nahin diye hain hamari shaadi delay karane ke liye."

"Mujhe kuch karna hi hota to shaadi na karane ke liye karta.... Ab apni behen ko tere hawaale karna hi hai to aaj ya kal...Kya fark padta hai."

 

"Can both of you please shut up! And in case you don't remember yahan tumhari hi shaadi ho rahi hai Raj." Neetika intervened.

"Main bhi yehi jaanne ki koshish kar raha hoon ki shaadi aaj hi hai ki nahin."

"Oh my God! Someone is running out of patience. Ab chup kar ke baith jao. Seekho kuch Naina se. Kitni chup chaap baithi hai hamari chatter box... I mean hamari dulhan."

 

Rajveer looked at Naina again who was blushing again. He loked at him and smiled. Rajveer was again taken up by the exquisiteness of his gorgeous life partner.

 

"Yeh to phir se busy ho gaya." Neetika commented and pulled Navin up by his arms. The two of them left.

 

"Raj...RAJ!" Naina's voice broke his stupor condition. She signaled him to look the other side with his eyes and he realized that he was being called by the pundit for the rasams.

 

Almost all the rituals were over. Rajveer was tying the mangalsutra when he saw Naina's emotions overwhelming from her eyes. It meant a lot for her and he knew it specially ater reading her diary last night. He went closer pretending to be still tying the mangalsutra at her nape. His mouth was closer to his head and he slowly whispered in her ears,

 

"I love you Mrs. Naina Rajveer Singh Shekhawat.... and I always will!!"

 

Her smile grew a bit bigger and a tear rolled down her cheek. Her eyes had lots of unsaid emotions in them. It wasn't just love but also a sense of respect and appreciation for all that he had given to him.... a new relationship to cherish, promise of undying love till eternity, a new meaning to her life and an altogether new life. She had never ever felt like this before. She could feel some changes inside her. The change of a girl to a woman.... and she owed it all to him... The only man she had ever loved... Her Husband.... Rajveer...Her 'Raj'.