Accidentally in Love
Hi
Friends - Apologies for the long wait, and thank you very much for your
patience and understanding. Here's the next part of this story. Hope you enjoy
the read and keep showering your love and support.
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Chapter 5: The Past and The Future
The
evening weather indicated the oncoming summer, and people outside were taking
full advantage of the last few days of pleasant weather, strolling in parks or
treating themselves to street food. Kids, who were given the rare playtime in
evenings, forgot the approaching exams and played on the streets in their
societies.
Sameer
Maheshwari stood at the window of his office cabin, enjoying the gentle breeze,
a fire red shaded card in hand. He opened it to reveal a Ganesha shlok, and
below that inscribed in beautiful cursive fonts were the letters "Sameer sang
Naina"
A
smile automatically curved his lips as he traced the letters with his long
fingers. Finally, he was getting married. The feeling started to sink in. It
was so strange, he reflected on his life, there had been a phase in college,
and even after that when he had been strictly opposing the idea of marriage. Given
what he had seen in his family he had always thought that such relationships
never worked. He had totally rebelled the idea and concept until one day when
he had caught Nanu silently crying in his bedroom holding his wife's photo.
That day he had been placed in such a sticky unusual situation, usually Nanu
was the one who had handled him, but that day he had to handle Nanu. So, like
men and friends, they had sat on the terrace with a bottle of whisky, and
talked... or rather Nanu had talked and he had listened. For the first time he
had got to know of how his Nanu had got married at an early age, handled the
pressure of starting a family and a job, how after his mother was born Nanu had
started to set-up his own business, how Nanu-Nani had lost their second child
to a miscarriage. He had learned how Nanu and Nani had decided to not try for
any more children despite pressure from society and family to have a male
child, how they had tried to raise their only girl inculcating her with guts
and open-mindedness too along with values, how they had gotten her married into
a perfect family where she had flourished both as a woman and also as a
businesswoman. For the first time he had heard about the joy his own birth had
brought, about Nani's death when he was 1 year old, and then his father's
untimely death in an accident when he was 3, how broken his mother had been,
how she had panicked about what would happen to her son without a father, and
finally Nanu's decision of getting his mother to marry again thinking it would
be better for both Vishakha and Sameer. Nanu had drained the last of his
whisky, sighing, and confessing that it was only after the wedding that he had
got to know of the condition put forth in-front of Vishakha, and he had felt
that he and his wife both had failed in inculcating some basic values in their
daughter because otherwise she wouldn't have been able to leave her child just
like that.
Having
unburdened himself, Nanu had fallen asleep on the cot on the terrace, while he
had stayed awake. The remaining story after that he knew already, about how he
had been sent to hostel citing disciplinary issues, how Nanu had been assured
that it was the best for him. That day Sameer had grown up completely for the
first time. Till then he had blamed everyone for how his life had turned out,
be it his mother or Mr. Somani, or even fate. But after listening to Nanu's
life he had been awed at how Nanu had built his life from almost nothing. He
had had his share of pains and happiness both, but had never given up or blamed
people around him. Even after his own daughter had failed him, he had thought
maybe he hadn't taught her well. That was the day Sameer had decided to stop
blaming and being accountable instead. He had started to pay more attention in
college than usual, reduce his other activities, and began to take interest in
business. Nanu had been happy with the changes in his grandson. When Nanu had
broached the topic of marriage one day, Sameer had sighed, and resignedly told
that he knew he had to get married someday because that was expected but he
needed time.
Nanu
had been confused, "kya matlab ke karni padegi kyunki zaroorat hai?"
Sameer
had shrugged, "aisa hi toh hota hai na... school, college, naukri, shaadi aur fir
bachche."
Nanu
had been furious, "zindagi jeene ka niyam dhund rahe ho? Yahi sikha hai
mujhse?"
Sameer
had tried to explain, "par aap bhi toh yahi chahte hai... aur aapne bhi toh..."
Nanu
had interrupted, "maine shaadi ki kyunki main karna chahta tha. Maine business
shuru kiya kyunki woh mera sapna tha. Auro ki sharto pe jeeta toh naa toh
Vishakha meri ek lauti aulaad hoti aur naa hi uski dusri shaadi hoti. Dekho
Sameer... tumko business me dilchaspi na ho toh zabardasti nahi hai, tumhe jo
pasand hai woh kaam karo. Aur shaadi karneka faisla karo toh pure dil se karo,
apni bewajah ki galat-fehmi ke wajah se kisi masoon ladki ki zindagi kharab mat
karna."
That
night he had been again on the terrace with a glass of whisky, this time alone,
and once again thinking to what Nanu had said. Was he really mistaken in his
belief? Could marriage bring happiness? Nanu had been happy, and his mother had
been happy with his father. Maybe she was still happy with Mr. Somani; but just
because that happiness didn't include him he had concluded that marriages were
futile. So did that mean he could also have someone special in his life and be
happy with her? After having thought until almost dawn he had fallen asleep
thinking that he could give it a shot.
After
that he had started to meet girls as per Nanu's wish, but he had not been totally
serious. Plus he had also told Nanu that he needed some time to settle in
business. But just weeks ago he had finally promised Nanu that he was ready and
would again meet girls; this time with complete seriousness. And then he had
met Naina. The man who had believed he could never fall in love had lost his
heart almost instantly. The man who had doubted the very concept of marriage
was now holding his wedding card in hand happily anticipating the future with
the woman he loved.
Just
then the phone rang, and he turned to pick it up, "hello."
The
sweetest ever voice he had heard exclaimed his name, "Sameer!"
"Hi
Naina", he grinned, "kya baat hai? Bahot khush lag rahi ho?"
Naina
leaned onto the balcony railing, keeping an eye out so that no one overheard, "haan...
aapko pata hai mere haath me kya hai?" She asked him, but couldn't manage to
hold in her excitement, "hamari shaadi ka card."
He
was surprised, "sach? Ab toh bata do konse rang ka hai? Tumne aisa surprise
rakha na ke mere pet me toh dard hone laga tha."
She
laughed, "haan toh surprise aapne bhi toh rakha hai. Aapne kahan bataya ke
aapne konsa rang chuna hai."
He
chuckled, "madam woh surprise nahi badla tha... tum mujhe bata deti toh main bhi
bata deta. Achcha chalo chodo, abhi batao konse rang ka hai... jaldi."
"Green
aur gold", she replied, "bahar ka cover green hai, aur andar golden color ke
cards hai saare functions ke. Shaadi wale pe 'Naina sang Sameer' likha hai."
His
smile widened as he looked down at the card he had chosen, "aur maine laal rang
ka card chuna tha... kyunki tum waisa hi shaadi ka joda pehenke mere ghar aaogi
na."
She
squealed in delight, "woh card bhi aa gaya! Mujhe dekhna hai."
He
laughed, "haan pata hai. Nanu ko aaj ghar jaake bataunga, fir ho sake toh kal
subah hum aayenge. Aaj toh bahot der ho gai."
She
sighed, "aap ab tak office me kya kar rahe hai? Maine ghar pe phone kiya tha,
Nanaji ne bataya aap aaye nahi."
"Ek
consignment ki delivery hai aaj toh der hogi. Munna aur Pandit bhi hai", he
supplied.
She
hummed, "achcha thike. Lekin waqt pe khana kha lijiyega. Aur Nanaji ko ek baar
call karke bata dijiye ke kab tak ghar pahochenge, woh chinta karenge warna.
Aur jab bhi ghar pahonchenge mujhe bhi phone karna, warna main bhi..."
He
smiled as she trailed off, "warna tum bhi chinta karogi... haina?" She didn't
reply, so he continued, "waise Naina mujhe aadat nahi hai ke koi meri itni
fikar kare. Mere khane ki, ghar pahonchneki.. Sab kuch naya naya lag raha hai."
She
blushed, and replied, "mujhe aadat hai fikar karneki, toh aap aadat daal
lijiye."
His
heart thumped, and he bit his lip, "okay madam. Jaisa tum kaho." Just then
there was a knock on the door, "achcha suno... mujhe ab jaana hoga. Raat ko ghar
pahonchke call karunga. Bye."
"Bye...
dhyan rakhna", she mumbled quickly, and then disconnected.
After
seeing the consignment of garments being packed and sealed for delivery, Sameer
went home. He had remembered Naina's instructions and called up Nanu to tell
him that he would be late and asked Nanu not to wait for him. He had also
managed to gobble up a sandwich while checking the custom documents. That's why
by the time Sameer reached home, tired and sleepy, Nanu had already fallen
asleep. He checked the time and noticed it was past 11pm, so he quickly called
up Naina as he was sure she would be waiting for his call like she had said.
That night when he fell asleep, despite the tired muscles, there was lightness
in his heart because there was someone who was worried for him. It's not that
Nanu was not concerned about him, but Nanu's concern was like a parental
shadow, while Naina's concern left a warm and fuzzy feeling inside his heart.
The
next morning there were two calls received at Agarwal house which promptly sent
everyone in raptures of delight. The first call was from Nanaji, who mentioned that,
he and Sameer would be arriving shortly after breakfast to give the wedding
card. The other call was from the tailor who said that he would be coming over
this afternoon to get trial fittings done for blouses, dresses and the wedding
lehenga. The level of excitement was incomparable, Preeti even took leave from
her parlor so that she could stay with Naina, and even Chachaji took half-day
off so that he gets to see the lehenga.
Sometime
after 10am, Sameer and Nanaji entered the house, and after offering water to
them, Bela said, "bhagwan jhuth na bulaye samdhiji, aap log aaj yahin nashta
kar lete, Naina ne banaya tha. Maine toh phone pe bhi bola par aapne mana kar
diya."
Sameer
looked at Nanu confused wondering why he had said no. Nanaji smiled, "aisi baat
nahi hai behenji. Agar abhi se Naina ke haatho ka bana hua sab chakh lenge toh
kaise chalega. Kuch swaad ab sidhe apne bahu ke haatho ka chakhunga."
Naina
blushed at the statement, and Sameer grinned. Nanaji took out one card from a
bag, and offered it to Chachaji, "yeh lijiye... shaadi ka card."
Anand
took it, but didn't open, and slowly asked, "bura mat maaniyega, par pehla card
bhagwan ke saamne rakhte hai. Aap logo ne apne ghar me mandir me rakha hai na?"
Sameer
shook his head, and Nanaji sighed, "mujhe pata tha main kuch bhul raha hun.
Ghar me aurat na honese aisi hi galtiya hoti rehti hai. Agar aap logo ko
aitraaz na ho toh main yahin mandir me rakh du."
"Isme
puchne wali konsi baat hai samdhiji, aaiye na", Bela guided Nanaji to the small
temple, and helped him do the small ritual.
As
they finished praying, Preeti pleaded, "ab please card dekhe."
Nanaji
laughed and nodded, pulling out another card from the bag. Naina brought out
the card which she had chosen. Soon everyone was poring over the beautiful
cards, Sameer tugged at Naina's dupatta. She quickly grabbed the fabric so that
it didn't slip from her shoulder, and gestured with her eyes asking what
happened. He replied in the same way indicating with his eyes for her to sit
beside him so that they can see the card together. Her eyes widened for a
moment and she shook her head in negative. He pouted, a pleading expression on
his face. She looked helpless as she gestured towards everyone. Rolling his
eyes, he stood up to stand beside her, and asked so that no one doubted his
intentions, "Naina iss shlok ka matlab samjhao na."
She
glanced around, and then mumbled, "kya kare rahe hai aap?"
"Aree...
samajhne ki koshish kar raha hun. Samjhao na", he kept his expressions
completely innocent, but behind her his hand wandered to the small of her back.
She
gulped, trying to focus on the words inside the card rather than the warm hand
resting on her back. She stammered while explaining the meaning of the simple
shlok, and he kept listening with an attentive expression while his thumb
rubbed slow circles on her back. However soon Chachiji turned towards them and
Sameer immediately removed his hand. Taiji and Tauji also wandered in with
Rakesh in tow, and they also talked for some time while looking at the cards.
Nanaji
asked Bela if all shopping was done, and she replied, "bas thoda bahot hi baaki
hai. Aaj nikalneka soch rahe the, lekin dopahar ko darjee aane wala hai.
Bhagwan jhuth na bulaye, woh kya kehte hai use... silwake pehli baar maap dekhte
hai na..."
Preeti
jumped in, "trial fitting."
Sameer's
interest was piqued, "aaj? Nanu hum bhi dekhne aaye?"
Taiji
adjusted her pallu, ready to give her worldly advice, "oh bai! Damadji... aise
shaadi ke pehle dulhan ko shaadi ke jode me aap nahi dekh sakte. Apshakun hota
hai."
He
threw a pleading look at Nanu who shook his head, some traditions were meant to
be followed. Naina felt a little bit sad herself on seeing his slumped
shoulders. She understood his excitement. Hadn't she herself wondered how he
would look in the sherwani they had selected for him?
Soon
it was time for them to leave, and Sameer sulked even more as he didn't get
some time alone with Naina. Everyone in office, including Munna and Pandit had
to face his wrath that day, as he was cranky and kept on getting irritated at
every single thing. The coffee was suddenly not good enough, the employees not
fast enough, his cabin seemed too small, even the paint on the walls was dull.
On
seeing Sameer loosening his tie in frustration, Munna whispered to Pandit,
"yaar, yeh bhabhi se jaldi thik se nahi mila na toh iss office ko aag laga
dega."
At
around 1pm when he had angrily refused lunch, the phone at his desk rang, and
he greeted the caller with an irritable, "kya hai?"
"Aapse
pyaar", came the pat reply from other end.
A
brief smile curved his lips, but it soon disappeared, "huh... pyaar hota toh waqt
deti. Aise hi bina mile ghar se nikaal diya."
Naina
controlled her laughter, "damad ko bhala kaun ghar se nikaal sakta hai. Woh toh
bas ab tak official license nahi hai na, isiliye. Thode din mein hume kisi aur
ki permission nahi leni padegi milne ke liye."
He
calmed down somewhat after this, "filhaal toh woh din bhi dur lag raha hai."
"Jaanti
hun", she replied, "isiliye toh abhi call kiya."
His
interest piqued, "matlab?"
She
turned to look at herself in the mirror, "matlab... maine abhi hamare shaadi ka
joda pehna hua hai. Laal rang ka."
He
sucked in a breath as he realized what she meant, and what she was doing,
"kaisa hai?"
She
smiled, "bahot khubsurat. Golden design hai upar, aur dupatta ka border bhi
bahot pyaara hai."
He
tried to imagine her in the design that they had chosen, but still felt the
need of details, "aur batao."
She
thought for a moment, and explained, "lehenga ke upar wale hisse me na ekdum
choti choti butiya hai, aur niche bikul heavy wala design. Blouse pe toh saamne
pura work hai, aur sleeves mere elbow tak aa rahi hai."
The
image became a bit clearer for him, and he asked, "blouse ka piche wala hissa
kaisa hai?"
She
turned partially sideways to see, and replied, "umm, deep wala round hai thoda
aur dori hai upar."
His
smile widened as his mind started to race, "dupatta liya hai tumne?"
Unaware
of his train of thoughts, she innocently replied, "nahi. Check karne ke liye ek
baar daala tha, par uski toh koi fitting thodi na hogi."
He
hummed, his eyes closed as he leaned back on his chair. In his mind's eyes he
saw Naina wearing the lehenga whose picture he had seen, with her hair open...
no, open hair didn't fit. She would have it up in a bun, and he would open it
for her... of course after having his fill of her back with that dori... Since he
had traced the line of her spine with his fingers it wasn't hard at all to
imagine how a deep cut blouse would look on her. And that dori... gosh, he just
kept returning to the dori, and guess he would keep doing so until he had the
pleasure of tugging it open himself.
Her
voice interrupted his thoughts, "hello... Sameer?? Aap hai na phone pe?"
He
opened his eyes, "haan main yahin hun. Ek baat batao, tumne baal kaise baandhe
hue hai abhi?"
She
frowned, "baal? Aap lehenga chodke baal ke baare me kyun puch rahe hai?"
He
pleaded, "uff... batao na."
She
rolled her eyes, "baal upar baandhe hai... loose bun. Kyun?"
Satisfaction
gleamed in his eyes, "perfect lag rahi ho ekdum."
She
was confused, "huh... aapko kaise pata main kaisi lag rahi hun?"
He
chuckled, "madam apne hone wale pati ko itna underestimate mat karo. Khair abhi
jaane do... shaadi ke baad sab pata chal hi jayega tumhe."
She
blushed, and he immediately commented, "ab sharmana bandh karo aur phone rakhke
bahar jao. Warna sab sochenge ke tum lehenga pehenke hi so gai."
She
laughed, "thike rakhti hun...", then paused for a bit, and added, "suniye."
He
leaned on the desk taking support of his elbow, "haaye... kahiye na."
Color
tinged her cheeks again, and she bit her lip, "mujhe bhi janna hai aap sherwani
me kaise lagte hai."
He
smiled, "kal aayega, main bhi call karunga tumko."
Satisfied,
she wished him bye for now, and disconnected before changing back into her
original clothes.
After
talking with Naina his mood improved and everyone around him breathed a sigh of
relief, mentally blessing the person who had calmed the volcano. Later in the
day, Sameer received another call in office, "Hello."
There
was a long silence from the other end. Puzzled he removed the receiver from his
ear and stared at it, and then placed it back on his ear, "hello... kaun hai?"
Just
when he was starting to think that it was a blank call, and was going to
disconnect, he heard a stammering voice at the other end, "h..hell...hello
bh..bhai."
"Rohan?",
he asked puzzled.
The
person at the other end fidgeted with his own t-shirt, "h...haan."
Sameer
was silent for a minute, wondering why Rohan had called and what should he do.
His mind flashed back to the day of the roka, and the conversation he had
overheard. He remembered how Naina had felt that his siblings loved and
respected him. His heart thumped with uncertainty, he felt as if he was on a
crossroad where he had to make a crucial decision on which path to follow, and
his choice could affect not just his own life but other lives too. This was too
big... too difficult for him to deal with. What should he do? Rohan meanwhile
felt disappointed at the lack of reply, but gathered courage to continue, "I... I
am sorry bhai... aise phone kiya."
Sameer
heard the apology and also the disappointment in Rohan's voice, and closed his
own eyes. In the past he had always disconnected whenever he had received calls
from either Rohan or Deepika. He had never wanted to talk to them. But this
time he held on to the cordless receiver. Taking a deep breath, he decided to
let go of past, he chose to trust Naina and her judgement.
Rohan
had been waiting for the click and long beep indicating that his brother had
again disconnected the line. But this time he heard a deep voice, filled with
somewhat uncertainty, "haan Rohan... bolo, main sunn raha hun."
Rohan's
eyes widened in surprise, and he looked at Deepika who was sitting opposite him
on the handle of the sofa, biting her finger nails in apprehension. He gulped
and whispered, not sure if he had heard correctly, "bhai?"
"Haan
Rohan", Sameer's voice sounded again, a little sure than before.
Rohan
took a deep breath, and asked, "kaise ho aap?"
Sameer's
other hand gripped the hand-bar of chair tight, "main thik hun. Tum kaise ho?
Aur... Deepika?"
Stunned
beyond belief, Rohan replied, "main aur Deepika bhi thik hai." Opposite him,
Deepika slid from the sofa handle, straight to the floor, blinking and gaping
in surprise.
Sameer
paused for a moment, and then asked, "kuch kaam tha?"
Rohan
gathered his wits and replied, "haan... woh main aur Deepika... hum Bhabhi ke liye
kuch gift kharidna chahte the. Lekin hume pata nahi ke unko kya pasand hai... aur
unka favorite color bhi nahi pata."
Sameer
asked puzzled, "gift kyun?"
"Shaadi
ke liye bhai", Rohan supplied.
"Ohh
haan", realization dawned on Sameer, "hmmm... usko books bahot pasand hai, aur
movies bhi. Rahi baat color ki toh... uspe saare rang achche lagte hai. Lekin aaj
tak sabse best pink me lagi hai woh."
Rohan
smiled, and then slowly asked, "aur... aapko?"
"Mujhe?",
Sameer was again confused.
Rohan
hesitated for a moment before speaking, "umm... shaadi aapki bhi toh haina bhai."
Sameer
didn't know if he was assuming correctly so he asked, "toh... tum log mere liye
bhi gift lena chahte ho?"
Rohan
wondered why it was so difficult to believe, "of course. Ek shirt toh le bhi
liya hai. Par aap itna chaunk kyun rahe hai? Aapke 13th birthday se
leke har birthday pe toh hum gifts bhejte the."
Sameer
closed his eyes in agony, and remorse. The silence from him made Rohan
suspicious, and he asked, "bhai... aap... aapko gifts milte the na?"
God...
he had been so wrong. It had been so natural for them to buy gifts for him that
he now knew they had always meant well. And all these years he had just ignored
every effort. His hand trembling, he decided to be honest, "haan. Milte the.
Lekin maine kabhi kholke nahi dekha."
Rohan
was shocked, and he asked in a whisper, "kabhi nahi?" He couldn't believe that
his brother hated them so much that he had not even taken the effort to see
what they had gifted him each year.
Sameer
wished he could go back in time and correct his actions earlier, "I am sorry
Rohan. Maine galat kiya. Lekin woh saare gifts hai mere paas..."
Rohan
was puzzled, "m...matlab... aapne gifts khole nahi par rakhe hue hai?"
Sameer
sighed, "haan. Main shayad kabhi samjha nahi paau... lekin I am really sorry.
Main... main woh saare gifts dekhunga."
Rohan
thought for a moment, he understood Sameer's resentment to an extent as he
couldn't imagine living without his mother. The only mother he had ever known
was Vishakha, and he knew that because of him and Deepika, his bhai had been
deprived of his mother's love. He had been so excited when he was 11 years old,
and Sameer had come to stay with them in Delhi. He had always been the
responsible big brother to Deepika, and he had thought that now he would also
have a big brother to look up to, who would look after him, watch out for him.
But his hopes had crashed with Sameer's anger and unacceptance. He had thought
that the boy whom he considered bhai was just a bad person like Dadi said, but
then he had overheard Dadi talking to his mother about the condition she had
put forth. He still couldn't believe that Dadi could have been so heartless so
as to demand that his mother left her older son in hostel if she wished to get
married. He still didn't know why his mother had accepted such a clause, but he
had known since many years now that it was never Sameer's fault. So, even now
on knowing the extent of hatred his brother had nurtured over the years, he
didn't feel anger. Instead he felt disappointed that somewhere unknowingly he
was the reason his brother never had a family. Yet, today Sameer was talking to
him... and he was promising to correct his mistakes. Why? He didn't need to think
hard to understand that the reason behind this change was his Bhabhi.
"Rohan...?",
Sameer's uncertain voice made him come out of his thoughts.
He
shook his head a bit to clear it, "haan bhai... sorry. Main kuch sochne laga tha.
Bhai... suno... aap woh gifts abhi mat kholiye. Shaadi ke baad Bhabhi ke saath
kholna. Aur aapko sorry bolne ki koi zarurat nahi hai... mujhe to bas khushi hai
ke aap mujhse baat kar rahe hai."
Sameer
wondered how could Rohan find it in himself to forgive and forget so easily.
And why was he suggesting that he open the gifts after wedding along with
Naina? He didn't know... but he was happy to do so as this change in his life was
because of Naina. So, he agreed, "thike. Tum log Ahmedabad kab aa rahe ho?"
"5th
April", Rohan responded. They talked for some time more, and then Sameer said
he would have to leave for a meeting.
That
night when he reached home, he confided in Nanu about having talked to Rohan.
Nanu was surprised, but soon guessed the source of this change, and smiled, "hmm...
toh akhir mera navasa bada ho hi gaya. Thode zyada saal lag gaye, par chalega."
"Nanu...",
Sameer protested.
Nanu
chuckled and slapped his grandson's cheek lightly, "Nanu nahi Naina... jaa baat
karle usse aur bata de tune kya kiya. Aur haan... teri sherwani aa gai hai, kamre
me rakhva diya hai."
Sameer
grinned, "wow... aaj hi aa gaya... main abhi try karta hun. Lekin aapko abhi nahi
dikhaunga, shaadi ke din hi."
Nanu
was puzzled, "aree par yeh riwaz Naina ke liye hai, woh tujhe nahi dekh sakti.
Mere saath kyun aisa?"
Sameer
folded his hands and shrugged, "kyunki aapne mujhe Naina ko dekhne nahi diya." He couldn't help but gleefully add, "phir bhi mujhe pata hai woh kaisi dikh
rahi thi."
Surprised,
Nanu opened his mouth to ask how could he know, but before that Sameer had
bounded upstairs to avoid further interrogation.
Sameer
quickly showered to wash off the grime from his visit to the manufacturing
unit, and then pulled on his brand new cream and red sherwani. The red was
specifically chosen so that it matched Naina's outfit. The fitting was perfect,
he admired himself for some time turning this way and that to check from all
angles and wondering what Naina would say on seeing him. Excited, he picked up
the cordless and called her home.
As
soon as the call was received he exclaimed, "Naina... Nainaa... Nainaaa..." But he
froze the next instant on hearing the voice from the other end, "oh bai! Kaun
bol raha hai?"
Sameer
slapped his forehead, in his excitement he had forgotten that it was not
necessary that Naina would pick up the phone. He wondered what to do,
disconnect or ask for Naina. In half a second however his excitement
overshadowed his anxiety and he replied, "Namaste Taiji... Main Sameer bol raha
hun."
"Damadji",
Taiji gasped, "neva! Aap aise Naina ka naam kyun jap rahe the?"
Sameer
grinned and replied cheekily, "shaadi ke baad toh naam japna hi hai na, isiliye
abhi se aadat daal raha hun."
He
heard another "Oh bai!" and then interrupted, "Taiji... Naina hai? Thoda zaroori
kaam hai."
Soon
he heard her holler for Naina. While he waited for Naina to come, he heard
Taiji mumbling to someone, probably Tauji, "suniye Parlay ke papa, damadji ki
maansik haalat toh thik-thak hai na?"
He
laughed softly, and that's the moment Naina picked up the phone and heard him.
She immediately asked, "Hello... Aap aise has kyun rahe hai?"
Taiji
again mumbled, "oh bai! Dekha... akele akele haste bhi hai damadji."
Sameer
laughed again, "Naina... zara apni Taiji se kehna ke aur dheere bole... shayad unko
pata nahi lekin mujhe sab sunai de raha hai."
Naina's
eyes widened, and she glanced at Taiji, her cheeks red. Taiji noticed it and
enquired, "gaal kyun laal ho rakhe hai? Aisa kya bola damadji ne?"
Sameer
roared with laughter again, and Naina closed her eyes in mortification, then
covered the mouthpiece of the cordless and said, "unhe sunai de rahi thi aapki
baate."
Taiji
uttered another "Oh bai", loud enough for Sameer to hear despite Naina's hand
on the mouthpiece. He sniggered, and then asked, "chali gai?"
Naina
smiled, "haan."
"Chalo
achcha hai", he responded, "waise Naina, tumhari Taiji ka sirf phone se yeh
haal hai, toh jab main shaadi ke baad unke saamne tumhare saath romance karunga
toh kya haal hoga unka. Tab shayad pure Nirmal Jyoti Society ko unka 'Oh bai'
sunai dega."
Naina
tried to hold her laughter, "aap bhi na. kuch bhi bolte hai."
He
grinned, "achcha suno na... meri sherwani aa gai."
She
squealed, "sach? Kaisa hai?"
He
teased, "ummm... cream aur red color ka... par mere peeth pe koi dori nahi hai."
She
laughed, "mazak bandh kijiye aur thik se bataiye... jaldi... warna koi aur aa
jayega."
He
obliged, "yes madam. Bilkul waisa hi hai jaisa photo me dekha tha. Cream color
ka sherwani aur uspe beech me red and gold buttons hai, laal churidaar, aur laal
dupatta. Collar pe aur sleeves pe thoda red and gold work hai, aur dupatte pe
bhi."
She
closed her eyes imagining him like that, and then murmured, "abhi toh ispe
saafa aur kantha aayega, fir aur jachoge aap."
He
was puzzled, "saafa ka toh pata hai, lekin kantha kahan hai?"
She
smiled, "maine kharida hai, motiyo ka kantha. Aap bas sherwani ki fitting check
karke bhijwa dena yahan, fir jab Arjun bhaiya aur Chachaji aapko sab samaan
dene aayenge na tab saath me kantha bhi denge. Aur jooti bhi."
His
eyes sparkled with mischief as he teased again, "yeh achcha hai. Jooti doge bhi
tum log, aur fir chura bhi loge, fir uske paise mujhse vasoologe."
She
grinned, knowing not to take him seriously, "haan toh... Preeti aur Swati ko
jaante nahi hai aap. Jitna daam hoga uska dugna vasoolenge. Aur shaadi me unke
saath toh Pooja didi bhi hogi. Koi chance nahi hai aapka jeetneka."
His
eyebrows arched at the challenge, "mujhse shart laga rahi ho? Haar jaogi... Main
kabhi koi shart nahi haarta."
"Zindagi
me bahot si cheeze pehli baar hoti hai", she informed, "aapke saath bhi ho
jayegi."
He
smirked, "aisi baat hai toh lagi shart... main joote ke paise nahi dunga, aur fir
bhi meri saaliya mujhe joota wapas dengi. Agar main haar gaya toh tum jo bologi
main woh karunga, lekin agar main jeet gaya toh jo main bolunga woh tum karogi.
Bolo manzoor?"
She
shook her head at his challenge, "manzoor." She had full confidence on her
sisters and friend, Sameer had no chance.
They
talked for another fifteen minutes and Sameer told her about Rohan's phone
call, also that he would need to travel to Mumbai tomorrow for business. She
asked when he would be back and he replied that he would need to stay for a
night, and return the day after in mid-morning flight.
Next
day dawned bright and sunny, and Sameer called once before leaving for the airport,
and once after reaching his hotel in Mumbai. Later in the day after lunch, Swati
came over to visit, and ask about wedding preparation. Chachiji said they would
go for shopping, and also called Preeti to ask if she could join. Since Preeti
had finished attending to her clients for the day, she agreed. Chachiji didn't
tell where she was taking the girls even though she asked, just said there was
something important to buy. That is why all the girls were shocked on seeing
the shop, and Preeti blurted, "yahan se shaadi ke liye kya kharidna hai?"
Bela
shushed her, "shsh... dheere bol. Shaadi ke liye nahi, shaadi ke baad ke liye
kharidna hai."
Preeti
was even more confused, "shaadi ke baad ke liye... toh fir jijaji dilwa denge na
jo chahiye Naina ko."
Bela
facepalmed, "hey bhagwaan... shaadi karneki umar ho gai hai iss ladki ki lekin ek
cheez samajh me nahi aati. Ab chup-chap andar chal."
Not
to be deterred, Preeti nudged Naina and Swati, asking in hushed tone, "tum logo
ko samajh aaya ke kya chal raha hai?"
Swati
shook her head, but suggested, "shayad... Naina ke kapde saare naye honge toh
andar pehenne ka bhi naya le rahe honge."
Naina
frowned, "woh toh thode bahot le liye. Aur lene hote toh tabhi Chachiji batati,
ya fir market ke ussi dukaan me jaate. Wahan hamesha discount milta hai. Yeh
toh thodi mehengi wali dukaan lag rahi hai."
They
all looked up at the white colored board edged with blue fairy lights arranged
in shape of small flowers, which would be turned on when it became dark
outside. The name of the shop was displayed in pink flowy writing, again
backlighted with the same color, and it read - Silky Secrets.
Still
doubtful of the purpose of the visit, they followed Bela inside, their noses
scrunching on seeing the revealing outfits displayed on the mannequins. Naina
spotted one lacy, transparent gown on display and muttered, "hey bhagwaan, yeh
toh kuch naa pehenne ke barabar hi hai."
Bela
was talking to a salesperson, and he left by the time the girls reached there.
Naina hesitantly asked, "Chachiji... hum yahan kyun aaye hai?"
Bela
blushed, "tere liye nightie lene."
Naina
was almost horrified, "yahan se?"
Bela
nodded, trying to explain, "haan... zyada nahi lenge. Do-teen bas... shaadi ke baad
zarurat padegi."
"Iski
kya zarurat hogi Mummy? Naina ke liye alag night dresses liye toh hai", Preeti
stated.
Bela
looked nervous, "woh... yeh sab abhi
samajh nahi aayega. Shaadi ke baad apne aap pata chal jayega. Naina ko toh
damadji samjha denge."
"Kuch
bhi bolte hai aap Chachiji", Naina countered, flushing scarlet. Her eyes darted
to the scanty displays, "main aisa sab nahi pehnungi unke saamne."
Bela
almost chuckled, "thike mat pehennna. Lekin fir bhi kharid le. Meri baat maan,
kaam aayega. Aur iske aage koi sawaal nahi."
The
salesperson returned with armfuls of colorful nighties, and the girls tried to
keep their expressions normal while choosing three of them. Naina was somewhat relieved that none of them were transparent, however that didn't mean they were not revealing. Somehow without
even realizing what she was doing, Naina chose a blush pink one. Each one of
them was packed in a different transparent polybag, and then stuffed inside a
white opaque polybag with the shop name printed on it in the same font as the
display board. Bela paid the bill, and quickly put the whole packet inside a
jute bag that she was carrying thus ensuring that no one knew what they had
shopped for.
After
reaching home, the girls discussed a bit more about the probable usage of those
nighties, but couldn't come to a logical conclusion. Finally, it was decided
that Naina would let them know about the necessity of such garments if and when
Sameer explained it to her. Naina didn't tell anyone, but she had firmly
decided never to wear those revealing outfits in-front of Sameer, and neither
would she ever tell him about it. In fact, she thought while falling asleep
that night, it might be a better idea to discard those clingy satin outfits at
the first chance she got. Yes... she would do that. Having made the decision she
drifted off into deep sleep not knowing the silky secrets those nighties would
bring to her life.
****************************************
As
always, please do let me know your thoughts. 😳
Edited by MSK04 - 5 years ago
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