I know it's been a while that I updated and I'm sorry about it. I just don't know, I was not able to write this one. I had this chapter half written so I thought to post it anyway. It's short I know and doesn't compensate the time I took but I'll try to post next one sooner. Forgive grammatical and spelling errors, not proofread!
Chapter 11
Naina was in the balcony, looking at the preparations. She has been busy since morning and it was only few minutes that she got herself some breather. She wanted to take this moment, and make the most out of it. Some time back, her eyes have fallen on calendar. 15 more days of being at home, in her city. Her holidays would end and then, she would have to leave, again! "Naina, meri madad kar de please." She heard Preeti saying from inside the room. She sighed. "Aayi!" She said and went inside. "Naina, tu chali jaayegi 15 din baad." Preeti said, looking at the calendar. Naina, who was ironing Preeti's clothes that she was to wear at the tilak ceremony that evening stopped doing what she was doing.
Pata nahi har koi aur cheez chod ke mujhe ye kyun yaad dilaane mein laga hua tha ki mere paas sirf 15 din hi the, mere ghar mein, mere sheher mein. Kasam se itna bura lag raha tha, upar se Preeti ka woh udaas chehra, dil cheer raha tha, sacchi. Un dino do shehron ke beech faasle bahut lambe hua karte the aur agar ye faasle Insaanon ke beech aa jaayein, toh bahut takleef hoti thi.
"Preeti, toh kya hua main sirf kuch din ke liye yahan hoon, hum inn kuch dinon mein itne saari yaadein banayenge ki jab hum boodhe ho jaayenge tab bhi ye yaadein khatam nahi hongi." Naina hugged Preeti. Both did share a tear or two but smiled through it. "Haan aur phir maze se ye saari kahaniyan apne pote potiyon ko sunayenge." Preeti said and both broke out in a laugh. Sameer, who was passing by, looked at Naina from the door that was ajar and his face was automatically lit. And he continued to do whatever he was doing.
"Be Ponga, ek baat bata." Munna said, thinking deeply. "Bol." Pandit said while still concentrating on the aloo poori that was in front of him. "Ye log sabko khaana khila rahe lekin humein kyun nahi? Humnein kya kiya." Munna said. "Kuch nahi. Yahi toh galti hai. Shaadi ka ghar hai tum dono nein kuch nahi kiya." Shefali said from behind. For a moment, Pandit's eyes gleamed seeing her. "Yaar, kar toh rahe hain hum itne kaam. Ab kya jaan de dein?" Munna was agitated on the false allegation of nit doing a thing. "Arre jaan kaun maang raha, bass thoda ye mehmanon ko khaana khilane mein meri madad kar do. Uske baad tum logon ki hi baari hai." Shefali said and proceeded to serve the food. Munna and Pandit quickly joined in and were evidently very happy thinking next is their turn to have the amazing food. Sameer looked at them and chuckled and also joined them and served everyone.
Shadiyon mein un dino aaj ki tarah itne saare waiters nahi lage hote then mehmanon ko serve karne ke liye. Ghar ke hi log khushi khushi khaana khilaya karte the line se sabko bitha ke. Maine toh pehli baar kiya tha woh sab par maza bahut aaya tha. Un dino ki shaadiyon ki baat hi alag hua karti thi, sach mein!
"O bai! Bholuraam tum kyun kaam kar rahe? Chalo Khaane pe baith jaao." Tayiji said and forced him to sit with guests to have the food. "Naina, idhar aa." Tayiji called for Naina who was helping Anand with something. "Ji tayiji." She came and said. "Bholuraam ko theek se khaana kilade, le pakad." She gave Naina a basket full of puris. Sameer looked at Naina and smiled sheepishly. Naina looked at him and then continued to serve him with food quickly just to finish that job of hers. Naina went to take few more puris. Shefali came to Sameer. "Dekha, Shaadi wale ghar mein kaam karne ka accha phal milta hai." She winked at him making him blush more.
It was already evening time and groom and family would be coming soon for the tilak ceremony and Naina was at fix. Her dress didn't fit her. It was made according to Preeti's size while she was away in Bombay because both had very similar size but apparently in Bombay, Naina had lost few inches and that made the dress lose for her. Since she was back home she was keeping so busy that she got no time to try it on and so, it wasn't few moments earlier that she knew she practically has no clothes for the tilak ceremony. "Preeti!" She almost cried. "Tu muhje sochne de. Rukk." Preeti was trying to think to get it fixed. "Naina, Maasi mera matlab hai Munna ki Mummy ke paas silayi wali machine hai. Main tumhari dress unse fix karwa ke laa sakta hoon fatafat." Sameer said hesitantly. "Preeti, main koi purani dress pehen lungi." Naina said not looking at Sameer. "Naina, mujhe lagta hai Sameer ki help le leni chahiye." Preeti said. "Nahi." Naina was reluctant. "Behen, zidd nahi kar please. Pooja Didi ki shaadi ke album mein tilak ki ek bhi acchi photo nahi aayegi." Preeti said and gave the dress to Sameer and told him how much fitting was needed and he rushed immediately.
"Ponga, Frock wala pandat nazar nahi aa raha kahin." Munna said looking around. "Idhar hi kidhar hogi." Pandit said looking dreamily at the samosas in front of him. "Tum dono yahan khade khade kya kar rahe ho?" Came a stern voice from behind and they stood in an attention position. "Safari suit humein jeene nahi dega." Munna said and both if them turned together and looked at Rakesh. "Woh baalon ki dukaan kahan hai?" He asked looking around. "Aapki beti ka frock theek karane gaya hai." Pandit said almost in a muted voice. "Kya bola?" Rakesh asked. "Kuch nahi Sir. Idhar hi kahin hoga." Munna covered for Pandit. "Tum teenon koi shararat ka toh nahi soch rahe?" Rakesh looked at then suspiciously. "Nahi nahi Sir." Pandit said. "Theek hai. Kuch gadbad hui toh chodunga nahi tum teenon ko." Rakesh said and went away to look for other arrangements.
"Preeti. Mujhe waise hi woh dress pehen leni chahiye thi. Pata nahi kahan chala gaya woh." Naina said. Someone knocked at the door. Preeti went and opened the door. It was Sameer. He handed her the dress and went away. Naina quickly changed and Preeti helped her do her hair. Groom and family were just on the main road and they were needed downstairs to do groom's aarti when he arrives. Preeti came downstairs followed by Naina who was trying to fix her dupatta as the pin came out. She tried calling Preeti but perhaps she didn't hear. Sameer rushed to her. "Main kuch help kar doon?" He asked. She didn't reply. But Bela wala calling for her so she was In hurry. She gave him the pin. She closed her eyes, not wanting him to touch her. He knew that. He carefully placed the dupatta on her shoulder and fixed it with the pin. Her lavender smell did bother him, in a good way but he did his work carefully and quickly. Munna and Pandit stood in front of them so that no one notices them. "Ho gaya!" He said. "Thank you", saying so she ran towards the entrance.
"Sunaina, what happened? Itna urgent kyun bulaya mujhe?" Kartik said and sat beside her. "Kartik, parso main Ahmedabad ja rahi hoon, Naina ki behen ki shaadi mein." She said. "That's a great thing ya!" Kartik said. "I know. Pata nahi kyun darr lag raha lekin." Sunaina looked at him. "Darr kyun lag raha paagal?" He held her hand. "I don't know. Naina mujhe bhool gayi hogi toh?" She asked, opening up on her fears. "Woh Naina hai Buddhu, she loves you. How can she forget you." Kartik said. "Pakka?" Sunaina was still not sure. "Pakka. Don't think about it." Kartik hugged her.
Edited by Octothorpe - 4 years ago
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