Baat niklegi to phir door talak jayegi

Log bewajah udaasi ka sabab puchhenge

Yeh bhi puchhenge ke tum itani pareshaan kyun ho

Ungaliya uthengi sukhe huye baalon ki taraf

Ik nazar dekhenge gujare huye saalon ki tarah

Chudiyon par bhi kayi tanj kiye jaayenge

Kaanpate haathon ke bhi phikarein kase jaayenge

Log jaalim hai har ik baat ka taana denge

Baaton baaton mein mera jikrr bhi le aayenge

Baaton baaton mein mera jikrr bhi le aayenge

Unaki baaton ka jara sa bhi asar mat lena

Warana chehare ke taasur se samajh jaayenge

Chaahe kuchh bhi ho sawaalaat na karana unase

Chaahe kuchh bhi ho sawaalaat na karana unase

Mere baare mein koyi baat na karana unase

Baat niklegi to phir door talak jayegi

Yet another funeral in ahluwalia house
Naina's father passed away due to terminal illness.
They say it was cancer , but naina knew that it's her brother's grief that consumed her father from within.

She was sitting alone in the hall after guests left which weren't much
Just a couple of relatives and neighbour
And huda and alekh were the only one that were able to attend
She knows that others will visit too as soon as they will get leave.

Her mother was asleep after so much going on from last few days
She is really tired naina thought

As she sat alone , she wondered that how once happy and noisy home has become this silent

She realised she hasn't even cried and mourned properly for her father.
She didn't had the luxury of grieving
She had errands to run
Hospital discharge
Funeral rituals
To comfort her mother
In all this she never got a minute to sit and shed tears for her loss.

----------------

A week later when things were more settled
And she was about to leave for her duty
She asked her mother to come along with her , which she refused saying that this home is where she belongs
She feels more close with Naveen and her husband in this place

Naina didn't wanted to argue on that
She kept eating her lunch quietly

There was knock at the door and she was expecting a parcel
She got up to open the door and for a moment she forgot to breathe as she saw the person who was there

It's been 5 years
After that co. Chandra 's trial
He had distance himself from everyone including her
They use to cross eachother sometimes
But he always kept it formal

He was not there for her like he use to be
And she accepted this.
Afterall she wasn't in a position to ask for anything from him.

The last time they had met in that army ball and again they had went their respective ways.
No hope for meeting again

He was looking different
With a slight beared and dark circles
A rusty look ,unlike he use to be in kma.

She was spellbound
Recoverying with the shock.

"Kaun hai beta"
Her mother inquired

And she was still standing like a statue

"Naina"
He took her name to break the silence

She gasped hearing his voice as it made his appearance more real.... And not her imagination.

She shuddered a breath

"Can I come in "
She nodded and invited him in

By this time her mother was there on the door and equally surprised with his sudden presence.

They asked him to sit on the sofa and naina went to get water
While her mother sat there in front of him.

"I am here to give my condolences
I learned about Mr. Ahluwalia and I was really shocked....."

He said as he picked up glass of water from tray which naina was holding

Naina went to sit with her mother

He sensed he was not welcome by Mrs. Ahluwalia but again he thought that he is overthinking buy very next moment.

"I don't want to accept anything from you captain shikhawat"
Her mother said in a cold voice making naina turned to her

Confirming rajveer 's doubt

"Sorry"
He asked

"You should be
After everything my daughter went through because of you"

"Maa please"
She kept her hand on her mother's hand to make her stop talking "

He was clueless looking from naina to her mother and then naina again with a lost look.

Her mother who was on the edge of her emotional trauma , overwhelmed with her husband's loss.
Couldn't restrict herself from saying out loud what has been bottle up from last few years

"Let her speak naina
I want to know "
He interrupted

Naina was not at all ready for what was happening

"You helped her in kma, you were there for her
But she paid a price for that

Indian Army is a male dominating field
How many times she was given a hint for compromise as it seems that she is easy to get

Because of what happened in that trial.
And even before that there has been questions on your conduct with her "

He was shocked to the core.

He saw Naina who was sitting there with emotions he is unable to recognise

"Believe me ma'am
Because of what happened in the trial, I had distance myself from her , because I thought that would be in the best intrest of her "

"Abandoning is not the solution for every problem captain
But i think that's your first response for every crisis"

She taunted referring to what he did with naven's case

He bowed down his head and naina was just trying to figure out how to calm down her mother.

"Maa please calm down...."

"Mam please tell me what can I do to make this better....
I really want to correct things....
I had absolutely no idea of all this or else I would have "

"Marry her"

Naina almost jumped up and rajveer was stunned

"Ap kya keh rahe ho maa"

She pointed a finger at naina telling her to keep quite.

"I am not some Orthodox parent who want to marry off her daughter anyhow...
I know what I am saying
My husband is gone and so is my son
She is all I have now
How am I going to die , leaving her alone and knowing that she might not be safe

There have been decent proposals
But she is never able to make a move
I don't know
For some reason you are stuck in her head.

I don't know if it's love or just respect

But I am done living in fear.

I want her to be safe and secure
I want stability for her
I want her to have a family again
I don't want her to be all alone

And i have a feeling that this one she will not reject.

She left the room leaving the two absolutely flabbergasted

-------------

It's almost midnight

Both are sitting in the hall
Mostly in silence
So much to exchange, but not sure from where to start.
Maa was asleep
And he couldn't just leave with so much damage from his side

"I use to keep tabs on you, sometimes on others too....
To make sure you are safe
But I had no idea that what you are facing in day to day work...
Tell me naina did anyone ever hurt you"

He was terrified to ask this question

"I know how to take care of myself
I can protect myself "
She assured him.

"Maa ne Jo kaha , please forget it , wo pareshan hai"

"Unka pareshan hona gussa hona jaayaz hai
I was so indifferent all these years
Tum naraz nahi ho mujhse "?

"Nahi
I had given you trouble of lifetime in those two years
I wasn't good for you "

He was surprised to hear what she has been thinking all these years.

There are so many things to talk and discuss
To clear misunderstanding

It's gonna be a long night he thought
It was 1 am already

"Chai peeyenge ap"
She asked brushing her hairs back with her fingers exhaling in tiredness

"Trust me
Is waqt
Chai is a very great idea....
I can't wait "

He replied,zoned out himself with so many issues in head.

Naina saw him and they both cracked up for a short laugh.

_______

As she was preparing tea
He stood there by her side , taking rest against the counter

"So why you don't get married"
He asked abruptly

And the look she gave to him made his heart shudder.
She had no answer
But her face gave him so many answers that he was unable to comprehend

"Apne kyun nahi ki"
She asked him too

And she was ready for anything in the world but not for the answer he was about to give

"Tumse puchne ki himmat hi nahi kar paya"

She was holding back the pool of tears
And he can see that ....
His eyes looked determined as he kept waiting for reply

"Please don't do this "
She requested him

But he took a step forward and took her hand in his holding it securely in both his hands as if trying to make a statement

And she couldn't fight back and let few drops fall down from her eyes.

"All my life I believed that you will never have me in your life
That you will never accept me
And today I want this belief of mine to be wrong
Please tell me naina I was wrong "

He begged her

And she kept her second hand on top of his hand

Weeping

"You were wrong
But the question is not that wether i accept you or not
The question is that do I realy deserve you or not "

He freed his one hand to wipe her tears
"Let's leave all these questions aside and conclude this up"

He slides his arm around her waist to bring her close
To gather her

She accepted his proximity with grace

"Be with me
marry me
Baki in sare sawalon ke jawab hum bad mein dhudh lenge."

They joined there head , smiling, crying
Holding hands
Wiping eachothers tears

Both not daring enough to kiss

-------------