In the dinning hall Naveen was already present and the food was served on the table with servants standing by the side in case anyone needed anything.

Rajveer and Naveen acquired their seats while Naina started serving both of them. "Naina why are you doing this...we can serve ourselves" Rajveer asked to which Naveen supported.

 "No...No....you all can have your lunch...I'll have once you guys are done...and till then I can serve you" she answered as if it was a daily act.Holding her hand Rajveer made her sit beside him and asked "What happened Naina...?"

"In Bareilly I wasn't allowed to eat with everyone....I used to stand by the side and serve everyone and once they were done if anything was left then I'd have it or if it was a special occasion then I'd get the leftover porridge made for dadi " she ended with moist eye remembering the old times. Her justification got some sharp pain in Naveer's hearts. Composing himself Naveen answered "Bhabhi you are not in their house anymore...this is your house and you are the one to decide everything..."

"I had said this earlier as well Naina and I repeat it again....this is your house and you have every right on it, every right on my possessions and me too....also...from now onwards whenever possible we three will have our meal together" Rajveer told her...."You all can leave for your lunch....we'll do it ourselves" saying Naveen dismissed the servants. Rajveer prepared the plate for Naina and forwarded a morsel to her. With a slight smile she started eating followed by Rajveer and Naveen.

"By the way Naina...I didn't introduce you to him right...??" Rajveer asked all of a sudden. 

"Umm yeah....kind off" Naina said hesitantly

"It's okay bhabhi I'll introduce myself...." Naveen was about to give his intro when Rajveer stopped him saying "naah.....I wanna do it....." Rajveer shut Naveen. 

Then looking towards Naina he continued "Naina....this weird creature sitting in front is my best friend, my partner and my lifeline Naveen Singh Ahluwaliya....you can expect him anywhere anytime and doing anything....just like a ghost....no no wait....not like a ghost but like betaal....you know he is always pinning onto me" he ended by teasing Naveen. Hearing Naveen's full name Naina became pale but somehow masked her emotions and gave a faint smile to them.

"Correct and bhabhi not only this but I am his servant, mom, dad, sister, punching bag etc etc everything .... we are our family....but finally now we got a new addition in our small world" Naveen added playfully

"And dare you try calling me again Naveen Sing Ahluwaliya" came a shrill voice due to which Naveen flinched at his place and looked at Rajveer in fright.

Giving a devilish grin Rajveer handed over the cell phone to Naveen and enjoyed his meal while Naveen kept pasturing his dear fiancé. 

"Umm....Jii...what happened ?" Naina asked in confusion. Controlling his laughter Rajveer answered her "While mentioning his family he forgot Shalini...his fiancé and without his notice I ringed her giving an insight of his talks. Now she'll act annoyed for sometime then they will get back together like before....its their everyday story. I love it when she treats him like this"

Naina bit her lip to control her laughter but failed badly...."okay now have your lunch fast and have a nap....in the evening we'll go shopping"

"Jii....you already got so many clothes....what's the need for more" Naina voiced out her opinion........"surely there is need....my newly wedded wife came home.....I couldn't do her welcome properly let alone the marriage....and this is the least I can do....please let me do it" he said honestly.

Giving up in front of her stubborn husband Naina nodded shyly....on the other hand she was happy as well.....after her brother's death this is the first time someone is doing so much for her.

***

Forcefully sending Naina for a nap Rajveer sat in the study to complete some of the pending meetings. In between Rajveer came to his room to get a file when he found Naina squirming in her sleep, sweating and mummering something. 

"Bhaiya please wake up...look what they are saying...tell them its not true....you can't leave me like this....I have no one except you....please wake up bhaiya"

Rajveer understood from her words that she might be missing her brother or may be having nightmares as well.

Shaking her lightly he woke her up. By his face Naina could guess that he heard everything. Taking a few sips from the glass Rajveer had given to her she started to tell but Rajveer stopped her.

"It's okay Naina...don't worry I am here...you can tell everything later as well....go back to sleep" he said politely.

Shaking her head in denial Naina held his hand made him sit beside her and took out two photographs from under her pillow before she started her story.

"I want to share it......Like everyone I too had a very beautiful and loving family. My maa baba and my bhaiya....I was their sweetheart...their bachha. See, these are my parents...and this is my bhaiya"she told with a teary smile showing Rajveer the two crumpled pictures.

"While fleeing from that house I had tied these pictured in the end of my saree" she told him. With this Rajveer remembered her clutching the knot made on her saree that time...now he understood the meaning behind her action.

"Coming back to story.....unfortunately one day...while returning from his work place, baba stopped at a seasonal fair to buy a saree for maa....he really loved her....going against the whole village they had, had a love marriage...and while he was there the local goon of our village....Jamshed Thakur....started an open fire...his motive was to set a threat in everyone's eyes...in that open fire my baba lost his life. Maa couldn't keep up with this guilt that baba lost his life because he had stopped to shop for her, she had an heart attack, and that day I lost both of my parents." Naina said with the smile vanishing. With every passing words he hold on his hand was getting tighter.

"But if I tell you jii I didn't feel like an orphan...I had my bhaiya with me....I was his gudiya afterall...he never let me miss my maa baba, we both were happy together...between all those harsh words by chacha Chachi, I still was leading a happy life. Bhaiya never let them affect me.....he'd do all the household works and won't let me do anything. He even used to work in a nearby factory for our daily expenses. You know, bhaiya loved his nation....he wanted to serve in the army....but after a year of my parents demise, one day bhaiya suddenly fell ill...he was running high temperature...that was the first time I had stepped in the kitchen....to get cold water for his nursing...otherwise I wasn't allowed to enter by bhaiya and my maa baba after all I was brought up like a gudiya, their gudiya...for 3 days straight we didn't get anything to eat...bhaiya couldn't do any work in the house and I wasn't able to do anything properly....my chacha Chachi didn't even bothered to look for a doctor...or infact not a doctor they could've called for the Hakeem but they didn't....I lost my bhaiya that day...I kept calling him but he didn't answer...he didn't wake up to my calls...everyone started saying about his demise...they snatched my bhaiya from me....they took him away" with this Naina broke into profound crying. By this time Rajveer too had tears in his eyes. Not being able to see Naina in this state he hugged her to himself while she kept crying and repeating the same line

"They snatched my bhaiya from me"

After great many attempts she separated from the hug...consoling her a bit she started telling again and Rajveer listened calmly...he knew she had to get it off her heart.

"for the first time I felt like an orphan....with no one in this world....From that day they had made me their servant....I worked day and night for them...there were some of bhaiya's old books...once ensuring everyone had slept I used to study in the night lamp...too fulfil my dream...and I gave my exams in disguise....I gave all my exams like this...even my class 12 exams...I wanted to be a doctor so that no one else looses their loved ones like I lost my bhaiya....my results are still to be out....as soon as I had turned a teen they had started looking for alliances and even tried marrying me off at 13...but the government official for our village threatened them for child marriage...that is why as soon as I turned 18 they again tried the same thing....but this time you came"

All this time he was holding her hand in his giving her strength...."and I will forever save you from everything...I promise you Naina" he told her truthfully and honestly

"I know" she mumbled before getting back in a hug.

"Today when you introduced me to your friend Naveen ji...it triggered those memories....my bhaiya's name was also Naveen...and he was as jolly as your friend is...." she told meekly

"He isn't only my friend Naina....he is as much as your brother as well" he told her

With this gesture Naina smiled at him. Then clearing her tears he stood up holding her hand

"Since you are up now...go get ready...we'll leave for shopping" he said excitedly before sending her. Chuckling at his behavior Naina got ready in a dark pink suit and went downstairs to join him.

-----

Vocabulary

Dadi: Paternal Grandmother

Betaal: a spirit analogous to a vampire

Baba: Father

Bachha: Child

Saree: A garment worn by women in India, consisting of a long piece of cotton or silk wrapped around the body with one end draped over the shoulder.

Gudiya: doll

Hakeem: local doctor