Rajasthan, Barmer
1950

"Roy... Tum yaha kaise ana hua" asked Rajveer.

"No Hi, No Hello... Sidha reasons pe... Shayad tum mujhe yaha dekh ke kuch khas khush nahi ho" he said in a sly tone.

"Arey aisi bat nahi hai dost, bas tumhe expect nahi kia tha... Kaise ho?" He explained.

"Mein thik hu....Darasal meri posting kutch mein hui hai... tum to jaldi jaldi base se bina kisi se mile ya bataye chale aye jaise kisi important and confidential mission pe nikle ho......" He smirked. "Raste mein Barmer pada to socha mein hi tumse milta chalu...
Pata nahi fir kab milna ho" he reasoned.

"Ye to acha kia tumne... Arey Bansi nashte ka intezam karo mehmaan aye hai..."

"Are nahi nahi.. uski koi zarurat nahi.. mujhe ab nikalna hoga der ho rahi hai, time pe report bhi karna hai or kaafi lamba drive bhi hai...".

"Okay then i wouldn't force you..." They hugged eachother.

"I'll take your leave... Chaliye Lft. Dubey der ho rahi hai" he ordered his junior

*********************
"Sir.. aap to Maj. Shekhawat se naraz the na.. ki unhone indisciplined officers ki list me apka naam bhi seniors ko submit kia... Jiski wajah se apko teen mahine ka suspension mila... Fir ye" Dubey asked confused.

"Aya to me bhi Shekhawat se ladne hi tha... Lekin uss se ladke mera kya fayeda hota...? Dost hoke bhi usne mujhse gaddari ki.. thoda sa favour kar deta to kya chala jata uska, bahot sabka favorite banne ka shauk hai na... Koi baat nahi, mere hath bhi turup ka ikka laga hai". He gave a devlish smile.

"Matlab sir?"

"Waqt ane pe sab pata chal jayega.... Turup ka ikka hamesha dusre ikke ko katne ke liye chalna chahiye... Or uske liye sahi waqt ka intezar karna hoga". He said wickedly.

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She was busy gardening while he was busy monitoring her expressions, there wasn't any trace of tension or stress... She was looking totally normal as if nothing happened.

She sat dawn on the nearest chair, he too came and sat beside her.. "tum thik ho na?" He asked

She smiles looking at him "itne mahino baad dil halka hua hai... Or waise bhi jiske pass apke jaise dost ho.. wo thik kaise na ho" he too smiled.

After a while she began speaking again "hamare pass to aap hai... Jis se hum dil ki bat kar lete hai.. apna dil behla lete hai lekin jeeji ke pas to koi nahi hai na... Unhe kaisa lagta hoga...?" She questioned.

"I... I don't know" he was hesitant not able to say anything. "It must be hard... Jis se aap sabse zyada pyaar karo or wo apse muh mod le.. wo bhi tab jab uss insaan ne apko ane wale kal ke sunehre sapne dikhaye ho.. shaadi ke baad khushaal zindagi ke waade kiye ho, sacche pyaar ki or har hal me akhri dam tak sath nibhane ki kasam khai ho.."

"Kya wo ek dusre ko pehle se jante the...? Apki baton se aisa lagta hai ki wo ek dusre se pyaar karte the?" She questioned

He noded "it was a love marriage...dono ek music school me mile the.. dosti hui pyaar hua or fir shaadi.."

"Lekin jaha tak ki hume pata hai wo to kisi or se pyaar..." He cuts her in between.

"Nidhi.... Jaise tumhara naam Naina se Sunaina hua usi tarah Bhabhi sa ka Naam bhi Nidhi se Sunidhi hua... because wo naam according to royalty unke status match nahi hota...pehle to Maa sa Or Baba sa iss rishte ke liye raazi nahi the kyunki Bhabhi sa hamare munshiji ki beti thi... Jo ki royalty ke hisaab se iss mahal ke layak nahi.." he gave a sarcastic smile.

"lekin Abhimanyu ne kisi ki ek baat nahi mani.. zidd pakadli ke shadi karni hai to sirf Bhabhi Sa se hi.... Unhe sath dekh ke koi ye nahi keh sakta tha ki aj wo zindagi me ek nadi ke do chhor pe alag alag khade honge...... Jud kar bhi alag" he got sad.

"They were Perfect..... Made for eachother, pata nahi Abhimanyu ko kab or kaise.. nashe ki latt lag gayi, usne apna ane wala bhavishya khud apne hatho barbaad kar lia..." He was disappointed.

"Magar ek baat ki tasaali hai... Bhabhi sa Bahot strong hai... Unki jagah koi or ladki hoti to kabka sab kuch chorr ke chali gayi hoti... Bhala kaunsi aurat apne aap ko banjh (infertile) kehlana pasand karegi... Lekin kab tak wo mazboot banti rahengi... Bar bar sab unki takat ko azmate rehte hai unhe todne ki koshish karte hai... Yaha tak ki wo unsaan bhi jisne apne pyaar ke bade bade daave kiye ho or jab nibhane ki baat ayi... To apne kadam piche kar liye" he got frustated.

She kept her hand on his "hum hai na.... Aj se hum dono mil ke Jeeji ki himmat or takat banenge... Unhe kabhi tutne nahi denge... Or nahi kisi ko unhe todne denge" in reply he kept his hand on hers... With a smile, unaware of that Sunidhi was listening their conversation with tears in her eyes and a smile playing on her lips... At least there is someone who actually cares about her existence, Her sorrow, her smile... She felt contented after years.

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6 Months Later
Rajasthan Barmer
1951

She quietly tiptoed in his room, hidding something in her hand... carefully sat on bed beside his sleeping for... She touched his forehead carefully... Then his cheeks, she withdrawals her hand when he got disturbed and turned his side... She then creased his upper lip carefully not to wake him up again... She got up carefully.. not to make any sound and came out of his room... She giggled and ran away from there.

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He woke up, yawing... Came out of the room..

"Are Rajveer beta aap uth gaye..." He turned and saw baba sa and maa sa, he bent down to touch there feets.

"Pranam Maa sa, Pranam Baba Sa" he saw them stifling their smile "kya maa sa, app aise kyu muskura rahi hai... Or aap bhi baba sa".

"Lagta hai Rajveer ka bachpan fir laut aya hai" said Gayatri Devi making fun of him.

"Haa lagta to hai..." He laughed

"Aap log kya keh rahe hai... Mujhe kuch samjh nahi araha" he got confused.

"Muhh hath dhoke niche ajaiye.. hum intezar kar rahe hai apka" they left laughing.

"Ajeeb hai... Be matlab me hass rahe hai" he turned around and bumped with Sunidhi.

"Are Devarji aram.... Hahahahaha" she started laughin as soon as she saw his face.

"Kya hua bhabhi sa app achanak hass ne kyu lagi...." He got more confused.

"Arey... Haha.. jake ayine me apna chehra dekhi hahaha.. apne aap pata chal jayega" she said laughin.

"Ayina?" He went in room to check what's wrong.. why everyone is laughing on him... The moment he he saw his face in mirror he got shocked... It was painted with different colours.. red on nose, green and purple on cheeks, pink on forehead, eyelids and upper lip with black.

"Lagta hai iss baar aap par kisi or ka rang chadh hi gaya... Hahaha" she again laughed hard.

"Mujhe pata hai ye kiski harkat hai" he heard a familiar giggling sound... He turned around and saw her giggling behind the door "Naina ki bacchi... "

"Holi hai bhai holi hai, Bandaro wali holi hai" she teased him.

Aj to tum gayi..." He ran behind her, she too ran to save her self from this funny devil.

"Sambhal kar... Bhagte bhagte gir na jana..." Sunidhi warned them.
*********************

She kept on running in Mahal. Garden, common hall, balcony, terrace, from here to there, to save herself... They came outside in open near the pool.

She was tired from running "bas bas ho gaya... Ab hum thak gaye hai"

"Abhi kaha abhi to chidiya hath ayi hai..." He came near her.

"Nai nai nai nai..." He lifted her up in his arms and threw her in pool "ahhh... App kitne bure ho.." she pouted.

"Bura na Mano holi hai, geeli geeli holi hai" he made fun of her.

"hum apse baat nahi karenge..." He gave his hand to come out side but she ignored.

"Ye kya baat hui... Tum karo to sahi mein karu to galat... This is not fair"

"Hum apse is wajah se naraz nahi hai... Wajah kuch aur hai" she came out of the pool with lot of difficulty.

"To kya wajah hai" he was trying not to look at her drenched body which was showing her curves.

"Apne humse kaha tha ki holi se ek hafta pehle ayenge... Apne waada toda, or apne ye bhi kaha tha ki ap naye saal par ghar ayenge humse milenge... Milna to choriye apne hume ek khat tak nahi likha... Pata hai hum kitne pareshan ho gaye the....itne dino tak, Na koi khat na koi khabar. .hun kitna darr gaye the." she complained like a kid for not getting her gift.

"I am sorry agey se nahi hoga" he holds his ears.

"Jaiye hume nahi chahiye aap or apki maafi" she turned around so her back was facing him.

"To fir mein kya karu..jisse ki tum mujhe maaf kardo... I'll do anything" he tried to convince.

"Kuch bhi..." She raised her eye brow.

"Kuch bhi.."

"Theek hai... Hame mela dekhna hai... Apke sath aap chalenge hume leke?" She asked with hope.

"Bas itni si baat... Mujhe laga na jane kitne patthar tudwaogi..." He laughed. "Bilkul chalenge kal 2 baje" she got happy.