She was shining like newly wed as the rituals of her GoadBharayi was going on, ladies came and gave her gifts, blessed her to have a healthy baby boy. In return she smiled faintly.

"Kya hua Naina, achanak se chehra kyu utar gaya..?" Sunidhi asked.

"Jeeji... Sab hume bete ke liye badhai de rahe hai... Koi hume ye kyu nahi keh Raha ki baccha swasth paida ho...kya koi ye nahi chahta ki hume ek beti ho" she asked with innocence.

"Beta hi hoga...." Gayatri interrupted, everyone looks at her "itihaas gawah raha hai, chauhaan parivaar ki pehli santaan hamesha ek beta hi hota hai.... Or iss bar bhi aisa hi hoga."

Naina went silent which wasn't liked by Sunidhi, another lady come and blessed her "bhagwaan kare chaand sa beta ho jo bilkul apne pita Kunwar Abhimanyu jaisa ho".

Her head jerked up with this blessing she felt knives piercing her heart, when she heard her baby getting linked up with that drug addict, she saw Rajveer standing far at the entrance of hall, hurt was all over written on his face.

It's his baby, his blood and flesh, no body can take that right away from him.. he is the father and not Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu is no one to his baby. He couldn't take it anymore and left the place.

Sunidhi witnessed it all, so she decided to cheer her up, Sunidhi gave Naina her gift and blesses her "Devi Maiyya se prarthna hai.. chahe ladka Ho ya ladki wo bilkul swasth ho" Naina smiles genuinely after long.

She added "waise hamara to bahot hi mann ki ek chandni si pyaari beti ho.... Jiske Nayan naksh or guno me apni Maa par jaye or......  Har paristithi (situation) ki samna karne me kushal ho, sahi galat me fark kar sake bilkul apne pita ki tarah" she said last line looking at Gayatri who turned her face away and was fuming at this.

Later all the guests started to leave congratulating and wishing Gayatri Devi for being Grand-Mother soon.

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"Maasa, yaha hum pareshan ho rahe hai or aap khushiya mana rahi hai" said Abhimanyu.

"Preshaani kaisi, hamari zindagi ki Sabse badi pareshani khatam hone wali hai to khush kyu na ho hum" she replied calmly.

He sighed "Hum Sunaina ki baat kar rahe hai, apne socha hai jab bacche ka janam ho jayega to Rajveer or Sunaina yaha se chale jayenge... Apne socha hai logo ko hum kya kahenge?"

She smiled wickedly "Abhimanyu lagta hai aap ab tak apni maa ko samjhe nahi... Hum hamesha dur ki soch ke chalte hai" she looks at Abhimanyu who was standing confused.

"Ek maa chahe jaisi bhi ho, apne bacche ko apne se dur kabhi nahi kar sakti hai.... Humne Sunaina ki akhon mein apne bacche ke liye lagaav or pyaar dekha hai.. wo kahi nahi jane wali hai". She was calm.

"Aur aap ye sab janti thi ki aisa hoga?" She nodded "Lekin ye to galat hua na" she glared at him "maa sa, hum apko galat nahi keh rahe hai hum to bas yahi keh rahe hai ki.. Rajveer or Naina ek dusre se pyaar karte hai unhe hum alag..."

She stops him "jo insaan apne aapko nahi sambhal paya wo hume sahi galat ka antar na bataye to acha hi hoga..." He looks down in embarrassment. "Dekhiye Abhimanyu hum apki maa hai jo karenge apke bhale ke liye hi karenge... Ab aap jaiye raat bahot ho chuki hai" he left the room with heavy heart unsure of what's right or wrong.

"Kya ab bhi apko nahi lagta hai jo ho raha hai wo galat hai...ab bhi aap sab kuch jante huye bhi kuch nahi kahenge" Sunidhi asked him who heard the entire conversation of mother and son.

He closed his eyes in defeat "dekhiye Nidhi maasa jo kar rahi hai wo hum sabke bhale ke liye hai... Badi hai wo".

"Aise bade hone ka kya fayeda jise izzat ke badle kiye gaye paap ka antar hi na Nazar aye .." she said in great agony.

"Agar Maa sa ne kuch galat kiya hai to Rajveer or Naina ne bhi waisa hi kuch kiya hai .." he sided with his mother.

"Kehna kya chahte hai aap, pyaar karna koi gunah nahi hai, wo to zindagi ka sabse pavitra ehsaas hai.... Jo kisi kisi ke Naseeb mein hota hai...." She said in tears "aur usi pavitra pyaar ka fayeda apki maa ne uthaya hai".

"Maa sa ne unke sath koi zor zabardasti nahi ki thi... Sunaina ne jo kia apni marzi ke sath kiya, ye to bas unke liye ek mauka tha jo wo nahi kar pa rahi thi wo unhone Maa sa ki aad me kia, shadi shuda hokar bhi unhone kisi aur ke sath sambandh rakhe, aur kya pata maa sa ke kehne se pehle hi unke Rajveer ke sath sambhandh ho... Aisi aurte charitraheen kehlati hai". He said without any regret.

"Chii...gheen ati hai apki soch par aur uss se bhi zyada apne aap par ki hum aap jaise insaan se pyaar karte hai, aaj to apne saari hadein paar kar di hai" she was disgusted of him "humne faisla kar liya hai, jaha insaan ko insaan nahi samjha jata, jaha pyaar jaise ehsaas ki kadra nahi hoti, jaha ek aurat ki izzat nahi hai... Hum uss jagah se apne saare naate tod denge.... Chale jayege hum yaha se dur..... Apse dur" she was crying she turned to leave.

Abhimanyu calls her to stop but she cuts him in between "apne Naina ko charitraheen kaha tha na...... To yaad rakhiyega, ek aurat tab tak charitraheen nahi hoti hai jab tak ek mard charitraheen na ho..." She glares at him, leaving him immersed in guilt.

Abhimanyu and Sunidhi Unaware of the fact that they were not alone there, Naina was also standing there standing behind a pillar who heard their entire conversation including Abhimanyu and his mother's too.

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Rajveer was sleeping peacefully but his  slumber broke when he heard continuous knock on his door, he looks at time, it 2 in midnight. When he opens the door, he saw Naina.

"Naina tum is waqt yaha... Andar ao" he closed the door after taking her in "tum pagal ho kya, iss halat mein itne andhere me akele seediya chadh ke yaha ayi ho... kuch ho jata to" he scolds her lightly.

He saw her worried eyes it wasn't usual, something is wrong with her "kya baat hai naina, itni pareshan kyu lag rahi ho... Kahi koi takleef ho rahi hai" he asks her with concern.

"Takleef to tab hogi jab ye log hume ek dusre se alag kar denge..." She sobbed.

"Yaha baitho, aur batao mujhe kaun alag krega hume" she told him the entire conversation she heard.

He went silent "Rajveer hume bahot darr lag raha hai, hum aap dono me se kisi ko bhi nahi khona chahte, hum apse pyaar karte hai apke bina nahi reh sakte, or ye baccha... Ye to hamare pyaar ki pehli nishani hai, hamare shareer ka hissa... Hum kaise isey khud se alag kar sakte hai... Humne soch bhi kaise liya ki hum isey chhod ke apni nayi duniya basa lenge" she was crying hard like a child.

"Shh...ek dam chup, aise me rona tumhari sehat ke liye acha nahi" he wiped her tears "mein janta tha ki ye din ayega, or ye bhi janta tha ki maa sa koi na koi khel zarur khelengi, itni asani se wo tumhe jane nahi dengi..." he gritted his teeth while she looks anxious "tum hum dono me se kisi ko bhi nahi khoogi Naina... ye mera waada hai tumse" he hugs her.

"Acha ab chup bhi karo.. warna hamara baccha bhi rotlu sa hoga" he joked to lighten the atmosphere while wiping her tears and slapped his chest playfully, laughing lightly in the end.

"Ab hum agey kya karenge Rajveer" she asks.

"Meine pehle hi soch liya tha Naina, jaise hi hamara baccha iss duniya mein ajayega hum teeno humesha hamesha ke liye Barmer chhod ke Delhi chale jayenge...aur aisa karne se koi mujhe rok nahi sakta hai" he was determined.

"Lekin agar wo log Delhi pahonch gaye toh?" She was worried.

He smiles lightly "Naina Delhi koi Barmer ya kisi Rajkumar ki riyasat nahi hai, jaha koi bhi akar kuch bhi karke chala jaye.... Mere pass bhi power hai mere bhi political links hai, ghabrao mat mein hamare waha rehne ke saare intezam kar chuka hu puri security ke sath" he assures her.

"Apko sab kuch pehle se pata tha ki kya hone wala hai" he nodded "fir bhi apne hume nahi bataya... Agar bata de dete to hum khama kha itne pareshan nahi hote na" she pouted in annoyance.

"Wo Naina tumhe batane se kuch samajh kaha ata hai, demo dena padta hai or kabhi kabhi to puri picture bhi dikhani padti hai" he made fun of her.

"Acha.." after couple seconds she realised that he made fun of her "aap app me hume mandbuddhi (dumb) kaha".

"Nahi meine nahi kaha... Tumne kaha, meine to bas ye kaha ki tumhe chize der se samajh ati hai" he tried to suppress his laugh.

"Nahi apne kaha aur dono ka matalab ek hi hua na..."

"Acha ye batao hum apni beti ka kya naam rakhenge..?" He cleverly diverted her mind.

"Beti kyu beta kyu nahi..." She asks.

",Bas aise hi...mujhe lagta hai ki beti hogi, badi hi strong feeling hai. " He said proudly.

"Or agar beta ho gaya to?" She asked wanting to know his answer.

"Tooo.... better luck next time" he said naughtily.

She blushed and hide her face in his chest "ap bhi na..." He laughed and hugged her back.

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Naina came to check on Sunidhi and her heart churned when she saw her looking silently at her wedding photograph.

"Ek ladki kitne saare sapne sajakar apne sasural ati hai na" said Sunidhi without even looking at Naina "shaadi ke baad ye hoga, wo hoga, aisa ho... Lekin kisey pata hota hai ki wo sapne kabhi sach honge bhi ya nahi".

"Meri Maa hamesha sahi kaha karti thi.. kabhi sapne nahi sajane chahiye, kyunki jab wo pure nahi hote to dill iss kadar tut-ta hai ki uske tutne ki awaz tak nahi ati" she said immersing in deep sadness.

"Aap ab bhi unse pyaar karti hai na, itna sab hone ke bad bhi kyu'' naina asked.

She smiled sadly "kisi se pyaar karna  ya kisise pyaar karna chhodna... Dono hi hamare bas me kaha hota hai... Agar hota to fir baat hi kya thi".

"Mat jaiye na jiji..." She tries to stop.

"Ab hamara yaha kuch nahi hai jiske liye hum ruke, hum khush hai ki apke pas Rajveer hai... Or hamari yahi prathna rahegi Devi Maa se ki aap dono har mushkil paar karke ek dusre ke ho jaye...hamesha ke liye" she smiled at her trying to be happy for her despite of her own misery.

"Hume apki bahot yaad ayegi jeeji..." She cried hugging her.

"Pagli devarsa apko itna pyaar denge ki apko hamari yaad ane hi nahi denge" she teased her "hum do din ke baad Alwar ke liye rawana ho jayenge.... Hamesha hamesha ke liye."