Sameer reached the temple much before four... not wanting to get late due to any reason. He nervously waited near the gate.

At five minutes to four, he saw Naina getting out of a rickshaw, along with her chachaji. In spite of his anxiety, he noticed how beautiful she looked in a pale blue dress... her hair tied in a pony.

Not wanting to show his eagerness by greeting them at the main entrance, he turned his back towards them. Of course Naina will know... she would know even if he hid somewhere... but chachaji should not see him waiting like this.

Naina walked in the temple with her head lowered, following chachaji, not looking once in his direction... but the moment she entered the gate, she took one hand behind and indicated to follow them.

Sameer adjusted the collar of his light blue shirt, tucking it properly in the jeans... and entered the gate of the temple.

Chachaji looked at the boy walking in and his face immediately broke into a smile, "Arre beta tum? Tum bhi mandir aaye ho? Achha laga dekh ke... aajkal zyaadatar bachhe pooja karne mein yakeen nahi rakhte na."

"Namaste uncleji", he folded his hands, giving a thin smile.

Chachaji turned towards Naina, "Beta, yeh Munna ka dost hai... yaad hai sagai mein mila tha? Bohot achha ladka hai."

Naina looked down.

"Dekho toh, tumhara naam hi nahi pucha maine... beta, kya naam hai tumhara?" He turned to look at the boy standing in front of him.

"Sameer... Sameer Maheshwari."

The silence that followed was deafening for the three of them.

When finally chachaji spoke, his voice was flat, "Toh tum dono hamein uss din bewakoof bana rahe the."

Naina's heart sank, "Nahi chachaji, mujhe toh pata bhi nahi tha Sameer ne aap logo se baat ki thi... humne aisa kuch nahi socha tha... Sameer bas aap logon ko..."

Sameer interrupted her, accepting truthfully, "Main pehchanta tha aap logo ko... main chahta tha aap sab mujhe pasand karein... isliye koshish kar raha tha... "

Chachaji looked at both of them, staring at him with hopeful eyes.

"Main tum dono ke baare mein sab kuch janna chahta hun."

Sameer and Naina looked at each other. Taking the cue, Sameer let Naina start.

She started her story from the first month of college, telling about how he helped her when she was not well.

Chachaji was not happy to know that she did not inform them about her health problem.

"Aap chinta mat kijiye, uncleji, uske baad Naina kabhi bimar nahi padi... main dhyaan rakhta hun",  Sameer chipped in, earning a glare from her.

She told him about them studying together and his good score in first year. Naina was not sure if Sameer wanted his insecurities to be known to chachaji so she did not mention. But Sameer himself talked about how he was shattered after his nanu's death and dadi's harsh words and how Naina had taken him out of the darkness of his life. He did not hide anything about his experience with bike race either. His face reflected the pain when he told about his mother and her second family being her priority.

Chachaji kept listening with an expressionless face as they went on with their story.

At the end, Sameer folded his hands and spoke in a polite voice, "Main janta hun aapko achha nahi laga hoga ki aapki beti ek aise ladke ko pasand karti hai jiska koi parivaar nahi hai... par main aapse wada karta hun... Naina ko kabhi parivaar ki kami mehsoos nahi hone dunga... aur aap logo se... uske apne parivaar se usse hamesha jode rakhunga."

Chachaji placed a hand on his folded hands and pulled them down, "Naina ke bohot saare sapne hain... aur main uske woh sapne poore hote hue dekhna chahta hun... isiliye maine hamesha usse aage badhne mein saath diya hai... main nahi chahta ki Naina un sab sapno ko bhool jaaye."

"Naina ke har woh sapna jo usne aaj tak dekha hai aur woh bhi jo woh apni aane wali zindagi mein dekhegi, main uske har sapne ko poora karne mein uska saath dunga... kyonki woh mera bhi sapna hoga",  he said with sincerity.

Chachaji looked at Naina, "Ek naye ghar mein jaane se nayi zimmedariyan aati hain... aur Sameer ke upar toh apne nanaji ki company sambhalne ki bohot badi zimmedaari hogi... kya tum ye sab akele kar paogi?"

She smiled, "Main akeli kahan hun... Sameer hamesha mere saath hai... woh mere sapne poore karne mein mera saath dega aur main uske sapne poore karne mein uska... chachaji, Sameer apne nanu se bohot pyaar karta tha... woh chahta hai ki unke business ko woh na sirf sambhale balki aur bhi aage badhaye... aur iske liye main bhi uske saath iss company ka kaam dekhungi... hum milkar nanaji ka business sambhalenge."

The maturity of these two children enthralled chachaji. They not only understood and respected each other's dreams but were happy to live that dream for each other.

He always considered Naina to be a responsible girl... today she had proved it yet again. He was proud of her choice.

He looked at Sameer... the boy was extremely good looking, and well dressed... in expensive clothes... but his face had a boyish charm, an innocence... there was no sign of haughtiness in his eyes or his behaviour... in fact, his truthful narration about the lonely life that he had lead and his insecurities had made his heart melt for the boy.

He continued to look at Sameer... then smiled and opened his arms.

Sameer exhaled in relief as his eyes pooled up. Stepping ahead, he went into chachaji's warm and accepting embrace. A moment later, he looked up at Naina... she stood admiring the two most important men of her life... with wet eyes.

Holding him by his shoulders a while later, chachaji said in a soft voice, "Main toh ussi din tumhari soch ka kayal ho gaya tha... aaj tumhare baare mein jaan kar aur tumhare vichaar sun kar mujhe garv ho raha hai ki Naina ne tumko chuna hai... main khud bhi Naina ke liye tumse achha jeevan sathi nahi dhoondh pata."

A tear rolled down Sameer's eye. Chachaji wiped it with his finger.

"Nahi beta, jin ankhon mein aane wali khushiyon ke sapne chamak rahe hain un ankhon mein aansun mat aane do."

Sameer quickly wiped his eyes and bent down to touch chachaji's feet, "Thank you, uncleji."

He got a light pat on his head, "Uncleji nahi... chachaji hun abse... Naina ki tarah ab tum bhi mere bachche ho."

Sameer grinned and nodded, "Jee... chachaji."

The older man then turned to look at Naina who stood with a broad smile and eyes shining with tears of happiness.

He lovingly stroked her head, "Tune aaj fir meri umeed se zyaada kar ke dikha diya, beta... mujhe teri pasand se koi aitraaz nahi hai."

After a few quiet moments, when each of them absorbed the exhilaration, Sameer hesitantly voiced the doubt that was gnawing him since morning.

"Chachaji, agar fir se koi ladke wale... "

Shaking his head slightly, chachaji assured him, "Naina ke liye ab koi nahi aayega hamare ghar... main toh pehle bhi itni jaldi uski shaadi ke baare mein nahi sochta par jo hua mere peeche se hua... khair... maine ghar pe sabko bata diya hai ki woh log Naina ke layak hain hi nahi..."

Two pairs of eyes filled up with more respect for him.

Chachaji continued, his eyes on Sameer, "College ka aakhiri saal hai... tum dono aise hi mehnat karo aur apni degree haasil karo... agle saal main khud ye rishta karwaunga... tab tak tum bhi ikkis ke ho jaoge."

"Main toh ikkis ka ho chuka, chachaji", Sameer quickly clarified.

As chachaji narrowed his eyes in confusion, Sameer explained how he started his formal schooling one year late due to his father's sudden death and his mother's shifting to his nanu's house.

The older man again felt sad at the amount of grief the boy had faced at such a small age. And he wondered at the similarity of pain in both children's life.  Both had lost one parent to the cruel hands of destiny even before they could fathom about parental love... or it's loss.

And both were more or less abandoned by the other parent.

He realised that they both were perfect for each other... filling up the emptiness of the other's life and sharing the anguish they had gone through.

Taking a deep breath, he promised himself that he won't let anyone snatch away the happiness these two deserved... he won't let anything in the name of family values or traditions stop them from being together.

"Bacchon, aaj main tumse waada karta hun... tumhe koi alag nahi karega... main tumhari sachhai aur tumhare pyaar ko samajh gaya hun... agle saal hi tumhari shaadi karaane ki zimmedari ab meri hai."

Both Sameer and Naina moved towards him to hug him... and stopped... hesitating to do it together.

Chachaji smiled and spread his arms...

They immediately went into his arms, one hand behind him and one hand around each other... as a contented smile played on their lips.

A little later, chachaji looked behind at the temple and told them, "Ab main chalta hun... tum dono jaake bhagwan se ashirwad le lo... aur thodi der baad Naina ko ghar chod dena... theek hai Sameer", he looked at Sameer.

"Jee, chachaji", they said in unison.

Blessing them once again, chachaji left.

They looked at each other and started to walk towards the prayer area. After thanking bhagwanji for this turn in their life, Naina said, "Sameer, hum uss mandir mein chalein jahan hum sabse pehle mile the?"

He nodded.

They sat in the car. Before starting, Sameer linked his fingers with hers and placed her hand on his heart, as he leaned back on the seat, eyes closed.

Naina gazed at him with eyes full of love, feeling his heartbeat jumping in joy.

They reached the temple near Law garden. After offering the prayers, they walked down to the place near the pond.

The moment they reached there, Sameer closed his arms around Naina, holding her tight against himself.

They were too overwhelmed to speak...

Finally, Sameer found his voice, "Naina, mujhe toh yakeen hi nahi ho raha ki chachaji ne hamare pyaar ko manzoori de di hai."

"Hamara ek aur sapna sach ho gaya, Sameer",  she spoke against his chest.

Later, they sat on a flat rock, holding hands. Sameer looked at her as she stared at the calm water of the pond.

He moved, pulling out the band and letting the hair spill over her back in a silken wave.

Her lips curled into a smile... but she continued to look ahead.

Sameer placed two fingers under her chin and turned her face towards himself.

"Ab kuch hi dinon mein tum pata hai kya ban jaogi?"

She raised her brows, knowing the answer fully well.

He leaned and said in a low voice, "Mrs. Maheshwari."

Naina was about to bite her lip but remembered his words from the previous night... and stopped. He noticed the slight movement and instantly knew why she stopped.

Moving up his hand to cup her face, his thumb slowly traced the lower lip, feeling the tiny scabs.

Naina could feel the electric current passing through her body as his thumb pressed her lip slightly.

"Yeh dress tumpe bohot achhi lag rahi hai",  his voice was no more than a whisper.

His other hand reached her shoulder and slowly slipped down to the waist, where she was hurt. Lightly brushing his fingers over the skin where he had seen the bruises last night, he asked, "Abhi bhi dukh raha hai?"

She shook her head.

Sameer bent and blew at the point on her waist. His hot breath singed her skin... through the dress. Her hand clutched his wrist and she tried to pull away his hand from her waist.

"Kya hua? Dard zyaada ho raha hai?" he brought his face closer.

Naina was lost in his eyes... she did not realise when he leaned in more... as his lips touched her cheek, she closed her eyes... the goosebumps erupting all over her body.

"Thank you, Naina... tumne chachaji ko hamare baare mein bataya... aaj unki manzoori milne ke baad mujhe lag raha hai mujhe meri duniya mil gayi."

Her arms went around his neck as he circled her waist, burying his face in her neck, filling himself up with her fragrance.