Naina was up early to help chachiji in the kitchen. Together, they prepared mathri, chakli, bhujia sev and few more dry snacks for chachaji to carry with him to his Delhi trip. The idea of him eating so many meals outside was making his wife very uncomfortable. She wished she could somehow make all meals and pack them for him... but that could not be done. So, she had to contend herself with snacks that would easily last for a week.

By afternoon, everything was packed neatly. After an early lunch, chachaji left for the station. Preeti had to go to the parlour after a while. Naina thought it to be a good opportunity to meet Sameer.

"Sun Preeti, main bhi aaj tere saath chalti hun... ghar pe keh denge main bhi parlour jaa rahi hun... aur main Sameer se mil lungi",  Naina put forth her plan to Preeti.

"Hayee behen, tu bhi kya bahane banane seekh gayi hai... lagta hi nahi pehle wali Naina hai jisse main agar apne test ka ek number bhi ghar pe badha ke bolne ko kehti thi toh uske paseene chut jaate the... aur ab dekho... din pe din naye jhooth bolti hai jijaji se milne ke liye." Preeti could not let such a golden chance to tease her sister slip by.

"Ab pyaar kiya hai toh bahane banake milne jaane ka mazaa toh lena hi hoga... bas yeh do mahine hote hain aise jhooth bolne ke... wahan Mumbai mein thodi zaroorat padti hai bahano ki",  Naina enjoyed the teasing.

Preeti looked at her dreamily, " Ek baat bata... Mumbai mein toh tum roz milte ho... bahar bhi jaate ho... jijaji kaisi baatein karte hain tere saath? "

Naina tried to keep her expression neutral, "Har tarah ki... college ki, ghar ki, Munna Pandit ki, padhai ki... "

Preeti pursed her lips, flaring her nostrils, "Tum dono koi mohalle ki padosane nahi ho jo aisi baatein karoge... nahi batana toh mat bata... bewakoof banane ki koshish mat kar... jijaji ki ankhein jab tujh pe hoti hai na toh koi andha bhi bata sakta hai ki unhe tere alawa kuch nahi sujh raha... college, padhai, Munna Pandit... huh".

Naina tried to hide her blush from her, "Tujhe bada pata hai... yeh ankhein kya kehti hai tujhe kaise samajh aata hai zara batana?"

Preeti let out a long breath, sitting heavily on the bed, "Kya bataun... meri zindagi ki kahani... TV pe sabki ankhein padh li maine... Amir, Shahrukh, Akshay... bas asli zindagi mein hi koi nahi mila jo yeh tuition de paata."

Naina burst out laughing at her drama... Preeti gave her an annoying look, then broke into laughter herself.

When the phone rang, Naina was still laughing, "Hello"

"Uff... meri jaan, tumhari ye hansi maar dalegi mujhe",  Sameer contributed to the drama session.

"Sameer... " Naina showed fake anger.

"Kya hua, college aur padhai ki baat kar di jijaji ne?" Preeti called out from behind and Naina and Preeti again doubled with laughter.

"Naina, Naina... mujhe bhi toh batao kya hua",  Sameer tried to gain her attention.

When she could control herself, Naina wiped her eyes and spoke, "Kuch nahi... main aur Preeti aise hi mazaak kar rahe the... waise main tumhe hi phone karne wali thi".

"Achha, kuch dena hai kya?" He was excited.

"Haan... kya tum ek ghante mein mujhe mil sakte ho?"

"Yeh tum puch rahi ho? Tum jab, jahan bologi udd ke aa jaunga... batao kahan aaun?" He could not contain his happiness.

"Mandir ke bahar milna, teen baje... phir wahan se kahi aur chal padenge... uss samay mandir toh band hoga",  she chalked out the plan.

When she had put down the phone, Preeti was curious, " Tune ek ghante baad kyon bulaya... hum toh abhi nikal rahe hain... main puch aayi mummy se... ab se ek ghante tak kya karegi?"

Naina had been thinking about doing this for a long time but since they got busy with Swati's engagement, she had to wait.

Today she was ready to find answers to the questions nagging at the back of her mind for a long time.

"Mujhe city library mein kuch kaam hai... pehle wahan jaungi",  she replied to her sister.

Preeti looked at her as if she was an alien, " Tu jijaji se milne ki bajai library mein jaa kar kitabon mein sar phodegi... Naina, pagal ho gayi hai kya?"

Instead of explaining to her, Naina rushed to the cupboard and took out a blue dress, running to the bathroom to get ready. In less than ten minutes, they were out of the house.

Dropping Preeti at the parlour, Naina went to the library. She had been curious about her conversation with Sonali in Alibagh... and later when Sameer had told her not to ask about it from anyone, her curiosity had gone to extreme level. But she could understand that there was a need to be quiet about it in front of everyone. However, she could not let a question remain unanswered... she had to be aware of the solution.

After registering her name at the main desk, Naina went about searching, not knowing which section to check. Moving from one shelf to another, she finally came to one on women's health. She went through the contents of a few before settling down with one. Fifteen minutes of reading gave her an insight on a lot of things... but not the answers she was looking for. Some more books later, she came across one titled 'Happily Married'.

The book was for a girl about to get married. It started with the emotional preparations required to leave the parents' house and accepting a new place as your home. Taking care of the house, maintaining relations with in-laws, need to learn cooking was all explained. And then was a chapter on the relationship between husband and wife.

As she went on to read, her eyes widened and her ears burned.

By the time Naina finished reading it, she had been in the library for one hour. She was aware that Sameer must be waiting for her... she was not so sure she wanted to meet him right away.

Getting up, she placed the book back on the shelf and  signed the register before leaving. The temple was not too far so she decided to walk. Also, the fresh air was needed to calm her down before meeting Sameer.

He stood leaning against his car near the temple steps. The moment he saw Naina walking towards him, he ran.

"Kahan thi tum? Aadhe ghante se yahan khada hun." He complained.

Naina looked at him and gulped, "Woh... ghar... ghar se nikalne mein... der... der ho gayi."

He immediately sensed something was bothering her.

Holding her hand, he softly asked, "Kuch hua hai kya?"

His touch made her go red... sending shivers down her spine. She pulled her hands from his grip. Sameer looked at her, puzzled by the reaction.

"Koi dekh lega", she tried to explain,  looking around.

Sameer was sure there was something.

"Kahan chalein batao, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai." He wanted them to be seated somewhere comfortably before asking her about the problem.

Naina could not think of a place... temple was closed, Law garden was too deserted at this hour, restaurants were risky... some known person might see them... she was not sure where to go.

"Main ek jagah leke chalun? Wahan koi nahi dekhega", he asked, seeing her confused.

Naina nodded, relieved that he had some place they could go to. They sat in the car and drove away from there.

Lost in her thoughts, Naina did not realise when Sameer stopped the car. Only when he opened the door for her and she stepped out did she see the huge white bunglow.

"Yeh... yeh to nanaji ka ghar hai... matlab tumhara ghar... tum yahan kyon laye mujhe?"

Sameer was surprised that she had been here earlier, "Tumhe pata hai?  Tum aayi ho pehle kabhi?"

Naina recalled how she had come here with nanaji once when he was not feeling well in the temple. He had insisted that the driver will take him... he just needed some rest as he was feeling weak... but Naina was adamant that she could not let him go alone. She accompanied him to this house and sat with him till he had the lime juice prepared by the servant, Ramdhari. She had only left when nanaji had slept. In fact, next day she had come to check on him again and was relieved to see that he was feeling better. All this had happened when Sameer was still in Nainital. Naina had no idea at that time that her accidental visit to this house was her first visit to her future home.

"Naina... bolo na... tum aayi ho kya yahan pehle kabhi?" Sameer's question brought her back to present.

She smiled, "Haan, aayi thi ek baar nanaji ke saath... phir agle din bhi aayi thi unse milne... aaj teesri baar aayi hun... lekin tab tumhe nahi janti thi... tum Nainital mein the."

Sameer was surprised... nanu had known her since that long.

They walked to the main door. Suddenly, Naina came to her senses... why had she come to his house?

"Sameer, hum yahan kyon aaye hain?" She looked at him.

"Sab jagah koi na koi problem thi... toh mujhe laga yahin aa jate hain... Munna kal sagai ke baad apne ghar chala gaya tha... woh kuch rishtedaar aayein hain na uske... raat tak aa jayega, Pandit bhi aaj Gandhi nagar gaya hai... shaam ko aayega. Tumhe agar theek nahi lag raha toh rehne dete hain... kahin aur chalte hain." Sameer didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Waise Ramdhari hai andar",  he added, for her comfort.

Naina thought for a moment, then decided Sameer was right... it was safer here than any other place.

Ramdhari gave a big grin the moment he saw Naina, " Arre, Naina didi... aap itne salon baad... aaiye na... hamein nahi pata tha Sameer bhaiya bhi aapko jante hain."

"Pata hota toh kya karte... jao chai leke aao... aur kuch khane ko bana dena",  he was clearly irritated.

As the servant left, Naina looked at him, " Aise kyon baar kar rahe the unse?"

"Har koi hamein aise didi, bhaiya kyon bulata hai?  Jab Ramdhari mujhe bhaiya kehta hai toh tumhe didi nahi bulana chahiye na."

Naina could not help but smile at his childish anger.

"Toh kya bulayega mujhe? Pehle bhi didi kehta tha",  she tried to pacify him.

"Pehle ka mujhe nahi pata... ab aisa nahi chalega... uss din woh tumhara bhai bhi mujhe bhaiya keh raha tha... maine usse bhi mana kar diya",  he blurted.

She was alert, " Mera bhai?  Kaun? Kisse mana kiya tumne?  Kya kaha?"

Sameer told her about his interactions with her family the previous day at the engagement... and how he had asked Pralay to not address him as 'bhaiya'.

Naina could not believe Sameer had done all this to impress her family... now she understood why chachi ji was praising him and asking him to sit when he had met them.

"Chalo, mere room mein chalte hain", Sameer held her hand and before she could say anything, they were in his room.

Being alone with him brought back the traces of her newly acquired knowledge and Naina fidgeted with her dress, not moving from the door.

Sameer settled on the bed and looked up to find Naina still standing near the entrance, clenching her dress from the sides, a clear sign that she was nervous about something... he had noticed this habit in school and since then, he had been proven right every time he had seen her doing this.

He got up and walked to her.

"Naina, mujhe pata hai tum kisi baat se pareshan ho... batao mujhe... aisa kya hua hai jo tum itni khoyi hui ho?" His voice was gentle.

She looked up at him... the concern in his eyes relaxed her to some extent. She smiled and shook her head, walking away to stand near the window. Sameer followed her and stood right behind, his arms circling around her.

"Kya karun tumhe khush karne ke liye?" He said in a soft voice, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

His every touch was making her senses go haywire... his proximity making her heartbeat accelerate to a new level. Her awareness suddenly changed the equation... she wanted to be close to him and she wanted to keep the distance too... she didn't know how to handle all this.

"Naina?" His voice broke her chain of thought.

"Hmm",  she could not speak more.

He straightened and turned her around... but before he could say anything, there was a knock on the door and Sameer moved away immediately.

Ramdhari entered with a tray of snacks and two cups of tea.

"Naina didi... aapki chai mein do chammach shakkar dali hai... apko aisi hi pasand hai na",  he happily informed.

Naina was surprised that he remembered since that time. Before she could say anything, Sameer snapped at him again.

"Fir se didi... kaha na didi nahi hai ye",  his angry words scared the poor boy.

"Fir kya bole hum... didi nahi hain toh kya hain?"

"Bhabhi hain",  Sameer's words brought a big smile on his face while Naina stood frozen, staring at him.

"Sachi, abse hamesha bhabhi hi kahenge... isse achha toh kuch ho hi nahi sakta", Ramdhari was ecstatic.

Walking towards the door, he stopped again and looked at her, "Aap aate rehna, bhabhi."

Sameer closed the door after him and turned to look at Naina. Seeing her expression, he immediately held one ear.

Just one action of his was enough to melt her, and he knew it very well.

"Usse batane se kuch nahi hoga... woh kahan kisi ko kahega", he justified his doing.

Again taking her in his arms, he whispered, "Aur woh tumhe didi kahe yeh mujhse bardaasht nahi ho raha tha."

She did not move her hands from his chest, feeling a little shy to take them around him.

"Naina, kal tumne woh phone pe jo kaha tha fir se kaho na", his voice was gentle yet insistent.

Taking a deep breath, Naina realised that this is going to be her home... the circle of his arms is going to be her haven... the way he loves her is going to be her life... and the growth in their relationship is going to be a step forward to a happy marriage.

She moved her arms to his back and rested her head on his chest, "I Love You, Sameer".

His arms around her tightened as he lowered his voice, "I love you too."