The minutes ticked by as they both stood motionless, gazing into each other's eyes, hands linked.

Sound of loud temple bell from above broke their trance.

Naina hastily looked away, trying to free her hands. But Sameer kept holding onto one, letting go of the other.

He sat on the stone and tugged at her hand, making her sit.

Rubbing her hand lightly, he asked,
"Naina, kya mujhe apne ghar walo ke baare mein bataogi? Main sab kuch janna chahta hun... tumhare mummy papa, tumhara bhai, tumhare chachaji chachiji, Preeti... aur tumhare taiji tauji... sabke baare mein. "

Naina looked at him uncertainly, wondering if it was okay to tell him about the equation of her family. She recalled how Sameer had opened up to her about his deepest fears and pains... and her mind cleared.

She started, "Main jab paida hui toh meri mummy hamein chod ke chali gayi... papa ne mujhe unki maut ke liye doshi mana... issi wajah se woh mujhe kabhi pyaar nahi de paaye... bas Arjun bhaiya par hi apna saara dhyaan dal diya... woh gusse wale hain... lekin unke gusse ki bhi wajah hai... unhe apni zindagi mein kuch haasil nahi hua... mummy bhi unhe chod ke chali gayi... chachaji aur tauji ki tarah woh koi badi naukri nahi karte, bas ek librarian hain toh paise bhi zyaada nahi hai... jo hain woh Arjun bhaiya ki cricket coaching mein kharch ho jaate hain... woh duniya se thode gussa rehte hain kyonki unhe lagta hai duniya mein koi unki izzat nahi karta... "

Sameer was astonished. She was defending her father... the one who always humiliated her in school, in front of everyone... what all he must be saying to her at home... and she had no anger for him.

Naina continued, "Mummy ke jaane ke baad chachiji ne mujhe apnaya... chachaji chachiji bohot achche hain... mujhe bohot pyaar karte hain... kabhi mujhe Puja didi ya Preeti se alag nahi maana. "

"Puja didi?" Sameer had heard this name before, but could not recollect.

"Puja didi chachaji ki badi beti hain.... unki shaadi ho chuki hai... ek beta bhi hai... woh Surat mein rehti hain. Phulla bua ke ghar aayi thi teej pe... yaad hai woh saari pehni  thi maine unki? " Naina cleared his confusion.

Of course, the saree... the infamous saree... and that blouse...

Sameer closed his eyes as those images again appeared to torment him.

Naina thought he was trying to remember, "Arre woh uss din pehni thi na... woh... jab... jab baarish mein tumne... matlab... ",  finally better sense prevailed and she was quiet.

Sameer opened his eyes and gazed at her, " Achche se yaad hai... uss din se ek pal ke liye bhi bhool nahi paaya hun."

She mentally kicked herself for giving too many details.

His fingers played with her bangles as he kept his eyes fixed, "Phir se kab pehnogi?"

"Kya? "

"Woh saree, Naina? "

"Woh?  Woh toh maine wapas de di... Puja didi ko... " She cleared.

Oh God!  She was so heart achingly innocent.

"Koi baat nahi... main waisi hi saree leke dunga tumhe... shaadi ke baad pehnne ke liye... waise hi blouse ke saath", his deep voice was back.

Naina lowered her eyes, not able to bear his gaze.

Sameer caught hold on his emotions after a while, " lekin shaadi karne ke liye apne sasuraal waalon ke baare mein pata toh hona chahiye... toh aage batao."

She blushed at his mention of sasuraal,   and started again, "Tauji aur taiji ka ek beta hai Pralay... shaadi ke bohot saal baad paida hua tha... hum sabse chota hai aur taiji ki jaan basti hai usme. "

Sameer remembered something, "Tum sab log ek hi ghar mein rehte ho? "

Naina laughed, "Arre nahi... yaad nahi uss din taiji aane wali thi hamare ghar sone jab koi nahi tha?"

He nodded.

She carried on, "Main aur Preeti chachaji aur chachiji ke saath rehte hain aur tauji taiji saath wale ghar mein, Pralay ke saath... papa aur Arjun bhaiya bhi unke saath rehte hain."

Now everything cleared up in Sameer's mind...  Why her phone number was different from her father, the little boy who answered the phone when he had called the first time, how he knew about  'Naina didi' but said it was not her house.

He remembered overhearing taiji's harsh instructions on phone the other day and her spiteful words today.

He had to know what all Naina was bearing at home.

"Yeh toh sabka introduction ho gaya... ab yeh batao taiji tumse aise kyon baat karti hain? " He prodded.

Naina looked away, biting her lower lip, "Woh kuch nahi... woh aisi hi hain... par hum sabko aadat hai",  she had the same cheerful smile at the end of her sentence.

Sameer had to know, " Naina, unhone kyon kaha ki tumhari kundali jali hui hai? "

She closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears which had suddenly filled them.

Her voice constricted, "Woh manti hain ki meri wajah se meri mummy chali gayi... aur ab unko papa aur Arjun bhaiya ko apne ghar rakhna padta hai aur unka khane peene ka kharcha uthana padta hai... aur doosra kaaran hai ki woh mujhe har tarah se sadharan samajhti hain... ek toh ladki hun... sundar nahi hun... paise nahi hain... woh manti hain ki achche kaam ke liye jaate hue mujhe dekh liya toh kaam bigad jaayega... "

Sameer was dumbfounded.

How could both their traumas be same... they both lacked the warmth of parents' love, suffered at the hands of insensitive relatives... shared the same insecurities. Like he had nanu to keep him sane, Naina had chachaji and chachiji.

He was astounded at how fate had brought two suffering souls together... to comfort each other, to ease out each other's pain, to heal each other's wounds with love.

His eyes were wet.

He held both her hands, "Idhar dekho Naina. "

She slowly raised her eyes to look at him.

"Aaj ke baad ek baat hamesha yaad rakhna... tum mere liye sabse lucky ho, jaise main tumhare liye hun... aur tum sadharan toh bilkul nahi ho... tum ek pari ho, Naina... jo apne jaadu se sab taraf khushiyaan bikher derti hai... tumhare chehre ke ujale se meri zindagi ka andhera mit gaya hai... koi kuch bhi kahe... tum khaas ho... aur rahogi... sabse khaas."

Her tears flowed freely... but she smiled, and brought his hands closer to her face, resting her cheek on it. The mere feel of the back of his palm was the comfort she needed. The tears stopped after sometime.

Naina looked up... at him. He was gazing at her with eyes that had all the love of this world... only for her.

She found her voice finally, "Tum meri zindagi mein aaye toh main lucky hi hui na... isse achchi kismat kya ho sakti hai ki mujhe tum mil gaye... aur tum mujhe sundar maante ho itna kaafi hai mere liye."

Sameer tried to erase her sadness,
"Aur kya madam, ab itna handsome ladka bolega toh tum uski baat kaise taal sakti ho? " He winked.

Naina laughed at his self praise.

"Ab hamein chalna chahiye, Sameer. Bohot der ho gayi", she looked at her watch and realised how late she was.

" Thodi der aur baitho na, Naina. Abhi man nahi bhara". Sameer pleaded.

She instantly agreed, "Achcha... par thodi der hi."

How she agreed to whatever he said without any hesitation, he wondered.

"Waise ek baat bolu... iss pink suit mein tum aaj itni achchi lag rahi ho ki aankhen nahi hat rahi... aur tumne jo yeh chudiyaan pehen li hai na, pagal bana rahi hai mujhe", He moved his finger on her bangles, making a tinkling sound.

Her hand trembled a bit. Sameer felt the effect he was having on her. He slowly traced his finger on the bangles and moved to her inner wrist. Holding her hand, he flattened her palm, tracing the lines in it.

" Isme kaunsi rekha tumhare dil ki hai? " He keenly studied her hand.

Naina laughed, "Kyon... tumhe kya lakeerein padna aata hai?"

He kept looking at her lines, "Nahin, par tumhare dil ki lakeer apne dil ki lakeer se milana chahta hun."

He placed his own hand on hers, joining the palms, "Ab hamari takdeerein jud gayi hain... hame koi alag nahi kar sakta."

Naina tilted her head, gazing at him with soft eyes, "Hum toh khud hi ek dusre ki taqdeer hain... hamein koi kya alag karega."

And his heart filled with joy.

Naina reached home, hoping that she doesn't have to meet taiji and answer her questions about coming back so late. To her relief, Preeti informed her that taiji had gone to a relative's house and will return after lunch.

They had their lunch in peace. Naina had lied to taiji about keeping a fast. But she had already asked for forgiveness from her bhagwanji in the temple, so she didn't feel guilty.

"Aaj hamare jijaji ne kya kaha tujhse... aaj tu laal hoke nahi aayi... ab romance na kiya ho unhone yeh toh main maan hi nahi sakti", Preeti nudged Naina when they were alone in their room.

And her face turned red, recalling what all Sameer had said and done.

" Yaar Naina, yeh toh galat baat hai... Tu toh kuch batati hi nahi...  ab tujhse nahi toh main kya taiji se puchne jaun ki romance kaise karte hain. " Preeti sulked.

Naina joined her brows, "Tujhe kyon seekhna hai?"

And her eyes widened, "Preetiiiii,  jaldi bata kaun hai woh jiske liye meri behen ko romance ki classes chahiye? "

Preeti made a sad face, "Filhaal toh koi nahi hai... par kya pata mujhe kab mera Amir mil jaaye, tab tak taiyari toh kar lun na?  Ab tera experience aur kis kaam aayega? "

Naina threw a pillow at her and they got into a pillow fight, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Days passed, Naina was able to find ways to meet Sameer on some pretext or the other. And their phone calls continued.

The results of their college exams were declared when only three days were left to leave for Mumbai. Naina had topped the university. Chacha ji was extremely pleased. He came home in the evening with boxes of sweets.

"Naina, main aaj bohot khush hun... tumne mera sar garv se uncha kar diya", he patted her head.

Chachiji placed a piece of sweet in Naina's mouth, " Hamaari beti toh hamesha se hamara naam roshan karti aayi hai."

Taiji stormed in. Seeing the box of sweets, she looked suspiciously at everyone, " Yeh kis khushi mein mithai baanti jaa rahi hai, Anand babu? "

Chachiji forwarded the box of sweets to her, "Bhabhiji, aap bhi khaiye... Naina ne apne college mein top kiya hai."

Taiji gave a vile look to Naina, picking up two sweets, "Theek hai, theek hai, inn sabse kuch nahi hota, ghar ka kaam seekhna sabse zaroori hai... aakhir kaam toh wohi aayega shaadi ke baad... yeh degriyan toh raddi mein jayegi. "

Anand fondly looked at Naina, "Meri beti bohot uncha udegi... usko pankh main dunga... woh jo karna chahti hai woh karegi... sirf shaadi karke ghar nahi sambhalegi... apna ek alag mukaam banayegi..."

Taiji started yelling, "Haan, haan, udao isko... ek din phurr ho jaayegi... phir baithe rehna haath malte... keh rahi hun Anand babu, ladkiyon ko zyaada sar chadane ki zaroorat nahi hai... unke haath peele karo aur unke ghar bhejo... nahi toh aapka muh kaala hone mein zyaada waqt nahi lagega. "

Chachaji gave her a stern look, "Bhabhiji, mujhe apni bachchiyon pe poora bharosa hai... inki taraf se mujhe kabhi koi shikaayat nahi milegi... main jaanta hun inke liye kya theek hai aur kya nahi."

Taiji was silenced by the firmness in his voice. Picking up a few more pieces of sweet from the box, she walked out.

Chachaji hugged his daughters, "Tum unki baaton pe dhyan mat do bacchon... bas man laga ke padho aur jeevan mein kamyaabi haasil karo. "