Naina left after the two lectures on Saturday morning. Sameer wanted to drop her but she didn't let him. Giving him the phone number of Phulla bua's house, she promised to speak to him at night.

Sameer saw her leaving the gate, a gloom descending on him... knowing she was not here in the college premises made every place look empty. The moment she had walked out, he could feel the heaviness of passing seconds weighing upon him. It would be more than twenty four hours before he could see her again. He walked back to his room with heavy steps.

Naina sat in the moving rickshaw, melancholy of the growing distance between them deepening as she watched the electric poles rush past her.

She was at her destination in a little over half an hour.

As always, Phulla bua welcomed her with open arms, showering all her love.

"Naina, meri gudiya, tu toh aur bhi pyaari ho gayi hai... kahin meri hi nazar na lag jaye", she hugged Naina, kissing her forehead.

Blushing at her open praise, Naina tried to sound normal, "Kya bua dadi, aap toh aate hi meri taang kheenchne lagi."

Her grandmother pinched her chin, "Main kyon tang karungi tujhe... jaisi dikh rahi hai waisi hi toh bolungi... tere kapde, tere baal, tera chehra, sab ekdum heroine jaisa lag raha hai... zaroor kisi hero ka kamaal hai."

Naina felt her colour deepen, "Mujhe bhookh lagi hai... aap kuch khilayengi ya nahi?"

"Aaja, aaja... teri manpasand sabzi banayi hai, aur pulaav bhi hai... chal khana khate hain", bua dadi went towards the kitchen.

Naina helped her to lay out the food and they had lunch together. She wondered if Sameer had eaten or not, hoping that he had. After the lunch, they cleared up the kitchen. The old lady then brought out a dish from the refrigerator.

"Naina, pata hai aaj meetha kya hai?" she called out to her granddaughter.

The mere mention of the word was enough to bring back the dark colour on Naina's face. She bit her lip as she imagined Sameer here, listening  to all this. He would have been smirking at her, eyes shining with mischief.

"Kahan khoi hai?" A gentle nudge from Phulla bua brought her back.

"Ku... kuch nahi... bas college ka kuch kaam yaad aa gaya", she stuttered, hoping that her lie is not caught.

"Dekh, kheer banayi hai tere liye", bua dadi put a generous helping for her in a bowl.

Naina relished the sweet treat, telling about her college and result, about Sonali and her engagement, her upcoming wedding.

Phulla bua listened with interest as Naina went on about various things.

"Teri saheli ki shaadi itni jaldi kyon kar rahe hain uske ghar wale? College toh khatam karne dete." She was always in favour of girls getting good education before they got married.

"College khatam karegi na... woh toh bas isliye shaadi kar rahe hain ki agle do saal unki kundali mein koi date nahi hai", Naina explained.

"Yeh log pata nahi kab aisi baatein manna chodenge", she was clearly not happy.

"Arre bua dadi, aap kyon pareshaan ho rahi hain? Sonali aur Rahul toh bade khush hain", she tried to pacify her grandmother.

She smiled, "Chalo theek hai, kam se kam bacchon ki khushi ka khyaal toh rakha... warna pyaar ka naam sunte hi maa baap aag barsane lagte hain."

Before Naina could answer, the phone started ringing.

"Main lati hun", Naina ran to get the cordless from the other room.

Phulla bua answered the phone but there was no sound from the other side.

"Pata nahi kaun hai", she put the phone down when her repeated 'hello's went unanswered.

Naina's heart missed a beat.

After a few minutes, it rang again. The same scene was repeated. Naina nervously wrenched her hands.

Phulla bua picked up the bowl of kheer to put back in the refrigerator.

While she was in the kitchen, the phone rang the third time.

"Naina, dekh to beta, kisi ka zaroori bhi ho sakta hai", she called out from the kitchen.

Naina picked up the phone and said 'hello' in a low voice.

"Hello Naina"

Sameer's hopeful voice from the other side drained the colour from her face.

She whispered into the phone, "Abhi kyon phone kiya?"

"Tumhari bohot yaad aa rahi thi... socha try kar leta hun." His voice sounded so forlorn that Naina could not get angry.

"Kiska phone hai beta?" The voice from the kitchen made her jump.

"Woh... woh... koi bol nahi raha, bua dadi... pehle ki tarah", she gave a nervous answer.

"Abhi rakho, raat ko nau baje ke baad karna, bye", she whispered again.

"Suno Naina", he said urgently, stopping her from disconnecting, "I Love You."

A shy smile spread on her face, "Ab rakhun?"

"Nahi, pehle tum bhi bolo", he demanded like a child.

"Raat ko", she pleaded.

"Nahin... abhi", he stressed.

Naina looked around, then took a deep breath.

"I Love You", she quickly murmured and kept the phone down, heaving a sigh of relief that Phulla bua was still in the kitchen.

Later, the old lady laid out a number of beautiful sarees and fabrics on the bed.

"Naina, yeh dekh... inme se apne liye kuch chun le... teri saheli ki shaadi hai na... main kuch naye suit banwa dungi tere liye".

Naina looked at all the pretty clothes, "Aapke paas itne saare kapde hain, bua dadi, aur woh bhi itne sundar... kahan se laayi?"

She gave a proud smile, "Mujhe hamesha se hi achhe kapdon ka bohot shouk raha hai... isliye jahan bhi jaati hun, khareed leti hun... ab zyaada bahar jaana nahi ho pata lekin ek bechne wala aata hai... usse pata hai ki main hamesha khareedti hun, isliye ek se ek sundar kapde laata hai... main bhi tum logon ke liye rakh leti hun... aakhir teri aur Preeti ki shaadi ka bhi toh time aane wala hai."

Naina blushed as she remembered that Sameer had planned their marriage in Ahmedabad and if that girl had not refused probably she would have been already married.

Phulla bua's voice brought her back to present, "Bata kaunsa pasand hai tujhe?"

Naina chose one in orange and one in yellow, "Yeh dono achhe hain... ye banwa leti hun... aap batao bua dadi, mujhpe achhe lagenge na?"

She placed both pieces on her shoulder, displaying to her grandmother.

She fondly looked at the excited girl, "Tujhpe toh sab khilta hai... bohot pyaare lagenge".

Then she urged her to choose more, "Aise kar, ek apni saheli ke liye bhi le jaa... uske hone wale ko konsa rang pasand hai uspe?"

"Blue", Naina excitedly got engrossed looking at the remaining clothes.

"Aur tere wale ko?"

"Pink."

The moment she said it, she froze.

Time stopped for Naina... she wished she could rewind last few minutes or maybe erase them.

Shutting her eyes tight, she hoped bua dadi had not heard.

"Achha toh pink pasand hai tere hero ko", the voice dashed all her hopes.

She could not look up.

"Naina, idhar aa beta", her grandmother said gently.

Naina didn't have the courage to meet her eye.

"Yahan aake baith mere paas... mujhe baat karni hai tujhse." Bua dadi called out again.

She walked unsteadily to the other side of the bed.

Phulla bua pulled her hand, making her sit in front, "Maine toh pehle hi kaha tha tujhse ki sabse pehle mujhe batana, lekin tu hai ki batane ka naam hi nahi le rahi thi... isliye mujhe tere muh se nikalwana pada."

Naina sat with downcast eyes, her heart beating wildly.

Phulla bua placed a hand on her cheek, "Beta, mujhe pata hai yeh abhi ki baat nahi hai... main toh bohot pehle hi samajh gayi thi ki meri gudiya kisike sapne dekhne lagi hai... bas intezaar kar rahi thi... lekin tune socha hoga iss budhiya ko kya batana apni love story ke baare mein."

"Nahi, bua dadi, aisa kabhi nahi socha maine", Naina quickly held her hand in hers.

"Toh fir jaldi bata kya naam hai uska", she urged.

"Sameer"

"Achha naam hai... kabse jaanti hai?"

"Eleventh class se", Naina looked down again.

Phulla bua looked at her in surprise, "Chaar saal se? Itne saal se sabse chupa ke rakha tune?"

Naina shook her head, scared, "Nahin, school ke do saal toh maine kabhi usse baat bhi nahi ki."

On her grandmother's insistence, Naina told everything about her liking for him in school, his staying away from her, shifting to Mumbai, meeting with Sameer in Mumbai, his showing care towards her, how they got closer and now they meant everything to each other.

Phulla bua heard the entire story patiently. Then she smiled and kissed Naina on the forehead.

"Mujhe milna hai usse." She declared.

Naina looked at her in panic, "Aap college aaogi?"

She got a light smack on her head, "Main kyon aaungi? Sameer aayega yahan pe... bol usko kal subah yahan aaye... main alu ke paranthe banake khilaungi."

Naina could not hide the shock that made her eyes go wide, "Aapko... kaise... kaise... "

"Ek saal se upar ho gaya... jab bhi alu ke paranthe banati hun, tu khaate khaate aise khyaalon mein kho jaati  hai... ab itna toh mujhe samajh aata hai, beta, yeh baal dhoop mein safed nahi kiye hain." She gave a knowing smile to Naina.

When she found her voice back, Naina asked, "Par kaise bolun usko?"

"Kaise kya? Jab agli baar phone karega toh bol dena... pichhli baar phone kiya toh maine kaha nahi ki kahin dar na jaaye... par ab tu bol dena ki kal subah aath baje yahan hona chahiye usse." She dropped another bomb.

Naina gaped at her open mouthed.

"Muh band kar le... maine suni thi teri baat jab uska phone aaya tha", she gave a crooked smile, walking out of the room.

Naina remembered her talk and went crimson at the thought of her grandmother hearing her side of conversation.

She could not call up Sameer. There was no other option but to wait for his call at night.

In the evening, she was exceptionally quiet while having tea with bua dadi.

"Naina, tu itni chup kyon hai? Agar tujhe lagta hai ki main tujhse gussa hun toh aisa bilkul nahi hai, beta... arre mujhe toh khushi hai ki tune apni zindagi mein pyaar ko jagah di... aur iss baat ka bharosa bhi hai ki teri pasand galat nahi hogi." Her grandmother tried to cheer her up.

Naina gave a small smile, still feeling shy about everything.

Phulla bua took a deep breath, "Naina, tujhe pata hai main akeli kyon rehti hun?"

Surprised at her question, Naina looked up, shaking her head.

"Hamare zamane mein pyaar karna bohot galat mana jaata tha... aur maine yeh galti kar di... jab mere ghar pe pata chala toh itni maar padi ki pucho mat... ghar se nikalna band kar diya... padhai toh tab zyada karte nahi the... ghar walo ne kaha bas shaadi kardo iski... lekin maine bhi bagawat kar di... shaadi nahi ki... bas ek kami reh gayi... tab phone bhi nahi the... uss tak ye baat nahi pohocha paayi ki maine shaadi se inkaar kar diya hai... usse laga meri shaadi ho gayi toh apne ghar waalon ke dabaav mein aakar usne bhi shaadi kar li... lekin koi baat nahi... maine akele hi pyaar ko zinda rakha... isliye aaj bhi akeli hun... aur har pyaar karne wale ke saath hun."

Naina was stunned to hear her grandmother's story, she had always seen her staying alone but it never occurred to her  why she had no husband or children or grandchildren. If she had displayed such courage in those times, Naina had no doubt what a strong person she must be.

Suddenly, she was overwhelmed. She got up and hugged her bua dadi, "Aap jitni himmat aur hausala chahiye mujhe... aap saath hain toh koi dar nahi hai."

The old lady patted her head lovingly.