They had chachaji and chachiji's approval but Phulla bua's blessings gave a different calming effect to Sameer's heart. He was reminded of nanu. The old lady had similar thinking and understanding. He marvelled at another similarity in his and Naina's life.

Phulla bua got up, taking support of Naina's hand, "Ab main thoda aaram kar leti hun... yeh dil toh jawan hai par haddiyan yeh baat nahi samajhti... tum dono baatein karo main ghanta bhar aaram karungi... fir hum teeno mil ke khana banayenge."

Naina looked in surprise.

"Aise kya dekh rahi hai? Ladka hai toh kya kitchen mein nahi jaa sakta? Sabko sab kaam karne aane chahiye... tabhi sahi mayno mein saathi kehlate hain", she gave a stern look to Naina.

Then turned towards Sameer, "Tujhe koi aitraaz hai?"

Sameer stood up immediately, "Nahin dadiji, main khud yehi manta hun ki saare kaam mil bant ke karne chahiye... mere nanu ne bhi hamesha yehi sikhaya hai... woh toh akele sabke liye khana bana lete the."

She smiled at him, "Bohot achhi baat sikhayi tere nanu ne... haan ek baat aur, yeh dadiji mat bol mujhe, buddhi nahi hun... bua dadi bol Naina ki tarah, samjha?"

He nodded.

"Naina, Sameer ko dikha de jo naye suit banwa rahi hai... usse bhi pasand karwa le", she told Naina, watching Sameer's reaction.

He blushed, "Main kya bataunga, bua dadi, Naina ko jo bhi pasand ho."

She pulled his ear, "Sab janti hun main... jab se aaya hai teri aankhen jo bhi keh rahi hain na isko pink suit mein dekhke, sab samajh aata hai mujhe."

Naina didn't know where to hide and Sameer could not look up at Phulla bua again, his flushed cheeks giving tough competition to Naina's red face.

Laughing, she walked to her room, closing the door... leaving two of them in awkward silence.

When Naina could breathe a few minutes later, she pulled a chair, sitting down heavily, "Tum sudhar nahi sakte na... kya sochengi bua dadi... kaha tha na maine kal ki aisa kuch mat karna."

The initial shock subsided as Sameer realised that Phulla bua was not annoyed, she was just teasing them.

He came closer, leaning behind her, his elbow resting on the back of the chair, "Bua dadi tumse zyada samajhdar hain... tabhi toh humein akele time de diya."

He pulled out her band, watching mesmerised as her back got covered by the silky curtain.

"Sameer... " Naina jerked her head towards him, "Kya kar rahe ho... woh bahar aa gayi toh..."

"Maine kaha na... tumse zyaada samajhdar hain... dekh lena ek ghante se bhi upar hi lagega unhe." His nose close to her hair, he inhaled deeply.

She felt a shiver run through her as his breath warmed her ear.

"Main yeh bartan rakh ke aati hun", she looked for a way out.

Sameer didn't stop her as she placed the empty bowls of kheer in a tray and moved to the kitchen. After putting them in the sink, she turned... to collide against his hard chest. His arms immediately went around her, calming his heart that had been aching for her since last night when he saw her in the balcony... and the ache had gone to a much higher level when she had opened the door in this beautiful pink suit.

"Naina, sach mein yeh pink colour tumpe bohot achha lagta hai." He murmured against her hair.

His proximity dulled her senses completely. Forgetting all about where they were and her grandmother was just across the door, she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying herself in his shoulder.The musky smell was making her heady.

Sameer had kept himself away from her for almost a week. The distance he had brought himself, then the distance due to her visit here, and now the euphoria of getting approval of another elder in the family... it all made him burn for her as he pulled her closer, letting his lips roam on the side of her neck.

She could feel his hands going tighter around her waist, his lips pressing harder on her neck and his heart beating wildly against her own.

She didn't want to stop him but at the back of her mind, a nagging thought was back... that bua dadi might walk in any time. After she had welcomed Sameer with such open arms, Naina didn't want her to change the opinion.

"Sameer, suno... please... yahan nahi... " She tried to step back as his nose glided over her ear.

"Please Naina", his voice made her go weak.

Bringing her hands to his chest, she tried to push him gently, "Yahan theek nahi hai, Sameer, agar bua dadi aa gayi toh kya sochengi hamare baare mein... naraaz ho gayi toh?"

Sameer took a deep breath, resting his forehead on her shoulder for a few seconds to bring himself in control.

Naina kept her hand on his chest, over the heart, breathing heavily.

He stepped back after a few minutes, his dark eyes still on her, "Tum jaan le logi meri kisi din."

She kept a hand on his lips, shaking her head.

He held the hand, kissing her palm before pressing it against his cheek.

They stood in the kitchen, lost in each other, fighting with their raging emotions...

After a while, Naina took his hand and brought him to the room.

"Tum baitho, main dikhati hun bua dadi ne kya kapde diye hain mujhe", she turned towards the cupboard as  he sat on the bed, one leg folded under him.

Spreading the pieces in front of him, she raised her brows, "Batao sabse achha konsa hai?"

He looked at the fabric which did not look like a dress at all, "Yeh suit thodi hai, khali kapda hai."

"Haan toh kapde se hi toh suit silwayungi", she looked in disbelief... did he not know even this much.

Sameer was lost in thought... getting it stitched meant she would be going to a tailor, who would take measurements... he shut his eyes tight.

"Kya hua?" Naina was perplexed with his reaction.

Recalling the last time when he was jealous, he just shook his head, forcing a smile.

"Ahmedabad mein toh Preeti madad kar deti hai design dene mein... ab yahan ke tailor pata nahi kaise honge... bua dadi hi dekh lengi apne aap koi design", she was talking more to herself than to him.

"Tum nahi jaogi toh tailor ko kaise pata chalega kiske liye banana hai?" He asked, trying his best to keep the voice normal.

"Main kal wala suit yahan chod jaungi naap ke liye... aur design ya toh bua dadi bata dengi ya fir tailor khud hi kuch achha dikha dega unko." She clarified.

He felt his smile return at her answer as he exhaled in relief.

"Ab tailor ko marne ka khyal nikal gaya ho dimag se toh bata do ki yeh kapde achhe hain ya nahi", she said softly as she stood next to him.

Sameer gulped, not able to look up. His head was a little below her shoulder as he sat close to her... she could see the silky locks falling on his forehead as he kept his head bowed.

Naina ruffled his hair, fully aware how much he loved his hair and did not like if anyone touched them, except her.

She tried to run, but he held her hand, "Itni asani se nahi chodunga."

She looked back at him with intense eyes, and when he was lost in them, she jerked his hand and ran to the other side of the bed.

Sameer smiled at her antics and ran after her. They kept moving around till he jumped over the bed and caught her hand.

"Mujhse bachke kahan jaogi", he grinned.

Laughing, she sat in front of him, "Achha ab masti chodo aur ye batao ki ye dono pieces achhe hain? Inhe banwa lun?"

He took the fabric from her and put it aside, then held her hands, "Naina, maine pehle bhi kaha tha tumhe... apni pasand se lo jo bhi lena hai... mujhe toh tum sab cheezon mein achhi lagti ho... mere hisaab se kuch banwane ki zaroorat nahi hai."

She looked back at him with admiration, "Tumhare hisaab se nahi... par tumhari pasand ke kapde pehenna achha lagta hai mujhe... jaise yeh pink suit... jab tumhari aankho mein chamak dekhti hun mujhe pink mein dekhkar toh mujhe bhi toh khushi hoti hai... bilkul waise hi jaise tum meri pasand  ki white shirt pehen ke aaye ho."

He let his hand move up her arm slowly, "Pink mein dekhkar sirf chamak hi nahi aati aankho mein... kuch sapne bhi hote hain... woh nahi dikhte tumhe?"

Her lips quivered as she felt the fluttering in her stomach.

His fingers reached her shoulder, moving towards the neck with feather touch.

The butterflies multiplied as she got goosebumps all over.

"Bolo Naina, main jo tumhare sapne dekhta hun sote jagte... woh nahi janne tumhe?" He shifted as his fingers reached her nape.

Naina was breathing heavily, feeling him moving closer.

His other hand moved to cup her face. He started leaning towards her. When he was just a few inches away Naina turned her face, his lips touching her cheeks.

He let his lips move back to her neck, as his muffled voice reached her, "Kyon nahi?"

"Yahan nahi", was all she could say.

As the one hour period was coming to an end, Naina put away everything back in the cupboard and they went to the living room.

When Phulla bua came out of her room, they were looking at some old pictures in the family album.

"Naina, yeh kya itni purani photo dikha rahi hai usse... woh thodi kisi ko pehchanta hai... chalo aao dono... meri madad karo khana banane mein." She called out to them.

Putting away the album, Naina and Sameer walked to the kitchen.

The menu was kadhi, rice and mixed vegetable. Bua dadi started to make kadhi as Naina washed all vegetables. Sameer peeled the carrots and peas, before chopping tomatoes. Naina started to chop onions but Sameer took them from her, chopping them himself. His eyes started to water. Seeing her grandmother's back to them, Naina wiped his eyes with dupatta. She then washed and soaked the rice. Once kadhi was done, bua dadi started to make vegetable. Naina set the rice to boil as Sameer chopped cucumber and tomatoes for salad.
When the food was ready half an hour later, they relished it together.

After lunch, Naina helped to clean  the kitchen so that there was no extra work left for bua dadi. She also packed the extra alu paranthe  made in the morning on her grandmother's insistence.

Once everything was done, she wiped her hands and hugged the old lady, "Ab humein jana hoga bua dadi."

Phulla bua kissed her forehead "Khush raho beta... apna aur iss hero ka khayal rakhna."

Sameer smiled.

"Wahan khade khade kya hans raha hai... idhar aa", she waved at him.

Sameer moved ahead and bent down to touch her feet.

"Tu bhi dhyan rakhna... meri gudiya ko zara bhi taklif hui toh tere aise kaan kheechungi ki yaad rakhega."

He held his ear, "Naina ko koi takleef dene ke baare mein to main soch bhi nahi sakta, bua dadi."

She kissed his forehead too, "Mujhe pata hai... bas tum dono mein yeh pyaar aise hi banake rakhna."

As they reached the door, she called out to him again, "Aur haan, jab bhi Naina yahan aayegi, tu agle din aise hi aa jana... mujhe bhi achha lagega... aur phone pe chup rehne ki zaroorat nahi hai... khul ke bol ki Naina se baat karni hai... darta kyon hai?"

Sameer was overwhelmed by her affection.

He turned and hugged her, "Ab nahi darunga... aur sirf Naina se hi nahi, aapse bhi baat karunga."

She patted his cheek lovingly.