Eid mubarak to all my readers.

Sameer started with the phone call from his mom that came in the morning. He had just got up when the phone rang. Thinking it to be Naina, he ran to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hello Sameer, kaise ho tum?" His mother's voice reached his ears.

"Aap? Hmm.. theek hun." He was surprised... wondering when was the last time she had called and he couldn't remember.

"Kuch namaste ya good morning nahi bolna hota apni mummy ko?" As always, she could only find faults in him.

"Good morning", he said in a dry voice.

"Kaisi jaa rahi hain tumhari chuttiyan?" Vishakha asked formally.

"Achhi", he had nothing to tell her or share with her.

"Tumse baat karna kitna mushkil hai Sameer... kuch bolte hi nahi ho."
She said in an exasperated voice.

"Toh mat baat kijiye na... kisne kaha hai... waise bhi aap baat karti hi kahan hai", he was irritated.

"Karna chahun bhi toh tumhari ye taane marne ki aadat tumse dur rehne ko majboor kar deti hai... pata nahi kya problem hai tumhari... har kisi ko khud se dur bhaga dete ho... tumhare saath baat karna hi mushkil hai koi reh kaise sakta hai." Her anger was clear in her tone.

"Aap toh kabhi bhi nahi rahi mere saath... main kya teen  saal ki umar se aapko taane marta tha? Tab kaunsa aapke paas mere liye time tha?" He could feel his own anger rising.

She sighed, "Tumne kabhi meri majboori samajhne ki koshish hi nahi ki... khair ab iss baare mein baat karne ka koi faayda nahi hai."

"Fayda hi toh dekhti hain aap... waise yaad dila dun ki phone aapne kiya hai maine nahi", his voice turned icy.

"Phone kisi kaam se hi kiya hai", she cleared.

He laughed sarcastically, "Aur kisi wajah se aap kar bhi nahi sakti."

She decided to ignore his sarcasm, "Sameer, humne yahan ek ladki dekhi hai tumhare liye... Dipti naam hai uska... uske papa ka yahan bada status hai... aur Vivek unke saath business deal karna chahte hain... isliye woh chahte hain ki tum Dipti se shaadi karlo."

Sameer felt as if someone had pierced his heart with a sharp knife.

"Janti hain aap kya keh rahi hain?" He screamed.

"Jaanti hun... ek saal mein tumhari padhai khatm ho jayegi.. phir tumhe papa ki company hi sambhalni hai... koi saathi bhi toh chahiye... abhi toh hostel mein rehte ho... jab ghar mein rahoge toh shaadi toh karni hi hai... Dipti achhi ladki hai... tumhare liye biwi mil jayegi aur Vivek ka kaam bhi ho jayega." She thought it was the perfect arrangement.

Sameer held the phone tight, "Main kyon karu shaadi... apne Rohan ki karwa dijiye."

"Rohan padhne ke liye London gaya hua hai... do saal aur wahin rahega... aur Vivek itna time ruk nahi sakte... isliye humne faisla kiya hai ki yehi sabke liye theek rahega..." Vishakha had a finality in his voice.

Sameer could not control his anger, "Mere liye faisla lene wali hoti kaun hai aap... mujhe kisse aur kab shaadi karni hai yeh main khud decide karunga".

She laughed at his statement, "Tum decide karoge? Sameer, tum dost tak toh bana nahi sakte... abhi tak woh Munna Pandit ke hi saath hoge... shaadi ke liye ladki kahan se laoge... tumhari maa hun main... tumhare liye jo sahi hoga wohi sochungi... aur maine faisla kar liya hai... tum Dipti se hi shaadi karoge."

Sameer kicked the table kept near the couch, screaming into the phone, "Nahi karunga... kabhi nahi karunga... aur aapko meri shaadi ki chinta karne ki zaroorat nahi hai... maine ladki pasand kar li hai... uske alava main aur kisi ko apni zindagi mein aane nahi dunga."

"Kya? Tumhara dimaag toh theek hai? Kya bol rahe ho? Ladki pasand kar li? Kaun hai... kahan hai... kaisi hai... kis khandan se hai... yeh sab jaane bina main tumhe kisi se shaadi nahi karne de sakti", Vishakha was shocked.

Sameer laughed, " Aapse puch nahi raha, aapko bata raha hun... main Naina se hi shaadi karunga."

She narrowed her eyes, "Naina? Yeh Naina kaun hai?"

"Mere school mein thi... ab mere college mein hai." He didn't want to divulge in too many details.

His mother was not impressed, "Oh! Fir toh woh tumhara status achhe se jaanti hogi... isliye amir aur akela ladka dekh ke fansa liya."

Sameer roared, "Meri Naina ke liye agar kuch bhi kaha toh main bhool jaunga ku aap meri kuch lagti hain."

"Achha, meri Naina... abhi se iss ladki ne maa bete ke beech mein darar dalni shuru kar di... aage jaake kya karegi... aur tum aisi ladki ko apnana chahte ho", she tried the emotional card.

Sameer did not fall for it, "Darar? Kaisi darar... aapke aur mere beech toh pehle se hi ek gehri khaii hai... aur kisi ko mehnat karne ki zaroorat hi nahi... aap khud hi isse aur gehra karti jaati hain."

"Sameer, kaise baat kar rahe ho? Mat bhulo ki main tumhari maa hun." She was infuriated.

"Main nahi bhula... aap khud hi bhool gayi", Sameer said in a low voice.

"Mujhe yaad hai... aur issi haq se keh rahi hun... bhool jao uss Naina ko... woh sirf tumhare paison ki wajah se tumhare peeche padi hai... main jaldi hi Dipti ki photo bhejungi... faisla humne kar liya hai... tumhe sirf manna hai." She gave her verdict.

Sameer threw the phone.

He stood staring at the fallen instrument for sometime, then punched his hand on the pillar, not even acknowledging the pain it must have inflicted... the pain that his mother had given was far too much.

Naina was stunned.

How could a mother be such stone hearted?

Sameer was looking at the floor... his eyes watering again... he had relived those moments of conversation... and he sat dejected.

His mother had failed him yet again.

Naina wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close, "Hum iss mushkil se bhi bahar nikal jaayenge... saath milke."

Her words and her touch was enough to pull him out of his melancholy. Somehow, her closeness gave him the assurance that all will be fine.

He enveloped her in his arms and lost himself in her soft yet strong hold.

She did not move... he needed her now and she had no qualms about giving him the comfort of her presence... nothing else mattered... the friends waiting outside, the lie told at home, the need to open the door... nothing was more important than him.

Finally, Sameer shifted... moving back to look at her face... searching her eyes for any trace of doubt or fear.

"Naina, tumhe darr lag raha hai?" He gently asked, his face close to hers.

She looked back with clear eyes, "Sach kahun, Sameer, ek pal ke liye laga tha... jab tumne bataya ki aunty tumhari shaadi karana chahti hain... par ab dar nahi hai... bharosa hai... tumpe aur khud pe."

He could not help but admire her confidence, "Main toh darr gaya tha... unhone hamesha mujhse sab kuch cheena hai... darr gaya ki shayad ab firse woh mujhse meri zindagi cheenne aa gayi."

She placed her hand on his cheek, "Yaad hai jab taiji mera rishta karwana chahti thi... tab main bhi darr gayi thi... uss samay tumne mujhe sambhala tha... apne pyaar pe bharosa dilaya tha... aaj bhi mujhe ussi pyaar pe bharosa hai."

Sameer was amazed at her faith.

He placed his hand over hers on his face, "Tum bohot bahadur ho... tumne toh tab bhi tay kar liya tha ki bhaag kar mere ghar aa jaogi... par main itni himmat kar paunga ya nahi mujhe pata nahi."

"Kaisi himmat... tum bhi bhaag ke mere ghar aane ka toh nahi soch rahe na? Mr Maheshwari, ghar jamai banne ka irada hai kya?" She narrowed her eyes and pinched his nose.

He laughed, whole heartedly, crushing her back to himself.

She sighed in relief... his laughter making her feel alive.

When she had entered the room, she was taken aback... for the first time she had felt his pent up emotions, his bridled anger, his suppressed feelings about how his mother treated him.

Her first reaction was fear...  wondering how she could handle him... but the moment she realised that in this extremely vulnerable state also he was worried about her getting hurt, and wanted her to go away... she knew she had to stay, she had to bring him back, erase the pain, soothe the wounds, give him the comfort he seeked.

And the fear was gone...

Holding him down was not possible... her small frame was no match to his strength, which seemed to have multiplied in anger... so she held onto him, leaned onto his arm, gave him the impression that she needed his support... and it worked.

However annoyed Sameer was, he could not overlook her need.

And when finally the dam burst, though her heart broke into million pieces, a tiny corner felt relieved to see him wash away all his resentment.

And now he was laughing.

When he looked back at her, the intensity of love in her eyes burned him. He forgot everything.

He could see the sparks of passion,  the tip of her nose had become red with crying, her lips looked more plump... and as he stared at them, she parted her lips...

His breath hitched... was it an invitation?

He held her face, leaning in, eyes stuck at one place...

She closed her eyes... and the lips quivered...

He stopped... she was doing it for him...

He could not... he had to wait... till she would do it for them... for their love.

Slowly, he kissed her forehead.

Naina opened her eyes, surprised.

He smiled, "Jahan itna intezaar kiya hai, thoda aur sahi... jab tak tum taiyar nahi hoti."

She instantly knew what he meant.

The colour on her face matched her nose.

Sameer loved her blush. Leaning again, he kissed the red cheeks.

She looked up at him, showing fake anger.

He grinned, "Ab itna bhi control nahi kar sakta tumhe aise dekhke."

Her blush deepened.

Later, she picked up the bedsheet from the floor and asked him to help to put it back.

"Naina, hum chalte hain... Ramdhari ko bol dunga woh sab theek kar dega." He tried to take the bedsheet from her.

She stepped back, "Nahi, yeh sab karke hi hum baahar jayenge... main nahi chahti koi yeh dekhe."

He frowned, "Kyon... tumhe bura laga mujhe aise dekhna?"

She kept the bedsheet aside and walked to him, "Mujhe nahi laga... tumhara har chehra pasand hai mujhe... par main nahin chahti koi tumhe kamzor dekhe... tumhari kuch cheezon par sirf mera haq hai... aur mera hi rahega."

Sameer looked at her with wide eyes. And nodded slowly, accepting her argument.

After making the bed, they picked up the clothes and books scattered on the floor, avoiding the glass pieces.

"Sameer, tum upar baitho, main pehle yeh kaanch saaf kar deti hun... kahin tumhe lag na jaaye", she pushed him towards the bed.

He held her hand, "Tumhe yeh sab karne ki zaroorat nahi hai... yeh toh Ramdhari hi karega... tumhe chubh jayega."

She smiled, "Nahi chubhega... kaam karne ki aadat hai mujhe."

He pulled her close, "Saari purani aadtein bhool jao... bas pyaar karne ki aadat daal lo."

She was elated to see her usual Sameer back.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she said in a low voice, "Pyaar karne ki aadat toh ussi din daal li thi jab tumhe pehli baar dekha tha... tab se aaj tak bas yehi kar rahi hun."