Rakesh was deeply disturbed... whatever Arjun had said made a lot of sense. He had blindly followed his elder brother and, though he was always arguing with his bhabhi, he had unknowingly accepted all the blames she had put on his daughter who had no fault in whatever happened.

He and his wife were told beforehand by the doctor that if they decided to have another child after Arjun, it might be dangerous for his wife. It was bhabhiji who had pestered them to go for another child, saying that doctors unnecessarily scared people and nothing would happen... she had a selfish motive in that too... she wanted to adopt their child as she was unable to have one of her own... but Naina being a girl, she had refused at the time of birth...

Naina's face suddenly floated in front of him... as a baby... she had been an extremely beautiful and quiet child... as if she was aware of the absence of her mother and rebuke of her father... she never cried. As she grew up, he had hardly seen her talk or ask for anything like normal kids. Just a few times in her later years in school, she had requested him to attend the award ceremony where she was to be awarded for her exceptional academic performance... but he did not pay heed to it...

Why... he wondered. He wanted his children to shine, to get a name, to be well known for their achievements... then why did he not encourage her, appreciate her or support her?

And bhabhiji's words rang in his ears, "Arre Rakesh babu, ladki hai yeh toh... kal ko doosre ghar chali jayegi... ek toh iske janm ke saath iski maa ki maut ka dosh juda hai, pata nahi kaise rishta hoga iska... agar zyada padh likh ke hawa mein udne lagi toh ho chuki iski shaadi... aap isse sar pe mat chadhao... jitna daant dapat ke rakhoge utni hi kaabu mein rahegi... waise shakal surat toh kuch hai nahi isliye ghar baithe rishta milne se raha... aapko hi duniya bhar ki daud bhaag karni padegi... main toh kehti hun zyada padhai likhai ke bajaye isko ghar ka kaam sikaho aur gaon mein shaadi karwa do atharah saal ki hote hi... wahan dahej bhi zyada nahi dena padega... iss ladki ke liye yahi theek rahega."

Her constant hammering regarding Naina being a girl and a liability made him think of her as the same. He cursed himself... why couldn't he follow his younger brother instead... Anand had raised both his daughters with lots of love and pampering... in fact he had showered the same love on Naina, never thinking her to be any different from Pooja or Preeti. It was his firm decision to let Naina study as much as she wanted that had led her to be the person she was today... he had let her fulfill all her dreams and make an identity for herself. No wonder she considered him more of a father than her real father... he did not deserve her respect.

But today, for the first time, he was seeing her with a different eye... the girl who he had neglected and ridiculed all his life was a strong and determined person now... ready to take a stand for herself and what she wanted. He was earlier surprised... no, shocked... when she stood up against everyone for Sameer... for an outsider. But was he really an outsider? The way he accepted the slap... would the arrogant Sameer Maheshwari of school have taken it ever? Rakesh never had the courage to hit him school... though he had a reputation of raising his hand even before speaking. Somehow, Sameer gave him the impression that he would not let any such thing happen to him... either he would hold his hand or maybe... he was embarrassed to admit but he feared that Sameer might hit him back. The defiance in his eyes was was too much for Rakesh to attempt anything more than occasional shouting.

Today, that defiance was missing... he was soft... and pleading...

But he could see the determination in his eyes, just like Naina. They were ready to fight for each other... ready to bear everything for each other... ready to give up anything just to be together...

Why did they ask for his permission? As Arjun said, they were legally married now... then why they were going through this pain? Did they really value his acceptance... and wanted his blessings? Did he still have some importance in his daughter's life? Did she have any expectation from him?

He took a deep breath... he would not fail her this time.

He would accept her choice... her strength, her resolve, her perseverance, her courage... she had won against the superficial hatred and worthless hostility he always showed towards her.

The sleep was easier after the heaviness in his heart had melted.

Next morning, he was in Anand's house early.

"Dekh Rakesh, aaj hum log ek achhe kaam ke liye jayenge... tujhe jo bhi jali kati sunani hai woh shaam ko sunana... abhi tere saath behes karne ka na toh hamre paas time hai na ichha." Phulla bua gave him a dry look the moment he greeted her.

Anand and Bela stood behind her.

He lowered his eyes, "Buaji, Anand, main yahan jhagda karne nahi aaya... bas yeh batane aaya hun ki mujhe Naina ki shaadi se koi aitraaz nahi hai... balki khushi hai... Sameer ek bohot achha ladka hai. Anand, main... mere paas zyada paise toh nahi hai... par jitna ho sakega, main apni beti ke liye karna chahta hun."

Hearing no reply from anyone, he looked up.

Three pairs of eyes were staring at him in disbelief. He knew he deserved it.

He turned his back to them, locking his hands behind, "Main jaanta hun maine apni zindagi mein itni galtiyaan ki hain ki maafi maangne ke kabil bhi nahi hun... par iss baar meri baat maan lijiye... mujhe meri beti ki shaadi mein shaamil hone dijiye."

Anand quickly walked to him... and took him in his embrace as Bela and Phulla bua smiled, wiping their eyes.

"Bhaisahab, aapne aaj yeh baat keh ke hum sab ko itni khushi di hai ki main bata nahi sakta... Naina sunegi toh..." Breaking the hug, he turned to look at the door of his daughters' room.

Naina and Preeti stood in the doorway. They had come there after hearing Rakesh's voice the moment he came in. They were equally startled.

"Naina, idhar aao." Anand called her.

She hesitantly walked towards her father, still unsure what she had heard was right. Rakesh looked at her face... the innocent eyes... and cursed himself again... why had he not seen this purity in her earlier...

He pursed his lips to control the wetness in his eyes... and gingerly placed one hand on her head. Naina swallowed the lump in her throat, closing her eyes. She had waited for this moment all her life... and now, when she had completely given up the hope... she could not stop herself and wrapped her arms around her father, sobbing against him. Taken aback for a moment, he leaned his head behind... then smiled, and stroked her shoulder with one hand while one patted her head.

His one phrase 'apni beti ke liye' made her heart fill up with the live she was always craving for... from her father.

It was a tearful morning, but no one was complaining... these were happy tears... washing away years of bitterness.

When Arjun came over later, Naina hugged him, "Thank you bhaiya, mujhe pata hai yeh sab aapki wajah se hua hai."

Arjun had a sad smile on his face, "Main iss layak hota toh kab ka yeh kar chuka hota... yeh sab taiji tauji ki den hai."

She looked at him, astounded... till he told her everything that they had overheard last night.

Unknown to them, Phulla bua was hearing the same as she was sitting right next to the window when they were talking about it in the balcony.

"Oh, ab woh Bina yeh chaal chalne ka soch rahi hai... aane do... ab usse bhi shaadi ke maze dilwati hun." Smiling slyly, Phulla bua prepared to welcome taiji.

Sameer was already waiting near the shop when they reached. He touched feet of Anand, Bela and Phulla bua... and smiled at Preeti.

"Tumhara jhagda hua kya kal raat ko? Jijaji ne tujhe dekha tak nahi." Preeti whispered to Naina as they entered the shop.

Naina glanced back at him before replying, "Jhagda hua toh nahi lekin shayad tere jijaji karne ke mood mein hain."

Preeti gave a wide smile, "Fir koi tension nahi... jijaji ka toh bas ek hi mood rehta hai hamesha... unki taraf se jhagda kabhi nahi ho sakta."

Sameer, who was walking right behind them, all ears... grinned at his saali as she gave him a side glance.

"Haww, tera matlab hai main jhagdalu hun?" Naina stopped, frowning at her with hands on waist.

"Naina, beta kya kar rahi hai, hum dukaan mein hain... jhagda ghar jaake kar lena." Bela tugged at her hand.

Sameer gave her a twisted smile as Preeti giggled. Naina flicked her mouth at them and walked ahead with Bela.

"Sameer, tum yahan aake baitho... Naina ke saath." Anand showed him the chair in the center as they settled at the counter.

After seeing a lot of rings, Naina chose one with a floral design.

"Nahi, yeh nahi, tum yeh try karo." Sameer gave her one with a single, large diamond in the center of a plain band.

He held her hand, observing the ring from all angles, rubbing his thumb on her palm as no one could see under her hand. She pursed her lips... but he didn't look up.

"Haan, yeh best hai... tum yehi lo." He gave her an innocent smile, squeezing her hand before leaving it.

Naina looked up at chachaji... they had never bought diamonds.

Before Anand could say anything, Sameer turned towards him, "Chachaji, sagai ki anguthi Naina ke liye main khareed raha hun... toh isse kahiye meri pasand ki le."

Bela opened her mouth to say something when he cut her, "Ab mere ghar mein toh koi hai nahi, chachiji... par iska matlab yeh nahi ki sab kuch aap log karenge... maine sab pata kiya hai... jo rasmein sasuraal ki taraf se hoti hain, woh sab hongi Naina ke liye."

Anand placed one hand on his wife's shoulder, nodding.

After Naina's ring was decided, she started to look for Sameer. He tried a few but was not happy. When he put on one that looked better than the others... it got stuck in his finger.

"Ahh... yeh toh nikal hi nahi rahi... Naina... yeh phans gayi hai." He tried to pull it out but the ring was tightly embedded.

"Naina, beta zara dekh toh... koshish kar nikalne ki." Bela asked her.

Naina was about to do so when she remembered the challenge... and withdrew her hands.

"Naina, madad kar na Sameer ki, soch kya rahi hai?" Bela insisted.

She gulped, and vehemently shook her head.

"Idhar lao beta, main dekhti hun... yeh ladki bhi na." Bela got up to come to him.

She held his hand, slowly rotating the ring till it slipped off his finger.

Naina looked at Sameer through the corner of her eye... and he winked.

She controlled the sound of her gasp just in time... he was tricking her into touching him.

"Yeh lo, itni bhi tight nahi thi... tum bachche bhi bina baat ke darr jaate ho." Bela handed the ring to the salesman before going back to her chair.

Finally, after deciding on one that appealed to everyone, they paid for the rings and came out.

"Ab shaadi ke liye Sameer ke kapde le lete hain... woh bhi hamari taraf se honge." Anand informed and they walked towards a large shop that had good collection of clothes.