Sameer reached the parked car to see both his friends sleeping in awkward positions in the cramped place... Munna in front and Pandit at the back.

His annoyance vanished in no time. Sleep was so important to them and he had made them stay here all night just for his own requirement. He started to feel guilty.

When his repeated soft knocks did not wake them up, he gave a hard kick to the car... the noise along with the jerk made both of them spring up to sitting position.

"Kya... kya hua bhai... bhoochal aa raha hai kya?" Pandit clutched the seat tight.

Munna looked around to get some orientation of unfamiliar surroundings... and saw Sameer's face peering from the window.

His eyes went from sleepy to confused to widening in horror as realisation struck him. He quickly looked at his watch, slapping his mouth as the time was almost half past four.

He turned towards Pandit, shaking him, "Pandit uth ja, humein Sameer ko lene jaana tha."

Pandit rubbed his eyes, deciphering what Munna said, and the doubt cleared from his face too.

"Haan bhai, jaldi chal... nahi toh bhabhi ki jagah aaj Sameer ki vidaai ho jayegi." He started to open the door.

A scream escaped his lips as he saw Sameer standing out with hands on hips, waiting for them to finish their conversation and realise that they need to let him get in.

Unlocking the car, Munna jumped out, touching him to make sure he was real.

"Ghar chalein?" Sameer asked with a straight face.

"Bhai, maaf karde... pata nahi kaise aankh nahi khuli... woh raat ko pehle darr ke maare neend nahi aayi... fir aisi aayi ki tooti hi nahi." Pandit muttered sheepishly, stepping out of the car.

Patting the back of his friends, he laughed, "Koi nahi... ab chalo... ghar jaake aaram se so jaana."

Munna looked at him from top to bottom, "Tu sahi salamat hai na?"

"Haan, kyon?" Sameer narrowed his eyes.

"Nahi, woh seedhi nahi thee na... toh kood ke aaya hoga... kahin chot wagerah  dikh nahi rahi." Munna went around him to check.

Pandit opened his eyes wide, "Tu upar se kood gaya? Bhai, shaktimaan hai kya?"

Sameer gave an annoying look to Munna Pandit, "Ek toh sote rahe... time pe seedhi leke nahi pohoche... aur ab ulti seedhi baatein kar rahe ho... chalo baitho dono... main drive karta hun."

With confusion writ on their faces, both sat in the car while Sameer took the driver seat.

"Lekin tune bataya nahi tu neeche kaise aaya... matlab agar tujhe seedhi ki zaroorat hi nahi thi toh humein kyon yahan macharon ka nashta banwane laaya tha... jaise aaya hai waise chala bhi jaata." Pandit was still racking his brain.

"Haan yaar Sameer, kya bhabhi ke ghar walon ne dhakke deke nikal diya?" Munna also wanted to know.

Sameer smiled, "Pipe se utar ke aaya... der ho rahi thi aur tum dono the nahi... koi aur rasta nahi tha."

"Tujhe pipe se utarna bhi aata hai? Woh toh chor karte hain." Pandit could not erase the expression of wonder from his face.

"Toh apna bhai bhi chor hi hai," Munna smirked, earning another angry glare from Sameer and another perplexed 'Hain' from Pandit.

"Arre bhabhi ka dil churaya hai na isne." Munna quickly clarified, before either of them could ask more.

"Aur humari neend ki chori bhi issike naam... kasam se, dhoodhwala hun aisa lag raha hai... itni subah toh wohi uthta hoga." Pandit grumbled, slipping down in the seat at the back.

"Tu ghar jaake so jaana... jab tak dil kare... Ramdhari se keh dunga tujhe uthayega nahi." Sameer pacified him.

"Aise kaise so jaun... itni mehnat kar li... abhi jaake pet pooja karni padegi tabhi toh neend aayegi." He sat up immediately, enraged at the idea.

When they reached home, Ramdhari had not yet come to the house from the room he occupied behind the bunglow. To satisfy the hunger pangs of his friends... and his own... Sameer rummaged the kitchen and got all ready snacks he could find.

After filling themselves properly, Munna Pandit hit the bed, going off to sleep in no time. Sameer went to the kitchen to instruct Ramdhari who had just arrived, not to wake them up for a few hours, and went back to join his friends.

When Naina got up in the morning, there was a smile on her face... her birthday, for the first time in her life, had begun with so much happiness and satisfaction. The smile soon changed into horror as she heard repeated knocks on the door...

And she realised she had forgotten to unlatch it before sleeping.

Rushing out of the bed, she ran to open it.

"Ab bhi nahi kholti na toh mujhe Arjun aur Rakesh bhaisahab ko bulana padta darwaza todne ke liye... Naina, tune toh dara hi diya... kya ho gaya tha? Ek toh darwaza band karke soyi thi doosre itni baar khatkhatane ke baad bhi nahi khola... meri jaan nikal gayi thi." Bela stormed in... worried as hell.

"Woh chachiji... woh raat ko... kapde badal rahi thi tab band kiya tha... shayad kholna bhool gayi." She stuttered.

Bela's eyes slipped down on her dress, widening as she checked her till the toes.

Another realisation hit Naina... she was still in the pink dress. Her hand went to the neck... the pendant was not there. She sneaked a look at the bed... and saw the heart shape lying next to the pillow... maybe the clasp was not secured properly.

"Yeh dress kahan se aaya? Itna mehenga lag raha hai." Bela was still staring at the outfit, baffled.

"Sameer ne diya." Naina blurted before she could stop herself.

She squeezed her eyes shut at her own stupidity, fisting her hands on the side of her dress, to prevent them from slapping the forehead.

"Damaadji ne? Woh kab aaye?" Bela was even more shocked.

Naina thought for a while before speaking, "Woh... woh usne Mumbai mein leke diya tha... main bas raat ko pehen ke dekh rahi thi... aur aankh lag gayi."

Bela's face relaxed in a smile, "Kitna sundar dress hai... aur tere pe kitna pyara lag raha hai... par beta aaj din mein pehenti na... tera janmdin hai... khaas mauka hai... unka diya hua gift pehenti toh unko bhi achha lagta."

"Chachiji, Sameer kaunsa dekh raha hai ki maine kya pehna hai." She lowered her head.

"Nainaa..." Bela admonished her, "pati ke liye aise nahi bolte... zara izzat se bola kar... shaadi ke baad dost nahi ho dono... rishta judd gaya hai... uska lihaaz kar beta."

"Jee chachiji." Naina accepted on face... not agreeing in her heart that their relationship needed such formalities.

Bela came to her and kissed on the forehead, "Janmdin ki bohot bohot badhai, beta... ishwar kare teri aane wali zindagi hamesha khushiyon se bhari ho... maine abhi tak damaadji ko itna jaana nahi hai par tere chachaji jaisa kehte hain agar utna hi tujhse pyar karte hain toh bas aise hi hamesha karte rahein."

Naina blushed at the thought of her chachaji discussing how much Sameer loved her... she was curious to know what all he had told his wife... but did not have the courage to ask...

She smiled shyly and thanked chachiji.

"Ab mandir jaane ka time toh raha nahi... aaj pata nahi meri Naina kaise Preeti ban gayi... shayad damaadji ke sapno mein kho gayi hogi... chal koi nahi... ab tu naha ke taiyar ho ja... teri behen bhi aati hi hogi shor machate hue." Bela teased her.

Naina blushed even more, running to the washroom.

Bela smiled fondly as the washroom door closed, "Bechari... yaad aa rahi hogi damaadji ki... kitne din ho gaye yahan aaye, mil bhi nahi paayi apne pati se... isiliye unka diya hua dress pehna hoga."

Preeti came like a hurricane... screaming to wish her sister.

"Do saal ke baad tujhe saamne se wish kar rahi hun behen... Happy birthday... chahti toh thi ki subah sabse pehle main hi karun... par ab sabse pehle kisi aur ne kar hi diya toh maine socha neend kyon kharab karun apni." She hugged Naina, teasing her.

"Preeti ki bachhi, tu toh bata sakti thi na... meri behen hai ya Sameer ki?" Naina showed fake anger.

Preeti hooked her arm, resting the elbow on Naina's shoulder, "Behen toh teri hi hun par saali jijaji ki hun... aur itne handsome jijaji ko kaun mana kar sakta hai?"

She ran as she completed the sentence, knowing fully well that Naina would run after her.

And she did... till both of them fell on the bed, laughing.

"Gift toh koi laayi nahi hogi tu hamesha ki tarah... kanjoos kahin ki." Naina nudged her.

Preeti sat up, her eyes wide, "Tujhe mera gift nahi mila?"

Naina sat up too, looking around, thinking that Preeti might have left it somewhere and she missed it.

"Kahan hai, Preeti? Mujhe toh nahi mila." She was confused.

"Raat ko barah baje hi bhej diya tha maine... balcony ke raaste... mila kaise nahi... tere chehre ka rang bata raha hai ki tujhe mil gaya tha." Preeti gave a mischievous smile.

Naina turned red... realising how much teasing she would have to endure now... from Preeti and Swati.