Pandit could not eat much... he had no appetite. All he wanted was a chance to speak to Preeti. She had given him a positive sign, but he wanted to know her decision... in clear words. He glanced at her number of times, but did not find her looking at himself even once. This baffled him even more. Did he read her correct last night... was it really a positive sign? She did hug him... she did say she was sorry... but about what... about taking so long to answer or about not being able to reciprocate his feelings... did that hug mean anything... or he was making some false assumptions?

He was desperate now... the dilemma taking away the feeling of elation that had spread over him since yesterday.

"Itna pareshan mat ho... main chachaji se jaldi hi baat kar lunga... Preeti maan gayi hai toh chachaji bhi maan jayenge." Sameer tried to cheer him when he saw his saddened face.

"Kya Preeti sachmuch maan gayi hai?" Pandit said wistfully.

Sameer was taken aback, "Munna toh keh raha tha... ek minute... Pandit, mujhe laga yeh baat clear ho gayi hai... tujhe abhi tak pata nahi?"

"Mujhe bhi kal aisa hi laga... lekin aaj shaq ho raha hai... usne koi baat hi nahi ki hai aaj... dekha tak nahi, yaar." Pandit whined.

Sameer looked at Preeti talking to Sonali and Naina near the kitchen door... she didn't seem to be stealing glances at Pandit.

He pursed his lips... he needed Naina's help now.

Sameer got up, "Chachaji, mujhe zara haath dhone hain."

"Aao beta, main le chalta hun." Anand offered.

"Nahi, aap kyon leke chalenge... mujhe pata hai wash basin kahan hai... main chala jaunga." He stopped Anand.

His hand brushed against Naina as he crossed the girls. She looked at him. He gestured her to come along. Before Naina could say anything, he was gone.

"Chali jaa... mushkil hai uska tujhse door reh paana." Sonali gave a crooked smile, seeing the exchange between them.

With a blush creeping up her face, she went towards the wash basin.

"Kya tum Preeti se baat karwa sakti ho?" Sameer said the moment she reached him.

"Tumhe Preeti se kya baat karni hai?" Naina looked at him strangely, wondering what he wanted to plan now.

"Mujhe nahi, Pandit ko karni hai." Sameer said.

She could understand Pandit's restlessness.

Leaning back, she looked at her family busy with each other. Amongst all happy faces, Pandit's gloomy expression was easily noticeable.

"Sameer, Pandit se toh Preeti ne kal baat kar li hai... fir woh itna udaas kyon hai?" She thought Sameer wasn't aware of their conversation.

"Haan, pehle Pandit ko laga tha ki sab clear ho gaya hai... lekin ab usse pakka nahi hai... matlab aaj Preeti ne usse kuch kaha nahi isliye usse samajh nahi aa raha... agar ek baar dono baat kar lenge toh achha hoga." Sameer suggested.

"Umm... sabke saamne kaise hoga?" Naina was unsure.

"Please kuch karo na, Naina... uski haalat toh dekho." Sameer almost pleaded.

"Theek hai, main kuch sochti hun." She contemplated.

"Aur saath mein apne liye bhi soch lena... mujhe bhi tumse milna hai." He slid his hand around her waist.

"Sameer." Naina jerked his hand away, scared that anyone could come there.

"Kitni der ho gayi tumhare paas aaye... thoda dose toh mujhe bhi dedo na." Sameer ran a finger along her arm, making her shiver.

"Tum... tum jao... main sochti hun." She pulled the pallu over her arm.

"Naina, mujhe abhi..." He moved his hand towards her face when the sound of footsteps made him straighten and turn back to the basin.

"Naina, beta yeh saaman dekh le jo tere chachaji laye hain, tere le jaane ke liye." Bela called out, coming out of the kitchen.

Her eyes brightened. The plan started to form in her mind.

"Tum Munna Pandit ko kehna jab main bulaungi toh bina sawaal ke aa jaayein." She told him excitedly.

"Main bhi aa jaunga." He grinned.

"Nahi, tum bilkul nahi aana... warna chachiji plan poora nahi hone dengi... tum chup chaap yahin baitho." Naina gave him strict instruction.

Before he could argue, she rushed back to the kitchen.

Bela showed her the sweets and other eatables, along with fruit baskets.

"Chachiji, waise toh yeh sab theek hai, lekin itna sab main leke kaise jaungi... matlab Arjun bhaiya toh hai nahi... papa bhi unke saath gaye hue hain... fir yeh sab neeche car tak kaise leke jayenge?" She gave a worried look to Bela.

"Uski tu chinta mat kar... tere chachaji rakh denge." Bela patted her cheek.

"Kaisi baat karti hain aap, chachiji... woh kyon rakhenge... umm... main na Munna Pandit ko bol deti hun." Naina said, appearing to be suddenly getting the idea.

Bela was appalled, "Woh dono to Sameer ke dost hain... unse kaise kaam karwa sakte hain hum... nahi, nahi... main abhi tere chachaji ko bulati hun."

"Chachiji, Munna Pandit ko bohot khushi hogi agar main unse yeh karne ko kahungi... aapko lagta hai woh chachaji ko itna sab akele utha ke leke jaane denge? Kabhi nahi... Munna ko toh aapne dekha hi hai... aur Pandit itna achha hai ki kya bataun... shaadi ki saari zimmedaari ussi ki thi... saara kaam bakhubi sambhal liya... har kaam mein sabse aage rehta hai... main abhi bulati hun." Naina rushed out before Bela could raise more objection.

She waved at both of them. Sameer had told them about her mind weaving something... they got up instantly and came towards the kitchen.

Preeti lowered her head, going quiet... but she didn't look at Pandit.

Naina showed them the things that needed to be put in the car.

They picked up as much as they could... and walked out.

Naina went out to Sonali and Preeti.

"Sonali, tujhe fresh hona tha na... chal mere kamre mein aaja... aur Preeti, tu na thoda aur samaan hai woh neeche le jaa... car mein rakhwane mein madad kar dena... nahi toh Munna Pandit ko baar baar upar aana padega." She casually mentioned to her sister, winking at Sonali.

"Preeti, le jaa beta... yeh mithai ke dabbe tu le ja... unka itni mehnat karna achha nahi lagta... hain toh daamaad hi na." Bela handed some boxes to Preeti.

The packets almost fell from her hands as she looked up sharply at her mother, "Damaad?"

Bela poked her fingers on her forehead with a nervous smile, "Mera matlab, Munna ki shaadi hone wali hai na Swati se... Pandit ke liye galti se muh se nikal gaya... bas yeh sab kaam ki ghabrahat mein... tu zyada sawaal mat kar... jaldi le jaa yeh sab."

She went towards the stairs with her hands full.

Pandit was rushing up. He saw Preeti, and immediately held out his hands to take it from her.

"Main... main le jaungi." Her heart skipped a beat to see him where they were alone.

Without a word, he picked up most of the packets from her pile, leaving only two in her hand... and started to go down with her.

After a few steps, he mustered courage, "Uhh... Preeti, tumne kya socha hai... main... main bas itna puch raha hun ki kuch socha ya nahi... waise agar aur time chahiye toh le lo... lekin kal raat woh sab... matlab... kuch pal ke liye mujhe laga tum... tum... pata nahi par kuch khushi mehsoos hui... par aaj... fir se tumne kuch nahi kaha toh..."

Preeti looked at him, startled. Had he not understood her answer yet... she had literally cried in his arms... what more evidence he wanted.

He stopped when he realised Preeti was not climbing down with him. Looking back, he saw her staring at him, with a flustered face.

He was scared of having pressurised her, "Nahi, main toh aise hi pooch raha tha... koi jaldi nahi hai... tum... tum jab chaho tab bata dena... main intezar kar lunga."

And she burst out in laughter, seeing him fumbling with the packets.

He stood still... gaping at her.

"Abhi tak samajh nahi aaya kya?" She smiled brightly at him.

He was shocked to the core, seeing her smile like this at him after... after a lifetime...

"Buddhu ho tum." She lightly poked the tips of her three fingers on his cheek as she came upto him, and walked ahead.

Pandit stood rooted, holding a hand to his cheek... jaw hanging...

"Ab saath chaloge ya uske liye bhi mujhe hi tumhara haath pakad ke le jaana padega?" She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked back at him.

He was snapped out of the trance, a gleaming smile breaking on his face.

"Hamesha saath chalunga... par haath pakad ke le jaogi toh zyada achha lagega." He rushed down, coming to stand with her.

"Chalo chup chaap." She started to walk towards the car, with him.

"Yeh lo, jijaji... saara samaan aa gaya hai." She handed the few packets she was holding to Munna, who stood near the boot of the car.

He adjusted them along with others, extending his hand towards Pandit for what he was carrying. When he did not feel any weight on his hands, he looked back... and found him smiling goofily at Preeti... as she stood smiling too, her eyes lowered.

Munna breathed in relief... the problem was sorted.

"Ab samaan dega ya zindagi bhar haath mein mithai ke dabbe lekar hi khada rahega?" He nudged Pandit.

"Reh sakta hun... yahin rehne de mujhe." Pandit mumbled, eyes stuck on the smile he so wanted to see for a long time.

"Preeti, bohot badi samasya ho gayi." Suddenly Munna was tensed.

They both turned to him.

"Ab tu mujhe jijaji kahegi aur main tujhe bhabhi... thoda confusion sa ho jayega." Munna scratched his head, squinting his eyes at both of them.

A hint of colour spread on Preeti's face... and she ran back, after giving a shy look to Pandit.

Pandit sighed, staring at the empty lane even after she was gone.

"Mubarak ho bhai, teri gaadi bhi patri pe aa hi gayi." Munna shook him out of his reverie, taking the boxes from him and placing in the car.

Pandit rubbed the back of his neck, feeling on top of the world.

Munna hugged his friend, equally happy.

At home, Bela asked Naina to change into the new saree for pooja. The light pink saree had a small golden border, along with a golden blouse. Naina had especially kept this saree aside for today's occasion, knowing Sameer's fascination for the colour.

She wore the gold studded jewellery to go with it. Lining her eyes with kohl, she smiled, thinking how Sameer would react to it... he wasn't even aware that she would be changing. The hair were given a little lift on the side..
she pinned them up with an ornamental clip on the top. A touch of gold on her eyelids, small studded bindi and pink lips completed her look.

"Sameer, aao, Naina ke saath mandir mein pooja kar lo... uske baad sabko nikalna hai." Anand called him when Bela gestured.

Sameer got up and quickly came to the kitchen... Naina had not been around for quite some time and he was getting desperate to see her.

He halted in his tracks... standing in front of the mandir was not the same Naina... his eagerness to see her changed to the desperation to touch her, feel her, kiss her, melt her...

"Yahan aa jao, beta, Naina ke saath khade ho jao." Bela held his arm and made him stand next to her.

Unable to resist, he pressed the side of his arm against hers. She stifled a smile... his eyes had conveyed the effect she had on him the moment he entered.

Sameer had no idea what the pooja was about, what was spoken, what he was made to do, how he managed everything that was asked of him...

His breathing had been erratic... his heartbeat had plummeted... his fingers itched to glide on her smooth skin...

"Ab tere pagphere ki rasm poori ho gayi... tum dono aaram se apne ghar jaa sakte ho." Bela patted Naina's cheek.

"Chalein Sameer? Warna station ke liye der ho jayegi." Anand touched his shoulder.

"Huh... haan... haan chachaji." Sameer gulped, finding it difficult to move away from Naina.

He turned once he reached the door of the kitchen, his eyes pooled with desire. She felt the colour rise to her cheeks... glimpses of what he would do when they were alone raiding her imagination.

Evening update would be shorter, and might get delayed.
Will be giving it only because this one had lesser Samaina moments... just to make up for that... otherwise I am neck deep in too many things😓