Rahul, Sonali, bhabhi and their parents were at the main gate... ready to receive the bride's family.

Munna was looking after last minute preparations in the garden. Pandit and Rishi were checking the food behind the partition of canopy.

"Pandit, aaj firse Preeti se milna ho payega... main toh bohot nervous ho raha hun." Rishi hummed as they peered into the covered trays of sweet dishes.

Pandit froze... he wanted to tell Rishi what nervous meant... what he was feeling about facing Preeti after his almost confession to her... he was jittery... his hands were cold, and damp... he didn't have the courage to go out after the voices of guest's arrival reached him... he had no idea about Preeti's reaction. Though she wouldn't say or do anything in front of her family, he knew she would not be the same with him.

"Pandit, chal na, bahar chalte hain... yeh sab ho gaya hai... aur abhi khaana lagne mein bohot time hai." Rishi started to move towards the main party area.

"Umm, tu chala jaa... main zara abhi dene wali cheezein dekh lu." Pandit tried to control the quiver in his voice.

Rishi walked out alone.

Everyone was looking in awe at the bungalow. The white, aristocratic mansion stood gleaming in the night... defying the darkness around. Covered with orange strings of flowers, it looked happy and welcoming.

"Itna bada ghar hai Sameer ka?" Bela was astonished... but the next moment, she closed her eyes and started to murmur something.

"Bela, yeh kya kar rahi ho?" Anand leaned and whispered.

"Nazar utar rahi hun... meri hi lag jayegi." She looked at him apologetically.

Anand smiled, "Apno ki nazar nahi lagti... agar aapke dil mein pyar aur apnaapan ho... tum hairaan ho Sameer ka ghar dekh ke isliye aisa keh diya... isse kuch nahi hoga."

Bela smiled back, though she was not convinced. Looking around, she realised all relatives were whispering amongst each other.

"O bai, yeh ghar hai ya mahal... kiraye ka liya hai kya shaadi ke liye?" Taiji asked her husband, sure that Sameer could not be the owner of such a big house.

"Dheere bolo Bina... sab hasenge tum pe... Jai Prakash Maheshwari ka ghar Ahmedabad mein sabse bada aur khoobsurat hai yeh zyadatar log jaante hain... maine bhi aaj tak bahar se hi dekha hai... aaj pehli baar mauka mila hi andar jaake dekhne ka." Tauji gave the house a jealous look.

"Kya baat kar rahe hain ji... woh ladki jiske naseeb mein ek ghar tak nahi tha aaj tak woh kal se Ahmedabad ke sabse bade banglei ki malkin ban jayegi?" Taiji stood rooted at the realisation.

"Apni apni kismat hai, Bina... jisne kabhi kuch nahi chaha, kabhi kuch nahi maanga usse bhagwan ne itna sab de diya... aur jiska laalach hi khatam nahi hota usse bhagwan na shakal dete hain, na akal aur na dhan daulat." Phulla bua commented as she crossed taiji to walk ahead.

For once, even Phulla bua's taunts didn't effect taiji... her entire focus on the huge house... making her envy Naina for everything.

"Lekin uski kundali jali hui hai... usse kaise yeh sab mil sakta hai... uske paas na maa baap hain na ghar... na sundar hai na koi gun hai... fir kaise itne bade ghar ki bahu ban sakti hai?" She was still finding it unbelievable.

"Ab yahin khadi khadi badbadati rahogi toh chokidaar bahar nikaal dega... chalo chup chap." Tauji pulled her by arm, dragging her inside.

"Aap sabka swaagat hai apni beti ke ghar mein." Rahul's mom greeted them.

Phulla bua folded her hands, "Dhanyavaad... aapko dekh ke itni khushi ho rahi hai ki bata nahi sakti... aap aaj Sameer ki maa ka farz nibha ke na sirf Sameer ke liye balki hamare liye bhi bohot khaas ban gayi hain."

Rahul's mom looked at her husband, then smiled at buaaji, "Sameer hai hi itna pyara bachha... usko beta banana mere liye saubhagya ki baat hai."

Bela stepped ahead and hugged her, getting emotional.

"Aap hamare liye Naina ki saas hi rahengi hamesha." She said in a choked voice.

"Nahi auntyji, inko saas banna nahi aata... yeh meri mummy hain aur Naina ki bhi mummy hi rahengi." Sonali came to her mother in law, wrapping her arms around her shoulder.

She patted Sonali's cheeks, "Ab zyada makhan mat laga... chal Naina ko andar leke jaana hai."

Laughing, they turned to go when bhabhi held Naina's hand and turned to look at others, "Maaf kijiye, lekin aaj Naina sabse aage chalegi... Sameer ne iske liye poore raaste pe phool bichaye hain."

Everyone looked at the floor... a few gasps were heard as the petal laden path became visible to guests.

"Bhabhi, Sameer hai kahan? Chup ke kyon baitha hai?" Naina asked her in a low voice.

"Sameer bhi mil jayega... zara sa sabr bhi nahi hai kya hamari hone wali dulhan mein?" Bhabhi gave her a mischievous smile.

Naina felt her cheeks flare up, and she lowered her eyes.

"Sameer tumse akele milna chahta hai... baithne ke baad kisi bahane se ghar ke andar chalna hai... Preeti ko saath le chalna jisse kisi ko shaq na ho." Bhabhi whispered as they walked over the path of flowers.

Naina was scared that the drumming of her heart could be heard by bhabhi and Sonali who were walking along.

Once they were seated, Munna and Rishi came and greeted everyone.

"Hi, kaisi hain aap?" Rishi smiled at Preeti.

Preeti brought a forced smile on her lips, "Bohot achhi hun... aur ab college khatam ho chuka hai toh ekdum maze mein hun... lekin tumhe abhi aur padhna hai... tumhara college toh baaki hai na... waise senior hun tumhari... koi problem ho toh pooch lena... par jaane do... aisa lagega ki bade hone ka faayad utha ke gyaan de rahi hun."

Rishi's face fell... he knew Preeti was elder to him but it had not effected him till now... till she rubbed it in so blatantly.

"Rishi, zara Sonali ko bulana." Naina brought him out of the shock.

"Uhh... abhi... abhi bulata hun." He slipped away.

"Kya kar rahi thi?" Naina looked at her sister.

"Usse bata rahi thi ki bachhe apni umar ke hisaab se chalaang laga... uss din kuch nahi kaha toh aaj bhi aa gaya hero banke... ek baar mein hero se child artist bana diya usse." Preeti grinned.

Naina chuckled at her comparison.

Sonali came over to talk to her. After a while, Naina muttered to Bela that her lehenga needed to be tightened.

"Beta, yahan kaise?" Bela anxiously looked around.

"Sonali ke saath andar jaake kar lungi... Preeti bhi chal padegi mere saath." Naina said.

Bela dipped her head to the side.

Both girls followed Sonali into the house.

She led them to the library, "Tum yahan ruko, main Sameer ko bulati hun."

As they stepped in, Preeti banged into a stack of books kept near the door.

"Oh, sorry Naina... mujhe dikha nahi." Preeti apologised, looking down at the fallen books.

"Mujhe kyon sorry bol rahi hai...mujhe lagi thodi hai." Naina furrowed her brows at her.

"Ghar toh tera hai na, behen... isliye bol rahi hun." Preeti pinched her cheek, "Chal ab utha dete hain isse pehle jijaji aake kahen ki maine aate hi toofan macha diya."

Naina bent and picked up two books and handed to Preeti who started to arrange them on the table. She had placed a few of them, setting properly so that they don't fall again.

With one hand held out behind her, she waited for Naina to give more while she made place on the table for them.

"Kya kar rahi hai... de na." She turned when nothing landed on her hand for quite some time.

And froze.

Pandit stood in front of her, staring at her hand.

Quickly fisting the palm, she pulled it back, looking around for Naina... who was no where.

They stood in silence for a few moments.

"Hi Pandit... tu yahan kya kar raha hai?" Her sudden smile and same chirpiness took him by surprise.

"Chal ab tu aa gaya toh bachi hui books pakda de... Naina ki jagah tu kaam kar le." She pointed at the few books still on the floor.

"Preeti, main... main..." Pandit was taken aback by her behavior... she acted as if last few days didn't happen... as if she had no idea about anything that was going on.

"Main main kya kar raha hai... itna sa kaam nahi kar sakta kya? Samosa nahi khaya... theek hai... tu jaake apne samose kachodi khaa... main khud kar lungi." She bent down to pick up the books.

Pandit could not react... astounded as she arranged the last few books and turned to face him again.

"Kar diya maine khud... ab wapas bahar jaa nahi sakti jab tak Naina aa na jaaye... tu jaa sakta hai... main yahan baith ke Naina ka intezar kar lungi." She gave him a suppressed smile, and turned to look for a seat.

"Preeti... mujhe kuch kehna hai." Pandit finally found his voice.

With her back to him, Preeti closed her eyes... she didn't want it now.

Moving swiftly, she took two steps ahead, then turned at him, "Dekh Pandit, mazaak ko kheechna nahi chahiye... pehli baat toh mujhe kyon tang kar rahe ho tum sab log milke... hum sab toh dost the na... fir achanak mujhe nishana bana liya sabne... lekin ab bohot hua... mujhe gussa aane laga hai."

Pandit lost whatever courage he had gathered, looking at her with open mouth.

"Samajh gaya na tu... ab fir se yeh sab nahi karna." She crossed her arms, huffing.

He took a few moments to decipher what she meant.

"Preeti, agar tumhe yeh sab mazaak lag raha hai toh... toh tumhari mehendi mein kya hai?" He asked in a soft voice.

It was Preeti's turn to be shocked... she opened her palm to stare at the letter P... he had seen it... only, she herself didn't know how it appeared.

"Mujhe... mujhe nahi pata... maine dekha nahi... main toh mehendi lagwana bhi nahi chahti thi... bua dadi ne zabardasti lagwa di... aur yeh pata nahi... kaise... " She fisted her hand again, gritting her teeth.

Naina had been pulled out of the library when she was handing the books to Preeti.

"Bhabhi, kahan?" She looked at the person who was whisking her in another direction.

"Sameer se milna hai na... wahin le jaa rahi hun... par zyada der mat karna... bahar sab poochne lagenge." Bhabhi opened the door of Sameer's room and sent her in.

Naina entered and was immediately awed at the changed look. She had been here before... many times... but today everything was different. She looked at the huge picture of the two of them... the book case... flowing curtains that she always used to imagine in her dream house... she had even told Swati about it, not knowing whether she would ever be able to have a dream house... and today, Sameer had made the same dream come true.

"Kaisa laga apna kamra?" He whispered against her ear.

She leaned back, taking a deep, contended breath as her back touched him, "Sapno se bhi sundar."

"Sapno se bhi sundar toh tum lag rahi ho." He kissed her head.

"Sameer, tum bahar kyon nahi aaye?" She twisted her neck to see him.

He held her shoulders, and turned her to face him, "Bahar tumko aise thodi dekha sakta tha."

His eyes roamed over her from head to toe, then back to her face... eyes shining with appreciation.

"Kaisi lag rahi hun?" She raised her brows.

"Tumhe pyar hai mujhse ya dushmani?" He said in a pained voice.

"Sameer, yeh kya keh rahe ho?" Naina was appalled.

His hands slowly slipped from her shoulders, going down her arms, "Har rasm mein yeh hare rang ke kapde pehen leti ho... pata hai mere dil pe kya guzarti hai."

Naina shivered at his touch, lowering her eyes, "Kyon... tumhe hara rang pasand nahi kya?"

He circled her waist, "Naina... kal se iss kamre mein rahogi tum... hamesha ke liye... mere paas... fir bataunga tumhe kaunsa rang mujhe pasand hai... aur kis rang se kya yaad aata hai."

A swift pull made her land against his chest. Her hands went up to his shoulders.

"Kitni sundar lag rahi ho tum... inn aankhon mein dekh ke sab kuch bhool gaya hun." He touched her cheek lightly.

She gulped, seeing his eyes darken.

He cupped her face, leaning in... Naina closed her eyes... lips quivering in anticipation.

He came close to her face, then moved aside to whisper in her ear, "Ab main apni dulhan ko hi kiss karunga... tab tak intezar karo, Mrs Maheshwari."