Naina continued to sniff in the car. Sameer waited for sometime, thinking that she would perhaps come out of it. When he couldn't bear it any longer, he shifted closer, pulling her against himself with one arm around her shoulder and one on her cheek.

"Mujhe aisa lag raha hai ki main tumhe sabse cheen ke le jaa raha hun." He kissed the top of her head.

Naina placed her palm on his chest, sobbing quietly.

"Naina, please mat ro... warna mujhe bhi rona aa jayega." He brooded.

She punched him on the chest... knowing that he wasn't able to see her this emotional.

"Ahh... aise kaun maarta hai apne pati ko? Lagta hai do teen haddiyan toot gayi hongi." He cried out in pain, holding one hand over his chest where she had hit him.

Naina straightened immediately, "Sameer, zor se laga kya? Sorry, maine toh dheere se... sorry, bohot dard ho raha hai kya? Dikhao."

She leaned to touch the chest delicately.

"Achha bahana hai." He raised one brow.

"Bahana?" She looked at him, puzzled.

"Yahin meri shirt utarwana chahti ho... chot dekhne ke naam pe?" He gave a lopsided smile, whispering in her ear so that the driver couldn't hear them.

Naina took a few seconds to understand... and then blushed to the roots, hitting him even harder before turning to sit facing the window.

Sameer heaved a sigh of relief... at least she had stopped crying.

"Umm, yeh makeup jo beh ke chehre pe aa gaya hai, ghar pohochte hi sab darr na jaayein kahin." He leaned sideways, whispering again.

She touched her face, "Kya? Makeup kharab ho gaya? Divya ne toh kaha tha kuch nahi hoga, chahe saari raat bhi rakh lun."

Sameer smiled.

"Please batao, main theek kar leti hun." She looked at him in desperation.

He took out his handkerchief, "Lao, main kar deta hun."

She sat still in front of him.

Sameer gaped at her perfect face... where nothing was out of place. Her eyes, looking dark inside the car, were lined beautifully, lids having a golden shine... her cheeks were glowing, as always, rather more today... her lips were painted red, the way he loved, and slightly pursed at the moment... her tiny red and white bindis lined over the brows were something new, something he had never seen earlier...

"Baithe kyon ho? Karo na." She insisted.

"Kya karun?" He was lost.

"Arre baba, makeup theek karo na... ghar aane wala hai." She gave him a worried look.

"Oh." He realised what he had told her, and leaned closer to her face, pretending to clear a patch near her lips.

"Sameer." She held his hand.

He raised his brows in question.

"Rone se aankhen kharab hoti hai... lipstick nahi." She said in a reprimanding tone.

He gave a sheepish smile, and said in a barely audible voice, "Toh pehle lipstick kharab kar deta hun... fir theek kar dunga."

She gasped, pushing him... taking the handkerchief from his hand and dabbing around her eyes.

"Kuch nahi hai... ekdum perfect lag rahi ho." He chuckled.

She did not look at him again.

They reached the house shortly.

Sonali stopped Naina from getting down, "Tu ruk abhi... pehle Sameer ko idhar aane de... dono saath chalna."

Sameer stepped out of the car and came to her side.

"Sameer, tum apna dupatta pakdo, ab tum dono saath mein chalo darwaze tak." Sonali instructed them.

Sameer kept the pink dupatta back on his shoulder, as Sonali helped Naina out of the car.

They walked together to the door. Naina looked up at the beautiful white painted mansion that would be her permanent home now. The darkness of the night was overshadowed by the web of lights that had covered the entire passage... in fact, the complete open area outside the house was lit up with dozens of fairy lights. The path from car to the main door was paved with rose petals. The door itself had heavy toran of marigold flowers, along with a floral rangoli... the metal kalash of rice placed in the center.

Sameer saw Rahul's mother at the entrance, with a thali in her hands... his eyes moved around, searching... till he saw Vishakha coming out, holding another pooja thali.

"Aaj Sameer ki dono maa ek saath apni bahu ka swagat karengi." She announced.

Naina looked up at Sameer... he smiled.

First Rahul's mother performed the aarti, then Vishakha did the same.

"Ab apne daayein pair se yeh kalash gira ke ghar mein pravesh karo." Vishakha moved aside.

"Agar aap ijazat de toh yeh kalash hum dono ek saath gira sakte hain?" Naina asked softly, looking at both the ladies.

They stared at her in surprise... never in their life had they seen such a thing.

"Lekin beta, ek bahu ke roop mein yeh tumhara pehla kadam hai... Sameer toh yahin rehta hai." Vishakha looked at her, still dismayed at her request.

"Lekin ek pati ke roop mein toh Sameer ka bhi pehla hi kadam hai... main chahti hun pati patni banke hum dono ka grah pravesh ho." Naina reasoned.

Rahul's mom smiled, "Maan jayiye, Vishakha ji... inki kahani sabse alag hai toh inki rasmein bhi nayi hi hongi na... Sameer, tum bhi Naina ke saath daayan pair kalash ko lagao... aur dono ek saath ghar mein kadam rakho."

Sameer held Naina's hand, they touched the small brass pot, making it trip... and the rice spilled on the floor. Together, they entered the house.

Munna Pandit came shortly after them. The beaming smile on Pandit's face, and a knowing smirk on Munna's was noticed by Rahul.

"Kya baat hai... aaj Pandit kuch zyada hi daant dikha raha hai." He asked.

"Aaj Pandit ko kuch mat pucho... bas usse hawa mein udne do." Munna looked at his friend who could not wipe off the silly grin from his face.

"Kamaal hai... hawa mein hamare dulhe raja ko uddna chahiye... aur yahan Pandit ke rang badle hue hain." Rahul was amazed.

Munna turned to him, placing one hand on his shoulder, "Sameer paanch saal se bhabhi ko dekh raha hai... chaar saal se zyada se pyar karta hai... teen saal pehle apne dil ki baat kahi... do saal se haath pakad raha hai... ek saal se bhabhi ne kareeb aane diya usse... aur aaj... do shadiyon ke baad, teesri shaadi karke woh yahan pohocha hai... usse toh rocket banke mangal grah tak udd jaana chahiye... Pandit ko abhi paanch minute pehle umeed ki pehli kiran nazar aayi hai... Sameer ke jaise hawa mein udne ke liye abhi usse bohot time hai."

"Kitna maths padha diya bhai tune... tera yeh numberon ka khel mujhe poori tarah samajh toh nahi aaya... par Sameer ki kahani pata hai isliye uski khushi ka andaza hai mujhe." Rahul scratched his head.

"Preeti ne ishara de diya... jiska apne Pandit ko kabse intezar tha." Munna whispered to Rahul, making him flash a broad smile too.

"Yeh tum log kya khusur pusur kar rahe ho?" Sameer gave a suspicious look to his friends.

"Baad mein batate hain." Munna winked at him, making him even more doubtful about their intentions.

Sameer waved at Munna to come closer.

"Agar tumne koi bhi harkat karne ki koshish ki toh dekh lena... chodunga nahi tum logon ko." He hissed when Munna bent to listen to him.

He stuck his tongue out, touching his ears, "Bhai, hamari akal pe pathar pade hain kya... pata hai ki tune maar maar ke bhurta bana dena hai agar aisa kuch kiya toh... aur mujhe shaheed hone ka koi shauk nahi hai... meri shaadi toh baaki hai abhi."

Munna was about to tell him Preeti's decision when Vishakha asked Naina to get up.

"Naina, maine yeh thaliyan farsh pe rakh di hain... tumhe ek ek karke saari thaliyan uthani hain... lekin dhyan se... jitni kam awaaz hogi utne kam jhagde honge ghar mein." She explained about the fun ritual, done by the bride after marriage.

Naina looked at Sameer. He blinked in assurance. His one smile gave her the confidence.

Placing the dupatta on the sofa, she got up.

"Sameer, tum bhi aao... tumhe yeh thaliyan apni talwar se door karni hai... iss rasm ka matlab hai ki pati chahe kitni bhi pareshani khadi kare, patni ka farz hai sab kuch sambhal ke, samet ke rakhna... tabhi ghar mein khushhaali rahegi." Vishakha explained.

Sameer picked up the sword he was carrying with his outfit, and reduced the distance between the thalis, making it easier for Naina to pick them up.

"Arre beta, yeh tum kya kar rahe ho... tum toh Naina ki madad kar rahe ho." Vishakha thought he had not understood how it is to be done.

"Main hamesha Naina ki madad hi karunga... sirf uska hi farz kyon hoga sambhalne ka? Hum dono mil ke sab kuch samet lenge, sambhal lenge... chahe woh rasm ho ya zindagi." He adamantly kept bringing the plates closer to her.

When the pile in her hands became big, he held out his hand to hold it... so that she could easily pick up the remaining ones.

Rahul's mother patted his back, "Isiliye mujhe itne achhe lagte ho tum... har jagah tumhe khyaal rehta hai apne saathi ka... jiske dil mein itni gehraai ho doosron ko samajhne ki, uske rishton mein kabhi kadwahat aa hi nahi sakti."

Vishakha felt her eyes getting damp, "Lekin jab saamne wala iss gehraai ko na dekh paye toh kadwahat aa jaati hai, bina mere bete ki galti ke."

Sameer kept the plates on the table. Naina had also picked up all by now. She kept them along with his pile.

They both turned towards Vishakha.

"Aapne aaj yahan aakar, iss shaadi mein dil se hissa lekar, rishton pe padi dhool ko saaf karne ki jo koshish ki hai, waada karta hun usse main dubara nahi aane dunga... Naina ke aane se mere liye khushiyon ke jaise saare raaste khul gaye... jab se isne meri zindagi mein kadam rakha, usse poori tarah se badal diya... aur aaj ghar mein kadam rakha toh meri maa ko mujhse mila diya." Sameer said with tearful eyes.

Vishakha swallowed the lump in her throat... then opened her arms.

Without another thought, Sameer went to her, resting his head on her shoulder. Vishakha dipped her head at Naina, calling her... and Naina too went in her arms.

The tears washed away years of bitterness and resentment, making their hearts lighter.

"Yeh toh khushi ki baat hai... ro kyon rahe ho bachhon... chup ho jao dono." Rahul's mom patted their backs.

They stepped back, wiping their faces.

"Mujhe pata hai maine bohot galtiyaan ki hain... lekin aaj jab teri zindagi ka naya safar shuru ho raha hai... main bas itna kehna chahti hun ki ab teri maa tere saath hai... tum dono ke saath hai... maine doosron ki baaton mein aa ke itne saal tere saath jo bhi kiya uska dard main kabhi mita nahi sakti lekin tum dono ki aane wali zindagi khushi se bhar jaaye iski duaa zaroor dungi... aur meri wajah se dubara kabhi tere aansun na bahe iski koshish karungi." Vishakha promised them.

"Aapka pyar hi hamare liye sabse badi khushi hai, mummyji." Naina held her hand.

"Mujhe mummyji nahi, mummy kaho, jaise Sameer kehta hai," Vishakha stopped abruptly, "kehta tha."

Sameer looked at her hopeful eyes, a few tears spilling down his own as the word slipped out of his lips, "Mummy."

Naina pressed his arm, pride filling up her eyes.

Vishakha held his face and kissed his forehead, "Koshish karungi iss shabd ki haqdaar bane rehne ki."