Naina was up early, out of habit. Sameer was still asleep, lying on his back... his one hand was on his stomach... other one sprawled on the side where she laid, quietly feeling the steady rhythm of his heart under her hand on his heart.

Sameer had given her what she could never imagine in her life... the boy she fell in love with at first sight... the boy who caused her pain for two years, and a heartbreak at the end of school... the boy who came back to her life when she had given up hope... the boy who turned her plain, simple life into a whirlwind of love, romance and absolute bliss... the boy who taught her how to express herself... the boy who gave her the confidence to face the world...

The boy who was now her man... her husband.

She raised herself and kissed his jaw, feeling the tickle of his day old stubble. She rested her chin on fisted hand, lying on her stomach... and observed the pattern of the growth... the entire upper lip area was filled with it but under the lower lip, the hair covered just a small patch, leaving the skin around it clear, spreading like a fountain when it reached the chin... she was surprised... somehow, she had always felt that his entire lower face was covered with it... the bottom part of the cheek was slightly darker but more growth was on the jawline... a slim patch curved from the edges of upper lip and joined the dark patch on the chin on both sides...

She tilted her head, wondering how a couple of days of this growth made him even more irresistible...

Leaning, she brought her mouth close to his chin again when he turned his face towards her... and her lips brushed his lips instead...

"Kitni meethi good morning bolti ho yaar tum." His heavy, sleep ridden voice made her heart flip.

"Hmm... tum uthe hue the?" She moved to lift herself.

His arm came around her back, pinning her to the bed, "Itni der se kya dekh rahi thi?" He grasped her waist tight.

She shook her head, "Kuch nahi... bas soch rahi thi tumhe uthaun ya nahi."

"Jhooth... tumhari aankhen bata rahi hain ki tum khoyi hui thi... bolo na... kis cheez pe itna pyaar aa raha tha tumhe subah subah?" His deep voice was doing things to her heart.

She looked into his heavy lidded eyes, leaned and kissed his chin, "Yeh dekh rahi thi."

"Uff, exam se peecha choota toh tumhara dhyaan ab iss pe aa gaya. Jaan, kabhi toh mujh pe bhi dhyan do." He pouted.

She leaned again, giving soft kisses on his forehead, eyes, bridge of the nose, part of cheeks devoid of hair.

"Ab theek hai?" She asked innocently once she was done.

"Ab toh kuch bhi theek nahi hai." He whispered hoarsely, pulling her down to get a taste of her lips.

The doorbell interrupted his plans.

"Lagta hai kaam wali bai aa gayi... hato, main dekhti hun... nahi toh bua dadi ko uthna padega." She slipped out of his hold, tying her hair in a bun.

Sameer turned and buried his head in the pillow, muttering to himself, "Sab pyaar ke dushman hain."

Naina prepared tea for everyone, taking it to Phulla bua's room. She placed one cup for Sameer in a tray and took it to their room.

"Sameer, tum chai pi lo tab tak main naha leti hun... breakfast ke baad humein jaana hai na Rahul ke ghar." She placed the tray on the side table and turned to get her clothes.

"Naina, suno na... tum bhi baitho na thodi der paas mein." He held her hand.

"Arre baba, tumhare paas hi toh thi itni der se... ab jaane do... bua dadi aa jayengi toh fir se chedengi." She pulled at her hand.

"Theek hai, agar tum mere paas nahi aa sakti toh main toh aa sakta hun tumhare paas... chalo." He got up.

"Kahan?" She gave him a perplexed look.

"Nahane." He said nonchalantly, moving towards the washroom, holding her hand.

She felt her legs give way beneath her...

"Sam... Sameer... tum... tumhara dimaag toh theek hai?" She said in a shaky voice.

"Haan, theek hai... isiliye sirf mazak kar raha hun." He giggled, seeing her ashen face.

She jerked his hand, running away to the washroom.

He ran a hand through his hair, muttering, "Aaj mazak kar raha tha, Naina... hamesha nahi karunga."

She stood against the door, wondering amidst the pounding in her ears if he was actually joking...

Little later, when she was done, she bit her lip before opening the door... her heart had still not returned to normal.

With a deep breath, she stepped out, making up her mind to behave normal...

One step out and her resolve crumbled. He was doing pushups... without a tshirt.

She shut her eyes, trying to block the image... but all she could see was him.

Swallowing hard, she turned, stealthily moving towards the door.

"Naina, suno... aaj alu paranthe banaogi kya?" He stood up, sensing her behind him.

She stopped... trying to control her fast breathing before turning to face him.

"Bana dogi?" He appeared in front of her, wiping off the sweat with a towel that he had around his neck now.

"Ha... haan... bana dungi." She managed in a weak voice.

He watched her go out, then turned... his face breaking into a mischievous grin.

"Yehi chehra dekhne ke liye kar raha tha." He flicked the falling hair on his forehead and went for a bath.

After a satisfying breakfast of alu paranthe with curd and butter, they sat together enjoying a cup of tea.

"Naina, gudiya, main tujhe bachpan se dekh rahi hun... tune hamesha ghar pe sabki baat maani hai... sahi ho, galat ho, jaayaz ho ya na ho, tujhe usse jitni marzi takleef pohoche par tu ne kabhi badon ka anadar nahi kiya... beta, main yeh nahi kehti ki aisa karna galat hai... par apni zindagi aise bhi nahi saunp deni chahiye unke haath mein jinhe sahi galat ki samajh na ho." Phulla bua stroked Naina's head as she explained.

"Bade hamesha hamara bhala hi sochenge na, bua dadi." She said innocently.

"Hona toh aisa hi chahiye beta, par hota nahi hai." Phulla bua sighed.

Naina looked at her in confusion while Sameer looked down... he could understand what her grandmother was saying... he had enough experience with his elders.

"Dekh beta, main Anand aur Bela ki baat nahi kar rahi... woh sab kuch sochkar hi faisla lete hai... sabke nazariye se dekhte hain... isliye unka faisla sahi ho sakta hai... lekin woh Rakesh aur Bina... woh alag hi dhol bajate hain... unhe kissi se koi matlab nahi hai... Rakesh Arjun mein khoya rehta hai aur Bina Pralay mein... aur Naresh ab tak ussi kuen mein hai jahan sau saal pehle ke log the... Naina, bade log agar galat faisla lete hain toh lihaaz ki wajah se maan jaana tumhari galti hai... uss faisle ke khilaaf awaaz uthani chahiye." She elaborated.

Naina stared at her.

"Haan, theek keh rahi hun main... abhi tu jab wapas jayegi toh sab tere khilaaf honge... Anand toh zyada samay ghar se bahar rehta hai aur Bela bhi choti bahu hone ke naate kuch bolti nahi hai... par yeh teri zindagi ka sawal hai... mere aane tak dat kar unka muqabla karna... unke saamne khamosh rehkar unhe yeh mat sochne dena ki tune koi galti ki hai... kyonki tune nahi ki... agar woh badalte samay ke saath apni soch nahi badal sakte toh unhe nayi peedi ke maamle mein bolne ka adhikaar bhi nahi hona chahiye." Phulla bua again proved that she was much ahead of her times.

"Bua dadi, main bhi sar jhuka ke sabki baat nahi sunne wali iss baar, lekin main unse badtameezi bhi nahi kar sakti... akhir hum sab ek parivaar hain." She put forth her point.

Bua dadi nodded, "Theek hai, par riwaaz aur sanskar ke naam pe sadiyon purani baaton mein uljha kar woh tujhe tere faisle se peeche hatne ko majboor karenge... lekin tu dati rehna."

She looked at Sameer, "Beta, tujhe bhi iss samay kuch baaton ka dhyaan rakhna hoga... shuru ke dino mein tu unke saamne mat jaana... baat bigad sakti hai... ek baar main aur Anand thoda mahaul sambhal lenge toh tujhe bulayenge."

Sameer shivered at the thought of staying away from Naina, "Lekin bua dadi, aap toh sabse badi hain na ghar mein... aap unko apna faisla bata nahi sakti kya? Aap toh hamare saath hain na?"

She smiled at his honest question, "Main toh shuru se tumhare saath hun, bacchon, kyonki tumhare pyar mein sachhai hai... main chahti hun yeh sachhai sab ghar wale bhi samjhe... agar maine unhe zabardasti apna faisla manne pe majboor kiya toh unme aur mujhme kya fark rahega... woh bhi toh bade hone ke naate Naina ke saath yehi karte rahe hain hamesha."

Sameer could see her point... but he was still nervous about the initial days in Ahmedabad.

"Lekin bua dadi, main Naina se mile bina kuch din bhi nahi reh paunga." He said in a low voice, looking down.

Naina lowered her head too... she wouldn't be able to stay either.

"Arre aisi latki hui shakalein mat banao... maine kaha ghar mat aana... yeh thodi kaha milna mat... itna bada sheher hai... jahan chahe milna... tu toh isse ghar bhi bula sakta hai... aakhir maalkin hai tere ghar ki." Phulla bua was back to her jovial, teasing self.

Sameer could not stop himself from running to her and hugging her, "Aap best ho, bua dadi... I love you."

She rolled her eyes, "Oho, abhi tak toh apni Naina ko hi kehta hoga aaj mujhe bhi."

Naina blushed as Sameer chuckled, "Aap agar kuch saal late paida hoti toh aapko hi kehta sirf."

The old lady widened her eyes for A moment, then threw back her head and laughed, "Badmaash ladka, teri Naina hi teri akal thikane lagayegi... zara ruk jaa tu."

She hugged both of them.

Sameer looked at Naina and held one ear, winning a shy smile from her.

All was well.

My sweet sister JyotzNayak has published her TS on Samaina titled 'Chocolate'.
Do check it out... it's a beautiful story with all emotions... love, care, helplessness, pain, sacrifice... it's going to make you fall in love with Samaina once again.
Give it a try!