"Yeh achanak se kya ho gaya jijaji ko... aisa kya kha liya unhone jo aur kisi ne nahi khaya?" Preeti gave a worried look to Munna, avoiding to look at Pandit.

Munna's serious face slowly relaxed, a smile appearing on his lips.

Preeti stared in confusion... and then her eyes widened.

"Aapne jhooth bola? Pata hai Naina ki kaisi haalat ho gayi thi?" She gritted her teeth, trying not to scream in the market area.

"Zara sa pet dard hi toh kaha tha... kaunsa heart attack keh diya jo itna gussa dikha rahi hai tu." Munna pouted.

Preeti smacked him on the head, "Gadha hai kya? Akal nahi hai bolne ki... kuch bhi bole jaa raha hai... Pandit isko samjha de warna pit jayega aaj mere haathon se."

In her anger, she turned towards Pandit and blurted... only to realise the changed equation when both Munna and Pandit looked at her with a hint of smile on their faces... Munna was no longer her same school and college friend, he was jijaji now... and Pandit was... she wasn't sure what he was, but he wasn't the same either...

She instantly turned her back towards them.

"Sorry jijaji, main... ekdum se gusse mein bhool  gayi ki ab aap... main bas itna keh rahi hun ki aisi ashubh baat kyon muh se nikal rahe hai... woh bhi aaj ke din..." She shut her eyes.

"Toh udhar dekh ke kyon bol rahi hai... daantna hai toh mujhe daant... Preeti, dekh, tu meri aur Sameer, dono ki saali hai... lekin meri dost bachpan se hai... Sameer ko tune shuru se jijaji hi maana hai... par main toh dost hun pehle... tu mujhse jo chahe bol sakti hai... mujhe bilkul bura nahi lagega... balki aaj apni purani dost ko dekh ke khushi hi hui." Munna said in a soft voice.

Preeti turned, and smiled at him, "Lekin ab meri behen jaisi saheli ke hone wale pati ho aap... toh jijaji hue na... isliye aapse badtameezi nahi kar sakti."

"Tujhe kisne keh diya yeh badtameezi hai... abe Pandit, zara bata isko, yeh toh hamari Preeti ka style hai... shuru se... aise hi thodi darta tha aadha college tujhse." Munna said with his usual drawl.

Pandit had not taken his eyes off her, "Kuch log toh abhi bhi darte hain."

Preeti stayed quiet, looking at some point in a distance, then said in a low voice, "Ab Naina ko bulana hoga... der ho gayi toh ghar pe mushkil na ho jaaye."

Munna glanced at Pandit... he blinked once... and Munna started to move towards the lane where he had parked the car.

"Aap... aap kahan..." Preeti raised her hand to stop him when Pandit cut her sentence.

"Bulane jaa raha hai... abhi aa jayega."

Preeti stood chewing her lip, hoping he doesn't ask about the gift that she hadn't yet opened.

He didn't.

Munna entered the lane to see Naina walking towards him, while Sameer stood leaning against the car.

"Sorry bhabhi, maine tumko pareshan kar diya... mujhe pata nahi tha sirf pet dard ka sunke tum itni darr jaogi." He scratched his head apologetically.

Naina glared at him, "Aage se kabhi Sameer ki tabiyat ke baare mein jhooth bola toh... "

He gulped.

"Toh main Swati se pitwaungi." Her face broke into a smile.

A small laugh spurted out of him, "Woh toh roz hi pit ta hun."

She looked back at Sameer and waved. He waved back.

They reached where Pandit and Preeti stood in awkward silence.

"Chal Naina, der ho rahi hai." Preeti held her hand, almost dragging her away from the street.

They reached home to find Bela pacing in the living room. She let out a long exhale the moment both girls climbed the stairs.

"Aa gayi tum dono, baat ho gayi na? Aa jayegi woh Divya shaam ko sahi saaman ke saath?" She cupped Naina's cheek.

"Aa jayegi mummy, humne bata diya kya chahiye." Preeti assured her mother.

"Ab theek hai na tu?" She gave a worried look to Naina.

"Jee chachiji, ab main bilkul theek hun." Naina was composed now... and Bela felt relieved.

"O ladkiyon, idhar aao zara." Phulla bua called out from where she was sitting.

Naina and Preeti went to her.

"Yeh le, gudiya... tere sasuraal se tera shaadi ka joda aa gaya." Phulla bua pointed to a huge packet.

"Sachiiiii... chal Naina, dekhte hain." Preeti quickly picked it up, excited to open it.

"Dekhke hi toh liya tha... bhool gayi kya?" Bua dadi frowned at her.

"Buaji, dekh lene dijiye... aisa na ho kuch theek karna pade aur woh sab shaam ko taiyar hote hue hi pata chale." Bela implored.

"Haan Naina, check karle achhi tarah... kuch theek karana ho toh bata dena." Bua dadi directed her.

Elated, the sisters rushed to their rooms with the packet.

Preeti spread the beautiful pink outfit on the bed, admiring the shimmering, silver work on it.

"Manna padega jijaji ki pasand ko... kitna alag hai sab dulhano ke lehenge se... fir bhi kitna sundar hai." Preeti marvelled at Sameer's choice.

"Haan, Sameer ki pasand aisi hi hai... sabse alag... sabse khoobsurat." Naina reminisced about other things that he had gifted her.

"Bas, bas... bohot ho gayi khud ki tareef, zyada hawa mein mat udd." Preeti playfully chided her sister.

Naina gave a puzzled look to her, wondering when did she talk about herself... and realised what Preeti meant when she winked and giggled.

"Pata nahi Preeti, Sameer ne aisa mujhme kya dekha... pehle toh maine kabhi khud ko aine mein theek se dekha tak nahi tha... hamesha bas yehi socha ki taiji jaisa kehti hain main waisi hi hun... meri shakal soorat mein kuch achha kehne layak hai hi nahi." She held the dupatta of lehenga close to her chest as she recalled school time and initial days of college when other students made fun of her.

Before Preeti could contradict her, she started again, "Lekin Sameer ne aake meri zindagi mein sab kuch badal diya... ab mujhe khud se koi shikayat nahi hai... aine mein jo dikhta hai woh achha lagta hai... Sameer ne mujhe khud se pyar karna sikha diya hai... kyonki jo usko pasand hai main usse kaise napasand kar sakti hun."

"Aur jijaji ki pehli pasand toh tu hi hai." Preeti raised her brows, happy to see her get over the insecurities and complexes that she had since childhood.

Naina opened the dupatta, and placed it on her head, going to stand in front of the mirror.

"Dekh zara... aisi khatarnaak lagegi na ki bas... jijaji toh samajh le, dekhte hi behosh." Preeti looked at her reflection.

"Yeh tu tareef kar rahi hai ya kisi jasoosi film ka climax bata rahi hai?" Naina pursed her lips at her.

"Behen, kahani likhna tera kaam hai... main toh pair pe pair rakh ke uss kahani pe banne wale serial ya picture dekhne waalon mein se hun... itni mehnat mujhse nahi ho sakti." Preeti fell back on the bed.

Naina put the dupatta away after folding it with utmost care, then sat down next to her.

"Lekin apni kahani tujhe khud hi likhni padegi, Preeti... kuch socha tune?" She asked her sister.

Preeti sat up, her expression turning somber, "Naina, main teri shaadi ke baad hi iss baare mein sochungi."

"Achha baba, ab serious mat ho... chal tere shaam ke kapde bhi nikaal, press karke rakh lete hain." Naina pulled her hand, changing the topic.

Preeti quickly opened the cupboard to take out her own lehenga for the evening. They ironed the outfits and kept the jewellery along with it. Sameer had sent some traditional jewellery to go with her lehenga... he had mentioned it to her family earlier and they had given permission. Now she looked at the hair piece and heavy necklace set, wondering how she would be able to wear so much jewellery.

"Maine toh zindagi mein saare tyohar aur khaas mauke mila ke itna sab nahi pehna jitna Sameer ne sirf aaj ke liye bheja hai." She looked at the velvet boxes, nervous about such expensive pieces.

"Yeh sab pehen ke kisi maharani se kam nahi lagne wali tu... aur aaj nahi pehenegi toh kab pehenegi... dulhan ko toh sabse zyada taiyar hona hi chahiye." Preeti wrapped her arms around her shoulder.

At lunch time, Bela asked them to finish their food first, before other guests started to some in. She was jittery today, fidgeting over things that did not require any attention.

"Mummy, kya ho gaya... aap itni ghabrayi hui kyon ho?" Preeti decided to ask after observing her mother for some time.

Bela gave a forced smile, "Nahi toh, aisa kuch nahi, bas kaam dekh rahi thi, sab time se ho jaana chahiye na... baarat aane se pehle sab intezaam, sabka taiyar hona, woh sab... aur kuch nahi."

"Mummy, mujhse toh jhooth mat bolo, main jaanti hun aapko kaam se tension nahi hoti... woh aapka shauk hai... khushi se karti ho chahe jitne marzi log ho... chalo ab batao kya baat hai?" Preeti insisted.

Bela furrowed her brows... telling her about what all taiji had said about Naina and Sameer the previous night.

"Aaj buaji ne kaha ki unko bula laun toh main unke ghar gayi thi din mein... beta, woh aankh band karke palang pe baith ke prarthana kar rahi thi ki iss shaadi mein jitni musibatein aa sakti hain woh aayein... bhagwaan se maang rahi thi ki sab kuch galat ho toh gyarah nariyal chadayengi... har cheez mein kami reh jaye... saare rishtedaar naaraaz ho jaayein... aur bhi pata nahi kya kya bura bol rahi thi." Bela's eyes pooled up.

Preeti smiled at her mother's simplicity, "Aapko kya lagta hai, bhagwan sirf taiji ki baat sunne ke liye baithe hain? Hum sab jo unse roz maangte hain ki sab achhe se ho jaaye, uska kya? Aur mujhe pakka yakeen hai, Naina aur jijaji ne toh bhagwaan ko rishwat bhi di hogi yeh shaadi jaldi se ekdum first class karwane ke liye."

Bela batted her shoulder, "Kuch bhi bolti hai... bhagwan rishwat lete hain kya?"

"Toh taiji ke gyarah nariyal ka laalach karenge kya? Mummy, aap bohot bholi ho... kuch nahi hoga... aur aapko darr hai toh jao aur apna brahmaastra chod do Naina pe." Preeti flicked her brows.

Bela gave her a puzzled look.

"Arre aapka kaala teeka... laga do usse," then she gave a quick look around and leaned closer to whisper in Bela's ear, "Main toh kehti hun ghar mein sab ko laga do... Phulla bua dadi se lekar Golu tak ko... aur ghar ke har kamre, har deewar, furniture pe bhi... shaam ko baarat aayegi toh sab baaratiyon ko laga dena... jijaji ko ekdam bada sa..." She would have gone on and on had Bela not smacked her head lightly.

"Chup kar, sabko nahi par Naina ko laga deti hun." She said, walking out of the kitchen, with Preeti following her.

But Bela went to her room first. When she came to the girls' room, Preeti had already told Naina what she was up to.

Bela opened a newspaper wrapped packet and Naina looked at her in shock.

She was holding green coloured glass bangles... the colour bringing a profusion of memories.

"Naina, haath idhar la." She commanded.

"Mummy, Naina pink chudiyaan pehenegi... yeh kahan match karengi uske lehenge se?" Preeti wondered why her mother was doing this.

"Yeh choodiyaan peeche rahengi, inke aage jo bhi pehenna ho pehen lena... jab ladki maayke se vidaa hoti hai toh kaanch ki hari chudiyon ke saath hoti hai... iska matlab hota hai ki hum apni beti ko unke ghar ki lakshmi bana ke bhej rahe hain... woh na sirf apne sasuraal mein samriddhi layegi balki unka vansh bhi aage badhayegi." Bela slipped on the bangles in Naina's wrist.

"Ohhh... uski chinta mat karo mummy... " Preeti winked at Naina, standing behind her mother.

Naina gave her an enraged look, shaking her head slightly to stop her from saying anything.

"Woh kya hai na... inn sabki  zaroorat nahi hai isse." Preeti rolled her eyes dramatically.

Naina flared her nostrils as she gritted her teeth at Preeti.

"Kya matlab?" Bela asked simply, continuing to slip  bangles on her other wrist.

"Matlab jijaji ka business itna achha hai toh samriddhi unke ghar mein pehle se hi hai." Preeti gave a cheeky grin to her sister.

Done with the bangles, Bela swiped some kajal from the corner of her eye and dabbed it behind Naina's ear, smiling satisfactorily, "Woh toh hai... aur main bhagwan se roz mangti hun ki woh badhti jaaye... bas inka ghar khushiyon se bhara rahe."

Naina hugged her chachiji.

Next part in the evening.