Naina froze.

She was used to hearing all types of harsh accusations but Sameer would not be able to take it... she gulped, wondering how much he had heard... cursing herself that she was standing right next to the door...

"Naina... kya hua... tum chup kyon ho? Aur peeche se kuch shor aa raha hai... kya ho raha hai? TV dekh rahi ho kya?" His voice boomed again... absolutely normal.

She heaved a sigh of relief... Sameer had not heard the exact language used by taiji... she closed her eyes for a moment... opening them again quickly as she moved further inside the room... to avoid any more risk.

"Uh... Sameer... woh tauji aur taiji aaye hain... nahi abhi koi baat nahi hui... abhi nashta kar rahe hain... main chachiji ki madad kar rahi hun... baad mein baat karungi... bye." She kept the phone down.

Sameer looked at the instrument in his hand... eyes blazing.

What he had heard had made his blood boil... but he did not let Naina know that each and every cruel word reached him loud and clear. He could sense the relief in her voice when he pretended to be unaware of what was happening. Something had to be done... he could not let Naina go through all this alone.

But why was she hiding it from him? He had felt her hold back something a few times in the past... was that too related to taiji? Was Naina being subjected to some kind of torture by this vile lady?

He clenched his fists.

Phulla bua looked at taiji in disgust, "Jitna chota tera dimaag hai utni hi gayi guzri teri soch hai... kisi baat ko samajhne ki tujhme kabliyat nahi hai toh beech mein mat bol."

Tauji pondered over what his wife had said, and spoke up after a while, "Kya Sameer aur Naina pehle se ek dusre ko jaante hain?"

Anand looked at Phulla bua... not sure how much they could tell at this point.

"Haan, jaante hain... ek hi college mein the... lekin Sameer ko main bhi achhe se jaanti hun aur Anand bhi... humne soch samajh ke yeh rishta tay kiya hai." Phulla bua said after a deep breath.

"Ab samajh aaya kyon yeh ladki uss din aankhen dikha ke keh rahi thi ki hamare bataye hue ladke se shaadi nahi karegi... arre doosra hi khel chal raha tha iska toh." Taiji was happy to have found something to target Naina again.

Tauji pursed his lips as his nostrils flared, "Toh aap log iss ghar mein prem vivah karwana chahte hain... samaj mein jo humara naam hai woh mitti mein mil jayega... sab log hasenge mujhpe... Anand, tumne socha tak nahi ki ghar ke bade se ek baar pooch toh lo itna aham faisla lene se pehle... main iski ijazat bilkul nahi de sakta."

"Anand ne ghar ke bade se hi poocha hai, Naresh... mat bhoolo ki abhi main zinda hun... tum sabse badi hun... humne Sameer se milne ke baad hi yeh faisla liya hai... usse rishta judne se kaise izzat kam hogi yeh zara samjhao mujhe... woh toh sheher ke sabse izzatdaar khandan ka ladka hai." Phulla bua patiently addressed tauji.

"Baat uske khandaan ki nahi humare khandaan ki hai... aaj tak humare ghar mein kisi ne aisi besharmi nahi ki... woh ladki Mumbai mein padhne ke naam par yeh sab kar rahi thi aur aap log usse badhawa de rahe ho... maaf kijiye buaji, par aapko toh apni umar ke hisaab se sochna chahiye tha." Tauji said with false pride.

Anand gritted his teeth... he could not accept a pointed finger at someone whom he respected like a mother.

Phulla bua blinked at him, nodding once to pacify his anger.

She turned to her eldest nephew, "Yeh meri umar ka tajurba hai jisne mujhe sahi galat ki pehchaan sikhayi hai... aur isiliye maine Naina ke liye sahi ladka chuna hai... Mumbai mein padhne ke saath saath Naina ne aur bhi kai bade kaam kiye hain... har saal university mein top kiya, award jeeta, TV show likha jiski sab taraf sarahana ho rahi hai... aur agar tumhe pata na ho toh bata dun, Naina ne gareeb ladkiyon ke liye ek trust banaya hai jiski wajah se kitni hi bachchiyon ko school jaane ka mauka mila hai... ab inn sab baton se tumhare khandan ki izzat badh gayi yeh toh ek baar bhi nahi nikla tumhare muh se... agar usne Sameer se pyar kiya hai toh galat kya hai... aaj hum sab ki razamandi se woh iss rishte ko apnana chahti hai... warna woh baalig hai... chahe toh shaadi kar sakti hai."

Tauji glared at Phulla bua, conveniently ignoring all achievements of Naina.

But taiji could not stay quiet, "O bai, ab Naina bhaag ke shaadi karna chahti hai... naak katwa di iss ladki ne hamari... kya kahenge sab log... yeh sheher ke itne bade wakeel aur inki bhateeji ne yeh gul khilaya hai."

Naina stood with open mouth at the new accusation... she had never planned any such thing... in fact, no one had even mentioned this... but taiji had started this topic and now she would go on harping about it.

"Chup kar, Bina." Phulla bua reprimanded her.

Anand was fuming at her allegation, "Bhabhiji, aap jo bol rahi hain iss ghar ki beti ke liye bol rahi hain... main Naina ke khilaaf ek aur shabd nahi sununga... usne na kabhi aisa kuch kiya hai na kar sakti hai, jisse kisi ko bhi sar jhukana pade... uski wajah se toh mera sar hamesha garv se ooncha hua hai... aur uski pasand par bhi mujhe naaz hai... agar Naina lakhon mein ek hai toh Sameer ka bhi koi muqabla nahi hai... unki jodi bhagwan ne bana ke bheji hai... hum aur aap sirf zariya hain."

Phulla bua agreed with him, "Sahi keh raha hai Anand... un dono ko jo bhi jaanta hai woh yehi kehta hai... ki yeh do insaan nahi hain... yeh dono ek hi hain... bas roop alag hai."

Tauji stood up in irritation, "Yeh sab faltu ki baatein hain... humein samaj mein rehna hai toh samaj ke niyam bhi manne honge... yeh sab hamare ghar mein na pehle hua hai na hoga."

Without waiting for any reply, he left in a fit of pique.

Taiji followed him quickly, mumbling to herself.

Phulla bua leaned back, closing her eyes in exhaustion.

Anand came to sit near her as Bela rushed out from the kitchen with a glass of water.

"Buaji, lijiye paani." Bela handed her the glass.

After taking a few sips, she asked Bela, "Naina ne sun liya kya?"

With lowered eyes, Bela nodded.

Phulla bua took a deep breath, "Bechari ladki ko kya kya sehna padta hai inn logon ke haathon... ek baar Sameer ke saath chali jayegi toh keh dungi, yahan mud ke aane ki zaroorat hi nahi hai."

"Aisa mat kahiye, buaji... Naina hamari beti hai... kya woh apne maayke nahi aayegi?" Bela choked on her words, sitting down near buaji.

"Nahi beta, tu aur Anand toh sach mein maa baap ho uske... mera woh matlab nahi tha... Naina ko apne maayke aana chahiye aur uska haq bhi hai... bas inn logon ke khyaal sunkar mera bhi dimag thoda hil gaya." She stroked Bela's head.

Anand was furious at his elder brother and bhabhi, "Lekin main chahta hun Naina itni mazboot bane ki kal ko bhaisahab aur bhabhi ji ki galat baaton ka saamna kar sake... unko jawab de sake... haan, humne hi sikhaya tha ki badon ki izzat karo... par badon se beizzati bhi nahi bardasht karni chahiye... jis tarah ke ilzaam bhabhiji Naina pe laga rahi thi, mera khoon khaul gaya... buaji... main Naina ke liye aise shabd nahi sun sakta... humein un sab ko manane ki koshish chod deni chahiye... kal subah panditji se pehli tareekh leke hum shaadi kar denge... agar koi dikkat hai toh main sadan book karwa lunga... hum sab kuch din ke liye wahin chale jayenge aur saari rasmein wahi se karenge... inki buri nazaron se door."

Phulla bua patted his shoulder, "Tu chinta mat kar... Naina mein saare achhe gun hain... jo thodi himmat ki zaroorat hai woh Sameer ke saath milte hi aa jayegi... yeh jo aaj ulta seedha bol rahe hain na, kal yeh sab hi saare samaj mein batane mein apni shaan samjhenge ki Naina inke ghar ki beti hai aur Sameer inka damaad... aur rahi shaadi ki baat... woh toh main karwa ke hi jaungi."

Bela wiped her eyes, "Par aaj inn saari baton se uss becahri ko bohot dukh pohocha hai, buaji... kab se ro rahi hai."

"Main dekhti hun." Phulla bua got up, walking to Naina's room.

Anand wrapped his arm around Bela's shoulder, comforting her.

"Naina, beta abhi tak ro rahi hai?" Bua dadi entered her room to find her sitting on the bed, hugging her knees with head resting on them.

"Jee, nahi toh, aaiye na bua dadi." She quickly wiped her face.

The old lady sat in front of her, "Dekh gudiya, ab tujhe bahadur banna hai... inn sabko tu bachpan se dekh rahi hai... inki baaton ke liye aansun mat baha... aur jab bhi tujhe lage ki baat hadd se zyada aage jaa rahi hai, dat ke jawab de... badon ka lihaz aur samman ek baat hai par galat baat pe chup rehna galat cheezon ko badhawa dena hota hai... maine pehle bhi samjhaya tha na tum dono ko... main aur tere chacha chachi tere saath hain... jab tak tu sahi hai, kisi se darna nahi... aur yeh aansu sambhal ke rakh... jab Sameer ke saath jayegi tab bahana."

Seeing a hint of smile on Naina's face, she continued, "Par tab kyon bahayegi... tab toh khushi ke maare tere saare daant bahar honge... Sameer ki dulhan banke jo jaa rahi hogi."

And Naina felt her cheeks flare up... a shy smile settling on her face.

"Bas aise hi sharmati, muskurati raha kar... kitni pyari lagti hai." Bua dadi was relieved.

Tauji left for court after some discussion with his wife. Rakesh and Arjun were out since morning and Pralay was playing in the street with his friends. Having no work as she had handed the burden of lunch to Bela, taiji lied down to relax and think about the ways to stop the alliance.

The phone started to ring in the living room. Being a miser, she had not bought a cordless, still using the heavy instrument in the living room.

"Hello." She said in a high pitched voice, annoyed at being disturbed at the time of rest.

"Namaste, maaf kijiye aapko pareshan kar raha hun par aap zara apne saamne wale ghar se Bina ji ko bula dengi... bohot zaruri kaam hai aur unka phone nahi lag raha." The soft voice at the other end said.

Taiji looked at the receiver strangely, and started to say, "Lekin main... "

The voice cut her short, "Jee hann, jaanta hun... aapko bhi woh moti pasand nahi hai... kisko hogi... unki aadtein hi aisi hain... par kya karein... kaam unhi se hai."

Taiji fumed, "Ho kaun... "

He didn't let her complete, "Bilkul sahi... kaun hai woh jo har ek ke maamle mein taang adati hai... koi achanak dekh le toh dar jaye... aisi bhayanak shakal hai ki unka beta toh zyadatar ghar se bahar hi rehta hai jisse unhe dekhna hi na pade... aur awaaz toh puchiye hi mat... kaano ke parde phat jaate hain."

Taiji was shaking with anger, "Zara naam batao... "

He cut her again, "Naam bhi lene se muh ka swad kharab hota hai... lagta hai kadwa ho gaya... bolti hi itna kadwa hain woh... ab insaan  shakal ka toh kuch nahi kar sakta, bhagwan ki den hai... par apne tareeke toh sahi rakhe... par yeh aapki padosan toh pata nahi karele ke kuen ka paani peeti hain shayad... ek bhi shabd achha nhi nikalta inke muh se... upar se apne chote bhai ki patni se khana banwa banwa ke khati hain... failti jaa rahi hain, phat jayengi ek din... mera bas chale toh unhe chidiya ghar chod aaun... aise namune dekhne ki toh ticket lagni chahiye... par fir lagta hai ki bichare jaanwar bhi bardasht nahi kar payenge unhe... aakhir janwaron mein bhi dil hota hai, pyar hota hai... doosron ke liye bhavna hoti hai... jo iss moti mein bilkul nahi hai... ab humein toh jhelna hi hai... kya karein... kaam unhi se hai."

Taiji was ready to get inside the phone and strangle the person on the other side.

Before she could form some words, the voice suddenly turned grave, "Aage se kuch bhi kehne se pehle soch lena, moti... pata chala ki tune kisi bhi maasoom ka dil dukhaya hai toh tere liye achha nahi hoga... aur ek baat... agar kisi bhi kunwari ladki ke saath koi badtameezi ki toh chidiyaghar nahi par pagal khane ka ticket zaroor kat jayega tera... yaad rakhna... meri nazar hamesha tujhpe rahegi... bhagwan ka khaas wardaan hai mujhe... kans ka roop leke jo paida hue hain unke liye krishna banke aaya hun... yaad rakhna."

The line went dead in taiji's hand...

She fell on the floor, shaking... this time with fear.

Sameer stood at the window of his room, holding the cordless...