Sameer opened his eyes to the brightness in the room. It was definitely not the same room where he had been getting up since last few days. The lights there were blocked by heavy curtains. And here, the flimsy, flowing white and blue curtains allowed the sunlight to stream in, and spread all around, casting its glow on everything.

He smiled, feeling relaxed with the familiarity of things... he was home.

Taking in a deep inhale, he turned his head to the side... and the breath got stuck somewhere in the throat.

His Naina...

Soft rays of sun fell on her face, creating a halo... a few strands of hair covered the face partially, her long lashes rested on her gleaming cheeks... looking like an angel, she was sleeping with a peaceful calm spread over her soft features...

The yellow colour of her night suit merged with sunlight, making the glow diffuse to her neck and arms. Quilt covered her upto the waist. He could see the slow rise and fall of her chest, indicating the deep state of sleep.

She looked extremely delectable.

He lifted himself on one side, filling up his vision with the sight he had longed for all his mornings till about ten days back.

"Tumse shuru hone wali subah ka rang bhi kuch alag hai, Naina... sab kuch bohot khoobsurat hai, lekin tumse zyada nahi... dil kar raha hai... abhi... abhi tumhe... " His heart, brimming with love, could not find words to express his feelings.

Lying back, he slid one arm under the slender waist, pulling her to himself, taking her in a tight embrace.

To his surprise, she snuggled into him comfortably, wrapping her arms around him, still asleep. Her face now rested on his shoulder.

With a satiated smile, he closed his eyes, drifting back to sleep, holding her snugly close.

It was almost an hour later when Naina stirred, opening one eye to see why she was not able to move. Sameer had his arms around her firmly, his leg folded over hers, pinning her to him.

She opened both eyes, feeling assuaged in this captivity. It was a dream come true for her... though she had not envisioned in such details, but being with him was the dream that had filled up all her days and nights ever since that first day in class eleven. It had never mattered whether she was sleeping or was awake... he occupied her heart and mind all the time...

And now... when the dream had become her real life, she couldn't thank her stars enough, considering herself the luckiest person in the world. She had not only got what she wished for, but much more...his love for her was unparalleled, more than she could have ever imagined.

"Tumhe meri hi nazar na lag jaye." She whispered, kissing his jaw.

The feel of her lips made his arms close more around her.

"Good morning, jaan." He mumbled in a heavy voice against her forehead.

"Good morning. Maine utha diya tumhe?" She tilted her head a little to look at him.

His face broke into a sleepy smile, "Tum utha do mujhe, yehi sapna dekh raha tha... subah ka tha isliye sach ho gaya."

She could not stop the chuckle, "Raat bhar romance ke liye nayi lines sochte ho kya?"

"Nahi, raat bhar toh romance ke naye tareeke sochta hun." He gave a lopsided smile.

His heavy lidded eyes, sleep laden voice, hair falling on the forehead... and such talks made her go weak in his arms.

"Bas ab zyada majnu mat bano subah subah... chodo mujhe." She controlled herself.

"Subah subah? Madam, abhi aath baj rahe hain... subah subah toh tab thi jab main utha tha." His eyes cleared up.

"Aath baj gaye?" She widened her eyes, wondering how she could sleep till so late.

"Taiji ko pata chala ki main aath baje soke uthi hun toh mujhe jaan se hi maar dalengi." Her voice showed some traces of fear.

He placed one hand on her cheek, "Taiji ko kyon batana hai? Aur woh kaun hoti hain tumhe kehne wali ki kitne baje utho, kitne baje so jao... yeh hamara apna ghar hai... yahan hum wohi karenge jo humein theek lagega... aur tumhe ab taiji ke baare mein sochne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai."

She quickly changed the topic, "Haan, par ab humein uth jaana chahiye na... do din baad se tumhe factory jaana hai... aise der tak sote rahoge toh roz late ho jaoge... aur aaj chachaji ke ghar bhi toh jaana hai."

"Hone do, kahin bhi late hone se chalega... bas pyar mein late nahi hona chahiye." He dipped his head towards her, seeking his morning dose.

"Hato, tumhe toh aur koi kaam hi nahi hai... mujhe uthna hai." She turned her head, ending up brushing her lips on his jaw.

The prickly growth tickled her with a raspy sound, making her resolve to get up slip away. Not able to resist, she rubbed her nose against his chin before placing small kisses on the jawline.

"Oho, main toh chota sa good morning bol raha tha par madam toh achhe wale mood mein hai... jaan, tumne dil khush kar diya." He grinned, rolling on the bed with her under him.

Her shy smile and slightly hooded eyes conveyed what he wanted to know.

But before he could even feel her lips, the phone started to ring. He gritted his teeth, exhaling in irritation.

Closing his eyes, he bent to hide in her hair.

"Sameer, phone dekho na, zaroori ho sakta hai." She pushed at his shoulders.

"Tumse zyada nahi... bajne do." He sought the creamy skin of her throat.

"Main kahan bhaagi jaa rahi hun... lekin phone pe kisiko kaam ho sakta hai... please dekho na." She pushed harder.

With a sigh, he moved, sliding down the bed with a frown on his face, which eased though, the moment he heard the voice on the other end.

"Jee, koi baat nahi... aap aa jaiye... ek ghante mein... theek hai." He talked with respect.

Keeping the receiver back, he turned, "Munshiji ka phone tha, kuch papers pe sign chahiye unhe... ek ghante mein aayenge."

"Theek hai, tum taiyar ho jao, main breakfast bana deti hun." She got up.

"Naina, ek ghanta hai abhi... aur breakfast nahi karna unhe... bas sign karwa ke chale jayenge." He moved towards her side of the bed as she stood up, tying her hair.

"Bas ab jaldi se naha lo... munshiji hamare kaam ke liye aa rahe hain... unhe intezar karwana theek nahi hoga... hamare paas toh poora din hai... kaam pehle hai, Sameer." She tried to deter him from his present plans.

He pursed his lips, "Sab pyar ke dushman hain... tumse door karne mein lage rehte hain."

She smiled, raking her fingers through his disheveled hair, "Mujhe tumse koi door nahi kar sakta... main hamesha tumhare saath rahungi... ekdum paas... yahan."

Her palm rested on his heart.

He looked down at her hand, then looked up.

"Yahan toh pehle se ho, ab main tumhe yahan rakhna chahta hun." He spread his arms.

She was in his arms the next moment, "Yahan bhi  jab chaho aa jaungi... lekin abhi jo zaroori hai woh karo."

He kissed the top of her head, "Aapka yeh ghulam kisi baat ko naa kaise keh sakta hai... jaisa aap chahein."

She giggled at his drama as he walked to the washroom. Stopping at the door, he turned, looking at her with dark eyes. The laugh got stuck in her throat... she wrenched her fingers, knowing what he was about to say.

He blew a kiss... and went in.

She let out the breath she was holding.

When munshiji arrived an hour later, she had prepared tea and a breakfast of poha.

"Namaste munshi uncle." She greeted him, placing the tea and plates of poha in front of him and Sameer.

He immediately stood up, folding his hands, "Namaste, kaisi ho aap?"

"Baithiye na," she urged, sitting down herself, "main bilkul theek hun... aap kaise hain?"

He dipped his head to the side to convey his well being, before sitting down again.

"Munshiji, maine yeh sabhi sign kar diye hain... aur kuch ho toh aap phone kar dena main khud aa jaunga, aapko pareshan hone ki zaroorat nahi hai." Sameer held out the stack of documents to him.

"Pareshani ki koi baat nahi hai... yeh toh sir se kiya hua waada hai jisse main hamesha nibhaunga... unhone mujhe apne ghar ka sadasya samajh ke apnaapan diya... toh aap dono bhi mere bachche hi hue na... aapka koi kaam pareshani nahi hai." He smiled genially.

"Bachche bolte hi hain par samajhte toh nahi." Sameer creased his brow.

The old man was immediately alert, "Kyon beta, kuch galti ki kya maine... aapko kisi baat ka bura laga kya?"

"Aapko kitni baar kaha hai mujhe aap mat bola kijiye... lekin aap maante hi nahi." He frowned.

"Aap maalik hain... main kaise... " Munshiji looked down, almost embarrassed at the respect he was being given.

"Munshiji, agar aapne aisa fir se bola toh main kabhi factory nahi aaunga." Sameer slid back in the chair, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Sameer theek keh rahe hain uncle... aap nanu ki tarah inhe kaam sikhayenge... toh aapka darja kahin upar hai... aap guru hain Sameer ke... aur umr ke lihaaz se bhi aap bade hain... toh humein aap mat bulaiye please." Naina politely eased the old man's dilemma.

He looked up at both of them, "Iss ghar pe bhagwan ka aashirvad hai... yahan har kisi ka dil ek jaisa hai... nishchal aur nirmal... theek hai, jaisa aap kahein... matlab jaisa tum kaho."

Sameer and Naina laughed.

"Main parson se factory aana shuru karunga... aaj humein Naina ke ghar jaana hai... aur kal bhi thoda kaam hai." He stated.

"Agar tum chaho toh thode din baad bhi aa sakte ho." Munshiji offered.

"Nahi uncle, kaam sabse pehle hai... ab college khatam ho gaya hai toh Sameer jitni jaldi kaam seekhenge utna hi achha hoga." Naina added.

Sameer looked at her strangely... but did not say anything.

Munshiji left after tea and breakfast. By that time, Ramdhari had also arrived. He frowned seeing that Naina had already prepared breakfast.

"Humne isiliye kaha tha jaldi aa jaate hain... aapko pehle hi din yeh sab karna pada... humein bohot bura lag raha hai." He cribbed, picking up the empty dishes to take back to the kitchen.

Naina followed him, "Kyon bhaiya, kya main apne ghar mein khana nahi bana sakti?"

"Nahi nahi bhabhi... humara woh matlab nahi tha... hum bas yeh keh rahe the ki aapko kaam karne ki kya zaroorat hai... inn sabke liye hum hain na." He was immediately defensive.

She smiled, easing out his fear, "Jaanti hun... par mujhe aadat hai... aapne hi ab tak sab kuch kiya hai... aur aage bhi karenge... main bas kabhi kabhi thoda kuch Sameer ki pasand ka bana dungi... agar aapko bura na lage toh?"

He smiled sheepishly, "Kaisi baatein kar rahi hain aap, bhabhi... humein kyon bura lagega... aap khushi se banaiye... Sameer bhaiya aapke haath ka khana kha ke khush ho jayenge."

Smiling shyly, she went out.

Sameer called out to her from outside the house. She saw him waving at her from the front lawn.

"Yahan kya kar rahe ho?" She joined him.

"Tumhe nanu ka garden dikhana hai." He placed one arm around her waist, walking slowly along the flower beds.

There were different types of plants in each one, but very few had flowers.

"Abhi garmi ki wajah se zyada phool nahi hain... lekin yahan saare paudhe phoolon ke hain... nanu ko phoolon se bohot pyar tha... isliye har mausam mein koi na koi phool khilte hain yahan." He pointed at the cluster of shrubs that was covered with small white flowers.

"Sameer, yeh wahi phool hain... jinse gajra banta hai." She excitedly bent down to pluck one.

Bringing it near her nose, she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Holding out to him, she offered him to smell. He did, recognising the intoxicating fragrance from the day when they had bought strings of such flowers in Mumbai... and kept them in their room... and then the same smell had been with them on the first night of their dreams.

"Mujhe pata hi nahi tha yeh phool hamare garden mein bhi hain... pehle kabhi itne gaur se dekha hi nahi." He said, reminiscing about those times.

"Budhu ho tum, itne sundar paudhe hain yahan aur tum dekhte hi nahi the." She looked at other plants, walking to the other side where stems of galdiola were sprouting.

"Inmein bhi kuch dinon mein phool aayenge... dekhna fir aur bhi achha lagega yeh garden." She lightly touched the tiny buds.

"Ab toh iss ghar ka har kona achha lag raha hai." He whispered behind her.

"Bahar hain hum." She moved away before he could grab her.

"Nahi, apne ghar mein hain." He followed her.

"Achha Naina, ek baat puchun?" He was reminded of something.

She looked at him.

"Woh andar tum... munshiji jab aaye the... kya keh rahi thi?" He quirked up his brow.

"Kya?" She joined hers, recollecting the conversation of sometime back.

"Tum mere liye keh rahi thi na... Sameer aayenge... jaayenge... woh kya tha?" He was amused.

She placed her hands on the waist, "Apne pati ke liye sab aise hi bolte hain... sabke saamne issi tarah se baat karni hai, izzat ke saath... chachiji ne kaha tha."

"Oh achha, toh ab se mujhe aap kehke bulaogi?" He teased.

"Kyon nahi? Aap kahein toh naam bhi lena chod dun... ay ji, o ji keh ke bula lungi." She gave a fake, wide smile.

"Waise ay ji bura nahi hai." He smirked.

"Theek hai, aaj jab chachaji ke ghar jayenge toh sabke saamne aise hi bulaungi." She stifled a laugh.

He lunged at her, catching hold of her hand, "Aaj ka din toh chachaji ke ghar pe nikal jayega... toh wahan jaane se pehle itni der tak ki doori sehne ke liye kuch milna nahi chahiye?"

"Sameer, hum teen chaar ghante mein wapas aa jayenge... kahan poora din rehne wale hain?" She placed her hand over his.

"Tumhe pata hai teen chaar ghante ka kya matlab hota hai? Itni der tak tumhe paas se dekhe bina, chue bina kaise rahunga?" He traced a finger along her face.

Her shoulder hitched up, "Wahan yeh sab nahi chalega... taiji toh paas baithne tak nahi dengi."

"Isiliye keh raha hun... jaane se pehle kuch..." He looked at her hopefully.

She pushed at him, running back in, "Pagal ho tum... chup chap taiyar ho jao... jaane ke liye late ho raha hai."

He stood staring behind her, then looked up at the sky, wrinkling his nose, "Kya bhagwanji, sab kaamon ke liye late hota hai... koi yeh kyon nahi kehta ki pyar ke liye late ho raha hai?"

Next update tomorrow morning