Sameer put Naina down gently, next to the bed.

"Mujhe bataogi nahi kya dekha tumne sapne mein? Kya kar raha tha main jo tumhe pagal bana raha tha?" He kept his arm around her waist, grazing her cheek with the other hand.

"Mere sapnon ki baatein tumhe kyon bataun? Woh toh mere apne hain... sirf mere." She flicked her brows.

Her teasing enticed him even more, "Sapne tumhare hain... aur main? Main bhi toh tumhara hi hun... sirf tumhara."

"Toh tum batao apne sapne... pehle toh bada kehte the, roz tumhe dekhta hun sapne mein... ab kyon nahi batate?" She mimicked him, making her voice heavier.

He gave a look of wonder... this girl was something else. Here he was, longing for her, aching for her... and she was playing a game of Tell Me Your Dreams.

"Dekha, tum bhi nahi bataoge na... toh main kyon bataun?" She pouted.

He tightened his hold on her waist, "Sweetheart, mera har sapna pyaar se bhara hota tha... ab bhi hota hai... jismein tum kabhi saree mein aati ho, kabhi suit mein dupatte lehrate hue, kabhi uss lehenge mein jo ek baar tumne try kiya tha, kabhi uss black dress mein hoti ho jo tumne new year pe pehni thi... aur kabhi nighty mein... fark itna hai, ab tum unn sapno ko sach karne lagi ho."

Her breath quickened... but she tried to keep her face normal, "Mere sapne mein tum kabhi suit aur tie mein dikhte ho, office mein baithe hue, kabhi kurta pehen ke pooja karte hue, kabhi track suit mein jogging karte hue... kabhi subah akhbar padhte hue garden mein, chashma lagake... nanu ki tarah, aur kabhi... "

The colour on her cheeks and lowered eyes intrigued him.

"Kabhi?" He lifted her face up, placing one finger under her chin.

A smile spread on her face as she half raised her eyes at him, "Kabhi car se bachhon ko school chodte hue."

The same feeling of confusion hit him again... why did her talks sometimes seemed to be pushing at some closed doors... what was there in his mind that remained veiled... what was it that he was not able to decipher... what was he not able to see that was so clear to her...

She looked up at him, seeing his eyes get clouded.

"Sameer, main apni aane wali zindagi ke sapne dekhti hun... jab tum apna ek naam bana chuke hoge business mein... hamara parivaar bada ho jayega... aur usse aage, jab hum bhi apni zindagi ke uss padaav pe honge jahan aaram se baith kar sab baatein yaad karenge... baalon mein safedi hogi, aankhon pe chashma hoga, chehre pe ek khushhaal zindagi jee lene ki lakeeren hongi... lekin haathon mein ek doosre ka haath hoga... dil mein itna hi pyar hoga, ya shayad isse bhi zyada... main toh poori zindagi dekhti hun tumhare saath."

He was stunned.

The picture that Naina had shown him was something his mind had never reached. He teased her about children but never really thought about the time they would actually have a child... a child of their own... someone who would be with him, not leave him and go away... and they would together see the child, or children, growing up... and one day they would be old, sit back and reminisce about the life they had shared... together.

He would be like nanu... and she would be with him still... till that time... a lifetime.

Their journey with each other had just started... she had shown him the long way they had to go.

Naina held one of his hand, and linked her fingers with his, "Dekh rahe ho tum, kaise hamare haath aapas mein fit ho jaate hain... jaise hamari kismat ki paheli ka jawaab ho... hamare pyaar ka ahsaas ho."

He looked at their fingers, intertwined perfectly... her small, soft hand resting securely in his palm... the threads at their wrists touching each other, as if the metal letters symbolising them also wanted to touch each other...

"Jaise yeh pyar ahsaas hai na, dikhayi nahi deta fir bhi har pal dil mein rehta hai, waise hi hamara saath hai... ek ahsaas... jo door rehne pe bhi humein batata rahega ki koi hai jo har pal hamare baare mein soch raha hai, hamari fiqr kar raha hai... hum saamne na ho fir bhi paas hote hain... iss ahsaas se judde hote hain... hum har baat ko, har cheez ko doosre ki nazar se dekhte hain... hamesha doosre ki khushi sochte hain... kyonki humein pata hai, jo humein pyar karta hai woh humein kabhi dard nahi de sakta, kabhi humein chod ke nahi jaa sakta... yeh bharosa, yeh yakeen har pal uske hone ke ahsaas ko gehra karta hai." Her soft voice was like cool drops of water on his burning apprehensions about facing the next day without her.

"Kal office mein tum akele nahi jaoge, yeh Naina tumhare saath jayegi." She fingered the thread on his wrist.

"Aur iss Naina ka ahsaas jayega." She pointed a finger at herself.

He let out a long exhale, feeling a load lift up his chest. Somehow, the future that she had shown him made him feel more secure... it helped to dim the fear that lurked in far corners of his heart... that he would come back and find the house empty. This dreadful thought nagged him whenever he remembered that he would leave the house alone. But the beautiful dream of their togetherness was strangely vivid... giving him an unspoken promise that she would be here, everytime he came back... she was the eternal presence in his life now.

"Jab main wapas aaunga toh tum mujhe bahar hi milna." He didn't want to miss a single second of seeing her once he reached home.

She smiled affectionately, "Gate pe hi milungi."

He closed his arms around her, safe in the knowledge that this warmth will be his solace forever.

"Chalo, ab so jao, subah jaldi uthna hai na." She moved back after a few minutes.

"Aise kaise so jaogi... kal tumhare ahsaas se kaam chala lunga par abhi toh mujhe yeh wali Naina hi chahiye." He placed a finger on her heart.

She opened her mouth to say something.

He pulled her with a jerk.

Her heels lifted at the pull, and face came right in front of his. Their breaths mingled, the hearts drummed against each other's chest, sparks lit up their eyes, the flames of desire leapt up...

Naina circled her hands around his neck, raising herself more to fuse her lips with his. Sameer hungrily accepted the soft invitation, devouring her with such fierceness that she lost balance, falling back on the bed... with him falling along. Keeping her pressed under him, he cupped her face, his mouth not leaving hers even for a moment.

When his lungs screamed for air, threatening to give up, he moved his head aside, leaning heavily on her, gasping. She tried to catch some air too.

"Naina, tum meri zindagi ho." He whispered, looking into her eyes, when he could breathe again.

"Aur tum meri." She stroked his jaw.

Raising himself on the elbow, he pulled her up on the bed, adjusting her head comfortably on the pillow. He shifted a little to flick off the light switch next to the bed. Faint glow of street lights and moon was all that remained in the room. But his shy Naina preferred it this way... a dim lamp or moonlight...

Discarding his shirt, he went back to her, keeping himself propped up next to her, watching her face framed against the dark hair on white pillow. It was indeed the sight of his dreams... but now it was a reality... forever.

Her arms went around him, pulling him down with her. This was her dream, her bliss.

His hungry lips skimmed over her face, neck, shoulders... hands moving impatiently to the zipper of her dress. Their fingers itched, seeking the skin. The room heated up with the feral demands they made on each other... giving, taking, surrendering. The fervour in his urgent kisses was ardently matched by her, as she moulded herself to be one with him.

Sameer opened his eyes much before the alarm had to go off. The darkness outside was receding... light of the day spreading not only in the sky but seeping into the room too. He looked at sheer curtains which swayed slightly due to the fan. They appeared brighter too, the light reflecting through them.

His eyes drifted to his wife, sleeping next to him. Her cheek rested on his arm, making her lips appear to be in a pout. Her hand was on his chest. He could feel her folded leg resting on his knee.

Naina had made a habit of keeping their night suits next to the bed. She was wearing hers now. The neck of white top slipped a little on her shoulder, and he could see the dark blue mark... the mark of love he had given her yesterday. Against her milky skin, it looked stark. He was tempted to give her another one, on the softness that peeked through her open top two buttons. His hand moved to touch the exposed skin. She inhaled sharply as his fingers dug into the creamy warmth.

"Tum uth gaye?" She held his wrist, stopping his exploration.

"Good morning, sweetheart." He placed a kiss on her cheek, his hand moving leisurely where it was.

"Good morning." A smile played on her lips, while she tried to tug at his wrist.

"Kya hua?" He asked softly, keeping his hand firm.

"Abhi... abhi bohot ujala hai." She left his hand, pulling at her top, only to realise that the buttons were open.

Sameer slid his other hand under the top, his fingers resting on the curve of her waist that was more pronounced as she was lying on her side... his thumb circling her navel. He could feel her shudder under his touch.

"Ujale se darti ho?" He could see his effect on her.

Her face had gone red, her eyes had started to show the flecks of light around the brown rings, her fingers curled up on his chest, the hold on her top became tighter... the change in her breathing was evident under his hand on her heart, on her bare skin.

"Aaj... aaj tumhe jaana hai... der ho jayegi." She said in an almost breathless voice.

"Alarm bajne mein abhi aadha ghanta hai... aur yeh aadha ghanta mera hai... hamara hai." His voice was raspy.

"Woh... woh... " Her eyes shifted to the quilt that lay gathered at their feet, the night being warm.

He could see her hesitation... though her eyes conveyed the same feelings as his, her reluctance about bright light was not new to him.

He lifted the quilt with his toes, taking his hand out of her top to cover themselves with it.

She grabbed the chance to hold the lapels of her top together against her chest.

He looked at her, amused at her action, "Tum chahti ho main badla lun tumse?"

Her eyes didn't show any sign of understanding.

"Button... jaise tum mere todti ho... ek saath hi lagwa lenge dono ke." He looped a finger in the space between her two closed buttons under her fisted hand.

"Sameer... " Her eyes rounded in shock.

"Kya?" He was nonchalant.

"Tum tod sakti ho toh main kyon nahi." He held her hand, pulling it away from her top.

She removed her hand, using it to quickly pull the quilt over their heads, relieved at the darkness it provided.

The phone started to ring that instant.

He muttered a curse under his breath, "Iss phone ko kamre se hata hi dunga."

"Toh bahar jaana padega jab bhi bajega." She giggled.

He glared at her, "Zyada khush mat ho... do minute mein aa raha hun phone sunke."

He dragged himself from the bed, quickly picking up the handset.

Naina stared at his bare back... the smoothness as he stood motionless changing into a play of muscles as he ran his fingers through the hair, the groove created in the center over his spine as he placed one hand on hip, the tightening of shoulders as he spoke strongly into the phone... she wanted to touch him right away.

Slipping out of the bed, she went and stood behind him, waiting. The moment he kept the phone down, she wounded her arms around, placing her head on his back.

He was startled for a moment, then relaxed.

"Toh madam se raha nahi gaya apne handsome pati se door... jaan, maine kaha toh tha aa raha hun phone sunke." He grinned, looking sideways as he couldn't see her face.

She pinched his chest, smiling at his self praise.

He felt her lips curl against his back. Loosening her hold, he turned to face her.

She looked up at him, "Kabhi kabhi sochti hun ki tum mujhse zyada pyar karte ho ya... khudse."

He saw the mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Tum bhi mere saamne aise hi aao, fir dekhna... koi doubt nahi rehne dunga tumhe." He said with an impish grin, eying the open buttons.

She coloured to the roots, pushing at his chest to get away. He held her tight, not letting any gap come between them.

"Tumhe jaane dene ka koi iraada toh nahi tha par manager ka phone aaya hai... unhe kuch files leke Gandhinagar jaana hai dus baje... aur usse pehle mere sign chahiye... isliye mujhe jaldi nikalna padega." He explained the purpose of phone call.

She nodded.

"Lekin yeh hisaab main wapas aake barabar karunga." He touched her buttons again.

"Sameer, please, aisi baatein mat karo." She hid her face in his chest.

He crushed her against himself, soaking in the feeling of her closeness before he left.

But the fear was almost gone now... she had managed to show him the togetherness in distance, given him the feeling of congruity even when they would be apart, managed to give him her presence to be taken along...

He eyed the thread on his wrist... yes, she would be with him.

I'll give the Sunday evening update today but it might not be a long one, as I have an outing planned for the day.