Anand and Rakesh arranged for all the things to be taken to Naina's sasuraal. Sameer had strictly refused for any gift item or any expensive stuff... he had agreed only for the wedding day outfit to be purchased by Naina's family, on bua dadi's insistence.

Few boxes of sweets and some baskets of fruits and dry fruits were the only things they had bought for now.

"Bhaisahab, kya humein unke ghar  walon, matlab Rahul ki family aur Munna Pandit ke liye kuch lekar nahi jaana chahiye?" Anand was a little uncomfortable, going empty handed.

"Anand, jaisa tumhe theek lage... agar kaho toh le aate hain... mujhe yeh sab zyada pata nahi hai." Rakesh was clueless.

"Anand, shayad tum theek keh rahe ho... ghar walon ko kuch tohfa dena koi galat nahi hoga... yeh hum sirf khushi zaahir karne ke liye de rahe hain... Sameer ko main samjha dungi.. usne Naina ke saath kuch dene ko mana kiya hai na... toh hum Naina ke saath kahan bhej rahe hain... jaan pehchan mein kisi ke ghar jaate hain toh bhi unke liye tohfe lekar jaate hain... fir yahan khali haath kyon jaayein... tum dono bazaar jaake unn sabke liye kuch le aao." Phulla bua agreed.

"Jee buaji, main toh kabse inse keh rahi thi ki beti ke sasuraal yuhin thodi chale jayenge... lekin inhone bas yehi kaha ki Sameer ne saaf mana kiya hai." Bela said in a relieved voice... glad that they would be taking some gifts with them.

"Huh... khushi mana rahi hogi tu toh... ki kharcha bacha... achha hai kuch kharidna nahi padega." Taiji taunted Bela.

"Nahi bhabhiji... maine aisa kab kaha?" Bela gave a horrified look go her.

"Bina, main soch rahi thi... jabse main aayi hun tu ghar pe hi baithi hai... kahin aane jaane ka mauka nahi mila... aisa kar, aaj inn logon ke saath bazaar chali jaa... tere liye bhi thodi bahar ki hawa khana zaroori hai." Buaji patted taiji's shoulder.

Then she looked at the brothers, "Anand, Rakesh... Bina bhi tumhare saath jayegi... lekin usko koi samaan pasand karne ke liye nahi kehna... main nahi chahti tum log usse pareshan karo... woh badi hai tum dono se... aaram se ek taraf baitha dena... aur haan, kyonki tumhare saath badi bhabhi jaa rahi hai toh zidd mat karna paise khud dene ki... uska haq hai... main nahi chahti usse aisa mehsoos ho ki uski izzat nahi ki gayi... isliye paise Bina hi degi saari kharidari ke."

Taiji stared at Phulla bua, her face white. It was like the marriage was entirely her responsibility.

"Par... par buaji... woh... Parlay ke  papa ne toh... pehle hi zevar aur... " She tried to save herself from more expenditure.

"Arre haan, main toh bhool ho gayi." Phulla bua hit her forehead.

Smiling at taiji, she said sweetly, "Bina, achha kiya tune yaad dila diya... zevar toh ban gaye par daamaad ke liye chain nahi aayi... woh bhi tu le aana."

The smile that had started to appear on taiji's face after her initial reaction vanished the moment Phulla bua gave the next instruction.

"Par Sameer ne toh kaha tha... " Anand tried to intervene.

Buaji stalled him by showing her hand, "Chain shaadi ke kapdon ka hissa hai... woh Sameer ki sherwani ke saath jayegi."

Anand nodded.

Looking at taiji, Phulla bua opened her mouth to say something.

"Main samajh gayi, buaji... Anand babu, jaldi chaliye... aake taiyar bhi hona hai." Taiji rushed out of the house, terrified that buaji will ask her to spend more money.

The phone in Naina's room started to ring when she was having tea.

"Hello." She was sure it was Sameer but didn't say so as Pooja didi and Neelu were in the room with her and Preeti.

"Kaisi ho, sweetheart?" His words set her skin tingling.

"Sameer, kya... kya hua?" She showed fake surprise, for the benefit of audience.

He frowned, "Kya hua? Yeh kaisa sawal hai? Maine toh apni jaan ki awaaz sunne ke liye phone kiya tha... tum itni hairaan kyon ho gayi?"

"Oh achha... yeh koi badi problem nahi hai... main bata dungi ghar pe... tum itni si baat ke liye pareshan mat ho." She smiled widely, confusing him even more.

"Ghar pe kya bataogi? Naina, tum yeh kya bol rahi ho? Tumhari tabiyat toh theek hai?" He was worried.

"Kya?" Naina opened her eyes wide, "Tabiyat kharab hai... ab kya hoga?"

"Tum kya bol rahi ho mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha... main Sameeeer bol raha hun... samajh aaya na tumhe?" He stressed on his name.

"Haaaan... ab samajh aaya... koi Pooja didi ke Golu jitni choti bachhi thodi hun jo itni si baat bhi nahi samjhungi." Naina wrinkled her nose at the small boy who was running around in her room.

"Mummmaa." The baby boy screamed in annoyance as he heard his name.

"Pooja didi dekho yeh Golu fir se mujhpe chilla raha hai." Naina made a face at him.

A smile appeared on Sameer's face as he understood the situation at her end... she had company.

"Toh meri darling abhi pyar ki baat nahi kar sakti... lekin sun toh sakti ho na." He said softly.

Naina breathed in relief that he knew why she was talking in this manner.

Her relief vanished the next moment, though... as he started to speak.

"Aaj tumhare liye maine apna kamra sajaa diya hai."

Her grip on the phone tightened... her breath hitched... eyes went wide...

Seeing the colour spreading on her face, Preeti realised she needed to be alone.

"Naina, tu balcony mein jaa ke baat karle... yahan Golu ke shor mein sunai nhi dega theek se." She held her sister from the shoulders and almost pushed her out of the room.

Naina stepped into the balcony, reeling under the effect of his statement.

"Oh sorry, mera matlab tha ghar sajaa diya." The mischief in his voice was unmistakable... having no trace of apology.

Naina closed her eyes, biting her lip.

"Kya hua? Nahi sajaana tha kya? Ghar?" He asked innocently.

"Sameer ke bachhe... ruk jao... aake bataungi tumhe." She gritted her teeth.

"Lagta hai Pooja didi ke bete ko dekh ke tumhe bacchon ki kuch zyada hi jaldi ho rahi hai... jaisa tum chaho, jaan... aake bata dena kitne chahiye." His teasing voice made her hand tremble.

Sameer could hear her heavy breathing, knowing exactly what he was doing to her... he knew she would be red by now, clutching the phone with one hand, the other one holding whatever was close to her... back of the chair, edge of the table, side of her bed... or maybe the railing in the balcony, as she had spoken the last sentence without hesitation, meaning she was alone.

Naina held the grill, so hard that her knuckles turned white... Sameer never failed to do something that made her blush to the roots... even without seeing him.

"Naina, jaldi aao... aur intezar nahi ho raha... abhi jaake taiyar ho jao... mere liye... main tumhe jaldi se jaldi dekhna chahta hun." His voice was no more than a whisper.

The ringtone sounded in her ears before she could say anything.

Holding the phone against her heart, she took deep breaths... she needed to look normal before going back to the room... and not like a beetroot.

The sound of rickshaw brought her out of the trance Sameer had weaved. The rickshaw had stopped in front of their block... and out stepped chachaji, taiji and her father... along with a number of shopping bags.

She wondered what they had bought now.

"Naina, teri baat ho gayi toh aake apni chai khatam kar... fir taiyaari bhi karni hai... Pooja didi tak chali gayi sajne ke liye." Preeti hollered, coming out to the balcony.

She looked at her standing holding the grill.

"Sab theek hai na?" She touched her sister's arm slightly.

"Huh," Naina jumped, "Haa... haan... theek hai... ky... kyon nahi hoga?"

"Oh, toh jijaji romance kar rahe the." Preeti gave a crooked smile.

Naina squinted, wondering if Preeti was listening... then tried to look nonchalant, "Woh bas pooch raha tha hum log kab tak wahan pohochenge... har waqt romance ka hi kaam hai kya?"

"Haan, jijaji ko toh har waqt yehi kaam hai." Preeti shrugged.

"Preeti, tu na... zyada tang kiya toh dekh lena." Naina turned her back to her sister, hiding her blush.

"Dekh hi rahi hun, behen... kaise tu bilkul jijaji ke rang mein rang gayi hai... din mushkil se hi kat rahe hain tere bhi." Preeti winked, coming in front of her.

Naina ran back to the room, rushing out of the door towards the kitchen. She stopped in tracks... seeing the array of things spread in front of bua dadi.

"Bua dadi, yeh sab kya hai?" She walked to the living room.

Phulla bua looked up at her, knowing that she would speak the same language as Sameer.

"Yeh tere gharwalon ke liye kuch tohfe hain... aur inke liye na tu mana karegi na Sameer ko kuch bolne dungi. Hum koi shaadi ka samaan nahi de rahe... pehli baar unke ghar jaa rahe hain toh bas apna pyar jatane ka tareeka hai, unko maan dene ke liye... Rahul ke gharwale jab parivaar ke saare farz nibha rahe hain toh hum unhe Sameer ka parivaar hi manenge na." Phulla bua explained Naina.

"Aur Munna Pandit Sameer ke liye kya hain yeh toh sabhi jaante hain." Anand smiled, stroking her head.

"Baithe bithaye itna bada parivaar bana liya... isse achha sirf maa hoti toh kam se kam itna kharcha toh nahi hota." Taiji angrily retorted.

"Jinke dil mein pyar hota hai unke saath sabhi ghul mil ke rehte hain... tere jaise log yeh baat nahi samjhenge... tujhe bas faayda uthana aata hai parivaar ka... kuch karne ke naam pe ekdum fisaddi hai." Phulla bua gave a disgusting look to her.

Taiji widened her eyes, "Maine kya faayda uthaya, buaji... mera toh nuksaan pe nuksaan hota jaa raha hai."

"Agar zara bhi dimag hota tujhmein toh pata hota ki beti ki shaadi ke liye kharcha karne se tujhe hi punya milega... ab tere paas yeh mauka aa nahi sakta tha... beti jo nahi hai... dhanyavaad de Rakesh ko jo usne tujhe yeh sab karne diya... kuch paap toh kam honge tere." Phulla bua was in no mood to spare taiji.

A shocked expression settled on her face... thanking Rakesh for letting her spend... she would rather strangle him for bringing someone like Naina in their life... who was nothing but trouble. As if her marriage in such a wealthy family wasn't salty enough, buaji was making them do all major expenditures... her husband was equally disturbed at shelling out so much money... but buaji played the eldest brother card each time, in front of all relatives, and left them with no option.

"Naina bitiya, tu jaake taiyar hoja... kahin nikalne mein der na ho jaye... yeh sab chod... main sambhal lungi." Buaji looked at Naina.

Nodding, she went back to her room where Preeti was arranging all things for her attire and makeup.

"Le behen, tu jaldi se fresh hoke yeh kapde pehen le... fir tera makeup kar deti hun... baalon mein thoda time lag jayega." Preeti gave her the outfit.

Naina went to the washroom with her dress.

Fifteen minutes later, she was sitting in front of the mirror... Preeti working on her face.

"Zyada kuch nahi karna, Preeti... mujhe achha nahi lagta." She was apprehensive about too much cosmetics.

"Pata hai, waise toh tujhe kisi cheez ki zaroorat hi nahi hai... bina makeup ke hi chamak rahi hai... par maine seekha hai toh tere pe aazma leti hun." Preeti said with a straight face.

Naina was bewildered, "Tu... tu mujh pe azmayegi... Preeti, rehne de... main khud kar lungi... meri shaadi ka sangeet hai... mujhe aisa trial nahi chahiye."

Preeti could not hold her laughter, clutching her stomach as she sat on the bed.

"Ab aise daant kyon phaad rahi hai?" Naina said irritatedly.

"Behen, tujhe lagta hai main tujhe cartoon bana dungi... mazak bhi nahi samajhti... budhu ho gayi hai... lagta hai tujhe jijaji ke pyar ke siva kuch samajh nahi aata." Preeti placated her sister.

"Dekh, please, dhang se karna... mujhe darr lag raha hai." Naina was still anxious.

Preeti leaned on her shoulder from behind, "Jijaji ki aankhen khuli ki khuli reh jayengi... aisi lagegi tu aaj... dekh lena."

Naina smiled in relief.

Preeti applied base on her face, and put a layer of foundation. She lined her eyes with kohl, and applied a thick liner... making her eyes look more captivating. A hint of blush on cheeks gave her a glowing look. In the end, Preeti applied a deep red lipstick, and a small bindi.

Then she started with the hair, twisting them into curls at the ends. The layer that fell on her shoulders was giver bigger, thick curls... hair at the back were left wavy... as they would be covered with the dupatta that she had to wear on the head.

When Naina finally stood up to face Preeti... she was mesmerized.

The off white lehenga flowed with a heavy border, paired with a dark green kurti which had beautiful silver work on neck, sleeves and bottom. The green dupatta that she had worn over the head, fell like a wave behind her. For jewellery, Naina was wearing heavy jhumkas, along with a big, round maang tika...

Her face beamed with the happiness within... dark, mysterious eyes making her look ethereal.

"Bohot pyaari lag rahi hai, behen... ekdum pari." Preeti chirped gleefully.

"Ab tu bhi taiyar hoja... teri wajah se der nahi honi chahiye." Naina ushered her towards the washroom.

They all were ready to leave shortly... armed with the gifts.

Anand had hired a few cars... making everyone sit comfortably before himself sitting down.

Naina's family started for Sameer's house... for the first time.