Vishakha sat like a stone. She had given years of her life to Somani's family and house... listening to his mother's taunts... agreeing to keep her own son away from herself so that her love for his son, Rohan, doesn't get divided.  Her involvement in the new family had preceded her thoughts for the little boy she had left behind. With the arrival of a daughter, she had stopped calling up for months together. Slowly, over the years, Sameer had stared to show indifference towards her which she had accepted as growing up tantrums. His rudeness was attributed to his friends circle in hostel. She did not pay much attention to her father's words when he had told her about Sameer's loneliness when he had run away from the hostel. Somehow, her husband and his mother always made her feel that Sameer was doing everything to gain her attention and he purposely was trying to make her feel guilty. Sameer was compared to her step son Rohan who was a soft spoken, mild mannered, hard working boy who always did well in studies and won medals.

And when Somani had asked her to get Sameer married to a girl of his choice one year back, citing a profitability business merger, she did not see anything wrong in it. He had been upset for days when it did not work out. But it was the girl who had called it off and they could not put the blame on Sameer. This time, however, this marriage had once again dashed the hopes of her husband... but he had never told her that he was forcing her for Sameer's marriage not because he cared, but because he had traded her son for money.

A feeling of disgust spread over her... more for herself than for the man she was married to... how could she be so blind so as not to see what he was doing... how could she not understand that her small boy had no one but her... she needed to give him the love of both parents... and she had snatched the only one he was left with. Her father had tried several times that she spends time with Sameer, but there was always some or the other requirement cropping up... or maybe, made to come up, she could see now. How could she be so blind, she hid her face in her palms and let the tears flow.

But now the time had gone... there was no scope left to rectify the wrong she committed... there was no redemption for her...

Now, she only wanted Sameer to be happy... to get someone to call his own... his family... one where he could get the love she had snatched away from him.

She got up, wiping her face. The years of brainwashing that her husband and his mother had done was cleaned away with the realisation and tears...

The reason for Sameer's bitterness was her... she herself. He was not to be blamed.

She was left with nothing but regret.

Picking up her bag, she went down to his room. For a moment, she hesitated at the door, then knocked softly.

Pandit jumped from the bed, dashing towards the door, "Bhai, kitna khana le aaya ki tere se darwaza bhi nahi khul raha... waise Ramdhari tu..."

His words froze as he saw who was at the door.

"Sameer ko bulana zara." Her smiling face made Pandit gape at her open mouthed.

He had always seen her with a scowl.

"Beta, Sameer ko bula do... jaane se pehle ek baar usse milna chahti hun." She could understand his expression.

Pandit turned, "Sameer... mausi... nahi... auntyji... tu... tujhe bula rahi hain."

Sameer came to the door as Pandit walked back in.

"Kahiye." He stood with crossed arms, blocking the way... it was clear he didn't want to enter the room.

Her eyes roamed over his face... the harshness that she had seen till the time she visited last had gone... his face, though it had a stern expression presently, was soft... there were no frown lines... no tensed jaw... he was relaxed...

"Sameer... b... be... wish you a happy married life... hamesha khush rehna." Her voice choked.

She tried... but the distance created by years of austere behavior did not let the wall collapse. She could not even call him 'beta'... Her raised hand could not go to his head or even stroke his face. She patted his shoulder once... and turned to leave.

"23... shaadi ki tareekh hai." His flat voice fell in her ears.

She stopped... wanted to turn and say something... but her eyes filled up again... and she left without a word.

The void could not be filled now.

Sameer thought he heard a different tone in her voice when she wished him... the brief look that he gave her confirmed that she had been crying. For a fraction of a second, he wanted to ask if her husband had misbehaved... but the feeling was gone next moment... she had chosen them over him... she was living the life she wanted... he wouldn't step into that world. He noticed the slumped shoulders, the tired gait, the resignation in her body... it all was new...

He shrugged the thoughts away and went back to his friends, excited to discuss the marriage plans with them.

Naina and Preeti reached home together. The three elders were sitting with a notebook, making list of all jobs that needed to be done... invitations, decorations, catering, shopping and other arrangements.

"Main aaj hi sab rishtedaron ko phone kar deta hun... ab card ka time toh hai nahi... phone pe hi nyota de denge." Anand suggested.

"Haan... keh dena bas chat mangni pat byah wali baat hai... sabko samjhane ki zaroorat nahi hai." Phulla bua instructed.

"Buaji, bazaar se kitna kuch lena hoga... kapde, gehne, len-den ka samaan, phal, mithai." Bela started to sweat thinking about the amount of purchasing to be done in such short time.

"Bela, phal aur mithai ke liye main apne office ke Mohan ji ko keh dunga. Unke bhai ki badi dukaanen hain... woh apne aap karwa denge. Aur kal subah hi chalte hain sabke kapde lene... Naina ki shaadi ka joda bhi lena hai." Anand tried to ease his wife's tension.

"Lekin dulhan ka joda toh..." Bela stopped... there was no elder in Sameer's family to take care of all these things.

Naina lowered her eyes, "Shaadi ka joda Sameer hi laega."

They all smiled... of course he would do everything...

"Naina, Sameer ko kaho kal subah Jiteshbhai Jewellers pe mile humein... tum dono ki angoothi le lenge... humne parson ka din sagai ka rakha hai." Anand informed her.

She nodded.

They excitedly made a list of things to be bought for each one of them, along with the essentials for the ceremonies.

When Naina called up Sameer in the evening, he was surprised.

"Aaj meri Laila se raat ka intezar bhi nahi hua... shaam ko hi phone kar diya." He teased.

"Mujhe koi kaam nahi hai tumse... woh toh chachaji ne kaha tumhe bol dun kal subah Jiteshbhai jewellers pe aane ke liye." She teased him back.

He was confused, "Mere liye bhi haar waar khareedna hai kya... mujhe kyon bulaya hai?"

Naina laughed, "Anguthi leni hai... parson sagai hai hamari."

He brightened instantly, "Sagai... uske baad toh main sabke samne tumse milne aa sakta hun na... aur tumhe bahar bhi le jaa sakta hun... koi nahi rokega... haina?"

She chuckled at his enthusiasm, "Buddhu, uske baad toh agle din haldi, mehendi hai... uske agle din sangeet aur fir shaadi. Tum kab milne aaoge aur kab bahar le jaoge?"

He thought for a while, "Woh sab mujhpe chod do... tum bas yeh batao... kya saachi mujhse koi kaam nahi hai tumhe?"

She blushed at his tone, "Nahi hai... kya kaam hoga? Main abhi apni shaadi ki taiyari mein bohot busy hun... time nahi hai aur kisi ke liye."

She put the phone back before he could say anything.

Sameer looked at the receiver and smiled mischievously.

When the phone rang an hour later, Naina quickly picked it up, wondering why Sameer waited for so long.

"Hello, Preeti se baat karwa dijiye... main parlour se Kavita bol rahi hun." A squeaky voice from the other side dashed her hopes.

Naina called out to Preeti, going out of the room, disappointed.

"Hello kaun?" Preeti answered... and listened, looking back to check if Naina was in the room.

"Theek hai... ho jayega." She chirped in the end.

"Yaar, ek baat bata, tujhe nahi lagta pyar in dono ka hai aur itna saara kaam hum log karte hain." Pandit squinted at the other end.

Preeti giggled, "Tu chinta mat kar, jab tujhe pyar hoga na... toh hum sab tera saath bhi aise hi denge."

"Par mujhe toh ho chuka hai... bohot zyada pyaar." Pandit's dreamy voice was a shock for Preeti.

"Kisse... tune kabhi bataya kyon nahi... kaun hai woh... hum log jaante hain kya... Naina ko pata hai... mere dono jijaji ko toh pakka pata hoga... mat bata... main unse hi pooch lungi kiski kismat phodi hai tune." Her barrage of questions stumped him.

"Arre yaar, ruk ja... itne saare sawal dekh ke exam mein bhi behosh ho jaata hun aur tune toh baarish hi kar di... haan toh kya kaha tune... kaun hai  woh... ab ek ho toh bataun... kis kis ka naam lu... mujhe toh sabhi pasand hain... ek barabar... aise kisi ek ka naam nahi le sakta." His goofy smile was back.

Preeti fumed, "Hain... tu ek saath bohot saari ladkiyon se pyar karta hai? Tu kya Shahrukh ya Amir samajhta hai khud ko... tujh jaise ko koi ek bhi ghaas daal de toh shukar manana... aaya bada itni ladkiyon ka naam lene wala."

Pandit held the phone a little away from his ear... wondering why she was angry.

"Yaar Preeti, tune toh bina sune hi goliyan daagni shuru kar di... maine ladki ki baat kahan ki... main toh samosa, kachodi, bread pakoda, dhokla, paani poori, alu chaat... inn sabki baat kar raha tha." He scratched his head.

Preeti wrinkled her nose, "Tu pagal hai kya... khane se toh sabhi pyar karte hain... main bhi karti hun... yeh woh wala pyar thodi hota hai... tu na rehne hi de... tere mote dimag mein yeh baat nahi ghusegi... bas jijaji ki baat yaad rakhna."

She banged the phone down, frustrated at him and his silly talks.

Naina waited for Sameer's call for a long time after dinner. When she couldn't take it any longer, she dialled his number. Munna picked up the phone.

"Bhabhi, Sameer toh Pandit ke saath kahi gaya hai... jaise hi aayega main phone karwata hun." He said apologetically.

Dejected, she started to pace in the room.

"Ab so ja na... gaye honge kahin... tu bhi unke chakkar mein bhatakti aatma ban gayi hai... jab dekho raat mein iss safed kurte mein idhar udhar ghoom rahi hoti hai." Preeti narrowly opened one eye to urge her to sleep.

"Chup reh... tujhe sona hai na... chup karke soja... mujhe gussa aa raha hai Sameer pe." She sat heavily on the bed.

Preeti mumbled something before turning her back to Naina and slept.

When the call didn't come even after an hour, Naina dejectedly lied down in the bed, sleep miles away from her.

She didn't realise how much time had passed when there was a thumping sound from outside. She got up with a jerk, scared. Peering out of the window, she could see no one.

"Preeti, Preeti... uth na... bahar se kuch awaaz aa rahi hai." Naina shook her sister.

Preeti did not even move.

The sound came again. Naina was sweating now... she tapped Preeti again, "Bahar sach mein koi hai, please uth jaa na."

"Jijaji honge." Preeti's sleepy voice made Naina look at her in shock.

Was Sameer planning to come here? Was that the reason for not calling up? Was Preeti aware of his plan?

She stealthily slipped out of the bed, and walked to the door. Opening a crack, she had just peeped out when a strong hand came over her mouth while the other one went around her waist, dragging her out of the room.

Had Sameer not covered her mouth, she still wouldn't have uttered a sound... his touch, his scent had given away the identity of the intruder even before she saw him.

"Aaj kyon aaye aise?" She asked the moment he settled on the floor in the corner of her balcony, pulling her over himself as he leaned back against the wall.

"Aana pada... kisi ne kaha tha mujhse koi kaam nahi hai... dekhna tha ki sach mein nahi hai kya?" He nuzzled his face in her neck.

Her shoulder hitched up, "Theek kaha tha... dekh lo... tum hi aaye ho... maine kahan bulaya."

"Wohi dekhne aaya hun... tumhare liye ek challenge leke." He kissed her neck and back of the ear, making her goosebumps appear all over.