Naina was elated to know that Pandit's father had agreed for his alliance with Preeti. He was ready to meet chachaji. She immediately called up Preeti who was on cloud nine.

"Behen, mujhe toh yakeen hi nahi ho raha... sab sapne jaisa lag raha hai... aise kaise sab log ek baar mein maan gaye... matlab love story hai, thoda toh drama hona chahiye tha na." She chirped on phone.

"Tu pagal hai kya Preeti? Khush hone ki bajaye drama dhoond rahi hai apni kahani mein... waise abhi chachaji aur chachiji se baat karni baaki hai." Naina reminded her.

"Baat toh baaki hai par tujhe bhi pata hai woh maan jayenge... Pandit mein kya kami hai... college poora ho gaya hai, matlab paas toh ho hi jayega na... ab kaam bhi dekh raha hai apne papa ke saath... aur usne bataya tha mujhe woh kuch plan bana raha hai koi bada sa supermarket kholne ka... jahan ek hi jagah sab saaman mil jaaye... papa mummy aaram se maan jayenge." Preeti was confident about her parents.

"Lekin tauji aur taiji aaram se nahi maanenge... unse karwa lena jitna drama karwana hai tujhe... meri baari mein toh fir bhi taiji Sameer se darr ke chup ho gayi thi... mujhe nahi lagta Pandit ki zubaan khulegi unke aage." Naina said in a weary tone.

Preeti was exasperated, "Abhi kya jijaji udhaar pe laane hain? Apne liye dara sakte hain taiji ko toh mere liye nahi bol sakte kuch? Main saali nahi hun unki? Pandit ko kya zaroorat hai kuch kehne ki... tu bol jijaji ko... aur nahi bol sakti toh unhe phone de, main khud keh dungi."

Naina could not control her sniggers, "Abhi toh drama shuru bhi nahi hua aur teri hawaaiyan udd gayi... bada keh rahi thi... love story hai... aise kaise... ab kya hua?"

Preeti fell silent, biting her tongue at the other end.

"Chal ab rakhti hun. Parson aayenge hum... tab tak ho sake toh apni khushi zaraa control mein rakhna... kisi ko shaq nahi hona chahiye." She advised her sister.

Preeti nodded, disconnecting the phone... now really worried about taiji's reaction.

"Bhagwanji, taiji ko unke bhai ke ghar hi rehne do." She prayed.

Taiji had been away to her brother's house since past few days, Sameer being the sole reason.

"Aur haan bhagwanji, agar woh wapas aa bhi jayein toh jijaji se kaabu mein karwa lena... Pandit bechara toh bohot seedha hai, usse nahi ho payega." Preeti put up her list before the idols placed in the small temple in the kitchen.

Sameer was equally excited about the news.

"Naina, socho, kitna mazaa ayega... hum teeno aur tum teeno... kaise ab ek rishte mein bandh jayenge... kahan school ke dinon mein hum log theek se jaante bhi nahi the ek doosre ko, aur ab sabki shaadi ho jayegi." He exclaimed.

Naina clasped her hands, "Haan, bada mazaa ayega... main, Preeti aur Swati ek group mein aur tum Munna Pandit ke saath doosre group mein."

He furrowed his brows, "Group matlab?"

"Arre, kahin bhi ghoomne jayenge tab ya jab bhi saath mein baithenge tab." She stated.

"Oh madam, tum aur main hamesha ek hi group mein rahenge... ghar ho ya bahar... saath mein hum dono hi rahenge." He pointed a finger at her and him simultaneously.

They were sitting in the living room, across each other.

"Group ka matlab bas baatein karte time ya masti karte time... uske liye toh tum bhi Munna Pandit ke hi saath jaana pasand karoge na?" She said.

He got up, coming to her across the room, and plonked himself right next to her, on the single seat of sofa. She was squeezed against the side, with him pressing on the other side.

"Yeh kya kar rahe ho? Ramdhari aa jayega." She tried to get up.

He looped an arm around her back, rubbing his nose on her ear, "Mujhe har masti tumhare hi saath karni hai... baatein hum sab ek saath kar sakte hain lekin tum rahogi mere hi saath, ekdum mere paas... samajh lo."

Her goosebumps made their presence felt as his warm breath fell on her ear while his nose continued its torture.

Shrill sound of cooker whistle from the kitchen made him look in that direction abruptly. Taking the opportunity, she sprang up, running away to the kitchen.

He ran his fingers through the hair, falling back against the sofa seat, "Kabhi kabhi lagta hai Naina ko pata hi nahi hamari shaadi ho gayi hai... zara se choone se pighal jaati hai... aur kabhi kabhi aisi aag ban jaati hai ki mujhe jala deti hai."

The events of morning played in his mind and a longing coursed through his veins. The more he got, more he wanted of her. She had become his addiction... one in which he revelled.

Once in their room after dinner, she was back in his arms.

Next day at office, Sameer decided to talk to munshiji about Khurana.

"Sameer beta, hum kitni bhi koshish kar lein, kuch log har jagah aise mil hi jaate hain jo uss tarah nahi sochte jaisa aap sochte hain... Khurana ko hamare saath paanch saal ho gaye hain. Bade sahab ne jab unhe naukri pe rakha tha uss samay unke ghar ke haalaat bohot kharaab the aur naukri ki zaroorat thi. Kuch dinon mein hi uski kharaab niyat hamare saamne aane lagi par aapke nanaji ne socha naukri se nikalna sahi nahi hoga kyonki iska asar uske parivaar pe padega. Lekin bade sahab ne bohot achhe se control mein rakha Khurana ko... teen saal se maine bhi usse factory ke kaamon mein koi gadbad karne nahi di hai. Pata chala hai ki usne ek nayi company banayi hai kagazon mein, apne chote bhai ke naam pe... aur ab woh chahta hai ki uss company se hum samaan khareeden. Yeh nayi machine jo woh kal keh raha tha ussi ki company se lana chahta hai, jabki humein inki koi zaroorat nahi hai. Usse iss baat ka andaaza nahi hai ki maine iss jhooti company aur uske iraadon ke baare mein pata kar liya hai." Munshiji told him everything about Khurana.

Sameer was stunned. Such planning and scheming actually happened in real world, he wasn't aware.

"Aisa tha toh aapne unko nikala kyon nahi? Agar company khol li hai toh ab unke paas paise ki kami toh nahi hogi." He asked the most obvious question.

Munshiji got up and went to a file cabinet. He pulled out a heavy file from top drawer and came back to him.

"Yeh woh saare niyam hain jo hum yahan follow karte hain... inke hisaab se hum kisi worker ko nahi nikalte jab tak usne kisi doosre worker ko ya factory ko koi nuksaan phochaane ki koshish naa ki ho... jaan boojh ke. Yeh sab bade sahab ne hi banaye the... aap iss file ko apne paas rakho... dheere dheere padh lena... aapka yeh sab janna zaroori hai." Munshiji placed the file in front of Sameer.

Rest of the day was spent in going through the file and a few meetings. Sitting down for lunch again brought a smile on his face as he saw masala gobhi and kadhi with pakode served with rice and chapati.

Next day being Sunday, they were to go to chachaji's house. After breakfast, Naina asked Ramdhari to leave once he cleaned the house as they would be coming only in the evening.

"Shaam ko aa jayein, bhabhi? Raat ka khana bana denge." He asked.

"Nahi Ramdhari bhaiya, aaj aap bhi Sunday ki chutti manaiye... hum log der se aayenge. Uske baad kuch halka sa khana hoga woh main dekh lungi." She assured him.

Anand and Bela were extremely pleased to see both of them.

"Kitni sundar lag rahi hai meri beti... nazar na lag jaaye." Bela quickly dabbed a finger at the corner of her eye and rubbed behind Naina's ear.

"Naina toh hamesha hi sundar lagti hai." Preeti hugged her sister.

"Haan, lekin shaadi ke baad aur bhi nikhar gayi hai... chehra toh dekh kaise chamak raha hai iska." Bela fondly cupped her face.

"Woh toh hamare jijaji ka pyaar hai jo iske chehre ke saare bulb diwali mana rahe hain." Preeti winked at Naina.

"Matlab mujhe nazar lage toh uski aapko koi chinta nahi hai." Sameer puffed his cheeks, looking at Bela.

She gaped at him in alarm, not able to understand what he meant, "Beta, tumhe kyon nazar lagegi?"

"Kyon? Main sundar nahi hun? Main nahi laga aapko chamakta hua?" He dropped the corners of his mouth.

Anand laughed heartily at his childish antics. Naina pursed her lips, her cheeks flaring up.

Bela quickly touched her finger to the eye again and swiped behind his ear, "Tum toh sabse sundar ho... tumhe kaise nazar lagne dungi?"

Amidst usual talks and laughs, they had lassi and dhokla.

"Achha hua tum log aa gaye. Mujhe tumse baat karni thi." Anand said to Sameer when Preeti and Naina were in the kitchen, helping Bela prepare lunch.

"Kahiye na chachaji." Sameer smiled.

Anand went to his room and came back with an envelope. He took out three photographs, holding them out to Sameer.

"Yeh teen ladke hain Mumbai mein jo hum dekhna chahte hain. Ab tum aur Naina Preeti ko samjhao ki ek baar milne mein koi buraai nahi hai. Woh zid pakad ke baithi hai ki Mumbai nahi chalegi." Anand said in a weary voice.

Sameer kept the pictures away, not even glancing at them. Anand looked at him in surprise.

"Chachaji, Pooja didi toh pehle hi Ahmedabad se baahar hain... kya aap chahte hain ki Preeti bhi kahin door rahe? Aapko takleef nahi hogi?" He asked in a soft voice.

Anand lowered his eyes, "Beti agar nazron ke saamne na ho toh kaisa lagta hai yeh woh pita hi jaanta hai jiski beti usse door jaati hai."

"Toh fir aap Preeti ko itni door kyon bhejna chahte hain? Yahin Ahmedabad mein uski shaadi kyon nahi karwa dete?" Sameer was touched by the sadness in his eyes.

Anand looked up, "Meri khushi se zyada zaroori Preeti ki khushi hai. Yeh ladke waqai bohot achhe hain, aur inka parivaar bhi. Phulla bua ne sab pata karwaya hai. Yahan abhi tak humein aisa achha rishta koi nahi mila. Isliye chahta hun ek baar milke tasalli kar lein. Agar Preeti ko pasand nahi aaye toh hamari taraf se koi zabardasti nahi hogi."

Sameer took a deep breath, bracing himself to bring up what be wanted to say, "Chachaji, agar main aapko yahin Ahmedabad mein koi aisa ladka bata dun jo har tarah se Preeti ke layak ho... aur... aur uske gharwalon ko Preeti pasand bhi ho toh?"

Anand was astounded, "Tum jaante ho yahan kisi aise parivaar ko?"

"Aap bhi jaante hain." Sameer said.

Anand narrowed his eyes, "Kiski baat kar rahe ho?"

Sameer looked at him straight, "Pandit... main uska rishta Preeti ke liye batana chahta hun."

There was no expression on Anand's face as he sat staring at Sameer for a few minutes. Then he looked away, kneading his hands.

Sameer gulped, not knowing what to make out of Anand's reaction.

"Pandit bohot achha ladka hai, chachaji. Main kitne saalon se jaanta hun usse aur uske parivaar ko... unhone Preeti ko hamari shaadi mein dekha tha... unhe bohot pasand hai... aur Pandit ko bhi... mera matlab... Pandit ko nahi... matlab Pandit ko pasand hai par uske parivaar ko bhi... " He was getting jittery, fearing the worse.

Anand looked at him, his eyes hard, "Preeti ko kisne pasand kiya hai? Pandit ne ya uske gharwalon ne?"

"Dono ne... Pandit ke mummy papa aapse milna chahte hain." Sameer said quickly.

Anand stood up, pacing the room with same stern expression. Sameer wished he had brought up the topic in Naina's presence. He started to sweat, hoping he had not done a mistake by telling it directly.

"Preeti, Naina, Bela." Anand's loud voice rang through the house.

All three came rushing out. They looked at one from another, wondering what was the reason for tension on their faces.

Bela was completely baffled while Naina and Preeti looked at each other in panic, hoping it wasn't what they were dreading.

"Kya hua, ji? Aap itne pareshaan kyon lag rahe hain? Sab theek hai na?" Bela went near her husband, holding his arm.

Anand glared at Preeti.

Next update tomorrow morning