Pooja quickly got a jug of water, pouring more in the glass. Preeti handed it to Pandit, urging him to drink.

"Pooja didi, thoda meetha laa do zara, sirf paani se nahi hoga." The panic in her voice was clear to all.

Pooja got three gulabjamun.

"Yeh khaa jaldi se... teeno kha le... isse theek ho jayegi jalan." She shoved the plate in front of him, constantly rubbing his back.

Pandit was not feeling the effect of chilli anymore, he had stopped coughing... more by shock at Preeti's reaction than anything else... but he gobbled down all three gulabjamun without any resistance.

"Theek hai ab woh... tu itni chinta mat kar." Munna came over to them.

"Main nahi karungi toh kaun karega... aapko toh pata hai iski kya haalat hoti hai mirchi khane se... zara akal nahi lagata... mujhse nahi bol sakta tha agar daal chahiye thi... aur paneer diya na abhi... tujhe pasand hai isiliye diya hai... sab kuch khana zaroori hai kya?" Preeti blurted out in anger.

Naina got up and came to stand next to her sister, placing one hand on her arm.

"Dekh na Naina, kaise kaam karta hai yeh... pagal karke rakha hai mujhe... bas khaane ke baare mein hi sochta hai... kuch aur nahi dikhayi deta." Preeti was on the verge of crying.

"Preeti, main theek hun... bas thodi si daal khaayi thi... abhi toh itna meetha kha liya ki mirchi ka koi ata pata bhi nahi hai." Pandit said in a soft voice.

Naina wound her arm around Preeti's shoulder, "Sab theek hai, Preeti... Pandit bhi theek hai... tu dheere bol... chachaji ne sun liya toh sab yahan aa jayenge."

Suddenly, Preeti snapped out of the haze that had surrounded her... she looked at Naina, and nodded.

When her eyes shifted to Pandit, they turned into saucers, realising that she was still holding his shoulder by one hand and keeping the other on his back.

She pulled away both hands, as if she got a shock.

"Sorry, maine shayad sabko dara diya... woh main khud darr gayi thi... isko mirchi se bohot takleef ho jaati hai... ek baar maine teekhi paani poori khila di thi fifth class mein... ek hafte tak bimar raha tha yeh... tab pata chala... isliye laga kahin aaj fir se meri wajah se bimar na ho jaaye." Preeti started explaining the reason for her sudden panic.

"Koi baat nahi, ab toh sab theek hai na... chalo sab khana shuru karo." Swati smiled at everyone, holding Munna's hand to make him sit back and eat.

Naina pressed Preeti's shoulder, "Tu bhi baith ja... ab aur koi badmashi nahi... chup kar ke khana kha le."

Preeti nodded, sitting down on the other side of Naina.

"Toh hamari teekhi teekhi saaliji humein teekha khilane wali thi." Sameer rested his cheek on his palm, looking at Preeti... trying to make her lighten up.

"Woh... zyada nahi daali thi... bas baaki sabse zara si tez thi... jisse aapko chida sakein."  She looked at him sheepishly.

Pooja didi told the plan to everyone... they wanted to add extra chilli in one dish, extra salt in another, and extra sugar in his sweetdish. And when he would have complained, all would have disagreed with him... giving his saalis a chance to laugh at him and joke that he had forgotten the taste of normal food after falling for Naina.

"Bura mat manna Sameer, ab saaliyan aisi masti nahi karengi toh shaadi ka mazaa kaise aayega... inn dono ne toh Varun ji ke saath itni badmashi ki thi ki pucho mat." She tried to justify their prank.

Naina scowled at Preeti, "Mujhe bhi nahi bataya?"

"Tujhe batate toh tu karne deti kya? Mera Sameer, mera Sameer karke sab kuch khud kha leti par unhe nahi lene deti." Preeti sulked.

Naina flushed at her words, while Sameer smiled proudly... her declaration of 'mera Sameer' always filling up his heart with incredible amount of gratification.

"Chalo ab itna toh pata chal gaya ki Pandit ki shaadi mein usse mirchi nahi khilani hai... baaki koi bhi masti kar sakte hain." Swati said with a straight face.

"Arre Swati, Pandit ki shaadi mein uski saaliyan masti karengi... tum sab toh ladke waalon ki taraf se jaoge na." Pooja didi corrected her.

"Oh haan, chalo koi nahi... hum uski saaliyon ko pehle hi bata denge... kahin aisa na ho unko Preeti ki maar khani pade." Swati smiled meaningfully.

Preeti did not look up, shaken at her outburst. Pandit looked at her... his heart still thumping at the same speed... ever since Preeti came running to him.

Munna nudged him, whispering, "Lagta hai bhai, aaj chachaji ka haath tere liye aashirvad hi tha."

He looked down shyly, rubbing his neck... hoping what Munna said was true.

Naina did not let Sameer eat anything until she herself tasted it. She was unaffected when others teased her or laughed at her, not ready to take any chance with his food.

"Aaj toh tumne sabke saamne bata diya kitna pyar karti ho... sab kuch pehle kiss kar rahi ho fir khaane de rahi ho." He whispered when she tasted the kheer served to him, before handing him the bowl.

"Kiss nahi kar rahi, chakh rahi hun... jisse khane mein kuch ulta seedha na mil jaaye tumhe." She batted him on the leg.

He held her hand that touched him, "Aaj kuch bhi kha lunga... tumhe dekhte dekhte swad ka pata hi nahi chalega."

"Sameer, haath chodo... chachaji aate hi honge." She twisted her hand.

"Aane do pehle... tab tak ka time kyon waste karna hai?" He rubbed her palm with his thumb.

"Bachhon, khana ho gaya aap logon ka?" Anand's voice made him pull away his hand swiftly.

"Jee papa, hamara ho gaya." Pooja answered.

"Pooja, tu Naina ko leja... Preeti, isko taiyar kar dena beta, pheron ke liye." Bela directed her daughters.

"Jaldi aana." Sameer whispered as Naina was about to get up.

"Sameer, tum bhi chalo... tumhe bhi taiyar hona hai na... Arjun le jayega." Anand gestured to Arjun.

They had reached the end of the ground when Preeti recalled that she didn't take the keys of the room from Phulla bua.

"Pooja didi, aap Naina ko leke chalo main abhi bua dadi se chaabi leke aayi." She went back to the gathering.

Taking the keys, she started going to the room when she confronted Pandit, who was coming back after cleaning his suit that had some splashes of water due to Preeti's forceful ministrations to drink more.

They stopped in their tracks, till Preeti started to walk away from his side.

"Preeti ek minute." His voice stalled her.

"Tumhe itni fikr hai meri?" He asked in a hopeful voice.

She gulped, not knowing how to justify her actions... to him... and to herself.

"Bolo Preeti, agar hai toh kyon... aisa kyon kaha tumne ki mujhe kuch dikhta nahi... kya hai jo main nahi dekh paa raha... sach keh raha hun, Preeti, aajkal khane ke baare mein bilkul nahi sochta... kisi cheez ke baare mein nahi sochta... bas tum hi har waqt dimag mein rehti ho." He said in a low voice, standing behind her.

Preeti took a long breath, "Pandit, dimag mein woh cheezein rakhte hain jinko hum yaad karne ki koshish karte hain... chahte hue ho ya na chahte hue... par koshish karni padti hai... jo bina koshish ke, aur bina pooche aapke saath rahe, woh yaad dil mein rehti hai... jab tujhe yeh samajh aa jayega tab baat karenge... abhi mujhe jaana hai."

He stood dumbfounded as she walked away.

Preeti blinked hard to not let the tears fall from her eyes.

She waited a few seconds before entering the room where Naina waited for her.

"Kahan hai Naina?" She asked Pooja didi who was applying a fresh layer of lipstick.

"Saree pehen rahi hai." She replied without moving away from the mirror.

Naina stepped out in the red saree that she had to wear for now. The traditional bandhej saree had a broad floral border, embroidered in gold... and a sprinkling of small golden flowers all over.

"Kitni sundar saree hai, Naina, tujhpe bohot achhi lag rahi hai." Pooja said excitedly.

Preeti made her sit to refresh her makeup. Nothing much was to be done except changing the shade of her lipstick and eyeshadow. Divya could not stay this late so she had taught Preeti how to apply the bridal bindi. She made delicate white and red designs from the centre of her forehead, curving over the brows, till they reached the outer corner of her eyes. Naina wore the jewellery that Anand had got for her. Heavy gold necklace with two layered jhumkas and a smaller maang tika completed her look. She took off the big nose ring and wore a smaller one, without a chain. Pink bangles were replaced by bright red ones, with a gold one at the beginning and end on each wrist. Her hair remained in a bun. Preeti fixed the saree on her head after adjusting the pallu on right shoulder, in the traditional way.

"Chal, ab aakhiri rasm bhi karle, fir teri doli le jaane ko besabre ho rahe hain jijaji." Preeti teased her.

Naina looked back and realised that Pooja didi had already gone out. She held Preeti by her shoulders.

"Dekh Preeti, apne aap ko iss tarah mat rok... dikh raha hai ki tujhe kitni takleef ho rahi hai... kyon apne dil ki baat nahi sun rahi tu?" She tried to make her sister see what was so evident.

Preeti lowered her eyes, "Naina, maine bohot mushkil se apne dil ko samjha ke Pandit ke saath normal rehna shuru kiya tha... mujhe nahi pata usse ab jaake aisa kyon lag raha hai... aur sach mein lag bhi raha hai ya sirf doston ke chedne se woh aisa bol raha hai... pehle bhi do teen baar aisa hua hai ki usne kisi ladki ko dekhkar iss tarah ki harakatein ki hain... par uss ladki se daant khane ke do din baad hi sab bhool ke khaane pe toot padta tha... main kaise maan lun ki iss baar waisa hi nahi hai... uske dil mein agar sach mein kuch hai toh pehle main usse mehsoos karna chahti hun... tabhi kuch sochungi... tu toh jaanti hai na ek tarfe pyaar ko khatam karna kitna dard deta hai... uss takleef ko saha hai maine... fir se wohi aansu nahi bahana chahti... yeh sach hai ki iss baar uski aankhon mein mujhe bhi kuch alag lag raha hai... par aisa woh do chaar din se zyada chala nahi paata... isliye maine time maanga hai... mujhse zyada usse zaroorat hai apne dil ke andar jhank ke samajhne ki... mujhe apna pata hai... main karti hun usse pyar... do saal se... lekin kya iss pyar ko woh samajh sakta hai, kya mujhe yeh vishwas dila sakta hai ki iss baar usse do din ka bukhar nahi sachhi wala pyar hai?"

Naina was shocked to know Preeti was going through this pain since last two years.

"Tune bataya kyon nahi, Preeti... maine toh shuru se tujhe Sameer ke baare mein bata ke rakha tha... fir tune kyon chupaya?" She was feeling bad that she couldn't detect the suffering in her sister's eyes.

"Inn sab ke baare mein fir kabhi baat karenge... chal abhi tere pheron ka muhurat hone wala hai." Preeti pasted a smile on her face and dragged Naina out of the room.

Sameer took hardly any time to change. He was back after donning his sherwani again.

Anand took him to the place where mandap was set up.

Four pillars were put up with a canopy of golden fabric and floral strings. The pillars were covered with spiral design of flowers. Red painted pots were placed near each pillar, with a coconut and green leaves in each of them. Red silk awnings lined the entire mandap, from one pillar to another, in semi circular folds... with silver and gold hangings in between that reflected lights everytime they swayed, making them look like twinkling stars. Heady smell of different flowers filled up the place with a pleasant aroma. In the center of the mandap was a rectangular fire pit, the havan kund, ready with a few pieces of dry wood. Panditji sat on one side. Two red cushions were placed opposite him... for the bride and groom who would be tied in an auspicious bond here within a few hours.

The place looked serene and pious.

Sameer was made to sit on a chair, away from the mandap till it was time. He looked at the decorated place, thinking about this one ritual that they would be performing for the first time, unlike the other rituals that he had already been through.

"Aaj yeh saat pheron ka bandhan hum dono ko hamesha ke liye ek doosre se baandh dega Naina." He thought... and smiled, thinking about the time when he would take her home.

"Kya baat hai bhai, kaunsa joke yaad aa gaya jo mand mand muskura raha hai." Munna pushed him out of his reverie.

"Joke nahi, Munna, isse gaana yaad aa raha hoga." Rahul said with a wink.

"Gaana?" Sameer quipped.

"Rukmini, rukmini... shaadi ke baad kya kya hua... " Rahul hummed in a low voice.

Munna tilted his head, raising his brows at Sameer. He gave a shy smile, lowering his head... cheeks getting a hint of colour.

We'll meet for phere in the evening.