The phone rang again the next moment.

After a bit of hesitation... and two rings... Naina picked it up.

"Phone mat kaatna... ek special baat bolni reh gayi thi." Sameer's voice reached her again.

"Kya?" She asked.

"Ek baar fir, Happy Birthday." He said in a honeyed tone.

A smile spread on her face, "Isse achha birthday main kabhi soch bhi nahi sakti thi... thank you."

"Ahaan... abse aane wala har birthday isse achha hoga... isse kahin zyada khoobsurat... bilkul tumhari tarah... nahi, tumhari tarah khoobsurat kuch nahi ho sakta... par khaas zaroor hoga." He started to dream about her next birthday, when she would be with him, never to go away.

"Tumhare saath toh har din khaas hota hai." She said softly.

"Umm, Naina... aaj bhi aa jaun?" He tried his luck.

"Sameer, tum ab chup karke so jao... kuch ulta seedha sochna bhi mat... Preeti yahin hai... aur chachaji hain... bua dadi hain... agar kisi ne dekh liya toh pata hai na kya hoga?" She said sternly, panicking but trying not to show.

"Achha baba, jaisa tum kaho... lekin subah mandir mein toh milogi na?" He asked.

"Haan, kal subah... ab good night." She was about to disconnect.

"Ruko, ruko, phone mat katna." He said earnestly.

"Abhi kya hua?"

"Woh maine toh good night bola hi nahi." He whined.

"Bol do." She suppressed a smile again.

"Pehle tum bolo... achha wala." He demanded like a child.

She knew what he meant.

Kissing softly into the receiver, she whispered, "I Love you... good night... jaan."

He held the phone against his heart and fell back on the bed, "Itna pyara good night... ab subah ka intezar jaag ke karna padega... tumne toh meri neend hi chura li... good night jaan."

Naina put the phone away with a shy smile, going to bed with dreamy eyes... dream of meeting him in the morning.

The contentment she felt at the day's events overtook the feeling of despair brought about by her father's reaction... helping her to drift into a peaceful sleep.

The elation continued when she met him the next day... spending time at the pond. They both, however, were nervous about the talks to be held today... with tauji and taiji.

The said people reached their house when Bela had just finished serving breakfast to her husband and Phulla bua. They both were inside, discussing about the ways to handle the situation.

"O bai, Bela, bohot thak gaye hain... zara chai nashta taiyar kar de... abhi aate hain hum log." Taiji ordered, peering in from the door before entering her own house.

"Jee bhabhiji." Bela muttered, going back to the kitchen.

Naina helped her with the preparations while Preeti was away for her parlour training.

Fifteen minutes later, taiji walked in, feigning exhaustion, "Yeh shaadi waadi ka kaam toh bada hi mushkil hota hai... kitni thak gayi main toh... Bela, ab nashta karke soungi... dopaher mein kuch halka hi bana lena... kal se bhaari kha kha ke thoda pet dukh raha hai."

Tauji walked in behind her, settling down on the chair as Bela started to serve them.

"Namaste bhaisahab, namaste bhabhiji... kaise hain aap log?" Anand walked out, greeting them.

"Arre Anand, tum toh aaj aane wale the na?" Tauji looked up in surprise.

Anand smiled, "Woh Naina ka janmdin tha na kal, isliye kal shaam hi aa gaya main."

"O bai, uss kali kundli ka janmdin bhi manaya tha kya? Anand babu, aap logon ka dimaag thikane hai? Pata hai na uske janmdin ke roz kya hua tha?" Taiji rounded her eyes in shock.

Naina felt the tears well up in her eyes, as the harsh words reached her ears in the kitchen.

"Jo bhi hua bhabhiji, usme Naina ka kya dosh? Hamari ichha thi ki iss ghar mein uska aakhiri janmdin achhe se manaye." Anand said with a straight face.

He didn't like his niece to be called names like this, but bhabhiji could never talk about Naina without spilling bitterness.

"Aakhiri kyon?" Tauji looked at him.

"Agle saal tak Naina apne sasuraal chali jayegi na." Anand replied softly.

"Haan bhai, koshish toh karenge hi... iss musibat se jitni jaldi chutkara mile utna hi achha hai." Taiji let out a sigh, biting into the parantha with a generous helping of butter.

Anand decided to let them finish their breakfast before he could start revealing his plans.

When they settled down with tea cups on the sofa, Anand cleared his throat.

"Bhaisahab, Naina ke liye ladka dekha hai." He started mildly.

"Achha... kya karta hai?" Tauji sipped his tea, hardly showing any interest.

"Unka apna business hai, wohi sambhalta hai." He played it down.

"Dukaan wukaan hai kya?" Taiji narrowed her eyes.

"Factory hai."

The cup was about to fall from taiji's hand, her eyes going round again.

"O bai, aisa ladka mil raha hai toh Preeti ka sochiye na, Anand babu... iss librarian ki beti ki shaadi kahan se aise ghar me hogi." Taiji lowered her voice.

"Kiski shaadi se takleef hai tujhe, Bina?" Phulla bua walked out from the room.

Taiji kept the teacup back on the table, lest it fell.

"O bai, Phulla bua... aa... aap kab aayi? Pata hi nahi chala." She adjusted her pallu over the head, bending down to touch buaji's feet.

"Aaiye buaji, yahan baithiye." Tauji helped her to sit, touching her feet later.

"Khush raho dono... Anand ne bata hi diya hai... Naina ki shaadi ki baat karni hai... isliye aayi hun." She came to the point straightaway.

"Aapne rishta dhunda hai kya? Mumbai ka hai?" Taiji asked.

"Nahi, ladka yahin Ahmedabad ka hai... main Mumbai mein mili thi usse...  Mumbai mein padh raha tha... padhai poori ho gayi hai toh ab wapas aa gaya hai yahan." Phulla bua elaborated.

"Kaun hai?" Tauji asked nonchalantly.

"Bhaisahab, woh Jaiprakash Maheshwari the na... Maheshwari Industries wale, unka naati hai... Sameer Maheshwari." Anand lowered his voice.

Both tauji and taiji stared at him... as if struck by thunder.

"Main uske parivaar ko jaanti hun... ladka mujhe pasand hai... Naina bitiya ke liye bilkul sahi hai." Phulla bua relaxed back on the sofa, giving her decision.

The two kept sitting with mouth open, unable to digest what they had just heard...

"Aapka kya khyal hai, bhaisahab... bhabhiji?" Anand prodded when he didn't get any reaction.

"Anand, jaante ho kiski baat kar rahe ho? Maheshwari ji bohot bade aadmi the... teen saal ho gaye unke swargwas ko par aaj bhi unko sab yaad karte hain aur izzat dete hain." Tauji was still not able to believe.

"Haan, wohi Maheshwari ji... unhi ka naati hai... iklauta." Phulla bua looked at taiji from the corner of her eye... stressing on 'iklauta'.

The word had desired effect. Taiji's eyes were about to pop out.

"O bai, ikluta hai... matlab saara business uska hoga... saari daulat ka maalik!" Her thoughts spilled out unintentionally.

"Woh toh hoga hi... kisi rajkumaar se kam nahi hai Sameer... na dekhne mein na paison mein." Phulla bua rubbed more salt.

Taiji's mind started to imagine Naina dressed in fine clothes and heavy jewelry... stepping out of a big car... and walking into a huge bunglow.

She shook her head... Naina was not suitable for such things...

"Lekin Phulla bua, woh ladka Dilli mein nahi rehta? Maine suna tha uske maa baap wahin rehte hain." She started to look for reasons to stop this alliance.

Phulla bua was aware that this issue would cause some hurdle. She was prepared.

"Wahin rehte hain uske mata pita... wahan alag business hai jo woh log dekhte hain... Sameer yahan apne nanaji ki factory aur unka faila hua saara kaam sambhalta hai... woh bhi akele... bada kaabil ladka hai." She turned the controversial point in to a positive one.

"Lekin buaji... agar yahan koi bada hai hi nahi uske saath toh aapne shaadi ki baat kisse ki?" Tauji brought up his question.

"Shaadi kisko karni hai? Sameer ko na? Bas maine ussi se baat kar li." Phulla bua said confidently, though she knew her answer was weak.

Taiji found another point to raise concern, "O bai, apni shaadi ki baat khud kaun karta hai? Aur uss ladke ko pata bhi hai kisse shaadi hogi uski... matlab Naina hai toh librarian ki hi beti na... uske baap ke paas dhang ki shaadi karne ko paise nahi hain dahej ka toh sawal hi nahi uthta."

Phulla bua gave a harsh look to her, "Sab log aisi soch nahi rakhte, Bina... yeh dahej ki galat pratha ko tujh jaise hi badhawa dete hain... ladki apne aap mein itni keemti hoti hai... usko tolne ki zaroorat nahi hai."

Taiji made a face, "Maine thodi banayi hai yeh pratha... jo sadiyon se chala aa raha hai hum wohi toh manenge."

"Sadiyon pehle sirf uphaar dene se shuru hua tha silsila... maa baap apni marzi se apni beti ko uski zaroorat ka samaan dete the... gehne kapde dete the... jisse usse sasuraal jaate hi kisi cheez ki kami na mehsoos ho... lekin dheere dheere hum logon ne isse ladki waalon ke liye ek sazaa bana diya hai... agar mera bas chale toh har ladke ke maa baap ko puchu ki apne ladke ke badle keemat maang rahe ho toh usse ladki ke ghar hi chod ke aao... ab aap bazar mein kuch bechte ho tabhi paise milte hain na... aisa thodi ki keemat bhi lelo aur apna ladka bhi apne paas rakh lo." Phulla bua strongly condemned the thinking of taiji.

"Dekhiye buaji, yeh sab baatein kitabon mein achhi lagti hain... aap bhi jaanti hain ki asli zindagi aise usulon pe nahi chalti... waise bhi, yahan sawal yeh hai ki aise ghar mein Naina ka rishta kaise ho sakta hai... Naina uske layak nahi hai... haan Preeti ku baat karni hai toh soch sakte hain." Tauji stated in his authoritative voice.

Naina could not stop the tears from falling freely over her cheeks. Bela placed an arm around her shoulder, cupping her face. Naina looked at her... and she shook her head, consoling her. They again diverted their attention to Phulla bua's angry retort.

"Aur yeh tay karne ka haq tumhe kisne diya? Naina kitni layak hai yeh main jaanti hun, Anand aur Bela jante hain... agar tum log nahin dekh sakte toh yeh tumhari aankhon ki kami hai."

"Kya hai usme aisa jo humein nahi dikhta," Taiji could not let the chance pass, "na shakal soorat, na rang, na paisa, na koi saleeka, bin maa ki bachhi ko kuch aayega bhi kahan... aur ab toh Mumbai ki hawa lag gayi hai toh badon ka lihaz bhi bhool gayi... aisi ladki ko kaun apne ghar le jaana chahega."

Phulla bua looked at her sharply, "Tu toh rehne hi de, Bina... teri shaadi bhi hui thi na... jab tujh jaisi ko laa sakte hain toh Naina toh lakhon mein ek hai."

Taiji squirmed at the jibe, but before she could say anything, tauji intervened, "Yeh faaltu ki baatein na karke humein mudde ki baat pe rehna chahiye... buaji, waise woh khandan toh bada hai par aapko shayad pata nahi hoga ki iss ladke ki maa ne doosri shaadi kar rakhi hai... inke yahan..."

Buaji cut him in between, "Pata hai... Sameer ke papa ke guzarne ke baad Jai Prakash ji ne apni beti ki doosri shaadi karwa di thi... itni pragatisheel soch thi unki uss zamane se."

Taiji was still fuming at the insult, wondering how to throw a bigger one at Naina... that was the only way to satisfy her dreadful mind.

The phone started to ring... Anand asked Bela to see as he didn't want their conversation to be interrupted.

Naina went in to answer and realised it was Sameer.

"Tumhari yaad aa rahi thi toh socha thodi der baat kar lun." He said lovingly.

Naina was still disturbed by taiji's words. She didn't want Sameer to know.

"Sameer, abhi kuch zaroori kaam hai... main kuch der mein phone karun tumhe?"

He immediately caught the strain in her voice.

Before he could ask, a loud voice resonated from the living room.

"O bai, ab samajh aaya yeh kya khichdi pak rahi hai... zaroor iss jali hui kundli ne uss Maheshwari ladke ko phansaya hai... warna aur koi wajah ho hi nahi sakti iss shaadi ki... dekha ji, maine toh pehle hi kaha tha iss ladki ke lakshan kuch theek nahi hai... ab pata chala... kya gul khilaya hai."