By the time halwa was prepared, entire family had gathered at the dining table.

Naina came out of the kitchen with the bowl and gestured to Sameer. He was quickly by her side and they placed some halwa in mandir. Then they went to the huge photograph of nanu put up on the wall.

"Nanu, aap hamesha se Naina ko iss ghar mein dekhna chahte the na... lekin aaj jab woh yahan hai toh aap chale gaye." Sameer's voice choked.

Naina placed one hand on his arm, "Nanu hamare saath hain, Sameer... dekho kaise muskura rahe hain... maine unhe hamesha aise hi dekha hai... woh tumhe bhi aise hi dekhna chahenge... isliye hum unko jab bhi yaad karenge khush hokar karenge."

She looked at the smiling picture, "Nanu, aaj maine pehli baar apne ghar mein kuch banaya hai... sabse pehle aapko khilana chahti hun... mujhe pata hai aap ka kitna mann tha mere haathon ka khana khane ka."

Sameer took some halwa in a plate and placed it in front of nanu's picture.

Vishakha could see the traits of her father in Sameer... and surprisingly, in Naina too.

Sameer took a seat and Naina went back to the kitchen after placing the bowl on the table.

"Bhai aaj toh mazaa hi aa jayega... iss Ramdhari ke haath ka kha kha ke hum toh bhool hi gaye the badhiya khane ka swaad kya hota hai... ab bhabhi ke haath ka khayenge toh pet bhi duayein dega." Munna grinned as he pulled a chair.

"Toh apne pet ko kahiye thode din aur gaaliyaan hi dede... kyonki abhi hum Naina bhabhi ko rasoi mein ghusne nahi denge jab tak unke haathon mein mehendi hai." Ramdhari quipped, arranging the dishes on the table.

"Arre Ramdhari, chinta mat kar, mehendi nikal ke khaane pe nahi lagti... khaane ka swad waisa hi rahega." Munna assured him.

Ramdhari gave him a shocked look, "Aapko lagta hai humne Naina bhabhi ko isliye mana kiya hai, bhaiya?"

"Ramdhari, tum Naina ki madad karo, main samjha dungi isse." Vishakha instructed him.

As he went away, she told everyone about her father's wish. When Munna told her how nanu had met Naina in school and had liked her so much that he had started to see her as Sameer's wife, not only Vishakha but others were taken by surprise too.

"Matlab Sameer se bhi pehle papa ne apna liya tha Naina ko? Unhone kabhi bataya nahi." Vishakha wondered.

Sameer pursed his lips... there was no way nanu could have said anything to her... each time they talked, it was her complaints and him defending his grandson.

"Mausi, aapse kabhi iss baare mein baat nahi hui hogi... waise pata toh humein bhi nahi tha... aur na Sameer ko." Munna looked at his friend.

"Kamaal hai, papa ko aur Sameer ko ek hi ladki pasand aayi." Vishakha was astounded.

"Issi ko kismat kehte hain, Vishakha ji." Rahul's mother exclaimed.

"Chaliye, sab log shuru kijiye." Naina said in a lively voice as she came out of the kitchen, having no idea about the talks going on.

"Naina, tum bhi yahan baitho... sab saath mein khayenge." Vishakha gestured her to sit next to Sameer.

He pushed the chair back for her, pulling it closer to himself after she sat.

She narrowed her eyes at him... he gave a cheeky smile.

Ramdhari served the halwa... and it received praises from everyone... except Sameer... and Pandit.

"Bas ab toh thode din ka intezar hai fir jam ke bhabi ke haath ka khana khayenge." Munna said as he took the third helping.

"Pandit, tumhe nahi pasand aaya kya?" Naina asked, seeing him so quiet.

"Arre nahi bhabhi, yeh toh bohot achha hai... ekdam kamaal ka... isse achha halwa kabhi khaya nahi maine." Pandit blurted out.

"Makhan thoda zyada ho raha hai... abhi Preeti ki behen nahi, apni bhabhi samajh ke baat kar." Munna whispered as Naina looked strangely at him.

Pandit nodded after a big 'Oh'.

As all were busy eating, the spoon suddenly dropped from Naina's hand, into her plate.

"Kya hua, Naina?" Bhabhi asked, concerned as she didn't attempt to pick it up, sitting with a stony expression.

"Naina, kya hua, tum khana kyon nahi kha rahi?" Sameer leaned to look at her, his concern evident from his voice.

"Ku... kuch nahi... kh... kha rahi hun." She picked up the spoon.

With shaky hands, she attempted to eat the curd that she had taken with her parantha.

With a sly smile, Sameer went back to his plate... his one hand pressed on Naina's leg under the table.

She tried to loosen his grip when no one was looking... he tightened his hold, rubbing his thumb on her leg.

Naina pressed her lips together, to stop their quivering. She looked at him, pleading silently.

"Chod ke bhi toh tum hi jaa rahi ho na... toh bhugto." He said in a low whisper, bending ahead on the pretext of picking up the jug of water.

"Naina bhabhi, aapke ghar se phone hai." Ramdhari's voice came as a big relief to her.

Getting up quickly, she almost ran to the room.

Sameer's heart fell to the bottom of his stomach. Was it time already? Would she be gone for so long? She hadn't been here for half a day yet and he would now stay without her for more than twenty four hours. He was sure this time there would be no way to see her... neither on some false pretext of meeting Swati, or going to the shop... nor would he be able to go to her room through the balcony.

The irony of the situation hit him when he realised that in their previous two marriages, there was no such separation. They had been together each day. After their court marriage, they were together for one week... each moment. And now, when everything was perfect... the loneliness had crept back in his life... when he had a family, when he got back his mother's love, when he had his wife...

"Hello."

Preeti was shocked at her breathless voice.

"Naina, sab theek hai na? Tuh itni ghabrayi hui kyon hai?" She was anxious.

"Nahi, kuch nahi... bas woh jaldi se daud ke aayi na... zara saans phool gayi." Naina tried to camouflage the state of her racing heart.

"Daud ke kyon? Phone pe hun main... koi station pe khadi train mein nahi jiski seeti baj chuki ho." Preeti was puzzled.

"Umm... woh chod, yeh bata sab kaise hain wahan? Chachaji ne kya kaha?" Naina was curious to know his answer.

"Yahan sab theek hi hain, kya hoga sabko? Kal aadhi raat ko toh gayi hai tu, aur subah subah aise pooch rahi hai jaise mahino se door hai... waise tujhe toh uski bhi aadat hai... fir toh tujhe kuch... " Preeti did not stop her blabbering till Naina forcibly cut her.

"Preeti, Preeti... chup kar na... mujhe yeh bata chachaji ne kya kaha?" She kept her fingers crossed.

Preeti smiled, "Phulla bua dadi ne kaha theek hai... papa ne tujhe batane ko bola hai ki sab kuch waise hi karenge jaisa tune kaha hai... yeh problem bhi khatam."

Naina smiled in relief, then it suddenly struck her.

"Aur kaunsi problem thi?" She narrowed her eyes.

Preeti bit her tongue at the other end... she had not planned to spill out everything to her... she wanted to tell when they met today.

"Bol na... koi baat hai kya? Taiji ne kuch kaha hai? Phulla bua ne unhe shaadi mein nahi aane diya toh koi tamasha kiya kya? Ya kisi aur rishtedaar ne koi buraai ki hai? Kisi ne Sameer ke baare mein kuch kaha?" Naina felt the tension grip her heart again.

"Arre ruk ja meri Rajdhani Express... yahan koi toofan nahi aaya... raat ko jo aaya woh bemausam barsaat wala... woh sirf bahar tha... ghar mein sab theek hai." Preeti hoped Naina to forget what she said earlier.

"Fir tune kyon kaha 'yeh problem bhi'... bhi ka kya matlab hai?" Naina was not the one to forget easily.

"Woh... woh main... ghar ke baare mein nahin kaha... main..." Preeti fumbled.

Naina was shocked to hear her always chattering sister at loss of words.

"Preeti, Pandit ne kuch kaha hai kya?" Her experience made her guess.

"Hmm... maine baat kar li... usse." Preeti said in a soft voice.

"Kya?" Naina's voice rose a few decibels.

"Shh... dheere... sasural mein hai tu... kya kahenge sab log... ki bahu ne aate hi chhekhna chillana shuru kar diya?" Preeti sniggered.

Naina was irritated, "Tu bata rahi hai ya main bahar jaake Pandit se poochun? Sab saath mein naashta kar rahe hain... pooch leti hun sabke saamne."

"Maine usko bata di apne dil ki baat." Preeti said quickly and disconnected the phone.

Naina stared at the instrument in her hand... her eyes wide in wonder. Slowly, as the information sank in, her heart jumped with excitement. She wanted to share it with Sameer. He was equally worried about Pandit and Preeti.

"Tumhare papa ka phone tha? Lene aayenge na tumhe pagphere ke liye... kab aa rahe hain?" Vishakha asked as she joined them.

"Preeti ka phone tha." Naina said, looking at Pandit.

His head jerked up from his half eaten food.

"Usse kuch baat karni thi mujhse." She smiled at him.

He blushed profusely, lowering his head... a small smile playing on his lips.

"Achha... waise tumhe pata hai na aaj tum pagphere ke liye apne ghar jaogi?" Vishakha asked.

Naina glanced at Sameer's gloomy face before replying, "Nahi mummy, apna ghar toh yeh hai... main chachaji ke ghar jaungi."

Her hand rested on his palm, that was on his leg... and Sameer looked at her with a mixture of  emotions churning in him... love, pride, contentment, gratification, eagerness, uncertainty, despair, fear... everything together.

"Agar woh log jaldi aa jaate toh hum sab bhi mil lete ek baar... fir toh pata nahi kab aana hoga." Vishakha said wistfully.

"Woh bhi aap sab se milna chahte hain... isliye humko khane pe aane ke liye kaha hai... aap sab chalenge na?" She looked at everyone.

"Arre beta, itni takleef kyon le rahe hain tumhare ghar wale? Hum itne saare log hain... woh sab bhi shaadi ke kaamon se thake honge... hum aisa karenge, jab station ke liye niklenge toh unse milte hue chale jayenge." Rahul's mother was hesitant.

"Nahi aunty, ismein takleef nahi hai... chachiji ko khushi hoti hai sabke liye khana bana ke... aap log chalenge toh ghar pe sab ko achha lagega." Naina insisted.

"Chalte hain na, mummy... mera bohot mann hai sabse milne ka, khaskar Preeti se." Sonali had seen the exchange of looks between Pandit and Naina... and was eager to meet Preeti since Rahul had told their story to her.

"Haan aunty, hum madad kar denge Naina ki chachiji ko... sabse milke jayenge toh achha lagega." Bhabhi also gave her consent.

"Munna Pandit, tumhe bhi bulaya hai chachaji ne." She looked at them.

Pandit's face brightened instantly... Munna gave a cheeky smile, hoping that Swati comes there too.

Rahul and his family had to catch a train at four in the evening. Vishakha was to leave by flight at five.

It was decided that they would all leave at noon, have lunch with Naina's family... and leave for station and airport directly from there.

Naina went back to the room to find Sameer standing at the window, his hands in pockets. She walked upto him stealthily, and slipped her arms around him, hugging him from behind.

He held her hands over his chest, taking a deep breath.

"I Love You." She said softly, dipping her head to look at him as he tilted his head to the side.

"I Love You too, Naina... nahi reh paunga... main tumhare bina saans bhi nahi le paunga... tumhare jaane ke baad iss ghar ka sannata bardaasht kaise karunga?" He turned and crushed her in his arms, scared of the moments ahead.

She rubbed his back, "Tum akele nahi rahoge, main wapas aa jaungi... tumhare saath hi."

He held her shoulders and straightened to see her face, "Kya? Tum wahan rukogi nahi raat ko?"

She shook her head.

He stared at her with open mouth for a few seconds, then crushed her against himself, harder this time.

"Oh Naina, thank you so much... tum jaanti nahi ho tumne mujhe meri saansein wapas kar di... meri jaan ja rahi thi soch ke ki main kaise reh paunga." His relief was evident in his voice.

"Main jaanti hun." She whispered, locking her hands behind him.

He felt the blood flow in his veins again... the heart beating again... the restricted feeling in his chest melt away... the nervous fluttering in his limbs turn calm... the throbbing at his temples ease out...

By one simple shake of head, Naina had made his darkness fade away once again.

After soaking in her warmth for sometime, he held her in front of him, "Lekin yeh kaise hua? Yeh toh rasm thi na? Kya kaha tumne sabse?"

Naina told him about the conversation with chachaji in the morning.