"Naina, dekh meri saree aa gayi." Preeti dragged Naina's hand to take her inside the room.

Sameer had just left and Rakesh was ready to go out somewhere.

Anand had taken Phulla bua and Bela to the temple so the girls were alone now.

"Arre waah, tera blouse toh bada mast hai." Naina admired the design.

"Haina? Khud design kiya hai maine." Preeti grinned proudly.

"Try karke dikha." Naina said eagerly.

"Abhi mummy aati hongi... aate hi daant khilwa de tu... mana kiya hai unhone baar baar kholne se." Preeti started to fold the saree back before her mother arrived from the temple.

"Saree hai kagaz thodi jo phat jayega." Naina frowned.

"Yeh mummy ke aage bol ke dikhana... bolegi?" Preeti gave a challenging look.

Naina shook her head and both started to giggle.

"Yeh toh meri Naina ki awaaz hai." Phulla bua's voice resonated in the room.

Naina rushed out.

"Namaste bua dadi." She was instantly next to the old lady.

Phulla bua cupped her face, looking at her intently for a few seconds.

"Shaadi ke baad toh aur bhi nikhar gayi hai meri gudiya." Her affection for Naina was always abundant.

A shy smile spread on Naina's face.

"Main bhi yehi kehti hun jab bhi Naina yahan aati hai... darr bhi lagta hai kahin meri hi nazar na lag jaye isse." Bela looked at her fondly.

"Bela, pyar bhari nazron se dekhne walon ki nazar nahi lagti... kaali nazar walon ki lagti hai... arre haan, yaad aaya... woh Bina nahin dikhi subah se." Phulla bua remarked.

Naina and Preeti looked at each other, stifling their sniggers.

Bela wasn't so subtle.

"Buaji, aap bhi achhe se pehchanti hain bhabhiji ko... waise toh iss samay tak do teen chakkar laga leti hain par aaj shayad aapke darr se nahi aayi." She chuckled.

Phulla bua raised one brow, nodding, before turning to Naina again.

"Aur bata, tera hero tera achhe se khyal toh rakhta hai na?" She asked in a teasing tone.

"Jijaji kitna khyal rakhte hain Naina ka woh aap hum sab se puchiye, bua dadi... unhe toh Naina ke alawa kuch dikhta hi nahi... saara din ek hi naam ki ratt laga ke rakhte hain, 'Naina, Naina, Naina'... tote ki tarah." Preeti sat with bua dadi, winking at her sister who frowned.

Bua dadi smiled knowingly, "Achha... ismein kay nayi baat hai... maine jab se usse pehli baar dekha tha woh tabse aisa hi hai... lekin yeh bata, tere uss buddhu mein thodi bohot akal bhi aayi hai ya uss maamle mein bhi pehle jaisa hai?"

"Nahi, nahi, bua dadi, Sameer ab achhe se kaam sambhal raha hai... roz factory jaata hai." Naina quickly defended him, her eyes filling up with pride.

"Shukr hai, warna jab usse pooja ke phool mangwaye the aur woh poore sheher ke le aaya tha toh main darr hi gayi thi ki yeh ladka kaise chalayega apni zindagi." Her teasings did not pause.

Everyone laughed heartily as they were aware of this incident.

"O bai, buaji... aap kab aayi... mujhe toh kisi ne bataya hi nahi." Taiji's loud voice was a little mellowed down today as she entered the house.

"Kyon? Yahan sabke paas aur koi kaam nahi hai kya jo minute minute ki report dene aayen tujhe?" Phulla bua's said with a hardened expression.

Taiji quickly came to her, bending down on the pretext of touching her feet, failing to reach there when her huge belly turned out to be an obstacle.

"Tu toh har baar pehle se zyada moti lagti hai, Bina... lagta hai Bela zyada makhan wale paranthe khilane lagi hai." Phulla bua made a face when taiji straightened without actually touching her feet.

"Bhabhiji khud hi aur makhan mangti hain, buaji... main kaise na bol sakti hun." Bela did not understand the pun, answering simply to the comment.

Taiji widened her eyes at her. She gulped, realising that she had again said more than required.

"Iska pata hai mujhe... khair, Bina, yeh bata, Naresh kab tak aayega... mujhe usse zaroori baat karni hai." Phulla bua's words were signs of danger for taiji.

She feared demand of any monetary assistance from her husband.

"Woh... woh Parlay ke papa toh raat tak hi aayenge... aajkal kaam zyada hai toh der ho jaati hai." She said in a low voice.

Phulla bua quirked up her brows, "Iska matlab kaam achha chal raha hai... khoob kamai ho rahi hogi fir toh."

Taiji's heart sank... it was definitely for a monetary requirement.

"Kaam toh Anand babu ka bhi achha chal raha hai, buaji... tabhi itni jaldi doosri shaadi karne ko taiyar ho gaye... warna iss ladki ki shaadi ko abhi do mahine bhi nahi hue." Adjusting her pallu, she looked at Naina.

"Bina, teri yaddasht bhi khatam ho gayi kya jo Naina ka naam tak nahi pata... isliye kehti hun kam khaya kar... saari akal khaane ke neeche dab gayi hai... waise akal toh tujhme tab se nahi hai jab se iss ghar mein aayi thi... tab sookhi daali jaisi thi aur ab dekho... bargad ke ped ki tarah phail gyi hai." Buaji did not leave any chance.

"O bai, yeh toh mera hi kachra karne pe tuli hain." Taiji shifted on her feet uneasily, muttering under her breath.

Thankfully, Bela went to the kitchen and she found it to be a perfect time to follow her, saving herself from more insults.

Phulla bua turned towards Naina again, "Uski wajah se hamari baat beech mein reh gayi thi... yeh bata, tera honeymoon kaisa tha?"

Naina turned crimson at her blunt question.

"Haan bua dadi, aap hi pucho... mujhe toh kuch batati nahi hai yeh." Preeti rolled her eyes, letting out a deep breath.

"Tujhse puchungi jab tu apne honeymoon se wapas aayegi... woh nahi batati toh tu bata dena... sab kuch." Phulla bua waved her head, smiling slyly at Preeti.

It was her turn to go red.

The day was spent in teasing, banters, laughing and planning.

Anand came home in the evening with some more outfits which he had picked up from the tailor.

"Aa gaye mere naye kapde." Preeti was excited.

They all marvelled at the beautiful designs.

"Sameer aa gaye." Naina could hear the sound of his car amidst all the talking.

Preeti flicked up a brow while Bela smiled in satisfaction at the way she talked about him.

Sameer bent down to touch the old lady's feet, "Namaste bua dadi, kaisi hain aap?"

She held his face within her palms and kissed his forehead before replying, "Main toh hamesha se achhi hun par tujhe aise zimmedaari uthate dekh ke aur bhi khush hun, hero."

He beamed at her praise.

Naina too had a broad smile on her face when he stole a glance at her.

Later, when he went to the washroom to freshen up, she waited with a towel outside.

"Oho, Mrs Maheshwari, aaj aap badi bekarar ho rahi hain... andar aane ka iraada tha kya?" He winked when he saw her right outside the door.

"Chup raho, kabhi bhi shuru ho jaate ho... main bas yeh towel dene aayi thi... chachiji ne kaha tha isliye." She lowered her eyes, her face turning pink.

His arm went around her waist, pulling her with a jerk, "Jab chachiji ne bheja hai toh kya darr hai... yahin welcome karogi ya bathroom mein chalein?"

She gasped, looking up in alarm, "Sameer, dimaag toh theek hai tumhara... sab hain yahan pe... chodo mujhe."

He leaned to give a quick kiss on the tip of her nose before leaving her, "Abhi tak toh theek hai, lekin aage k keh nahi sakta... subah wala promise kab mera dil aur dimaag hila de."

She stared at him wide eyed.

Lifting her hand that was holding the towel, he started to dab his face, eyes fixed on her.

She was still in a daze when he went away a few moments later, but not before whispering in her ear, "Tumhari nighty dekhni hai mujhe... jo ab tak nahi dekhi."

It took her some time to calm her racing heart... how easily he had done all this in a house full of people. At home, this would have been normal, but here, with a fear of being seen by someone, his talks and touch made her heart beat wildly against her chest.

"Ab tere tote kyon udd gaye?" Preeti furrowed her brows at her when she went to the kitchen.

"Nahi toh... aisa... aisa kuch nahi hai." She fumbled.

"Oh achha, ab samjhi... jijaji aa gaye na... lag gaye honge aate hi kaam pe." Preeti nudged her shoulder with her own, giving a knowing smile.

"Preeti ki bachhi... mujhe chedna band kar... tujhse puchungi kuch dino baad." She turned away, hiding her face that had turned beetroot.

Preeti wrapped her arms around her from behind, "Tujhe mehnat nahi karni padegi... main khud hi sab bata dungi... waise bhi Pandit ko bada dukh hai ki pehle usse ahsaas nahi hua isliye itna time barbaad kar diya... ab uss saare time ka hisaab poora karta hai."

Naina turned at her with a bewildered expression, "Tu kitni besharam hai... kaise bataa rahi hai."

"Saali kiski hun." Preeti pulled up imaginary collars.

"Meri tareef ho rahi hai?" Sameer entered the kitchen.

"Aaiye jijaji, bas aapki hi kami thi... waise aisa kya kar diya aate hi ki meri behen laal hoke muh chupa rahi hai... matlab sab ke ghar mein hote hue bhi aapne apna kamaal dikha hi diya." Preeti grinned at him.

"Ab hum toh hain hi aise, saaliji... aur fiqr mat kijiye... aap ko bhi hum issi rang mein dekhenge ab se.. Pandit iss baat ka poora khyal rakhega." He gave a crooked smile.

Preeti almost choked on her laughter.

"Tumhi isko jawaab de sakte ho, Sameer... kabse mujhe ched rahi hai." Naina turned to face both of them.

Sameer looped an arm around her shoulder, looking at her lovingly, "Tum ghabrao mat, jaan... main sab sambhal lunga... mere hote hue koi aur tumhe kaise ched sakta hai."

The smile was back on Preeti's face as Naina gave him a horrified look for his talks as well as the proximity in front of Preeti.

"Yeh subah ka jawaab hai." He winked.

Before she could comprehend, he planted a kiss on her cheek, and left as suddenly... leaving both girls gaping after him.

"Subah kya kiya tha tune, Naina?" Preeti's voice brought her out of shock.

And she hid her face in her palms.

Preeti hugged her, scrunching her nose, "Hayee, behen, tum dono na sachhi ek doosre ke liye hi bane ho... Sonali ne sahi naam diya hai tumko, Samaina."

Naina squeezed her eyes shut as she hugged her sister back.

"Lekin bataa toh tune aisa kiya kya tha subah jiska badla le rahe hain jijaji tujhse?" Preeti wasn't ready to let go, holding Naina by her shoulders as she stepped back.

"Chup ho jaa, Preeti... chachiji sun lengi." Naina pleaded.

"Mummy papa dono Phulla bua ke saath baith ke list check kar rahe hain ki card bhejne mein koi rishtedaar reh toh nahi gaya... woh shaadi ke liye apni taiyari kar rahe hain... main apni... ab tujhse hi sikhungi na... toh bata jaldi se... kaise jijaji ko aise lattu bana ke rakhti hai ki paanch minute bhi tere bina bechain ho jaate hain?" Preeti teased her more.

"Jab tera time aayega na toh tu bhi seekh jayegi... Pandit bhi lattu hi banke ghumega, dekh lena." Naina pinched her nose.

Preeti bit her lip, hunching up her shoulders before hugging Naina again, "Tere muh mein dher saari mithai."

Next update in the evening