Though Naina had been able to soothe the anger in him to a great extent, Sameer could not completely erase taiji's stinging words for her from his mind. He had earlier decided that he wouldn't show any disrespect since she was to leave for good... but she had managed to irk him again. And he couldn't accept her derision for Naina.

Seeing Bela hurriedly walking towards the gate, he rushed to her.

"Chachiji, aapse maafi mangni thi." His words surprised her.

"Kis baat ki, beta? Kya hua?" She asked in a worried voice.

He pursed his lips, "Kal Naina ne jo pehna tha woh aapne diya tha fir bhi maine sab ke saamne keh diya ki sab kapde mummy ne bheje hain... aapke tohfe ka anadar karne ka koi irada nahi tha mera par taiji ko... "

Bela cupped his cheek with a smile on her face, "Main samajhti hun... aur maafi mangne ki koi zaroorat nahi hi... balki tumne aisa keh kar achha kiya... bhabhiji ab Naina ke kapdon ki taraf ungli nahi utha payengi... waise bhi bas kuch din ki baat hai... fir toh hum sab ko unse chutkara mil hi jayega."

The moment she said it, her eyes widened, realising that she had spoken in front of Sameer, her son in law.

He gave a reassuring smile, "Jaise aap samajh gayi meri baat ka matlab, aise hi main samajhta hu jo aap kehna chahti hain."

She relaxed a bit, "Achha ab chalti hu, Naina aur Preeti ko khana khilana hai... dono ke mehendi wale haath hain."

"Umm... chachiji, main khila dun? Dono ko? Preeti meri choti behen ke jaisi hai... agar Arjun yahan hota toh aap usse mana nahi karti na?" He asked in a soft voice.

"Lekin tum kyon pareshan... " She didn't want to assign him such a difficult task, knowing Preeti's tantrums about eating.

"Koi pareshani nahi hai... bas aapki ijazat chahiye." He insisted.

Seeing his eagerness, Bela nodded.

When he approached the sisters, two plates in hand, they were perplexed.

"Sameer, tum khana leke kahan ghoom rahe ho?" Naina furrowed her brows.

"Jijaji, Pandit ka asar ho gaya kya jo ek saath do plate?" Preeti chuckled.

He sat down on the mattress, next to them, placing the plates in the center, "Saaliji, hum pe toh bas ek ka hi asar hai, aur aap jaanti hain kiska."

Preeti giggled as Naina narrowed her eyes, though a faint hint of colour crept up her face.

"Yeh khana aap dono ke liye hai." He stated.

"Lekin hum khud kaise khayen? Dono haathon mein toh yeh musibat hai... mummy aayengi khilane ke liye." Preeti scrunched her nose at her hands and feet.

"Main khilaunga... aapko bhi aur apni jaan ko bhi." He moved his gaze to Naina.

"Hayee, kya baat hai, jijaji... aaj toh khullam khulla... cha gaye... lekin main mummy se kha lungi aap apna romance chalu rakho." Preeti made an effort to get up.

Sameer placed one hand on her shoulder, "Chachiji se pooch liya hai... apni biwi ke saath saath apni behen ko bhi main hi khilaunga."

Preeti sat back, shrugging, "Baad mein mat kehna kabab mein haddi ban ke baithi rahi."

"Uski fiqr mat karo... haan, aapko takleef ho toh aankhen band kar lena." He teased.

Preeti winked, "Pakka... ab toh aadat ho gayi hai."

Naina was still looking at him fondly when he first held a piece to Preeti, then to her.

Few ladies were seated in groups all around. Since most had put mehendi on one hand, they could eat themselves. They giggled, seeing how Sameer was feeding both girls simultaneously.

Taiji entered with a piled up plate, only to be shocked by the scene.

"O bai, ab yeh kya besharmi hai." Her words slipped out before she could think.

"Main bhi yehi soch rahi thi." For the first time Phulla bua agreed with her.

"Yeh toh aapko bhi zyada lag raha hai na, buaji." She looked hopefully at the old lady.

"Bohot zyada." Phulla bua shook her head.

Before taiji could rejoice, she pointed at her plate, "Kisi ko bhi yeh zyada lagega. Itna khana khayegi toh phat jayegi... ab umr badh rahi hai teri... yeh football jaisa shareer zara halka kar... warna sau bimariyon se ghir jayegi... main badi hun isliye samjha rahi hun... kam khaya kar."

Taiji's face fell at another jab thrown her way. She looked around... it was heard by several ladies sitting there.

"Ab khadi khadi soch kya rahi hai... jaa, wapis rakh ke aa." Buaji scowled, making her rush back to the food tables.

"Chain se khane bhi nahi deti... inse thodi banwa rahi hun... inka kya jaa raha hai... ab pet bhar ke khana bhi na khaye insaan." Taiji muttered as she placed the food back.

"Kya hua, bhabhiji?" Bela peered at her in surprise, wondering why she was putting back her favourite dishes.

Taiji turned to her, relieved to find someone she could talk to, "Dekh na, Bela, yeh Phulla bua jab dekho mere peeche padi rehti hain... ab kya khana peena bhi chod dun? Koi itne taane kaise de sakta hai?"

"Haan, main bhi hamesha yehi sochti hun." Bela said with a lost expression on her face.

"Kya matlab?" Taiji gave her a questioning look.

She blinked, realising that she had again blurted out something inappropriate.

"Aap... aap khana ghar jaake kha lijiye... maine kuch samaan kitchen mein rakhwaya tha... aap wahan aaram se kha lijiye." She quickly made the offer taiji couldn't refuse.

"Main zara ghar jaake kapde badal leti hun aur yeh mehendi dho leti hun... fir kha lungi... tu Phulla bua ko yahin rakhna... warna wahan bhi mere khane pe nazar lagayengi." She directed Bela.

As she walked out, her eyes again fell on Sameer, who was giving one rolled chapati to Naina to bite. To her horror, he bit into the same chapati after her. She was shocked to see him eating from the same plate while he fed Preeti from the other one.

Rolling her eyes, she decided to talk to Naina later, giving her a piece of her mind.

The phone was ringing when Naina and Preeti entered the room.

"Hello." Naina answered as Preeti didn't want to get her mehendi smudged though it was dry by now.

"Bhabhi, main... woh... aap kaisi ho?" Pandit fumbled from other side.

"Tumne mera haal chaal puchne ke liye phone kiya?" Naina asked with a straight face.

"Nahi... haan... matlab... " He didn't know what to say.

Naina burst out laughing, "Pandit, hum log toh ek doosre ko kitne saalon se jaante hain... fir aise kyon ghabra rahe ho? Preeti se baat karni hai na... toh saaf saaf kehne mein sharm kyon aa rahi hai?"

"Aisa kuch nahi hai, bhabhi... sharmaunga kyon? Aakhir apne bhai se training li hai... woh main bas isliye thoda hichak raha tha ki Preeti ne kaha tha ghar walon ne mana kiya hai kuch din milne ko." Pandit was his normal self within a second.

"Haan, woh toh hai... kal jab tum tilak ke liye aaoge toh Preeti ke alava sabse mil sakte ho... par sangeet pe usse mil lena... parson." Naina tried to cheer him up.

"Umm, bhabhi... kal kuch jugaad... bas ek do minute ka bhi hoga toh chalega... please?" He knew if anyone could make it happen, it was Naina and Sameer.

"Oho, itni basabri? Lekin Preeti se toh puch lo pehle... agar ussi ne manaa kar diya toh?" She gave a teasing side glance to her sister.

"Main kyon mana karungi?" Preeti blurted.

Naina looked at her in amazement, "Tujhe pata hai kya baat ho rahi hai? Iska matlab tumhari aapas mein iss baare mein baat ho chuki hai? Preeti?"

"Chup kar tu... aur de phone idhar... jab mere jijajj ka aata tha toh bohot baatein kar li tune... ab meri baari hai tere jijaji se baat karne ki." Preeti snatched the phone from her, holding it delicately between thumb and forefinger.

She went out to the balcony, but came back instantly, since all men were sitting right under it, chatting and eating.

Naina slipped out of the room, giving her privacy. She was going to the kitchen when strong arms gripped her from behind.

"Sameer, fir se?" She hitched up her shoulder as his nose nuzzled into her hair.

"Kismat bhi humein ishare kar rahi hai... main toh bas haath dhone aaya tha upar... kya pata tha tum mil jaogi... woh bhi akeli." He said against her ear.

"Preeti hai andar, phone pe baat kar rahi hai." She leaned back against his chest.

"Iska matlab yeh time hamara hai." He tightened his hold, moving his face closer, his nose gliding against her face.

"Bas Sameer... yahan nahi." She felt her legs going weak.

"Mere naam ki mehendi lagwa ke ghoom rahi ho aur main hi paas nahi aa sakta." He turned her, pinning her against the wall.

"Woh... main... " She gulped, captive under him as he looked into her eyes.

She could still see the faint tinge of hurt... and understood what was troubling him.

"Sameer, taiji ki baaton pe dhyan mat do... unki aadat hai... jaane do." She wanted to hold him but was scared of putting mehendi stains on his clothes.

His eyes darkened, but with anger, "Meri Naina ko iss tarah ki baatein bole aur main jaane dun?"

She blinked hard, "Haan, jaane do... kyonki unke kehne se kuch farq nahi padta... main kya hun yeh mujhe tumhari aankhon mein dikhta hai aur yehi mere liye sabse bada sach hai."

"Sabke saamne jo aise bol sakti hain unhone pehle kya kya nahi kaha hoga tumhe." His voice was pained.

"Sameer, pehle ki baatein bhool jao... ab tum ho na mere saath." She placed her head on his chest.

They were partially hidden as they stood in the small gap between a wooden cupboard kept outside the kitchen for extra supplies, and a wall. Naina's view was blocked but Sameer could see from his side vision when taiji entered the house, looking around. He moved ahead, hiding himself, till she went in the kitchen.

"Shayad koi... " Naina raised her head, alerted at the sound of footsteps.

He placed his lips on hers, to quieten her... and also because he wanted to do so for a long time.

He kissed her softly, mumbling in between how beautiful she was.

She arched to mould herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck, not touching with the henna covered portion.

When he raised himself, her eyes were closed, her hair disheveled and her cheeks burned.

"Tum itni sundar ho, Naina, ki poore Ahmedabad mein koi tum jaisa nahi hai... aur agar kisi ko yeh samajh nahi aata toh ya toh woh insaan andha hai ya usse parakh hi nahi hai." His voice was suddenly louder.

"Tum unncha kyon bol rahe ho?" She tried to hush him.

He continued as if there was no interruption, "Maine tumhari mummy ko toh nahi dekha par tum pakka unke jaisi hogi... jaise Preeti hai chachiji ki tarah pyari si... sochta hun kitna achha hua bhagwan ne taiji ko beti nahi di... unki beti unke jaisi ho jaati toh kya hota."

Naina was aghast. It wasn't like him to deride someone like this. She wondered why he was saying all this so loudly. Her confusion cleared when he looped an arm around her waist and walked to the kitchen.

Taiji stood holding a plate, her eyes opened wide... shocked both at the words she had just heard and the sight in front of her.

"Oh taiji aap yahan... khana kha rahi hain... khaiye, khaiye... main aur Naina zara paani peene aaye the." He said in a complaisant tone.

Without removing his arm from her waist, he filled a glass from the jug and placed it near her lips. She took a few sips, eyes fixed on him.

A gasp escaped taiji's mouth as he turned the glass, and drank the remaining water from where she had put her lips.

"Jhoote se pyaar badhta hai." He grinned at taiji, putting the glass back.

Her mouth fell open.

"Main neeche jaata hun, Naina, sab kuch ho gaya hai toh hum log aadhe ghante mein nikalte hain yahan se... theek hai?" He looked down at her.

She dipped her head to the side.

The plate fell from taiji's hand as he leaned to plant a kiss on his wife's forehead.

Without giving a glance to taiji and the spilled contents, he walked away.

"Yeh sab kya hai... agar maine baaki ghar walon ko bata diya toh socha hai kya hoga?" Taiji scowled the moment he was out of sight.

"Kya batana hai, taiji? Ki mere pati ne mujhe paani pilaya... unhone toh sabke samne mujhe khana bhi khilaya tha... ya batana hai ki mera jhootha paani pi liya... aap shayad bhool gayi par hum dono ne khana bhi ek hi plate se khaya tha... ya fir ye batayengi ki unhone mera maatha chooma... pati hain mere, bhooliye mat." Naina's voice was firm.

Taiji's fat body shuddered with indignation. She stepped ahead, ready to hit, as per her habit.

Naina held her raised hand, "Sameer ko agar mujh pe ek bhi nishaan nazar aaya na... toh woh kya kar sakte hain yeh main bata bhi nahi sakti, taiji."

It wasn't a direct threat, but it was clear... even though Naina's voice was soft, taiji could feel the chill in it.

She kept staring as Naina walked away, her head held high.

Outside, Sameer let out a relieved exhale. Finally, Naina had done what he always wanted her to do... stand up for herself in front of taiji.

Surprise...

Wait for a short evening update... along with an important announcement

Ab maarna mat... evening tak toh wait kar hi sakte ho