Naina came rushing out of the room, hearing the crash, the small box of kumkum still in her hand. Seeing the broken splinters all over the floor, she gave a concerned look to Sameer, looking him up and down.

"Sameer, tum theek ho na? Lagi toh nahi tumhe?" Her worried eyes scanned his hands.

Sameer saw the sindoor box, the little dot on her forehead that wasn't there earlier... and he stepped ahead.

"Kuch nahi hua mujhe... bas zara tray haath se phisal gayi... koi nahi, thode bartan hi toh the... zaroori baat yeh hai ki kisi ko nahi lagi, na mujhe na chachiji ko." His voice was calm as he took the box from her hand, pinched some of the red vermillion and touched it to her forehead before closing the box.

A heavy thud made them look at the door. Taiji's heavy body had slumped to the floor, in a heap.

"Bha... " Bela hastily turned to dash towards her when Sameer held her arm.

"Aap aur Naina andar jaiye... aur kuch bhi ho jaaye, bahar mat aana... jab tak main na bulaun." He said in a low voice.

Bela was confounded, "Lekin woh bhabhiji... "

"Main hun na." He gave a sly smile.

Bela opened her mouth to speak again, when she was stopped by Naina, "Chaliye chachiji, andar kaafi kaam hai... inhe ab Sameer dekh lenge."

Bela gaped in confusion at the silent conversation between Sameer and Naina as they stood looking into each other's eyes for a few seconds. And then, Naina took Bela's hand, taking her inside.

Sameer turned towards the mass on the floor. Chewing his lower lip, he linked his fingers against his chest, cracking them as he took in a long breath.

"Arre, ye mummy neeche kyon soyi hain?" Pralay, who had just come hopping from his house, stopped at the door blocked by his mother's heavy frame.

Sameer reached him with a worried expression, "Woh gir gayi... shayad behosh hain... chalo, utha ke sofe pe bitha dete hain."

Pralay nodded, bending down to lift one arm as Sameer held the other one.

"Itni moti hain... main nahi utha sakta." Pralay was exhausted in a few seconds, and left her arm which landed on the floor with a thump.

The little boy gulped, looking at Sameer, sure of getting a backlash for hurting his mother.

The only elder in the room to witness his folly chose to ignore it.

"Haan, tumhare liye bhaari hain... aisa karo, apne papa ko bula lao... aur koi toh hai nahi yahan... main bhi nahi utha paunga... mere liye bhi bohot bhaari hain." Sameer bobbed his head in understanding, uttering the last sentence in a whisper.

The boy sniggered, glad to share a secret with a grown up, before sprinting back to his house.

Tauji came after a few minutes, perturbed at what his son had told him.

"Arre, Bina, gir kaise gayi... utho utho... Anand, bahu, Naina, Preeti." He stood at the threshold, not making an effort to help Sameer, rather calling out to everyone to do the job.

"Yahan koi nahi hai, tauji... humein hi uthana hoga." Sameer said in a curt voice.

"Mujhe?" Tauji widened his eyes.

"Main akele toh utha nahi sakta itna wazan... agar aap madad nahi karenge toh yahin rehne dete hain jab tak inhe hosh aaye... uske baad khud hi uth jayengi." Sameer stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans.

"Nahi nahi... uthana toh padega." Tauji resigned to the situation and crouched to bring his wife in a sitting position.

Sameer held her arm again, putting least effort. When a few moments of trying left tauji panting, he sat on the floor.

"Paani... paani." He uttered in unsteady voice.

"Jee tauji, sirf paani lenge ya chai naashta bhi le aaun." Sameer asked sweetly.

"Paani, isko hosh mein laane ke liye... chehre pe daalna hai." The sarcasm was lost on tauji as he sweated, not used to lifting a finger for anything.

Sameer started to fill up a glass of water from the jug on table, decided against it, and carried the jug to tauji. He lifted his hand slightly, making Sameer bend to hand over the heavy jug. Before tauji could hold it, his hand jerked... and the jug full of water splashed on taiji's face.

She gasped with her mouth wide open, her eyes wide.

"Jug bhari tha, main sambhal nahi paya." Sameer held his wrist as tauji looked at him, aghast.

"Ky... kya hua? Main doob rahi thi kya?" Taiji looked around, water dripping from her face.

"Tum gir kaise gayi, Bina, dekh ke chalna chahiye na." Tauji was exasperated now.

"Main, main kaise giri?" Taiji was perplexed.

"Jaldi jaldi aa rahi thi aap, itni zor se darwaze ki thokar lagi ki gir gayi... aur aapka tray haath se chootkar wahan jaa gira." Sameer pointed at the broken crockery.

Taiji gasped again, recalling how Sameer had broken her precious set.

"Tumne yeh saara set tod diya? Bina, pata hai na kitna mehenga tha... kaha tha tumse sambhal ke rakhna... aur tumne ek do nahi, saare bartan tod diye?" Tauji hollered, infuriated to see the loss.

"Maine nahi, Pralay ke papa, yeh toh... " She shook her head, shuddering at her husband's harsh tone.

"Taiji, ab aap apni galti kisi aur ke sar mat daaliye... aapse hi toh gira tha." Sameer sat next to her, his small smile not reaching his eyes.

"Main sach keh rahi hun, Pralay ke papa, maine nahi giraya... aapko toh pata hai main kitna dhyan rakhti hun apni cheezon ka." Taiji decided it was better to pacify her husband first.

"Thoda dhyan khud pe bhi do, Bina... itna wazan badh gaya hai... khud ko hi nahi samajh aata kahan jaa rahi ho aur takra jaati ho... parson bhi table se thokar khayi thi tumne aur mera chashma gira diya tha... aaj fir se nuksaan kar diya." Tauji was miffed.

Taiji was embarrassed at the berating from her husband in front of Sameer.

"Ab yahin jami rahogi ya uthogi bhi." Tauji stood up, without bothering to help his wife.

Sameer moved a few steps back, shoving his hands in pocket, dipping his head as he enjoyed taiji's struggle to lift herself up, which she did by holding onto the door.

"Bela sun toh zara." She called out in a shaky voice.

"Ghar pe nahi hai woh." Tauji said drily.

"Ghar pe hi toh hain, bahar kab gayi?" Sameer raised his brows at tauji.

It was his turn to give a sharp look to Sameer, "Tumne hi toh kaha tha... tabhi main aaya tha madad karne."

"Maine yeh kaha tha woh yahan nahi hain, matlab kamre mein... andar hain... agar woh yahin hoti toh aap apni patni ki madad karne bhi nahi aate?" Sameer asked innocently.

Taiji stared at her husband.

"Nahi, aisa nahi kaha maine." Tauji was caught in the web of his own words.

"Naina... taiji bula rahi hain." Sameer called out.

Naina and Bela had heard the entire conversation, standing behind bedroom door.

Taking a deep breath, Naina looked at her, "Chachiji, ab aap sirf haan mein haan milana... main ya Sameer jo bhi kahein, aap usse maan jaana."

Bela opened her mouth to speak, but closed it without any word... and nodded. Whatever was happening was well deserved.

"Jee taiji." Stepping out of the room after telling Bela to stay in, Naina stood facing the three people.

"Bahu kahan hai... usse bolo zara yeh sab saaf kare aur... " Tauji started in his authoritative voice, only to be cut short by Naina.

"Chachiji ke paon mein moch aayi hai, woh nahi aa sakti... main abhi unko dawa laga ke aayi hun." She said with a sad face.

"Toh tu yeh sab saaf kar." Taiji gave a dejected look to the mess on the floor.

"Taiji, ab chachiji nahi aa sakti toh main pehle khaana bana rahi hun... woh zyada zaroori hai." Naina said firmly.

"Toh yeh sab aise hi pada rahega?" Taiji widened her eyes.

"Aise hi kyon? Main kar deta hun... Naina, mujhe jhadu dedo." Sameer went towards Naina.

"Bina, sharam karo... ghar ke damaad se jhadu lagwayenge kya ab? Jao, tum saaf karo." Tauji ordered.

Naina stepped aside as taiji went inside to get the broom, wiping her wet face with her dripping pallu.

Tauji went back to his house. Naina went to the kitchen, with Sameer at her heels.

"Yeh chachiji ki moch ka kya drama tha?" He asked in a hushed tone when they were alone.

Naina looked at him proudly, "Tum jo bhi karoge, usmein hamesha saath dene ka waada kiya tha na pheron ke waqt."

He looped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in a side hug, "Meri sherni saath hai toh aaj achhe se khatir karte hain tumhari taiji ki."

"I Love You, Sameer." Her heart surged up with love for him as she turned and went into the haven of his arms.

"I Love You, too." He kissed the top of her head, closing his arms securely around her.

Taiji was sweeping with great difficulty, not able to comprehend whether she was more pained because of the broken set or physical discomfort at doing this tough work.

"Yahan table ke neeche reh gya... udhar sofe ke paas... ye dekhiye mere pair ke side mein... iss kone mein bhi hai... " Sameer kept pointing out at random places, making her run around with the broom.

After a huffing and puffing taiji went back home to change, Bela came out of the room.

"Yeh kya kar rahe ho tum log?" She gave a puzzled look to both of them.

"Jo unhone diya hai Naina ko woh sood samet wapas karna hai, chachiji... marwadi hun, hisaab kachha nahi rehna chahiye." Sameer was still looking at the door with blazing eyes.

Naina held Bela's shoulders, "Aap fiqr mat kijiye... aapke pair mein moch hai na... aaram se baithiye... chachaji aate hi honge Preeti ko leke... aur chahe kuch bhi ho jaaye, aap uthengi nahi... main aur Sameer sambhal lenge."

Bela readily agreed to play along. She had herself suffered a lot, and though she didn't show it in front of children, her sister in law's despair was immensly satisfying.

Anand arrived shortly with Preeti. Some outstation relatives of Pandit were to leave in the evening so Preeti couldn't come earlier. Also, they were departing for their honeymoon early next morning so she has come only for a few hours. Pandit was to come over for dinner to pick her up.

Naina apprised Preeti of the happenings before her arrival, making her break into hysterical laughter.

"Thoda ruk nahi sakte the... mujhe bhi dekhna tha... jijaji toh kamaal the hi, tune bhi aaj behti ganga mein haath dho liye, behen." She clutched her stomach, imaging taiji's shocked reaction to everything.

"Sameer galat nahi hai, Preeti... isliye mujhe uska saath dene mein khushi hai." Naina smiled proudly.

"Jijaji kab galat hote hai... aur hote bhi toh tune unka hi saath dena hai... yeh toh poora Ahmedabad jaanta hai." Preeti winked.

"Lekin jhooth kyon bolna hai Bela ki chot ke liye?" Anand was confused when he was told.

"Suniye ji, maan jaiye na." Bela insisted.

"Chachaji, jab gaon mein aapne police bulane ki baat ki thi tab woh bhi toh sirf daraane ke liye thi na... lekin uss samay sabko samjhane ka wohi tareeka tha... aaj yeh tareeka hai." Sameer said confidently.

Bela and Anand were taken aback... they looked at Sameer, then at Naina. She nodded. And they could discern Sameer's anguish.

"Sach mein bohot kuch sahaa hai Naina ne... bhabhiji ne bachpan se bada atyachar kiya hai ispe... tum jo bhi karoge bacchon, hum tumhara saath denge." Bela hugged Naina, her eyes welling up as the day in village became vivid in her memory.

Anand and Preeti watched with misty eyes, agreeing with Bela.

"Naina ke saath iss parivaar mein bohot zyadati hui hai, Sameer... kuch hadd tak main bhi tumhara doshi hun... chah ke bhi usse har baar bacha nahi paata tha." Lowering his head, Anand muttered in a guilty voice.

"Nahi chachaji, aap aisa mat kahiye... aapne hamesha saath diya hai Naina ka... main toh papaji ko bhi poori tarah se galat nahi maanta... unki galti bas yeh thi ki woh behkave mein aa jaate the... lekin tauji taiji ne jaante hue jis tarah ke dukh Naina ko diye hain, unse mera khoon khaul gaya... aaj tak yeh sab chupa ke rakha tha isne... bohot mushkil se aaj maine usse yeh sab batane pe majboor kiya hai... main aapko yakeen dilata hun kuch aisa nahi karunga jisse aapke sambandhon pe asar ho... lekin maaf kijiye... unko izzat nahi de sakta main." Sameer folded his hands in front of Anand.

"Yeh kya keh rahe ho, Sameer... tumhe maafi maangne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai... mujhe pata hai tum maryada se bahar nahi jaoge... main tumhare saath hun." Anand held his folded hands, patting his shoulder.

"Main na Pandit ko bhi bata deti hun phone karke... itna achha drama hai... woh bhi koi role kar lega." Preeti whispered in Naina's ears before rushing in to make the call.

Next update tomorrow evening