Ramdhari extended an envelope towards Sameer. He stared at it. The edges had a slight yellowish tinge to them. It was probably kept pressed under something heavy... he could see the zigzag pattern on its surface, because of the chain it held.

A gentle nudge on his shoulder from behind made him realise that Ramdhari was still standing with the envelope. Gingerly, he lifted his hand, holding the letter that nanu had specially written for this day of their life... with the awareness of his absence to share it with them.

Naina pressed his shoulders, placing both hands on them. He needed the strength.

"Nanu ne diya hai hamare liye, Sameer. Dekho na." She insisted.

With a deep breath, he lifted the flap, slipping out the folded piece of paper. Settled in between the folds was a gold chain. He picked it up, holding it with two fingers and thumb.

"Yeh toh... yeh toh nani ki chain hai." He recalled seeing it in many of her pictures.

"Haan, Sameer bhaiya, naniji pehenti thi yeh. Isiliye nanaji ne rakhi hai aapke bachhe ke liye. Unka aur naniji ka, dono ka pyar hai ismein." Ramdhari smiled, reminiscing about the few days he got to spend with the elder lady of the house.

Naina took the chain from him, holding it with great care and love, "Jaise nanu humse kabhi alag nahi hote, har jagah unki maujoodgi ka ahsaas rehta hai waise hi baby ko bhi unke aur ab naniji ke paas hone ka mauka milega."

A smile spread on Sameer's face. Nanu had left his presence everywhere... with everyone. He would always be with them... in some form or the other.

He unfolded the letter.

Sabse pehle toh gale lag ja mere sher. Itni achhi khabar suna ke tune dil khush kar diya. Nanu toh tha hi, ab tune dadu bhi bana diya. Iss tarakki ki jitni khushi ho rahi hai na, utni toh bade se bade munaafe ki bhi nahi hui.

Sameer pressed the letter against his heart, wrapping his arms around it. Nanu had left him a warm hug as well.

Beta, tujhe Naina ke saath khush dekh ke mujhe itni shanti milti hai ki main bata nahi sakta. Mera andaaza galat nahi tha. Naina ne tere jeevan ki har uss kami ko poora kiya hai jo tere bade nahi kar paaye. Kahin na kahin iska zimmedar main bhi hun. Mujhe Vishakha ki baat sunni hi nahi chahiye thi aur tujhe pehle hi Nainital se le aana chahiye tha. Lekin kehte hain na... kismat mein jo likha hota hai woh hoke hi rehta hai. Shayad teri kismat tujhe mazboot banana chahti thi... jisse tu mere baad bhi khud ko sambhal sake.

Aur fir Naina se milne ke liye yahan bhej diya. Aaj jab main yeh chitthi likh raha hun toh meri khwahish hai ki tujhe aur Naina ko ek saath dekhun. Jab tu yeh chitthi padh raha hoga tab tak yeh sapna hakeekat mein badal chuka hoga. Main tumhari khoobsurat duniya se door nahi hun, beta. Sab dekh raha hun. Yeh khushiyon ke din jo tum dono ko mile hain inki roshni hamesha tumpe rahe iske liye mujhe seedhe bhagwan ke head office aana pada... direct baat karne ke liye. Lekin iska matlab yeh nahi ki main tumhare saath nahi hun.

Isse aage ka khat Naina ke liye hai. Chal usse de de ab, tera hissa itna hi tha.

Sameer looked behind at Naina. She had been reading along with him. With a blink of assurance, she asked him to go on... both of them reading together what was ahead.

Naina, beta tujhme mujhe hamesha se woh thehri hui, samjhdar ladki nazar aati thi jo mere iss garam mijaz, lekin bhole naati ko sambhal sake. Shayad mein thoda swarthi ho gaya tha isliye tumse uski itni baatein karta tha... jisse tum Sameer ko jaan sako, usse milne se pehle hi usse thoda samajh sako. Uska gussa ek aisi aadat hai jise main chah ke bhi kam nahi kar saka. Mujhe darr tha ki kahin uske gusse ke kaaran tum usse galat na samjho. Uski zindagi mein jo khalipan tha usse poora karne ke liye mujhe tum bhagwan ki bheji hui koi pari lagi... kyonki tum uss samay mujhe mandir ke darwaze pe mili thi jab main Sameer se jude sawaalon ke jawab mangne gaya tha. Aisa laga ki khud bhagwan ne tumhe woh jawaab bana ke bhej diya.

Khair, aaj inn sab baaton ko kyon yaad karna. Aaj toh itna bada khushi ka din hai. Naina, mujhe nahi lagta Vishakha se tumhe kabhi woh sab milega jo ek saas ko apni bahu ke liye karna chahiye. Main bohot kuch toh nahi jaanta par aaj ek nanu hi nahi, ek maa, ek saas banke tumse kuch kehna chahta hun.

Maa banna ek aisa anubhav hai jo tumhe alag alag tarah ke ahsaason se milwayga... pyar, gussa, bechaini, chidchidahat, takleef, dard, khushi, garv... kabhi kabhi tumhe lagega ki itna sab bardasht karne ke liye tum akeli ho, Sameer saath nahi hai tumhare, lekin aisa hoga nahi. Tumhe jo bhi mehsoos ho, jitna bhi mamuli lage, uske saath bantna... kyonki woh khud nahi samajh payega ki tumhari taklif kya hai, tumhe batana padega. Beta, main bhi nahi jaanta tha. Tumhari nani ko samajh nahi paata tha fir hum dono hi ek doosre se naraaz ho jaate the aur baat nahi karte the. Lekin ek din jab woh ro padi toh mujhse raha nahi gaya. Tab maine pucha toh pata chala usse kaisa mehsoos hota tha. Itne sab ahsaason ko woh akele jhel rahi thi. Uss din se maine soch liya ki uske har pal ko uski tarah se mehsoos karne ki koshish karunga. Aur tumhari nani ne bhi uss din ke baad apne har ahsaas mein mujhe shaamil kiya chahe woh uske liye kitna bhi mushkil kyon na ho. Apne anubhav se bata raha hun... dono ko saath main mata pita banna hai isliye har daur se saath guzarna zaroori hai. Yeh sirf tumhari zimmedari nahi hai ki tum iss bachhe ko duniya mein lao. Usse judi sab achhi buri anubhuti ko apne pati ke saath baanto. Isse tum dono ka rishta aur mazboot hoga.

Mujhe poora bharosa hai ki tum dono bohot achhe mata pita banoge. Phir bhi, apne anubhav ka yeh chota sa hissa tumhe batana chahta tha.

Sameer, wapas tere paas yeh batane aaya hun ki jo Naina ko bola hai woh sirf uske liye hi lagoo nahi hota. Tujhe bhi meri beti ka poora khyal rakhna hoga. Jo tohfa woh dene jaa rahi hai, woh itna beshkeemti hai ki uske badle Naina ki koi maang, koi ichha, koi zaroorat bewajah ya namumkin nahi lagni chahiye tujhe. Waise toh main jaanta hun tu bohot pyaar se rakhega meri bahu ko fir bhi bata raha hun kyonki jo galtiyan maine ki unse seekh leke tu woh galtiyan mat dohrana.

Main yahan bhagwan ke paas baithkar tumhare hisse ke pyar aur khushiyon mein lagatar ijafa karwata rahunga. Tum hamesha aise hi muskurate raho aur apna sansaar khushiyon se bhara hua pao.

Bohot saare pyar aur ashirwad ke saath yeh nani ki chain aane wale naye mehmaan ko meri taraf se pehna dena.

Tumhara nanu

Reading the letter gave them a feeling that nanu was again with them, even in this phase. While it was a soothing realisation that he had thought of this day long back and had decided to leave his blessings for their child as well, a nagging thought disturbed Naina.

"Ramdhari bhaiya, kya yeh chitthi nanu ne khud di thi aapko?" She asked.

"Ji bhabhi, unhone toh likhi bhi hamare saamne thi." Ramdhari nodded vehemently.

She turned to Sameer, "Lekin nanu itne vishwas ke saath mera naam likh rahe the, yeh kuch ajeeb nahi lagta tumhe? Tab tak toh hum ek doosre se baat bhi nahi karte the. Unhe kaise laga ki main hi tumhari patni banungi? Tum toh uss waqt school mein the. College ke teen saal mein kisi bhi ladki se mil sakte the... ya uske baad. Hamari shaadi tay thodi hui thi, Sameer. Fir nanu ne mera hi naam kyon likha chitthi mein?"

"Woh isliye Naina bhabhi, kyonki unko aapme hi Sameer bhaiya ki sachhi saathi nazar aati thi... aapse do teen baar milke hi unhone yeh sapna dekhna shuru kar diya tha. Aur jab aap ghar aayi thi... nanaji behosh hue the tab aap hi leke aayi thi na unhe... tab se toh uthte baithte Sameer bhaiya ke saath saath aapka hi naam lete the." Ramdhari chipped in before Sameer could say anything.

Naina narrowed her eyes, pondering for a while, then turned to Ramdhari, "Nanu jaante the ki iss chitthi ko dene mein abhi bohot saal hain. Itne samay mein bohot kuch badal sakta hai. Aur hamara toh koi rishta bhi nahi tha tab. Matlab agar... Sameer, sirf sochne ke liye bol rahi hun, gussa mat hona... agar Sameer ki patni banke koi aur iss ghar mein aati toh? Yeh chitthi..."

Sameer gave her a sharp look, but calmed down the moment she placed a hand on his shoulder. He could not even think of any such possibility... still gave an inquisitive look to Ramdhari.

He did not meet their eyes, looking aside as his voice went down few decibels, "Nanaji ne kaha tha, agar aisa ho hi jaaye toh... toh yeh chitthi nikaal lun aur sirf chain de dun Sameer bhaiya ko... aur iss chitthi ko phaad ke phenk dun."

A gasp escaped her mouth.

"Lekin yeh baat unhone chitthi dene ke ek mahine baad kahi thi. Sach maniye, Naina bhabhi, woh toh naniji ki tasveer se bhi aapki hi baatein karte the. Aur roz apni pooja mein bhagwan se Sameer bhaiya aur aapke liye prarthana karte the." Ramdhari quickly added.

Naina smiled at his efforts to make her believe that she was the real choice. Sameer proudly looked at her. It wasn't just him who was enchanted by her... she had managed to impress nanu as well, with her magnetism.

Later, in their room, they read the letter several times, each time getting a feeling of him being with them. Sameer glanced at the chain again. Nanu left him speechless with his foresight... one more time.

As they had expected, Munna Pandit came dancing in the evening. Their wives were getting the gifts from the car while they ran inside, having no patience to wait. The moment Sameer opened the door, both jumped on him, hollering their congratulations in his ear.

"Ab toh hum chacha banenge. Sameer, tere bete ko tere jaisa toh bilkul nahi banne denge... gusse wala. Usse apne dono chacha jaisa banna hoga... kha pi ke mast rehne wala." Pandit jumped around picking up a banana from the fruit basket.

"Pehli baat... beta nahi beti... hamare ghar Naina jaisi ek gudiya aayegi. Doosri baat... tujh jaisa chacha aur kuch nahi bandar lagta hai." Sameer sniggered at him, watching him  dancing with his mouth stuffed with banana.

"Aur teesri baat... main kahan gusse wala hun? Kab gussa kiya maine?" He frowned.

"O bhai, yeh teesri baat toh rehne hi de. Tere kitne toofan jhele hain maine aur Munna ne, hum hi jaante hain. Jo tu cheezen utha ke phenkta tha unse bachne ke itni practice ho gayi hai ki ab toh baarish mein bhi khade hokar boondon se bach sakte hain... majaal hai ek bhi choo jaye humein." Pandit stopped dancing, pulling up his collar in self praise.

"Jijajiiiii." Preeti entered with her usual chirpy drawl, holding a huge teddy bear, Swati following her with a couple of bags and a bunch of balloons.

"Oho saaliji, aapne toh bataya bhi nahi, seedhe khushkhabari god mein leke aa gayi." Sameer smirked at her.

For a moment, she was taken aback, then blushed.

"Haan Sameer, sahi keh raha hai. Pandit se shakal bhi mil rahi hai." Munna pitched in.

Pandit looped an arm around Preeti's shoulder, "Dekh lo achhe se, hum dono hain hi itne pyare ki isse shakal mil bhi sakti hai... par Munna, teri toh bandar ke alava kisi se nahi milegi. Tera wala kaisa hoga?"

While Swati giggled, as she often called her husband by the same name, Munna growled at Pandit. Before more taunts could be thrown at each other, Naina walked out of her room, making Preeti and Swati forget everything else and rush to her after dumping the gifts on the couch. They took her in a tight hug, excitedly thanking her for making them maasis.

"Arre, arre, itni zor se nahi... usko..." Sameer started, unable to see his wife being given this treatment by other two... but a glare from her made him stop mid sentence.

Preeti, nonetheless, heard it, and turned to give him a teasing smile, "Hum toh fir bhi ruk jayenge, jijaji... aap khud ko yaad dilate rehna ki... itni zor se nahi."

Naina turned beetroot as everyone laughed aloud. For a change, Sameer too blushed, stealing a glance at Naina.

Sorry to inform you but I have some work tomorrow. Next update would be on Tuesday evening