Next morning, Naina's eyes shot open at the feeling of movement in her belly. She was experiencing slight fluttering since last few days but the strong shifting was the first proper movement of the baby.

"Sameer... Sameer... utho. Dekho, baby hil raha hai." Placing one hand on her belly, she shook Sameer who was still in deep sleep.

Another jerking movement made her shudder.

"Sameer, utho na." She ruffled his hair before patting his cheek.

"Hmm... kya baat hai, madam, aaj khud utha rahi ho... raat ko kiss tak nahi karne diya aur ab..." He murmured in a sleepy voice, snuggling closer to her.

Before she could tell him more, he felt the movement under his palm that he had placed on her tummy.

"Naina!" He sat up in a flash, eyes wide open.

"Hil raha hai." She beamed, moving his palm over her stomach as the baby continued with its rapid movements.

Though it was her second pregnancy but the excitement and exhilaration at each stage was no less than the first one for both of them.

"Naina, iss baar mujhe bhi pehli baar mein hi pata chal gaya." Sameer was ecstatic... at Sana's time, he had to wait for two days before he could get to feel her moving.

"Sameer, iss baar tumne baby ko ek baar bhi gudiya nahi bola... tumhe bhi Sana ke jaise ladka chahiye kya?" Naina lifted herself to a sitting position after the movements stopped five minutes later.

He placed a pillow against the backrest to make her comfortable, then looked at her belly, "Jabse tum meri zindagi mein aayi thi na, main tabse sapna dekhta tha tumhare saath ek pyare se ghar ka, ek parivaar ka. Uss sapne mein hamesha tumhara ek chota roop hi meri aankhon ke aage aata tha. Isliye pichli baar main uss sapne ko sach hote hue dekhna chahta tha. Naina, ab jo bhi aaye, woh mere liye bonus khushi hogi... aur bonus toh kuch bhi ho, bohot achha lagta hai. Toh bas, main uss bonus ke liye taiyar hun... Sana ke jaisi pyari si gudiya ho ya Sana ki ichha poori karne ke liye uska ek bhai, mere liye dono barabar honge. Bas tum muskurati raho aur kal jo boli thi woh baatein soch soch ke pareshan mat ho. Tumhara yeh pati sirf hero nahi, superhero hai... dekhna, sab kuch sambhal lunga. Tum bas mera haath pakde rehna."

She picked up his hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, smiling at him, "Tum sirf mere hero ho. Aur kuch banne ki zaroorat nahi hai."

The touch of her lips brought a mischievous smile on his face, "Tumhare liye kuch bhi ban sakta hun. Filhal, deewana ban raha hun."

The colour on her face made its presence felt, making his heartbeat faster. He shifted ahead, closer to her, his eyes darkening in anticipation.

Before he could make his move, a bubbly, cheerful voice reverberated in the room, "Gud moning mumma papa."

"Kya timing hai hamari beti ki." Sameer sighed, the darkness in his eyes getting replaced by warmth for his little one.

He spread his arms, turning towards her, and she quickly crawled on all fours, coming to him.

"Yeh kaise baby ke jaisi chal rahi thi meri big beti... chota baby aake bolega meri didi abhi tak aise chalti hai." He teased her, pinching her nose.

She slapped her forehead, "Buddhu papa, practice kar rahi thi... baby ko sikhane ke liye. Nai toh main bhool jaungi na... main thodi aise chalti hun ab."

Naina chuckled at her explanation, "Tumhari tarah practice karne mein expert hai."

Sameer gave her a look of fake annoyance before getting up with his daughter to help her get ready for school.

Dr Shaila's words had a positive effect on Naina. The apprehensions started to melt away with the realisation that now they both were indeed more mature than what they were at the time of Sana's birth. They had a fair idea of added responsibilities that would come their way... and also, how to deal with them.

Sameer had started to take more of Sana's work on himself. In fact, the little girl insisted on setting her own bag and folding her clothes. Since the beginning of pregnancy, once Naina had explained to her that she should not jump on mumma's tummy or run into her with force as it might hurt the baby... now, with the bump getting visible with each passing week, Sana treated her like a delicate doll. Naina was amused when she tried to help her get up from the bed one evening.

"Arre Sana, yeh kya kar rahe ho?" Sameer exclaimed as he entered the room, watching Sana balance her legs against the bed and pull her mom's arm to lift her.

Sana looked back at him, "Baby heavy hoga na mumma ke liye, isliye utha rahi hun."

Naina sat up and wrapped her in a hug, "Baby toh bohot chota hai abhi. Heavy nahi hai. Abhi toh tum hi itni choti ho baby kaise big hoga?"

"Nai, main big hun. Doctor aunty ne kaha tha na... aur bola tha baby ka aur mumma ka dhyan rakhna. Isliye main hi aapke liye sab karungi... jaise aap mere liye karti thi jab main small thi. Main hi aapko sulaungi aur uthaungj, aapko walk karaungi, khana khilaungi, nah..."

Sameer cut her before she went further, "Lekin abhi mumma ko kuch aur chahiye, pehle woh toh la do."

"Kya chahiye?" Sana twisted her fingers in question at him.

"Fruits. Jaake Ramdhari ko bolo mumma ke liye fruits kaat ke laaye." Sameer bent down to her level to tell her.

Sana sprinted towards the door, excited to carry out the duty but stopped at his voice, "Aur haan, tum bhi help karna. Usko batana ki achhe waale konse hain aur dekhna woh theek se kaat raha hai ya nahi."

She nodded and rushed out, screaming, "Radu chachuuu."

Naina looked at him, "Ramdhari khud hi laane wala tha... Sana ko bolne ki kya zaroorat thi?"

He sat down near her waist, placing his palms on either side of her, "Jisse main bata sakun ki main kya kya karunga tumhare liye."

She flicked up her brows.

He looked into her eyes, "Woh sab jo Sana keh rahi thi, woh mera kaam hai. Aur mera kaam main achhe se karunga... tumhe sulana, uthana... umm, nehlana..."

"Hato. Besharm." She pushed at his chest, her cheeks flaring up at the way he had uttered the last word, leaning closer to her neck.

He did not move even an inch, gazing at her downcast eyes, "Aise sharmaogi toh thoda aur besharm ban jaunga."

Her lashes lifted to look into the dark pools of his eyes. Their intensity was still the same... maybe more than what she saw in college.

"Sameer, kya tum ab bhi mujhse utna hi pyar karte ho jitna college mein karte the?" Her voice was soft.

He lifted one hand to graze her cheek, "School aur college se kahin zyada. School mein tumhe sirf apne dil mein chupa ke rakhta tha... college mein tum nazron ke saamne thi lekin tum tak pohoch nahi sakta tha isliye..."

She swatted his hand that had started to drift down her neck, "Control mein raho. Sana aa jayegi."

He groaned, cupping her face to again rub her cheek with his thumb, "Yeh control hi jaan le leta tha college mein, isliye sapno mein tumse dher saara pyar karta tha. Ek toh tum kabhi saree mein, kabhi lehenge mein... aur kabhi apne luckhnawi kurte mein mere hosh udda deti thi. Kya karta bechara dil!"

"Ab toh tumhara dil kisi control ko nahi maanta." She gave a coy smile.

Dipping his face, he kissed over her heart, looking up with a twinkle in his eyes at her startled expression, "Lekin tum ab bhi college ke jaise hi ho, itni si nazdeeki se ghabra jaati ho."

"Woh... woh darwaza khula hai na." She stuttered, looking behind him at the door.

Sana's chatter from the kitchen, however, made them aware that it would be some more time before they get company.

"Achha, agar darwaza band hota toh? Toh kya karti, bolo? Kuch nahi karti... bas aise hi sharmati rehti. Jaan, tumse..." His words got muffled as her lips landed on his.

It took him a couple of seconds to realise that Naina had cupped his face and was kissing him intently. But when he did, he leaned, making her rest against the headboard, and deepened the kiss.

He wouldn't have stopped had she not tapped at his shoulder.

"Darwaza khula hai isliye bas itna hi... warna dikha sakti thi main aur kya karti." She was breathless but her eyes lured him with an unspoken possibility.

"Band kar dun?" His gaze dropped to her swollen lips, wet and inviting.

"Ab uth jao yahan se. Sana aati hogi." She pushed at his chest again, reading his thoughts accurately.

The moment Sameer stood up, Sana dashed into the room, grinning, "Mumma, maine Radu chachu ko bataya kaise wale fruits kaatne hain."

Ramdhari knocked at the door, and was dragged in by Sana, who held the corner of his kurta, "Dekho mumma, achhe wale hain na?"

Naina picked up the bowl from the tray, peered into it, and joined the thumb of her other hand with index finger, showing her appreciation.

Sameer watched his girls, a contended smile on his face as they fed the slices to each other... till he was called to join the fruit party.

Within a week, Sana's school was closed for summer vacations. She started accompanying her parents to the office playroom since morning. Naina was feeling better once her BP stabilised and was able to manage coming to office almost all five days of the week, since Sameer and Ramdhari had taken away all responsibilities from her, of Sana and home.

Naina's last sonography was due at the beginning of ninth month. They dropped Sana at Preeti's house. Since they didn't want her to be scared of all the heavy instruments of sonography room, Sana had never been taken on such visits.

"Naina, baby toh bohot active hai. Kitna tang karta hai tumhe?" Dr Shaila stared at the screen in wonder as the baby moved swifly.

Sameer quickly answered, "Mat puchiye, doctor. Adhi raat ko bhi sone nahi deta. Sana toh itni nahi hilti thi."

Doctor smiled knowingly, "Har bachha alag hota hai. Koi baat nahi, ab toh bas do teen hafte hi bache hain. Baby ki growth perfect hai. Delivery time pe hi ho jayegi."

On their way back, Naina asked Sameer if they could go to the temple.

After offering prayers to the idols and seeking blessings for both their children, they walked around the premise. Since they had started meeting here during their college break after first year, the temple had changed a lot. More enclosures were constructed and a marble pavement connected the new areas with old ones. Nevertheless, the lower area at the back remained untouched... they discovered as they stood behind the temple. Naina glanced at the pond wistfully, recalling all the times when she rushed down the uneven path to meet him... hidden from the world, but under the protective refuge of all Gods.

"Jaana hai?" He looked at her face and knew what she wanted.

She shook her head sadly, "Nahi Sameer, iss haalat mein neeche nahi utar sakti. Zara sa pair phisal gaya toh sambhal nahi paungi."

He peered down at the narrow passage, and his eyes sparkled, "Tumhara hero hai toh tumhe kya zaroorat hai tension lene ki."

"Nahi. Gir jayenge hum." She screamed in horror as he bent and scooped her up in his arms.

He placed a comforting kiss on her forehead, "Main girne dunga kya tumhe? Daro nahi. Meri biwi kuch chahe aur usse woh na mile, aisa kaise hone de sakta hun?"

Her stiff body relaxed instantly... she wrapped her arms around his neck. Sameer cautiously sauntered down the path, keeping Naina in a firm hold.

When he put her down on a flat surface near the pond, she looked at him lovingly, "Pata hai, woh sabse pehli cheez kya thee jo maine chahi aur tumhari wajah se mujhe mili?"

He narrowed his eyes, raking his brains to recall her demands in college... but she had hardly ever asked for anything. Pursing his lips, he shook his head.

"Tum."

He kept staring at her, amazed that she had not prayed for anything till she met him.

"Haan, tum hi woh pehli mannat the jisse maine bhagwanji se baar baar maanga. Aur dekho, unhone meri mannat poori kar di." She glanced back at the temple in gratitude.

He cupped her face, his eyes brimming with love, "Meri toh har mannat tumhe paakar poori ho gayi. Chahe bohot kam baar bhagwan ko yaad kiya lekin maine jab bhi maanga, yehi maanga ki koi mujhe apni zindagi ka hissa banaye, mujhe pyar de, mujhe apna samjhe, mera saath de... aur tum unn saare sawalon ka jawab ho jo main khud se karta tha, ki jab meri kisi ko zaroorat hi nahi toh main kyon hun iss duniya mein... main tumhare liye hun, yeh janne ke baad mujhe kisi aur mannat ki zaroorat hi nahi padi."

Above in the temple, the bell rang loudly... as if to bless them.

Next update tomorrow evening