When Sameer and Naina left in the morning, Naina felt sad to leave their friend's house. It was like they were leaving their own home. The attachment to Rahul and Sonali and their house was to the level that it made her eyes moist.

"Naina, kya hua? Aise dukhi kyon ho rahi ho?" Sameer was perplexed to hear her sniff when their cab hit the road.

Naina shook her head, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Sameer immediately fished out his handkerchief and dabbed at her cheeks and eyes. She looked at him. He pursed his lips, shaking his head to stop her from shedding tears. The end of his lips curved down while he rolled his fist and took it near his eye, twisting it to imply his own crying.

A short laugh spilled out of her, at his childish act, "Subah se tumhara natak shuru."

He smoothed her hair, smiling, "Meri Naina aise hanste hue rehni chahiye... warna meri subah nahi hoti."

She looked at him intently, then shifted closer, to rest her head on his chest. His arm came around her, feeling contented.

Phulla Bua was elated to see them.

"Tum dono ne mera rutba badha diya iss gali mein... sab kehte hain ki yeh un dono bachhon ki daadi hain jinhone iss saal top kiya hai." She kissed their foreheads.

"Bua dadi, aapko kisi aur ki kya zaroorat hai... aap toh waise hi yahan ke saare logon mein famous hain." Sameer gave a wide smile.

"Achha? Ab tu taang kheechega bua dadi ki?" She held his ear.

"Arre nahi nahi, bua dadi sach keh raha hun... aapko balcony mein dekha toh cab wala kehne laga aap toh saare raaste bol rahe the daadi ke yahan jaa rahe hain par yeh toh aapki badi behen lag rahi hai." Sameer dramatically imitated the cab driver.

"Tu aaj pitega mujhse." Bua dadi chased him in the room as he dodged her, laughing.

BANG...

He crashed into taiji who was entering the door... and she lost her balance, landing in a sitting position next to the door.

"Oho taiji, kitna girengi aap?" Sameer towered over her, hands on hips.

Naina rushed to her, kneeling down, "Aapko lagi toh nahi, taiji?"

"Lagi toh hai." She rubbed her elbow that had banged against the door.

Naina examined her arm to check the damage.

"O bai, itne dinon se yeh haath dard kar raha tha... abhi do teen din se hi thoda theek hua tha ab fir se lag gayi." Taiji grumbled, making a face.

"Sorry taiji, woh main... " Sameer apologised as he bent to help her.

She looked up sharply, "Ab tumhari umr Pralay babu jitni hai kya jo ghar mein yeh bhag daud kar rahe the... itna toh sochna... "

"Binaaaa." Bua dadi's stern voice cut her mid sentence.

Taiji gulped, remembering that she was not Bela's neighbour anymore where she could say harsh words, insult anybody and no one would raise their voice... she was Phulla bua's neighbour in Mumbai now, and she was getting the taste of everything that she had subjected others to, all her life.

Sameer and Naina helped her to get up.

"Kitni baar kaha hai tujhe dekh ke chala kar... lekin nahi... tujhe toh football ki tarah ludakte hue aana hai... waise tujhe haddi tootne ka koi khatra toh nahi hai... har taraf itni charbi hai... fir bhi zara khyal rakha kar." Phulla bua did not fail to hurl taunts at her.

"Daadiji, maine sabziyan bana di hain aur aata laga diya hai... baaki kuch banana hai toh aap bata do." The cook called out from the kitchen door before taiji could utter something.

"Bas beta, tujhe aur kuch nahi karna... Bina hai na, kheer toh woh bana legi... aur roti... " Phulla bua smiled at the girl.

"Roti main bana dungi, bua dadi." Naina quickly offered.

"Haan, tu aur Bina milke bana lena... iss bechari se kitna kaam karwaye aakhir... beta, tu chali jaa, tera abhi ka kaam ho gaya... ab shaam ko aa jaana." Phulla bua spoke to the girl in a pleasant voice.

"O bai, sabke liye shehed tapakta hai inke muh se... bas mere liye hi  kadwa karela ban jaati hain." Taiji murmured, fuming internally at the condition she was in.

Making a dejected expression, she looked at Phulla bua, "Woh buaji, main kheer kaise banau... mere haath mein toh chot lag gayi."

The old lady raised her brows, "Bina, isi haath se kha sakti hai na? Toh bana bhi sakti hai... kheer tu hi banayegi."

A gloom set on taiji's face as she got up and went to the kitchen.

"Bua dadi, unko sach mein lagi hai... main bana deti hun kheer." Naina glanced at the retreating figure.

"Naina, gudiya, banane ko main bhi bana sakti hun... ya fir Kamla bana deti jab usne baaki sab banaya hai... lekin beta, kuch kaam isliye kiye jaate hain jisse karne wale ko sabak mile." Phulla bua patted Naina's cheek.

"Kaisa sabak?" She was perplexed.

Bua dadi let out a long exhale, "Bina ne hamesha se kaamchori ki hai... jab shaadi hoke aayi toh nayi bahu thi isliye kisi ne kaam nahi karwaya... fir bhaiya bhabhi achanak chale gaye jaise hi Anand ki shaadi hui... tabse Bina khud ko Bela ki saas hi samajhne lagi... aur baith gayi hukum chalane... woh toh Bela itni seedhi hai warna ghar mein kab ke jhagde ho jaate... Naina, ab tu badi ho gayi hai, teri shaadi ho gayi hai, isliye yeh sab bata rahi hun... ghar mein rehne wale sab logon ke beech pyaar tabhi hota hai jab ek doosre ka samman karein... unki bhavnaon ki izzat karein... ghar ki badi hone ke naate Bina ko bohot kuch karna chahiye tha... lekin usse toh bas bade hone ka haq chahiye... toh ab woh haq maine le liya... usse aaina dikhana zaroori hai jisse kal jab Pralay ki shaadi ho toh woh kisi ladki ki zindagi nark na bana de."

Naina nodded but wasn't fully convinced, "Lekin bua dadi, unko dard ho raha hoga na."

"Ho sakta hai... par aisa bhi ho sakta hai ki woh naatak kar rahi ho... rag rag pehchanti hun uski... aur tujhe kya lagta hai, itne saalon mein Bela ko kabhi koi takleef nahi hui hogi... usse bhi koi chot lagi hogi, woh bimar padi hogi par kya tune kabhi dekha teri taiji ne tumhe khana banake khilaya ho?" Phulla bua raked her memory.

And Naina was reminded of the time when she and Preeti were alone at home, along with Swati and taiji had refused to cook for them, saying that they could eat some fruits and sleep and they should not eat much at night.

"Agar kabhi aisa mauka aaya bhi hoga toh woh bahana bana ke bhaag gayi hogi... uske mann mein doosron ke liye thoda ahsaas jagane ki koshish kar rahi hun main jo bohot zaroori hai... mann ke saath saath uski sehat ke liye bhi... aalas ki wajah se itna wazan badh gaya hai... thoda kaam karwaungi usse toh motapa bhi kam hoga aur kaam karne ki aadat bhi padegi jo usko sehatmand rakhegi aage jaake... ab dekh, main bhi toh apne sab kaam karti hun na... usse kam umr ki hun kya?" Bua dadi dispelled Naina's notions about taiji's discomfort.

She was more convinced but still wanted to help.

Phulla bua gave an exasperated look to Sameer, "Bohot pyaar hai teri Naina ke dil mein... isko sikha ki galat jagah nahi bantna chahiye."

Sameer gave a suggestive look to Naina, biting his lip.

"Main roti bana deti hun." She quickly looked for an escape, melting under his meaningful gaze.

"Sameer beta, Naina bohot seedhi hai... tu achhe se khyal toh rakhta hai na iska?" Phulla bua asked him softly after Naina was gone.

"Apni jaan se zyada khyal rakhta hun, bua dadi... Naina se zyada zaroori mere liye kuch nahi hai." He smiled warmly.

She cupped his cheek lovingly, "Mujhe pata tha tu aisa hi karega... lekin fir bhi ek baat ka dhyan rakhna... kabhi kabhi usse khud se bachane ki zaroorat bhi pad sakti hai... uska bholapan khud ko nuksaan na pohocha de... meri Naina ne apne baare mein sochna seekha hi nahi."

Sameer placed a comforting palm on the gnarled hand of his grandmother, "Aap bilkul chinta mat kijiye, bua dadi... Naina ko na koi aur nuksaan pohocha sakta hai aur na woh khud... ab woh meri Naina bhi hai... aur uske liye main kuch bhi kar sakta hun."

A relieved smile spread on Phulla bua's face... she blessed Sameer with misty eyes, "Khush reh, beta... ab lagta hai meri bachhi ko uske hisse ki saari khushiyaan mil gayi."

Taiji remained mostly quiet during lunch, unlike her constantly ordering self that Naina had always witnessed in Ahmedabad. She could clearly see the fear in her eyes as she went about laying the table and setting the dishes. The amount of work taiji had done in one afternoon, she had never done in Ahmedabad even in one week, Naina discerned.

After lunch, Phulla bua retired to her room for some rest while taiji happily packed the leftover food and took it home for tauji and Pralay.

Sameer waited for Naina in their room while she cleaned up the table.

"Toh?" He asked the moment she closed the door.

"Toh kya?" She gave him a puzzled look.

"Toh... kitna pyar hai tumhare dil mein?" He asked, sitting back on the bed, hugging a pillow.

"Tumhe nahi pata?" She stood with crossed arms near the door.

"Umm... aise kaise pata chalega... jataogi toh malum hoga na." He shrugged.

"Aur tumhe lagta hai main jatati nahi hun?" Her brow went up.

"Shayad... par meri yaddasht thodi kamzor hai... bhool jaata hun... ek baar yaad dila do na." He got down from the bed.

"Kyon Mr Maheshwari, yahan aake har baar tumhari yaddasht kamzor kaise ho jaati hai?" She narrowed her eyes, reminding him of the same dialogue he had used last time they had come here.

"Pichli baar ki baat alag thi, jaan... tab kuch majbooriyan thi... lekin ab aisa kuch nahi hai... tum jaise chaho pyar dikha sakti ho... aur yahan aake toh waise bhi tumhara pyar ka bukhar badh jaata hai... yaad hai na, pehle din mere button tode, doosre din mere bathroom mein chali aayi, teesri baar apni lipstick ka nishan chod diya sabko dikhane ke liye... fir... " He kept reducing the distance between them as the colour deepened on her cheeks with each of his reminder.

"Bas karo, Sameer..." She gulped.

"Maine toh kuch kiya hi nahi... har baar jo bhi kiya tumhi ne kiya... aur do din se bhi tum hi sab kuch kar rahi ho... Naina, main toh soch raha hun Mumbai shift ho jaate hain... yeh jagah tumhe zyada suit karti hai... aur mujhe bhi." His voice lowered at the end.

She closed her eyes... breathing hard.

"Toh jaan, kya khyal hai... ek trailer?" She could hear him much closer and her eyes shot open in alarm.

"Sameer, abhi koi badmaashi nahi... dekho Phulla bua abhi jaag rahi hain... koi awaaz hogi toh woh kya sochengi... Sameer... wahin ruk jao... main keh rahi hun na... " Her desperate pleas had no effect on him.

She darted to the other side, moving behind the bed. Sameer lunged after her but she managed to give him a slip.

"Dekho Sameer, ek baar yeh race ke chakkar mein taiji ko gira chuke ho ab mujhe girana hai kya?" She frowned as he followed her.

"Tumhe girne dunga kya main?" He pounced at her but she saved herself again, running to the other side of the bed.

Before she could turn to see where he was, he had climbed over the bed. She couldn't get away this time... his strong arms held her waist to pull her on the bed.

She laid on her back as he sat on his knees, looking down at her.

"Gira diya na mujhe!" She pouted.

He gave his hand to help her sit up before looking into her eyes, "Bed pe laana girana nahi hota, madam... ishaara hota hai."

She turned her face to the side, unable to bear his gaze, "Sameer, aise mat dekho."

"Ek shart pe tumhari baat manunga." He traced a finger along her face.

"Kya shart?" She looked back at him.

"Iss ghar ke bathroom ne do baar tadpaya hai mujhe... kal mujhe bhi isse badla lena hai... toh kal subah..." He purposely left the sentence incomplete.

She didn't need more words to know what he meant.

Sorry, but no update tomorrow morning... I need to work on something that has to be ready by monday

Next update tomorrow evening.