Phulla bua gave a side glance to sombre faces of Sameer and Naina as they all sat in the living room, sipping their tea in the evening. She stifled a smile, thinking about the elation they would express when she told them she was just pulling their leg.

Sameer looked up at her suddenly, making her put back the mask of seriousness, "Bua dadi, jaisa aapne kaha, hum dono ne uske baare mein bohot socha. Pehle toh mai pareshan ho gaya tha ki Naina ke bina..."

Naina pressed his forearm, making him pause.

Giving her a nod, he continued, "Naina ne mujhe samjhaya ki aap jo keh rahi hain wohi theek rahega. Isliye abhi Ramdhari ko keh ke aapka saamaan main Naina ke saath rakhwa dunga aur main aapke kamre mein chala jaunga."

Shock was too small a word for what Phulla bua felt. Never in her wildest imagination had she thought that Sameer would accept staying away from Naina. She had played a little prank, thinking of teasing them a bit before letting the truth out. But Sameer's acceptance was astounding.

Naina's voice made her gaze shift to her, "Ji bua dadi. Sameer theek keh raha hai. Ab aapne kaha hai toh soch samajh ke hi kaha hoga na, hamari hi bhalai ke liye. Isliye humne faisla kiya ki jab tak aap yahan hain, aap mere saath hamare kamre mein hi rahengi. Sameer guest room mein shift ho jayega."

Phulla bua stared at her.

Sameer turned to Naina, "Tum sone se pehle hi sab kuch apni side table pe rakh lena... paani, dawa, biscuit, kuch namkeen, acidity ki goli... jaise mujhe baar baar jagaati ho waise bua dadi ko mat tang karna."

She swayed her head from side to side, showing acceptance.

Sameer started to get up, but remembered something, "Aur haan Naina, raat ko light on rakhna... warna jab tum chillaogi toh bua dadi ghabra na jayein."

Phulla bua narrowed her eyes, "Naina chillayegi kyon?"

Sameer gave her a polite smile, "Hamesha nahi, lekin kabhi kabhi sapne mein darr jaati hai toh chilla ke uth jaati hai."

Naina looked at her sadly, "Bua dadi, Sameer aapko poori baat nahi bata raha... meri neend baar baar khul jaati hai, aur andhere mein hilta hua parda ya bahar ki koi parchai bhi dikh jaaye toh main bohot darr jaati hun aur chillane lagti hun... aisa lagbhag har do teen din mein ho jaata hai."

Phulla bua was startled, "Naina, tu toh hamesha se bohot bahadur thi... yeh parde se kab se darne lagi, woh bhi baar baar?"

"Pata nahi bua dadi, ek din TV pe ek horror show dekh liya tha uske baad se... abhi toh mujhe har cheez se darr lagta hai." Naina looked around with a terrified expression.

Sameer patted her arm, "Tumhe darne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai, Naina... bua dadi hongi na tumhare paas. Agar zyada hi darr lage toh balcony ka darwaza band kar dena."

Phulla bua looked sharply at him, "Tum balcony ka darwaza khula kyon rakhte ho? Wahan se koi bhi chor aa sakta hai."

"Naina ki wajah se. Usse ghutan hoti hai bahar ki hawa na aaye kamre mein toh. Aur chor ki aap chinta mat kijiye. Main ek bada sa danda rakhta hun kamre mein. Aap bhi sone se pehle usse apne paas rakh liya karna." Sameer assured her.

Bua dadi gaped at the two of them.

Sameer again lifted a little from the seat, then sat back, hesitantly looking at her, "Uhh, ek aur baat hai... aap na thoda kinare pe hi sona... Naina se jitna door ho sake utna."

Naina turned her head swiftly at him, her eyes rounded. Same expression reflected in spectacled eyes of the old lady.

Sameer pressed Naina's hand, blinking as he gave a slight dip of assurance to her before looking back at Phulla bua, "Do teen baar Naina... matlab, apni marzi se nahi... koi sapna hi dekh rahi hogi... lekin maarti asli mein hai."

Naina's hand flew to her mouth, the gasp was still audible.

Sameer gave her a sympathetic look, "Koi baat nahi, Naina. Bua dadi koi bahar wali thodi hain, woh toh hamari apni hain... unhe bata sakte hain. Aur fir unhe pata hona chahiye na, kahin tumne waise hi unhe bhi laat maar di jaise pichli baar mujhe... jab main hi bed se neeche gir gaya tha toh bua dadi ko zyada bhi lag sakti hai. Unhe savdhan toh karna padega na."

They looked at Phulla bua. Her head was lowered. They couldn't see her face but she seemed to be pondering over whatever she had heard.

Naina leaned sideways, whispering into his ears, "Zyada ho raha hai. Itni overacting mat karo."

He pressed her hand again, happy to see their plan working.

When Phulla bua finally looked up, her eyes were sad, "Sameer beta, humein yeh sab tumhe pehle hi bata dena chahiye tha. Lekin Bela aur Preeti ne kuch saalon se kaha nahi toh mujhe laga ki shayad yeh bimari theek ho gayi hogi."

Their mouths fell open, together. Bua dadi looked at their frozen faces before continuing.

"Naina ko bachpan se neend mein haath pair chalane ki aadat hai. Aisa lagta hai jab woh neend mein hoti hai, koi alag hi Naina hoti hai... kisi aur duniya mein. Thappad, mukke, laat... kuch bhi maar deti hai. Aur aisi baatein karti hai jo hum kabhi Naina ke muh se sunne ke baare mein soch bhi nahi sakte. Preeti bechari, kitni baar Naina ki wajah se bahar sofe pe soyi hai."

Naina gulped. Preeti did sleep on sofa sometimes, but that was when she was studying in the room. Preeti said she was disturbed by the light, and constant mutterings as she gave repeated reads to the chapters.

Bua dadi sighed, "Pata nahi kya dekhti hai tu sapno mein, Naina... lagta hai Jhansi ki rani ban jaati hai. Bela ne toh yahan tak kaha ki shayad pichle janam ki baatein hain jo neend mein tujhe yaad aati hain."

Naina was aghast, "Mujhe... mujhe kabhi bataya kyon nahi kisi ne?"

"Beta, humein laga ab yeh sab theek ho gaya hoga. Tu hostel mein thi toh kabhi kisi ne shikayat nahi ki... agar kamre mein aise shor machati toh aas paas wale log bolte na. Chhuttiyon mein ghar aati thi toh bas ek do baar hi aisa hua. Preeti ne bataya toh humein tassalli ho gayi ki chalo  kam ho gaya hai yeh sab. Humein poori umeed thi ki ab tu poori tarah se theek ho gayi hogi, warna Sameer kabhi toh kuch kehta. Lekin aaj iski baat sunke mujhe laga ki tum dono ko sachhai bata hi deni chahiye. Pata nahi yeh bimari hai, sachmuch pichle janm ki yaadein hain, koi sapna hai ya jo bhi hai... ab Sameer ko hi jhelna hai." Phulla bua let out a long exhale, leaning back in the chair.

Naina turned slowly towards Sameer. His mouth was still open, his features frozen into a stunned expression. Naina's heart sank... she had often talked in dreams... both Preeti and Sameer had confirmed that... but why no one pointed out this violent side of hers. Her eyes pooled up as she thought of the unknown times she must have hit him in sleep. He had only mentioned her talks about him, but now she recalled his reluctance to tell her the complete thing whenever this happened. What she presumed to be teasing was actually his silence over her behaviour.

Sameer came out of the trance when her hand in his clasp clenched hard. He glanced at her, and instantly knew what was going through her mind.

He jumped up, kneeling on the floor next to bua dadi.

"Aap... aap mazaak kar rahi hain na?" He placed his hands on her knees, looking at her earnestly.

Phulla bua leaned ahead, pulling the spectacles a little down her nose with index finger, looking directly into his eyes, "Shuru kisne kiya tha?"

The silence hung in the room... thick and substantial.

Bua dadi simultaneously gazed at the bewildered look on two faces that were staring at her in daze for the umpteenth time in last one hour.

"Yeh jo tumhari acting ki dukaan khuli hui thi itni der se, tumhe lagta hai mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha? Lekin tum dono ka shouk dekh ke maine socha main bhi saath de dun." She shrugged.

Naina let out a relieved yelp, "Bua dadi, aapne dara diya tha. Mujhe lagne laga kahin main pagal wagal toh nahi hun."

Sameer sprinted back to her, holding her hand as he rubbed her back, "Bas Naina, tum aise chillao mat. Mazaak tha... bua dadi mazaak kar rahi thi."

Naina whined, looking at him, "Sameer, main bolti toh hun na itna kuch neend mein. Mujhe laga shayad yeh sab bhi... aur tum logon ne mujhe kabhi bataya hi nahi."

That bua dadi was sitting right in front of them, that the main door of house was open, that they were in full view if Ramdhari stepped out of the kitchen... every thought faded from Sameer's mind and he hugged her, engulfing her completely in his arms, kissing the top of her head.

"Nahi Naina. Aisa kabhi kiya hi nahi tumne. Thodi baatein zaroor karti thi pehle lekin ab toh tum neend mein bolti bhi nahi. Kal hi kaha tha na maine tumse. Aur jo baatein karti bhi thi, woh itni pyar bhari hoti thi ki main chahta hun tum aise hi bola karo sote hue. Mujhe bohot achha lagta tha sunna... woh shaadi se pehle jab tum..." Sameer blurted as he placated her, pausing at the sound of Phulla bua's fake cough.

Realising their position, he quickly left Naina. Though he let her out of his embrace, his hand was still wrapped around hers. Naina, however, was mortified, both at their action and his words. She smoothed her hair, tucking them behind the ear, eyes stuck at some point on the floor.

A few awkward moments later, loud laughter filled up the room, making them look up at Phulla bua.

She took off her spectacles, wiped her eyes with the corner of her pallu and put back the specs before looking at them.

Her voice was warm and affectionate when she spoke, "Tum dono jitne pyaare ho utne hi buddhu bhi. Naina, beta tu toh bohot samajhdar thi pehle, ab iss pagle ne tujhe bhi apne hi rang mein rang liya. Arre, main kabhi tum dono ko alag karne ka soch sakti hun kya? Naina, jabse tu Mumbai aayi thi tabse tere badle hue rang nazar aate the mujhe. Shuru mein khoi khoi rehne wali meri gudiya kaise khil gayi thi yeh dekha maine. Teri aankhon ki chamak ne mujhe sukoon toh diya par thoda darr bhi tha ki kahin koi tujhe fir se dard na dede. Lekin Sameer se ek baar milne ke baad hi mere saare darr khatam ho gaye. Maine toh ussi din tumhe hamesha ke liye ek doosre ka saathi maan liya tha jab saath mein pehli baar dekha. Mere chashme pe mat jaana, aankhen padhna jaanti hun... aur Sameer ki aankhon se uske dil ki gehrayi samajh gayi thi main. Yeh tab toh tere bina reh nahi paata tha, ab kahan se alag rehne ki baat maan sakta hai. Tum dono ko ek baar door rakhne ki galti ki thi maine... tab saari raat chitthi likh ke darwaze ke neeche se bhejte rahe ek doosre ko. Na baba, dobara mujhe yeh sab nahi karwana."

She had managed to make Sameer blush along with Naina.

"Woh bua dadi, uss waqt..." He muttered, rubbing his hands together.

"Rehne de. Fir se koi jhoota bahana mat bana. Naina neend mein zaroor thoda bohot bolti hai hamesha se lekin tune toh jaagte hue hi saari pol khol di." Phulla bua smirked, bobbing her head.

Sameer quickly looked at Naina in alarm. She was also baffled, not sure what he had said. She was already utterly embarrassed at the crushing hug and kiss... and now held her breath to know what he had spilled out.

Phulla bua raised one brow, lowering her voice, "Shaadi se pehle Naina neend mein kya kehti thi yeh kaise pata tujhe?"

Their faces turned white. Sameer gulped, recalling what he said while calming Naina. It just took a moment for the white to turn into deep red on her face as he gave a guilty look to her.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Phulla bua got up and came to them. She nudged Sameer to shift, and settled on the sofa between them.

"Bachhon, tumhe kisi baat ke liye nazren jhukane ki zaroorat nahi hai. Tum dono ke pyar se sahi aur sachha aur kya hoga. Rahi baat meri baaton ki... woh toh tumhe roz sunni padengi. Itne din uss khadoos Bina ke pados mein rehte rehte mere dimaag mein bhi motapa aa gaya tha. Ab tum dono ko ched ke wapas khud ko durust kar lun zara." She held both their hands, giving a mischievous smile.

Naina hid her face in her shoulder, her lips curling in a smile. Phulla bua pulled Sameer on another shoulder, patting his cheek lovingly.

Sameer let out a long breath, "Bua dadi, humne socha tha aapke saath thodi masti karenge aapne toh hamare hi hosh udda diye."

"Tere hosh tab udenge jab tu hosh mein hoga. Abhi bhi teri aankhen Naina pe aise hi tiki rehti hain jaise shaadi se pehle. Ab toh mujhe yeh dekhna hai ki bachhe ke aane ke baad tu kisko zyada pyar karega." Bua dadi pinched his cheek.

Sameer straightened, speaking without hesitation, "Naina ko. Aakhir usko do logon ka pyar dena hoga na... biwi ka bhi aur hamari gudiya ki mummy ka bhi."

Phulla bua had no doubt about that.

Next update tomorrow evening