"Arre, Sameer bhaiya chale gaye? Ye seb katwaya aur leke bhi nahi gaye." Ramdhari came out with the box of diced apples.

Naina looked back from the door, "Sameer ko thoda late ho gaya tha isliye chale gaye. Aap fridge me rakh do, shaam ko kha lenge."

Ramdhari removed the lid and placed the box on table, "Shaam ko hum unhe doosra de denge, yeh aap khaiye."

Naina was flummoxed, "Lekin maine abhi toh breakfast kiya hai."

"Fal kabhi bhi kha sakte hain... ab aap aaiye aur jaldi se yeh saare seb khatam kijiye." Ramdhari did not relent.

Naina made a face, "Abhi nahi kha paungi."

Ramdhari picked up the box nonchalantly and said, "Theek hai toh bata dijiyega jab khane hon... tab tak baithe hain hum apne aasan pe."

Naina gave him a shocked look, "Aapne abhi tak khana nahi khaya?"

"Naina bhabhi, humne kal hi bata diya tha... ya toh aap hamare kehne se sab kuch khayengi ya hum kuch bhi nahi khane wale." He was adamant.

Accepting defeat, she sat down at the table, taking the box from his hands, "Dijiye, khaati hun."

He grinned, running to get a fork for her.

The day was not easy  for Sameer. Every minute dragged like it did not want to end. He repeatedly glanced at the clock, but the hands seemed to be stuck.

After lunch, when munshiji came to his room, he found Sameer shaking the small clock kept on his table.

"Kya hua, Sameer beta?" Ghadi mein koi dikkat aa rahi hai?" He was concerned.

Sameer immediately placed the clock back, dropping it on the table in nervousness. He set it properly before looking at Munshiji.

"Koi... koi problem nahi hai... bas check kar raha tha, theek se chal rahi hai ya nahi... jisse kisi kaam mein late na ho jaaye." He gave a wide smile.

"Aaj kya kaam hai aisa? Aaj toh koi meeting bhi nahi hai... kahin jaana hai kya aapko?" Munshiji asked after mentally assessing the jobs for the day.

"Ghar jaana hai." He blurted... and rubbed his forehead immediately, "Mera... mera matlab... ghar thodi jaana hai abhi... kaam toh honge hi... meeting nahi hai par aur kuch... factory... haan, chaliye, factory ka round maar aate hain." He stood up, both to divert munshiji's attention from his folly and to find a way to make time pass faster.

"Lekin factory ka kaam toh band ho gaya... aap bhool gaye kya ki aaj shanivaar hai... har shanivaar ko factory ke workers ka half day hota hai." Munshiji reminded him.

"Oh haan, aaj toh Saturday hai." He slumped back in the chair.

Nanu had started the practice of keeping all Saturdays as half day for those who did physical labour in the factory. He wanted his hard and conscientious workers to get proper rest and family time as well. Since they were always surrounded by the loud sound of machines and had to remain standing most part of the day, nanu felt that they needed more than one day off. He had been advised by all his fellow businessmen that he would lose out on manhours and his production would suffer but nanu had proved everyone wrong by showing that this empathy gave him better output than others.

Munshiji smiled as he understood his restlessness, "Waise kuch samay se ek baat karna chahta tha aapse... kahein toh bata dun."

Sameer looked up immediately, "Haan, haan, munshiji, boliye na."

Settling down on the chair in front of him, he started, "Factory mein half day rakhte hue humein kuch che saat saal ho gaye hain... jab bade sahab ki achanak... matlab unke heart attack se pehle woh iss baat ke bare mein soch rahe the ki factory mein shanivaar ko poori chutti rakh di jaaye aur office mein half day shuru kiya jaye... desh mein bohot jagah hafte mein paanch din kaam karne ka system ban gaya hai... unke baad maine iss baare mein koi faisla nahi liya lekin ab aap aa gaye ho toh yeh niyam bana sakte hain."

Sameer was excited at this idea, "Yeh toh achha idea hai, munshiji... maine production ka graph dekha hai... chutti dene se humein koi nuksaan nahi hua hai, balki doosri factories ke mukaable hamara kaam time pe poora hota hai... aapko yeh rule pehle hi bana dena chahiye tha... aapka haq iss business pe mujhse zyada hai, khud nanu ne mujhe kaha ki aapse achha iss kaam ko koi nahi samajhta."

Munshiji lowered his head, embarrassed at the open praise.

"Chaliye fir abhi announce kar dete hain ki agle saturday se office mein half day hoga, aur factory mein monday ko bata denge." Sameer stood up again, rubbing his hands with enthusiasm.

Munshiji let out a small laugh at his childish eagerness, "Main circular type karwa ke bhijwa dunga... abhi kahan kahan jaake batayenge."

Sameer slumped back on his chair, looking at the clock again. The hands finally seemed to be moving.

"Yeh file unn sab clients ki hai jinhe Khurana ne order ke liye kaha tha... aap ek baar inke records check kar lijiye toh hum list bana lenge ki kiske saath kaam karna hai... jisse dubara koi parehsani na ho." Munshiji placed the file he was holding, pushing it towards him.

Sameer nodded, taking the file. Work took up next few hours, without him realising that it was time to leave. When he glanced back at the clock, it showed him the time he was longing to see since he arrived in the morning.

Naina had a tough day too, being at the mercy of Ramdhari's time table. He was turning out to be a tough taskmaster, making her eat healthy and nutritious food, preparing juices for her, giving meals interspersed with fruits and other options.

The weather was not much hot anymore, as the navratri season was due to arrive soon. When she came to her room after lunch, a dark cloud cover blocked the sun completely. A pleasant breeze filled up the room through the open balcony door. An hour after lunch, she took the medicine with juice. Since wind had gained some speed, along with a slight drizzle, outside turned more beautiful and pleasant.
She stood at the balcony door, enjoying the scene and feeling the cool breeze on her face. After a while, her legs started to feel the strain of tiredness, but she didn't want to leave the place.

"Yahin baith jaati hun... itni achhi hawa hai." She slipped down slowly against he door, hugging her knees.

Sameer quickly placed his bag on the chair, asking Ramdhari about Naina.

"Woh kamre mein aaram kar rahi hain."

He had reached the room before Ramdhari's sentence ended.

His feet froze for a few moments.

She was lying on the floor.

As he took two steps ahead, the realisation dawned on him... she wasn't lying, but sitting... against the door. Room was filled with the scent of wet earth, result of rain drops after a long dry spell. He crouched in front of her. She must have fallen asleep while she sat here to enjoy the cool breeze that had turned the balmy day into a crisp one.

He watched how her head tilted slightly to the side. The serene expression on her face, along with a faint curve at the end of her lips showed her tranquility even as she sat on the hard floor.

He leaned ahead, slipping one arm under her knees and one behind her neck. She needed to rest properly on the bed. Her head rolled back towards him... and her lips pressed on his cheek. His eyes brightened.

The touch of her soft lips, the feel he was craving for the whole day... even in her sleep, she had given him what he needed.

"I Love You, jaan." He murmured, staying still for a while, her face still resting on his cheek.

He kept his head pressed on his shoulder when he got up, not letting her face move away from him... till he laid her on the bed gently.

She stirred a little, turned to her side, and stilled.

He deduced it was the effect of medicines... otherwise Naina usually did not sleep so much.

He went out to check with Ramdhari about her food and medicines.

Sameer had already taken a shower and was sitting on the bed, reading a magazine when she finally opened her eyes.

"Arre, tum kab aaye? Mujhe pata hi nahi chala." Her voice was gruff... result of a deep sleep.

"Kaise pata nahi chala, tumne toh mujhe itna meetha welcome diya." He smiled lovingly, putting aside the magazine.

"Meetha welcome?" She furrowed her brows, sitting up.

Sameer told her how he found her sleeping at the threshold, and how she kissed him when he tried to lift her.

"Mrs Maheshwari, sapne mein bhi yehi karti hain aap toh... kaafi besharam ho gayi hain." He whispered huskily, coming closer to her.

The colour on her cheeks was something he was seeing after many days, and it filled him with contentment.

Before she could answer, knock on the door announced Ramdhari's arrival with her evening snacks. Sameer was pleased to see that she didn't complain about it.

They watched some TV in the evening, and had dinner together.

When Ramdhari was leaving for the day, Sameer told him to come late the next day.

"Lekin Naina bhabhi..." He was worried.

"Tu bhi kuch din se zyada kaam kar raha hai, kal thoda aaram karke aa jaana. Naina ka naashta main banaunga... aakhir pata toh chale usse ki mujhe kya kamaal ka khana banana aata hai." Sameer raised his collars.

Ramdhari gave him an amused look, "Aisa karna, phal hi khila dena... hum jab aayenge toh bana denge baaki ka... aapke kamaal se Naina bhabhi hi nahi hamari rasoi bhi darr jayegi."

Sameer scowled at him, "Chup kar, aata hai mujhe."

Ramdhari went away laughing.

Naina was already half asleep when he went to bed. Taking her in his arms, he patted her to sleep, putting aside the longing that turned more fierce with her proximity.

After a night of disturbed sleep, he got up early. Remembering his promise to Ramdhari, he decided to prepare something good for Naina. After a quick shower, he went to the kitchen.

Naina was surprised to find the room empty when she got up. Seeing the open door of bathroom, she decided to take a bath first. After two days of tension and another two days of extreme weakness and drowsiness, she was feeling much better today.

Sameer entered the room to find her fresh out of the shower, standing in front of the dresser. Her wet hair cascaded down her back, water droplets hanging on to the tips before falling off to anonymity. She bent down to pull open a drawer and the wet mass spread around her lower back, leaving a patch on her dress, making it translucent.

She straightened, and jerked her hair, making several pearly drops lose their identity. Weaving her fingers through them, she turned... and found him standing at the door.

His eyes roved over her, taking in the soft fabric of dress that clung to her curves, tiny waist accentuated by a narrow belt, lighly flared skirt ending little below her knees, leaving the shapely legs bare. His eyes went up the same route, lazily feasting themselves. His breath, however, got stuck in his throat at the sight of her gleaming face. The glow that seemed to be lost since last few days was back... radiating even more, if that was possible.

Blood rushed to his hears, pounding hard enough to drown any other sound. Everything else was obscured from his vision, except the moonlike face that pulled him with a magnetic charm.

She stood rooted as he took slow steps towards her. The hunger in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Naina, tum bohot sundar ho." He uttered in a voice thick with desire, that made her spine tingle.

He was still a step apart, looking into her eyes. She closed that distance, placing her hands on his shoulders as his large hands gripped her waist. He leaned, burying his face in the damp tresses. Instantly, his senses danced with exultation.

He inhaled deeply, intoxicated by the scent of her shampoo... or was it her soap... or a perfume... or maybe everything combined... or just her.
Whatever it was, he felt the fragrance seep into his pores, making him feel alive again. He had been so starved for this mesmerising warmth and her unique aroma.

"Oh Naina." He lifted his head, to make sure that she was not in any discomfort.

The moment their eyes met, all his apprehensions dissipated. Her eyes glittered with unabashed passion, matching his need. The specks of her fervour in the brown pools of her eyes, water droplets on her face that fell from some strands over the forehead, feel of her heated skin under his fingers, the wildly pattering vein at the base of her neck, drumming of her heart against his chest...

She was like the effervescence of a sparkling wine, and he was ready to get drunk.

His lips reached down to take hers, hungrily demanding everything at the same moment. She pressed his head, pushing herself up to be more close.

The morning couldn't be better than the feel of her honeyed taste.

The morning couldn't be better than the roughness of his jaw on her chin as his musky scent made her go weak in the knees.

Next update tomorrow evening