Naina called up the production house, informing them about her Mumbai visit in the coming week. They quickly invited her to come to the studios where the show was presently being shot.

Everyone in the family was enthralled by the news of felicitation.

"Yeh tum dono ki mehnat ka inaam hai... aur yeh toh bas ek shuruaat hai." Anand had proudly stated.

Rakesh called up from Baroda, congratulating both Sameer and Naina.

Sameer was excited to go back to Mumbai.

"Naina, hum na kisi achhe se hotel mein rahenge... ek aur honeymoon ho jayega." He whispered against her neck, hugging her from behind one evening after dinner.

"Sameer, hotel mein kaise reh sakte hain... Phulla bua hain, Rahul Sonali hain... unhe bura lagega." She said.

"Umm... theek hai, do din Mumbai ke baad hum Mahabaleshwar chalte hain... wahan toh koi nahi hai na... wahan hotel mein... " He nestled his nose into her hair.

"Jee nahi... Mumbai se seedhe wapas aayenge... tum bohot kaamchor hote jaa rahe ho... kitni chutti marte ho office se." She tilted her head to the side, feeling the effect of his ministrations.

"Achha, kaamchor hun main... aisa lagta hai tumhe... toh abhi se kaam pe lag jaata hun." He rubbed his face in the crook of her neck before picking her up and walking down the passage.

Her protests died down when he shut the door of their room with his foot.

As the day to leave was drawing near, Naina could feel the excitement building up more and more. The same college that had given her the most beautiful gift of her life... she couldn't wait to be there again.

They were to leave on Tuesday night, reaching next day morning. Rahul had asked them to stay with him and they had agreed. Naina was to go to the channel office and later visit the sets. Next day was the college program. They had planned to reach earlier than the evening time specified. Both were keen to spend some time at all the places that brought them closer.

The bomb dropped on Tuesday afternoon.

"Aisa kaise ho sakta hai, Munshiji? Aap kisi tarah unhe rokiye... yeh teen din main kisi haal mein yahan nahi reh sakta." Sameer was appalled at the schedule.

Munshiji looked at him helplessly, "Main jaanta hun, beta, par woh log aaj raat hi Delhi se aa rahe hain... kal subah jaldi meeting rakhna chahte hain... kal shaam tak sab kuch settle ho gaya toh aap kal shaam ko Mumbai chale jaana... college ka program toh parson hai na."

"Lekin unhe pehle hi bata diya tha humne ki meeting agle hafte rakhenge toh ab kyon jaldi macha rahe hain?" Sameer was frustrated.

"Woh Thursday ko wapas jaa rahe hain... unka program badal gaya hai... isliye meeting jaldi karwayi hai... Sameer beta, business mein aisa ho jaata hai... humein apne client ki zaroorat ke hisaab se apna plan badalna padta hai... agar koi chote buyers hote toh main khud dekh leta... par yeh log videshi hain... aapka hona zaroori hai kyonki yeh bohot badi deal hai... agar yahan baat ban jaati hai toh iss saal ka munaafa pichle chaar saalon se kahin zyada hoga... aur hamare liye factory ka naya construction bhi aasan ho jayega." Munshiji filled him up with the importance of this project.

Sameer chewed his lip. He was aware of the seriousness of this meeting and significance of his presence. But he had to be in Mumbai as well... that was equally essential. Running his fingers through the hair, he sat down with a thud on the chair.

How could he tell Naina that they couldn't leave tonight... when she also had a meeting scheduled for tomorrow?

But he couldn't forego his program either... it was a crucial contract for their company... he couldn't let nanu down by leaving when he was most needed.

With a deep sigh, he pulled out nanu's diary from the drawer. It had helped him every time he was in a dilemma. But would he get an answer for this problem...

'Ab tak toh bohot kuch seekh gaya hoga tu. Mujhe yakeen hai sab achhe se sambhal raha hoga. Haan, choti moti pareshaniyan aati hongi par beta, kiski zindagi mein adchane nahi aati... unse joojh ke hi aage badhna zindagi hai.

Dekh Sameer, ek baat yaad rakhna... chahe kuch bhi ho jaaye, hum ruk toh nahi sakte... aage badhna hai... himmat se, hausle se, aatmvishvaas ke saath.

Kabhi yeh mat sochna ki beeta hua kal behtar tha ya badtar tha... bas yeh sochna ki uss kal se aisa kya seekha jo aaj ko sanwaar sakta hai.

Hamari zindagi sirf hamari nahi hoti... unn sabke liye hoti hai jinhe hum pyar karte hain, apna maante hain, jinhe humse ummedein hain. Ab yeh hum pe hai ki kitne logon ki umeedon pe hum poore utar paate hain. Beta, hum kitni bhi koshish kar lein, har kisi ko khush nahi kar paate... arre, har kisi ko kya, hum toh har baar apni khushi ke liye bhi faisla nahi le paate. Lekin jab bhi faisla lena ho, yeh yaad rakhna ki kithe logon ko umeeden hain tujhse... kitne logon pe tere faisle ka asar hoga... kitne logon ko tu niraash karega. Aur isme dukhi hone jaisa kuch nahi hai, kyonki agar hum kisi ko khush kar rahe hain toh kisi ko hamari wajah se niraasha bhi ho sakti hai... bas yeh dhyan rakhna ki naumeedi na ho... kyonki aap niraasha ko fir bhi mita sakte ho lekin agar koi aapse umeed hi karna chod de toh uski nazron mein aapki keemat khatm ho jaati hai.

Aaj teri jo bhi uljhan hai, main nahi jaanta... lekin itna keh sakta hun ki mujhe bharosa hai tujh pe... jo bhi faisla tu lega, woh aaj ke liye, aas paas walon ke liye, aur tere liye... sabke liye sahi hoga.

Khush reh mere bachhe.

Sameer shut the diary.

Nanu had shown him a way yet again.

When he reached home in the evening, he had made up his mind to ask Naina for shifting her meeting to the day after college function since they could stay till later if they left on Wednesday morning.

"Sameer, tum yakeen nahi karoge kya hua." She flashed an over excited smile at him the moment he entered.

He looked at her, hoping that there were no further complications.

But today was definitely not his day.

She pressed her palms together, placing the linked fingers under her chin as she narrated the reason for her exuberance, "Tumhe woh director yaad hai... Chauhan... jo humein Ooty mein mile the? Unka phone aaya tha... kal woh bhi milna chahte hain... maine unhe jo storyline bheji thi uske baare mein baat karne ke liye... unhe bohot pasand aayi aur woh meri kahani khareedna chahte hain... socho Sameer, film banegi meri kahani pe... mera naam aayega badi screen pe, Naina Sameer Maheshwari."

He held her shoulders, twirling her around, feeling a surge of joy wash over him, "Naina... yeh toh kamaal ki news hai... tumhari kahani pe film... wow, sab kitne khush hue honge sun ke."

She placed her hands on his chest, "Tumse pehle kisi aur ko kaise batati... abhi thodi der pehle hi phone aaya tha... laga tum office se nikal chuke hoge isliye wahan call nahi kiya... bas tumhara intezar kar rahi thi."

He cupped her face, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Kal ek baje milna hai unse." Her voice jolted him back to the dilemma that he thought he had taken care of.

"Umm... Naina... woh kal... " He didn't know what to say now.

"Kal? Kya hua Sameer?" She could see some hesitation in his eyes.

"Naina, kal ek meeting hai meri... woh log London se aaye hain... aaj raat ko yahan pohoch rahe hain... meeting ko postpone nahi kar sakte." He said in a quiet voice, biting his lower lip.

Her mouth fell open, "Matlab tum award lene nahi jaa sakte?"

"Nahi, wahan jaa sakta hun... clients chale jayenge Thursday ko subah... par kal mujhe yahin rehna padega." He explained sadly.

She breathed in relief, poking his forehead, "Toh aise bolo na... buddhu... dara hi diya... koi baat nahi, hum Thursday ko subah chal padenge."

It was his turn to get shocked, "Aur tumhari meeting?"

"Woh main kal subah phone karke mana kar dungi." She said nonchalantly.

He gaped at her. She was so ecstatic about the movie deal just a few minutes back... but didn't think twice before giving it up to accomodate his program. And he was being selfish, planning to ask her to reschedule for him.

Closing his eyes, he let out a long exhale.

It had to be done... however hard it would be for him.

Taking her hands in his, he looked into her eyes, "Naina, jo main kehne jaa raha hun woh hi hum sabke liye sahi hai... aur tumhe meri kasam hai tum mana nahi karogi."

She stared at him as her smile faded slowly.

"Tumhe jaana hoga... akele... kal ka din hum dono ke liye important hai... agar meri meeting office ki zaroorat hai toh tumhare liye yeh kahani select hona kamyaabi ka kadam hai... hum dono ek doosre ko aage badhne se toh nahi rokna chahte hain na... jaise tum nahi chahogi ki main yeh kaam chod ke Mumbai chalun aise main bhi nahi chahta ki tum meri wajah se iss film ko haath se nikalne do... Naina, sirf ek din ki baat hai... main parson subah aa jaunga." A sharp pain pierced his heart as he said it but he kept the smile intact.

Tears coursed down her cheeks... mere mention of going without him, staying away for a day alone was enough to constrict her throat.

"Nahi Naina, please tum ro mat... tumne hi sikhaya hai na ki hum toh hamesha saath hain... paas na hon toh bhi alag nahi hain... dekho, agar meri wajah se tum ya tumhari wajah se main apna kaam na kar paaye toh hum dono ko hi bura lagega... haina... isliye aise kamzor mat pado... tum himmat ho meri, Naina... tumse hi seekha hai maine khud ko sambhalna, har haal mein khushi dhoondna... iss mauke ki khushi ko humein chota nahi karna hai... chalo, ab muskura ke dikhao." He wiped her tears with his thumbs.

Her lips quivered as fresh tears rolled down from her eyes, "Kasam kyon di tumne?"

His heart went out to her. Pulling her in his arms, he crushed her against himself, choking back his own tears.

Later, when he called up Rahul to tell him to pick up Naina from the station at ten in the morning, Rahul was stunned to know that he was not accompanying her. Sameer explained the situation. Rahul assured him that he and Sonali would take care of Naina till he arrived.

Dinner was never this quiet for them. They could hardly eat. Naina had already packed for both of them during the day. After dinner, she opened the suitcase again, removing her things and packing in a seperate bag. Her train was only at four in the morning.

Sameer sat with his back against the headboard, legs crossed at the ankles when Naina came out of the washroom after changing into her night suit.

Without a word, she shifted next to him, sitting with her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest. His arm wrapped around her, bringing her closer.

They didn't need words to feel each other's grief...

When the alarm went off at 2:30 am, neither had slept a wink... nor had they moved from their position.

Naina slipped off the bed now, mechanically going about her work. Sameer got ready after she was done.

The reality started to sink in as he picked up only one bag... hers... when they were ready to leave.

As they reached the door, she held his hand. He stopped, gulping down the painful lump.

Dropping the bag, he turned instantly, and pulled her, his lips closing over her mouth hungrily. Her hands held onto his shirt as he tried to get as much of her as possible in a few moments. They tried to get comfort and give solace at the same time.

When the train finally chugged away, Sameer felt an emptiness that he had forgotten ever existed in him.

Going back to her seat after her blurred vision could not make out anything, Naina burst into tears.

This was the first time they would be spending so much time away from each other.

It won't be easy... for both of them.

Next update tomorrow evening