sainiashi14 le bahan. Chid mt

'Naina..sar phat jayega. Sole dekha he iska?'

She has thrown her sandal on him. It was not stiletto but has managed to hit him right.

'Kyu aaye ho yaha?'

'Have you forgotten? Hum hide and seek khel rahe the...yaad he na? To main tumhe dhoondh rha tha'

She turns her face. She had run away from him the moment he confessed he still loves Kashish. His open confession killed her silent one. It broke her heart and she had no will left to see him again. In fact she could not make herself even stay and yell at him for making a fool of her. She was tired of his impromptu actions. His every action held meaning for her but perhaps for him they were just another usual day. She could not muster enough courage to stay back amd face him. She fled with pieces of her heart....

'Naina. Khali Handbag lekar kyu bhagi thi? Aur bhagi thi to ladakh Chhota pad gaya tha? Ye Monastry hi mili chhipne ko? Aur wo bhi is aise weather me? Agar thand se mar jati to?'

She pulls her other sandal out and throws it on him too.

'Oooow. Bilkul sateek nishana he. Naina..sar sach me phat gaya he.'

She though does not get up. All his facade even if it is effecting her will not make her move.

'Naina...yaar utho na..I am wounded. Jyada der yaha raha to mar jaunga..haemorrhage se. Jaldi..take me hospital..Tumhare pati ki jan khatre me he. Be a smart wife. Save your Suhag.'

Her eyes starts to sting. His nonsense talks instead of making her comfortable is hurting her now..

'Leave me alone.Kya chahiye tumhe ab?'

'Tum. Mujhe tum chahiye.'

'Kyu? Phir se kashish ko jalana he? Ya phir se tumhe ek kandha chahiye rone ke liye..'

'Nahi. Is baar ghar basana he. Tumhare sath. And no I dont want a shoulder. I want whole of you. Khali hath pair ka kya karunga..'

She picks her hand bag and throws on her. 

'Ab khud bhi aa jao. Sara saman to de hi diya..'

'Go away. Mujhe nahi aana tumhare sath..'

She feels him next to her on his knees..

'Naina.....

I am not man of words. Mujhse nahi hota ye sab. But I want you. I want you more  than anything. If not you I can not get peace with anyone...anywhere. It is not about intimacy only. Tumhara sath is enough. Your smile is enough. I am alive but you make me breathe. Do you know...What I feel without you?

I feel nothing. Tum sirf teen ghante mujhse door rahi.. Main pagal ho gaya. Is se jyada tumhe kya suboot du Ki Main kya chahta hu?'

She still does not move.

'You know...I am consumed up...but by you. I feel too much for you. A passion...I am burning the way  Ghalib had said...

Ishq he wo aatish Ghalib..

Jo lagaye na lage..

Bujhaye na bujhe..

Why dont you understand?'

'Kya samjhu main? Tum ishq ki aag me jal rahe ho? To isme main kya karu? Tumhare aur Kashish ki ishq ki aag me mujhe kudne ka koi shauk nahi he.'

'Nainaaa...Dimag kharab he tumhara? Isme kashish kaha se aayi?'

'Abhi you said you love her. Aur dinner par bhi...you said you love her.'

'I said...I loved her. You know what ..tum raho yahi. Sanyas lekar ban jaao saint. Nirvana yahi milega tumko. I am going.'

'Ha to maine roka kya? Maine to bulaya bhi nahi tha...kyu aaye picche?'

She sees him going away. But today he returns after going some steps south.

'Dekho. Chupchap se chalo. Bahut ho gaya.'

'Mujhe nahi jana..I dont want to live with you.'

'Why? Maine jo ghar design kiya he..usme sab kuch tumhari pasand ka he. Ab mujhe usko renovate karana padega agar tum nahi gayi to..It will be costly naina. Chalo na..Mere sath wapas.'

'Tum to ameer aadmi ho. You can bear this expense. I dont have any reason to go back..'

'To...what about your love? Khatm ho gaya ek din me?'

She keeps mum.

'Naina...Ek pagal aadmi bhi samajh jayega...ki what I want to say. I love you. Is liye I want to live with you. I am explaining you this for so long. I want a future with you. I want to annoy you for whole life. Aur kaise batau?'

She takes a turn.

'To tum kashish se pyaar nahi karte?'

'Ek aadmi ek time par do logo se pyaar kaise kar sakta he?'

'Kar sakta he. The people who cheat they are multitimers.'

She sees him holding her hand. This time his touch is gentle..with a promise..

'I have confessed. Now stop all this. Wapas chalo warna.....'

She turns to him...

'Warna kya, Mr. Grewal!'

'Warna I'll accept Kashish' proposal. MRS. GREWAL'

She narrows her eyes....

'Kashish proposed you? Bahut gahra pyaar he uska...ek sal ke baad jaga. And you...Tumhe jo karna he karo..I dont give a damn.'

Suddenly her lips is sealed by him. He picks her up..But she doesn't struggle. She knows that this promise be made to her is what she needed. She is not a god who will give up everything for better good. She wants him..all of him for herself.

'Naina. I am sorry. I am sorry for every thing. But I am not sorry for marrying you, for falling in love with you and making love to you...If This all happens again I'll be repeating it over and over again.'

Her heart blooms like sunflower.

'Hmm.'

'Chalo. Utho...'

'Mujhe nahi jana..'

'Ab kya he?'

'Mujhe ye monastry ghumni he. Subah chalte he na..'

'Tum pagal ho! Aur tumse bada pagal main hu. I was an idiot. That's why This way i am getting punished for my actions.'

She sees him scooting close to her in that verandah where she was sitting when he had come.

He pulls her closer. Covers her with the shawl and engulfs her in his arms. His lips kissing her hair..her cheek. Her eyes...her nose. Her lips...It was tedious to calm her. But it was worth it.

Naina has closed her eyes. This is what she had not imagined but had wanted. When two days back she had confessed in emotional downfall during sex his cold shoulder hurt her. And then he accepted his love for kashish while dinner...she was broken. But it took him just three hours. He was here. With whole of him..to take her back. Naina had learnt then that he loves her. Because there was no other reason he would come for. But the heart was hurt. Too much...his confession was remedy and she sought it.

She is lucky perhaps. She dared to fall in love in a baseless relation. There was nothing which she could hold on to. But when they came closer Sujal gave her every damn reason to hold, to think and to stay. The man who had nothing gave her his everything. Even when his hands were empty he held her and tried to do things. What not she did. What not she made him face. She was down with depression.  They were not even friends but he stayed behind and took care of her. Humanity is not always the strongest push. But he did. He took care of her. He could have some lame motives but he tended to her. He listened her complains. He yielded to her touch.

What else she wanted from him! In fact she had not expected anything from him..but she got everything. Slowly slowly...in eleven months..She got her life set. In motion and beautiful than ever...

'Do...do you want to do over? Like remarrying?

Last time it was not done properly. And our anniversary also is approaching.'

Naina thinks if she should do it over. Start afresh...but she does not want to. The beauty of their relation is its distorted form. The reason they came together might be lame and nonsense but...the relation was formed. She had given her consent. It was done with her whole being in line with his. She had promised him to help him. To give what she could for the pact they had. But that was the start...it was an achievement...not a failure.

'Why? Rahne do na. What matters most is that we have each other. It is better this way.'

'But...the reason why we married was.....so lame. We married for benefits. I wanted you to be my support while I cry for Kashish. And you...you wanted me to back you for Naveen. Dobara phir se sab shuru karte he...From zero.'

She looks into his eyes. Sincerity embedded in them.

'Tumhe lagta he ki mujhe Kashish se issue he?

Actually ha. Mujhe us se issue he. But that's other thing. Sujal. We married. No matter why but we married. we gave our everything to this relation. And see...jo wajah betuki si lagti he...wahi is rishte ko define karti he. In the end we held our end of promises. In the end we realised the true meaning of marriage. Rahne do ise aise hi...

Bikhra sa..Ajeeb sa..Betuka. its beautiful this way.'

He smiles. And she does too.

They both keep on sitting. Naina knows she was bound to fall for this man. She knew it...and thats what keep her at bay. But she gave in. She had to. Sujal was charismatic. He had this undefined pull. Naina could not stop herself. It happened way too fast...all too sudden. She instead of naming it kept on relishing it. Instead of giving it meaning she kept on playing her part. She enjoyed that way...

'Naina...Wapas hotel chalo na. Bhookh lagi he.'

She looks up in surprise..

'Tumne khana nahi khaya tha?'

He sheepishly shakes his head 

'Are you mad? Abhi aise me wapas kaise jaayenge? Tum cab se aaye the ye local koi auto kiya tha?'

But he steals his eyes...Naina is astonished.

'Dont tell me tum paidal aaye the! Dimag kharab be tumhara. Pagal ho kya!'

'Dimag kharab nahi hota to wajay chain se sone ke tumhare peeche aata? Mujhe kya sapne aa rahe the ki ye jagah itni door hogi! Warna main dinner pack karwa ke lata. Aur ek mat bhi le aata. Accha khasa picnic ho jata..'

Naina is amused. This man does things. Too many of them. For her. Everyday. But he does not name them. He just does and stays put. She wonders if her smile can compensate his efforts.

'Yaha koi khana nahi he. Chalo utho. Karo march Hotel tak. Jab subah pahuchoge to hosh aayega tumko..ki Bina preparation ke uth kar nahi bhaagte..'

'Biwi ko manane ke liye bhi main preparation karu? Ok. Next time apna staff sath lekar aaunga.'

'You are mad. Mr. Grewal.'

'Yeah. Love does things. Dysfunction of brain is one of them.'

Naina leaps to him. Jumping in his arms...He takes her out of Montessori.

When they reach hotel, it is early morning. And it indeed is a new day for them...

Naina laughs when he falls on bed. Exhausted.

'Seriously...Ishq nikamma kar deta he. Accha khasa so sakta tha...but nahi mujhe keeda tha...tumhe manane ka.'

His talk makes her insane with humor. She orders three plates of breakfast. Though she had eaten but she is famished again...for him. And she will be....looks like this hunger wont die soon.