"Good morning Mr. Maheshwari. How do you do?" Saying so Naina raised her hand for a shake. Shocked, surprised, taken aback, astonished, all these words fell short to explain Sameer's state of mind. She withdrew her hand back when Sameer didn't join hands with her. "I am glad ki aap iss merger ke liye ready hai. Isse hum dono ke companies ka bohot bada phaida hoga." She moved and sat on a chair. Pointing her hand to another chair in front of her she said, "take a seat Mr. Maheshwari, yeh aap he ka office hai." She was right there before him after two years, speaking to him, casually as if there was nothing between them, as if they just met for a business deal. Many-a-times he had imagined this situation, meeting her again, he had a variety of expectation of how the scenario would look. She would either be angry with him and berate him or she would refuse to even talk or for that matter look at him or she would start to cry as soon as she would see him or the unlikely case of hugging him tightly as soon as he sees him. But never in his dreams had he thought he would meet her again in such an unexpected way. Still confused he proceeded and took a seat before her but her eyes were upon the file in her hand. "I hope ki aapne humare terms and conditions ke bare mein jaante hai aur uss saab se agree bhi karte hai." "Woh Ms. Lavina... app. Yahan.." "Main apke confusion samjh sakti hoon Mr. Maheshwari aaj tak aap Lavina, meri PA se baat kar rahe the aur Lavina meri orders follow karti hai par official deal Lavina nahi main khud handle karoongi. I hope it's clear now. Anyways let's talk about what matters. I hope that you know the main reason why I chose to merge with your company. You are the biggest manufacturer of textile in Ahmedabad and I have a fashion retail business, so it will be very beneficial for me to have you as my permanent supplier and to expand my business and enter new area. And as far as I know times are changing, log ab zyadatar ready made cloths prefer karte hai aur hamare deal ke saath aap bhi expand honge, your materials will be given our label and exported to different parts of India. I think humein kal he saari legal procedures shuru kar deni chahiye." She lifted her head from the file and looked at him. He was sitting motionless. With his eyes fixed upon her, she didn't even know if he had listened to the whole conversation or not. "Mr. Maheshwari, I hope you are listening to me." "Haan, yes yes I am." "So what do you say, shall we start the legal procedures tomorrow itself?" "Yes that would be good." "I hope ki apko iss merger se koi objection nahi hain." "No not at all." "It's alright then, toh hum kal milte hai, baki saari formalities ke liye. Kal aap apne lawyer ke saath aayega, mere office. Lavina apko mere office ka address bata degi aur joh kuch bhi doubts hai aap Lavina se pooch sakte hai nahi toh kal mujhse. Right now I have other commitments so I have to go. So, lets meet tomorrow at 9 am then, have a good day ahead Mr. Maheshwari." Naina took her bag that was lying on the desk and turned to leave when his voice stopped her. "Naina" He couldn't believe he was calling her by her name after such a long time. "Kaisi ho?" Tears started to well up in her eyes, but mentally thanked god that she was not facing him. She blinked her eyes multiple times trying to compose herself, she said "Main theek hoon Sa.. Mr. Maheshwari", without stopping there for even a second she rushed out of the cabin.

********

"Sameer kya hua meeting mein. Sameer main tumse kuch pooch raha hoon, hua kya? Sameer tum sun rahe ho na ki main kya keh raha hoon", Munna asked him as soon as he came out of the cabin. "Nainaa..", was all he could manage to say. "Naina", he repeated. "Naina?" Munna questioned him. "Jis company ke saath hum merge karne wale hai woh kissi aur ki nahi, Naina ki company hai." "Kya? Sameer tum kya bhole jaa rahe ho mujhe kuch samaj mein nahi aa raha." "Munna NR's Fashion Naina ki company hai, jiske saath Maheshwari textiles ka merger hone wala hai." "Kya? Aur tum iske liye maan kaise gaye, arre mana kar dete", the shock reached Munna. "Sameer dekh yaar abhi bhi waqt hai. Mana kar doo usse." "Kyu? Kisliye? Darta hoon main kissie? Sameer Maheshwari kissise nahi darta." "Yaar sameer tu samajh nahi raha hai, agar iss merger ho jayega toh tumhe takleef ke aalawa kuch nahi hogi." "Munna yeh merger humare company keliye bohot important hai." "Company ke bare mein nahi khud ke bare mein soch. Agar yeh merger ho jayege to roz tum apne past se mulakat karoge aur...." "Aur? Aur kya Munna? Jab woh peechle baton ko bhulakar move on kar sakti hain, toh main kyu nahi. Pata hai jab main usse mila tha tab woh aise baat kar rahi thi jaise pehli baar kisi ko ek business deal mein mili ho, aisa lag raha tha ki usse farq nahi padta, toh mujhe bhi farq nahi padni chahiye. Aur tu kya chahta hai ki main kayar ki tarha apna kadam apas lenu. Aaj subha tunne he kaha tha na ki jitna main apne past ko pakadkar rakhunga utna he woh mujhe pareshan karta rahega, aur aaj jab mujhe mauka mil raha hai move on karne ka, apne past ko bhoolane ka, tu chahta hai ki main apna kadam wapas le lu? Tu apne dost ko acche se jaanta hai yaar main aisa kabhi nahi karoonga. Srikant se keh dena, kal humko uska office jana hai, merger ke procedure shuru karne keliye." Saying this Sameer left the room.

"Tu samaj nahi raha sameer ki tu kya karne jaa rahe ho, jisse tum move on keh rahe ho na, who move on nahi balki tum aur peeche jaa rahe ho." Munna said to himself as the door closed behind Sameer. He knew his friend very well. Sameer thought he was going to make a new beginning, an attempt to move on from the past, but he didn't know that he was not moving forward but going backward. He didn't understand the seriousness of the situation. It had been two years but there was not even one day he hadn't thought about her, hadn't missed her. Maybe this merger was just a bahana, the real reason was her presence back in his life, maybe not for personal but professional, but his heart willingly or unwillingly wanted her presence in any form. But only god knew what was in store for him. He knew that he was entering into a situation where he will be constently reminded on the incidents of the past which will give nothing but pain. Though Sameer said it doesn't bother him any more, it doesn't make a difference to him, Munna knew that it did make a difference, for Sameer as well as for Naina...

**********

Naina splashed water onto her face for the umpteenth time. No matter how much she had pretended as if his presence didn't make a difference to her, she hated to admit it that it did make a difference. It wasn't easy to stand in front of him and act casual. It want easy to pretend like a stranger in front of him. For a second she could feel her heart going weak, for a second she felt like surrendering herself in his embrace, she felt like slapping him, she felt like crying her heart out. But then she had to control herself. She could not afford to fall weak now. She had to be strong. She had to conquer her past. Wasn't this what she wanted. It shouldn't make a difference now. Sameer was her past and he will remain so. Right now the owner of NR's fashion was going for a merger with CEO of Maheshwari textiles and nothing else. This wasn't the time to be emotionally weak. She was a phoenix. She had risen after the great fall, this was important for her to excel in her career. She can't let her past ruin her future. She can't let him destroy her dream. But still her heart had pained to see him like that. He had changed. He had cut his hair shorter. He had subtle over his face. His shoulders were broader. He looked physically stronger yet she knew he was emotionally weaker than before. Wiping her face with a towel she stepped out of the bathroom and was pleasantly surprised to see her best friend in front of her.

"Swati... kaisi ho?" Naina asked hugging her. "Main bilkul theek hoon aur tum?" "Main bhi. Preeti ne kaha ki tu delhi gayi thi apne naye shoot ke liye. "Woh maine jooth bola tha tujhse. Waise tumhare liye ek aur surprise hai." "Kaisa surprise?" "Khud he dekhlo." As soon as naina entered the living room the Pandit was standing in the middle of the hall with a huge smile on his face.

"Mere pyaare Jijaji kaise ho aap." "Bilkul badhiya, aur aap meri pyaari saali ji." "Ekdum mast." "Thank god mujhe laga do saal ke baad mujhe pehchane se inkar kar dogi." "Chup! bhul kaise sakthi hoon tumhe, aaj bhi mujhe yaad hai kaise roz mujhse data kata tha, school mein homework complete na karne keliye." "Kya yaar Naina tu bhi..." "Accha Swati tumhara Bandar kahin nazar nahi aa raha kahan hai woh." After Naina made this statement she saw their facial expressions change and understood something was wrong. Preeti immediately tried to change the topic. "Arre yeh sab chod na. Mummy ne garma garam samose banaye hai, chal usse khate hain." Preeti looked at her and closed her eye for a second and then opened it and Naina understood what she meant. This was a thing between the sisters since their childhood, words were not necessary to convey what they wanted to say and right now Naina understood that Preeti would open up on the matter later.

***************

The agarwal house echoed with laughter. As the young folks sat down along with the head of the family to have their dinner and Bela was serving them piping hot parathas. "Uhmmm Chachi kitne mahine hogaye apke haath ka khana kaye par sawad abhi bhi bilkul same hain ek percent bhi kaam nahi hua", Naina closed her eyes savouring the dish. "Swati beta ek aur paratha kha le", chachiji offered more parathas to her. "Haan haan Swati aur khao parathe phir agar moti hojaogi na tho mummy ko dosh mat dena", Preeti said with a giggle. "Preeti tu chup kar. Swati tum aram se khao, akhir roz thodi na milegi", Chachiji supported Swati. "Haan haan kha le, warna toh roz ghaz poos he kati rahti hai", Preeti said earning a glare from swati.

"Finally itne dinon baat itna aacha khana khaane ko mila", Preeti hit pandit's arm saying, "kya matlab hai tumhara, main accha khana nahi banati." "Nahi nahi maine aisa kab kaha ki tum accha khana nahi banati main toh sirf yeh keh raha tha ki aaj achha khana khane ko mila." "Arghh Pandit." "Preeti chod na usse. Tum meri baat suno, main soch rahi thi ki kyu na aaj kuch purani yaadein taza kare. Tumhe yaad hai kaise hum teeno kabhi kabhi school ke dinon sleepover karte the aur raat baar baate karte the, kyu na aaj hum waise he kuch kare," Naina suggested and the other two immediately semmed interested. "Are wah Naina yeh toh bohot he aacha idea hai, main abhi mummy ko phone karke bol deti hoon ki aaj raat main yahin rukhongi", Swati got the phone in her hand and started dialing her house. "Hai Naina, Pandit aaj raat Arun ko tum sambhal lena." "Ok maam", Pandit bowed his head in a playful way.

***********

"Hayee kitne saal ho gaye... Arre swati tu ek kaam karna yeh dhood ka bottle jaake Pandit ko de aana", Preeti tried to send her out of the room. "Tu khud ja na, mujhe kyu bol rahi hai." "Please yaar swati de aana." "Accha theek hai", grabbing the bottle swati went out of the room.

"Batao kya baat hai", Naina got serious before Preeti started the story. "Woh Naina do saal pehle jo kuch huya tha uske baad hum sab ka life puri tarah se badal gaya. Tumhare Mumbai chale jaane ke baad Pandit Munna aur Swati ka jagada ho gaya. Munna Sameer ka saath tha aur Pandit Sameer ka khilaf aur Swati Munna ke khilaf ho gayi kyuki woh Sameer ka saath diya." Par joh bhi hua usme Munna ki kya galti thi. Pandit aur Swati ne theek nahi kiya." "Wahi toh main bhi..." Preeti stopped midway and signaled Naina that Swati came back.

"Wahi toh kya Preeti?" Swati questioned Preeti. "Hum dono school days ke baare mein baat kar rahe the. Tu bhi aana." "Toh kya baat kar rahe the tum log." "Yahi ki Naina badal gayi hai. Kaha woh School ki head monitor, boring padaku Naina aur kaha aaj ki independent aur smart business women".

************

Sameer was sitting all alone in his office, confiding himself in the darkness of his cabinet with just one sole light from the table lamp. He couldn't believe what happend during the day. He met her after two years. But he could make out that only her outer appearance resembled Naina, the person who he met today was not the real Naina. He felt like he had met a stranger. Her eyes did not carry the usual twinkle, her lips didn't curve in a smile not even for a second. He understood that she was more emotionally stronger now. How could someone change so much. How could she not express her inner feelings or did it really make no difference to her. No it can't be so. Somewhere deep down it must have affected her just that she managed to hide it under a mask. Mask of pretense. But who did she think she was. No matter how hard she tries to pretend she cannot in front of Sameer. That's the reason when he asked her how she was for a split second her pretense was threatened to wear off. So she replied in a haste and rushed out. Tears started to fall from his eyes. The moment he saw her his heart yearned to run to her and pull her in a tight embrace. He wanted to kiss her to assure himself that she indeed was in front of him. He wanted to keeps his head over her shoulders and cry. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her, probably he would have done all that if not for her casual attitude. How could she pretend so easily, when he couldn't. He was sure she would have seen his moist eyes. It pained him to think that it was so easy for her to stand in front of him unaffected when we was dying from within. He opened the drawer and took out her photo. "Itne dinon baad aaj mile the hum. Tumhe pata hai main kuch bhi bardash kar saktha hoon Naina, tumhara nafrat bhi bardash kar loonga lekin tumhara yeh bartav mujhse sehen nahi jata. Naina itna aasan hai kya yeh sab tumhare liye. Par mein janta hoon ki tumhe bhi farq padta hoga, jitna mujhe ho raha hai. Haan maanta hoon ki do saal se mujhse door thi lekin mere dil mere khayalo se ek pal ke liye bhi dur nahi thi. Pata hai do saal se har ek din tumhare photo se baat karta aaya hoon par aaj jab tum mere saamne thi toh tumse kuch keh he nahi paya, aur tum ne bhi toh kuch nahi kaha. Munna ko lagta hai ki agar yeh merger ho jayega toh mujhe bohot takleef hogi. Takleef toh mujhe hoti hai, do saal se issi takleef ke saath jee raha hoon, ab toh aadat pad chuki hai. Lekin Munna ko ek cheez nahi pata ki tumse dur reh kar iss takleef se guzarne se toh yeh aacha hai ki tumhare paas rehkar isse sahun. Tumse aur door nahi raha ja raha hai Naina. I miss you Naina. I miss you." Sameer brought the frame close to his hearts, clutching it tight, he closed his eyes and tilted his head back and dozed off.

***********************

Drop in your comments... Eager too know what you think of the story....And you comments really encourage me. Really does....

Ps. Sorry for any mistakes, didn't proof read...