Naina stilled, her heart racing wildly on hearing the telltale sound of the baraat approaching and the excitement of the ladies nearby

"Woh dekh jijaji aa gaye!" Preeti said jumping around, not able to hold her enthusiasm, flying towards the window along with the other girls to get a glimpse of the procession

"Mujhe bhi dekhna hai" Naina bunched up her lehenga, and tried to sprint towards the window-

"Na na na..Dulhan ka aise baraat ko dekhna accha nahi maana jaata. Tu chup chap wahin baith ja" Megha, their neighbour stopped her

"Aur thoda intezaar kar hi le. Phir poori raat ek dusre ko dekhna hi hai, kyun?" Swati, her college friend teased her, while everyone giggled

"Haan haan, mazaak uda lo sab. Aur kuch?" Naina made a long face

"Yeh aur kuch toh tujhe tere woh hi bata sakte hain" Megha snickered, driving a dozen pins into her hair, resulting in a series of shrieks from the bride

Sameer craned his neck, looking towards the window, expecting to get a glimpse of his bride-

"Bhai, ek seedi lagwa de kya, itni door se toh kuch dikh bhi nahi raha hoga, hai na?"

- Munna teased him, watching as Pandit rolled onto the ground, trying a new variation of the infamous naagin dance. He would have done that too but was held back by his wife's glare

"Abbey, kapde kharab ho jayenge Pandit" Sameer said, trying to make his friend dance like normal people did

"Baraat mein naagin dance na kiya toh zindagi mein kya hi kiya. Tu mujhe mat rok. Aaj tera bhai jee bhar ke naachega!" Pandit said, joining the other dancers in the procession
_____________________________________________

Sameer sat down on one of the decorated chairs kept for the bride and groom, tapping his fingers impatiently-

He was about to grab a soft drink, when he noticed Naina coming in towards the stage, ushered by her friends and sisters

He smiled at her and started moving towards her, as if in a trance, when her brother came out of nowhere and offered him some refreshments

Naina came and settled beside him, asking through her eyes-

'Kaisi lag rahi hu?'

"Meri nazrein kaafi nahi hai tumhe yeh batane ke liye ki tum kaisi lag rahi ho?"-

Sameer whispered, drinking in her sight
The pink lehenga accentuated her beauty, his ring glistening on her finger, evoking a sense of possessiveness in him.
_____________________________________________

"Bhaisahab, thoda Dulhan ke paas aaiye..haan..aise.." the photographer instructed Sameer after their varmala was done.

'Kya baat kahi hai iss ne. Waise tumhare paas aane ke liye mujhe kisi bahane ki zaroorat thodi na hai?' Sameer whispered into her ears, smiling, while Naina shook her head, a ghost of a smile adorning her face

"Aapki smile theek nahi aa rahi. Thoda natural ho jaiye" the camera man piped in between to Sameer-

"Aise?" Sameer said, trying to crack a smile

"Nahin. Zabardasti ka lag raha hai. Thoda aur natural"

"Aur kitna natural? Jaldi jaldi kar warna teri natural shakal ki photo nikalunga" Sameer smiled as much as he could, his patience thinning

Naina elbowed him-

"Aur nahin toh kya? Saari raat isi hall mein bitani hai kya?" He asked, irritated

"Photo theek se khinchwao, warna humare bacchon ko aisi photo dikhaoge?" Naina said, in a whisper

"Aaye haaye, meri Naina kaafi had tak meri tarah hi sochne lag gayi? Yeh kab hua?" Sameer put a hand over his heart, dramatically.

"Aap seedhe khade rahiye.." the photographer butted in again and finally he got photos decent enough for their wedding album.
_____________________________________________

Smoke billowed up from the mandap, as the priest chanted mantras, with the bride and groom seated side by side.

Sameer started coughing as more ghee was poured in-

"Iss havan kund se kab nikal na hai bhai."

He saw Rakesh coming for the Kanyadaan, a slight smile on his lips, which astonished many of Naina's relatives

"Bhaisahab hanste bhi hai?" Taiji snickered, putting her voice notches higher,
"Humare waale rishte pasand nahi aaye inhe. Isiliye shayad khush ho rahe hain ki chalo apne pasand kiye ladke ke saath inki beti ki shaadi ho rahi hai"

"Haan. Main aaj bohot khush hoon. Pandit ji aap shuru kijiye" Rakesh said, unperturbed by their remarks

After the pheras were done, Sameer tilted his head towards Naina-

"Ab kya hota hai? Aise maine kabhi shaadi ke rituals pe itna dhyaan nahi diya, toh kuch pata nahi"

"Sameer!" Naina looked at every one looking at them, eager to know what they had so much to talk about in middle of their wedding

"Beta. Kabhi mujhse bhi kuch pooch liya karo" the pandit opened one eye, smiling at Sameer, while Sameer could only give a sheepish grin
_____________________________________________

Preeti burst into tears, hugging her sister tightly-

"Bohot yaad aayegi teri behen"

"Tu bilkul mat rona Preeti. Mann na lage toh bas ek phone call kar dena. Udd ke aa jaungi tere paas" Naina said, her voice breaking.

"Yaar, bhabhi ki behen kitna ro rahi hai. Usse baad mein yeh hanky de ke aata hun. Zaroorat padegi" Pandit said, in a whisper to Munna

"Arre Bidaai chal rahi hai. Khud bhabhi bhi toh ro rahi hai. Tu na bas apni setting karne mein laga rahe" Munna said, taking away his 'hanky'.

Rakesh came forward to say a few words to the groom-

"Apni beti main aaj tumhe de raha hun. Beshak bolne ki zaroorat nahi hai- pata hai ki tum use kabhi humari kami mehsoos hone nahi doge. Par phir bhi- bol deta hun- ek bhi kharonch aai toh-"

"Toh?" Sameer asked with a smile

"Marham patti kar dena. Girti rehti hai meri beti hamesha. Aur tu? Sunn le. Aise thoda sa mann-mutav hua toh kahin bag leke nikal mat lena. Samjhi?" He said, wiping his tears with his sleeve, looking the other way

"Bhaisahab. Naina bohot samajhdar hai. Aisa abhi nahi karegi" Chachaji said, patting his niece's head lovingly

"Nahin. Kahin nahin jaungi papa" Naina said, running into her father's arms, for the first time.

The tears that flowed acted as a salve to wash away the anguish of two decades of estrangement.
Forever.

"Toh kya ijazat hai?" Sameer said, taking Naina's hand in his, gently

Every one nodded, their hearts heavy.
_____________________________________________

Naina wiped her tears, as the car sped away taking her towards their new abode-

"Naina. Tum theek toh ho na? Please mat ro. Hum unse milne aate rahenge na. " Sameer said, concerned

"Main theek hun. Sameer ji" Naina sniffled

"Kyaa? Sameer ji. What the hell Naina. Please yeh ji, aap bol ke kabhi mat bulana mujhe"

"Par kyun? Chachi ji ne kaha hai, accha nahi lagta aise naam lekar bulana" Naina said, looking at him, out of the corner of her eye, trying to keep her expressions neutral

"Tum mujhe chida rahi thi"

"Tumne kya soch liya?" Naina asked, now laughing out

"Abhi batata hun main tumhe" Sameer said, his voice laced with both warning and desire, leaning onto her, when a sound of a cough came from the front of the car.

"Bhai Pandit. Mausam bohot hi zyada accha hai aaj. Dekh na sheeshey se sab kuch saaf nazar aa raha hai" Munna said in between coughs, wiping the rear view mirror

"Mausam accha hai toh itna khaans kyun raha hai?" Sameer asked, irritated

"Jaldi jaldi gaadi chala Munna, usse pehle ki mausam kharab ho jaye" Pandit signalled him

Naina immediately went to the window side, pretending to look out of the window with Sameer glaring at his friends through the rear view mirror throughout the journey.
_____________________________________________

With grihapravesh done, his friends' parents and the other guests left, leaving him alone with his friends and Naina. Munna's wife took Naina upstairs, as was the custom

"Itna time kyun lag raha hai" Sameer muttered under his breath, pacing beneath the staircase, while his friends hid their smiles-

"Itni bhi kya jaldi hai. Tujhe itni neend aa rahi hai toh yahan sofe pe let ja na." Munna said, in between snickers, with Pandit nodding from behind

"Badi hasi aa rahi hai na tum logon ko. Ruko-"

"Bhaiyaa, upar aa jaiye. Aapki dulhan aapka intezaar kar rahi hai" Munna's wife said, from upstairs

"Jaa jaa Sameer. Aur bilkul bhi ghabraiyo mat"

Sameer shrugged and went off before anyone else could say a word.
_____________________________________________
(Umm.. feeling a little strange writing this one🤪🙂)

Sameer entered the room, one step at a time, a bundle of nerves himself. Lit candles adorned the room, petals scattered around, and in the middle of the bed- was empty..

"Naina? Kahan ho tum?" Sameer started searching for her

"Yahan" a small voice came out

"Yahan matlab Kahan? Naina..this is not fair haan. Ab tak chup rahi ho mujhse?" Sameer said, going towards the bathroom, suspecting her to be there-

"Naina-" his breath caught in his throat, as the door opened with Naina standing at the threshold, dressed in a pink satin robe-

"Mujhe bula rahe the?" Naina came out, her one finger tracing the open button of his shervani

"Haan..shayad" he gave her robe a quick scan. He'd totally forgotten he was looking out for her a few moments ago.

She had a rosy flush on her face, which looked heavenly under the dim lights. Her dark hair tangled over her face, with the rest of it sweeping over her shoulders

"Shayad?" Naina took his hands, keeping them on her waist, shocking Sameer at her boldness. He calmed once he could feel her shaking subtly in his arms, beads of perspiration adorning the fringes of hair at her forehead

"Koi baat nahi Naina. Main bhi tumhari tarah hi nervous hoon-" he murmured softly, leaning on her.
Unable to resist himself, he tucked a strand of hair, while his hands went on a journey of their own.
The silky feel of her hair, coupled with the contours of her body, sent his senses into a deep overdrive.

Naina felt something curl and coil deep inside. She sighed as she swayed into the source of the delicious sensations overtaking her.

She felt his fingers graze her cheek, until he cupped it, turning her mouth towards his, pressing his lips on hers-
She leaned on a mantelpiece, when her hand accidentally touched the flame of a candle, rolling it to the ground-

"Ouch-"

"Aah! Naina. Lagi toh nahi na?" He immediately held her hand.

"Nahin..toh" her voice shook as he lifted her hand to his mouth, blowing on her fingers
She could feel his thumb move over her wrist, drawing lazy circles now

Backing away now, he leaned over and lifted her in an instant, earning a gasp from her-

"Yahan khade khade aur candles girane ka irada hai kya?"

He placed her slowly on the bed, registering her every expression-

"Tum agar yeh nahi chahti, toh main tumhe touch bhi nahi karunga-"

"Maine kab kaha main yeh nahi chahti-"

With the easing of tension, the journey of their hands began, progressing to the destination of being one

The velvet night blanketed the city, while a sliver of moonlight shone on the lovers.

_____________________________________________

Epilogue

Naina's voice-over-

Din beete. Waqt badla.

Ret ki tarah kharch hote gaye pal. Kuch meethe, kuch khatte, kuch dard bhare...

Itna kuch badal gaya. Par lagta hai aaj bhi sab kuch waisa ka waisa hi hai.

Sameer ne sahi kaha tha. Struggles aaye. Kaafi saare.
Par unki wajah se aaj hum hai, humara wajood hai.. iss bade sheher ke chaka chaund ke beech

Aaj poore bees saal ho gaye, uss din ke, jis din mujhe Sameer mila. Woh baarish ka mausam, sunsaan raaste, woh nakli taxi driver, jiski wajah se aaj hum ek saath hai.
Ek ek baat Sameer ki diary mein qaid hai.

Aaj hum donon kamyaab writers hai. Thoda sa Sameer ka, thode mere ideas milake hum ne kaafi saari kahaniyon ko parde pe daala hai. Iska shreye kuch kuch humare woh bune hue kahaniyon ko bhi jaata hai jisse humne apne rishte ko chupaye rahkha tha.

Sheher ki bhaag-daud mein kabhi kabhi main bus ke darwaze pe khade Sameer ko dekhti hun, jo mere liye kisi doosri bus pe chad gaya tha..
Main phir se woh pal waapas jeena chahti hun

Jab pehla pehla pyaar hua tha mujhe...

That's all folks!!
(May contain mistakes)
I immensely enjoyed writing this story. And am now bringing it to a closure.
Phir milenge kabhi. Agar iss serial ka doosra adhyay aaya toh💫
Hope you liked it😄