The morning after her birthday, as soon as Naina joined them at the breakfast table, Sameer addressed this grandfather "Nanu, aap isse jitna seedha samajhte hai na, waisi yeh bilkul bhi nahi hai!" Both Nanaji and Naina looked at him in surprise. Naina felt her insides go a little funny, but not in the nice way. Why was he saying this? She had felt like they had formed a real connection last night...

Sameer not noticing her apprehension, added "Pata hai Nanu, issne kal humse bahoot badi baat chupai thi. Chalo, mujhe nahi bataya toh samajh bhi aaye, par aap se toh nahi chupana chahiye tha!" As Nanaji now feeling a little worried looked at her, she relived finally realising what he was referring to, replied "Nahi Nanaji, aisi koi badi baat nahi thi..." He immediately exclaimed "Kya matlab badi baat nahi thi?!" He turned to Nanaji and went on "Pata hai Nanu, kal birthday tha iska..."

Nanaji looked at her surprised "Naina, beta tumne bataya nahi?" She now feeling embarrassed mumbled "Nanaji aisi koi batane wali toh baat nahi thi..." Nanaji replied "Beta gharwalon se aisi baate chupani nahi chahiye. Ab mujhe kitna bura lag raha hai yeh sochke, ke iss ghar mein tumhari peheli saalgirah bikul bhi manayi nahi gayi..." Naina tried to explain "Nanaji aisi baat nahi hai... maine toh inhe bhi samjhya tha ke mujhe aadat nahi hai celebrate karne ki... aur maine suzi-ka-halwa toh banaya tha subhe hi... aur raat ko yeh ice-cream khane bhi le gaye thay... sath mein balloons aur gajre bhi toh dilwaye. Toh celebration toh ho gayi..."

Nanaji looking confused asked "Sameer le gaya tha tumhe bahar?" She replied "Ji, woh Preeti ka phone aaya tha wish karne toh, inhe samajh aa gaya..." Nanaji not wanting to make a big deal of this unexpected but very welcome behaviour from his grandson, replied "Chalo acha hai, kum se kum ice-cream khake toh celebrate kiya..." Nanaji thought to himself, Biwi ke liye gajre... yeh hui na baat! Chalo, aakhir humari Bailgadi sahi disha mein chal hi padi!

Sameer left for his Sunday cricket about half past ten as usual. Naina spent some time with Nanaji and Maali Kaka. The gardener had brought along the seeds for some of the plants they had agreed on the previous week, and they got the soil ready and then planted them. He left all the required instructions with Naina regarding how to look after them during the week.

Nanaji and Naina had a simple lunch and then Nanaji retired for his Sunday afternoon siesta. Naina again watched some telly and then spent some time studying. Nanaji woke-up about half past four and they had the afternoon tea. Naina once again retired to her room, while Nanaji sat in the lounge reading the thick Sunday newspaper and the accompanying editorials.

At some point Naina thought she heard his car entering the gate but continued with the clothes she was ironing for the week ahead. Few minutes later Nanaji knocked on her door and said "Naina, beta Sameer aaya hai. Uppar gaya hai. Keh raha hai usske sar mein kafi dard hai. Zara dawai aur kuch theek se khane ko deke aao usse." She turning the iron off replied "Ji Nanaji, abhi dekhti hu." Suddenly Nanaji asked her "Aur uss budhu ne diye hue gajre kaha hai?" She surprised by this question mumbled "Fridge mein rakhe hai... warna jaldi murza jayenge..." Nanaji sounding a little exasperated responded "Aare, gajre fridge mein rakhne ke liye nahi... pehene ke liye hote hai! Jao, peheno unhe..." She just nodded blushing a fair bit. As Nanaji walked away he was thinking, Such mooch Ram milayi jodi hai!

About twenty minutes later, Naina stood outside his door upstairs trying to muster the courage to knock. She wondered for the hundredth time, if she should remove them. What would he think? And why did Nanaji have to ask her to wear them?! Finally, she took the plunge and knocked on the door. Sameer called out "Nanu, darwaja khula hai." She was about to push the door open but called out "Main hu..." He called sounding a little impatient "Aare kaha toh sahi darwaja khula hai!"

Naina pushed open the door and stepped inside. It had been nine days since she had last been here. He had showered and changed into some grey trackpants and a white t-shirt that had seen much better days a long time ago and was now drying his hair with a towel. Her hands trembled slightly.

She rushed with the explanation "Nanaji ne kaha aapke liye kuch nashta le aayu uppar... keh rahe thay aap ke sar mein dard hai. Toh dawai bhi layi hai." As the familiar fragrance from last night assailed his nostrils, he mumbled a thanks and indicated towards his writing table. She put the tray down there and stood there uncertainly, not able to make up her mind as per what to do or say next. As he finished drying his hair, he dropped the towel on the back of the sofa and moving to the table immediately picked up the headache pill. Naina blurted "Pehele kuch kha lijiye... goli khali pet lenge toh acidity ho jayegi." He noted her bright parrot green and pink saree and thought, Aise rang dekhke toh waise bhi sardard ho jayega! Pata nahi kya zidd hai...

He put down the pill and instead picked up the plate of Poha. As he took a spoonful, he said abruptly "Aur khadi kyun ho? Baitho..." She smiled slightly and sat on her side of the bed, while he sat down on the sofa. Naina watched him in surprise as he almost gobbled the Poha without uttering a word and polished the plate off in just over two minutes. She unable to control her curiosity exclaimed "Inti bhook lagi thi aap ko?! Aur le aayu?" He shaking his head gulped the pill with some water and then replied "Nahi, abhi nahi... thodi der baad laga toh kahunga." He then explained "Actually aaj dopahar mein aaya hua khana kharaab ho gaya tha... matlab sabji kharaab ho gayi thi. Toh bus roti ke sath thoda sa achar hi tha khane ko... Pata nahi kya problem ho gayi hai, last time bhi aisa hi hua tha. Aaj toh sab ne khoob complain ki hai coach sir ke pass."

Noting how his eyes seemed to drift to her hair every now and then and the tiny smile flickering on his lips, she started fidgeting first with her kangans and then the gajras. Seeing how she was trying to push the gajras to the back he thought, Chupane hi hai, toh pehene hi kyun?!

She asked him how the game had been, and he talked about it in great detail. He then asked her about her day, and she told him about the seeds she had planted. She then asked him if she could borrow the book she had been reading earlier in his room. Sameer replied "Ha, le jao na... iss mein poochnewali kya baat hai? Maine neeche desk pe hi rakha hai."

As she picked up the book, she said in a soft voice "Waise toh maine sara samaan theek se hi pack kiya tha... par kuch reh toh nahi gaya na?" He remembered the two bindis on his bathroom mirror and one red glass bangle that he had found a couple of days back rolled to one corner of the room. He had picked the bangle and put it in the drawer of his bedside table. For some strange reason he wanted to hold on to it and replied a little tersely "Nahi, mujhe toh kuch nahi mila." She nodded and then collecting the tray headed downstairs after advising him to rest a little and maybe catch a quick nap.

As Sameer laid down in his bed, he felt as though all the warmth from his room had once again exited with her. His brain said that he was being plain stupid, but his heart did not agree. But some of the fragrance of her gajras still lingered in his room... Seeing that his gift from yesterday was not just somewhere in a vase, but was now adorning her beautiful tresses, he was glad that the florist was closed last night.

Monday was tiring as most Mondays are, the week ahead looming ominously. This of course did not deter Swati from excitedly enquiring "Naina, Saturday ko kya kiya bata na?! Sameer tujhe dinner ke liye bahar leke gaya tha kya?" Naina now felt even more grateful to his last-minute effort, at least she had something to share with Swati "Dinner ke liye nahi gaye thay... woh Nanaji ko kuch kaam aa gaya tha. Par, woh mujhe ice-cream khane le gaye thay... aur phir bahoot saare balloona aur gajre bhi diye! Humne bahoot sari baate ki... bahoot maza aay!" she shared blushing, just like a new bride should.

As Preeti was still away for the family wedding, Swati happy to finally have some alone-time with Naina, asked "Naina, waise Jijaji bahoot romantic hai kya?" Naina finding herself at a loss of words, mumbled "Jyada toh nahi... par shayad utne hi hai jitne jyadatar pati hote hai..." Swati asked in a lower voice "Yaar, woh first time such mooch bahoot dard hota hai kya? Woh Smita didi ne toh bahoot hi darra diya tha hum sab cousins ko! Please tu bata na..." Naina blurted "Mujhe kya pata?!" Swati looking at her strangely asked "Kya matlab tujhe kya pata??" Naina stammered "Mera matlab hai... mujhe kya pata... woh Smita didi ko kitna dard hua hoga... sab ko ek jaisa nahi hota hoga na... shayad..." After unsuccessfully trying to get some new information from Naina for a bit, Swati gave up thinking grumpily, Pata nahi shaadi hote hi yeh sari ladkiya itna sab kuch chupana kyun shuru kar deti hai! Bus shaadi se pehele kehti hai ke hamesha sab share karengi...

Naina attempted her first city bus journey in years on Tuesday to get to her office. The workload in the office had also started picking up now, as Mr Joshi had each student now working closely with a specific member of his team and assisting them with some business as usual tasks.

That night when Sameer stopped by her room for the khidki-band-karo task on his list, he remarked "Kya hua? Aaj bahoot chup-chup ho? Office ya college mein kuch hua?" She shook her head and then spoke in a low voice "Kuch hua toh nahi... par aaj bahoot thak gayi hu. Ek toh subhe bus miss hote hote reh gaya... daund ke pakda tha, aur itni bheed thi. Aur ab Office mein kaam bhi badh gaya hai... pata hai, college mein jo seekhate hai, uss se toh bahoot difficult hai!"

He leaned on the wall by her desk and chuckled softly. When she looked at him a little grumpily, he explained "Aare, tumhe nahi hass raha hu... bus yaad aaya ke mujhe bhi jab pehele factory jana shuru kiya toh aisa hi laga tha. Its ok, dheere dheere aadat ho jayegi." She felt a little relieved to hear that it wasn't just her and then added "Actually aaj college main bhi ek presentation tha... uska bhi alag tension tha. Ghar aayi toh woh aapki Neeta Kaki aayi thi sham mein. Issilye bilkul lagatar kuch na kuch chalu hi tha."

As she fiddled with her pen, he asked "Aaj college mein rickshaw mein kaise aayi thi tum?" She explained "Woh Mohan ke behen ki shaadi hai, toh woh iss hafte Ahmedabad mein nahi hai. Issiliye rickshaw lena pada." He muttered "Chalo acha hai..." She asked "Kya acha hai?! Rickshaw ke liye waha bahar wale stop tak dus minute chalna pada!" He replied "Aare... mera matlab tha... ke... ha, woh Mohan ke behen ki shaadi ho rahi hai toh acha hai." Seeing the disbelieving look on her face he added "Ab unhe toh Shaadi karni hogi... toh acha hi hai..."

After a few moments of awkward silence, he asked suddenly "Par aaj tum office bus mein kyun gayi thi? Rickshaw nahi tha kya stop pe? Ghar aake car mein chali jaati... Farookh Chacha toh aaye hue thay na?" She said something about some colleagues recommending the bus, which was apparently quite convenient, but the irritated look on her face said she hadn't really found it convenient.

As he said goodnight, he mumbled "Itni thaki ho toh jaldi so jao... ek din notes nahi banaogi toh fail nahi ho jaogi." As she nodded, she thought Yeh acha hai! Khud bhi kabhi notes na banao aur dusro ko bhi kaho ke notes banana jaruri nahi hai... Aise hi thode hi Distinction milta hai! But she headed to the bed earlier than usual, knowing his advice was sensible.

As she settled in her new routine, Naina realised that if she spent time studying after she got home from college, there was nothing much left for her to do after dinner. It was especially difficult if sleep seemed to be eluding her on some nights. Studying was the best distraction, when his exit from her room left her restless post the khidki-band-karo conversations.

On Wednesday during their two-minute chat by the bike stand, Munna had mentioned that he and Pandit were coming over later in the evening and would see her then. That day after coming back from college, Naina suddenly felt inspired to bake a cake. Rational being, Munna and Pandit were coming home first time since she had come to live here, and it was her duty to make them feel welcome, right?

When the trio reached home that evening, Sameer immediately followed the aroma of the cake to the kitchen, where his wife was fretting looking at the clock. When he asked the obvious question, his eyes shining in anticipation "Cake ban raha hai?!" She replied anxiously "Ha, par pata nahi kaisa ban raha hai!" He asked confused "Pata nahi matlab? Tumhe toh aata hai na banana... pehele bhi toh laya tha banake." She looking a little flushed replied "Woh toh class mein banaya tha... akele toh peheli baar hi bana rahi hu."

Naina breathed in relief when five minutes later a well risen and not-burnt cake was revealed. The boys had to exercise a considerable amount of control for the next 20 mins or so, till the cake cooled down enough to be removed from the make-shift cake mold.

The cake was consumed amidst a lot of happy conversation mingled with a fair amount of praise for the baker's skills, especially from her Devars. Though Sameer said twice that it was quite good for a first attempt, she could feel the real compliment when he reached for the third piece.

Munna teased her "Aare Naina aise khane banaogi, toh hum toh phir se roz aana shuru kar denge!" She replied smiling "Bilkul! Waise bhi mujhe toh bhara hua ghar hi acha lagta hai... aur sham ko bahoot bore ho jati hu!" Suddenly wondering what he might make of it, she went on "Preeti aur sab ko bahoot miss karti hu..." Pandit replied laughing "Aare, bus tere itna bolne ki hi deri thi! Dekh lena ab tu pareshan ho jayegi yeh soch ke, ke yeh dono kabhi ghar kyun nahi jaate!"

And thus, started or rather resumed Munna and Pandits frequent evening visits. Naina found she enjoyed this new hobby of experimenting with new recipes. It gave her something to keep busy and of course watching him enjoy the food cooked by her caused some flutters. If her eyes shone with delight and a special smiled flickered on her lips, every time he reached for another helping or licked his fingers in appreciation, it was not lost on her Devars.

Friday morning as she shouted some last-minute instruction to Ramdhari and rushed through the lounge, Sameer noticed her wearing some broad red bangles with elaborate golden work on them, similar to what their kaamwali mausi wore. He looked at her a little shocked and following her to the outside area blurted "Yeh woh kaamwali mausi types chudiya kyun peheni hai?!" She muttered "Woh kuch log pehente hai aisi wali chudiya, Suhag ki nishani ke liye." He retorted "Pata hai suhagan ho. Hazar logon se aashirwad lete suna hai!" She cast him a very irritated glance and replied "Aapko deekhane ki liye nahi peheni hai! Bus walon ko deekhani hai." He laughed "Bus kya poore Ahmedabad ko deekh jayega! Par bus walon ko kyun deekhani hai? Koi special Suhagan-Seats ka quota hota hai kya?"

She replied grumpily "Seats?? Khade rehne ko jagah mil jaaye wahi bahoot hai!" He sounded confused "Toh yeh chudiya kaise kaam aayegi?" She snapped back "Kaam aayegi ke nahi yeh toh pata nahi... par try kar rahi hu!" As she picked up the chappals from the shoe-rack and slipped them on, she added still sounding extremely annoyed "Pata nahi... ghar pe biwi ke paas jana chod ke bus mein anjaan ladkiyon ko dhakke maarne mein kya maza aata hai! Unhi ko deekhne peheni hai!"

As she headed to the gate, Sameer stood motionless for a few moments. He couldn't determine which part of her statement to react to first. That bit about ghar pe biwi ke paas jana chod ke very much sounded like a dig at him, right? And did she mean to imply that he instead went around deliberately bumping into adhoc women?! No, that bit was definitely aimed at whoever was doing this to her in the bus. His irritation and anger both flared up.

He quickly slipped on his shoes, grabbed his keys and getting in the car drove to the bus stop where she was headed. Seeing her standing at the bus stop, he stopped at some distance and honked twice. When she looked in his direction, he gestured for her to come to the car, but she just shook her head. When she did not pay any heed after his honking again, he found the closest spot to park the car.

As he walked back to the bus-stop he saw the bus arriving and Naina boarding it with a few other passengers. He ran and just managed to get on as it pulled away. He could see her standing about halfway through in the fairly packed bus. As soon as he bought the ticket, he started pushing forward asking everyone to move to the side, ignoring the angry stares and comments till he almost reached her. He now understood her irritation from earlier. A pot-bellied middle-aged man stood behind her, using very pothole and brake as an excuse to lean forward bumping into her and then making very insincere apologies.

As Sameer tried to push past him shooting very angry looks at him, the man objected "O bhaiya... kaha ghusse ja rahe ho? Deekhta nahi kitni kum jagah hai yeh?" Sameer spat at him "Toh peeche hatiye! Mujhe toh wahi khade rehna hai." As he managed to squeeze himself in the space between her and that man, he bumped into her. Naina was already turning around hearing the familiar voice, when the man now very righteously said to Sameer "Zara theek se khade rahiye. Ladies ko dhakke maarte sharam nahi aati?!"

Sameer too glared at him and announced loudly "Agar inke maare hue taane mujhe khane padte hai, toh inhe bhi mere maare hue dhakke hi khaane chahiye!" Turning to Naina he added "Sahi kaha na maine?" As the bus jolted again, Sameer placed his hand on her right shoulder steadying them both. The man behind immediately said "Aare aise kaise hath laga rahe hai unhe?" Sameer responded hotly "Aap inki chinta chod dijiye! Inki chinta karne ke liye main hu yaha... Biwi hai meri... Ab toh koi problem nahi hai aap ko ke main inhe dhakka maru ya hath lagau?!"

The man now feeling on the back-foot, giving a big fake smile addressed Sameer "Aare bhaiya, aap toh aise hi naraaz ho rahe ho... humme kya pata ke yeh aapki Mrs hai... Hum toh bus, kissi ladies ko koi problem toh nahi ho raha hai, yahi dekh rahe thay."

Mrs Maheshwari now drawing courage from her husband's hand on her shoulder, snapped at the man "Ab kya daant deekha rahe hai? Aur inhe bade suvichaar suna rahe hai... thodi der pehele jab khud dhakka maar rahe thay, tab deekhai nahi diya ke hum ladies hai?!" The man muttered "Aare nahi Didi... galti se lag gaya hoga."

Naina now feeling uncomfortable by this exchange and the attention they were attracting from all the other passengers, said to her husband "Aap bus mein kyun aaye hai? Aur car kaha hai?!" He replied still annoyed "Car wahi park ki hai bus-stop ke pass. Horn baja raha tha... toh aayi kyun nahi? Ajeeb ladki ho! Kaha bhi tumhe ke car aur driver leke jao... par tumhe toh bus mein dhakke khana acha lagta hai!" She replied "Maine bhi kaha hai, mujhe car mein nahi jana hai." He tried to reason "Aare toh rickshaw hi lelo... yeh bus ki kya zidd laga rakhi hai?"

An elderly woman sitting close by, who had obviously been listening to all the conversations, now chimed in addressing Naina "Aare beti, Damadji itna keh rahe hai toh mann jao. Jo bhi jhagda hai, ghar jake sulza lo. Waise bhi yaha pehelese hi itni bheed hai. Jeenhe bus mein safar karne ki koi jarurat nahi hai, khamokham aur bheed na hi badhaye toh acha hai!" Sameer readily agreed with the lady "Kakiji, aap bilkul theek keh rahi hai." He pulled the bell indicating to the driver that they wanted to get off at the next stop. A minute later when the bus stopped, he nudged her forward till they exited the bus.

As Naina turned to him "Kya jarurat thi iss sab ki? Main jaa rahi thi na? Aur paanh-saat minute ka safar hi toh baaki tha... Ab kaise pohochunge time pe?" Sameer had already flagged a rickshaw by then. Now nudging her in it, boarded it himself too. She stammered "Aap kaha aa rahe hai?" He ignoring her question instructed the rickshaw-wala to first head to her office and then drop him near the bus-stop where he had parked his car.

After a few moments of quiet, he turned to her and declared "Tum bus mein nahi jaogi. Ya toh car leke jana ya rickshaw. Aur rickshaw bhi woh sharing wala nahi chalega. Aur agar aisa nahi karogi, main tumhare Chachaji se keh dunga ke mujhe tumhara yeh internship karna pasand nahi hai aur tumhe manna kar de." Naina looked at him shocked by this blackmail for a few moments, but then conceded saying "Agli baar se rickshaw leke jayungi. Chachaji se kuch kehne ki jarurat nahi hai."

Before she entered the office, she slipped off those chunky red bangles. For the rest of the day, every now and then, Naina kept glancing at her right shoulder, half-remembering and half-wishing his hand there. It had left so right... he must have felt it too, right? And the way he had announced Inki chinta karne ke liye main hu yaha... Biwi hai meri. Even if it was to a bunch of strangers, who did not in the least care about their relationship... he had said it, loud and clear. And the two people to whom this mattered the most, had been there, so it had to count, right? She wondered a little bewildered.

Sameer spent the rest of the day, annoyed at himself for letting that man get away without any retribution. How dare some man mistreat or touch her?! He felt a little angry at her too, that she had not come to him asking to fix the problem. Had it not been for his questioning those stupid bangles, he wouldn't have found out.

That night after closing the window, he asked her "Tumne bataya kyun nahi mujhe ke woh aadmi tumhe bus mein tang kar raha tha?" She replied "Aap aa toh gaye thay aur dekha bhi... phir alag se kya batati?" He replied impatiently "Aare Tuesday ko ussne tang kiya tha, toh bataya kyun nahi?" She responded "Tuesday ko ussne tang nahi kiya tha." He asked sounding surprised "Ussne tang nahi kiya tha? Par tum toh subhe ghar se nikalne se pehele hi ghussa thi..." She replied "Tuesday ko bus mein woh nahi tha... koi aur tha. Aise toh roz alag alag namune hote hi hai... kiss kiss ke bare mein bataye..." Feeling strangely let down, he walked out retorting "Aur phir bhi tumhe bus mein safar karna ka shauk hai!" She just shook her head, before returning her attention to the books open in front of her.

Sunday morning as Sameer stood talking to Nanaji in the outer sitting area, just about to head out for his cricket, Ramdhari called out from the kitchen door "Bhaiya zara do minute rukiye! Bhabhi bus tiffan pack kar rahi hai." Sameer looked very confused "Tiffin? Kiss liye??" Ramdhari replied sounding equally confused "Woh toh nahi pata... kehne lagi aaj se aap ke sath Sunday ko tiffan jayega. Bus aa rahi hai..."

A minute later Naina rushed out of the kitchen in the purple and orange saree, holding a multi-layered stainless-steel tiffin. Holding it out to him, she started the instructions "Uppar ke do dibbon mein Aloo ke parathe hain, aur neeche wale mein ek chotte dibbay mein dahi hai aur dusre mein achar. Aath parathe diye hai, teen-char chahe kissi aur ko offer kar dena, par aap kum se kum char toh khud khaiye." 

When she finally paused, he asked "Aare, par tiffin ki kya jarurat hai? Khana aata toh hai waha..." She argued "Par peechali do baar toh kharab tha na... koi jarurat nahi hai aisa khana khane ki." He again tried to object "Naina, kitna ajeeb lagega... main akela tiffin leke jayunga toh." She replied "Issme ajeeb kya hai? Keh dena peechali baar tabiyat kharab ho gayi thi... toh doctor ne kaha hai ghar ka khana leke jaye." He laughed incredulously "Aare, kaunse doctor ne kaha hai?!" She retorted "Waha koi tiffin laane ke liye aapse medical certificate thode hi maangne wala hai!"

Nanaji who had been observing this conversation, laughing on the inside, now spoke "Aare, theek hi toh keh rahi hai yeh. Bahu ne tiffin taiyar kiya hai toh le jao. Tumhari Nani bhi hamesha jaha tak ho sake mere sath ghar ka khana hi bhejti thi. Chalo, jao ab late ho jaoge nahi toh..."

As Sameer drove to the cricket ground where they were playing that day, he glanced at the tiffin placed in the passenger seat next to him a few times, almost as if though it was an alien object. When he opened it during the lunch break, there were a few knowing smiles from his team members. One of them remarked "Kya baat hai Sameer, aaj ghar se tiffin?" Before he could respond, another boy responded, "Aare tiffin nahi... ghar se dabba bhar ke Bhabhi ka pyar aaya hai!" He tried to brush it away saying "Aisa kuch nahi hai... woh... peechli baar khana kharaab tha, toh baad mein tabiyat kharaab ho rahi thi." Seeing the smiles on their faces, he added for good measure "Ha, toh woh humare family doctor ne kaha hai ke ghar se khana le jau. Extra parathe bhi hai... kissi ko chahiye toh..." His teammates happily started claiming their share. Couple of them liking this idea, announced that going forward they too would start bringing lunch from home.

As Sameer ate the simple home cooked meal, he experienced a sense of wonder looking at the stainless-steel tiffin. Is this what it is like to have a woman at home worrying about you? He had never been given a tiffin from home ever before. Something that seemed like an everyday occurrence to people around him, felt precious beyond words to him. He savored every bite, wanting his taste buds to learn and remember this taste forever.

She rushed to the porch when she heard his car entering the gate that evening. As he climbed up the step, she took the tiffin from his hands and asked "Khana kharaab toh nahi hua na?" When he shook his head, she looked pleased "Chachiji hamesha kehti hai ke agar khana jyada der bahar garmi mein rehne wala ho toh, pyaaz bilkul bhi nahi dalna chahiye. Aur dahi theek tha?" As he nodded again, observing her joy with this accomplishment, she said "Maine suzi-ka-halwa banake rakha hai. Aap fresh hoke aajaiye... Nanaji bhi ruke hai aap ke liye. Main tab tak coffee banati hu."

As she turned and walked through the corridor towards the kitchen, Sameer stood there watching her retreating back, with a mix of strange new feelings.