Hi All..Thank you for being so appreciative of this story.I reached back today  after my trip.Also my internal exams are starting from tomorrow.I request you to please be patient and lend your support.

Here is the update.Keep the love coming.

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"Yeh lo" Naina's voice jolted him out of random thoughts cartwheeling in his mind.He looked by the side to see her hand extended and fingers clutching a carnation printed fleece blanket.He took the blanket and then noticed that she had not changed the saree though all the jewelleries were gone except the mangalsutra.

"Yehi do kilo ka saree pehenke sona hai tumhe?"He asked as he unfolded the blanket.

"Hmm..Saree to main pehni hun..Tumhe koi problem?" She asked a bit resentfully.

"Nahin mujhe to koi problem nahin hai.Tum agar comfortable ho to well and good.Waise wo saree pin nikal ke sona.Good Night." He uttered and turned to other side closing his eyes.Over few hours of getting bonded to her he had realised that he needed to be patient with her..extremely patient.

She realised if he had not asked her she would have forgotten about the pin.She blushed a bit realised how he had closely viewed her.She unpinned the small brunette style clip and secured it in her box.The pleats unfurled and loosened at the waist.She untied her hair and looked at the mirror for one last time.The scarlet vermillion still burning bright and the nuptial thread sitting right above her sternum.. She felt she wasn't THE 'single' Naina , not anymore. She wondered if she truly had been taken.

Sighing she returned to the bed.She saw Nisha sleeping peacefully,sprawling her legs and hands.One leg was on Sameer's waist while the other occupied half of the bed's space.Naina smiled and quietly made a space for her on the extreme end.

In the middle of night Sameer woke up and realised that he was not at his place.He didn't want to disturb Naina or Nisha's sleep and hence decided against switching on the bed lamp.He got off from the bed and made his way to the dining only with the dim light of mobile being his path finder.

The light from the fridge was bright enough to wake up Naina but she chose to get back to her sleep. Stifling a yawn she turned to other side; pushing the blanket down as she felt some heat around her neck.Sameer drank the cold water and checked for the time.Still 3-4 hours for the morning sun to rise and shine.

He entered the room taking enough care not to make any sound lest the sleeping beauties would wake up. He went around Naina to keep the bottle on her side of table.His eyes travelled towards her.The faint glow of incandescent dressing table bulb bathed her in light and heat.She was like a large red flower,magnificent in the bright red saree. Her sindoor had smudged a little and the saree had got dishevelled.There was something factitious and brittle and thereby utterly feminine about her beauty. He felt he would never get tired of studying her charm,her beauty.

He put brakes on his thoughts and inner demons which were not going to let him sleep for the rest of night.Fortunately sleep conquered him as he hit the bed and Nisha shifted towards him a bit.

Naina let her eyes travel as she opened the window. She let her head fall back as she gazed into the blue skies. It was morning. Some of the sky was yellow, some the softest blue. One small cloud scuttled along. Strange how everything below can be such and chaos and pain while above the sky is peace, sweet blue gentleness.

She moved to the bed and chuckled at the sight.Nisha was up with her 'blanket pulling session'. Not a shred of blanket was even on Sameer's body while Nisha slept tucking herself with two blankets.Naina pulled out one blanket carefully and flung it open on Sameer's body. She tucked both of them in the blanket ;prudent enough not to break their sweet sleep.

"Good Morning Mumma!Good morning Uncle" Nisha's voice echoed in the room as she jumped out of the bed.

"Good morning beta.Brush karle.Main breakfast bana rahi hoon." Naina said as she applied a pea sized paste on to the tooth brush.

"Uncle!Aap abhi bhi humare ghar mein?Aapko Nanaji ne nikal diya kya ghar se?" Nisha asked as she completed her morning chores and finally settled for breakfast.

"Nahin beta.Bas tumhari Mumma se kuch important baatein karni thi isliye ruka hun."Sameer informed as he leafed through the morning newspaper.

" Agar apko Nanaji ne nikal diya hoga to aap tension mat lijiye.Main bolungi to wo man jayenge aur aapko ghar mein phir se le lenge."Nisha suggested while Sameer broke into fits of laughter.She truly was an innocent angel.

"Thik hai baba.Agar aisa hua to tum baat kar lena." Sameer spoke while Nisha's eyes brightened with happiness.

"Subah subah gappe laga Uncle ke saath.Agle week exam hai na?Jaldi breakfast khatam kar aur padhai kar.Maths ka book ready karke rakh..Main padha dungi abhi."Naina commanded and returned to the kitchen.

"Tum bhi table pe aa jao.Kha lo kuch." Naina asked and he obliged.

"Mumma ko Masala Poha bahut ache se banana aata hai.Aap ko khane ka man karega to humare ghar aa jana."Nisha suggested as she took bite of a morsel.

"Okay beta.Tum ab khana khatam karlo.Padhai karni hai na."Sameer said as he fed Nisha with a spoonful of Poha.

"Sameer!.." Naina called from kitchen and he was surprised with the tone.She never had addressed him like that.There was a sense of belongingness and secrecy that underlaced it.He looked at her and she gestured him to come to the kitchen.

He got up only to be held back by Nisha.

"Khana to khatam kijiye.Khana chod ke jayenge to Mumma gussa karegi."Nisha voiced while Sameer smilingly caressed her hair.

"Main paani peeke aata hun."Sameer spoke and dashed into the kitchen.

"Uncle bhi na.Ek dum buddhu hein.Bottle saamne hai aur kitchen mein jaa rahein hein."Nisha self -talked and giggled.

"Kya hua?Koi baat hai?" Sameer asked as he leaned against the kitchen slab.

"Wo..Tum pehle promise karo hasoge nahin ya phir mazaak nahin udaoge."Naina uttered while Sameer swore all piqued.

"Wo..Niru ki Mummy ji kal boli thi ki shaadi ke dusre din kuch mitha banate hein.Baat jo bhi ho main shaadi ki hun isliye yeh rasam bhi puri karungi. Mujhe aur kuch banana nahin aata.Isliye thodi si kheer banayi hun.Nanaji ke liye tiffin mein pack kar li hun.Yeh tumhare liye." She handed him a glazed bowl.

"Achi bani hai.Ghar mein kaju nahin hai kya?" He asked as he bit into a piece of raisin.

"Kheer to mein jyada banati nahin hun.Isliye kab kaju khatam hogaye pata nahin chala.Nanaji ko agar kaju pasand hai to daal lena do teen." She suggested as she chopped vegetables for the lunch.

"Main aaj sham ko aaunga.Yaad karke message kar lena kaju aur almonds lane ke liye.Nisha nahin khayegi kheer?" He asked as he took the last morsel.

"Use mein baad mein dungi.Kuch bhi khaneke turant baad kheer khayegi to use ulti ho jaati hai."Naina informed and washed the chopped vegetables.

"Tum chalo ab.Mujhe registration ke bare mein baat karni hai." He asked and moved out of the kitchen.

"Uncle!aapko substraction aata hai?Usme burrowing jo hai aapko pata hai?" Nisha asked Sameer as Naina was busy searching some files.

"Haan..jarror ata hai.bahut ache se aata hai."Sameer said as he wrote out an application.

"Yeh wala thoda samjha dijiye kaise solve hoga.Mumma busy hai na." Nisha asked as she shifted to Sameer's side.

"Idhar aa jao.Kounsa wala?" Sameer asked as he shifted Nisha on to his lap.

"Yeh..No.5 ka question.100-77.Zero se 7 kaise minus hoga?" Nisha asked making a cute pout and Sameer could not help planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Abhi kar deta hun.Yeh lo 23 answer hai." Sameer said as Nisha lifted the notebook to check the answer.

"Aapne to question solve kar liya.Mujhe samjhaiye kaise solve kiya?" Nisha stressed and Sameer understood his folly.

"Okay My Topper!Yeh dekho..Yeh zero ke liye yeh One se ek one aaya phir yeh zero ten ban gaya.Ab 10 se 7 minus kiya to mila 3.Phir.." Sameer halted as Nisha gestured him to stop.

"Oh!Iska matlab aap jaise humare ghar aate hein waise hi one aaya..phir aap yahan powerful ban gaye.Mumma bhi apki baat sun rahi hai.To aap 10 ban gaye.Sahi kaha na?" Nisha asked while Naina giggled at the analogy.

"Bilkul sahi.Ab yeh dekho yahan pe aur ek zero hai.Agar Uncle 10 hein to Mumma unse ek kum.To Mumma kitna hui?" Sameer asked and Nisha's face lit up as she decoded the answer.

"Mumma 9 ban gayi.To 9 minus 7 equals to 2.Yeah!Mujhe answer mil gaya.Thank you Uncle." Nisha threw her arms around Sameer and planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

"Samajh gayi na?Ab baaki ke sums complete karke Mumma ko dikha dena."He instructed as Nisha moved to her tiny kid's study table.

"Uncle ne samjha diya?"Naina asked laughing as she handed over a file to Sameer.He was truly enchanted by her laugh. Seeing her laugh carefree after so many days brought smiles to his face also.

"Haan Mumma.Mein ab solve kar rahi hun.Aap check karlena.Mumma!Pencil khatam ho gayi hai.Aap naya wala packet laa doge?" Nisha asked checking her pencil stand.

"Kal laa dungi.Abhi jo hai usme adjust karlo."Naina asked only to see Sameer typing something on phone.

"Tum padho main sham ko le aaunga."Sameer voiced while Naina looked not so pleased.

"Iss baat pe koi behes nahin.Nisha ab se mera bhi zimmedari hai.Tum bas yeh certificates ka ek-ek photocopy karwa lo.Aur haan yeh application pe sign karo.Delhi kab jaana hai mein baad mein bata dunga."He informed and passed his pen to her.

"Wo adoption wala documents chahiye kya?" Naina asked as she completed signing.

"Nahin chahiye.Lekin tum uska bhi photocopy bana lo.Mujhe uske bare mein lawyer se puchna hai na."He asked while Naina searched for some note in her diary.

"Agency mein bol rahe the ki registry marriage ke ek saal baad hi;matlab humare case mein;tum uske legally adopting father ban sakte ho.Aur kuch jan na ho to puch lena apne lawyer se." Naina informed while he mentally noted few points to clear.

"Thik hai.Ab main chalta hun.Tum photocopies bana lena.Nisha! Bye." Sameer waved as he moved out of the door.

"Arey wah Naina!Kitni khubsurat dikh rahi hai.Bilkul Kareena ki tarah."Swati complimented Naina as she saw Naina wearing a wine coloured boat neck kurti.She had adorned her wrists with two-three red bangles.The bangles jingled musically as Naina put tick marks in Nisha's notebook.

"Swati!Tu bhi na.Munna kahan hai?Chal aaja main tere liye kheer laati hun." Naina spoke as she completed checking.

"Umm..Bahut achi kheer banai hai Naina.Waise tere saiyan ji ko khilaya ki nahin?" Swati asked nudging Naina while Naina hummed in approval.

"Swati!Preeti se teri baat huyi hai kya?Bahut yaad aati hai uski."Naina's voice quivered and tears pooled in her eyes.

"Nahin Naina.Mujhe to bas yehi pata hai ki wo Mumbai mein hai.Kahan hai,kaisi hai kuch nahin pata..Chutiyon mein ghar bhi nahin aati hai." Swati informed while Naina looked surprised.

"Tujhe kisne bataya?Chachiji to bolti rehti hai ki Preeti aayi thi ghar mein."Naina asked suddenly confused.

"Jhooth bolti hai Chachiji.Pralay se kabhi kabar mil jaati hun Ahmedabad mein.Wohi bata raha tha.Ghar mein to ab wo hi akela hai."Swati spoke remembering her last conversation with Pralay.

"Aye Pandat!Jaldi packing khatam kar.Humein aaj ki dopahar ki flight pakadni hai.Main Sameer aur Nanaji se baat karke aata hun." Munna asked and left only to meet Nirupama at the doorstep.

"Aap log itni jaldi jaa rahen hein?Kuch aur din rukte to aura cha lagta.Aap logo ne Almora bhi thik se nahin dekha."Nirupama said while Munna smiled to utter "Phir Kabhi."

"Waise kal Sameer ne kitne jhappi aur pappi diye?Doodh pura pilaya ki nahin?"Swati asked teasingly while Naina shrugged with fake anger in eyes.

"Kal raat nisha unke saath thi Swati." Nirupama declared which made Swati nearly drop the kheer bowl.

"KYA? Nisha thi? Par wo to tumhare ghar mein thi na?" Swati asked only to be explained well what transpired in the night.

"Naina! Tu pehli ladki aisi hogi ki jiski pehli raat mein koi bacha hoga wo room mein..Log mujhe filmy kehte hein..teri to puri life hi filmy hai.."Swati laughed aloud only to be joined by Nirupama and Naina.

Meanwhile

"Piku! Nanu walk pe gaye hein kya?"Sameer asked as he arranged few files.

"Haan sahib.Kheer ki tiffin main fridge mein rakh diya hoon.Aap kahin jaa rahen hein?"Piku asked.

"Haan!Kuch Xerox karni hai aur kuch kharid dari bhi karni hai.Tumhe kuch chahiye?" Sameer asked only to turn around to the voice "Haan kuch sawal ke jawab chahiye."

"Tum log!Kahan chale gaye the?" Sameer asked seeing Pandit and Munna at the stairs.

"Piku!Tu jaa.Humein Sameer se thodi baat karni hai." Pandit ordered while Sameer and Munna huddled at a corner of the room.

"Acha Sameer!Tu to bol raha tha baal brahmachari ban na hai phir yeh ghar grihasti kaise bana liya?" Pandit asked crossing his arms.

"Haan yaar Pandit! Sameer bilkul Hanuman Ji se Shiv Ji bangaya."Munna related earning a nudge from Sameer.

"Halat kuch aise the ki yeh sab karna pada."Sameer tried to keep the conversation between him and Naina a secret.

"Halat the wo pata hai..Hum puch rahe hein kaisi haalat?Waise Naina kisse shaadi kar li thi ki bacha paida karke wo bhag gaya ?"Pandit asked while Sameer's eyes shot up in anger.

"Usne shaadi nahin ki hai..."Sameer clarified only to be shot back with "To phir wo Nisha?"

"Nisha uski bachi nahin hai.Uski co-author ki hai.Naina ne use adopt kiya hai.Ab Naina aur Nisha dono mere zimmedari hein.Ab koi sawal nahin."Sameer clarified his stance and walked out.

"Yaar Chenu! Mujhe lagta tha Naina aur Varsha ke kaand ke baad yeh to kisi ladki ko dekhega bhi nahin..Aur yeh Naina ne isse aisa kya keh diya ki dono shaadi kar liye?Matlab Sameer aur Naina ki shaadi hui hai mujhe ab bhi viswas nahin ho raha hai."Pandit concluded scratching his head.

"Aye ponga Pandit!Duniya mein saat ajoobe hein padha tha school mein aur yeh Sameer aur Naina ki jodi athwa ajooba hai."Munna spoke and both friends ended up with laughter.

"Par job hi bol.Apna Sameer ka bacha bada cute hai.Jaane se pehle ek baar milke jaayenge use."Pandit suggested and Munna agreed.

In the Evening

"Nisha! TV band karo aur khana khao."Naina voiced from inside the kitchen.

"Match chal raha hai Mumma!Dekhne do na.Uncle bhi dekh rahe hein." Nisha replied back as she helped herself with the rice ball.

"Oops!Daal gir gaya.Mumma ab pakka gussa karegi."Nisha self talked as blotch of lentils trickled down her pink frock.

"Nisha! Idhar plate do.Main khila deta hun."Sameer asked and Nisha happily shifted near to his chair.

"Yeh lo!.Daal gira diya na frock pe.Bol rahi hun dekh ke khao.Tum bhi apne upar gira diya hai..Bache hein dono ke dono." Naina nodded her head in utter disapproval as she brought a glass of water to wipe off the lentils patch from her frock and his jacket.

"Ab se  khane ke time pe no TV."Naina instructed as she cleaned off the stain from Nisha's frock.

"Mumma!Uncle ka saaf nahin karogi?"Nisha asked as she excitedly watched the cricket ball hit the boundary.

"Haan karti hun.."Naina grumbled and bent to wipe off the stain from his jacket. Their eyes met His eyes went intense and her breath hitched.She wanted to look away . . . or never look away, she couldn't decide.

While he was looking into her eyes, he suddenly started to realize things about himself that were unspoken for years, like fragments of his inner life that were deeply repressed. It was hard to distinguish if they were buried inside because dealing with them was such a dirty work, or if leaving them unnamed meant that it was not possible to define them precisely enough, so they would keep their true meaning.

She was looking into his eyes with that way she had of looking that made him wonder whether she really saw out of her own eyes. They knew they already belonged to each other.The pain of eyes was slowly turning into luring abyss of madness.

"MUMMA! Uncle ka jacket saaf ho gaya hai."Nisha's voice pulled them apart from their slip of moment.

"Hmm..Jaanti hun.Tu na ..humesha daal gira deti hai."Naina said miffed and left in huffed.

"Uncle!Mumma ko kya hua?Itna gussa!" Nisha asked Sameer and Sameer gave an 'I don't know' look.

"Yeh kuch aloo paratha Nanaji aur tumhare liye hai.Documents table pe rakhi hun."Naina said as she handed him the tiffin.

"Naina! Inn Nainon ki paagalpan ka gussa Nisha pe mat nikalo." Sameer whispered and the ripple of his voice was a wild tonic for her soul.She was losing the reigns of her heart,her mind ..her life.

"Darwaza band karlo aur haan kisike liye mat kholna.Raat badh rahi hai.Main kal Delhi jaa raha hun.Baaki ka details phone pe bata dunga." He informed as he took up the file and checked the required documents.

"Tum chale jaoge to Nana ji kaise rahenge akele?" Naina asked wiping her wet hands.

"Main pehli baar Delhi nahin jaa raha hun..Piku hai unke saath.Doctor bhi hein contact mein.Ab to tum bhi ho.Meeting shayad do din chalega aur baaki scholarship ka kaam bhi dekhna hai."He trailed and Nisha seemed not so pleased.

"Uncle!Aap aur nahin aaoge wapas?"Nisha asked pulling his jacket.

"Nahin beta!Main kaam khatam karke wapas aa jaunga."Sameer spoke as he kneeled down to plant a kiss on her cheek.

"Aap mere liye chocolates leke aana.Ferro Rocher wala.Priya ki Dadi uske liye humesha Delhi se laate hein."Nisha spoke as she hugged Sameer.

"Bas itni si baat.Zaroor laa dunga.Ab tum Mumma ko pareshan mat karna aur man lagake padhai karna.Thik hai?" Sameer asked and Nisha nodded in approval.

"Darwaza lock karlo.Good Night."Sameer nearly commanded as he descended down the stairs.

"Naina!Darwaza lock karo pehle.Phir mein jaunga."He asked as he saw her waiting still at the door.

As she locked the door she heard him zoom away from the vicinity.For the first time in so many years she felt the room,her life with Nisha seemed

Incomplete..

Unfulfilled...

(To be Continued)

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Would like to read all your comments. :)