Bani was waiting for Rishi who was no where to be seen. She was continuously looking at her watch and at the door, to see her little brother but alas, she wasn't able to see his shadow too.

A quivering voice caught her attention and she turned to look Somnath and Naina, walking with their sticks. Their hairs had turned gray. Naina was wearing a simple salwaar while Som had started to wear dhoti and kurta. Thin framed spectacles on their nose. A small blush had crept on Naina's wrinkled cheeks, while Som was whispering something.

Behind them, came Batuk and Reeta, who were fighting among themselves or, to be precise Reeta was scolding Batuk while he had hung his face down.

A smiled came on Bani's face and she again turned to look back at the door. Som noticed her and said " Bani. Beta kya hua?"

"Kaka. Dekhiye na. Chotu ab tak nahi aaya."
Bani said with a worried tone.

" Rishi ne Dada pe gye hai, kar raha hoga kisi se tark." Hearung Som everyone laughed while Bani just smiled. Som called her and made her sit.

" Chalo tumhe ek kahani sunata hoon." Som said sitting beside Naina and looking at her while she looked at him cluelessly.

" Kaka. Yeh meri umar nahi hai ki mein kahani sunun." Bani said frowning.

" Umar toh tumhare Batuk Kaka ke bhi nahi hai, Ki woh iss umar mein chocolate khaye. Jaanti ho na, kaise raat ko chuhe ke tarah kitchen mein jaake sab khaa jaata hai." Som said while Reeta who heard this beated Batuk.

" Diabetes hai aapko. Aur yeh jaante huye bhi aap meetha khaa rhe ho? Sharam nahi aati?" Reeta scolded with her cracking voice while Batuk glared Som and downed his face.
Seeing him, all laughed while Reeta continued to scold him.

" Kaka. Konsi Kahani yeh toh batao." Bani said being little curious.

" Tumahri Maa, Naina aur Meri kahani. Humari kahani. Hum kaise mile the, Woh waali kahani." Som said with a sad smile.

Bani looked at Naina and Som curiosly, while the latter smiled and started to narrate.

Flashback.

Young Som was in Devipur with his friend, Ashish. Ashish had brought Som after Som insisted him to so. As the village people saw Som, everyone bowed down and gave respect while the latter gave an awkward smile and asked them to not to do so.

Som and Ashish were sitting near a riverbank and were eating raw mangoes when someone hit a stone at Som. Rubbing his head, he looked behind to see Naina standing with one hand on her waist while the other hand was holding a stone and a smirk was playing on her face. But soon she frowned when Bondita hit her from behind and at that moment, itself Som was lost in Bondita's face.

" Yeh ladki pagal hai. Shoma Koro!(please forgive)" Bondita said holding her ears.

" Aye Naina, Bondita. Jaanti nahi kya, ki yeh Zamindaar ke bete hai. Aise hi kaise pathar maar sakti ho tum?"  Ashish said irritated.

" Aye mote. Zamindaar ke bete ho yaa chachundar ke. Tum dono humari jagah pe baithe the. Hatane ke liye yeh sab kiya. " Naina said proudly making Ashish frown while Som and Bondita laughed.

" Maafi chahiye toh, dosti karni hogi. " Som said forwarding his hand. Bondita and Naina looked at Som and at his hand, then at eachother.

" Som pagal ho gye ho kya? Ladka aur ladki dost hote hai kya? Upar se tum ucchi jaat ke log, aur yeh neechi jaat ke." Ashish asked.

" Kyun nahi ho sakte? Dost bana kya paap hai?  Aur agar mein neeche jaat ki hoon, toh tum bhi toh neeche jaati ke huye. Tumne kyun dosti ki?" Bondita asked crossing her arms across her chest.

" Aur nahi toh kya? Aaj tak kabhi kisi ladka aur ladki ko dost bante huye dekha hai?Aur mein ladka hoon, toh Mera dost banna phir samjh mein aata hai." Ashish said.

" Acha kahan likha hai ki ladka aur ladki dost nahi ban sakte. Bolo Bolo." Bondita asked raising an eyebrow.

Ashish raised his finger to argue back but didn't find any words. Instead, he should his tounge and turned away his face.

" Toh Bolo. Dosti manzoor hai?" Som asked again. " Aap aisa nahi maante kya ki  ladka aur ladki dost nahi ban sakte ?"

" Mere Dada kehte hai. Ladka aur ladki mein fark nahi karna chahiye. Dono insaan Hai. Aur waise bhi hum Kon hote hai  kisi beech far karne waale. Agar fark karna hi hota toh bhagwaan iss prithvi pe aurton ko kyun bhejte?" Som said with a smile, remembering his Dada's words.

" Achi soch rakhne hai aapke Dada. Milage kabhi?" Bondita asked admiring Anirudh's thoughts.

" Beshak. Par usse pehle, dosti karni hogi. Karogi?" Som asked once more and this time Bondita nodded and kept her hand on his.

" Mohatarma, kya aap karengi?" Som asked raising an eyebrow towards Naina. " Mohatarma nahi, Naina naam hai mera." Naina said keeping her plaited hairs back.

" Toh Naina ji, dosti karengi yaa nahi?" Som asked getting irritated by her attitude. Naina acted as thinking and giving a smile, she kept her hand over his.

Flashback ends.

"Mujhe Kya Pata tha ki Dada aur Boudi aise mil jayenge, ki kabhi alag nahi ho payenge. Aur yeh nakchadi bandariya, mein meri jaan bas jayegi." Som said remembering those golden days.

Bani smiled hearing Som. A car honk dragged their attention and Bani sighed in relief.

" Lo aa gya yeh. Aaj iski khabar leti hoon mein. Shaadi mein gya tha yaa khud shaadi karne." Bani said tucking her saree's end on her waist. She went and stood near the threshold only to get shocked.

Som and others were confused seeing her and they stood behind her, only to witness the history.

Rishi was standing with a 15 year old girl, garland across their neck. Chandan phota on Rishi's forehead while a frown on his face. The girl with Alta on her fingers and toes and a thick line of Sindoor on her maang.

" Grihepravesh nahi hoga kya Mera? Sab aise tukur tukur kyun dekh rhe ho?" The girl asked cluelessly while Rishi replied "Tum 2 min chup nahi reh sakti? Itna bak bak karna zaroori hai kya?"

" Apko rakshas ban na zaroori hai kya? Jab dekho rakhas ke tarah gussa karte rehte hai." The girl said and puffed her cheeks while Rishi hit his forehead.

" Maa...Baba..." Bani whispered with tearful eyes.

" Dada...." Som and Batuk whispered together while Naina" Bondita...." and Reeta
" Bondita didi..".

Bani's vision blurred and when she wiped , she saw young Anirudh and Bondita standing at the threshold, with the similar frown which Rishi and the girl were having. She ran and hugged the girl and cried " Maaa. Aap wapas aa gyi. Mujhe Pata tha."

The girl confusingly hugged back while Rishi who understood his Didi's situation frowned and whispered " Didi. Maa nahi hai."

Bani broke the hug and looked at the girl.

" Haan. Mera naam toh Pakhi hai." Pakhi said while Bani nodded and said " Naina kaki. Aarti ki thaal Lao. Ghar ki bahu aayi hai."

Naina got the thaal and did the arti. One by One, everyone came and blessed them while Rishi got irritated and Pakhi got confused.

The house maid took Pakhi with her while Rishi went to his study.

Batuk took out his spectacles and said
" Dada aur boudi ki yaad aa gyi."

The latter all nodded. Batuk wearing back his spectacles said " Waise. Acha hua Rishi ko kisi se pyaar nahi hua. Warna Dada ke zindagi mein jaise Saudamini didi thi, waise hi kuch na kuch ho jata."

All of them laughed while Bani prayed to Krishna and Durga Maa, to bless the new Jodi.

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I was not well so don't know how this chapter turned out to be. Do tell in the comment section. And I will try to update jeene bhi de tomorrow and a note would be there in the review chapter, which I hope you guys would understand.

Love,
Trupti.

The end