Sameer raised his eyes and saw two figures approaching him.

"Where's A?" he wondered aloud.

"Excuse me?" Naina asked, now well within earshot.

"I mean where's he?...Your husband...kahan hain?" Sameer hastily covered up. There was no trace of Arvind.

"Wo unko kuch kaam aa gaya to Chandigarh jaana pada...ek do din mein aa jayenge hopefully!"

"Yeh ghar pe kam bahar zyada rehta hai...kabhi Chennai, kabhi Chandigarh...lab se bhi roz late hi aata hai...banda gadbad to nahi...seedhi saadi biwi samajh ke kahin..." Sameer was alarmed by his thoughts. He hoped his conjectures were all products of a hyperactive mind.

What if...oh my good Lord...what if he's having an affair? That would be disgusting! Poor Naina would be heartbroken! Who would take care of her? Well...you could Sameer! And suddenly, the idea of Arvind being unfaithful did not seem as appalling and dejecting as it had a few seconds back. That could be the perfect solution! Sameer's heart danced in glee, enlisting scenarios in which Naina would rain down on Arvind and decide that she and Diya needed someone better, someone who's absolutely faithful, someone like Sameer! She could have his shoulder to cry on, and if, God willing, she miraculously falls right back in love with him, she could have him for life too.

"Uhh...Sameer?"

Sameer's chain of merry thoughts, wherein he was taking pheras with Naina in a lavish wedding ceremony while Diya clapped happily, screeched to an abrupt halt. He realized he'd been grinning foolishly. He immediately clamped his mouth shut and cleared his throat and mentioned in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone, "Yeh tumhara pati aaye din kuch zyada hi bahar nahi rehta...ek bhi baar Diya ke sath nahi aaya doctor ke pass...idhar udhar hi rehta hai...".

"Maine tumse kaha na wo busy rehte hain...Aur tum bhi busy ho to bata do...main akeli aa jaa sakti hun!" Naina snapped coldly.

He raised his palms in defence. "Bhadak kyun rahi ho? Main to aise hi keh raha tha!"

Naina's attention was diverted the next instant when Diya whined, "Mummaa...".

"Kya hua beta?" Naina's tone soothed as she bent down to listen to her.

Diya pulled her mother's ear close and murmured, "shee....".

"Ohho...! Sameer, suno, main Diya ko bathroom leke jaati hun...tum...tum tab tak appointment le loge kya?" she turned to Sameer.

"Haan sure..," Sameer nodded.

Naina handed him the white polythene bag with the doctors' files and reports and pulled Diya away to the end of the hospital towards the restrooms.

Sameer strolled forward to the reception and enquired, "Uhh...hello...hume Dr. Saxena ki appointment chahiye...!"

"Sure sir...Patient ka naam?"

"Diya Mittal!"

"Age?"

"Age? Mujhe Diya ki age hi nahi pata? Uhh...5...uhh ek minute..," Sameer sifted through the folders in the polythene bag and took one out. He glanced at the details on the cover. Age- 4+ years, 15th December 1995 said the file under the area reserved for date of birth.

"4+ hai age".

"Father's name?"

There was a small pause and Sameer responded, "Mr. Arvind Mittal!"

"Sir...aap please thodi der baithiye...aapka number aayega to main bula dungi!"

Sameer smiled gratefully at her and clutching the documents, made himself comfortable onto the row of metallic seats laid out for patients.

"Naina jo bhi bole...A father hai...aur gayab hai? Main aa raha hun Naina ko aur bacchi ko leke...kaisa pati hai...kaisa baap hai...bacchi ki fikar nahi hoti ise? Paraya hoke mujhe chinta khaati rehti hai Diya ki! Ise to lagta hai kuch parwah hi nahi hai! Isse acha to mujhse shaadi kar leti yeh!" Sameer grumbled to himself.

Still kind of petulant, he began putting the documents in order as he waited for Naina and Diya to emerge out of the loo. His eyes fell upon the folder he'd taken out just a minute before. 15th December 1995- he noticed Diya's date of birth again. So she was December born! "Sagittarius!" he grinned, making a mental note of going back and checking Linda Goodman Sun signs for a Sagittarian girl. He recollected how he and Naina used to read up each other's sun signs in college in that very book and remark on what was so astonishingly accurate about the other's character traits and what was nowhere even close to how they behaved.

95 ehh? What was he doing in 1995? That December? In a corner of the world, no, in a corner of India, Diya would have come into the world, and oblivious to it all, he was drowning himself in liquor and women, trying to come to terms with the separation from her mother. Where was Diya born though? In Ahemdabad or Delhi? And then an unpleasant thought invaded his mind. How and when Diya would have been conceived. Images of Naina and Arvind wrapped around each other's bodies came into view, kissing each other passionately, making wild love in a sensual setting hit him, when thankfully to save him from further agony, Naina and Diya emerged at his side.

"Kitna time bol rahe hain?" Naina's sweet voice intonated and Sameer tried to pull his mind away from the travesty it'd imagined as well as pictures of Naina clotheless.

"B...bulayenge!" he croaked, blurring out the memories of the all so familiar curves and dips.

Naina nodded and folded the pallu of her parrot green silk and sat down besides him with Diya by her side while Sameer breathed in her scent. So sweet! Was it something in her shampoo? Lavender? Oblivious to this, Naina engrossed herself in responding to the nattering of her daughter and smiling and laughing and lauding wherever was appropriate.

Sameer noticed this exchange between the two of them, the way Diya leaned onto Naina when she felt sleepy, the way her hair splayed across her face as she breathed in and out. He looked wistfully, sincerely wishing the woman and her daughter across had been his family. And then that nagging thought crossed his mind. He noticed Diya's super silky hair, and the way she had a habit of coursing her fingers through them.

Sameer eyed her critically. Was it possible? His sixth sense urged him to contemplate the topic seriously. Afterall, Naina and him had been in a long-term physical relationship. To add to it, even his grandmother had suffered from PKU! Was it possible that Sameer had inherited that gene flaw from his Nani, and if he'd indeed parented her, passed it onto Diya? PKU wasn't really a common disease. What a coincidence it would be that both Sameer and A should have the same genetic defect, and both were (in his case) or are (in A's case) involved with Naina. Come to think of it, Diya also had a lot of behavioural traits very similar to him- she was an adamant child, she was restless, always ready to pick up fights and had a tendency to get involved into petty brawls. Things he'd not noticed before for on the face of it, she was exactly like Naina- demure and well-mannered. But this other side of Diya had made him think. Perhaps it was much too soon to take appearances and traits for granted, for she was what- barely five. Mentally, his mind drifted off into calculating the time of Naina's marriage to her earliest possible pregnancy.

Wait, she couldn't be turning five already? Naina left him in 95, sometime in May. By the time he got back to his senses post Nanu's demise, she'd already been married. He racked his mind for the past- any signs he might've missed. Any information he'd missed? When they were together? There had been a couple of times when they'd assessed they were in a safe zone, and had abandoned protection- the night of the last exam. It'd been a celebration. Could it have happened then? No! Naina had had her monthly cycle two days before the last time he'd gone to her room- the night of her birthday. He was dead sure about that- for he'd replayed their entire conversation that night innumerable times in his head. He tried to recollect if he'd missed using protection then in the heat of passion, but not that he could recall. He remembered stuffing the used condoms away in a rush when Shefali was pounding on the door. Perhaps he was just overthinking. It was a mere whim. Just because Diya had great hair and habits which seemed similar to his own didn't mean he'd fathered the child. Come to think of it! Arv...A was more of a stunner than he was. No wonder Diya was angelic pretty- even at age five.

Still....

"Naina?"

"Hmmm?" Naina looked up distractedly.

"Diya 95 mein paida huyi thi?"

Naina was suddenly conscious. Why was he asking her this question?

"Ha...haan...kyun?" she responded.

"Nahi wo aise hi....raashi guess kar raha tha...yaad hai pehle hum bahot interest lete the in sab mein!"

"Haan!" Naina smiled reminiscently.

"Aur tumhari marriage anniversary kab hai vaise?" He couldn't stop himself from asking this question.

Naina's eyes snapped wide open, "anniversary?"

"Haan...anniversary? Kab hai?"

"Wo...sa...sa...6th June...hehe!" Naina spluttered nervously.

"Itna ghabra kyun rahi ho...shaadi ki salgirah hi to puch raha hun...!"

"Ghabra rahi...nai nai...main kyun ghabrane lagi!"

Suddenly eager to change the topic, Naina started fussing over Diya.

Sameer kept silent as he mentally began calculating the months between her marriage and Diya's birth.

June...July...August...September...October...November...December...7 mahine? Itna fast...matlab shaadi ke din bhi conceive kiya to bhi 7 hi mahine huye...May mein yeh down huyi thi...This puzzled Sameer. 7 months? Sameer remembered having read somewhere that there was a proper procedure that doctors used to calculate the delivery date. Maybe it isn't that simple?

"Naina...kabki boli tumne apni shaadi...6th June 1995?"

Naina turned to look at him in irritation, "haan 95...obviously 96 to ho nahi sakti...?"

"To kya Diya premature hai?" Sameer asked before he could stop himself.

Naina's face paled slightly. "Premature?" Her brain raced. "Damn! Of course- he's calculated!"

"Hhh...haan premature hi hai thodi...!" she said, truthfully though.

"Ohh...," Sameer was at a loss of words. There it went- his hypothesis down the drain as usual! Saala...sach mein bada fast nikla! Shaadi ke turant baad hi? Aur ek main 2 saal mein na kar paaya!

Does he know? Or should she tell him herself before he finds out? After all, he's the father. Despite whatever he did to her in the past, it would be bad on her part not to tell him.

"Tum yeh sab kyun puch rahe ho?"

"Wo...wo aise hi...Diya ka birthday nahi pata tha na...and tumhari anniversary...toh bas isliye... ...premature hone se kuch problems to nahi huye...kya pata yeh beemari usi wajah se huyi ho? Kamse kam ek saal ka gap to rakhte tum log...bechari Diya!"

"Gap rakhti main...?" Naina flared up. She was about to come up with a riposte, ready to give him a piece of her mind and ask him why he hadn't thought of this gap before he impregnated her, when the attendant called Diya's name and they ushered inside Dr. Saxena's cabin.

***

Naina and Sameer sat working on the drafts in his office one evening.

"Sameer....do mahine mein kaise hoga sab...mera to dimag hi kaam karna band kar raha hai...samajh nahi aata is Maya ke scenario ko kaise depict karun!"

Sameer looked up from the catalogues of the new machinery he was considering buying. "Naina...hamesha itni tension kyun leti ho? Ho jayega!"

"Do mahine mein? Possible hi nahi hai!"

Sameer laughed. "Arey bhul gayi college mein toh humne mahine bhar ka kaam ek hi raat mein kar diya tha...to yeh kya cheez hai!"

The words had barely floated out of his mouth when he realized the inappropriateness of them. One look at Naina confirmed that she was thinking the same. After the completion of that project report that night, their raging libidos had got the better of them when Sameer had stayed back in her room on the pretext of a coffee. He immediately loosened his collar, while she flicked locks of hair behind her ear and determinedly focused her eyes onto the manuscript in front of her.

The truth was- the mention of that encounter had brought back vivid images for both of them. She remembered the ripples of pleasure she'd experienced that night- her first, at least when she was conscious enough to participate actively. During her actual first time, she'd been too drunk to have recollected the nitty-gritties of her introduction to making love. Love? Or perhaps lust- which was the case with him. There Sameer too was following parallel lines of thought and assumed that all those times they'd been together had been nothing but lust for Naina.

Somewhere in the midst of all this rumination, the tubelights flickered off, the fan slowed and then ceased to rotate.

"Light gayi? Oh no!" Sameer remarked. "Garmi kam ho gayi lekin inki load shedding nahi!"

"Ab kaam kaise karenge?" Naina groaned.

"Ruko...generator on karwana padega...Rita ko bhi aaj hi chutti leni thi...uff...khidki kholta hun...itna andhera ho raha hai!"

Sameer sprang up from the sofa and made his way across the coffee table to reach the windows. Naina, in an attempt to avoid a collision in the dark, got up from her seat as well. As Sameer took another step forward, his feet grazed against something delicate- a soft cottony fabric covering her legs. She was real close. He could feel her breathing, barely millimetres away from him. Naina tried to move away, as Sameer tried to give her side. However, in that attempt, their feet locked, making them both loose their balance. Sameer cascaded down onto the three-seater sofa, and Naina was pulled down with him, almost on top of him. In order to protect her from the fall, his hands went around her and she looked up at him, and all she could make out were his eyes gleaming in the dark, fixated on her. Their breathing turned heavier as they lay motionless, their bodies overcome with ecstasy at having reunited with their respective mates, reveling in the familiar warmth, trying to assess the changes in the contours they remembered.

"Uhh...hmm," Naina regained her composure. "S...sorry!"

"Uhh...I'm...I'm sorry too...wo andhere mein...sorry!"

Slowly, clumsily, they drew apart as they strived to get up. Naina slipped a little and Sameer's fists clamped her forearms tightly to steady her. He pulled her into a sitting position and got up himself, his hands reluctant to leave her shoulders. Once separated, they stood still for a few moments, when Naina remarked, "khidki...".

"Hmm? Ohh yes right...ek minute!" This time Sameer took the other way around the sofa to reach the windows. He pulled them open one by one and breathed in the whiffs of evening breeze through them. However, it was still dark enough inside to continue working. He hastened over to the telephone and fished out the number of the generator operator from his mini phone book. A brief conversation followed wherein the generator operator told him that diesel was finished and he was hurrying over to get it. The lights should be up in some fifteen to twenty minutes. Sameer replaced the receiver and then opened his drawer to look for candles and his cigarette lighter. As he extracted both the objects of his need, he mused, "cigarette peene ka ek to fayeda hai...lighter saath mein rehta hai Dilli ki load shedding mein!" His eyes then fell on the Paradise novel stocked there. He was almost through with it. He looked up wondering if he should show it to her but then decided against it.

He strode back to the desk, where Naina was seated where he'd left her. As he neared her, she nervously started straightening her hair and duppatta. It had been an embarrassing moment! Something he wouldn't have minded had she not been married. But then what if A is cheating on her? He hastily shoved such thoughts out of his mind and set the candle down onto the table and lit it with the lighter. As the flame sprang up, it suddenly illuminated both their faces. The eyes met, uncertain, and the colour on their faces heightened. Though he was eager to maintain distance after what'd happened minutes ago, he still sat down right next to Naina on that sofa.

This was unnerving. They sat in silence for a while, each aware of the sensations in their body as well as the vibes emanating from the other.

Now he knew why candlelight dinners were considered romantic! How he would have given up all his prized possessions right now to be able to kiss her thoroughly, free of remorse or guilt and to be kissed back with the same enthusiasm.

Naina cleared her throat and pointed out to the instance in her write-up which was worrying her. She pushed the manuscript towards him. He bent slowly to her side and took it, without bothering to move away. Step away from her Sameer! But his heart pleaded for two more seconds...and then two more...and then another two! For a whole minute, his mind was fixated on the proximity between them rather than on Maya's predicament.

Naina, on the other hand, having carefully handed over the thinking part to him, utilized her own mind in deciphering what she'd felt in that moment of intimacy- what she was still feeling. Something akin to electricity- like she always felt when he came too close to her. And then she used to lose it. What if she did it again? Lost it? What if she'd kissed him minutes ago? She knew she'd wanted to do so desperately.

As if the Universe conspired to put their wandering minds in place, suddenly the lights turned back on and the fan started sweeping the air back around. The candle flame was snuffed out, and so was their arousal. Finally, Maya got the attention she deserved from both Sameer and Naina.

That evening when Naina came back home, she finished with the routine of dinner and for a change, accepted an invitation to watch a movie with a neighbouring friend at her home. Naina couldn't afford a TV, so that friendly, but chatty lady, one floor above invited her now and then. Madhavi had befriended Naina when she moved into their society, but since Naina wanted to keep her family secrets in wraps from as many people as possible, for as long as possible, she put up a façade of being reticent. In truth, she actually liked Madhavi and her simple nature, but knew her habit of gossiping might have a devastating impact on her family and their social standing.

Madhavi had dropped in a few minutes ago with the news that Khamoshi was going to be aired on Zee Cinema at 9! Her husband was out of town for two days and with a pregnancy nearing its term, Madhavi took respite in TV to take her mind off the anticipation as well as the discomfort she frequently experienced throughout her pregnancy. While Madhavi asked for tips from Naina considering her more experienced in giving birth and in child rearing, Naina more often than not wondered how things would have been if there was someone to guide her, to take care of her, to be happy for her, someone to just pamper her, fuss over what she ate or did not eat- someone who was just there for her when she was carrying Diya!

Since Naina never had a chance to watch that movie (thanks to a lack of a proper job and financial stability, along with an ailing baby in her lap) and partly to take her mind off the evening's close encounter with Sameer, Naina decided to join Madhavi in her matinee spree.

Sitting on her wooden sofa set, listening to Madhavi interject at a scene or two, with some sev and chivda, and a cup of steaming hot tea at her disposal, Naina got involved in the movie. Of course! Again a child out of wedlock film! Just how many times the Universe wanted to remind her of her past? There was another reason why the film interested her so much. It was another Salman Khan film. And with every frame showing Salman, Naina found her purpose of trying to forget Sameer badly defeated. For in all those frames, Naina saw Sameer smiling shyly, laughing, talking. Even the way Salman's hair bobbed up and down made her think of him.

The movie progressed and the famed musical hit started playing, "Baahon ke darmiyaan, do pyaar mil rahe hain...". Romance filled the room with the soothing music and the mellifluous voices of Alka Yagnik and Hariharan captivated them. Even Madhavi seemed to be missing her husband at that time, for Naina did not miss the colour in her cheeks and the subtle biting of the lower lip. As for Naina, she wasn't doing any better. Well instead of a husband, Naina was missing Sameer. Infact yearning for him. She imagined Sameer in every scene in that song and herself as Manisha Koirala, caught in his embrace, savouring his kisses, being loved.

"Naina?" He whispered in a deep voice.

Sameer was standing in front of her, in a willowy and loose black cotton shirt, his hands trenched deep in the pockets of his black jeans.

"Hmmm?" Naina ruffled her pale yellow gown and tried to assess the emotion in his eyes.

He took a slow step towards her and paused.

"Wo Naina...," he moved again a little.

This time, Naina, already mesmerized, followed his lead and inched nearer. "Kya..?" She whispered back.

He came further close, his eyes boring into hers, a coy smile playing on his lips. He lowered his eyes in embarrassment and then raised them to meet hers again.

"Ek arse se kuch kehna tha tumse...," he began.

"Kaho naa...!" Did she sound pleading?

"Darr lagta hai....". He was too close now. She could feel his warm breaths.

"Kis baat se...?"

"Agar tumne inkaar kar diya toh?" He articulated slowly.

"Tumhein kyun lagta hai main inkaar karungi...?" Her cheeks burned crimson as she lowered her eyes, unable to meet his fiery gaze.

"Toh kya izhaar karogi?"

"Kya?" Her eyes shot up to his hooded lids, and immediately traced back to the ground.

"Naina?"

"Hmmm?"

"Keh dun?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

Naina nodded, slowly, and her fingers began fidgeting.

Sameer's gaze fell to her hands. Slowly, he pulled her hands away and made her look right back at him.

"Naina....wo main...main kehna chahta tha...nahi...main tumse kuch puchna chahta tha...!"

"Pucho naa...!" Who was this woman? This surely couldn't be her voice?

"Naina...kya...kya...," he started.

"Haan Sameer...kya...bolo...," she prodded, her heart racing wildly.

"Naina...kya tum mujhe wo peeche pada paani ka glass dogi?"

Naina blinked uncomprehendingly for a few moments. And then, as she saw Sameer trying to stifle a huge grin, realization dawned on her. She immediately turned to the table behind her, thrusted the glass in his hand, and strode past him towards the other side of the bed. She'd barely taken two steps, when a firm hand clasped around her wrist.

She turned around to see Sameer still smiling, slowly, deliberately twisting her arm. But somehow it didn't hurt her. What it did do was set off a frenzy of colorful firecrackers within her and bring back the tint of red onto her cheeks. Sameer's grin broadened. He could see the effect he had on her! Was she this obvious?

Sameer put the glass back down onto the table and slowly began pulling her towards himself. Naina's body acceded. She could partly understand what the Pied Piper did to all those rats. Rats? What was she even thinking? And then her mind blanked out as she found herself in close proximity to Sameer again. As her back faced him, he pressed his arms onto hers on either side, entwined his fingers with hers, and brought his lips close to her ears. She closed her eyes, anticipating a kiss. But instead, she heard a husky murmer, "ek aur baat kehni thi...jo ek arse se is dil me dabi hai...keh dun?"

With Sameer, one could never tell. But somehow, Naina knew this time he wasn't joking. She nodded slowly, her breathing shallow, matching his heart beat for beat, in complete sync with him. She could not summon the courage to look at him as she finally heard his lips form, "I.....". What an intense, beautiful way to say I? Had it ever sounded more beautiful coming from any other person's lips? Was he...was he finally going to say those three magical words? "Loveee...". Love! Naina's heart pumped in an overload of blood suddenly to stabilize her weakening knees. He said love! Was he going to mess with her again or just say it. His voice answered her question, "....You!"

Naina stilled for a moment, unable to believe he'd actually mouthed those very words she'd longed to hear from him for long. And then, her cheeks turned even more scarlet if that was possible, and a feeling of elation, embarrassment, anxiety, passion- she couldn't quite place what, engulfed her.

"Jawab nahi dogi?" His voice fell onto her ears again. He was holding his breath.

Naina smiled demurely. He turned her around, lifted her chin and asked, "Do you love me Naina?"

And she nodded her head in a yes. The yes she'd been willing to say God knows since how many years! She did not miss the joy in his eyes. He was beaming! Was his heart doing cartwheels as they show in movies?

"Say it! Please...," he urged.

Before she could start fidgeting again, he laced his fingers through hers and drew her closer to him, holding her gaze all the while.

"I....". She was finally saying it to him! Standing ovation for you Naina! Finally!

"I...Love You too...!"

There was no time to think after the words fell out of her mouth, for Sameer swooned down and captured her lips in a deep and delicious kiss. His lips traced the corners of her lips, licked them, sealed them again. His tongue demanded hers and she gave in in no time. He carefully cradled her face while he kissed her, as if she was some fragile prize for being good that God had reserved for him. Naina found her fingers graze up his black shirt to over the nape of his neck and finally immerse themselves in the softness of his silky hair.

Sameer broke the kiss and looked at her with hungry, needy eyes. Tonight, he wasn't in a hurry to make love to her. Yes, he would actually be making love to her tonight- being intimate in the truest sense. She loves him. He loves her. He wanted to seal this moment in his memory, savour every detail of this night with her.

Naina, feeling shy, suddenly moved towards the window and held the ledge with her hands. He turned around too and closed upon her, her grip on the ledge tightened. She felt his palms rest on the back of her hand, and slowly his fingers scraped the skin on her arm, upwards towards her shoulders. His left hand deftly pulled out the pin in her hair, making it fall down in long, smooth wavy locks right down to her back. Sameer loved her long hair. Wait, he loved all of her! In entirety! The thought made Naina push closer into his chest. Very slowly, almost reverently, he pulled at the sleeve of her dress to slide it down her shoulder as if he was doing it for the first time. As her creamy white, bare shoulder was revealed, Sameer blushed knowing what more exquisite sights lay hidden beneath this garb of clothes. He planted a soft kiss near her ear and then pulled her long mane of hair to a side and peppered down slow kisses over her cheeks, down along her neck, while his fingers rubbed her bare shoulder, causing Naina to squirm in delight. Involuntarily, she pushed herself closer and closer into him. His lips met her shoulders and both groaned in agony. Naina instantly turned to face him and caught his lips with hers, as if begging him to take her.

Seconds turned to minutes. Hours elapsed as Sameer and Naina kissed and caressed the other, amidst mumbled I Love You's- loving each other with no secrets, no feelings left hidden, no words left unsaid.

An hour or so later, Sameer pulled her into a side embrace and kissed her. It no longer felt wrong, immoral. It just felt- right. The way it should have been.

"Ab to sach mein pyaas lag rahi hai...paani pila do!" He laughed.

Naina pulled the seams of his back shirt around her and was about to get up, when Sameer pulled her back. "Pehle I Love You to bolke jao...!"

Naina giggled and shook her head. "I Love You...pagal!" And then she got off the bed to fetch him some water. As she brought back a glass and the tumbler of water, he handed the glass to her first, "pehle tum pi lo!" Naina smiled at his concern and drank from the glass. Once done, she refilled it and handed it to him. His hands clasped around hers over the glass, his lips touched from where she'd drunk as he gulped the water from her hands, his eyes unwilling to tear his gaze from her. Jootha pi raha hai tu Sameer! Pyaar ne badal diya tujhe!

Naina placed the jug and the glass on the floor next to the bed, when Sameer sprang up and started pulling up his jeans.

"Kahan jaa rahe ho?"

"Celebration to banta hai...humne apne pyaar ka izhaar jo kiya hai!" He winked happily and then started ruffling through his cupboard.

"Mil gaya!" He announced as Naina saw him extract a guitar.

"Guitar!" She exclaimed happily.

"Haan...filmon mein hero apni heroine ko guitar bajake gaana sunata hai na...bada romantic lagta hai!"

He flomped down onto the bed again, pulled her to him, his feet speading around her on either side and held the guitar in front of them.

"Mujhe nahi aata bajana!"

"Main sikhata hun na...," he pressed a kiss to her cheeks.

Sameer taught her a few of his favorite melodies as Naina laughed and tried to learn. Guitar lessons could be fun, especially in Sameer's arms with Sameer's kisses for rewards on getting a note right.

"Ab class khatam...ab main tumhe kuch sunaata hun!" he passed her a lazy smile. "Toh madam Naina...yeh gaana aapke liye mere jasbaton ko dedicated hai!"

Naina raised her brows, moved aside and gestured him to begin. Sameer took her hand and lightly pressed his lips to the back of her hand. And then he plucked at the guitar, adjusted it again, and cleared his throat.

He closed his eyes and began,

"Baahon ke darmiyaan do pyaar mil rahe hain, Baahon ke darmiyaan do pyaar mil rahe hain....

Jaane kya bole mann dole sunke badan....Dhadkan bani zubaan..."

He opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of her shy smile- the smile that made his breath hitch, while his fingers deftly made their way around on the chords to bring to life the soulful melody of the song.

"Khulte badn hote labhon ki ye ankahi...Mujhse keh rahi hai ki badhne de bekhudi..."

Naina pushed herself closer to him and her hands wrapped around his shoulders. She leaned in, and he turned to look at her, his eyes half-hooded as she planted a soft, lingering kiss onto his cheeks.

"Mil yoon ki daud jaayein nas nas mein bijliyaan....".

His eyes closed further and he softly nuzzled his nose with hers. When he opened them slightly, Naina egged him on to complete the song. She did not utter a single word, but it was as if words were no longer needed. Their eyes could do the talking. He returned his focus towards the guitar as his fingers continued to weave magic with music.

"Baahon ke darmiyaan do pyaar mil rahe hain....Jaane kya bole mann dole sunke badan, Dhadkan bani zubaan....". He crooned lost in the music and in love. Naina rested her head onto his shoulders and held onto him tighter.

This was bliss he thought. Never had he imagined, he would be this happy in life. He glanced at Naina, her face glinting in the moonlight streaming in through the window panes. Peaceful! This must be what heaven felt like.

As Sameer strummed the guitar, his eyes darted out the window. He saw the moon shining brightly and thanked it for having been his companion in his loneliness till now. And then, as if he wanted to share his happiness with his night time ally, he hummed,

"Aasmaan ko bhi ye haseen raaz hai pasand...Uljhi uljhi saanson ki aawaaz hai pasand...."

Naina looked up slightly, and gazed into his smiling eyes.

"Aasmaan ko bhi ye haseen raaz hai pasand...Uljhi uljhi saanson ki aawaaz hai pasand....". He repeated and then the music intensified and so did the pitch of his voice.

"Moti luta rahi hai saawan ki badliyaan.....

Baahon ke darmiyaan do pyaar mil rahe hain....Baahon ke darmiyaan do pyaar mil rahe hain...

Jaane kya bole mann dole sunke badan...Dhadkan bani zubaan..."

Naina cupped his face in her hands and her eyes bored into his. The next instant, she took the guitar away from his hands and placed it carefully on the floor besides the bed. Again locking eyes with him, she slid his shirt down her shoulders and slowly pushed him back towards the bed.

Guitar worked on women! Proved!

Naina woke up from a short, yet an unnaturally sound and sated sleep. It was still time for dawn, she assessed from the darkness outside her window, as the moon smiled at her. Her eyes darted to the bedside table and she checked the time. 2.50 am.

Where was Sameer? Was it...a dream?

It took her a few seconds to adjust to the reality. What had she dreamt about exactly? Her subconscious threw some snippets of recollection back at her. She'd dreamt of him? And her? Proposing to each other? Him saying he loved her. They were together? Last night's movie had surely left a deep impact on her!

She felt something stir near her bosom and realized that Diya had curled up besides her, her head sinking into her chest. Diya- her and Sameer's daughter. And the reality dawned on her fully.

She wasn't over him as yet. She was still hung up- dreaming of him confessing his love to her. Was it because she never got a closure? Maybe her heart had yearned to tell him about her feelings, but she'd always restrained for fear of losing him. Yet losing him she did. He broke her heart- used her, like he'd used many women in the past. But even in all that tragedy, he gave her a part of him that she cherished and loved beyond measure- perhaps even more than she loved him. Did he really not have the right to take a chance with love? Love his daughter, even if he couldn't love her? Sameer confused her these days. How could a man who was so caring, so kind to her and her daughter, have been the same lad who'd ditched her years ago? It was as if there were two Sameers in her life. While she wasn't over the past Sameer, she found herself falling in love with the new Sameer already!

Why had God brought him back into her life? Maybe he wanted to give her another chance to pour out her heart to him. Say she went and told him she was in love with him, had always been in love with him, she would have it out of her system. Anyways, she harboured no expectations from his end, nor were there any obligations from her end. Her book may suffer. Her finances may suffer. But she couldn't carry this burden any longer! What about Diya...how could she broach that topic? Should she point out the similarities between her and him? Her hands lazily swept through Diya's hair. What if he doesn't believe? Would he ask her for a DNA test? Well at least there would be nothing to worry from her end. She'd done her part. But what if he did believe? And worse, what if he wanted Diya with him? No...she'd only think positive thoughts. And at the rate Sameer was growing back on her, Naina was sure to be hurt again if she wasn't careful. Better get things out of the way soon. He was meeting some suppliers this week and would be in Manesar he'd told. She would propose lunch to him after their appointment next week and there she would tell him. About her feelings. About Diya. Even the truth about Arvind. Everything! She didn't know how exactly as yet. But she'll figure it out by then.