Vineet smiles while watching Naina and her daughter. This little girl reminds him of the love of his life, his Raina. Yeah, he misses her, but maybe this is God’s way of bringing her memories back in the face of Naina’s daughter. Little Raina is arguing that her mom doesn’t listen to her, resonating with the opposite personality of his love. He smiles hearing Raina’s words, the girl is holding her mom’s hands.

“Aap hi ne toh kaha tha na ki main Maashi jaisi hoon, toh jab Raina idhar hai toh maashi bhi toh idhar hi hai na!” She says it innocently.

Naina doesn’t say a word but pulls her daughter in a hug. Some old memories flashed in her mind.

“Main hoon na, Naina, sab thik ho jayega.”

“Main hoon, tujhe aur kya chahiye?”

“Mere jaisa koi nahi milega tujhe! Samjhi! Zyada nakhre mat dikha!”

“Utha le fayda chhote hone ka! Main kuch kehti nai toh bas Di ye Di wo! Tu bhi dekh beta, agle janam mein na tujhe mere nakhre uthaane padenge, dekhna tu!”

“Waise bhi jab main pareshan hoti hun tu meri maa ban jaati hain, isliye tu maa hi banna! Maa ko zyada nakhre uthaane padte hai… maza hi tab aayega na…Mummaa!!”

“Mummaaaa….”

Naina comes out of her trance and finds Raina peering at her. She looks at her daughter with teary eyes. Meanwhile, Raina turns away her face and looks at Vineet who enters the room. She jumps off the bed and runs to him, complaining about her mom.

“Badepapa, dekho na! Mumma mujhse baat hi nahi kar rahi! Koi baat nai sunti wo. Pata nai kahan kho jaati hai.” She complains in her babyish tone.

“Beta, aapki Mumma bilkul aapki maasi jaisi ho gayi hai. Kisi ko kuch batati hi nahi hai. Par main hoon na, hum mil ke pata lagayenge. Come on, aap jao, wo cake leke aao, abhi hum cakes khayenge.” He says and Raina runs out of the room.

Vineet looks at Naina who is still in a daze. She looks at him and hugs him, resting her head on his chest. He has been her soul support in the past six years. Though, no one can take her sister’s place in her life, but he has secured his place in her life, and she looks up at him for all the major decisions. Vineet taps her head lovingly.

“Tumhari jo ye nanhi si gudiya hai na, ye bilkul Raina ki tarah hai, lekin iska svabhav usse ulta hai, tumhari parchchai hai, aur tum jaanti ho na, tumhe isey bahut sambhal ke rakhna hai.” Vineet says.

“I know, Jiju! Di ne apna har vaada nibhaya, lekin aapse kia vaada tod diya unhone, meri wajah se.” She says, she’s emotional.

“Shh! Aise nahi kehte, Naina. Is duniya mein wo sabse zyada pyaar tumse karti thi, toh jo usne kia wo sahi tha. Aur mere sath usne jitna bhi waqt bitaya, wo kaafi hai. Aur usne vaada kahan toda? Wo laut toh aayi hai. Dekho!” Vineet points in a certain direction.

They watch Raina taking out some cup cakes from the polythene and the housemaid helps her in opening the wrappers, while the little girl keeps everything in three plates. Ah, here, she again resembles her aunt, her mother-figure whom she hasn’t met.

Naina and Vineet glance at each other and at the same time, they hear Raina calling them. They head out of the room and everyone savours the cakes. Naina pulls her daughter in her lap and feeds her with the cake. The little one is happy. Meanwhile, Naina’s phone rings, it’s Viren on the call.

Little Raina snatches the phone from her mom’s hand and attends the call. She chuckles at seeing her father. It’s been 5 hours since he left, and he has now landed in Bangalore and checked into a hotel. His daughter fills him with all the fun she had on the beach and also complains that her mom doesn’t hear her on one call. Viren eyes his wife but she just smiles. After talking for some time, he disconnected the call. Naina, Vineet, and Raina have their dinner, and soon the little girl falls asleep in her mom’s arms.

Naina changes her dress and puts her to sleep in the bedroom. Vineet watches her as she does so. Naina notices him as she turns around. It looks like he knows she’s contemplating something and he wants to know the same.
She walks towards him and asks if he needs something. He holds her hand and takes her into the balcony of her room. She is surprised but he makes her sit on the chair and he sits on the other chair.

“Naina, tum kya soch rahi thi? Main  janta hoon, tumhare dimag mein kuch toh chal raha hai. I know, main Raina ki jagah nahi le sakta, lekin tum mujhe bata sakti ho.” he says genuinely.

“Jeeju, aap ye kaisi baat kar rahe hain? Ab Di nahi hai toh aap hi toh hai. Aap mera hi nahi, Raina ka bhi bahut dhyan rakhte hai. Ab aapse nahi kahungi toh kisse kahungi?” Naina says it emotionally.

“Toh batao na, please. Kya hua hai? Kya tumhe uss diary mein kuch mila hai?” He asks softly.

“Jeeju, Di ne uss diary mein bahut kuch likha hai. Hamare bachpan ke kisse, jab hum iss ghar mein aaye they, jab Di pehli baar aapko ghar leke aai thi, aur bhi bahut kuch. Photos bhi lagai hai Di ne, sab kuch ache se likha hai. Lekin kuch panne scribbled hai, kuch adhuri si baatein hai. Main wo sab jaanna chahti hoon.” Naina opens her heart in front of him.

“Anand Vardhan Singhania ka naam bhi hai uss diary mein! Aur main jaanti hoon ki unhone hi kuch kiya tha meri Di ke sath. Aap aur Viren mujhe bata nahi rahe hai par kuch toh hua hai. Kya aap jaante hai? Kya Di ne aapse kuch kaha?” She asks him again.

Yeah, there’s more to the story that Naina knows. She knows that Viren hates his uncle, and somehow he’s the reason behind Raina’s death, but she doesn’t know the full thing. She wants to know it and so, she’s looking hopefully to her brother figure.

Vineet sighs deeply. Tears fill his eyes as he remembers all those dreadful memories of the past. He glances at her and then he begins to say something and his words leave Naina stunned.

To Be Continued.