Part 29

"Vidya was impatiently waiting for her husband to return from his tour this time. She was eager to break the news to him that soon they would be welcoming the arrival of the much awaited extension of their family of two. She ran to open the door when the doorbell chimed thinking it was Anurag. He had been gone for over 3 weeks this time and it was more than 4 days she had spoken to him. But she was zealous that the wait was finally over. However, the happiness was short-lived as it was the postman who handled her a parcel. She opened it and found some photographs of her husband with some people she had never seen or met. Also, the places in the background seemed to be several foreign countries, which she didn't think he had ever visited as his job was that of a salesman of household appliances in rural areas or that was what he told her. Also, included in the parcel was a letter from an unknown person who advised her to meet him at a certain place and time if she wanted to know who Anurag was in reality. Vidya was dumbfounded. She called him several times at certain phone numbers he had left with her whenever he was away and instructed to use them only in case of dire emergencies. She was a naive simple girl and had simply accepted without ever questioning. She also checked out the office address but each time there was no response. In fact she was stumped when no one recognised his picture and everyone either on phone or in the office refused to have known, met or even seen him in their entire life. Finally, worried to the bones, she sort to the last resort and met the stranger as per his directives. After a long conversation and proofs from his side, she was convinced that Anurag was an undercover cop who had infiltrated an international smuggler's gang for information and ultimately to expose the syndicate. But in the process, he didn't realise that he was being double-crossed by his superiors, who blew his cover to save their ass and illegal businesses and had him killed under mysterious circumstances. The stranger was his best friend and partner in operation, but unfortunately couldn't save him. He wanted to avenge his friend's death but had to escape and feign his own death. He couldn't come out in the open coz he would get killed easily, and hence, the only other trustworthy person was his wife as she was unknown to the cops as well as the smuggler's gang. He had never revealed her existence even to his most trusted superiors except his best friend and had managed to keep her safe all these years. She agreed and thus begin a story of revenge of a mysterious murder". (Story idea inspired by Kahaani). (Lets assume that years later, Naina published her stories and producers obtained rights to turn them into movies).

Her third story titled Mukhbir was a spy murder revenge drama but in the end Vidya and the stranger come together for a common motive and then start a new journey when two half lives were united. Sameer was mesmerised by her story-weaving and narrating abilities. She might venture into different genres but ultimately she always united the two lost souls, mended broken hearts, and ended it like a love story. She was a staunch believer of "Happily Ever After". That filled his heart with joy and warmth of her love that whatever might have hurt her, she still believed in love. Then, why hadn't she titled their story although it was her first and why had she not ended it on a happy note. She hadn't taken any step further or discussed it with him or given the slightest indication of what she thought about their story. He was losing patience and needed to seek answers. He still didn't want to break his resolve to not force her, but may be a slight push in the right direction was now called for.

Completing the writing of all three stories, he got up from the library to see and talk to her. He had sought the free period to complete the task. Now, he couldn't sit idle dwiddling his thumbs and letting the time pass by. She was recuperating fast and he might have to leave soon if she didn't need his help all the time. So, before he lost this 24*7 previlege, he needed to know and plan his next moves. An idea struck him and he sought his besties. He borrowed some geometrical instruments from MP and directed them "Munna Pandit, mujhe na kuch achche colours ke chart paper chahiye, sketch pens, kainchi, gum, color tapes, kuch aur colourful cheezein, aur woh glitter wali pens, ladkiyon ke paas hoti hai na...waisi".

"Samaan ka intezaam toh ho jaayega Sameer par tu karna kya cha raha hai?", asked Munna.

"Arre lagta hai fir competition ka koi naya panga hoga, toh ise hamesha ki tarah Naina ka kaam bhi karna pad raha hoga", answered Pandit.

"Yaar Sameer, mana ki Naina ka haath tujhe bachate hue jala hai, par yaar...kahi woh iska fayada uthakar tujhse saare kaam toh nahi karva rahi", Munna expressed his doubt.

"Bhaiyon, waise toh main Naina ke saare kaam hamesha apni marzi se karta hoon aur aage bhi karoonga. Par agar woh tumhare bhai ka fayda utha bhi rahi hai, toh kya hua! Haq hai uska! Buss, ab yahi baat use achche se samjhani hai", Sameer responded calmly.

"Bhai sab upar se nikal gaya", Munna declared.

Sameer smirked "koi baat nahi, tum log sirf samajh lo ki tumhari bhabhi ko yaad dilana hai ki tumhari honewali bhabhi sirf wahi hai". Seeing them still confused, "Rehne do, tum logon se jo kaha hai, buss utna kar do, baaki tumhara bhai sambhal lega". He tapped on both their shoulders from each side. Mundit looked at each other, shrugged and left to accumulate the rare stuff from school's activity room and also canteen kitchen.

They still had to find some stuff & seek out girls' help. Munna found the perfect opportunity to sought Swati. He found her alone in the classroom, as usual she was completing her homework before the upcoming class.

He smiled and moved inside. They hadn't spoken to each other since Mt. Abu. Though Sameer and Naina were at least on friendly terms, Swati had rarely spared a glance in his direction. Their not so kick-started love story had come to an absolute standstill and she was firm in her attitude towards him.

Somehow, today Munna gathered his guts to approach her "Aye Pandat, aaj bada sundar lag raha".

Undeniably, those words were music to her ears, and an unknown smile curved the corner of her lips but before he could spot it, she curbed it down ruthlessly and continued attacking the paper furiously.

"Aye Pandat, tu abhi tak naaraaz hai? Dekh Sameer aur Naina toh ab competition ke liye partner hai toh ek dusre se baat karte hai, toh hum bhi toh baat kar sakte hai na".

Swati stopped writing immediately, banged her pen down and got up angrily firing daggers at him. "Tumhe dikh nahi raha ki main kaam kar rahi hoon? Aur rahi baat Sameer Naina ki, toh jab tak mujhe yakeen nahi ho jata ki meri Naina bilkul theek hai, na main tumhe maaf karoongi aur na hi tum mujhse baat karne ki koshish karna. Unke beech sab sahi hua hai ya nahi yeh toh competition ke baad hi pataa chalega ki kya wo log uske baad bhi dost rehte hai ya fir pratiyogita khatam toh dosti bhi khatam. Toh ab tum jao yahan se aur mujhe akela chod do".

She sat down and started scribbling angrily.

"Wo tumhari chakmak wali pens chahiye thi"...when she glared again at him, he quickly continued, "apne liye nahi, woh Sameer Naina ke liye kuch khaas karna chahta hai".

She stared into his face and somehow he sounded convincing, so she got her special pens from the bag and banged them on the desk.

Munna's gaze was lowered, disappointed but he gathered them, gave one last lovelorn look to her and left.

Pandit who was waiting outside the class, slapped his back "Yaar Pandit, yeh Sameer Naina ke chakkar mein, meri love istory toh patri se hi utar gayi. Pehle gusse mein pyar wali daant toh sunne milti thi, ab toh meri frock wali Pandat meri taraf dekhti bhi nahi", Munna expressed his reason for depression.

"Yaar Chenu, teri love story patri par thi kab jo utar gayi?" Pandit was on another tangent with his humor and Munna gave him another depressing look.

"Aaja Chenu, pehle Sameer ki love story patri par le aate hai, fir teri apne aap hi aa jayegi", Pandit side hugged him and assured.

Meanwhile, Sameer found a quiet corner in an empty classroom and pulled out the mt. Abu album that had a permanent place in the inside section of his bag. It was his solace when he missed her love too much. So, he had brought it along when he came to stay with the Agrawals, but never risked it leaving at home lest it fell in elders's hands, creating a huge ruckus.

Completing the task, he admired his handiwork and felt assured that it would impress her. Since the games period had already started, she was in the ground with her friends where she sat down in a corner reading some general knowledge books for the quiz section, while her friends played Stapu.

He went to her "Naina, tumse kuch baat karni hai".

"Haan, bolo Sameer".

"Hmmm...yahan nahi, waha chalo water tap ke paas".

She got up and followed him and when he was sure they were out of everyone's earshot, he extended the notebook to her "Naina, tumhari teenon kahaniyan maine likh li hai. Tum ek baar padh lo sab kuch theek hai ya nahi. Kahi kuch chutt na gaya ho ya kuch addition karna ho".

She scrunched eyebrows and looked on in confusion "Nahi Sameer, agar tumne waise hi likha hai jaise maine record kiya toh sab sahi hai. Haan agar tumhara matlab hai ki main spelling mistakes check kar loon toh theek hai. Yeh toh tum mujhe wahan bhi bol sakte the, fir yahan kyon bulaya?"

Saying that she accepted the notebook but Sameer's next words confused her even more. "Naina, main spelling mistakes ki baat nahi kar raha, jo tumne adhura choda hai uski baat kar raha hoon".

"Maine kya adhoora choda hai?"

"Kahani! Naina, tumne Madhoshi aur Mukhbir donon kahaniyan itne achche se likhi. Fir har kahani mein pyar ka mod bhi diya, fir hamari kahani ko na hi tumne shirshak diya aur na hi use pyar ka mod diya. Tumhara yeh ravaiya
mujhe samajh nahi aaya Naina. Tumhari kaalpanik kahaniyon mein toh pyar hai par sachchi kahani ke liye pyar kyon kam pad gaya? Tumne hamari kahani ko itne bure mod pe lake adhoora chod diya. Kya uske baad jo bhi hua hamare beech, uski koi ehmiyat nahi, mere liye tumhare dil mein thodi si bhi jagah nahi bani? Maine khud se vaada kiya hai Naina, issliye tumhe kuch bhi karne ke liye kabhi force nahi karoonga. Par aaj tum itna jaan lo ki ab hum dou alag insaan nahi, hum toh kabke ek ho chuke hai. Tum mujhse kabhi pyar karo na karo, maine hamare naam jod diye hai, hamesha ke liye".

With this he left from there, disappointment evident on his face but tenacity in his eyes of not letting go. She was completely clueless as to what he hinted.

She mumbled to herself while leafing through the notebook "Yeh kya bolke gaya Sameer? Maine kaun si kahani adhoori chodi hai? Teen hi toh likhi thi. Main Tum Pyar Parivaar jo use Mt. Abu mein sunayi thi aur woh puri toh thi. Khudne hi toh taarif ki thi. Aur abhi Madhoshi aur Mukhbir, yeh bhi toh use pasand aayi thi! Fir kya bolna chah raha tha?"

That's when a card dropped out of the notebook on the ground from the page opened to where her first story started. She picked up the card and read through the story. A few lines into it and she realised what had occurred. She quickly read through the entire narrative and stopped where the story had paused or indeed her thoughts had paused.

She realized and remembered that she had recorded her first story after hearing his heartfelt apology and while her idea was to recapitulate the story devised in Mt. Abu, her first one, she had inadvertently recorded her innermost feelings until the point of hurt and till date hadn't known her folly. So, Sameer had known it all along but had given her space to take the first step towards them but when she hadn't shown any inclination, he himself lay his heart bare at her feet. She opened one of the most beautiful hand-made cards she had ever seen. She recognized his writing and it was very evident that he had made it not long ago. A bright orange card designed with golden and silver pens and each of their pics from Mt. Abu. He had beautifully stencilled "Sameer sang Naina".

She was overcome with emotion and slowly caressed the writing, feeling cocooned in his warmth. Again he had given his undying declaration and she felt stupefied. No words left her mouth, her heart knew he was only a step away, she could take that final step and embrace her lost love. But was she ready? Had she forgiven him? Dis she love him? Her heart answered yes to all her questions. But when she asked herself was she ready to trust him with her heart? She felt dubious. She trusted him as a friend, a support, a partner but what about partner for life? She didn't want to make hasty decisions and be unfair to them both. She knew Preeti was right that life didn't come with guarantees and how much ever Sameer promised, he didn't know what future held. But somehow she felt it in her gut that he wouldn't abandon her ever, he would never willingly and knowingly betray her. She knew the time had come to take a step forward...but cautiously.

Later in evening, when everyone retired to bed, she was pacing around her room. She wanted to share her turmoil with Preeti but when she had asked, Naina had warded off her interrogation. Finally, giving up, her dear sister closed her eyes and drifted away to her dreamland.

"Buss, Naina, bahut soch liya...Sameer se baat karni padegi", she muttered to herself.

She tiptoed to the hall and stood over the deewan gazing intensely at his sleeping form. He was clutching tight her blue sweater and was sleeping without the blanket. She admired his sleeping form for a few seconds, a peaceful smile adorning his beautiful chiseled face, which had drawn her attention to him and those deep dark orbs, now closed probably dreaming of something beautiful was yet an ocean for her that she wanted to drown in.

She bent forward towards him to drape the blanket as the night was catching a chill and she was well aware of how sensitive he was to cold. As if on cue, his eyes snapped open, and adjusting to the darkness, he spotted her close to him in the eerie calm of the night.

"Naina tum? Yahan? Itni raat ko? Theek toh ho na? Soyi kyon nahi?", concern for her evident all over his being.

"Waise toh baat karne aayi thi, par tumhe sota dekh iraada badal liya". He saw the blanket draped over him and gave a smug smile.

"Iraada badal liya par mann toh nahi badal paayi. Abbhi itni fikr hai meri!", he stated.

"Tumhe jagana nahi chahti thi par ab jaag gaye ho toh baat kar lete hai".

She took a long pause as if pondering over her thoughts once again. So, he prodded, "Bolo Naina..main sun raha hoon".

Ahmmm...yahan nahi, bahar balcony mein chale?"

Without waiting for a response, she slowly opened the door to the balcony and when both were outside, she closed it behind them without a single noise.

She took a moment to gaze up at the sky at the waning moon. A few moments later, she began "tumhe Mt. Abu ki wo raat yaad hai, jab hum grih nakshatre dekh rahe the?"

"Tumhare saath bitaya har pal mere liye bahut khaas hai Naina, main kabhi nahi bhool sakta".

"Uss raat pehli baar tumhari kavita suni. Tumne apni udasi ko chaand ke madhyam se bayaan kiya tha. Par tumhe pataa hai na, mahine mein ek purnima aur ek amavasya ki raat hoti hai. Jo hume yeh sikhata hai ki jab sooraj aur chaand bhi sthayi nahi hai toh jeevan main kuch aur sthayi kaise ho sakta hai". She took a pause and continued "Har purnima ki raat ke baad, chaand dheere dheere chota hota hai aur amavasya ki raat aati hai. Hamara rishta bhi pure chaand ki tarah ek din khila jab tumne mandir mein bhagwanji ke samne hamara rishta apnaya. Par fir dheere dheere sab andhere mein doob gaya. Par har amavasya ki raat ke baad, chaand fir dheere dheere nikalkar apni madham madham roshni failane lagta hai. Then, she turned to him, hamare rishte ko bhi shayad iss chand ki tarah, pura parvaan chadhne se pehle shayad amavas ki kaali raat se hokar guzarna tha! Mujhe lagta hai Sameer ki hume apni aage ki kahani prakruti pe chod deni chahiye! Ho sakta hai ki jaise jaise chaand aasman mein pura ho, humara rishta bhi dheere dheere panapkar paripakva ho jaaye".

Till now he was attentive and understood every word, but the moment he scrunched his brows, she said "mature, hume humare rishte ko mature hone dena padega". Saying that she removed the notebook and his apology cassette from under her dupatta and explained, "tum uss din jab Nanaji se milne gaye the tab apni maafi record ki hui cassette shayad galati se mujhe de gaye the. Maine use suna, kayi baar suna...aur kahi na kahi mere dil ne tumhe pure dil se maaf kar diya. Par pyar aur bharosa, iske barein mein sochte sochte shayad wahi kahani ke roop mein record ho gaya, warna kahani ka shirshak toh Main Tum Pyar Parivar tha jo maine tumhe Mt. Abu mein sunayi thi. Itne dinon se tum jo koshishen kar rahe ho Sameer, wo dikh rahi hai mujhe. Aur fir aaj tumne yeh..." she removed the card from the notebook... "yeh card banakar bahut thons tareeke se apne dil ki baat zahir kar di. Par wo kehte hai na ki dhudh ka jala chaach bhi foonk foonk kar peeta hai...toh buss main bhi yahi chahti hoon ki humare rishte mein jo kamiyan thi, wo puri ho. Aur yeh waqt ke saath dheere dheere hoga, tumhe dheeraj rakhna hoga. Iski shuruat hume dosti se karni hogi".

With that she extended her hand towards him "Bolo Sameer, kya tum dosti karoge mujhse?"

Sameer smirked and looked at her extended hand "Tumhe pataa hai Naina, Nainital wale school mein ek subject hota tha, Ethics. Usmein yeh sab gyan ki baatein batayi jaati thi. Life is a full circle and what goes around comes around. Uss waqt na toh mujhe kabhi interest aata tha aur na hi samajh aata tha. Par aaj samajh aa raha hai! Kal tum mujhse pure dil se pyar karti thi aur main tumhe sirf dost samajhta tha. Aur aaj jab main tumhe puri shiddat se pyar karne laga hoon, poori duniya mein sabse zyaada, khud se bhi zyaada, toh tum meri ore yeh dosti ka haath badha rahi ho".

He took her extended hand engulfed in his large firm but gentle grip. "Toh theek hai, Miss Naina Agrawal, tum apni dosti nibhao, main apna pyar nibhaunga".