During mid night Sameer reached back home all tired and exhausted, saw Rohan was sitting in hall with Munna Pandit..

Sameer, "arey tum log soye nahin... kya baat hai lagta hai mere bina hi akele akele masti ho rahi hai.. Nanu nahin hai ghar par toh roj maje ho rahe hai...."

Rohan asked worriedly hiding tension, "tu kahaan tha ... shaam se tujhe dhundh rahe hai.. mein toh factory ka chakkar bhi laga kar aaya tha ek baar, par kisiko tere baare mein pata hi nahin tha"

Sameer laughed, "kyun Preeti ki jagah aaj kal meri yaad jyaada aane lagi hai kya...." all looked at him with blank faces....

Sameer laid down at sofa lying at living hall only being very tired and exhausted, "yaar kya bataau, voh jo aaj final delivery thi ussi ke chakkar mein phans gaya tha... hamare truck na traffic police ne pakad liye tha kuchh documents missing the toh bas Police station jaakar Munshi ji ke saath sab settle karwaya.. usake baad khud truck ke saath client ke yahaan gaya kyunki delivery mein bhi late ho gayi thi... client bhi kam khadus nahin tha.... itna sab samjhaya tab jaakar voh maana varna aaj saari mehant par paani phir jaata... aur tujhe pata hai vahaan Police station mein mujhe mere ek Mussoorie wale friend ke father mile, mujhe dekhte hi pehchaan gaye... kuchh mahine pehle hi unka yahaan transfer hua hai, bohot madad ki unhone meri, unki wjah se hi finally sab theek ho gaya... thank god varna Nanu ka vishwas toot jaata mujhpar se.... kitni ummid hai unko aur Naina ko mujh se... "

Sameer looked at their tensed faces, "par tum log aise munh latka kar kyun baithe ho... sab theek hai na... kahin Preeti Swati ne pitaai toh nahin kar di kisi baat pe... vaise yaar kuchh bhi kaho, tum logon ko voh donon hi theek kar sakti hai... vaise yaar kuchh khila toh do.. subah Naina ne naashta karaya tha usake bad se toh time hi nahin mila ek minute bhi" he giggled while making holding his empty stomach...

Rohan, "nahin ... voh... voh haan actually Naina ... haan voh Preeti mili thi aaj shaam ko Law garden mein toh..."

Sameer cut his sentence in between, "haan yaar kab se Naina ko phone try kar raha hun... subah meri wajah se bohot tension mein thi, socha usse bata dun ki sab theek se complete ho gaya... khush ho jaayegi par uska phone hi nahin mil raha..... kal college mein hi bataunga ab jab milenge.... kaash aaj milkar usse bata pata, khush ho jaati..."

Munna said hesitantly, "voh Sameer kal Naina college nahin aayegi... hum tujhe vohi batane ke liye itne pareshaan the"... Sameer sits back with a jerk and asked worriedly, "nahin aayegi... kya matlab... voh theek toh hai na.. tumhari koi baat huyi kya usase"...

They looked at each other and Rohan came to sit with him and put his hand on his shoulder, "Sameer, dekh hamari baat aaraam se sun ... voh darasal aaj shaam ko Preeti mili thi Law garden.. ussi ne milne ke liye bulaya tha... bohot jyaada pareshaan thi aur ro bhi rahi thi...." he narrates all his conversation with Preeti leaving Sameer in shocked...

After few minutes Sameer looking at them all and burst into laughter, "bas yaar ... kuchh toh apne jokes aur pranks ka standard maintain karo... I mean kuchh bhi... Naina ki shaadi voh bhi do din mein... tumne mujhe buddhu samjha hai kya... ab bas karo yaar, mein bohot thak gaya hun... mujhe sona hai aur kal Naina se bhi milna hai... bhukh bhi lagi hai, kab se kuchh nahin khaaya maine..." saying this he starts leaving for his room making fun of them, when Rohan hold his hand firmly and shout in anger, "tujhe samajh nahin aa raha hum kya kah rahe hai... teri kasam yeh koi majaak nahin hai... sach mein uske ghar walon ne jabardasti usse ghar mein bandh kar rakha hai aur uski shaadi karwa rahe hai... hum isiliye tujhe saari shaam se dhundh rahe the"...

Sameer looked at him shocked and amazed... he sits back on sofa with a thud voice and hold his head in his hands tightly, tears starts rolling from his eyes... they all came near him and hug him tightly...

Munna said while crying too "tu darr mat Sameer hum sab milkar koi na koi raasta nikaal lenge... tu chinta mat kar hum kuchh nahin hone denge Naina ko, tujhe aur tumhare rishtey ko"...😭

Sameer stood with a jerk,"mujhe abhi jaana hai Naina ke paas... voh mera intzaar kar rahi hogi"..

Pandit hold him back, "Sameer hosh se kaam le... uski Taiji usake saath hi hai... tu abhi jayega toh baat aur kharaab ho jayegi... phir usake liye koi aur mushkil na khadi ho jaaye... dekh yahaan Nanaji bhi nahin hai aur usake Chachaji bhi Bangalore gaye huye hai... humein thande dimaag se kuchh sochna padega"... they hold him to sit back and try to make him calm....

Sleep was far away from Naina.. she keeps tossing on bed restlessly and worst to that Taiji was sleeping next to her snoring loudly...... Preeti was sleeping with Bela for tonight...

Naina, "bhagwan ji yeh sab mere saath hi kyun ho raha hai... ab tak toh Sameer ko sab pata chal hi gaya hoga... uska kya haal ho raha hoga... mein toh usse baat bhi nahin kar pa rahi... kuchh toh upaay bataao.. pata nahin kis galti ki saza mil rahi hai hum donon ko... Chachaji bhi nahin hai aur bechari chachi toh sabko samjha samjha kar thak gayi hai... unhein bhi kitna sunna pada aaj meri wajah se... please bhagwan ji kuchh to kariye" she cried covering her mouth with pillow to avoid disturbing her sleep as can't bear her taunts any more in mid night...

She slowly gets up from bed and came in balcony and stood there watching half-moon and crying silently... she felt his presence around her and turned to see down, Sameer was standing there... he was looking to her with damp eyes... they keep looking each other silently without even blinking their eyes... they lost in each other when Rohan Mudit came from back and looked at them, breaking their trance... a lump formed in his throat when he saw her cry, he couldn't see her in tears. She had a fragile heart and he wanted to protect her from every pain. That was the love he felt for her.

She gestured him to smile... he does and hint her also to not to cry and smile... she too smiled in tears... she said slowly, "go" gesture by her hand and he shook his head "No"... she fold her hand and request again mouthed, "please jaao"... he gave a flying kiss to make her smile and gesture her to go and sleep... their eye conversation was having so much depth within itself that words were not needed between them even. They assure each other that they are together forever... and ever...

They left after she went back to her room without noticing to Taiji and laid down silently.....

Morning Taiji shout on her to get up early and get ready fast. , "ab jaldi uthane ki aadat daal le.. vahaan yeh sab tere nakhre nahin chalenge... Bela ne bigaad rakha hai iss ladki ko, kisi kaam ki nahin hai..."

Bela tried again to convince them but all in vain... she keep doing the preparation with teary eyes and keep praying for some miracle, "bhagwan ji kuchh toh chamatkaar kijiye... meri bachchi ki zindagi kharaab ho jayegi... jaroor kuchh toh galat hai is rishtey mein jo mera dil nahin maan raha iske liye... chat mangni pat byah bohot suna hai, par aise chori chhipe shaadi toh sabut hai ki kuchh bohot galat ho raha hai, par kaise pata lagaau, kuchh samajh nahin aa raha... kya munh dikhaungi mein Preeti ke papa ko..."

Preeti came to her room where she was sitting silently, "yaar samajh nahin aa raha kya karen.. abhi tak Sameer ki taraf se bhi koi khabar nahin mil rahi... Rohan ko toh maine sab bata diya tha... kaise pata karen.."

Naina told her, "voh Sameer kal raat ko ghar ke neeche aaya tha milne... bohot pareshaan tha, mujhe poora yakeen hai voh koi na koi raasta jarur nikaal lega"...

Preeti said, "par ab toh kuchh hi ghante bache hai un logon ke aane mein... abhi tak toh kuchh nahin hua...ek kaam karte hai Naina, hum donon ghar se bhaag jaate hai... baad ki baad mein dekha jayega... aisi jagah chhupenge ki in logon ko nani yaad aa jayegi humein dhundhane mein..."

Naina hugged her, "tu chinta mat kar, mujhe apne Sameer par poora vishwas hai, voh mujhe kuchh nahin hone dega... sab theek ho jayega aur nahin bhi hua toh mujhe pata hai ki mujhe kya karna hai... ab mein voh pehle wali kamjor Naina nahin hun...."

Preeti parted and looked at her surprisingly, "kya matlab kya pata hai tujhe... kya chal raha hai tere dimaag mein.... bata mujhe... dekh khabardaar jo mujhse kuchh chhupaya....." then only doorbell ring, Preeti runs to open the gate but Taiji hold her back and herself opens the gate..

Swati greeted her politely, "Namaste Taiji ... voh aaj Naina college nahin aayi toh bas ... mujhe usase kuchh kaam tha... yeh books deni thi..." Taiji replied rudely, "voh abhi busy hai... do teen din mein aana... ladkiyaan na huyi aafat ki potli hai donon... pichhle baar bhi sab satyanash kar diya tha donon ne..." saying this she push her back to go out, but before that Swati threw a piece of paper towards Preeti and gesture her to pick up, unnoticed by Taiji....

Preeti silently bent and picked up the paper and stealthily went back to room and lock the door from inside... she forward the paper to Naina, "dekh shayad Sameer ka letter ho"... Naina hurriedly open the letter and smiled with tears, "haan ussi ka hai" ... she starts reading,

Naina.. Meri Jaan,

Sabse pehle apne aansun pochho, aur ek pyaari si smile do... mujhe pata hai ro ro kar apni aankhen suja li hongi tumne.. tumhein pata hai na mujhe tumhari aankhon mein ek bhi aansu pasand nahin hai...

hmm.. ab theek hai... ek baat puchhu ? bharosa hai na mujh par... yakeen rakho, jis vishwas ke saath tumne mera haath thaama hai mein usey kabhi tootne nahin dunga... mein nahin hun vahaan tumhare paas par mera dil, meri dhadkan sab vahin hai.. tumhare dil mein... tumhein kahin nahin jaane dunga mein apne se dur... kabhi nahin... tum Dulhan toh banogi par sirf meri... Sameer ki Dulhan...

hum jald milenge.. tab tak meri jaan ka dhyan rakhna... I love you

Apni Naina ka Dulha...

She kissed the letter and smile hugging Preeti ... "dekha maine kaha tha na ki Sameer sab theek kar dega.. ab koi chinta ki baat nahin... tujhe pata hai Preeti yeh mera pehla love letter hai.." they both smiled with teary eyes after a long time....

Then only, Taiji bang the door to open it... Preeti took the letter and hide in almirah and open the door...

Taiji came inside and slap Naina hard, "yeh kya kar rahe the tum donon darwaja bandh kar ke... tumhari himmat kaise huyi... kaha tha na ki ek minute bhi tu meri aankhon se dur nahin jayegi.... dekho mein aakhiri baar bata rahi hun tum logon ko, mujhe koi drama nahin chahiye aaj.... chal Preeti taiyar kar isse dhang se, ladke walon ke aane ka time ho gaya hai.. meri najares har waqt tum donon par hai, kuchh karne ki sochna bhi mat varna mujhse bura koi nahin hoga... samjhi.." she went out cursing the poor soul...

Preeti halfheartedly starts helping her in draping Saree, keep cursing Taiji and to would be guests.... Naina tied her hair tightly in knots, "Sameer ko mere khule baal pasand hai toh aaj inhein baandhna hi hoga... kitna man tha Sameer ka mujhe yun saree mein dekhne ka.. par hamari kismat hamesha hamara imtihaan leti rehti hai... thodi der ki bhi khushi tik nahin paati aur toofan aa jaata hai..."

Naina open her cupboard and pull out their picture of Mount abu, lost in her memories how he was shocked seeing her in Indian attire, suit with dupatta, open hair, bindi on her forehead, bangles in hand, jhumki... all her memories shattered her badly, she cried hard hugging Preeti, "kahaan ho Sameer... please jaldi se aa jaao isase pehle ki bohot der ho jaaye.... Preeti please tu kuchh kar, mein nahin kar paaungi yeh sab...."

Bela came and saw her both little ones crying badly, she too hugged them back and cried silently... she wiped out her eyes and tried to console her, "Naina, aaj toh tujhse maafi maangane laayak bhi nahin bachi mein... kaise Preeti ke papa ko jawaab dungi... beta sach maine bohot koshish ki par tu jaanti hai hamare ghar ke niyam kanoon... bade chaahe kitne bhi galat ho, chhoton ko unaki manani hi padati hi... ho sake toh apni iss chachi ko maaf kar dena... agar mere bas mein hota toh mein apni jaan dekar bhi tujhe bacha leti par.."

Naina hold her hand and hugged her tightly, "nahin Chachiji aap maafi mat maango, mujhe pata hai aap ne meri wajah se kitna suna hai... aaj Chachaji ki bohot yaad aa rahi hai, voh hote toh kisi ki himmat nahin hoti jo hamare saath aisa karta..." trio cried hard feeling so helpless...

Bela wiped her tears, "chal Naina, voh log aa gaye hai.. tujhe bulaya hai... varna ek aur Hungama na ho jaaye"

Preeti shouts loudly, "yeh jo ho raha hai voh kisi tamashe se kam hai kya.. ghar ki ladkiyon ko bali ka bakra samajh rakha hai... ghar ki izzat ke naam par unki numayish ki ja rahi hai... arey agar itne hi bojh the toh humein paida hote hi sadak par fenk dena chahiye tha na..."

Naina tried to calm her, "Preeti please tu Chachiji se aise baat mat kar... dekh inki bhi haalat hamare jaisi hi toh hai... tu chinta mat kar sab theek ho jayega.. mujhe vishwas hai..." she wiped her tears and hug her...