Dedication: @lockdownextenison
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aree.....kuch dekh kar update pada karo..bahno. 200 reads me kisi ne ye nahi dekha ki ye wala chapter bhi thirty one aur is se pahle wala bhi thirty one. aur to aur draft me bhi sare thirty one. kya he ye!! dekh kar pada karo..

One day ago

मेरा कुछ सामान तुम्हारे पास पड़ा हैं
सावन के कुछ भीगे भीगे दिन रखे हैं
और मेरे एक ख़त में लिपटी रात पडी हैं
वो रात बुझा दो, मेरा वो सामान लौटा दो

पतझड़ हैं कुछ, हैं ना ...
पतझड़ में कुछ पत्तों के गिरने की आहट
कानों में एक बार पहन के लौटाई थी
पतझड़ की वो शांख अभी तक काँप रही हैं
वो शांख गिरा दो, मेरा वो सामान लौटा दो

Naina is listening this song being played on tv. Saira is sleeping As she was very tired. Naina herself is tired to her bones. She is restless because last night she has not slept for a second. Does it bother her? No. But the fact that something have come down onto her is really really dreadful. The thought which first emerged days ago yesterday cultivated to  a decision. She finally saw what she was. She finally found her salvation.

Pooja arrives after seven. In these days only she has worked. Naina has been to hospital only when Saira was at school. She sees naina watching Anuradha Patel on big screen.

'Woman! Stop sulking. My house is too beautiful for you to sulk. Grow some gland and release dopamine. I cant see you like this every day. It hurts more than period cramp. I forget my sorrow after i see you like this.'

'I...I am going back. I was waiting for you to return.'

Pooja looks at her as if she has grown three heads.

'But? Suddenly? What happened?'

She denies. Pooja stares.

'Its just that.....I have seen the truth.' She sighs.

'What are you talking about naina? Yesterday you were with him on parent teAcher meet. You refused to talk with him and today you are going back? I....I am happy that you are going back to where you rightfully belong. But naina....all of sudden out of blue you cant tell me you are leaving me. At least you'd have told me before hand. I am astonished. Though its your life and I am none to interfer...but...You see you are my friend and i am always worried for you.  More than you think. So...suddenly you cant move out of my house. You have to give me a notice..'

She smiles weakly and asks her to sit.

'Saira has been acting so cranky. She is crying and crying. She wants to see him.'

'And that made you to return?'

'No.' She sighs...

'Then?'

'Pooja. Saira was his daughter first. He is her biological father. Before my name being mentioned he'll be declared as her father. She is his daughter and she'll be. Dont you think even if I run away from him, severe my ties with him i am still taking a piece of him!'

'And that makes you realize that you are not supposed to turn away?'

'No. It just makes sense now. I understood I can not run always. I am all alone Pooja. All alone. The support I am holding onto belongs to him. She is his daughter. I relived my life when he gave me his name. His family. I started to live again. Its he who has been the reason all along.'

'What have gotten into you woman?'

'Nothing. I just saw truth. Saira needs him as much as she needs me. And I am no one to keeps them apart. It was his kindness that he allowed me to take her away. I am not Arwa. I am not her biological mom. My rights on her is limited. And that doesn't make me authority. She needs her father more than I need him. So simply I am going back.'

Pooja looks at her. She can see her eyes are losing a battle.

'Naina. What about you? In this whole relation you also exist..not as her mother...but as his wife too. How this wife inside you will tolerate those feelings and null responses? Will The wife in you never complain now? And your expectations juat died down?'

Her eyes pool. Pooja holds her hand.

'I....I have been wrong all along. My biggest mistake was expectation. I have been expecting things which I should not do. I.....I made sand castles. The wave was supposed to erase them away. I was supposed to fall face flat.'

'Nainaa..'

'Pooja. He did his duties very well. He had told me the very first day that this relation is for name sake. And he had kept it that way. Did he evwe tried to cross the line? Never. I made mistakes.i jumped fences. I crossed lines.

When he told me that I was not supposed to think much of it, he had warned me ahead. He had rung the alarm. I never understood.'

'Don't beat around the bush. I have very little listening endurance.'

Naina smiles meekly..

'If I should not have pushed things, I was not going to face heartbreak. I pushed things. I decided to coerce him
I decided to be part of his life even when he was keeping his distance from me. Not only this I tried to meddle into his life. I forced him to tell me things.

He was living his life his way. I came and asked him to do things. I intruded. Many times...many times it was I who ruined things.

He never initiated talks I did. I tried to rile him up.i tried to do every nonsense childish act that could agitate him and make him speak finally. I was being childish. I had rhought someday he'd come to me to thank me for being nosy woman and pulling him out of his misery. I was stupid. Plain stupid....'

Pooja silently listens..

'He is a man. Pooja. He is supposed to be tough. It should be me who consider things.who is understanding.

What good I got when I hit him with snow ball? What good I got when I argued with him. What goid I got when I poked him, interfered into his personal space. What good I got when I somehow made him tell things by getting drunk!

He never saw me as his wife. I was his responsibility. I was there as a guest. Now what is expected of a guest? A non meddling human being. I poked my nose in. I did things which I should not have.'

'You cant make someone speak his heart out unless he wants. I tried. I failed.

And If someone shares his past with you doesn't mean he or she is now completely comfortable with you and this is initiation of something intimate.

Pooja...I commited a mistake. It was I who wanted to be his solace. He never asked me to be. I never asked for his consent. I never tried. So if I am heartbroken, its not his fault.'

'I brought him in. I opened myself. I let my clothes fall. I decided to tend him. I decided to have sex with him. I somewhere misinterpreted things. And now I don't hold a right to blame him. His view about our relation was clear. I misread. Its my fault.'

'Don't you think Naina, This may be your thoughts only?'

'Come on pooja. He still loves arwa. Be still wishes somewhere she would return. When his heart has no place I cant amke one for me.

Moreover I love Saira. Its the priceless thing he gave me. He gave me the  name. The motherhood. I cant ask for too much now. And my childish behaviour, running and every damn stupid stunt just  makes things hard for Saira. She is being punished for nothing. My daughter cries because i have some fantasies rejected! How bad of a mom i am! No pooja. Its the end. I am not going to hurt my kid anymore. She brought me back to life. After Naveen bhaiya she was the reason I lived. I cant selfish. No..Its been donw now.'

Pooja hugs her. All of sudden naina has grown too much as it hurts Pooja to see her talking so sensible in most nonsense way. She could be right but she doesn't give a damn.  But its her marriage life. What can she do! Pooja silently wipes her tear. Such a complicated relation! Wow. Thanks to nuthead Naveen.

'You want me to make you something before you leave? At least for Saira? Just because I am her masi...please..'

Naina gives in. Pooja cooks biryani while Naina gets ready to face him.

Realization can not bring body to move. Only mind can realize. Sometimes other organs have their own mind.

Pooja fed Saira and told her she was going back to his dad. Saira instantly lit up.

'Lo..ho gayi mohbbat. Yahi tak thi masi se mohbbat? Khaya piya aur khiske?'

'Aapki fish gandi he. Saira ko nahi dekhni aapki gandi se fish..blue blue.'

'Naina. Teri beti X-Baby he. Mutated child. Me bol rahi hu..isko le kar jaa..Xavier ke pass. Tujh par to gayi hi nahi teri beti. Aur baap par to bilkul nahi...'

Saira makes face. While Naina smiles little..

Pooja kisses Saira who rubs her kisses off.

'Abbu se aapki shikayat karegi saira. Aap dekhna.'

'Tumhare abbu top nahi he beta. Jis din hospital me dikhe na..bina amasthesia ke root canal kar dungi.'

'Naina chalo. Ye gandi masi he.' Pooja laughs. But she comes to Saira and apologizes. Saira forgives  her not before telling her that she has broken one vase in her study. Still Pooja kisses her cheek. And asks Naina to sir in her car....

She drops them to Rizvi House..

-------------------------

When Naushad reaches pooja' its locked. He waits there..but nobody comes. He was already scared and insecure. So he took no time in returning.

But at home he got surprise of his life when Saira hearing his voice came to him amd jumped to him. He at once ran to see Naina..who gave him cold shoulder. He is an army officer. He doesn't need too much time to decipher how she is reacting..

And it broke his heart....finally...in two pieces.

______________________

PRESENT

Saira has slept. She took much time in sleeping. Khala happily went to her room. But two souls didnt occupy their place.

Naina was wondering whether to go Saira room or to the bedroom where Naushad had lied siara down on a huge bed.

She saw him coming out. She prepared herself.

'Naina..' he calls her out.

She does not reply..

'I...I. am sorry. I think..I crossed a line that time..' he searches word.

When Naina hears time, it just solidifies her rigidity. 

'No. I understand. In fact I am sorry. You had told me the very first day that Me yaha mehmaan hu.aur galti meri hi he because I overstepped. You always kept things clear. I tried to do more than needed. So I am sorry.

I have understood what this relation is. And I promise not to overstep again. I have come in term with this relation. I have understood its interpretation. Agar ye shadi naam ki he to I am not going to give it meaning against your wish. I'll not bother you again. Good night.'

She goes to sane bed where Saira is sleeping. She slides next to her and shuts her eyes after holding her.

She has realised. She is Naina Ahaluwalia Rizvi, mother of Saira Rizvi...

Meanwhile Naushad watches the door and his bedroom. Now the two pieces were four...and they kept on breaking.