Title is the song from movie 'Hansi toh phansi'

Sameer did not dare to move. Observing from the corner of his eyes, he could see Naina's closed eyes, her lashes resting on her cheeks. The faint movement of her arm against his confirmed her slow, rhythmic breathing. She was comfortably asleep. He tilted his head by an inch, and her hair brushed against his stubble. He quickly lifted his head back to the same position. He didn't want to take advantage of her slowly building trust in himself. Wrapping his hand over the arm of the seat, he let out a shuddering exhale.

"Sir, aap veg meal lenge ya non veg?" The air hostess approached his seat, asking in a polite voice.

"Uh... nothing." He didn't want any disturbance for Naina.

"What about your wife and son? They'll take something?" She asked in the same tone, glancing at the other two passengers.

His entire body shook with the jerk of his head that turned to gape at the air hostess. The movement made Naina open her eyes. It took her a few seconds... and then she bounced back to straight, stiff position.

"Aaram se." Sameer immediately placed a hand over Ayush, who slipped a little because of her sudden jerky motion.

Naina's eyes flew to his face, which was right in front of her... but his eyes were on Ayush.

She looped an arm around the sleeping child, holding him properly.

Sameer straightened. He didn't look at Naina once... he couldn't... or she would have seen the raw emotions in his eyes. He asked the air hostess to give coffee for the two of them, and for Ayush, fruit juice and a slice of cake, with a packet of wafers.

Since Ayush was in Naina's lap, Sameer opened the table in front of him, placing both coffee cups, and the tray with food on it.

Naina kept her head turned towards the window. She wanted to hit herself... how could she fall asleep on him. Air travel always made her feel drowsy... and she slept on the flights in the past... but that was with her parents. Sameer... what would he think about her... she shut her eyes in mortification.

"Pehle tum coffee pi lo phir Ayush ko khila denge. Usse bhook lagi hogi na." His voice was normal.

"Aap... aap mujhe utha dete." She mumbled, through quivering lips.

"Tum bhi so gayi thi kya? Main toh khud so raha tha. Abhi abhi air hostess ne khane ka pucha toh aankh khuli. I didn't realise you were sleeping." He said casually, and took a sip of coffee, hoping his lie was convincing enough.

Her eyes crinkled... did he not know that she was sleeping on his shoulder... but he was up when she had opened her eyes.

"Woh main... aapko..." She tried to find words to apologize.

"Yeh lo. Coffee piyo. Uthne ke baad best lagti hai." He forwarded the cup.

"Ayush ke liye cake aur wafers liye hain. Kuch aur chahiye kya?" He asked after she held it.

"Uh... Ayush ko wafers nahi deti main." Naina uttered, as her eyes fell on the packet.

"Vacation pe thodi bohot indulgence chalti hai. Ussi mein mazaa hai." He said lightly, avoiding to look at her.

Her eyes again darted to his face, but he sipped his coffee, still looking ahead.

Sameer breathed in relief when Naina leaned back in her seat and shifted her attention to the brew in hand. He didn't want her to shrink back in her shell. It was better to pretend ignorance than to allow awkwardness create a wall between them.

After coffee, Naina tapped Ayush gently. He sat up, rubbing his eyes with fisted hands. She removed his ear plugs, and asked if he was feeling okay. Ayush nodded, then looked around. The realisation slowly dawned on him that they were still in the aircraft.

"Hum raat mein kaise fly karenge? Bahar toh light ke poles hi nahi hain. Hum kho gaye toh?" He asked, peering at the darkness outside his window.

"Bas hum pohochane wale hain. Thodi der mein window se lights dikhne lagengi." Naina made him sit comfortably.

"Ayush. Yeh tumhare liye. Bhook lagi hai na?" Sameer smiled at him.

Ayush's mouth rounded in exclamation, "Chips!! Yeh khaane se big nahi hote. Main chota reh jaunga."

Sameer chuckled at the notion Naina had put in his mind to stop him from eating junk food.

Naina lowered the table in front of Ayush, and tore open the packet, placing it before him, "Kabhi kabhi kha sakte hain. Bas iske badle kal breakfast mein do fruits extra khane padenge. Okay?"

He nodded vehemently, eyeing the chips with an overjoyed grin on his face. Sameer picked up the carton of juice, but Naina stopped him, "Nahi, juice gira lega woh. Wafers aur cake kaafi hai. Uske baad paani pila dungi."

With a quick dip of head, Sameer put back the juice, glad that she was talking to him like before, without hesitation.

When Naina was cleaning Ayush's hands and mouth, Sameer pressed the button to summon the air hostess.

A different one approached his seat, harried expression on her face, "Sir we are about to land. If you..."

Her face softened the moment Sameer looked up, open admiration filling her eyes, "How can I help you, sir?"

"Can I get a glass of water?" He asked.

"Sure sir. Anything else?" She raised a brow.

"Make that two please." Naina turned to look at her with a courteous smile.

"Oh... sure." Her expression changed instantly, and she walked away.

Though nanu often mentioned the appreciative glances he got, Sameer wasn't very observant about how girls behaved when he wasn't looking, but this happened right in front of his eyes... and he could clearly understand what went through the woman's mind. She saw them as a family too... he was a husband and a father in her eyes. A gratifying, shy smile spread on his face.

Few minutes later, when she arrived again with a tray and two glasses of water, Sameer quickly picked them up, and handed to Ayush and Naina. Bowing his head a little, he looked at her, "Naina, kuch aur chahiye kya?"

"Nahi. Thank you." Naina again smiled at the air hostess.

She threw a jealous glare at Naina before leaving, "Please tie your seat belt, we're about to land."

Naina looked down at the secured belt around her, "Isse kya hua?"

Sameer shrugged twitching the corner of his lips, "Pata nahi." Inside, he was dancing in elation.

As the aircraft descended, nightlights of the city came in view from the window.

"Hum stars ke bhi upar aa gaye." Ayush gasped.

Naina wrapped her arm around him, pointing at a building, "Woh city hai. Jaipur... jahan hum jaa rahe hain. Stars nahi yeh lights hain... jaise hamare yahan jalti hain jab andhera ho jaata hai."

"Oh. Yeh toh lights hain. Naina, jaise humko raat ko stars dikhte hain, waise unko hamari lights dikhti hongj na... unko bhi beautiful lagti hongi na?" He tilted his head towards her.

Naina giggled, holding him tight, and kissed his plump cheek hard, "Aur kya. Stars ke paas koi aur kaam thodi hai, humein dekhne ke alava."

He flashed a bright smile, and shifted his attention to the glittering city again.

Sameer gazed at Naina, her unrestrained laughter was like the chimes of bells... she rarely laughed with such abandon. The glow on her face would definitely be a tough competition to the celestial beauties.

"Chaand taron ka toh pata nahi, Naina, lekin mere paas sach mein tumhe dekhne ke alava koi kaam nahi hai." His heart sighed, while his eyes feasted themselves.

Hotel cab was waiting for them when they stepped out of the airport, the driver holding a placard of Sameer's name. This time, Sameer sat at the back, with Ayush in the center. They reached the hotel in thirty minutes. Ayush wasn't much disturbed, as Sameer kept him busy, showing the sights outside.

The Hotel was every bit the grandeur that any five star group is known for. A massive central atrium was luminous with brilliant lighting and massive floral arrangements at various places. Clusters of plush seats were set up all around. Few were occupied with people but at this time, a non preferred time for check in or check out, most of the seats were vacant. One of the smartly dressed staff member made them sit and opened his laptop, sitting with them.

After the formality of check in, they were taken to the lift, since the room assigned was on the fifth floor. After making sure that Naina and Ayush liked the room and were comfortable, Sameer went to his room. He called up nanu to inform that he had reached safely.

Vishakha came on the phone just as he was about to disconnect, "Sameer, khane pine ka khyal rakhna beta. Aajkal tu ghar pe bhi theek se nahi khata, wahan akela hai, koi dekhne kehne wala nahi toh pata nahi kya karega."

"Mummy, aap kya mujhe Deepu samajh rahi ho? Of course apna khyal rakhunga." He laughed at her permanent motherly concern.

"Arre beta ek maa ke liye uska bachha hamesha bachha hi rehta hai, chahe kitna bhi bada ho jaaye. Kyon Vishakha, sahi keh raha hun na?" Nanu's voice made him realise that they had put him on speaker, and both nanu and Vishakha were listening to him.

"Mummy, nanu, aap log meri chinta chodo aur Rohan pe concentrate karo. Main toh chaar din mein wapas aa jaunga, lekin woh lambe time door rehne wala hai." He tried to change the focus of his mom.

Vishakha frowned, "Mujhe toh sabki hi chinta hai. Chal tu sambhal ke rehna, aur haan, faaltu mein idhar udhar mat ghoomna, bohot garmi hai, bimar ho jayega."

"Jee mummy. Jaisa aap kahein. Bye. Nanu bye." He smiled.

"Arre sun Sameer. Naina aur Ayush ka bhi dhyan rakhna. Uske liye pehli trip hai hamare office se, dekhna koi problem na ho." Nanu said before he could end the call.

Vishakha's voice boomed again, "Naina? Woh new employee? Woh bhi gayi hai? Aur ayush kaun? Papa, aapne bataya nahi kisi aur ko bhi appoint kiya hai."

"Woh main baad mein batata hun tumhe. Sameer, beta theek se prepare kar lena meeting ke liye. Mr Kothari Jaipur ke sabse influential aur bade client hain." Nanu directed him.

"Don't worry, nanu, Mr Kothari disappoint nahi honge." Sameer assured him.

After the call, he opened his gallery to shift the pictures he had clicked today to his secret folder. He now had more than hundred pictures of Naina. The ones he had taken today included her sleeping on his shoulder, laughing with Ayush, lost in thoughts at the airport... and many more. He wanted to capture every expression, every mood of hers.

He had named the folder 'Meri Naina'. Falling back in bed, he started checking all the previous pictures, smiling fondly as he came to the ones from Ayush's birthday. Thinking about how she had held his arm for the first time that day, he got so lost that the phone slipped from his hand, falling on his chest.

"Damn." He picked it up, only to stare at the screen with a stunned look. He sat up immediately, holding the phone in both hands.

"Oh wow! This is perfect." He threw a fisted hand in air, sitting with knees folded under him.

In the fall, somehow the header had opened, and some letters got deleted. The name on the folder now showed 'M  aina'.

He quickly filled in the missing letters, making the name complete...

Maina ❤ Meri Naina

Without another thought, he brought the phone to his lips, and kissed the name.

With a blissful smile, he got up to stand in front of the mirror. His eyes fell on the shoulder where her head rested. Placing a hand on his shirt, he tilted his head, "Ek din khuli aankhon se tum yahan hogi...  tab mujhe neend ka bahana nahi karna padega... aur na hi khud ko rokna padega, tumhare baalon ko chune se... Maina."

He loved the feel of this name... as if it was made only for him.

After he had freshened up, Ayush was hungry.

"Naina, mujhe milk shake chahiye. Roz deti ho na shaam ko... aaj maine piya hi nahi. Phir main big kaise hounga?" He grumbled.

"Ayush, ab der ho gayi hai. Milk shake piyega toh dinner kaise karega? Bas abhi neeche chalenge restaurant mein wahan kha lena." She checked the time in her phone.

"Toh chalo na. Abhi jaana hai mujhe." He whined, feeling hungry.

Sameer had told her they would go down to the hotel restaurant for dinner. He had asked her to be ready by eight. It was already five minutes to eight and she hadn't yet freshened up, being busy with Ayush who spent half an hour to check everything in the room, then peek out of the large glass window at the swimming pool.

A soft ring of the door bell made her frown.

"Uh Sameer sir, aap... aap chaliye mujhe paanch minute aur lagenge. I'll join you soon." She looked at him with a guilty expression.

"Mujhe bhi jaana hai, mujhe bhook lagi hai." Ayush came running to the door, hearing his friend's name.

In one glance, Sameer could assimilate that Ayush was dressed, and hungry. He must have been pestering Naina hence she couldn't get ready yet, standing in the same clothes that she had been wearing for the journey.

"Naina, main Ayush ko le jaata hun, tum aaram se aa jaana. I'll order something for him, he seems to be hungry." Sameer proffered.

She looked at Ayush, "Be a good boy. Aur idhar udhar kahin mat jaana. Sir ka haath pakad ke rakhna. Main bas abhi aati hun. Okay?"

He waved his head, stepping out and holding Sameer's hand with both of his, "Aise na?"

"Haan. Aise." Naina smiled, then looked at Sameer.

He blinked in assurance before she could speak, "Main iska khyal rakhunga. Tum aaram se aa jao."

She nodded, and watched as the two of them walked away through the long corridor to the lift.

The restaurant was quite big and spacious. Beautiful lamps hanging from the ceiling bathed it in a warm, diffused lighting, giving a cosy look. Sameer settled on a cushioned seat, making Ayush sit next to him. He immediately summoned the waiter and asked him to get mushroom soup first.

Ayush happily dangled his legs, looking around as he waited for the soup. Mention of mushroom had pacified him.

Sameer had purposely chosen a seat from where he could see the corridor next to the lift. His eyes kept flickering in the same direction.

As the soup was served, he shifted the bowl closer to Ayush, and placed a napkin over his legs. He even offered to feed him but Ayush refused, saying he was big enough to eat himself.

When his gaze darted back to the corridor, Sameer saw four boys standing and laughing over something. They appeared to have come out of the lift, and were almost blocking the passage. His eyes didn't move from them, neither did the boys budge from their place. Within a minute, he saw Naina turning into the passage.

Sameer stiffened, seeing her halt and probably mumble something. All boys looked in her direction. She waited, without looking up at them, and her lips moved again. Sameer clenched his teeth. He wanted to dash to her... but he couldn't leave Ayush alone.

Thankfully, two of the boys moved to the edge, and Naina walked ahead, still not looking up. Sameer fisted his hands under the table as he saw all four of them turning their necks in her direction, and ogling in a lecherous manner.

Sameer planned to get up and teach them some manners after Naina was there with Ayush, but the guys walked away.

"Arre waah. Tune poora soup finish kar diya." Naina slipped in the opposite seat, and smiled warmly at Ayush, unaware of the volcano next to him.

"Lekin mujhe aur bhook lagi hai." Ayush pushed away the bowl.

Naina looked at Sameer, "Aapne order kar diya?"

"No. You decide." He said in a clipped voice, giving her the menu.

If Naina did sense the change in his voice she didn't say so, quietly taking the menu from him. She asked his opinion on a few dishes, and placed the order when he simply dipped his head in acceptance.

Once the food was served, and Ayush had his whole attention in eating his pasta, Sameer lifted his eyes to her, "Unn boys ne tumse kuch kaha?"

Naina shook her head, her eyes lowered.

Sameer softened his voice, "Dekho Naina, yeh ek reputed hotel hai. Hum unki complaint kar sakte hain. Please tell me."

She raised her head, looking directly at him, "They were blocking the way. Maine pehli baar excuse me kaha toh unhone react nahi kiya. Lekin second time kaha toh hat gaye. They didn't say a word to me... and I didn't look at them. Kya complain karenge?"

He saw the hatred in her eyes, and his heart melted, "No... I mean... agar tumhe uncomfortable lage kuch bhi toh bata dena. Mujhe unka mannerism thoda indecent laga isliye pucha. Aur kuch nahi."

She swallowed, covering her eyes behind lashes. When she looked up again after a few moments, the usual soft, but vacant look was back in her eyes, "Aise log har jagah hote hain, sir. Except in your office. I'm thankful for the environment that you have created in the office. Wahan sach mein lagta hai ek alag duniya hai... pehli baar aisa feel hota hai jaise har ladki ko respect milti hai... warna iss basic right ke liye bhi ladkiyon ko ladna padta hai... more so if they're alone. I can never thank you people enough for creating this safe, secure and much needed world."

Next update tomorrow evening