Recap :"When did you see  my son ? "........ " At the mall"

Naina looked at Rajveer before quickly turning to Nandini.

Naina: Sure....Bye. Bye, jaan. Jaldi ghar aana.

Naina left. Rajveer looked at her retreating figure.  She hid emotions well in front of Nandini, but he knew what was coming. Sighing, he  opened the file Nandini brought for him.

Nandini was still looking at the door.

Nandini : She seems very nice. A lot like Naveen.

Except in anger management, thought Rajveer.

Rajveer: Hmm..

Nandini : Don't you think she is a little young for you ?

Rajveer snapped the file shut and looked at Nandini with a hand on his hip. Nandini, who just realized she spoke aloud..

Nandini : Sorry...I was just...I ' ll come back later.

She ran out of the cabin. 

***************************************

In the evening, Rajveer went to the park to look for Naina as she wasn't in the house. He finally spotted her on a bench. She was sitting with Naveen on her lap, pointing to the various colours and birds and butterflies. She was laughing and kissing him, playing with him.

 Rajveer just stood enjoying the view. The two people most important in his life, his world. Naina was the love of of his life, his soulmate. Her love made him strong, gave him inspiration to be a good husband, father and officer. It made him wake up every day with hope and go to sleep every night in peace and contentment. Rajveer wondered how he found someone like her. Someone so pure, honest and brave. She always fought for the right thing and had the courage to do so in the worst of the situations. She wasn't too soft or romantic, but always made him feel special with her unwavering trust and adoration. She gave him his space when necessary and demanded his love with right. Looking at her was enough to make him feel secure and loved.

As for Naveen, Rajveer din't know he could love anyone that much. From the moment he held him, he felt such belonging and protectiveness, he never knew existed. He would hold his finger in his tiny hand or look up at him and Rajveer's heart would burst with joy.

Rajveer moved towards them slowly. Naina looked up at him, so did Naveen. Naveen practically left out of his mother's arms. Rajveer picked him up and threw him lightly in the air, catching him immediately. Naveen laughed at the thrill.

"gaga" he cooed.

"Gaga nahi..papa bol...kab bolega bacha tu huh ?" asked Rajveer, kissing him. "Itna toh teri mumma ne bhi mujhe nahi tarsaya I love u bolne ke liye".

Naina smirked at his comment. Rajveer sat next to her on the bench. 

Rajveer : Waise itni buri nahi hai tumhari mumma. Bohot pyaari hai..choti choti baaton pe naraz nahi hoti...bohot jald maaf kardeti hai..

Naina: Haan...aur aap iss baat ka phayda uthake mujhse baatein chupate hai..

Rajveer : Naina...

Naina looked at him. Rajveer held his ear. "Sorry" said Rajveer genuinely. Naina considered him for a minute. "Fine.." she said.

**********************************

They put Naveen to sleep in the crib. Tired from his trip, Naveen slept quickly. Both Rajveer and Naina looked at him sleeping peacefully, hands curled up. They just couldn't get enough of their little bundle of joy. Forcing themselves to look away, they retreated silently towards the sofa in their room.

 Naina: I don't know how I can go back to work, jaan. The thought of leaving him even for a few hours....I don't think I can..

  Rajveer : I know Naina, I know. But, he needs to see his mother work....that's how he' ll grow up to be you.

Naina smiled. The way he respects women was his most admirable quality. 

She got up looking into his eyes. She went forward not breaking eye contact. She slowly sat on his lap, facing him, her legs on either side of his. Rajveer lifted his hands to cup her face. He slowly pulled her closer to him and kissed her softly on her lips. Naina was in no mood today for foreplay. She grabbed his collar and deepened the kiss. Rajveer's hands went into her hair first and then onto her back. As their passion grew, Rajveer held her hips and pulled her closer.

His phone rang...

Rajveer opened his eye and looked at the screen...Nandini calling..

He ignored it. Naina was in full form after many days...There was no way he was going to let anyone disturb that, he thought. 

Naina was kissing his neck and Rajveer was moaning when the cell rang again...

Naina looked up,  grabbed the cell phone and gave it to him and continued her work. With Naina still kissing him, he picked up the phone...

"Anything urgent ?" he asked irritably.  As he heard the other person speaking, he expression changed.  Feeling him go stiff, Naina looked up and slowly moved out of his lap and sat beside him.

Rajveer cut the call, and looked at Naina. 

"It was someone at the Bar..Nandini got drunk and...I din't fully understand...some trouble. I need to go " he said.

Naina nodded. Rajveer got up quickly, put on a jacket and rushed out.

*******************************

As Rajveer went into the bar, the bar owner came forward.

"She has been crying and not leaving no matter how many times we asked. She was throwing chairs, when we denied service."

Rajveer went to Nandini. " Nandini...kya hai yeh...chalo quarters chodta hu mein tumhe.."

"Nai...merko aur ek drink chahiye...mein aaj celebrate kar rahi hu..." she said, totally drunk..." Aaj mein aazad hui hu...My divorce has been finalized..."

Rajveer looked at her shocked. Not knowing what to say, he quickly held her hand and turned her too take her home. Nandini was very drunk, and was falling on every step. Rajveer lifted her up and carried her towards the quarters.

Placing her on the bed, he turned to get some water. 

"Raj.." called Nandini, getting up from her bed.." Tum kitne caring ho...kitne sweet...why did I let you go ?"

Rajveer stared at her blankly.

"She came closer to him. " I missed you Raj....Letting you go was the biggest mistake of my life..."

Raj just looked at her. She was standing so close to him..way too close.

Nandini came forward and placed her lips on his. Rajveer actually remembered what it was like to kiss her. He held her and kissed her back...

"Rajveer..Nahiiiii" Naina woke up with a scream.

Rajveer woke up next to her startled. Naveen started crying.

"Naina , are you alright ?" asked Rajveer, concerned.

As Naina guaged her surrounding, it became clear to her that it was a dream...not a dream, a nightmare, she thought. Rajveer went to the crib to pick Naveen up and soothe him.

As Naina gulped down some water, Rajveer came back to the bed with Naveen in his arms.

"Kya hua, Naina ?" he asked.

Naina took a deep breath to control herself. She looked towards him.

"Kuch nai..bus bura sapna dekha... mujhe dijiye usse."

Though Naveen had calmed down, he was fidgeting, annoyed at being woken up.

Naina clutched him close to her rubbing his back. Inhaling his mother's scent he closed his eyes again. He clutched her neck and slept off on her shoulder.

Rajveer continued to look at Naina. He kind of guessed what she had seen in her dream, that made her react like that. 

As Naveen was totally asleep, Naina put him on her lap, stroking his hair. She looked at rajveer.

" Rajveer.." she started.

"Naina, kya meine aaj tak tumhe apne pyaar ka ehsaas nahi dila paaya hun ? yakeen nahi dila paaya hun ki mein sirf tumse pyaar karta hu ?" asked Rajveer softly.

"Aisi baat nahi hai , Jaan.." said Naina.

"Toh phir kya hai ? You have been possessive before but I ' m seeing you insecure for the first time" said Rajveer.

"Kyunki...kyunki you were in love with this women. It's not some random girl...you actually had a place in your heart for her...confessed your feelings to her...thought about a life together with her.....I..I  get scared that all those old feelings will somehow come back..." said Naina, pain evident in her voice.

" Naina..." started Rajveer, not exactly knowing how to make her understand. " You are just looking at one side of the coin...There was also a lot of pain, hatred, distance and heartbreak in that relationship."

"Jaan...let's just do this...give me 5 questions...you answer them honestly and we'll never talk about this again" said Naina.

"Okk" said Rajveer wondering how 5 questions will make her more secure.

Naina perked up, lifted Naveen and put him in the crib. She came back and took a deep breath.

"One...How did you two meet ?" asked Naina.

Rajveer sighed.  This wasn't going to be easy. Recalling the memories was highly uncomfortable. But anything for his darling wife, he thought.

"In KMA...She was my junior. We met when we were ragging the 1 st years. She quickly became a good friend and started hanging out with me and Chauhan. We kind of became a close knit gang."

"Wow..KMA was really lucky for your love life.." commented Naina, dryly.

  "Two...Why did you like her ?"  

Rajveer felt uneasy talking about this to her.

"I...I liked that she was very herself...no mask...very energetic, bubbly, happy go lucky girl.."

"Three...Did you want to marry her ?"

"Hmm...eventually yes...not immediately..I wanted to learn to be a good officer first...had my goals and all...."

"Why did you break up ?"

Rajveer took a deep breath.

"We started drifting apart. I was posted in tough locations. Din't have much time to spend. Did not get leaves easily...I was enjoying my work and was not able to pay that much attention to her. She wanted my time and attention and ..you know..we started having more fights than conversations...her parents were asking her to meet guys for marriage...she met them...and one day...she just told me...she doesn't like the life in army anymore and that she is getting married..."

Naina stared at him with a look of shock on her face.

"Well...it was my fault that I din't give her a commitment and din't have the courage to talk to her parents." he said

Naina couldn't believe it.  This woman who was in a relationship with him, suddenly met someone, saw a better life and dumped him, and here he is thinking this was his fault. She could easily imagine how heartbroken he must have been, how humiliated. She felt unknown hatred for Nandini, for breaking his heart.

"Naina" he asked waving his hand. "kaha kho gayi ? "

"Haan...woh...last question" she said.

Rajveer gestured her to ask wondering what it will be. He was already feeling exhausted.

"Did Naveen bhayya like you together? she asked.

Rajveer looked at her surprised. Not in a million years, would he have expected this question. 

"Naina, yeh kya sawal hai ?"

"Boliye na plz..it's important ..." she said.

Completely thrown off, he thought about this.  Naveen was never the one to comment on other people's personal lives. 

"He was happy for me...encouraged me to confess my feelings...but..once.." said Rajveer, thinking

Flashback

Naveen and rajveer were sitting on top of a hill on KMA grounds...They had stolen beer and were totally drunk...they were laughing and enjoying themselves.

"I really..really lover her Naveen...She makes me feel alive..." said Rajveer standing up and yelling out his feelings.

Naveen who was siting down, looked at him.. " Abbe, itna mat uchal ki ladki pat gayi...jab gale mein patta bandh degi na..tab pata chalega..." teased Naveen.

"Yaar...tujhe samajh nahi aa raha..I love her..." he yelled again, making it echo.

Both sat down laughing.

Naveen looked at Rajveer seriously. "Raj, you are 100 % sure about her na?...I don't know why, but I have a wierd feeling "

Rajveer looked at Naveen. " Wierd feeling ?" he asked.

Naveen looked at him, coming out of his trance, realizing he said too much.

"yaa" he said smiling.." jaise mein ulti karne wala hoon.." 

Rajveer ran away from there.

"May be he had his doubts. He knew she wasn't right for me " said rajveer, ralizing it for the first time.

he looked over at Naina. She was smiling broadly.

"What ?" he asked.

"Nothing"she replied. "It's late. Let's go back to sleep." 

Naina switched off the lights ad made herself comfortable in his arms. 

Rajveer din't understand what happened, but Naina was sleeping peacefully, relaxed. It was as if a load had been lifted off her.

Looking at her, he too closed his eyes, hugging her .

Both her brother and her were weird, he decided.

***************************The end ******************************