Swati: Sameer! Aur kitni dur!?

Sameer: Swati bhabhi, bas thodi hi dur hai....

Anjali: Thodi dur thodi dur karke adhe ghante se chal hi rahe hai.....Raghav! Mujhse aur chala nahi jaata 😩

As the fort is situated on the lap of the mountains, cars can't reach their directly. Either you walk to the fort or take an elephant ride. And being a marwadi , Sameer convinced everyone for the first option.

Pandit: Sameer! Sun! Ab jitna hi rasta hai na, utna haathi par chalte hai na please! Dekh, meri Anju ke pao dard karne lage hai. Humari na sahi, apni biwi ko dekh! Naina bhabhi bhi kuch kam dard nahi seh rahi.....

Sameer looked at Naina, and noticed that her face had got red due to exhaustion and tiredness was clearly written all over her face but due to reluctance, she couldn't voice her discomfort. Sameer mentally slapped himself for letting his dear wife bear so much pain.

He didn't waste a second, and immediately halted the elephant owner approaching them. Two elephants were arranged for them, Mundit and their wives in one and Samaina with Pranati and Pralay in the second one.

Munna: Ponga yaar! Teri yeh aadat mujhe bahut pasand hai. Sahi time par sahi ball phenkna acche se aata hai tujhe!

Pandit: Phekni padi! Nahi toh yeh marwadi, aaj humara tel nikal deta chala chalake. Ek bhi paisa kharch kahan karta hai yeh!

Swati: Tel isliye nikalta kyunki, yeh pet nikla huya hai tum dono ka. Aur Sameer ko dekho ek gram bhi extra fat nahi hoga uske sharir mein. Daily workout karta hai!

Anjali: Haan! Aur tum dono, daily bahar kuch na kuch thosste rehte ho 🙄🙄🙄

Munna: Deviyon! Hum bhi shaadi se pehle Sameer ki tarah fit and fine the! Tum dono ke aane se, humari extra fat badhi, tasty tasty khana khake....

Pandit (murmuring): Aur extra tension aur kharche bhi!!

Anjali: Kya kaha tumne 😒😒

Pandit bit his tongue and said: Maine kya kaha!? Kuch bhi toh nahi. Woh dekho! Yahan se fort kitna khubsurat dikh raha hai.

Anjali narrowed her eyes and after giving a deadly glare to him, looked at the scenic beauty. While on other side, Pranati and Pralay were engaging Samaina in a conversation.

Pralay: Aur Bade chachaji ne itna daanta mujhe uss din ki pucho maat!

Sameer: Maine kabhi bhi Papaji ko gusse mein nahi dekha aur na hi unhe kabhi kisike upar chidhte dekha hai.

Pralay: Badi Chachi ke jaane tak woh aisse the. Jab unka dehant hua uske baad se Chachaji ne khudko badal diya. Woh extra loving aur caring ban gaye.

Naina: Main Maa ke jaane tak, Papa se bahut darti thi. Woh jaldi gussa ho jaate the, humesha kudkud karte the. Par Maa ke baad, unka gussa mujhe kabhi dikha nahi. Khaskar mere liye, bilkul khatam hogaya tha. Inn das saalon, unhone mujhe pyaar kiya hai, mujhe samjhaya hai, mujhe khana khilaya hai par kabhi danta nahi.

Pranati: Haan, aur Naina ke hisse ki dant aur kudkud hum sab par divert hogaya hai 😂😂

Pralay: Tum toh bolo hi maat! Ghar mein Naina ke baad sabse ladli tum hi ho. Sirf ek chink aane par pura ghar sar par utha leti hai meri pyaari Matashri and Chachishri. Doctor ki toh line lagti hai, uff! Itna special treatment mujhe, Naina aur Preeti ko bhi nahi mili aaj tak!

Pranati: Kuch bhi!

Pralay: Kya kuch bhi!? Sach hai yeh! Pralay Agrawal kabhi jhooth nahi bolta, samjhi Mrs. Agrawal!?

Pranati: Ahahahaha! Tumne mujhe kitne baar jhooth kaha hai! Woh sab bhool gaye?

Pralay: Kab? Mujhe toh yaad nahi!

Pranati: Abhi yaad dilati hun! Kuch hafte pehle jab main, Preeti aur Naina tumhare saath shopping jaane ko nikle the, tab kisi ka phone aaya tha yeh kehne ki woh apne kisi client ke saath important meeting mein busy hai. Toh hum teeno, cab karke shopping jaaye. Jab ki asliyat mein woh insaan, R city mall ke gaming zone mein apne doston ke saath bowling kar raha tha 😒

Pralay: Ah...ab....wo...woh client mera dost hi tha. Aur tumhe pata hai na, mere liye clients kitne important hote hai. Nahi toh main definitely tum teeno ke saath shopping jaata. Akhir tumhare shopping bags jo uthane the, nahi toh tumhare haath dard nahi karte unhe pakad pakad ke.

Pranati: Accha!? Aissi baat hai! Toh uss din tumne mujhe aissa kyun kaha tha ki Shopping malls mein bhi coolie rehne chahiye! Auraton ke shopping bags uthane ke liye taaki unke pati unka coolie na ban jaaye!

Pralay: Maine kab aissa kaha?

Pranati: Tumhare college reunion wale din. Jab tum aur tumhare woh dost, drink karke apni biwiyon ko apne dil ke raaz bata rahe the. Ussi din, tumhare muh se yeh raaz nikla tha. Kuch yaad aaya!?

Pralay flustered listening to the incident and immediately decided to stop this "Exposing Pralay" programme then and there.

Pralay: Kya tum bhi, purani baaton ko leke baith gayi. Woh bhi humare jamai raja, Sameer ke saamne!

Pranati: Kyun bhai!? Sameer humari family ka hissa hai. Usse bhi pata chalna chahiye ki unke saale sahab kya kya karte aur kehte hai....Kyun Sameer?

Sameer: Ah...bilkul! I don't mind knowing them.

Pralay: But I mind! Kuch achhi baatein ho toh bolo. Yeh kya meri pol khol kar rahi ho. Naina tu bol na kuch, apni Bhabhi ko! Ya apni teaming yahan bhi chalu rakhegi!!

Pranati: Naina se kya puch rahe ho!? Woh shuru se meri team mein hai.

Pralay: Naina! Tu humare 24 saal ke rishte ko kamzor hone degi! Tu meri behen bachpan se aur Pranati ki nanand bas do saal se hai! Teri bhaiya wali rakhi se zyada strong hai bhabhi wali rakhi 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Naina: Bhaiya.....

Pranati: Pralay yaar! Tum Naina ko emotional blackmail nahi kar sakte! This is not fair yaar!

Pralay: Everything is fair in love, wifey ❤️

Seeing Pranati 's grumpy face, Pralay wounded his arms around her, and started to get cosy. Noticing which, Sameer diverted his gaze and looked front. But to his dismay, the elephant of the other two couples was infront of them and they too were busy in their bubble and were showcasing their love publicly. Although, Sameer was a great adorer of their love but seeing them romancing together pricked his heart and he got little uncomfortable with that.

Having married to the only woman, he fell in love with, and still not able to hold her hand casually without any solid reason anytime and anywhere was something very painful for him. But just for her comfort, he chose to do so. He mentally scolded himself for being envious towards his own friends and their spouses.

Naina could very well notice his changing expressions and she knew that this was because of her only. If only she was happy with the alliance, maybe she could come to the page of allowing him to hold her closer. But she wasn't. Or maybe thought so. Still coming out of the zone of not accepting new relations, she found it difficult to see Sameer under the light of a husband. Giving him the liberty to get cosy with her was next to impossible for her right now.

Sameer: Naina!

Sameer was calling Naina continuously from the past 2-3 mins. But she was lost in her thoughts so he had to climb on the elephant again and shake her out of her thoughts.

Naina: Jj....Ji Sameer Ji....

Sameer: Hum pahunch gaye, Naina! Chalo utro. Andar chalna hai na.

Naina nodded her head and carefully descended on the wooden ladder holding the side support rather than his hand which he had forwarded. This hurt Sameer a little but he didn't let it come on his face, but this didn't go unnoticed by their company.

Sameer: Bhai sa! Kitna hua aapka?

Elephant man: Ah....bhayo do haathi ka 600 rupaiya!

Sameer: Thik hai...yeh lijiye.

The fort was an epitome of beauty, elegance and artistic skills. Each wall of the fort was a live example of how creative and skilled the craftsman were in the yesteryears. All of them clicked lots of pictures in every corner of the fort. Solo pictures, group pictures, family picture of Samaina and Pranati Pralay, and many more kind of pictures were clicked. But when Munna asked Sameer and Naina to stand closer for a couple picture, Sameer got happy and set his hair too when Naina changed the topic and diverted everyone's attention towards a small puppet show going on.

Another wave of hurt and awkwardness hit Sameer, and he hastily excused himself from the crowd with the excuse of an important call. He had a lone tear formed at the corner of his eyes as he had created a small bubble of happiness and hope seeing Naina's changing demeanor after last night's incident and how she sat next to him in the car this morning. But his bubble was bursted with her hesitancy in going somewhere alone with him, not accepting his hand support for climbing down the wooden ladder and now not clicking pictures alone with him.

Sameer: Naina....tum kyun mujhe ummid dikha ke phir andhere mein dhakel rahi ho. Che mahino se koshish kar raha hun tumhe apne pass laane ko. Par tum....

Sameer wiped the lone tear and looked at the happy face of Naina without any hesitation and awkwardness which is clearly visible whenever he is around her. He gave a small smile at the lock screen wallpaper of his phone and wearing his shades went near them.

By the time, he approached them, the show was over. And they were ready for leaving. Sameer had mentally noted to give more space to Naina. He had brought her here for giving relaxation time and he didn't want to intrude in it. So giving an excuse of pain in his feet, he hired three elephants, one for him alone, one for Naina with her bhaiya bhabhi with whom she can actually be happy and one for Mundit and Swanjali. But Pralay insisted of accompanying him after Pranati's convincing.

Pralay: Sameer! Vivek Uncle bata rahe the ki aapki nayi jewellery collection aane wali hai yeh ancient architecture and design se inspiration leke.

Sameer: Haan! Aane toh wali hai. Jaisa ki tum abhi dekh sakte ho, uss waqt ki kargari picturesque thi, fine and flawless. Aaj tak waisi artistry kahan hai? Jo jewellery designers ki course hoti hai wahan bhi contemporary designs zyada sikhayi jaati hai. Aap jab foreign country mein product launch karte ho tab contemporary style thik hai par India mein traditional designs ki demand zyada hai. Aur toh aur, agar kisi ek company ki designs stock fully sold ho jaati hai toh jhat se baaki companies unki hybrid design banake bechna shuru kar lete hai.

Pralay: Woh toh sahi hai. Aaj kal business mein bahut log copy karna shuru kar rahe hai. Humari export company ko dekh lo. Kisi ne nahi socha hoga ki yahan bhi ideas churaye ja sakte hai. Hum pehle by road ya by air export karte the. Par kuch kuch samman hote hai na, jo ya toh bahut delicate hote hai aur expensive ki unki transport mein client zyada kharcha nahi karna chahta toh by water rasta dhundhte hai. Toh humne socha ki hum bhi by water ka provision rakhe. Humare sochke planning karne ke andar hum jis bank se ship ke liye loan lene gaye wahan already kisine aissa ek loan request kiya tha.

Sameer: Tch! Yeh hi toh problem hai. Koi mehnat nahi karna chahta. Khair kya hi kar sakte hai. Hum bas apni companies ko ucchi udaan dene ke liye mehnat kar sakte hai.

Pralay: Sahi kaha!

On the other side, Pranati finally got an opportunity to ask Naina for her cold behavior with Sameer in the entrance.

Pranati: Naina! Tere dimaag mein yeh kya chal raha hai?

Naina: Kya hua Bhabhi? Aap aisse kyun puch rahi ho?

Pranati: Naina! Maan ki tu....tu shaadi nahi karna chahti thi. Par ab teri shaadi hogayi hai na. Toh tujhe ab apne aur Sameer ke iss rishte ko mauka dena hoga. Tu aisse usse dur rahegi toh apne rishte ko, aur apne beech ke iss uncomfortableness ko dur kaise karegi?

Naina: Bhabhi, aap yeh kya bol rahi hai mujhe kuch samjh nahi aa raha hai.

Pranati: Tu sab samjh rahi hai. Main janti hun! Isliye, na samjh banne ka natak maat kar, aur saaf saaf bata!

Naina: Kya bataun Bhabhi? Batane ke liye kuch naya nahi hai mere paas. Pehle hi main shaadi karne ke khilaf thi par aap sabne milkar mujhe convince kiya karne ko. Itna kaafi nahi tha ki mujhe parso Sameer Ji ne kaha ki woh mujhse pyaar karte hai, ussi din se jabse unhone meri photo dekhi thi. Ab jab unhe mujhse pyaar hai aur mujhe yeh baat pata hai toh woh yeh hi expect karenge na ki main unke gestures ko reciprocate karun. Bhabhi, main unhe bas ek dost ke nazariye se dekhti hun. Maana ki woh mere Pati hai par unko uss tarike se ab tak nahi dekh pa rahi hun. Toh kya jabardasti karun apne saath? Taaki woh khush rahe?

Pranati: Naina, jab tak tu kadam aage nahi uthayegi tab tak tu Sameer ko ek dost ke saath saath ek husband ke nazar se kaise dekhegi? Aur uska haath pakad ke neeche utarne mein kya problem thi tujhe? Ek dost ka bhi haath pakad ke uttra ja sakta hai na. Tune uski sakal dekhi thi uss waqt kaisa murjha gaya tha. Sabke saamne tune yeh dikha diya ki tujhe uski support ki jarrorat nahi. Tu yeh shaadi nahi karna chahti thi yeh baat sirf mujhe, Pralay, Sameer aur humare family members ko pata hai. Sameer ki family aur uske dost yeh nahi jaante hai. Toh unhe kyun yeh jatana chahti hai ki tu iss shaadi se khush nahi hai.
Accha ek baat bata, tujhe Sameer ne parso bataya na ki woh tujhse pyaar karta. Toh kya in do dino mein, Sameer ne tere saath koi bhi jabardasti ki? Bina wajah tera haath pakada? Tujhe hug kiya? Tere gaal par ya kahin bhi kiss kiya? Tere saath physical hone ki koshish ki? Nahi na!

Naina: Par Bhabhi.....

Pranati: Par kya Naina!? Par kya!? Tera koi bhi explanation isko explain nahi kar sakta ki kyun tu apni wish usse share nahi karti, kyun uski help leke tu neeche nahi uttari, kyun uske saath single photo lene ko razi nahi huyi. Naina! Jab tak tu effort nahi dalegi tab tak tera rishta Sameer ke saath kaise majboot banega? Woh koshish kar raha hai tujhe apna banane ki. Tu bhi kar. Nahi toh.....nahi toh tum dono ka rishta tootne mein der nahi lagegi. Aur tab chahkar bhi tu kuch nahi kar payegi.

Pranati didn't say anything else after that and left Naina to process the things in her mind. It was true that Sameer didn't impose any of his husband rights on her, after his confession. Rather he cleared the haziness of her mind about the apprehensions she had towards herself and her family. She turned around to see him but he had his back facing her, so she failed to see his face.

Pandit: Chalo....din ki shuruwat achhi rahi. Sameer, ab kahan chale?

Sameer: Tum log kaho. Kahan chalna hai, jahan bologe wahan le jaunga.

Anjali: Ek kaam karte hai, kahin paas mein lunch kar lete hai. 01:30 ho raha hai, sabko bhookh bhi lagi hogi. Wahin decide karenge ki kahan chale.

Swati: Haan....bhookh toh lagi hai.

Sameer: Thik hai, main puch ke aata hun ki paas mein koi restaurant ya dhabba hai kya.

Naina: Sameer Ji...main bhi chalti hun aapke saath. Woh mujhe....mujhe uss dukaan se chewing gum leni thi.

Sameer nodded his head and walked till the shop maintaining a respectful distance from Naina. Naina found it odd as till today, he always kept his hand either on her back or had his shoulder touching hers whenever they were outside.

Naina (to herself) : Bhabhi sahi keh rahi thi. Inko uss baat ka bahut bura laga hai. Isliye mere aas paas bhi nahi reh rahe. Aaj subah kitne khush the, main yeh kya kar diya. Kal hi humne apas mein baat ki aur unhone meri saari chinta dur ki. Aur aaj main.....mujhe unse maafi mangni chahiye. Par kya woh mujhse maaf karenge?

Naina: Ah.... Sameer Ji.

Sameer: It's ok Naina....Main samjhta hun.

Naina: Aa...aap aapko kaise pata main kya kehne wali hun??

Sameer smiled a bit at her and said: Bas pata hai. Tumhara dukaan aagaya. Tum apne liye chewing gum ya kuch candy le lo. Nahi toh raste mein ultiyan hogi. Gaadi mein candy khatam hogayi hai.

Naina: Aapko kaise pata ki mujhe ultiyan hoti hai. Ab yeh maat kehna ki bas pata hai.

Sameer: Papaji ne bataya mujhe aaj subah call karke. Aur jab aap kisi se pyaar karte ho toh unki aadatein jaan jaate hai. Aur unki khushi aur comfort ke liye kuch bhi kar sakte hai.

Naina was gaping at his retreating figure, what was he? She has been constantly hurting his sentiments by showing her coldness towards his gestures since six months and he is busy learning about her and trying to make her happy and comfortable. How can he be so good and understanding? Seriously what good deeds did she had done in the previous life to get such a man in her life.

When Sameer approached her and was about to walk further, she held his hand with one hand and her right ear with another.

Naina: Sameer Ji....mujhe pata hai ki aap mujhse upset hai. Aur maine janbujh ke aapke saath aissa behave nahi kiya. Woh actually..... Actually jab Pralay Bhaiya ne uss waqt Bhabhi ke gaalon par kiss kiya aur uske baad unka private moment shuru hua tab maine dekha aap kaise uncomfortable hogaye the aur main aapki mann ki baat samjh pa rahi thi. Ussi guilty or frustration mein, maine aapka haath nahi pakda aur aapke saath photo nahi li. Actually meri yeh chidchidahat ka reason kuch aur bhi hai.....

Naina looked at her feet and was thinking how to reveal the real reason. Seeing Naina struggling, Sameer held her face in his palm and asked: Kya baat hai Naina? Batao mujhe. Subah tum bilkul thik thi. Koi hesitancy nahi thi. Mere saath normal behave kar rahi thi. Phir kya hua?

Naina: Woh...woh meri tabiyat kharab ho gayi....

Sameer: Kyaaaa!!?? Kya hua tumhe? Bukhar hai kya ya pet mein dard ho raha hai?? Batao, kya ho raha hai, hum chalte hai doctor ke paas...

Naina: Sameer Ji....na hi mujhe bukhar aaya hai aur na hi waisi wali tabiyat kharab huyi hai meri.

Sameer: Hein!? Toh kaisi wali tabiyat kharab huyi hai tumhari? Maine toh bas ek type ki hi tabiyat kharab suni hai 🙄🙄

Naina: Oh ho! Sameer ji! Yeh type ki tabiyat sirf ladkiyon ki kharab hoti hai.....

Sameer was not able to understand what she was trying to say. But then when he took little bit of time, and started adding things up. He understood what she was saying.

Sameer: Oooooo tumhare periods aagaye subah. Bataya kyun nahi!? Hum nahi aate ghumne. Tumhara badan dard kar raha hoga aur tum yahan aagayi aur toh aur itni chadhai ki aur haath par baithke aayi.

Naina: Sameer Ji, main sabka plan cancel nahi karna chahti thi.

Sameer: Arrey par inn sab mein agar tumhe aur zyada taklif hoti toh? Baakiyon ke liye main tumhari health par koi asar nahi padne de sakta! Tumhe kuch hogaya toh mera kya hoga?? Mujhe koun sambhalega! Pehle tum laparvahi karti thi apne aap ko leke. Par ab se aissa nahi chalega!

Naina smiled seeing his concern and nodded her head in yes.

When Sameer reached near the company, he informed everyone that after lunch, he and Naina would be heading back to the hotel as Naina isn't feeling well. Seeing the couple patch up, and back to their normal self nobody intervened and agreed to give them some alone time.