I splashed water on my face, wiping it almost clean. It was afternoon. We all were tired after playing holi. Though we had tried to leave the maidan but some neighbours had caught up with us and held us back. Amrit and Mukund had vanished for a short while. When they reappeared, Mukund had a big wicked grin on his face and Amrit, an unsure but mischievous one. This boy had definitely convinced my wife of some mischief. Oh! And he wasn't a boy anymore. I need to be careful.

'Kya hua Amrit?', I asked her casually.
She turned to me startled. I had probably interrupted a train of thoughts. 'Kuch nahi! Kuch bhi nahi!', she replied promptly.
Poor Amrit! Doesn't she realize I can see right through her. I suppressed a chuckle with a fist covering my mouth. I was probably the one who was going to be pranked but I find it funny!? Strange!
Just then Mukund came to me, 'Yaar Randheer maza nahi aaya ab tak! Koi muqabla shuqabla ho toh jashn mein maza aaye!'
'Par rang waala muqaabla toh ho gaya na!', Vashma remarked with a confused look.
'Woh toh jeet gaye na ye dono!', he fretted. 'Hume ek aur mauka milna chaahiye!'
All of us exchanged blank looks.
'Panja ladaane ka muqaabla hona chaahiye!', he announced.
'Usme toh bada maza aayega!', Radha ji exclaimed in delight.
'Haan kar sakte hain!', Vashma replied and then started looking around. After while she pointed towards a set of chairs and table. 'Wahan wahaan! Wahaan koi baitha nahi hai!'
And before I knew it, we were all walking towards the table.

'Pehla Muqabla, main aur Randheer!', he said firmly. Everyone readily agreed so I moved to sit down across him.
'Arey aise koi muqaabla thode hi hota hai. Koi inaam-saza bhi toh honi chaahidi hai', Radha bhaabhi suggested.
'Bilkul sahi keh rahe ho tussi!', he remarked, sitting down. 'Agar main jeeta toh main jo kahunga, isse karna padega. Waise hi agar ye jeet gaya toh ye jo kahega woh main karunga!'
I looked at him with narrowed eyes. What's the catch? Vashma too looked at him skeptically.
'Kya hua? Aise ghoor kyun rahe ho mujhe?', he asked innocently. 'Seedhi seedhi toh baat ki maine!'
'Aapki seedhi baat mein mujhe bharosa kyun nahi ho raha hai?', Vashma remarked.
'Woh isilye ki tumhe meri baaton pe shaq karne ki aadat ho gayi hai', he said cheekily.
Both of us still looked at him with raised eyebrows and we definitely did not believe him.
'Ohji khel shuru karte hain na. Je kuch gadbad hogi toh aaphi pata chal jaana hai!', Radha bhaabhi said impatiently. Amrit just smiled to herself.

Across the table, I and Mukund gripped each other's hands positioning ourselves for the arm wrestling. Amrit settled down beside me while Radha ji sat down beside him. Vashma did not pick sides. Rather she volunteered to referee.
'Ek do teen – shuru!', she signaled with a clap. Both I and Mukund looked at each other intently to win. As soon as she clapped we shifted our focus to exert all the force we could to force the other's arm down the table top. All three of them cheered for us. 
That's when I felt toes slightly grazing my leg. I stiffened.
Amrit clearly knows the power she holds over me. And to my surprise she has begun wielding that power quite ... meticulously.
There and then, I lost.

'Inni jaldi tussi kivein har gaye?!', Radha Bhabhi exclaimed in bewilderment.

I turned towards Amrit but she was looking down with a suppressed faint blush. Vashma looked at Mukund, Amrit and then towards me. What do I even say to my defense? That I had been tricked? And how so? I don't even have an answer to that.

'Ye muqabla main nahi maanti!', Radha bhaabhi firmly said.
'Arey par?!-' ,Mukund protested.
'Arey!! Inni jaldi koi thode hi haarta hai! Nahi nahi Damaadji dubaara hona chaida muqabla! Chalo chalo tussi dono dubaara taiyaar ho jao!'
Amrit looked taken a back for a while but then she straightened herself.
I turned to Vashma and tried to gesture her to take Amrit away. But she couldn't decipher my hint and kept asking in signs, what I meant.
'Vashma!!', Mukund waved a hand in front of her.
'Ji jijaaji!', she said promptly.
'Kya soch rahi ho? Khel shuru karwao!'
'Ji', she said dubiously and then signalled, 'Ek do teen shuru!'

And the contest began again. I tried with all my might to win. He too did. Atleast he was leaving no stone unturned in the effort. We wrestled for a while. I was losing but I recovered. It was so much fun, Radha Bhaabhi and Vashma were cheering with all the energy. I and Mukund stared each other down. But another brush of her toes and with a thud I lost.
I looked at Mukund, mouth agape who returned me a roguish smile. Guilty as charged.
Radha bhaabhi consoled me.'Arey! Koi nai ji! Ye jeet gaye toh kya hua. Tussi udaas nahi hona. Kade kade ho jaata hai!'
I half-expected Mukund to leap to his feet and start performing bhangra there but he didn't.
'Main abhi aaya', he said with a glint in his eyes and rushed away. He returned after a couple of minutes with a tray full of glasses.
'Tujhe ye saari thandai peeni padegi!', he said with a wink.
'Saari?!', I exclaimed. 'Par yeh toh bohot zyaada hai!'
'Par yahi toh saza hai!', he said cross-armed. He knew I didn't like thandaai. And I had the inkling that Mukund being Mukund, this wasn't just thandai. He had definitely mixed bhang in it.
'Chal ab jaldi!', he ordered.
'Ab toh baat maan'ni padegi', Radha bhabhi said with a comforting frown. 'Par chalo inni saari nahi. Ek-ya do glass bas. Inni saari se tabiyat bigad gayi toh?'
Mukund reluctantly agreed. I looked at her with a sigh of relief. She was a real savior.
Giving Mukund a death stare, I picked up a glass. He made a teasing face. Amrit and Vashma are nowhere to be seen.

*

'Mukund!', I said, slightly out focus.
'Haan...?!', came the reply. He was sitting beside me with a big wide grin on his face. We were seated on the front steps of some house in the neighbourhood seemingly.
'Aisa ...kyun lag raha hai ki voh ghar humaari taraf aa raha hai', I pointed at a distance. 
He chuckled and asked, 'Aur kya kya lag raha hai?'

'Oh tussi innu bhang pila di?!', Radha ji exclaimed in shock.
'Bhaang ?!', I leapt up to my feet. 'Nahi nahi bhaabhi maine koi bhang waang nahi pi'
'Oh channa...', Mukund trailed off. 'Bas thodi si...', he said sheepishly.
'Tuhaada dimaag kharab ho gaya ki?!', she burst out.
'Ohji tussi shaant ho jaao. Kuch nahi hua. Bas thode maze le raha hai tha iske!', he tried to pacify her. With a slight smack to my shoulder, he said pretentiously. 'Inna biba munda hai apna. Maine socha thodi maskhari hi baahar aaye iski!'

As he looked up, he saw Radha Bhaabhi teeming with anger, and colour drained from his face.
'Sunlo tussi', she said firmly, towering over him, hands on her hips. 'Innu chup chaap ghar leke jao tussi. Prem Niwas- Raizada Sadan kahin bhi. Aur agar kissi nu pata chala ki inhone bhang pi hui hai aur innu zara si bhi daant padi te fir dekhna tussi. Main din-din tak gallan nahi karaangi tuhaade naal! Baat bhool jao, tuhaanu kamre mein bhi jagah nahi milni haan!'

I rested my face on my hand with a pleased smile. It was nice to see him bullied. 
'Channa..?!', he said alarmed.
'Ji haan!', she said, glaring at him.
'Bhaabhi!', I said with a wide grin and droopy eyes. 'Acha kiya aapne iske saath! Iske saath yehi hona chaiye'
She gave me a smile and Mukund a death stare. Meekly he made me stand-up.
'Main theek hoon. Kuch nahi hai mujhe', I said irritably, shaking him off.
'Acha acha theek hai', he said, trying to give as minimal support as he could.

'Vo thandaai thodi -hic- kadwi thi', I said with a hiccup.
'Nahi toh! Maine chakkhi thi. Ekdum theek toh thi!', he said with furrowed eyebrows.
'Arey main keh raha hoon na kadwi thi', I insisted. With a gesture of my fingers I said, 'Tu ne itni si chakkhi hogi. Maine toh poore poore glass piye na! Main keh raha hoon kadwi thi.... Jisne banayi thandaai usko shikaayat karna'
'Haan haan thik hai', he brushed me off.

'Jijaaji!', came a cry for help behind us. The voice was... familiar. Mukund and I turned around to find Vashma there with an anxious but amused look. Leaning on her was a wobbly Amrit, smiling stupidly. Confused, I went staggeringly to her side. 'Amrit?!', I said softly, taking her hand into mine. 'Kya hua aapko? Aap theek hain?' She shook her head sweetly.
'Ab isse kya ho gaya?!', Mukund asked worriedly.
'Woh humne thandaai nahi pi, ye sochke ki usme bhang hogi. Par isne lassi pi aur pata nahi... shayad... usme bhang thi', she said falteringly, trying to suppress a chuckle.

'Haye Ram!!', he exclaimed, clapping a hand to his forehead. 'Kitne glass pi?!'
'Do glass', she said meekly. 'Isse pasand hai lassi. Hume kya pata tha...'
'Maine mana kiya tha na aaj yahan kuch mat khaana!', he said worriedly.
'Pehle Damaadji aur ab Amrit bhi?!', Radha bhaabhi cried out.
'Matlab?!', Vashma looked from Mukund to Radha ji.
'Maine muqaable ke liye jo thandaai laayi thi, woh ghar se laayi thi par usme thodi si bhang milaayi thi. Bas chutki bhar.', he said averting his gaze. 'Yahan jo lassi isne pi hai usme toh usse kayi zyaada bhaang hogi.' He turned to look at her. 'Dekh ke bhi lag hi raha hai. Ab jo ye soyi toh seedha kal subah uthegi'

Amrit opened her eyes slightly and looked around. 'Hum abhi bhi itthe hain? Ghar kyun nahi gaye?' Turning to Vashma she said, 'Tu toh mainu ghar le jaa rahi thi na?'
'Haan Amrit bas ghar hi chalenge', she said, patting Amrit's cheek.
'Theek hai', she said with a pleased smile, kissed her cheek and leaned over Vashma. 'Mainu ka ghar ka raasta mila hi nahi. Main kho jaungi.... Phir kaise dhundenge Randheer mainu', she mumbled.
'Main yahin hoon Amrit', I said with a silly smile and a tilt to my face.
She straightened to look at me and then with a tipsy smile, she said, 'Oh! Aap to yaheen hai! Changa!' and she switched Vashma's shoulder with my arm. 'Chaliye ghar chalte hain'
'Haan chaliye!', I nodded and we turned to go.
'Arey ruk jao bhai!' Mukund panicked and blocked our way. 'Naya nawela joda, bhang mein dhutt, haath mein haath daale, mohalle mein ghoomte-ghaamte ghar jaaoge – bade aaye! Chup chaap baitho idhar!', he ordered.
'Arey hum ghar hi toh jaa rahe hain na', Amrit protested, gripping my arm even more firmly. I bumped my head on her gently, and she leaned in with a chuckle.
'Ohji aise inko ghar kaise leke jaayein?!', Radha bhabhi freaked out. 'Mainu badi fikar ho rahi hai!'
Mukund paced around restlessly. 'Sab se aankh bachaakar le jaane ki koshish toh karte hain.'
'Oh ji par ye toh galat baat hai! Mainu ae chhuppa-chhupi nahi pasand!', Radha bhaabhi complained. 'Abhi jalsa mein har khaane ki cheez mein bhang milaayi hai na sabne! Ohji milaayi hai ki nahi?', she asked. He nodded.

She continued her ramble, 'Aur jo inhone bhang pee'li hai toh sab inhiko daantenge, gussa karenge! Ae te koi gal hi nahi hui! Je inni buri cheez hai bhang toh jalse mein kyun shaamil kari?! Aur jo shaamil kari toh agar kisine pi li toh usse bhala kyun daant sunne ko mile? Aur inhone toh jaan-moochh ke pi bhi nahi! Phir bhi? Galat baat hai ae toh!'
I couldn't follow what she said but Mukund had no answer for a moment.
After a while he said. 'Gal te sahi hai tuhaadi. Ek kaam karte hain. Hum ek baar koshish karenge inhe chhupte-chupaate le jaane ki. Agar chachaji-chachiji ne hume pakad liya toh hum sach sach sab keh denge unse. Thik hai?', he replied timidly.
'Haan', she said with a frown. 'Jab in dono ne kuch kitta hi nahi toh hum kyun darein?'
'Main zara raaste ka moaena kar aata hoon', Mukund said and hurried away.
'Jijaaji bhi raasta bhool gaye kya?', Amrit asked with a confused expression.
'Haan bas wahi yaad karne jaa rahe hain', Vashma said with a chuckle.
'Inni pareshaani mein tumhe hasi aa rahi hai?', Radha ji asked in surprise.
'Pata nahi Amrit ko dekh ke badi hasi aa rahi hai. Tabse kuch bhi ool-jalool bole jaa rahi hai', she said laughing away.
'Par aap dono kahan gayab ho gayi thi?', I asked curiously.
'Woh mujhe na shaq – nahi nahi poora yakeen hai ki aap jo ye muqaabla haare usme Amrit aur Jijaaji ki hi mili-bhagat hai. Wahi pooch-taachh karne isse kheechkar le gayi thi apne saath. Par ek shabd nahi bola isne!', Vashma said with a humph.
'Jijaaji ne mana kiya tha na', Amrit said, a bit squiffily. 'Aur sacchi batau! Mainu bhi nahi pata voh Randheer ko hara ke kya karne waale the', she said and chuckled with a hand over her mouth.
'Par aapne beimaani se haaraya mujhe!', I fretted.
'Ittii si', she said, gesturing with a pinch of her fingers, making a sorry face.
'Par kaise??;, Vashma asked noisily.
Promptly Amrit shushed her and then with a proud droopy-eyed smile, she said, 'Bas... hara diya!' Vashma begged and begged but could not get a word out of Amrit. 

Just then Mukund came running back to us. 'Chalo raasta saaf hai!'
They tried to make us stand to which we opposed, 'Hum chal rahe hain na saath saath', I complained.
'Saath saath nahi jaana hai!', he rebuked. 'Koi samjhao inko!'
'Jijaaji aap bohot kharab hain', Amrit grumbled. Mukund raised his eyebrows. I too made a face. Mukund held my arm, while Vashma supported Amrit.

Mukund found us a quite deserted path to walk home. Amrit was tottering down the path. She stumbled against a stone or two. I lurched forward to catch her but almost stumbled myself. Vashma caught Amrit, trying to control her laugh.
Amrit mumbled something irritably and Vashma burst out laughing.
'Kya kar rahi hai aap Vashma!', I complained.
Surprised she turned to look at me. Muzzily I said, 'Yahan Amrit ladkhada raheen hain, gir jaayengi aur aapko hasi aa rahi hai? Aap koi dost wost nahi hai inki! Aise aapko hasna chaahiye?'
She started laughing even harder.
'Ab toh Amrit aap inse dosti rakhiyega hi mat. Dekhiye ab toh mujhpe bhi has rahi hain', I grumbled.
Amrit continued with her wobbly walk blissfully unaware of anything. 'Kyun gussa ho rahe ho tussi? Thoda has hi toh rahi hai', she said with a bright befuddled smile. 'Lo ji. Main bhi has leti hoon ispe. Hisaab barabar!', she said with a clap and laughed a bit.
'Ye hui na baat!', Vashma pulled her cheek and then turning to me, she haughtily said. 'Suniye! Aap na zyaada aag mat lagaiye. Badi jalan hoti hai na aapko mujhse?!'
'Jalan? Ji? Mujhe kyun jalan hone lagi? Aisa kuch nahi hai!', I said, taken aback.
Leaning in towards me, she whispered, 'Aaj toh bol hi dijiye. Amrit bhi dhyaan nahi degi!'
'Kyun dhyaan nahi degi? Yahi toh hai wah humaare saath?', I asked in confusion.
'Arey main keh rahi hoon na! Bilkul itta sab hoi dhyaan nahi degi woh! Yeh aapka mera raaz rahega!', she said with a twinkle in her eyes.
'Par mujhe nahi hoti jalan sach mein!', I said earnestly.
'Haaye Rabba!', she clapped a hand to her head. 'Tab toh mere hi pyaar mein kami reh gayi!', she said dramatically.
Amrit looked at her with an amused smile. And then unexpectly slid her arms around me while walking. 'Kyun sataa rahi hai inhe...', she mumbled.
'Amrit...', I said, all pink and tried to loosen her hold, looking down.
Vashma withdrew Amrit with a giggle. I looked elsewhere, embarassed. Mukund too chuckled, making me redden harder.

We reached a house – no our house. 'Inko kahan leke chale?', Mukund asked in a whisper. 'Prem Niwaas ya Raizaada Sadan'.
'Prem niwaas hi le chalte hai na', Radha bhaabhi suggested eagerly.
'Nahi nahi!', Vashma opposed. 'Wahaan Mogar bhua hai. Lene ke dene pad jaane hai!'
'Ohji haan!', Radha bhabhi clapped her hand to her forehead. 'Mere toh dimaag se hi nikal gaya ji!'

Vashma transferred Amrit to Radha bhaabhi's support and peeped in and half-turning, she said, 'Main aage aage chalungi, aaplog peechhe peechhe aana. Agar chachaji-chachiji mil gaye toh unhe main uljhaungi'
'Aur jo unhone in dono ko dekh liya toh?!', Radha bhaabhi asked worriedly. 'Toh kya kahenge?!'
Mukund and Vashma pondered for a while and said together. 'Pata nahi.' Again after a while they said together, 'Magar hum pakde nahi jaayenge!'
Still unsure, Radha bhaabhi just nodded nervously.

Vashma stepped in warily, looking out for Mummy-Bauji. We all were about to take a step behind her but she stepped back immediately, almost pushing us all back out of the door.
'Arey Vashma!', came mummyji's voice. Hearing her voice, Amrit tried to free herself from Radha bhaabhi's grip to go in. Radha ji pulled her back.
'Kahan reh gaye thi tum? Aur baaki sab kahaan hai?!', I heard Mummyji say.
I tried to go in to let her know I was here but Mukund pulled me back and we hid on the either sides of the gate outside. Why were they all behaving so weird?
'Ji chaachiji Uday Randheer ko le gaya hai kisi kaam se. Amrit Jijaaji aur Radha jiji ke saath hai jalse mein hi. Unhe Madhukar bhaiya ne rok liya tha. Main bas aapko bataane chali aayi', she said confidently. All lies.
'Tum khabar dene aayi ho? Ye toh kisi se bhi kehlwaa deti!', she asked in surprise.
'Uh... vo chaachiji main Kabir ko ghar leke aa hi rahi thi toh socha main hi bataati chalti hoon aapko. Bohot thak gaya hai voh. Bas naha dhoke soyega voh ab', Vashma made up.
'Arey par lunch? Bhooke bhi toh hoge tum sab? Rang khelne nikle the jo subah se kuch khaaya hi kaha hain kisine? Chalo khaana taiyaar hai. Tum Kabir ko le aao. Main Neero ko bhejke Amrit aur sab ko bhi bulwa leti hoon. Bas bohot hua rang', she said firmly.
'Nahi nahi nahi', Vashma opposed promptly.
'Kyun? Kya hua?', Mummyji asked dubiously.
'Neero Bhaiya kahan dhoondte firenge unko? Abhi bheed chhati nahi hai! Uh... main hi bula laati hoon'
'Nahi nahi Neero dhoond laayega. Tum abhi gayi toh khud wahin thehar jaogi', came Mummyji's reply.
'Mumm-', I spoke up but Mukund closed my mouth with his hand abruptly.
'Randheer? Lagta hai aa gaye bacche', Mummyji said. I could hear footsteps coming towards us. Great!
Vashma was about to block her way when I heard Neero Bhaiya's voice, 'Bibiji! Daal jal gayi!'
Bewildered Mummyji fumed. 'Kaise jal gayi?!' and rushed inside.

Meanwhile Mukund and Radha bhabhi ushered us inside, towards the stairs.
Vashma cught up with an astonished look on her face. 'Neero bhaiya humaari madad kar rahe hai??! Chachiji ke jaane ke baad who abhi mujhe ishaara karke gaye!'
Mukund perked up her collar.
 'Neero bhaiya toh humesha hi madad karte hain', Amrit chimed in casually as Vashma made her climb the stairs, one step ahead of me and Mukund. 
'Humesha nahi', I said with an annoyed look.
'Hein?', Vashma exclaimed.
'Kabab mein haddi hain woh', I added.
'Ohhooo', Vashma and Mukund remarked together.
Just then Amrit fumbled again. Instinctively, I held the handrail with one hand, the wall with another. As Amrit lost her balance, I was able to hold her up against me. She was disoriented. A moment later, she half-turned towards me with a dopey smile. My heart gave one heavy thud. 
'Main ladkhada gayi!', she said, drunk and foolish. 
'Par main hoon na!', I replied. 
'Chaloo!!', Mukund and Vashma hissed urgently, with awkward smiles. 



They pushed us into the room. Radha bhaabhi kept a plate of food on the jhula which apparently she had smuggled from the kitchen. And they locked the door from outside.
'Arey kyun band kiya hume yahaan? Humne kya kiya', Amrit protested loudly.
'Haan kyun band kiya hume? Mujhe toh aajtak Mummyji-Bauji ne bhi kabhi kamre mein band nahi kiya?', I said in confusion.
'Mainu toh band kiya tha Bauji ne ik baari', Amrit said as-a-matter-of-factly.
'Bauji ne? Aapko!?', I said widening my eyes. 'Tch! Main nahi manta.'
'Sacchi!', she pinched her throat.
'Bauji aapko kamre mein kyun band karenge?', I babbled.
'Voh mere Vashma de naal jhagda ho gaya si. Humne dhaai din tak gal vi nahi kitti. Humaari sulah karaane ke liye Bauji ne hum dono ko ek saath kamre mein band kar diya', she explained cutely.
'Aaj bhi aapka koi jhagda hua hai kya Vashma ke saath?', I asked in confusion.
'Oho! Agar uske saath jhagda hota to uske saath band karte na mainu! Par mainu toh aapke saath band kiya hai na!', she replied.
'To aapka jhagda mere saath hua hai?', I panicked.
'Nahi nahi nahi nahi', she pacified me. 'Humaara jhagda hota toh hume pata hota na!'
'Haan', I said thoughtfully. 'Hume nahi pata matlab .... Matlab jhagda nahi hua hai', I said happily.
'Par baat toh wahin rahi. Hume itthe kyun band kiya?', she grumbled.
'Chaliye chhodiye na inhe, jab humein bahar nikaalenge tab pooch lenge inse', I said.
After a while of consideration she said, 'Acha theek hai. Waise bhi aapko bhook lagi thi na! Chaliye chaliye khaana kha lete hain. Mainu vi bhook lagi hai!'
We placed the food on the floor before us and devoured it hastily.

*

'....Aur fir class ke saare bacchon ne meri bohot hasi ki', I said with an embarrassed laugh. 'Par khushkismati se Masterji ne ghar pe Mummy-Bauji ko shikayat nahi ki meri aur bach gaya main'. Amrit was giggling away.
We had started recounting blunders we had made in childhood or past life for which maybe we should have been locked in a room by the elders. And somehow we ended up narrating the most embarrassing moments of our life. Today was a very weird day.
'Mainu na aap pe daya bhi aa rahi hai par hasi bhi hai rahi hai', she said, trying to subdue her giggles.
'Acha chaliye ab aapki baari!'
'Um....', she thought for a while. ' Yeh toh Dilli aane ki baad ki baat hai. Shuruwaat mein daftar mein ne kuch kuch chote-chote kaam milte rehte mainu. Waise hi ek din daak mein bhejne ke liye jo khat the, unpar naam-pata likhna tha. Aur', she said and flustered mid-way.
'Aur?!', I asked impatiently.
'Pate toh sahi likhe maine par ... saare lifaafon pe aapka naam likh diya', she said sheepishly and hid her face behind her hands. 'Daftar mein sabne meri bhi bohot hasi udaayi thi'
'Ab mujhe aap par itti si hasi aa rahi hai aur dher saara pyaar aa raha hai', I said giddily.
She blushed up to her ears.
'Ab fir aapki baari!', she said.
'Par mere kisse khatam ho gaye!', I said with a frown.
'Yaad kijiye na! Ek aur kissa zaroor hona hai!', she persisted.
'Acha rukiye sochta hoon. Hmm...', I pondered for a while. 'Haan. Ek baat yaad aayi!'
'Kya?!', she asked, all ears.
'Darasal, isme maine kuch nahi kiya hai par fir bhi...'
'Bataiye na!'
Hesitantly, I said, 'Jab main bohot chhota tha, tab kisi wajah mere baal do-teen saal ki umr tak moonde nahi gaye the isilye kaafi lambe ho gaye the, bilkul ladkiyon ki tarah. Aur Beeji ne bataya tha ki Mummyji ko beti bhi chaahiye thi. Par ... main toh Mummy-Bauji ka iklauta baccha tha.' Slightly embarrassed, I continued, 'Isiliye us samay mummyji mujhe hi ladkiyon tarah sajaa kar apne shauk poore kar leti thi. Unhone... kayi tasweerein bhi kheenchi thi meri...'
Amrit started to laugh, 'Sach mein?!'
'Ji...', I said timidly. 'Jab bhi koi un tasweeron ko dekhta toh mujhe badi sharm aati...'
She kept laughing.
Trying to redeem myself, I said haughtily, 'Itna bhi mat hasiye. Agar humaari beti se pehle beta hua toh uske saath main bhi yahi karne waala hoon'
She stopped for a second but went into peals of laughters yet again.
'Aapko vishwaas nahi hai? Dekhiyega aap main keh raha hoon pehle se!'
'Thik hai dekhlenge!', she said with a chuckle but then suddenly she frowned.
'Randheer!'
'Ji?'
'Aap aaj guldasta nahi laaye!', she said sadly.
'Arey nahi nahi, laaya hoon na!', I said promptly and groping my way around the room, I pointed to the vase on the bedside table. A fresh bunch of daffodils in it.
'Ye dekhiye. Aapne shayad yahaan dekhe hi nahi!', I said.
Seeing it she gave me love-struck smile. Tilting my head back, I bumped my fist on my heart.
'Itni bhi pyaari muskaan mat dijiye ki deewana mar hi jaaye!'
She lunged towards me, arms around my neck and with a twinkle in her eyes, she said
'Janaab! Agle saath-sattar saal ke liye aap makhsoos kar liye gaye hain, khaas mere liye! Kahin nahi jaana tuhaanu. Yahin rehna hai, mere kol!'
'Um hmm?', I remarked with an amused smile. I held her tightly around her waist and whirled her around once and brought her down, our foreheads lightly bumping on each other with a chuckle.

She pulled off the duppatta draped around my neck and fumbled with the buttons of my kurta. 'Utaaro innu. Kinna maila hai. Mainu chubh raha hai', she complained. At first I had been dumbfounded at her actions but at some point my mind stopped bothering. I couldn't even fathom my own actions.
Not giving me an oppurtunity to help, she wrestled to get it off me and at the end, we both fell down, Amrit upon me.
We looked at each other and dissolved into laughter.
Amid the laughter, our eyes met again and we stared at each other for a moment.
She brushed my cheek with the back of her knuckles and something in that gesture made my heart go into puddles. 

Pee loon tere neele neele nainon se shabnam
Pee loon tere geele geele hothon ki sargam
Pee loon hai peene ka mausam

Tere sang ishq taari hai
Tere sang ik khumari hai
Tere sang chain bhi mujhko
Tere sang bekarari hai

Tere bin jee nahi lagta

Tere bin jee nahi sakta
Tujhpe hai haare maine vaare do jahaan
Qurbaan, meharbaan, ke main to qurbaan

Sun le zara, tera qurbaan
Hosh mein rahoon kyun aaj main
Tu meri baahon mein simti hai
Mujhme samaayi hai yoon
Jis tarah ki koyi ho nadi
Tu mere seene mein chhupti hai
Sagar tumhara main hoon

Pee loon teri dheemi dheemi lehron ki chham chham
Pee loon teri saundhi saundhi saanson ko hardum
Pee loon hai peene ka mausam

Tere sang ishq taari hai
Tere sang ik khumari hai
Tere sang chain bhi mujhko
Tere sang bekarari hai