Na Jaane Kyon...

Ghazab ka hai din

The sound of whistle from the kitchen made Sameer jump. Since his room was on the first floor at home, he hadn't heard it this loud and clear before.

"Yeh cooker ki whistle hai. Ek aur ayegi toh gas off karni hai." Naina smiled over her shoulder, her back towards him.

Sameer took off the apron, only to realise that he hadn't touched anything at all in the kitchen.

"Naina, yeh kaisi training thi? Maine kuch kiya hi nahi." He went to join her.

She pressed her lips, not to let the bubbles of laugh spill out.

Second whistle made him jerk again.

"Step by step jaana hota hai na, sir. Aaj aapne seekh liya ki cooker whistle deta hai... aur woh kaafi loud hoti hai," This time, she couldn't control her smirk.

He stared at the steam still pouring out of the lid though she had switched off the flame.

"Haan, step by step jaana zaruri hota hai." He murmured, equating the situation with his thoughts.

Naina took the apron from him, folded it neatly, and placed it back in the drawer. She turned to find him still standing in the kitchen.

"Aap... aap please kisi formality ke liye apna schedule disturb mat kijiye, Sameer sir. You... you might be having some program for the evening. I don't want ki hamari wajah se aapka routine upset ho." She uttered hesitantly.

"Mera kya program hai?" Not taking the hint, he enquired.

"Woh... aap shayad... aapne kaha tha workout... maybe gym jaana hoga." She was nervous now.

"Itna zaruri nahi hai. Main kal subah kar lunga. Ayush ne kaha hai uske liye wait karne ko toh I'll wait." Sameer went out to the living room, in no hurry to leave.

He saw his wallet on the table, and picked it up. Taking his visiting card from it, he extended it to her, "Isse tum apne bag mein rakho... hamesha. Kabhi bhi, kahin bhi zarurat ho toh mujhe call karna, bina soche. Okay?"

She nodded, taking the card from him, and went to the console near main door where she always left her bag after coming from office. The door bell rang before she had chained back the bag. She opened the door, to find a person from the shop she had visited during the day.

"Good evening ma'am. Main Gunjan's se aaya hun. Aap aaj hamare boutique mein aayi thi." The man smiled politely.

Naina was surprised to find him at her doorstep. Probably the owner had decided to charge her for dry cleaning and phone repair, she presumed.

The man held out a bulky bag he was carrying, "Ma'am, yeh aapke liye."

Naina was shocked... she hadn't bought anything. Maybe they wanted her to buy something in return for the trouble she had caused to them. She gave a puzzled look to the man, "Yeh kya hai? Mujhe khareedna padega?"

He shook his head, the smile of same width pasted on his face, "Yeh woh lehenga hai jo aapne aaj shop mein pehna tha. Aapko khareedna nahi hai... complimentary hai. Actually, Gunjan Kapoor ma'am, hamari owner, jab evening mein aayi aur unhe din ke incidents ke baare mein pata chala toh woh sorry feel kar rahi thi. Usually hamare yahan aisi clumsiness nahi hoti. Aapka itna time waste hua, aapki dress aur phone kharab hue... yeh uske liye unki taraf se ek apology gift hai. Please accept it. Ek letter bhi hai ma'am ka."

Naina's mouth fell open. After they got both her dress cleaned and phone repaired, they were sending such an expensive outfit as well.

"Look, I can't take this. Aap Ms Kapoor ko kahiye aise expensive gift ki koi requirement nahi hai. I have no complaints. Maine aap logon ko shop mein hi bata diya tha. It's all good. Jo hua, accidentally hua, and you all were so helpful. Please, aap isse wapas le jaiye... main nahi rakh sakti." She told him firmly.