Be ready for a long chapter
Sameer turned the key in ignition.
Nothing happened.
He tried again... and again.
The only sound was of the pouring rain. He picked up the phone... to realise that the battery was dead. Keeping GPS on for over three hours had eaten up the entire charge. Narrowing his eyes, he peered around at the empty street, and sighed. There was no way he was getting out of the car in this rain.
"Chal beta Sameer. Aaj ki raat Naina ki gali mein guzaar, kisi majnu ki tarah." He glanced at the hint of light on her terrace, and smiled.
He took off the blazer, removed his tie, and opened two buttons of his shirt. Without the air conditioning, it would be difficult to stay in the car, but there was no option. After folding his sleeves upto the elbows, he opened the window of passenger side just a crack.
Bhalla aunty heard the main door open, and came out of Ayush's room.
"Oho, tu toh poori bheeg gayi hai. Jaldi se kapde badal le warna bimar pad jayegi." She said in a low voice, seeing Naina totally drenched.
"Jee aunty." Naina quickly put aside her bag and went to her room.
Few minutes later, dressed in satin pyjamas, she came out, her hair open and wiped.
"Thank you, aunty. Aaj itna traffic tha na ki pucho mat. Teen ghante se bhi zyada lag gaye humein yahan pohochane mein." She let out a weary sigh.
"Humein?" Tere saath koi aur bhi tha kya?" Aunty queried.
Naina bit her tongue, realising her folly, "Haan mere boss the. Unhone hi drop kiya. Meri car office mein hi hai kyonki wahan jaate toh aur late ho jaata." She gave the true version, without any name.
"Chal achha hai tu drive nahi kar rahi thi. Tere boss samajhdar malum hote hain." Aunty nodded, and touched her hair, "Ab tu baal sukha lena, warna thand lag jayegi. Aur itna thank you na bola kar. Mujhe aur Bhalla saab ko toh bada mazaa aaya Ayush ke saath. Woh bhi khush tha. Ab so raha hai aaram se. Roshni se keh ke tere liye khana rakhwa diya hai kitchen mein. Mujhe laga itni der se aane ke baad thodi mann karega banane ka."
Naina was overwhelmed at her concern, "Aunty, aapne aise hi takleef ki."
"Puttar, bachhon ke liye kuch bhi karna takleef nahi hoti. Tu kha ke chain se so ja. Yeh toh achha hai kal chutti hai. Aaram se uthna. Ab main jaati hun, darwaza band kar le." Aunty instructed her with a warm smile.
Naina came up to the door. She picked up the large umbrella, turning to Naina, "Bada wala laayi thi, jisse dono cover ho jayein."
Naina waited at the door, till aunty carefully went down the stairs, and disappeared inside her house. With a deep breath, she was about to shut the door when her eyes fell on the car across the road. She narrowed her eyes to see clearly in the rain induced haze. It looked like Sameer's car, but she couldn't be sure.
"Nahi, koi aur hoga. Sameer ko toh ab tak ghar pohoch jaana chahiye tha." Thinking aloud, she closed the door and rushed in to check her phone.
There was no message. Putting the phone aside, she went to Ayush's room. He was sleeping peacefully. She adjusted the quilt around him, stroked his hair and came out, closing his door. With nervous hands, she picked up her phone again. Nothing. She contemplated for a few seconds, but couldn't wait any longer to press his number.
His phone was switched off.
"Off? Aisa kaise ho sakta hai? He promised he would message. Kahin kuch..." Her heart sank even without thinking ahead.
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Na Jaane Kyon...
FanfictionNaina and Sameer meet each other when Naina comes to Delhi from Agra, her hometown, to join a new office. Along with her younger brother, she settles down in a rented accommodation and learns to manage in the new environment. Sameer is intrigued by...
