Na Jaane Kyon...

Lo safar shuru ho gaya... mera hamsafar tu ho gaya

Once Ayush was up, Naina shifted her attention to him, trying to keep the turmoil away from her mind. Not that it helped.

"Naina, kitna mazaa ayega na hum Sameer ke ghar chale jayenge toh. Tumhe pata hai wahan kitne saare rooms hain. Deepika ne kaha woh mujhe sabse nice wala room degi. Main usse bolunga tumhe bhi nice aur big wala de." Ayush mentioned while stuffing his puzzled in his bag.

Naina's hands froze. The room... as his wife, she would be sharing a room with Sameer. Amongst her jumbled mess of quandaries, this one had slipped her mind till now. How could she stay with him as his wife... they were not even married in real sense.

In panic, she called up Sameer. The moment it got connected, she cut the call, slapping her forehead. She couldn't possibly talk about THIS.

After he was seated in the car, the packet given by his mom securely on his side, Sameer thought of sending a message to Naina, and picked up his phone. He was surprised to see her missed call.

"Naina ne mujhe call kiya? Kyon? Aur kab?" He checked the time. He was in his room, getting dressed at that time, and phone was on the bed, or maybe on the table. But he hadn't heard the ring. How was it possible? Hastily, he placed a return call.

"Hello Naina, kya hua?" He asked even before he heard her voice.

"Naina ko kya hua?" Ayush asked from the other side.

The concern, similar to him, in little boy's voice brought a smile to Sameer's face, "Hey Ayush. Naina ko kuch nahi hua... tum aur main usse kuch hone hi nahi denge. Haina?"

"Haan." Ayush was too young to understand the sentiment behind the statement, his happiness being for the fact that they were shifting to Sameer's house, "Hum aapke house kab jayenge? Maine apne saare kapde aur toys pack kar liye hain."

"Main thodi der mein tumhe lene aa raha hun." Sameer felt his heart swell in elation at his own words.

Ayush had just put the phone down when Roshni's voice fell in his ears, "Ayush baba, aapko uncle bula rahe hain."

"Nainaaa, main uncle ko bye bolne jaa raha hun." He sprang out, since meeting Bhalla uncle and aunty didn't require permission.

When he reached Naina's house a little later, Sameer found aunty in the garden.

"Sameer, main tumhe hi phone karne ka soch rahi thi. Beta, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai. Naina se kehna chahti thi par... woh shayad emotional ho jayegi." Aunty held his arm and directed him to a chair in the sunlit garden.

Once they were seated, she started, "Naina jab yahan aayi thi toh maine socha nahi tha uske saath itni attachment ho jayegi. Main toh bas apne ghar mein thodi raunak lane ke liye kisi ko rakhna chahti thi. Lekin ab... Naina mujhe apni beti jaisi lagti hai. Aaj aisa lag raha hai jaise meri khud ki beti shaadi kar ke sasural jaa rahi hai, par sach toh yeh hai ki main aur Bhalla saab bhi usse chod ke jaa rahe hain. Mujhe iss baat ki khushi hai ki usse tumhara parivar mil jayega par iss ghar se uska rishta main tootne nahi dena chahti. Sameer, maine kal tumhare saamne hi kaha tha ki Naina isse apna maayka samjhe par main jaanti hun usse... woh hamare peeche se yahan nahi ayegi. Toh main tumse request karna chahti hun ki uska thoda saaman yahan rehne do. Usse kabhi kabhi yahan le aana. Agar ek tenant ki tarah woh saara saaman leke chali gayi toh..." Bhalla aunty swallowed the heaviness, "Main usse rishta jode rakhna chahti hun... apna bhi, aur iss ghar ka bhi."

Sameer nodded, "Aunty, yeh ghar, aur aap log Naina ke liye hi nahi mere liye bhi family hain. Aur yeh ghar... yeh mere liye kitna important hai main bata nahi sakta. Sach kahun, kal aapne jab bataya ki aap log jaa rahe hain toh ek baar maine socha aapse puchun ki kya aap... I mean, if you don't mind... iss ghar ko main khareed sakta hun kya. Lekin ab aisa nahi kahunga. Naina ke liye aapne iske darwaze khol ke mujhe mera jadoo ka ghar aise hi de diya."