Ting tong.
The doorbell ringtone caused a sudden rise of nervousness in Namrata's relaxed posture and she glanced at her husband, who seemed perplexed as all his friends and colleagues and cousins were here. Who was left to come?
"Main aati hoon." She got up, walking straight toward the front side. She typed the password on the digital screen and then unlatched the firm wooden doors, revealing a beautiful couple dressed up gorgeously in decent clothes.
Arnav tilted his head to see who was standing at their doorway and found a tall man, his face still unexposed to him because his wife blocked the view. He stood up in apprehension and took steady unrestive steps, slightly amused when he was bestowed with Sameer's and his wife's sight.
"Hello." Arnav greeted the lean guy with a gentle smile, shaking his hand with Sameer's rigid one. They both shared a forceful handshake and veered their gazes to their respective wives who still were hesitant to welcome each other.
The first thing that all of them noticed was they were twinning, albeit unintentionally. Both Naina and Namrata were decked exquisitely in pink dresses, and their husbands were twinning in rayon magenta shirts with skintight mild olive green pants.
"Yeh toh coincidence ho gaya ki hum sabke colors almost same hi hai." Arnav was the first to comment.
"Haa, it's surprising," Sameer responded, feeling awkward as he only requested Naina to wear a pink dress when she took out another shade.
"Hi." Namrata finally greeted her schoolmate's wife in a soft voice.
"Hi," Naina uttered, in a meek tone, forcing a small smile.
After the formal exchange of greetings. SamaiNa settled on the plush regal grey sofa, meandering their curious eyes around the modernly-embellished house having antique and appealing stuff on display. It looked pleasing to the eye with soft blends of white and coffee brown. Sameer tapped his bare feet restlessly on the immaculately dusted tiles, and Naina was blowing continuous air on her lap and painted long curvy nails.
"Have this." Namrata offered two glasses of homemade flavor juices to the new guests, and they both accepted the drinks with simple smiles.
She sat next to her husband after doing her duty, and Arnav was sitting royally with his left foot above his right one and arms spread wide on either side of the sofa's corners.
"Aaj toh bahut zyada traffic hogi na? New year hain aur Sunday bhi." Namrata asked her schoolmate in a soft voice.
"Haa, isliye itna time laga aane me, ghar se toh hum ek ghante pehle hi nikal gaye the," Sameer said normally while taking a slow sip of rose flavor juice decorated with teeny-weeny sweet basil seeds.
"Samjh sakti hoon," Namrata replied.
It was a little uncomfortable for SamaiNa to sit there because Arnav was conversing with his friends and colleagues, and Namrata wanted to talk with her schoolmate but knew how narrow-minded her husband is. She remained quiet, shifting her eyes momentarily at HIM in intervals.
"Main dinner laga deti hu." She announced after a while when the clock showed 9:30 Pm.
Arnav hummed, enjoying his drink while having roasted peanuts and spicy namkeen.
Naina was observing how Arnav was passing orders at Namrata and how subserviently she was following her husband's instructions without uttering a word or showing gloominess. At this moment she couldn't help but profusely thank god for bestowing her with such an understanding and helpful husband. Sameer couldn't ever treat her with arrogance and haughtiness in his tone as if he was a king of a kingdom. He respects her and understands her hard work too.
