Etched On My Heart- SamAina Wedding Special

Losing or Winning

Author- TereLiyeMINU

It was a festive day of Makar Sakranti buzzing around.With several recreations going around,special recreation was kite flying to speak of.Naina awaited at the temple ,fidgeting with her engagement ring.The wait was long and the
sun overhead was going intense. After what seemed an eternity for Naina,Sameer’s bike zoomed in the busy lane of the temple vicinity.Smiling his ever charming smile,muttering an apology ,he gestured Naina to ascend her throne.The backseat of his bike.Not convinced by his apologies though,Naina sat in a huff.The steel tiffin peeking out of her duppatta’s cover.Sameer eyed the steel tiffin with curiosity,following his gaze Naina hid it again behind her multi layered duppatta cover.
“Bhagwan ke liye Prasad hai usmein to mujhe de sakti ho.” Sameer started as he accelerated his bike into ignition.”Tum jara jaldi chaloge.Taiji ko pata chalega to mujhe haldi ki tarah kut denge.” Naina commanded and
Sameer felt an undertone of shiver in the voice.She always quivered at the thought of Taiji and her cruel ministrations but this was more of anxiety than fear.He decided to ask her after he surprises her.
Sameer drove on,crossing the Law Garden,seeing a myriad of emotions reflected in Naina’s eyes.She seemed lost in her world of assumptions and apprehensions,so it seemed to him.He decided to play along a little.Cleverly,he rode the bike into a small pot hole.The shock absorber of bike,dug deep throwing Naina forward.In a reflex,she leaned on to his back,placing her hand on his shoulder for support.”Kya kar rahe ho Sameer?” She asked,though her hands still
rested on his shoulder.”Kuch bhi nahin.Main to bike chala raha hun.” Sameer replied,a hint of teasing smile forming at his lips.”Main na sab samajh rahi hun.” Naina said,a knowing smile,curving and forming happy wrinkles on her face.
Soon they entered a hustling market complex.The market was clamouring with demands for ‘til ke ladoo’ and colourful kites.Naina eyed the spools and wished if only she could someday fly a kite and shout ‘Kai Po Che’ like the other kids in neighbourhood. But she had realised that this was a beautiful dream.Well,there is happiness in wondering,there is happiness in dreaming too.They soon arrived infront of a housing society.Sameer’s bike came to a screeching halt.Naina disembarked from the bike,clutching carefully the tiffin box.Naina looked around the seemingly unfamiliar place and wondered why Sameer had brought him there.May be some close relative to meet
before marriage.She went on to imagine.May be some old ailing distant relative who is bedridden yet close to Sameer.She felt a gush of peaceful warmth,rush through her veins.Everything of him,every close of him would soon be her own.Everything of her would soon belong to him.In every sense,every way;rightfully.
As she awaited,she saw the guard looking on her as some saviour.The old guard flashed a wide grin at her.”Naina!Chalein?” Sameer asked as he held her hand and led her to the fleet of stairs.After walking up several stairs, and several rooms,they reached at front of a door.A large board hung on the door,with inscription: ‘Sameer And Naina Maheshwari’. Emotions; calmly resting insides,could hide no more.Happy tears that shed ages ago,suddenly welled up in her eyes.The provocative thought,on an auspicious day,he brought her to their nest for this lifetime.
What penance she did to get so fortunate,so loved,so treasured.
“Naina!Yeh anshu apne bidaai ke liye bachake rakho.Ghar dekh lein?” He said as he bent a little and wiped a lone tear that threatened to run down her soft cheeks. Entwining their fingers,she stepped inside the house.She was
amazed as well surprised to find the house already set up.A dining table has been set,several chairs were stacked at one corner. Few photo frames of Sameer with Munna and Pandit adorned the walls.She placed the steel tiffin on the table and joined him as they explored the bedroom as well the balcony. As he went to answer a knock on door,she walked into the kitchen area.A gas set along with few bare essentials of kitchen like frying pans and wok adorned the hard granite slab.The tap fittings looked new with their blinding shine.
“Pasand aaya?” Sameer asked,his arms circling around her supple waist.She startled with surprise,her insides instantaneously flipping with a feel of exhilaration. Several, almost thousands of butterflies fluttered in her insides,as his scent engulfed her.His after shave cologne filling her senses,his broad body framing her from behind.His palms
rested against chiffon fabric,pressing her stomach and he draws her against him firmly.Her emotions and sensations whispering secrets beneath the play of his fingertips.His spotless white shirt brushing against her forearms like a
caress.
Her senses vanquished,body on pure blaze ,she heard him repeat the question again.She hummed before turning
and dipping her face in his chest.He understood her silent submission and silently wrapped her in a warm hug.They broke away and soon his eyes fell on the table.The steel tiffin instantly bringing back his curiosity.”Wo tiffin mein kya khazana hai?” He asked,scampering to the dining area.Quickly,he unscrewed the lid and saw two samosas.
Correction!They seemed like samosas but smelt different.
“Tumhare liye Maggie ki samosa banake laayi thi.” Naina declared,expectedly earning a surprised stare from him.”Maggie ke samosa?Wo kya hota hai?” He asked.” Wo main Maggie bana rahi thi,phir tumhari khayal aaya to
samosa banane ki sochi.Aise hi experiment kar li.”Naina whispered and saw him taking a bite.” Namak kam hai. Phir bhi achi try hai.Ajeeb hai yeh combination actually.” He said and found the piece snatched from him.”Mat khao.Rehne do.” Naina said,packing the noodle stuffed samosa back in tiffin.”Arey main kha to raha tha..” Sameer began only to be interrupted.”Bhaiya!Didi! Patang udane ka competition laga hai.Aap bhi aao na.” Nikhil,a boy just entering his teenage,barged in to announce.Sameer had developed a friendly connection with the boy who was son of their immediate neighbours in the locality.”Nahin Nikhil. Wo mujhe kaam hai thoda.Baad mein kabhi.” Sameer said,trying to find himself alone with Naina.”Didi! Bhaiya se kaho na.Bahut mazaa ayega.Hum jeet jayenge to cinema ki free ticket milegi.Aap samjhao na.” Nikhil pleaded and Naina assured him that they will surely join soon. “Tum kyun maan gayi?Yeh aise hi utpatang requests leke aayenge.Hum yahan thoda waqt bitane aaye hein.Patang udane nahin.” Sameer grunted, frustratedly running his fingers through his silky hair.”Patang udana nahin chahte ya
udana nahin aata?Dar gaye kya?” Naina asked,wiggling her eyebrows.She knew how to switch on and off Sameer’s decisions.All he needed is little fuelling,a bit of prick at his ego.Sameer’s eyes furrowed at her.His hand snaked around her waist,pulling her to him.”Sameer Maheshwari kisise darta nahin,Mrs. Maheshwari.”His voice
husky,determined. Her senses going haywire again, she composed her self difficultly.”To phir yeh competition jeet ke dikhao.” She challenged.
“Agar yeh competition jeet liya to mujhe kya milega?” He asked, towering over her.”Jo tum chaho.” She said,meeting his eyes.His dark orbs of eyes mirroring pure passion and determination.”Phir thik hai.Tumhein mujhe kiss karna hoga,Mrs.Maheshwari.Aur yahan” He proposed,running fingers on his soft lips.For reasons unknown,she found the
very act ,sensuous to hilt.”Dar gayi?” Sameer asked,seeing her looking all flushed to toes.”Tum phir se shart laga rahe ho?Bhul gaye pichli baatein?” She asked,faking a fuming angry stance.
“Kuch bhi nahin bhula.Aur iss shart mein hum dono ki hi jeet hai.” Sameer said and saw her look at him,a hint of decisiveness clear and loud in her eyes.”Phir thik hai.Agar tum haar gaye tumhein yeh samosa khane hein.Bina namak daale.Manzoor hai?” He smiled and nodded.
Challenge does not wait.Life does not take a look back.
“Bhaiya! Aur upar.Kaat lo uss orange wali patang ko.” Nikhil shouted loud, excited to see the kite and expert skills of Sameer defeating the strong opponents.He patted himself for thinking of inviting Sameer to play the game.It now looked easy win and almost the movie outing looked fixed.He looked at Naina who held the spool, a bright happiness radiant on her face.She screamed with exuberance.with his each win.He saw her smile and felt a tinge of pain sip into his nerves.
“Sameer!” Naina yelped,rushing to him,dropping the spool.Few blood drops trickled down his palm.The rough thread of spool,had sharply cut through.”Chodo patang ko.” She ordered, as she tried freeing the blood stained thread from his fist.”Hum haar jaayenge Naina.” He said, trying to save his kite from being severed.”Hum saath ho to
kabhi nahin haar sakte.Lekin ab tum yeh patang chodo aur andar chalo.” She asked again and saw a smile bloom on his face.”Main yeh shart nahin haar sakta Naina.” He whispered and deafening her ears;shouted “Kai Po Che”.
Naina saw the teenage boys take him over their shoulders, breaking into frenzied celebrations. Her handkerchief tied on his cut palm. The happiness of win masking all his pain,all of their pain.Was n’t their love too a tussle of strong opposing kites?Together they tackled all the strong kites,emerging as winner.Soon going to be bonded in a bond of
holy matrimony.
“Toh!” Sameer asked,as they were again back to the insides.”Toh?” Naina repeated,knowing his cue.”Mera inaam”.
Naina blushed and didn’t know why she proposed the challenge.A sensation of nervousness,anxiety skittered throughout her.”Naina!” He called,his voice raspier.The pull in it so magnetic.An enchanting spell.
Naina felt herself drawn like a moth to flame.She stood on her toes,wrapped her arms around his neck.Her weight sunk against his chest,as their lips fused.The kiss touched them like sunlight touching the earth.Two beautiful faces,closed eyelids and petal soft lips moulding.The kiss was short yet profoundly gratifying.More than an act of lust
or a prize of a bet,it spoke volumes of their trust in each other.The level of comfort they have developed since the inception of their story.
“Sameer!Der ho gayi hai.Ghar jana hoga” She said,still shy to meet his eyes.He smiled,and chinned her up.”Zaroor chalenge.Bas ek kaam baaki hai.” He said.Without giving her chance to react,he snatched the tiffin from her
hands.Opening it,quickly he gobbled the half eaten samosa.She looked in awe at him.”Main tumhe haarne nahin de sakta Naina.Kyunki tumhari haar mein mera haar hai.” He said,reaching for the other piece.
Naina looked at him,for bit longer than necessary.In a swift motion,she snatched the piece he was happily munching on.Shocked at first,slowly realization dawned over him.”Jhoota khane se pyar badhta hai’’ was the intended meaning,when he saw her relish his half eaten piece.”Main tumhe kabhi haarne nahin dunga Sameer.Kyunki tumhari
jeet hi meri sabse badi jeet hai.” She mouthed as shared the last bite with him.He obliged,quickly taking her into another comforting embrace.
Losing and winning are selfish entanglements.They both will happen.But what matters,they will never quit.The
promise engraved in both their souls,for eternity and beyond.
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