Kabhi to nazar milao

Relief

Sameer straightened, looking into her eyes. He got up and sat on the bed, facing her, one leg tucked under him.

"Naina, kaun tha woh ladka?" He wanted to know.

She scrunched her nose, "Pata nahi... maine nahi dekha."

He was shocked, "Baat nahi hui tumhari?"

"Usne baat ki, maine nahi, maine toh uski shakal bhi nahi dekhi... aur tum kyon puch rahe ho?  Hamein jab usse koi matlab hi nahi hai toh uski baat kyon karein?" She said in an annoyed tone.

"Puch raha hun jisse mujhe pata chale jaake kiska sar phodna hai... kisne himmat ki meri jaan ke aas paas bhi fatakne ki", his low voice had traces of anger.

"Woh sab chodo... ab toh woh log chale gaye na... aur dubara main aisa hone nahi dungi... agar kisi ne kaha bhi toh bhaag jaungi ghar se", she had made up her mind.

Sameer could not help but smile, "Abhi bhag chalo... mere saath..."

"Chalo... main taiyar hun",  she smiled back, eyes still puffed, cheeks and nose still red...

He could not control and pulled her to himself, burying his face in her neck, " Oh Naina! Pichle teen chaar ghante meri zindagi ke sabse mushkil ghante the... tumhe kho dene ka khyaal mujhe pagal kar gaya tha... laga ki sab khatam ho gaya... pata nahi tumhe ab dekh bhi paunga ki nahi... meri saansein judi hai tumse... agar sach mein kuch ho jaata toh main mar jaata... "

"Shhh... aage se aisa kabhi mat kehna... aaj jo hua hai na Sameer, uske baad yeh toh pakka soch liya hai ki mujhe tumse koi alag nahi kar payega... aur iske liye mujhe kuch bhi karna pade main karungi... main ab woh pehle wali Naina nahi hun... tumhare pyaar ne mujhe mazboot bana diya hai,"  she kissed his shoulder, her voice overwhelming with emotions.

He wrapped his hands tighter around her... careful not to touch the bruise on her waist.

She rested her face in the crook of his neck, the familiar musky smell making her feel at home... safe.

They sat nestling into each other... relieved to be together.

Later, Naina sat on the bed, resting against the headboard... Sameer lay with his head in her lap while her fingers played with his hair.

"Aaj din mein jab tumse baat nahi hui toh man bada ghabra raha tha... maine kai baar phone bhi kiya par tumne ya Preeti ne nahi uthaya... shaam ko meri halat dekh ke Munna ne Swati bhabhi ko kaha phone karke puchne ko... aur jo unhone bataya... main toh pathar ban gaya... tab Munna Pandit ne hi yeh plan banaya... unhe pata tha main kal tak tumse mile bina ruk nahi paunga... Preeti ne bhi saath diya... usse pata tha main aaunga... ussi ne kaha tha darwaza andar se band karne ko... jisse agar chachiji uth bhi jaayein toh hum pakde na jaayein..." He narrated the entire sequence of events.

Naina also told him everything that happened since the time she was woken up with this shocking news... when she mentioned about how she ran to the bathroom at his touch, Sameer sat up... his face going red with anger.

"Uss ne tumhe choone ki himmat kaise ki... main uske haath tod dunga... tumne pehle kyon nahi bataya... mujhe naam batao uska..." He fumed.

Naina placed her hand on his lips, "Usko baad mein peetoge, pehle tum pakde jaoge... dheere bolo..."

He held her hand, looking at it, "Yeh haath tha?"

She nodded.

"Kahan?" His voice was just a whisper.

Naina pointed at the tip of middle and index finger.

Sameer brought them close and looked carefully. Then he kissed both the fingers... and then, before she could say anything, he took them in his mouth, rolling his tongue over them.