Kabhi to nazar milao

Mom

Next few weeks went by peacefully... the atmosphere at home remained calm, except occasional bantering by taiji, who had recovered and started storming in their house just about anytime... demanding something or the other.

Naina could find ways to meet Sameer often... Preeti's parlour classes had started again  so it wasn't very difficult to go out. At times, Swati helped by taking her along.

One morning, Naina was sitting in front of the mirror, combing her wet hair and thinking about previous night's phone conversation with Sameer.

The shrill ring startled her.

Quickly, she picked up the cordless, a knot of fear forming in her abdomen.

"Hello"

Swati's voice made her breathe easy, but only for a moment, "Naina... sun... kya abhi Munna tujhe phone kar sakta hai? Kuch zaroori baat karni hai."

Her heart started thudding with some unknown fear, "Kya hua, Swati?  Sameer toh theek hai na?"

"Haan, theek hai... bas Munna kuch baat karna chahta hai, bolun usse phone karne ko?"

Naina said yes and quickly disconnected, waiting for Munna's call. Within a few seconds, the phone started to ring. She picked it up instantly.

"Hello Munna, kya hua Sameer ko? Woh theek hai?"

Munna's voice was tensed, "Bhabhi, Sameer waise toh theek hai par bohot gusse mein hai... subah uski mummy ka phone aaya tha... tabse uska dimag ekdum garam hai... maine aur Pandit ne bohot koshish ki par hamse sambhal nahi raha... itna gussa usse pehle ek do baar hi dekha tha... tab toh nanaji ne sambhal liya tha... ab sirf tum usse sambhal sakti ho... kya tum yahan aa sakti ho?"

Naina's heart sank.

"Main... main bas thodi der mein aati hun." She assured him in a shaky voice.

Preeti, who had just come out of the bathroom, saw her sister's white face and ran to her, "Naina, kya hua? Tu itni ghabrayi hui kyon hai? Sab theek hai na?"

She looked at Preeti, her lost eyes pooling up, "Mujhe Sameer ke ghar jaana hai... usse meri zaroorat hai."

On hearing the reason for her condition, Preeti asked her to get ready quickly. She herself dressed up and went to the kitchen to tell her mother that she and Naina have to go to the parlour early as a makeup demonstration was to be given on a client who was coming in the morning.

Bela asked them to at least have their breakfast but Preeti said they were already late.

The sisters rushed out of the house and hailed a rickshaw to Sameer's house. Preeti accompanied her as she could not go to the parlour so early.

They found Munna and Pandit in the living room, pacing nervously.

Seeing her, Munna quickly gestured to Sameer's room, "Jaake dekho bhabhi, pagal ho gaya hai yeh ladka... kya haal banaya hai kamre ka."

She could hear the sound of things crashing on the floor, Sameer's angry voice booming in between.

Naina ran to his room... opening it a little.

Her jaw dropped at the condition of the room... clothes and books lay strewn everywhere, pieces of broken glass were on the ground, cupboard was open wide... amidst all this Sameer stood with his back to the door, hands fisted...

"Woh kya samajhti hain... main unke ishaare pe chalunga... aaj yaad aayi hai... Munna Pandit, tum chale jao yahan se... mujhe kisi se baat nahi karni", he screamed without turning, thinking that the door was opened by his friends.