Naina's eyes were heavy with sleep. Yet, her mind kept going back to the conversation with Ambika.

Flashback

Ambika smiled at Naina's baffled reaction, 'Tumhe kya lagta hai kitne log honge party mein?'

Naina pursed her lips, then shrugged, 'Pata nahi. Aap logon ke friends, business associates, clients...'

Ambika raised a hand to stop her, the smile on her face transforming into a chuckle, 'In sab mein se koi nahi hoga.'

Seeing the shocked expression on Naina's face, she elaborated, 'Hum log birthdays par party nahi karte. Jinke paas pehle hi sab kuch hai aise logon ko khilane pilane ke liye business parties hoti hain, parivar ke occasions nahi. Mujhe aisa dikhawa pasand nahi hai. Family members ka birthday toh hamari personal khushi hai. Isey shaadi jaisa event kyon banana? Isliye Sameer aur Anu ke birthday ko hum apne tareeke se manaate hain. Pehle toh main unke naam par orphanage mein kapde, toys aur baaki zarurat ka saaman dekar aati hun. Papaji shuru se aisa hi karte they, Girish ke liye. Shaadi ke baad woh mere birthday par bhi orphanage mein donate karne lage toh maine bhi bachhon ke liye yehi shuru kar diya.'

Naina's eyes lit up not just in surprise but in appreciation too, 'Yeh toh sach mein bohot amazing hai mummy. Main bhi chalungi aapke saath. Aapko pata hai, main hamesha se aise bachhon ke liye kuch karna chahti thi. Lekin kabhi aisi situation hi nahi ban paayi ki main mamuli se donation ke alava kuch de paun.'

Ambika was delighted at her enthusiasm, 'Zarur beta, mujhe baohot achha lagega tum chalogi toh. Aisa karenge, hum saath mein shopping karenge. Bachhon ke liye jo chaho khareed lena. Fir orphanage jaakar unhe gifts denge. Tumhe un bachhon se milkar bada achha lagega. Itne pyare hain woh sabhi. Chote chote gestures se kitne khush ho jaate hain.' She turned to gaze at some faraway point, her eyes moist as she probably recalled her previous visits, 'Mujhe bura bhi lagta hai, yeh sochkar ki unhe bina parents ke pyar ke apni life bitani hai. Hum log is baat ko samajh hi nahi sakte ki aisi zindagi kya hogi. Mere parents ne toh shaadi ke baad mujhse rishta tora tha. Usse pehle mujhe bohot pyar mila apni family se.'

Then she looked at Naina with a fond smile gracing her face, 'Tumhare parents bhi jab tak tumhare saath they tumhe pamper karte honge. Haina? Ek toh beti ho, upar se choti. Jaise Anu hamare ghar ki princess hai tum bhi sabki gudiya rahi hogi.'

Naina lowered her eyes. Ambika took it to be her melancholy as she missed her parents.

Shifting ahead, she planted a kiss on her forehead before adding, 'Ab tum hamari princess ho. Hum sabki... main, Girish, papaji, hum sab tumhe Anu ki tarah pyar karenge. Hamesha. Aur Anu, uske liye tum bhabhi nahi badi behen jaisi ho.' Her eyes twinkled as she smiled wider, 'Bacha Sameer, toh uske liye kuch kehne ki zarurat hi nahi. Mera beta toh lattu hai tum par. Uske naina bas apni Naina par hi tike rehte hain. Uski aankhon ka pyar kisi se chupa nahi hai.'

Naina was more embarrassed than annoyed. She opened her mouth to counter Ambika's belief but the elder woman cupped Naina's face and said affectionately , 'Nazar na lagey. Humein achha lagta hai jab tum dono mein aisa pyar dekhte hain. Ismein sharmane ki koi baat nahi hai. Bas aise hi rehna hamesha.'

Naina's face turned red. Even if for one moment, she could think that their marriage was real, it was unimaginable that she could express such feelings in front of the family. Perhaps whatever extra Sameer was doing was giving them this notion. She gulped, yet again feeling a sharp pang of guilt stab her for cheating such genuine and loving people.

And again, Ambika took her emotional expression to be something else. She patted Naina's cheek, chuckling, 'Pata hai pata hai. Tum shy ho. Isliye har baat pe nazren jhuka leti ho. Par apna pyar dikhana toh padega, Sameer ke birthday pe, uski pasand ki dish banakar.'

Naina's thoughts shifted to what Ambika had mentioned earlier. Ambika cleared her doubt immediately, 'Kyonki hum kisiko invite nahi karte isliye khana ghar pe hi banta hai. Jiska birthday hota hai uksi pasand ki ek ek dish sabko banani hoti hai. Papaji bhi banate hain, hum sabke birthday pe. Kuch bhi ho bas uski pasand ka hona chahiye jiska birthday hai. Lekin koi pressure nahin lena. bas comfortably jo bana do woh chalega. Last year Girish ne Anu ke liye smoothie banaya tha, kyonki din mein unki ek urgent meeting aa gayi toh jaana pada. Wapas aane ke baad itna hi time tha ki kuch jhatpat wali dish bana saken.'

She laughed as she recalled, 'Aur ek baar Sameer ne mere liye Roohafza ka shake banaya tha. Itna simple bhi chal jaata hai. Toh hum sab plan kar rahe hain ki Sameer ki party ka menu kya rakhein. Mera beta ek number ka foodie hai. Uski pasand ki dishes ki list tumhe pata hi hai kitni lambi hai. Uske liye cook karna mushkil nahi hai. Anu ek group banake usmein sabko add kar degi. Fir sab apna apna dish choose kar lenge. Tum wife ho uski isliye sabse pehal haq tumhara hai.. Tum jo chaho woh choose karna. Fir hum log dekh lenge. Okay? Haan, Sameer Munna Pandit ko bulata hai. Tum toh jaanti hi ho woh dono Sameer ke dost nahi uske bhai jaise hain. Isliye woh toh ayenge par aur koi nahi hoga. Pata hai, woh dono bhi kuch lekar aate hain, khud banake.'

Naina couldn't help smiling, 'Matlab gift ki jagah casserole?'

Ambika grinned, 'Haan sachhi. Gift plan karna ho toh bohot sochna padta hai. Isliye hamara gift isey hi maante hain. Waise bhi, aajkal jisey jo chahiye hota hai woh do minute mein online order karke mangwa lete hain.'

With a teasing glint in her eyes, she added, 'Tum kuch alag gift dena chaho toh de dena. Akele mein. Lekin party ke liye bas casserole kaafi hoga.'

Flashback ends

With a deep exhale, Naina wondered for the umpteenth time how Sameer could be a part of such an understanding and benevolent family. His traits seemed so different from all of them. While they exuded warmth, kindness, and a deep sense of empathy, he was always conceited and arrogant, looking down upon others. The contrast was a puzzle to her. How someone so high handed in attitude belong to a family so rich in compassion? If only he had been half as nice as them...

She recalled what Natasha believed earlier, about his interest in her. How could she be so naive? Anyone who knows Sameer would know for sure that the only person he can ever love was himself. If Natasha was here, she could see it with her own eyes. But she was far away. Too far. And Naina missed her like crazy. She had never stayed without Natasha for this long. Had it not been for her short visit to Singapore, it would have been almost four months now that they were apart. And she had to wait another three months now, before Natasha would be back. Lost in the thoughts of her friend, and missing her terribly, Naina did not come to know when she drifted into sleep.

The soft buzz of alarm near his ear shook Sameer out of the haze of slumber. He quickly pressed the button to shut it, lest it disturbed Naina. His eyes fluttered open in the dim light of dawn that trickled in through the breezy curtains. After a languid stretch to his body, he turned slightly to check on her. What he saw made all sleep vanish from his eyes in a flash.

Naina, unlike all other days, had her face towards him. Her eyes were shut, but her lips were moving, as if she was mumbling something. Her palm lay in front of her, her fingers fidgeting as if she was troubled about something. Sameer didn't know what to do. Her movements were not too jittery but there was a hint of anxiety. Should he leave her like this? Or should he try to wake her up? If he did that, Naina would not like it. And to avoid anything like this in future, she might start to wake up before him again. That would destroy the complete purpose of the guise of workout and jog.

While he was contemplating, Naina uttered something in muffled voice, something that sounded like 'main wait karungi'. His eyes narrowed. Why would Naina say such a thing, and for whom is she waiting? His curiosity piqued. She was still mumbling something. He dragged himself a bit towards her and lowered his head closer to her face, trying to catch what she was speaking.

'Abhi nahi... thode din hi toh hain...' her broken voice was clearer from this close, '...main reh lungi...'

As Sameer focused intently, trying hard to piece together the fragments of words that he had heard, a subdued sound erupted from Naina's throat, like a stifled sob. His heart clenched at the sound, and he instinctively reached out to comfort her, his hand hovering just above her shoulder. After much thought, he fisted the fingers and pulled back his hand.

The vulnerability in her voice, even in sleep, struck him deeply, as did his helplessness. Her breathing was laboured. There was a clear frown on her forehead that pushed her brows closer. It was as if she was wrestling with some sorrow, and the thought of her being in pain was unsettling for him. He leaned in closer, his worry growing, unsure of how to ease whatever distress she was experiencing.

Before he could think of a way, Naina slipped ahead, her body making contact with his because of the movement. Sameer froze, his breath catching in his throat. The warmth of her body seeped into him, unleashing a rush of emotions through him. Her unexpected closeness was endearing and comforting, yet disarming. It was stirring feelings he had been trying to keep at bay. He stayed still, careful not to disturb her. His heart pounded in his chest, acutely aware of every breath she took, which sent a trickling sensation down his spine.

Panic began to rise in him like a tide. What if she opened her eyes this very moment. How would he explain their position? He could not break whatever little fragments of bridge he had made between them by his constant efforts. However much he wanted to remain in this blissful warmth, he needed to get away. He attempted to shift subtly, to create some space between them. But before he could move, Naina's hand reached out and clutched onto his upper arm, her grip firm even in her sleep. A soft hum escaped her lips as she rubbed her face against his arm, seeking comfort. The unconscious gesture from her sent a jolt through him, making it impossible to think of anything else but the shared warmth between them.

Any movement from his side could make her aware of his presence. Naina, as far as he had observed, was usually a light sleeper. But today she seemed utterly oblivious, lost in the depths of her slumber. Whether it was some kind of distress, sheer exhaustion, or something else entirely that had induced such deep sleep in her, he didn't know. Her usual sensitivity to even the slightest movement was absent, leaving him wondering what had worn her down so much that she could drift off this way. Whatever it was, the undeniable fact beneath all of it was that she felt wonderful against him. He couldn't ignore the beating of his heart, that was matching the fast paced rhythm of his breath. One more time, his fingers itched to touch her, to push back the strand of hair fallen on her face, to trace the contour of her cheeks, to run his thumb over her lips...

Shutting his eyes, he immediately tried to divert his mind, thinking about office, meetings, terms of the new project... whatever could dampen the feelings that were filling his senses with desire. Naina wasn't speaking anymore. Her breathing was stable and the lines on her forehead had eased. Maybe the dream had ended... or perhaps... his presence had comforted her. He gulped, wishing for the day when he could actually provide her the solace of his arms, without having to hide it like now, or like earlier when he had to give the excuse of his family.

'Beta Sameer, kismat se itna panga nahi lena chahiye. Isse pehle ki Naina ko zara bhi pata lage, khisak le.' Grasping for semblance of control, he internally groaned and looked around to find a way for an escape his heart did not agree to but his mind kept nagging at.

With feather light touch, he placed his pillow under Naina's hand after unfurling her fingers from his arm, and slipped out of bed, the ache of separation profound in his heart. Just before disappearing from the room, he halted for a few seconds to glance back at her. In the soft glow of morning light, she looked ethereal, like an angel. Her face was buried in his pillow, the long fingers curled around its edge. With a sigh, he stepped out before his jealous eyes could burn that damn pillow.

It was another hour later that Naina's alarm rang through the stillness of the room. With closed eyes, she switched it off, then let out a swoosh of air. She laid still for a few moments, relishing the feel of a well rested night. Slowly, her eyes opened, and her lips curled into a smile, remembering Ambika's caution that the turmeric milk could make her late for work next day. She had slept well and did feel refreshed.

'I wish aaj chutti hoti.' She let out a sigh before preparing to get up. That is when it registered to her that she was sleeping in the center of the bed. Sitting up with a start, she looked around. Thankfully, she was alone. Then her gaze fell to the pillow she was clutching. Not just clutching, she had crushed it in her arms. It was Sameer's pillow. Naina turned pale. What had she been upto? How could she be so careless? She had always remained glued to her side, and that is where she had settled last night. Then how did she end up here, on his pillow? Did she do it after he left or...

A loud gasp escaped her lips as some appalling scenes emerged in her imagination. No way could she have rolled over to him, could she? Why did she not wake up at the unfamiliar scent? Why did she not sense his presence much closer than acceptable? Why did she not stick to her side of the bed?

'Urgghh.' She banged her forehead with her fist, till another thought cut through her despair. Maybe she had sought his pillow after he was gone. It did make sense, because if he was in bed, the pillow would have been at a different place. The realisation brought some relief, and she desperately hoped that this was the order of events.

While Naina got slightly delayed because of her consuming thoughts, Sameer was back a bit early because he could not concentrate on what he was doing. When he walked into the room, Naina was in the closet area. The sliding door was open so he could see her partially, searching for something in her cupboard. She was dressed for office. Even from a distance, he could see that she was calm, not tired or agitated. A faint fear that had been nagging him that Naina would be aware of their moments eased away slowly. He silently waited for her to finish her work and move out so that she did not get uncomfortable.

Inside, unaware of his presence, Naina searched for the temporary id card that she needed to access the location of shoot today. She had placed it somewhere safely and she could not remember now. While looking for it in the drawer, her fingers brushed against the wooden frame of her mom's photograph. Before leaving for Singapore, she had removed it from her bedside drawer and put it inside the cupboard. She brought out the frame and gazed at it. Would she have been her mother's princess had she been alive? Would she have got her father's affection and brother's love if her mom had lived? These were the questions she would never get an answer to. But what she had now was no way less precious and cherishable. Ambika doted on her like a real daughter. A loving smile erupted on Naina's lips as she remembered the kiss Ambika placed on her forehead.

She gingerly touched the skin on that part, mumbling to her mom, 'Agar aap mere saath hoti toh bilkul isi tarah pyar karti mujhe. Haina?'

Sameer had stepped out to the balcony before she left. She did not come to know of his presence. But her small gesture had not gone unnoticed from him. The way she had touched her forehead, at the same place where he had kissed her, and smiled... his heart had done another somersault. Was this a sign of her acceptance? Was this the reason she had turned to him in the morning? Unable to control his excitement, Sameer had hopped out to the balcony. If he were to face Naina now, he might not be able to stop himself from taking her in his arms and telling her how much he loved her. That might not be a good idea yet.

Outside, he grinned like a fool, looking around at the birds, the trees, flowers... everything appeared more beautiful, more vibrant. The thought that Naina had started to melt down had made his world much brighter.

Overcome with joy, he spread his arms and spun around, 'I love this day. I love this garden, I love these flowers, I love these birds and I love...' an exuberant smile gleamed on his face, 'I love Naina.'

He would wait to tell her, but not too long. Yes, he did not want to waste more time now. Maybe in a week's time, on the day of his birthday... that seemed to be a perfect opportunity to confess his love to her.

Next two days Naina was busy with shoot of the ongoing campaign. And then, it was the editing and rest of the post production process before the final advertisement could be delivered to the client. The whole schedule did not leave any time for her to go shopping with Ambika as planned.

On the day before Sameer's birthday, when she apologised for her inability, Ambika was quick to adjust accordingly, 'Koi baat nahi beta, hum next week chale jayenge.'

Naina felt guilty of delaying her, 'I'm so sorry mummy. Client ne itne changes karwaye ki time hi nahi mila is week. Lekin iske baad kuch urgent nahi hai. Hum kal din mein chalein? Kal main leave le lungi.'

'Nahi.' Ambika smiled, 'Kal toh hum sabko Sameer ke liye dishes ready karni hai. Aisa karte hain do din baad shopping karenge aur uske next day orphanage chalenge, jisse wahan poora din aaram se spend kar sakein. Theek hai?'

This program was fine for Naina. What she was worried about was the next day... Sameer's birthday.

Next update on Thursday