Anaya could not let this opportunity to tease her brother pass easily. She straightened her shoulders and spoke in a heavy voice, 'Aaj khush toh bohot hoge tum,' then winked, 'Ab aapko Naina, sorry sorry, bhabhi se milne ke liye koi mauka nahi dhoondna padega.'

Ambika was in a teasing mode too, 'Arey isey bahane ki kya zarurat hai yeh toh jab marzi mil leta hoga. Bahane toh humein banana padte hain, kyonki tera bhai itna posseseive hai apni Naina ke liye ki usey humse bhi nahi milne deta.'

Sameer was irritated by their excitement and playful teasing, 'Aap log mazaak choro aur yeh batao ki shaadi ke liye February ki date kisne decide ki? Itni jaldi shaadi karne ki toh koi baat nahi hui thi. Papa ne kaha tha chaar paanch mahine ka time hai mere paas. Fir achanak agle mahine kyon?'

Ambika turned serious, 'Sameer, shaadi jaisa decision life ka bohot bada decision hota hai. Jaanti hun tum bhai behen panditji ki baton ko importance nahi dete lekin sab log kuch bhi bada karne ke liye shubh ashubh ko maante hain. Maine jab teri shaadi ke baare mein pucha toh unhone kaha teri aur Naina ki kundali chahiye. Mujhe pata tha agar tujhse kundli ki baat ki toh tu kabhi nahi lakar dega, isliye maine seedhe Naina ko hi phone kar diya.'

'Kya?' Sameer was astounded, 'Aapne Naina se uski kundali maangi? Aur usne de di?'

Ambika shook her head sadly, 'Baat hi kahan ho paayi? Usne phone nahi uthaya. Shayad office mein kisi meeting mein hogi.'

Sameer was confused, 'Agar shaadi ke liye kundali ki zarurat hi nahi hai toh date kaise nikaalte hain?'

Ambika smiled, 'Maine panditji ko Naina ki birth date bata di aur unhone uske hisaab se options de di.'

'Aapko Naina ki birth date kaise pata?' He was surprised.

Ambika pointed at her daughter with a warm smile, 'Anu ne bataya. Panditji keh rahe the ki tum dono ek dusre ke liye ekdum perfect ho. Best jodi hai.'

Sameer groaned silently. If only his mother knew how they felt about each other was far from perfect.

He asked, trying hard to mask his irritation, 'Perfect hain na? Agar shaadi agle mahine nahi ki toh yeh perfection kam ho jaayega kya? Itni kya jaldi hai aap logon ko?'

Anaya chipped in to give him the reason, 'Kyonki pandit ne kaha hai February ke baad agla muhurat August mein hai. Ruk sakte ho kya August tak?'

In his mind, Sameer cursed the person who could not find a single date suitable for his marriage in the month of May. This wasn't going as per plan at all.

He tried another approach, 'Mummy, aapko shaadi ke liye kitni saari preparations karni hongi. Agle mahine tak kaise hoga sab? Kyon na hum kisi aur pandit se puchh ke dekhen? Ya fir...'

Before he could come up with more ideas, Ambika raised a palm to stall him, a stern look on her face, 'Dekh Sameer, is case mein teri ek baat nahi sunungi. Shaadi toh hamare panditji ki batayi hui date pe hi hogi. Kisi aur ke paas jaane ki zarurat nahi hai. Aur preparations ki chinta tu mat kar. Main sab kar lungi.'

She narrowed her eyes when Sameer did not appear excited, 'Kahin tu aur Naina fir se jhagda karke toh nahi baithe? Shaadi ka naam sunke itna ghabra kyon raha hai?'

'Na... nahi toh.' He quickly shot a glance at Anaya, who seemed concerned at her mom's observation, 'Isme ghabrane ki kya baat hai. Main bas thoda... surprised hun. Aapne achanak... matlab, ekdum se shaadi karne ko bol diya... main prepared nahi tha.'

Ambika rolled her eyes, 'Tum aajkal ke bachhon ka kuch samajh nahi aata. Jab tum dono ki relationship mein koi problem nahi hai toh kisliye delay karna hai? Do saal ka time kam hai kya? Jitna ek dusre ko dekh jaan sakte the utna jaan liya. Baaki shaadi ke baad hi pata chalega. Jab Naina se pyar karta hai toh commitment se darta kyon hai?'

Anaya furrowed her brows, her voice laced with incredulity, 'Aap commitment se bhaag rahe ho kya? Bhai, aap aisa nahi kar sakte Naina ke saath.'

'Offo, aap dono toh peeche hi pad gaye.' Sameer huffed, 'Maine yeh toh nahi kaha ki main Naina se shaadi nahi karunga. Fine. Jaisa karna hai karo. February hai toh February hi sahi.'

And he sprinted up to his room, taking two stairs at a time. After banging the door shut, he threw the phone on bed, and sat on the edge with a thud. Frustration building up inside him had multiplied with this news. But it had started much earlier, at the revelation in Munna's office that afternoon. He could see the whole scene playing in front of him again.

After Munna had mentioned in clear words what his future might look like, Sameer had gone quiet, imagining the scenario when Munna's phone started to ring. One look at the screen, and his face twisted in anger.

Only after there had been a good number of rings, he picked up and said drily, 'Kahiye Prakhar ji.'

Sameer's attention jumped to his conversation. It couldn't be a coincidence that he and Naina were dealing with different people of same name at the same time. Munna was definitely speaking to the same Prakhar Naina was talking to a while back.

Unlike her though, Munna seemed quite annoyed as he listened to the person on the other side.

After a few seconds, he replied in the same rough tone, 'Agar Naina ne kal shaam tak dene ko kaha hai toh zarur ready kar degi. Kal ki meeting mein saare designs le aunga. Lekin aapko bata dun Prakhar ji, kal tak yeh prepare karne ke liye Naina aur uski team ko saari raat kaam karna padega. Double nahi four times effort lagana hoga usey.'

Something the other party said made him relax visibly, 'Theek hai Prakhar ji. Main convey kar dunga.'

He listened for a while before saying, 'Aisa nahi hai ki main lekin aapko bhi sochna chahiye tha ki itne short notice pe options zyada nahi hoti. Naina pehle hi teen projects ek saath handle kar rahi hai. Main uspe pressure kaise daal sakta tha. Arpit aur Kalpesh se aap kaam karwana nahi chahte.'

When he put the phone away, and let out a relieved breath, Sameer couldn't help asking, 'Kaun hai yeh Prakhar?Tujhe iske saath koi problem hai kya?'

Rubbing his forehead, Munna sighed, 'Puch mat bhai. Ek buddha hai jise yeh galatfehmi hai ki woh abhi bhi kisi hero se kam nahi. Kehta hai mujhe sir mat bulao, main tum logon jaisa hi hun. Woh toh ji lagane ko bhi manaa karta hai. Khair, buddhe ne Friday se mera dimaag kharab kiya hua tha. Usey kuch designs chahiye the jo humein iss weekend tak dene the lekin Friday ko kehne laga aaj hi do kyonki unke director ko abroad jaane se pehle decision lena hai. Ab aise thodi hota hai yaar. Creativity ko aap rush nahi kar sakte. Bas isi baat pe thodi garma garmi ho gayi uske saath toh maine keh diya ki humein unka kaam karna hi nahi.'

Sameer was listening with rapt attention. He knew how rigid and annoying some clients could be.

Munna continued, 'Aaj subah Naina ne unke liye banaye kuch designs dikhaye toh maine usey bhi bata diya ki hum Prakhar ji ka project nahi karenge. Poori baat sunne ke baad usne kaha woh dekhegi kya ho sakta hai kyonki na sirf project achha hai balki woh hamare purane client hai.'

He gave a probing look to Sameer, 'Lagta hai Naina ne unhe samjha ke kal tak ka time le liya hai. Yeh sab usne apne initiative pe kiya. Aur iski wajah se usey extra hours lagane padenge time se pehle designs banane ke liye. Sameer, main tujhe yehi samjhane ki koshish kar raha hun. Woh ladki apne kaam ke saath saath company ki fikr bhi karti hai, meri reputation ke liye bhi sochti hai. Sirf ek employee ki tarah behave karti toh usey kya zarurat thi buddhe Prakhar se baat karne ki. Apne liye hi pressure badhaya na. Lekin nahi, usey yeh project chorne se zyada client ke saath relationship spoil karne ka afsos tha. Aur dekh le, usne pata nahi kya kehkar Prakhar uncleji ko set kiya ki woh na sirf kal tak ka time de rahe hain balki khud mujhe phone karke narmi se baat kar rahe hain.'

Sameer kept looking at him, processing all that he had heard.

Munna stated after a pause, 'Kal shaam ko meri aur Renuka ki meeting hai unke saath. Lagta hai Naina tab tak unke saare designs ready kar degi.' He then added with a smile, 'Waise ek baat toh hai, tu good luck banke aaya hai. Tere aate hi yeh issue resolve ho gaya.'

Sameer gave a small smile and left.

Now he knew that it was a client she was talking to, and it wasn't her but Munna who was meeting him the next day. He felt at ease. But next moment, the reality made him wonder why he had suddenly been so peeved when he heard Naina talking to someone. The anger, the tightening sensation in his chest at that time now worried him. His own reflection of that moment and the tumult of emotions after that made him restless as he sat in the car, holding onto the wheel. He did feel a sting of regret, having said all those things about Naina to Munna, but it was a solace that he did not let his thoughts spill out in her presence. Else, he would have been consumed by guilt. If his penchant to jump to conclusions was real, so was his regret later when he got to know about the reasons for her actions. Yet, it did not stop him from getting the same thoughts every time such a situation occurred. What was the reason that he was so profoundly effected by this one woman?

'Yeh kya ho raha hai mujhe? Main Naina ki har baat se itna effect kyon ho raha hun?' Running a hand through his hair, Sameer sighed, and started the car.

He had to stay away from Naina, if he wanted to remain sane.

Sitting in his room now, he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the headache that was forming from the chaos in his heart and mind. There seemed to be no way out. Half an hour later, he had come to a decision... a different one from the one he had taken in the afternoon.

The curtain of darkness had covered the city completely by the time he reached Naina's society. Typical January fog had started to envelop the surroundings in its cottony thickness. Seated in the car near the gate, he called her number.

'Hello?' Naina picked up in the second ring, but her voice had the unfamiliarity that he wasn't expecting.

'Uh Naina... I want to talk to you.' He stated hesitantly, adding as an afterthought, 'Main Sameer bol raha hun.'

At home, Naina removed the phone from the crook of her shoulder. She had picked up and perched it there without checking the id of caller as she was engrossed in completing the work that was to be shown to the client next day. Her furious typing stopped when she heard his voice.

'Jaanti hun tum kaun ho.' Her voice was flat, 'Bolo.'

'Phone pe nahi. Mil sakti ho kya?' He asked.

Naina eyed the excel sheet that was yet to be completed, 'Kab? Kal shaam ko office ke baad cafe mein aa jaana... if you are free.'

'Kal nahi aaj.' Sameer's voice was urgent, 'Abhi. Main tumhare ghar ke bahar hun. Hum kisi cafe mein jaa sakte hain.'

Naina scrunched her nose, 'Abhi? Lekin abhi mera bohot kaam baaki hai.' She waited for a few seconds then asked, 'Ghar pe baat kar lein? You can come up.'

'Nahi. Main Natasha ke saamne baat nahi karna chahta.' Sameer immediately responded.

'Nutty nahi hai. Flight pe gayi hai. Tum aa jao main gate pe call kar ke bata deti hun.'

Sameer parked the car and entered her society.

I know it's a short chapter. Am tied up with something. Will post next update on Wednesday or Thursday. Sorry for the uncertainty.