LIVE TO LOVE: ARRANGED

STAINS OF LIFE

“Teri baahon ke ghere me kaid tha,

meri neendon ka aashiyan…

Jara sameta kya tune khud me,

mere sukoon ko jaise rihayi mil gayi….”

The distance nurtured the pain in their hearts, but slowly it dissipated in thin air, as their love bubbled up claiming it’s lost place again. She was content, finally relieved and happy in her heart, but Sameer was still aggrieved. Those scary words of the doctor were still resonating in his heart. He was not only in pain but deeply scared and worried. Thinking about that wound, he slowly tightened his arms around her, maybe unknowingly.

Naina snuggled in his heart, her hands went around his waist some more tight and she mumbled,”umhmm, Sameer… sone dijiye naa, mujhe bhut neend aa rahi hai…”

Sameer leaned slightly and looked at her small face snuggling in himself. At the same time, she scrunched her nose, pouted and sniffed. Unknowingly his lips curled up. They were sitting there quietly not more than 20 minutes and his cute little wifey already dozed off, but next moment his heart ached thinking of those sleepless nights she spent in pain and tension.

All of a sudden, he wanted nothing but to hide her in himself, that too so well that no pain could ever see her. But at the very moment his heart was restlessly pounding sending him signals. He felt like a failure… he failed as a friend to understand her… he failed as her husband to love her… he failed to fulfill his own vow to protect her… he failed badly but now he vowed again to at least take care of her in all possible ways.

He lifted her slowly, but suddenly frowned and murmured,”itna weight loss… kaise Nainu… “, but sighed slowly and carried her to the room.

Naina was in deep sleep, God knows another side effect of medicine, or she was just feeling light and relieved after shrugging off that burden from her heart but of course he couldn’t. He lied down with her in arms, caressed her hairs, and kissed her forehead softly. Although he didn’t want to leave her side, still after thinking something, he got up and went downstairs.

Nanu smiled looking at him walking inside the kitchen. He got up from the couch and headed to his room, but a voice stopped him.

Sameer stopped him in time and asked him,”Nanu, aap dinner me aaj kya khayenge… kya bnau… Naina kya bnati hai… aur kaise…”

Nanu looked at him and suddenly burst into a loud laughter. Wrapped in a brown apron, he had a ladle in one hand, while he scratched his head with another, but the cute innocence on his face reminded him that adorable kid 20 years before he was. He laughed heartily, in fact louder when a confused Radhe appeared behind him.

Well he was about to reply, but then Kanchan di came with a brown diary and said,”Sameer baba, aap isme dekho… isme Naina bahu ne sab kuch likha hai… kal bhabhiji bol bhi rahi thi ki bade sahab ke bare me kuch bhi janna ho isme dekhna, agar wo naa huyi toh…”

“Kya matlab naa huyi toh… Naina kyu nahi hogi… yahi toh hai wo… wo yahi rahegi… mm mujhe… mere paas… nahi hoga use kuch… kuch bhi nahi… nn nhi…”, suddenly he jerked and mumbled incoherently as if something triggered under his calm demeanor.

Radhe and Kanchan stood confused, while nanu frowned. He looked at him deeply and said loudly,”Sameer…”

“Ji… ji nanu..”, he was startled and replied, wiping his forehead sadly.

Nanu again stared at him for a moment and said, this time softly,”tu ye khana waana chhod, ye Kanchan aur Radhe kar lenge… tu mere paas aa kamre me, mujhe kuch kaam hai…”