Anand decided that the lunch would be ordered from some good restaurant today.
"Aaj hum party karenge... hotel chale jaate par buaji thak gayi hain... unhe aadat nahi hai kahin aane jaane ki aur court mein itni der khade rehna pada... isliye ghar mein hi mangwa lete hain." He said when bua dadi had gone to her room to freshen up.
He had brought a camera with him. They had clicked some pictures to keep the memories of the day. Though it could never be erased from Naina and Sameer's mind... each moment would remain alive and fresh... the memories in the form of pictures were needed to show to others. Sameer did not hesitate to wound his arm around his wife's shoulder when chachaji clicked theirs. Naina squirmed initially but when Phulla bua asked her to shift closer, she inched a bit towards him.
"Aisa lagna toh chahiye ki shaadi hui hai... ab college wapas jaana hai isliye sindoor bhi nahi laga sakti... photo mein toh kam se kam biwi ke jaise haq se khadi ho uske saath." She chided Naina.
Sameer's gentle pull made them closer... and Naina shivered at the first touch... of her husband... she could feel the warmth from his body seep into her through the thin saree. They had held hands after the court ceremony but this proximity, that too in front of chachaji... Naina was jittery. After a few pictures, she insisted on clicking with bua dadi and then with chachaji.
"Jab tak khana aayega, main sabke liye nimbu paani bana deti hun." She tried to get some solitude... to let the feeling sink in.
As she entered the kitchen, shrill ring of the phone made chachaji get up and attend. The call was from Ahmedabad. Bela wanted to know if everything was done properly. Chachaji picked up the cordless and walked out to the balcony.
Finding himself alone in the room, Sameer got up to catch a glimpse of Naina.
She was mixing sugar in the jug, her back towards the door. Sameer stealthily moved ahead.
Naina gasped aloud as his hand moved around her waist.
"Sameer, tum yahan kya kar rahe ho... pagal ho gaye ho kya... kisi ne dekh liya toh..." She turned... only to realise that now she was too close to his face.
She tried to move away but Sameer tightened his hold, "Ab kisi ne dekh bhi liya toh kya, Mrs Maheshwari, licence hai mere paas."
Her fingers on his arms dug deeper... she reminded herself of the changed equation... not that she had forgotten... but the enormity of transformation it would be bringing was slowly coming to her.
"Sameer, chachaji... aise..." She stuttered.
"Woh phone pe baat kar rahe hain." His gaze slipped to her red lips.
Naina gulped.
His hand came to rest on her cheek, the thumb tracing the outline of her lower lip.
"Aaj tumhe doosri baar dekha hai iss lipstick mein... tumne toh kaha tha tumhare paas hai hi nahi." His voice was heavy.
"Bua dadi ne di hai... bindi bhi... aur..." She stopped.
"Aur?" He raised his brows.
"Aur sindoor." She whispered.
And his eyes darted to the empty parting of her hair... the memories of the day when he had accidentally put red colour there came rushing back to him.
"Naina, humare saath sab kuch itna alag kyon hota hai... sabki shaadi ek baar mein ho jaati hai... humaari aise tukdon mein... sindoor tumhe teen mahine pehle laga tha... court mein sign aaj kiya hai aur woh aag wali shaadi hum aur do teen mahine baad karenge." He was lost in thoughts.
