"Shukar hai aa gaye... warna humein lag raha tha ki Naina ki vidaai aaj hi ho gayi hai... ab toh pagphere ke liye hi aayegi." Preeti let out a long exhale as Sameer stopped the bike at Law garden.
Naina smacked her on the arm, "Kuch bhi bolti hai... soch liya kar ek baar muh kholne se pehle."
She rolled her eyes, rubbing her arm, "Yeh lo, hum yahan intezar mein sookhe ja rahe hai aur yeh hain ki haath sek rahi hai... yaar Swati, zara isko ghadi dikha... chaat khane ka naam leke aaye the, behen, dukaan kholne nahi."
Pandit looked at Preeti , "Preeti, yeh toh kamaal ka idea hai... dukaan hi khol le tu... waise bhi itni der mein tune jitna khaya hai woh ek poori dukaan ke samaan se kam nahi tha... koi grahak nahi aaye toh bhi tujhe chinta nahi... apni dukaan, apne hi pet ke naam."
Preeti gave him an angry look, "Pandit, maine kaha tha na mere khane pe nazar mat laga... maine roka hai tujhe kabhi samose khaane se? Maine toh nahi kaha ki tu bhi yahan kadhai rakhke samose talna shuru kar de."
Munna looked from one to another, then scratched his head, "Yaar maana hum sabka college khatam ho gaya par tum dono ko lagta nahi ki chaat ke thele aur samose ki kadhai ke liye itna padhne ki zaroorat thi hi nahi... woh toh tum waise bhi laga sakte the."
Preeti and Pandit looked at him, then at each other, and said together, "Hum kahan itna padhe... college toh hum doston se milne jaate the."
They again looked at each other, and burst into laughter. Others joined them... shaking their heads at the similarities between their dissimilar friends.
When Naina and Preeti reached back, Bela was not at home. She had gone out to buy some groceries. After they arrived, Anand took Phulla bua to the doctor as her BP was a little high.
The girls relaxed on the swing in the living room, chatting about random things.
"Bela, o Bela." Taiji's low voice reached them.
Preeti looked back in disbelief as she had never heard taiji speak so softly. Naina sat with a straight face.
"Taiji, mummy bazar gayi hain... kuch kaam tha?" Preeti stood up, ready for the barrage of taunts.
"Kitni khareedi karti hai yeh." Taiji's voice rose to the same level out of habit, but went down the next instant, "Uhh... koi baat nahi... kaam... haan woh... main baad mein aati hun."
Naina stifled a laugh... Preeti stared dumbfounded at the retreating figure, not believing what she saw... or heard.
"Behen, tujhe dikha jo abhi hua?" She rubbed her eyes.
"Kya hua?" Naina asked innocently.
Preeti turned sharply towards her, "Nahi dikha na... lag raha tha mujhe... yeh sach ho hi nahi sakta." Clutching her stomach, she groaned, "Naina, aaj shayad zyada hi chaat kha li... mera dimaag hil gaya hai... mujhe taiji ke sapne aa rahe hain."
Naina finally got an excuse to laugh, "Pagal, sapna nahi tha... woh sach mein aayi thi."
Preeti was taken aback, "Hain, taiji aayi thi... matlab woh sach mein ek bhi taana mare bina chali gayi? Na mummy ko kosa na humein sunaya... aur o bai bhi nahi bola... taiji ka dimaag bhi hil gaya kya? Aaj pehli baar khana banwa ke woh khane bhi nahi aayi thi."
Naina openly laughed at Preeti's shocked mumbling.
She dumbly stared at her sister, "Tujhe dekh ke bhi kuch nahi bola... na muh banaya... Naina, kuch baat toh hai... aisi taiji toh humne aaj tak nahi dekhi."
"Chod na, aaj unka man nahi hoga taane dene ka." Naina tried to play it down.
Preeti was not able to get over it, "Woh taiji hain hamari... taane unke naam se jude hain... iske alawa woh kuch karti hi kahan hain... pata nahi tujhe yeh sab itna normal kaise lag raha hai... kahin yeh kisi bade toofan se pehle ki shanti toh nahi?"
