Naina opened her eyes to bright light filtering in the room through a few cracks in the curtains. She looked at the bedside clock to realise it was past ten in the morning. But then, the time didn't matter. They were not bound by the hands of clock. With a smile, she stirred... and realised her state.
Holding the quilt upto her neck, she turned to see her husband sleeping peacefully. The room was not cold, but still, it wasn't hot either... for him to be sleeping in just his track bottoms, no quilt over him. Chiding herself for keeping the whole of it over her, she pulled it to cover him. He mumbled in sleep, incoherent though, as her arm touched his bare chest. Quickly drawing her hand back, she looked around. Her nighty lay at the foot of the bed... just the inner. Slowly slipping towards it under the quilt, she picked it up. It wasn't much, but she could get out of the bed.
On the way to washroom, her eyes fell on the gown on the floor... she blushed as the scene from last night replayed in front of her eyes.
The morning bell of hostel continued to ring as Sameer tried to shut his ears. But the sound did not stop. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to go through the same routine... of sitting, dining, studying, attending classes with the same boys who were nice to him only when he spent money for them... even then, they sniggered behind his back, making fun of his mother who had remarried... and threw him out of his new life.
"Please, chup ho jao." He muttered, shutting his ears.
The sound stopped... only to begin again with the same intensity.
He got up with a jerk, dazed at the unfamiliar surroundings. The phone next to his bed was ringing. He picked it up quickly.
"Good morning, sir... aapne dus baje cab bulane ko kaha tha... woh aa gayi hai." The courteous voice of manager floated through the instrument.
"Huh... haan... theek hai... thodi der aur rukne ko kahiye." He instructed, trying to understand the situation.
"No problem, sir... aap jab ready ho bata dijiyegaa." He said in a soft tone before disconnecting.
Sameer wiped off the sweat from his forehead. All the bad memories were a dream.
He looked around at the spent candles... the room still smelled of fresh roses... and of his Naina.
He looked at his side with a smile... it faded abruptly as his eyes encountered an empty bed.
"Naina, Naina... kahan ho..
Naina... please bolo kahan ho tum." He frantically called out to her.
The door to washroom opened. She came out with a towel in hand, worried at his urgent cries.
"Kya hua, Sameer? Tum theek toh ho?" She rushed to him.
He pulled her into his arms, drowning his face in her neck, "Kahan chali gayi thi mujhe akela chod ke... main darr gaya tha."
"Main bathroom mein hi toh thi... tumhe chod ke kahan jaa sakti hun, Sameer... tum aise kyon keh rahe ho?" She was perplexed.
"Maine... maine ek bura sapna dekha." His voice quivered.
She rubbed his back with one hand, running the other one in his hair, "Sab bure sapne peeche reh gaye... ab hum dono saath hain... hamesha rahenge... aise hi ek doosre ke paas... ab hum ek parivar hain... tum darte kyon ho?"
His fears eased out. Her comfort and warmth soothed him. The thought of his dream did not trouble him anymore. He had a family... she was his family. Along with her, he had got many more relations... new ones. And he had also got the one he craved for most in his life... his mother. Naina had made his life complete... in every sense.
