"Aap raat ke khaane ki taiyari kar lijiye, main zara Sameer ko dekh leti hun... ho sakta hai usse kuch chahiye ho." Naina told Ramdhari, wiping her hands before leaving the kitchen.
Sameer paced in the room, hitting a fisted hand on the palm of other.
"Yeh Naina bhi na... sabka khyaal hai bas mera hi nahi hai... jadoo se yeh pata kar sakti hai ki main office se jaldi aane wala hun, yeh pata nahi chalta ki mujhe uski zaroorat hai? Kitni der se kitchen mein lagi hai... arre, Ramdhari hai toh sahi... woh khushi khushi karta hai sab kuch... lekin nahi, Naina ko uski bhi madad karni hai." He grumbled, a deep frown on his forehead.
Realising what he just uttered, he gritted his teeth, "Matlab uss... uss Ramdhari ka bhi khyal hai par apne pati ka nahi.. huh... isse achha munshiji ki baat maanta hi nahi main... wahin office mein hi rehta... tab jaake meri qadr hoti Naina ko... yahan main mara jaa raha hun uske liye aur usse pyaz tamatar kaatne se fursat nahi mil rahi... main na... main na ghar mein khaana banana hi band karwa dunga... bahar se mangwa lenge... pyar se zaroori hai kya khaana?"
Walking in anger, he didn't pay attention to the couch and banged his leg on it.
"Ahhh," he doubled, holding his knee, "dil ka dard kam tha jo ab chot ka bhi dard bardaasht karo?"
Limping towards the bed, he sat down with a thud, "Ab main bhi Naina se baat nahi karunga... usse meri parwaah nahi hai na... toh main kyon uske liye sochun... Naina Maheshwari, dekh lena... mere paas bhi bohot saare kaam hain... ab main bhi nahi aane wala tumhare paas... tum kaato jo bhi alu tamatar kaatna hai tumhe."
Naina reached the door when he was sitting down on the bed. She heard his rants, smiling to herself.
When he was done cribbing, she made some noise to make him aware of her arrival and entered the room. He turned to look at her, then quickly turned his face, remembering his resolve. She walked slowly towards him. He kept his gaze fixed to a point ahead.
"Umm, Sameer, ab kaisa lag raha hai? Tabiyat theek hai na tumhari? Thakaan utari ya nahi?" She stood next to him.
He pursed his lips, without looking at her.
She touched his forehead, "Thode garam toh ho... lekin bukhar nahi hai... shayad garmi ki wajah se maatha garam hai."
She waited, but he neither spoke up nor spared a glance.
She kneeled in front of him, watching the grim line of his mouth, "Baat nahi karoge mujhse?"
He stayed quiet.
She placed a hand on his knee, "Tumhare liye cake banaya hai... tumhe pasand hai na? Bas isiliye thoda time lag gaya."
Silence.
"Sameer, sorry... please baat karo na." She cupped his cheek.
More silence.
She decided to change her stance.
"Waise garmi toh sach mein kaafi hai... itni der tak kitchen mein rehne se mujhe bhi lag rahi hai." She got up, walking towards the dresser, piling up her hair on top of her head.
He could not stop himself from staring at the deep back of her blouse, royal blue in stark contrast with her milky skin.
She unpinned the pallu, her back at him, and slid it from the shoulder, fanning herself with it, "Saree mein aur bhi garmi lagti hai."
"Aur iss saree ki wajah se jo yahan garmi badh rahi hai uska kya?" He muttered under his breath.
"Tumne kuch kaha?" She turned abruptly.
