Kabhi Toh Nazar Milao Part 3

Photo session

After the usual poses were given, Sameer asked Pandit to stand closer to Preeti.

"Abe, pitwayega kya?" Pandit scoffed.

"Sab khana khane mein lage hain... koi nahi dekh raha." Sameer winked.

Pandit realised that he was right. Mostly people were on the other side, and whatever few were still in this portion were either eating from the plates they were smart enough to fill up right in the beginning or were craning their necks eagerly to look for an opening.

"Soch kya raha hai... teri sagai hui hai aaj... chal jaldi se khichwa fir Munna Swati ki bhi khichwani hai." Sameer impelled Pandit.

"Jijaji, tauji ne dekh liya toh shayad... " Preeti hesitated.

"Saaliji, aap unki chinta mat karo... woh aur taiji idhar nahi aane wale." Sameer reassured her.

"Tumhe kaise pata?" Naina eyed him suspiciously.

He took out the hanky from his pocket, opened one fold and pressed it to his mouth. No one could understand the reason... however, Naina's eyes went wide.

"Mujhe pata hai kyonki maine hi bheja hai taiji ko khana khane... na woh khud dikhengi na tauji ko hamare aas paas aane dengi." He lifted his eyes to give her a meaningful look.

"Sameer, tu baar baar muh kyon saaf kar raha hai?" Munna was seeing him with the hanky for third time.

"Woh kuch khaya tha... toh socha saaf kar lun... kuch laga reh gaya toh photo mein bura lagega." He pocketed the handkerchief nonchalantly.

The photographer asked Pandit to kneel in front of Preeti, his fingers around her ring, if that was okay with them.

They complied. Next, he asked them to stand holding hands, looking into each other's eyes.

Few more pictures later, Sameer asked Munna to get clicked with Swati. Since his parents were also not around, he shyly posed as the photographer suggested.

"Sameer, please batao na, tumne kya kiya... kyon itna yakeen hai ki taiji yahan nahi aayengi?" Naina looked back at the guests before tugging his arm again.

He smirked, "Taiji ko Mumbai jaane ka khauf toh pehle se hi hai... maine thoda jhatka aur de diya... jitne din yahan rahengi, dari hui hi rahengi."

"Par kiya kya?" She was keen to know.

Flashback starts

Sameer went towards the ladies to ask them to have dinner.

"Taiji, aap itni chup kyon hain? Aur sabse alag bhi baithi hain... shayad aapko akelapan lag raha hai." He stopped in front of taiji who was sitting alone on a chair in one of the last rows.

"Nahi, nahi... main bas woh... kuch soch rahi thi." She came out of the thoughts that were frightening her... the thoughts of staying in Mumbai.

"Jee, samajh sakta hun... aapko lag raha hoga ki jab aap Mumbai chali jayengi toh hum sabki kitni yaad aayegi aapko." He said wistfully.

"Bohot yaad aayegi... Bela ki." The melancholy in her voice could not be missed.

"Abhi hum log yehi baat kar rahe the... humein bhi aapki bohot yaad aayegi... isliye soch rahe the aapke jaane se pehle kuch din aapke saath bita lein... shaadi khatm hote hi main aur Naina aa jaate hain aapke paas... hafte, dus din ke liye... fir Pandit aur Preeti reh lenge... dus barah din... kam se kam jab tak yahan hain aapko bhi akelapan na lage... humne dekha hai, tauji zyadatar bahar rehte hain aur jab yahan hote bhi hain toh kuch na kisi file mein lage rehte hain... aapse baat ho nahi paati unki toh aapko bhi kisi se bolne ka mann karta hoga... hum logon ke aapke saath rehne ke do faayde ho jayenge, ek toh aap akeli nahi rahengi, doosra aapki samjhdaari se humein kuch na kuch seekhne ko hi milega... arre aap kuch na bhi batayein toh bhi aapko saara din itni achhi tarah se ghar sambhalte aur sabka khyal rakhte dekh ke hum sab zaroor achhi baatein seekh lenge."