Part 15
Geet woke up very early…she saw it was only 5 AM…She could not sleep well and had barely slept for a couple of hours…She felt very tired and was still running a temperature. She had slept sitting on the chair with her head on the headrest of the bed. As she woke she noticed that Maan was holding on to her hand in sleep. She stayed still for a few minutes. She gazed at Maan and then gently withdrew her hand from his hold. She very lovingly touched his hair and face, lest not to disturb his sleep. She took a deep breath….and suddenly the flashes of last night were in front of her. All that Maan spoke to her came to her mind.
She was hearing that name for the first time …Soniya…Who was this Soniya? Neither Maan nor Dadima had ever uttered a word about this person to her. Was Maan in love with this girl…The very thought made her feel jealous and sad. She always thought Maan to be all hers. She cannot imagine another girl in his life. She never thought Maan would ever hide anything from her but this was indeed a shocking revelation. She freshened up. Again she sat near Maan for a couple of hours. Maan was in deep sleep. She did not wish to wake him up and hence she silently left for college around 7.30 AM.
Maan woke up late…His head ached like hell…He slowly looked around…It was outhouse and Geet's bedroom. He could not understand how he ended up on Geet's bed. He called out to Geet a couple of times. Since there was no reply, he walked down the stairs. He could not find Geet even there. He went to the kitchen and made a black coffee for himself and sipped on to it. His headache was hurting him real bad. Maan started re-collecting all that happened between him and Geet last night. He knew he was very harsh with Geet but couldnot exactly recollect all that he said to her. That she never waited for him after college still was raging his anger. He put the cup down and walked to Khurana Mansion and freshened up to office.
Dadima noticed Maan coming down and called him to speak to him. She was angry that last evening he never bothered to pick her phone. She was really worried. She called Maan and made him sit next to her…and said
Dadima: Maan Beta… Tell me why you never to pick my calls last evening and night. You should know that I will be concerned.
Maan: Dadima…I was a little busy…so…
Dadima: OK Maan. But you could have picked the phone once and told me so, right. That is all it takes. See you keep doing this because you are least bothered about me….
Saying this dadima's eyes went a little moist…Maan noticed it and moved near her to console and comfort her a little…at length he said..
Maan: Sorry dadima…I did not mean to hurt you…it was just that I was a very disturbed last evening.
Dadima: Maan beta kal ka tho din hi bahut karaab tha…dekiyae naa pehle Geet ka tension aur din dalthe hi aap ka tension…
Maan: Geet ka tension…kyon dadima…kya hua…??
Dadima: Ho…ab kya bathaon beta…this girl she never takes care of her health. You know she had fever when she left yesterday, right. Her exams got over by 2 PM. Inspite of Sameer insisting on dropping her home, she stayed in college saying she had some reference to do in the library. As her friends left for home, she suddenly fainted there. Thank god the peon noticed and informed Mrs. Mathur. Since she was amidst an important meeting, she called Sameer back to college, gave her car and dropped Geet here. Even after reaching here she was unconscious beta…
Maan sat like a rock as he heard all that dadima said. He also started remembering all those cruel words he told Geet last night…Inspite of her illness, with the fever she ran to meet him at the club in the midnight and brought him back with her ….
Dadima continued saying that….
Dadima: I was so shocked beta… Sameer called the doctor and finally after about half an hour she regained consciousness. Doctor saw that she was very tired and gave her an injection to sleep and she slept until almost midnight. Nandini was away at her friends place for the day. Geet was all alone so I went to check on her around midnight only by then she had managed to open her eyes…..I was relieved beta…but dekho naa you did not pick the phone and again I was concerned about that. It was Geet who consoled me saying you might be in some important discussion or meeting. I went to sleep after that. But Maan beta, I would really appreciate if you could pick my phone…you know I wouldn't bother you for silly reasons… what if it was an emergency???
Maan hardly could give attention to Dadima. He was deeply sorry for all that he said to Geet. He should have controlled his anger but somehow the anger got the better of him and jealousy made things even worser. He even remembered having compared Geet to Soniya…Soniya was something he never discussed for many years now… He did not know what Geet would have thought….He felt shattered from inside… He left for office
Geet at college also could not give attention to her classes. She wanted to know about Soniya… She was hurt that Maan never revealed her his past while she had kept her entire life as an open book in front of him.
She remembered his definition of love being 'Truth and Trust' ...then why did he keep away such a truth from her…She could not come in to terms with this…hence she thought she will talk to Maan. Later she made up her mind to ask Dadima because Maan did not remember his past with her…So there was no point asking Maan why he hid this from her…She thought for a while…took permission for the rest of the day from college and left for home… Back at home she headed straight to Dadima's room and stood in front of dadima….
Dadima: Geet beta…aap theek tho hai na…aap itne jaldhi college se wapas aagaye…
Geet: Dadima…mei teek hoon..bas wapas aagayi..
Dadima: Beta…aap bahut pareshaan lag rahe ho…kya baat hai…aayiyae pehlae aap hamare paas bait jayiyae….
Geet still stood near the doorways and finally asked…
Geet: Dadima….Soniya kaun hai????
Dadima was stoned when she heard the name. For a few seconds she thought she felt even guiddy. Her first thoughts were from whom Geet managed to know about Soniya…As she stood there in a dielemma whether or not to tell Geet all the truth…geet again asked..
Geet: Dadima…please boliyae na…Soniya kaun hai…Kya woh Maan se pyar karthi thi? Aur ..Aur…Maan ….?? dadima…
Dadima could see the pain in Geet's eyes. She wanted to embrace her and console her first before she could say anything more. Finally she led Geet to a chair near her bed and made her sit there and said….
Dadima: Geet beta…hum aap se kuch bhi chupane ki khoshish kabi bhi nahi kiya hai. Bas hum yahi chahthe thae ki aap aur Maan hamesha kush rahaen….
Geet's worst fear was turning to become true as dadima narrated Soniya and her one time presence in Maan's life. Dadima narrated on…
Dadima: Geet beta….There was a time when Maan was nothing like what he is today. He was a happy boy, ready to help everybody and had so much of love and affection to share…Being the only waaris of khurana khandhaan, he was the pampered boy of his father Mahesh Singh Khurana, my son. But sadly he never got that love from his mother Anamika.
Geet: Only waaris dadima…yeh kaisa ho saktha hai…tho phir…Dev aur Vicky
Dadima: Haan…beta eklautha waaris….Dev aur Vicky, Maan ke sakhe bhai nahi hai. Maan is the only son of Mahesh and my bahu Anamika. Though Mahesh loved Anamika very much she could not love Mahesh or Maan as much. Anamika was daughter of a very rich business man. It was only after her marriage to Mahesh we came to know that she was in love with some guy from her college. I gave her the best possible love and care and treated her more like my daughter. Mahesh was madly in love with Anamika. He even got his son named by having the beginning letters from his and Anamika's name to form "Maan". But sadly Anamika was never happy in her marriage with my son. We thought atleast after the birth of a child she will start to change hersef but that somehow never happened. After eight years of being married to Mahesh, she simply walked out of his life. She went missing for a week and only after about a month we did come to know that she had went away with her one time boy friend who was indeed waiting for her all those years. Mahesh was totally shattered. He even stated neglecting business. Though I tried my best to take care of Maan, he was missing his mother badly. He did know that his mother had dumped him and his dad. He started becoming silent and reserved….
Geet couldnot believe all that she just heard. She never knew that such a chapter existed in her Maan's life. She felt very sorry for Maan.
Dadima was in tears….geet put her hand on dadima's shoulder and consoled her…. She continued…
Dadima: It almost took more than 2 years for Mahesh to come out that shock. Since Maan was very young I wanted Mahesh to re-marry but he kept refusing….As I kept insisting, he would sometimes even pack off to some jungle to camp for days to-gether….Maan started missing his dad as well. Finally after 2 years I managed to convice Mahesh to get married again. It was at that time that my friend's Neena's son met with an accident and passed away leaving behind his young wife and 2 sons. After a lot of thinking, Mahesh decided to get married to Neena's daughter-in-law, Pammi and brought in her two sons – Dev and Vicky.
Maan was a little happy seeing boys of his age at home. He got along pretty well with them especially with Vicky. Soon Vicky was taken to London by Neena to be taken care of by her. Maan managed along with Dev but was still a loner and was always aloof with women.
Maan was very good at Martial arts and dancing. He had a big fan following in college for his talent. Soniya joined his college…a year his junior in college. She was the one to come after Maan inspite of Maan avoiding her completely. She even joined the dance school so that she can be close to Maan. At one point she even threatened to kill herself if Maan did not agree to love her. Finally Maan gave in and they were both a happy couple for sometime. Maan though still a loner started to change a little bit for Soniya's sake. I was happy with that little change.
Soon there was an exchange student from Paris in Maan's college by name Richard who joined Soniya's class. He too was an excellent dancer and son of a big business tycoon in Paris. Maan started realizing that Soniya was getting gradually drawn to Richard. He tried to talk to her but she started avoiding. Soon Soniya and Richard were seen everywhere together. Finally on a Valentine 's Day eve Soniya told the entire college that she and Richard were a couple and will soon get engaged.
Maan almost completely withdrew in to his shell. He stopped talking and shut himself inside his room for almost two week. I tried to console him but he was never consoled. He had started hating women……But I definitely think more than Soniya…it was Anamika, his mother who hurt him the most…. Since both these women ditched him he never wanted to believe any women and I think if there was ever an exception it was you Geet…..
Geet: Dadima, I never knew Maan had so much of bitterness in his past.
Dadima: Geet beta...Yes, his life was bitter until he met you. You are the best part of his life. He loves you too much…During your marriage I thought of telling you all this but I was not sure why Maan kept away these from you. May be he had completely forgotten Soniya and was blissfully happy with you…so I too did not want to rake up all this.
Geet slipped in to deep thoughts for a while and finally was about to go when she turned back and looked at dadima…
Dadima: Kya baat hai beta…bolo naa..
Geet: Dadima…Soniya ka kya hua…woh ab kahaan hai…
Dadima: She was dumped by Richard was last heard to have taken up modeling as her career afew years ago. Well after that no one bothered to look for her where abouts…
Geet walked back to outhouse. It was day of revelations. Not even in her wildest dreams did she expect Maan to keep away such secrets from her….his mother and then Soniya…But after a lot of thinking she decided that Maan indeed would have wanted to forget all these past and move on with life, hence may not have wished to bother her with such secrets…She sat on her bed with these thoughts looking at the ceiling for a long time….
Maan too came back from office very early. He was too disturbed and badly wanted to speak to Geet. He came in and dadima who was in the hall was surprised that Maan came home so early…she called Maan …
Dadima: Maan betae…aap bahut hi jaldhi waapas aagaye..
Maan: Haan dadima….aaj kuch kaas kaam nahi tha…tho mei aagaya…
Dadima: hmmm…Geet bhi aaj jaldhi waapas aagayi college se…
Maan: Geet ghar par hai kya….jaldhi waapas aagayi…thabiyath teek tho haina dadima….Sameer leekhae aayatha kya???
Dadima: Maan beta….ab itnae saare sawaal ke jawaab ek saath mei kaise doon….OK don't worry…she is fine…Bas thoda sa thakaan tha shaayad….aur woh kudh waapas aagayi beta…
Saying this Dadima was watching Maan's restlessness…He also had a slight smile when he heard that Geet came back by herself….and soon he went to his room to freshen up. As Maan left Dadima smiled to herself and said…
Dadima: Yeh Maan bhi na…Memory or Loss of Memory…bas ek baat kabhi bhi nahi bhoolthae…ki Geet sirf aur sirf uska hai and hamesha Geet par apna Haq jamayae bait jaatha hai….uff….iss ladke ka abb kya karoon…. Poor Geet, she thought….
Part 16
Both Maan and Geet were in their room…thinking…both badly wanted to speak to each other and sort out their issues but there was also a strange awkwardness that held them back from confessing to each other….
Maan felt very sorry for all the words that he spoke to Geet. He wanted to go meet her immediately but Dadima in the hall might question him. He first wanted to speak to Geet, make her understand what he felt for her. Yes, he should tell her that she indeed made a difference in his life. He wanted her presence in his life, around him always. He was very much affected by her. Well without much fuss he had to accept that he had started falling for Geet the very day she threw the divorce papers back to him after signature. From then on it has been a journey of attraction and eventual falling in love….Howelse can he explain the rage, anger and jealousy when he sees Geet with someone else. He wanted her all for himself.
Geet too was thinking about Maan..She knew Maan had feelings for her but she definitely wanted that to come from Maan rather than she assuming it. She was initially angry that Maan had kept away his past from her but after dadima spoke to her she felt relieved and also felt sorry for Maan.
Maan and Geet remembered that special very close moment of hug and kiss they had shared in the club. Maan smiled to himself while Geet blushed……
It was almost 8 PM when Maan came down the stairs. He saw that dadima was in her room. He slowly slipped out and started walking towards outhouse. Just then he noticed someone entering Outhouse. He was not sure who that was, so he followed.
Sameer was in front of Geet while Geet was still dreaming laying on her bed…..He finally said…
Sameer: Hello……Madamji…aapka ghulam haazir hai….
Geet was shocked to find Sameer in front of her…She was dreaming for long that she didnot know the time….
Geet: Sameer…tum ….yahan kaisae…. (She checked time and then asked)…woh bhi iss waqt????
Sameer: Geet madam….I called you thrice from downstairs…There was no response…So I had to come up…. to check if you were fine.
Geet: oh…Sorry I didnot hear you Sameer.
Sameer: Geet….how come you are so careless…The front door is open. There is no one down stairs and you are upstairs here bindass and dreaming……What if someone gets in without your knowledge???
Geet: Someone….
Sameer: Yeah…thief, I mean….
Geet: Thief and that too inside Maan Singh Khuran's empire…Not a possibility Sameer…she laughed…Actually Nandini called me sometime back to tell that she would be at her friend's place even today…so I just came up to rest and totally forgot about door was open…
Sameer: Geet you came back so early…I just came to know if there was something wrong…you looked very disturbed in college….
Geet: Ah…nothing Sameer…I am perfectly fine. Just a little tired so came back…
Sameer: (Smiled and playfully said) Ok my sweet princess….did you get enough rest then….
Geet: (Got playful and replied) Yes your majesty…I did…
Both in the same tone of playfulness started conversing like they both did in their college drama….
Sameer: Well Princess…It is long that I wanted to ask you something…will you be kind enough to answer me…
Geet: Yes sir…At your kind service…
Sameer: (Sameer went on kness before Geet and said)
"Hey Beautiful Princess of My Heart….
I tried night and day….
But did not find a way to stay away …
You have taken my heart by a sway….
Will you be mine forever from today??"
Geet: Still in a playfull mode said…. "Yes I will".
Sameer: Oh Geet…Thank you…Thank you very much. I love you. I love you from the bottom of my heart…. (He said and looked in to her eyes…)
Geet was first surprised and later was shocked when she began to realize that Sameer was serious with his proposing to her. She did not know what to tell him. But she had to tell him no matter what…
Geet: Sameer…are you really serious..?? I was like enacting our drama…..Are you really serious???
Sameer: Yes Geet. I liked you the very first time I met you and every passing day was merely strenghthening that like to love. Now I cannot imagine a life without you. The day you agree to marry me will be the happiest day of my life Geet…
Geet: Sameer… You liked me the day you saw me…but you forgot what I told you that very day…
Sameer: (A little confused….) what geet? I don't remember…
Geet: Did I not tell you to ask me first before you conclude anything about me….
Sameer: Geet I thought you liked me…
Geet: Yes Sameer…I like you. I can never deny that… but you are my friend…But love is different Sameer. It happens… It is not a planned event nor can you force love upon someone…
Sameer: Geet, Iam not forcing you. You can take your time. It is not necessary that you need to fall in love with me right here, today….
Geet: Today….she smiled…I will not fall in love with anyone….even if it were a million years from today… (if it was not my Maan, she thought)
Sameer: Are you in love with anybody else, Geet…
Geet was silent. She couldnot take it any more.
Geet: Sameer can we talk about this some other day…please… I would like to be left alone…please…please…
Sameer: Yes Geet… We will talk some other day and Mornings are always wiser than evenings….so I will see you in college tomorrow…
Sameer left and Geet fell to her bed again. She was so tired. The happenings of the day were way too weird and hard for her…
Part 17
Back at Maan's room, Maan played the words a million times in his mind….."Yes I will"…. These kept ringing in his ears. Maan had followed Sameer to Geet's room and overheard their conversation… The moment Geet uttered….."Yes I will"…accepting Sameer's love he dashed out of the place…His eyes were red with anger and he was almost shivering with rage. He never thought Geet would do this to him too…. He could not conquer his wrath and went straight to his room and closed the door behind him. He thought for an hour. Then he again came down the stairs and went to outhouse.
He knocked the door…After a minute Geet opened the door… She was pleasantly surpised seeing Maan at the door… She had wanted to talk to him and now he is at her door… She smiled at him and asked him to come in… Maan walked in…Geet thought that there was a strange smile on his face…She couldnot read his eyes… As she kept thinking Maan said…
Maan: Geet… I need to talk to you…Can we go upstairs to your room?
Geet: Maan sir…upstairs?? She blinked…
Maan: Kyon Geet… I cannot come to your room…
Geet: nahi sir…aisi koi baat nahi hai…bas aise hi
Maan closed the main door… caught Geet's hand and took her upstairs….As they entered her room, he closed her room door behind them… He turned around to look at Geet….She looked a little frightened…He reached for the switches and switched off the lights.. There was a soothing moonlight that was coming in to her room through the window….She looked like an angel bathed in moonlight….Maan moved close to her and slowly said…
Maan: Geet, you had fever and still came to meet me in the club yesterday…why Geet?
Geet: Maan sir…woh…
Maan: bolo na geet…tumhe meri phikar hai na…
Geet: Haan Maan sir…mujhe aapki phikar hai..
Maan moved still closer to Geet and touched her chin…lifted her chin a little to meet her eyes and said…tho phir Geet…. Tumhe mera phikar hai….aur pyaar Geet….pyaar bhi hai kya?
Geet lowered her eyes and stood still…Maan moved more closer….Geet started walking backwards…hit the rim of the bed and clutched on to Maan's shirt to avoid falling….Maan did not try to support her and both fell on the bed….Maan gently touched her face and reached to her forehead…He kissed her…Geet closed her eyes and took a deep breath….Maan clutched on her shoulder and made her face him completely…Geet slowly opened her eyes…Maan was playing with her curls and caressed her face and slowly reached for her duppatta and took them off…..Geet shied away and hugged Maan tight…..Maan made her face him again and gently moved close to her lips…and feathered her lips with his lips…geet again closed her eyes in anticipation of his kiss and parted her lips slightly…
She stayed like that for a minute but the anticipation looked like a decade to her….As there was an eerie silence around, she opened her eyes to see Maan standing near the window….with her dupatta in his hand….watching her intently…
Geet jerked out of her bed and looked at Maan. He looked completely different. There was a sarcastic smile on his face. He grinned at her and said….
Maan: So Miss Geet…Do you love me???
Geet stood silent. She couldnot react. Maan had kindled her desire to the peak … and now she could not understand what he wanted….She couldnot decipher that evil glint in his eyes…
Maan: Geet…meine aaj tak tujjaisi zaleel aurat nahi dekha hai…You thought you can trap Maan Singh Khuran so very easily…haan…Not a possibility Geet… Maan Singh Khurana is no joker Geet…for you to play around…If you had thought that you can trap me with your beauty, then you have mistaken… I can say what you are from your very eyes…they are so…..
Geet looked up at Maan with tears in her eyes….Maan looked in to those eyes…..He was about to say that they were so deceitful but stopped all of a sudden……..He kept looking in to her eyes….Maan soon recovered and said…
Maan: Geet…even before I had warned you to get out my life…Today I am again saying you the same…Just get out my life…..saying this he threw her dupatta to her face and left her room……..
Geet clutched her dupatta to her bossom…she sat on her bed and cried unconsolably. She shivered from head to toe, could not understand what happened and finally took Maan's photograph and said….
Geet: Maan why do you do this me….why do kill me alive….. Why do you trample my heart every time I place them at your feet…why can't you understand my love for you….. But not your fault…Maan….Not your fault… I had decided to live with your photograph…I had promised to save my heart from being hurt by you…..it was my fault when I again thought I can win your love….My fault when I thought you too have feelings for me…But now I understand that I have no place in your heart and life… I will have to live with this reality…for the rest of my life..She cried the entire night and did not know when she fell asleep…
(To be continued…)
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