OS: Farewell Prt 2 pg10 Jan 6

Maan woke up to the sound of someone pounding on his door. As he opened his eyes he had to shield them from the sun light that streamed into his room. It took him a minute to focus and realize where he was. He tried to sit up but his body felt sore and his head ached. The knocking continued, which didn't please him one bit.

"Kaun hai?" he asked.

"Hum hai Maan, aapki Dadi," came the voice from outside.

"Dadi," Maan grumbled. "Itni subha subha kyun aaye hai aap?"

"Subha subha?" Dadi asked as she barged in. "Maan, dopair ke bara baj chuke."

"Kya?" Maan asked.

In response, Dadi simply nodded.

Looking over to the clock that rested on his bedside table, Maan was shocked to see that it read quarter past twelve in the afternoon. How? Maan tried to remember what had happened the night before but he couldn't. All he knew that he must have done some serious drinking because his splitting headache, sore body and slight nausea were all signs of one thing ' hang over. He rubbed his forehead with his hand was Dadi just stood there staring at him. When he said nothing more, it was Dadi that spoke.

"Maan, kya hua? Geet kahaan hai?" Dadi asked.

"Geet?" Maan asked confused.

"Haan, Geet. Kya tum dono ke beech mein jhadra hua hai?" she asked.

"Geet'" Maan whispered.

Suddenly like a blinding light, the events of the previous night came rushing back to him. He'd already been at the DeMello's vow renewal when Geet came, dressed in that sheer brown saree. As she walked towards him it was like there was no one else in that room except the two of them. She looked like a goddess with her flowing hair, innocent eyes and slight blush. During the entire ceremony, Maan had been unable to take his eyes off of her ' he'd been mesmerized. Then, when he'd finally had her alone it was like heaven. He had her in his arms, he had her quivering at his touch, he had her melting with his kisses. All of it felt so right. It was the perfect moment to tell each other how they felt. It was the perfect moment for them to open their hearts to each other. However, that perfect moment was ruined by three words. Three little words ruined that moment and shook him to the core.

"Main pregnant hoon."

That's what Geet had said. It had taken Maan a few seconds to comprehend what she was saying. Impossible, he thought, now way. Geet, pregnant? His Geet'Pregnant? It was like the sky was crashing in around him and there was nothing he could do. He had searched for the truth to her confession in her eyes, and like always, the truth shone through. He saw she was telling the truth, he saw she was scared, he saw she was vulnerable, he saw she had hope. Yet, he hadn't been able to stop himself when he walked away. He'd let of her hand as if on reflex. When she had reached for him, he stepped back. Then he turned and left without a single glance back.

The thought of Geet with another man, it enraged him. The thought of her giving herself to another man, it infuriated him. The thought of her pregnant with another mans child, it shattered him.

After that he'd ended up at a bar. Even thought he couldn't remember what happened there, it didn't take a genius to figure it out.

"Maan, main tumse kuch pooch rahi hoon? Kya tumhare aur Geet ke beech mein kuch hua hai?" Dadi asked again.

It amazed Maan how so much could change in such little time. Before, upon hearing her name, he would smile, get tongue tied, and feel butterflies in his stomach. Now, it was different. Upon hearing her name he felt anger, he saw deceit, lies and betrayal.

"Mujhe uski bare mein koi baath nahin karni," Maan said.

He couldn't even say her name.

"Tik hai, baath maat karo, baas itna bata doh ke woh kahaan hai. Mujhe usse baath karni hai," Dadi said.

"Mujhe nahin paata, aur mujhe jan naa bhi nahin hai," Maan said as he leaned his head back against his head board hoping his headache would calm down a bit.

"Ajeeb baath hai, tumhe toh jaise uski koi parva hi nahin," Dadi said.

Maan stayed quiet.

"Maan!" Dadi yelled. "Subha se woh nahin mil rahi hai. Vaise toh woh kahin jaati nahin hai, baas ghaar, office ya mandir. Aaj toh Saturday hai, woh office mein toh nahin hogi. Ghaar pe bhi nahin hai. Jaab bhi mandir jaati hai, toh Nakul ko batakar jati hai. Aaj Nakul ko bhi kuch nahin bataya. Mujhe toh bohot fikar ho rahi hai."

"Ghaar pe hi kahin hogi," Maan said. He just wanted Dadi to go so he could be alone.

"Sara ghaar aur outhouse doond liya, Geet kahin nahin hai," Dadi said.

"Kya?" Maan asked.

This caught Maan's attention. She was nowhere? It was not like Geet to go anywhere without telling someone first.

He quickly got out of his bed and to his feet. Without saying another word to Dadi, he rushed out of his room completely ignoring the fact that his head was throbbing so badly that he swore it was going to split in half any second. In his mind he didn't want to care, but his heart refused to sit still. In the battle of mind against heart ' his heart won. He raced down the stairs and went toward the out house. The door was closed, but not locked because he easily pushed in. The moment he stepped inside, he knew something was not right.

Even since Geet had moved into the outhouse, there was a different feel to it. It seemed warm, homely, happy. It was like she'd filled the desolate house with her spirit. This afternoon however, it was cold and barren, not one sign of life. Everything was clean, neatly organized and eerily quiet.

"G'Geet," he called quietly.

No answer.

"Geet'" he called again as he began walking through the house.

The kitchen was empty, the yard was empty, the study was empty. He walked into her room, it too was empty. The bed was neatly made, the furniture impeccably clean ' everything was pristine, and everything was out of balance. The first thing that caught his eye and told him something was wrong was the empty vase that sat on a corner table. Since she'd moved in, Get had hand picked flowers from his garden every morning and placed a colorful bouquet in her room. He'd taken notice of it the few times he'd come into the room. On impulse he went to check her wardrobe. Opening it up he was stunned to find it completely empty except for one outfit ' the green one he'd given her just this past week. When he turned around his eyes fell on her dressed. It had been filled with lotions, creams and girly trinkets just yesterday, but that too, like the closet, sat empty.

Was she gone? No, no he thought. She couldn't be gone. He left her room and began calling for her in a more harsh tone. He knew that she was around here somewhere, and there was a logical explanation for everything.

"Geet'Geet'" he continued to call.

No response.

"Geet'Ge'" his voice died.

He was walking down the stairs when a glint of something shiny caught his eye. Something was sitting on his desk, glittering as the sunlight streamed in. He approached his desk slowly, unsure of what to find. When he saw what the item was, his heart fell ' it was the ring. He took the ring in his hand, and it was then he saw the letter under it. Sitting in his chair, he opened the letter with unsteady hands, afraid to read the words it said.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Maan Sir,

Aapne mujhse poocha tha, ke mere liyeh pyaar kya hota hai? Maine kaha ke mere liyeh pyaar saath hota hai. Sirf zindagi bhaar ka saath nahin, aaisa saath jisse mauth bhi juda naa karsake. Maine aapse poocha, toh aapne kaha ke aapke liyeh pyaar hota hai sachaai aur vishvash, kyun ke jiss rishte mein sachaai aur vishvash naa ho, uss rishte mein pyaar khabi nahin hosakta. Issi liyeh, kaal raath maine aapse aapni zindagi ki sachaai batna chaha. Main chati thi ke aage badne se pehle, hum ek dusre ke pyaar ke matlab ko samjhe. Magar shayad, hum ek dusre ke pyaar ko samaj hi nahin paye.

Mujhe iss baath ki dukh nahin hai ke kaal raath aap mujhe chodke chale gaye. Dukh hai toh sirf iss baath ki ke saari sachaai jaane bina hi aap chale gaye. Dukh hai toh sirf iss baath ki ke paata nahin, aap mere bare mein kya sooch rahe honge. Main jaanti hoon ke maine joh aapse kaha woh kissi bhi insaan ke liyeh sunna mushkil hoga'lekin puri baath toh sunliya hota.

Maine humesha aapse door rehne ki kosish ki hai. Maine aapse kaha tha ke aapke bare mein fikar karne ki mera koi haq nahin hai. Maine aapse kaha tha ke main nahin chati thi ke meri zindagi ke boj tale aap dab jayeh. Maine kaha tha ke kismat kis ka saath deh ya naa deh, hume pata nahin hota hai.

Jaab maine aapse kaha tha ke main akeli hoon, ke iss duniya mein mera koi nahin hai, aapne kaha tha ke aap mere saath hai. Taab mujhe laga tha ke kuch bhi hojayeh, aap mera saath khabi nahin chodenge. Par, shayad kismat ko yeh manzoor nahin tha. Jaab aap mujhe chodke gaye the, toh pehli baar aaisa laga ke main saach mein bilkul akeli hoon. Aapne aapko itni akeli ya lachar khabi mehsoos nahin kiya.  Shayad  humare beech mein khabi pyaar tha hi nahin. Ek saach ke samne joh saath choot jayeh, usse hum pyaar kaise keh sakte hai.

Issi liyeh, main jaa rahi hoon. Aapki amanat aapko vapas dehkar jaa rahi hoon. Mera irada aapka dil dukhana kabhi nahin tha. Baba-ji se meri yehi dua rahegi ke aapko woh haar kushiyaan mile jinki aap haqdar ho. Meri fikar maat kijiyeh. Kissi aur ka saath rahe naa rahe, mere bache ka saath ho toh kissi bhi mushkil ka samna karlungi.

Aapna khayal rakhna.

Geet

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Maan stood with tears brimming in his eyes. What had he done? Had she really left? He read that letter once, twice, thrice ' but every time it hit him like a pile of bricks. Her letter was filled with so much pain, even the paper was tear stained. She's been right, he should have heard her out. He had just been so angry, so furious he couldn't see straight. Why did he hide such a big thing from him? Why?

Now as he sat behind his desk, Geet's letter in one had, her engagement ring in another, he had the answer to his questions. She had tried to push him away man times. She had given him so many hints that her life was not what it seemed. Yet it had been him who pursued her, it had been him who pushed her, who taunted her and tormented her. It had been him who pushed her to accept her feelings, and in the end it had been him who pushed her to tell the truth. For him, love was truth and honesty. When she'd tried to be truthful and honest with him, what did he do, he walked away from her. For her, love had been support and being together. When it was his turn to support her and be with her he had turned away, leaving her stranded. While she'd come through in his test of love, he'd failed miserably.

Maan recalled the moments in Hoshiyarpur. The night, when she had said she was not alone, that he was with her. The next day when he had told her that he would never let the shadows of her past impede on her happiness. He remembered the moment when he'd brought her home and promised that when the day came, when she trusted him enough to share her past, he'd be there to listen and to understand. But no, just like a typical egotistical male, he stormed out at the thought of the woman he loved being with another man. He hadn't given her a chance to explain anything. He'd been the judge and jury himself and given the verdict.

But here was Geet, still not blaming for him leaving. She only blamed him for not listening to the entire truth. He'd made a rash judgment on her character, and that is what hurt her. He'd been the man protecting her honor since he met her, yet here he was the same person, calling that same honor into question. Could he blame her for leaving?

Now, when she needed support, he wasn't there. Now when she needed help, he wasn't there. Now'when she needed him more than ever, he wasn't there.

"Nahin, Geet, nahin," he said as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Tum aaise nahin jaa sakti. Manta hoon ke mujhse ghalti hui hai. Tumhari puri baath naa sunkar mujhse bohot badi ghalti hui hai. Lekin uss ghalti ko main sudharunga. Main jaanta hoon, ke tum khabi ghalat nahin ho sakti."

Maan Singh Khurana was on a mission, he was going to find Geet it was the last thing he did. He was sure that he wouldn't have to look far. Geet had said herself, she only had two friends here in the city ' Pinky and Adi. He knew he'd find her easily.

Three hours later, he sat frustrated. There was no sigh of Geet. He called Pinky and Adi, neither of them knew where she was, or so they claimed. No matter what he did, no matter how many times he threatned them, neither one gave up what the knew. That meant only two things, one they really had no idea, or two, they were fiercely loyal to Geet ' neither of which helped him. He called all train stations, bus stations even airlines, but nowhere was there a booking for anyone named Geet Handa. He even had Munshi-ji look to see if she'd returned to Hoshiyarpur ' she hadn't.

It was like she disappeared, and Maan was going out of his mind. God only knew where she was, how she was, who she was with. She was no where to be found.

"Tum kaha ho Geet?" he asked the sky as he held her ring in one hand. "Vapas aajao'please'please''''"

The End