Chapter 2

Part - 1

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Maan, a 16-year-old boy who has just completed 11th grade, has decided to complete his 12th grade from home in his village, Hoshiyaarpur, and then return to Delhi School for the exams. His family is well-known, and Maan is a brilliant and responsible boy. Therefore, the teachers have agreed to allow him to do this, as they cannot lose their brilliant student after all. His presence in the school can even affect its ranking.

Maan has noticed that his mother’s coughing has worsened, and since his father has been mostly traveling, he decided to convince the faculty at school to allow him to study remotely from home for a year.

The Khuranas were a prominent business family throughout the country, but they cherished their roots and resided in their ancestral village, Hoshiyarpur. Their extended family resided in the Khurana Haveli in Hoshiyarpur.

Those who managed business would stay in the city or abroad, where their office was, but would be back in turns to Hoshiyarpur.

Few children would study in the city and would always return during the holidays, while few would stay in the village. Khurana had opened a school here for the children of their village, but it had its own standards and employed highly talented teachers. Although located in the village, the facilities would never be inferior. After all, they were Khurana’s. Women generally stayed at home and managed the village or city. They were unanimously the leaders of the entire village and were known as Thakurs.

Maan, the eldest of his generation, was eagerly anticipated by the villagers and his family each year. They looked forward to welcoming him back home, at the very least. His mother, Kamini, grandmother Savitri Devi, and two aunts, Mohini and Padma, were all delighted. Maan served as a guiding light for the younger generations.

His cousins and siblings were no exception. Bhai would be here for a year!! Maan always had a slightly different perspective on things compared to his traditional family, but he carried out both his modern thoughts and his family culture with great elegance from a very young age.

Maan entered the village and was greeted with a grand welcome by his villagers, affectionately calling him “Chote Thakur.” Despite his young age of 16, Maan handled the welcome with great grace, and his parents and family were filled with pride.

He was at home, and the servants were all busy because Chote Thakur had come to stay for a year. Today would be a feast day in the haveli, which meant the servants would be running around like crazy.

Maan settled in the main hall of the huge haveli when his mother called out....

"Geetu, Pani le aa beta." Maan knew all servants by name, but this name

was new to him.

A very fair girl, though thin, appeared weak and bowed her head. She was wearing one of Annie’s old dresses, which he could recognize.

She looked about eight years old and was too skinny. “Who is she?” he wondered.

Something stuck directly in his heart as he saw that small, petite girl serving him.

"She is Geet, and with love, the whole haveli calls her Geetu.." She turned to a little girl, "Geetu namaste karo chote thakur ko."

Geet still looked down and said, “Namaste Chote Thakur.” Maan felt his heart would break as he heard her voice and saw her big, brown hazel eyes. There was something in those eyes, a small girl’s eyes, and he could sense the pain hidden behind them in just one glance.

He felt uncomfortable, "hmmm." He was surprised that everyone else was OK with this girl. He did not like her presence; she stirred the environment of pain around him.

"But she is so small."

"You stay out of this stuff, son; this is all our ladies' department. It is really helpful to have one small hand at work. Ask anything, and she will run for it," said his mother.

Then one of his chachi "Maan, now get freshen up dear, whole family is gathering for a grand dinner for you today, kids are so excited too. Geetu, why are you standing still, get off chote takur's shoes. " and Geet bent down to do as directed, but as she touched his shoe's lace, Maan immediately backed off

"Just leave it."

While his mother and the entire family were busy welcoming him, his siblings gathered, ladies serving sweets and other treats. However, Maan’s heart felt disturbed. He wanted to be happy after so many days of arriving home, but the presence of this small girl around the dining area, running and serving everyone at once, disturbed him.

Geet was then called by someone and vanished.

Maan got engrossed in his siblings' and cousins’ activities.

At dinner time, the entire family was having a grand dinner, and he once again spotted Geet, who was frantically running around to fulfill everyone’s orders. Despite being adults and knowing their roles, all the servants were diligently working, but this young girl was incredibly small.

She was primarily running around to cater to the kids’ orders. Sometimes, Annie would place an order, and sometimes it would be Dev or Nandini. Maan felt a sense of relief that all the other cousins studied in the city.

However, Geet was incredibly efficient and executed every order with perfection. It was as if the kids of the house had a new robot that they could simply order.

Maan had been in the city too. He saw a little girl working at his friend’s house, and he did not like it there either. But why, why did this girl give him more pain? He felt like someone was tearing a part of him. Though whenever he saw small kids working, some strong repulsion always happened within him.

Talks were going on at the dining table, but Maan’s eyes were on the girl who had at last gotten scolded by Annie for getting 2 mints late because her long frock got stuck on the chair's nail.

“Now will you bring my water when my food gets stuck in my throat and I start coughing?"

Padma chachi immediately got up. "Are you okay, dear? Geet, how long are you taking?"

"Mamma, I am fine. I said if it stuck. It's not that something already stuck there. But this lazy girl...."

Maan had now lost his patience. “Why is this girl even working in our haveli? Just get her out of this place. "

His frustration was due to a different reason, but it landed with everyone at its face value.

“Geetu, what did you do to make him so upset?" All accusing eyes went on the small girl, who now looked all confused and scared, more scared of this new chote thakur. Dev Thakur gave work but was sweet but never showed such anger.

"I- I did nothing." “Then why is chote thakur angry at you? " asked a lady who herself looked scared. Maan remembered her as a worker; she is Rano.

Chote Thakur, being angry on the first day, became a big issue, and all accusing eyes went on the small girl, Geet.

Maan now realized his mistake; he had made the situation worse for this girl.

Rano immediately sat on her knee near Maan's chair. “Chote Thakur, she made a mistake. I will explain to her not to do anything wrong now. Forgive her for once. Don’t throw her out. " She begged.

Maan felt completely uncomfortable. Maan was generally very easy with all servants and never threw tantrums, and thus everyone loved him and respected him even at this young age. So all blame naturally went on Geet. Where as small girl did not know her mistake but held her head down, taking all the blame on herself.

“It’s OK, she did nothing wrong, she can stay here." Rano took a relieved breath and immediately sent Geet away from Maan's sight.

After dinner, everyone retired to their work, Kids in their room. Maan too wanted to rest now and was leaving for his room when he heard his elder chachi's voice, "Rano, explain to Geetu to behave herself; first day Maan is here, and she spoiled his mood."

Rano bent her head. "I will explain to her."

Maan rushed to his room, feeling guilty of making the little girl's situation worse.

tellyme2022-02-01 13:15:31