Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Maan awoke early and waited for Geet, he had Nakul bring a coffee for himself whilst he worked on the couch. He glanced over his shoulder hearing footsteps, Geet briefly spared a glance before going into the washroom.

He turned his focus on his work trying to concentrate, however he had other things on his mind, like how he was going to speak to her, what was he going to say. He hadn’t thought long on this, he had blurted the words out seeing dadima so vulnerable and pained. Pain, that he had caused. He recalled the hurt on her face and groaned softly.

He had not wanted to hurt her.

When she finally emerged from the washroom, he stood and turned to her. Geet halted and even stopped rubbing her hair with the towel as he stood a few feet away looking at her. She averted her eyes and turned away.

"Geet" he held onto her arm stopping her from turning away from him.

She tensed under his touch. Jhalli, don’t let him affect you she reminded as she turned to face him, she looked at his hold then back at him challenging him silently.

Maan released her with a heavy sigh, "Please, can we talk?"

She eyed him suspiciously and he repeated himself assuming she hadn’t understood his question. Geet then nodded and sat on the couch as he took a seat next to her keeping a small gap between them.

"I know what you're going to say" she stated before he spoke. "You want me to play along for dadima's sake?" she looked at him questioningly.

"No" he replied surprising her. "Geet, I meant it".

In that moment, she stared at him coldly. "No, you don’t mean anything" she shook her head. "You meant it last time as well, look where that got us" she stood quickly and stepped back. "Please, don’t give me false hope, Maan. I don’t want to get hurt".

Maan looked at her painfully, he squeezed his eyes realising how his withdrawal had her hurting and afraid of even hoping again.

"Geet" he stood and remained in his spot. "I want to give us another chance, I promise. I… I'm going to try, Geet".

"You took me to that farmhouse; you held onto me and said the same" she blinked trying to quash the tears that stung her eyes. "I hoped and I started dreaming" she chuckled humourlessly and swiped her tears away. "8 months, we've been married. If we couldn’t get along properly in the last 8 months, what makes you think we stand a chance?" she laughed, again sombrely.

"Because I will fight for you" he replied. "I will fight for a chance and I will fight for our marriage" he sounded determined. He was determined.

"Kaise yakeen karu, Maan?" she mumbled.

"Sirf ek mauka dedo" he stepped closer feeling relieved when she didn’t step back and he continued moving closer until he stood in front of her and held onto her arms gently. "Ek mauka, Geet" he whispered.

"Why?" she looked up at him and he winced seeing her looking so pained.

"Because I want to know you, I want to feel what it feels like to be loved" he cradled her cheek. "Please" he dropped his forehead to hers. "I know, I know that I don’t deserve you, but please, Geet".

She bit down on her lip trying to bite the sob back but failed. Tears rolled down her cheek and he pulled her into his arms and wrapped his arms around her.

Geet felt her heartbeats racing, her heart dropping down to her stomach, nervousness coursed through her veins as she wondered whether she could allow herself to believe him. Oh, she desperately wanted to, but she was afraid of being burned twice.

She'd believed him the first time and he'd burned her.

Can she do it a second time?

She burrowed her face into his chest inhaling and sniffing as let the tears flow.

Maan felt burdened with guilt, he had hurt her immensely and it had affected her deeply. He only hoped she found it within herself and in her pure heart and forgave him for being selfish. Geet shivered in his arms, he had pulled his head back and pressed his lips to her forehead.

After a while, they broke apart and went to check on dadima together.

Dadima lay in bed resting, she had woken early and had gone around their garden for a walk with Naintara and Dev flagging both her sides before they helped her back into bed and had breakfast with her before they had left for the office.

She perked up when Geet and Maan entered and this morning, they both seemed relatively relaxed and comfortable together.

"Dadima, how are you feeling?" Maan inquired as he stood by the bed, whilst Geet sat down besides her checking her forehead and the medicine box.

"Much better" she assured, "Are you and Geet okay?" she looked between them.

Geet placed the medicine box back onto the nightstand and looked at dadima, she reached across taking her hand into hers and squeezed reassuringly, "Maan and I are going to work on our marriage, dadima".

Dadima nodded, "I know" she sighed. "But I don’t want either of you to compromise".

"We're not" Maan sat down on the edge of the bed, he reached over placing his hand on top of their linked hands. "Geet and I have come to an understanding. We're going to work on this together" he smiled gently.

"Sach?"

Geet smiled warmly nodding her head and turned to Maan who'd smiled back faintly.

"Dadima, have you eaten breakfast and your medicines?" Geet asked grabbing the medicine box and reading through the instructions of the new ones that had been prescribed.

"Hmmm, yes. Naintara and Dev made sure of it" she chuckled.

"Shall I or Geet stay home today?" Maan asked her.

"No, of course not. I'm not an invalid, Maan" dadima shook her head. "Off to work, both of you. Make sure you eat breakfast".

"Okay, dadima. Call us if you need anything" Geet pressed a kiss to her wrinkly soft cheek. "I've got to eat fast and run, I don’t want my Saru and Mrs Saru telling me off".

"Geet" Maan frowned, she winked and skipped out the room.

Maan and dadima watched and shook their heads.

"You're definitely sure, Maan?" Dadima repeated her question. "Bete, if you and Geet aren’t happy, then I don’t want you both to be hurting by staying with each other".

"We're going to work, harder" Maan smiled brushing his hand through her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Don’t stress".

"If its true, then I wish you both the best and hope to see you both falling in love, one day" she smiled cupping his cheek. "I just want you to be happy".

"I know" he nodded. "I'm going to eat now then head out, like Geet said, call us if you need anything at all" he told her and stood. "I don’t want to keep Ms Princess waiting or late in case Mrs Saru or her Saru tells her off"

Dadima laughed patting his cheek and watched him leave, after a while she'd drifted off to sleep.

[NOCOPY]