Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Geet slipped into one of the guest bedrooms, she washed her face and wiped away the dried stains of her tears. Once she’d composed herself, she walked down and joined everyone, she plastered a smile and walked across. She noted that only two chairs remained empty, and it seemed to be for her and Maan. She pulled out the chair and sat down trying to avoid everyone’s scrutinising eyes.

“You’re finally here, bhabhi” Madhu chuckled. “Did veerji apologise for almost missing tonight?” she winked.

“Arre, he wasn’t here for some time, so he was probably showing bhabhi how much he missed her” Naina joked.

Geet clenched her fists on her lap and stayed quiet.

“Leave her alone” Naintara waved them off. “Ignore them. Focus on your love lives”.

Naina laughed. “Bhabhi, we’re past the honeymoon period. Geet isn't” she winked.

“My honeymoon will begin when Maan would take me on a honeymoon wouldn’t it?” Geet’s response surprised them, and they looked at her curiously. She lifted her head and stared them defiantly. She had enough of them teasing her about her so called joke of a marriage.

“Good one, Geet” Naintara chuckled.

She didn’t look away when the chair beside her was pulled out and Maan occupied it.

“Veerji, bhabhi here was just commenting how you’ve not taken her on a honeymoon yet” Madhu chuckled.

Maan stiffened gritting his teeth and looked at Geet, but she refused to look at him. Instead, she reached across grabbing the glass of water and drank before she helped herself to her dinner.

“I run a company, Madhu” he replied firmly.

Dadima rolled her eyes. “Bete, your grandfather and father also ran the company. They still made time for your mother and me” she chuckled.

“Dadima, you know how busy we are now compared to how it was during the time of papa and dadaji” he responded.

“Veerji, instead of these gifts and whatever you should take our bhabhi on honeymoon” Anamika suggested.

“Oh yes, that’s a better gift” Dadima agreed. “Don’t you think, Geet?” she looked at her and laughed.

Geet had stuffed her mouth, none were aware that she’d stuffed it purposely, so she didn’t have to make further conversation.

“Bohot bhook lagi hai?” Dadima asked.

She nodded chewing her food, she swallowed a little before pushing another morsel into her mouth so they wouldn’t ask her anything.

After everyone had left, Geet escaped quickly to the bedroom to change out of her clothes. She was feeling hot and exhausted. She was drained from having to plaster a smile and act like none of the remarks and jokes affected her.

She undressed slipping into a robe and folded the lehenga neatly before she walked into the washroom and disrobed. She stepped into the shower and exhaled in relief as the water showered down on her. The memories of tonight swirled around behind her closed eyes. Maan’s words thundered through her eardrums.

Hot tears mixed with the shower water as she tilted her head back. Is this how married life is supposed to be like? Is it supposed to be this hard? If this is what marriage is then Bollywood and Hollywood were surely giving false hope to all the other young women in the world. She thought of the past 3 months and found her knees weakening. She slumped against the tiles and cried. The sound of the shower protected and cocooned her in the bubble where she’d cried for this so-called marriage and those few memories she had created with Maan. His soft touches, his lips on hers and his warm embrace.

Maan looked at Geet as she walked out of the washroom freshly showered. He noticed her red rimmed eyes and the pale colour of her skin and knew she was crying.

“I’ll… I’ll go into the guest room when dadima has gone to bed” he said to her.

Geet didn’t say anything, she walked into the closet closing the door behind her. She disrobed and dressed in her pyjamas then walked out slipping underneath the covers.

Maan now stood staring out the window with his arms crossed and his back to Geet.

“For dadima’s sake, we’re going to have to pretend everything is fine” he murmured breaking the silence. “I’ll sleep in the guest room and return in the mornings before she wakes up. I don’t want her or anyone finding out about us, she’s already gone through enough and I can’t have dadima falling ill again. Once she gets better, maybe… I can maybe talk to her and explain that we… we’re probably better off separate”.

“You once said that I don’t want you and you don’t deserve me, I didn’t believe it that night. Today, I do. I don’t want you. You don’t deserve me” she replied and squeezed her eyes closed.

Maan silently nodded.

Over the next couple of weeks, they avoided each other at work and managed to avoid encroaching on each other’s personal space at home in front of their family. Maan would slip into the guest room and return to their room before dadima would wake, he’d freshen up and head out to the office early. Geet had told Mohan to stop following her and coming for her when she finished work. She’d ignored him when he’d arrive to pick her up from work and would jump into an auto rickshaw. He had relayed the same to Maan. He was at first troubled and told Mohan to lay down for some time and to only go pick her up when its too late outside.

Geet focused on her job, continuing her home study and her own mental health. She wasn’t going to mourn the loss of him or their relationship when there was barely anything there. At least there wasn’t anything from his side.

“You’re both in early” Adi smiled entering the cabin with an unknown face following behind him. “Geet, Viren – meet the newest member of our team. This is Armaan” he introduced.

“Armaan Malik” the newest member stepped forward holding out this hand. “Naam toh suna hoga” he stated cheerfully.

Geet chuckled shaking his hand.

“Don’t bother flirting with her” Viren piped in shaking Armaan’s hand. “Madam isn't interested because she doesn’t have the time”.

Geet nudged Viren rolling her eyes and chuckled.

“I’ll ask you out in two weeks’ time then, you might have some time by then” Armaan winked.

“Are you always this forward?” she questioned crossing her arms in front of her.

“Only with the prettiest women” he smirked.

Geet chuckled and shook her head at Armaan.

“Well, looks like you’ll fit right in” Adi remarked happily. “You’re going to be sharing the cabin space so we’ll have to readjust this room a little so you can work. I do have another one more intern starting soon” he informed.

Geet and Viren nodded. Adi then told Armaan to pull up a chair and just join on either of their desks so they any one of them could show him how the system works.

Unsurprising to anyone, he pulled up a chair and placed it beside Geet.

“You should have chosen Viren” she remarked with a laugh.

“Don’t doubt yourself princess” he answered.

“I only started a couple of months ago and I’m still learning as well” she informed.

“Well, I know who to blame if I do something then”.

“You’re evil” she mockingly glared.

He winked giving her a cheeky grin. One that showed his dimples in his cheeks, and she grinned along with him.

Armaan had quickly gelled in with Geet and her work friends. He’d flirted with the women, fist bumped with the men and convinced to come out for a night out on a weekend. They’d avoided getting together on weekends as they’d see too much of each other on the weekdays and made plans in their respective personal lives with their families and friends. With Armaan convincing them, they all agreed to meet up for dinner then go a round of drinks to a local night club.

Geet was going to refuse but then she reconsidered it. She had nothing planned on the weekend and all she would most likely do is spend time with dadima and Naintara before she excused herself to her room and wallow. She wasn’t going to be doing that. She reminded herself that she was going to be moving forward and focus on keeping herself happy. She wasn’t going to pine over Maan. Not anymore.

So, she agreed. Misha reached out to her as well asking if she’d like to go out. Geet informed her she had plans to go out for dinner and drinks, she then asked Armaan if she could invite her friends. He’d agreed saying, ‘the more, the merrier’. Geet invited her friends, Yash, Misha, and Aditi agreed to come. Ryan apologised letting them know he had his parents coming in to visit him, therefore he’d had to give them a miss.

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