FF - Tumhari Meri Baatein. Part 6 Page 22. 20/09 - Page 10

"Geet ..." The full impact of what had just transpired hit her. Her eyes widened. And then she fled.

*****

Geet jerked awake, almost sliding of the bed as she blinked wearily around the strange room before realising where she was. She'd forgotten to draw the curtains the night before and found the weak dawn light illuminating the sight of Maan sprawled awkwardly in one of the chairs. His wet shirt lay nearby, still drying where he'd discarded it the night before.

Geet vaulted out of the bed, cheeks blooming with heat as her dream, her memory of the aftermath of the funeral, came rushing back.

She locked herself in the same bathroom she'd rushed to the night before and within minutes she'd dressed in a crumpled suit pulled from the depths of her bag, doing her best to smooth down the stubborn creases whilst simultaneously trying to tame her wild curls.

"I am a strong, confident, independent woman."

The pale face staring back at her from the mirror instead looked miserable and exhausted.

"Ok, fine! I'm broke, tired and all I really want to do is jump Maan Singh Khurana's bones!"

Her reflection looked happier with this statement and Geet flashed a wry grin. She maybe the poster girl for bad choices but at least she could give one hell of a pep talk. Sort of.

She sighed, tying up her hair in a sloppy bun as she peeked out of the bathroom. The sight of a half-naked Maan had not become less impressive within the last fifteen minutes and Geet quickly turned away, pausing at her bag to swipe some money and the battered mobile she had been lugging around for the past two months.

She crept out of the room as she switched on the mobile before dialling the number quickly with a silent prayer to the Gods of sleep.

It was still early and as the hotel slept on, Geet hurried towards the restaurant she had caught a glimpse of the previous evening.

A half mumbled grunt greeted her after the seventh insistent ring.

"This better be good."

"Oh it's good all right."

"GEET!"

Pinky scrambled out of bed, suddenly more alert than she had been seconds ago.

"What happened, you were supposed to ring yesterday?"

"Maan Singh Khurana happened."

Sighed Geet, sliding into a seat at the small restaurant that was empty save a bleary eyed waiter. There was a pause at the other end before finally,

"Was that DD in a dream?"

Geet mulled over the question.

"There was a dream."

"Well according to Froyd's dream theory ... "

"I don't want to hear about it!"

Interrupted Geet quickly, halting as the aforementioned waiter sidled up with some fruit juice before offering her a dog-eared menu. She waved it away with a polite smile before turning back to Pinky.

"But I also had the Dhrusht Dhawan in the flesh."

Teased Geet, knowing perfectly well that Pinky's wild imagination would immediately put 2 and 2 together to make 10. However Pinky's next question was hardly what she expected.

"Is that because of what happened with Dev?"

Geet immediately straightened, almost knocking over her glass of juice and jerking the waiter out of his sleep as she screeched down the phone.

"WHAT?"

"Dev? Your cheating scum of a husband who left you for that receptionist?"

"I hate receptionists."

"I'm a receptionist."

"You know what I mean." Moaned Geet, thwacking her forehead against the table as she felt a headache coming on. "So what happened?"

But her desperate question was met with silence and it was with exasperation that Geet realised her mobile battery, which had been ominously beeping for the past two weeks in the hopes of a recharge, had finally decided to take the perfect revenge by dying at the most inopportune moment.

She sighed, tamping down on her more violent urges to hurl the offending piece of technology to the floor and stamp on it repeatedly. Instead Geet simply threw the last of her meagre change down on to the table, waved cheerfully at the curious looking waiter and strode determinedly towards the lifts leading up to her room.

She may not have Pinky but if Maan had anything to do with Dev making an unexpected (and more importantly unwanted) re-entry in her life, then she would get it out of him by any means possible.

But as if she had just conjured him from her imagination, the door burst open to reveal Maan – rumpled, unshaven and in the process of hastily buttoning up his shirt as he collided right in to her.

He shot her a wry smile as he clasped her arms in an attempt to steady her.

"We seem to be making a habit of this."

Geet turned crimson at the reminder of last night and quickly stepped back from his warm embrace, even as Maan noticed the exchange with some amusement. However he wisely chose not to comment as he stepped around her,

"Excuse me; I have an urgent call waiting in the lobby ..."

"Is that to do with Dev?"

She queried calmly, watching him with nothing more than a tilt of her head even as her hand, hidden behind her back, worried the corner of her light chunni.

Maan immediately stiffened, a muscle ticking ominously in his jaw as he glared at her belligerently.

"I have a call waiting,"

He repeated, attempting to turn away only to be stopped by a determined Geet who grasped his arm and yanked him into the privacy of their hotel room. The door slammed shut behind her and she glared at him belligerently, arms crossing over her chest even as Maan looked wary.

"What happened with Dev?"