FF[MG] Can a stone heart melt?Chapter30&epiloge-93 - Page 55

-Chapter Twenty-Seven-

"What do you want to say to me?" Geet asked as her mom dragged her out of the room. Geet felt she looked terrible, her mascara and her eye liner was probably messy after all the crying, she must have looked like a witch, but Geet had other and more important things to think about other than how she looked. The pain of letting go her father's hand cut her like an icy cold knife. It was like something piercing through her heart, she could never fathom a life without her father, and that was what had been going around her mind since Maan told her that he was not well.

"I want you to be strong," Her mother spoke to her as she analyzed her daughter's blank expressions. But her eyes hadn't been blank; they were etched with pain and worry.

"What's wrong with him…?" Geet asked … her voice breaking.

"Your father was diagnosed with C-"

But she couldn't continue, Geet understood. "How long…" she asked, her voice, low, and her face, expressionless.

Geet obviously didn't get her answers, probably because her mother turned around and walked towards her room, tears flowing endlessly.

"Muster up some courage," Geet chuckled to herself, "Daddy wouldn't have wanted you to break down"

Geet slowly opened the room to see his eyes closed. She held her breath as she walked towards the bed, passing by Maan, Vicky and their father, who Geet hadn't noticed. "Daddy…" Geet whispered to him as she grabbed hold of his arm and his eyes flung open.

"Hey there kiddo," he smiled at her… "Do you mind, Vicky, Khurana? I want to talk to Maan and Geet alone" he asked, his voice, weak.

"Sure" Khurana stated as he came slowly into the picture. Geet noticed his puffy red eyes, and how he was still trying to wrestle the sobs."My best friend ever since I joined primary school"

"Uncle," Maan came forward and sat beside the chair on his left.

"Maan, I want you to take care of my daughter, if I go away…"

"You're not going anywhere" Geet stubbornly whispered, interrupting their conversation.

"Geet, can I talk to you for a second?" Maan voiced, signaling her to go outside and he followed.

"What," she whispered, trying to not break into sobs. "Courage, confidence, bravery, resilience" she chanted the words in her mind every time she was around her father.

"Geet, I'm sorry about whatever is happening but, please, you're hurting yourself, and in that process, me too," Maan spoke as he walked towards her, his voice low. Everyone was gathered in the main hall, including Geet's sister Rajji, her mom, Vicky, Priya and Uncle Khurana.

"Wh- You want me to accept the darned fact that he's going to go away?!" Geet almost yelled, her voice getting uneven and tears flowing down her cheeks. "he's my father!" She cried helplessly and Maan slowly got hold of her fists as he pulled her close, into his arms. She dug into his chest and wept, losing people you love was hard and even harder when it happened again and again.

"I'm sorry," Maan whispered in her hair, his eyes watering up, and his vision getting blurry. He slowly pulled away, "Go to your mother, she needs you the most right now…" and she walked off, wiping her tears to her mother's room.

***

"Shhh…" she whispered, stroking her hair as she lay comfortably on her lap. It was the first time she felt comfortable, after returning, her mother confessed. Geet continued to avoid the silence by bringing up conversations about everything and anything, except dad of course, but failed to keep her mother from breaking down every now and then.

"Geet," Rajji walked in, her pale complexion looking even paler. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail and her eyes were red, pained and distracted. "How've you been, I've met Maan…" she smiled as she sat down beside her.

"Fine raj, how's school going for you?"

"School's the same,"

There was another awkward silence and Geet wanted to make it go away badly. The tensed environment was not something that Geet was used to. Right now, she wanted to spend all the time she had with her father. There was a light snore and Geet looked down to see her mother peacefully sleeping. She slowly got up, trying to not distract her mom from the sleep she had gotten, she must've been tired, and she walked out of the room.

She stepped inside to see her father being examined by a doctor. He lay awake, his face, as lifeless and tired as before. There was a spark in his eyes as soon as she entered the room. "Doctor…" Geet whispered, and the doctor immediately responded.

"You must be Ms. Geet Handa, am I correct?" the weird looking doctor spoke.

Geet gave a nod and he proceeded, "May I have a word with you outside?"

"sure," she smiled and mouthed the words "I'll be back" to her father. Uncle Khurana now sat beside him, trying to look happy but he didn't succeed. He looked terrible.

"Yes doctor?" Geet said, her voice trembling with worry.

"As you know, we've tried our best to provide the most advanced treatment for your father's illness. It's been two months, and I'm really-"

"Doctor-" Geet cut in, "Is there any way" she tried to say but she was afraid of breaking down, she took a deep breath and wiped her tears.

"I'm terribly sorry Ms Geet, but at a stage like this, nothing is proving helpful. We can't hospitalize him, it'll be of no use.

"How long" Geet interrupted.

"That depends on his will power." He walked back inside his room and so did Geet.

Two months later

Dear diary,

It's been two months since dad passed away, now Mom has moved in and so has Rajji. I think losing someone you dearly love is the hardest, but I didn't lose my father, he continues to live in my heart, pops up in my dream sometimes too you know, telling me to finish off my office work before time, yelling at me playfully for ditching Priya and Vicky again for Maan. I can live with that too, he often crops up saying that he's watching me.

I remember his last words,

You know, if I'm going to die this second, I won't be even a little bit angry with God, know why? Because he gave me a wonderful family, a wonderful life, with amazing friends, and of course, rivals.

Take care beta, and take care of Khurana for me too. He's too sensitive when it comes to friends. He's always had that corner for me, I meant something big to him.

We sure had a long conversation, and it seemed like he wasn't going to go away. Now, I find it often hard to believe that he won't be waiting for me when I return from office. He won't be there complimenting me while I model my new bought outfits.

Well, Maan and I still haven't made our relationship public and we'll be announcing our engagement tomorrow morning. Pinky and Adi were rather suspicious but again, they'll know.

We'll be getting married the traditional way soon enough, I will miss this place, the memories with daddy.

Uncle had happily accepted me as his daughter-in-law; he said he believed that since he didn't have a daughter, his best friend's daughter was his too. He was very right. He's my second father after him.

I can't say that I hate life.

Of course, I hate some events that occurred, but daddy used to quote a line from the Harry potter books: