FF: Out Of Darkness *Thread - 1* - Page 38

Originally posted by: Angelskiss

***********Part 10************

"What is it jeeju? Why are you staring at me like that?" Maan asked Dev. They had both come to the study lying about some impending office work leaving Vicky to pacify Myra.

"Kya hua Jeeju? Is everything okay?" Maan asked again seeing Dev still staring at him in that peculiar manner.

"I am sorry, Maan" Dev stated his eyes downcast, not able to look into Maan's eyes anymore.

"For what Jeeju?" Maan asked, confusion very evident on his face.

"For believing what others said, for assuming what others assumed, for seeing something that was never there in your eyes" Dev sighed, rubbing his eyes in regret.

"What are you talking about Jeeju" Maan asked not understanding the one sided puzzled statements Dev made.

"About you and Sasha. I, like others believed you had fallen in love with her. I believed what the media said about you two, I, like others also assumed that you love Sasha. I believed in everything they said about you two. I started seeing or rather was illusioned to see that love for Sasha in your eyes" Dev confessed, pouring in a drink for himself and Maan.

"But yesterday, I saw that look in your eyes, the look of anticipation, excitement, curiosity and nervousness that every groom feels on his wedding day and it all suddenly made me realize that I have not once seen the pain, hurt, and sorrow one has when loosing the chance to be with the person they love" Dev explained.

"When you agreed to marry the girl of Naintara's choice, I thought you were doing it to make her happy. I thought you were sacrificing your love to give your sister a new reason to live. And I really admired you for that. I have seen the change in Naintara during these past months. After Pari's death, I felt as if I had not only lost my child Pari but also Naintara"

"We all did Jeeju, we all felt the same way" Maan agreed, remembering those days after Pari's death. It was like all happiness had vanished from all their lives, an unknown darkness filled the Khurana mansion and its inhabitants.

"Yes but I saw the slight change in Naintara ever since Sasha came into your life and when you agreed to get married it was as if Naintara had found a reason to live again. The prospect of getting you married to the right girl and having your life finally settled became Naintara's reason to live. It's like she had gotten a new goal in life, a challenge to accomplish. I don't really know why she has such a strong dislike for Sasha but I am thankful for it because it has given me my Naintara back" Dev concluded.

"Yes, I agree and it really fills us all with immense happiness to have Didi back to normal. After Pari's death I thought I would never see her laugh, never see her argue with ma, never see her taunt Myra, never hear the ongoing bickering between the two" Maan admitted, but felt guilty for hiding the truth from his brother-in-law, should he tell him that it was all a plan? That Sasha was only enacting the part he had told her to play''

"Thank you Maan, it's all because of you" Dev said draining his second filling of the drink, while Maan still held his wine filled glass.

"I really don't understand why Naintara opposed Sasha, I agree that Sasha is a divorce but Naintara was never that conservative in her believes. I just can't believe that Naintara refused to accept any relationship between you and Sasha just because Sasha is a divorced woman. I thought I knew Naintara but recently I am starting to realize I never really knew her" Dev sighed in frustration, it was really hard to understand his wife, even after nearly 19 years of marriage with her he still did not fully know her.

"It is hard to understand Didi sometimes" Maan agreed with his brother-in-law and both fell into complete silence for few minutes each immersed in the thoughts of their wives.

"So how was it Maan? How is she?" Dev asked suddenly filling the silence and bring Maan out of his thoughts, as he poured himself another drink, a teasing smile on his face.

"Who?" Maan asked absentmindedly as he stared at the newly developed wedding pictures just delivered by Keshav.

"Geet" Dev said, snatching the picture from Maan's hand.

"I don't know" Maan sighed as he lent back on his chair.

"What do you mean, Maan? We all saw how you two were behaving this morning, the interaction between you two without any words, just through eyes" Dev pointed, a smirk on his lips as he gave the picture back to Maan.

"Nothing happened, Jiju. She was already asleep when I went to my room last night and woke up to her crying this morning" Maan clarified, understanding clearly what his brother-in-law wanted to hear.

"What? You mean nothing happened? Nothing?" Dev asked in disbelief. Apparently he only heard the "nothing happened" part turning deaf to the rest.

"Yes, nothing happened. She has not said a word to me. She seems too scared, too frightened by the sudden change, finding herself away from home, away from her family, living in a new city amongst strangers who she is to call her family" Maan explained, his eyes staring at the picture of his wedding, his wife's face bent down, her head covered with the ghunghat and he staring straight with a blank face. Definitely NOT one of those perfect marriage picture at all.

"And what are you going to do about it? She is your wife make her understand the meaning of wife!" Dev voiced slightly angered at Maan.

"No, I think I am going to take things slow, let her get used to this new life and surroundings, make her get comfortable with us all and then let's see what happens from then on" Maan defied.

"I understand that, Maan, but I think it would be better if you first made her comfortable with you, befriend her, attempt to make her come close to you, not wait for her to get close to the family members first" Dev suggested to which Maan just sighed, shook his head and returned his gaze to the picture in his hand.

"Are you regretting it, Maan? It is understandable, she is very different from you, not one of those girls you have been around with" Dev questioned staring at him in the eyes.

"No, of course not. She is beautiful, seems to be very respectful of everyone, I see no pride neither the arrogance of coming from the wealthy family. She is educated, seems to be matured and not to forget a very great cook" Maan answered with a smile.

"Yes, indeed a very great cook" Dev agreed. "I guess the saying true' a way to a man's heart is through his stomach" Dev teased and laughed when Maan did not argue with him nor gave him an angry glare' seems like his brother-in-law is already very taken by his new wife' Naintara has chosen well, he had doubted it in the beginning but now meeting Geet and the slight change in Maan' he knew Maan was happy, and knew Maan would soon make sure Geet was also with him'.

"She is what I have always pictured my wife to be, she has all those qualities I wanted in my wife but there is one little problem though"

"What?" Dev asked curious to know what fault can a perfect girl like Geet have?

"She is too beautiful, too innocent to be a human'. To belong to me" Maan answered.

"But then'. I don't think Didi would have chosen a wrong girl for me. Didi knows how I am; she knows what I want better than me. You know she has always gotten me the best" Maan explained to his brother-in-law, who nodded his head in affirmation. Yes, Naintara has always gotten the best thing, always the best in life for Maan but this time it was not a thing it was a person and Dev feared if she really was the best for Maan''.

************

Maan walked into his room to see Geet watching TV. She was sitting on the couch, watching the discovery channel. She suddenly bolted up from the couch upon seeing her Pati enter the room.

"Sit down, Geet, carry on watching. I am going to just lie down for a while" Maan said smiling at his wife as he settled himself on the bed.

He watched her as she slightly nodded her head, slowly settling herself back on the couch and stared at the TV screen. Maan did notice the rigid posture of her body, the trembling hands, her eyes staring at the screen but not watching it. He knew, he understood she was too conscious and scared of his presence to concentrate on watching TV. Maan sighed, running his hands through his hair, he wondered what exactly her family told her about him, why she seemed to be so fearful of him and his family.

"Geet, come here" He called, his voice calm and even. He realized she wasn't going to relax anytime soon, he had to talk to her, help her understand there was nothing to fear from him and his family.

Geet sprang up and hurried towards him, her head downcast and her fingers holding the edges of her dupatta in a tight grip as she stood in front of him, peering at him through her lashes. Maan smiled at the questionable gaze she was giving him, wondering again why she seemed so very shy and scared all the time. He saw the fear that was always present in her eyes.

"Come, sit here" Maan said patting the space on the bed beside him as he lifted himself up on the bed. Maan could see the tension and fear in Geet as she hesitantly sat on the bed opposite him with very little space between them''

"Geet" Maan sighed in frustration, for the past ten minutes she had sat there still staring at her lap, clenching and unclenching her trembling hands. She still did not look up but her hands lay still on her lap.

"Geet, will you please look at me?" Maan asked in a soft whisper. She did as he asked her.

"We need to talk for a moment" Maan said, trying to calm her down. She looked very pale, her eyes clouded with tears. He stared at her face; she was staring at him with a disbelief look in her eyes. Her face held no expression making him realize that it was only her eyes that showed any emotion.

Geet nodded her head slightly, trying to hold in her tears. She was scared, very scared at what her Pati would do to her. Her mind played the visions she had been haunted by for so many years, the whipping, the screaming and the pain.

"I don't know what you were told about me and my family but I want to assure you that you need not fear us. We are not bad people, Geet. We are good people, everyone here already cares for you."

Geet's eyes searched his face.

"We are not mean or arrogant or snobby or whatever you have heard from your family or friends. We will all be very nice to you, no one will hurt you, i will make sure that no one hurts you, If anyone dare insult or hurt you then you must tell me. You understand what I am saying, Geet" Maan assured her staring into her disbelief eyes. Maan watched as Geet stared at him, the pupils of her eyes widen, and then Maan saw it, for the first time she let slip the expressionless mask. A look of incredulity crossed her features, and this time it was not just her eyes.

"You are now my wife, Badi Bahu of this family. We are your new family now and I hope you will accept this new family as yours." Maan concluded, his eyes watched as she tightly clenched her hands, so tight was the grip that her knuckles had turned white. Dear god what dreadful lies did her family fill her mind with that she was so fearful of him and his family? He wondered how awful her brothers might have been to her, he did meet the two brothers and the father and it did not go unnoticed by him that they were those conservative, old fashioned and male dominant personalities.

Geet narrowed her eyes.

"Will you accept this new family, w-will you' will you accept me as your husband?" Maan asked her wanting to get her answer.

No response.

"Will you, Geet?" Maan asked again, his eyes wandering back to her white knuckles, he winced at how she seemed to dig her fingernails into her other hand.

Geet's eyes searched his face again, tilting her head up slightly she gave him a very faint nod. Maan smiled at the response and was pleased to notice the hint of a smile in her eyes'. "just her eyes" He whispered to himself, he still had a long way to go'.

"Show me your hands" He stated suddenly, his eyes lingering at her hands which were grasped in a deathly grip, he had been watching at how she had continued to wriggle her hands as he talked with her. He wanted to her to stop the deathly grip, but ordering her to do so would not be wise and so he used the excuse of being interested in the intricate mehndi designs etched in her hands, stating he wished to see the Mehendi that covered her hands, search for his name hidden in those designs. Maybe it was a good step as it is he had not gotten to do it last night and he still had to give her the gift and this seemed to serve as a good opportunity to create some closeness between them. Jiju had been right; he must first make her comfortable with himself and then the family members. Seeing her hesitate, he grabbed her hands and extended them towards him.

"AHHH" Geet winced at the sudden pain in her left arm when Pati dragged her hand towards him.

Maan let go of the hands hearing Geet's wince. "What happened? Did I hurt you?" He asked with worry, he had been very gentle at holding her hands.

Geet shook her head in denial but Maan did not fail to see her cradling her left arm and her painful expression.

"Let me look at it" Maan said extending his hand. His eyes on her face. Maan took her hand and examined her hand pulling her long sleeves up''.

Geet hesitantly extended her left arm towards Pati not wanting to get him angry. He had been very kind to her till now and she wanted it to stay that way'..

***********

"Are Maan, accha hua aap aa gaye. I was about to call you two down for lunch. Come let's eat." Naintara said upon seeing Maan rushing down the stairs with Geet following behind him.

"Not now Didi, I am taking Geet to the doctor's. She has a broken arm that needs tending" Maan informed as he rushed past Naintara.

"Stop right there!" Naintara called out seeing Maan call out for the driver.

"Didi, I re-"

"None of you are going to step out of the house today. Neither you nor Geet! We have the Muh-Dikhai rasam in few hours and I don't want any tamasha" Naintara stated cutting Maan.

"But Geet's arm" Maan protested

"Myra will look at it for now" Naintara answered.

"lekin-" Naintara glared at her brother choosing to ignore his plea turned to speak with Myra "after lunch, check Geet's arm and please tell your dad to stop by tonight"

"But Didi, Myra doesn't know anyth-" Maan stopped his objection seeing the glare Vicky was giving him for not having faith in Myra and he dared not look in Myra's direction'..

"Ji didi, lekin papaji ko kyu?" Myra asked confused what would her dad do at the muh-dikhai? Wasn't it a ladies thing?

"Because your father is a physician and he can run a more thorough check on Geet's arm and see if she really has any broken bones" Naintara replied in annoyance, why did Vivky marry such a brainless dolt?

"Yes, Mr. Chadda can tend to her arm tonight. Now come let's go and have lunch, we need to get things ready, in few hrs the guests will start pouring in to look at badi bahu" this time it was Savitri who exclaimed. The pundit had specified on the bride and groom not stepping out of the house for at least one week but Savitri did not want to let Maan know of that now. Tomorrow Naintara will handle the situation.

"DadiMa, aap bhi" Maan sighed in defeat.

"Maan" Savitri sighed at her grandson.

"It will only take an hour" Maan pointed not ready to give up.

"To the dining table, Maan!" Naintara ordered.

"par-"

"Right now!" Naintara snapped seeing Maan still standing.

"Fine!" Maan stomped before walking towards the dining room.

Geet followed Pati hurriedly, the look of incredulity on her face. She was shocked, surprised seeing the confrontation between Didi and Pati. Shocked to see a woman ordering a man, dominating everyone in the house, surprised to see men following her orders, Pati doing what his sister; a woman orders him to do. All her life, she had been told, and had seen how all the men in her family dominated her mother and her. She had heard from her mother, her father and brothers on how women should always follow what men tell them, how it is men who are superior then women, how it is men who set the rules and women follows. But for the first time she was seeing a woman who set the rules and all the men in the house followed those rules.

She sat there at the dining table in a daze, thinking and replaying the events of the past two days. Yes, this family was different, very different, where it was not a man who set the rules it was a woman who ruled this house and Geet had to follow every rule set by this woman, she must do everything she is told to do to please Didi. If she accomplished that then maybe life will be easier to live in this house, maybe she might get away from the whippings and painful tortures by her Pati she had been dreading most of her life about.

"Geet" Naintara called shaking her shoulder and bringing Geet out of her thoughts.

"Eat, Geet" Naintara said pointing at her plate.

Geet looked up at her Pati who nodded his head with a smile and threw a glare at his sister, to which Naintara just glared back with a pointed look'''

***Angel***

Well that was Part 10...... now you all know one of the reasons why Naintara dislikes Sasha. Do let me know your thoughts on this part....

Part 9: Chat between Naintara, Myra and Geet and the preparations for Muh-Dikhai.

I just posted my SS on Maneet, Christmas special... so please do check that out...

Link: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/geet-hui-sabse-parayee/1566919/new-ff-persuasion-of-khurana-final-part-pg-15