New FF: New York times with Maan and Geet - Page 85

Nice part..Geet wants to move SF to see what she can do herself..I hope she might be clear her doubt about her realation with Maan...Maybe Maan come to see her often..

Wow just read it! Great Story! I want Dev to regret loosing Geet and want her back! I loveee Maan and Geet So SWEEETTT!!! <3 Thanks! :) <3

hiii hasini

Hi Hansini

please dont send geet to San Francisco.......😭
poor Maan...😭

Part 43: A game of roulette.

<Geet's monologue>

The doorbell rang. At 10.00 PM I wasn't expecting anyone. I got the door and it was him.

It had been two weeks since the time I told I was leaving to Frisco. He was calm and collected about it. Was he confident that I was never going to get out of here? We met from time to time but he kept his distance. Office was usual and he was professional in every sense. Meer was angry and didn't talk to me for a week, but came to terms with my decision last week. The economy was not favoring me. I was still searching for a job there, while I continued to work here in NY. I didn't know what babaji had in store for me.

Maan:"Geet…yeh ghar ka chabi hain…I'm leaving for two weeks. Agar kuch chaiye to…I thought you should have it"

Geet:"Lekin Maan…"

Maan:"Geet…whenever you leave to bay area, give this to Meera. I will get it when I come back"

He was leaving to India for two weeks. His Daadima wanted him to come down for an important business deal and he was planning to work remotely. I would miss him. It hurt me to think that he wouldn't be around to see me off if I was to move in the next two weeks.

Geet:"Will you call me?"

Why did I ask that? Oops….Was I giving away too much?.

Maan:"You mean call you when I reach India?...yeah I can…"

"I can…" yeh bhi pooch na padeg kya? Oh! Babaji…yeh mujse door jaa rahen hain toh main yeh paagal jaise baatein kyon kar rahi hoon? Mujhe itna dard kyon ho raha hain?

Maan:"And you take care…keep in touch"

Babaji…I was in tears…I was pretty sure I wanted to leave NY, but I got the real picture when I heard his words "Keep in touch". What it would really mean. I wouldn't get to see him at the elevator or the office, or the hallway, or at Peet's or at the subway or…

"Half –caff black please…"…."Chalo mein leke chalta hoon"…"Chup bilkul chup…"…"I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between shadow and the soul"…"Tumhari basha main…hot chocolate…"

Geet:"Maan…."

He had already started walking towards the elevator.

Maan:"And mail me when you will be moving, I might be busy and might not be able to get to the phone…"

I walked towards him, but the elevator doors were closing.

All the doors were closing down on me, threatening me to take back my decision, but I had to go ahead and that is what there was left to do.

It had been 4 days and his absence dawned on me how terribly I was going to miss him, once I move out of here. Perhaps, I will be able to see him before I leave. I didn't know, I was tormented by his thoughts.

Back in India…

<Maan's monologue>

Daadima:"Maan beta…aapka jet lag kaisa hai?"

Maan:"Teek hoon Daadima…aur mujhe voh file chaiye tha…"

Daadima:"Aap tho din raat kaam kar rahe hain…thodi der ke liye so jayiye…"

Maan:"Ji…I will take care…"

Her face came back to my mind, or should I say, I was just temporarily distracted from paying attention to her face. It never left me.

Maan:"Mujhe sirf file chaiye Geet.."

Daadima:"Geet?"

Oops…Daadima was still seated on the other side of the desk…and what is wrong with me? When did I start slipping in the external world too.

Maan:"Ji…who sirf…daadima…please aap…mujhe file de sakte hain?"

She got up and went to her room to get me the file.

<Daadima's monologue>

Strange…kuch na kuch toh chal raha hain…mujhe pata karna hi padega.

<Maan's monologue>

What time is it? Should I call her? I didn't call her after I landed here. I remembered it alright, but I wasn't sure about doing it. I was hurt and distanced myself from NY. I didn't have it in me to see her leave. Business deal toh sirf bahana tha…

It must be 11.15 PM there. I still wanted to try. I dialed her number and let it go for the first ring and when I was about to cut the call, I heard her on the other side.

Geet:"Maan….its you right?"

She picked up the call in just one ring? I knew she missed me too.

Maan:"Hmm….kaise ho geet?"

Geet:"And you landed just now right?"

Maan:"Main bahuth busy tha…"

<Daadima's monologue>

Yeh Maan ab kis se baat kar rahen hain…mujhe pata hain ki yeh sab bad manners hain…phir bhi chalega…Maan has rahe hain? Haye Haye….

Maan:"Rachana se mil rahe ho ya nahin?"

Geet:"Yeah….I do. And thanks Maan…she is such a great help."

Maan:"No problem…Aur…"

Geet:"Daadima kaise hain?"

Maan:"Voh! teek hain…aur Meera and Yash…"

Geet:"Voh sab bhi teek hain"

<Maan's monologue>

I was not a phone person. I didn't know what else to talk to her.

Maan:"Toh baad mein baat karte hain..."

Geet:"Kahin jaana hain? Kaam bahuth hain kya?"

Maan:"Actually no….kuch kaam nahin hain"

<Daadima's monologue>

Abhi toh mujhe tang kar rahe the file lane ke liye…aur ab bol rahe hain…ki kaam nahin hain. Yeh tho badi ajeeb baatein kar rahen hain.

Maan:"Kyon…tumhe kuch baat kar na tha kya geet?"

Daadima:"Geet?"

Acchan toh track aisa chal raha hain…mujhe toh vusi din shak tha jab voh Geet ko ghar leke aaye the.

Lekin geet tho shaadi shuda hain….

Geet:"Hmmm…actually pata nahin…bahuth bore ho rahi thi. TV pe bhi kuch nahin hain"

Maan:"Toh kya main tumhara entertainment hoon…I'm your back up, when you don't have anything on TV? Chalo entertainment hi sai…kisi kaam ko tho hoon tumhare liye..."

Mere ankhon mein asoo….bahuth din ho gaya tha Maan ko aise baath karte hue deke…

Geet:"Aisa nahin hain…Maan. Bolna boolgayi...apke liye ek parcel aaya hua hain..I kept it inside your place."

Maan:"Thanks "

<Maan's monologue>

I turned in my chair and saw Daadi entering the room.

Maan:"Accha teek hain…mujhe jaana hain…main baad mein baat karta hoon…bye"

Daadima:"Kisse baat kar rahe the Maan beta?"

Maan:"Ji…woh…mera colleague se…kuch enquire karna tha…"

Daadima:"Yeh lijiye file…isme deal padke aapko sign karna hain.. chahe toh lawyer se bhi confirm kar lijiye…"

Maan:"Ji Daadima…Aur…"

Daadima:"Toh aapke dost, meera, yash aur who ladki…kya naam tha…Haan Geet kaise hain? Vunke baare main aap ab tak baat hi nahi kiye? Sab teek tho hain na?"

Maan:"Ji…Daadima…sab log teek hain…"

<Daadima's monologue>

Hame pata toh karna hain…lekin kaise…Maan toh loose talks kabhi nahin karte…

<Maan's monologue>

I was able to work better now that I atleast heard her voice. I could sense clearly that she was missing me, but how was I to make her accept the same. I knew it was not my job to do.

2 Days later.

<Geet's monologue>

The phone rang. It was 1.20 AM. I rubbed my eyes to disrupt my sleep and picked up the phone.

Geet:"Hello…"

Rajjo:"Geet puttar…Main bol rahi hoon…"

Geet: "Ma…sab teek tho hain na? Is waqt…"

She was crying badly.

Rajjo:"Darji…bahuth serious hain…tumhe bahuth yaad kar rahe hain…Aur tumse maafi bhi maang na chahte hain…"

Tears were flowing down my eyes. I was in shock. Yeh kya ho raha hain mujhe?…I remembered all the times, he would take me to school, when I was still small…I remembered all the times he would be protective of me. All my anger vanished and only my love for him was left. If I missed this opportunity to connect with him, there was a possibility that I would never be able to do so again. I didn't want any regrets in my life, I had enough already.

Geet:"Ma…tum abhi sambhalo..apne aapko…Main kal hi India aa rahi hoon."

I had decided and it only took me a split second to make that decision. To me nothing was more important than being with him at those moments of need.

I immediately got up and sent a mail to him telling him that I will be off for a week and that I wasn't sure when I would be coming to the US given the situation.

I also sent an email to HR and copied him as I needed some papers for my Visa stamping.

After 2 hours my phone rang once again. It was him.

Maan:"Geet…are you ok?"

Geet:"Ji….I don't know…why do I have to be in such fire fighting mode always?"

<Maan's monologue>

She sounded frustrated.

Maan:"Ok, Do you need help with tickets?"

Geet:"Haan…ab mehenga hain…holiday season bhi toh hain"

Maan:"Agar tum chahe to main apna reward points se book kar sakta hoon."

Geet:"Are you sure?...how much will it be?"

Maan:"Voh sab baad me dek lenge…when do you want to leave?"

Geet:"At the earliest"

Maan:"Aur yeh visa ka chakkar kya hain? Tum to PR ho na Canada ke?"

Geet:"Nahin…Dev never got that done. I'm on H1B here. I need to get my papers stamped once I get out of US. You of all people know that I switched employers and became permanent here"

Maan:"Vufffff!....I don't know how that is going to work out. Lets see….Ok…I just booked your ticket. Your flight is in 5 hrs. Gadi chiye airport ko?"

Geet:"Nahin…I will manage…lekin India main..kahan land ho rahi hoon?"

Maan:"Ofcourse Delhi…aur kahan… you are landing the next day around 3.00 AM. I will pick you up"

She was upset and down.

Maan:"Geet tum teek ho na?…everything will be fine…"

Geet:"Pata nahin Maan…it is so weired. I was about to go to San Francisco and here I'm booking tickets to India…aur mujhe pata bhi nahin ki main Kab vapas aa pavongi"

Aah…kab utrega yeh San Francisco ka boot.

Maan:"Life happens…you cant plan anything.."

Geet:"Yeah…lekin nothing can stop me…main frisco jaa kar rahongi…"

Maan:"Sure…uska ticket bhi main hi leke de tha hoon…open ticket. Abhi book kar doon?"

Geet:"Maan….Koi zaroorat nahin…"

I knew exactly how to push her….

Two days and she was going to be here. I smiled. I couldn't help wonder why life was so unpredictable.

One moment I was agonized wondering when I was going to see her next and here she was coming to the very place I was going to be. Why were we so tied to each other? I didn't want to question it, indeed I liked it. I smiled and turned around and Daadima was listening in…

Maan:"Ji…Daadima…main…abhi aata hoon…"

I had to get out for I felt like a teenager getting caught red handed.

3.30 AM 1.5 days later

<Geet's monologue>

Geet:"Sir Dekhiye…isme kuch nahin hain…I'm just visiting my family members. It's a health emergency"

Immigration/Customers officer:"Dekiye Madam…sab log yahi kehte hain…hum check kare bina aapko bahar nahi bej sak te hain….Madam ko le chalo vus room mein."

They picked one person out hundreds to do baggage checks and I was the one. Seriously babaji?

I went along and let them go through everything. My two suitcases and my laptop bag. They were doing an inventory of everything. The lady officer was asking me about my handbag and other cosmetics in the bag.

I was holding my head in frustration and was sitting there.

Just then someone came walking into the room and talked to the other officer who was there along with the lady customs officer.

Lady officer:"Aapka naam kya bataye aapne?"

Geet:"Geet Khurana"

She took my passport and checked it once again.

Lady Officer:"Sorry madam…we didn't know who you were. Please…give me sometime"

She picked up all my stuff and started packing once again. I didn't know who I was exactly, but their confusion, confused me even more.

Another man walked into the investigation room. These people saluted him casually. What is going on?

They announced that he was the chief customs officer.

Chief:"Sorry Madam. Aap pehle kyon nahin bataye ki aap Mr. Maan Singh Khurana ke saath hain"

Geet:"Ji….I'm just…"

I got the part that this was all Maan's doing…but what did he mean by "Maan ke saath". Anyways I was too tired after that 20 hr flight.

I went to pick up my suitacases, when two more men came and picked them up for me. I was mad.

Unka bas chale toh…mujhe bhi utakar le chal te….

Attendant:"Madam ji…is side"

I waited and let them go ahead so I could follow them.

He wasn't there. There were just two cars, sukhar hain. One Merc and the other a jeep. My suitcases were loaded into the jeep and the door was opened for me to get into the Merc.

I got in and there he was. He was about to say something.

Geet:"Chup mujse bilkul baat kar ne ki koshish mat kijiye….main itna gussa mein hoon…ki aapko tho Maan…main bol bhi nahi sak thi"

<Maan's monologue>

She brought her hands close to my neck, as if to strangle me. She was mad. The driver was shocked to see someone talk to me like that. He was wondering what was going to happen next.

There was our manager standing next to my window and he was not left behind either.

She realized there were two other people listening to her.

Maan:"Aap Gadi lijiye…aur aap bhi hame follow kijiye"

Geet:"I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

She was ashamed. Her head was down…

Geet:"But phir bhi..kya zaroorat thi…yeh sab tamasha karne ke liye"

Maan:"Tamasha? It was those guys Geet. I had clearly told them to let you out with all clearences. Yahan pe paise le kar bhi log teek se kaam nahi karte. I could have come…but I didn't want any media alerts."

<Geet's monologue>

He was mad too. Aur Media alert? Yeh kya bol rahe hain…Airport se leke yahan tak I kept asking myself just one question. Do I really know Maan Singh Khurana.

Maan:"You tired?"

Geet:"Haan….Just plain tired. Ghar jaake..darji se milne tak…kisi cheez ke baare mein soch nahi sakti"

The car stopped. I must have dozed off.

He was not there, but instead outside my window.

I lowered the window and couldn't take the sight behind him.

It was a huggggeeee…It's definitely not a house….not a bungalow….a palatial bungalow or…I didn't know how to term it.

Maan:"I'm getting off here. I have to get back to work in the morning, but kuch chaiye toh mujhe phone kar le na…Aur main driver ko bhej raha hoon…use it as much as you need. Aur yeh peeche vale gaadi ke log bhi tumhare saat hi honge tumhare madad ke liye. Aur yeh phone rak lo. I have stored all my contact numbers. Aur tumhara ghar ka number kya hain?"

I was digesting everything that he was saying. Why does he care for me so much? I guess it pours when it rains.

Maan:"Geet…tum sun rahi ho na?"

Geet:"Ji…."

Maan:"Actually you know what, you should freshen up and eat something…vuske baad you can continue…hoshiarpur bahuth door hain…"

Geet:"Vutna bhi door nahin hain…yahi outskirts main hain…"

Maan:"Kya…"

He had a taunting smile on his face and got in the other side once again. We drove and it took us 3 mts just to get to the front door.

The driver ran to get his door.

Maan:"Mera nahin…madam ka…"

He got out and came on to the other side. He didn't wait for me.

Everything was different here. His attitude towards people was so different. Perhaps I never got to notice this, because he didn't have so many people under his disposal at NY.

I walked in and the livingroom or I didn't know what it was. They were just huge and humungous everything. Nothing was house size, but life size. I loved the intricate designs and carvings on the walls.

Maan:"Geet….Guest room vus taraf hain…aur kya khana hain?"

Geet:"Actually kuch nahin chaiye…"

Maan:"Kuch toh khalo…ok…I will take care"

He called out to someone and two people came from the kitchen.

Maan:"Haan….do egg omlette, French toast aur coffee. Decaf, non-fat extra foam…aur …wait…"

Geet:"Sirf chai chalega Maan"

He turned and smiled. Just then Daadima was coming down the stairs.

Geet:"Hello ji…aap kaise hain?"

Maan:"Daadima…main toh aap se kehne wala tha…"

I wondered…he knew that I was coming two days ago then why didn't he tell her.

Daadima:"Geet beta…kaise hain aap"

Geet:"Ji. Main teek hoon. Aap kaise hain"

Daadima:"Main teek hoon…mujhe to pata bhi nahin tha ki aap aa rahe hain...aur who bhi itni subhe..main toh awaaz sunke vutgaye hum"

Geet:"Ji….sorry ji…meri vaje se…"

Maan:"Its ok…Geet…sorry ki koi zaroorat nahin.."

His daadima looked at him in surprise.

Geet:" Actually mere Daarji ke tabiyat teek nahin hain..isiliye vunhe milne ke liye aayi hoon…"

Daadima:"Accha beta. I hope everything is ok….Aapko kuch chaiye tho hume bata de na…Hum Maan ko bej denge"

Maan:"Vuse pata hain Daadima…Aap please vuse guest room dikha di jiye…"

I was trembling. I didn't know how to receive such attention. Maan's Daadi showed me the room and she left. Seriously this definitely cannot be the guest room. How can it be? Yahan pe tho teen families reha skte hain. I quickly washed up and changed. I came out for a hot tea. I didn't know where the kitchen was. I continued walking through a series of hallways and found the dining room. I had no words to describe his home. I wondered how he was able to stay away from all this and be alone. He was definitely hiding.

He was standing next to the table talking to someone. Ok, that is not a dining table. There were like 20 chairs on each side.

Maan:"Oh!...ok…main baad main call karta hoon."

He saw me and cut the call. I was shaking wondering where and what I have gotten myself into.

Someone from the kitchen brought the entire spread for breakfast, precisely what he had asked for.

I took the chai and he took his cup.

Daadima was seated on one of the chairs. It was only 5.15 AM.

I tasted and he did too. Oops…I had his coffee and he had my tea. We switched after the first sip.

<Daadima's monologue>

Kya…main sapna dek rahi hoon…Maan aur kisi ka joota peena?

<Geet's monologue>

Everyone in the room were surprised, or were they shocked, there was a thin line, but Daadima was about to faint. I didn't know.

Maan:"Daadima…aap ko kya ho gaya…"

Geet:"Daadiji…"

We ran to her.

Daadima:"Kuch nahin…aaj pehli baar…maan ne shrivastav ko chilla ne se pehle hi…coffee pee liye hain…aur cup bhi galat side par raaka hua tha…toh ye sab dekha nahin gaya mujse…"

Maan:"Daadima…Please…aap subhe subhe aapka natak baazi band karenge…"

He was mad and took his coffee and left.

I sat there and had my tea not knowing how to proceed or react. I was done.

Geet:"Main….mujhe ab chalna chaiye…"

I had accepted his favor to have his car drop me off home, but I wanted to tell him that I was sending everything back. I couldn't risk have any issues back home.

Geet:"Daadi ji, Maan….mujhe vunse kehkar chalna chaiye…"

Daadima:"Woh tho apne office main hi ranhenge…"

She gave me the directions. True, I needed directions else I was going to get lost here.

I found his office room and that was a mini office by itself.

Maan:"No…Mr. Kulkarni…woh terms pe hum sign nahin karenge… hume aur incentive chaiye…aap soch ke hame phone kijiye ga. Haan…bye"

Geet:"I'm done Maan. I should be leaving and main gadi vapas bej doongi…aur phone bhi vahan kareed ne ke baad…"

He cut me off.

Maan:"Main kya tumhare liya itna paraya hoon…ki sab ka tum hisaab kitab de rahi ho? Kya main itna bhi madad nahin kar sakta hoon?"

<Daadima's monologue>

I had to follow her to listen to what they had to talk…haan haan mujhe pata hain…lekin…Maan ke harkaten se tho mujhe confirm ho gaya hain ki Maan vusse zaroor pyar kar te hain…lekin…Geet ki shaadi?

Geet:"Maan…yeh madad….This is something above that and I don't even have a word for it. Aur main aapse pehle bhi keha chuki hoon ki mujhe madad chaiye to main aap se maang loongi…lekin..Yeh India hain…Sab sochte honge ki ab bhi shaadi shuda hoon…they will not understand these things in the right way…I don't want any misunderstandings here…"

Kya…Geet shaadi shuda nahin hain….lekin…vusne tho hame khud batayi thi….achha mujhe tho detective ka role lena hi padega.

Maan:"Hmmm…Aur main bhi pehle keha chuka hoon…stop thinking about people and think about your darji now…You have to get to him first and atleast keep the phone…Baki sab tumhe jo karna hai karlo.."

Geet:"Alright…I will call you once I get there…"

<Geet's monologue>

I turned to walk away…

Geet:"Maan…thank you….agar aap nahi hote…"

Maan:"It's all good…aur….take care"

I left not knowing what these unknown, unpredictable paths were taking me in life.

The uncertainity was getting to me for I broke down in the car. The driver was looking at me. I controlled my tears.

I calmed down. I talked myself out of it. "Its ok..Geet…nothing has happened…you came to NY for a job, Dev broken up with you, You met him, You got mugged. You were broken for some time and now you are renewing. You will go to Frisco and learn to live your life…"

That's it. It was not. I was able to contain all the year's events in one sentence, but the pain and the trifles were infinite.

It was not like blackjack or poker or any game where you can fold your cards, when you felt you didn't want to go further. It was more like roulette and the stakes were high too. The die was already rolling; I didn't know what fate was going to deal me next.

Hello people, another update to make up for the lost time. Hopefully this is going per your taste. I know there is a lot of apprehension about geet moving to SF, but I need to move a lot of story before we can get there and Geet makes a decision. Life is throwing Geet challenges left and right and lets see, how she takes them. As I said, I need to move a lot of story and we will be moving at this same pace for the next couple of parts.

Please write and comment. Very little comments from you all. Its not keeping me motivated.