TUM SE HI (MG) Thread 1 - Page 71

TWENTY TWO

The next two days, and nights, flew by in a blur of activity. Geet felt delightfully alive, rejuvenated, and was engaged in the best vacation she'd ever had.

On Friday she cleaned her closet, discarding clothes she no longer wanted, and making list of what she needed to buy.

That night, she and Maan attended a Gazal Concert featuring famous Gazal singer Jagjit Singh. They both were dressed according to the evening. Geet in a shimmering black anarkali and Maan wearing the same shade but in a jodhpuri.

"My goodness," Geet said, as they stood in her living room, "it was one amazing night. It was totally worth it."

"I told you so," he said, "I knew you will love it and that is why I asked you to join me. There is something about gazals which makes you forget everything yet keeps reminding you of something."

"Wow, kya baat hai Mr. Khurana, aaj bahut philosophical ho rahe hai aap."

Maan smiled a little and then replied, "All because of you meri Shehzadi."

After the show, which they thoroughly enjoyed, they went to a Chinese restaurant. Unable to resist the tempting selections, they ordered enough food for four persons.

"This is delicious," Geet said, then took a bite of something with a name she couldn't pronounce.

"It surely is," Maan said.

"You know," she said, thoughtfully, "this evening's outing is a perfect example of the kind of perks, per se, that a couple could have if they both worked."

"That's true. Concert tickets, then dinner out afterward, would take a big bite out of a married couple's single-income household budget. But where are the kids?"

"They're at home with a reliable, trustworthy sitter. We, the parents, need some hours alone together."

"How much time did we spend with our children during the week? We worked in the evenings. Right? We both have careers and we enjoy expensive entertainment like this evening's. Sunday we are taking the kids out to lunch, then to zoo. That's a family outing. One, or both of us, worked through the evenings."

"No, we did not," Geet said, leaning towards him. "We compromised. There's that word that makes you break out in hives. Compromise. We went to the concert, then on home where we made ice-cream sundaes in our own kitchen."

"I see," he said, nodding slowly.

"Do you? On Sunday we'll pack a picnic lunch, then go to the zoo and afterwards park. Compromise, Maan. Two careers, no slaving away with work every night at home, and nice outings as a couple, and others with the kids. If you weren't so stubbornly narrow minded you would realize you can have the wife and family you want, without anyone getting the short hand of the stick."

"Well, you've certainly given me food for thought," he said, staring into space. "Dev's wife, Meera, stays home with their son, Shreyansh, but now that I think about it, Dev and Meera go out alone most weekends."

"Excellent. That's a one-income family compromising. There's no reason why people in a two-career marriage can't do the same thing."

"How many kids do we have?"

"What?" she said, frowning.

"How many little ones are we taking to the zoo on Sunday?"

"Eat Maan. You need fuel for your brain."

"Well, you made our family sound real," he said, smiling.

Geet shrugged. "I'm a writer with a vivid imagination."

Maan's smile faded. "And you, of course, don't want any part of the scenario you just painted so clearly."

Geet met his gaze directly. "No. No, I don't."

"So while I am getting the hang of this compromise, leaving my briefcase at the office, you're still working evenings."

"Because I can," she said, laying one hand on her chest. "I don't have the family you do, who needs my attention."

"Geet, did it occur to you that this famous compromise of yours should apply to you, too?"

"What for?"

"For you. Don't you want more in your life besides work, with an occasional outing like the one we're sharing tonight?"

She lifted her chin. "My life is perfectly fine just the way it is, thank you very much."

"That's your opinion," he said, glaring at her.

Geet opened her mouth to retort, then closed it, and shook her head.

"No, I am not going any further with this discussion," she said, "because we are headed for an argument. Our evening together has been so lovely. Lets not spoil it, Maan." She smiled.

"Sold. I do intend to think about what you said, though. I've never had the compromise angle so clearly defined before. It has merit. Food--" he took a bite "'for thought."

"Good," she said.

She was making marvellous progress with The Project, she mused. Yes sir, she was scoring points in her mission. It was just that'. Well, a funny, cold knot had tightened in her stomach as she'd envisioned Maan with a faceless wife and children. Oh, how ridiculous.

"So," she said, "Dev and Meera have a son. Right?"

"Oh, yeah, Shreyansh is one cute kid. Did I tell you that I won The Baby Bet when he was born?"

"The what?"

"It was a high tech bet. There were too many of us involved in it to go for a straight 'Is it a girl or boy?' So we added date of birth and'get this ' time of day."

"Very high tech."

"Indeed, and I won. I had the right sex. The right day, and I hit the time within twenty minutes. You're looking at The Baby Bet pro, here."

Geet laughed in delight. "Your talents never fail to amaze me Mr. Khurana."

"Shehzadi," he said, his voice low and rumbly, "aapne abhi dekha hi kya hai."

Sudden and sensual pictures entered into Geet's mind of the lovemaking she'd shared with Maan, and a warm flush crept onto her cheeks. She cleared her throat, then glanced over the table.

"It's fortune cookie time," she said. "I can read it but I can't eat it. I'll explode if I take one more bite." She broke open the crisp cookie and unfolded the narrow strip of paper, reading it quickly. "Oh."

"Oh?" Maan leaned towards her. "That's a weird fortune. Let me see that." He took the paper from her hand, read it, then looked at her with a serious expression. " 'You are about to experience a major change in your life on an emotional, not material plane.' "

The warm flush on Geet's cheek intensified, and was accompanied by the heat that swirled through her. Desire was radiating from Maan's eyes and was, she knew, mirrored in her own.

"Major emotional change," he repeated a husky quality in his voice.

Geet tore her gaze from him, aware that her hand was trembling slightly as she reached for the other cookie.

"Read your fortune now, Maan," she said, handing it to him.

He crushed the cookie and pulled the paper free, with laughter as he read the message.

Geet peered over the paper and smiled as she read it aloud: " 'Your ship cannot come in because it sank'."

"Wrong," Maan said. "They don't know who they're dealing with, here. Jack and I would never let our ships sink."

"Of course not," she said. "You'd get your snazzy shirts wet."

"You got that right."

"You're crazy."

"You're beautiful," he said, then gave her a quick, but toe curling kiss. "Let's go home, Shehzadi Geet."

-------------------

They made exquisite love far into the night in Geet's bed. She was sleepily aware of Maan leaving at dawn to go to his apartment to change clothes, and then on to play golf with Dev.