SS-Mere Dil Mein Rehte Hain(Chapters16-20pg36/37)

Mere Dil Mein Rehte Hain

A Short Story on Maaneet

Adapted from Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens

Our Mutual Friend is my absolute favorite Dickens novel. Recently I thought to myself that I could see this story being told on Maan and Geet, and I decided to go ahead and do it. Some of you may wonder how I can use this story idea without getting in trouble. Well, all of Chalres Dickens works are in the public domain, which means that anyone can make an adaptation from them, like they would with Shakespeare's plays, or Jane Austen's books, and many others. If you would like to know more about public domain, check it out on wikipedia.

If you have never heard of Our Mutual Friend, you can read about it on wikipedia, to get the basic background and plot. Remember, I'm doing and adaption, so not everything will be exactly the same. The novel is also available to read for free on the internet. I recommend Project Gutenberg, if you want to read it. Warning: I first tried to read this in high school, and found it very difficult. Apparently my brain needed a bit more maturing before I could understand what the heck he was writing. I don't think Dickens is necessarily the most straight forward author to read, but there is quite a bit of humor in his works.

Regarding PMS: There are quite a few people who have already told me in the past that they always want pms for everything that I write. However, I don't have that list memorized, and my buddy list is pretty big. So, if you want to be pm'd for this story you need to let me know in one of two ways.

1) you can reply to this thread asking to get a pm.

2) you can send me a pm, but you have to mention the title (Mere Dil Mein Rehte Hain) or I will get confused.

3) you can add laxmi2010pms as a buddy. This will be the id from which I will send pms.

If you don't do one of these things, then please don't complain to me that you are not getting pms.😉

The format for the story will be a bit different than my other stories. I will be updating 5 chapters at a time, for a total of 20 chapters. I intend to have this story finished before summer is over, so that means that I will probably update about every two weeks or so. I only have the prologue available at the moment, so you will need to be patient for the first set of chapters.

Index

~Page 1~

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

~Page6~

Interesting Facts for Chapters 1-5

~Page14~

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

~Page25~

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Interesting Facts for Chapters 11-15

~Page36~

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

~Page37~

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Interesting Facts for Chapters 16-20

Characters

Characters and their Dickens counterparts, along with a short description will be listed here. Descriptions will be updated as the story unfolds, and more details about each character come out. New characters will also be added as they appear. Continue to check this section along with the updates to see what new information is available.

Some things to keep in mind: I won't be including every character from the original story, and I will have some characters that have no direct counterpart either, Naintara and Sameera being examples of this. Also, some relationships between the characters, as well as settings and circumstances will be different.

Maan Singh Khurana (John Harmon)

CEO and Owner of Khurana Constructions. One of India's richest men. Feels like all his life he has been seen as only the rich MK. Wants to be loved for himself.

Geet Handa (Bella Wilfer)

A young girl who has dreams of becoming MK's secretary and marrying him. Very beautiful, and generally kind, though she can sometimes be a bit rude.

Dev Singh Khurana (Eugene Wrayburn)

Brother of Maan Singh Khurana. Relies on his brother's wealth. Had dreams of a large loving family, that were shattered by his wife's manipulations.

Meera Shah (Lizzie Hexam)

A teacher at Inspiring Children, a school for poor children in Mumbai, run entirely on donations.

Adinath "Adi" Saxena (Mortimer Lightwood)

Friend of both Maan and Dev. Works as CFO for Khurana Constructions.

Pinky Manchanda (Jenny Wren-slightly)

A friend of Geet's whose father owns a popular dhaba that Geet works part time at.

Sasha Sengupta (Lady Tippins)

The daughter of a Khurana Family friend. The families once thought to promote an alliance between her and Maan. Maan rejected her outright. After her marriage to important business man, Rahul Sengupta, she became one of Delhi's leading socialites. Very interested in gossip as well as the Khurana family. When the two are together, she can't resist.

Naintara Rathore Khurana

A famous model working in Mumbai. Married to Dev Singh Khurana. Only interested in him as a means to access the Khurana fortune. Has another lover.

Sameera Malhotra

An aspiring actress working in Mumbai. Friends with Naintara Rathore Khurana. Fiance of Maan Singh Khurana. Encouraged to pursue Maan by Naintara as an easy way to get ahead in her career.

Meeta Kaur

Deceased. Founder of the Meeta Kaur Girl's Orphanage.

Rani (Ranimaa) Chauhan (Mr. Wilfer)

Director of the Meeta Kaur Girl's Orphanage, located in the Mandaoli area of Indraprastha Extension, New Delhi. Ranimaa is a kindly mother figure, to about 40 to 50 girls at the orphanage, ranging in age from infant to eighteen.

Roopa Dixit (Mrs. Wilfer-slightly)

Helps run the Orphanage along with Rani. Is somewhat cynical and believes the children should be given a realistic outlook on life.

Jugnu Mama

A friend of the Orphanage who lives in an apartment across the street. Allows Maan to stay with him.

Yash Singhania (Bradley Headstone)

A teacher at the same school as Meera. Considers her his. Is very possessive.

Savitri Devi (Dadima) Khurana (Mr. Harmon/Mrs. Boffin)

Grandmother to Maan and Dev. Brought them up after their parents died. Strict, but loves her grandchildren. Gives them her love and support, but has no problem being tough when she thinks they are wrong. Asked Maan to leave the house when he and Dev argued.

Tasha Tarpana

Sasha's chamchi. That's all.

Annie Arjun Rathod

Married her husband for money. Trying to worm her way into the Khurana family fortunes. Savitri Devi is her father's bua.

Arjun Rathod

Married his wife for money. On finding they both have no money is searching for a way to make their fortunes fast.

Prologue

"Well, it is certainly the scandal of the year. But really, what can you expect when they come from Mumbai? That city is loosing all sense of morals, if it ever had any." Sasha Sengupta sipped on her cocktail as the murmurs of agreement floated around the room at her statements.

"Adi," said Sasha, spying the quiet Adinath Saxena standing in the corner. "Come and give us all the details. I know you must be aware of everything, being a friend of both Maan and Dev. Did they really catch them, you know...in bed together?"

"I can hardly say what they did or didn't do, as I wasn't present at the time," responded Adi, trying to say as little as possible."

"Well, but are the rumors true, that the engagement is off and divorce proceedings are in the works?"

"As to that, I've read the papers the same as you have. That's the most that I know at the present."

"Adi, stop trying to be all discrete and diplomatic. You must know something. Tell us, don't be shy. It's just a small group of friends." Adi looked around at the hundreds of people Sasha deemed to be a small group, and rolled his eyes, even as she continued her interrogation. "If Maan left Mumbai, he must have mentioned his plans to you, after all, he has a business to concern himself with."

"I haven't heard anything new from him regarding the business. For now, I still have charge of the day to day operations of the company. Every week I prepare a report on the companies activities, just as I have been the last three months Maan has been in Mumbai. I don't know what else to tell you."

Sasha gaze intently at Adi, looking for any hint of deception. When she found none, she turned her gaze back to the crowd and announced loudly, "Well, it certainly is a mystery. If Maan Singh Khurana has left Mumbai, and he has not come back to Delhi, or even spoken with anyone at his company about his plans, then the only conclusion to be drawn is that he has disappeared. Is this disappearance voluntary, or is something more sinister at work?"

Adi rolled his eyes again at Sasha's theatrics. It was just his bad luck, that just like the Khurana's, his family was friends with Sasha's family. He wondered for the millionth time, why he let his mother talk him into coming to these kind of gatherings. She always said that he might find a nice girl he would like, but he had yet to meet even one decent one he could have an interesting conversation with, who was still single. If this is what "society" was like, he didn't blame Maan from wanting to get away from it. Not one bit.

Chapter 1

"Geet, why did you offer to get all the vegetables alone? Babaji, why didn't you make me realize how much work this would be? At least I should have brought Nandini along, but if I did then that annoying Romeo would have tagged along too. Of course, if he was here then we could make him carry the bags. We could also make him pay for a rickshaw, or better yet, a taxi! He definitely would pay for a taxi to impress her. Oh, I would love to ride in a taxi! It's not like it would even cost that much. After all, Balco Market is less than a kilometer from home."

Geet had paused, her mind over taken with visions of riding in taxis. She was so engrossed in her daydream that she lost awareness of her surroundings and even that there were many busy people making their way home from work. The beautiful thought of luxury that she had never experienced in her entire eighteen years of life was so enthralling she had no idea she was about to be run into, until she was knocked over, the grocery bags tumbling from her hands and spilling all their contents.

"I'm sorry," came the masculine voice, that despite it's contrite tone, did little to appease her anger at being run into.

"You stupid ullu! Did no one ever teach you to look where you're going? If any of my vegetables are spoiled because of you, I promise no one will be worse than me!"

Maan Singh Khurana, India's biggest construction mogul, and heir to the Khurana empire, was unused to apologizing for anything. The fact that some snip of a girl had the nerve to treat his sorry in such a manner, was unbelievable. He was just about to give this person the set down she deserved, when said girl stood up, hands on her hips, glaring at him as hard as she could. Maan was literally struck dumb by the angry vision in front of him.

Though she was dressed in about the plainest salwaar ever created, Maan couldn't recall ever seeing a more beautiful sight in his entire life. He had experienced some of the world's most beautiful women throwing themselves at him for the last ten years, or more. During his stay in Mumbai, scores of gorgeous girls had done anything possible to gain his attention, even while he was engaged. And then there was his gorgeous, former fiance, Sameera who was so eye-catching that she literally turned heads wherever she went. None of those women compared to this slim girl standing before him.

Maan was so engrossed in observing the beauty before him that he failed to notice the fire in her eyes increasing. "Hey! Hello!"

Geet snapped her fingers in front of the stranger's face, not at all happy with what she saw as his lack of manners. "What are you staring at, you rude man? Honestly, I've never met a more inconsiderate person."

"So," she continued, looking meaningfully at the mess on the ground between them and then back at the man standing before her.

"What?" asked Maan, finally coming out of his stupor enough to realize she was speaking to him.

"Urgh! So stupid! Put all this stuff back in the bags and carry it for me!"

"You want ME to carry all this for you?"

"And is there any one else here who was responsible for my fall? Of course I want you to carry these bags. This whole thing is your fault, after all."

Maan considered arguing, but then gave up. She was right that he had been responsible for running into her, and he really didn't feel like making a big deal out of such a little incident. He really didn't feel like making a big deal out of anything. Rather, he would just carry these bags for a few minutes and then go back to his aimless wandering.

As the rude stranger bent down to pick up the fallen items, Geet's satisfaction at having her own way was short lived. At that very moment, large drops of water started to fall, only getting more and more frequent as the seconds passed. Within a minute a steady stream of rain was falling, soaking everything including Geet and the stranger.

Looking up at the sky in disgust, she exclaimed, "Great! Just what I wanted! We go for weeks without a single drop, and then the day I go shopping, we get our allotment of rain for the WINTER? Babaji, is there something that you're trying to tell me?" At the end of her rant, she noticed that the stranger was looking at her instead of putting the vegetables back in the bags.

"What?" she asked, irritated. "Do I look like I want to be standing here getting wet while you take your sweet time? It's kind if chilly and I'll probably catch a cold from this rain. Hurry up!"

Maan just shook his head and quickly finished picking everything up. He silently marveled to himself that he had never heard someone speak so much before. Even though he was doing exactly as she wanted, still the girl muttered angrily to herself. As he followed the girl, he wondered how his life had come to such a pass. The wealthiest man in Delhi acting as errand boy for some beautiful brat was definitely God's idea of a joke.

As Maan followed the girl down the street, he saw her greet various people she obviously knew well. For Geet's part, the only thing on her mind was the thought of getting home and out of the rain. Neither of them were aware of being the subject of talk, yet as soon as they passed any of the locals, the nosy women of the area began to do what they do best. They knew Geet, but none of them had seen the handsome stranger before.

A few of them commented on how once again Geet had young man trailing after her, and if only their daughters were more like her, they would have no trouble getting them married off. In many neighborhoods, the number of boys Geet had trailing after her would generate doubt on her character. However, it was well known that the caregivers of Meeta Kaur Girl's Orphanage were extremely diligent about building the character of the girls they sheltered. It was also well known that Geet was oblivious to the effect she had on the males she encountered, giving them no encouragement at all.

Maan was fast getting fed up of carrying all the bags the girl had foisted on him. The rain was letting up, but the air temperature was dropping, with a small breeze beginning to form. The girl was wearing a sweater over her salwaar, but he, being used to Mumbai weather, had only thrown on a short sleeve button down shirt and some jeans. When he left his hotel that morning, he didn't notice or care about the weather, he was so consumed by his thoughts. As he felt the chill of the wind, he wished he'd been a little more aware. If he had been so, he wouldn't be wet, walking in the cold, carrying these bags for some irritating girl.

Coming to the end of his patience, Maan was about to ask how much farther until they reached, when the girl called out, "We're here, hurry up!"

The impatience in her voice, irked Maan further, since he felt that she was the one wasting time, not him. Ready to blast this girl and let her know just who she was dealing with, Maan looked up and felt the words drain right out of at the sight before him. He saw a large brick building with children playing in the yard, behind a large, iron fence.

The words incorporated into the fence design read, "Meeta Kaur Girl's Orphanage, Established 1972." All at once, Maan realized that if this was their destination, then the girl must be an orphan. All of his ire disappeared with this realization, and he followed her quietly inside.

"Didi, Didi, who is this Uncle?" the children asked, crowding around Geet, and giving wary glances to the man.

"I don't know his name. Where is Ranimaa?"

"I'm here Geet. What's all this commotion, and who is this?"

"Ranimaa, this man bumped into me, spilling all the vegetables, so I made him carry the bags. I don't know who he is."

"Geet, when will you ever learn? You can't just bring back strangers home with you." Another woman walked out with those scolding words, hands on her hip in anger.

"Roopa, don't get excited. This young man very kindly helped Geet. We should welcome him properly. Welcome Ji. My name is Rani Chauhan and I'm the director of this orphanage. This is Roopa Dixit, one of my assistants. Thank you so much for helping Geet."

"It was no problem," replied Maan.

"And what is your name?" questioned Roopa, looking him up and down as if she was trying to judge whether he was worthy to be thanked.

"My name is Maan Singh...achoo!"

"Oh, dear, you're catching cold. You must come inside at once and get warmed up. Nandini, Pari, Rajji, take those bags from Maan Singh Ji and take them to the kitchen. Come along, Maan Ji, come out of the cool air. We will give you some nice warm soup for dinner." Ranimaa put her arm gently on Maan's back to urge him inside.

"No, really, I can't impose...achoo...like this."

"Nonsense, it's no imposition. We can't send you away like this, you might end up with pneumonia. Now, I don't want to hear any more arguments."

"Pneumonia!" scoffed Geet under her breath. "That stupid ullu is taking advantage. First he bumps into me, and then he sneezes to get Ranimaa's sympathy. Well, he's not going to get mine. He should have been looking where he was going. If he couldn't do that, then he can suffer the consequences. Enough, Geet. Forget the ullu. Just ignore him."

"Didi, are you talking to yourself again?"

"Didi, is that uncle staying here?"

"Didi, are you going to get sick too?"

Geet rolled her eyes at all the questions. "I never get sick. Now that's enough everyone. It will be time for dinner soon, and we all have to help get ready. Now go inside before Roopa Aunty comes out and scolds us. Do you want that?"

A chorus of nos followed her question, the response that Geet knew would come. She quickly ushered the younger children in with the help of a couple of the older girls.

Chapter 2

"So, Geet, did you get anything good today?" asked Nandini with interest.

"Yes, and they're still dry, no thanks to that stupid Maan Singh. I have a copy of the Hindustan Times, because it has a short article on that chudail and also Mint. Mint has a huge article about MK and Khurana Constructions. They got a picture of him. Hye, he is so handsome!"

Maan had been sitting tiredly after dinner in his chair, leaning back so his head rested against the wall. With his mind on his own problems, the sounds of the little girls running around him had receded into the background, relegated to the unimportant. Even the clanking of dishes from the kitchen and animated chatter of the older teenagers failed to grab his attention. However, the moment he heard MK and Khurana Constructions mentioned, his eyes popped open involuntarily as he listened with keen interest.

"Geet, if you can tear yourself away from drooling over your MK's picture for just a minute, maybe you can tell us what the articles are about," complained Pari, eagerly waiting to hear the latest gossip.

"Okay, fine. Let's see what they say about the chudail. Okay. Fledgling Star's prospects diminishing. Things are looking dismal for Sameera Malhotra after the disastrous end of her relationship with Maan Singh Khurana. In the film industry it is often said that 'any publicity is good publicity'. However, that saying doesn't seem to hold true for Ms. Malhotra. It is easy to assume that there is a certain fear among producers in Bollywood, who make think taking a chance on the beautiful Sameera is not worth angering one of the wealthiest men in India. The more likely explanation would be the rumors surrounding the reason for the couple's breakup. Bollywood has become considerably less conservative over the years, but some things can still taint the reputation of a star beyond redemption. For a new comer like Ms. Malhotra, recovering from a PR fiasco like this, is almost an impossibility."

"What do they mean rumors? What rumors? Why didn't they give more explanation?" asked Pari, unable to keep her inquisitive mind from wanting the whole story.

"Well, obviously they couldn't print the rumors, it's too scandalous," replied Geet.

"Well, how do you know?" came the question.

"Oh, I looked it up on the internet."

"Well..."

Geet looked at the two younger girls, judging whether she should tell them what she had found out or not. Looking around to see if one of the adults was near, she then motioned them to lean in close. Quietly whispering, she proceeded to tell them what the rumors were. Before she had even finished speaking, the two girls were gasping loudly in shock.

"No!" exclaimed Nandini. "I can't believe it!"

"Are you sure? I mean, how could she...Ew! And with..." Geet quickly clamped her hand over Pari's mouth, stopping her from her loud speaking.

"Shhh! Do you two want to get us in trouble? Ranimaa would punish us for a week if she heard what we were talking about. Anyway, this isn't appropriate for the young ones to over hear, and you never can tell when one of them is hiding somewhere."

"Anyway, I don't want to talk about that chudail any more. She obviously never deserved MK. Just look at him. He's so hot looking in these suits he wears. Haye, main mar jawan!"

"I don't know, Geet. I think Abhishek is way more good looking than your MK," commented Nandini, who had grabbed the paper, looking for interesting news on her favorite actors.

Geet briefly glanced at the picture of the famous actor, before looking back at MK. "No way, Nandini. I can't stand guys who don't shave. Ugh! I feel sorry for Aishwarya. Who wants to kiss or hug someone with a beard? It would be like kissing a goat."

As the girls laughed and made fun of Geet, Maan fingered his own beard, the consequence of the past week of aimless wandering. He had felt too adrift in his life to bother much with shaving or care what he wore. That probably explained why the girl Geet, who seemed to have some sort of fixation on him, still failed to recognize him. She was expecting MK, business tycoon and well known Delhite, to be impeccably groomed, not the shabby looking specimen that he was at the moment.

"So, Geet, what does the article say about your precious MK?" asked Pari, still on her fact finding mission.

Geet skimmed the article, ignoring the more business oriented parts, focusing only on those paragraphs that pertained to the man she was interested in. "Well, it seems like there are a lot of questions about the future of Khurana Constructions. MK is on a leave of absence, due to 'personal issues'," at those words, the three girls looked at each other, knowing what those words really meant, before Geet continued. "The day to day running of the company is being handled by the CFO, A. Saxena, and the board of directors has elected a new chairman, who will take over while MK is gone. The article talks about about how the share prices have been fluctuating, because the market isn't sure what MK's absence will mean for the company."

"What will that do to your plan, Geet? What if the company goes bankrupt? How will you become MK's secretary and marry him then?"

Maan sneezed hard just as he heard this question being asked to Geet. This girl wanted to become his secretary and marry him? What nonsense was this? She was still in school, she couldn't possibly be qualified to be anyone's secretary, and KC had the highest standards, when it came to hiring. Just what did she think of herself?

"Pari, MK is a billionaire, a BILLIONAIRE! His company will not go bankrupt. What's happening right now is no more than a minor setback. He just has to get away for a while so he can forget about what that stupid chudail did to him, then he will be back, better than ever. Anyway, this works perfectly into my plan. While he's gone, I will do my secretary courses at CVS and become his secretary when he comes back. The rest will be history."

"It will only be history, if you can get the marks that you need on you Class 12 exams," said Ranimaa as she strode in, intent on getting the girls out of the kitchen. "And to get those marks you need..."

"To study," responded Geet with dreadful resignation. "I hate studying. It never seems to do any good. I always forget everything."

"Well, you certainly aren't going to pass without studying. Do you remember what happened three years ago?"

"Ranimaa," wined Geet, "don't remind me, please!"

"Then don't be so resistant to doing what you know you need to. Go on now. And you two need to finish any school work you have left, and Pari, it's your turn to read to the children tonight."

"Great! Once again I get to hear a chorus of bratty children complaining that they what their Geet didi," came the sarcastic reply.

"Pari, that's enough of your smart mouth."

"Pari," said Geet, clearly reluctant to tackle the books, "if you don't want to read to the kids, we could always switch places. You do my studying, I'll do the story reading."

"Geet!"

"Okay, I'm going, I'm going." Geet pouted, mumbling under her breath, "Where is Meera Di when I need her?"

Pari and Nandini left and went upstairs, while Geet walked out of the kitchen to make her way to the room that doubled as a study room/library. Ranimaa followed behind, intent to see that Geet didn't find some reason to escape. Both of them had forgotten that Maan was even there, so when they saw him sitting tiredly in the same chair he had sat in during dinner, they were surprised.

"Oh, you're still here?" asked Geet, crossing her arms and giving him a mild glare. "You should go home."

"I don't have a home," murmured Maan, fatigued evident in his voice.

"I'm not surprised. I thought you looked like you were out of a job."

"Geet, where are your manners? Maan Ji is our guest. How are you feeling now?" A sneeze and some coughing where the answers to Ranimaa's question. "Oh, dear, that doesn't sound good."

Ranimaa put out her hand to feel Maan's face. "You feel like you have a fever. If this wasn't a girl's only orphanage, you could stay here. However, a friend of ours stays just across the street. Geet, go over and ask Jugnu if he can house Maan Ji until he feels better."

Geet was about to protest, but then thought better of it. If she complained, Ranimaa might send her to study. This way, she might be able to put it off, or skip it entirely. All she had to do was waste a little time on the stupid ullu, and then she could spend the rest of the night dreaming about her dreamy MK. Before Ranimaa could change her mind, Geet was out the door and the gate, running across the street to Jugnu Mama's.

The door was unlocked, so Geet just barged in as she was used to, shouting, "Mamaji! Mamaji!"

"Oye, Geet puttar, what are you yelling so loud for?" asked Jugnu Mama, as he came into the front room.

"Mamaji, there's a stupid ullu that Ranima wants you to let stay here 'cause his sick."

"A stupid ullu?"

Geet narrated the whole story from the time she was coming from the market upto when Ranimaa sent her to him. Jugnu Mama listened carefully, smiling now and then at the way Geet described her desperation to avoid studying. When the story was finished, Jugnu Mama sent her back to get the young man, saying if he was sick, then he needed some sleep as soon as possible. Within minutes, Geet was back with Maan, quickly giving the introductions before heading back to the orphanage. Trying to ignore Geet's rudeness and abrupt departure, Maan tried to thank his host, but ended up sneezing violently.

"O teri! That doesn't sound good. Puttar, you need to be in bed. Come, let's get you settled in. We can talk more in the morning."

Later that night, as he alternated between sneezing and coughing, Maan contemplated the mess that his life had become. To the outside world, he had it all. He was young, handsome, wealthy, with a bright future in business. It was everything the world said was necessary for happiness, and was absolutely worthless. All his billions couldn't buy him what he really wanted, to be loved for who he was, Maan, not MK, Indian's biggest construction mogul.

Clearly, very clearly, Sameera had never really loved him, only his money and the contacts his position in society had afforded. It sickened him to think how well she was able to deceive him, all because she had made herself seem like the kind of girl he could spend his life with. He shouldn't be surprised, though, as she had confirmed that besides his money, she was only with him to help fulfill her dream of becoming an actress.

Maan supposed that he shouldn't really be surprised. He had met very few people in his life who didn't want something from him, or treated him special simply due to his name. Even that girl, Geet, was obsessed with MK, even though she had never met him. It was all so fake that Maan felt like running away forever, to never live as MK again. He was even sick of hearing the letters MK, the monicker that he had acquired in his college days. The press often called him the 'money king', in what they thought was a clever use of his initials. Maan just found it disgusting.

It seemed to Maan that being born with the Khurana family name had given him nothing but misery. In fact, as plain Maan Singh, he had been treated like a real person, rudely by that girl, as an interesting stranger by the younger children, and almost like a son by Ranimaa and Jugnu Mama. Maybe he would stay as Maan Singh for awhile. It might finally give him the chance to be accepted for himself, not his wealth.

Chapter 3

Dev stood looking out over the veranda at the Mumbai nightlife, wondering how his life had come to this point. How had what once was a happy life, a satisfying marriage to a beautiful and fun loving girl, been reduced to such a shambles? How had he come to this point, alone in a hotel room, nursing a drink in his hand as he brooded?

He didn't want to brood, but he had done nothing else for the past two hours since he came to the Grand Hyatt. He wanted to forget, hence the drink he had fixed himself at the rooms minibar. It was his third one, but just like the others, it seemed to have no effect on numbing the deadness that coursed through him.

Standing alone, listening to the sounds of a busy city, Dev marveled at how alive it seemed. Those millions of people out there were living, breathing human beings. They weren't experiencing the deadness that he was. Dev wanted that deadness gone. He wanted to feel alive again. Deciding that he could drink out amongst all those living people just as easily as by himself, he left his room and headed for the elevator.

Strolling casually into the China House, Dev thought about how ironic it was that he came here of all places to forget the tragedy that his life had become. This famous night spot of Mumbai, frequented by the rich and famous, as well as tourists and those just looking for a good time, was HER favorite place. Now, he was here, the place they had spent so many moments together, trying to forget and start over.

As he walked slowly towards the bar, Dev could feel the eyes of the guests and staff following his movements. He knew the rumors that had been making the rounds, and he knew that they were all wondering if it was true. Nobody dared to question him, the Khurana name powerful enough to keep even the nosiest people away. No, they preferred to stare and whisper behind his back.

Dev didn't really care. He didn't know these people, and even if he did, nothing they said could make his life any more miserable than it already was. He kept his focus on his destination, which was an empty seat at the bar. When asked by the bartender what he wanted, Dev said to surprise him. He didn't even wait for the guy to tell him what the drink was before he chugged it down.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

Dev sat there and waited for the drink to do its stuff, but any effect was overshadowed by the image that wouldn't leave his mind. No matter what he did, that awful picture was seared into his conscious. If only he had listened to Maan, believed him, perhaps when the disaster came, it wouldn't have been such a blow.

Now that he thought about it, Maan had never like Naintara. When they had eloped the year after Dev graduated from, Maan had been furious, convinced that Naintara had only married him for his position in their family, and not because she loved him. That she only intended to use Dev to further her career. Dev thought that was rubbish, for the Rathores were as well known in the fashion industry, as the Khuranas were in construction and real estate.

When Naintara had introduced Sameera to Maan, and they became friends, Dev had thought things were beginning to change. He had hoped that by having Dadi encourage Maan to propose to Sameera, that his brother would finally start mellowing towards his wife. He longed to start a family of their own, but Naintara had been adamant that she was willing to have a child until she was fully embraced by the family, including Maan.

Dev loved children, and had started weaving dreams about having a houseful of them as soon as he had been informed of the engagement. The pathetic fool that he was, he had even started thinking about baby names and whether they would have a boy or a girl first. That was why, when Maan had come to him with a vile story about his wife, he had found it unbelievable. He had accused Maan of looking for excuses to break his own engagement as well as Dev's marriage. He resented what he considered Maan's interference and inability to his own brother happy.

That final and devastating argument, after which the brothers parted ways, was not the end of Dev's family problems. Dadima tried her best to reconcile her grandsons, but with neither of them were willing to disclose the details of their falling out. All she knew was Maan had called off the engagement and that he and Dev fought. When Maan went back to Delhi, he refused to tell her anything, so she then turned to Dev. He also was reluctant to explain what had happened, thinking it would be too difficult to tell her about Maan's accusations.

While Dadima kept pressuring him for information, Naintara also became more hard to please. She had been shaken by the whole thing, ranting that Maan was trying to get rid of her. She claimed it would only be a matter of time before Dev started doubting her. To appease her insecurities, she demanded daily evidence of his love, a practice that in the end, betrayed her and destroyed him.

He had come back to their apartment early that afternoon, a bouquet of red roses in his hands, when he heard Sameera's familiar voice coming from their bedroom. "Tara baby, what are we going to do? Our plan has been ruined by that stupid man."

"Sammy darling, don't you worry. I've got Dev totally in my control. He doesn't believe anything Maan told him. As for Maan Veerji," came the disdainful reply, "we don't need him any more."

"But, Tara baby, you said if I married Maan, then we could be together without being suspected."

"Listen, Darling, I've figured everything out. Neither Maan nor Dev have said anything to Dadima about what happened. She just knows that Maan ended the engagement and that they argued. We will use that to our advantage. I will tell Dadima that you and I want to come to Delhi to try and work things out with Maan. While we're there, we will do everything we can to convince her that Maan has treated you in the worst possible way. That old lady is so soft hearted, it will be easy to turn her against Maan and in our favor."

"But, Baby, won't Maan tell his grandmother the truth if we try to do anything?"

"That's the best part, Darling. Maan and Dadima argued as well, and Maan has left the Khurana Mansion. No one knows where he's gone, but that leaves the way clear for us."

Dev had felt the fiery fury coursing through him as he listened to their words. He was all set to storm into the bedroom and start World War III. Yet he was stopped before even taking one step forward. Stopped by words that turned the fire into ice, dead ice.

"Tara baby, I'm actually glad the engagement is over. It was so difficult to let Maan kiss me. I can't imagine how disgusting it would be to actually have to sleep with him. Honestly, I don't know how you let Dev touch you. You must be a pretty good actress for him not to suspect anything."

"It's not as hard as I thought it would be. Dev has never been with anyone else, so it's been pretty easy to fake it all this time. Plus, whenever he touches me, I think about all the Khurana billions. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to hide revulsion when money is involved. The only problem I really have to worry about is that Dev keeps insisting on having a child. I've managed to put him off for now, but eventually I'm going to have to bribe a doctor to say I'm infertile."

"Baby, don't let him get you pregnant! How horrible would that be. It would totally ruin your figure, not to mention, I don't think I could stand to have my Tara baby giving birth to some disgusting man's child."

"Oh, Darling, don't look like that. Nothing like that will happen. I let Dev touch me, but you know I only love you."

Dev had long since dropped the roses in his hand, a strange combination of fascination and sickness pulling him silently toward the bedroom door. It was partially open, allowing him to observe the two women without being noticed. He somehow had the feeling that it was all a dream, and that any moment he would awake and find that everything was all right. That feeling was shattered when he saw Naintara put her arms around Sameera, kissing her passionately, with Sameera responding in kind.

After that Dev wasn't entirely conscious of what happened. He no longer seemed in control of his actions. Dev knew that he confronted the women angrily and when Naintara tried again to convince him with her lies, he couldn't stay there another second. Somehow he ended up at in a room in the Hyatt, trying to come to terms with what he had discovered.

Staring blankly into the refill he had requested from the bartender, Dev admitted how ridiculous it was to think he could come to terms with what happened. How did a man deal with the fact that he had accused his elder brother of a terrible betrayal, but that the real betrayer was the love of his life? How did he cope with the fact that his and his wife's sexual orientation were incompatible, and she had been trying to marry off her lover to his brother?

Who was he kidding! Dev chugged down the drink in his hand, certain that there was no way to get over the tragedy that his life had turned into. He had alienated his brother, who had only tried to look out for him, all for a scheming, lying bitch. What a fool he had been. What a stupid fool!

"Hey. Hey!" Dev called out, pulling the bartender's attention away from a girl who was giving him the come hither. As if he would fall for that again. "Get me another!"

The next thing Dev knew, a shrilling noise was piercing his head with a thousand tiny daggers. He tried to get away from the sound, but he found that his body wouldn't move. After a few seconds the noise stopped, and Dev felt immediate relief. He wanted nothing more than to go back to his previous state of oblivion, but the noise started again. Recognizing it as his cellphone, he blindly fished around for it, until he finally pulled it out of his pants pocket. Not contemplating the strangeness of the fact that he was still wearing his pants, with the cellphone in the pocket, he answered the call.

"Hello, Dev Sir?"

"Keep your voice down," complained Dev, wincing uncontrollably. "Who is this and what do you want?"

"Sir, this is Darpan Patil speaking. From KC's Mumbai branch. I'm calling about the ground breaking ceremony for the Inspiring Children Secondary School."

Dev tried to think past the pounding in his head. "I think I remember something about it being on Sunday, and you were trying to contact Bro, is it?"

"Sir, today is Sunday, and I haven't been able to reach Maan Sir at all."

"What?" cried Dev, who then winced again in pain, this time caused by his own actions. "What happened to Saturday?"

"Sir?"

"Never mind. Why are you calling me?"

"Sir, I haven't been able to contact Maan Sir, and someone is supposed to go to the ceremony. I spoke with Adi Sir, and he suggested that you would be available."

"Look, Darpan is it? Get someone else."

"Oh, but Sir, that won't work. Maan Sir donated not only company resources for building the school, but over five crores of his personal money for the school's scholarship programs. One of you has to be there!"

"Fine. When is this ceremony?"

Dev listened to the details and ended the call as quickly as possible. He then tried to get his bearings. It was difficult to believe, but somehow he had lost an entire day. Looking around the hotel room, he saw several empty liquor bottles strewn about the floor. He must have gone on some kind of crazy drinking binge. That was stupid.

Dev had no memory of anything after he left the hotel room Friday night. He knew he had intended to go to the China House, but he didn't know if he made it, or if he went anywhere else, or what time he came back. He thought back to how a guy he knew from Columbia University had died after a weekend of drinking. Dev definitely didn't want to end up like that.

He felt awful! The pain in his head was bad, and he felt a little nauseous. "God, I am never drinking again! I need a shower."

At half past one, Dev got out of the back of the car Darpan had arranged to pick him up, and made his way through the small crowd of what looked like families. Looking around uncertainly, he was unaware of the impressive sight he made, the sunglasses he wore to hide his bloodshot eyes lending him an air of aloofness. His wandering was ended when the school's principal came up to him and began talking. There was the usual gratefulness and lamenting that Maan couldn't be there.

The principal then began explaining what the Inspiring Children Schools were all about. Dev was unaware of the background of the school, or how the student body was made up entirely of children from some of the poorest neighborhoods in Mumbai. Children whose families couldn't afford to send them to school and had difficulty finding good schools that could take their kids on scholarship.

"We also focus on employing young, bright teachers who have the enthusiasm needed to motivate our students to achieve. Ms. Shah is a perfect example. Meera will you come here please?" The principal's request was answered by a young woman, with dark hair and large, expressive, dark eyes.

"Meera comes to us from the University of Delhi. We hired her just this school year as a Mathematics teacher. All the students admire her, and she is incredibly patient, especially with the young ones. Meera, this is Mr. Khurana. Mr. Khurana, Meera Shah."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Khurana," came the low, soothing sound of Meera Shah's voice.

She held out her hand which Dev grasped in a firm handshake. They engaged in small talk for a few minutes before Meera excused herself. Dev watched as she walked over to a small child who appeared to be running around, causing mischief. They were too far away for him to hear what she said, but her words quickly changed the child's attitude from naughty to contrite. The two then began making their way back in his direction.

"Vikram, I know that you can be a good boy in school. I want to see you be a good boy when you're not in school. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, Ms. Shah."

"Very good. Let's find your parents."

Dev watched the young teacher lead the boy away with a mixture of longing and sadness. If only things had turned out differently, he might have been a father to a boy like that one day. With the recent turn his life had taken, Dev could see all his plans for a family breaking into tiny, worthless pieces.

Chapter 4

Maan wondered again if he was in his right mind. It was one thing to pretend to be a simple person named Maan Singh, instead of the great MK. It was another to do so as Jugnu Mama's roommate/helper. Having been told by Geet that Maan had no home, Jugnu had offered to let Maan stay with him, providing he helped take care of things around the small flat. The living conditions were not what was the problem. Maan often went camping, and stayed places that were even more primitive than that particular area of Mandaoli.

No, it was Jugnu Mama himself, that Maan was unsure about. He didn't know how many "O teri's" he could listen to before he went crazy. He was sure he had already heard it about twenty times a day while he was sick. The thing was, that the people in this neighborhood were really nice. Several of the women had volunteered to take care of him the three days he was sick, bringing food and homemade remedies.

One woman even gathered some clothes for him from the generous neighbors when she saw him trying to get along in one of Jugnu Mama's oversized kurtas. Maan felt a bit bad that he who had so much, was taking donations for people who had so little. But in his guise as plain Maan Singh who had only the clothes on his back, he had no choice. Instead, one week after falling sick, he was washing dishes at the small kitchen sink, like he had lived in Mandaoli for years.

"Ahem!"

Maan turned around and saw the girl Geet standing in front of him. "If you want Jugnu Mama, he's not here."

"No, actually..." The girl looked down, twisting her dupatta in her nervously. "Well, Ranimaa said that I wasn't very nice to you when you helped carry the vegetables the other day, and that I should apologize. Actually, I was a little upset because Ranimaa keeps on me about studying and I don't like it. Really, I was just taking my anger out on you, and I'm sorry for that."

"It's alright," responded Maan.

"Geet, Geet, where are you?" Geet turned and rushed out the door when the sound of a young woman calling her came. Curious, Maan followed her out.

"Geet, there you are! Come on, we'll be late." An unknown girl ran up to Geet and grabbed her hand, pulling towards a waiting taxi.

"Pinky, taxi!"

"I knew you'd like it, Geet. Come on, get in."

"Uh, bye Maan," said Geet awkwardly, looking out of the taxi window.

The unknown girl, looked backed towards him, a surprised expression on her face. "Ooo, who is that? He's cute!"

It was Maan's turn to feel awkward as Geet answered the question. "That's Maan Singh. He's staying with Jugnu Mama. Maan, this is my friend Pinky."

After she introduced them, Pinky turned to Geet and said, "We should bring him along. He looks like he could use some cheering up. Hey, Maan, we're going for some food. You should come with us."

Geet felt odd at Pinky's request, but as she looked at Maan, she silently agreed that he was looking somewhat depressed. Feeling bad for the way she treated him earlier, she decided to fall in with Pinky's idea. She encouraged Maan to join them, saying that it was her way of saying thanks for his help. Maan got into the front seat of the taxi, and they were off.

"So, where are we going?" asked Maan.

"Pinky's father owns a dhaba just a kilometer or so away from here. Every Saturday, after Pinky visit's her Nani, we go to have lunch together."

Maan gave a half smile, half grimace at that explanation. He'd never eaten at a dhaba before, and he wasn't certain what kind of food he could expect, except that it was certain to be spicy. When they arrived, Geet and Pinky made sure to introduce Maan to Pinky's father. He was kind looking old gentleman, who had the hospitable attitude needed to run a food establishment.

When Geet ordered the food, Maan pointed out that there was only the three of them, and she didn't need to order so much. Geet looked at him like he was crazy, and said that the order was only for her, which shocked Maan, looking at her slim frame. Eventually the conversation turned to what kind of food Maan preferred to eat, Italian, which then led to questions on his life. Maan tried to deflect it as much as possible, but Geet insisted to know what the job was that he had lost. Finally, Maan said that he had been working as an accountant, which wasn't as much of a lie as he could have said, since he had gotten a Masters in Accounting as well as his Masters in Architecture.

After the meal, Geet started ordering dozens of Samosas and Jalebis, quickly explaining they were for the children, when Maan's eyes starting popping out of his head. She laughed at his assumption that she was intending to eat the snacks herself, after all the food she had eaten. Maan wasn't used to being laughed at, but her smile was so infectious that he couldn't help but join in. They said their goodbyes to Pinky and her father, both of whom asked Maan to come back any time he wanted.

"Don't we need to pay?" asked Maan, as Geet dragged him outside to look for a rickshaw.

"Oh no. It's part of my deal with Uncleji. I work three afternoons a week for him, and beside paying me 500 rupees a month, any meal or snacks I want are free. He's generous like that."

When they returned to the orphanage, the children clamored excitedly for the delicious treats. Maan had never seen anyone receive such pleasure from such a small thing as a few snacks. Watching the joy on the youngsters' faces, convinced Maan that he was doing the right thing. Even if he ended up eating free food, or be given clothes, by people who could barely afford it, but the benefits that he could gain outweighed any misgivings. He promised himself, that he would make sure that he helped the people of this neighborhood as much as they helped him.

Even Geet had given him something he never would have expected, especially when he thought about the day that they met. He never would have thought that the girl who was drooling over the "rich MK" and calculatingly planning to marry him, could ever enjoy such inexpensive pastimes. Seeing her run and play with the children, hearing their shouts of "Didi, Didi," Maan felt strange tug in his heart. What was it about this girl that drew his attention wherever she was."

"Well, I think that we should file a case! That man is a fraud."

"Roopa, we don't have money to file a case. We'll have to try and find someone else who is trustworthy."

"Hmph! Finding anyone trustworthy, is like walking on the moon. Impossible!"

"Be careful what you say, Roopa, because man has walked on the moon."

The end of two older women's conversation coincided with them coming out to get the children, allowing the older ones, including Geet and Maan to hear. Geet asked who they were talking about that they wanted to file a case against. When they told her how they had phoned up the man who had fixed the crack in the ceiling six months ago to complain about the leak he supposedly fixed. When they said that it had begun leaking again after the unexpected rainfall a week ago, he had been rude, and demanded even more money to come out and work on it again.

"Where is this leak? I'd like to take a look," said Maan, his construction instincts encouraging his curiosity.

"What would an accountant know about fixing building cracks," asked Geet, surprised that the reticent man would show interest.

"Geet, why are you always so rude with Maan Ji?" asked Ranimaa in exasperation.

"Ranimaa, I wasn't being rude, I want to know. He only told me that he works as an accountant, so I'm curious."

"Don't worry Ranimaa, I'm not offended. I did tell Geet that." Maan had begun to realize how one lie could get him into trouble, so he tried to stick with the truth as much as possible. "My father was in the construction business and he taught me a lot. I may have got a degree in accounting, but I do know a little about building repairs. If you're having trouble, I might be able to help."

Roopa was skeptical, but Ranimaa was touched by the young stranger's gesture. She took him up on top of the building to point out the crack in the cement. She then took him back inside to the room where the leaking had manifested and left water damage. Maan asked a great many questions, including when the repair had taken place, how long had it taken, and how much they were charged. Every answer indicated to him that the repairman had taken advantage of them.

"Everything about this job was done wrong. Cement should never be fixed in hot whether. If it was during the summer, he should have waited for the coolest time available. And the products used were all wrong. This was definitely a botched up job. I could easily fix this for about 2000 rupees, it certainly wouldn't cost 10,000, even including labor."

"I was told that since the leak reoccurred, we would need to replace the whole ceiling."

"Ranimaa, that is pure nonsense. Whoever this guy is, he is trying to cheat you. I don't see any problems that would indicate a need to replace anything. Assuming there are no structural issues, of which I can see none, a well done patch should last at least 20 years."

"Maan Ji, would you be willing to fix this for us? You would be paid for your labor, of course."

"Ranimaa, I'll be happy to do this job for you, and don't even think of paying me. You all have been so kind to me, a stranger, that I want to do this to thank you."

Ranimaa and Maan talked it over a little more, until both were satisfied with the situation. Ranimaa felt she could trust Maan, and was pleased that the situation would be taken care of. Maan was happy that he would finally be able to start doing things for the neighborhood and the orphanage. He could feel secure in the fact that he was not taking advantage of these good people. It also gave him an excuse to come back, and perhaps observe a certain beautiful young woman who had turned into an interesting mystery that he intended to solve.

Chapter 5

Dev tried to somehow get himself back to normal. He couldn't bare to go back to the apartment he shared with his "wife", so he decided to take up residence in one of the apartments at the hotel. He didn't intend to stay there permanently, but in spite of the destruction of his dreams, he felt like calling someplace home.

Dev also tried to find something else to do beside drink to get his mind off of everything. Exercise was the natural outlet, and he spent many hours swimming up and down the hotel's pool. The water was gentle and soothing, yet he did not feel soothed. Dev felt like no matter what he did, he would never be free of the pain that threatened to crush his chest.

If the truth were told, the only time he felt half way okay was when he was at that school groundbreaking. There was something about seeing all the children and families so excited, that made his problems fade into the background. Dev wondered if the same thing would happen if he were to visit the school. He could find out more and maybe contribute some help beyond what Maan had given. If he couldn't find any happiness in his own life, perhaps he could give some to someone else.

After eating lunch, Dev got ready and then hopped in his car to drive himself the twenty or so minutes to the school. It was a large, unpretentious building that looked typical of a school for children. The principal was surprised, yet delighted that Dev had come. When Dev explained his purpose, the principal was overwhelmed with gratitude.

It was a little disturbing to Dev, who hadn't come with any desire for praise. When the teacher, Meera Shah walked in, Dev took it as his opportunity of escape, suggesting that if she was free, she could show him around the school. The principal thought it was an excellent idea, and sent the two young people off for a tour.

Meera took Dev all around the classrooms, showing him the various details of the school she found important. She explained more fully the background of the school, how given the ambitious nature of the school's mandate, they had started out small. The spent some time going over the school's financials, and discussing the plans for the new secondary school.

When probed by Dev, she shared her dream of the school being able to provide computers for every student. However, she knew that it would be difficult to achieve. Not only were all the students there on scholarship, but the goal was to provide scholarships for all their graduating students for some sort of post secondary learning. In the face of this large goal, computers were not as big a priority.

Dev couldn't help smiling at how enthusiastic the young teacher was. "Ms. Shah..." "Please call me Meera." "Meera, I find your enthusiasm fascinating. It's obvious you care very much for the school and its students. I was wondering if you like to have an early dinner with me?"

Seeing the uncertainty on her face, Dev hastened to add, "Don't misunderstand my invitation. I'm quite fond of children and I can see that you really care for your students. I was hoping that you might be able to tell me more about them, maybe share any funny stories you have, nothing serious."

Meera couldn't help but be taken by the charms of the young man in front of her. He was unlike anyone she had ever met. She did love her students and finding someone besides her parents who was interested in listening to her was irresistible. She said yes.

Only a few doors down the hall, two of the male teachers were observing the couple's interaction. "You better watch out, Singhania, there's a dog sniffing around your property. A rich guy like that can turn any girls head, even a girl as intelligent as Meera."

"Shut up, Raj," fumed Yash Singhania. He hated the jealousy that he felt burning inside him, but what could he do? Meera had never smiled at him like that.

After they had finished eating dinner, and the plates were taken away, Dev smiled. Putting his hand lightly on Meera's, he said, "Thanks for agreeing to come with me. I don't know when the last time I enjoyed such carefree conversation was."

Meera looked down at their hands uncertainly, not sure why it was making her skin tingle. She gently pulled her hand away and looked down shyly. It was not that she had never gone out with a man before, but there was something about Dev Khurana's touch that affected her. Something that gave rise to feelings she had never felt before.

Dev picked up on her uneasiness, but didn't think on what may have caused it. He only knew that he preferred seeing a smile on her lovely face. To bring back her good mood, Dev again questioned her on the one thing he knew was close to her heart. Why had she chosen to become a teacher?

Meera smiled at this question. She loved talking about her profession and why, when there were so many other, well paying jobs, she chose to go into teaching. It was a subject close to her heart, and one that she could spend hours talking about. The best thing about talking to Dev Khurana, is that he seemed to understand and respect her feelings, something that not everyone did.

Maan had done such a good job fixing the ceiling, that Ranimaa requested him to fix some of the other problems around the orphanage. Maan was only too happy to oblige, the sense of accomplishment the small tasks of labor gave him, fulfilling a need he didn't even know he had. He also enjoyed interacting with the children, especially the ones too young to go to school. Being their "Maan Bhai" was something that he would trade for anything. Ranimaa had also begun calling him beta, making him feel truly apart of the family. Even Roopa soften towards him a bit as he continued to help out.

Then there was Geet. Even though he knew of her future plans, and how they involved his old avatar, he couldn't dismiss her the way he had dismissed Sameera. She had a fun loving nature that drew people in and made them want to be around her. Even when she took advantage of his admittance of studying accounting to beg for help with her math homework, he couldn't deny her.

Maan had no ability to describe what he felt for Geet, but as the weeks passed, he looked for more and more ways to be around her. When a job was finished, he would request two or three more, just to have a chance to be near her. In a younger man, the meaning of his behavior would be obvious, but Maan's maturity aided him in somewhat disguising his intensions. Yet, it was not enough to fool the ever curious Jugnu Mama, who caught Maan more than once staring at Geet.

Jugnu finally called Maan out on his behavior one day. They were enjoying a cup of lassi with Ranimaa and Roopa as they watched the children playing games with each other. Ranimaa and Roopa were discussing the successful adoption of one of the little ones, while Jugnu once again observed Maan watching Geet.

"Maan, I have been observing you for a long time. I want to know why you've been watching my Kudi over there so much. Now, don't try to deny it. Jugnu's shatir nazar don't miss anything, and they've seen how your eyes keep going back to Geet." The three adults looked at Maan expectantly, with Roopa slightly suspicious as well. Maan tried to explain.

"I just don't understand the girl. I mean, she seems like such a nice, sweet person. She looks after the younger children, and she's always responsible about her job at the dhaba. She always seems to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, and yet she's concocting plans to marry a man just for his money? It doesn't make any sense. Ranimaa, I can't see why you don't set Geet straight about this plan of hers to marry MK."

"Geet doesn't make sense to you, because you haven't known her very long, or now anything of her history," replied Ranimaa calmly. "Geet was the youngest baby who ever came to our orphanage, abandoned on our doorstep with her umbilical cord still attached and a note with just her name and a plea to take care of her. While Meeta was still with us, Geet was always her favorite, as though she had to make up for the little one's entrance into this cruel life of poverty and no parents. Geet always admired Meeta, and wanted to be like her. Her dreams of becoming MK's secretary and later his wife are the innocent dreams of a teenager, no malicious intent involved."

"Rani, you are entirely too soft hearted about the girl. She's focussed on this MK not for any altruistic motive, but to get out of doing dishes. The girl wants to escape the reality of her life, and you encourage her."

"That's not true, Roopa. The only thing that Geet tries to get out of is her studying. If she didn't have this goal of getting into CVS and becoming MK's secretary, do you think anything we could do would make her do her school work? She needs this goal to keep her motivated and thinking of the future. She won't be able to stay with us forever, and I want her to have some objective, some purpose that will give her the incentive to become independent. It would be different if she had been adopted, she would have a family who could continue to support her financially. As much as we love Geet, when she finally leaves us, we won't be able to do that. This goal is the best way for her to prepare for the day she finally strikes out on her own."

Maan thought about Ranimaa's words and what she had told him about Geet. He knew for himself, that she was not fond of school. It wasn't the learning that she disliked, it was the process involved, the textbooks and the lectures and the tests. She hated tests. Maan could see the logic behind Ranimaa's stance, and even though he disliked the idea of any woman planning to catch him, he found that he couldn't hold it against Geet any more.

Something about the girl intrigued him. Even her slightest gesture drew his gaze. She sometimes was a little immature, but not when it came to her interactions with the other girls. Even now, she had taken time out from the fun to give some words of comfort to Rajji. What about, he was too far away to hear, but he could see the concern in her eyes for the younger girl.

She put her arms around Rajji, just like an elder sister would, smiling gently in encouragement. That gesture marked a beginning for Maan. It was then that he realized he was falling in love. Maan Singh Khurana was falling in love with a girl called Geet Handa.

Interesting concept, i just love your writing Laxmi, u r too good,please continue...

Oh have read the novel and will love it on maaneet