SURROGATE RELATIONS ...part 11 on pg 142 - Page 54

yes bindu...that was a very emmotional update...the way maan was taking care of geet...it was so full of tenderness...i loved it...😳👏

PART 7

8.Keeping Vigil (part 1)

Pangs of hunger woke Geet from her sleep at wee hours of the morning. The bedside clock showed 3:30 am as she raised herself on her elbow. Too early to leave the bed, yet the grip the hunger had on her refused to listen to reason. The whole household must be asleep, how can she roam around at this time of the day. Why was she feeling so hungry, she wondered and realized she had missed her dinner. With that the memories of the night before assailed her. Her last conscious thought was crying for her mother in the outhouse and the vague feel of strong arms holding her...Maan sir's arms!! The feel of being cocooned with his warmth and being rocked to sleep in his lap...he must have carried her to her room...she realized, closing her eyes in embarrassment.

A slight queasiness made her slowly push herself backward so that her head back rested on the headboard. She waited for the nausea, which had become a part of the morning, to abate. She found the covered plate...probably her dinner, which should be stone cold by now. She slowly reached for the dry biscuits she stored in the drawer in the side table and jerked forward to see Maan sleeping on the sofa. The sudden movement had an undesired impact on her delicate stomach and had her scrambling off to the washroom, knocking down a flower vase in her hurry.

The sudden sound penetrated into Maan's consciousness and while he was still disoriented , he saw Geet dashing off into the bathroom with her hand covering her mouth. Wide awake in an instant he wondered what was the mad rush about...concerned he too went till the washroom door.

"Geet," he called out, "Are you okay?"

When there was no reply except a strange gagging sound he tried knocking on the door and found the door ajar. Thru the widened gap he saw Geet bend over the wash basin, holding on to it for support as another bout of retching shook her frame. Too concerned to think about etiquette he moved forward to assist her. He rubbed her back to settle her nausea. When her stomach calmed and she straightened weakly, he moved closer to offer her his strength to lean back on. Holding her close with an arm, he used his free hand to wet the towel and gently pressed it to her face. When she stirred, he helped her rinse her mouth and carried a weak but protesting Geet back to bed.

"What?" he asked, hearing her mumble something as he put her down.

"I need to use the toilet." She said just a faint louder, her head downcast in embarrassment.

"Oh! Take a minute though...rest a moment." He advised.

Feeling awkward all of a sudden, he moved away. He had meant to go back to his room before Geet woke up. She had been so upset the night before, he couldn't resist the impulse to check on her before retiring. Nakul had informed that he had left her dinner in her room as she was sleeping. When he entered the room she had been restless, whimpering at times. When he placed a hand on her forehead, she had calmed a bit, muttering 'baba' with a contented smile. So he decided to remain in her room, leaving the night light on.

He caught her reaching for the side table drawer, leaning precariously from the bed. "Do you need something from there?" he asked.

"Crackers...it's inside the drawer." She said quietly, wondering what he was doing in her room, yet not wanting to question him when he was being so kind to her.

"Crackers? You want to eat Crackers this early in the morning?"

"It's for the Nausea...I read somewhere."

He moved forward and opened the drawer to take the pack and gave it to her. He stood near her watching her taking out the biscuit. After taking a bite, she offered the pack to him, as an after thought.

"No thanks. I don't have morning sickness." He declined with a soft smile. "Do you rush to the washroom at this hour everyday?"

"No, this started only a few days back. It's not this worse...usually I'm just queasy and dizzy. But today, may be because I was feeling hungry." She clammed up. Wondering why she was saying all this to Maan sir of all people! But then he did ask...and there was a dreamlike comfort about him this morning. May be crying herself to sleep in his arms made him feel less threatening. Seeing him in her room had reminded her of the time when she was 8 years old and had woken up from raging fever to find her Baba keeping vigil over her. In fact she had felt his calming strength, his soothing hand on her forehead the night before.

"Get refreshed and come out then. I'll wait for you outside your room. Then we will go make something to eat." His words shocked her out of her reverie.

"It's all right, sir. I can manage."

"Can't have my nephew or niece go hungry. I don't want you roaming about alone before daybreak. Go now. I'll wait outside." He walked away before she could protest further.

liked this part? if so hit the like...u do knw ur comments r my inspiration, don't u? i knw this is a bit short but...will update the 2nd part of chapter 8 by 2morrowwhich will be another Maneet exclusive

8 (ii) The Breakfast