10. Find a Friend
One day Maan had an unexpected visitor before lunch hour. She knocked at the cabin door and asked, "Maan, are you free?"
Meeting him without prior appointment was a privilege he had given had given only to a few and Sameera, his long time friend, was one of them. He had often wondered why he was never inclined to take their friendship to the next level, that of a lover. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met, beautiful not just in looks but in heart too. She was generous, witty, understanding and had a sharp mind...all the qualities that would make a perfect wife...yet! There was no passion or longing involved, he had often wondered if that was because they had known each other for a very long time...you could say from their cribs. Was it a subconscious rebellion on his part not to fall for Sameera because everybody expected them to fall in love! But he had accepted the expected, marriage to Sameera, after Dev's death because of Daadi. He knew it now became his duty to continue the Khurana bloodline and he preferred to do that with someone familiar, rather than an unknown woman. Sameera he knew was someone he could comfortably spend the rest of his life with and who knows may even hope to fall in love with. But now...
"Sam! What a pleasant surprise! Didn't know busy business women took break during the middle of the day! Is your boutique in a dull phase?" Maan asked moving towards her to welcome her.
"Thank you for your concern! Though not as vast as your empire, my little boutique is surviving fine."
"Little? A little bird told me you are about to start a couple of branches in the new shopping malls that is going to spring up."
"Oh, Mr. Mehta is your client. I was passing by and had a desire to let you buy me lunch. I hope you are not too busy to spend some time with your old friend."
"You know I'm always happy to see u. Actually I was intending to call you one of these days..." He looked towards his table and said, "I just need to clear a bit of work. If you don't mind waiting until then, we'll have lunch together."
"It's okay. Finish your work I'll wait."
"Our canteen has started serving fresh juice to employees. Would you like to have some juice while you wait?"
He then buzzed Geet to inform Nakul that he wouldn't need lunch.
As Sameera relaxed on the couch with a glass of fresh lime, Maan continued with his work. It was then that Sam noticed Maan's preoccupation with the adjacent cabin. She found his eyes straying repeatedly towards the cabin, as if he couldn't help himself. She wondered about it and decided to find out what was drawing his interest. She stood up from the couch to move towards Maan's table in the pretense of taking a magazine ans saw that the Cabin that belonged to Mrs. A was now occupied by Geet too. Just then Geet walked out of the cabin, her concentration on the file she carried, only to collide with Tasha who was coming from the opposite direction. The impact of the collision was heard inside Maan's cabin too. At his gasp Sameera turned her eyes to Maan, who settled back in his chair seeing that there was no harm done. She heard him muttering something like "kya karum mein is ladki ka..hameshe kuch na kuch se takrathi rehti he!"(what am I to do with this girl...she is always bumping into something!) under his breath.
While Geet was busy picking up the papers, Sam settled back into the couch, curious that Maan hadn't even noticed that she had moved.
"Maan. How is that girl, Geet, coping with the present situation?" Sameera asked after a few minutes. Maan looked at his friend, wondering why she was asking about Geet all of a sudden.
"Daadi thinks Geet is on the mend. With the office work and Daadi's pampering she is slowly adjusting. Actually I wanted to talk to you regarding her. Sam, I want you to strike a friendship with her."
"Me?"
"Yeah ...I think she needs a good friend, someone sympathetic with whom she can unburden herself. Someone who can find out if she is facing any problems with the pregnancy,"
"Do you think I'm the right person, Maan? What do I know about pregnancy?"
"I don't want you to discuss pregnancy issues with her! Just try to be her friend, someone with whom she can voice herself." He paused, as if contemplating what he was about to say next, and then continued "I think she has had some bad experiences in the past, with men I mean."
"Why do you say that?" Sam asked, instantly concerned.
Maan looked towards the cabin and found Geet concentrating on the computer screen, occasionally taking sips from a glass she held, juice he presumed. He was again puzzled by the sense of achievement he felt at the sight of her making use of the facility he provided. He felt happy that his move to install the juice corner had paid off. He felt content that he was doing his bit, abate a small one, to contribute to her well being.
Pulling his eyes back from Geet to Sameera he said, "she is afraid of men. Even an accidental touch frightens her. She used to be so tense during the rides to the office, I was worried a slight move from me would make her jump off the car."
"Oh poor girl I wonder who ill treated her!" Sympathy for a fellow being reflected in Sam's eyes. "Okay I'll try my best to be her friend. For that you will have to introduce us first...umm may be I should invite her for the party."
"That is a wonderful idea. I'll ask Daadi to take her to your boutique for some dresses. She may not have anything suitable to wear for the party. As for the introduction, I'll do it now."
Maan looked towards the cabin again and saw that Geet was still involved with the computer. Or may be not, he thought seeing her eyes droop. Her juice was almost forgotten. Her phone buzzed and she jerked up, dropping the glass on the table and spilling juice. Maan let out a frustrated sound seeing her muttering about as she picked up the phone.
"Geet, bring me Mr. Mehta's file."
"Now sir?" she asked, stretching with her free hand to wipe the spilled juice with tissues and making the phone topple off. Then bumped her head again on the table in her attempt to retrieve it without being disconnected.
"No, tomorrow will do fine." Maan said sarcastically, holding the phone away from his ear until it was made right in the adjacent cabin, getting irritated by her antics.
"Okay sir" She said trying to replace the mouth piece back to the cradle.
"I mean now, Geet."
"Oh! Okay sir." She said agitated. Sparing a glance at the mess she made, she took the file and walked out of the cabin muttering to herself.
"Oh God! I don't know how she is going to survive this pregnancy! If she can spend a day without any mishap it will be a record!" Maan said aloud, making Sameera hold back her laugh with great difficulty, seeing all the drama that happened.
Geet was in a hurry to leave the cabin once the file was delivered. She took a stealthy look at Sameera who smiled at her.
"Anything else sir?"
No sooner did Maan say 'no' than she turned to go out.
"Geet wait," Maan said standing to move towards her. "I want you to meet my friend, Sameera."
Then turned towards Sameera and wondered how he should introduce Geet. " Sam, this is Geet, Daadi's newly adopted pothi!"
"Hi!" they exchanged smiles. Geet's a nervous one as she was not sure why Maan sir was introducing his 'soon to be fiance' to her.
"I've been hearing a lot about you from Daadi that I asked about you to Maan. We did bump into each other the last time I came into this office." Sam said as moved forward to take Geet's hand. "I hope you will find time to have coffee with me one of these days. I so wanted to have a friend in this office to gossip about Maan." She spared a naughty look at Maan.
If anything this last bit made Geet more tense. She cast a nervous glance at Maan.
"I don't mind you girls gossiping about me." Maan reassured. "It proves that you can't stop thinking about me even when I'm not with you."
Geet send a stricken look at Maan, wondering if he somehow found out that she thought about him often. Maan wondered what he had said to frighten her now!
"Dream on...who said we have only one subject to talk about? I just thought finding your fault will give us the most common ground to base our friendship!" Sam's words broke thru' their independent thoughts.
"Maan Singh Khurana or fault?" Maan asked haughtily.
"See this is your fault no. 1" Sam said hitting him slightly on his arm. Geet was confused as to how to react to this light banter between the two.
Maan then noticed the lunch carrier being taken into Geet's cabin and said. "Okay Geet, your lunch has come. Go and have it."
Geet hurried towards the door with a relieved expression. " Geet," Maan called. "I hope the baby still likes ice cream." Geet slightly turned towards Maan and nodded her head with a smile. Then walked forward again.
"Geet," he called again, " I will be back from lunch a bit late. Have a nap after lunch...I don't want you falling off the chair falling asleep, while you are working." Geet cast a quick embarrassed look at Maan and walked forward fast, not noticing that she was so near the door. She bumped into the door even as Maan's warning call "Geet!" sounded. He rushed forward as she rubbed her forehead. Removing her hand with gentle force he inspected her forehead. Softly touching her forehead, he saw that her eyes were filled with tears of pain and wiped away the single tear that dared to overflow with his thumb as he cupped her face. "Geet," he whispered. Then jerked back to reality, dropping his hand at the sound of Sam approaching.
"Geet, doors are meant to be opened with the help of the handle. Not to walk thru'" he said in his usual high handed style. He then opened the door for her saying, "Like this" and gently pushed her forward, "Now go. See to the hurt before having lunch." He ordered and turned back with an exasperated sigh. Because he had his eyes closed in exasperation, he was unaware that Sameera was staring at him with a contemplative glow in her eyes trying to fill in the gaps that was left from the talk between the boss and the secretary, with the care that Maan obviously had for Geet.
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