'AASTHA'-Maaneet FF-PART 1 RE-WRITTEN - Page 16

Geet was making, Daksh have his evening snacks… He is just back from school. She was agonized over whether or not to tell Daksh about the biggest truth of his life.. About his father… She knew, one or other day, she will have to tell Daksh about him. But not like this… definitely, not in this way… she herself is not prepared for all this… and she is afraid of his reaction…. not sure how he is going to take it… but there is no escape… today or tomorrow, he will come to know…, midway through the tea break, she heard the landline ringing…

That was all the voice on the other end of the line said. Just her name. Cautiously. On a rising inflection.

Just her name.

And the sound sent Geet's world spinning into chaos.

She would know that voice anywhere. Even after six years.

Her stomach churning, she cast a frantic glance at the table a foot away.

'Geet'?" His voice in her ear again, more insistent now. "Hello? Geet?'

Daksh was watching. And he picked up on her mother's distress. The cute face scrunched into an apprehensive frown. 'Maa. Who's that? What's the matter?"

Geet spoke into the phone. 'Just a minute, please.' She wrapped her hand around the receiver, so Maan couldn't hear. Then she summoned every ounce of will and self-control she possessed and mustered a reassuring smile. 'It is just an old friend of mine, honey. No one you know. Now finish off you snacks and milk…'

For a split second that felt like infinity, Daksh stared at Geet, still frowning. Then his expression relaxed. He shrugged and picked up his fork again. Turning her back to her son, Geet spoke to her caller. 'Yes.' Her windpipe clamped shut. She had to swallow to make it open, to get air. At last she managed to fill her lungs. 'This is Geet.' She didn't want him to know, that even after years… she can just recognize his voice…

He is taken aback… Deep inside his heart, he knew, Geet recognized his voice…

'Geeet, this is Maan' he said soflty...

That's it… She felt the danger of losing herself… Stay calm, girl, she thought. Don't let your voice go giving you away. 'Yes… Yes, Tell me.'

After a taut, agonizing moment, he spoke again. 'Geet, I am outside. At your door step. I know this is pretty crazy, I realize. but…'. His deep voice was hesitant, hopeful… Unable to work… Unable to sleep… Without knowing, he was doing it…he came to their home… and he called her…

She should not hyperventilate… she should not. Yes. She kept thinking, Breathe. Relax. Speak calmly. Her throat felt so terribly dry. Crazy, she thought. That's the right word for it.

She saw hurt in his eyes.

And Daksh came racing down the hall. 'Maa!'

Geet turned, moving instinctively to block her son's view of the man at the door. She forced a bright tone. 'Sweetie, go and get your things. You know, we have to get back to the boutique.'

Daksh craned to see around her, to get a better look at the stranger at the door.

'Who's that?'

Geet spoke more sternly. 'Daksh Handa, You heard what I said. Get ready.'

'No buts. Go!.'

Daksh started to obey – then hesitated. He fluttered the eyelashes that were every bit as long as Maan's. 'Maa.. Can I wear my new shorts – and shoes?'

'Daksh—'

Daksh spun away and vanished down the hall. Geet once again turned to face the man who waited, stunned and silent, at the door.

She spoke with great care. 'I haven't told him yet. Please. He is just back from school. Will you just … wait until tonight?'

He blinked. 'Maan'? His middle name is—' he gave her a look that spoke of fathomless unspoken yearning…

'I mean it, Maan. He'll be back any minute. I need some time to sort it all, before I tell him. Please. You have to go.'

Still he stood there like rooted, not sure, what to do next.

Dread forming what felt like a cold, hard ball of ice in her stomach, Geet turned.

Daksh stood, small fists planted on his little plumpy hips, at the entrance to the main hall. He was wearing , his new shorts in white and blue with an Armani style shirt and the new, black 'sports ball' toddler shoes. There was a very determined set to his strong little jaw.

'Who was that man? What were you whispering to him about?'

Geet had no idea how to answer her son. She looked away, glancing out through the glass again.

She didn't want to lie to Daksh, he has all the rights to know about his father… she cannot do the same mistake, Vikrant Singh Khurana has done, controlling his sons life…. but she wished with all her heart that she had taken some time to prepare her son for this – though how, exactly, she could have prepared Daksh, she hadn't the slightest idea. Her mind, at that moment, felt empty, numb, and incapable of rational thought.

Faintly, from outside on the street, she heard a car racing on.

'Maaa?' Daksh's expression had begun to crumple. 'What's the matter with you?

The distress on Daksh's face did the trick, banishing the ugly moment of indecision as if it had never been. Geet went to her son, put her hands on the small shoulders and knelt to bring the two of them eye to eye.

The words came out. Simple. Direct. Right to the point.

'That was Maan Singh Khurana!'. Daksh caught his lower lip between his small white teeth… confusion written all over his face….

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