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Recap :-
She heaved a deep sigh… with a knowledge, borne of knowing – their lives will never be the same again…
'He is...He is your Papa Daksh'. She felt her heart boom like a cannon exploding in her chest.
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PART 12
'—my Papa?' Initially startled… 'My daddy?'. Eyes widening… Daksh spoke in an awe. In wonder... In growing hope...
Geet felt the tears pushing at the back of her throat. She swallowed them down. This was not about her feelings, not about her pain.
Daksh said, so softly, "My daddy has come?'
'Yes, honey. He did.'
The small shoulders stiffened under Geet's hands. Before Geet could stop him, Daksh jerked away and flew to the door. He grabbed the knob, hauled the door wide, stared in outrage at the emptiness beyond.
'He's gone! He didn't even talk to me!' He shoved on the storm door and ran out to the walk, the slick soles of his new shoes slapping hard with each step.
Geet bestirred herself, rising to her feet and following her son outside.
Daksh looked up and then down the street, but Maan's car was nowhere in sight.
He turned accusing eyes on her mother. 'You made him go. You didn't let him talk to me.'
It was like; someone slapped her, tightly across the face. She froze with a sinking feeling. Her throat tightened…and felt her life's breath leaving her body…. She was wrong... He needs his daddy. Its very evident from his displeasure, of not meeting his father.
'Honey, he'll be back.'
'When?' The question was pure challenge. 'Very soon. I promise. I told him I'd call and speak with him tonight, that we'd make plans for a time that you and he can get together.'
Daksh glared up at his mother, fire in his eyes. 'Call him now, Maa. Tell him to come back right now. Tell him that I'm ready. Ready to get together.'
Geet felt the self-indulgent tears again, pushing to spill over. She did not let them fall. She reached out, touched her son's thick hair. How much he have missed a father in his life, when all his friends proudly say about theirs... still... he never asked her anything... How couldn't she see through her son... No!.. now he will get what he deserve... I will not let, my feelings interrupt in dad-son relation...
There was only one answer. Geet gave it. 'Of course I will.'
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Maan was headed back to his mansion – His phone started ringing - no way he was going to try to deal with the business affairs right then – when his cell phone rang. He picked it up, flipped it open and pushed the talk button without even looking at the caller ID display.
Expecting to hear the voice of his manager at Khurana Property Development, he growled, 'What?'
'Maan.'
His stomach seemed to drop to his feet, that going-down-in-an-elevator feeling.
'Geet.'
'Maan, I—'
'What? What is it Geet? Talk to me.'
'There is a certain young man here.' Her voice had changed, gone tight, become oddly formal-sounding. 'A young man who would really like to meet you.'
He couldn't quite let himself believe what she seemed to be saying. 'I … now?'
'Yes. Now.'
'I'll be right there.'
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While she and Daksh waited for Maan to return, Geet called Pinky and asked her if she would please close up the shop by herself that evening.
Pinky said not to worry. Things were quiet. She could handle the store on her own, no problem.
'I wouldn't ask,'said Geet, 'but something pretty important has come up.'
Across the counter Daksh's head bobbed up and down in emphatic agreement. His burning eyes said it all – that what had come up was much more than just important. What had come up was everything that had ever mattered in the whole wide world.
'No problem,' said Pinky. 'I'll be all right.'
Geet gave her a quick rundown on what to do about the day's receipts. Then she said goodbye and hooked the phone back in its cradle on the wall.
Daksh squirmed on the stool, his anticipation so acute, his little body could barely contain it. "How long will it take him? How long till he gets here?"
'Not long, honey. A few minutes.'
'You're sure? You're sure that he said that he would come?'
'I'm sure. He's coming.'
'But what if—'
'Daksh. He's coming. I promise you. He's coming right now.'
'In a few minutes?'
'That's right.' Dad or son, who is more impatient, she thought...
Daksh froze, all his senses straining. 'What's that?' He jumped from the stool and sped through the double doors to the formal living cum dining area at the front of the house. 'It's him!' came the triumphant cry. 'He's here!'
Her heart in her throat, Geet followed where her son had led, entering the entrance hall way just in time to see Daksh fly through the other set of doors that opened onto the entryway.
Daksh had the front door flung back before Maan was even out of the car. He leaned on the storm door, pushed it wide. And then he just stood there, wordless, frozen, staring at the man coming toward him up the walk
Geet felt a cry snag in her throat. She wanted to go forward, to stand at her son's side for this. Every cell in her body seemed to scream at her to move. But something else – some wiser self – told her to stay where she was.
This was not her moment.
It was Daksh's. And it was Maan's.
He strode up the walk, his long, strong legs eating up the distance between him and the five-year-old boy waiting at the door.
Geet looked at Daksh. The child's slim body quivered, as if some unseen hand held him rooted in the doorway, though he strained to break free, to race for the man approaching up the walk.
Maan reached him, stood for several endless heartbeats staring down at him.
Daksh whispered, 'Daddy—'
That was all Maan needed. He held out his arms. With a glad cry, Daksh threw himself into them...
After that initial embrace, Daksh turned shy again.
For the next half hour he didn't seem to know what to say to Maan.
But Geet had to give the man credit. He waited out the silence, accepting a glass of water from Geet, sitting in the family room with them, explaining to a wide-eyed Daksh that he is staying at a home, not far away, but that he lived in Delhi, that he had his own company, a Construction Business, and that he owned a big apartment in the city and a cabin by a lake and he hoped he'd be coming soon to visit him up north.
Geet waited with considerable anxiety for him to mention his family. But he must have realized that bringing up Khuranas would invite a lot of questions that neither he nor Geet were prepared to answer right then.
Daksh was old enough to add two and two and get four on the subject of grandparents. But Maan was careful. He only gave general information about his business and about his life.
Daksh dared to ask, 'Will you leave us and go now?'
He felt a stabbing pain in his heart. Tears sprang to his eyes… his heart hammering in his throat…. He cupped his sons cheeks and said, 'No, Never.'
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Precap :-
'I was a very cute little baby, ask Maa. I was hardly ever sick. We have lots of pictures of me, and you can look at them later. Oh. My teacher is Mrs. Patrick. Mrs. Patrick likes Garfield. You know, the cartoon cat? We have Garfield posters all over our room at school'.
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So that was about, Part 12. How is it... I hope, the part was productive enough to bring the feelings and emotions, in a Dad-Son confrontation, to your expectations... Let me know your COMMENTS & hit the LIKE button, if you like it...
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Jodha Akbar
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