Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai - 27th July 2025 EDT
CID Episode 63 - 26th July
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai - 28 July 2025 EDT
CID Episode 64 - 27th July
WELCOME 🏠 MAIRA27.7
MAIRA IS SAD 😞28.7
YRKKH to take a generation leap!!!
Aneet Padda and why I think she's the next big thing
Geetanjali vs Abhinav
Maa esi nahi hoti…
Has Kajol forgotten how to act?
Mohabbatein: one of the best scenes
Did she really say that?
Anupamaa 27 - 28 July 2025 Written Update & Daily Discussions Thread
Who is Best for gen 5
Anyone else born in the 80's?
Aneet Padda Next Movie With Fatima Sana Shaikh
24 years of Yaadein
BALH Naya Season EDT Week #7: July 28-Aug 1
Half Girlfriend: anyone watched it?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 22: Reason for Returning
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Who's this, bhai?" Vicky asked inquisitively, staring at the wide-eyed woman staring at him. She whispered something to his brother, which made Maan bhai step back for a moment. Vicky saw the surprise in his brother's eyes before he visibly controlled himself and murmured something back. "Bhai?" he prompted when Maan bhai remained silent. "Who is this?"
"This is Geet," Maan said, pulling himself back from wherever he had gone to. He glanced at his brother before turning back to gaze at the worried woman beside him.
Vicky looked closely at the woman standing next to his brother with intense interest. Pari had told him about Geet. This was the woman who had saved his brother from becoming a bitter man and transformed him into the understanding and openly loving brother he had seen in action last night and today. This was the woman who had reunited father and son. This was the woman who ... He paused for a moment, but eventually had to admit the truth to himself. This would be the woman who would replace him as Maan bhai's savior. While a small, petty part of him resented that, a much bigger part of him was happy that his brother had found someone truly deserving. Her actions since coming into their lives had proved it.
He smiled at the woman, reaching out a hand, "I'm happy to mee"." He blinked in surprise when he saw Geet step in front of his brother, almost protectively.
"Why are you back?" she finally asked, clearly unhappy. "Haven't you hurt him enough?" She folded her arms over her chest, glaring at him defiantly.
Vicky looked over at Maan and then back at the harridan now advancing purposefully towards him. He wondered for a panicked moment if she would physically attack him. Not willing to take any chances, he prudently moved behind a chair and then towards the doorway to put some distance between the two of them. He knew that in his current state, she could probably sneeze on him and he would fall over. "Bhai!" he said in protest when he saw his brother smiling behind Geet. His irritated protest died a quick death when he saw the emotion in his brother's eyes. He could see love... pure, undiluted love for this woman. It was there for everyone to see.
His eyes turned back to Geet, and he watched her glance back at his brother, clearly worried about his feelings.
"I ..." he began, unsure of what to say or how to even explain. I did it all to save my brother. When I got rid of that albatross, I came running back to the loving arms of my family?' How believable would that even sound to a complete stranger? I mean, who would pretend to run off with their brother's lover just to save him? Didn't that only happen in dramas?
"Why did you let him back in?" she fairly barked at his brother, shooting a glare over her shoulder before turning back to face Vicky. "Isn't it enough that he has hurt you once? Do you want to give him another chance to hurt you?"
"Hey!" Vicky protested, "I had a very good reason for what I did!" He was literally shaking with the force of his emotions. It had been hard explaining to Maan bhai and then Pari. It had been hard explaining to Dadi Ma and then Rahul, in an age-appropriate manner of course, why he had run away with Sameera. And now this?
He sighed brokenly, letting go of some of that irrational anger. And it was irrational. He had known that people would judge him for his actions, probably for the rest of his life. He had believed that he'd made peace with that truth, but facing the censure in Geet's eyes, he realized that he was not okay with being judged. It made him feel like scum. He clenched his hands into fists, unable to say anything further.
A hand came and grasped his, wrapping soft fingers around his closed fist and gently squeezing it. Vicky turned and saw Pari standing at his side. She pried his fist open and her fingers entwined with his, clasping his cold hand within her warm grip. Her gaze was comforting before she turned to smile at Geet, the dragoness ready to breathe fire at him.
"Pari!" Geet gasped, falling back against Maan from the force of her shock. "What are you doing?" she demanded, even as Maan's hands came out and grasped her shoulders in support.
"Vicky came home last night," Pari said happily.
"I can see that," Geet murmured. She stared from Pari's smiling face to look at Maan's smiling eyes. She turned back to look at Pari. "Am I missing something?"
"Vicky came back, Geet," Pari murmured meaningfully, as if wanting Geet to understand the significance.
"Well, Dev Khurana is back," Geet snapped back. "That doesn't mean that Maan should be welcoming him with open arms." The Maan slipped out so naturally, but no one questioned her right to use it.
"Wait...what? Who's back?" Pari asked in a surprised tone.
"How dare he come back?" Vicky cried out angrily, wondering at that man's temerity.
"That's what I said!" Geet replied, surprised to be on the same wavelength as this ... traitor. Hadn't it been enough that Dev and Meera had given her no choice, but now this? "Well, the same could be said about you," she pointed out acerbically.
"He had a very good reason for doing what he did," Pari said calmly, trying to defuse the tension between the two people she and Maan loved so much. She threw Maan a commiserating glance.
"What kind of reason could he have?" Geet demanded. "I mean, even in the craziest of scenarios, let's say he found out that Sameera was a gold digger out to entrap his brother, and he threw himself on the sword to save Maan. But even if that was true...," she paused thinking about it and then quickly shook her head. "Who even does that? Who would choose the intrigue of running off with someone when talking would have worked perfectly fine?"
"I did. I needed to," Vicky replied, thumping his chest with his free hand. "I didn't have any other choice."
Geet gazed at him skeptically.
"Do you even know my brother?" he burst out, trying to make her understand.
"What do you ...?" she began, stepping back at the force of his words.
"If you did, you would know how stubborn he can be. Does he ever listen to anyone else?"
"No," she finally said, after mulling it over. "You're right."
"Doesn't he always think he's right?" Vicky asked, pointedly glaring at his bhai over Geet's shoulder. Maan's smile had frozen on his face, his hands tightening on Geet's shoulders in irritation. "He always knows better. And then he'll get angry if you tell him any differently."
Geet nodded her head in agreement. "And he'll yell at you without giving you a chance to defend yourself."
Vicky began to nod in agreement, but his head froze mid-motion at her next words.
"And he'll get all in your personal space trying to distract you with his beautiful, but manly, body."
Pari snorted suddenly, her eyes sparking with amusement.
"Uh...no," Vicky said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "He doesn't do that to me. Although, the yelling part is true."
"Hey!" Maan said, moving over to stand by Geet's side. "You can both stop with that. And it's not my fault," Maan said, looking down at Geet, "that you get easily distracted."
She shook her head at him, quickly looking away. She could not believe that she had just admitted that! She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the blush that was threatening to bloom on her cheeks.
Vicky moved forward, continuing to argue passionately. "I didn't have time to talk him down from the heights of love or what he thought was love," he quickly said, when he saw the pain appear in Geet's eyes. "I didn't have time to convince him that Sameera was playing him. So I convinced her instead. It was much easier."
Geet looked at him quietly and then nodded. "You had to save him, didn't you? Even if it meant leaving the world you knew behind. You had to save him... even if it meant destroying yourself. Your love ... was worth any sacrifice."
'Brij veerji! You can't! If you don't stop... ' She shuddered slightly and forced the memory back.
She stared at the gaunt man in front of her, allowing herself to notice for the first time that he was none too strong. Pari had been bracing him, giving him her silent support. She saw how the other woman's arm had come up to wrap around his waist, her eyes looking at only him.
"Geet?" Pari said quietly, turning her head to glance briefly at Geet.
"Hmm?"
"We're getting married next week," Pari revealed.
Geet's eyes widened in surprise at that revelation, especially when she had been expecting something else.
"You already know the reason."
Geet nodded quickly, not daring to look back at the man she knew was standing behind her.
"I told Maan, when we had our conversation yesterday, that he was the only brother I had, and I wasn't going to lose that brother just so he could play the hero and make us both miserable," Pari said smilingly. "Geet," she said, moving toward to the other woman and clasping her hands, "I have only known you for a small amount of time, but I have come to see you as a sister. You've become that special to all of us."
Geet smiled, tears appearing in her eyes.
"Thank you for thinking of me first," Pari whispered, moving into hug Geet. "Even if it wasn't the right thing for me," she teased with a laugh, moving back. "I know we don't have these things in a traditional Indian wedding, but I want you to be my maid of honor."
"I'd be honored," Geet murmured happily, returning Pari's hug. "I am so happy for you."
"I'm happy, too," Pari replied, turning back to smile lovingly at the man standing in the doorway, leaning against it to support his tiring body. "Now, it's time for someone to go to bed." She walked back to Vicky, and put his arm around her shoulders, urging him to lean against her. "We'll see you tomorrow night," she called back.
"What's tomorrow?" Geet asked, but Pari was already gone, intent on her quest to get her fianc into bed and recuperating. There was a beat of frozen silence, and she stood there, unsure of where to turn. Taking a deep breath, she turned and gazed at Maan. "I ... what's tomorrow?" she asked softly, bravely meeting his eyes. She stepped back when she saw a hint of his emotions in those eyes...enough to realize that what she was seeing was only the tip of the iceberg. Her heart began to beat rapidly, her breath shallow as she struggled with the impact that small glimpse had on her.
"Stop," she muttered, putting up her left hand to halt him when he began to move towards her. Her eyes widened in disbelief, when that hand landed against his chest, pressing into the expanse directly above his heart. She could feel his heart beating in a rhythm identical to her own.
"Pari's and Vicky's engagement will be tomorrow. We'll be having a party," he said, reaching up to place his hand over hers, holding her trapped within the warm prison of his hand.
"What?" she asked, extremely distracted by his touch. Her cheeks flushed, and her eyelids fell, unable to bear the weight of his gaze on her.
"Tomorrow," he reminded her, a small smile playing across his lips. "You asked what was going to happen tomorrow."
"Engagement," she murmured. "But..."
"It usually happens before a wedding," he replied, rubbing his thumb lazily over her ring finger.
She gasped slightly and pulled back, freeing her hand from his grip.
"I... Dev is here. He wants to talk to you," she said, desperately trying to turn her mind towards the important issue that had brought her here today. "I couldn't stop him. I couldn't stop him from coming back into your life. I tried."
"Geet," he said, smiling at her before turning to look at the picture hanging above the fireplace. It was a picture of the three brothers, a picture that his Dadi Ma had insisted on keeping there even when those two had left. It was the same reason that she had kept a picture of the Khurana sisters in the library, even though both of those girls had left this home behind a long time ago. "There was nothing you could have done to hold him back. When he left here, he and his wife left the country, settling in America. He's come back to India two other times. Each time he tried to come see me."
Geet's eyes widened at this revelation.
"Once, he stopped 100 yards away from Khurana constructions, unable to come any closer. That was just about when Naintara found out she was pregnant with Rahul and the newspapers were filled with stories about the coming Khurana heir."
Geet gasped softly at that.
"The second time was right about when Annie ran off with Arjun. He actually came to our door that time, but he didn't get any further. This would be his third time."
"How do you know all of this?" Geet demanded, gazing up at him, looking for any hint of pain or bitterness. But there was nothing there except for a stoic calm...and a peace that she hadn't seen there yesterday. She could see that Vicky's coming back had been a good thing.
"Detectives," Maan said succinctly. "Regardless of how they left, I have always kept track of my siblings. That information is always at my fingertips. I knew that Dev was back two days after he came back to this country, ostensibly for the teaching job his wife had landed at your university. What I didn't know was that he had approached you."
Geet gazed at him quietly.
"You don't have to worry," he said to her, reaching out a hand to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly.
Geet's eyes fell involuntarily to that hand.
"I think it's high time that I met my other brother," he concluded, letting his hand fall away. He pulled out his cellphone, quickly dialing a number. "I'll see you later. Rahul's waiting for you."
"Wait!" Geet said, remembering something else.
He turned to look at her enquiringly.
"You have a spy in your home!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Bro," Dev's voice came from behind him.
Maan turned away from the window to look at the brother he had not seen for more than seven years. As Dev began to move towards him, Maan realized that his younger brother had changed. Looking older and more worn out. His eyes tracked Dev's movements, watching him approach the desk and hold out his hand in greeting.
Maan briefly shook it and sat behind his desk, consciously keeping a physical barrier between the two of them. He was unsure of how he wanted this meeting to go and of what they would talk about.
Dev sat down and gazed at him quietly, clearly unsure himself of how to start.
"Did you come alone?" Maan asked abruptly, sitting back in his chair.
"No," Dev replied, clearing his throat. "Meera came with me. She's in the living room with Dadi Ma having some refreshments. Dadi Ma is introducing her to Ra-hul," he said, his voice breaking on the name of Maan's child.
Maan nodded his head silently, ignoring Dev's hesitation.
"You wanted to meet me?" Maan finally prompted, inviting Dev to speak up. "In fact you approached my...Geet because you thought that I would be more welcoming of this revelation from her."
"Yes, I did think that," Dev freely admitted. "Partly because of the reason you just stated, but mostly because it was easier to approach her than to talk to you face to face. I've tried and failed multiple times, bro."
"How did you know to approach Geet?" he asked abruptly. "What made you think she had any power over me? She's Rahul's nanny."
"Nakul told me," Dev revealed, knowing that the truth would come out sooner or later, "on Dadi's orders."
Maan's face stiffened at that. "You mean Dadi Ma wanted ..."
"She wanted us to talk," Dev replied. "She wants you to forgive me."
Maan sat quietly, thinking about the fact that his grandmother had gone behind his back to arrange this confrontation. "Why dig up the past?" he finally asked, gazing at Dev almost in challenge. "We attempted to be a family 10 years ago when our father died. Your mother didn't like that one bit, if you remember. We were barely a family when you left three years later. We haven't had contact since then, Dev. We haven't had contact for seven years. Even Kamya chose to live with her mother, and she doesn't consider me part of her family. So, what's the point? Why not just pretend that there is no blood tie between us? Why do you keep on coming back? Why bother?" His tone was flat, revealing nothing of his own thoughts on this matter.
"Why do I bother?" Dev said musingly, staring down at his hands. He sat back in his chair, gathering his thoughts for a moment before speaking. "I'm going to be a father," he revealed quietly. "After years of trying and me thinking we were being punished for my selfishness, we were blessed with a child. This is something that we both really wanted, bro."
"Congratulations," Maan said.
"We're going to be parents, and it started me thinking about certain things. Meera doesn't have any siblings. She only has elderly parents, and her parents may not be around much longer. I also started thinking about who my parents were and what they taught me. And what I want to teach my child. I don't want to teach my child to be selfish like me or my parents. I want my child to have a family. Someone to support him or her if, god forbid, we are no longer in this world. I want my child to have you, bro, in his life."
Maan remained quiet, processing what Dev had just revealed. "I don't think..." he began after a moment of silence.
"Bro, I know you have no reason to forgive me. You have no reason to accept us," Dev began, interrupting what he thought was a refusal. "But this child has pushed me to be shameless about it. This child has gotten me this far so that I can say I am sorry for leaving like I did. I am sorry for hurting you and our entire family. I am sorry for being selfish," he uttered, getting up and placing his hands on the desk. His eyes entreated for Maan to understand.
"Dev," Maan began, "Sit down. I can't think with you towering above me."
Dev sat down, deflating at the steel he heard in his brother's voice. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "I never meant to hurt anyone. I just didn't know how to tell you the wedding was off. I wish, from the bottom of my heart, that I had had the courage to face the mess I had made. If I had, you would never have had to marry Naintara. You would never have had to suffer the way you did."
"Dev, you might have been an idiot, leaving like you did," Maan said somberly, "But your actions were never malicious. In fact, there is nothing for me to forgive. Not any longer..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Geet paced outside the Maan's office door, the same way she had been doing for the past five minutes. Should she go in there? How had the conversation gone? Was he okay? She sighed deeply, and began to pace once more. It was time for her to go home, and she had already said goodbye to both Rahul and Dadi Ma. What would they think if they found her here, wandering around like a dizzy duck.
She stopped and clenched her fists in determination. She was going to do this. Why couldn't she go in and ask him what had happened? She had a right to know, dammit. She knocked perfunctorily and entered the office. Maan was standing by the window, gazing out at the night sky.
"Are they gone?" Geet asked softly. She had done the right thing by coming in. She couldn't have kept herself away, even if it meant facing that emotion she saw in his eyes every time she looked into them now. Why had he freely touched her in front of Pari and Vicky? He had been teasing when she blurted out her thoughts on his distracting body. What had changed that he was revealing so much of himself to her? What had changed besides ... her eyes widened when she realized what Pari's upcoming marriage meant for them. Her heart began to thump rapidly, her breath catching in her throat.
Maan turned from the window and looked at her, his eyes helpless to hide his feelings from her. He smiled.
"I didn't want to bring them home," she murmured, looking away. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.
His eyes widened when he realized that she had called the Khurana mansion home. He smiled again. "You were afraid," he finally commented.
"I ... I was afraid that his being here would only hurt you. That his presence would call up old memories that were better left in the past," she said truthfully.
"Why would that matter to you?" he asked softly, moving away from the window and towards her. "Didn't you tell me that nothing I said ... nothing I did mattered to you?"
"But that was only," she began in protest, moving towards him before she could stop herself.
"Only what?" he asked huskily, a hand coming up of its own volition to brush her hair away from her face. His fingers lingered against the softness of her skin.
"I do care," she finally admitted in a driven tone. "It does matter. It mattered to me if this would hurt you. And I..."
"What?" he asked, his fingers still lingering against the softness of her skin. He cupped her cheek, and she didn't pull away. Maan smiled softly, realizing that she hadn't even thought to protest his touch.
"I don't want you to hurt anymore. It's not fair," she finally said, looking into his eyes. Her own were filled with tears.
He gently brushed one away when it fell to her cheek. "Life isn't fair," he reminded her. "You can't protect me from every hurt that comes my way."
She moved closer to him, her eyes gazing into his with determination. "But I can protect you from some things. This was one of those things I wanted to protect you from, but your brother was too stubborn."
"I made my peace with Dev long ago," he admitted, clearing his throat. He forced his hand down, unable to stand touching her any longer. He knew that if he continued, he would want to take that touch further. He would want to cross the boundaries he had set for himself the day he'd met her and felt those immediate unwanted emotions inside of him. While those emotions may no longer be unwanted, his control was still important to him.
"Maan," she murmured, moving closer to him.
He stepped back, wanting to keep the distance between them. He was afraid of his too fragile control. And she moved closer. Their strange dance continued until he was flush against a bookshelf, and she was a few tempting inches away.
She moved closer, reaching out to grasp his hand, preventing him from moving back any further. "Maan, you don't have to say that," she entreated. "You don't have to lie to me. How could you forgive him?"
His fingers curled around hers automatically, his brain unable to control them. He closed his eyes at his body's response. It was no longer under his control. He had tried.
"Maan," she repeated, tugging at his hand...tugging at his heartstrings.
His other hand came out and wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.
She gasped as her body came too close to his. She could feel his enticing warmth, urging her to melt into his strength. "What are you...?" she began.
"I did forgive him," he murmured in her ear.
She stopped struggling, striving to listen to his quiet words as he whispered them.
"He made the choice and left. What I did when he left was my choice," he continued.
His cheek rubbed against hers, and she shivered at the raspy feel of his five o'clock shadow. She felt a fleeting softness, as if he had kissed her. She turned slightly, her lips grazing his cheek in return.
He froze for a moment, and then continued, "It took me a long time to realize that. For the longest time, I did blame him. I railed against Dadi Ma in my deepest hearts. I cursed at society and its concept of honor and the Khurana reputation. But it was my own conscience that urged me to marry Naintara. It was no different with Pari." He wrapped his other arm around Geet when she stiffened at Pari's name, and pulled her flush against his body. At the first contact, she stopped struggling, her body resting against his, pliant and without resistance. She belonged in his arms.
"And Geet, if I hadn't married Naintara, where would I have been now?"
She leaned back to look at him questioningly.
His hand came up to cup her cheek and he gazed into her eyes. "I wouldn't have Rahul. I would be married to Sameera. I would never have known how much Vicky loves me and is willing to do for me," he said, brushing a thumb over her bottom lip.
Her lips fell open, trembling slightly under his touch. But she didn't pull away, in fact leaning in closer to press her lips against his thumb in an almost kiss.
"I would never have met you," he finished, leaning down to finally...finally place his lips against the side of her mouth. He had moved slowly enough that she could have moved back ... slowly enough that she could have protested...slowly enough.
She did nothing but stand there, accepting his kiss.
He pulled back. "I know it hurt you ..."
"No," she murmured.
"I offered to marry Pari. I chose my duty over..."
She looked away, unsure of what to say. Life wasn't a romance novel, and lovers didn't live in a bubble. She knew that, but the thought of him marrying another had hurt her deeply, even if she had never thought...dreamt to have him as her own.
He grasped her chin, turning her face back to him. "I did not want to hurt you, and even though I lo-," he stopped and took a deep breath. "My conscience would never have let me think of only my own happiness. You have changed me since you came into my life, but I could not be that selfish. It's not who I am." He pulled her closer, wrapping both arms around her waist once more to hug her. "I'm sorry."
Geet placed a hand against his lips, silencing his words of apology. "And I ... I would never have asked you to put your selfish desires ahead of your honor," she blurted out. "I would never have expected you to choose me first."
His heart clenched at the tears in her eyes. Pulling her close once more, he murmured into her hair, "I wish I could have. I only ever want you to be first."
She nuzzled into the opening of his collar, placing her lips against the base of his neck. She inhaled deeply, taking his scent...taking him inside of her.
He groaned at the contact, his eyes closing in sheer agony. He wanted...
There was a shocked gasp from the door. "Daddy?"
The two pulled apart. They turned to the door in unison, their eyes widening to see the little figure standing in the doorway.
"Daddy, you're hugging Geet didi?" the little boy asked.
"No!" Geet cried out anxiously, worried that she had hurt Rahul's feelings.
"Did you ask her, daddy?" Rahul asked, coming over to clutch at his father's hand.
Maan looked at the little boy, shaking his head admonishingly.
Rahul ignored the negation, intent only on the fact that he had seen his father hug Geet.
"You must have asked," he insisted. "You were hugging her." He turned to look at Geet. "You won't be my Geet didi anymore!" he cried out happily. "I asked daddy to ask you if you could be my..." he stopped and looked up at his father. Seeing the smile playing on Maan's lips, Rahul practically quivered with happiness.
Geet looked at his questioningly.
"You'll be my mommy!" he shouted gleefully, jumping at Geet and hugging her.
Geet's eyes widened at the word, her arms still coming out to wrap around Rahul's small body.
"My mommy," he murmured happily, burying his face in Geet's stomach, his arms hugging her so tightly.
Geet looked at Maan, her eyes worried by Rahul's words. "I ... I can't," she murmured. "You need to... you need to talk to him," she entreated Maan. "You need to ... stop him from dreaming. You need to stop..." Her words died away, when she saw the angry denial in his eyes. Pulling Rahul away from her, gently but resolutely, she pushed him toward Maan and backed away, her eyes trained on the two males she loved so dearly.
Maan moved forward to stop her, his hand reaching out, but he was hampered by Rahul's small body. Giving up when he realized that pursuit would be futile, he pulled the boy close, hugging him in comfort when Rahul demanded to know why Geet didi had just left like that.
A few minutes later, after having asked Nakul to take Rahul to Dadi Ma, Maan was back in his room. Sitting down on his bed, he stared at the little box on the nightstand next to his bed. Reaching out a hand, he opened it and stared at the ring inside. It was the ring he wanted to give to Geet. It was the ring that he wanted her to accept. He'd ordered it made after that dream. The dream that made him realize what he wanted. He'd called himself all kinds of an idiot, but that hadn't stopped him from commissioning that dream ring.
But could he give it to her? Every time ... every time they got too close, she pulled back. And even today, when there were no more obstacles in their way...even when she had allowed him to hold her and kiss her ... even then she had denied him. She had denied Rahul. She had told them to stop... dreaming. His shoulders slumped in defeat. Why?
"What's up, bhai?" a voice asked from the door.
Maan turned to gaze at Vicky, who was lounging against the doorway.
"What are you doing up?" Maan asked, sternly. "You're supposed to be resting right now. We don't want you collapsing on your engagement day."
"I'm recovering," Vicky assured him, moving over to stand by his brother. "I just needed to get up and move around. I was dying of boredom." Leaning down, he took the box and looked at the ring inside. "Beautiful," he murmured. "When are you popping the question?"
"I...I don't know," Maan murmured, taking the ring back. "I don't know if she's ready."
"Bhai! That woman loves you! Everyone can see that. I mean, why would she care so much if she didn't?"
"Then why does she run away every time I try to ..." his voice trailed off, unsure of revealing anything further. The thought of laying his heart bare to anyone was an anathema to him.
"She loves you, bhai. And you love her. More than you ever loved Sameera, back then or even now," Vicky said in an exasperated tone. "Since when have you become so insecure?"
"Since it mattered so much," Maan replied openly, forcing that admission out.
"Bhai, don't chicken out now," Vicky urged. Grabbing the box from Maan and staring at it intently, he murmured, "This is the stuff of dreams. Why would she say no to a dream?" He gave the ring back to Maan. "Don't let her get away, bhai."
Maan nodded his head in agreement.
"I won't."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Geet's hands shook as she wrapped the dupatta around her neck and then sat down on the bed. She'd spent the past two hours agonizing over her behavior at the Khurana mansion. What had she been thinking? What had they been thinking? Today had been a day outside of time. She'd gone there thinking that she would be hurting Maan, but she had ended the day in his arms...his lips almost touching hers.
Why had she let it go so far?! Why had she... her heart clenched when she remembered the denial she had seen in his eyes. He hadn't wanted to let her go. And she hadn't wanted to leave. Today, she had allowed herself to indulge in her love ... in her passion for him. She'd allowed herself just one instance of touching, but even that had been interrupted. She'd wanted one moment in his arms ... one moment of a shared breath, but that one moment had its own consequences. Rahul now thought that she would be his mother, but she couldn't be.
"Geet, may I come in?"a voice asked softly from the door.
Geet looked up and saw Pammi bhabi standing in the doorway, hesitating at the threshold.
"Pammi bhabi, of course," Geet cried out, getting up and ushering her cousin's wife into the room. "How are you?" Pammi had only been with them for a few weeks, but her color had drastically improved. She had also begun to show, the extra weight of her pregnancy making her look even more beautiful. Leaving the toxic atmosphere of her in-laws' home had clearly been a good thing for Pammi bhabi.
"I'm fine," the other woman murmured, coming to sit down on the bed. "How are you? You were very quiet at dinner."
Geet stared at her hands, and then raised a hand to deliberately touch the scars on her upper chest, forcing herself to remember. "I ... I'm fine," she said. "There's nothing wrong."
"Geet, I know you're lying," Pammi bhabi said with a smile. "I know that we may not be that close, but you need to talk to someone about whatever is bothering you. You look like you could shatter from the pressure that is building up inside of you."
Geet looked away, her eyes welling with tears. "It's not that," she murmured. "I can't share this truth with anyone," she declared.
"Because whatever it is, you think that it would hurt your parents?" Pammi ventured a guess.
Geet looked up in surprise.
"Geet, you can talk to me," Pammi said. "Just like you were there for me when I came here, I want to be here for you. I'm not your parents. We don't have the history you share with them. And you definitely won't hurt me by mentioning the past."
"I ...," Geet took a deep breath. Pammi bhabi was right. Who else could she talk to? Her parents would be hurt by her fears. Pinky was involved in the situation, because Adi jeeja ji worked for Maan. Pari was wrapped up in the Khurana family in every way. There was no one else she could talk to and it was only now, when faced with the temptation of sharing her woes with someone else, did she realize how much she needed to do this for her own peace of mind.
"I've fallen in love," she finally admitted in a driven tone, unable to hide the truth any longer, even from herself. When she made that admission of love, she felt an intense relief welling up inside of her. It was as if those words had needed to be said. And now that she had admitted that truth, she could move on and look for solutions.
"That's great!" Pammi cried out joyfully.
Geet shook her head in negation.
"It's not great?" Pammi asked.
"I cannot be in love," Geet muttered.
"Why not?" Pammi bhabi asked in surprise. "Why shouldn't you have the right to love?"
"You know what happened in the past," Geet pointed out, the unhappiness apparent in her eyes. "You know why this can't happen." She twisted her fingers in her unhappiness, unable to stay still any longer.
Pammi thought about it for a moment, and then nodded her head, as if coming to some sort of decision. "Why would you let the past poison your chance for a happy future?"
Geet's eyes widened in surprise, the question unexpected. "You know what happened," she repeated. "You know the kind of family we come from. And you know what I..."
"Your family is not you," Pammi interrupted. "You have nothing to be ashamed of," she said with confidence, reaching out to squeeze Geet's hand. "Nothing. And you deserve this chance, Geet. I wasn't there when you lived through those horrors, but you have to know that most people...most women do not blame you."
"But, if I allowed myself to love, if I allowed myself to be with him, then ..."
"You would have to tell him the truth. The complete truth," Pammi Bhabi stated.
"What if he can't accept it ... accept me?" Geet asked, tears overflowing and trailing down her cheeks. "His family's past is filled with scandal, and he loathes having the Khurana name dragged through the mud. I don't want to hurt him anymore."
"Only a coward would turn away from you upon learning about your past. And you, Geet Handa, would never fall in love with a coward," Pammi Bhabi said with a smile. "Give him a chance. Trust your love...trust him. He won't let you down. Don't let them...those unnamed, faceless people, take your love away from you, Geet."
Did she have the courage to confess and reveal her past to him? Could she be a coward? Geet took a deep breath, stilling the tremors that were running through her body. She got up and moved towards her keepsake box. Her hands shook only slightly as she opened it and reached inside. Encountering the item she was looking for, her fingers wrapped around it. She pulled it out and held it securely against her heart.
"Geet? You won't let your past steal your love away?"
Turning, she smiled determinedly at Pammi Bhabi. "I won't."
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AN: Chapter 22 for your reading pleasure. Don't forget to leave a comment! I was checking out this thread, and I realized that I began this story in 2011!😲 Thank you all for sticking with this story for all these years. 👏 Another 4 to 6 chapters to go.
From the author's desk : Welcome to thread 6! I started to write this story years ago when the show was live and now when I look back on what...
Hindi TV Shows
Kumkum Bhagya
Cricket
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