A Maaneet Tale
Back Again
Present - 2010
The next morning, I woke up; my diary still in my hands. I had fallen asleep.
Immediately, I climbed out of bed and checked on Muskaan. She was still in her bed, asleep.
I looked down at my diary and opened it up again, turning to the next page only to realized the next page had only two words written on it.
"He's gone"
And he was.
I walked back to my bedroom and chucked the thing in my hands away. I didn't care where it landed. I rummaged for something in my wardrobe and found what I needed.
Our wedding picture.
He was holding me in his arms and was looking down at me with such passion, tears started to prick my eyes.
I wonder what he looked like now. Did he have a girlfriend? Was he married? Did he smile? Did he laugh? Did he start drinking bitter coffee again instead of the sweet coffee I had always made for him? Was he always angry? Did he --
There were so many questions in my mind, I could have written a whole book of it.
I switched the TV on and jumped back on the bed, switching from channel to channel; looking for something that interested me. Finally, I switched to the news and felt my entire body freeze.
Maan.
He was on TV!
And then he was gone. Because the reporter had switched to some other news. I relaxed my tense body and just lay there, heart beating fast.
God, just the sight of him made me breathless.
I clutched the remote control in my hands and threw it at the tv, suddenly feeling angry. I wanted Maan here. I wanted him to remember me. I wanted him to --
My thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell ringing. I glanced at the clock and saw it was 11:00am and I hadn't even freshened up yet.
Quickly, I ran a hand through my hair and threw my veil over my neck. I ran down the stairs and opened the door.
It was Maan's beautiful sister, Anjali. She resembled Maan so much, I wanted to cry.
Anjali gave me a sad smile and I welcomed her inside. She'd been in my house before many times, telling me how Maan was and what he'd been up to. She made her way inside the living room and sat down on a chair.
Anjali: "How are you?" she asked
"The same, I guess" I said
Anjali: "Maan's doing fine... He's not remembering anything yet though. He's back to his angry personality. He's never smiled. Never laughed" she said, staring down at her hands.
"Oh" was all I said. Everyday I hoped he remembered something. Anything. But he didn't. Everyday, I got the same news.
He doesn't remember anything.
Suddenly, I started to cry. It was just horrible, knowing that the man that used to be your husband doesn't even remember you. Doesn't even remember his daughter. Doesn't even remember our memories in that dreaded office.
I wished it was me hit on the head. Not him.
Anjali immediately stood up and sat down beside me, hugging me to herself. She ran a comforting hand up and down my back, murmuring encouraging things into my ear to calm me down.
Anjali: "It's okay, it's okay" she repeated
"It's not okay, Anjali! Nothing is okay! My life is just... I'm a single parent and my daughter wants to know who her dad is and I can't even..." I didn't bother completing the sentence. All I wanted to do was cry into Anjali's shoulder.
"And I want him to remember me but I can't even go in that god damn palace" I hiccuped and let Anjali wipe my tears away.
Anjali: "Now now, we'll figure something out" she cooed and squeezed me tighter to herself.
Anjali: "Okay, I might have some good news. I'll tell you if you stop bawling your eyes out. Muskaan will wake up" she said and glanced at the door incase she was standing right there, watching her mother cry. Thankfully, she wasn't.
I wiped my tears away and clenched my teeth. Good news. Anjali had good news.
Anjali: "You can get into that palace" she said, a grin on her flawless face.
"B-But how? How can I --"
Anjali: "We're looking for more servants" she said
"Oh yeah, I'll just go into that queue and pray for my ex mother-in-law to give me that job as a servant WHICH she wont" I said sarcastically which made Anjali giggle.
Anjali: "True. But, what if you change your identity?" she said and wiggled her eyebrows at me.
Change my identity?
"What do you mean?"
Anjali: "Your going to completely change yourself to go in that palace. I bought you these" she said and out of a shopping bag she took out a lengha choli.
Anjali: "Now all you do is drape this veil over your head, so the Queen, King, and Maan wont be able to see you"
"But what if they ask me to take it off?" I asked
Anjali: "Just say... I don't know. Half of your face is burnt? Just make something up"
"What about Muskaan?"
Anjali: "I'll take care of her. Don't worry" she reassured me and I nodded, trusting her completely.
Anjali: "I'm taking you to the palace today, so wear this and tell Muskaan your leaving" she said and handed me the lengha choli for me to wear. I held the clothing in my hands and stared down at it, not quite sure I want to do this.
Anjali: "What if this means getting Maan back? You need to do this, it's the only way" she said, reading my mind. I gulped and stood up, carrying my clothes up to my bedroom.
After I had changed, I stood in front of my mirror and stared at myself.
I didn't look like Geet anymore.
My salwar kameez was indeed replaced by the lengha choli. The red lengha came up to my knees and my choli was fitted neatly around my upper body. I also wore the gold ankle bracelets Maan had bought me years ago.
I checked myself out, but during the process; something had caught my eye. I stared at the something, my mouth gone dry.
It was my Mangalsutra, sitting there on my dressing table collecting dust. I hadn't worn it ever since Maan had divorced me. I had no intention to, because Maan wasn't my husband anymore. Only married women wore that necklace.
But today, I felt like I needed it to give me strength. I wanted that necklace to reassure me that I could still get the guy I loved, back.
I picked it up and tied it around my neck then looked at myself in the mirror again. I grabbed my veil and set it in such a way that my face was entirely covered.
After that, I made my way to Muskaan's bedroom. She was still asleep. I walked over to her bed and kissed her goodbye, trusting Anjali to come up with a good excuse to tell Muskaan when she asked where mummy was.
I left her bedroom and then skipped down the stairs. Anjali was waiting for me right in front of the stairs.
Anjali: "Oh you look sexy" she said, eyeing me up and down. Her eyes rested on my necklace for longer than necessary.
"I just... Decided to --"
Anjali: "That's fine" she said, resting a warm hand on my arm. We just stood there for 10 seconds and I looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"Aren't you coming with me?"
Anjali: "I need to take care of Muskaan, remember? You need to be brave and go there yourself" she said
"But --"
Anjali: "Look, you aren't Geet anymore. Your not shy and reserved. Your confident, witty, and brave. You need to go to that palace, no matter what" she said
As I was about to leave, Anjali handed me a bag full of stuff. I took the bag and saw it was more lengha choli for me to wear when I got there. I thanked her and left, looking back at my house as I walked through the pathway.
There was no going back, because I wasn't Geet anymore.
***
Queen: "What's your name?" she asked as my turn in the queue came. I cleared my throat and put a hand on my hip, looking away as if I had better things to do.
"Gauri" I replied, making sure there was full attitude in my voice.
Queen: "Age?"
"27"
The woman eyed me up and down before her eyes rested on my necklace.
Queen: "Your married" she said, noting that down on her piece of paper.
I was.
Queen: "So what are you able to do?"
"Cooking, cleaning, gardening, making coffee, making continental food as well as indian, you name it"
Queen: "Your voice sounds familar" she said
I said nothing.
Queen: "So why is your face covered?" she asked
"Because. It is. Do you have a problem?" I replied, not quite used to being so mean.
Queen: "If you are going to work here, you need to control your attitude"
"Whatever" I mumbled under my breath
Queen: "So answer my question. Why is your face covered?" she repeated the question.
I leaned down, resting my arms on her table.
"Listen Queen, you want bad luck?" I asked and she shook her head.
"Because in Hoshiarpur, where I am from... Anyone who saw my face ended up dying the next day. True story" I said and she gasped. I bit my lip, trying to stop myself from laughing.
The Queen shook her head in disbelief and let me inside the palace. One of the servants whom I recognized was Nakul. He led me inside to the next station where I had to make as many roti's as I could in 5 minutes. I stood in front of my table, ingrediants set out so I could start making right away. Other ladies next to me eyed me as I waited so I could start making.
Just as the Queen was about to announce something, I heard footsteps. I turned to look and saw Maan skipping down the stairs.
My heart literally stopped beating.
He was still the same as I met him at that temple 6 years ago. Tall, beautiful brown eyes, solid face, jaw clenched, perfect hair, perfect body.
The ladies next to me were also looking. No sorry, staring. They sighed as he ran a hand through his hair; a thing he did when he was either stressed about work or just annoyed.
Sorry suckers, that man over there is mine I thought inside my head as he brushed past me to stand next to the Queen. He still wore that same perfume.
Queen: "The prince over here will watch and time you making the roti's" she said
I stared at Maan through the veil covering my face and realized he was staring at me as well. My heart beat increased and I wondered if his laser eyes could see me through this piece of cloth covering my face.
Queen: "And your time starts... Now!" she said and I started, determined to get this job. I could feel Maan's eyes on me as I made a ball from the dough and covered it with flour before flattening it out before kneading it with a rolling pin. I continued this for 5 minutes until the Queen told us all to stop.
Maan held up a roti one of the other ladies had made. They weren't round at all.
Maan: "You call this a roti?" he mocked and then moved on to someone else. Her roti's were round and perfect, except they had a hole in one of them. Maan shook his head in disbelief and then moved on to me, holding up one of my roti's which were perfectly round and flawless. I put a hand on my hip.
"So, Prince Ji; tell me what ya think" I said and looked up at him through my veil.
Maan: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 roti's in five minutes" he said, clearly impressed.
Maan: "Also round" he pointed out, glaring at the other ladies who looked away.
The Queen was also impressed and immediately, she decided I should be taken in as a servant for the palace. She showed me where my room was and I was about to head off when Maan stopped me.
Maan: "Hey you!" he called out to me and I turned around, keeping my head down.
"I have a name which is Gauri for your information" I said
Maan: "Why is your face covered?" he asked
"If you don't want bad luck then do me a favour, don't ask anymore questions" I replied and twirled at my braid that now came down to my hips. I smirked and then left, leaving Maan standing there.
Precap: Geet has a dream.
***
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Oh and yes, the siggie above was made completely by me. It took me like half an hour just to make THAT but in the end it produced good results right? I'm quite proud of myself just now 😆
Sorry guys, was the link not working in PM? My bad 😳
Edited by Sameeha786 - 13 years ago
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