SS: Baby of Mine Imp Note pg36 Oct26 - Page 18

Grabbing the towel he had brought with him, Maan wiped his face and arms to get rid of the sweat that was dripping from him. After throwing the towel over his shoulders, he balled the undershirt in his hands and headed back to his room. As he entered the main part of the house again he saw his servants rushing about with their daily chores.

He went to his room and headed straight for the shower. He stood under the shower, with his arms outstretched and braced on the tiled wall in front of him, he let the warm water hit his body and wash away the frustration that seemed to bubble up with every passing second. As the water made its way to his knuckles, they stung. Looking down he saw fresh wounds on his hands from not being gloved when using the punching bag. Maan stepped out after thirty minutes once he felt the water lose its warmth.

He came out into his room with nothing more than a towel wrapped around his waist. Going to his closet he pulled out a pair of jeans and a casual t-shirt. Quickly getting dressed he decided that what he needed to take his mind off of everything was a drive. After brushing his hair and putting on his watch, Maan went to his night stand to grab his phone and wallet. While his wallet was in the top drawer where he always kept it, he couldn't find his phone. As he looked around the room, he finally saw it resting on his desk.

Approaching his desk, he picked up his phone when his eyes once again landed on the sonogram. He stared at it blankly for a while before, against his better judgment, he took the picture and put it in his pocket.

Coming out of his room, Maan headed towards the stairs with the intention of leaving when a thought occurred to him. If he left without telling Dadi Maa she would flip out. Checking his watch he saw that it was seven-thirty, she would be up by now. Heading down the stairs he went to the small mandir they had in the house where Dadi Maa was at this time of morning, but was surprised to not find her there. Thinking she was still up in her room, Maan retraced his steps up the stairs and went to her room. Finding that room empty as well, Maan was not sure where to check for her.

"Nakul Dadi Maa kahaan hai?" Maan asked when he saw Nakul passing below him downstairs.

"Thodi dehr pehle maine uhne Geet Madam ke kamre ke taraf jaate hue dekha tha," Nakul informed him.

A frown drew Maan's eyebrows together involuntarily.

Maan was just about leave when he saw both Dadi Maa and Nandini coming out of Geet room stealthily. They seemed to be speaking in hushed tones so Maan hid behind a pillar as he got closer to them.

"Puri raath Didi ne nahin soyi…woh toh abhi abhi soyi hai…ek ghanta bhi nahin hua," Nandini commented. "Baas rohti rahi ya phir aaise hi dewaar ko dekh rahi thi ke…pata nahin…lag raha tha ke unke andar koi jaan hi nahin hai."

"Bechari Geet…jis dard se woh kuch hi din pehle nikal aayi thi…woh dard phirse usse noch raha hai," Dadi Maa said.

"Didi jaise aachanak se kahin kho gayi hai," Nandini said.

"Mujhe toh baas iss baath ka daar hai ke kahin yeh dard phirse usse naa khajayeh," Dadi Maa replied. "Pichli baar toh Maan ne sambhal liya…aab kaun sambhalega."

Maan was surprised at hear his name thrown into the conversation.

"Hum hai naa Dadi Maa," Nandini said with confidence.

"Haan hum hai beta, magar Geet ke andar joh dard hai usse sirf Maan baat sakta hai…uske asuoon ko sirf Maan samaj sakta hai…par…par aab toh Maan ko bhi kuch yaad nahin," Dadi Maa said, with sadness laced in her voice. "Kaun banega sahara meri baachi ka."

Maan was startled when he heard Dadi Maa's voice crack. He was even more surprised when he looked up to find her wiping tears from her eyes. This woman had raised Maan and he could count on one hand the time's he'd seen her cry. The fact that she now stood before him crying for a girl he only knew as a stranger, perplexed him.

He stood dumbfounded by the tears that Dadi Maa cried while Nandini comforted her. Soon, each woman went their separate ways leaving him standing in front of Geet's room by himself.

Once they were out of sight Maan opened the door to Geet's room to see her snuggled under the comforter, her face angled to the window. The little light that came in fell on her face and made the fresh tears glisten.

Even in her sleep she cried.

Maan needed answers – he needed answers now. He knew that whatever it was that was going on was somehow tied to the sonogram and the nursery he'd seen earlier. A part of him dreaded to find out what the truth was behind it all but another part of him needed to know. For the sake of his sanity – he needed to know.

He knocked on Dadi Maa's door before entering to find her sitting with her back against the headboard of her bed.

"Dadi Maa…" he called when he saw her eyes closed.

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times before looking at him.

"Maan beta…aap?" she asked. "Kuch kaam tha?"

Her voice was still soft and cracked, and he could clearly see moisture in her eyes.

"Aapse kuch baath karna tha," Maan said. "Kuch poochna tha."

He saw Dadi Maa tense. She sat silently as he walked up to the bed and took a seat facing her. Fishing in his pocked he pulled out what he needed to show her. The instant he held up the folded piece of paper he heard her gasp. Her eyes went wide in shock as they focused on what they saw. Her eyes darted from the picture to him, to the picture and then back to him again.

"Yeh kya hai Maan beta?" she asked after she regained her composer a few seconds later.

"Yeh hi toh main aapse poochna chata hoon," Maan said. "Yeh kya hai?"

"Hume nahin pata ke yeh kya hai…hume kaise pata hoga?" she asked, playing innocent.

Savitri Devi was a lot of things – a strong woman, a fine business woman, a loving grandmother and a compassionate human being. There were also a lot of things Savitri Devi wasn't, at the top of that list – she was no liar.

"Main jaanta hoon ke aapko pata hai ke yeh kya hai. Magar mere samaj mein yeh nahin aa raha hai ke aap mujhse jhoot kyun bol rahe hai," Maan accused.

"Hum…hum jhoot kyun bolenge?" she asked innocently.

"Itne dino mein toh mujhe itna pata chal gaya hai ke Geet aapki ladli hai…aur Geet ke liyeh aap kuch bhi kar sakte hai," Maan commented.

"Maan…" Dadi Maa began but he cut her off.

"Iss tasveer aur Geet ka kya rishta hai?" Maan asked.

"Iske bare mein aap naa hi jaane toh aacha hai…hum nahin chate ke kissi ki vajese aap ki sihat pe koi asar ho," Dadi Maa said.

"Dadi Maa…aapko Geet ki kasam," Maan warned.

He knew he was taking it too far but he needed answers.

"Geet ki iss tasveer ke saath kya rishta hai?" Maan repeated.

He watched Dadi Maa's shoulders sag and he knew he would get his answer. She took a deep breath before finally speaking.

"Yeh ek sonography ki tasveer hai," Dadi Maan said.

"Woh toh mujhe bhi pata hai," Maan said. "Magar kiski hai? Yeh bacha kiska hai?"

"Geet ki sonography hai…" Dadi Maan said softly.

"Geet ki…" Maan repeated to himself. "Magar…"

He suddenly realized what Dadi Maa was saying.

"Yeh bacha kissi ka hai nahin…" she began. "Yeh bacha kissi ka tha…"

Maan felt his heart begin to constrict and his head begin to spin.

"Yeh bacha aap dono ka tha," Dadi Maa finally said.

"Nahin…aaisa nahin ho sakta…" Maan said as he got off the bed.

"Aaisa hi hai Maan beta…Geet maa banne wali thi," Dadi Maa said.

"Nahin…aaisa nahin ho sakta…" Maan repeated over and over.

He couldn't believe that he had gotten anyone pregnant, let alone Geet. He refused to believe it.