Geet stood in living room not knowing what to say or do. She totally felt out of place, she had no one here that she can call her own. She had hoped that his Dadima would accept her but her hopes were vanished when Maan had her to leave. She wanted to run away but there no escape...she couldn't rely on anyone anymore except herself. There was a silent war going on between Dadima and Maan. None spoke but was giving each other looks.
Dadima: Maan I want to speak with you inside now
Maan: there is nothing to talk about. Geet is my wife and elder bahu of Khrurana Khandan but I will hear out what you have to say.
Dadima: okay right this way
Both left Geet alone in the living room by herself...she looked around in awe..everything was so big...the whole living room could hold more then 200 people, two staircases were on both side of the living room leading to upstairs. She saw huge portratis of pictures of previous kings before Maan...she looked at Maan's father...Raj Singh Khruana...
She touched the engravings of each name under the portrayed. Maan possessed many of the same features as his father...like Maan even his father displayed on emotions in his eyes...in fact almost all of the kings before the generation had the same emotion. She was left confused...to be a king does it require for you to be ruthless?
Geet turns around to stand near the door when something caught her eye. She swore she saw a little boy looking at her from behind the pillar. She slowly went toward the area making chan chan noises with her payals. She goes to the pillar to look but found no one..she was about to go back to her original place when she felt a tug on her lengha...she looks down at the boy who was looking at her.
"Are you my new bhabi?" (Geet bends down to the kids level..he has to be at least 10 years old..she nodes her head yes...) "Did my brother marry you?" (she again nodes her head yes...) "you don't seem like him..." (he kisses her cheek) "you are very nice...My name is Vicky" (he quickly hides when he heard Maan's voice...Geet stands up looking for the boy with a smile. She saw him hiding behind a pillar...Geet holds his hand pulling him out...)
Geet: What happened?
Vicky (looks at the direction of where the voices were coming from) Bhai is coming...
Geet (looks his way) No he is not..he is talking to Dadima..until then won't you talk to me
Vicky: Okay...(he motions for her to come down...Geet bends on her knees..Vicky brings out his palm holding something...) will you give this to bhai? I made it especially for him..is a bracelet...
Geet (looks at the bracelet..it was made from beads with letters spelling out Maan's name...) wow its very pretty
Vicky (becomes happy) do you like it? I will make one for you as well.
Geet (frowns) but why don't you give this bracelet yourself? (Both heard the door being open..Vicky runs to hide while Geet quickly stands up looking at both of them. She holds the bracelet from Vicky tight in her hand. Dadima comes and stands in front of Geet...)
Dadima: You can stay here (Geet smiles at her that maybe she has accepted her) but I will be leaving this mansion by tonight itself. (Geet looks toward Maan who seemed indifferent...)
Geet: Am sorry Dadima if it is anyone that should be leaving its me...(Maan looks at her shocked) Before me you have the full right on this house...(she walks toward the door to leave...)
Maan couldn't believe that his wife went against his decision considering it is her first day here. Maan had tried explaining to Dadima about Geet but if she wasn't willing to understand anything. He wasn't the type to repeat himself again and again even if it was with his own grandmother. He don't ask anyone he just gives his decisions whether they like it or not they have to accept it and if they don't then there is no reason for them to stay here. He watched her walk toward the door, which each step she took the more angrier he got...
"Stop Geet..."
Geet stops and turns around...Dadima stands in front of her...
Dadima: I am happy to see that you are willing to leave this new found wealth. People have been trying to come up with new schemes to get inside the house either through me or through my grandsons. Being the eldest the responsibility comes down to me to ensure that our rules and principals don't comprise with anyone. Hearing you speak like this made me happy. (Geet looks at her with tears) but it will take me time to accept this rishta. I hope you understand.
Maan looks at Geet and Dadima in confusion. How can she make Dadima agree? Yes, she was nice but when it comes to family members she was very protective and opinionated. What kind of powers does she posses that makes everyone like her? Why did he lie for the first time on the way to the mansion about her covering her face? The truth is he didn't want anyone to see her face. She was his and only his whether she likes it or not.
"Maan come stand next to Geet...so that I can do proper pooja..."
Geet goes to stand next to Maan since he didn't make any effort to come forward. A servant brought pooja ki thali..Dadima did pooja for both of them. Maan was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize what was going on while Geet kept looking out for Vicky. She looks at her hand which holds the necklace. She wondered why Vicky was so scared of his own brother? She saw him in the corner looking at both of them..she smiles at him and motions for him to come forward...he shakes his head no...Geet frowns...
Dadima finishes the pooja..."Where is Vicky? I want to introduce him to Geet..."
"Ma'am we do not know..he is somewhere in the house.."
Dadima: Well find him...(she sighs) he is always playing around...he will show up...
Vicky goes and hides behind Dadima looking at Geet by poking his head out a little. He was scared of Maan and his anger. Even though he was the eldest brother, Vicky never went up to him for help or even talked to him. Both just knew that each other existed...
Dadima; Geet this is Vicky Maan's younger brother...
Geet: Ji we met already...
She smiles at him...Geet extends her hand for Vicky to take...he nervously takes her hand...she goes on her knee and gives him the bracelet motioning with her eyes to give to Maan...he nervously shook his head and stands before Maan. Maan looks down at him not knowing what to say. He was never a people person nor knew how to show his emotions. He was trained to be a ruthless robot and he was fine with it...
Vicky: woh I made this for you...(He pulls out a bracelet showing it to Maan...Maan holds the bracelet in his hand eyeing it)
Maan: What is this...(he throws the bracelet on the floor) I don't have time for all this cheap things (Geet and Dadima looks at him shocked...Vicky goes and hides behind Geet hiding his face...Maan looks at all this with anger..she wasn't willing to let him touch her or even talk to him and here she was already made a bond with his younger brother..) Vicky is this a way to behave...let go. How are you going to rule if you cry like a baby. YOU are not a baby anymore understand. (he shakes his head and lets go of Geet...he stands with his head down) we have all the money in the world..next time buy something instead of making these silly things..(he steps on the bracelet before leaving..)
Dadima watched Geet console Vicky trying to make him smile...
Geet: Won't you show me your room? I bet you have a lot of toys that we both can play with
Vicky: Yes I do..come let me show it you...(Geet picks up the bracelet) Leave it...Its for garbage...
Geet: Nothing you make is garbage..I will keep this with me..is that okay
Vicky: I will put it with the other things that I made for bhai...(he holds her hand to bring her to his room...)
Maan paced in his room with anger...the whole room was decorated for their shuaag raat and Maan couldn't wait...she was the only girl that made him wait for this long...he wanted Geet...nothing was going his way...nothing...he rings servants up...
"Where is Geet?"
"Sir she is with master Vicky..."
"Hmm you may go..."
Maan watched in anger as the girl, whose face was still covered in mud, talked to the driver with attitude. He looks at his watch..he was getting late..He wanted to reach home on time..everything goes accroding to him and because of this one girl everything was halted. He gets out of the car in anger...
"Oye ladki..move aside..." She looks at him with anger..Maan looks at her big brown eyes as they stared at him in disbelief. He couldn't see her face but her eyes him forget everything..the way they were looking at him from top to bottom..the way it displayed anger..something in him stirred...something in him wanted to look at her complete face...she comes and stands in front of me
"I am not moving until I get an apology..."
Maan: Don't you know who I am? No one who works under me says sorry to anyone no matter what. And who the hell are you that will make us say sorry. (he takes out money and throws it on her face) You poor people are always looking for some excuse to make money. I bet you came in front of my car on purpose taking advantage of the situation. Now get out of the way. You are lucky I am forgiving you for making my car dirty or else...
"Or else what would you have done?" (She comes closer to him...everyone looked at her with fear...they wanted to stop her from saying anything else but was scared to do it fearing Maan...she looks at her car..) I am so sorry for making your car dirty...(Maan smirks...she looks at him..and wipes her hand on his face and jacket...Maan clenches his fist in anger...everyone stood there like statue watching the scene in horror...)
Now what will you do? Now you are also like me..dirty..what is the difference between us now? (she picks up the money from floor and throws it at him..) you might need these more...NOT every "poor" person you see is after your money...you might be rich but you lack a lot of things in which money can't buy...
She begins to walk away...Maan goes up to her and holds her hair tightly in a fist...she looks at him with fear...
Maan: The ONLY thing you will be lacking is your dignity by the time I get through with you...
"Let go of me..I am not scared of you..." Maan throws her on the floor...
Maan (takes out his handkerchief and wipes the dirt off his face...) now lets clean you up...(he looks at the side vendors...) throw water on her...(the vendors hesitated looking at the women in front of him...) I said THROW water on her until I say stop...(he looks at the women in front of him looking at him with fear) Are you scared now? (he bends down toward her level) You haven't seen anything yet...
The side vendor brings water bottle...Maan takes the water bottle from his hands and throws it on her floor...he sees a water pipe..."Fill buckets of water from there and throw it on her..." The guy nodes his head and proceeds to fill the bucket. Maan watches as the guy throws water on the women...everyone looks at her as she sits on the floor with tears trying to cover herself up...her hair came loose and covered her face..
Maan looks at the hair blocking her face in anger...he raises his hands to stop him when all the mud was finally off of her...he walks around her until he stood right in front of her...she raises her head and looks at him with anger...Maan stood there looking at the beauty in front of him...mesmerized...
Maan goes out of the room toward Vicky's room...the door was open...he saw both of them playing around...Geet laughed as Vicky showed her many different toys telling a story of each one...he just watched her smile..it was so captivating...she motions Vicky to sit with her..he puts his head on her lap as Geet talked about herself, of where she came from, what she did..everything that she should be sharing it with him...he steps in the room...both of them stand up seeing him...
Maan: Geet I want to speak to you now!
She looks at him with anger but quietly goes with him not wanting to create any drama in front of Vicky. As they were walking she deliberately walked slow behind him...Maan stopped and holds her hand pulling her toward him so that she is walking right by his side...he kicks open his room door and pushes her inside. She looks at him with anger..he grabs her face and kisses her lips without saying anything...without giving anytime for Geet to think about what is going on. She starts pounding his chest to make him stop but that just increased his anger.
He stops kissing her and pulls her toward him...
"Did you forget what is tonight?" (She looks around the room which was decorated from top to bottom...) "our suhaag raat..."
Geet: let go of me...I don't
Maan: You don't what?! Huh...I am your husband now I can do whatever you want
Geet: ONLY if I allow you to...now leave me...
Maan picks her up and throws her on the bed...he smirks at her...
Book Talk
Cricket
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