Posted:
Hi gals next part is here...Hope the length is enuff...and yah gals all the best reading it...coz it is filled with mistakes....sorry net giving troubles so cudn't check any of them...wanted to post it off b4 its too late...
PART 5
"Pearl Dadi kahaan hain?" Maan descended the stairs adjusting his cuff links.
"Dadi toh subah subah hi Dev ko lekar chaligayi Ganesh Mandir....Geet bechari tumhara ek ghante se intezaar kar rahi hain....usne gadi ke chabbi le li hain....Woh kahin bahar hogi...."
Maan frowned. He had expected her to be late on the first day...but she had come well before time. He grabbed an apple from the breakfast table and marched out.
He saw the Lamborghini Estoque gone. He remembered Pearl saying that Dadi had taken Dev and gone to the temple. He then saw his Dad's E46 BMW 3 Series parked at the gates. He munched his apple and walked there.
Geet had been waiting for him the past one hour and in sheer boredom had succumbed to sleep. She had cuddled up in the driver's seat and was fast asleep. Her head was resting on her knees and she was leaning against the door. Her dupatta lay on the passenger seat.
Maan stopped. How was he to react.....
She looked so peaceful sleeping....her cheek was flattened against the glass of the window. Maan couldn't help but smile...she looked cute. Only if she would constantly sleep....he wished...cause when she was awake she was a mobile 'mirchi'...constantly crossing swords with Maan.
He recollected her Gabbar imitation and smiled....and then her succeeding comments about him being Mogambo trickled into his head...."Nah this girl...asleep or awake was....an invader to his happiness...."
His brain hatched up a naughty plot to snatch away that peace from her face....He saw the car was unlocked. He opened the door of the Driver's side causing Geet who had been leaning on it to abruptly fall...from the car onto the road.
Geet screamed...she had been dreaming of the kites festival she had enjoyed with her pappaji in Abohar. And next minute she felt herself in the air...and within seconds and excruciation pain hit her senses. She forced her eyes open and saw herself on the road...lying at Maan's feet. Her head, elbow and knee had hit the ground and she couldn't move. She looked up and found Maan smiling evilly. He had done this on purpose...
She was a funny sight...lying there on the road...he threw his head back in laughter and said..."Ab MOGAMBO KHUSH HUA!!!!"
Geet felt like strangling him there itself..but her limbs were not cooperating. It hurt like hell and she wasn't going to let this guy know that it hurt cause she didn't want him thinking she was a weakling.
She struggled and stood up...her knees were bleeding and she knew it...the fall had been rough. He elbow had bruises and her head suffered from a cut. She could feel the blood sliding down her cheek.
Maan stopped laughing. He saw the cherry red liquid slowly make its way down her cheek. A deep sense of remorse gripped his heart. He hadn't meant to make this happen. He had no idea that the fall had been hard.
"Arre....Geet...khoon..." he stammered.
" It doesn't take a duffer like you to tell me that it is blood.....as though champagne flows out when you get hurt...." she acidly spat.
He took out his handkerchief and moved forward....wiping her forehead. She pushed him off.
"I can handle...please get into the car. We are getting late ....Mr. Mehra will be waiting for us...."
"But...Geet...you are hurt..." he fumbled.
"Don't act sorry...save your dramatics for someone else....BOSS you are getting late for work!!!!" her tone was sharp and Maan knew that she wouldn't listen to him.
He got into the car and looked at her. She didn't bother to look at him. His whole attention was focused on the road ahead. His eyes spotted the red patch forming on her pyjama...He realized her knee was bleeding too.
"Geet I am really sorry. I know I shouldn't have done that....I was trying to play a prank on you.....I am genuinely sorry..." he pleaded. He knew he was wrong...
"Save your breath Mogambo....I won't die if you save your apologies".
Her sleep had been broken in the most cruel way ever. Her elbow hurt while driving but she knew that if she let it show that Ego Champ would think that she was a delicate weakling who was adept at garnering pity.
He looked down. He punched the number of the Khurana's reception....and heard the ring go....
"Hello...Dimple. This is Maan Singh Khurana here....please keep a first aid box ready there. Thank You."
Geet scowled at him but didn't say anything. She just accelerated the car and drove on.
They reached the Khurana's soon enough and Maan got off immediately and opened her door. She was irritated...."I can manage on my own. Please Mr. Khurana..."
He stood back....letting her get out of the car. He turned to the guard and indicated to him to park the car. Geet tried walking but her knees were giving away. She stumbled but caught herself....
Maan stood there feeling miserable....he was an Air Force officer..and such petty behaviour from his side was shaming. He saw her knees buckling and move quickly catching her before she hit the ground.
She felt his arms coming around and supporting her when she was about to fall off under the pressure of her buckling knees. She was grateful that he had caught her this time. But she sharply reminded herself that is not for him she wouldn't have been in this situation in the first place itself.
"Mr. Khurana...your first aid box..." a lady came running out with a box in her hand.
"Take it to my Dad's cabin on the ground floor...." he ordered.
Geet saw the lady hurry away. She tried to straighten herself.
"Maan mujhe choddo main theek hoon..."
But her words were drowned into nothingness. Maan scooped her up in his arms and walked to his Dad's cabin. All the people in the lobby hushed as they walked past them. Geet could feel her cheeks scorching with embarrassment. They were making a GRAND entry....tongues would surely wag.
He pushed open the door and took her in. He laid her carefully on the settee that was placed in the room. The first aid box sat lazily on the gate leg table. Maan picked it up and began searching for the tincture of iodine. He found it and saturated a swab of cotton with the solution and gently touched the cut on her forehead. It was painful. Geet let out a hiss of pain. He did a careful job on the cut and neatly slapped a band-aid on it.
"Lift you pyjama..." he requested.
Geet hesitated but then...she complied and pushed the pyjama up her calf exposing her hurt knee. Maan worked on the wound and tied a gauze bandage around this one. Geet pushed her pyjama back down.
He stood up. The guilt was clearly visible in his eyes....
"I am really sorry. I don't know what got into me... I behaved in a superlative petty way. I just wanted to break your sleep in a sudden way..."
"Apology accepted..." she flatly told him.
"Geet I am really sorry."
"Tum behre ho kya??? Suna nahi? I said it's okay. Ab baar baar sorry bolkar mere kaano ko punishment mat do. Waise bhi tum koi Enrique nahi ho jo main tumhari awaaz sun ne ke liye tadapoo....."
Maan smiled. This girl was Air Force stuff. Inspite of the pain she hadn't lost her dry humour.
"Tumhe hasi aa rahi hain??? You astound me Mr. Maan Singh Khurana. You cause pain to others and then keep smiling at them...Wow...you learnt this noble gesture at the Air Force I suppose..."
The taunt about Air Force hit the sore spot and Maan lost his smile.
"I said I am sorry...what more can I do??? You want me to head stand???" he was irked.
"Nah I want you to make Horlicks for me. "
"Right....now my driver gets the powers to order me around huh?"
"Firstly Maan...I am not your driver. Dev is your driver...my sister was dating Dev and so I had to do him favours on Di's insistence. Secondly I wasn't ordering you around...I was asking you to make Horlicks...It was a request...."
"What your sister was dating our driver?" he was gobsmacked.
"Why aren't drivers human beings? The last time I saw Dev he looked human to me....."
"No....no I didn't mean it that way...I was just kind of surprised...cause you look like you are from a very well to do family......I was surprised that she fell for a driver...I mean yah Dev is good-looking and all...but still...the match somehow doesn't fit...."
"They broke up...and what match ....as though love sees status of a person and then happens....It just happens......Imagine Bella fell for a vampire....Dev is still human....."
"Bella???...Who is Bella?" Maan looked at her searchingly.
"OMG!!! You don't know who is Bella Swan??? The immortal Vampire-human love story...TWILIGHT..." Geet looked at him as if he was a donkey.
"Not interested to know also...so keep your freaking love stories in your purse...."
"Wait are you trying to ape Jay from 'I hate Love Stories'???" she explored his face.
"Geet...please spare me all this nonsense...You want Horlicks...I'll get it..."
He walked out the cabin sighing with relief. This girl was outrageously crazy. She expected him to sit an read Vampire love stories in Base Camp??? She was daft then. He was for god's sake in an institution of Defence where he had to devote all his time to improve the defence system of his nation...not revel in some Vampire love story.
He did read books sometimes when relaxation demanded it but not crappy love stories. He preferred Robert Ludlum's books...steaming with adventure and suspense.
"Now where in deuce's name will I find Horlicks in the Headoffice of Khurana's???" he sizzed with frustration.
People were all busy doing their respective works. Khurana's was the most successful Media House in Delhi. They also had their own chain of hotels with personalized boutiques. Pratham Khurana had been a wizard of the business world and had rocketed his empire to the greatest heights.
"Which way is the canteen?" he asked one of the men standing there.
"That way....walk straight down the corridor and then turn to your left.." the man supplied.
"Thanks."
Maan briskly took the route and found himself in a well furnished canteen. Very few people were sitting there having a cup of coffee or grabbing a bite from the sandwiches.
"Can I have a flask of Horlicks ?"
"Sure sir..."
After five minutes or so the man pushed a flask of Horlicks to Maan..."Here you go sir..."
"Thanks..." he took the flask and headed back to his cabin.
Geet was still lying on the sette and flipping the pages of some magazine. He uncapped the flask and poured the horlicks in a mug that was placed on the table already.
"Your horlicks..." he extended the cup to her.
She put aside the magazine and accepted the cup.
"Now am I forgiven?" he asked her grudgingly.
"Well...a small request more...and then the apology will be accepted...." Geet's eyes held a mischievous sheen.
"What now?" he looked aggravated.
"You say 'Miss Geet you are the best' and give me a salute...full Army style..."
"No ways....I salute only my seniors and people worthy of respect....I am never going to salute you...." he was mortified at the thought.
"Oh...I thought all Army people were gentlemen. I was sooooo wrong....India is personified as Mother India...and you refuse to show a lady respect....tsk tsk...didn't expect this to come from a server of the nation...." Geet spiced up her request.
"This is just a sham way to boost your Ego....You disgust me...." he narrowed his eyes.
"Tell me something I don't know Mr. Maan...anyways if you can't do it then no pressure....I guess I'll turn down your apology...." she dramatically reached for the magazine again.
"Fine..." he barked exasperatedly...."Miss Geet you are the best!" The words were followed by a forced salute.
"Wow!!! You look so handsome in that pose....You know you should keep rehearsing the salute....It is necessary to keep in touch.....So how about I help you keep in touch with your saluting process....You could practice on me...." she suggested wickedly.
"Forget it Geet....I'd rather forget how to salute than salute you again...." he bit back.
Geet sipped the horlicks and licked off the mustache that had developed above her lip.
"Thanks for the Horlicks...I would have fainted otherwise....I woke too early, skipped breakfast...., waited and waited for you in the car...and then ultimately got hurt..." she rattled off the proceedings of her day.
"Do you need a change of clothes??? We have a meeting to attend in fifteen minutes. Mehra Uncle had told me last night that this was to be an introductory meeting with our board of directors."
"Magar mere paas yahaan kapde nahi hain..." Geet whined.
"First floor pe boutique hain...wahaan se jaake kuch lelo..."
"Theek hain..."
The botique was well equipped with all styles of clothing. She quickly selected a pretty pink salwar and put it on. She paid the bill and hurried to the boardroom. She knew that she was already late.
"I am really sorry..." she gasped pushing open the door and hurrying in.
A large rectangular table had been set and smartly dressed businessmen sat there. They were all looking intently at Maan who had been giving some sort of an introductory speech to them.
"Main shayad mere dad ki jagaah kabhi nahi le apunga magar...Main zaroor un jaise ban ne ki koshish karoonga. Mujhe aap sab ka saath chahiye...kyunki har kaam mein...teamwork hona zaroori hain. Army mein hamari pehli seekh hoti hain 'All for One...and One for all'."
Geet walked upto him and stood beside him. The business acumen was naturally present in his veins. He didn't have to be holding an MBA Geet decided. He had spontaneous astuteness.
"And this is my associate....." he looked at her.
But before he could complete his introduction someone spoke up from the end of the table "Geet Handa...."
Maan and Geet broke their eye clash and turned to see the source of this information. Geet was hugely shocked.
The man was primly clad in a Van Huesen suit and his hair was a wealth of black that fell on his head. His face was extreme boyish with a rugged handsomeness about it. He stood up....smiling enigmatically at Geet.
"Geet Handa...Abohar ki sabse ladli aur sabse badi ladhakoo...."
Geet creased her forehead excavating the necessary name from her memory....
"Manthan.....saala tu hain!" she screeched in delight.
"Uhm Uhm...I think you two can catch up later. We are in midst of a meeting. If you could just take your seat Mr. Khanna...you are attracting unwanted attention..." Maan interrupted.
"Oh I am sorry....please Mr. Maan go ahead and introduce her to the rest..." Manthan sat back with a wide smile stretched across his lips.
Geet didn't bother hearing Maan's introduction for her. Her mind was already racing back to Abohar.
Maan saw the dreamy look on Geet's face and nudged her hard on her bruised elbow. She looked at him peeved.
"They are waiting for you to speak..." he whispered out of the corner of his mouth...doubly nettled by her behaviour.
"Oh I am really sorry. Hi all you lovely people...Main hoon Geet Handa. I will be working as Sadoo's associate..." she blabbered in her vivacious and originally bubbly style.
Maan shot her a look of warning hearing her say 'Sadoo'.
"Oops again...I meant Mr. Maan Singh Khurana's associate. I will take my work seriously" she ended lamely seeing the disapproving expression of the rest of the board.
Maan smiled at them and took the baton. "I think we will come up with the best Programme and clotheslines this year....I wish all of you the luck and promise to fill in Dad's boots."
They all nodded appreciatively. Maan saw Manthan throwing a intimate smile at Geet and felt irked. He didn't want these two mixing personalism in professionalism.
"We are all with you Mr. Maan. We like your spirit...Keep going" The all rose and the board meeting dissolved. The members all filed out of the room.
Manthan was the last one...he walked upto Geet beaming his smile. She rushed forward and hugged him tight...."Manthan great to see you here....Abohar yaad aa gayi..."
"Listen you two...I know you have lots of things to catch up on...But I suggest you use your lunch break for that cause right now is worktime...."
Manthan nodded and let go of Geet..."Lunch pe milte hain...kaafi kuch batana hain aur sun na hain...."
Geet sunnily smiled in acceptance. Maan saw Manthan exit and turned to Geet.
"Listen Miss Geet...I'll really appreciate it if you don't drag personal matters into this workplace. Yes I totally understand that you just saw someone dear from back home...but that should in no way affect your work efficiency. You can spend all the time in the world with him after the work hours. Is that clear?" Maan ordered her in his commanding voice.
"Yes sir...." she nodded fully agreeing to what he was saying.
"Great...then let us start. Our first project is to design an entertainment package for Junjeja's Co. They are celebrating their 25th year next week. So can I count on you to help me with this?"
"Now that was a gentleman's request. Ofcourse Sir..." she flashed him a smile for the first time since they met.
Love
Pallo
PART 5
"Pearl Dadi kahaan hain?" Maan descended the stairs adjusting his cuff links.
"Dadi toh subah subah hi Dev ko lekar chaligayi Ganesh Mandir....Geet bechari tumhara ek ghante se intezaar kar rahi hain....usne gadi ke chabbi le li hain....Woh kahin bahar hogi...."
Maan frowned. He had expected her to be late on the first day...but she had come well before time. He grabbed an apple from the breakfast table and marched out.
He saw the Lamborghini Estoque gone. He remembered Pearl saying that Dadi had taken Dev and gone to the temple. He then saw his Dad's E46 BMW 3 Series parked at the gates. He munched his apple and walked there.
Geet had been waiting for him the past one hour and in sheer boredom had succumbed to sleep. She had cuddled up in the driver's seat and was fast asleep. Her head was resting on her knees and she was leaning against the door. Her dupatta lay on the passenger seat.
Maan stopped. How was he to react.....
She looked so peaceful sleeping....her cheek was flattened against the glass of the window. Maan couldn't help but smile...she looked cute. Only if she would constantly sleep....he wished...cause when she was awake she was a mobile 'mirchi'...constantly crossing swords with Maan.
He recollected her Gabbar imitation and smiled....and then her succeeding comments about him being Mogambo trickled into his head...."Nah this girl...asleep or awake was....an invader to his happiness...."
His brain hatched up a naughty plot to snatch away that peace from her face....He saw the car was unlocked. He opened the door of the Driver's side causing Geet who had been leaning on it to abruptly fall...from the car onto the road.
Geet screamed...she had been dreaming of the kites festival she had enjoyed with her pappaji in Abohar. And next minute she felt herself in the air...and within seconds and excruciation pain hit her senses. She forced her eyes open and saw herself on the road...lying at Maan's feet. Her head, elbow and knee had hit the ground and she couldn't move. She looked up and found Maan smiling evilly. He had done this on purpose...
She was a funny sight...lying there on the road...he threw his head back in laughter and said..."Ab MOGAMBO KHUSH HUA!!!!"
Geet felt like strangling him there itself..but her limbs were not cooperating. It hurt like hell and she wasn't going to let this guy know that it hurt cause she didn't want him thinking she was a weakling.
She struggled and stood up...her knees were bleeding and she knew it...the fall had been rough. He elbow had bruises and her head suffered from a cut. She could feel the blood sliding down her cheek.
Maan stopped laughing. He saw the cherry red liquid slowly make its way down her cheek. A deep sense of remorse gripped his heart. He hadn't meant to make this happen. He had no idea that the fall had been hard.
"Arre....Geet...khoon..." he stammered.
" It doesn't take a duffer like you to tell me that it is blood.....as though champagne flows out when you get hurt...." she acidly spat.
He took out his handkerchief and moved forward....wiping her forehead. She pushed him off.
"I can handle...please get into the car. We are getting late ....Mr. Mehra will be waiting for us...."
"But...Geet...you are hurt..." he fumbled.
"Don't act sorry...save your dramatics for someone else....BOSS you are getting late for work!!!!" her tone was sharp and Maan knew that she wouldn't listen to him.
He got into the car and looked at her. She didn't bother to look at him. His whole attention was focused on the road ahead. His eyes spotted the red patch forming on her pyjama...He realized her knee was bleeding too.
"Geet I am really sorry. I know I shouldn't have done that....I was trying to play a prank on you.....I am genuinely sorry..." he pleaded. He knew he was wrong...
"Save your breath Mogambo....I won't die if you save your apologies".
Her sleep had been broken in the most cruel way ever. Her elbow hurt while driving but she knew that if she let it show that Ego Champ would think that she was a delicate weakling who was adept at garnering pity.
He looked down. He punched the number of the Khurana's reception....and heard the ring go....
"Hello...Dimple. This is Maan Singh Khurana here....please keep a first aid box ready there. Thank You."
Geet scowled at him but didn't say anything. She just accelerated the car and drove on.
They reached the Khurana's soon enough and Maan got off immediately and opened her door. She was irritated...."I can manage on my own. Please Mr. Khurana..."
He stood back....letting her get out of the car. He turned to the guard and indicated to him to park the car. Geet tried walking but her knees were giving away. She stumbled but caught herself....
Maan stood there feeling miserable....he was an Air Force officer..and such petty behaviour from his side was shaming. He saw her knees buckling and move quickly catching her before she hit the ground.
She felt his arms coming around and supporting her when she was about to fall off under the pressure of her buckling knees. She was grateful that he had caught her this time. But she sharply reminded herself that is not for him she wouldn't have been in this situation in the first place itself.
"Mr. Khurana...your first aid box..." a lady came running out with a box in her hand.
"Take it to my Dad's cabin on the ground floor...." he ordered.
Geet saw the lady hurry away. She tried to straighten herself.
"Maan mujhe choddo main theek hoon..."
But her words were drowned into nothingness. Maan scooped her up in his arms and walked to his Dad's cabin. All the people in the lobby hushed as they walked past them. Geet could feel her cheeks scorching with embarrassment. They were making a GRAND entry....tongues would surely wag.
He pushed open the door and took her in. He laid her carefully on the settee that was placed in the room. The first aid box sat lazily on the gate leg table. Maan picked it up and began searching for the tincture of iodine. He found it and saturated a swab of cotton with the solution and gently touched the cut on her forehead. It was painful. Geet let out a hiss of pain. He did a careful job on the cut and neatly slapped a band-aid on it.
"Lift you pyjama..." he requested.
Geet hesitated but then...she complied and pushed the pyjama up her calf exposing her hurt knee. Maan worked on the wound and tied a gauze bandage around this one. Geet pushed her pyjama back down.
He stood up. The guilt was clearly visible in his eyes....
"I am really sorry. I don't know what got into me... I behaved in a superlative petty way. I just wanted to break your sleep in a sudden way..."
"Apology accepted..." she flatly told him.
"Geet I am really sorry."
"Tum behre ho kya??? Suna nahi? I said it's okay. Ab baar baar sorry bolkar mere kaano ko punishment mat do. Waise bhi tum koi Enrique nahi ho jo main tumhari awaaz sun ne ke liye tadapoo....."
Maan smiled. This girl was Air Force stuff. Inspite of the pain she hadn't lost her dry humour.
"Tumhe hasi aa rahi hain??? You astound me Mr. Maan Singh Khurana. You cause pain to others and then keep smiling at them...Wow...you learnt this noble gesture at the Air Force I suppose..."
The taunt about Air Force hit the sore spot and Maan lost his smile.
"I said I am sorry...what more can I do??? You want me to head stand???" he was irked.
"Nah I want you to make Horlicks for me. "
"Right....now my driver gets the powers to order me around huh?"
"Firstly Maan...I am not your driver. Dev is your driver...my sister was dating Dev and so I had to do him favours on Di's insistence. Secondly I wasn't ordering you around...I was asking you to make Horlicks...It was a request...."
"What your sister was dating our driver?" he was gobsmacked.
"Why aren't drivers human beings? The last time I saw Dev he looked human to me....."
"No....no I didn't mean it that way...I was just kind of surprised...cause you look like you are from a very well to do family......I was surprised that she fell for a driver...I mean yah Dev is good-looking and all...but still...the match somehow doesn't fit...."
"They broke up...and what match ....as though love sees status of a person and then happens....It just happens......Imagine Bella fell for a vampire....Dev is still human....."
"Bella???...Who is Bella?" Maan looked at her searchingly.
"OMG!!! You don't know who is Bella Swan??? The immortal Vampire-human love story...TWILIGHT..." Geet looked at him as if he was a donkey.
"Not interested to know also...so keep your freaking love stories in your purse...."
"Wait are you trying to ape Jay from 'I hate Love Stories'???" she explored his face.
"Geet...please spare me all this nonsense...You want Horlicks...I'll get it..."
He walked out the cabin sighing with relief. This girl was outrageously crazy. She expected him to sit an read Vampire love stories in Base Camp??? She was daft then. He was for god's sake in an institution of Defence where he had to devote all his time to improve the defence system of his nation...not revel in some Vampire love story.
He did read books sometimes when relaxation demanded it but not crappy love stories. He preferred Robert Ludlum's books...steaming with adventure and suspense.
"Now where in deuce's name will I find Horlicks in the Headoffice of Khurana's???" he sizzed with frustration.
People were all busy doing their respective works. Khurana's was the most successful Media House in Delhi. They also had their own chain of hotels with personalized boutiques. Pratham Khurana had been a wizard of the business world and had rocketed his empire to the greatest heights.
"Which way is the canteen?" he asked one of the men standing there.
"That way....walk straight down the corridor and then turn to your left.." the man supplied.
"Thanks."
Maan briskly took the route and found himself in a well furnished canteen. Very few people were sitting there having a cup of coffee or grabbing a bite from the sandwiches.
"Can I have a flask of Horlicks ?"
"Sure sir..."
After five minutes or so the man pushed a flask of Horlicks to Maan..."Here you go sir..."
"Thanks..." he took the flask and headed back to his cabin.
Geet was still lying on the sette and flipping the pages of some magazine. He uncapped the flask and poured the horlicks in a mug that was placed on the table already.
"Your horlicks..." he extended the cup to her.
She put aside the magazine and accepted the cup.
"Now am I forgiven?" he asked her grudgingly.
"Well...a small request more...and then the apology will be accepted...." Geet's eyes held a mischievous sheen.
"What now?" he looked aggravated.
"You say 'Miss Geet you are the best' and give me a salute...full Army style..."
"No ways....I salute only my seniors and people worthy of respect....I am never going to salute you...." he was mortified at the thought.
"Oh...I thought all Army people were gentlemen. I was sooooo wrong....India is personified as Mother India...and you refuse to show a lady respect....tsk tsk...didn't expect this to come from a server of the nation...." Geet spiced up her request.
"This is just a sham way to boost your Ego....You disgust me...." he narrowed his eyes.
"Tell me something I don't know Mr. Maan...anyways if you can't do it then no pressure....I guess I'll turn down your apology...." she dramatically reached for the magazine again.
"Fine..." he barked exasperatedly...."Miss Geet you are the best!" The words were followed by a forced salute.
"Wow!!! You look so handsome in that pose....You know you should keep rehearsing the salute....It is necessary to keep in touch.....So how about I help you keep in touch with your saluting process....You could practice on me...." she suggested wickedly.
"Forget it Geet....I'd rather forget how to salute than salute you again...." he bit back.
Geet sipped the horlicks and licked off the mustache that had developed above her lip.
"Thanks for the Horlicks...I would have fainted otherwise....I woke too early, skipped breakfast...., waited and waited for you in the car...and then ultimately got hurt..." she rattled off the proceedings of her day.
"Do you need a change of clothes??? We have a meeting to attend in fifteen minutes. Mehra Uncle had told me last night that this was to be an introductory meeting with our board of directors."
"Magar mere paas yahaan kapde nahi hain..." Geet whined.
"First floor pe boutique hain...wahaan se jaake kuch lelo..."
"Theek hain..."
The botique was well equipped with all styles of clothing. She quickly selected a pretty pink salwar and put it on. She paid the bill and hurried to the boardroom. She knew that she was already late.
"I am really sorry..." she gasped pushing open the door and hurrying in.
A large rectangular table had been set and smartly dressed businessmen sat there. They were all looking intently at Maan who had been giving some sort of an introductory speech to them.
"Main shayad mere dad ki jagaah kabhi nahi le apunga magar...Main zaroor un jaise ban ne ki koshish karoonga. Mujhe aap sab ka saath chahiye...kyunki har kaam mein...teamwork hona zaroori hain. Army mein hamari pehli seekh hoti hain 'All for One...and One for all'."
Geet walked upto him and stood beside him. The business acumen was naturally present in his veins. He didn't have to be holding an MBA Geet decided. He had spontaneous astuteness.
"And this is my associate....." he looked at her.
But before he could complete his introduction someone spoke up from the end of the table "Geet Handa...."
Maan and Geet broke their eye clash and turned to see the source of this information. Geet was hugely shocked.
The man was primly clad in a Van Huesen suit and his hair was a wealth of black that fell on his head. His face was extreme boyish with a rugged handsomeness about it. He stood up....smiling enigmatically at Geet.
"Geet Handa...Abohar ki sabse ladli aur sabse badi ladhakoo...."
Geet creased her forehead excavating the necessary name from her memory....
"Manthan.....saala tu hain!" she screeched in delight.
"Uhm Uhm...I think you two can catch up later. We are in midst of a meeting. If you could just take your seat Mr. Khanna...you are attracting unwanted attention..." Maan interrupted.
"Oh I am sorry....please Mr. Maan go ahead and introduce her to the rest..." Manthan sat back with a wide smile stretched across his lips.
Geet didn't bother hearing Maan's introduction for her. Her mind was already racing back to Abohar.
Maan saw the dreamy look on Geet's face and nudged her hard on her bruised elbow. She looked at him peeved.
"They are waiting for you to speak..." he whispered out of the corner of his mouth...doubly nettled by her behaviour.
"Oh I am really sorry. Hi all you lovely people...Main hoon Geet Handa. I will be working as Sadoo's associate..." she blabbered in her vivacious and originally bubbly style.
Maan shot her a look of warning hearing her say 'Sadoo'.
"Oops again...I meant Mr. Maan Singh Khurana's associate. I will take my work seriously" she ended lamely seeing the disapproving expression of the rest of the board.
Maan smiled at them and took the baton. "I think we will come up with the best Programme and clotheslines this year....I wish all of you the luck and promise to fill in Dad's boots."
They all nodded appreciatively. Maan saw Manthan throwing a intimate smile at Geet and felt irked. He didn't want these two mixing personalism in professionalism.
"We are all with you Mr. Maan. We like your spirit...Keep going" The all rose and the board meeting dissolved. The members all filed out of the room.
Manthan was the last one...he walked upto Geet beaming his smile. She rushed forward and hugged him tight...."Manthan great to see you here....Abohar yaad aa gayi..."
"Listen you two...I know you have lots of things to catch up on...But I suggest you use your lunch break for that cause right now is worktime...."
Manthan nodded and let go of Geet..."Lunch pe milte hain...kaafi kuch batana hain aur sun na hain...."
Geet sunnily smiled in acceptance. Maan saw Manthan exit and turned to Geet.
"Listen Miss Geet...I'll really appreciate it if you don't drag personal matters into this workplace. Yes I totally understand that you just saw someone dear from back home...but that should in no way affect your work efficiency. You can spend all the time in the world with him after the work hours. Is that clear?" Maan ordered her in his commanding voice.
"Yes sir...." she nodded fully agreeing to what he was saying.
"Great...then let us start. Our first project is to design an entertainment package for Junjeja's Co. They are celebrating their 25th year next week. So can I count on you to help me with this?"
"Now that was a gentleman's request. Ofcourse Sir..." she flashed him a smile for the first time since they met.
Love
Pallo
Book Talk
Aami Daakini
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