Part IV
Maan felt his heart constrict in his chest at the sight of his wife's crumbled form on the floor. While he was hurt to hear her say that he was undeserving of his son, he was more hurt to hear her heart wrenching cries, knowing he was responsible for them. He fell before her on his knees, grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her into a comforting hug. He gently caressed her head on his shoulder as her hot tears wet his shirt. He let her unburden her anguish on him for some time but when her sobs failed to subside, he lifted her head from his shoulder and started kissing her tears dry. She did not stop him, but her expression was unreadable as her eyes were closed. Her hiccups continued even after her tears dried up.
Looking at her face closely, he asked her in a gentle voice, "Were you going to kill me off, darling?" Her eyes flew open in alarm hearing these words.
"What do you mean?" she asked him in confusion.
"What were you planning to tell our son once he is old enough to question you about his father's identity and his whereabouts? Were you planning to tell him that his father was dead?"
Geet's hand hastily sealed his lips and she shook her head in despair. Pained by his words, her eyes started quickly filling up again.
Removing her fingers from his lips, he remarked drily, "Anyway even if you do tell him his father is dead, you wouldn't be wrong, for I am as good as a dead man without the two of you in my life."
Before she could open her mouth though, they heard a booming female voice say, "She was confident that long before your son is old enough to start missing his father, he will be with him."
Startled by the sudden intrusion, they both turned around towards the voice. Standing just inside the door step was a tall hefty middle aged woman. She wore a stiff cotton saree and her hair was tied up in a bun, making her look both sophisticated and stern. Geet and Maan slowly got up from the floor.
"Sorry to intrude on you like this. I did not ring the bell lest I wake up little Ishan who would be asleep around this time. So I let myself in with my key," she said to Geet. Seeing Maan's confused expression, she walked up to him and extending her hand to him, she introduced herself. "I am Revathy Parthasarathy, Malathi's sister. You must be Geet's Maan."
He mutely nodded his head, noting the possessive reference she used for him and shook her hand warmly.
"I don't know about you two, but I am ravenous. Can we talk this over dinner?" Revathy asked them. Both of them nodded and Geet quickly set the table.
Revathy sat opposite to them at the dining table and quickly tucked in a good portion of the food on her plate before she started the conversation. Looking up at Maan, her mouth still full with food, she asked him curiously, "Maan, did you really think your wife could permanently leave you?"
Maan who was merely picking at his food listlessly, turned to look at his wife who was sitting next to him but she had her head bent down, refusing to meet his gaze. She too seemed to be struggling to eat.
Revathy looked at her plate and told her sternly, "Geet, a lactating mother should eat well in order to be able to feed her baby."
Geet nodded her head meekly and started to eat. Revathy turned her attention back to Maan and continued, "Maan, if you have to blame anyone for Geet's decision to leave you, blame it on me." Maan looked at her in shock.
She then explained everything to him.
Revathy's narration
Revathy was a professional marriage counsellor. She had visited Mumbai a year ago to attend a seminar.
Malathi had given her Geet's address and asked her to pay her dear friend a courtesy call. After the seminar, she had visited their house on the fateful night that Geet received the call about Maan's arrest and fainted hearing it. Revathy panicked and rushed her to the nearest hospital where she learnt of Geet's pregnancy. It seems only that morning Geet herself came to know that she was in the family way and was eager to share the news with her husband. Unfortunately things had not gone according to her plans. Maan's arrest had affected Geet so much that she had nearly lost the baby in her anxiety and had to remain hospitalised for nearly a week till the doctors declared her out of danger. As Revathy had no family of her own, she stayed back to take care of Geet.
At this point of the narration, Maan intervened and asked her whether her husband was in the Gulf at the time. Revathy looked surprised and said that she was widowed within five years of marriage and she had no children. Hearing this, Maan turned to cast an angry glance at Geet for having lied to him, but she steadfastly kept her head bent down. Revathy continued with her narration.
Revathy's narration (continued)
Aditya had tried to call Geet up several times on her cell but Revathy had cut all calls as she did not want Geet to be disturbed at the hospital. Aditya himself had been busy trying to get Maan out on bail but was unsuccessful because of the MP's clout with the judicial system. He was unaware that Geet had been hospitalised. After a week he finally met her at home and begged her to visit Maan at least once but she was too angry with her husband for putting her through the mental turmoil which nearly cost the life of their child. So she refused to meet her husband or let him know about his impending fatherhood. She did not even confide in Aditya about the baby lest he tells Maan about it.
Revathy sensed that Geet was having some marital problems and asked her about it after Aditya had left. Although Geet was reticent in the beginning, she finally broke down and told her the problems she was having in her marriage because of Maan's unbridled fiery temper. While Geet admired Maan for standing up for what is right and going out of his way to take care of the weak and the defenceless, she did not subscribe to his brand of meting out justice to the perpetrators of crime. She wondered how she would raise a baby with the constant fear of her husband getting apprehended from time to time for indulging in violence so as to uphold justice.
After much thought, Revathy asked her who or what did Maan treasure the most, the loss of which would hurt him deeply. Geet admitted that Maan loved her the most and would definitely be hurt if he were to lose her. Knowing the hold she has on him, she had even tried threatening to leave him but nothing seemed to work, for after promising her that he would change for the better he had gotten himself in trouble again and this time he had rubbed the politically powerful on the wrong side.
Looking at her pensively, Revathy advised her to carry out her threat and leave him. Geet was initially shocked by this advice. Although she was annoyed with her husband and refused to meet him, she had no intention of leaving him. She shook her head and said that as she had promised to be with him for better and for worse, she will stick by him. Revathy commended her for her sense of duty towards her husband but reminded her that she had a duty towards her unborn child too. She explained to her that she will not be leaving him for good, but only for a while, for his own good. Maan needed to be jolted out of his sense of complacency about his marriage. She elaborated that people with certain pronounced weaknesses which had taken root over many years require a strong motivation to overcome them.
If Geet leaves him, his motivation would be to try winning her back. This would make him strive harder to gain control over his anger and channelize it in more productive activities. It was clear that Maan's fury was not unjustifiable, as it erupted only when he witnessed injustices. At the same time he can't resort to violence to set right the society, for violence only begets violence. There are other more peaceful ways to address the ills of the society, but Maan seemed to be unable to see them as he was blinded by his fury. Nothing can sober and mellow him down more than losing his wife to his wild temper. Medicines for ailments are never sweet, she said. Sometimes one needs to lose something before regaining it. He will then make sure he will never lose it again.
Geet began to understand what Revathy was telling her but she was still wary. She asked her what if her brief and temporary departure from her husband's life has the opposite effect on him and he turns more violent if he feels he has nothing further to lose after he has lost his wife. Revathy admitted that there was a danger that this tactic could backfire on them. It was a double edged sword which could cut both sides but they may have to take that risk. She told her that after he is freed, she can have someone monitor his behaviour during her absence and report back to her. If things appear to get worse, she can return to him and try working through his problems from within the marriage. But she personally felt that given Maan's deep love for his wife, his desperation to win her back would only make him positive and not negative.
Geet agreed to administer this test on Maan after first ensuring that no stone was left unturned in getting him out of prison, for she could not bear to see him suffer. It had taken her a month to trace the rape victim (whose records had mysteriously disappeared) and convince her to fight the case. She also had to elicit the support of the women's organisations to make a public outcry against the rich and the powerful who twist justice to suit them. Revathy helped her in this with her contacts. All this had taken her nearly two months. Once she made sure, with the help of her father, that Maan's case was handled by the best lawyer in town, she wanted to leave the city, for she feared that Maan may come to know of her pregnancy.
She was unsure of whether fatherhood would sober him down or have no effect at all on his violent ways. All she knew was that he will not let go of her if he learns of the baby and may drag her into a legal wrangle for child custody. That would put paid to their plan to reform him by making him feel the pinch of separation, as it would put her on the back foot. So she shot off a curt letter to him informing him of her decision to leave him and left for Chennai to live with Revathy. As she wanted to be independent, she took up a job as a teacher in a nearby school and quit the job only a couple of days before her delivery.
Revathy paused in her narration and looked directly into his eyes. "Maan, Geet may have physically left you behind, but her heart and mind have always been with you. She tries to hide her feelings from me but I could see the raw pain in her eyes. She was in constant touch with your lawyer but swore him to secrecy about her calls. She visited the temple every single day to seek divine intervention for your release. She even wanted to keep a fast for you, but I have strictly prohibited her from doing so considering that she is still feeding her baby. Whatever she did was for you, Maan. Let me tell you one thing - this whole ordeal has not been a picnic for her, either. It is only since yesterday, after hearing that you had been released, has she been at least half as normal as she used to be. Worried about how you will react to her leaving, she has asked Aditya's wife Pinky, to keep a close watch on you and inform her immediately if things get worse."
Maan was shocked to learn that Pinky was aware of Geet's whereabouts but had not told him anything.
"Was Aditya also aware about where you live?" he asked Geet, wondering if his best friend was also part of this deception.
She shook her and said that Pinky had promised not to reveal anything to her husband, lest Aditya feels compelled to tell everything to Maan.
"Maan, whatever we did, we did it for you," Revathy hastened to add.
Maan was aghast at what he had just heard. Although he was upset that so many people contrived to deprive him of his family, he could appreciate that it was their concern for him and their desire to see him reform himself that prompted them to act this way.
He looked at Geet guiltily and turned his attention back to Revathy. "I am extremely sorry for putting all of you through so much trouble. I understand the suffering and pain Geet went through because of me. While I am deeply grateful to you for taking care of her and my baby in my absence, I request you to kindly let my wife and son return with me. I cannot bear to stay apart from them even for a single day. I am willing to do whatever it takes to ensure their well being."
Revathy looked at Geet, who asked him tearfully. "How can I trust you? You have broken your promises so many times. How can I be sure you will not break it again?"
"Geet, you did trust a total stranger five years ago and not only lent him money but also gave him your cell phone number. Can you not trust the same man who is now no longer a stranger to you but your husband and the father of your son? I know he has broken your trust many times but will you not give him one last chance to redeem himself in your eyes?" he asked in a pleading voice.
Geet melted at his words and burying her face in her hands, she wept bitterly.
Revathy's heart went out to the young couple who were so obviously in love with each other and yet in so much pain. "Geet, I think you should give him a chance. I have seen and counselled many couples in my life but I have not seen any man so genuinely remorseful as your husband. He appears to know the true worth of his family and I'm sure he would do his best to safeguard it."
Geet uncovered her tear stained face and wrapped her arms around her husband, who hugged her tightly in return. Revathy smiled happily and left them to their privacy. Just then the phone rang and Geet rushed to pick it up. It was Pinky on the line to warn her that Maan had found her address and was on his way to meet her. Geet smiled and said that Maan had already reached her. Pinky apologised for not being able to warn her in advance because she had just learnt of this development from Aditya who had returned late from work. Geet assured her that there was no need for an apology because they have sorted out and resolved their differences. She also informed her that they will be returning to Mumbai the next day as one happy family. Hearing this, Pinky literally screamed in happiness that even Maan who was a couple of feet from Geet could hear her excited voice. Aditya promptly came on the line and congratulated both of them. After talking to their friends for a little while longer, Maan and Geet turned in for the night.
Maan stepped out of the bathroom after a shower just as Geet finished giving Ishan his last feed for the night. Taking his son from her arms, he asked her to go ahead and shower while he took care of him. Geet smiled at his enthusiasm and went in to shower. When she came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, she found Ishan on Maan's lap, playing with him. Ishan was tugging at his closely trimmed beard and giggling at Maan's mock shouts of pain. Maan's eyes were brimming with pride as he entertained his son. She was amazed to see the two of them bond so quickly and said a silent prayer that her little family stays this way- happy and contended - forever. Maan looked up at her and smiled. He pulled her and made her sit next to him. Kissing her cheek, he thanked her for giving him this precious gift of a child. She pinched his nose and said that she couldn't have done it on her own without his assistance.
Soon Ishan's eyes turned droopy and Maan laid him in the cradle, rocking it till he slept. He then turned his attention to his wife. Seeing the passion in his eyes, Geet blushed a deep red. He bent close to her ear and asked her if she has healed completely from the delivery. She shyly nodded her head.
"Was it a difficult pregnancy, darling?" he asked with concern.
"No, but I missed having you around."
"I'm sorry darling. I'll surely make it up to you the next time. But Ishan needs to be a little older before we get there. Are you safe now?"
She nodded her head again. He then slowly stretched her on the bed and lay next to her. Raising himself on his elbow, he slowly peeled away her nightie to reveal her beautiful form.
"Wow, Geet. You look even more beautiful than I remember you to be. Motherhood seems to have only enhanced your beauty," he exclaimed in awe and ran his fingers across her flat stomach which bore no stretch marks.
Geet flung her arms around his neck and shyly buried her face in the crook between his neck and shoulder. Holding the back of her head and gently lifting her face, he rained it with kisses, which were tender at first, but turned increasingly passionate. Geet reciprocated fervently. The year-long separation only served to fuel their yearning for each other. When it became unbearable, Maan rolled over and completed their union. Their passion escalated exponentially, but even amidst their deep desire for each other, they were keen to please the other. Their altruism was amply rewarded in their synchronised peaking before they collapsed in each other's arms.
Much later when their breathing returned to normal, Maan kissed the top of his wife's head and thanked her for all that she had done for him, promising to never let her down. Geet smiled contentedly and assured him of all her help in his endeavour to walk the path of peace.
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