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Maan had come home elated. He was excited to meet Geet. She had stayed back at home because the doctor had advised her to rest until they had seen the test results and were satisfied about her condition.
And then he saw her talking to Dev - once again. Dev's face gave nothing away, but Geet's was transparent as usual. She was distressed. Maan got infuriated. He had to find out. But he did not want to confront Geet in front of Dev. That wouldn't do.
Geet enetered her room lost in thoughts, when a pair of strong hands pulled her. Maan used his legs to shut the doors and pinned her against them using one of his hands, while he locked the doors with the other.
His intense expressions and angry voice scared Geet for a moment, "Kya chhupa rahi ho mujhse Geet?"
"Kya? Main aapse kuchh kyon chhupaungi?"
"Dev kya kah raha tha tumse? Abhi aur pahle bhi kai baar."
"Maan!" Geet felt like her heart would tear apart, "Aap mujh par shaq..."
"Pagal mat bano Geet," Maan's voice was still hard, "Tumhein achchi tarah se pata hai ki main tumhare baare mein aisa soch bhi nahin sakta. Lekin mujhe Dev par koi bharosa nahin hai. Mujhe nahin pata ki achanak tumhari nafrat uske liye kyon kam ho gai hai, lekin agar woh tumhare aas paas hai to kuchh achchha nahin kar raha hoga. Woh tumhein pareshaan kar raha hai aur tum mujhe bata nahin rahi ho."
"Aisa kuchh nahin hai Maan aur mujhe chhodiye. Mujhe dard ho raha hai."
Maan hadn't realized that his hold on her was getting tighter. He continued to hold her, but lightened the pressure, "Geet! Mujhse jhooth tum bol nahin sakti. Aur agar sach nahin bataogi to tumhari hifaazat ke liye mujhe jo samajh mein aayega, main karoonga. Samajh rahi ho tum?"
"Maan, aapko kuchh karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Mujhe kuchh nahin hoga."
"Haan Geet! Kuchh nahin hoga tumhein. Kyonki agar tum mujhe nahin bataogi, to main tumhein apni aankhon ke saamne se hilne hi nahin doonga. Band kar ke rakh loonga is kamre mein. Koi zidd nahin chalegi tumhari. Haath-pair baandh kar rakh doonga tumhare, agar zaroorat padi to. Samjhi tum?"
He wasn't joking. He would actually do that. It was in his eyes - the madness, the obsession. She should have been angry at his obsession. Or nervous. But neither of those happened. She only felt scared and worried, not for herself, but for him. He cared to the point of madness. Not just that, he needed her to be with him. And he needed her completely. He could not bear her keeping any secrets from him. He could not bear any distance from her. And she feared. She feared that if she ever failed him, what will he do? He will not remain himself. She remembered how he had behaved when she had walked out on him and had joined Indian Paints. She shivered.
"Maan. Aap please shaant ho jaiye. Main aapko aise gusse mein nahin dekh sakti," she caressed his hair and cheeks with her hand in the hope of calming him down. She thought she had succeeded when he caught her hand and started kissing it. She felt his grip tightening on her again and he was roughly caressing her back and nape, bringing her even closer to himself if that was possible. But she soon realized that it was different. The kisses and touches were not so much of desire and love as they were of authority. Their roughness seemed to urge her to give in. That she had no option other than to submit to him. Otherwise he would make good of his promise of doing whatever he thinks is right to protect her. But even in this situation, Geet could not help getting affected by his touches. When he could not break her mentally, he had used his physcial control over her. Just a few touches and she was weak in her knees. Suddenly his touches stopped and he cupped her face.
"Jab aisa hai Geet, jab nahin dekh sakti tum mujhe gusse mein, to tum mujhe batati kyon nahin ki baat kya hai? Aisa kya ho gaya hai Geet ki tum Dev se nafrat nahin karti. Uske is ghar mein rahne se bhi tumhein koi aitraaz nahin hai. Tum usse baatein karti ho, milti ho. Batao Geet. Ye sab tumhein achchha to nahin lag sakta hai, phir kyon kar rahi ho?"
Geet was no longer meeting his eyes. She started looking down. She did not know what to do. How to tell him something that will hurt him to no end.
Maan finally lost his patience, "Geet. Agar tum nahin bataogi to main abhi Dev se ja kar baat karoonga."
"Nahin," Geet panicked. Talking to Dev will do no good to his mood. Seeing him angry hurt her. She wanted to keep him happy, not angry and tense like this.
"Agar koi baat nahin hai, to tum mujhe Dev se baat karne ke liye kyon mana kar rahi ho? Ab main koi bahana nahin sunoonga. Tum mujhe batao, abhi ke abhi, ki baat kya hai."
"Maan. Mujhe maaf kar dijiyega. Dev..."
"Kya kiya Dev ne?" For the first time in the entire conversation his face softened, not with relief, but with worry and concern for her.
"Nahin Dev ne kuchh galat nahin kiya. Maan, jab aapka accident hua to aapko khoon ki zaroorat thi aur kahin bhi aapke blood group ka khoon nahin mil raha tha. Mere paas koi raasta nahin tha Maan. Maine..."
"Dev ne khoon diya?" Maan's face went blank for a while.
Geet nodded, crying now, "Mujhe maaf kar dijiye Maan. Mujhe pata hai ki aap kissi ki madad nahin lena chahte aur Dev se to aap bahut nafrat karte hain. Lekin us waqt main aapki zindagi ke alawa kissi cheez ke baare mein nahin soch sakti thi... Isliye Dev se madad maangi. Aap please gussa mat hona."
"Geet! Tumhein meri jaan bachane ke liye Dev se madad maangni padi?" His face was now showing pain and immense regret.
But Geet did not realize what exactly he was trying to say. She went on with her apology, "Main jaanti thi Maan ki aapko ye bilkul achchha nahin lagega. Isliye main aapko nahin batana chahti thi. Aap please mujhe maaf..."
Maan did not let her complete another apology and put his hands on her lips.
"Tum mujhse kyon maafi maang rahi ho Geet?" Maan had finally found his voice back, "Maafi to mujhe tumse maangni chahiye. Dev ne tumhare saath kya kuchh nahin kiya. Tumhein to uski shakal tak dekhne mein aitraaz hona chahiye tha. Aur sirf meri jaan bachane ke liye tum apni saari nafrat bhool kar usse madad maangne chali gayi Geet? Uske saamne jhuk gayi? Sirf mere liye?"
"Sirf?" Geet flinched, "Maan! Dev ne to mere saath sirf dhokha kiya tha. Aapki jaan bachane ke liye to main kissi khooni ki bhi madad le leti. Main apni nafrat ke liye aapki zindagi se kaise khel sakti thi Maan. Aur woh bhi tab jab meri bewkoofi ki wajah se aap us halat mein pahunche the."
"Bas Geet. Khud ko blame karna band karo. Tumne meri jaan bachane ke liye bahut badi kurbani di hai Geet. Thank you!"
"Maan! Maine koi kurbaani nahin dee hai. Duniya ki saari nafrat se badh kar mere liye aapka pyaar hai, aap hain. Aapki zindagi ke liye to main hazaron Dev ke saamne jhuk sakti hoon. Jhukna kyon Maan, agar aap chahte to maine Dev ko maaf bhi kar diya hota."
Maan could not say anything more. She was as completely his as one could be. He could ask for nothing more. He pulled her in a tight hug, silently promising to himself that he would never let this happen to her again. And he also had to ensure that this doesn't worry her any longer.
"To isliye jab Dadi Ma Dev ko wapas ghar laana chahti thi, to tumne mana nahin kiya. Balki unka saath diya."
"Haan Maan. Chahe main usse kitni bhi nafrat karti hoon, lekin aapki jaan bachane ka ahsaan to uska hai hi. Aur Dadi Ma ki khushi bhi ismein hi thi..."
"Par ab woh aur kya chahta hai tumse? Aaj kya kah raha tha jo tum itni pareshaan thi?"
"Use paison ki zaroorat hai. Woh Dadi Ma se maangne mein hichak raha hai."
Maan could not have expected anything else from Dev. But his first priority was to keep Geet out of it. So, he controlled his anger, "Hmm. Ab tumhein usse baat karne ki koi zaroorat nahin hai Geet. Main dekh loonga. Theek hai?" Saying this he broke the hug and looked at her for confirmation.
She nodded.
"Main abhi aata hoon."
"Maan!"
"Kya hua Geet?" He asked very softly.
"Maan. Bas ye mat bhuliyega ki usne aapki jaan bachayi hai. Chahe aapke liye iski koi ahmiyat na ho, lekin mujhe to isse meri poori duniya wapas mili hai."
Maan smiled, "Tum chinta mat karo Geet. Mujhpar bharosa rakho."
She also smiled slightly and nodded.
He went out.
--
"Dev!"
"Bro Aap?"
"Dev! Tumne khoon de kar meri jaan bachayi hai. Tumhara jo bhi ehsaan hai, woh mere oopar hai. Usko lekar Geet ya Dadi Ma ko emotionally blackmail karne ki tumhein koi zaroorat nahin hai," Maan immediately came to the point.
"Bro. Aapko kaise pata chala? Aur maine koi ehsaan nahin kiya hai. Main..."
"Kya chahiye tumhein Dev?"
"Bro..."
"Kitne paison ki zaroorat hai tumehin? Geet se kya maang rahe the? Tumhein jo chahiye mujhse lo. Geet ko dubara pareshaan mat karna."
Dev told him about his debts.
"Theek hai. Apne creditors ke naam mujhe de do. Main sab karze clear kar doonga. Aur haan - mere paas tumhare liye ek aur deal hai."
"Deal?"
"Haan! Mumbai mein maine ek naya ghar liya hai. Tum wahan ja kar rahoge. Agar kuchh kaam karna chaho to kar sakte ho. Na karna chaho to mat karo. Tumhare account mein tumhare kharchon ke liye main har mahine paise transfer kar doonga. Tum apni life jee sakte ho. Bas laut kar yahan Geet ke saamne mat aana."
"Par Bro. Main apne parivaar ke saath rahna chahta hoon. Aur Dadi Ma..."
"Dadi Ma ko ye jaan kar bahut khushi hogi ki tum apna career khud banana chahte ho. Tumne apne fayde ke liye meri jaan bachayi aur main tumhein uske badle ghar aur paise de raha hoon. Manzoor ho to theek hai, warna... Mere jeete jee to main tumhein yahan nahin rahne doonga."
Dev just nodded.
"Tumhare tickets tumahre paas pahunch jayenge," Maan said and left the room, not to look back.
When Maan left, Dev was seething with anger and vowed to take his revenge from Maan. He hated his power over him. How could his brother treat him like shit. He had hoped to create a rift between Maan and Geet by meeting her repeatedly and sowing doubts in Maan's mind. But the plan had obviously failed. He needed to do something more direct now!
--
Once Maan came out of Dev's room, he consciously decided to not think about him. His thoughts returned to Geet. He could not help feeling overwhelmed with what she had done for him. Taking help from the man she detests the most! How would she have felt while asking him to help. And bearing him around her all the time after that. Unable to ward him off because she was under his debt. Could he do something to make up for that? Could he do something special for his Mishti, who managed to make him fall in love with her again and again? He, of course, had her test results with him.
--
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