Ch.5
Recap: The family was living on the hope that one day Geet would start functioning on her own without these machines but Maan fought with a promise he had made her years ago. A promise no one other than Maan and Geet knew about.
Ch.5
"I am sorry baby...I am so sorry. Your Maan isn't strong enough to part from you. You see, he just doesn't know how to live without his sweet yet twisted Jalebi", he whispered as he traced his index finger along the soft texture of her cheek.
His own words brought a fresh wave of memories
Flashback ( Maan 14, Geet =12)
"Hey mummies", both Maan and Geet yelled as they burst through the kitchen door of the Handa house. They always referred to both their moms as mummies when they saw them together.
"Hey kids, how was school?", the moms asked together.
"Awesome", came their jointed reply.
"Whatta doing", Maan asked with curiosity as he went to the stove.
"We are making jalebis honey", Pammi Mom replied as she squeezed the batter out of the tube maging scribbling lines into the heated oil.
"Yummy, Jalebis..i just love them", Geet said happily as she came by the stove.
"Ya, that's why you are so fat...you know what ? You are a Jalebi".
Geet frowned, "A Jalebi?", she crossed her arms turned her face away in anger. Both the moms watched with amused expression wondering how Maan was going to pacify her this time.
"You know why you are a Jalebi? Because you are so twisted that i can never understand you funny but you are just as sweet", he said as he held her shoulders smiling at her.
Geet frown quickly turned into a wide smile, "And you are a Beja Fry and I don't even need to explain that.", she said with a laugh and ran knowing he was coming after her.
"Beja Fry? Just you wait Jalebi, wait till I get you.", he yelled and ran after her .
Flashback end
The memories of the childhood made him smile but the promise...the memories of the promise haunted him.
Flashback
Maan came back from work as Nakul Kaka opened the door letting him in.
"Good evening Maan Baba", Nakul said.
"Good evening kaka", Maan said back as he loosened the knot of his tie and placed his briefcase on the sofa. "Where's Geet Kaka?", he asked as he looked around but didn't see her in sight.
"She's on the terrace Baba but she looked really upset.", Kaka informed him and Maan's forehead crinkled with worry.
"Upset?", Maan asked and Kaka nodded.
"What did you do this time Baba?", Kaka asked playfully.
"I didn't do anything, honest", Maan whined. Kaka took the liberty of gently ruffling his hair, only he could do such a thing as he loved Maan as his own grandson over the years he worked here.
"Go, and see what your princess is upset about", Kaka said with a laugh before he walked off.
"But I didn't even come late today.", he said and checked his watch for the time. He was on time and he hadn't ignored any calls from her. He wondered what it could be.
Anxious, he raced up the stairs to the terrace to see her swinging her legs back and forth on her beige outdoor swing but he was shocked to see a non-stop stream tears running down her cheeks. "Geet", he called out to her and rushed to engulf her in the safety of his arms.
"Maan", she whispered with relief as she buried her face in his chest gripping him tight.
"Geet baby, what's wrong?", he asked with worry as he cradled her face in his palm while he wiped her tears with his thumb pad.
"Maan, please hold me", she pleaded as new tears began to swim in her eyes. "Just hold me". She threw her arms around his neck laying her head on his shoulder. Maan held her assuring her but worry was beginning to crawl at him.
"Baby, what are you crying? You are worrying me. Please tell me", he said as he drew her face back to wipe her tears once again. Her lips quivered and tears came non-stop. "Mohan, get water, NOW", Maan yelled and the servants came scrabbling. He gently held a glass to his lips urging her to sip water to stop her hiccups.
She took a few sips as soothe his worry. He kept the glass on the side and ran soothing circles on her upper back to calm her down. "Now, please tell me love"
"Actually today..today...at the hospital.", she said slowly and stopped to take a deep breath.
"What happened at the hospital?', Maan asked.
Geet wiped the last of her tears with back of her hand. He put her hand around her shoulder to draw her close to his side and she wrapped her hand around his waist. She felt a sense of relief and safety in his warm embrace.
"Today at the hospital, there was a patient...and you know that he had been on life support for three years.", she started to explain. Maan was confused but he waited for her to go on. "You know Maan, that poor guy is only twenty-five years old and...", she stopped as she felt the lump in her throat restricting her to go any further while Maan waited patiently while he held her. " And today, they pulled the plug on his machines and he...he...he died", she finished as her body shook with her sobs.
Maan knew the best way to console her right now was to hold her quietly in her arms and let her cry her heart out even though they broke his heart. She spoke again when she could trust herself to.
"Maan, it was so hard to watch to his parents end their own son's life...Can you imagine Maan? They waited three years for their son to heal and now they gave up.", she said quietly as she stared at the stars lost in her own daze. "And it was so hard to watch, I can't even imagine their pain."
"I am sorry baby", Maan said softly as he held her as they reassured themselves with the touch.
"Maan, can I ask you for a promise?", Geet asked quietly as she cuddled in her arms. He tilted her chin up to look into her eyes.
"Anything sweetheart, you know I would give you anything."
"If something like this were to ever happen to me--", Maan stopped her from going on further as he placed a hand over her mouth shaking his head at her.
"Please Geet"
She lifted his palm off and kissed it, "Please promise me that you won't let me live like a corpse, you won't let them keep on life support."
"But Geet", he started to say unable to comprende the idea of ever losing her. She was all he had after he lost his parents and Dadi Ma.
"Please Maan, I need this promise", she asked as she held out her hand. He couldn't do it. Firstly, he couldn't such a horrific incident happening to his Geet and if it did, he would kill himself before he had to end her life.
"Jabeli, I can't baby...I can't", he whispered as he pulled her close hoping she would understand the sentiments in his heart. "You are all I have.", he whispered as tears began to glisten his eyes.
"Maan, I would never want to live like that. You said you would give me anything and I need this promise.", she pleaded as she looked into his eyes expressing the desperation. Maan closed his eyes as he swallowed a lump in his throat. There wasn't even a situation yet where Maan had to execute her wishes and he was already fighting back tears. God forbid, if there were be to such a time, he would just crumble.
"Please Maan", she asked again holding her palm out for him.
Maan put a stone on his heart as he brought his hand forward to hold hers. "But I will never need to carry out this promise, you hear me? Never"
Flashback end
But the time had come, and Maan broke the one promise he made her. The guilt of the broken promise ate him...not letting him rest in peace...
Would she ever forgive him for it? Or would he ever forgive himself for it?
Okay folks...should Reya be hiding?
Love, Love, Love
Reya <3
next ch: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/geet-hui-sabse-parayee/1716826/m-g-ss-vanilla-twilight-last-ch-pg-42-jul-26?pn=42
Real Estate
707