OS: The one that got away: Part 4 Pg 30 (4/9) - Page 6

The one that got away

Part 2

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[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab_Mri-M5go[/YOUTUBE]

"Ms Handa a lot of your fans want to know why you are still single," The nosy interviewer tried to prod Geet. "You are beautiful and have been linked with many celebrities but it seems that no one has touched your heart"

Maan awaited her answer with baited breath but Geet just shrugged, not wanting to answer the interviewer's question.

"Many say that Gurmeet and Drashti's story is based on your own, a doomed love story" The interviewer continued. "That having been hurt by love, you have devoted yourself to remaining single"

Maan felt the words hit him even as he saw for the barest of seconds the pain in Geet's eyes. He knew that he would be the only one to see it because no one else would understand.

"No love story is doomed" Geet answered calmly, "They just find happiness in different ways...and end in different ways."

But Maan realised that she had ignored the main question because the truth was that the characters hadn't been based on their reality.

The story had somehow been prophetic of their future.

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Almost against his inclinations, Maan ended up reading Geet's novel that night. He usually avoided such situations because he didn't consider himself an editor and let those more qualified make that call. He assessed the authors after his editors had passed them.

But having met Geet, he had been too intrigued to avoid her book. Once he started reading there was no going back.

To say that he was impressed would be an understatement. From the first chapter onwards he knew that she had created something that was both special and rare. The story was a mixture of thriller, romance and drama. The central characters were a male cop and a female reporter covering different homicide cases.

But what sold the story to him was the complex relationship between the two protagonists. They were helplessly in love with each other, it was obvious in the way they interacted and the words that were said as well as those that they kept hidden. However their love was doomed because he was already married, though he was separated from his wife the circumstances of the marriage were murky and hidden. The pair were like unable to stay away, yet couldn't close their distance.

Her story was one of the few stories that would resonate amongst all readers, creating a phenomenon. He didn't understand how he knew this but from the core of his soul he felt this truth. Totally disregarding the time, he took out his phone and called Geet (she had scribbled her number onto a piece of paper on his table).

The phone rang a few times and when Geet did finally pick it up she answered with a barely coherent, "Allo?"

"You are coming to my office tomorrow" Maan was too excited for preamble, "We are going to sign a contract." Realising that he hadn't told her who he was, he sheepishly added, "Oh, by the way this is Maan Khurana"

"I know who you are," despite sounding sleepy, the amusement in her voice was apparent, "Took you long enough to call"

Maan laughed at her cocky attitude, "Do you think you are that good?"

"Of course and now you know I am" Geet said with absolute confidence as well as amusement.

"Right you are" Maan conceded the point readily.

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Maan was jerked back from his recollection as his daughter started to poke him in the back to get his attention.

"Dad!" Gia spoke loudly, "What are you thinking?"

Maan smiled at her, even as he felt the shadow of his past loom over him. "Nothing sweetheart, I was just thinking of an old friend"

"Do I know her?" Gia asked with interest, wanting know more about this friend who could distract even her father, who always paid attention.

"Well yes and no" At his daughter's confused look, he laughed and clarified, "She is the writer on the news, Geet Handa"

"Oh, Mama's favourite writer" Gia promptly grasped, "She seems very nice!"

"She is very nice" Maan agreed with a soft smile.

"Time for her to sleep" Sameera came in, interrupting the conversation. "A certain young lady has already stayed awake past her bedtime."

Giving his daughter a goodnight kiss, Maan headed off to his study room to get some work done.

As he sat down on his desk he couldn't help but turn towards the wall on his right. Hanging on the wall was pictures of all his best seller authors. But his eye was on the picture that was right on the centre; Geet.

Despite everything he felt his lips curve into a smile as he stared at her picture. She had a mischief filled look, despite various promptings from him to look serious but then again she had always been like that.

Just as he was about to get lost in his thoughts, his phone rang. Looking at the caller ID he saw that it was his PA, Adi, so he quickly took the call.

"Hi Adi"

"Sorry sir for calling late but just needed to talk about an important book signings" Adi spoke nervously, due to a mixture of having to call so late as well as having to talk about this particular topic.

Maan rolled his eye and said with annoyance, "Why do you have to call me about this?"

"Ummm'sir Ms Handa is having a book signing in Delhi" Adi stammered out the words, "As you know she has never done a book signing in Delhi, this is a first. So I thought to tell you" Unsaid was the fact that Maan had asked Adi to keep him up to date on Geet, regardless of the fact that he hadn't seen her in the last ten years.

"Thanks Adi" Maan spoke quietly. He was about to hang up but at the last moment he stopped himself, "Where is she doing the book signing?"

After finishing the call, Maan felt the familiar thud of his heart that clearly spoke of his anticipation of meeting Geet. Every meeting with her had been preceded by this very anxiety and excitement. Yet it had been different back then because they were just discovering each other.

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"We have to change the way you look" Maan started shooting orders at Geet without noticing her frown, "People expect a certain image from an author and we want to make sure that you look approachable as well as relatable. We can have a stylist come to help you."

"Hold on a second!" Geet stopped Maan before he could continue on with his ramblings. "Firstly there will be no makeover. Also I want to remain anonymous"

"Anonymous?" Maan looked confused, "Why on earth do you want to remain anonymous? Don't you want people to know that you are getting published?"

"Not yet" Geet put her eyes down, "I want to make sure that I have some success before I tell everyone the truth. In the meanwhile I want to have a pseudonym"

Maan sighed, realising that she was too stubborn, "Fine"

And then they continued on with the negotiations. Both were stubborn and opinionated, causing a lot of disagreements but they still managed to find common ground. More importantly they were enjoying the repartee, basking in the honest but unaware of the undercurrent of attraction that bloomed between them.

After having signed the contract, both relaxed and Maan couldn't help asking the question, "What made you make Gurmeet married?"

Geet looked startled by the question and took a minute to answer, "It may seem weird to you but I actually wanted Gurmeet to be single but''but somehow it never fit. Drashti and Gurmeet are such characters that their stories could never be as simple as them getting together. They needed to fight for each other'..they needed to battle the odds. It may seem morbid but to be honest it wasn't my decision'almost against my will really. But it was what the story demanded."

Maan shook his head, "I never understood the romance of a doomed love. Never made sense to me"

Geet laughed, "I guess love isn't meant to make sense"

"Well, may none have Gurmeet and Drashti's luck!" Maan smirked, "May others have it easier"

"I'll agree to that" Geet smiled in agreement.

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May none have Gurmeet and Drashti's luck.

The words echoed Maan's mind. He had said it as a lark, never believing that their story could be prophetic for his own but fate had a cruel sense of humour.

"Love isn't meant to make sense" Maan whispered, repeating her words into the air. "It never did make sense"

But some of us are cursed to live and burn in this drama of life.

It didn't make sense that he would fall in love with the eccentric author and it didn't make sense that they couldn't be together. It had been so easy to drown in her brilliance, to take life from the glow she exuded. He had gone out of his way to spend time with her, ever slowly falling in love with her.

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They were sitting in a cafe, as usual discussing books as well as issues. Technically they were meant to be talking about publishing date for Geet's book, which was a month away but that was just an excuse that Maan had made to meet her and one that Geet had accepted without question.

"Who is your favourite author?" Maan asked with honest curiosity. Truth was that he wanted to know everything about her, even the small details.

"Jane Austen" Geet said promptly.

Maan rolled his eyes, "Really...not cliched at all!"

"Hey! Don't you dare mock Jane, she is the best!" Geet responded passionately, "There can never be a Jane Austen no matter how many try."

"Okay, I actually really like Austen" Maan conceded but also asked, "But why are you so crazy about her"

"Because when you read her stories, you knew that there would be this amazing gentleman. He would be everything that a man should be; flawed but filled with integrity" Geet smiled as she spoke, "But more importantly there would be a happy ending. No matter what Jane's characters went through, she gave them happiness"

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