Secretly Smitten#8 (Thread 9 Link @ Pg 140) - Page 61

"Baba is coming...he knew everything"

Her words trembled like the earthquake beneath her legs. Everything appeared shattered when sound of explosion hammered in her mind. She noticed lights of fire around, people started rushing and quicken to save their lives. She found herself lost in this dash. She felt she was losing Maan hand from her hold; coldness jabbed her body with the thought and she started shivering. She was all alone, among everything what were proceedings around. Tears fatten her eyes and her skin burned with the sudden heat. Her mind felt numb, stopped functioning, her ears missed the sound of any familiar. She felt she would die with this chilliness when from far heard a voice. Someone was calling her name, seemed searching her among this chaos. Suddenly a hand touched her shoulder; she jumped off with loud sign.

"Geet...what happened. Are you okay?"

Geet looked around. She was not alone yet. She closed eyes in relief. The traffic had got over and vehicles had started leaving out the place. She nodded replying his question. "I'm alright" she whispered. Geet found, Maan had not yet started the engine.

"Maan let's go, traffic has got over"

"Now we do not need to go further, we will to wait here Geet. Dad is coming"

He laughed on his fate. Sometime before he was cursing this traffic to stop them but now, he wished it to remain for some more time; little more so he could see his life sitting beside without any hurry of passing off. He took a turn and parked car at side of road, finding a silent place.

He looked Geet whose face had turned pale. Though his own heart was welling up but never could see her eyes to witness a drop inside. He touched her face and massaged thumb on those tiny water appearing around her eyes.

"Why are you crying hmm? Do you feel upset couldn't be spent much time drooling over me shirtless?" He altered his voice in teasing one. Instead of angering on his mock Geet leaned and hugged him tight pushing face against his heart. She sobbed.

"Oh Geet.. Now don't be cry baby. Look at me"

But she cuddled more. Her wet lashes fluttered over his bare skin gave Maan feel of what she must be going through, though his own condition was also not much better. He tightened arms around her shoulder and patted her hairs.

"Don't worry Angel; it's good that dad came to know everything. At least now you wouldn't need to lie him while bring dinner for me"

He felt a hit on his chest and heard subdued giggle. "He will not let me go anywhere alone now onward, not even collage"

"How can you say it" He lifted her chin. "You yourself had told that your dad is best in world and he can never see you in suffer" He kissed her tears away and saw in her eyes directly. "I'm sure he will accept me". He cupped her face lovingly and caressed her skin softly curling a free strands falling over her cheek into his finger. his words were coming out under the influence, without thinking as his full attention was to watch her face, to save her each expression in heart fearing what if he would have to return back in same isolated life like before, even for few days but this would be no less than a living a entire birth.

"After all who can resist a hot son-in-law like me", he winked. He smiled when Geet chuckled on his statement though she knew how his heart must have been burning quietly.

They heard a bike horn breaking the silence of night. Geet knew who it was. Her face started lessening down every little sign of composure Maan words had provided. She clutched Maan hand firmly. She frightened thinking future. Her forehead tensed. Her lashes fluttered socked in water and her eyes shrank together. Her body went stiffed showing she didn't want to leave him. She wanted to stop this wind which was bringing horn sound nearer. She will not breathe.., no worry but please, stop this blowing air, it was suffocating her lungs. But finally bike stopped just opposite of their car, across road.

"Go Geet" Maan looked out of glass and recognized Mohan. He commanded without mercy. She knew there left no scope but to do what he said. She moved to open the door when found him still unmoved. "Maan you'll not come out?'' She asked holding the unfastened door.

He shook head trying to smile but his hand clutched the steering wheel so tight just to hide his emotion of irreverence. "As I had said, only you had right to see me shirtless Geet, how can I show off to other"

Geet understood he couldn't face Mohan being in this compromising condition. She nodded, without smiling or crying, without angering or giving any response she got down and with heavy heart started moving toward Mohan who was watching her taking small steps.

Mohan tried to see the man he had yet seen as a small boy years before. He was angry, damn angry but somewhere wished to see Maan. How that small innocent boy looks now. Mohan couldn't have forgotten two liquid eyes which always used to see him with hope. They had pain of losing his father in tender age and always seemed asking for the same love from him. Mohan was in fury but he still hoped for tenderness from Maan, the same gentleness he used to give when he was small.

But Geet was alone. She was walking alone in dark path. Mohan knew Maan was inside but he didn't come out that was disappointing. Geet reached keeping head down. She had no courage to face her father eyes. Mohan didn't say a word and started the bike, a signal for Geet she should sit and they left. Geet gave a last face-turn toward Maan but in darkness couldn't see his face but found a pale shadow standing near car holding the car door and watching her leaving.

##

"Geet beta what happened, did you cry?"

Jagan asked the first question looking at her puffy face entering in home. He was still unaware of everything. When Mohan came behind Geet, Jagan went mad to know actually what had happened that everyone behaving weirdly.

"Geet go to your room, I'll call you later"

Mohan commanded. Geet nodded and still looking down she rushed upstairs.

"Mohan are you going to tell me now?"

Mohan closed eyes and gained composure. He told everything. Jagan was shocked to find out the thing he had expected to be come true but hadn't imagined like this. He knew Geet had met Maan and both still loved each other but he was wishing it should be them only, by whom news should have been broken. At least by Maan but Mohan getting known by outsider, this was not a good sign.

Geet locked herself in room and she slips down sitting on floor pushing her back against the door and cried out loud. There was nothing she could do more. She couldn't hurt herself, it would pain Maan. She couldn't shout and demand for her love, it would disrespect Mohan. She couldn't scream to God because this future was herself chosen. No one was there she could ask help to get even a drop of water to blow off her burning heart. She was combusting and her skin was glooming into ashes bit by bit. The pain was unbearable. She wanted Maan shoulder to cry on resting her cheek, wanted his arms to hold her near and wanted to hear his soothing voice that everything will be alright. She smiled between tears remembering him. She looked around the room. His given toys were looking at her and they all were smiling. She looked the big teddy. She rushed to him and hugged tight as of getting the warmth of Maan embrace. She kissed teddy face as if kissing her Maan face wetting him with her tears. She wanted to feel shy with the thought but couldn't. There was no feel of him nearby and she was yet alone. She wept and laid on bed cuddling teddy near her heart and closed eyes to dream Maan.

Her unconsciousness broke with the knock on her door. She startled. For the first her blurred mind couldn't grasp the source of sound but when knock became louder and heard her name calling by someone she stood up. She walked to the door and unfastened it, "Chacu"

"Geet come downstairs Beta" Jagan spoke softly, pitying at her so pallid. "Your Maan has come",

He knew this was the only name could bring life back on her sadden face and exactly same happened when her eyes shone in instant. "Maan.." she whisper.

Jagan nodded. "come..'' he patted her head lovingly and left and Geet hurriedly followed him and stopped outside of the window where Mohan and Maan was sitting face to face inside room.

"Why have you come back Maan?'' Mohan asked giving the as grievous tone as could do but somewhere it came out refined. "Do you know what ill-effect this meeting can bring in our life? I guess now I don't need to hide anything from you nor do I think there is any need left to talk to you confounded. I guess you already know everything but I'm afraid how, when your own elders wanted it be concealed? Well I think I shouldn't interfere in your life but I just want you to be away from our life'' Mohan took gap for a while, inhaling a deep breath,

"Whatever relation you think you're sharing with my daughter, you would've to forget it. Go back from Geet's life Maan there is no place for you in our life" his voice came out as sore as the painful exhale he withdrew.