Secretly Smitten#8 (Thread 9 Link @ Pg 140) - Page 75

Expecting a heavy sigh from Maan for speaking curtly and direct with him, Mohan watched him attentively, sitting at front but the young face was appearing relaxed. The same expression he had gotten when he had parted the door for him little earlier.

"Who are you?" Mohan asked but then remembered the person being the same one who'd come for seeking help for washing his hands once at night. Mohan cramped his eyes together when stranger smiled and touched his feet in very familiar manner, the way as if the younger one owned him.

"Maan?" Instantly Mohan blurted out the assumed name! He couldn't be anyone else. The same liquid eyes yet were companying perfect with same narrow cut shaped face and he had grown up as tall as his grandfather. His appearing was well cultured but much tougher than his age but skin had shine of youngness. His personality oozed imperiousness but his eyes were gentle like past. And the same eyes were staring him this time with hope of affirmation. Mohan turned his face away from his expecting eyes, they were melting his heart without his will.

Mohan stood up and walked toward the closed window adjusted to open outward. He unfastened both frames; let cold wind come inside thinking they would lessen down the heat of desperation inside. He waited for Maan's reply yet not looking him but Maan was silent. Gush of warm breathes were filling the vacuum of soundless room when Jagan appeared at the same time taking Geet along with and her presence caught Maan attention. He turned toward window where Geet was stood, looking at him with her deer eyes and then she looked at his father adverse figure with hope.

"Maan seems you didn't hear what I said; you should go back where you've come from. Nothing is here we can give you. Though everything we have has been given by your grandfather himself and if you've come to get the claim back" He turned to Maan and his eyes glanced up to Geet. ", I'm ready for whatever you've come to get back in reverse of what your grandfather had done for us but with keeping my pride out from this deal". He looked to Geet with cold eyes. Geet shuddered witnessing the ice coldness in those wrinkled eyes which always she had seen full of liveliness possessing in. Mohan attended toward Maan ignoring his daughter presence.

"Dad" Finally Maan spoke. "I know my abrupt stepping into your life has hurt you. It opened the healed wound again you would've forgotten years back but please, believe me I'd no intention to give you pain and don't think my coming is sourced for any pay back from you, it's not true".

"Then what's true Maan? Is it true that you came for demanding your right on us? Have you return to control our living again like your grandfather had done? Or is it that, your family has accepted Geet... Do they know you're here?" Mohan longed to know.

"They know everything what should do" Maan said composedly.

"Should I take the mean that you're here neglecting their will?

"Not of all ...'

"But the main whom acceptance should be prior. Am I right Maan?'

Maan silence cleared his doubt. "Then what you're doing here. I think you've gotten my decision. I can't accept you being anywhere near us, would be good if you return back to your world. That's it I've to say' Mohan turned to go out.

"I'm sorry dad but I can't follow on your decision this time'

Maan fearless voice stopped the hurrying legs of Mohan and everyone else pounding heartbeats altogether. Maan walked near and joined his hands in front of Mohan, he requested courteously "I'm sorry dad, I know I'm disobeying you but this time I am not ready to give up. No one should've authority to write our destiny. No one will decide our future but it would be only us who will decide it. I and Geet will decide.."

"Oh so you mean now onward you both will not be needing us?' Mohan said burning inside but calming his outside with composed manner. He crossed arms around chest and his expression was as grave as his body was feeling stiffed. Once Maan disappointed him when didn't come out from car as per he'd expected him to do in admiration and now, disregarding his words swiftly.

"No .. it's not true that we don't need you. You are the essential need for us, for our life. Without you we can't imagine our world running thoroughly. For us everything depends around you only but it's also a fact which even you can't ignore that our relation has been bonded long ago and me, want to carry on with this decision only. I promise I will keep Geet always happy, will give my life to secure her smile if is needed. I will do everything which you would've ever dreamed for her but I'm sorry, I can't accept what you ordered me to do right now"

"And what about your family Maan? Is only my acceptance is entire for you? What if your grandfather comes with the threat he'd given years back with the damage of my daughter life if I ever consider about this relation for further. What will I do when I would have my own family life and pride on risk? How will I save everything which I've collected with years hardship?.. huh? It's very easy to lit a flame Maan but to secure it from hit of weather is much tougher, and even if you try there always be the risk of your own hand burn"

"But the same flame cause sometime for the big fire dad which turns the huge forest down into ashes and no wind can harm it easily"

"Are you mean to threat me?"

"No.. I can never. In fact this can be the fact of our lives, of me and Geet that in this big fire of hatred we ourselves would be killed with no mercy of getting a chance to live peacefully on our chosen terms. There will be only us two dad who will suffer till end of our life because all our elders would've satisfaction of having their wish fulfilling by us. But I know, this satisfaction of winning can never give a second happiness watching your own children burning into fire of death"

Mohan body shuddered with his words. He closed eyes in desperation then opened them. He knew what Maan was saying was truth, he himself wanted to give this relation a chance but the fear took over his wish.

"Dad I know what you're fearing for, but I assure you, I will never let anything happen to Geet. She is not only your responsibility but mine too and on one can ever dare to give her disgraceful glare till I will be there with her beside" Maan was ashamed of his luck that he had to keep his love secure from his own elder but he was even ready for it, if would be needing ever. He waited impatiently for Mohan answer, his eyes were wondering in anxiety.

"Look Maan, in this decision my word is nowhere needed until your own grandfather accept her" Mohan surrendered on to his confidence.

"It means that you've no objection dad?"

"I don't know. I never knew... not earlier my consideration had been taken up as ideal not now I want to give my statement without the proof of having secure future for my daughter. But if you think you can handle the opposition of your own family, I would need to see you doing this.. alone. I don't want my daughter role anywhere near between your conflicts till everything goes alright. Yes, I say I'm not against your relation but not until you would have the as huge as power your grandfather possess, so I can sleep in peace giving my daughter hand in to your stronger one but not before that day you can meet her. You'll have to forget her until your hand become capable enough to hold her protected and the day you'll do it, I'll myself welcome you here, in my house. Are you ready for this?"

Maan looked him surprised. How could he promise for anything he would not be able to complete, not in even his dream. He couldn't live a day away from Geet, not meeting her is far away from imagination and forgetting her, it was out of question. He was stood dumbstruck when same painful gasp he heard from behind of wall which was separating Maan to see Geet.

"Maan I'm waiting yet for your decision"

"Bhaiya what you're sayin... " Jagan came to talk but Mohan didn't give him chance.

"Tell son, are you ready to do this sacrifice for your love?''

Maan closed eyes in pain then opened and as Mohan had expected, he saw volume inside them. "I promise dad, I'll not meet Geet until she herself would come to meet me". He smiled. He had trust on Geet, she will come and his smile amazed Mohan. He left the room a signal that the talk was over. Jagan followed him leaving both Maan and Geet alone to catch a small time for talk each other. Geet rushed to meet him. She had magnitude of words to say but found lips sealed with emotions.

"Don't Geet' He caressed her face lovingly, taking the full length of her face into his palms. He stroked her trembling lips with his thumb to absorb the feel of them into his skin. Geet made herself surrendered into his arms hugging tight with her soul touching against his body. "I love you Maan' she whispered in his ear. Maan felt a new power filling in his heart with her confession for the first time. He took her face in his hands, kissed her lips which had poured those gleam of energy, to take full from them into him. he deepened the kiss feeling miserable, lack of stability. He kissed her face then her cold forehead and then her parted hair where he'd to claim his right. "I'll wait for you Geet" he whispered a last time into her mouth and left.

##

Maan drove like mad after leaving Geet home. Every little composure he had been carrying inside just exploded out at once and his patience destroyed everywhere with scattered pieces of his existence. He just wanted to proof everything to everyone who wanted him his doing. Even his own life would be counted last in all this proof-game. Everyone was expecting something from him, all wanted to him to play puppet in their owner game but no one was ready to teach the rule of this game. The only support he'd gotten after long wait had been taken away brutally with the promise he would never see her. How could it be possible living a life without taking breath in, with preventing a heart to beat? It was the worst punishment he could ever have got but now, was experiencing forcefully.

He called the Ravi Singhania and demanded to meet him as soon as possible. "I am ready to accept the offer" He announced and threw the phone on next seat.