FF: Forever and Always........THREAD 3 updated pt 58/pg 130 - Page 65

Part 53

It was like any other day of the week... Frustrating, busy one and his heart still felt empty. Friday had suddenly lost its charm. Ever since he met Geet two weeks back staying away from her was even more difficult. Taking out his key he opened the door to his penthouse. He had changed nothing in it. The decorations Geet had done on their last dinner...the dried flowers, the deflated balloons, the melted candle marks.

Maan did not have the heart to clean them...it felt like he would let go of the last touch of his Geet. When he was entering the hotel he had felt everyone of his employee really tensed as if he would eat them alive or something.

Maan got inside his living room and kept the room keys absent-mindedly. But something was amiss. Some thing was wrong. He looked around the entire room. It was clean...crystal clean. Gone were the decorations, the flowers, the balloons, the candles. It looked like somebody had cleaned the room completely.

Maan was enraged to a level he did not know he possessed. He picked up the intercom and called the reception. He did not even let the receptionist say a hello and boomed with all his anger...

Maan:"HOW DARE YOU LET THE CLEANING CREW CLEAN MY LIVING ROOM WHEN I HAD ORDERED THAT NOBODY...I MEAN NOBODY WAS ALLOWED TO ENTTER HERE?"

He could feel the receptionist shake with fear in the other end of the line.

Maan:" ANSWER ME DAMMIT!!!!"

Rec:"But sir..."

Maan:"WHAT BUT? I WANT TO KNOW WHO DARED TO CLEAN THE ROOM NOW!"

There was a deafening silence before a musical voice full of amusement spoke the next set of words...

"Tch tch Mr. Stranger... I thought you were a cleanliness freak! Shouting for Six months old trash! Bad!"

Maan had known that voice by his heart but hadn't heard of it in six months. He slowly turned and watched an amused Geet standing with a smile on her face and looking at him ever so lovingly. He couldn't believe his eyes...How can Geet be standing here in his living room that too wearing his shirt and shorts?

Geet smiled and said softly," You should keep the phone probably after saying sorry to your receptionist for completely terrorizing her. She must be still shaking with fear."

Maan was watching his Geet after so many days. It seemed unbelievable for Geet to be here. Maan thought that he was hallucinating. Smiling to himself he said over the intercom.

Maan:"Umm, it's okay. Never repeat this."

Rec:"Okay sir."

After keeping the receiver down he walked towards the sofa and sat down and sighed loudly. Then suddenly he started laughing.

Geet:" What is so funny here Mr. Stranger?"

Maan:" I never knew hallucinations can be so realistic. I should probably go and hang out with Dev..."

Geet felt a stabbing pain realizing may be that Maan was too numb in pain. She had truly broken his heart in the process of healing her own. That man doesn't even hope she could be there in Mumbai. Taking slow steps she went near Maan and sat kneeling down in front of him.

Geet:"Touch me Maan...you would know I am truly here."

Maan:" You would disappear...at least I can see you now, hear you this way."

Tears formed in Geet's eyes realizing how much this man in front of her loves her. How in the world would she ever make it upto him? Did she really deserve him?

Geet could not take his pain anymore. Raising herself up, she placed her lips onto his. It was like an electric jolt. She had been aching to kiss him from that evening beside the lake when she hadn't responded to his kiss. Slowly she encircled her arms around his neck bringing him closer, latching on to him as she poured all that was her into that one kiss. He was of course too shocked to respond. But slowly the thought that she might be real was sinking into him as his lips began to respond to the strange rhythm they had set.

Their lips moved in sync as they kissed each other like their life depended on it. Somewhere during the kiss Maan's arms had held her and brought her nearer...so close that not even air can pass. They kissed...unhurried, undemanding pouring their everything out for the other...they kissed with all the sweetness of their love and pain of their separation...they kissed like they would die the next moment...they kissed like there was no tomorrow...

Only the need for air could make them stop but even a minute of separation would kill them. Geet was crying as she continued kissing Maan's entire face and mumbled something incoherently. Maan made her sit on his lap and held her tightly as if to make sure that she was truly there in front of his eyes. He closed his eyes to absorb all the love Geet was bestowing upon him.

Slowly he separated her a bit from him and looked at her and then said almost reverently," You came back."

Geet:" Of course I came back."

Maan: "You are really really here."

Geet:" Yes sweet heart."

Maan:" You came back."

Geet smiled softly yet her heart ached for him and the pain she gave him. Pecking softly on his lips she smiled shyly,"Do you still believe you are just hallucinating?"

Maan held her tightly against his chest and whispered softly into her ears,"Oh Geet! I can't believe you are actually here. I had almost given up hope."

The statement brought back her miserable feeling as she realized for the thousandth time in the day how much she had hurt this man with a golden heart. When she had entered the living room of the penthouse she had an ache in the heart knowing Maan hadn't changed a single thing from that dinner six months back. She cleaned up the place and cooked his favorite pasta. Strangely in these six months Geet had mostly eaten pasta and drank coffee as if she wanted to feel him nearer. Maybe a part of her had always ached for Maan...only she was too disturbed to acknowledge that part.

Maan realized his shirt was getting soaked and broke out from the hug only to watch Geet cry silently. He was alarmed with her tears and asked in an agitated voice," Geet what's wrong shone? Did I do anything wrong? Did I hurt you? Do you need something? Do you want me to go?"

His caring queries made her cry even more bitterly as she held onto him. She just cried and cried. She cried for her parents abandoning her in her childhood, she cried for the untimely death of Armaan, she cried for being separated from Maan even if it was her own decision, she cried for all the loving beautiful words Armaan wrote but most importantly she cried because no way in hell could ever measure upto this man Maan Singh Khurana. Geet had only given him pain yet here he was caring for some ungreateful person like her.

Geet cried and cried as Maan held her tightly murmuring soft words into her ears. Somewhere he understood that Geet was finally letting go of all her built up anguishes of the past yet it is always tough to hold your loved ones as they cried bitterly. His own tears escaped as he kept his chin on the crook of her neck. He didn't bother wiping his tears as they disappeared somewhere into her hair.

Slowly Geet's sobs subsided and Maan broke the hug. They looked at each other for a minute or so before they raised their hands to wipe each others tears. They were silent for a while before they realized how close they were and how intimate their position was. Geet waited for anything from guilt to embrassment come but nothing except pure, unadulterated love was in her heart for the man in fornt of her. Somewhere down the line they had grown closer even in the separation.

Maan finally broke the silence.

Maan:" Why were you crying Geet?"

Geet was quiet for sometime before she decided that nothing in her life is too embarassing for Maan to hear.

Geet:" I don't deserve you Maan."

Maan:" What? No. It's I who don't deserve you."

Geet:" Who am I truly Maan? I am just a nobody. I was abandoned even by my family. And I gave the worst possible pain to the one person who had loved me the most."

Maan:" You are definitely not a nobody. You are someone special. And you did what you had to. I deserved all the punishment you gave me."

Geet kept her finger on his lips.

Geet:" Hshshs! The only thing you deserve is love Maan. I am sorry for leaving you especially when you needed me the most."

Maan:" You needed this time alone Geet. I know from experience that in order to heal you need to grief properly and you my dear never had the time to grief for Amy. You needed that time for yourself. And I did betray you, kind of. I lied to you Geet. At least, I hid things from you, important things. I deserved whatever you gave me."

Geet:" I don't deserve you Maan... Especially after I had been so selfish..."

Maan:" It's okay to be selfish sometimes Geet."

Geet:" Will you forgive me? Will you take me back?"

Maan:" What do you mean by take you back. I thought you will be the one making the decision to walk away. I am your sinner Geet."

Geet:" No, absolutely not. Why on the earth would you be my sinner?"

Maan was quiet as if bracing himself for the weight of the words he was about to utter.

Maan:"I killed Armaan Geet. I was the reason he is ..."

She did not let him finish as she shut him up with her lips. This time the kiss was with all the hungry passion and pent up desire of the six month separation. Maan let Geet be in the lead even as he brought her closer kissing her with equal intensity.

Finally when they broke the kiss Geet whispered in a seductive tone,"Was that answer enough or do I have to spell it out for you?"

Maan:"HUH!"

Geet:" I guessed so."

Putting as much distance possible while still sitting on his lap Geet began speaking.

Geet:" Maan, I know I had wronged you worse way possible when I said that you had ...that you had killed Armaan but I had lied. I know a sorry doesn't suffice but still I am truly sorry for being such a despicable person.You see I had been blaming destiny for Armaan's death for years so when suddenly I got a chance to blame a living breathing person I took it. In my defence I must say that I wasn't in the right set of mind but you have to believe that I am truly sorry."

Maan:" But...But...But you were right. I did kill Armaan, at least in a way."

Geet sighed and her heart ached. This was the truth of almost five years in Maan's heart and it would take a lot of effort on her part to change his thinking and bringing him out of his guilt.

Cupping Maan's downcasted face in between her palms she made him look straight into her eyes and asked,"Maan what do you see in my eyes?"

Maan:" Love...for me...and guilt I guess."

Geet:" Do you find any resentment, anger, anguish, hatred in my eyes?"

Maan shook his head in negative.

Geet:" Mr. Maan Singh Khurana, get this straight. Armaan died in a flight crash. It was purely accident. When you asked him to take that flight you did not know that the flight was going to crash. Heck you were his brother, his role model, the brother he used to speak about all the time. You would die thousands times in his place. What happened was a sick game of fates but then you were right Maan. Armaan truly passed away as a happy man. Doesn't matter how short he lived, he lived happily. Cherish his memoreies, mourn for him but don't let him be the reason for your anguish. He had always wanted his Maan bhai to be happy and proud of him. Don't let him be the reason for your anguish, your pain, your guilt. Let him rest in peace knowing that the two people he loved tha most are happy. I have let him go Maan. Truly. You should do it too."

Maan was hungrily absorbing her words. Once she finished speaking he went into deep thoughts. Then he made her stand up and stood up himself and let a considerable distance between both of them and asked the most important question of his life.

Maan:" Geet, I know you love me. I am not a fool not to see it in your eyes. But this is important to me. So don't think as my Geet. Think as Amy's Geet, the girl I met at the lake side, the person whose whole world was destroyed in that one news and answer me correctly. If we hadn't met and fallen in love would you still think that I didn't kill Armaan? I want honest answer Geet."

Geet looked straight into his eyes and noticed a strange fear and restlessness. He needed this answer. Taking a deep breath she began.

Geet:" Maan, I don't know about what ifs. I can only say what I feel is true. And the truth is that maybe I would have blamed you initially just like I did but that is just so I can blame someone. In my heart I know now and I am sure I would have known then that I lost my Armaan in a flight crash. I love you but a part of me will always love Armaan and that part has forgiven you. Trust me, nothing in the world except your innocence could make me say that you are not responsible for his death. I love Armaan. I would have never been with someone who can be his reason for death. I know you haven't grieved for him Maan. It's okay to let go now. You are not in any way responsible for his death. It was just destiny. And this is Armaan's Geet speaking to you. Please let go."

Maan was free. As if Geet's words were a balm over his wounds. He slowly sinked onto his knees and cried out loudly as all his pent up emotions came out. Maybe all he needed was for Geet to say that he was not responsible so his heart can be unburdened off the guilt and can start healing itself. Geet ran to him and encircled him in a hug as he cried. He cried for his parents and his chacha, chachi. He cried for his painting career. He cried for his Amy. He cried for his Geet and everything. All his pain and anguish flew in form of tears as Geet sat beside him on floor. Slowly he hugged Geet and she said softly," I love you Maan...I will always be here for you. You won't be alone anymore."

Maan sat up once he was done and rubbed his eyes. Geet removed his hands and softly wiped away his tear marks.

Maan:" So you forgive me?"

Geet:"For what Maan?"

Maan:" I lied to you. "

Geet:" You hid the truth."

Maan:" Same thing."

Geet:" This time away has taught me something Maan. I absolutely can't live withut you."

Maan:" Don't you want to hear my side of story?"

Geet:" I don't need to hear your side of story. You did what you had to do. I don't care about the past anymore. And there is nothing to forgive you for. I am sure it is not easy to tell your girlfriend that her Late lover was your brother especially when she never wanted to be in vicinity of her Late lover's family. I know I have done my own set of mistakes which you have been overlooking. I had left you alone when you needed me the most. But I don't want to repeat my past mistakes anymore."

Maan:" You had every right to be angry Geet."

Geet:" And you had every right to lie if that got you closer to Armaan's memories. I now understand why I was so special, why you fell for me, what Shasha had hinted me the day we went shopping. I was precious because I had Armaan's memories, something you needed, something you cherished."

Maan:" You are special and precious in your own way Geet. But I need you to hear me out."

Geet:" Okay, I will. But only because you need to tell...not that I need to hear."

Maan:" Okay my dear... As you say."

Geet scooted closer and Maan watched her tired face. They both had gone through extreme emotional stress in past few hours or maybepast few months...Geet needed rest. His side of stry could wait.

Maan felt much lighter as he ate pasta made by his mishty. They even cracked jokes and played around. They seemed like teenagers .May be all they needed were each other in order to heal. Once the eventful dinner was done he asked Geet to sleep promising that he would tell his story tomorrow.

Maan had just come out of shower freshly changed when he saw Geet lying on his bed as if it was the most natural thing to do. He came closer and asked," What are you doing here Geet?"

Geet:" Preparing to sleep Maan."

Maan:" But Geet...here?"

Geet:" Yes Maan, here. In your arms. I have had enough separation for a life time."

Maan climbed on the bed too tired to protest but as he lied down he asked in an unsure voice,"Are you sure Geet? What if..."

Geet turned to face him and came closer. His arms encircled her in an instinct. Then she said in an almost inaudible voice," I trust you Maan. I am the safest in your arms. And I have never been surer of anything else in my entire life."

Maan placeda kiss on her over head as the lovers finally found solace in each others arms. After months they both finally fell into a peaceful dreamless slumber.

Note: I wanted to make them meet after her college but I know for sure some among you would kill me if I let Maan suffer anymore.😉😆..so yeah here is the end ofspeartion track...Maaneet togather at last.😛