Chapter 23
'Good morning' came his smiling voice lifting her spirits. It was a ritual now, every morning Maan would come to pick Geet from her bedroom and they walk down together for breakfast, this way they were able to spent some alone time together.
'Morning' she replied feeling his long slender fingers intertwine with hers
'So what you got planned?' he questioned, it being a Saturday both were free
'DATE' she jumped running the other direction leaving a confused Maan on the corridor. But nothing could stop that smile which emitted from his soul seeing her turn over to smile his way, he didn't know whether husbands and wife behaved the way they did, but it felt natural, it felt real.
'Geet you're late' he heard the commotion from Anni's room but decided otherwise, if he knew his baby sister than he knew for sure she would turn the house around in the next few minutes. Quietly walking down the stairs he noticed Arjun sitting on the couch, looking rather nervous.
'What are you doing here?' Maan questioned immediately
'erm I've got a date with Anni' Arjun replied meekly, Maan's evil stare did nothing to relieve the poor fellow
'Have you now!' Maan paused sending a deathly chill down his spine
'Ok I'll come straight to the point, you know me and what I'm capable of' he said throwing his hands around Arjun's shoulder, dating Maan Singh Khurrana's sister couldn't be easy. Even if the papers made it as if Maan's some angel compared to his old self, he was still the same old brother. The protective, caring brother.
'If I see even half a tear then it won't be good for your health' he patted Arjun's back seeing Anni and Geet descend down the stairs. This was Maan's way of threatening Arjun to remain quiet in front of the females.
'Arjun you ok?' Geet threw an inquisitive look towards Maan, very well knowing his other side
'Yep, shall we go' Arjun hurried rubbing off his sweaty hands on his trousers before linking his arms with Anni's
'You didn't do anything, did you?' Geet asked in suspicion seeing the two walk off outside
'You know me' he replied casually before heading towards the breakfast bar.
'Maan' she reprimanded, she absolutely hated his attitude yet now with each passing day, she fell for the same. Shaking her head she followed behind.
'Geet bhabi what are you doing? Get ready fast' Anni hastened entering Geet's bedroom, temporary for that matter. It was on the same evening and as planned Geet was supposed to enter another phase tonight. Maan had earnestly requested her to move in with him and she agreed with excitement but now a layer of worry hazed her vision. Geet's bridal attire was still on the bed exactly how she left it making is obvious to a flustering Anni.
'Geet kya hai' she asked seeing the lost look on her friends face
'Are you not happy? If that's the case then you don't need to move I can'
'No no it's not like that, I'm just confused' Geet hopped in stopping Anni in her thoughts. It was 2 weeks after the incident, Naina was slowly recovering and was a much pleasant individual. Everything seemed to be perfect and tonight Geet would officially step into another world, a world where she and Maan would be husband and wife in all aspects.
'Why? Do not want to?' Anni couldn't help but question
'It's not like that, everything is just too fast. It seems like just yesterday we all were standing on the opposite sides, you hated me and I couldn't stand it here' she looked around, her life was different. Who would have thought she would fall in love with Maan one day? Her Maan who changed so much, just for her.
'Isn't that a good thing?' Anni smiled trying to encourage her friend to take the final step, much like how Geet persuaded Anni to finally go on a date with Arjun.
Geet sat in the middle of the bed adorned with the finest of jewels and her wedding Lengha waiting for Maan, today seemed to be a never ending day. Naina and Anni joked around throughout the day about this moment making her embarrassed and nervous. Maan was a man whom she's grown to love over time. His patience, his change, his ways convinced her heart to fall in love. But was that love enough? Somewhere she still left scared, scared of being hurt, of being left alone. The honest truth was Geet was scared to share something that solely belonged to her, she believed in loving someone with heart, soul and then body. Maybe somewhere deep down she still wasn't ready? She loved Maan, but all this felt a little too quick. Maan entered quietly shutting the door behind him, halting Geet's thought process. She saw him smile and she smiled back even though a fear crept up, if he wanted to move beyond then would she be able to move forward was a question she couldn't answer.
'You look beautiful' he complimented, seeing his wife decked up again as his bride made him a proud man. He loved how she shied away her gaze looking at her lap as if it's the most interesting thing on the planet.
'We've come a long way, haven't we?' he leaned back against the foot of the bed seeing her toy with the little balls on her dupatta
'Everything seems perfect in life with you Geet' he said pulling her hand to his heart
'I love you' he whispered placing a delicate kiss to her palm making her shudder, the feel of love swept over her. His essence around her eased her fear. Geet finally looked up to see his love filled eyes scanning her every movement. The slight twinkle told her of his story; of his want; of his craving pulling her into a world of his own. When and how he came was unknown but his lips on her soft petals felt sweet, his hands circling around her waist felt natural and her hands hooked onto his neck seemed feasible. This wasn't something Geet planned, but she loved this moment, a moment where the world stood still witnessing the emotion of two lovers.
'I love you' he whispered against her cheek pulling her back out of the world he sucked her into
'Why don't you go and change?' he commanded going back to his original position at the foot of the bed. Geet stared at the man, who a minute ago was undoing her fear and the next minute he placed her higher in the hierarchy which spoke of his love once again
'Thank you' she leaped over hugging him with all her might, telling him in her own words how she appreciated his understanding. How she respected his respect for her fear, for her character. His simple act pulled her into a never ending well of gratitude. Love is about giving and taking, when he not only cares, but also protects and safeguards her well-being, her wish and today Maan did that without her voicing it.
'I love you' he repeated for the third time wishing to hear it once from Geet's mouth but when she got up collecting her nighty, he felt a little prick and then he saw her turn around at the bathroom door to smile his way. A smile which radiated from her heart, a shy smile which told him of her love and at that minute that prick was replaced by a gallon of joy. Maybe till date Geet hasn't said she loves him, but her actions, her eyes spoke of her love.
When she came back she saw him sleeping at one side, quickly without making any noise she settled on the other side. Geet smiled at photo frame of them on her bedside. It was a picture of their wedding, an angry Maan and a disturbed Geet. Maan was right, they have come a long way. At one point both hated to be in the same room and now their sharing the same bed. Geet turned over her shoulder to see the back of the man who she came to know and love. He did everything bad in the book to hurt her, but the same man also tried to correct his wrong and that's what she loved about him.
'Maan' he heard her whisper, it was a tough night for him too. Sleep seemed like a far-stretched vision when finally the dream he harboured for days turned into his reality. Was it possible for an excited man to sleep?
'hmm' he turned facing the ceiling
'Why do you love me?' came the question throwing him off-guard
'Why do I love you' he questioned looking her way before weaving her left hand into his right, an act to show his love.
'Because your you' he replied flashing a toothy grin
'no Maan I want a proper answer' came her curt reply
'hmmm because you make me want to strive and not just for money, you make me want to live. I want to be good, to be acceptable by you. That smile of yours means the world to me, your eyes speak to me, and I love how it glows when you're happy. I love how you talk, how even when you're angry you're in command. How you love others, how you care for others, how you make me feel. I love you because of your simple nature' he stopped feeling her rest her head over his heart placing her delicate hands over his waist while he wrapped his strong arms around her small frame. It was a matter of meeting half-way, Geet made gestures while Maan was more verbal making her want to leave her stoic self behind to garner a life of love.
'I love how forgiving you are, I love everything about you Geet. I love the fact that your my wife' he completed stroking her back
'I love you Maan' she placed a feather light kiss on his jaw feeling complete helping Maan feel what she felt a minute ago
Love is a simple word with a wagon of emotion, it helps you feel things which otherwise seem bland. Like the stars seem to sparkle at night from her lover's eye, or how the rain sings a different tune in his arm. The sun playing hide and seek feels funny and how that one hug evaporates every tension. Geet felt secure after a days' worth of fear, worrying and nervousness. While Maan counted his lucky stars for being gifted with such a partner.
Opposite love is not hate but indifference, indifference was the root cause of their problem. Both Geet and Maan were adamant not to change but when love strikes, it's almost impossible not to flow with the emotion. Maybe people who heard of their story would find it unmanageable but for them this was their love story, their ending. It's not how or when you fall in love, it's about how deeply you fall. Geet loved her Maan and he loved her back, the journey to love seems precious but the travel after that makes them inseparable. A famous poet quoted 'it's hard to find true love, but even harder to hide it'. Maan showed his love in his every action, be it pulling out her chair; ordering the helpers to look after his wife or simply looking at her. But she felt loved by him. While Geet tried to centre her world around her Maan, her husband. This may be a story of Forced Love, where circumstances forced them to be a part of each other. Forced to marry, forced to fall and forced to love. But what is love if not a deep inclination towards the opposites which bends over the laws of life and social norms. Love forced or not, is love at the end of the day.
Note: I'm sorry I know this chapter isn't up to the mark but I'm just real stressed (read above note).
Also sorry but I don't watch, read nor would I ever dream to write 'behind the bedroom door scenes (u knw da type)' although I think I treaded on a path that I never expected to with this chapter. I'm just not comfortable with such stuff, I'm sorry guys but I can't do more than this. Hope I didn't disappoint too much.
I'm uploading the next chapter in a few hours and then this story is finished J
With love
Soph
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
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