SS : Handa- The Loner, Part 13 Pg 35[19/03/19] - Page 22

'Are you back Geet?' Savitri asked just as Geet stepped inside their building's wing. Savitri was out with her dog for a walk.

'Unfortunately for you I survived so it's surely not my ghost you're talking to.'

Geet had arrived with Maan after her discharge so while he was parking his vehicle, she thought she'll summon the lift.

'Not because of your lack of trying. I've heard that you over drugged yourself. Alcohol, cigarettes, weeds and whatnots were found from your room.'

'And?' Geet put on an unconcerned pose, How does it concern you?'

'Your family, it concerns. Do they know what you're up to?'

'Mind your own business. But you don't have any apart from this... dog.' Geet lifted her nose high in the air.

'He's my son.'

'Any problem?' Maan who'd arrived by now asked. No acknowledgement from either of the parties.

'Then get him registered as a valid citizen. Get him an Aadhar card. Once you do that, let me know because then I'll be filing a molestation case against him.'

'Molest...What are you talking about?'

'Remember 2nd October? Licking my back?'

'But he's a...' the old woman started.

'Dog, right that's what I've been saying.'

Savitri was seething in anger which didn't go unnoticed by Maan.

'That's all right now. We don't want an argument here. Mrs.Puri, Geet has just arrived from hospital. This isn't the kind of welcome she must be expecting.

When Mrs. Puri looked at him, it was with narrowed eyes. Her gaze traveled between him and Geet.

'Doesn't look like she was ill. Vanquished, but can argue still,' said Savitri and left. The dog on her tow.

'Oh, so something new is cooking.' She thought and immediately updated her Whatsapp Gossip Girls group. After all, they wouldn't want to miss the news.

'Yes, down but not out she is.' Maan spoke to himself and to Geet he said,

'Geet, be respectful, she's older.'

'So old that one of these days she's going to cough out a liver or a two. I know she doesn't have in her to be prayerful. It'd have been in the public had she turned hypochondriac. Too self absorbed, she'd have been then. But no, she insists on being a gossip-monger.'

Once outside their flats, Maan groped for reasons to prolong their time together. Not finding any, he insisted on seeing her comfortable in her bed. But she refused.

'That's alright, Mr.Khurana. You've helped me enough. I'll take it from here.'

Maan was taken aback by the curt tone but let it go. Perhaps the confrontation with Savitri had robbed her of her good mood.

'Take rest then.'

Geet simply nodded and closed her door.

Her spirits that had improved somewhat in the company of Maan, began to dwindle. The grey clouds of gloom surrounded her again. She wanted to reach out to him again but restrained herself from doing so. That old woman's look as she had looked between her and Maan, she remembered. No, Mr.Khurana was better off without her.

Hell, what am I thinking?!

I am better off without him. His clinginess is rubbing off on me. I need to stay away.

Even as she thought this she filled a vase with water, putting the tulips in it, she kept it on the night stand. That way it would be close to her.

She was gazing at the tulips when her phone vibrated with messages.

'Don't cook because I already am for both of us.'

'You like sweets? I hope you do because I'm trying my hands at jalebi.'

'Not allergic to baby corns are we?'

'Open the door, now.'

She didn't reply to any of his messages but did jump down from the bed to welcome him.

'See, you're again being clingy. Who told you I wanted to eat? That too food made by you? And I hate jalebis,' She grumbled all the while setting the dishes and bringing in water mug and pulling the chair to sit.

The food was delicious. His stories were hilarious. She was yearning for care and love and homemade food. He was only too eager to give all these to her. Undoubtedly, the first dinner was a memorable affair.

There was no movie watching session conducted that night because he wanted to turn her to take rest. He was taking leave when she said , 'Spend the night here, will you?' Her supposedly ill heart was beating fast again.

He paused and blushed. Scratched his forehead. Unexpectedly, she found him cute.

'Are you sure?' He asked.

She nodded her answer.

'Okay then' He was finding it difficult to meet her eyes.

Back to being Ta-maan-tar, are we?'

In the bed, sleep did not grace any of its occupants. Maan because he was too aware of her. Geet because of insomnia. Only it was too difficult to predict if the insomnia was result of the same old causes or was it him.

Tossing and Turning. Her feet accidentally touching his. Immediate withdrawal. It was pure torture for him, but he believed in persistence.

She was the one to give up first.

'Maan,' she whispered.

'Hmm,' he rolled over. The light coming in from the window made her face slightly visible.

'Can you sleep?'

'I'm trying.'

'I think we've something between us,' she said then.

'I don't understand,' he replied patting the area between, 'There's nothing.'

'I mean do you feel the attraction, the pull. It's distracting and making me edgy. Don't you want to just get done with it.'

'I'm sorry Geet but still I don't understand.'

'Do you want to sleep together?'

'We're sleeping together,' he acted ignorant.

'No, I mean se...getting intimate with each other. Just a one night stand.'

The next few moments there only existed silence between them.

'I'm not sure, I want to.' Maan was having difficulty forming words.

'Oh,' was her soft reply. Maan heaved a sigh of relief. But it was too soon for she put up another question.

'Why?'

'I'm not a one night guy. That's why. I like to do it the traditional way. Wooing the woman, proposing and the other things then follow. Whatever happens it has to be because of love and not on a whim of lust or because I want to get done with the attraction I'm feeling for someone.'

'Oh. Okay.' Feeling rejected and with her ego bruised, she turned her face away from him.

For the next hour nobody slept, Maan's eyes would begin to succumb to sleep when she would toss again and he'd blink away the sleep.

'What's wrong?' He asked finally.

'Isn't it obvious. I can't sleep. I never can.'

'Hmm,' he said and sat up.

She looked at him from under her lashes. Before she could ask anything, he pulled her head into his lap, and began smoothing and patting her head.

'Sleep now' And sleep she did. It was their second night together.

The next night, when her head was in his lap once again, he asked, 'About that pull...you were talking about yesterday, do you mind exploring it?' Her round eyes blinked at him.

'Meaning?'

'Meaning, how about letting it blossom into something beautiful. How about dating me?' He asked with bated breath.

'I don't think so. You aren't my type.'

The heart that broke, it's noise nobody heard.

'Oh. I guessed so. But was just trying my luck. I always do these sort of silly things.' He tried to smile while still patting her head with his trembling hands. How come tears had sprang up in his eyes? Thanks God for the darkness.

She didn't have anything proper to say.

'I mean obviously your type would not be me.' He would have said that he was nobody's type. But perhaps he still cared about his dignity.

The next night Maan was too heartbroken to go to her but he still went. She was too lonely and needed someone but too proud to accept that. His heart bled as the remembrance of her words but he ate and laughed with her.

'You know this girl I had gone to date with last week, she asked me if I've read The Death of a Salesman. I reply that the salesman dies and she's giving me looks. I thought I was wrong but when I googled it the salesman actually dies in it. So basically I wasn't wrong. Then why that look?'

'I don't know. I wasn't the one you went to date with.' Her voice suddenly became cold.

'I know. I'm not your type and you'd never go on a date with me.' His was colder.

'Whatever. So the night you didn't come home, were you out with her?'

'Which night? Oh that one...No that night I was working. My boss wanted me to go on a date but I didn't. But I was holding out for you. I thought maybe I had a chance with you. How foolish of me! But now there's no reason to be bullied by him like before when I'm free to date.'

'Right. Now come to bed,' she commanded.

Switching off the lamp, she put her head in his lap.

'It'll be good for you, wouldn't it be? You aren't a guy who can stay single for long.'

'Right. I'm a compulsive dater. I hunt women and force them to go out and date me. I think you should start dating too. Men of your type. That clown you were laughing with, is he still around?'

She sat up and said, 'You know what Maan, you should go back tonight.'

'You know what Geet, I'm thinking the same. I will return to my room tonight but not before you go back to sleep.'

'Don't come tomorrow. Go and enjoy your dates.'

'I won't. And yes, I will enjoy my dates.'

The next day he still came. She still opened the door. They ate together. They fought together and went to bed together.