~Her Voice~ Chapter 6: Tears of a broken heart Pg 13||24th March - Page 10

Chapter 6 : Tears of a broken heart

A daughter holds your heart and soul in their palms without realising it.

And when she leaves her maternal home to go to her marital home, she takes it with her.

Geet Siddiqui took my heart with her

~ Qazi Irfan Siddiqui

~~~

Irfan held his daughter tightly sobbing, Geet frowned not liking the tears, she could feel the vibrations of his cries and reached up brushing his cascading tears away. She pouted her lips shaking her head and dropped her head to his chest enveloping him with her arms.

Salma joined hugging Geet from the other side and touched her husband's shoulder in a reassuring manner, she did love Geet after all she had brought the young child up.

Irfan slowly pulled back cradling her cheeks and pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead, he turned to Maan holding out his hand.

Maan stepped forward and watched as Irfan placed Geet's hand into his.

"You have to take care of her, she's my world, Maan" he stated.

Geet looked at the hand that held hers and tilted her chin up frowning at Maan, she pulled her hand back and wiped it on her dress amusing Maan though only for a fleeting moment.

"I will" he promised turning to look at Irfan. "She's my responsibility now, I'm not going to let anything hurt her" he stated firmly.

Irfan nodded feeling at peace and relief at Maan's words, he hoped desperately that Maan followed on his promise and showered his daughter with the care she deserved.

"Choti Bibi, we're going for a drive" Shubhratan approached reaching for Geet's hand and gestured to the car.

Geet's eyes gleamed, she released her mother's hand and ran excitedly towards the black car that awaited outside. It was rare for her to be taken out, she only explored the surrounding fields and lands that belonged to them. She hadn't been out the large black gates, and when she did she was always inside the car hidden by the tinted black windows of her father's car.

Salma followed holding open the door as Shubhratan climbed inside followed by Geet. Geet grinned holding her hand out for her mother, Salma bent down at the waist taking Geet's hand. "It's only you and Shubhratan today" she said as a tear slipped down her eye. "I love you" she said cradling Geet's cheek and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Geet smiled softly and looked confused, she watched her mother step back and frowned when she saw Maan appearing. She shoved backwards and pressed into Shubhratan when he seemed like he was about to climb in besides her.

Maan seemed to realise what she was thinking, he simply bent down lifting her dress hem and placed into the car closing the door.

Geet sighed relaxing and turned to Shubhratan opening her mouth but stopped feeling the vibrations of a door opening and closing.

Geet looked at the front as Maan and Imran entered sitting in their respective driver's seat and passenger seat. It dawned on her she was going somewhere with them as well, it wasn't just going to be her and Shubhratan. She scrambled for the door and pulled on the handle only to have Shubhratan capture her closing the door and telling Maan to lock the doors.

The locks clicked in place and other than the button near the driver's seat there was no unlocking switch nearby her. Maan started the car and drove hoping it'd distract her and make it easy once they reached his home.

Geet turned to Shubhratan shaking her head, she stretched her legs kicking the door and tried to pull away from Shubhratan who enveloped her and pressed kisses to her temple in a soothing manner. Geet turned burrowing her face in the hollow of Shubhratan's neck crying silently, she didn't want to go with them. She wanted to go back home.

When they'd arrived, Maan unlocked the doors and climbed out. He opened the door for Geet surprised to see her sleeping in Shubratan's lap.

"No" Shubhratan called out confusing Maan who'd been about to lean down and lift Geet in her arms. "I'll wake her" she said.

"She's tired, I'll take her inside" Maan responded.

"Saab... she's going to have a panic attack if she wakes up and finds you holding her. I'll wake her" she said. Maan nodded stepping back not wishing to scare Geet by being so close should she wake up.

Shubhratan brushed her palm across Geet's cheek and pressed her lips to Geet's ear, "Choti bibi wake up... Choti bibi" she repeated patting her cheeks gently.

Geet stirred feeling the vibrations against her ear and reached up to scratch her ear frowning when her hand touched Shubhratan's face. She frowned sitting up and looked around.

"We're here" Shubhratan said gesturing her to climb out.

Geet's eyes widened in surprise, Shubhratan nodded.

Geet scrambled out excitedly, she hadn't stepped outside in the day during a car ride ever, the only outside she'd seen was her home, the open fields and surrounding greeneries where she lived. But never during a drive.

In her excited exit from the car, she tripped over the long dress and tensed feeling herself almost toppling down when someone grabbed her swiftly stabling her.

"Careful, Geet" Maan righted her up and hurt flooded his eyes when she pushed her palms against his chest and moved backwards several steps.

Shubhratan climbed out placing a hand on Geet's shoulder smiling gently, she drew her closer side hugging her and turned to Maan whilst Geet dipped her head down clenching her fists by her sides trying to make sense as to why this man with them today during their car ride.

"Is this her?" Melinda, the housemaid skipped down the steps eagerly. "Oh she's a beauty, Maan sir" the elderly lady grinned moving forward and touched Geet's chin tilting it up.

Geet tilted her head to the side curiously and looked down at the chubby fingers touching her, she smiled when the lady smiled widely. She took Melinda's finger and brought her hand down lifting her left and took it in hers and shook it surprising Maan and Melinda.

"Hello to you too, madam" Melinda chuckled shaking her hand.

Geet looked to Shubhratan.

"She said hello, choti bibi" she explained with some hand gestures.

Maan figured Shubhratan was signing to her, he hadn't seen her to do that before unless he'd missed it during the chaotic rush in the other house. Geet smiled and lifted her hand waving at Melinda in hello making the elderly lady laugh loudly.

"Come on, madam. I'll show you around" Melinda grasped Geet's hand tugging her inside excitedly. Shubhratan followed and attempted translating whatever Melinda said as they were shown the Khurana home.

"You look worried" Imran commented placing his hand on Maan's shoulder.

"I am" he admitted. He was sure that Geet probably doesn't even realise that she was here to live with him, Shubhratan would only be here for a couple of days, or a week or two. But after she leaves, it would be himself with Geet alone. Melinda was here but she was going to be tending to her household duties majority of the time.

"Listen, why don't you go rest for a while? You've not slept properly, I'm going to go home and check on ammi. I'll come in a few hours to check on you" Imran said.

Maan agreed and hugged his friend goodbye, after Imran had gone he entered his home glancing around, he could hear Melinda's voice coming from the second floor as she walked down the hallway and showed Geet and Shubhratan the rooms.

He walked across the hall and into his bedroom which was on the lower ground, he shed off his clothes entering the bathroom and ducked into the shower. After he showered, he changed into a simple white kurta and white jeans and grabbed his prayer mat.

As he finished praying, he lifted his hands to make his dua.

O' Allah! Give me strength to give this girl a life of respect and happiness. Give me strength to make her forget what my own brother did. Shower Aahil with sense and make him repent, please please. Make him seek forgiveness from those he wronged. He covered his face as the tears came fast and his heart broke as he thought of his young brother. He didn't know where his brother would be, what state he was even in. He bowed down placing his face on the prayer mat and sobs shook his shoulder.

Shower me with strength and mercy please, Allah. Please shower me with your help to fulfil my duties towards Geet. Guide me please to help her live her life to the fullest.

Maan slowly dragged himself up finishing his dua in Arabic and Ameen.

He swiped at his wet cheeks and looked at the photo frame on his night stand, it was one where Aahil was only around 8 years old and was on his back as they played horsey, their mother laughing in the background and it was their father who'd clicked the picture.

How had he gone so wrong with his brother? Where did he go wrong? After their parent's demise, he had tried his very best to provide for his brother and be able to shower him with love and discipline him but that clearly wasn't enough.

Maan sighed heavily, he tilted his head back closing his eyes lifting his palms again whispering another silent dua and desperately hoped Aahil realises and seeks forgiveness and repents his grave misdeed.

He stood lifting his prayer mat and turned folding the mat, he paused seeing Geet standing by the door way looking curiously. He also noticed that Shubhratan and Melinda were not around her.

"Geet, are you lost?" he asked placing his mat down and slowly stepped forward to give her some warning that he was going to approach her.

Geet seemed to understand, she shook her head holding out her hand.

Maan paused and stayed standing where he was seemingly understand she didn't want him approaching her.

Geet smiled when he didn't move, she studied him from where she stood. He looked like that man, so familiar but she understood he wasn't him.

"Geet bibi!" Shubhratan called out.

Maan frowned in confusion when Geet seemed like she heard and turned her head as Shubhratan approached. It was weird, he had understood a little that Geet must be lip reading and could read sign language, so she was seemingly deaf but then Shubhratan had just called out to her and she turned her head.

Could it be that she could hear? And was acting it? But who would live like they were deaf for 14 years? Unless, Irfan Siddiqui and Salma were correct in saying she was mentally unstable but he couldn't believe it for a minute. Geet Siddiqui showed more intelligence than her parents gave her credit for.

"What are you doing he..." Shubhratan paused noting the opened bedroom door and Maan. "Oh, Maan Saab. Sorry, I didn't know she was disturbing you".

"She wasn't" Maan was quick to inform.

Shubhratan smiled and turned to Geet. "Come, Melinda has made you a strawberry milkshake. Then we'll go for a walk" she said holding her hand out.

Geet nodded smiling, she slipped her hand into Shubhratan's and glanced over her shoulder at Maan. She lifted her hand making a mocking gesture of crying and shook her head.

Maan nodded, it was clear she was telling him not to cry.

She definitely wasn't mentally unstable, now that Geet was his wife and he had the right to do whatever, he was going to give his friend a call and have her checked over. He didn't care that Salma wouldn't approve. He wanted a diagnosis of Geet's condition and have her checked over to ensure the pregnancy was going to be okay.