~what heart desires || discontinued - Page 3

"Savitri aaiye aur khana kha lijiye, Maan aajayega, waise bhi wo, Arjun aur Karan ke hoga toh kahan kuch yaad rahega unhe, said Ranjeet Khurana as he motioned his wife sixty years to settle down on the dining table for the dinner. Ranjeet was informed of his grandson's arrival in the morning itself and knowing his workaholic nature he knew that Maan will be home somewhat after eight today. It was not a usual occurrence for Maan to arrive late from the office but still his dadima was worrying about him.

"Aap khalijiye, Maan aayegenge toh hum unke saath khalenge. Aur waise bhi Maan ne bhi kuch kahaya nahi hoga, waise toh hum itni fikar nahi karte magar aaj Karan le gaye hain Maan ko apne saath, Keh rahe the Maan ka mood kuch theek nahi tha office me. Savitri devi knew Maan just like how any mother would have known her son and Maan was much more of a son than his own father.

"Are, me bhi office me hi tha lekin aapko Maan ke bare me pal-pal ki khabar rehti hai, Ranjeet responded at his wife's wits of knowing about her own grandson.

It was always her who knew Maan's whereabouts no matter where Maan would go and it was same since the day Ranjeet had brought a six-year-old Maan to KM from Nainital, after his father abandoning his son in a hostel after gaining his custody. That day something was lost in Maan, his tears, his aloofness had unleashed the anger that Ranjeet Khurana was bearing since the day his irresponsible son had tried to play with the lives of his wife and son. The negligence that his son and daughter-in-law had bestowed on their own son had made Ranjeet and Savitri legally adopt Maan making him the sole owner of Khurana's. that day the elder Khurana couple had made a vow that they will not let Maan feel that he was an unwanted outcome of his parent's relationship. Even Maan had kind of strained relationship with his own parents but that didn't deter his parent's constant interference in his life. Whether it was Maan's father Rajveer claiming that Maan is his only child or his mother Naina bestowing her love on him.

On the other hand, Karan, Maan and Arjun were in their favorite restaurant and were going to order when Maan denied ordering anything stating that his Dadima must be waiting for him, letting the other two to forgo the plans for the night.

"Acha Dinner ghar jake khalena lekin ye toh bata ki tu itna pareshan kyun hai, tere parents teri life me koi interference nahi kar sakte, ye toh tu bhi jaanta hai. Ye tujhe bhi pata hai kit u koi chota bacha nahi hai jiske parent's jo chahte hai wo wahi karega aur agar guardianship ki bhi baat ki jaye toh dadima and Dadaji stand instead of your parents, Arjun tried to say something meaningful for the first time that night and Maan sighed knowing he can't just stand now in the middle ground.

"Arjun, you know when I was given the custody to dad, unhone mujhe hostel bhej diya, when I wanted to be with my parents, they got separated without even thinking of me. Bachpan se meine socha hai how would it be if I could please my parents so that they could atleast think of me once. Aur ye hi kiya, meine unke saath contact rakha even making Dadaji angry just because I wanted my parents to know me. You know whenever I topped in class or got any success in my life, I wanted them to be the first to know and I tried hard to please them. Mom ki har baat bani, Dad ke kehne pe MBA karne foreign gaya par har baar mere parents ko mere achievements se jyada ek dusre ko ye dikhane me jyada satisfaction mili ki meri life me kiski jyada importance hai. I tried hard to gain some affection from my mother that I have seen Karan and you getting from your parents. Mere success ke liye mere parents party throw toh kar sakte hai lekin mere saath ek private dinner nai kar sakte because they can't face their ex- partners. Aur shayad Shadi jaise decision mere liye leke unhone saabit kar diya ki mein kuch bhi karlun, my life is just a middle ground of compromise.

Karan squeezed Maan's shoulder and turn him to hug him, three of them have been together since school and Arjun was Maan's distant cousin still they couldn't sense Maan's longing for his own parents. It was true Maan stood in each and everything he did, and he worked really hard in fact sometimes he worked without even caring for his own health and happiness, but they never guessed that it was Maan's craving for his parent's affection.

"Are bhai hame toh lagta tha tu hame apni family manta hai, tere parents ko jis Heere ki qadr nahi hai, ye mat samajna ki duniya ko bhi nahi hai. Are wo chandigarh wali mamiji hai na meri wo toh teri itni tareef karti hai, pata nahi aisa kya jadoo kiya tha tune. Bhai tera ye magic tere parents par chale ya na chale par hamari hone wali bhabhi par toh zaroor chalega''.

Arjun tried to lighten up the mood but hearing the word Bhabhi made Maan to turn towards him and gave him the look that was enough for Arjun to shut up.

Shut up Arjun, exclaimed Karan knowing that Maan was really disturbed and it was actually not the impending marriage that his parents have put forward in front of him but the twisted way of satisfying their ego instead of thinking about their son.

"Maan, these girls are not the problem, am I right? asked Karan knowing Maan that he was not too expressive with his emotions and this was creating a mess in his friend's mind. Maan's eyes were showing the pain that Karan had read, leading him to question Maan.

"I feel like I betrayed dadima and Dadaji Karan, they always did what my parents should have and I instead of feeling obligated towards them I always thought the ways to get my parent's attention but after all those years finally I understood that I am just Maan who is Savitri devi and Ranjeet khurana's grandson. I don't hold that special place in my parent's life where they could have let go of their differences for my sake. I feel that my efforts to please my parents were my stupidity. Maan's guilt was surfacing and Karan asked him to talk to his grandparents first. If he feels that he had robbed them of his attention, then he could correct it now.

"Yaar bahut hui tum dono ki ye baatein, mujhe ye batao in ladkiyon ka kya karna hai, Naina aunty will not leave Maan till he meet the girl and so is the case with Rajveer uncle, Arjun said as he found that most important thing now was how to make them feel that they can't take his life decisions.

"Karna kya hai, I am not going to meet anyone aur agar mom dad ko aisa lagta hai ki unke ego ko satisfy karne ke liye me apni life bilkul waise hi barbaad karlunga jaise unhone ki thi, then they are wrong. I am going to tell them that I am not interested in either of the girl. Maan stood for his own life and his words were marking the coming of impending storm if he didn't think how to get rid of his parent's wishes of him.

"Bahut acha hai, aaj inhe mana kar kal phir do nai ladkiyan hongi unke pass tujhe introduce kawrane ke liye aur ye silsila tab tak chalega jab tak tu un mese kisi ek ko nai haan karega. Arjun's words were hinting at the reality that Maan wouldn't have thought otherwise.

"Toh kya karun shadi karke waisi hi life ki expectation rakhun jaise mere parents ki thi? Maan's impulsive words made him to three of them to stood up and leave. Thank god they had left the restaurant somewhere in between when Maan denied having anything and the three of them were alone.

"Arjun kabhi toh situation aur time dekha kar, said Karan as he tried to make Maan calm.

"Are tum dono meri baat toh suno, aur tu Maan, ek baat bata kisi na kisi se toh shadi karni hai na tujhe, said Arjun as his words earned him a glare from Maan and this time the intensity of the glare was showing that if Arjun would not shut his mouth in a second than he would be responsible for Maan's reaction. Seeing Maan loosing his cool, Arjun was quick enough to say his next words before the damage was being done.

"Are, meri baat toh sun, in dono ladkiyon ki baat nai kar raha,, as Arjun tried to pacify Maan with his words and continued with his words.Tune socha toh hoga na ki kaisi life partner chahiye tujhe, kaisi hogi, kya karti hogi.. are bhai samaj raha hai na..., listening to Arjun's words Karan could see what he was trying to say and looked in Maan's direction only to see his face having a certain expression telling he was too thinking in the same direction, and it was precisely two minutes later they heard Maan saying.

"Shadi karni hai, lekin aisi ladki se nai, jise life me sirf MSK ki biwi banne me interest ho, ya sirf jiske me bills hi pay karta rahun... Maan's word were true for any socialite wife he would have if he goes with his parent's wishes.

"Theek hai, aisi se nahi karni, toh ye bhi pata hoga kisse karni hai, dekh bhai agar apni chalani hai toh ladki dhund aur agar koi hai toh use introduce karwa dadima Dadaji se, I am sure dadima ke liye teri Khushi se jyada kuch nahi chahiye hoga aur Dadaji toh isi cheez se khush jayenge ki tune apne parents ke against aisi ladki chuni jo tere parents ke nature ke opposite hai.. aisi ideal life partner., Arjun's words made him get a look of appreciation from Karan at his thoughtfulness and Maan's next words proved that sometimes good things can be expected from the rarest of the source.

"Ideal partner kya hota hai mujhe nahi pata par ye zaroor pata hai mere ideal partner me utna patience hona chahiye jo mere gusse ko jhel sake, jo meri life me bina kisi shart ke rahe, jise meri priorities apni lage aur jo apne adhure sapno me mujhe shaamil hone de, came Maan's words in a slight lost voice.

His words were hinting that there must be someone who is his ideal and this time Karan probed him with his direct words.

"Toh koi ladki hai na? Haina Maan

"Ladki toh hai, par mujhe bhaav nahi degi, again came a dull voice of Maan Khurana who was genuinely looking dejected. While Arjun was slight confused and wanted his answers now but before he could ask, it was Karan who spoke.

"Aisi konsi ladki hai jo MSK toh bhaav nahi degi,. said a confused Karan

"Geet... Geet Handa,...

Both his friends were trying to think who was this Geet handa, and why would she deny one of the most handsome and wanted Bachelor MSK.

"yaar, ye naam suna suna kyun lag rahi hai.. came the confused words of Arjun..

"kahin, ye wo Geet toh nahi hai.. asked Karan as he could collect the only Geet they knew and that too some eight years ago.

"ha, wohi Geet, thodi si khadoos, teachers ki jasoos Geet, said Maan as he blushed a little, there was a pink hue and his lips were upturned in a cute mischievous smile while Arjun laughed, and Karan was looking like Maan was spouting nonsense.

"tujhe us bhenji se shadi karni hai.. came a sudden reply from Arjun and Maan angrily replied.

"Tere is bhenji ki wajah se wo kabhi dekegi bhi nahi meri tarah, us din school me sun liya tha usne jab tune use bhenji kaha tha.

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spare typos