Mg SS- It Takes Two...THREAD #1 - Page 23

She recalled each of the 7 vows that the priest had explained to them as he declared them man and wife. They were tied in a bond so pure...so delicate... it would only work if both of them understand a little...compromise a little...trust a little and give space to each one of their thoughts. She promised she'd do whatever this takes to keep him happy and make this relation work. They bend together to take blessings from the elders with him a little ahead of hers. As they bend to touch dadima's feet, she lovingly caressed Geet's head and spoke out, "may your love blossom and give rise to a never ending bond...khush raho.."

She blushed and looked down as her friends took her away towards the other hall to have her eat something and then get things ready for their sr.

She was awestruck by the beauty of the room.. decorated so beautifully. There was a canopy of flowers surrounding their' bed...and a thick layer of rose petals covering the entire surface..there were candles lit around the room... curtains, sheets...lights everything was done so beautifully which actually made her nervous. She had gone crazy about him just seeing his photograph and tonight she will be... gosh she felt her temperature soaring high just with that thought. her friends teased her... rajji gave her naughty looks but she was too nervous to notice any of those. This night was going to be longer than usual it felt.

Her friends helped her settle on the bed and rajji pulled the dupatta over her face, "apna khayal rakhna di..."

[take care of yourself di...]

Before Geet could understand that hidden meaning, rajji had already left the room, giggling. She looked around and breathed in sharply. She was nervous and she was getting goose bumps. He will be here anytime soon. she just pulled her knees closer to herself and waited with abated breath...the only thing she could do at this moment.

It was just few minutes but it felt like ages to her. she stilled hearing some giggling sound right out of the door and it didn't even take her a second to realize that he was right there..outside. she heard rajji asking for neg and some teasing which was not very clear. She felt her heart beating so loud against her ear drums... she might just go deaf with that. time seemed to go slower each passing minute making her nervous...anxious...yet excited for her new life ahead.

The door probably clicked open after ages, it felt and he entered with a heavy heart. he was married...gosh and to some stupid villager who wasn't even properly educated. He felt betrayed...never he thought dadima could do like this. He had asked dadima about her..and she assured him that the girl was up to his match...but someone who didn't have a proper education..how could be a match for him? he was the Maan Singh Khurana after all... and he had his social circles in india as well as abroad!! Only if he hadn't allowed dadima to come back to India! It was her wish and now he is suffering!

His eyes fell on that woman sitting on the bed with her ghunghat veiling her. as much as he was eager to know her... the harsh reality left him with no choice but with regret...he shouldn't have allowed dadima to come back to India... then she wouldn't have fallen sick and talk him into this marriage which had no future at all. He might as well break this news to her before she starts expecting something out of this!!!

She felt his gaze over her..standing right beside her bed...'their' bed! She had so many butterflies dancing in her tummy...she wanted time to move faster yet she wanted to cherish every moment with her husband... how she wished the time moved slower as well. she waited for him to make his first move...she was nervous...what he might expect from her... think of her... ask her...and he just made up his mind to tell her the truth before it was too late. He might just get both of them out of this situation.

An awkward silence hung between them...preparing themselves to face the night..but with different emotions. He had to know her qualifications... he just can't get married to any tom dick and harry! She felt shy with that gaze on her and curled her toes in anxiety...her payal made a soft twinkling sound...breaking his reverie. When she was sure there was going to silence the whole night, his deep velvety baritone took her breath away, "suno..."

[listen...]

Her stomach churned with anticipation...to an extent that she didn't even realize his tone reflected everything but love. she didn't move..rather curled herself closer.

He watched her reactions...the room's decor did nothing to make him realize what he was going to do. He did whatever he wished to...and no one was going to trick him into the marriage. Probably dadima had been too innocent to have been tricked into this match making. Whatever it was...he was not letting this marriage affect his life in any manner. Without wasting a second, he asked her boldly, "tumne kitni padhai ki hain?"

[how much have you studied?]

She was brought back to reality with his tone and then that sudden irrelevant question. May be he was trying to know her? may be he wanted to know her first before moving ahead with their relationship? She tried to reason with whatever possible answers she could find to his question. Her heart suddenly seemed scared of the consequence...but then he probably wanted them to know each other first... she gulped down her fear and answered meekly, "Ji...wo..."

Her voice came melodious in that silent room yet he was far away from realizing anything.

wo...", she felt shy speaking to him directly for the first time.

"speak up fast... I don't have the whole night for you..", he spat out, shocking her further. His rude voice scared her... making her dreams tremble in front of his demeanour.

"wo... meine 12^th complete ki hain... aage veerji aur darji ne padhne..."

[wo.. I have completed 12^th...veerji and darji didn't let...]

Before she could even complete her sentence his words broke her heart, "tho tumhe English bholni nahi aati hogi? Right?"

[then... you don't even know how to speak in English right?]

She wasn't expecting this kind of sr with her prince charming. He was nothing in front of what she had been imagining him all these days!! Still...she tried to maintain her calmness, "ji...mein samajh jaati hoon..."

[I can understand though...]

"ohh great... now dadima expects me to spend my life with this stupid girl...she can't even speak confidently..", he mumbled to himself.

She was scared now...tears had already clouded her eyes... what is happening with her?

"dekho... mein ye abhi isi waqt clear kar dena chahta hun...mujhe iss shaadi se koi matlab nahin hain..."

[see...i want to clear this now itself... I am no where into this marriage...]

His once sentence broke her entire dreams that had knitted in those days, waiting for him. she immediately got down the bed and stood still, "ye aap kya keh rahe hain? Humari shaadi hui hain...", her voice broke.

[what are you saying? We are married...]

Maan rolled his eyes, "for you it might be a marriage..not for me. Meine dadima se pehle hi kaha tha... unke saamne majboor tha..kuch nahi keh paya... but mein nahi chahta tum iss shaadi se koi bhi ummeed rakho...meri apni alag zindagi hain jisme tum kabhi nahi sama sakti.."

[for you it might be a marriage...not for me. I had told dadima earlier too..but my hands were tied I couldn't say anything. But I don't want you to expect anything out of this marriage. I have a very different life and you can never blend into it...]

She felt her entire energy being drained out with his words... what she thought and what happened..a tear escaped her eyes..and then another...and those red lips trembled in pain and heart-break!

"aap...aap aisa kyun kar rahe hain?", she almost broke down.

[why are you doing this?]

He was busy checking his phone and rolled his eyes hearing her broken voice, "see... I told you all this before you start expecting anything...you are no where a match to me... and I don't think tum manage kar paogi once we move abroad. So its better we end it here itself...meri flight hain kuch der mein...i hope you'd understand me..."

She stood numb... what could she say or what could he do?? she could somewhere understand what he was saying but his accent made it a little difficult for her to understand words...He didn't even see her face for once!! her ghunghat still veiling her. her tears escaped her eyes and her lips made sure they sealed the sobs that tried to escape her mouth. She could see her through her viel but he was never even intending to see her face for once. she just watched him speak over phone and then rush into the washroom. She stood there numb for god knows how long...until she heard the washroom door click open and he walked out wearing casuals. He collected his things, checked the time and walked out.

Her heart bled realizing how wrong she had been all this while about him. he stopped by the door and turned back with a smile, "thanks... I owe you one."

And within no time...she was standing all alone in the room, trying to get hold of herself. He was gone...he was really gone...breaking her heart...breaking every dream of hers just because she lacked in something!

Na kuch kehne ka mauka diya...

Na khud ko kuch sunne ka...

Bas aaye aur aise chal diye

Maano jaise ek waqt ka berehmi se guzar jana...

She let the reality sink into her slowly as she slowly walked towards the door and shut it close. He was gone...and he left his words with her!! her entire body trembled with all that holding back and she just felt on her knees, unable to hold herself back. Her throat ached with the sobs hurting it..she tried hard to stifle it but then it was so difficult. She pushed away her ghunghat and threw it away. She closed her mouth with her hands and cried... not letting a sound escape the confines of her lips. All those times she had spent looking at his picture felt like nothing...just nothing!!! He was gone his way...he might even not think about her at all ever..but how she was to resurrect herself after being broken like this??

She fell on the floor as she cried...trying to bury everything within her. her family would not be able to take it... she can't even go and tell this to anyone. They will blame her...she knew it well. all she could do was just cry, closing her mouth, hiding from everyone.

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The early rays of the sun hit her, making her flinch. her entire body ached with excruciating pain. She slowly opened her eyes only to find herself sleeping on the floor by the door, still clad in her bridal dress. She got up slowly and walked across the room towards the washroom. Her ghunghat still lay sprawled on the floor, untouched. She looked at herself... red swollen eyes... ruffled hair... her jewelleries were still intact when in fact they were supposed to be lying on the floor this morning... her mangalsutra still hung lifelessly..Reminding her of the bitter truth!! So whatever happened last night was more than true...he was really gone and he didn't even think once about her!! that sindoor on her forehead was something that reminded her of her fate! Her husband left her..on the night which was supposed to be the start of their journey together! what would she do now? everyone would be getting ready for the puja now... what would she tell? If she tells the truth, her family will bear the consequence...and if she doesn't then where would she go now? Vidai was a few hours from now.

Rajji knocked after a while, "didi...jeeju...ab subah ho gayi hain...bahar aaiye...puja ka waqt ho raha hain..."

[didi...jeeju... its already morning now..come out... its time for puja..]

Geet sat numb, wearing a deep maroon salwar kameez..what will she reply to this? Rajji left after a while..but she had no courage to open the door and let anyone know about what happened the previous night.

Downstairs, everyone were waiting for maan and Geet to come down. Darji was getting restless and so was everyone. Dadima kept calm knowing they were newly wed.

"rajji... ja Geet aur maan ji ko ek aur baar bula la..", brij ordered.

[rajji...go and call Geet and maan ji again...]

Dadima smiled and stopped rajji, "rukiye beta..hum bula late hain..."

[stop beta.. we will call them..]

She didn't want the couple to feel even a bit embarrassed for anything. She smiled and headed towards their room.

"maan...geet... are you up beta?", she called out lovingly.

Geet was brought back to reality with dadima's voice... she didn't know this?? She heard dadima calling out again, "Geet...open the door beta..."

Geet had nothing to say..or nothing to do. She had to face everyone now. for how long could she hide? She was reminded of the time dadima had met her for the first time and given him maan's photo...he had kissed her forehead and said, "aap humari beti hain aaj se..."

[you are our daughter from today..]

She knew she can't hide for long. She had to think something quick.

Dadima was getting worried now...there was not even a reply. She was about to knock again when she heard the door creak open and Geet standing right in front of her, clad in a deep maroon dress, looking absolutely beautiful like a rose bud...yet her face seemed withered.

"Geet..aap theek hain beta?"

[Geet..are you okay beta?]

"ji.. ji dadima...", she bowed down to touch her feet. Dadima blessed her and cupped her face, "bahut pyaari lag rahi hain humari bachi...", and kissed her forehead.

Geet immediately pulled her dupatta over her forehead...her hands filled with chuda clicked with every move of hers.

"maan uthe nahin ab tak?", dadima enquired, "puja ke liye der ho rahi hain beta.."

[maan hasn't woken up? Its getting late for puja beta...]

"ji..wo...", Geet didn't know what to say but she felt she could at least tell dadima for she would better explain maan's behaviour.

Dadima noticed her features...pale and broken. She feared there might be some problem between them when Geet's voice reached her, "ji..wo tho kal raat hi London ke liye nikal gaye..."

[ji...he left for London last night..]

"kya? London?? how can he...", dadima was so shocked to hear maan doing something like this.

"why didn't you stop him?", she was getting really angry at whatever was happening.

"nahi...nahi dadima.. naraz na hoiye... unhe phone aaya tha..jaana bahut zaruri tha...", she tried to defend.

[no no dadima... don't get angry... he got a call and it was urgent..]

Dadima could clearly see through Geet... her eyes were betraying her. she knew Geet was very innocent..she felt so damn angry with maan. How could one leave his bride like this? If he got a call, he could have spoken to her!! she had to manage the situation now.

Everyone was shocked to see Geet coming alone with dadima. Darji and brij were completely shocked.

"maan ji kahan hain puttar?", darji asked.

[ where is maan ji?]

Geet looked down...trying to hide her emotions... that pain was so fresh...and that heart break...and those tears.

"ji maan ko kuch zaruri kaam se kal raat jana pada..', dadima took situation in her hands.

[maan had to leave last night for some important work..]

Darji was furious hearing this, "aisa kaisa zaruri kaam yaad aa gaya jo unhe hume bna bataye jaana pada? aise koi apni patni ko chodkar jata hain bhala?"

[what was so important that he didn't even think of telling us before leaving? Who leaves his wife like this?]

"maan ko humne ijazat di thi jaane ki...", dadima interrupted, "wo humse poochne aaye the aur humne hi jaane ko kaha..."

[we allowed maan to go... he had come to ask us..and we let him go...]

Darji shut his mouth up knowing they can't argue with their daughter's in laws while Geet looked at dadima shocked!! Dadima just looked Geet lovingly and nodded softly, assuring her. she felt the corners of her eyes burn...what was happening in her life?? her dreams were already broken...why was dadima trying to help her when her husband didn't think once before leaving her!!

Nobody dared question dadima post that. Geet sat all alone through out the whole puja and some other ceremony. It was time for vidai and to her utter surprise, dadima held her hand while she got ready to move, "hum par yakeen kijiye Geet...", was all dadima said.

[just trust us Geet...]

All was said and done...vidai was more painful for her. where was she going? To whom? The person wo was supposed to take care of her had abandoned her..there was no point in going anywhere...but dadima was the one handling everything. She wanted a proper vidai and she was taking her responsibility. She felt so helpless...like a puppet...being passed from one hand to other. She had no say in this. She did cry...not because she was going away from her home but for the fate babaji had chosen for her.

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next: Moving to Delhi without him

Prev: PART 2

Next: PART 4

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