FF: Forever and Always........part 43 in new Thread - Page 59

Part 35

They had ordered Chinese as that was preferred by all of them. As they had their food they started chit chatting before the topic started going towards the more serious stuffs.

Sid:" So Geet what is going on with this boss thing?"

Geet:" What is going on? What do you mean?"

Sid:" I know you Geet. I have known you from when you had been a stubborn kid to the person you are today. You don't take favors. So what makes your boss so special that you take favors from him?"

Geet:" Maybe because he is not doing it as favors. "

Meera:" Sid calm down. Geet tell us what is going on and don't say it is nothing because I can say it is something."

Geet:" There are a lot of things to talk about my dear Meer. However let's finish up the dinner first. "

Sid:" Fair enough. But you lady are not off the hook. I am not going to let you avoid the topic again."

Geet:" Hmm."

The dinner was over almost in silence excpt Meera and Geet gushing over some topics. Once they were done Geet suggested they go to the open terrace and talk about everything.

Sid:" Geet what is it?"

Geet:" I don't think this is easy for me to say everything. "

Meera:" Geet sweety, just tell whatever it is. You know we will never judge anything."

Geet looked at Meera and Sid. How to form the sentences to tell them about her life? Taking a deep breath she began speaking." Meer you remember how I told you about meeting Maan and becoming his friend? We had a connection right from the moment we met for the first time." Geet was reminded their first meeting by the lake. They had been so much different then." You know Meer this was something that made us comfortable with each other. Maybe helped me gain some of the normalcy which I had lost...lost after Armaan..."

A pregnant pause laced the environment as all three of them looked up at the million stars as if trying to find him within the stars. Geet continued speaking her heart. "Mumbai was difficult in the beginning with everything new and me having to adjust and really interact with people. But I made some amazing friends like Pari, Naina, Vicky, Dev even Maan. Maan made me happy; Happier than I had ever been in past three years. Then this Lonavla trip changed things. It changed me as well. I felt something for him. And I was confused. Maan gave me the necessary space and I missed him a lot.And I realized that maybe I do have feelings for him. I already know how much he loves me. He had showed me in more than one occasion exactly how strong his feelings were for me. I ... I gave him a chance..."

Geet waited for Meer and Sid to speak. She had told them everything they needed to know. If they ask for details she will think of that later. Even after minutes passed when none spoke anything Geet spoke out.

Geet:" Guys say something. "

Meera was excited. Geet could see that in her eyes. Meera just crushed her into a hug and shouted out." Yeppie! I am sooo happy Geet. You are moving on. You are finally living your life. And Maan! Wow! That was pretty much heavy information to digest. So the most eligible bachelor in the country just got into a relationship with my best friend!!!! That has to top the list of unexpected happenings of our life...But Geet none of this matters. Do you think in your heart that you are doing the right thing?"

Geet:" I think so Meera. And after the chat I had with Teji Veerji I think I am doing the right thing and I don't have any guilt feeling for this. I should not keep myself stuck at the same place. Armaan wouldn't have wanted that!"

Meera:" Of course sweety! I have known Armaan from the time you have known him. Armaan would have wanted you to move on."

Geet:" Yeah! He would have."

Meera:" So, did you tell everything to Teji Veerji over skype or something?"

Geet:" No, he was with us at the lonavla Trip."

Meer:" How come?"

Then Geet launched the tale of how Teji veerji was friends with Maan and how Maan had planned a surprise for her. Sparing certain things Geet thought were too personal to share Geet recounted how exactly she became a girlfriend to Maan.

Sid:" So you guys are together?"

Geet:" Yes Sid, we are."

Sid:" Are you happy with this decision? "

Geet:" I am not sure how exactly I feel. I think even now I am too overwhelmed to feel any particular emotion. But I think I am at peace."

Sid:" Well that won't be the first word to describe such a relationship. Are you sure Geet?"

Meer:" I think it will be. You don't know what it is like Sid. I mean I don't want to hurt you or tell that life was a bed of roses for you Sid. But being in a relationship, planning a future with another person, being dependent on that one person and then suddenly everything is taken away and you are left with nothing but broken dreams. Solace is a distant word that time Sid, something you don't dare dreaming of. So peace is not that foreign word..."

Sid:" I understand Meera and I appreciate. But is peace everything? What about understanding, and love and happiness?"

Meera:" They will come eventually Sid."

Geet:" Ok..kay... Guys see maybe I didn't frame things in the right away. Maan does make me happy, he understands me. And I think I understand him too. Maybe I can be happy with him."

Sid:" You love him?"

Geet:" Not the way I loved Armaan. It cannot be compared. But I think I can love him. Maybe he was the one I can finally be with."

Sid came forward and hugged Geet. He was very happy that Geet was finally moving on. Meera joined their group hug soon. They had been more than families for Ggeet and it was like Armaan's passing away had brought them even closer to each other. Finally watching Geet regain her old self almost made them both happy.

Sid had a night shift on Thursday and he was tired with all the travel so he left the duo to talk and went back to the bedroom he had occupied. Meera and Geet were standing by the edge of the terrace watching Mumbai from the top.

Meera suddenly turned to Geet and asked the most vital question.

Meera:" Geet, I hope no one had pressurized you into this decision intentionally and unintentionally?"

Geet:" Being with Maan?"

Meera:" Yeah."

Geet:" No Meera. Yes, in Mumbai I am mostly with people who are closer to Maan. But they never actually talked to me about being with him. Teji veerji also just asked me to take a chance. In fact he showed me your example that if it is right for you to move on then it is right for me too. After all we both did lose our first love some way or other."

Meera:" That is true and I am so glad that he knocked some sense into you. But what brought the change in you? I mean I am completely in for the change but I want to know about it."

Geet smiled. It was silly really how she realized her feelings for Maan. It was always soothing for her to talk with Meera; Confiding in her helps Geet.

Geet took a deep breath and turned to Meera." Meer, I don't know how it started. All I know is that right from our first meeting Maan felt like a safe harbor. He had always this aura of security and safety around him that it was really easy to trust him. I had always found myself confiding in him all my problems. In fact I feel I always take such undue advantage of Maan, always dumping my problems on him. Slowly he became a friend and maybe a little more. I realized none of this till the lonavla trip. You know that morning while dancing with him I ...I felt attracted to him. He is such a gem of a person. How can one not love him? But I was guilty of moving on. It felt that I was wronging Armaan, cheating his memories. But Teji Veerji knocked some sense in me telling me that I am not cheating anyone. Then after coming back I missed Maan. I later came to know that he wasn't in Mumbai but that time I felt he is avoiding me. You know I went out with some friends and we had a lot of fun. But amidst all of them in that crowd I missed Maan. And that moment I realized that maybe Maan and I could have something more..."

Meera:" You love him."

Geet realized that Meera had not asked her a question. She had simply stated facts. Geet nodded her head in negative and said softly," No Meera , I don't think I love him yet. But I am almost there where my feelings for him would be as strong as his feelings for me."

Meera smiled and caressed Geet's face. "Geet, you do love him. You almost worship him. You respect him and most importantly you trust him. And there is nothing wrong in it. I am just happy you took this second chance life had offered you."

Geet:" Me too Meera. You and Sid truly deserved each other. So why don't you tell me about that? The last time we met in college you had been so adamant not to be with him. So what changed?"

Meera:" I don't know how or when. I mean this was the first time we all were separated. I kind of missed him. Over the years I think I and Sid had been closer. Maybe it was while helping you. I can't pin point exactly but maybe even while in college I felt something for Sid. Whenever Sid took an opportunity to visit home in Delhi he would visit me too. We would go out and have fun together. I realized that Sid had changed as well. He was not the same annoying, irritating person I used to hate in school. He had grown up to be a really matured man. And that encounter with Yash. It was needed Geet. I needed Yash to apologize for his mistakes. I needed to vent out at Yash for everything he had put me through. Maybe that was what was stopping me really. And Sid being so sincere was another thing. Slowly I realized that I can really love Sid. At first, just like you I felt I don't love Sid but slowly as my inhibitions for new relationship I realized maybe I was little bit in love with him already which made me say yes in the first place."

Geet:" Wow Meera! You do love him. I am just so happy for you both. You guys deserve each other. "

Meera:" You know being with Sid I finally realize why I and Yash couldn't have worked."

Geet:" Huh?"

Meera:" I and Yash, we were like more of those couples we see in movies. The lovey dovey ones who look perfect in the paper but maybe don't really work in real life. With Sid, I can be myself. I can talk to him about random things. I can be my complete crazy self with Sid. And Sid also I feel can be the same with me. I and Yash always had this invisible barrier between us and that had stopped us from being ourselves. Sid and I balance each other perfectly. It sounds weird but Sid makes me want to be a better person. I never felt that with Yash. Maybe that is why we didn't work."

Geet:" So are you ready to meet Pari then? I really want you both to meet. She is a really nice person and I think you would feel the same once you get to know her."

Meera:" What's in your mind Geet?"

Geet:" Answer this question first. Do you think you can meet Pari without feeling any form of pain?"

Meera:" I don't know whether I will be in pain or not and I think I can never find out without actually confronting her. But I do want to meet her. Not because of the strange triangle we both are in but because Pari had been your friend here in Mumbai. I want to meet the person who had taken such a good care of my bestie for me."

Geet smiled and said," That is great. But I hope I am not pressurizing you into anything?"

Meera:" Absolutely not Geet. I would have asked to meet her even if you had not brought the topic up."

Geet:" Then I think I will invite her tomorrow when we are going for visiting the Elephanta Caves. I will ask Naina too if she is interested."

Meera:" Why don't you call in some guy friends otherwise bechara Sid would be bored between all the girls."

Geet:" Fine I can call over Dev as well. That way Naina would be happy as well."

Meera:" And why not Maan?"

Geet:" Because that robot singh Khurana actually works on Saturdays as well. He was talking about some important meeting or something. I can call Vicky too if you want."

Meera smiled again at the nick name Geet gave. "No need. But don't think you are off the hook missy. I do want to meet Maan. Eligible bachelor of country or not, he needs to be approved by me before he can date my bestie."

Geet gave a sheepish smile at first but couldn't control anymore as she laughed out loudly with Meera. Meera's heart was filled with happiness watching Geet laugh. Maybe Maan was really the one for him.