PART 4
New beginnings...old ties...
Mumbai was totally different from the peace and quiet environment of Darjeeling... Dareeling had always been the favourite of Geet right from her childhood days... Thinking about childhood was really painful at this juncture. Dev and Meera had been two pillars of support throughout the turbulent childhood that Geet had. Yet right now their betrayal was too fresh in her mind.
Mumbai airport's baggage belt was one of the most annoying and frustrating thing for Geet. The airport was always over crowded with too many flights landing at the same time. And to add to this they give away the luggage for two or three flights from the same baggage belt simultaneously making it over crowded and ensuring utter chaos.
By the time Geet got hold of her trolley and a side bag she had brought she had reached the end of her patience level. Taking a deep breath she reached the pick-up point only to find that Pari was nowhere to be found.
Cursing Pari under her breath Geet called her up to find a sleepy Pari pick up her call.
"Hello Geetu!! What's up?"
"Really Pari, that's all you would say? And why the hell are you sleeping at 11.30 pm? "
"I am having migraine so was sleeping after having medicines. But why are you being such sarcastic queen? You are even in worse mood than your usual nasty self."
Geet took a deep breath and calmed herself down just not to shout at Pari when she was already suffering from one of her bad migraine spells.
"Pari, please don't try my patience. You were supposed to pick me up from the airport."
"Weren't you supposed to come tomorrow?"
"PARI ! I am here and I was scheduled to come today itself. Anyway...leave that all. There's no point of shouting when you are ill. I am coming there by myself."
"Geetu are you sure? I mean it is already midnight."
"This is Mumbai Pari. 11.30 is nothing. Don't worry, I would do just fine. "
" Any issues and you call me fine?"
"Okay bhabiji!"
"Geetu!"
"Pari, I have to take a cab. Bye..."
Geet sighed as she walked back towards the auto stand. Due to some unusual reason number of Autos was quite less and Geet's level of frustration was increasing but then she could not have been angry over Pari even if she tried. After she lost her brother Yash to a bike accident she had grown even closer to her widowed bhabi... And right now at this juncture of her own life she seemed the only solace left.
Andheri wasn't that far and Pari leaves at a two BHK apartment that Yash had bought few years before his untimely death. It was in the posh area of Oshiwara and Geet was heading there finally after being able to grab an auto.
Geet rung the calling bell and soon a smiling Pari opened the door. They hugged each other dearly and no words were required between the in-laws cum friends. They were both joined by a common thread of that of Yash and the pain of losing him.
Pari was the first to regain her composure and said," Geetu, we will talk later but you look completely worn out. We will talk tomorrow but right now please take rest."
"Hmm."
"I want to know everything."
"I don't know Pari. But I would try."
"Good enough for me Geetu! Goodnight."
*****
Sameera was sitting in Maan's study. It was so easy to act. She had always been a good actress. That was the reason behind her success...that was the reason why she had always been able to portray different characters with ace...Yet the irony of fate. Never had she imagined she would have to use it with her husband...But was Maan truly her anymore? When Maan had suddenly started talking about giving chances and trying for the marriage she had been elated. But then she had known that something must have been bothering Maan or he wouldn't have done that...
She had expected something...anything...but not this. Maan confessing about his one night stand was like a hot iron rod being shoved right inside her throat. She loves Maan. Knowing Maan Sameera knew that even if it was a one night stand it couldn't have been just physical. Maan was simply not that kind of a man to just give in to the temptations simply because it exists.
He had always been loyal to every relationship. May be the abortion had caused it but there was something else in his eyes too. That had made Sameera act like it didn't matter to her that he had sex with another woman.
Once she left the room agreeing for the divorce however the enormity of the betrayal hit her. Maan was not supposed to go and bed another woman. Maan was supposed to be her.
Once inside the sanctity of Maan's study she gave up on all pretences. She was done pretending to be strong. As the tears broke down from deep within her she felt a presence. Without even turning back she could feel her husband approaching her. She slowly felt Maan keeping his hand on her shoulders. She stiffened but then gave up and shook into uncontrollable sobs. Maan turned her in a jiffy and hugged her tight.
The hug was soothing and Sameera gave in and she broke down. Once she sobered up a bit Maan placed a soft kiss on her forehead and said..
"Sam, I might be an idiot disloyal husband but I know when you act like it doesn't bother you and when it really doesn't bother you. I knew how much it would have hurt you to know about my infidelity. I am sorry Sam. I wish I could undo some things Sam."
"You Knew?"
"Of course I knew Sam. I have known you for years Sam. "
"So why are you here Maan?"
"I am here so you can react Sam. I want you to react like a wife should have reacted...the way I know you want to react."
"Am I really your wife? Do I really have the right?"
"Sam..."
"Maan please leave me alone for some time. I need some time to sort things out."
"Fine Sam...I am truly sorry for what I did to you."
"We both had done our own shares of mistakes we can never undo Maan... it hurts really badly. When you told me about that night...I was hurt. You were supposed to be mine, Maan..."
"I am still yours."
"No you are not. If you were, you wouldn't have slept with her no matter what. I know you Maan. You are not that kind of a man. "
Maan didn't answer. May be some questions don't really have answers. He shook his head and left the study to provide some solace to the woman who was his wife.
*****
The next morning was a comparatively peaceful one for Geet. Yash had been the only one in the family of five that Geet had been close to. Brij her eldest brother had always been the one prim and proper brother who had to be the perfect one in every aspect of life may it be behavioural or career wise. Now he was one of the top advocates of Mumbai and a partner to one of the leading law firms. Geet found it ironic that she had to seek help from the one she has no strong emotional bond with to sort out her own divorce.
Her mom and dad had always been so proud of Brij that she had envied him for better part of her childhood. Her middle brother Yash was a different case. In matter of academics he was the perfect brother to Brij yet he was a rebel. May be that was the common link between both of them.
Geet had been the unplanned nasty surprise for her parents they couldn't get rid of. By the time Geet had come to an age where she could understand relationships any semblance of love Rano and Mohinder had was gone and they were bitter staying together always fighting and finding fault in each other. To add to matters Rano had always had a strange apathy towards Geet. She hadn't wanted a third child and that was something Rano never let Geet forget. Geet's tomboy attitude had always been the reason for the clash between both. Her two best friends Dev and Meera had served had a pillar of support especially whenever Rano's inconsiderate statements had hurt Geet.
Geet's choice of going for plain BSc graduate instead of some other line was another cause of total disruption of peace in the family and that was the last straw for Geet. She had moved out of the house in a fit of rage.
Yash had already had moved out a year before to have his own space. Geet had asked Yash if she could stay with him and that was how Geet had left her lavish home of south Mumbai and had come to stay with Yash at Andheri. The bond between the brother and sister had strengthened. Geet had started working in part time jobs over weekends and Yash had supported her choices. Soon Pari demello had stepped in their life.
There was a girl's pg one floor up and during Ganesh chaturthi Geet had met the girls staying there. Geet and Pari had taken instant liking towards each other and that was how she had started coming to their apartment. It hadn't taken long for Yash and Pari to fall in love.
There are some couples in the world who are just plain meant to be no question asked. Yash and Pari had been such but of course the Handa's had issue. Pari was a Christian catholic who works as a junior artist for TV industry. Not the ideal bahu for the high and mighty Handa's at all. Rano had instantly blamed Geet for spoiling the life of her son even when Mohinder had tried to understand the situation. Yash however was adamant. He knew in his heart that Pari had been the one.
That was when both Yash and Geet had broken every tie with their parents. Pari and Yash had a court marriage and strangely Brij had come to wish them luck. It was something unexpected from the perfect son of the family and Brij never really was close to either of them. But they had understood that Brij was tied down by his duties towards their parents. No matter how wrong and unreasonable they are they would always be the parents who had brought them in this world. Strangely that was when Geet and Yash became closer to Brij.
Yash's death in a bike accident had been a blow for both Geet and Pari. Yash had been working for the airport authority of India and had a good savings and had made sure Pari would be financially secure in case anything happened to him. However nothing could make up for losing a loving companion.
Brij and Geet had bonded closer during this rough patch and it was Brij who had helped Pari with a regular job to keep her busy since she no longer wanted to be a part of the glamour world. Strange how certain mishaps renew some old bonds.
Pari plopped beside her and said," Good morning Geetu! Now talk... What is going on?"
Geet knew Pari enough to know that she won't be giving up. She starts talking about everything from Dev's infidelity to her one night stand to their decision of mutual divorce. When she finished she was crying and Pari was too stunned to speak.
Finally getting over her shock Pari shrieked,
"You had unprotected sex with a stranger?"
"I tell you so many things and that's what you are stuck with Pari? I was on pills so no, there's no chance I would be pregnant. "
"But you don't know that guy...what if he has some STDs or God forbid HIV? You are educated Geet! Don't act like a teenager for God's sake."
Geet was silent. Pari was right. After all she doesn't know Maan. But somewhere she trusted Maan. It was just a physical relation to get rid of the pain for one day yet it created a strange bond that cannot be explained by words.
"Geet, are you listening to anything I am saying?"
"HUH?"
"We are going to doctor's place now and we will get you tested for everything."
Geet did not deny and got ready. But strangely she was not worried. 
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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