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Their Long Journey
The sky was unusually dark today, the moon and stars were playing hide n seek with the gray clouds making the night more gloomy. It reflected exactly what she was feeling inside; she thought as she gazed out towards the sky from the window of her penthouse. She sighed and took another gulp of her scotch as she waited for her next business which was due in next 15 minutes.
Life was not what she envisaged it to be exactly on the same day 6 years back. It should have been a fairy tale, as she was told when she was small - a prince will come and take her to a world full of love and togetherness. But she has seen only loneliness in name of love. Now when she reflects back on her life, she thinks how different it would have been had he accepted her, her love. But no, it had all taken a U-turn. And she'd vowed never to cry on what she'd lost but move forward instead show it was him who lost. But amidst all this that little girl was lost... she was innocent, she was smart and she was shy, but she dared to hope, to love.
Though not anymore she thought; she'd become a woman, a ruthless businesswoman who knows only profits. Still on occasions like this when she sees a happy couple, all that happened in the past comes home, and it pains. After all she is what, only 26, successful and single. Single because she knows better to concentrate on her work... and maybe still somewhere she craves only for that one person she'd lost her heart to at the last phase of her teenage. And after that probably this heart never acknowledged any other man.
They were together in college; he was senior to her by 2 years. It was crush at first sight for her and then she was already silently stalking him silently when she came to know of her. Nidhi was a smart girl, her neighbor and a close friend of his. Well for Geet, it was like she hit the jackpot; stalking was easier than ever before now, especially when Nidhi mostly volunteered all the information about him.
So, to her heart's relief she came to know he is single, he did had an affair long back, when the girl ditched him he was done with relationship thing and concentrated on making a career. His greatest ambition was to go abroad for job. It was very illogical she thought when he belonged to a high class business family almost similar background as hers.
And finally the day came, they were introduced formally in her fresher's party, courtesy Ms. Nidhi who herself was awed by grace and confidence of Geet Handa.
"Hi. Maan Singh Khurrana"
"Geet Handa."
She replied placing her hand in his outstretched one and then he gave her that breathtaking smile and the only thing she noticed was how his cheeks dimpled when he smiled. She was herself looking quite pretty in her baby pink dress and shied a bit when he scanned her head to toe. They really enjoyed each other's company that night and became friends.
It had been few months now, and it was difficult for Geet to be just friends anymore. She'd never before been in a relationship before, not that it was forbidden but she'd never really liked someone before Maan. Off late she also noticed that he tried to talk to her more, bring all the conversations to her, and caught him staring at her secretly a couple of times. But she couldn't yet muster the courage to tell him that she really liked him.
Days kept passing by just like that; her year-end exams were near now but more than that she feared it was Maan's graduation year, what would she do if he left the college? But to her relief she soon came to know that he will be continuing his post graduation at the same college and she sighed in relief.
Time was flying and she didn't even realize when they reached her graduation year and his final year at college. Just being lost in his company, it was almost three years now and she wasn't yet able to tell him her feelings. With the passing time she also started to fear what if he didn't felt the same way for her, that way she would lose his friendship too. And that insecurity always prevented her to open her mouth in front of him. Meanwhile they had come closer than ever as their group slowly filtered out after their graduation year and couldn't imagine life without each other.
Finally it was his convocation. She was hell nervous but she knew it was now or never. He'd already been recruited in campus selection and would be leaving soon for his 3 month training to Mumbai and then flying to LA directly. While she will be here in Delhi; she wouldn't get a chance to meet him for months, maybe for years and that thought made her lips tremble in pain. Her feelings which were mere a crush or physical attraction had transformed to friendship and all this long taking care of each other like true acquaintance had finally reached its destination. She loved him, and she had a hard realization about it when she showed a great interest in one of the new student at the starting of this year, though things didn't work out between them, and she was secretly glad about it.
"Maan."
"Hmm."
"Shall we go out to celebrate today, just you and me?"
He nodded in agreement. They went to a restaurant first, it was his treat. Then she wanted to go to a silent place where they could talk so they settled for a park. She was really very nervous about his reaction but finally gathered all her courage and let go. She poured out her feelings for him in front of him for the first time. And after she was done, it was a different feeling, though she felt very exposed and vulnerable, at the same time she felt calm and peace at heart. She waited with abate breath for his answer, just a yes and it would be perfect she thought and smiled all the while looking down not able to meet his eyes.
Maan on the other hand was stunned to silence; it was so sudden that he didn't see it coming; more than that he didn't know what to respond. When she finally looked up to meet his eyes, she was shocked to find confusion and apprehension written all over his face.
"Maan."
Her words only pushed him further and now his eyes were spitting fire.
"I think you should concentrate to make your career rather than these silly things."
He tuned and left from there without a backward glance, she kept standing there not knowing how she felt about it. She tried calling him a few times after that, but he never picked, finally when she went to him a day before his departure she came to know that he'd left early for Mumbai due to some technical problems. But she knew better.
After that she never heard from him. Never in these 6 years, but it didn't hamper his invasion to her thoughts every now and then. Being ruthlessly rejected from her only love at the tender age of 20 made her rebellious. She also left the studies after graduation, for initial couple of moths she was under depression. But one day when her father took her to his factory with him, she was fascinated. She started going to accompany her father in his business trips and soon business bug caught her too.
Almost 5 years now into her new venture and she was already young entrepreneur award winner 3 times in a row. She'd pushed herself so hard at work that nothing else gave her satisfaction now other than excellence. She wondered at time if he ever thought of her, then she would laugh at herself, probably he doesn't even remember her. Then she would cry her eyes out thinking why he didn't love her back? And the cycle would go on.
Her phone rang breaking her thoughts. She looked for time and realized that the call was 15 minutes later than scheduled and lashed out on her secretary for the delay. Well that's what her life had become all about since then.
"But there has to be one seat, at least one." He checked again at the counter.
"We are really sorry sir but all the flights are full you need to wait for 2 days."
Wait, that's the only thing he can't do. Not after waiting for 6 long years already. He had to get back to her and that too soon.
"Can you check for the last time, there must be a connecting flight, maybe from Hongkong or Dubai?"
"Sorry sir... But I have checked all the connecting routes already; due to the Olympics there aren't any seats available at such a short notice."
He was losing his head now, but calmed himself instantly with a thought of meeting her finally.
"Look, it's very important okay. And the status changes right, just check one, one last time." He was almost begging and the desk attendant was already miffed with his pestering and decided to check for the very last time only because it meant he'd be out of her hair after that.
He waited with abated breath, probably prayed a million times to get one seat. He desperately wanted to go back to India before it's too late. She is getting married? How can she? She loved me??? No she loves me!! I am coming Geet.
"Congrats sir, it's really a miracle but I have got a route, though you will have to change flights twice, will that be okay?"
He was delighted to get through. It meant even god was at his side.
"Anything, just book it. What time is my flight?"
He was buoyant, still not believing it was actually happening with him. At last it was time to be back to her and embrace her love which he had immaturely refused in his ego. He checked into his flight, occupied his seat and got lost in his thoughts of her.
He'd met her first met her in the fresher's party in his 3rd year and instantly liked her ready wit and boldness. It was as if he was noticing a girl after a very long time. But he was determined not to let anything come between him and his career.
Yes, that was a different matter altogether between him and his dad. They could never look into face of each other and always had a difference of opinion. His mother was the only person he listened and obeyed. Anyway his dad thought that he was a useless brat just because he didn't want to continue the business and he was determined to prove him wrong.
But she came like a breeze in his suffocating life. Suddenly he felt like he was breathing more than before, what exactly it was he didn't know. Though they were always surrounded by friends, but with her, the world ceased to exist for him. Still he was punishing himself under family pressure.
But he couldn't yet forgive himself for the way he behaved with her that day. The day when she had told him how she felt about him, and how ruthlessly he'd broken her heart telling her to go make a career, match his abilities to be with him. Was his love so low? Can success drive someone such insane that he refuses to acknowledge the biggest happiness of his life?
He had no answers to all the questions he kept asking himself all these years. He only new that it was the biggest and gravest mistake he ever made in his life. But now he was going to correct it.
All these years he couldn't muster the courage to go back to her. Initially he was blinded by his success and tried to find solace in arms of other women. But soon he came to know the importance of pure love that she was offering compared to the empty dealings of corporate world. But then again there was this insecurity; would she want him back in her life again after what he'd dome to her? She was successful today, she has shown him what she is capable of and she can easily turn him down, and when that happens, will he be able to take that rejection from her?
So many questions were there but no answers. All hell broke loose on him when he heard she was getting married. He still had contact with their old friend Nidhi and kept a track of her. When she told him that his Geet was getting married, her father was trying to fix her marriage with one of his business associates it felt like earth had suddenly stopped spinning. He couldn't waste another minute sitting and brooding while his last chance of redemption was getting lost in oblivion and here he is on the way back to her, back to life.
His plane landed on Chandigarh at 11 pm, now he has to find conveyance to Delhi. The last of the train for the day has left and the next one is after 10 hours which he cannot afford wasting anymore so he tried some buses. Seems like luck was his side but not completely, only seat available was at 1 am, a state transport which meant compromising all the comforts, but he was ready for it.
On the way to Delhi; he was quite conscious now, not sure what he would tell her? Why was he back after so long after saying no? What if she wants to get married to that guy, and he would just reopen her old wounds? What if... what if... there were so many what ifs and he was stuck between love and fear. Neither could he go back now without trying, nor did he knew what he would tell her after meeting.
He reached Delhi at 5 am. He was quite messy as it rained heavily all the way back and bus broke down in between, but he cared less. Now the first thing he wanted was to confront her, it didn't matter if he didn't look presentable, it was no business meeting. He smiled at his own thoughts and rang her doorbell. He knew she lived all alone in her apartment since she mover=d out of her house after an argument with her father on marriage.
It was taking so much time for the door to open and he had no patience. His feet and his heart were jumping in joy; his hands were all cold and sweaty while his mind was freaking out thinking what to say.
To say that she was shocked to see him would be the understatement of the decade, because she was beyond flummoxed... flabbergasted and out of breadth. Just 2 days back she'd been thinking and crying hopelessly, and praying against all odds that he would come back; her wish can't be granted that soon.
"You can't get married to anyone else." He said suddenly, out of his turn. Seeing the confusion that marred her forehead he realized his mistake.
"What?" she was at a loss.
He immediately pretended to clear his throat desperately trying to do some damage control. And only after she was distracted from his out of turn sentence did he continue.
"Do you mind if I come in?" he asked finally, and it was as if she was finally registering that it was indeed happening for real, she wasn't just dreaming all of it. She stood aside to let him in.
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes; they were just standing there, together under the same roof after so long still not believing it was happening to them for real. Both excited but apprehensive about what the other would say. As minutes ticked by, Geet had finally got her manners back, she showed him the spare room and gave him a towel and some clean clothes least he would get sick.
He hated to think how she could possibly had a pair of male clothes when she lives here all by herself but thought better than to ask her already. She excused herself to make some coffee while he got fresh.
As he came out from the room he saw her busy in thoughts while the milk was spilling off the vessel in the gas. He hurried and switched it off, it broke her trance too and she started to fidget around nervously. He smiled seeing her reaction to him and informed her that he would be waiting in the room.
She calmed herself and decided to confront him about what it was. He can't just come back from nowhere and walk on her years of hard work. She was determined not to succumb to her heart and put a fight this time if he tried to hurt her again. Not that she thought he would, because somewhere down the line she was already thinking that things are going to be good this time, but she knew better than to hope.
As she entered the room, she found the door to the balcony open. She moved to the balcony and saw his silhouette in the dark night. He looked determined but calm, it felt strangely comforting to be in his presence again and all her resolve from few minutes back seemed to melt away. She felt like a moth drawn to fire, less so now because she knew it wouldn't burn anymore. It was as if like those few hours of their life were never real, they had faded into the background as a nightmare, long forgotten. While their long lost friendship, compassion for each other still remained; and she was sure he felt the same. At the same moment she decided to let the past rest and take one moment a time.
"Maan"
She called softly and he turned back with a slight smile, she could feel him more relaxed probably because he was more presentable now than before. He took his cup from her hand, and in that action his finger slightly touched one of hers, it was as if she froze then and there, she felt both cold and warm at the same time, both the feelings trying to engulf each other and in the process making her drowsy. While one look at his face, she was sure he felt similar, if not the same.
They sipped their coffees in silence for sometime; the silence broke only when she finally enquired.
"So, back finally?" it was a normal conversation like an old friend would ask on meeting after years and he was glad for some normality at the moment.
"Yes, my work was done there. Besides I am not chasing dreams anymore, I am going to make them true." He said the second line looking her straight in the eyes and she felt a jolt of electricity at the intensity of those chocolate brown eyes. When she didn't respond, he continued by himself...
"And I have decided to settle down too... enough wandering for a lifetime." A frisson ran down her spine at his words but she needed to know.
"So have they found a perfect match for you at last?" he almost smiled at her question thinking how innocent she was still, and decided to play with her a bit.
"They did find a few, but none was up to my expectations. Rather I have found myself a perfect match."
He added, trying to read the fury in her eyes.
"Did you now? So have you proposed her already then?"
He was enjoying the way their conversation was heading. He pretended to be thinking something and added...
"I think I will"
After that what happened seemed to be an eternal moment suspended in time, in split second he was on his one knee, holding his hand out, his eyes staring straight at hers... "Marry me"
Two words, two simple words and her world stopped, and started to move again in different direction. She kept standing there with mouth hanging open, eyes wide and tears flowing continuously out of him, he still refused to let go and kept staring right at her in apprehension, anticipation...
All the moments of their past flashed in front of her eyes as if a slide show; halting at their separation the last time. And only now when she saw the scene in the hindsight she could see that it was nothing but a mistake. He didn't need to prove his love for her, nor did he need to explain his mistakes, she understood him the way she loved him, unconditionally. All these years of wait had only made it deep and strong like a meditation, she was his jogan, and he her deity. She may be angry at him for being cruel to her but it never mattered when he was back, back only to be hers.
After what seemed like an eternity he heard a small yes, which he would have missed had he not been listening to her every breadth with rapt attention. He couldn't believe his luck. He got up at once and twirled her in his arms in obvious happiness. There was so much to say, so much to listen, but at this moment there was need of only one thing, a tight hug, and they just did that, embraced each other like never before.
After they broke from the hug they were breathless, smiling, shying, excited... and everything. He looked at her with expectation, she frowned not understanding.
"Can we... can we kiss?"
What? She thought in her head and smiled immediately at his cuteness and her own stupidity. She embraced him tightly and closed her eyes letting him take charge of their first ever kiss.
"Who told you I was getting married?" she mumbled between their kisses.
"Whoever did, I owe her one." He replied in her mouth not bothering to break the kiss.
Two hearts were lost in celebrating their togetherness, their locked lips parted for few minutes to breathe which they would utilize to talk after all there was stuff worth 6 years to catch up. Though the journey was long they had finally found their destination in each other.
After all love is not always complicated!!
Disclaimer: this story is entirely a fiction and my imagination. Any resemblance to life of any person living/dead is purely a co-incidence.
A/N: It's been long that i have updated anything, and probably disappointed you all by the closure of Corporate love, so this one is a small compensation, along with that a small gesture to return a bit of all the love i got from here. I hope u like it, AND also check MG OS- HIS WIFE
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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