Ab ke Baras! Chapter 14 up! On 12th Apr! On Page 41! - Page 18

CHAPTER 8. GEET'S STORY

Previously:

An hour later found Geet and Maan in the Jeep driving towards Hoshiarpur.

"You know I am curious!, Maan spoke up and Geet who was enjoying the wind looked at him, still not understanding his accent. He passed her a smile and then focused on the driving.

"Tum Dilli mein kya kar rahi thi?, Maan asked. When Geet didn't speak up, Maan turned to look at her. She was looking ahead and her face displayed sadness. Maan felt bad. I shouldn't have asked her about it. Look how sad she is! He opened his mouth to tell her that she didn't have to tell him when she spoke up, "Main Dilli gayi thi apne hone waale pati se milne!

"Hone. Waale. Pati., Maan tested the words individually to understand its meaning.

"Oh! You mean fianc?, he asked as he focused on driving.

"Ki?, Geet asked in confusion and Maan huffed. This girl is going to drive me mad with her constant Ki!

"Kuch nahi! Aage bolo. How was the visit? Aur tumhein drop karne kyun nahi aaya? Itne raat ko akele kaise jaane diya usne? Wait a minute!, his eyes widened and he looked at her, "Don't tell me! Jis aadmi ko maine maara, he was your fianc!

The girl shook her head, "Nahi nahi! Woh nahi tha mera honewaala pati! Lekin woh bhi kuch kameena nahi tha!

"Wait! Wait! Wait!, Maan commented feeling confused, "Rewind and tell me from start! Start se bataao! Mujhe kuch nahi samajh aa raha!

The girl sighed, "Kya bataaun! Phooti kismet haigi meri! She took a deep breath and spoke up, "Humaari sagaai bahut pehle tay hui thi! Tabhi usne koi shart nahi rakhi! Lekin ab woh kameena kehta hai ki mujhse shaadi nahi karega kyunki main padhi likhi nahi hun! Arre! Padhi likhi ladki chaahiye thi toh pehle bataaya hota! Uski maa ko mere kam padhai se problem nahi, lekin use hai!

She started telling the story slowly but now she caught steam and started to rant, "Aur sabse ajeeb baat yeh hai ki maine uski baat ko maan liya! Haan bhai! Shaayad sheher mein kam padhi likhi patni ka hona matlab sharmindgi hogi lekin...

"Ek minute!, Maan cut her off and she looked at him annoyed for stopping her rant. He missed her annoyance as he was focused on the front, "Sharm sharm what? Mujhe samjha nahi!

"Sharmindgi!, Geet exclaimed, "Arre woh aapke angrezi mein kahte hain na...em... em... embra... Embracement!

"Embarassment!, Maan corrected.

"Haan! Wahi!, Geet shrugged, "Maine toh dil pe nahi liya ki usne mujhe reject kiya lekin phir nikalte waqt use apni maa se kehte sunaa tha ki woh mujhse shaadi nahi karna chaahta kyunki mere paas ab koi daulat nahi hai.

Daulat? Maan frowned and then the meaning came to his brain. Ah yes! Wealth! Wait! He rejected her because she was poor?

"What a jerk!, Maan growled.

"Ki?, Geet asked and Maan huffed, hoping for some patience.

"Jerk! I mean... Haan yes, Kameena! Kya kameena hai!, Maan explained.

"Haan! Haina?, Geet grinned at him.

Maan spoke up, "Tumhaare parents ko shock laga hoga na, that he is such a kameena!

When no response came, he looked at her curiously only to see her looking sad.

"Hey! You alright?, he asked in alarm.
She blinked and then looked at him, "Mere ma aur pappaji nahi hain! Saalon pehle chal base!

"Oh! I am sorry!, he grimaced as he looked back to the front, feeling sad for her.

For a second there was silence and then she started to speak, her voice soft and sorrow filled, "Bahut puraani baat hai! Humaare ghar mein aag lag gayi. Sab so rahe the! Sab neend mein hi jalke mar gaye! She sighed. Maan took in a sharp breath. He was about to say that he was sorry for her loss but she continued to speak.

"Sirf main aur mere daarji bach gaye! Daarji matlab mere pappaji ke pappaji! Woh bach gaye kyunki woh uss raat khet ki rakhwaali kar rahe the! Aur main bach gayi kyunki main baajuwaali gharki taayiji ke saath thi! Kyunki woh bimaar thi aur unhein madat chaahiye tha. Toh ma ne mujhe bhej diya tha. Aur koi nahi bacha uss aag mein. Ma. Pappaji. Veerji. Mere Chote bhai behen. Taayaji. Taayiji. Sab khaakh ban gaye!

Maan kept quiet, letting her unload on him.

She continued, "Daarji ko kuch samajh nahi aaya kaise ek 8 saal ki bachchi ko paalein! Daarji puraane khayaalaat ke the! Unhonein meri sagaai karwaadi aur dasvi, tenth standard ke baad meri padhaai ruka di kyunki unhein lagta tha ki jab ladki ghar mein khaana hi pakaane waali hai toh jyaada padhne ki kya jaroorat hai. Maine unki baat maanli kyunki maa ne humesha yahi sikhaaya ki bade jo bhi karte hain sahi karte hain. Par main aage padhna chaahti thi! Kaash maine padhi hoti! Kaash maine Daarji ko toka hota, unke khilaaf gayi hoti! Toh shaayad aaj main iss musibat mein nahi hoti!

"Kyun? Why do you say that?, Maan asked curiously.

Geet smiled sadly and explained in simple terms, "Humaare gaao mein humaare kuch khet the aur ek ghar. Kuch saal pehle baarish hi nahi hui aur saare khet marne lag gaye! Na bechne ko anaaj the aur na khaane ko! Toh Daarji ne ghar girvi rakh di, mortgage, ghar chalaane ke liye! Upar se daano, seeds ke liye Daarji ne bahut saare loans liye the. Bas. Kya hona tha! Na khet phir kabhi waapis phale phoole, na karz kam hua. Ulta karz badta gaya. Maine naukri dhundhli ghar chalaane ke liye. Lekin kam padhaai ki wajah se paise bhi kam mila. Daarji ne socha ki ladke waalon se kahe meri shaadi ke liye. Lekin unhone taal diya kyunki ladka aur padhna chaahta tha. Toh main ruki rahi uske liye aur naukri karti rahi. Kuch achche rishte aaye, use bhi Daarji ne thukra diya, kyunki mera rishta pehle hi tay ho chukka tha.

Geet went silent for few minutes and Maan felt a sense a foreboding. Why do I feel the bad has yet to come? Geet spoke up and proved his instinct right.

"Phir ek din Daarji chal base! Maine turant ladke ki maa ko bataa diya. Unhonein mujhe aage kya karna hai bataaya! Mujhe ek saal rukna tha Daarji ki barsi tak, phir ghar aur khet ko bank ko bechna tha aur unke paas aana tha. Unhonein waada kiya ki woh mera khayaal rakhengi. Maine wahi kiya aur do din pehle unke paas pahunchi. Aage kya hua, aapko pata hai!

She lapsed into silence and Maan was speechless. His mind flashed back to the cheerful way she greeted him when they first met. How can someone face so much and be so cheerful? He wondered. And how much can a human being take and not break? He felt sympathetic for her but somehow he knew that she didn't want his pity. That's when something struck and his eyes widened.

"Geet!, he whispered in horror. She looked at him and he spoke, "You said, ghar bech diya, khet bech diya... Ab tum kahaan rahogi?

Geet blinked and looked down at her hands in her lap. She remained quiet for few seconds and then shook her head, "Pata nahi! Bank waalon ne mujhe ek mahine tak ka samay diya hai ghar khaali karna ke liye. Ab yeh ek maheene mein kuch na kuch toh karna padega aage ke liye.

Maan couldn't believe this. Where will she live? Where will she go? Then a thought struck him.

"What about your employer? I mean jahaan tum kaam karti ho! Woh log tumhaari madat nahi kar sakte?, Maan suggested.

Geet shook her head, "Nahi. Woh log kuch nah kar sakte. Aur waise bhi maine kuch dino pehle hi naukri chod di! Shaadi ke liye!

Maan rubbed his forehead as he wondered what other options she had. Absentmindedly, he asked, "Waise kya job karti thi tum?

"Teacher hun. English teacher., Geet replied.

Maan nodded and then did a double take, "What? You? Teach English?, he asked incredulously as a grin came onto his face. This is so funny, he thought.

Geet frowned at his comment and then felt indignant at his grin, "Haan toh? Usmein kya galat hai?, she asked fumingly.

Maan let out a chuckle and then started laughing. Geet glared at him in anger and then huffed, "Hasiye mat!

Maan continued to laugh and Geet started to get restless as she wondered what to do to stop him.

"Maan! Hasiye mat!, she ordered him.

Maan's laughter lessened as he looked at her, "Hasun nahi toh kya karun Geet? Look who is the English teacher? The girl who cannot even say Embarassment or understands the word fianc! Oh, the irony!

He burst out laughing again. Now Geet was beyond fuming.

"Gaadi rokiye!, she growled. And when Maan didn't listen, she shouted at him, "I said, STOP!

Maan was so shocked by her action, that he brought the Jeep to a stop. Geet jumped out right away and before Maan could react, she grabbed her bag from behind and started to walk away.

It took Maan a few seconds to realise that his teasing went a little too far and he needed to ask for forgiveness.

"Wait! Geet wait!, Maan shouted as he jumped down the Jeep and ran after her. As he walked he was surprised to see how fast Geet was walking. For someone so short, she surely can walk fast, he mused as he followed her. He increased his strides, "Geet! Stop! Please! But Geet continued to walk in anger, her steps brisk and sharp.

He reached towards her and grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Geet! Stop!, he spoke.

She turned around and wrenched her hand away, "Haath mat lagaayiye mennu!

She turned back and started to walk. He grabbed her hand again and stopped her.

"Arre but! Sit in the car! Or else how will you reach home?, Maan asked her.

She turned around and growled, "I will walk to home!

"You will get tired!, Maan replied.

"Don't care!, Geet retorted.

"Look how hot the sun is! You might faint!, he warned.

"Don't care!, she hissed as she wrenched her hand away and started to walk again.

He stood there and sighed.

"Look around Geet! Yahaan Jungle hai! Koi sher tumhein khaa jaayega!, he warned her.

She continued to walk but looked at him, "Aapko kya? and turned to look ahead and continued to walk.

Maan sighed. And then shouted loudly, "I AM SORRY GEET!

Geet stopped but didn't turn.

"I am sorry! Ruk jaao!, he shouted again. She still didn't move. He ran back to his Jeep and started it. He drove it to where she was standing and stopped right beside her.

"Get in Geet!, he told her.

"Phirse mujhpe nahi hasoge?, she asked him as she looked at him sideways.

"Nahi!, he shook his head empathetically.

"Phir mere English ka mazaak nahi udaaoge?, she asked.

"Nahi!, he replied.

"Theek hai! Main aapko maaf karungi lekin ek shart par!, Geet announced.

Maan looked at her warily, "Kaisi shart?

"Yahi ki aapko mere saath raste pe kisi dhaabe mein lunch karna hoga!, Geet informed him.

"What?, he growled.

"Jee haan! Shart ko maano nahi toh main chali!, Geet announced as she started to walk again.
"No no no! Wait! I accept!, Maan shouted and Geet stopped.

She turned around, grinned at him and ran to the Jeep. She jumped into the Jeep and ordered him just like she did it when they first met, "Chaliye chaliye! Gaadi chalaayiye! Mujhe kya dekh rahe hain?

Maan huffed but then he smiled as he started his Jeep. And they were off to the next step of their journey.

And that was Geet's story. Hope it was not too confusing.

And I pray that there weren't any plotholes.

What will happen next!

You will get to know that in next 2 to 3 weeks.

Yes! It will take that much time. And there is a reason for that. Sometimes I get a new idea that I think will suit the story of Ab Ke Baras only to realise that it is going to contradict some scene in one of the already updated Chapter. So I end up discarding a brilliant idea. So I am actually writing few chapters ahead of this FF before I post one Chapter here so that I don't miss out on a good idea. Hope you don't mind it. After all, it will only end up enhancing the story and your enjoyment!

Also a BIG THANKS to all the people who kept on commenting here and kept the thread alive for the seventeen months I was away from this fic. Thank you and hugs.

Thank you, take care and have fun,

Kalpana

nice part. Geet seems to be a very brave girl who had managed very well under trying circumstances. Maan making fun of her being English teacher was cute but then her asking "ki" for everything made him believe that she doesn't know English very well. waiting for next

Loved part 8👏

Cute update poor geet went through so much she lost her parents couldn't educate much and was doing job to get things around but now jobless and homeless but so funny she doesn't know e of English but madam is English teacher maan tease geet making her angry but maan had soon to do according to ma'am wishes to pacify her kalpna pm bhej

Haha absolutely I would do what maan did laugh first ...but she is so cute and demanding at the same time...adorable pair...