Distorted Lives..FOUW..Thread 2..... updtd note pg 105 - Page 58

Usually I don't comment... it's not that I don't love your updates, but I can't find proper words !!

But after reading last updated.. have to write this..

Dear you are blessed...how delicately you portrayed everyone's emotions, turmoil in simple words...

Nice part. Sam and brij's conversation was really very serious. It is not an easy decision for Brij to leave his parents and live separately peacefully. Though he is not denying to take their responsibility but staying under one roof has become very tough for him. Though sam's advice made brij think in another way, still it is not easy for him.

Honestly, I don't like dev. Maybe this is the reason whatever he was telling geet, I wasn't ok with it. He cheated on geet and there is no forgiveness for this. I know geet did the same eventually but She was hurt that time. Dev and Meera don't deserve any sympathy and forgiveness from geet.

Finally geet asked brij if she was reason of his break up with tara. Brij also opened up and said he doesn't think her responsible for it and it she is the reason than he is happy as it worth it.

Rehaan and pari seem to come closer. But right now they are not ready to accept these new feelings. Waiting for next dear

Nice parts. Brij open up with Sam. He is really miss in his life because of his parents. Let see what decision he is going to take. Geet knows that she is also reason. Dev feel that Geet is changed. Maybe they become better friends than life partners. Ray like pari & try to spend time with her. Maybe best for pari too.

Arjun wants to know about Annie but he can’t ask about Maan.

awesome updates...........

loved dem very much..................

feeling bad fr all.........mainly geet n brij........

I hope that Brij gets to live for himself! Hoping that he breaks the shackles around him!

So Dev’s noticing the changes in Geet since Maan’s arrival 😃

I could relate to Geet here as I also see things as black or white, there’s hardly any gray 😉

Loved the conversation between Geet and Brij! It was so heartwarming to see that Brij tried to relieve Geet of the burden and told her that she’s not responsible for his suffering ❤️

Hi Aditi.... hope you are fine

Note:

Guys I am sorry for being unable to reply you but I read each and every comment and they mean a lot to me.

Thank you everyone for such overwhelming response. Before I start I would just say this is not just an ordinary story. Neither Maan nor Geet are perfect people here. they are both imperfect and here's a story of few people who are no where near perfects. This is the story of their flaws...their imperfections...their incompleteness. Do comment and press like. They inspire me to write better. In case anyone wants pm please add me as buddy.Awaiting your honest opinions.

Please stay safe everyone. Let's do everything that is in our power to help people who need it in these turbulent times. Take care everyone.

My mother fell down and broke her arm so I was unable to update because I was very busy with her. Now that she is slowly on the mend I wrote the update.

Part 45

The return Home

Annie was nervous. After two and a half months she was returning to Mumbai. The project had completed three weeks back. Maan bhai had come to Darjeeling to check things. She still wasn’t ready for Mumbai. She was still not sure of her own heart. She took some time off to travel around a bit.

The beauty here was inexplicable. She had visited many small hill stations nearby. She had heard of Sikkim and wanted to visit there. Three weeks were not enough to visit everything Sikkim had to offer but she planned on spending some time exploring. She had been to phadamchen, juluk and the famous elephant lake. She visited changulake and had finally came to Gangtok. This would be her last place of visit. Tomorrow she was returning to NJP and from there she is taking a train to Kolkata.

Maan bhai was surprised with her decision of taking the train but she wanted to prolong her journey as much as possible. This solo trip had really been good for her soul. She felt rejuvenated. She was not drifting alone anymore. She felt as if she had found a purpose again.

Annie wasn’t just a rich heiress wasting away her life anymore. She had grown up. Handling the project had been good for her. The amount of pressure Maan bhai was under made her have a new appreciation for him. Annie had decided to join the business. She wanted to work for her fortune instead of just reaping the benefits.

She stood on the balcony and looked up. The mountains were cloaked by the mist but the chill in the air was there. She didn’t stop herself anymore. She was missing him.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. If it’s true, then her feelings had grown so much in these weeks of separation. Some days just her sheer willpower was all that stood between her calling him up and beg him to still love her.

But she didn’t want to be impulsive. This was the single most important decision of her life. She owed it to both of them to think it through.

Her solo travel gave her too much time to miss him. He had been an integral part of her life for so long. It had taken this separation to realize how much he meant to her. But tomorrow she would begin her journey back home, her journey back to him.

She had been too selfish for too long. He had given her all; his love, his companionship, his listening ears, his comforting arms…. and selfishly she had taken it without giving anything in return.

Now she had realized how deep within her heart he had touched and how she couldn’t think about moving on without him. It was time she listened to what her heart had been telling her for weeks.

Her journey was long and tiring. At times she wished she would know why she insisted on train. But the comparatively slower travel made her even more eager to return back home…. The silence had been long gone. Most of her fellow travellers were happy people cheerfully discussing random things. Sometimes she even joined once or twice.

And now as she stood on the platform of CST she felt adrift. But she was not alone for long.

“Ann…”

Annie looked up and saw Rey striding towards her. He soon engulfed her into a quick hug before taking her trolley from her.

Annie was oddly silent. It was as if she had lost her urge for speaking.

“Ann are you okay? You are oddly silent.”

It was odd to see Rey being so serious. Growing up Rey had always been the prankster. It seemed that in her absence things have changed for Rey as well.

“Nothing like that. I am just overwhelmed.”

“Overwhelmed?”

“Yeah. Right now I am feeling too much to put them into words.”

Rey nodded his head to acknowledge her response. They walked almost silently working their way through the crowd. Soon they were standing in front of Rey’s car. Rey put her bags inside the boot before opening the passenger door for her.

As soon as they were on their way Rey asked her questions about her travel and the places she went to. Annie shared her journey. They both knew that they were deliberately trying to keep the conversation on safe ground. Ultimately, Rehaan was the one to broach the difficult topic.

“Ann…”

“Hmm?”

“Are you sure you have sorted through your emotions? I mean if you have any doubt or you need more time you need to just let us know. Nobody knows that you have returned. “

His earnest care for her endeared him to her even more.

“I don’t need any more time Rey.I have to just sort out things with both of them.”

“Are you happy then?”

“I don’t know about happiness. But I am at peace. I know my own heart and I don’t feel any guilt about my choice.“

“Fair enough. I won’t pry anymore. But I need you to promise me something.”

“What?”

“If you need any help, you will let us know. You won’t bottle things up anymore. We are a family Ann. We stand by each other.”

“You have no idea how lucky we are we can be there for each other. Not everybody is so lucky.”

“I do. Believe me, I do.”

The car entered the Khurana mansion. She was back home. Her life that she had kind of put on hold could begin again.

*********

It was amazing how a certain sequence if repeated enough makes a habit and even we start expecting it to happen. Maan had been a regular visitor to her home. Pari had even stopped reacting to his presence nowadays. Muskaan also treated him as a part of her life.

If Geet was being honest with herself, even she had begun to treat Maan’s presence in her home as inevitable. It was strange how easy it was to make a new habit.

“Where are you lost Geet?”

“Nothing Maan, just some silly thoughts. “

“I think someone is ready for her evening snacks.”

Muskaan gave her a sheepish look before saying,” Am hungry Mumma.”

Geet got up and walked into the kitchen to start boiling water. Soon her hands were busy with work but her head was still filled with unnecessary thoughts. When had Maan become a part of her life? Why didn’t she realize it before?

As she brought Muskaan her food she also placed the black coffee in front of Maan.

“I have no idea how you can drink so many cups of black coffee and still get any sleep?”

Maan laughed. This wasn’t the first time Geet had made similar comments.

“So you are coming right?”

“Coming where?”

Maan gave her an exasperated look.

“Geet, I told you last week remember? We are having a small surprise party for Annie next weekend... a welcome back party. It’s just a small group of people.”

“I hardly know anyone there Maan.”

“Actually that’s not true. Brij will be there. Pari will also be there not to mention that you already know me.”

“Pari is ready to go out for a party?”

“Party is probably a very wrong word. Few friends and families getting together and having fun. And Rey invited Pari. He had confirmed about her.”

“If I go, who will look after Muski?”

“Oh stop making silly excuses… I know for a fact that Muskaan will be with her father that weekend.”

“Okay fine.”

“Great!”

“So what should I wear…”

“How on the world would I know?”

“Uff Men! I meant what kind of dress would be appropriate? I don’t want to be underdressed or over dressed.”

“Actually I have no idea. It is not something elaborate but I will have a chat with Annie before confirming.”

“Maan, if by any chance Dev postpones his visit I will cancel.”

“Don’t cancel. You can arrive early and bring Muskaan along.”

“I will think about it.”

They were both silent. They each were engrossed in their thought.

“Geet…”

“Hmm?”

“I am sure you will be fine and you will enjoy yourself there. If not, I promise to bring you back.”

“I have lost my touch Maan. I don’t know how to enjoy the crowd anymore. Too much solitude over the last few years.”

“Maybe that’s what you need Geet… Maybe you need a bit more society. Maybe you have had more solitude than is healthy.”

“Is that all? It cannot be that simple…”

Maan realized that they had stopped talking about the party, He smiled at her.

“Maybe it is that simple. I told Annie once, we humans make things more complicated than is needed to be. Maybe we should stop over complicating things. Maybe things are supposed to be simple.”

“Then why doesn’t it feel simple?”

There was a silence that they both allowed to prevail. Maan knew that he could answer Geet in thousand words but maybe some things you can only understand yourself. So instead he chose not to answer her. He just let his eyes meet her and let the silence answer for itself.

Part 46

Love will find a way

Next evening Pari found Geet strangely silent watching outside the window. Muskaan was busy with watching cartoons.

“What’s wrong Geet?”

“I don’t know Pari. Maan came and invited me for their welcome home party for Annie.”

“Yeah, Rehaan asked me over.”

“I am glad you are going out.”

“You know Geet it’s not the same.”

“Pari, it is okay. Five years is enough time to be away from society. I think you can start living again.”

“I know. I think after Yash I had just stopped living. But now I feel the need to start living again. Does that mean I am getting over Yash?”

“Do you want to get over Yash bhai?”

“Hell no.”

“Pari, I don’t think I am the right person to talk about all these. But because you asked, I will tell you what I think. ‘Get over’ is such a harsh term. It makes the experience almost meaningless. I think getting over is not possible. Our experience changes us. But we can stop our experience from making too much impact in our life. We can stop allowing our past to have power over our present and future. What you and Yash bhai had was rare and beautiful. But Yash bhai would have hated if you stop living in his name. Go ahead. Live and make thousands of memories. Remember Yash bhai with smile, not tears.”

“Wow Geetu! You have changed.”

“Therapy helps.”

“Sure it does. But I think it is something else or should I say someone else.”

Geet could feel her cheeks warmup and she looked down.

“Oh my God Geetu, you are blushing!”

“Stop teasing me!”

“So you agree that there is something to tease about.”

“PARI!”

“Ok! I won’t tease but I do want to talk about Maan.”

“fine!”

Geet’s voice was that of resignation.

“Geetu, we love you baby. I just want you and Muski to be happy.”

“I know Pari.”

“Maan is a good man. And I know you won’t acknowledge but you act without thinking when it comes to him. You are ordinally so cautious but with him you are so different.”

“I admit I was reckless. But it was one night Pari. One night of recklessness in twelve years. I think I am entitled to it.”

“I wasn’t talking about that night. Perhaps reckless is not the right word. Incautious maybe. But you don’t think before acting when it comes to him. I just want you to take your time with him. If things go wrong, he has way more power than Dev to hurt you.

“I think Pari, it’s already too late for that. I think I feel too much for him already.”

“For what it’s worth, I think you both complement each other and that bodes well for a relationship. Just take your time. With Dev, you just jumped into the deep end too fast. I think if you had waited a year or two you both would have realized how wrong you are for each other. Take your time with Maan.”

“So I can judge if Maan is also the wrong one?”

“You should take your time because Maan is the right one Geetu. You don’t want either of your baggage destroying what you could have do you?”

“What if taking time means I miss out?”

“Then he is not right for you. If he cannot wait for you to be emotionally ready for him then he doesn’t sound like the right person Geetu. You have been hurt so bad all your life. He needs to have patience to wait for you to deal with all your past.”

“Hmm.”

There was nothing spoken after that. But Pari had observed Maan and she could say with confidence that Maan would wait for Geet to heal.

*********

The apartment building looked the same. She had undergone such changes in her emotion that it felt wrong somehow that the world around has changed so little. She climbed the stairs tentatively. She felt shy. This was the single most important moment of her life and she was apprehensive.

She pressed the calling bell. She could hear shuffling inside. Then the door was opened. His roommate smiled at her.

“Hey Annie! Welcome back… come on in.”

“Is he home?”

“Yeah. He’s in his room moping. Go ahead. I was just going out so you guys have the flat to yourselves.”

Annie nodded and was moving towards his room.

“Hey Annie!”

Anne turned back.

“Yeah?”

“Be careful with him yeah? He has not been himself. Take care of him.”

“I will.”

Annie was teary eyed. She took a deep breath and knocked on his bedroom door.

“Man! I told you I am not in a mood to go out.”

Annie pushed open the door. He was facing the other side. With soft steps she was at his bedside. Putting her hand on his shoulder she called out softly.

“Vicky!”

He turned back abruptly. His eyes showed his disbelief at her presence. His hair was messier and his eyes showed his struggle.

“Oh Vicky!” was all Annie could speak before she put her arms around him. That familiar smell of him made her feel at peace. She felt his arms come around her and crushed her into his chest. A few tears escaped her eyes but she could feel him shake with suppressed emotions.

She pulled her head up to look into his eyes.

“Let go Vicky. I am here now. You can let go!”

He didn’t say a word, neither did she. He pressed his face on the crook of her shoulder and soon she could feel his tears. She cried silently as she let him express his anguish.

Once Vicky was a bit composed they sat on his bed facing each other.

“You didn’t take care of yourself Vicky!”

There was a tone of reproach in her voice.

“You weren’t there to scold me Ann…. What did you expect?”

He tried to make the environment lighter but she knew the truth behind his light words.

“I am sorry Vicky! I am so sorry!”

“For what?”

His voice held a trepidation and Annie realized that he was jumping to wrong conclusions. Taking his hand, she gave him a slight squeeze before holding onto it.

“Vicky! I am sorry because I hurt you for so long. For a long time now, I have selfishly just taken you for granted. This past couple of months have brought some clarity in me.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not. It is really not okay to cause pain to someone Vicky. You didn’t deserve it.”

“Ann can you please stop beating around the bush. If you are here to break my heart just do it. If you are hereto tell me that you are going back to Arjun just tell me. It’s easier that way because…… Oh God! Ann because with every minute that’s passing my hope grows. So please, just tell me.”

Annie looked at him. She didn’t know it then and afterwards they both could never agree who moved first.

As her lips touched his it feltlike everything was right again in the world again. This was the kiss that spoke of everything; passion, yearning, lust but most importantly love. They kissed and poured everything into that kiss. After few minutes they reluctantly broke apart. They were in each others arms and they stayed there as they got they got over the intensity of their feelings.

Vicky was the one to break the silence first.

“Ann… are you saying what I think you are saying?”

“I choose you Vicky. If it is up to me, I choose you. “

“What about Arjun and your feelings for him?”

Annie sighed. She knew Vicky needs to understand where she was coming from.

“Arjun broke my heart Vicky. I am not saying that I don’t love him because I do. He will always have a part of my heart. He was my first love. But I can neither trust nor respect him. I can’t forgive him not because he broke my heart but because of the way he left. He didn’t even bother to explain things or bid a goodbye. He gave less thought to me than one would to their pets. I can’t forget that. I can’t trust him.”

“Okay? But are you sure about us Ann? I don’t want to be with you if only reason you want to be with me is because you don’t want to be with Arjun.”

Annie smiled sadly.

“I guess I deserve that! “

“Ann I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Of course you didn’t. I know you. The thing is…. Oh this was so much easier in my head.”

“Take your time Ann!”

“Do you know that in these past two months not even once did I miss Arjun. All I felt about him was a strange kind of relief that he wasn’t there to pop up suddenly and ruin my entire day. But you... Oh I missed you so much Vicky…. I wanted to call you to tell about my days, about mundane things like what I ate. Every time I visited a new place I wanted to share it with you. Every time I tried some new dish I thought about how you would love it or hate it…. It was like you were there in my every thought.”

Annie stopped speaking. She looked at Vicky. His eyes were lighter and they had that twinkle that told her that he was happy. She felt like the happiness inside her will burst out.

“You see; this separation had been good for us. I realized there that I had fallen in love with you a longtime back. Somewhere between my crying on your shoulders for another man and your willingness to make me happy and loved, I fell in love with you. Maybe I had always loved you and mistook it for deep friendship. There is just a thin line differentiating friendship and love. I don’t want to be with you just so I am not lonely. I want to be with you because suddenly I cannot imagine myself without you.”

“You love me?”

“I love you and if you will have me, I will someday prove it to you.”

Vicky just opened his arms and she was once again in his arms. She stayed there feeling him all around her. She pressed her head on his chest feeling his rapidly beating heart. He pressed a kiss on her forehead and said softly.

“There has never been a question of me not having you…. I feel like I have been waiting a lifetime for you to love me. But are you absolutely sure Ann?”

“I am. I have never been more certain of anything else in my life.”

He broke their hug and he grinned at her in that endearing way of his.

“In that case, Miss Anwesha Khurana, will you go out with me for our First date?”

“First date… we already had our first date.”

“No Ann. All those dates don’t count. Arjun was always there intruding on our time even if his name was not spoken. I want to start fresh with you without your past tainting things… what say?”

“Alright Mr. Vickram Kaul. I would love to go on a first date with you.”

The were quiet for some time before Annie spoke up again.

“I had returned here just yesterday and couldn’t stay away from you. But I need to meet Arjun one last time. I need to tell him that we are over and he shouldn’t wait for me.”

“Of course you should. When do you want to meet him?”

“The sooner the better but I am going to spend this day with you. Tomorrow I will talk to him.”

Vicky’s smile widened at her wishing to spend the day with him. He had missed her so much.

“I love you Vicky! I love you so much!”

“I love you too.”

Loved both the updates. The changes in their lives Maan, Geet,Pari and Annie is beautifully expressed. Waiting for the next update.

hope your mom is well. take care of your mom... updates can wait

thanks for the updates... appreciate it