Hi sweethearts! Really appreciate your feedback on this story and I hope you’re all doing great. :) Chapter 15 is posted below!
(Link to chapter index)
Chapter 15
Over the next few hours, Geet paced the den as Maan remained passed out on the sofa. At one point, she untied Maan’s shoelaces and took off his shoes, then covered him with a blanket from a hall closet. She kept looking toward the entryway of the den to see if Sameera had finally arrived, and it was a long time before Geet realized she was hoping that Sameera would *not* show up.
Geet sat down on a loveseat opposite the sofa and nervously jiggled in her knee. Had Maan actually called her an “angel” and let it slip that he had purposely stayed away from her over the past week?
Could it be that Maan was actually *attracted* to her? How could such a wealthy, arrogant, violent man want anything to do with Geet -- Geet, who was homeless if not for Maan, relatively shy, and a rule-follower? Plus, Maan was engaged to Sameera . . . even though he clearly didn’t want to be, especially if the truce between the gangs wasn’t being upheld.
*Whatever Maan said was just drunken ramblings,* Geet thought. Still, she couldn’t deny how her heart had stuttered when he had called her “beautiful.” And what about in the gazebo that one night, when Maan had grabbed her arm and she had felt both sparks and a sense of safety? She thought of how Maan’s gaze had then swept her face, her lips. What would it have been like to kiss --
Geet stood up. “Stop,” she said out loud to herself. This was dangerous thinking, for a number of reasons. She looked at Maan, whose chest was rising and falling as he slept. He hadn’t stirred.
---
Geet must have dozed off at some point, because the next thing she knew, sunlight was filtering through the windows. She rubbed at her neck, which had a crick in it from sleeping on the loveseat, and looked over at the sectional sofa. It was empty, the blanket balled up in a corner.
Before Geet could wonder about where Maan had gone, he came strolling in with two mugs. Maan had changed into new clothes, but his eyes were bloodshot. He handed her a cup of black liquid and sat back down on the sofa. “Coffee. Black,” he said.
“Thank you.” Geet set the mug down on a side table. She preferred juice, but still felt touched by the gesture. “How are you feeling?”
Maan took a long swig of coffee before he replied, “Hungover.”
Geet considered skating around the topic but ultimately couldn’t help but blurt out, “Do you remember last night?”
“You mean aside from getting extremely drunk and passing out here in the den?” Maan said, massaging his temples.
So Maan didn’t remember his revelations from the night before. Of course he didn’t. *But that’s a good thing,* she told herself. *What good could come out of it?* Still, Geet felt her chest tighten with disappointment.
“Hopefully the coffee will help you feel better,” said Geet, rising from her seat. She suddenly couldn’t bear to be around him.
Geet was halfway down the hall out of the den when Maan, who had caught up to her easily with his long strides, held out his arm to block her path. “Wait. I know some things about last night.”
“Hmm?” Very slowly, Geet turned her face up toward him.
“I know that Sameera didn’t even show up last night, and that you were the one who took off my shoes and covered me with a blanket.” Maan’s eyes softened. “Thank you for that.”
Clearly, Maan didn’t remember what he had *said.* Still, Geet felt buoyed by his closeness, his gratitude.
“Geet, I . . . .” Maan trailed off, a look of pain unexpectedly crossing his face.
“You what?” Geet asked in a whisper.
Maan closed his eyes briefly before straightening up. “Since you took such good care of me last night, I owe you one. I have to attend some meetings, and then I need to visit the man who was injured yesterday, but is there anything special you want after that?”
The moment of confession was over, but Geet saw another window of opportunity. “Well, I had taken Neil to the museum yesterday to see the new dinosaur exhibit,” said Geet, “but he didn’t get a chance to look around. Maybe we can *both* take him again today when he comes over after school?”
---
“Black coffee for me and a chocolate milkshake and fries for the lady,” said Maan, nodding at the restaurant server. “That’s all.”
Geet sat back in the cafe booth and watched through the glass windows as Neil ran to a playground slide. Unfortunately, the entire museum with the dinosaur exhibit had closed unexpectedly for the day due to some construction issue. Maan had given Neil the go-ahead to play in the playground by the museum, then steered Geet into the cafe across the street.
“How are you feeling?” Geet asked as the server brought their orders to the table. “And how is the man in the hospital?”
“I’ve been better,” said Maan. “And he’ll live. That’s about all I can say on that front.” He squeezed a packet of ketchup out onto a small plate, then said to Geet, “The fries are for you. I don’t eat them.”
“Fries aren’t fancy enough cuisine for you?” she teased.
Maan only smirked.
“I, um, want to talk to you about Neil,” said Geet, twirling a french fry between her fingers. She quickly relayed the scene from the museum the day before and how Neil rarely got to see his own mother. Geet shook her head. “My heart just broke for him. Why can’t he see his mom?”
Maan grimaced. “This isn’t the best conversation to have when I’m still not feeling one hundred percent. I don’t know all the details, but my brother, Monty, got primary custody of Neil because he was able to convince the judge that Neil’s mother is an unfit parent.”
“Is she?” Geet glanced at the playground, where Neil was laughing with a boy who looked to be around his age.
“She seemed like a nice, stable lady from what I remember,” Maan began, “but I honestly didn’t know her that well. Monty and I aren’t that close and I don’t particularly like being around him. If you think I scare Neil, well, you should see how Monty is with him.”
Geet was already formulating a plan to track down Neil’s mother herself when Neil bounded into the cafe. He wore a big grin and his glasses were slightly askew from his play time.
“Miss Geet, Uncle Maan, I made a new friend on the playground! His name is Iqbal!” Neil looked positively triumphant.
“That’s wonderful!” Geet exclaimed. “Is he still outside? You can ask him to come eat with us!”
“He had to go home, but he said he’ll be back at the playground next week. Can we come back here then? Please?” Neil pleaded.
“Of course,” Geet and Maan said together.
Geet smiled, grateful for Iqbal’s appearance after Neil’s terrible day yesterday. She watched as Neil settled in beside Maan, who had spread out the menu and was pointing out items for Neil.
Geet wondered what the tableau looked like to passersby. Would they think Maan and Geet were a married couple and that Neil was their son and that --
*Stop,* Geet ordered herself. Dangerous thinking once again.
---
After eating at the cafe, Maan and Geet dropped Neil home. Maan was on a work call during the ride back to Maan’s house, something about an upcoming acquisition, but he clicked off as soon as they pulled into his driveway.
Geet’s heart dropped when she saw Sameera, who was dressed in a jeweled gown, talking on the phone. A man holding a large camera was standing by the fountain. Why was there a cameraman here?
When Sameera spotted them, her eyes grew wide and she hurriedly ended the call. Maan let out a low curse as Sameera rushed up to the car and waved frantically at him through the windshield. “Did you forget that our engagement photo shoot was today?” she demanded. Her eyes settled on Geet. “And why are you driving *her* around?”
Maan tapped his fingers against the steering wheel for a moment before turning to Geet. “Go inside,” he said quietly. “I need to talk to her, and it’s best if you’re not here for this.”
---
Thank you for reading and have a lovely weekend!
Edited by kumari3 - 3 years ago
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