New FF: New York times with Maan and Geet - Page 42

Hasini,

Sweet Nothings - Part 27 was a wonderful post. In the beginning of the update Geet was not ready to accept the fact that she got a "Hot Chocolate feeling with Maan" but I am so glad that by the end of the update…she herself said 'Hot Chocolate' to Maan….amazing. 😛

I loved these two sentences from Maan

'I wasn't sure which was silkier …..her white night wear or her skin?' blush blush

It felt like we were a couple…trying to get ready to get on with the day….I was not sure if this could repeat another day'….awwwwwwww😳😳😳😳

Geet…..saying…..20 questions……it probably more like 200…hehe…

Maan delivers flower….wow…..that was just amazing…..delivering flowers to random people and he would just stick around …long enough until their surprise would turn into a smile….wow…just amazing…👍🏼👍🏼

I am so glad that Geet finally understood Maan and what Maan was doing for her…just to make her feel alive again…just to refrain her from shutting down forever. Maan revealed to her his most vulnerable parts just so that she could trust him….and I love the fact that Geet says she could never hurt him.

Niagara fireworks are just awesome………amazing…..Hasini…they are indeed awesome….the best way to end a day and start a new beginning…full of hopes and dreams. 😍

Loved the update.

Love

Rachana

A hurdle in their budding relationship and of course Geet's reality check...Let see how they go forward...hope this is being served to your likes...please discuss any inconsistencies and post comments...

Part 28: Mars and Venus.

<Geet's monologue>

That weekend was definitely different…It was my own secret tour of him…He opened up to everything there was to about him…and then partially shut the doors on me when we were back in NY… there was nothing personal at office…our bonding outside office did not change things around how we worked with each other…a true professional in every sense…

I always felt he was measuring something…the number of times we spoke over the phone, the duration for which we spoke during the calls, the number of casual meet ups and the number of long outings…every time they would sum up around the same number….but he never held back during any of those times we were together…and I was looking forward for the same from him this evening too…but I wasn't sure what to expect…it was a colleague's engagement party…I didn't know if he would put forth his professional face or his personal face at the party...

We were all set to go…I called him to see if we were all going together…to my disappointment he declined…he said he was outside and that he would show up a little late to the party…

I was not big on dressing up after that call...I just changed to a decent suit and then I, Meer and Yash left for the party.

It was being held at a restaurant hall...we didn't have parking karma that day and so arrived pretty late…he was already there chatting away with some colleagues from his tier..I didn't know why I was mad at him for not coming with me…I didn't want to make too much out of it….I smiled at him and moved along…

Male Colleague: "Oh! Hi Geet…you came…? I thought you were not going to come…I saw MK alone…"

I was taken aback by the question…but he probably was harmless…

Geet:" No…I came with Meera and Yash…"

And then the serpent made its entry as I was walking away…the very first day in office I wasn't sure whether she was going to be part of my circle or not…but then as days passed, she proved she was definitely out…

Shasha:" Hmmm I agree…even I thought you were not going to show up…when MK came alone…"

Ok…now what is that supposed to mean?

Why do we women only take women seriously? Split that statement into a thousand bits and play the game of "Guess what she meant" in the milliseconds that we have before we answer the question that we took offense to? Didn't the guy ask me the same question…and probably even implied the same….I guess it's in our genes to view other women as the problem…

Even after the lengthy mental conversation with myself, I couldn't help…I snapped back…

Geet:"Oh! Let me see here…and you expected that because Maan always comes alone and leaves alone…?"

I was thankful that I didn't come with him today…I wonder what people were reading between the lines…

Shasha:"Ah! No…actually….I thought because you all stayed in the same apartment…"

She was trying to cover up her original intention…

Geet:" Building….Shasha correction…not same apartment…"

Shasha:" Yeah…building…."

She had an evil glee on her face…

Shasha:" So Geet…when are you going to be visiting Toronto…I heard your husband works from there…but I have not seen you take off at all…seems like your preference is much for office…I mean you are working too much…you should take off and visit home…some time."

That's it…I was going to definitely blow up right there…I was crazy mad…I was sure if I stayed a bit longer I probably would end up in jail for harassment…

What made them think I and Maan were close? He was professional in every which way…and I was too…I didn't even understand what was feeding their imaginations…

At the same time I was stuck…what should I answer?…I had not prepared for this moment…A thousand answers flashed in my mind…but I feared that if I answered out rightly and said that Dev and I were separated then would they gossip about me and him…I couldn't risk it…I had no choice…I lied.

Geet:" Hmmm…he actually visits me here…we spend time here…"

I couldn't believe I said that…I walked off to the ladies room…

<Maan's monologue>

I saw her enter the hall…do I have to describe her? She was no word short of lady love herself.

She was walking towards her usual gang when I saw her being stopped by another colleague and Shasha…

Shasha of all people…I knew she had no good intentions for anyone…she seemed angered and agitated…

I wondered what the conversation was about…she stormed to the bathroom…Ah! It was definitely not good news…

I walked up to Meera…

Meera:" Hi MK…aap kab aaye?"

Maan:" Hi Meera, just half hour ago…hmmm..hey I think you should go and check on Geet…I don't think…"

Just then she came back and joined us…

Geet:" Maan…..Hi…"

Maan:"Geet tum teek to ho…"

She had clearly cried…her eyes had a reddish tinge…

Geet:" Ji….actually I don't think I'm feeling well….I think I will take a cab back home…"

Meera:" Geet what happened? Did you get any call?"

I knew what Meera was asking about…but I was sure it was about something else…it was about the conversation she had with Shasha…

Meera:"Wait I will come with you…."

Maan:" Geet….wait…don't go now…"

Geet:"No…I just want to go home now…"

Maan:"Ok…in that case…let me drive you…"

We left from the party hall…She was silent all the way to the apartment...we got into the elevator and she pressed 17….I knew where she wanted to talk…

The gym sit-out had just been cleared of the accumulated snow…there was salt thrown all over the place…

Maan:" Geet…bahuth tand hain…we can go to a coffee place if you want…"

We never met in our apartments unless invited…I had only been to her apartment once for the Sunday brunch…

Geet:" No Maan…I want to be here….is it ok with you?"

Maan:" Yeah…I'm good….chahe to…I can get us some extra layers…"

Geet:" No I'm good…"

Maan:" What did shasha say?"

<Geet's monologue>

He jumped right to the point…He must have been watching me. I didn't want him to know that people might be reading us incorrectly…I didn't know how to navigate this conversation with him…I didn't expect him to have brought it up directly…in the first place…I didn't know that he already knew what made me rush out of the place.

Geet:"Woh! Shasha was asking me about why I wasn't visiting Toronto…"

I had not been facing him all this while…I turned to gauge his reaction…he didn't act surprised…he was curious…perhaps curious to know how I responded…

Maan:" Aur…tumne Shasha ko kya jawaab diya?"

Geet:"I….didnt know what to say….Maan…Do you think I made a mistake?"

<Maan's monologue>

She was feeling guilty? What did she say?

Geet:"I didn't tell her that we were separated…I told her that Dev still visits me here…"

She started crying…I didn't want to stop her…not because I was cold…but because…it was the right thing to do at that moment…and I was glad she was at least acknowledging her hurt and not locking herself from the world once again.

I didn't know what or how I should respond…I knew she didn't miss Dev much…at least that is what she had told me when I came back from Phoenix…but I didn't know the inner workings of her heart…what had she decided about her past? Was she ready to let go? How long was she planning to hang in this state of flux?

I seated myself next to her on the pool chair…I had to take the anxiety out somehow…my hands were fidgeting and giving away my inner state to her…

Geet:"You don't have anything to say Maan?...How do you think I should have handled it?...In fact this is going to come up more often as time goes by…people are going to be asking me about my marriage…"

Maan:"Geet…I don't think I should guide you in this…this is not for…"

She cut me off…

Geet:" Maan…I want to know what you would have done?"

Maan:" I would have told them the truth…"

I didn't hesitate…that is what I would have done…there was no point staying behind not to face reality…This was one territory I feared entering…I didn't know her stand in her marriage and I had no idea how to guide her here…We never talked about it…

I knew people's questions were going to hurt her and that she is hurt right now…but I just couldn't make myself to say anything at that point…one wrong recommendation or comment could sever all that I shared with her.

Geet:"Do you think I could have done that too?"

Maan:" There is no point discussing this now Geet…just think and decide what you want to do in the future…"

<Geet's monologue>

It seemed rude…I was crying and he was not concerned…He didn't comment on what had happened…I couldn't believe he read the hurt in my eyes and didn't say anything. Here I was trying to save us from being office gossip and he wanted me to bite the bullet and give Shasha the truth…

His inaction irked me.

Geet:"I didn't expect this Maan…you know what else she and that guy thought about you and me…They thought I wasn't going to come…because I didn't show up with you….I didn't want to tell about Dev and our separation because…I would just be feeding their gossip…"

Maan:"Geet…people talk…that's all they are capable of…you can't get affected by that…you shouldn't have bothered about what they speak about me…"

He was agitated…I didn't understand…I didn't expect him to support me in what I did…but all I wanted him to do was acknowledge that I was facing the questions and not him…this was just the first of many to come…

Geet:" If they speak about you…they speak about me too….and is that what you want?"

Maan:" Geet….."

He was angry…I could see it in his face…this was the first time he was angry with me outside office…

He got up and walked away….he stayed there for a while and came back to face me…

Maan:"I don't know where this is going…you asked me how I would have handled and I answered just to that point…you told me that they were gossiping later and to that I asked you not to bother about me…

If you feel you handled it right…then that's fine…

Geet…it's you who needs to be clear about what you want to do….it's nobody's loss or gain if you continue being undecided…until then…I guess you are going to get hurt by people and their questions…"

I couldn't believe my ears…Why was this bothering him so much? All I wanted was some comfort over the fact that people's questions were tormenting me…I handled it alright…I'm not here to discuss how I should have…I only wanted to know how he would have…and gave the justification as to why I covered it the way I did…why is he so distant?

His words from our Niagara trip flashed in my mind…" I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between shadow and the soul"… Stop it…I screamed at my evil twin…

Doesn't it bother him what my decision would be? Why is he acting all remote and cold?

Geet:" So Maan…you really don't care what my decision will be…"

<Maan's monologue>

Ok…I have no idea why our conversation was heading this way…I was never good at such two way conversations…all the times we have shared something deep…it was either her doing the talking or me…and the other just listened…

I always get into a tensed state when she is in an emotional turmoil…

Why now…what is she thinking? Is she expecting me to say anything in particular…? And her question….Why does she want to know if I care about her decision? Does she already know how I feel about her? Have I been giving away too much? This has to stop right now…and I have to reset any clues I have given her…She needs to be more stable before we talk about the future of "Us"…

Maan:"No Geet…it doesn't matter…as long as you are happy….that's all I care…and don't bother about people or what they will talk about me…do what is good for you…."

She got up…She seemed to be raging mad…

Geet:" Ok…Maan…I have decided…and I think it's good for me…that you and I stay away from each other…so that way I will have to face one less gossip topic about me…"

She said that and walked away…

Things had changed in those split seconds…Being office gossip was probably expected…but I definitely did not expect us to handle it the way we did…I was not all equipped for this. I couldn't own up to the fact that she was hurt because of my closeness with her.

I didn't want to go behind her and fuel her ego…I stayed back…I didn't call out to her either…I wondered how my one question had brought us to the point where she wanted us to stay away from each other…

If there was some expectation…some magical statement that could have comforted her …I sure as hell didn't know that…In terms of her decision about her marriage…yes it doesn't affect me…it was hers to make…

She has to learn to make her own decisions and her own mistakes…

<Geet's monologue>

Tonight's quarrel was not expected…I didn't expect him to tell me how I should go about dealing with my marriage…but I just wanted to have people around me to whom my decision meant something…perhaps that was too much to expect…I just wanted him to comfort me when I was hurt…

His words from the trip came back to my mind…

"You can expect everything from me and you will never be wrong…"

Why was he contradicting now? Was this one place it didn't apply to? I didn't know how we were going to face each other next time...time was to answer.

I guess it's after all true…Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus…

Lovely update............... as ususal your writing is just amazing.......... I want another update today............... with some XOXOXO ;)