Reminiscence of Love: A Maaneet Tale :) - Page 10

thank u so much. 😊

Thanks a lot yaar

Loved the update to bits

Love you!

Yaaay! at least someone is confused.cuz apparently, everyone here already assumes that Mohit is Maan. 😆

About your question. i really cannot reveal it right now. especially here. but if u want, i can PM you and tell u. but that would spoil the feeling of reading my FF and i MIGHT, lose a reader.😔 so i wont do it either. instead, what i'm gonna do is, make u wait. 😈 lol. kidding. ur confusion would soon be cleared as the story progresses further. i'm sure u'll enjoy it like this only- when the suspense is cleared gradually and slowly. 😉

and thanks for the appreciation. love u,! 😊

and u haven't missed anything dear. 😊

Awww Vicky and Geet - the bestest of buddies!!!! 😆

and ooooooooooo MK felt her!!!!! Oh yes yes yes........hehehehehe........

Can't wait for more Geet jaani - lool it doesnt help if ur name is Geet as well as ur protagonist's - so whenever I refer to u I'm gna say Geet jaani 😊

Awwwwww I loved the khurana family tradition to give the biggest hugs ever

you're already there dear. in my PM list. 😊

hahaha. co incidently, yes. Even I am Geet. 😆

and Geet jaaani is cute meri Tishuu jaani. 😊

thanks for liking it. 😊

more coming soon. 😃

here you go with the next part. and it is a long update. and it does contain Maaneet. 😃

happy reading.! 😊

Chapter 3: Of Homecoming, Kiss, and The Marriage Proposal

Back at the Khurana mansion, dadima had been eagerly waiting for her grandbabies to return, especially the youngest male of the house. With moist eyes, she decorated the pooja thali. She felt a sense of dj vu. All this had been done before. Yes! Once, when HE was to return, almost five years ago. A fresh bout of nostalgia hit her, as she resumed the preparations with the memories of the past. The doorbell brought her back to the present.

Vicky.

Dadi smiled. Gopal Kaka opened the door.

Vicky grinned seeing her beloved Dadima, Pratham veerey, and bhabhi. Oh how he had missed his whole family! As he was about to step in, he was stopped by dadi.

"Rukiye bte. Pehle hum aapka welcome karenge", with that, she lifted up the pooja thali, and welcomed her dear grandson home.

Geet and Arohi followed. Vicky met everyone and hugged them. As the meeting session was going on, something struck Geet. She had seen all this before. With these thoughts, her mind transported her back to the past.

PAST(Geet's POV)

"Geet bte! Aap jaldi aayie. Kaafi kaam baki hai tayaari ka abhi. We need to throw a grand party tomorrow. Uski sab tayaari karni hai. It's a surprise for him. Toh hum unke saamne nhi kar sakte na. In the next fifteen minutes, I need you here, at the mansion.", Dadima ordered me on the phone.

I was excited, enthusiastic. HE was coming back. After two months. I just could not wait to see him. It had been ages! And I am going to confess today! No matter what. Whether he accepts, whether he rejects. Whether he loves me or not, I am going to confess. He wont eat me up now would he? I mean, we're friends. And he would understand even if he would not reciprocate my feelings, right?

Well, Geet! Stop being nervous. He is Maan. He would understand!

"Jee daadima. I'll be there, along with Vicky. Waise bhi, he has a flight today. I am just helping him with the packing. As soon as its over, I'll be there with him and the stuff. And don't you worry daadi! This would be his best homecoming ever for him!", I smirked at the thought, and exclaimed.

"OK bte! Bas aap aa jaayie. 2 hours reh gaye hain unki flight land hone me bas.", daadima informed me.

"Sure daadi. Would be there in another half an hour.", I assured her. And hung up.

I rushed outside to the living room only to find Vicky asleep on the couch!

"Ey lo! Yeh janaab so rahe hain. Kabhi sudhrenge nahi yeh bas!"

"Vicky! Get up. We don't have time. We have to pack, and go to the mansion then. C'mon up!", I called out to him, while packing some of his clothes.

Period.

"Vicky? Uth na!", I raised my voice a bit now.

Period.

"W*F!", I thought

"Toh yeh aise nahi maanega!"

"FINE!"

I got an idea, and I smirked inwardly at my brilliant brain!

I went to the kitchen, and found what I was searching for. I poured the water into the bottle's cap, and tiptoed back into the living room.

"Perfect!"

I leaned over to the couch, and emptied the cap full of water into Vicky's mouth.

*cough cough*

He fell down on the floor coughing, and I fell down on the floor laughing.

"Geet! What the F***!", he screamed at me.

"You wouldn't wake up when I called out to you. You wouldn't even budge when I moved u a bit. And you left me with no other option. Now! We have to finish the packing, and head to the mansion.", I said, trying to put up a serious face. Inside, I was still laughing at his state.

After an hour and a half, and the countless phone calls by daadi, we were at the mansion.

"Daadi! We're home!", I and Vicky exclaimed in unison.

"Aayie! You are so late! See, maine saari preparations khud hi karli, Arohi ki help se.", Daadi complained.

"All because of Vicky's sleeping skills daadi!", I put the blame on him, and giggled.

Vicky glared at me again. I rolled my eyes.

Arohi entered the hall. She hugged me.

"How are you Geet?!", she asked me.

And before I could even answer, she added.

"Oho! What kind of a question am I asking. Bhai is coming back today. Of course you'll be fine, and happiest today. Right?", she asked again, in a teasing tone.

I blushed. My heartbeat quickened just at the mention of him.

"Look at you! Ms. Oh-he's-coming-home! Crimson. This is not the color of your cheeks now, is it?", Vicky teased me too.

"Shut up!", I rolled my eyes, and said, embarrassed.

Yes! I blushed. How could I not? Hadn't awaited this moment every day for the past two months? The time had felt like eons to me.

I loved him. Simple.

I could not stay away from him now. Not even a moment. I had fallen in love with him the day I sawand talked with him. Everything about him- his attitude, his gentleness, his care, his friendship, his words, his demeanor, his elegance, the poise, his dashingly handsome looks, HIM- everything I loved to bits.

He was my prince charming- suave, tender and masculine. His deep chestnut eyes- Oh boy! They spoke volumes. His lips- I had wished to feel them upon my own. No! I did not lust over him.

Passion. Attraction. LOVE.

I did not like things complicated. I never had. I knew and had accepted my feelings the day I had realized. My thoughts were disturbed by a voice.

Deep, rich masculine voice.

"Squadron Leader Maan Singh Khurana is home"

My lips curved into a smile. I turned around.

And I fell in love with him, all over again.

He looked strikingly handsome- in his white uniform.

Squadron Leader Maan S. Khurana- the words played in my mind. So this was it- the reason for the grand party that was to be held tomorrow.

A yet another step to his success- to our success.

He was welcomed inside. Arohi and Vicky ran to hug him, together. It was a sot of a group hug. I wished I could be a part of it too. But I stayed back. My turn would come- I thought and blushed again. He then bent down to touch daadi's feet.

"God bless you Maan bte.", she gave him his blessings.

"Pratham veerey?", he questioned.

I was disappointed. Had he not noticed me? Or had he simply ignore me? The former option seemed more likely. I waited.

"I'm here Maan.", Pratham veerji exclaimed.

They hugged each other.

"Bhabhi!", he smiled and gave Naina bhabhi a side hug.

Everyone was done. My turn now?

"Hey Geet!", he turned to me. He definitely would have noticed the hope in my eyes.

He walked towards me. I walked towards him. To hug him.

I stood in front of him.

"Hey Maan! Its nice to have you back", with this, I moved in for a hug. He stepped backwards.

I was confused.

He simply held out his hand for me to shake. My face fell. I was sad. I sighed.

We shook hands.

"Chaliye aap sab log dinner ke liye ready ho jaayie. Maan bte aap fresh ho jaayie mai dinner lagaati hoon.", Daadi commanded everyone.

Sometimes, I felt that it was daadi who was the military woman. I chuckled inwardly at my stupid thought. Maan went inside. We settled at the dining table.

After a while, he came down, in his black vest, and his night PJ's. I gaped at him. The vest gave me the full view of his toned body, as it hugged his muscles tight. I was awestruck. How could somebody look so dashing! He was a Greek God.

As he settled himself at the table, everyone started the dinner. I too.

At the dinner table, I would have stolen glances at him more than 10,000 times, if not less. I could not take my eyes of him. Was it because I was seeing him after whole two months? Or was it just the love that I felt for him? I did not know.

After we were finished, everyone resigned to their rooms, except daadi, who stayed back.

"Maan bte! Aap Geet ko ghar chhod kea a jaayie.", she told him.

"Nahi daadi its okay. Mai khud hi chali jaaungi na.", I assured her.

"Geet! I'll drop you home. C'mon.", he butted in between.

"Great!", I thought.

After the ignorance back there, I had least bit wanted to be with him alone.

But he was stubborn, as always. So I agreed. Daadi went back to her room.

"I'll be right back.", he said, and rushed back to his room.

Before I could say "rabbit", he was back.

"Chalo.", he held my hand and we walked outside, to his car.

We drove off.

While in the car, I switched on the radio. 95.00 FM. My favorite song. Breathless- by Corrs. The song for the moment.

"Urgh!", I screamed in my mind.

Go on, go on

Leave me breathless

Come on

The daylight's fading slowly

The time with you is standing still

I'm waiting for you only

The slightest touch and I feel weak

And then suddenly, while he was changing gears, his hand brushed mine. The touch- HIS touch- warmed my insides. It was true- I felt weak with his slightest touch.

I cannot lie

From you I can not hide

I'm losing will to try

Can't hide it

Can't fight it

I so wanted to blurt out. "I Love You". I don't know why was I not able to speak. I wanted to, I had to, or I might die. I could not hide it from him.

So go on, go on

Come on leave me breathless

Tempt me, tease me

'Till I can't deny this

Loving feeling

Let me long for your kiss

Go on, go on

Yeah come on

I wanted his kiss. Suddenly, I had this urge, to just slam my lips over his. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He seemed unnerved.

And if there's no tomorrow

And all we have is here and now

I'm happy just to have you

You're all the love I need somehow

It was true. He was all the love I needed. Surprisingly, I did not care if he loved me or not. I was just happy to be with him. To have him with me. It seemed as if this moment, was all I had. Here and now.

It's like a dream

Although I'm not asleep

I never want to wake up

Don't lose it

Don't leave it

Watching a dream with open eyes it was. I was content to have him with me after so long. It really felt like a dream. And I just wanted to hold on, for if I wake up, he might go away again. I never wanted to wake up.

So go on, go on

Come on leave me breathless

Tempt me, tease me

'Till I can't deny this

Loving feeling

Let me long for your kiss

Go on, go on

Yeah come on

And I can't lie

From you I can not hide

I've lost my will to try

Can't hide it

Can't fight it

So go on, go on

Come on leave me breathless

Tempt me, tease me

'Till I can't deny this

Loving feeling

Make me long for your kiss

Go on, go on

Come on leave me breathless

Go on, go on

Come on leave me breathless

Go on, go on

Come on leave me breathless

Go on, go on

That was it. I was breathless.

"Stop!", I screamed.

He stopped the car with a jerk.

In the middle of the road.

"Geet? What happened? Are you Okay?", he inquired, worry etched over his face.

I looked at him. I swear he would have seen the love. My love, for him.

"Maan.", I whispered.

"Yes Geet? Do u want to say something?", he asked in an equally soft tone.

Yes yes yes! I love you Maan!, my heart screamed.

"No actually. A' wo' nothing, lets go.", I stuttered.

He lifted my face up with his fingers. Brought his face dangerously close to mine. I felt the desire shoot up my veins.

Closer. His lips brushed with mine.

And he backed off.

"I Love You!", I blurted.

I don't know how I gathered the strength to say it. It was like, words came out on their own.

He was staring at me. Astonished. Too surprised to say anything probably.

I searched for words to fill the silence.

"Maan! Its okay if you do not love me. I mean. I love you, yes. But I do not expect you to reciprocate my feelings. I mean, we're still friends okay. And you don't have to'", I trailed off. And we were silent again.

And then he did something, that made my heart leap out of my chest. He kissed me.

He kissed me gently. I felt so complete. The feel of those lips on mine. I had longed this for, God knows how many days and months!

He very tenderly pecked me first, then looked at me, as if to seek my approval. I, in return, pulled him by his collar, and kissed him deep. I kissed him full mouth. Very very softly, he parted open the seal of my lips, and explored the insides of my maw. His tongue played with mine. My hands moved up his neck, and I dug my fingers into his hair. He rested his hands on my waist, and moved them in harmony to his lips. He brought out feelings, which I did not even know, existed in me. The kiss sent a tingle down my throat, and my stomach. I moaned. As softly as he had started it, he pulled back with the same gentleness. He then ended it with a peck. He increased the distance between us, so that he could speak.

I instantly looked down, shying.

"Geet! Please look at me", he urged me to look up.

I looked up at him.

"I Love You. I have loved you yesterday, I love you today, and I will love you tomorrow. I will love you till my last breathe, and even after that."

I was just looking at him, too overwhelmed to say anything.

He pulled out a box from his pocket, held it out in front of me and asked me out.

"Ms. Geet Rudra Pratap Singhania. Ever since the day you entered my life, you have filled it with joy and laughter. Will you continue to fill my life with happiness like before? Will you be with me through my thick and thin? Will you love me like you do now, forever? Will you be mine for eternity? And will you grace my house with your presence as the daughter in law of that house? Will you be my wife? Will you marry me? "

My mouth formed an "O". I covered it with both my hands, lest I would scream, shout, yell in joy!

"YES YES YES!", I exclaimed.

No candlelight dinner, no red roses, no white horse, no carriage. Nothing as I had wanted, or expected. Yet, it was the proposal I could have died a thousand deaths for. The moment was captured in my mind, and it would remain in my memory forever. A proposal in the car. With Maan, I and a ring.

He embraced me in his arms, as much as he could, in the car. I loved the feeling. I had wanted to stay there, forever.

She was brought back to reality by another knock on the door, and the buzz of Vicky's cellphone.

"Arjun!", Arohi shouted out.

He smiled.

Arjun Mittal, the only son of the famous businessman Lalit Mittal, was Arohi's fianc. He was extremely good looking, humble, decent and nice. He was good friends with the Khurana children, and respected Daadima as his own.

He came inside, and Arohi hugged him. He took daadi's blessings and smiled at Geet, Pratham and Naina.

Geet, who's chain of thoughts had been broken by Arjun's entry, and Vicky's cellphone, was in tears now. The feeling of forever was gone. A horrible sadness lingered in her heart. She just ran inside her room, HIS room. It was supposed to be theirs after marriage. But everything had been shattered. Her every dream was broken. And all she could do was remember those moments and cry. The pain was still fresh in her heart, as if he had left yesterday. It had been so much time, and still, she was no where near overcoming the past. As she reached the room, she picked up he frame, that contained a photograph of them, together. She hugged it, sat on the bed, and cried. She sobbed, and her heart wrenched in pain. The agony of losing him, of not being able to be with him, of just being helpless and not being able to not think about his memories every instant. How she wished she could just die!

Meanwhile, in the hall downstairs, everyone had been shocked to see this reaction from Geet. After a while, dadima understood. She stopped Arohi from going inside.

How they wished they could take her pain away.! Just how much they had wanted to see her happy and smiling. Fate plays games. And this one was brutal.

During the same period of time, Vicky was on phone. He had got a call and he had taken it before he could realize what Geet had gone through in just five minutes.

"Hello", Vicky spoke on phone.

"Hey Vicks!", the caller on the other end literally screamed.

"Natasha?", he asked, to confirm.

"Yes! Its I. How are you? Its been soooo long! By the way, guess what?!", she spoke everything in one go.

"Hey Nuts! Am real good. And yes, it has been long indeed. And you know I don't like your guess games, so please. Care to inform me?", he told her and counter questioned.

"Not fair dude! Anyway leave that. I am in Delhi.", she exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Oh wow! That's great news.! So when am I seeing you?", he asked her.

"Very soon. I have some work here. I'll explain you everything when we meet. For now, I just wanted to inform you. I'll have to take leave now. Someone's waiting for me. See you very soon.", she spoke cheerfully.

"Yea sure. I'd sure want to see that someone also. Bye for now. take care.", he smiled and bid her.

"Hahah. Sure sure. Chal, see you. You too, take care! Bye!", she said and hung up.

When Vicky returned downstairs, Daadi informed him about Geet's sudden behavior. He understood. Something must have struck her again, and she would have remembered HIM. His heart bled at the thought of his best friend being in pain.

"I'll go see her", with that, he went to his brother's room.

He knew she was there, that's where she used to go, when she had wanted to cry her heart out, or find solace. He stood at the door, ad heard her muffled cries. It pained him to see her like that. He went upto her, and as was his almost routine, pulled her into a hug, and let her cry her heart out. He could offer her nothing, except a shoulder to cry on. He could not offer her consolation. For he himself did not have it in him, to think about the tragic loss, and not cry.

As the dusk approached, the two hearts cried. Two souls died- for a loss, that could never be restored, a damage, that could never be mended, and for all the memories, which would remain engraved in their hearts and minds, for eternity.

PS: i am scared. reasons:

1. i dont know at all whether the kiss part has come out well upto your expectations or not.

2. i dont know at all whether the proposal part lived upto your expectations or not.

So, genuinely, all criticisms welcome.

Waiting for your comments guys! with crossed fingers, and eyes shut. 🥱😵

Thanks and regards. 😊

Link to the next part: Chapter 4: The Much Awaited Encounter