Reminiscence of Love: A Maaneet Tale :) - Page 13

Aww. yes, i spilled a tear too. But then, such is life my friend. 😊

Haha. thanks a lot. and they were not married. God! i have answered this question like a million times now.! lol 😆

It seems that all of you lovely girls assumed that Maaneet were married whereas it isn't so. They were just engaged to be married. 😊

so, i decided to update early since you were all so eager to read my next update. 😃

Thanks for all the beautiful comments and the likes. All of your encouragement keeps me going.

Here is the next part. Chapter 3. I know all of you have been waiting for this part since the FF has started. 😆

so, here i go! 😳

Chapter 4: The Much Awaited Encounter

It was the morning after Vicky had returned. Everything was back to normal, or so it seemed. They had resumed to their routines.

Geet and Pratham had gone to the office. Vicky was to join after a week, as the head architect. But today, he was at home. Arohi stayed back home too, as she had to bedeck the mansion. He chatted with dadi, and Naina, and then went out to catch up with a few of his friends around 11. Back at home, everyone prepared for the party- his homecoming party. It wasn't a surprise. Geet had completed her part of the preparations, so she had left. She had prepared the lavish cake. Arohi was embellishing the manor, with the help of Naina, Dadima and a few servants.

Vicky was with a few friends at the Riverside Mall. They were his school friends. They were catching up with each other after a very long time, almost 6 years. Each one had a story to tell. They were in the food court, busy chatting, when Vicky noticed a familiar face at the opposite table. He instantly recognized her. It seemed that she had been waiting for someone.

Natasha.

He excused himself, went upto the table, and stood behind her back.

"Hey!", he greeted her.

She was startled. Though when she turned around, she smiled, and then grinned. She stood up, and hugged Vicky.

"Hey Vicky! How are you? And how come you are here?", she asked.

"I'm good Natasha. And I'm here with a few school friends.", saying this he pointed over to his table.

"You remember Tishu, Neetu, Ratna and Raj?", he added.

(Yes guys I have used your names! 😆)

"Oh yes! Of course I remember them", she told him.

With that, both of them approached Vicky's table. They all greeted Natasha, hugged her and exchanged a few words when her cell buzzed.

"Excuse me please", she said.

She walked to a side.

"Yea Mohit. Yes yes I'm here. Actually I had just caught up with a few friends from school.", she informed him.

''..

"Yes baby I'll be right there. I know. I'm sorry I should have informed. Just give me a minute. I'll be there.", she assured him and hung up.

She walked back to the table.

"Sorry guys! Have to leave. My fianc is waiting for me. Bye everyone, bye Vicky. I'll catch up with you sometime later.", she bid them and turned to leave.

"Hey Natasha! Wait. Just a second. Actually there is a party at my place today. So I want you to come. It is a formal invitation and you're not allowed to say no. bring your fianc along.", he told her with a chuckle.

"Actually Vicky my fianc is not a very social person and..", she said when he interrupted her.

"I want no excuses. You are supposed to come that means you are supposed to come. Reach by eight."

"OK! There's no winning over you na? Fine! I'll come. Bye for now. and enjoy!", she said and left.

In the office, Geet had loads of work to do. She was tired, and for some strange reasons, she had not been feeling well since morning. She hadn't told this to anybody dismissing it as routine stress.

Dadi would get worried unnecessarily, she had thought.

It was evening already. Time flew by like a wave for every member of the Khurana family as they had been busy throughout the day. Vicku was home by noon too, and he had helped with a few decorations. But, as usual, the day was incomplete without the bickering, so Arohi as usual was the prime target.

"Naina Bhabhi, don't you think that the decorations are a bit dull? I mean, they could have been a tad bit better, no?", he spoke loudly, so that Arohi could hear.

Naina chuckled. Arohi fumed.

"Ye you are right Vicky. You know, like the blue flowers over there. They could've been blended with white or red to get a better view.", Naina added, joining the teasing.

Arohi was still silent. She just turned her head, and glared at Vicky from over her shoulder.

"Exactly bhabhi. And the carpet. The red doesn't really look nice you know. I mean the whole of the embellishment should have been more colorful", he replied with a smirk.

That was it.

"Vicky! Shut up! If you had to say all this in the end, then why did you not decorate the mansion yourself? Do you realize how much effort does it take to do the whole house? And I did all of it. You were busy hanging out and chatting with your friends out there, having a nice time. And I was the one who roamed from place to place in search of the perfect decorative material. You can only badmouth about my efforts. What a human you are?! Even if you did not like my work, you could have lied and appreciated it, instead of taunting me. I HATE YOU! Huh!", Arohi blasted at her brother.

In temper, she was like Maan. If poked unnecessarily, she could just blow up, like today.

Vicky and Naina were wide eyed and amused. And then they started laughing.

She realized.

"OH! So all this while you were teasing me?", she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Then she picked up the vase, and marched up to Vicky.

Vicky ran for his safety. She ran after him. Within a few minutes, they were running like kids across the manor, shouting and yelling- Arohi calling him names, and Vicky shouting all kinds of apologies to her.

Dadi was coming downstairs, and Vicky ran and stood behind her for safety.

"What happened Vicky bte?", she asked him.

But when she saw a furious Arohi running after him, she understood.

And she chuckled.

"Ab bhi bacche hain aap log.", she said.

"Daadi dekho na. Vicky teased me. Maine itni mehnat se sab decorations kiya tha and all he did was tease me about how dull the house looks.", Arohi complained and pouted like a kid.

"Daadi I was just having fun na. who else would I tease now? If not her?", he pouted too.

Both looked like five year olds, complaining to their and justifying their stance.

"Ok Ok both of you. Its seven thirty already. The guests would be arriving any moment. C'mon stop being babies and go get ready.", Dadi ordered icky and Arohi.

"Naina beta, you also go and get ready.", she told her softly and smiled.

Within half an hour, guests had started pouring. Arohi and Vicky arrived arm in arm at the party. Arohi looked ravishing in a blue off shoulder dress with a silver belt just below the bust line, and the rest of it flowed freely till her knees. She accessorized her look with just the right amount of jewellery and make up. Vicky, on the other hand, was no less. He stood like a gentleman in his 3 piece- a blue formal shirt with a black trouser and a black overcoat with a fancy broach on the pocket. He looked debonair.

They reached the party, and everyone congratulated Vicky on completing his masters successfully and topping his university- Stanford. They also gave him a lot of welcome back presents.

"Wow bhai! Lucky you! You got so many presents", Arohi whispered to him when they were alone.

They stood near the bar holding a glass of wine each.

"Shut up Arohi. And tell me, when is Geet coming back?", he inquired.

"Did she not inform you? She wont be back before late. Probably eleven.", Arohi informed him.

"Oh God! She did not tell me. This is not fair you know.", he complained.

"I know. But don't worry. She had work na.", she assured him.

"Hmm.", he replied, still a bit disappointed.

"Look at Pratham Veerey and Naina bhabhi over their. Are they not just a PERFECT couple? I really adore them you know!", Arohi squeaked.

"You're right. They are indeed a perfect couple, just like Maan bhai and Geet were.", he spoke in a low sad tone.

Arohi hadn't heard.

She was randomly looking around when she saw her fianc.

"Arjun!", she said with a smile and went up to him to receive him.

Vicky sighed. His only company was gone. He would get bored now.

He was closest to Geet, and preferred having her as a company wherever he went. Arohi came second in his close companions list. He wasn't much of a social person, unlike Maan and Pratham.

He would wait for Geet now.

Slow music had started at the party. All the couples were on the floor dancing.

And his thoughts wandered back to the good old times with Maan and Geet.

His thoughts were interrupted by the ring of his phone.

Natasha, he looked at the caller ID.

"Hey Vicky! I'm really sorry but I'd be a bit late if that's fine with you? Probably ten thirty?", Natasha confirmed.

He glanced at the watch. Nine thirty. An hour!

He sighed.

"Okay! Its cool with me.", he assured her.

"Thank you so much. See you in an hour then enjoy!", she said and hung up.

He looked at the phone, and then thought of something.

"Hey! How much more tym till ur meeting ends? Shud I cum pick u up?", he sent a text message to Geet.

At the office, while in the meeting, Geet noticed the message from Vicky. She glanced at its contents.

Keeping the phone on her thighs, below the table, with one hand, she typed a message.

"An hour or so. N no need to pick me up. I hv the driver. Dnt worry too much. U tc. And Enjoy!", and pressed the send button.

She then resumed her attention to the meeting.

After an hour:

Geet had left from the office around quarter past ten. It usually took half an hour to reach the mansion. She was so late for the party. And on the top of it, she was sick, down with high fever. Plus, she had been getting this weird feeling throughout the day. She chose to ignore it.

Meanwhile Natasha and Mohit were on the way too.

At a red light, both their cars halted. They were parallel to each other now.

Geet occasionally looked outside the window.

What she saw this time was not too pleasant.

The red lights had turned to green. And the cars had started moving slowly. She randomly glanced towards her left, and was shocked. By the time she could register anything in her mind, the car had zoomed past her.

It couldn't be HIM, she thought.

Her mind was playing tricks on her. And most probably she was hallucinating. She had all the symptoms, she was tired, she was unwell.

So she decided that it was just an illusion.

She reached the mansion- HOME. She smiled. She was all weary. With a messy look and weak steps, she started walking toward the mansion from the parking.

On the other side, Natasha and Mohit had also reached the mansion. Mohit had asked Natasha to go inside, while he parked the car and he would join her in another five minutes.

She went inside.

Maan stepped out of the car and noticed the mansion.

Why did it appear too familiar?, he thought. He kept on gazing it for around thirty seconds. Then, he was reminded of the party. He broke his gaze and started walking towards the entrance.

Geet's phone rang. Vicky. She picked up.

"I'm walking towards the mansion Vicky. I'm just outside yaar, I'll be'''", her voice trailed off as she saw someone.

Her steps stalled.

She froze.

This wasn't hallucination. He appeared as natural as possible. He was walking. And then he stopped.

She had lost all he senses. Her phone slipped from her hands. She lost the grip on herself.

He felt someone's gaze on himself, and he looked up. He saw her then. Muddled appearance, tired eyes, and a beautiful face- he knew it-the face. He halted too, as he felt the heat rise to his face.

***

Vicky panicked. He had heard her phone dropping, and the line went dead. Along with Natasha and Arohi, he walked outside.

***

Her brain had stopped functioning. She could not think. All she could make out was the his face. The same eyes, the same lips. It was HIM.

"Maan", she whispered.

His ears shot up at the mention of that name.

"Maan", it sounded too recognizable, and when she spoke it, it sounded as if she was calling out to, HIM?

She then walked towards him, with faltered steps.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

She reached close to him.

She lifted her hand to his face, and touched his cheek.

At her touch, he felt a rush pass through him. It travelled down his spine.

The touch in his dream. This was it.

She felt him. He was real.

He put his hand on hers. He brought her hand to his lips, and kissed her palm.

She closed her eyes. A tear trickled down.

He raised his hand to her face, and wiped the tear with his finger.

She hugged him. She sobbed. She wept in his arms.

He held her close. He felt content.

His heart cried with her. It was as if, he knew her pain.

***

"Geet!", Vicky called out to her, seeing her in some strange man's arms.

Natasha followed him, and was dumbstruck to find Mohit in the arms of another woman.

Arohi just stared, perplexed.

Natasha strode up to them, and pulled Mohit from the embrace.

The warmth was gone. Geet faltered with her steps. Vicky and Arohi ran to her and helped her stand straight.

Geet just stood there, dumbfounded.

"Maan", she whispered again.

Vicky saw him. Arohi saw him.

They went pale.

How could it be?

"Maan bhai?", they sighed in unison.

"You?", Natasha said, pointing a finger at Geet.

Arohi and Vicky just went and hugged him. No words to say.

Natasha was baffled.

HE felt like home. Family.

"Maan", Geet murmured again.

Natasha caught it.

"What Maan?", she asked.

"Our brother Maan", Arohi and Vicky said, pulling apart from the hug.

"So?", Natasha asked, still confused.

They pointed at him, with a questioning look on their face.

"Mohit. This is my fianc Mohit."

Arohi and Vicky exchanged bewildered looks. They were confused, distressed.

Geet raised her hand towards her head, as everything blacked out in front of her, and she swayed.

HE caught her by the waist.

Natasha saw this. Vicky saw this. Arohi saw this.

Natasha fumed.

Vicky and Arohi rushed to hold Geet. HE wouldn't let go.

"Let me take her in", he requested.

The plea was so earnest.

But the twins refused. They carried her inside, without a word.

They would deal with the issue later.

Through the back doors of the mansion, Vicky and Arohi carried her inside the bedroom.

They lay her on the bed.

"You change her clothes, I'll go down and see what is it.", Vicky told Arohi.

And he left.

Arohi was shocked too. She had seen her brother- or someone who resembled him?

Was it really him? Or just a look alike? What was going on?

Pushing the thoughts away, she tended Geet. She checked her temperature.

Geet burned. High temperature.

Arohi changed her clothes, wiped her face with a wet towel, lay her on the bed and covered her with a duvet.

She then went downstairs. The party was still going on.

She went to Dadi, and informed her that Geet was unwell and she was resting in her room.

Dadi was worried, but Arohi assured her that everything was OK, and that it was just a bit of temperature.

Meanwhile, Vicky went back outside, only to find that Natasha and her fianc had left.

What was going on?, he thought.

Arohi also went outside.

"What was that?", she asked, worried.

"Was it bhai?", she added in a heavy voice. She was in tears.

Vicky hugged her, and tried to console her.

"Aro, we don't know anything yet. And we cannot, until we talk to Natasha and Bhai, I mean whoever he is. And until anything is confirmed, please don't tell dadi anything, and we need to be with Geet. You saw her state, didn't you?", he asked.

"Yes bhai. I did.", she said in between her muffles.

"C'mon now! be a good girl, and lets go inside. We cannot spoil the party by not being in there. we are the hosts. Please get a hold on yourself. Just for a few hours. We will talk about it tomorrow. Ok?", he told her.

"Yea. Ok bhai. I'll try. Lets go.", with that, they went back inside.

They attended the guests, chatted with a few people, had their dinner, and waited till the party was over. At around 1:00 AM, all the guests left, and the party was over. They greeted Dadima Good night, and went upstairs to check on Geet.

She was tossing and turning in her bed. She was crying in her sleep.

"Arohi, you go change. I'll see. And we'll talk tomorrow. Please try to get some sleep Okay? Good Night baby.", he said and kissed his sister on the forehead.

When she left, he sat down at one side of the bed, and took Geet in his arms. He lay her head on his lap, and moved his hand through her hair. This seemed to soothe her, and she resumed back to her sleep. He stayed there for an hour. She slept soundly.

When he was assured, that she was fine, he lay her head back on the pillow, straightened himself up, and went to Arohi to check on her. She lay on her bed. He assumed that she was asleep.

He then resigned to his room, changed and lay on the bed, staring in the dark.

On the other hand, in ITC, Delhi, HE flipped in his bed. Sleep was far away, in some distant land. His thoughts were just stuck on the incident that had happened that day. He had felt so loved, in her embrace. A passion had surged through him. The feeling was ethereal, just like he had experienced in his dream. What was it? Also, he had felt like a family, when he saw the twins. He could not comprehend the events, and neither could he build up any link, or any reason of the reactions by him, and by them.

In the silence of the night, all four of them lay in their respective beds, Geet in her deep slumber; Arohi and Vicky, recalling the face of their dear brother, and the incident of a few hours ago; and HE, just playing back the hug in his mind over and over again. They were restless to know what was conspiring. With their respective thoughts, they closed their eyes as a surreal melody lulled them to sleep for the night, which was to be followed by a morning, that held the answers to their questions.

PS: PLEASE COMMENT! I WANT TO KNOW IF I HAVE PORTRAYED THE ENCOUNTER AND THE AFTER EFFECTS WELL OR NOT! THANKS AND REGARDS. 😊

Link to the next part: Chapter 5: Afterthoughts

loved it

loved the affect maan felt when he saw geet and the twins

loved the way vicky cares for geet

cant wait 4 da next part

con soon

thanks 4 da pm