Chapter 8:
After spending a few hours playing outside in the snow with his kids, helping them with their homework, and essentially, getting to know them, Maan sat down at the dining table, waiting for Geet to come out with whatever food she had made.
Geet.
The woman's presence was driving him absolutely insane. That look in her eyes, a mix of fear and guilt, had been following him all evening. He sensed her watching him everywhere he was, and his heart was torn in two. He wanted this woman. He wanted his way with her. Apparently, even six years of separation had done nothing to quell the burning desire in him. But she had taken away his kids from him, made him miss out on six years of their lives just because of a damned suspicion that she had never thought to clear.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, and sighed. He would talk to her later, deal with that mess afterwards. Right now, he would concentrate on getting acquainted with Diya and Dhruv.
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Geet carried the pot of macaroni and cheese out into the dining room, pausing at the door as she saw her kids fighting over who would get to tell Maan a story first. Tears welled up in her eyes as she took in the sight before her, thinking about how quickly the kids had taken to their father and how they had clung to him all evening. She had chosen to remain behind in the kitchen, away from them, but something tugged at her heart the entire time. Although he looked at his kids with utter love and devotion, the looks he sent her simply sent chills down her spine.
"Mama!" Diya's voice drew her out of her thoughts, and courageously mustering up a forced smile, she slowly made her way over to the table.
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Dinner was going relatively smoothly, with Geet once again fading into the background, as she Maan and the kids were lost in learning more about each other. And she watched and listened carefully, with the constant fear that these may be the last moments she ever gets to spend with her kids.
"So daddy, are you going to live here with us now too? My friend Michelle's mommy and daddy live with her. You will too right?" Diya paused in the middle of her mac and cheese to throw a worried glance at her father. "You won't leave so soon, right?"
Geet looked at Maan anxiously, waiting for his response, hoping he would say that they would all just live there.
"No Diya, Daddy can't live here. You see, I have a business, a company to take care of back in India. So all of you will be coming back there with me."
He smiled, and quickly changed the subject, drawing Diya's and Dhruv's attention to a story about being on an airplane.
Of course, he had done that on purpose.
Geet knew.
He was warning her. The kids would be going back to India.
But what about her?
He caught her looking at him intently, as if she wanted to say something, and all he said was one word, "Later."
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Geet was cleaning up the kitchen, as she waited for Maan to come back downstairs after tucking the kids into bed. Anticipation and anxiousness was building up in her like never before. The sound of the approaching footsteps led her to hurry her cleaning, not wanting him to think she was idly standing there, doing nothing when he walked inside.
"Geet" She heard his voice, and then she slowly turned around to look at him, but his eyes held no emotion, they said nothing about what was about to come.
"I...the kids are asleep?" she asked softly, politely, not knowing what to even say to Maan anymore.
He snorted, "You could care less about that at the moment. We both know we have things to discuss, about the kids' future, about India, so hurry up and we'll go to the living room to talk."
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"I want my kids with me Geet. Six years has already been too much and I don't want to miss out on another moment of their lives." Maan said, his voice steely as he looked up at Geet, who was sitting across from him, her hands folded across her lap.
"Of course, I mean, now that I know it was not your fault, I...I have no reason to disagree. I'm sorry Maan, I'm really sorry for all the hurt I caused when I left back then, I'm terribly sorry for wrongly accusing you for something you hadn't done" Her voice trembled, and he saw the lonely tear that was sliding down her cheek.
Oh! How a part of him longed to take her into his arms, comfort her like he used to in the past. But that was it. It was all in the past, and best left that way.
"So the kids will be coming back with me to India. I have my business set up there, my life set up there, and I'm not planning on giving that up. And you, of course, will be coming with me. As much as I hate you right now, I'm not going to deny my kids their mother, especially when they're in a completely new country. Which means you will be living in the same house as me." He glared at her, the look in his eyes unwavering as he said every single word cold heartedly.
Geet shuddered, as a little hope grew in her heart, but it was quickly squashed with his next words.
"In name only Geet. Don't you ever dare think that I'll forgive you for what happened in the past. Ever. We'll be leaving in a week. That's all the time I'm going to give you so do whatever you have to-"
"My..my job, Maan! You can't possibly expect me to give up everything I've had, I have now, to move back to India. And it's the middle of the school year, the kids shouldn't be taken out" Reality set in in Geet's mind, as she realized all the complications with the situation that was at hand. And plus, he didn't want to try and rebuild their marriage. Pain shot through her chest as she thought about his words. Never forgive her.
Maan's anger was raging, and he didn't even attempt to calm himself down as he raised his voice against her. "I don't care Geet. I don't give a damn about what you have to do. And if you really don't want to move back, then don't. But the kids are going with me, no matter what. And if you're ok being separated from them, then you're simply a cold hearted--"
"Don't Maan." Geet finally found her voice again, as she heard the words come out of Maan's mouth. "Don't you dare insinuate that I"m a bad mother. I've done everything I can for the kids, and you know it. And fine. FINE. I will be coming back to India, but just for the kids Maan. Just because I don't want them to grow up without me. "
Her voice was laced with a steely determination which Maan would have found to be impressive if it were in any other situation. He still remembered the quiet woman he had married back in the day, the one who used to be much happier having him make the decisions, wanting to avert any fights, any disagreements. But obviously, the wman standing before him had changed. She had become independent. She had a voice now.
But he had gotten his way.
They would be back in India.
And the kids would have both of their parents.
Now all he had to do was learn to control himself around her. He would not forgive her. He couldn't forgive her. What kind of a man would ever forgive the woman who had separated him from his kids for six years?
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Geet slammed the door to her bedroom, frustrated, and angry at the developments. She should have known Maan would throw in emotional blackmail, accusing her of not being a good mother and whatnot. He was a businessman, he knew how to make his opponents squirm to get what he wanted. And that was exactly what she was,wasn't she? The enemy. The other woman who had what he wanted.
She knew she had made a mistake, and she tried to apologize. But the arrogant jerk of a man wasn't willing to listen to her words at all.
Damn him! She muttered angrily, Damn him to hell!
She would go to India, she wouldn't be separated from her kids. She would apologize to him and make him forgive her.
But she would not be living with him.
No matter what.
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