MG FF - Gharwali, Baharwali - note page 149 06/12 - Page 84

Chapter 23

Geet happily walked into the front room with a big tub of Ben & Jerry's in hand, ready to watch the business bulletin. She placed the ice cream down on the table & walked to turn the TV on. Instead of the TV flashing & coming up with a channel, she was greeted with a blank blackness.

"I'm going to miss my bulletin, come on you idiot!"

The phone rang.

"Someone pick up the phone!" she called as she pressed the on button repeatedly.

Wait, the phone?

Geet gasped in horror & ran to the living room.

"Teri-" she cursed as she banged her leg against the coffee table & burst into the living room to find her mother reaching for the phone.

"Maa, wait!" she called but it was too late. She looked at Pari with a horrified expression on her face, who simply shrugged & got back to painting her nails.

Geet bit her lip nervously as she heard overheard Rano.

"Yes... they got back safely... Ji... homesick?"

Pari almost dropped her bottle in shock. Geet felt her stomach churn.

If there was one thing her parents had taught them, it was to never lie. Lying was a pet peeve of the Handa parents, something Geet had already experienced during her teen years.

"They never said anything about being homesick..." Rano glared at her daughters, who both looked away guiltly.

"Ji... yes, I... no, we haven't... yes, absolutely."

A prolonged silence followed, then Rano finally spoke. "Ji of course.. goodbye."

She slammed the phone down & looked from Geet to Pari.

"So, you told the Khuranas you were homesick?"

"Um, we were," Geet said, trying to sound confident.

"You told me Pari had a stomach bug & that's why you left."

"We did?"

"Geetanjali!"

"Ok Maa I'm sorry, we lied to you, we wanted to come back because-" Geet stopped mid sentence, the memories of her drunken night with Maan replaying. Her mother would lock her up indefinitely if she found out she had consumed alcohol & danced in the street with her soon to be husband.

"Because NT arrived," she finished off, crossing her fingers behind her back.

Pari looked at Geet with a confused expression.

"NT?" Rano asked.

"Yes, um, the cousin. She was looking down on me & Pari & we didn't want to hang around & be insulted."

"Insulted? How?"

"Well she was just bringing us down because we were traditional, but I mean it's nothing too serious."

"Really?" Rano raised an eyebrow. "I won't let my daughters be insulted like this, especially from a future relative. I've got a good mind to call up & confront this NT myself."

Rano picked up the reciever & Geet rushed over to her, grabbing hold of it. "Maa, you don't want to sound rude. Especially not to Dadima. She adores NT."

"But-"

"It's ok, she's only there until the wedding. She'll be gone by the time me & Pari settle down there."

Rano still looked skeptical, so Geet decided to change the subject.

"What else did Dadima say?" she asked, placing the receiver down.

"She asked about the wedding arrangements. The wedding is in 3 weeks, we have no time to waste. The shopping begins tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Pari asked excitedly. "I can't wait!"

Geet's heart sank a little. It only seemed like yesterday she had agreed to Maan's proposition & now she was already facing her wedding.
Although theirs would be an unconvential, business related marraige, Geet couldn't ignore the fact that they would have to keep up a pretence of being husband & wife. Which was something that worried her immensely.

"Geet, are you listening?" Rano asked, bringing her back down to earth. "I said we're waking up early tomorrow to visit some stores."

~

Later that night, Geet was getting ready for bed when her phone rang. She tied her mass of curly hair back into a ponytail & answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, how are you?"

Geet had forgotten that she'd called Maan to warn him earlier. It was too late for that, but now she faced another awkward conversation with him.

"I'm good."

A silence followed.

"How was the journey back?"

"It was ok."

Another silence.

Both Maan & Geet had their uncomfortable meetings of the past week lurking on their mind - Dev & Pari's incorrect assumption about their late night activities, their failed dancing & their drunken moments.

Maan felt it was neccessary to clear the air. He took a sip of his beloved Rubicon Mango, then spoke.

"Look Geet, whatever happened between us during the past week, I'd really like to forget that. I mean, we're getting married soon. So I want to start on a clean slate."

Geet felt relieved. "I was thinking the same too. I never got a chance to apologise for my behaviour, especially when I was drunk. So I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologise, that was down to my fool of a brother Dev & his immature behaviour."

Geet was about to speak further when her door opened & Pari walked in, sitting down on the floor in front of her. She glared at her sister, who refused to acknowledge her annoyed look & instead looked around the room, feiging interest.

"Maan, I'll call you tomorrow. Good night."

Before he could even reply, she cut the call off & sat down on the floor in front of Pari. "What do you want?"

"Were you talking to my jiju? Was Dev there?"

"Pari."

"Maybe I should write a letter to Dev, we can go old fashioned, the art of romance-"

"Parineeta. I'm your twin sister. You only ever barge into my room & sit like this when it's something serious. Tell me."

Pari sighed, then twirled a long strand of her poker straight hair around her finger. "Ok, correct me if I'm wrong, but why do I sense something... off between you & Maan?"

Geet cleared her throat before speaking. "What do you mean?"

"You don't act the way me & Dev act."

"That's because we're not you & Dev."

"I know, but you act like... like you're afraid or something. You tip toe around each other. The only time I ever saw you free with each other was when you were drunk, & even then you were prattling on about celebrity couples."

Geet looked down at the floor, then back up at her sister who was eyeing her with a confused expression.

Why did she have to be my twin, Geet wondered.

"Pari, let me tell you this. You're wrong."

"Elaborate."

"Well, our relationship is different. We don't flaunt it in front of everyone, we keep it personal," she lied. "I mean, we feel uncomfortable acting loved up in front of everyone."

"But that's the only way people will believe it's real."

"It's not about proving things to people."

"Isn't it? Maa's right in a way, we do have to make a good impression. But you & Maan-"

Geet stood up suddenly. "It's late, I'm tired, I want to sleep."

"I'm not done with my questions, Geet."

"I am. Can you leave, please?"

"Nope."

"You're going to stay here all night?"

"And all day tomorrow til I get the truth out of you."

"There's nothing for me to tell you."

"There is."

"Pari, I want to sleep!"

"I'm not stopping you."

"I can't sleep with you sat there watching me like a hawk!"

"But just-"

Geet sighed & pulled her sister up by the arm.

"Geet you're hurting me!"

"Good! Now will you please get out before I shove you out? Remember what Maa said, we have to be up early & you don't want to miss out on your 'beauty sleep'."

Pari opened her mouth to say something but Geet shoved her towards the door. "Night sis, love you loads," she said before opening the door for her & letting her walk out. Geet waved a goodbye to Pari before slamming the door on her face.

She leant back against it & sighed. Pari had sussed there was something wrong. Now she would have to work even harder to keep the truth concealed, for her sake & Maan's.

~

The next morning, the Handas found themselves in their car on the way to wedding stores. A sleepy Geet & a perky Pari were at the back, enduring Rano's complaints.

"... 3 weeks left & we've only bought the decorations yet, we still have the outfits, the food, the jewellry. Oh rabba, give me strength!"

"Give me some of that too," Geet muttered, looking out of the window.

"What are we going to do?! We'll have to call in for help from family."

Mohinder nodded, anything to keep his wife satisfied & pulled outside the store. Pari jumped out, her eyes gawped at the beautiful display of wedding dresses.

"I think I'll stay here," Mohinder offered, loking forward to the peace & quiet.

"Count me in," Geet replied.

"Nonsense!" said Rano as she got out from her side & opened Geet's door for her. "You're one of the brides, now come on."

Geet sighed & climbed out, walking behind her elated mother & sister. She glanced at the dresses & rolled her eyes.

They reached inside the store & the owner came running towards them, fixing a pin in her hair. She was a plump lady with big eyes & a bright beaming smile.

"Which one of you is the lucky bride?" she asked.

"Both of them," Rano replied proudly with a hint of smugness in her voice.

"Bless you both! So lucky of you, having two daughters married off together! Let's see what we can find for you girls!"

Pari beamed, excited to try the dresses on whilst Geet prayed the ground would open up & swallow her whole.

Precap: Wedding dresses & a new character arrives...