Posted:
@ fullyfaltu - What a sweet comment, many thanks! :)
Hi everyone! Here are chapters six and seven. Once again, my deepest thanks for your feedback.
Chapter Six
Past
Unblinking, Maan stared at her from across the kitchen table. Had she really just made this confession? Was he dreaming? She herself looked distressed, but he couldn't register anything beyond the words she had just spoken. He began to feel physically ill.
Angry tears pricked at Maan's eyes. After all he had been through when his mother had walked out on him, after thinking that he would never be able to love a woman, he had let down his guard and welcomed her into his world. Showered her with his compassion, love, and wealth. And this . . . this is what she had done?
Maan stood up on shaky legs. "Get out," he said, his voice nearly breaking. Her confession had drilled a hole in his heart that was widening with every passing moment.
"Maan, sit down," she pleaded, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. "Please. I'm sorry. We can work this out. I love you."
Trying to steady his trembling jaw, Maan spun around so that he didn't have to look at her. He thought she *had* loved him. Now, he realized that it had been a charade all this time. She didn't love him. If she did, she would never have done this . . . .
"Get out," he repeated, his voice low, threatening.
She stood up from the table, wringing her hands. "Please don't do this. I love you, Maan."
Maan swiveled back to face her. All he could see was red. Not from her lush lips, as he so often had admired, but from betrayal. "And I hate you, Sameera." He sucked in his breath, almost dizzy, and walked out.
Chapter Seven
Present
Shrugging on his trench coat, Maan was attempting to lock his office door when his cell phone once again alerted him. He checked the display: Daadi Maa.
Maan slid the key into the lock and answered. "How are you, Daadi Maa?"
"Oh, so now you worry about your poor old grandmother?" she said, dismissively. Maan immediately felt guilty. Her health had been deteriorating for roughly the past decade, and he usually checked in on her every day. But he had missed the last few days, what with having to adjust to his new school and schedule. It had been much easier when they had all lived together, but Maan had been forced to move out with Riya so that he could explore professorship opportunities.
"Forgive me, Daadi Maa, I --"
"Lest you think that I am calling to ask about you," she interrupted, "I want to know how my lovely granddaughter is doing."
"She's wonderful, Daadi." Maan decided to leave out Riya's skirmish with little Thomas D'Souza.
"You know that I expect updates about that child, Maan," she warned. "Even a simple e-mail would be nice. I deserve that much."
Maan couldn't argue with that. Without Daadi, Riya might not even exist.
"Definitely, Daadi Maa. I'm sorry, it's been busy lately."
"I understand." Her voice softened. "I just worry about you and Riya, all alone. I miss you both terribly."
"We'll visit soon," Maan promised. "We miss you just as much. I'm actually just going to stop by the library and then pick her up from school."
"All right. Call me later when you get a chance. I love you."
---
In the employees' lounge, Geet tucked her notebook, cell phone, and lunch box into her handbag. Finally, the end of the day had arrived. And what a long one it had been, too. She was exhausted and starving.
"Geet?"
She looked up. It was Mrs. Faizal, the head librarian.
"Geet, we have a professor here who needs a short tour of the library. Do you mind?"
Although her stomach growled, Geet knew she could hardly refuse. "No, not at all. Where is he?"
"He's waiting right outside."
Geet nodded and swung her bag loosely over her shoulder. She hoped she could make this quick.
Geet quickly followed Mrs. Faizal outside the lounge. She saw the outline of a tall man in a trench coat holding a briefcase, his back to them. He appeared to be examining a bulletin board.
"Good afternoon, Professor," Geet greeted politely. "I'm G --"
The professor turned around just then. Geet's mouth dropped open, her bag slipping off her shoulder and landing with a thud on the floor. The world appeared to swim before her eyes. "Maan?" she gasped.
---
Thank you for reading!
Hi everyone! Here are chapters six and seven. Once again, my deepest thanks for your feedback.
Chapter Six
Past
Unblinking, Maan stared at her from across the kitchen table. Had she really just made this confession? Was he dreaming? She herself looked distressed, but he couldn't register anything beyond the words she had just spoken. He began to feel physically ill.
Angry tears pricked at Maan's eyes. After all he had been through when his mother had walked out on him, after thinking that he would never be able to love a woman, he had let down his guard and welcomed her into his world. Showered her with his compassion, love, and wealth. And this . . . this is what she had done?
Maan stood up on shaky legs. "Get out," he said, his voice nearly breaking. Her confession had drilled a hole in his heart that was widening with every passing moment.
"Maan, sit down," she pleaded, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. "Please. I'm sorry. We can work this out. I love you."
Trying to steady his trembling jaw, Maan spun around so that he didn't have to look at her. He thought she *had* loved him. Now, he realized that it had been a charade all this time. She didn't love him. If she did, she would never have done this . . . .
"Get out," he repeated, his voice low, threatening.
She stood up from the table, wringing her hands. "Please don't do this. I love you, Maan."
Maan swiveled back to face her. All he could see was red. Not from her lush lips, as he so often had admired, but from betrayal. "And I hate you, Sameera." He sucked in his breath, almost dizzy, and walked out.
Chapter Seven
Present
Shrugging on his trench coat, Maan was attempting to lock his office door when his cell phone once again alerted him. He checked the display: Daadi Maa.
Maan slid the key into the lock and answered. "How are you, Daadi Maa?"
"Oh, so now you worry about your poor old grandmother?" she said, dismissively. Maan immediately felt guilty. Her health had been deteriorating for roughly the past decade, and he usually checked in on her every day. But he had missed the last few days, what with having to adjust to his new school and schedule. It had been much easier when they had all lived together, but Maan had been forced to move out with Riya so that he could explore professorship opportunities.
"Forgive me, Daadi Maa, I --"
"Lest you think that I am calling to ask about you," she interrupted, "I want to know how my lovely granddaughter is doing."
"She's wonderful, Daadi." Maan decided to leave out Riya's skirmish with little Thomas D'Souza.
"You know that I expect updates about that child, Maan," she warned. "Even a simple e-mail would be nice. I deserve that much."
Maan couldn't argue with that. Without Daadi, Riya might not even exist.
"Definitely, Daadi Maa. I'm sorry, it's been busy lately."
"I understand." Her voice softened. "I just worry about you and Riya, all alone. I miss you both terribly."
"We'll visit soon," Maan promised. "We miss you just as much. I'm actually just going to stop by the library and then pick her up from school."
"All right. Call me later when you get a chance. I love you."
---
In the employees' lounge, Geet tucked her notebook, cell phone, and lunch box into her handbag. Finally, the end of the day had arrived. And what a long one it had been, too. She was exhausted and starving.
"Geet?"
She looked up. It was Mrs. Faizal, the head librarian.
"Geet, we have a professor here who needs a short tour of the library. Do you mind?"
Although her stomach growled, Geet knew she could hardly refuse. "No, not at all. Where is he?"
"He's waiting right outside."
Geet nodded and swung her bag loosely over her shoulder. She hoped she could make this quick.
Geet quickly followed Mrs. Faizal outside the lounge. She saw the outline of a tall man in a trench coat holding a briefcase, his back to them. He appeared to be examining a bulletin board.
"Good afternoon, Professor," Geet greeted politely. "I'm G --"
The professor turned around just then. Geet's mouth dropped open, her bag slipping off her shoulder and landing with a thud on the floor. The world appeared to swim before her eyes. "Maan?" she gasped.
---
Thank you for reading!
Ishaani
201