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Previous Chapters -- Part One: prologue + ch 1 / ch 2 + 3 / ch 4 + 5 / ch 6 + 7 / ch 8 + 9 /
ch 10 + 11 /
ch 12 + 13 /
ch 14 + 15 / Part Two: ch 16 /
ch 17 /
ch 18 /
ch 19
Chapter Twenty
With Geet and their daughter snuggled together in the backseat, Maan pulled up to the Khurana mansion for the second time that evening.
The trunk was loaded with Geet's luggage. The sheer sparseness of Geet's apartment had been advantageous -- she had been able to pack her clothes and necessities with record speed. As Geet was bundling her belongings, Riya had taken it upon herself to investigate the kitchen. "We cannot forget any cookies or ice cream, Mama!" she had hollered.
"We're here," said Maan. As soon as he parked, Riya raced out of the car and tugged a chuckling Geet behind her. As he began to unload the trunk with one of his staff members, Maan heaved a sigh and wondered how the remainder of the evening would proceed.
Maan trudged up to the front doors and let everyone inside. "You can sleep in the same room as before, Miss Handa," Maan directed. He motioned for two of his staff to carry Geet's suitcases up to the second floor guest room by the study.
Geet nodded. "Thank you, Professor. That would be just fine."
"Daddy, we are still having chocolate cake, right?" said Riya. "It's Mama's first dinner with us, and cake will make it special!"
"That's really not necessary, Miss Ladybug," Geet said hurriedly. She paused, and then, as if she couldn't resist, kissed the top of Riya's head. "Being with you is special enough."
"No, Mama, we should really have one," Riya insisted. She turned to her father and clasped her hands below her chin. "*Please,* Daddy?"
Maan stifled an impatient sigh, then signaled for one of his staff. "Please find a chocolate cake --"
"A big one!" Riya interrupted.
"So we can have it for dessert," finished Maan. He nodded, then patted Riya's shoulder. "All right, sweetheart, the cake is coming. Go and get washed up for dinner."
Maan then shot a glance at Geet, who wore a delighted smile as she watched their daughter scamper up the staircase. When she caught Maan's gaze, her eyes shone with gratitude. "Thank you for allowing me to stay here, Professor," she said. "I know you never wanted this arrangement, and I want to talk to you about how I can --"
"You should get ready for dinner, too, Miss Handa," Maan commanded. "There's no time to dawdle." He eyed Geet, as if daring her to challenge him, then walked away.
---
"And then Nabeelah won the spelling bee after lunch," stated Riya as she recited the events of her day during dinner. She and her parents were seated at the dining room table, with Maan at the head.
Maan had picked at his food throughout the meal, clearly uncomfortable with Geet's presence. Geet, who undoubtedly had picked up on the tension, had said little.
"Yay, yay, yay!" Riya cheered as a staff member slid a slice of chocolate cake onto her dinner plate. "Thank you."
Instinctively, Geet began to cut Riya's large slice into more manageable pieces. As Maan watched, he reluctantly permitted himself to feel appreciative of the gesture.
"That is wonderful for Nabeelah, honey," said Geet. "Who came in second?"
"Thomas," answered Riya, wrinkling her nose. "Mama, I am telling you, the boy loves me and I just do not know how to make him stop." She flopped back in her chair in exasperation.
Geet threw her head back slightly and laughed. Although Maan was irritated at the mention of his daughter's young admirer, he couldn't help but stare in wonder at how childlike Geet could appear -- particularly when she was happy.
"All right, now," Maan began, awkwardly. "It's almost bedtime, sweetheart, so I would like you to finish up your dessert."
"Yes, Daddy," said Riya sweetly. Silence blanketed the table, Geet nibbling at her own cake slice as Maan focused on the grandfather clock standing stately outside of the dining room.
At last, Riya cleared her plate. "Mama, this is when Daddy helps me get ready for bed. You will help me, too, right?"
Geet slid her inquiring eyes to Maan. But he was already standing up from the table, appearing resigned to the fact that Geet would now be assisting with Riya's bedtime rituals. "Let's hurry along, now," he said, impatience lining his voice. "Before it gets late."
---
Settled against her gigantic pink pillows, Riya yawned over Teddy's head as her father flipped to the last page of a storybook. Geet, who was sitting on the other side of the bed and stroking Riya's hand, was also Maan's captive audience. A folded piece of paper was peeking out of the pocket of Geet's cardigan.
"The end," Maan concluded softly, as Riya drifted off to sleep. Geet rose from the bed and, along with Maan, secured Riya's comforter around her small shoulders. "Good night, my dear," Geet whispered, brushing her lips across Riya's forehead.
Out in the hall, Maan turned to the new addition to the Khurana household. "Well, good night," he said curtly, eager for rest after such a peculiar and draining day.
Geet placed one hand on his forearm. "Professor, I think we should talk."
"About what?" Maan glanced down at Geet's hand, which she quickly pulled away.
Geet tilted her head disbelievingly, and Maan could see glimpses of their daughter in her face.
"About me staying here, Professor," Geet replied. "First off, I will naturally pay you rent."
"What?" Maan barked.
Startled, Geet stepped back. "Well, I am living here. I can hardly do so for free."
"You can't pay me rent," said Maan, incredulous. He tried to bury the small part of him that admired Geet's determination to avoid unearned perks.
"Why can't I?"
"Why are you always trying to give me money?" Maan snapped. He gestured to the ornate furnishing surrounding them. "Look around you, Miss Handa. I don't need your contributions. Now, I suggest you get to bed. We wake up fairly early around here, and I will drive us to work after we drop Riya off at school."
Geet tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. "There's a bus stand near her school, I can --"
"You are not taking the bus," Maan said firmly.
"Why not?"
"Because," Maan began irritably, waving his hand. Why *was* he so insistent on stopping her? "Because . . . it just doesn't make sense. We both work on the same campus, and it's unnecessary to take the bus when I'm already driving there."
"But I have a bus pass," Geet insisted. "And I don't . . . I don't want to rely on you for too much, Professor. Living in your home so I can be with my daughter -- you have done more than enough for me."
"You can't ride the bus, and that's final," Maan ordered.
"But I --"
Maan, visibly on his way to becoming incensed, gripped Geet by her arm. "I don't want to hear another word. I will not have the mother of my child taking the bus, do you understand?" As he heard himself speak and saw Geet's face twist into an expression of trepidation, Maan breathed in quickly and let go. Since when did he start caring about Geet's status?
"Go to bed, Miss Handa," said Maan, looking away uncomfortably. "I'll see you in the morning."
"One moment, Professor." Geet, recovering from her alarm, pulled the folded paper square out of her pocket. "Riya gave this to me earlier, and I kept it with me. It is from her school."
"Why are you giving this to me just now?" asked Maan, sighing. Geet bit her lip. He would find out soon enough why she had been putting off this exchange.
Maan unfolded the paper. "Family Week Field Trip?" he murmured. The flyer revealed that the school would be hosting a field trip for all the students in Riya's class, along with their parents, at a campground. Maan raised his eyebrows at the address of the site -- it was located in an upscale area that he had never realized contained grounds for camping.
As he reached the end of the flyer, Maan's jaw dropped. *Students will be housed in tents so that they may be fully immersed in the camping experience,* the paper read. *Parents, however, will be lodged in the luxurious cabins bordering the campground's sparkling lake. No need to thank us, parents, as we already know you will be delighted with this arrangement.*
---
Thank you for reading!
Edited by kumari3 - 13 years ago
Ishaani
201