Part 4
Maan opened the tall windows of the hall and stepped out in the garden. The morning sun was making Khurana mansion look like a jewel amidst the green jade of trees surrounding the Haveli. It all looked perfect. He liked simple lines, clean shapes. It always looked perfect. That pleased him. Off course, he knew that perfection came at a cost. There was a battery of servants who looked after it always keeping everything perfect.
Khurana Mansion was a huge Haveli spread over vast area with extensive grounds circling it with picturesque and magnificently beautiful gardens widespread. It was very impressive in its stature and held a prominent place in Hoshiarpur. Maan felt proud and pleased to see the mansion standing foremost and was renowned for its architecture. Far away lots of trees bordered on a side of the Haveli as if it was a jungle that grew unrestricted. And through those woods a stream ran through unhindered.
As his gaze roamed around the garden he could hear the gurgle of water and see in the distance another Haveli which stood grand and imposing but not to the extent of Khurana Mansion.
That Haveli belonged to the Handa's. The Handa's now consisted of Tayaji and taiji of Naintara, Geet and Rajji Handa. But for Maan Taiji had always been Maasiji as his mother and Rajinder kaur, Rajji's taiji had been friends for long. Rajinder Kaur was childless who looked after the three girls of Mohinder Handa, the brother in law of Rajinder kaur. Mohinder Handa had been heart broken after the death of his wife who had died after giving birth to the youngest daughter Rajji. He had followed his wife soon after leaving the three girls orphaned.
As Maan wandered around the Haveli lost in his thoughts of the past, he found himself in the woods walking down the shady trees, stopping to listen to the gurgling water his thoughts went to his life which he has been living as he pleased. He sure had taken over the companies which his Dadima- Savitri Devi Khurana had been running but his interests lay elsewhere. The Khurana empire which consisted of the construction companies, the aviation companies, the hotels and resorts and the event management companies had reached its zenith in his command but his heart had hankered after designing textiles and apparels and particularly women's fashion, which he had started with a small brand Maaneet initially working hard binging it to a pinnacle today where the brand had become synonym with perfection.
The breeze was deliciously cool; everything was green with vibrant shades of jade, lime, olive, emerald and bottle green. Everything was so unbearably romantic. The Khurana Mansion grounds perfect of the wedding.
Not his wedding off course. He smiled at the thought. Nobody would ever be foolish enough to think the day would come when he would pledge his body and soul to one woman for eternity.
A month or two maybe. He was a true Casanova in that sense, famous for being with many women.
He sighed as he made his way back towards the Haveli. The days when these woods were the playground for the idle rich were gone. He had work to do. However he was whistling when he headed back to the room in the Haveli which he had converted as his studio for the past six months. When a man had a job that involved dressing up beautiful women, he couldn't really complain, could he?
Before Geet's taxi could fully stop and she could come out taiji came out with bhaiyaji, their servant ordering him to take Geet's luggage to her room.
"Geet you are late. Why did you not come a few days earlier? How could you leave us all stranded like this?" she shouted without taking a breath in between.
"But taiji I had never mentioned what time I would be coming so how could I be late?"
"Geet you habit of replying has not gone has it? Well all the cousins and relatives have already come and you are the last one to arrive for your own sisters wedding."
All the cousins, oh Babaji what was she supposed to do now? She would have to be extra alert and Geet decided there was no point in reminding taiji that she had never mentioned the date of her coming.
Her taiji was a woman of expectations, and Babaji help the poor soul who actually suggested she deviate from her catalogue of fixed and rigid ideas. Geet had come to terms with the fact that, even though she was a successful person in her field of work but in the mind of her taiji she was a specimen on a dark and dusty shelf whose label read: Problem child.
The excited female chatter coming from one of the rooms was loud enough for Geet to hear outside in the corridor. Four five females all getting ready for the function were twittering and cooing over some of the most exquisite bridal wear and jewelry Geet had ever seen. In fact they were so absorbed in helping the bride to be that they did not notice Geet standing at the door watching them silently.
Naintara, who was half in and half out of the layered skirt, looked up and noticed her first, and all at once she was waddling across the room in a heap of silk and velvet. She pulled Geet in a tight hug.
"Your sister has finally deigned to arrive for the dress fitting." Taiji announced sarcastically.
Still in the hug, Geet closed her eyes and tried ignoring taiji's voice. Dress fitting. So that's what taiji was worried about. She need not have worried, Geet had sent her measurement by post and she knew she wouldn't have gained any weight or would allow even a millimeter of variations in her measurement.
"It's been too long, Nayani di" she said in a hoarse whisper squeezing Naintara's back.
"Here, let me help you the dress" she pulled away from Naintara and walked round her so she could help with the string of Naintara dress.
Geet concentrated on the dress. She stood back and admired her sister, "this dress is exquisite", which was amazing, since it had to have been made in mere days. Getting a dress to not only fit somebody perfectly but to compliment their personality that cold hard cash could never buy, unless you were in the hands of a true artist.
Rajji and Pinky came close to inspect the dress and mutter their appreciation. Geet turned, a smile of utter serenity on her face and prepared herself to greet them. She greeted Pinky first hugging her lightly. Geet kept her smile in place as she turned to face her younger sister, made pretence of an embrace.
She and Rajji had been so close once, especially after Naintara had gone to get higher education, when it had just been the two of them and she had felt like a proper big sister rather than Naintara's assistant. She had even thought vainly that Rajji might have hero-worshipped her a little bit.
But that had changed that long ago summer. Rajji had never looked at her the same way again. And why should she have? Some role model Geet had been. Who would want to emulate the disaster area that had been her life back then-Geet in tears most of the day, taiji alternating between ranting and giving her the ice-queen treatment?
Not long after that Rajji had moved away. They'd never had a chance to patch things up, for Geet to say how sorry she was to make Rajji so ashamed of her. No more late-night secret sharing sessions. No more raiding the kitchen, one of them rifling through the stainless steel containers for the yummy mithai taiji made, one of them keeping a watch in case taiji spotted them.
Now they talked as little as possible and met in person even less. Geet released Rajji from the awkward hug and took a good look at her. They had not laid eyes on each other in more than five years. Rajji hadn't changed much except look a bit older and even more like their mother.
"Come on, girls! Everyone get ready" they heard taiji's voice booming from the kitchen.
The cousins Meera, Pari, Anvesha, Vicky, Yash, rushed into Naintara's room, "are you ready girls?" every one chorused together.
"Are Geet why are you taking so long? Come on boys, go out so that Geet can get ready. Chalo Geet we will help you to get ready."
Geet hesitated when she took the dress from Meera's fingers .
"Why don't you use the guest room, Geet" Naintara said as she relived Geet of the dress and led her towards a door on the other side of the room."You can freshen up a little from the taxi ride, if you need to."
Geet sent her sister a grateful look and did exactly that.
Edited by crystal-rose - 13 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Hindi TV Shows
Web Series
1.1k