TUM SE HI (MG) Thread 1 - Page 89

TWENTY SEVEN

Early the next afternoon, Maan called Geet to say he had to make an unexpected trip to Chennai. The woman who had replaced Annie at KC was to have made a presentation to a group of investors planning to build a large apartment Complex. The woman was sick in bed with the flu, and Maan was going in her place.

"Oh, I see," Geet said, aware of the wave of disappointment that swept through her.

Maan chuckled. "Now don't start in on me about working while I am supposed to be taking time off. This is a red-alert emergency."

"I understand that, I really do. How long will you be gone?"

"If everything goes as planned, I'll be back Wednesday afternoon. This is Monday, so...yes, I should be able to wind it up by then." He paused. "I'll miss you, Geet. That sounds too less for what I am feeling. I will really miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Listen, why don't I cook dinner for us Wednesday night? Don't expect something extravagant, because the few things I can make are very basic. I haven't poisoned myself so far, though."

"That's comforting," he said, laughing. "I accept your invitation to dinner. Take good care of yourself, Shehzadi Geet, and I'll see you as soon as I can. Bye for now."

"Goodbye Maan," she said, then replaced the receiver slowly, staring at it for a long time before moving away.

She walked into the living room, sat down on the sofa, then got up again, too restless to sit down.

She felt rather...empty, she realized. As a writer she was accustomed to keeping her own company. It was emphasized at every writers' conference she'd ever attended that writing was a lonely profession, requiring the person to spend countless hours alone in order to achieve her goals. She had no problems with that. She liked herself, and the comfortable haven of her home.

No, she'd had no difficulty with the isolation of being an author.

Until now.

Until Maan.

"Babaji." She halted and presses her hands to her head.

What was happening to her? What was Maan Singh Khurana doing to her?

She still found it hard to believe that she'd actually told Maan the gloomy details of her disastrous marriage. She'd opened her mouth and the story had just spilled out. The unsettling part was that it had felt right, so good, to share it with him, and in the light of this new day she wasn't one bit sorry that she had. Why?

Geet threw up her hands and continues to pace around the living room.

She didn't want Maan to go to Chennai. She wanted him here, with her. She didn't want to be alone; she wanted to be with Maan. Se didn't want to have to wait until Wednesday night to see him right now.

Babaji, what does it all mean?

Geet ordered herself to calm down. She needed to gather her data. She was on vacation, and during any other hiatus she would work on The Project. Since Maan was The Project, it was perfectly reasonable that she would miss him, would feel incomplete because he wasn't there, and would be a tad lonely.

Thank goodness, she'd figured it out. For a moment there she'd panicked, though perhaps her emotions had run over her common sense. Thought perhaps she'd done something as foolish as falling in love with Maan Singh Khurana.

Well, that wasn't the case. She was under control, doing fine. She'd have to improvise for a couple of days, come up with mini-projects to tide her over until Maan returned and resumed his role of The Project.

She would read, watch movies, plan the menu for Wednesday night's dinner, and then shop for the necessary groceries. She'd polish her fingernails, write a letter to her parents, go to Pari's store and spend oodles of money on books, and wash her car.

All of that sounded as thrilling as going on a Ferry wheel.

She wanted to be with Maan.

"Geet," she said, a warning tone in her voice, "knock it off, get it together. Now!"

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Maan once again found Annie sitting up against pillows on the sofa in her living room. Her nose buried in a book. This time, however, his arrival produced a glare from his sister rather than a smile.

"Having a bad hair day?" Maan asked pleasantly, sitting down in a chair he pulled next to the sofa.

"You've been avoiding me Mr. Maan Singh Khurana," Annie said. "You haven't returned any of the messages I've left on your answering machine."

"I am a busy man. I have places to go, people to see. I am out of here in a minute, and on my way to Chennai. But I came by to tell you not to have the twins while I am gone because I'd miss out on the Baby Bet, and that would not please me. I am the current champion of the baby bet, and I have my title to protect."

"You'd better protect your nose," she said, glaring, "because I feel like punching it. If it wasn't for Pari, I wouldn't know that you're dating Geet. You made her your assignment and didn't even tell me."

Maan snapped his fingers. "Slipped my mind."

"Bhai," Annie said warningly.

"Don't stress Annie. It's not good for the little ones. I didn't tell you because you'd want details, details, details."

"Of course Bhai, how else am I to know what's happening?" she folded her hands over her enormous stomach. "Now then, tell all."

Maan got to his feet. "Can't. Have to go." He kissed her on the forehead. "Bye." He spun around and went out the room.

"Oh God!" Anvesha said to the empty room, "what have Pari and I done? She's afraid someone is going to end up with a broken heart because of this fiasco." She patted her stomach. "Your mommy should never have played Cupid, little ones. I am going to feel terrible if Bhai or Geet get hurt. Hey Bhagwan!"

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