Tum Se Hi (MG) #2 (last part/Epi @pg 71) 15th July - Page 47

Originally posted by: had2bu

Hi Jyoti! I read this story over a couple of days and truly enjoyed it. I am eager for more. The independent strong characters trying to make it work in the real world. Very very interesting, Do continue soon... Avi

Originally posted by: mandymore

awsome prt...finally she realized it n she must have her man by any means

FORTY

(Last Part)

The drive to Annie's was slowgoing due to heavy traffic. Maan's frustration grew as he was forced to stop at yet another red light, and he drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel.

The light changed and he pressed on the accelerator.

He'd caught Dev's not so subtle reference to his frame of mind. His brother was letting him know by asking him if he remembered what smiles were.

So, okay, he'd work on that.

It wasn't his family's fault that he had been stupid, and had misread Geet from day one.

It wasn't their fault he wasn't sleeping well, had no appetite and spent most of the time in his gym.

It wasn't their fault that he still loved Geet with every breath in his rapidly depleting body.

No, that wasn't exactly true. He loved the Geet he'd believed her to be, not the one who had eventually shown her true colours. But the image of Geet, the fantasy, was in his mind every waking hour of the day and night.

Time, he hoped, would ease his pain, his sense of being betrayed, played for a fool, his loneliness. In between, he really had to make more of an effort to smile.

He'd start by smiling at they'd better-be-sleeping twins. Those babies were really cute. Sanskar was easygoing, a laid back little guy and Sanskruti was on a short fuse. She wanted a dry diaper right now, and something to eat right noe, no excuses, thank you very much. Sanskruti definitely took after Annie.

What would a baby created by Geet and him have looked like.

"Shut up, Maan," he said. "Quit pouring salt in your own wounds."

At last arriving at Annie's home, Maan parked in front and glanced around as he got out of the car.

When he came to the front door, he automatically reached out to ring the bell, then halted, remembering Annie's instruction to enter the house.

"She's getting gorgeous for a meal," he muttered. "Women are weird."

In the entry hall, he stopped, sniffed the sir and frowned.

He'd swear he was savoring the enticing aroma of chicken, but that didn't make sense. Why would someone who was about to engage in the thrilling experience of going out for food have a chicken cooking in her oven?

No, he didn't really smell chicken. He was simply a hungry man ready for his dinner who wished there was a chicken cooking in the oven.

As Maan went on into the living room, he pulled off his tie and stuffed it into his jacket pocket. Next he removed the jacket and draped it over the back of a chair.

"Annie," he called. "Your baby sitter in here to watch over sleeping babies. Catch the word sleeping, little sister. Are you gorgeous enough for your meal?" he paused, "Annie, where are you?"

"Hello, Maan," a soft voice said.

He spun around and his eyes widened in surprise. Opening his mouth to speak, he instantly realized he'd stopped breathing and had to take a gulp of air.

"Geet?" he finally managed to say, more in the form of a croak.

"Yes, Maan, it's me'.Geet."

He swallowed heavily and the sound of his racing heart echoed in his ears as he scrutinized Geet from head to toe, drinking in the sight of her like a thirsty man.

She was wearing a white sari, with purple border. She was the most sensational woman he'd ever seen, an absolute vision of beauty. And, oh, God, how he loved her.

He took one step toward her, then stopped, a frown replacing his shocked expression.

Hold it, Maan, he ordered himself. Think. He had no idea why she was there, what she was upto, but he wasn't having any. He'd do well to remember that Geet Handa had used him, toyed with him, made a complete foll of him. He was older and painfully wiser, in regard to Miss Geet Handa.

"So what's the deal?" he said, trying to show that he does not care for her presence. "Are you joining Annie and Pari for the evening?"

"No, Anvesha isn't home, Maan. She was at Pari's store when she telephoned and asked you to babysit the twins. I'm the only one here with the babies. For all practical purposes, you and I are alone."

Warning bells went off in his mind, and he narrowed his eyes.

There was a conspiracy her, he thought. First there had been Dev's crazy demand that he not leave the office as scheduled because the phone might ring. It had rung, and there was Annie with her plea to stay with the twins. Now here was Geet'alone, obviously having intended to see him while no one else was around.

What were they all up to?

What did Geet want?

He intended to find out.

But this time he was one step ahead of Geet's games. He now realized that he'd been duped into coming to Annie's house. Geet had rallied the troops for reason known only to her, but he would stay on red alert, follow the dictates of his logical mind, not his love torn heart.

"Okay." He nodded slowly. "It's your turn, Miss Geet Handa."

Oh, thank you Babaji, Geet thought, with a rush of relief. Maan wasn't going to turn around and walk out of the house in a fit of temper. He wasn't smiling'oh, how she yearned to see that gorgeous smile'but he was cooperating. The Plan had to work; it just had to. She loved him so much, so very much.

"Could we sit down?" she said.

Maan swept one arm in the air. "Whatever you say."

He went to chair, while Geet sank onto the sofa facing him, grateful that her trembling legs had carried her that far.

"Maan," she said, wishing her voice was steady, "I've been coming here to Anvesha's place in the middle of the afternoon for the past week."

He folded his arms across his chest. "Why?"

Geet gazed at him for a long moment. Maan's presence was again weaving over her and through her, causing the heat of desire to stir within her.

Her breath caught as she saw the well remembered strength of his beautifully muscled arms. She vividly recalled how she'd felt when she'd been held tightly in his embrace.

And his lips'..oh, it was suddenly so warm in the room. Hot. His hands. How exquisite was the feel of his hands on her entire body.

She'd missed him so much, she wanted to fling herself across the short space separating them and nestle close to him.

Stop it, Geet, she admonished herself. She was in the midst of The Plan, and needed all her wits about her.

"Geet," Maan said, snapping her back to attention, "I asked you why you've been coming here every day." His frown deepened. "Wait a minute. Your vacation is long over. How is it that you have time to be here and do whatever it is you've been doing? There's no room in your life for anything but your writing when you're working on a book, remember? You do remember saying that, don't you?"

She nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I said and it was true'then."

This was it, she thought. This was the final stage of The Plan. What happened now would determine her entire future happiness.

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, then lifter her chin.

"Maan, I know you feel that I betrayed you, used you, viewed you as nothing more than The Project to occupy my time during my vacation."

Maan's jaw tightened, but he didn't speak as he looked directly at Geet.

"You were my assignment, just as I was yours. Anvesha and Pari were trying to bring us together out of a sense of love."

"I realize that," he said, a slight edge in his voice. "I'm not angry at them. The fact remains that you're intelligent and ' I thought'also sensitive and caring enough to realize that something special and extremely important was happening between us. I believe that you knew it, but didn't give a damn. You kept up your phony charade because you still had time to fill before your vacation was over."

"No, that's not true. Oh, Maan, I know how it seems to you. I can still hear those horrible things I said to you that last time we were together."

Maan dragged one hand through his hair, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I remember everything that was said, too," he murmured. "I wish I could forget."

Tears stung Geet's eyes as she heard the pain in Maan's voice, saw it etched on his face.

"Oh Maan, I didn't mean to hurt you," she said, willing herself not to cry. "I was terrified, so frightened. My past held me like an iron fist, and I didn't know how to break free. I was behaving like a child, running from ghosts that existed only in my mind. Maan, are you really hearing me as you're listening? I'm speaking in the past tense. I've conquered those ghosts, Maan. I truly have."

"I'm glad'..for you," he said, straightening again in the chair. "There was a time when I thought those ghosts were the only thing standing in our way." He shook his head. "What a joke. The dragon I could never slay is your career. It's all you want or need."

"You accused me," she went on

, her voice trembling, "of escaping from reality into a fantasy world because I was too much of a coward to run the risks of embracing life, even to a point of transporting myself back in time as an extra layer of protection. You said I was living through my characters because it was safer and I was in control."

"I shouldn't have said all that," he said, sounding suddenly weary. "I was hurt, angry, and I lashed out at you."

"Maan," she said, tears echoing in her voice, "everything you said was true."

"What?"

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"I've learned a great deal about myself since that painful scene we had. What I've discovered is not flattering, nor am I proud of myself. I was hiding from life, Maan. I escaped into my writing where it was safe and I couldn't be hurt again. It all became very clear to me while we've been apart."

"And?" he prompted, feeling his increased heartbeat. Easy, Maan. Geet wasn't finished talking yet; he hadn't heard everything she has to say. He mustn't hope too much, set himself up for another painful fall. But, oh, how he loved her. "Go on Geet."

"There's something I want to be certain you know and believe. Maan, I knew that I loved you before we parted. That's one of the reasons I was so frightened. Despite my resolve to never love again, I had fallen deeply, irrevocably in love with you. Maan, I was so scared."

"Geet?" He slowly got to his feet.

"No, wait," she said, raising one hand. "Please let me finish. A successful author has to be disciplined, write every day, but I now know that I had stretched out my work to fill the hours so I could remain in my protective cocoon. I do have space in my life for more than my work and I want more. I want you. I love you, Maan Singh Khurana. I want to be your wife and the mother of our babies."

"This plan to get you here, which Pari, Annie, and Dev helped me put together, is to prove to you that I'm speaking the truth, from my heart, my soul. You have just cause to distrust me, but I hope and pray that I'll be able to convince you that I love you more than I can even say."

"I've been coming here at the end of my workday to have Annie teach me how to tend to babies. I want to be the best mother I possibly can, and Annie's been so patient. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it is to hold Sanskar and Sanskruti, give them baths, rock them to sleep."

"I've finally put to rest the pain of losing my baby so many years ago. I'm looking to the future with the prayer that I get to give birth to our miracle."

Tears slid down her cheeks.

"I tried to learn to cook, too, but Annie finally admitted defeat. I was going to have a delicious dinner waiting for you here, but I forgot to turn the oven on again, and the chicken has only just begun to bake." She pouted like kid. "I'm a complete disaster in the kitchen."

"Geet…."

"I love you Maan," she said, nearly choking on a sob. "Please forgive me for hurting you, for causing you pain produced by my own cowardice. I love you, Maan. I do."

"Geet, you've worked so hard, put yourself through the painful process of dealing with your ghosts. You've torn down your protective walls, rendered yourself vulnerable out of love for me, trust in me. I will never--" Maan stopped speaking for a moment as his emotions overcame him "—never forget this night and the precious treasures, the gifts you have given me."

No longer against the tears glistened in his eyes, Maan smiled.

"Shehzadi Geet," he said, his voice husky, "kya aap apni puri zindagi iss nachiz ke saath bitayengi, main iss duniya ka sabse khusnasib insaan ban jaunga aapki ek haan se. Ah, Geet, marry me. Please."

"No, wait. Before you answer, I want to tell you something. I've grown and changed, too, Geet. I truly believe that a two career marriage can be fantastic, rich and deep and real. Compromise. It calls for compromise. Therefore, I'm going on record saying that I'm a great cook and I'll be the chef of our family."

"Geet, there's nothing we can't handle if we do it together, loving each other for the remainder of our days. Will you marry me? Please, Geet? Will you be my wife and mother of my children?"

"Oh, Maan, yes!"

She flung herself into his arms, and the kiss they shared was long and searing, igniting their passion into hot, consuming flames.

Suddenly Maan snapped his head up and frowned.

"What's that noise?" he said. "It sounds like squeaking kittens."

Geet laughed. "That's the twins waking up. They'll need a dry diaper and a bottle. Then they'll have to be burped, diapered again, played with a bit, rocked to sleep, and --"

"Got it," he said, matching her smile. "You're the baby expert. I want you to teach me everything you've learned so far about tending to the little ones. I think, though, for the well being of our family, I'm going to ban you from kitchen."

"Good plan. Oh, Maan, I love you."

"I love you too, Shehzadi Geet."

They walked out of the room with their arms encircling each other, knowing that in their hearts, minds and souls, they were taking the first steps towards a new future—together.

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