"Trouble seems to follow you around, doesn't it?" he said as she stood up, folding her arms.
"Lady Luck must be smiling down on me today," she replied with sarcasm laced in her voice. Geet gave him a once-over, which made Dev feel a tad self conscious as he frowned at her.
"Could you kick my door down?"
Dev had to balance the side of his glasses with his hand as they almost slipped off.
__________________________________________
Maan was recalling his earlier conversation with Geet, his hand subconsciously crushing the flimsy paper file he had in his hand when he glanced into Sasha's cabin & stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening.
As he slowly stepped in, a look of disbelief evident on his face, he was surprised to see that most of her things were packed away in small boxes.
The familiar sound of her heels caused him to turn around & raise an eyebrow at her, silently asking her a question. She ignored him as she sat down on her chair and opened a drawer to empty it out.
"Sasha, what are you doing?"
"I'm going into outer space, what do you think I'm doing?"
"Why are you leaving?"
"New horizons and all that jazz."
"You told me once that you never wanted to leave KC."
"That was then, this was now, situations change."
He was more than shocked at her sudden change in persona. The Sasha who had worked here for 3 years had been a flirtatious yet business savvy young woman, always aiming for the top, whilst still maintaining a very much active social life on the side.
The Sasha in front of him was speaking in quick, hushed tones. She wasn't even in her trademark and cleavage enhancing dresses anymore; for the past few weeks, he realised she had been wearing more modest choices of clothing.
He looked at her face closely as she continued to mercilessly pull stationery items out & realised she looked dejected & tired. But what was she tired of... or rather whom?
He perched himself on the edge of her desk as he sat his paper file down.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on with Dev."
__________________________________________
"Geet, I-I can't break down your door."
"Why not?"
"How will you repair it?"
"Me & Pinky will split the cost. Will you just slam yourself against it already?"
Dev looked at his shoulders worriedly. "What if I dislocate my shoulder?"
"You'll live."
"What if I bruise it? It'll really hurt."
"Stop being such a big girl's blouse. I know your physique isn't as exactly well built as Maan's, but you're a man nonetheless. How hard can it be to knock down a standing piece of wood?"
"I didn't know you'd studied Maan's physique in detail," he remarked as he briefly glanced at her, then eyed up the door.
Geet frowned at his comment, then realised what she had hastily spoken earlier & let out a nervous laugh. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying, the dude's muscles are evidently visible, you know? With his short shirts & all that. I'll pay you compensation for any damage to your precious shoulder bones & make you a cup of coffee - if you tell me what's going on between you & Sasha."
__________________________________________
Slamming the stapler down, she bore her eyes into Maan's. "I didn't realise you were a trained counsellor, Maan."
"Don't get sarky with me, I'm trying to help."
"I don't need anyone's help."
"You can't throw your career away over Dev Khurana."
"I can do what I like. I don't have to answer to you."
"No, you don't. But we go back a long way, & I just want to make sure you're ok."
She stood up, re-adjusting her blazer. "I'm perfectly fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to start taking these boxes down to the car. So if you don't mind..." She gestured towards her door, giving him an invitation to leave.
Maan shrugged as he grabbed his file & walked out. He was about to turn a corner when he bumped into someone, sending his file crashing to the floor.
__________________________________________
A slightly bruised shoulder & a broken door later, Dev & Geet found themselves in her apartment.
"It took you at least 10 tries to get it to budge... but still, thanks anyway," she said, giving him a polite smile.
"No worries. I'd better get back to KC. Put an ice pack on that," he pointed at the lump on her forehead as he stepped over her door & walked out.
"Hey, wait," she called, following him. "What about coffee?"
"I'll give it a miss."
"You just don't want to talk about Sasha."
He turned around, sighing loudly. "You know nothing about it, Geet."
"I know enough. She really likes you & you're running away from her for some reason. If you don't return her affections, let her down gently. Why are you stringing her along, Dev?"
"She's leaving KC," he blurted out. "I feel responsible, & I don't know what to do."
__________________________________________
"Aunt Pammi," Maan gritted his teeth & forced a smile as he bent down to retrieve his file from her feet. "How are you on this fine day?"
She adjusted her pallu. "I'm well. Where is that secretary of yours?"
"Geet?" Maan wondered why she was asking after Geet. "She hurt herself, so I sent her home. Why are you asking after her?"
Pammi smirked. "Someone seems very possessive of her."
Maan was about to speak, but she cut in. "I mean, Dev talks about her all the time at home. He seems to be very fond of her. I just wanted to talk to her, get to know her a little bit, take some time to appreciate my son's choice."
Seeing that Maan's expression had turned into a mixture of disapproval & jealousy, she felt satisfied at her work being done for the day, & she sauntered away.
He realised Dev wasn't at the office either, which could only mean one thing...
Throwing the file carelessly on top of a pile of magazines, he made his way towards the lifts of KC.
__________________________________________
After having spent the best part of an afternoon at their romantic picnic, the couple were now strolling along the benches, admiring the cool breeze in the air & the lively bustle of the park when he suddenly stopped, turned to face her & knelt down on one knee.
"Will you marry me?"
Anupamaa
