~*~EHTEDT: Destined to Meet-Filler/ep14-pg23-24jul - Page 8

want to see maaneet together..waiting for next episode!!!

~😃Episode 7😃~

Scene 1:

(Continued from previous episode)

Mall

"Geet!" Aarti repeated almost in a trance. Suddenly her eyes widened with a twinkle😊, and a smile formed on her lips.

Geet who till then was looking disinterested, suddenly looked into the woman's face and the realisation brought a happy jolt to her sad heart.

"Aunty aap?? I am so sorry, maine aapko pehchana nahi?...Woh main pata nahi kahan khoyi hui thi..."she hugged her without a second thought🤗.

Aarti smiled and hugged her back...planting a kiss on her hair.

"Aunty, aap yahan?" she asked releasing Aarti from the hug.

"Haan beta woh main Sameera ke saath...I mean Maan ki patni ke saath aayi hoon (the name made Geet's heart twitch)...Maan ko milne yahan Mumbai aaye the main aur uske Pappa...aur bahu mujhe yahan shopping karane le aayi. I never thought I would meet you here. Kitna accha hua na main yahan aayi aura apse mili? Sab Bappa ka khel hai," she spoke excitedly taking Geet's hand in her's.

Geet smiled trying to control her tears...

...

Their conversation was broken by a sudden voice...coming from a little distance...

"Geet di!" 😃her cousins called waving at her from the escalator.

"Aunty...mere cousins hai," she clarified looking a bit embarrassed.

They both rush to the spot almost out of breath...

"Kya di😒...aap yahan hain? Aur hum aapko kahan-kahan nahi dhoond rahe the" complains Chaya (one of the twins). Then suddenly they both see Aarti and look at her in surprise...Geet comes in introducing her to them.

"Yeh Aarti aunty hain..." she then turns to Aarti and tells her, "Aur aunty yeh mere cousins hai Maya aur Chaya."

The girls fold their hands and utter a coy Namaste together😳.

Aarti smiles at them...and gently pats on their head.

Geet deliberately kept away from the girls the information that she was Maan's mum.

The girls then inform Geet as to why they were looking for her...

" Di, mum ne aapke liye dress choose kiya hai...woh chahti hai ki aap bhi dekh lo...chaliye jaldi nahi toh woh poora din yahin dukaan main baithi rahengi...you know her," says Chaya rolling her eyes.

"Maya, Chaya, tum dono jao...main abhi aa jaoongi."

"Okay...par jaldi aana...warna humari mum a.k.a. aapki mausi aapke saath-saath humari shaadi ke bhi dress le lengi😆," they smirked and went away.

"Shaadi??😲" asks Aarti looking surprised.

Geet too was taken by surprise when Aarti repeated those words...she composed herself and tried to explain...

"Aunty woh...yeh dono kuch bhi bolti rehti hain...Dono bilkul pagli hain..." her eyes then scans around as if she was looking for someone.

"Woh, Sameera abhi aa jayegi...aap unse mil kar hi jaana..."tells Aarti taking Geet's palm into hers.

"Nahi Aunty...woh bahut late ho jayega. Mujhe ab jaana hoga."

"Okay beta..." she then looks at the Ganesh ji in her hand and gives it to Geet, "Yeh lijiye aap ke Ganesh ji.😳"

Geet takes it half-heartedly...

"Ek minute Aunty...aap yahin baithiye..." she makes Aarti sit on one of the resting chairs, "Main abhi aati hoon..."

She goes to the counter of the shop and pays for the Ganesha idol. She comes out and places it in Aarti's hand, "Aunty, yeh meri taraf se aapke liye😳."

"Beta...yeh toh aapko chahiye tha na?🤔"

"Aunty...Ganesh ji toh sabke hain...woh phir aap ke paas rahein ya mere paas...isse kya farak padta hai," Geet smiles, "Mujhe accha lagega."

Aarti looks at Geet affectionately, and a watery film forms in her eyes...

"Mere paas aapko dene ke liye kuch bhi nahi hai?" she says sadly.

"Jhooth mat boliye,"she snaps and Aarti looks at her in apprehension😕, while Geet continues, "Aapke paas hain na itni badi jhappi...🤗" she opens her arms, " aap mujhe woh nahi dengi?"

Aarti smiles and involuntarily the film in her eyes break and tears leak out...

Aarti opens her arms and hugs Geet like a mother. Geet felt like heaven in those arms...

Aarti places her hand on her head and blesses her...

"Bappa kare aapki zindagi main sirf khushiyaan hi khushiyaan ho...aur aap sada muskurati rahein," she kisses her forehead.

Geet's heart sighs...but she doesn't show it on her face.

Suddenly some people gather around her with mics and cameras...Geet becomes alarmed...and nervous...whereas Aarti looks astonished by their sudden appearance.

A girl extends the mic towards her and asks...

"Geet ji...suna hai aap yahan apni shaadi ki shopping ke liye aayi hai? Waise kaun hai woh lucky insaan jisse aapne apne liye chuna hai?? Aur yeh kaun hai?? Kahin aapki hone wali saas toh nahi??"

Geet was completely gobsmacked by the volley of questions😲. Aarti was shell-shocked too😲.

"Please aap abhi yahan se chale jayiye...I'll talk to you people later. Please leave us," she requests them as she didn't want to create a scene there.

Geet tries to safeguard Aarti from the crowd that now gathered around them. She takes Aarti into the shop and stays there.

"Aunty, aap yahin rukiye...Mujhe abhi jaana hoga."

Geet moves to leave...but Aarti stops her...

"Geet...beta...kya main aapko phone kar sakti hoon?"

Geet hesitates a bit, and then nods. She takes out a piece of paper and writes down her number on it. She hands the piece of paper to Aarti and looks at her one last time...and then walks out dissolving into the crowd.

Scene 2:

Mall again

Sameera appears...

"Ma, I am so sorry...woh mere PR ka phone tha...Mujhe abhi shoot ke liye nikalna hoga. It's an important assignment. Main aapko pehle ghar chod deti hoon aur phir main chali jaoongi," informs Sameera.

"Okay beta...chalte hain."

Suddenly her eyes fall on the parcel in Aarti's hand and she enquires, "Ma, what is this? Aapne kuch khareeda hai?"

"Yeh? Nahi beta...yeh toh kissi ne gift kiya hai...Ganesh ji ki moorthy...bahut pyaari hai" (she said dreamily meaning Geet.)

"Yeh moorthy?"she asks. Aarti takes a deep breath and replies,

"Haan beta...I knew her from before...aur aaj jab unhe phir se dekha toh I was pleasantly surprised."

Sameera smiled...

"Theekh hai Ma...ab hum chalein? Maan humara wait kar rahein honge."

Scene 3:

In the car

"Driver, ghar chalo," tells Sam.

And the car speeds on...

In the car Aarti closes her eyes and goes back into a beautiful memory when she first met Geet...when she first saw her...and was completely mesmerised by her innocence.

Scene 4:

Flashback<<<<<

<<<<<<<<

RAAD

(Rajputana Academy of Arts and Drama)

(Note: The College was run by a board comprising of eight Maharajas/Maharanis. The college building was actually a retreat palace, which was renovated and redesigned to be an elite college. But, the students were admitted solely on the basis of their abilities and not otherwise. Along with music, performance arts, and literature, Martial arts were also taught as a subject. The college was one of a kind in India and even abroad.)

...

She entered the college campus with great anticipation...She had begged her husband to let her meet their son for once. Six months had passed since Maan decided to go against his father's wish and join an Arts college instead of a reputed engineering college from where he got a call-letter. There was a heated argument and in the end Maan barged out the house with his stuff...

She tried hard to stop him...but it was too late. Both her son and husband were adamant. But today she had to see her son; after all it was his birthday.

She walked in towards the Principal's office. A bunch of guys came running down the stairs and she was accidently pushed down. The boys left without noticing her...

She tried to get up but found it difficult. That is when a hand was extended towards her. She took it and another hand supported her waist and made her stand up.

"Aunty ji aap theekh toh hain na? Aapko chot toh nahi lagi?"

She looked into those hazel eyes and felt the pain disappearing.

She smiled and replied, "Main theekh hoon beta. Thank you."

"Aap Principal se milne aayi hai? Woh hai unka office," she points a finger towards the door at the far end of the corridor, lined with potted plants on both the sides.

"Actually beta, I've come to meet my son. He's a Second Year student of Theatre Arts and Film Studies. Aaj unka Birthday hai," she informs happily.

The girl smiles with her cute dimples, and says in her happy chirpy tone, "Second years' ki class toh upar hai...chaliye main aapko wahan le chalti hoon."

There was something in the girl's smile, her twinkling eyes, that made Aarti very happy inside...She was talking non-stop to her, making cute gestures with her hands, but she wasn't listening...She was just lost in her innocent smile...she must be an angel, thought Aarti, "Kitni pyaari bacchii hai."

"Aunty ji, waise aap bura mat maniye par yeh joh second years hai na...bilkul mental hain🤪. Sochte hai yeh iss college ke Kings and Queens hain😡...Jab dekho attitude jhadte rehte hain..."

"Accha?😲" asks Aarti faking surprise...

She continues throwing her arms around in angry gestures and her cute complains made Aarti smile...

"Ufff...bilkul aliens lagte hain😈...Mera toh mann karta hai...ek-ek ko...😡" suddenly she stops and smiles nervously☺️ at Aarti, "Woh...aap soch rahi hongi ki main pagal hoon..."

"Arre bilkul nahi beta...aap bilkul sahi kah rahein hain...seniors ko apne juniors ke saath acche se behave karna chahiye...Arre koi rules hai ya nahi?"

"Bilkul...wohi toh main bhi kah rahi hoon...Hum kya unke servants hai? Aunty ji sabse zyaada saddoo toh woh hai...Mr College Captain...Jab dekho phule hue gubbarre ki tarah rehta hain...kitna attitude dikhata hain?😡" she says clenching her fists. She then realises she's going too far and smiles at Aarti, "Aunty waise I am sure aapka beta aisa nahi hoga...Aap pakka Adi ki Mamma hai...bas wohi toh ek hain joh inn alien snobs ke beech main ek insaan lagta hai.😃"

She then mutters to herself while climbing the steps, "Waise Adi ne bataya nahi aaj uska b'day hai... treat dene se escape karna chahta hai...bachoo dekh loongi tujhe."

"Aapne kuch kaha beta?😳"

"Eh...hhh...hh...Maine??? Nahi aunty woh toh main ainvayi hi🤔...aap chaliye😳..." she explains. Aarti smiles at her cuteness.

She stops at the second floor...and turns to Aarti...

"Aunty ji...yahan second years ki class hai...aap yaha se seedhe jayiye...the fourth door...upar board laga hoga."

"Beta aap nahi chalengi humare saath?"

"Main?😲" her eyes widen, "Bilkul nahi😕...I don't want to encounter those psychos😡...humara aur unka Cold War chal raha hai...Uss Dusht Danav ke class main I won't come😡" she stops talking in air and looks at a confused Aarti, " Aunty don't worry😳...woh sabhi class main hi honge...abhi unka free period hai...Okay Aunty ab main chalti hoon...Bye."

She runs down the stairs...

"Arre beta...apna naam toh batati jao?"

"Geet!😃 My name is Geet😃," she shouts disappearing from the steps...

"Kitni pyaari bacchii hai😳...aur kitna pyaara naam hai...Geet😳."

...

Aarti had two sons...Dev and Maan. Maan was the younger one. Dev was six years older to Maan, and had completed his M.B.B.S.

She walks happily towards the class dying to see her son after so long...

Scene 5:

Maan's house

Maan looks at the clock...

"Ab taka aye nahi? Sameera ko call karke dekhta hoon?"

...

"Hello..."

"Haan Maan, hum bas pahunch rahe hain...building ke bahar hi hain."

"Theekh hai."

...

The door bell rings...

Maan's helper opens the door...

It is his dad...

"Pappa...😊"

But his father simply holds a hand in front of him...and goes to the balcony.

Maan feels deeply hurt...It's been so long and his father has not even talked to him once.

He walked to the balcony...and silently stood there for some time...Then he spoke...

"Pappa...I am sorry😭...maine aap ka dil dukhaya. Par main kya karta...main kabhi engineer nahi banna chahta tha...I always wanted to be an actor. Maine socha tha ki aap mere sapno ko samjhenge...aur jab aap ne hi unhe nahi samjha toh main darr gaya tha...I had to prove it...not to you, but to myself that I could fulfil my dreams. Aur agar main aisa nahi karta toh main kabhi khush nahi reh pata. Now I am happy...Main ek successful actor hoon. Aap mujhse naraaz zarroor hai...par main jaanta hoon...aapka aashirwaad humesha mere saath raha hai...and that has taken me where I am today. Pappa...aap meri taraf dekhenge bhi nahi?" he pleads😭.

Badri Narayan(Maan's dad) turns...and his expression was mild...

But before he could say anything...voices came from the living room indicating Sam and Aarti were back.

Maan saw happiness on her mum's face and he felt happy.

"Ma kaisa laga Mumbai?"

"Bahut badi city hai...Sam ne toh mujhe bahut saari jagayein dikhayi."

She smiles at Sam...

"Ma, agli baar Siddhi Vinayak chalenge...Aapki bahut iccha thi na Bappa ke darshan karne ki."

Aarti nods...

"Sam...main abhi nikalta hoon. Aaj bahut important scene ki shoot hai. Aane main late ho jaoonga," he then turns to Aarti, "Ma...aap aur Pappa aaye aur mujhe kaam se jaana pad raha hai...Mann toh nahi kar raha...par jaana zarroori hai. Main promise karta hoon kal poora din aap dono ke saath rahoonga."

Aarti first tries to stop him but then Sam tries to make her understand, "Ma...this shoot is very important. It's an important project for him."

"Okay," she agrees, "apna khayal rakhna...😕"

He takes her blessing and his dad's who didn't say anything, and leaves. Sam gives a half-hearted smile while he leaves.

~~~

~⭐️End of Epi 7⭐️~

Back to Episode 6 Go to Episode 8

P.S: Guys I will try to update an episode on Friday. This Maaneet story is a bit sad...but I hope you'll feel for them...their pain.