Chapter 24: The Morning After
"Maan?" she called out hesitantly. The darkness of the alley seemed to persist into eternity as she made her way through the narrow path searching for him. Her hurried steps reflected her worried thoughts of Maan's safety. "Maan aap kahaan ho?" she now screamed finding no trace of him even at the end of the alley. On her right an entrance to some type of dark and mysterious room stood in front of her. Having no choice she entered the premises with careful steps. "Maan." Her whisper echoed through the hollow walls of the room, intensifying the effects of her voice. She looked around to see Maan being held by a few men in the end of the hallway, outside the room. He seemed be struggling to get out of their grip but three strong men held him tightly while the fourth was facing her back and was slowly approaching him. She ran towards them screaming to let Maan free.
"Geet chali jao yahaan se," Maan screamed, once again trying to set himself free. He had bruises all over yet his physical pain had no effect on him. Geet's safety was his priority and seeing her approach him quickly he was scared her life would be in danger. He tried to persuade her to leave but she only came closer to him, begging those scoundrels to let him free. "Geet main keh rahi hoon, chali jao yahaan se!" he shouted hoping to get her out of this place.
"Aapke bina main kahin nahi chalne waali," she declared stubbornly running towards them. The guy menacing towards Maan held a dangerously sharp knife scaring the wits out of her. "Mere Maan ko chodo!" she screamed seeing the guy take calculative steps towards Maan.
"Geet yeh bakwas bandh karo aur chali jao please!" Maan begged seeing her walk closer to him.
Seeing Geet plead and beg in distress seemed to boost the men all the more. They laughed gleefully at her plight and continued to attack Maan. The distance from room to the end of the hallway didn't seem to end while she made her way through the corridor. She tried to run faster in order to get to Maan but the faster she ran, the greater the increase in distance. The fourth guy was just a few steps away from Maan and raised his hand to strike him with his knife. Her legs seemed to give away yet her fear that she would lose him made her run faster. She was just a few feet away from them when that fourth guy swung his hand and forcefully pierced his knife on Maan's hip causing blood to gush forth. Maan screamed in pain swinging his head backwards while the guy struck again with his knife, taking away Maan's life with it.
"Maan!" Geet screamed with all her might as the fact that he was no more sunk into her. She instantly fell on her knees wailing as her surroundings began to fade away.
Geet's scream had brought Anushka running into her room. "Geet sab teekh hai?" Anushka asked with concern while coming to sit beside Geet who had woken up with a jerk.
"Maan… chaaku… gundon," Geet blabbered still dazed in her nightmare.
"Geet yeh tum kya keh rahi ho, I don't understand," she said looking confused at Geet worried and frantic. Geet got up hurriedly out of her bed and began to run outside when Anushka caught her. "Geet suno jaa kahan rahi ho? Sab teekh hai?" But before Anushka could finish asking Geet had ran out of the room in her night pajamas looking highly worried. "Arre ajeeb ladki hai," Anushka said shaking her head at Geet's behavior.
Geet hurried out of the room and marched directly to Maan's room not minding her disheveled state. Few servants on her way turned to give her weird looks but she could care less and rushed to his room praying for his safety. The nightmare had been too real and last night's thugs looked too dangerous. "What if…?" her mind began to formulate unnecessary fears. She instantly shook herself of those haunting thoughts, and reached his room only to find it empty. "Maan?" she called out hoping he would be in the washroom but there was no reply, just complete silence. She went to knock washroom door only for it to open fully as the door was left ajar. "Maan aap kahaan gaye?" she asked, her tone laced with worry. She paced the room in sheer anxiety wondering where Maan would have gone this early in the morning. He was not even move out of his bed and here there was no trace of him. She walked out of the room to see if Arjun knew of Maan's whereabouts. But Arjun had no clue as he had just woken up and came to check on his brother.
Anushka who had seen Geet panicking followed her to see her searching for Maan. Since she too had just woken up, she had no clue of where Maan had gone this early in the morning. She then instructed Arjun to go search for Maan outside the haveli in the backyard while she and Geet would search around the haveli. Geet instantly agreed and began to practically run around the haveli hoping he was safe and had not ventured out and into the hands of those dangerous men. Calling him bore no result because every time Geet tried it was unreachable. Frustrated she threw her cell phone on the ground, cracking its screen. She once again walked into his room holding her head in disappointment. "Bas ek baar mere saamne aajayiye Maan," she thought, her last bits of hope diminishing in thin air. Wanting to alert others so that she could get them to help her find Maan, she walked out of the room, unaware of someone coming from the opposite side. Engrossed in her thoughts she stomped out of the room only to freeze on her steps as she saw him walk down the hallway. Thousands of emotions seemed to pass through her, happiness and relief being prominent.
"Maan." His name escaped from her mouth like a prayer while he stopped in his tracks, surprised to find her. Words seemed to fail both of them, as they stood rooted to their places staring at each other. A fat drop of tear dropped from the corner of her eye causing Maan to frown. He took a few steps forward wanting to wipe away those tiny drops of water trailing down her cheek. Seeing him walk towards her she walked a few steps back as if in trance. She matched his every step forward with a step back walking closer the slightly elevated doorstep of his room. He took another step diminishing the distance between him and her only to see her trip on the wooden doorstep.
His sudden appearance felt like the rush of water out of dam during drought. Never had Geet felt happier like now seeing Maan safe and sound. Even thinking of the many horrendous possibilities sent a shiver down her spine. Unable to contain the brimming emotions a drop of tear made its presence known leaving a trail down her cheek. Yesterday's events had already shaken her and to add to it his absence since morning had killed something inside her. And now having seen him unhurt in front of her revived every bit of life in her. She wanted to cry, laugh, hug him, and slap him, all at the same time. She wanted to cry her heart out for leaving her alone to suffer while laugh in joy for he was there for her like he promised. She wanted to crush him with her hug and be assured he was standing in front of her, unscathed while wanted to slap him as a punishment for making her go crazy this past hour in his absence. Afraid of unleashing her inner turmoil and sure that his piercing gaze would easily read her soul, she began to retreat. A few steps into her retreat she hit the doorstep and tripped on it. Loosing her stand she flayed her arms in the air, desperately searching for support while her body began to descend to the ground. Expecting a nasty fall and failing to reach out to any solid object to impede her fall, she shut her eyes tightly.
According to law of gravity wasn't she supposed to be falling down? She thought with confusion as in a jerk of a second she felt herself flying up to collide into something solid yet too warm and secure to hurt. Her fingers immediately curled around the lapels of his jacket while her cheek was plastered against his chest. Everything around her seemed to freeze except for the loud thudding of his heart, giving her an exceptional sense of peace. But her serenity didn't seem to last too long before he stepped back.
Maan had seen her slip away and fearing she would hurt herself badly, he lunged forward to catch her on time. Not wanting to cause an imbalance just by stopping her fall, he instantly jerked her forward. The force of his pull caused her to land safely on him while he felt her tighten her hold against his jacket. He expected her to instantly move away from his embrace but her immobility bewildered him. Panicking she might have hurt herself even before he could save her, he stepped away to examine whether she was fine.
"Geet?" he called, his voice shaky with apprehension. "Tum teekh ho?" he asked checking to see if she was hurt anywhere. "Kahin lagi toh nahi. Main, main doctor ko bulaoon?" he continued to panic seeing her stare back at him without a word. He was about to call her once again when she came back to her senses.
Geet let herself get lost in his warmth and care as he held her close to him. That hug needed no words or confirmations and she let herself bask in his affection. She still couldn't get over the fact that she had died a thousand deaths at his absence few hours ago and now his mere presence had created something she really couldn't point a finger at. She was lost in her thoughts when she felt him leave her embrace and begin to look around in panic. His words went unheard while she stared at him letting new emotions slowly sprout in her. But before she was carried away she came out of her reverie and stepped back afraid and embarrassed he would easily read through her.
"Jj ji main bilkul teekh hoon," she managed to blurt, looking everywhere but him. And then she remembered he was one who had been hurt last night and was missing all this while. Anger and anxiety arose in her at him causing her to blast him at length in one breadth. "Aap, aap kahaan chale gaye the? Pata hai aapko main kitna dhoonda. Upar se I had that horrible nightmare that those gundas attacked you again. Aur aapka phone bhi nahi lag raha tha. Ek baar bhi aapne mere baare mein nahi socha ki mujhme kya beet rahi hogi. Maine Arjun aur Anu ko sab jagon mein aapko dhoondne ke liye kaha tha. Aur main bhi subah se pagalon ki tarah dhoond rahi thi. Koi aisa bina kahe chala jaata hai kya? Aa—"
"Chup!" His voice was firm and commanding while he placed his slender and long finger on her soft lips causing her to instantly shut up. "Bilkul chup!" He stared at her, surprise and shock written over his face. Somewhere in the corner of his heart he was jumping with joy to see her so worried for him. It seemed like only she could have the right to worry over him yet he didn't feel offended over her bantering. He stared at those pair of dark hazels yearning to read them. "Sirf kuch pal keliey. Kuch pal ke liye tumhare saath nahi tha aur utne savaal?" he retorted calmly. "Aur tum jo khud humesha ke liye door jaa rahi ho, uska kya Geet?" he questioned, his voice clearly laced with longing.
Geet's breadth stuck in her throat with his question. Unable to meet his gaze she looked away guiltily. The force of her turning made her jhumka oscillate back and forth against her nape. Maan saw her jhumka swinging back and forth along with a few strands of hair that stood in between her jhumka and skin and slowly raised his hands towards her. Not wanting her strands of hair to become entangled in her delicate jhumka, he forwarded his finger towards the edge of her forehead. He slowly trailed his index finger down her forehead while managing to grab those loose strands of hair under his finger and safely tuck it behind her ear.
She didn't realize his action of tucking her strands of hair until she felt his soft yet sensual touch making her instantly inhale sharply. Powerless against his electrifying touch she tightly clutched on to her nightdress and shut her eyes reveling in pleasure. In spite of her mind screaming to walk away from him she let herself drown in his innocent yet seductive move. Her toes curled in and her heart did a somersault as she felt him tuck her loose strand behind her ear allowing his finger to brush her soft skin and let his finger linger a little longer than necessary. His hot and tantalizing breadth replaced his touch as he leaned closer to her.
"Bolo na Geet," he whispered huskily sending a tingling sensation throughout her body. "Uska kya?" he urged.
His close presence had her swooning and top of that his hot breadth fanning her skin rendered her speechless. Unable to name these emotions she felt inside her while he was near her and feeling too shy to share them, she gulped nervously and searched her brain to come up with a good excuse. She suddenly remembered the bet and exclaimed, "Ji nahi toh aap bet jeet jayenge!"
Maan's trance broke with her sudden assertion of some bet and he looked at her as though she had grown two horns. He was trying to pursue a serious issue and she mentions about some bloody bet! God did he love to hate her at that moment. Frustration and anger boiled in him at her nonchalant mention of a bet while his life was under question. "Kya!" he shouted gnashing his teeth.
Geet sighed in relief at his change in mood. She could handle his anger but not his love and longing yet. It would definitely take her a while to get adjusted to the love he was showering. She had certainly decided to give this relationship a chance but she was foreign to all those new emotions bubbling inside her. Thus she had decided to mention the bet and slip out of the intense atmosphere building around them.
"Haan, aapko yaad nahi. Voh bet jo aapne mujhpe challenge ki thi back in Delhi?" she asked straightening herself hoping to hide her nervousness.
"Haan, toh!" Maan barked irritated at the fact that she had managed to boil the whole serious issue into some nonsense bet he had placed long ago that too at the insistence of Anushka. 'Ek baar Sweety mere saamne aajaye,' he thought burning in anger.
"Toh mujhe jaana hoga abhi," she squeaked before sprinting towards her room.
Maan saw her slip away and run towards her room as though her life depended on it. Just as he was about to go find Anushka, Arjun urgently came towards him.
"Veerji aap kahaan chale gaye the? Pata hai hum sab bahut ghabra gaye the," Arjun said sounding anxious. "Especially bhabhi. She was literally running around the house," he informed.
"Jab main nahi hoon she goes around searching for me. Magar jab uske saamne khada rehta hoon toh bhaag jati hai," he mumbled under his breath.
"Aapne kuch kaha veerji?" Arjun asked perplexed seeing his brother mutter by himself.
"Huh?" Maan asked looking at him. "Nahi kuch nahi. I got an urgent call from Adhi magar line was very unclear. Toh socha I go out to get clear signal. Aas paas mein bhi signal kharab that so I ended up walking a bit far away. Some important issues with our client Gupta so I was on call all this while," he explained.
"Oh accha. Kuch problem hai kya veerji. If you want I'll go personally see to it until you come back," Arjun offered.
"Arre nahi Arjun. We are here on a holiday toh hum manake hi jayenge. And problems bahut nahi hai that I wont be able to deal from here," Maan assured smiling at his little brother's selfless offer.
"Anyways veerji just keep me posted in case you need anything." Maan nodded in return while he continued to ask, "Vaise how is your wound. Zyaada pain ho raha hai kya?"
"Nahi. Thoda pain ho raha hai magar nothing unmanageable. I think it's healing well," Maan replied.
"Are you sure veerji. I mean we can take bhabhi along to a nearby hospital so she can have the proper tools to treat you fully," Arjun said still unsure.
"Nahi Arjun. Trust me, if it bothers me too much I shall let you know," Maan reassured patting Arjun's back and smiling at his little brother's concern for him.
"Teekhai. Toh chaliye veerji subah se aapko dhoondh dhoondh kar last nights paratha aur paneer fully burn ho gaya. I am dying of hunger. Chaliye breakfast kar lete hain. Phir that devil has asked us to come join her for tonight's sangeet preparations," Arjun informed referring to Anushka.
Maan chuckled at Arjun's name calling for Anushka. Both fought like snake and mongoose but at the end of the day couldn't live without each other. "Chalo," Maan said walking ahead to catch some food while mentally making a note to get hold of Anushka, he had some VERY important issues to deal with! 
Cricket
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