MG SS-Suitably Yours #2 - Page 8

Part-14

Next Morning.

"Ahh! Finally ! Freedom! Preet, I can't tell you I am feeling so light today!!!" exclaimed Geet heartily over the phone.

"Seriously!! Mom sahi keheti thi you are really very strong & brave."

"No'if it hadn't been for Maan Sir, pata nahi kya ho jata'"

Geet gazed dreamily at her bandaged arm & began caressing it . She was supposed to open the bandage, but she didn't want to. Her trance was broken when she heard Preet speak.

"Just by seeing Rahul by your side, MSK was ready to come with you! I think Maan loves you!"

"Hwww!!! Madam, aisa nahi bolte!! Boss ki Dia ke saath engagement hai aaj!" she giggled a little, "and I am going for the mehendi rasam now!"

"Okay Okay! You haven't eaten anything till now na?"

"No! Not even water! Sasha & Pinky have left just now, so thought of calling you!"

"Great! Then you will be observing fast today!"

"Kyaaa!!!!!" Geet was shocked, "Nahi, bilkul nahi!!!!! I am not going to starve!! For what reason??"

"Today is a very auspicious day!!You will have to fast in order to get a good husband!!!!"

"Kya yaar Preet!! Didn't you find any other logical reason for this fast!!! My answer is now a very big no!!!"

There were more of convincing talks from Preet but Geet chose to remain adamant.Finally they sealed the deal.

"Thik hai Geet, observe fast for a half day.Atleast you can thank God for end of your problems?"

"Thik hai!"

She rang off.

~*~

Khurana Constructions

(Maan's cabin)

"Sir! There is hardly any work to do today, all the meetings & presentations are either done with or they will happen at a future date."

Rahul reported to Maan.

"Thik hai, you can go."

Rahul left. The office was almost deserted that day as most of the employees were on leave. Maan rested back in his chair & closed his eyes but immediately opened it before Geet's beautiful face was again sketched in his mind. Since morning his mind thought only of her. He tried to divert his attention but he could only think of her in the end. Precisely there was no need for him to come to office, but he felt that it would help him divert his mind from her but now everything was back to square one'

"I think I should go & see her just to make sure whether the cut in her arm is healed may be then I will be able to discard her thoughts'I guess she is in Oberoi Residence , I will go there right now.."

And he did just that.

~*~

"Oh no!!! What the heck did I agree????"

Geet placed her hand on her empty stomach & sighed. She was feeling pity on herself. It was afternoon & she had not eaten a single morsel of food.

"Just one hour more!! Just one hour more!!"

Convincing herself, she stepped inside Dia's house. The mehendi ceremony had already begun. The hall was decorated beautifully. Some girls were dancing, others were applying mehendi. It was an atmosphere of merriment. Dia was looking great in her red dress. Maan's dadi was seated next to her. As Geet walked towards them, a sudden uneasiness dawned in her. Her cheerfulness was fading each second as she saw Dia's hand beautified by the mehendi. For a moment, Geet felt as if she disliked whatever was going on'.but she so happy a few seconds ago, why such a drastic change suddenly?. She wondered. She thought it best to avoid her feelings.

"May be I am hungry, that's why kuch thik nahi lag raha hai."

"Aree Geet, kaha thi aap? We were waiting for you?" Dadima welcomed her.

Geet smiled & sat next to her.

"Dia your mehendi is splendid!"

"Thank you Geet!" A smile was beaming on her face, "I hope Maan will be able to find his name."

That brought the uneasiness back in Geet which she was trying to suppress' She heard Dadima speak

"Geet, why don't you apply mehendi?"

"I-I?? Par maine toh kabhi mehendi nahi lagayi haaton par.." Geet was surprised.

"Toh kya hua, aaj laga lijiye! " said Dadima. Dia also said the same.

Before Geet could say anything, a girl had already sat next to her, asking her to choose a design. Geet chose a random one without much attention & the girl started drawing the design. Dadima sat between Geet & Dia looking alternatively in both their hands. Geet eyes every now & then looked at the entrance as is waiting for someone'

"This is too much now!!! I will never fast henceforth!!!!! Why do I want to see Maan Sir, as if he will come here. Waise bhi I haven't told him I won't be coming to office today. He will be very angry. Mera employee record buhot kharab hai! "

She next glanced at the clock, hoping to end her fast soon not paying any attention to how the mahendi was being drawn. Instead the fight sequence between Maan & the goon began playing in her mind. She was dazed recollecting how Maan had dodged all the attacks & later how he bandaged her arm. She had to reluctantly remove the bandage.

Geet's mehendi was almost done. Dia showed Dadima her hand. The letter 'M' had not perfectly been carved in her hand, maybe because of the design...Dadima's gaze then fell on Geet's hand & she was shocked at her discovery'.

"Yeh Kya!!! Maan ka naam inke haaton mein'!!! "

Though his name was perfectly hidden in the design, one could surely make out if seen keenly. Dadima looked at Geet not knowing what to say. The mehendi was done in front of her & she also knew that Geet did not even give one look on the design which was made on her hand'is it a good thing or a bad thing'?, wondered Dadima'

Geet, still unaware of the fact,was very happy when the wall clock told her that one hour was over & that she could end her fast. She ran to the kitchen to drink water. Just as she was about to hold the glass in her hand, she realized

"I toh forgot! Haatoh par mehendi lagi hai! Agar kharab ho jayega toh Savitri Mam ko bura lagega..Now what should I do, I want to drink water else, Maan Sir's thoughts won't stop entering my mind!!"

Around that time Maan too had reached the Oberoi Residence but he didn't want to enter from the main entrance.

"I must go from the back entrance & then through the kitchen I will be able to see Geet in the hall, only then my mind will have peace."

He immediately did so. But the moment he entered the kitchen, there was no need to step any further as Geet was standing in front of him. She did not see him as she was busy staring hard at the glass of water. Maan felt his eyes & mind embrace relief as he gazed at her. The restlessness in his heart had finally subsided. Her long, untied & silky hair very well complimented her pink churidaar making her look extremely gorgeous. Maan stood there stoned all the while staring at her until she turned around & saw him..

"Maan Sir!! A-Aap???"

Geet was startled to see him. Her heart-beats rose steadily as she saw him walking towards her. She immediately looked away from him.

"How can Maan Sir be over here??Oh God! Abhi tak toh mein unhe aapne khayalon se bhi nahi nikal payi, & now I have started seeing him everywhere!!! Geet sambhal jaa, else you will turn insane!!"

She blinked her eyes several times thinking that it would clear her vision & then again looked up but now she saw him standing right near her.. He was relieved to see here arm healed, there was only a small scratch.He stared at her intensely mesmerized by the beauty her eyes radiated to him'

"S-Sir'M-Maan Sir..woh I forgot to tell you I won't be able to come to office'I know you are angry'don't suspend me pleaseee'& you know Dadima..mera matlab hai.. Savitri Mam told me to come---"

"Geet!!! Shanti!!!"

"S-Shanti??? Kaun Shanti?, you found another girl to replace me in office?? " She was horrified.

"Geet!!" He shook her. Her breaths halted at his touch."I mean peace.Tumhe ho kya gaya hai? What are you saying?? Tumhe mujhe dekhkar sirf office ki yaad aati hai??"

"Excuse me!!! It's the other way around!! You can always think of work whenever I come in front of you!!!, don't know why!!!"

Her beats were rising high. She couldn't even make out what she was saying. His proximity was too hard to resist'

"Chodo yeh sab! Why were staring so keenly at this glass of water?? Either you haven't seen a glass all your life or you didn't drink water since ages! "

"I would like to go with the second option. I want to drink water par mere haatoh mein mehendi lagi hai.." she said helplessly.

"Mehendi?? Show it to me!"

He lifted her hands to see but she immediately pulled them back, startling him.

"N-Nahi'I haven't seen it myself!! Aapko kaise dikha doon??." The words were just running out of her mouth.

"O..kay?" he was surprised.

"I-I am thirsty.."

"Thik hai, mein tumhe paani pila deta hoon."

"Aa-aap??"

"Kyun? Nahi pila sakta?"

She gaped at him wide-eyed while he calmly reached for the glass of water & held it near her lips. She parted her lips to take in the water but her eyes refused to leave him'

"He has broken my fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

She was perplexed after she drank the water & Maan placed the glass back on the table.

"Geet.." he shifted his gaze from her,"water is trickling down you chin'"

Her mind was complete blank. She did not hear what he said..

Maan looked at her & slowly brought his hand close to her face & he was even more slower in wiping the water off. Her face felt really soft' His second touch sent shivers to her valves.. Both of them looked away from each other

"Aa-ap yaha kis liye aaye the?" her voice was unsteady.

"Woh..mein--"

"Oh! I-I am so mad!! Y-You must have come to see Dia'.she is in the hall'" she glanced side-ways.

"Par mein toh tumhe---"

He stalled shocked at his own words.

"Y-You are right. I have come to meet Dia'."

He then walked across the kitchen to the hall but he met Dia by the corridors. Geet was standing right behind them. She could see how Dia was joyous seeing him'

"Maan!! Find M in this design na!!" Dia excitedly stretched out her hand, showing her mehendi to him.

That pinched Geet hard'She looked at her own mehemdi. At first she couldn't make out anything...but eyeing at it properly, she saw the word 'Maan' perfectly amalgamated with the design'She was numb'She looked up & stared at Maan & then at her palm'

"Your mehendi is beautiful.,, Sorry, can't find M..Dia'I will see you later, ab mujhe jana hai'"

"But Maan rukiye--"

He was gone'

Geet was still to recover when Dia came to her.

"Maan doesn't loves me'I really really hope he does so after our roka' "

"Ha-an'a-aisa hi hoga jaise tum chahati ho'" Geet said but she knew she was giving a false assurance'Also Geet was cautions that Dia doesn't sees her palm'

It was evening. All except the Khuranas had already arrived at a plush resort which was specially booked for the engagement. On the top floor, there were two rooms which was used by the all of Dia's friends to dress her up & there was also a kitchen. Geet was walking aimlessly along the corridors. She felt her throat turning soar & her heart was over-burdened with various emotions'She was tensed, restless as she couldn't find a solution to her jittery state..

"Yeh kya ho raha hai mere saath? Kyun ho raha hai? Why am I not understanding anything'I should be happy for Dia, but I feel as if I would have not let this roka happen at all if it were in my hands' "

She could feel the tears building in her..She looked down & saw that all eyes were looking at the entrance. And the next moment, Geet saw Maan & Dadima entering. He looking deadly handsome in his light golden shervani. Geet clutched the staircase railing hard seeing him'Maan lifted his gaze up & Geet standing'Their eyes locked'.

"I love him'"

The words made their way out of her lips in a hushed manner'. She stood like a lifeless statue as realization beckoned her. All the confusions which had haunted her for so many days instantly got cleared in a matter of seconds as her eyes still stared at him. She was dazed, shocked, numb, her hands run cold & her heart beats were slow. Her eyes just focused only on him & rest all other things faded in oblivion.

"I love you Maan'I l-love--"

Her heart swelled in joy precipitated with pain'joy at the realization of first love & immense pain knowing the stark reality that Maan would become someone else' in a matter of minutes'.

Maan could make out something was definitely wrong with her..He even saw her lips movement twice'but couldn't make out what she was saying'But he had seen something strange in her eyes'the same strangeness which he has been battling since morning.. The next minute, he saw her retreating.

Geet attempted to move her paralyzed body through the corridors. Her legs took her to the kitchen. Her eyes had not blink even once since her realization. Everything, right from her meeting him that night till the kitchen meet this afternoon played one after the other in high definition in front of her eyes'

Geet unconsciously began pouring water in a glass & her eyes looked at the sleeping pills in her hand'She mixed them with the water in the glass'