Shackles of Love#16#MG Chapter 51-52 - Page 7

CHAPTER 51:

Two people were in pain.

They were hurt and angry with each other, yet not able to even fathom the thought of living without the other mentally, let alone when that turns into reality. Both were confused as to what they wanted, what the future held, were the decisions taken by them correct.

But there was one person who was mad as hell, and that was Dev.

As he was driving, concern for Geet and anger on Maan were the dominant emotions in his mind. He didn't know what had happened between them that Geet had taken such a drastic step, but was sure that 'His Pigheadedness' needed a reality check.

Till now he had everything offered to him on a plate, so Maan did not know the values of something which was priceless. "Let him stew alone for a while. Do din Geet ke bina rahega to apne aap akal thikane aayegi!"

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Geet reached HP and got down from the bus. She was shivering inside at the thought of meeting her Darji and telling him her decision to leave Maan. She knew her Darji was a man of traditions. He wouldn't take this lightly. She hardened her heart convincing herself that physical abuse was much better than the emotional upheaval she had left behind in Delhi. Her Darji had never raised his hand on her, but there was always a first time.

Praying for forbearance and confidence, Geet made her way towards the haveli when she was stopped by the screech of a car as it stopped in front of her. She looked in surprise to find Dev alighting from it.

"Veerji aap?" She didn't know how to describe what she was feeling right now. If a small part of her heart cried over its crushed hope that it wasn't Maan, she mercilessly crushed it, taking one more disappointment in her stride.

The heart is such a stubborn organ, no matter how much you try to explain to it, it is still hell bent on wishing for the moon.

Seeing that she was fine, Dev's fears erupted in the form of anger. He had been going mad, trying to find her in all buses going from Delhi to HP, and now was in no mood to be polite to her, "Geet! tumhara dimaag kharab ho gaya hai kya? what are you playing at? Tum akele kyu chali aayi?

"Wooo…..Veerji…Mai…" she stuttered.

"Bas Veerji kehti ho, maanti nahi ho! Warna aise bin bole nahi aati." Dev spat.

"Nahi, aisa nahi hai!" She was quick to reassure him. "To fir? Shouldn't you have at least told me? Agar tumhe kuch ho jaata to? Or did you think I wouldn't support your decision and take Maan's side?"

She averted her face as he hit close to the truth, "Nahi aisi baat nahi hai!"

"Accha to tum mu kyu fer rahi ho?"

"Veerji, I didn't want you to feel torn between us. Aap…" she finally confessed.

Dev hit the trunk in anger, "Tum kabhi apne bare me kyu nahi sochti? I would have done what I felt was right. Irrespective of the people involved."

Seeing her contrite painful face, Dev calmed himself, passing a small thanks to the almighty for her safe arrival. "Dekho Geet. I won't ask you what happened between you and Maan yesterday that forced you to take this decision. You need some space, you take it. Spend some time and think over what you want. And then come to a decision. Maan ko bhi yahi kahunga."

"Veerji, mai apna decision le chuki hu. There is nothing left to think over."

As he was about to protest further, she raised her hand, "Please Veerji, is time nahi. I think this time the water has flown over ????."

Her painful wet eyes tore at his heart, making him curse his errant BIL for being such an ass and hurting this angel. He knew Maan would come back to get her after he cooled down and thought things through. Till then it was better that Geet also had some space. Maybe time with her family would act as a balm to heal whatever emotional trauma she had faced.

But little did Dev know about the welcome Geet would receive in her so called home.

"Theek hai, chalo, let me drop you home."

"Uksi koi zaroorat nahi hai Veerji, haveli yahi nazdeek hai…" One look and she shut up, and without any further arguments, sat beside him as he started the car to drop her to the haveli.

============

She knocked on the door, smiling at Dev to hide her nervousness, immediately hiding her trembling fingers lest they give her away.

The door was opened by her Mami, surprise evident on her face to see her niece there, that too with an unknown man. "Arre Geet tu?" she asked, curiously eying the strange man.

Geet entered and hastily introduced Dev as Maan's BIL to her mami. Immediately her mami's stance changed. She became the perfectly gracious hostess, welcoming the BIL of their damad into the house. Dev declined citing business reasons and got ready to leave.

Just then Brij entered and seeing the scene before him, spat, "Ye kya ho raha hai yaha? Aur Geet yaha kya kar rahi? Wo bhi ek paraye mard ke saath!"

Dev didn't like his attitude, and intervened before Geet could spit out the truth. He wasn't getting good vibes of this guy. "Namaste ji! Mai Dev hu. Maan ka jeeja. Wo kya hai na, Geet was missing her family, and Maan is also busy in business these days, so we thought that I would drop her off over here for a few days. Change ho jayega thoda." Seeing Brij's unsatisfied countenance, he ventured cautiously, "Kyu? Koi problem hai kya?"

Pammi eyed Brij to be quiet and said with a false smile, "Nahi Dev puttar, hume kya problem hogi! Ye bhi to Geet ka hi ghar hai na! Wo jab chahe tab aa sakti hai!"

Pammi tried to make Dev wait for snacks, but Dev refused citing the long journey ahead. He took leave, and after giving Geet a meaningful look, left praying to the almighty to knock some sense into Maan, and that too fast!

After Dev left, Geet made her way to her room, carefully avoiding any questions. Darji was out and so she didn't have to confront him right now. She was grateful for Dev's white lie, giving her some grace before she confronted her family.

Rajji was also in school, and Geet sat alone in her room, lost in oblivion.

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On the other hand, Maan was still lost in self pity and apathy when his car came to a halt all of a sudden, shuddering and creaking to a stop. All his valiant efforts to restart it were in vain. Luckily for him, he could see a petrol pump a little distance away and he was sure he could get a mechanic there.

He walked over, keeping his mind carefully blank as he knew the minute his mind started wondering, it would be flooded with her thoughts, which would only weaken his resolve and bring more pain to himself.

After arranging for a mechanic who said he would get the car ready in an hour's time, Maan looked around and saw a dhaba.

People were sitting and enjoying their meal with their loved ones, making the atmosphere festive. He hadn't eaten anything since last night, but the thought of food was unwelcome. His mind wondered to Geet, wondering whether she had eaten anything or not.

He immediately called Dev, knowing that she wouldn't have eaten either.

When Dev saw Maan's name flashing on his phone, he heaved a sigh of relief. "Finally! Akal aa gayee Maan ko!"

"About time….." He growled as he picked up the call.

But the words which flew out of Maan's mouth made him angrier. He rudely told Maan to mind his own business and shut off his phone angrily!

"Ye Maan bhi na! He wants me to ensure that she eats something! Agar itni fikar hai to khud kyu nahi karta! Lekin nahi! Wo apna ego kaise chodega!"

Here Maan sat down to wile away the time. He needed to head to office to handle the work there. A lot of work was pending and now that KRC had such a huge project, his responsibilities were almost doubled. But he couldn't muster up the enthusiasm to even check his mail.

The Maan Singh Khurrana for whom work had been his life was least interested in it right now. "When his priorities had changed?" He wondered. Geet had slowly but steadily chipped away and burrowed herself into his heart and life without him even being aware of it. And now he was fathoming a life without her constant chatter and it didn't look even the least appealing to him. He glanced back longingly, the way he had come, everything in him shouting to go back and get her back, the sight of her tear washed eyes stopped him.

Her painful hazels, looking at him as she begged him to leave her alone, came to mind and he just couldn't bear to bring more pain to her, no matter how much pain he had to bear over it.

His life was a mess, shattered in pieces and right now he didn't give a damn about anything else.

He closed his eyes to block out the world, when the sudden silence around him made him open them only to hear a poignantly haunting tune, which had made everyone silent.

A movie was playing on a small TV in one corner and people were watching it.

The words felt as if meant for him. He felt as if Geet was saying those words to him, and he had been unable to read them in her eyes.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzwdxrQ7b-Q[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbJOypJhrsQ[/YOUTUBE]

Bolti rahi Aankhen meri Inko jo Padhta tu Agar

Hota nahi yu Bekhabar Hota tu mera Humsafar

Ruk ja jo Ekbar Kehta tu agar Tanha Guzarta na apna ye Safar

Lamho ki Guzarish thi ye Pass aa Jaye

Hum…Hum Tum

Tum…Hum Tum

Had it been his fault? Had he really misread her yesterday? Thoughts clamored in his mind as he once again felt pain near his heart. He was at war with self. He shook off his thoughts, only to hear a group of teenagers fighting nearby.

"Tum ladke kitne stupid hote ho! Har ek baat ke liye neon sign board lagta hai! Kuch baatein hoti hai jo kahi nahi jatee! Lekin nahi! Wo tumhe kyu samjhegi!" A girl spat angrily. "Aur tum ladkiya kya kam ho? Humesha confused rehti ho! Aur hume bhi confuse karti ho!" The guy sitting beside her answered back defensively.

"Hum confused nahi hoti! We always know what we want. Lekin wo jab tak tumhe samajh aaye tab tak kabhi kabhi bahoot der ho chuki hoti hai!" She said sadly, glaring at him.

Their friends sensed that the atmosphere was going to get heated up and tried to diffuse the situation, "Are yaar! Ye sab chodo. Itni acchi movie chal rahi hai! Let's watch!"

But is seemed the girl was not to be deterred, "Kya khaak acchi movie hai? If Karan(Saif) would have told Riya(Rani) about his feelings instead of trying to behave that what he was doing was for her good, trying to make her feel like a responsibility or an obligation, she would never had left."

"She didn't love him enough that's why she left!" argued back her friend.

"Are buddhu, she left because she wanted him to bring her back. She wanted him to prove that she was wanted and was just not his penitence saying all those words. She didn't want to be a 'burden' to him, one that he would regret years down the line."

Maan got up with a start. He had been such a fool! The truth was always in front of his eyes. Why had it taken some kids to open his eyes?

Geet sirf Maan ki thi, aur wo humesha Maan ki hi rahegi.

"Itni si baat samajhne me mujhe itna time kyu lag gaya!" He cursed himself.

"I am coming Geet! And this time nothing will keep us apart!"

Precap: