The Seven Year 'Hitch' - Thread 2 link pg 1 - Page 21

Originally posted by: spvd

part 2
nice...
did he hurt her?
cont soon dear...
pm me...

Now as I contemplate on it all, I regret on not picking up on all the hints she gave me. That morning while I was driving to work with a happy mood, I didn't realise that I was unknown to the fact that after returning everything that seemed to be so perfect & beautiful will turn 180 degrees, just because of my forgetfulness, and taking things for granted. Unknowingly I myself would cause my relationship so much damage that I will find it hard to revert it back to where it was that day, which started with me lying in my Mishty's embrace & having a great start with the presence & warmth from the love of my life. Or that my own failure would stare at my face mocking me for all the success I have achieved.

*************

As I'm driving I'm excited for tonight, just imagining the expression on Mishty's face when I reveal the surprise to her, the project I've been working & have put in so much hard work & effort since last 8 months. I so want to see the smile that will add more glow to her face that no makeover can add, the glow of true happiness & joy. I know that I've not been giving much time to her or the kids, also she has lately been too tensed for some reasons, but after tonight I will compensate for it all. Tonight with the surprise, I hope to put to rest all her concerns & worries. Today I will take the first step towards fulfilment of a dream that was envisioned a few years back but the foundation stone I will lay, by signing today's deal. Today will be the day where I will fulfil a promise I made to myself & also when dreams will start turning to reality.

I wonder why I'm feeling something amiss from yesterday, as if there's something calling to my attention. I'm even feeling Geet was time & again trying to bring something to my notice. But then I did notice her haircut, or to say the precise makeover. Also she isn't the one to keep it within her; so much I've come to understand her through the past years of our togetherness. Nah I'm just trying to put two & two together & come up with something. It must be something related to 'the mysteriousness of women', a term I've invented when I can't exactly place the actions of the woman of my life. I just shrug this whole thought off. It must be related to the anxiety of today's deal I suppose. Yes that's what it must be, & Mishty must be just worrying about my well being.

I hear the buzzing of my mobile from the dashboard. It's Adi, my right hand man, my friend reminding me of the documents I need to bring to work today for the deal. "Adi, I have carried them all in my briefcase. Don't worry." He just confirms again, "Are you sure, you've even carried the deal papers right? You had taken them for some corrections yesterday..." There he goes all over it again, reminding me each & everything. Adi can never stop confirming things beforehand. Sometimes he worries so much. I can't imagine how Pinky manages with him. I'm sure Geet must know, after all she along with Pinky teaches in the school, adding to the fact that they've been childhood friends. Anyways I better put his worries to rest, "Yes Adi, I made sure to bring them too. Those papers are in my briefcase. Anyways I'll be there in another 10 minutes, meet you there."

Till I muse over these thoughts I reach Khurana Industries. I enter my cabin. Adi knocks & enters in. He comes forward & hugs me, "Congrats man, for this successful accomplishment...", he pats my back with a loud thump. I wonder what this hug is for & even the unpredictable & uncalled wish for. Must be for the signing of the deal, but we have still the whole presentation & approval is awaited. "Adi my friend stop making sand castles, I know you trust me a lot, thanks for the wishes but we have lots of work to do." He smiles, "Yes I understand MSK has a lot work to do, after all he needs to rush home early today of all the days..." And he winks with a sly smile plastered on his face. I can't decipher why everyone is talking in riddles today. Must be Pinky, the blabber mouth has told something to him after chatting with Geet.

I guess I need to solve this mystery for now before it eats my head a bit more & who better than Adi to spill the beans. "Adi what is it that you're hinting at... come on spill it out now, I know Pinky must have told you something..." I give him a look I know for sure will cause him to spill the beans. He is intimidated, "Maan, its nothing, it's just that Geet has..." We are disturbed by the buzzing of the intercom. It's my secretary. She informs me that the clients want to have a word with me. I tell her to connect me to them.

I finish the call & Adi inquires about it. I tell him that the clients, Mr. Sen & Mr. Chopra, would like to postpone the meeting as they have a flight to catch at 9pm, so they would directly come after lunch hour, when we will go ahead with the final presentation, followed by further discussion & mostly signing of the deal. As they want to leave towards the airport directly from here, they want us to keep everything ready as they have already seen through everything, are quite happy with it, & this presentation is just the final run through for formality before the approval. We decide to get down to work as some finishing touches are still left.

---------------

Its lunch hour, Adi & I are having our lunch as we have a run through of everything. I receive a SMS. It's Mishty's. Reading it, a smile is plastered on my face.

"Maan, enjoy the lunch. Best of luck for the deal!! I have full faith in your capabilities. I will be waiting for tonight's surprise, please try to come early for dinner. 😊 Love you so much'. ❤️."

Adi is grinning there. I glare at him but can't help the smile that escapes my lips. He too knows it & takes an advantage of it by teasing the hell out of me. There are both advantages & disadvantages of having a friend as your working partner. We soon get engrossed with the discussions.

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We have a great presentation & everything is finalised. We are only left with discussing the clauses , and then we will draft the whole contract & will sign it before they leave for two weeks. I'm so glad finally it is all settling down so well. Now I can surprise Mishty with this deal, & then take some time off for two weeks just with my family. I glance at my wrist watch the time is 17.30. Great! Till we are done with all here, it will be another hour or so, then I can head home. Home, where Misthy will be waiting for me. I just can't wait to be in her embrace. I'm all smiles.

Adi comes towards me asking for the deal papers that contains our side of the clauses. I so knew Adi would come for it. I assure him that I have got it. We head towards my cabin to get the papers while the clients remain in the conference room to get their papers ready. I open my file where I had kept it & hand him over the papers to have a final read through them. He goes through it page by page. Why can't he be done with it early? Now I'm getting impatient I know. I give him his time & space. We have already discussed it all then why such delays now. Anyways I see Adi is done with it. He stares at me. I raise my brow asking him what. "Maan, where are the corrected papers? These are the same ones as of yesterday." What? how is it possible. "Adi stop fooling, these are the papers itself, the corrected clauses added in them." He hands them to me; I read through them & see that the corrected clauses aren't there in them. Gosh. "Where are those papers, must be in the briefcase. I must have picked the other one. Adi I had carried the corrected ones & the wrong ones too, wait a minute." I open the case but can't find them.

Where is it? I remember putting them in the briefcase in the morning. Yes I did put both the papers in here, while Geet was helping me with the tie. We search the whole cabin again, but can't seem to find it. I know the clients are waiting, now what to do. I tell Adi to continue searching it while I go have a word with them.

The clients have left. They had to leave as they have to catch a flight in sometime. The deal isn't cancelled but then it can be signed only after two weeks. I just leave the office in a bad mood. Adi keeps calling out to me, but I don't pay heed. I just drive off to some place to put all this behind me.

Continued Below... 😊 ------

She takes hold of my wrist to stop me. I just close my eyes. How am I supposed to avoid her now? When her hold has so much warmth & comfort. "Maan, you didn't compliment me." I snap open my eyes. Of all things it's this that she wants to tell me. I turn towards her in a swift movement. I guess she wasn't expecting it so falters a bit. I steady her by my arms holding her waist. She smiles & wraps her arms around my neck. "Yes you heard it right, Maan you didn't compliment me, see I have dressed up for you & you haven't even noticed it." She pouts. I know it is her fake anger & pouting, just so that I don't feel guilty of not being able to keep up to my promise. She knows me so well, & in real sense is my better half. I feel her poking my shoulder. I can see the pouting face again. I raise my brows asking her what? She gives me back with an eye movement indicating her attire. I smile.

I look carefully & I'm smitten by her looks. She is wearing a saree a Black one with a red border to it. The vermillion & wedding chain her adornments along with the diamond earrings. Her hair left open, just the way I like it. Her waist chain playing hide & seek with her skin, catching my attention as her saree flutters. She looks so beautiful. Only Mishty could be a mix of elegance & sophistication along with humility & simplicity. She took my breath away. How didn't I notice her before? Guess I was so within my own thoughts of disappointing her, & avoiding facing her that I didn't dare look towards her. But she beats me to everything she still takes care of my mood & brightens my whole being with her each word, action & presence.

Tch tch... Hmm hmm.

I hear her making sounds to catch my attention. I smile at her. She turns her face to the other side. But she is still in my embrace. I lift her face towards me. I see her still pouting. "Maan, why can't you just compliment? That to when I'm so directly asking you. How much does it take of you?" then she twists her lips. My good Lord! That's so tempting. I shake my head at all her attempts just for me. "Haww!!!" she makes a big O, "Now look at you, you're still smiling, so stubborn. It took me so long to be ready, to deck up & you just keep staring at me first without blinking your lashes, & now just making fun of me."

She tries to come off my hold. I tighten my hold around her waist. Amidst her protest, I raise my hand towards her eyes; she stops her ministrations & stands still. With my little finger I swipe a little kajal from the end of her left eye & place the dot of kajal behind her left earlobe. She opens her eyes. I see the happiness reflecting there along with my image there. She understands my unsaid words through my actions, & pecks my cheeks. And once again I'm filled the warmth of her love.

She tells me she has prepared a special dinner for me. I don't feel like having it. But before I can tell her that she drags me towards the dining table. I see that she has prepared both our favourites. I make a quizzical face. She just smiles mysteriously. She tells me to freshen up & come quickly. I nod my head.

As I go to pick my briefcase form the table, I see a familiar envelope on the table. It is the same one in which I had kept the corrected papers, the ones which could get me the signed contract. I pick them up & keep staring at them. I wonder how did they came to be here. "Come Maan, I'm waiting" I hear Geet calling me. I see her waiting by the table for me setting the plates for us. "Maan I was so waiting for today's dinner. I even gave the servants a leave for tonight. I just wanted it to be special for us both, just the two of us..."

Nothing seems to register in my mind as I'm still stuck at the appearance of the envelope but there are no papers within them. Did I leave them here, who took the papers from the envelope? This disturbs me a lot. I feel her shaking me. I guess she found me to be lost in thoughts. "What happened to you now all of a sudden?" I better tell her, she might be knowing something, "Geet, I just found this envelope on the table, it contained some important papers but now ..." I trail off as I see her smiling.

"Maan sometimes you can be so absentminded, you left them here in the morning, and then..." I'm stunned. So here it is that I left it. "But Geet if you knew I left it then why you didn't send it to work..." "Maan I thought..." I just cut her off, I can't bear to hear more, and she knew how important it is yet, "what did you think, hmm... tell me. You knew how important this meeting is for me. You know how much I've put in for this yet... how could you Geet?" I'm so angered & pained. "Maan listen to me..." "Geet, just tell me where did you keep the papers that were inside. Why did you open the envelope? Who told you to peep in my work?" She must have read them, why did she have to do it.

I just get up from the table, as I can't take it. "Maan just let me explain. See I found it here in the evening then I received a call from..." "So you thought let's just open it & have a read ... & then just placed it somewhere while talking on the phone, busy chatting. Women I tell you. Not caring a damn that you misplaced the important papers. How could you be so careless? At least you could give me a call. No busy talking with others." I see her stunned & silent, with tears brimming in her eyes. "Good now I tell you something then tears, but at least admit. No. Not that but make me guilty for making you cry." "Maan you're getting it all wrong, just listen to me... " "What do you want to tell me, sorry will not do. I almost lost the deal today. Now I will have to wait for 2 weeks for signing it." I just move out form there & head towards my study. My insides are boiling; I don't want to vent it out at her.

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In the study, I try calling Adi. "Maan listen to me first..." I hear Geet's voice behind me. I cut the call & turn towards her. I just burst out on her. "Tell me Geet, what do you want me to listen to?... You want to tell me, that you opened the envelope & read it all. You can't keep your curiosity right. Okay but after reading you must have understood its importance then why didn't you send it to me..." "Maan I didn't..." "You didn't feel like letting me know right..."

She cups my face, I see she has wiped her tears, must be because of my earlier statement down, "you're getting it all wrong, Adi called me in the evening'.". I just snap at her, "So, Adi must have told you the whole scenario, you were aware of it all, but then you must have misplaced it, and then ... Okay so now I understand why all this dinner & dressing up is for." She looks at me with questions. "Why?... Maan tell me what you feel I did it for." I feel she is hurting but I'm hurting too, how could she do it even after reading the contents. "I feel that you must have thought that after misplacing it you will compensate for it by making me feel better with all this special treatment, but you have hurt me Geet..." Her hand slides down my face. " ...Maan, do you really have this opinion about me. Do you think I will do something like this?... You know me well yet..." I just can't see her, I feel her accusing gaze. I turn my face. I have no answers to her questions, yet can't make peace with it all.

She turns me towards her. "Don't turn your face away from me. What will I get doing all this? How can you come to such conclusions without hearing me out?... Don't have anything else to tell me this day?... I had planned..." At these words I just loose the small bit of control that I was holding onto. "Planned... Planned... Geet you're speaking of plan...even I had planned something, since months, you knew it yet... And what's so special today that you had planned for, it's just that you had to make up for the mistake... nothing else." I see tears just cascading down from her eyes as if she is hurt beyond all means.

She still speaks to me with a chocking voice but softly & calmly, in contrast to my angered & loud voice. "You really feel I did all this just for making it up... and nothing else... My tears also testify my guilt & nothing else to you...tell me Maan, I want to know" She keeps shaking me for her answers. I can't see her tears but then I can't even get over all that has transpired... I just yell out... "YES ... Yes I just feel that... and also that today holds nothing special or important..." There's just silence surrounding us... not the soothing one, but one with pain, hurt & something more. We keep staring at each other with pain & hurt.

I want to stop her; I know I have hurt her a lot but... The mobile starts ringing again, I see its Adi, I take a long breath to calm down. "Yes Adi, Tell me." " Maan, you called me, I was calling you since long ... I wanted to tell you about the clients..." " Adi yes I called you as I got the envelope, but the corrected papers..." "Maan I was calling you for it since long. Congratulations man!!!" Is Adi out of his mind, what is he talking & congratulating me for?... " Look Adi I'm already pissed off because of this deal & know you're talking in riddles.." "Oh Maan, I guess Geet hasn't told you yet, we have already signed the deal..." What, How is it possible?

Before I ask him he himself starts speaking. "Geet found the papers in the evening after coming home, she tried calling you but you weren't answering so she called me. So I told her I will come home to take it, & go to the airport to give it to the clients before their flight takes off. I called the clients up & requested them for it, they agreed. We already had everything ready only had to attach those papers. So then I came to KM, Geet handed me the envelope. I opened it, took the papers & attached them to the final contract papers, & left the envelope at the table. I told her to contact you & let you know as I knew how tensed you were about it all, & also about you wanting to surprise her."

What have I done?... whatever Adi spoke further, was a blur to me then. How could I? How impulsive have I been... "Adi I will talk to you later, I need to talk to Geet..." "Yes man, go you must, it was possible just because of her, and happ..." I just can't hear him more & cut the call. Where is she, I need to find. I was so blinded with my assumptions, & anger that I hurt her. I didn't even give her chance to put her point across, even after her doing so much for me. Also to celebrate it she took so much effort, & I like a fool just wasted it all. Just because I was weighed down by my failure of not keeping up to my promise which indirectly she herself fulfilled for me without a word, then instead of cherishing it & showering her with adoration & love I like a fool & idiot went & hurt her.

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I search for her everywhere, but can't find her. Finally I hear sounds from the ground floor, from "our corner". I enter in, & there she is standing by the shelf which contains all our pictures. I feel her stiffening. Guess she felt my presence. I'm so ashamed of my deeds. I go stand behind her & touch her shoulder. She turns towards me; I can see trails of tears cascading down her cheeks. Her whole countenance hurts me deeply, but nothing compared to the hurt I've caused her.

She just goes & sits on the chair beside. I kneel down before her. "Geet I'm so sorry, Sorry is not enough I know. Adi called me & told m..." She just cuts me off. " It's okay Maan ... Let it be... I got to know what I wanted to.." "No Geet listen to me..."

She stops me, and turns my face towards the clock that is on the shelf, beside our wedding photo. I glance at the time. It shows there's 5 minutes to 12. I look back towards her. She cups my face, kisses me on my forehead, her lips linger there, with her tears flowing down my face. She pulls back & her face is at the same level as mine. She smiles at me. I am not able to understand anything. She moves forward & pecks my lips. "Maan, this day I had started with a kiss of love & I'm ending it too with the kiss of love. Cause it will always be this love alone that I feel for you deeply. ... Happy Seventh Wedding Anniversary Maan..."

I'm stunned. She just smiles at me, the clock strikes 12, & the day is over. She gets up & moves out, while I remain transfixed at my place. I forgot my anniversary.

******

Yes I forgot our anniversary. Our Seventh Wedding Anniversary.

But that was not all there was more to it, later I realised what the issue was, eating up her mind & also our marriage.. There were more pressing issues that needed my attention & I had been neglecting them all since long.