Chapter 31: Shades of Love...
While Geet and Maan had gone away to reconcile their differences, someone was really shattered back in the hall. It would be an understatement to say Charan was shocked at the sudden revelation. It felt like his heart had just shattered into million pieces while tears pricked his eyes. He saw them hurry away while Geet's declaration seemed to continuously ring in his ears. Somewhere he felt betrayed seeing her walk away with whom he came to realize was her husband. He slumped his shoulders and silently walked away.
Meanwhile, the news that Maan and Geet were indeed husband and wife spread like fire and reached everyone, including the elders in the house. Chaitu's parents, who came to see a daughter in Geet, were initially shocked by the sudden news but soon their shock turned into joy when Anushka and Arjun confirmed the news. Happy that Geet had found an amazing man like Maan for her husband were waiting for them to return.
While everyone was still gathered around in the main hall, Maan and Geet arrived through the side door. Seeing them walk in hand-in-hand they turned around to face them. All this while Maan and Geet had fooled them and now it was time to pull their leg so they all stood with their hands on their hips with mock anger.
Unaware of the undercurrent, Maan and Geet walked into the haveli and were surprised to see the whole crowd gathered in the hall and staring angrily at them. They abruptly came to a stop confused why everyone was staring at them.
"Oh so pati patni ka jagda khatam?" Arun's father questioned stiffly.
"Voh, hum," Maan stammered unable to give him a proper explanation.
"Aap dono aapas mein lad rahe the aur bane ullu hum," Chaitu's father added glaring at them.
"Kyun Geet maine kya galti ki. Tum mujhse bhi ye baat chupayi." Chaitu sounded hurt.
"Aisi koi baat nahi Chaitu, voh darsal hum," Geet began only to stop at a loss of words. "I'm sorry," she finally said meekly looking at everyone standing there.
"Haan, mere taraf se bhi sorry," Maan added guiltily.
Arun, Chaitu, and their family members tried their best to stifle their laughter while Anushka and Arjun looked at the drama amusedly. Maan always had the privilege to see them both in trouble always right from school days and to now see him in trouble was nothing but pure fun.
"Sorry?" Arun's father asked incredulously. "Accha pehle galti karo aur phir sorry kaho, yeh toh accha hai bhai kyun Pradeep?" he said looking at Chaitu's father.
"Yeh toh na insaafi hai Shekar," Pradeep agreed sadly. "Magar phir bhi socho agar hum in dono ko maaf kar de toh," he paused looking at Maan and Geet. Both Maan and Geet's face lit up with their mention of forgiveness but were soon dejected by Pradeep's next set of words. "Toh kya guarantee hai ki yeh dono hume phirse ullu nahi banayenge."
"Nahi uncle, hum sach mein sorry hain. Maine hi Maan se," she began only for Maan to tighten his hold on her and gesturing her to not divulge the details especially putting the blame on herself. Geet had come to deeply respect and love Chaitu's parents like her own and the little time she spent with them made her obligated to their disappointment. She certainly didn't want to see them distressed because of her and was ready to own up to her mistakes in front of everyone if not for Maan stopping her.
"Galti sab meri thi uncle," Maan said straightening himself. In spite of holding no blood ties to these people who stood in front of him, he had come to respect them in these few days he had come to stay. They were nobody to him a few days ago but now everyone in this marriage had come to hold a special place in his heart for the respect and love they showered on him. They never made him feel like a stranger and thus he wasn't ashamed to own up to his mistakes and beg for their forgiveness.
"Dekha maine kaha na, humari beti innocent hai. Sab galtiyan inhe kiya hoga," Pradeep said coming to stand forward a little. "Aaja puttar," Pradeep called out to her lovingly, forwarding his hands for a hug. Seeing him call her out so fondly, she gasped in joy and tears freely flowed down her eyes. She ran forward to hug him tightly, hoping to make up for the loss she suffered all these years. She sobbed continuously hugging him tightly while he pat her back trying to calm her down. "Sudhar ja beta, hum aapse naraaz nahi hain. Agar kehna hai toh Maan kehna chahiye tha, hum sirf unse naraaz hain," Pradeep added. Shekar too came forward smilingly and pat her head to calm down.
Everyone who was trying their best to hide their laughter burst forth laughing much to Maan's confusion. He looked at the elders smiling fondly while their eyes conveyed they didn't hold grudge against them. Still he was unsure as Pradeep and Shekar still held him responsible and he stood with his head down.
"Oh ho chaddo ji! Ab isme mera beta ka kya kasoor," Arun's mother, Reema, piqued in, coming forward to affectionately hold Maan's cheek. "Chalo beta, tum subah se kuch nahi khaya hoga," she said gently pulling him towards the kitchen.
On the way Maan stopped in front of Pradeep and Shekar and folded his hands. "Main aap dono se maafi maangna chaahta hoon. Phir kabhi nahi karoonga," he said looking at both of them sincerely.
"Arre puttar, hum toh sirf mazak kar rahe the. Tum toh mere bade bete ho, chal aaja gale mil," Shekar assured patting his back. Geet came out of Pradeep's embrace and came to stand in front of Shekar, smiling through her tears. "Sirf aap log drama kar sakte ho kya, hum bhi kuch kam nahi hain," he joked pulling both Maan and Geet for a tight hug.
"Chalo chalo, ab all nautanki khatam, mujhe bahut bhook lagi hai," Anushka declared trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"Haan mujhe bhi!" Chaitu pitched in holding her stomach.
"Toh chaliye hum aap sabko khaana khilate hain," Rekha, Chaitu's mother, urged pushing everyone to proceed for lunch.
While the atmosphere once again became lively with children running around the haveli and people chatting in groups about the upcoming wedding, nobody noticed one individual sulking away in depression.
***
"Chaitu, Charan ekkada?" (Chaitu, where is Charan?) Chaitu's mother asked walking into her room.
"Telidu amma, pothinninchi choodaledu," (Don't know mom, I haven't seen his since morning) Chaitu replied sitting among her friends including Geet.
Geet's ears perked up hearing Charan's name. It certainly had pricked her that she lied to him and led him on but at that time she was frustrated and jealous. And today after the cat was out of the bag, she had pleaded forgiveness from everyone except him. More than anyone out here, he was the person whom she had to personally apologize for playing around with his feelings. But since morning she had been overwhelmed with everyone around her questioning and congratulating her that talking to Charan had completely gone over her head. She immediately got up and ran behind Chaitu's mother asking for his whereabouts.
"Pata nahi beta, main bhi vahi pooch rahi thi. Subah se maine usse nahi dekhi," she said shaking her head.
Alarmed at the news of him missing since morning, she excused herself and went in search of him. A thorough search around every nook and corner of the haveli proved futile so she decided to explore nearby places after informing Anushka of her whereabouts. She walked a few hundred feet away from the haveli's huge walls to find a huge village well big enough to look like a small pond. Walls of the well were a blackish green color owing to moss and fern. A murky green colored water could be seen deep below in the well. Huge stone steps built along the wall gave way to the bottom of well in order to access the water.
Periodic noises of pieces of stone being dropped into the water was what originally . She curiously peered down to see a familiar figure with his back towards her and his legs well submerged in water was bending down a bit and dropping stones into the water. She instantly pulled up her salwar pants up a bit and tied her dupatta around her waist before carefully walking down the huge steps. She tightly held the wall and made her way down the uneven steps praying she didn't slip and fall into the water. She finally made her way down and sat down beside him looking ahead. He continued to throw stones that bounced a few times before sinking into the water while she sat silently watching the show in front of her.
"Aapko pata hai Geetji, yeh patthar jaanta hai ki voh dubnewala hai magar phir bhi jab hum usse phenkte hai voh teen baar ucchalke hi doobta hai," he stated breaking the silence.
Geet bent her head down unable to alleviate the pain laden atmosphere. "I'm sorry," she managed to whisper biting her lower lip.
"Arre, aap sorry kyun bol rahe ho?" he asked turning to look at her.
Geet turned around to look at him. Though his voice didn't seem to carry any regret, his eyes reflected anguish and pain. "Main' aap," she fumbled trying to get the right words. "I didn't think you would take it so seriously. I was angry and jealous so wasn't really thinking," she tried to explain. "I shouldn't have played with your feelings," she confessed sounding distressed.
"You love him a lot, don't you?" Charan asked out of the blue.
"Ji?" she asked, her eyes widened at his sudden question.
"Mujhe mera savaal ka jawab mil gaya," he smiled causing her to avert her gaze from him.
"Nahi, aisa kuch nahi," she said shuffling uncomfortably away causing him to slightly chuckle.
"Khair voh sab chodiye. Yeh batayiye aap yahaan kyun aayi?" he asked leaning on the wall and turning to face her.
"Main aapse maafi mangne aayi thi."
"But when it wasn't even your mistake why should you?" he asked incredulously. "Aapko ek raaz bataoon," he whispered.
"Har khamoshi ka matlab inkaar nahi hota,
Har nakamyabi ka matlab haar nahi hota,
Toh kya hua agar hum tume na paa sake
Sirf paane ka matlab pyar nahi hota'" shayari.blogspot.com
Geet turned to look into his eyes that displayed no anger or regrets. She smiled half-heartedly, still feeling guilty of leading him on.
"Kya Geetji main itni khoob shayari sunaya aur aap sirf aadha smile de rahi hain," he said pouting like a child. "Aapko meri shayari pasand nahi aayi?"
"Nahi Charan aisi koi baat nahi. But if I have to smile toh aapko kuch karna padega," she said sniffing back her tears.
"Aapka hukum sar aankhon par," he said bowing his head.
"Aap mere friend banenge?" she said extending her hand forward.
"Ji?" Charan asked taken aback by her sudden request.
"Hum acche dost nahi reh sakte?" she asked with a smile.
"Kisi Ko Apna Banane Me Der Lagti Hai,
Kiya Hua Waada Nibhane Me Der Lagti Hai,
Pyaar To Pal Bhar Me Ho Jaata Hai,
Par Unhe Bhulane Me Saari Umar Bhi Kam Pad Jaati Hain" shayari.blogspot.com
Charan finished with a forlorn smile. "Aap mere pehla aur saccha pyaar hain aur zindagi bar rahegi." Geet was about to say something when he interrupted her. "Ahan wait, wait, mujhe galat mat samajhiye. I won't trouble you," he said shaking his head. "Main kkkiran wala Rahul nahi hoon," he assured with a chuckle seeing her looking appalled at him. "You are my first love but I guess it's indeed true that first love always leads to pain. Oh well, I don't regret falling in love with you magar aap jo mujhe maang rahi hain it's impossible for me. Love to me does not mean if the other person doesn't reciprocate means we shake hands and say 'we're friends'. Now that I know you are taken, I sure will move aside from your mainframe but like a true lover." He winked giving her a wide smile.
"Aapka matlab main nahi samjhi," Geet voiced still unclear about what he meant.
"Uff ho Geet, chaliye yeh sab baatein chodiye. Aap nahi samjhegi. Main sirf yahi kehna chahta hoon ki agar Maan aapko tang kiya toh mujhe zaroor batayiyega, main uska aisa haal karoonga ki banda bhool jayega voh kaun hai," he said looking quite seriously earning a chuckle from Geet.
Charan stood up and dusted his jeans and stretched his hands forward for Geet. She looked up to give him a smile and held his hand as a support. They walked up the uneven stairs holding the wall. The sun had hit the horizon decreasing the light inside still both managed to climb out.
Charan walked besides her leaving some gap between them. The evening breeze caressed her face causing a sense of calmness through her nerves. She hugged herself and lightly rubbed her arms warming her body up a little. A satisfied smile played across her lips as she slowly made her way through the small muddy pathway.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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