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previous chapters: ch 1 - ch 2 -
ch 3 -
ch 4 -
ch 5
Chapter SixCradling his slumbering niece Anjana in his arms, Maan carefully climbed the grand staircase of the Khurana mansion. He and Anjana had spent the evening playing hide-and-seek. Eventually, she had fallen asleep in a low kitchen cabinet, a scene that absolutely required Maan to snap a photo.
As luck would have it, Anjana's parents had gone out of town on business, and Maan had quickly volunteered to keep an eye on her until they returned. Interacting with his lovable and innocent niece kept him afloat in the torrents of heartbreak. It had been a week since he and Geet had parted ways, and the two had avoided each other like the plague at work. Just thinking about her nearly brought him to his knees.
As Maan walked through the spacious hallways switching off the lights, he recalled Geet's outburst at Adi and Pinky's engagement party, at her striking him. Had he reacted too harshly when Geet had come over to confront him the next day? Geet's shocked face as he slammed the front doors in her face flashed before his eyes, and he winced.
When had they become so toxic to each other?
Maan slipped little Anjana into her bed. She had her own room here, of course, and Maan suspected that he had bought her as many dresses and toys as her own parents had. As he pulled the covers up to Anjana's chin, Maan's head started to throb.
How many times had Maan imagined Geet as his wife giving birth to his child? How many times had he anticipated bringing her and the newborn home from the hospital, surrounded by flowers and cards congratulating "Mr. and Mrs. Khurana"? How many times had he envisioned tucking their child into bed, as he had just done with Anjana? *Too many times,* thought Maan. *And it was all for nothing.*
Kissing his niece gently on the forehead, Maan flicked on the nightlight and retreated to the master bedroom with a heavy heart.
---
Seated on a high-backed sofa in a large bookstore, Geet flipped through a magazine, barely registering the text or images. She had been anxious to get out of her apartment, as staring at the walls was only worsening her overwhelming melancholy. It had been a little over a week since Maan had slammed the door -- literally and figuratively -- on their relationship, and her heart remained freshly broken, her pride freshly wounded.
How could Maan have said that she was nothing but a waste of time? How could he have made her feel as if he had done her a favor by dating her, as if she were beneath him? Yes, she had had too much to drink the night before, and, yes, she never should have slapped him, but did Maan really have to resort to verbally attacking her?
And, more importantly, why couldn't Maan ever attempt to understand that Geet's past still had a chokehold on her? Just last night, she had had another nightmare vision about one of her stepfathers. This time, it was about how her mother's third husband had vanished in the middle of the night, only for Geet and her mother to see him in the park a mere week later, cozying up with another woman.
So what if Geet's fears about her own relationship with Maan were unfounded? Why hadn't Maan loved her enough to help her sort out her troubled history? Instead of showing compassion, he had thrown her away like garbage. Is this how Maan would have reacted in *all* situations where they didn't see eye to eye? Maybe it was for the best that they weren't together. . . .
But in her heart of hearts, Geet knew she was only fooling herself. She gulped down a mouthful of steaming hot chocolate, tasting nothing. Maan had been more than her significant other. He had been her best friend, her closest confidant. Her protector. Geet took another tasteless sip and wondered if her sadness would actually cause her to give up the ghost.
Leaning forward to set down her mug, Geet caught a glance at the Children's Section, one floor below. She gasped. Was that Maan she saw? Yes, it definitely was -- Geet would be able to recognize even his shadow.
Maan appeared to be holding a child's hand, and he was talking to a woman. Because they were all standing a full story down, Geet couldn't clearly make out anyone except for Maan. As she watched Maan and the woman burst into laughter, Geet's mind began to spin manically. Had Maan somehow already gotten into a relationship with someone else and had a full-sized child in a week?! No, that wasn't possible, right?
Geet was being silly, she knew. Obviously, Maan knew other women and had conversations with them, such as females from work. Still, Geet couldn't help but digging her fingernails into her palm to keep a wave of tears at bay. An overbearing sensation began to claw its way through her veins.
Desperation.
---
"Say hello to Miss Zoya, sweetheart," Maan prompted. He and Anjana had stopped by a bookstore for additional bedtime story material, and had bumped into Zoya, one of Maan's most talented architects, on the way out.
"Hi, sweetie," Zoya greeted, stooping down to Anjana's level. "How are you today?"
Anjana giggled, stepping bashfully behind Maan.
"Anjana's a little shy," said Maan apologetically, squeezing his niece's hand affectionately.
"No problem," Zoya said, smiling. "She's so adorable she doesn't have to say a word. What are you two up to tonight?"
"Eating ice cream," Anjana piped up from her hidden position.
Maan and Zoya laughed in unison.
"What about you?" Maan asked. He rarely made small talk, particularly these days when he felt like he was walking through fog due to his situation with Geet, but Zoya and other members of his top team were an exception.
"Probably just me with a good book," Zoya replied, waving her arms around at the abundant shelves surrounding them.
"Sounds good," said Maan, readjusting in his grip the large-sized children's hardcovers he had purchased. "See you."
"See you," said Zoya. She peeked around Maan and winked at Anjana. "Bye-bye, sweetie."
"Bye-byeee, Miss Zoya," sang Anjana, still hiding behind her uncle.
Maan and Zoya laughed again, waved good-bye, and went their separate ways.
---
At work the following week, Maan pulled out his wallet as he made his way through the main lobby of Khurana Construction. He had wrapped up early, and the lobby was deserted at this time of day. He was planning to purchase a candy bar from the first-floor cafe for Anjana before picking her up from school.
"Maan Sir," came a soft voice from the left.
Maan stopped in his tracks and followed the sound.
Geet.
From her ashen face, Maan could tell that Geet had suffered as many sleepless nights as he had.
Still, she was beautiful.
Maan licked his dry lips as Geet drew near. This would be the first time in several days that the two had been in each other's direct presence. For a moment, they simply stared at each other.
What was there left to say?
Swallowing hard, Maan spoke first. "How . . . how have you been?"
Geet fleetingly considered lying, but then decided that it was best to forego the charade. "Can we please talk, Maan Sir?"
Maan nodded slowly.
"Maan Sir, I'm so sorry," said Geet in a rush, tears beginning to cascade down her face. "For what I said at the party, for physically striking you, for . . . for everything. I never meant to string you along, or to make you feel like you weren't good enough."
Maan sighed, running the pads of his thumbs over Geet's cheeks and wrapping her into a hug. "I'm sorry, too, Geet. I reacted harshly and said a lot of things I didn't mean. I was just angry."
Geet silently soaked up his embrace. It had been too long since she had felt Maan's arms around her.
"And Maan Sir, I want to tell you something else, too," said Geet. She sniffled, gathering her courage. "If the only way for us to be together is to be husband and wife, then . . . . I'm willing to do that." She looked up at him, devotion shining in her eyes. "If it makes you happy, then I will marry you."
Maan hugged her tighter and Geet smiled, a facial movement she had almost forgotten how to perform. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about random women in bookstores chatting him up.
"If only you knew how long I was waiting for you to agree to marriage," murmured Maan against Geet's hair. He squeezed her once again before releasing her.
Geet let out a nervous giggle. "Yes, and I --"
"But I'm sorry, sweetheart," said Maan, stepping back and looking pained. "I only want to marry someone who actually wants to marry me, too. Not because she thinks it will make me happy." Maan could already see it now -- Geet growing to resent him in later years, claiming that he had forced her into marriage.
Geet shook her head, hopelessness overcoming her features. "Maan Sir --"
"And, to be totally honest," Maan stated, choking up slightly, "I don't believe you that you would follow through with getting married." Maan could easily envision Geet breaking their potential engagement. Just a few days ago, she had been dead-set against marriage, for all the world to know. Who was to say she wouldn't revert to her old ways?
"I thought . . . I thought . . . that this would make you happy," said Geet brokenly. If it were possible, she had grown even paler.
But Maan was already walking away, hot tears blurring his vision.
She had burned his utopia down once.
He wouldn't let her do it again.
---
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Edited by kumari3 - 10 years ago
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