Behind the Mask - ManVeer FF [Ch. 23, P. 36] - Page 23

There was pin drop silence in the main hall of the palace when Manyata and Uday finally made it back. They were greeted by silent stares and barely guarded fury of all the members of the family. Bracing himself for the Spanish Inquisition that was about to ensue, Uday walked in with a hesitant Manyata tiptoe-ing behind him. She scanned the room and noted the various emotions being displayed on her family members' faces; empathy on Jai, Unnati and Buasa's faces, utter confusion on Vijaybhai's, and last but not least, disappointment and anger on her parents and Dadisa's faces.

"Voh Dadisa. Manyata ki..." Uday began only to be abruptly stopped as Dadisa held up her hand shooting him a glare.

"Bas Uday. Aaj hum aapki ek nahin sunenge. Aap ne humesha Manyata ki galti chupayi hai, par aaj nahin. Aaj humaare har sawaal ka jawab Manyata dengi," she said as she turned her piercing gaze to Manyata. Despite her even tone and composure, Manyata could sense the rage bubbling inside. Uncertain and scared eyes quickly met calming and reassuring ones as Manyata glanced up at Uday. He gave her a slight nod, further boosting her confidence as she slowly stepped out from behind him and turned to face her family. But as she stood in front of everyone, the slight confidence she had gained quickly gave way to her earlier nervousness. Manyata didn't even realize she had started scrunching her dupatta at her sides until she felt Uday's hand clasp hers in a firm yet soothing grip. Surprised by the sudden action, Manyata looked up at him only to find him staring straight ahead. It wasn't until she finally heard Dadisa speak that she tore her gaze away from him.

"Aaj joh bhi hua, iss ke liye hum aapko purri tarah kusoorwaar nahin tehra rahe hai Manyata. Lekin hum aaj saari sachayi aapke mooh se sun na chahte hai. Sab. Kuch," Rajmata stressed.

This was it. Manyata knew there was no prolonging this conversation. She had hoped she could have told her family about Akash herself, in her own way but that was clearly no longer possible. With a deep breath she began...

"Hum Akash ko saalon se jaante hai, jab hum school mein the tab se. Phir hum saath saath college mein bhi the. Vo humaara sabse aacha dost tha, hamesha humaari dekh bhaal ki jabhi hume kissi ki zaroorat thi, voh hamesha wahan tha. Phir...," Manyata gulped as she braced herself for the next part. Before the fear completely took over, she knew she had to just get it out...

"Phir, kuch mahine pehle, Akash ne hume kaha voh humse pyaar karte hai," she quickly blurted out. The weight of her words lay thick in the air as she glanced from family member to family member.

"Aur aap," Komal asked, wanting confirmation from her daughter for what she already knew in her heart.

Manyata briefly closed her eyes, unable to swallow the lump in her throat. And what about her? It was the very question she had been trying to answer herself for days now. Did she love him like she claimed she did? If so, then why hadn't she told Akash as much in all these months?

As if sensing her internal turmoil, the otherwise still Uday, gently caressed her hand with his thumb. Again she glanced up at him but just like before, he was staring straight ahead, his expression unreadable.

"Humaare savaal ka jawab do Manyata," her mother persisted, this time some of the anger she was feeling creeping into her tone.

"Aur hum bhi usse pyar karte hai," she quickly said, making a quick spur of the moment decision. She didn't know how much truth those words held, but if there was any hope of getting out of marrying Uday, it was Akash. So for the foreseeable future she would stick to her story. Ironically, she ignored the littler part of her brain that wanted to know why exactly she was refusing to marry Uday, especially if her feelings for Akash were debatable...However, she didn't have a chance to consider the thought because the next moment was filled with several outbursts.

"Are you out of your mind Manyata," her father roared.

"Aap yeh kaise karsakti hai jabki aapka aur Uday ka Roaka ho chukka hai," her mother exclaimed.

"Kya aap iss ladke ke baare mein jaante the Uday," Rajmata spoke finally directing her gaze towards Uday.

Although all three of them had spoken at almost exactly the same time, it was Dadisa's question that once again had everyone's attention. Manyata immediately saw some of the life return to Uday's thus far, statue-esq composure. Staring back and forth between her grandmother and her...friend...Manyata was ridden with guilt as realization dawned on her that she was the cause for the current strain in their relationship. Even as a child, she remembered how anamoured Dadisa was with Uday, how much Uday respected her and idolized her. Clearly, the passage of time had not lessened that relationship in any way, if anything it had only strengthened it. And yet in an effort to help keep her secret, he had risked all the trust and faith Dadisa had in him.

"Nahin! Unhe kuch nahin pata tha. Aaj conference ke baad hi hume unhe sab bataaya," Manyata quickly piped up before Uday could get even a word in. She could see the barely concealed smiles on Unnati and Jai's faces along with Buasa's confused glare. Yet all she could concentrate on was those dark, mysterious, and currently inquisitive eyes that were now staring at her.

Dadisa continued looking between the two of them for a few moments before she spoke, "aur voh tasveere?"

"Humaara yakeen kijiye, hum aap sabko aaj bataane hi vale the...voh...voh ek office ki party thi...aur jaise dikh raha tha vese nahin..." Manyata couldn't complete the sentence as the mortification of discussing her love life so openly with her family took root. She closed her eyes as she felt the color rush to her face. Red with embarrassment, she clutched Uday's hand like her dear life depended on it as she felt the familiar stinging in her eyes. The irony of drawing strength from one man while professing her love for another completely evaded Manyata, though it was not lost on the rest of her family...

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Uday felt her grip on his hand tighten as she uttered those words. For the second time that day she was hiding herself...and he hated the sight of it. For once, her flushed face was not making him smile, was not filling him with warmth. And then he saw it. The slight wiggle of her nose and he knew that although there were no tears yet, they were only moments away. That burning sensation in his gut came back fast and in full force, like it always did when he saw her tears. With the instinct to protect her kicking in once again, he finally spoke up, diverting the attention from her.

"Ussi din hum sab Manyata se mile the, Dadisa. Aur phir hum unhe yahan le aaye."

"Uday beta, hum Manyata ki taraf se aapko maafi mangte hai. Aapne intne saalon iss ka intezar kiya aur yeh...hume maaf kardo beta," Komal whispered completed defeated.

"Nahin kakisa, aap maafi mat mangiye. Hum sirf Manyata ki khushi chaahte hai, bas. Aur kuch maiyine nahin rakhta."

He could feel her eyes on him as he said that. She probably didn't believe him. To be honest, even he didn't realize how much truth there was to those words until he had said them out loud. Uday realized that really was all that mattered, not his father's promise, not the family's wishes, not even what he wanted...so what if what he wanted and what he knew was best for Manyata happened to coincide. The thought brought a conspiratol smile on his face. He knew her happiness lie with him, now if only she would admit it...

"Hum uss ladke ko jald se jald milna chaahte hai," Rajmata said before swiftly turning around and leaving, affectly dismissing everyone. Her parents too began to leave with a final disappointed look. Slowly, Unnati, Jai, Vijaybhai, and Buasa who had all but stood frozen thus far began to thaw. She knew they were going to want to speak to her but she just didn't have the engery or the emotional strength. Before they could make their way over, she pulled her hand out of Uday's and ran to her room as the first of her tears began flowing.

totally luv it...

beautifully written...

eagerly waiting for the next part...

thx fr the pm n do ocntinue soon n do pm me...