OS: Their Surprises (Part 2 on pg 5)

As Maan entered the room, he saw Geet hastily putting down the phone's receiver.

"Kise phone kar rahi thi Geet?"

"Phone?" she was taken aback because she had thought he didn't see her on the phone and was not prepared with an alibi. But as usual she was quick to make up one, even if it was not so  believable, "Haan! Woh - Housekeeping waalon ka phone aaya tha ye poochhne ke liye ki hamein kissi cheez ki zaroorat to nahin hai."

Maan wasn't convinced, but she distracted him with her question, "Aap chaat le kar aaye? Dijiye mujhe. Main to kab se intezaar kar rahi hoon."

"Kab se? Geet - abhi main aadhe ghante pahle hi to gaya tha. Aur tumehin resort ke restaurant ki chaat nahin chahiye thi. Us market waali shop se hi chahiye thi. To wahan se laane mein thoda time to lagega na."

"Haan, haan. Pata hai. Lekin ab baby ka wahi khane ka man ho raha tha to main kya karoon?" she made an innocent face.

"Geet baby ke naam par mujhe pareshaan karna band karo," Maan pretended anger, but they both knew he was joking.

"Baby! Dekha? - Papa kah rahe hain ki aap unhein pareshaan kar rahe ho."

"Achchha Geet?! Maine ye kab kahan ki baby mujhe pareshaan kar raha hai. Pareshaan to mujhe tum karti ho! Woh bhi baby ka naam le kar."

"Baby! Dekha? Papa Mamma ko kaise daant rahe hain."

It was not possible for him to win against his Hoshiyarpur express! He finally succumbed to a smile and slight laughter, as Geet ate the chaat sitting on the bed. She looked like an innocent child enjoying her candy. Maan pretended to watch TV sitting beside her, but he was stealing glances at her through out.

Suddenly the phone rang. Maan started getting up to pick it up, but Geet sprang ahead, "Main dekhti hoon."

"Par Geet tum apni chaat to kha lo."

She had already picked up the phone by then, "Achchha theek hai. Hum aate hain."

"Kya hua Geet?"

"Chaliye - hamein market jaana hai."

"Market? Par kisliye? Abhi to main market se aaya hoon."

"Haan, haan pata hai. Par mujhe bhi jaana hai."

"Tum mere saath pahle kyon nahin gayi."

"Offo Maan! Itne sawaal poochhna zaroori hai kya? Waise bhi hum yahan baith kar kya karne waale hain. Chaliye na. Mujhe abhi jaana hai."

"Aur tumhari chaat?"

"Woh baaki main aa kar kha loongi."

"Geet! Tum bilkul pagal ho."

"Pata hai. Sangati ka asar to hota hi hai na. Aapke saath jo rahti hoon har waqt."

"Kya?"

She practically dragged him out to the black jeep that was waiting for them.

"Jeep mein? Market? Main abhi car mangwata hoon."

"Nahin Maan. Car mein ja ja kar to main bore ho gayi hoon. Isliye to Jeep mangwayi hai."

"Car mein... Bore.." Maan wondered if she has totally lost it in her pregnancy mood swings. But what could he do except to follow his Mishti's wishes! He couldn't have denied her even the craziest things in the world. Going to the market in Shimla in a Jeep was still pretty sane.

But Maan was again worried when he saw the route Jeep was taking. He addressed the driver, "Suno. Ye kis raaste par le ja rahe ho? Ye to market ki taraf nahin jaata."

Geet replied before the driver could even turn to him, "Mujhse baat kijiye. Aap use kyon dara rahe hain apni bhari-bharkam aawaaz se? Hum doosre market ja rahe hain. Is taraf aas paas ke gaon waalon ka ek market lagta hai. Hum wahan ja rahe hain."

"Ye tumhein kaise pata chala?"

"Main aas paas ke logon se baatein karti hoon. Aapki tarah akad kar apni duniya mein nahin rahti."

"Achchha - jab koi mujhse baat karne aaye to tumhari to naak chadh jati hai."

"Kya? Maine kab aapko mana kiya logon se baat karne se?"

"Kyon swimming pool par woh ladki mujhse baat karna chah rahi thi to kaun bhadak raha tha."

"Maan! WOh alag baat hai."

"Achchha. Kyon? Kaise alag hai?" Maan teased her.

"Woh.." she was unable to put words to her answer, "Kuchh nahin - bas alag hai. Ab aap is baare mein kuchh nahin kahenge."

Maan smiled and put his arms around Geet's shoulder. She looked at him and leaned her head towards him as they waited for their destination to come.

They were on a dirt road going through a jungle kind of area, when the driver stopped, "Madam, bas yahan se 10-15 meter andar jaana hoga," he indicated towards the trees on one side of the road.

"Theek hai bhaiya. Aap wapas chale jaiye. Jeep yahin chhod jaiye aur Sir ko chabhi de dijiye. Maan! Aapko raasta yaad ho gaya hai na?"

"Haan Geet. Par..."

She did not let him complete, instead asked the driver to leave.

Then she held his hands and led him into the woods.

"Geet! In jangalon mein kaun market lagwata hoga?"

Geet ignored his question.

"Geet! Main tumse baat kar raha hoon."

"Aap thodee der in ped-patton se baat kyon nahin karte? Ye to aapka favourite shauk hai na."

Maan sighed, nooded his head in disbelief and did not reply. He had never indulged anyone like this in his life. Even his Dadi Ma, brother or sister could not have gotten away with something like this. But it was Geet. She gave him the life as he knew it today. She ruled his life. With others, even their slightest attempt to take him for granted would have annoyed him to no end. Even now, he sometimes found it hard to believe that he enjoyed Geet's antics. He enjoyed giving in to her wishes - however childish they may be. He enjoyed being ruled by her. He had irrevocably fallen in love with this child-woman.

It was not difficult for him to guess that Geet was planning a surprise for him. But the surprise still surprised him as he saw a tent set up near a pond. It was still sometime before it would turn dark. The logs for fire were set up, but not lighted.

Maan looked at Geet in surprise. She was smiling with just a hint of pride in having prepared a surprise to his liking.

She walked to face him, "Agar aapko surprise pasand aaya ho to kya aap mere valentine banenge?"

Suddenly Maan looked away from her, "Nahin, bilkul nahin."

Geet was shocked, "Kya?"

"Aur kya Geet? Main aisi ladki ka Valentine nahin ban sakta jo Valentine day ki din mujhe bina dinner ke, khali pet ek tent mein sulane ki soch rahi ho. Tent to tumne lagwa liya, ab dinner kya tumahre Babaji de kar jayenge." Maan suppressed his smile with difficulty.

"Oh! Nahin. Babaji ko itni mehnat karne ki kya zaroorat hai. Dinner mere pati banaynege." Geet understood his trick and replied in the same tone.

"Kya?"

"Haan. Aapko pata nahin hai, unhein jangalon mein rahne ka bahut experience hai aur woh bahut achchha khana banate hain."

"Achha!" Maan's voice suddenly become seductive, "Lekin khana banane ka koi samaan to yahan dikh nahin raha hai. Lagta hai tumse hi kaam chalana padega." He had come very close to her.

He pushed him away in her trademarked way by putting her finger on his shoulder, "Jee nahin! Iski zaroorat nahin padegi. Shararat karne ki koi zaroorat nahin hai. Saara samaan andar pada hai khana banane ke liye."

"Achcha Geet! Tumhari samajhdari to badhti hi ja rahi hai. Sach kaha tha tumne, sangati ka asar to hota hi hai."

"Babaji! Apne munh miya mitthoo banna to koi inse seekhe," Geet muttered under her breath.

"Kya kaha?"

"Kuchh nahin."

"Geet!"

Geet started laughing and ran away from him. He ran behind her. She escaped him several times, but he finally caught her and by that time both of them were laughing like crazy and hardly had any strength left in them. They sat down near the logs gathered for fire and Maan started the fire. 

The fire reflected in his eyes when he looked up at Geet. She was also lost. Both of them were reminded of the time they were stranded in Manali! There was snow outside and fire within. Then there was a hesitation, a wall between them. They had not openly confessed what they meant for each other, although they knew it. Today it was different. They not only knew about each other's feelings, but were also married. No walls - neither personal, nor social. 

Maan came to Geet, who was sitting on a low bench near the fire. He kneeled in front of her and they were almost at the same height. His gaze was penerating her, she started looking down. Maan took her left hand in his right and kissed her hand. He did not stop with one kiss, but planted kisses on her entire hand. Could she ever get used to his touch and kisses? He always managed to set her on fire. When he reached her upper arms, he got up and sat beside her on the bench. By that time she had completely lost herself and he had to support her with his arms. But he continued kissing her on the neck, just above her arms.

"Maan..." she whispered.

Maan stopped, looked at her and then picked her in his arms. He took her inside the tent. Geet gained some of her senses back and she remembered that one wall that stood between them. Medical wall. Doctor had warned about baby's health.

When he put her down inside the tent and continued to explore her, her face this time, with kisses, she stopped him, "Maan. Ruk Jaiye." 

Maan stopped and looked at her questioningly. Geet hesitated and was clearly embarrassed as she said, "Woh... Doctor ne mana kiya hai... Kahin hum..."

Maan understood what she was saying. He seemed to think for a moment before he withdrew, "Chalo Geet. Dinner banate hain. Thodee der mein bhookh lag jayegi zoron se."

Geet was surprised at his calm voice. Was he upset and was trying to hide it? His voice betrayed none of the feelings he had given in to just a few moments ago. Confused to the core, Geet just followed him and they took the vegetables and other cooking material out to the fire.

Maan used the fire to barbecue the vegetables. They had some spices and salt to marinate them. Maan fed the barbecued vegetables to Geet. He kept asking her if she liked  them and she nodded everytime without saying a word. When she noticed he wasn't eating anything himself, she fed him too.

After they were done eating, they started walking near the tent, hand in hand. Geet was still wondering if he had upset Maan by stopping him earlier in the evening. She finally gathered courage to ask him, "Maan aap gussa hain kya?"

Maan was surprised, "Kyon? Aisa kyon kah rahi ho. Maine aisa kya kiya?"

"Nahin aapne nahin, maine kiya. Woh khane se pahle..."

Maan did not realize what she was referring to; so he waited for her to continue and looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Maine... maine... aapko rok diya tha. Aap gussa to nahin hain?"

"Kya!" Maan was genuinely surprised

"I am sorry Maan. Meri wajah se shaadi ki baad bhi aapko khud ko rokna pad raha hai. I am really sorry..." Geet was crying by now.

"Geet!" Maan was almost angry as he held her at her shoulders and pulled her close, "Geet. Khabardaar jo tumne dubara aisi baat bhi ki to. Main kya tumhein itna bewkoof lagta hoon ki mujhe ye bhi pata nahin hai ki hum kya aur kyon kar rahe hain..."

"Nahin Maan... Woh..."

"Meri baat suno Geet. Agar dubara tumne aisi baat ki to main sach much gussa ho jaunga aur kabhi tumse baat nahin karoonga. Geet. Humne jo bhi kiya hai, hamare baby ke liye kiya hai. Aur ismein humme se kissi ko bhi bura lagne ki ya dukhi hone ki baat kahan se aa gayi. Geet hamara saath sirf abhi ka to nahin hai na. Hamein to poori zindagi saath rahna hai. Phir kuchh dinon ki dooriyon ko lekar kyon dukhi hona hai. Aur is thodi si parehsaani ke badle hamein itni badi khushi bhi to milne waali hai. Phir?"

While her original guilt was blown away by Maan a new guilt took over her. She had offended him by her question, "Sorry Maan. Main aapka dil nahin dukhana chahti thi."

Maan smiled, "Geet ab agar tum apni sorry ki dukaan band karo to main kuchh kahun."

Geet looked at him without saying anything.

"Mere paas bhi tumhare liye ek surprise hai."

"Kya?"

"Lekin main woh tumhein tabhi doonga, jab tum ye promise karogi ki kabhi hamare khushiyon ya pareshaaniyon ke beech mein mera-tumhara nahin laogi."

"Main waada karti hoon Maan. Yakin maaniye mera aisa koi matlab nahin tha. I am really Sorry," she bit her lips as she realized that she had said sorry again, while he had asked her just a while back to not do that.

But Maan seemed too happy to notice, "To suno. Jab main market mein tha to ek phone aaya tha. Hospital se. Tumhar jo tests hum aane ke pahle karwa kar aaye the, unke results aa gaye hain."

Geet's eyes showed antcipation as well as the fear, not knowing what the results were, "Aur?"

"Aur complications ab bilkul theek hain. Hamare baby ko koi khatra nahin hai. Bas tumhein apne khane-peene par dhyaan dena hai aur dawaiyan time se leni hai."

Geet's eyes had popped out in surprise, "Sach? Iska matlab..." She did not continue as she realized what she was about to say.

Maan's voice grew naughty as he spoke in a low, heavy voice, "Iska matlab tumehin mujhe rokne ki koi zaroorat nahin thi."

Geet's embrrassment took the form of anger, "To. Aap mujhe bata nahin sakte the pahle. Mujhe pareshaan karne mein aapko mazaa aata hai na. Jaiye main aapse koi baat nahin karoongi..."

There goes his bomb-shell of a wife. Geet started moving away, but Maan pulled her back by hands, "Meri Hoshiyarpur Express, meri baat to sun lo. Kab batata main tumhein. Jaise hi wapas aaya tum chaat khane mein lag gayi aur phir mujhe zabardasti yahan le aayi."

"Haan, haan. Galti to hamesha meri hi hoti hai," Geet made faces, but did not move away.

"Waise maine aisa socha to nahin tha, lekin achchha hi hua ki maine tumehin pahle nahin bataya."

"Kya matlab?"

"Jab tum gussa hoti ho to tumhein zabardasti apni baahon mein lene ka mazaa hi kuchh aur hai."

Before Geet realized what he meant, she found her in his arms for the second time in the evening.

"Maan! Mujhe neeche utairye," she was still furious.

Maan just kept looking at her smiling, as if he did not hear her. How long could she remain angry in his arms, when he was looking at her like that? By the time they were inside the tent, she had melted completely.

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Thanks Dhara 😳.

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