Chapter 25
A Day to forget, A Memory to erase
(April 6, 1982...)
(Army Cantonment, Roorkee...)
"Anything else Yash?
Alright, I will send you the money. But this is my last warning to you. No more
gambling on silly bets. Hmm...Sat Sri Akal."
Maan leaned back in
his chair keeping the phone down with a heavy heart. A heart filled with
dejection.
No one had wished
him on his birthday this year too.
Why do I even bother
when I know the reality?
Only two people
bothered.
Early in the morning,
Ajaipal would offer prayers and karah-prasad in Maan's name at the Gurudwara
Sahib and then immediately call to wish him. And soon after, Nayantara would
call to wish her brother.
Rest...well it
depended on their mood and memory. Though Savitri would send him a money order
for Rs 500 every year without fail.
But it was not money
he sought.
He often wondered
why people who did not have someone of their own complained of their
misfortune. Unfortunate is he who is alone even though he has many to claim as
his own. Would I ever have someone to
call my own?
He glanced at his
diary which lay open on page dated April 6 and picked up his pen,
Eh mera geet kise na gaana.
Eh mera geet,
Main aape ga ke bhalke hi mar jaana.
- Shiv Kumar Batalvi
[This song of mine, no one would sing along
This song of mine
I must sing it, and die, alone]
Eh mera geet...
Maan read the words
again as they took an altogether different formthan intended by the poet.
Geet...
He turned the pages
of his diary till he came across the picture Savitri had given him on his
request. She was smiling brightly at the camera, her two plaits framing her
face, her chin resting on the back of her hands. A ring shone on her fingers,
it was a gift from his mother to Geet on her last birthday, when he was away.
It was a family heirloom. How odd that it fit exactly on her ring-finger, where
he would have placed it himself had they undergone such a ceremony.
Would she have wished me had she known?
**********************************************************************
(April 10, 1982...)
(Khalsa College, Amritsar...)
"How about we go for
lunch somewhere?"
"I am sorry Ruby,"
Geet looked at her apologetically, "I can't come."
"But Geet, its our
last day in college! Shouldn't we celebrate it?"
"Papaji doesn't like
us roaming around the city unchaperoned. I have told you this many times."
"Oh if that is the
issue, then don't worry at all," Ruby eagerly spoke up, "my cousin brother, he
can accompany us. That would be fine, right?"
As if that would
make things acceptable. Geet looked at Ruby awkwardly. Why can't she take the
hint? I don't want to go with her. Lately, Ruby had been very insistent on
going out together. Lunches, shopping, movies, etc. Something Geet was not very
keen on. And even if she would ever agree to Ruby's suggestions, she knew her
father would not agree to it. And Geet had no inclination to displease her
Papaji.
Plus ever since that
Holi incidence, Geet had started to avoid being in strange company totally.
That day was the most horrible day of her life.
A life that she had
lived sheltered in love and care of her family. This one incident that really
shaken Geet up.
"Look," Geet
replied, "why don't you come to my home instead?"
"At home?" Ruby
grimaced, but quickly put on a smile, "will you be having a party?"
"Umm...no. It will
just us and Pari di."
"Oh, well let it be
then."
"As you wish," Geet
smiled politely and hurried off to meet up with Meera and Pari.
**********************************************************************
(April 17, 1982...)
(Army Cantonment, Roorkee...)
Anupama entered her
home and kicked off her sandals, "Wonderful party, wasn't it?"
Tejbir snaked his
hands around her waist and whispered suggestively, "The party is yet to start
darling."
"Dushto!"
Tejbir just grinned
as he reached out to help her remove her necklace as her hands were at her
ear-rings.
"But only one thing
was amiss. Maan bhai shouldn't have left Rasika on the dance floor abruptly
like that. That was rude. Poor thing must have felt so bad."
"Pammi," Tejbir
sighed and faced Anupama towards him, "you very well know Maan hates to be
forced into situations he dislikes. He doesn't dance. Period. You and Mrs.
Rathore coerced him into dancing with Rasika. He was extremely uncomfortable.
Particularly when Rasika started almost clinging to him."
"Yes," Anupama made
a sour face, "that was quiet embarrassing even for us to watch. What was the
girl thinking? Gadhi! Ki bokami [Stupid girl! What sillyness?!] Off-late I have
started finding her very irritating. Especially after that trip to Rishikesh.
Remember how she cribbed and whined the whole way to and back? Arggh!! All I
could think was that our baby should not get disturbed by her screeching."
"And yet you wish to
set her up with Maan..."
"I just wanted Maan
bhai to open up a little. Consider getting married. And she did seem such a
sweet, cultured..."
The telephone rang
interrupting Anupama.
"Ke phone koresi ei
shomay" [Whose phone it can be at this hour?]
Tejbir shrugged and
picked the receiver off the hook, "Hello...kya?...okay...no we are on our way."
**********************************************************************
(Maan's Quarters...)
"I will freeze to
death out here."
"It is middle of
April. I have my doubts."
"Maan..."
"It's Captain
Khurana for you Miss Rathore," he leaned against his door, "You have already
broken all rules of propriety by coming over to a bachelor's pad unattended at
this late hour atleast maintain an iota of manners. Do not attempt to
familiarize with me."
Rasika fumed at his
words, "Is this what propriety dictates then? Being rude to a lady?"
He scoffed at her
question, "Lady? I don't see a lady before me but a spoilt conniving brat!"
Maan was sure his
head would explode any minute now.
It was a shock to
find Rasika at his door in the middle of the night. The girl is crazy! Coming to a bachelor's house like this, at this
time. She has no care for her reputation and will ruin mine too. After the
cold shoulder he had given her at the party before he was sure she would get a hint
to stay away from him. But I guess I had
underestimated her foolishness.
Even now he had at
first tried to send her away. But her obstinate stupidity combined with three mugs of beer had turned her into a stubborn mule. There was no way he would
let her inside and give fodder to rumor mill. He respected Col Rathore a lot
and his own father's name was too precious for him to be soiled such. So he did
the only thing that seemed possible and appropriate.
"Maan," Tejbir
rushed over to him, "Rasika? What are you doing here?"
"Ooh ma! Eta ki?"
[What is this?] Anupama looked at Rasika and then at Maan.
"Come in," Maan
heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of his friends, "all of you," he glared at
Rasika.
No sooner had they
entered Rasika lashed out at Maan, "What is your problem Khurana? Why this
entire attitude? Just because I am pursuing you instead of the other way round.
Does this give your ego a boost?"
"Attitude? Pursuing
me? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Why don't you tell
him Pammi?"
"Mind your tone
girl," Tejbir growled.
Anupama kept a
calming hand on Tejbir's arm and looked at Maan, "She likes you Maan. And I am
afraid I have encouraged her in her feelings," she admitted regretfully.
"Oh it is not about
the liking anymore. It's about all the times you have slighted me."
"You were behaving
out of line with me. You were getting clingy. I was only maintaining my
distance."
"A girl shows her
interest in you and you are calling her clingy! What are you," Rasika screamed,
"gay?"
"I am engaged."
"What!" Three voices
echoed in the room.
"Fabulous," Rasika
huffed, "so you got yourself a village fool! Soon you will know what you have
missed."
"Let me amend my
statement Miss Rathore," Maan smirked, "I am happily engaged," he stepped
towards the main door, "to a girl of my choice," he held it open, "and not interested
in the likes of you," and gestured her to get out.
**********************************************************************
(April, 1982...)
(Amritsar...)
"I am so glad you
came," Ruby grinned at Geet.
A little emotional blackmailing goes such a
long way. I wish I had used this tool earlier. Atleast I wouldn't have had to tolerate
Rahul's mental torture this long. She invited Geet inside her home. All
the guy wants is to meet her once. One meeting has taken almost two years to
come about. God knows how much long will it take for him to finally get her. I
am already tired of all this.
It had taken an hour
long phone call to Geet crying and faking misery of being all alone on her
birthday. She had cajoled, pleaded and eventually begged for Geet to come spend
time with her. Thank God it paid off!
Geet was feeling odd
and slightly restless at being in Ruby's home.
She had never been
to anyone of her classmate's home before. And definitely never alone. But
hearing Ruby so low and dejected on the phone tugged at her heart. She hesitated
but let Mohinder know of Ruby's request.
For some reason he
had agreed.
Though Geet had not
told him that Ruby is alone at her home. That would have been unacceptable to
Mohinder and he would never have allowed Geet to go.
And now sitting in
Ruby's house she wasn't sure if she made a right decision to come here.
Something felt wrong. Or maybe she was just nervous because of the novelty of
this experience. Visiting a friend all alone.
She looked around
Ruby's house observing the interiors. And found a table decorated with rose
petals and candles.
"Ruby..."
"Yeah?"
"Why is that table
decorated so elaborately?"
"Oh that is for
cutting the cake."
"Cake? Where is the
cake?" Geet politely smiled.
"My cousin brother
has gone to get it," Ruby nonchalantly replied not noticing the alarm on Geet's
face.
"Brother? You said
you were alone at home. How can I be here when he will be here? My father won't
like this."
"Who will tell your
father anything?" Ruby winked at Geet.
Geet frowned at
Ruby's words and her lack of respect towards her father's wishes.
"Look Geet," Ruby
shrugged, "it is no big deal."
I hope she doesn't create any issue now. I
knew Rahul's plan was crap. Wooing her with cake and flowers. Nonesense! Looks
like she will run off before he even comes.
"Geet, I think you
should know something..."
"What?"
"My cousin brother,"
Ruby began explaining, "he likes you. I mean really like you. I think you
should meet him once."
"What are you
talking about? How can you say such things to me?"
"Oh come on Geet, don't
be like this. What is wrong in my cousin having a liking for you?"
"It is wrong for you
to lie to me," Geet stressed, "and moreover I am simply not interested in
meeting your cousin, whosoever he maybe!"
"But why?"
Geet turned towards
the voice that had raised the question. And she couldn't believe her eyes when
she Rahul, the same fellow from the Holi incident, standing in front of her
holding a cake.
She let out a gasp,
"You!"
"You guys have met?"
Ruby looked on incredulously.
"He is the same guy who
had troubled me on Holi Ruby," Geet complained panicking at the sight of him
standing infront of her.
"Bhai was that you?
And you never told me. Oh well," Ruby waved off, "good that you have already
met."
"Is he your cousin?
I am leaving right now," Geet spoke with determination.
"No you are not!"
Ruby snapped. "I have not wasted two years of my life befriending you so that
you simply walk away from this."
And then in an
unexpected move she grabbed Geet by her arm and dragged her towards a bedroom.
"You are not going
anywhere till you hear him out."
Rahul followed Ruby
into the room and leaned against the wall next to the door.
"Wait...Ruby...what are
you..."
The sound of the
door slamming and the lock latching filled Geet with a sense of dread. Her eyes
darted towards Rahul who was leaning casually against the wall.
She ran upto the
door conscious of Rahul's presence next to her. Keeping down the bile that rose
in her she banged the door. "Ruby! Ruby! Let me out! Why are you doing this?"
"No use banging the
door Geet," Rahul cocked his head to his left, "she won't let you out."
Geet jerked away at
the sound of his voice. All that was going in her head was that she has to get
out of here. She felt suffocated. Her palms were getting sweaty. Beads of sweat
started to form on her brows. She banged the door again and couldn't help
repeating again and again, "Why are you doing this? Let me out."
"Why do you want to
leave Geet? All I want to do is talk to you. You don't how much I like..."
"But I don't like
you," she screamed at him, "I don't like you...I don't like you...I don't like
you..."
Enraged at her
outright rejection he grabbed both her arms, "Why don't you like me? WHY?! Do
you know since how long I have been thinking about you? Admiring you...loving
you..."
He jerked till she
shook. Too numb to speak tears sprang from her eyes as her body spasmed with
silent sobs.
"Why can't you
understand my feelings? What is so unacceptable about me that you can't even
stand my presence?" He shook her again, "Speak up!!"
"Let me go," she
barely managed a whisper, "please."
"WHY?!" He let out a
string of curses and spoke in a softer tone, "What is the point of leaving when
you will be mine anyways."
Geet shook her head
in denial hearing his claim. "No...no...no..."
"Yes! Have no doubts
about it!"
"I am
engaged...engaged to get married to someone else...I am..."
He released her
abruptly from his grasp on hearing this. "SHUT UP! This is not true...you are
lying...LIAR!" He screamed and lunged at her arms again.
Terror-filled her
heart and gave momentum to her words. "No...I swear...I am engaged to someone else...let
me go...let me go..." Not knowing what else to do she started screaming at the
top of her voice, "LET ME GO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO! LEAVE ME! LEAVE ME! LET ME
GO..."
The door suddenly
flew open and Ruby came barging in, "What the hell! Let her go bhai. The
neighbors are already complaining," she freed Geet from his grasp and dismissed
her, "Leave."
Rahul tried to get
past Ruby as he saw Geet fleeing from the room, "Let her go bhai. Not worth the
effort anyways."
Geet ran out of the
house without stopping even a second. She looked around sobbing uncontrollably
and found herself in the middle of the road with traffic rushing forth from
both sides.
She did not even
dare look back.
She wiped her eyes
clean and tried to clear her head.
Looking ahead she
found few rickshaws standing. She hailed one and asked him if he would take her
towards her home giving him the name of her locality.
"Das rupaiye..."
"Koi farak nahi
painda. Just go," she stressed and climbed upon it. Just take me home, she cried inside, I have to get back to my home. I want to go to my home.
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Edited by jazzerette - 11 years ago
)
i really wish geet knew it was his birthday.. poor boy he wishes for one thing in his life only to see it unfulfilled 
