SS: Saathi Part 2 (Pg. 4) - Page 2

However, Mohinder was more concerned about Maan's emotional state. Maan lost everything on the night of the accident. Savitri was his whole world. He laughed with her, confided in her, lived for her. Mohinder couldn't imagine Maan's pain. He must feel so alone.

It was true. Maan did feel alone. Daadi had always told him that oneday she would have to leave. But she would be with him forever in his heart. Believing this was the only thing that kept Maan from falling apart.

Pammi and Dev hadn't visited Maan even once in these four months. They could be less concerned about him. Maan and Daadi had known the bitter reality of Pammi and Dev. They knew that the only thing keeping Pammi and Dev in Khurana Mansion was greed. However both ignored it. Maan and Savitri had lost too many people in the past to give up on what family they had left. They believed that oneday, their love would force Pammi and Dev to undergo a change of heart. Mohinder tried to warn them about living in such a false reality but both wouldn't hear a word against Pammi and Dev.

Today, Mohinder was happy that Savitri was no longer in the world. If she had witnessed how Pammi and Dev neglected Maan in his time of need, she surely would have died of a broken heart.

On the day of Maan's discharge, Mohinder brought up the topic of Maan and Geet's marriage. He was surprised when Mohinder told him that he called his family down from London to their village of Hoshyarpur and that Maan was to join them there.

"Why?" Maan asked.

"For the wedding of course. They arrived this month after Geet finished her studies. Everyone wanted to visit you but I told them to stay there and start preparing for the wedding." smiled Mohinder.

"Wedding?" Maan asked.

"Yes, Maan. Now that you're discharged, we can fulfill Savitri Ma's last wish. The engagement will be tomorrow and the wedding in a week." Mohinder was beaming. He was excited to have Maan be his son-in-law and he knew that his daughter would be the companion Maan needed.

Maan on the other hand was shocked. Maan had assumed that Mohinder had just agreed to the wedding to please Daadi and didn't expect him to follow through. He should have known better. Mohinder was a man of his word. And Maan respected him for this. But the problem was that Maan saw himself as a broken man because of his injury. Maan didn't see himself as being fit to be someone's jeevan saathi. He didn't want to ruin an innocent girl's life by tying her to himself.

He tried to explain this to Mohinder.

"Daadi didn't know that I'd be this broken. I'll never walk on my own without the support of this thing again." Explain Maan gesturing towards his support crutch. "Daadi would never have asked you if she knew." He reasoned.

Mohinder refused saying that he could think of no better man for his daughter. But Maan was adamant.

"I know your daughter feels obligated to say yes. I will not force her into this marriage."

Mohinder: "Look, once you get to Hoshyarpur, you can speak with Geet yourself. Ask her if feels obligated to say yes. Okay? Now get in the car, beta otherwise you'll hit traffic." He forced Maan into the car and instructed the driver to go straight to the Handa Haveli in Hoshyarpur. Mohinder said he had some arrangements to make and would be following shortly.

Maan knew that Mohinder would not back out of the promise. But he could not let Mohinder Uncle's daughter suffer, could he? Although he loved Daadi and would do anything for her, he couldn't ruin an innocent girl's life. He was convinced that this wedding could not happen.

"One look at me and she'll refuse," thought Maan as he travelled into Hoshyarpur.

Maan was brought out of his thoughts when his car broke down.

"What's the matter Munif Chacha?" Maan asked the driver.

"Woh lagta hai tire puncture ho chukka hai. Bus mujhe kuch waqt do beta, abhi neya laga dehta hoon." Munif Chacha explained. While the driver did his work, Maan pulled out his umbrella and started walking along the road to stretch out his legs. He hadn't moved too far when he heard a jingling sound coming from the nearby grounds. He followed the sound to most breath-taking sight.

A girl dressed in a white suit was gracefully dancing while her payals musically chimed along. Maan then noticed her surroundings. She was in a covered courtyard teaching a class. He wasn't sure but it looked like the girl was teaching a kathak class. He watched her show the class a few movements and then walk around adjusting everyone's poses and giving feedback. The smile on her lips, her playful teasing, her fluid movements all had him captivated. Soon a bell chimed and broke his reverie. The class ended and the children scurried off. The girl left the roof covered area and entered the rain. She gave a slight peak to the left and the right. Maan hid himself behind the gate. Curious to know what she was up to, Maan looked back to her. She hit play on a nearby radio and started swaying in the rain. Maan was mesmerized. She moved so freely, splashing around and enjoying the raindrops. He never would have looked away if Munif Chacha hadn't gotten his attention. Maan was so embarrassed. He had never lost himself like that. He should be thinking of ways to get Geet to confess that she's marrying him out of obligation and family pressures – not staring at this woman like a creeper. He hurried back to where Munif Chacha was waiting, casting a final glance to the dancing pari who was still mast in her own dhun.

Just moments after Maan's car pulled away, the dancing pari was brought back to reality by a shrill scream.

"GEET! What on earth are you doing?!?" screamed her cousin Rajji. "You know that my would-be Jeeju is coming today and look at you! God knows how you convinced Rano Aunty to let you teach a dance class today. You should have come home straight away to get ready but no, Madame is here in her Aishwarya Avatar doing a rain dance. Now don't just stare at me jhalli! Come home and get ready!"

Geet: "Kya Rajji… tum bhi na. Once you start, you're off button just disappears. You know na that the kids have their dance competition tomorrow. Ek good luck practice to banta hai? Besides getting ready takes only a few minutes. I'll be set in no time. And you for one should know, there's always time for filmy tumkas. I saw you channeling Shelia's Jawani around the kitchen when you thought no one was watching." Rajji's eyes bulged when Geet pulled out her phone and showed her an embarrassing video. "Haye! Badnam munni! Kya tumke hain tere!" Geet gushed.

"Geet!" Rajji screamed as she chased her home.