PART 32
Geet stared at the door for a long time, she sighed heavily and then knocked a few times.
“Alisha” she called softly. She didn’t get a response so she waited for a bit then knocked once again, she was glad that badi ma was taken out for some fresh air by Nazmin and Saira, Sameera and Hena went to college as usual so no one else but they were at home.
“Alisha please open the door” she said softly in a gentle tone and stepped back hearing the click of the door.
Alisha opened the door and looked back at Geet expressionlessly. “What do you want?” she questioned.
“I just wanted to check if you’re okay” Geet replied softly.
“the woman who hates my guts wants to see if I’m okay? I would’ve thought you’d be celebrating” she responded and turned walking back inside her room.
“I wouldn’t want something like that to happen to anyone Alisha, not even my worst enenmy” Geet replied stepping into the room.
“What do you think happened?” she turned to Geet raising her brows.
“What did happen Alisha?” she questioned back.
She swallowed hard and turned her head away from Geet. “Nothing”
“He’s worried for you and... I want to know how you are” Geet said softly.
“Maan and worried for me?” she turned her head to Geet. “And you want to know how I am? You’re not here to warn me to cut the crap and get on with life?”
“Alisha look I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that but I... but you were the first woman he was engaged to, I was jealous because he said you were also close friends” Geet replied.
Alisha shook her head. “I might be the first woman he was engaged to Geet but we both got engaged out of duty”
“I know” Geet replied softly. “But he cares for you as a friend. What happened last night Alisha?”
“I don’t want to talk about it” Alisha shook her head. She’d buried the night away, she didn’t want to remember what Sarmad did.
“Okay” Geet accepted her request because it may not be easy to speak about something that might’ve happened. She may still want some time before she can open herself to everyone. “But can I just ask you one thing” Geet asked softly.
“What?”
“Something hurt you last night but I want to know if its something that’s not repairable?”
Alisha painfully smirked. “I could fix myself” she responded and turned to look at Geet directly. “I’ll be fine and you can tell that to Maan as well”
Geet softly smiled and walked away relieved a little, she somewhere knew Maan was worried for her as well as everyone else in the household.
“Sir” Maan looked up as Ayesha walked into his cabin. “The tickets you requested” she passed him an envelope.
Maan opened the envelope and looked at the tickets he’d ordered a few days back wanting to take Geet out.
He rubbed his face wondering whether this was still a good time to go away for a few days but then he couldn’t do anything.
He called Saira on the house phone wanting to ask her, however the call went straight for the voicemail then decided to call Geet.
“Hello” Geet spoke and tucked the phone between her shoulder and her ear whilst she continued to iron out the clothes.
“Geet main hoon” Maan said.
“Pata hai, aapka number mere phone pe saved hai” she chuckled placing his pants onto a hanger.
“Geet!”
She giggled. “Sorry, aap ne phone kyun kiya?”
“Koi ghar pe nahi hai kya? Mansion pe phone kiya koi phone nahi utta tha”
“Nahi woh badi ammi ko lekar bahar gaye hai” she walked over to the closet putting the clothes away.
“Oh... dekho jab ammi ghar aate hai mujhe ek miss call dena”
“Kyun?” she asked tidying away the iron and the iron board.
“Woh mere aur ammi ke beech ke baat hai” he smirked.
“Accha ji.. waise mujhe bhi aapse kuch baat karni hai lekin ab toh mein ammi ko sirf bataungi” She responded.
“Kya? Lottery lag gayi kya?” he chuckled.
“Aisa hi” she smiled and walked out their room.
“Geet pati hoon tumhara toh batao”
“Toh main bhi aapki patni hoon toh mujhe bataiye”
“Teek hai baba” he sighed. “Main humare liye tickets book kiya hai”
“Kyun?” she asked as she headed downstairs.
“Honeymoon pe jana hai isi liye” he joked.
“mazak mat kariye, kahan jaa rahe hai hum”
“Maine socha hum kuch din Ramdhan se pehle kuch din akele bitaye, Ramdhan ke waqt hum busy rahenge”
“Oh... Kahan jayenge”
“Ab sab kuch batadiya hai lekin yeh ek surprise hai”
“Teek hai, kitne din ke liye jaa rahe hai” she questioned settling herself on the sofa comfortably.
“Sirf ek hafte ke liye jaa rahe hai” he replied leaning against his chair as he thought of them going away. “Accha ab tum bataoge kaun sa lottery jeet li hai tumne?” he asked remembering she had something to share as well.
Geet smiled softly then explained about her talking to Alisha, Maan silently thanked her as he listened carefully. Something happened but it wasn’t as worse as they’d imagined, except they weren’t aware of what might have taken place. Alisha hadn’t said nor was she going to speak about it.
Geet played around with her food stealing glances at Maan as he ate, she chewed her lower lip from time to time, she’d been wanting to talk to him about their trip for sometime but hadn’t been able to voice it afraid off disappointing him.
“Seriously Geet I think you should speak up now, you’re so uncomfortable just sitting here squirming as if I’ve put a gun to your head” Maan looked up at her.
She stared at him wide eyed for a moment.
“Well?”
“Um... I..”
“Geet please tell me. I’ve mentioned it before I can't read minds” he responded.
“Woh... I’m just thinking will it be a good time to go out?”
“Meaning?”
“Well... with the thing with Alisha, badi ma’s going to be upset” she continued.
Maan sighed nodding in response. “That’s true. That’s why I’m going to talk to mom about it. It’s not like we can both do anything, badi ma wouldn’t want us involved in any way so I don’t see why we shouldn’t” he shrugged.
“I think it’s best we wait” she suggested. “What if we’re gone and ammi needs you or something?” she continued.
“Like that Geet, even if we go later on she might want something and are you going to delay it?” he questioned.
“No” she muttered as she continued to ponder over his question since she couldn’t answer him as confidently as she wanted. “But...”
“No buts Geet. Dekho I’ll speak to mom, see what she says, if she thinks by us staying here will help then we’ll stay, however in all honesty we aren’t going to be any use. Badi ma wouldn’t let us interfere” he stated the facts that Geet somewhere knew deep down but she also knew it’d be wrong to leave now. “Alright?”
“Okay” she agreed.
“Everything will be fine, we’re only going to be going for a week” he stood to his feet with his plate and headed to the kitchen, Geet looked down at her plate which was still mostly full since she wasn’t feeling too hungry, she carried her plate and headed to the kitchen.
“You haven’t finished” Maan looked at her plate as he washed up his plate.
“I’m not hungry” she responded. “I’ll put it away for later, if I get hungry”
“Geet you know well you shouldn’t be wasting food like that”
“I know, I’ll eat later I promise” she stored it away covering the plate up then washed her hands whilst Maan dried his hands.
Geet turned around wiping her hands on the towel when she noted Maan staring at her.
“Aise kyun dekh rahe hai?” she asked.
He shook his head. “You okay?” he questioned leaning against the counter crossing his arms across his chest.
“Haan kyun?” she stepped closer resting her head on his arm.
“Don’t you want to go?” Maan looked down at her wrapping his arm around her waist.
“Where?” she looked up at him.
“Like on this little holiday?” he asked.
“Why do you ask?” she frowned in confusion.
“Because... you’ve been talking about not going” he replied back. “Geet if you don’t want to go then tell me, I’ll cancel it”
“Its nothing like that” she responded though Maan was still eyeing her carefully trying to read her because he was still unsure of her response.
“I promise” she wrapped her arms around his waist hugging him by the side and rested her head on his shoulder. “I still do feel it’s a wrong time considering the situation at home but I do also want to go” she replied. “Though you still haven’t told me where, so God knows where you’ve planned this trip” she looked back at him to see him smiling in amusement.
“And like I said it’s a surprise”
“Just a little hint?”
Maan shook his head in response making her pout, he leaned pressing a kiss to her lips. “Let’s go” he tugged her and headed upstairs, Geet switched off the lights as they walked out the kitchen.
“Wait” Geet stopped before the stairs. “I think we should go to the outhouse just to check how everything over there is” she suggested.
“Alright” he agreed. “Let me put my shoes on” he told her since he was walking around bare feet all this time.
Whilst Maan slipped on his shoes, Geet checked on the windows and the other doors to make sure they were all locked, Maan called her over and they both locked up and headed to the mansion.
They entered and saw everyone was sat in the hall.
“Tu yeh janta ta?” Badi ma looked questioning him.
“Kis baare mein?”
“Alisha aur uss ladke ke badhe mein?” she snapped.
Maan looked at Alisha who sat with her head hung low, he stared at her for a moment but she refused to look back at him, he turned to badi ma who was still waiting for her response.
“Chup kyun hai?”
He sighed heavily. “Haan. Mujhe pata ta”
“Aur tu dekhte reh gaya” she questioned bitterly.
“Badi ma jab mujhe pata chala Alisha usko chodh diya” he defended himself.
She shook her head rubbing her forehead then turned to Alisha. “Pata nahi kaun tujhe shadi karega” she said harshly. “Kya hasil karna chahti ti? Usse shadi karna chahti ti toh bataya kyun nahi? Aise bazaar ke aurat ke tarah kyun aapne aap ko bech diya”
“Badi ma bas kijiye” Maan intervened. “Maana ke woh galat ti, lekin ussne Sarmad ke saat rishta todh diya”
“Kaun yeh maanega? Usse kaun shadi karega?” she questioned.
“Aap ko sirf uske shadi ke padhi hai, uske baadhe main kabhi socha hai?” he questioned “Agar aap uske baade mein sochte na toh yeh din nahi aata” he responded sharply.
Geet held onto his forearm shaking her head subtly.
“Maan” Saira called.
Maan looked away huffing out in annoyance.
“Ek ma ke liye uske beti ka ghar basana sab kuch hi hota hai” Badi ma muttered. “Uske abbu yahan hote toh main chinta nahi karti, lekin woh yahan nahi hai. Loug aise waise ladkiya nahi chunte apne ghar ke bahu banne ke liye”
“Badi ma aap ne todha bohut padh li hai, aur aap acche se jante hai ke Alisha ke liye koi na koi bana hai. Shayad abhi shadi karna uske kismat mein nahi hai”
“Usko mere sar pe rakhu kya?” she waved to Alisha. “Kaam nahi kar rahi hai, uske room mein beti rehti hai, sirf khati hai, soti hai” she complained. “Agar shadi kar leti toh... toh kuch toh bann jati, har waqt room mein lock kar ke bait jati hai”
“Uska umar hi kya hai? Waqt hai badi ma”
“Maine todhi bohut padh li hai Maan, aur tune bhi padh liya hoga ke baligh hote hi ladkiya aur ladke ke shadi karna sunnat hai”
“Agar accha ladka mil jaye, jo ek accha musalmaan hai” he responded. “Aur woh bhi ladki ki haan se, agar woh shadi nahi karna chahti toh aap uske saat zabardasti nahi kar sakte” he continued to which badi ma glared at him at his indirect accusation.
“Maan, Bas Karo” Saira intervened. “Tum yahan kyun aaye ho?” she questioned wanting to divert his attention.
He looked away for a moment sighing heavily resting his hands on hips, Geet chewed on her lip as she registered what had just happened suddenly. The room was so tense with this little argument, everyone in the hall were just as uneasy.
“Maan?”
“Mujhe aap se baat karna hai” he turned his head to Saira.
“Teek hai, challo” she looked around at everyone for a moment before heading upstairs.
“Come on” Maan muttered to Geet and followed with Geet walking alongside him.
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