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Chapter 25
"It's the weekend Geet" Maan stepped beside Geet as he reached for his bottle of ice cold water, he chugged it down and turned his head to Geet who only stared at him confused.
"Ji.." she mumbled back softly.
"Weekend Geet, the days we can get to know each other" he reminded.
"Oh..." she stared back in disbelief and was blushing slightly.
Maan smiled faintly trying so hard not to laugh seeing her expression, she seemed so clueless right now and so confused.
"Would you like to go for a coffee?" he asked deciding to ask her without beating around the bush, they wouldn't exactly get anywhere till they didn't make an effort.
"Um... ok" she shrugged unsurely.
Maan shook his head inwardly and moved away seeing her growing so conscious, Amelia and Meera walked towards her and frowned seeing her with her eyes dipped down wringing her fingers continuously.
"What's wrong with you?" Meera questioned reaching down for her bag.
"Nothing" Geet shook her head looking around aimlessly.
"Anyways let's go out tonight" Amelia suggested.
"I can't" Geet informed her quickly.
"Why? You said you had nothing planned" Meera frowned.
"Yeah... but now I have"
"What?" Amelia crossed her arms thinking Geet was lying to worm her way out of going out with them.
"Well I'm... I'm going for a coffee with Maan" she murmured blushing slightly.
"Aww my baby's going on a date" Amelia gushed hugging her.
"It's not a date" Geet pulled back frowning.
"It's called a date" Amelia pointed.
"No it isn't" Geet shook her head. "We're just going out for coffee"
"It's called a date" she repeated.
"Meer you tell me, going out with Maan for a coffee will it be a date?"
"Well... yeah" Meera responded.
"No it isn't. A date is with all those red roses and all that. I read it in books aur waise bhi it can't be date. A date is between girlfriend boyfriend" she pointed out shaking her head at her friends.
"It's still a date babe. But its so cute" Amelia gushed. "I wished some Khurana banana asked me" She said loudly so Karan would hear, he looked at her and scrunched his nose looking away immediately.
"I so hate him" Amelia huffed crossing her arms. "Damn I had guys running after me and I'm here running after him" she muttered complaining to no one in particular.
"It's still not a date" she told Meera who stared at her.
"It is a date" Meera replied. "Right jeej?" she questioned, Geet tensed and slowly turned around to see Maan standing only a few feet away.
"What's that?" Maan frowned looking over his shoulder, he was about to head back inside to get changed when she'd called him.
"You're taking..."
"Meera" Geet hissed cutting her off, she wrapped her fingers around Meera's wrist pulling her away.
"She's saying you're taking Geet out on a date right?" Amelia did the good deed asking the question on Meera's behalf. Geet gaped at her friend, heat colouring her cheek instantly, Maan was stunned into silence, his face burning in embarrassment, he quickly glanced at Geet who didn't look his way at all, he felt the sharp eyes of his brothers on him. He wished the earth would swallow him up right now and right here.
He cleared his throat trying not to seem affected by their words, he smiled tightly. "Sure. You could call it that. Geet is my wife after all" he rambled on not even knowing what he was saying, he passed a tight smile and turned around heading into the house cursing himself for agreeing to even play.
Geet narrowed her eyes at her friends and was about scold them however Vikrant and Karan walked over with Vikrant staring at her mischievously.
"So bhabhi..." he started.
"I'm going to get changed" she quickly said cursing her friends inwardly, she halted as she nearly collided with Dadima who stared at her in concern.
"Geet aap bhaag kyun rahe hai? Kisi ne kuch kahan kya?" she questioned touching her cheek lovingly.
"Nahi Dadima... woh... Mujhe change karna hai" she mumbled.
"Kya baat hai? Aap bemaar toh nahi hai?" she questioned feeling Geet's forehead.
"Dadima bhabhi needs to get ready, you're delaying her" Vikrant walked in laughing staring at Geet playfully.
"Kya matlab?"
"Dadima woh Vikrant na mujhe cherta rehta hai" Geet complained intervening before Vikrant had a chance to respond.
"Oh please Dadima don't listen to bhabhi, she's got a date with bhai so she's going to be late if you don't let her go" he pointed.
Dadima looked at Geet who instantly dipped her head down blushing, she slowly looked up at her consciously. "Dadima... aisa... kuch nahi hai" she stammered.
Dadima smiled and cradled both her cheeks and pressed a kiss to her forehead, Geet slipped her arms around her and hugged her biting down on her lower lip, her eyes drew to Maan who stood by the banister staring down at them, she pulled back and looked away from him.
Maan smiled to himself, he admired the way Geet interacted with Dadima, something that no one else had been able to do other than him and Vikrant. No one had been able to capture his dadima's heart like Geet did and he knew it was because of his mother. His mother had shattered Dadima to an extent she'd lost faith in being able to trust someone, but with Geet it had come naturally. He glanced at them once more then headed to his room to freshen up and change.
Geet excused herself after making sure Vikrant got himself a scolding from Dadima for teasing her, she laughed to herself recalling his pouting and whining, she walked away to her room to get changed. She closed the door and smiled to herself.
"He might in the night,You know if we make the boys lose then he might take revenge with that long passionate... Lurrrvvveee making"
"She's saying you're taking Geet out on a date right?"
"Sure. You could call it that. Geet is my wife after all"
Her face grew hot recalling their talks downstairs, she smiled inwardly, goosebumps covered her arms, her stomach curled as she was excited as well as nervous. She walked over to her bed flopping onto her stomach, she looked at the photo resting on the nightstand, it was of their wedding, a photo of them in one frame but they seemed complete strangers, their photo spoke volumes of their relationship at the time, they were simply two strangers, despite not accepting her marriage entire and Dadima knowing it but Dadima still placed it because in a way her room didn't look complete according to her. She slowly drew her finger over his face and blushed as she touched his cheek, she pulled her hand back instantly and placed the frame back on the nightstand and stood up reminding herself she still had to get ready.
Geet pulled out her phone dialling Dr Nikita's number wanting her advice, she waited glancing at the time chewing on her lip nervously.
"Dr Nikita" Dr Nikita responded as she answered her phone.
"Hi, it's Geet" she replied.
"Oh hi Geet. Quite a surprise, how are you?" she questioned politely.
"I'm good, how about you?" she responded.
"I'm good as well, thank you for asking. What made you call instead of booking an appointment?" she questioned teasingly.
"Uh... well. I'm actually going to go out with Maan, we're only going for coffee but I'm scared" she replied. "Also will it still be a date if I go for coffee?" she asked softly feeling shy just for asking.
"Ah the coffee meetings" Dr Nikita chuckled. "What is there to be scared of?" she questioned.
"Well... I don't know. Not scared but I'm kind of... conscious" she muttered. "Like is it a date?" she asked softly.
"Depends on how you see it and how your husband asked you" she explained. "Dates are usually when he's asked you out to dinner, or lunch. Coffee meetings is like small steps before the date"
"Oh... So it's not a date"
"You can turn into one if you want" She laughed.
"No. I'm fine with the coffee meeting" Geet replied.
"Anything else I can help with?"
"What should I wear?" she questioned innocently.
"I suggest whatever you're comfortable with. Not to impress him or anything but what you're comfortable with Geet. It's best to show him what you're like, if things do hopefully proceed further hopefully then your husband will know your taste and likes, he'll know you as the person you are, not someone who dresses to impress him, he'd like you be yourself as well" she explained.
"Ok. Thank you Dr Nikita" she responded genuinely thankful to her for helping her whenever she needed it.
"You're welcome and best of luck" She wished.
Geet bid bye then walked over to her closet looking through her clothes, she picked out her black jeans and her favourite top and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.
"I heard about someone going out on a date" Dadima spoke entering Maan's room and found him tapping away on his laptop, he was sat leaning up against his headboard and his legs stretched.
"Dadima it's a coffee" he replied shaking his head wondering why on earth everyone is making such a big deal of them going out for a coffee.
"You can also have coffee here as well" Dadima pointed out. "Geet makes a good coffee" she added intentionally.
"Thanks for the reference, when I need a coffee I'll tell her" he mocked.
"Where are you taking my bahu?" she questioned sitting down before him on the bed.
"To a cafe" he replied looking back to the screen.
"Why don't you take her to dinner instead? Weekend hai, aap dono free hai" she said pointedly closing the lid of the laptop staring intently at him.
"Dadima look we agreed to a coffee" he responded sighing heavily.
"Not anymore, I'm going to tell Geet you're going to dinner instead" Dadima stood up.
"Dadima" he reached out to grab her arm but she walked away hurriedly, Maan climbed out and followed her.
"Dadima listen to me" he called. "Dadima"
Dadima ignored him and headed straight for Geet's room.
"Dadima you're being stubborn now"
"Maan if you both aren't doing anything I have..." she stopped when Geet opened the door stepping out and halted seeing Dadima headed for her and Maan right behind her, she frowned staring between them.
"Bete there's been a change of plans" Dadima spoke before Maan could reach her side and stop her.
"Dadima" he muttered walking to her side whilst she ignored him.
"Maan aapko dinner pe leke jaa rahe hai" she informed Geet who eyes widened.
"J... ji..." she looked so innocent and completely confused.
Dadima nodded grinning. "Maan's going to take you to dinner, you can have coffee all the time, you're both free so go to dinner together"
Maan looked at Geet who stared back at him in disbelief, she looked back at Dadima who was grinning widely, Geet plastered a fake smile inwardly wishing she'd sink into the ground.
"Jaake tayyar ho jaiye" Dadima pointed, Geet looked down at herself then back at Dadima, she didn't know what she could wear to dinner, she recalled Dr nikita's words, it's usually a date when they're going to dinner...
"Hum aapke madad karte hai" Dadima spoke seeing her staring at her clothes, she looked over her shoulder at Maan who was glaring at her, she smiled widely giving him a thumbs up and led Geet back to her bedroom to help her get dressed.
Maan glared at the closed door for a moment hoping his eyes were burning a hole in his Dadima, she'd just made this awkward and formal. He sighed heavily and headed back to his room to change into something, he had to think of something to break this barrier of awkwardness that Dadima just settled between them. Had it been a coffee date it probably would've been easier to interact but now... he only hoped everything went well.
The drive was silent, Geet and Maan weren't anywhere near comfortable, the thought of having dinner with each other was almost daunting for them both. Maan could almost predict the evening, he'd make a fool of himself by not being able to even come up with something to talk to and Geet... well she'd be quiet throughout the entire evening. He didn't think he could go on for the next couple of hours like that, he decided to take things into his own hand, it was his wife he was going to spend time with, not his Dadima.
"Geet" he turned his head to her as he came to stop at the traffic lights. "Would you like to go somewhere else?" he questioned.
"Um... What about Dadima?" she mumbled wondering if she'd hurt dadima's feelings if they didn't go as Dadima suggested.
"And who's going to tell?" he replied with a smile. "We both know how this night would go down, and I'm saying it now I don't want to go to dinner" he admitted to her.
She almost seemed relieved, and inwardly she was. "Ok..." she nodded.
"Do you want to go somewhere else?" he asked.
"Have you been bowling?" she responded quickly, she instantly pressed her lips together cursing herself inwardly. Very stupid to already give suggestions, what if he didn't like bowling? She wondered.
"Bowling huh?" he quirked his brows up in amusement not even knowing his wife had been bowling, he changed gears and drew away when the lights turned green. "Bowling it is then" he told her as he took a turn driving down the long road.
"Um we don't have to go" she mumbled. "I mean... you might not like it"
"It's ok. I'm fine with bowling" Maan replied. "The last time I'd been was when I was young" he revealed unknowingly. "It's going to be nice to go bowling"
Geet smiled softly as she glanced at him, the awkwardness that had settled in her stomach now seemed to slowly fade, her worries over their date' was gone.
As they reached the bowling venue, Maan booked an alley for them paying for 3 games each and rented shoes out for the both of them. Once they had their shoes on, Maan walked her to the alley they'd chosen.
"You know how to play right?" Maan questioned.
Geet nodded, "I came here with Vikrant a few times" she informed to which Maan nodded, he gestured her to pick her ball first allowing her to start the game.
"Good luck" he wished her softly as she stood and prepared herself, she smiled gently nodding in acknowledgement.
Geet drew her elbow back lowering down slowly then released the ball a little firmly, it slid down the bowling lane heading in the right direction but slowly manoeuvred to the side locking into the gutter and disappeared in the back without touching one pin.
"Aww..." she frowned murmuring to herself, she looked over her shoulder at Maan who smiled slightly, she stepped back allowing him to take his turn.
Maan seemed lucky as he struck down the pins in his first go, he smiled pleased with himself having not lost his touch.
Geet took her next turn and wanted to smash the ball when the ball rolled to the right gutter and once again disappeared.
"Mujhe nahi khelna" she muttered feeling dejected.
"How about I show you?" Maan questioned without realizing what he was even asking, he grabbed the ball which would be more suitable for her and gestured her to hold it, only when he stood behind did he realize what he'd asked. Geet felt goose bumps running down her back, she almost arched forward feeling his closeness affecting her. Maan knew he'd look like a right idiot if he moved back making this completely awkward, so he placed his hand over hers, holding her hips gently.
"Pull back gently then release" Maan muttered guiding her, he stepped back as the ball released and rolled, Geet's attention drew to the ball, her eyes widened in surprise when it struck.
"Oh my gosh, I done it" Geet squealed excitedly as she knocked over the pins.
Maan looked at her in amusement, Geet realized where she was and who she was with, she dipped her eyes down noting Maan looking at her.
"Um... I.. I mean... you helped" she mumbled.
Maan smirked slightly looking away pushing his hands into his pockets. Geet stole glances of him and noted the smile he tried to hide, she blushed even harder feeling embarrassed, Maan couldn't help himself any longer and ended up laughing softly hoping she wouldn't notice. This was a side he wasn't used to of his wife, Geet bit down on her lower lip pressing her eyes closed, Maan cleared his throat looking around as he'd composed himself.
"Do you want to eat something?" he asked.
"Won't we finish playing?" she replied knowing he'd paid for 3 games each.
"If you're sure" he shrugged. "You won't be complaining that you're losing now will you?" he winked whilst she gaped at him.
"I can play" she responded back. "I know how to"
"Mmmhmm" he hummed playfully, she blushed biting her cheeks feeling embarrassed at how he was teasing her.
The next hour they'd played, with the occasional teasing and Geet mustering up her courage to answer back. Feeling hungry Maan suggested they grab a bite to eat before they head home to which she agreed to. Once they changed back into their own shoes they headed down to the canteen together and ordered food for themselves, Maan then lead her to a corner booth where they were hidden from the rest of the crowd.
The silence seemed to descend again between them, both stealing glances then looking around, their food arrived which didn't seem to make anything better.
"Um..." Maan cleared his throat. "When are you starting with Karan?" he questioned deciding to break this silence which was annoying him, before it'd been peaceful and wonderful but now... he didn't like it at all.
"Next
week" she replied. "I've applied and I've got an interview on Friday with some...
um I think it was Sofia" she muttered. "After that I'll be starting if I do get
it"
"Have you prepared?" Maan asked as he cut into his steak he'd ordered.
"Yeah, Meera is helping me" she responded cutting into her cheese and onion pie.
"Would you like any of my help?" he asked genuinely. "I could help you practise" he offered.
"Oh... um yeah if you don't mind" she replied not wanting to say no, he was the MD of his company, he was used to employing so he'd know more about the system more than her. Inwardly she was elated though she herself didn't know to acknowledge it.
"Come down to the office tomorrow, at lunch we can go over it then" he responded with a smile continuing to eat his dinner.
"Tomorrow? But I haven't prepared" she muttered.
"Exactly" Maan placed his fork and knife down grabbing his glass of drink and sipped. "I'll be helping you, whatever you've prepared with Meera come with that knowledge and I'll see how much work you need to do" he added.
She nodded swallowing hard, she dipped her eyes down concentrating on her pie and chips as she tried to come up with ways to converse with him. She'd never actually talked herself willingly, it'd always been from his side. She wondered what she could possibly ask him, Dr nikita had suggested she learn more about her husband if she wants this relationship to work. May be his past haina? She thought finding it an easier place to start.
"Erm woh..." she muttered looking up and noted he'd finished eating, she plastered a smile as he stared at her waiting for her to continue.
"Geet" Maan called gently as she didn't speak any further. "Would you like to ask something?" he asked.
"Um.." she swallowed thickly wondering how to question him, her palms grew hot, her face warmed, her cheeks changed coloured slightly. "Woh... I... I wanted... t.t.. to ask about your past" she muttered out.
"What?" he frowned at her confused.
"Um I mean... aapke... koi girlfriends..." she bit down on her lip squeezing her eyes shut. This isn't the type of question she had in mind, she cursed herself inwardly clenching her fists in her lap. "I'm sorry" she blurted out nervously. "I didn't mean that"
Maan didn't respond but nodded, seeing her all clumsy with her mumblings was quite a sight for him, he was surprised and quite amused.
"Would you like to ask anything?" he asked again.
She shook her head. "Nothing. I'm fine. Chale?" she muttered.
"Yeah sure... if you've finished your dinner" he replied to which she nodded gesturing to her half empty plate. Maan paid the bill and together they walked back to the car.
Both slowly walked together into the mansion, the drive back was filled with silence, Geet was feeling embarrassed of how she'd come across at dinner and couldn't even say anything else, Maan had asked her about how she was feeling about the upcoming interview which she'd answered in short sentences and he guessed she wasn't really ready to speak anymore, so he left her to her thoughts and drove home.
Geet was thankful seeing no one was awake, she slightly turned to Maan fidgeting with her fingers. "Um thank you for tonight" her voice slow and soft.
"You're welcome Geet" Maan replied. "It was nice, going out somewhere different" he offered a smile which she returned.
"After tonight I think we'll... be good friends" he added holding out his hand.
She smiled and shook his hand, blushing, stepping back she turned and headed upstairs whilst Maan looked on.
"Geet" Maan called from downstairs just as she reached the top.
"Ji..." she turned and stared down at him.
"Tomorrow, interview practise. Remember?" he responded.
She nodded smiling in response and walked into her room closing the door behind her and leaned against it. She chuckled to herself pressing her eyes closed, her insides filled with a gentle warmth, whatever she was feeling seemed unexplainable.
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