Chapter 60: From
curses to demons
'Maan Beta' Rano
greeted seeing Maan and Geet walk in hand in hand, smiling gloriously
'Where did you meet
him?' Brij asked incredulously, obviously dissatisfied with the open affection
and then there was the morning incident when everyone stood waiting for Geet
for breakfast, only to find out she's already gone. He and Teji had been fast
on their feet, looking near and far yet couldn't find Geet. Hence the sour
mood.
'Erm I was waiting
next to the highway' she answered quietly pushing near Darji, who welcomed her
with open arms and nodded in a NO' to Brij and Teji; both looked like they
were about to explode. But of course Darji just couldn't have his dearest
grand-daughter sad on the day she was leaving.
'That's dangerous
Geet, I request for you not to repeat that. Maan I hold you responsible for her
well-being' Darji addressed kissing the top of her head, and narrowed a look to
Maan in warning. Where Geet was concerned he didn't care who he threatened,
even if it was the husband of his grand-daughter.
'Don't worry Darji,
Geet is too especial for me to take a risk' Maan answered earnestly just when
Mohinder sat beside and tapped his shoulder in appreciation, both smiled at one
another as Pammi and Rano placed several delicacies in front of them.
'Dadima apne Sameera
ko dekha; she isn't answering her door' A nervous Nakul asked still holding the
tray with Sameera's breakfast in hand.
'Hasn't she eaten
yet?' Dadi asked taking off her glasses and placing the magazine on the coffee table
'Nahi, it's so unlike
her' he cried in worry as she dismissed maybe she's gone out to eat' without
any concern and picked up her mobile to look into other important matters
'Dadima please check
to karlo, mujhe atcha nahi lag raha he' Nakul inaudibly requested looking to
the ground as Dadi's sharp gaze fell on him, with a huge sigh she got up and
walked the length leading to the stairs, Nakul had followed after leaving the
tray on the dining table.
'Sameera' knock 'open
the door' knock 'Sameera' she called tapping at the door for several seconds
until she gave up and twisted the knob, opening it slightly so only her head
fit through the gap, she had never appreciated walking into a grown girl's
bedroom without permission nor has she ever allowed any of her staff to do so.
Hence, Nakul had no choice but to ask her instead of checking himself. However
whatever she saw left her in shock, Sameera' she gasped running to the stiff
body on the floor. The room was cold and totally dark, with a bad odour
trenching the stuffed bedroom.
'Nakul hit the light'
she screamed who immediately abided by the instruction and then wheezed seeing
a fainted Sameera, she lay on her side on the cold floor between a puddle, a
green bottle near her feet and a glass standing close by, one hand stretched while
the other lay above her growing belly.
'Sameera' Dadi tapped
bringing Nakul out of the shock he was in, both teared fearing the guilt that
succumbed them
'Call the ambulance
quickly' Dadi cried as Nakul shakenly ran to the cordless phone in the room and
called 999.
'Geet this is just
too much' Lakhan fretted as Geet ignored hugging everyone apart from him at the
door. It was time to leave, Maan and Geet had spent the morning and the first
half of the afternoon in the Handa Haveli just lazing around, and having fun.
Something which Maan hadn't done, not around family at least. He always made
sure to stay away from Dadi and Vicky but when Mohinder or Darji, even Tauji or
Chacha held him with love, he had frozen slightly crouching in discomfort;
after all he wasn't used to a fathers love or care. Rano had hovered over,
making up for her daughter's lack of knowledge. She had made sure Maan was
given everything he needed, even when he repeatedly refused, like the 5th
cup of black coffee. While the boys helped around asking Rano to rest, this had
awakened that uncaring heart, it shamed him when he remembered how he behaved
with his own Dadi.
'Geet I promise to
visit you, now please' Lakhan requested as everyone smiled when she finally
hugged him hard and proud.
'See I still hold the
power' she joked as the family started tearing, one by one everyone again
hugged her and then bid bye as they ushered her into a waiting car, Maan had
remained away seeing Geet cry over the departure feeling bad but then not entirely
either, he really wanted Geet to himself. Was it selfish of him? Probably but
he couldn't help the feeling that drove him, that feeling that wanted to be
Geet's sole contact.
'Geet please' Maan beseeched
when she continued sniffing into their 15 minute ride, they had just passed the
signpost that read Hosyarpur'. 'I'll miss them' she cried now placing her head
to the window while he placed his hands over hers and moved it on top of the
gear box. Every few minutes, he'll squeeze her hand and she'd smile despite the
tears.
'Do you want to
listen to music?' he asked delicately, a few more miles and they'd be on the
motorway leading to Delhi
'No' she whispered
still sullen on leaving her family behind. Maan had quickly turned a corner and
then stopped in the middle of a rough country road, it looked broke and dead,
as if hardly ever used.
'Maan where..?' she
started asking but stopped seeing how he pushed back his seat and then pulled
her forward, so now she fell on top of him with a shy smile.
'Looks like this is
the only way to make you smile' he teased pulling her closer
'I hate your tears'
he whispered against her skin, heating the spot where he lightly kissed, 'I
hate when your sad' he continued now kissing her knuckles, 'I hate the distance
between us' his finger met her lips, lightly pulling it apart then replacing it
with his lips.
'I love you' he said
between the kiss and she responded with all her love.
Adeel walked dryly
into his room, the room was filled with her essence burning his heart in rage.
She was choosing love over respect, Adeel had vowed to love and respect while
with Maan, there was no future. 'Why were women so dumb?' he screamed throwing
the lamp to the ground, it broke into many shades, green like his jealousy; red
like his anger; yellow like his misery and white like himself. Was he a canvas,
painted in the colour of his emotion? Soon the pictures where ripped out of the
wall, falling down to the ground like he himself fell to his knees. He was
kneeled between shattered glasses, the floor space thinning making it
impossible for him to walk forward. Geet wasn't just a dream, but a cure to his
lonely heart. What happens now? What happens when a woman rejects you, the
exact woman who the world revolved around?
'ARGH' he screamed,
tears collecting in his eyes but he was too stubborn to let it bleed, no matter
how much it pained but he made sure to drink it back. He wasn't going to cry,
NEVER.
'Vicky where we
going?' Meera asked raising her hand to remove the blindfold
'Ah ha I don't think
so' he held her hand stopping her movement, the car jerked with his sudden
movement earning him a reprimand. He had made sure to apologise with a pious
kiss to her hand.
'I hate surprises
Vicky' Meera mock cried frowning as she heard him laugh
'I promise you'll
love it darling' he vowed still holding her hand; tight, safe and
affection-filled. She had smiled but hidden it under strict warnings for him to
focus on the road, Vicky could be a reckless driver at times.
'We're losing her'
the doctor screamed, alerting the attending staff. Dadima and Nakul stood
outside in fear: negligence, was this their fault? The doctors long ago urged
them to pick between the mother and the child, but they were in no position to
choose. Did anybody have that right to? Of course then they heard of the
several warnings already given to Sameera due to her weak pregnancy, she had
continuously drank without an idea of her pregnancy so the foetus was already too
fragile. So now it was impossible for the child to survive, maybe even killing
the mother.
'You need to save
someone' the nurse urged quickly running to them with papers amidst the beeping
of several machines.
'But we're not her
family' Nakul cried loudly feeling extremely helpless; he didn't have the
courage to decide.
'Save the mother
nurse, just make sure that poor child lives' Dadi uttered in conviction
'Save Sameera' she
repeated more to herself than anyone else. The bitterness of years leaving her,
the girl fighting for her life was the exact person she hated the most in the
world, so much so that she didn't care of her existence. Not when she lived in
the Khuranna mansion never mind away, the cold blood seemed to have coloured.
Sympathy, guilt, fear, care and even love was beating at her door for the girl
instead.
'Call Maan, make sure
he arrives!' Dadi ordered as she neared the window, placing a hand to glass as
if caressing her cheeks. The girl that was tied down with tubes and machines
wasn't Sameera so more, not the girl who she despised for ruining Maan but
rather the girl who was dying because partly she was responsible. Had she never
forced Maan, maybe today wouldn't have happened. But then again did Dadi
regret? Maybe she didn't! Because now Maan had Geet, but that didn't mean
Sameera should have her life no more, no Dadi wasn't that cruel or that
selfish. She would pray for Sameera and her child, but if one had to live then
it had to be Sameera; will that intension she moved closer to the prayer
room.
He stood in the midst
of burning pictures, every one of them burnt in his ire. It wasn't the
rejection that angered but rather her inability to know right from wrong. Maan
wasn't a man of his words, while he was. He'd die for them and he'd kill for
them. As her smile caught flame, his eyes went to the image lying beside, as if
waiting for its turn to burn. It was the sketch Sameera made, of her future
family. The edge lit up, slowly the spark ascended up and his legs ran through
the black smoke and red flames. It hadn't given it a thought, all he knew was
that he needed to save this one worthy thing in this otherwise unworthy room.
He hadn't cared, dived straight in burning the bare skinned hands while crouching
down and inhaling the dark smoke to save a mere' sketch, a mere' sketch
changed the ruthless Adeel Rana into a madman. He wasn't only saving a sketch
rather saving his woman from burning.
Adeel looked at the
paper in his hand, the top left edge was burnt off. Black almost touched the
female head but he stopped it in time, the drawing of the small infant and the
man were safe from any damage.
'Sameera' a soft
smile and a tear escaped even with his hard attempt to squash it down. Sam' he
called again as if waking up from sleep, Sam' he shouted now looking around
for his phone, which was lying dead by the door. Without a care for the burning
centre, he walked within and out, as if the heat caused no pain. No pain in
front of the frenzying heart. A new dream ignited but died within a minutes,
she hadn't picked up. So he called again, that soft smile turning upside down
as worry etched its mark. With each ring, his heart caught speed as did his
legs.
'Get the car' he
screamed walking out the door, many of his maids waited outside with buckets of
water and a few fire extinguishers waiting for his anger to dry down. Once he
was at the end of the hallway, they quickly filled in dousing the flame within
the room, but no one knew of the burning inside of his heart as he rang
repeatedly on the number he suddenly held dear. The family portrait was in his
hands was now placed over his heart.
'Sam I'm coming' he
promised driving out the driveway and zooming down the roads that lead him to
her.
'Maan how long?' Geet
asked playing with his finger, he smiled without answering as she pushed
herself closer, now she awkwardly leaned over the gear box and rested on his
shoulder.
'Geet if you don't
want us to get into an accident, then I suggest you go to your seat' he advised
with a soft smile as she muttered under her breathe moving away, but smiled
feeling his hold on her hand and a smooth kiss followed.
'I hate this very
distance between us Geet but keeping you safe is my biggest priority, even more
than my own feelings' he confessed looking into her soft shy eyes. His was
filled with passion and ache. Geet was now more to him, then himself. Was this
the most selfless feeling ever? Love, it echoed loud and clear
'Are we there yet?'
Meera asked now feeling bored
'Nearly there' Vicky
answered laughingly parking the car and edged forward to remove the blindfold
'Ah ha don't think
so' he forced her face towards him so she couldn't sneak a look at the surprise
behind, his hands caressed her soft cheeks and his lips travelled to that exact
cheek and extracted some of its blush.
'Gosh Vic...' before
she could finish she saw a truck drive head on into the side of their parked
car tripping theirs over. Screams muted in front of loud crashes and shattering
glasses. The car rolled as bodies shuck vigorously and blood sputtered
everywhere, finally hanging from the top.
'Vicky' she moaned
against the pain, trying her might to turn to his direction but the hammering soreness
made it impossible. Vic..' she called again losing a bit of her sanity.
'If you want a job
done, you just have to do it yourself' he smirked jumping down from the truck
and then walked towards the pathetic looking car, bending down he saw her
blinding attempts to stay awake and the stilled man beside.
'Todays just a very
good day' he snickered pulling her out roughly, without any regards of her pain
or cry.
'Sameer always gets
what he wants' he veered throwing the unconscious body into the back of his car
and driving off, leaving the truck as it is in the middle of the road.
'I want to report an incident'
he called sounding urgent while driving away leisurely
'Is there any
survivors?' the operator asked typing in the location of the accident, as
Sameer looked at the severely damaged vehicle through his rear view mirror.
'No, no he's dead' he
finished laughing loud. Meera moaned in the backseat as he drove over a bump
making him sneer some more. She had made his life hell for the last few months
and now it was his turn, he cared less whether she lived after the papers were signed
however there was someone else too, Seema. Both the sisters needed to pay for messing
with Sameer Gupta.
'Sweetheart don't
worry, my elder darling would soon join you too' he smirked calling a number.
On the third ring, a smiling voice answered Hello'
'Hi honey, you
recognise your father's voice don't you' he asked driving now into dark side roads
leading to the secluded house where she lived. His deceased wife's ancestral
home.
'Sweetheart don't
cry, daddy's got a surprise for you' he laughed flicking the phone shut while
staring at the body at the back of his car, red blood seeped from the seats and
onto the floor but he cared less, continuing to laugh some more.
comment:
p_commentcount