Tere Liye – Part 13

Geet looked at Maan for a while. She knew that she can’t tell him the truth, it will hurt him and moreover she was not sure how the emotional upheaval will affect him. She can’t lie to him also. So she decided to tell him some facts without getting him know the whole past. She told, “Maan, there are certain things in our past that everyone wants to forget. So it will be better if we won’t discuss about it. But I will tell you very few things. Our marriage was not planned, so was Maanav.” Maan interrupted her in between, “So you mean to say that Maanav was born out of wedlock and he is the reason why we got married?” She sighed; this was the toughest question for her. The few days she spent with Maan after their court marriage had left no doubt that Maan loved her. But after he lost the memory of those days, she could see that he was not ready to accept her. That made her think that she was right. If Maanav was not there, Maan couldn’t have married her. She told, “Yes, Maanav was the reason why we got married.” He asked her, “Is this the reason why you don’t want to be in India? Dadi and Aryan were against me asking you this, but I want to know.” She told holding the pain within, the pain that she suffered, “Maanav is not a reason for me to leave India. I was born and brought up here. So I would have always preferred to be with people who know me well.” Maan looked at her face, it was blank. But he could feel that it was a facade that she put around her.

After his accident and the memory loss, he was not ready to accept a woman who was supposed to be his wife in his life. The picture he had about Geet in his mind since his childhood was not a pleasant one. He had heard Mohinder and Rano complaining about her outgoing nature. Even Arjun often complained that she never listens to others. So it was hard for him to believe that he fathered a child with her or that he married her. He couldn’t understand why dadima, Pari and Aryan were so much font of Geet. He was surprised seeing everyone else keeping quite when there is a talk about her. Also his family never hesitated to visit Geet and never complained about her not being at home. Something he couldn’t understand was why Mohinder and Rano never came to meet Geet. He knew that they wanted to come, but could feel their hesitation always. What amused him more was Geet, she never complained. He could see her smile with others, but that was something she did mechanically. She followed everything he told and never interfered in his life. He asked her not to tell their family about anything and she agreed. She put up with everything that he told without arguing. He couldn’t understand how someone can be so emotionless; it was as if she never felt anything. Even though he couldn’t accept Geet, he could never stop loving Maanav. He was his blood, his child; he accepted it the same day Maanav was placed on his lap. He could never keep himself away from him and that is reason why he decided that he will stay along with Geet in London managing his business from there. He had felt bad for ignoring Geet, but slowly it became habitual as he got more involved in business and then rest of the time was spend with Maanav.

He thought that life was going without hassles, until he met Rohit. He had come to meet him at office. He was glad to meet him after long time but it was short lived as Rohit started telling about Geet. First he couldn’t believe that Maanav was not his kid, but the circumstances and the reasons Rohit gave seemed convincing. But he was not someone who believes something without any solid proof. The whole day he was agitated until Vishal came to meet him. He was closer to Vishal compared to the others in their gang as he was honest and down to earth inspite of the status and wealth he possessed. The first thing Vishal asked was whether he met Rohit. When he told him about what Rohit had told, Vishal told him to stay away from him and never believe anything he told. When Maan asked for the reason, he told not to think about it further and never hurt Geet. But what he told next made him feel guilty, he told, “Her love is precious Maan and she has endured more than what she can in this life, please don’t let any pain touch her.” He had never really cared for her, but no one was ready to tell anything to him, now even Geet is not telling anything. He wanted to give their life a chance, wanted to know her more but she was making it difficult by not telling him anything.

He told nearing her, “Geet, I know you will have reasons why you don’t want to tell about our past. But I have to know, before I could give a chance to our relationship.” Geet sighed, she knew it was difficult to convince him telling some lies and she can neither lie to him nor tell the facts. She told with finality in her voice, “Maan, I can’t tell you everything and I don’t want to convince you with any lies. I will tell you very few things that you might have understood by now. Our relation was not smooth since the time we met, but an incident that happened in our life had changed everything. And I was not a favorite person for everyone considering how I am. Life gives you unexpected surprises, so was our relation. I can’t tell you anything beyond this. Please don’t ask me further. I am happy that you have accepted Maanav without questioning, it is enough for me. And I will be beside you until you want me to be there.” Maan was looking at her ever since she started talking. She was true to each word she told, he was sure. She could have made up some story like Rohit and convinced him, but no she didn’t even try to justify herself even when he told that he was ready to give a chance to their relationship. Now he could see why everyone liked her and for the first time in the three years he felt so much guilty to have kept her away from him.

Geet was quite apprehensive and the look in Maan’s face didn’t give away any emotions until he told, “Geet, I have never seen you demanding anything, whether it be me or someone else. Why is it like that? Don’t you have any wishes?” Geet smiled sadly and told, “May be I have become habitual to it.” There was so much pain in her voice; all he wanted to do was pull her in his embrace. But before he could tell anything a knock in the door disturbed them. Geet went to open the door and found Aryan. She was surprised as she thought that they were asleep. Maan came behind her and asked seeing Aryan, “Bro, aap is waqt. Kuch kaam tha? Sab kuch tik hena?” Aryan told, “Sab tik he Maan. I remembered something that I wanted to discuss with you. If you are not going to sleep soon, can we talk now?” Maan told, “Why not bro. Lets go to study.” Aryan told, “No Maan, we will go for a short drive. Pari has also slept, Geet you too catch some sleep. We will be late.” Maan smiled knowing that it was Aryan’s habit of going on drive at nights. Geet bid them goodnight and went inside to sleep near Maanav who was in deep sleep.

Aryan had forgotten to tell Maan about some details of a major business deal that Raj had told him. Maan had to contact the client next morning and Aryan knew that he won’t wake up early due to jet lag. So he decided to speak to Maan before sleeping. Also he had a discussion with Maan’s doctor and he told that he is perfectly alright now. It will be good to slowly tell him about the past which he forgot. When he was nearing the room, he heard Maan asking Geet about their past. He was wondering why he was concerned about it so much and was about to leave when he heard Geet. He understood that moment that she was still in the same place where Maan left her once, they haven’t moved on. He had always felt happy that Maan accepted her even after the memory loss, but what he heard confirmed his fears. He remembered her words when Maan had memory loss after the accident, “Expectation hurts. It is good that we never expect anything.” He thought of her words as the result of the trauma but she meant it. She never expected anything from anyone; she had accepted the fact long back that she will never get love. He had tears when she told that she has become habitual to it. He knew that it was time for Maan to know everything, even if it hurts him. Geet had endured much more than anyone could ever go through in their life, not anymore.