He tried everything to dissuade her. Tried to distract her with jokes, with romance and even pretended to shout at her for being unnecessarily stubborn.

But nothing worked. As if he didn’t know that she could see through his heart and mind. He had to tell her. How should he do it?

“Geet. Main bahut swarthi ho gaya tha – pata nahin tum mujhe maaf kar paogi ya nahin?”

“Aapka swarth main nahin jaanti kya? Geet, Geet aur sirf Geet ki khusiyan. Phir aap aisa kyon kah rahe hain?”

“Geet – mere saamne bahut mushkil sawaal tha. Mujhe tummein aur tumhari khushiyon mein se ek ko chunna tha. Aur maine tumhein chuna. Tumhari khushiyon se oopar apni zindagi ko chuna.”

“Aap paheliyan kyon bujha rahe hain Maan. Iska kya matlab hai? Aur agar kuchh aisa hua bhi hai to mujhe vishwas hai ki aapke faisle ki koi wajah hogi. Mujhe saaf-saaf bataiye ki aap kis cheez ke baare mein baat kar rahe hain. Please Maan – main aapko aise ghutte hue nahin dekh sakti.”

“Geet. Agar sab jaanne ke baad tum mujhe maaf nahin kar payin to main tumhein dosh nahin doonga. Lekain ho sake to maaf karne ki koshish karna…”

“Maan!” Geet was herself on the verge of breaking down seeing him suffer like this. But she controlled herself. He needed her right now. She held his hands tight in hers.

“Geet – jab tum hospital mein thi, to tumhari halat bahut kharaab ho chuki thi. Aur doctor ne kaha ki ye bhi naubat aa sakti hai ki mujhe tummhare…. aur…. hamare bachche… ke… beech mein kissi ek ko chunna padega…” He was choking on his words.

Geet looked terrified. She had been feeling too safe in his arms all this while. She hadn’t known what was the true extent of the danger she… and their child was in.

“Geet! Bhagwan ko mujhpar zaroor daya aa gai hogi ki chamatkar ki tarah tum dono hi bach gaye. Lekin jab mujhse chunne ko kaha gaya tha to maine…” He paused and closed his eyes before saying the final words, “tumhein chuna tha.”

Geet’s face showed a mixture of emotions – shock, fear, concern… Maan opened his eyes and looked at her. After waiting for few seconds, he assumed that she was too angry with him to talk to him. He started moving away. But she suddenly tightened her grip on his hands.

“Maan. Ye sach hai ki mujhe bahut gussa aa raha hai. Pata nahin aap par ya apni kismat par jisne aapke saamne aisa sawaal khada kar diya tha. Agar aap meri marzi poochhte to aap bhi jaante hain ki main kissi bhi keemat par hamare bachche ko bachati…”

“Main jaanta hoon Geet… Maine tumhara bharosa toda hai aur tum mujhe maaf nahin kar paogi…” He was not looking into her eyes.

“Meri baat abhi poori nahin hui hai. Main gussa hoon, lekin iska matlab ye nahin ki main aap par vishwas karna band kar doongi.”

This surprised Maan and he looked her. He was still guilty and also confused.

“Haan Maan. Iska matlab ye nahin ki main hamare bachche ke liye aapke pyaar ko chhota samajh rahi hoon. Agar main iski maa hoon to aap iske pita hai. Aur mujhe pata hai ki aap bhi isse utna hi pyaar karte hain jitna main karti hoon. Itna to main aapko jaanti hoon na Maan?”

Once again she had overwhelmed him with her devotion to him, her faith in him. All the tears he had contrlled in the hospital, found their way out. He saw no reasons to stop them. It did not matter. He was with her. No one can take advantage of his moment of weakness.

Geet left his hand and initiated a hug.

They were still in each others’ arms when she spoke.

Sadness was clear in her voice, “Mujhe bahut bura lag raha hai Maan ki aapko akele aisi mushkil ghadi ka saamna karna pada. Main aapke saath aapki madad karne ke liye nahin thi. Lekin aapko pata hai na ki agar phir kabhi aisi baat hui, to aapko kya faisla…”

Maan broke the hug and silenced her by putting his hands on her lips. Determination and aggression were oozing out of him when he replied, “Nahin Geet. Ab nahin. Dubara aisa kuchh nahin hoga. Maine bhagwaan ko maanna shuru kar diya hai Geet. Lekin sach kah raha hoon, iske baad main tum dono ke liye bhagwan tak se lad jaunga. Dubara aisa kuchh nahin hoga.”

His aggression was scary. Geet touched and caressed his cheeks and that had a calming effect on him. Then she hugged him again.