Maan couldn’t have allowed that to happen. So, he changed his decision immediately, “Nahin Dadi Ma. Aap kahin nahin jaayengi. Main hi chala jaata hoon.”

“Maan…”

But Maan did not stop to hear Dadi Ma’s pleas.

“Nakul!”

“Ji Chhote Sahab.”

“Outhouse mein ground floor par ek bed lagwao aur mera saara samaan wahan pahuncha do.”

“Ground floor par? Office mein?”

“Haan. Ek baar mein baat samajh nahin aati?”

—

“Sir? Ye sab kya ho raha hai?” Geet looked at Maan’s stuff lying around in suitcases in the office and then noticed the bed.

“Agar tumhari izaazat ho to main yahan rahne waala hoon?”

“Kya? Aise office ke is hall mein?”

“Haan! Achchha hai na mujhe kaam karne ke liye bhi kahin jaana nahin padega.”

“Dadi Ma naraaz hain?” Geet came to the point.

“Geet,” Maan came to her and held her hands, “Sab theek ho jayega. Mujh par bharosa rakho Geet. Please.”

There was no point in making things difficult for him. So, she did not press the point further. But she could not see him living in the hall like this.

“Maan. Aap yahan nahin rahenge.”

“Tumhein problem hai Geet?” Maan was hurt, but he did not show it.

“Haan. Apna samaan kamre mein bhijwaiye. Aise is hall mein nahin rahenge aap. Ye aapka ghar hai.”

“Lekin Geet…”

“Main yahan so jaungi.”

“Nahin Geet. Ye nahin ho sakta. Main yahan theek hoon.”

“Aap meri baat maanenge ya main khud utha kar le jaun.”

“Nahin, nahin Geet…” she knew how to have her way with him.

“Main sofe par so jaungi…” Geet told him once his stuff was settled in the room.

“Bilkul nahin. Maine tumhari baat maan li. Yahan aa gaya. Ab tum meri baat maanogi. Tumhein achchhi neend aana bahut zaroori hai. Tum bed par soogi aur main sofe par.”

“Lekin main sofe par aa jaungi, aapke liye ye poora nahin padega…”

“Chup. Bilkul chup Geet,” he silenced her in his signature style by putting his hands on her lips.

—

“Nayantara. Ye Geet ne to sach much Bro par jadu kar diya hai. Aakhir aisa kya hai usmein ki Bro aankhein band kar ke us par vishwaas kar baithe hain. Koi bhi saboot to hai nahin uske paas hamare khilaaf. Warna woh Dadi Ma ko zaroor batati.”

“Kya hai uske andar, ye baat to aapko pata honi chahiye Dev,” Nayantara replied bitterly.

“Nayantara – abhi hamare saamne zyada badi problem hai.”

“Use aap hamesha ki tarah hamare oopar hi chhod dijiye. Aapka to kaam hai gadbad karna aur hamara kaam hai usse hamein nikaalna. Chahe woh jua khelna ho ya apni biwi ko dhokha de kar kissi ke saath sona.”

Dev was pissed off, but he could not say anything.

Nayantara continued, “Hamein bas Dadi Ma ko apne kabze mein kar ke rakhna hai. Jab tak woh hamare saath hain, Maan Veerji hamara kuchh nahin bigaad payenge.”

What they did not know was that Maan had been more involved in Geet’s life than they had imagined.

—

Maan remembered Geet’s land that was sold to him by the agent. That is where the clues were to be found. He called up Munshi Ji, “Munshi Ji. Aapke paas Dev ki koi photograph hai?”

“Ji. Unki shaadi ki ek photo shayad haveli mein padi hui hai. Par kyon?”

“Woh photo le ja kar aap agent ko dikhaiye jisne hamein Handa parivaar ki zameen bechi thi aur usse poochhiye ki woh use pahchaanta hai kya?”

“Ji?” Munshi Ji was taken aback.

“Jo maine kaha hai woh kijiye. Aur haan! Is baare mein aap Dadi Ma, Dev ya kissi aur se koi baat nahin karenge.”

“Ji Chhote Sahab.”

—

It was past midnight. Geet had fallen asleep. But Maan was unable to sleep. Multiple things were clouding his mind. Concern for Geet. Worry for Dadi Ma. Office affairs and then bringing Dev’s truth out. He fidgeted on the sofa, and finally unable to fall asleep got up. He walked around the room and his eyes fell on Geet’s face. How innocent and beautiful she looked even while sleeping. He remembered the first day he had found her in the outhouse. In his bed. He had thought it was his dream. And she did indeed look like a dream. So, serene, so beautiful.

And it made his life difficult. “Itna khoobsoorat to khwaab bhi nahin hota Geet. Aur tum mere saamne hakeekat ban kar aayi ho. Kaise khud ko tumse door rakhoon. Bahut mushkil hai Geet.”

He sat down beside her on the bed and caressed her forehead and hair. Geet woke up, but she recognized his touch even in her sleep. She wasn’t scared.

“Maan?” She sat up as she said.

“Woh… Geet. Sorry. Tumhari neend khul gayi. Main jaata hoon. Tum so jao aaraam se…” Maan was embarrassed.

But Geet held his hand and did not let him go, “Neend nahin aa rahi?”

Maan looked at her and forgot his embarrassment. He came closer, kissed her forehead and hugged her. Geet also responded by hugging him back. But as soon as he hugged her, his desires took over his mind. He caressed her hair and back roughly. Geet did not resist, but Maan himself came out of his trance and withdrew.

He held her hands and said, “Tumse door nahin raha jaata ab mujhse Geet. Main tumhein hamesha ke liye apna banana chahta hoon. Sabki nazaron se door le jaana chahta hoon, sirf apne liye. Mujhse shaadi karogi Geet?”

Geet looked at him surprised. Tears and happiness – both appeared in her eyes, “Lekin aisa kaise ho sakta hai? Dadi Ma…”

“Dadi Ma ko sachchai ek din zaroor pata chalegi Geet. Yakeen maano. Aur us din hamein unka aashirwaad bhi mil jayega. Lekin Geet. Jab tum mere paas hoti ho to mujhe tumhein chhoone ka man karta hai. Tumhein baahon mein lene ka man karta hai. Aur khud ko rokna mere liye bahut mushkil hota hai Geet. Main ab tumse door nahin rah sakta.”

Geet had to tell him something, but she was feeling too shy. She struggled for the right words for a while before speaking, “Mujhe… aap par… bharosa karne ke liye… shaadi ki mohar ki zaroorat nahin hai… Maine khud ko… aapko saump diya hai…”

Maan looked adoringly at her, overwhelmed with her trust and love. Her eyes were downcast. He lifted her chin and made her look into his eyes,  “Mujhe pata hai Geet ki tum mujh par aankhein band kar ke bharosa karti ho. Aur yakeen maano, mujhe ye bahut achchha lagta hai. Ki zindagi mein itne dhokhe khane ke baad bhi tum mujh par itna bharosa karti ho. Aur isliye Geet, main tumhare bharose ka imtihaan nahin lena chahta. Main tumhein apni dulhan bana kar haq se apne saath laana chahta hoon Geet. Bolo Geet, mujhe ye haq dogi? Mujhse shaadi karogi?”

What could she say? She just nodded. Her eyes were filled with tears of happiness. Her lips were trembling and nothing came out of them. Maan hugged her once again and she was happy to lose herself in his arms. Maan had not been so much at peace in a long time now.

—

“Geet! Main jaanta hoon ki hamari shaadi thode ajeeb circumstances mein ho rahi hai. Lekin Geet. Maine chahta hoon ki tumhara har sapna poora hai. Tum mujhe batao Geet ki tum shaadi mein kya chahti ho. Main waada karta hoon ki woh sab kuchh hoga hamari shaadi mein.”

“Mujhe Babaji ke aashirwaad ke alawa kuchh nahin chahiye.”

“Geet. Tum…”

“Main sach kah rahi hoon. Mujhe koi tadak bhadak, koi naach-gaana, koi dikhawe ki rasmein nahin chahiye. In sabse shaadi nahin hoti na, rishte bhi nahin nibhte hain. Rishte to pyaar se bante hain, pyaar se hi nibhte hain. Babaji ne mujhe woh de diya hai. Mujhe aur kuchh nahin chahiye.”

Maan smiled and caressed her cheek, “Theek hai Geet. Aisa hi sahi.”

—

Pinki and some parlour staff were helping Geet get ready when Maan walked in. The girls left the room taking the cue, leaving behind an embarrassed and shy Geet to Maan.

“Sir, aap abhi yahan kyon aaye hain?”

“Kyon? Mere aane par koi pabandi hai?”

“Bilkul hai! Abhi hamari shaadi nahin hui hai.”

Maan put a packet he had brought on the bed and pulled her close to him.

“Kuchh hi ghanton ki to baat hai na Geet. Phir to koi pabandi nahin hogi? To abhi kyon…” he was approaching her lips for a kiss.

“Maan!” Geet got genuinely nervous and called his name without ‘Sir’ for the first time since she had joined Khurana Constructions.

Maan stopped in his track and smiled naughtily, “Maan?”

Geet felt even more shy and started looking down. Maan lifted her chin and made her look into his eyes.

“Bahut achchha lagta hai tumhari zubaan se mera naam Geet. Abhi main isse hi kaam chala loonga. Lekin agar dubara tumne mujhe ‘Sir’ bulaya to yaad rakhna ki main tumhara dusht danav boss ban jaunga. Samjhi tum?”

Geet nodded and blushed.

Maan started taking off her ear-ring startling her, “Ye aap kya kar rahe hain Sir? Mera matlab hai Maan.”

“Geet. Aaj ke din tumhein hamare khaandaani gahne pahanne chahiye the. Woh tumhara haq hai. Main tumhein aaj woh nahin de sakta. Aaj jo main apne pyaar ke gahne laaya hoon, unse hi kaam chala lo. Lekin main waada karta hoon Geet ki jo tumhara haq hai woh tumhein zaroor milega.”

Geet knew that the issue was not the jewelry. He was promising her Dadi Ma’s acceptance through it, which was important to both of them. And she trusted him. She just blinked and nodded to convey her support to him. Maan changed the jewelry she was wearing with the ones he had brought.

Once he was done, he took a few steps back from her and stared at her admiringly for few seconds. Geet became conscious, “Main kaisi lag rahi hoon?”

Maan came forward and kissed on her forehead, “Bilkul meri dulhan jaisi.” He left the room saying, “Jaldi aana Geet. Main besabri se tumhara intezaar kar raha hoon.”

—

To be continued