Geet got up at 4 am and opened the door so that Dadi Ma could come in with her Sargi without waking Maan up. She had told Dadi Ma that she will get the Sargi from the kitchen. But Dadi Ma had insisted on bringing it for her. Geet had barely finished freshening up when Dadi Ma walked in. Despite their best attempts to converse in hushed voices, Maan’s sleep was disturbed. Geet hadn’t even switched on the light of the room to avoid disturbing him.

By the time Maan was fully awake Dadi Ma had left and Maan could not figure out much in the darkness.

“Kya hua, Geet?” He asked sleepily.

“Kuchh nahin, Maan. Aap so jaiye.”

But Maan had switched on the light by then and he saw the bowls and the plates on the table.

“Ye sab kya hai? Ye chaar baje subah tumhein kya karastaaniyan soojh rahi hain, Geet?” Maan said looking at the clock.

“Offo! Aap so jaiye na. Ye Sargi hai, Main bhi bas kha kar wapas so jaungi.”

“Sargi?”

“Haan. Aaj Karwa Chauth hai.”

“To? Tum upwaas rakh rahi ho?”

“Aur nahin to kya?”

“Lekin Geet. Tum already bahut kamzor ho. Ye sab karne ki zaroorat nahin hai.Aur phir tum din bhar paani bhi nahin piyogi, right? Ye bilkul acceptable nahin hai.”

“Main bilkul theek hoon Maan. Mujhe kuchh nahin hoga.”

“Dadi Ma ne kaha hai karne ko? Main unse baat karta hoon.”

“Maan! Aap mujhe shanti se khane denge, warna der ho jayegi aur main ye bhi nahin kha paungi. Aur Dadi Ma ne mujhe kuchh nahin kaha hai.”

Maan let her eat and decided to talk to her after the day-break. They went back to bed after she finished eating.

—

Since he was so sleepy during the incident, he did not remember it in the morning, until they went down for the breakfast. Geet served him, but she did not take anything herself.

“Geet tum…” he started asking and then remembered the Karva Chauth, “Oh! Geet hamari baat poori nahin ho payi thi. Tum ye vrat nahin karogi.”

“Kyon nahin karungi?”

“Kyonki in sabka koi matlab nahin hota. Aur agar tumhari tabiyat theek hoti to shayad main tumhein apni manmaani karne bhi deta. Lekin doctor ne tumhein already dehydration ke liye warn kiya hua hai.”

“Dadi Ma! Aap hi samjhaiye na inhein. Ek din mein kuchh nahin hoga. Aur ye to rasm hai. Saari suhaganein karti hain, main kaise na karoon?”

“Dadi Ma! ye 21st century mein aapko bhi lagta hai ki in sab se kuchh farq padta hai.”

“Par Dadi Ma! Rasmon ko nibhane mein kya burai hai? Aur main apni marzi se kar rahi hoon. Koi mujhe mazboor thode hi na kar raha hai? Phir?”

“Dadi Ma…”

“Bas!” Dadi Ma silenced both of them with a gesture of her hand, “Aap dono apni jagah sahi hain. Hamein kissi bhi faisle par koi aitraaz nahin hai. Hum aapki bahas mein nahin padenge. Aap log ye jhagda khud hi suljhaiye. Hamara nashta ho gaya hai. Hum ja rahe hain.”

“Par Dadi Ma…” both called her together, then looked at each other, confused. Dadi Ma did not heed their words and left.

Left on their own, their tone changed.

“Maan. Please karne dijiye na,” Geet pleaded softly.

“Kyonki ye tum mere liye kar rahi ho? Meri lambi umra ke liye? Hai na, Geet?”

Geet nodded.

“Geet,” Maan took her hands in his and pressed it, “Ye rasmein un logon ke man ko dilasa dene ki liye hain jo aur kuchh nahin kar sakte. Meri lambi umra ke liye tumhein bhookhe-pyaase rah kar bhgwaan se bheekh maangne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Tum mein to khud meri hifaazat karne ka dum hai.”

Geet looked at him questioningly not quite understanding what he was referring to. So, he continued, “Main to kabhi nahin bhool sakta, Geet, ki Rasika ke case se mujhe bachane ke liye tum apni jaan par khel kar Hoshiyarpur chali gayi thi. Aur jab tak apna kaam kar nahin liya, tumne meri bhi nahin suni.”

“Par…”

“Aur meri jaan bachane ke liye tum… tumne Dev jaise insaan se, jisse tum itni nafrat karti ho, usse madad maangi. Peechhe nahin hati. Geet. Jab tak tum mere saath ho, tum mujhe kuchh nahin hone dogi. Vrat-upwaas se kuchh nahin hota, Geet. Insaan ke iraadon se aur un iradon par amal karne se sab kuchh hota hai. Meri umra to kitni lambi tumne already kar di hai. Aur agar main khush rahoon to thodi si meri umra aur lambi ho jayegi. Uske liye to bas tumhara mere saath hona hi kaafi hai,” Maan paused and smiled before continuing seriously, “Isse zyada umra agar mujhe milti hai, tumhein bhookh-pyaasa rakh kar, to mujhe woh umra nahin chahiye, Geet.”

Geet was overwhelmed. She just kept looking at him lovingly and did not utter even a word.

Maan smiled, “Chalo ab fatafat mujhe khush karo aur nashta kar lo.”

Geet came out of the trance and stuttered, “Woh… Nahin.. Haan! Maine woh sargi khayi huyi hai na to mujhe abhi bhookh nahin hai. Main seedhe lunch kar loongi.”

“Juice?”

“Nahin pet bilkul bhara hua hai.”

“Theek hai. Phir office chalte hain. Hum wahan par kuchh saath hi kha lenge.”

“Nahin! Main aaj office nahin ja rahi hoon.”

“Pakdi gayi tum, Geet. Tumhein lagta hai ki tum mujhe dhokha de sakti ho. Chup chaap munh kholo aur nashta karo,” he took a piece of the aaloo parantha to her mouth and she had to take it.

“Aap bahut bure hain,” Geet pouted.

“Main kitna bura hoon ye main tumhein raat mein batata hoon. Abhi chalo office.” Maan said in a determined tone.

—

In the office Maan made sure that she had her lunch. Post-lunch he disappeared for few hours telling Geet that he had some important meeting to attend. Geet asked him how come she did not know about it, but he cleverly evaded her. He came back in the evening and by then it was the time to leave for home. So, they left together.

After walking into the Khurana Mansion, Maan pretended to remember something, “Geet. Main car mein ek important file bhool aaya hoon. Tum kamre mein jao, main abhi aata hoon.”

Geet nodded and walked to her room.

Surprise awaited her as soon as she entered the room. The red saree with golden work that she had brought for Karwa Chauth was laid on the bed along with the jewelry she had intended to wear with it. She found a note near the ensemble.

“Jab se ye saree dekhi hai, bas yahi soch soch kar pagal ho raha hoon ki meri mishti ismein kitni khoobsoorat lagegi. Ab ye intezaar khatm karwa do, please.”

Geet smiled. By now she should know that his unexplained absences from office were never for any important meetings. It was always something or the other related to her.

Geet freshened up and took time in getting ready. Maan seemed to have anticipated this. He gave her ample time and walked in only after she was completely ready.

Despite knowing beforehand that she looks breathtakingly beautiful in sarees, Maan stopped in his tracks with awe when he saw Geet in that bright red saree. Adorned with golden jewelry, she was literally shining and for a moment Maan forgot to breathe! Then a smile formed on his lips as he slowly moved towards her, locking the door behind him.

He cupped her face and said, “Geet. Bhagwaan par to vishwaas karna tumne mujhe sikha hi diya hai. Lekin ab lagta hai andh-vishwaasi bhi bana dogi.”

“Kyon?” Geet could not understand him.

“Itni khoobsoorat dikh rahi ho ki mujhe sach mein lag raha hai ki kahin tumhein meri hi nazar na lag jaye. Kala teeka lagane ka man ho raha hai tumhein.”

Geet blushed as he continued, “Tumhein aise dekhne ke liye to main har roz karwa-chauth manaun.”

“Rahne dijiye. Vrat to karne nahin diya…”

“Shh… Geet. Hamara rishta sabse alag hai. Jaanti ho na tum? Warna duniya mein aise aur kaun do log hain jo ek-doosre se itne alag hote hue bhi itne ek jaise hain, aur kaun aise do log hain jo ek-dossre ko itni khushi, aur itna dard de sakte hain, jitna humne ek doosre ko diya hai, aur kaun do log hain jo akele itne adhoore hain, lekin saath milkar itne poore ho jaate hain ki unhein duniya mein kissi aur ki zaroorat na ho? Bolo Geet? Bolo na!”

—

To be continued