Poles Apart – Chapter 5

Geet had perfectly fixed herself from outside, though the man and his closeness was still lingering on her.

She entered the meeting conference room with smile and confidence and took her seat.

“Sorry everyone, got stuck in a weird encounter.”

“Hi. No problem. Let the signing authority come and we will start” said Dev

“Ohh sure. I thought I am only person to be late” and then the door opened and entered the person who she must have least expected and woohaa, in a different shirt, how did he manage so quick.

He entered with smile and confidence that Geet must have rarely seen. Her heart started beating fast and his cunning hidden smile to her showed he knew it.

“Sorry for delay everyone. Got stuck in a beautiful encounter” he looked at Geet whose eye widened.

Dev was confused what was this, everyone getting stuck in encounter.

“Hi.. I am Mohinder Handa. You?”

“I am the signing authority for your merger.” Geet looked at him all shocked. What?? this man was signing authority for their merger? Who actually this man is? Her curiosity has no limit and she knew he very well read her.

Her brain was not working, how could he?

“All you need to know for this merger is I am signing Authority for finalizing your merger with Mr. Dev and Sanjeev Khurana. Right Dev?” he looked at Dev and took the head seat with all authority.

“Yeah. Actually why to delay time in introduction, let’s start. I request lawyers from both sides to hand him the files. Maannu you can sign and leave” Dev gave winning smile, cunningly taking his name Maanuu in front of all.

Maannu was unfazed and Geet murmured his name “Maannu” in her lips. She was anyways in complete shock – he was signing authority of their merger and he stayed in KM as charity. How come? Was he really what she is seeing or something else behind.  Geet’s interest has all moved from deal to the man.

“So attention everyone” came his strong voice

“I being a signing authority from KE have some responsibility to make sure the merger is transparent and clean from both sides.” Mohinder smiled, first time seeing the professional approach from KE. Before this it had all been so dicey.

He passed the document to lawyers from both side to be read “I want both side to read this document properly and sign it. Once done, I will sign the merger document.”

“But why do we need to sign one more document?” Came from Geet who was already in denial of him being the signing Authority. Does he know anything other than grabbing her and kissing her. She jerked her head to come to present, i.e. Deal.

“Miss Geet Handa, read through document and sign only if you are fine with it. No one can force you. And you don’t know it may have something you will like to have.”

“But why should we” Dev and Ragini was not liking it. It came without warning. And coming from Maannu, not good for them

The documents were passed to both parties. They both separately reviewed it with their lawyer. Geet and Mohinder were actually very impressed with the clarity of document. The conditions in them clearly stated that there was no scope of fraud from both sides

Mohinder looked up “Thanks Sir for this document. The document is definitely something that we all should have thought of. It’s clarity gives us confidence in the deal. We are ready to sign”

Dev and Ragini burned, first with the way Mohinder addressed Maannu and then the way he was impressed.

“But we don’t need it.” Came from Dev. He off course did not like the clarity that the document provided

“Off course we should do it.” She spoke as she looked at her weirdo and he winked, without anyone noticing him. She showed him her big eyes, smiling within at the crazy man, who was at present signing authority.

“There is two reason for this document and clarity that it express. First, I have responsibility to make sure, KE is not making any deal that it can come under category of doubt or forgery. Second, to make sure KE is safe.” He announced.

They all signed the document, Khurana’s having no option. And then Maannu signed the deal and it was sealed.

He immediately left. Geet kept looking at him and soon after

“Dad, I have some important call to make, I need to leave”

“But Geet, we can celebrate the deal” came from Dev.

“Off course Dev, but later. Need to leave now” and she immediately left. She immediately got in the lift and ran towards the parking. He was about to sit in his jeep when she ran and held his shoulder. She was panting “Why?”

He smiled at her and pulled her to him “First take your breath”

“Leave me, it’s public place” “Tou private me chalte hain na”

She hit him on his shoulder and separated. Can this man ever be serious?

“Why am I your inspiration? I am just a normal, practical business minded person”

He pulled her closer again and looked deep into her eyes “Your eyes” he kept looking into them, taking her heart in that pool “They are way deep. They say about you much more then you know” the way he spoke, took her completely in his world and she forgot she was with him in that public parking place. She knew she hated him for his complexity but his closeness, she could never deny. It was beyond her control.

“I am different, very different than you. Your artistic talks don’t go with me.”

“And why should I be inspired by my photo copy. Off course we are way different.” Then he came back to his witty self

“Now I answered your question, payment?” “shut up, you chepo.” She laughed and hit him on his chest, as if she owned him. She then got serious

“Who are you?”

“Someone is very interested” he teased with smile

“No just like that” she was not going to accept

“Just like that I don’t tell about myself. If you are really interested, you are welcome to find more. Get your answer on your own”

“Ohh really? I simply asked, you started to really fly high. You have no identity, I am Geet Handa and proud to be known so.”

“Ok..Bye then. Payment is due on you” she ignored his payment stuff.

“Dev said you stay in KM as charity from family”

He looked deeply at her again “If you trust Dev, then trust what he said. If you don’t trust him” he came closer and whispered in her ear

“then don’t marry him” she shook her head; he is not answering any question straight “Bye”

He pulled her closer and brought his lips near hers his eyes eyeing the same “Payment?”

“Do you not know I am going to be married to Dev. You are eccentric but I am normal” she looked into his eyes, holding his shoulder

“Why you make me do things against my ethics” she said helpless, he smiled at her helplessness. She was never able to pull away to make distance between them.

“As of now you are nothing to Dev. I promise the day you get engaged to him, I won’t touch you”

That somewhere hit her “Really? I don’t believe you” she smiled, deep within hoping he was lying “100 percent. Anyone who gets connected to Dev, I separate” Geet smiled faintly

“Good I will be saved from your craziness then” she said to make it light and he shook his head in agreement. Geet not knowing, why deep within it somewhere pained. Heart and feelings were not part of her agenda, what was this. She was not realizing, she was hanging to him, unknowingly fearing the separation with his decision.

He got witty again “Answered too many questions today. Payment to banta hai” she pushed him back on seat

“Due. If ever we meet again” she winked and left.

He made puppy face and drove his jeep.

Geet was returning back to office, smile on her face was not stopping. This man simply took her to different universe. His craziness and his payments was absorbing her thought. Brought something out of her which she was not. She entered and must have walked few steps inside when Dev saw her

“Geet you are smiling? Something happened in the call?”

“Call?” ohh then she realized 

“Ohh yeah call. Hmm I am happy our deal is sealed. Thanks to your Signing Authority. By the way, who is he?”

“Not any important. Just got some authority. Some people just show off”

“Did he show off?” Geet questioned. She actually did not expect such low level of confidence shake from name like Dev Khurana.

“No. I didn’t mean that way. Just that he was so late in meeting. Unprofessional” Dev managed.

“Don’t tell me you think same for me; I was late as well”

“No way you compare yourself to him. You are anything but like him” Dev did not like she anyway being connected to Mannu, even with comparison. He was not liking why Mannu was being center of their topic. They should talk about themselves but that was not happening

“Yeah anything but him” she agreed on that but then “I mean we both got stuck” “What? Stuck together” Dev panicked

“I mean I got stuck in some weird encounter and he in his beautiful one, as he said” Geet played with words. But why was she doing it. She was not able to come out of talks of him

“Ok leave it. He signed the deal, we are done with him. Right?”

“Yeah done with him, right.” She really hoped to be done with him.

“Good. Let’s plan for celebrating our deal” “Yeah Sure” she definitely needed to get back to her business mode and spending time with Dev will help.

They talked for an hour about some of the scope that they had with merger, what kind of new projects they can take. Dev definitely was vouching on Geet’s business caliber to bring projects. He would be putting money. He did not want to show Geet that he had been failing in that skill, he wanted to play around. Geet was actually happy with discussion as he was letting her take the lead on discussion. He was listening to her. She appreciated as how being such big name he was all ears to her. On top talking to him was helping her divert from that crazy man.

************

In the evening Geet was running in the tracks of large ground of Handa Villa in her track suit and podcast in her ears. The Podcast was again related to new approach to business. She was running and focusing on the podcast. It was interesting, very insightful. Again it was not public podcast. She always found exclusive stuff. These sets she has recently got hold of. The owner did not release it on money but on questionnaire. She had answered and the owner or maybe his team had reviewed it and she was granted access to it. But the content in the series was worth it. But as she has had her two rounds of run completed, she was trying to figure out why the voice of orator sounded so similar, who have such deep voice. It sounded familiar and hit the cord somewhere. But then shrugged off, could be anyone. Many people have deep voice. She is overthinking these days and then decided to focus on priceless content. First series ended as her running finished but the last line grabbed her attention.

“So dear listeners – Time for my payment” That made her smiled

“I have all your details, the next piece will only be released to those who do my payment. But what’s my payment. Implementation of my theory in your area. I will track it my way. Buy Now.”

“What a unique payment idea. Crazy, just like that crazy man” and that hit something in her. That Voice!!! But then she shook her head

“Geet STOP THIS!! You are giving too much thought to that crazy man who knows to only have kisses for his payments. He is just useless, this one is simply brilliant” and she went inside the Villa to be pampered by her mother.