Partner Of Life – Chapter 13

It was 8 am Monday when Geet rang the bell of the house. How nervous she was. The house that she has lived in since she was fifteen, looked alien to her. Realizing that this house was never hers should be painful. But she was not feeling any pain. Knowing the reality of people here and then her own difference of feeling, she actually felt relieved that she will be moving out from this fake and loaned relation and home.

Staying with Maan has given her a completely new positive outlook to life which she would have otherwise not known. She had learnt in just one video call of his family, what a real family is. Her friendship with Maan, it felt so much deeper than any of the relation she has with Sharmas. But yes, Megha was still special to her. Even though she has placed allegations on her, still Megha was special. But as of now she was upset with her. Well, it was only Megha from whom she can be upset because others, she has not that level of attachment, even after so many years.

Geet rang again and the door was opened by a servant. The house was busy to leave for office

As Geet entered the hall, Dev’s and Nina’s eyes went on her

“Don’t worry, I will pack my bags and leave in a couple of hours” remembering Nina’s words that she should leave the house. It had pained her so much.

“It’s not that hurry Geet” Dev tried to be polite.

“You are not in a hurry, but don’t you see she is in a hurry. After spending wonderful week in paris with her special friend”

“Yeah Mom, it was a wonderful time with a special friend who made me feel special. But that’s my personal thing and I don’t want to discuss that here.”

“Still calling me Mom?” Nina taunted, further hurting Geet. How could she take her wonderful youth years for her business need and be dethatched so quick?

Geet gave a little laugh “It’s not easy for everyone to cut off so soon. I know you are capable of”

Geet turned to go to the room to pack her things

“Geet” she heard Megha’s voice and stopped on her way. Geet had a bad urge to hug Megha but she controlled and moved ahead. Megha ran and hugged Geet from behind.

Geet tried to shove her hand away, even against her own will

“Don’t you see Megha, she in rush to move ahead”

 Megha left Geet and turned to her Mom 

“Mom, few things to get you out of illusion. First, In case of Geet, don’t include me into your ‘we’. Geet and mine relation is way beyond her being my Bhabhi. We are best friend forever”

“Best friend Forever” Geet repeated in taunt

“I know you are upset with me, we can deal with that later. Let me clear Mom’s doubt for now” Megha said in a low whisper.

“And Mom, secondly, it was not Geet who was in a rush to get out of this relationship, it was Bhai and you know that as Bhai has cleared that for us. Only because she is not in a sad pathetic state due to his divorce notice, you can’t taunt her. Yeah, if Bhai is relieved to be free from this relation, Geet has all rights to be relieved as well.”

“My Kids”

 Naina shook her head and left.

Geet had started with her packing when Megha came to the room. She took the clothes from Geet’s hand.

“I can do” Geet said without looking at Megha

“I know you are very capable, you don’t need to prove. Move”

Geet kept on folding her clothes. Megha picked all the clothes from the cupboard and placed them on the bag “I know you are genuinely pissed off with me. You don’t have to exclusively prove it. Go sit, I will do the packing”

Geet knew it was a waste to argue with Megha. She left the clothes and sat on the bed, not saying a word. Megha did all packing for Geet in two hours and then called her husband

“Aakash, come with a big van to Mumma’s” Geet looked at her  “Why are you troubling Aakash” Megha ignored her.

“I am in the middle of a meeting. Rimmi is fine?” 

“Geet has two big bags and some delicate pieces. She can do uber, if you say”

“I am coming”

In half an hour Aakash was there. He saw Geet for the first time after the divorce information. It felt so awkward, she was a wonderful part of the family.

He came to Geet and gave her a side hug. 

“She troubled you for no reason” Geet apologized 

Aakash held Geet by shoulder “Geet, we were, we are and will always be family. Our relation with you is  apart from your equation with Mom and Dev Bhai”

Aakash dropped Geet and Megha to Geet’s hotel and helped with her luggage.

Geet unlocked the door to her hotel suit “You don’t have to trouble yourself”

“I am not troubling myself, you know.” When they entered the room, Megha closed it and held Geet by her shoulder

“Listen, I know, my mistake. But you have a big heart and above all you cannot break our friendship.”

Geet started arranging her few clothes in the cupboard and the other rest she let it be in the bag.

“You don’t have to stay in a hotel. I am in the city Geet”

“I have to make my establishment, so better I start from the scratch. I don’t want to go in safe zone mode”

“Okay, leave the serious talk. Tell me how Paris was.”

“Fine”  “Ohh give me some detail. Which hotel did you stay in”

“I was at my friend’s place. He has a big apartment and he stays alone there when he is in Paris.”

“He… unnn hnnn. And looks like some big shot”

“We are just friends. Now don’t make up things” but the color of Geet’s face changed and which was not missed by Megha.

“Ohh Gosh, see the color of your face” Geet shook her head. “This is how you make up things and then…”

“Ge-eet, I know my words were so wrong. It just happened. But I am your friend first and I am really ashamed of why I did not see it before. You never had any beautiful color on your face with Bhai.. I just thought you were just like that. These things are not for you. But I must have tried to understand. I even see Bhai as more natural now. After marriage, I guess you both learnt to put on the mask. Now both of you should start fresh and welcome any new feelings that come your way.”

Geet kept arranging her stuffs without any word

“I think Bhai took nice step for both of you”

“It is good for me but he did it only for himself. Your brother did not think a bit about me. Though he tries to be soft and helpful, he was in a real hurry to get out. And the step he took to bring divorce topic, I will never forgive him”

“Why are you saying so? He has always supported you when Mom says any wrong words about you”

“Yes, because he knows how wrong he is. I have kept quiet and did not complain, that does not mean he is clean.”

“Geet, I am missing something. Please tell me, please”

“So your Dev Bhai, do you know how he proved to me that this relationship was not working?”

“How?” Megha was scared. Geet was in real pain

“We had never been close physically beyond a point and that one time I tried to give it a real try and against my will I gave in to him, completely” Geet turned her face in anger

“And he took the intimacy to the next level, you know why? Just to prove it was not working. If we had kept away without it all these years then why to take it to that level, just to prove. That is the respect he has for a woman, Megha. Had he really cared for me, even as a friend, he would have not done it just for the sake of proving. Going ahead in emotion would have been fine, even if it was for the last time. But to prove it. For him it was just proving and giving divorce. What would have happened in case I would have conceived. My life would have been so complicated, can you imagine? He had not once thought of these consequences.”

Megha came close and hugged Geet. 

“I am so angry with Bhai. How could he do it? Who gave him the rights?”

She then cupped Geet’s face “I have a feeling, your life is going to take a turn in the most beautiful ways. You are going to get into the most genuine relationship. Now, however angry you have to be with me, I don’t care. I will do all to bring happiness and love in your life.”

Megha thought to divert Geet. She had seen a different glow on Geet’s face for the first time at the mention of someone. She had never seen this with Dev Bhai. How her brother had pained her, she now wanted Geet to find real happiness.

“Well, Paris wala special friend, Handsome hai”

“You have a husband at home” Geet reminded her

“I can still flirt”

“No, don’t even think about that for him. He is different” Megha gave a fist bump on her shoulder

“Oyee hoyee, he is different”

“Shut Up, we are just friends” But everytime she spoke, color of her face changed against her own will and control

“I know, many beautiful love stories have started with, we are just friends.”

“He is a very respected friend. Don’t do your stupid talk, in case you ever meet him. You will spoil our friendship. And how can you be so cool about all, Dev is your brother and I am separating from him”

“I am talking to my friend, and I want her to fall in real love. I am not going to cry at the ending of a dummy relationship that Mom forced on both of you, for her professional needs.”

Geet ignored her love chant and ordered something for them. Megha held her hand and made her sit

“Listen, I was in very shock initially and in that I ended up blurting on you. Which is very much my fault. I was in pain for both of you then. But when I heard Bhai’s confession that the relationship was a real burden on both of you. I felt pain for both of you. Five years of masked relation!!. Later I realized, Bhai is relaxed after breaking the relation and you were having much better time there in Paris. I see you both are relieved from getting out of this. That is the reason; after sinking in the fact, I am eager for your new fresh life. I want it to be filled with happiness”

“I am not forgiving you”

“You don’t have to but I am not stopping from poking my nose”

“What was all that” Maan demanded an answer from everyone

“Such a reputed family and how you all behaved. Embarrassing me is your favorite task, I know. But why did you all drag her in it”

Everyone was quietly listening to Maan who’s anger as of now has erupted like a volcano. Though they were quiet, they listened from one ear and got his words out from the other.

“Will my family stop poking their nose in my matter” They did not answer but in their mind the answer was obviously No, they will not stop. 

“Come on, she is a respected friend. We respect each other.Have I ever said anything about her in a way to make you all behave the way you did in front of her?”

“No” he himself answered when no-one answered.

“It was so embarrassing for me. It felt like I must have said what-not about her.At least some sensitivity was expected, her divorce is not yet final”

His Dad got up at last “Okay, then we will wait till her divorce”

“Dad please. It’s expected from these ladies, but you?”

“Maan, we are elders and must have insight on your feelings when you talk.The way you have been worried for her. The way you left everything to bring her back into positivity. Making her and Nyru Friends. It’s love.”

He ignored their findings “How can you all be so selfish to think only about your son”

“We are not selfish to think of your happiness only.Geet, she is happy with you as well.”

“Wow!!! So it all turns out that I am helping her out for my own selfish need. Impress her, show her happiness and freedom she has never experienced and then bind in a relationship and shower her with additional responsibility of becoming mother to my daughter. Why would a single girl want to be the mother of someone else’ child?”

“Maan, you are overthinking. Why won’t she be happy to be with you? Where will she find someone who will care for her this selflessly”

“ Woa… how unselfish. Help her get out of one messy life and then dump her into another. Come, Geet be happy and be mother to my child  while I roam around to travel the world for my business.”

He pause to see their reactions. When her got none, he proceeded

“No is a No. This is not happening. That is final.” and he left.

After Maan left “Veerji is so serious on his No” said Meera making her face.

“Why are you so worried about his words? Do you think we even take it seriously?  Sameera was the mistake we did make but Geet is the right decision. Not only for him but for Geet as well.” Said Mohini, Maan’s Mom.

Geet was in Megha’s house for dinner

“Thanks for coming. I knew you will forgive me”

“No, I did not come on your invite. Aakash invited me.” Geet showed Aakash’s SMS to her.

“Yeah, he has been busy in the kitchen and Barbeque since evening with his apron and Chef’s hat on”

Geet went to the lawn where Aakash was busy truning chicken thighs on the barbeque.

“eeet” ran  three year old Rimmi to Geet.

Geet hugged her “How have my little princess been.”

She pouted her face and turned. Having not seen Geet for so many days, she was bit upset.

Geet cupped her face “ Geet gonna design best dress for your birthday”

Rimmi did not at this age know anything about dresses. But whenever Geet readied her, she loved it. 

Geet picked her in arms “Come let’s play”

Aakash came with a plate with Barbeques chicken thighs , Nachos and Dip

“Hmmmm” he forwarded taking one for himself on the tissue.

Geet and Megha too took theirs.. Rimmi jumped on Nachos and cheese dip.

Theys settled on the lawn chair

“So Geet, do you want any help finding the apartment?”

“Thanks for asking Aakash. But I will do it. Anyways, I am moving out of this city. There is limited opportunity for me here and I don’t want to collide with people everywhere I go.”

“Where are you planning to then”

“Mumbai” Aaksah looked surprisingly at Megha who was super happy

“You accept it or not, we are true soul sisters”

“Really? Now what did I say to make you think so?”

“Really, because we are moving to Mumbai very soon. Mom and Bhai doesn’t know yet, so think before you speak to anyone”

Geet knotted her brows “Fine, I know you will not anyways say it there.”

Aakash’s parents now want him there. Big Restaurant chain, it’s tough for them to handle now. And I too have responsibilities to them and above all I want to. I want to help in my family business there. At least in that business, I will have some freedom. Because of Mom, I have stayed away from my big family.And Lately ,all she has been doing is showing me how worthless I am.”

Geet said nothing. She knew the fact of Nina.