Poles Apart – Chapter 19

“No” she was strong when she had to speak for him. She knew, it being Saturday night and his pain surfacing, he wanted to be lost in drink. But she won’t let him sink this way. He was all alone till now but now she will stand by his side, never letting him alone. 

“Can we atleast share a bed?” she asked, keeping all her shame of being rejected just now. Love has hit her badly and a girl like Geet Handa was thinking way beyond her own self. 

He pressed a kiss in answer.

******

“This is my study,” she showed him enthusiastically. Maan roamed around to see her medals displayed wonderfully, her bookshelf filled with business and management books. Her work table was wonderfully set up, even the flowers in the vase had a class of sophistication. Maan smiled

“Do you like it?” she asked curiously. Why did she suddenly want his approval? He should like things about her, suddenly mattered so much to her. Geet was never this person, who cared what others liked about her. She did what she liked and made people praise her.

Maan was quietly looking around. Other than being a businessman, he has an artistic way to look around the surroundings. He automatically started placing everything into the canvas. No, not the exact objects but the story that each object told, the personality of the owner. Each object placed there, he turned them all into the story of his paintings, which would replicate the personality of the room and the owner.

“hmmm” he uttered after a long time when his observation finished.

“Typically you… very methodically done.”

She made him sit on the chair and hovered over him, her hands on his shoulder

“hmm.. so your artistic heart does not like it.”

“Hey… when did I say that? You think I don’t like you”

She came closer and pulled him closer by grabbing his shirt 

“You like me like crazy… that I know” she breathed into his face. Maan gave a smile and pulled her on his lap, her both legs on either side

“Then why do you think, my ‘typically you’ means I did not like it. I admire our difference of taste.”

She wrapped her arms around his nape “When you are in business mode, your each words go into my brain… but your artistic talks go above my head”

“One cannot be an artist without their inspiration”

“So I play that role in your art” She asked, sensually roaming her finger on his face.

He gave her a lopsided smile “Two drink inside, my artist is coming out”

They kept looking into each other’s eyes for a long time but trying to control the desire. It was so easy to be lost at this moment. Geet knew Maan was not ready. So she will do nothing that he can lose his control and later regret. She didn’t want either of them to regret any of their moments together.

“Okay, you take a look around my bedroom. It’s just next door. I will work on our dinner. What would you like to have? Anything specific”

“Anything homemade… simple daily food” She smiled, placed a kiss on his cheek and left for the kitchen.

Maan stayed in her study sketching something on the pad when Geet came from behind and hugged him

“Dinner is ready”

They were having dinner and “Loved it. You cook well.” 

“Thanks. I enjoyed cooking for my favorite person”

Later, after dinner, “Okay, I will take your leave.”

“No, I am not leaving you alone. Not today, in this state, no way”

“I will be fine”

“If you are not comfortable sleeping here, I will be coming with you. I am not leaving you alone and that is final.”

“I will be fine” he tried convincing her

Geet then came closer to him “Prof. You are punishing me? and you can anyway you want. You have all rights. But don’t make this distance. I have never stopped you from coming close to me. Have I? Show the same rights you showed earlier.”

He pulled her closer by her waist “you are all mine, till you do not commit to anyone else. But in this drunken state, if you don’t allow me to go, please give me another room.”

“I am not going to commit to anyone, so keep that thought off your brain. I am yours in all ways” She moved closer to place her lips on his. Maan was already losing himself. She initiated, he deepend and they ended up with a long passionate kiss. 

Geet then took him to her brother’s room. Later, when he went into slumber, she slipped inside the quilt beside him, wrapped her hand around him and closed her eyes. 

Next morning when Maan’s eye opened, Geet was ready with strong coffee for him. It didn’t take Maan much time to realize Geet had slipped beside him

“You are so stubborn”

“So I am.” Geet thought of teasing him. She came closer “Well, I must say, you were unimaginably hot in bed”

He pulled her harshly and blew his hot breath on her face. “In reality, it will be hotter than whatever you have imagined.” He then wrapped his hand around her and in a swift movement placed her on the bed and came over her.

“You want to see the glimpse of how it will be” and he pinned her hands above her head and nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck “Professor” he raised his head and looked at her flushed face.

“Stop tempting me. And I am not a newbie drinker, just two drinks, I remember each word we talked” she pouted. He laughed and got out of bed.

“Okay bye… will meet you tomorrow in college.” She kissed him and bid Bye.

Monday, during class, as usual, their eyes met and smiles formed. Maan took the class in his own style, involving the participant. It was his first day joining the session after the declaration. So the excitement in the class was different. They have been getting sessions directly from the owner of KE. But Maan was neutral and didn’t respond to their excitement on that front. He did his teachings and left the class. 

After the class, Maan was in his cabin, checking his office status when the door opened. Knowing who it was, he smiled.

Geet went behind his chair and hugged him from behind. Her eyes went on his system and she moved away

He pulled her and placed her back in her old position.

“Did I not say, everything about me is now open for you” Geet bent and placed kiss on his cheeks

“My birthday is coming. I want a special gift from you.”

“What do you want from me?”

“You won’t say No?” 

“Have I ever said? Do you think I will ever say” And that was Geet’s pain point. He had never and will never ever say No to her and all she had been doing is casually saying No to his most humble proposals, thinking she was a smart and practical modern girl

He pulled her from behind and brought her to sit on his lap. Geet looked at his deep eyes. It was so full of passion and more than that there was love. Geet could get anything from him, but how could she ask what she wanted,

“I wish to stay with you all the time. I don’t like it when you are staying alone. I want to be with you, get to know you more.. this is what I want”

“Rather, I was thinking of something more interesting. For you, it will be the best gift. You will like it better than what you have asked for”

Geet raised her eyebrows 

“Trust me you will love it. It will perfectly suit your personality.”

“But I want…” 

“And don’t worry for me. I am fine and will be, trust me. I am used to this life. It’s the peak time of your career, for you to shine. You should focus on that.”

“You don’t want me in your life?” Geet asked with hurt

Maan touched her cheek and moved her curls behind her ears and cupped her face “It’s’ not about me, it’s about you. Trust me, no one other than you will ever come into my life. But you do not need to bind yourself.”

“I… I..” Geet’s voice choked. How could she explain to him, she wanted to be with him? She wanted to be his family, take his lonely life away. How easy it was for him to say, he is only hers. He can say it with pride, she can never question his words. But did the same stand true for her. How could she make him believe, she was his, only his, forever.

She cupped his face “I want to be with you. See your face before I see the sun rays and feel your arm around me after I switch on the night light.”

“Okay. You see my gift on your birthday and then decide. It’s going to be a big surprise and I don’t want to hear No. Promise you won’t say No to me for this one time” Geet smiled and nodded. How he expected  only No from her, all thanks to her.

“Sure. I will be eagerly waiting for your gift.” She hugged him, tears rolled down her cheeks, behind him. She swiftly wiped and came forward and showed him her smiling face.

Following week, Geet filed a complaint against Dev. Maan helped her to get all the evidence and made sure her name did not come up. Dev was arrested but Geet made sure Khurana’s name did not come up in the picture. Dev was sent behind the bars based on FIR and initial evidence. Before court proceedings it will be planned how Dev gets punished and both family names do not come into picture.

Maan when entered his home that Day, was welcomed by the sarcastic clap from Sanjeev

“Wow Maannu wow!! what a great deed.” Maan knew why this restless reaction was. He ignored and took his steps up

“You should be ashamed, sending your brother behind the bars for a girl” Maan stopped on his way. This man had a way to stop him. Why could Maan just not ignore him? But how can he ignore a man who have no limit of going below any shame, be it his deed or his words

“Brother?” he turned and stepped down. He was burning with anger

“Don’t say that ever again. Your family will face worse.”

“You can’t ignore the fact” Maan went close to him, his face inches away and fire in his eyes

“I have long list of facts Mr. Khurana. Have some sense of shame when you speak. You don’t want me to color your face with the list of facts”

Maan turned to leave but again stopped “And to clear your doubts, he is behind the bars for his deed. Had you lectured him on his deed, you would not have to trouble yourself to connect with me today”

“For that girl you are ready to place the name of Khurana at stake”

“Wow!! you really have no limit. Your son did the deed to bring Khurana name at stake and how convenient it is for you to place it on me. Well, why am I even surprised. When have you not been using this name game to exploit everything to your family and your favor? But this time it is Geet and you should have well known the consequences.”

He immediately left, not wanting to bear further shamelessness of Sanjeev.

Sanjeev left and Ragini went behind him “You have no control on him. When you know your shouting only works in reverse, why don’t you use another way. That may work. I want my son out. First he threw Dev out of the house and now placed him in jail. I want my son out, even if you have to beg”

Sanjeev did not say anything, just left from there. He was a confused man whose past deeds came slapping him from all sides. But he was one stubborn man. He had not learnt from his mistakes. He knew how wrong he was but he was not ready to accept. Instead kept trying in vain to prove otherwise, coming out as more shameless.

 Geet entered the house all exhausted after getting Dev behind the bar. 

At dinner she was lost in thought “What happened dear” asked Rano

“You should be proud, you got that Dev behind the bars”

“Mom, it was all possible to get this done so smoothly due to my prof. He stood with me like a pillar.”

“What’s upsetting you dear” asked Mohinder

“His loneliness. He is all alone among the crowd of people who give a damn about him. Why is he even staying with those bunch? Dad, after this whole thing we dealt together, I am here having dinner with my family and what about him. He will be all alone. Whole family on the ground floor will see him with hatred. I want to be by his side, Dad. Absorb all his pain”

“Geet” Rano gained her attention. She was worried about Geet’s overflowing concern for Maan. She was fine with the idea of love in her daughter’s life. But the love that her daughter has embraced was full of  pain. Maan had pain in his life, loneliness and her daughter wanted to embrace that in her life. She wanted her daughter to have a happy dreamy love life, where her partner comes with all happiness to add more to her life. Maan’s life will be draining her emotionally and her daughter was eager to embrace it.

“Yes Mom”

“Geet, when Maan is not ready to take you in life, why are you pushing it? He must be having some reason”

“Mumma, he is hurt by me rejecting his proposals before. He feels that I did not find him worthy as a person and his worth rose for me when now I know he is the owner of KE.”

“Then what will you do Geet. Spend all your energy in winning his trust, then spend your energy in getting him out of loneliness and pain. I don’t want this life for my daughter”

“Mumma, I love him. Being around him fills me with different zeal, into a different world. He can only give me happiness and working for his happiness will be my happiness.Mumma, don’t ever think otherwise.”

Next couple of weeks Maan got madly busy setting up things. His business planning, his company shares, and branches. He was setting up for his next plan. All the branches and factories of Khurana Enterprise which had gone stale, were oiled with the energy he brought. New business policies were implemented with no scope of mistake. 

Geet on the other end got busy in her office. She had tried to invite Maan for dinners on the weekends but Maan had been really busy. Bringing back the whole enterprise up was a challenging task

“Sirat, in my cabin now”

“yes Ma’am” 

Geet was arranging the files when Sirat knock “Come In”

“Ma’am”

“Why are my files and my calendar not properly organized? Do I hire people to be alert only when I am alert? Am I not allowed to take leisure time and depend on my employees”

Sirat did not say a word 

“Good idea. Do not speak. I will shout and be done. Arrange a meeting in an hour with all HODs. I want to have words with all.”

Sirat left and Mohinder entered the cabin of his daughter. 

“Geet, dear you are scaring the staff. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” she said, making a face. “Everyone is busy, I should focus on work as well”

“Hmmm, your Prof is busy these days” he teased, she pouted

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-Anu