Intezaar – Scene 3

He got the first closer glimpse of his wife when she came to them with a tray of coffee. Maan had been sitting with his friends who didn’t understand his Mom’s indication that he needed to be left alone. Maan understood his Mom wanted him to or was eager for him to go and meet his wife. Did his friends not at all understand or did they not find it important enough for Maan to meet his wife, whom he had not yet talked to. His friend not respecting his responsibility toward his wife or say, not giving importance to her in his life was all his fault and again a fresh set of guilt ran through him. He had let them know at start that he had married for his mother’s wish and that the girl was completely different than the people of his world. He had never said or even meant that she was not worth him, all he meant that she was different. But his friends, who thought highly of him, seeing his simple small town city wife inferred his statements as she was not worth him. How could he say words without thinking of its consequences? If they are not valuing her today, it was all his fault. Maan didn’t know what his dynamics would be with her. But he was really at fault for lowering her value. His friends also knew he had not ever talked to her, what would they think. No one was at fault other than him. He owe her a sorry.

As she came close to place the coffee, Maan’s eyes could not move away from her. She lifted her beautiful hazels to meet his dark orbs while placing the tray on the center table. Something sharp hit his heart that very brief moment. Was it her beauty, simplicity or his own denial and acts in reaction to the denial. Maan did not know if it was any one thing or all mixed up.

“Bhabhi ji… this is not Hoshiyarpur where you need to come to serve coffee to your husband. This is Khurana Mansion… your this family has tons of servants to do it”

“Yaa phir bahana chahiye”

She just smiled and handed them the coffee. Her hands were shaking when she forwarded the coffee cup to him. He immediately takes the coffee from her, before it spills and gives another reason for his friends to show her down.

Their eyes met and he mouthed “Thank-you”. Geet’s heart made a sudden speed change by his first words to her. She immediately left from there and ran to the kitchen, holding her vulnerable heart which was palpitating. 

His simple, soft thankyou, within seconds weaved so much positivity to her weak heart. Means, he was not that mad at her for being forced in his life.

Maan was sipping his coffee quietly so that he could soon send off his friends. He was almost done with the coffee when he got a call from Sam

“Hi Sam.. “

“Hi Maan, have you reached there? How was the journey ?“

“Yes, reached. Journey was nice”

“Did you meet her?”

“Very briefly”

“Now do not think of me. She is your future, focus on her” Sam gave genuine advice yet feeling proud within of him not being able to connect with his wife yet.

“Okay bye Sam” he disconnected. He turned to check on his wife..  but she was long gone.

This is what had been happening between Sam and him.   When Sam was with him, he convinced himself that she is exactly the kind of girl for him, smart-classy-vibrant- independent . And in the process of convincing himself he had conveyed the same to Sam. 

It all started as his denial to the type of girl he tied the knot with. Brought up in a highly upscale lifestyle and suddenly being bound by a very different small town girl, Maan had not been able to accept. When he had left for London, he wanted to explore one last time the girl that was exactly his type. 

They would share sweet time together, with Maan telling her how she is the type of girl he wished for his life. But when she would leave, he never lingered on missing her. Later to convince himself further, he would try to be cozy with her by holding her hands, talking more sweetly to her, praising her more, spending more quality time with her. But, however hard Maan tried convincing him, Sam never held in  his thoughts.. Instead the person who held his thoughts was the one he was trying to avoid. The guilt towards her kept piling up. Maan, for once, was trying to live life on his terms but his family values were going against his wishes. He had tried but couldn’t even kiss Sam once. Failed every time he tried with bigger determination. Instead later ended up feeling guilty for deeds he was incapable of doing. 

Geet was coming to them to ask if they needed something. Of course it was an  excuse to get his glimpses. His ‘Thank-you’ had seeded encouragement in her.

“Hey Maan, why did you disconnect? “ said one friend

“ Maan, you cannot accept the life you are forced into” came from other

Maan felt his wife approaching. He looked up to see her standing frozen in her place. She turned to leave. 

He hurriedly said, little louder 

“Yaar, leave it. My personal life I will handle “

“But think,  Maan. Kuch to match ho”. 

Maan saw his wife who halted on his words, but moved away with his friend’s word

Maan closed his eyes. His guilt piling up.

Maan finally sent off his friends. 

Maan found his parents in the inner sitting area of magnificent Mansion

“Maan, go freshen up and take some rest. You need to meet someone, you know right? “said his father. There was affection in his tone of meeting his son but a tinge of sterness to remind him of his duty.

“Yes Dad, I understand.” He turned to his Mom “Mom, ummmm…. where is she?” he asked, hesitance in his voice

“Maan, she is your wife and this house is yours, you should find her yourself. First go to your room and freshen up.” 

Maan went to his room, opened the door expecting it to be as before but the moment he stepped he felt alien in his own room. The room had a soft feminine feeling. The reality hit him. It was not just his room any more. He will be sharing this room with his wife and from last year she is the only one staying here. So it was now dominated by her personality.

He opened his closet to find one of them well arranged with her clothing. Maan’s hand went up to feel the soft materials of her dresses.  He was observing her clothes for a long time when his hand went on the box. It was a very pretty box, like some treasure box. Maan moved out to check the other closet. It had all his clothes, arranged so well. He lifted his hand to get one of his pairs out but otherwise, retreated to go back to her closet to get the treasure box in his hand. 

He knew it was not a right thing to open someone else’s property without asking. He knew it was silly to open a girl’s treasure box, but maybe this was another way to get to know her. He opened the box to find a a diary, titles -’Our Story’

Door clicked open and Geet entered  “Mom said, you wanted coffee” she gave an explanation of her visit, not knowing if she was welcomed or not.

“Hmmm….” he said and saw her eyes on the diary he was holding

“Found this in the box” he gave an explanation of diary being found in his hand

She handed him the coffee

“What’s this diary.. Something personal..”

“Our Story….” she answered

“Ohhh yeah..… something personal I see” he placed the diary back in the box

She placed the coffee on the table “Personal… but for those who are not personal… it’s our story” she said. 

Not even being hesitant of him having possession of that diary. He pondered on her last sentence. What did she mean, repeating the title of the diary when asked about what it held. 

“You wrote it?” she smiled and nodded “It’s very silly.. All silly things there… you will not like it”

“You don’t know me, how can you judge?”

“I don’t know you…” she repeated and smiled but then looked at him “You are right… we should not judge anyone without knowing them” she said and left. Left for him to ponder.

Her talks were so simple yet so deep. No, it was deep because she was so simple and all he had done in his one year of experimentation was to complicate his life. 

‘We should not judge….’ her last sentence hit his weak point. He had done exactly that. Why did she smile at her not knowing him? Did she know him? How could she.. They have never been together. Just talking about anyone here and there… you cannot know the person. No he cannot buy that. What was this ‘Our Story’ then? Did she have a past with someone, because they do not have any story together. So this ‘Our Story’ is definitely her story with her past. Anger ran through him. Here he has been in guilt of cheating her, not able to move even if he tried and for whom, this girl, who has her past and she is still keeping it close to her heart. Writing a story of her past. But why was she fine with him reading it? Maybe just like he had to confess his deeds, this was her way of confessing. 

After seeing her twice closely, he cannot deny how beautiful his wife was. More than beautiful, she had a different type of attraction in her, her deep hazels, the calmness, her talks… there must be more. He has definitely judged her wrong, he knew by now.  Opposite of his thinking about her that she would not understand his type of talks, it was the other way round. Couple of statements she had spoken to him and he was unable to decode.

With the puzzle of the diary in his mind, he went to freshen up and later went to the dining area when Nakul came to call him for lunch.

On the other hand, Geet was all nervous in the kitchen “zyada bol diya kya maine…. Naraz ker diya kya unhe… will he go again..” that last one churned her heart.  Her husband talked for the first time with her, had she been polite enough? She didn’t want to do anything to make him go for that long.. Intezaar, ek baar hogaya… now after meeting him, it will be killing.

At lunch, Maan was expecting that his mother and Aunt would obviously make things of his choice today and all cousins would be jealous, but he was surprised to see so many items and each one his favorite and none complaining. Ohhh… how his family has missed him. 

“Maan, even if only a little, you have to try everything,” said his mom. Maan smiled at his Mom, ohhh this love he has definitely missed. Running from one person, he has made distance with the whole family, whom he loved so much and this all, how much they loved him.

“I am dying to try all my favorites,” Maan declared. Sandhya looked at Geet who was red with nervousness. She closed her eyes and nodded to assure her.

Maan took one bite of all the delicacies  “Ohhh my, these are all my favorites and made exactly how I like… I think this is the best you have ever made…. I am definitely going to overeat today. Mom, so much love , how do I handle”

“Maan, how will you handle it, you have to see. Can you feel the love with which these are made”

“Of course Dad. So many items of my choice and exactly how I like… how can I not feel the love”

“Enjoy,” his Dad said.

After they were done with lunch and Maan got up after enjoying the lunch his Mom and Aunt made with so much love

“Maan, do you know who made this grand lunch in your honor?” his Dad asked.

Geet was shaking her head to her father in law, but he ignored

“Of course, Mom and Aunt. All were selected items of my choice with so much specification. No one else can make it. Only these two know me so well”

“Recently, you have been judging without knowing the facts Maan. Each and every delicacies that you savored and enjoyed today, which was made exactly up to your taste was made by your wife, Geet”

Maan looked at Geet all shocked. How???