Intezaar – Scene 4

Geet had made the bed  when the door clicked open. Maan entered the room, their eyes met and they stood frozen in their space. 

Anticipation ran through Geet as she was standing alone in the same room with her husband for the first time. She tightened the sides of her dupatta in her fists and gulped her saliva. 

Has the time come? Will her marriage life start? Will the happiness that she keeps spreading in this house, all last will  come to her as well? So many thoughts ran in her mind at the jet speed.

“It’s late in the night.. I overslept in the daytime due to jet lag” was the first sentence of Maan who himself does not know what to speak to her. His heart was guilt laden and he had so many questions that he wanted to get some clarity on. His mind was still stuck on her diary

“It’s okay, I am not sleepy”

“No… it’s pretty late and you had a busy day today. You should take a rest and I will catch up with some work..”

Geet’s heart dipped, she had been waiting for a chance to have a conversation with him since he had arrived. 

For the first time, he somehow understood her plight “I meant to say, we will have a long talk and now you being tired, I do not wish to keep you awake so long”

She smiled. Her heart got set back with the formal tone…

“Ji… “ is all she could say. He left and she went to lay on bed lost in thoughts. Is he still not interested in her?? No no… he must be genuinely wanting her to take rest. And her tiredness took over her thoughts and she fell asleep in no time.

After half an hour, in her deep sleep Geet felt some rattling noise, she turned in her bed but in deep sleep was unable to open her eyes. But soon it was again silent and she again went back to sleep.

Maan settled on his study, switched on the light and looked at the cover of the diary ‘Our Story’. He moved his finger on the title, wondering what it held. Will the content bring a big heartbreak for him? But why was he fearing a heartbreak? He had been running from this relationship  since the start and had knowingly tried to find a match of his type, very well aware that he had his wife waiting for him here. He does not have the right to have a heartbreak. And why is he thinking of a heartbreak? Does he even know her, is he even attached to her.. No. It’s the relationship that binds them. This realization brought a big thunder bolt on him. Just the thought of his wife having a past is making him nervous then what about him… he knowingly and intentionally went into experimentation of trying out his type. Will she ever be able to forgive him… Is he even worth any forgiveness? 

But then he again looked at the title ‘Our Story’ – Or will he even want to get forgiveness from her?

He opened the diary and the first page had a line beautifully decorated – ‘Humari Adhuri Kahani’

Maan’s doubt on her only solidified. His hand shook as he turned the page to  read further

Dated – the day of their first night

“You must be wondering – ‘Adhuri?’ Adhuri kyun’

“Heen heen…” he could feel her giggling as she must have written. Just two lines and love just oozed. Maan was now scared. Whatever was in this diary, the simplicity of it is going to turn his whole emotion upside down, whichever way it goes. 

“Ohh it’s so simple – because this diary is just written by me. It’s just my version of our relationship. Puri to tabhi hogi na… jab aap wapis aanyenge.. Dekha phasa diya na maine aapko.. Life is simple… if you think it’s complicated you will complicate it… well that’s my mantra…” 

Maan closed his eyes and threw his head back. Smile formed on his face. Such sweetness and simplicity.. How would it feel when she speaks these words… giggling. He does not even know how she giggles but he could feel… it would be the most melodious music. Ohh it’s just the start of it.

He gathered himself and read further

“Before I start, I know there is almost no chance that you will ever read this diary… well I will never stop you because it is Our Story… pura kaq hai aapka… but I know you will never read it. It will be with me all my life, so I will not be shy while writing this… But don’t you dare think, I am this shameless or my mind is this weird. I know you won’t read it ever, that is why I am writing these silly things… samjhe app… jhalli nahi hoon main… “

He laughed and shook his head “Silly girl” 

“For you, I will maintain the class and calm that suits your type… but in this diary, I will just be myself with you”

That page ended.

“Haan sahi samjha aapne, this is Our Story – Maan aur Geet ki Kahani” this was the first line of the next page. The simple sentence that sent different kinds of arrows in his heart.

“Well now that you know it’s all about us, you must be thinking why I am writing this diary and how I will make our story with you not around me. But what do I do? Today is our first night but you have left for London and that too for a long period… kuch khafa bhi hai iss rishte se… Now you tell me, what do I do… Cry and be sad for all the days you are not here…. Why should I? Aap jante nahi mujhe but I am a very optimistic person.. Why should I tell you a sad story when we meet.. I will make happy memories of ours… Aapke intezaar mein…”

“You know, I just saw our bed, which is empty…. But you know I do not want to  write a sad story of you not being here.. I will write a story about each day.. Imagine how it would have been if you had accepted this relationship…”

“I just stopped writing for an hour…. Was looking at our big royal bed..  You know.. Sharma gayee main… how your eyes traveled on me…. aap bohut batameez hain” and page ended

Maan closed the diary for a while. He was overwhelmed with feelings.. Not to deny, this girl has swept his heart in just two pages. It was not his anymore… Not the hours of talks, several meetings, trying to cozy up or flowers and gifts could do that thing to his heart that her simple words have done.

“What had he been thinking? Not his type… He was just praying he would bring out something to be of her type…”

Maan turned the page, nervous. Somewhat knowing he is going to be flown in her words and his heart far away from him

It was dated next day 

“Itne bure ho aap… see it’s 9 am and I am still in the room talking to you… You troubled me the whole night.. We kept talking for a long time. Now you tell me what should I answer our family when they ask me why I am so late… sab aapki galti hai… Okay now I am rushing… will talk to you later…”

Maan stopped, as if listening to her. He was lost in how she must be acting while thinking it all so cutely.

“Dammn… damnn…” he paced in his room. He definitely was pissed off at his silliness of being so superficial in his judgment. He had been forcing himself to imagine Sam was his type but the way this girl’s, his wife’s simple words did to him,hHe knew now, had he even talked to her for a day, he would have not even imagined to even look at any girl… This is why Mom was so confident that she was the one for him. Why had he not even trusted his Mom’s choice?

Maan went back to read the diary…He kept on reading the diary… somewhere imagining she is sitting 

behind him as he read it

“You know what I found out about you….”

 And he went on reading … How she found things about him… how she was falling for him. The more she knew about him the more she was falling for him…

As he turned pages… he fell in love with their romance in her world… was he even capable of that level of romance that she crafted between them completely based on what she learnt about him…

What could his family tell her about him – They knew he was workaholic, ambitious, and loved his family. But he was surprised as how she has in her own way read him

He kept on reading further

“You know I have expertise on making your favorite chocolate mousse. You who are so fond of strong black coffee…. How do you desire for Chocolate Mousse. You know when I look at dark coffee and then at Chocolate mousse, whose texture is light and airy but its chocolate flavor is intense and it’s soft and melting on the palate – kya bolun main abb. I know on the surface you are sour as your black coffee.. Which is your regular drink and regular facade. But then your special occasion dessert which you secretly desire for ‘Chocolate Mousse’ – Which makes me know…. Your love will have intensity, passion, sweetness that will blow me away and your desire will sweep me off my feet… and you will love to make me melt under you”

Maan felt his whole body warm with the feeling of her. She was already all over his existence by now

“Chhii… besharam hain aap… mujhe bhi bana diya… Koi nai.. Aage Padiye na” and he felt she is sitting beside him, reading her  diary with him – Their Story

Maan could feel her love. Just half the night has passed and he knew, he cannot even imagine to think of anyone else now

He kept turning the pages, each day’s story of theirs and how she was decoding him each day in her own way… He kept on reading, mesmerized.. He turned next page

“Hmmm… I am very tired today.. A bit upset with you as well… You know today was Holi and I made all your favorites. By now I have an expertise in all your favorites. Annie, Dev, Vicky, Nikki, Karan.. All your siblings and cousins pulled me to the Holi ground. They all wanted me to play Holi… but I wanted you to put color on me. Today I didn’t want to just imagine being positive… I really wanted you to come from somewhere and put color on me… passionately… I wanted you to color me everywhere in your color…. I wanted your hands to touch me anywhere with color… So I ran away from there… giving a glimpse of my pain to everyone… Kyun kamzoor pad gayi main… just because of you.. Why had you to call at that very moment and then decline to talk to me”

“Sorry Geet” whispered Maan, reprimanding himself. What a jerk he has been.

“Now don’t be sorry..” he laughed. How well she has read him just by learning of him from others. 

“Why had she been so invested in jerk like him”

He thought and read further

“Abb manaiye mujhe…”

“Kya karoon Geet, bolona” he spoke as if talking to her.

“Holi is my favorite festival… mujhe rangna hai aapke rang me… fill me in your arms Maan, make me loose in you…”

Maan felt that his heart would burst. How could he just leave her like that. A dreamer like her. He is a sinner.

He kept turning the pages and kept reading, sometimes laughing at her cute antics-filled words, sometimes feeling heavy realizing her pain in her words, her loneliness, her dreams, her investment in him… her beautiful heart versus his selfish heart…

He kept reading and turning the pages, reaching almost the end of the diary… he has covered almost ten months of their story.

“Do you have any idea, how much do you trouble me these days at night… Since I have heard from Dad that you will be returning in a couple of months, my nights are just sleepless. “

After that the pages were filled with her love and Intezaar for him, only increasing everyday. 

“Aur abb to diwani hoo gayee hoon aapki.. I know how you walk in anger, how you walk when you are thinking, your walk when you are planning… your eyes, how they talk at different moments -Like big red ones when you are angry, soft teasing ones when you are happy and I can feel blood rushing within me when you are looking with deep intensity towards me… your smile, your smirk… how your handsome features look differently handsome in each expression… app kaise mujhe aapni bahoon me kasenge.. How will your hands travel on my vulnerable skin…”

“Okay bass. bas. Now I am stopping or I will go on and on on this one” He could feel the blush on her face due to rush of blood

“And don’t ask how I know all these…. It is again very simple” Maan was filled with various feeling that he was first time encountering… happiness, sadness, guilty, love for her , hatred for himself… so many feelings

He reached the last page

“I am very nervous today Maan. You will be coming tomorrow. I have bared myself to you and this is the last day I am talking to you as per my wish. Itna haq jataya hai maine aap per saal bher. Will you give me this right on you Maan. I am very scared – kahin ye haq kisi aur ko toh nahi diya na aapne… Mera Intezaar – you have to keep respect for this wait of mine. I am very very nervous Maan… Sambhal lenge na aap mujhe”

Maan just sat there for half an hour. His tears were not stopping. He later gathered and got up.

Geet was in deep sleep when the little movement in the room and slight illumination made her move a little. In her deep sleep, she missed that Maan was back and he may need the pillow. She unknowingly, like all the night, took the pillow from his side when Maan was about to place his head on the pillow and held it tight to her chest. Maan could see the smile forming on her face. Ohhh… she looks so cute.. Just beautiful as her dream” 

His cell vibrated as it was close to him. He immediately took it out, saw Sam’s number there. Without a flick of thought, disconnected it so that his wife’s beautiful dream does not break… Ohh he knew he was there.

Maan quietly got the cushion from the sofa, placed his head on it, very slowly slipped on the bed, softly took the quilt she was covered with and went inside it.