The Burnt – Chapter 16

Dev gave her a faint smile “Yes, was missing Dadima” Geet knotted her brows not convinced but let it go. She is over thinking these days.

Geet left for the office and after she left Dev went to the outhouse to be there with Maan, who still was in high fever and pain. This unbearable pain stayed for at least 3-4 days when he got this attack in the interval of 4-5 months.

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

Dev and Dadima managed to craft a situation that subtly led Geet to believe there were important business dealings taking place. They also used this as the reason for Dev’s visit.

After that, everything fell silent, and Dev left, reassuring Geet that she was simply overthinking. She scolded herself for being overly concerned. Maan’s life and hers were separate, and she had no reason to get involved. She also reminded herself of how passionate Maan was about his work.

Maan’s treatment continued as he gradually recovered, resuming his usual routine—busy with business trips and his workouts.

However, amidst all of this, his treatment remained in full swing.

Three months had passed, and Dadima was visiting Annie to celebrate the baby’s first Holi. This would also be Geet and Advay’s first Holi at the Manor, so Dev and Meera were planning to come to London for the occasion. However, they wouldn’t be able to arrive until the afternoon of Holi Day itself. With a couple of days still to go, Geet was busy preparing to make the celebration special for Dev and Meera.

It seemed like Maan was again busy these days as Advay was not allowed in the outhouse for the last two days. Advay had been sad about that but Geet had been explaining it to Advay that Dad is a busy person and he has to understand it. 

But what about Geet? It had been almost eight months since she moved into the mansion, and though everything had been arranged perfectly for her, something still felt… off. From the moment she had arrived, she had promised herself that she would stay away from Maan and his matters, keeping her distance, respecting his space. Yet now, with each passing day, it felt harder and harder to keep that promise.

Something inside her stirred—a nagging feeling that she couldn’t ignore. She could sense that something was wrong with Maan, that there was something he wasn’t sharing, and it was eating at her. She missed him in ways she shouldn’t. Was she being selfish? Was her love so shallow that she was willing to turn a blind eye to things just to keep her heart from breaking? The thought made her question herself, her intentions. Why did it feel so wrong to not be there for him, to not be a part of whatever was haunting him? 

It was the eve of Holi, and Geet’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. The festive air around her house contrasted sharply with the turmoil she felt inside. Her heart thudded against her chest as she contemplated the task at hand—inviting Maan to join the Holi celebrations.

The outhouse had always seemed unapproachable. Yet now, with Dadima away, the responsibility naturally fell on her. Was it really just duty compelling her, or was there something more? Geet couldn’t deny that her curiosity about Maan was growing with each passing day. His silence and the barriers he built around himself intrigued her in ways she couldn’t fully explain.

What made him so withdrawn? And, more importantly, why did it matter so much to her?

She stood in front of the window and her eyes went to the outhouse at the far end of the premises.

A few people in formal attire stepped into the outhouse, their expressions serious and businesslike. So, he’s busy with work again, she thought, her resolve wavering momentarily. It seemed as though Maan Singh Khurana’s world revolved around endless meetings, strategies, and deadlines.

Was he again so busy in workload? It seemed so but still she will gather courage and at least invite him. She has decided and this time she will not back step. 

But this time, she couldn’t let that stop her. For eight long months, she had suppressed her curiosity, silenced her growing desire to understand him, and kept herself from crossing the invisible boundary he had drawn around his life. 

Somewhere deep down, Geet felt that if he just joined them—even for a moment—he might find a glimpse of the happiness he seemed so intent on avoiding.

No backing out this time, Geet, she told herself 

It was morning and under Geet’s supervision all the arrangements were done. Geet herself made some delicacies, her heart beating fast at the thought that she will make Maan try them, of course their son being via.

She went out to see the arrangement, the whole backyard was beautifully decorated with colourful items, colors were placed in big round plates, as well as delicacies. 

She saw Advay standing there, looking at her with anger

“You said Daddy will come”

“You will play holi with Daddy. He will come.”

“When?” he demanded. Geet knows now she has to take steps, for Advay, herself and even Maan. 

“You can do this, Geet,” she whispered to herself as she made her way to the outhouse.

With each step closer to his door, her heartbeat quickened. The questions in her mind refused to settle. Would he accept her invitation? Would this act bring her closer to unraveling the mystery of his loneliness? 

She stopped at the door, hesitating for a moment before raising her hand to knock. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and whispered a silent prayer, hoping for courage.

Geet’s steps faltered as she took in the scene before her. The air inside the outhouse was tense, heavy with a kind of urgency that had nothing to do with business meetings. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she noticed two men in white coats—doctors—and several women dressed as nurses moving about, their expressions marked with worry.

“Doc, his fever is shooting up and his pains are unbearable” 

Now Geet’s confusion turned into worrisome panic

“What happened?” 

But before she could proceed further, one of the nurses finally noticed her. She approached Geet with a soft but firm tone.

“Excuse me, ma’am. You shouldn’t be here.”

“Where is he?” she demanded

“Ma’am…”

“You tell me the room or I …” and then she saw a nurse coming out from one side and before they could answer she rushed to that side and entered a room which looked like a hospital room and then the scene in front of her horrified her.

Geet froze in her tracks as her eyes fell on Maan. Her heart sank at the sight before her. He lay motionless on the bed. Something large and padded curled around his arms and legs, seemingly holding him in place, while a circular band encased his head, connected to a tangle of electric cables that led to the machines surrounding him.

Her breath hitched, her legs trembling as panic gripped her. This wasn’t the Maan she knew—the unshakable, stoic man who always seemed in control. The sight of him like this was terrifying.

“Ma-annnn!” she cried out, running towards him, her voice a mix of desperation and fear.

Everyone in the room turned to look at her. A nurse stepped forward to block her path. 

“Madam, please, you need to stay back! This is a critical procedure.”

But Geet couldn’t stop herself. “What’s wrong with him? Why is he like this? What happened?” she demanded, her voice trembling as tears brimmed in her eyes.

“Maan” she touched his face to feel the burning sensation due to high fever which further sent her into fits

“Maan-Maan , what has happened?” She looked up at doctors. As her hand touched his skin, Maan felt some sensation

“Doctor, what has happened to him” and without her realizing, her tear drop fell on his hand. Maan could somehow sense her there, but he was not in the sense to confirm it or speak to her or ask her to go away.

“Ma’am you are not allowed here”

“And you think I will leave? What has happened to him” she asked in frustration and anger

“Maan-Maan” she patted his burning cheeks 

“What has happened to you, Maan?” and tears kept rolling down her eyes, her brain not working. She felt so helpless

She got up and joined hands in front of the doctor “What has happened to him? Get him better soon, please. I am his… I am his.. I am his wife” she spoke at last, accepting the ultimate truth of her life

“I am the mother of his child and he is the father of my child. Any more intro you want?”

“Ma’am we know who you are”

“You know?” she frowned with confusion but this was not the time for this curiosity. His condition overtook any other thoughts.

“Anyways, please tell me, what has has happened to him”

“Ma’am we are treating him. Give us an hour his fever will be down and his pain will lessen for a few hours before it shoots up again. It will go on like this for 2-3 days and then he will be fine”

“2-3 days he will be in this pain? And what are these heavy pads around his limbs?” she demanded

“Ma’am these are heavy massaging pads. He goes under unbearable pain when his fever shoots up. Even the pain reliever could do very little. Do not get scared of this”

“Maan, “ she caressed his burning cheeks as her tears were unstoppable.

“Yeh kya ho gaya? Yeh kya ker liya aapne? Mujhe aise saza de rahen hain aap” 

Her soft voice continuously into his ears forced him to open his eyes. She could she it was so difficult for him to even open his eyes due to high fever

“Geet” came his almost inaudible voice. He shook his head for no and forced himself to look at the doctor

“Ma’am, we are treating. You should not sit here to witness the process”

“I am not moving an inch, doctor. You treat him and get him well soon” doctor gave up and signaled nurse to start the process

“Aaaaa” sudden increase in his ache due to high fever made Maan cry out.

“Nurse, increase the fluid flow in all the massager. He is in deep pain” alerted the doctor

Geet gave the doctor and nurse the space to treat him. But her eyes were fixed on Maan and she was numb to think anything. All she wanted at present was to see him in senses with low fever and reduced pain. Other introspections will happen later.

It took Maan half an hour to go back to sleep and the medicine started making its effect and fever started lowering. 

“ma’am , he will wake up in half an hour. That time he will be good for another couple of hours before fever starts shooting up again. You can talk to him then. But I will request, please be calm and not make him talk much. ”

Doctors left after giving her brief instructions. Geet went and sat beside Maan. The moment she sat beside him, her hands went up to caress his forehead and face while tears started rolling down her cheeks. Seeing his condition she forgot all the six years of separation they have been living into.

She in vain wiped her tears that were continuously flowing down her cheeks and her other hand softly moved down to his chest. This ‘Maan’ was unimaginable to Geet. She kept rubbing his chest softly. 

Geet’s tears fell harder as she softly whispered, her voice filled with guilt and regret, “How selfish I have been, Maan? I left and never looked back. I thought you were so strong, and I was so weak—that’s all I let myself believe. But I was wrong, wasn’t I? You carried it all, silently, while I kept feeling like the victim, ignoring what you might have been going through.”

Her fingers gently brushed against his forehead as she choked on her words. “I’m sorry, Maan… so sorry. I should have seen past your silence, but I didn’t. I let my own pain blind me to yours.”

She leaned closer, her heart heavy with the realization of how much she had misunderstood him, vowing silently to make things right this time.

 “Main toh nayeei zindagi doodhne niklgayee, app piche doobte gaye. Maan kyun?” 

She took his palm in her hand 

 “No, not any more. You are not capable of living alone. How smart I thought you were but no, see what you have done to yourself.”

After an hour, Maan’s fever completely came down and he opened his eyes to see Geet there. And he immediately tried to sit  “Geet? You? Here? Why? Advay…” he turned around to look for Advay

“Advay is not here, it’s only me” he looked at Geet in shock – What was she doing here? She is not supposed to see him in this condition.

“You should have not been here” he said in low voice, stealing his gaze away from her

“Yeah..” Geet gave a sarcastic laugh “So that you can freely ruin your life”

He was taken aback as if caught “nahi… nahi. See treatment is going on” Geet kept looking at the defensive Maan. How much has he changed, way beyond her imagination.She was so horrified to witness his condition that she forgot all her fear and hesitation at this moment. His life meant most for her and just for her fear and hesitation she cannot risk it.

She touched his forehead to see his fever was completely down

“You will allow doctor to give me all the details of your health, please” There was haq in her please

“Trust me, it is nothing serious. Just fever for couple of days with body ache, just common symptoms”

“Janti hoon haq nahi hain mera…” her own guilt of not keeping tabs on him came out

“Nahi, nahi… haq hai… haq sab hai tumhara,” Maan murmured hurriedly, his voice faint yet filled with urgency.

Her eyes widened as she looked at him, trying to absorb the sight of the man she once knew—unshakable, unyielding—now so vulnerable, so different.

A hard rock, now in molten form, and it left her both shaken and overwhelmed.

“Aap badal gaye ho, Maan,” she whispered, her voice soft but laden with emotion. But she soon gathered and decided to take his vulnerability as an opportunity to help him.

“So you give me right to get all details of your health” 

“There is nothing, it’s all good”

“So you don’t give me the right.. Sahi hi hai. The one who left you abandoned, why would you…”

“No Geet. You have all rights. Just that you do not need to get into mess of my life”

“I am calling the doctor” she  said with all right and went to call the doctor.

Maan was unable to grasp how Geet came here and especially at this time. The problem was that now it was not in him to decline any of her requests. But on the other side, he cannot let her mess up her life for him. 

Geet returned with the doctor. Maan looked at the doctor

“Doc, she has all the rights,” He said at last. Doctor nodded. He actually needed a person like Geet to be there for his patient. At last someone who can bend this stubborn patient of his. Such an influential and powerful person, even the doctor’s hands got tied sometimes in his stubbornness.

“Doc, don’t scare her. It’s just fever and pain”

“Mr. Khurana, you should rest. I will give the needed information. For now, should I send a nurse to freshen you up.” He turned to Geet

“Mrs. Khurana, I will catch up with you later with all the details”

“I am feeling better, will freshen up on my own”

“Mr. Khurana, you just came out of a fever. Nurse will give you a sponging”

“No, it’s fine. I will do a quick shower”

“Doctor, I will be with him. Nurse is not needed” Geet assured and the doctor left.

Maan gathered himself and moved out of the sick room. He reached his room while Geet followed him

“I am better now. You should be with Advay. I know he is already sad due to me”

“Hmm…he had been looking forward to playing Holi with you.” Maan looked at Geet for few moments, something in his mind

“Thanks for Advay and thanks for being so strong for him” Geet smiled a little. Guilt of running away with his baby always inside her.

“I will go freshen up will then play some Holi with Advay”

“No, you should take a rest. I will explain Advay”

“No, I can’t let Advay down above myself. Please”

Geet nodded. She knew what Advay meant for him.

“Thanks. Will freshen up and come. You be with Advay, I am all good now”

Geet felt a bit awkward or kinda shy but then she cannot let these things take over her. She cannot leave him alone, especially in this condition

“Can’t leave you alone. You freshen up, I will just be in the room, just in case”

“Room? No-no, not needed at all. I am all good” Geet frowned with confusion but soon realized how he is messing up his life. Also got reminded how Advay had been cribbing about Daddy not showing his room. She needed to invade his life, whether he wishes or not.

Maan got a sudden headache and he pressed his forehead “Maan please” and Geet pushed open the door of his room to make him rest on bed.

The view of the room shocked Geet and she turned to look at Maan. But Maan rushed to the bathroom before he could be put on spot. 

She could not move from her place with what she witnessed. Everything she saw was beyond her imagination, far from what she had expected. Maan Singh Khurana—the epitome of style, sophistication, and power—was living in a way so stark and simple that it left her shaken.

This was the man whose name was synonymous with grandeur and exclusivity. The visionary behind Khurana Enterprises, showcased his impeccable taste and larger-than-life persona. Yet, here he was, living in a space that lacked even the basic sense of comfort or luxury. The large double bed was plainly made, the room sparsely furnished with only a bed, a study corner, and a modest sitting area. No extravagant decor.

And then, as her gaze shifted to the walls, she felt her chest tighten, her breath catching as her tears flowed freely. Three of the four walls were covered with wallpaper, not of design or color, but of memories—pictures. Huge, warm, and full of life.

The photos stopped her heart. Advay dominated many of them and she had no doubt Maan had clicked them himself; they were filled with love, care, and showed how crazy he was about his son.. 

But what struck her most were the pictures of herself. The most recent ones were with Advay, taken in the present timeline, but the majority were from a time long past—when she had lived in the Khurana Mansion as his wife. Those images, capturing moments of her in traditional dresses and adorned in simplicity. Did she really look that beautiful back then? Or was it his perception, his gaze, that turned those ordinary moments into something extraordinary?

No, these were pictures not clicked by Dev. The pictures had romantic hidden angles and these were all his own clicks.

She stepped closer to the wall, her fingers trembling as she reached out to touch a photograph. It was a candid shot, one where she wasn’t even looking at the camera. She was laughing, her dupatta slipping slightly from her head, and in her hands was a plate of flowers. The warmth of her smile lit up the frame.

One picture was a close up of her side face but taken from far. She was smiling wide, her eyes looked happy and her dangler was the main focus of that picture. Geet touched her ear, she does not wear such danglers any more. 

Geet’s voice trembled as she whispered to herself, “Did I really look like this? Or did you see me like this, Maan?”

Geet tried to find Maan pics, but there were none. The walls were filled with her and Advay.

Her heart ached as she pieced it all together. It was the life of a man who had given up everything for himself. Simply cherished his son, who had held on to the remnants of a love that he had never accepted but couldn’t let go.

Maan had to at last come out. He wanted to play Holi with his son before his fever started to shoot up. He saw Geet sitting on the bed. Not in capacity to face her, he quietly took his change of clothes.

After a while, he was back dressed up in Kurta-pyjama.

“Geet, chalen?” Geet looked at him, her eyes were swollen

“You are crying. Sorry, did I do something…” Geet simply ran to the washroom, washed her face and came back. This extreme submission Maan was giving aches in her heart.

“Let’s go. We will get this done quickly and then you are coming back to rest” she said with no expression on her face.

She knew she would either shout at him for his craziness or cry on her stupidity to leave him alone when she knew how crazy he already was.

Maan followed her like an obedient child, all the while worried that he had offended her by placing her pics on his wall.

Maan and Geet together came to the decorated lawn where Advay was kept busy with Dev and Meera who had arrived an hour back.

Dev was confused seeing the two coming together, while Meera had a big smile. Advay ran to his parents, elated to see them together for the first time.

“Mommy-Daddy” he jumped and hugged them together, his one hand around Geet and other around Maan, bringing them so close.

Maan bent to pick Advay but Geet soon took it in her arms

“Advay – Daddy came to play Holi with you. You know how busy daddy is, right?”

Advay nodded and again turned to go in the arms of his dad. He was seeing his dad after a gap of 2 days. Maan extended his hands to take Advay but Geet placed Advay down

“Go, bring colors to put on Daddy” Advay jumped and ran to get the colors.

Meera helped him to get the colors and then Dev and Advay came to Geet and Maan, following Advay. Maan looked here and there seeing the accusing eyes of Dev

“Veer ji, I am so happy to see you here” Maan gave a smile to Meera.

Then Advay placed the color on his dad and Maan placed the color back on him, blessing him.

“Okay Advay, now you play with your uncle and Aunt. Daddy has work, right”

“Mommy going with daddy” Advay clapped and jumped

Geet bent down and caressed his cheeks “Daddy gets busy at work and doesn’t take care of himself. Mommy needs to take care of daddy” Advay was simply jumping. The 5 year old boy’s happiness had no bounds seeing his parents in the same frame for the first time. 

“Geet, it’s okay. The whole medical team is there. You do not need to stress” he tried in vain. She would not listen and he was not the old Maan to order her.

“Let’s go, you need rest now”

It took two more days for Maan to get completely over his fever. Geet informed Dev and Meera and asked them to take care of Advay. Dev offered to be with Maan but Geet was not going to budge.

“Be with Advay, I cannot leave Maan in this situation” she said and ended the topic. Geet in the meanwhile also got all the details and history of Maan’s health from the doctor and the more information she got the more into shock she was going into.

In all this, Geet was going through so much emotional turmoil. She wanted to shout out at the top of her voice to let it all out but she could do nothing. It will only affect Maan further.