Indebted – Part 62

“Do not take a single step due to your impatience because I cannot let you ruin my game. And you know, you cannot do it all without my guidance,” and they disconnected.

Maan, going to India for a week to celebrate his wife’s birthday, was irking Sameera. It had all been so smooth. He had been busy working here, far from that girl.

*******

Sunday mornings held a special place in Rano’s heart. She had long ago made it a rule—no talk of work on Sundays. It was a day meant only for togetherness. With the entire family gathered under one roof, and Richa and Mira visiting along with Yash and Abhi, the house felt fuller than ever. Little Abhi, as always, remained the center of everyone’s love and laughter.

Maan’s presence made the morning even more precious. Her family was complete with his presence—what more could she ask for? All these years, despite the family warmth surrounding her, the years Maan had spent away from their lives had felt incomplete, leaving behind a quiet ache, a sense of something missing. He might not be bound to them by blood, but he was the invisible thread holding them all together. Their daughter—their lively, playful Geet—truly came alive only when he was around.

Rano silently wished that the assignment Maan had given Geet would be completed soon, so she could return to where she truly belonged—with her Maan.

Rano was making small round balls from the dough to fill them with different types of stuffing that she had prepared. Helper has helped, but the rest Rano wanted to do on her own. She was lost in her work when a warm hug surprised her

“Maan”

“Can I help you? Our old times in the kitchen….”

“Kyun sharminda ker raha hai. Damad hai ab tu”

“So now you disown me as your son?”

“Never. But everything that happened makes me feel ashamed—of myself and of how we treated you.”

“Don’t. Not anymore. Let’s leave all regrets and unspoken debts behind us. We are family, and we love each other. Let’s relive what we cherished in those days. And besides,” he added with a gentle smile, “I want to make parathas for my dear wifey.”

“She should be here, making something for you”

“Nope. Never will I let her do that. “Kyun?”

“I don’t like that good girl image of her – serving me on a plate.. nehh. That’s not my spoiled Geet. Plus, I can eat bland but not spoiled ones…. haha, you understand. I would better do the reverse. That’s safe, right?”

Maan came out with Rano, with a plate with two prathas and a bowl of curd.

“Maan!!” Geet got up, surprised

“Mom told us strictly not to disturb her in the kitchen, and you were there.” Said Meera, with a shock

“Hmmm… hmmm… you all are very good at finding excuses to escape helping,” he teased Meera.

“Mumma, I could have helped,” Richa offered quickly.

“You get so angry when we enter the kitchen on Sundays,” she pouted, complaining sweetly. Brij was already lost, admiring her pretty face—something Maan noticed instantly.

Before placing the plate in front of Geet, Maan leaned toward Brij and whispered, “This is above your pay grade, right?”

Brij shot him a sharp look. “Go on, continue your biwi ki gulami.”

“I have absolutely no shame,” Maan replied proudly. “And by the way, she’s your sister. You should be happy she has a loyal, dedicated husband.”

“Hmmm… go, mind your own business,” Brij snapped, clearly irritated.

Maan returned and took the seat beside Geet.

“No one is allowed in the kitchen on Sundays. That’s my treat to all my kids—for all the hard work you do the rest of the week,” Rano announced. She paused, her eyes settling on Maan. “This boy, however, never listens to me.”

Maan quietly placed the plate in front of Geet while Minu helped Rano at the counter.

“Made by Maan Khurana for his darling wifey,” he said lightly, sliding the plate toward her with a smile. Yash watched them, amused.

“I can see why Geet seems so out of life when you’re not around,” he remarked.

“Yash, Maan doesn’t need to do anything for Geet to miss him,” Meera teased. “But yes, this charmer definitely knows how to keep my sister on her toes.”

Geet smiled at everyone, then turned to Maan, her voice softer than the laughter around them. “You didn’t need to do this. I could have made it for you.”

“Shhh… just enjoy,” Maan replied gently, smiling back at her.

Geet ate, savouring the parathas her hubby had made especially for her. He was here—and once again, he was making her world more beautiful than a dream.

Di is right, she thought. Maan has his ways. And these days, it was mostly his way. When he wanted her to stay focused and serious, he made sure she did. And when he wanted soft, light, fun-filled moments between them, he made sure of those, too.

And she always found herself helpless. At times, her love for him made her do as he wished; at other times, it was his immense love for her, and his never-hesitating in showing it- that made her willing to comply with his desires. She felt like a wax doll that he could mould as he pleased. But did this situation concern her? Not exactly. To her, he was always right. She believed he understood situations and people better than she did. However, her only problem was her fear. How could she know what he expected from her—sincerity, focus, or a fun-loving personality? How could she constantly change to meet his expectations?

After breakfast, Yash had to leave for a couple of hours for his hospital rounds. They were all seated in the family hall, catching up. Richa and Brij were having an eye conversation

“Veerji, why don’t you take Richa for a day outing?” Suggest Meera

Brij and Richa did not take long to accept the suggestion and soon left as well. Meera, Geet, and Maan remained with Rano and Mohinder. Most of their conversation revolved around Brij and Richa’s marriage.

“I’ll invite her parents, and we’ll finalise the date next week. I can’t wait for her to become part of the family,” Rano said warmly.

“Yes,” Maan added, “and I know you all are here, but if anything is needed from my side, or if my presence is required, I’ll be there. It’s just a matter of flying in from London.”

Later, Meera left with Avi, who had kept Geet busy with himself. Maan observed how deliberately Geet had kept herself busy with Aviraj. She had been running away from his searching eyes.

Rano and Mohinder also left. Although Mohinder was improving, it was a slow process, and he could not sit for long periods.

“I’m going to our room, are you coming?’ he said and walked up the stairs. Geet followed behind. The moment she entered the room, she was pulled into his arms. He slightly pushed the door to close it behind them.

Geet found herself pressed gently against the wall, Maan standing close, his presence enveloping her. His gaze searched her face—raw, heartbreakingly beautiful.

“You’re not happy with my visit?” he asked softly.

Geet immediately lifted her hand and placed her palm over his lips. “Don’t ever say that,” she whispered.

“Then tell me what to think, jaan,” he said, holding her wrist lightly. “You avoid my eyes. You’re not the same vibrant Geet. I miss my girl—the one whose heart hums my name when I’m around. I don’t see that sparkle. It hurts, Geet. What did I do that left you feeling so broken?”

Her voice trembled when she spoke. “Maan… I love you. I’m so happy you’re here—this close to me.”

He cupped her face, his thumb tracing familiar lines, his fingers tangling gently in her curls. Geet closed her eyes, surrendering to his touch, letting his warmth speak the words.

“I know you love me. I can never doubt that. But I am missing the sparkle of happiness.”

“Where have I gone so wrong? All I asked was for a year. Just one year of sacrifice. Where did I hurt you so bad in that?”

“You can never hurt me. I am not hurt”

“Then what is it?” he asked softly, yet firmly. “Don’t think you’ll escape without an answer.”

Before she could respond, he lifted her into his arms and placed her gently on the bed. He lay beside her, pulling the covers over them, drawing her into himself—his arms wrapping around her as if to anchor her there, safe and certain.

Her heart fluttered at the closeness. This was what she had been aching for—him, here, with her, for her. She didn’t want to say anything that might dull this moment, didn’t want her unspoken fears to disturb his happiness. He was already unsettled by her silence. She wanted to show him how happy she was—to ruffle his hair, to shower him with a thousand kisses, to let her love spill freely.

Yet something held her back.

She lay there, wrapped in his warmth, wondering what it was that kept her heart so full—and yet so hesitant.

“Hmm… I am your Maan. You have every right to me, and I am yours. If you are hesitant with me, then all I know is that my love has failed. I must be failing somewhere badly.”

Geet instantly placed her finger on his lips. “Never, ever say that.”

He pulled her closer and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Then, he sat up and pulled her onto his lap. Her top had already been unzipped, and her bra unfastened, as his hand roamed over her soft skin.

“Tell me, Geet. This shrinking of you within yourself hurts. You are my priority, my topmost concern. Don’t ever doubt that, Jaan.” Geet looked at him, feeling overwhelmed. He was doing so much for her with his words and gentle touches. Yet, she felt bad about herself for not returning his enthusiasm.

Why was it so easy for him to say he wasn’t in the right mood, that work demanded him completely, yet so difficult for her to explain that she couldn’t simply switch her heart on and off? How could she burden him with her heaviness when he is here, overflowing with love?

His hand rested flat against the soft curve of her lower back as he pulled her closer. “As I said,” he murmured near her ear, “you can’t escape.”

She stiffened ever so slightly.

“I know Ihave been too absorbed in work—maybe far too much,” he continued, his voice laced with regret. “But that can’t be the reason my jaan isn’t herself with me.” He tightened his hold, as if afraid she might slip away. “What mistake did I make, Geet? Bolo na… I can’t bear this distance between us.”

His words wrapped around her heart, warm and aching, making it even harder for her to speak the truth she was still trying to understand herself

“I want to be lost in this love of yours. I don’t want to spoil your mood,” she finally blurted out.

He gently traced her face, rolled her hair strands in his fingers, delicately tucking them behind her ears “So, I was right,” he claimed

Geet was so light with emotion when he placed a soft peck on her forehead “How can my mood be off, knowing the reason for my Jaan’s problem. I am relieved that I found out my fault before it’s too late.” As if closeness itself wasn’t enough, he pulled her even nearer, showering her face with gentle kisses before cupping her cheeks, holding her there—seen, loved, and safe.

“I just needed one year, Jaan. I will really feel hurt if you don’t talk about this openly. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing so serious, really? Just that, … umm … I think I am just childish to behave like this” There was so much hesitation in her words, he felt hurt.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself. This isn’t your fault—it’s mine,” she said softly. “But I’m still missing something… what exactly did I do to create this distance?”

He cupped her face, his forehead resting against hers. “I am yours, jaan. We are one. When I call you my jaan, it’s not just a word meant for sweet talk or cheesy romance.” His voice lowered, steady and certain. “I mean it—deeply, from the very bottom of my heart.”

The way he was talking, the ‘Jaan’ from him, was making her heart somersault.

“I want my Geet, my love, who is going to complain to me for the trouble that I brought to her heart. Now, will I get my Geet? I am dying to see her.”

Geet cannot disrespect his love. He deserves to see inside her heart

“You will think I am being childish,” she said hesitantly.

“You’ll always be my baby,” he laughed softly.

She looked at him then. “See—that’s what scares me. That you won’t take me seriously if you think I am childish. You asked me not to call you often, said you’d call me instead. It made me feel like you want me to grow out of this… childhood love of mine.”

Her voice dipped. “Sometimes, I fear you don’t trust my sincerity towards work.”

He stilled, then held her face gently but firmly. “Are you serious?” he asked. “Would I ever place such critical responsibility on your shoulders if I didn’t trust you?” His eyes softened. “It’s not just trust, Geet—it’s my firm belief. When I assign you something, I know you will do far more than what I expect.”

“But then you told me not to call and not to constantly express that I was missing you. You seemed uncomfortable hearing that I missed you, which made you start avoiding even my calls. I understood that you were done with my rants and wanted someone more mature. And you’re right; that’s how the wife of Maan Khurana should be.”

Maan kept looking at her, in shock. How has it all gone wrong way. How could he forget that this is Geet, who takes his words and actions to extremes. Why was he so careless?

“Jaan, you are always above me. You are my priority above myself. And you do not need to try to be Mrs Maan Singh Khurana. I cannot lose my Geet, in exchange for Mrs Maan Singh Khurana.”

He took a slow, steady breath before continuing. “Jaan, somewhere, everything moved in the wrong direction. But you need to understand this—you are my highest priority. Every decision I make is guided by your respect and your future. You are my world, and everything else exists only around it. You have to know this.”

Her cheeks were wet with unstoppable tears. She was so emotional and guilty of being sad with him. Maan wiped her tears from his fingers, one by one.

“I know that, ” She said, like a child, wiping her tears.

“No, you have to really know that – yeh dil gulam hai tumahar, and literally”

“You were so strict,” she admitted softly. “I thought you felt I would lose focus—that my missing you was turning into an emotional burden for you.”

“Crazy!! How can you ever think that? Your emotional craziness is my lifeline.” He took a deep breath

“You know how I become when I’m buried in work,” he said softly. “When I take on something new, my focus runs so deep that I almost turn into a different person. You’ve always known that—this is my passion.” He paused, then added, “But that never means anything comes above you.”

He brushed his thumb lightly over her hand. “You’re such a part of me that, in my most raw and unguarded self, I don’t pretend. I simply am. I expected you to focus while I was focusing too.” A faint smile touched his lips. “The way you miss me, all your little cute antics… they make me miss you even more. I start craving having you by my side.”

He exhaled slowly. “So I thought—we’ll be strict for just one year. We’ll give our work the attention it deserves. I don’t want this long distance to ever repeat itself. I want you to succeed here, to find your footing, and…”

His voice trailed off, heavy with unspoken promises.

“And?” she asked

“This is a big project you are working on. I have a target to launch eight such big projects”

She smiled now, giving his heart some relief “You are being humble, I know each one is way huge… haina”

“That doesn’t matter; all have their own criticality. The only thing is that I don’t have the bandwidth to get distracted, and my heart doesn’t have the capacity for one more long-distance relationship. So, I simply wanted us to be focused this one time. Had no idea that I was taking it in the wrong direction “

“I am sorry. Rather than understanding your struggle, I made it all about myself”

“Don’t be sorry. For me, it’s always been you,” he said gently. “Just never shrink away from me, and don’t let this emotional distance come between us. Yeh bardast nahi hota. Tumhara gussa, tumhare nakhre—sab sar aankhon par.”

Geet finally let go of her apprehensions. A soft smile curved her lips as she rested her head against his chest.

“This is my place,” she whispered. “I always want to be here.”

He let out a small laugh, his heart smiling along with it. “Even if you ever try to leave,” he murmured, “I won’t let you. I can’t let this place be empty—and no one else can ever take it.”

And in return, Maan received innumerable hits from her soft fist on his chest, “Don’t ever trouble me like this”

“Won’t ever. I promise.” He lifted her chin, pressed his lips to hers, and pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss. This time, he could feel her passion match his, fiery and alive.

“I have a wish for tonight,” he murmured, breaking away just enough to look into her eyes.

“What?” she asked, breathless.

“Role play.”

“Role play? Don’t expect too much—you’re not getting everything in one go,” she teased, a sparkle returning to her eyes.

“Ohh… there she is,” he grinned, feeling as if life itself had returned to him.

“Nothing major,” he said, voice low and playful. “Just an adult version of our childhood. You, my bossy Geet… and me, your obedient Gulam. The grown-up version of the… desires you used to tease me with back then.” He winked.

She bit her lip, smiling shyly, and tried to wriggle free from his lap.

“No excuses,” he warned, catching her in his arms and pulling her close again. “We’re doing this. You have the whole day to prepare.” And with that, he let her go, his mischievous grin lingering.