Silent Whisper -Chapter 36

And that, not for her parents but for her. She deserved to be back, with all due respect, with her head held high. Because she has won an impossible challenge. She has made him realize how badly he needed her in his life. It was not for her hopeless love but his hopeless heart that needed her back in his life.

It was not easy for a man who had hidden his vulnerabilities his whole life. And thus, it took him one more month to prepare himself.

Slowly, the restlessness started setting in. Each passing day meant disrespect towards her.

Then one day, he packed his bag.

#########

It was 5 a.m.  Sandhya woke up to snooze the alarm when there was a knock on the door.

Who could be this early? She wondered.

None other than Maa and Maan wake up this early.

“Maa, it’s me,” Maan’s voice answered all her curiosity.

“Come in, dear,” she said, a little louder than usual. The rooms here were much more spacious.

Maan entered the room with a small carry-on bag.

“Business trip?” she asked. It had been two months since Geet had left them. The one-month period they had agreed upon had already passed, but Maan had taken another month before finally deciding to go after her.

But then, he never wakes them up for a business trip.

“Leaving for Delhi,” he announced

That woke up Sandhya completely.

“Really…?” She exclaimed. Mohinder woke up to the excitement in Sandhya’s voice.

“Wanted to get your blessings as I step into it once again.”

“Maan…” came from his father

“You have delayed a month; do you understand what it means?”

Maan gave a slight nod.

“Get into it only if you consider her your priority above yourself – your ego, your goals, or anything else”

“Or else I would have never packed my bags today,” was Maan’s answer.

Mohinder nodded. Maan didn’t need to ask too many questions. He was not a Maan of too many words; his few words carried weight.

########

Geet has joined the office in Delhi itself. She had kept a low-key profile. She was trying to focus on understanding the ongoing Handa projects.

It pained her deeply, but she had learned to mask her pain. With the connection that she felt between them, she had believed that one month would be good enough for Maan to miss her presence. Her anxiety had started a week before — between hope and hopelessness.

But when he had not come for her on the first day after a month – a marked, restricted time frame- a small piece broke inside her.

Not letting her hope down, she blamed herself for being too anxious.

“He is a busy man. Must be stuck in the middle of things.”

“Calm, Geet, calm,” she said to herself, pacing in her room

Then a day more passed, then another and another… and a week passed.

Geet smiled to herself that night – accept it, Geet.

Mohinder and Rano watched Geet from a distance. Giving her the time to realize the truth herself. It is only then she will accept the truth of her life.

The next morning, Rano was surprised to see Geet approaching breakfast in business formal wear.

“Good morning, Mom-Dad,” Geet said with a smile. They could clearly see her pain behind that smile.

“Good morning, darling”

“Dad, I was thinking of joining the office. I had been thinking of it for a few days”

She lied. They knew it.

“That will be so good. Handa Group had missed one of the most talented resources,” said Mohinder, welcoming the idea.

“I want to move back to Bangalore.” Of course, she did not want to be sitting here waiting for him, looking like a fool to herself and everyone.

“You can, but not now. For a year, we want you here”

“I won’t kill myself,” Geet said with an anger. Her frustration surfaced. She soon took a deep breath.

“I mean, I deliver best from my Bangalore office”

“I am not denying you. I want you here for a year because I want to pass on our family business secrets.” Mohinder manipulated his wish.

Geet understood; her parents would not let her go, and she didn’t want to argue. Arguing at this time would surface her pain, and she didn’t want that.

######

A month passed by.

Geet was in the office, trying to focus on the project finances when her cell buzzed, “Mom” popping up on her screen

Geet reluctantly picked up the phone….

Rano looked at Maan, who was seated on the grand, luxurious sofa that dominated the parlor.

She then looked at Mohinder, seated on the exquisitely upholstered sofa, placed opposite to the one Maan was seated on.

Mohinder nodded at Rano

“Geet…”

“Mom… I am alive. If you called to confirm that.”

“Maan is here” is all Rano could say

“What…?” Geet couldn’t believe it. She was expecting Maan to be there at least within the first week after the one-month restriction. That would have explained her, missed her as well, and that it was not a calculated move. And it would have been getting her back with respect — conveying that he desperately needs her in life as much as she does.

After a week, knowing Maan, she had worked on convincing herself that she was not needed in his life.

Maan was aware of the blunder he had made. He had disrespected her by not coming to get her back exactly in a month. Taking one extra month to know that life without her is not happening, it’s disrespectful. She will never have the confidence that she is that badly needed in his life.

And the same goes with her parents. It will be an even harder task to convince them. But convincing Geet was his priority. The rest he would handle.

Even if he was back after a month, he would have to, because of the humiliation that he let her face that time.

Now he had added to it all by delaying a month. He has disrespected her and their relationship.

But he was Maan. And ready to own his deed.

Mohinder took the phone from Rano,

“Geet darling…”

“Dad…”

Before speaking a word, Mohinder looked into Maan’s eyes,

“Darling, if you are in the middle of work, get it done. No rush. Maan can wait an hour or two for you”

Maan, for sure, understood the implied meaning of those words. Several arrows aimed at him in one sentence – his ego was tested, taunts for his delay, and the reluctance for their relationship. Mohinder Handa wanted his daughter out of this tiring relationship.

But it won’t always happen according to Mohinder Handa – Maan had determined.

When they weren’t in love, he pushed them together. Now that they want to be together, he is pulling them apart.

Fine, his worry is justified, and Maan was ready to face the trial.

“Won’t be easy,” he knew. But it’s their life.

“Dad, I’m coming,” Geet said.

She did not want to disrespect Maan. She loved him, and she did not blame Maan for not coming for her at the expected time. He had never made any such promises.

As she drove home, so many thoughts crawled through her mind. Was he here for her, or was he here to finally tell her — he has moved on and so should she? If he was here, then why now? Clearly, he took his time to think through it. That pained.

Wanting badly to know the reason for his visit, Geet parked her car and entered the room from the back side. But as she entered, the main family hall was empty.

“Where is everyone?” she asked the attendant there.

“Everyone is in the main guest parlor”

In the meantime, not much talking happened. Maan couldn’t ask of how they were or how Geet had been doing. Such a shallow question?

Some off-topic conversation continued with forced effort from both parties. `

“I heard you people had a family trip to Europe,” Maan initiated

“hmmm… Geet needed to feel the family vibe”

“Right…” Maan agreed. The conversation ended, and silence covered the room again.

After a while, “Congratulations on bringing the Chadhas down,” Rano initiated this time

“Nothing to do with the Chadhas. Just business expansion” Maan answered

“We know the story behind,” Mohinder commented

Maan did not elaborate further on that.

“Mom-Dad, Maan…” Geet stopped in her tracks the moment her eyes met his. She forgot all her questions — why he was here?  What took him two months to decide… blah blah… they all blurred for her. Hope overtook.

Maan did not remove his gaze from her face. He let his heart take charge this time. Her breathtaking beauty – he wanted to absorb it, confirming his decision — He won’t let her go this time.

“Mom… Dad, why have you made Maan sit in this formal guest room?”

She looked at Maan. “Maan, come inside. Let us all settle in the family area and talk”

“Geet…” Mohinder tried interrupting

“I’m fine,” Maan assured her.

But Geet didn’t want the cycle of disrespect and humiliation to repeat.

“Maan, please. I insist”

“Maan, come in,” Rano added, making Maan follow them to the Handa family area.

Silence prevailed for a while as they settled in the cozy family zone of the Handas.

Geet had questions running through her head, but she could push them for later. If he was here to give their relationship a chance, she knew her heart wouldn’t give her any option to even rethink.

Maan had guilt of disrespecting her. But for now, he needed to focus on getting her back. He could then work all lifelong to give it back to her with a high rate of interest. BUSINESSMAN!

“So,” Mohinder broke the silence

“What brought you here?” he directed his question to Maan.

Maan looked at Geet. “I came to get my wife back. I understand that the time of restraint is over”

“Actually, a month over,” reminded Mohinder “Perhaps keeping track of time wasn’t that crucial in this case.”

Maan didn’t argue. He looked at Geet. “Can we talk?”

Geet, who was lost in his words — ­_­­­­­ ‘I came to get my wife back’, nodded.

Maan got up, but before following, Geet looked at Mohinder and Rano

“I have never disrespected my parents, nor will I do it here. I won’t take her until you approve. But I won’t give up until you do.”

He announced before following Geet as she led him to her room. Her heartbeat erratic – what will they talk? What will he talk? Well, Maan didn’t know either.

Mohinder brought his gaze back to Rano after following their retreating figure for a while

“This man is a charmer even with such few words. I can understand why our Geet is not ready to give up on him”

“He came, and you’re melting,” commented Rano

“I’m not. This time I am not going to make it easy for either of them. They have to really be sure of this. “

He took a sigh. “Rano, I don’t want the cycle of ego and disrespect to continue for both of them. Maan is a gem, and I want the best for my daughter, but only if it’s free of ego and respect prevails.”

#########

Geet held the door for Maan to step in and then slightly pushed it behind her.

Geet indicated to him the love seat and couch that were arranged in the sitting space near the bay window.

“I’m fine.” he stood near the desk, his hands resting on the top of it while his one leg crossed over the other.

“This is the first time in our five years of marriage that you are stepping into my bedroom,” Geet spoke her observation.

Maan gave a faint smile. “We never shared one”

The sound of their heartbeat overtook the silence as they stood in an enclosed space, charged with emotions and curiosity surrounding their relationship.

“You took over two months. It must have been a hard decision for you”

“No, it wasn’t. I was working on myself; there was no doubt about you” he clarified.

“No doubt about me? When I was leaving…” Geet paused, seeing him approaching her, his eyes bored into hers.

Maan stretched his hand to reach her wrist as he kept his eyes locked with hers. And before she could comprehend, she was pulled to collide on to his torso.

Maan wrapped one hand around her waist and with the other cupped the round of her head; bending her backward, he bent over her and pressed his lips to hers.

They burnt as their soft skin touched. Geet instinctively wrapped her arms around him, while Maan pulled her even closer to him, gluing her to him.

The kiss was intense and deep. It carried everything they had left unsaid—the longing, the frustration, the years of distance.

Geet could feel his strong hands pressing hard on her petite waist, and lost in the kiss, she found herself surrendering in his arms.

Breathlessness made him pull out.

Geet’s face was flushed with redness all over it.

“Wow….” Slipped from her lips.

“I mean, was this your answer? We know, we know, physical tension is always there when we are with each other. This does not answer my question,” she politely challenged his answer.

“I had let you go through humiliation; I was preparing myself to face you. And I know that just physical attraction cannot stop us both from moving ahead when parted for three years. You came back after years to never give up on me; I was never able to tell you — ‘leave the place’. I cannot put it into words, as we have not been together for most of our married period, but it must be more than just physical tension between us. Something that has forced us not to be disloyal to each other. Something that has come like a silent whisper—so silent that we have both taken turns disapproving of it.”

Geet looked at Maan. Of course, he looked so attractive to her, but that is always the case. What surprised her was his long sentences advocating their bond.

“And what’s wrong if physical attraction is the center of it all? I am not saying it is, but even if it is… what’s wrong with it?” he put further

Geet smiled. The face reddened further. “Nothing wrong…” he pulled her to him, sweeping her off the floor into his arms

“All I know is, this will be lifelong. “He confirmed

“We will have a lifetime to explore what’s beyond that between us. What I know is, there is much more”

 “I am aware of our heart-to-heart connection. I have felt it. I just need you to be sure that it’s a lifelong thing for you. I’m in then. All I need is not being pushed away. That hurts, Maan.”

“Never. I promise you on that. Respect, I promise on that as well. Rest, we will figure it out. I will work to figure out what these silent whispers between us are. But I’m sure I won’t let you go.”

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