Chapter Eighteen: The Time has Come.
It was the day of the haldi ceremony. And
Geet had become very choosy about what she should wear. Frankly, she wanted to
wear a saree. She didn't know why because she actually didn't like wearing nine
yards on the first place but that day things felt different to her...She had
been thinking of Maan way too much & also of his likes & dislikes...!
So when Maan saw her in a yellow saree
with her hair tied up in a bun & long silver ear-rings donning her ears, he
was left awestruck to the extent that he doubted his capability to breathe! She
looked so ethereal like an angel, so delicate like a doll that he felt he could
write praises & praises about her...His eyes locked with hers...She was
feeling shy...
And to top it, she was so nervous that she
just about to trip when Maan caught her in his arms!
"Uh...if you cannot walk properly
in a saree, why did you wear it?" he didn't know what else to say!
"Oh hello! And why are you ever
ready to hold me in your arms whenever I fall?!" she mentally smacked herself!
"Excuse me?? I save you for the
sake of humanity & nothing else!" he lied!
"Fine!! Then why don't you become a
sanyasi!!" she snapped!
They distanced from each other & then
realized their conversation was so dumb!
They arrived at the venue which was filled
with happiness, pomp & grace! Sid & Lorraine were made to sit
separately & preparation for the ceremony was still going on! Seeing Lorry
so excited, Geet remembered her own haldi ceremony in which she was least
interested! Her family had been so happy for her that time while she had no
reasons to be happy or shy...Geet smiled remembering what all sheepish nakhras
& excuses she had given to cancel her haldi rasam but she hadn't succeeded!
"Why do I feel like I want Maan to
put haldi on me...!"
On the other hand, Maan saw Sid finding
ways & means to secretly reach Lorry & put haldi on her but
unfortunately he was cutely scolded by his mom! Seeing that, Maan remembered
past memories...
FLASHBACK
"Oh Come on Dadima! I don't want my
skin color to turn dark yellow after the haldi ceremony so it's better we don't
have that rasam at all!" he tried to make reason.
"Shut up Maan!" she paid no
heed!
Maan's parents, Vikrant & Niharika
approached him secretly just before the rasam was about to begin.
"Oh God! I can't believe my son is
so unromantic!!" chided Niharika.
Maan rolled his eyes.
"Now what did I do??"
"That's what! You didn't do
anything! Go & quickly apply haldi to Geet before the rasam starts!" said Vikrant
Maan was shocked as those words came from
his own parents.
"Hold on! As far as I know, the
to-be bride & the to-be bridegroom aren't supposed to see each other before
or during the rasam & I don't want to break these rules!" he said, not interested at all to see Geet
on the first place!
"Rules are meant to be
broken!"winked Nikarika, "Now go!!"
And mind it! Maan was literally forced to
go to Geet! He sometimes didn't like his parents to be so cool!
And then as usual, he bumped into Geet at
a turn & accidently he applied haldi to her cheeks! And how angry she was!
"How dare you come here & put
haldi to me???!!"
"Excuse me?? I was forced okay!!!
Else why would I take the pain of coming to you, hiding from your
parents!!" he shot back!
"Don't act innocent okay!!! I know
you purposely came here!!!!!"she snorted.
"If you think you are an angel then
come out of this big misunderstanding!!! Infact you must have told my parents
to send me here!!!!" he accused!
They both glared at each other! Just then
Mohinder & Rano came there which shocked them. Maan thought Geet's parents
wouldn't like him coming there like that! But instead of being displeased with
him, Rano exclaimed,
"Hayyeee! How romantic!!!!!!"
And Mohinder agreed! Maan & Geet
sighed! It felt as if their parents were from today's generation while they
were from the previous century!
End Of Flashback
His thoughts were halted when the haldi
ceremony began. Maan applied haldi to Sid while Geet to Lorry. And
simultaneously Maan & Geet grew nostalgic of how their own haldi rasam was
conducted...!
Geet looked across at Maan who was talking
to his acquaintances.
"Geet! Stop it okay! Why do you
want him to put haldi to you?!!!"
She turned her eyes away from him. Then
Maan looked across at her.
"Geet will be angry even if I wish
to put haldi to her! So forget it!"
He turned his eyes away from her. This
hide & seek of their eyes went on for some more time.
Then Maan's phone rang & he had to
head outside the hall to attend it & that when he bumped into Geet who had
come for the same reason!
Their eyes locked. The aura of the haldi
ceremony had affected them greatly & even their own feelings & emotions
for each other. They didn't know what to do. It was such an awkward moment that
they diverted their eyes from each other. Then Maan saw some of her strands
falling on her rosy cheeks. His hands unconsciously moved to her face. She
looked at him feeling his touch which made her heart to let go of a beat. Their
eyes locked once again & the haldi which was still in Maan's fingers got
applied on her cheeks & she felt that...! Geet felt tremendous joy within
like the moment she was unconsciously yearning for finally came true!
"I am...I am sorry..." he glanced sideways.
"Why are you saying sorry? Did I
object?" she blurted out & then realized what she said, "I-I mean wash your hands with Cinthol soap!" she bit her tongue.
He raised his brows & looked at her.
"Why are you glowing like a new
bride when this is Lorraine's wedding?!"
"A-Are you trying to say that I am
a flashbulb???"
"Excuse me???"
"N-Nothing!"
Geet left hurriedly leaving Maan to wonder
why she was behaving so weird!
Geet was all in shy smiles & she
smacked her head to stop that. Throughout the rest of the ceremony, they didn't
interact but kept on stealing glances at each other...
Indeed, things had changed between them.
The seed of love was sown in their hearts for each other & they were
unknowingly nurturing it. It was not that they didn't stop their fights. They
fought like always but they began to enjoy their fights & at the end of it
when they would be alone, they would laugh out loud realizing that their fights
after their marriage & till date had been so childish & foolish!
Every moment they spent with each other
suddenly was turning out to be precious than their own life!
Geet had recollected that during her own
mehendi ceremony, she was said that her mehendi was very dark & that she
was very lucky to have a hubby like Maan. And even during her haldi ceremony,
she was said she was glowing. Back then, these rasam didn't hold any significance
in her life but now she unconsciously began to wish that the wheels of time
could take her back to her own pre-marital ceremonies...!
The same was with Maan. He never even
imagined the girl whom he had so many dozen fights & arguments with could
be the one who would capture his thoughts & imaginations in this manner
that he began dreaming about her always! Also, he unknowingly began regretting
the fact that he was so ignorant & least bothered during his own marriage rasams.
They didn't know when they began living as
husband-wife in true sense of words. Geet began waiting for his phone calls
from office while Maan looked forward to having dinner with her. Their fights
continued...& do did their undiscovered love...
It was that evening when Geet was on her
way back home after Sid-Lorry's ring ceremony. Maan had to go to office for an
immediate meeting with one of the suppliers.
"By the time he returns, I will
cook dinner!" thought Geet, cheerfully.
She reached home. Unlocking the door, she
stepped inside. She was just about to go to her room to freshen up when she
noticed a large brown envelop kept on the table.
"Seems like it's a courier! But
kisne bheja hoga?" Geet wondered curiously.
She cut open the seal & took out the
papers in it & when she saw the contents...she was frozen in shock...
Her entire body became cold & numb
when she read the divorce papers...She sat on the sofa with a thud as her legs
gave away...Her face was pale & she looked paralyzed...Her heart beats ran
slow & it was as if time had stopped...Seconds passed & it was very
difficult for her to recover...Her hands turned ice still holding the divorce
papers in front of her eyes...
It was only after her mind started
functioning a bit, she remembered Vikrant's words,
"All four of us have decided that
if at the end of six months, both of you feel the need to part ways then inform
us. We will send the divorce papers to Singapore."
It then struck to Geet that six months had
already passed...how did it pass...when did it pass...she had no clue...but it
was the stark reality...
"But...But I didn't tell them to
send the divorce papers...so does that mean...does that mean Maan has sent for
the divorce papers...toh iska matlab..."
She didn't have the strength to complete
her thoughts. She wasn't able to understand why was it affecting her so much
when she was quite aware of the agreement which they had...She kept the papers
back on the tabe & walked to her room with numb feet...
A little later, Maan too arrived & he
too was aghast seeing the divorce papers...He too remembered Vikrant's
words...Maan was frustrated & angry.
"But I didn't tell them to send the
divorce papers!!!!!!So does that mean Geet has sent for the divorce
papers because she wants to separate from me?"
They both misunderstood each
other...
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