Chapter 3

2 months ago

Anubhuti

@tellyme

Part 3

Sandhya was in kitchen making sure everyone breakfast when she felt her favorite one hugged her

“Maan, where were you last night”

“Mumma, I was home you know”

“How late” she held his ears and twisted it

From behind came his Bhabhi and gave him slight hit on his head

“Mummaaa” she mimicked him

“You are 27 not 10 years old”

“Bhabhs I know you are jealous. Mom loves me more than your hubby”

Naintara shook her head

“If you behave this way Maan, how is Dad going to be convinced you are mature enough to handle a new business”

“I am focused on my work for myself. I don’t want to act to convince someone. I love Mom and the ladies of this family and get loved in return. Old man is bound to be jealous.”

Sandhya was unfazed by his sweet talk. She turned with a straight face, “What brought you to the kitchen?” she raised her eyebrows

“Two things” he paused and Naintara took her position for listening with her hand crossed

He looked at his Bhabhi “Why don’t you focus on your women welfare department. I don’t need your welfare.” Naintara didn’t budge.

“Maan, I don’t have a whole day. Your Dad will be waiting for breakfast” asked his mom straight as she was super busy in morning hours

He took a deep breath “Weekend and later whole week”

“What? Again” Nain shouted

“Bhabhs, you go”

“No, I am listening” he shook his head “Gossip queen”

“Maan, move, let me get the breakfast ready” Sandhya started to pick the bowl

“Mom listen” “Speak fast”

“Mom, we have chance of grabbing a great deal”

“Hmm” she placed the toast in the tray

“Italy. We have to present ourselves. One presentation and we will have a big win”

“And who is buying the tickets?”

“From our company balance”

“Maan, if your Dad knows about this, you are going to get a good lecture on how much you earn and how much you spend”

“Mumma, please handle him. I need your support”

“Maan you are putting me on spot. What else do you want”

“Your special chocolate mousse before I leave. It’s lucky for me”

She shook her head and left. Naina gave a strong pat on Maan’s shoulder

“Maan, are you really 27 or 10? If you behave this childish, how is dad ever going to be convinced about your taking up the business and setting it up. You were asking for permission like a small boy. You have to put forward your point with authority”

“Bhabhs, It's just for Mom. Dad is going to question her and if she has no answer, she will feel offended”

“Still I will say you are a child”

“You better see the real man in office” he winked

“Man without a girl” She shook her head

“No, not on that Bhabhs”

“Maan, will the girl not come in your life to take away your career?”

“Yes, she will come in my life to say no to me” He paused and then proceeded

“No, not at this stage of my career. I don’t have it in me to ponder over a girl rejecting me. I can’t lose focus from my career.”

“Maan, why do you think any girl would reject you. Such a handsome, good looking and well earning brother in law I have. Any girl will be lucky to have you”

Maan went behind Naintara and held her shoulders ``Why don’t you do the honors.. leave bhai and hold my hand lady” Maan said dramatically and in return he got a slight slap from his Bhabhs.

“On serious note Maan, why have it in your mind that any girl can reject you”

“For the same reason which made Nikita break the engagement”

“Stop holding on to that incident. We are with you for your career Maan. But this one, none of us support you.”

“Why? I am just 27”

“Just 27? Well, for just 27, I have to clean your messy room, Mom has to make your favorite dishes all the time and Dadima’s old lap has to bear the load of your heavy head every time you have a fight with Dad.”

He shook his head “Worst Bhabhi ever anyone can have” he left

“I am on mission to find an all in one” she shouted from behind

By the time Maan came out from the kitchen his Dad and Bhai were gone.

Vicky settled beside him “Bhai, Dad was asking about your late night yesterday”

“I know and that is why I am late here.”

“Bhai, this late night thing is really pissing him off”

“Everything about me is pissing him off Vicky. I have foreign clients and I can’t make tantrums with clients at this stage of startup.”

“Don’t say the word StartUp in front of him Bhai. That irks him further”

“If he thinks setting up a business is just a waste of time, I can't help. And what about you, you don’t have classes.”

“Prep leave for final exams. Planning for party with friends before I dig myself in books”

“Just few days and you are a Masters”

“And then the pressure of Civil Services exams will be hanging on top of my head”

“Chill, you will do good.”

“I hope I clear at the first attempt like Dev Bhai and you. I wish Dad is proud of me” he suddenly realized his mistake

“Bahi I mean” “It’s fine Vicky. I too want him to be proud of me. Only I want to do it my way. I can’t give up my dreams. You want to go into Civil Services and it’s great. I just didn’t want that for me.”

“Okay, I will take your leave now. I have back to back meetings from 11” Maan stated, getting up.

“Bye Bhai” Maan patted him and left

Naintara was visiting the NGO for an orphanage today. She was working with a group to find an opportunity for needy women to get a job and for kids to get a homely environment.

As she stepped inside the orphanage, she felt a different vibe. It was an open environment with a wonderful garden in the center and U shaped building structure. Then she saw kids sitting on the ground in the garden and a young girl in a simple kurti and jeans stood facing them.

She let her group analyze the opportunity and herself went on to check the kids.

The kids looked so happy with the girl. She was teaching the kids in her own unique way and they were enjoying it. Her hair was coming on her fair skin, she turned to remove them and that is when Naintara saw her beautiful, smiling hazel brown eyes. She kept on observing her and her interaction with kids.

The girl had simplicity yet some kind of charm and naughtiness. She looked a combination of responsibility yet some shine and chirpiness in her. Why she felt at that moment, this girl was perfect for Maan.

Later, after leaving from there, she did her background work regarding the girl.

This weekend a family came to see Geet. The boy liked Geet. She was beautiful and seeing her condition he knew she would be the one dedicated to his family. She looked like a good marriage material.

Shaan and Geet were sent to talk in the small backyard. Shaan was nice but Geet did not get her dreamy feel with the boy. But he looked otherwise fine. Decent looking, decent job but something was still missing for her.

Her Aunt and Uncle wanted it to be fixed. They will be done by their responsibility. Shaan was okay for Geet as he can get to carry a beautiful wife in a friend's group, along with her being a perfect wife at home. But Shaan's parents felt skeptical of her. She was a girl without her parents. Who would take the responsibility of a girl when there was any issue. They also figured that her Aunt and Uncle would not spend money on marriage as well as they would not even facilitate Geet and her son with big gifts.

“And you will leave this job after marriage?”

“Why? I am earning from my job.”

“These small jobs are not going to give any meaningful benefit . And, this worth of earning, why would you want to leave your family and go out working?” asked Shaan

“Shaan wants a wife at home, esp. if the amount of earning is not that significant. If it is some high salary job then it makes sense.” commented his mother

“Yes, yes. She will leave her job” Her Aunt confirmed

“No I will not” Geet declared straightaway.

“I will be earning enough. You just need to decorate yourself, help mom in the kitchen. Be a good wife” came from Shaan

Geet showed her displeasure and so did Shaan’s parents.

They left from there. Geet was scolded at home for being a big mouth. Geet did not say anything but internally she was okay to hear No.

This will be her fresh new start and she will only go into it if she feels like going for it. She has lots of dreams for her new life, she cannot compromise with it.

Boy is earning good or Bad, looks good or bad, she doesn't know how much it matters. He should click with her, something should click. If it clicks she can make any compromise but not until it clicks.

They said No. Geet was happy within. Though Uncle Aunt cursed her for her stupidity which caused the nice alliance to go away. She listened to them bowing her head down. Once in her room, she got lost into her world of dreams.

Thus relations kept coming but it would be ‘No’ everytime. Sometimes due to Geet being without parents and they found insecurity with the alliance, sometimes Due to Geet’s answer which showed lack of interest.

“Di, are you busy” Geet looked at the door and smiled

“Never for you, come in”

“Di, I really wish, I was your big brother”

“Aww… why? So you could scold me for my studies?” Geet pulled his cheeks

“No, then I would be able to find the boy of your dreams? Mumma Papaji doesn't know anything about you.”

“Ohhh… so this is the matter… hmm.” she signaled him to sit

“So do you know how the boy of my dreams will be? Because I don’t know. He keeps changing in my brain”

“All I know is, he should be caring and loving to you… But Mumma Papaji does not care for that at all.”

“No worries…. If we can’t find him, maybe he will find me. You don’t have to worry like a big brother. You just be my little brother and come with your little demands and fights” she pulled his nose and shook his head.

“No Di. If we fight I will always end up getting you the scolding. They always find fault in you - you are a big sister, you should behave like one and all that. I never get scolded, then what’s the fun? How I wish, they sometimes favor you and sometimes me, it would be so much fun then.”

“Okay, then we will fight after my marriage. Then your Jiju will always favor me” she said, shaking her head and smiling like a kid.

“No, he will favor me” Titu fought back

“No, he will always favor me” “No” then they both laughed. It was their own sibling world in the same house.

Sunday at khurana’s: They were all having evening tea time.

“Mom and Sandhya, don’t you both think your leniency on Maan is increasing every day. And that boy is not ready for any compromise. This is not going to work here.”

“Raj, he is traveling for work and not for fun. He is working hard. He need your appreciation once in a while ” said his mom, Savitri Devi

“Yes, working hard, right. By traveling to Italy last month. Now again he is off to Australia. He is imagining, he is a big business tycoon and traveling like them. But he is not. Whatever he is earning he is spending in tickets and all those show off”

“He is working hard and doing good.” Sandhya tried to support her son.

“I don’t care because I know he is wasting his career. He is 27 now, going to turn 28 soon. He can play a startup game all his life, I don’t care. You guys have no idea of how people in our bureaucrat circle are teaching their kids to just not take him as an example. Now all I want is, he needs to settle down with family life. Once he has responsibility of wife and kids, he will know the reality of life”

“But he is not at all ready for it” interrupted Sandhya

“And he is still busy with his career. He is dependent on all of us for his day to day needs. He is not ready to take that family responsibility as of now” added Savitri Devi

“He will not be, until you all load him with.”

“But Dad, on the work front he is doing it with all maturity. Maan is very mature otherwise.”

“Dev, I don’t need you to tell me how mature he is. I see his level of maturity everyday. Just looking handsome, arguing with me on everything and imagining being a business tycoon, dressing like one does not make him mature. I want no further discussion on this. Find a suitable girl for him”

“Well for that I have something” Naintara said excited

Dev gave her a - what are you doing look but she ignored it.

“What?” Raj inquired. Sandhya looked at Naintara, confused.

Naina looked at Sandhya. She got up and hugged her from behind

“Mom is worried, her, dear son will end up liking someone else’s shakes and desserts”

She hit the side of her head “Shut Up”

“I have seen a girl who could be perfect for Maan. Mom, if you see her you will be excited about her too.”

She then showed them the video of Geet that she had taken from the orphanage.

“Wow, she is pretty. She will be perfect for our Maan” Said Dadima excited at seeing Geet. They loved everything about her

“Yes, this girl will be good for my Maan” Said Sandhya satisfied.

“My Maan” repeated Raj “Your this pampering of ‘my Maan’ has caused him to take all weird decision in life.”

“And she seems very sorted too” added Naintara ignoring the fight between her FIL and MIL.

“Okay listen everyone. Her name is Geet Handa. She stays with her uncle and Aunt. Her parents are no more… I mean since childhood she has been staying with her Uncle and Aunt. And what I found out is they are looking for alliances for her.

Further, she is waiting for love to bloom in her life as she has not been receiving much from her Aunt and Uncle. My sources found this from her best friend

”

“Then Maan is not the correct choice for her.” interrupted Raj

“Why?” asked both elder ladies together

“Because I find him incapable of giving her what she needs”

“You are forgetting Dad. Our Maan is the favorite of all ladies of this house. Including my wife” dev shook his head.

“Yes, because they do things for him. The moment he finds there is someone who he needs to take care, he will backout”

“You are making our Maan sound like a Selfish. He is not. He has so much love in him, "claimed Sandhya. Sandhya has become more protective towards Maan. His not selecting bureaucracy has people in their circle talk about him and Sandhya wanted to prove her son was still the best

“Raj, She looks perfect for our Maan. Naina is right, something about her tells me, she is perfect for our manchala” nudged his mother Savitri.

“Okay. But if I like this girl for Maan, he is marrying her. I don’t want any delay.”

Thanks everyone for your welcome to this new story.

-Anu smiley31