Hi guys just to let u know, the parts in italic are flashbacks, scenes as them happened in the past!!!

Chapter 7:

Geet's Story

 

Pinky and Adi had dropped Meera and Geet. Geet had simply walked off to her room. The other three had decided to meet next day as it was their day off. If they were together Geet might cheer up.

So next day they met. Geet was feeling better but was still low. She didn't mind being told anything, but anything about her cooking, she always took to her heart.

They chatted about this and that. Geet told them about her story. She felt nice having friends whom she could trust and talk to.

 

Geet was born into a conservative family. She shared a great bond with her mother who taught her everything she knew about cooking. Both would spend hours on in the kitchen and prepare wonderful meals. Then one day after Geet had returned back home from school her mother had been much tensed. Daarji had fixed Geet's alliance with a man, ten years older to her. The age was of no concern to anyone as he was wealthy and would be able to keep Geet as a queen. Rano was very upset. Geet was her only child and she would never allow her daughter to end up in the same situation as herself.

The wedding preparations were going on very quickly as the groom was in haste to get married. Geet did not want to get married either, but she had no choice.

One evening, Rano entered Geet's room and woke her up.

 

"Geet beta, utho beta", Rano said in a low but tensed voice.

Geet woke up, rubbing her eyes and giving her mother a questioning look.

"Geet, jaldi utho aur yeh kapde pehen lo." Rano gave Geet a jeans and t-shirt with a jacket. Geet looked at her mother with astonishment. Although she always wanted to wear jeans and t-shirt, her conservative family had never allowed her. They were even against her wearing school uniform and that is why Geet always entered the backdoor and changed before coming in front of others.

Geet was about to ask her mother when she said:

"Geet, we don't have time, now hurry up." Geet quickly got up and changed. She loved her mother, who was the only person in her family, apart maybe from her deceased Dadi, who cared for her and hence she took every request of hers as an order.

"Now listen carefully. Here is a ticket to Mumbai. I want you to go there and stay at Romesh's place. You know Romesh don't you. The same boy who.." but Geet remembered him and just nodded.

"Ok, here is your bag and some money you might need. Geet, promise me one thing" at this point Rano had tears in her eyes and she lovingly cupped Geet's face.

"Remember that whatever happens, you will never come back her. Promise me." Geet started to cry as well.

"Mamma, mein aap ko chod kar kahin nahin jaana chahti. Please."

"Nahin Geet, tumhe jaana hoga. Mein nahin chahti ke tum bhi meri tarah apni zindagi barbaat kardo." Geet had for the first time heard her mother getting very serious.

"Toh aap bhi au na mere saath" Geet tried to convince her.

"I will Geetu. I will join you as soon as I can. But promise me you will not come back her to look for me, you won't under any circumstances return to Hoshiarpur" she took Geet's hand and put it on her head. Geet closed her eyes in pain and nodded. She never wanted to leave her mother but if it was her happiness she would not refuse. Geet wanted to wipe her mother's tears but she said: Tears take away sorrow hence we should not stop them.

Geet left from the back door. The station was empty as it was night time. She sat down in an empty compartment with her luggage safely secured under her bed. She knew just too well that a storm was to reach her family tomorrow morning, when they all would wake up to find her gone and everyone would let out their anger at her mother. At this thought Geet was almost leaving the train, when she remembered her hand on her mother's head.

"Mamma, mujhe yeh kaisi kasam dilwadi?Na aap ke paas asakti hu, na aap se dur jaa sakti hu." But she was Geet and she would do it for her mother. Dawn came and the train was about to leave when some men came running towards her compartment. It was luck (or more her mother's carefulness) that she was not wearing her usual salwaar kameez otherwise she would have been easily spotted. The train left and Geet saw Hoshiarpur for the last time.   

 

 

After reaching Mumbai, she straight went to the address only to find someone else occupying the room. Meera had called her in and after seeing her state kept her with her. Both bonded very well. Geet had someone to call hers and Meera had a sister she always wanted. After Meera had tasted some of Geet's cooking she suggested that she should do it professionally. Geet was reluctant. She didn't have any money to pay for fees hence took up a job in a restaurant. She was kitchen service. She washed dishes and helped chefs locate ingredients. Geet often tried to steal glances at the cooks but it was in vain as she could never match their speed. After a couple of months Geet had enough money to share rent with Meera and pay for a cooking class. She had bought a newspaper and looked through the adds but they were all either too far away or too costly.

 

Antonio looked at Geet. He had noticed her many times looking at the chefs, trying to see how and what they are cooking. Now she was looking through ads for cooking classes. You didn't even need the brain of a gold fish to figure out what was going on. This small girl wanted to learn cooking. He didn't want to teach her without seeing how good she is. He put on his chef robe and hat and approached Geet. He gave Geet a recipe and showed her the ingredients. "You have 30 min" he had said and stood next to Geet watching her. Geet was startled but nodded and did as she was told. She never let go of a chance when it came to cooking. She did everything as it said on the sheet of paper, followed every step properly. Then at one point she hesitated. Everyone knew (well she did since her mother had told her) that if you add lemon to milk it is going to curdle and that was not suppose to happen. Geet changed the step and continued.

Antonio had smiled when Geet did not follow step 5. He purposely wrote down something incorrect to see if she like many others would blindly follow instructions or use her own brain.

He didn't care about the food. It was ok. But Geet had potential and he was convinced of that. She was very young but age is never an indicator of anything when it comes to talent. He had great pleasure teaching Geet as she always listened carefully and made notes. Geet at times would do alterations to his recipes which under normal circumstances would mean the individual being thrown out, but Geet was very confident in what she did and the results were amazing. Antonio was the owner of this Restaurant. Geet had only once seen the seating area and was amazed at how nice it looked. She being kitchen service always entered and left through the back door.

Antonio had spent some time here with his brother and both decided that an Italian restaurant was going to be welcomed here. Both took turns in inspecting them and it so came that Antonio was to return and his brother Giovanni was to take his place. Giovanni, other than Antonio, specialized in home made food rather than new creations. He loved to dig out his grannies old recipes and modify them; the results were miraculous. Geet had learned loads from Antonio but Giovanni was helping her develop the skills she already had. After two years, both Antonio and Giovanni had a big day. There was a grand celebration going on when suddenly one of the chefs cut his wrist. It was an accident but he had to be send to the hospital. Everyone panicked. Neither of the brothers could replace him now since they were needed outside. Geet was watching and then both brothers made a quick decision. They had both taught her, she was their student. If anyone could help out now it was her.

The meal was a success. There wasn't even a slight unevenness in taste to which both were very thankful as a world renowned food taster had been present and one little mistake could have cost them their reputation. As a token of appreciation they had awarded her with a certificate stating that she had been their student. This certificate was her most priced possession. Meera got a transfer to Delhi later that month and Geet shifted with her.