I hope Maan's story was interesting and not to complicated. Here are two more parts, a little more about Maan's mother. Again, plz hit like button and comments.

Chapter 32:

Mother's Love

 

Wedding preparations were going on and neither Maan nor Geet found a minute to talk to each other. One evening Maan simply lifted Geet from the kitchen she was working in and brought her to her room.

"What are you doing? Koi sharam hain ya nahin?" Geet was shocked deeply at this.

"Nahin hain. And in case you think someone was watching than forget it. You might not have noticed but everyone is gone to bed. And Meera and Pinky are in the room downstairs."

"Irada kya hain aap ka?" Geet asked suspiciously. Maan smirked as he put her on the bed.

"Kuch khaas nahin." Geet moved back and Maan kept advancing.

"Hai Babaji, inhe kya hogaya hai? Meri madad karo."

"Geet, apne Babaji ke liye time hai aur mere liye ek minute bhi nahin."

He held Geet by her ankle and lay down on the bed putting his head on her lap.

"Geet, apne haaton se yu yu karo na mujhe bohut accha lagta hain." He made some gesture and Geet laughed. She started caressing his hair and ran her fingers through it. Maan closed his eyes.

"Ek baat bataye, aap ne us din bola tha ke aap ki maa nahin hain. Kya hua unko?"

"Who chali gayi ek din."

"Kyun? Kya wo aap se pyaar nahin kartiti?"

"Bohut pyaar kartiti isiliye to samaj mein nahin aata hain keh unhe hua kya tha."

Maan removed his mother's old photo from his wallet and showed Geet.

"She is so beautiful. Pata hain, her nose is just like mine." Geet giggled.

Maan narrated:

 

"I used to have a loving family. There were Dadi and Dada, mom and dad, Dev, Vicky and Annie. I grew up to my grandparents love, my dad's friendship and mom's care. And amongst us three brothers there was our little princess, Annie. I still remember the day mom had come home and showed us the little addition to our family.

 

"Maa, yeh kaun hain?"Maan, Dev and Vicky had surrounded their mother and were curiously looking at the baby in her hand.

"Yeh hain Anvesha, tum teeno ki choti behen"

All three boys shaped their mouth to an O.

Sonia bent down so that her three little sons could have a better look. Maan gently touched Annie's cheek and said:

"Maa, yeh kitni soft hain. Aur iski ungliya bhi kitni choti choti hain, dekho."

Sonia smiled at her son's words.

"Jab tum teen baby the na to tumhare bhi itne hi choti choti ungliya thi.

"To yeh bhi humarein tarha badi hogi?" Dev asked.

Sonia nodded, caressing Dev's face.

"Helo Ave..sa" Vicky said to Annie who started to giggle cutely.

The boys made "OHH" and looked at this cute thing that from now on was going to stay with them forever. She was so adorable that all had made it their aim to keep her happy and fulfil all her wishes. She was from that moment their princess and they were her servants.

 

When I was fifteen suddenly everything changed. Mom and dad had fights. We four would try and listen but we never understood. Then one day Dada had taken ill. He was brought to the hospital and later died of a major heart attack. He was my favourite. Role model, best friend and adviser he was to me. I was down cast and broken. Mom and dad had stopped fighting but only because of the recent death in the family. I didn't go to school, skipped meals and couldn't even bring myself to sleep properly. I headed to the only place that I knew would help me: the outhouse. I rushed upstairs and saw my mom in the room, sitting on her rocking chair.

 

"Maa, aap yaha?"

Sonia opened her eyes and indicated her son to come closer.

Maan sat on her lap and put his head on her shoulder.

"Maa, Dada kyun chale gaye hume chor kar?"

His mother was silent but held him close to her heart. Tears were running down her face and Maan felt them on his head.

"Maan, tumhare Dadaji hume kyun chorke chalegaye iska jawaab mein tumhe nahin de sakti. Aisi baatein hain jisko bol ke mein apno ka nuksaan karungi."

Maan wondered what his mother was talking about.

"Mere ek sawaal ka jawaab do beta, kya mein ek acchi maa hu?"

Maan looked at his mother wondering why she was asking him such a question.

"Is world ki best mom ho aap" Maan answered smiling brightly.

"Mera Raja beta. Wada karon ke humesha khud ka aur apne bhaiyon ka khayaal rakho ge"

"Unka bhi aur Annie ka bhi Maa. Woh to is ghar ki princess hain, haina."

Maan stayed a little longer in this position. His mother's embrace and the rocking movement were healing his wounds as they had done many times before.

 

When I woke up I was on the bed. Neither the chair nor mom was there anymore. I rushed to the main house to find Dev and Vicky sitting with Dadi and crying. When I asked, Dadi had said that mom had left home with Annie. At first I didn't want to believe it. I went to the study to search for my dad. I begged him to get mom back but he just ignored me. There was a point where I started to yell and he slapped me. He made it clear that my mother didn't love us or cared otherwise she wouldn't have moved out; days past by and then months without them. Dad tried his best to close the empty space that had been there since mom had moved out but he failed bitterly. I couldn't help but think that something might have happened because of which she left us but what?"

 

Geet thought about this.

"My mom sent me away because staying with her would have caused me harm. Maybe she went away because staying with you would have caused you harm?"

"Geet, how can you so easily find answers to questions that have been in my mind for years?" He held her hands and kissed them.

"I don't know, maybe because our hearts are connected? Waise, didn't you try to find her later on, I mean, you miss her so you could have looked for her."

"Bohut dhoondne ki koshish ki lekin kuch pata nahin chala. It was as if she had vanished. I tried to trace her but Sonia Khurana left India and after that no one knows what happened with her. It was as if she ceased to exit. Same went with Annie. Even now when I try and look for her, she is untraceable. Pata nahin kis baat kis saza de rahin hain."

"Aise nahin boliye. Agar aap ko yakin hain ke woh aap se pyaar karti hain to app ke bhale ke liye hi chali gae hogi."

"Hmm." Maan kept kissing her hands and fingers and got up.

"You know what? I just remember that I have to get my prize from you?"

"Prize, what for?"

"In the food festival I guessed all dishes correctly so I want my prize."

"But that is sooo long ago now. The validity on the prize has expired." Geet said slyly as she understood what Maan was hinting at.

"Really? Let me see." He got closer but Geet moved back.

"No sir, don't"

"Why not?" Geet had no answer to that. Maan bend over her and kissed her passionately on her lips.

"No, defiantly not expired."

"Enough, you only get one prize."

"Geet, this was just testing the validity. The actual prize is jet to me awarded." With this he kissed her all over again.