For You Thread 2||Note page 17

For You Thread 2

Welcome to the second thread! Thanks to everyone who's commented 🤗

Now continuing on...

Chapter 37 : Embrace

"Shall I take her?" Sameera asked gently gesturing to Mahika.

"It's fine, is she sleeping?" he answered as they walked across the lobby and headed into the elevator. Sameera had come down to fetch Maan as he text her, he'd arrived.

"She's just lying in bed, upset" Sameera informed. "Hasn’t talked to me"

Maan nodded, he followed Sameera out the elevator towards the room they'd booked. She swiped the key and opened the door walking in and Maan followed.

His eyes drew to Geet, she had her back facing them and was curled tightly into a ball. His heart sank as it dawned how much this must be hurting her.

"She hasn’t moved since coming here" Sameera murmured softly.

Maan looked at her and nodded, he was aware that Sameera knew about them being together briefly, but he wasn’t so comfortable to climbing in and holding onto Geet. He decided to settle Mahika down first, he placed down the baby bag gently, Sameera realised and lifted the blanket from the side for him. Maan murmured a thank you then tucked Mahika in besides Geet and placed the pillow on her side, so she didn’t roll and tumble off the bed. Thankfully, the bed was a king sized one though he wondered where Sameera would be sleeping. Was she planning to sleep here?

"Um… so I'll leave you to it" Sameera mumbled.

"Where are you staying?" he inquired.

"I've booked a second room, just next door" she added.

Maan nodded.

"Take care of her please" she told Maan and placed the key card for the room onto the desk.

"I will" he smiled and walked her to the door. Sameera bid him good night and walked to her room next door.

Maan returned, he sighed heavily and slipped off his shoes and sock, he then pulled off his jacket and shirt. He then walked around and slipped in besides Geet's side.

Geet looked at him solemnly before she turned around giving him her back, she reached over sliding her arm around Mahika and brought her closer.

Maan slipped his arm around her waist spooning her. "I'm sorry" he whispered. "She… she…" he didn’t even know what he could say about his grandmother.

"She said everything that my mother was thinking" Geet muttered. "Why are girls subject to so much criticism, so much pressure when it comes to marriage?"

"I don’t know, p*rnstar" he sighed heavily. "Mama is just worried about you, she wants you to be happy and settled" he informed.

Geet frowned, she rolled and faced him. "I am happy, very happy right now. My happiness isn't based on being tied to someone; it isn't tied to popping out babies. Can't a girl be happy without those?"

"I know you're happy" Maan replied. "Companionship is also important, she's afraid that you won't find that" he added.

Geet sighed dropping her head to his chest, "I'm not going back home. I can't take it anymore".

"What if they promise not to bring it up again?" he asked.

"Have you met my mother?" Geet smiled sadly, "Reyaan left, 2 months after that I had to hear my mother crying everyday because of all the gossip and she was already planning to find someone else to replace his place" she squeezed her eyes closed. "I returned from London, and I hoped she'd drop it for a while. But this… marriage fever has gotten to her again".

"You can't stay in a hotel forever, you know" he chuckled softly.

"I so can!" Geet frowned tilting her head and looked at him. "You're just going to have to look for a place for me"

"Have you got a death wish for me or something?"

"Nothing's going to happen to you, they love you too much" Geet waved off nonchalantly. "But I am serious, you need to look for a place for me to stay in with Sameera. I am not going back home" she added stubbornly.

"Not even if they promise they wouldn’t talk about it?" he quirked his brows.

"No, Majnu. They'll promise, keep it for a week or possibly a month until the whole cycle starts again" she rolled her eyes. "I'm being serious here" she matched his stare. "I need to move out, for my own sanity, I don’t want to be caged with this marriage fever that's going around".

Maan realised she was deadly serious given her tone, "They're going to be hurt" he murmured.

"What about me?" she frowned. "I love them too, but they're not even seeing how this is driving me crazy. It's suffocating me. I've mentioned going out with Harsh for a coffee and she's already trying to make it into something its not".

"Let me speak to them first, okay? Don’t make such a rash decision" he urged gently.

"I hate you" Geet scowled.

"I know" he smiled pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Go to sleep now".

Geet huffed but snuggled and closed her eyes.

The next morning came far too quickly and Geet's stomach rolled with anxiousness. She distracted herself with Mahika and played around on the bed whilst Maan stepped out to the balcony making his call to her father. Sameera at this point had also joined them.

"C'mere…" Geet spread out her arms as Mahika jumped on the bed holding onto the headboard.

"Wanty mummy" she squealed excitedly and bumbled into Geet's lap.

"Wanty mummy?" Sameera looked at her curiously.

"Aunty is wanty for her" Geet laughed, "And… at the nursery this new staff called me mummy and it kind of got stuck" she shrugged.

Sameera smiled, "Is that right?" she leaned down bumping her nose with Mahika's who giggled shyly and burrowed her face into Geet's chest.

"Is someone shy?" Geet lifted her swiftly throwing her up in the air and catching her.

Mahika clapped and laughed. "Gen! gen" she yelled.

"Just bring her home, please" Ravi sighed heavily.

"Alright, papa. Just speak to mama and the others" Maan glanced over his shoulder looking at Geet as she played with his daughter animatedly. "She's calmed down a little" he added.

"I'll speak to Simran and the others, I'll make sure they don’t mention anything" Ravi replied.

"Okay, we're going out for breakfast then I'll bring her home" he told him.

Ravi agreed and they bid one another bye.

"What did Maan say?" Simran looked hopefully at her husband.

"She's calmed down" he answered. "But no one is going to speak about last night and no one will mention her marriage anymore" he glanced around at his sons and his wife.

"Ravi, instead of encouraging her and giving in to her. You need to think about her future" Simran looked frustrated and dejected with concern.

"I am" he replied sternly. "Simran, we've lost Avni and there was nothing we could do. But I am not going to lose Geet because she isn't considering getting married" he shook his head. "I am also worried but pushing her all the time is going to drive her away and I am not going to do that to her".

"Ra…" Simran stopped when he held his hand up not giving her another chance.

He shook his head and glanced over at his sons, "Saahil and Aryan, this goes for you too".

"Stop trying to stuff my face" Sameera laughed as Geet loaded another fried egg on her plate.

"I wouldn’t have to if you ate properly" Geet rolled her eyes and turned to Mahika, "right baby?"

"Aaah" Mahika opened her mouth, Geet laughed piercing a hash brown onto her fork dipping it into the baked beans sauce before giving it to Mahika. "Mmm, is that nice?"

"Mika gen" she answered chewing noisily.

Maan smiled faintly watching his daughter with Geet and picked up his coffee taking a sip.

"What did you tell my family?" Geet inquired glancing at him.

"They won't bring up the marriage topic again" he answered.

"That isn't an answer" she rolled her eyes.

"Harsh is waiting and they've got a pandit ready" he replied.

"That is NOT funny" Geet scowled.

"Eat your breakfast then we'll talk" he pointed.

Geet frowned and stuck out her tongue, "Daddy is a big meanie" she told Mahika.

"Mimi" Mahika called out.

"Meanie" Geet repeated.

"Mimi"

"Geet don’t teach her that" Maan nudged her with his shoulder. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching her actual words".

"I'll be teaching her how to argue back with you, you can teach her new words" Geet stated and turned back to Mahika. "Right baby girl?"

"Aaah" Mahika pointed to her mouth making them laugh.

Geet's nerves rocketed as Maan drove her home, she shifted uncomfortably and attempted to avoid glancing at her home as he parked outside.

Geet could feel her mother's eyes heavily on her as she stood at the top of the steps with her brothers and father, Geet daren’t turn to spare them a glance. Instead, she looked at Maan.

"I don’t want to go inside" she bit down on her lower lip.

"I'm going with you, okay? They promised they wouldn’t bring up the wedding or anything" he tried to reason, he reached for her hand and squeezed as she chewed on her lower lip nervously.

"Fu…"

"Geet" Maan narrowed his eyes, "Mahika is at the back".

"Shi… er sorry" she quickly changed her words and looked apologetically.

"Geet, c'mon. We're here" Sameera encouraged placing her hand on Geet's shoulder.

Geet nodded slowly, she released Maan's hand and stepped out as did Maan and Sameera. Maan unbuckled Mahika and held her close to his chest as he walked around, and they walked towards the house. Geet slowly lifted her eyes from the floor and sighed heavily seeing her mother's eyes filled with tears and the rest of her family looking back solemnly.

Ravi descended one step and smiled in relief when she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly apologising numerous times.

"Shh… its okay" he patted her back. "You scared us for a moment" he pulled back cradling her cheek. "Promise me, you'd never do that again" he urged.

Geet nodded, "I'm sorry papa" she sniffed burrowing her face into his chest.

"Shh, its okay. C'mon let's go inside" he ushered her inside.

"Geet…" Simran's voice croaked as she looked at her daughter, she wanted to reach out and envelope her tightly. Geet slowly looked at her mother, her shoulders sagged in dejection seeing the hurt and pain in her mother's eyes, she released her father and fell into her mother's embrace mumbling apology after apology.

After a while, they'd settled in the living room. Ravi had thanked Sameera and Maan for taking care of Geet last night.

"Mimi" Mahika called out holding her hands out for Maan.

"Mimi?" Saahil questioned.

"Thanks to your sister" Maan rolled his eyes and lifted Mahika up into his arms. "Daddy" he corrected brushing his fingers through his daughter's curls.

"Daddy" Mahika grinned widely. "Mika down" she pointed.

Maan rolled his eyes and placed her back down, Mahika trotted around and smiled as she neared Geet who'd sat besides Sameera.

"Hey cutie" Sameera brushed her fingers across her chubby cheek.

Mahika giggled and grabbed onto Geet's thighs trying to heft herself up into her arms, Geet chuckled and lifted her onto her lap.

"She's so adorable, aren’t you?" Sameera leaned down bumping her nose with Mahika's making her burst out laughing and turned to Geet.

"Mika want up" she pointed and stood up on Geet's thighs.

"I don’t want to play that now" Geet pouted and leaned forward, "I want to play this" she blew raspberries on Mahika's neck making her burst out laughing.

Simran watched with Geet and Sameera play with Mahika, she sighed in relief that her daughter had returned, she'd promised her husband she wouldn’t bring it up again and she will try her best. She just enjoyed the sight of her daughter, her friend and her daughter playing together.

Maan joined sitting on the arm of the sofa and they joked around about something, the happiness within her dimmed slightly as she watched him. He was always showing a side to him that was strong, content. She couldn’t imagine a life without her husband, yet here Maan was trying to live his life contently without Avni. She looked at her granddaughter who was so bubbly and full of life unaware she was missing an integral part of her life. She glanced at Maan then at Mahika who'd played along with Geet and Sameera. I'll speak to Namita she thought silently.

As Ramadan comes to an end, lockdown continues and working from home leaves me with very little time. This possibly could be the last one without password, but I will think it over. Oneliners aren't accepted so those of whom did post one liners will not be considered for password protected updates.