Part 25
Geet awoke slowly. She tried to get up but couldn't. She was tired and sore and seemed to be held down by a weight. Then she realised where she was. She was half lying on Maan, with her head on his chest, and his arms firmly caging her body. Their position reminded her of their first night together in the tent...however, they both had their clothes on...barely. She blushed at the memory of that night and of last night.
Thinking of last night, she had no regrets. Whatever happened between them was mutual. He had been gentle, had shown her respect and asked for her permission. She knew that if she had said no at any stage, he would have stopped.
She looked at Maan's face. He was sleeping contentedly, with a smile on his face. She wondered what he was dreaming about..."hopefully me", she thought.
She glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was 9 am. "Oh Babaji...margay...ab to pukka Rajji will tease me for getting up late". Geet carefully removed herself from Maan's embrace without disturbing him. He seemed to miss her warmth though, and started to become restless. She quickly shoved a pillow in his arms which seemed to pacify him. She blushed at the realisation that she was standing there beside the bed naked, so she quickly picked up the nearest item of clothing off the floor, his sherwani, and put it on. It smelled of him, and she smiled at the thought. She looked longingly back at the bed. How comfortable he looked and how inviting too. "Geet, jhalli...get ready, otherwise, not only Rajji, but Taiyji too will tease you..." she said to herself slapping her forehead. She took some fresh clothes from the wardrobe and headed into the bathroom.
Half an hour later she emerged from the bathroom. She gazed at the bed again. He was still asleep hugging the pillow. She wanted to stay there looking at him...or even join him in bed, but she decided that she should go and make an appearance downstairs.
In the kitchen Rajji and Taiyji were sitting at the table, as Rano was serving breakfast. It appeared they had woken up late too, but for other reasons.
Rajji looked up, when she saw Geet enter the kitchen. "Phir didi?..Kya hua kal.." Rajji asked wiggling her eyebrows teasingly. The rest of her sentence was cut off, when Taiyji slapped her head and told her not to tease Geet.
"Beta, what would you like to eat?" Rano asked. Then she panicked and asked quickly "Has Maanji woken up yet? What will he have? What if he wants something we don't have? What will he think of me?"
"Maa, Maa, Maa ...hold on. I will answer your questions one-by-one in order" Geet smirked. She could see her mother was anxious to please her damaad.
"One, I your beti, would like aloo paranthas with yoghurt"
"Two, your damaad Maan is still asleep"
"Three, I don't know what he will have, since I am not an astrologer and cannot see into the future"
"Four, if he wants something we don't have, we will say so, and provide an alternative"
"And five, I think he will the same as I do...that you are the greatest Mum in the world" Geet finished, hugging and kissing her mother.
"Jhalli" Rano replied. "You will make me cry. See didi" Rano said looking at Taiyji "she is talking like a grown-up now" Rano sobbed happily.
"Grown-up???" Rajji said suggestively, for which she received another slap on the head from Taiyji.
"Yeh kya Geet?" Taiyji said looking a bit annoyed "You have not put on any sindoor"
"Taiyji, I didn't have any...I never needed it before" Geet said frankly.
"One minute, I have a box for you" Rano said, leaving the room. A few moments later, Rano entered with an ornate silver sindoor box which she handed to Geet.
"Maa, it is beautiful. I will treasure it forever" she said, giving Rano another hug.
"Ok. Go and put some sindoor on...and here take this tea to Maanji. He must have got up by now" Rano said, thrusting a cup of hot sweet tea in her hands.
"But what about my paranthas?" Geet pouted.
"When you come back down with Maanji" Rano stated.
Cricket
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