BEZUBA, PART 18

~BEZUBA~

~PART 18~

 

There was a panel of interviewers inside the big room when Geet entered. At home she was being so brave but now it was like she was thrown in front of hungry lions. *Phew, shant ho jaa Geet. Wo tujhe kha thode jayenge.* In between the unknown people, the presence of her ISL teacher was rather comforting. She had come with Geet as a mediator.

Geet sat when asked to, her palms sweating. They first asked basic questions about her, like her father’s name, place of birth etc, checked her certificates and mark sheets.

 

Why are you studying after a break? What made you stop and why do you think something or the other won’t be able to stop you again?

 

*I am studying because I want to but earlier I couldn’t. When I was in school, I used to think that nothing could stop me but life is full of surprises. I was a topper, everything was going good and my father wanted me to appear in examination for civil services after my graduation. Although, I wanted to go into the corporate sector. Unfortunately, both things couldn’t happen. My father died due to health issues and I’d to live with my relatives in Hoshiyaarpur. People are conservative there and don’t believe in education for women, also there are not enough facilities. I would have fought them, perhaps would have ran from there if need had arisen but I was raped and lost my voice to selective mutism.* Geet told without an ounce of shame or fear, she was done being looked down upon. This was her chance to change everything. *After that I kind of lost hope but an angelic human being helped me, brought me out of that place. I am here because of him.*

 

Her sign language teacher was speaking as Geet signed.

 

*You asked if something again would stop me. It could but I will try again. There is no age for education and you never get old enough to stop learning. And, I don’t want you to have pity on me either. Give me a chance if you really think I deserve it because pity could take me only so far.*

 

What makes you think you could cope up within an environment where everyone is not like you?

 

*I have been doing it till now. I didn’t get the opportunity to meet someone like me; I mean anyone who is suffering from selective mutism or mutism. But I have been surviving in this world where mostly everyone is better than me at least in this regard. Apart from that, isn’t everyone different? Yet we all live together. It’s just you have to accept your shortcomings and not feel bad about them. If you do then you are actually impaired. I am beyond that phase now.*

 

All interviewers smiled nodding at each other, impressed by Geet’s confidence and positive outlook. After that the talks were casual and less scary.

 

It was nice meeting you, Ms. Geet. You’ll be informed of whether you are selected or not.

 

 

 

 

Geet came home and gave Dadimaa minute-by-minute update. *Mere khayal se interview theek hua Dadimaa par kuch keh nai sakte.* She bit her lip. Pehle toh aap badi bahadur ban rahi thi ab kya hua?Dadimaa teased. Dariye mat humme pura bharosa hai apka selection ho jayega. Like that Geet n Dadimaa had become each other’s strength.

 

Next day Geet received a call about her selection and was asked to complete the formalities. Her happiness knew no bounds and she wanted to share it first with the most important person in her life, because of whom this had become possible.

 

Practically dancing in her steps she searched and found Maan in the corridor. He was talking to someone on the phone. She wanted to call out his name but for some reason he always behaved weird when she voiced it and she couldn’t call him with something else. So she ran to him and held his hand.

 

What?

 

Geet grinned from ear to ear. *Mujhe aapko ek bahut acchi baat batani hai.*

Wait. Mai kisi se baat kar raha hu. He started to walk n she followed him hurriedly. They reached the living room but the call didn’t seem to have any end. Finally, he hung up. Ab bolo. His phone buzzed again and he picked it up. Feeling like throwing the cell away she poked his arm impatiently. Geet mai baat kara raha hu na aur sunne ke lie mere paas do hi kaan hai. He scolded and angrily she thumped down on the couch with a pout.

 

*Itni bhi kya important baat hai ke meri baat nai sun sakte.* Half of her excitement died as she cursed Maan n his darling work in her head.

 

Maan- Hmm, kya keh rai thi tum?

 

*Mera admission ho gaya in LTS College.* Geet wrote on her notepad and showed him simply because she didn’t want to talk to him now, which was foolish as she couldn’t speak.

 

Something passed over Maan’s face. When are you joining?

 

She flashed the pad to him. *This Monday.*

 

His lips lifted into a smile and her heart missed a beat. He patted her head.That’s nice. All the best. You would do great.

 

 

 

 

Maan couldn’t contain the storm of happiness. He was so proud of her. Just as fast the glee had claimed him, a black cloud of gloom came to taint it. She was going to college and soon she would realize her dreams leaving him behind. Emptiness grew inside his chest and a strange fear had him gasping for air. He drank a glass of water. This wasn’t something to be miserable over. It was what he wanted, had known from the start. One day or the other she had to leave.

 

Closing his eyes he recalled the excitement of new life on her face and instantly called Adi. Adi, I want you to get something.

 

 

 

 

*Yeh sab kya hai Dadimaa?* Geet asked narrowing her eyes with mountains of clothes hanging in her both hands.

 

Dadimaa stole her eyes not looking at Geet. Kya hai?

 

Geet stomped her foot freeing the bundles of clothes on bed. *Kya hai?*

 

Dadimaa- Kapde hai beta aur kya hai.

 

*Toh yeh mere kamre me kyu hai?*

 

Uff Geet ke babaji, yeh ladki… Dadimaa said dramatically. Kyuki yeh aapke lie humne mangwaye hai.

 

*Par Dadimaa mera paas already kapde hai aur mai aise kapde nai pehenti.* She looked down at the bed where lay jeans and long skirts, tops and everything western that Geet didn’t even know the right name of.*Kitne ajeeb se hai yeh, idhar se phate, udhar se phate.*

 

Dadimaa laughed. Yeh phate nai hai yeh toh fashion hai, aap college me dekhiyega ke ladkiya kya pehnti hai. Yeh toh uske saamne kuch bhi nai. Aur aap kya college apne suits pehen ke jayegi? College join kia hai wo bhi Delhi me toh apko thoda hap banna padega.

 

Geet knotted her brows.*Hap?*

 

Dadimaa slapped her head. Happening.

 

Geet did an ‘Ooh’ with her lips. Dadimaa picked a beautiful kurti from the bunch and a pair of jeans. Yeh kaisi hai?

 

*Bahut pyaari hai.* She signed. Although it looked very lovely Geet didn’t know if she could carry it on, she had never really worn anything other than the traditional Panjabi suits.

 

Toh jayiye change karke aayiye.

 

Geet was herself excited and at Dadimaa insistence she changed into the kurti and jeans. She came out of the bathroom and did a twirl before Dadimaa. The jeans were comfortable and kurti was kind of cool, they felt good on her skin though she missed her dubbatta. *Dadimaa isme pockets bhi hai.* She said tucking her hands into the pockets.

 

Haan. Idhar aayiye. Dadimaa put a black tika behind Geet’s ear. Meri sundar si pari ko kisi ki nazar na lage. Geet beamed. Dadimaa began to remove the bangles from Geet’s hand startling her. Geet snatched her hand away cradling it to her chest unconsciously. *Aap yeh kya kar rai hai?*

 

Aapko iski koi zaroorat nai… humara matlab hai aap college me yeh pehen ke jayengi toh ajeeb lagega waise bhi wahan koi nai jaanta aap married hai aur agar logo ko pata chal gaya toh wo sawal puchenge aur aapko batana padega ke Maan aapke pati hai. Dadimaa said almost sadly.

 

*Sindor, maglasutra aur chudiya toh suhaag ki nishani hai. Mai kaise isse kaise utar sakti hu.*

 

Maan aapke suhag hai. Wo aapko utar ke fek sakte hai aap yeh sab nai utar sakti?

 

Geet was shocked, Dadimaa generally wasn’t this harsh. *Dadimaa aapke aur Maan ke beech me-*

 

Geet hum aapko pehle bhi bol chuke hai hum uss bare me bilkul baat nai karna chahte.

 

Geet nodded. Dadimaa told Geet everything but she never said why there were so many boundaries between her and Maan.

 

PRECAP- Geet's ragging...???

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