BEZUBA, PART 13

~BEZUBA~

@tabby999

Ur question…

I want to ask ..is geet permanently dumb ya its due to shock ... plz tell me ..

Ans:

Geet wasn't dumb since birth it’s due to shock. If its permanent or temp is not certain. It could be forever or she might be able to speak the very next moment. It depends on the flow of story n of course on me.

 

 

My lappy is still not fine but this part is for a special person.

Happy Anniversary, Shru di. Love u tons.

~PART 13~

While Geet was roaming in the gardens she found two kittens bundled together in a bushy corner. One was pure black n other was white with vivid golden strips on its back n tail. They were both alone; their mumma nowhere to be seen. So she fed them with milk n later brought them inside the outhouse to play with for a little while.

And now she was in trouble. While the white one was with her, the black kitten had gone somewhere. She had been searching it for nearly an hour now. *Pata nai kaha chali gai.* Geet thought worriedly n then she saw something moving upstairs. *wo hai.* She picked the white one in her hands lest it got lost too and ran to catch the evil kitten.

 

Excuse me. Geet stopped mid way to look at the woman in business suit.Is Maan here?

 

Geet shook her head, her mind on the animal upstairs. She was about to sprint when Maan came.

 

Woman- You are late.

 

Maan- Like I knew you would come here instead of office.

 

They greeted and hugged each other. Geet’s mouth opened in a wide O. She didn’t like her husband hugging another woman. *Par bade shehro me aise hi hota hai Geet*

 

Woman- Who is she?

 

Maan looked at Geet who was covered in dirt n had something white in hand. Yeh kya hai tumhare haath me?

 

Geet smiled over-sweetly n signed *kya aap dekh nai sakte* with one hand. Maan raised his brows.

 

Woman- She can’t speak?

 

Maan- No, Dia.

 

Dia looked at Geet with sympathy. It’s so sad dear. Maan you didn’t tell me who she is?

 

She is a relative from Hoshiyaarpur. Geet, shocked and hurt at the lie, frowned.

 

Dia nodded- How are you liking it here?

 

Geet raised her hand but Maan spoke before that. She can’t understand English. That was the last straw, Geet hastily signed that she was leaving.

 

Dia- In villages they are still living in 16^th century. How can people get their daughters married at such young age? She had noticed Geet’s mangalsutra n sindoor. She is just a kid.

 

With the kitten n all dirt she actually looked like a kid. Maan shook his head. She is 20.

 

Are you kidding?

 

Geet wiped the tears n hurriedly climbed the stairs before hearing more. Being not acknowledged as wife by her husband then practically called illiterate n a kid by a stranger. There was a limit a person could bear.

 

 

 

 

 

It was unusual of Geet not springing here n there in the outhouse. By now there should have been sounds of things falling n breaking, utensils clattering as she worked in the kitchen or ate. She didn’t even come to ask him for food, there was no sound of TV either. The night was frighteningly empty. Maan went downstairs to check what Geet was doing. She wasn’t there. He called Nakul on the intercom and he came to the outhouse.

 

Maan- Geet ne khana khaya?

 

Nakul- Pata nai, Maan Sir.

 

Pata nai ka kya matlab hai? Mai tumhe kuch pata na rakhne ke lie pay karta hu?

 

Nakul- Par Sir, Geet madam apna khana khud banake khati hai hamesha.

 

Toh tum araam karne ke lie ho. Maan couldn’t believe it. What do mean ke hamesha khud khana banati hai. Koi servant kyu nai banata?

 

Nakul, tongue-tied n scared, lied- Sirr.. wo maine toh kaha tha ke koi servant kar dega but unhone khud hi mana kar dia.

 

Maan glared- Help toh kar sakte ho na tum log. Sabke sab kaamchor hai. Ab jao yahan se mera muh kya dekh rahe ho?

 

Nakul ran off n Maan came to Geet’s room. The door was locked. Maan knocked twice but to no avail. She had never done this? Was she sick? Or did she fell in bathroom n fainted? Unlimited possibilities made him sweat. Fear was like pins pricking the entirety of his body making it painful to just stand. Maan knocked harder. Geet…

 

She raised her head. After giving up on the hope of him coming to see her, she had slept off. Padding groggily across the room she decided to not open the door. He kept banging n she wished she could tell him to go away so he knew she was angry but now as the knocks got frantic it seemed he thought she was unwell or something. Geet closed her eyes resting her hands on the door then opened it to a livid Maan. What the hell, tum door kyu nai-He saw her face. Tum ro rai thi? *Nai, mai so rai thi?* She signed n turned around busying herself in arranging the bed.

 

Maan held her hand n for first time Geet didn’t like his ‘haq jamaoing’ on her. Tum iss time toh nahi soti? Pata hai mai kitna pareshan ho gaya tha? Tumne khana khaya? Geet shook her head. Kyu? Pehle kabhi toh aisa nai kia. Iss time tak toh tum kha leti ho. Geet jerked her hand back. *App kitna jaante hai mujhe?* She ran to bring the notepad n scribed over it.

 

*Meri bahar wale ke saame beizaati kar di. Do you know how humiliated I was? Yes, I know English. Maine 12th tak padhai ki hai n English medium me. Mere paapaji ne padhaya tha mujhe. Hemesha top kia maine par Taayi ji ne saari marksheets jala di.* She wiped her tears. *Par iska matlab yeh nai mai illiterate hu.*

 

Maan felt ashamed n the sight of her tears made him curse himself. He hadn’t thought that would hurt her so much. He didn’t even know about her knowing English. And here she had not eaten n locked herself in a room. Shit, he had never thought before saying or doing anything but with her he had to be careful, very careful. He couldn’t afford to upset her. Her tears did something to him. They made him feel pathetic. Each tear was so precious. He would never let her cry.

 

Against his decision, Maan cupped her face n wiped her tears. I am sorry. I didn’t know about that and just said it without thinking. I hadn’t meant to hurt you. I… I- Don’t cry please.

 

Already melted by the earnest words n touch, Geet almost smiled but controlled. She hadn’t expected him to take her so seriously. Many a times she had cried, broken n so much more agonized, and not one soul had paid any attention. *Mai ro nai rai.* He could hardly understand her signs being too much frayed and guilty. All cells in his body revolted in a demand to amend his mistake but he couldn’t. It killed him. The want to touch n hug her but being unable to do so. He felt like a retard, almost losing it, not knowing what to do… how to control the ragging heart beats, the guilt eating him. Air in the room turned solid; temperature sky rocketing. An invisible rope tightened around his head. He just- just couldn’t stop.

 

Taking her in his arms he took sharp breaths in. I am sorry. Mujhe maaf kar do. He couldn’t do this. He shouldn’t. He knew he was holding her so tight, she was being crushed. Mai nai jaanta tha. *Mai aapki patni hu yeh toh jaante the na?*

 

That brought him to senses. As if hit with cold water on face, Maan remembered why he had said that. It was more than a wakeup call. He crushed her harder. Wo tumhari bhalayi ke lie tha… aur meri. Mai nai chahta ke duniya ko pata chale meri shadi ho chuki hai. She couldn’t breathe. Confused, Geet tried to wriggle free of his hold. Maan…

 

Her voice made him cringe. He didn’t let go. Agar sabko pata chal gaya toh meri image ko farq padega specially jab yeh permanent nai hai. He gritted his teeth. The pain to see her from moments ago had now morphed into pain of seeing her n it was too potent, too overwhelming, blinding and weakening; somehow it gave him a sickening strength. Mind numbing fog surrounded him like bars yet this prison was nothing in comparison to the walls of sins that were omnipresent, choking him ruthlessly every single moment. He would survive. He had been doing so since ages. Mai tumhe hoshiyaarpur se yahan laya iska matlab yeh nai mai bhagwan hu. I am selfish. Mera business mere lie sab kuch hai. I have put my blood n sweat in it. Aur koi meri kamiyaabi ke beech nai aa sakta. He whispered in her ears. Samjhi tum.

 

Geet shivered. Maan left her, his eyes blank n ghastly like emotions meant nothing. She had never seen him like this. His sharp features were cruel. And, he was looking at her like she was dirt, a true disturbance. She couldn’t comprehend her own reflection in his eyes. The man whom she had thought to be warm inside that hard shell was not same anymore. Did she read him wrong?

 

She might be painting the picture colorful when there were just shades of gray. Was she delusional? How could he think about her in that way? Only moments he was so worried n regretful not knowing about her n soon as she mentioned of her being his wife n him acknowledging the same, he-

 

Maan took his exit making it clear that she was nothing. Shaken to the core she stood plastered on spot finally her legs buckled unable to carry her weight n she fell on the bed. She was never scared of Maan. He always brought strange relief to her. Oasis of care n tenderness in her tormented life he was, irrespective of the hard exterior. Today that relief too was taken away from her.

PRECAP- 

Geet doubtful of how much Maan knows…

Thank you so much guys for keeping up with me despite the horrible frequency of my updates. My lappy is in a bad condition so am not able to type at all. Very sorry for the inconvenience, I’ll be back to regular updates of all my ffs asap. Please bear a little more. Keep encouraging me with your likes n comments. Am always hungry for them. 

Just a comment to make me happy

Waiting eagerly