Geet turned back. She saw, a young and beautiful girl of same age, was stood smiling. Geet frowned, was confused, who was she. Girl was wearing white cotton saree, neatly plated and pinned on shoulder, long shiny hair beautifully shaped in a braid. She had marks of marriage in her sleek neck and forehead. Geet was staring her when “ Geet ! Are you Geet ? Omg ! Pahchaana ” Girl was like so much happy and lil jumping in excitement. Geet was mum, statue-d there. She shook head with fluttering eyes. “nahi” she murmured
“Geet I am Meera !! ” Girl exclaimed happily.
Geet was shut. Gasping her with amazement, with her big eyes.
“Geet !! ” Meera shook her , holding her both shoulder. “ Geet dint you listen? M Meera ! Your childhood friend Meera ”
Geet could not believe. Did not believe what she was hearing, was real or she was dreaming? She gasped covering her mouth with palm, stared Meera from tip to toe. She was real, before her, standing, touching her. “omg ! Meera ” she spoke. Meera nodded, smiling, shedding happy tears and was so Geet. Both hugged. Cried their heavy heart out. They were childhood friends from orphanage. Lived together, studied together, always been each other shadow till a family adopted Meera and took her away from Geet. They were of eight and afterward never met, till now.
“but Meera, how did you recognize me ? ” both separated and Geet asked, wiping her eyes.
“ I dint ” Meera said
“ fir?” Geet was confused.
“he recognized me”
Geet looked where Meera pointed. Geet was shocked. It was maan, with a unfamiliar man, talking and smiling little. Indeed he was looking happy. Geet was yet confused. How maan was there and why Meera pointed him.
“kaha kho gayi Geet ?” Meera spoke seeing her lost. “ he is my husband Arjun.” she said lovingly looking that new man. Geet looked her and then toward both men, and then maan looked Geet. He looked her and understood, she was in confusion and had hundreds questions roaming, in her mind, bothering her. Both men turned to girls and walked to them. Meera introduced Arjun to Geet. Both greeted formal to each other. Geet eyes were looking maan where maan was avoiding her. They talked for few moments and then bid bye. Both Geet and Meera hugged and exchanged their addresses, being emotional. Meera and arjun left. Maan saw how arjun was making Meera calm, hugging her from side and taking her in his arm. Both sat in car and drove.
“ chale ! ” maan spoke, seeing Geet still weeping. He had extreme urge of taking her in his arm and wipe her tears, kissing them aside but he controlled thinking, it was not the right time. They sat in car and drove. In journey maan was glancing her. She was still. Seemed, was lost in her past, in childhood. “ Geet!” maan called her. She looked him with wet eyes. It was hollow and dark. Maan scared and stopped car. He waited her to stop her cry, be calm but she was in her broke down state. Her vulnerable heart was not able to take more and she hugged maan. She hugged him tight feeling alone and wanting a support. She clutched him tight feeling so much loneliness, after seeing Meera back and then again she left, leaving her behind, all alone. She cuddled more in him feeling how happy Meera was with arjun, how she got her companion and here she had no one with her. No one with whom she could share her happiness and sorrow, no one with whom she could talk without hesitation and with whom she could see, dream of her future.
Her cry was making loud sound, sound of cracks of her small heart. Sound of her breaking breath. Today was the day she was first time, crying for her lone life. It was first time she was feeling like a real Orphan, in this big world. Today she had complain from her Babaji, for her unusual and difficult life. Today she would not stop herself for hiding her pain. She would not lie that she was happy being alone, all on herself. She would not …. She shut her eyes and collapsed on his chest..
