CHOICE & CONSEQUENCE

CHAPTER 39

Om (angry):- I know I did wrong with her. I shouldn't force my decision on her. But what could I do. You were supposedly dead. Mr. Oberoi didn't feel an ounce of guilt. Everyone else was devastated. The great wall was gone how was I supposed to shoulder all the burden, so I ran. I ran and then I felt guilty. Guilty because I wasn't there the day you were outsed. If only, I was there on that day I wouldn't have let you leave. You wouldn't have supposedly died. Actually if I won't born, Mr. Oberoi wouldn't have become greedy. He would still be your loving bade papa.

Shivaay(shocked):- What the hell are you talking about Om? If you weren't born? what the hell are you thinking, hnn?

Om (crying):- You don't understand Shivaay. You always protected us, kept us away from harms way but then one day you were gone. The greatest protective shield was taken away from us by our own parents. Do you know how I felt? Then in my anger, I ran away leaving our Rudy behind. A year, it took me a whole year to accept your death & then I looked behind only to realize that I ran away so far that my own people were left behind. My Rudra was left behind all alone & my wife still beside me, she was lost somewhere. I didn't realize until it was too late when things started going wrong.

I felt to right the things that have gone wrong I have to find out the truth about your death. Was it really a terrorist attack or an Oberoi's enemy behind your accident, I wanted to find out by all means. But that time I realised that I don't even know who are our enemies or allies?

I never took interest in Oberoi Empire, always wished to remain just an artist Omkara, never really understood the power & the Curse of surname "Oberoi". Mr. Oberoi was right, "an artist Omkara would have never been able to compare to an artist Omkara Singh Oberoi", because it's the Oberoi tag behind my name that gives me the power to be a carefree artist. (chukling sarcastically) You see all these year without Oberoi name I couldn't find anything.

Shivaay after your supposed death, I was scared. Scared to lose another one of my own. Gauri, she was mine, mine alone, I was scared to lose her. The day she told me that she wants us to come to India for Rudra wedding, I got afraid what if something happened to her in Mumbai. What if I lost her too. I was searching the the truth behind your accident, blind at that, not knowing whom to trust or whom to not. She was the only one I had as my own, how could I risk losing her. Infact I wanted to bring Rudra too but then I realised what if someday I was gone too. Rudra was our baby but one day he suddenly had to grow up because he lost his elder brother to death and the other one ran away. I didn't want him to suffer a day like that again, so instead of giving him hope I left him to believe that I didn't Care anymore. I could only ask Khanna to protect him in shadows all the time.

Shivaay, I know my way of protecting them was wrong. But you know me, running away is easier than sorting out the problem for me. Even when I finally realized my supposed protection became a cage for Gauri instead of explaining her, I choose to delay the time to tell her the truth. I convinced myself again and again that when I will find the truth I will ask Gauri's forgiveness. Ask her to give me any punishment for neglecting her all these years. Give me one last chance but i think it's too late.

She hates me doesn't she? I can see anger in her eyes, questions brimming at tips of her tongue but every time she swallows it all. And today finally she burst out. Why wouldn't she when I almost accused her of coveting bhabhi's position.

Shivaay taking a crying Om in his embrace forcefully :- Shut up! I know you tried to do your best. I am sorry Om, so sorry. I didn't realize my one decision would impact your lives to this extent. I thought after initial shock you guys would come to terms with the fact that I am gone forever. I didn't know you guys would forget to live altogether. Om forgive me, I am the one at fault here. All these years I was living happily believing that where ever you were, you will also be happy. I became selfish Om, so selfish that I neglected you guys. I didn't even tried to find out how you guys were.

Rudra coming inside (who was till now eavsdropping outside):- No bhaiya. You don't have to take the blame for our every wrong decision. Leaving OM was Om's choice, running away from problem's is Om's decision. Hurting me, neglecting Gauri bhabhi was all on Om, so why would you take responsibility for it?

Shivaay (shocked by Rudra words):- Rudra? What.. you.. what are you saying?

Rudra :- Please bhaiya! Stop shielding us every time. Your decision to disappear is the hour of need which I accepted because that was your way to protect us but Om? His decision was his selfishness. Running away has become his second nature.

Shivaay (angry):- Rudra!! Have you gone crazy? Is that how you talk to your elder brother?

Rudra (Crying):- Then how should I talk to him? He left bhaiya, he left me all alone. When I needed him the most he like a coward ran away. Did he know or ever realized what I have to face all alone?

I had to deal with sick dadi, guilty mom & devastated choti maa papa. I had to see Mr. Oberoi celebrating his victory in all glory. I had to see our home, our OM breaking bit by bit. In a matter of day, I lost all, my superman, my super woman, my once happy home.