Gowrigaatha - A love story [Completed](The story of Gowri)

17. Relativity

It was a morning a few days after Gowri came back from the capital, Vasudev and she were done with breakfast and he was getting ready to go to the shop that belonged to him. A car came to halt in the courtyard and Pranav stepped out of it. Gowri was happy to see him, but the pleasant atmosphere in the house had turned instantly into a tense one.

"Come in etta. Why didn't you call me, I would have kept breakfast for you as well. Sit down, I will get some tea", said Gowri.

But Pranav glanced at the serious face of Vasudev and said, "Don't worry about it. I did not call because then I didn't think Vasudev will be here to see me".

Vasudev did not reply and Gowri stood in trepidation between them.

"I came to invite you both to the opening of the dam, it gets dedicated to the state on the coming Wednesday. I request both your presence there" said Pranav

Vasudev looked like he was cut out of stone, but Gowri quickly took the card from him and said, "Of course etta, we will be there", she said.

Seeing the unresponsive face of Vasudev, Pranav said to Gowri, "Alright then, I will leave now". He turned around and left.

"You will not be going there", said Vasudev.

"Why?" asked Gowri.

"Why? Gowri, don't talk as if you don't know what had happened", said Vasudev.

"I know what has happened and I know nobody in my family has anything to do with Anand's death", she said vehemently.

Vasudev scoffed.

"I was there when my brother came and gave news of his death. I have seen him, despite knowing what was going to happen, he felt bad about the death of Anand, he could not understand why such a promising person was no more", said Gowri.

"But I still can't shake off the thought that he might have something to do with it. I lost my brother, you should understand how I feel", he said.

"Devetta, you are talking to me. I lost the love of my life and if I think that Pranavettan has nothing to do with it, then please accept it", she said pleadingly.

Vasudev pursed his lips and nodded and walked out to the car.

Though he had understood that the words she had spoken were the truth to her, still the implication that he will always be inferior to Anand for her had hurt him. The other meaning and effect of the words she spoke had immobilized her for a few seconds, then she ran out and hugged Vasudev from behind tightly, Vasudev closed his eyes sinking into the feeling of pain. She turned him around and pulled his face close hers and he looked into her teary eyes.

"Devetta..... he will always be the past I want to go back to. Because it was the time of no losses and no deaths. It was the time when I felt young, reckless and happy and I had him. That doesn't mean that what we have now is anything less. I love you and I know its depth because I can't imagine a life without you now. If ever I go back to that past, I will still regret it because then I will never know you as the man I love. I have been blessed twice in my life and I am thankful for both of you. I had started loving you as the father of my child, but now I love you as my soulmate. If you ever leave me, by design or fate, I will spend the rest of my life searching for you because you are the present and future that I long for" said Gowri.

Vasudev hugged her tightly and said, "You don't have to say anything more. I will never compare myself to him and hurt us both".

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