Yuhn Hota Toh Kya Hota- Rikara FF

Chapter 25

Dandi was getting worried that Gauri was lost in this unfamiliar part of city. But he need not have, because Gauri just rushed up to him, as he was thinking of climbing down the tetrapods. 

"You gave me a scare sister. Where did you disappear?" asked Dandi.

"Oh, nothing bhaiyaa, I saw a man losing his foothold in the tetrapods, so I went to help him. Lets go now, its late already, and tomorrow we both have to leave early." said Gauri, she didn't want to stay there any longer than necessary. 

Dandi and his group eagerly made their way back home. Once they reached home, Gauri meticulously changed back into a female, and kept the clothes and wig carefully on the pile of costumes. 

It was late, so without wasting much time, Gauri and Dandi slept off. Dandi had insisted that Gauri take the bigger bed in the inner room, while Dandi camped on the makeshift bed among the costumes and props stuffed in the outer main hall. 

Gauri thought back to meeting Omkaraji in the beach. She knew he lived in this city but she never thought she would meet him here. After all, this was a huge metropolis and they moved in very different circles. Guess fate had something else in store for her. She had mixed feelings about this meeting. 

On one hand, she was glad and thankful to God, that she could be of some use to him, pulling him back from getting hurt. On the other hand, he had made his dislike for her clear in Bareilly, and meeting him here, that too in disguise, essentially fooling him, did not sit well with Gauri's heart. 

Gauri rationalized the situation, deciding that it was a one time thing; its unlikely that she would meet him again. In any case, she won't be living in Mumbai forever, its matter of a year or so, maybe. Thinking of this, Gauri went to sleep. 

What she hadn't bargained for, were the nightmares waiting for her in sleep. Meeting Omkara had triggered the traumatic memories of her debacle in Bareilly. Gauri thought she had washed away Kali's creepy touch when she bathed herself after crying on her mother's lap in Moradabad. But an experience like that would not fade away from her mind so soon.

"Gauri sister, wake up, wake up sister." Dandi shook Gauri gently, his anxious voice finally, breaking through Gauri's nightmare. Gauri sat up shaking uncontrollably. 

"I heard you pleading in your sleep, to let you go; you were kicking your feet like a maniac." said Dandi, sounding worried and suspicious. His mind was clueing him on to what was happening, but he wanted to hear from Gauri what she had gone through. 

Gauri didn't answer, just kept shivering, her mind still replaying her nightmare where Kali had chained her feet to prevent her from escaping. Dandi noticed her feet, there were faint scars there. "What is this sister?" he asked, gesturing to her feet. 

That question resulted in Gauri breaking into loud sobs. Dandi let her cry to release her feelings. Slowly, still shedding tears, Gauri narrated to Dandi, what transpired in Bareilly. 

"And that's why I had to come to Mumbai." Gauri hiccuped. 

Dandi replied after a while. "Sister, you've shown more courage than what one would have thought you have in your tiny body. Everyone who misjudged you are fools, sinners, and one day they will regret this. It is tragic for the society that people like Kali still walk amongst them. Sister, today I promise, whatever happens, I will always do whatever I can for you, protect you as long as its in my power." 

Gauri didn't realize she was holding her breadth until she released it. Gauri was anxious to know whether Dandi would trust her or taunt her like the villagers. But he showed immeasurable faith in her. Gauri was grateful to god for sending her this angel of a brother who placed so much faith on her. She hugged him sideways because words were failing her, and Dandi smiled as he patted her head. 

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Omkara pored at the boring files in front of eyes, containing facts and figures of some upcoming deal which Mr. Oberoi hoped that he would clinch. He hated this. The closed spaces of his huge cabin in the office seemed to trap him. The letters and statistics given in the file seemed to attack him with their precise details. He missed his cluttered studio, his blank canvas on which he would splash colors, his art, which did not conform to the straight lines and boxes. 

He shut the file in disgust and held his head in his hands. His phone buzzed. It was Jahnvi. 

His mother had not been able to talk to him, ever since she found out he sacrificed himself for her. Omkara tried to call her many times, but she disconnected the call. Even during Shivaay's farce of a wedding yesterday, Jahnvi avoided him. Omkara didn't call after Shivaay informed him of the good news of Jahnvi kicking Svetlana out of the mansion, because it was too late last night. Now his mother was calling him.

Omkara hastened to pick up the phone. "Mom, how are you? I've been so worried, why wouldn't you talk to me?" he asked

"Om, beta, I've been such a weak mother. How could I face you after what happened, what you lost because of me." Jahnvi despaired. 

"Mom, listen don't blame yourself, the only one to blame in all this is Mr. Oberoi. And I haven't lost anything. Your happiness means the most to me." Omkara said, with a plea in his voice.

"And your happiness means the most to me son. I won't fall weak again. This time I will do my duty as a mother, because that is the one relationship that has given me the greatest joy in my life. I won't let you, or Rudra and Prinku down." Jahnvi promised. 

Omkara was glad to hear for himself this new found confidence of his mother. But he was also curious what brought on this change. So he asked her cautiously. 

"Oh son, you wouldn't believe, I went to this temple." Jahnvi replied. 

Omkara scowled at the mention of a temple, but didn't interrupt her. "I met this girl, she had the voice of an angel, and she looked like one too, and let me tell you what she told me, what she advised me......" 

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Rudra was in his second and final year of M. Comm. How he completed his three years of graduation and one of post. grad., he had no idea. Usually he would pay some nerdy kid to do his projects and assignments, and study just a few weeks before the exam and somehow manage to pass. Since he was an Oberoi scion, the professors usually passed him with grace marks. Rudy had a hunch that Shivaay bhaiyaa asked them to pass his brother, because if his father, Tej, found out about Rudy's poor grades, there would be hell to pay. 

Rudy's grades so far had been really poor. The final exams were three months away, but this time Rudy had decided that he would give his best to the exams. 

He remembered what Soumya had told him in her anger. That he was a rich kid who didn't study because he could afford not to. She was right. Rudy had taken undue advantage of his economic status, which was not just unfair to other kids from lower economic backgrounds, but also unfair to himself, because he never tested his own potential to see whether he can achieve something on his own or not. 

Rudy stood outside the library as he contemplated all these thoughts. He had never been inside the library in his life. But he had a good reason for going in now. He had to make up to his friend. He had to prove himself. He was glad that Chubby was also coming to study with him. He needed all the help he could get.

"Chale, Rudy boy?" (Let's go, Rudy boy?) asked Chubby, silently laughing, looking at Rudy's expression; he looked he was about to go into battle.

"Yes, lets go." said Rudy as he gritted his teeth in determination.