Yuhn Hota Toh Kya Hota- Rikara FF

Chapter 107

"And  you think I trust you, Mr. Oberoi? You think you will say that you won't leave my mother, and I will trust you? How do I know the moment I quit business you wouldn't use that as an excuse to separate from my mother, citing that I reneged on my side of the contract?" said Omkara.

"Your concerns are valid, Om, and you have every right to distrust me. I have nothing to say in my defense, and no right to expect your trust. I know an apology would not suffice for the amount of hurt I caused your mother, and through her, my kids. Nothing I will say will have any impact. But I just want to tell you, that you don't have to do this any more. You can wait for six months to get over, its a few more days anyways. You can see for yourself, whether my remorse is true. I would never divorce Jahnvi, though I feel she might divorce me, and she would be right in doing so. I just came to tell you, that you don't have to hold up your side of the bargain anymore, you are free" said Tej, too ashamed to meet Omkara's eyes. 

"And what about damages? There are damages to be paid if one repudiates the contract" said Omkara.

"The only damage here is how I damaged my ties with my wife and children, how I damaged their lives as well. And its to my loss, that I lost a beautiful person, and my eldest child" said Tej, his voice full of remorse. He didn't add anything more to it, and left the room. 

Omkara was too stunned to react. What came over his father? And could he trust Mr. Oberoi? He sat down on his bed, still shaking from inside. 

Neither of the two noticed that Jahnvi heard the entire conversation. 

She was eaten up by the same concerns as Omkara, could she trust Tej? And moreover, if Tej was really not going to divorce her, was she? Was her heart that strong to forgive years of abuse?

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"Rudra, this is so....sweet" said Soumya, as she returned famished from her institution. 

"Sweet? But I made sure that its spicy like you like it?" asked Rudra, frowning.

"Not the parantha, stupid, you. You are so sweet" said Soumya, laughing. 

"Oh yeah that I am" said Rudra, proudly. "Achcha, by the way, how was your first day at the institute?" asked Rudra.

"It was great. It was a long day, because today was the orientation. They showed us around the place. My area of work is Corporate Social Responsibility, not what I was hoping for, considering my PH.d area is Economics, but its good, the people are nice. My co-ordinator is helpful" said Soumya.

"Sumo, you are not....you're not upset with me, na? I mean, you already had your internship in Delhi ready, and Mumbai isn't even that great for pure academics, and you cancelled it all to be with me" said Rudra, hesitatingly. 

"C'mon Rudra. This internship is only for my experience, and to use time learning something these two months I have before I go to the States. It doesn't matter that much honestly, and I'd rather be with you and Dadi, and Annika didi, and others here. How was your day?" asked Soumya.

"Nothing, killed some time in the gym, and with Chubby. I wish the Ranas would revert soon, if they're going to revert at all" said Rudra gloomily.

"Don't worry, Rudra, if not them, you will surely find some other company to intern with. I'm positive that you results are going to be great this time" said Soumya.

"I hope so. By the way, I was going through Dad's business goodie box, and it had a lot of interesting stuff from his time. I would love you to go through them too, there are some things which might be interesting for you too" said Rudra. 

"I'm sure there will be. We have this weekend planned then" said Soumya, hi-fiving Rudra. 

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Gauri woke up unhappy. Her mother was leaving this morning.

Two days were too short for Gauri, specially when the half of those days she spent in her school and work. Omkaraji had mentioned something about sending a car to take her to the airport; her mother will fly back to Delhi, from where she'll take a train back to Moradabad. 

Her mother couldn't stop singing praises of how smoothly Omkaraji had arranged everything to bring her to Mumbai, and how amazed she was to ride a private jet. Gauri, while happy for her mother, was puzzled: why was he doing all this? 

Gauri hugged her mother closely not wanting to let go. 

"Gauri beta, why are you crying? You know its been almost two months since that incident. They are not looking for you anymore, the Panchayat from Bareilly. They've left us in peace. You can come back now, if you want. In fact, why don't you ride back with me, return with me to Bareilly?" asked her mother eagerly. 

Gauri looked from her mother's expectant face to Dandi bhaiyaa's face, whose smile drooped at the mention of Gauri leaving, to something else that was in the back of her mind....

"Maa, I have some work here, the month hasn't ended yet. Also, I'm going to school here, I don't know whether it will be possible in Moradabad. Let me finish my schooling here, and then come back home" said Gauri. 

"Well, yes, that is true, I will go back and start looking for some alternative to your education in Moradabad. I'm forever grateful to Jahnvi ji, for doing for my daughter what I couldn't do for her" sighed Gauri's mother. 

"But Gauri has done for my mother, what my mother couldn't do for herself, for years" said Omkara. He had been at the door listening to their conversation. 

"I'm sorry to eavesdrop like this, I just heard your words as I entered...and well, Gauri is no less than any of the women in my family, especially not because of lack of education" said Omkara.

Gauri's mother seemed pleased. 

Gauri smiled looking at her mother, but she wondered where did all this praise come from? She was surprised to see Omkaraji; she expected him to send a car for her mother, not arrive himself to escort her to the air field. He was being too generous. 

Gauri didn't go to see her mother off, she knew she might be tempted to leave with her to Moradabad at the last moment. Instead she said her goodbyes to her in the chawl, and went to work. 

She came back late from work to see Dandi bhaiyaa home already.

"How was your day, Dandi bhaiyaa?" Gauri asked. 

She was feeling morose, and already missing her mother.

"It was good....Sister, someone has left a present for you" said Dandi bhaiyaa, in a suspenseful tone, gesturing towards a rectangular sort of parcel.

"For me?" Gauri was bemused, but she picked up the parcel and unwrapped it. 

Inside it was a simple black and white, pencil sketch of her mother. Along with it was a note. 'In case you miss your mother, she is always with you.' 

There was only one person Gauri knew among her acquaintances who could make such a likeness of her mother. Omkaraji

While it was heartwarming, and Gauri could feel the tears in her eyes, she looked up to see Dandi bhaiyaa, looking at the portrait over her shoulder.

"Why is he doing all this?" Gauri asked of Dandi bhaiyaa.

"Why does any man try to impress a girl's parent?" Dandi bhaiyaa answered Gauri's question with a question of his own. He gave Gauri a slightly enigmatic smile, and went back to getting his costume ready for the next day.

Why indeed, thought Gauri, why indeed. 

P.S. Plugging in my new Rikara FF (SS?) https://www.wattpad.com/story/170132011-love-is-our-true-destiny-a-rikara-ff.  First chapter up, do check out friends!