Love Is Our true Destiny: A Rikara FF

Chapter seventeen

Day one: 

I finished the painting, Omkara typed into his smartphone. 

Gauri had departed in the morning, with his Nani, and her team, to the village. It was the first day of their week apart, since they landed in Mumbai. 

Omkara had resisted the urge to message her throughout the day; he didn't want to seem clingy. That thought made him laugh. Once upon a time, he would wander away from a relationship when it got too serious for him. He remembered the horror certain pink cushions caused him. Now, his fate was probably laughing at him. 

Did you take your cough medicine? his phone beeped Gauri's reply. 

He and Gauri had gone to Chaupaati last week, where she persuaded him to have a barf ka gola (ice candy in syrup) with her. He had never tried that, courtesy Shivaay who always found it unhygienic. So, he agreed. As a result, he developed a sore throat for the following two days. 

Yes ma'am, Omkara typed back.

Good. Which painting did you finish? asked Gauri

The cliff one. Its strange, usually I finish one piece of work, more or less, before I move onto another one. But this time, I have so many ideas pouring in from everywhere, that I wish I had ten hands, replied Omkara.

Gauri replied with two 😂😂 emojis.

Emojis? asked Omkara

Well, that's what Rudy bhaiyaa told me one should send in for laughing, Gauri texted back.

Rudy. You can do better than that texted Omkara

There were five minutes of silence, before the phone beeped to show that a media file had arrived. 

Omkara opened it to see a picture of his wife laughing. He chuckled.

This just made me realize that we have so few photos together, replied Omkara.

Why do we need any? You can always paint any person better than any camera, replied Gauri.

Flattery will get you everywhere. But what about you? You don't have any photos of me, texted Omkara

But that is so silly. I am a woman, not a teenage girl, to cut out pictures of Salman Khan from movie posters, and hide under my pillow, replied Gauri.

Now I feel more offended that Salman Khan had the honor of his photos resting under your pillow, but not your poor husband, texted Omkara

I didn't say *I* cut out pictures. I just said some teenage girls do, replied Gauri.

Liar! texted Omkara, grinning to himself.

Okay, fine I plead guilty, replied Gauri. 

Ha, ha, that's a victory for me. How was your day? Tired? asked Omkara

Not really. It was like surveying my fields. The village Panchayat was very impressed with my driving skills, replied Gauri

Driving skills? asked Omkara

Tractor, replied Gauri

I should have known. What else did you impress them with? asked Omkara

My extensive knowledge of running an estate, it seems. You tell me, how was your day? asked Gauri.

It was.....empty, replied Omkara.