Rikara One Shot Story Collections I

Baby Series 1 - Always & Forever

​Hello everyone.... Thank you so much for voting and commenting on the previous story. a little busy, so couldn't reply to the comments, I'm sorry.

Previous Story : My Adorable Weirdo (Posted on 02 – Aug – 2021)

A little busy, will reply to PMs in a couple of days.

I'm starting a new series called Baby Series, it is just that, I've got another idea for a story with a baby in it. don't know when I will write it, so thought I'll just start a baby series.

Finally, I am using the famous Always & Forever (The Originals) as a title for my story.

Even after writing 75% of this story, I wanted to abandon this story but since I wrote so much, I decided to finish it off. so please forgive if you feel the story is disengaging... I don't know why but I had a hard time writing it.

Omkara looks out the window as his car sped through the traffic. Since the moment he had landed in this city, his thoughts had been going back to her. he sighs furiously, he thought of her more than he liked to admit it. and coming to this city, he was getting plagued by her thoughts. The moment he had stepped foot on this city, he had remembered that she was working in this city. And since then he wasn't able to stop thinking of her.

Her, Gauri Kumari Sharma.

He had no idea why he thought of her. he thought of her at the most unexpected moments. Sometimes in the middle of a meeting, someone would say something and his mind would latch on to something that was connected to Gauri. he hated that. he didn't want to think of her. she didn't matter to him and he shouldn't be thinking of her. every time he convinces himself that he forgot her, one of her letters would come for him reminding him of her. he never opened a single letter of hers. But he couldn't bring himself to destroy it, so those letters were lying in one corner of his briefcase.

Omkara sighs, his life was already messed up, he didn't want any more added to it but she doesn't seem to understand that. she couldn't take no as an answer. Gauri was his junior in college. She was exactly opposite to him. bubbly, friendly, full of life while he was reserved, silent and angry at the whole fucking world.

He didn't have much friends, just a few because he was scared to make friends. Every person that speak to him, he would be worried about what they would be talking behind his back, so he couldn't bring himself to trust anyone. The only one he had trusted in his life was his Dadi, and now Shivaay. Shivaay, a true friend.

He is the only son of Tej and Jhanvi. At least, the only legal son. He had no idea whether his father had other children. His mother didn't, because she lived in front of him, pretty much all his life. so, he doubted if she could sneak in a pregnancy without him knowing. Omkara furiously looks out. As far as he could remember, his parents have been in an open relation, competing with each other in finding younger paramours. It didn't matter to them that he was seeing it all or the press was always publishing about their affairs. They just didn't care about anyone other than themselves.

He led a lonely childhood because he was scared to make friends for they always made fun of him for his parents' choices. His only solace was his Dadi. He could share everything with her and she loved him. she was his best friend. She was his whole world.

When it was time for college, he had come to this city as he wanted to get away from his parents. His Dadi had come with him, things were fine till his college mates figured out his Oberon identity, after the viscous circle had repeated. It was around that time that Gauri had proposed him but he had rejected her. because he didn't believe in love, marriage, relations, flings, anything. But she had shamelessly pursued him and he had continued to ignore her. then one day, his Dadi had passed away. the first time, he had truly noticed Gauri was when she had come to pay respects to his Dadi. He didn't speak to her then too but he had noticed her. Dadi's death had pushed him over the edge and he had turned to drugs and alcohol. His final years of college and the time after that he had drifted in and out of consciousness.

It had gone on for a while till Shivaay had come back into his life and forced him to rehab. Shivaay had stood by him like a rock and fought for him, even with him. and he had also decided to get cleaned up because of his last meeting with Gauri which had happened a few days before at the college reunion. Thinking back, even today he didn't know why he went for the reunion. He had no friends. Only Shivaay and he knew Shivaay wouldn't be coming to the reunion. Still he had gone. Every time her thoughts plagued him, he did wonder and asked himself, did he go there to see her? even as he lied to himself and said either no or he didn't know, his heart would whisper that she had messaged him that she would be coming. she used to message him and call him before he had blocked her number.

Hearing the phone ring, he looks at his phone and sees that it was his father. He cuts the call. He knew why he was calling. His parents were trying to get him to marry Ishana who was their business associate's daughter. He had refused and they were pestering him that he wanted some peace. So, he had come here. There was a small project that his company was heading. A small children's park that was going green. To get away from his family, city and all those people, he had decided on a site visit.

Shaking his head, he tries to clear his head and mind. he looks at the file that he was trying to read before he had got distracted. He need complete distraction. He turns the pages and finds the location to the park. He decides to go to the park instead of the hotel. He will do an unofficial visit first and see how the park is. Once, he got busy with work, he can be at peace. He instructs the driver to drive to the location of the park.

*******

Omkara was walking around the park as he noticed and made mental notes. He was walking when his eyes caught a girl sitting on the bench watching some kids play. He could only see her back but he felt like he recognized her. that was the strangest thing because he went opposite direction from any girl. Then how come? curiously frowning, he slowly walked to the direction of the girl. He walks a little away from her bench and while he tried to see her face. As he got closer to her, she was starting to look more familiar, only if he could see her face.

She turns to his direction and he stops in shock, Gauri! fuck! He turns to make his escape before she notices him.

"Omkara!" Gauri calls out loudly.

Damn! Omkara stops and turns to her. he sees her excitedly walking to him.

"Omkara... oh my God... I didn't expect to see you here." Gauri says smiling happily, her eyes filling up.

"I was just..." Omkara shrugs.

"How are you?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara nods in reply.

"How are Jhanvi Aunty and Tej Uncle?"

Omkara frowns hearing her, "Are you in contact with them?"

"No... I have only met them at your place that one time... I haven't spoken to them. they don't even know me" Gauri tells him quickly.

"Oh okay." Omkara nods.

"You are still angry with me." Gauri says softly her smile dropping. "I really didn't know you were into drugs, do you think I would sit back and do nothing if I knew you were into drugs?"

Omkara looks away unable to answer her. "How are you?" Omkara asks her.

"Good." Gauri replies gently smiling. Her eyes feasting on him.

"Your family?" he asks because he really didn't know who all were there in her family.

"They are fine, I think... Didi and I am not in touch... her in-laws are very conservative, so they don't want her to keep in touch with me."

Omkara frowns hearing that.

"And Ma... I am not in talking terms with her. Gauri tells him softly. Then shaking her head and smiling she says, "I'm so glad you are finally here."

"I was just..." Omkara starts to say when he notices Gauri turning back and looking.

"Rahul!" Gauri calls out making Omkara frown.

"I'm goi..." Omkara starts to say and stops seeing a small kid carrying a baby towards them. he starts frowning seeing the baby.

"Are you going, Gauri Aunty?" Rahul asks her as he handed her the baby.

"We've to go. Ridhima will bring him tomorrow." Gauri tells him.

Rahul nods. "Bye Omkaar." Rahul waves at him and runs off.

"This...?" Omkara asks pointing at the baby who was busy watching the kids playing behind him.

"Yes." Gauri smiles as she moved towards him to hand him the baby.

Omkara quickly moves back in anger. His heart breaking at the thought that she had moved on. She had a baby now. then why the fuck was she still sending him letters?

"Don't you want to hold him?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"I'm not good with kids." Omkara replies.

"It's not hard, you can just..."

"It's okay." Omkara replies uncomfortably.

He sees Gauri's face fall. Her eyes filling up and she hugging her son tight.

"You named him after me?" Omkara asks her unable to ignore the baby's name.

Gauri nods as she gulped. "Let's go to my place."

"What the bloody hell? No!" Omkara replies furiously.

"Aren't you here to see..."

"Of course not! I'm here on work. I saw you here and you looked familiar, so I just came to check."

"Oh." Gauri nods as she fought her tears and tried not to break down. "I'll go then." Gauri whispers and starts to leave.

"Why did you name him after me?" Omkara asks her.

"I felt like it." Gauri replies.

"Your husband is cool with that? or he doesn't even know?" Omkara asks her, getting furious at the thought of her so easily moving on. For having Gauri turning out to be exactly like his parents.

"Husband? What husband?" Gauri asks him frowning. "You think I got married?"

Omkara looks at her confused. "Isn't he your son?"

Gauri stares at him in shock. "Didn't you get my letters?" Gauri asks him her heart slamming against her chest.

Omkara gulps as he nodded.

"You didn't read them." Gauri says softly hurt.

Seeing her looking at him with such accusing and hurtful eyes, Omkara turns to leave. "Stop sending me letters, Gauri."

"Omkara..." Gauri calls him to stop him.

Omkara stops and turns to look at her.

"Omkaar is our son, Omkara." Gauri whispers to him as tears fell from her eyes. "Omkaar is our baby. Omkaar is your son."

"What?" Omkara stops in shock as he looked at the baby, his heart slamming against his chest.

"I thought you were here to see him." Gauri whispers to him hurt as tears fell from her eyes.

"Gauri.... I...." Omkara whispers helplessly realizing why she had been sending him letters all these while.

"I'll go." Gauri tells him and starts to walk off.

"Gauri..." Omkara tries to stop her but Gauri hurries off.

Seeing his mother taking him back, Omkaar starts crying as he pointed at the kids playing. Gauri increases her speed when Omkaar started crying.

Seeing his son cry, Omkara wanted to take him into his arms and calm him down, hug him and kiss him but he couldn't bring his legs to move. He stood there rooted to the ground as tears fell from his eyes.

*******

Omkara gets into his car, his heart slamming against his chest at the realization that he was a father. It's been... Omkara quickly starts counting the months from their reunion, and realizes that Omkaar would be about 7 months old and he didn't even know about it. Omkaar was so close to him and he didn't even see his face properly, he didn't even take him in his hands.

"Leave me alone." Omkara tells the driver who was waiting for instructions on where to go next.

"Okay, sir." The driver quickly replies and leaves the car.

Once he was alone, Omkara quickly opens his briefcase, and pulls out the letters that he had carelessly saved all these while. He picks a letter randomly, and looks at the cover. It had his office address in the front, he turns it around, and at the back, it was written – Gauri, the only reason he hadn't opened the letters. He opens it and puts his fingers inside to take the letter. Touching the material, he realized that it wasn't a letter, it was a photo.

With bated breath and heart slamming against his chest, he pulls out the photo. It was a photo of Omkaar lying on his stomach as he looked up at the camera smiling. Omkara burst out crying seeing his son smiling so happily. taking the photo to his lips, he kisses his son's face.

Once he calmed down, wiping his tears, he looks inside the envelope to see if Gauri had written a letter or anything. finding none, he curiously turns the photo over and sees that it was written Omkaar (4 months).

Sighing and filled with guilt and regret, he puts the photo back in the letter. He takes another one and opens it, it was the photo a very tiny, bundled up Omkaar. His eyes fill up realizing that it was from the day he was born, he turns the photo and sees Omkaar Sharma (07/01/2021). Regret that he wasn't there when Omkaar had come into this world, that he had let Gauri go through pregnancy and delivery all alone, killing him.

He quickly starts going through all the other letters. One envelop, he finds a letter and a scan with a circle drawn on it. he with a finger touch the circled area realizing that it was the one from Gauri's pregnancy. He takes the letter and reads it.

Omkara,

I know you told me never to contact you or come in front of you. I tried calling you but you didn't answer. Now, I am not even getting through, I realized that you have blocked me. I know you hate me now, but I'll not be able to forgive myself if I didn't inform you. I am pregnant, Omkara.

I am sorry, Omkara. Please believe me that I wasn't trying to trap you. I didn't know you took drugs, Omkara. I thought you were a little drunk and your inhibitions were down. I didn't realize that you were not in your senses. I'm sorry for hurting you, Omkara.

After the way you had reacted, I knew I should have taken a morning after pill, but I just couldn't do it, Omkara. If God was going to give me your baby, then I wanted to have your baby. I know, you never asked for this baby or wanted this baby. I'll never force this baby on you, Omkara. If you want to accept your baby then you can, if you don't want to then you don't have to. You can be as involved in our baby's life as much as you want, if you don't want to then you don't have to.

I'm no longer staying with my family. When I told my mother she asked me to abort our baby, I have left home. I'll add my address at the end of this letter, if you want to see me. only if you want to, there is no pressure on you.

I'm sorry for hurting you like this, Omkara. please forgive me.

I don't know if you want it, but I'll send you every update on our baby so you can also know. If you don't want me to do that, then just let me know, you have my number.

Always & forever,

Only yours,

Gauri.

Omkara cries reading the letter, Gauri had been all alone, she had left her home so she could bring their son to this world and she had believed that he was so angry with her that he had refused to accept or see their son. If he hadn't been so angry with Gauri then he would have been there when Omkaar was born.

Omkara looks through the remaining letters and finds Omkaar's photos from every month and scans. Finally, he opens the letter he had received two days back and opens it. he smiles with tears seeing Omkaar's latest photo. Omkaar was a mix of both him and Gauri. lately, he was starting to look more like Gauri than him. he turns the photo to see, Omkaar (7 months).

He starts to keep the photo back in the envelope so he could call Gauri and find out where she stayed when he notices a folded paper inside the envelope. He quickly pulls it out and opens it.

Omkara,

I'm just writing to let you know that I've changed my flat. I have been taking Omkaar to a park on Sundays, and he loves it there. he has made friends with some kids too there. when I checked there was a flat available right opposite to the park, so I shifted there so Omkaar can visit the park daily evening. I will add the address at the end of the letter.

Omkara, there was one other thing I wanted to tell you. Omkaar has started recognizing people. He has a favorite actor and cartoon character even. But even today, he doesn't know that you are his father. If you have changed your mind, please do come to see him, just once, Omkara. Please don't think that I am asking you to come because I want to be with you, no, Omkara. It is not that. please know that I am asking you for this for our Omkaar.

Always & Forever

Only yours,

Gauri.

Omkara closes his eyes realizing finally why Gauri had thought he was there to see Omkaar. He squeezes his eyes shut remembering how hurt Gauri had been when he had refused to hold Omkaar because of his jealousy over her moving on and his awkwardness around babies.

*******

Omkara nervously waited after ringing the bell. Gauri opens the door for him. seeing her red eyes, he realized that she had been crying. Guilt filled him even more.

"Omkara?" Gauri softly whispers.

"Can I come in?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods and opens the door wide for him. Omkara walks in, and Gauri locks the door.

Omkara turns to look at her and tells her regretfully. "I'm sorry, Gauri. I didn't know. I didn't read your letters till now."

Seeing the tears in his eyes, Gauri quickly tells him, "It is okay, Omkara. I should have tried to meet you."

"I should have read your letters." Omkara tells her full of guilt.

"Would you have come to see Omkaar then?" Gauri asks him sadly.

Omkara nods in yes.

Gauri bites her lips to stop herself from crying as she nodded.

"Can I see him?"

"He is there watching TV." Gauri tells him pointing behind him as she walked to her son.

Omkara follows her to his son, who was sitting on the floor watching TV.

"He is a little cranky because I brought him back early." Gauri tells him.

"I'm sorry for that." Omkara tells her regretfully.

"It's okay." Gauri tells him as she bends down next to Omkaar. "Omkaar, look who is here?"

Omkaar curiously looks behind him. Omkara kneels down next to Omkaar as he smiled in joy, his eyes filling up again.

"What do you want him to call you?" Gauri asks him softly.

Omkara shrugs, as he smiled happily. "Anything he wants."

"Papa?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara nods seeing that Omkaar had got bored and had turned to watch TV.

Gauri picks up Omkaar, and he shouts in outrage. He turns to furiously glare at his mother. Omkara couldn't help chuckle seeing his son frown so ferociously.

"Omkaar, this is Papa." Gauri gently tells him as she pointed at Omkara.

Omkaar turns to him and then he stretches his hand out to him.

"Can I take him?" Omkara asks Gauri without taking his eyes off Omkaar.

"Yes." Gauri replies smiling happily as she offered Omkaar to his father.

Omkara quickly picks up his son in his hands. Omkaar quickly pulls out the pocket square from his pocket that had caught his fancy. Omkara chuckles seeing that. Omkara leans down and kisses his son on his cheek while Omkaar was busy checking out the pocket square.

Feeling the kiss, Omkaar curiously turns to his father and he keeps his fist on his face. Omkara holds his fist and takes it to his lips and kisses it.

"Give Papa a kiss, Omkaar." Gauri tells him as she lightly pushed him towards Omkara.

Omkaar leans up and places a wet kiss on his face. Omkara smiles feeling his kiss, feeling relief rush through him. Omkara hugs him and kisses him.

A few seconds later, Omkaar was feeling restless and bored that he started fidgeting, as he turned around to look.

"He wants to watch TV." Gauri tells him.

Omkara quickly takes him to the mat he was sitting on, and places him there. Omkara sat back and watched his son as Omkaar watched TV. Gauri sat near them.

*******

Noticing a rag doll lying next Omkaar, Omkara curiously takes it. seeing the battered up and stitched up doll, he wondered why Gauri wasn't getting him a better doll. He hears a furious scream and turns to look at Omkaar and sees Omkaar snatching the doll from him and protectively hugging it against his stomach.

"No one can touch it." Gauri tells him softly. "That is like his wife, his one true love."

"Oh." Omkara whispers as he worriedly looked at his son furiously glaring at him. "He does have a temper."

"Your son." Gauri replies cheekily.

Omkara looks at her and seeing her smile, he smiles at her, then chuckles softly.

"Is he going to be mad at me for long?" Omkara asks seeing Omkaar still glaring at him.

"He'll be distracted soon." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods as he sweetly smiles at his son.

Omkaar points his finger at Omkara and says something in gibberish.

"What did he say?" Omkara asks Gauri.

"Don't touch my stupid doll."

"I don't think he called his doll stupid." Omkara tells Gauri with a frown.

"but it is still a stupid doll." Gauri replies.

Omkara grins hearing that. omkara turns to look at Omkaar and sees that he was busy watching TV.

"I'm sorry, Gauri that I wasn't there for you." Omkara tells her.

"It's okay, Omkara. You are here now."

"I should have read your letters." Omkara regretfully tells her.

"It was my decision to have Omkaar. You don't have to blame yourself for it."

"If I knew earlier I would have come earlier." Omkara tells her. "I swear, Gauri."

Gauri nods. "I believe you, Omkara."

"Thank you." Omkara says with relieved and sad smile.

"What were you doing there at the park?" Gauri asks curiously.

Omkara quickly tells her about the project.

"Oh so the park is going to be closed during renovation?" Gauri asks him.

"That was the plan, the construction with children around, the risk would be high." Omkara replies.

"Hmm that is true."

"He goes there every day, right?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods. "Today was a holiday, that is why I took him otherwise it is Ridhima who takes him. Ridhima is his nanny."

Omkara nods wondering if it had been Ridhima who had taken him today, then he would have been still unaware of Omkaar and Gauri would have believed that he had rejected Omkaar. He gently caresses the back of Omkaar's head.

"I'll talk to the team and see if we can do portion by portion."

"No, it is okay, I was just asking."

"Omkaar was upset when you took him back."

Gauri nods, "He loves going there, those kids are so lovely and sweet."

Omkara nods. "I'll see what I can do."

"Wouldn't it become more expensive and time consuming?" Gauri asks him.

"I'll talk to them and see, if they can keep the park open and if my company offers to bear the extra charges I think they would be fine with it."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"For Omkaar's happiness. Wouldn't you do anything in your power for his happiness?"

Gauri nods in yes. "But we can find another park too."

Omkara shrugs in reply. "But he likes this park."

"So, how many days are you here?"

He was supposed to go back the next day or the day after that, but now... "I'll be here till this project is done."

Gauri smiles, "That is nice, Omkaar can meet you when you are free then."

"I'll come here after work or whenever I get free time. he will be home, right?"

"Yeah... once in a while Ridhima takes him out for a change. Otherwise, he would be home. If they have plans of going out, then I'll messa..." Gauri stops midsentence as she awkwardly looked at him.

Understanding why she stopped, Omkara takes his mobile and unblocks her number. "I've unblocked your number."

Gauri nods uncomfortably.

"I shouldn't have blocked you." Omkara says softly.

"I used to keep calling you and troubling you." Gauri says softly. "I shouldn't have done that. you had told me you were not interested and I just didn't... I'm sorry, Omkara."

Omkara shakes his head. "Leave it, Gauri."

"This is the first time we are having a proper conversation." Gauri says softly with a smile.

"Without me walking off or screaming at you."

"or me being stubborn, adamant and irritating."

"True." Omkara replies with a grin.

Gauri grabs a cushion and throws it at him. Omkara catches it with a chuckle.

Sobering, Omkara tells her, "My life is a mess, Gauri. I just couldn't..."

"I know, Omkara. I should have understood. I had even given up but that time your Dadi... and I couldn't give up then knowing you were all alone." Gauri tells him her eyes filling up.

"Dadi loved you." Omkara tells her as he looked at his feet.

"She knew me?' Gauri asks him surprised.

"You were always calling and messaging, couple of times Dadi noticed and she had asked me about it."

"What did you tell her?"

Omkara looks at her awkwardly then he says, "That you were behind me."

Gauri nods.

Hearing a sound, Omkara curiously looks at Omkaar and sees Omkaar hitting the doll on the floor.

"Does he hate the thing?" Omkara asks shocked.

"I've no idea." Gauri says shaking her head. "He abuses it so much. If it gets torn, then he would cry and bring the house down till we repair it for him."

"We?" Omkara asks curiously his heart skipping a beat.

"Ridhima. I told you, his nanny."

"Oh okay." Omkara nods, relaxing.

They turn to watch their son like a WWE wrestler slamming the doll on the floor. Omkara flinches at the domestic violence that was happening right in front of his eyes.

********

"I'll just come now." Gauri tells him and walks off to the kitchen.

Omkara sat back and watched as Gauri walked around the kitchen gathering stuff. Feeling something on his lap, he curiously looks down and sees Omkaar had kept his hand on his lap and was trying to climb onto his lap. Smiling happily, he picks up his son and places him on his lap.

Omkaar curiously smiles at him as he leans up and touch his face. Omkara brings him closer and Omkaar jumps on his lap excited as he put his fist inside Omkara's mouth. Omkara chuckles seeing that.

"Omkaar..." Gauri calls him as she walked to them.

Both Omkara and Omkaar turn to look at her.

"Erm... Omkaar." Gauri says realizing Omkara thought that she had called him.

Omkara nods with a smile.

"It's time for his dinner." Gauri tells as she pulled the baby chair.

Seeing that Omkara asks her, "Let him sit here. Can you feed like that?"

"He might spit."

"That's okay."

Nodding, Gauri takes the bibs from the chair and walks to Omkaar. She puts the bibs for him while Omkara made him sit properly on his lap. Omkaar starts fidgeting around to look at Omkara.

"Omkaar, Mama will put rhymes for you." Gauri tells him to make him sit properly and turns on YouTube on TV and plays one of Omkaar's favorite rhymes.

Hearing the song, Omkaar curiously turns to the TV. Seeing that, Omkara makes him sit on his lap properly, leaning against his chest. Gauri starts feeding Omkaar.

Being so close to Omkara, Gauri couldn't help it and she looks at him from the corner of her eyes. Omkara's eyes were on his son, he leans down and kisses him on top of his head. then he looks at her and sees her eyes on him. Gauri quickly looks down at the bowl she was holding. Omkara also awkwardly looks away.

"You found out about our Omkaar today... how are you feeling about it?" Gauri softly asks him.

"I never thought... it is a shock." Omkara says as he caressed his son. "I wish I had known earlier.

"Are you happy?" Gauri asks him worriedly.

In reply, Omkara bends down and kisses his son on top of his head.

Gauri smiles as her eyes filled up and she confesses, "Lately I had started worrying, that because of me and the decisions I made, that maybe our Omkaar could never know a father's love. Thank you, Omkara, for being the man I loved."

Omkara looks away and tells her, "I don't know what you loved in me, but I can't be the man that you loved."

"I know, Omkara. I have accepted it. I don't want anything from you. all I want is for you to love our Omkaar and be there for him. nothing else." Gauri tells him earnestly.

Omkara nods.

They remained silent as Gauri gave their son the baby food.

Feeling something wet on his hand, Omkara curiously leans to look.

"Sorry." Gauri says as she grabbed the clothe she had kept on the side and cleaned Omkara's hand. "He spit it out."

"It's okay, Gauri." Omkara tells her frowning, not liking that she was apologizing to him for their son.

Gauri nods and continues to feed Omkaar. Once, they were done, Gauri hands him his baby sipper bottle to drink water. Holding on both the handles, Omkaar drinks the water, while Omkara looked on in amazement seeing his son drink from the bottle all by himself. His eyes filling up realizing how much he had missed. Omkara hugs him from behind and kisses him again.

"he will sleep in a while." Gauri informs Omkara as she took the bottle Omkaar extended to her.

"Oh." Omkara nods realizing that he would have to leave.

"Where are you staying? There is only one bedroom here." Gauri tells him. "If you want to stay then I'll sleep on the couch, Omkaar and you can sleep in the room." Gauri tells him as she cleaned up Omkaar's face.

"No... no... I've booked a room at the hotel." Omkara quickly tells her.

Gauri nods. "I'll go for work at 8:45. But feel free to come whenever you want, I'll tell Ridhima. She would be home."

"Okay." Omkara replies.

Gauri goes to the kitchen to keep the bowl. Omkara watches Omkaar and sees that he was trying to crawl out of his lap. He holds him as he wanted him to sit on his lap. Omkaar leans down extending his hand. Realizing that he was trying to get his doll, Omkara leans and picks the doll and hands it to Omkaar. Omkaar holds the doll by its leg and starts swinging it around.

Omkara smiles seeing his son's obsession with the doll. Then noticing how batted up the doll was, he felt sad that his son was using such a tattered toy. he wanted to get him some toys and gifts, and anyway even he needed to get clothes as he had brought clothes only for a short stay.

Seeing Gauri walking back, Omkara asks her, "I've some shopping tomorrow. Is it okay if I take him with me?"

Gauri smiles hearing that. "You don't need my permission, Omkara. you just have to inform me."

Omkara smiles hearing that. Gauri was about to sit back down when they hear Omkaar wailing loudly.

Omkara's heart breaks hearing his son's cry and he worriedly looks at him.

"Oh no!" Gauri whispers in dread as she ran to a drawer.

Omkara sees that Omkaar was just holding the rag doll's leg and the rest of the body was lying on the floor. Crying Omkaar picks up the body from the floor.

"Where did you buy it from? My driver is downstairs; he'll get another one." Omkara quickly tells her.

"No use." Gauri replies as she hurried to him with needle and thread. "I've a new one lying in his toy box, I tried replacing that with this, but he would know they are not the same." Gauri tells him as she knelt down and took the doll from Omkaar.

Crying Omkaar leans towards Gauri as she started stitching it.

"Just hold him tight. He might lean closer." Gauri tells him as she struggled to stitch.

Omkara holds him and pulls him back making him cry louder.

"Mama is fixing it, Omkaar. Please stop crying." Gauri tells him as she hurried to fix it. "I am not that good at stitching, Ridhima does a better job." Gauri worriedly tells Omkara as she made messy stitches.

Omkara hugs him close feeling his heart breaking hearing his cries. he watches as Gauri stitched it up as fast as she could. As he watched, he noticed the arms were also stitched up. The whole doll was stitched up.

"Okay... done...done." Gauri says as she knotted the thread. Then cutting off the thread, she hands the doll to Omkaar.

Omkaar takes it and hugs it as he stopped crying.

"Phew." Gauri softly sighs.

Omkara also sighs in relief that Omkaar had stopped crying. Then shocking him, Omkaar throws the doll to the side and grabs another toy and starts playing with it.

He turns to Gauri for some explanation and she tiredly shrugs in reply.

Sometime later, it was time for Omkaar's bed and Gauri picks him up to put him to sleep. Omkara also stands up to leave. He leans towards Gauri and kisses Omkaar on his head.

"Give Papa a kiss, Omkaar." Gauri tells him.

Omkaar turns to Omkara and kisses him on his cheek. Omkara smiles in joy.

"I'll leave then." Omkara tells Gauri.

"You didn't have dinner." Gauri quickly says.

"It's okay, I'll have from hotel."

"There is food..." Gauri starts to say and then not wanting to impose on him, she nods. "Okay then, bye."

Omkara who was about to give in, hearing that, nods. "Okay then. Bye."

*********

Omkara was lying in bed as he thought of the events of the day. he is a father now. He hadn't even in his dreams would have expected this. He should have, his heart whispered. He had spent one whole night with Gauri. even though he had solely placed the blame on her for that, he should have expected this would have happened. Omkara sighs. He had never thought of having children because he had decided never to marry. he had decided that he wasn't going to carry forward the dirty genes of his parents. The Oberoi family was to end with him. but now there was Omkaar, his son... no... like Gauri says, their Omkaar. Gauri had asked him whether he was happy about Omkaar. Omkara thinks about it, a baby was never in his agenda but now, knowing Omkaar, his heart has been filled with guilt, regret and a fervent wish that only if he had known about Omkaar a little early - a year, a month, a week, a day, a second earlier...

He will be a good father to Omkaar. A better father than his father was ever to him. and Gauri.... she is nothing like his mother. Gauri was a wonderful mother. Gauri had maternal instincts like Dadi. Omkara sighs in relief, their Omkaar would be loved by both his parents, unlike him.

He couldn't wait to see Omkaar again. Omkara thought with a smile. Tomorrow, he had a meeting with the park management at 8:30 in the morning, it should be done by 10:30, then he would be able to spent the whole day with Omkaar. Then his smile drops remembering that Gauri would be going to office at 8:45.

********

Hearing the door bell, Gauri opens the door and stops in surprise seeing Omkara.

"Hi." Gauri says with a smile.

"Hey." Omkara smiles.

Gauri opens the door for him. "I was wondering who it was, it isn't time for Ridhima to reach." Gauri conversationally tells him.

"I've a meeting at 8:30, so I thought I'll see Omkaar before that." Omkara tells her.

"That's nice." Gauri smiles.

"Is he up?"

"Yeah... yeah, I was just about to give him his bath before I got ready." Gauri tells him as she walked to her bedroom. "Did you have breakfast?"

"Yeah I did."

"Tea... coffee... juice?"

"No... I'm good."

Grinning Gauri tells him, "Good thing you refused, I'm a little hard pressed for time in the morning."

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

"Omkaar, look Papa is here to see you." Gauri announces to him as she walked to the bed.

Omkaar looks up and seeing Omkara, he smiles at him. seeing him smiling at him, Omkara walks to him and picks him up. He lovingly kisses him.

Gauri gives them a few minutes to spent together as she gathered Omkaar's clothes and even set out her clothes.

"It's time for his bath." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nodding hands Omkaar to her.

Gauri carries him to the bathroom and then placing him on his bath mat, Gauri starts giving him his bath while Omkara stood back and watched.

"You seemed to be an expert." Omkara observes seeing the way, Gauri was confidently giving the bath along with conversing random nonsense with Omkaar.

"I've been giving him his bath forever now." Gauri tells him smiling.

"How did you learn to give bath and all?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"The nurses at the hospital then YouTube videos."

Omkara looks down realizing how alone Gauri had been with no one to help her. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that alone." Omkara softly tells her.

"I wasn't alone." Gauri tells him as she turned to him with a surprised smile. "I had Omkaar with me."

Omkara sadly smiles hearing that, how like Gauri to see the faintest star instead of the dark sky.

"I'm sorry that you missed all those moments with him." Gauri tells him sadly. "And he missed those moments with you."

"It is my fault." Omkara tells her.

"It was fate, Omkara. it was also fate that made you to come here, and us to meet and you to find out truth."

Omkara nods amazed realizing it was true. Someone up above had been feeling merciful towards him, otherwise he wouldn't have ever come here, because there was no need for him to come for the meeting of such an insignificant project but he had come to escape from his parents and their interference. He had left home right after he had joined Oberoi business. Now, he met his parents only for official work or some business parties, but lately they have been pestering him and running behind his life to get him to marry, going so far as to coming over to his apartment even. Seeing them so constantly was becoming so torturous that he was scared of falling back into drugs that he had come here for a break. Omkara looks at Gauri finishing off Omkaar's bath as she happily chatted with him, and looking at that he knew, no matter how torturous life was going to be, now, he was never going to relapse.

Gauri wipes Omkaar's body as she picked him up.

"What can I do?" Omkara asks.

"I got it." Gauri replies with a smile as she walked out patting him dry.

Omkara watched as Gauri dressed him up.

"I've to feed him." Gauri tells him.

"Okay." Omkara nods.

Gauri awkwardly looks at him. seeing her looking at him like that, Omkara realizes what she had meant.

"Sorry, yesterday you were giving him normal food that, I thought..." Omkara quickly explains uncomfortably.

"He needs milk also with those foods." Gauri explains.

Omkara nods. "I'll leave then. My meeting should start in a bit."

Gauri nods. "Okay... Anyway he would sleep off after his feed."

"Okay, I'll see him after the meeting then."

"Okay." Gauri replies with a smile.

Omkara quickly leaves.

**********

A woman opens the door for him when he went to Gauri's flat after the meeting.

"Yes?"

"I'm Omkaar's father." Omkara informs her.

"Oh please come in. Gauri told me that you would be coming."

"Ridhima, right?" Omkara asks her.

"Yes." Ridhima replies with a smile. "Omkaar is in Gauri's room. I was doing his laundry."

"Okay." Omkara replies and heads to the bedroom.

"Gauri said that you wanted to take Omkaar for shopping."

"Yeah... in sometime." Omkara replies.

"Okay."

Omkara walks to the bedroom and finds Omkaar sitting in the crib and playing with a different toy. hearing him walk in, Omkaar curiously looks up, seeing him, Omkaar laughs excitedly. Omkara smiles realizing that Omkaar was starting to recognize him and was even starting to like him.

Omkara lifts him up and kisses him happily. he walks to Gauri's bed, and sits on the bed with Omkaar and started playing with him.

Sometime later, Ridhima walks into the room with a basket carrying Omkaar's clothes. she politely smiles at Omkara and walks to the ironing board and starts ironing the clothes. seeing her, Omkaar calls her and excitedly starts babbling nonsense.

"Oh ho." Ridhima says as she continued to iron the clothes.

Omkara smiles seeing the way Omkaar was talking and Ridhima was replying whenever Omkaar finishes something with random oohs and aahs.

Omkara looks at Omkaar and smiles realizing that Omkaar had got Gauri's friendly nature from her. and he liked that very very much.

*******

After finishing shopping, Omkara was waiting as he watched Ridhima give Omkaar his food. It was taking a while for Omkaar to eat as he kept getting distracted by the people around the mall. He would curiously look around if anyone passed by. Ridhima was patiently coaxing him to eat while he looked around and even tried to pick up conversations with strangers. Omkara couldn't help smile seeing that. the passerby would stop in shock when Omkaar babbled something to them, some looked around clueless and then carried on while some stayed back and pampered him for a bit.

Omkara continued to watch as Ridhima fed Omkaar. He wanted to feed Omkaar but he didn't make any moves to do that. he would wait for Gauri and would ask her to help and guide him in how to feed Omkaar.

Hearing his mobile ring, Omkara curiously picks up his phone. Seeing it was Gauri, a small smile breaks out of his lips.

"Hello Gauri?"

"Wow... first time, it is not what the hell do you want?." Gauri says with a grin.

Omkara chuckles hearing that. "You are crazy."

Omkaar babbles something to Omkara just then.

"It's Mama." Omkara tells him.

"How did you know what he asked?" Gauri asks shocked.

"He is too curious like you, so I am just guessing he is asking who is on the phone." Omkara cheekily replies.

"Or he could have asked how dare you answer the phone and ignore me?"

"Oh please, Gauri. not my parents' genes." Omkara says in dread.

"Oh I thought that was you."

"Yeah right!" Omkara rolls his eyes.

Gauri chuckles and says, "I'm actually done with work. I called to see where are you guys."

"We are at the mall. Omkaar is having his snack, once he is done, we would head home."

"Okay then I'll see you guys at home."

"I can pick you up on the way." Omkara tells her.

"That's okay, I come by car to office." Gauri tells him.

"Oh okay." Omkara replies.

"Okay then."

*********

Ridhima opens the door for Omkara, and he walks in carrying Omkaar in one hand and covers in the other.

"that is a lot of shopping." Gauri says as she walked out of the bedroom seeing the covers Omkara and Ridhima were holding.

"Hey." Omkara says with a smile seeing her.

Gauri smiles at him and she walks to him. Omkaar seeing Gauri, excitedly starts jumping in Omkara's hand. Gauri picks up Omkaar and happily kisses him.

"What all did you do with Papa, Omkaar?" Gauri asks him.

Omkaar starts talking to her excitedly while Omkara watched the animated conversation between Gauri and Omkaar with a smile. Even when he could talk, he doesn't remember ever talking to his mother or father with so much joy, and here Omkaar without even uttering a single coherent word was happily having a conversation with Gauri.

"Do you want me to take him to the park today?" Ridhima asks as she came back after keeping the covers.

"Do you want to go to park, Omkaar?" Gauri asks him.

Omkaar excitedly laughs and claps.

"I'll take him?" Omkara asks seeing him excited.

"Yeah." Gauri smiles in reply. "Where you saw me yesterday, the kids would be there."

"Okay." Omkara says as he picked Omkaar. "Papa will take you to park, Omkaar."

Omkaar smiles excitedly.

"Ridhima, since Omkara is taking him to the park, you go home early today." Gauri tells Ridhima.

"Okay." Ridhima replies smiling.

"Do you want to come with us?" Omkara asks Gauri.

"Erm...." Gauri thoughtfully looks at him. "I usually cook dinner at this time."

"Oh."

"I'll come." Gauri tells him.

"No, it is okay then. You cook." Omkara tells her.

"No, it's okay. I'll come. you might get bored."

"Do you want me to cook something before I leave?" Ridhima asks Gauri.

"No, it is okay. I'll order something. You go." Gauri tells her.

"You sure?" Omkara asks her softly.

"Yeah." Gauri tells him with a smile.

*******

"Careful." Omkara says as he handed Omkaar to the boy from the previous day.

"Yes, uncle." Rahul smiles at him and carries Omkaar to his friends.

Omkara and Gauri sit on the bench that Gauri was sitting on the previous day as they watched the kids play with Omkaar.

Omkara gasps in shock seeing Rahul sitting on the see-saw with Omkaar on his lap.

"Heart beating fast? Feeling scared? Can't sit still?" Gauri asks him with a smile.

"Yeah." Omkara replies as he watched and wondered whether he should take their son away from such dangerous equipment.

"Even I was like that. they are very careful and they don't go fast. Just look at Omkaar when they go up." Gauri tells him with a smile.

Omkara nods and watched as Rahul gently pushed on the ground with his feet and they went up. Omkaar starts laughing happily as he went up. Omkara couldn't help smile though he had to fight himself from not running towards their son and take him out of there.

"Relax, he is fine." Gauri tells him.

"It might take me a while to get used to it." Omkara worriedly tells her.

Gauri smiles seeing that.

They remained silent as they watched another kid take Omkaar and went to sit on the swing with him.

"How did you come here the first time?" Omkara asks her curiously seeing how happy Omkaar was.

"I was meaning to take him to a park for a while and one day, I was passing by. Saw this park and on an impulse just came in. I was walking around with Omkaar when these kids came over seeing Omkaar. They all stay nearby, so they come here every day. so the next time we came here also they were here. And soon it became a routine."

Omkara smiles and nods.

They remained silent as they watched their son enjoying.

Omkara hesitantly and softly asks her, "You haven't talked to your family after you left home?"

"I called Ma after Omkaar was born to see if she wanted to see him." Gauri tells him, then sadly looking down, she says. "I haven't called her after that. she hates Omkaar."

Omkara furiously sucks in a breath hearing that.

"How can anyone hate our Omkaar? He is such a lovely boy." Gauri tells him feeling sad.

"I know." Omkara agrees feeling offended.

*********

"I'll order dinner." Omkara tells Gauri as she fed Omkaar his dinner.

"I'll do it after I finish with him." Gauri tells him.

"What difference does it make?" Omkara asks her confused. "I'll do it."

"Okay."

"Pizza?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri looks at him in shock hearing that.

"What?" Omkara asks her with a surprised smile. "Half the time, you were sending me photos of you eating pizzas."

"I used to irritate you a lot." Gauri whispers awkwardly and in regret.

"Yeah." Omkara agrees with a grin.

Gauri scowls at him making him chuckle.

"So, Pizza?"

"No... I eat healthy now. I'm still feeding him, so I make sure I eat healthy all the time." Gauri tells him.

"Oh okay. any particular place?" Omkara asks her.

Few minutes later, Omkara was placing the order that Gauri had told him when his phone starts ringing, seeing it was his father, he cuts the call. He finish placing the order. His mother calls him next. He cuts the call again. he looks up and sees Gauri curiously looking at him.

he keeps aside his mobile and asks her, "Can I try feeding him?"

Gauri nods as she moved to the side, giving him space and hands him the bowl.

Omkara takes a spoon full of porridge.

"Not that much. He will have difficulty swallowing. Half of that."

Omkara dumps half back on the bowl and takes the spoon to Omkaar's mouth. Together, they fed their son.

*********

Omkara was with Omkaar the next day when he hears the doorbell ring. He curiously looks up and sees Ridhima walking to open the door. he turns his attention back to Omkaar and sees Omkaar curiously looking at the door. he smiles seeing his curiosity.

"Hello." Omkara frowns hearing the male voice from the door.

"Hello... Gauri didn't tell me you were coming." Ridhima says surprised.

"I thought of surprising her."

"Indeed it is a surprise." Omkara says shocked as he stood up seeing Shivaay.

"Omkara?" Shivaay stops in shock seeing him. "You here?"

"Shivaay, you here. Care to explain?" Omkara asks him back.

"I... you here? You accepted Omkaar?" Shivaay asks shocked and starting to smile happily.

"You knew about Omkaar?" Omkara asks him shocked.

"Yeah." Shivaay hesitantly replies.

"Why didn't you tell me then?" Omkara asks him shocked.

"What do you mean by tell you? didn't you know?" Shivaay asks him shocked out of his wits.

"Of course not! If I did, do you think I wouldn't have come?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Gauri told me you knew." Shivaay tells him feeling completely lost.

Omkara sighs hearing that. "You should have told me, Shivaay. At least mentioned him."

Hearing the conversation, Ridhima picks up Omkaar and goes to Gauri's bedroom to give them privacy.

"Gauri didn't want me to tell you that I knew. She was scared that you would either stop talking to me or ask me to stop keeping in touch with her."

"How long have you been in touch with Gauri?" Omkara asks him in shock.

"Always." Shivaay replies a little hesitantly.

Hearing that Omkara stops in shock. Then in a low thoughtful voice he says, "Gauri mentioned that if she knew I was into drugs then she would never sit back and not do anything about it. she sent you to me, right?"

Shivaay nods. "She told me that you were doing drugs. That's why I came to see you that time and forced you to rehab."

"Oh." Omkara whispers as he thoughtfully looked away. even when Gauri was away from him and struggling alone, she had thought of him and had tried to get him the help that he needed.

"Sometimes, you were so difficult that I just would want to give up. But she wouldn't let me." Shivaay tells him softly.

Omkara sighs hearing that.

*********

"So, what plans now?" Shivaay asks Omkara.

They had gone out for a walk so they could talk alone.

"I'll be here till this project gets over and after that I haven't decided." Omkara tells him.

Shivaay frowns hearing that. "What about marriage?"

"Marriage?" Omkara asks him confused. "You know what my thoughts on marriage is."

Shivaay sighs. "Your parents' marriage sucked. They couldn't understand the sanctity of marriage. but why are you judging marriage based on your parents' sins? the truth is they didn't deserve to be married. But do you honestly think that Gauri doesn't deserve to be married?"

"I didn't say that." Omkara says softly.

"So, you would be okay with Gauri marrying someone else?" Shivaay asks him.

Omkara looks away hearing that question. the thought itself making him furious and a sense of panic setting in him.

"I always felt that you had feelings for Gauri." Shivaay tells him softly.

Did he have feelings for Gauri? Omkara gulps worriedly. He didn't want to open that box.

"Right now, things are all fine. Omkaar is very happy. Gauri and I have an understanding. We are parents and our priority is our son now."

"For how long?" Shivaay asks him. "Till when do you have this project?"

"A month. Give or take a week."

"And after that?" Shivaay asks him.

"Haven't decided yet. Have some plans."

"Hmmm. Did you talk to Gauri about it?"

"Once I take a decision, I'll tell her."

Hearing his mobile ring, Omkara checks his mobile and sees that it was his father. "Fuck!" Omkara screams in irritation and cuts his call.

"What happened?" Shivaay asks him curiously.

"My father! He is after my life." Omkara says in fury.

"He never bothered about you, what happened now?" Shivaay asks confused.

"Marriage. if that man thinks he can pester me into marriage then he better think again."

Shivaay sighs hearing that.

"I was supposed to go back today, now that I am not going for a while he is going to keep torturing me."

"Instead of Gauri's, you should block his number." Shivaay mutters.

Omkara takes his mobile and blocks both his parents' number.

"Seriously? Were you waiting for someone to suggest that?" Shivaay asks shocked.

"At the end of the day, he is Dadi's son and she is Dadi's daughter-in-law. But I am just done."

"It's the Vegas photos, isn't it?" Shivaay softly asks him, guessing his reason for the current fury.

Omkara stops hearing the question. Shivaay turns to look at him and Omkara softly nods as he resumed walking. His father and his current secretary were photographed together in Vegas two weeks back.

"Gauri knows?" Omkara asks Shivaay softly.

Shivaay nods in reply.

Omkara sighs, "The moment that photo hit the net, my mother took off to God knows where and with whom. How the hell am I going to explain all this to Omkaar? If they humiliate Omkaar the way they humiliated me..." Omkara stops in fury.

"Omkaar has a long time to go before he understands all these. Hopefully, some calamity would take them both before that."

"I don't think I will ever have such lucky break." Omkara replies.

Shivaay turns to Omkara and Omkara looks at him. they couldn't help, they both chuckle.

*********

Gauri opens the door for them.

"Hi." Gauri says with a smile.

Omkara smiles at her and walks in. and she notices Shivaay behind Omkara. Gauri stops in shock seeing him.

"Shivaay?" Gauri says in shock.

"Hey Gauri." Shivaay smiles.

Omkara kneels down to pick Omkaar curiously turns to look at them and sees Gauri awkwardly looking at him and Shivaay.

"You didn't tell her that he was here?" Omkara asks Ridhima confused seeing that Gauri was surprised to see Shivaay there.

"He said he wanted to surprise her, was I supposed to tell her?" Ridhima asks him confused. "He is such a good friend of hers that..." Ridhima stops confused as she looked at Gauri and Shivaay.

Omkara nods and turns to look at Gauri and sees her still watching him worriedly. Omkara gets up and walks to her. "Why are you looking like that? Don't you remember, Shivaay? He was my best friend in college."

"Yeah." Gauri whispers awkwardly.

"I ran to him downstairs. It is cool that I invited him here, right? I thought I'll introduce him to Omkaar." Omkara tells her.

"He is my friend." Gauri worriedly tells him.

"You're such an asshole, Omkara!" Shivaay mutters.

"LANGUAGE!" Omkara and Gauri sternly tell Shivaay.

"I can see that both Daddy and Mummy are strict. Poor Omkaar." Shivaay says and walks off to Omkaar.

"Erm... Omkara..." Gauri nervously starts.

"Thank you, Gauri." Omkara tells her with a gentle smile.

"What?" Gauri asks him confused.

"For sending Shivaay to help me." Omkara explains.

"You know?" Gauri softly asks.

"He told me."

"You told me to stay out of your life, but knowing you were into drugs, I couldn't..." Gauri starts to explain.

"Gauri..." Omkara cuts her off. "Thank you."

Gauri smiles softly hearing that.

"I was so rude and cruel but still you sent Shivaay." Omkara regretfully tells her.

"I understood you, Omkara." Gauri tells him.

********

That weekend Omkara goes to Gauri's place in the morning.

"Maybe I should give you a key to my apartment." Gauri says opening the door.

Omkara chuckles. "Were you busy?"

"I was giving Omkaar a bath." Gauri tells him as she ran back in. "Lock the door."

Omkara closes the main door and locks it. then he heads to Gauri's bedroom.

"Hi!" Omkara excitedly tells Omkaar.

Seeing him, Omkaar happily smiles as he shook his hands in excitement. Gauri smiles seeing that.

"Since, it is off for you today and you are in no hurry. Can you teach me how to bathe him?" Omkara asks her as he crouched next to her.

Gauri nods. "You start with checking the temperature of the water."

********

"I'll do it." a drenched Omkara says as he carried dried up Omkaar to Gauri's bed.

Gauri gets Omkaar's clothes and sets it on the bed while Omkara put Omkaar on the bed. Gauri hands him the diaper. Omkara puts the diaper for him. then he was putting on the top for him when he notices a birthmark on the right side of Omkaar's chest.

"hey!" Omkara says surprised as he gently touched it.

"Even I noticed." Gauri says smiling seeing him looking at it. "Like mirror image. You have on left and he has on right."

"Mine is on left?" Omkara asks confused trying to jog his memory.

"Yeah, right here." Gauri says as she touched his chest with a finger.

Then they both stop in shock realizing what they were saying and talking about. Gauri gulp as she quickly took off her hand, and awkwardly looked away.

"Erm..." Omkara gulps as he looked away awkwardly. When she had touched his chest, he remembered the hickey she had left him right there, she had even loved that unattractive birthmark of his too.

Omkara quickly makes Omkaar wear the top. Then he was about to take his bottoms when Gauri also starts to take it. feeling their hands graze each other's, they both jump back in shock. They nervously look at each other and then quickly looks away worriedly.

Gauri quickly grabs the bottoms and gently keep it on top of Omkaar's waist. Gauri then moves away in the pretense of checking something in the cupboard, her mind filled with the passionate night they had spent together.

Omkara quickly takes the cloth and makes Omkaar wear it. his mind filled with the vague memories of the night that he had felt alive in a long time.

"Done." Omkara informs Gauri without looking at her.

"I'll feed him then." Gauri says looking everywhere but him.

"Okay." Omkara replies and leaves the room.

********

Omkara was wondering whether he should leave once Gauri comes out of the room as Omkaar would be sleeping now and he had no idea how he was going to behave with Gauri.

He was nervously pacing the living room when he hears the door open. He stops and turns to look and sees Gauri walking out with Omkaar in her arms.

She smiles at him. "Did you get bored?"

Omkara stops in shock for a second then realizing that she was going to act as if that the awkward moment didn't happen, he relaxes. Even he will act like that, and he was good at acting. "No. he didn't sleep?"

"He doesn't sleep on weekends. I wake up late on weekends, so he also wakes up late. So he doesn't need a morning nap." Gauri explains.

"Okay." Omkara smiles. "So, what do you two do on weekends?"

"Cooking prep for the week and a little bit of cooking." Gauri tells him.

"Even Omkaar?" Omkara asks with a smile.

"Yes. He is a MasterChef. Aren't you, Omkaar?" Gauri asks Omkaar cutely.

Laughing Omkaar replies to her. Gauri heads to the kitchen, as she was walking, she starts to grab his baby chair.

"I've got it." Omkara tells her as he lifted it up.

"Thanks." Gauri smiles at him and heads to the kitchen. "You can leave it here." Gauri tells him pointing at a spot.

Omkara keeps the chair there.

"Ridhima didn't come today?"

"She doesn't one the days I have off." Gauri places Omkaar in his chair and settles him. she keeps his rag doll on his side and then she grabs a bag from the side and opens it. then she places various vegetable soft toys and a knife soft toy in front of Omkaar. Seeing that Omkaar excitedly grabs it.

Omkara watches as Omkaar slammed the knife on the vegetables. He chuckles softly and looks up at Gauri. sees her taking out a bunch of vegetables from the fridge.

"That is a lot of food." Omkara observes loudly.

"I cook for today and tomorrow. Then I cut and prep the vegetables for the whole week, so it is easier for me to cook during the weekday." Gauri tells him.

Omkara smiles realizing how organized Gauri has become and everything was planned keeping Omkaar a priority.

"I'll also help." Omkara tells her as he walked to her.

"that is okay. I'll do it." Gauri tells him smiling.

"I know to cut vegetables." Omkara tells her.

"You cook now? You stay alone, right?" Gauri asks him softly.

Omkara looks at her surprised. Since they met at the park, this was the first time she had asked him a personal question. otherwise it was all about Omkaar or some casual enquiry. He didn't understand, why it felt nice. "Once in a while, don't get much time to cook. I used to do it with Dadi."

"Oh." Gauri nods. "There is knife and extra chopping board there." Gauri tells him pointing at the countertop.

Omkara nods and grabs the knife and chopping board. He takes few vegetables and starts peeling them.

"How do you want them cut?"

Gauri looks up to see which all vegetables he had took and then says, "Chopped. Small pieces."

Omkara nods and was about to start chopping them when Omkaar starts crying loudly. They both turn back to check and sees Omkaar leaning down on the chair as he pointed down. Noticing the doll on the floor near him, Omkara quickly grabs it and keeps it next to Omkaar. Omkaar stops crying, goes back to playing with his vegetables. Omkara turns to Gauri in shock and she shrugs in reply.

"Where did you get that doll from?" Omkara asks her. "Are you sure that thing is not possessed or someone did black magic with it?"

Gauri chuckles hearing that. "My friend did an exhibition and she invited me. she makes these toys. I had to buy something from there and I picked this. I gave it to him and he didn't even look at it."

"What?" Omkara asks surprised.

"Yeah, he just kept throwing it away. one day, Ridhima's daughter came. She is a sweet kid, 6 years old. Since, he hated it, I gave it to her. he saw that and got all furious and started screaming and crying." Gauri looks at him and continues on embarrassed. "I had to ask the poor child to give it back. And she immediately gave it back."

Omkara looks at her in shock, then remembering their son's horrible behavior, he asks her, "You got the kid some other toy, right?"

"Yeah... yeah... I did."

"Ah good," Omkara smiles in relief.

"Anyway, he calmed down only after he got the doll back. ever since then, if anyone touches it, he'll eat our head off."

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

"Only that doll, otherwise he doesn't mind sharing his toys." Gauri tells him.

"Really?" Omkara asks her surprised.

"Yeah, maybe you are right, that doll is possessed."

Omkara chuckles hearing that. Gauri smiles at him. then they got back to cutting vegetables.

Omkara smiles, as he chopped up the broccoli. This felt nice, doing household chores with Gauri and Omkaar. He felt peace and happiness filling him. after a long time, finally he was starting to be happy with life.

And he had no idea that life was going to throw a curveball at him.

********

Hearing the doorbell, Gauri hurries to open the door. she sees Tej and Jhanvi at the door.

"Tej uncle, Jhanvi aunty?" Gauri says with a surprised smile. "Omkara didn't tell me you both were coming. please come in."

Tej and Jhanvi frown in surprise seeing Gauri recognizing them. they walk into her house and look around the flat in disgust.

"Omkara said he had some meetings so he might only come by later tonight." Gauri tells them smiling. "Please sit. I'll come now."

Gauri hurries to her bedroom where Ridhima was putting on Omkaar's onesies after his evening bath.

"Omkaar, Dadu and Dadi are here to see you." Gauri tells him as she picked him up.

Omkaar curiously looks at her in confusion and starts talking to her. Gauri walks out of the room towards Tej and Jhanvi.

Gauri walks to Jhanvi and starts to offer her Omkaar. "This is Dadi and that is Dadu..."

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?" Tej furiously shouts.

Omkaar jumps up in shock hearing the furious shout and getting scared he starts crying. Gauri quickly hugs him to her chest as she looked at Tej and Jhanvi in shock.

"How dare you?" Jhanvi asks her furiously. "Omkara is a little distracted with you and you think you can pass off your child as an Oberoi?"

"What?" Gauri asks in a shocked confused whisper.

"If you so badly want a father for your child then go to the man who made him. and if you aren't even sure who it is, find someone else. Leave my son alone!" Tej furiously tells her.

Hearing Tej's furious voice, Omkaar cries louder as he got scared.

"Stop shouting, you are scaring my son." Gauri tells them with furious tears.

"Then you and your son stay away from my son. His marriage is fixed with Ishana Malhotra, do you even know who she is?" Jhanvi asks her.

Gauri gulps hearing that Omkara was getting married and he never told them about it. she felt her heart break and her eyes fill up.

"If you can't look after your son then throw him to some orphanage. Stop trying your vile charms on Omkara." Tej furiously tells her.

"Stop it." Gauri tells them in a furious voice.

Jhanvi grabs three bundles of notes from her bag and extends it to Gauri. "If you need more then tell us. just get your damn son and get out of my son's life."

"Not another word." Gauri furiously tells them.

"Take the money and get out of Omkara's life." Jhanvi tells her furiously.

"I said not another word. If you say another word, then I will forget that you are Omkaar's..."

"His name is Omkara!" Tej furiously corrects her. "What kind of slut are you that you don't even know the name of..."

"ENOUGH!" Gauri furiously says making Omkaar cry louder as he hugged her tight. "GET OUT."

Tej furiously grabs the money from Jhanvi, and throws it at Gauri, but instead of Gauri, the bundles hit Omkaar, making him even more scared and now physically hurt, he wails loudly.

"Ridhima!" Gauri furiously calls her. Ridhima who was watching everything in shock hurries to her side and Gauri hands Omkaar to her.

Then she grabs both Tej's and Jhanvi's arms and furiously drags them to the door.

"Let go of me, you miscreant." Jhanvi says furiously.

"How dare you touch us; you scum?" Tej furious asks her.

Gauri furiously shoves them out of the door. "Don't you dare ever come near my son again. I'll kill you both if you hurt my son again." Gauri says furiously and slams the door shut.

She walks to Ridhima who was trying to calm down Omkaar. She picks Omkaar from her, and hugging him tight to her chest, she walks to her bedroom.

********

"He slept?" Omkara asks from the door seeing Gauri sitting on the floor, hugging Omkaar.

Gauri looks up at him but doesn't say anything.

"I wanted to come before he slept." Omkara regretfully tells her as he walked in. "Now, I'll see him tomorrow."

"Is everything alright?" Omkara asks her curiously when she remained silent. When she remained silent, Omkara leans towards Omkaar and kisses on the back of his head.

Gauri looks away furiously.

"I'll come in the morning then." Omkara tells her with a frown seeing that she wasn't in a good mood. Even though he wanted to stay and ask her about it, he realized that she wasn't in the mood to talk about it. he would ask her the next day when he came. He silently prays that it isn't anything major.

"By the way, I found it on the floor. Where should I keep it?" Omkara asks her as he showed her the money.

"You can keep it." Gauri tells him in reply.

"What?" Omkara asks confused and a little offended. "Why should I keep it?"

"Then buy something nice for Ishana with it. Tell her it is a gift from Omkaar."

"Ishana?" Omkara asks her confused. "How do you know her?"

"I know I mean nothing to you, Omkara. I am just a girl you slept with one night when you were high. You owe me no explanation and I don't expect one from you. but my son! He deserves to know when you were planning another family. You should have made it clear that Omkaar was a temporary distraction for you."

"What the hell, Gauri?" Omkara asks in a furious whisper. "Omkaar is my son!"

"Your son?" Gauri scoffs at him. "He is your son?"

"Yes!" Omkara furiously replies.

"Then why does your parents think that his father is someone else and I am latching on to you so my son will get the great Oberoi name?"

"My parents?" Omkara asks in shock, his heart skipping a beat wondering about the scene they might have created. "They were here?"

"That is the money they gave my son to get out of your life." Gauri furiously tells him.

"They gave money?" Omkara asks his heart breaking and fury filling him at the humiliation Gauri and Omkaar had to go through.

"They threw it at my son!" Gauri furiously spits out.

"What?" Omkara whispers in shock, his eyes filling up. "Gauri..."

"I've never even put the TV on loud in front of my Omkaar, and your parents were screaming at my son."

"Why are you saying my son and my Omkaar, Gauri?" Omkara asks her in shock. "You used to always say our Omkaar and our son, right?"

Gauri doesn't reply to that as she stared at him in anger.

"Gauri, listen to me. my parents mean nothing to me. I don't even talk to them unless it is official work. They have been pestering me to marry Ishana but you know, I don't ever want to get married. When I didn't go back to Mumbai they might have snooped around office and found out that I am spending most of my time here. Maybe that is why they got me held up in this meeting so they could threaten you without my presence." Omkara starts explaining to her.

"Omkaar slept, Omkara. there is no one here who is interested in talking to you. you should leave, Omkara." Gauri tells him.

Omkara's heart break hearing that. "Please don't say that, Gauri. I didn't do anything."

"That is right, Omkara. you didn't do anything. you didn't protect my son."

"Stop calling him your son!" Omkara tells her in anger. He knew whether she said my son or our son, it was not going to change the truth that Omkaar was his son. But when Gauri stops saying our son and uses 'my son' instead it means that Gauri and he were no longer one unit, Gauri was separating them and that he couldn't have.

"Where were you Omkara when your parents came into my home and insulted my son? Where were you when that man-whore called me a slut? I slept with the man I loved for once in my life and he calls me a slut because unlike him and his wife, I didn't kill my unborn child. Or threw him to an orphanage like they wanted."

"What?" Omkara asks her in shock, his fury and pain increasing tenfold.

"Just leave, Omkara. I just want to be with my son now. I don't want to deal with you now. just go."

Realizing Gauri wasn't in the mood to listen to him, Omkara sadly gets up and leaves Gauri's flat, furiously clutching the money that his so called parents threw at their son.

********

"Where are you?" Omkara furiously spits out on the phone.

"Why aren't you back in your hotel room yet?" Tej asks him back.

Realizing that they were staying in the same hotel as him, Omkara furiously hangs up the phone.

Sometime later, Omkara furiously rings the bell on Tej's hotel room. Tej opens the door for him.

"HOW DARE YOU GO TO GAURI'S HOME?" Omkara furiously asks him.

"Where have you been, Omkara?" Jhanvi furiously asks him. "How long have we been trying to call you?"

"Why did you go to Gauri's home?" Omkara asks them again furiously.

"What are you doing with that girl?" Tej asks him. "Her nerve!" Tej says furiously remembering how she had thrown them out.

"What I do with her, is not any of your fucking business!" Omkara furiously replies. "You called her a slut! You've been keeping company of only sluts, your wife included that you think every girl is a slut?"

"How dare you, Omkara?" Jhanvi furiously asks him.

Omkara turns to his mother and looking into her eyes, he says, "You are a slut, Jhanvi Oberoi. And you, Tej Singh Oberoi." Omkara turns to his father and tells him, "You're a sexual pervert. And you both think the rest of the world is like you both. Gauri is not like you both. she loved me. even after all that I did, she still loves me. Gauri is my family."

"She and her son..."

Omkara furiously cuts him off. "Our son." Then showing the money he was holding, he asks furiously. "You threw money at my son!" he furiously throws it Tej's face.

"How dare you, Omkara?" Tej furiously asks feeling the bundle hit him on his face.

"what do you mean by your son, Omkara?" Jhanvi asks him in confusion.

"Omkaar is my son!" Omkara furiously tells her.

"Have you gone crazy? Don't you realize how these girls are? They say some sob story and you adopt their child as your own?"

"OMKAAR IS OUR SON! HE IS MY FLESH AND BLOOD!"

"What?" Jhanvi whispers in shock.

"Your son?" Tej asks frowning angrily.

"You insulted our son and his mother."

"Have you lost it, Omkara?" Jhanvi asks him in shock. "You couldn't handle a small thing? Why didn't you take care of it when she was pregnant itself?"

Omkara turns to his mother in fury, his heart breaking a little. "That is my living breathing son and you are talking about killing him?"

"Don't exaggerate. It is called abortion." Tej tells him in irritation. "After making such a big blunder you are standing here and screaming at us instead of handling it."

"No wonder that girl rejected the money we gave. She knows that her son has a claim to our property." Jhanvi tells Tej.

"Not another word against Gauri." Omkara furiously tells her.

"Shut up!" Jhanvi tells him irately. "Call our lawyer." Jhanvi tells Tej. "We need to make her sign off all of that kid's claim to our property. We need to make her sign a non-disclosure contract regarding the paternity."

"She is going to ask a lot in return for those." Tej says fed up. "Bloody good for nothing couldn't even handle an unwanted pregnancy."

"Shut the fuck up!" Omkara furiously tells them. "You and your wife can be bought but my Gauri is not for sale! Our son is not for sale. He is our pride."

"Stop saying your son!" Jhanvi tells him fed up. "Do you know what is going to happen if anyone finds out about it? if Ishana's family find out?"

"I don't give a damn!" Omkara furiously tells her. "I have told you this before and I am telling you again, I'll not marry Ishana or anyone that you want me to."

"You will do what we say!" Tej furiously tells him.

"You'll marry Ishana and stop seeing that girl and that child." Jhanvi tells him in finality.

"After the way you both insulted Gauri and our son, you think you can be a part of my life?" Omkara asks them. "You both are dead to me." saying that Omkara turns to walk off.

"You'll not get a penny from me then." Tej warns him.

Omkara turns to him and scoffs, "You wish. I have as much right to all these properties as our son and you."

*********

Omkara walks into his hotel room. closing the door, he sits on the floor, feeling drained and defeated. He had always stayed away from his parents and today for the first time he had confronted them. he closes his eyes as his head kept ringing with their words. How could his parents talk about Omkaar like that? they even wished that Omkaar wasn't even born. Omkara sighs as he fought his tears. When they could never love him, how can they ever love their Omkaar? He felt lonely. he wanted to unburden himself. He takes his phone and dials Gauri's number. For the first time he wanted to share his pain with someone. He wanted to share his pain with Gauri. he wanted her to reassure him. he wanted to reassure her. the ring went for 4 times and the call was cut. Heart slamming against his chest, Omkara hugs his legs to his chest, what was he going to do if Gauri remained angry with him?

********

The next morning, Omkara walks into Gauri's apartment. He stops seeing Ridhima with Omkaar instead of Gauri.

"How come you are early today?" Omkara asks her confused as he looked around the flat for Gauri.

"Gauri asked me to come early. She had some work so left early." Ridhima informs him. "I've to give him his bath."

Omkara nods, his heart beating fast wondering whether Gauri was avoiding him or she really had some work. Hearing Omkaar call him, he looks at him and sees him stretching out his hand for him to pick him up. Omkara walks to him and picks him up. Omkaar smiles at him and starts talking to him. Omkara smiles gently and lovingly kisses him, then he hugs him close to his chest.

After Ridhima took him to give his bath, Omkara tries calling Gauri. she cuts his call. His heart skips a beat and panicking Omkara calls her again. after the third time he tried to call her, he gets a message from her.

I am busy. I'll talk to you in the evening.

Omkara sighs, he closes his eyes feeling helpless.

**********

Omkara kept checking the time as Gauri hadn't got home yet. It was way past the time she usually comes home. Omkaar was also starting to ask for Gauri. Omkara was fighting the urge to call her when he hears the door open, Omkara looks up and sees Gauri walk in. noticing him, she stops for a second then looking at Omkaar, she walks towards them. seeing her, Omkaar excitedly smiles at her. Gauri picks him up from Omkara's hands and happily kisses him.

"Gauri..." Omkara softly calls her.

"Omkara, I just got home now. I just want to spent two minutes with my son." Gauri tells him.

My son! Omkara furiously looks away.

"You go, Ridhima. Priya would be waiting for you." Gauri tells Ridhima.

Ridhima nods and quickly leaves.

Omkara without saying anything stood back and watched Gauri with their son. he waited as Gauri fed and finally put their son to sleep. finally, she comes out of her bedroom.

"Now, can we talk?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods. "What is your plan, Omkara?"

"Plan?" Omkara asks her confused.

"Yes, how long are you planning to be here? If Omkaar is just a temporary distraction for you then, just stop coming here, Omkara. Omkaar is just a baby, it would be easy for him to forget you. he'll miss you, ask for you and cry for a day or two then he'll forget you."

"Distraction?" Omkara asks her furiously. "Omkaar is my son. I'm not abandoning him."

"Do you think Ishana will accept Omkaar?"

"I already told you that I'm not marrying Ishana. How many times do you want me to tell you that?"

"If not Ishana then whoever you marry. Not many women will be willing to accept her husband's child with another woman." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri, I am not getting married." Omkara tells her in exasperation. "Not to Ishana and not to anyone else."

Gauri looks away hearing that.

"Gauri, I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I never thought my parents would come here like that. I'm very sorry, Gauri. but I've told them to stay from you both." Omkara tells her.

"Do you think I am going to let them come near Omkaar again?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara sighs helplessly. "You asked for my plan. I've been trying to take a decision all these while. Last night I did."

Gauri looks at him with a frown.

"I wasn't sure whether I should go back to Mumbai because my work is there and come here every weekend or shift here. But I realized last night that I have nothing left there in Mumbai and I can't stay for days away from here. I've decided to shift here. I'll work from here." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods hearing that.

"Gauri..." Omkara takes her hand in his.

Gauri pulls her hand back,

Omkara sighs seeing that.

"I don't want you coming here anymore." Gauri tells him.

"What?" Omkara stops in shock. "Gauri, Omkaar is my son." Omkara furiously reminds her.

"I know." Gauri replies to him. "I said I don't want you coming here. I didn't say you can't meet Omkaar."

Omkara frowns hearing that.

"I've spoken to Ridhima, when you are free, call her and send your driver, she'll bring Omkaar to where you are."

"What are you saying, Gauri?" Omkara asks her in a shocked whisper. "Why are you doing this? What did I do wrong, Gauri? where did I go wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Omkara. I went wrong. I'm just correcting that."

"You are cutting me out of your life." Omkara accuses her.

"Omkara, you have a relation to Omkaar. We have no relation." Gauri clarifies to him.

"We don't?" Omkara asks her angrily.

"We don't."

Omkara furiously holds her arms and pulls her close to him. "Aren't we anything to each other?"

"Leave me, Omkara." Gauri tells him angrily.

"Don't I mean anything to you?" Omkara asks her his eyes filling up and he panicking. "How can you even say that? Don't you love me anymore?"

Gauri looks away unable to answer him.

"You are all Omkaar and I have. You know that." Omkara tells her panicking. "Is it so easy for you to stop loving me?

"Stop it, Omkara." Gauri tells him getting restless.

"If I don't have your love in my life, I don't know what I will do." Omkara whispers as he leaned down and took her lips in his.

"Please stop this, Omkara." Gauri says as she struggled in his arms. "Stop this madness, Omkara."

"Please don't stop loving me, Gauri. I'll go crazy." Omkara begs her against her lips. "Please, Gauri... please... please.... I'm begging you."

Unable to resist him, Gauri kisses him back. feeling her kissing him, Omkara pulls her closer to him and kisses her hungrily.

********

Heart slamming against his chest, Omkara worriedly and hesitantly says her name, "Gauri..."

Gauri quickly sits up and starts wearing her clothes. seeing that, Omkara sits up and wears his clothes. Gauri gets up and starts to walk off.

Omkara quickly holds her hand. "Gauri, we have to talk."

"We don't have to talk. I remember everything that you said the last time we slept together." Gauri tells him without looking at him.

"Gauri, please don't do this..."

Gauri pulls her hand free from him and walk off to her bedroom. Locking the door. helpless and filled with regret and guilt, Omkara runs his hand over his face.

********

Gauri opens the door and stops in shock seeing Omkara sitting in the living room. "Didn't you leave last night?"

Omkara shakes his head in negative as he stood up and walked to her.

"You should leave, Omkara." Gauri tells him sternly. "And leave the key I gave you here. I'll be changing my flat and I've to return the keys."

"You are changing flat?" Omkara asks her in shock. "Stop shutting me out of your life like this, Gauri."

"This has nothing to do with you, Omkara. just leave."

"We've to talk, Gauri. we need to sort it out."

"There is nothing to talk about." Gauri tells him.

"There is, Gauri." Omkara tells her sternly as he stepped closer to her.

"Just stop it, Omkara."

"We are a family, Gauri." Omkara reminds her.

"We are not a family, Omkara. my family is Omkaar. Your family is Omkaar and your parents. we are not family."

"Please stop this, Gauri." Omkara begs her. "I apologized for what my parents did. I had nothing to do with it. if I knew they would have done that then I would have stopped it. I swear. I'm sorry, Gauri. all my life I've been punished for my parents' crime. Now, you also don't punish me for their crimes, Gauri. please."

Gauri helplessly looks at him.

"Please Gauri, please don't stop loving me. I'm begging you, Gauri. if I don't have your love in my life then I don't know what I will do. The only thing I am sure of in my life is your love and Omkaar."

Gauri's eyes fill up hearing that.

"Please Gauri, please just love me like you do. Please don't stop loving me. I've no one else to love me, Gauri." Omkara begs her as he took her lips in his.

********

"Where are your parents now?" Shivaay asks thoughtfully after hearing everything.

"They went back."

"You told them about your decision to stay here?"

"I've send an official mail informing everyone that I'll be working from our office here, from now on."

"And your parents didn't react to it?" Shivaay asks.

"There is nothing they can do."

"And Gauri?"

"She is avoiding me." Omkara tells him sadly. "She doesn't talk to me. whenever I am at her place, she makes sure Ridhima is there."

"Hmmm... give her some time. you know, how she is protective about Omkaar. Her world revolves around him."

Omkara nods sighing sadly.

"She cut off ties with her mother because when she called her mother to inform about Omkaar, she had said that Omkaar is a disgrace to the family. After that she never tried to call her mother."

"It's not just that." Omkara uncomfortably says.

"Then?" Shivaay asks confused.

"I realized that I've been lying to her and myself."

"Lying? What lie?" Shivaay asks confused.

"I thought the drugs made me senseless, incapable of differentiating between right and wrong but now I realize that it just made me speak my truth. The drugs made me incapable of lying."

"What? Are you talking about reunion?" Shivaay asks confused.

Omkara nods "Gauri came to be and told me that her mother was pressurizing her to get married. She wanted to know if we had a chance because she was unable to fight her mother anymore and she is in the verge of giving in and marrying someone she chose."

"You are remembering this now?" Shivaay asks confused.

"I always remembered it, but I lied to myself."

"What?" Shivaay asks.

"that Gauri had taken advantage of my condition. But the truth is when Gauri said all that, I panicked. After Dadi, she was the only one who had loved me and I couldn't lose her love. I panicked and begged her to not stop loving me. she didn't take me to her room. I took her to her room." Omkara confesses.

"Fuck! And all this while Gauri thought..." Shivaay says in shock. "Did you tell her this?"

"No, but I know she realized it." Omkara replies.

"How do you know that?" Shivaay asks confused.

"I know."

"How?" Shivaay asks confused then he stops realizing that the only way they could have realized it without talking about it is if the situation had repeated itself. "Damn! I guess, I'll be hearing another good news soon." Shivaay mutters.

********

"Oh it's you." Ridhima says as she opened the door for Omkara. "Don't you have a key?"

"No. where you expecting someone else?" Omkara asks her back.

"Gauri called, she has finalized a place and the packers and movers will be coming now." Ridhima informs him and walks off.

Omkara stops hearing that.

Few minutes later, Gauri reaches home.

"Why are you moving, Gauri?" Omkara asks her the moment he saw her.

"Because I have to." Gauri replies as she took Omkaar in her arms and pampered him.

"But Omkaar loves it here. He has friends here. He loves the park."

"The owner doesn't want an unmarried mother to stay in his house." Gauri informs him.

"What?" Omkara asks her in shock. "How can he say that? he can't do that to you."

"This is his house and it is his wish." Gauri tells him. "I've spoken to the new owner and the building association there. I've told them that we are co-parenting Omkaar but you will not come there. I've given them word that no man would unnecessarily visit me. so, please don't come there like you come here. they had asked about Omkaar's father. I told them that we are not together. They kind of think that we are divorced, so please just keep that lie going."

"Why do you have to lie, Gauri?" Omkara latches on that part ignoring the first part of the conversation. "We can find another place."

"I've to move out by tomorrow and I'm willing to lie because I am a single mother who wants to give her son a safe and secure home." Gauri tells him in finality.

"Gauri... I've bought the penthouse in this building." Omkara gently tells her. "you can move in with me. it'll be easy for us to raise Omkaar..."

"You should leave. I've packing to do, Omkara." Gauri tells him.

Omkara helplessly sighs as he looked away.

"Or if you want to be with Omkaar then you can take him to the park." Gauri tells him.

Fed up, without saying a word, Omkara walks to Omkaar and picking him up, he leaves.

********

Holding, Omkaar on one arm, Omkara smiles as he fed him his baby food. Omkaar was curiously looking out the window and taking in the sight before him and pointing out things and talking about it. he had finally moved in the night before and Omkaar had come to visit him. Gauri also had moved to her new place, he hadn't visited her as she had told him not to visit her. it's been a week since he saw her and he was going crazy. He had invited her to his place but she had only sent Omkaar with Ridhima. He had no idea how he was going to make her talk to him. with each day, he was becoming more hopeless and desperate. A fear has taken hold of him that Gauri might never be that old Gauri with him, and he was starting to get scared that he might have a relapse. The only thing that is holding him strong was Omkaar. Omkara kisses Omkaar's cheek. Omkaar smiles and continues to talk as he pointed at random things.

He hears Ridhima's phone ring. He strains his ears to hear whether it was Gauri. he was no longer the point of contact for Gauri, it is Ridhima now.

"Hello?... we are still here... Omkaar is having his dinner..."

Omkara sighs realizing that it was Gauri, it was time for Omkaar's dinner and that is why Gauri had called. Omkara finishes feeding Omkaar and places him near Ridhima. Omkaar quickly grabs his doll and starts thrashing it. Omkara sighs pitifully at the doll and walks to wash the container on which Omkaar's food was packed. He knew that Gauri would ask Ridhima to go home as soon as they got there as Ridhima's daughter would be waiting for her and then Gauri will have to wash these containers. After washing them, he gets his mobile so he can call the driver to drop Omkaar and Ridhima.

He hears Omkaar crying loudly. Leaving his mobile, he hurries to Omkaar.

"What happened?" Omkara asks and sees that Omkaar was holding just the leg of his doll.

Seeing Ridhima hurrying to take out the needle and thread from Omkaar's baby bag, he quickly goes to Omkaar. he picks him and holds him on his lap.

"I'll do it. stop crying, Omkaar." Ridhima tells him as she quickly took the doll and leg from Omkaar.

Seeing Omkaar leaning towards Ridhima as he cried, Omkara tightens his hold on him, and keeps him close.

"If you love it so much, why do you keep destroying it?" Ridhima asks Omkaar as she neatly sewed it up.

Omkara stops in shock for a second, wondering whether Ridhima was asking him that question.

"One day, it will be beyond repair if you keep doing this. Then you might have to find another doll or learn to be happy with the broken pieces." Ridhima tells Omkaar.

Omkara gulps hearing that. he hugs a wailing Omkaar to himself, finally realizing how much Omkaar had taken after him.

********

Immediately after fixing his doll, Omkaar had hugged his doll and quickly fell asleep.

"I'll drop you." Omkara informs Ridhima as he picked up Omkaar gently in his arms.

Ridhima frowns hearing that, "But Gauri asked you not to go there, right? where is your driver?"

"He went home." Omkara lies as he headed out, he wanted to see Gauri.

Omkara buckle up Omkaar on the car seat.

"Ridhima, if you want you can go home from here. Your daughter might be waiting for you." Omkara tells her.

"It's okay." Ridhima replies as she sat next to Omkaar.

Omkara closes the backseat door and gets into the driver's seat, then turning back to Ridhima, he again tells her, "Omkaar already slept. I'll manage. I can book an uber for you."

"Gauri trusted me with her son. I've to take him back to her safely." Ridhima tells him.

Omkara frowns hearing that. "You think I can't safely take him to Gauri?"

"What do I know?" Ridhima replies with a shrug.

He had noticed that ever since his parent's visit, Ridhima had been slightly hostile to him but he hadn't bothered about it as he was more concerned and worried about Gauri. but now he had enough! "He is my son. I can take care of him."

"Your son?" Ridhima scoffs at him.

"Do you have any doubt?" Omkara furiously asks her.

"No." Ridhima replies. "Because Gauri has told me that you are Omkaar's father and I believe her."

"He is my son." Omkara says in an assertive tone.

"Your secret son." Ridhima points out to him.

"What the hell?" Omkara asks her in anger.

"He is." Ridhima repeats. "Even your parents didn't know that he is your son."

Omkara stops in regret remembering that awful incident.

"Who all knows that he is your son? just a handful of people. And all those people believe that he is your son, not because you told them that, it is because we believe Gauri when she says that Omkaar is your son. so, how do I know whether you would take him back to Gauri safely? What if you decide to put him in some orphanage like your father suggested?"

"Do you really think that I would do that?" Omkara asks her shocked and outraged.

"Have you done anything to prove your intentions regarding Omkaar otherwise?" Ridhima asks him back. "he is still Omkaar Sharma."

Omkara looks away not wanting to explain to her his hatred for the Oberoi name.

"If you die tomorrow, do you think this world is going to accept Omkaar when he says he is your son? they all would say that an immoral woman and her illegitimate son is slandering and trying to steal the wealth of an innocent dead rich man. Then people would start digging your past, and people would say that when Omkara had started his affair with Gauri, that time Omkaar was already there. If he tries to claim that he is your son, all he will get is humiliation in return nothing else. Forget his condition if one or both of your parents are alive then."

Omkara worriedly looks at Omkaar, wondering whether his hatred for his parents were going to ruin Omkaar's future.

"Not if, the truth is when you die, do you think they would let him do your last rites? Forget that, they are not even going to let him see you then."

Omkara gulps realizing what Ridhima was saying was true. He had been so caught up with the present that he hadn't thought of securing Omkaar's future. If he dies tonight, then Omkaar's whole life could be ruined. And Gauri would slandered all throughout her life. and he loved them both too much to let that become a reality.

"Gauri threw your parents out and within an hour, she was asked to vacate her flat because she was an immoral woman who was now bringing home a man every night."

"What?" Omkara asks in shock.

"Don't tell me it didn't occur to you that your parents were behind Gauri being asked to leave."

Without saying anything, he drives the car to Gauri's apartment. He stops the car in front of the building. He helps Ridhima take Omkaar out of the car and then he had watched Ridhima take Omkaar in. he left without seeing Gauri. he had things to take care of before that.

********

Four days later, Omkara goes to Gauri's apartment.

"I wanted to talk to you." Omkara tells her as soon as she opened the door.

Gauri nods and opens the door for him.

"I want you to keep these safely." Omkara tells her as he handed her some files.

"What are these?" Gauri asks him frowning curiously.

"It's my will... my property details... everything. Everything is in yours and Omkaar's name. if anything happens to me before Omkaar turns 25 then you will be in charge of his share too."

"I don't want anything of yours." Gauri tells him. "Omkaar is your son, you can give him whatever you want, I don't want anything of yours."

"It is my wish what I do with my property and it is up to you whether you want claim it or not."

Gauri looks at the file and then looking up at him, she asks him, "Is this because of what Ridhima said?"

"She told you?" Omkara asks her a little surprised.

"When you didn't come to see Omkaar for two days, she came to me and apologized fearing that she had overstepped her boundaries and might have caused you to abandon Omkaar."

"I didn't abandon him. I would never." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods. "I told her that she didn't have to apologize because she told you all that I couldn't but wanted to."

Omkara nods hearing her.

"Bringing Omkaar into this world was my decision alone. And I had promised you that you could be as involved as you wanted. So, I didn't think I had any right to ask anything from you."

"You have all the right, Gauri." Omkara tells her earnestly.

"All I wanted was for you to love him but when your parents said all that... I couldn't help think of everything else." Gauri tells him.

"They don't matter to me, Gauri. my world consists of only you, Omkaar and Shivaay. No one else. That is why I never told them because I didn't want even their shadow to fall on Omkaar."

"I want you to add my name to Omkaar." Omkara tells her. "The truth is I was relieved that you had given your name to Omkaar. I was happy that Omkaar didn't have the Oberoi name added to him. I had decided never to marry because I wanted the Oberoi bloodline to end with me. I never asked you to give my name to Omkaar because I didn't want him to go through the humiliation that I went through because of my parents. if my parents humiliate Omkaar like they humiliated me... I just couldn't have that. I wanted him to always be the happy and secure Omkaar that he is now."

"If that is what you feel then we don't have to add it." Gauri tells him.

"No, Gauri... he should always feel secure in his identity. He shouldn't have ever to give proof that he is my son."

Gauri nods.

Omkara kneels in front of her and takes her hands in his. "Now, I want to talk about us, Gauri."

"We don't have to, Omkara." Gauri tells him.

"I love you, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks in a soft whisper her eyes filling up.

"Because of my parents... I have always run away from marriage, relationships and love. but that day you had come for Dadi's funeral all the way to Mumbai and I couldn't help start feeling for you. I fought it. I refused to consider the truth."

"I always had felt that you had feelings for me." Gauri confesses with tearful eyes. "Every message I sent, you would check it immediately. Every time I called you, you would answer. You would scream but still you would answer. You didn't block my number till a month after reunion."

"Gauri, I want to clear this with you. if any other girl was in your place that night, nothing would have happened."

Gauri nods hearing that.

"I am sorry for the way I behaved Gauri. I was the reason we made love and I blamed you for it." Omkara tells her regretfully.

Gauri gulps hearing that.

"I panicked and went crazy when I thought you would stop loving me. if I was certain about anything in my life then it was your love, Gauri. the thought that you would give my place to someone else... I couldn't handle it. I couldn't bear it. I'm sorry, Gauri."

Gauri gulps as she nodded.

"I now realize one thing, Gauri, that the only reason I didn't come after you after the reunion was because of your letters. Your letters were proof to me that you still loved me. if you hadn't send a letter one month then I would have come after you. I can never think of a life where I didn't have your love."

"You were such a dog, Omkara." Gauri tells him in shock hearing that.

"I am messed up, Gauri. but I love you and our Omkaar with all messed up bits of me. please accept me, Gauri."

Gauri smiles hearing that, leaning down, she lovingly takes his lips in hers and kisses him.

*****

One week later

Gauri curiously switches on the TV as Omkara was doing a press coverage. Gauri realizes that it had already started. She adjusted the volume as she listened carefully.

"Mr. Oberoi, what was the reason for this sudden marriage?"

Omkara turns to the man who had asked him that question and replies, "We wanted to get married, so we got married."

"Is it true that your wife has a baby?" someone asks him.

"Yes, it is true that Gauri and I've a son together. His name is Omkaar Sharma Oberoi." Omkara proudly answers.

"Mr. Oberoi did you adopt the baby or is he really your son?"

"He is my son. Our son." Omkara confirms.

"Why did you hide your son for all these time? He should be about more than 6 months old."

"He would be 9 months old next week. Why I hid Omkaar from the world... I didn't hide him. I just didn't tell anyone that Omkaar is our son because I didn't want any kind of negativity affecting our son."

"How long have you known your wife?' someone asks him.

"We were in the same college. Last year, Gauri got pregnant. I was going through drug addiction that time. Gauri also found out about my addiction and she decided that till I get rid of my addiction, she would never let me anywhere near him."

Gauri sits up in shock hearing that. what is he saying?

"Gauri was willing to be a single unwed mother but she didn't want a drug addict anywhere near our son. she told me unless I fought my addiction, she will even fight me for our son. Gauri was willing to be an unwed mother but was not ready to accept a drug addict in our son's life. I got cleaned up couple of months back with the help of my best friend Shivaay and Gauri. Gauri let me be a part of Omkaar's life and when she convinced beyond a doubt that I had got out of my addiction, she agreed to marry me and we got married."

"Mr. Oberoi your parents weren't there for your wedding; why didn't they attend?" someone asls him.

"My parents are classist, elite and status conscious people, they would rather I marry for money and business than love. So, they didn't approve of Gauri as she belonged to a middleclass family." Omkara explains.

"But Mrs. & Mr. Oberoi are very much into charity work, so why wouldn't they accept Gauri?"

"That you should be asking them. I don't know the answer to that." Omkara replies with a shrug. "No more questions. Thank you for your time." Omkara says and quickly leaves.

*********

Hearing the door bell, Gauri quickly opens the door without checking through the peephole thinking that it was Okara at door. she opens the door to find Jhanvi and Tej at the door.

"What are you doing here?" Gauri asks them with a frown. "I told you to stay away from our son. leave!"

"Shut up. Who are you to order us about? This is my son's house. get out of my way."

"This is my home now and you are not welcome here. Find another place to meet your son." Gauri tells them sternly and closes the door and locks it.

They kept ringing the bell for a few minutes but Gauri ignores it. few minutes later, she gets a message from Omkara.

Gauri, I'm at the door.

Gauri quickly hurries, as she neared the door, she could hear argument from outside and opens the door for him. seeing that, Omkara quickly slips in and turning to face his parents who were starting to follow him in, he leans on the door, blocking their way.

"What nonsense is this?" Jhanvi asks furiously.

"Get out of my way." Tej furiously tells him.

"Gauri already told you that you are not welcome here and I've told you both that you are dead to me. so please, keep all your contacts limited to official work. Stay out of our lives otherwise."

"You humiliated us!" Teh furiously tells him.

"I was telling the truth." Omkara replies.

"How dare you say all that?" Jhanvi asks him.

"Be glad that I didn't mention that you both thought aborting our innocent baby was the right thing to do. Leave. You both are not welcome here. If you don't leave, then I'll have the security drag you out!" Omkara furiously tells them and slams the door shut.

"Did they say anything rude?" Omkara worriedly asks Gauri.

Gauri shakes her head in negative. "I told them that they can't come here."

"Good." Omkara replies with a smile.

"Why did you lie at the press conference?" Gauri asks him.

"I don't want anyone to ever doubt that Omkaar is not ours." Omkara tells her. "No one should ever ask Omkaar whether he is my son."

*********

"Why don't you represent India and take part in shooting competition?" Gauri asks Omkara that evening in shock.

"What?" Omkara asks her in confused disbelief at the weird as heck question.

"You are such a sharp shooter!"

"Me?" Omkara asks shocked out of his wits.

"Or maybe I am just super fertile." Gauri thoughtfully muses.

"Huh?" Omkara looks at her in confusion then realizing what she was hinting at, he jumps up in his seat, "Are you pregnant?"

Gauri smiles and replies as she showed him her pregnancy strip, "Yes."

"Oh my God!" Omkara hugs her in shocked excitement. "That Shivaay and his tongue!"

"What?" Gauri asks confused.

"I am so happy." Omkara says excitedly ignoring her question. "I was all alone and now, I've you, Omkaar and one more person to love." Omkara says his eyes filling up.

"Don't." Gauri lovingly wipes his eyes. "Today is a happy day."

"Yes." Omkara says with a smile then smiling excitedly he says. "I can't believe Omkaar is going to be a big brother."

"Awww Omkaar bhaiyya." Gauri says happily as she hugged Omkara.

*********

"How long has Ridhima been working with you?" Omkara asks Gauri as they headed back home after Gauri's gynecologist visit.

"I had 3 months' maternity leave. Around when Omkaar was 2 months old, she came." Gauri replies.

"Who all are there in her family?"

"Just her daughter, Priya. She is divorced. When she was pregnant with Priya, her husband wanted her to abort as he didn't want a daughter. Ridhima fought with him and left home. He didn't want to pay child support, so he made her family believe that Priya is not his daughter. fearing that the whole world would accuse Priya to be illegitimate, she had agreed for mutual divorce and didn't ask for child support."

"That is the reason, she was so furious with me and blasted me." Omkara says softly.

"Yeah. She really cares for Omkaar and me."

Omkara smiles hearing that. "Where is she staying?"

"As a paying guest. I couldn't afford a bigger place, otherwise I would have told her to stay with us." Gauri tells him.

"I was thinking, maybe she could move in with us. at least on temporary basis. Doctor said you need complete rest, and it would be nice if Ridhima is home full time so neither you nor Omkaar would have any trouble or issues."

"And that way, Ridhima will also be able to spend more time with Priya. I'll ask her." Gauri tells him smiling.

*********

Within a few days, Ridhima and Priya had moved into their flat. Very soon, everything fell into a nice pattern.

Omkara had just given Omkaar his bath and after giving him his doll, he was about to get him his milk when he hears a loud cry. Closing his eyes in dread, he turns back to check and finds Omkaar holding the doll's hand and crying.

"What happened?" Gauri asks worriedly as she hurried in followed by Ridhima.

Crying Omkaar shows Gauri his doll.

"I'll get the needle and thread." Ridhima replies and starts to hurry out.

"No." Omkara quickly says. "Don't fix it."

"What?" Gauri asks confused. "Omkara, he won't stop crying till we fix it."

"Gauri, trust me. don't fix it."

"But Omkara..."

"I know what I am doing, Gauri. please trust me."

Gauri and Ridhima helplessly look at each other worriedly.

*********

That day and the next, Omkaar had cried and went behind Gauri, Ridhima, Omkara and even Priya to fix his doll but Omkara had been strict in his resolve and every was silently and helplessly following his decision.

Omkara walks into his bedroom to find Gauri and Omkaar already sleeping. He lovingly kisses Gauri's forehead while she continued to sleep on. He kisses Omkaar's forehead and sees that he was still hugging his doll and it's arm securely in his arms. Omkaar had cried a lot and he could no longer see him like that. he gently extricates the doll and it's arm from his arm.

Hearing his knocks, Ridhima opens the bedroom door.

"Is everything alright?" Ridhima asks him in concern, she was no longer hostile with him.

"Sorry to disturb you, but can you please fix this?" Omkara asks her as he showed her the doll and it's arm.

Seeing that, Ridhima smiles in relief. "Yes, please."

Ten minutes later, Omkara walks back into his bedroom and he was about to place the doll on the bed when Gauri turns to him curiously. "Where did you go?"

"Ridhima." Omkare replies as he showed her the doll.

Gauri smiles in relief. "Thank you. I was so tempted to fix it, I couldn't see him cry like this. But for you, I was fighting myself."

"Thank you, love. Hopefully, he would have learned his lesson." Omkara tells her with a hopeful smile.

"Gauri... Gauri..." Omkara softly shakes her awake in the morning.

"What?" Gauri asks sleepily as she turned to him.

"He is waking up." Omkara whispers to her.

Gauri comes awake immediately and looks at their son. Omkaar sleepily opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is his fixed doll in one piece. Laughing happily, he hugs it. then laughing excitedly, he turns to Gauri and shows her the doll as he babbled something. Then he turns Omkara and laughing happily he shows him the doll as he said something pointing at his doll.

*********

"Did you finish your homework?" Ridhima asks her daughter.

"Yes." Priya replies.

Ridhima smiles at her hearing that. "Then you play with Omkaar. I've some work, I'll finish that and come."

"Okay." Priya happily replies and she hops off to Omkaar's play mat.

She sits on the mat and sees her, Omkaar smiles at her and excitedly starts talking. Priya takes his toy box and goes through it.

"Let's play ball, Omkaar." Priya says as she took a soft ball and gently rolled it to Omkaar.

Omkaar catches it and rolls it back to her.

"It's been three days and he hasn't thrashed his doll yet." Gauri whispers to Omkara smiling excitedly as they watched Omkaar playing with Priya.

Omkara smiles hearing that and he with a smile watches Omkaar play, his doll sitting royally next to him. Few rounds later, when Omkaar threw the ball, it rolled past Priya. Omkara quickly leans down and picks it up. He purposefully aims the ball at Omkaar's doll and throws it. the ball hits on the doll.

Seeing that, Omkaar furiously turns to Omkara and shouts at him as he pointed at him in anger. Then turning to the doll, he quickly picks it up and hugs it. he again shouts at his father for hurting his precious doll.

"You are mad." Gauri mutters seeing their son glaring at his father.

Omkara cheekily grins at her. "I was just checking if he loved it like he did before."

"He loves it more, I feel."

"I know." Omkara replies smiling.

"How were you so sure that he would stop abusing it if we refuse to repair it?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"Because he is more of my son than you realize, Gauri." Omkara explains. "He was treating the doll the exact way, I was treating you."

"What?" Gauri asks shocked.

"When he was given the doll, he ignored it just like how I ignored you when you told me you love me. after Dadi's death, I started seeing you differently but I didn't show it. exactly like how, Omkaar was not showing that he likes the doll. Then one day, you decided to give the doll to Priya just like how you were planning to getting married and me panicking and fought to get you."

Gauri thoughtfully looks at him.

Looking at her in guilt, he says, "I treated you badly after that and Omkaar started bashing up the doll, both of us were so secure in our belief that you belonged to me and the doll belonged to Omkaar. No matter what we did, we would always have you. then you stopped talking to me and I was helpess, trapped, and was feeling suffocated that I was forced to introspect my feelings for you. when Ridhima asksed Omkaar, why he destroys it if he loved the doll so much... I thought she was asking me about you. I guess that is the moment, I accepted that I am in love with you."

Gauri thoughtfully nods.

"I had to lose you to finally be honest with me and I thought something similar would happen with Omkaar, and I guess it worked." Omkara tells her smiling happily.

Gauri smiles in amazement and says "We are going to have a second baby and at times, I can't believe that we are together. We were apart for so long, it all feels surreal."

Omkara cups her face and tells her, "Even when we were apart, I have loved you, Gauri. I have only ever loved you. I will always love you." then smiling he says how she used to sign off on her letters to him, "Always and forever, only yours."

*** The End ***

*phew* done!

I know the ending was so weird and made no sense. I just couldn't finish it any other way. Sorry for the contrived ending. Sorry for the messy story and messy conclusion.

Haven proofread.

Please vote and comment, if you liked the story.

- Lazy