Om was looking at Gauri's face, as she dozed off. How old was she anyways? Probably around Rudra's age, maybe younger. She should have been in college studying or maybe getting a job. Oh wait, she had a job, the shop he mercilessly trampled with his car. And she had work in Mumbai too, from where she was abducted by Kali Thakur.
They were presently sitting, rather flying, in an Oberoi private jet, back to Mumbai. Om observed her face. She had fallen asleep a little while after the plane took off. She looked so innocent, so young as if she wasn't capable of stabbing someone with a bloody scimitar. Om remembered how ferocious she looked with that weapon in her hand, when she raised it to attack him, only to realize that he wasn't her enemy.
But he wasn't her friend either. She had said as much back in the haveli when she made it clear that she took up the Chulbul persona only to pay back the debt of life she owed him. There was no friendship from her side ever. Om couldn't believe that he actually compromised his principles around truth, and went to her aid, when she clearly didn't want it, or need it. She was competent enough to manage Kali alone. But he didn't regret coming here, he just regretted ever trusting a person again.
It was his fault that he was hurt by Gauri's lie. Now that the danger to Gauri's life was averted, all the pain and bitterness he felt towards her for the facade of Chulbul came rushing back. When he left Mumbai, he thought he would first save her from Kali, and then rage at her for betraying him. But after the set-down she gave him back in the haveli, he just wanted to be done with her. He could never tell when Gauri was lying, whether all of it was a lie, or there was some truth mixed in it, but Om wanted none of it. His life was complicated as it is. He would drop Gauri back in Mumbai, and that was it. End of story.
The flight started losing altitude. It woke up Gauri, who shut her ears, and scrunched up her face. Probably, she was one of those people who felt pain in their ears due to air pressure, whenever a flight took off or landed. Omkara took out a pair of earbuds, and gestured towards them and his ears. Gauri understood and took the earbuds and put it in her ears.
She looked a child who was being irritated by a fly. Even after they walked out of the air field, Gauri kept shaking her head and wriggling her ears to get rid of that feeling. Omkara found that really amusing to watch for some reason, and then immediately felt ashamed as he reminded himself that she had played up this innocence as Chulbul before.
Once they were in the car, Omkara gave directions to the driver to drive them to the chawl, but Gauri cut him off and requested him to drive her to a mandir. It was the same mandir where the Jagraata girl worked. Omkara's brain seemed to be telling him something, putting a hazy image before his eyes, but he dismissed it as headache from the events of the past three days.
It was almost evening, when they reached the temple. It was strange, thought Omkara, that whenever he went to Bareilly so much seemed to transpire in such a short span of time. As they neared the temple compound he could see an Oberoi car, his mother's in fact, parked outside the temple. Was his mother here?
His car halted. Gauri got down from the car and looked behind him to see Omkara getting down as well.
"You don't have to get down here. You've done enough." said Gauri, looking at the ground.
"I wasn't getting down to see you off, my mother's car is parked here. She's probably here too." said Omkara, much more rudely than he had intended to.
"Oh, anyways, thank you for everything. For everything you've have done today...." Gauri was about to say more, but Omkara put up his right hand, gesturing her to stop.
"Whats the point? I don't know whether to trust your words anymore." said Omkara
Gauri wanted to protest, but she thought this is probably the last time they are meeting anyways, and so there is no point clearing her stance. She just sadly turned, and made her way to the temple. She wanted to thank her Shankarji for seeing her through this ordeal and sending help in the form of his namesake.
Omkara was even more annoyed. She didn't explain herself, or even attempt to argue her point, why she did what she did. Then were his insinuations true? That thought hurt him further.
Gauri walked towards the temple, while Omkara stayed behind waiting for his mother. Lucky for him, his mother came out of the temple just at that moment. She approached them rapidly as she saw them. Gauri, stopped in her tracks too, seeing her.
Jahnvi stopped in her tracks as she reached Gauri. She looked a bit nonplussed as she saw the two of them, her eyes wavering between Om and Gauri. Then putting two and two together, she asked Omkara, "Om, is Gauri the girl you went after last Friday?" Her voice gave nothing away.
"You know Gauri?" asked Om, dumbstruck.
Even Gauri was astonished. How did Om know Jahnvi? Gauri remembered seeing Omkaraji at Jahnvi house, when she left the mansion that day, but how are they related?
"Of course, I know Gauri! I was the one who asked her to conduct our Jagraata, didn't I? I gave you the address that day, Om." said Jahnvi.
"Jahnvi auntyji, you have Om my address?" said Gauri, confused by what's going on.
"Please don't mind, Gauri. My son insisted to return your anklet which you had left behind, himself in person. Don't worry, I don't point out where you live to random people. It was my son, and I trust him absolutely." Jahnvi smiled, uncertainly.
"Your son?" asked Gauri, still a little surprised. So, not only was Omkaraji related to Jahnvi, but he was her son.
Omkara still looked dazed. All this while, he was looking for the girl he saw in the Jagraata, and she was right before him parading as a boy.
"Om, are you still with us? I don't know why you are acting so strange. But we need to talk about something urgent. A lot happened in your absence. Get in your car. Oh, and Gauri, will you come with us too?" asked Jahnvi. Gauri was more confused by this, but nodded her head nonetheless.
Jahnvi smiled and gestured to the other two to follow her. Gauri went to Omkara and said, "Please, Omkaraji believe me, I...I didn't know Jahnvi auntyji is an Oberoi, I had never seen her family until the day of the Jagraata, and even that day I met only the ladies. I had no idea that you were her son. Please, hamaara bharosa keejiye. (trust me on this)"
"Bharose jaisa shabd tumhaare munh se achcha nahi lagta. (Trust doesn't sound good coming from you)." said Omkara, and he marched to his car, without giving Gauri a second glance.
Gauri walked slowly to Jahnvi's car and got in. Things seemed to be irreparable between her and Omkaraji.
Was he being unreasonable? Gauri looked just as surprised as he did. But then she was really good at acting, he already knew that. Omkara mentally kicked himself for not realizing all this sooner. Of course, it was Gauri, Shivaay had met that day when he went to see Chulbul. And that payal! Now it made sense why he wanted that payal, it wasn't a random girl's payal, it was his payal. His Nani had told him Chulbul was a girl, but he had the blindfold of Chulbul's friendship tied over his eyes. Not anymore, that blindfold had come off. Omkara was never going to trust Gauri again. Never.
*************************************
"Soumya, are you seriously up for this?" asked Rudra, uncertainly.
"Rudy, we don't have to do anything. We know that the marriage was a mistake but Svetlana doesn't, the media doesn't. Svetlana can't do anything if we choose to stand by it. In any case, the situation would come to you, only if Bade Baal vaale bhaiyaa is not found." explained Soumya. They were in Soumya's flat, discussing this over a cup of coffee and diet coke.
"I don't want my brother to marry that woman either." said Rudra.
"Of course, I didn't mean that. I don't want that either. But I think Jahnvi aunty will find a way out of this mess, when Bade Baal vaale bhaiyaa comes back." said Soumya.
Rudra nodded his head, concerned for his brother.
"Umm, Rudy there is something I wanted to say." Soumya said hesitantly. Rudra looked up and gestured her to go ahead.
"Rudra, don't be angry, but I feel Tej uncle is trying to mend things with your mother. Breaking it off with Svetlana, looking for Bade Baal vaale bhaiyaa, looking out for you, being there for..." Soumya was cut off by Rudra.
"Sumo, look, I don't want to talk about him. Its because of him and his affair with Svetlana that we are stuck in this mess. God knows what she's blackmailing my mother with. Must be some sordid detail about him." said Rudra with disgust.
Seeing Rudra agitated, Soumya decided to drop the issue. "Rudy, I wanted to thank you for what you said back there."
"What did I say?" Rudy asked puzzled.
"About my choice. Thanks for respecting my wish." And not thinking about yourself first. Soumya said the second part in her head.
"Yaar, what's the big deal there? Sumo, do you realize that we are only two weeks away from our college finals?" asked Rudra, sounding worried.
"I have always known about my exams, but its nice to finally see you realizing this." giggled Soumya.
"Very funny. Today has been a mess, I better go back now and try to concentrate on my studies." said Rudra, getting up.
"See you tomorrow at college then. And tell me, if you get any news of Bade Baal vaale bhaiyaa." said Soumya, as she saw Rudra off.
Yes, she better get back to her studies too. After all, these grades were extremely important for her studies abroad.