Soumya woke up early.
It was only five am. She looked outside her window, it was still pouring though it had slowed down to a drizzle. She hardly got any sleep last night, and it was no surprise that she woke up early today.
Though she was awake she didn't feel like stepping out of her blanket. She curled up under it, and thought about what happened yesterday.
After recovering herself from the shock that Mrs. Kapoor gave her, Soumya rushed from that house. She couldn't bear to stand one more second with Mrs. Kapoor, for she could not bring herself to call her mother, and the crushing weight of the truth.
She, Soumya Tendulkar, was actually Soumya Kapoor, who was Svetlana and Tia's younger sister, the youngest of the Kapoor sisters.
Soumya didn't know where her rushing feet were taking her, until she finally stopped to catch a breadth. She saw her surroundings, they were familiar. It was same park where she and Rudra often met, where they had confessed that they like each other and starting dating.
It was kilometers away from Mrs. Kapoor's house. On a normal day, Soumya wasn't able to last on a treadmill for even half an hour. And today, in her agony, she actually ran so many kilometers without even realizing. The human mind was strange, how it converted her pain into subconscious energy.
Soumya sat down on the bench and started thinking about everything that happened today. She didn't realize how much time had passed in her running and introspecting, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Rudra standing.
"Soumya, what did I tell you last time about receiving my calls? I was so worried. I called you so many times but no response. I waited till afternoon, but when it got too much I started looking for you. I knew this might be where I find you. I...." but Soumya cut off Rudra's tirade.
"I met my m...biological parent, Rudra" said Soumya, her voice sounding strange to her.
"I know, thats why we went there, didn't we? Are you fine Sumo? You sound weird" said Rudra, sitting down next to Soumya, looking concerned.
"Rudra....I have two siblings, two sisters" said Soumya shakily.
"But thats good, isn't it? We can meet them as well. You found an entire family Soumya" said Rudra, smiling.
"You know them, Rudra" said Soumya, her heart beating fast.
"I...I do? Who is it? Someone from college, work? Someone we met at some party?" asked Rudra curiously.
Soumya took a deep breadth, and calmed herself.
"Rudra.....I have two elder sisters. The one just above me is Tia.....and the eldest sister is.....Svetlana. They are both Mrs. Kapoor's daughters. And so am I" Soumya choked on the last word.
Rudra thought this was a bad joke, but Soumya's face showed that she was dead serious. Anyways, Sumo had a better sense of humor than this.
Then the truth really sunk in. Rudra wasn't hit so much by Tia being Soumya's sister, if Shivaay bhaiyaa and Annika bhaabhi had forgiven her, than he didn't care either. But Svetlana.....that woman, she was the reason why his mother attempted suicide, she was the reason why his family almost broke up, his brother went through so much trauma, she...she was a villain in their lives. And Soumya was her sister......
Soumya looked at Rudra's expressionless face. What was he thinking?
Rudra got up suddenly. He didn't blame Soumya for this, she didn't choose her family, she didn't even know about all this. She was not at fault. But.....this was too much information to process. Rudra wanted to say something, but he didn't know what will come out of his mouth...so he just looked blankly at Soumya, and mumbled "I'm sorry" and ran from there. He needed time to think.
Soumya was stunned at what happened. Didn't Rudra promise her that whatever is the truth about her parentage, he would never leave her? And here he was walking, no running, away from her.
Raindrops started falling hard on Soumya. But faster than that were the tears that leaked out of her eyes. Hot tears mingled with the cool rain water.
At that moment, she also realized something. Rudra wasn't just her friend, her boyfriend, the person she was in relationship with.....no, he meant much more, thats why it hurt so much.
Soumya wept for quite sometime, until the downpour got worse and she hailed an auto to back to the mansion. She asked a staff member about Rudra's whereabouts, but he hadn't returned to the mansion.
So, she went back to her room, had a shower, and lied down on her bed. The tears started pouring again. And they didn't stop until she slept off.
Soumya sighed as she came back to present. She knew that Rudra would be shocked, upset, or maybe even angry. But what she didn't expect was for him to say he is sorry, and run from the scene, as if he didn't want to stay a moment longer with her. Was she contagious now that she was a Kapoor?
It was nine am now, so soon? thought Soumya.
Soumya looked at the drizzling outside her window, it made the sky look dark. Dark clouds outside and dark clouds within. She had skipped dinner today, and she was going to skip breakfast as well. She didn't feel hungry, maybe her sorrow just took away her appetite.
What she needed right now was comfort. And just as she thought of it, there was a soft knock on her door.
"Soumya, are you awake? Can I come in?" came Annika didi's voice.
Soumya slowly got up and opened the door.
Annika looked at her concerned, as she entered and closed the door behind her.
"Soumya, are you fine? I thought I saw you rushing inside your room yesterday, looking upset. You skipped dinner yesterday, I thought maybe you're unwell. Should I get breakfast to your room here? Whats wrong?" asked Annika.
"I don't want breakfast, I just..."and Soumya broke off crying, on Annika's shoulder.
Annika made them sit down on the bed, and consoled her.
"Soumya, whats wrong? Has my naughty devar done something? Did you both have a fight? Or its something at work?" asked Annika.
"Its not his fault" gulped Soumya.
So, it was Rudra, thought Annika, knowing that the 'his' could only be her brother-in-law.
"What did he do? Shall I just go and pull his ear, and order him to apologize?" asked Annika.
"No, no, don't tell him anything. Just...just stay with me, Annika didi" said Soumya.
So, Annika did, wondering what had happened between the two of them.
******************************************************
Omkara and Gauri were starting early in the morning, to reach Mumbai by late afternoon.
"Take this hamper, we have packed loads of food, so you won't be hungry" said Mailthi Dadi's elder daughter-in-law.
"Gauri bhaabhi, we packed the gifts in the bag too. No, don't refuse, they are a token of our affection" said Avantika, and the rest of them nodded vigorously.
"Achcha, now you kids give me some space, I have something to give them too" said Maithili Dadi, as she entered the hall, to see them off.
"Many, many decades ago, I had given this to Kalyani. Our friendship soured due to whatever reasons, but I want to rekindle it. Omkara, Gauri, you both fought for my family, for each other yesterday like a ideal married couple should. Thats why I am gifting this idol to you, and your family again, for a year" said Maithili Dadi, handing Gauri the small joint idol of Shiv Parvati that was placed next to much larger idol at the pooja yesterday.
"This idol brings prosperity and love, your Dadi might have told you. Please take care of it, though I know with Gauri there, Shankarji will never go without affection" said Maithili Dadi, smiling.
Omkara didn't have to look at Gauri, he knew her eyes will be glowing with gratitude and pride.
"Tell Kalyani, I've forgotten everything that happened so many years ago, and this idol is a symbol of that. But this time, don't forget to return it to me after a year" chuckled Maithili Dadi.
Gauri nodded, and she and Omkara bent to touch her feet and take her blessings.
"Sada khush raho. Shivji tum dono ki jodi banaye rakhe" (Stay happy always. May Shivji keep you together forever) blessed Maithili Dadi.
They all moved outside, where Omkara's car was ready for the journey back. Maithili Dadi's family were slowly proceeding towards them to see them off; in less than a week everyone had grown fond of them.
"You packed everything right?" asked Omkara, just to make sure.
Gauri nodded, smiling at the idol.
"Tell me something, why are you smiling?" asked Omkara.
"Nothing, I'm just appreciating my Shankarji and Parvati ji. Whenever I see them together, I'm reminded of the eternal power of love that can wash away the dirt of several lives, and how they never leave each other. Love should be like this, right?" commented Gauri.
"Maithili Dadi was also saying something like this.....about us, right?" said Omkara, without thinking.
Gauri was taken aback, did Omkaraji actually say that?
"What do you think about love, Omkaraji?" asked Gauri, curiously.
Now Omkara was stumped. Not stumped as to the answer, but stumped as to how to explain. He thought so much about love, but he didn't think he was fortunate enough to be loved like that.
"Umm..I don't think about love much" stuttered Omkara. It was half true, it had been months, since he really thought about it.
Gauri sighed softly.
"But I think our jodi (couple) is right" said Omkara, seeing her falling face.
Gauri could perceive that he was saying this just to make up for what he said earlier.
"So, we are just a team? I am only a partner for you?" asked Gauri.
"When did I say that?" said Omkara, genuinely puzzled how Gauri came up with that idea.
"You said it right now" said Gauri.
Omkara was about to reply, but the family came upon them.
They all said their goodbyes, and finally Omkara and Gauri were back on their way to Mumbai.
Holding the Shiv Parvati idol in her hand, Gauri suddenly felt very....impure. As the journey commenced, Gauri reflected on what was happening in her life since Omkaraji entered.
Omkaraji's confusion and unwillingness to answer her question, about what he thinks about love, brought a confusing mass of thoughts in perspective. Gauri examined them.
Would she Gauri Kumari Ssarma have thought months back, that she would be falling asleep holding a paraaya (unrelated by blood or relationship) man's hand in the night, on the same bed? No. definitely not. She would have balked at just the thought. But that's what she had been doing since the last few days, even before that, when she and Omkaraji were stuck in a fake marriage. Her mother would be so disappointed in her if she came to know this.
Its not that Gauri didn't believe in romance. She was a romantic, after all didn't she go all dreamy when her Salman Khan wooed the heroine in the film? But the end result of all that romance was that Salman's character wanted to marry the heroine. Marriage was the intended outcome.
But this was not the case here. Whatever Omkaraji felt for her, he couldn't verbalize it beyond saying that they were a "good team". And that's not what she wanted to hear.
She remembered Rudy bhaiyaa talking about "live-in relationship", how Omkaraji was in such a relationship with a girl before. Gauri did not judge him, after all who was she to say how people should live their lives?
But she, Gauri Kumari Ssarma, was a simple, girl from a small town like Bareilly. She didn't think it was wrong or immoral of Omkaraji, or Rudy bhaiyaa, to have girlfriends and not want to marry them, but she had her own set of values instilled in her. Omkaraji wasn't wrong, he was just different. And probably too different from her.
Gauri didn't know what he wanted from her, but she knew that this is not what she wanted from her life. She wanted love, marriage, a child or maybe two, and a contented life, if she could have one. She wished for marital bliss like her ShivParvatiji. Was she asking for too much?
If Omkaraji was startled at being asked just about what he thinks of love, he would panic thinking of their equation. No. Gauri couldn't have any more of this, she had already compromised herself too much for him. It wasn't his mistake or fault remotely, he had always been honest with her, even in his incapability to answer. Its just that she was....tired.
The end result of all these myriad hypotheses was that Gauri felt terribly sad. She just wanted to find a close one and burst her heart out.
Omkara felt a kind of fear rising in him, looking at Gauri. She was clutching the idol, but looking straight ahead, lost in her thoughts, and whatever thoughts those were, they made her sad. He didn't understand why? They had a good time in Kolhapur, didn't they?
They stopped after a while to have the food packed for them. Omkara tried to make some conversation, but Gauri's one word replies in 'yes' or 'no' made him give up after a while. He didn't know what came over her, he wanted to shake her, and ask her what's wrong, but he was also afraid of stepping into her private space.
They reached home by late afternoon. Dadi and everyone, barring Rudra and Soumya who weren't there, greeted them. Gauri seemed fine in front of them and smiled as Dadi questioned them about their trip. She was elated that her friend gifted her the idol again for a year. She wanted to talk more, but Gauri excused herself, on account of being tired. Dadi patted her shoulder and told her to rest.
Omkara wondered what had happened to make her so glum suddenly?
**********************************
The moment Annika saw her sister, she knew something was wrong. So, after Dadi dismissed them, she went straight to Gauri's room to find out.
She barely sat down on her little sister's bed, to ask her what's wrong, that Gauri hugged her and started bawling.
This is the second time this morning, someone was sobbing on her shoulder, thought Annika. First Soumya, now Gauri, what's wrong here?
"Chutki, why are you crying? I thought your trip went fine. Did something happen on the way? Did you and Omkara have a fight?" asked Annika, panicking slightly.
"No, no Jiji, we didn't have a fight. Its not Omkaraji's fault" hiccuped Gauri.
Again the same thing, as with Soumya. If it was not the fault of her brothers-in-law, then why were her sisters, for Soumya was like her own, crying their eyes out?
Annika consoled Gauri, and asked her to freshen up. The moment Gauri went for a bath, Annika stepped out of her room, to think what was going on.
Shivaay saw Annika coming out of Gauri's room, and walked up to her.
"Annika, you are here, I've been looking for you all over the mansion. I should've known you would be here, after all you missed Gauri a lot the past few days..." Shivaay was rudely cut off by Annika.
"Listen, Shivaay, I don't know what has happened but Gauri, and Soumya are really upset, and its got something to do with your brothers. I can't counsel them on their relationships, at least not Omkara. So, you better ask them to pull up their socks, and not hurt my girls anymore. Oh, and by the way, I am sleeping in Gauri's room tonight. Just letting you know" said Annika, and walked back to Gauri's room.
Shivaay was left dumbstruck. What had his brothers done, that he was having to pay the price, going wifeless for the night?
P.S. I hope things are a little clear. Its not the Omkara and Gauri don't have feelings or don't realize their feelings for each other. Its more an issue of how their relationship works out, because Omkara is commitment phobic, whereas Gauri, being from a small town and rather traditional, believes in the institution of marriage. The upcoming updates will hopefully be a little more complex emotionally.