Omkara was anxious since he woke up.
He knew that Dharesh uncle took offense at what Chhoti Maa, suggested yesterday, and wanted to take Gauri back with him, but it all depended on what Gauri decided.
He made his way downstairs slowly, afraid of what he might find out at breakfast.
He found Dadi, his mother, Chhoti Maa, and Annika bhaabhi seated at the table. There was no Gauri or her uncle in sight.
Would she really leave without even talking to him once?
"Good Morning, Om beta" greeted his Dadi. Om replied in similar fashion.
"Annika, I don't see your uncle anywhere?" enquired Pinky.
"He left a couple of hours ago, Pinky aunty, he had an early morning flight. We didn't think it reasonable to wake up everyone to see him off" Annika smiled.
"Oh, and Gauri? Did she leave with him too?" asked Pinky expectantly.
Dadi glared at her, why was her younger daughter-in-law like this? She was at this since yesterday evening.
"No, Pinky aunty" replied Annika, feeling uneasy.
Omkara exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
Gauri decided to stay after all, she wasn't leaving. He was worrying for nothing. A good start to the week.
"Gauri didn't leave today....she will leave with me and Shivaay, on Friday this week" said Annika, shyly.
"With you and Billu?" asked Dadi surprised.
"Actually, Dadi, there some....thing.....between Billuji and me, you know how Tadibaaz he is. So, Chutki suggested, that what we both need is some time alone. So, I finally convinced Billuji to go on a holiday" said Annika shyly.
"That is great, Annika. Shivaay has been overworking himself, and you both never got a chance to go to your honeymoon, so this will be like a delayed honeymoon" said Jahnvi, smiling.
"I guess so Jahnvi aunty. But it wasn't my or Billuji's idea, it was Chutki's" said Annika, blushing furiously.
"Sharma kyun rahi hai puttar, tu apni pati ke saath hi toh ghoomne jaa rahi hain" (Why are you blushing, beta, you are going on a vacation with your husband after all) said Dadi, giggling.
Pinky felt ashamed. She was trying to distance Annika from her sister and uncle, and yet it was that girl who always thought of her sisters's marriage and welfare.
But Pinky was a mother before anything else. If that girl stayed here, and married Omkara......no, she couldn't let it happen, she had to secure her son's interest.
"And Gauri? You said she was leaving with you?" Pinky ploughed on.
Dadi sighed, exasperated with Pinky.
"Yes Pinky aunty. We will drop Gauri at Mamu's place, and stay with him for a day at Delhi, and from there take a flight to London" said Annika.
"You both are going to London for your honeymoons? That is splendid, Annika beta" said Pinky excitedly.
"I told Gauri to return for Dusshera and Diwali with us" said Jahnvi, pointedly to Pinky.
She knew her sister-in-law well, and her twisted thoughts. Jahnvi cared for her son's happiness as well.
Omkara's heart sank.
Gauri wasn't going today, but she was leaving in five days.
She had so easily decided to leave with her uncle? Omkara remembered what Gauri had said before the pooja for establishing that idol, that a girl cannot stay with her married sister's family forever. So, she chose silly traditions over him? Omkara didn't feel remotely hungry, and wanted to leave, but that would seem awkward, so he kept sitting at the breakfast table.
"Good morning, everyone" said Rudra, yawning slightly as he joined them. "Sorry I am late, was skyping with Soumya into early hours of morning. So, did I miss anything?"
"Shivaay and Annika are going for their honeymoons to London" said Pinky animatedly.
"Oh, good, good" said Rudra, off-handedly.
"Rudra beta, vaise toh you are very enthusiastic about Billu's lovelife, but today we broke such a big news to you, and you just said 'good, good'. Is there some problem? Did you fight with Soumya?" asked Dadi, shrewdly. She knew her grandsons too well.
"Dadi, now what should I say? You know me....I kind of messed up a bit" admitted Rudra.
"As in?" asked Om.
"As in there has been so much happening in the last three days. The party drama on Friday, then all the Roop bua emergency on Saturday, and then clearing up the raita (mess) since then, especially since Dad and Shivaay bhaiyaa, were busy handling the press....I didn't get a chance to talk properly to Soumya until yesterday night. And you know, she just left a few days back for the States, so much happened since then, and she sort of feels cut off from everything. But I know how to cheer her up" said Rudra, an idea lighting up his eyes.
"What?" asked Om.
"Its Soumya's birthday in a week. So, I'll go to surprise her in the States. Simple. That is if Mom doesn't have a problem in this" said Rudra, looking pleadingly at his mother.
"Why would I have a problem? I think its a great idea" agreed Jahnvi, happily.
"Its going to be a very empty house with Shivaay, Annika, Rudra and Gauri gone" sighed Dadi. "Maybe I should also make plans, after all what will I do at home without my Billu here?"
Omkara and Rudra looked at each other, trying hard not to roll their eyes.
They loved their grandmother, and didn't harbor any jealous emotion for their elder brother, but Dadi's preference for Shivaay had always unsettled them. But since they were OmRu, they chose to be amused by it, and not feel any animosity towards Dadi, or Shivaay.
"Well, thats settled then. I and Shivaay vacation to London, Rudra to America, and Gauri to Delhi. Such a khidkitod plan" said Annika, cheerfully.
Everyone laughed, except Om, who put on a convincing smile.
But that did not fool Jahnvi; she wasn't oblivious to Om's hurt expression.
Didn't Om know that Gauri was leaving only to give her exams? Maybe she didn't get a chance to tell him yesterday, concluded Jahnvi.
*****************************************
Omkara scowled as he saw Gauri getting down from the front seat of the car. The same car that was dropping her home every night since Monday.
He barely met Gauri face-to-face, ever since Annika bhaabhi informed him of their plans on Monday.
She was too busy it seemed, she left early without breakfast, and came back after dinner was done, dropped home by that man who Omkara remembered from that rainy night when that same man had dropped Gauri home.
Everyone was busy with their lives.
Since Shivaay was leaving on Friday, he worked double to finish up all the work, specially the press conference and cleaning Oberoi business image, before he left. Mr. Oberoi, his mother, and Rudra were also similarly occupied.
He and Rudra had teased Shivaay to no end when their brother had returned from office, Monday evening.
Shivaay blushed, but promised to get even when his brothers got married. Rudra probed, suggesting that it was too late for honeymoon, to which Shivaay replied that it was a just name that stuck, he enjoyed his honeymoon many months back. Om held up his hands, and refused to pursue this line of topic, looking pointedly at Rudra, who loved to poke his nose into his brothers' romantic lives. Shivaay looked relieved.
But barring that one light-hearted conversation, Omkara's heart was in turmoil.
With his brothers and mother, busy in their lives, he didn't know who to share it with, and the one person he did share his heart with, was leaving him.
Omkara woke up on Friday morning with a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach.
He wasn't looking forward to what was going to happen today. He didn't know what to do and his feet, acting of their own accord, took him to Gauri's room.
She was doing some last minute packing when he stopped near her door.
"Let me do that for you" said Omkara, as he saw her struggling with the zip of her suitcase.
"Omkaraji! I am so sorry. I've just been so occupied with.....work these days. Like everyone else, it seems. Had to finish everything before I left" Gauri giggled awkwardly.
"Finish everything?" asked Omkara, raising his eyebrow at her remark.
"I mean everything at work. And Omkaraji, last time.....you know when you gifted me that sketch of my real mother....I misbehaved very badly, I am sorry for that, everything happened so quickly that I didn't get any chance to apologize. But I don't want to leave without saying sorry for that. Please forgive me" said Gauri sincerely.
"So, tying all loose ends before you leave?" remarked Omkara, his voice sounding unusually caustic to his own ears.
"Loose ends?" asked Gauri confused.
"Finishing all your work, asking pardons....why it almost looks like you are saying your goodbyes" said Omkara, looking at Gauri accusingly, as he zipped her suitcase.
Gauri looked confused for a moment, then her frown cleared up.
"You think I am leaving to my Mamu's forever? You actually think......but that means you never understood me, Omkaraji" said Gauri.
"Tumne bhi toh mujhe kabhi nahi samjha, Gauri (You also never understood me, Gauri) Omkara gave a rejoinder of his own.
"I am coming back for Dusshera. Maybe this time will be useful for you, and me, to understand each other...better. Maybe you'll get a break from me" said Gauri, sounding hurt.
Omkara was hurt as well, and annoyed by the choice of her words. She wanted a break....from him?
Gauri pulled out the lever of her suitcase and trailed it behind her, her shoulders sunk in defeat.
"Gauri" Omkara called, half-turning to see her leave.
"Take care" he whispered.
Gauri turned to look at him and nodded, and then went downstairs.
P.S. 100 votes for an early update!