AN: OMG, I can't believe this! 😭😭 50 votes on first chapter, 91 votes overall 🥳 🎉 Thanks to all of you for your immense support! I dedicate this chapter to all of my readers who made this possible.❤️ Happy reading. 😊
Two days ago : (Kuch samay pehle 😉)
Roses come with thorns, lilies come with snakes. And dreams come with a price.
Whether one payed for it in advance or later on, it must be payed. The man who sat in the grandness of his solitude knew it too well. It was almost like selling your soul to the devil and becoming a slave to your wish.
The curtains of his study were drawn filtering out any light that was left in the day. The lights turned off. Smoke from his cigar took the shape of an O and vanished into thin air. So near yet so far.
He had been paying his price for the last 29 years, risking everything he had. He had been very patient and meticulous, planning and executing each detail with care and caution. And all for whom? The lady he so dearly loved.
But with age catching up, time was slipping away from his hands like sand. Whatever that had to be done must be done faster. Or he would never taste success in spite of years of toiling.
A successful businessman is a good opportunist. It's now or never.
Gauri was stitching outfits for the temple on the green recliner in her room. The door was slightly ajar. Omkara was in the hall speaking to someone on the phone. Lately, he was behaving somewhat odd.
They hadn't spoken to each other properly for a week. He would leave early in the morning and return late. If he returned early, he would be mostly on his phone. Of course, he said he was busy with work. But she thought he was hiding something and avoiding her. Very unlike him.
You cannot trust Oberoi men. Her arch-enemy Svetlana had said. The needle pricked her dainty fingers. She couldn't bear the thought of this distance and left the room to be near him.
"Yes Khanna, it should be white lilies and red roses. Gauri loves them."
Omkara was instructing a nervous Khanna over the phone for Gauri's birthday surprise. He wanted to wrap this up as soon as possible. Khanna, on the other hand, was getting fidgety in the absence of his boss Shivaay sir.
"I know, Khanna, you are missing Shivaay. But this is the last thing you would have to do for me. Make sure they are Alabaster white and Imperial red. After that you run back to your 'love'."
Gauri, who had reached Omkara in small steps, did not hear what he had said except the last part. Did he say 'love' to someone else on phone? She sensed tears rising in her eyes. Omkara turned around and saw his wife standing in front of him. Oh no! Did she hear anything? He hoped his surprise was still a surprise.
"Sir, white also has shades?!" said Khanna.
Of course, more shades any other color. Omkara smiled looking at his angelic wife. She just blinked in response. Very unlike her.
"O sir, are you there?"
This Khanna is so irritating. He wanted to wrap up soon and spend time with his wife, but he wanted to play KBC with him. He had no mood to explain anything.
"Yes. Make it fast. I hope my conditions are clear," Om said and cut the call.
He turned his attention to Gauri who seemed very distressed about something. There was a silent whirlwind of emotions brewing in her eyes and he had no idea what had happened. But he would do anything to make her feel better.
Gauri trusted Om a lot. She knew he was capable of breaking her heart with truth than comfort her with a flowery lie. She was fine with that, for that was the Omkara she loved.
"Hi love, I missed you," Om dropped a kiss on her cheek.
When Gauri heard the word 'love' again, she broke into tears. She engulfed him in a hug and sobbed on his shirt. He was puzzled. He hugged her back, not caring that they were still in the hall.
"Gauri?" he said.
"You are not leaving again, right?" she said in between her sobs.
Her words pricked him right on his heart. Epiphany struck him. Lies could only take people farther. It was because of the past week. He felt bad for unintentionally hurting her. For Om, lying was a humongous task. It made him behave awkward. Perhaps Gauri had caught the wrong meaning of his actions.
Om lifted her chin and said looking in her eyes, "The day I leave you behind would be the last day of my life."
He took a moment and said, "Come with me."
"Where?" she asked.
"Do you trust me Gauri?" He held her hands. She nodded looking in his eyes.
"Then please come. May I?" he said gesturing to carry her.
A rosy tinge appeared on Gauri's cheeks. She looked down and nodded. Omkara carried her just like he did on their wedding and marched on. She blushed while Dadi and Jhanvi who were also there in the hall, looked on with a smile.
Gauri Kumari Sharma, you are a paglait chiraiya (crazy girl). This was her Omkara, who always cherished her ever since he accepted their love. They had Shankarji's blessings.
Omkara was smiling too. Who was he kidding when he said he didn't accept this marriage? There was no time when he didn't think of her as his wife. Maybe he fell in love much later.
The rules of heart defies all logic. She was the only girl who tweaked all the rules and still managed to rule his heart. Only destiny knew the truth. 😉
Omkara stopped at the entrance of the terrace. It was engulfed in an aura of soft, orange and calm. The sun was yet to leave the sky in a blanket of stars. Gauri saw his open locks freely flowing in the wind just like his love for her. Her heart beated in her chest. He slowly put her down and led her to something covered with a white cloth.
A lot of things were strewn about on an otherwise neat terrace. An unfinished 'happy' was handwritten in artistic style on a board. It then dawned on her what he was up to for the past week. She had completely forgotten her own birthday.
Om had been planning her birthday surprise which was still two days away. But when he saw her tears, something stirred inside him and he carried her to the terrace on an impulse. Besides, there was no right time to shower love.
Omkara removed the white cloth and said,
"In your light I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art."*
Gauri stood there speechless gaping at the exquisite sight in front of her. It was an alabaster sculpture of herself playing with a butterfly, decorated with her favorite flowers - white lilies and red roses. It felt like a dream.
He put his chin on her shoulder and asked, "Do you like it?"
"It's beautiful."
"By the way, it was supposed to be your birthday surprise."
She looked at him. "Then why did you ruin it?"
"Because your happiness is more important than any surprise."
His honest confession moistened her heart. She decided to make one as well. Normally she seldom brought up any past references.
"You know Om, I never thought I would get so much love from you. I never thought you would think me worthy of your love. Kahan hum Panchvi pass from Bareilly, aur kahan aap.* I thought I would have to endure your hate my entire life..."
(Kahan hum... aap: I am only a 5th pass from Bareilly, whereas you..)
Omkara was crying as well, with tears of grief and regret. He said,
"Please don't say that. I know I had hurt you a lot in the past and sometimes I still feel guilty. You are no less than a savior for me and a lifetime of sorry can't erase how I wronged you. But right now and always, I love you Ri. From the core my being."
She wiped his tears.
"Ishrat-e-qatra hai dariya mein fana ho jana, dard ka had se guzarna hai dawa ho jana.'*
(The drop's joy is to perish in the ocean, as pain's joy is to become a potion.)*
"Ri, did you just recite Ghalib?" he said. It was his turn to be surprised.
"I learnt from my Jatadhari only..." She blushed.
"Om, I know you love me, and I know why you did what you did. I don't blame you for any of it. But..."
"But what?" he asked.
"Do you realize you just ruined my birthday surprise?" She pouted.
"I know, but I would do something else and hog all your attention."
"Hmm... so Mr. Jatadhari wants all my attention, when he has been ignoring me for the entire past week." Gauri teased him.
Om just blinked. He did not know what to say. Gauri giggled at his expression and dropped a peck on his lips. His eyes gained a mischievous glint and he drew her by her waist.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Let me make up for my crime," He said leaning in.
She yanked him aside, "Not like this. Can I ask for something else?"
"Of course, anything for my lady."
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Ri, what are you going to ask?" he asked.
Her face gave no inclination to what she was thinking. He was wondered what was the next crazy idea dancing in the mind of his chiraiya (girl).
She said with childlike glee, "Om, I want you to gift me our love story."
"But we are already in our love story."
"No, I mean a sweet love story, like in movies. We never had one."
Oh no Om! You are doomed. She refuses to acknowledge your love story. 😕
"I have an idea. I would go to my mom's place, then we pretend to be strangers and then fall in love all over again."
She was thrilled. He didn't want to argue from which movie or TV show she had got this idea. Nowadays they show all crazy stuff on TV. He said,
"That ain't happening Ri. I can't pretend. Moreover, the moment we are alone I can't keep my hands off you 😉"
"Besharam! (Shameless!) Then what's my birthday gift?"
Omkara went deep into thought.
"Om I wish we could know if we could have a perfect love story if we did not have so much bitterness between us." she sighed.
"Let me think about this Gauri. When my sweetheart asked for something, I would make sure she gets it."
Omkara said and kissed her hair. They stood there on the terrace engulfed a hug making the entire sky and universe a witness of their love. ❤️
There was another unnoticed witness who was planning to turn this into an opportunity.
Footnotes:
1. In your light...sight becomes this art. - Poetry lines by Rumi.
2. Ishrat-e-qatra...dawa ho jana. - Poetry lines by Ghalib. Translation Credit: https://twitter.com/rekhta/status/905725969821908992?lang=en.
Precap: Rikara enter the spell.
AN: I hope this chapter met with your expectations. 😊 Please share your views on whether you liked it or not. Should I cut down on narration? Also, do you prefer dialogues in Hindi or English or both? 😕
Your encouragement keeps me going. The next chapter comes on the next weekend, based on your feedback. I look forward to your votes and comments. See ya! 😊❤️️
Cheers!
Tiara.