"Gauri? " Omkara said looking between Ved and Me. I looked at him frozen.
"Omkara." My voice barely came from my throat.
"You here? " He asked surprised.
"I.. I came here to attend this munchkin's birthday party." I said smiling nervously, "His Mom, Anika, she's my best friend."
"Okay." He said looking at Anika and me.
"Gauri, I think the numbness in my arm got down. I can carry my baby now." Anika said faking a smile.
"Yeah sure." I acted along but my baby had other plans he refused to let me go.
"Hahaha... My baby loves his maasi more than me." Anika said smiling nervously.
"Why don't you go and enjoy the party, Omkara." I said smiling.
"I was about to but then I saw you and thought to ask you to accompany me for dinner." Omkara said.
"Who are you talking with, Omkara? " Omkara's parents asked coming towards us. Great!
"Mom and Dad, meet Gauri." Omkara said introducing me to his parents.
"Gauri? As in your Gauri! " His mom asked looking me wide eyed and he nodded.
"OMG, I can't believe, finally I got a chance to meet you. You are so beautiful." His mom said pulling me into a hug.
"Sorry, my mom's a bit dramatic." Omkara apologized.
"Shut up." His mom said, "My son always talks about you, He was very upset when you left him and was searching for you everywhere, finally he found you and I am happy."
"Hello beta, I am Tej Singh Oberoi, Omkara's father." His father said smiling warmly and I smiled back nervously.
"Gauri, we are glad to meet you, I hope you both would clear your differences soon." His mom said, "I can't wait for the day to see you both have a cutie pie like him." She said smiling dreamily looking at Ved.
Omkara winked at me.
I stood there not knowing what to do with Ved in my arms playing with my hair unaware of all the tension, I was going through.
"Gauri, It's time for cake cutting." Shivaay said coming to my rescue.
"Yes, we should go and cut the cake." Anika said smiling. "Come on, Ved come to Momma."
But my baby was not in a mood to leave me, he hugged me tight hiding his face in my crook surprising the Oberoi's.
"Seems like, he likes you." Omkara's father said smiling.
"Chalo, Gauri let's go." Anika said and we turned around to leave.
"Hello..Hai..bye bye..." A familiar loud voice came from behind shocking us.
"Mom/Mummyji." Shivaay and Anika said in shock seeing Shivaay's mom, Manorama.
"Mom, what are you doing here? " Shivaay asked in a shocked whisper.
"Haaye... Haaye.. What am I doing here? " Manorama aunty said, "Just like you all I too came to attend the party, Rudra invited me." Manorama aunty said while Oberoi's looked at us confused. Rudra... I am gonna kill you.
"This is my mother in law." Anika introduced Manorama aunty to Oberoi's, who are looking confused.
"When did you came to Paris from India, Mom." Shivaay asked.
"I came today, Rudra arranged tickets for me." Manorama aunty said flipping her hair, "Haaye... He's so cute." Manorama aunty said looking at Ved.
"Mom, come on let's go." Shivaay tried to get his mom away.
"You don't talk to me, Shivaay." Manorama aunty said, "See, how cute he is, I want my own set of grand children like him." Aunty said and Oberoi's looked at us shocked.
"Mom, we will talk about this later. Come with me." Shivaay said pulling his mom with him but the damaged was already done.
"Isn't Ved your own son, Anika? " Omkara's mom asked Anika and Anika was about to say something when a sudden commutation was heard making us look at the entrance.
There stood my mom and Dad holding balloons and toys, my dad wearing a T-shirt that read, "My Grandson turns One." And a hat on his head which read, "Proud Grandpa."
"Surprise." My parents shouted. It's not surprise, it's called shock Mom and Dad.
"Isn't that, Your parents Gauri? " Omkara asked looking at me. "Why's your father wearing that Proud Grandpa cap? " Omkara questioned making me want to dig a grave for myself.
That's it, I am totally gone now, totally struck.
"Omkara..." I said not knowing what to say and I am too shocked to even come up with a lie.
"What's happening here, Gauri? " Omkara asked looking into my eyes, "Shivaay's mother says she doesn't have grandkids, your parents are hear celebrating their grandkids birthday. What's happening? Where's Ved's Mom and Dad?" Omkara questioned and I gulped holding my baby closer to me tightly.
I was looking at Omkara not knowing what to say, while he was waiting for me to answer.
"Mama." My baby called keeping his little hand on my face. Wow, great! My baby decided to hit the last nail to the coffin. I was asking him to call me mama everyday and he chose it is a right moment to call me.
"Mama... " My baby called again smiling brightly looking at me while Omkara looked between Ved and Me.
"Why is he calling you Mama?" Omkara asked and my hold on Ved tightened.
"If he don't call his mom as Mama then whom will he call?" My mom said coming towards us. "See, how cutely he was calling you as Mama, didn't I told you to wait till he turns one to speak words." My mom said pinching Ved's cheek totally unaware of the tension between Omkara and Me.
It didn't took much time for a genius to do the math and Omkara's eyes widened as realisation dawned to him.
"He's mine, Isn't he? " Omkara asked looking into my eyes. I looked down not knowing what to say.
"Answer me, Gauri." Omkara asked raising his voice.
"Yes." I whispered and Omkara's parents gasped loudly.
I looked up and saw Omkara, who had a expression of hurt on his face.
"Omkara let me explain." I said and Omkara gave me a serious look before he walked away.
"Omkara, wait." I shouted from behind and ran after him giving Ved to My mom.
This not how I wanted Omkara to know about our child. Now that he know, I know I am totally gone.
"Omkara, listen to me once." I said after he stopped in front of the pool in the garden area at the back side of the resort.
"I had a son and I was unaware of it!" Omkara said punching the near by wall with his fist.
"Om.... "
"Why? " He asked hurt, "why didn't you told me earlier, why did you hide him from me? "
"Omkara, I am sorry."
"Sorry! I missed one year of his life, Gauri. His birth, his first step, his first word everything." He said running a hand through his hair. "Why did you did this to me?" He asked holding me by my shoulders hurting me in process. "WHY? "
"Because I was hurt and heart broken. I couldn't face you again after all what you made me go through." I shouted coming out of his grip.
"When I came out of your penthouse that day, I went straight to my parents. I was depressed and used to cry all the day. My parents were afraid that something might happen to me, so they brought me here. And then I found I am pregnant with Ved. He was the one, who made me smile again and gave a new hope to live. I was too angry on you for your betrayal that I decided to not let you have a place in our lives. I kept him away from you because, I don't want his to go through the same pain as me when you leaves us again, I don't want him to come to me asking why his papa left us. I don't know Omkara, even though you cleared the misunderstandings between us, I am too afraid to trust you again. I am afraid that one day I will wake up and get to know I had been living a false dream again." I cried and Omkara hugged me tight.
"I am sorry for making you go through all those things." Omkara cried hiding his face in my neck.
"I feel angry on myself for making you go through all those things, But believe me Gauri, I would never leave you or our son again." He said as he cried like a kid.
Our son, the word sounded so nice coming from Omkara. I felt sad for keeping Ved away from him.
"I am sorry, Gauri. I was not there for you when you needed me the most just because of my stupidity. I am feeling angry on myself." Omkara cried hugging me.
It broke my heart seeing him cry. I couldn't see him hurting himself. I still love him and seeing him sad is making my heart break. I wrapped my arms around him hugging him. May be I should let Omkara to have a part in Ved's life.