This story is specially posted for rikarabharnal_life. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU <3 <3 <3
Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous part.
I just wanted to check with you guys regarding my story One Dark Night, do you want me to post it here? I think I have already posted with Rikara in Wattpad earlier (couldn't find it though, not sure why)
Say You Love Me
Hearing the door bell, Gauri quickly opens the door knowing who would it be.
"Hey." Omkara says smiling at her. "What's up? Why did you ask me to come?"
"Come inside." Gauri tells him as she opened the door wide for him.
Omkara walks in following her.
"How are the preps going?" Gauri asks him conversationally as she gathered her courage to ask him what she wanted from him.
"Fine... I guess." Omkara says a little disinterestedly.
"Hmmm."
"What hmmm?" Omkara asks a little irately.
"Nothing." Gauri says shaking her head as she gestured him to sit.
Sighing loudly, Omkara sits on her couch and curiously looks around her studio flat. It looked messy and disorganized, unlike her usual organized self.
"Everything alright?" Omkara asks her curiously.
"Yeah... all fine."
"Hmmm."
"What hmmm?"
"Nothing." Omkara says shrugging. "Why is your flat in a mess?" Omkara asks unable to hide his curiosity.
"I've been a little distracted." Gauri replies a little vaguely as she quickly grabbed all the magazines on the table and neatly stacked it up.
"About what?" Omkara asks unable to hide his excitement. His heart doing a happy jig.
"About me." Gauri quickly says realizing where his thoughts were going as she studied her nails.
"What about you?" Omkara ask with a little frown as his excitement died down.
"I've been thinking about my future." Gauri tells him still not looking at his eyes.
"What about it?" Omkara asks as his heart started beating faster.
"I can't live alone forever." Gauri tells him hesitantly.
"Gauri... my engagement is in a month's time... but I can still call..." Omkara quickly starts to tell her.
"I need a favor from you." Gauri quickly cuts him off.
"What favor?"
Gauri finally looks into his eyes and tells him, "I want to have a baby."
"What?" Omkara asks as his heart skipped a beat and his breath got caught in his throat.
"I said I want to have a baby."
"Baby? You mean you want to get married?" Omkara asks not understanding completely.
"I am never getting married." Gauri tells him in finality.
"What nonsense is this, Gauri?" Omkara asks getting furious.
"Please, Omkara... you are the only man I trust."
"Then you marry me. Not ask me for something so disgusting." Omkara tells her as he stood up.
"Omkara, I can never marry you... I can never marry anyone." Gauri tells him helplessly as she stood up.
"What the hell happened in your past, Gauri? Why the hell you never talk about it?" Omkara asks her.
"Nothing happened. I can't handle marriages."
"I have known you since you were 14. So, please think before you lie to my face."
"Omkara... why is it so hard for you to realize that I just don't want what a normal girl wants from her life? Why should I have a horrible past if I decide to have a baby without marriage?"
Omkara walks towards her and holding her hand lovingly, he says, "Gauri... you never let me say it... but you know, I lov..."
"I don't know anything." Gauri cuts him off as she looked away.
Omkara sighs sadly as he looked away. "Why do you do this to me, Gauri?" he asks unable to hide his pain.
"There is a girl waiting for you, Omkara."
"And that didn't stop you from asking me this." Omkara tells her in disgust.
"I don't know how to explain it to you, Omkara." Gauri tells him as she turned to look at him.
Hearing the pain in her voice, Omkara turns to look at her and then closes his eyes in seeing the pain in her eyes. "I am your best friend. Why can't you be honest with me?"
"Omkara... I don't know, what you want to hear from me... all I know is that I don't want to be in bondage."
"Marriage is not bondage... love is not..."
"For me, it is."
"What the hell do you want from me then?"
"I want a baby, Omkara."
"Why?"
"I just want a baby."
"Give me a f**king good reason why!" Omkara furiously tells her as he turned around and gripped her arms.
Gauri winces in pain and tells him, "I have no reasons, Omkara. Please, give me a baby, Omkara. That's all I want."
"How can you even ask me that?" Omkara asks her in disgust as he moved back. "Did you forget my marriage is fixed?"
"You talk to your fianc... if she approves only, we would go ahead with it." Gauri tells him.
"Who in her right mind would agree to such a thing?" Omkara asks her in utter shock.
"If she doesn't then only I'll approach a sperm bank."
"Sperm bank?" Omkara asks in shock as bile started rising. Gauri having someone else's baby.
"Yes, that is my decision."
"Gauri... marry me... then we will have as many babies as you want. I promise you that." Omkara tells her earnestly.
"No, Omkara." Gauri tells him stubbornly.
"f**k you, Gauri." Omkara tells her furiously and turns to walk off in anger.
"Omkara... I am begging you." Gauri pleads him as she gave in to her tears.
Omkara stops hearing her and turning to her, he asks helplessly, "Why?"
"I just want a baby."
"Why don't you want me?" Omkara asks as tears stung his eyes.
"There isn't anything I can give you, Omkara."
"All I want is you."
"I don't want you, Omkara." Gauri softly whispers as she looked down.
"But you want my baby?" Omkara asks her in disgust.
"Yes."
"No."
"Please?"
"Do you even realize what you are asking me?"
"I know, Omkara... but I am helpless."
"What is your helplessness? Make me understand then. I promise, whatever it is, I will sort it out, Gauri."
"There is nothing either of us can do, Omkara."
"How can you decide that? Maybe I can."
"YOU CAN'T"
"Fine then." Omkara says furiously and he turns to walk out.
"Omkara." Gauri hurries after him as she burst into tears and quickly catches him. "Please, Omkara... I am begging you... please, Omkara... I never asked you for anything... please..."
Omkara closes his eyes in defeat as he tried to control his tears.
**********
Hearing her mobile ring, Gauri quickly answers it.
"Omkara?"
"Hmmm."
"Did you talk to her?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"She said okay."
"She did?" Gauri asks surprised.
"You have a problem with that too, now?"
"No." Gauri quickly says.
"So? What now?" Omkara asks confused.
"We'll see the doctor tomorrow."
"Okay. I'll pick you up in the morning."
**********
Next day, they were waiting for their turn to meet the doctor. Gauri curiously turns to Omkara and asks him again, "Why did she agree?"
"Because I asked her to."
"But why? How?"
"I told her everything."
"Everything?" Gauri asks confused.
"Yes." Omkara tells her. "You sure you want this?" Omkara asks her.
"Yes."
"You can go in now." A nurse informs them.
**********
"I don't understand... why do you want to go for artificial insemination?" the doctor asks confused looking through Gauri's reports.
"This is what I want." Gauri tells her.
"But why?"
"It's personal."
"And you are her...?" doctor asks turning to Omkara.
Before Gauri could say anything, Omkara quickly tells her, "Husband."
"No... he is my best friend." Gauri informs her making Omkara sigh furiously.
"Hmmm." Doctor muses as she thought about it.
"Is that a problem?" Gauri asks her.
Doctor shakes her head and turning to Omkara, she says, "Follow me."
**********
"You are not coming?" Omkara asks on the phone as he got ready for his engagement.
"No."
"Why?"
"I am not feeling good."
"Is everything alright? Has the results come in?" Omkara asks worriedly.
"No... I'll get it only tomorrow."
"You would tell me when the results come, right?" Omkara asks her suspiciously.
"Of course."
"Hmmm... fine... I gotta go."
"All the best." Gauri tells him.
Omkara closes his eyes in fury hearing her wish him then unable to control his anger, he says, "Of all the people in this world, you don't deserve to wish luck for me."
**********
"Hello, Omkara."
Hearing the sound, Omkara turns around and finds his fiance. "Hi." Omkara says with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"You haven't called in a while."
"Meghana... it's just that, I have been a little busy lately." Omkara tells her regretfully.
"I assumed as such. But you could have called." Meghana says with a small smile. "After marriage, I won't let you ignore me as such."
Omkara smiles at her for lack of anything else to say or do.
"Come, I want to introduce you to my relatives."
Omkara nods and follows her.
**********
"Shit." Omkara curses in shock seeing Gauri's doctor standing next to Meghana's mother.
"Is everything alright?" Meghana asks confused.
"Yeah... yeah..." Omkara says as he looked for an escape route. "I just remembered something." Omkara says quickly realizing that Gauri's doctor had spotted him and she was smiling at him.
"Now?" Meghana asks confused.
"Yes. It is really important." Omkara says noticing Meghana's mother and the doctor walking towards him.
"Just 2 minutes, Omkara... I want to introduce you to my maasi."
"Maasi?" Omkara asks in panic. He was screwed.
"Yes. Come."
"No." Omkara says quickly as he turned to walk off.
"Omkara." He hears Meghana's mother call out to him.
He tries to walk off acting as if he didn't hear her but then Meghana holds his hand. "Hey, mom is calling you."
f**k.
"Omkara, I want you to meet my sister."
Cursing his bad luck, Omkara turns around to face them. Doctor was now looking at him with a confused look.
"Is he the boy?"
"Yes."
"Doctor, I want to talk to you." Omkara says quickly noticing her frown and anger.
"You know maasi?" Meghana asks surprised.
"Of course, he does." Doctor says glaring furiously at him.
"How?"
"Doctor... please? I just want to talk to you for a minute."
"The results are in. She is pregnant."
Omkara gulps in shock though his treacherous heart does a happy jig. Gauri is carrying his baby.
"Who is pregnant?" Meghana asks confused.
"His wife or best friend... I don't know."
"What are you saying Maasi? I don't understand. What is she saying Omkara?" Meghana asks confused and worried.
"Nothing." Omkara replies as he stared down at the doctor. "Don't you have a Physician-patient privilege?"
"Oh really? So, I should let my niece marry you?"
"What is happening here?" Meghana asks them in confusion. "Who is pregnant? What does that have to do with Omkara?"
"Your fiance is going to be a father."
Again, that treacherous joy.
"WHAT?" Meghana and her mother shouts at the same time.
"It's not what you think." Omkara tells her as he quietly turned to her.
"Is someone pregnant with your child?"
"Yes."
*SLAP*
**********
"What is happening here?" Tej asks furiously seeing Meghana slapping his son. Jhanvi comes hurrying behind him.
"Om, what happened?" Jhanvi asks worriedly.
"Your son has got a girl pregnant." Meghana's mother says furiously.
"What nonsense are you talking?" Tej asks furiously.
"Our son is not like that." Jhanvi says furiously.
"Ask him then." Meghana tells her furiously.
Jhanvi starts to defend Omkara when she notices him looking at her in guilt.
"What is she saying, Om? What did you do?" Jhanvi asks him in shock.
"These people are lying. Don't you know our son?" Tej asks furiously.
"They are not." Omkara informs him looking down.
"What?" Tej asks in shock and humiliation.
"Who?" Jhanvi asks at the same time.
"Gauri."
"How dare you, Om?" Jhanvi asks him furiously. "What the hell are you doing here then? You got a girl pregnant and now you are marrying another?"
"It's not what you think."
"Then what is it?" Tej asks him furiously. "Tell us what we should think. Tell us that our grandchild is not illegitimate."
Omkara's heart skips a beat realizing that his child would be born illegitimate.
"I've to see Gauri." Omkara whispers in panic. Then without waiting for a reply he runs out.
**********
"GAURI! OPEN THE DOOR! GAURI!" Omkara screams as he banged on the door furiously.
Gauri opens the door hearing the commotion in worry. "Omkara? What happened? Is everything alright? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the venue?"
"We are getting married." Omkara tells her in fury.
"Omkara, a girl is waiting for you."
"I don't care. I won't have my child be born illegitimate."
"Your child?"
"You are pregnant."
"How did you..." Gauri asks in confusion as she kept her hand on her stomach unconsciously.
"that doctor is Meghana's maasi. She told everyone."
"But you told me that she agreed."
"Who in their right mind would agree to such a thing?" Omkara asks her in exasperation. "How could you possibly believe that she would agree to it?"
"You lied to me?" Gauri asks in a shocked whisper.
"I did... but now my child..."
"This is not your child, Omkara." Gauri tells him in shock.
"What rubbish are you talking, Gauri?"
"This is my child, Omkara."
"My child too, Gauri. Don't argue with me. We are getting married."
"We are not, Omkara. This is just my child. You have nothing to do with my child."
"f**k, Gauri. I will not have my child born illegitimate."
"Leave, Omkara."
"Abort the baby then."
"How dare you, Omkara?" Gauri asks him furiously as she pushed him.
"Either my child will be born with my surname or it will not be born. I'll not have my child be humiliated in front of the world."
"You don't make decisions for my baby."
"I will. Marry me or abort the baby, Gauri. You have no other choice."
"Get lost, Omkara." Gauri says furiously as she slammed the door shut.
"GAURI, OPEN THE DOOR!" Omkara screams at her as he hit on the door furiously.
**********
Omkara walks into his house dejectedly.
"Om?" Jhanvi calls him as she hurried to him.
"Where is Gauri?" Tej asks Omkara angrily.
"She didn't come." Omkara tells them.
"What the hell do you mean by she didn't come?" Tej asks furiously. "I would have never thought that girl as my bahu. I would have never allowed it. But now it is no longer about you or her, it is about my grandchild. My waaris."
"Tej... please calm down. Om... why didn't Gauri come? Didn't you tell her that we have accepted her and the baby?"
"She doesn't want to marry me. She never wanted to marry me. She just wants a baby. That's it!" Omkara tells them angrily.
"What the hell does that mean?" Tej asks angrily.
"I don't know!" Omkara says furiously and walks off.
**********
"Om..." Jhanvi calls him in a soft voice as she opened his bedroom door and walked in.
Omkara sits up in bed seeing her but doesn't say anything.
"Meghana's maasi told us everything... but I don't understand, why doesn't Gauri want to marry you?" Jhanvi asks him as she sat next to him.
"I don't know, Mom. I love her. I know she loves me but she will never admit it to me. She would never let me tell her that."
Jhanvi takes his hand in hers and gently pats him. "Then how did all this happen?"
"She begged me, Mom... I couldn't see her in pain... I love her so much... so much... that it hurts at times... that I've started hating myself for loving her so much... why can't she love me?... she started begging me and she was crying... I just gave in." Omkara tells her in a whisper.
"You shouldn't have, Om."
"I love her so much, Mom. I tried telling her many times but she always cut me off... then Dad and you started pressurizing me for marriage and I thought, maybe I should just move on... that is why I agreed to marry Meghana... then Gauri asked me for a baby." Omkara tells her as he shut his eyes tight. "I can never see her in pain. She doesn't talk about it, but I know that she has gone through something terrible in her life. I just know."
"I know." Jhanvi agrees.
"Did she ever tell you?" Omkara asks her in surprise.
"No. She never cooperated with the counselors. That is why, I asked you to befriend her. But now, when she says that she never wants to get married... I feel..." Jhanvi stops vaguely as she got lost in thoughts.
Omkara looks at her in shock as his breath got caught in his throat, he goes pale and he tells her in a whisper, "Mom... she was just 14 when you brought her."
"The counsellor had guessed... but she wasn't 100% sure when Gauri didn't cooperate or talk to her... so, I thought..."
"She was just a kid, mom." Omkara tells her again feeling the pain that Gauri might have gone through all those years ago.
"Talk to her, Om. Help her. She needs you the most now." Jhanvi tells him as she cupped his face.
"I told her to abort the baby."
"What? How could you, Om?" Jhanvi asks him furiously. "That child is not just your own. We all have a relation with that child. You can't decide on that child's fate."
"I was worried about him being born illegitimate." Omkara tells her sadly. "I didn't mean it. I truly didn't."
Jhanvi relaxes hearing him. "Make sure Gauri knows that."
"She does." Omkara replies confidently.
Jhanvi nods and gets up, "Go see her tomorrow. If you want we will come with you."
"I need to talk to her alone."
"Okay."
**********
Omkara was lost in his thoughts as he tried to grasp on to what his mother had told him about Gauri's past. He couldn't even imagine that and he wondered how Gauri bore all that. If someone has hurt Gauri like that, he would kill that person. Omkara vowed.
Hearing his mobile ring, he quickly picks it up. "Gauri?"
"Omkara."
"Gauri, I want to see you."
"I am going, Omkara."
"WHAT?" Omkara asks in shock as he sat up. "Gauri, please don't leave me... I am sorry for what I said earlier."
"I know, Omkara."
"I didn't mean it, Gauri. I don't want to kill our baby."
"I am not going away because I am scared that you would kill my baby, Omkara."
"Our baby, Gauri."
"I am going away because I am scared you would force me to marry you."
"I want to marry you, Gauri. My parents are waiting for me to bring you home."
"No, Omkara. You should have a life. Marry someone..."
"I love you, Gauri."
"I can never give you anything, Omkara. I can never be a good wife."
"All I want is you and our baby, Gauri."
"I can't, Omkara."
"Why?"
"I just can't, Omkara."
"Gauri..." Omkara softly calls her name and then taking a deep breath with his eyes closed, he asks her, as gently as he could, "Were you raped?"
She was silent for a few seconds, then whispered, "No."
Omkara sighs in relief. The relief that she didn't go through that kind of pain was relieving him from physical and emotional pain.
"My sister." Gauri replies.
"You have a sister?" Omkara asks shocked and then realizing what she had meant, he asks in shock, "What happened to her?"
"After ma passed away... it was just us." Gauri tells him in a whisper. "One night, I woke up hearing her screaming. I got so scared. Then I saw what was happening to her. I screamed. He told me to go to the corner and sleep. But I could never sleep, Omkara. I always heard her. I always saw her. Even today, I see her and hear her."
"Who was he, Gauri?" Omkara asks Gauri as his heart slammed against his chest. Knowing that it was someone close to her.
"My father." Gauri says in a bare whisper.
Omkara closes his eyes in pain, realizing what Gauri had gone through all those years ago and what she is going through even today.
"One day, he said that she didn't excite him anymore." He hears Gauri's whisper.
He wanted to ask her to stop. He didn't want to hear anymore. But he couldn't do it. After 9 years, she was talking about all that and he couldn't stop her now.
"He told me to get on the bed. He was going to do all that to me." Gauri tells him in a whisper.
Omkara closes his eyes shut in pain as tears stung his eyes.
"My sister hit him on his head. He fell down and she told me to run. I didn't know what to do. then I saw him getting up. My sister started hitting him again and again, screaming at me to run. And I ran."
"Gauri... please... I'll never be like your father. I'll protect you and our baby with my life." Omkara promises her.
"I got into a train, Omkara." Gauri tells him. "In one station, the TTR caught me for travelling without a ticket and when I had no money to pay the fine, he handed me to the police. I was in the police station the whole day. Then a woman came. A social worker. She told me her name is Jhanvi Singh Oberoi. She told me she would take me to some place safe. She took me to a shelter home, she was running. She tried to help me. But I didn't deserve any help. I couldn't tell anyone what had happened. Still, they didn't abandon me. They put me in government school. She told me that life has given me a second chance and I shouldn't let it go to waste. I couldn't waste the life that my sister gave me. I studied hard. When she saw how good I was performing. She sponsored my education and put me in the school her son was studying. Then she introduced me to her son. Her son was this sweet boy. But I was scared of him. I feared all the boys. All the teachers. I tried to avoid him. But he remained persistent. And my fears remained strong. Then he passed out from school and I started missing him. Later, when I passed school, again Jhanvi Singh Oberoi sponsored my studies and put me in the same college as her son. He again tried to be my friend. I tried to avoid him. When the seniors started ragging me, he stood up for me. He always protected me. He became my friend. My champion. He was like the father, I never had. I started trusting him. I started liking him. I believed him to keep me safe, no matter what. And never once, he broke my trust. I love him. With all my heart, I love him, Omkara."
"Marry me, Gauri."
"I can't, Omkara. I cannot. I am sorry. You deserve someone who is whole. Who can love you the way you deserve."
"I love you, Gauri. Nothing else matters. We will make a life for us, Gauri."
"I can't, Omkara."
"Why, Gauri?"
"I just can't, Omkara."
"Are you scared of sex, Gauri?"
"I am."
"We can get help, Gauri."
"Your touch doesn't scare me, Omkara. Because I know, you would die before you hurt me."
"Then what is stopping you, Gauri."
"I don't know, how to explain it to you, Omkara. I just don't. please let me go. I am begging you."
"Please don't leave me, Gauri."
"More than anything I want to be with you. but I can't... in a way, a part of you'll always be with me."
"You have gone through a lot in life, Gauri. If being away from me gives you peace, then I'll let you go." Omkara tells her as he cried.
"Thank you."
"But I have three conditions."
"What are they?"
"My child will have my name. Not yours. Not anyone else's. my name. just my name."
"Okay."
"No matter who, when, where or how. If anyone asks him who his father is, without any hesitation, doubt or humiliation, he should proudly reply, Omkara Singh Oberoi is his father."
"I promise. What is your third condition?"
"If ever you change your mind, that you feel, you want to be with me, then you would come back to me immediately."
"Don't wait for me, Omkara." Gauri tells him as she softly cried.
"I am not stopping you from leaving and you shouldn't stop me from waiting for you."
"Okay."
"I love you, Gauri and I'll wait for you all my life."
"Good bye, Omkara."
"Gauri?"
"Yes?"
"One day, my baby is going to come looking for me. I know."
**********
11 and a half years later.
Omkara was busy typing away on his laptop when he hears the phone ringing. He quickly picks it up knowing it is his secretary. "Yes?"
"Sir... One Gauri is on the phone. She said you know her. Should I connect?"
"Gauri?" Omkara asks in a whisper, not knowing whether he should believe her, not sure whether he had imagined her say Gauri's name.
"Yes, sir. Should I?"
"Yes." Omkara replies quickly, silently praying that it is Gauri and his mind is not playing a cruel game on him.
Then he heard her voice, "Hello?"
"Gauri?" Omkara says his heart slamming against his chest, his eyes tearing up, his throat closing in on him, his mind screaming at him a hundred things.
"How are you, Omkara?"
"Boy or girl?"
"Girl." Gauri replies and he could hear her smile in her voice.
Omkara smiles as he closed his eyes in a kind of relief.
"I called you because..."
"Come back, Gauri."
Gauri sighs, and says, "No, Omkara."
"Then why did you call?"
"Today at 12:30, put channel 4."
"Why?" Omkara asks confused.
"She is coming on TV." Gauri tells him with a smile.
"Really? For what?" Omkara asks as he stood up quickly to leave for home.
"You will see... but..."
"What?" Omkara asks frowning.
"I don't know, whether you wanted things to be like this..."
"Like what?"
"You see it... I am sorry, Omkara... she has no filter."
"What, Gauri?" Omkara asks confused though he couldn't help the smile that escaped his lips.
"Watch it. Take down my number. If you want to talk to her after that, she will be home today."
**********
"MOM... DAD." Omkara screams out to them as he hurried into his home.
"Yeah?" Tej asks shocked looking up from his newspaper.
"What is it, Om?" Jhanvi asks as she came hurrying out.
"Gauri called today." Omkara tells them as he quickly grabbed the TV remote and turned on the TV. He quickly started browsing the channel. He had fifteen more minutes for the show to start.
"Gauri?" Jhanvi asks in shock. "Why? Is she coming back?"
"What about my grandchild?" Tej asks before Omkara could reply. "Ask her to come home. Enough of this hide and seek. I have been a grandfather for more than a decade and I still haven't seen my grandson."
"Granddaughter." Omkara corrects him with a smile.
"Daughter?" Tej asks furiously as he stood up. "Do you know how difficult it is to get a good boy from a good family? Do you think anyone from a good family would accept an illegitimate child? Ask Gauri to bring my granddaughter home. You both are getting married."
"Yes, Om. It's been too long." Jhanvi tells him.
"You both calm down, now. I just want to see my daughter for now." Omkara says as he sat on the couch.
"Is she coming on TV?" Jhanvi asks confused seeing Omkara settled to watch TV.
"Yes. That is why Gauri called." Omkara explains excitedly.
"Is it her?" Tej asks excitedly.
"That is Alia Bhatt, Dad. Do you really think that my daughter is that old?" Omkara asks outraged.
"She looks like a teenager. I thought your daughter is a little overgrown." Tej says embarrassed. "What is her name?"
"Alia Bhatt."
"She named my grandchild Bhatt?" Tej asks outraged. "She should be Alia Singh Oberoi."
"Oh... I thought you were asking me about the actress." Omkara quickly tells him.
"Why would I ask you about an actress?" Tej asks confused.
"I didn't ask her the name." Omkara tells him regretfully.
"Why didn't you?" Jhanvi asks him shocked.
"She told me it was a daughter and I just couldn't think about anything else." Omkara tells her a little embarrassed. Then realizing the program was starting, he says excitedly, "It is starting."
It was a program about women and their achievements with interviews with a few women for a few minutes each.
"Is it her?" Tej asks pointing at a girl.
"No." Omkara replies shaking his head. That didn't look their daughter.
"How can you be sure?" Jhanvi asks confused.
"She doesn't feel like my daughter."
They sat and watched the program for almost 20 minutes.
"Are you sure it is telecasting today?" Jhanvi asks him.
"Yes. That is what Gauri told me."
"Maybe she got the date wrong." Tej says disappointedly.
Omkara was about to reply when the final segment started and he saw the clips of a girl playing chess, walking and sitting.
"That's her." Omkara tells them in amazement. Every ounce of life in his body was screaming at him that it was his daughter.
"You sure?" Jhanvi asks as she excitedly stared and then says, "She has Gauri's face."
"And his smile." Tej says amazed.
"Doesn't she?" Omkara asks as his eyes filled with tears.
"yes." Jhanvi says wiping her tears.
"SShhh... turn up the volume."
Omkara turns up the volume and a lady comes on TV.
"Today we are going to meet... what can I say... a mastermind? Yes, people... we are going to meet a mastermind. Let me welcome Gayathri to the show. Hello Gayathri... welcome to the show."
"Thank you." Gayathri says with a smile.
"For our audience, let me introduce you properly. This 11-year-old girl, is the first runner up for state level chess championship for the under-17 category. Yes, this bundle of talent and brains, beat more than 100 students from various parts of the state and all of them older to her. Gayathri, if I am not wrong, you were the youngest contestant, right?"
"Yes. I was the youngest." Gayathri tells her confidently.
"She is a genius." Tej says gaping.
"Isn't she?" Omkara asks without taking his eyes off his daughter.
"So, how does it feel to beat so many?"
"Very good. Very proud."
"How did you start playing chess?"
"From childhood... I don't remember how... I guess like all the other games, I started playing chess." Gayathri tells her shrugging making Omkara chuckle.
"Was it your decision to take part in the competition?"
"Yes. I heard about it, two years ago and ever since then, I have been preparing for it."
"Wow... that is what we call dedication."
"Yeah... even me." Gayathri tells her innocently.
Omkara chuckles seeing the way the interviewer's face flushed.
"Tell us something more about yourself."
"What about me?"
"Who all are there in your family? Who are you more close to you among your parents?"
Omkara's face goes pale hearing the question. If his daughter is humiliated on national TV, he don't know what he would do.
He turns to his parents and sees them nervously staring at the TV.
"I am close to my Ma."
"What about your father?"
"He doesn't stay with us."
"Oh." The interviewer says and then she hesitantly starts, "If you don't mind me asking..."
"Why would you ask me a question that you feel I would mind?" Gayathri asks her confused.
"HA!" Tej cheers happily.
"No... I mean..."
"Ask." Gayathri tells her.
"Why is your father not staying with you?"
"Who asks a kid such a question?" Jhanvi asks outraged.
"I am filing a case against her." Tej says furiously as he stood up.
"Do you think Gauri would have let her off, if those questions had hurt Gayathri?" Omkara asks them in surprise.
"But still... these things are not done." Tej mutters as he sat down.
"My parents are not married." Gayathri tells her.
"Oh."
"My Ma wanted a baby. So, she asked her best friend, that is my father. I was born through artificial insemination."
"So, you have never met your father?"
"No. he wanted to marry Ma... but Ma didn't want that."
"Hmmm... so do you ever want to meet him?"
"Wouldn't you want to meet your father?" Gayathri asks her shocked.
"Yeah... but I know... my father." She says a little hesitantly.
"Even I know my father." Gayathri tells her confused.
"Oh, you do?"
"D'oh! Why wouldn't I know him?" Gayathri asks her shocked out of her wits. "My name is Gayathri Omkara Singh Oberoi. My father's name is Omkara Singh Oberoi. My grandfather's name is Tej Singh Oberoi. My grandmother's name is Jhanvi Singh Oberoi."
Omkara smiles proudly realizing that his daughter knew, him and their history. He mentally thanked Gauri for that.
"So, why haven't you met them already?"
"How could I? He doesn't know where I am."
"You think he would contact you, if he finds you?"
"Oh God!" Gayathri looks at her in shock, "Why do you think I took part in the competition? Why do you think I came for the interview even when Ma told me not to?"
"You think he would watch it and contact you?"
"I don't think he watches ladies program. But I hope, my grandmother or someone who knows him, would watch it and tell him, and he would contact me."
"She seriously has no filter." Omkara says amazed as he took his mobile to dial.
"I hope your father contacts you soon. Thank you for spending your precious time with us."
"Thank you. bye." Gayathri says smiling.
"Om... where are you going?" Tej asks seeing Omkara walking off.
"I'll come now." Omkara tells them, not wanting them to find out he was calling Gayathri and have them snatch the phone from him to talk to her.
**********
Omkara takes a deep breath hearing the call connect and the phone starts ring.
"Hello?" Gayathri answers the call.
"Erm... Gayathri?" Omkara asks nervously.
"Yes. Who is this?"
Omkara's heart started slamming against his chest as he wondered how to address himself. Father? Papa? Dad?
"You there?"
"My name is Omkara Singh Oberoi." Omkara finally tells her.
He hears a gasp then an excited whisper, "Does Ma know you are calling me?"
"She gave me your number." Omkara tells her smiling.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Did I embarrass you, Pa? Ma said that I might have embarrassed you and you might have got married by now and have another family."
"You can never embarrass me, Gayathri. You and your Ma are my only family."
"You can call me Gayu, Pa."
"Gayu." Omkara calls her with a smile.
"Did you like my interview?"
"I did. Congratulations on winning."
"Thank you, Pa."
"Did you really take part in the competition to meet me?"
"Yes. I knew, once you knew where I am, you would find me." Gayu tells him confidently.
"I had told Gauri that one day, you would find me." Omkara tells her smiling.
"Really?"
"Yes. You look like Gauri... so beautiful."
"Ma says I have your smile."
"Yes, that is true."
"I want to see you, Pa."
"When should I come?" Omkara asks her in reply.
"Now."
Omkara chuckles hearing her. "Where do you stay?"
Gayu quickly gives him the address.
"I can't come now... if I start now, I'll only reach by midnight."
"Oh." Gayu says disappointed.
"I'll reach by tomorrow morning." Omkara promises her.
"Okay." Gayu says smiling.
**********
Early morning, Omkara rings the doorbell. He was excited and nervous to meet his daughter and Gauri. He wasn't sure who he was more excited in meeting, Gauri or Gayu.
Gauri opens the door and the moment she sees him, she stops with a smile on her face. She takes in his features and studied the changes that the last decade did to him with a smile on her face, and a hint of tears in her eyes.
Omkara looks at her and a sense of peace filled his heart seeing her after such a long time. She still looked the same and a lot different. Her eyes and smile were the same. Omkara couldn't help the smile that came over his lips. His eyes filling with tears.
He hears loud footsteps and an excited question, "Is he here?"
Gauri smiles as she continued to feast on him with her eyes, "Yes."
The footsteps get louder.
"How are you?" Omkara asks her.
"Good... you?"
"As good as life would let me be without you."
Gauri sadly smiles hearing that.
"Pa?" Gayu says excitedly as she appeared behind Gauri.
Omkara turns to his daughter and his soft smile erupts into a full-fledged smile.
"Hello Gayu."
"Hello Pa." Gayu says as she stepped out next to Gauri and then extended her hand for him to shake hands.
Omkara takes her hand in his and holds it, as he looked at his daughter. He had loved his child when he didn't know her, and now when he finally knows her, his heart was brimming and bursting with so much love, he just couldn't help it and he with his other hand lovingly caress her cheek. The moment his hand touched her cheek, Gayu runs into his arms and hugs him tight. Omkara hugs her as he felt his eyes prick with tears. With closed eyes and fighting tears, he stood there for a while with his daughter.
**********
Gayu was excitedly talking to Omkara, filling him in on her life while Omkara listened to her attentively.
"How is everyone at home, Pa? Do they ask about me?"
"Yes. They are dying to meet you."
"Then why didn't they come?" Gayu asks a little upset.
"I told them that I would bring them another day. After I meet you, I would bring them later."
"Oh." Gayu muses then she asks excitedly, "So, when will they come?"
"Soon."
"Dadi still does her social work?"
"Yes."
"And is Dadu still very strict?"
"He is." Omkara tells her chuckling.
"I want to talk to them."
Omkara takes his mobile and dials his father.
"I'll talk." Gayu says excitedly as she took his mobile.
Omkara smiles seeing her excitement.
"Hello, Om?" Omkara hears Tej say from the other end.
Gayu winks at Omkara and says in a serious hard tone, "This is not Om's number."
"Who is this?" Tej asks confused. Then he asks doubtfully, "Gayu? Is that you?"
"Hahahha Dadu... it's me. Why didn't you come to see me?" Gayu asks excitedly as she stood up and walked away to talk.
Omkara couldn't help smiling and then realization dawns on him. Gayu had took it for granted that her father's family loved her. And it could only be possible because of one person, Gauri. Omkara turns to look at Gauri and sees her watching him. The moment his eyes fell on hers, she smiles at him.
Gauri walks towards Omkara and tells him softly as she sat next to him, "She is a good girl, isn't she?"
"The best." Omkara replies as he watched his daughter excitedly talking to his parents.
"She knows everything about me."
"You are her father, isn't that what you wanted?"
"Yes. And I want more."
"Can't we be happy with this?" Gauri asks him sadly.
"How can you ask me that, Gauri?" Omkara asks her as he turned to her in shock, "My daughter is 11 years old and I am seeing her today. I missed her birth. I missed her first word. I missed her first step. I missed everything. My parents are still yearning to see her. How do you expect me to be happy with this, Gauri?"
"I am sorry, Omkara."
"What did you get by staying away from me for so long?" Omkara asks her hurt.
"Omkara, I told you..."
"What happened to you was horrible, Gauri. But that shouldn't be reason enough to punish us like this."
"This is not your punishment, Omkara." Gauri tells him in shock.
"Then?"
"It is mine."
"What are you saying, Gauri?"
"Omkara... I don't know how to explain it to you."
"With plain words." Omkara tells her irately.
"I can't... I am sorry."
"Why?"
"Dadu and Dadi asked us to go home." Gayu tells him as she hurried to them.
"Gayu, go to your room." Gauri tells her.
"Why?" Gayu asks shocked.
"I want to talk to Omkara alone for some time."
"But, I just met him." Gayu tells her getting upset.
"Later. Now, you go to your room, Gayu."
"Is that what you want, Pa?" Gayu asks him sadly.
Omkara couldn't help but react to the sadness in her voice and at present he was too angry at Gauri to say anything else. "No." Omkara says as he stood up and walked towards her.
**********
At night, after Gayu had gone to sleep, Omkara goes to his room. He wanted to talk to Gauri, but what he had gone through the last 11 years, had suddenly become too much for him to handle. Especially, after meeting Gauri and Gayu, he had realized what he had been missing all this while. Hearing a knock at the door, he sighs. "It's open, Gauri."
Gauri walks in and she closes the door behind her.
"I am sorry for earlier." Omkara tells her as he continued to sit on the bed.
"Don't be. That is quiet usual here." Gauri tells him smiling.
"What is?"
"When Gayu and I have a disagreement, she would ask me, if Pa was here, would he have supported me? and I always answered her honestly. If I tell her that you wouldn't, then she would drop the topic there, but if I tell her that you would support her, then she would say, 'Then I will listen to Pa'."
"You were so lucky to be a part of her life for all these years, Gauri. I hope you realize how lucky you were."
"I am sorry, Omkara... I never truly realized what I was denying you."
"Why didn't you, Gauri? Do I mean so little to you?" Omkara asks her sadly.
Gauri kneels down in front of him and tells him, "You mean the world to me, Omkara. You taught me to love. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I could have ever loved Gayu so much."
"Then what is stopping you?"
"I can never marry you, Omkara."
"Why not, Gauri?"
"I don't deserve happiness, Omkara." Gauri tells him as she kept her head on his lap, giving into her tears.
"If anyone deserves happiness, then it is you, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he kept his head on hers sadly.
"You are not understanding, Omkara."
"What am I not understanding, Gauri? Explain to me."
"How do I explain?" Gauri asks suddenly leaning up to look at him.
"Tell me, Gauri... talk to me." Omkara tells her as he cupped her face.
"I ran, Omkara." Gauri whispers to him in anguish.
"You were trying to save yourself, Gauri." Omkara tells her not truly understanding.
"You are not understanding, Omkara... I ran."
"What other option did you have, Gauri?"
"My sister told me to run and I ran, Omkara. I could hear my father and her, but I kept running. I didn't look back."
"Gauri... that is what you were supposed to do." Omkara tells her as he cupped her face.
"No, Omkara... I ran... I kept running... I didn't stop... I didn't look back... I just ran and ran. By the time, I stopped running, I had gone too far. Still, I didn't have the courage to look back. I didn't have the courage to go look for my sister."
"Gauri... that is what your sister wanted you to do."
"No, Omkara... it was my turn to pay the price for being his daughter. He had cast her aside. She was finally free of all the pain... but to save me, she risked her life again. I shouldn't have run away. I should have stayed. I should have paid the price. I should have set my sister free."
Finally, Omkara understand what it had always been about. "Survivor's guilt." Omkara whispers in shock.
"It's not survivor's guilt, Omkara. You are not understanding. It was my turn and I escaped."
"And that is not a crime, Gauri."
"It is, Omkara. Even today, I don't know what had happened. I don't know whether my sister killed my father. Whether he killed her. Or he survived and did something worse to her. I don't know, Omkara. And I am scared to find out... I fear what I will find out."
"Whatever happened, it was not your fault. It was his crimes and sins."
"I don't deserve a happy life, Omkara. I don't deserve a life that I stole from my sister."
"You didn't steal her life, Gauri. She gave you a new life."
"No, Omkara... she deserved a new life. Not me. she had suffered. She had no one to protect her. She was never happy. She deserved everything."
That was the moment, he truly understood her, and he softly asks her, "What is your sister's name, Gauri?"
"Gayathri."
"Gayu... you are giving her the life, you feel your sister deserved, isn't it?"
Gauri nods her head in yes.
"That is why you wanted to have a baby."
"A daughter. And I always knew, when I have a baby, it would be a girl." Gauri tells him with a sad smile.
"You are giving her everything that you can... but there are things, that only her father can give her... some that only her grandparents can give her... don't deny her all that, Gauri."
"I can't have a life, that my sister never had."
"Then don't... you come home with me. don't marry me... stay in my house. We don't have to be married to be parents to our daughter. Please come home with me, Gauri."
Gauri nods her head in yes.
**********
Tej and Jhanvi were at the steps to welcome Gayu and Gauri home. The moment the car stopped, Gayu excitedly gets out of the car, happy to meet her grandparents for the first time.
"Dadi... Dadu..." Gayu calls out to them as she ran to them excitedly.
"This girl has springs on her legs." Gauri mutters as she got out of the car, making Omkara grin.
"She is meeting her family for the first time. Cut her some slacks."
"But still... they would think that she is on some adrenaline rush... or a sugar rush." Gauri says watching Gayu hugging Jhanvi and Tej.
"Does she have?"
"What?"
"Sugar rush?"
"No... this is her normal behavior. Maybe she was born with these kinds of weird energies."
Omkara chuckles as he pulled out their luggage from the boot.
"Gauri." Jhanvi calls her as she walked towards her.
Gauri turns to the woman who had changed her life, and smiles at her. "Jhanvi Aunty."
"How are you?"
Gauri smiles as she shook her head.
"Now, you two get married fast." Tej tells her in a whisper as he walked towards them.
"Dad, we talked about this." Omkara tells him sternly seeing Gauri going pale.
Tej nods, "Welcome home, Gauri."
Gauri smiles at him.
"Why are we all standing here? Can we go inside?" Gayu curiously asks them.
"Yes... yes."
"Gayu... please?" Gauri says in a soft voice as she hurried behind her.
"Mom... did you talk to the police?" Omkara asks her in a whisper, so that Gauri doesn't hear them.
"I did... they are looking into it. Since it happened so many years ago, they said they need some time."
**********
Omkara knocks on Gauri's bedroom at night.
"It's open." Gauri informs him from inside.
Omkara opens the door and walks in smiling at her. "You settled?"
Gauri nods at him smiling. "Did your parents say anything about Gayu?"
"Why?" Omkara asks grinning at her knowing too well why she was asking that.
"She is so hyper." Gauri tells him a little worried.
Omkara chuckles hearing her, "They love her. And they are just so happy to see how excited she is to meet them."
"At times, I feel she is so hyperactive." Gauri tells him.
"Why do you think like that? Why don't you realize that you raised her with so much love and security that she is not afraid of anything... that she feels secure?"
"I didn't want her to live in fear like I did." Gauri softly whispers to him.
"And she isn't afraid." Omkara tells her confidently as he kept his hand on her shoulder.
Gauri smiles at him.
"I never thanked you, Gauri." Omkara tells her.
"For what?" Gauri asks turning to him frowning.
"For the way, you raised her. For the way, she loves me and my parents. It was only because of you."
"I kept her away from you, Omkara." Gauri tells him sadly. "From her family."
"I forgive you, Gauri. At times, I get angry but then, now I know why you did what you did... and I can't truly blame you."
Gauri doesn't reply to that.
"I wanted to ask you... what reason did you give her to why you never married me?" Omkara asks curiously.
"I just told her that I didn't want to get married."
"And she believed that?"
"Yes."
"Do you think... she would also want to be like that?" Omkara asks a little worried.
Gauri chuckles, "She said she wants to fall in love and get married. God help you, Omkara Singh Oberoi when that happens."
"God help me." Omkara chuckles hearing that.
**********
Gauri and Gayu got adjusted to Omkara's house very quickly. Omkara's parents also open heartedly accepted Gauri, though Tej did talk about Omkara and Gauri getting married, but Omkara handles him then.
"Gauri." Omkara opens her bedroom door at night and looks in.
"Yeah?" Gauri turns to him smiling at him.
Before going to sleep, Omkara always dropped into her room to chat with her.
"We'll go to the terrace?"
"Yeah, sure." Gauri says smiling as she walked out with him.
"You are happy here, right?" Omkara asks her.
"Yes. Are you still unhappy about our situation?" Gauri asks him.
"I am but I know you, Gauri... I understand your reasons too... if I don't support you then who will?"
"I regret leaving all those years ago. I can never give back what you missed with Gayu."
"I have been thinking about it." Omkara tells her as he sat at the edge of the terrace wall. "If you hadn't left then my parents would have forced you to marry me. you would have been miserable and we wouldn't have been happy."
"Hmmm."
"It's okay, I have made my peace with it. I am happy that you are near me. that I get to see Gayu grow up."
"I always wish that I am different. So, that we could have been together. With love, happiness and more children." Gauri tells him.
"I might have not loved a different you." Omkara tells her. "I could only love this you."
Gauri smiles at him and moving towards him, she hugs him. "I love you, Omkara."
"I know, love." Omkara tells her as he hugged her.
"I feel so safe and secure in your arms, Omkara. I missed you so much these years. All this."
"I know."
**********
"Gauri..." Omkara calls her as he walked into her room at night, and finds Gayu and Gauri laughing over something.
"Pa." Gayu calls him excitedly. "We are looking at your old photos. You looked so funny in school."
"Gayu... could you go to your room? I need to talk to Gauri about something very important."
Seeing Omkara's serious face, Gauri gently nudges her, "Go, Gayu."
"Okay." Gayu says as she got up from the bed and gathered all the albums.
"I'll look at those with you later, I promise." Omkara tells her.
"Okay... no problem." Gayu tells him smiling as she hugged him.
Omkara closes the door after Gayu left and turns to Gauri.
"Is everything alright?" Gauri asks him as she stood up.
"Yeah... come here." Omkara says as he walked to the foot of the bed. "Sit."
Gauri sits down with a curious frown on her face and Omkara kneels in front of her.
"I had been looking for your sister." Omkara tells her quickly.
Gauri goes pale hearing that. "How... is... she? Is she..."
"She is alive." Omkara tells her.
"And?" Gauri asks him nervously with bated breath.
"She is..."
"Omkara." Gauri quickly cuts him off. "Do I want to hear it?" Gauri worriedly asks him.
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"I wouldn't tell you if I wasn't."
"Tell me then." Gauri tells him trusting him completely.
"She killed you father, Gauri."
Gauri gasps in shock though she felt a relief rush through her realizing that her father couldn't continue torturing her sister.
"She was given life imprisonment for the murder."
"Oh no... no... Omkara." Gauri whispers as her eyes filled up with tears.
"She got out on good behavior couple of years ago." Omkara quickly tells her.
"Where is she?"
"She is in a rescue shelter in Bareilly."
"Rescue shelter?" Gauri asks in a heartbreaking voice.
"she is a counsellor there." Omkara quickly informs her.
"What?"
"Yes." Omkara tells her smiling.
"You are telling me the truth, right?" Gauri asks him smilingly a little.
"Very sure."
"I want to see her." Gauri tells him as she cried in relief.
"Tomorrow morning we are going to see her." Omkara tells her smiling.
Gauri quickly hugs him and burst into tears in relief.
Once Gauri had calmed down, they continued to hug each other for a while longer.
"I should go." Omkara softly whispers to her.
Gauri quickly grips his shirt to stop him from leaving.
"Gauri..."
"Stay with me." Gauri whispers to him as she looked into his eyes.
"That is not a good idea, Gauri." Omkara tells her worriedly thinking of what could happen if he stayed there.
"I want to be with you tonight, Omkara."
"Gauri... I won't be able to leave later."
Realizing what he was saying, Gauri cups his face and asks him calmly, "Haven't we waited our whole life for this, Omkara?"
"You sure, Gauri?" Omkara asks her as he gulped nervously as his heart started slamming against his chest.
In reply, Gauri keeps her lips on his.
"I should leave." Omkara whispers to her as they snuggled in bed.
"Don't go." Gauri tells him as she hugged him tight.
Omkara turns to her and starts nibbling on her lips, "We shouldn't be setting such wrong examples to Gayu."
"She is not going to come in here tonight.'
"Night? It is morning, Gauri." Omkara whispers to her as he kissed her neck.
"Morning?" Gauri asks sighing.
"4." Omkara tells her.
"She won't be waking up for another 3 hours." Gauri whispers to him as she ran a finger over his naked chest.
"You are mad." Omkara tells her grinning getting turned on again.
**********
"I guess this is it." Gauri tells him as she looked at the GPS.
Omkara looks to the sides and quickly spots the building. "There."
Gauri takes a deep breath nervously seeing the building.
"Are you alright?" Omkara asks her as he maneuvered the car towards the gate.
Gauri nervously nods her head.
"You both stay in the car, I'll go and see." Omkara tells Gauri and Gayu as he parked the car.
Few minutes later, Gauri sees Omkara come out of the building and she quickly get out of the car. Then she sees her. Gauri nervously takes a step as she took in the sight of her sister. Her sister looked very different but she knew that was her sister. She was walking behind Omkara. She looked nervous and she was crying.
"Gauri?" her sister calls out to her the moment she spots her.
Gauri quickly runs to her and hugs her tight. "Di."
"Gauri, is that really you?"
"Yes, di."
"I thought you were dead, Gauri." Gayathri tells her as she hugged Gauri and cried.
"I thought you were dead." Gauri tells her as she burst into tears. "I am so sorry, di. I shouldn't have left. I shouldn't have abandoned you."
"You didn't Gauri. I told you to leave." Gayathri says surprised.
Seeing the sisters, Omkara decided to give them some privacy and he walks towards the car where Gayu was looking at everything in shock and confusion.
"Because of me you went to jail, di. I should have protected you."
"No, Gauri... I should have killed him when he touched me the first time. I was too scared and afraid of him. But when he turned to you... I couldn't let him do what he did to me to you."
"I ran away from you, di. I shouldn't have."
"I could never forgive myself for asking you to run away like that. I shouldn't have asked you to run away. I was worried that you might have died or someone like our father got hold of you."
"Omkara's mother found me, di. They rescued me. I was safe with them. But you were in jail."
"You shouldn't have any guilt about that, Gauri." Gayathri tells her in shock. "The truth is I was safe there. No one was there to hurt me. I could sleep at night. The only thing I was worried about was you. I saw many women like me and you there. It changed my life for good, Gauri. But all I worried about was you and how I couldn't help you. After I was released, I decided to help other women, hoping that by helping them, I would be helping you in some way."
Gauri smiles hearing that and tells her, "I've a daughter."
"Really?" Gayathri asks smiling at her.
"Yes. There she is." Gauri tells her as she pointed out to Gayu and gestured her to join them.
"Hello maasi." Gayu says as she smiled at Gayathri.
Gayathri smiles at her as she lovingly caressed her cheek and eyes filling with happy tears.
"You know, Ma never told me that she has a sister." Gayu tells her.
"I can understand why." Gayathri says with an understanding smile as she looked at Gauri.
"But she should have told me, especially when she named me after you." Gayu tells her.
Gayathri turns to Gauri in shock and Gauri smiles back at her, "The life I couldn't give you."
"You should come with us." Gauri tells her.
"I would have, Gauri. But you have made a life for yourself with Omkara and Gayu." Gayathri tells her.
"My life is incomplete without you, di."
"I might be not with you all the time, but I'll be here. Whenever we want we can meet."
"But di... come with us."
"Here, there are a lot of Gauris and Gayathris who need me, more than you need me. and..."
"And?"
"There is this girl here... she was an addict and to get money for her addiction she started doing small crimes. We found her and we helped her. I helped mend her relationship with her family. Her brother, he asked me to marry him."
Gauri smiles hearing that.
"But... I wasn't sure... I just couldn't... when I didn't know what had happened to you..."
"I can understand." Gauri sadly smiles at her as she looked at Omkara. He was playing rock, paper, scissors with Gayu near the car. "I didn't marry Omkara. He has been waiting for me."
Gayathri smiles hearing that. "You should marry him."
Gauri smiles as she looked at Omkara and he looks at her just then. Seeing her smiling, he smiles at her.
"You should also get married." Gauri tells her as she turned to her.
"I don't know... I still am not sure... but I will think about it." Gayathri promises her.
**********
"You happy?" Omkara asks Gauri as they drove back two days later.
"Hmmm... I was thinking... if I had told you about my fear about di when I got pregnant, then things would have been different now, isn't it?" Gauri asks sadly.
"That time, your sister was in jail. I think it is a good thing you never expressed your fear for her then. I can't imagine what you would have done if you had found out she is in jail back then."
Gauri shudders imagining that, "I would have done something terrible."
"Yes, you would have. So, I guess, everything happened for the best."
"hmmm."
"Omkara..."
"Yes?"
"Thank you, Omkara. For everything. For Gayu. For Di. For loving me so much. For accepting me and understanding me."
Omkara smiles at her lovingly and taking her hand in his, he kisses it.
They remained silent for a while, Omkara turns to look at Gayu and sees that she had slept off, Omkara turns to look at Gauri and she seemed lost in thoughts.
"What are you thinking?" Omkara asks her.
Gauri turns to look at Omkara and smiles at him, "I was thinking whether if I asked you to marry me, would you?"
Omkara grins at her as he continued to drive.
"You didn't say anything." Gauri tells him frowning.
Omkara stops the car and turning to her, he says grinning, "You didn't ask me."
Gauri grins hearing that, "Omkara Singh Oberoi, will you marry me?"
Omkara leans towards her and stars nibbling on her lips, "I'll."
"I want more kids. Omkara tell her.
"More?" Gauri asks smiling at him against his lips.
"Yes."
"We can try."
"I like trying with you."
"Sshh." Gauri hits him as she turned to look at Gayu.
Omkara grins at her and asks her, "So, when?"
"Kids?"
"Marriage."
"Soon." Gauri tells him smiling.
"And kids?"
"Sooner."
Hearing Gayu waking up, they turn to look at her. She sits up frowning sleepily, "Why have we stopped? Have we reached?"
"No. we were just talking."
"About what?" Gayu asks curiously.
"We are getting married." Omkara tells her grinning ear to ear.
"Why?" Gayu asks confused.
Omkara's smile drops at her question. "Because we want to."
"But Ma doesn't want to get married."
"Now, I want to."
"Hmmm... so you two are getting married?" Gayu asks again.
"Yes." Gauri tells her.
"But I will be your only child." Gayu declares as she moved forward to hug them.
Omkara turns to look at Gauri and sees her grinning.
"Sorry, baby... we are having more kids." Omkara tells her.
"But why?" Gayu asks frowning angrily.
"because we want more children."
"But I like being an only child." Gayu says pouting.
"Tough luck, love." Omkara tells her grinning.
Gayu sighs defeatedly, "Okay, then just one."
"Minimum 2." Omkara tells her grinning.
"I won't like it."
"We'll make sure that you are a loving big sister and you would adore your siblings." Gauri tells her confidently though grinning ear to ear seeing Gayu's reaction.
"HMPH!
End
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- Lazy