Hurriedly making a decision at the revelations hitting him one after another, he changed directions and ran up the stairs to the guest room he knew Gauri would be in, because she couldn't sleep when he wasn't around and liked to watch the sun rise early in the morning.
Once more, he burst through the door without a second thought... but this time, the sight that met his eyes was heartbreaking. His Gauri was scrunched up in a corner making herself as small as possible, her knees drawn into her chest, her head bent and resting tiredly on her knees. Her defeated and tired expression tore at his heart.
Omkara had gotten used to having his tigress around and seeing her like this... that too because of him, was painful to say the least. The pretty much untouched dinner tray on the side table told its own story. Without making a sound, Omkara walked up to his wife and pulling her up in his arms, made them both sit on the bed, her in his lap facing the side.
Gauri, startled by the sudden movement, stiffened briefly and struggled a bit before she realized it was her husband and relaxed. But that was only for a second as she remembered their previous fight and his yelling at her. Again, she was stiff and squirming to get off of him, which only resulted in Om slightly tightening his arms around her.
He buried his face in the side of her neck, making her stop her movements abruptly. Her husband was a handsome man and she'd obviously had daydreams about him but this sort of physically needy-touchy behavior was new, even for her dreams
"I'm so so so sorry Gauri... for everything. Mujhe maaf kardo. Meri feelings ko maine theek waqt par samjha nahin aur saara gussa tum par nikaal diya."
She felt him shake his head sadly against the side of her neck and was startled enough to twist in his arms, trying to look at him. What she saw there was enough to bring long forgotten tears into her eyes. Her strong, opinionated husband was looking broken and guilty. A part of her was relieved that he wasn't angry and another smaller part wanted to be happy about his guilt and pain, but the rest of her couldn't take seeing her man in such a condition.
"Main apne aap par sharminda hoon Gauri... hamesha... hamesha maine apni negative feelings ko tum par nikala hai. Tumhe kabhi bhi apni side explain karne ka mauka nahin diya. Pehle jab bhi tum kuch kehna chahti, main tumhe apna gussa aur nafrat dikhakar rok deta. Aur ab bhi wahi mistake kar raha tha. Aaj maine jo bhi tumse kaha, please uske liye mujhe maaf kardo..."
"Hum samajh rahe hain ki hum kisi wajah se aapko gussa dila rahe the... magar aap humse baat nahin karenge, humein nahin bataayenge ki kya problem hai to hum kaise use theek kar sakenge? Aap apni jo bhi feelings hain, humare saath share kar sakte hain Omkara. Hum aapki patni bhale hi bas naam ke ho, magar humne socha tha ki at least humko aap dost samjhte hain"
His arms tightened around her once more, as if he wanted to make sure she wasn't going anywhere. And why would she want to be anywhere other than here, in her husband's lap, wrapped in his arms?
"Aisi baat nahin hai Gauri. Is mein tumhari koi bhi galti nahin thi. Saari galti meri hai. Maine kabhi bhi zindagi mein apni feelings ko apne bhaaiyon ke alaava kisi ke saath share nahin kiya hai. Shayad is liye ki koi aur tha hi nahin. Par is bar maine joh feelings tumhare liye mehsoos kiya, unhe to apne bhaaiyon ke saath bhi share nahin kiya. Main itna confused tha ki samajh hi nahin saka ki mujhe kya ho raha hai. Aur wo sara confusion gussa banke tumhare upar aa gaya. Please ek baar bol do ki tumne mujhe maaf kiya?..."
"Are Omkara ji aapko maafi maangne ki zaroorat nahin hai"
"Zaroorat hai Gauri... Aur agar main apni biwi se maafi nahin maangoonga to aur kiss se maangoon?"
That shut her up for a good fifteen seconds and the resulting blush on her face made him fascinated and feeling the need to make her blush again and again.
"Acha theek hai... hum aapko maaf karte hain. Ab bataaiye, aisi kya feelings thi jo aap apne bhaaiyon ke saath share nahin kar sakte? Agar Gauri ko nahin bata sakte, Chulbul Chironte ko to bata hi sakte ho aap"
"Hmmm?..."
He'd been so focused on her blushing cheeks and moving pouty lips that he'd completely missed what she said. The realization that his wife had just caught him staring at her lips made him look up and get caught in her luminous eyes.
"Omkara ji?... aap kahaan kho gaye? Bataiya na... Ab hum Chulbul hain, aapke best buddy. Aap usko to bata sakte hain na?"
Omkara wanted to smile at his wife's innocence and her thought process, and decided that this might be a good thing indeed. Now that he knew he loved her and that she too loved him as much if not more, his heart, his mind and his entire soul were feeling lighter than they had in months. With a slight smirk twisting his lips, he started
"Haan... Chulbul ke saath main ye share karne mein comfortable hoon."
Gauri smiled a bit at her husband, adjusted herself in his lap and brought a slightly boyish expression on her face.
"To boliye Omkara ji... Aapka best buddy aapki kaise help kar sakta hai?"
Hearing Gauri in her Gauri form speak in Chulbul's voice was so disconcerting for Om that he almost jumped off of the bed.
"Yaar nahin... don't do that. Tum bas Gauri ki aawaz mein baat karo... this is too weird"
"Theek hai, theek hai. To ab boliye..."
Omkara decided to just come out and say it
"Okay... Baat ye hai ki Chulbul, mujhe pyaar ho gaya hai. Itne dinon se mujhe samajh mein nahin aaya ki mujhe pyaar ho gaya hai aur mein bahut confused tha. But ab main sure hoon ki I am in love."
He finished on a strong note, almost excited to see her reaction. He was sure Gauri would be happy that he'd fallen in love with her because he was sure by now that she loved him too. His excitement turned to confusion as he watched Gauri's eyes fill with tears, the light in them dying out as if someone had poured a bucket of water over a fire. Her body stiffened in his hold as she tried to hold her tears in.
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That was a longer chapter for once... Well, Omki-Shomki has declared himself but his wife is upset! What is happening? Do you guys know? If you do, or if you think you do, mention it in your comment... I'd like to know what you think...
As always, any and all feedback will be printed out, framed up and aarti-ed everyday!
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
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