Posted:
This is a random take... after watching a hesitant and shy Omkie in the Mahaepisode 😳
Do let me know your take on it
MEETHA
"How can God be so unfair?" Rudra announced early evening as he walked with his hands on the hips, pacing the passage by the pool. Omkara and Shivaay who were lost in deep thought and worry, glanced at each other and looked at their youngest brother. Rudra paused walking, and understanding the confusion etched on their faces, he clicked his tongue and proceeded to explain, "In the sense, God has given body and brain to me and me alone! How could He not be generous when it came to you both?" Shivaay shook his head with an expression that said, Are you serious? Omkara stood up, "That's all you've to say? Don't forget you are the reason we're in this mess, in the first place." Rudra took pride in himself, but looking at his elder brothers' murderous stare, changed his amused smile into a serious one as Omkara sat down again. "Arrey, what did I do? I just asked Chulbul Bhabhi as to what did you gift her today for her birthday..." "...And told her that you're planning to take Bhavya on an exotic holiday to a resort for her birthday!" Shivaay said in exasperation. Rudra frowned, "I understand O being upset, but why are you getting your knickers in a twist?" Omkara gave Rudra a hard stare which unfortunately did not light the youngest Oberoi's tube light. "That's because Gauri and Annika are more than just sisters-in-law; they're almost like sisters. Annika noticed how Gauri got upset after you finished talking to her, and when asked, Gauri expressed she was disappointed that Om didn't even remember her birthday this morning, leave alone getting a gift," Shivaay said to Rudra in one breath, then turned to Om and continued, "Which is not right on your part too O, and I'll get back to you on that," and turning back to Rudra, the marble-eyed man continued, "And now Annika is also upset that I've never done anything extraordinary for her, apart from gifting her phones, which at the end of the day, I end up breaking into pieces." Rudra's mouth formed a perfect O and then made a cry-baby face at his brothers, "So, how is that my fault? As if I would imagine O forgetting his only wife's birthday! And Annika Bhabhi too..."
"Erm, guys..." Omkara cleared his throat, "If you're done, can you help me and focus on my problem? Gauri is clearly upset. And Shivaay, you still have three months to go to think of a resplendent surprise for Bhabhi."Both the brothers nodded their head in unison, understanding the situation. "Take her on a date!" Rudra exclaimed, "Take her on a dinner to a beach side restaurant, and decorate the area with roses and lights. And then hold her hand and walk on the shore. After that in the middle of nowhere, hold her hand, get on a knee and slip a diamond ring on her finger. Fool-proof plan; never goes out of style." Omkara who gave him a small smile, suddenly grinned at Rudra, "Brilliant! What a plan, Rudy, except," wiping the grin off his face, he said seriously, "Gauri isn't the person who is impressed with extravagant things. She likes simplicity, just the way she is. Saadhgi uska gehna hai! Zindagi ki chhoti chhoti cheezon mein usko khushi milti hai aur..." Rudra cleared his throat at Gauri's praise, "Aur? O, bolo na. It's so nice to hear you praise our Chulbul Bhabhi" At this, even Shivaay grinned. Om, who unconsciously wore a smile whilst praising her, bit the insides of his cheek and turned his expression serious, "Aur Rudy, tera plan fool-proof nahi, bakwas hai. If I needed such a clichd plan, I wouldn't have asked for your help." Just when Rudy was about to open his mouth again, Om held his hand up, "Tu rehne de, just don't talk. Shivaay please help me!" Shivaay who scratched his brow for some time, looked up at Om, "How about gifting a phone?"Rudra chuckled, "We're talking about Chulbul Bhabhi, not Annika Bhabhi!" Shivaay bit his tongue while Om rolled his eyes and Rudra spoke again. "Okay okay, O, how about a lovely saree? Something simple, yet something that, you know, brings out her best features?" Shivaay nodded in agreement.
Om frowned contemplating the idea. And then he recalled the day he saw her wearing the green saree; the way he had barged into the room due to the fire alarm, the way the edge of her saree flew off, the way he had inched so slowly towards her, the way he draped the saree around her, whilst standing close enough to let their warm breaths mingle, the way he looked into her eyes, the way her gaze was cast on the floor in shyness and hesitation... "And..." Rudra spoke aloud forcing Om out of the memory of the incident, "You never know, once Chulbul Bhabhi wears the saree, which you would gift her so lovingly, she might give you a return gift, if you know what I mean?" he said with a mischievous wink, "Birthday pe Bhabhi ko gift, aur aapko bhi meetha sa return gift." Omkara got up from his seat, suddenly scaring Rudra having to face a punch from O for his shameless talks. Omkara Singh Oberoi might have been the calmest person anyone would've ever met, unless someone deliberately got in his bad books. His Chulbul Bhabhi had rightfully named him Nandi-the-bull. For a second even Shivaay frowned in worry for his youngest brother. But the widest grin on Omkara's face shocked the daylight out of the other two Oberoi Brothers. "You're the best, Rudy! Thanks!" Om said hurriedly and ran off. "Om liked your idea?" Shivaay wondered aloud. Rudra too looked in the direction that Om ran off, "I think O like the aftermath of the idea. Our O has become shameless!" That earned a "Shut up Rudra" from Shivaay along with a smack to the head, making the younger one pout like a baby.
Forty five minutes later, Shivaay walks into the kitchen and stares in horror. Rudra who walks behind Shivaay, almost bumps into him, looks up at a frozen-Shivaay and replicates the same expression. The kitchen, which was and is and would be Shivaay's temple, was in a horrible mess. Several utensils were left scattered, a box full of semolina adorned the floor, ghee spilt on the stove, and in the midst of it, stood Omkara with his hair tied into a bun, with his cheeks and forehead smeared with flour; his hands were soaked in the oily bright orange mixture. "Mera kitchen!" Shivaay exclaimed in horror, and Rudra feared a mild heart attack. In response, Omkara only grinned sheepishly. "I know Shivaay, I promise to clean up afterward. Right now, I need to get this finished." Shivaay and Rudra tiptoed to where Om stood and peeked at the sticky mixture Om was busy with, and grinned at the attempts to roll a ball out of the same. "Laddoo?" Rudra said, "But for whom?" "Who else, duffer?" Shivaay replied with an understanding smile. "But O, you don't even like sweets!" Rudy said with a cheeky grin, to which Shivaay replied, "And that is exactly what Gauri loves, right?" Om didn't reply, but surprised his brothers when a tiny tinge of pink crept up his cheek. The sun had surely risen from the west, because to see Omkara cook for his wife, that too wearing an adorable blush, was a sight to behold. After a few more taunts and teasing, Shivaay patted his brother, "Om, we can help you finish faster." Omkara politely refused, "Thanks, but this is something only I want to do for her. My way of making up to her for forgetting her birthday" Om looked guilty. "Well, all the best" Shivaay said and offered to at least clean up the kitchen after Om was done. He couldn't trust his kitchen to be cleaned well enough by anyone else. "And let us know if you got a sweet in return too, okay?" Rudra said with a naughty glint, and then thanked the Lord that Om had his hands soaked in the oily mixture; else he would've probably had a black eye by now.
Gauri sat in the corner of the room, folding the clean clothes back from the laundry. She picked up the pink sweater and gave it a murderous look. "Ajeeb chirota kahinke. Hamara janam din unhe yaad hi nahi raha. Subha se unhe yaad karne ki kitni kosis kar rahe hain. Aur toh aur, Annika Bhabhi ne toh yaad bhi dilaya, naastha karthe waqt. Rudy bhaiyya ko bhi subah-subah yaad tha." Her expressions softened, "Bhavya kitni khus-kismat hai. Rudy Bhaiyya usey uski man-pasand jagah pe sair karne leke ja rahein hain. Maana ke humare aur Omkaraji ka ristha uss hadd tak pahuncha nahi, aur saayad hum unse koi tofa bhi nahi lenge, lekin ek baar Janam-din Mubarak kehne mein unka kya jaata. Aane do unhe; unse baat hi nahi karenge, Jatadhaari Hippie Nandi kahinke..." "Ermm..." Unknown to her, Omkara had heard her entire rant. Gauri's eyes widenend, still looking at the pink sweater, and she didn't need to turn around to know who it was. However, gathering guts, she turned around and saw him standing at the entrance with a guilty look on his face and a plate of laddoos in his hand. The look on his face almost melted her, but Gauri Kumari Sarma wasn't the one to forgive easily; well conditions apply. She shook her head at the weird mental conversation she was having with herself, and in a soft tone asked him, "Kuch kaam tha aapko?" Om shook his head in refusal. "Woh... main... main..." he stammered, and by now Gauri knew that his stammering meant only one thing; he had to say something. "Ka hua Omkara ji?" She left the pink sweater in the corner of the bed, and walked towards him while he too made tiny steps towards her.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed that he had brought her favourite motichoor laddoos, almost similar to the ones her mother used to prepare on her birthday. "yeh?" she said, pointing at the plate. In response, he offered the plate to her, and she looked at each laddoo being oddly shaped, as if it was made by an amateur. Her eyes shot up in realization. "Aapne banaya?" He looked everywhere but at her, "Haan, I was just experimenting with food. Toh socha ke ye recipe try karoon..."
She nodded her head with a soft smile, recalling her bade bhaiyya's words he had once told her, "Omkara alag hai, Gauri. Who zyada baat nahi karta, zyada express nahi karta... lekin iska matlab yeh nahi ke uske dil mein kuch nahi hai. Uski dil ki baatein uski aankhein bol deti hain. Bass, tumhe uski annkhon ko padhne ki practice karni hogi"
Breaking her trail of thoughts, she replied a "hmmm". "Waise," she spoke again, "Kis khushi mein banaya, yeh motichoor ke laddoo?" Omkara gulped and looked at the plate with all his focus, "Kis khushi mein? Aisa kuch nahi. Bataya toh tha, I was experimenting with food. Aise hi banaya... nothing special..." Gauri smirked, "Ohh... hamein laga ke aapne hamare janam-din ki khushi pe banaya..." Omkara huffed in a hurry, "Main kyun... t... tumhare birthday pe m... meetha banaane laga... I don't even like sweets..." "Wohi toh," she continued, determined not to give up, "Hum bhi yehi soch rahein hain ke aapko meetha pasand bhi nahi. Phir kyun banaya?" Omkara, now annoyed said, "Woh, Sahil ko chahiye tha. Usne mujhse kaha ke usey laddoo khaane hain. Issliye." "Sahil ko?" Gauri asked, amused, "Usne kab bataya?" "S... subah hi bataya tha... Aur tum itne sawaal kyun kar rahi ho? Tumhe khaane hai toh khaao, nahi toh rehne do." Omkara fumbled with words; it was always the case. A man of words that he was, was always left speechless and fumbling for words around her. She grinned, "Aapko toh jhoot se nafrat hai. Toh jhoot kyun bol rahe ho aap?" At Omkara's confused expression, she explained, "Sahil toh do din pehle hi... who... kya kehte hain? Haan, isummer-camp pe gaya hai, aur do hafte baad lautega."
Omkara, who remained silent, looked at her from the corner of his eyes as she extended her hand to pick one, with a soft smile on her lips. His lie had been caught, and yet he didn't feel guilty about it. Gauri's presence around him was taking too much of a toll on him, that now he was beginning to bend around the principles that he once prided himself on. As soon as Gauri picked the laddoo, the sweet broke into pieces. Gauri looked up at Omkara, horrified, and her heart ached to see that the sweet was not the only thing that broke. Omkara's eyes showed how embarrassed and hurt he was. He looked at Gauri to see if she would mock him at his amateur attempt, and the sensitive man that he was, he was already close to tears. "Maine itne pyaa... I mean, mehnat se banayi. It's okay, forget it." He said in a soft breath and turned to leave.
Gauri held his arm, "Aapne kosis toh ki." Her slow smile was infectious, and he smiled back at her. "Aur aapne pehli baar itni mehnat se banaya. Toh kaise nahi khaayein?" His smile widened and a glint of excitement shone in his eyes, like a kid seeking approval. She took a tiny portion of the broken laddoo and ate it. "Kaisa hai? Accha laga tumhe?" he asked anxiously. She wasn't going to tell him that the sweet lacked sugar by a large proportion. She knew very well about his dislike for sweets, yet he went out of his comfort zone and made them for her. She couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift. "Bahut accha hai..." she said with tears brimming in her eyes and a broad genuine smile adorning her lips. "Toh tum ro kyun rahi ho?" he asked her worriedly. She nodded her head, "Kucch nahi. Thaankooo" Omkara swallowed hard, "Why thank me? Maine toh..." "Pata hai..." she said with an understanding smile, "Aap ixxper... issrep..." "Experimentation..." he helped her with the word, with a small smile. "Haan, wohi... aap toh wohi kar rahe they... pata hai... phir bhi, thaankooo..."
Omkara nodded and turned around, wearing the broadest smile on his face, yet hiding the same from her. She complimented him, and her eyes told him that she saw through his lies; a vain attempt to cover up the reason for the preparing her favourite sweet. Just as he was about to leave, he turned around to look at her. She was smiling brightly as she picked up the pink sweater. "Happy birthday Gauri..." he said softly and she gave him an understanding nod without looking at him, "Thaankooo Omkara ji..."
Back in the kitchen, Rudra and Shivaay had just finished cleaning up the mess, when they saw a smiling Omkara walking with the plate towards them. Looking at the blush on his cheeks and a soft smile on his lips, Rudra whistled. "I told you, O will come back with a meetha return gift." In response, Omkara only grinned and said in a soft tone, "Shut up Rudy" leaving the two brothers and their imagination run in crazy directions with various thoughts.
***
and that's a wrap on it! Good? Bad? Tamaatar? Chappals?
Do let me know!
love,
Savina
Sampoorna
Bindi
