RiKara FS - Humari Doosri Shaadi Part 4 on Pg 18 (28/10) - Page 6

For two whole days, certain members of the Oberoi family had thoroughly enjoyed Gauri's reactions and her happiness about her new ring and all that it symbolized.

Jhanvi and Tej had caught their bahu twirling around happily in the new red lehenga while making her way back to her and Omkara's room after Shivaay and Anika's engagement ceremony. The young woman had blushed almost the same red as her lehenga... a fact that Jhanvi had taken great pleasure in mentioning to Gauri, making her blush even more. After enjoying their bahu's adorableness for a while the couple had let her go, chuckling at her antics all the way to their room.

Meanwhile, Dadi had spent the entire evening praying to God and mentally talking to her husband about the treasures that their grandchildren were. Seeing Shivaay and Anika so happy after all the obstacles they'd faced in their relationship was extremely gratifying to the matron of the family. But making her over the moon were her two other grandchildren that night... Omkara and Gauri.

Though Kalyani Oberoi didn't know everything there was to know about Omkara and Gauri's problem-riddled relationship, she knew enough about love and rishte to see that while problems might exist, her grandson really did love her granddaughter-in-law. Hearing him share his plans for Gauri's various surprises during the wedding had warmed her heart thoroughly. To see her serious and philosophical grandson blossom into an Ishqbaaz right in front of her eyes was a treat she hadn't expected to get so soon.

Seeing Gauri happily participate in the planning and rituals of her bade bhaiyya and bhaujaai's wedding was blessing enough, but also being privy to her secret joy... the way she surreptitiously touched her new ring or the edging on her dupatta with reverence when she thought no one was paying attention to her... it was more than Kalyani could have asked for. And seeing Omkara follow his Gauri with his eyes, almost unable to take his gaze off of her throughout the evening was the ultimate cherry on her happiness sundae.

The Mehendi function was to be held a couple of days after the Sagaai and the whole house had been eagerly preparing for the same. Shivaay Singh Oberoi was having the time of his life teasing his wife, finding ways to circumvent Dadi's stupid two-feet rule and basically avoiding the general areas of the house where his so-called mother could be found hovering.

He'd always loved the various events, functions and rasams that were a near-constant part of the drama-loving Oberoi family's lives. These events gave them an excuse to dress up, let loose and have some fun... it also meant that he got to see Anika in beautiful outfits, sneak in some flirting time with her and relax with the knowledge that his entire family... or whatever part of his family was being considered his at that point of time, was having fun.

This time however, the Oberoi scion was happier than he'd ever been before. It could've been because this time, he and Anika were getting married, to each other (which is an important point considering their tumultuous history with weddings) out of their own volition because they were so in love with each other that they couldn't spend another second being pseudo-divorced from each other.

One factor that quadrupled his happiness was Gauri... his newly minted younger sister who was quickly becoming the lifeblood of the family. She'd happily taken so many responsibilities during the wedding planning and was running around the house getting things done, looking like a colorful butterfly flitting from flower to flower in the process. The sheer amount of energy and joy she brought along with her to everything she did made the entire house light up... along with most of the family.

The bond that Gauri and Anika shared was so beautiful and to be quite honest, so adorable that Shivaay could only thank whatever divine force had been responsible for bringing Gauri into their lives while wishing this happiness stayed firm in their future. He knew of course, that things weren't quite right between Om and his li'l sister, that she wasn't as happy as she portrayed herself to be in front of the family and while it was obviously something that they would have to sort out between themselves, Shivaay couldn't help but want to step in and smooth things over.

In fact, after seeing Gauri dash off a couple of tears when she thought she was alone during the wedding planning frenzy, Shivaay'd been on the verge of cornering Om and talking some sense into his usually sensible brother. On the day of his engagement ceremony to Anika, Gauri had looked particularly morose and Shivaay'd had to stop himself from pummeling some sense into Omkara... but his restraint had paid off when in the evening, just before the event had been about to start, Om had asked to speak with him alone.

The conversation lasted a scant few minutes but the effect of it on both brothers' moods was quite dramatic. A nervous Om and a frustrated Shivaay had entered his office and a much calmer Omkara and a quite happy and excited Shivaay exited a few minutes later. The effect was so pronounced in fact that a clueless Shakti had even questioned them regarding the same. And that conversation had happened two days ago.

Now, on the day of the Mehendi function, Rudra had organized a sort of bachelor's party for Shivaay, where all the males of the family and a few invited friends were going to congregate for an evening of wheeling and dealing lubricated by copious amounts of alcohol. Shivaay had quite strictly refused to have a bachelor party, not after the debacle that happened the last time and remembering the dead woman scare, Rudy had also given in and organized something much tamer, only providing his signature infamous fruit punch to spice up the occasion.

But before both events could start, Shivaay had an important role to play. He'd been given the starring role in today's secret 'Let's make Gauri the happiest woman in the world' plans and he would do his part with style and elan or his name wasn't Shivaay Singh Oberoi. And so... he was waiting for his clueless little sister to show up when she knocked on the door to his home office.

"Bade bhaiyya... aap ne humein bulaya?"

"Haan Gauri... mujhe tumse kuch baat karni thi"

"Haan to boliye... hum se kuch kaam tha? Shaadi ke planning mein kuch badalna hai? Sab kuch theek to hai na?"

"Aisa kuch nahin hai Gauri... koi problem nahin hai. Relax... Mujhe actually tum se Anika ke baare mein baat karni thi"

"Bhaujaai ke baare mein? Kya baat hai bade bhaiyya? Hum to ab unhi ke kamre se aa rahe hain. Unse kuch kaam tha?"

"Wo... baat ye hai Gauri... with all the tension going around with Mrs. Oberoi aur Bhavya bhi kisi mission ke liye chali gayi hai... to I was just wondering... kya tum Anika ke saath saare events mein reh sakti ho? I mean I don't want her to feel too alone you know? Kya tum Anika ke saath saare shaadi ke events mein part le sakti ho? Tum uske saath rahogi to use awkward nahin lagega..."

"Are ye bhi koi kehne waali baat hai bade bhaiyya? Hum sab kuch sambhal lenge... aap bilkul chinta mat kijiye. Bhaujaai ko ek minute ke liye bhi akela feel nahin karne denge"

With Om's work done, Shivaay tried to sneak in a bit of his own agenda into the bigger picture

"Thank you so much Gauri... and... mera ek aur kaam kar sakti ho?"

"Haan... bolkar to dekhiye. Harharaaike kar denge."

"Wo... jab bhi tum Anika ke saath ho to meri madad karogi? Wo Dadi ka do feet waala rule bohot hi stupid hai yaar. Koi mujhe Anika se milne tak nahin de raha"

Gauri tinkling laugh made Shivaay smile in response automatically, also making a long-haired someone listening outside the door grin in happiness at the pure sound of joy from his chiraiyya.

"Wo to humare bas ki baat nahin hai bade bhaiyya... hum Dadi ke aadesh ka ullanghan nahin kar sakte... haan, agar hum ne kuch dekha nahin to hum kuch rok nahin sakte... aur agar aap usi kamre mein ho jahaan bhaujaai hain to hum shaayad kabhi kabaar do minute ke liye aap ko nazar andaaz kar sakte hain... waise bhi hum aap ki team ke hain na... jo humse ho sakega, hum zaroor karenge bade bhaiyya. Haan... bhaujaai se baat karna ho to apni behen ko phone par yaad kar lijiyega... dadi ne humara phone nahin liya. Ab humein jaana hoga... bohot kaam pada hai. Aur haan... bhaujaai abhi chhat par akeli hain"

Gauri winked smartly at her gaping bade bhaiyya before running out of the room giggling and a few moments later, a grinning Shivaay was spotted sprinting up the stairs that led to his private terrace and Omkara walked out from behind the door shaking his head affectionately at his brother's excitement and Gauri's antics.

He now had his wife-to-be's bhaujaai to brief and bring into the fold of the secret plan. Reasonably sure that including Anika, Shivaay and Rudra all together in the same plan would only result in his simple ideas evolving out of control into some Bollywood style juggernaut, Omkara sent up a quick prayer to Gauri's Shankarji to save him from his overly dramatic family while still making his plans a success.

As evening fell, Omkara's anticipation for the fruition of his plans only increased. During the planning for the Sagaai mission, he'd been more nervous than anticipatory but tonight was all about the happy, giddy feeling pervading him in anticipation of seeing his Gauri getting adorned with beautiful, intricate patterns of mehendi in his name.

Meanwhile, in her room, Anika was mentally going over her super important upcoming conversation with Gauri. She'd been over the moon for her sister-in-law when Om had quickly briefed her on the plan that afternoon but now that the time was nearing for her to do her part in the plan, Anika's nervousness was going through the roof. She couldn't afford to mess this up... after all, Omkara and Gauri's happiness hung in the balance.

She was still worrying over what she would say to Gauri when the woman herself blew into the room like a hurricane, her arms full of sequined and embroidered clothing, boxes of what Anika assumed was jewelry and a couple of kits of makeup, all the while happily chattering up a storm about all the changes to the decor she'd had to do just that afternoon to make sure everything was perfect for the mehendi function.

"Gauri... suno na..."

"Boliye bhaujaai... actually, aap ek minute rukiye. Ye lijiye... ise pehente pehente hum se jo baat karna hai kijiye. Warna hum donon ko der ho jaayegi aur bade bhaiyya abhi se itne utaavle ho rahe hain, ki agar paanch minute bhi der ho gayi to yahaan khud aa jaayenge aap ko le jaane ke liye"

Saying so, Gauri thrust a beautiful lehenga in a delicate blush pink color with intricate silver embroidery on it toward Anika and pretty much shoved her into the walk-in closet. As Anika struggled into the traditional indian clothing, she could hear Gauri setting up the rest of whatever she'd brought on the dresser

"Boliye bhaujaai... aap ko kuch baat karni thi hum se"

As Gauri turned toward the closet upon hearing the door open, her features lit up at the sight her beautiful bhaujaai made.

"Bhaujaai... aap kitni sundar lag rahi hain! Lagta hai humari hi nazar lag jaayegi"

"Hut! Teri nazar... aur mujhe kaise lagegi. Waise haan... mujhe tujhse kuch poochna tha. Kya apni behen ke liye kuch karogi agar main poochoon to?"

"Are! Ye kya baat ho gayi? Aap bolkar to dekhiye bhaujaai. Aap ka hukum saraakhon par..."

"To theek hai... Gauri tu bhi aaj mere saath baithke bilkul mere jaise hi mehendi lagvaa legi? Mujhe akele apne haath pair bina hilaaye char paanch ghante baithne ke baare mein sochne se hi michmichi hoti hai. Agar tum bhi mere saath rahogi to bohot mazaa aayega."

"Wo... bhaujaai. Shaadi aap ki hai... hum bhi mehendi lagvaayenge magar aap ke jitna to hum lagvaa nahin sakte na? Aap to dulhan hain..."

"Tum bhi to is ghar ki bahu ho na... aur tumhari shaadi ko to ek saal bhi nahin hua na abhi tak. To tum bhi nayi dulhan types ho na. Please maan jaao."

"Magar bhaujaai..."

"Are... jin se bhi baat karke niptaana hoga, main sab kuch sambhaal loongi. Tum bas haan bol do... socho... saat mein baithke masti karenge."

After a minute of dithering, Gauri quite reluctantly agreed to her beloved bhaujaai's request, leading Anika to smirk victoriously before dashing off a quick message to her older devar's number as soon as Gauri's back was turned. The plan was underway... Anika did a little jig of happiness to herself, stopping abruptly as Gauri turned back... the younger Obahu only found her bhaujaai sitting uncharacteristically sedate on the poufy chair by the dresser, waiting for her to start the long drawn out process of make-up application and Anika sighed in relief.

An hour and a half later, when the two beautifully styled Oberoi bahus made their way down the stairs, it was to Jhanvi, Tej, Shakti and Dadi smiling with pride, Rudra busy taking countless pictures of them and most importantly, Shivaay and Omkara struck dumb at the twin visions of loveliness that they were fortunate to have in their lives.

Shivaay made no two bones about letting his once-again wife know just what he thought of her appearance by walking up the last few steps, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it.

"Khidkitod beautiful Anika..."

He winked smartly at her astonished eyes and blushing cheeks before turning and walking down the steps with her. Gauri stood by, fully enjoying the spectacle that her bade bhaiyya and bhaujaai made, only belatedly realizing that she was standing alone, halfway down the stairs.

Suddenly, she was assaulted by flashes of the last time something similar had happened during the Kul Gotra Pooja. She'd been left standing on the stairs, waiting for her not-quite husband to come get her, which he had, but only after being almost threatened into it. The memory of his veiled threat to her then, washed over her senses, making Gauri regret putting herself in the position once more, when she felt warm and familiar fingers entwine with hers.

Snapping out of her daydream, Gauri found herself staring at something that seemed out of a dream too. She blinked uncomprehendingly as Omkara stood a couple of steps below her, apparently there of his own volition because pretty much the entire family had stopped paying attention to them in favor of teasing Shivaay and Anika. The warmth sparking in his eyes, the slight squeeze of her cold fingers in his gave her to understand that he really was there, uncomplaining of the situation, not forced by any one into helping her... and then he leaned closer

"Gauri?..."

Her name had never sounded so beautiful... all wrapped up in his voice so low and soft. It was almost too private a moment, hearing him speak her name in that manner. Still caught in the last vestiges of her memory, she looked down into his eyes, trying to connect to the present moment that had in contrast, become so beautiful to her.

Once he was certain she was back in the present, Omkara deliberately stepped closer and leaning into her ear, said

"Tum theek ho?"

As he pulled back to look at her, Gauri was drowning in his eyes... they were pools of molten chocolate, beckoning her closer, letting her wrap herself in the warmth that radiated from them. She wasn't ready for words yet so she just nodded, her gaze still locked with his

"Hmmm..."

Slowly, Omkara carefully brought them down the last steps, never taking his eyes off of hers and stepped closer once when they were on stable ground... this time his lips grazing the top of her ear slightly, causing her to gasp

"You look beautiful... the mint green is just how I imagined it would look on you"

And before she could react in any way other than give him a wide eyed stare, Omkara was pulling her gently to the large and comfy looking seat which had been especially prepared for the ladies getting mehendi that evening.

Sitting next to Anika and not even paying any attention to the mehendi artiste in front of her, Gauri's entire focus was on her jatadhari. She spent the next half hour following him with her eyes, paying the minimal amount of attention she could to everything else and still get away with it. That he too spent that half hour catching and holding her gaze, no worry or concern about the people around them or his teasing brothers, his eyes telegraphing every emotion he'd never spoken about with her... had Gauri in a state of intense emotion. Never having expected to have a relationship where such an unapologetically romantic interaction was possible with her jatadhari, Gauri was unsure of how to process the feelings and sat there, content to let them just wash over her.

At the end of the two hours that had been allotted to the mehendi function, Gauri found herself adorned with mehendi from her fingertips to her elbows and from her toes to halfway up her calves. The designs on her palms, hands and feet were intricate, unique and quite unusual... and quite different from the traditional designs that adorned her bhaujaai's hands and feet. Upon inquiring with the artiste at the end of the session, Gauri had once again been surprised to know that someone had given the lady a specific set of designs beforehand and asked her to incorporate them in her mehendi... and that someone had been her Omkara.

As she stood there admiring the artistry of her mehendi, Gauri came to a decision... a decision that reddened her cheeks and set a shy smile on her lips even as her eyes carried a slightly naughty glint. It was fortunate that the guys had been forced by Rudy and Chubby to leave for their own party by that point or else Omkara might've grown a bit too curious for his own good at his wife's reaction to knowing he'd had a hand in creating the design of her mehendi.

Both Anika and Gauri were pampered by Jhanvi and Dadi while the men did their adulting at a relatively toned down party considering that it had been organized by Rudy.

Later that night, after the ladies had retired to their respective rooms and the men on their way, Omkara quietly snuck into his room to find a wide awake Gauri. Om had never been into alcohol, even during his experimental days when he'd tried pretty much any and every narcotic available... so he'd had a minimal amount to drink and was still quite put together unlike his brothers or his father and even Chote papa. Nevertheless, it was slightly nerve-wracking to find Gauri waiting up for him.

"Tum abhi tak soyi nahin?"

"Hmmm... hum... aap ka intezaar kar rahe the"

"Kya hua? Kuch chaahiye?"

Omkara asked and immediately wanted to take it back... this sort of a line of questioning usually led to argumentative conversations between them and that was something he really didn't want at all.

"Kyun? Kisi kaam ke bagair hum aap ka intezaar nahin kar sakte?"

The question was what he expected but the tone had him wondering... she sounded happy and more than a bit teasing. So he responded in a similar manner

"Aisa maine kab kaha?"

"Waise... aap ki madad chaahiye humein"

"Oh... to koi kaam nahin tha? Bas aise hi wait kar rahi thi mera?"

His teasing grin was answered by a short glance at him from under her eyelashes and a soft blush suffusing her cheeks

"Wo... hum poochte is se pehle Maaji sone chali gayi... kya aap... humari madad karenge?"

For some reason, Gauri wouldn't meet his eyes and it was something she only did when she was hiding something from him... but for the life of him Omkara couldn't figure out what it was. He wasn't drunk but he'd had enough alcohol to take the edge off of his reasoning skills and this was way too much work for his brain at the moment.

"Ye bhi koi poochne waali baat hai? Bataao... kya karna hoga mujhe?"

"Wo... humare dupatte par kandhe pe pin lagaa hua hai... hum in haathon se wo pin utaar nahin sakte. Kya... aap... kya aap wo pin utaarne mein humari madad kar denge?"

For a second, Omkara's heart stopped beating before restarting at double speed. He blinked, swallowed hard and without answering, stepped closer to her. As his fingers slipped under the material of her choli to get the pin unhooked, Omkara almost groaned at the satin softness of her skin, the feeling like running his fingers over warm silk... he could also feel the tiny tremors that ran through her at his touch, the hitch in her breath... and something incredibly male and primal roared in satisfaction inside him.

Slowly and carefully, he managed to pull the pin out, taking care to keep her safe from any possibility of pricking and once the pin was off, found he didn't want to move away. Still standing close enough to feel the heat radiating off of her body, Omkara leaned down and pressed a soft kiss into her shoulder

"Ho gaya..."

His husky whisper sent a shiver running down Gauri's spine and in return, carefully standing on the tips of her toes, she pressed a quick, soft kiss on her jatadhari's stubbled cheek

"Thank you... for everything. For the dress, the mehendi, for the entire experience... for being you, for becoming mine"

And before he could react to any of it, Gauri'd gone in a flash of cool green, leaving behind a vision of heart eyes that sang, pink lips that couldn't stop smiling and his name inked in the intricate designs on her palm, claiming her as his soulmate. Omkara stood in the middle of his room grinning like a fool... his eyes trailing after her, his lips stretching in an answering grin and his heart bursting with adoration for this woman who was the other half of his soul.