CHAPTER 1"Anika! I can't believe you invited him too!" Gauri muttered to her best friend as soon as she entered the kitchen and angrily threw the empty plates in the sink.
"Gauri, he is Shivay' younger brother. How could I have not invited him," Anika replied with a helpless smile over her lips.
"How could you forget that he the same guy who insulted your best friend, which in this case is me!
he called me a neurotic control freak who is gonna die virgin! what kinda guy does that on first date?" Gauri gritted her teeth at the bitter memories she had with the certain long haired guy who was chilling just outside the kitchen.
"Maybe setting you two up was the worst idea ever," Anika said with a chuckle as she took out freshly baked cookies from the oven and started placing them in trays for the guests.
Gauri rolled her eyes.
"But he was not wrong you see..You are still single," Anika added thoughtfully, trying to suppress her laugh at Gauri's furious face.
"Whose side are you on, huh? I am still single because- one) I haven't found my perfect match yet. And two) I am trying to focus on my business now," Gauri said grumpily, folding her hands against her chest.
"Hey, Gauri what are you doing here? It's the time to cut the cake and the birthday girl's god mother must be there with her!" Shivay said excitedly as he entered the kitchen and then went straight to the kitchen to take out the huge chocolate birthday cake with
happy first birthday Pari! Written on it with white cream.
"Of course!" Gauri said happily, deciding to forget about her anger momentarily and went straight to the hall outside which had crowd centred around an year old angle looking girl.
Right by her side was Omkara Singh Oberoi, playing with her. Gauri instinctively shot him death glare whilst he smirked at her playfully upon seeing her.
"Ok! Ok! Ok! It's the time to cut the cake now!" Shivay and Anika announced excitedly as they placed the cake on the table.
Baby Pari giggled adorable upon looking at the huge cake making everyone go aww.
"Ah! Before that let's click a family picture of Pari with her mumma and papa!" Omkara said as he picked up the camera from the table. Anika and Shivay went to Pari on baby chair clapping her hands happily, bent to her level and kissed each of her cheek as she giggled and Omkara captured it in the camera.
"Perfect Kodak moment!"
"Now you two also come. The god mother and god father must also have the pic with the birthday girl," Shivay said with a wink and Anika pushed Omkara and Gauri towards Pari. They both looked at each other with something in between hate and awkwardness. Pari placed her chubby and tiny baby hands on theirs which were resting on the chair making them smile genuinely. Shivay immediately captured it onto the camera.
***
A phone call in the middle of night woke up Gauri.
"Hello, do you know mrs Anika Oberoi?"
"Who is this May I know?" Gauri asked in a sleepy and tired voice.
"I am nurse Megha from medicity hospital. I am feeling very sorry to inform but mrs Anika had met with an car accident,"
Gauri immediately jumped up from her bed with a jolt, sleep miles away from her eyes.
"What?"
"Yes. Can you kindly come over?"
She immediately ran to the washroom.
"Yes I'll be there in five minutes,"
***
Gauri entered the hospital and ran towards the reception.
"May I know in which room Mrs Anika Oberoi is admitted?" Gauri asked, her heart jumping in her chest.
"Let me check..ok, she is in OT right now," the receptionist said.
Gauri felt her heart drop to her stomach. Her limbs suddenly began to feel weak and lifeless. Anika was the only family had. What would she ever do if anything happen to her? The though alone made a chill ran down her spine.
She saw Omkara leaning against the wall of corridors, and ran to him.
"Om," she whispered.
For the first time in her life she saw tears in Omkara's eyes. They were red and his cheeks wet. Before Gauri could even try to console him, he engulfed Gauri into a tight hug.
"H-he died Gauri..S-Shivay..now what will I tell to bhabhi when she wakes up?" He stammered between her sobs.
Gauri's body stiffened. Shivay died? But just two days ago she celebrated Pari's birthday with him. Tears started edging her eyes. But she k ew she couldn't cry. She had to be strong. Strong enough for both of them.
"Shh! Everything will get fine," Gauri mutters softly and she hugged him back and caressed his hair gently.
He doctor came out of the OT. Gauri and Om let go of each other rushed to the doctor.
"Doctor how is Anika?" Gauri asked.
"I-i am sorry but she is no more," the doctor said apologetically as he placed a consoling hand on Gauri's shoulder and pressed it lightly before going away.
"No..no..no..this can't be happening! It's all a bad dream! It's all a bad dream!" She said to herself as she began to fall but Omkara caught her.
"Gauri.." he muttered not sure what to say.
They both had suffered a huge loss.
"Pari," Gauri suddenly said at the dawn of realisation at the whereabouts of her god child.
"Omkara where is Pari?" She asked him.
"I-I don't-"
"Pari is with me," a voice of a lady came.
They both turned around and saw a woman in white shirt and black coat and pants standing with a file in her hands.
She walked towards them, her heels clicking on the wooden floor.
"Who are you?" Omkara asked.
"I am Diana. Anika and Shivay's lawyer. Can you guys please follow me to my office? I have something very urgent to discuss," Diana said in soft but business voice.
"My friend is still in this hospital, how can I go?" Gauri asked irritatingly.
"I am sorry to say but miss Anika is dead now. And it's about her daughter Pari. Believe me, it's very very urgent," Diane said.
"Gauri, I guess we should go with her. It's about Pari, we are all that she have now," Omkara said.
"O-ok," Gauri finally said.
***
"After themselves, Anika and Shivay had given their daughter Pari's custody to both of you." Diana said, placing the open file before Omkara and Gauri, both of their jaws touching the floor.
"What?!" They both exclaimed together.
"Yes. You both have Pari's custody now, half-half," Diana told them.
"But both of them never even told us about it. Om did Shivay tell you anything about it?" Gauri asked.
Omkara immediately shook his head.
"Not at all,"
"I don't know why both of them didn't tell you such a huge thing. Maybe they were planning to tell you people later but before that- uh I am sorry. So what plans do both of you have now?" Diana asked.
Omkara and Gauri looked at each other, gulped then looked back at Diana.
"A-about what?" Om asked.
Diana rolled her eyes.
"About how both of you are gonna take care of the child. Both of you have the custody now," Diana said pressing her lips together.
"We can decide weeks..like two weeks with me and-"
"Oh there is more thing I forgot to tell!" Diana said cutting Gauri.
"Shivay and Anika left their bungalow for their daughter but she would Legally own it only after she is 18. Till then the bungalow will belong to her legal guardians which are you two. And as per Shivay and Anika's will both of you have to live there together with Pari till she is 18," Diana explained.
Omkara and Gauri's face paled.
they will have to leave together? They can't even stand each other for a second!"No, no, no, there must be some mistake! We can't live together! We hate each other! Like from the core of our hearts! This is impossible! I can't even think about being in a same room with this neurotic control freak!" Omkara yelled and he banged his hands hard on the table and stood up.
"Look whose talking! City's biggest manwh**e! I can't believe how Anika and Shivay could give their daughter's custody to you, you are such a bad influence!" Gauri yelled back at him, equally angry.
"You-"
"Miss Sharma! Mr Oberoi! Stay calm please! You are in my office right now! And this is a grave situation we are in! It's not a time to fight like children! I don't know why Anika and Shivay have you Pari's custody. But now you already have it! I don't care if you can't stand each other or not! But we are talking about an year old child here! It's about her whole life. She don't even know what she has lost! Shivay and Anika left their daughter to you maybe because they believe that only you both can love her like they did..now it's the time to prove them right. So please, it's my request. Keep your personal grudges aside and if not for your friends and brother then atleast for this little girl, be together," Diana ended with a soft tone. Her words had pierced through both of their hearts and realisation had hit them like a bucket of ice water.
Diana was right. How could both of them be so selfish? They were Pari's god parents now. Anika and Shivay had left their most precious thing to them. They must protect and cherish her.
"So what do you say now?" Diana asked.
Omkara and Gauri glanced at each other but this time not with hate or loath but with nervousness, worry and maybe a little fear.
"we want to see Pari," they both said.
Diana smiled at them.
"Follow me,"
***
Pari was given to them. Diana told them to take her home. They take think about the funeral and all the next day.
Omkara was driving car with Gauri sitting beside him and Pari sleeping in her arms.
Omkara pulled the car with jolt before a huge bungalow, making Gauri move forward in her seat.
"Omkara! What are you doing? Pari is sleeping!" She whisper- yelled at him.
"Oh, sorry," he replied sheepishly.
They both got out of the car and walking towards the main door, with Pari sleeping peacefully, her head resting on Gauri's shoulder.
Both of them got inside. Gauri placed Pari on her cot in her room, then came to the hall and sat beside Omkara on the sofa.
"I am scared," she admitted. Both of them didn't dare to switch on the light. They weren't sure if they could see the pictures of Shivay and Anika hanging on the walls smiling happily or anything else which would remind them of Anika and Shivay.
"I know..me too," Omkara replied in a low tone, staring into the nothingness of the dark room.
"I-i can't believe that now I can't see Anika anymore..it don't even feel real." Gauri said, tears brimming her eyes.
Both, her and Anika were orphans. She knew Anika scince orphanage days and scince then they were eachother's only family. Now that Anika was gone Gauri felt that huge vacuum inside her which was chocking her life out.
"Why do you think Shivay and Anika left their daughter to us?" Omkara asked, his voice now devoid of any human emotion. Maybe he was running out of them now. After his brother death he felt numb from inside.
"I d-don't know. Maybe they trusted both of us enough for that.." Gauri muttered, rubbing away her tears from back of her hand.
"Maybe..maybe.."
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Buddy me for PMsEdited by ..LittleLiar.. - 7 years ago
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