RiKara TS: Good Vs Evil [Ft: Kaali] [Last part - Page 6:24/04/18] - Page 4

~~I have never been so scared of losing something in my entire life, then again nothing in my life has ever meant as much to me as you do~~

Omkara sat on the ground with his wife in his arms lying lifeless. Police arrested Kaali and his men. Gauri's mother's cries fell on deaf ears. Nahar's call to ambulance fell on deaf ears. The only time he snapped out was when he heard the ambulance siren. It did not even take a minute for him to carry her and put her on the stretcher, his face totally numb watching her lifeless face. His bloodied hands caught her hand in a tight grip, afraid that she would leave him if he lets go. No one would be able to understand what he felt all through the drive to the hospital. His hands trembled, his eyes contoured pain, his heart bled, but he held on. He held on to her hand like it was the only ray of hope, rubbing it with his, wishing that she would open her eyes. He looked at her, her face pale as blood gushed out from all the open wounds. He walked along with the stretcher which was being led to the emergency room as a drop of blood fell onto her forehead yet again. Maybe some things are miraculous or maybe not. Maybe there is a power above which listens to a man's pleas or maybe it all comes down to one's beliefs. All that remains constant is the time. Time they say has all answers. And all one can do is to pray. All one can do is to wait. All one can do is to be hopeful.

He looked at his hands which were then free from that of hers and his eyes followed her all the while she was taken inside the room. That was when a deep sense of loss hit him. His fear was back, the fear of losing her. He was still in denial with everything that was happening around him. He sat on the bench with a thud looking at his hands, the very hands from which the blood dripped drop by drop. Her blood.

He heard a nurse call out for him to sign the consent papers as she narrated how his wife needed an immediate surgery. He took the pen with trembling hands and made a signature while he made an attempt to wipe the lone tear with his shirt sleeve. He turned around and walked back to the bench as he was dragged down in a memory lane.

Aur kisi ko bina jaane uske baare mei galat raai banane waale bhi sahi nahi lagthi

Aap hamari mazboori ko khudgarzi ka naam math dijiye

He fisted his palm in anger and banged it against the wall, anger taking a new form with each passing second. Anger directed at himself.

Self-loathing was all he felt at that moment. His mouth twisted in disgust for all the people responsible for her state which included his own self. He was not able to register anything around him as he was lost in his own thoughts.

He lifted his bloodshot eyes and looked at the doctor when he heard him telling his MIL that his wife was in need of blood. He also heard the doctor say that the particular blood group wasn't available with them at that moment and that her life was in danger. That very news shook the daylights out of him. Why was the world conspiring against him? The dread started seeping into his senses. He took his phone out as his hands slightly shivered and dialled a few numbers only to end up getting a negative response.

That was when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at his mother in law looking at him with eyes full of tears.

"Gauri theek hojayegi na she asked him with anticipation, the fear pooling her eyes, the fear of losing the only person in her life.

He looked at her for a while and nodded his head. What else could he do when he himself was searching for an answer? Who would take care of her when he himself would break down? No. He would not fall weak when he has much greater things to take care of.

He slowly made his mother in law sit on the bench and knelt in front of her.

"Aap chintha mat kijiye maaji! Gauri bilkul teek hojayegi! Woh..Woh toh har musibat se ladti hai! Hame chodkar aise kaise jaayegi He made an attempt to smile for which he earned a sad smile in return.

He then wiped the tears with the back of his hands and put his hand on hers assuringly

"Aap yahi baite rahiye. Mei jaake khoon ka intezaam karta hoon he convinced her and left her with the kid. He then rushed outside to find ways of arranging for the blood. He certainly can't afford to sit behind and let the time pass. Her life was in danger and each second he thought of it, it only intensified his fear. He ran across like a maniac to various blood banks but to his dismay, he couldn't find a donor.

That was when he felt his phone vibrate and upon answering the call, he sighed in relief on hearing a positive response.

He gave the address to the person and rushed back to the hospital. Soon the surgery started and that was horrifyingly dreadful five hours of his life. He was totally devastated. The whole day happenings were taking a toll on him. First he got to know his wife's past, then the horrendous picture of his wife amidst all the men which would haunt him all his life and the very memory of his wife putting herself before him to save his life. What did he even do to deserve her sacrifice? He was totally in an emotional wreck.

Aap hamare majboori nahi samjhenge

He closed his eyes in pain.

Aap ko kya patha ham kya kar rahe hai kyun kar rahe hai..Aap jaanthe kya hai hamare baare mei

He fisted his palms and tears started flowing down his eyes as her voice resonated in his head and he slowly broke down. Gauri's mother rushed to support her damad as he collapsed onto the floor. She sat beside him silently supporting him while nahar came with a glass of water.

"Kuch nahi hoga hamari Gauri ko. Bas himmat rakhiye. Kuch nahi hoga

He heard her say as she made an attempt to console him. He looked at her with eyes full of regret. What would happen when she comes to know that her daughter's life was no bed of roses from the time he married her? Was it any less torturous? He clearly knew the answer. It was a plain bland no. When was the last time he saw her happy? When was the last time he spent time with her? When was the last time he thought of her? Her wishes? Her dreams? His thoughts started gnawing him alive. Did he deserve her? He knew the answer. But can he think of a life without her? He again knew the answer. Which mother would tolerate when she comes to know that her daughter was ill-treated just because she was misunderstood? He was lost in his thoughts and that was when he felt someone forwarding a glass of water and turned around to look at the kid looking at him with concern.

"Yeh lijiye jiju. Didi theek hojayegi!

They say family is not about blood. It's about who is willing to hold your hand when you need the most. That was exactly what Omkara felt at that moment. He never was close to her side of family. In fact he never knew them. But their concern warmed his heart. He sniffled slightly and took the glass from his hand ruffling his hair teary eyed.

Another two hours passed and there was no sign of any news. They waited. In spite of the fear, the uneasiness, the worry, the unpleasant thoughts occupying their minds, the sheer helplessness, they waited.

Tumhari jaisi ladki se shaadi toh door, tumhare shakal tak nahi dekhna chahtha hoon

He held his both hands together against his chin as angry tears made way down his eyes. His own words strung him like venom. How blinded was he by his past? His anger? How did he make such a big mistake? Was there forgiveness for what he put her through? Why was the fate being cruel to her? That was when he saw the doctor coming out of the Operation room and rushed towards him.

"Surgery ho chuka hai. Par kaafi blood loss ki wajah se infection spread hua hai. And I am sorry to say but she has gone into coma. We have shifted her to ICU

And like that the world slipped beneath his feet. If not for his mother in law, he would have fallen back. That very piece of information shook his whole being. What was her fault in this? Why was her shankarji being cruel to her? He left the place not able to digest it. Would he lose her? Would he lose the only person whom he loved and who loved him like no other? His feet carried him to the only place which he never thought he would step into willingly. Temple.

Sauda karna toh koi tumse seekhe...Log zameen jaydadh maan imaan bhejthe hai..tumne toh khud ko hi bhej diya..

He entered the temple which was right beside the hospital.

Mujhe tumse, tumhari judi har cheez se, yah toh teri shakal se badi nafrat hai

With each step he took, the pain in his heart increased by folds.

I wanted you to love me...The way I love you

He looked at the idol as tears of anguish pooled his eyes, as they conveyed his unspoken plea.

"Kyun? his hoarse voice came out in a whisper as his lips quivered. That was the moment when he let his shield down in front of the only power he did not believe in until then.

"Use kyun? he let out a sardonic chuckle.

Jab gunaah kaali ne kiya, jab paap meine kiya, toh saza use kyun? he cried.

Ek ghar toh jala chuki ho...Ab kisi aur ghar ki bhaari hai? Tum jaisi ladki kisi ek ki hokar nahi reh sakthi

"Pehle din se meine use galat samjha! Shayad..shayad meine use samjha hi nahi!!

"Shayad...shayad mei uske layak nahi hoon! Nafrat ke naam se kya kuch nahi sehna pada use? Aur kitni baar meine use meri zindagi se nikalne ki khoshish ki?

"Ajeeb baat hai na! Jisko meine apni zindagi se nikalna chaaha, aaj zindagi aur maut ke beech lad rahi hai

"Aur aajtak usko woh zindagi, woh khushiyaan nahi mili jiski woh haqdaar hai!

"Kyun hone de rahe hai aap ye sab? Woh toh begunaah hai! Yeh sab jo hua, uska kya dosh? Uske saath kyun?

"Woh toh aap ko bahut maanti hai na, toh uske saath aisi naa insaafi kyun? He asked only to find the empty walls staring back at him. Only find shankarji smiling at him.

He joined in hands in prayer.

"Aap aise hone nahi de sakte! Aise hone mat dijiye! Pata hai mei uski layak nahi hoon. Pata hai meine bahut galat kiya hai uske saath! Par uske bine jee nahi paaunga! Please kuch mat hone dijiye! Please! he closed his eyes with joined palms asking him, begging him not to let anything happen to her.

"Bas! Ek mauka! Ek mauka dijiye! Ek mauka dijiye apne galti sudharne keliye aur kuch nahi!

"Pata hai...pata hai meine pati hone ka farz nahi nibhaya, mere kasme adhoore the aur mere waade adhoore the par...par yeh bhi sach hai ki mei usse bahut pyaar karta hoon...aur uske bina reh nahi sakta...please kuch mat hone dijiye use...kuch mat hone dijiye.. He said closing his eyes, ardently praying for her, praying for her to come back, praying for a chance to right the wrongs. He knew he had been ignorant for a while and if not for the ignorance, his wife would never have had been in this state. But he also knew that he loved her like no other.

A person who did not believe in God prayed for his wife, for her to fight, for her to survive, for her to live.

He turned around after wiping his tears only to find his younger brother standing there teary-eyed.

"Rudra? Tu..tum

"O..Tu theek hai? He asked in return for his Om nodded his head in no and rushed to him hugging him tight and wailed like a baby, his muffled sobs breaking his younger brother.

"Rudra...Aaj meri laparwayi ki wajah se woh coma mei chali gayi...Usse kaho ki waapis aa jaay...mei jee nahi paaunga uske bina...jee nahi paaunga he told in between his sobs while Rudra tried to console him.

He first couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew things weren't good in the initial days between his brother and his bhabhi. But to what level he had no idea. And he had no right to tell off his brother as he himself misunderstood bhavya before, and what followed was something he was ashamed of, something for which he never gathered the courage to tell her, tell her that he was the reason why she lost her job.

Ironically, a year back, he was the witness of his chulbul bhabhi's love towards his brother. He had seen his bhabhi sitting for hours together with him, pouring her heart out. When everyone lost hopes, she was the one who brought him back to life and now watching his brother in the same condition as that of hers he felt his heart clench, for both of them.

He was thankful to God for making his brother call him accidentally. The moment he heard about the hospital and his brother's trembling voice about how his wife should be alright, he knew something was wrong. He then connected the dots and the next moment he was on his way to bareilly.

Once they broke out from the hug, Om heard his younger brother say.

"O...meri baat suno...Aap jaakar bhabhi se baat karo. Mujhe..mujhe vishwas hai ki bhabhi zaroor sunenge...Aur bhabhi toh dabangg hai...kuch nahi hoga unko

Rudra assured him convincing him to talk to his wife first for which he got a nod in return.

Om entered the ICU and sat beside her lying form. His heart ached watching her lie lifelessly in the hospital gown with all the tubes and machines around her, her face as pale as it could ever be. This certainly wasn't the Gauri he knew. The Gauri he knew was vibrant, known for spreading joy where ever she goes. At that moment, all he wanted was for her to open her eyes, for her to talk, for her to shout at him, for her to fight with him, slap him for all the hate and all the ignorance he had shoved upon her.

He took her hand in his trembling hands and rested his face on the entwined hands as a fresh set of tears gushed down his eyes. He didn't know when he started talking. He didn't know when he broke down in between. He told her what he feared telling her all this while. He told her what he couldn't tell her. He poured his heart out in front of her. Each day he sat beside her talking about his childhood, talking about the pranks he used to play, about how naughty he was as a child, how things between him and his father turned ugly. He spoke about ishana and ridhimma and how he was betrayed, how svetlana created a rift in his family and how his mother tried committing suicide.

He talked for hours and hours sitting with her and told her what he felt when he first saw her and how sorry he was for misunderstanding her every single time. The words which were buried deep down made a way out of his heart as he told her how special chulbul was for him and how he still cherished each and every moment they spent together. He told her how chulbul would always be his best friend and how much he missed those days. He then told her how much he hated Gauri but how there was something about her which always remained mysterious and intriguing and how much she occupied his thoughts even when he hated her. He repeatedly apologized for leaving her at Kaali's feet, something which he neither could digest nor could make peace with it, something for which he can never forgive himself his whole life. He told how regretful and remorseful he was for putting her through hell in the name of anger, about how sorry he was for never trusting her even when she gave no reason for him to do so. He told her how he felt bad when she faked her pregnancy and talked about his dream of having his own little family with her. He excitedly told her how he wanted a daughter first who would have her eyes and joked about how he would have to bear two pagal chirayyas around him. With each passing day, he spoke with her patiently with all the love he had for her.

He apologized to her for having trust issues when time and again all she did was to make him see how loyal she was. He then told her what he actually felt when she came to the success party and made it a point to tell that he loved her for who she was and it really doesn't matter to him whether she knows English or not, something which he wanted to confess long back, something which he never got the chance to tell. He did not miss even a single detail from telling her about how much he missed the glucose biscuit wali chai to how he felt when she tied the friendship band which was still dangling round his hand. He told her how he felt when she said she wanted a break from him. He told her how hurt he was and how conflicted, his feelings were during that phase and how sorry he was to misunderstand her yet again. He told her how badly he wanted to break Ajay's bones for looking at her the way he did and for taking advantage of her goodness. Each and every moment spent with her and with her thoughts in mind good or bad was cherished and he for once did not hesitate to share them with the only person he would ever be able to share with, the love of his life.

"Gauri mujhe pata hai meine waadhe bahut saare kiye the par meine nibha nahi paya! Tujhse baath karna toh door meine ye tak bhi nahi socha ki tumhe kaise laga hoga jab tumne sab kuch bhoolkar wahi ghar mei waapis aaya jaha jeete jee..jeete jee tumhara shraadh hua he mumbled between his sobs constantly apologizing her for all the injustice she had to face in the name of husband, in the name of love.

He told her that he got to know how she was sold and how she was forced to marry Kaali along with his two vile brothers and also told her how he was angry on himself for never making an attempt to ask her, her side of the story.

Amidst all these he never forgot to tell how much he loved her and how he despised himself for being the way he had been with her all along, indifferent and ignorant to her sufferings. He never forgot to visit the temple and ask Gauri's shankarji to return her to him.

The hospital room walls were witness to every tear, every confession of a broken man who ardently prayed to God every single day and spoke to his wife with all the patience just with a hope that his prayers would somehow get answered, his wife would someday open his eyes.

Finally he told her how he cherished every moment spent with her and how much their marriage meant to him but how he wanted to marry her again whole heartedly this time, how he wanted to see her decked up as his bride and how badly he wanted to make her his wife in front of the world and give her a wedding which every girl would dream of, how he wanted to go around places spending every moment with her, open his own art gallery in Germany, something which has had been his dream, how he wanted to make their own little family and watch them grow old as they themselves grow old together. He did not miss mentioning about how he wanted her to share her dil ki baat with him, her feelings and her thoughts with him, the very feelings and the very pain which she had been burying it under her smile for years together.

Rudra could not help but shed tears seeing his brother's plight. He returned to OM upon Om's insistence and came back silently as he knew his presence would just make things awkward for his brother as his brother's turmoil was clearly evident. Upon Om's insistence he refrained talking about the same at OM and none were made aware of what was happening back in bareilly. But he sure made it a point to confess his deeds to bhavya and bear the consequences come what may. He loved her and he did not want her to know it from someone else which he knew would only hurt her more.

Soon two weeks passed. And Om entered the ICU like always and sat beside her on the stool watching her lifeless face. His eyes teared up all over again looking at her the way she was. When will she wake up? He had no idea. But he was certain that he would never give up even if it would take him a life time.

"Please mujhe aise saza mat do! He said in a whisper as the pain he felt was overweighing his patience. "Please aankhen kholo he begged her again asking her to let him know that she would always be with him.

"Gauri, please kuch toh bolo...mujhse aur nahi hoga ...mei tumhe iss haalat mei nahi dekh sakta. Ab toh uto...aur kitne din intezaar karwaoge he pleaded her yet again only to end up getting no response.

Tu meri dosti kya...Meri dushmani ke liye bhi layak nahi...Ab Gauri ho ya chulbul tu mere liye mar chuke hai

NO...no...This couldn't be happening. He again took her hand in his asking her to wake up and apologizing for all the times he had hurt her with his insensitive words. He then rested his forehead on her hand which he placed it back on the bed gently, emotionally drained.

That was when he heard a very small gentle whisper like someone just called out for him.

He raised his head when the voice became even more clear and looked at the source with sheer disbelief, his wife.

"Ga...Gauri He stuttered not able to believe his eyes as he looked at her looking at him with her eyes full of questions.

"Ga..Gauri tum theek ho? he asked her again and downed his head to her level when he saw her making an attempt to tell him something.

"Au...aur kitne baar maafi maan..genge she asked him in her cracked voice while he hugged her from the front gently as tears of relief rolled down his eyes.

"Dar gaya tha mei... he whispered repeatedly while her mind which just started responding tried to remember what had happened in the past few days.

"Hum chale jayenge toh aapko kaun satayega she again told him in a quivering voice which got the desired effect when she got to see her husband giving her a hearty smile gently kissing her forehead.

When he got up to go out of the room, he felt a hand on his hand and turned around to assure her that he was just going to get the doctor and left the room asking her to rest and not to take any stress.

Karma they say, has a weird way of getting back. And that was what struck the evil man of the village, Kaali Thakur. The moment he tried escaping from the police station, he was hit by a truck and died on spot, ironically at the same moment when someone came back to life, Gauri.

Maybe some things are meant to happen the way they do. Omkara never got a chance to tell his wife what place she holds in his life, never got a chance to fulfil the promises he made to her back in bareilly and Gauri had never got a chance to share her secrets, the deepest of her fears and her feelings with him. RiKara had never got a chance to have their own story and it has had always been an adhoora hissa. Maybe life gave them a second chance to rewrite their own story and complete their adhoori kahani.

Omkara rushed to the temple while the doctor checked on her, thanking the lord for giving his wife back to him. That was the moment when his faith in God was restored, the same faith which he buried somewhere in his heart. He smiled heartily thanking him for giving him yet another chance while shankarji smiled at him for he knew some things are just meant to be.

One year later:

Germany:

"How many times should I tell you not to lift the weights? Will you ever listen? He chided her for never listening to him.

"Mei bachi thodi hoon...Mei itni bhi buri nahi hoon ki har cheez ke liye aapko pareshaan karun she whined with a pout while he kissed her cheek unable to resist her cuteness.

"Pehli baat...tu mere liye bachi ho! Aur doosri baat! I have told you this thousand times that tum mujhe pareshaan kabhi nahi kar sakte he told taking her hands in his "aur bura hone ka sawaal hi nahi ut tha! Isiliye pagalon ki tarah baat mat kiya karo he completed while Gauri turned her face away.

"Dekh Gauri! he held her gently by her chin and made her face him. "Your wounds did not heal completely and I don't want you to do anything which would make you stress yourself He told for the nth time making her scoff in anger. He knew she hated when he gave her the same reason every time but he can never think of losing her again and certainly not because of his ignorance. No one will ever be able to know what he felt when he saw her lying on the hospital bed a year ago in between all the tubes and wires.

That was when she started complaining to shankarji about how she was being over pampered and how he was being all over concerned.

"Shankarji se shikayat mat karo! I am 100% sure that he is on my side she heard her husband's voice coming out from the kitchen.

"Waise meine dal chawal banaya hai! Ab jab tum gussa ho toh mei hi kha loonga he purposefully told her and the next moment she was beside him pulling the plate out of his hand while he looked at her admiringly and thought how cute she looked while gobbling the whole content.

"Phir bhi hum aap pe gussa hai she told while eating with her mouth full of food.

"Dikh raha hai he said and gave out a hearty laugh.

And their banter contiued while shankarji smiled from above.

They had their own share of ups and downs together. While he made it a point to tell her everything all over again, and this time when she was conscious, she took her own sweet time to open up and one fine day broke down in his arms completely. Then began their journey of understanding each other, their likes and dislikes, how each on react on situation, and the more they got to know about each other, the more they fell in love and one day when Om got down on his knees in front of his family and proposed her for a marriage, she did not know how to react. She was shocked, happy and confused at the same time and when he asked her to take her time to reply and told her that he would respect her wish, she fell for him all over again.

Marriage was a merry affair with the blessings of elders and each moment was something they cherished with all their heart. Gauri's family became his and he loved and respected them as much as she loved his family. With the way people loved and pampered her, Gauri couldn't help but shed few happy tears for she was blessed with a family, something she craved for her whole life.

And when he announced his wish of shifting his base to Germany and told his plans of settling there, he was attacked with different questions from all the members of his family but when he told them how it had been his dream to be independent and open his own art gallery, they had no other option but to agree to his wish.

Though it was difficult, Omkara and Gauri moved to Germany and that was the start of a new phase of their marriage. That phase where they explored a lot of things and had their personal space. The main constant was his concern. He never took any chance when it came to her health. There were times when his wife got angry at him and when they had arguments about his over concern but at the end of the day it was just the better half's happiness which mattered to them and all these fights were thrown into trash.

She knew how much he was scared about losing her and that was something which certainly would take time as that incident left scars which never would fade but she promised herself to do everything which would make him get rid of his fear. And he knew how she hated depending on others even for small things and he promised himself to make her feel more comfortable around him, make her understand that she doesn't need to hesitate when she is with him. He knew she dreamt of studying further and be a fashion designer but all he wanted was for her to tell him without any hesitation. He knew she would have had looked out for the possible options but the day she throws her hesitation away was the day he has had been waiting for.

It was a journey of a commitment-phobic man who now started believing in the purity of marriage. And it was a journey of a free-spirited girl from believing her pati to be parameshwar to learning what exactly a relationship is! And they say, marriage is a bond which unites two souls. They truly were like a missing piece of puzzle in each other's lives. Both were different yet they loved each other for who they were.

They say some stories never die. Theirs was one such. The one which would just get imprinted in the hearts.

_____

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I somehow lost the connect. So I am sorry if it did not meet the expectations 😳