Prelude: Post the Shashtipoorthi function, a week later...
Setting sun, coloring the sky a deep orange... , the clocks strikes 6, as Gauri , lazing in the couch , browsing a magazine of interiors, is lost in thought...
The sharp phone rings break the silence and Gauri picks it up...
"Gauri.. , I'll be home in 1/2 hour, I've got to go to Pune, for a meet, I'll be leaving tonite... Ghar pahunchke baat karta hoon.." he hangs up , having been disturbed during the call...
Gauri , a lil surprised to react, slowly realizes and then quickly gets up and reaches his cupbaoard and slowly pulls out 2 of his suits and places them neatly on the bed, along with the ties and then suddenly lost.. goes out of the room....
In Badi Ma's room, Nikhila is resting, when Gauri knocks...
"Andar aao..." , Gauri enters.. "Arre Gauri beta.. kya hua bacche..?"
"Ji Badi wo... Shiv... wo.. aaj.. Badi ma.. wo jab bahar jaate hai... tho kaunsa suitcase leke jaate hai badi ma..?"
"Kya hua...? Wo kahin jaa raha hai.."
"Ji.. Pune jaa rahe hai kaam se... maine socha unka samaan pack kar deti hoon..."
Nkhila smiles approvingly and then helps her out with the needed and heads back, as Gauri continues to arrange his stuff on the bed... when , Shiv enters , and notices her... she being unaware of his entry....
.....To be continued...