<Chapter 7>
Next day morning, when he woke up she was not to be found. The bed was clean and she was not to be found anywhere in the room. After he came out after freshening up, he met Daadi in the living room. Again he heard melancholic voice singing a sweet song. She is in mandir.
He went towards mandir. There she was singing a song, so mesmerized, at her Shankar bhagwaan. Omkaara turned back to find daadi closing her eyes and listening to the song with so much devotion. Entire household seems to have got involved in bhajan so early in the morning, he thought. She finished her prayers and came out. Her hair was still wet a little and she was dressed in a simple suit. He smiled at her when she turned and she tried to smile. He noticed a striking difference. Her sindoor and mangalsutra was missing. She was looking like her own self and yesterday's change had literally vanished.
Omkaara shrugged his shoulders. Why would he bother about that. They knew it doesn't hold significance.. Right? He asked to himself.
Gauri walked past him and gave Prasad to daadi. After daadi, she handed over the Prasad to him.
"Mujhe sweets pasand nahi hain"
"Oh teek hain. Agar aise hai to rakh lijiye"
She wasn't even interested to convince him to take bhagwaan's Prasad. Omkaara lost track of his low key disappoitments from yesterday nor was he trying to find the reason.
After a while in the room, he was reading some assignment papers for completion dates, while she was not to be found. She had gone back to her room to get ready and was staying with Jhanvi to resume her duty. He forgot she stayed here from yesterday and thought of changing his shirt. He pulled out his shirt and was taking one from his wardrobe when she walked in attentively looking at some papers in her hand. Omkaara was shocked and pulled out a random shirt, while she lifted her face only hearing some sound. She was taken aback. She was not expecting this at all and turned crimson. She turned away with all hurriedness and tried to leave the room. By this time, he had the buttons of his shirt almost on. He was also feeling low key embarrassed looking at her expression as if he was standing naked.
"Gauri.. Ruko"
She stopped near the door
"Kuch baat karni hai, tumhe?"
"Wo.. haan.. main " She was still not out of what she witnessed.
It's not a big deal to see a guy shirtless. She is a nurse. She would have seen a lot in her professional life. Why is she reacting like she has not seen a guy before?
"I am sorry.. aap change kijiye maan baad mein aati hoon"
"Nahi hogaya.. bolo kya baat hain"
"Wo aapse poochni thi. Mada.. wo maa ki treatment sirf kal tak hain. Dr sir se poochna hain aage ki course ke bare mein" She wasn't turning at all and was speaking with him in a half turned state.
"Teek hai. I will call Dr. Mishra. Today evening uski appointment mil gayi to I will request him to visit my mother"
"Thanks" She ran away. Omkaara remotely smiled at her running away.
In the evening Dr. Mishra examined Jhanvi and found her improvement very very satisfying. He was so elated that his choice was the best and Gauri did her best job. He informed Omkaara that now Gauri will be better off the care and Jhanvi can do well on her own. Omkaara wasn't knowing how to break this news of the marriage and was looking at Gauri. Gauri looked at him expecting to say something. Neither said any. Dr. Mishra asked her to resume hospital duties from tomorrow and went off.
Gauri came near him "Kal se mujhe hospital jaana hain. Kya main apni saheli ki ghar shift kar doon. Agar aapko kuch madat chahiye to bata dijiye main aati hoon yahan pe". She wasn't remotely looking at him and was looking at a wallpainting with all interest.
Omkaara again grew irritated. "Gauri, do you not like staying here?"
"Kya.. nahi aise baat nahi"
"Phir yahan se bhi tum hospital jaa sakthi ho na?" Irritation was evident from his face now.
"Jaa sakthi hoon. Par kyun?"
"You don't know about Svetlana. If she remotely finds out this marriage is a farce then she might try to harm you and take advantage of this situation. I don't want you to get into any danger because of me. Please jab tak Svetlana ki problem solve ho jay.. Please yahan ruko."
Gauri looked at him. Something in his eyes confused her. "Teek hain Words came out of her mouth without control.
"Ek minute humhaare room aajao please?"
Humhaare room? When did his become ours?
Gauri followed silently.
He gave her a box. It was a expensive phone.
She was not expecting a gift from him totally. "Yeh kya hai?
"Phone .. tumhaare liye" He was looking at her eyes. He knew she had a very basic phone and he wanted her to carry this phone with the security feature. He got her added in the family security system. But he wasn't sure why he went and selected himself, that too after searching for an hour.
"Yeh lena zaroori hai?" Her words were bland and her disinterest in getting the phone was evident.
"Haan. Issme humhaara ghar ki security system hai. It tracks you and alerts when you are in danger. I thought now it will be useful for you
Again, humhaara ghar? What is up with him, really? Gauri and Omkaara thought to themselves.
"Par mujhe aise expensive cheesein ki aadat nahi. Mujhe dar aajati ki main usse misplace na kardoon"
"Its ok, Gauri. Don't be so nervous. Sirf phone hai. Security ke liye" He looked tired of having to convince her harder for small things.
His exasperated expression made her to take it. "Teek hain. Main isse le lethi hoon. Thank you si.. nahi.. Thank you" She still hasn't decided how she would call him.
He moved aside with a sigh. Gauri opened the box. The phone was indeed beautiful and she liked the rosegold frame. She didn't know how to unlock it. She had difficulty using this complex phones. So she never got her one. She was struggling to unlock it when he came from behind.
"Mujhe karne do He opened it and explained her basic stuff like phone and security system. She opened the apps one by one. Camera opened. She held it straight to check how it was looking. The snap got clicked with him in frame. He was not aware of it while Gauri was shocked and hid it with all rush. He was about to leave.
"Ek minute..ssi.."
"Agar aapko kuch taqleef hai mere iss room mein rehne mein, please batadijiye". He knew she was hinting at him changing today morning.
"Mujhe kuch taqleef nahi. Mujhe lagta hain tumhe zyaada taqleef hain" His voice had something which she couldn't decipher.
"Mujhe taqleef nahin. Aur ek aur baat. Aap sothe waqt blanket se face cover karke mat soyiye. Not good for your health. Bas yahi kehna hai mujhe" She turned and went away from the room.
Omkaara was surprised. Night, he was arranging his bed to sleep and she wasn't to be found. He was not sure whether she is gonna come or not. But went ahead and arranged pillows for her anyway. Gauri was with Jhanvi, late in study room when Jhanvi realized it's very late. She asked Gauri to go & rest.
"Gauri. Apni kamre jao. Kal subah dekh lenge"
When she went into the room, the lights were off. She was wondering if she might disturb him and thought of going away. Bedside lamp flung on.
"Gauri, aao"
Is he still awake?
"wo main soch rahi thi..aap so gaye honge.. issliye main apni room mein jaake so jaaon.."
"Nahi.. am about to sleep.. you can sleep here"
She saw her pillows and blankets all stacked up and ready for her to sleep. It was sweet of him to do this. She went and lied down quietly with her back facing upto him.
"Kal se main hospital join kar rahi hoon naa. hafte mein do baar night shift karna padega and ek morning shift. Aap ki neend disturb hojayegi. So kya main doosri room shift kardoon" She wasn't sure why she was asking him permission or opinion?
Omkaara wasn't sure she cared for him or she was comfortable enough doing away. "Mujhe koi problem nahi Gauri. Afterall you have helped us a lot kya main itna nahi kar saktha hoon. Main tumhaari commute ke liye kuch arrange karoonga and aur agar tumhe aur koi help chahiye to zaroor batadena. I can help you out before getting ready. Haan, I will make us another key for this room. Raat late aarahi ho to use karo" Omkaara kept talking to her.
Omkaara ki dil mein bahut humdard hain, sab ke liye. He will treat you like princess.. Jhanvi's words echoed in her mind.
<To be cont>
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