Rikara FF: Tu hi meri Manzil(Index: Pg 1, Chapter 28 on Pg 84) - Page 14

<Chapter 8>

Gauri felt a little moved. May be this is how being cared about, feels. She never felt this in her all life. She is experiencing it at the most unexpected situation with the most unexpected person in her life. Gauri turned back to see him, once. She felt like doing so. Omkaara stopped and looked at her. There was something in her black shimmering eyes which he couldn't decipher. She looked at him for a brief 10 seconds and turned back.

"Kya hua Gauri

"Kuch nahi..Mujhe laga aap comfortable nahi honge, room share karne mein. Aap log ko apne hi hisaab se comfortable life jeene ki aadat hain na. Main expect nahi kar rahi thi aap itna adjusting hain wo bhi ek normal insaan ke liye. Mere liye yeh sab aadat si hai. Aap ke liye toda mushkil hoga naa?" She spoke with hesitation since she was clueless how does a rich person basked in comforts can be so adjusting to an almost stranger that too a woman who lives a simple life and much lower in standards of money.

Omkaara was remotely baffled. She is thinking him as a roommate and equaling parallels with living in a shared accommodation which he had no idea about. Has she completely forgotten that she is here because of the marriage that took place a day ago? Even he is coming to terms with the fact that he is married but trying to give her comforts as much since she saved him at a very crucial point. But she is very clear that she doesn't belong in here. He can at least pretend comfortable if she is remotely considering they are married and is staying with him just to come terms with reality. Her very aloof talks threw him out of the comfortable zone, now.

"Main kuch adjust nahi kar raha hoon, frankly. I am being myself and am trying to give you as much comforts. We are married and as long as we stay in this, I want to have a cordial relationship with you. Should you decide to walk out at any point, tumhe iski achi memories hone chahiye. That your life mattered to us and we are grateful to you for helping us. Main kuch meherbaani nahi kar raha, and agar tumhe kuch uncomfortable lage to, tum apni dil ki sun sakthi ho and tumhe jo teek lage wo kar sakthi ho"

What was there in his voice.? Exasperation, anger or disappointment? Gauri thought.

Gauri turned immediately. "Omkaara ji" words came from her mouth without her knowledge. What in the voice has pulled her like this?

Omkaara looked surprised. Finally she has called him by his name.

"aapko hurt karne ki iraada nahi hain mujhe. Main bas apni confusion bata rahi thi. I have not lived in a family before and mujhe care dene ki aadat hain receive karne ki nahi. Issliye main confuse hogayi ki aap mere liye shayad ek adjustment kar rahe hain" She spoke without any regrets in a matter of fact voice.

Omkaara looked with widened eyes. He kind of sensed her situation. She grew in a care home and is devoid of family. How could he forget that? His eyes softened a bit. His mama bear inside woke up on listening to those words.

"It's ok Gauri. So jao abhi" He caressed her hair for the first time.

Gauri fell silent on this caring gesture and was looking at him like a lost child for seconds.

Omkaara felt like hugging her for the first time, but restrained to do so. He caressed her hair for one more time. Gauri felt the urging need to be hugged by him, for the first time. She was baffled at her thoughts and turned quickly to close her eyes with hurry.

Three days passed since Gauri joined back work. Her routine was kind of setting in commuting to and from the oberoi mansion. After she returned from hospital she made sure she spent time with Jhanvi to check on her wellbeing. Omkaara felt relieved that finally Jhanvi had someone whom she is totally comfortable, infact happy with. He saw happy faces of both chatting in garden, in hallways and felt good.

After she came, life indeed has changed for good, he thought.

His father almost shifted out ever since that his mother had become a broken soul. Gauri is slowly putting her back from pieces. IF not for her love which she offered her more than her profession demanded, Jhanvi would have not certainly found a soul to confide her problems. His eyes shifted to smiling happy wife of his. He wasn't aware how long was he looking.

In the night, Omkaara was busy with his art work while Gauri was getting ready for her shift. She was packing her stuff and came out dressed. He didn't ask anything to her while she started the conversation for the first time.

"Aaj night shift hain. Morning 5 am khatam hojayegi. Main 6 baje aaongi"

"Teek hain Gauri. Please take care. Driver tumhe drop kar dega. 5 am usse call karo. Pickup bhi karega"

"Main BUS pakadke aaongi. Driver ki zaroorat kya hain?"

"Humhaari mansion main itni cars sirf display ke liye rakha hain?"

Again, Humhaari mansion?

She didn't want to argue. "Teek hain, Good night" she was about to leave

"Room ki key hain naa. Tumhaari paas? Kal subha aake use kar lena"

"Hai meri paas, use karti hoon" She went off.

Omkaara was lying in bed all alone. Past week, she had been lying with him while he had settled in a corner. Now he was back to lying on his old ways, something felt not usual. He turned to see her side of bed. It was empty. He felt some difference which he wasn't aware. He tossed and turned and finally fell asleep..

Morning when Gauri came, Omkaara had almost closed his face with blanket and was in deep slumber. She slowly removed the blanket off his nose, and slept before he got up.

Omkaara tossed in sleep. He didn't register yet, that she would have been back and its early in the morning. He tossed sideways when his hand fell on her. She was in deep sleep due to the night shift and hence was unable to open her eyelids. She felt something different and was fighting to get it away. She finally gave up and slept off cuddling in the nice warmth.

After an hour later, he slowly woke up. His brain was still cloudy. Her hair was all over the pillow and his head was resting on it. His eyes popped out. To his shock he realized that he had his arms wrapped around her. He was the one who had rolled over while she remained in her part of bed. He tried to pull the hand out but she held it. He was all the more shocked. He rose slightly to see her face; she was in a deep slumber. He was seeing her face for few seconds while removing his hand slowly without disturbing her sleep.

"Mmm" She murmered in sleep.

He finally pulled his hand out and managed to get up without making sound. He adjusted curtains so that it is still dark and managed to get ready and leave, without making noise.

Days passed slowly and they adjusted in to one another's routine very well. Almost a month was getting over and Gauri remotely forgot that Jhanvi had asked her to try and live together for a month and decide. She forgot that she is living with a stranger since he never made her feel like a stranger. He absolutely made sure she was comfortable, got all things she deserved for that entire she gave to his mother and his family. But about him? He was not sure; she did display care and concern at some circumstances, but never felt she is also a part of family.

He was disinterested about the marriage as well, but her presence was not a discomfort for his personal space. He had been a loner and always wanted to retire into his personal space, given a chance. But he couldn't deny the fact that her presence indeed had soothing effect to his broken life; like surrounded by someone so pure in heart who displayed selfless care and affection towards his family.

He had remotely started to expect her arrival in the evening and she had started to talk almost normally with him. In the evening, Omkaara was in the living room talking with Daadi. His eyes were travelling towards the door every minute expecting someone in anticipation. Daadi caught it after some attempts.

"Puttar kis ki intezaar hai? She smiled wickedly.

"Nahi daadi main kiski intezaar karoonga? Kuch nahi". He shrugged his shoulders. He heard a noise of someone entering the door. IT was Svetlana. Omkaara face twitched in disgust. She was watching him every inch of the way. Daadi's face reflected pure disgust.

She went near him and caressed his body from shoulders to his midriff. Omkaara took out her hands immediately, out of disgust.

"Stop it, now"

"Baby, itna bhi kya gussa kar rahe ho. Main sirf tumse milne aayi hoon. I miss you baby" She remotely tried to hug him. Omkaara was fed up of her antics. He would never exhibit physical anger at a woman, but she is crossing her limits. He was trying to get her hands out of him in the most civil way possible, only to notice Gauri standing behind. He was nervous now, that she shouldn't think anything bad about this gesture of him with Svetlana.

"Gauri He called out to his wife, to get him saved from this evil woman.

She was giving a intriguing look. He walked up to her and hugged her. Gauri's eyes popped out since he never did any gesture which is physically intimate. Svetlana didn't miss to notice her gesture and she was able to sense the situation.

"Tum abhi abhi aarahi ho. I was waiting for you. Chalo andar chalthe hain. You have to freshen up He smiled with all sweetness at her and hugged her again, this time more tight. Gauri was staring at him with a blank expression.

Daadi smiled victoriously while Svetlana noticed her expression.

"Ab Svetlana I want some privacy with my wife. So please excuse us" HE whisked her away from Svetlana.

Svetlana gave a "I-caught-you" expression on them

<To be continued>