<Chapter 11>
His face lightened up a little and he moved close. Her cheeks started heating up. He tucked her hair behind her ears and lifted her face. He could feel that she was brimming in anticipation. His desperate attempt to control himself was going weak.
"Tumhe yaad bhi hain, main exist karta hoon?" He brushed his fingers in her cheek.
She looked at him with widened eyes "aise kyun keh rahe aap"
"agar yaad hain, to shayad tum mujhe batadeti kal. Par nahi, tumhaare liye main sirf ek roommate hoon" he was literally pulling his fingers out of her cheeks to stop him and be aloof.
She noticed that he took his hands from her face. Disappointment was evident from her face and she was so nave to conceal it.
"aap jan bhoochke aise baat kar rahe hain naa" her face was clouded and her eyes grew moist. She didn't know what else to say.
"To kya kahoon. Aagar tum mujhe batana zarorri nahi samajhi, main yahi understand karoonga na"
"Bas kijiye aap. Mujhe kahin bahar nahi jaana. Shyaam se intezaar kar rahi hoon aap mujhe wish karenge par nahi aapko aise baatein karni hai. Isse acha main hospital chali jaathi" she turned to move away. He held her hand.
"chodiye humhe, main jaa rahi hoon"
"Kahin nahi jaaogi tum" he was holding her hand so firmly that her attempts to release her hands went futile. Within seconds, he pulled her at one go and she was in his arms locked safely. She was shocked to realise that she was longing for this since this evening. He held her tight so that she couldn't move
"Happy birthday, Gauri" his voice was husky and magical near her ears.
Gauri felt no birthday of hers could turn as lovely as this one. She embraced him back with so much fulfillment "Thank you" He wasn't releasing her even after few minutes. She felt the same sensuality like 2 days ago, and his body warmth was rising. She felt alarmed at her senses getting ready to deceive her any minute, she pulled away slowly.
"Let's go" He smiled.
They entered a drive in, sea facing restaurant. It was a private lounge area and there was only one table in that entire space. The place was lit with a dull light and aesthetics were beautiful. Gauri is seeing such an exquisite place for the very first time, she was looking around mesmerized. He was looking at her inncocent expression at seeing such kin dof place.
"Pasand aayi tumhe?"
"Bahut" she smiled with all her heart.
He waits for her sit first and retires beside her in the couch. He thought he will sit opposite, but he did the reverse. She was flustered he chose to sit beside her, that too this close that she can smell his musk so clearly.
"Order karogi?"
She looked confused. "Main aise restaurant pehli baar aarahi hoon. I don't know what to order. Aap hi order kijiye jo kuch aapko teek lage"
"Teek hain. Main hi kuch order kar deta hoon. Non vegetarian khaoge?"
"Nahi main sirf vegetarian khana khaati hoon. Non vegetarian khane ki aadat nahi"
He felt bad when he realized that she must have not got opportunity to eat all kinds of foods since she was brought up in a care home. Her life would have incredibly tough in growing up at such a situation but here she is smiling and trying to be happy at even small things. He wanted to hug her and assure her, that he will take care of her no matter what they decided.
"Gauri"
He entwined his fingers with hers. "No matter what we decide in our lives, main tumhe wada karta hoon I will take care of you till end of our lives"
She was flabbergasted at this statement of his. Did he just say he will care for her even if they separated?
"Omkaara ji aise kyun keh rahe hain aap. Maine aapki madat ki thi iska matlab yeh nahi aap meri bhoj zindagi bhar utathe raho. Meri ek profession hain and I can live without any issues till end of life"
"You don't want me to care for you?"
She wasn't knowing how to answer this. She didn't want to answer this as no. She did want his care.. but. She shook her head to shrug of the thoughts.
"Aise baat nahi hain"
"Phir"
"hum aise baatein yahan kyun kar rahein Omkaaraji?"
"I just said a simple thing. Accept karne mein kya taqleef hain? Ya tum nahi chahthi ho, in me existing in your life till that time?" He was annoyed at her indifference again. He chose to calm down since it was her birthday and moved to sit opposite to her. She stopped him by clutching his hand.
"Kahan ja rahein aap?"
"I will sit in the opposite couch. Zyaada space nahi hain na.. iss couch mein" He tried to tone down his disappointment since he had taken her out for the first time.
"Mujhe space nahi chahiye. Agar aapko chahiye to udhar baitiye"
He sat quietly beside her. All her excitement went down.
"Omkaara ji"
"Hmm"
"Pata hain jab humhaari shaadi hui, pehle din maa mujhse kehre rahe the, Omkaara ki dil mein bahut humdardi hain aur aap mujhe bahut ache se treat karenge. Uss din mujhe pata nahi tha aap kaise hain, mujhe kaise treat karenge; kyunki main aapki tharah ameer nahi hoon aur jo ladkiyaan se aapki pehchaan hothe wo sab bhi aapki status se honge. Par phir bhi aap mujhe bahut ache treat kiye with great respect and care. Sach mein aap bahut caring and understanding insaan hain. Aap agar kisise sache dil se pyaar karenge aur shaadi karenge, wo ladki bahut khush rahegi" She said her heartfelt feelings for the first time since she felt she should compliment him for making her birthday special.
Omkaara looked at her mysteriously. He didn't know whether or not to feel good at this compliment. He wanted to feel good but the next line which followed deterred the feel-good factor. He remained silent.
"Aisa kuch nahi. Tum yeh sab deserve karti ho. Tumne jo kiya shayad koi bhi ladki nahi karti, I mean who marries someone who is a stranger for bailing them out of situation, wo bhi bina faayda soche samjhe. You are the most selfless and caring insaan I have ever met. Main sirf apne tharaf se koshish kar raha hoon, tumhe comfort dene ke liye jo tum deserve karti ho" He looked into her eyes.
"aap sach mein humhaare bare mein aisa sochthe hain?" She was looking at him with dreamy eyes. He got impatient. Why in the world is she looking at him like this but talking as if they are meant to be strangers?
"Haan" he turned slightly to control his emotions.
She held his hand. "Hum saath mein rahe ya na rahein. Main aapke liye har wo din prarthna karoongi zindagi bhar. Ki bhagwaan aapki lambi umar de aur aapki aur maa ki duniya mein saare khushi de" She was taught this way to pray in the home, she incorporated it as her daily routine to pray for every well wisher of hers.
He looked at her with a deep meaningful look. His eyes potrayed what he couldn't say or probably the confusion about what he wanted to say.
Gauri was drawn at the intense gaze of the brown orb eyes. She kept on looking at him and wanted to feel his embrace. She leaned towards him and rested her head on his shoulders.
"Thank you omkaaraji. Ye pehli birthday hain jo mere liye log celebrate kar rahe. Isse khaas din banane ke liye, thankyou so much"
He hugged her instantly. "Aage se tu kabhi nahi sochegi ki tumhaare liye koi nahi hain, Main hoon tumhaare liye aur hum sab hain"
She raised her head to look at his face. Her expressions reflected a myriad of emotions.
He kissed on her forehead and she dint shy away. He took her hands and kissed the finger tips, while pulling out a soft velvet pouch. She was looking puzzled. Without much delay, he pulled an exquisite ring made with a rock sized solitaire. Gauri's eyes widened.
"Omkaara ji yeh??"
"Happy birthday Gauri" he slipped the ring in her hands while she watched his face close, with wide eyes.
They had some really heartfelt conversations and both were feeling quite contended. When they reached the home late in the night, everyone was asleep. Gauri was setting the bed while Omkaara went to change. They lied down and Gauri didn't face her back towards him as she usually does but was lying straight. They looked at one another. Gauri smiled while he was thoughtful, contemplating the emotions cropping inside, slowly. He didn't want her to know, even remotely, what he was thinking, since that would embarrass him big time.
"Omkaara ji. Sach mein aaj main bahut khush thi. Main aaj tak, yeh sab celebrations mein interest nahi lethi thi aur miss bhi nahi karthi thi, par aaj pehle feel hua ki koi humhaare liye kuch kare, kitna acha lagta hain. Ek baar phir thank you. Mujhe patha hai aap ne sab arrange kiya hain" She smiled with all her heart.
"Gauri bar bar thank you kehna band karo. Maina itna bhi kuch nahi kiya.."
She looked at her ring and gave a thoughtful look at him. "main itni mehngi cheez kabhi nahi pehni. Mujhe dar hai ki main isse kho na doon. Aapne itna mehnga cheez kareeda kyun. Simple si cheez kareed lethe?"
"Tumhe pasand hai?"
"Haan"
"Only that matters" He took her fingers and caressed the ring and her fingers. He could not stop there.. he caressed her hand and knew it was leading him to somewhere if he doesn't stop now. Gauri was looking at him silently while he held her hands; he had stopped doing that with great difficulty. She didn't want to pull her hand out of his, and remained silent. Her silence was puzzling him, while he went ahead and interwined his fingers with hers. Gauri interwined hers also.
"Gauri"
"Hmm.." She slightly tilted towards his side. Both their faces were heavy with flurry of unspoken emotions cropping up behind, wheich they had no clue about, but longed for more. Gauri turned towards his side as if she was waiting for his one call. She placed her other hand in the space between with her finger tips touching his hand.
"Omkaara ji main ek baat pooch sakthi hoon"
"Poocho"
"agar aapko svetlana se itni problem thi, phir engagement kyun kiya?"
Omkaara sighed. He had starting to forget his deep troubles. But when she asked he didn't feel like restraining him. He told the entire story in brief, his troubled childhood, his father meandering ways, his mother's broken soul, Svetlana threatening them, Jhanvi trying to immolate herself, him getting engaged to Svetlana to separate her from his father and how he had to sign the prenup due to her force.
Gauri listened with silence. Now her hands were well on his shoulder caressing him gently, as if she will soothe his broken soul with this one touch.
"Zindagi bhi kya pagal cheez hain na omkaaraji. Aap ki paas sab kuch hain, phir bhi aapko itna kuch sehna pada. Par aap fikar mat kijiye ab sab teek ho jayega. Main kar wo koshish karti hoon maa ji ki thikane ke liye. Maa waise bhi teek hogaye hain 80% bas kuch aur din ki baat hain" Her hands finally rested in his cheeks at the end of the statement.
Her small assuring touch did have a soothing effect on the pain which generated from retrogating his past wounds. He held her hand in his cheeks, tight. She couldn't bear to see him in pain and extended her other hand cupping his cheek. Her gesture wanted him to cuddle with her for once, to get away with his painful thoughts. He turned towards her side and moved closer but stopped short of cuddling into her. She was able to see his inner turmoil. Without delay, she moved an inch closer and wrapped his neck in her tiny arms and made his head rest on her shoulders. Omkaara closed his eyes and buried his head on the crook of her neck, while he held her tight. They slept in each other's embrace..
<to be cont>
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