RiKara OS: Inaayat |Thank you for 100+ likes|

"Humein baarish bahut pasand hai!" Gauri exclaimed, as she stretched her arm out, letting the droplets soak her hands. "Me too!" Annika said in excitement and mimicked Gauri's actions. "Me three!" Bhavya chirped along, imitating the two other women and enjoying the rains, and thus all the three girls broke into giggles. Shopping had never been more fun for them. After picking up some gifts for the entire family, as well as their respective Oberoi men, the three ladies had stopped by a roadside tea stall. "Baarish ke mausam mein garma-garam mirchi ke bhajiye khaane ka kuch alag hi mazaa hai, hai na?" Bhavya said, and Gauri nodded in agreement. Annika grinned, "Aur agar mere baagad bille ne dekh liye ke hum aisi jagah se bhajiye khaa rahe hain, toh woh toh apni kanji aankhon se aise ghoor ke dekhenge jaise hum bhajiye nahi, zeher khaa rahe hain..." Then imitating him, she continued, "Annika, aisi unhealthy cheezein kyun khaati ho? Ghar pe bana sakti ho na, healthy olive oil mein fry karke?" At this, all the three burst out laughing.

"By the way, Bhabhi's..." Bhavya said after a few minutes, "Aapko nahi lagta hum teenon ne ghar se baahar kuch zyada hi time spend kar liya? Andhera hone se pehle ghar bhi toh jaana hai! Warna Daadi khaamakhaa pareshaan ho jayengi na?" The two of them agreed with her, and quickly crossed the road to stop a taxi. The three of them were about to board when Gauri shrieked. "Kya hua, Gauri?" Annika asked in worry. Gauri looked at her. "Bhaujaai, humne Omkara ji ke liye jo kurta liya tha, woh shopping-bag toh uss chai ki dukaan pe hi reh gaya!" Bhavya smiled, "Bhabhi, aap baithiye, hum lekar aate hain..." It had begun to drizzle as well. Gauri looked at the sky which was due to pour down any moment. "Nahi Bhavya. Tum kyun jaaogi? Bag humne choda tha, toh hum hi leke aayenge..." "Arey koi bhijaao aur jaldi lekar aao, isse pehle bearish shuru ho jaaye..." Annika interrupted her and Gauri grinned saying, "Hum abhi jaate hain..."

Gauri looked at both sides of the road, and crossed. The man at the tea stall had placed the bag aside, hoping to hand it over carefully if she were to come back. Thanking the man for being thoughtful, Gauri turned around to go back to the cab in which Annika and Bhavya were waiting. When she was in the middle of the road, she was momentarily distracted by the severe lightning and the loud thunder that followed, and she didn't notice the jeep heading towards her in full speed. By the time she realised, the car had already rammed into her, and even before it could halt with a sudden jolt, her head had already had already made a contact with the tarred road.

"Gauriii!" Annika screamed, as Bhavya and she rushed towards her. A pungent smell of burnt chemical and blood filled the air around. Through her hazy vision, and blood trickling down her forehead, Gauri could see a blurry image of the two women rush to her. Except that, she couldn't hear a word. An extreme silence followed by a piercing sound filled her ear. "Bhaujaai..." she managed to say in a whisper, before she lost consciousness.

Omkara Singh Oberoi drove to the hospital at the speed of light, breaking a number of red signals on the way. Shivaay was already in the hospital, consoling a weeping Annika, while Bhavya kept fidgeting with the edge of the dupatta, hoping Gauri was out of danger. "Where is she?" a raging Omkara stormed up to where they were seated, and Shivaay stood up to console him. "She's inside. Doctors are trying their best..." Omkara looked at the two women seated, "What happened to her?" Annika burst out crying, and Omkara felt his heart skip a beat thinking about his wife inside the OT. The blood stained clothes of the two women also told him the unsaid- that Gauri had lost a lot of blood. Bhavya narrated the whole incident, and even before she could complete what she was saying, Omkara covered his ears with his palms to stop listening more. "Kuch nahi hoga Gauri ko..." Shivaay said and placing a hand on his brother's shoulder, who seemed to have been lost and defeated, he said, "Om, you heard me? Hum Gauri ko kuch hone nahi denge. Relax..."

Omkara looked at his brother, and when he saw the rage in his eyes, Shivaay involuntarily shivered. "Relax?" Omkara said in a shocked breath, "Tu mujhe relax hone ke liye keh raha hai? Shivaay, heaven forbid, if Annika Bhabhi was in there, how relaxed would you be?" Shivaay gasped even at the thought of it. Had Annika been inside, he would've gone livid. Easier said than done, he realised about his act on advising Omkara on his reaction. So Shivaay just let him be, but sat next to him and held his hand in support.

For the first time in life, Omkara felt the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. Until now, in every problem he faced, Gauri was always by his side, sharing his pain and supporting him, come what may. He recalled all those times when he had hurt her, distrusted her, humiliated her and asked her to go away from him. Yet every time he needed her, she was by his side, with no complaints or regrets, without even rubbing it in his face that he required her help. She possessed such a pure soul, filled with so much of warmth that it managed to even thaw and warm his icy heart, setting it ablaze with the fire of her love. Bitter tears streamed down his eyes as he regretted every wrong-doing of his, even though she had time and again forgiven him. He had, always, given her nothing but only pain. And he knew he didn't deserve a selfless, pure-hearted soul like her. "Take away my everything, but just spare her. I want nothing but her. Please just let her be alright. Please..." he whispered desperately to the walls of the hospital, hoping and praying that some divine force has mercy on him and just accepts his prayers.

Three hours later, the doctor stepped outside the OT and looked at Omkara directly. "Omkara, your wife is out of danger now." Omkara leaned against the wall and closed his eyes in a thankful prayer, while the others seated there heaved a sigh and thanked the almighty. "Can i see her?" Omkara asked in a weary voice, to which the doctors permitted him, after informing that she was under the influence of sedatives and mustn't be disturbed. Omkara agreed and rushed inside to see her.

The sight that met his eyes broke him into pieces. With numerous tubes and wires attached to her, she looked weak, frail, fragile and pale. The bandage that was dressed around her head concealed the bleeding wound, but the purplish-brownish bruises on her cheek, chin and lips told him how fatal the accident was, and how close he would have been to losing her. The thought itself made him shiver. He carefully held her hand in his, and bent his head to kiss it. Tears streamed down his cheek when he saw her lying there almost lifelessly. "Harr baar apni manmaani karni hi hoti hai na tumhe?" He said in a choked voice, knowing that she couldn't hear him. "Kitni baar kehta tha ke dekh ke chala karo, lekin nahi, tumhe toh bass apni duniya mein mast hoke rehna hai. Main keh raha hoon tumse, mujhse yeh sab bardaasht nahi hota. Uth jaao aur abhi ke abhi mujhse baat karo."

Omkara waited for a minute, hoping she would wake up. Then, getting annoyed with her minute-long silence, he said, "Waise toh din bhar itni saari baatein karti rehti ho ke kabhi kabhi mera sarr dukhne bhi lagta hai. Aur uss waqt mujhe majbooran tumhe chup karana padta hai. Aaj jab main tumhe mujhse baat karne ko keh raha hoon, tab tum apni akad dikha rahi ho?"

Gauri refused to say anything. More tears streamed down his cheek as he sobbed like a child. Then wiping away his tears with both hands, he said in an apologetic tone, "Accha, sorry... Main Nandi Bel ki tarah apni seengh nahi nikalunga. Gussa nahi karunga... I promise. Lekin tum bhi promise karo ke tum jaldi thik ho ke, jaldh se jaldh mujhse baat karogi..." Omkara stared at her with tears welling up in his eyes, and his heart slowly breaking into pieces with her lifeless silence. "Baat karogi na?" he said, breaking down into bitter tears next to her.

Two days passed by. There seemed to be no improvement in her health and she was still being monitored closely. Omkara hardly left her side, and ShivRu made it a point to not force him to go home, as well as not to be disturbed by anyone else. As usual, Omkara was talking to an unconscious Gauri, when he felt her fingers slightly move. "Gauri... Gauri?" he called out in hope. The nurse had a look and confirmed the same, and soon, the doctors were by her side. One of the ward boys tried escorting Omkara outside the ICU only to have him yell at him, declaring that although he would not interfere with any medical procedures, he would not leave his wife's side. After a point of time, the doctors obliged and continued with the required tests and procedures as Omkara watched from a distance.

A few hours passed by. Although there was a marked sign of improvement, Gauri hadn't come to consciousness yet. Rudra stood next to Omkara, who was seated holding Gauri's hand. As Rudra placed his hands on Om's aching shoulders, he spoke in a tired voice, "Gauri muhjse baat kyun nahi kar rahi hai, Rudy?" Rudra tightened his hold on his shoulders and gulped hard; he didn't have answers unfortunately. Turning around to face him, Omkara spoke to him in desperation, with his voice pleading, "Meri baat toh maan nahi rahi hai. Tum apni chulbul bhabhi se baat karke dekho. Tumhari baat toh woh nahi taalthi na. Please Rudy, ek baar baat kar ke dekho, Kaho na ussey ke uth jaaye... Uth kar humse, mujhse baat kare..." Omkara begged him. Rudra only hugged his O bhaiyya in response, and Omkara helplessly wept in his little brothers arms.

The next day, Gauri's eyes fluttered open and the first thing she noticed was that her jatadhaari hippie was holding her hand in his clasp and dosing off on the chair that was placed next to the bed. She wanted to talk, but since she was extremely thirsty, only a wisp of air left her lips. Oomkara woke up with a start and stared at her face. Her eyes were open, finally. "Om...kara...ji..." she whispered weakly, and Omkara grinned. He had most certainly lost a lot of fluids he'd lost from his body due to the never-ending streams of tears from his eyes, and yet, his eyes welled up with some more. "Gauri... meri Gauri..." he said, as he carefully cupped her face.

Calling out for a nurse, he looked down at his wife, thanking the Lord endlessly for returning his love back to him. Carefully, he hugged her, with his cheek against her neck and mumbled, "Bahut pareshaan kiya hai tumne mujhe pichle teen dino se. Iska hisaab tumhe chukaana padega, thik hone ke baad..." She smiled weakly as she pressed her cheek against his and then frowned, "Aapki dhaadi humein chubh rahi hai..." Omkara chuckled and pulled away, "Teen din baad hosh mein aayi ho, aur shikayat shuru bhi kar diya?" She giggled, but then choked and coughed. Omkara panicked, "Accha haso mat... rest karo..." And she nodded as he patted her hand, too weak to respond.

Two weeks passed by. Omkara had made it his priority to stay by her side while she was advised complete bed rest. He made it his responsibility to make sure she had her meals on time, followed by her medicines. On the very first day back from the hospital, she had refused to let him give her a sponge bath. "Aap Annika Bhaujaai ko bulayiye..." she had been stubborn. Omkara had to make her understand that it wouldn't be nice on his part to trouble Annika for something which was his right and his duty. He had been every bit of a gentleman and one could easily pass him off as a professional nurse with the way he gave her a sponge bath without making her uncomfortable. Of course, only he and the Lord above the heavens knew the amount of self-control he had to exercise.

During one of those nights, after dinner, when he read a story to her as per her request, she held his hand and sighed, "Miss kiya mujhe aapne?" she enquired. His brows furrowed in question. She explained, "Jab hamara accident hua tha, aur hum behosh the, tab kya aapne humein miss kiya?" She saw his eyes turn misty again, and her smile dimmed when she saw the helplessness reflect in his eyes as he said, "Meri jaan chali gayi thi... agar tumhe kuch hota toh main toh marr hi jata..."

Gauri held his hand tightly and placed her palm on his mouth, "Aage se aisi baatein bilkul mat kijiye." she said in a stern voice. He ran his fingers carefully through her hair. "Nahi karoonga. Lekin tum bhi mujhe ek baat promise karo." She raised her brow, asking him what it was. "Tum muhje akela chodkar kabhi bhi, kahin bhi nahi jaaogi. Aur main jitna bhi gussa karoon, mujhse kabhi baat karna bandh nahi karogi... She grinned, and he drank in that sight of her beautiful smile, as she said, "Kyun? Aapko toh badi pareshaani hoti thi na, jab hum saara din bolte rehte the? Toh ab kyun aapse baat karna bandh na karein?" He bent his head and kissed her forehead. Entwining his fingers with hers, he kissed the faded bruise on her cheek, her chin and her lower lip. Gauri sighed as she heard him say, "Tere aahat ke bina yeh dil dhadaktha nahi. Tere bina yeh saanson ka karwaan ruk jaayega. Main Khuda ke saamne bhi sarr uthaye ghoomtha hoon. Par tera naam ho jahan. Mera sarr jhuk jaayega...

He looked at her eyes that shone with love and glistened with tears. "Tumhe meri baatein samajh mein aayi, ya phir Rudy ki tarah, tumhare bhi sarr ke upar se chala gaya?" he chuckled as he said that. She placed her hand on his cheek, and kissed him on his nose, "Omkara ji, aap hamare ishq hain, hamare ibadat hain, hamare bhagwan hain. Aapki Gauri apni saansein lena bandh kar sakti hai, lekin apne Omkara ji se baat kiye bina nahi reh sakti..." He rested his cheek on her chest and smiled as he heard her heart beating. "I love you, Gauri..." he said. "Hum jante hain. Waise bhi, aur koi doosra chaara bhi nahi hai aapke paas, humse pyaar karne ke alawa." He giggled as he slowly wound his arms around her, "Hmmm, so toh hai..." He smiled as she laughed.

" Iztiraar thi yeh dhadkanein unke aahat ke bagair,