RiKara OS: The Wedding of her Dreams ||Thank you for 100+ likes||

A gloomy-looking Omkara walked towards his room in a slow pace. Ever since he had heard Bhavya talk to Shivaay and him, he had this heavy feeling in his heart. "Harr ladki ko, apni shaadi ko lekar kayi sapne hote hain... Ke uski shaadi aisi hogi, uski shaadi mein yeh sab hoga... Bhaiyyas, aap dono ne humari shaadi ke saare sapne poore kar diye... in fact, jo humne socha bhi nahi tha, ke humein do bade bhai bhi milenge, aapne woh bhi poora kar diya. Thank you for everything!" "Every girl has a few dreams about her wedding. That her wedding will be carried out in such-and-such way, it would consist of so-and-so ceremonies... Bhaiyyas, you both have fulfilled all my dreams of a wedding. In fact, it's so much better than what I had ever dreamed of; that I got two elder brothers in you. Thank you for everything!" While Shivaay had brushed it off saying it wasn't a big deal at all, Omkara had felt her words hitting him right at the core of his heart; especially the part where she said that every girl had a lot of dreams about her wedding. Just one name popped up in his mind at that moment. Gauri. "Didn't she ever dream about her wedding to be a grand affair?" The thought kept swirling in his mind, consuming every other thought of his, to an extent that he hadn't even heard Shivaay or Annika call out to him to sit with all of them and have a Dil Bole Oberoi Moment at the pool.

With a heavy heart, he stepped into the bedroom, and noticed the way Gauri almost flew around the room busy arranging things. She had already changed from her heavy clothes and jewellery, and had donned a comfortable white anarkali. She had placed his set of clothes, to change into, on the bed. The minute she saw him, despite her own tiredness, her eyes twinkled as she said, "Aa gaye aap? Jaldi se fresh ho jaayiye aur kapde badal lijiye. Tab tak hum baaki ka saara kaam khatam kar lete hain..." "You're here already? Quickly freshen up and change your clothes. Till then, let me finish off the rest of the chores." He nodded, and before he could say anything, she walked out of the room to go to the kitchen. With nothing else to do, he walked into the bathroom and freshened up.

When Gauri returned to the room with a jug of iced water for him, Omkara was leaning against the bedpost, scrolling something on his phone. The minute she reached there, he looked up at her and smiled half-heartedly, making her realise that there was something bothering him. "Bade bhaiyya aur Bhaujaai pool ke paas baithe hain, Rudy bhaiyya aur Bhavya ke saath. Aap nahi gaye?" "Bade Bhaiyya and Bhaujaai are seated near the pool with Rudy Bhaiyya and Bhavya. You didn't join them?" Omkara shook his head in a no, as she placed the jug on the table. "Kyun?" "Why?" she asked, and he smiled at her innocent face. "Kyunki," "Because," he said, getting up from the bed and holding her hands in his, "Mujhe tumse kuch baat karni thi..." "I needed to talk to you..." She looked confused when he made her sit on the bed. In the next minute, he knelt down on the floor in front of her, still clasping her hands in his.

"Main jo poochunga, uska sacch sacch jawab dogi?" "Will you answer my question, in all honesty?" he asked, and she smiled, "Aapse jhoot bola hai kabhi, jo aaj bolungi?" "Have I ever lied to you earlier, that you think I'll be dishonest today?" He smirked at her as if reminding her of all those white lies she had told him since day one. Chulbul. The pregnancy. She bit her tongue and avoided his gaze, "Haan, ek ya do bole honge..." "Okay, except maybe once or twice... " She heard him chuckle and that brought a smile on her lips.

Omkara turned serious again, "Sacch sacch jawab dogi mere sawaal ka?" "Will you truthfully answer my question?" Gauri nodded earnestly. Omkara took a deep breath before coming straight to the point and asking her, "Tum mere saath khush toh ho na Gauri?" "Are you happy with me, Gauri?" It took a few seconds for Gauri to react, because out of all questions, this wasn't the question she had expected at all. "Aap aisa kyun pooch rahe hain?" "Why do you ask this?" she asked, unable to comprehend what caused him to doubt it. He shook his head, "Bass, jaan na chahta hoon... Kya tum mere saath khush ho?" "Just like that... I just want to know... Are you happy staying with me?"

Gauri wiggled her hands out of his hold, and cupped his face immediately when she noticed his face fallen as he missed the warmth of her hands. "Hum aapke paas hain, aapke saath hain... hum khush kyun nahi honge? Hamari khushi aapse shuru hai, aur aap pe hi khatam..." "I am close to you, I am with you... Why wouldn't I be happy? My happiness begins with you, and ends with you..." Gauri frowned when she saw his eyes turn misty at her words. "Kya hua hai aapko aaj? Pehle ajeeb se sawaal karte hain, aur phir yeh rotlu si shakal banathe hain?" "What is the matter with you, today? First, you ask me such a strange question, and now you make such a cry-baby face?" He held her hands that were at his cheek, clasped them in his hands and kissed her fingers. Then, he sat on the floor and placed his head in her lap, "Maine tumhe aaj tak bahut dard diya hai, Gauri. Dard aur takleef ke bina main tumhe kuch de hi nahi paya. Main toh tumhe ek acchi, dhoom-dhaam wali shaadi bhi nahi de paaya, jaise Annika Bhabhi aur Bhavya ko mili..." "I given you a lot of pain, till this day, Gauri. Apart from pain and difficulties, I haven't given you anything else. I couldn't even give you a proper, grand wedding; a wedding like Annika bhabhi and Bhavya got for themselves!"

Gauri was clueless as to what made him feel this way. Yes, she was happy for Annika Bhaujaai and Bhavya, but it didn't mean she felt she was lacking in any way. She had never ever felt that she needed another grand wedding; for her, that one simple wedding at Bareilly where her Omkara ji had married her, was more than enough, even if it was on an impulse, even if it was without any detailed ceremonies. He had now whole-heartedly accepted her as his life-partner; she was truly content being his wife, and nothing else mattered to her. But with the way he appeared so vulnerable, she didn't even have the heart to give him an earful for over-thinking about such trivial matters. Instead, she ran her hand over his hair, and placing her hands on his cheek, she made him look at her.

"Kar di na aapne ekdum paglet chirote wali baat? Aapse kisne kaha ke humein ek dhoom-dhaam aur shaandar shaadi chahiye thi? Aur khabardar agar aapne ee kaha ke aapne humein dard ke alawa kuch nahi diya..." "Now you're talking like a crazy chirota. Who told you that I needed a grand wedding? And how dare you say things like you haven't given me anything other than pain..." She ran her palm lovingly on his forehead, and placed a small kiss at the juncture of his brows, "Omkara ji, aapse shaadi karke humein itna pyaar mila hai; na sirf aapka, balki iss poore parivar ka. Parivar kya hota hai, ee humne hamare shaadi ke baad jaana hai." "Omkara ji, marrying you has brought so much of love into my life; not just yours, but the whole family's love. It was only after I married you did I realise what a family truly meant."

"Phir bhi..." "But still..." he said in a low, disappointed voice, "Harr ladki ko apni shaadi ke bare mein kuch armaan, kuch sapne hote hain. Tumhare bhi rahe honge... Aur maine kya kiya? Tumhari marzi ke bagair tumse shaadi kar li. Tumse poocha bhi nahi tha ke kya tumhe yeh rishta manzoor tha. Bass, tumhari maang bhar di, tumhare saath zabardasti phere liye, aur shaadi kar li. Aur uske baad, maine tumhe apni biwi hone ka darja bhi nahi diya. Chod aaya tumhe uss.. uss... Kaali Thakur ke paas..." "Every girl has some wishes and dreams with regard to her wedding. You too would've had a few. But what did I do? I married you without even asking your permission. I didn't even consider if you were truly willing to get into this relationship of marriage. I simply filled the partition on your forehead, forcefully walked with you around the sacred fire, and married you. And thereafter, I refused to even accept you as my wife! I simply left you in the hands of that... that... Kaali Thakur..."

A teary Gauri held his hand that shivered with rage. She took a deep breath when the incident flashed in front of her eyes all over again. Kaali Thakur still haunted her; his wicked laugh which still reverberated in her ears gave her goosebumps. But right now, she couldn't afford to break down in front of him. She had to be strong for both of them. Despite her own agony, she put her husband as her priority.

"Omkara ji, aap..." "Omkara ji, you..." "Tum mujh jaise insaan se kaise pyaar kar sakti ho, Gauri? Maine tum par kitne ghinone ilzaam lagaye, kitna kuch kaha, kitna kuch sunaya bina tumhari kisi galti ke... tumne uff tak nahi kiya! Sab kuch chup chaap sehti rahi. Kyun?" "How can you love a person like me, Gauri? I threw such disgusting accusations at you, I kept yelling and made you listen to all of that, without any fault of yours... You didn't say a word! You simply kept bearing everything in silence. Why?"

She smiled at him softly, "Kyun ki jiss dine aapne hamari maang bhari, bhale hi aapne uss shaadi ko maanne se mana kiya tha, usi din hamare aur aapke dil ka ek connection bann gaya. Bhale hi aapko uss waqt mehsoos nahi hua, lekin hum usi waqt jaan gaye the, ke jiss insaan ne humein bachane ke liye humse shaadi ki, usko hamare Shankar ji ne hi hamara... ooo kaa kehte hain... soulmate, na? Haan, aapko hamara soulmate ban kar bheja hai..." "Because, the day you married me, even if you refused to consider our marriage a valid one, your heart and mine had connected. Even if you did not realize it back then, I knew in that very moment, that the person who married me to save my life has been sent to me by my Shankar ji as my... errr what do you call that... soulmate, right? Yes, He had sent you as my soulmate..."

He looked up at her, lost and broken, as if waiting for her heal him with her assurances. True, it should have been him who had to pamper her and make up for his deeds of misjudging her and thus hurting her. But, like always, it was she who reached out to him and wiped his tears, selflessly and without asking anything in return. "Aur rahi baat, dhoom-dhaam shaadi ki," "And about a grand wedding," she said and he looked into her eyes, "Toh hum aapko bata dein, Omkara ji, ke shadi sirf reethi, rivaaj aur rasmon se nahi banti; Inn sabse hamein koi farak nahi padta. Shaadi toh vishwas, prem aur kasmon se banti hai... Aur pata hai shaadi ke neev ko kya mazboot banata hai?" "I just want to tell you, Omkara ji, that marriage is never made of customs, traditions and ceremonies; all of that doesn't even matter to me. Marriage is made of trust, love and vows. And do you know what makes the foundation of marriage even stronger?" He raised his brows, as if asking her the answer.

"Dosti... Shaadi ke neev ko dosti hi sabse taqatwar banati hai. Kyunki agar hamare pati hamare sabse acche dost nahi ho paaye, toh humein unpe bharosa kaise hoga? Aur agar bharosa nahi hoga, toh prem kaise hoga?" "It's friendship. The foundation of marriage is made stronger only through friendship. If my husband cannot be my best friend, then how would I be able to trust him? And if I cannot trust him, how would I be able to love him?"

He nodded, knowing that she was his best friend and he was hers. But despite all her talks, he still felt hurt that he was unable to give her a wedding she deserved. Bhavya's words still echoed in his ears. Placing his head back on her lap like a little child, he said, "Gauri, hamari shaadi se pehle tumne kabhi apni shaadi ke baare mein nahi socha? Kuch bhi nahi?" "Gauri, before we got married, you would have had some thoughts about the way you would want to marry someone, someday. What were you thoughts?" She fell into deep silence for a very long time. He then heard her chuckle humourlessly, "Humein kabhi fursat hi nahi mili yeh sab sochne ki..." "I never really found the time to think about any of it..." At this he looked up at her, and saw her staring at some point in space, lost in thought, and with each second, her eyes turned glassy. This time, he didn't shake her out of her thoughts.

Gauri spoke after a while, "Hamare babuji ne humein godh liya tha... anaath ashram se utha laaye the humein... Ee toh aapko pata hi hoga; Amma ne aapko bataya hoga..." "My father had adopted me... He had brought me home from the orphanage... You would have known of it; My mother would have told you about it already..." Omkara nodded without interrupting her; he was aware that Gauri was an adopted child, and that her foster-father passed away when she was merely twelve years old.

"Babuji ke guzar jaane ke baad, Amma bhi beemar pad gayi, aur unki dekh-bhaal ke liye humein school chodna pada. Hamare chacha-chachi ne hamare babuji ki dukaan hadap li; lekin humein woh ghar se nahi nikaal paye, kyunki babuji ke wasiyat ke hisab se agar humein ya hamari Amma ko woh ghar zabardasti chodna pade, toh woh ghar usi anath ashram ke naam ho jayega jis ashram se woh humein laaye the. Isliye majbooran, Chacha-chachi ko humein uss ghar mein rakhna pada..." "After my father passed away, my mother fell ill, and I had to drop-out of school to take care of her. My uncle and aunt had forcefully taken-over our little shop; but they were unable to throw us out of the house due to a clause in my father's will which stated that should my mother or I be made to forcefully leave the house, then it would be donated to the same orphanage from where I was adopted. With no other option left for them, Uncle-Aunt had to allow us to stay there. "

A tear made its way down her cheek, and Omkara wiped it away with his thumb, as he rose from the floor and sat next to her, holding her hand in his. She wasn't even aware of it, and continued talking. "Hamare chachi paison ke liye humein naukrani ki tarah padosiyon ke ghar bhejti thi, unke ghar ka kaam karne ke liye. Hum sab kaam kar lete the; jhaadoo, pocha, kapde dhona, khaana banana, yahan tak ki gaay ka gobar uthana, sab kuch... hum sirf therah saal ke the. Agar kabhi hum thode paise alag se rakhte, apni Amma ke dawaiyon ke liye, toh Chachi humein bahut maarthi thi; khaana bhi nahi deti thi. Kitni baar humein bhooke pet sona padtha. Chacha-chachi toh hamari Amma ko bhi maarte the. Aur agar kabhi hum unhe rokne ki koshish karte hamari Amma ko peetne se, toh woh humare haat pair ko garam lohe se jalate the." "My aunt used to send me as a maid to our neighbours houses to carry out their chores, in return for money. I used to carry out all kinds of chores: sweeping, mopping, washing clothes, cooking food, and even cleaning the cow dung... everything... I was just thirteen years old. If at all, I were to keep some money from the wages paid so as to buy some medicines for my ailing mother, my Aunt used to belt me a lot; she even used to starve me. I had to sleep with an empty stomach for so many nights. Uncle-Aunt used to beat my mother too, and if I would try to intervene, they would burn my hands and legs with a burning iron rod."

Omkara felt like his chest was hammered with a sledgehammer. He could feel her aggression and pain; the way her hold on his hand tightened, and the way her eyes reddened in rage at the mere memory of it all made him feel that bubbling anger that was rising within her. "Kuch saal baad, ek darinde ki nazar hum par padi. Kaali Thakur tha unka naam, jise hamare chacha-chachi ne pachaas-hazaar rupyon ke liye humein unko bech diya!" "A few years later, a demon set his eyes on me. His name was Kali Thakur, to whom my Uncle-Aunt sold me for fifty thousand rupees!" Omkara's hand loosened over hers. She was sold by her own uncle and aunt to that monster? Gauri continued, "Pachaas hazaar! Yahi thi hamari jaan ki keemat..." "Fifty thousand rupees. That was the value of my life!"

Suddenly she paused, when she felt a tear on her hand. Looking up, she saw his eyes turn red with rage, and guilt. She could see her pain reflected in his eyes, and unfortunately, for the first time, she didn't have any words left to console him. A trip down the dark and vile memory lane exhausted her completely. "Ab, itne saare jhamelon ke beech, humein ek dhoom-dhaam shaadi ke baare mein sochne ka waqt kahan mila? Aap hi bataiye?" "Now, in the midst of all these problems, where would I find the time to dream about a grand wedding? You tell me?" she said with a weak laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Itna sab... itna sab ho gaya... Aur maine, bina soche samjhe tumhe... Gauri... main..." "So much... So many things happened... And I, without even thinking, I ... Gauri... I..." he began to mumble something incoherently. His hands fell to his sides, as he looked away in desperation and guilt. "'Omkara ji... she said in a soft voice calling out to him. Forcing him to look at her, she held his face in her tiny hands, "Humne aapko apne ateeth ke baare mein bataya zaroor. Lekin aapko sirf yeh ehsaas dilane ke liye ke aapse shaadi karke humein sirf aur sirf pyaar mila hai, dard nahi..." "I told you about my past, only to make you realize that after I married you, I have only received love, not pain..." He wiped her tears with his thumb and kissed her cheeks that were stained with her dried-up tears, "Tum itni acchi kyun ho, Gauri?" "Why are you so nice, Gauri?" She giggled at that and pinched his cheek, "Ab hum khud ki taareef kya karein?" "Now, how would I praise myself?" Omkara shook his head with a smile.

A minute later, he rose from the bed, held his hand out, and said to her, "Chalo mere saath..." "Come with me..." She looked at his hand and her brows furrowed in confused hesitation. He smiled, "Bharosa hai mujhpe?" "Do you trust me?" he asked, and she nodded, "Khud se bhi zyada!" "More than I trust myself!" She placed her hand in his, and followed his lead, to the poolside where the four younger Oberois were already seated. "Om, tujhe kab se bulane ki koshish kar raha tha... kahan reh gaya tha tu?" "Om, I've been trying to call you since a long time... Where have you been?" Shivaay asked. "Mujhe aap sabse kuch kehna hai..." "I need to say something to ya'll..." Omkara said, drawing their attention.

Om turned to look at Gauri and said, "Main jaanta hoon, ke tumhare liye shayad inn reethi, rivaaj aur rasmon ke hone ya na hone se farak nahi padtha. Lekin mujhe farak padta hai. Isliye nahi, kyunki humein duniya ko yeh sab dikhana hai. Isliye, kyunki tum yeh deserve karti ho..." "I understand that these customs, traditions and ceremonies don't make a difference to you. But they do matter to me. Not because we've to stage it to the whole world. But because you do deserve it..." Shivaay, Annika, Rudra and Bhavya watched the two of them without a blink of an eye. Omkara took her hands in his, and kissed them. "Gauri, tum iss duniya ki saari khushiyan deserve karti ho. Aur isliye, tumhe mere ek aur sawaal ka jawaab dena hoga, poori sacchai ke saath..." "Gauri, you deserve all the happiness of the world. And that is why, I want you to answer one more question of mine, in all truthfulness..."

Annika and Bhavya felt their eyes well up with happy tears, while Shivaay and Rudra grinned happily, when they saw Omkara get down on his knees. "Gauri, kya tum mujhse, dobara, shaadi karogi, poore dhoom-dhaam aur band-baaje ke saath; unn saare reethi, rivaaj rasmon ke saath?" "Gauri, would you like to marry me, again, with all the grandeur, pomp-and-show, with all the customs, traditions and ceremonies included?" Gauri closed her eyes and let her tears flow down her cheeks. Had someone told her a year back that her Jatadhaari Hippie husband would fall in love with her and propose to her, she would have said, "Ek jhaap mein deewar pe satt jai bey to them. But right now, having him propose to her, pleading her to marry him in a true-blue Oberoi style, she couldn't help but nod her head in a yes, with a bright smile on her lips.

"O, ring toh pehnao Chulbul bhabhi ko..." "O, put a ring on Chulbul Bhabhi's finger..." Rudy said cheekily as Shivaay whistled. Omkara pulled out an ornament from the pocket of his kurta, surprising the four of them. "Payal?" "Anklet?" they chorused. Only Gauri's eyes twinkled as she recognized it. It was the same anklet that she had once lost. "May I, please? Omkara asked her. "'Omkara ji... she whispered as he placed her foot on his thigh, and hooked the anklet on her ankle. Looking up at her, he smiled, mouthing an "I love you" to her. The blush on her cheek gave him his reply.

"Hamara Om bhi unique, unki love story bhi unique..." "Our Om is unique, and so is his love story..." Shivaay said, placing an arm around a giggly-Annika. "Aur nahi toh kya!" "Exactly!" Rudy chimed in, and turned to Bhavya saying, "O aur Chulbul bhabhi ki love story toh alag hi track pe start ho gayi thi... O ko bhabhi ke Chulbul avatar se pyaar ho gaya tha... Imagine!" "In fact, O and Bhabhi's love story had started off on a different track altogether... O had actually fallen in love with the Chulbul avatar of Bhabhi... Imagine!" The two brothers continued to tease the middle Oberoi brother, causing both Omkara and Gauri to blush.

"Oye Khoteyon! Yeh kya shor macha rakha hai aadhi raat ko?" "Why are you all yelling in the middle of the night?" they heard a voice amidst all the cheering. Daadi stood at the entrance of the poolside. "Arey Daadi, kya sahi time pe aayi ho aap!" "Daadi, you've arrived at a perfect time!" Rudra said, earning a small slap from her. "Haan haan. Khud ki shaadi ke baad Daadi ki yaad aa gayi..." "Of course, you remember your Daadi only after you're done with your wedding!" Rudra frowned with a crying face. "Daadi, Shivaay spoke to the older woman, "baat yeh hai ki..." "The whole point is that..."

"Err Daadi.." Omkara interrupted, "Gauri aur main bahut thak gaye hain. Hum sone jaa rahe hain, goodnight!" "Gauri and I are really tired. We're going off to sleep. Good night!" Saying this, he dragged Gauri along with him. "Arey par, Daadi baat kar rahin thi..." "But Daadi was still saying something..." Gauri said, and Omkara whispered in a reply as he reached the room, "Pata hai. Shivaay unhe hamare honewali shaadi ki baat batane jaa raha tha. Aur isse pehle unka do feet ke rule ka gyaan shuru ho, main bhaag aya." "I know. Shivaay was about to tell her about our upcoming wedding plan. And before she could start about her two-feet-apart-rule, I decided to escape..." But Gauri couldn't refrain from giggling, when after two minutes, Daadi knocked on their door, gave Gauri a warm hug, and pulled Omkara by his ears, outside the room, asking him to shift to the guest room till the wedding took place.

"Daadi... he whined, as all the others chuckled at him, to which Daadi replied in a hushed whisper, "Kal sham thik rahega, sagaai ke liye?" "Is tomorrow evening okay for the engagement ceremony?" Omkara beamed, "Kal sham shaadi ke liye bhi thik rahega Daadi..." "Tomorrow evening is okay even if you want Gauri and I to get married!" he replied. "Besharam ladka..." "Shameless Boy!" she muttered with a loving smile after warning him not to sneak into the room where Gauri was staying. Omkara grinned as soon as she left; a true rule-breaker and a rebel that he was, he made sure he sneaked back into the bedroom, kissed Gauri goodnight, slept next to her wrapping her in his arms, and went back to the room before sunrise, for every single day until the wedding day arrived.

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