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Part One
Omkara stirred in his sleep. His body was exhausted and his mind was overtly tired, but something caused him to be restless. Opening his eyes, he squinted his eyes to look around; it was pitch black in darkness, and the neon clock screamed 3.00AM. He turned to his side, to reach out to her, but unexpectedly, he found the space next to him, cold and empty. It took him a few seconds, but the alarm bells began to ring in his mind. "Gauri..." he called out on an impulse.
Ten minutes later, Shivaay and Rudra, along with Annika and Bhavya were in the living room, hearing Omkara's screaming around the Mansion for Gauri. "She's not there; Maine harr jagah doondha, lekin woh kahin nahi mil rahi hai..." "I looked everywhere, but I cannot find her anywhere" Omkara said, close to tears. Rudra hugged his O bhaiyya, and that is when Khanna came running in, "Sir, I check the CCTV footage. Madam hasn't left the Mansion..." Bhavya looked at Om, wanting to ask him if he had checked everywhere inside the Mansion, and as if a sudden realization dawned on him, he whispered, "The terrace..."
Omkara ran up the stairs, two steps at a time. His heart thumped against his chest so hard, and he could practically taste the fear in his mouth; fear of something going wrong. The ajar door to the terrace sent a shiver down his spine. Pushing the door open, slowly, he stopped in his tracks. Nothing could prepare him for the sight before his eyes. For, there stood Gauri, at the edge of the parapet, leaning over like she would jump any moment, staring down at the ground. She had her back towards him, and he couldn't really see her face.
"Gauri..." he called out, cautiously, so as to not startle her. She did not react. He took a few steps towards her, all the while with his eyes on her. She did not budge. "Gauri..." he called again, and this time, she turned around to look at him. The look on her face frightened him; she looked... blank. Her eyes were cold and empty. She stared at him, as he carefully walked towards her. He held out his hand to her, asking her to reach out. She kept staring at him. "Gauri, please... Take my hand... Come to me, jaan... Come back to me..." he said.
She did not say a word, neither did she blink. She simply placed her hand in his, and he shuddered when he felt her icy hands. He was able to pull her away from the edge of the terrace. Her brushed her hair away from her face, tucked it behind her ears and kissed her forehead. "Kya kar rahi thi tum, Gauri?" "What were you trying to do, Gauri?" he said in a choking voice, as he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. She did not hug him back; instead she limply leaned into him. Wiping away his own tears, he wound his arm around her, "Chalo, kamre mein chalo..." "Come, Let's go to our room..." he said. He walked past his brothers and sisters-in-law, who looked at him and Gauri, worriedly. Gauri did not react nor look at them; she walked as if she was numb.
Omkara walked her to the bedroom, and tucked her in bed. "Close your eyes, and go to sleep..." he said with a loving caress over her head. She lay there, as stiff as a log, staring at the ceiling. Omkara felt his heart being squeezed in pain. "Gauri..." he called out, but she did not seem to hear him. However, she closed her eyes.
Omkara sat on the chair, next to the bed and looked at her. She looked calm on the outside, but he sensed the raging storm on the inside. If only, she could open up and talk it out; if only she vented her emotions; if only she expressed her pain and fears. Omkara felt a wave of helplessness and guilt wash over him. If only he could rewind time and undo the events that occurred a week ago; if only he had not left her alone for those few minutes; if only...
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Part 2- Page 4
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