OS Relationships (Part 2 Updated pg 5)

Ahem had been standing on the terrace for a while now, thinking if he had done right by postponing business to get Jiger and Raashi together. The movie he had to admit had been fun,sitting with Gopi, sharing popcorn with her, he had felt like a teenager on his first date. Well in many ways it was, being with Gopi was unlike anything he had experienced before.

Jiger made his way up to the terrace, he knew he would find his brother there, he needed to have a heart to heart with him, yet dealing with feelings was not a Modi trait, he got that from his mother and Ahem Modi was not the easiest of men to approach. There was a glimmer of hope though his brother had seemed to be softening of late, and if his hunch was right that Ahem bhai was involved in the ruse then surely he would listen to him.

"Bhai" Jiger called out again. "Yes Jiger is everything ok." "Bhai I need to talk to you" "shoot Jiger, what's on your mind" Ahem felt unnaturally exited so his plan must have played out, after all they did see Jiger hold Rashi's hand.

"Bhai err I'm not sure how to say this but err are you involved with trying to set me and Raashi up?" Ahem was surprised, so Jiger had caught on to his plan. "Well Jiger, yes Gopi and me thought that all you needed was time together to sort yourselves out, after all you were ok in the beginning and I know you have still got feelings for her, besides Gopi made me realise that, we are all part of a family and we need to look out for each other. You are my brother Jiger and though I might not wear my feelings as openly. I do care for you and seeing you hurt is very difficult on all of us."

Jiger was flummoxed for a second, though he had his suspicions it was very difficult to imagine Ahem bhai being party to this, and more than that he was actually explaining himself. This was probably the first time his brother had spoken to him so freely. One good thing to come out of Raashi's drama he thought cynically.

"Bhai I know you and bhabi mean well, and don't get me wrong I do appreciate you for trying but right now I'm afraid your fighting a losing battle. The differences between Raashi and me are too wide to be solved by a couple of meetings." "Par Dhevarji" the brothers snapped around to see Gopi was standing nearby and her eyes were filled with tears. "Bhabhi" "Gopi" they said together. Gopi and Raashi had finished with the kitchen and had walked up to their rooms, seeing Ahem not in the room or in the study Gopi had decided to see if he was on the terrace, she wanted to thank him for the evening, he had put in a lot of effort and things seemed to be working out.

"Par dhevarji, Raashi bhen has changed and all we are asking is for you to give her a chance and find out for yourself, to let her to prove herself to you."She said looking up pleadingly at him. Jiger closed his eyes, he could not see his bhabhi in tears and that too because of him, but he had to get through to her, she was so trusting and forgiving that she did not see that Raashi was playing her to get to him.

"Bhai, Bhabhi" he said slowly "Raashi has hurt me very badly our whole marriage was built on a lie, she has hurt the whole family and I dont see her repenting for any of what she has done. She wants quick fixes and even then she does not want to earn it nor is she willing to wait. She broke my trust in her she threw my love for her in my face and though I harbour some feeling toward her still, it only makes me more angry with myself for feeling for her. I loathe myself more and more when I think of what she did to our family, I let all of it happen. I am angry at her but mostly myself, I am not sure I can get passed that right now, and no temple or movie or park is going to do the trick. Physically my skin crawls at the thought of anything between us as all I see is that she blinded me with her beauty I failed to see the darkness, the greed behind it. I was taken in by the outer image and was deluded to the reality that lay within. I was such a fool bhai"

His last words hit Ahem really hard, it almost winded him. Ahem was not really thinking of what Jiger said about Raashi but what it meant for Gopi and himself, had he not been a deluded fool, and worse had he not made her pay the price. The realisation hurt and his eyes blurred as they rested on Gopi's tearful face. He shook himself out of it and focused on what Jiger was saying.

I know we can't stay like this forever either way a decision has to be made but I need time to heal and to think,I need time alone, so bhai that trip would really come in handy now.

Raashi right now is like a spoilt child who wants the toy that was taken from her, even if it is the toy that she ignored all along. To give us a chance I need to make peace with the past, I need to be satisfied that Raashi is willing to pay the price of losing my trust and earning it back, for that Raashi needs to come clean, I am not at all sure that she has completely owned up to everything she has done. I don't think she understands that we have to grow as people and reach out to each other and do it by our own will rather than trick someone into doing things or manipulate situations to suit ourselves."

" I hope you understand me and I have not hurt you, Bhai Bhabi I need you now more than ever, I need your support, I need you all to stand by me and trust that I will do the right thing." Ahem nodded, he felt his brother's pain and knew that he had to let him deal with this himself. He hugged Jiger and said "I'm so sorry for not being available in the past Jiger, if ever you need, just ask, I am here for you, we both are." Jiger then took Gopi's hands in his "please don't be disappointed in me bhabhi, I know Raashi is your sister, but there is so much of her that you don't see or refused to see. I don't know how you can forgive so easily, I admire you for that but for me the cut is too deep bhabhi the healing is not so easy. Please pray to your Khannaji to guide me" And then he added looking between Ahem and Gopi "I am so happy you are working things out you both deserve to love" and with that he made quick exit before he broke down completely.

In his rush to get out of there he almost ran smack into his kakiji who looked at him eyes narrowed "are you ok Jiger, you should look where you're going." "Sorry Kakiji""Hahn have you seen Ahem and Gopi vahu?" "On the terrace Kakiji" "On the terrace now what would they be doing there in this hour" she said almost to herself as she walked towards it.

"Raashi what are you doing there? Eaves dropping on others conversations what can I say Raashi will you never..."and she trailed off. Raashi was death fully pale and kokila could not tell but her eyes were almost devoid of any expression. Raashi could not face her Kaki right now and thankfully Kokila seemed to have more important things at hand and just kept walking.

Raashi had gone in search of Gopi to get her to help her with yet another idea, when she heard Jiger talking, she had stayed behind to listen in and what she heard, hit Raashi to the core, For the first time Raashi was beginning to appreciate how deep a hole she had dug for herself.

"Sorry (hic) sorry Ahemji, So...sorry" Gopi was now shaking with tears. She not only had hurt her devarji but got Ahem involved with all of this. "Shsshh Gopi, please don't cry shsh you are not at fault. Bothe of us made a mistake in judgement, but you meant well and that's what counts so shsh" Ahem was so unsure how to console her. He was trying to hold down her flailing arms. It hurt to see her like this, he was even more hurt with all what Jiger had said because his words pointed right at Ahem and all of what he had been burying deep within. Ahem was slowly chocking up himself. It hurt so much to see Gopi weep yet he had carelessly done that to her several times in the past.

Watching her unable to comfort her was torture. He did not know what to do, his mind was racing with all the realisation that he was coming to, the self loathing he felt. "Ahem Gopi, what are you doing here in dark, you will catch a chill" What Ahem screamed inside oh mom not you too I cannot handle all this and you right now. Kokila looked at the weeping Gopi and then to Ahem, what was going on in this house, she needed to find out and put a stop to all of this at once. "Ahem" I would like to talk to you in my room and Gopi vahu it has been a long day you should get to bed." Gopi quickly withdrew her hands from Ahem, wiped her tears and wished Ahem and Kokila and left the terrace with her slight limp, two sets of intent eyes following her.

"Ahem mei thum se ek zaruri baath karna hei" "Huh bolo mum" They were standing in Kokila's room and the tension was palpable; Ahem knew that his mum meant business and the tone she was taking was indication that she was very agitated. Of late they had both been very uncomfortable around each other, there was uneasiness that followed all of their conversation and he knew it had something to do with him and Gopi. He loved his mom and would do anything for her, he even married Gopi and stayed in the marriage despite his misgivings all for her, but now he was starting to suffocate under her scrutiny. What once he celebrated as concern, he now was starting to despise as interference. With his growing awareness of his feelings towards Gopi, Ahem was starting to become more and more uncertain about his mother and what it is she wanted out of his marriage to Gopi.

"Ahem I spoke to your Kaka and I think you should go with Jiger on this Business trip to Delhi. Kaka has also agreed that you should stay back and see to it that the project is launched properly and the logistics are set up well. You should be away at least for three weeks." "Kya Mom, there is no reason I should go, Jiger is quite capable of doing things by himself, besides Gopi is still not completely well." "Yes that I am aware of and we are quite capable of handling that without you." "Mom, like I said, I will go and talk to Kaka and Jiger; Jiger is all prepared and I can always conference from her" Ahem I have told you na, the decision is final" It was then that Ahem realised, that this was his moms doing for some reason she wanted him gone, but interfering with business. The whole Jiger talk and Gopi's tears his helplessness, his mom's authority that was the final straw and Ahem snapped "Enough Mom ENOUGH. When are you going to stop interfering? It's my business mom; I'm quite capable of making my own decisions. WHAT do you want from me? I have done everything your way. I spent my child hood making up for your losses. I have proved myself mom, You are now the mother of Ahem Modi what more do you want. I don't understand you. You threw Gopi at me when I did not want her and now that I do you want to keep her away. WHY do you think you will lose me, you know Gopi so well, you know she is not going to hurt anyone least of all you. It is us mom we have hurt her, me mostly but you are to blame too' he was ranting now, he was so angry he was literally shaking and would have sent his hand through the wall just to stop short at the look on his mother's face. She sat down defeated, her face drained of color tears in her eyes. Ahem sat down immediately and held her hands "I am sorry mom, I don't know what came over me, but if this is what you want then I will leave tomorrow with Jiger" He stood up put his hands together "Jai Shree Krishna Mom" and left.

When he got to their room, Gopi was just getting into bed. He came in and sat at the bottom of the bed and just stared into space. He was tired mentally and physically. "Ji kuch chahiye" "Nei Gopi you should go to sleep" he tried to smile but she knew he was troubled. Ahem rubbed his neck and forehead, his whole body hurt, it felt like a migraine was coming on. He did not notice that Gopi had gotten up and was standing in front of him with a balm bottle."Ji mei lagaathe" he silently nodded and she tentatively took a small blob and proceeded to massage his forehead with small circular motions. It must been the tenderness in her touch for it broke Ahem, He pulled Gopi between his legs and lent his forehead and then his face into her chest, and held on to her tight. At first shocked, by Ahem's actions this has been the first time in the last year and a half that he had held her on his own accord, and then realising that something was troubling him, her maternal instincts kicking in, Gopi hugged Ahem to her, and like she would comfort a child murmured sweet endearments into his hair while rubbing his back.