OS -A tale of Hope - Part II (Page 4) - Page 3

Part II is here. I promise to reply to all your comments today evening..😛 Till then.. .Enjoy 😊

"Gopi we need to talk." He had called her half an hour back. She had nodded and had informed him she would be with him in another half an hour. 5 minutes to go.

You should have noticed yesterday night itself. Aham chided himself. Even after you told her that you trusted her to do well with the family, she still was not completely the same Gopi again. There was just a weariness in her words. Aham held his hand to his forehead.

Gopi never felt tired before. Now she looked burdened.

Aham paced around.. He felt caged. There was no hope left in her eyes. But why? He came up with a wall everytime he asked himself. He felt the same despair he saw in her eyes. He was up against a wall.

Think Aham. You are a businessman. If you cannot find the exact reason directly, eleminate one reason at a time. The last standing will be why. He admonished himself and set to task.

"Rashi - No. The house seemed normal though his Kaki and mom almost ended up with a war of words yesterday. Things were back to normal and Rashi was actually in a good mood. Too much of blabbering." Aham dismissed his thoughts from digressing. So nothing to do with Rashi.

Not his mom either. He could see his mom was more worried for Gopi and had asked her to rest. Burned fingers and the fight she lied for. He knew that his mom understood Gopi's lie. Her face said it all. So definitely not his mom.

Couldn't be his Kaki. Whatever was happening, Aham knew his Kaki not to hurt Gopi.

So that left him in the house. He had certainly been rude. But he had apologized. And then he had assured her yesterday. She had accepted. Or did she? Was that why?

So it was him. Maybe she still felt bad for his words on Holi night.

But he had been harsher to her before. A small shudder ran through him involuntarily. Harsher.. Cruel even. God.. he had a lot to make up for. But even then, she never lost her smile. Never. So was it not him? Or was it? Did he do something terrible without realizing it? Maybe he hurt her.. But again when and how?

He raked his brains more.. He was eliminating everyone including himself.. Plan A - A Big failure. Think Aham.. When did she become this sad? When does she become sadder?

The night of Holi. The answer was loud and clear. Holi night. The night of the headache. And his temper. She became sad after that. But he did apologize the next day. Did she think he was playing and did not mean it?

No. Aham could not believe that. She always believed him. Always. Then what?

"Ahamji, do you need something?" Gopi was back in the room and he was no near the truth to her despair. He needed to ask her. To assure her and make it all right. One thing was for sure. It had to do with Holi night and him.

"Gopi, I wanted to ask you.." He stopped not knowing what to tell her. What could he ask her and not make her uncomfortable.

"Are you alright? Is everything fine?" She looked at him and nodded yes.

What did you expect? That she would pour her worries to you Aham chided himself again. He had to continue talking. She was ready to bolt otherwise.

"Gopi..You seem very busy the past two days. Is there too much to do after holi? How did you enjoy Holi this time? I wanted to play with the colors a little. But I do not know what happened to make me sleep so much. I was just wondering again. Can you tell me when I.. I mean do you know what happened before I slept on Holi?" He was just making something up to retain her in the room.

He saw her face change. Her face crumbled. Her eyes filled but she hid them well. She looked down and told him in a small voice that he had asked for something to eat that day and had come back home and then had slept.

Aham felt something was wrong. She was hiding something. She was telling him the truth no doubt. But she was defintely hiding something.

"Ahamji, Maaji asked me to come back. If that is all.." without waiting for his reply she ran out. He had a very definite feeling that she had started to cry.

It was definitely to do with Holi then and not that night but that afternoon. The afternoon he had no memory of.. No memory. Something clicked. Gopi's face when he first told her he remembered nothing. Her expression of dismay.. Her confusion at his questions and then.. then.. She was dressed. Completely with jewels. She had been happy when he came into the room.

Aham's head started pounding again. But he could feel the straws coming together. She had been happy before that. When he asked her for tea, when he asked her about dinner. Yes. Definitely. She had surprised him with that smile. A smile and a shrug.. Of total happiness.. Aham was sure.. She had been happy till he told her rudely to clean the room.

Until you came in and burst her bubble with your rudeness. But he had a headache. So you decided to be rude to your wife who had dressed up for you. I mean..

Aham's thoughts stopped. Dressed up. She had dressed up like a bride. Her bangles, maang tikka.. She was waiting for him all dressed up. She had been shy and happy. He had been rude. But it went beyond that. He had told her something that changed the confusion to dismay. Something that shook her and made her lose hope.. What did he say?

Aham raked his brains again.. He thought back.. He had mentioned about the room and questioned her on the need to be all dressed up at night. Then he had complained about the headache and the fact that he forgot... Forgot.. It was then.. His blanked out afternoon.. He had done something terrible that afternoon.. Maybe he hurt her.. But how..

Aham involuntarily rushed towards the door. He needed to ask her if he had hurt her that afternoon.. But then again he stopped.

Stupid.. It was not in the afternoon.. It was during the night. He had done something in the afternoon and had forgotten that. She expected him to remember.. Now what?

Aham felt he had the answer in his hands and somehow he did not.. It was like he could almost touch it but he could not grasp it.. Just like the dream.. He had started pacing back and forth again.. He needed to get to the bottom of it soon.. He could not see Gopi in tears.. Not anymore. She had suffered enough.. You swore it would be different this time Aham.. his mind mocked him... He had failed in his promise for the first time.. He had..

Aham remembered the day he had swore to her Kanhaji that if he was given one more chance he would make it up to her. It was the day at the hospital. The day his mother told him to trust her Kanhaji to make her better. And his prayers had been answered. He had not known then but he had since fallen in love with her over and over again, a thousand times.. The very fact that she could have almost d... No.. No.. almost left him alone to face the world had been a bleak one. He had wondered when and how she had come to become so close to his heart but he could never guess the day or the minute. It had been gradual.. She had proved his every prejudice wrong.. She had become his.. Now he had to get her back..

Have you lost her Aham? that voice again.. Had he lost her? Was he too late? He cannot be.. Maybe she has lost hope because she does not know that I love her.. Maybe that was it.. It was like the clouds clearing away.

She wants to hear it from me.. Maybe I told her to wait in the room at night for me and I just forgot.. It makes total sense.. She had dressed to give him a surprise.. Maybe he promised her one himself and she was totally disappointed. Now it all made sense..

Aham could not wait for Gopi to return back to the room. He would tell her today that she was the only person who makes his heart go quicker and slower at the same time.. He loved her.

Aham knew.. She loved him. .He would put that smile back on her face..

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"Gopi.. I know why you are angry.." Gopi stopped at his words and turned around. He could see wariness in her eyes and a little bit of.. fear?

"Gopi, why did you not tell me?" He asked her and moved forward. He saw her go back one step and was immediately irritated. "Don't you think I have the right to know why you are acting the way you are?" He could see her eyes welling up but he kept on walking towards her as she kept on moving backwards until she hit the wall..

"Gopi, don't you trust me?" He lunged forward to take her hands and felt her shudder. Then the tears started to flow. She tried to pull her hand away from him and tried to run away. That did it.

"GOPI.." He locked her by placing both hands on either side of her on the wall and stared at her, willing her to look up. She had silently started crying more and he was getting madder by the minute looking at her terrified face and tears..

"Gopi, I said.. Look at me.." He ordered and lifted her face up to make her see him forcefully. He could see the fear, but there was something else that made his heart cringe with pain.. There was despair like she was waiting to hear her death sentence.

"Gopi, I am sorry. I really am.. For what I said or did that afternoon. I don't remember.." He saw her sobs getting more desperate and he was becoming more confused. But he could not stop now.. This was turning out to be so different from what he had imagined his confession would be.

"Gopi.. Please.. Don't cry. I know I broke my promise. I know that you wanted to hear from me.. But I just did not know that I was letting you down.. "Aham hurried through the words. He felt her fight against him and she was trying to find a way out of his grip..

"Gopi.. Listen.. I wanted to tell you for a long time.. Really.. Believe me.. I wanted to tell you.." Aham was finding it hard to hold her in place any longer and he knew she would escape if he let her go. He felt he would never get a chance with her again if he let her go now..And her struggle was making him lose his temper..

"Gopi.. He pulled her back and pinned her to the wall and held her hands in place.. "Gopi, just listen to me.. Give me one more chance.. I mean it dammit.. I love you.."

For one second Aham felt Gopi stop and then he felt her eyes on him "Ah..am..ji?" her tear filled eyes looked up questioningly at him..

"I love you. That is what I wanted to say. I know I let you down on Holi. I will never do it again.. I am sorry. But I love you." He finished lamely.

To his surprise he felt her relax against the wall. He slowly let go of her hand. Both of them stood facing each other. Aham saw a myriad of emotions pass through her eyes.. He felt uncomfortable.. What just happened? Was she pleased? Why was she not smiling?

"Ahamji.." Gopi was hugging him and sobbing his name over and over again.. For the first time that day he felt good. For the first time he felt that he had done the right thing. His hands went around her he hugged her tight..

"I love you Gopi.. That is what I wanted to say.. I love you.." He had just managed to make her cry more.. But it felt good for the first time.. Aham grinned..

She would smile now.. And if he had anything to do with it.. She would smile forever..

"Ahamji, So you do not regret what happened on Holi?"