Om: To rest my head on the lap of my beloved like this at the banks of this pond...

Ga:(emotionally) Omkara...I love you..I can't think about being away from you for even a minute..Promise me that you will never leave me..

Omkara saw the tears in her eyes and he rose from her lap. He placed his arm around her shoulders and made her rest her head on his shoulder. Gauri smiled.

Om: I will always be with you Gauri..I promise..

Omkara placed a soft peck on her forehead and hugged her tightly..

Om: I love you..

Ga: I love you too, Omkara..(wipes her tears) Let's go back to our rooms now..It's risky being here at this time..

Omkara smiled naughtily and answered..

Om:(laughs) Let's get married soon, Gauri..Then we wont be afraid of anyone..Ok now let's go to our rooms before someone notices us..First, you go inside..I will follow later..

He removed a strand of hair from her cheek and gave a soft kiss on her forehead before parting.

****************************

Gauri woke up in the early hours of morning which was not quite usual for her. She loved to sleep late in the mornings. Getting down from the bed, she walked into the corridor and headed towards the kitchen. Janaki was busy making tea, and Madhavi was also there with her. She was surprised to see Gauri walking inside.

Ma: Chinnu..you woke up early..(smiles) Good morning my dear..

Ga: (hugs her) Good morning Amma..(snuggles closer)...Good morning Janaki Aunty..

Ja: Good morning Chinnu..What happened..Are you not feeling sleepy at all..?

Ga: I don't know Aunty..But I am not feeling sleepy today..

Ja: Even I didn't sleep at all yesterday..I just can't get over the fact that Achu loved someone else..Poor Omkara..I should have listened to him before when he had said that he wasn't ready for this marriage..

Madhavi knew that bringing up this topic again will do no good. So she kept her hand on Janaki's shoulder.

Ma: Janaki..It's ok..Just forget it..

Ja: Hmm..I don't know what he must be going through..My poor son..(eyes become teary again)

Ga: Aunty..Can I go and give this tea to him..? I will see whether he is ok or not..Don't worry..

Janaki nodded and handed her one cup of tea. Gauri was dying to meet Omkara again. She just needed an excuse.

*****************************

When Gauri reached his bedroom, Omkara was sleeping like a baby on his bed. A pillow lay on his chest and he was hugging it tightly. She noticed that he was mumbling in his sleep. She kept the tea cup on the side table and went closer to listen clearly.

Om: Hmmm..Gaurii...I love you...Mmmuaaahhh..(kisses the pillow)

Gauri blushed and unable to control her urge, she giggled loudly. Omkara opened his eyes and without warning he pulled her hand and she was now sitting on the bed beside him.

He kept his head in her lap and said..

Om: Now don't move ok..and let me sleep..(closes his eyes)

With a smiling face, Gauri caressed his hair lovingly and moved her fingers through his head in a slow, soothing manner.

Ga: (softly) Listen..Omkara get up..Your Amma has sent your tea with me..

Om: (without opening his eyes, sleepily) Oh ok..I will drink..But afterwards..let me sleeeepp..

Ga: (chuckles) Oh then it will get cold..ok..its your wish to drink it hot or cold..!

Suddenly she moved his head aside from her lap and got up from the bed in a swift move.

Ga: I am going..bye..

Om: Huh..!!!

Omkara opened his eyes and without warning he pulled her hand and she landed on top of him.

Om: I said, stay here..!!

Before she could protest, he rolled aside and now she was lying on his side. Hugging her tight, he pulled the blanket over them. He closed his eyes again.

And it was then that they heard it.

Bh: Ettaaa..

Both of them froze under the blanket.
Since he was lying on his side, he hoped against hope that Bhavya might not have sensed Gauri too lying with him under the blanket on his other side.

He hugged her tightly so as Bhavya could only see his huge body covered under the blanket. He acted as if he was still half asleep and was disturbed.

Om: (tired voice)Hmmm..

Bh: Err..Sorry, Ettaa..I thought that you were not asleep..Just came to see if you are alright..

Om: Hmmm...

Bhavya turned around to leave as she spotted the steaming tea cup on the table.

Bhavya thought, "Who brought tea for him...Oh..Might be Amma.."

She left the room and closed the door cautiously without making noise. As soon as Omkara was sure that she has gone, he pulled off the blanket and both of them sat up with a deep sigh.

Om: Phew..That was a narrow escape..!! (shuts his eyes tightly and shook his head in relief)

Ga:(with her hand on her forehead) Oh God..!! What if she saw us..?!

She pushed him aside and jumped out of the bed within seconds. She handed the tea cup to him.

Ga: You drink this, Omkara...Now I am going before someone else comes looking for me.

Omkara watched her go and he chuckled sweetly. Then he drank his tea.

Gauri blushed as soon as she came out if his room, thinking how close they were only some moments ago.

**********************

Meanwhile Bhavya had gone down and reached the kitchen. She joined with Janaki and Madhavi who were having their tea.

Bh: Amma..Was it you who had kept the tea in Ettan's room..?

Ja: (smiles) No..I had sent Gauri there with the tea..

Bh: Ohh..

But then she thought, "So Gauri kept it there.."

Just then Gauri entered the kitchen and joined them.

Ga: (smiling) Aunty, I gave him the tea as you said..

Bh: Gauri..Come here..You also have tea now..

Ga: Sure..(smiles widely)

************************

Afterwards, Gauri and Madhavi left for their home. When they reached the front gates, they were surprised to see a man sitting on the chair in the verandah.

Ga: Papa..

Shekhar Nair looked up and saw his daughter and wife walking towards him. His eyes lit up at the sight of them. He stood up and looked at them.

Madhavi was too shocked to speak.

Her heartbeats began to race alarmingly. She thought "Why is he here now..? Oh God..!! To take my Chinnu back to Mumbai..!! No..!!"

When they reached near them, Gauri frowned at him and spoke.

Ga: (seriously)Why are you here..? If it is to take me back with you, I am not ready to come..!

Sh: (emotionally)Chinnu..

He hugged her with all his love. Gauri didn't hug him back, but still she didn't try to break his hug. She was in deep thought. Too many questions were haunting her mind.

Sh: I am sorry, Chinnu..

Gauri could feel his body shaking feebly. She looked up and saw that he was sobbing. She had never seen him crying and was shocked. She hugged him comfortingly and pressed her cheek close to his chest.

Madhavi's eyes also moistened seeing her husband crying. After all these years of solitude which he gifted her, she still loved him.

She unlocked the main door and went inside the house. After a moment she was back with a glass of water. She held it out to him compassionately.

He noticed it and took it from her hand, leaving Gauri. While he drank it, Gauri made him sit back on to the chair. Madhavi and Gauri waited for him to speak after composing himself.

Shekhar looked at Madhavi with tired eyes.

Sh: Maadhu..

Madhavi melted instantly hearing the pet name he used to call her years back. Her lips were shaking and she blinked her tearful eyes.

A warm smile crept up on to her lips. Unable to look into her eyes, he held her hand and caressed it with his other hand.

Slowly he bent his head and touched his forehead on to her shivering hand. He too was shivering with guilt.

Sh: Forgive me if you can, Maadhu..I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness..But still..

Madhavi was standing still, unable to believe her ears. She didn't know what to say. Gauri was watching the scene with a heavy heart.

Half of her heart wanted her Amma to say that she would never forgive him. But half of her heart was rejoicing seeing her arrogant father bending his head in front of her mother.

As a woman she wanted to support her mother against her father. But as daughter, she wanted her mother and father to reconcile. So she kept quiet and waited for her mother to say something.

Ma: I had forgiven you years ago..(looks away) After all, you are the father of my daughter.. How can I have hard feelings against you..I have always loved you, even though you were never able to love me..

Shekhar was overwhelmed and he bit his lips. He stood up and hugged her, caressing her hair. Years of agony welled up inside Madhavi's heart and she wept bitterly. He also began to weep and wiping his tears away didn't help him to stop crying.

Gauri closed her mouth and wept silently shaking uncontrollably. She was happy beyond limits but she was wondering why she was crying.

But suddenly she thought about another person. His father's second wife and her step mother - Nandini.

Ga: Papa..

Shekhar broke from the hug and he gazed at his daughter.

Ga: Nandini Aunty..!

Madhavi was surprised to hear this name. She uncertainly looked at her husband and then back at her daughter.

Ma: Who is Nandini..?

Sh: Well..That was a compromise..Our marriage is not real...She was my best friend in the college.. I will tell you the whole story..

****** End Of Part 10******

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Love,
Naina