*The next day*

[Gauri woke up to find the other side of the bed empty.

Where was Om?

She was still slightly confused about Om's behaviour, and was trying to figure out what was going on with him. He seemed lost and rather confused. His questions also startled Gauri. Was something wrong? What was going on with him?

She got off the bed and headed for a shower, to soothe her nerves and to of course, start the day fresh.

After getting ready, to headed downstairs, carefully walking down the stairs one step at a time. She then made her way to the kitchen where she saw Om...Slicing an apple?]

Om: (Looking at her) Good morning

Gauri: (Smiling) Aap itni jaldi uth gaye?

Om: (Chopping the apple) H-haan, woh bass...Ouch!

[Lost Om didn't even realise he'd accidentally cut his finger! Gauri panicked and rushed towards him to help.]

Gauri: (Rushing to his side) Ka kar rahe hai aap? Dhyaan kahaan hai aapka? Rukiye, hum marham laate hai!

[Gauri walked to the other side of the kitchen and grabbed the first aid box before observing Om's cut finger and tending to it.]

Gauri: (Applying medicine) Subah subah seb kaatne ki ka jaroorat thi? Yahaan par kitne karmchaari hai!

Om: Woh...Main tumhaare liye kaat raha tha. Maine kahi padha tha ki subah subah seb khaana bacche ke liye accha hota hai

Gauri: Aap kyun itni taqleef le rahe hai? Hum theek tarah se kha rahe hai! Aap chinta mat kijiye, baccha bilqul swasth hoga!

Om: I know but---

Gauri: Ka ho gaya hai aapko? Pichle 3 dino se dekh rahe hai, aap bade ajeeb tarah se vyavhaar kar rahe hai! Sab theek toh hai? Aapki sehat theek hai na?

Om: Mujhe kya hona hai? Kuch nahi hua hai, bass iss bacche ko lekar---

Gauri: Aap iss bacche ko lekar itna pareshaan kyun ho rahe hai? Aap ko hum par bharosa nahi hai ka? Aapko lagta hai ki hum iss bacche ko kuch hone denge?

Om:(Lost) N-nahi, nahi toh...

Gauri: Toh phir? Aap khamaka paresaan ho rahe hai! Aur haan, ee sab hum khud kaat ke khaayenge, theek hai?

Om: (Caressing her cheek) I...I'm sorry, main kaafi dino se iss tarah se behave kar raha hoon, I don't know why! I'm just really worried about the baby, main iss bacche ke liye kuch bhi kar sakta hoon, tumhe pata hai na?

Gauri: (Putting her hand on his cheek) Hame pata hai, lekin aapko darne ki koi jaroorat nahi hai! Iss bacche ki raaksla shankarji kar rahe hai, aur hume unn par pura bharosa hai!

Om: Hmm...Accha yeh lo, ye seb kha lo, aur uske baad doodh bhi pi lo!

Gauri: Nahi nahi, hume doodh nahi peena hai, hume doodh bilqul pasand nahi hai

Om: (Giving her the glass of milk) Bacche ke liye peena hoga! Come on!

Gauri: (Drinking it) Haye bhagwaan! Uff! Aap toh humaare peeche hi pad gaye hai!

Om: Obviously! Bacchae ko healthy hona hai!

Gauri: Ab hume gol gappe khilaayie!

Om: Arre?! Yeh kya samjhauta hai?

Gauri: Samjhauta nahi, badla hai! Hume gol gappe chahiye!

Om: Subah ke 9 baje koi gol gappe khaata hai?

Gauri: Theek hai! Hum Dadi se aapki shikayat kar lenge! Dadi!!...

Om: Tum mujhe blackmail kar rahi ho? Accha, chalo!

Dadi: (Rushing into the kitchen) Arre Gauri puttar kya hua? Om, tu usse tang kar raha hai kya?

Om: Nahi Dadi! Gauri tum....

Gauri: Dadi, humaara gol gappe khaane ka mann kar raha hai

Dadi: Tu isme kya buraai hai? Tujhe pata hai, Jab Jhanvi pet se thi, tab usne ne chaatwaale ko ghar bulaaya tha! Har dusre din gol gappe khaane ka mann karta tha!

Om: Dadi, lekin subah ke 9 baje kaun...

Dadi: Arre! toh kya hua? Waise bhi tujhe koi kaam nahi hai! Ja, Gauri ko pani puri khila! Accha, jaldi bhi aa jaana, aaj mandir bhi toh jaana hai!

Gauri: Arre haan Dadi! Hum toh bhool hi gaye!

Dadi: (Handing her a saree) Gauri, yeh peeli saree pehen lena theek hai?

Gauri: Dadi, humaare almaari mein bahut saare kapde hai! Hum wahi pehen lenge!

Dadi: Arre nahi nahi! Shaadi ke baad tumhaari pehli maha aarti hai! Aur ab baccha bhi hone wall hai!

Gauri: (Smiling) Theek hai, Dadi

Dadi: (Handing him a kurta) Om, tu yeh kurta pehen le, theek hai?

Om: Ji Dadi

Dadi: Accha ab ja, Gauri ko leke ja! Puttar, khoob gol gappe khaana, theek hai!

Gauri: (Giggling) Theek hai Dadi!

[A defeated Om took Gauri at 10 in the morning to eat chaat! But he didn't seem to mind one bit. No matter how demanding she seemed, he understood that he could do anything for the baby.

Morning became afternoon, and Om and Gauri decided it was time to head back home.

It was time to get ready for the maha aarti!]

*In their room*

Om: Gauri, mera watch kaha hai? Kahi nazar nahi aa raha!

Gauri: (Wearing her earrings) Arre almaari ke pehle daraaj ke andar!

Om: (Walking towards her) Arre kahaan...Wow...

Gauri: (Confused) Ka hua? Uffo! Ek ghadi bhi nahi dhoond sakte!

Om: (Putting his hands on her waist) Tum agar aise hi dikhti rahi, then I'll fall more and more in love with you !

Gauri: Accha ab bass, hum aapka ghadi lekar aate hai

[Gauri walkie towards the cupboard and pulled out the watch, before handing it to Om.]

Gauri: (Giving him the watch) Aankhon ke saamne tha! phir bhi nahi mila na?

Om: (Wearing the watch) Tumhaare baghair kya karunga main?

Gauri: (Smiling) Chalein?

[Gauri and Om headed down where they met the rest of the family. Needless to say, everyone looked ravishing.

Anika wore a dazzling green saree, while Shivaay was dressed in a black kurta (And he looked incredibly handsome), Rudra wore a cream coloured kurta, and Gauri and Om of course, looked beyond incredible.]

Dadi: Haye, kisi ki nazar na lage! Tum sab kitne pyaare lag rahe ho!

Shivaay: (Whispering to Anika) Aaj tum khidkitod nahi, darwazatod khoobsurat lag rahi ho!

Anika: (Blushing) Shivaay..!

Rudra: (Looking at Om and Gauri and Shivaay and Anika) Accha ab aap dono ka romantic session ho gaya hai, toh chalein?

Shivaay and Om: Shut up Rudra!

Dadi: Uffo, chalo ab! Chalo!

[The Oberois immediately left in their respective cars, ready to take part in the maha aarti. They arrived about half an hour later.

The temple was terribly crowded. So crowded that it was impossible to step foot in the temple, without pushing people aside.]

Dadi: Haye rabba! Yeh bheed kitni hai!

Rudra: Lagta hai ki pure India ki abaadi maha aarti ke liye aayi hai!

Dadi: Gauri puttar, dhyaan se chalna! koi jaldi nahi hai, theek hai?

Gauri: Dadi, aap khaamakha chinta kar rahe ho! Arre humaare bareilly mein bheed isse bhi jyaada thi! Hume aadat hai aise jagah ki!

Om: Phir bhi, koi bewakoofi mat karna, please

Anika: Shivaay, aap aur Om Dadi aur baaqi family waalo ke saath andar chalo. Main aur Rudy Gauri ke saath chalenge

Om: Are you sure? Main uske saath chaloonga---

Gauri: Arre nahi, aap chaliye! Dadi ki madad kijiye, Rudy bhaiyya aur Anika bhojai humaara khyaal rakhenge

[Om, Shivaay and the rest of the family walked upstairs to the temple, while Anika and Rudra stood by Gauri's side, helping her slowly climb the stairs.]

Rudra: Bhabhi, koi jaldi nahi hai. Waise bhi yeh bheed kam hone waale nahi hai!

Gauri: Rudy bhaiyya, hume kuch nahi hoga!

Anika: Sambhal kar!

(Shouting at another lady) Oh hello P.T Usha! Mandir mein koi race chal raha hai kya? Dhakka dekar kyun chal rahi ho? Dikhai nahi de raha hai kya?

Rudra: Bhabhi, aaj bahut shubh dinn, please ab toh ladai mat karo!

Anika: Accha, theek hai!

[Soon enough, Rudra, Gauri and Anika reached the top of the stairs, without much effort. The crowd at the top was larger than ever, and Rudra and Anika lost Gauri immediately after reaching the top of the stairs.]

Rudra: (Scared) Anika bhabhi, Gauri bhabhi kahaan chali gayi?

Anika: Arre? Yahin toh thi! Tu wahaan dhoond, main yahaan dekhti hoon!

Rudra: Accha aap unhe pehle phone karo, shaayad woh humse aage nikal gayi ho? Yahaan bheed kitni hai, shaayad humne dekha na ho?

Anika: Haan, sahi keh raha hai, ruk main phone karti hoon

[Anika's fingers trembled as she dialled Gauri's number. She heard continuous rings, but no one picked up the phone.]

Anika: (Worried) Rudy, woh phone nahi utha rahi hai! Hey bhagwaan!

Rudra: Accha, aap uss taraf dekhiye, main wahaan dekhta hoon!

[Anika looked around the temple, scanning for a lady in a yellow saree, but she found no one. Anika decided to look around the stairs but before she headed downstairs, her eyes fell on a sight she couldn't forget.

A bruised and injured body of a woman dressed in a yellow saree, who looked very familiar, lying down at the end of the stairs

Anika held on the railing in order to compose herself, before screaming.]

Anika: (Screaming) GAURI!!!!

--------------------------

AHHHHH!!! YOU GUYS!!!

I UNDERSTAND EVERYONE'S PROBABLY REALLY ANGRY/ANNOYED/ FRUSTRATED AT THIS POINT, BUT TRUST ME!!!

I won't say much, but I'll just say ':('

Don't give up on this book, I always promise to never disappoint, remember?

Thank you so much for reading! Please vote if you liked it!!

ALSOOO

If you guys are super super into dark love stories (with intense scenes) do check out ChandrimaSenapati 's new story 'AkDha as: A game of three hours' ! It's sort of a modern take on Jodha and Akbar, except it's quite morbid and dark!! You guys should definitely check it out! (I'm hooked on to it ;))

Love y'all!! <3