*The next day, in the evening*

[The whole family was solemn and quiet, and they all stood around Gauri as she sat on the bed. The doctor would call in another five minutes to let them know about reports regarding the baby, so naturally, everyone was tensed. Om also stood there, far away from Gauri.

Om and Gauri hadn't spoken to each other since she fell down. The incident had affected Om so much that he built impenetrable walls around himself. He was convinced the baby was gone forever.]

Gauri: (Crying) D-Dadi, hume b-bahut darr lag raha hai, h-humaara baccha...

Dadi: Rab pe bharosa rakh puttar! Aur agar baccha na bhi ho, tab bhi hum tumhara saath kabhi nahi chodenge!

Anika: Haan, Gauri. Tum tension mat lo, Sab theek ho jaayega

Shivaay: (Caressing Gauri's cheek) Please apna aap ko saza mat do, Gauri. Jo hoga, dekha jaayega---

*Phone rings*

Shivaay: (Nervous) D-Doctor ka phone Hai

Anika: (Scared) Toh uthaayie!

[Shivaay immediately attended the call and everyone tried reading his face for answers.

Shivaay's nervous expression immediately turned blank.

At that moment everyone knew what the answer was.

The baby was gone.]

Gauri: (Restless) Shivaay bhaiyya ka bola doctor ne? Batayie na!

Anika: (Crying, while consoling Gauri) Gauri...

Gauri: Shivaay bhaiyya batayie! Aap chup kyun Hai? Bataayie!

Shivaay: (Crying, while hugging Gauri) Gauri, I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry

Gauri: (Tearing up) Ka matlab sorry? Humaara baccha? Humaara baccha?

Anika: (Crying) N-nahi hai, Gauri.

Gauri: (Crying) K-ka matlab nahi hai? Shivaay bhaiyya, bhojaiji Ka keh rahi hai? Batayie na! Humaara baccha theek hai na?

Shivaay: (Caressing Gauri's cheek) Baccha nahi raha Gauri, he's gone

[Gauri's face immediately froze.

She felt numb. Powerless. Cold. Despite being hit with the truth, she still tried to mentally convince herself that it wasn't true.

Om didn't say a word, but immediately walked out the room, not looking at Gauri even once.

What kind of selfish creature did he become?

Gauri on the other hand, couldn't fathom such a tragedy. How could her baby die? She refused to believe it. She knew deep down that something was wrong.

Something had to be wrong. Her baby couldn't die.]

Gauri: (Crying on Shivaay's chest) A-aap jhoot bol rahe hai bhaiyya! Woh jinda hai! Hume mehsoos ho raha hai! Hume pata hai woh jinda hai!

Shivaay: (Consoling her) Gauri, I knew tum bahut duchy ho, par yahi sach hai, you have to come to terms with it. Please apne aap ko akela mat samjho, hum sab tumhaare saath hai

Dadi: (Wiping Gauri's tears) Puttar main tumhaara dard samajh sakti hoon, lekin apne aap ko saza mat do! Sach ka saamna karna padega beta!

Gauri: (Pleading) H-h-hume maaf kijiye Dadi! H-hume pata hai ee baccha iss parivaar ke liye kitna jaroori tha! Hume maaf kijiye!

Dadi: (Hugging Gauri) Chup! Tu bhi iss parivaar ke liye bahut zaroori hai! Apna aap ko ilzaam dena band kar! Teri koi galti nahi hai

Gauri: O-O-Omkara j-ji, unke k-kitne armaan the...h-humne sab kuch kharab kar diya! Sab kuch!

Jhanvi: Tumne kuch nahi kya hai! Gauri, apne aap ko saza kyun de rahi ho? Om theek hoga, tum tension mat lo! Aur shaayad yeh bhagwaan ka koi sandesh ho? Shaayad this means that better things are yet to happen!

Rudra: (Wiping his tears) B-bilqul sahi kaha aapne mom! Bhabhi, hum sab ka pyaar aapke liye kam nahi hua hai! Please apne aap ko sambhaaliye!

Gauri: H-hume samajh nahi aa raha...Hume pata hai, bhojaiji, O doctor jhoot keh rahi thi! Hum apne bacche ko mehsoos kar sakte hai!

Anika: (Crying) Gauri, yeh mehez ek vehem hai. Tumhe sadma pahuncha hai, isliye tum yeh sab soch rahi ho!

Gauri:(Crying) N- Nahi bhojaiji--

Jhanvi: Gauri, beta thodi der so jaao. Please, tumhaari tabiyat aur kharaab ho jaayegi

Gauri: (Placing her hands on her tummy) H-h-h-humaare b-baccha...Sankarji, humaare bharosa, sradhha ka yeh sila diya aapne?

Jhanvi: (Putting her to sleep) Gauri, beta so jao, chalo

[Soon enough, Gauri fell asleep, with her dried tears outlined on her tired face. Evening became night and night soon became midnight, but Om still wasn't home. An hour later, Gauri woke up and found the family sitting besides her, while Shivaay was pacing up and down the room.]

Gauri: (Looking at the clock) Raat ke 1 bajj gaye hai, aap log so jaayie

Jhanvi: (Worried) Om abhi tak ghar nahi aaya hai! mujhe bahut darr lag raha hai!

Shivaay: Aur usne phone bhi yahaan chor diya hai! How irresponsible!

Gauri: woh kahi gaye honge. Hume waise bhi abhi sone nahi waale hai. Aap sab chinta mat kijiye, hum sambhaal lenge. Please aap sab so jaayie. Waise bhi, aaj ka din hum sab par bhaari padh gaya hai

Rudra: Bhabhi sahi keh rahi hai. Dadi, aap bimaar padh jaayengi, please aap sab jaayie, so jaayie

Shivaay: Gauri, kuch bhi ho, mujhe bataa dena, okay?

Gauri: Ji bhaiyya, aap sab please sone jaayie

Dadi: (Kissing Gauri's cheek) Apna khyaal rakhna puttar

[Soon the entire family headed to their respective rooms to sleep, and Gauri waited for Om to return.

The wait was long, but gave her enough time to fully understand what had happened to her.

Her baby was gone.

She gradually got off the bed and walked towards the mirror, staring at the reflection of her tummy. Tears inevitably streamed down her face.]

Gauri: (Rubbing her tummy) Hum maaf kar dena meri jaan, hume maaf kar dena! H-h-hum kasam khaate hai ki humne kuch bhi jaanboojkar nahi kiya. H-hume maaf kar dena!

[As Gauri wailed, she heard a loud bang on the door. She immediately wiped her tears and walked towards the door to open it. In front of her stood a completely drunk and senseless Om. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hair a complete and utter mess. He immediately fell in Gauri's arms, who carefully took him to the bed and made him sit.]

Gauri: A-aap ne pi rakhi hai?

Om: (Speechless)

Gauri: Jawaab dijiye!

Om: (Emotionless) Aaj tum bahut khush ho na?

Gauri: (Confused) K-ka?

Om: Tumhe ab darne ki zaroorat nahi hai na?

Gauri: (Tearing up) A-aap ka kehna chahte ho?

Om: (Emotionless) Wahi jo tum samajh rahi ho

Gauri: (Giving him a glass of water) A-aap paani pijiye

Om: (Throwing the glass on the floor) NAHI CHAHIYE YEH PAANI! KUCH NAHI CHAHIYE MUJHE!

[Just then, his phone began ringing erratically and continuously, and Om didn't bother picking it up.]

Gauri: (Tearing up) A-aap ka phone...

Om: (Throwing his phone and breaking it) Bhaad mein jaaye phone!

Gauri: (Caressing Om's cheeks) H-h-hume pata hai ki aap bahut dard mein hai, Omkara ji...L-lekin hum iss gham ka saamna e-ek s-saath karenge

Om: (Pushing her hands away) haath mat lagao mujhe! T-t-tum...T-tumne yeh sab jaanboojkar kiya hai! Tum yeh baccha kabhi chahti hi nahi thi!

Gauri: (Crying) K-ka keh rahe hai aap?

Om: (Angry) God, main kitna bada bewakoof hoon! I'm so so stupid! Tum itne dino se mujhe hints de rahi thi! Woh "Mujhe darr lag raha hai", "Main maa banne ke liye taiyaar nahi hoon", woh sab ishaare the! Tum kitni shaatir ho, wah!

Gauri: (Crying) A-aap humaare baare aise soch bhi kaise sakte hai?

Om: (Angry) Mere dost sahi kehte the! Tum jaise village waali ladkiyon par bharosa hi nahi karna chahiye tha! Yehi toh tumhaare plan tha! Mujhe 'pyaar' ke jaal me fasaakar, pregnant hokar, jaanboojkar apna miscarriage karwa kar mujhse badla lena chah rahi thi!

Gauri: (Crying) Hum badla kyun lenge?! Ka keh rahe hai aap?!

Om: SHAADI KA BADLA!! MAINE TUMSE ZABARDASTI SHAADI KI THI, TUMHAARI JAAN BACHAANE KE LIYE! USKA BADLA!

Gauri: (Crying) Ho ka gaya hai aapko?! A-aap aisa soch bhi kaise sakte hai!

Om: Tum sirf apne faayde ke liye rishte banaati ho! Arre, kya kuch nahi kiya maine tumhaare liye?! Tumhe uss Uday Thakur se bachaaya, subah ke 6 baje bhage chale aaya, stupid golgappe lekar! Mere gharwaalon ne tumhe itna pyaar diya! Aur tum apne pet mein baccha nahi rakh saki?

Gauri: (Crying) BASS! BAHUT BOL LIYA AAPNE AUR BAHUT SUNN LIYA HUMNE! HUMAARE RISHTE KA HAR EK PAL, HAR EK LAMHA, ITNI ASAANI SE BHOOL GAYE AAP? AAPKO LAGTA HAI KI HUM JAANBOOJKAR SIDIYON SE GIREIN GE APNE BACCHE KO MAARNE KE LIYE?

Om: Haan! Tumhaari jaisi ladkiyaan badi shaatir hoti hai!

Gauri: Sharam aati hai hume! Sharam aati hai ki humne aapse mohabbat ki thi!

Om: Arre tumhe kyun sharam aa rahi hai? Yehi toh tumhaara plan tha! Meri barbaadi! Tumse mohabbat karna, aur tumse shaadi karke tumhaari jaan bachaana meri zindagi ki sabse badi galti thi! Nafrat karta hoon main tumse! I hate you!

[Gauri couldn't believe her ears. She instantly collapsed on the floor, trying to get a grip of herself.

"Tumse mohabbat karna, aur tumse shaadi karke tumhaari jaan bachaana meri zindagi ki sabse badi galti thi! Nafrat karta hoon main tumse! I hate you!"

What kind of game was god playing? First he stolel her child, then her own husband mistrusts her? What was the meaning of all this?

He hated her. The first and only man Gauri loved, hated her. The man she sought comfort in, the man who took care of her, who respected her, who protected her and loved her.

He hated her.

Om hated Gauri.]

Gauri:(Crying) H-h-h-humse n-naffrat...h-h-humse...n-naffrat...

Om: (Angry) Agar yeh drama karna hai toh kahi aur karo! Aur kaan kholkar meri baat suno! Subah hone se pehle, yahaan se dafa ho jao!

Gauri: (Wiping her tears) Subah hone se pehle kyun? Hum abhi chalte hai!

[Gauri immediately opened the cupboard and stuffed her bag with her clothes. She promised herself that she wouldn't cry anymore, but for some reason the tears kept flowing out of her eyes. They were an endless stream. As Gauri removed her things from the cupboard , her eyes fell on the payal that Om had safely kept 8 months ago, after their marriage.

Who knew her relationship would shatter so terribly, and right in front of her eyes?

Gauri held her phone in one hand, and her bag in another, while Om faced the window, not looking at her even once.]

Gauri: (At the doorstep, crying) Ek din aapko ehsaas hoga ki humaari mohabbat mein kitni sacchai thi, Aur jiss din ehsaas hoga, uss din bhagwaan kare ki kahi deri na ho jaye.

[As Gauri descended down the stairs, she continued crying uncontrollably.

Today had to be the worst day of her life.

Before she stepped outside, her eyes fell on the large family portrait, which she looked at, one last time. She ran her hands through the portrait, picturing her memory with every family member. Her relationship with Dadi, her brothers in Shivaay and Rudra, her sister in Anika, and her mom in Jhanvi.

Today Gauri didn't just lose her child and husband, she lost her entire family.]

Om: Tum abhi tak yahi khadi ho? Jao! Aur haan, waapis aane ki koshish ki, toh security waale seedhe tumhe police ke hawaale kar denge!

[Gauri wiped her tears and walked out. Not just from this house, but from Om's life-Forever. She stood outside for nearly 30 minutes, waiting for a rickshaw and when she got one, it headed straight to the railway station.

Gauri would head to her nest-Bareilly.

As she stood at the railway station patiently waiting for the train, Gauri's phone suddenly rang. Gauri's trembling fingers picked up the phone, hoping it was Om, calling her back home.]

Gauri: (Trembling) H-hello?

Phone: Hello? Kya main Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi se baat kar rahi hoon?

[Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi. Gauri burst into tears after hearing that name.

Could she even be called that anymore?]

Gauri: (Crying) J-ji?

Phone: Ji, Namaste! Main aapki doctor bol rahi hoon! Aapko kuch bataana tha!

Gauri: (Crying) Hume pehle se pata hai, humaara baccha kho chuka hai

Phone: Nahi! Actually mere assistant kissi aur ki report padh rahi thi! Mujhe ek ghante pehle hi ehsaas hua ki maine usse galat report di!

Gauri: (Crying) K-k-ka matlab?

Phone: It's very surprising and unbelievable, levin aapka baccha surakshit hai! Aapne apna baccha nahi khoya hai!

[Gauri couldn't believe her ears.

She was right all along. Her intuition was right.

The baby was alive.]

Gauri: Ka keh rahe hai aap?

Phone: Haan! Humne aapke pati ko bhi bahut baar phone kiya, lekin woh apna phone nahi utha rahe the!

Gauri: (Shocked) W-w-woh...

Phone: Anyways, aapko mubaarak ho! Please medications follow kijiye aur checkup ke liye aayie! Aapka baccha bilqul safe hai!

*Phone disconnects*

Gauri: (Crying to herself) Unka phone utha diya hota toh...Toh h-hum...Yahaan...

[Had Om picked up his phone and answered it, Gauri, who was pregnant, wouldn't be sitting alone in the train station.]

Gauri: (Crying to herself) Hum waapis gayein bhi, toh humaari shakal dekhne se pehle hume police ke hawaale kar denge! Humaari baat nahi sunenge! Hey sankarji, hum ka kare ab? Ka bataaongi iss bacche ko? Ki iska baap usse besahara chorkar chala gaya?

[Immediately, a loud horn blew and the train to Bareilly was parked at the platform.

Gauri now had 2 choices: Sell her self respect and plead to Om or go back to Bareilly and start life afresh.

Gauri wiped her tears and picked up her bag.]

Gauri: (To herself) Unke aane se pehle bhi humaari jindagi thi, aur unke jaane ke baad bhi humhaari jindagi hai. Jab inhe hum par bharosa hi na raha, tab hum kyun apne aap ki beizzati karwaaein? Gauri Kumari Sharma, tune isse bhi zyaada mushkilo ka saamna kiya hai.

[Gauri stepped inside the train, ready to start life afresh in Bareilly away from Mumbai, the Oberoi family and Om.

Her Om.]

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

Oh my god.

I've been dreading this chapter ever since I started this book.

I must confess that I actually started crying while writing this, it was too much to handle!

Lekin pyaar kiya hai, imtehaan toh dena padega!

Thank you so so so much for reading you guys, I hope you liked it!

Please vote if you did!