*The next morning, in Bareilly*

Gauri: (Holding Avyaya) Haye, subah subah meri pari ro kahe rahi hai! Ka hua meri jaan?

Maasi: (Touching baby's forehead) Gauri, dekho toh, isska badan bahut garam hai

Gauri: (Worried) Ka? Hey bhagwaan, Avyaya ko bukhaar toh nahi hua hai?

Maasi: Chalo, fauna doctor ke paas chalte hai!

Shweta: Arre lekin kaise? Baahar Omkara ji aur unki puri fauj khadi hai! Bacche ko dekh liya toh?

Gauri: Hey bhagwaan, baat toh sahi hai. Ab ka karein?!

Shweta: Accha ek tarkeeb hai. Main Avyaya ki maa bann jaati hoon, aur tum aise vyavhaar karo jaise main aur meri beti bimaar hai

Maasi: Haan, yeh accha hai! Shweta, jaldi jao aur taiyyar ho jao!

Gauri: Haan! Hum avyaya ke kapde badalte hai

[Shweta changed her clothes and carried Avyaya in her arms, who was fast asleep. Gauri and Shweta then walked to the nearby hospital. As they entered the hospital, they saw a tall man at the reception.

Omkara had somehow ended in the same hospital as them too!]

Gauri: (Worried) Mann mein sanka lag gayi lanka! Yeh khadoos toh yahaan bhi pahunch gaya! Ab ka karein?!

Shweta: Kuch bhi ho, lekin tum shaant ho jao! Warna unhe aur shak ho jaayega!

[As Gauri and Shweta entered, Om immediately turned, like he had recognised the fragrance and footsteps of her. He saw Gauri standing besides Shweta, who was holding a baby in her arms. Om looked at both of them in a confused manner.

When did Shweta get married, and how did she have a baby so soon?

Om immediately walked ahead and stood in front of them, stopping them.]

Om: Kya baat hai. Yahaan tak mera peecha karne aa gayi?

Gauri: Hum, aur aapka peecha? Ka hai na, aap jaise logo par hum apna waqt barbaar nahi karna chahte

Om: (Looking at baby) Shweta, tumne shaadi kab ki? I mean, Gauri ne kabhi mujhe bataya nahi

Shweta: (Nervous) Woh--

Gauri: 10 mahine mein bahut kuch ho jaata hai, Omkara Singh Oberoi. Jaise aapne 10 mahine ke andar mangni ki, theek ussi tarah shweta ki shaadi ho gayi, aur ek beti bhi!

Om: Really? Well, tumhaara pati kaha hai? Main usse mila nahi hoon!

Gauri: (Interrupting) Aap ko bahut dilchaspi hai! Chal Shweta, aaj ka dinn waise hi kharaab ho chuka hai!

[As Gauri and Shweta left, Om couldn't help but think about the baby he just saw.

He felt so unusually connected to her. Like he saw his reflection in her.

Her eyes, her lips, her nose, were exactly like his.

Somehow Om felt so drawn towards that baby.

Almost like she was his daughter.]

Om: (To himself) God, kya soch raha hai tu? Gauri ne khud miscarriage karwaaya tha! Lekin yeh bacchi...Why do I feel like I know her? Jaise, mera usse koi raabta hai? Nahi, nahi, kya soch raha hai tu? Lekin Gauri, usske chehre se nazar aa raha tha ki woh mujhse kuch chupa rahi hai. Maajra kya hai?

*Inside the doctor's cabin*

Doctor: Tension lene ki koi baat nahi, Gauri. Avyaya ki sehat iss waqt bahut naazuk hai, toh bukhaar aata rahega. Main uss ke liye yeh dawaai prescribe karr rahi hoon, theek hai?

Gauri: (Wiping her tears) Shukr hai! Thank oo doctor ji!

Shweta: Chalein?

Gauri: (To doctor) Doctor ji, yahaan par koi Avyaya ki pehchaan puchega, aap unse kahiye ki yeh Shweta ki beti hai, theek hai?

Doctor: (Smiling) Haan theek hai, tum chinta mat karo!

[As they walked out the hospital, Gauri's and Om's gaze met again. Gauri immediately shifted her eyes away from his and walked ahead in defiance. Om mentally noted the number of the doctors cabin and walked inside, hoping to the find the truth of the baby.]

*Inside the doctor's cabin*

Doctor: Ji bataayie, kaisi madad kar sakti hoon aapki?

Om: Hi, actually main aapse kuch puchna chah raha tha. Abhi abhi, 2 ladies aayi thi, ek bacchi ke saath. Aap mujhe bacchi ka naam bata sakti hai?

Doctor: Avyay---Mera matlab hai, Avantika, kyun?

Om: (Confused) Kya? I mean, yeh Shweta ki beti hai?

Doctor: Haan bhai, kya hua?

Om: Oh okay, thank you

*Om leaves*

Om: (To himself) Pata nahi kyun, lekin I have a feeling woh koi aur naam kehna chah rahi thi. Avyaya, I think? God, main itna confused kyun hoon! Bacchi ka naam Avantika hi hoga, mera vehem hoga!

*Meanwhile, at Gauri's house*

Gauri: Baal Baal Bach gaye! Uff! Kaise ghoor ke dekh raha tha woh!

Shweta: Haan, Gauri! Aur jab pati ki baat poochi, tab Mujhe kitna darr lag raha tha, main bata nahi sakti!

Maasi: (Carrying Avyaya) Accha maine Avu ko sula diya hai. Gauri, ghar mein saamaan khatam ho gaya hai, tum bazaar se la paaogi?

Gauri: Haan, kyun nahi? Waise bhi, hume bazaar se kuch samaan kharidna hi tha! Ka chahiye?

Maasi: Aata, adarak, cheeni aur thodi sabzi

Gauri: Theek hai, lekar aate hai!

[On the other hand, as Om walked around Bareilly, his phone suddenly rang.]

*On the phone*

Om: Hello?

Naina: Hi darling, it's me!

Om: (To himself) Oh god!

Haan bolo Naina, kya hua?

Naina: Baby, I'm stuck in this market, and I'm lost! There's cows and so many people here! Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha!

Om: (Annoyed) Isliye kaha tha ki Bareilly mein akele mat ghumo! Wait, I'm coming!

[Inevitably, Gauri and Om ended up in the same market (Of course!).

Gauri walked around the market, holding a bag of flour and ginger in her hands, while admiring the collection of dupattas and bangles.

A few metres away, stood Om, busy searching for Naina. Neither of them knew of each others presence, but somehow felt an unusual energy around them. Om continued walking ahead, in search of Naina, this time quite irritated.

Gauri shrugged her thoughts and decided to walk ahead to buy the rest of the groceries. However, Gauri being Gauri didn't even realise the huge pothole in front of her until she missed her step and lost her balance, almost about to fall on the concrete ground until.

Until a strong pair of familiar arms wrapped themselves around her waist and got a hold of her.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw Om holding her, with her hands around his neck.

Just like old times.

The flour which fell from her hands was strewn all over her Om and Gauri's face, but despite the mess they had created, their eyes were still locked in a gaze. As Gauri looked into his eyes she saw emotions of anger, fear and a small amount of hope.

Om, on the other hand, saw the same pair of dark and fierce eyes that he had fallen in love with.

For those few seconds, both Om and Gauri forgot the ugly fight they had 10 months ago, and also forgot that they were supposed to hate each other.

However, that didn't last long until they heard loud laughing from people around them, immediately making them conscious.]

Gauri: (Pushing his hands away) Ka kar rahe the aap? Samajh ka rahe ho?

Om: Accha? Tum giri aur usme meri galti---

*Suddenly, a woman enters*

Woman: Gauri ji! Humeare ghar aayie, haath-mooh dho lijiye! Aap bhi saahab ji! Aap logo par itna aata jamaa hai!

Gauri: Arre nahi, nahi maaji. H-hum ghar chalenge!

Woman: Arre nahi! Aap chaliye, aap bhi saahab ji!

Om: Nahi, it's okay---

Woman: (Dragging Om and Gauri's arm) Chaliye! Chaliye! Bablu, paani ka baalti lekar aa jara!

Gauri: Sab kuch aap ki galti hai! Chee! Besharam kahika!

Om: (Angry) Listen, zubaan sambhaal kar baat karo, samjhi?

Gauri: (To herself) Pata nahi iss manushya se kab chutkara milega hume! Uff, ka musibat hai!

[Gauri and Om took turns to get rid of the mess of flour that was on them, and meanwhile, the kind woman had already prepared tea for the both of them.]

Woman: Arre Gauri Ji, Bitiya kaisi hai?

[Gauri immediately coughed and began internally panicking.

Why did she have to ask about the baby in front of him?

Om looked at her in confusion, trying to understand what was going on.]

Gauri: (Fake smiling) B-bilqul theek maa ji! Bitiya aur Shweta dono theek hai!

Woman: (Confused) Shweta? Nahi, main toh avya--

Gauri: (Getting up) Arre maaji, hume abhi yaad aya! Hume bahut jaroori kaam hai! Hum aap se baad mein mitlenke, theek hai? Namaste!

[Gauri immediately walked out of the house in the fastest speed, and Om on the other hand, excused himself and left to follow her.

Why did she abruptly leave?

What the hell was going on?]

Om: (To himself) Yeh chal kya raha hai? I swear woh lady Avantika nahi, koi aur naam bolne waali thi! Aur yeh bacchi ka naam sunkar itna flustered kyun ho jaati hai! Aaj hi pata karna hoga!

[Gauri rushed in to her house, while Om quietly followed her and stood at a distance, trying to see what Gauri would do.

Gauri immediately took her phone and dialled Anika's number, trying to get some serious advice.]

*On the phone*

Anika: Hello? Gauri, kya hua! Kaisi ho?

Gauri: (Tensed) Bhojaiji, hume kuch samajh nahi aa raha! Unhe bahut jald pata chal jaayega ki sach ka hai!

Anika: Kya matlab? Kaise?

[Gauri then narrated the incident of how Om was looking at her and the baby with suspicious eyes, and the encounter at the lady's house.

As Om was listening to this, his heart started beating faster and faster.

Gauri didn't speak much on the phone but she then got up and picked up Avyaya, who was fast asleep, in her arms, and finally said something.

Something that blew Om's senses away.]

Gauri: (Crying) Hume maaf kar do meri jaan, lekin unka koi bharosa nahi hai! Woh bahut ghamandi hai!

Om: (To himself) Yeh Gauri kya bol rahi hai! Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha!

Gauri: (Kissing Avaya's cheek) Woh tumhe humse cheen lenge, meri jaan. Tum hi bolo, tumhaare sivaai kaun hai humaara? Tum humaari bitiya ho, humaari Avyaya! Humari jaan tiki hai tum par!

[Om immediately held on to the wall beside him to understand what he had just heard.

"Tum humaari bitiya ho, humaari Avyaya!"

Avyaya.

That was the name Om suggested for his unborn child, if she would be a girl.

He was a father.

Om was a father.

Om tried to get a grip of himself, but was simply unable to.

He had a daughter. A daughter he was completely unaware of.

His intuition and gut feeling turned out to be completely true!

He was right.

She was his daughter.

His Avyaya.]

Om: (To himself) Pehle miscarriage ka jhoot bola, aur ab meri hi beti ko mujhse door kar rahi ho? Aur Gauri, Anika bhabhi se baat kyun kar rahi thi.

Kya Shivaay bhaiyya aur Anika bhabhi ko pata tha ki meri beti hai?

[Om's anger couldn't stop himself from dialling Shivaay's number. Om was furious, and he wants answers.

Now.]

*On the phone*

Shivaay: Hello?

Om: (Angry) Meri ek beti hai.

Shivaay: Om?

Om:(Angry) How could you? How could you?

Shivaay: Om, meri baat suno---

Om: Aap dekhiye, bhaiyya, Main apni beti ko lekar aaonga. Uss jhooti aurat ke haathon se! Just watch!

Shivaay: Om, tum Gauri ke saath kuch nahi karoge!

Om: We'll have to see, bhaiyya

[Om disconnected the line and walked back to his hotel, thinking of what to do next, While Shivaay rushed back home and left for Bareilly with Anika and Rudra.

It was time to execute their plan.

Gauri had to be brought back home. Soon.]

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

New chapter!!

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