*The next day*

[The next morning, Om decided to head early for work, so could come home soon to spend time with Avyaya.

He quickly hopped off his bed and took a shower, before changing into a pair of formal clothes.

He barely went anywhere in the past 10 months, so today was the first time he was dressed in a proper suit and tie.]

Om: (Adjusting his collar) Gauri mera tie---

[Om didn't even the realise the words that came out of his mouth.

It was like his natural instinct to call Gauri.]

Om: (To himself) God, I can't believe I said that! Uski madad nahi chahiye mujhe! Main kissi aur se pooch loonga!

[Om stuffed his wallet, phone and tie in his pocket, before leaving his room to go see Avyaya.

He lightly knocked on the door of Gauri's room, before opening the door and entering.

Gauri, who was in front of the door drying her hair, immediately turned around, her wet tresses gently hitting Om's face, and instantly, he was laced around her fragrance.

The same fragrance that intoxicated him.

The same fragrance that reminded him of her.

The same fragrance that made his heart beat faster and faster.]

Gauri: (Alarmed) O humne dekha nahi aur---

Om: (looking away) It's okay

Gauri: Ka hua?

Om: Main Avyaya ko dekhna aaya hoon, tumhe koi problem hai?

Gauri: Arre? Subah subah nandi bail ki tarah kyun vyavhaar kar rahe ho? Hum bass aise hi pooch---

Om: Tumhe kuch poochne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Apni beti se milne ke liye, mujhe kissi ki permission ki zaroorat nahi hai, samjhi?

Gauri: (To herself) Hey bhagwaan, subah subah sade hue karele ki tarah baat karr rahe hai Uff!

Om: Kya kaha tumne?

Gauri: Kuch bhi nahi!

[Om walked towards the side of the bed where baby Avyaya was fast asleep, and crouched down before kissing her forehead.

Om immediately noticed that Avyaya looked just like Gauri when she was asleep.

Soulful, peaceful and beautiful.

But why was he thinking of Gauri?

He immediately shrugged his thoughts and stood up, while Gauri observed him from a distance.]

Om: Main shaam ko jaldi aaoonga, Avyaya ke saath time time spend karne

Gauri: Aapko hume bataane ki jaroorat---Ee kya hai?

[Gauri's eyes immediately fell in the tie that was hanging off Om's pocket. Om immediately looked at his pocket and tried stuffing the tie inside his pocket until he felt Gauri's hands stopping his.]

Gauri: (Removing tie from his pocket) 10 mahine baad bhi tie baandhna nahi seekha aapne?

[Gauri pulled out the stool and stood on top of it, to match Om's height, just like she did 10 months ago, and began tying his tie.

Om's gaze was fixed on Gauri, like always. Her dark eyes, dainty nose, pretty lips, and wet tresses, that made her look even more beautiful.

Om then noticed the strand of her covering her face, and noticed how it was bothering Gauri. Instantly, he drew his hands towards her face and moved the strand, before pushing it behind her hair, making Gauri gaze at him with a shiver.

His touch still felt electrifying on her body.]

Gauri: (Tying the tie) Waise aapki mangetar ko toh ee baandhna aata toh hoga na? Ka naam tha uska ka? Chudail? Humaare matlab hai, Naina?

Om: Tumse kya matlab?

Gauri: Chalo, ee baat bhi sahi hai. Hume koi farak nahi padta!

Om: (Adjusting his tie) Good!

[Om headed downstairs for breakfast, while Gauri and Avyaya did the same a few minutes later.

The whole family was down for breakfast, and Gauri sat down with them, after 10 long months.]

Dadi: (To Om) Puttar, tu aaj jaldi kyun jaa raha hai?

Om: Actually, main ghar jaldi aana chahta tha, taaki main Avyaya ke saath waqt bita sakoo

Dadi: Achaa

Gauri: Dadi, shaam ko hum bazaar jaayenge. Avyaya ke liye kuch naye kapde kharidne hai. Theek hai na?

Dadi: Yeh bhi puchne ki baat hai kya? Arre Om, tu bhi shaam ko Gauri ke saath bazaar chala jaa, theek hai?

Om: Nahi Dadi, I think woh khud kar sakti hai

Rudra: (Really loudly to Anika) Waise Anika bhabhi, woh waqeel kya keh raha tha? Agar bacche ki custody chahiye toh...?

Anika: Toh adaalat se koi aayega jo check karega ki kaunsa parent bacche ka zyaada dhyaan rakh sakta hai

[This instantly alarmed Om.

If they saw that he wasn't helping, they wouldn't give him custody of Avyaya.

Om sighed, before finally agreeing to go to the market with Gauri.]

*In the evening*

Om: (To Gauri) Tum taiyyaar ho toh hum abhi nikalenge

Gauri: Ji, Chaliye

Om: (Walking towards the car) Accha ek baat kaan khol kar sun lo!

Gauri: Ek minute, ee 'kaan khol kar sun lo' ka hai? Aapko baat karni nahi aati? Aap toh tameez ke baare mein itna baat karte hai, ee koi tareeka hai baat karne ka?

Om: Main jisse, jaise bhi baat karoon, woh meri marzi hai!

Gauri: Aapki marzi gayi tel lene! Agar humse baat karni hai, toh tameez se baat kijiye!

Om: Itni ghinoni harkat karne ke baad bhi tum tameez ki baat kar rahi ho?

Gauri: Hum aapko safaai de bhi lenge, toh bhi humaari baat par viswaas nahi karenge. Isliye behas karne ka koi faayda nahi hai.Chaliye!

*In the car*

Om: Hum koi khatra-watra bazaar mein nahi jaa rahe hai, main tumhe abhi bata raha hoon

Gauri: Wahaan par waise bhi bacche ke kapde nahi milte!

[As the car drove into the bazaar, Gauri was instantly reminded of the day she took Om to khatra bazaar, and how they ran for their lives all because of Gauri's foolishness.

Despite that, neither of them minded the incident.

It just showed the fun and thrilling aspect of their relationship, where they would get into trouble for the stupidest of things, but still have each others side at the end of the day.]

*At the bazaar*

Gauri: (To the saleswoman) Namaste chachi! Hum hai!

Saleswoman: Arre Myra! Kaisi ho beti? Aur yeh kaun hai?

Gauri: Ji ee humaare pati---

[The words slipped out of Gauri's mouth so easily,almost like she completely forgot what happened between her and Om 10 months ago.

She immediately looked at Om, who was already gazing at her after her curt response. Even he failed to understand what he was in her life.

What was the meaning of their relationship now?

Parents to the same child?

Separated,but a married couple?

Gauri's shrugged her thoughts and dodged the question, by talking to the saleswoman about something else.

After spending a hour or so, Gauri was finally done getting new clothes for Avyaya. They were just about to head back to the car when Gauri's gaze fell on something she loved.

Gol gappas!]

Gauri: Aap jaayie, hume gol gappe khaane hai

Om: What?

Gauri: Suna nahi aapne? Hume kahaa aap jaayie, hum gol gappe khaakar aate hai

Om: (To himself) Oh god, gol gappe,phir se?

Gauri: Ka kaha aapne?

Om: (Walking with her) Kuch nahi, chalo!

Gauri: Ek minute, hume aapke sahaare ki jaroorat nahi hai! Hum ghar khud aa jaayenge

Om: Excuse me, please iss gala faimi mein mat raho ki tumhe sahara dene ki koshish kar raha hoon! Tum jais dhokebaaz ko---

Gauri: Aage ka dialogue bahut baar sunn chuke hai, hum. Baar baar bolne ki jaroorat nahi hai!

[Gauri walked towards the gol gappa stand, while Om stood afar and watched her from a distance. As Gauri scoffed down on the gol kappas, Om remembered how he'd wake up at 7 in the morning to fulfil her unusual hunger cravings.

He was ready to do anything for the baby and for her.

Until she lied and deceived him, something he could never forget.]

*In the car, on the way back home*

Om: (honking) Shit! Itna traffic hai! Lagta hai lambe raaste se hi jaana padega! Aur phone ki battery bhi kam ho gayi hai, shit!

[The car drove along a long road, covered by a lot of trees and dense forest. The road was rather deserted, with tiny tea stalls on the roadside.]

Gauri: (Excited) Arre, aapne abhi bhi baba mirchiwaale ka tape rakha hai! Aap bhi sunte ho ka?

Om: Please, meri taste tumhaari tarah ghatiya nahi hai. Aur haan, isse lagaane ki sochna bhi mat. Pehle se hi mera mood kharab hai! Mujhe aur irritate mat karo!

Gauri: (Putting the tape in and playing) Arre isliye toh hum ee laga lete hai, aapka dimaag ekdum thanda---

[Before Gauri could finish her sentence, Om angrily snatched the tape from her hand and rolled down the windows, before flinging the tape out of the car and throwing, instantly enraging and shocking Gauri.

How dare he?!]

Gauri: (Angrily) Gaadi rokiye!

Om: *Ignoring her*

Gauri: (Angrily) Humne kaha gaadi rokiye!

[Om immediately slammed the brakes and angrily glared at Gauri.

Gauri, too angry to speak, got out of the car and walked back to pick up the tape Om threw.

It was broken and shattered.

Gauri stormed towards the car and bent down near its front wheel before mishandling it and puncturing the tyre.]

Om: (Angry) Yeh kya kar diya tumne?!

[Om got out of the car and immediately looked at the car tyre.

She punctured it!]

Om: (Screaming) Are you mad?! Tumhaara dimaag kharab ho gaya hai kya?

Gauri: Aapki himmat kaise hui tape baahar faikne ki!

Om: (Screaming) Gah!! Mera phone ka battery bhi low hai! Ab hum ghar jaise jaayenge!

Gauri: (Screaming) Hume ka pata?! Ee sab tape faikne se pehle sochna chahiye tha!

Om: I don't believe this! Tum itni bewakoof ho, oh god!

Gauri: Haan toh chilaane se kuch nahi hone waala hai!

Om: Great! Abhi hum pata nahi kitni der tak yahaan rahenge! Iss jungle mein! Thanks a lot!

Gauri: (Angry) Tevar toh dekho! Galti aapne ki, aur taana hume maar rahe ho?!

Om: You're right! Saari galti meri hai! Mujhe tumse kabhi shaadi hi nahi---

[Gauri immediately looked at Om, with angry eyes, before retorting back.]

Gauri: Bilqul sahi kaha aapne! Par aapko toh shauk hai na, apne aap ko mahaan saabit karne ka!

Om: Bass! Bahut ho gayi tumhaari bakwaas!

Gauri: (To herself) Hey bhagwaan, puri shaam iss khadoos saath,iss sunsaan jagah mein bitaani hogi ka? Sankarji, humaari raksha karo!

[Om and Gauri began walking down the road,in hopes of finding a motel or some place where they could get help.

They couldn't possibly spend the entire night in such an eerie place.]

Gauri: Hume bhook lag rahi hai

Om: Oh really? Ruko, main abhi Sanjeev Kapoor ko yahaan bulaata hoon!

Gauri: Aapko abhi bhi majaak karna nahi aata, laanat hai!

Om: Hum iss jungle mein fase hai, aur tumhe khaane ki padi hai?

Gauri: Haan, toh?!

Om: Toh kuch nahi! God, main toh sach mein paagal ho jaaonga!

[Evening became night, and Om and Gauri were still walking down the eerie path. Gauri was slowly beginning to get slightly scared by the silence and creepy ambience.

A few minutes later, a loud howl echoed through the jungle, and Gauri shuddered and immediately held on to Om's arm, like she did 10 months ago, when she was sad or afraid.

Just holding on to his arm was so comforting for her. She didn't have to feel worried at all.

Now however, their relationship was different.

Om looked at her as she held on to his arm, instantly making Gauri realise what she had done.]

Gauri: (Moving her hand away) Sorry, Oo...Arre! Woh dekho!

[Om turned and looked ahead, and saw a dhaba right in front.

Om and Gauri were relieved. There were finally some humans here!]

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

(This will be continued in the next chapter)

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