One month later............................

"Daadi!!!" squealed Gauri hugging her grandmother happily while the older woman laughed at her excitement.

"Acha... you missed me so much...I understand... but let me breath" she croaked out and Gauri left her with a pout.

"Aww...mera bacha...I missed you too..." said the older woman kissing Gauri's cheek "Now come inside and meet your parents...they might get jealous" she whispered the last part making her grand-daughter grin.

Trivedi house in Bareilly was built by the predecessors of the now heirs seventy years ago. Since then, it is known for its grandeur as well as beauty. The mansion stood proudly behind the iron gates which lead to a flower garden lined by rows of trees blooming with flowers, their branches swaying gently to the evening wind. At the threshold stood a delicate marble fountain which ejected water duely falling on to the feet of Lord Shiva and Parvathi standing elegantly in its center.

The mansion had four sides around a central quadrangle and over a thirty rooms. It took a small army of servants to maintain the abode clean and green..

Gauri with her grandmother, entered the living room which at the center was lined with a luscious carpet, family portraits painted in oils and hung in frames on the walls. All the stair rails were made of mahogany, carved and polished to shine. The family who were awaiting the arrival of their princess were seated on the foam filled couches and sofas.

"Agayi...It has been more than three months and her royalty has finally graced us with her presence" said Pinky in all sarcasm.

"Pinky...she just entered and you started to bicker...first give her a hug will you" scolded Shakti and was supported by Gauri's grandfather.

"Maa..!!" exclaimed Gauri...running to her mother giving her a bear hug "You look beautiful in this saree today" she said making her mother narrow her eyes.

"Chal to maska mat lagaa... I am not going to talk to you... You avoid my calls saying you are busy but talk to your daadi for hours together. Go stay with her. You don't need me anyway" she said sniffing into her saree pallu.

Gauri looked at Kalyani worriedly who gave her a told you so look. She then turned to her father with a pleading look and as usual he came to his daughter's rescue.

"Pinky... Gauri loves you more than everyone else...don't you know? ... You always pester her with your marriage talks and that is the reason she doesn't talk on phone. Jhanvi said Gauri brought a designer saree... you were awestruck with when we went to your friend's function last week" Shakti said putting a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "She asked me not to tell you so that she could surprise you when she came home. Let her freshen up and she will then show you her gift."

"Really? You selected a saree for me?" said Pinky smiling at her daughter who vigorously nodded her head. "Ohh.. and what did you bring for your daadi?" she asked immediately.

"Nothing maa. I brought the gift only for you. Daadi can get a gift from her son right...I am gifting my mother" she said and Pinky's smile widened.

"Acha... go freshen up. I cooked all your favorites for dinner. We will talk after the meal" said Pinky and Gauri took her chance and flew up the stairs to her room lest her mother started to enquire and caught her father's lie.

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A scrumptious dinner followed, with Gauri animatedly describing her daily routine to her daadu and father while Pinky and Kalyani served them food.

"Gauri...the saree is in the second rack of my study table...go fast before she sees" whispered Shakti to his daughter who duely nodded her head getting up from her place.

Entering her father's study she stood at the desk admiring the in built library his father had... attached to the room. This has been her escape room from reality. Since her childhood, she would sit here for hours rummaging through the pages of its books taking in whatever knowledge her little brain could gather back then.

Three months it has been since she last visited this place and she missed sitting at the window side, cushions around her, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand while her other had a book.

"Gotcha..." said her grandfather, Pritviraj Trivedi from behind, scaring Gauri while he laughed out loud.

"Daadu...not fair...you caught me un-prepared"

"Obviously, I am not going to inform you before scaring you right" he said with a twinkle in his eyes making her smile.

She hugged him wordlessly while he caressed her hair. "You are happy right... Gauri?" he asked her and she nodded "Very much daadu"

"What are doing here anyways?" he asked after a while.

"I came to collect the gift dad mentioned to mom earlier" she said winking at him while he chuckled.

"Talk to your mother more frequently... avoiding talks of marriage can be done in other ways too" he said while she nodded "Yeah...I realized I hurt her" she said guiltily.

"Go... get back to your mother and impress her then" he said and she nodded taking the packet from her father's desk. She was about to leave the room when she remembered something and turned to face her daadu again.

"Tanisha's company has gone bankrupt I heard" she said looking at him while he stiffened in place.

"Leave it daadu... I am okay... I don't want any revenge drama" she pleaded and the old man looked at her sternly.

"I should be scolding you that you withheld such an incident from me Gauri. Had Jhanvi not told me about it, that girl would have gone unscathed after insulting my grand-daughter. Do not expect mercy from me" he said rebuking her while she kept mum.

If she was afraid of anything, it was her grandfather's anger. She hoped he still doesn't know of her involvement with Ajay... The man would be dead by now if her grand-father got to know of his deed.

Call it intuition or luck, Gauri was happy that she withheld the tiny information from her ex that she was the heir of the Trivedi empire... he would have undoubtedly worshipped her footsteps if he knew her stature. Good that he choose Tanisha over her calling her a peasantly writer. She wouldn't have met Omkara if not for her ex's greed.

"Go now ...and remember not to hide things from here on" he scolded and Gauri nodded her head and without a second word walked out of the place.

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"Sorry maa...I hurt you" said Gauri to her mother who was admiring the saree along with her daadi.

"Hmm...your father has great taste... isn't it" said Pinky making Gauri gasp and Kalyani chuckle.

"What?? I know you and I know your father too my dear" said her mother and Gauri smiled sheepishly.

"I will forgive you if you tell me all about a certain someone named Omkara" said Pinky and Gauri rolled her eyes muttering an okay.

Jhanvi maami.... Aur kya bacha hai bolne ko...(is there anything left to say?) she mentally scolded her father's sister.

Succeeding in cajoling her mother, Gauri layed her head on her mother's lap who sat on the bed and poured out her thoughts and feelings about the man she loved. Her daadi sat with them caressing her grand-daughter's head as she listened to her story.

"He seems to be a nice guy...what is the problem then? You want me to talk to your dad?" asked Pinky smiling at her daughter.

"What will you talk maa...I myself am confused"

"You clearly are in love with him, ab kya confusion hai Gauri" asked Kalyani.

Gauri got up and sat straight facing the two woman "I know I love him but what I don't know is that, if he feels the same for me"

"He cares for you...that is evident" said Kalyani after a thought.

"Yes he does... a lot... maa...in this one month that I came to know about him, he is a generous man always ready to help people. If he shows concern for me it isn't a new thing for him."

"Have you tried the jealousy card?" asked Daadi and Pinky looked at her mother in law shocked.

"Mummy ji... aap kya sekha rahe hai isko? Agar damaad ji bura maan gaye to? (What are you teaching her? What if he feels bad?)"

"Pinky... first we need to know if Omkara is in love with your daughter. Later you can call him whatever you want...abhi se chaalu mat karo (don't start calling him son-in- law now)" said Kalyani in a strict tone.

She then turned to Gauri and said, "Dekh Gauri... your guy seems to be smart. You cannot play hide and seek with him waiting for indirect gestures and romantic dates. If he is closed off since thirty years, how can you expect him to suddenly open up to you even if he loves you. You both know each other since what three months? And you have been talking to him since a month"

"But I become speechless once I face him daadi... forget about proposing him straight away"whined Gauri.

"You...are a gone case already...my dear" said Daadi shaking her head while Pinky laughed at her making Gauri pout sadly.

"What kind of a writer are you if you can't write a dialogue of your own love story?" asked Daadi rebuking her grand-daughter.

"Okay... you don't need to propose right away....let us think about it later. For the moment acknowledge your relationship status at least. You talk to him for hours on phone didn't you ever think of asking him that? What do you people even talk for so long?"

Gauri sighed "He tells me about his patients and I tell him about my story characters" she said and both the elder women made a face.

"How boring" they chorused.

"Not all the time" said Gauri in a defending tone "He also talks about his father, his goals in life. He wants to study for a year in UK daadi. He is so passionate about his career. I like that about him. If he is onto something, he will put all his effort into making it happen. I hope he does the same for the woman he loves."

"What does he like about you? Did he say that he likes you at least?"

"No... not directly. He said he likes my smile...no correction... he likes to 'see me smiling with enthusiasm'.. his exact words" Gauri quoted.

"Of course... you have taken after me Gauri... he has to like you and your smile" said Pinky proudly while Kalyani mentally rolled her eyes.

"The next time you meet him, ensure that you talk about what is going on between you two... understand.... Ladko ka kuch bharosa nahi hai... what if he talks to you nicely now and later friend zoned you" said Daadi and Pinky agreed with her mother in law.

"Okay Daadi...I will be careful" said Gauri.

"Hmmm... Rudra ka kya scene hai( what about Rudra)... did he talk to Bhavya's parents?" asked Pinky and the conversation drifted to Rudra and his love life.

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Omkara stared at his phone for the nth time that evening which didn't go unnoticed by his father.

"Did Gauri reach home safely?" Kaali asked his son after dinner and Omkara replied with a shrug of shoulders.

"What does that mean Om?"

"She didn't call me dad. I have been waiting for her call since evening" he answered and Kaali smiled.

"You know that you can call her too... right?"

"What if she is busy and I am intruding her family time?"

"If that is so, then she will tell you that. Now stop looking at the phone and dial her number" he said and got up from the couch to retire to his bedroom.

Omkara continued to look at his mobile. On reflex, he opened the gallery to look at her pictures which he did a lot these days. He was habituated with her calling him everyday to recite her day's events or him calling her whenever he had a bad day at work. It has been sixteen hours since he last talked to her and he already missed her soothing voice which he eagerly waits to listen to... every night.

He tried telling himself to be practical and keep a sane distance from her while he got to know her and when he ticks his checklist which he prepared for his life partner, he would ask her hand in marriage. Yet, his heart seemed to be having plans of its own. Every time she walks towards him giving him a smile as if he is the best thing that has ever happened to her... he grew more attached and drawn to her. He felt something that he never felt before... 'Hope'...

Marriage has been a puzzle to Omkara since childhood. He never understood its rules nor its clauses. How do you know if the person you are going to marry will stay with you till the end. His father was an epitome of love still his mother did not choose him. Why? She said she wanted to have a career of her own. What was his fault in all of this? Why was he deprived of a mother?

He vowed to himself that he would never let that happen to his child. He wanted a perfect wife, perfect family to make a perfect life. He never believed in unconditional love. If such a thing ever existed his father would have been happily married and he wouldn't be mother less. He feared he would end up like his father... broken.

His father might still be in love with his mother. What good did it do to him except for a lonely life. He wouldn't want that for himself. Omkara decided he will choose someone who thinks similar to him, unlike his parents who were polar opposites to one another.

He wants someone who has the same ideology for marriage as him, who does not compromise for anything, emotionally burdening him or herself to later realize that she was wrong and decide to let go of the marriage. If it comes at the cost of a loveless marriage then so be it. Better if his heart is not involved.

He never let anyone close to him, always keeping his heart under lock and key lest he gets deviated from the one goal he had in life.

Yet lately, he started to lose decades-long control over his emotions. He started to openly express jealousy, anger, concern and love which have been foreign to him till then and expect them to be reciprocated. He held one beautiful girl responsible for it. The same girl who seemed to have forgotten him once she reached her village he thought with a grimace.

Couldn't she find few minutes to call him and inform that she reached safely? Or that she missed him as he was missing her presence. What was she doing right now? Should he call her? What if she thinks he was invading her family time or becoming clingy. After all it was only yesterday that she talked to him.

He had an important surgery scheduled tomorrow and he couldn't afford to have a restless night. Gathering courage, he dialed her number and waited anxiously for her to answer the call.

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Gauri was having her fun time gossiping with her two favorite ladies when she noted the time.

"Aree... I forgot to call him daadi... where is my phone... I think I left it in my bag" she exclaimed getting off the bed hurriedly.

Kalyani chuckled "Good ... you made him wait for a few hours...let him miss you" she said while Gauri shook her head in denial.

"No daadi... he has a surgery scheduled tomorrow.... if I remember correctly. He shouldn't go with a bad mood in case he really missed me as you put it" she said and her mother smiled.

"Aww... kitni samajhdaar ban gayi hai meri bachi (my daughter has become very understanding)" said Pinky appreciating her daughter while the later ran to her room.

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Omkara sighed as his call went unanswered for the third time.

Guess it was a bad idea... she must be busy and he was disturbing her.

He left the phone on the bedside table and proceeded to have a warm shower hoping against hope for a good sleep. He just finished his shower and was about to wear his tracks when he heard his mobile ringing. He raced out with a towel covering him to answer the phone.

Seeing her name, he smiled happily before answering "Hello Gauri" he called her.

He was definitely waiting for the call thought Gauri amusedly. 

Itna miss kar raha hai to bolte kyun nahi ho Om (If you miss me so much why don't you tell that to me Om) she wanted to ask him but didn't.

"Sorry...sorry... I couldn't answer your calls Omkara...I was talking to my daadi and mom while my phone was in my bag" she apologized.

"That is okay..." he answered running his hand through his wet hair. How can one stay angry at her if she talks cute.

"All set for the surgery tomorrow?" she asked in her ever excited tone making him smile "You remember" he stated.

"Of course...you were talking non-stop about it since a week... although I couldn't remember a word of your medical terms, I gathered that it is important to you and remembered the date" she finished.

"Hmm... yeah...everything is ready. If Rudra doesn't pose a problem then everything will go as planned" he said knowing she will get irked when he belittles her cousin.

"Om... that is not fair...when did he ever create a problem... itna acha surgeon hai vo."

"Achaa...how would you know that?"

"I just know" she said supporting her cousin and he could imagine her cute pout. He laughed "Okay...let us see tomorrow" he said.

"Hmm.. what else? Had dinner?"

"Yup... umm.. when are you coming back?" he asked making her cover her mouth to hold her chuckle.

"Ummm...may be two weeks later" she answered.

"What???? Why?...I mean what about your classes"

Ohhh... so you want me to come back early? I will baby... I miss you too she thought silently giving him a flying kiss through the phone.

"What about them?...nothing is going to change...I have an exam this month ending anyway... I was thinking of bunking the classes to prepare for it."

"Then come here and prepare for it... I am sure you wont be reading your books when you are at home Gauri."

Aww...Don't be this cute...I might kiss you the next time we meet she thought but said "Yeah...I will think about it" making him roll his eyes.

"Alright... have a nice time at home" he said sighing.

"I will... now go to bed...shoo... all the best for tomorrow" she said and he replied a good night before ending the call.

What will she do for two weeks at home he asked himself sullenly.
God Gauri what are you doing to me he groaned rubbing his face with his hands.

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"Seems like someone is missing somebody... right sister?" asked Rudra when he saw Omkara washing out of the case looking more tired than normal.

It has been five days since Gauri went to Bareilly and it seemed like decades for Omkara. Still, he refused to acknowledge the fact.

"Rudra focus on your work. Close the wound fast... it is bleeding there" he said pointing at the bleeder asking the sister to cauterize the end.

"Sister don't give me any replacements today...I have to pick up someone from the airport  in the evening today" Rudra said leisurely, piking Omkara's attention.

"Who?" he asked him at once while Rudra grinned and said, "You didn't know? Gauri is returning today"

Omkara nodded blankly while he silently walked out of the theater making Rudra frown.

No response? Why is this person so difficult to understand. He expected him to accompany him to pick her up and here this man walked away wordlessly. What is wrong with him?

Omkara walked towards the canteen with his phone in hand and dialed a number "Hello Jai...you needed an assistant for the emergency team today right? ... you can take Rudra... I relieved him early today... No... don't inform him now...he is washed for a case... you can tell him later" he said and hung up with a wicked grin on his face.

Things I do for you......he thought, eagerly waiting for the time to pass and the evening to arrive.

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End of chapter 6....

How did you like Gauri's family.

Omkara is falling for Gauri... I guess... any thoughts about it?

Keep voting and commenting...to let me know how is the pace of the story going... too fast..to slow... or even worse boring...

Waiting for your response...

Till the next update... signing off ... yours Soujanya.