Continuation of For His Happiness...

Gauri descend down the stairs like an angel from heaven. From beneath her transparent veil she looked around the wedding venue. It was decorated as beautifully as she was dressed. Her eyes looked around for one particular pair of eyes, when she felt a warm hand holding her hand. Even before she could look at the person, she knew who it was. Turning to look at the person, her eyes met with the pair of eyes she had been searching for. His eyes were red. They held tears of pain but still there was a glint of happiness. She felt his hand leave her hand. And the very next second he held her shoulders and led her forward. "om.." she said. He gave her an assuring smile and looked forward breaking their eye lock but still she kept looking at him.

She felt a hand clasp around her hand. She looked at the owner of hand, her groom. She felt a pressure at her shoulder and that was when she realized that om was making her sit on the altar. She looked at om, who had turned his back towards her, and then she turned to look at her groom. Something did not seem right about him today. He didn't have the broad smile he wore every day. She wondered why. She looked down and concentrated on the mantra's the priest was chanting.

"ek minute, panditji" Rudra said as he stood up. The priest stopped reciting the matra's. Omkara, who had turned to leave, turned around and walked towards the altar. "what happened, Rudra? Do you want something?" Omkara asked. "yes, O" rudra said. "what do you want, Rudra? Tell me, I'll get it. Iss tarah beech mein matra ko nahi rokte" Omkara said and tried to make rudra sit. "I don't want this marriage to happen, O" rudra said with his head bowed down.

Hearing what rudra had said, gauri stood up. "what do you mean by you don't want this marriage to happen? You love me, don't you? You proposed me, you wanted to marry me. Then why are backing off now" gauri asked in an angry tone. "because you don't love me" rudra said and gauri immediately quietened down. Yes, she didn't love him. She loved his brother. But how was she supposed to tell that to him.

"because O loves you" rudra put forth another reason after a prolonged silence causing both Omkara and Gauri to look at him, shocked. "that's not true, Rudra" Omkara said composing himself from the shock, while staring at his shoes. "then look into my eyes and tell the same, O" rudra said as he made Omkara to look at him by holding his face in his palms. When Omkara remained silent for a few seconds "I know you won't be able to tell it, O. I overheard your conversation with Shiv during the cocktail party" rudra said. "marry her, O" rudra said when om decided remain silent yet again.

"but you love her rudra" om said with helplessness clearly audible in his voice. "and I love you, Omkara" gauri finally spoke up, knowing well that rudra won't marry her now. It was Omkara or no one else now, she decided. Hearing her confession, tears of helplessness cascaded down his eyes and he turned away.

"why are you doing this, O? Why can't you marry her? You both love each other, then what's the problem?" rudra asked, slightly irritated due to the growing murmurs. "after knowing that you love her, I can't rudra" Omkara said.

"I know you promised mom, that you'll always keep my happiness above yours. And you've sacrificed a lot for me. But not this time O. If I marry her today three of us will be ruining our life. Please O, just this time, please think about yourself. For once think about her happiness O" rudra said.

Omkara remained silent for a long time, not able to decide what to do. He had two options in front of him. One, choose his brother's happiness and suffer throughout his life. Two choose, Gauri's happiness and be happy with her. The second option seemed too tempting. But then the thought of his brother loosing his first love stopped him.

While he was not able to decide, "marry her, O" rudra said as he placed a assuring hand on his shoulder. "yajmaan muhrat ka samaye nikla jaa raha hai. Jaldhi se koi faisla kijiye" the priest said his not so infamous dailogue. "marry me, Omkara" gauri said as she held his hand and hope displayed in her eyes. "marry her, om" he heard Shivaay said. One by one everybody in the venue started asking him to "marry her".

"okay fine" he said loud enough for everybody to hear and immediately the crowd burst out into cheers while gauri hugged om tight due to happiness.

"suhag raat shaadi ke baad hai. Abhi nahi" Anika said when om and gauri didn't break apart. Gauri's cheeks turned pink and om's ears turned red while others let out a happy laughter. Finally withdrawing from the hug, Omkara looked at rudra and mouthed a 'thank you'. Rudra hugged him and said "anything for my brother"

"for her happiness" rudra said as he handed over the turban (sehra or pagdi?)  he was wearing to Omkara. "for her happiness" Omkara said as he wore it and smiled at gauri.

Hello guys,
So that was the much wanted happy ending. Hope you guys liked it. Do let me know through your votes and comments. In line comments are more than welcome. I just love reading them.