​Hello everyone,

Thanks to all for commenting on the previous story, You Are Mine (Posted on 26- Jun - 2022)

This is not a love story. I just wanted to write a family drama. Don't know why... there are a few concepts/characters that I wish to write in the future but have no story ideas for it. Like,

A heroine who is a bimbo and remains a bimbo where the hero loves her without her having to change herself to be "worthy of him".

A typical cliché story where the hero and heroine are married and due to a misunderstanding, the hero believes that she cheated on him and a leap with hero realizing his mistake while she is raising their baby.

I want to explore the relation between Narasimha Mannadiar and Mythili from the Malayalam movie Dhruvam.

Another relation I want to explore is the relation between Arjun and Subhalakshmi from the movie Thalapathi.

Another one is Prathapan and Surya from Aparatha. (this is the one I really want to write).

And the story of a Bhabhi is also one I wanted to write. So, I thought I will try writing it. I hope, you guys like this story. this is a light read without much drama.

Gauri was running around as she cleaned up along with the servants.

"Suha..." Gauri calls out to her young sister-in-law. "Can you please stop being on your mobile and help me clean up the place?"

"One minute, Bhabhi." Suhana replies as she remained engrossed in her phone. "I'm looking at the photos from last night's party."

"You can do that later too. Your bhai..."

"Bhabhi..." Rudra calls her as he ran in.

"What?" Gauri asks as she turned to him distracted.

"Stop cleaning up."

"Rudra, look at this place!" Gauri tells him exasperated.

"My friends are calling. They want to come over tonight also." Rudra excitedly tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Let's party!" Rudra excitedly tells her.

"Two nights, we have been partying." Gauri reminds him. "Haven't you had enough?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Bhabhi, you were dancing whole night to kesariya." Rudra reminds her.

"I like that song." Gauri shrugs.

"One more night. Tomorrow, I will clean up the place." Rudra tells her. "Let's party, Bhabhi!"

"Have you gone crazy, Rudy?" Gauri asks him in shock.

"Oh you don't know?" Suhana asks Rudra.

"What?" Rudra asks confused.

"Your brother is coming back." Gauri informs him getting back to cleaning.

"He is?" Rudra asks shocked.

"Yeah. His PA had called Bhabhi."

"Why can't he come back on the day he tells us he is going to?" Rudra asks shocked. "He said day after. Why is he coming early?"

"He finished his meeting." Gauri replies with a shrug.

"It is so much fun when General Saab is not here." Rudra mutters disappointed.

"I know!" Suhana replies equally disappointed.

"You two!" Gauri says exasperated. "Both of you get off your asses and clean the place."

"How do you live with him, Bhabhi?" Rudra asks her as he hugged her. "He is so mechanical."

"And serious too." Suhana says as she hugged Gauri. "My poor Bhabhi."

Gauri sighs as she patted them on their shoulders. She had no idea how to explain to them about Omkara, she had tried but they could never understand her.

"Enough and start cleaning."

"So, when is he coming?" Rudra asks as he started pulling the couch to its correct place.

"He should be landing soon." Gauri replies.

"How soon?" Suhana asks shocked.

"When Ridhima called she had said that they were going to take off and he was conducting a meeting in the flight. She said he would conclude it in flight and come straight home." Gauri explains.

Suhana groans loudly.

"When is his next trip?" Rudra asks her.

"How can I guess that?" Gauri asks him. "Not anything for next two weeks anyway."

Rudra sighs. "Back to jail."

"Stop it, you two." Gauri scolds them. "He is your brother."

"More of jailer." Rudra mutters.

Gauri sighs and shakes her head as she got back to cleaning though keeping an eye on the camera monitor.

*************

About 10 minutes after they had tidied up the place, Gauri hears the doorbell. Hearing the sound, Rudra jumps up from his seat and a second later he shouts in pain.

"What happened?" Gauri asks as she stopped and turned to him.

"I don't know, when I stood up I accidently jammed by finger between the couches.

"Let me see." Gauri says as she walked to him while she gestured the maid to open the door.

"Do you want to put ice on it?" Gauri asks Rudra as she inspected the finger.

"I don't know. pain is reducing though." Rudra replies then he notices Omkara walk in.

"I'll just put ice, you'll feel better." Gauri says as she gently blew onto his finger.

"Bhabhi..." Rudra softly calls her.

Gauri curiously look up at him and he gestures her towards Omkara. Gauri follows his gaze and sees Omkara watching them. she smiles at him.

But Omkara was curiously looking at Rudra. "You okay?"

"Yeah... just my finger." Rudra hesitantly replies.

"I was just going to put ice on it." Gauri informs Omkara.

Omkara nods as he walked to them to check on Rudra's finger.

Gauri goes to the kitchen to get the ice. Few minutes later, she comes back with the ice and stop seeing Omkara talking to Rudra about his college. and Rudra uncomfortably replying.

"Here, Rudra." Gauri says as she walked to him with the ice.

Seeing her, Rudra visibly looked relieved and hurries to her in the pretense of getting the ice.

Gauri grins as she handed him the ice. "Okay try this for some time, and you tell me if it still pains you." Gauri tells him as she turned to go to her husband.

"BHABHI!!!!" Suhana comes running into the room.

"Suha, please don't shout." Gauri tells her quickly.

"I forgot to do my math homework. I need your help, come with me." Suhana tells her as she came to a stop and then noticing Omkara, her eyes widen seeing him frowning.

"You still haven't done your homework?" Omkara asks her frowning. "What were you doing this weekend?"

"Erm... I..." Suhana looks at Gauri panicking.

"You are in 11th." Omkara reminds her sternly. "You can't be careless about studies."

"She is excellent in studies. It was weekend and it might have skipped her mind." Gauri gently interjects. "Come, let's finish your homework fast."

Omkara sighs seeing Gauri taking Suhana to her room and Rudra following them quickly.

*********

"Every time he has to ask about my studies." Rudra grumbles to Gauri.

"Then what do you want him to ask you about? Last night's party?" Gauri asks him cheekily as she watched Suhana solving the problem.

Rudra and Suhana turn to her in shock.

"You didn't tell him about the party, right?" Rudra asks her worriedly.

"He will kill me if he found out that I was busy partying instead of finishing my homework." Suhana tells her freaked out.

Gauri chuckles. "Finish your homework fast. Tomorrow is a weekday; we have to wake up early."

"You promised you won't tell him." Suhana reminds her as she got back to solving the problem.

"That's wrong." Gauri instructs her.

Suhana stops and rechecks her work, then sighing she scratches out the mistake and writes again.

Rudra chuckles as he looked at his phone. "Bhabhi... Avish sent a video of you dancing."

"Where?" Gauri asks.

"Show me." Suhana says as she leaned towards Rudra.

Rudra hands his phone to Gauri. seeing her dancing in full josh, Gauri and Suhana starts laughing.

"I didn't know he was recording it."

"I think he has a crush on you." Rudra laughs saying it.

Gauri glares at him.

"He is harmless, Bhabhi. He goes so speechless when you talk to him." Rudra tells her grinning.

"Bhai is going to murder him." Suhana tells him.

"Sweety, that happens in movies." Gauri tells her shaking her head. "Rudy, forward it to me."

"Okay." Rudra tells her as he forwarded the video.

They were silent for a few minutes as Suhana did her homework and Gauri watched it while Rudra was looking at the photos from the party and occasionally showing some photos that he found funny to Gauri.

Hearing the crying, Gauri sits still for a few seconds then confirming, she quickly gets up.

"Rudy, sit with her and help her finish this. and both of you go to sleep after that." Gauri instructs him as she hurried to her room.

She picked up the monitor on her way to speak on it when the camera was turned off.

********

Gauri could hear Omkara's voice and laughter as she reached her room. she quickly opens the door and sees Omkara leaning over the crib and animatedly talking to their son.

"He is not going to go back to sleep anytime now." Gauri says as she locked the bedroom door and looked at her son wide awake.

"He missed his Papa. Didn't you, Karthik?" Omkara asks him happily.

"Pa..." Karthik replies.

Gauri stops next to Omkara as she kept her hand on his shoulder and looked at their son.

"Ma..."

"Yes, my Karthi." Gauri leans and kisses his forehead.

"Did she finish her homework?" Omkara asks Gauri as he picked up their son.

"Almost. Rudy is sitting with her. he'll help her finish it."

"Do you have to go back down?" Omkara asks her as he wrapped his hand around her and pulled her close.

"No, told them to sleep." Gauri tells him smiling lovingly at him.

Omkara smile and leans down and kisses her forehead. "I missed you."

Karthik makes a sound.

Chuckling, Omkara turns to his son in his other arm and says. "I missed you also."

"Becoming just like his chachu, such an attention seeker." Gauri chuckles.

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

******

"Slept." Omkara whispers as he put their son in the crib.

Gauri smiles as she watched them.

Omkara smiling at Gauri, he gets on the bed. "When was the last time, you danced for me like that?"

Gauri giggles hearing the question. "You saw the video?"

"I was watching it when he woke up." Omkara tells her as he stretched on the bed and Gauri snuggled him.

"You should have been here." Gauri tells him.

"if I was here, this party wouldn't happen." Omkara tells her chuckling.

"You're so playful with Karthi.. why can't you be like that with Rudy and Suha?" Gauri asks him a little sadly.

Omkara sighs. "I told you, Gauri... I tried."

Gauri sighs and hugs him.

"When our parents passed away, they were so small. Rudra was 10 and Suhana was 5. I was 17. I didn't have the maturity then that I have now. I thought, I have to be their parent and I became their parent. Only after you came into our lives, I realized that being a guardian doesn't mean we've to maintain a distance or be serious all the time." Omkara tells her as he gently caressed her arms.

"I tried being their friend, but Rudra and Suhana were so uncomfortable around me. then, I guess, I just gave up." Omkara says shrugging. Then he promises her. "I'll not make the same mistake with Karthi."

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"And seeing the way, how you are pampering those two, I feel I've to be the strict parent." Omkara cheekily tells her.

Gauri laughs hearing that. "Thanks for not telling them that you knew about the party."

"Where did those disco lights come from? Do we have it here?" Omkara asks her confused.

"Rudy got it from somewhere."

"He sent it back?"

"Don't know. Why?"

"I want a live show."

Gauri laughs. "We progressed from dance to sexy dance to dirty dance to striptease and you want to go back to that?"

Omkara chuckles. He takes his mobile and reducing the volume, he plays the video that Gauri had forwarded to him sometime back.

"I didn't know Avish was recording it." Gauri tells him.

"He took the video?" Omkara asks slightly frowning. "Who is he?"

"Yeah... he is Rudy's friend. That boy who comes often."

"Hmmm."

Chuckling Gauri tells him. "Rudy was saying he has a crush on me."

"I'm going to murder him." Omkara says possessively.

Gauri looks at him exasperated. "You are not insecure!"

"Still! He can't ogle my wife."

"He is just an innocent adolescent boy."

"Gauri, innocent and adolescent doesn't go hand in hand. You have no idea, what all they think."

Gauri rolls her eyes.

"Trust me, I've been an adolescent boy."

"Ahaan." Gauri turns to look at him. "Whom and what did you think?"

Omkara grins.

"I want to know." Gauri scowls at him.

Omkara cups her face and leaning towards her, he nibbles on her lips. "The thoughts I have of you, makes my adolescent thoughts very very innocent."

"What thoughts?" Gauri asks as she kissed him back.

"Do you want to hear or rather I show you?"

"Show me."

******

Seeing Omkara coming into the dining room, Gauri smiles at him. "You ready?"

"Yeah." Omkara replies as he kissed her cheek and then kissed their son who was in her arms. Then he picks him up from her hand.

"Okay, you two sit." Gauri tells them then walking towards the door, she loudly calls out. "Rudy... Suha... come down for breakfast!"

Gauri turns back and sees Omkara putting Karthik on his baby chair. She walks to the table and gets his bowl with his baby food.

"Good morning, Bhabhi." Rudra hugs her from behind and then he walks towards his seat.

"Good morning." Gauri replies smiling at him.

"Good morning bhai." Rudra says noticing Omkara.

"Morning." Omkara replies.

Gauri rolls her eyes seeing the robotic greeting.

"Where is my shake?" Rudra asks her confused.

"What?" Gauri asks confused.

"I told you that I want protein shake today as I've game today."

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Gauri replies hitting her head, remembering. "I'll get it now." Gauri replies and hurries to the kitchen.

Omkara irately looks at Rudra but doesn't say anything.

Rudra uncomfortably sits at the table, looking everywhere but Omkara. he sighs in relief seeing his sister coming in.

"What is for breakfast?" Suhana asks as she pulled a chair and sat down.

"Morning." Omkara tells her.

"Good morning, bhai." Suhana replies then she starts to serve for herself.

Seeing Omkara angrily looking at her, Rudra kicks Suhana under the table. Suhana looks up at Rudra and he slyly gestures towards Omkara.

Suhana looks at him and sees him angry. She looks around the table and realizes that Gauri wasn't there.

"I didn't notice that Bhabhi wasn't here." Suhana replies softly and sits back.

Omkara nods.

"You didn't start?" Gauri asks as she walked in and then keeps Rudra's protein shake near him.

"Waiting for you." Omkara replies as he took Karthik's food bowl and kept it in front of him and handed him the spoon.

"Om, I'm here only. I've no office, college or school. Even if I eat five minutes later, it is okay. you guys will get late." Gauri tells him as she sat next to him. "And Karthik is going to take an hour to finish his food, I've to sit here till then."

"We eat together, Gauri." Omkara tells her, not wanting any arguments on it.

Gauri nods.

He had always insisted on the family having breakfast together because rest of the day everyone would be busy with their commitments. However late, she got, the family waited for her. even those times, when Karthi was a newborn and took up all her time, and she had to attend to him to either breastfeed him or put him to sleep during breakfast time. that time, she had tried to get him to change that rule of his, but he hadn't budged. Somewhere, she knew that it was the respect he showed her for her part in taking care of their family, and he demanded the same from his siblings for her.

Gauri looks at Suhana to see if she was upset and sees her smiling at her. Gauri smiles at her, and checks on Rudra and he also seemed fine.

Gauri smiles and starts eating thinking on how she became a part of this dysfunctional family.

It was her father, who knew Om through work. they had worked together on some project and her father was so impressed with Omkara that he had proposed the marriage even though Omkara was just 25 then.

Omkara after thinking over the proposal had realized that he had been so consumed with their business and securing the future of his siblings that he didn't realize what a lonely life he had led and agreed to meet her.

When he met her, the only thing he had asked of her was that, his life's main priority and responsibility was his siblings and he wanted his partner to be someone who was willing to share that responsibility with him. before she could think on it, he had asked her to meet his siblings because it was very important for him that his siblings like his wife and his wife like his siblings.

Seeing his love for his siblings, Gauri fell for him and she had met Rudra and Suhana and instantly connected to them. they were like her long lost brother and sister.

And the rest was history.

********

"Where is Gauri?" Omkara asks the maid as he walked in.

"She is in the room." the maid replies surprised to see him unexpectedly during lunch time.

Omkara nods and heads to their bedroom. He was about to reach their room when he hears Gauri huffing and singing. He stops curiously and then gently without making a sound, opens the door.

He stops amused seeing Gauri singing and dancing in front of Karthik.

"Dahak Raha Hai Banke Sharara. Dekh Mera Badan. Sab Kuchh Mera Karke Fanaa. Karta Hoon Main Hawan." Gauri sings as she danced.

Omkara quietly chuckles as he tiptoed towards her.

"Om Deva Deva. Om Deva Deva Namah Namho Namah."

Omkara wraps his hand around her waist, pulls her close to him and pressing his body against her, sways with her. "Mehsoos Khud Ko Maine Kiya, Jab Toone Chhua."

"Om!" Gauri shouts in surprise as she looked at him.

"Ishq Humara Nahi Yeh Fitoor Hai, Rishta Puraana Koyi Toh Zaroor Hai. Aake Mile Hain Usi Ke Toh Vaaste. Yeh Raaste Yeh Raaste. Hmm Tu Hai Hawaon Ka Jhonka, Main Aag Hoon, Tu Raagdaari Hai Meri, Main Raag Hoon, Main Jee Raha Hoon Tere Intezaar Mein, Aavaaz De Aavaaz De."

"How do you know the lyrics?" Gauri asks surprised.

"You listen to songs from this movie day in and out, I am bound to mug up." Omkara tells her chuckling.

"Just two." Gauri clarifies.

Omkara chuckles. "What is this private show that Karthi is getting?"

"He fell down and was crying, so I was trying to distract him." Gauri tells him.

Omkara didn't ask whether Karthi was fine, because he knew, if he wasn't fine then Gauri wouldn't be singing and dancing. "Was he trying to walk?"

"Yeah." Gauri replies as she looked at her son and sees him finally playing with his toy. "How come you are home?" Gauri asks him curiously. "Did you forget any file?"

"No, the meeting got rescheduled, so I decided to come home for lunch." Omkara tells her.

"Really?" Gauri asks excitedly.

Omkara smiles seeing her so happy. Few days after their marriage, he had come home once as he forgot a file at home, Gauri had misunderstood that he had come for lunch and had got for very excited. Seeing her joy, he had stayed home for lunch and he made it a point to surprise her once in a while.

Frowning, Gauri tells him, "you should have told me you were coming, I would have asked chef to cook something."

"Are you skipping lunch?" Omkara asks confused.

"I am having daal chawal."

"You and your obsession with daal chawal." Omkara says grinning then he tells her, "I'll have your daal chawal."

Gauri smiles. "Come then."

**********

"Where is Suhana?" Omkara asks Gauri curiously one weekend.

"Studying. Her finals are starting this Monday." Gauri replies.

"I didn't see her after breakfast today. she is in her room since morning." Omkara tells Gauri in concern. "It is not good to study like that. she will stress herself out."

"I told her but she is saying she is fine." Gauri tells him sighing.

"Some girl got first rank in her class last time and she wants to top the class." Rudra mutters.

Omkara looks at Gauri in exasperation.

"Your sister." Gauri explains with a shrug.

"Don't understand what's the big deal in topping the class." Rudra mutters as he continued to scroll on his phone.

"Did you clear your arear papers?" Omkara asks Rudra pissed.

Rudra quickly sits up worriedly and mutters as he stood up. "Was just about to go study."

Then irately looking at Gauri, he walks off to his room.

Gauri shakes her head at Omkara.

"He is not going to study." Omkara tells her.

"Oh I am shocked." Gauri mocks.

Omkara chuckles. "What?"

"Did you have to do that now?" Gauri asks him.

"It's his final year, Gauri."

"I told you, he promised me that he will clear all his papers this year. Then why did you do that?"

Omkara wraps his hand around her and pulls her on to his lap. "It's the weekend and I want my wife all to myself for five minutes."

"Liar." Gauri teases him as she chuckled.

Omkara chuckles as he held her tight and nuzzled her neck. "You are so busy with all of them, all the time."

"Ahaan... so, who was it that was staying up with you till early morning last night?"

"Karthik." Omkara replies nibbling her lips.

"Oh yeah?"

"He kept waking up every five minutes." Omkara exaggerate.

As if on cue, they hear Karthik crying from the monitor. Gauri jumps from Omkara's lap and grabs the monitor as she pressed the mic and tried to console him as she ran to their room.

********

Gauri hurried through the school corridor with the Principal.

"She just blacked out during the exams and was panicking." Principal informs her.

"Where is she now?" Gauri asks worriedly.

"She is in the hospital." Principal informs her. "You don't have to worry. At times, students when stressed during the exams, black out due to fear and stress."

"She had been staying up late and studying the last few days." Gauri tells him. "She wanted to top the class. She used to wake up early. She hasn't had proper sleep in the last few days."

"We want the students to score well but not at the cost of their health." Principal gently rebukes Gauri.

"I tried explaining to her but she just wouldn't listen." Gauri helplessly tells him.

Principal nods. "Her class teacher was saying, last exam she didn't top like usual and was 2nd rank, and she had been very disappointed." Entering the room, he gestures to Suhana. "She is here."

Gauri hurries to Suhana who was sleeping.

********

"Baby, please stop crying." Gauri pleads as she hugged Suhana who was wailing.

"I couldn't write the exam; I'll have to stay in 11th." Suhana cried.

"You won't have to. We'll talk to your teachers and ask them to give you a chance to rewrite your exam." Gauri tells her.

"But in a week, 12th classes are starting." Suhana tells her crying.

Gauri sighs, the school held the 11th final exams 2 months early and started 12th classes before the summer holidays, in order to get more time to prepare the students for their board exams.

"I will miss classes by the time they let me write the exams."

Before Gauri could answer her, Suhana worriedly cries, "What if they won't let me write the exams?"

"We'll talk to them, Suha." Gauri reassures her.

Hearing her mobile ring, she sighs in relief. She answers the call.

"Om..."

"Sorry, Gauri, the conference call took so much time. what happened? Ridhima told me that you wanted me to call you back immediately."

"Where were you, Om?" Gauri asks sighing.

"What happened?" Omkara asks worriedly.

"Please come home."

"Is that Suhana crying? What happened? Is she hurt?" Omkara asks worriedly.

"She blacked out during exams and couldn't write her exam."

Omkara sighs in relief. "You scared me, Gauri."

"Om!" Gauri scolds him in shock.

"It's just an exam, Gauri."

"Suha is crying, Om. just come home!" Gauri scolds him.

"Yeah, I am walking to the car."

********

"Suhana... stop crying." Omkara tells her in a consoling tone.

Suhana hugs Gauri and hides her face from Omkara.

Omkara sighs as he looked at Gauri.

"Suha... please stop crying. See, even Karthi is sad seeing you cry." Gauri tells her.

Suhana looks at her little nephew and sees him watching her from his play mat.

Suhana looks away as she hugged Gauri.

Giving up, Omkara says. "We'll go talk to your Principal now."

"What if he doesn't agree?" Suhana asks him worriedly.

"We'll tell him that you'll write the exam whenever he wants. Even if it is tomorrow after the exam in the morning." Gauri tells her. "You were well prepared for today's exam, so you can do that, right?"

Suhana hopefully looks at Gauri and was about to agree when Omkara declares offended. "She has topped all the exams, always. He better promote her without even having her write the exam."

********

"Bhabhi and Bhai are here." Rudra informs Suhana seeing Gauri and Omkara walk in.

Suhana worriedly looks at them. "What did they say?"

Gauri smiles at her. "That you don't have to write your exam, they will take an aggregate of your marks from this year and give you mark accordingly." Gauri happily walks to Rudra and picks up Karthik from him.

"But I might won't get first rank then." Suhana says disappointed.

Omkara scowls hearing that. "The sky is not going to fall if you don't come first all the time."

Suhana looks down contrite.

"Always tell you that." Rudra cheekily whispers.

Gauri glares at him then turning to Suhana she tells her gently. "Tomorrow you have exam. So, forget about today's test and concentrate on that."

Suhana nods and gets up to go to her room.

"Don't stay up late or wake up early. If I see you do that, you will get it from me." Omkara warns her sternly.

Suhana worriedly nods and runs off to her room.

Omkara turns to Rudra and asks him, "Do I have to tell you specifically?"

"I don't stay up late to study." Rudra replies.

Omkara glares at him.

"My exams are not for another three months." Rudra tells him as he stood up nervously and prepared to escape to his room.

"Will it hurt you to start studying a little early?" Omkara asks him.

Rudra shrugs in no and hurries off.

Omkara shakes his head and sighs visibly. Gauri grins at Omkara.

Omkara walks to them and says tired. "One doesn't stop studying and the other doesn't start studying." Then looking at Karthik he asks helplessly, "What kind are you going to be?"

Gauri chuckles. "Whatever kind he is going to be; we are going to have sleepless nights for sure."

Omkara chuckles. "I've to go back to office." Then he tells her in concern. "Make sure she doesn't strain herself again. you saw how she is getting worked up again that she might not top this time too."

"Weren't you the one who was scolding her for forgetting to write her homework?" Gauri teases him.

Omkara shrugs, "I didn't want her teacher to scold her."

"Don't worry. This time, I'll make sure that she takes proper rest." Gauri promises him.

********

It was a weekend and they were in the living room. Omkara was sitting on the couch reading an article on his phone with Gauri lying on his lap and Karthik sitting on her stomach.

"In three weeks, Karthi is going to be a year old." Gauri excitedly tells him. Are you excited, Karthik?" Gauri asks him animatedly.

Seeing the way, Gauri was making all kind of funny faces, Karthik laughs.

"Yes, he has made so many plans. Has to go partying with his friends in the morning. Afternoon play with chachu and bua. Evening getting a private dance by his mommy and at night, not let Papa and Mama spend some quality time together." Omkara teases.

Gauri chuckles then looking up at Omkara, she asks him, "Should we celebrate his birthday?"

"We can."

"Big party or small with just us?" Gauri asks him excitedly.

Omkara lovingly smiles at her. "Whatever you want."

Gauri smiles as she thought of it. "Om... by the way, Ma had called. She was saying it is being a while since I stayed with them."

"Hmmm."

"I was thinking maybe Karthik and I'll go stay with them." Gauri tells him.

"You are missing them?" Omkara asks her smiling.

"A little."

"Go then." Omkara tells her smiling.

"You'll be fine?"

"Yeah, I'll manage."

"What about Suha and Rudy? College and School are so far away from there." Gauri asks worried.

"They will stay here." Omkara says shaking his head.

"You and them?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Gauri, if you forgot then we three managed fine for 8 years before you came." Omkara reminds her arrogantly.

Gauri makes a face.

Omkara chuckles. "So, you relax and go spend time with your parents. I can manage Rudy and Suha for a night."

Gauri leans up and look at Omkara in shock. "One night?"

Confused, Omkara asks her, "You are going for two?"

"I was thinking about a week!" Gauri tells him.

"A week?" Omkara goes pale. "How are we going to manage for a week?"

Mocking, Gauri reminds him, "You managed for 8 years, Om. you can do it."

Omkara worriedly looks at her. "You are joking, right?"

"Of course not." Gauri replies though seeing his worry, she realized that she might have to go to her parent's for the weekend along with Omkara, Rudra and Suhana but remembering his earlier arrogant comment, she decided to let him stew for some time before telling him of her decision.

"Gauri...." Omkara starts and was interrupted by their maid.

"One man is here asking for Rudra Sir."

"Rudra isn't here. He has gone for basketball practice." Gauri tells her. "Is he one of his friends?"

"No, this is an older man and he is angry. He is asking to meet Omkara Sir." She informs.

Omkara and Gauri look at each other in confusion.

"You take Karthik." Gauri tells her as Omkara stood up.

She follows Omkara.

********

"Where is my daughter?" the man furiously asks them.

"Daughter?" Omkara asks frowning. "Why would your daughter be here?"

"Your brother ran away with her." he furiously accuses.

"What?" Omkara asks shocked. "Why would he run away? that too with your daughter?"

"Where is he then?"

"He is at his college for practice." Omkara replies.

"He came to my house today and my daughter went with him. And my wife found a letter in her room where she said that she is going with the man she loves. And they will get married today." The man furiously says.

Hearing him, Gauri goes pale.

"If Rudy had a girlfriend then we would know!" Omkara furiously tells him. "So, he would have never run away."

"I want my daughter back."

"Again, why would Rudra run away?" Omkara asks him angrily. "He would never do that. and he is just 21 years old!"

"Then where is my daughter?"

"We don't know!" Omkara replies angrily. "Gauri, just call Rudra and ask him..." Omkara stops seeing Gauri looking so pale. "Gauri..." Omkara worriedly calls her.

Gauri nervously looks at him. "Om..." Gauri gulps worriedly.

Omkara stares at Gauri in shock seeing her so worried.

"Are you going to call your brother?" the man asks furiously.

Omkara turns to him and promises him, "I'll talk to him and we'll come to your house."

"And my daughter?"

"Sir, we will come to your house. just give us some time." Omkara requests.

********

After the man left, Omkara turns to Gauri in hurt. "I thought you told me everything, Gauri."

"I did, Om." Gauri helplessly tells him.

"Then why didn't you ever tell me that Rudra was in love with one girl?" Omkara asks her sadly.

"Because I didn't know, Om." Gauri vows to him.

"What?" Omkara asks her shocked and confused. "Gauri, you were looking so worried."

"I had called Rudy earlier to find out where he was and he told me he is at the court. I just assumed he meant basketball court, what if he had said he was in a court?" Gauri asks worried.

"Based on that you thought Rudra eloped?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"I don't know what to think, Om." Gauri replies confused.

"Just think that if you didn't know that there is a girl in his life then it means, he has no girl in his life." Omkara tells her angrily.

Gauri gulps.

"Have you so little faith in our Rudy, Gauri?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"When he said eloped and court... I just didn't know what to think." Gauri tells him as she hugged Omkara for strength.

Omkara hugs her and tells her gently. "Gauri, that boy can't decide what shirt to wear for a function without consulting you and you think he would be in love and of all the people in this world, you wouldn't know about it?"

"I am getting worried, Om. where is Rudy?"

"Bhabhi..." Rudra worriedly calls her.

Omkara and Gauri quickly turn to look and sees a pale Rudra standing nearby.

"Rudy, you okay?" Gauri asks him as she hurried to him.

"I am fine, Bhabhi." Rudra replies as he looked at Omkara. "She is not my girlfriend." Rudra confirms it to him.

Omkara nods. "I know."

"If I loved someone, I would have told you, Bhabhi." Rudra tells her.

"I'm sorry, Rudy. I just..." Gauri guiltily says.

Rudra nods and worriedly looks at Omkara. "Bhabhi was right, I was at the court only."

"Where is she?" Omkara asks him.

"She is Anchal. She and my friend, Jai love each other. They got married today morning."

"you helped them?" Gauri asks shocked.

Rudra nods.

"Why would her father think that you are the one she loves? Why doesn't he know about this Jai?" Omkara asks Rudra confused.

"Because he didn't know that Jai and Anchal love each other."

Omkara frowns angrily. "So, without even attempting to talk to her family, they both decided to elope and you supported them?"

Rudra gulps worriedly hearing that.

"Does he even know that his daughter loves someone?" Gauri asks shocked.

"No." Rudra confesses.

Gauri looks at Omkara in shock.

"Every single thing, you ask Gauri for advice and this, you couldn't ask her?" Omkara asks furiously.

Rudra worriedly steps back and looks at Gauri. "I didn't know they loved each other. Jai came to me today morning, asking me for my help. I didn't have time to think through."

"So, you helped them?" Omkara asks outraged.

Rudra nods.

"What was the need for them to elope?"

"Anchal's father was planning to look for a groom for her and Jai is not as rich as them, so they were worried that he wouldn't agree for the wedding."

"So, their solution was to run away?" Omkara asks shocked.

Rudra worriedly looks at Gauri, who was looking at him in shock.

"Where are they now?"

"They are on their way to Pune."

"Call them back." Omkara orders him.

"What?"

"Call them back, Rudra."

"But..."

"Are you going to call them back or do you want me to get them here?" Omkara furiously threatens.

"Bhabhi, tell him, Bhabhi... please... I can't betray my friends." Rudra worriedly turns to Gauri.

"How dare you, Rudra?" Omkara furiously walks towards him.

"Om..." Gauri quickly steps forward shielding Rudra.

Omkara ignores Gauri and glares down at Rudra. "How dare you try to put Gauri in a position where she has to pick a side against either of us?"

"I didn't... Bhabhi..." Rudra looks at her for help.

"You will not do that to my wife, Rudra." Omkara furiously warns him.

Seeing Omkara so furious, Rudra rigorously nods his head in agreement.

"You have an hour, Rudra. I want your friends here." Omkara warns him.

"And what are you going to do?" Rudra asks tensed.

"You took that girl away from her house. It is your responsibility to take her safely back to her house. We are going to take her to her house!!!!!"

********

"Are they coming back?" Gauri asks after Rudra had hung up the phone.

"Yes." Rudra replies as he helplessly looked at Omkara.

"I feel like I betrayed my friends." Rudra softly tells Gauri.

Omkara doesn't say anything. He knew, from Rudra's view, he has betrayed his friend. Rudra wanted to protect his friends. Everyone wanted to protect their loved ones. Even he had the natural instinct to protect his family, specially his blood. He would fight the whole world to protect his blood, no matter who is on the other end. Nothing was more important than his blood. The only one, who was above his own blood for him was Gauri.

And he knew, Rudra was upset with his interference, and Gauri was upset that Rudra was upset, but right now, he couldn't help react any other way. He was a family man, and right now, he could feel the pain of another family man and he had to rectify the mistake that his brother helped commit. He has to bring back that man's daughter to him.

"We are going to take her back to her house with Jai and you are coming with us." Omkara declares.

Rudra gulps and nods. Omkara walks off.

Rudra helplessly turns to Gauri. "My friend trusted me, bhabhi."

"Why did you help him, Rudy?" Gauri asks him softly.

"He kept pleading and crying. I wanted to call you but he just didn't give me a chance." Rudra explains.

Gauri nods.

"I wasn't trying to make you fight with bhai for me." Rudra tells her.

Gauri nods.

"I would never do that. I know how much you both love each other."

Gauri sighs and holds Rudra's hand in hers. "You know that Om is a very private person."

Rudra nods.

"But I insisted and forced him that he be open about his love and affection for me in front of you and Suha."

Rudra looks at her in confusion.

"I wanted you two and now Karthik to grow up seeing healthy relationships and love."

Rudra nods understanding.

"You have seen how much Om loves, respects and protects me. Haven't you?" Gauri asks him gently.

"Yes."

"Then what made you support them, Rudy?" Gauri asks him gently. "If Jai and Anchal respected their love, they wouldn't have ran off like thieves without at least trying to convince her father first."

Rudra thoughtfully looks at her.

"Neither of them have a job, how are they going to protect and take care off each other? How are they going to live a peaceful life?"

"Jai said as long as they have each other...."

"It all sounds good, but when it comes to reality love is just not enough. Most of all, you need maturity and they proved how immature they are by what they did."

"Did I ruin their lives?" Rudra asks worriedly.

"I don't know how strong they are as individuals, as a couple and their love. Only time will tell."

"What if her father decides not to accept them?"

"We'll see what his issues with Jai are and if there is a solution then we will definitely try to sort it out." Gauri promises.

***********

"Like we promised, we have brought your daughter back home. And she didn't run away with my brother." Omkara states.

Anchal's father turns to her and asks in tears, "why did you do this?"

"Let's go." Omkara whispers to Gauri, realizing it is a private family matter.

"We can't." Gauri replies pointing at Rudra.

Seeing how Rudra was worriedly watching the exchange between father and daughter and Jai, Omkara sits back.

"He has no degree and no job! How do you expect me to let you go with him?"

"In two months, I'll write my exams and then I will surely find a job." Jai tells him.

"Couldn't you wait till then to marry her?"

"You were looking to get her married." Jai argues.

"Why didn't you come to me like a decent man and ask me for my daughter's hand in marriage?"

"Because we know you won't agree."

"How can I agree to get my only daughter marry a jobless man?"

"He will get a job once he finishes his degree. Even I will get a job."

"What if you both don't get a job?"

"We will." Anchal argues.

"When?"

Anchal looks away as she had no answer.

"Is his job your only problem?" Gauri asks him.

"Gauri..." Omkara quickly tries to interrupt her.

"Not for him, but for Rudy." Gauri tells him as she looked at Rudra.

Omkara looks at Rudra worriedly looking at him and gives in.

Gauri turns to Anchal's father and tells him. "Once he finishes his degree, Om will give him a job that will be enough for them to lead a comfortable life."

"Do you promise?" Anchal's father asks Omkara, wanting him to give his word.

"You just heard my wife promise you something. Know this, when she speaks, she speaks for both of us." Omkara tells him.

Anchal's father nods appeased.

"Do you accept Jai now?" Rudra asks eagerly.

"Yes but till he has a job in hand, my daughter will stay here and once he stands on his own, then I will get them married."

"Thank you." Rudra says relieved.

"We should leave." Omkara tells them.

They were about to leave when Jai steps forward and tells Omkara, "Thank you, Om bhai."

Omkara turns to Jai and tells him. "Remember, my wife didn't promise that you will have a job forever. If you want to keep the job then you have to prove your worth."

Jai nods worriedly.

************

"Bhai..." Rudra gently calls him.

Omkara turns to him.

"Thank you. I know you dislike Jai for what he did, still..."

Omkara walks to him and keeps his hand on Rudra's cheek. "We did it for you, Rudy. Not for him."

"I know, bhai." Rudra replies, his eyes getting misty.

"I am not your enemy, Rudy. You are my brother and I love you. I love you and Suhana, just as much as I love Karthik."

"Bhabhi always says that." Rudra tells him.

Omkara nods. "I know you are young and still immature to handle life. But, you are now old enough to have to think and be aware of the consequence of all your actions."

"I will not do anything like this again." Rudra promises him.

Omkara smiles. "Even if you unknowingly make any mistake, Gauri and I am there to catch you and have your back. It's our duty."

Feeling overwhelmed Rudra hugs Omkara. Omkar hugs him and he couldn't help but look at Gauri and sees her watching them with a big smile and happy tears.

*********

"I go out for lunch with my friends and what all happened here?" Suhana asks shocked.

Gauri smiles hearing that, then she looks at her lap where Rudra was lying. She lovingly runs her finger through his hair, seeing him so lost in thoughts.

"You okay, Rudy?"

Rudra nods then he asks her, "Where is bhai?"

"He has some work, so he is working in our bedroom as Karthi is sleeping there."

"Bhabhi...." Rudra turns to her and tells her, "Bhai will scream at me, be angry with me, scold me but he will be there for me... for us, always."

"Yes, he will." Gauri smiles feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her chest.

"My friends said that he screamed at my teacher when she said that I have to wait till they set a new question paper and then I will have to write it and after that only I can be promoted to 12th. They said that he scared her so much." Suhana informs Rudra.

"Really?" Rudra asks Gauri in shock. "He always said that we have to respect our elders."

"Not when they are out to hurt his siblings." Gauri cheekily informs him.

Suhana giggles hearing that while Rudra smiles impressed. "Wicked."

Watching them finally getting to understand Om's unconditional love towards them, Gauri thought it was the best time to tell them what she always knew.

"You both say that Om changed after marriage." Gauri starts gently.

"Yea. Definitely." They both quickly says in relief.

"Om never changed. He was always the same." Gauri tells them.

"He was Hitler before you came, bhabhi." Suhana tells her.

"Love and romance mellowed him down." Rudra naughtily tells her.

Gauri blushes hearing that, then she tells them. "Om was a prankster and a very naughty kid."

"Bhai?" Suhana asks shocked.

"Yes. He was so naughty that Mummyji couldn't handle him and a newborn Rudy. So, she send him to hostel. You were too small and Om wasn't home for much when he came for vacation. That is why, you might not remember his that phase. After mummyji and Daddyji passed away, he realized that he had to look after you both and he took both of your responsibility along with the business. He had to complete his studies, manage business and look after you two."

Hearing that Suhana and Rudra's eyes fill up.

"He did it with his whole heart. Don't feel bad." Gauri tells them.

"I thought bhai was fed up taking our responsibility." Rudra confesses softly. "That was why he was always so stern with us."

"Never. You both are his life. He married me, only after he was sure that I loved you two and you both loved me." Gauri tells them. "He started loving me because I loved you two and I fell in love with him, seeing his love for you both. If a man can selflessly love his siblings like that, then he will love his wife and children also like that."

Rudra and Suhana was so overwhelmed and feeling so blessed to have Omkara and Gauri in their lives.

"You said that Dad used to be strict and he grew up in hostel, so he assumed that the elder person always has to be strict."

"Yes, he was also a kid when he started taking care of you, he made that mistake then. If you two let him, then he really wants to change it. He just doesn't know how to change it. If you two give him a chance, then everything will change." Gauri tells them. "For that you have to be friendly with him."

Rudra and Suhana nods.

"Next time, we have a party, I want him to be with us. I don't want to hide from you and inform him about the party."

"He knew about the party?" Suhana asks shocked.

"I told him when you guys started asking for it."

"And he didn't say no?" Rudra asks shocked.

"He wants you both to be happy. And I know, seeing the photos and videos, he wanted to be a part of it but he knew you two wouldn't be comfortable." Gauri tells them.

Rudra and Suhana remained silent as they absorbed it all.

"Why do you say bhai never changed?" Rudra asks her softly.

"Because, only after I came into his life, he started living for himself. He started thinking of his happiness. Otherwise he was living for you both."

Rudra and Suhana quickly hug Gauri, both wanting to cry. Gauri hugs them and as she held them in her arms, she realized that if there was a time when she was to step away from the siblings, it was now.

Sorry, Om, you are going to have to manage your siblings for a week!

***********

Omkara walks to the dining room to check if the food were served. He couldn't believe that Gauri had decided to go to her house the night before and left early morning today. She and her grand plans!

Once he was sure that food was served, he walks to the door and calls out for his siblings. "Rudra... Suhana... time for breakfast."

Few minutes later, Suhana comes and Rudra follows her in.

"Bhabhi reached?" Suhana asks Omkara.

"Yes." Omkara replies.

"You two... didn't... fight... right?" Rudra worriedly asks.

"No." Omkara replies surprised. "Why do you think that?"

"No... bhabhi left so suddenly... after what happened... yesterday..."

"Oh... no... that is sorted and solved." Omkara reassures him. "Ma was missing her, so she went. It has nothing to do with you or your friends' marriage."

Rudra smiles relieved.

"Let's eat." Omkara tells him with a gentle smile.

They were about to start eating when Omkara's phone ring. curious, he checks the phone and smiles seeing that it is Gauri.

"Hey." Omkara answers the video call.

"Are you guys having breakfast?" Gauri asks.

"Is that Bhabhi?" Suhana asks excitedly.

"Yeah." Omkara replies smiling seeing her excitement.

Rudra and Suhana gets up and hurries to Omkara's side to see Gauri.

"Hey, you two." Gauri smiles at them.

"We miss you, Bhabhi." Suhana tells her.

"Awww I miss you guys too."

"Then come back fast." Rudra tells her.

"Yeah, I'll."

"Where is Karthik?" Omkara asks her.

"He is with Ma. She was scolding me because we make him eat by himself and not feed him. today, I let her feed him."

"Don't get him used to that. then it will be difficult to get him back to eating by himself." Omkara tells her.

"Yeah, this is just for once." Gauri confirms. "Let's have breakfast. I've my food ready." Gauri excitedly tells them.

Omkara grins seeing that she had called to have breakfast together.

After they had finished breakfast, Rudra and Suhana were bidding their byes to Gauri.

"When will you come back, Bhabhi?" Rudra asks her.

"1 week."

"A week?" Suhana asks shocked.

"Yeah, Ma wants me to stay here." Gauri tells them.

"Why don't you do a general saab and come back early?" Rudra asks her cheekily.

For a second everyone was silent. Omkara looks at Rudra in shock.

General Saab was supposed to be a secret. They never called him that on his face, though Omkara always knew that is what his siblings called him because Gauri had told him that.

Seeing Gauri's shock, Rudra teases her. "I'm starting to realize that you are always snitching on us to Bhai, Bhabhi."

Gauri blushes hearing that while Omkara chuckles.

"Now, you two have to stop calling him general saab. I don't like it." Gauri tells them.

Hearing that Omkara bursts out laughing. Rudra and Suhana look at him surprised seeing him laugh like that. though they have seen him happy and jolly with Gauri and Karthik, never like this.

"Why are you laughing?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Sweetheart, who taught them that term?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri bites her tongue in embarrassment. The initial days after their marriage, Omkara had been the serious and reserved person with her like he was with his siblings. It took her, some coaxing and teasing for him to open up with her. but even after that, when she started noticing that Omkara in their bedroom was a totally different man from the man who he was when he was with Rudra and Suhana. One day, fed up, in front of Suhana and Rudra, she had asked him why he behaved like a General Saab, and Rudy and Suha had picked it from there.

"You are a bad influence on us, Bhabhi." Rudra teases her chuckling.

"Very." Omkara teases.

Suhana and Rudra look at Omkara surprised.

Gauri smiles seeing their surprise. "Okay, you guys go. Otherwise you two will be late."

"Okay... bye Bhabhi... bye Bhai." Rudra says and leave.

"Muah Bhabhi." Suhana gives her a flying kiss. "Kiss Karthik also for me, okay?"

"Okay." Gauri replies as she gives her a flying kiss.

"Bye bhai." Suhana says and starts to walk off, then she walks back and kisses Omkara on his cheek. "Bye." Suhana says as she smiled at him.

"Bye." Omkara replies as he smiled at her.

Once Suhana left, Omkara turns to Gauri and smiles without any words.

"Feel like crying?" Gauri asks him in a little teasing and a loving tone.

"Not going to cry." Omkara chuckles though his eyes fill up.

Gauri smiles, her eyes filling up seeing his happy smile.

"Thank you." Omkara tells her.

"Told you last night. They are ready." Gauri tells him.

"You didn't have to go away for that." Omkara tells her.

"It will be better if it is just you three for a few days." Gauri tells him.

"So, what are you going to do today?" Omkara asks her.

"Just relax. And enjoy my free time."

*********

"I am so bored." Gauri groans in a whisper to Omkara.

Omkara chuckles hearing her. "I thought you were going to enjoy your free time."

"I did... now I have too much free time. nothing to do. Ma has hijacked Karthik also. I only get him after he has gone to sleep at night."

"Any plans on preponing your return?" Omkara asks her.

"I am so tempted but don't know whether Ma will get upset. How are things there?"

"Good." Omkara replies with a smile. "Last night, we had dinner together."

"I wish I was there. I miss you so much."

"Oh baby." Omkara says smiling. "Even I am missing you."

"BHABHI.... BHABHI...."

"Rudy!" Omkara shouts back.

"Yeah bhai?" Rudra comes to the staircase.

"Gauri isn't here!" Omkara reminds him.

"Oh yeah! I forgot." Rudra replies.

He was about to walk back to his room, when Omkara asks him, "What happened?"

"Nothing... I'll call her." Rudra replies.

"She is on call with me." Omkara informs him.

"Oh okay... can you ask her where my green jersey is? I can't find it."

"Right end of his wardrobe." Gauri replies.

"Seriously, Gauri... he would have checked his.." Omkara starts to say when Rudra replies and runs off, "Right end? Got it."

"Are you serious?" Omkara asks shocked.

"What?" Gauri asks confused.

"He didn't even look inside his wardrobe?" Omkara asks shocked.

"He opens his wardrobe and expects the thing he is looking for to hang right in the middle of the wardrobe, if that is not there, he will call me." Gauri explains.

"You have spoiled him rotten, Gauri." Omkara tells her slightly frowning.

"BHAI TELL BHABHI, I GOT IT!" Rudra shouts from his room, not even bothering to come out of his room.

Omkara sighs exasperated.

"IS BHABHI ON PHONE?" Suhana asks, running down the stairs.

"Yes." Omkara replies.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Suhana frowns at Omkara.

Omkara looks at Gauri in exasperation.

"Push!" Suhana orders Omkara as she squeezed herself into the couch.

Sighing, Omkara moves to give her space.

"How are you Bhabhi? How is Karthi? Did he ask for me? How is Ma and Pa? When are you coming? I miss you, Bhabhi. It is so boring without you."

"Breathe, Suha. Give her chance to reply." Omkara tells her cheekily.

Gauri chuckles. "Slow down, baby."

"Come back, Bhabhi."

"I'll. 4 more days." Gauri tells her.

"You stay there. you don't even know what all is happening here!" Suhana tells her.

"What is happening there?" Gauri asks confused.

Omkara also turns to her in confusion.

Suhana looks at Omkara, wondering whether she should share the big incident with him.

"You can tell in front of him, Suha." Gauri tells her.

Nodding Suhana, leans towards the mobile to share the secret. Omkara leans with her to hear.

"Last night, Rudy bhaiyya was watching A movie on Netflix." Suhana informs her.

"What?" Omkara and Gauri shout in shock.

"Yes." Suhana nods like an old lady.

"How do you know?" Omkara asks shocked.

"At night, I was going to get water from the kitchen, and I heard it from his room." Suhana tells them.

"One scene might have come up when he was watching the movie." Gauri quickly says uncomfortably.

"I don't think so."

"For how long were you outside his room?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"I ran off immediately. I am a good girl."

"So, it might have just been a scene." Gauri tells her.

"But he didn't forward it." Suhana points out.

"Suha, don't you have anything else to do other than snitch on your brother?" Omkara asks her.

Suhana scowls at Omkara and complains to Gauri, "He is still not that nice."

Chuckling Omkara pulls his sister close and kisses her on top of her head.

Gauri quickly changes the topic to something more kid friendly.

The moment Suhana had left, Gauri tells Omkara. "I am not going to talk to him about this, Om. I can't."

"Okay, don't. Only Suha asked you to talk to him." Omkara reminds her chuckling.

"But you have to talk to him." Gauri declares.

"Me?" Omkara asks chuckling.

"Yeah, you!" Gauri glares at him. "Do you think it was Netflix or..." Gauri asks him in a whisper.

"Gauri, if he was watching Netflix, he would have watched it in the TV room." Omkara points out.

"Oh." Gauri nods awkwardly.

"Then what else?" Omkara asks her.

"What what else? Go and talk to him." Gauri instructs him.

"Now?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Yeah! He will be leaving for his basketball practice now."

"Fine!" Omkara sighs giving up.

**********

"Yeah, bhai?" Rudra asks as he opened the door for Omkara.

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure." Rudra says as he opened the door.

Omkara walks in and stops in shock seeing the room so messy. "Is your room always this messy?" Omkara asks shocked.

"When I come back from college, Bhabhi would have usually got it cleaned." Rudra worriedly replies.

Omkara sighs and shakes his head.

"Why are you here?" Rudra asks slightly relieved, seeing that Omkara didn't scold him.

"Erm... do you have headphones?" Omkara asks him.

"Yeah, you want?" Rudra asks as he walked to get it.

"No, you should use it." Omkara tells him.

"Huh? Now?" Rudra asks confused.

"Erm... last night, Suha heard sound from whatever you were watching." Omkara tells him.

Rudra goes completely white and looking shit scared.

"She told Gauri, and I was there."

"What did Bhabhi say?" Rudra asks looking miserable.

Realizing, however close Rudra and Gauri were, there were still topics that they were not comfortable discussing, so, Omkara lies. "She assumed that you were watching Netflix and it might have been a scene in that."

"Yeah, it was." Rudra quickly lies.

"Rudy..." Omkara gently calls him.

"I wasn't feeling sleepy so I just..." Rudra starts rambling.

"It's okay, Rudy. You were watching porn. It is normal. It is fine." Omkara tells him in a reassuring tone.

"You don't think it is wrong?" Rudra asks him in shock.

Omkara shrugs. "It's hormones. You are curious. You have needs."

"You are not angry with me?" Rudra asks feeling relieved.

Omkara chuckles. "Rudy, even I was a 15-year-old boy once."

"15?????" Rudra shouts in shock.

"You were not 15 when you started watching porn?" Omkara asks scandalized.

"A little bit." Rudra replies awkwardly. "But just bits and pieces."

"Okay." Omkara wanted to chuckle, but he doesn't. "Just be careful, okay?"

Rudra nods.

Omkara was about to walk out when Rudra tells him. "Don't tell Bhabhi."

"Okay."

"Seriously, bhai. Don't rat out on me!" Rudra warns him.

"I won't." Omkara promises.

*********

"What did you tell him?" Gauri asks Omkara.

"To use headphones."

"WHAT?" Gauri shouts in shock. "Did I sent you to tell him that?"

"No?" Omkara asks confused. Then shocked, he asks, "Did you want me to tell him not to watch porn?"

"Yeah!"

"Gauri, he is 21 years old virgin boy. He is not going to stop watching porn because you or I told him so!"

"What did you tell him?" Gauri asks him pissed.

Omkara tells her everything including his promise to Rudra.

"You're going to spoil my kids!" Gauri murderously glares at Omkara.

"Why do you want to guilt trip him on something that is normal for every guy his age?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"Still we shouldn't encourage him." Gauri says disappointed.

"Gauri, there are things that he can't talk to you about. I just wanted him to know that sex is not a taboo topic and if he has any questions or confusions, then he can come to me regarding that." Omkara tells her.

Gauri sighs though she knew Omkara was right, she just couldn't get the Indian mother mentality out of her brains.

"It is very natural for this age. I have done all that. and seriously, Gauri, do you really think he is not going to be curious about sex and not explore about it?" Omkara asks her.

Frowning, Gauri turns to Omkara, "How much did you explore?"

Omkara chuckles.

"Tell me!" Gauri glares. "You said you were a virgin but what exploration did you do?"

"At the age of 17, I got it into my brains that I had to be the best of the best and a perfect role model for Suha and Rudy. All my exploration was limited to just inside the bathroom." Omkara tells her.

"Hmmm." Gauri replies appeased.

With a teasing smile, Omkara asks her "Why are you acting all high and mighty? Haven't you watched anything?"

"No." Gauri lies as she looked away.

"Do you think I forgot about all kinds of fantasies that you had?" Omkara asks her chuckling.

Gauri turns pink hearing that.

"Don't lie, darling, specially to the man, who fulfilled each and every fantasies of yours. Multiple times."

"Okay... titanic." Gauri replies.

"Ah that is the car fantasy." Omkara teases. "Then?"

"That's it."

"Don't believe you."

"James bond movies." Gauri says turning pink.

"Ahaan. What else?"

"Murder."

"Oh the terrace!" Omkara replies shocked.

"Then I had to watch the original." Gauri shrugs. "Unfaithful."

"The restaurant sex from that?" Omkara asks shocked.

"How have you watched it all?" Gauri asks exasperated.

"Because even I was curious and horny like a normal human!" Omkara tells her laughing.

"That restaurant was hot, no?" Gauri asks him feeling hot remembering one of their passionate encounter.

"Movie or ours?"

"OURS!"

Omkara laughs. "Yeah. We should do it again."

"Once was enough." Gauri replies scared.

Omkara laughs hearing her.

***********

Gauri sighs seeing her parents play with her son. She got her son only when he slept for the night. She was so used to having so many responsibilities and a busy day that she had no idea what to do with her free time now.

The first day, she had enjoyed it fully. second day, she started missing her family. And now, she was bored out of her wits. She had nothing to do.

Her father still went to office. So, she only got to spend time with him when he was home. Her mother, she would speak to her for some time, then her mother got busy with Karthik ignoring her completely.

She missed Rudy and Suha. Most of all, she missed Om the most. Day time, she took care of the work at home and Karthik, then afternoons and evenings, she used to spend with Rudy and Suha, and at night, it was her time with Om. they would just talk, talk and talk the whole night. Sharing about their day, their plans and dreams till either of them fell asleep. She missed talking to him, his warmth, his kisses and their love making.

She had stayed at Oberoi Mansion without him when he goes on business trips, but she would be so busy with Karthik, Rudy and Suha and at night, Om would call and they would talk. Maybe, it was because she was in their room and bed that she hadn't missed him like she did now, when she was away from her house and her room.

She wondered how Omkara managed when he was away from home for work.

***********

He couldn't stay another day without his wife.

He had stayed away from home and her before. but ever since they got married, he had never stayed without her in their house. maybe that is why, he was missing her like crazy.

He had tried to stay with his siblings and they were bonding and the distance between them was reducing, but he missed his wife so badly, he just couldn't stay another day without her.

He decided to go to her house. Suhana and Rudra had classes tomorrow too before the weekend started. He'll go to Gauri's today. Rudra and Suhana can manage for a day without Gauri and him. there were servants there to handle everything.

He packed his bag and heads out of his room. he hadn't told Gauri because he knew she wouldn't agree. And Suha might be a problem, but he'll promise her that straight from school the driver would bring her to Gauri's then she will agree. Rudra won't create much fuss because he knew, Rudra was still a little bit scared of him.

"Rudy! Suha!" Omkara calls out.

"They are not here." The servant informs him.

"Didn't they get back?" Omkara asks confused. Though he realized that it would be better, he can just message them and leave so they can't put up a fight.

"They told me to give you this." she hands him a letter.

Confused, Omkara opens the letter.

Bhai...

It's so dull without Bhabhi here. We are going to her place. I promise, I'll drop Suha to school tomorrow morning on time and go to college.

We have decided to go before you get home, because you won't let us go, as you want Bhabhi to spend time with her parents. But bhabhi will be happy to see us there.

You come for the weekend there, bhai. It will be fun. And we will all come back with Bhabhi.

Take care, bhai.

Rudy & Suha

Then there was another scribbling with a different handwriting.

Love you, bhai. MUAH.

***********

Gauri softly closes the bedroom door after quietly stepping out of it. hearing voices, she curiously follows the sound.

"Rudy? Suha?" Gauri stops in surprise seeing them.

"Hey bhabhi!" they cheerfully wish her.

"When did you guys come?" Gauri asks surprised as she walked to them and hugged them.

"Right after you went with Karthik to the room." Vasundhara informs her.

"He woke up again and I had to put him back to sleep." Gauri informs her then turning to Rudra and Suhana, she asks excitedly. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? even Om didn't say anything. where is he?"

"We didn't tell him." Suhana informs her giggling.

"What?" Gauri asks shocked.

"We left him a letter." Rudra informs her.

"What?" Gauri asks shocked as she took her mobile to call Omkara.

"Gauri..." Omkara answers the call.

"Om, Rudy and Suha are here."

"So am I."

"What?" Gauri replies shocked and looks around, and sees Omkara walk in.

"Bhai! You came?" Suhana shouts in surprise.

"Suha, please don't shout. Karthik just slept." Gauri automatically says.

Suhana runs to Omkara and hugs him excitedly.

Omkara hugs her though his eyes were on Gauri. Gauri starts to walk towards Omkara when Vasundhara holds her hand.

"Why didn't you tell me that Om was coming?" Vasundhara frowns at her.

"Ma, I didn't know he was coming."

"I didn't make anything special for him!" Vasundhara frowns at her as if it is Gauri's fault.

"Why are you not upset that you didn't make any special for me?" Rudra asks her faking a frown.

"You are my boy." Vasundhara brushes it off as she patted him on his cheek.

"And Om?" Gauri asks frowning.

"He is my one and only son-in-law! I should have prepared a feast for him." Vasundhara tells her frowning.

Gauri rolls her eyes. "Om will eat anything you give him. it is your boy that is fussy."

"I missed you, bhabhi. See, I lost weight also. When you are not there to supervise then that chef is a kamchor." Rudra tells her as he hugged her. "Don't go away like this."

Gauri chuckles as she hugged him though she couldn't take her eyes off Omkara. he was listening to Suhana talk to him about how they had planned the surprise trip but his eyes were feasting on her.

Seeing her looking at him, Omkara was about to walk to her, when her father joined him to talk to him.

Seeing her father chatting with Omkara, Gauri walks towards him. she didn't realize her mother was following her, and before she could even hug her husband, her mother had over taken her and started fussing over Omkara.

"You go freshen up. I'll get dinner ready." Vasundhara declares once she was done talking to him.

Gauri sighs in relief realizing that she was going to get some alone time with her husband.

"Gauri, come with me. I need your help." Vasundhara tells her and walks off.

Gauri sighs and looks at Omkara. he smiles and gestures her to carry on.

*********

Later at night, Gauri walks into her bedroom and finds Omkara sleeping on the bed with Karthik.

She hadn't been able to speak to Omkara. first she had to help her mother prepare a feast for Omkara. every time, she tried to delegate the work to one servant and sneak away to her husband, her mother had another task for her.

Once, they had finished dinner, her mother had taken her to prepare bedrooms for Rudra and Suhana and to check whether all that they needed were in there. then Rudra and Suhana had demanded her attention. In between, Karthik had woken up and Omkara had gone to check on him.

She walks to his side on the bed and sits next to him. she watches him sleep for a few minutes and gently runs her hand over his hair.

Feeling her, Omkara stirs and opens his eyes.

"I was waiting for you to come, don't know when I slept off." Omkara mumbles.

"Had to send Rudy and Suha to sleep." Gauri tells him as she moved to give him space to sit up.

"Are you happy or pissed?" Omkara asks her smiling.

"Happy." Gauri replies smiling. "You should have told me you all were coming."

"I was going to come without them when I found out that they already left." Omkara tells her chuckling and tells her all his plans.

Gauri chuckles.

"No crib for him?" Omkara asks as he looked at Karthik on the middle of the bed.

Gauri shakes her head in no. "Let's sit there." Gauri tells him as she gestured to the couch.

Omkara nods and he gets up, placing a pillow where he was sleeping, so Karthik doesn't fall down.

Gauri and Omkara walk to the couch. Omkara sits down and Gauri sits on his lap. They kiss as they hugged each other.

"I missed you." Omkara tells her as he hungrily kissed her.

"I missed you too." Gauri tells him as she ended the kiss and looked at him.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her smiling.

"Can we go away?" Gauri asks him.

"Go away? where?" Omkara asks confused.

"Not far. And not for long. Just 2-3 days. This weekend. Anyway, Suha and Rudy are here. Ma and Pa will watch them. they will be fine here." Gauri tells him.

"Why?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"I want it to be just the two of us. no one else."

"Karthik?" Omkara asks shocked.

"He is used to Ma now. he will be fine. And it is just 2-3 days. Not far. Somewhere close so that if we have to come back, then we can come back quickly."

"You really want this?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Omkara agrees. "You will talk to Suhana and Rudra?"

"Already did. Told them that I want to spend some time with just you for a few days."

"They didn't insist on coming?"

"Suha did. But Rudy seems to understand. He told her that a couple required time alone away from family."

Omkara smiles surprised seeing the maturity that Rudra had shown.

*********

Omkara wakes up and looks around, he sees Gauri standing by the window and watching the waves. Smiling, he gets off the bed and walks towards her. He hugs her from behind. Smiling, Gauri keeps her hand over his, and held them tight.

"Is this what you wanted?" Omkara asks her as he caressed her hair with his cheek.

"Yes." Gauri replies, content.

They remained silent for a while, both lost in thoughts.

"I missed you so much, Om." Gauri tells him sighing.

"Even I missed you." Omkara tells her.

"When you go away for work, I used to miss you."

"I know."

"But I used to be fine." Gauri tells him as she looked at him.

Omkara curiously looks at her not really understanding.

Gauri looks back at the waves as she gathered her thoughts. "I used to be so busy with Karthik, Rudy and Suha and keeping the house running, I didn't have time for anything else. So, even though I missed you, I wasn't lonely." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods.

"At home, I had free time and you weren't there. I missed you so much. So much that I started feeling so lonely without you."

"It happens, Gauri." Omkara gently tells her.

"It happens and it is fine."

"Then what is the problem?" Omkara asks her confused.

"When you came, I wanted to run to you. but everyone around was interrupting. I could see you were waiting for me. I was waiting for you."

"They are family, Gauri."

"It's not that, Om." Gauri tells him as she looked at him.

"Then?"

"When you go away for work, you would have felt lonely too, right?"

Omkara shrugs, not wanting to confirm and hurt her because she was hurt right now.

"I never realized it, Om. I never thought of it." Gauri tells him.

"It's okay, Gauri. I know you would be home waiting for me." Omkara tells her.

"But at home also, you've to wait for me. even after you get home, I would be busy with the family. That you just have to wait for me." Gauri tells him as her eyes filled up.

"Gauri, I know, you would also be eager to come to me." Omkara reassures her.

"But I never prioritized you, Om. because I know how ever late it is, you would be waiting for me." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri, you were taking care of our family. There is no concern about priority."

"Do you ever regret marrying me, Om?" Gauri asks him worriedly.

"What? Never!" Omkara tells her shocked. "How can you ever think like that, Gauri? you are my biggest blessing. I always see you as the reward that God gave me for the sacrifices I made for Rudra and Suhana. How can you even think like that?"

Gauri hugs him feeling relieved.

"Before marriage, I asked you to share the responsibility of taking care of my siblings and you took the full responsibility on yourself. You made our house a home and us a family. You are the glue that holds our family together." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles hearing his words, then cheekily she asks him. "Did you ever feel the need to cheat because you were lonely?"

"Yeah, all the time!"

"WHAT?" Gauri shouts as she got ready to murder him and sees Omkara glaring at her.

"Feeling lonely doesn't automatically give you license to cheat." Omkara tells her.

"I was just joking. I know, you can never think of cheating on me." Gauri tells him realizing he had taken it seriously.

Omkara hugs her again and tells her, "This is not your marriage or mine, it is ours. And the duty to maintain this relationship is ours. And I know, we both have done our maximum and more for our marriage and our family. Don't have any doubts."

Gauri nods. "But Om, promise me that we will take time out for just us."

"I promise." Omkara promises her.

Gauri smiles and leans back to look at him. "Do you want to go out?"

"There is something I want to talk to you about." Omkara gently starts.

"What?" Gauri asks smiling curiously.

"I've been thinking and seeing..."

"Hmmm?"

"I think we have to set Suha and Rudy a little free."

"What do you mean?" Gauri asks confused.

"They are so depended on you, Gauri."

"They are not, Om."

"Rudra is 21 years old and neither of us are treating him like an adult. And he hasn't realized that he is an adult." Omkara points out.

"He is growing up, Om." Gauri justifies.

"That is why I was thinking."

"What?"

"After his exams, he will join office. Maybe a few months or maximum a year after that, he should move out." Omkara tells her, a little worried of Gauri's reaction.

"WHAT?" Gauri asks shocked out of her wits.

"He has to be independent, Gauri."

"He will be, Om. for that we don't have to kick him out."

"We are not kicking him out. We are asking him to stand on his own. take his responsibilities seriously and not depend on you to handle all his things."

"That he will learn, Om."

"Gauri, imagine if I had a sister-in-law and for every single thing, I would be like "Bhabhi... Bhabhi..." would you like it?"

Gauri shakes her head in no.

"He has to stop doing that and for that, he has to live on his own." Omkara tells her. "He is not going to do that if he stays with us. even if he stops, you are not going to stop, Gauri."

Gauri sighs though she could see the sense in what he was saying, she so badly wanted to fight.

Seeing, he can't risk postponing the other topic, he says quickly. "We should send Suhana out for college."

"What?" Gauri furiously scowls at him. "Are you taking my kids away from me? next you are going to send Karthik also?"

"Gauri, only Karthik is your kid. The other two are your siblings." Omkara points out.

"Don't get technical on me!" Gauri murderously tells him.

"Gauri, Suhana is so immature."

"She is a teenager!"

"She is but she is not strong like another teenager her age. She is the baby of the family and she is still being the baby. it will be good exposure for her. she will also learn to handle her responsibilities and life. she will be bold and strong."

"Maybe for post-graduation, Om." Gauri argues. "She is still a kid."

"She is almost as old as I was when I took up their responsibility." Omkara points out.

"You were a kid then." Gauri argues softly.

"We are not giving her any responsibility that she can't handle. We are giving her the responsibility that kids her age are handling."

Gauri sighs wanting so badly to fight but knowing somewhere in her that it would be selfish of her to fight this.

"Then, Gauri... don't you have your life as well?" Omkara gently asks her.

"What do you mean by that?" Gauri asks him frowning. "You think life equals career?"

"No, but you should have a purpose in life."

"A home maker also has a purpose in life, Omkara!!!"

"They do. You can be a home maker, Gauri. I will not interfere in that. it is your decision. But what about dreams?" Omkara asks her softly.

Gauri stops in shock hearing that.

"You used to want to learn different dance forms, right? earlier that was all you talked about, but now, you only talk about the family." Omkara tells her.

Gauri sighs remembering her old dreams.

"They have grown up, Gauri. We don't have to parent them 24x7. we can take a step back and think of ourselves." Omkara gently tells her.

Hearing him say that, Gauri felt like a load was lifted off her chest, and she didn't even know she was carrying that.

"Just because you decide to think of yourself, doesn't mean that you don't love Rudra or Suhana. You taught me that, Gauri. And you forgot it?" Omkara asks her lovingly.

Feeling empty and scared out of her wits, Gauri hugs Omkara for strength and confesses, "I don't know what I will do with my life."

Omkara chuckles as he hugged her tight. "You will have all the time in the world to figure that out, love."

*** The End ***

Just wanted to clarify that the last conversation wasn't about Gauri having a career, it was about Gauri spending time for herself other than the family and following her dreams.

Did anyone feel the story ended abruptly? This is one of those few stories, that I wrote exactly what I had planned off starting.

I hope you guys liked this story.

Please vote and comment.

- Lazy