Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story. Baby Series 2 : The One That Got Away (posted on 28 - Sep - 2023)

Someone had asked me whether I was a Malayali, and I can't find that post now, so, replying here. I am a Malayali.

Okay, confession time.

I've like couple of ways I could have taken this story. And I am very sure that you all would have preferred I take the story in one of those ways than the one I did now. But I wanted to go this way.

Maybe, I will write another story, taking one of the other ways, you guys would have preferred.

The Oberoi family had gathered together after the death of their patriarch. The purpose of this meeting was the will of Prithviraj Singh Oberoi.

Omkara at 17, and his younger brother Rudra at 13 had joined their parents to listen to the will, to find out what was bequeathed to them.

As the lawyer kept going over the asset and money that Prithviraj had left behind, Tej had lost his patience. "Get to the matter." Tej orders the lawyer.

The lawyer, looks up at Tej nervously as he took a breath.

Tej frowns seeing that. "What is it?"

Lawyer looks at the family then he looks at the papers he was holding and reads. "My son and his family will get a monthly stipend."

"Stipend?" Tej asks outraged.

Lawyer looks up at him and then continues "Gauri will also get stipend for her education."

"Why is he so obsessed with that girl?" Jhanvi asks outraged. "Wasn't it enough that he splurged on her that now he wants to give to her after he is dead? Is she his daughter or something?"

"Keep quiet, Jhanvi!" Tej says furiously.

"What did he leave me?" Rudra asks curiously.

"Everyone, just shut up!" Tej says then he looks at the lawyer and says, "I'm his only son. So, when will I get the properties that is rightfully mine?"

The lawyer worriedly looks at the four pair of eyes. Praying for his dear life, he reads. "The above mentioned money and assets will go to my son, Tej Singh Oberoi."

Tej sighs victorious.

"When..." lawyer says as he looked up.

"When?" Tej asks frowning.

"When one of his sons marry Gauri and they give the Oberoi family it's heir." Lawyer finishes.

"Has your father gone crazy? My son marrying that peasant?" Jhanvi asks her husband furiously.

Tej furiously stares at the lawyer then he says, "Destroy that will."

"This is a copy." Lawyer informs him. "The original is in a safe deposit box that can only be opened when Gauri turns 30."

Tej furiously looks at him and says, "If... if Gauri turns 30."

Rudra gasps in shock and asks. "Are we going to kill her?"

"Shut up." Omkara tells his younger brother.

"I don't want to marry her. Will you marry her?" Rudra asks him.

"That lowlife?" Omkara asks in disgust. Then realizing, he looks at his father and says softly, "I'll do what Dad wants me to do."

"My son will not marry that orphan!" Jhanvi tells Tej furiously.

"I'll handle it!" Tej furiously tells her.

"Ahem."

They look up at the lawyer and sees him waiting.

"Is there more?" Omkara asks.

Lawyer nods and says, "if anything happens to Gauri, then I demand an investigation regarding her death or disappearance. Whatever the investigation brings forward, my assets and properties will go to the following charitable trust. Keeping aside the monthly stipend which would be halved from what my son was receiving till then." Looking up, lawyer informs him. "That's all."

"I will kill him!" Tej says furiously as he stood up.

"He is dead." Rudra reminds him.

Omkara sighs furiously. "Keep quiet, Rudra." Then turning to the lawyer, he asks him, "Can we challenge this will?"

"This money and property are all your grandfather's. It is his wish what he does with it." The lawyer informs him.

"So, we are going to be on her mercy if my son doesn't marry that lowlife girl?" Tej asks angrily.

Omkara looks at his father and says excitedly. "Daddaji didn't mention anything about divorce."

"That is a solution." Lawyer agrees.

"The Oberoi heir has that low caste girl's blood?" Tej asks outraged.

"He didn't mention the son's name." Jhanvi says softly.

"That girl is 16. Obviously it has to be Omkara." Tej mutters.

"But he didn't mention the name." Jhanvi points out.

"I don't want to marry her! She is taller than me!" Rudra says outraged.

"Keep quiet!" Jhanvi sternly tells him.

Rudra pouts as he looked away.

"What are you saying?" Tej asks ignoring his son.

"Legally, an adopted son and a biological son have equal rights." Jhanvi says excitedly.

"You're going to adopt someone, just to marry him to Gauri?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Yes." Tej replies liking the idea.

"He will have a claim on my share of properties!" Omkara furiously reminds them.

"We won't give him." Tej tells him.

"Legally he will have right to your property." Lawyer tells them.

"We'll think of something then." Tej says.

"Think of it now." Omkara insists.

"Would you rather marry that Gauri than deal with an adopted brother?" Jhanvi asks him irately.

Omkara looks at his parents then furiously walks off.

**********

Months later, Tej and Jhanvi had legally adopted Arjun. Tej and Jhanvi brought him home.

Omkara and Rudra looked at their brother in disdain while Arjun hopefully looked at his new family.

"You'll stay in the servant's quarters." Jhanvi tells him.

Arjun nods in confusion.

"Madam?"

Everyone turns to the sound and sees Gauri at the door.

Seeing her standing inside the threshold, Tej furiously asks, "Who asked you to come inside? Step out!"

Gauri quickly steps out. "Madam asked me to come."

Jhanvi walks to the door and informs her. "This is Arjun."

Gauri looks at Arjun, Omkara and Rudra, then she looks back at Jhanvi.

"Come here." Tej orders Arjun.

Arjun walks to them as he looked at Gauri.

"You both will marry when you both come of age." Jhanvi informs her.

Gauri nods.

"Why?" Arjun asks shocked.

"Because we are saying so." Tej tells him. "In return for the life we are giving you, you'll marry her."

Arjun nods as he looked at Gauri in confusion.

"Get lost now!" Tej orders Gauri.

Gauri turns around and runs off to her orphanage.

**********

Hearing Arjun screaming, Tej and Jhanvi hurriedly comes out. They see Arjun crying holding his nose while Omkara stood with him.

"What happened?" Tej asks in shock.

"Here." Gauri says as she handed Arjun ice as she glared at Omkara.

"What are you doing here?" Jhanvi asks her frowning.

"I came to meet Arjun." Gauri tells them softly.

Jhanvi rolls her eyes hearing that.

"What happened to you?" Tej asks Arjun as he watched Gauri helping him.

"Omkara hit him." Gauri informs Tej as she glared at Omkara.

"You both go." Tej tells Gauri and Arjun.

Gauri furiously glares at Omkara and walks off with Arjun. Omkara furiously glares at Gauri's retreating back.

"What is wrong with you?" Tej asks Omkara angrily. "If anything happens to him we will have to answer."

"He stole my shirt." Omkara tells his father. "He is a thief."

"I gave him your old shirt. I told you I was going to give it." Jhanvi tells Omkara. "It's old and faded and small for you."

Omkara stops hearing his mother. He looks at his mother, and says guiltily. "I forgot."

"Go inside." Tej tells his son, tired.

**********

8 years later

"How many times did I warn you, mom, not to delay their wedding?" Omkara asks his mother furiously as he paced the room.

"We tried but that Gauri and Arjun insisted that they will not get married till they got a job." Jhanvi says furiously.

"You should have forced them." Omkara says irately.

"What were we supposed to do?" Tej asks as he walked in hearing the argument.

"Dad, you wanted them to get a job so that you didn't have to look after their expenditure." Rudra jokes.

Tej furiously glares at his son.

"You had been lax, Dad. Our properties was hanging on that marriage and you took it lightly." Omkara says angrily.

"If they refused to get married altogether what would we have done? What if she demanded that either of you marry her?" Jhanvi asks worriedly.

"Neither Arjun nor Gauri knows about the will." Omkara reminds them.

"Did you find Arjun?" Rudra asks his father.

"No." Tej says irately.

They had finally fixed Gauri's and Arjun's marriage date and Arjun had ran off a month back saying that he didn't want to marry Gauri. No one knew where he is now.

And to top it off, Gauri had informed them that she had got a job in Mumbai and she was moving to Mumbai as she didn't see any point in waiting for Arjun.

"What are we going to do with Gauri?" Omkara asks his father.

Tej furiously looks at his son then looks away, as just like everyone else, even he knew there was only one solution.

"I think the question now is who." Rudra softly says.

"I can't believe that one of my son has to marry that girl." Jhanvi says desperately. Then turning furiously at her husband, she says. "Your father was mad! why should my sons and I suffer?"

Fed up, Tej says "You can always let go off this wealth and get your sons to marry girls of your choice."

"All this belongs to my children. Why should we give it up?" Jhanvi asks.

"Fine! I'll marry her." Rudra says fed up.

"What?" Tej asks shocked.

"One of us has to marry her." Rudra reminds them.

Jhanvi sits down defeated. "I can't believe this. That Arjun... how dare he?"

"We have no other choice." Tej says softly.

"I'll marry her." Omkara declares.

"Now both my sons wants to marry that lowlife?" Jhanvi asks outraged.

"It's not that, Mom." Omkara says pissed. "Gauri is not as you think. She is very shrewd."

"I know that." Jhanvi mutters.

Omkara looks at Rudra and says arrogantly. "I'm past that phase where I can be seduced by a girl to do her bidding."

Rudra's eyes widen hearing that. He awkwardly looks at his parents and they were also looking at Omkara awkwardly.

"So, it is better that I marry her." Omkara says.

"But you are going to Singapore in two weeks for your new job." Rudra reminds him.

"After marriage, let Gauri go to Mumbai. Once I get her visa, she will come to Singapore. That way, you all won't have to live with her here." Omkara says. "In Singapore, she won't have anyone she knows, she will be completely under my control."

"You have to get her pregnant."Rudra awkwardly reminds him.

"I know what I've to do."

"After that?" Tej asks him.

"I'll divorce her." Omkara says with a shrug.

"What if she refuses to give you divorce?" Jhanvi asks him.

"One way or the other, I will get a divorce. If she doesn't agree for a mutual divorce then she will never see her child. If she agrees for the mutual divorce then I will give her full custody of the baby." Omkara says then reminds them. "Once we have the baby, we'll have all the money while she will still be a pauper. She won't fight us fearing for her child."

"I hate this." Jhanvi says in disgust.

"All of us." Omkara says.

"Don't you feel any guilt in betraying her like this?" Rudra asks him softly.

Omkara looks into his eyes and says, "I don't."

**********

"But Omkara hates me." Gauri says in shock.

"He doesn't." Jhanvi lies.

"But..."

"It is our fault that Arjun did this to you." Tej says with fake guilt. "We ruined your life and this is the only way we can make it up to you."

"But marry Omkara?" Gauri asks them.

"Dad loved you like a daughter. What will I tell Dad when he asks me why I let this happen to you?" Tej asks her sadly.

Jhanvi holds Gauri's hand and requests her. "Marry Omkara for Daddyji."

Gauri nods hearing that.

**********

Within two days, Omkara and Gauri were married in a low key affair.

"I can't believe that girl is inside our house." Jhanvi laments.

Tej, Rudra and Omkara remain silent hearing that.

"I've to purify my whole house after that girl leave." Jhanvi says.

"She doesn't have any contagious disease." Rudra tells his mother.

Jhanvi furiously glares at him.

"Gauri will be waiting for you." Rudra says softly to Omkara.

Omkara could see that Rudra was feeling guilty for what they were doing to Gauri. Sighing loudly, Omkara stands up.

Ignoring his mother lamenting about their bad fate and her cursing his grandfather, Omkara walks to his bedroom.

He walks in and stops seeing his room decorated for the suhaag raat. He hadn't expected that. Maybe his parents didn't want Gauri to get suspicious.

He turns around and locks the door.

He hears the bathroom door open and sees Gauri step out looking out of the world.

"You're here?" Gauri asks smiling as she turned to close the bathroom door.

Omkara walks to her. Gauri turns to look at him and stops surprised seeing him standing right in front of her.

"When did you com..."

Omkara slams his mouth on hers and pulls her close to him, kissing her hungrily.

**********

Omkara was half lying, half sitting on the bed, lost in thoughts while Gauri lay on his chest.

"What are you thinking?" Gauri asks him softly as she looked up at him.

"Go to sleep, Gauri." Omkara tells her softly as he gently caressed her bareback.

Smiling, Gauri leans up and asks him, "Do you know what I am thinking?"

Omkara looks at her, and seeing her smiling, he gently smiles. "What?"

"It is so much more comfortable doing on a mattress." Gauri tells him cheekily.

Omkara gives her an equal part exasperated and equal part amused look. "You are crazy."

Gauri chuckles as she laid back on his chest.

"Aren't you worried?" Omkara asks her.

"No. You're there. Why should I be worried?" Gauri asks him back.

"I won't be here." Omkara reminds her.

"It is just for a short bit. Maybe I will get my visa before your travel date." Gauri says hopefully.

"What if you don't?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri cups his face and tells him. "I'll be fine. Arjun is there. I'll be fine with him."

Omkara loudly sighs then he takes his mobile and dials.

"Seriously? Now?" Gauri asks him.

"Keep quiet, Gauri." Omkara says tired as he listened to the ringing.

Arjun groans as he answers. "If you are calling to tell me that she is yours and all I can be is a friend and brother to her, then I got it the very first time when you broke my nose."

"Be serious, yaar." Omkara tells him tired.

"I've got everything set. In case, Gauri's visa doesn't come before you leave then she can stay in the ladies hostel. It is near my place so if she needs me then I can get to her quick." Arjun tells him. "You just have to bring her here before you leave."

"I'm thinking of bringing Gauri there in a few days." Omkara says.

"Why?"

"My parents! I just want to get out of here." Omkara says tired.

"Okay... whatever you decide, bro."

"I'll let you know."

"Okay, bye."

Gauri looks at Omkara as he kept his mobile aside and hugged her tight.

"I'll be fine here." Gauri tells him.

"I can't trust my parents." Omkara says shaking his head. "Rudra... he feels guilty for this marriage. But my parents..." Omkara stops.

"Are you going to tell Rudra where we are going?" Gauri asks him softly.

Omkara sighs. Ever since he had completed his studies, he has been looking for a job outside the country. Finally, he had got a job in Singapore. He had taken care of everything including Gauri's visiting visa when he had got another better job offer in Australia. He had decided to go to Australia without telling his family.

"Eventually... maybe." Omkara replies.

Gauri leans up and looks at him. "Why are you so scared of your parents, Omkara?" Gauri asks him softly.

Omkara looks away hearing the question.

"Why you insisted that no one should know about us?" Gauri asks him. "What are you so scared of, Omkara?"

Eyes filled with worry, Omkara looks everywhere else instead of his wife.

Gauri cups his face and asks him, "What did daddaji tell you that has you worried for all these years?"

When he remained silent, Gauri asks him, "Please, Omkara. You tell me everything, why won't you tell me this?"

Omkara looks at her, as he kept his hand on her cheek. He lovingly kisses her forehead.

"Tell me."

Omkara looks away as he recounted. "Your mamu..."

"The one who ran away? Before I was born?" Gauri asks confused.

Omkara nods.

"What about him?"

"He was in love with my Bua." Omkara tells her.

Gauri's eyes widen hearing that.

"Your family belongs to lower caste. And you are poor."

"Your family didn't want them to get married." Gauri guesses.

"Yes."

"Even daddaji?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Initially." Omkara nods. "Then Bua kept fighting for her love, Daddaji finally gave in and told Dad that if she wanted to marry your mamu then let her marry him. Dad was against it. That night, Mom went into labor and I was born. Daddaji got busy with the hospital and all for the next few days. When he went to meet your Mamu, your mother told him that after leaving a letter, he had left home."

"Only if he had stayed..." Gauri says softly.

Omkara gulps hearing that.

"What?" Gauri asks worriedly.

Omkara looks at her, and says, "Later, they tried forcing Bua to get married but she insisted on waiting for him. One day, Dad in anger said that he will never come back and he had ensured it."

"He killed my mamu?" Gauri asks shocked.

Omkara helplessly looks at her. "Daddaji doesn't know whether he killed him or paid him to leave Bua."

Gauri thoughtfully looks away.

"Bua killed herself and that night you were born."

Gauri frowns hearing that. "You think..."

"Daddaji believed it." Omkara says shrugging. "Ever since we were kids, we were together. Daddaji believes you are his daughter."

"Do you think we are?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara looks at her and says shrugging. "All I know is that I love you and can't live without you."

Gauri smiles as she lovingly caressed his cheek. "that is why he made that will, so we can get married."

"I never thought my parents would bring Arjun in." Omkara says softly.

"Your parents used him."

"I'll make sure, Arjun gets his share of the property." Omkara vows.

Gauri smiles. "I know."

"Daddaji made me promise that I will never let my parents know that we love each other. That I will take you far away from them. He wrote another will."

"He did?" Gauri asks surprised.

"In case we didn't want to get married." Omkara says as he looked at her.

"Never."

Omkara grins. "I know, love."

Gauri smiles. "So, what is in this will?"

"You, Rudra and I get equally."

"I don't want anything."

"We'll make our fortune." Omkara tells her.

"Yes." Gauri grins.

"So, when will you give it?"

"After we get far away from them."

**********

Gauri steps out of the airport and looks around for Omkara when she engulfed in a tight embrace.

"I missed you so much." Omkara tells her.

"I missed you too." Gauri says as she hugged him back. "Now, please smile. I'm safe and sound with you."

Omkara sighs in relief as he hugged her. "I was scared." Omkara confesses softly.

**********

Wearing just Omkara's shirt, Gauri was standing in the balcony as she looked at the view.

"We'll be able to afford a better place in a few years." Omkara promises as he hugged her from behind.

Gauri smiles as she looked back at him. "This is our home and it is perfect."

Omkara smiles.

Hearing his mobile ring, he groans. "I don't think I can put this off for long."

"You go and takes the call." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods and walks back inside to speak to his parents.

His parents still didn't know that he was in Australia. He communicated with them through Skype and whatsapp using his Indian number. He has lied to them that he was waiting for the company sim which was taking sometime.

Gauri steps back in.

**********

"Why didn't you answer our call?" Jhanvi asks Omkara angrily.

"I was a little busy, Mom."

"She reached?" Tej asks Omkara.

"Yes."

"Remember what you have to do?" Tej reminds him.

Omkara looks at his brother and says, "Rudra, in my room, inside my cupboard there is a locker. Number is Gauri's birthday, 1512. There is a file inside that, can you please bring it?"

Confused Rudra goes to check while his parents frowned hearing that his password is Gauri's birthday.

"What is it?" Jhanvi finally asks him.

"Daddaji's will." Omkara informs her.

"You had it?" Tej asks shocked. "How did you get it? Wasn't it in some safe deposit box?"

"Not that will. He made this will after that will." Omkara tells him.

"What?" Tej asks confused then noticing Rudra, he snatches the file from him.

"This was the last will he made, it nullifies all the other will he made before that one." Omkara tells him.

"How did you get this?" Tej asks as he looked at the file in shock.

"What does it say?" Jhanvi asks her husband anxiously.

"That Rudra, Gauri and I will inherit everything." Omkara informs him.

"What?" Tej asks as he looked up in shock.

"You won't be getting anymore stipends, Dad. Daddaji believed that you killed Gauri's mamu and Bua died because of that. He didn't want you to get anything." Omkara tells him.

"Is it true, Dad?" Rudra asks in shock.

"Nonsense!" Tej says getting uncomfortable as he looked away.

"You did insinuate that you would kill Gauri when Daddaji's will was read." Rudra says in a whisper.

"I said no such thing." Tej argues.

"I did feel it." Rudra says softly.

"Leave it!" Jhanvi says irately. "Omkara, why did you marry Gauri if you had this will?"

"Because I love her. Always have loved her. Daddaji made that will so we could get married. He wrote that will to make sure that Gauri would be safe."

"You were acting all these years." Tej says in shock.

"I was."

"Dhokha." Jhanvi whispers in shock. "You betrayed us."

"What about you being complacent in a plan to trap a girl, marry her and then abandon her after a baby is born? What do you call that?" Omkara asks her back.

"It was your plan. Don't act a saint." Tej furiously tells him.

"I want you to comeback, Omkara." Jhanvi tells him. "Leave that girl there and come back! I'll never accept her as my daughter-in-law."

"You don't have to. She is my wife. And I am not coming back. I'll never come back." Omkara tells them.

"Don't make me come there." Tej says furiously.

"We are not in Singapore."

"What?" Tej asks in shock. "Where are you then?"

"I'm not a fool to tell you that." Omkara says with a smirk.

"Bhai..." Rudra calls him softly in shock.

Omkara looks at his brother. He says gently. "I will call you one day, Rudra. Not today. One day, I will let you know where I am. I don't trust them. This is for Gauri's safety."

Rudra nods understanding.

"You can't do this to us, Omkara." Jhanvi says furiously.

"I'll not give you a penny if you don't come back leaving that girl." Tej tells him.

"You are penniless, Dad." Omkara tells him.

Tej furiously glares at him.

"Gauri and I've decided to give what Daddaji left us to both Rudra and Arjun." Omkara informs them.

"You don't have to do that." Rudra tells him in shock.

"We made this decision long back. We'll make our own fortune." Omkara tells him.

**********

"So, how did they take it?" Arjun asks Gauri over video call.

"Don't know, he is still speaking to them."

"Hmmm."

"Omkara's parents might try to find you." Gauri gently warns him.

"I don't think they will come looking for me in Paris. Omkara was saying that now, they have no money. Rudra is in charge of the money."

"Yeah he is. Your funds will reach you soon."

Arjun grins, "That man has been bribing me since forever. Always using me to meet you. I am not going to say no to the money. He did break my nose."

Gauri chuckles. "He got jealous that day."

"You were drooling after her." Omkara says as he sat next to Gauri.

"I was just talking to her because she had come to see me." Arjun says rolling her eyes.

"To tell him that he can only be a friend to me." Gauri says as she gave Omkara a look.

Omkara makes a face. "Anyway it is in the past."

"My nose is still slanted in the present."

"You're never going to let him live it down." Gauri laughs.

Arjun chuckles while Omkara rolled his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Arjun asks Omkara gently.

"I won't miss my parents. I am actually relieved."

"And Rudra?"

Omkara sighs sadly. "I'll miss him."

Gauri holds his hand to console him.

"I'll get in touch with him soon." Omkara says.

Arjun nods. "Anyway, gotta go. I'll talk to you guys later."

"Bye."

Gauri cuts the call and keeps her phone aside.

"Throw away your Indian sim. Other than Ajrun don't give anyone else your new number." Omkara tells her as he removed his Indian sim.

Gauri nods.

They both throw their sim into the dustbin. Omkara hugs her.

"Now, we live start our life together." Omkara says in relief. "In peace."

*** The End ***

I know this was a pretty predictable story. But I wanted to write a story that I could finish in a day.

The other story ideas I had was

1. That Omkara really marrying Gauri for the property with the intention of divorcing her after the baby is born.

2. Gauri and Arjun love each other while Omkara falls for Gauri.

3.Omkara is the adopted son, and Arjun the biological son. Gauri and Omkara love each other and Arjun falls for Gauri. Omkara feeling indebted to the family, decides to step aside while Gauri is hurt by Omkara's behavior.

Please vote and comment

- Lazy