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October, 2014

Hearing the phone ringing Om comes awake with a start and turns on the light. He checks the time to see 3:20 and quickly picks up the phone.

"Did you land?" Om asks as he suppressed a yawn.

"Yeah... were you sleeping?" Gauri asks him.

"Hmmm... okay, I'll come now."

"It's okay... you sleep. I'll take a cab."

"No... I'll come... by the time you finish everything and collect your luggage I would be there."

"Okay... see you soon." Gauri says happily and hangs up the phone.

Gauri walks out of the airport with her luggage happily. She looks around and smiles happily. She was happy to be back. It's been a year since she had gone to UK for her studies and Gauri smiles remembering how she couldn't wait to get away from here and now she was ecstatic to be back.

"Gauri!" Om calls out to her as he walked towards her happily.

"O!" Gauri says happily as she hugged him tight.

"I told you to pack a small bag in case we have to go for Anika's wedding... did you pack it?"

"How many times will you ask me that? I did. Here, this one." Gauri says as she pointed at one of the suitcase.

"This is minimum packing?" Om asks shocked seeing the big suitcase.

"All my necessary items are in there. I didn't even pack my hair iron because you said minimal."

Om rolls his eyes and takes the trolley from her and walks towards the car.

The driver starts keeping her bags in the boot while Gauri clung to Om happily.

"Surprise!"

Gauri turns around surprised to see her parents and Om's parents.

"MAMA! PAPA!" Gauri screams happily as she jumped on her mother and father.

"Gauri..." Jhanvi lovingly caresses Gauri happily.

Gauri turns to look at her and happily hugs her. "Mummyji."

"You all came to receive me?" Gauri asks them excitedly.

"No, we are here to see you off." Tej replies to her.

"Ha... ha" Gauri laughs hearing his joke.

"Is this all, sir?" Gauri hears the driver asking Om.

Gauri turns back to look and see a new bag next to her bag.

"Oh God! That is not mine. I think I accidentally took someone else bag." Gauri says panicking.

"Relax... That is mine." Om tells her shaking his head.

"Why is your bag here?" Gauri asks confused. "Are we going from here straight for the wedding?"

"No."

"Thank God! You scared me a little. I want to sleep." Gauri says in relief making everyone chuckle.

"Anika is not getting married." Om informs her with a grin.

"Then? Why did you ask me to pack a bag?"

"Because we are going on a trip."

"Trip?" Gauri asks confused.

"Honeymoon." Pinky tells her in a teasing tone.

"Wha... Honeymoon... us? O and me?"

"Ah... you... do you want Om to go with someone else?" Jhanvi asks her in a teasing tone.

"No... no... but honeymoon?" Gauri asks totally confused.

"It's normal for married couples." Om teases her. "Come let's go."

"But... them..." Gauri says pointing at their parents.

"We are not coming... you two go." Tej jokes.

"No... not that..." Gauri quickly says.

"You want us to come?" Tej asks her teasingly.

"NO... I mean.."

Everyone starts laughing seeing Gauri turning pink.

"I just got home. I am meeting you all after so long."

"We are going to be here only. You two go spent some time together." Pinky tells Gauri.

"It's sasuma's gift." Om informs her.

"Oh!"

Few minutes later, after the goodbyes, Gauri and Om walk back into the airport.

"Can't believe I am traveling like this. We should have gone from UK then."

"That was the plan initially but then my visa was taking forever to process. Just got it after you had boarded the flight." Om informs her. "Are you tired?" Om asks her in concern as he caressed her.

"Jet lag... jet laaag." Gauri moans as she rested her cheek on his chest.

"You can sleep in the flight." Om tells her as he passed his and her passport and tickets at the check in counter.

"By the way where are we going?"

"Where else?" Om asks back.

"Please don't tell me Caribbean. Puerto Rico?"

Om chuckles in reply.

"Why are you so obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean so much?"

"Maybe during this trip I'll tell you." Om tells her with a mysterious smile.

A little over a year ago.

Life had been perfect for Gauri Kumari Sharma. She had loving parents, great friends and the love of her life, Abraham. She was so happy and content with her life. Till her parents had found out about her love and everything had turned upside down. The parents she had thought were very forward in their thinking, couldn't imagine their only daughter marrying someone of a different religion. Gauri had rebelled and fought for her love but her parents didn't budge from their believes. Finally, Gauri who hadn't even thought of marrying for another couple of years was forced to think of eloping with her lover.

Gauri got out of her house on the pretense of going to college and met with Abraham with the plans of going to Delhi where his friends were. From there, they would get married. Everything had been going according to the plan till Gauri started thinking about her parents mid-way to her destination. Realizing this action of hers would only result in their humiliation and heartbreak, which they didn't deserve for raising her with so much love. She decided to go back home and told her lover about it, which gave her the biggest shock of her life.

Heartbroken and in shock, Gauri had come back home the next morning with the police. Her parents had heard her broken tale and consoled her. They advised her that the best way to come out of this is to forget her past and get married. Promising her that they would make sure her studies would not be affected her parents had fixed her marriage to their long time family friends' son, who had recently moved to Mumbai with his family Omkara Singh Oberoi.

Gauri was waiting in her new bedroom with a numb mind for her new husband to come. A few minutes later, she hears the door open and amidst all the teasing sounds she hears her husband happily bantering with everyone for the money to enter his bedroom. After paying everyone and hearing their outrageous comments and sexual innuendos, he closes the door with a chuckle.

"Hey." Om says with a soft chuckle as he sits next to her. "My cousins are really crazy and Anika is just too much... we are closest in age, so I am very close to her... but she has a lose tongue."

Gauri nods her head as her heart started slamming against her chest.

"You alright?" Om asks with a slight frown seeing her looking upset and almost on the verge to cry.

"Yes... just a headache." Gauri softly tells him.

"Oh." Om muses as his face turned thoughtful seeing her face. "You go to sleep... we'll talk in the morning."

Gauri nods and without a word lies down on the bed.

"Good night." Om softly tells her as he turned off the lights.

"Good night." Gauri whispers and closes her eyes.

Next evening, after all the rituals were over, Gauri was taking a shower while Om and Anika were chatting.

"So..." Anika teases Om.

"So?" Om asks her.

"How was last night?"

"As usual." Om replies as casually as he could.

"As usual?" Anika asks confused. "I so don't want my first night to be as usual."

Om turns to her and asks her, "Are you getting married for that?"

"No... but still in the off chance I get married, I can hope right?"

Om chuckles hearing her and stops seeing Gauri come out of the bathroom. As Gauri stepped out, she sees Om with Anika. Seeing her getting uncomfortable, Om politely smiles at her and Gauri hesitantly smiles back. Then she quickly walks towards the dressing table.

"I... should... go... you guys have fun." Anika says as she got up to leave to give them privacy.

"It's okay... you can stay." Gauri quickly tells her not wanting to be alone with Omkara yet.

"I don't want to intrude."

"Don't leave on my account. Please stay." Gauri tells her again.

"Okay... if you insist." Anika says as she sat back down while Om watched on thoughtfully.

"Er... Omkara... what is the wifi password?" Gauri asks hesitantly.

"Caribbean250703" Anika tells her.

Gauri gives her a weird look hearing the password. "Okay thanks."

"You can use my laptop." Om tells her pointing at his laptop seeing Gauri entering the password into the phone.

"Thank you." Gauri replies and walks towards where he had pointed.

"You didn't tell her?" Anika asks him curiously.

"She had headache. So I told her to sleep." Om tells her.

"Headache?" Anika asks suspiciously.

"Yeah... I know." Om sighs as he looked away.

"Is everything alright, Om?" Anika whispers.

"I don't know." Om sighs loudly.

"You guys haven't talked after the wedding was fixed."

"She was busy with exams."

"And she is leaving in two days to UK." Anika says.

"I know."

"Maybe you should talk to her." Anika tells him hesitantly.

"About?" Om asks her.

"I don't know." Anika replies confused.

Om grins at her confusion. "Relax, Anika... everything is going to be fine."

"How do you know?" Anika asks him in concern.

"Because I trust her."

Gauri ignores Omkara and Anika whispering about as her mind was completely on the mail from her university. She never wanted to go abroad to do her MBA but ever since her marriage was fixed, that was what she had only wanted. To run away. She didn't think marrying was the answer to her problems, that too a complete stranger but she didn't want to hurt her parents anymore. If they thought Omkara would make a good husband for her then she trusted them. She didn't think she could love him but she will be a good wife to him but for that she needed time and distance first. For that she just had to hold on for two days.

After Anika had left, Gauri turns to Om and informs him, "Ermm everything is set."

Om gives her a confused look not understanding what she is saying.

"My accommodation and all the other formalities... for my course."

"Ah okay... good." Om says smiling. "Is there anything that you want to buy before you leave?"

"No... I have everything packed."

"Packed... huh?" Om asks with a soft chuckle.

"That..."

"How is your headache?" Om asks brushing it away.

"It's gone." Gauri replies nervously.

Om nods his head. "Okay... you sleep. I got some mails that I need to send." Om tells her as he took his laptop and got settled to mail.

Gauri sighs in relief and whispers "Good night."

"Night."

Two days later, Om accompanied Gauri to UK. Like they were in India, even in UK they had kept their distance. Gauri was sharing a three bedroom apartment with two other girls. Since they needed to report only a week later, neither of the two girls had come.

"Your class doesn't start till next week?" Om casually asks her as he walked into Gauri's apartment after taking care of all the formalities at the universities. Ever since he had heard about it at the university office, it had been plaguing him.

"Yes... I thought I would come early to get settled... it's a new country and new people. And because I am first, I got the bedroom with attached bathroom." Gauri lies a little hesitantly.

Om nods his head. "I guess your roommates would not be joining for another couple of days."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Will you stay alone till then?" Om asks her in concern. "Do you want me to stay back?"

"No... no... I will manage." Gauri hastily tells him.

"Okay." Om replies as he looks away. "Tomorrow, before I leave we will buy whatever you need for your apartment."

"Thank you." Gauri says softly as she nodded her head.

After making sure Gauri was well settled, Om went back to India.

Gauri was setting up her place when the mobile rings and Gauri picks up the call hesitantly realizing it was Omkara.

"Hello?"

"Hello Gauri... I reached." Om informs her.

"You reached now?"

"Yeah... I reached home." Om explains.

"Ah okay..."

"So... how is everything going there?"

"Okay."

"Your roommates came?"

"Not yet."

"So you bored?"

"Not really... I was just setting up my room." Gauri replies.

"Ah okay... I guess you are busy... I'll talk to you later then."

"Okay."

"Bye." Om says and quickly hangs up.

Gauri was getting used to her new environment and friends. She never called Omkara, the rare chances he called, she didn't speak much which led to him hanging up quickly. One day, Gauri was walking towards the supermarket to make her weekly grocery shopping when she passed through a house and got a wisp of Dhokla smell. The smell reminded her of her mother's dhokla and she started craving some homemade dhokla. She quickly pulled out her mobile and browsed for the recipe and purchased all the required ingredients. After making her purchase, she hurried home and the rest of the day, she spent in making Dhokla.

Gauri excitedly cuts the dhokla into a big slice and takes a bite. Then she burst into tears because Dhokla didn't taste anything like her mothers. She wanted her mother's Dhokla. She was missing that Dhokla. She was missing her mother and her father.

Gauri takes out her mobile and dials home. Pinky calls back after Gauri gave her four missed calls.

"Hello, Gauri?"

"Mama... I want to see you." Gauri sniffs into the phone.

"What happened, Gauri? Is everything alright?" Pinky asks her panicking hearing Gauri cry.

"I made Dhokla. It doesn't taste like yours. I want to come home and eat your Dhokla."

Pinky chuckles hearing her, "You scared me. It's okay, Gauri. You are feeling homesick. It is just a couple of months then you can come back home."

"Gauri, Shakti and I are going for a wedding reception. I'll call you tomorrow and give you my Dhokla recipe. It is very easy and you can make it in minutes... okay?" Pinky asks her lovingly.

"I miss you, Mama." Gauri sadly sniffs.

"Even we miss you, baby. I've to go now. I'll call you tomorrow... okay?"

"Okay." Gauri sniffs and hangs up the phone.

Gauri was sadly sitting and playing around with the stupid Dhokla she made thinking about her home back in India. Missing every single thing there. Her mobile starts ringing bringing her out of her thoughts.

Omkara calling.

Gauri was surprised that she was feeling so bloody homesick that she was actually happy to receive his call.

"hello?" Gauri says as she picked the call.

"Is everything alright?" Om asks confused.

"Mama called you?"

"No... why?"

"Why did you ask me that then?"

"You sounded upset." Om tells her.

He got that from a hello?

"Why did you call then?"

"To tell you something... tell me this why are you upset?"

"Tell me what?"

"That's not important... is everything alright there?" Om asks her in concern.

"I was missing home." Gauri informs him sadly.

"Oh."

"I made Dhokla... but it doesn't taste like Mama's." Gauri sadly informs him.

"Why don't you ask Sasuma for recipe?"

"She has gone for a reception." Gauri sadly sighs.

"Oh! You want me to get the recipe from Ma?" Om asks her.

"No it's okay. I am not in the mood to cook. It's so depressing." Gauri says with a sigh.

"Hmmm... what do you do to cheer yourself up when you get upset?"

"I eat Mama's Dhokla." Gauri says defeated.

Om chuckles hearing that. "What else can we do?"

"I eat dairy milk."

"Ah that you will get there."

"But it doesn't taste like the Indian one. Indian one tastes better."

"Oh no."

"It's okay... I'll sleep for some time. That should put my mind off it."

"Okay then sleep."

"What did you want to tell me?"

"Oh that... Gauri just a sec... Sasuma is calling me." Om says and puts Gauri on hold.

Gauri cuts the call shocked.

Two minutes later, Om calls her. "I think the call got cut."

"I cut the call." Gauri informs him.

"Oh!"

"Will anyone put someone on an ISD call on hold?" Gauri asks him exasperated.

"It was just for a minute."

"And the mobile company charges by the second."

"Erm... sorry?"

"Yeah! Why did Mama call you?"

"To tell me that you are feeling homesick and I should give you a call."

"Oh! So what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Ah that... I got the best businessman award. It is supposed to be declared during the event but the organizers called today saying that I won so I have to be there for the function. I have to go to Malaysia to collect it tomorrow."

"Congratulations." Gauri says smiling. "Mummyji and Daddyji would be really happy. Did you tell Mama?"

"No... I didn't tell anyone... I thought I will first tell you." Om tells her.

"Oh!" Gauri says getting uncomfortable hearing that.

Realizing that Gauri's mood had changed, Om says "Anyways, you sleep. Be happy and cheerful."

"Okay... thanks Omkara."

Gauri was in her room when she hears the doorbell ring. She ignores it as none of her friends were coming over, it could be one of her roommates guests.

"Gauri... you have a visitor." Her Chinese roommate shouts out to her.

Curious Gauri opens her door just as when Om was about to knock on the door.

"Omkara?" Gauri says surprised.

"You were homesick, so I thought I'll pay you a visit." Om says shrugging.

Gauri smiles, feeling touched at his gesture. "Come in." Gauri says opening the door for him. "Wait a minute, you were supposed to go to Malaysia right?"

"Yeah... supposed to." Om says as he dropped his bag on a chair and opened it.

"You shouldn't have." Gauri says regretfully.

"Then who would have brought this?" Om asks her as he passed her a container with Dhokla.

"DHOKLA!" Gauri says excitedly as she snatched the box from him.

"Diary Milk." Om says as he dug a couple of big bars out of his bag. "Pickle... cooked chicken... garam masala... some other masala... snacks" Om says as he dug out one by one from his bag while Gauri watched on in amazement.

After half his bag was empty Om smells the bag and moans loudly, "God!"

"You brought all this?" Gauri asks amazed as she checked everything.

"Your mother doesn't know to pack lightly." Om tells her. "She was saying you can take more than 50 kg and Gauri hates wasting flight luggage allowance."

Gauri laughs hearing him. He was sweet.

"This is very sweet."

"She is really worried about what you eat and all... so when I told her to make Dhokla and something that you would like, she gave all this. Oh, the pickle is from Ma." Om informs her shrugging.

"I meant you." Gauri hesitantly tells him.

"Oh!" Om says surprised and shocked at the complement.

"Why don't you freshen up? I'll make coffee." Gauri tells him smiling.

Few minutes later, Om comes out of her room to find Gauri in the kitchen making coffee. Om smiles seeing her busy in the kitchen, loving the sight of her making something for him. Gauri looks up at him and smiles at him.

"Are you hungry? I have got biscuits for now. I'll make you food in a bit."

"You don't have to cook... we can go out and have." Om tells her.

"But you brought chicken and all."

"That is for you... I can have all that at home." Om tells her. "You are supposed to keep it in the freezer." Om tells her remembering.

"Yeah I did." Gauri tells him as she poured coffee into her cup and passed it to him.

As Om was having coffee and Gauri washing the utensils, they hear the door opening sound and a girl steps out of her room. And curiously looks at Om.

"Hey Joha..."

"Hey Gaur!" she says smiling.

Om politely smiles at her and then noticing he got a mail, he takes his mobile to check it.

Seeing that Om wasn't looking, Joha turns to Gauri and puts both her thumbs up with a goofy smile. Who is he? She mouths at Gauri.

"Er... Omkara... this is Johanna and Joha this is Omkara."

"Nice meeting you." Johanna says as she offered her hand to Om.

"Same." Om says as he took her hand, his mind still stuck on the part where Gauri missed out to say the part, My husband'.

"Omkara... you are ready, right? I'll get ready and we will go out, okay?" Gauri asks him.

"Yeah sure."

Gauri starts to go to her room when she notices that Johanna made no intentions of leaving.

"Indian, right?" Johanna asks as she pulled up a chair next to him.

"Yes." Om replies while Gauri frowns not liking Om talking to Johanna.

Gauri takes a quick shower and hurriedly comes out of the bathroom to save Omkara from Johanna when she spots Om sitting in her room.

"Ah... Joha left?"Gauri asks him.

"I don't know... I think." Om tells her shrugging.

Gauri smiles as she looked away seeing his disinterest.

"Haven't you told anyone here that you are married?" Om asks her curiously.

"I have... why?"

"But not your husband's name?" Om asks her.

Gauri thinks for a while and says, "I think I have... I am not sure... I rarely see these girls... it's mostly my classmates that I talk to... but I think I am pretty sure I might have told them... why?"

"She was trying to flirt with me." Om informs her.

"Hmmm." Gauri muses frowning not liking the idea of anyone flirting with her husband. Why was she feeling possessive about a man she has hardly spoken two words to?

"She has a thing for Indian guys... I will talk to her."

"What?" Om asks curiously.

"That you are off limits." Gauri tells him shrugging.

Hearing her, Om starts laughing then he walks towards her while Gauri frowned at him. Tucking her hair behind her ears, Om says lovingly, "If I didn't know better, I would think my wife is jealous."

"I am not jealous." Gauri says defensively. "It's just that I believe in marriage and I think one should be loyal and faithful in a marriage." Gauri finishes off, then a thought occurred to her, Omkara and she never had a husband-wife relation, so was he faithful to her in these three months? Didn't guys have need? So was he having affairs? Why did it suddenly matter to her? And if he did have, could she blame him? She had practically ignored him, it was always him who called or checked on her, she had been glad of the distance between them and in that moment she had realized that he had given her the space and freedom to keep the distance, he didn't impose on her.

Gauri and Om went out, Gauri took him to her usual hang outs and showed him around. Though they did talk, Gauri's mind was stuck on his chastity. After dinner, they come back to the apartment.

"Hey Om!" Johanna says in a sexy tone just as they stepped in. Om politely nods at her.

"He is my husband." Gauri snaps at her making Om mentally grin.

"Fuck! You didn't tell me." Johanna accuses her then turning to Om she says with an embarrassed smile, "I made a fool out of myself earlier and I should make myself scarce now."

Johanna goes back to her room and Gauri furiously marches to her room with Om walking behind her silently chuckling.

The moment they got inside, every thought left them as the new problem arises sleeping arrangement. The last time, Om was here, Gauri had made him sleep on her single cot and sighting issues of the cot being small, had slept on the couch in the living room.

"We can adjust on the bed." Om informs her casually as he walked past her.

Having no other option, Gauri agrees and quickly gets on the bed and squeezes to the wall. Om also gets on the bed and lies next to her. The bed could hardly fit them both. Back home at his house, their bed was so big that they could have two other people sleeping in the middle.

Having him so close was making Gauri nervous. She tried to sleep and closes her eyes tight when she feels light on her face. She opens her eyes with a frown and sees him checking his mail.

"Can you shut that?" Gauri asks him frowning.

"Oh... is it disturbing you?"

"Yes. It is on my face."

"Sorry." Om says as he turned around, holding the phone away from her face.

Irritated, Gauri grabs the phone and throws it on the couch. She couldn't sleep with him awake so close.

"Sleep." She orders him and turns around giving her back to him.

Sighing loudly, Om turns around facing her and puts his hand around her waist.

Gauri stiffens feeling his hand over her.

"Omkara?" Gauri nervously says his name. Belatedly realizing that if she expected and wanted him not to be intimate with anyone, then she should be ready to be intimate with him.

"Hmmm?"

"We are spooning." Gauri whispers to him nervously.

"I know."

"Omkara..." Gauri starts again and stops feeling Om leaning up.

"Relax... we are not going to do anything that you aren't ready for." Om whispers to her then leaning down, he kisses her on her cheek. "Go to sleep." Om says as he resumed his position keeping his hand over hers, linking their fingers.

Even after he had gone to sleep, Gauri had stayed awake feeling his lips on her cheek. It was strange, she had been kissed before but his kiss was different. It was quick and fleeting but kind of sweet. It had made her tingle.

As Gauri thought of the kiss, she remembered what he had said, he knew she was not ready. Did he know about her past? Did her father tell him about her love and almost elopement?

Next day, Om and Gauri had gone for sightseeing and a movie, neither talking about how they slept or the kiss. Finally in the evening, they go for dinner.

"I checked online... someone else got the award." Gauri hesitantly broaches the topic, at first she had thought to let it go but decided that she wanted to talk to him about that.

Om looks up from the menu and tells her, "They said that if I didn't turn up then they would give it to someone else."

"And?" Gauri asks him.

"I told them to shove it." Om says shrugging.

"You knew you wouldn't get the award if you came here."

"I didn't like their attitude. That shouldn't be a criteria to give an award or not to give an award. I didn't want such an unethical award. Yeah, it is good publicity but you were feeling lonely, I felt that my need was here." Om tells her as he went through the menu.

Gauri watches him not understanding what kind of a man he is. She hasn't even done anything to deserve this much concern from him. She hasn't even done one bit of a duty of a wife and he was here for her.

"I loved someone else." Gauri softly tells him.

Om looks up at her hearing her.

Gauri looks down unable to look at him. "He was from a different religion. Mama and Papa were against our relation. I fought with them and in the end I ran away from home to marry him."

"On the way, I realized that I am betraying my parents and hurting them. I decided to go back home and wait till they give their blessing. When I told Abraham that I wanted to go back, he didn't agree. He felt that going back to my parents would be a huge risk now as they wouldn't let me out of the house after what I did. But I insisted on going back. We argued."

Gauri looks up at Om and sees him watching her without saying anything. "He was always short tempered. I never thought of it as an issue. He got so angry that he broke up with me and just asked me to get out of his car. He left me there in the middle of nowhere at night all alone. He drove away leaving me. He didn't care whether I lived or died." Gauri tells him sadly. "I had practically left everything trusting him and he just abandoned me without a thought. It was a big shock to me. I didn't know what to do or where exactly I was. I didn't know who to call. I couldn't call my parents and scare them saying I was lost in the middle of nowhere. Finally, I called the cops. They found me and took me home. Alone at night in the middle of nowhere, I had almost lost my faith in men but Papa and those cops, showed me that not all men are the same."

"When Papa and Mama found out about what had happened, they had told me the best thing for me is to get married and start life anew. I didn't think that was the best thing but I agreed for my parents. That is how we got married." Gauri finishes and looks at Om.

Om watches her for a while then realizing that she didn't have anything more to say he asks her, "Did you decide on what to eat?"

"Didn't you hear anything I said?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"I did." Om replies surprised at her question.

"And?"

"And?" Om asks her confused.

"Don't you have anything to say?" Gauri asks him unable to believe his attitude.

"No." Om says shrugging.

"No?" Gauri asks shocked out of her wits.

"What is there to say?"

"Omkara, I just told you that..."

"I know, Gauri." Om says as he closed the menu. "Your Papa didn't tell me anything maybe he was worried how I would take it all. But I realized that you didn't want to marry me on our first night itself."

"You didn't ask me anything."

"You are my wife. I knew you would accept me one day. So the past and all, it didn't matter. It doesn't matter, Gauri. It was old season." Om tells her shrugging.

"Old season?"

"Hmmm yeah... like have you ever bought a dress because it was in fashion?"

"Yes."

"When something is in fashion, we fall in love with it, no matter how uncomfortable or way out of our league it is. We fall in love with it. Then we go to lengths, forgetting all the best deals and sales, and buy it at an expensive rate, much more than it is truly worth. We would wear it, flaunt it. But after that season is over, we stop wearing it. It goes to the back of the cupboard. We would even forget about it. Then while cleaning out the cupboard we would stumble over it, and at times we would think of the crazy things we did to buy that shirt with fond memories and at times all we can think is, what the hell was I thinking?"

Gauri looks at Om amazed, not really understanding how she should react, should she be insulted that he thinks of her love as so facile or be happy that he had accepted about her past without any question.

"Then there is that type of love which is like our old hag shirt that we refuse to throw out no matter how out of fashion it is, or how faded or torn it is, we can never think of throwing it out no matter what others say, if we are going somewhere that is the first thing we pack because we are comfortable in it, it brings along with it a lot of fond memories, it makes you feel like yourself, it is never a part of your wardrobe but a part of you. I like to believe that when you fall in love with me, it would be that kind of love." Om tells her with a hopeful smile.

"You love me." Gauri says amazed.

"Yup." Om replies as he confidently smiled at her. "And I know one day you will love me too. Feeling possessive and jealous is part of falling in love." Om tells her with a teasing smile.

Gauri turns pink hearing him.

"Ready to order?" Om asks her as he took the menu once again.

Om and Gauri get back home later.

"There is a party at one of my friends' place. Do you want to go? You can meet all my friends too."

"I am leaving tomorrow, so I would rather spend the day with you." Om tells her and then adds "If that is fine with you."

"Yeah it is fine." Gauri says flustered. "What do you want to do?"

"Watch movie?"

"Yeah sure... which one?"

"Pirates of the Caribbean the curse of the Black Pearl."

"Isn't that an old movie?" Gauri asks shocked at his choice.

"Yes. I love that movie."

"Really? It is kind of a fantasy movie, right? I used to like it but then I outgrew that, I guess."

"I would never grow old for Pirates." Om says smiling fondly.

Om and Gauri were on bed with the laptop on both their laps as they watched the movie.

"We have met before. You remember?"

"We did, right? Mama was saying something about you visiting with your parents long back but then I didn't listen much." Gauri tells him embarrassed.

"So, you don't remember? I did wonder."

"You remember?"

"Yeah I do." Om says smiling.

"Did we talk?"

"Yeah we did."

"Ohmigod! I can't remember."

"It was some 10 years ago. I think you were some 12-13 then."

"And you?"

"17."

"Hmmm... I still can't remember, Omkara."

"Call me O."

"O?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Yup... O."

"You know, I have this habit of naming people I like... only I can call them that. Does anyone call you O?"

"No."

"Okay then, O." Gauri says smiling.

Next day, Gauri drops Om at the airport.

"Thanks for coming, O." Gauri says smiling at Om.

Om winks at her in reply making Gauri blush. Seeing her blush, Om starts grinning. He moves towards her and hugs her. Gauri shyly wraps her arms around him. Om kisses her on her temple.

"I will miss you." Om whispers to her as they parted.

"Call me more often." Gauri instructs him.

Om smiles hearing that. "I have to go."

Gauri hugs him tight for a second and let go. "Call me when you land."

"Okay."

"Go see Mama and Papa in between, they are alone at home."

Om smiles hearing her, she was making him a part of her life. "I will."

"I know you do call them... but drop in once in a while."

"Okay, ma'am." Om tells her smiling happily.

Gauri smiles at him "Bye."

"Bye." Om says and walks off as Gauri waves at him.

Gauri checks the time and realizes that it was about time for Om's flight to land. She decides to wait for another 10 minutes before she called. Ten minutes later, Gauri dials his number and Om picks up the phone.

"Hey." Om says smiling.

"You landed?"

"Yes... Five minutes back."

"Okay... call me back." Gauri says and quickly hangs up.

Confused, Om dials back her number.

"Yeah... so who will pick you up?"

"Driver. What happened? Why did you ask me to call back?"

"It's cheaper for you to call me. You have activated the cheaper calling UK offer, right?"

"What?" Om asks confused. "I don't know. Mishra pays the bill when it comes."

"What? You are paying full amount on these calls?" Gauri asks outraged.

"You are so stingy, Gauri." Om teases her.

"I am not stingy. I am just careful of what I spent. Hang up and call me on skype when you get home. My id is Gauri.Sharma." Gauri scolds him and hangs up the phone quickly making Om laugh out loud.

"You reached home?" Gauri asks as she answered the skype call.

"On my way to home."

"Oh! How much is your data charges?" Gauri asks him.

"I don't know."

"How can you not know?" Gauri asks him exasperated.

"I told you Mishra takes care of my bills."

"You, O! I am sure the mobile company is looting you because you are not careful."

"Gauri, don't you think you have become a little too bossy?" Om asks her with a teasing smile.

"No, I think you are very lax." Gauri replies. "Hmmm I guess anyway, data package would be cheaper than your UK calls. But the offers are very nice at times like you get a paisa per second, Mama uses that."

"Gauri, if you ask me, paying an extra few bucks to speak to you is money well spent."

Gauri blushes hearing that.

"And do you really want to waste my data package by screaming at me?"

"Hmmm no... so what plans for today?"

Om and Gauri were talking when Gauri hears Jhanvi's voice.

"Is that mummyji's voice?"

"Yes."

"You reached home?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Yup. Did you forget our house is very close to the airport?"

"And you are still on your mobile data? Why are you even paying your internet bills for then?" Gauri asks outraged. "Hang up and call me back."

Sighing loudly Om asks her, "Happy now?"

"I am going to be handling all our financial dealings when I get back." Gauri decides.

Om could so imagine, Gauri sitting with a stick as she went through the expenses and scaring the daylights out of him for spending an extra two rupees in the place of one. He couldn't wait to have her back home.

"Okay, biwi."

"Hey, put mummyji on the phone... I haven't thanked her for the pickle." Gauri tells him excitedly.

Om smiles hearing that, it used to always be his mother calling Gauri and keeping in touch but Jhanvi never had an issue with Gauri not calling her as she assumed Gauri was busy with studies.

"Okay."

"Turn on the video too. Now that you are on wifi, why aren't you making full use of it?" Gauri asks him tired.

"Seriously Gauri, you are treating me like a kid."

"A stupid kid." Gauri tells him.

Om furiously sighs making Gauri chuckle. "Did you give Mummyji and Daddyji the chocolates I sent?"

"I just got home and ever since I have landed I have been talking to you. Did you hear me talking to my parents?"

"Then do it quickly." Gauri tells him.

"Okay... you talk to maa, I'll take a shower in the meanwhile."

"Okay... and O..."

"Yeah?"

"After you left... it feels different." Gauri hesitantly tells him.

"Like?" Om asks smiling.

"As if I am missing you."

"As if?" Om teases her. "It's just a few months, Gauri... you'll come back soon." Om tells her smiling.

"I know... but... I shouldn't have left only."

"O... you are a great friend... I did need a friend so badly." Gauri tells him.

"I am always here for you, Gauri." Om tells her smiling.

"I know." Gauri says smiling.

"You know what?" Gauri asks Om couple of months later. They have been video chatting almost every other day though the time difference was putting a toll on them.

"What?"

"Joha and her boyfriend are practically staying here." Gauri tells him.

"Ah ha."

"I feel weird... I don't know how to react." Gauri tells Om confused.

"Why?"

"I know fornication is happening in the room right next to mine. I have been raised with this sex is taboo before marriage and I don't want to judge but I can't help think that they aren't married and it is a sin."

"It's the way we are raised, Gauri." Om tells her.

"Do you think it is wrong?" Gauri nervously asks him. The thought of him with someone else was killing her.

"It's all one's choice. What we think isn't going to matter."

"But still... Will you?"

"Will I what?"

"Erm... you know..."

"What?" Om asks trying his best to hide his smile.

"Think chastity is important."

"It is nice to hold on to one's chastity." Om tells her.

"Have you?" Gauri asks him nervous.

"Have I what?"

"Nothing... leave it." Gauri says irately.

Om starts laughing. "If you want to know whether I am a virgin, just ask, biwi."

"You knew that is what I was trying to ask you." Gauri accuses pissed.

"Of course... ever since you started talking about all the couples that are doing it there." Om teases her.

"So?"

"Would it matter to you if I was not?" Om asks her.

Gauri's face falls hearing his question. "I will be sad but it wouldn't change anything."

"It wouldn't?" Om asks her.

"I trust you."

Om smiles hearing her. "I have been waiting for you."

"Me?" Gauri asks surprised.

Om smiles at her. "Yes."

"Even I was waiting for marriage." Gauri shyly tells him making Om smile at her.

Gauri was getting restless. It has been a week since she talked to Om. He had been busy with a project and by the time he would be free he would be dead tired that he would go to bed after messaging her. She has been staying up half the night or waking up early hoping she can talk to him for a few minutes the last three days. Gauri wanted to cry. She knew he wasn't doing it purposefully but she still felt lonely and abandoned. Even if she talked to Mama or Mummyji, it didn't make her feel better because O wasn't available online. She had been plagued by the constant fear of whether he had his food on time, whether he got back home safely, whether he is sleeping properly and taking care of his health. She didn't want to torture him by asking for constant updates. Then there was the fear, she trusted him more than she trusted anyone else but the fear that what if the distance might take him away from her. All the girls that are hanging around with him due to his work commitments what if they play their dirty games on him? Could she go on with her life, if he wasn't a part of it? She couldn't. He is her old hag shirt.

Finally, not able to take it anymore Gauri calls up Om knowing full well he would be at work and super busy. As per her instructions, Om cuts her call and calls her back.

"O..."

"Gauri?" Om says as soon as she picked up.

"Are you busy?"

"Yes a little... what happened? How come you are up now?"

"It's been a while since we talked."

Om sighs and says, "I know, Gauri. It is really hectic here. I do miss you a lot."

"I'll drop my studies and come back home, O?" Gauri asks him hopefully.

"Heey... don't be silly, Gauri." Om tells Gauri with a smile. "You worked so hard all these months... just four months more. It will go in a jiffy."

"Do you know it is been how long since we last met?" Gauri asks him sadly.

"Hmmm let me see Gauri... the first stage of the project would be over in two weeks. Pressure would be down for a month then... so I can take a couple of days off then. After I go to Germany I will come to UK for the weekend... what say?"

"You would come?" Gauri asks excitedly.

"Yes."

"Then book the tickets now itself." Gauri says excitedly. "Oh God... just three weeks... so close the tickets would be rocket high."

Om starts laughing hearing her.

"You can travel economy too." Gauri tells Om. "I don't get the logic of spending ten times more to fly on the same flight with just a curtain as the barrier."

"If you didn't know, I travel first class not business."

"WHAT?" Gauri asks shocked out of her wits making Om chuckle. "But that day when we came to UK we flew Business."

"Because you booked economy tickets and I upgraded us to business because first class was full."

"Hmmm... anyway you come soon." Gauri says smiling happily. "Economy or business or first class, you just come soon."

Om smiles hearing her joy, he knew her this smile and the anticipation of his arrival was going to stay with her for the three weeks they are apart.

Om steps out of the airport and hears Gauri excitedly calling him, "O, over here!" he sees her waving at him as she jumped to catch his attention. Om smiles at her excitement and waves back at her.

Gauri starts running to him and the moment she reached him, she excitedly hugs him. "I missed you so much." Gauri tells him as she hugged him tight.

"I missed you too." Om tells her as he hugged her tight.

"Let's go home. I made you dinner." Gauri tells him excitedly as she held his hand and walked towards the cabs.

Om and Gauri walk into Gauri's room. The moment they close the door, they turn to look at each other. And without a word or thought, they move closer to each other till their lips met. Om gently caresses her cheek as he deepened the kiss. Gauri pulls Om closer to her as she kissed him back hugging him tight.

They part as they happily smiled at each other. Leaning closer they again kisses each other hungrily.

"We have to have dinner." Gauri reminds Om as she pulled away.

Sighing Om lets her off.

"You go freshen up. I'll set the table." Gauri tells him smiling excitedly. It was the first time, he was going to eat something that she had prepared.

Gauri had prepared a light three course meal for Om. And Om had been impressed by her culinary skills that he was all praises for her.

After dinner, Gauri and Om had retired to their room. As Om waited in the room, Gauri goes to take a shower. Few minutes later, she comes out in a sexy night gown with shy nervousness. Seeing her so scantily clothed, Om's eyes pop open in excitement and shock.

Seeing Om just watching her without saying or doing anything, Gauri nervously calls him, "O?"

"I am having a headache, Gauri."

"What?" Gauri's mouth drops open in disappoint and shock. She so didn't expect that.

Seeing her like that Om starts chuckling, "So now you know how that feels?" Om asks her as he wrapped his hand around her and pulls her close.

"O... I..." Gauri regretfully says remembering their wedding night.

"I was just joking." Om says as he grinned at her.

Gauri hits on his shoulder as she looks at him irately for ruining her moment. Om grins at her then he quickly pulls her towards him as he slammed his lips on her hungrily.

"I am so glad you came, O." Gauri softly whispers to him as she snuggled closer to him.

"Even I am glad you came, Gauri."

It took her a second to realize what he had meant, "CHEE! O! You are so sick." Gauri says as she hit him unable to control her blush. Laughing Om, hugs her tight.

The weekend was bliss for both of them but it came to an end all too quickly. Gauri found herself back at the airport, but this time depressed and almost in tears.

"I wish you hadn't come." Gauri softly tells Om as she hugged him. "I feel all the more alone, now."

"It's okay, love. Just a few months then we are going to be together and you would wish I wasn't around you so often." Om jokes.

Gauri shakes her head in negative as she hugged him tight. "Take care, O. Call me when you land."

"Okay I will." Om promises her as he wiped her tears.

"When will I see you again?" Gauri asks Om sadly.

October,2014

"O, wake up! Wake up." Gauri says as she shook him awake.

"Gauri, I know we have a year's worth of sex to catch up but please let me sleep now."

"It's not that, you idiot." Gauri says as she hits him on his butt.

"Ouch! What then?"

"It is 9:30. Complimentary breakfast is only till 10. Wake up fast before the buffet is over."

"We will order something." Om mutters.

"Have you seen the menu here?" Gauri asks him.

"Please Gauri... I will stay hungry then."

"Then you won't have energy to have sex!" Gauri tells him.

That gets his attention and he looks up at her wide awake.

"Ah! Now that you are up. Get up. And you get ready in five minutes, I will think of dressing up like the women from Pirates."

"You promise?" Om asks sitting up

"Yeah!" Gauri says shrugging. "Why are you so obsessed with that movie, anyway?"

25th July, 2003

Gauri excitedly waited for her parents to lock the house.

"Hurry up, we are getting late." Gauri says.

"Yeah, Gauri. Just a sec..." Pinky starts and stops seeing a car at their gate.

"Oh no!" Gauri moans seeing people getting out of the car.

"JHANVI!" Pinky says happily seeing Jhanvi, Tej and Om walk in. "What a surprise?"

"We were in town and thought we would drop in." Jhanvi tells her smiling as they hugged while Tej and Shakti hugged happily.

"Papa..." Gauri softly pokes her father silently pleading him to send the guests away soon.

"Is this Gauri?" Jhanvi asks smiling happily seeing Gauri.

"Yes and that is Om?" Pinky asks.

"Yes... she was a baby when you moved here." Jhanvi says.

"Om, you remember Pinky Aunty, they used to come over to our house when you were small."

Om politely shakes his head in negative.

"He was so small then... Gauri was just a year old when we left Bareilly." Pinky says.

"Papa?" Gauri pleads him.

"Are you going somewhere?" Tej asks seeing them all dressed up and Gauri's depressed look.

"Actually, Gauri wanted to see this new movie. Her exams are starting next week, so we thought we will watch it before that." Shakti informs them.

"Oh... then you carry on." Tej says.

"No... no... it's been a decade since we saw." Shakti says then turning to Gauri he gently says, "Gauri, after your exams are over, I will take you for the movie."

"By then the movie would be gone." Gauri says sadly feeling depressed already.

"Awww... don't break her heart." Jhanvi says as she pulled Gauri close to her.

"Hmmm do one thing, let Om go with Gauri." Tej says.

"Me?" Om asks surprised.

"Okay." Gauri quickly agrees, she just wanted to see the movie. Orlando Bloom was so dreamy.

"You liked the movie and said you wanted to watch it again, right?" Jhanvi reminds him.

"Yeah... okay." Om says deciding to go for the movie. It would be better than sitting with them and getting bored.

"Then it is settled. We will drop you to the theater." Shakti says happily. Om was their boy, he would look after Gauri well.

Om and Gauri reach the theatre and they walk in. Seeing Om walking towards canteen, Gauri pulls him back.

"Where are you going?"

"To buy popcorn."

"Don't you know that they charge extra for the same thing that we get outside?" Gauri asks him in a whisper.

"Yeah but..."

"I have everything in my bag. Come." Gauri instructs him and pulls him away.

Just as the lights turned off, Gauri opens her bag and started taking out biscuits, pepsi and a container with popcorn.

"Here." Gauri tells him as she passed him the popcorn box.

Om looks at her surprised as he took the container from her and opens it to see popcorn.

"Thank you."

Gauri smiles at him and turns to stare at the screen.

"What is he saying? I can't understand... he speaks so fast." Gauri whispers to Om helplessly.

"He is saying about a ship called black pearl." Om whispers to her what Jack Sparrow had said.

"It is a ghost story?" Gauri asks panicking.

"It is not scary." Om reassures her seeing her eyes so wide and looking so cute.

"I am scared of ghosts."

"They are funny ghosts." Om tells her reassuringly.

"Okay." Gauri replies worriedly as she moved closer to Om.

Towards the end of the movie, Will and Elizabeth kisses and Gauri gasps in shock, and she quickly closes her eyes. Then turning to Om, she sees him staring at the screen.

"Close your eyes. It's dirty." Gauri tells him as she put her hand over his eyes.

Om tries to remove her hand in outrage. He was a 17 year old, he lived to see such scenes.

"I can't see."

"Only bad children see these dirty things." Gauri tells him and peaks through her fingers to see if the scene was done. And seeing it was done, she moves her hands in relief.

Only to have them kiss again and she gasps loudly. "Oh no!" and closing her eyes, she covers Om's eyes too.

"NO!" Om shouts in outrage.

"I know! Dirty people." Gauri says mistaking his outrage.

"Movie is over!" Om says pissed.

"Thank you for coming with me." Gauri tells Om as they walked out. "I know you had already seen it but I really wanted to see it. Orlando Bloom is so handsome." Gauri says dreamily.

"It's okay." Om says deciding to forgive her for ruining his show.

They wait for a while for Shakti and Tej to come to pick them up. Realizing that they might have got the time wrong, they decide to take an auto home.

"Stop here." Gauri instructs the driver.

"We reached?" Om asks looking around confused. It so didn't look like her place.

"Yeah we have to cross the road and walk a little. Till here it is minimum charge. If we take the U-turn then it would be extra 5 rupees." Gauri tells him as she got down and paid him.

"You said a little." Om says after they walked for a while.

"Yes... you see that light?" Gauri asks him pointing at a far away light. "That is my house."

"That is like a kilometer away!" Om says shocked.

"To take that distance, we have to pay so much and they ask us to pay return fare to because they won't get any passengers here."

Om shakes his head in irritation.

"I was so waiting for this movie. It is an awesome movie, right?" Gauri asks him excitedly as they walked.

"Yes, it is." Om says smiling.

"That island was so beautiful. Where is it?"

"Puerto Rico" Om tells her

"One day, I want to go there. It would be so nice to dress up like them, right?" Gauri asks him excitedly.

Om chuckles hearing her.

"I will see it again after my exams, Ooo..." Gauri starts thinking what his name was as she cutely frowns.

"Omkara Singh Oberoi."

"Omkara Singh Oberoi... can I call you O?" Gauri asks him.

"O?" Om asks frowning.

"Yes, I keep pet names for people I like."

"You like me?" Om asks confused.

"You came for the movie with me, right? So you are my friend." Gauri says excitedly bouncing.

"Okay... you can call me O." Om says smiling.

"Gauri?" Shakti says in shock seeing them walking in. "We thought the movie was getting over at 6."

"There were two shows half an hour apart." Gauri tells him.

"Did you walk?"

"We took auto till the medical shop."

"How many times have I told you not to do that? So what if they ask for an extra 10 rupees?" Shakti asks outraged. "Stop being so stingy."

"I am not stingy. I am just careful of what I spent." Gauri says outraged turning pink at the humiliation in front of the guests making Om softly chuckling. Then looking up, he prays. Oh God! She is so weird and adorably annoying. Please when we grow up, give her to me.

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- Lazy