Hello all :)

Previous Story : Messages In A Book (Posted on 25- May -2021)

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story.

I know, I told you all that I am working on Best Friend's Sibling : Winds of Love, but I keep getting distracted and I got this idea for this story and I had to get it out of my head.

I got the idea from an old black and white Malayalam movie, (actually, the secondary couple in that movie.)

This story is also requested by two people.

@crazybookworm27 wanted a story where the hero and heroine have an arranged marriage but the in-laws treat the heroine badly.

@SKsajeedSajeed wanted a story where the hero is rich and the heroine is poor.

REGARDING THE TITLE

While working out the story, I got stuck on the song Unakkenna Venum Sollu from Yennai Arindhal, hence the title. I did toy with the idea of naming the story Silver Anklets (because of oru velli kolussu line from the song), but I liked Unakkenna Venum Sollu as the title more.

All those interested, please do check out the song and its translation. It is such a beautiful song and picturized so beautifully on father-daughter. How he goes from her friend and mother's fiancé to her teacher to her father to finally her mother, is so beautifully shown. Ajith and Anikha have such a beautiful father-daughter on screen bond, it is so beautiful (even in Viswasam).

There is a romantic version to this same song called Idhayathil Etho Ondru but I liked the father-daughter one more, so I went with that.

P.S: The Hindi dubbed version of this movie, doesn't have the songs, just background music with scenes, so do check out the Tamil to see the song/lyrics translation.

WARNING:

This story has a doormat heroine. PERIOD.

I know, some people feel there is sexism/patriarchy in my stories, though I try to show equality in all my stories, some people do feel it, and if you are the type who would get offended with such things, then please refrain from reading it.

I am not glorifying it, I just believe there are people like that and they do get their happily ever after, and I feel, I should be able to tell their story too.

"Have you gone crazy?" Omkara asks his mother in outrage. "I'm telling you to make Priyanka understand that Ranveer is not the right person for her and you are asking me to marry his sister?"

"Priyanka is adamant." Jhanvi tells him. "She is threatening to run away with him."

"Then lock her up somewhere." Omkara says in irritation.

Jhanvi furiously looks at him hearing that.

"I didn't mean it! God!" Omkara tells her in exasperation.

"I want to make sure my daughter is safe and secure in that house, and the only way to do that is if their daughter is in our house."

"Mom, do you realize that you don't trust them and you are still considering sending your daughter to that house?" Omkara asks her, shocked.

"What can I do? I can't abandon her like that. I can't leave her to her fate!"

"What about mine?" Omkara asks her, shocked. "You do realize that I have to live my whole life with this girl, right?"

"You are a man, Omkara. You will be fine." Jhanvi says in a dismissing tone.

"Seriously, mom?" Omkara asks her in shock.

"I know those people are after our money."

"And bringing more people from that family into ours is your solution?" Omkara asks her, shocked.

"I don't want them to ill-treat my daughter."

"I won't let them treat my sister badly." Omkara vows to her.

"I am making sure of that." Jhanvi tells him.

"This is crazy, mom! Just talk to her again."

"You talked to her and did that help?" Jhanvi asks him angrily.

Omkara sighs helplessly. "If you have decided to get them married then ask them to stay here."

"His mother doesn't want him to be a ghar jamai." Jhanvi says in furious disgust.

"I'll get them a house, and we'll handle all their expenses. Let them stay there."

"I told them all that and his mother is adamant."

Omkara frowns upon hearing that. "You say they are after our money then why are they refusing all that?"

"I'm sure it is all their tactics." Jhanvi says dismissively. "Anyway, I am going to make sure my daughter is going to be safe and happy in that house."

"By making me marry his sister whom I haven't met or even know her name." Omkara points out to her in anger.

"Name is Gauri."

"You talked to them? Did they agree?" Omkara asks, frowning.

"Of course they did."

"You talked to them before you talked to me about it?" Omkara asks her, shocked.

"Won't you do this for your sister?" Jhanvi asks him, frowning.

Sighing dejectedly, Omkara gives in.

*********

Soon, Omkara and Gauri, and Ranveer and Priyanka were married.

After all the functions, as Omkara and Jhanvi said their goodbyes to Priyanka, Gauri was saying her goodbyes to Nayantara and Ranveer.

"We tried dissuading you from marrying Ranveer, but you were adamant. Now that you are married, give it your all to make it work." Omkara advises her.

"What are you telling her?" Jhanvi asks him shocked then turning to Priyanka she tells her, "If you ever feel that you made a mistake, never waste a second, just come back home. Your mother and brother are there. and Ranveer and his family can't do anything because of the prenup that you all signed." Jhanvi confidently tells her.

"You are getting late, you should leave." Omkara tells Priyanka.

Priyanka nods and hugs Omkara.

"If you have any problem or issues, call me immediately." Jhanvi tells her.

"I'll, mom." Priyanka replies, rolling her eyes.

Omkara shakes his head at her and he turns to look at his wife and sees her crying as she hugged her mother. Omkara walks to her to call her to leave.

"Ranveer, Priyanka is ready to leave." Omkara informs Ranveer as he stopped next to them.

"Okay. we'll leave, Ma." Ranveer tells her then he keeps his hand on Gauri's shoulder. "Take care, Gauri." Ranveer tells her.

Gauri turns to him and hugs him.

"Damadji..." Nayantara calls Omkara and gently keeps her hand on his.

Omkara turns to her and smiles at her politely.

"I know, you and Gauri got married for Ranveer and Priyanka. You don't know each other and haven't even talked to each other. I wanted to tell you that my Gauri is a very nice girl. She has always looked for other's happiness rather than hers. Even now, she agreed for this marriage for Ranveer and Priyanka. She has always put others above her. This is not how I wanted her to get married but..." Nayantara helplessly stops.

Omkara was surprised to realize that his mother-in-law was actually against their marriage.

"Now that you are married, please take care of her. She has always learned to be happy with small things in life. Just give her a little love and respect and she will make your life a paradise, I promise you that." Nayantara tells him.

"Stop being so dramatic, Ma!" Ranveer says in exasperation. "Gauri agreed for the wedding because you were being unreasonable and stubborn. She knew how you had made it impossible for Priyanka and me with all your false pride."

"Bhaiyya, please stop." Gauri quickly tells him as she quickly holds her mother.

Omkara looks at his wife and sees that she was upset and uncomfortable with the conversation. "Priyanka is waiting, Ranveer." Omkara tells him.

Ranveer nods. "Let's go, ma. Bye Gauri, we will see you tomorrow."

Gauri nods and smiles through her tears.

Ranveer walks off while Nayantara hugged Gauri again. Nayantara then worriedly looks at Omkara. Omkara gently smiles at her.

"We'll also leave, sasuma." Omkara tells her.

Nayantara nods as she smiles at him, and she walks to join her son and daughter-in-law.

"Let's go?" Omkara asks Gauri.

Gauri nods and walks with him.

********

By the time they finished all the rituals at home, it was very late. Finally, they walk into Omkara's bedroom. The room was beautifully decorated. Gauri stops in shock seeing the huge room. His bedroom was more than three times the size of her bedroom.

"You sleep, I've some work." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods in reply.

Omkara walks to the dressing room to change leaving Gauri alone. Gauri nervously stood there having no idea what to do. Few minutes later, Omkara comes out and sees Gauri exactly where he had left her.

"You can change if you want." Omkara tells her, gesturing to the dressing room.

Gauri nods and walks to the dressing room.

Gauri comes out of the dressing room in her night dress and finds Omkara sitting on the bed with the laptop on his lap, busy typing away. Gauri nervously walks to the bed.

"You can turn off the light if you want." Omkara tells her as he continued to type away.

"Don't you need the light?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"The screen has light."

"Oh okay." Gauri replies as she looked around to find the light switch. She walks to the wall along the bedroom door and stops frowning as she notices all the switches were off on the switch board. Confused, she walked back to the bed as she looked around curiously.

When she doesn't get on the bed, Omkara finally looks up at her and sees her curiously looking around the walls for the light switch. Omkara watches her as she turns a full circle in her quest for the switch board. Finally, she looks at him to ask and sees him watching her.

"Actually... woh..." Gauri hesitantly says.

Omkara looks down to her right where the switch was right next to the bed where she had been standing earlier. Gauri follows his gaze and finds the switch. She quickly switches off the light while Omkara, shaking his head, turns back to his laptop.

Gauri gets on the bed and pulls the duvet over her. she covers herself feeling so cold as she wasn't used to sleeping in an AC room.

Hearing her turn again, Omkara curiously looks at her and sees her curled up under the duvet. Realizing she was feeling cold, he takes the remote and increases the temperature. He put the remote on the bed and got back to work. A while later, he started feeling hot and he lowered the temperature.

A while later, he sees her twist and turn in bed.

Damn it! They really needed to figure out a temperature that was comfortable for both. Omkara increases the temperature a little then keeping aside his laptop he decides to sleep.

********

Next day, Omkara comes out after his shower to find Gauri waiting for him in the bedroom.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her.

"I was waiting for you." Gauri answers.

"For what?"

Gauri looks at him a little lost and tells him hesitantly, "I didn't know what I was supposed to do."

Omkara nods. "Let's have breakfast. After that I've to drop you home and bring Priyanka here."

Gauri nods and follows him out.

They were walking down the stairs when they notice Priyanka sitting and chatting with Jhanvi.

"Priyanka?" Omkara calls her as he walks down the stairs. "I was supposed to bring you, right?"

"Mom said you were sleeping, so she sent the driver."

"We were coming, right? anyway, even Gauri has to go to her house for the pag phere."

"Yeah driver will drop her, what is the big deal? I just couldn't stay there."

Gauri who was following Omkara stops hearing her.

"What do you mean? Did something happen?" Omkara asks her frowning.

"It's so uncomfortable. Such a tacky house. no AC and no water heater. The bedroom is so small, I couldn't even breath. God!" Priyanka tells him in disgust.

"This is what we have been telling you." Jhanvi tells her.

Gauri looks at Omkara and sees him shaking his head with a sigh.

"I'm hungry. Let's eat." Omkara tells them.

"I had breakfast. such oily food, mom!" Priyanka says, shaking her head in horror.

"I'll send one of the servants to cook your food." Jhanvi tells her.

"Yes, please mom! I can't eat such unhealthy food." Priyanka tells her desperately.

Gauri looks down feeling hurt, for her, her mother was the best cook in the world.

"If you tell Ma how you like your food, she will make it the way you like it, Bhabhi." Gauri tells her.

"Priyanka likes continental food, I doubt your mother knows how to make those." Jhanvi tells her in a superior tone.

"You decided to send a chef... then why are we even talking about this?" Omkara asks, confused.

Jhanvi shrugs.

Omkara starts to walk off to the dining room.

Gauri thinking that Omkara felt that she had unnecessarily created an issue by trying to defend her mother, she decides to make amends by having some polite conversation with Priyanka.

"How is Ma and Bhaiyya, Bhabhi?" Gauri asks her.

"You just saw them yesterday. What can change in one night?" Priyanka asks her irately. "And what are you wearing? Don't forget that now people associate you with us. so dress appropriately. Anyway, go get me a coffee."

"Priyanka."

Hearing Omkara, everyone curiously turns to him.

"Yes, bhai?"

"How dare you talk to her like that?" Omkara asks her furiously, frowning at his sister. "Did you forget that she is my wife?"

Gauri, Jhanvi and Priyanka look at Omkara in shock.

"What?" Priyanka asks in shocked confusion.

"Did you forget that Gauri is my wife?" Omkara asks her as he walked to her.

Gauri's eyes widened in shock hearing him ask his sister the same question again.

"What happened to you? Why are you screaming at her?" Jhanvi asks him shocked.

"You don't see anything wrong in the way she is talking to my wife? Your daughter-in-law?" Omkara asks his mother.

"Wife? Daughter-in-law? Did you forget that you married her so I could marry Ranveer? That she married you for money?" Priyanka asks, shocked.

"Whatever the reason be, now, she is my wife! And you'll bloody well treat her like that." Omkara tells her sternly. "And if you can't treat her with respect then don't even bother to talk to her."

"What the hell did you do to him in one night, Gauri?" Priyanka asks Gauri furiously.

Gauri who was gaping at Omkara seeing the way he was scolding his sister, turns to look at Priyanka and her mother-in-law and they were looking at her furiously.

"GAURI?" Omkara asks her furiously. "Didn't you see the way she was respecting you and calling you Bhabhi? She might be your husband's younger sister, but she is still your elder brother's wife, so call her Bhabhi!"

Seeing both the ladies furiously glaring at her, Gauri turns to Omkara and whispers softly, "Please... don't... I didn't mind."

Omkara turns and walks to her then looking into her eyes, he tells her sternly, "We are married. You are my wife. Your izzat is my izzat now, and my izaat is your izzat, don't forget that."

Gauri worriedly nods.

Then having enough of it, he tells her, "Come. let's have breakfast."

He starts to walk off while Gauri hesitantly turned to look at Priyanka and Jhanvi who were glaring at her.

"What about maaji?" Gauri asks Omkara softly.

Hearing her, Omkara stops and turns to his mother, "Mom, did you eat?"

Furiously glaring at him, she replies, "You go eat with your wife."

"Okay." Omkara replies. "Come, Gauri." and he walks off.

Having no other option, Gauri hurries behind him.

Omkara starts to sit down when he notices Gauri starting to go to the kitchen.

"Where are you going?"

Gauri stops and turns to him. "Bhabhi had asked for coffee..." Gauri hesitantly reminds him.

Omkara furiously turns to the servant serving them and tells him, "Priyanka wants coffee."

He nods and quickly goes to the kitchen.

"Sit down!" Omkara tells her in a clipped tone.

Gauri quickly sits down.

"I make nice coffee." Gauri gently tells him.

"You are not a servant." Omkara replies as he started eating.

"Ma says working in your own home doesn't make you a servant."

Omkara turns to her and tells her, "It doesn't but when someone treats you like one and makes you do things, and you do it, then you become one."

Gauri nods and looks down.

Then he had ignored her and got busy with his mobile as he had his breakfast, and she had eaten in silence, nervously.

********

"Omkaraji." Gauri nervously calls him as she followed him to his bedroom after coming back from her house.

Omkara stops, surprised at the way she had addressed him, and turns to her.

"Do you think I married you for money?" Gauri asks him sadly, she had been dying to get that off her chest but hadn't got the privacy till then.

"No." Omkara replies. "Mom does think so."

"Oh." Gauri nods as she looked down sadly. "I didn't marry you for money."

"You married me for your brother's happiness and I for my sister's."

Gauri nods. "I know you didn't want bhaiyya to marry Bhabhi. He really loves her; he didn't marry her for money."

Omkara nods.

"We are not rich but we are not money minded." Gauri tells him sadly.

"Money was not the issue." Omkara tells her. "We have enough money for the next ten generations to live comfortably. I didn't oppose the relationship because you didn't have money."

"Then?" Gauri asks him confused as she looked at him.

"After I spoke to your brother I realized that he and Priyanka aren't suited for each other." Omkara tells her.

"Why?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara hesitates for a few seconds then he says, "Because both Ranveer and Priyanka are egoistic, arrogant and selfish people. A marriage between them to last would really require a lot of patience, and neither are patient. It would be a miracle if that marriage survives."

Gauri felt bad and miserable hearing that.

"There is nothing we can do about it." Omkara tells her realizing she was hurt hearing that.

Gauri nods, "So, you married me because that might force them to be together?"

"I don't think either of them are sacrificial. Not even for us." Omkara tells her. "Mom wanted to make sure Priyanka would be happy in your house."

"Ma will love her like how she loves me." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods.

"If they don't..." Gauri worriedly starts to ask him.

"we are married, Gauri. and we both should give our all to make this work." Omkara tells her as he walks to her.

Hearing him say that, Gauri couldn't control her joy and she smiles at him happily.

Seeing her smile so happily at him, Omkara remembers what his mother-in-law had told him, give her a little love and respect and she will make your life a paradise. Omkara felt regret and guilt fill him, realizing that he hadn't even spoken to her properly since they got married the previous day. He hadn't spent any time with her in these 24 hours.

"I'm sorry I've been working all this time. didn't even talk to you properly." Omkara tells her regretfully.

"That is okay, work is important." Gauri tells him, smiling gently.

"You are also important." Omkara tells her.

Hearing that Gauri breaks out into an even bigger smile with a slight blush. Omkara couldn't help the smile seeing her so joyous.

"I have some important work in the office, I've to go. I can't postpone it." Omkara regretfully tells her.

"No problem. You go." Gauri tells him, smiling.

Omkara smiles and keeps his hand on her cheek, "I'll try to come soon." Omkara promises her.

Feeling his hand on her cheek, Gauri blushes.

Seeing her blush, Omkara smiles. "Bye." Omkara softly tells her.

********

After Omkara had left for office, Gauri had remained in their room as she was scared to face her mother-in-law. So, Gauri stays in her room and unpacked her things. After that, she simply walked around her new bedroom, getting acquainted with it. She tries all the switches figuring out what turned on what. Remembering how she had been clueless last night about the switch and the way her husband had silently watched her make a fool of herself, Gauri chuckles. After talking to him, she was feeling relieved. She had been a little worried about marrying a complete stranger and how her mother had tried to talk her out of it saying she was throwing away her life for her brother, she had been nervous and concerned, and he had put it all to rest. She smiles thinking about him, he wanted to make their marriage work and he wasn't just big words, she remembers how he had put his foot down when his sister had behaved rudely to her.

Gauri walks out of the room into the balcony thinking about him. she was starting to feel hopeful about their marriage. she keeps her hand on her cheek where he had kept his hand earlier and she blushes. Shaking her head, she looks around and sees the balcony was beautiful with creepers on the wall and small plants around the balcony.

Hearing the door open, Gauri curiously walks back into the room. she sees her husband closing the door.

"Hi... you are back?" Gauri asks smiling.

Omkara turns to her and cheekily replies, "No, I am still on my way."

Gauri chuckles with a blush as she walked to him. Omkara chuckles as he walked to her.

"How was work?" Gauri asks as she stopped in front of him.

Omkara shrugs, "Normal. Everything was fine here?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods her head. Omkara nods. Then they looked at each other waiting for the other to speak. A minute later they realized that neither had anything to talk about, Omkara nervously chuckles and Gauri also chuckles as she looked away.

Omkara watched his wife with a smile as she with a nervous chuckle looked around. He was starting to like her. unlike his mother he had opposed Priyanka and Ranveer's wedding because he had realized in one meeting that they were not suited for each other, not because Ranveer wasn't rich. Even though he didn't understand his mother's reasoning he had given in and married Gauri, for his sister and mother. now, as he was starting to realize the nature of his wife, he did feel a little sorry for her for being a pawn in this whole thing, which had made him even more determined to make this marriage work.

He wanted to get to know her and wanted her to know him, but how were they going to do that without talking to each other and he was drawing a big blank thinking on what to talk to her about.

Omkara sighs, he had tons of work to finish but he already regretted the way he had ignored her earlier and he wanted to spent time with her. but what was he going to talk?

Then having nothing to talk about, he asks her, "Do you want to watch TV?"

Gauri nods her head in yes.

Omkara grabs the TV remote and walk to the bed, seeing her watching him, he gestures with his eyes to the bed, asking her to sit. Gauri walks to the bed and sit on it. Omkara turns on the TV and starts to flip through the channels, then stopping he offers her the remote.

"It's okay. I don't mind watching anything. you can put whatever you want." Gauri tells him.

Omkara seeing Mission Impossible 3 was on HBO, he puts that. they silently watched it for some time.

"Omkaraji." Gauri softly calls him after sometime.

"Yes?" Omkara turns to her.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"What?" Omkara asks her confused.

"You are so nice to me..." Gauri tells him.

"You are my wife." Omkara replies confused.

"But still..."

"Why are you nice to me?" Omkara asks her back.

"That..." Gauri replies confused having no answer.

Omkara shakes his head at her. "I'm not a bad person, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

"You are not." Gauri agrees.

"Then why did you ask me that?"

"I..." Gauri starts then looking down, she softly confesses, "Nobody in your family likes me."

"They don't know you." Omkara replies as he looked away feeling guilty for the way his sister and mother had behaved with Gauri that morning.

"Even you don't." Gauri softly tells him.

Omkara sighs realizing that anymore explanation he gives about their behavior will have to be about the prejudiced mentality of his mother and sister. So, he instead talks about himself. "I was small when my Dad passed away. my mother raised me and my sister was just under a year old then. Because she never really knew Dad, mom has been very protective about her. that made me also very protective about her. Mom raised me all by herself. The major influence in my life have been two women. Maybe because of that I've always respected women. I've never misbehaved with one and never used one. I'm not going to start that with my wife."

Gauri nods understanding.

"And I'll not let anyone use you as a pawn anymore." Omkara promises her.

"Pawn?" Gauri asks him confused as she looked at him.

"Weren't you one? Mom wanted to make sure Priyanka will be treated well and happy in your house, and she got you married to me and brought you here to ensure that. no one considered your feelings. You were treated like a pawn." Omkara says then with a disgusted shrug he adds, "like a political hostage."

"So were you." Gauri tells him. "Even you were forced into this. No one asked about your feelings too, right?"

Omkara looks at her in shock. It was true, wasn't he also a pawn in this whole scheme? Omkara looks away as he admitted to himself the truth. He was also a pawn. His mother had used him like a pawn in her twisted logic to ensure Priyanka was happy. Omkara couldn't help but think of Gauri's mother. She had fought to stop her daughter from being used as a pawn but had failed in front of Gauri's sacrificial nature. Or that was what he had gathered from the small conversation from the previous day.

"Were you so sure that Ranveer and Priyanka will be happy together? Is that why you decided to marry me?" Omkara asks her as he looked at her.

Gauri nods in yes.

"You think they can be happy with each other?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"They love each other." Gauri explains.

Omkara realized that his wife was a romantic. He shakes his head and tells her, "Love alone isn't enough, Gauri. you need to have mutual respect, patience, willingness to give up for the other, companionship, the ability to understand one other, the ability to accept the other person's shortcoming and accept them the way they are. Then only, a marriage can work."

"Won't you do all that when you are in love?" Gauri asks him.

"Some people tend to love themselves more than the other." Omkara tells her.

"Do you think we made the biggest mistake by agreeing to marry each other so they could marry?" Gauri asks him worriedly once what he had said sunk in.

"Only time will tell." Omkara replies.

Then they remained silent as they tried to watch the movie though their minds were elsewhere.

*********

Next morning, after Omkara had left for office, Gauri had tried to talk to her mother-in-law even though she was scared of her, she wanted to build a relation with her.

"Maaji..." Gauri nervously calls her.

Jhanvi looks up at her and frowns in displeasure. "What do you want?"

"Nothing..." Gauri quickly shakes her head.

"Then?" Jhanvi asks her angrily.

"I thought I'll talk to you... we never got a chance to talk to each other." Gauri tells her politely.

"Talk to me?" Jhanvi asks her in disgust. "You think you are worthy enough to sit with me and talk to me?"

Gauri quickly looks down feeling hurt.

"I don't know what magic you did on Omkara that he was screaming at Priyanka for you. my poor child was so hurt because of you." Jhanvi tells her angrily. "Already she is suffering in that house and add her brother turning against her, the torture she is going through right now, is because of you!"

Gauri had no idea how it was her fault, but she still says, "I am sorry."

"Don't do your fake act in front of me. Omkara might be gullible to believe all that, not me!"

Realizing that she couldn't say anything right when it came to her mother-in-law, Gauri turns to walk off.

"As long as you are here, don't forget your place. You are just a tool to ensure my daughter is happy. Get out now."

Gauri runs to her room and gives into her tears. She felt miserable for being accused of things that she never did or had any intentions for. It took her a while to calm down, but by the time Omkara had reached Gauri was able to put the whole thing behind her and when Omkara had asked her about her day, she had skipped mentioning that incident.

*********

"Omkaraji."

"Yeah?" Omkara curiously look at her.

"I was thinking, maybe I'll start going to college, I had taken leave for a week but there are no rituals or functions anymore, so..."

"Yeah... your decision." Omkara replies shrugging wondering why she was even talking about it.

"Okay." Gauri replies smiling.

"Why did you take leave?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"I don't know... I thought I should be home for a week." Gauri replies.

"Then why are you going?"

"I'm simply sitting here." Gauri replies shrugging.

"You don't talk to mom?" Omkara asks her frowning.

"We don't have anything common to talk about." Gauri lies as she looked away.

"But you both should make an effort, right?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods.

"Anyway, if you can get ready in 20 mins, I'll leave you on my way to office."

"Okay." Gauri smiles and hurries off to get dressed.

*********

"Mom..." Omkara walks to his mother.

"Yes?" Jhanvi turns to him still upset with him for his previous day's behavior.

"I wanted to talk to you." Omkara says with a smile as he sat next to her.

"Hmmm tell me."

"I know you don't like Gauri and you don't trust her or her family." Omkara starts.

"You shouldn't also." Jhanvi interjects.

"Gauri is my wife, Mom. I've to spent my whole life with her." Omkara points out.

"Gauri is just a means to an end. Don't give her more importance." Jhanvi tells him angrily. "Once Priyanka and Ranveer moves out of that house or we get a permanent solution to that problem, you can divorce Gauri and marry whoever you want."

"I like Gauri." Omkara tells her getting angry himself.

"How can you like that lowlife?" Jhanvi asks furiously.

"Gauri is not a lowlife. And I like her because she is a nice girl." Omkara tells her frowning furiously at her.

"I told you they are manipulative people, see how she has tied you to her pallu in just a day."

Omkara furiously takes a deep breath to calm himself. "Mom, I don't want to argue with you. all I want is for you to be nice to Gauri."

"Oh so that is why... yesterday I told her some truth and she ran complaining to you." Jhanvi accuses.

"What do you mean? What did you tell her?" Omkara asks frowning.

"that she shouldn't forget her place."

"Don't talk to her like that ever again." Omkara warns his mother.

*********

"Omkaraji." Gauri calls him as she walked out of the dressing room.

Omkara turns to her with a frown.

"Do I look okay?" Gauri nervously asks him.

"What?" Omkara asks shocked at the strange question.

"My clothes..." Gauri nervously points out.

"What about it?" Omkara asks confused as he looked her up and down.

"Yesterday, Bhabhi said I should wear clothes that are befitting your status..." Gauri worriedly tells him.

Omkara frowns hearing that "I don't know about all that. you look nice." Omkara replies shrugging.

Gauri quickly looks down feeling herself blush hearing the offhand compliment. "I don't want to embarrass you."

Omkara shrugs in reply. "If you want, get new clothes for yourself. Just tell the driver to take you the designer Mom and Priyanka goes to."

Gauri nods her head. "I am ready." Gauri informs him as she grabbed her college bag.

"What happened with Mom yesterday?" Omkara asks her.

"Nothing." Gauri replies quickly.

"Nothing?" Omkara asks her frowning as he walked to her.

"Yeah, nothing much. You are getting late. Let's go."

"I just spoke to Mom." Omkara informs her.

"Oh." Gauri looks at Omkara worriedly.

"Why didn't you tell me that Mom was rude to you?" Omkara asks her.

"There was nothing to tell, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him.

"Nothing to tell?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"Maaji doesn't know me, and she has all these preconceived notions. It will take a little time for her to accept me." Gauri tells him.

"That doesn't mean that she can be rude to you."

"It's okay. I wasn't hurt." Gauri tells him as she looked down.

Omkara sighs loudly realizing that his wife was too forgiving for her own good.

*********

The car stops in front of Gauri's college.

Gauri turns to Omkara and tells him, "Bye, Omkaraji."

Omkara looks up from his mobile to see that they had reached her college. "What time will your college get over?"

"3."

Omkara nods and looks at the driver, "John, from now on, pick Gauri from here every day at 3."

"Yes sir."

Gauri was about to tell him that she can take the bus but then she remembers what Priyanka had told her about being careful as she was now Billionaire Omkara Singh Oberoi's wife, and whatever she did would reflect on him, so she doesn't say anything.

"Gauri, keep John's number with you, in case you need him to come earlier or later or you have some emergency." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

"Oh that reminds me, I don't have your number." Omkara says hurriedly.

Gauri couldn't help smile.

"What?" Omkara asks her seeing her smile.

"I don't know, I found it funny." Gauri tells him chuckling.

"What funny? That I don't have your number?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods her head in yes.

"You are weird." Omkara tells her then he grins at her making her giggle. Then they exchange numbers. "I'll send you John's number."

"Okay."

"Madam, I'll wait here at 3." John tells her.

"Okay." Gauri smiles at him.

Gauri starts to get out.

"Bye, Gauri. have a nice day." Omkara tells her.

"You too, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him with a smile.

He smiles at her.

Gauri starts to get out then she stops and asks him, "What time will you come home?"

"Depends on the work."

"Oh okay." Gauri nods.

"I'll try to come early." Omkara tells her.

"It's okay. You finish your work and come." Gauri tells him with a smile.

*********

Her husband was a workaholic, she got that from the amount of time he spent on his laptop and mobile, busy working. But what made him so endearing to her was that he always tried to make time for her. they were slowly getting to know each other better with each passing day. the more they got closer, that much his mother and sister became rude to her. Gauri tried to keep it all hidden from Omkara because whenever he realized that she was being mistreated he would confront his mother and sister about it, making matters much worse.

"Why are you such a workaholic?" Gauri asks Omkara as she turned to lie on her side to look at him who was busy on his laptop.

Omkara stops and looks at her. "I am not."

"You are always working." Gauri points out to him shocked.

"That is because I have lot of work to finish."

"Workaholic." Gauri points out.

"It is not easy running so many businesses at once."

"Workaholic." Gauri cheekily points out.

Omkara grins seeing her stubbornly putting forth her view on his work habits. "Go to sleep."

"Am I disturbing your work?" Gauri asks him in a mockingly teasing tone.

Omkara grins feeling a little embarrassed. "Sleep... sleep."

Gauri chuckles and lies back pulling the duvet over her.

Omkara smiles as she settled to sleep.

*********

One day, Gauri was walking out of her college when she notices Omkara instead of John. Unable to control her joy at seeing him so unexpectedly, she runs to him.

Omkara smiles seeing her so happy in seeing him.

"Omkaraji... how come you came today?" Gauri asks him smiling happily as she stopped in front of him.

"Didn't have any pressing work, so I thought, why not take you out somewhere. We have never really gone anywhere together." Omkara tells her as he led her to the car and opened the door for her.

Hearing that, Gauri asks him excitedly, "Really?"

Omkara chuckles seeing her so excited. After Gauri sits, Omkara closes the door and walks around the car and gets into the driver's seat.

"How come you are driving?" Gauri asks him.

"I thought today it should be just you and me. so, I gave the rest of the day off for John."

Gauri blushes happily hearing that.

"You don't like driving?" Gauri asks him curiously as this was the first time she was seeing him drive.

"I can do a hundred things in that time."

"Like work?" Gauri teases him.

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

"Do you want me to drive?" Gauri asks him.

"You drive?" Omkara asks her surprised.

"Yes, Maa insisted that I learn. She says it is a necessary skill that everyone should learn as we never know when we would need to drive."

"Hmmm. I'll drive now. it's been a while since I drove. But why didn't you tell me you could drive?"

"You never asked." Gauri points out.

"What is there to ask?" Omkara asks her confused then he asks her, "So, you like driving?"

"Yes." Gauri says smiling.

"Then why aren't you driving to college?" Omkara asks her.

"Me drive to college?" Gauri asks confused. "How?"

"Get a car."

"My own car?" Gauri asks shocked.

Omkara gives her an exasperated look. "No, borrow the neighbor's car. Of course your own car."

Gauri smiles amazed. "At times I forget how rich you are."

Omkara chuckles as he shook his head at her.

"So, where are we going?" Gauri asks him excitedly.

"Wherever you want to go." Omkara tells her smiling.

"Anywhere is fine." Gauri tells him smiling.

"Then let's just go home." Omkara tells her exasperated.

Gauri pouts at him.

"That is why I said wherever you want to go." Omkara tells her trying his damndest to control the smile seeing her pout so cutely.

Gauri thinks for a few seconds, and asks "Do you want to go for a movie? It's been months since I watched a movie in the theatre."

"Movie? Hmmm... actually, it's been years since I watched one in theatre." Omkara tells her. "Let's go."

"Years?" Gauri asks him shocked. "What a boring life did you lead, Omkaraji?"

Omkara gives her a look then he tells her, "Check which movie and theatre."

Gauri nods and takes her mobile to check while Omkara turned his gaze back to the road, though his attention on her question. he had thought he was happy and content in life. his ambition and focus fully on work. His work was his excitement, and now thinking back, that was the only exciting thing in his life. he had no life outside of work. He finally realized that Gauri was right, he was a workaholic. He had no joy outside of work... that is no longer true, Omkara thought as his gaze turned to Gauri.

"Moon!" Gauri excitedly says as she pointed at the sky.

Omkara curiously looks at the sky and looks at her confused, "What is so exciting about it?"

Gauri gives him a shocked look, "We can see the moon in daylight."

"We can see it almost all the time." Omkara tells her shocked.

"I know." Gauri rolls her eyes then she looks at the moon, smiling excitedly. "Normally we see moon at night. We don't expect to see it during day time. so, when we see it, it is like a surprise, right?"

Omkara gapes at her in shock. "That is so silly! Why would such an obvious thing surprise you?"

"Moon we mostly associate with night. So, when we see it unexpectedly during day time, it gives you a joy, right? like... hmmm... like a rainbow."

"You know rainbows are not real, right?"

Gauri makes a face at him. "You are such a killjoy, Omkaraji. We should learn to be happy about silly things."

"You are right, Gauri. it is silly." Omkara tells her then seeing her scowling at him, he cheekily grins.

*********

"Omkaraji." Gauri excitedly ran to him one morning. "Come here... come here."

"Where?" Omkara asks surprised and curious as he kept his laptop aside and stood up.

"Balcony." Gauri tells him as she held his hand and excitedly ran to the balcony door. "Look." Gauri excitedly points through the glass door.

"What?" Omkara asks confused as he started to open the balcony door.

"Don't open." Gaur stops him. "Look at that plant, a bird is building a nest."

"Oh damn!" Omkara mutters. "I'll ask one of the servants to clear it."

"What? No!" Gauri tells him shocked.

"What?" Omkara turns to her in shock. "The bird is going to create a mess there."

"So, what? We can clean it."

"Gauri, it is going to dirty the whole place." Omkara tells her.

"We will clean it, Omkaraji." Gauri insists.

"Why are you being so stubborn?"

"They say it is good luck if a bird builds a nest in our house."

"Superstition, Gauri." Omkara says rolling his eyes.

"So, what? It is building its home, Omkaraji." Gauri earnestly tells him. "Like how we are trying to build a life and home together."

Hearing her say that, it tugged at his heart. he smiles at her lovingly, "Okay. let it be there, then."

"Thank you." Gauri says excitedly. "Let's go. It shouldn't see us, if it does, it might abandon the nest."

Omkara nods and walks back.

Gauri comes back from college that afternoon and sees a servant standing near the balcony door and looking out.

"What are you doing?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"I came to water the plants."

"There is a bird nest." Gauri quickly starts to tell him.

"Omkara Sir told me. he told me not to go to the balcony if the bird was there. thrice I came and all three times the bird was here."

"Oh." Gauri smiles hearing that Omkaraji had remembered to informs the servants about the bird. "Leave the water can there, I'll water it."

"Okay. Sir told me to leave a bowl of water for the bird." He tells her showing the bowl.

"I'll fill it and keep it too." Gauri says smiling so touched that Omkaraji had so thoughtfully thought of the bird.

Once the servant left, Gauri dials Omkara's number.

"Gauri, did you reach home?" Omkara asks as soon as he picked the call.

"Yes." Gauri replies then smiling she tells him, "It was very thoughtful of you to have someone leave water for the bird."

"It's building a home like us." Omkara tells her smiling.

Blushing a little, Gauri smiles hearing that. "Yes."

*********

"Gauri... I'm leaving." Omkara calls out to her.

"Okay... I'll also leave in a bit." Gauri tells him as she hurried to him. "Did you check? The bird finished building the nest."

"No, I didn't." Omkara shakes his head.

"Check when you come back, the bird is there now." Gauri tells him.

"Okay, boss." Omkara tells her with a chuckle. "Call me when you reach college."

"Will do." Gauri replies, today was the first time she was going by herself to college in her new car.

"Okay, bye."

*********

"It laid eggs!" Gauri excitedly informs Omkara.

"Why are you getting so excited about that?" Omkara asks her with a surprised chuckle.

"Because it is a happy occasion for that bird." Gauri tells him pouting.

"What is it to us?" Omkara asks her, not understanding.

"I am happy for it." Gauri tells him softly, losing a bit of her excitement.

"You are getting obsessed with it, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he followed her to see the nest.

Gauri chuckles hearing him.

"Wow." Omkara says in amazement seeing the four tiny eggs.

"So cute, right?" Gauri asks him as she held his hand.

"Yeah." Omkara replies with a smile as he held her hand.

*********

"Gauri... wake up." Omkara shakes her gently one morning.

"What happened, Omkaraji?" Gauri asks him sleepily.

"The eggs hatched." Omkara tells her smiling happily.

"It did?" Gauri asks surprised as she sat up.

"Yeah." Omkara replies smiling happily.

Excitedly squealing, Gauri jumps out of the bed.

"Don't scream, you are going to scare the birds." Omkara tells her as he followed her.

"Oh my God, Omkaraji, they are so cute." Gauri gushes seeing the tiny birds.

"They are." Omkara tells her smiling happily as he stood next to her.

"I feel like crying." Gauri whispers feeling emotional and her eyes filling up.

"Awww." Omkara puts his hand over her shoulders and pulls her close.

Watching the birds, Gauri keeps her head on his chest smiling happily with tear filled eyes.

Omkara smiles even more feeling her keep her head on his chest. He felt peaceful and joyous seeing the baby birds and having Gauri in his arms. For a second, he wondered, if he felt so happy to finally see the eggs hatched after almost two weeks, then how happy was he going to be when Gauri and he would have their first baby?

********

"I am going to study, Omkaraji." Gauri informs Omkara.

Her study holidays had started and she used Omkara's study to study. Omkara only used it when he had some meetings at home otherwise he preferred working in the bedroom.

"Okay." Omkara replies, since it was a Sunday he was home and since Gauri was busy with her studies, he had obviously decided to work.

Gauri was going to get a bottle of water before she went to the study while walking down the stairs, she hears loud chatter and notices that her mother-in-law had her friend over. Before she could slip out unnoticed, Jhanvi's friend look at her. not wanting to be rude or insulting, Gauri with a polite smile walks to her.

"Namaste." Gauri says.

She nods at Gauri. "She looks so different from the wedding." The friend says looking her up and down.

"Obviously." Jhanvi replies rolling her eyes. "When you marry into money..."

Gauri felt her cheeks burn in humiliation hearing that. her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had always talked down to her, and have always been rude, but it had never happened when an outsider was present.

"Tsk-tsk tsk." Her friends shake her head.

"I was going to get water. I'll just..." Gauri says in a way to excuse herself.

"Yeah, go. No one called you here." Jhanvi tells her with a frown. "And see why is the refreshments taking time."

"Okay, maaji."

"Maaji?!?!?!?" her friend asks in shock. "How down market is she, Jhanvi?"

Jhanvi looks at Gauri furiously, feeling humiliated.

"Our fate that we..." Jhanvi starts.

Gauri worriedly cuts her off, "Maaji, please... Omkaraji is home and if he hears it..."

"Omkaraji?" her friend asks cutting off Gauri asks shocked. "What were you thinking, Jhanvi? How could you get this classless thing married to Omkara?"

"I didn't think... it is my fault." Jhanvi says as she glared at Gauri.

"Poor Omkara, how is he going to live with her? poor thing might be miserable." She starts then looking behind Gauri, she says, "Come, Omkara... I was just talking about you."

Gauri looks back in shock and sees Omkara furiously standing behind her.

"What are you doing here? You wanted something?" Gauri asks him as she quickly held his hand.

Omkara turns to Gauri in anger.

"Please come with me, I want to tell you something." Gauri tells him as she started pulling on his hand but Omkara didn't budge.

"Go with her, Omkara." Jhanvi says quickly realizing that Omkara was going to create some scene as usual for Gauri.

"Oh my God, how manner less, is she? Can't she see that I'm talking to him? Jhanvi, you should have found another solution instead of marrying Omkara to this..."

"Pinky Aunty!" Omkara cuts her off.

"Yes, Omkara?"

"Get out."

"What?" Pinky asks in shock.

"I said get out of my house."

"Omkaraji, please stop." Gauri begs him.

"How dare you, Omkara?" Jhanvi asks furiously as she stood up.

"How dare she?" Omkara asks back furiously. "How dare she come into our home and insult Gauri like this?"

"Insult? She was saying the truth!" Jhanvi justifies furiously.

"Truth? What truth?" Omkara asks her furiously. "She was calling Gauri manner less, when it was she who was being manner less. She come into our house and treat Gauri like this. She called Gauri down market, when it is her thinking that is the lowest of the low."

"Omkaraji, you are making a scene." Gauri softly whispers to him.

"I am making a scene? She was making a scene and you being silent had supported her in making one." Omkara says furiously then turning to Jhanvi he tells her, "She is your best friend, she might be like a family member, but she can't come into our house and insult one of us. if she can't control her vile tongue then she should never come into our house."

"You would forbid Pinky from our house because of this girl?" Jhanvi asks him furiously shaking as she glared at Gauri.

Omkara looks at his mother in shock, "Mom, Gauri is my wife. Do I need to spell it out to you what position she holds in my life?"

Jhanvi stops in shock hearing that then she slowly turns to Gauri who was worriedly looking at her and Omkara.

"I'm leaving, Jhanvi. Never thought I would see a day like this where our Omkara would ask me to leave." Pinky says humiliated and hurt.

"And I never thought I would see a day where I would have to ask you to leave because you were disrespecting my wife." Omkara replies.

"I am sorry, Pinky." Jhanvi says humiliated and regretful.

Pinky leaves from there.

"Please stop her, Omkaraji. She is Maaji's friend." Gauri worriedly tells him.

"that doesn't give her the right to talk like that to you."

"Alienate him from us!" Jhanvi furiously accuses Gauri. "Next what? You would drive a wedge between us too."

"Gauri has never said a word against you." Omkara tells her angrily.

"It is all her act." Jhanvi accuses.

"How?" Omkara asks her helplessly confused.

"Omkaraji, please stop." Gauri pleads him. "I didn't feel insulted."

Omkara turns to Gauri in shocked exasperation. feeling defeated and helpless, he puts up his hand and walks off.

******

"Omkaraji..." Gauri calls him as she hurried behind him.

Omkara furiously turns to her. "What now?"

"You shouldn't have said all that." Gauri tells him softly.

Omkara starts to say then noticing the door ajar, he walks to it and closes it, then turning to her, he furiously tells her, "I wouldn't have had to say all that if you would just stand up for yourself."

"Omkaraji, it wasn't that bad." Gauri whispers.

"Wasn't that bad?" Omkara asks her furiously. "What joy do you get in getting yourself humiliated like that?"

Gauri worriedly looks down having no answer.

"I've never disrespected a woman in my life and today because of your silence I had to talk like that to a woman of my mother's age. I grew up seeing her... if you would just learn to fight for yourself, I wouldn't have to do all this. Nobody can help you unless you are ready to fight for yourself."

"Omkaraji, there was no need to fight with them."

Omkara furiously sighs. "I feel that if I go and tell those birds all these they would understand it better than you!"

"We can just ignore it all, Omkaraji, what she says or thinks, it is not going to affect us, right? and she is Maaji's friend, we should respect that."

Omkara furiously runs his hand through his hair. "I never thought of the kind of wife I want in life, but I know this, I never wanted to get married to a door mat."

Gauri looks away feeling hurt and miserable, her eyes filling up with tears.

"Now, why are you crying?" Omkara asks feeling guilty for hurting her.

"I just want to maintain peace at home." Gauri whispers.

"How is there any peace when you are miserable? You are treated like an unwanted person?" Omkara asks shocked.

"It doesn't matter to me."

"It doesn't?" Omkara asks her in shock. "And you want me to believe that? you don't think I notice you hiding out in the room most of the time? that you don't step out of the room when Priyanka comes over?"

"I just don't want to create a scene." Gauri justifies.

"So, you would continue to get insulted?" Omkara asks her in outrage. "When are you going to learn that unless you stand up for yourself they are not going to stop."

"I wasn't insulted." Gauri whispers.

"What the..." Omkara stops in shock. "You mean to say after all that they said downstairs, you were not insulted?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"No. I swear." Gauri tells him as she looked at him.

"What?" Omkara whispers in shock, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"All that time, I was worried that you would hear that and be hurt. I was scared about what you would do if you heard it. I was worried for them if you heard it. I wasn't insulted."

Omkara stops in shock hearing that, "What am I going to do with you, Gauri?" Omkara asks her in a helpless whisper.

*********

Later that evening, Omkara goes to the study to check on Gauri.

"You fine, right?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods in yes. "Are you okay, Omkaraji?"

"Yeah." Omkara says then he gently smiles at her. "You study." He tells her and starts to leave the room.

"Omkaraji." Gauri softly calls him.

"Hmmm?" Omkara turns to her.

"Should I call you Omkara instead of Omkaraji?"

"Is it because of what happened earlier?"

"I don't want to embarrass you." Gauri tells him worriedly.

"You are my wife, it is your choice what you call me. and if I have no problem with whatever you decide to call me, then no one should. No one has the right to come between us and dictate what happens between us or give their suggestion."

Gauri nods as she smiled a little.

"And you embarrass me when you don't fight for yourself and take all kinds of bullshit lying down." Omkara tells her.

"They are your family, Omkaraji. I don't want to come in between." Gauri tells him softly.

"That doesn't mean that you let all this happen to you."

"It is okay, Omkaraji."

"You and mom, both are stubborn. One won't stop insulting and other doesn't start fighting for herself. And I am getting suffocated between you both." Omkara helplessly tells her.

Gauri looks down feeling guilty for the torture he has to go through because of her.

Omkara sighs as he looked at her. "I just don't understand why Mom hates you so much. She doesn't treat Ranveer like the way she treats you. sure, she isn't loving or warm with him too but at least she doesn't insult him like she insults you."

"You don't know why?" Gauri asks him in shock as she looked at him.

"No." Omkara replies shocked at her shock and question.

"You seriously have no idea?" Gauri asks him in shock.

"No! Is it because he is Priyanka's husband and she loves her more?" Omkara asks confused.

"No! No!" Gauri replies shocked wondering how clueless he could be.

"Then?" Omkara asks completely lost and shocked that Gauri seems to think that he should have known the reason.

"It's because even after marriage, Bhabhi has remained her daughter. But you after marriage became my husband." Gauri explains.

"Of course, I am your husband." Omkara says confused. "And Priyanka is Ranveer's wife."

"No, not like that." Gauri says shaking her head.

"Then?"

"Bhabhi has always remained her daughter. And you, the day after our marriage, you screamed at Bhabhi and fought for me." Gauri explains to him.

"What?" Omkara asks in shock. "She thinks I stopped being her son because now I am your husband?"

"She feels you are more of my husband than her son." Gauri tells him.

"What?" Omkara asks in shock as he thoughtfully looked away.

"She is feeling hurt, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him.

"She is insecure?" Omkara asks Gauri as he looked at her in shock and confusion.

"After Papaji's death, she single-handedly raised you both. And now that I am here, she might be feeling that she is no longer important to you like she was earlier."

"I never realized it, Gauri." Omkara whispers to her feeling guilty.

Gauri gets up and walks to him, she holds his hand and tells him, "Talk to her, Omkaraji. Try to understand her."

Omkara nods.

*********

"Mom." Omkara calls her from the door.

"What?" Jhanvi snaps at him.

Omkara walks to her and sits next to her. "I came to talk to you."

"You mean, fight for your wife?" Jhanvi asks him back in anger.

"No, mom. about us. About you and me."

"What about us?" Jhanvi asks him with a frown.

Omkara smiles and holds her hand, "I love you, Mom."

Jhanvi scoffs as she looked away though he could see that she was trying to mask her reaction with indifference.

"No matter what happens, Mom, I'll always be your son." Omkara promises her.

"If you were, you wouldn't insult my best friend like that. Did you think I would I ever face her after this?" Jhanvi asks him.

"And what about the way she was insulting Gauri? Why didn't you stop it?" Omkara asks her unable to hide his hurt.

"You expect me to defend that lowlife?" Jhanvi asks him in outrage.

Omkara was about to scream at his mother then remembering what Gauri said, he takes a calming breath. "Mom, why don't you see how nice my Gauri is?"

"Your Gauri?" Jhanvi asks him offended.

"She is no longer just my wife with whom I have to spent my life with." Omkara looks at her and continues, "I am dreaming of a life with her, Mom."

"She is not worthy of us." Jhanvi says as she looked away.

"She is. You will see that. only if you just give her the chance." Omkara requests her.

"she is manipulating you."

"How, Mom? she never speaks a word against any of you."

"Oh, she is smarter than that." Jhanvi scoffs at him.

Omkara sighs realizing that Gauri was wrong, it was not him who needed to understand his mother, it was his mother who needed to understand Gauri.

*********

They were in bed that night, she reading a book on poetry and he working on his laptop.

"How did it go with Maaji?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara shrugs in reply.

Gauri takes his hand and holds it, "Everything is going to be fine. Just give it sometime."

"How much longer?" Omkara asks her dejectedly. "I am starting to feel that nothing is going to change."

"Change is the only constant." Gauri reminds him with a smile.

"Hmmm." Omkara nods.

Gauri lets go off his hand, and Omkara gets back to work.

"Omkaraji..." Gauri thoughtfully calls him.

"Yeah?" Omkara turns to her.

"Earlier you were talking about the birds."

Omkara frowns confused.

"That they would understand better..."

"Ah what about that?" Omkara asks her. "Did you feel bad?"

"It's not that. every morning, you are so excited to see the birds."

"Yeah." Omkara smiles confused. "They are cute."

"You know that one of these days, they would leave, right?" Gauri asks him.

"What? Why?" Omkara asks confused, his heart breaking hearing that. he had gotten attached to the birds.

"Birds don't stay in nest after hatching much." Gauri tells him.

"Oh." Omkara says sadly. "I am so used to seeing them in the morning. I will miss them. I wish we could have them with us permanently."

"We can't cage them because we love them, right? they have the right to be free." Gauri tells him smiling.

"Yes." Omkara replies sadly smiling.

Seeing him sad, Gauri holds his hand again and interlocks her finger with his. Omkara smiles and holds her hand. They both knew what both were telling without telling, we have each other.

"We should preserve the nest after the birds leave. And keep it somewhere in our room." Gauri tells him.

"Yes, we should." Omkara tells her smiling. The birds were like foster kids for them, they had a long time to think about kids as Gauri just getting ready for her final exams for her under graduation, and then she had to do her post-graduation before they could think of kids.

"Okay, you study." Omkara says as he tried to free his hand from hers.

"Okay." Gauri replies as she started reading while she held on to his hand.

"Gauri, I need to work." Omkara tells her.

"Work." Gauri replies.

"You need to let go off my hand." Omkara points out.

"Why? You can't type with one hand?" Gauri cheekily asks him.

Omkara chuckles hearing her question, then turning to his laptop, he starts typing with just one hand. Gauri smiles seeing that and let's go off his hand. Omkara turns to her, and she chuckles. Omkara takes her hand and slips his hand under it then he interlocks it at their elbow.

Gauri laughs softly seeing that. Omkara grins then he gets back to his work. Gauri smiles happily. she couldn't help remember how he had fought for her that day, he always fought for her, always kept her a priority. She remembers how he had talked about her position in his life. Smiling happily and feeling touched, she leans and keeps her head on his shoulders. Then she feels his head resting on top of hers. And they sat like that while she read and he worked.

*********

"Gauri... I need to go out of town for a few days." Omkara informs her one day.

"How many days?" Gauri asks feeling sad thinking of him going away.

"3 days." Omkara informs her.

"Oh okay. when are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

Gauri nods thinking how she was going to stay alone with her mother-in-law in one house.

"I was thinking, you go stay with your mother, anyway your exams are over and you are free."

"But Maaji will be alone." Gauri reminds him.

"Gauri, you and mom, both need a break from each other." Omkara tells her.

"Okay." Gauri says feeling a little happy and relieved.

*********

The next day, Omkara dropped Gauri to her mother's place on his way to the airport. Even though, Gauri was sad and miserable about staying away from Omkara for the first time, she was happy about staying with her mother.

Hearing the doorbell, Gauri opens the door for Ranveer.

"Bhaiyya." Gauri happily greats him.

"Hi Gauri, how are you?" Ranveer asks her as he hugged her warmly.

"Obviously doing great. Did you forget where or who she is married to?" Priyanka asks him.

Gauri turns to look at Priyanka, since she had reached, Priyanka had been ignoring her and now...

"just shut up, Priyanka. And mind your business." Ranveer tells her in anger.

"Bhaiyya... leave it."

"You don't talk between my husband and me!" Priyanka tells her furiously.

"And you don't talk between me and my sister." Ranveer tells her equally furious.

Gauri looks at both of them in shock.

"Ranveer, go and have your shower. We'll have dinner together." Nayantara tells him.

Nodding, Ranveer walks off to his room. Priyanka follows him. the moment the door was closed, they started arguing loudly.

"what is happening, Maa?" Gauri asks Nayantara in shock.

"I don't know." Nayantara replies with a sigh as she started to walk off.

Gauri quickly holds her hand to stop her. "Did they have a fight?" Gauri asks worriedly remembering what her husband had told about their marriage.

"I just don't know." Nayatara tells her sadly. "Some days, they are so loving and happy. And some days, they are fighting and arguing. For days, they won't talk to each other."

Gauri looks at her brother's bedroom door sadly. Nayantara cups her face and makes her face her.

"Are you happy, Gauri?" Nayantara asks her worriedly.

"I am, Maa." Gauri replies. "How many times would you ask me that?"

"How is damadji? Is he treating you well?"

Gauri keeps her hand over her mother's, "He is the best, Maa. Always taking care of me."

"You are not lying, right?" Nayantara asks her still worriedly.

"Do I look unhappy to you?" Gauri asks her smiling.

Nayantara smiles and shakes her head. "When I see them fighting like this, I get worried for them and you both. they at least were in love when they got married."

"Omkaraji is the best thing that happened to me, Maa. I am very happy with him, more than you had ever hoped for me."

Nayantara smiles hearing that.

*********

Gauri watches as Priyanka's chef walked to the kitchen with a bag filled with groceries. Nayantara sighs softly.

"What happened?" Gauri asks her softly.

"Nothing... I was just..." Nayantara helplessly shrugs.

"You were what?" Gauri asks her curiously.

"He brought groceries." Nayantara says softly.

"What's wrong with that?" Gauri asks confused.

"We don't pay for it." Nayantara tells her uncomfortably.

"Oh." Gauri says softly. "Maaji is concerned about Bhabhi."

"But it is not right, Gauri."

"Maa... Omkaraji also spends on me. just because she got married, doesn't mean she is no longer a part of that family."

"that is different, Gauri."

"How, Maa?"

"Your husband is spending on you. that is fine. If Ranveer spends on Priyanka, it is fine. If Priyanka's family spends on her, that is also fine. But her family take care of our household expenses is not right." Nayantara tells her. "Priyanka has a car and driver here. They are paying for that also."

"They are just taking care of her comfort." Gauri tries to justify.

"But it feels like we are living off them."

Gauri holds her hand. "I know, Ma, you've always lived with self-respect. After Baba passed away, you never took anyone's help, you worked hard and raised us. and I know, it is difficult for you. and I understand you, Ma... but for bhaiyya and Bhabhi, just ignore it, Maa."

Nayantara nods. "I don't say anything, Gauri. I know, Priyanka is finding it difficult to adjust to this small house. but she needs to accept this house and us the way we are."

Gauri nods. "Soon, Maa. Just give it time."

Nayantara nods.

*********

Omkara dials Gauri's number once he got settled in the car.

"Omkaraji, did you start for airport?" Gauri asks him excitedly. Finally, he was coming home, even though they had spoken to each other multiple times all these days, she had missed him terribly.

"Yeah, Gauri. On my way to the airport."

"Should I come with John to pick you up?" Gauri asks him.

"It's okay, Gauri. don't bother. I'll come there and pick you up on the way from airport." Omkara tells her.

"You are coming to pick me up?" Gauri asks excitedly.

"Why? You don't want me to?" Omkara asks her back.

Gauri chuckles hearing his question. "Then have dinner from here." Gauri tells him excitedly.

"It's okay, Gauri. will have from home. Don't trouble sasuma."

"No, Omkaraji have from here!"

Omkara chuckles hearing that. "Okay, boss."

Gauri laughs softly hearing that. "Did you call maaji?"

"No, why?" Omkara asks her.

"To tell her that you are on the way."

"Why? I never do that." Omkara says confused. "And she knows I am flying back today."

"Still she will feel nice. Call her."

"Okay, will do." Omkara tells her.

"Okay, bye. See you soon."

"See you." Omkara says with a smile and hangs up then he dials his mother's number.

"Hello, Omkara?" Jhanvi answers the call. "What happened? Are you extending your trip?" Jhanvi asks as soon as she picked the call.

"No... no, I just called to say that I am on the way to the airport."

"Ah... that's nice." Jhanvi says smiling.

Omkara smiles hearing her sound happy. Gauri was right.

"So, you should reach by 7, right?"

"I'll be going to Gauri's place to pick her up and will be having dinner from there, then we will come home."

"You haven't even reached, and already making plans to visit your wife's house?"

"Gauri is there. how do you expect me to pick her up without going there?" Omkara asks her in exasperation.

"What are drivers for?"

"Mom, I am going to pick my wife. And don't forget my sister is also there and I want to meet her also."

"Oh yeah, meet her. ever since your wife went there, they have been pampering her and catering to all her needs. Poor Priyanka, what all she has to go through?"

"Bye, Mom." Omkara says and hangs up knowing there is no use.

Tired Omkara leans back on the seat as he looked out the window. He notices a faint moon on the sky.

That's a nice surprise. Omkara thought with a smile as he looked at the moon visible during the broad daylight.

*********

"Bhabhi... when is bhaiyya reaching?" Gauri asks Priyanka.

"Why?" Priyanka asks her back instead replying.

"Omkaraji will be coming, he'll be having dinner from here. Can you ask bhaiyya to come by 7:30?"

Priyanka nods in yes.

*********

Hearing the door bell, Gauri excitedly runs to the door and opens it.

"Hi." Gauri says smiling excitedly seeing Omkara at the door.

"Hi." Omkara says smiling happily seeing her.

They were smiling at each other happily.

"Bhai!" Priyanka calls him as she excitedly ran to her.

Seeing her, Omkara opens his arms for her and hugs her happily.

"How are you?" Omkara asks her as he hugged his sister happily.

Priyanka makes a face in reply making Omkara shake his head at her.

then stepping aside. "Hello Ranveer." Omkara says as he walks to Ranveer and Nayantara who had come to receive him.

*********

As Omkara spoke to Ranveer, Nayantara and Priyanka, Gauri and he kept stealing glances from each other, knowing they couldn't talk till they were well on their way home. A while later, Gauri and Nayantara set the table for dinner, along with Priyanka's chef, who was keeping her dinner. Once done, they call everyone to the table.

Omkara takes his seat and Gauri sits next to him.

"Everything specially made for you, damadji." Nayantara tells him.

"Oh thank you, sasuma." Omkara smiles happily at her.

"Ewwe... sasuma and damadji? How outdated!" Priyanka asks shuddering.

"It is... isn't it?" Omkara asks her chuckling. "I wasn't sure what to call her and she called me damadji, so I called her sasuma." Omkara explains chuckling then turning to Nayantara, he tells her, "From now on, don't call me damadji, call me Omkara and I won't call you sasuma."

"Then what are you going to call her?" Gauri asks curiously.

"Obviously, maa like you."

Gauri smiles happily hearing that. she turns to look at her mother and sees her also smiling happily.

"You're going to call her Maa?" Priyanka asks offended.

"Yes." Omkara replies and knowing she was going to say something offensive, he says quickly, "Let's eat. I'm very hungry."

"Bhai... I told the chef to make pasta specially for you." Priyanka tells him as she gestured him to serve Omkara.

"But Priyanka, you knew all this was made specially for him then why did you ask to make that?" Nayantara asks her shocked.

"Because Pasta is his favorite. And he won't like all this unhealthy food." Priyanka tells her irately.

"I really don't know what is unhealthy food you and Mom keep talking about." Omkara tells her shaking his head. "But when she made all this for me, why did you bother?"

"Have it, don't hurt her." Gauri whispers to him.

"Don't you like Pasta?" Priyanka asks him frowning.

"I do but you shouldn't have bothered." Omkara tells her ignoring Gauri.

"You only say this is my house. And, you are coming here for dinner, shouldn't I have something prepared for you?"

When put it like that, Omkara couldn't refuse, so he smiles at his sister, "If that is the case then I would love to have some."

Priyanka smiles hearing that and gestures the chef to serve him.

"Wow, this is nice." Omkara says as he tasted it, he turns to the chef and tells him, "It is very nice, thank you."

Chef nods at him in reply.

"I knew you would love it. Have more, bhai." Priyanka says smiling proudly.

"No... no... I've to have the other food too."

"But you liked the pasta."

"Stop pestering him, Priyanka. Let him eat whatever he wants." Ranveer tells her in irritation.

"I am talking to my brother." Priyanka tells him in irritation.

"I had that, now I want to have these food too." Omkara says wanting to end the topic and serves for himself.

"Omkaraji, you don't have to..." Gauri starts and Omkara ignores her and serves food on her plate.

Knowing that he would not budge, Gauri remains silent but anxiously wait for him to taste the food.

"This is amazing." Omkara says tasting the food. "Sasu... I mean Maa, when Gauri always talked about your cooking, I thought half the time she was exaggerating but I have to admit that she was right."

Nayantara looks at him surprised and then starts laughing, "But I didn't make it."

"What? You didn't?" Omkara asks surprised.

"Gauri made all this." Nayantara informs him.

Omkara turns to her surprised and sees her happily blushing. "You made these?"

Gauri nods happily smiling.

"Wow." Omkara beams. "Now, I feel like having that coffee that you were boasting about."

"Coffee?" Gauri asks confused then remembering she mentioning it on their second day of marriage. "You remember that?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Why? You think I have short term memory?" Omkara asks her teasingly.

Gauri chuckles hearing that.

*********

"Coffee." Gauri says cheekily as she offered Omkara coffee.

Omkara couldn't help chuckle as he took the cup from her. "Thank you."

Gauri waits for him to taste it.

Seeing her waiting, Omkara takes a sip. "Don't like it this sweet."

Gauri scowls at him hearing that.

"I didn't say, I didn't like it." He points out cheekily.

Gauri grins hearing that.

"It's amazing." Omkara tells her smiling happily.

Gauri smiles back at him happily. "I'll get my stuff while you have coffee."

Omkara nods.

Gauri was taking her stuff, when she hears someone step into the room. curiously, she turns back and sees Omkara slightly closing the door. he turns to her and Gauri smiles shyly. Omkara walks to her and stops in front of her.

Omkara keeps his hand on her cheek, then he moves closer to her and gently pulls her towards her and hugs her tight. Gauri hugs him tight as she snuggled into his arms.

Omkara kisses her forehead, then both her cheeks. Gauri blushing happily, leans up and kisses him on his cheek.

Omkara looks at her surprised. "I kissed you to thank you for cooking for me. why did you kiss me?"

"Huh?" Gauri's mouth drop open in shock.

"Why did you kiss me, Gauri?" Omkara asks her grinning happily.

"Erm... erm..."

"Ah... no worries, Gauri. you can be romantic with me." Omkara tells her grinning smugly.

Gauri gapes at him then seeing him watching her, blushing happily, she hits him on his chest and hugs him happily.

Omkara hugs her tight. "I missed you."

"I missed you more." Gauri tells him.

*********

"Ranveer and Priyanka are having issues?" Omkara asks Gauri as they settled on bed that night.

Gauri nods in yes. "They are having arguments."

Omkara sighs loudly.

"they are just getting used to their new relation." Gauri tells him gently in a consoling way.

"We haven't known each other even half the time as much as them." Omkara points out to her as he frowned at her.

Gauri looks at him having no reply.

"Why was Priyanka competing with you?" Omkara asks her.

"Competing?" Gauri asks confused.

"She knew you were cooking for me, still she had her chef cook for me." omkara tells her.

"She told you..."

Omkara sighs, "When Maa told me you had cooked, I just... what she did was not right. she shouldn't have done that. I would have told her that but I didn't want to create a scene in front of Maa and Ranveer."

Gauri moves to him and keeps her head on his chest, hugging him. Omkara wraps his hand around her.

"Was she rude to you?" Omkara asks her.

"She ignored me for most time."

Omkara sighs loudly knowing that even if Priyanka had misbehaved with Gauri then also she wouldn't say anything about it.

*********

Gauri was getting ready when Omkara hugs her from behind and kisses her cheek.

"All the best."

Smiling, Gauri turns around and hugs him. "Thank you."

"Call me when you get your results." Omkara tells her.

"You seem more nervous than me." Gauri teases him.

"Aren't you anxious about your results?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"I'm just worried about one paper. Rest everything is fine."

"Poetry?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods.

"You said it wasn't that bad."

"Yeah... I think I'll get around only 85."

Omkara moves back to look at her in shock. "What about the other papers?"

"around 95... definitely 90+."

Omkara rolls his eyes hearing that. "Sometimes, you don't open your mouth and when you do, you are full of brags."

Gauri chuckles hearing that.

"I'll see you in the evening." Omkara tells her as he kissed her forehead.

"I called Maa today." Gauri hesitantly tells him.

Omkara sighs realizing her tone. "They fought again?"

Gauri nods. "Maybe if you could talk to Bhabhi, and I'll talk to bhaiyya."

"Gauri, they are not kids. They are adults and we can't interfere in their marriage."

"But shouldn't we try at least?" Gauri asks him in concern.

"It was their decision to get married. I tried my best to talk them out of it. Now, it is up to them."

Gauri sighs sadly.

"And neither are the type to take advice from others." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods because she knew that was true.

"I'll see you in the evening." Omkara tells her as he kissed her.

"Bye." Gauri kisses him and hugs him for a few seconds.

**********

"What are you watching?" Omkara asks Gauri as he curiously looked at the TV.

"Satyadev The Fearless Cop."

"Which movie is that?" Omkara asks confused seeing actors that he didn't recognized.

"It is a Tamil movie dubbed in Hindi." Gauri explains.

"Ah okay." Omkara nods then he gets back to work.

"That is so cool." Gauri tells Omkara a while later.

"What?" Omkara asks curiously.

"His fiancé died, so he takes her daughter and decides to travel. He takes her to the railway station and shows her India's map, and tells her to point at any place and they would go live in that place, then once she grows tired of that place, they would go to another place. That is so cool." Gauri says so impressed.

"Cool? What? Living like a nomad? What about earning a living? The kid's education?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"He works as a farmer and in one place as her school teacher. And she goes to school. Four years they travelled and they came back home. They came back for her 6th standard because that is fountainhead."

"Fountainhead?" Omkara asks confused.

"He says. I knew what I wanted to study in college only after I got my 12th board exam results."

"How much did you get in English?" Omkara asks curiously since she just finished her BA. In English Literature.

"98."

"Hmmm." Omkara nods impressed.

"Anyway, I thought travelling like that is super cool."

"You like travelling?" Omkara asks her.

"I've never travelled." Gauri tells him sadly.

"Ah that is why!" Omkara declares, "That is why you think the idea of a nomadic life so exciting."

Gauri makes a face at him making Omkara chuckle. As Gauri got busy with the TV, Omkara pulls up the calendar to check his schedule ahead.

"Gauri..."

"Yes?" Gauri turns to him.

"I've been wanting to go to Bali for a while now. let's go?"

Gauri smiles excitedly hearing that. "OFCOURSE!"

Omkara chuckles hearing her excitement. "Okay, I'll book the tickets."

"When are we going?" Gauri asks him excitedly as she turned to sit facing him.

"I don't have any pressing work this week. We can go Friday. 4 days trip." Omkara tells her.

"Day after?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Yeah... why? Did you make any plans for the weekend?" Omkara asks her confused.

"I don't have passport."

"You don't?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"No."

"Why don't you tell me all these things?"

"You never asked me." Gauri replies.

"Damn! There is no time to get a passport." Omkara says dejected.

Gauri sadly looks down.

"Let's do one thing." Omkara says as he typed into his laptop.

Gauri curiously watch him do something on his laptop. Then he turns to the laptop to face her, and it had the image of India's map.

"Touch wherever you want to go, we'll go there." Omkara tells her, smiling.

"Really? Anywhere?" Gauri asks him excited.

"Yes." Omkara chuckles.

Gauri excitedly looks at the map then she closes her eyes, pointing her finger forward, she starts drawing a circle in the air then she moves her hand forward and touches the screen.

"Is it on the map?" Gauri asks him excitedly.

"Yes." Omkara replies in an irritated, clipped tone.

Curiously, Gauri turns to look at him and sees him looking at her exasperated. She curiously turns to the screen and sees that she had touched Madurai.

"Madurai." Gauri turns to Omkara and hesitantly smiles.

"Madurai?" Omkara asks her back.

"Madurai is a nice place, right?" Gauri asks him meekly.

"There is nothing wrong with Madurai."

"Then?" Gauri asks him confused.

"We are not going on a pilgrimage."

"There would be more than that."

"God, Gauri! I meant a romantic place."

"Rom... romantic??" Gauri asks shocked turning pink.

"For our honeymoon." Omkara clarifies to her in exasperation.

"Hah... honey... honeymoon?" Gauri asks turning completely pink.

Seeing her blushing so beautifully, Omkara couldn't control himself, and he moves forward and takes her lips in his. Gauri nervously kisses him back at first then she kisses him back in equal vigor.

Omkara moves back and smiles seeing her blush so happily. "Yes, honeymoon."

Blushing uncontrollably, Gauri looks down. "Udaipur. Lake palace."

Seeing her blush like that and ready with a place for their honeymoon, Omkara couldn't wait any longer, leaving his laptop on the side table, he pulls her closer to him and moves closer to her. understanding his intend, Gauri moves to him and meets his lips.

*********

Hand in hand, Omkara and Gauri were walking down the stairs the next morning. Omkara leans towards her and kisses her neck. Making Gauri glare at him and hit his chest all the while blushing profusely. Omkara chuckles making Gauri look around worriedly.

"Maaji," Gauri whispers noticing Jhanvi who was standing with her back to them.

Sighing Omkara moves away. "Mom." Omkara calls out to his mother.

Jhanvi turns to him and noticing Gauri, she asks with a frown. "What?"

"Tomorrow we are going to Udaipur, should be back by Tuesday." Omkara informs her.

"Udaipur? What business do we have there? and is she going with you? what is the need for that?" Jhanvi asks frowning angrily.

"It is not business, Mom. we both are going." Omkara clarifies.

"Honeymoon?" Jhanvi spats out.

"Yes." Omkara replies calmly.

"What is so great about her that you are taking her for trips and all?"

"What is your problem, Mom?" Omkara furiously asks his mother while Gauri quickly held his hand to stop him.

"My problem? Did you forget that not just you, even Priyanka got married on that day? Do you even care for her? Even she would want to go for honeymoon."

"Seriously, mom?" Omkara asks her in exasperation. "You want me to go to my sister and brother-in-law and ask them for their honeymoon plans? Ask them why they aren't going? And when they are going? You might not have any boundaries, but I do!"

"She married a pauper that is why she isn't going! Why does this girl get a honeymoon and not my daughter?" Jhanvi asks him furiously.

"Mom, she has a credit card and she can go anywhere in the world with it." Omkara tells her in anger. "If you still want, then ask her where she wants to go, and I'll have it booked."

"I'll see you in the evening, Gauri." Omkara says and walks off without bidding his mother a bye making Jhanvi furiously glare at Gauri.

Gauri quickly leaves and go to her bedroom to avoid talking to her mother-in-law.

*********

"I'll come by 4-4:30, we'll have to leave by 6. So you be ready." Omkara tells her as he walked out of the bedroom to leave for office the next day.

"Yes, I'll be ready. Did you book bhaiyya and bhabhi's tickets?" Gauri asks him.

"Priyanka didn't tell me the dates." Omkara informs her, Priyanka wanted to go to Maldives for honeymoon.

"Call Bhabhi and find the dates. Book the tickets and all before we leave." Gauri tells him as she hurried behind him.

"Okay."

"Don't forget." Gauri insists.

Omkara stops and turns to her. "I won't, now stop eating my brains."

Gauri scowls at him. seeing her scowl at him, he playfully pulls her hair.

"Ouch." Gauri frowns and pinches his chest.

Omkara holds her hand and pulls her close to him.

"Someone will see." Gauri worriedly says as she moved back.

"In front of others you act so shy, only I know what you are behind closed doors."

Gauri gasps in outrage. "Omkaraji, I'll kill you."

Laughing, Omkara runs down the stairs and Gauri runs behind him.

Noticing Priyanka who was crying, Omkara comes to a stop and Gauri comes crashing on him. Omkara quickly turns to steady her.

"You okay?" Omkara asks her in concern.

Gauri nods in yes finally noticing Priyanka who was crying and Jhanvi who was now glaring at them.

Omkara nods and turns to walk towards Priyanka, "Priyanka, what happened? Is everything alright?"

"Why do you care? you go take care of your wife!" Jhanvi says angrily.

Omkara frowns at his mother then ignoring her, he sits next to Priyanka and keeps his hand on her shoulder. "What happened, Priyanka?"

"Why don't you ask your wife? She will tell you!" Priyanka says furiously.

"Ask what?" Omkara asks frowning.

Gauri's heart skips a beat hearing that. "What happened, Bhabhi?" Gauri asks her worriedly.

"Oh don't act!" Priyanka says furiously.

"She has no idea whatever it is." Omkara tells his sister.

"Oh yeah?" Priyanka scoffs.

"What happened?" Omkara asks again getting angry.

"She didn't want Priyanka to go on her honeymoon!" Jhanvi accuses.

"What the hell, Mom? Gauri was just now telling me to book their tickets!" Omkara says in outrage.

"That is her act!"

"What act?" Omkara asks furiously. "And why are you not going for your honeymoon?"

"Ranveer says he has no leave!" Priyanka says furiously.

"And what does Gauri have anything to do with that?" Omkara asks her furiously as he stood up.

"She would have definitely told him to say that." Priyanka says as she furiously glared at Gauri.

"I didn't say anything to bhaiyya, Bhabhi. I haven't spoken to him since I came back from home." Gauri tells her.

"Lies!" Priyanka accuses her.

"She didn't like it when I told you to send Priyanka on her honeymoon. So, she definitely brainwashed Ranveer." Jhanvi says angrily.

"How do you two have so much time to think of such bullshit?" Omkara asks furiously. "What joy would Gauri get by getting Priyanka's honeymoon cancelled?"

"Because she is jealous of Priyanka."

"And she doesn't want me to be happy."

"ENOUGH!" Omkara furiously shouts. "You'll not baselessly accuse Gauri like this."

"You can't see anything beyond your wife!" Jhanvi accuses him.

"You go, bhai... you go on your honeymoon." Priyanka mocks him.

"No, Bhabhi, we are not going." Gauri says.

"What the hell, Gauri?" Omkara turns to her in outrage.

"You don't have to make any sacrifices for me. You go and enjoy." Priyanka says in disdain.

"We won't go, Bhabhi." Gauri says again.

"We are going, Gauri." Omkara tells her sternly.

"No, Omkaraji, if bhaiyya and Bhabhi are not going then we are also not going." Gauri says stubbornly.

Omkara glares at Gauri in uncontrollable fury, then he furiously walks to her, then grabbing her elbow, he starts walking towards their room.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Omkara furiously asks her after closing their bedroom door.

"How can we go when they are not going?" Gauri asks him.

"We decided to go even before they had plans to go." Omkara reminds her.

"But they did wish to go, right?" Gauri asks him softly.

"They will go when it is convenient for them! we don't have to sacrifice our time for them."

"If we go they won't be happy, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him sadly.

"If our happiness is causing them pain then they really don't deserve any sacrifices we make for them."

"Please Omkaraji, I will feel terrible and guilty if we go now."

Omkara looks at her in helpless exasperation. "It is starting to feel like I am the only sane person in this whole family circus."

"We'll go another time, Omkaraji."

"I don't know when I will be able to get a time like this where I can take off and once your college starts then it will be even more difficult to go."

"Then we won't go." Gauri whispers looking down.

"If not for you, at least for me, grow a spine, Gauri!" Omkara furiously tells her and then he walks out slamming the door shut.

**********

Omkara was in the office when Gauri calls him in the evening.

"What is it?" Omkara asks her still pissed with her.

"When will you come, Omkaraji?"

"Are we going?"

"No." Gauri whispers softly.

"Then why does it matter when I come?"

"Please don't be mad at me, Omkaraji."

"There is nothing wrong in thinking of our happiness, Gauri."

"But when our happiness cause pain to others..."

"that doesn't mean we stop living our life." Omkara furiously tells her. "Talking to you is like talking to a wall! I've better things to do." Omkara says and hangs up.

Omkara started feeling bad for the way he spoke to Gauri. feeling guilty, Omkara takes his mobile and messages her.

On my way.

**********

Omkara walks into his bedroom and stops in shock seeing the room decorated with candles and flowers.

"I ruined our honeymoon, and this is the only way I could think to make up for it." Gauri tells him.

Omkara looks at Gauri, who was standing in the middle of their bedroom which was decorated so beautifully. Omkara walks to her and she walks to him.

"I am sorry, Omkaraji. I know you really wanted to go."

"Even you wanted to go, Gauri. I saw how excited you were." Omkara tells her gently.

"I was more happy about being with you than the place. As long as we are together, I'll be happy."

Omkara cups her face and kisses her forehead. "I know."

Gauri cups his face and kisses his lips. Omkara pulls her closer to him and deepens the kiss.

They were in bed. Gauri turns to him and moving towards his ears, she whispers shyly, "I love you, Omkaraji." Then she lies back.

Omkara turns to lie on his side with a smile then leaning up, resting his head on his arms, he asks her, "Why so secretive?"

Gauri chuckles hearing his question.

Omkara leans towards her and just like her, he moves towards her ears and whispers, "I love you, Gauriji."

Gauri looks at him and laughs happily. Omkara smiles happily seeing her so happy. Gauri hugs him and pulls him towards her.

**********

"Gauri, what are your plans for today?" Omkara asks Gauri that Sunday morning.

"No plans, why?" Gauri replies curiously.

"I feel like having something cooked by you. are you in the mood to cook?"

Gauri smiles hearing that. "Yes!"

"What should I do?" Omkara asks Gauri as he followed her to the kitchen.

"You don't do anything. I'll cook." Gauri tells him smiling.

"No, tell me what I should do." He insists.

"Hmmm can you peel potatoes while I peel and slice the onions?"

"Sure. Give it."

"Are you done, Omkaraji?" Gauri asks as she turned to look at him once she was done with the onions.

"Almost." Omkara replies.

Gauri gapes at him in shook. He was still peeling the second potato while the four other potatoes were lying on the counter.

"I'll do it." Gauri says as she walked to him.

"I'm doing it, Gauri." he insists.

"I'll do it fast."

"I want to do something." He insists.

"Hmmm." Gauri looks around and says, "Okay, why don't you knead the dough? I'll mix everything and give."

"Okay."

"Omkaraji, are you done? I will need the dough in about 5 mins."

"Not yet."

Gauri turns to him curiously and sees him in the middle of a mess, and half the flour from the bowl was on the counter.

"I'll do it." Gauri says as she hurried to him.

"No, Gauri, I'll do it." He insists.

"Please Omkaraji, I will do it."

"I want to do it."

Gauri gently tells him, "You are slowing me down, Omkaraji."

Omkara gasps in shock. "How rude, Gauri?"

Gauri makes a puppy face. "I would have finished by now."

"It's my fault that I wanted to cook with you!" Omkara says offended.

"Awww I thought you were trying to help me, I didn't know you wanted to cook with me." Gauri says smiling.

"Still you could have been patient and kind. This is my first time in the kitchen." Omkara says pissed.

"Awww." Gauri leans up and kisses his cheek.

And Omkara was distracted.

"You are so cute, Omkaraji."

"You kissed me to distract me, didn't you?" Omkara asks her offended.

"You think I am so diabolical?"

Omkara was distracted again. "Dia... Stop showing off your English!"

Gauri chuckles hearing that and she lovingly pulls his cheek. "Okay, you make raita. It's easy. Just beat the curd then put chopped onions, chillies and cucumber."

"Okay." Omkara nods.

"I'll put the salt in the end."

"I know to put salt." Omkara says offended. "I put salt for my soup and all when at the restaurant."

"It is not the same, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him making Omkara scowl. "And Chefs get offended when you put salt in the food that they serve you. they make a perfect dish and sent it to the table."

"You are an amazing cook, Gauri but you should stop acting as if you are some Michelin star chef." Omkara mutters making Gauri cheekily grin.

"What are you doing here, Omkara?" Jhanvi asks seeing Omkara in the kitchen.

"Cooking, Mom." Omkara replies in an isn't it obvious tone.

Jhanvi looks at Gauri and says in disdain, "You can never rise up to our level, so you are bringing him down to your level?"

"Stop it, Mom. Gauri and I are in a good mood. Don't ruin it."

"I am ruining things?" Jhanvi asks shocked. "Your wife and her family are ruining my daughter's happiness."

"It was Priyanka's decision to marry Ranveer!" Omkara furiously reminds her.

"Omkaraji..." Gauri softly calls his name. "Please don't fight. Bhabhi and bhaiyya had a fight today, maaji might be upset about that."

"Oh so your brother tells you all about it?" Jhanvi asks, furiously.

"No." Gauri quickly shakes her head. "I was talking to Maa and I overheard through the phone them fighting."

"You and your mother are just egging him on to treat my daughter like this."

"Enough, Mom! Stop blaming others for what is happening between Priyanka and Ranveer." Omkara furiously tells her.

"You think they all are innocent? She knew that Priyanka and Ranveer are fighting and here, she is laughing and romancing you!"

"What do you want her to do? Sit here and cry because they both are fighting?" Omkara asks in exasperation.

"You changed a lot, Omkara. Your sister is miserable and here you are enjoying as if you don't care what happens to her."

"Nothing is happening to her!" Omkara says furiously.

"Nothing is happening to her?" Jhanvi asks in outrage. "She is being mistreated there."

"She is not, Mom. Priyanka is not being mistreated. Do you know who is being mistreated?" Omkara asks her furiously. "Gauri. you got me married to her to make sure Priyanka is being treated well there, and you are treating Gauri badly here."

"I treat her badly?" Jhanvi asks in outrage. "I am the reason her life is better. She is married to you. living in this house. has all the comforts in the world. And she doesn't even have to lift a finger for any of this. I have never made her do any work here."

"You think torture is just physical?" Omkara asks her furiously.

"Please Omkaraji, stop. Why are you talking about unnecessary things?" Gauri asks him helplessly.

"This is necessary, Gauri!" Omkara says furiously then turning to his mother, he continues, "The mental torture you give Gauri with all your taunts, accusation and hatred, that is also mistreatment!"

"What nonsense!" Jhanvi says offended. "It is all bullshit. And how do you expect me to treat the girl who snatched all the happiness from our house?"

"Snatched happiness? You are talking about the girl who taught me to find joy in small things in life. taught me to be happy for other's happiness."

"You are so blinded by her that you don't want to see the truth." Jhanvi accuses him.

"I can see clearly, mom. it is you who has closed your eyes towards Gauri and me." Omkara tells her.

"There is no use talking to you." Jhanvi says and walks off.

"Why do you want to hurt her like this?" Gauri asks him.

"I am not hurting her, she is being cruel." Omkara tells her.

"Still why do you have to fight?" Gauri asks helplessly.

"I will stop fighting the day you will start fighting for yourself." Omkara tells her. "Now, tell me again how to make raita."

*********

Next day, Gauri's mother called her over and Gauri went to meet her.

"Things are getting very bad between Ranveer and Priyanka." Nayantara confesses to Gauri.

Gauri sadly holds her hand.

"Priyanka is not at all happy here. I'm starting to feel that if Priyanka and Ranveer move to another house then maybe things could be salvaged a little."

"But what about you, Maa?" Gauri asks her shocked.

"I'll be fine, Gauri. and Priyanka would be more comfortable in a bigger house with the amenities and comfort that she is used to, and the lack of privacy here is also affecting their relation."

Gauri nods understanding and also realizing that her mother also needed some peace in her old age from all these mental torture. "Did you talk to them?"

"I thought I'll tell you first before I talked to them." Nayantara tells her.

"Finally! Thank you!" Priyanka says ecstatically.

"But Maa are you sure you are not coming with us?" Ranveer asks her.

"Aunty said that she is staying here, right? if she likes it here then let her stay here!"

Gauri and Nayantara look at each other hearing that.

"I'll inform Mom, she has already found an amazing place for us." Priyanka says excitedly.

"Bhabhi, for the time being don't tell Omkaraji that Maa is not moving with you both. I'll tell him later." Gauri requests her.

"Why?" Priyanka asks frowning.

"Will he have issues, Gauri?" Nayantara asks at the same time.

"He might won't like it, but don't worry I'll handle him." Gauri tells her.

"You'll handle him?" Priyanka asks irately. "You think you have that much hold on him?"

"I didn't mean it like that." Gauri tells her quickly.

"Whatever, my brother will never stand in the way of my happiness."

"Just stop it, Priyanka." Ranveer says irately.

"Who is she to tell what I should tell my brother?" Priyanka asks furiously.

"His wife." Ranveer tells her.

Priyanka loudly scoffs.

"If you had so much problem with her, why did you get your brother married to her?" Ranveer asks her angrily.

"What did she lose by marrying my brother? Look at her, dressed up like a celebrity now."

Ranveer furiously looks at his wife and says, "Anyway, why do we need Omkara's consent?"

"Because he is family." Gauri says furiously. "He is as much a part of this family as Bhabhi."

"Can you all stop fighting? These are not the issue here." Nayantara tells at her wit's end.

*********

After some time, Omkara comes there so he could go home with Gauri.

"Bhai!" Priyanka excitedly runs to him and hugs him.

"You seem so happy today." Omkara says happily hugging her.

"Finally, we are moving out from this place."

Omkara looks at Gauri and Nayantara surprised.

"I'm so happy, bhai."

"And I'm happy for you." Omkara tells her smiling.

They all were sitting and chatting.

"So, Ranveer what do you plan to do with this house?" Omkara asks curiously.

"This house?" Ranveer asks confused.

"Are you planning to retain this or sell it?" Omkara clarifies.

"Hmmm." Ranveer looks at Gauri and Nayantara wondering what to say.

"Please don't sell it." Omkara hesitantly requests him. "Gauri has a lot of memories with this house and she loves this house a lot. If you can't maintain both houses, then..." Omkara starts to say that Gauri could buy it then realizing that it was a conversation that would be better between Gauri and her family then he and them.

"Then what?" Ranveer asks confused.

"It's okay, later." Omkara says shaking his head. "You might haven't thought about what to do with the house, so we'll talk later once you take a decision."

"We won't be deciding anything now. Aunty is going to stay here, bhai." Priyanka informs him shocking Gauri and all.

"What do you mean she will be staying here?" Omkara asks frowning.

"Only Ranveer and I are moving out."

"But how can Maa stay alone?"

"She suggested it, and it is her decision to stay alone."

"But that is not right, Priyanka." Omkara tells her frowning.

"What's wrong in it?" Priyanka asks frowning.

"What's wrong? How can you leave Maa here and go?"

"Omkaraji, I'll explain." Gauri quickly tells him.

"You knew this?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Maa told me."

"And you are with it?"

"What is wrong in it?" Priyanka asks shocked. "Didn't you go for official trip and sent your wife here, leaving Mom alone at home?" Priyanka asks him in a challenging tone.

"I didn't abandon mom, and we were away for a few days. Plus, she was with a house full of servants."

"You always have justification for everything you and your wife do."

"I am not abandoning maa." Ranveer says offended. "It is her decision to stay here alone."

"But Ranveer how can she stay alone?"

"We'll hire a servant for her." Priyanka says in a dismissing tone.

"Priyanka..." Omkara starts.

Gauri stands up. "Omkaraji." Gauri call him as she extended her hand to him.

Realizing she wanted to talk to him alone, Omkara stands up and walks to her and holds her hand. Gauri takes him to the bedroom.

"How can you be okay with this, Gauri?"

"Bhabhi is not happy and comfortable here."

"But why is Maa not going with them?"

"Maa feels Bhabhi would be happier if it is just they both."

"That is not right, Gauri. Priyanka can't be selfish like that."

"Maa thinks that if it is just them then they would be more willing to work on their relation and it would be good change for them. they could have a fresh start. And if they both are in a more comfortable atmosphere then they would be more relaxed and calm, and it might even bring positive changes to their relation."

"I doubt it." Omkara says tiredly. "How can Ranveer be okay with it? Maa is growing old too."

"Omkaraji, maa needs peace of mind more than anything and their fights are not giving her that." Gauri tells him softly.

Omkara sighs realizing Gauri was right.

"Omkaraji, even it scares me thinking about Maa living alone, but like Bhabhi said we could hire a companion for Maa, and we are also nearby."

"She could stay with us."

"No." Gauri quickly replies. "I don't want that." Gauri softly whispers.

Omkara sighs sadly, "She'll be insulted and humiliated more than you. and she'll have absolutely no peace there."

Gauri holds his hand, "Please agree, Omkaraji, we can at least give it a try."

"Okay."

"Priyanka." Omkara calls out to her as he walked out of the room. "If that is all your decision then so be it."

Priyanka nods though she was still angry.

"Have you found a house?"

"Mom had suggested one couple of weeks back."

"Okay, you guys go and check it out. If you like it then I'll start the legal formalities."

*********

Omkara and Gauri left shortly after that. since Omkara had sent his car home, they were going back in Gauri's car.

Omkara looks at Gauri and sees her staring at the road ahead. He knew, even though she was staring at the road, her mind wasn't on her driving, it was on her mother and how things are going to change for her.

"She is going to be fine." Omkara tells her.

"She has always lived with self-respect. If she agreed to have you buy a house for Bhai and Bhabhi, then it means she is that hurt with all the things happening."

"That is not self-respect, Gauri. it is false pride." Omkara tells her. "If she or Ranveer buys something for you then it is love and if we buy something for Priyanka then it is something else?"

Gauri had no idea how to counter that.

"Priyanka has equal rights as me on all our properties, investments and wealth. Just because she got married doesn't mean she should abandon them."

"Yes." Gauri agrees.

"Were you going to offer to buy our house?" Gauri asks him.

"No, you were going to buy Maa's and Ranveer's share on the house. it would be insulting if I offer to buy."

"That was thoughtful of you." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods and looks out the window, they remained silent for a while.

"It's a full moon." Omkara tells her noticing the bright full moon.

"It is." Gauri replies as she looked at it.

"Careful, lot of werewolves about." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles surprised at the way he talked something so silly, "Werewolves aren't real."

Omkara keeps his hand on her cheek. "Made you smile."

Gauri smiles happily hearing that. she holds his hand and lovingly kisses it. "Love you."

"Cool, but look at the road."

Chuckling she hits him lightly as she turned her gaze back on the road. Omkara chuckles as he looked straight ahead.

*********

"What happened, Mom?" Omkara asks his mother.

Omkara and Gauri were called downstairs by Jhanvi. Gauri stops noticing Priyanka and her heart skipped a beat noticing her luggage with her.

"Priyanka has had enough. She has left that Ranveer." Jhanvi informs him.

"What? What happened so suddenly? Last night they were talking about moving out, right?" Omkara asks shocked and confused.

Gauri's heart started slamming against her chest hearing that.

"He can't move to the house she liked." Jhanvi tells him furiously.

"Why?" Omkara asks confused.

"It is far from his office it seems." Jhanvi says in disdain.

"Then let's look for another one." Omkara says.

"Why should we?" Priyanka asks furiously. "I loved that house."

"But if it is not convenient for him..." Omkara starts.

"Then let him resign." Jhanvi says furiously. "Anyway he is getting peanuts what use is that job?"

"He got furious when I told him to resign. As if he is the President of India. He is just a middle level employee." Priyanka says in fury.

"Stop this nonsense and go back to your house, Priyanka." Omkara tells her sternly.

"This is her house. why should she go back to that hellhole? Finally, she has come to her senses." Jhanvi says furiously.

"Stop egging her on, Mom. is this reason even to leave home? Just find a new house that is convenient for both of you. there is no hurry to shift overnight. Take time and find one that both of you like."

"I like that one. It is perfect."

"There are million others equally good or better." Omkara argues.

"Why should I make sacrifices? Why can't he just leave that stupid job?" Priyanka says furiously.

"I'm done." Omkara declares. "You do whatever you want." Omkara says and turns to go to his room. noticing Gauri staring at the whole scene white as a ghost, he tells her "Come, Gauri."

"Where are you going?"

"To my room. clearly I am not needed here." Omkara replies tired.

"Not you, her!" Jhanvi says pointing at her.

"Why do you want Gauri here?" Omkara asks frowning.

"I don't want her here. Send her to her house."

Gauri's heart stops beating hearing that. Panic never before hit her, she worriedly looks at Omkara.

"What?" Omkara asks frowning.

"Did you forget that you married her for Priyanka? Now that Priyanka has left that guy, she is no longer needed here." Jhanvi tells him then turning to Gauri, she says, "Get out."

"HAVE YOU REALLY LOST IT, MOM?" Omkara furiously asks her.

"What is the need for her here now?" Jhanvi asks furiously.

"Need? She is my wife!"

"You married her to make sure Priyanka is fine in that house. now, there is no need for that as she left that house. so, we have no need for her."

Omkara furiously looks at his mother. "I once had stood by and watched you all treat her like a pawn. Not anymore. On the day, I married her, I vowed to myself that I would never let anyone treat her like that ever again. That day, I wasn't even in love with her. now, I love her and I will not let you all treat her like a tool."

Gauri holds his hand and moves closer to him, her eyes filling with tears in fear.

Omkara looks at her and seeing the tears in her eyes, he asks her as he cupped her face, "Why are you getting scared? No one is going to do anything. we belong together."

Gauri nods and hugs him tight. Omkara hugs her securely to his chest as he looked at his mother.

"When Priyanka got her sense back, you lost all your senses?" Jhanvi asks him.

"I love her, Mom and I can't live without her." Omkara tells his mother in finality.

"How can you want to be with her after all that happened with me?" Priyanka asks him in outrage.

"What the hell happened to you?" Omkara furiously asks her.

"My God, bhai. That house was a hell!"

"If that was a hell, then it is because you and Ranveer made it one!"

"It is my fault?" Priyanka asks in shocked disbelief.

"For him everyone other than his wife is wrong!" Jhanvi says in hatred.

"Not everyone. you both." Omkara corrects them.

"Your wife is so perfect?" Priyanka asks him in a mocking tone. "Did you know yesterday she was boasting about how she can "handle" you?"

"What?" Omkara frowns hearing that. "Gauri would never do that."

"So, I am a liar?" Priyanka asks him in fury.

"I said that, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him as she looked up at him.

"What?" Omkara looks at her confused.

"I wasn't sure how you would react about Maa staying alone, so I told them not to tell you for the time being."

"You were going to hide it from me?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"No, I thought I will tell you once we came back. I wanted to avoid the scene that happened. So that time Maa asked whether you will have any problems and I said I'll convince you."

"Convince? You said handle!" Priyanka accuses her.

"It is the same, Priyanka!" Omkara tells her exasperated.

"You are a putty in her hands." Priyanka tells him.

"I keep telling you how she is manipulating you and you never believed it." Jhanvi tells him.

"She was so confidently boasting about handling bhai, Mom."

"Priyanka, we are husband and wife, handling one another is the most natural thing in a marriage. if you find it strange or devious, then you really need to introspect on your marriage!" Omkara tells her. "Anyway, I have no time to listen to your crap!" Omkara tells them. holding Gauri, he goes to their room.

*********

The moment they walked into the bedroom, Gauri hugs Omkara.

"Gauri, why are you getting worried?" Omkara asks her as he hugged.

"I'm getting scared, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him in fear as she looked at him.

"Don't you have any faith in me and us?"

"I do."

"Then?"

"I don't know... I'm still getting scared. You are all I have."

"Now, don't be so dramatic, Gauri." Omkara says rolling his eyes. "You have me, you have Maa, you have your bhai, you have a selfish sister-in-law and an evil mother-in-law."

Gauri hits him for joking at such a time.

Omkara smiles and cups her face. "Whatever they say or do, you are my wife and we'll be together always."

Gauri smiles feeling a little relieved and hugs him.

*********

After Omkara left for office the next day, Gauri was feeling nervous sitting at home, so she decided to go to her house to meet her mother to see how she was doing. She was walking out when she notices the servant walk in with Ranveer.

"I am not coming anywhere with you." Priyanka says seeing him furiously.

"I'm not here for you, I'm here for my sister." Ranveer replies.

"Bhaiyya?" Gauri softly calls him as hurried to him.

"Yes, take her, we don't want her here." Priyanka tells him.

"Come, Gauri, let's go home." Ranveer tells her.

"Bhaiyya, this is my home." Gauri tells him.

"This is not your home. This is our home." Priyanka tells her angrily.

"Shut up, Priyanka. I'm talking to my sister." Ranveer tells her angrily.

"Don't raise your voice. This is my house, not your swamp."

"I am not here to stay. I'm here to take my sister home. Come, Gauri."

"I am not coming, bhaiyya."

"Of course, why would you go? After all this luxurious life, why would you leave all this and go?" Priyanka mocks her.

"Gauri... you married Omkara for me, now, everything is over between Priyanka and me, you don't have to stay here on."

"Everything is over between you both. not between us. Omkaraji is my husband and I love him. I'll not leave him." Gauri tells him sternly.

"Stop this nonsense and come home, Gauri. I don't want you staying here anymore." Ranveer tells her getting angry. "I don't want us to have any kind of association with her."

"You stop your nonsense and go home, bhaiyya." Gauri tells him getting angry. "If Omkaraji ever finds out that you came here to take me home, then he is going to be furious. Please don't complicate things any further. Just go home." Gauri tells him and walks off to her room, deciding to stay at home itself instead of going to see her mother.

*********

Gauri was in the room when the servant came to call Gauri.

"There is a policeman here to see you."

"Police?" Gauri asks confused as she hurried down to meet him.

"What is the police doing here?" Gauri hears Jhanvi's question and runs down the stairs.

"Are you Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi?" she sees the policeman asks Priyanka.

"No!" Priyanka says in voice filled with offense and disgust.

"It's me." Gauri tells him as she walked to him.

"Now, police started coming to our house because of you. what did you do?" Jhanvi asks her furiously.

"Are you here to arrest her?" Priyanka asks him.

The policeman looks at Priyanka with a frown then he ignores her and looks at Gauri. "Did you apply for a passport?"

"Yes. I got my passport too." Gauri nods.

"I'm here for the verification."

"Oh okay."

"You gave this address as your address?" Jhanvi asks furiously.

Gauri was about to answer her when the policeman interrupts them. "Isn't this your permanent address?"

"Of course not!" Jhanvi replies.

"Erm..." Gauri worriedly looks at Jhanvi and the policeman.

"Why did you give this as your address? How are you in this house?" he asks her frowning.

"This is my husband's house." Gauri tells him.

"Not yours." Priyanka points out to her.

"And who are they?" he asks Gauri.

"His mother and sister."

"Are they abusing you here?" he asks her as he looked at Jhanvi and Priyanka.

Gauri was shocked at the question and quickly shakes her head. "No... no... nothing like that."

He looks at Jhanvi and Priyanka for a while then he looks at Gauri and tells her, "You come to the station and file a complaint against them."

"I have no complaints." Gauri quickly tells him.

"How dare you come into our home and say that?" Jhanvi asks furiously.

"You are lucky she is not pressing charges against you." he tells them angrily then turning to Gauri he tells her, "Take down this number. It is the station number. If they keep troubling you, call that number and ask for Dandi or if I am not there, then give my reference."

"There is no problem here. My husband is very nice." Gauri tells him.

"Still take down the number." He tells her the number and Gauri feeds it. "Take this number too, it is to the National Women's Commission. You can complaint domestic violence case there too."

Gauri saves the number too having no other option. Gauri could feel Priyanka's and Jhanvi's gaze boring into her. after Dandi left, Gauri nervously turns to look at them and they were furiously glaring at her.

"You think you can scare us with all this?" Jhanvi asks her.

"I told him I have no complaints." Gauri tells her shocked.

"Oh really? Was he even a real police? Or did you hire an actor to threaten us with domestic violence case?" Priyanka asks her.

"Why would I do that? he was really here for passport verification."

"Who gave you the right to use our house as your address?" Jhanvi asks her furiously.

"Omkaraji said that from now on to keep this as my official address for everything." Gauri nervously tells her.

"He will say all that and you'll do it? You are determined to cling on here, aren't you?" Jhanvi asks her.

Gauri nervously gulps.

"Omkara is a fool, we are not. Get out of our house." Jhanvi says.

"Please, let Omkaraji come." Gauri says worriedly panicking.

"Why are you listening to all this, mom? just throw her out." Priyanka tells her.

Holding Gauri's hand, Jhanvi drags her out of the house ignoring her pleadings.

*********

"Gauri!" Omkara calls out to her as he searched for her after finding their bedroom empty.

"She left." Jhanvi informs him.

"What?" Omkara stops hearing that.

"Ranveer came and took her home." Priyanka tells him.

"After shedding tons of crocodile tears, she went with him. Anyway it is good for us. good riddance to bad rubbish." Jhanvi says.

Furious, Omkara starts to walk out.

"Where are you going?" Priyanka asks him.

"She left you. when it came to her brother or you, she chose her brother. It was only you who was loyal to this marriage. Now, forget her. we are better off without that family." Jhanvi tells him.

Omkara ignores her and walks out.

*********

Ranveer opens the door for Omkara.

"What are you doing here?" Ranveer asks furiously.

"Get out of my way, Ranveer." Omkara warns him.

"This is my house, get the hell out of here." Ranveer tells him. "And Gauri no longer wants to be with you."

"I said..." Omkara starts.

"Ranveer!" Nayantara calls him in an angry tone.

Ranveer turns to look at his mother.

"Move out of his way. I told you not to interfere in Gauri's marriage."

Ranveer moves away and Omkara walks in. he spots Gauri immediately.

"Omkaraji." Gauri calls him with tear-stained face.

Furiously walking to her, Omkara takes her hand and walks to her bedroom. He closes the door and turns to her.

"Where is your phone, Gauri?" Omkara asks her furiously.

Hearing the weird question, she looks at him feeling completely lost.

"Where is your phone?" he asks her again.

"There." Gauri tells him pointing at the bed.

"So you had your phone with you then why the hell didn't you call me?" Omkara furiously asks her.

"Omkaraji..." Gauri nervously looks down as she fought tears.

"Why didn't you call me, Gauri?" Omkara asks her as he moved towards her. "What joy do you get by getting humiliated like this?"

Gauri gulps her sob. She wanted to cry out loud remembering the way she was thrown out of the house.

"Say something, Gauri! anything!" Omkara tells her furiously.

Gauri looks at him and seeing the fresh tears flowing from her eyes, he helplessly stops.

"They threw you out, didn't they?" Omkara asks her sadly.

Gauri hugs him and bursts into tears.

"Why wouldn't you call me and tell me that they threw you out?" Omkara asks her, heartbroken.

When she remained silent, he asks her, "They told me that you left me. if I had believed their lie, do you know what could have happened?"

Gauri looks at him and tells him, "Nothing can shake my faith in 3 things, my God, Maa and your love. I knew you would come."

Omkara sighs hearing. "You should have called me immediately, Gauri."

"Already things are so bad, I didn't want to cause any more problems."

"You will never learn, Gauri." Omkara says exasperated. "Let's go home."

"Omkaraji, I was thinking..." Gauri hesitantly starts.

"What?" Omkara asks with a frown.

"Bhaiyya was so happy when I came home. He thought I left you and came here." Gauri tells him. "Even Bhabhi doesn't want me there. so, I was thinking, I will stay here for the time being..."

"Have you lost your mind?" Omkara asks her furiously.

"No... no... listen, please... we are still together and that is making them furious. If we stay apart for a few days then it might calm them down, and once everything is quiet and peaceful, we can try to convince Bhaiyya and Bhabhi." Gauri tells him in a worried and hopeful tone.

"No." Omkara replies glaring at her. "I can't stay away from you." Omkara says ending all and every discussion on it.

Gauri nods.

"Is it easy for you to stay away from me?" Omkara softly asks her.

Gauri shakes her head. "No."

"Then?"

"I thought if it could solve..."

"If a marriage to be saved requires sacrificing another marriage, then it doesn't deserve to be saved." Omkara tells her in finality.

"We are so happy together, I want them to be happy."

"Maybe their happiness is in being separate." Omkara tells her.

Gauri sadly looks at him.

"You need to accept it, Gauri. that is a very toxic relation." Omkara tells her.

"It just breaks my heart, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him sadly.

"They truly don't deserve your heart break, Gauri. specially for such a selfish relation. Don't forget that they had happily made us sacrifice our lives so they could get married. It was God's blessing that we fell in love." Omkara tells her. "Let's go home."

They were walking out when Omkara notices Ranveer.

"Priyanka said that Ranveer had come to take you home. Was she lying or did he really come?" Omkara asks her as he turned to her.

"Erm..."

"Gauri?" Omkara sternly calls her.

"He did, but I told him that I want to stay with you." Gauri tells him. "It's over."

Omkara walks to Ranveer and warns him, "If you ever try to take my wife away from me again, I'll forget that you are her brother and my sister's husband. Don't ever try to come between Gauri and me."

Omkara walks to Nayantara and gently tells her, "Don't worry about Gauri, I'm with her."

Nayantara smiles in relief hearing that.

"I'll protect her." Omkara promises her then looking at Gauri, he adds, "Even from herself."

Gauri guiltily looks down hearing that.

*********

Omkara walks into his house, holding Gauri's hand.

"You brought her back?" Jhanvi asks furiously.

"Why do you keep bringing her into our home?" Priyanka asks him in outrage.

Omkara looks at his mother and sister and tells them in finality, "This is the last time I am forgiving you both for hurting my wife. Once more you do something like this, then it will be all over between us. You both have been accusing me of putting Gauri above you both all this while. If you hurt Gauri again then I'll put her above you both."

Omkara walks off to his room, still holding Gauri's hand.

*********

"Omkaraji... they really don't want me here." Gauri tells him, sadly.

"Don't start another nonsense of yours now!" Omkara warns her.

"Please listen to me." Gauri requests him.

"What is it?" Omkara asks her tired.

"We will move out. Bhabhi is here with Maaji now. Maaji and Bhabhi will be happier without me. We can stay somewhere else." Gauri hopefully say.

"Why should we go away?" Omkara asks her. "This is my house, your house. why should we leave our home?"

Gauri sighs tiredly, giving up.

*********

It was time for Omkara to come from office, he had called her multiple times to check on her that day. Gauri starts to go to the front door to wait for him. she walks out of her room and finds Priyanka, Jhanvi and a stranger outside her bedroom. She curiously looks at them, then without saying anything she starts to walk off as she didn't want Omkara to walk in on another ugly scene.

"Who is he?" Priyanka asks Gauri.

Gauri curiously looks at the man again and asks confused, "I don't know, who is he?"

"You are asking us?" Jhanvi asks her angrily.

"I really don't know who he is, maaji."

"He came out of your room." Priyanka tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks shocked and confused. "He was not in my room. I was there in my room all this while."

"Obviously, he was with you." Priyanka tells her.

"What do you mean?" Gauri asks frowning in anger.

"Don't act like a sati savitri, we know your kind." Jhanvi accuses her.

"What? How can you even say that?" Gauri asks her in shock.

"You can bring your boyfriend into your room when your husband is not home, and we can't say..."

Gauri furiously slaps Priyanka not even letting her finish it. "I'll tolerate everything but not this." Gauri furiously tells her.

"How dare you?" Jhanvi furiously asks her.

"How dare she?" Gauri furiously asks her back.

"Gauri?" Omkara calls her in shock.

Gauri turns around and sees Omkara looking at her in shock. "Omkaraji..." Gauri starts to go to him.

"See what your perfect, kind hearted wife did to my daughter!" Jhanvi says furiously as she walked to Omkara with Priyanka.

"What?" Omkara asks in shock seeing the clear slap mark on Priyanka's face.

"We kept telling you she is acting. Do you see what she does when you are not around?" Jhanvi asks furiously.

"They are lying, Omkaraji." Gauri tells him as she walked to him.

"Lying? Then what about this?" Priyanka furiously asks her as she pointed at her cheek.

"Did you slap Priyanka, Gauri?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"She was saying disgusting things, and I..." Gauri helplessly tells him.

"Saying what?" Omkara asks her getting angry.

Pointing at the man, she says, "That he is my boyfriend and when you are not home I..."

"Oh my God! When did I ever say that?" Priyanka asks shocked.

"Didn't you say that?" Gauri asks her shocked.

"Why would I say that about my friend? He is my friend. You know him, bhai."

"He is Priyanka's friend Ajay, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

Gauri looks at Omkara in shock then she turns to look at Priyanka and Jhanvi in shock. She turns back to Omkara and tells him, "She said that, Omkaraji. She accused me of having an affair."

"What nonsense?" Jhanvi asks in outrage. "Nothing of that sort happened."

"It did!" Gauri insists.

"She came and started insisting that Priyanka go back to Ranveer. When Priyanka refused, she started arguing and when Priyanka told her to stay in her limits, she slapped her."

"Nothing like that happened, Omkaraji. They are lying."

"If you don't trust us, ask Ajay." Priyanka tells Omkara.

"Enough." Omkara says hurt and tired. "Not anymore."

"Omkaraji." Gauri worriedly walks to him seeing him so hurt and defeated.

Omkara turns to Ajay and tells him, "Ajay, leave."

"Why are you sending him away?" Priyanka asks shocked.

"Because this is a family matter!" Omkara tells her irately.

Hearing that, Priyanka nods at Ajay and tells him to leave. Ajay quickly leaves.

"Omkara, at least now, believe us that we are telling you the truth about this girl. She doesn't deserve you." Jhanvi tells him.

Omkara turns to look at Gauri.

"I didn't do any of that, Omkaraji."

"Stop it, Gauri." Omkara tells her tiredly. "Go pack whatever you want. We are leaving."

"What?" Gauri asks in shock.

"You are leaving?" Jhanvi asks in confusion.

"Yes. I told you, if you hurt Gauri again then what would happen."

"She slapped Priyanka!" Jhanvi furiously reminds him.

"FOR GOOD REASON!" Omkara furiously replies.

"This girl is lying."

"Do you think I don't know my wife?" Omkara asks her in fury. "That you will make up stories about her and I would believe it?"

"We are not making any stories." Jhanvi argues.

Omkara's eyes fill with tears. "You were arrogant, egoistic, elitist and all. But when did you become such a vicious liar?"

Jhanvi turns red hearing his question.

"You are starting to scare me, Mom. today, you are making up these twisted stories about Gauri. tomorrow you won't even hesitate in harming her physically. I can't take that risk. I've lost all faith in you. Gauri is no longer safe in this house."

"What are you saying, bhai? This is our mother! How can you say such things about her?"

"Because she is all that. I'm leaving."

"Wow!" Priyanka says sarcastically. "What all you said when Ranveer and I had decided to move out about leaving his mother alone? And now, you are abandoning your mother."

"that is a mother this... this is no mother." Omkara says pointing at Jhanvi. "She is not even a mother-in-law. I don't know what she is."

"Omkaraji, please don't say such things." Gauri requests him.

"Look at her, mom." Omkara tells his mother. "She has always spoke for you. always tried to understand you and make me understand you. she has always considered you and tried to see from your perspective. And you have never even considered her a human ever."

"You really can't see anything beyond her, Omkara." Jhanvi accuses him in a soft hurtful voice.

"The day we got married, Maa told me that if I give her a little love and respect then she will make my life a paradise. And she was right. Gauri made my life a paradise, and now, you both are trying to destroy it. I will not let you both do that."

"Mom, don't you love me? don't you care for me?" Omkara asks her sadly. "When you accepted Priyanka's love why are you not accepting my love? Don't you want me to be happy?"

"It is you who stopped being ours when you married her." Jhanvi accuses him. "Your world revolves around her."

"It is you who stopped being my mother after I got married. Maybe you are right, my world has become small, it revolves around Gauri, it is not because of Gauri, it is because of you. your cruelty is what made my world small. For the last 5 months, ever since I got married, I found peace and happiness only with her, not with either of you. while you both kept snatching my happiness and peace, it was Gauri who filled my life with happiness and peace." Omkara stops and shakes his head, "Why am I even saying all this? You are not going to understand anything even today. We are leaving."

"Omkaraji, this is your home." Gauri reminds him from their previous night's conversation. "We can't leave like this."

"You wanted to leave." Omkara reminds her.

"Not like this. Not by ending all relations."

"The relations ended long back, Gauri. I was the fool who was dragging around the shroud all these days." Omkara tells her. "We are leaving, Gauri."

Omkara starts to walk to his room, he stops and informs his mother, "And I want my share. We are parting in every way."

*********

Omkara and Gauri went to Gauri's house.

"Omkaraji..." Gauri worriedly calls him as she walked into the room.

"I'm fine, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he continued to tap away on his phone.

"Please talk to me, Omkaraji." Gauri worriedly tells him as she hugged him.

"I'm fine, Gauri." Omkara tells her smiling.

"We shouldn't have left home like this."

"We couldn't stay there anymore."

"But that is your home."

"Last night, after you went to sleep, I was thinking about this, and I realized eventually we might have to do this if their attitude didn't change." Omkara tells her.

"But..."

"I am okay, Gauri. I am not sad." Omkara tells her with a smile.

"We will never go back?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara shrugs. "As of now, no."

Gauri sadly sighs.

"Now, you relax. I've tons of work to do."

Gauri nods and leaves the room.

Later, Gauri finds Omkara and her mother in deep conversation. She curiously watches them for a while. Omkara looks up and notices her watching them. he smiles and gestures her over. Gauri walks to them.

"She is so worried and feeling guilty." Omkara informs Nayantara.

"She will be." Nayantara says understanding Gauri.

"Who am I telling all this to?" Omkara asks putting up his hand making Gauri and Nayantara smile. "You two talk, I've some work to take care off."

*********

"Ranveer, let Gauri and Omkara sleep in your room. There is no AC in Gauri's room, and Omkara might not be comfortable without the AC." Nayantara tells him.

Ranveer scoffs at her. "When they had suggested I live in their house, you had refused saying you didn't want me to be a ghar jamai, and now you are going out of your way to pander to the needs of your ghar jamai. What double standards, Maa?"

"Bhaiyya!" Gauri furiously calls him.

They turn to find Gauri and Omkara.

"Don't forget that AC was bought by Omkaraji." Gauri furiously reminds him.

"Don't be petty, Gauri." Omkara tells her with a frown.

"Omkaraji... how could he forget that?"

Omkara shakes his head not even wanting to get into all that. "Maa, Gauri and I are fine. Don't worry about us. we'll stay in Gauri's room." Omkara tells Nayantara then turning to Ranveer he says, "Ranveer, if Gauri can leave her family and home, and stay in my house, then I can leave my family and home and stay in her house. I don't find anything demeaning in living in your wife's house, if I did, then I would have never suggested you to stay at Oberoi House."

"And I don't know why you thought they are here to stay forever. they would be leaving in a day or two and that is why I asked you to adjust for that time." Nayantara informs Ranveer shaking her head at him disappointed.

Omkara turns to walk back to their room then he stops and walks to Ranveer.

"Ranveer, you and Priyanka loved each other, and I don't know how much love is left between you both. I just want to tell you that it is not too late, you both can still make it work. But if you feel that everything is over, then don't drag it on, just end it all properly. Just file for divorce."

"If she wants divorce then ask her to file for it." Ranveer arrogantly tells him.

Omkara shakes his head "Just... Your relation was toxic and now it is affecting the lives of people around you. So, think of everyone, not just yourself."

Omkara walks to the room and dials Priyanka.

"Hello?" Priyanka answers in a serious tone.

"I just spoke to Ranveer. Priyanka, if you really feel your marriage is over then Ranveer asked you to file for divorce." Omkara tells her.

"If he wants divorce then ask him to file for it."

"What?" Omkara asks shocked. "One of you have to file. What use is dragging on a relation that neither of you want?"

"Let him come and ask me for a divorce then I'll consider."

"Till then you are going to be tied down to him in a relation that is only in name?" Omkara asks shocked and at a loss.

"Why do you care? you abandoned us for your wife, right?"

Omkara sighs "Fine. Your life, your decision."

"You once asked me whether we marrying was a mistake so they could marry." Omkara reminds Gauri as he turned to her in bed.

"Hmmm?" Gauri nods as she looked at him wondering why he was bringing that up.

"Priyanka's and Ranveer's marriage is a mistake."

Gauri nods, she could no longer run away from that truth.

"But ours is not." Omkara tells her as he looked at her.

Gauri lovingly smiles at him hearing that. "I know."

*********

Two days later, Gauri and Omkara decided to leave Sharma house.

"Remember what I told you? when you feel like seeing Gauri..."

"Just a call to you." Nayantara says smiling.

"Yes." Omkara says with a smile and hugs her.

"Take care of her and yourself."

"I'll."

Gauri hugs her mother and bids her bye. And soon, they were on their way.

"Where are we going? Are we going to stay in a hotel or have you found a house for us?" Gauri asks Omkara.

"Hotel for a day or two till we find a house." Omkara answers.

Gauri nods. "We could have stayed with Maa till then."

"We couldn't." Omkara replies.

Few minutes later, the car came to a stop and Gauri looks in confusion. "Why are we at the airport?"

"I'll tell you, come." Omkara tells her.

Gauri follows Omkara and sees him stop as he looked around.

"What are you looking?"

"Damn, where is it?" Omkara mutters.

"What?" Gauri asks confused as she followed him.

"Gauri, you know, I am a little snobbish to travel by train." Omkara starts.

"Huh?" Gauri looks at him confused.

Pointing at the information board, he says, "These are the flights flying out from here today, pick whichever you want, we will go there and stay there till you get bored of that place."

"What?" Gauri turns to him in shock.

"Like that movie." Omkara tells her smiling.

"But how can we do that?" Gauri asks confused. "You have office."

"I took care of everything. Now, all meetings would be conducted through zoom and if anything requires my absolute presence, then we have a chopper."

Gauri gapes at him in shock.

"So, I won't be a farmer or teacher, I still have businesses to run. If you want you can be a teacher, or join a college, or work as publisher as your dream is that. get the experience so finally when we come back, you can start your very own publishing house." Omkara tells her.

"Are you really serious?" Gauri asks him in shock and excitement.

"Yes." Omkara tells her. "We are going to be nomads for a while."

"What about Maa... your family."

"My family, I don't know. Maa, when she feels like seeing you, she will tell us and wherever we are she can fly there or we can come here to see her."

Gauri looks at him in shock, thinking about the practicality of going off like that. "What about my car?" Gauri asks him remembering his very first gift to her.

"John will take care of your car. And let's see where we are going. If we need it, we can have someone bring both our cars or get new cars."

"I love my car."

"Okay." Omkara agrees with a smile.

"We are seriously doing this?" Gauri asks him.

"Yes." Omkara tells her smiling. "So..." Omkara points at the board. "Or do you want to do on India's map?"

"Board will do." Gauri tells him smiling. Then excitedly she jumps and hugs him.

"Okay, so which place?" Omkara asks her smiling happily seeing her excitement.

Gauri turns to look at the board then she points her finger at the board. Then he sees her closing her eyes.

"Oh no!" he mutters seeing her closing her eyes.

Gauri makes a circle in air then stops her finger at a point.

*** The End ***

Answers to All the questions

Where Omkara and Gauri went?

Wherever you wanted them to go, they went there :). Just refer the song to get an idea of their life in those places.

Didn't Priyanka know Ranveer's financial status and house situation?

She did, but she is used to getting what she wanted all her life, and she just thought things would be done her way when she starts living in his house, and to an extend it was done her way even though she was dissatisfied with it.

Did Priyanka and Ranveer loved each other?

They did but they loved themselves more.

Will Priyanka and Ranveer get a divorce?

Not immediately, because both are that egoistic people, and they don't want the other to be happy when they are sad, so they would drag on the divorce for a while.

Will Priyanka and Ranveer get back together?

It actually depends on what you want, because I am on two minds, one feels that they don't, and they would eventually get divorced, while another thought is that once their anger dies down, and they start introspecting on their relation and life, and they realize where they went wrong and tries to reconcile and work on their relation.

But I mainly left it open because whatever happens to their relation, it wasn't going to affect Omkara and Gauri's relation.

Hope you guys liked this story.

And to all those curious people, yes, they do go to Udaipur.

Here is the video to the song Unakkenna Venum Sollu, please note it has subtitles for those who want the translation. Watch this video to see how their nomadic life would be like.

https://youtu.be/SdcAN3dobz4

The link to the romantic version of the song, Idhayathil Etho, the song starts at about 2:00 mins and has subtitles.

https://youtu.be/8CXUXfmkJY4

P.S: Was skipping through Satyadev The Fearless Cop, and weirdly it is re-edited. It is not the back and forth between the present and past like Yennai Arindhal, it has the story in a linear order. First half with Trisha and second half with Anushka Shetty, very weird. And, the fountainhead dialogue wasn't there in the hindi version I checked, so please don't be shocked if you don't find it in the Hindi version.

Please do leave your comments and vote

- Lazy