"I wish I never met you Gauri!"

Omkara angrily walked out after throwing yet another accusation at his- no, not his wife. He didn't believe in this marriage. Whatever it was, Omkara had a strong dislike for this woman.

She stood there, tear stricken and lost. He stopped in his tracks as he heard her sniff. He slowly turned back and his heart melted for a second.

She didn't notice him staring at her as she sunk to her knees, sobbing recklessly. His heart went out for her. But the scene of her pushing Bua Ma in the pool suddenly angered him.

"How could you Gauri?"

She looked at him as more tears ran down her face. She wanted to scream her answers but her voice betrayed her.

"Bua Ma treated you like her daughter. You tried to kill the woman who stood up against me for you. How low can you stoop!?"

She vehemently shook her head denying everything.

"Omkaraji I-"

"My life was so much better without you!"

--------------

The sound of alarm pierced his eardrums and he sleepily groaned turning it off. He lazily got up and looked around only to frown.

His room looked different. Well, its arrangements were the same but there was something missing. Gauri. Yes! There was no sign of her.

Neither she nor her belongings were to be found. The dressing table was devoid of her jewelleries and the box of vermillion. The dresses she made for the idols were also missing.

His eyes roamed around in panic as he stood up in haste, calling out her name. "Gauri?" He walked around the room searching for her. She was not in the bathroom, she was not in his art area; nowhere to be found!

His heart skipped a beat as the thought of her leaving the house crossed his mind. He quickly walked out deciding to ask the guards. On his way, he bumped into Shivaay who was dressed for office.

"Shivaay!"

"Yes Om?"

"Have you seen Gauri?"

"Who?"

"Gauri. Have you seen Gauri?"

"Which Gauri?"

Omkara frowned as he heard that. His brother looked so confused with the name.

"Which Gauri are you talking about Om? Do we have a servant named Gauri?"

"Shivaay, my wife. Gauri."

Shivaay stared at him for a minute before he broke into loud laughs. He struggled to control and once he did, he shook his head at Omkara.

"Nice try Om! But I don't have time for your prank now. I have to go to office. Nice try ha!" Saying so, Shivaay walked away, leaving behind a baffled Omkara.

As he stood there wondering what to do, someone patted his shoulder and he turned. There stood his mother looking at him with an amused smile.

"What happened? Why was Shivaay laughing so loud?" She asked and he blinked, trying to analyse the situation.

"Leave that. Mom, have you seen Gauri?" Janvi's smile turned to a confused one at his question. He looked at her expectantly while she shook her head.

"Who are you talking about?" She asked making him sigh in exasperation. "Mom! Gauri! How can you forget her?" Janvi's face turned more confused as she heard that.

"Is she one of your friends? But none of you  have a friend with the name Gauri." She thoughtfully said and he shook his head.

"Nothing!" He said and walked away as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

How could they forget Gauri!

"I wish I never met you Gauri!"

No. It can't be true. He looked around in panic before running back to their room. He opened his phone searching for her photo. He found none.

It was like someone wiped out all traces of her from his life. But, wasn't it what he wanted? A life without Gauri? No. A part of him screamed as he slumped down on the bed.

--------------

Omkara was finally able to decipher the situation. No one remembered Gauri except him. He had checked with every family member and everyone gave him weird looks.

No. He didn't check with Anika! She would obviously remember Gauri. Smiling to himself, he walked out looking for his sister-in-law.

Thankfully, he found her in the hall. He rushed to her side and took a seat making her look at him.

"Hi Bhabhi!" He initiates a casual conversation and she smiled at him, wishing him back.

"How's your day?" They talk about random things and finally he came to his point. "By the way, Bhabhi, have you seen Gauri?" He asked and stared at Anika for a response.

"Who is that?" Her spontaneous reaction was enough to convince him that even she forgot her. "Nothing!" He said and stood up as a lone tear rolled down his cheek.

Was she gone forever? Was he dreaming? Or, was she a dream? He felt a pang in his heart as it weighed more than usual with an unknown pain.

--------------

Later that night, Omkara sat in the balcony, staring at the sky. The moon was just a thin line while the stars were infinite. His eyes wandered between them as a heavy sigh escaped his lips.

He was an idiot. An arrogant, selfish man who hurt a woman again and again without no valid reason. Now when he looked back, all his accusations seemed unreal.

There was enough proof for Gauri's innocence in front of his eyes. But as someone said, you see what you want to. And he saw what his mind had developed.

The world will appear black if you look at it through a black screen. That was exactly what he did. He judged her, saw her in the same light even when his heart wanted to do otherwise.

He now had a clear view of things. Both the sides; his point of view and the actual one. When he finally didn't need them, the clarifications were here poking fun at him.

He could hear the silence laughing at his plight. He looked at the moon as tears soaked his face. He longed for her.

The way her anklets tinkled when she walked. The smile and blush that adorned her face when she talked to him. Everything about her was suddenly interesting to him.

All of a sudden, he knew why he craved for her. He knew why she mattered and he knew, she was the one.

He loved that woman!

"Where are you Gauri?" His whisper echoed as the wind carried it away, along the corridors, towards the garden, between the trees as it finally settled down, as if reaching the destination.

--------------

"Om!?"

A vigorous shout made Omkara open his eyes as he sucked in a long breathe and stared at the ceiling. The unfamiliar surroundings suddenly alarmed him and he rose from the bed panting.

"Om?" He looked to his side and saw Shivaay looking at him with teary eyes. He was engulfed in a hug but he was too shocked to respond.

"We missed you!"

"What happened to me?"

"You were in coma since the last three months!"

That's when he came to know about all the happenings. Apparently, he had hit his head really bad resulting in comatose. He was now in the hospital, fully awake and oblivious of the present.

"The doctor said you woke up but you were unconscious when I walked in. Are you fine?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." He remained silent as he stared at the door hopefully. Seeing him intently looking at the door, Shivaay patted his shoulder.

"What are you looking at?"

"Shivaay, where is Gauri?" He waited with baited breathe for Shivaay's answer. Shivaay smiled and pointed to the other side and he immediately turned his head.

There sat Gauri, looking at him with all the love in this world as her honey brown eyes glistened with tears. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Gauri?" He called fearing if she would disappear. "Kaise ho aap?" Came her response immediately. He sighed in relief as his lips rose to a shaky smile.

His arms went flying around her as he hugged her with all his mind. Shivaay walked out, leaving behind the couple while Gauri withdrew from him and looked at him with confusion.

"I missed you!" He said and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. He sent a silent prayer thanking every force in this universe for bringing her back to him.

"I'm sorry Gauri!"

Surely, their way home would be long. But he was ready for anything and everything. For he knew, his life can never be better without her!

Hey all! Hope you all liked the story. This is kinda inspired from "All of the stars" by Ed Sheeran.

For those who are confused, Omkara hit his head after the first conversation. Rest, i.e., Gauri's disappearance from his life is an illusion his subconscious mind made him go through. Throughout the comatose, it was the only thing that revolved in his mind.

Do tell me your views. Criticisms are openly welcomed.

I hope you all are safe and healthy. Do follow the rules and regulations and take care of yourselves.

Thank you for reading.

Stay safe. Be happy.