**************CHALLENGE ONLY 50 VOTES YOU CAN DO IT **********************

CHAPTER 22

His smile grew as he looked at the pendant and then to her face. For there was all the confirmation that he needed. Their eyes met and they looked down at the tiny Aum pendant now nestled innocently between the fold of her Dupatta.

Finally a positive sign. There was hope. He looked around the room and settled a smug look at ASR.

"So Om what bring you to Pune?" ASR asked.

"I came in search of something precious that I thought that I had lost and thought that was beyond found my reach. But it is here" Om replied his eyes resting on Gauri.

"It could not have been especially precious if you let it go in the first place." ASR asked.

"It is not unusual to realise the value never of something until you think it is lost." Om replied his eyes never leaving hers.

Komal stood up and looked at everyone, "Please excuse me. I want to rest for a while. It has been a long day." She looked at ASR "Thank you Beta for everything." She said.

"Maa, don't embarrass me by thanking me. It is my pleasure. You know that. You and Gauri have become very important to us."

She smiled at him and placed her hand on his. She turned to Omkara, "Please give my regards to everyone at home." She said as she left the room.

Gauri stepped towards Arnav, "Arnavji, I need to speak to Omkaraji. Please can you give me a few minutes." She asked.

"Sure take all the time you need. I will be waiting for you." ASR said. Turning he walked in the direct of another room.

That had better not be Gauri's room Om thought. As he turned to give his attention to Gauri who was busy cleaning up the tea dishes.

"I am sorry Omkaraji. Wednesday's are usually crazy here as it is Maa's clinic day and Arnavji visits as well." Gauri explain.

Om cringed at the mention of ARNAVJI. He would never have thought that he would one day be up against ASR and that to for the affections of his wife.

"I can see. Please sit Gauri we need to talk." He said.

"I am listening Omkaraji. I still don't understand why you are here. I thought that you would be happy that I was out of your life."

"I never expected you to leave."

"I am surprised that you thought that I have so little pride that I would have remained after everything that was said. Listen Omkaraji, I have come to accept the status of our marriage and I have no expectations from you."

"Wow! Gauri so tell me what is the status of our marriage."

He looked at her and saw the gathering of tears in her eyes. "Why are you doing this? I understand that this marriage was just a ruse to save me from the villagers and save you from Swetlana. I have accepted it and have moved on."

"Really. What do you mean moved on?" He asked

"I have accepted that this marriage is a hoax. What more do you want me to say."

"I don't believe you." Om said.

"I don't care what you believe. Our marriage was over three months ago and you and I have nothing to say to each other." Gauri said.

Omkara looked at his wife and realised that this was definitely not the docile woman that had lived as his wife in OM. This was the woman who had impressed him by taking a stand against him when he tried to evict her from her shop almost a year ago. The woman who had trashed his car with a bulldozer. His Dabbang Gauri was back and he like it.

"You don't care what I think. That is a shame. So to you our marriage is over?" He asked as he stood and walked to her seat.

He knelt before and looked her in the eye. She looked at him but looked away, uncomfortable with his intense gaze. He removed his handkerchief from his pocket and lifted it to remove the sindoor from her head. Instinctively her tiny hand clasped his huge wrist in an attempt to protect the sacred symbol of her. "Omkaraji, what are you doing?"

"If our marriage is fake, why do you still wear the symbols that bind us together?" he asked her.

"Habit." She replied.

He put his hand down but did not break the eye lock. He lifted his hand to the black thread around her neck and caressed the little pendant. "I like these habits."

AUTHOR' NOTE

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