*The next day, in Gauri's room*

Gauri: (Carrying Avyaya) Arre, meri chiraiya uth gayi! Uth gayi meri chiraiya! Subah subah kitni pyaar lagti ho! Warna tumhaare papa? Ek dum sade hue karele ki tarah---

[Gauri turned around and saw Om standing inside the room, with his arms folded, and an annoyed look on his face.

He had heard everything!]

Om: Aur kya kehne waali thi tum?

Gauri: Uhh...Wahi! Ki aap subah subah sade hue karele bann jaate hai! Na muskaan, na khushi na---

Om: abhi se hi buraai meri beti ke saamne kar rahi ho?

Gauri: Buraai nahi, sach bol rahe hai! aur haan, yeh humaari bhi beti hai, bhooliye ga mat!

Om: Sirf 5 mahine ke liye, woh bhi mat bhoolna

Gauri: (Leaving) Hum neeche jaa rahe hai, aapki bakwaas ke liye waqt nahi hai, humaare paas

Om: Avyaya ko mujhe de do, main uske saath hona chahta hoon

[Gauri handed Avyaya over to Om and left the room, until she heard Om's voice and then Avaya's laughter. She stopped in her tracks and peeped into the room and saw Om carrying Avyaya, and then gently throwing her up and down in the air, making Avyaya roar with laughter.

Tears formed in her eyes as she saw him play with Avyaya.

Om was such a doting father!

Om then began cradling Avyaya and showed her birds and trees, before placing several kisses on her cheek, making Avyaya giggle.

For some reason, Gauri was incredibly happy. She had never seen Om so happy and calm before.

The anger, the attitude, the ego disappeared the moment Avyaya was around.

Avyaya was changing him into a better person, and that made Gauri happy.]

Om: (Kissing Avaya's cheek) Tumhe pata hai tum shaayad duniya ki sabse khoobsurat ladki ho? Zindagi par tumhe protect karunga, aur haan, tumhe boyfriends allowed nahi hai, samjhi?!

[Avyaya gave him a wide smile, making Om's heart incredibly happy.

Gauri giggled at his words. He was so overprotective!]

Gauri: (To herself) Aap se dur rehne ka dukh toh hai, parr khushi zyaada hai kyun ki aapko humaari beti se itna lagaav ho gaya hai, Omkara ji.

[Gauri wiped her tears and was walking towards the kitchen, when she met Anika on the way.]

Gauri: Bhojaiji? Aap neeche kyun hai? Iss haalat mein itna chalna theek nahi hai!

Anika: Uffo! Mujhe thodi bhook lag rahi thi toh---

Gauri: Accha, aap yahi baithiye, hum kuch banaakar laate hai

Anika: Arre nahi, Gauri. Main kar loongi

Gauri: Koi jaroorat nahi hai! Ab humaari baari hai Seva kare ki, aap baithiye! Aapke liye kamaal ke aloo puri banaakar laate hai!

Anika: Sach?! Haye, mazaa aayega!

[Gauri went into the kitchen and began cooking scrumptious aloo puris, while Anika patiently waited. As she placed the aloo puris on the plate and gave them to Anika, she saw Om walk down the stairs, holding Avyaya in her arms and then hand her over to Jhanvi.

The family loved Avyaya, and that made Gauri so happy!

Gauri headed back to the kitchen to make tea, and placed the vessel on the stove, before making the tea.

Gauri was so lost in her thoughts, that she barely noticed Om enter the kitchen.

Her mind kept playing the incident of Om playing with Avyaya.

"Tumhe pata hai tum shaayad duniya ki sabse khoobsurat ladki ho? Zindagi par tumhe protect karunga, aur haan, tumhe boyfriends allowed nahi hai, samjhi?!"

Lost in thought, Gauri didn't even realise that the tea was boiling and had split over until om rushed and quickly turning off the stove.]

Om: (Turning off the stove) Dhyaan kaha hai tumhaara? Chai kharaab karne waali thi tum!

Gauri: (Confused) K-ka?

Om: God, kuch nahi!

[Gauri shrugged her thoughts and picked up the handle of the vessel to pour the tea, until she realised how hot it was and immediately dropped it, before moving her hand in pain.]

Gauri: (Dropping the vessel) Ouch! Ahh!

[Om immediately turned around and rushed to Gauri's side, to help her, like it was his natural instinct.

He immediately held her hand, trying to examine the burn before scolding her.]

Om: (Worried) Tumhaara dhyaan kaha hai! Haath jal gaya hai, woh bhi buri tarah! Itni laparwarh kaise ho sakti ho tum?

Gauri: (In pain) Woh hum---

*Suddenly, Naina enters*

Naina: Om darling, woh...yeh kya chal raha hai?

Om: (Examining Gauri's hand) Naina, fridge se woh ice pack lekar aao, aur woh first aid box bhi

Naina: Om lekin---

Om: Naina, please! Fast!

[Gauri was shocked by the way Om spoke to Naina, just for her.]

Naina: (Annoyed) Yeh lo. Main baahar intezaar kar rahi hoon

*Naina leaves*

[Om placed the placed the ice pack on Gauri's burnt fingers, while blowing air at the wound, to cool it down.

Gauri, on the other hand, was too shocked to react.

What had happened to him? Why was he suddenly so caring?

Yesterday he beat up a man for insulting her, today he was bothered by seeing Gauri in pain.

What was happening to him.

She wouldn't fall for this.

Not for the same man who insulted her, and mistrusted her.]

Gauri: (Letting go his grip) Hum apna khyaal khud rakh sakte hai. Aapko ee sab karne ke koi jaroorat nahi hai

Om: Tumhaari yeh zidd kabhi nahi jaayeegi na?

Gauri: Dekhiye, humaara rishta alag ho chuka hai. Waise bhi, aapki premika baahar aapka intezaar kar rahi hai, jaayie usske paas

[As Gauri tried to walk away and leave she felt a grip on her hand, making her shudder.]

Om: Tumhe koi farak nahi padta na?

Gauri: (Boldly) Nahi. Hume koi farak nahi padta. Jaayie, aapki premika aapka intezaar kar rahi hai

[Om then headed towards the hall and saw Naina sitting there rather impatiently.]

Naina: Thank god! God kitni der laga di tumne!

Anika: (Interrupting) Arre Om, woh---Arre! Aa gayi kameeni? Mera matlab hai, Naina! Kaisi ho?

Naina: Theek hoon, Anika

Om: Kya hua bhabhi? Sab theek toh hai?

Anika: (Making an excuse) A-actually mere peeth mein bahut dard hai, toh araam karna chah rahi thi. Tum Avyaya ko dekh sakte ho kya? I mean, I understand Naina bhi important hai par---

Om: Of course bhabhi! Aap jaayie na!

[Anika was relieved. She finally got om to not go anywhere with that witch!]

Naina: Om darling, kyun na hum Avyaya ko bhi apne saath lekar chale? I mean, waise bhi, main isske step mom jo banne waali hoon!

Gauri: Oye! humaari beti kahi nahi jaayegi! Aur tum, Naina-Sunaina, jo bhi ho, meri beti ke kareeb bhi aayi, toh taange tod dungi!

[Om immediately pulled Gauri's arm and dragged her to one side, before scolding her.]

Om: (angry) Tumhe baat karne ki tameez nahi hai kya? Tumhe sharam nahi aati, aisi baatein karte hue?

Gauri: Aap ko bhi sharam nahi aati? Ek beti ke baap hote hue, kissi doosri aurat se saath gulcharrey uda rahe ho?

Om: Oh, I see! Toh tumhe farak padta hai! Tum jealous feel kar rahi ho!

Gauri: Ji nahi! Hum pni beti ki raksha kar rahe hain! Kaan khol kar baat sunlijiye humaari! Humaari beti, uss cheapdi ke paas nahi jaayegi!

Om: Zubaan sambhaal kar baat karo!

Gauri: Nahi sambhaalenge!

[Gauri walked back and carried Avyaya before walking to Anika's room to give her company.

Om couldn't believe that Gauri spoked to him in such a manner.

The tadi, the anger, the attitude-The same things that made Om fall for Gauri.

He shrugged his thoughts and walked back to Naina, who was visibly pissed.]

Naina: (Annoyed) Did you hear what she said?! I mean, wow! She has no manners!

Om: Woh bass Avyaya ko lekar thodi protective hai, I apologise on her behalf

Naina: I'm really stunned! I can't imagine tum uss jaisi ladki se shaadi kaise kar sakte ho! I mean, she's so down market!

Om: Accha, ab baahar chalein? Mujhe bahut bhook lagi hai!

[Om conveniently dodged Naina's remark, but a part of him didn't like that she called Gauri down market.

Gauri was not down-market. Not at all.

Gauri, on the other hand, was in Anika's room, crying.]

*In Anika's room*

Gauri: (Crying) Woh bahut badal gaye hai, bhojaiji! Bahut badal gaye hai! Matlab uss cheapdi ke liye, humse ladhai kar rahe the! Humse! Jisne hamesha unka saath diya!

Anika: Gauri, rona band karo, bass! Tum kyun uss par aansoon gawah rahi ho?

Gauri: Arre woh cheapdi toh apne aap ko sauteli maa bhi kehne lagi!

Anika: Gauri, Om bahut bada bewakoof hai! Lekin mujhe pata hai, ki woh abhi bhi tumse pyaar karta hai. Jo bhi ho, unn dono ka rishta zyaada der nahi tikega!

Gauri: Aapko kaise pata?

Anika: Kyun ki bhagwaan ne tumhaara naam Om ke saath jod liya hai, uss chudail ka nahi!

[After an hour or so, Gauri left the room with Avyaya in her arms, and Anika began coming up with another plan.

Naina and Om were getting annoyingly close to each other, and she couldn't let that happen!

She immediately dialled Rudra's number to speak to him.]

*On the phone*

Rudra: Haan bhabhi, boliye!

Anika: Rudra, lagta hai Gauri ke temporary hero ki entry karwaani padegi!

Rudra: Perfect, bhabhi!

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Oooh!! Gauri ke zindagi mein koi aur!!!

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Thank you for reading!!