The Abyss – Ishqbaaz FF by Aashi (chapter-9)

The Abyss-Ishqbaaz FF by Aashi

Chapter-9

Omkara’s art exhibition was held on that Saturday. In spite of his busy schedule, his art works, managing his family and Shivaay and all his problems, he had managed to formulate a full-fledged plan with the help of Anika and Saahil. He had planned the execution of its first step on Sunday evening. It is a really needful step and he had worked hard for it. Shivaay was confined at home after his heart attack and Rudra was hardly at home, partying the whole nights and slept in days. It was a sudden change and he hated it. Roaming down his exhibition-gallery, he glanced around uninterestedly, nodding at some known artists, smiling at business associates, he weaved through the crowd. Despite of the rough weather outside, there was quite a big crowd at the center. Om sensed a wave of satisfaction as he watched biddings going on and purchases being made, he had achieved something at last. Tired with the day’s work Om slept as soon as his head the pillow.
The next morning Gauri woke up feeling refreshed. All these nights, she had been thinking intently on Anika’s proposal and had decided to take the offer.

Best of it was she had a chance to make friends with Anika and her children would be safe too. Gauri weighted all the possibilities in her consciences and decided what she thought the best for her children. She made up her mind to drop by Anika’s canteen to inform her before going to office, rather, going to the OM. These days at OM had been rather interesting as she had been able to see Ms. Oberoi and had conversed with her twice, heard the story of his boss’ dadi’s ishqbaazi and managed to hear about his broken engagement, which was presumably a hush-hush topic. So, other than the work load, she was amused. Another thing that made her long to go to the OM was a beautiful painting of rising sun, emerging from amongst the clouds and darkness. Somehow the painting made her hopeful in midst of all trouble at work. In the right hand corner, a small scribble was present, neatly in beautiful calligraphy-Omkara.

Anika was delighted to receive a positive reply from Gauri but anticipated the end of the day. Om and Soumya were to meet at her place & Om’s reply-whether positive or negative, decided their further course of action. During the afternoon, Anika went for Saahil’s physiotherapy session and completed the paperwork at the hospital as Saahil was to be operated on the next Tuesday.

Gauri ripped the hard copy of the presentation and bond out of the file, frustrated, and began creating another without noticing her boss at the door. “Ms. Sharma, can you please explain this behavior of yours?” he inquired tauntingly. “Well, according to me, if something goes wrong but not wholly and you can rectify it, then doing another mistake, we can make everything all right again” she said without looking up, arranging the sheets according to need this time, underlining some lines at intervals, cutting some on other. Shivaay suddenly had a double take; it completely fitted the situation he and Anika were in. Praying silently for forgiveness, he left the room without another word.

When Rudra returned home from morning gym, he was surprised to see ‘O’ sitting on his bed. It was a rare sight to see O in his room. “Hi O, you here? Any problem? You need something?” he asked in his casual manner. “Nah yaar, come lets have our lunch together” seeing the astounded look at his brother’s face, he added “what? Why are you looking as if I have grown two heads?” “Om, mere bhai, aaj tujhe ho kya gya hai? Matlab daura to bhaiya ko parta tha na, Anika di ke according, lekin aaj tu….” “Dumbbell Singh Oberoi, maine tujhe lunch pe invite kiya hai, jung (war) par nhi. Isme tujhe kya pagalpan lag rha hai? Chal ab jaldi tyyar ho jaa.” “Okay” Rudra replied, dazed at this sudden change. Once Rudra showered and changed, he and Om went together in Om’s car to the lunch destination which was unknown to Rudra.

In the car they talked about various topics-their old days, O’Bro moments, Anika’s entry and the billu-billi moments. Om deliberately talked about love angel which he had learnt Soumya was. A glance at his brother’s face told him that he was uncomfortable with the topic but he chattered animatedly about the night of Shivaay’s kal-aaj aur kal and about Soumya throwing water on Rudra. He sensed Rudra’s discomfort but pursued the topic as he needed some answers but didn’t wanted to force his brother openly but once he stated Soumya was back in the town did Ru opened his mouth telling him to stop the car. With a confused façade, Om stopped the car. The road was a connecting one and was rather lonely; other than trees on both side and a speeding vehicle once a while not a soul was present. Om clearly recognized the devastated look on his brother’s face but he steeled his heart to know what was in his brother’s heart. In all these months, he had come to know that all truth has two sides, so he wanted to know the complete truth as well as his brother’s feelings.

“Ru, you okay?” he asked. Rudra looked at the concerned face of his brother and he knew he needed to tell the secret he had been guarding the last seven months. “O, I need to tell you something. It’s….umm…..a secret.”

“Dumbbell, I know about all your girlfriends so that’s not a secret. And I….” Om managed to keep a teasing tone though his heart beat irregularly against his chest. “O, it’s serious.” Rudra bit his bottom lip in order to formulate the words for his confession. “Ru, you and serious in one sentence…..well, this is new.” Om tried his best; a last attempt. “I’m married to Soumya…….” Rudra declared in a broken whisper. “And….” Om probed his brother lightly. Rudra was stunned at his calmness but managed to tell “for her it’s a mistake which she doesn’t want to remember. O, I have fallen in love with her…..” he told with stark reality, looking directly in his brother’s eyes. “Come on Ru, you fall in love every second day; you can’t be serious ever”. “Yeah, that’s why I didn’t go on a date in the last seven months, that’s why I began taking my studies seriously, that’s why I became Rudra and not Rudy.”

“Come, let’s have our dinner first.” Rudra tried to look understand what was in O’s mind but the latter avoided eye-contact. “O, you knew. Right?” he inquired, a sense of dread overcoming him. “O?”

“I met Soumya some days before. I forced her to tell me” he answered simply, starting the car. “Do you really love her Rudra? ‘Cause I won’t tolerate if you turn into something like Mr. Oberoi. I know I’m being harsh but please answer me truthfully.”

Taking a deep breath, Rudra said “O, since the time I came to know what a father was I understood he is what Bhaiya is for us but somehow I always craved for papa to love us; Prinku got some of his attention but I always turned to Bhaiya or you for that. All your love, care & attention made me a cry baby and I always thought if anything goes wrong you or Bhaiya will manage it. When I married Soumya I wished to reverse it not only because she was fat and unattractive in my terms then but also because I was commitment phobic all thanks to the closest marriages to us. I always had a day or two-girlfriends as I was afraid they will make place in my heart and leave me so I left them before they could do that to me. Soumya left as I hurled insults at her or avoided her. It used to hurt me as well but I decided to ignore the fact that I had fallen for her. After Anika di left, I told her she was the reason for every wrong thing in my life when she tried comfort me; I told her she and the marriage was the biggest mistake I ever committed. Next day when I went to apologize to her she had left. After her departure, I understood the place she held in my life and heart but I respected her decision and her need of some space so didn’t persuade her to come back. O but you need to understand that I can’t force her to stay in this relation as I have committed many mistakes already and I too know she’s back” he concluded. Om digested everything his brother said.

“You won’t hurt her but will you trust always? I don’t know but I think you should give this marriage a chance” stopping his car outside an eatery “Let’s go and eat before I faint; I’m famished” laughing they made their way inside.

Om’s call made Anika relived and they decided to meet on Friday that week and not on that very day. She left her canteen open in hands of her efficient and trustworthy friend Chanda and went to have her lunch along with Saahil before taking him for his physiotherapy session. She went in to find the house strangely quiet and lights switched off. Despite of it, the room was well lit by the windows thrown open. Scanning the room Anika found Saahil was missing-and so were his crutches.

“…….YES Khanna I’m totally sure but is the work complete……. Do you need a slap to understand it….I guessed so…….stop pestering me now and bring it home.” Shivaay hung up with a frustrated sigh. Rubbing his hands over his temples, calming himself down, he pressed another button for call but this time with a victorious smirk.

Anika almost jumped at the ringtone of her own phone. Distractedly, she pressed the answer button and put the device against her ears. “GOOD AFTERNOON, ANIKA” Anika shivered at the tone of bagar billa “searching for something or better say, someone, are you?” she froze. “Meet me at my office in an hour sharp” his voice came through the cell “be fast Paanika, I’m waiting.” Anika felt fear grip his throat and it became hard for her to breathe. She recalled the twenty four hour challenge and how she had almost failed in it. Saahil was her everything and she couldn’t afford to lose him. Springing into action, she took her Champa to meet the devil.
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Hi everyone, it’s me Aashi back with another chapter. I have no idea of what I’m writing so please the crap which I call a story. Please leave your reviews. Thank you all for supporting and encouraging me.
Thank you, Everyone.
By Aashi.
Link to previous episodes: https://www.tellyupdates.com/user/13322/?profiletab=posts