Your kiss, my cheek
I watched you leave
Your smile, my ghost
I fell to my knees
When you’re young, you just run
But you come back to what you need
-This love, Taylor Swift
“Why Gauri? Why did you take that bullet for me? Why?” Omkara broke down. “I can’t live without you Gauri, please wake up soon. Please. I woke up that day when you called me right? Won’t you listen to me? Won’t you wake up? Your Omkara is asking you to wake up. You have to Gauri. Please…”
As if by some miracle, Gauri’s fingers moved and Omkara looked at her in wonder. Then he called for the doctor. The doctor sent him outside while he checked her vitals. Gauri had gained consciousness and after making sure she was completely okay, the doctor went out and informed the families that she was fine now and one among them could see her at the moment.
Everyone exchanged looks as all of them wanted to meet her.
“Omkara,” Vasundhra called out softly. “Go in and meet her.”
And like a child who had gotten his favourite candy, Omkara went in happily passing her a look filled with gratefulness.
“Omkara?” He heard her call him weakly as he entered. The moment their eyes met, Omkara felt like he had won the whole world. How he missed looking into those eyes. “Are you fine?” She asked softly.
How could someone be so selfless? Here she was shot and on the verge of dying and she’s asking me if I’m fine!? Omkara wondered as he walked towards her.
“I should be asking you that.” Omkara replied with a glare as he sat beside her and held her hand. “Anyway to answer your question, no I wasn’t fine. I almost died seeing you like that. Why did you jump in Gauri? Are you some kind of a wonder woman?”
“Omkara I..”
“No don’t say anything. I’m very angry at you. Do you know how worried we all got? I felt like I almost lost you Gauri…” he said as tears streamed down his eyes.
Gauri quickly wiped away his tears with her other hand and then kept it on top of his hands which held hers and tightly clutched onto it. “I got scared that I would loose you..I can’t live without you Omkara..” she said as tears filled her eyes.
“Don’t try to pacify me. I’m very angry at you.” On seeing her smile, he frowned, “Am I doing some comedy show that you’re smiling? I’m angry, Gauri.”
“You look very cute when you’re angry.” She said pinching his nose.
“You’re mad!” Omkara said trying to hide the sudden blush that had crept up on his face.
“Yeah mad in your love!” She said cheekily.
“Don’t flirt with me right now. I’m not falling for your sweet talks. I’m angry at you Gauri. What you did, do you realise it could’ve taken your life!” He said with hurt. “What would I have done in that case? If something had happened to you, then how would I live Gauri? Don’t be like one of those sacrificing TV show leads!”
“Hey, don’t insult them.” She said with a frown, clearly offended.
“I won’t let you watch those stupid stuff now! Those serials are putting all these wrong ideas into your head!” Omkara said with determination.
“You can’t do that, you won’t!” She said shocked.
“Oh you don’t know what I can and can’t.” He replied with a smirk.
“I will watch those!” She replied matching his level of determination. If he was stubborn, so was she!
“Gauri, don’t be stubborn.” He warned.
“Omkara, you don’t be stubborn.” Gauri replied. “I would’ve pulled the stunt even if I didn’t watch serials. The idea to jump in and protect you came from my brain not from any daily soaps! Give me the credit, not daily soaps!” She said, offended.
“You’re proud of your stupid idea?” He asked in shock. “You didn’t do a stunt in a blockbuster film that you become so proud about it, you risked your life!”
“Of course I’m satisfied, my work is done, you’re safe.”
“Gauri, why don’t you understand!?” He asked frustrated at how small she thought the whole incident to be. “You could’ve died!”
“And why don’t you understand Omkara?” She asked with the same tone. “That I couldn’t think of anything else at that moment. I saw someone aiming at you, there was that laser mark on your suit and all I could think of was YOU and YOUR SAFETY. I didn’t think about anything else, didn’t care about anything else.”
“Gauri-”
“You should know why I did it more than anyone else.” She said softly. She knew that he would’ve done the same had he been in her place, but she hoped that such a day never came.
“Did you see the man..?” He asked instead. Her mother had already showed him the mirror.
“He was covered in black.. I didn’t see his face.” She replied. “Is he caught?”
“Yeah. Khanna caught him.”
“That’s good, who was it?”
“The Raichands. Our business rival.”
“They did something so low?” Gauri asked in shock. How could someone try to kill another person just because of a business rivalry?
“You thought you would die didn’t you?” Omkara whispered “That’s why you confessed right…?”
Gauri looked away hesitating for a moment, then looking into his eyes she said, “I was never scared of death, Omkara.. but yesterday when I got shot, for the first time I was scared…scared to die…to leave you…Because I had finally started to truly love my life, I wanted to live with you. Do everything that I hadn’t before. I wanted to experience love, I wanted to live life.”
“Why did you jump in then?” Omkara asked pleadingly, the tears in his eyes falling down.
“I couldn’t let anything happen to you, whom would I live with if something happened to you? Besides I’m fine now right?” Gauri said as she tried to smile.
“Gauri.. I can’t bear to loose you. Don’t love me so much that you risk your life for me..because without you, there’s no meaning in my life. Please don’t pull such stunts ever again…Please, I don’t want such a love where you won’t be there fit and fine by my side, where your only concern is me and not yourself.”
“As long as your love is with me, I’ll be fine. Besides, didn’t I promise in our wedding to spend this whole life and all the upcoming lives only with you?” Gauri asked raising her eyebrows. “You’re tied to me forever. I’m not leaving you just like that, whether you like it or not.” She grinned at him.
Omkara smiled a little at that, “Don’t you dare, otherwise I’m gonna follow you to the ends of earth and pull you right towards me.” He placed a kiss on her temple and Gauri closed her eyes as his lips pressed down on her forehead, giving her comfort and warmth, a kiss of respect, love and security.
“I love you Gauri.”
“I know.” Gauri said winking at him.
“Won’t you say it back?” Omkara asked frowning.
“I love you too Mr Omkara Singh Oberoi!”
“You know yesterday I had planned out first night.” Omkara said with a mischievous smile. “But looks like I’ll have to wait more.”
“Youuuuu!!!” Gauri said pushing him away with a smile. Pain shot through her as she did that and she winced.
“Gauri!” Omkara called out alarmed. “What happened? Should I call the doctor? Wait I’ll just-”
“I’m finee..” Gauri assured “Stop panicking.”
“Are you sure?”
“Ya.”
“Is it hurting very bad?”
“I’m really fine Mr. Concerned Kara.”
“God, Gauri!!” He said rolling his eyes at her antics. “Only because of two people.”
“What?” She asked confused.
“You had lost a lot of blood. If Shivaay and Prinku hadn’t donated blood on time…”
“Shivaay bhaiyaa and Prinku?” She asked surprised to which Om nodded. “I want to meet them…” She said becoming tensed all of a sudden.
“What happened Gauri? Why did you become tensed?” He asked.
“Woh…bhaiya…I want to see him.” She said a little worried, “Is he fine?”
“Gauri,” Omkara called out to her extra sweetly and said, “You are the one who’s admitted, not me or Shivaay.”
Gauri just smiled.
“I’m sorry for taking you to the party. I shouldn’t have pestered you to join me-”
“Omkara Singh Oberoi. I had already lost my mind when you got into that accident. I wouldn’t able to take another bullet case!” She said sternly.
“And me being worried was fine?” He asked.
“I’m just glad were both safe.” Gauri replied instead.
To be continued…
Thanks for reading!
Stay safe!