‘ohana means family’ — what surprise?

gauri was icing a cake with pink icing when her youngest child and only daughter ran in the kitchen, hiding behind her.

gauri: now what happened?

she kept the icing knife down and turned to face a little girl with fair skin, hair so thick, cascading down your delicate skin like midnight waves on a sandy beach and her eyes the colour of dark chocolate with flecks of hazel nut.

girl whispering: mummy, hide me somewhere

gauri smiled and then whispered: where and why?

girl whispering: uff! I have to explain everything! riom bhaiya is after my life.

gauri whispering: why is that?

girl whispering: I accident broke his laptop.

gauri gave her a soft yet stern look whispering: badmash!

girl whispering: name calling later! hide me!!!!!!!

gauri: accha theek hai.

she looks around and sees a kitchen cabinet big enough to fit a 5 yet to be 6 year old girl.

gauri whispering: hide in there, I will leave the door opened a bit ok?

the girl nodded and did as she was told. once gauri did as she said, she started to complete icing the cake and then riom came in.

riom: mum have you seen omira omkara singh oberoi?!

gauri: no and why are you using her full name?

riom: she is in trouble mum. she broke my laptop and i had a presentation on it.

gauri: really?

riom: haan. now tell me where she is.

gauri: that i don’t know but what i know is that your shivay uncle can get it fix.

riom: thanks goodness he breaks phones not laptops.

riom: hmmm thankfully. now go and leave ira alone. i know she is naughty but she will soon know your and your brothers’s feelings in a few months.

riom: oh yeah she will! then we’ll be the ones laughing.

gauri: accha leave her alone now, and finish off your maths.

riom: fine.

he goes from the kitchen and gauri says: ira, come out!

the little girl a.k.a omira, well better known as ira, frees herself from the cabinet and runs up to her mother saying: mummy, what happen in few months?

gauri: well ira, that’s a surprise and i will tell you on your birthday!

ira: tell me now.

she does a sad pout and big puppy eyes, but gauri didn’t melt for papa’s ladli. she bent to ira’s height and pulled her cheek lightly and said: aww mera baccha! just like your papa, always so impatient. if i tell you now, then it won’t be a surprise. you know how special surprises are. patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

ira: ok fine. i’ll wait.

gauri smiled and stood up: good girl. now go and play.

ira nods and goes from the room, whilst gauri continued icing the cake. once done. she kept it in the fridge and went upstairs where she found her jatadhari hippy in his art studio. she chupka chupka goes in as he was peacefully sitting sketching and then backhugged him. you could see om smiling, then he kept the pencil done and held her left hand, kissed it and then kissed her wedding ring.

om: so ira’s cake all done?

gauri: haan. kyunki those stupid cake people wouldn’t do it, then i had to do it.

om: true.

gauri: also aapka pyaari se ladli got herself in another mess.

om: matlab?

gauri: she decided to break riom’s laptop, and then riom got angry.

om: oh? my ladli would never do such a thing. she is such a good girl.

gauri: hmmm, good girl? very questionable. you spoiled her.

om: then explain our three sons! they got spoiled by you only.

gauri: shut up. at least my team is stronger!

om looked at her and she smiled innocently. then somehow he managed to get her from behind his chair to on his laps.

om huskily: oh really? fine maybe i only got one member in my team, but (he gently bite her lobe) i will have a new member in 7 months.

he kept his hand on gauri’s stomach, both smiling.

gauri: and tomorrow ira will finally know.

om: but gauri how will she take the news? remember when omir got to know about ira?

gauri: uff don’t remind me. he cried 5 nights straight.

both laughed thinking of the painful yet memorable moments.

om: at least he accepted ira.

gauri: haan thankfully. but ira…she is a drama queen na.

om: and who sent her to an acting club, as well as letting her watch these TV serials on star plus?

gauri: she gets interested in the TV serials and she asked me to put her in an acting club.

om: really?

gauri: haan. accha forget all this, i have to see if kids did their homework.

she got up but then she ended up back on om’s laps.

om: don’t leave yaar. if you leave, then who can i romance?

gauri: accha? now you want to do romance?

om nibbled her earlobe and then suck a spot on her neck. he then used one hand and kept a strand of gauri’s hair behind her ear and the other hand was around her waist. the two just looked at each other lovingly. om leaned to lock her lips in hers but then they heard footsteps in the room. gauri stood up and both turned to see ira.

ira walked up and said: daddy, help me open up chocolate.

om: of course meri jaan.

he took the chocolate from her and opened it, then took a small bite and gave it back to her.

ira: uff daddy, why you eat my chocolate?

om: kyunki iru, i was craving dark chocolate, and me and you have the same tastes just you like lots of sweet things.

gauri gave a disgust look as both father-daughter loved dark chocolate.

ira: oh okie! and mummy no make that face!

om: yeah mummy! listen to ira!

gauri rolled her eyes lovingly and let out a little chuckle seeing the father-daughter duo ganging up on her.

precap: ira’s birthday party

so what is the surprise guys?

there are lots of clues.

ppl who get it right will be mentioned in the next chapter.