Arnav woke up the next day unaware of his surroundings until last night memory came crashing inside his head ,his eyes searched for Gauri only to find her missing in the room .         

He desperately wanted to search after her if only his legs cooperated with him. He had been getting better this past few weeks yet every day waking up remains the same . And last night he didn't even stretched his leg and fell asleep without massaging them that today it felt like two blocks of rocks ,he overheard voices and knew the rest of the house was awake still his legs failed to corporate with his need to find Gauri .               

At the sound of footsteps he looked up to see Rahul standing outside the door with a smile , and Arnav heart leapt with happiness to see the little one . Rahul rushed over to wish him good morning and Arnav tried to keep up with his pace ,he was getting better at it but not enough to understand everything but he learnt enough to knew his cousin is visiting .               

The thought brought back about what Gauri told him last night ,his sister actions had left Gauri vulnerable to the Monster ,it still hurt him to think of his Gauri afraid of everyone after enduring such an nightmare ,he understood the reason for the fear behind her eyes now better and it made him feel mad all over again with his sister . 

              
Arnav and his family always let Kavya get away with her dramatic behaviour , most of times it had been her way of getting into an character that they never took her seriously but his sister had managed to be the cause of Gauri hurt , a hurt he could never take back . His expression must have been off that Rahul face flashed with concern that he tried to regain control of his emotions as well as the function of his legs .  

         
By the time he made his way out with Rahul ,the entire Singhania clan was awake and on the breakfast table along with his cousin ,he couldn't return his cousin smile because he was still reeling from last night truth that he had been surprised when his cousin informed him that Gauri had agreed to go to shopping with her for Lavanya wedding , he didn't know how Gauri managed to keep her emotions under control .          

Arnav didn't blame his cousin or his sister directly , he was just hurt that their actions caused Gauri pain . But he couldn't imagine how Gauri could remain calm around them ,he remembered the first time Gauri met Kavya and had a panic attack ,back then it didn't make sense and now it did just like every other puzzle pieces that he couldn't understand about his wife before last night .         

Yet she was here in this house because Arnav wanted her to meet his family, suddenly he wanted to take Gauri and Rahul back to Chennai . He had been cruel to make Gauri visit this place when she had a Valid reason to stay away .          

" We got something else to do, " Anrav spoke up as he tried to decline the visit ,he saw his cousin face fall at his words but he wasn't going to subject Gauri to yet another day with his family as he was sure the entire Maheshwari clan and Khanna Clan would be active part of the shopping today .            

" We will come Lavanya but just had to make short visit on our way " Gauri answered back tactfully overriding his answer but yet not exposing his lie ,he couldn't understand why she would want to do it willingly but he knew enough to not say a word In front of his cousin .            

They barely had time to talk alone after Lavanya left ,Gauri surprisingly kept to herself that he spent the time with Rahul and Ishaan , Arnav missed Gauri's brother . He used to spend lot of time with her brother back when they adopted him until he went to the army and it was like he broke up with not just Gauri but her entire family .            

" I am meeting Lavanya in the shop " Gauri words greeted him few hours later and he wanted to ask her lot of questions but couldn't voice them out ,he agreed to drop her off and had no plans to stay behind . His emotions were still running high and facing his sister would not end well ,as if knowing his reasons Gauri didn't ask him much along the way .

               
He felt like he failed her , the last few hours he realized his sister may have acted recklessly but he had been the cause of her actions ,he never told anyone why they broke up and he didn't stay around to smooth the situation either and let Gauri handle the fall out . His sister loved him and may have felt the blame rested on Gauri when it had been his fault .              

" Don't think too much Arnav, you will keep going in circles . " Gauri spoke up as they reached the shop . He could only afford a weak smile in return because all he could do was think and think some more after last night .            

" I am trying Gauri , but give me some time " he promised her as he drove away leaving her facing everyone alone then regretted it a second away from her that he drove back to the shop . He could control himself for an hour that was he believed until he saw Gauri in someone else embrace .              

He remembered Ishaan speaking to him today about Gauri initial days where she would refuse to let anyone touch her , Ishaan was a kid back then but now he knew her sister reasons better .         

" Di, Still doesn't like it if anyone touches her except Rahul . She knew it would freak us out so she would hug me and dad so that we won't worry but we knew that it always a ordeal to her . Yet mom told me that she hugged you without hesitation ,she was so happy about it that it was all she talked with dad last night . I am just telling you because I really do think you can help Di get better ,she still has those nightmares everyday except last night . " Ishaan spoke up ,it was the longest Gauri brother ever spoken to him but behind those words were the helplessness of a brother.          

So he didn't think twice before marching towards the stranger ,so sure that Gauri needs rescuing until he stopped walking when he heard her laugh , she looked really happy to see the stranger as she kept smiling with him.  He had taken Ishaan words to heart , maybe Gauri was better now .         

Still he didn't like the stranger for some reason , the stranger was the first to spot him and his face held a warm welcome that Arnav felt like a fool for being jealous for a moment . He only met him few times before he went to Army but he wasn't a stranger anymore as he looked at his cousin fiancee's best friend .        

It was only then Gauri eyes looked to meet his face and he was glad she didn't ask him the reason for his return because he had none . Akash Reddy ,the man who had managed to put Gauri at ease in a matter of seconds was still talking with her as they walked inside the shop .       

This time around he saw his cousin rushing to embrace Akash with a joyful smile ,and Arnav eyes looked up to see her fiancee smiling at the two of them . Maybe Arnav had missed something ,maybe Akash had been married already the thought gave him some comfort until his eyes fell on his sister and everything else faded away . 

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Gauri had been so relieved when Lavanya choose not to ask her any questions when Rahul kind of told her about the strangeness of her marriage with Arun that she quickly agreed to the shopping trip until she realized Arnav didn't have enough time to deal with everything .   

She should have taken Arnav way out when he suggested they had plans but seeing her best friend smile fall at the pronouncement she couldn't do so , then she went into hiding on her own . She didn't want to talk about anything else , there was still lot to tell him about her marriage with Arun and her past brushes with self harm but it can wait because she wasn't ready to talk about them yet .       

Gauri wanted to leave without telling Arnav but she knew he would worry , so she asked him to drop her off and gave him the only advise her psychiatrist gave her when she couldn't stop thinking about the day .      

Her gloomy mood brightened up when she spotted Akash , they met on few occasions awhile her best friend Lavanya was in College as she stayed in Akash house . He had what one would call charm and it was evident in the way he greeted her .

      
" So glad to see you  . Now you can deal with the bride and I can take the groom , being friend of both bride and groom is exhausting" Akash spoke up and Gauri smiled at his antics , when he hugged her it was a relief to know she didn't feel like he was a stranger . Maybe she was getting better or maybe after meeting Arnav her level of fear had reduced considerably that she isn't seeing threat in friends touch .

           
When she spotted Arnav walking towards them ,she knew he returned back for her and when her best friend rushed into greet Akash ,Gauri was beginning to hope this day would go well because she had heard from Lavanya often about how Akash could always make everyone laugh until she noticed Arnav stiffen up beside her and that when she looked up to see his glance directed towards his sister . 
  
         
" It not her fault Arnav " Gauri whispered to him , she knew it must be hard for him to learn that his sister played a part but Gauri hadn't kept it a secret this long for Kavya to find out now .       

" I know but I am still angry " he spoke up low enough that she heard him but didn't know how to help him sort out his feelings when even after four years she hadn't come to terms with it fully .           

Gauri let a sigh of relief when Arnav got a call that diverted his attention until his face lost his colour that she knew he had some bad news .     

" What going on Arnav " Gauri asked him when he looked lost and worried .      

" Rahul is missing " He spoke up three words and suddenly she couldn't breath ,she knew she was going to fall apart ,she knew she hadn't conquered her fears that she was going to have another panic attack . Somehow the only thing that kept her from fading away had been the fact that her son needed her .        

" Let go .." Gauri spoke up as they both rushed out leaving other unaware of their departure , back then the two of them were focused on Rahul that they didn't even tell anyone else , on the drive back Arnav told her that he went missing in Meera house awhile Ishaan took Rahul to play and she knew at the moment where to find her son .         

" They must have him ,they must have found out " Gauri spoke up but it looked like Arnav was already thinking about it as well .          

When they reached the Maheshwari house , Ishaan met them outside with worry but Gauri footsteps didn't walk towards Meera house but rather towards their neighbor .She knew her son was inside the house.        

           
She knocked on the door violently until it open to the person who saved her life but also was the father of the man who destroyed her in the first place ,she always had a mixed reaction when she thought about him
         
She often wondered if he had regretted killing his son for her ,her father once told her the reason he hesitated to fire was because he was worried that it would accidentally hit her but not once did he hesitate to fire the shot against his son , the shot that saved her from death and so she couldn't raise her voice against him .            

" Where is my Son? " Gauri asked him ,and waited for him to respond

P.S :" That it for now ..Let me know your thoughts and feedback. Hit the votes if you liked it "

Love
Juanita Reid