Gauri looked around her— utter silence was all she heard. She opened the door and moved out of the car, sliding to the ground beside it. Her hands were unscathed but shaking. She took deep breaths, one after the other, trying to calm herself after the sudden shock she had just faced. Silently, she thanked her Shankerji for the expensive car she could afford, for if not for the airbags, the mere thought of what could have happened terrified her.

She looked around her surroundings, still dazed by the sudden collision. Slowly, she stood up and examined the car— the bumper was damaged, and she would need to get it either repaired or replaced. But that wasn’t her main concern right now. She had to reach the office. With trembling hands, she called a cab and took off.

"One chocolate ice cream, please," Omkara placed the order.

"Papa, Papa... Anaya needs butterscotch, Papa, butterscotch!" Anaya said, jumping with excitement.

"Acha, okay, we'll get my princess a butterscotch," he smiled and placed the order, watching Anaya jump and clap her hands. They both took their seats in the ice cream shop while waiting for the order.

"Sir, your order," the waitress said, placing the ice creams in front of Omkara and little Anaya.

"Slowly, princess, don't spill it on your uniform. Nahi toh maa naraz hogi," he softly warned Anaya.

"Anaya knows! She is a big girl," she smiled at Om, and he laughed.

"Okay, my big girl, let's finish the ice cream fast and go meet Maa."

As he started taking small bites from his ice cream cup, he felt something strange. It was one of those sensations where his heart wanted to cry, as if it felt something was wrong. He hadn’t experienced this feeling in a long time, and he hated it, but he couldn’t figure out why it was happening. 'It might be because of low blood pressure’ he thought, brushing off any negative thoughts his mind tried to conjure.

Gauri leaned back in the cab, her mind racing as she tried to process what had just happened. She clenched her hands tightly in her lap, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the phone call—Vaishnavi. Why now? Why after all these years? The questions tumbled through her mind, colliding with the lingering fear from the accident.

Meanwhile, Omkara finished his ice cream, but the uneasy feeling in his chest persisted. He glanced at Anaya, who was still happily eating her butterscotch ice cream, completely oblivious to his growing concern. He tried to push the feeling aside, but it clung to him like a shadow, dark and heavy.

"Are you done, princess?” he asked, his voice sounding a bit strained even to his own ears.

“Almost, Papa!” Anaya beamed, licking the last bit of ice cream from her spoon.

“Good girl. Let’s get you home so Maa doesn’t worry,” he said, smiling at her, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

As they drove back, Omkara couldn’t shake the sense that something was wrong. He reached for his phone, intending to call Gauri, only to find Gauri's phone instead. He sighed, realizing they must have accidentally switched phones earlier.

"The number you are calling, is not answering, please try again later" it said for the third time in a row. 'She must be in the meeting' Omkara said as he cut the call from the bluetooth speaker of his car. "Maa seems busy right now princess, how about we go home and finish the homework?" he asked Anaya and the little girl nodded "after homework,  playtime!"

Both Omkara and Anaya reached home and Om left Anaya in her room after making sure she had everything she needed to complete her homework. As he paced around the hallway, he mind was filled with worry which he knew was futile. Gauri was an adult; she could handle herself. She could probably manage an entire town if given a chance. But still, that uneasy feeling gnawed at him, refusing to be brushed aside. What if something had happened? He shook his head, trying to push the thought away, but the nervous sensation from the ice-cream shop still lingered, uncomfortably close.

Omkara couldn't stop pacing the hallway. The sense of unease that had started in the ice-cream shop had grown stronger, gnawing at him like an itch he couldn’t scratch. He tried to distract himself by checking his emails, but his mind kept drifting back to Gauri.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Omkara heard the familiar sound of the front door opening. He turned quickly, watching as Gauri stepped inside. She looked pale, her usual confident demeanor slightly shaken. Omkara immediately moved toward her, concern etched across his face.

"Gauri, are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

Gauri nodded weakly, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Yes, I’m fine. Just a lot on my mind," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Omkara reached out, gently taking her hand in his. It was then that he noticed the slight tremble in her fingers. "Are you sure? You seem… off," he pressed, his eyes searching hers for any sign of what was troubling her.

Gauri bit her lip, struggling to keep her emotions in check. She had promised herself she wouldn’t burden him with the details of the accident. It was just a scare, after all, and she had walked away unharmed. But the fear and shock had left her feeling more vulnerable than she cared to admit.

Without warning, a tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another. Gauri quickly wiped them away, but Omkara saw, his heart constricting at the sight. "Gauri…," he whispered, stepping closer to her.

She looked up at him, her resolve crumbling. Before she could stop herself, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. Omkara was momentarily taken aback, his body tensing as he instinctively responded to her embrace. He hadn’t expected this—Gauri wasn’t one to show weakness, and she rarely sought comfort from him like this.

He hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But then he gently placed his arms around her, holding her close. "It’s okay, I’m here," he murmured, his voice soft and reassuring.

Gauri clung to him, the tension in her body slowly ebbing away as she allowed herself to melt into his embrace. It was a rare moment of vulnerability for her, one she wasn’t sure she could afford, but right now, she needed it—needed him, even if just for a fleeting moment.

As Omkara held her, a part of him couldn't help but worry about Gauri's state. He had seldom seen her like this. Shaken, vulnerable, it almost felt like she would break right now. He tightened his embrace at that thought, he wouldn't let her break.

Gauri pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at him. Her eyes were still watery, and Omkara could see the turmoil in her gaze. "I… I’m sorry," she began, her voice shaky. "I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s just been a long day."

Omkara shook his head. "You don’t have to apologize, Gauri. I’m just glad you’re okay," he said, his tone gentle.

Gauri nodded, but the weight in her chest didn’t lift. She had to tell him, even if it wasn’t about the accident. "Omkara," she started, breaking the embrace, hesitating as she searched for the right words, "there’s something else…"

Omkara’s brow furrowed as he looked down at her, sensing that whatever she was about to say was important. "What is it?"

Gauri took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Vaishnavi called… earlier today," she finally confessed, watching his reaction closely.

Omkara’s eyes widened in surprise. "Vaishnavi?" he repeated, the name stirring memories he had buried deep.

Gauri nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "She asked to meet you. She said… she really needs to see you." Her voice was barely a whisper, the words heavy with the unspoken fears that had plagued her since she took that call.

Omkara felt a rush of emotions—shock, confusion, and something he couldn’t quite name. "I didn’t know… I didn’t know she would call," he said, his voice trailing off as he tried to process the news.

Gauri lowered her gaze, the reality of the situation sinking in. "I know," she said softly.

The air between them grew tense, thick with unspoken fears and the weight of the past. Omkara didn’t know what to say. His mind was a blur of memories, old wounds he had long since buried now threatening to resurface.

“I’m sorry, Gauri,” he finally said, his voice soft, pained. “I didn’t know... I didn’t expect this.”

She shook her head, wiping at her eyes. “It’s not your fault, Omkara. I just... I just needed to tell you. I didn’t want to keep it from you.”

He reached out, gently cupping her cheek, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb. “Thank you for telling me,” he whispered, his voice filled with a tenderness he didn’t fully understand. He knew he had to handle the situation with proper care. He couldn't hurt Gauri, not after what had happened yesterday. His heart just wouldn't allow him to look past this woman— to look past his home.

He held her hand tightly in his "let's go eat something okay? You don't look well, and even if you don't want to tell me what actually happened to you, I have to take care of you right now"

"But vaish—" Omkara cut her "we will take it step by step okay?"

She managed a small smile, grateful for his words, even if she wasn’t entirely convinced. But for now, it was enough. “Okay,” she whispered, her voice steadying. “Let’s take it step by step.”

[ please show your support in the form of likes or comments, they really help

Also, what are your thoughts about the pacing of the story? Should there be more inner monologues? Share your thoughts :)]