"Mom," Rudra called her when he saw Jhanvi about to knock on his brother's door.

"What happened mom? I told you to rest."

"Is he okay?" she asked in a guilt ridden voice.

"I think so. I have been keeping watch for some time now and he didn't break anything. Chulbul Bhabhi is in there with him, he should be fine. You can see him tomorrow," he said and she nodded her head with a smile.

"When is that botox lomdi going out mom?"

"I don't know Rudy. Let us hope it is soon," she said before walking away.

As she passed the corridor to reach another room, she hesitated before entering. She knocked and when she got the permission, she entered it.

"Jhanvi, is Om okay?" Tej asked her and she scoffed.

"Very much worried. Aren't we?"

"Why do you say that. I always loved him Jhanvi and I....."

"Of course you love him. You just have a weird way of expressing it."

Tej sighed and said, "I have realized my mistake in trusting Svetlana. I promise I will never repeat it."

"I don't care who you trust or who you don't Tej. It is none of my business. I don't want my son's life to get affected anymore. After everything we put him through, he has finally found happiness now and I will do anything to keep it with him. Get him out of this mess soon."

"I want that too. I want him to be happy too and that is why..."

"What does she want?"

"She didn't tell me Jhanvi. She has just blackmailed me with the video saying she needs to talk to Omkara and for that she wants to stay here for a few days."

"What does she want to talk?"

"I have no idea."

"Urghhh... what is the use of all the power you say you have. Do something fast."

"I cannot. Until that video is with her, we have to agree to whatever she says."

"Then get that video from her."

"I am on it." he assured and she sighed helplessly.

***************************************************************************************************

"The story is about two sisters who were left by their parents, who were two against the whole world," she started and he listened.

"One of the girls was probably nine and the other girl was five in age. An orphanage provided them shelter and they thought that they were safe until they grow old enough to come out of the place. Little that they know that in a few months they would be separated forever," she said.

"The little girl had no memory of her parents but she remembered her sister being dragged away from her. She was so lost and unhappy that she cried for days but her adoptive parents loved her so much that she gradually began to like them. Today twenty years since that day, they are all that she has," Gauri completed.

"So, she doesn't know where her big sister is?" Omkara asked.

"No, Omkara ji. But she wishes to meet her one day."

The longingness in her voice was unmistakable and he knew she was talking about herself.

"Shouldn't she try and look for her?"

"Doesn't that mean ignoring her parent's love?"

"No Gauri. She can have both. Even her sister must be missing her. Don't you think?

He opened his eyes to look up and found her lost in thoughts, hand still grooming his hair.

"Does the little girl in your story have big hazel eyes?" he asked and her hand stopped.

"Huh?"

"She isn't that little now. She drives bull dozers over people's cars. Doesn't she?"

Gauri smiled at him as she said, "Not on everybody, only on certain arrogant Jatadhari chirotas who deserve to be shown their place."

"Achaa, dabaang huh?" he said flicking her nose.

"Ouch."

"It is your story right?"

"Hmm."

"You miss her," he stated and she nodded her head.

"It feels terrible when people you love are snatched away from you. When they don't understand you," he said the last part for himself.

"Won't you sleep?"

"I am not feeling sleepy."

"Hmmm, so you want to talk then?" she quipped and he smiled.

"Clever. But what do you want to know about?"

"Nothing in particular. I told you something which I never told anybody. Only my mother and of course my chacha-chaachi knows of this. You can tell me what you feel like telling me," she informed.

Omkara stared at her for a minute before his eyes widened.

He realized what his wife was playing at.

"Okay this is cliché," he said chuckling.

"Kaa?"

"Umm.. vo kya bolte hai, ek baat ko hum zyada use kare taaki uska original meaning hi bakwas lagee..."

"Aap ye keh rahe hai mein bakwaas bol rahi huun?" she asked with a hurt expression.

"No Gauri. Let me give you an example. Kuch log bolte hai 'pati Parmeshwar hota hai'... 'aurat ki jagah apne ghar mein hoti hai'. Such statements are backward.... They hold no meaning now, in our world. Those are called cliches."

"Oh, but I only told you that..."

"Yes, you told me one of your secrets expecting me to do the same. That is clic.."

She made a face and began to get up from the bed when he stopped.

"Where are you going?"

"To sleep," she replied offhandedly.

"But we were talking."

"Correction, I am the one who talked. You were listening. Kanjoos jatadhari," she said with a glare.

"On top of that you say that I talk clisee," she huffed and picked up a pillow when he dragged her back on to the bed.

"What?" she asked in irritation.

"It is not clisee, it is cliché."

"Mujhe aapse english nahi seekhni hai, I am feeling sleepy and I want to sleep," she remained stiff.

"Sleep here," he said and smiled when she widened her eyes.

"We are wife and husband right. We can share a bed."

"Ahhaaan, this is not clisee? That husband and wife should sleep on the same bed? I don't like clisees too," she said cheekily.

Damn... he thought and laughed aloud.

"Okay, we can sleep together and we will talk," he tried to negotiate.

"Really? Aap baat karenge?"

"Hmmm, its just that I didn't want to spoil the mood now. I don't want to remember anything which is going to dampen this moment," he said and she nodded understandingly.

"Okay, can we talk tomorrow? You can paint then to regain your mood," she asked and he gave her a nod as answer.

That day they settled on the bed, both of them sleeping at two ends of the mattress, each one in their own thoughts. The night turned older with the breeze from the window playing a silent symphony as if cooing them to slumber. A while later Omkara looked to his side and found his wife give in to exhaustion.

He was tired of fighting with his heart but he feared her rejection. He feared the day she would decide to leave him. He was afraid he couldn't go on in life without her.

It maybe love or it might just be his addiction to her calming presence but he knew he will not be whole again without her.

Raising his hand, he touched her cheek to check if she would wake up. Confirming that she is deep in sleep, he moved her close to him. As if it was natural, she moved closer and hugged him in sleep, molding to his body.

Omkara sighed in contentment as he felt her rhythmic breaths. If it were in his hands he would anything to keep her with him.

He gently moved the hair strands from her forehead to place a kiss before he whispered.

Please don't leave me Gauri, I cannot lose you.

*****************************************************************************************

The next morning,

"Billu, you came early. It is hardly five thirty in the morning," Daadi questioned, surprised to see him walk in through the door of her room.

"Did Anika not come?"

"I asked her to go to her room and sleep for some time daadi. It is not the usual time she wakes up."

"Right, what is it you want to talk?"

"What do you know about Kalyani mills incident Daadi?"

"Hai Rabba, why do you want to talk about it early in the morning?"

"It is important daadi."

"It was two decades ago billu, I do not remember anything but the fact that it took so many lives. The fire accident destroyed the entire factory. The loss was too much to bear both mentally and financially. Shakti and Tej struggled but with God's grace we were able to see the light after a period of pitch back darkness."

"Do you know anybody named Jaivardhan Dhokle?"

Kalyani knitted her eyebrows trying to remember the name.

"I heard it billu, I am not able to pinpoint it. Why don't you ask Shakti?"

"Dad denies that he ever heard of the name and I am sure bade papa will say the same."

"You don't believe them?"

Shivaay shook his head in disappointment and said, "They lied daadi."

"Wait a minute, I remember now. Sometime before the incident, Tej was talking of someone named Jai. He said that his father worked for Prithviraaj ji and that he came to ask for a job in our company."

"Good, do you remember his father's name?"

"No billu."

Her grandson sighed in disappointment, "It is okay daadi. I will look into it. But please if possible try to remember the name."

"Sure, but is this serious?"

"Hmm, for the moment I cannot say anything."

"Okay, did Rudy tell you of what happened yesterday? Om was uncontrollable," she sighed.

"Yes, that is the reason I rushed back. I will go and check on him now."

"Let him sleep for some time. Gauri is with him and I expect him to be better. At least he shouldn't be like the angry man yesterday."

"Okay."

***************************************************************************************

Gauri woke up and was surprised to find herself in her husband's embrace. As far as she remembered, they didn't sleep like this the previous day.

She tried to loosen his hold but he curled up more, breathing into her neck. His soft breaths on her skin tickled her and she giggled.

"Hmm," he mumbled in his sleep and she felt the rumbling of his chest.

"Omkara ji," she called but he didn't move.

"Omkara ji, get up," she shook him harshly and he groggily opened his eyes.

Looking at her struggling, he loosened his hold at once, muttering a sorry.

"Ummm, did I move too much in my sleep?" she asked.

"No, why?"

"I remember sleeping in that corner," she said in confusion.

"Uh that. Actually I wasn't getting sleep and I thought..." he started and stopped looking at her widened eyes.

"You have a problem with,..."

"No, I am not used to, that's it. I will go freshen up," she informed and got off the bed.

He lazily grinned at her back before resuming his sleep again.

***************************************************************************

Omkara was just about to get out of the room, dressed for the day, his mood tremendously better than the day before when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said and turned around to take his phone from the charging point.

"Om," he heard his mother call him and froze.

Jhanvi walked into the room and stood beside him before she apologized.

"I am sorry Om, for what happened yesterday," she said.

"It was my fault. No matter how much I wish it were not, he still is my father," he said in disdain and she squirmed in place.

"I had to stop you Om and you weren't listening," she said.

"I got it mom. He is your husband and your business. I was worried that he was the reason why you were not well. I am no one to question you."

"It is not what you think Om."

"Okay, let us have breakfast," he said and started to walk.

"Om, she is blackmailing him."

He stopped and turned back to her.

"Okay?"

"She didn't tell him what she wanted but she said she wants to stay here for a few days. I didn't want her to create any trouble and so I had to.."

"Blackmailed him with what?"

Jhanvi stared at him and his heart dropped to his stomach.

"The video through which she showed that you molested her. I don't want Gauri to get a whiff of it," she said.

"You both are just getting to know each other and this shouldn't hamper your happiness. It is better she doesn't know. Tej said he will try and get that secret out but until then we have to stay silent," she informed him.

Will she believe him or will that give her a reason to leave him? he thought in worry.

****************************************************************************************************

Hola, guys...

This is the last update of the week.

I want to take a break to come up with something good in the next update or I will write some rubbish which I won't be able to change later. So, give me some time.

You can expect an OS on Monday probably. I will update Nepenthe after that.

Have a happy weekend.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

Until next update, signing off... yours Soujanya.