"So, what do you like to do in your free time?" Omkara rubbed the back of his neck as he said those words, attempting to sway away the awkwardness in the air.

  A shift breeze blew past them as Gauri shifted her gaze from her ring, that encircled her ring finger, towards him. They were sitting on the bench, about two arms distance from each other, beneath the apple tree that stood in the garden of his future in-laws.

   It was Rudra's idea after all, to convince the elders to let, or rather force the newly engaged couple to spend some 'quality time ' together. However their quality time, since past half an hour was spent in utter silence, with Omkara fumbling with words to start conversation while Gauri lost in her own thoughts.

   "Sorry," Gauri muttered slowly , " what did you say?"

"Ah..." Omkara straightened his back, relieved on the start of the conversation, "well I just said that perhaps we should try to know about each other. So to begin, what do you like to do in your free time?"

Her brows furrowed a little, as she seemed to ponder over his question. " I like to read books" she replied after a long pause.

"Oh okay! What type of books?" Omkara said trying to be cheerful, preparing  a mental note that his future wife is a nerd, suddenly reminded by his brain that Shivay had told him this multiple times.

"Nothing specific, " she said, as her brows furrowed further, " but yes, romantic stories are usually in my reading list.

"So you like reading about love stories?" He asked.

She nodded, " Yes, reading about love give me....... Happiness, I suppose."

 "Do you believe in love?"

Suddenly, swift rush of reddeness appeared  on her face as soon his question entered her ear. "Y..Ye..yes I do, I think I do" she stammered. "Don't you?"

Omkara turned his face away. " I'm sorry but no, I don't." He said as she looked on. " I do respect the purity of true love, to feel affection for someone , care for them, to make them the reason of your love.  But no, it is too pious to exist in this cruel world.. for me it just happens on stories"

"Oh! "She muttered, "So, you don't think true love exists?."

Without any reason, he was reminded of the hidden love letter due to her words, but he shook his head. "No....I dont "

"Oh....I see." She muttered softly and focused her eyes elsewhere humming a tune.  While Omkara was interpteting it as her indication for marking the  end of conversation from her side, suddenly he  heard  her blurt out.

"Can  I ask you something?"

"Well...Go on"

He saw her closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, as if gathering all her strength. Then she sighed, and looked at him.

"Do you really want to do  this marriage?" She asked in a whisper, barely audible as if  her throat was tightened by a compact mass. Yet her eight worded question managed to caught him off-gaurd. 

"Ah..." He said, struggling to reply, "what do you mean by that?"

She bit her lips nervously and shuddered. "I meant..." She said, still in a whisper, "it's just that...I..I hope Bhai have told you about that"

"About what?" He asked, confused.

Paleness dawned on her face, and she said, "about my infertility."

Curse you Omkara his inner voice whispered  in his ear coldly as he finally understood what she was trying to say and the reason of her pained behavior. He remembered when Shivaye told him about her inability to conceive a child, before asking him to take his sister's hand for marrige. Her infertility had been a really been issue especially for her, and it had developed in  to insecurity with passage of time. 

"Yes, I...I am sorry." He said, trying to console her, " but really, it doesn't really matter to me. You don't need to feel low."

Silence prevailed between the as she remained still.  Then slowly she lowered her head as if culprit accepting his crime, and said, "I wish I could say that. But no it matters to me."

"Gauri, .You.."

"Ability to give birth is one of the wonderful ability God has gifted women. Yet I'm deprived of it. It hurts. After all the plants which give rise to fruits are called flowering ones while which are unable to do so are shoved off as weeds."

"Gauri, no... Listen." Omkara hushed, "don't say that. I know I can't understand your pain, but I know what you are saying isn't true.  You can't give birth, yes. But then you should the yourself to weeds, no. You still have many abilities, many talents, many opportunities to utilize in this life. Don't push yourself in corner for the condition in which there is no blame of yours."

She flinched, but didn't say anything, so he continued.

"And about me marrying you...", He paused, "I don't know much about you, but as far I know, you are one of the kindest person I've met. Your infertility is the last thing in this planet that would bother me. So I promise, after this marriage, I won't say anything about love, but I'll surely treat you as the most precious flower."

Slowly, a faint smile formed on her lips. "Thank you," she said, "I appreciate it."

He glanced at her, and smiled back. "Okay so, you work in an NGO right?"

She nodded, "Yes, I work in an NGO. It actually attempts to provide education to all........"

"Ouch!!!!"

Though not meaning to, Omkara interrupted her with a hurted exclamation as something hard hit his head.

"Are you okay?" He heard her question, in a worried tone.

"Yes, I am." He muttered, rubbing his head and proceeded to look at the ground, what actually hit his head. To his surprise, he found a big, riped apple lying on the ground.

"Oh my stars!" He said as he got up and picked the apple, "is that how Newton felt before discovering gravity?"

Suddenly, he heard a faint chuckle. He turned to find Gauri trying to suppress giggling, but eventually failed and burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry." She said, still laughing, "I didn't mean to...."

"It's all right " he said , "No problem, but I think it's getting late. Probably we should go now."

She said, "yes, I guess so."

"Plus, I think you should take this apple." He said looking at it, "I don't I would like to eat it after it hit me."

"I....."

"Here, catch it." He said, and without a delay, threw it towards her. She immediately caught it and gasped at him, with another swirl of redness on her cheeks.

"What? Are you okay?" He asked her.

"No, I mean yes. I am" she said as she stood up," but I guess you don't know much about ancient Greece, do you?"

"No, I don't. Is that wrong?" He asked confused by her demeanour.

"No, not at all." "She said with a chuckle, "it's alright, no big deal.

Omkara looked on, utterly confused but shrugged it away. He then swept his eyes on the garden, which was now basking in the orange light of sunset.

"By the way, " he spoke, "Your garden is amazing."

She smiled, " you like it?"

"Oh yes! It's beautiful....I wish my garden, " he began.

"Can you make a painting of it?" She interrupted.

"Painting?" He repeated, mildly surprised.

"Yes! I would love it if you could!" She said as her face lit up, " I absolutely love your paintings. I've always attended your art exhibitions....And I think you are a brilliant artist."

No science could explain Omkara how the food he stuffed during the engagement ceremony suddenly transformed into butterflies. Surely he had heard much praise over his artistic talent, yet her remark  made him jitter internally.

"Thank you," he managed to say.

She chuckled again and the proceeded towards her home.

"Ah, Gauri!"

She turned to him, after hearing his call.

"Well I was wondering." Omkara said awkwardly, "that if you like my artworks, would you like to come with me to my studio?"

"Visit your studio?" She spoke as if in trance, "with you?"

"Yes, I mean I'll be there tomorrow evening. So perhaps if you are free you could visit...What do you think?"

Suddenly, there was a shy grin on her face. "I think that would be amazing."

"So it's done then, isn't it?" He smiled back, completely unaware of another letter waiting for him at his studio.

.

.

.

.

.....A.N....

Inner Me: Well...

Me:  what?

Inner Me: What was that?

Me: What was what?

Inner me: ( glares)

Me: oh! Okay that was a late update.

Inner Me:. (glares furiously)

Me: Okay! Okay!  A very laaaaate update. But what can I do? I was so much busy.

Inner me: Do you think anyone even remember this story?

Me: ah, I think we'll get that answer tomorrow. Right now, let's have som sleep.

Inner me: hey! I've not......

Me: Good night😴😴😴😴