Chapter 26 Unread Letters

After attending his Meetings Omkara came back home to take his lovely ladies out.

He walked into his Bedroom when he heard Gauri sing in the Bathroom. A grin crept up his face and he watched her applying some make up and adjusting her Hair. She wore it down and curled the ends a bit but her hair was too long and she struggled to curl the ends.

"What about a visit at the coiffeur? You will feel better afterwards but don't you dare cut it short. I love it when your hair is spread over the bed...You look like a goddess."

Gauri turned and saw Omkara entering the bathroom with a sweet smile adorning his lips.

"You came back? When?" She hugged him tight and gave him a kiss. He kissed her back and his lips travelled to the base of her neck. She shivered in need and pulled him closer. The loved what his touch did to her. It felt like nothing changed.

"I just came back Honey. I heard you sing, you don't know how much I have missed the sound of your voice whenever I came back home...Without you I had no home." Om looked into Gauri's eyes and saw she was crying listening to his words. He kissed away her tears.

"Stop crying, else your make up will be ruined baby." He smiled and kissed her lips once more.

"I am sorry for all the pain I caused you...At least I was sleeping, I did not feel these four years the way you did. For me they were just days and I was shocked that I was so wrong. Can you forgive me for leaving you?" Gauri caressed his face and touched his lips with her fingertips.

"Of course Baby It wasn't your Fault. Anyways let's not talk about the past but only about our future...speaking of our future where is Neela? Is she ready for the outing she compelled me to agree to?" He walked back into their room and loosened his tie; he changed into a pair of jeans and a T-Shirt and wore some casual shoes. Gauri nodded and informed him that she was in her Room waiting for him, he should get her while she would change her clothes. Omkara walked out of the Room and Gauri sat down on the Bed feeling dizzy. She knew she was not perfectly healthy and was probably exhausting herself to much but she wanted to be with her family, she did not care about herself anymore. If she would tell Om he would order her to stay in bed but she wanted a normal life. She wanted to go out with her Family and have fun. With a sigh she changed into a white salwar suit and took her purse before descending down the stairs to wait for Om and his little princess.

Jhanvi sat in her Room trying not to cry looking at her wedding pic. 30 years of Marriage thrown away by the Man she had loved the most. Till date she hated and loved him at the same time.

"I wish I could have seen you before you died...I would have told you for the last time how much I hated you...How much I loved you..."

She wiped away her tears and opened the Letter she hadn't read till date.

Jhanvi knew he had something important to tell her if he even took the effort of writing her a letter.

"Dear Jhanvi,

I bet you wonder why I write to you after all those days, months, years. I wanted to tell you that I am sorry for the way I treated you and our family. All my life I lived in the belief that women were superior to men and by living this way I did not realize what I was losing in the end. Maybe the days in prison made me realize that I was wrong and you were right.

With all my being I hope you can forgive me one day...can forgive me all my mistakes.

There is something else I have to tell you...You weren't my first wife...I was married to a girl I loved when I was still a teenager but then I met you and that woman left me and we got divorced. I don't even know how she is and if she is alive or not but I need to tell you about her. Kavita was almost as beautiful and kind as you but she never touched my heart and my soul the way you did.

Hearing that after 30 years of marriage and after I am already dead must be a big shock and I am sorry that I won't be there to answer your questions but I want you to know that I never loved that woman the way I loved you.

I guess in my own twisted way I loved all of you- even Gauri. She showed me that I was wrong something that no one ever had done and even though I was impressed by her braveness I was scared she could snatch my life, my family away but today I realize she wanted to help me keep my family.

Saying sorry won't be enough but I will keep tell you how sorry I am till the day I die.

While I was in prison I changed my will- everything I ever owned or possessed belongs to you, I want you to take care of everything that has been mine, because it always was destined to be yours.

Jhanvi, my dearest and sweetest Wife, I hope that one day we will meet again and then I can fall at your feet and beg your pardon. I never wanted our marriage to end like this.

Tell Omkara and Gauri how sorry I am and tell their daughter that I left her the cottage in Goa for her and her parents. Rudra, Bhavya and Kavya too will get the cottage we own in Mumbai but the rest belongs to you. The Oberoi Company will be divided in 3 for Anika, Omkara and Rudra.

Tell Anika How much I loved her and how her every tear broke my heart even though I was the cause.

Maybe one day our family will forgive me, that day my soul will rest in peace. Now it is time to say goodbye because I can't write anymore. My illness is killing me slowly but steadily.

I love you Jhanvi and our Family, please forgive me for all my mistakes and May God forgive my sins.

Yours faithfully

Tej Singh Oberoi.

A single tear drop fell on the letter and Jhanvi hugged herself crying.

Tej Singh Oberoi truly was gone and he had left a shattered family behind.

"Mommy!" Neela was laughing and running away from her Dad and tried to hide behind her mother. The little Family went to a nice little restaurant and ate some mouth-watering food before going to the playground. Right now they were playing hide and seek and after finding Neela Omkara tried to tickle her. Gauri lifted her up and tickled her by the help of Om.

"Stooop Please..." Neela said almost crying and both stopped. Omkara kissed his princess and they sat down on the blanket that Gauri had brought from the car. They laid down and looked into the sky soon they heard Neela's quiet snores and saw that she was asleep. With a smile she covered her little Baby with her dupatta and then looked at Om who himself was staring at his wife with a slyly grin. She caressed his face and gave him a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Only a Kiss on the cheek? Kya Hua Gauri? Don't I deserve more after being the world greatest Husband and Dad?" He said pulling her closer to himself. Gauri blushed and pushed him away.

"Stop it; we are not in our Bedroom. I can't kiss you in front of all those people and little kids, what will they think?"

"Ar re what will they think? you are MY wife baby. We got married 6 Years ago and still you think about what people say about you if you kiss me, your husband? We don't have to hide our Love...not like the earlier days when we were engaged and every time I kissed you in my car you looked out the window searching for some kind of people who you thought were stalking you to see whether you tainted your reputation by giving yourself to be before marriage...Gosh the sweet old time. I still remember how I tried to steal a kiss whenever we were alone." Omkara was laughing by the time he ended his sentence and remembered those sweet stolen kisses, even if he had pretend to hate her in his mind he always knew that from the very moment they both have been to Kolhapur he had fallen in love with her innocent, with her caring and chirpy nature. She was all he ever wanted Riddhima to be and looking back now He realized that he never loved Riddhima, his true and only love has always been Gauri and she would be his only love till the day he dies and in the next 7 birth. For him there would never be anybody else.

Gauri blushed even harder remembering all these kisses and snuggled closer to him but couldn't because Neela lay in between the two of them. Both smiled at their daughter and then at each other.

"I think we should go home maybe then you can give me that massage you had promised me last Night..." Gauri whispered into his ears and lifted Neela cautiously up. Om covered his sleeping beauty with Gauri's dupatta and both packed their stuff and went to the car. He was now eagerly waiting to get them both home so he could massage his wife and baby have his way his her. Smiling from one ear to another at first he didn't even hear Gauri speaking to him.

"Om...hey are you listening? Om Could you drop me off at a beauty salon? I want to get a new haircut and to have a manicure and pedicure done, if that is okay with you?" She shook her Hand in front of his face and smiled realizing that he was already thinking of all the stuff he wanted to do to her.

Om nodded his head and dropped her off. He wanted her to feel pretty and good again, even though in his eyes she was as perfect as a blooming flower.

"I can wait if you want to." He offered but she declined; she wanted to surprise him with her new look and asked him to get their bedroom ready for tonight.

She smiled when she saw his aroused state hearing her husky voice and kissed him before leaving the car and entering the salon. She would pamper herself today at any cost.

Omkara reached Home and carried Neela into her Room so she could sleep in her bed when he heard someone crying. With a frown he walked to his Brothers Bedroom and saw Aditya and Bhavya sleeping as well. If they are sleeping who else is crying? He thought while passing by his Mothers Bedroom.

"Mom?" Omkara knocked and entered his Mothers room. She was seated in one corner of her room crying softly into her hands, the letter Tej had written spread in front of her. Hearing her sons Voice, she stood up and wiped away her tears before smiling at him and adjusting her saree.

"Omkara...You came back? Where are Neela and Gauri? Did you have fun? Do you want me to prepare some coffee for you? How about we go into the Kitchen and you tell me about your day" His mother turned away and redid her make up.

"Mom are you fine? Why have you been crying?" Omkara stepped closer and hugged his mother. Feeling her Son's arm around her, her resistance shattered and Jhanvi looked at his chest and started crying again. Her sweet little baby boy, how could she tell him about Tej's Letter? He would be furious and would burn it right away. He would forever hate his father, even now he did but some small part of him couldn't ignore the fact that that man was the one that raised him.

"I-I-I am fine Beta really. Don't worry I just got a little emotional today and that is why I have been crying..." She tried to lie into his face but he knew her better. He took a step back and picked the letter up. He instantly recognized his Fathers handwriting and looked at his mother in shock.

"Yeh Kya Hai Mom? What is that? Did Dad write you a letter?" Omkara grabbed his mother's by her Shoulders and she started to cry again. Before he could ask more question she nodded in affirmation and told him about His Father apology, about his will and about his change of heart before death.

"I want you to be honest did you meet Dad after Gauri slipped into Coma?"

"Haan I meet your Father, 4 days after Neela was born. I was so angry and hurt and I went there to tell him what happened to Gauri and to ask him as to why he threw everything we had away. He was laughing in my face with pleasure hearing about Gauri's condition, about our family's Condition and that day I broke all ties with him..." Jhanvi turned and looked at her Wedding photo. She had loved him with all her heart yet he chose to break and beat her up every day. He wasn't worth any of her tears but she had loved this man with everything she had. She had lost her family because of him, and then he took it all away. Just like that. Like she meant nothing to him.

"I told him I was not his Wife anymore and that my Children and I will hate him forever...He said without him we would be nothing but...but...I finally found courage to tell him that he was nothing without you and Rudra, that you are the Reason for his success. I wiped away my Sindoor and left him. After that I never saw him again, never heard of him again...I wasn't interested in knowing what happened to him."

To say Omkara was shocked would have been an understatement, his poor Mother had to endure so much in her marriage with that son of a bitch but yet she cried for him, loved him despite his mistakes. He knew that she still loved him because he could clearly see the love behind her pain in her eyes. He caressed his mother's face and kissed her forehead. But then he frowned.

"If you never saw him again how did you receive this letter?" He asked and both sat down on Jhanvi's Bed. She played with the end of her Saree and tried to control her sobs.

"I received the Letter 2 years ago but I promised to myself to keep these letters unread till the day Gauri would return. That was when I knew for sure he was dead. So when she returned I wanted to know what he had so say to me if he took the trouble of writing me...even after all this time...after all his misdeeds and lies...You know he told me in his letter that he was married before...I wonder where that woman is...I only have a Name...Kavita, such a beautiful Name...I wonder if that is why he wanted to Name Anika Kavita. He said he never loved her but how can I be sure? He said they got a divorce but how can I know if he is not lying?"

Listening that his Father was married before was more than Omkara could take, he stood up and paced up and down. How was that possible and what if this woman had a child from his dad? He needed to find out at any cost. He kneeled down in front of his mother and kissed her hands.

"Mom I will find that Woman if you want me too. I need to know about her..." Omkara said and rested his Head in his Mother's lap. She stroked his hair gently and closed her eyes. She had to know to. Not knowing could make their lives so much harder.

"Okay...find out everything about her you can...I want to meet her."

He nodded and stood up, he kissed his mother's cheek and then left to ask Khanna to search for the woman.

"Wow Mrs. Oberoi you look Amazing." Said the Hair stylist after she had finished cutting Gauri's Hair, who blushed at the compliment and looked at the makeup made by another stylist. She was content with the result of her Beauty day and paid the girls.

She pulled out her phone and called Om's mobile. After the 3rd ring he finally answered.

"Hey Baby what's up? Are you done yet?" He asked and she sensed that something was bothering him; she would have to question him later in private.

"Yeah I am done...I just wanted to know if you could pick me up." She looked at the sky and knew it would rain in some time and she did not want to relive that experience with a rickshaw driver.

"Well I am busy right now, would you mind if I send the driver to pick you up?"

Now she was really worried but agreed and told him she would wait for the driver.

15 Minutes later the driver arrived and he drove her home. The Minute Gauri reached she walked straight to her Bedroom to find an angry Omkara yelling into his phone.

"I want you to find her! I need to know where she lives, where she has been...EVERYTHING!" He cut the call and massaged his Head. Gauri walked up to him and hugged him from behind. Sensing her presence Om immediately turned around and hugged her back. She heard his erratic heartbeat and looked at him in worry. What had caused her Husband to be in such a state?

"Are you okay?"

"No not really..." He said and sat down on the Bed pulling her on his lap. She straddled him and kissed his nose. Omkara smiled at that gesture and tucked her Hair behind her ear. Seeing her in front of him already calmed him down. She was the only thing that could make his anger vanish.

"What is wrong Baby?" Gauri asked but He only sighed and played with her curls.

"You look ravishing good Baby...I think I need to thank those stylists myself..." He tried to ease the mood with his laugh but She was adamant to find out what was bothering him.

"Tell me what is wrong? Is Neela alright?" Gauri tried to stand up and to look after her daughter when Om stopped her and told her about Tej's Apology letter and everything his Mother had told him. She could not believe her eyes and sat down next to her Husband. He looked broken; almost the same when he had seen his Father's true face. How could she fix him this time?

"He was married before..." He added and Gauri was shocked yet again. Married? What if-? She refused to think further.

"Is that the Woman you are trying to find?" He nodded his Head at her Question, Lekin Kyun? "She asked and Omkara stood up. He paced up and down. How do answer a question he could not answer himself?

"I don't know I just need to know how serious that marriage was, what if she was pregnant and never told him. What if they had kids he did not tell us about? I need to find out where that woman is for my own sake and for my mother's sake." He sat down again and put his face in his hands.

"Okay Honey. But what will you do then?" Gauri asked and massaged his head. He groaned in relief and thought about her words for a while.

"I don't know...all I know is I need to find her." He turned and looked at his wife. She smiled at him and kissed him gently.

"Come lay down with me for a while Honey. Stop worrying your head off okay?"

He nodded and both laid down. Om turned away and simply starred at the picture on his drawer. It was a picture of him and his mother with his siblings. Omkara closed his eyes and remembered his father, his deeds and the misery He lived through after Gauri was in Coma.

"I am always by your side; I won't leave you again. I promise..."He stiffened when he heard Gauri's words and before he could say something she spooned against his back. He smiled and turned around almost immediately she went into his arms and rested her head on his chest.

"I love you more than I love anyone or anything else," Omkara whispered and kissed her forehead. She smiled in the semi lit Room and snuggled closer. He had to remember himself that his life never has been easy but with the woman in his arms he could be able to survive. They had survived worse stuff.

"I love you too Always and Forever." Gauri kissed his cheek and both drifted into sleep.

Unknown to the Oberoi Family an elderly woman and her son drove up the way to their house in Mumbai. They parked the car and entered the house the woman hadn't seen in the last 35 years.

"Aayi...You should rest a bit. The journey was long and exhausting." The young man about 35 years helped his mother to sit down and then touched her feet.

"I will rest Beta...I just want to see him one last time"

And with that she pulled out a photograph.

"I hope you missed me Tej..." She whispered and clutched the photo to her chest.