One month later,

"Gauri did you pack your sweater?" Kalyani asked her walking into the room late evening.

"Yes daadi ji... also a muffler and a shawl... I am bad in tolerating cold climate and it is mid-December... the coolest time of the year in Bareilly" she said making a face and Kalyani laughed patting her head.

"We all will miss you... I hope three months won't take too long. I would keep thinking if you had your morning walk and if you are drinking milk regularly... you surely do need some lecture every day to do things rightly" she said in jest while her grand-daughter in law made an utterly innocent face.

She was too lazy to get up early in the morning every day and she hated milk since childhood.

Had it been her husband, she would have cried and begged him to leave her alone but since it was the matriarch of the house, whose orders no one dared said no to, she had to comply unwillingly.

"I will do it daadi ji... don't worry" she lied with full intentions of taking both of the activities out for her routine the moment she steps out of the mansion.

"Good... Omkara said he will be coming late tonight" she informed and Gauri sadly nodded.

The only thing she did not like about going to her village was that she will miss her husband......a lot.

Hell, she cannot even stay calm when he came home later than expected, creating a huge ruckus the few times that he did... How is she supposed to stay away for three long months.

She thought of asking him to go with her many times but she knew her village aunties will torture him endlessly with their teasing sessions which would definitely irk him in no time.

Furthermore, he appeared to have become increasingly busy the last month managing her tantrums at home and business at his workplace that she thought he needed few months of respite before the time for delivery when she would come back to Mumbai.

After much thought and debate, it was decided that Gauri will have to be back in Mumbai for giving birth. That was the pact signed and sealed by the elders of both the families, since both Omkara and Shivaay put forth their view that Mumbai being a city, hospitals and other medical services will be better available here rather than in Bareilly.

Shakti immediately agreed though Gayathri still sulked about the change of plans. But considering the health of her granddaughter, she agreed begrudgingly.

"Take care of yourself Gauri... please don't stop eating even if you are angry at something or someone" Kalyani said with a small smile and Gauri couldn't help but hug the elderly woman for showing so much concern for her.

"I will be okay and I will call you every day Daadi ji" she assured at the same time when Anika walked in along with Rudra.

"Bhaabhiiii" Rudra rushed giving her a warm hug "I will miss you three much"

"I will miss you too Rudy bhaiyya" Gauri smiled hugging him back.

"Take care Gauri... we will manage everything here... you don't worry" Anika said next kissing her sister in law's cheek who was still in Rudra's embrace.

"Leave her Rudy... she is going tomorrow not today" Kalyani said playfully hitting her grandson who wasn't in a mood to let go of his sister in law.

Rudra parted from her with a grumpy face as the women chuckled.

"Uhh Anika bhabhi... I forgot to tell you... Samira has called me saying we have a few formalities pending for you to get the power of attorney ... I asked her to come home with the documents.... She will be here shortly" Gauri informed and Anika nodded chuckling.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing ... it still feels new when you call me bhabhi"

Gauri smiled looking at Kalyani who justified the order she passed few months ago "The baby will be confused if you are Shivaay's wife and Gauri calls you di"

"That is too far thought daadi"

"It still is correct... babies observe and hear everything...you both will get used to it by then... Your generation is already bad at remembering relations. I don't want my great grand children to not know the difference between sister and sister in law" she said in a scolding tone and they nodded chuckling.

"There... Samira is calling me... she must be here Gauri" Anika said as her phone rang.

"Come let us finish this off... I asked her to wait for us in the study" she further said and proceeded to the study room still talking into her phone.

"Okay... don't stress much...you girls..." said Kalyani to Gauri "I will just go and see if the maids have correctly packed all the sweets to be sent to your house" she said and walked out of the room.

Before Gauri followed Anika into the study, Rudra gestured her to stay back for a few minutes and she obliged.

"What is it Bhaiyya??" she asked and he pouted.

"We fought" he said with a nervous smile and she sighed.

"Not again... what did she do this time?"

Rudra grinned, his heart too happy at the trust she had in him "Nothing so bad... but when you go to Bareilly you have to make her call me back" he said kissing her cheek.

"Done" she said smilingly "You won't make Anika bhabhi your favorite in my absence right?" she whispered conspirationally, faking a frown.

Rudra chuckled "Never Bhabhi" he said once again hugging her and she giggled satisfied.

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

Gauri glared at her husband as he conversed with someone on his laptop.

She has to leave for her maternal home in merely thirty minutes and he still had his hands full with his office work. Last night she slept waiting for him and by the time she rose from her bed, she saw him fresh and ready for the day working with his system.

Will the meeting ever end??... Was she going to be the only one missing her spouse for the next few months because it seems her husband was happy with his second wife.

"Omkaraji" she called him angrily and he looked up for a second gesturing that he required a few more minutes.

Huffing and giving up her long wait, she got up from the bed and stomped her way past him to go out of the room when he held her wrist his gaze still on the screen before him.

Just when she looked ready to explode with anger, he bid adieu to his speaker and closed the laptop looking at her with a smile.

"It was an important conference Gauri" he said getting up and pulled her towards him, her belly coming in between them.

"Of course everything is more important to you than me" she gritted out still glaring at him and he chuckled.

"Now that is a huge accusation... you know I love you more"

Gauri scoffed turning her face away when he held her chin turning her face towards him and pecked her lips.

"I have to wind up a lot of things before we leave for Bareilly right... it was just..."

"What??" Gauri asked gaping at him.

"What ...what?" he looked at her confused.

"We are going to Bareilly?? As in We??... you are coming with me?" she asked her glare quickly disappearing.

"What kind of stupid question is that?? Did you think I would let you out of my sight for three long months?" he said flabbergasted and she grinned happily before pulling him down for a rewarding kiss.

"You were not expecting me to come with you?" he asked in a whisper.

"You will be teased to no end" she said kissing his cheek.

"I have back up" he said with a wink.

"Of course,... you have your fan girls waiting there to protect you... how did I forget" she said in all sarcasm.

Omkara laughed out loud, kissing her cheek soundly while she continued to sulk, warning him to stay away from her cousins.

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"Om...is everything settled there?" Shivaay asked his brother that night.

"If you consider daadi ji giving a cold shoulder to Gauri normal, then yeah everything is fine"

"Seriously? Then why did she torture her to come there? Just for the sake of custom?"

"I do not know Shivaay. I never really understood her. Let her be, I stopped reacting to her totally. Gauri had food and she is resting in her room... I will take care of her"

"Yeah... did you stock the fridge with kulfi? She will be hungry in no time" Shivaay asked only to get a gasp in response.

"Oh damn..." Omkara cursed slapping his forehead.

"Great... you forgot? I told you to do that the moment you reach there... now what? How will you get it at this hour Om?" Shivaay scolded.

"Shivaay she is going to kill me... tell me that home-made kulfi recipe... I will go make it" Omkara said scared to his wits end, sprinting downstairs into the kitchen.

"Are you mad? It takes time to stir-condense the milk and then minimum of eight or nine hours in the fridge to set... you cannot just boil milk and freeze it Om" came the reply.

"I need help... please bhaiyya" Omkara whined this time making Shivaay smile and shake his head.

"Bhaiyya...? Really? awww"

"You can tease me later... we are running out of time here"

"Okay... I packed some custard powder in the pantry bag for emergencies... make that for today... you have to negotiate with her for your folly"

"I love you" Omkara said before running back to their room to get the bag before his wife asks for her dessert.

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

Gauri restlessly shifted in their bed trying to get some sleep but her munchkin just wouldn't allow her to rest with the repeated kicks. She turned to her husband's side leaning into his warmth and he tightened his hold on her pulling her close.

She opened her eyes and smiled running her hand over his cheek. Noting the faint lines of darkness around his eyes, she felt guilty. She stressed him so much that he barely rested enough.

It was so sweet of him to make her a dessert after raising too early for work followed by a long journey to her village. Though she ate the custard without complaint, their child still seemed to be upset for not being given the favourite.

Deciding on taking a quick walk to the garden for some calm air before she took to bed, Gauri gently pulled herself out of her husband's hold careful not to wake him up. When Omkara remained undisturbed with the movement unlike normal when he would wake up even with a gentle budge from her, she leaned and kissed on his forehead before walking out.

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

Shakti was just about to put down his glass of water and return to bed when he heard a noise from their garden. Peeping out of the window, he noticed his daughter sitting on the bench staring at the pond before her as she threw a stone or two into it .

Frowning, he walked out into coldness of the night wondering what made his daughter meander at that hour.

"Gauri... what happened? Why are you here?"

"Nothing papa... I am not able to sleep... I just came out to get some fresh air... "

"Now? Gauri... it is cold out here.. you will fall sick...come inside" he said in his stern voice and she felt the raise of irritation in her.

"You go papa.. I will come in a while" she said trying hard not to sound rude.

"Gauri.. get up now" he ordered and she lost her cool.

"I will not... you go inside and let me get some peace... please"

"Beta... stop being stubborn..."

"I am not... I would be called stubborn if I asked you to bring me a kulfi now... I did not ask you... did I? I am just sitting here quietly... you have a problem with that too?" she did not know why she said that to him but she did.

Shakti smiled at her "Kulfi? If I give you that...will you come inside?" he asked and she scoffed turning away.

Not much time later, she was handed her favourite badam kulfi making her mood lift tremendously.

"Kulfi!!" she exclaimed excitedly before starting to open the pack when her father reminded her of her words and dragged her inside the house.

One and a half kulfis later,....

"How did you get it papa?" Gauri asked eagerly tasting another, sitting on the kitchen stool beside her father.

"Omkara ji told me he forgot to order for them" she asked again.

Shakti smiled noting the childish enthusiasm in his daughter's tone "I brought them for you" he said and she nodded thanking him.

"Did you like it?" he asked after a while and she grinned at him happily.

His heart melted at the sight and he raised his hand to gently pat her head "Your mother used to love them when she had you Gauri" he softly said making her stop and look at him stunned.

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

Omkara lazily stretched his hand in sleep to embrace his wife. When he merely caught air, he opened his eyes to find the bed empty. He sat up at once looking for her first in the bathroom. When he did not find her there, he rushed out of the room in search of her.

Where did she go? She should have woken him up if she wanted something... how careless of her to walk the stairs alone at night. What if she lost balance?

Scolding her in his mind for multiple reasons, he walked down trying to be as silent as possible not wanting to wake up the rest of the family. On reaching the living room, he saw the kitchen light on and walked in the direction.

He was just about to call her name when he stopped hearing soft giggles of his wife. Raising his eyebrows in surprise and keeping his silence, he moved forward to look inside and could not help but smile at the sight.

His father-in-law who was always reserved and stoic was animatedly explaining something to his wife while she smiled and laughed at his act.

Interesting he mused as Shakti swung his hand in the air as if hitting something and Gauri looked on with wide eyes.

He looked at the time which showed two AM and contemplated It was quite late... should he call her back or let them be?

Gauri's laughter echoed louder this time, giving him the answer and he shook his head smiling before moving back silently letting his wife spend some more time with her father.

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Don't forget to vote and comment...

And yeah... the next shot will be the last... I'm not going to stretch this forever.

Signing off...yours Soujanya.