First things first,
The last chapter might have confused most of us and I'm here to help you out.
Gauri and Tori were childhood best friends. Gauri was an endearment for Gayatri and Tori for Taarika. Tori had been married off at an early age with Raghav, who secretly admired Gayatri a.k.a Gauri. He was not aware of her actual name Gayatri. Tori is dead (as of now.)

I hope this would've helped you all.

Happy Reading! :)

☆☆☆

2 Years Later, Kolkata

Sometimes the memories are the worst form of torture.

True that.

Memories build up a special place in our hearts and minds. Our lives are often filled up with multitude of emotions and recollections, which are left behind by the people we meet.
Sometimes, it tends to give us a sudden gaiety. They usually perks up the sense of pleasure of being lost into the charms of sweet memories. But not every time.
Often it leaves behind some souvenirs or some recollection, some unhealed scars.

More or less they might heal sooner.Some deep-rooted collections sometimes seem to tether us from our own self. Possibilities are much or maybe not?

Gayatri–a free spirit, with a wild heart– maybe a perfect way to define her, as of now.
Life was on a constant move and the two years has already changed the course of her life. An undecided, sudden turbulent had already enshrouded her, for four months.

The world was revamping at its best likewise her life. The hours seem to be lost into the mundane desires of human within a flick of second, those days. Ever-changing, like the joyless eye which find no object worth in constancy.

The new city, people, and life had brought her into a set of pristine responsibilities and priorities. Courtesy to the new title which she was tagged to.

Mrs.Gayatri.

The arranged marriage of Gayatri had brought her into a new town of her loved city, Kolkata.

The hues of sun were dashed upon the sky; Aromas of varied meals and spices were melded into the vicinity and the households were busied into their everyday chores. It was fresh Wednesday morning, when the whole Kolkata was buckled up for a new day. The sun was already shining at its best and the dwelling created a whole new different chaos. The temple bells have started ringing and the lord was awake. There was a constant sound of morning adhan from infinity.

Meanwhile, in the midst of big courtyard stood, a woman with an hourglass figure and a duskier tone. Her stature was already swathed into a mustard yellow cotton Saree. Her eyes tightly shut in the morning prayer, and the rim of saree was fixed on her head. Her lips moved into sotto voce and her soul was completely into the constancy of devotion. For the lord.

Soon, she offered her prayers to the Tulasi  fixed in the middle of the courtyard, before retiring for the household chores.

It was Gayatri.

An absurd click of her tongue, escaped her mouth. Realization of being under someone's gaze, all this while had made her do so.
All the time, she could find herself under the eyes of someone, whom she had know for a very good time, as of now. Her own husband.
All ready for his office, he sat in the verandah, with a newspaper which he held, faking to read it. Not that he was eyeballing her but his mind was busied in its own rumination.
A part of his mind felt right for making his line of vision towards her. He didn't commit any crime, still and all.

Something which he had started since some days back.

In the four months of their marriage, she would always find him giving her this scrutinizing look as if wanting to say something. About him, her and their marriage. Maybe.

To her, his gaze didn't convey what fairytale had ever mentioned but a different sort of perusal.

Gayatri had for once and all, stole a glance at him, not before walking away with polished brass water bearing pot. She was called by her mother-in-law, and left towards the kitchen to complete the morning chores.

She was gone, again! He sighed.

✿✿✿

After a notably satisfying breakfast, he stood in the corner of the house, desirous and displeased at the same time, with the scene before him. His eyes outshone with grudge and his jaw ticked.

“Bhabhi, I suggest you to read this book. I specially brought this one for you, when I visited library yesterday.” Aman, Gayatri’s brother-in-law, spoke to her as he passed her a book. Gayatri had stopped midway while trodding inside her room. A smile lightened up her face.

The very man who stood in the far corner of the house, gazed at them and their natters that began along.
Not that he was overly possessive for his wife but a sense of insecurity bud inside him, seeing Aman, being extra close to Gayatri, since the day she had stepped her feet in the house.
Aman, was his cousin, towards whom he had always held grudges since childhood, for unknown reasons and like always, his very presence near Gayatri was ruffling his feathers, that day.

“Shesher Kabita.” Gayatri spoke, reading the title of the book, he had handed over. “Interesting.

Don’t tell me you are a romance reader, too?” She asked with amusement hinting in her tone and a smile occupying her lips.

“This means, you are also among them! Oh God! I was doubtful whether my choice would please you or not.” Aman said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Why not?

Aman, my brother, has brought it for me. I will definitely like it.” A smile was fixed on her gracile indid face and her lashes were down, looking through the book. Exhilarated with her statement, he held her palms and a wide smile stretched on his face.

“That’s a big compliment, Bhabhi. Next time, I will bring another book for you.” Aman spoke out.

Another book. Another chit-chat session. Gayatri’s Mr. Would thought. Their tête-a-tête was not enough and to add more fuel to fire, he held Gayatri's hands. At that sight, he clenched his jaw and walked away, somewhere inside the house.

Who was he to meddle between them?
Just Gayatri’s husband, Right? He would think with a sarcasm laced smile.

Down the line, Gayatri came to her room to revamp herself for the things, she is required to, to be called as a married woman. Taking the vermilion, she filled her hair partition and wore herself a pendent, which she would always wear, along with her sacred thread. While, fixing her outfit, she saw his reflection with hers. Her movement was gradually slowed down, as she saw him, coming closer to her.

Gayatri’s face was stoic and he wore the same look too, but deep down something else was budding. He stood behind her, with imperturbable yet desirous face, at a passable distance. She looked at him for sometime, and then averted her gaze from him. 

Getting aside, she gave him space as he took his watch and kerchief from the dressing. Yet his gaze was at her, all the meanwhile, while she stood facing the window, gradually caressing her hair with her fingers.

“I've kept the tiffin box in your bag, already. Don’t forget to bring the tiffin box back, like yesterday.” She uttered nonchalantly, feebly without facing him, bringing him back from his own thoughts. Moving towards the bed, he kept some files inside his bag, sneaking some glances at her.

Now, Gayatri held the same book, which Aman gave to her and he noticed, how engrossed she looked into it. Keeping himself busied into his work, he spoke nothing. Except for a sigh which escaped his mouth.

After few minutes, she kept the book inside the book stand and turned to leave the room.

“My water bottle?” He stopped her from leaving the room, while she nodded to bring it to him. As she neared the door, his voice had stopped her already. “Wait.”

In all the four months of their relationship, their talks would remain from her telling him about his lunch, to his goodnight to her. Their relationship, was murky all the meanwhile. It was when, they had to visit some relative for a get together or infront of their own family, they would pretend something. The platonic expressions of newly weds.

“We've some individuals here, in our home, from whom you should stay away as much as you can.” He spoke without facing her, his gaze directed towards the insides of his bag. “Much closeness with them might only cause you harm.”

Gayatri smirked and sighed before speaking. “I'm well aware of the things which are bugging you and for your acknowledgement, I’m known with my own limitations.”

“There’s nothing to feel irked about. I'm just putting in the picture for you.” He shut his eyes, vaguely and remarked.

"Oh! Putting in the picture?
Come straight to the point." She remarked with a sardonic chuckle.
“Apprising me or Envious that I talked to Aman?” She enquired pushing the hair strands behind her ear. “No-No. Envious and you? Not a good combination.
But..

Human mind is complex.

Don’t tell me you started feeling something for uh.. me?”

..and that was when she felt, she had gone too far. With an arcane look, on his face he turned around only to look at her face, which held a sense of erring yet confidence. Not that Gayatri, she had bit her own tongue.
His eyebrows scrunched up a little. Unable to speak up further, she decided to leave him.

“I’m not complete yet, Gayatri!” His gravelly voice hit her ears, as she stood rooted on her tracks. She bit her lips and faced him, as she saw him, at his former place only.

“I think you still remember some words I spoke to you on the day we married.” He stood crossing his hands infront of his torso. “You are new here and it is my duty to give you some insight into my- our family.”

She stood there listening his words. Her face was succumbing the mortification beneath her phlegmatic demeanour.

“Moreover, don’t forget we are married.” He completed, with an apprising tone.

“And I hate this notion.

I hope you too remember, that you didn’t have to interfere in my matters.” She said.

“Gayatri-I-"

“I know. I know.” She raised a brow and with a dead voice, she continued, “But, I would say that, try controlling your emotions. I can see in your demeanor for past few days, your vague developing inclination towards me." She said with a challenging tone.

"..And this was not in our rules, Mr. Raghav Bagchi.” Saying so, she walked out of the room, adjusting her saree. Leaving him rooted on his steps. His face turned harder and her words would linger in his mind. He hadn't thought she would be this impatient and obstinate.

What wrong did he do to advise her on something she really needs to know? He can't be wrong everytime.

Ah! That was just what he needed that day!

Complicated she was!

.

.

.

The clock struck 9 and he had decided to move to his workplace. His white crisp shirt shone in the morning sunshine as he walked from his house, luring some of the young girls of his neighbours, who had ever wished to marry him. As if he was a fresh jaggery and the girls were a swarm of honey bees around him.

Like always, he trodded towards the main road but a voice had halted him.
"Raghav!"

He had stopped on his tracks only to come face-to-face, with the very famous clingy and gossipy lady of their neighbourhood. Mrs.Sengupta

Raghav’s face had already lost the cheeriness he had ever stored with himself, in the morning itself and now the lady’s presence fanned the flames, more.
The middle-aged lady with a fuller face, the vermilion powder was smashed through the middle partition of her hair; a dark red glossy lipstick smeared on her plump lips, and a large bindi adorned on her forehead.
Her appearance wasn't less than a rock-ribbed person who could get back whatever she would wanted.

Raghav faked a hesitant smile as she came and stood before him.

"Raghav, Are you planning to become a blue moon already? Neither you nor Gayatri had met me, since the day I had last visited your house." She chaicked at him.

Raghav had read her attitude at that instant. People speak so when they are in dire need to get a task done from him. He had dealt with many of them and the lady before him was one among them.

He laughed lightly and nodded his head sideways.

"Tell me, Is everything fine between you and Gayatri?" Raghav’s fake laughter died down as he gazed at her. "Ptch. Don’t take it otherwise. What I mean is-" She stood more closer to Raghav, and in response he took a step back. Some ladies are dangerous.
"Are we expecting a happy event soon?"

She talked in hushed voice and passed him a teasing smile. Raghav realized his fault to set out to his workplace, 15 minutes later. Only If he hadn't wasted his time, watching Gayatri and Aman's natters, he wouldn't cross his path with the lady.

Happy event, My foot! He thought.

"It’s all God’s will!
It will happen when it has to." Raghav said and decided to make a move only to be stopped by her again.

On the other side, Gayatri’s gaze was directed towards them from the terrace. Her hand held some clothes and much to her reluctance of not watching the convo going there, she still watched them. Her face had a slight frown and soon, her brows were raised, seeing the middle-aged lady’s mein. She would rattle on, laugh and had kept her hand on Raghav’s shoulder, in the midst.

A sort of mockery prevailed in Gayatri's head for Raghav. She tried to watch and hear them, but was unable to do the latter.

After a good, prolonged oration of Mrs. Sengupta–about the benefits of having baby, how it enriches a couple's bond- Actually, he certainly wasn't interested in her babble. Her vague laughter had already prevailed uneasiness within him. Moreover, her unnecessary intermeddling in his family issues. It peeved him to no extend and he wanted to run and hide somewhere.

Then she came to the exact point for which she had caged Raghav for sometime.

"Raghav remember, I told you once about my sister? She's of your age only." Mrs. Sengupta held the rim of her Saree and asked. Raghav nodded, engrossed thinking in ways to run away from her.
"So, did you find any job for her?
You're a government servant, I thought you could help her in.. finding a suitable job."

She could come to the point instead of blethering crap for time immemorial. Raghav thought.

Raghav had ensure her about finding finding a good job for her sister.
Everyone wants to taste sweet mango but no one wants to go an extra mile.

In order to get rid of her, he had to cut short their-her chitter-chatter. Only if he had known that she would talk about this matter, he would have straight away ignored her.

However, while speaking to her, his gaze went towards a reflection of a mirror of an antiquated scooter. His lips moved while his eyes were fixed on the reflection.

Gayatri was finding absolute interest in watching them. He wondered. He blinked and turned to look at Mrs. Sengupta, who was finally having mercy on Raghav. She walked away and soon Raghav turned to look up, towards the terrace.

Soon, as Raghav led his gaze towards Gayatri, she vanished into thin air at that instant. Her curious face was a thing to capture.

A smirk appeared on Raghav’s lips and  a sigh escaped his mouth. He walked towards the main road.

Gayatri actions felt eye-for-an-eye.
Because of the morning incident and then.

Whereas, Gayatri too had a derisive smirk on her lips. Tit-for-tat!
She thought how Raghav was being proprietorial to her, in the morning. His actions had something hidden, nowadays.

Their marriage was not as easy as people believe. Some trials and tribulations come with it, which only Raghav and Gayatri know.

Well, their meeting two years back in Digha, was enough to change the course of their relationship now.
Only time will tell the futurity (and past) for Mr. And Mrs. Bagchi!

•••

*Bhabhi- Sister-in-law
*Shesher Kabita- A famous Romance novel by Rabindranath Tagore

So, what do you think?