Becoming Sweethearts [✓]

Part Forty Seven

​"Nothing makes a room feel emptier than wanting someone in it" Gauri read this quote in one of her novels and then kept it aside. She had come back to the flat from the Sharma Residence, after making up an excuse that she wanted to clean the whole house before Omkara was back. If Arvind noticed the light in her eyes had dimmed, he didn't comment on it. He had asked her twice if she was fine, and when she said she was doing good, he dropped the topic, not before telling her that if ever she wanted a shoulder to lean on, her Papa was always there. Shalini, on the other hand, was happy that her daughter had finally learned to take up the responsibility of looking after a home after marriage.

At present, Gauri sat on their bed, looking outside at nothing in particular. There were thoughts constantly plaguing her ever since she had that conversation with Ishana, ever since she saw that group photograph with Omkara and Ridhima in it. Rudra and Annika had taken turns to call her and sneakily find out if she was doing fine. She didn't want to trouble them. Annika had enough of her own problems, and Rudra had his exams coming up soon. Troubling them with her own worries was the last thing she wanted to do. It would be rather wise to sort this out with Oberoi himself. At least she could express her thoughts, her insecurities, her worries, her fears and trust him to not judge her or make her feel stupid for thinking such things.

Gauri had finished her dinner and was patiently waiting for Omkara's call. As always, he called her up and she answered the call in merely two rings. "Hey!" he said, sounding cheerful. Why is he so cheerful; is Ridhima around? That was the first thought that came to her mind. "Hey," she said, trying her best to squash those nagging voices inside her head, and then frowned when she heard the thumping music in the background as if he was in a nightclub. "You're outside," she said, with a frown, wondering if Ridhima had also joined him. "Yea," he said, sounding a little lost, and then adding, "I – I came with my colleagues for a drink."

Gauri was about to reply when she heard some female voice calling out to him, "Aum-Kuh-Rraah" His name was called in an accent, and he sounded distracted. "Dance with me, sugar!" Gauri fumed when she heard the female voice ask him, and he said to the woman, "Sorry, I'm a bit busy."

Omkara was about to continue his conversation with Gauri, when he felt his colleague Annie pull his arm, insisting he danced. "Maybe in some time, Annie, but I'm really busy right now. I need to finish this call" he said, as politely as possible.

Every passing second of the background conversation made Gauri angrier. Who was Annie? Why was every woman after her husband, trying to put their vicious claws on him? 'Finish this call?' He was talking to his wife! She wasn't some office client that he needed to 'finish the call'. "Oberoi, don't stop on my account. You can go on and dance!" she said in an annoyed tone, secretly hoping he would tell her in reassurance that nothing was more important than her and would continue talking to her.

"Sweetheart, I -" Omkara began and then stopped once again, distracted at how Deepak and some foreigner girl were making out in the corner of the club, while Sarfaraz and Nandita sat in another corner, looking clearly disgusted at the two. Omkara averted his eyes and cleared his throat. Before he could focus on the conversation, Annie approached him again, and this time, with Jenna by her side, she asked, "Who are you talking to, by the way?" Jenna chimed, almost half-drunk, "Oooohhh, girlfriend?" Omkara, cornered by two drunken women shook his head in a no, while Jenna reached for his phone. "No, no, not my girlfriend!" he said quickly and then looked in shock at how Jenna had disconnected the phone after snatching it.

Gauri stared at the phone when Omkara disconnected the call. The last thing she heard was some Annie asking him if he was talking to his girlfriend, and he had straightaway denied it was the case. Did he just disconnect the call so he could go and dance with her? Or did he just feel ashamed to admit he was talking to her? Gauri felt her anger surging through her veins and tossed the phone aside on the bed. "Go to hell, Omkara" she growled in anger and gave into bitter tears when she could no longer hold back anymore as all her earlier thoughts came running back to her.