Chapter 23

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Om, Gauri and Sandi sitting in the living room. Gauri was looking at a magazine.

Gauri was flipping through a magazine. She would stop at a page, look at the picture, think about something, shake her head and then flip the page. She did this for every page and Om and Dandi were looking at her. They started talking in sign language so Gauri does not notice.

D: What is wrong with her?

O: I do not know.

D: I think she has gone crazy.

O: This is her normal behaviour. Do not worry, she will come out of it.

Om and Dandi laugh and look at Gauri who was still continue with her weird behaviour. Om continues to drink tea and Dandi reads his newspaper.

Gauri finishes going through the magazine and sighs. She puts it on the table face down and sits back in her chair. Then, quickly, she picks up the magazine and opens to a page.

G: Dandi bhaiyya, how will I look in this?

Om and Dandi look forward to see what is on the page. It was a picture of a model wearing an emerald green knee length dress.

D: uhh... Gauri

O: You will look nice in anything, Gauri.   All colours suit you so you can wear whatever you want.

G: Really? (Gauri turns the book towards her and looks at the picture.) I will not look nice in this.

Gauri gets up and goes to her room. She opens her notebook but someone comes in and grabs her book.

G: Let me study, Om. 

O: Gauri, get ready. We are going shopping. We are going to buy you a dress.

G: I was just joking. I have homework to do.

O: I will help you with that. Now get ready. (Thinking) For you to move forward, we need to get rid of the self doubt. You need to be confident and this is the only way.

G: Fine, but just because I am coming with you, it does not mean I will buy one. I am only coming because you asked me to come.

At the store:

Gauri goes in with Om and Gauri just turns around in surprise. She has never been in a shop like this. There were so many spotlights, so many dresses in different colours. After all, it was an Oberoi store so it had to be perfect.

A lady comes up.

L: Good morning, sir.

O: Hi, can you please show the best dresses you have? I do not care about price but I am looking for something that will look good on her.

L: Follow me, sir.

G(Whispering): Omkaraji, what is the point of spending of all this money on a dress?

O: Gauri, this is the Oberoi store so technically, it is free for us. But, you cannot tell them that I am Omkara Singh Oberoi or everyone will go crazy. Instead of getting a dress, we will have to play hide and seek to get away from this crowd.

G: So, even the people that work here do not know it is you.

O: Nope.

G: Okay, then so what should I call you if I cannot call you Omkaraji?

O: I do not know... you tell me

G: Nandi.

O: Gauri...

G: Jatadarie Hippie

Om gives her a glare.

L: Mam, right here.

Gauri smiles at him and they follow the lady to a room. Gauri tries on a few dresses in front of Om but both of them cannot decide on which one to take. Gauri found all the dresses either too short or too revealing and Om was just mesmerized by how she looked in all the dresses.

O: Let's buy all of it.

G: That is not happening. Pick one and we can buy it.

O: I am not going to force you into one. 

G: Jandi, you cannot do that to me.

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