Rikara FF - Humsafar Humdard Humraaz

Chapter 8

Two days passed and Gauri successfully managed to avoid Omkara. All these time she kept herself busy in taking care of small to smallest needs of Svetlana even though she wasn't really happy to roam the whole day around her. But at least being around her helped her running away from Omkara. She wasn't ready to face him as she abruptly realised, she cannot get a hold onto her emotions before him. So she found it better to not see him.

Omkara has been trying to find one chance to talk to her. But Gauri somehow manages to escape his shadow every time. Moreover, she behaves as if he doesn't even exist and he cannot tolerate that. He himself doesn't know why it feels suffocating when she treats him like an unknown person. The coldness of her eyes and her emotionless tone of her bothered him. And he doesn't know why.

The Gauri whom Omkara met in Bareilly was surely the most expressive girl he ever met in his life. She used to express everything that used to drive in her mind. Never she hesitated to show her anger on someone nor she was shy to express her love for someone. So he thought maybe it's normal to be worried seeing er running away and suppressing her feeling behind an emotionless and poker face. He was sure that Gauri is making him restless. But the reason was unknown. Maybe everything he is feeling now is the outcome of the realisation that he wronged her. With this his mind tried to give the simplest justification of his acts. But deep down inside his heart, there was something else, something that he wasn't sure what to name as. Is it regret ? He doesn't know. Is it sympathy towards her ? He wasn't sure. Is it his inner turmoil ? He doesn't have any idea. All he knows is, he wanted mercy and he would do everything to get that from her.

He entered the kitchen only to find Gauri doing something over there. He wanted to talk to her and he knew she cannot run away this time. But he cannot rush the things only to get the solace of his mind. He decided to take it slowly and make her at least comfortable around him.

"Kya har rahi ho ?", he asked awkwardly though he was sure she won't even look at him let alone talking to him. But can he just sit idly and watch her running away ? No, he can't. He'll try his best to get what he wants from her.

Gauri's heart started to beat fast. It was strange how every time the man standing beside her makes her affected. Sometimes emotionally, sometimes physically. She never was affected by a man. But his proximity always did something unfamiliar to her. No matter she tries to avoid him, she knows she cannot just brush away those strange feelings from her mind so easily. So it's better to get acquainted to his presence.

"Making ayurvedic paste for Sveltana madam.", she said mixing everything Svetlana has given her to make the paste.

Omkara was watching how her eyes were focused on the bowl and hands were moving simultaneously throughout the paste. Being an artist, he couldn't but admire the simplest art of hers. And then he realised the way she was avoiding eye contact with him. She kept mixing everything until it was done. And then looking at him she asked, "Do you need something ?"

"I wanted my coffee. But don't bother yourself. Main khud kar loonga.", he smiled..

With that Gauri nodded and moved from the kitchen counter giving him space to do whatever he wanted. She was leaving when his voice stopped her.

"Why are you avoiding me ?", he hoped against hope to find her answering his questions this time. The silence of her was something he cannot take anymore.

"I'm not avoiding you. Hum bass aapna kam kar rahe hain.", she tried to sound precise.

"Toh tum mujhse baat kyun nehi karti ?", he asked hurt.

"Humein yahan aapse baat karne ke liye nehi rakha gaya hain. Aur shayad aap bhul rahe hain ki aapki mangetar poora din humare sarr pe baithi rehti hain.", she said pointing towards her head and Omkara chuckled.

"Agar itni hi chidti ho Svetlana se, toh uske liye kam kyun karr rahi ho, Gauri ?", he asked looking into her eyes to get the truest answer.

"Kyunki yeh naukri humari zaroorat hain. Issi liye hum aapse vinti karte hain, Omkara Ji..", she said folding her hands before him, "Humein humara kam karne dijiye aur aapne hal pe chhod dijiye."

For the first time she called him Omkara Ji. He was sublimed. He could feel the respect she was showering him with, despite of the hurtful deeds he did to her. He was guilty, even more than before for never giving her the minimal respect she deserved as a woman. Every time she came before him, he just taunted her and tried to taint her character. Then how could she still respect him ? How could she ?
He doesn't have the answers. He was standing there tangled with his thoughts and unanswered questions. And Gauri, once again left, leaving him with guilt.

When Gauri went to Svetlana's room, she was already in her bath robe and if she isn't wrong then her boss was waiting for her to come with the paste. Svetlana gave her a smile which looked creepy to her. No doubt she was really impressed with Gauri. After all she is doing everything according to her *apparent* boss.

If she has to be honest then she would shamelessly say that she wasn't liking her boss and her antics. She always shows tantrums and being her caretaker, Gauri has to go through everything.

She didn't like Svetlana as a person. The way she talks to the other people of the house makes her feel sick. But there's nothing she can do about it. She isn't allowed to question her nor to advise her how to interact with people. Sometimes she just feel like sticking her to the wall with her Bareilly famous jhaap. But she's helpless. She's in need of a job and no one in this unknown city can offer her a better job if she dare to leave the one she has got luckily. To her shock, she realised how selfish she has become in just two days only to think about her job and nothing else. But Svetlana isn't a harm to her. She's treating her well and Gauri, as an employee, is just doing her job. But seeing her every time, Gauri just wonders how can someone be so artificial from head to toe. Even the smile she just gave her was fake. Only if she wasn't working for her, she definitely would have said on her face that she exactly looks like those harlequins which she got to see on her village's circus.

Taking the bowl from Gauri's hands Svetlana said, "Main tumhare kam se bohot khush hoon, Gauri. You really impressed me."

In reply Gauri just gave her a tight smile, biting her cheeks.

"Gauri..", Svetlana called, "Don't you think I look younger than Omkara and he's the lucky one to have me as his future wife ?"

Gauri obviously didn't like Svetlana talking about Omkara. Still she kept her mouth shut and Svetlana continued pointing to the bowl of paste she's holding, "Aab isse lagake main aur bhi khubsoorat dikhungi."

"Isse lagake bhi yeh chant chiraiyya Omkara Ji ki chachi jaise hi dikhegi.", Gauri muttered under her breathe and laughed crazily in her mind seeing the woman drooling over her fake beauty. And with that she hurried away from her room and burst into laughter.

She doesn't remember for how many days she has not laughed like this, freely and at ease. She laughed till her eyes were watery. Then taking a deep breathe she stopped laughing and went towards her room.

But unknown to her, the man who was somewhere at fault for the stress and the mess she was in all these days, was watching her unashamed and intensely. He, after a long time was in peace, seeing someone laughing so ungrudgingly. And he vowed to get back the smile she has lost. Not anything else mattered to him there and then, than making up for the mistake he has done.

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