Delicate - A Rikara Tale (Completed!)

Eighteen- Enigmas and Epiphanies

Hello, to anyone who is still reading this, thank you for waiting. So much has changed since I last wrote and all for the better. I graduated with amazing grades and have returned to my beloved home town. Moving took up a lot of my time, as did my job hunt. I will not abandon this story, but to finish, i need to know what you think about it! Please do keep supporting me and this story

Of all the constants in her life, Prayer was the most important one for Gauri.
It kept her grounded, made her feel safer, saner and most importantly, stronger. There was something inexplicably liberating about being able to confide her deepest fears and hopes to her Shankarji. It was the prayers and the unwavering hope in her favorite deity that had helped Gauri carry on with her life, she knew. She'd come to her Shankarji, her body shaking, blinded by tears and half-crippled by despair, but she would leave the temple with a quiet strength, a renewed determination to face whatever her fate decided to throw at her. Her ma had marveled at the intense and unwavering faith that Gauri possessed and how it would surely be rewarded for it.
Gauri smiled to herself as she anointed the precious idols that her husband had gifted her with vermillion. She stole a look at her still slumbering spouse as she carried on with her daily rituals. Om had a peaceful look on his face, a look so serene that it seemed to Gauri that all his worries had ceased to exist. That was far from over, Gauri knew. Both of them would carry the scars that the past had left on them, but the scars would fade. The fading would be slow, but it would be there. It had already begun, she knew. She had slept through the night after years. Gauri had woken up at 5 am, better rested than she had ever been, in her husband's arms. She felt another smile tug at her lips as Om stirred and pressed his face into his pillow. Gauri placed the Pooja thali down and made her way to the kitchen. Maybe if she was quick, she could catch Saumya before the elusive, mysterious sister in law of hers left for office again.
It seemed as if Shankarji was truly on her side, for Gauri bumped into none other than the very person she was seeking on the way to the kitchen.
Saumya was the first to speak, a hasty yet pained "Sorry Bhabhi" that was uttered without eye contact.
Gauri smiled eagerly "Good Morning Saumya Bhabhi. Waise I think I am younger than you, so you can just call me Gauri. Please, don't be so formal. Also, it's ok, I was so excited to find you that I was not looking where I was going."
Saumya looked up at Gauri with wide eyes. "Me? But why?"
Gauri's grin became even wider "For breakfast of course. Don't you know its the most important meal of the day? Chalo, I'll make your favorite. Just tell me what you like and then see if your sister can't make you happy!" Without waiting for Saumya's reply, Gauri linked her hand with Saumya's and began marching them off to the kitchen.
She had planned for this, Saumya realized, as she watched Gauri expertly flip a heavenly smelling Aloo Paratha.
***
Om woke up to the exquisite and soothing smell of jasmine and something else. He opened his eyes reluctantly to the sunlight filled room and noted with slight disappointment that he had overslept. He checked his watched and nearly fell out of bed. It was 9 am and everyone else would be at the breakfast table. Omkara nearly fell in his haste to reach the bathroom as fast as humanly possible. Ever since Gauri had come into his life, he found it easier to simply go with the flow, just as he had before.
Fifteen minutes, a soothing shower and a change of clothes later, Om made his way down to the still filled breakfast table and plonked himself in a chair between Gauri and Prinku.
"Good morning" his family greeted almost in sync.
Om looked up to see Shivaay grinning at him. He grinned back until he saw Anika raise a brow and hint with her eyes to look to his right.
Om followed and nearly choked on air.
Looking visibly uncomfortable between Mr Oberoi and Rudra, sat Saumya.
It was Gauri's gentle touch on his forearm that made Om sit quietly and eat his upma without commenting. He looked up at her and saw her mouth "Later" and nodded in response. Gauri had a plan or two up her sleeve and maybe, she could help him with Prinku as well.
The usual chatter about business, household requirements and in Prinku's case one word replies to any question anyone asked dominated the table. Shivaay, Chote Papa, Anika and Mr Oberoi headed off for work. Prinku left for college and Saumya for her office. Dadi loudly announced her desire to visit a nearby Krishna temple and called for Choti Ma to accompany her. Choti ma, sensing she was unwanted at the table, left silently, shocking the rest of the family. It was only Ma, Rudra, Gauri and Om who were left at the table. Gauri made a move to get up from her chair.
"Stay." Om's tone was determined. Full of purpose.
Gauri put her hand on his and nodded.
"Ma, I'd like you to stay as well." Om continued. "There's something you and I owe to someone, something we should have said and done long ago."
Rudra looked up from his plate of half-eaten plate and bit his lip.
"Don't even think about leaving, Rudra Singh Oberoi." Jhaanvi Tej Singh Oberoi's tone was clear and harsh, one that demanded utter obedience.
Rudra hung his head and sat still.
***
In the privacy of their own room, Gauri put her arms around her troubled yet determined husband and tried her best to reassure him. "You are doing the right thing. You are not interfering. You are Rudra's elder brother, you are like a brother to Saumya. You care about them and demanding they take care of themselves is not being cruel."
"I gave him no choice Gauri. I told him he would be as good as dead to me if he failed to fix things." Om shook his head, his voice trembling with emotion.
"He needs it, with Maa and P...Mr Oberoi's...I'm sorry" Gauri fumbled "I'm sure speaking to someone might help. I know it helped me. Dr.Saxena is a big help. " Gauri confessed, referring to the counselor she had been seeing recently.
"I know Maa's marriage with that failure of a human being has affected Rudra. It has affected all of us. Me, with my lack of faith and trust, Prinku with her anxiety and fear. Rudra has always been so bubbly, so carefree that I failed to consider he too might be suffering the after-effects of the storm that is our parents. Saumya deserves someone who will be there for her, will cherish her." Om sighed.
"And Rudra will be. I've seen him look at her when he thought no one was looking." Gauri smiled, a small hopeful smile that Om had come to admire.
"What did you see?" Omkara whispered.
"The same look that Mr Oberoi has on his face when he looks at Maa when he thinks no one is looking." Gauri stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on Omkara's cheek. "The same one you had on your face for days when you found out the truth about me and my past."
Guilt.
Omkara pushed away from the anger he felt at the similarity to Mr Oberoi and softly caressed Gauri's cheek. "How do you manage to stay so happy?"
Gauri laughed, a tinkling sound that made Omkara's own lips curl upward.
"Practice makes Perfect." she said solemnly.
Omkara could not help laughing at the serious look on her face. He pulled her into a warm hug.
"What would I be without you?" he whispered into her ear.
Gauri sighed against his chest and then burst into giggles once more.
"What's so funny?" Omkara pouted.
"You'd be like that Nandi bull in our village, with red eyes and steam coming out of its nostrils," Gauri admitted breathlessly.
Omkara shook his head and chuckled. Nandi indeed, what a strange little thing his Ri was.
He did not know where the endearment had come from, but it suited her.
Small and yet so perfect.
Just like her.

A/N: And there you go, a small update showing Ri and Om's bonding and their concern for the family and each other.