Chapter 8 : Heartbroken

“No, Mumma, I haven’t spoken anything yet,” Anika spoke drawing patterns on the bedsheet lost in thoughts. Her mother had advised her to talk to Shivaay about Omkara and Gauri. Anika didn’t want Omkara to create havoc in Gauri’s life again. However, her mother had other opinions. She wanted Gauri to talk to Omkara.

“Thinking about me?” Shivaay asked as he entered the room shutting the door this time. “Sorry, I didn’t see you were on call!” He muttered turning around and noticing that she had her phone pressed against her ear and was almost close to glaring at him.

He flopped on the other side of the bed looking at her. “Yes, Mumma. Okay, good night. Sweet dreams!” She smiled and ended the call.

She glanced down at her husband who was lying down beside her scrolling through his phone. “Shivaay,”

“Hmm,”

“Can we talk?”

“You have to ask?” He looked up at her placing his phone aside.

“Um, what did Omkara tell you?” She finally asked.

His smile faded at her question. He wasn’t expecting that. “Anika, do we really…”

“Yes, we have to.” She answered firmly. “Does he still think that Gauri cheated on him?”

Shivaay sat up and placed a pillow behind his back. “Yes, he does,” he answered looking at her. “But he still loves her, which is really beyond me.” He muttered looking down at the circular white patterns on the black bedsheet.

“You said about Gauri being pregnant…” He looked up at her curiously.

“She was and it was Omkara’s,” Anika answered crisply.

Shivaay looked unconvinced. “How is she so sure?”

Anika had never thought she’d be having a conversation such as this with him. “Because he was the only one!” Anika answered feeling sick that Shivaay could actually go far to think that it wasn’t Omkara who got Gauri pregnant.

“Anika, Omkara told me that Gauri was with another guy, Liam.”

Anika stared at Shivaay, “I know, Gauri told me about that. Omkara believed what he saw. Did he ever ask Gauri what was happening? Did he ever try to think through that the man who tried to force himself on her once could do that again? Did he hear Gauri out when she tried to approach him at so many instances?”

Shivaay sat still almost like a statue listening to those questions. He had a bitter feeling consume him. It all hinted at the fact that Gauri never actually cheated. It could have been Omkara’s misunderstanding. “Oh no!” He muttered under his breath. “You mean, Liam was the one to blame?”

Anika nodded.

“What happened to the baby?” Shivaay asked horrified.

Anika took a deep breath breaking eye contact, recollecting everything that her mother retold her. “Gauri came back to India after her graduation. She didn’t have a family so she started living in a ladies hostel. Mumma met her one day at a supermarket. She was four months pregnant then and had collapsed. Mumma came to know from her that she lived all alone and she suggested her to shift to Devi Women’s Home where Mumma visited frequently.”

“A home to those women that are looked down upon by their own families and have no one to care for. They take care of each other. Mumma, went there often as a life-coach to help the residents deal with personal problems and teach them to live again. Gauri got close to Mumma. Mumma also had developed a soft spot for Gauri. Gauri was in depression. Mumma started helping her out. One day when I accompanied her for an event, I met Gauri. Everything was falling into place. Until in the eight-month of her pregnancy, Gauri attempted to commit suicide. She jumped off the terrace.” Anika paused.

“What!” Shivaay exclaimed shocked. A woman with a strong head like Gauri doing that, was just not easy to digest.

Anika nodded in affirmation, “The baby died but Gauri was safe. She went mad after her failed attempt. I couldn’t even be in the same room hearing her cries. But Mumma was by her side all the time. It took almost a year but slowly Gauri began to heal. She started living with us after the incident. We became a family. She became the sister I never had.” Anika smiled fondly. “Mumma convinced her to her masters so that she could set up her own clinic to help people who get hit by life so hard that they forget to live.”

“Clinic?” Shivaay asked confused.

“She has her majors in Human Psychology,” Anika answered. “Everything was fine, she seemed happier than before, seemed like she had started enjoying living when she returned until she met Omkara.”

Shivaay exhaled rubbing his palms on his face. “That’s why you went to stay with her.”

“Yeah!” Anika whispered.

“That’s so messed up.” Shivaay exclaimed dismayed. “Shit, how is Omkara going to even … shit. Anika, Omkara will go mad if he hears all of this. He’s been drowning in guilt and now this. This is so messed up.” Shivaay spoke rubbing his forehead in tension.

Anika frowned, “Guilt about?”

“Everything!” Shivaay answered. He literally had to steal all credit cards and manipulate Omkara’s staff into giving him updates about him. He had been doing better without drinking or fooling around with women. But Shivaay knew the guilt was drowning him. Guilt, hurt, and pain all three attacking him at once.

“Mumma thinks we should just push them to talk to each other. She believes that there is still a lot unspoken, and many misunderstandings between them.”

“I think she’s right..” he answered biting his lower lip. He didn’t know how Omkara would deal with whatever came but he knew that Omkara needed a closure. And only Gauri could give him one.

Anika was lost in her own thoughts. She didn’t want Gauri to fall into the same pothole again. But her mother was right, Gauri needed a closure, which could only happen once the two of them spoke.

---

“Oh, so you finally remembered the way to your office?” Zoya mocked as Omkara sauntered in. Her mocking smile faded when she saw his face. His usual glow was lost, he seemed zoned out. He didn’t even bother to react to her statement. He just walked towards his art room. She quickly followed his trail.

“Omkara, is everything—” Her sentence was cut short when he gave her a pointed look.

“I don’t want anyone to disturb me.” Having said that he shut the door on her face. Zoya stepped back at the harsh slam of the door. She went back to her work table to find three missed calls on her phone. It was Shivaay Singh Oberoi.

“Hello!”

“Good morning Sir!” Zoya answered.

“Is Om there?”

“Umm, yes, he’s uh… he’s in the art room, he doesn’t want to be disturbed.”

“Right. Make sure he has lunch and leaves with the driver. Call me if there’s anything.”

“Sure Sir!” Zoya pulled the phone down glancing in the direction of his art room. She had never seen him that angry. She sighed, getting back to work.

• * a week later * *

Gauri smiled looking around the small room. Two couches lay in the middle of the room with a center table between them. Rose-gold colored curtains hung covering the windows. Two bean bags were placed by the window. Her bookshelf was put against the wall with all her favorite books. She was glad that Mrs. Talwar had already looked for this small place that could be her clinic. All the paperwork was done. They already had a few people waiting to start the counseling sessions.

“It’s a cozy place, isn’t it?” Mrs. Talwar asked her operating on the coffee machine while Gauri stood by the window looking down at the park where kids were cheerfully playing and shouting.

“It is, it’s perfect,” Gauri answered as her Mother India walked up to her and handed her a cup of coffee. The aroma of the coffee made Gauri feel much better. They had started early in the morning to settle the place. It was all set up perfectly.

Gauri knew why Mrs. Talwar hurried to get her started. The past few days had been hard on Gauri. The unexpected encounter with Omkara had left her almost uprooted. However, with Mrs. Talwar by her side, Gauri had recovered from the shock. Mrs. Talwar kept her occupied with one thing or another be it cooking or running household errands with her. She was always there for her. Gauri couldn’t be thankful enough for the mother figure in her life. Gauri didn’t consider her anything less than a mother. She had given her rebirth.

“Mrs. Wadhwani was saying that she has sent out a message in her groups with the number we gave. Anika has also sent out the message about us to all the groups she knows. I got a call last evening from…” Mrs. Talwar paused scrolling through her phone. “Yeah, a certain Fiona. She should be here in an hour. Until then we can go grab some breakfast.”

Gauri nodded and smiled gratefully at her. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Mrs. Talwar pulled her into a side hug, “Bacha, I am tired of your thank yous, don’t make me feel like an outsider now. Also, we both are business partners like Anu puts it so let’s go and celebrate our partnership.”

Gauri grinned nodding. She admired Mrs. Talwar, she always had. She wanted to end up like her when she was her age. In love with life and no regrets or complaints whatsoever. Off late in retrospect, she found that Mrs. Talwar was the best thing that had happened to her. She had beaten Omkara to that spot in her heart.

“Let’s go, Chhoti!” Mrs. Talwar spoke impatiently waiting for her to finish her coffee. Gauri smiled not protesting like she generally did when the older lady called her by that nickname she had given her, due to her height.

---

“Hi,” Shivaay announced himself storming into Omkara’s cabin.

Omkara looked up from the designs that had been spread out on his table and grimaced. Ever since the night Shivaay had found him drinking at the not so famous bar, Shivaay kept a hawk’s eye on him. Not just that, he had also taken away his debit cards, credit cards so that he couldn’t go and buy himself liquor. That wasn’t enough apparently, for every lunchtime Shivaay dropped into his office to have lunch with him.

“Shivaay, for the hundredth-something time now, I am okay,” Omkara spoke tersely. “Besides, you get Zoya into a lot of trouble asking her to check on me like I am some baby.”

“When did I say you’re not okay? Can’t brothers bond over lunchtime?” Shivaay asked swiftly changing the topic.

“Too much bonding is happening off late.” Om muttered to himself.

“Did you say something?” Shivaay asked folding his hands waiting for Omkara to wrap up and come with him.

“Nothing,” Omkara mumbled, collecting the designs and putting them into a folder. He then put his computer to sleep. He picked up his coat from behind his chair, on second thoughts he just put it back.

“Let’s go,” he announced knowing it was futile to get Shivaay off his back.

“Why don’t you bond with Anika over lunchtime?” Omkara said, trying to put better ideas into his brother’s mind.

Shivaay smiled at the mention of her name. “Her office is, unfortunately, an hour’s drive from mine while yours is barely twenty minutes. Besides, I think we bond enough at home.”

Omkara couldn’t help but chuckle. “With doors wide open, yes,”

“Shut up,” Shivaay reprimanded. Ever since the first time Omkara had found out them getting intimate with the door of their bedroom wide open he always seized the opportunity to tease him.

They reached the restaurant across from Omkara’s office. They walked over and sat at their usual spot by the glass window at a table for two.

Shivaay looked at Omkara thoughtfully after they had placed their order. He hadn’t brought up Gauri in any conversation yet. But he knew sooner or later he had to. He was just trying to give Omkara time to digest his meeting with her.

“What about Chote Papa’s birthday? Are we keeping a party this time too?” Omkara asked looking at him.

“Oh, right! Dad’s birthday… Umm, Anika was actually saying something about that but I cut her off a day ago.”

Omkara grinned, “cut her off or shut her up with you know..?”

Shivaay tried to put up an unresponsive expression, well Omkara had certainly caught the right vein at the first go. He had actually shut her up with his mouth. But Omkara didn’t have to know that. Shivaay let his remark go past like an arrow shot badly. Actually, let me call her and find out.”

“You don’t have to put it on the speaker…” Omkara spoke looking at Shivaay who brushed it off.

“Hey!” He said as the call connected.

“Seems like someone is missing me?” Came Anika’s muffled voice.

Omkara grinned looking at a shocked Shivaay. Anika wasn’t the kind to tease him over a call. Not even level one teasing like what she was doing currently.

“Yeah, anyway, I called to ask about Dad’s birthday party. You were saying something about the discussion you and mom had. What was that about, you hadn’t completed that…” he explained speaking.

“I didn’t complete? It was your..” Shivaay picked up the phone and after swiftly putting it on handset mode, he placed it against his ear while Omkara chuckled silently.

Shivaay smiled sheepishly hearing Anika complete her sentence, “…mouth that interrupted me.”

“Anika, we can talk about that later. Can you please fill me on the details now?” He said trying to bring his wife to the point.

“I didn’t, not hear you, this is not..” Shivaay paused noticing Omkara’s amused gaze. “We’ll talk about this in person later. Can you please tell me about the party? I need to fill Omkara about the details.”

Shivaay ended the call with a smile on his face. Omkara managed to smile and look at the waiter who brought their order. His eyes caught a young couple on a table across the room. They had books open before them but were both engrossed talking to each other. Why did she have to come back into his life?