Shivaay and Anika were back just in time to hear the nurse.
“I can donate, my blood is O positive.” Both Shivaay and Priyanka said at the same time. Everybody around looked at them with a little bit of happiness, relief and hope.
“Omkara.” Anika called out keeping her hand on his shoulder as they watched Gauri through the glass window. Shivaay and Priyanka had gone to donate blood. When he turned to her she continued, “She has just begun to live her life thanks to you. She still has a lot left to enjoy and experience. She is feeling the magic of love now only, she won’t give up, I know my best friend. She has already given you enough pains, now she wont let you suffer anymore because of her. She still has a long life ahead of her. A life that she wants to spend with you. She has no choice but to wake up, because you are waiting for her on this side. Even if Yamraj, stops her, she will fight him with all her might and make sure she gets to you, because she still hasn’t completed her greatest desire.”
“Greatest desire?” He asked confused.
“Hmmm.” She nodded with a smile. “That’s our best friend wala secret. I won’t let you know because if I do, she’ll kill me. I love my life, I don’t intend to die anytime soon and definitely not from her hands. If she kills me, it’s gonna come in all newspapers with a headline A best friend has killed another best friend for letting their secret out!”
Omkara chuckled softly, her words having had an impact on him making him feel hopeful that his Gauri would be fine.
Anika smiled to herself having accomplished to put a smile on his face.
Please wake up soon, Ri. She said in her mind.
*****
A day had passed and Gauri had still not opened her eyes. She was still under observation and visitors had a very small amount of time for meeting her. The killer had been found thanks to Khanna, their head staff and it was revealed that one of the Oberoi’s business rivals tried to kill Omkara by arranging a goon.
A rivalry that had been there since years..
Omkara had stayed outside the ICU the whole night and despite their pleas, hadn’t even had a single morsel of food since the previous day. Each passing minute felt like hell for him as he saw his Gauri trying to fight between life and death.
He had promised to be with her for every pain and sorrow then why was she suffering there alone? Wasn’t it supposed to be him in her place? Then why did it have to be her?
The growing ache in his heart was slowly starting to eat him alive. It felt like someone was brutally stabbing his heart repeatedly. He looked at the mangalsutra safely enclosed in his hand. The nurse had given it to him when Gauri had been taken for the operation. Since their marriage, Gauri had always worn it. But today to have it in his hand instead of her neck broke him. He clutched onto it tightly and held it against his chest trying to feel her essence from it.
“Bhaiya, please have some food.” Rudra pleaded as he came towards Omkara with a plate of food making him snap out of his thoughts. “Bhabhi won’t like it if you stay hungry. We’ll all be getting scoldings from her. Please have something. You have to be strong when she wakes up right?” Omkara didn’t miss the pain in his happy go lucky brother’s voice.
“Rudy…I don’t want to-”
“Please. Bhabhi won’t be happy with this behaiviour of yours. You need strength to scold her right? You think she’ll be happy to see you so broken when she wakes up? I know you’re angry at her but that doesn’t mean you give her such a punishment. At least let her see you a little healthy.” Rudra said trying his best not to cry.
“Rudy, try to understand.”
“You try to understand, O.” Rudra replied getting serious. “You know bhabhi will get up right? Why are you even scared about that? She will get up soon. I’m sure of it, everyone else is sure of it. Do you have any doubt about it?”
“Rudy..” Omkara mumbled helplessly.
“Listen, there’s no way she will give up this fight. Did you wait for her all these years just so God could take her away from you? Have faith in your love, O. She’s my bhabhi. And my bhabhi isn’t weak.” Rudra said with full confidence.
“I don’t know Rudy, I’m scared.” Omkara said letting his guard down. “I can’t live without her.”
“Then you won’t have to. She will get up.”
“If something happens to her I won’t be able to forgive myself.”
“Kya hain yeh O?” Rudra asked dramatically. “Aap yeh daily soaps wale heroes ki dialogue kyu bol rate hain? Aap par bhi bhabhi ki tarah daily soaps ka bhooth chad gaya hain kya?”
“Rudy.” Omkara called to him sternly.
“You both husband and wife are here to eat our brains. One is fond of pulling such dangerous stunts and the other is fond of sitting in guilt. Haye bhagwan, yeh dono se deal karna bechare Rudy ki kismat mein kyu hain?” Rudra said looking up dramatically while Omkara just rolled his eyes.
When he found Omkara lost in thoughts again, he said, “You know bhaiya, I’ve never seen you cry.” When Omkara looked at him in confusion he continued, “And I used to wonder, how could someone be so strong? Made me doubt if you were even a human. You know what? I’m going to say this to my niece or nephew too!”
Omkara looked at his brother who seemed to be so sure that Gauri would be fine. He couldn’t help but smile softly at his unshakable hope.
“Rudra, she is lying there without having anything. How can I? How can I have anything when she is in that stage because of me?” Omkara asked with tears. Never in his life had Rudra seen his brother cry. Ever. So to see his brother so broken broke him as well.
“And that’s exactly why you should eat.” Both Priyanka and Shivaay said walking in. They looked at eachother in surprise having said the same thing at the same moment yet again while Omkara and Rudra also turned their heads in their direction.
“Bhaiya, Bhabhi took the bullet to save you. If you had to starve yourself to death then what was the need for her to risk her life?” Priyanka asked trying her best to have a soft smile on her face. Despite wanting to argue on it he knew she was right.
“Exactly Om. My sister didn’t risk her life for you to so carelessly walk around and starve yourself. She’ll be very disappointed to see that you didn’t eat anything.” Shivaay continued.
“But..” Omkara tried to retort but knew that they had a point too.
“Eat a little. So that you’ll have enough energy to scold her for her adventurous behaiviour. I knew she loved daily soaps but I didn’t know she loved it so much that she would do what those stupid main leads did. Couldn’t she have pushed you to the ground along with her?” Shivaay asked trying to lighten up the mood. To his surprise, this did make Omkara smile a little.
“She wouldn’t Shivaay.” Omkara said, “There were people behind me. She won’t risk anyone’s life.”
“You truly know her Om.” Anika said with a soft smile. She was happy would be an understatement after all Gauri had finally found her Prince Charming, the one who truly understood her and more importantly, her silences. Everyone looked at her in surprise. No one had realised when she had come.
“That’s why I love her.”
“That’s why we all love her. She is so selfless.” Bhavya said, walking in.
“Come on, don’t start crying now. I bet if she was watching us right now, she’ll be shaking her head in disappointment.” Shivaay said.
“I agree and as her best friend it’s my responsibility to make sure you have your food.” Anika said. “Rudy, feed him.”
“But Anika..” Omkara tried to protest.
“Koi Anika nahi chalega. Kuch nahi chalega, ok? Khana khaana hain matlab hain. Koi bahana nahi varna Gauri se main shikayat karungi, aur woh acha sunayengi aapko Omkara.” Anika said threatenigly. “Chote bache ho kya? Jo itne nakre dikha rahe ho. Chup chap karke kha lo varna mera asli rang bahar ajayega samjhe?”
Omkara, Rudra and Bhavya stared at her in surprise while Priyanka and Shivaay smiled, they knew well how Anika was.
Finally with joint effort they were able to convince Omkara to have some food.
When he went in during the visiting hours, the sight almost broke him, seeing her lying there pale. It hurt him to see that she wouldn’t talk to him or open her eyes even if he called her. Closing his eyes, he placed a kiss on her temple.
Why is God so cruel? He thought as he sat on the chair beside her bed and held her hand.
Tears streamed down his eyes as he looked at her, wishing that she would get up and hug him, tell him she was fine. But it didn’t happen.
“Gauri..” Omkara said in a pleading voice. “Please wake up…this is too much of a punishment. I promise I’ll never irritate you again, but please wake up. I can’t bear to see you like this…please…”
“Why Gauri? Why did you take that bullet for me? Why?” Omkara broke down. “I can’t live without you Gauri, please wake up soon. Please. I woke up that day when you called me right? Won’t you listen to me? Won’t you wake up? Your Omkara is asking you to wake up. You have to Gauri. Please…”
To be continued….
Hey everyone! How are you all? Here is the next chapter to the story, do let me know what you all think about it!
Thanks for reading!
Stay safe!