Ishqbaaz – Rikara Trust 67

G: Guys, these four trucks are filled with toys for you guys. But before that do you know what time it is now (Grinning)?

A: They have already cut the cake so it must be food but why would Gauri have two trucks of food? There are not a lot of people in the orphanage.

The kids get excited and men open up the trucks from the mattress factory. It was filled with pillows and the three were very confused on what Gauri was going to do with all these pillows. All the kids take the pillows and run inside. Gauri follows behind them. O, R and A get out of the and peek through the window.

Kids: PILLOW FIGHT!!!

Gauri and kids have a huge pillow fight and all the pillows explode with feathers flying out. Gauri was covered in feathers but she did not care. She kept on dancing and having fun. Om remembers their dance with the pillow and starts to smile.

Outside, Om sees the supervisors and decides to ask more questions. Annika, and Rudra followed him.

O: That girl, what is she doing here? Who are these kids?

Supervisor(S): Do you mean the girl in the salwar? (All three of them nod.) She is Gauri. She has a real sad story. No one should suffer as much as she did. After being thrown out from her in law house, she was kidnapped. Thankfully, her friend saved her and she slowly went into depression. The doctor had to prescribe her depressant drugs to make her feel better. But, she started misusing them and got addicted to it. There was a point where she was admitted because of an overdose. Her only savior were these kids and she started visiting them. From that moment, these kids started calling her Ma and she treated them as her own. She slowly rose up and became Kesha Malhotra. Her in-laws lost a true gem but god gave her to us. She took over the orphanage and then named it Sarma after her parents. She would visit us every week and bring all these kids. Apparently, in 6 months, she is planning to rebuild everything and build an orphanage that will support 1000 kids.

O(Thinking, feeling guilty): She always had that caring nature. (Flashback to the time she saved the kids. Then he remembers the conversation where he found out that Gauri was abandoned by her actual parents.) She understands how it is to grow up without parents so she is acting like their mother to eliminate that feeling. And, I just misunderstood her entire intention again.

A: What about Shrenu and Kunal? They came with her.

O: Are… they her kids?

S: Oh, no. Gauri would take a few kids to live with her. Their smile helped her relieve her stress. I just hope she does not fall back into the deep hole. She does not have any kids of her own but she really has a good friend. I think his name is Ritik.

O (Thinking): Ritik? So he saved her from Kali. That is why Gauri chose him over me. It makes sense now. He helped her when she needed it. I just ignored her as usual.

The supervisor leaves and Gauri comes back out in her modern clothes. She turns towards their direction and they all hide behind the bush. Om peeks out and he can feel that Gauri was looking at them. But, she turns around and starts talking to kids.

R: I think it is better for us to leave. If she finds out we have tailing her, then she will be very mad.

O: She saw us…

A: What do you mean?

O: My heart is saying that she saw us.

Om, Rudra and Annika get into the car and when they are about to start it, Om gets a text message. “Come back!” It was from Gauri.

O: Guys, Gauri found out that we are here. She is asking us to come back.

They all walk out of their car and Gauri is standing behind the car.

G: Om, do you think I am that stupid? Why were you guys were following me for the entire time? Can’t you not give me some privacy to celebrate my birthday in peace? Sorry, Annika and Rudra but I did not expect this from you. I cannot believe you listened to him and followed me. Om, next time you want answers, ask me directly. Do not hide behind these bushes.

Gauri turns around and they all three start to itch.

G: Oh, I forgot to tell you. You guys were hiding behind a poison ivy bush. It is not poisonous but for the entire day, your body will be very itchy. Here, take this. This is the reason why I called you back. (Gauri passes the medicine). Put this on for the entire day and it will relieve you from the itch.

All three scratching themselves, enter in the car and Gauri stares at the car until she cannot see it.

G(Thinking): Om, I do not what you are planning to do. He already stripped everything away from me. I just hope he does not harm these kids.

While Annika and Rudra were scratching themselves to find some relief, Om was more concentrated on something else other than the symptoms.

O(Thinking): Gauri went into depression and got addicted to drugs. Not only that, she suffered from an overdose as well. I have also been the situation and I understand how far I have been pushed to make that decision. At least, I had my brothers for support but Gauri did not have anyone at that time. Why did Gauri become depressed? Was it because she loved me and could not take in the fact that I kicked her out of my life or I found out about her past?

Guys, how is it? Finally, you guys know the relationship between these kids, Ritik and Gauri. I have mixed feelings about Gauri’s depression and drug overdose but this will be used as a connecting point later in the story.