Rikara Short Stories Collection

Something Wonderful : Part Seven

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous part.

"I can't believe you are not sticking by the dress code!" Gauri says exasperated as she hurried with Bhavya in the pathway leading to the restaurant.

"I clearly saw on the invite on FB that it is Red for ladies and black for gents." Bhavya says irritated.

"Omkara told me clearly to wear black saree." Gauri argues as she took her cell and scroll to the message regarding the dress code. "See." She shows it to her.

Gauri: is there any dress code for the function? What should I wear?

Omkara: black saree.

"I am sorry, Gauri if I refuse to doubt my intelligence." Bhavya says.

"You are going to be the odd one out, and everyone is going to stare at you and then you will be uncomfortable. Then you will force me to leave early!!!" Gauri says exasperated as she pushed open the party hall door. "Please forgive me if I am not willing to leave even one minute before I want to lea..." she stopped dead in her tracks seeing the whole room filled with men in black and ladies in red.

"The moment you are uncomfortable let me know, I will be ready to leave." Bhavya says patting Gauri's arm as she gloated for being right yet again.

Gauri stood there in shock realizing that Omkara got it wrong due to his tension. And she had run around the whole of Mumbai to find the perfect saree, then pay triple charges to get her blouse stitched in express time, go to a beauty parlor to get the saree draped and had to walk awkwardly in the saree and all for what? To wear the wrong dress!!!!

"Gauri..." Omkara who was on the lookout for her hurries to her smiling.

"Omkara." Gauri says as her heart started slamming against her chest. She was seeing him after a long long time and he was looking out of the world in his black suit.

"Thank you so much for coming. I am so glad you could make it." Omkara says as he hugged her making Gauri's eyes go wide open and her mouth going into a silent 'wow'. Omkara breaks the hug and moves back smiling holding her hand happily. They kept smiling at each other then he says "I am so glad you came."

"You already told her that once." Bhavya says.

Realizing Bhavya was there he immediately turns to her and smiles, "Hi Bhavya... how are you?"

"Good... Good... I just wish I could sleep better at night." Bhavya says making Omkara laugh while Gauri blushes.

"Thanks for coming." Omkara says.

"Yeah yeah." Bhavya says rolling her eyes.

"Omkara, you told me it is black saree. But everyone here is in red." Gauri says as she tried to hide her discomfort at being the odd one.

"You asked what to wear, and I just had an image of you in black saree. So, I just..." Omkara says with a shrug.

"I am the only one in black except for the men." Gauri says uncomfortably.

"The guest of honor can be dressed differently." Omkara says dismissively.

"Guest of honor? Me?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Well officially it is my parents, but for me it is you. And relax you are looking outrageously beautiful"

"You are such a flirt, Omkara." Gauri says brushing it off thinking he was trying to make up for his blunder.

"Unbelievable!" Bhavya says shocked. Gauri was saying that she was not sure about Omkara's feelings for her and here he was calling her his guest of honor, he asked only her to wear black saree, then says she is outrageously beautiful and he hasn't even left her hand even now! What more proof did she need?