Rikara Scribblings by Savina

Inaayat

"Humeinbaarish bahut pasandhai!" Gauri exclaimed, as she stretched her arm out, letting the droplets soak her hands. "Me too!" Annika said in excitement and mimicked Gauri's actions. "Me three!" Bhavya chirped along, imitating the two other women and enjoying the rains, and thus all the three girls broke into giggles. Shopping had never been more fun for them. After picking up some gifts for the entire family, as well as their respective Oberoi men, the three ladies had stopped by a roadside tea stall. "Baarishkemausammeingarma-garam mirchikebhajiyekhaane ka kuchalag hi mazaahai, haina?" Bhavya said, and Gauri nodded in agreement. Annika grinned, "Aur agar mere baagadbille ne dekhliyeke hum aisijagah se bhajiyekhaarahehain, tohwohtohapni kanji aankhon se aiseghoorkedekhengejaise hum bhajiyenahi, zeherkhaarahehain..." Then imitating him, she continued, "Annika, aisi unhealthy cheezeinkyunkhaatiho? Ghar pe banasaktihona, healthy olive oil mein fry karke?" At this, all the three burst out laughing.

"By the way, Bhabhi's..." Bhavya said after a few minutes, "Aapkonahilagta hum teenon ne ghar se baaharkuchzyada hi time spend karliya? Andhera hone se pehlegharbhitohjaanahai! WarnaDaadikhaamakhaapareshaanhojayengina?" The two of them agreed with her, and quickly crossed the road to stop a taxi. The three of them were about to board when Gauri shrieked. "Kya hua, Gauri?" Annika asked in worry. Gauri looked at her. "Bhaujaai, humne Omkara ji keliye jo kurta liyatha, woh shopping-bag tohuss chai ki dukaan pe hi reh gaya!" Bhavya smiled, "Bhabhi, aapbaithiye, hum lekaraatehain..." It had begun to drizzle as well. Gauri looked at the sky which was due to pour down any moment. "Nahi Bhavya. Tum kyunjaaogi? Bag humnechodatha, toh hum hi lekeaayenge..." "Arey koi bhijaao aur jaldilekaraao, issepehle bearish shuruhojaaye..." Annika interrupted her and Gauri grinned saying, "Hum abhijaatehain..."

Gauri looked at both sides of the road, and crossed. The man at the tea stall had placed the bag aside, hoping to hand it over carefully if she were to come back. Thanking the man for being thoughtful, Gauri turned around to go back to the cab in which Annika and Bhavya were waiting. When she was in the middle of the road, she was momentarily distracted by the severe lightning and the loud thunder that followed, and she didn't notice the jeep heading towards her in full speed. By the time she realised, the car had already rammed into her, and even before it could halt with a sudden jolt, her head had already had already made a contact with the tarred road.

"Gauriii!" Annika screamed, as Bhavya and she rushed towards her. A pungent smell of burnt chemical and blood filled the air around. Through her hazy vision, and blood trickling down her forehead, Gauri could see a blurry image of the two women rush to her. Except that, she couldn't hear a word. An extreme silence followed by a piercing sound filled her ear. "Bhaujaai..." she managed to say in a whisper, before she lost consciousness.

Omkara Singh Oberoi drove to the hospital at the speed of light, breaking a number of red signals on the way. Shivaay was already in the hospital, consoling a weeping Annika, while Bhavya kept fidgeting with the edge of the dupatta, hoping Gauri was out of danger. "Where is she?" a raging Omkara stormed up to where they were seated, and Shivaay stood up to console him. "She's inside. Doctors are trying their best..." Omkara looked at the two women seated, "What happened to her?" Annika burst out crying, and Omkara felt his heart skip a beat thinking about his wife inside the OT. The blood stained clothes of the two women also told him the unsaid- that Gauri had lost a lot of blood. Bhavya narrated the whole incident, and even before she could complete what she was saying, Omkara covered his ears with his palms to stop listening more. "Kuchnahihoga Gauri ko..." Shivaay said and placing a hand on his brother's shoulder, who seemed to have been lost and defeated, he said, "Om, you heard me? Hum Gauri ko kuch hone nahidenge. Relax..."

Omkara looked at his brother, and when he saw the rage in his eyes, Shivaay involuntarily shivered. "Relax?" Omkara said in a shocked breath, "Tu mujhe relax hone keliyekehrahahai? Shivaay, heaven forbid, if Annika Bhabhi was in there, how relaxed would you be?" Shivaay gasped even at the thought of it. Had Annika been inside, he would've gone livid. Easier said than done, he realised about his act on advising Omkara on his reaction. So Shivaay just let him be, but sat next to him and held his hand in support.