Rikara Short Stories Collection

Bewitched : Part Fifteen

Thank you all for voting and commenting for the previous part. Very busy for the last couple of days, will try to reply to the private messages today or tomorrow.

There are 17 parts and an epilogue to this story. So, this story is reaching it's end:)

They were married that evening.

After collecting her luggage from her home, Om takes Gauri to his house. Om gets out of his car and hurries to the other side to open the door for Gauri. Gauri steps out and looks at his mansion as the memories of what had happened when she had come here the previous time fills her mind. Remembering her heart break and humiliation, her eyes fill with tears. Om sees her expression and he realizes the reason for her pain. He closes his eyes in pain and regret at what he done to her. Whatever his reason was, he had no right to do that to anyone, especially someone so innocent like Gauri.

"What did you get by doing all that?" Gauri furiously asks Om as she turned to him murderously.

Before either of them could say anything further, Jhanvi, Rudra and Khanna comes to the door. They had come home early to make arrangements to welcome them.

"Please come inside, Gauri." Om requests her softly as he took her hand. Gauri furiously pulls away her hand and walks towards the house.

The moment she reached her in-laws Gauri looks down in embarrassment remembering how she had been humiliated in front of them. During the wedding also, she couldn't even smile at them, even when they were not at fault.

Jhanvi gently cups her face and tells her, "I know, Gauri that we didn't meet under the right circumstances, what shouldn't have happened, happened but now you are Om's wife, and you are going to have a baby now. It is difficult to forget what he did to you. You both are young now and you have a long life ahead with your babies, so take it from someone who has lived her life, sometimes, it is very important to let go and look past things."

When Gauri remains silent, Jhanvi says with a smile, "Leave all that. Welcome to the family." Jhanvi happily hugs her and Gauri politely hugs her back. Then Jhanvi welcomes Gauri inside. After all the rituals were taken care of, Rudra puts his hand around Gauri's shoulder and says, "Come bhabhi, I will show you around the house."

Having no other option, Gauri goes with him as she turned to look at Om. Om who had been watching her, gestures to her asking whether she wanted him to go with her and she glares at him in reply.

"Who is your favorite actor?" Rudra asks her as he led her.

"Salman Khan." Gauri replies at his strange question and over friendly behavior.

"Ah so you do speak." Rudra teases her.

Om sits down as he watched Rudra and Gauri walk away and then closes his eyes in exasperation hearing Rudra's next question, "So, you are really a witch?" and Gauri gasping.

"Om..." Jhanvi calls him as she sat next to him.

"Thanks Mom." Om tells her with a smile. Jhanvi gives him a curious look and he continues, "I know you were not comfortable with Gauri being a witch but still you welcomed her home."

"It is true that I am scared that she is a witch but she is a nice girl and she loves you. Rudra is right, only that should matter." Jhanvi tells him smiling.

Om smiles at her happily.

Rudra's excitement at her being a witch had actually put her at ease. In some ways, Rudra was reminding her of herself, the carefree her. In the short time, he had took her around the house, he had even told her about his heartbreak and what Ria did to him. Gauri realized Ria was the girl, Omkara had mistook her for.