The Broken Family

24

Omkara always tried to avoid his father since they always ended up in a fight between them but today he needed him. He approached him without any expectations as he never received anything from him.

"I want to talk to you about something, Mr. Oberoi," Omkara said hesitantly. "You can talk to me about anything, Omkara" Tej said with a gentle smile. Omkara suddenly felt like crying. His father had never looked at him like that when he yearned for a smile from his father.

"How did you fix your and Mom's relationship? You hurt her a lot and yet she seems the happiest with you" Omkara asked as he also looked at the sky to hide his tears from his father. "I never fixed it, Omkara!" Tej said with a sad smile while Omkara looked at him shocked. "She is not the Jhanvi I fell in love with. Did you know that I was scared of your mother? Her tone made any grown man tremble" Tej said with a nostalgic smile while Omkara nodded. He and his brother still got nightmares with the threat his mother gave them.

"I turned that strong woman into a weak alcoholic. I deprived my children of their mother. I was so scared that my children would be overthrown by my brother's son that I forgot that what my children needed most was not money but their father and mother. But when I realized all this I was too late. I had lost all of you" Tej said as he silently cried. Omkara wanted to comfort his father but the 10-year-old Omkara who was deprived of a father didn't allow him. "I tried to gain back my wife. She was going to give up but then I realized that she held on to me for so long that it was my turn now to hold on to her. I begged for her forgiveness and she gave me that but I never really received it" Tej continued as he looked at the confused face of Omkara. "Jhanvi may have forgiven me but the trust we had was lost. She used to be paranoid when I went out of the country for work. During the early days of our marriage, she used to hold my arm while she slept and for years I am longing for her to do that again. Three years ago, one day she had a cold and she held onto my arms throughout the night. I wished the sun wouldn't come up the next day so that I could hold on to my wife" Tej said as he wiped his tears. "So are you saying that a relationship can't be fixed?" Omkara asked in fear to which Tej shook his head in disagreement. "Yes, you can fix a relationship but it will take twice the time and effort and if that person is worth it then you will take that risk," Tej said with an encouraging smile hinting his son to go after what he wants. "Thanks, Dad," Omkara said in a small murmur while going away from there.

"That was an inspiring speech" Tej turned around hearing Sid's voice. "Your Mom is right. You are eavesdropping too much" Tej said to his grandson who stood in front of him with a smug smile. "Please we all know that I am not going to stop it and I am too adorable for anyone to scold me," Sid said as he took a seat beside his grandpa and started eating the gulab jamun he had in his hand. Tej silently prayed to God to grant him death before the boy turned 18 since he couldn't think what this kid was capable of doing.

Gauri took the phone which she had forgotten in the car. It was an eventful day so she isn't surprised that she forgot something. Thank god her chirottas were smart enough to manipulate an entire auditorium of guests. It was drizzling indicating the huge shower that was going to follow and she wanted to get inside before that. Before she could run towards the auditorium she was yanked towards someone and she knew without any doubt that it was Omkara because her heart had just skipped a beat.

"What are you doing?" Gauri asked in anger trying to release her arm. With his love came the impending heartbreak. She never fell out of love for him and now with him back in her life, she was trying her best not to fall in love with him again as it never ended food for her. Her priority now was her little family that she built.

"I love you Gauri and I want you back in my life as my wife, my partner till death," Omkara said to her as he held more strongly onto her hand. "Till when Omkara? Till you find a solution to your problem? I was your solution to solve Svetlana or Roop Bua's problem. Whenever you had an issue I was there for you and after that what? You will throw me like I am nothing" Gauri shouted angrily as her tears blended with the pouring rain. His confession was making her weak. She didn't know what she wanted to do. Could she give him another chance to break her heart?

"Gauri, I know that an apology won't fix anything. I am asking you is a last chance to fix past mistakes of mine. I want to be worthy of your love and if not I will never bother you again. Please give me a chance" Omkara begged on his knees as he knelt in front of her.

Gauri gave him a sad smile in return, "That's the difference between you and me, Omkara. Whenever there is an issue in our relationship I try to fix it and you try to run away from it" Gauri said before walking away from Omkara.

Bhavya opened the door hearing a knock and she met with Rudr who had sleeping Ruvya in his arms. "She was so tired after all the running and food that she slept instantly," Rudr said as he laid his daughter on bed. "Thank you," Bhavya said politely not wanting to be in his presence more. She finally has a family she can call as hers and with another heartbreak him then she wouldn't be able to build herself back like before.

"I also want to tell you something. Can we talk on the balcony?" Rudr said as he pointed at his daughter who wouldn't wake up even if there was a tsunami but he didn't want to take a chance. He wants to be back with his love.

"This is for you," Rudr said as he put forward an envelope to a confused Bhavya. Bhavya read the content of the letter in surprise. "I have contacted some officers in the Police department and you can join back since you have a perfect record" Rudr concluded. In the past, their issue was with her working and if he can fix that then he can fix their relationship too.

"This was your solution?" Bhavya asked in a mocking tone. "You never really understood what was our issue, Rudr" Bhavya said as a lone tear fell from her eyes. "I know this is something I should have done years ago but I am sorry and I know this apology is not something that can erase the mistakes but can you please be back in my life?" Rudr begged to her. "At that Choti Maa said you were not taking care of my family because of the job so..." Rudr couldn't complete as Bhavya raised her hand asking him to stop. "That's the issue, Rudr. It's always your family. You never considered me as your family. I considered each of your family members as my family as mine the moment I fell in love with you but what did you do? You told me to my face that an orphan like me doesn't know the value of family love" Bhavya uttered amidst her tears. "Maybe it's true but now I have a family and I don't want to be a part of yours anymore Rudr. We both will be mother and father to our daughter but there ends the relationship between us" Bhavya warned before she entered the washroom leaving Rudr to his agony outside on the balcony.

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