Chapter 20 : Evasion

                                    

                                          


                          
Omkara was right when he said it's too much. Gauri just couldn't believe she never saw the past through him. To her, Omkara was so perfect, so normal. She lowered the screen of her laptop and put it on the table. It was close to nine thirty on the clock. Gauri had opted to stay back when at around five Mrs. Talwar had come after wrapping her work. Gauri had simply told her she wanted to do some reading and research.
                          
Gauri laid on the couch. Omkara was a lake, deeper than she thought. She could only imagine the loneliness he was engulfed in as a child. In all her free hours she was reading articles, research papers and excerpts of books on child psychology. From what Gauri could conclude he was a victim of reactive attachment disorder. 
                          
Maybe the lack of the attention from his biological mother as an infant had made him the way he was. She wondered what he felt about it. Did he not like his step mother? Did something terrible happen with him that he hadn't disclosed back then and still had it hidden inside him.  She wondered how he felt about his half brother Rudra. 
                          
It began to make sense to Gauri as to why he hadn't disclosed anything about his family to her. She remembered vaguely asking him about his parents. He had said something like they are not there. She had assumed that he had lost them just like her, to death and never brought it up again thinking that was something that bothered him.
                          
The ringtone of her mobile phone brought Gauri out of her thoughts. It was Mrs. Talwar. She was perhaps worried about her not being home. Gauri quickly picked up the call, "I am just leaving. Will be here in ten minutes." She spoke walking to her desk. She quickly stuffed her bag with the files, a book and her diary. There was a lot she had to figure out. 
                          
* * *
                          
Omkara looked up when he heard the soft rattle on his door. He thought it would be either of his brothers or both. His lips curved slightly as he noticed Pinky standing there.
                          
"Choti Maa," he said as she walked up the bed where he sat.
                          
"What's been up with you lately?"
                          
Omkara met her eyes. "Me? What?" He asked give a clear expression of cluelessness.
                          
"Don't do that with me. I have been observing you since the past few days. Something is bothering you. Your lips can lie by curving up but your eyes, they can't." She spoke placing her hand on his.
                          
"Choti Maa, it's nothing really."
                          
"Fine, don't tell me. But promise me you'll take care of yourself."
                          
Omkara nodded with a brief smile. She leaned forward and kissed her forehead before wishing him goodnight and walking out of the room.
                          
Omkara's eyes mindlessly remained at the door of the room. A chain of thoughts unwinding in his head.
                          
Pinky decided to talk to Shivaay. Omkara's behavior had even really off since past few days. She was sure Shivaay must have noticed it too. She entered the room whose door was left wide open, to find the couple smiling and looking at each other standing by the dressing table.
                          
"Really Anika?" Shivaay's voice came. They were too occupied looking at each other to hear or notice her arrival into their room.
                          
Pinky cleared her throat to get some attention from the two of them.
                          
Almost instantly their faces lit up with embarrassment and Shivaay stepped away. "Mom!"
                          
Pinky smiled, "I wanted to talk to you for two minutes..." she glanced at Anika who immediately realized she was looking for something on the dressing table.