Worn-out and red-eyed, Gauri opened her front-door to enter her home, mentally preparing herself to deal with her kind but nosy neighbour and wanting nothing more than to cuddle her little Aadya and escape into the solace that could only be found around her baby. Bracing herself for an onslaught of intrusive personal questions (a new variation of the same old questions her neighbours constantly pestered her with) and gossip about the rest of the village, Gauri closed the door behind her. She knew Aadya must have woken by now and her baby did not settle down with anyone other than her, so she was in a rush to bid Hema goodbye and feed her daughter. However, she did not find a crying baby and a middle-aged Hema sitting in her cosy living-room. Instead, what she saw made her come to an instant halt. Sitting near the fire in Gauri's most comfortable chair was Omkara Singh Oberoi and in his arms was her sleeping daughter.

For several seconds Gauri could not find any words, feeling as though she had stepped into an alternate reality, but in her moments of stillness Omkara had noticed her presence, his attention finally pulled from the sleeping baby in his arms. When Hema had attempted to claim his attention earlier he had simply hummed in reply to her questions but kept his focus on Aadya - his little girl was fascinating, the way she kept looking around, gripping tightly on his thumb, before finally falling asleep. Even sleeping, her angelic features were of more interest to him than Hema's intrusive queries and it did not take the woman long to take the hint that Omkara had no intentions of discussing himself, so she had moved on to her next favourite topic - the 'gunghaan' of her two daughters, Ruchi and Suchi. Again she found herself in a one-sided conversation until she began comparing her to two daughters to the other girls in the village - it only took mentioning how her girls were certainly not as liberal as her well-mannered but unusual neighbour Gauri for him to turn all his focus from the sleeping baby to her.

"Meri betiyaan hain toh aaj ki hi ladkiyaan, par unke haiyalaat aur sanskaar bilkul... woh kya kehte hain?... traditional, haan, traditional hain. Ab dekho, Gauri ke jaise woh kabhi bache ko ghodlene ka itna barah faisla nahin leti. Woh sab unch-neech samajhti hain, ke ek bin vyaahi Maa ka samaajh mein kya astitva hai. Main yeh nahin keh rahin hoon ke Gauri ek buri ladki hai, par itna badha faisla usse nahin lena chahye tha. Meri Ruchi-Suchi tho kabhi nahin leti aisa faisla. My daughters belong to today's generation, but their thinking and values are totally... what do they say?... traditional, yes, traditional. Now look, they would never take such a huge decision to adopt a child, like Gauri has. They understand all the highs and lows, what an unwed mother's identity is in society. I am not saying that Gauri is a bad girl, just that she should not have taken such a big decision. My Ruchi-Suchi would never take such a decision." Caught in her own monologue, Hema did not realise how Omkara bristled at her criticism.

"Aisa faisla lene ke liye bohot himmat chahye hoti hai. Gauri mein woh himmat hai joh aapki betiyon mein nahin hai. Gauri mein woh pyaar, woh mamta hai joh haar aurat mein honi chahye. You need a lot of courage to take such a decision. Gauri has that courage that your daughters lack. Gauri has that love, that maternal feeling in her that every mother should have." Omkara's words were firm but controlled as he was very conscious of his daughter sleeping in his arms.

"Par iss mamta ke piche woh ab ek bin vyaahi Maa kehlaygi. Joh bina pati ke Maa banjaye, uska iss samaajh mein kya vajhood? But due to this maternal feeling she will now be labelled an unwed mother. What standing does one have in society, when they become a mother without a husband?" Not realising that Omkara was already in the defensive, Hema tried to convey her own wisdom on how society worked.

"Samaajh khon hota hai ek Maa upar ungli utane wala? Gauri sirf aur sirf izzat ki haqdaar hai, aur samaajh apni choti soch se yeh hakeekat kabhi nahin badalsakta. Who is society to point a finger at a mother? 'There is no excuse for disrespecting a mother... A mother is a mother, there is no yours or mine about it.' Gauri only deserves respect, and society cannot change this reality with its small thinking." Omkara did not know he could feel such pride. His Gauri was an example any woman should aspire to. Sure it upset him that Gauri had projected herself as unwed to her neighbours, but he understood that he was the cause of all this. For him the conversation was over and eventually Hema also took the hint, praising his prowess in poetry and moving on to senseless gossip about youth of the village - apparently one of the girls who had ventured out to town for studies had fallen in love with a boy and begun a relationship, the result of which was the girl's hasty wedding after much cajoling of her parents.

"Bechaare Maa-Baap ko maana hi padha. Kya pata, agar nahin maante tho baaghjaati apne premi ke saath? Isiliye tho ladkiyon ke paaon zameen padh hi behtar hain - zara si bhi choot dedhi, tho udhne lagti hain. Maine tho apni betiyon ko aisi khooli choot kabhi nahin di, aur Gauri ko bhi samjhaathi rehthi hoon ke kal ko woh bhi Aadhya ko bhi naa de. Akhir ek din yeh bhi tho jawaan hogi, aur hai tho abhi se kaafi sundar - ahthiyaat tho rakni padhegi. Her poor parents had to agree. Who knows, if they didn't agree then she would have eloped with her lover? This is why girls' feet are better on the ground - if you give the slightest lee-way, then they start to fly. I never gave my daughters such freedom, I and always advise Gauri that she should also never give Aadya such freedom in the future. After all one day she will be a youth too, and she is quite beautiful from this age - care must be taken." Hema did not notice how Omkara had paled at even the thought of his Aadhya grown up and in the sights of boys. No way, his baby would never see all that. She would remain his little princess forever. Of course he would not keep her chained to thee ground, he would help her soar. Bending down Omkara gently kissed her forehead, making a silent promise to always remain her protector.

Finally his refusal to contribute to the conversation got through to Hema and she took her leave, not even thinking of whether it was wise to leave a stranger in her neighbour's house with her neighbour's child - Mr Oberoi was so well-mannered and brilliant with the baby, who never usually slept in anyone's arms but Gauri's. Hema had more pressing issues in her mind, she needed to go collect the background information on this man, which he had refused to divulge, and Gauri would be home soon anyway.

So it was that the little family found themselves alone in the house.

"Aap... aap yahan kya kar rahe hain? Hema Aunty kahan hain? Humare ghar mein ghusne ki himmat kaise ki?! Nikilye yahaan se! You... what are you doing her? Where is Hema Aunty? How dare you enter my house?! Get out of here! " Gauri's voice grew from a whisper to a shout.

"Ssshh... Aadya soh rahi hai. Ssshh... Aadya is sleeping." Omkara whispered, whilst taking in the sight of his beautiful wife standing before him, his family finally complete. Then remembering Gauri's neighbour he added. "Aur tumhari who Aunty bohot fazool hai - kissi koh bhi andar aanedeti hain, aur Aadya koh use saath chod deti hai. Agar main nahin hota tho? And your Aunty is very useless - she lets anyone in and leaves Aadya with them. What if it wasn't me?"

"Maine kaha, nikalye! Humaari beti humme deejiye aur nikalye! I said, get out! Give me my daughter and leave!" Gauri stormed forward to take her daughter away from the surprisingly calm and collected man. She was angry at Hema but knew Mr Oberoi had always had a way with words whenever he denied to speak.

Omkara let Gauri take Aadya into her arms, sure of the fact that she would be much calmer when holding onto their daughter and he was right. Gauri regained her composure as soon as she had her daughter away from any potential risk Mr Oberoi could pose. Even in her shocked state she registered the fact that Aadya had fallen asleep in his arms, which was very unlike her daughter. Remembering how good he had been with Pari, she knew he would not harm a child, but a mother's heart never listens to logic when it comes to the safety of her child. This man had hurt her more than any other individual ever had and she would not let him do the same to her Aadya. It was a risk she could never take.

"Bohot pyaari hai, Gauri. Aur naam... Aadya... isse behtar koi naam nahin ho sakta tha, humari beti ke liye. She is lovely, Gauri. And her name... Aadya... no name could be better for our daughter." Omkara smiled widely at his wife, eyes brimming with emotion.

Gauri was taken aback by his audacity, but the possessiveness she felt for her daughter pushed through her disbelief and the mother retorted, "Aap ka humari beti se koi rishta nahin hai! Ispe haq jataane ki koshish mat kijiye! You have no relation to my daughter! Yo have no right on her!"

Aadya let out a whimper, her dreamland disturbed by her mother's volume.

"Woh jhaag jayegi, Gauri. Awaaz thodi neeche rakho. She will wake up, Gauri. Keep you voice a little lower." Omkara admonished in a whisper.

"Waise bhi abhi uske dhood ka waqt hai. Lagta hai aapki pudani aadat nahin gayi abtak. Jis baat ki aapko khabaar nahin, uske baare mein baat mat kijiye! It's her time to feed anyway. Seems as if your old habit has not left you even now. Don't talk about that of which you have no knowledge." Despite her words, Gauri lowered her volume, hating to shock her daughter awake.

Omkara ignored the taunt knowing he deserved much worse. "Abhi mujhe aadat nahin hai, Gauri. Dheere, dheere sab seekh loonga. Tum fikar mat karo, main vada karta hoon, main acha Papa bannke dikhaunga. I am not used to it yet, Gauri. I will learn everything slowly. Don't worry, I promise, I will become a good Papa and show you."

"Kya bakwaas kar rahein hain aap?! Aap iske Papa nahin hain! Nikalye yahan se! What rubbish are you talking?! You are not her Papa! Get out of here!" As Gauri's volume raised again, Aadya let out another whimper and wriggled as if in defender of her father.

Omkara strode forward and placed his finger on his wife's mouth. "Ssshhh... kitna bolti ho tum, yaar... ab meri bhi todhi sunlo. Sirf mere kuch sawaalon ka jawaab do, aur main chala jaunga. Ssshhh... how much do you speak, man... now listen to me a bit too. Just answer a few of my questions and I will leave."

Omkara removed his finger from her mouth but did not move back.

"Teekh hai, jaldi boliye. Okay, speak fast." Gauri would have fought him, but not only were her senses going haywire with his proximity, more importantly she needed to feed her daughter and wanted to get rid of Mr Oberoi so she could return to her normal routine.

"Aadya ko adopt kar rahi ho? Haan ya naa? Are you adopting Aadya? Yes or no."

Gauri was to tired to even wonder how he was here with so much information - this man always surprised her. She would never trust Hema to look after her baby again.

"Haan, ab aap- Yes, now you-"

"Sirf haan ya naa, Gauri. Legally meri biwi ho? Only yes or no, Gauri. Are you legally my wife?"

"Aapse humne har rishta todh diya hai! I have broken every relation with you!" Gauri proclaimed indignantly.

Swallowing the pain at her words, Omkara pressed on, "maine legally ka pucha. Divorce ke liye kabhi file kiya? I asked about legally. Did you ever file for Divorce?"

"Nahin, par- No, but-"

"Haan ya naa, Gauri. Acha, tho yeh tumhari beti, aur tum meri patni, tho banna na main iske Papa? Itni simple si baat samajhne mein itni time laga diya, yaar? Ab todha late ho raha hai. Main rukhta, par kuj kaam hai. Kal milte hain. Yes or no, Gauri? Okay, so this is your daughter, and you are my wife, so that makes me her Papa, right? It took you so much time to understand such a simple concept, man? It's getting a bit late now. I would stay but I have some work. We'll meet tomorrow." Omkara swiftly dropped a kiss on his daughter's soft cheek and an even quicker one on his wife's brow, not allowing her time to react. He moved back and was at the door before she could hurl any abuse at him.

"Aap-!!! You-!!!"

"See you tomorrow, Princess! You too, baby!" With that he hurried out of the house, smiling ear-to-ear. It was time to call his brothers and have a long distance OBro moment. He had much he needed to disclose.

He would prove himself not only as a good Papa, but also as a good Pati. He would remove all of Gauri's complaints. That was a promise, to his wife and his daughter.