Falling in Love - A Shivika Romance ✔

Bonus. 3

Timeline: Shivika have been married for eight months now

The dinner was a silent affair for the Oberois barring Annika. As she stared at the faces from her Billu ji's to Rudra's, she only saw bottled-up emotions in them. Especially the hazel orbs she loved were blank for moments. She didn't want to open her mouth without knowing the reason. If she joked in the middle of something serious, it would be very wrong. She didn't know if her interference was welcomed too. She wasn't over the mess she created by helping Dev once. She was twice separated from Shivaay. Once he became very upset with her. She couldn't add one more flaw to her list.

"I am done." Kalyani tucked in her chair and left. Omkara was almost finished. Rudra, Priyanka, and Shivaay stared at their plates. Annika couldn't eat as Shivaay didn't. Or maybe he couldn't.

"I am coming in a minute." She informed Shivaay knowing he didn't hear and followed Kalyani. If everyone was so tense, she needed to know why.

***

Kalyani opened each door of the kitchen cabinets and lined up some items on the countertop. Annika entered the kitchen. She looked as Kalyani checked off some items from the list on her hand. She walked towards her and stopped near the countertop by the fridge.

"Dadi, do you need some help?"

She handed another sticky note from the refrigerator door to Annika. It was a list. "These are items we still need to buy for tomorrow's puja. Bring them yourself. I can't trust someone outside the family for this"

"Puja? I didn't know there was one. Why?"

"Billu didn't tell you?" when Annika shook her head she continued, "He is disturbed around this time of the year, but he should have. Tomorrow is Shakti and Pinky's fifteenth death anniversary. Like every year, we are organizing a puja this year. This is the list of a few last-minute things."

"Oh. It's fine. I will go fetch these myself."

She read over the list once. She was a bit disappointed knowing Shivaay didn't find it important to share such an important date of his life with her. Then she recalled his sullen face. He was sad. He needed her. She couldn't sit with a long face herself. She glanced at Kalyani once before leaving the kitchen.

***

Annika placed the list and Shivaay's plate on her dressing table. She looked around for him. When she returned, he was not on the dining table. His unfinished plate laid in front of his chair. She couldn't help but be tenser. The only times she saw Shivaay like that was when they got into some serious fight. She felt worse. She was near him yet couldn't light up his mood.

She searched the indoor pool area, his study room, even knocked on Rudra and Omkara's rooms. He was just nowhere to be found.

Annika leaned helplessly against a wall in the secluded corner of the mansion. She knew where he was. She was only wasting her time. She was buying herself some time to think through how to console Shivaay. He was upset and she couldn't take away the pain. She could only sympathize.

She went back to her room and grabbed Shivaay's plate. She reheated the food before going upstairs. She brought along a glass of water with his tablets.

***

The terrace was very dark. There were few stars and no moon, unlike the last time Annika came there. Her intuition was right. Shivaay sat on the swing staring at the sky above. The peace of ruthless Mumbai could easily be felt from up above. He once made her birthday special in this place. It was time for her to make him feel better in this very place.