𝖘𝖆𝖚𝖉𝖆𝖉𝖊

ｏ ｎｅ ｐｏｉｎｔ ｆｉｖｅ

Twenty five years ago

Shivaay stared at his wife who was looking at him expectantly. Despite every single effort, he failed to mask the laughter which slipped out as he hunched over, clutching his stomach.

"Why are you laughing?" He looked up to see his wife with a frown on her face.

"You want to have an arm wrestling competition with me?" Shivaay managed to breathe out between his chuckles. "You're really funny, Annika."

"I'm not trying to be," she rolled her eyes. "I'm being serious."

"Perhaps you've forgotten that there's only one arm wrestling champion in this family and that isn't Rudy, like you'd expect." Shivaay gave her a sly grin. "It's me. Rudy ko bhi hara chuka hoon main."

"Mujhe pata hain," Annika laughed sarcastically. "But you do not need muscles to win an arm wrestling competition. You need brains."

"That's why I'm saying that you'll lose," Shivaay replied cheekily.

Annika blinked, "Laagi sharth?" She arched an eyebrow in challenge.

"Oh?" He put his hands inside the pockets of his trousers and and smirked, "You'll lose."

"Let's see," Annika rolled her eyes.

She sat down on the couch, placing a pillow on the desk and pointed to the sofa opposite her. Shivaay sat down with a smile, rolling up his sleeves before placing his elbow on the table and clasping her hands in his.

As soon as he'd wrapped his hand around hers, she started trying to push him down but to no avail. He hummed, enjoying the flush in her neck as she struggled, attempting to put down his hand with both of hers.

"Meri kamar," Annika pouted.

"Kitni cute lag rahi ho," he blew her a kiss making her scoff.

"Shivaay, main pregnant hoon," Annika breathed out.

His grip automatically slackened, as his muscles loosened, making her easily put down his hand. "You're what?" He breathed out slowly. He didn't know what feelings were swirling in his heart—— happiness? Confusion? Elation? Nervousness.

"Main," Annika stood up with a triumphant smile, "winner hoon."

Shivaay stood up hurriedly, frowning at his wife. "Ek minute! This is cheating! You cannot play with my emotions like that, Annika!" He pointed a finger at his wife, voice clearly laced with irritation.

Annika forced down his finger, before stepping closer to him. She straightened the lapels of his coat, smiling at him softly, "Shivaay, I'm truly pregnant." Shivaay's eyes widened. "A few weeks along. Aap Papa banne wale hain."

"Main Papa banne wala hoon aur tum," he trailed off, the gears in his brain turning a million revolutions per minute. He started to feel light headed as she looked at him with an anticipatory smile.

"Pregnant hoon," she repeated softly.

That was all it took for him to faint.

"Shivaay?!" Annika's eyes widened as she tried to slap his cheeks lightly. "Shivaay what happened to you? Uthiye na!"

"Annika?" Aruna entered their room, a smile on her face which soon transformed into shock as she stared at the unconscious form of her grandson. "Kya hua puttar?"

"Woh, Nani I just wanted to tell him I was pregnant by beating him at arm wrestling," Annika rambled.

"Wait, what?" Aruna stared at her. "You're pregnant?" Annika's eyes closed as she but her tongue before opening one eye and nodding with a sheepish smile. Aruna's face bloomed into a smile and she placed a hand on Annika's cheek. "Congratulations, puttar." She glanced down at her grandson with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk. "He fainted?" She looked at Annika bemused, "You tried to tell him by arm wrestling him?"