Falling in Love - A Shivika Romance ✔

28. Matheran (i)

Disclaimer: The name of the places and the pics are real, but I have no intention to copyright. Credit goes to Google. They are the sole property of their respective owners. For ease with the flow of reading, pictures are provided at the very end of the update, so it causes minimal distraction.

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Annika tiptoed inside the kitchen early on Sunday morning to not wake anyone else. Two days ago Kalyani had left for her pilgrimage to Rishikesh. She said she would return in two weeks but the exact date and time were left unmentioned. Everyone else, Annika had figured liked to sleep till late on Sundays. The ever early riser Shivaay would sleep an hour or two extra on Sundays as well.

On a normal Sunday, Annika would sleep late as well. It was only today that the chirping birds managed to disturb her slumber and not let her sleep again.

The kiss was unmentioned between the two of them. She was too shy and he took no initiative from his end.

"Bhabhi?" Rudra's yawn like voice startled her. It was so quite two seconds ago that a soft sound alarmed her.

"Ah, Rudra! Good morning," she greeted him with a sweet smile.

"Good morning. You are early for a Sunday"

"I can say the same for you," Annika pointed out, "My sleep was disturbed due to the chirping of morning birds."

"Oh, I see. By the way, I am sorry."

"Huh? Why?"

"Come on, Bhabhi, it took me three days that is" he took five seconds to calculate in his head, "seventy-two hours to build up the courage and say sorry. Now you are asking what the sorry is for. Not fair."

"It's not like that Rudra. I am genuinely curious. Why are you saying sorry?" Annika said.

"See Bhabhi, I spend my time with girls a lot. I understand their nature very well. Girls are ready to pounce on each other if one has a better bag than another, you can only imagine what they would do in case of boys."

Annika pondered how immature those girls Rudra was describing were, nonetheless she let him continue.

"And I, Rudra Singh Oberoi, lowkey talked about your husband's relationship with other girls last Wednesday. I mean I should have understood how you would take it too. That's why I am sorry."

Annika smiled. She thought she was being immature to think like that and here Rudra put up such a mature act though it was not needed. She knew he was kidding on Wednesday night.

"That's so sweet of you, Rudra. Trust me, it was not needed. I must understand if Shivaay had a past, it was in the past."

Truth was she herself didn't know if he had a past, a fling, or a serious relationship. Shivaay said it does not matter anymore, then why should it matter to her?

"Oh wow. This means he acted upon Dadi's advice. Wow brother." Rudra seemed to praise his brother to himself.

"Huh? Dadi?" Annika was curious.

"After you left, Dadi lectured us two brothers on how we should understand your sentiments and not joke around like that. Else I am so immature that I couldn't realize it myself or say sorry. It took me three days to say sorry! Knowing my brother, I thought he would take more time than me. Here it seems like you two talked already. That's nice," Rudra finished.

Now it hit upon Annika how Shivaay answered the question in her mind without being asked that night. More surprising was the fact that Kalyani lectured her beloved grandsons for Annika's sentiments. The lady was as bipolar as her grandson, she concluded.