1. Baby Steps (Page 1)
2. Viewpoints (Page 3)
3. Hand-in-Hand (Page 5)
4. Heartfelt conversation (Page 8)
5. Teasing and Blushing Continues (Page 11)
6. Truth:Lie :: Trust:Deceit (Page 12)
7. It's... Annika (Page 14)
8. The Arising (Page 16)
9. O'bro Moment - Hum Saath hai toh baat hai (Page 18)
10. TS - Spark in Despair - Part 1 Part 2
11. OS- You have me (Page 23)
12. Drabble: Thread of Sanity (Page 26)
13. OS:Balance of Relations (Page 26)
------------------------------------------
I just wish this this divorce ka siyapaa na hua ho 😡 Divorce kya koi time pass game hai, har koi aaye aur khela aur chala gaya.
Rambling apart...
Sometimes, I wonder like many, why is Annika still in OM, sometime, why can't she? Like Shivaay said - Haq banta hai...
Timeline: As Annika manages to prove Baby is not Shivaay's
--------------------------------------------------------
OS: Baby Steps
Annika kept her own dresses in her bag. She had already packed Sahil's things. In few minutes, she may leave Oberoi Mansion.
In the living room of Oberoi Mansion sometime back:
"Mujhe jo teek laga maine kar diya. Mujhe jis baat par yakeen tha, use maine sabith kar diya. Mere liye yehi kaafi hai."
She continued looking at the ashened faces of the (her) family members. "Main..." she cleared her throat, "Mujhe jahaan sign karna hai, main tayyar hoon."
The statement made everyone look at her instantly. Om and Rudra's faces showed complete disbelief. Dadi was heartbroken.
"Main yahaan aur nahin ruk sakti. Main apni zimmedari se muh nahin mod sakti." She concluded.
Om shook his head and opened his mouth, "Anni..."
She did not let him finish calling her at all. "Please Om... Please..."
Now that she finished what she wanted to speak, she turned away to walk to her(?) room.
None dared to stop her. And she least cared about it. She had one more work to do before she packed her things and leave. Shivaay...' He wasn't there in the scene when she announced her decision.
In Shivaay's room:
Rudra came forward with a puppy face, "Bhabhi, aap kyun jaa rahi ho?" he hugged her taking her aback. It took few seconds for her to support him. He relieved himself and asked, "Aap mujhe bhoologe toh nahin?" in a choked voice.
Annika smiled slightly. "Mujhse milne ya baat karne ka rok thodi daala maine?" She spoke softly as wiped his tears from his eyes. She looked at the door to find the man of her thoughts standing there - Shivaay...
In Shivaay's study, sometime back-
"Oh... main..." she started as she noticed his stiff posture as if he had already sensed her. He was looking at the pool water with great intent. "Main..." She took a deep breath. " Mujhe agar divorce papers mein sign karna hai toh..." Shivaay froze at that instant, yet she continued. "Main tayyar hoon." She finished speaking and waited for his response. After few minutes of deafening silence, Shivaay looked at her, as usual with his masked face.
Before he takes her off-guard like he does many times, she continued, "Mujhe bas humare ghar wapas kar dijiye. Chaahe jitna bhi waqt lag jaaye, aapke paise lauta doongi. Pakka lauta doongi, vaada hai mera." She assured him.
Shivaay gave a lopsided smile. He walked up to her and called her, "Annika..."
She looked at him and spoke, "Aur ek baat... Aap please Sahil ka naam us school se katwa dijiye."
"Kyun?"
"Kyun matlab? Aap acche se jaante hai ki utna fees de sakna mere bas ki baat nahin hai. Waise bhi, main Sahil ke purane school mein baat kar loongi. Woh log le lenge use. Main wapas uska admission wahaan kar doongi." She explained him.
"Annika, it's alright. Sahil ko wahin padne do, I can help." Shivaay said genuinely.
"Nahin, Shivaay. Main aur aapka help nahin le sakti. Please. Chukane ke liye tees lakh ghar ka loan hi kaafi hai. Aur karz nahin le sakti." Annika declined. She can clearly that he was disappointed with her words/demands.
Shivaay closed the distance between them, took her left hand and secured them between his both hands and rubbed her palm by his thumb gently. Annika just stared at him surprised. He was eyeing her bracelet and started to trace it after few seconds. He had so many memories of Annika because of this bracelet. He swallowed and looked into her eyes. "Is there anything... anything I can do for you?" Shivaay searched for an answer in her face and in her eyes.
Annika looked into his eyes trying to understand why he was asking such a question. "Aapko kya lagta hai?" She asked.
Shivaay looked at her lovingly. "I don't know... I don't know, Annika..."
Annika smiled, "Toh mujhe jaane dijiye..."
Shivaay nodded his head slightly and looked at her hand held between his hands. He could not control, but kiss the back of her hand ever so lightly on her bracelet. He looked at her face and let go her hand. He could not believe that such a moment of farewell with Annika would also arrive in his life. Annika turned back immediately and walked away from the place.
Shivaay was standing watching Rudra's and Annika's interaction. Atleast, Rudra was able to verbalize his thoughts, unlike him. It is not that he did not understand her. And, it is not even that she did not understand him. Though their opinions conflict, they understood each other. Neither were they hesitant, nor were they awkward. They shared a good comfort zone, be it while arguing or discussing or they were in loss of words. But they could not give up the ground they were standing upon. They had accepted each other for what they they and how they are. What they could not do was merge with each other. Can they ever? This was the question in each other's mind.
Rudra looked at the direction Annika was looking and found his brother standing there.
"Bhaiya, please rokiye na bhabhi ko, please..." he pleaded his brother.
Shivaay patted Rudra's shoulders and said, "Rudra, mujhe Annika se kuch baat karni hai.Tu ab yahaan se jao. Main tumse baad mein baat karta hoon."
"Lekin bhaiya..."
"Tum jao ab..." he repeated.
Rudra looked at Annika once again and left the room.
Shivaay walked to Annika and gave the envelope he was carrying with him to her. Annika looked at the envelope and then him. "Tumhare ghar ke papers." he said.
Annika got it from him, "Thanks."
There spread a awkward moment of silence in the room.
Shivaay looked here and there asked breaking the silence. "So... Kya socha hai tumne?" Annika gave a questioning look. He continued, "I mean, yahaan se jaane ke baad, kuch socha hai?, tum kya karnewali ho?, like that...?"
"Aap... Aap fikar mat kijiye. Main kuch kar loongi." She gave an assuring smile.
Shivaay nodded his head and looked away.
"Woh..." Annika cleared her throat. Shivaay looked at her. She continued, "Agar aap bata denge ki mujhe kahaan sign karna hai toh..."
Shivaay interrupted her, "Itni jaldi kyun padi hai tumhein?"
"Matlab? Kabhi na kabhi toh hone hi wala hai toh..."
He cut her again, "Toh... toh kya?" he turned the question to her.
"Shivaay..." Annika tried to explain him that she no longer wanted anyone to think that she has gotten used to his riches.
Shivaay spoke ever so softly, "Tum lakh koshish karo, par mera peecha nahin chod sakti." Annika was too stunned to counter back. "Aur main... main lakh koshish karoon tumse door bhaagne ki, tumhare paas hi laut aata hoon. Then, what's the problem?"
Annika stood clueless of what and why Shivaay was speaking.
He cupped her face and said, "Mujhe thoda waqt do. Sab kuch teek kar doonga." After a pause, he added, "Please..."
She nodded her head in approval, but said, "Lekin Shivaay, mujhe jaana chahiye..."
Shivaay understood her hesitation. "Tum chahti ho, isliye tumhein jaane de raha hoon. Lekin, jab main bulaoonga, tumhein laut aana padega." he said in a tone of finality. "Samjhi tum?"
Tears sprang to her eyes at the intensity and implication of his words.
Shivaay shook his head in disapproval. "Ab kyun ro rahi ho?"
Tears started to flow down her cheeks.
He made a sound of disapproval and rested her head on his shoulder as he uttered her name, "Annika..."
======================
Suggestions / Comments
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
