AAACHHOOO!!!!
Anika had been sneezing ever since she woke up. Her eyes puffy, hair almost messy, a tissue box in one hand and a series of curses in her mouth, she was pacing up and down the length of their living room.
"Oh, you wait Bagad Billa. You just wait. I will get right back at you. You will pay for this. I will mess up your evening coffee tonight and your morning coffee tomorrow. Then we will see which one of us comes out of this unscathed." AAACHHOOO!!! She terminated her rant with a sneeze.
The other members of the family started joining her in the living room and Dadi told the attendants to serve them breakfast. Today's breakfast was totally to Anika's taste but sadly her taste buds were on a vacation. Her nose was almost choked and she couldn't smell the delicious Aaloo ka Paratha' and Pasta in Pesto Sauce'. Her train of thoughts was broken with another sneeze. She saw her tormentor coming down the stairs looking all cool and like everything is normal. He gave a fleeting glance to everybody and his eyes lingered long enough on Anika to catch her glare in his direction. He smirked to himself and greeted everyone. As he took his seat beside Anika, Dadi spoke to Anika in a very endearing tone.
"Anika, how did you catch cold in the summers? Don't worry, I'll give you my Haldi, Elaichi and Adrak kadha (medicinal concoction)."
"But, doesn't Bhaiyya own a personal mobile chemist shop? I am sure he could give Bhabhi some medicine." Gauri chipped in before Anika could say anything to Dadi.
"You should have given her medicine before she even left the room, Shivay." Pinky almost scolded him.
"What do you think of today's breakfast? I got it made especially for you. Interesting, isn't it?" Shivay said to Anika in an undertone ignoring all others but he replied to his mother all the same.
"I was giving it to her, Ma. She only refused." As he uttered this, Anika threw him another scornful glare.
"I don't want anything from you. You only are responsible for my condition." Said Anika in as high a voice as her vocal cords supported.
"Really? Would you care to tell me what I did?" asked Shivay with a smirk which was hardly visible to anyone. But Omkara and Rudra knew their brother too well.
"Who keeps the AC at 16 degrees, Shivay? Keep it at 20 atleast."said Anika scornfully.
"I do. For the record, I gave you a solution." said Shivay.
Anika did not say anything and got busy with her breakfast. Omkara and Rudra observed the couple. Anika was blushing slightly and Shivay had a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"They really talk with the eyes, don't they, O?" whispered Rudra.
"Pyaar ka pehla pehla kadam hai, Rudra. Bhabhi sochti bahut hai and Shivay ka aur patience ka koi lena dena nahi hai." said Omkara thoughtfully.
Rest of the breakfast went peacefully with Shivay glancing at Anika every other second and other members throwing Shivay cute glances unbeknown to him. Everybody left for their respective works and Anika left for her room. Shivay came there with an excuse of finding a file. He saw Anika sleeping on his side of bed. He smiled seeing this, caressed her face and left saying, "We will talk tonight, Mrs. ASSO."
Shivay came home late at night, long after everybody has had their dinner and went to sleep. He found Anika sleeping at the dining table. He saw that she looked fine and checked her for fever. Anika woke up with a start. He laughed at her spring like waking up action. She ignored it and asked him whether he has had dinner. He nodded affirmatively and started going to their room. He took a sharp u-turn and stopped right in front of Anika. He narrowed his eyes and she got confused.
"What?"
"You have had dinner too, right?"
"Of course, I am done. They love and pamper more than they love you. I will just put all this in the kitchen and come. You go ahead."
She started walking towards kitchen with the pots in her hands. As soon as she got back from the fridge, she saw Shivay looking at her intently.
"What?"
He went towards her, simply gathered her in his arms and started walking towards their room. She went red in the cheeks.
"Shivay, please put me down."
He ignored her pleas and kept walking. He stopped in front of their room and let Anika open the door. He went straight towards the bed and placed her on one side. He went to the door and locked it. He turned to Anika and told her to stay put. Before Anika was able to say anything, he went to change into his night clothes. He came back feeling kind of happy.
"Shivay, we can just keep the AC at 20 degrees. Then I can sleep on the couch without any problem."
"Fhat the wuck! I kept the AC on 16 so as to make you sleep on the bed. How to make you understand Anika? I don't like when you sleep on the couch. You are my wife. You are not supposed to sleep on the couch. You are sleeping on the bed and that is final." Whatever happiness he was feeling just a few moments ago, he felt it leave his body. He was positively fuming at her and she seemed to know that.
"Okay. I will sleep on the bed. So, will you sleep on the couch?"
"Fhat the wuck! Why will I leave my own..." He caught her eye. He realised that now she was just taking pleasure in annoying him. It actually made him happy.
"Actually, I was thinking that we both can fit on the bed together. It is a king-sized bed, after all." He saw her blushing at his statement and he enjoyed it to no extent. "Or is it that you don't trust yourself with me? I mean, I m pretty hot and handsome. It is normal for a girl to lose her senses when she is around me, especially if that girl is my wife." He further added and moved to his side of bed.
He noticed Anika's eyes following him around. He cleared his throat and Anika regained her senses. She blushed hard and Shivay admired her. She saw Shivay placing cushions along the length of the bed. She looked at him questioningly. He crossed over to her side, cupped her face lovingly and says, "Making you comfortable." She still looked a little lost. "Hey, no need to check me out at every chance you get." He added mischievously. She looked at him annoyed. "Baby steps, Anika." He said. He gave her a forehead kiss and crossed over to his side.
He switched off the lights, set the AC on 20 degrees, covered Anika with the duvet and said, "I enjoyed this cold war. I would love to see how you react when the room heats up. Good night, Anika".
Anika was blushing so hard that she couldn't even bring herself to say good night to him.
The end
Anupamaa
