I stretched my hand lazily to the other side of the bed to find it empty. Anika wasn't there. I woke up now fully awake.
Yesterday morning Daadi had found me sleeping on the couch outside. She had talked to us and asked us to stay in the same room as that would help us to our sort out our differences and get comfortable with each other. How could we deny Dadi? We both had agreed to it.
Later that night, I suggested that I sleep on the couch in the room to which Anika refused, she said that she would. After our little argument we came to the conclusion that we would sleep on the bed but I could see that she was a little uncomfortable with it. I didn't know why. So I told her that I wouldn't cross the imaginary border in the middle of the bed. Anika relaxed a bit and she made me pinky promise. It was cute.
My heart skipped a beat. I got up from the couch where I was sleeping and checked the washroom, the door was unlocked and she wasn't in there either.
"Anika?" I called out softly as I checked the hallways not wanting to wake the other family members. I climbed down the stairs and checked everywhere. The pool area, kitchen, the house lawn. She was no where to be seen.
"Khanna. Have you seen Anika? Did she go out or something?" I asked the security head feeling restless.
"No sir. I haven't seen Anika ma'am. She hasn't even left the house." he answered confidently.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes sir."
Where can this girl go? She's so careless. Let me check once again in the room.
I stopped suddenly in the hall as I heard something fall. The sound came from the kitchen. Maybe Anika was thirsty and she went to the kitchen to get some water? But there was a jug of water in our room as well. Why would she come down then?
The lights in the kitchen were switched off and I couldn't see anyone there. I suddenly felt someone behind the counter. I looked down shocked. "Anika!" She was so busy eating jalebis that she didn't even notice that I was standing right beside her.
As the gentle breeze from the open kitchen window caressed her face causing her hair to flow softly. I looked at her mesmerised.
I couldn't help but smile as she stuffed two jalebis in her mouth. She struggled a bit to swallow them. That is when I cleared my throat and she looked up surprised. Her eyes widened in shock and she suddenly stood up dropping the other jalebi in her hand.
She said something which I couldn't understand since she still had the sweets stuffed in her mouth. She looked so funny yet cute, her eyes wide open as she finally swallowed.
"Shivaay I- actually." She fumbled. I chuckled.
"What are you doing here, Anika? I was so worried when I couldn't find you anywhere." I asked.
"Actually if I wake up at night, I get really hungry. So I thought I could grab something to eat from the kitchen. I didn't want to disturb you since you were fast asleep." She said quietly.
"And what's all this?" I asked pointing to two bowls of jalebis on the floor, one completely empty and the other one just had two left.
"I opened the fridge to check what was there and then I saw this. Jalebis are my favorite. You know na. So I couldn't help myself." she said sheepishly.
I knew jalebis were her favorite and she usually ate it when she was extremely happy, sad or tensed. But I didn't know she could eat two huge bowls of jalebis in one go!
"Anika, these jalebis were for Nani. She is coming tomorrow and that's why Mom had arranged for these jalebis especially from Bareilly." I suddenly remembered.
"Phail gaya raita." she gasped. "What do I do now Shivaay? Pinki aunty already doesn't like me. She's going to hate me for this."
"Calm down, Anika. It's okay. I'll do something."
"But how Shivaay? Wait maybe I can go to Bareilly and get the jalebis before Nani comes? What time will she be here tomorrow?"
"She'll be here by 11 tomorrow. And don't worry, I'll get the jalebis tomorrow. Okay?"
"Are you sure?" She asked still unconvinced about it.
"Yes baba. Now go and sleep. It's almost 2 now." I told her checking the time.
"Okay, I'll go." But she didn't move as I raised my eyebrow.
"There are just two jalebis left. So uh can I.." she asked softly looking at the jalebis intently.
I smiled. "Yeah just-just have it." She instantly grabbed the two jalebis and stuffed one in her mouth as she offered the other one to me. I shook my head. I didn't like Indian sweets much. Especially Jalebis since they're too sweet.
She didn't mind that I declined her offer and she went back to the room eating the last one savoring each and every bite of it. I smiled as I thought of Anika's cute antics.
But she wasn't the same old Anika. Well, she was but she wasn't being herself lately. Especially after the whole marriage fiasco. No matter how much she pretended to be okay, I knew it was bothering her. She hadn't talked about it to anyone. And I have to make sure that she feels at home here.
* I had asked Khanna to arrange for jalebis for Bareilly. But due to some problem I had to collect it myself from Pune.
On my way back after collecting the sweets, I thought about how our life had changed so much in a couple of hours. About 48 hours back I was drunk and depressed thinking that my first love was going to be someone else's. I was sad that after getting married she would go to America with Samar and get settled there. But at the same time, I was happy seeing that she was happy too. She was marrying the guy she really liked. I convinced myself that love was about letting go too.
I was happy that she was my wife now but at the same time I felt guilty. I felt bad for her. She didn't want this marriage. She didn't want me as her husband but was forced into this marriage. All because of me. But I had no other option left.
We knew each other since childhood. She was the daughter of my dad's childhood friend, Mr. Sunil Mehra. We lived in the same colony until dad's' business unlike Sunil uncles, started growing and we started living in the Oberoi Mansion. But still I didn't stop meeting Anika or anything. The only common link between us that time was Rishi. He was my best friend and Anika's too. And through him, I used to find reasons to talk to Anika.
I have always liked Anika from school days, but in college I fell in love with her. But for some reason Anika always maintained distance with me. No matter how much I tried to get to know her and be her good friend, she avoided me. Not directly but I knew it. I would ask her one day about it, but not now.
It was almost 12, so Nani must've already arrived. I sneaked into the kitchen to keep the jalebis before anyone saw me. But Nani had seen me hide something in the fridge. She came up to me and twisted my ear. Yes, she really did.
"Ahh, Nani. What are you doing? It's hurting."
"Oye Golu. What were you hiding in the fridge? My jalebis huh?"
I looked at her shocked. How did she know? "Chalo give them to me now only. I can't wait any longer to have them." She said dreamily.
"I can get them for you only if you leave my ear Nani." She chuckled and let me go. I grabbed the box of jalebis and handed it over to her. She started eating the jalebis right there. I suddenly remembered Anika munching down jalebis yesterday and the memory brought a smile on my face.
"Golu, why're you laughing?"
"Nothing. But Nani how many times have I told you not to call me Golu. As if Billu wasn't enough." I whined. If Nani called me Golu in front of Anika, that would be it. The teasing would never stop.
"Why? I never call you Billu. Only your Dadi does. Tu toh mera pyara sa golu hai." She pinched my cheeks.
"Nani please. I've grown up now." I huffed. I liked it when Dadi and Nani pampered me and called me Golu and Billu. But I couldn't actually accept it in front of everyone. Shivaay Singh Oberoi had an image to maintain. Even within the family. No matter how much I pretended, Dadi and Nani would see right through me. They knew I liked being called Golu and Billu. But right now I didn't want her to because I didn't want Anika to know my other name, Golu.
Yesterday, when Dadi had called me Billu in front of Anika she had suppressed her laugh in front of the other family members. But later in the room, she had made so much fun of me. She just wouldn't stop calling me Billu.
"Oh kitna bada ho gaya hai tu? Huh?" She softly smacked my head.
"Nani! My hair." I muttered which she completely ignored.
"No matter how much you grow up, you'll forever be my chotta sa golu molu. Get it?" I was about to say something when I heard someone giggle. I turned around to see Anika standing there trying to control her laughter. Great, she had heard golu molu. I could see how much she was going to tease me back in the room.
I rolled my eyes and left, leaving Nani and Anika together.
I was deeply engrossed in my file when I heard Anika enter the room. I was prepared for it. Prepared for all the teasing about golu molu. I took a deep breath and looked up and the scene in front of me took my breath away.
Anika was wearing a simple black saree which had thick silver border. Her blouse was backless with sleeves unto her elbow. Her hair tied up to a messy bun with few strands of hair left loose on either side. She stood in front of the dresser wearing her simple silver bangles.
She looked beautiful, so elegant. She must've sensed my gaze on her because she straightened up.
I stood up and went towards her. I turned her back towards me. I could feel her body stiffen at the physical contact. I slid the nuptial chain around her bare neck and tied it. Anika looked down and touched the chain and gave a small smile. I leaned forward and whispered, "You look gorgeous." Anika shuddered as she felt my hot breath against the crook of her neck.
I turned her face towards me, "Why did you dress up so early? The reception party starts at 7 and its like 5 now?"
"Actually dadi asked me to get ready and come down. There's some puja before the reception. That's why." She stepped back.
"And what about me? No one informed me." I frowned.
"Oh yeah. Dadi told me to inform you, I must've forgotten as Saumya and Gauri took me with them to give me this. I- I'm so sorry." She apologised.
"It's okay."
"I'm going down for the puja. Aap bhi jaldi aa jaiye." She smiled and went away.
*I look up again as Shivaay's phone starts ringing for the third time. But he wasn't in the room so I pick up the phone, the caller ID - 'Tia'. Why is this cheapdi calling Shivaay. As if the drama she did in the reception wasn't enough. I slide the button to answer the phone when Shivaay comes in. He asked me whose call it is and I tell him that it's Tia's. He suddenly grabs the phone from my hand and goes out of the room.
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Anupamaa
