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S- how are you feeling now uncle ?

Shivaay asked as he neared the white bed .

R- I'm totally fine beta , feeling much better .

A- ji maa , you spoke to him now right ? He's completely fine that even in this commotion he had found a remote for the TV kept here  and didn't miss his morning news .You can guess the degree of his totally fine health now. So don't you worry. We'll take care . Haan, bye .

Stopping her pace around the room , she hung up and  turned towards charu who was now seated lavishly on the stool kept there .

C - what did mumma say?

With her glance fixed on the mobile , she enquired .

A- all because of you , you had really scared the hell out of her . Idiot !

Charu just rolled her eyes and continued messaging her team that she would be taking an off today . Annika walked towards Raghav who was speaking with Shivaay .

A- papa ,

R- annika , I'm ok now . Shall we leave ? What did the Doctor say ?

A- he wants you in observation for two hours , some tests are to be taken after that . So we stay . And papa , I'm really feeling hungry . Ask charu to buy me something .

She sat on the bed and demanded holding his hands to only hear charu's voice immediately.

C- no way , I have work here . Go get it by yourself.

A- charu, have some pity . Now only I came back from the medical store which is in the ground floor . It's your turn now , go . Atleast buy me some juice .

With that same frown on her face, she complained while charu looked at her papa with a pleading look who signalled her to agree.

Shivaay who was playing a quite spectator was already smiling . Indeed , he has got two brothers but these two girls here always does something to show another tangent of siblings .

R- jao na beta , even you didn't have anything from morning right ?

Hearing him speak in that sugary tone , charu soon glared at annika who has cleverly  succeeded in her game using papa . She nodded involuntarily and walked towards the door when annika spoke .

A- hey charu , don't buy things which I hate . I know you would do that, I'm really hungry now .

Seeming to order , she affirmed for which charu turned back showing her  full grin .

C- that's exactly what I'm going to do ! Some dry saltless roties and a sugar less strong tea are exclusively served for the patients here , that's today's menu for you my dear sister .

Without sparing a glance at annika's face which was transforming dangerously in anger , she paced out only to be followed by her soon.

A- hey charu pig, ruk! Mein bhi aathi hoon .

Shivaay and Raghav had the same reaction on their faces , watching them . Indeed shivaay knew there's no way annika would compromise when it comes to food . He smiled shaking his head and noticed Raghav getting up to sit .

S- uncle araam se .

He helped him with the pillows at the back and made sure he's comfortable while Raghav was still looking by the door through which his children just ran out now . There was a pleasant smile on his face which shivaay grasped . Knowing that he was going to say something, he kept watching him keenly .

R- you know something shivaay ? Many people around me said that I got  unfortunate to not have a son , but I was always sure ki how lucky I got to have these two !They are the best thing which happened to me after Meena . I know , both are extremely opposite to each other. Charu is more sensitive and stubborn but annika , she is different. There are always times when she would share her joy but when it comes to problems , when she's sad or something like that . She keeps it that way and we could merely guess  . That is something I have always been worried of . And ofcourse she's really crazy at times , I hope she isn't troubling you much ?

Raising his brows , he questioned with a smile for which shivaay just chuckled. He could clearly find the proud emotions which sparkles in his eyes when he speaks of his daughters . Indeed , he treasures them much .

S- I think she likes mom very much , even yesterday mom was complaining that she was teasing her with something .

R- I'm sure , she would have done something. But don't worry, meri beti bahut pyaari hai . I hope one day she becomes the best thing which happened to you too !

Saying this he pat his shoulder and shivaay blinked slowly maintaining the same smile on his face .

A- drive slowly ok ?

C- I know !

Pulling the seat belt across , she put up a stern face noticing which annika rolled her eyes .

Shivaay closed the door of the passenger seat and bent to speak with him.

S- take care uncle .

R- ji beta .

And annika kept waving her hand until the car crossed the road to reach the other side.

It was only when she heard the horn sound she turned aside to find shivaay to have already drove the car there. She got in.

A- you already got late right ? It's ok , drop me at the bus stop . Tum office jao .

S- see , even now !

Pressing the steering wheel ,he spoke being frustrated . She acts as  if he hardly cares for her , which he didn't like .

A- what?

S- what what ? Why didn't you inform me about papa and why did you ignore me throughout at the hospital? So you're taking revenge haan ?

He interrogated , trying to suppress his hurt self . Well , he was quite good in doing that. A Tadibaaaz!

Hearing his complaints , annika smiled confusedly.

A- for what am I taking revenge on you ?

S- as if you don't know . You yourself admitted that you would ignore others if you're angry.

A- ohh God shivaay! Really ? Listen , I agree I said that. But the main point is I hardly get angry . Even that thing with charu was for the sake of oreo , to convince her . 99 % she would be the one shouting at me .

Saying this , she sighed huge .

S- then why didn't you

She left no way for him to complete ,

A- about papa ? Time kahan tha ? I mean ,this charu suddenly called and started blabbering in fear ki papa fell unconscious at the kitchen . I could merely think of anything then , even now I don't know how I pulled myslef till the hospital .

For a second she widened her eyes in horror on going back to the same second , which he noticed and waited for her to become normal.

Indeed, whatever she said was right. She didn't deliberately ignore him . Her actions according to her were very normal.

There was some kind of border between the duo which she didn't choose to clear.  She questioned him when he was ready to pay the bill because , things are like this for the first time . She hadn't been practised to his concern and help . If he wants her to accept it , maybe it would take time . For her to move in and handle everything at ease with his help .

Ofcourse , he means so much to her but she hasn't come to a mindset to even look up for his help if in need because she has been used to some other ways of handling it .

It's always upto time , to make things better and indeed,it's upto shivaay now .

To make her feel usual with him .

A- I'm sweating , uff ! Ok tell me whether you're going to drop me at the bus stop or at home ? so that I can decide to remove this shrug or not .

S- enough , rip it off !

Let her even act as if I don't care for her once again, then that's it ! He was in a fix. She removed the shrug and started fanning herself with her hands  .

He put the AC on and looked by her side to soon get baffled . She was certainly just left in her less sleeved T- shirt and night pant .

S- so you were actually roaming around the hospital wearing this night suit ?

A- what will I do ? When I was just going to bath , she called me and I just grabbed a shrug to manage, which I did !
Is this AC even working ? I feel really hot in here .

Collecting all her hair , she twisted it to tie it with a bun pin . And shivaay never dared to look at her side knowing what's actually awaiting next . As he feared , her top gradually lifted up when she rose her hands to work on hair . Poor she wasn't aware of the reason for the robotic him . He never moved until he knew she was done.

True that , he found that Buddhist type bun on her head to be cute . He must admit that , this girl really had the power to gain his attention in any situation. She was just peeking through the window side , enjoying her own sight on the traffic filled roads but he was already paying secret glances to her tiny reactions and details, especially the thin streak of hair which waved across her forehead was...!

Got the wheels to handle but he couldn't help but steal continuous glances of her .

He felt better , infact good.

When she noticed that they were getting close to OM she fetched the shrug and started wearing it to receive a confused look from him . He was about to ask her something when her mobile lead , ringing. Watching the caller ID ,she sighed whispering ' mediator mode on! ' which he heard but didn't understand.

As she was in process of inserting her arm inside the dress , she just put the speaker on and kept it on her lap .

A- haan Adi bol ,

Shivaay looked by her once and turned away soon .

Ad- annika, how's uncle ?

A- wah ! How did you know ? Aren't you our family's enemy ?

And shivaay just  shook his head when the right arm of her's came straightway hitting his chest as she was trying to inject it into the shrug . She looked hardly bothered of it ,

Ad- mumma told me , now stop your silly questions and answer .

A- yeah man , he's ok . Nothing serious. He would have reached home by now .

Ad- and charu ?

A- haa haan your Laila is doing good too . As if you don't know , you just met her yesterday .

By now  she had somehow leaned sideways and succeeded wearing it one side but her palm was now hitting on something rough , what's this? Turning towards his side she instantly bit her lips muttering a sorry for have been rubbing his beard all this time . He pretended to glare which she ignored perfectly by acting to work on the other arm .

Ad- you girls can't keep anything within  right ? It happened just yesterday and she already told you .

A- so you want to hide secrets from me now , fine bye !

Ad - hey hey monkey wait , if I wanted to hide anything from you why would I even call you for help. Meri best friend ho na tum?!

A- chal nautanki, tell me what's it ?

Ad- it's charu's birthday next week , I want you to help me to find a gift for her . She had never responded to any of of my gifts and messages since five years . So ,

A- bas bas , fine ! Tomorrow afternoon fixed. Ek minute ek minute , you haven't got a job yet right ? Paise kaise phir ?

Ad- I have some , but if it doesn't suffice too, no worries . I've got my best friend ! wouldn't she lend me some ?

She raised her eyebrows listening to his extra sugary tone and passed a caught him type look to shivaay .

A- so this is your plan . Wah ! Why not ? Sure ,but you have to pay back triple the amount . Ok ?!

Ad- tum na ! I'll take all my revenge when you seek me for  help ,jab tumhara pyaara prince

Annika immediately put the speaker off and pressed the mobile to her ear . She mentally thanked the auto driver behind who honked at the right moment that shivaay didn't get to hear what Adi actually said .

A- Adi ki bacha , save your monkey face for some nice punches tomorrow.

Sounding to whisper yet frustrated she warned and hung up immediately. Her frowning face turned wide when shivaay spoke.

S- what are you even doing annika ?

A- what ?

S- you just threw the shrug and now you've wore it again ,

Stopping by the gate , he spoke .

A- everyone will be there inside . It'll be awkward to enter in this nighsuit .

She squeezed her eyes while saying this and he exactly knew what's on her mind now .

S - come on annika , none would say anything !

He insisted this in a dominating voice .

A- none would ,except your mom.

And immediately she bit lips realizing what she had uttered in a trance and got prepared to receive his special glare.

S- annika

A- oops sorry sorry , I just forgot that you are a mumma's boy .

S- take it off .

A- why ?

S- will you feel awkward in wearing this to your papa's house ?

A- I will not , that's my house too .

She argued for which he instantly questioned.

S- what's this then ?

Pointing towards OM , he expressed his words in anger watching which she started  removing the shrug hesitantly .

A- yeah , par.

S- move out now . I ain't giving it to you .

After helping her to get rid of the coat , he kept it to himslef and instructed her for she twisted her lips playing grumpy .

He watched her walking past the gate , speaking to herself. Maybe ,ranting about him . Once again, he waited . Waited until she fades off from his sight . Something which he liked doing was to stare her from back as she walks away .

But soon those curved up lips returned  back when some other thoughts filled his mind .

He knows that she isn't the one who would mask to act in places . The way she is with him , it's totally the usual her. But when he gets to witness the same she with her family and her friends , he feels different.

It's not her fault though , still , realizing the fact that a habitual annika with him can be more accustomed with her family definitely upset him.

Will he ever be the one among the latter ?

He feared unnecessarily on not knowing where he actually stands within her ...in her heart .

Since her colleague has returned after long holidays and taken up the duty, annika was given an off today . And she exactly knew how she was going to spend it.

Sleeping .

What ? She doesn't get an entire afternoon for sleeping ,everyday ! That sweet nap did cost some taunts from pinky during lunch . And annika shrugged it off casually, understanding it to be every mother in law's right . To keep on finding faults . She has known this from some of her patients. Married girls who get stressed because of their in law's tortures . In that case , annika was lucky . Pinky wasn't that tough . Understanding her was very easy which she was grading on , so the result is , she likes pinky already . Her strict attitude towards her was just a layer of her character, but within, she's an amazingly cute woman . Annika knows this .

She woke up in the evening and rushed to fresh up before pinky finds that she had actually slept after lunch too .

Lifting the kurti, she was struggling to pull it off when she heard someone opening the door from outside.

A- ahh! Andar mein hoon . Don't you have manners ?!

Jumping to shut the door, she leaned on it and shouted .

S- shit ! Why the hell didn't you latch the door annika ?

He , who stood by the other side screamed .

A- maybe ,I forgot . Wait , when did you come and why so early ?

S- really ? You forgot to latch but I'm the one at fault ,ok!

He rolled his eyes .

A- look, this restroom is like one football ground for itself. Like , If I have to reach the door from the shower booth, it'll take 20 minutes . It's ok na , I forgot , and when I came in none were in the room . I didn't get any dream of you peeping inside the restroom when I'm there. What's my fault ?

In that same struggling position where her kurti had struck showing tough to come out of her head , she managed to rant this. By now he was already pissed off .

S- annika , can't you stop narrating essay like talks atleast in restroom ? ! Fine , make it fast now .

Saying this he was about to move when she called him again .

A- shivaay shivaay, one second.

S - what now ?

A- you didn't see anything right ?

Hearing that feared voice of her's, he realized what she was asking of . Well , he had actually closed his eyes at once when he heard her shout from in .

So , did he see anything in that millisecond ? He played his mind a minute back to find .

Nothing.

S- no .

A- sure ?

Came her stretched word again .

S- stop embarrassing me annika , I didn't!

A- pinky promise ?

S- you want me to promise on my mom for this ? Come on ,

A- erghhh! Shivaay....you are !!

She crushed her fists on being frustrated with his lack of knowledge and that's when she heard someone knocking the room door and finally realized in what state she was actually standing . Latching the door , she ran to take a quick shower. But, this dress! Is my head like a giant! ?

G- baiya ?

S- yes gauri .

Gauri came in with a parcel and gave it to him .

G- a courier for you baiya .

S- ohh ,thanks .

She smiled in response and turned to leave when he stopped her instantly.

S- gauri , one help?

G- boliye .

S- how do we do this ...pinky promise?

Gauri just grinned watching his face becoming small when he asked that.

G- simple baiya , keep you finger like this and ...

Curling the little finger she neared it to him and signaled him to follow the same . His face grew confused when she tangled her finger into his .

G- haan , this is pinky promise!

When she finished ,he smiled at his own stupidness of what he actually thought was pinky promise. His mom and all ...!

G- kya huwa baiya ?

S- haa ,nothing .

Annika first peeped out to find if he was still waiting by the door but no. She found  him seated on the couch , concentrating on something keenly . Some book type thing .

A- what's that ?

She quizzed as she made it upto him , and that's when she guessed it to be an album . Becoming excited within seconds,  she nudged him to leave gap for her and he glared before moving.  Means , there was ample space for her on the other side but no ,she had to push the poor him  who was certainly sitting by the edge .

Her super excited face went down at the moment she realized that it was their wedding album. He ,who noticed this questioned her through eyes when she smiled faintly.

A- I don't enjoy watching the substitute me . By the way , the album will have all your images ,your face! But see me , a cloth hiding my face perfectly .

Pointing the pictures , she admitted directly and looked away in disappointment while he stared at her for a second before fetching his mobile from the pocket .

With his hand hid on the other side so that she couldn't see , he messaged Rudra .

He closed the album and kept it aside,  asking her to pass his tab.

Handing it over to him , she still sat quiet .

A fine smirk just didn't leave his face while he swiped to work on the screen .

S- so how's this ?

Holding the device near her lap , he asked ,while casually turned only to get surprised immediately.

Those were some pictures taken on their Reception day .

He wasn't ready to waste any second by blinking as the transformation  her face showed that moment required all his heart and eyes to capture everything slowly. The way her lips opened to show the lines of teeth within when she smiled in  amazement ,reflexly brought a smile of adoration in his face too .

As she swiped through every pic her reactions grew evolving in all types. She grinned watching the pic of pinky speaking with  the press  , that day was really a memorable one .

The  saga of couple photos ! She and him .

Once again , she was secretly crushing over his picture.  He really looked eye pleasing that day . Well , he is like that all the time which she agrees wholeheartedly.  This crazy girl was still not able to register the fact that , the handsome prince is actually her husband.

' Pinch and check once annika ' she smacked her mind .

A- you really know how to change my mood within seconds.

Her sight still fixed on the tab , she stated for which he smirked.

S- didn't you expect this from the husband of a great Psychiatrist?!

The moment his words reached her ears ,she faced him with a full grin and chuckled .

A- wah!

S- the ever so happy annika should never stay dull. And haan, plss don't refer yourself as a substitute or something like that.  I agree we got married in tough circumstances , but, haven't we accepted a life together ? Biwi ho tum meri ,

As she watched his proclaiming eyes , her brain was already struggling with a thought which started pricking her other organ, heart .

The word accepted did no good to her . It was very clear that , he was actually compromising with her . Accepting her .

This acceptance is something she wouldn't want rather she craves to become his need , his love ...his demand .

Because that's how she has possessed him in her heart . Just because they are married , it doesn't mean she would expect him to be ready for a life with her. No ! She will hate it , hate to be a no other go for him .

Even if she proposes him again, maybe he will accept now because she's his wife . Ohh god , it's so complicated!

Now , she realized . The depth of her feelings for him was much ...much  more than she had ever thought . It was not some mere first sight infatuation or attraction rather heart seeking love is what she has kept growing within .

What if this acceptance and compromise stays to become the truth of her whole life with him ?

She feared.

Waiting is the sign of true love and patience.  Anyone can say ' I  love you ' , but not everyone can wait and prove it's true 💘

Precap

S- annika, you still love me ?

How was it ?

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