"Hey!" Her husband greeted, half heartedly, walking past her. She frowned shutting the door. Off late Shivaay came back very tired from office. Anika knew handling a construction firm that at any point of time had at least fifteen to twenty active projects could be very stressful. But off late, Shivaay's exhausted returns from office and working weekends had started worrying her. 

"Tiring day?" She asked handing him a glass full of water, sitting beside him.

"Very," he answered gratefully taking the glass.

She watched him as he drank from the glass, as always, lost thinking about something.

She held his hand waiting for him to look at her. He looked around, "where is Tanisha?"

"In her room, her friend Prakriti is over."

"Oh," he nodded.

"Shivaay, is everything okay?"

"Yeah," he answered.

Anika took a deep breath and tugged at his hand. He finally turned to meet her eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He smiled a little taking her hand to his lips. "Everything's okay, jaan!"

"Okay, so what about work? Too much load?"

"Yeah, but..it's, you know," he shrugged.

"Shivaay, more words! Are you worried about anything? You don't even talk to me properly these days. It's like your mind is twenty four seven occupied with your work."

Shivaay's gaze fixated on his wife. She was right. He just couldn't stop thinking about work. Months back he was elated to have multiple new projects on his plate. But when things actually started progressing, he realized there was so much to take care of, so much to review and so much to keep hawk's eye on.

In all the work demands, he had completely forgotten to pay attention to his wife and kid. At least he tried being around Tanisha, be it dropping her till the apartment gate in the morning or having a night time chat with her before she went to bed.

"I am sorry, Anika. It's just that... work is super hectic." He said, his hand reaching out to cradle her face.

Anika smiled and leaned sideways onto his shoulder. "I hope you are taking care of yourself."

"You are here for that, aren't you?" He smiled resting his cheek against her hair. 

Anika chuckled, "I can't sit in your mind and keep away the stress, can I now?"

"Well," he said thoughtfully, "once upon a time you did that."

"Huh?" Anika looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean, there was a time I couldn't get you out of my head. So obviously there was no place for anything here!" He said pointing to his forehead.

"Aah," Anika smiled flattered. "Oh, so I simply need a way back into that head of yours." 

"Easier said than done," he said. "By the way, any plans for dinner? I am super hungry!"

Anika chuckled getting off the sofa, she quickly placed a kiss on his forehead, "give me ten minutes, go freshen up in the meanwhile."

* * *

"Want to go out for a stroll?" Anika asked leaning sideways, against the doorframe with her arms folded. Their daughter was fast asleep and he was back to being the busy man reading files.

He looked up, his expression giving away that he was too tired to walk. 

"Are you working this weekend too?" She asked, walking into the room. 

"No, but I was thinking of paying a visit to the Gaytri Nagar site,"

"Of course, Tanisha anyway won't be here she will be with Maa, so she won't complain." Anika muttered applying lotion to her arms.

Shivaay looked up, even a person who didn't know his wife could sense the taunt in her voice. He smiled when he noticed her grumpy face. He had known her for more than twelve years now. He watched her as she went about organizing the dressing table and combing her hair. 

He closed his files and put them away and sat on the bed beside her. "You know, I can probably visit Gaytri Nagar site on Wednesday. Maybe I can take a break from work this weekend."

Anika smiled and turned to him. "Really?"

"Yes, I miss being with you!" He said laying on the bed such that his head was in her lap.

Anika smiled, threading her fingers through his hair. 

"You spoke to Maa?" He striked a conversation.

"Yeah, was bitching about how your work is more important to you than me."

He grinned, "and?"

"Your mom started complaining about how she had assumed even worse position than mine on your priority list."

"Was it bad?" He asked with a grin. 

"Well," Anika sighed, "I have got very used to your mother's taunts."

"What else?"

"She's put on two kgs."

Shivaay smiled, "and?"

"Your father has lost one kg."

"Damn, they are still on their weight loss competition?"

"Hmm," she hummed, her fingers now drawing circular patterns on his forehead. "You should go for a hair cut!" She added noticing the length of his hair.

"Yeah, I have been thinking the same since more than a week now." He responded. "Does she still bother you with the grandson rant?"

"Oh, that's the evergreen one. I will get suspicious the day she fails to mention that ever in a conversation."

He chuckled along with her. "I am sorry, Anika. I don't know why mom is like that."

"It's okay, can't blame you for it. You didn't raise her up. She raised you, and I guess she did a good job at that."

Shivaay tilted his head to meet her eyes. Those eyes that looked at her through those long curved eyelashes. "What about your parents?"

"Mom is well, busy with her baking classes and all. Apparently, Paa is learning a thing or two an helps her out. But she swears there's more of policing than help that he gives."

"Hmm,"

"By the way, you know my friend Disha, she gave birth to twins last week."

"Woah, that's news. Did you visit her?" 

"Nope. Not yet. I was planning sometime next week." She said, picking up her phone to set a reminder.

"Hmm..." he hummed. "Why did you stop?"

"Stop what?" She asked glancing down at his face. 

"Whatever you were doing with your fingers..." he said.

She smiled and kept her phone back. She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled at them. "This?"

"Oww, easy tigress, you don't want a bald husband, do you?"

Anika laughed and bent down lightly kissing his forehead.

He turned, such that his face was against her abdomen. He pressed a kiss and wrapped his arms around her closing his eyes.

She giggled, "what are you doing?"

"You're so soft!" He mumbled.

Anika smiled, continuing to run her fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp with her finger tips. "Can we spend tomorrow like old times?"

After almost a minute, he turned away from her abdomen and looked at her. "What kind of old times? The one where he behave like rabbits in the mating season or the one where I cook and pamper you like your personal servant?"

Anika grinned. "Well, option one is not a bad idea. And option two is tempting too. But I was thinking more on the lines of option three where we amper each other, equally. "

He grinned, "You'll give me a bath?" 

"That's all you thought of!" She laughed softly.

"So what!" He exclaimed. "If I can give you a bath you definitely can help me at one."

"Done deal!" She said with a smile.

He sat up and she frowned. He lay on his back, "come on, lie down!" He patted the side.

She lay beside him, tossing her arm across his abdomen. 

"Morning tea is on me, breakfast you." He said.

"Lunch, we'll order." She added.

"We are bathing together!" He said. "And I need a champi before that!"

"Done. I need a pedicure!"

"Done, but not more than twenty minutes."

"Movie?" She asked.

"Nah, but maybe we can watch our wedding DVD!"

"Good idea!" She remarked.

He turned to her. 

"What?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

"Dance. Just like that night." He winked.

Anika blushed, understanding what he meant, her smile widening. "Okay, but you won't try to carry me. The last time you carried me you had a back ache and I had to give you massages for three days!"

He chuckled, "you know I love your massages."

"We'll cook dinner together!" She added.

He smiled, "Deal, if you promise you'll wear the hottest dress in your wardrobe."

Anika giggled, "If you promise, you'll be a gentleman until we get ready dinner ready."

Shivaay laughed, "I can't believe I have been married to you for eleven years!"

"Seems like just yesterday doesn't it?" She remarked.

"No, no way. Seems like a lifetime!" He corrected.

Anika smiled looking at him. "So bored of me?"

"Well," he muttered with amusement, "You can be boring but not more than me!"

Anika laughed. Her husband had always been a sweetheart.

"I think we should sleep," Anika added.

"My sleep is gone." He said turning towards her.

"Okay, read your files." She muttered with twinkling eyes.

"Anika!" He whined. "Are you tired?"

Anika smiled looking at him. Their eyes lost in their own world.

Anika's tiredness had actually worn out after having the undivided attention of her husband. "The door is open!" She whispered.

He had a winning smile bloom on her face as he quickly rolled out of the bed to close the door. 

Anika smiled watching her husband as he undressed himself. He winked and she blushed. 

She flipped sontaht she was lying on her stomach. "You really don't think of me like you used to?"

Shivaay looked at his wife puzzled. "What?"

"I mean earlier, you said that I am not in your head all the time like I used to be."

"Oh, that!" He said discarding his pants on the side. "Anika, am I on your head all the time?"

Anika's lips pursed amd she looked thoughtful. "No, not all the time I mean.."

"Got your answer?" He said getting on the bed.

"Hmm," she sat up. "Don't you think you've put on?"

"Great, are you killing the mood?" He muttered.

"No, no, just... noticed. But you're still desirable!" She quickly covered up for her folly. 

He chuckled muttering, "great cover up!" She grinned welcoming him with her arms wide open. 

Just Some random fluff. Hope you enjoyed reading it. 

-Anami!♡