Episode 22
Can’t tell you all how happy I felt after reading each one of your comments.Actually,while writing, we are not supposed to expect a lot of comments, but to be honest, it pleases us all to no end when we do get a lot of them. Hope you like this one.
ANNIKA’S ROOM:
It was Shivaay Singh Oberoi.
Annika couldn’t just place her finger on what she actually felt when she saw him.
Maybe Sadness. Maybe Pain. Maybe Love.
When all she was supposed to be feeling was….
Annika: You?
Shivaay: Why….???
Annika: What???
Shivaay : Why?
Annika turned towards him. While he, with one swift motion spun her so that they would return to their previous positions.
Shivaay: Look at us!
Annika: What about us??
Shivaay: We still look perfect together….How. Can you do this??How can you marry someone else? We aren’t even divorced yet. This is illegal!
Annika: Nothing is illegal. We never married!
Shivaay: We..ne..ver… married???How can even bring yourself to say that?
Annika: It is the truth, Mr.Oberoi.You have no proof that we are married except the oral witnesses of your family members! And what marriage are you talking about? The one in which you shamelessly insulted me in front of everyone else without even bothering to check the facts?
Shivaay: I’m s..orr..yBut..Ammm..You know what, change your dress. We’ll escape this place. There is no media coverage here so no one will know. Come, let’s run away. Then when we go home, I’ll announce you as my wife.(Dragging her away).Come we should go now…
Annika:- ( Freeing herself)What on earth are you blabbering. Has your brain gone on a vacation? Its my marriage here.And marriage is no joke, Shivaay!
Shivaay: Then was..our marriage. A joke..?
Annika: It was…For you!!Why are you stuttering so much?
Annika brought his face close to his and smelt the air in front of him. Shivaay gulped continuously, trying to keep his self-control mode on.
Annika: Have you drunk something?
Shivaay: Yes…Liquid courage. Rudra told me after drinking it people feel confident.
Annika: And what do you need to feel so confident about?
Shivaay: I….I…think. I love you…You know, the past two months were pure hell for me.It was as if my life stopped at that point. And when I saw you at the function, my breath seemed to return all at once. But you, you never tried to talk to me and even worse took this step. Of marrying someone…And because of my guilt, I couldn’t get the courage to call you all these days. But this was one step too far.So I decided I needed courage and I drunk that.
Annika looked at him. He looked back at her but the look on her face, he couldn’t decipher at all. It was however, a sign of all the questions that were to come.
Annika: I know you too well. Intoxicated people seldom speak lies. And you, seldom speak the truth. Last time too, you said something and behaved another way.
Shivaay held her hands in his own. She tried wriggling away but this it he had firmly wrapped her hands in his own.
Shivaay: The last time too, I never lied. I told you the truth. Then when I became sober,I was afraid of the consequences. I tried to run away from my feelings and finally, I got married to you. But I was deeply hurt by the cheap instigation of Daksh against you. Now, I understand that somewhere, in the corner of my heart, I was happy too when we got married.
Annika: And you suddenly fell in love with me??Now what did Akira say that day… I don’t believe all this crap!Listen one thing properly, I am not running away. I promised Nishaad. I never back off or doubt someone I believe in. With him, though…I will get happiness, respect and all that I deserve and the ones which I will not get or expect from you!
Shivaay: Annika…!!
Annika: He is honest, kind and straight forward. Someone who doesn’t look for lineage, class and bloodline in relationships. That’s why I’m marrying him.
Shivaay:Please,Don’t do this….!I can’t bear all this ,Annika. Think of my poor heart, please…I can’t pretend to be strong anymore. I have loved you the last 8 months ,atleast.First hated, then obsessed, now still in love. With you….And see the condition of his house, what happiness will he give you?
Annika: What happiness did you ,the Oberoi heir ,give me?
Shivaay: I will make everything alright please… Please..(Folding hands)
Annika: Don’t do what you are doing now! It’s not going to work .I am so against you that all your emotional talk don’t affect me at all .I am going to get married to him!!
Shivaay: (Smiling slightly) Do you remember how our relationship was…I used to throw things away and you used to break things…Now since I threw you out of my life once, are you going to break my heart??
(Taking a deep breath)Enough of pleading!
He then furiously whispered in her ear, “I am going to take you away, again!”
Annika was shocked beyond words. She tried to remain unfazed and steadied the heavy breaths caused by his proximity. She freed herself, shouting loudly..
Annika: What else do you know to do? But remember, Mr.Oberoi. You are still the same. You blackmailed me to feed your ego that day. Today too, that is where you stand. But I don’t stand in the same place, Shivaay. This is the stronger version of Annika who has no feelings for you. If it is my love you are expecting, you will not get it taking me captive.
Saying all this, she took quick backwards walks towards the room’s attached bathroom. She gave so many expressions with her face and hands that it was hard for Shivaay to move his gaze beyond her face both in admiration, awe and passion. Then, Annika quickly dashed into the bathroom, shutting the door and latched it. Shivaay thumped furiously on the door. She made a call to Om.
Annika: Om? Your bhaiya lied to me that he was drunk and he is now threatening to take me away. Come, help me please.
Om: Annika, calm down. Where are you?
Annika: In my room’s bathroom.
Om: We are coming.
In a few minutes, Annika could hear loud sounds, unmistakably Shivaay’s and then. Silence…She composed herself, let a few tears fall out and went to marry the man, who she thought would give her everything.
OUTSIDE:
Shivaay: Why did the both of you drag me out? DO you know what she is going to do???Actually you do, if Khanna hadn’t spied on you, no one would’ve told me a thing. Right? How can she marry another person?/I’m her husband and still alive. Let me go.!!! Both of you…!!!Don’t stop me today!!!
OmRu: Listen to what we are telling you today…
And with whatever they could, they managed to explain the whole story….
Shivaay heard it all in pure shock…
Shivaay: Do you guys know what rotten luck I have? I accused her of something so low and I find out today, that come what may, I will never get another like her. She is marrying him even after all this? What will happen to her.??.He will die. She will become a widow. Life will become harder then …And you guys didn’t dissuade her?
OmRu: We did..But she was firm. So we decided to support her.
Shivaay: Oh really??How can the both of you take a decision like this even after knowing what would happen to me?No.I thought I shouldn’t forcibly take her home this time, but it seems there is no option left. No one can stop me stopping this marriage now, not even the both of you!
He took a few steps, leaving a pensive OmRu before he saw another woman there.
Pinky Singh Oberoi.
Pinky: Shivaay,OmRu.. What are you all doing here? Will someone tell me somethings?
Shivaay: You know what Mom, there is a marriage happening, and I’m going there now…OmRu will tell you the rest.
Om Ru looked at a fast disappearing Shivaay and then at Pinky…
Rudra: Choti Maa, it looks as if you drenched yourself in a river of sweat..!Come we will sit under a fan and talk silently.
Pinky: First tell me whose marriage this is…Don’ts diverts the topics…!!
And, for the second time that day, OmRu narrated the Annika-Kaand again…
Pinky: Oh my Maata! That roadside trash of a girl again!!I will not let my Shivaay do a mistake again!!
She moved as fast as her feet could carry her.
OmRu stared at her disappearing form.
Rudra: O,one thing is pukka!!
Om: And what is that???
Rudra: This is going to be more of a daily soap drama than a marriage!
Om stared, his eyes wide ,in front of him, at the grey wall.
Things were going to become grey indeed.
AT THE MANDAP
Pinky: You are not going to stop that trash’s marriage!
Shivaay: I am. And speak of her with respect ,Mom. She is my wife.
Pinky: NO she isn’t .I can’t and won’t accept her as my bahu.
Shivaay: You don’t have to. The only person who has to respect, love her is me. And all you care about, is never your son’s happiness.
Pinky stared shocked, at her Shivaay. The mother in her felt her heart breaking, or maybe, disappearing into darkness altogether. She had been ridiculed, rebuked all her life. But she had loved one person truly, with all her heart. Her son. The mother in her told her that no one could doubt her love for him. She grew silent, her anger directed at the girl who had separated her from her son.
In all this hungama, Annika entered flashing an artificial radiant smile. Everyone looked spellbound and Shivaay, even more determined. In midst of this special moment, the baby cried loudly.
Annika rushed over to the other side, took the baby in her arms, soothing it gently. Its cries grew even louder, but Annika remained firm. Slowly, he calmed down and finally gave a small contented smile to Annika. Annika felt warm all over and smiled an emotional, radiant smile, which made her brilliant face shine. Everyone was looking at her. Shivaay included, now with a changed look. Pinky looked at Annika ,then at Shivaay. She was reminded of her time as a new mother. She looked at Annika, with a changed, softened expression.
Shivaay POV:
Maybe I was already head over heels in love with her, but today, I fell a little more in love. A mother, through and through. Her wide radiant smile holding the baby in her hands was proof enough of their bond. Had she been this happy with me, ever? She was right. It seemed I could never keep her happy. I had come here again, in the guise of love and in a moment of selfishness, would have robbed her of her happiness, yet again. If she was happy, and I in love with her, wasn’t I also supposed to be happy. But I wasn’t .Finally, I was going to take a right decision. I took a deep breath..
I walked out of the hall holding back tears.
That was how OmRu saw me.
Shivaay: See?? I didn’t stop her marriage. See?? I’m not selfish. I love her a lot,OmRu,but if she is happy here, am I not supposed to be supporting her? And I foolishly, wanted to do this!!I have decided. I will love her all my life, but will not come in way of her happiness again. I love her truly, No?
OmRu’s eyes moistened and then, they hugged Shivaay, who broke down profusely. Then, they looked at him,eyes wet,but full of pride ,concern and happiness.
OmRu: Yes you do!!
In their Obro Moment, they did not notice two people going in who shouted aloud,
“THIS MARRIAGE CANNOT HAPPEN!”