“Anika beta come let’s go…” Anika’s mom called her. Anika, her mom and Soumya started going towards her room when her feet stumbled and she held both her mom’s and Soumya’s hand to gain her balance back. “Sambhalke Anika…” Shivay shouted worriedly walking towards her but stopped his steps looking at everyone staring him and trying to hide their smile. “Wo… actually… I think I should go to my room now” Shivay said and walked towards his room. He turned back to look at Anika. Her eyes too fell on him. She smiled and he too reciprocated by smiling involuntarily. But then ran to his room to hide his blush. Anika was taken to her room with utmost care. Her mom and Soumya helped her in changing the dress and she slept comfortably.
While on the other side Shivay was awake littering here and there in his room as Daadi’s words rung in his ears. The conflict of his mind and heart was on. He was confused whom to choose… his mind… or his heart. He sat on the bed holding his head as the flashes of Anika’s smile displayed in front of him making him smile unknowingly. “Shivay you can’t do this… stop right here” he muttered to himself listening to his brain. “Shivay… after all she is your wife now… legally she has the right to stay in your room… sleep in your bed” his heart conquered. “No Shivay… you know you can’t take risk… please stop” his mind again spoke. “Shivay nothing is in your hands… you have no control over anything so let the time do its job and you do yours” his heart rebelled. This conflict was going on when he shouted on the top of his voice “aahhhhhhh…………” but no one was around to calm him down. The silent room became more silent and haunting for him when he took his decision and stood up.
He opened the door of her room. “There she is sleeping… peacefully” he muttered and went in taking baby steps. He sat beside her staring at her glowing face. “You know what… Daadi used to say that whenever I girl is in this stage of her life… she glows like a descent moon… you are glowing Anika… the more I am trying to get away from you… the more we are coming close” he said ruffling her hair while her lips curved up in a soft smile. He went to her cupboard and started arranging her stuffs in a bag. He turned back and looked at her “sorry if I am doing this without your permission but this is the correct according to me” he muttered to himself and continued to arrange her clothes. An hour passed and he has almost done the packing when a parcel fell from Anika’s cupboard but Shivay managed to catch it before it touches the floor. “Parcel… in her cupboard?” he thought and shook the parcel near his ears. “Shall I open?” he thought again when his eyes fell on the pictures of the baby over the cover of the parcel. Smile adorned his lips.
He looked at Anika and being most curious of that time he tore the cover and opened the parcel to get two pairs of socks. Tears formed moistening his eyes as they went down through his cheeks and fell on the pairs. He was at loss to react when the box fell from his hand making sound and waking Anika up. His trance too broke and his eyes travelled up to hers. She was shocked to see him in her room but she became more shocked to see tears in his eyes holding the socks.
“Shivay… you here at this time…and…those tears?” She looked at him and asked while her stare moved towards the parcel and the socks in his hand. He followed her stare and immediately tried to cover up “no… nothing… I was just setting your things in my room and while doing so some dust particles went in my eyes” he said turning towards cupboard, wiping his tears and then searched for some dust to show as proof. “You were setting my things? I didn’t get you?” She questioned him. “Woh daadi said … I mean asked me to shift you to my room…so ..i..i mean ..i ” he was trying to say anything further but she cut him down “it’s okay Shivay…i will talk to daadi and convince her…i mean i know you will not be comfortable if i shift to your room” she spoke not knowing what he actually thought. “No” he said instantly, she looked at him surprised. “i mean..none of we brothers, ever deny what dadi says..and I promised her that you will stay in my room…so i shifted all your things there…i will just set this last bag and come back …and then will take you there…” he left without hearing anything more from her.
Anika sat on bed and her thoughts travelled ” Shivay, those tears in your eyes, the care you are taking of me, the concern you are showing me, the affection that you and your family are showering upon me…all these are affecting me much…on the other hand, I don’t know what to say,, I don’t know what will happen after baby is born, will our relation get better, will this relation even exist or…all these questions are also haunting me….I don’t know and don’t want to think what will happen…for now i just want to go with whatever is happening…i want to hold on these memories and keep it in my heart forever…because i am not sure of my tomorrow….and i am scared if i will be in your tomorrow….i just wish we both be together” tears were ready to fall from her eyes.
Shivay knocked her door to bring her out of her thoughts… Anika jerked and looked at him. “You okay Anika? Why are tears in your eyes?” He asked concerned nearing her “dust..the same dust that brought tears in your eyes, brought tears in my eyes too” she said wiping them. He looked at her suspecting, but he didn’t say anything owing to her condition. “Shall we go …” he said forwarding his hand, she nodded and gave her hand in his….he had his one hand around her shoulder and the other holding her hand…he slowly supported her getting up and they both stepped out of her room…she turned back to look at that room and remembered the moments spent with everyone there…took a deep breath and walked forward to Shivay’s room.
“Anika…welcome to our room…” Shivay spoke, she looked at him in shock, he realized what he said…” i mean yours and my room…please be comfortable…i have set your things in the other side of cupboard” Shivay was explaining how everything works… where is everything kept… when Anika held his hand and said ” Shivay, it’s getting late,..you must sleep now…you were tired since morning…you can explain me other things tomorrow…i will be in this room only” she smiled, making him sit on his bed. “I will sleep on the couch..you..you sleep on the bed” he got up after completing. ” Shivay it’s okay…i trust you…you can sleep here” she said setting the pillows…making a wall of pillows in the middle of bed.
Both slept on their sides in the opposite directions….Shivay slipped into slumber, but Anika couldn’t sleep….the room being new, and specially Shivay being beside her….she was taking turns ….Shivay woke up and saw her being uncomfortable.
Shivay asked showing concern “Anika you okay? Why haven’t you slept?” Anika looked up to meet his eyes and answered “the environment and room is new, so it will take time… sorry to disturb you…you sleep…I will slowly slip into sleep.” Shivay removed the pillows between them and sat straight ..Anika looked on. “Anika …i can understand your discomfort…it happens…let me help you in getting sleep…just rest in my lap…i will massage your forehead…you will get sleep…i read this in a book , that this massage makes pregnant woman to relax” Shivay explained. Anika was apprehensive, but she agreed as she knew Shivay was genuine….she rested her head in his lap…he massaged her forehead, making her relax…she within no time, slipped into slumber….seeing her in deep slumber, he put her head slowly in pillow and laid on his side…she in sleep turned towards him throwing her hand on his abs…he looked at her …a smile appeared on his lips…he extended his arm , lifted her head and rested it over his arm , caressed her face, turned towards her and looked at her.
Her face was looking very cute. “Should I kiss her on her forehead as a thank you kiss for giving me the best gift of my life? No Shivay… stop what are you even thinking… just try to sleep” his mind and heart started to fight again. He closed his eyes but then the next moment opened them to see her face again. “Just a peck Shivay” he thought and pecked over her forehead and kept looking her and slipped into slumber.
PRECAP- THE BUILDING UP OF THE RELATION