Always There for Each Other ✔️

Farewell

"Bade papa, bade Maa." Shivaay came closer to them with Annika.

They bent down to touch their feet, only to have both elders stir back.

They were angry, everyone saw.

So angry!

Shivaay could not help but feel the wincing pain guilt had managed to make him.

The punishment was cruel, Annika could not stop thinking. She herself barely managed to not flinch at the pure pain Shivaay's face showed.

***

Tej and Janhvi were not returning to Mumbai.

Wow, Shivaay thought.

The fact that his grandmother had even consented to that was a big thing, because from the time he could remember, Kalyani Singh Oberoi did not even want any temporary moving.

The kanji-eyed man still remembers the scowls his sweet, sweet Dadi gave when Tej and Jahnvi had decided to move to London for about a year.

This was, in a way, permanent.

He glanced at his wife, who was absent-mindedly rubbing her vanilla lotion on her arms. Clad in a mint green saree, she looked nothing but gorgeous. The uncertainty and nervousness, though, were 2 things emanating from her otherwise glowing face that he did not like.

"Annika, how much more lotion will you put on your arm?" He asked.

As if regaining her senses, Annika glanced at her arm, which was half-white due to the excessive application, "Oh bete ki."

Shivaay stood up, walked towards her, and took her arm into his hands.

Swiping the excess off, he looked at his wife, who still was perturbed.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything." Annika answered, deadpan. "How will I face everyone, especially Ru and Om?"

Did she not understand how much OmRu adored her? He thought, satisfying himself with a mental image of her head getting smacked by Om or even Rudra.

Clutching Annika's shoulders, Shivaay gazed down at her, "They will understand."

Bewitched, she nodded, but they both did understand some of the nervousness and guilt was still there.

Annika never wanted to act like this... it just happened. She was just so terrified, angry by the thought of losing Shivaay.

Memories of the first time meeting the mighty Tej Singh Oberoi passed through her head. Then too, he was an arrogant businessman who was very, very insecure of his nephew, but there was a certain warmth, hope, and elegance in him, for him too.

Where had all that vanished?

Where was the businessman the 19 year old Annika was ecstatic to meet?

Where was the family man that had made amends with his wife and learnt to appreciate his sons for who they were?

And, most importantly, where was the strong Janhvi that wanted to rebuild her life Annika knew?

Yes, Janhvi Singh Oberoi adored her husband, was very dependent on him, but after the reconciliation, she had made a promise to herself, in front of everyone, to work on herself too.