Second Chance(completed)

Chapter 4: Meeting Again

"ma, Shivi wan hug"

Anika feels a tug at the end of the skirt she is wearing and looks down to see her child look up expectantly at her. At the same moment she hears the door open and sees Badima and Shivaay walk in.

"Badima, aap yahan?"

Jhanvi envelopes her daughter in a hug. "Prinku ka interview hai, she is staying in the college hostel while I thought I would stay here."

Esmeralda walks up to Shivaay and says "Sir, the house has only one guest room and ma'am and your child are using it,where will Jhanvi ma'am stay?"

"Kya Anika, you are not staying in the same room as Shivaay?"

"Nahi badima, it is because Shivi cries in the night and Shivaay has to go for work in the morning."

"So, Shivi is Shivaay's daughter also. He should also look after her and suffer the difficulties of parenthood."

Shivaay spoke up, 'Esmeralda, shift Anika's items to my room"

"Yes Sir"

Anika got up to go to the park with Shivani and Shivani went into his room. Dilshaad and Esmeralda hugged each other.

"Esme, good that you called me. Now we have to get Shivaay and Anika together. But if Anika and Shivaay broke up two years ago, is Shivani Shivaay's daughter?"

"That I don't know" Esmeralda replied.

At the park:

Anika was sitting in the park when all of a sudden she heard someone calling her.

"Anu!"

"Aryan, tum?"

"Yes me, I am our college's new principle."

A girl comes from behind. She is walking extremely slowly as she is pregnant. "Aryan, what is this, you just run off seeing your friend leaving me behind."

"Jeevika, u? So eventually you married Aryan huh."

"Yes Anu, anyways heard that you married Shivaay. Is he as hot as he was in college?"

Anika starts crying and Aryan and Jeevika sit on either side of her. Aryan takes Shivani into his lap and asks why she was crying. Anika shares with her best friends about her and Shivaay's relationship.

"I knew it. That witch would destroy your relation. That girl was after Shivaay from Day 1. Why didn't you tell us." Said Jeevika.

Aryan jabs Jeevika on the hand and signals towards Anika. Jeevika leans forward and hugs her.

"What are you doing?" Anika asks.

" I know Anu, about Gauri di and the rest of them. I am there for you."

"How? I haven't spoken to you in the past 2 years."

" Naina was in India when accident took place. She told me."

"Oh."

Jeevika looks at the clock. "Arey Anu, it is 9pm. You and my baby girl ought to get home before Shivaay comes in search of you."

Anika sighs "He won't."

But she and Shivani head home.

At home:

Lights are all out. Anika slowly tiptoed to her new room with Shivani in her hand. She opens the door and slowly gets in.

"Ma, why has everyone slept? Papa also sleep." Chimed Shivani

"You can meet anyone you want, lover, boyfriend.....whenever you want I don't care. But only during the day. If not Badima will get suspicious, I know that you don't care about my family." A voice came through the shadows.

This filled tears in Anika's eyes. "He does not even trust me."

"Papa, will you put me to bed?" Shivani asked.

But no reply came. Anika placed Shivani in the cradle and went to lie down herself.

In the morning

Shivaay felt someone's arms around him and a head on his chest. He looked down and saw his Anika sleeping next to him. He was observing her as she slept. When he remembered how much he hated her.

"B*****, she left me and had a child with another man. Her cousin was only there for me. To comfort him and love me, my Tia."

He pushes Anika off and she wakes up with a start. When she sees where she was lying down. She mumbles some excuses and rushes to the washroom.

(A doorbell rings)

Shivaay goes and opens the door. Tia is standing there in a black attire.

"Hey Jaan" She leans and kisses him on the lips. "Today we are going for the party right?"

She saunters to Shivaay's room and opens the door. At the same time, Anika opens the bathroom door and comes out.

"Tum?" exclaims Tia.