Kya Pyaar Karoge Mujhse....

Chapter 69- Advises

Four months into a job and I have realized how difficult it is to manage your professional and personal life, and I am forever grateful to each of you for being so patient and sweet. I love writing this piece and I hope you don't think that I forgot about it/ don't care about it/ or wasn't giving my 100% to this because I swear, I was and am still. Just that, it's a little hard to get sufficient time to give 100% to thinking, 100% to writing and 100% to edit. And I know, you all understand.

PS. This update is a little short but it's an effort of so many days, I hope you enjoy it. I promise, the next update is going to be a little heavy on the emotional scale and I am gonna give a nice, long scene on ShiviKa and ShivShiv.

--

"Mumma, you know, I have two chachus!" Shivi said excitedly as Annika got her ready for school the next day.

"What?" Annika frowned and Shivi nodded.

"Yes, Mr Shivaay told me that I have two chachus, just like Aryan has Sid!" She grinned and Annika nodded. "Mumma, can I meet them?"

"Uh...sure." Annika said as she got up and picked the car keys. "But they are not here right now."

"Will they be here when I get back from school?" Shivi asked and followed her mother to the door.

"No darling." Annika chuckled and locked the door. "Come on, we're getting late!"

An hour later, Annika mumbled to herself as she entered her office after dropping Shivi to her school and getting a late breakfast with Vikram, who had to attend a conference near her office and had called her up.

"I can't believe Shivaay told Shivi that Om and Rudra are her chachus! What will she think now? How will she be able to relate them to herself?" She'd said as they had sipped on their coffees.

"Tell me Annika." Vikram had said. "Are you always going to be so cross with Shivaay?"

"What?" She'd frowned and stared at him.

"I mean, you get so upset with him, so easily. I am just saying-

"You're taking his side? You don't even like him!" She'd shook her head in surprise.

"Yes, but the guy is trying so hard. See, I am not taking his side. I am trying to see from his point of view because someone has to. You and Sona are not, Sid hates him no matter what happens and I don't think the kids have any idea what's actually going on." Vikram had explained. "That guy is just trying to get you back in his life and actually making efforts to make a genuine relationship with Shivi."

"But Vikram, he shouldn't have-

"Annika, he doesn't know what he should or should not do. He's clueless, so he's doing whatever he thinks is best. This is a relationship you're working on, it's not a war where you're always trying to fight with him. Stop being so angry at him and at yourself for giving him a chance." He'd shook his head. "You have to remember, this isn't a two-people relationship, it's a three-people relationship. And you'll have to help him and Shivi get along. You're the bridge darling. Don't burn the bridge please."

"Vikram, I don't-

"See, it's okay if you're feeling confused. But the conversation we are having right now? It's the one you should be having with Shivaay. Me, Sona and Sid, we can only give advice. But the actual people who will or will not take the advice are you and Shivaay." He said and sighed. "Talk to him. Discuss with him. Ask him what he wants and help each other. That's how a relationship works darling."

It was these words which made Annika stop and think clearly after a long time. Vikram was right. What was she doing? Why was she always so annoyed with Shivaay and with whatever he was doing?

She knew Shivaay loved Shivi too and he did not want to hurt her. And Vikram was right. She herself was not doing anything to improve the relationship between her daughter and the man who wanted to be her father. She was the bridge and she was not letting anyone of them walk on her, which was not benefitting anyone.

"Hello?" Shivaay answered at the second ring.

"Um...are you free?" She asked and nodded when he said yes. "Shivi and I are going to the nearby park in after her school. Would you like to come?"

"Sure, yes." He said eagerly.

"If Rudra and Soumya are free, they can come too." She asked, wanting Shivi to meet at least one of her...chachus.

"No, they have gone out somewhere." He said and she frowned.

"You didn't go with them?" She asked and he chuckled.

"I didn't want to become a fourth-wheel. And I had to make a few calls." He said. "But I'll be at the park, just text me the address."

"Sure." She said and nodded before saying bye.

After finishing a few meetings for the new cafe and having an early lunch, she left to pick Shivi from her school and they reached the park soon after. To say she was nervous to actually confess her recent feelings to Shivaay was an understatement. She felt utterly embarrassed to tell him all that but she knew she had to. It was long due and she did not want to wait anymore.

"Hey!" She heard him shout and Shivi excitedly ran up to him, giggling in surprise.

"Hello!" Her daughter shouted and Annika's heart warmed at the sight as Shivaay happily picked her daughter in his arms, laughing at her enthusiasm. They really looked like father-daughter with their matching smiles and identical beautiful, blue eyes.

Annika chuckled as Shivaay made weird faces to make her daugher laugh loudly, her happy sounds echoing in the rather empty park.

"Hey." He said and walked towards the bench she was sitting on. She waved and smiled at him and Shivi started running around, playing with another girl around her age.

"Is everything okay?" He asked and took a seat beside her. "Why did you suddenly call me?"

"I want to share something with you." She said and looked at him, feeling nervous.

"Haan. Say." He nodded and she gulped.

"Did you...you told Shivi that she has...two uncles?" She asked and he nodded. "When she told me about that...I became very...upset with you."

"What? Why-

"Because I thought that you had no right to...say things like these so early in...this relationship between you and Shivi. I mean, she doesn't know anything...about our past. She doesn't know what you can... become in the future for her. For all she knows, you are my friend." She said and held his hand. "And I was wrong. Please don't think I am not serious about us. I am and I want to...share that with her very soon. And I would like her to know about her two chachus and two chachis."

Shivaay nodded and let her continue.