Wish you a very very happy Birthday riyaaaravi
May this day bring you immense happiness and joy!♥️♥️♥️

Life usually gives tears, smiles and memories. The tears dry, the smiles fade, but memories last forever. Make lot of memories that would last forever on this day!♥️

So, here is one such memory for you from Annika's life! While this memory is special for Annika, it is very significant for Shivaay!
Want to know why?! A small OS follows! :)

Concept - It is a very special day for Annika but her lifeline, Shivaay is not around her. Would she have to convince herself to enjoy this day all alone or Shivaay has other plans?!

Concept courtesy - arshi-suchi and of course myself 🙈

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"Bhaiyaa.  Thoda aur upar..See the name is not visible" She instructed a guy who was putting up the hoarding.

"Yeah okay. Now looks perfect" she smiled with a sense of satisfaction when her assistant Sania passed by the side.

"Hey Sania wait. Have you checked on the caterers and settled their accounts? Have you ensured there are enough chairs? Have you made sure… " she went on and on. Sania simply rolled her eyes.

"Ma'am.. everything is perfect. Now, you relax please. Just that the desserts and cake have to arrive" Sania explained to her otherwise enthusiastic and friendly boss,who was today in a grumpy mood.

"I was just making sure." Annika pouted and Sania simply smiled.

Annika sighed and then began running around the hall again. Everyone was cool, except her. There were too many things to look after, yet too less time. Or atleast, that is what she felt! 

Why not?! It was the first anniversary of her own Event Management Company - Anish. Annika had planned to name it Ansh, but Shivaay had strictly prohibited reasoning that the name was reserved for something else, rather someone else. She tried hard to smile, reminiscing the incident, but miserably failed. Anyhow, that was a story for another day and now she had other things to look after.

They were having a small party at the Oberoi Mansion itself to celebrate the special day. She had invited all her colleagues and some of her clients.

Om was busy clicking photographs of every minute attractive item around him that caught his attention. He had developed this new interest in photography and decided to explore it further on a professional front by becoming the photographer of the event on Shivaay's suggestion.

Gauri had personally come forward to make floral decorations and was busy in another corner, which was again Shivaay's recommendation.

Rudra was helping the staff personally in decorations as well as other arrangements. 

Since Annika wanted everything to be remarkably perfect, her Devars had proposed to help her personally. Although she had a strong moral support from every other member at home, her OCD for perfection overpowered it all. She kept checking and rechecking every single thing around her.

"I am so proud of you, Annika" came Pinky's voice. 

"You finally realized!!" Daadi taunted her playfully.

"Haa Mummyji. How would I not realize even now? Without her, my son would not even have me at home today" she stated emotionally, caressing Annika's cheeks. 

"And, today, she is making us all so proud through her achievements, that too without using the Oberoi family name. But, see Mummyji.. this Shivaay. He is still not here. He could have postponed his meeting to some other day, hai na" she added.

It was true. In between all this, the only person she also missed was her lifeline - her Shivaay. He had a very important conference in London and was supposed to reach home by noon. However, Annika had contacted Mishra in the morning only to know that their flight was delayed due to a bad weather and they could not do anything about it. They would be arriving by evening, which only meant, after the party actually began. 

Annika was plainly irritated. It was such an important day in her life, but the most important person of her life was not present next to her. What irked her more was that, he knew how tensed she would be, yet did not even make a phone call.

She sighed heavily and excused herself from the place to avoid breaking down. She had to deviate her mind at any cost now and hence decided to go and check on Rudy.

"Rudra.. everything is okay right? You want any help or facing any difficulty? Feel free to let me know" Annika rambled on only to be cut off by him.

"Bhabhi.. chill Bhabhi.. why fear when Rudy is here?!" He tried to lighten her mood.

"Hmm not that Rudra.. you don't understand. This is such an important day. Everything needs to be in place. I cannot compromise on anything" she ranted and it took about ten minutes for him to simmer her down. He also knew there was only one person who understood her mood, yet he could do nothing about it.

"Sorry.. I am overreacting. You continue with your work" she sheepishly smiled and walked away.

"O.. did you notice how upset Bhabhi is? I tried many times to calm her down. But, we are all not Shivaay Bhaiya na. He is the only person who could get her mood back to normal. And, look how irresponsible Bhaiyaa is. He is still not here. If only he was bothered" It was Rudy's turn to complain, walking over to Om who was casually checking the pictures he had clicked so far.

"Ssshh Rudra.. Bhabhi is going to hear you if she is somewhere around. That would only depress her further. You go and check on other things now." Om deviated him.

Unfortunately, Annika who was walking towards to the kitchen listened to the conversation which only added more to her annoyance.

"Pinky Ma and Rudra are right. Shivaay is so careless. He knew about this day, it was all planned well in advance. And, he still had to go for that meeting. For Shivaay, it is always FAMILY first, BUSINESS next and ME at the last.. No no, I am not even there in that list" she sniffed in an overly angered tone.

"Huh mam…" Sania took baby steps towards her hesitantly.

"What happened Sania?" She asked, looking at her devastated face.

"Huh.  The cake. Mam, their vehicle is punctured. They are fixing it. So, they might be late" she spoke very incoherently. Of course, she knew the repercussions of it, but was left with no option.

"What? What is this? And, we would be cutting the cake soon after the party begins. And, it is almost time." Annika once again got hyper.

"Mam, mam. Please relax. They are also trying to send it through another vehicle. Just in case.." Sania prayed a million times mentally before saying this. 

"Whatever..let me go and check the condition of the kitchen. I don't know what surprises, rather shocks are awaiting me there" she scoffed and walked away quickly. Sania stood there rubbing her head.
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Annika walked inside the kitchen and found the sweets and snacks arranged in one corner. 

"Wow.. this is so Khidkithod and it tastes just like how my Shivaay makes. I feel like having another one. But, what if the orders are not sufficient. Control your tongue, Annika.. control" she convinced herself, only to hear the most familiar voice she was accustomed to.

"Add a cup of baking powder now and a pinch of salt"

"Huh?! Shivaay's voice?!" She blinked looking around, but found the entire kitchen empty. She brushed off her thoughts and continued verifying the snacks now.

"Hmm.. this pakore tastes just like the one my Shivaay prepares.." she spoke munching it.

"Check the consistency"

"Huh?! I heard it again...am I hallucinating?" She was petrified. "Ek minute.. what is that?!" She thought advancing towards the source of the sound. The voice was anyhow unclear, rather sounded like a faint echo.

"Video?!" She was dumbstruck as she found an iPad playing a video of Shivaay cooking something. "Who is that culprit who is using my Shivaay's recipes like this without his permission?! How dare someone thinks of using my Shivaay's talent to become famous?! I would not let him or her escape this place" She fumed raising her brows. That was when she heard the sound of some vessels and turned back to observe a guy, rather a chef who stood facing the other side and indulged in some keen work.

Annika huffed and puffed when the guy did not even seem to bother about the presence of another person behind him. She looked around the kitchen and identified a long ladle used for making laddoos. 

And then, 1… 2...3 … in the next few moments .....

"How dare you?" The guy received a hard whack on his back. "How dare you use my Shivaay's talents without his knowledge? See what I do" saying so, she gave another whip.

"Ouch Annika.. it is going to become a domestic violence case if you continue to hit me like this" Annika abruptly stopped listening to the voice.

"Wait what?!" She gasped when Shivaay looked in her direction with a sheepish grin. "Shivaay.. You?? but then, weather? Tickets?! Huh?!!" She rubbed her eyes for more clarity.

"I started last night and came here in the morning itself. Just wanted to surprise you" he gave an impish look only to receive a sharp glare from her.

"Someone was saying, my Shivaay, my Shivaay sometime back and now faking an anger" he pouted changing the topic.

"What?!" She looked doubtfully.

"Here you go" he laughed handing over the video which he clicked while she was busy checking the iPad and ranting.

"Shivaay.. from where do you get such ideas in your mind, huh?!" She stared.

"From you only. Who else, Annika?" He stated casually, as he got reminded of the videos she used to make before they got separated.

"Huh? From me?!Okay forget it. Like who does this? Watching one's own video and cooking like this?!" She rolled her eyes.

"That is also something I learnt from you" he smiled placing the batter inside the oven.

"From me?! What is this, from me, from me? I don't remember or get what you are saying" she was baffled now.

"See.. I knew it. You are regretting for saying okay on that day right" he whined.

"Which day? Shivaay, what even are you saying? Today is such an important day for me and look at you, you are so irresponsible and making me more perplexed saying random things which I don't even understand" she purposely scolded him.

"If only you know how significant this day is for me, Annika. Oh, and didn't I tell you that you will surely forget it and look it happened, while I remember so clearly" he said rubbing his chest and she was taken aback by his actions.

"Guys guys.. if you are done with your Tom and Jerry show, shall we go? It is time for the party" Om who had been waiting for the last ten minutes, finally managed to interrupt them. Annika was perplexed, but decided to interrogate later.
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The party was so overwhelming and Annika almost had tears when every other person who came there walked upto her and appreciated her work. Her colleagues prepared a special AV for her leaving her startled.

She was asked to cut the cake which was only when she noted the triple layer cake prepared by none other than her husband, her Shivaay. In addition, Shivaay had also surprised her by preparing the desserts all by himself. Now, she understood why Sania gave her those silly 'punctured tyre' reasons.

"Mam.. we would like you to come forward and speak a few words please" Sania announced, while the other family members proudly looked on.

"Thank you all. Thank you for believing me and my talent and giving me a chance to prove myself. When I was suggested to start a company of my own, I had a lot of apprehensions. But, if I am here today and successful too, I owe it all to my husband, Shivaay. If not for him and his family, well, now my family, I would not be standing in front of you and talking like this" she smiled and continued, "Thank you Shivaay. Thank you so much for your love and support. I would individually want to thank each of my family members for standing by me when I was very particular not to use the Oberoi family name. Thank you Daadi, Bade Papa, Badi Ma, Papa and Pinky Maa for accepting me just the way I am. And, I do not want to thank my Om, Rudra and Gauri formally and seperate them because we are all one team and we have a lot more to accomplish together. But, Shivaay.. I just want to say this to you. I am blessed to be a part of your life once again and thank you so much for this. And, of course, I love you for giving me a life, or to be precise, a rebirth, which I never imagined would happen again after certain incidents of our past. Thank you for making this special day of mine, more special" she spoke walking close to him and giving him a tight hug, pouring all those feelings from her heart while Shivaay was dumbfounded.

"Shivaay Sir.. few words?" Sania smiled at him.

It took a couple of minutes for Shivaay to compose himself.

"Nothing much to say. Annika already said everything, reflecting my exact thoughts. So, I just have this one thing to say since you spoke about 'rebirth'.. If only you realized how special this day is to me, Annika.. Thanks for giving me this Cotton Jubilee, Annika" he chuckled and it was Annika's turn to blink again.

"Cotton jubilee?" She shook her head in confusion. What only did that mean?!

"If not for this same date two years ago, I would not have got this day, today. I am somehow very very grateful to Mr. Dheeraj Kumar for making sure I won a wonderful deal on this day and got back the most priced possession of my life. Love you, Annika" he smiled taking her in an embrace and by now, although Annika gasped in shock at the realisation, both their eyes were clouded, with tears of happiness.

The entire crowd gathered for the evening looked in awe at the couple so much in love with each other, while there was another group comprising of his family members who were dumbfounded and began contemplating at what the Cotton Jubilee that Shivaay referred to really meant. 

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Hope you liked it riyaaaravi

To everyone who is reading this, this time arshi-suchi and I tried something new and different - two interlinked Shots!

I know you must all be wondering what the Cotton Jubilee really meant!

Well, to know that, please read the OS written by arshi-suchi under the same title as this chapter in her OS book - "Beautiful Moments!"

Link as below :

https://www.wattpad.com/story/171773660-beautiful-moments