"Someone over there," Shivaay grunted as he segregated from her and strode to open the door after heeding continuous knocks.

"Hey, Shivaay!" Om greeted graciously as his cousin stood with his scowling face. Shivaay raised his brows questioning his sudden, arrival.

"I wanted to speak to Annika. Just five minutes." Shivaay curiously glanced at his asking, discreetly asking if she was okay with that, and moved aside showing up Annika

Nodding at him, Annika slipped into her flippers and walked out to lead him the way. Permeating the indoor pool area, Annika squatted on the cold surface, crossing her legs on each other and dabbed the vacant space beside her, asking Om to sit. Understanding it Om sat down with a thump.

"I don't know where to start with." Om initiated, licking his lips and fiddling with the hem of his cargo pants. "I'm sorry for all the disturbance I caused. I didn't mean to. I never did perhaps I was so guilty of my prosecutions that I decided to speak out."

"What's going on in your life? Why don't you join the family time? Don't you think we are family? Or am I not?" Om withered with observant skills, truth be told he was a bit scared of the consequences, he was divulging into.

"I- nothing that sort of. I am usually busy with monuments." He told lying at her face.

"Don't you dare to fabricate things! Got that in your stupid mind?" He bobbed his head but didn't dare to look straight up into her eyes.

He was intimidated by her.

"I do understand why! What you felt for me years back wasn't love, not at least true love that has to do with life partners."

"Huh? What are you saying?"

"If it was true from yourself, from beneath the surface of your heart you wouldn't have been a weakling. You would have approached me."

"However I didn't intend to spoil my brother's life. He was truly happy with you, so you were. Your happiness was something more important than mine." He sincerely told.

"That's not true Om. Running away from responsibility or dilemmas is never going to be a great possibility. You should have faced reality, if not you should have stayed more days to confirm your feelings. But all you did was turn your back. That's not love, at least not a person who loves does this." She rationalized.

"What do you mean? Isn't it love? Or is it just my belief, that I think about it?" He inquired watching her slip her feet into the water.

"I don't know what your beliefs are. But for me, love is a magical experience. When you start loving a person you will never give up on he or she, but you would go to any extent to which their loved ones succeed or stay in good shape. When love happens you shall feel the happiness radiating in their success, I did feel the same. When Shivi got eradicated from the reality show, I cried. I felt his emotions like my own. Success, failure, and goodness could all be equally well mixed with life." 

"So you mean it was just a mere attraction or infatuation?"

"Might be! I don't know."

"Hmmm." Om continuously nodded without looking at her, instead, his gaze was concentrated on the water drilling in the pool, as Annika shook her legs in the water. Just like his life the water in the pool was disoriented. It was calm. The irony deeply touched his essence.

"Sometimes it's okay to be messy-" Om shifted his eyes to Annika, as she began to speak "-it's okay to be flummoxed. That doesn't matter, but what matter is how you spend your journey in between them, from birth to death, that's all."

"Thank you. You are like a therapy consultant. Your words are soothing and familiar." He smiled in gratitude.

"Do you like feel the same? About me?" She asked after gaining lots of endurance, as the seconds ticked into minutes.

"Nope." He popped up. "The early days. I mean very early days I did feel but with my work rilling I forgot about this. I don't feel like the same thing. However, I wanted to clear out the stuff from my side."

"You know, one should never have regrets in life. What ifs? From my perspective, I think going for it than thinking of the consequences is competent. I'm glad you did the same thing as I did years ago."

"You did?"

"Yup. My Aai had promised to send me abroad, if and only I get married so I did. To date, I never regretted it, instead, I'm pleased. It's because of my actions today that I'm married to my husband. I'm glad I did that year ago."

"That's funny how you both got married!" Om laughed shaking his head. He was relieved after talking to her.

"Indeed." She sneered. "Tell me about your experience with life. I'm sure it must be interesting."

"Nothing like being interesting it's boring in other terms. By twenty-two years I was broken, with two bad past relationships and then a sudden interest in my sister-in-law. At the same time, my best friend revealed that she has intense feelings for me. Then it got worse."

"Then?"

"I could not reciprocate the same feeling she had for me, at that time I only had seen her as a soul friend. As I denied it, she immediately after getting married to her parent's wishes asked me not to contact her. It's been years since we talked or even glanced at each other."

"Aaru?"

"My buddy was a radiant charming prince who came down to help his 'damsel in distress' father," Om tried joking around nevertheless, it was a bad idea, "I met his mother, who was years older than me, at one of the art galleries. Instantly we were compatible. And then my buddy happened, we broke up. It was very disappointing to dad and others at home but they gradually accepted me and my buddy."

"Whoa! That's complex." Annika commented.

"That it is. I know its too late to ask for forgiveness-"

"What for?"

"I have been a trouble to you and Shivaay. I know he was upset and also feeling guilty. Please forget this and other stuff as if it never happened."

"I may not be the best, to forgive you. However, I appreciate your straightforward and honest behaviour. I do hope you will pass over your grief and move forward with Aaru. Stop avoiding people you are at no fault for, stop being insecure about your love life. Whatever happens, it happens for good. Start socialising. Hmm got it?"

"Yeah?

"No hard feelings?"

"Nope!"

"Will you be my friend? I am the best friend anyone could ask for. So friends?" She stretched her palms for a shake.

"Yup, definitely." Smiling at her bright glowing face, Om grasped her hands shaking them lightly.

"Hmhp!" Annika swirled her head away from him in embarrassment, as her tummy grumbled aloud.

Chuckling at her, Om helped her to stand up and spoke. "Come on your Shivi must be anxiously awaiting us, especially you. You must be hungry too."

••

The youngsters along with elders in the living hall laughed heartily as Rudra once again cracked him a lame joke.

Arundhati and Harsh had disclosed their intention of giving a second chance to their growing romance. When asked if it was because of Annika, Arundhati confidently answered saying it was their individual interests that mattered in this. They also expressed their wish to stay with their daughter and future grandchild along with their travel plans.

Annika was too emotional to handle her emotional imbalance. She cried clutching at her husband's arms hearing such delighting news.

"I wanna have a water birth!" Everyone swirled their heads hearing Annika's high tone exclamation. Shivaay fell off his seat with a sudden jerk from his heart.

"What the fuck!" He mumbled.

"Language lad!" Tej warned.

"Mr Bill might hear you." Annika pouted covering her tummy in hopes that the baby wouldn't hear the same.

"Hell with Mr Bill! If I had a chance I would have strangled you right now, for having such ideas." Shivaay gritted.

"I will only birth in water."

"No will not."

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yea!"

"Nah. Nope. No."

"Yeah. And that's final."

"Fuck you!"

"You did and baby is in my tummy as a result." She caressed her flat stomach with a small affectionate smile stretched on her lips.

"MS HOTHEAD, calm down." Tej intervened and stopped them from the glaring session they were into.

Soon all the folk in the hall began approaching her to divert her attention, soon the hall was divided into two groups. One supporting her, and the other in opposition.

Shivaay, Tej and Harsh were the team leaders of the opposition team.

"Didn't you see her Aai? She is mad, totally mad." Shivaay shouted.

"Unfortunately that's my only daughter." Harsh grumbled.

"Me? Mad?" Shivaay nodded, as A
Ninja narrowed her eyes at him. "You mad, same to you! No return!"

Rudra wolf-whistled earning a hard smack from Om.

Watching the same, soon Annika broke down completely crying exhibiting her different version. Shivaay looked bewildered by the sudden changes but stayed nervous.

"No one loves me!" Annika wailed, slumping on the floor. "This husband of mind is always against me. He is rude and mean also. I DON'T WANT HIM, I WILL LEAVE HIM HERE, ANYONE CAN RENT HIM!"

"What the fuck!"

"Mr Bill will hear. Shush." She suddenly shushed him.

Quickly everyone was passing on accusing looks in Shivaay's direction.

"What did I do now?"

"That was your fault!" Shakti pointed.

"My baby is crying out loud because of you!" Pinky glared at him.

Annika again whimpered discovering that everyone was ignoring that she was the victim and was shouting at her husband.

"I'm hungry. I want BLUEBERRY JAM SANDWICHES." She whined. "No one loves me. Years back Khanna bhaiya had gifted me pregnancy stuff even though I wasn't but now he too forgot about me and Mr Bill."

"KHANNA! I will kill him." Shivaay yelled wanting to kick his ass for disappointing his wife, nu not giving her presents.

***

One chapter with Mallika and Sid and then it's done!.
At least state your views now. :'(