The Imprisoned Romantic

  Shivaay sat ruminating in OM's room, hoping his brother's wisdom would somehow seep into him although he wasn't available himself. He needed to think clearly, and all this stress was not helping one  bit. Annika is trying to help, but she herself is a large portion of his stress. She does not say anything about the issue, but her big honest eyes ask loud questions about what he was going to do.

 He had to divorce her. He planned to even as he married her, the resolve set firmly in his mind even as his heart went a different direction. He knew her before, perhaps better than most; her stubbornness, her bad temper, her arrogant spunk, her flair for dramatics, her courage, loyalty steadfastness, her big heart, compassion and ... beauty.

His heart hugged close the memories of her comforting hand on his shoulder, her efforts to cheer him up, her silly dancing with Sahil to get him to see the bright side. Those bright moments of simple happiness are priceless to him. If he had a chance, he'd bundle Annika and Sahil and run away somewhere.

  But he cannot be selfish. He is Shivaay Singh Oberoi, his family is everything to him. The media were intruding in every nook and corner of his life. Even his PA was stalked by reporters to find out details of his whereabouts and activities. The weight of his family's disapproval was pressing down on his shoulders

. Do the right thing Shivaay. There's nothing to think about.

Make this right, and throw off the wolves from this scent of blood.

Do the right thing Shivaay. 

He had just come from Uncle Tej's home office. He was presented with the business side of the decision. Investors are waiting for him to forge ahead with the business deal he had planned with the Kapoors. The Kapoors won't sign for some reason and the Board of Directors were getting jittery with uncertainty.

"You need to marry Tia now, Shivaay. This is what you wanted for a long time. What's the issue now? This baby?"

"This baby is not mine, Bade Papa. I'm very sure  about this"

"Marriage is not the end of your life, Shivaay. You don't have to stay married to her forever. Don't go soft and romantic on me , young man."

Yesterday's 15 seconds of anguish was far more effective than today's. I dunno but that 3 Idiots song sorta spoiled the impact a little. 

Utter silence would've been far more effective, with the sounds of Shivaay's rasping breaths as he was dealt the blow of Annika's loss. 

But what a scene by Nakuul. I love it when he gives 150%.  but more than the anguish, I loved more the relief in his face when she woke up. He was utterly desolate until she spoke his name. The shock turned to such intense relief the dam of tears just broke out and he held her tightly. 

He loves her, I'm sure of it, just not sure what he'll do about Tia. (Interval: There was a chair, Shivaay, Daksh was sitting on it. Couldn't you have used it to climb up and fish her out? Or found the darn rod sooner?? Ok I'll assume he was to worried to think straight..it happens..)

Fast forward too few hours later, she's back in his room, cleaned up and pretty, and he seems to have done it himself ??  Soumya and Prinku don't seem to know anything.

Never mind that pesky thing called logic. 

But oh man he's so worried and caring, just sitting and watching her. Guilt must be pouring like acid in his blood. He looks desperate for forgiveness. She's going to have to forgive him, because he's going to follow her around like a lost puppy.

The next morning, she still refuses to meet his eyes. He forces her, and gets an earful.

Why won't you talk to me!!? Did you talk to me?

Did you ask me even once if it was true? 

Why must I listen to you? Did you listen to me? 

Daksh said it and you believed him?? Just like that?Why, because he is of higher status? And I'm a middle class gold digger, right? There, Shivaay, you wanted her to talk. Now you are speechless. 

He stutters about having misunderstood things but she is in no mood to listen. Feeling lousy for herself and her circumstances, she sits and sobs.

Somehow, this sobbing made it worse for Shivaay. Her couldn't stand to see her broken up like that, so he shakes her back into her anger. Keep talking to me, stop this crying! Let it out! Talk to me! Shout, rant, curse, anything! 

She refuses and he feels terrible. How can she not talk to me? She HAS to !! I'll never be at peace until she does!

Somehow, she appears for breakfast. But gets the third degree from Pinky. Blunt and stinging, she verbally throws Annika out.

(Uh.. auntyji, your son dragged her around the phere and threatened to explode her brother up, you saw extremely graphic angled video proof! And Shivaay sold off her house!! Are you mad?)

Thankfully , the other Oberois don't join in. And Shivaay comes to straighten out the story. Now it's his word against Daksh's, won't his mother believe him?

I love the desperate suffering of Shivaay that wanted her to keep talking to him. Poor chap really got a bad scare when she was passed out. p/s: instead of rushing, they could've showed Annika and her brother ... 

How I wished for this moment, just last night. I prayed that the ground would open and swallow up this cruel, arrogant man. He would never admit to his mistakes and by sheer brute force would get away with it.

But now his time has come and his crimes against me are in the open. I discovered I don’t have the stomach to watch it.

I don’t want to watch this man berated by his whole family. I could feel the resentment all around me. He really should think of consequences of actions before doing them…

All I could do is stop Sahil. He was livid and crying with helpless rage. I take him away from the room, giving the family their privacy.

it was a gripping episode yesterday ,  where Shivaay had to pay for his  actions in front of all: Dadi now thinks its useless to discuss things with him in a civil manner, Om is very angry with his terrible behaviour ,  Rudra just looks away rather than at Shivaay. If you notice ,  he hardly looked at Shivaay after his great announcement. Although through all this, he is also thinking not to disrespect Soumya the same way bhaiya is doing to Annika. 

   Om is not going to let Shivaay get away easily with all this. He couldn’t even tell his brothers what he did to make Annika marry him. That means he knows he was horribly wrong and is ashamed. But he has his  goals. And his arrogance is a lot less in volume today. Normally the scion and pride of the Oberois , today  he is in the doghouse   . Pride must be hurting badly.

   People expect Annika to always be strong. But they also have moments of weakness before they pick themselves up again. Emotions get the better of you, floor you, then you find courage to stand up again. Shivaay broke her courage by threatening her brother , he broke her self confidence. All those things he admired her for: she's independent and strong, he broke it. 

  She didn’t say a word about Tia and being accepted as wife or the marriage itself or even divorce. She is a prisoner of Shivaay’s wrath. She does not know what to do as an Oberoi bahu. She never thought about that before. I think the arrival of the divorce papers will give her glimpse of freedom again. 

it pains me that Shivaay could stop himself from showing some compassion. Like Om said, “All this that you did today, you could’ve warned Annika about it. She deserves that.” Shivaay was being extremely inconscientious of Annika as a person. He doesn’t want to think of her at all, just wants her gone. Maybe the guilt is chasing him around or he just wants to be the great pride of the house again asap.

What can I say about yesterday's episode ? I was left holding my heart as it beat like a frenzied galloping horse about throw off its rider (me). How can I appreciate the actors any more for their fabulous performances, and the production for their imagination. Correct behaviour of not, it was breathtaking imagery.

Shivaay cannot win with Annika. I think he discovered that right then when he held her, shaking in her tumultuous defeat. He used her most precious Sahil to bend her to his will. It was very cruel and heartless, whatever his pure intentions.  Is it alright to hurt other people, just to keep our family happy? What makes your family's happiness so above other peoples' ? Yes, sure, he proved that power and wealth can make anything happen. but there are consequences. 

  I wept as she screamed for Sahil, thinking he was blown up in the car, that pain was difficult to see. She ran to the burning car, uncaring of the danger, only that her precious little brother was in there. Annika is as fiery as Shivaay in her love for the brother. 

 He realized the pain he unleashed and ran after her to stop her from hurting herself. She rained his chest with blows, hard blows , he reared back with pain, desperate to get beyond this hysterical wrath and tell her Sahil was alright. He can't win with her. Whatever blow he hits her, will hit himself also. An all consuming relationship they have gotten stuck in, mutually explosive in anger, will be mutually intense in loving too. 

Shaadi karo ... 

it wasn't " marry me". Just "Marry " .. A rude obnoxious order, a dead end, a jump off a cliff, an ultimatum. 

Don't marry ME, I'm going to discard you tomorrow. Just sit there today. I need a living body to sit there. And you gave me no choice as to who I preferred. 

I finished watching the episode and immediately went to hug my husband, You gentle soul, I love you, thank you for being such a sweetheart.. 

Annika is in her private hell right now. Shivaay Singh Oberoi was an aberration her stubborn heart fell for, when her brain told her again and again to stay the hell away. He was literally a monster today, I think maybe Daksh is the lesser evil. (Having said that, a showdown between these two will be a sight to  behold)

  Shivaay is no Mr Darcy. He is not a sweet soul who didn't know how to get over his prejudices enough to tell the girl he loved her. No, he was a monster with an ambition, and will breathe fire breath to flay anyone who comes in the way. 

Anyone. 

Allow me to put forth a small dose of perspective. 

Disclaimer: I hate what SSO did as much as you guys. He crossed way too many lines today that makes him a really awful human, really unworthy of a woman who loves him so. He acted like a vengeful demon with his humanity switched off. I am there with you guys..  

But...

Rewatch that scene when he said.. Out there, my business partners, rivals, press people, my family have gathered for MY wedding. Shivaay Singh Oberoi's wedding. And when they find out my bride, Ms Tia Kapoor has run away... 

That bleak look in his eyes. He was humiliated. His pride was in shreds and he had just vocalized it to another person, Annika. She was the first witness to  his huge humiliation. " If you had run away from me, Mallika, I would have KILLED you !!" he said once. 

Annika replied, But her running has nothing to do with me, I didn't do anything. 

"Yes, but I was dealing with it !! And you just HAD to come and butt in !! You ALWAYS had to have your way !! Annika ko pasand nahi hai..WHY !! WHY you always interfere in my life, my decisions !! Why can't you just let me be !! It's my choices and my misdeeds !!" 

"With all these business acquisitions, when did you start buying people also? "

He hated it that she made sense. but he still had a situation in his hands. He had to walk out there with a woman and get married. SO he grabbed her. Punishment. For meddling in his business. For giving him gyan when he had worked out a solution that was mutually beneficial to Richa's parents and him. Now, she must sit in Tia's place. 

Wear my sindoor, MY mangalsutra, All the rituals,with me NOW. And I will discard you tomorrow. You have 5 minutes. You made me do this. I never wanted to marry below my station. Now I have no other choice BUT YOU!! 

Everyone has their ultimate limits to their temper and self control. Most of us may not have ever reached that peak of absolute limit of patience, that I cannot take anymore of this Sh*t, and explode in fiery smoke and be a being of pure anger and retribution. 

I always thought Shivaay had supreme self control. I saw him loose his cool in total today. He was humiliated and hurt and he just lost it. The thing with this kind of temper is, you have to deal with the consequences. And it will be BAD, for him. 

Because in his moments of raw uncontrollable rage, he threw Annika around like a rag doll, frightened her more than the stalker ever did, trampled over her trust of him, snuffed out all feelings of love she may have had for him. He showed her the ugliest version of himself , perhaps no one has ever seen.

As she lay down on petrified, he put his foot next to her head menacingly, the lack of respect for her as a person , and a woman, was so disappointing. It was very demeaning to her, no matter how humiliated he was. 

Shivaay Singh Oberoi is no Mr. Darcy. (I take back my award. hmph)He's a little like the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, and a little Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights. Beastly. No chivalry at all. 

He will regret this . Badly. So badly he will cry in pain. (Om said this once) Because Shivaay just snuffed out the love that was blossoming between them. Beyond repair? I dunno. We'll have to see what happens when Daksh returns.

Phew. am not the Demon's advocate guys... but there were so many layers at play today. but definitely Shivika is all broken up as of today. 

Shivaay's misery was stuck in my eyes yesterday. He was quaking  with fury and hurt it was a sight to behold. His self control is supreme, if not he would have beaten Daksh to a pulp like a madman. Last night, was wonderful. She spent it with me,in my arms , in my bed. As if he'd needed the confirmation from Daksh. He'd already seen a (carefully orchestrated) scene in D's bedroom this morning. Burned into his skull. His Annika. Folding blankets and straightening the sheets. Having morning tea in the room.

Shivaay, THAT was the tackiest of morning after scenes one can imagine ! Only a boy would conjure such a scene. Putting a shirt on and tucking into the pants while she straightens the sheets. Chee... Eee ... *vomits* But it worked , darn it. He fell for the lame ploy. He's probably new to all these overwhelming feelings of love, so he was blindsided by the pain. It revealed to me, that he has put Annika on a pedestal of admirable character. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt because it really hurts to see such a thing. The way he hit the wall with his fist, I saw the pain bursting out, vulnerability and mortal traits. Shivaay Singh Oberoi is a mortal: he can love, and hurt, and feel the worst of jealousy. First pain, then anger. The inevitable return punch. Retaliation. Oh, you can do this to me? I will show you , what I can do. You wait and watch. He called for a press-con, and imperiously announced that he is getting married TOMORROW. Hah! That'll show you !! See! I too can hurt you back.. Take that. He waited for her to appear, before starting the press-con. Addressed the press, but eyes on her. It's done. I don't see the need to explain anything to anyone. Eyes on her. Anyone at all. With that bomb blast, he looked at her, seeking pleasure from seeing her devastated or even teary or even heartbroken. But she looked back, confused and concerned. But not devastated. It was confusing , confounding. Prowling the corridors restlessly after convincing Tia to proceed, Daksh comes up. And implies that she is getting paid for her attention last night. *vomits some more* seriously only a snivelling pubescent boy comes up with Jerky McJerkison plots like this. YUCK ! And Shivaay bites into the bait , yet again !!

Shivaay reminded me a little of my husband yesterday. When he really pisses me off, and I have no words for him, he starts hanging around me doing nothing in particular. Which is pissing me off even further, I'm quiet because I don't want to say things are hurtful and mean. So he follows me around , but not helping me in particular, which is vexing ..  So you turn around and say, WHAT!? Then he hugs me and says sorry,...  poof, all is gone. 

Works every time. 

I found it really endearing that Shivaay is really concerned about her. Shivaay is hurt that she accepted Daksh's proposal, because he knew she loved him. And he is sorry that he cannot commit to her (for reasons only he knows because his face is not cooperating with his principles these days) but he can see that she is not doing it because she loved Daksh. He seems genuinely concerned because she is vulnerable and traumatized and is an easy target. She has no one, but him. 

Remember that slightly scary scene when he scolded Prinku about Dev Chabra? That angry older brother, warning her that if she did something as stupid as sneaking a boy into her room, Mujhse bura koi nahi hoga...  scary that was.. Prinku was scared, so was I. 

I saw that Shivaay again last night. He is fierce and protective, fire might burn the violators to a crisp but will singe you too. 

   Shivaay didn’t sleep the whole night. Everytime he lay down, he felt suffocated, like someone was pressing a pillow into his face. So he paced his room, the balcony, the poolside, flipped through his phone gallery, read random business articles which made him feel like drowning his phone in the pool.

  Desperate for some piece of mind, he read a fluff article about how to deal with problem solving. He tried some of the methods earnestly. Meditation just made him hear the mosquitoes even louder. Music kept making him mind imagine different scenes with Annika in them.

Not helping.

   So he did some laps in the pool until his arms felt tired. The words in his favourite paperback novel kept running into each other and he couldn’t go past the one paragraph. All thoughts went back to Annika.

Tired of avoiding it, he let himself think of her.

How beautiful she looked tonight. She was hiding in the sidelines but she was everywhere for him.

A wistful, sad but stunningly beautiful vision.

Why are you avoiding me , Annika? What did I do? Just yesterday you were shaking in my arms. And today you won’t even let me hold your hand.

He hated this restlessness. People should just say what’s bothering them, instead of putting others through the torture of guessing what it is.

Hell, I’d even take her calling me Billuji right now. Anything, just talk to me, Annika.

Impatiently, he grabbed his phone and almost dialled her number. Mentally shaking himself, he stopped. It’s 3 am, Shivaay. She’s probably asleep.

So he decided to write in his journal. A habit he had in his university days, he’d read somewhere that actually writing down the problem on paper helps put some perspective in your dilemma. Looking at your problem on paper can help you see the importance or frivolity of it. Well, it worked for him then, maybe it’ll help now.

Problems:

1.      Annika …

 It stopped there. Immersed in a sudden uncharacteristic peace of mind he just wrote and wrote his feelings. A strange lightness crept into his chest, so he wrote and wrote what he felt.

And soon it was daybreak. He had no sleep but felt good. He left his papers on his desk and went off for a cold shower.

  Om walked in the groom’s room minutes later and found the papers. Shivaay writing? Admiring his beautiful handwriting, he started gaping after the second line. Eyes glued to the riveting piece of writing, he had reached the end just as a freshly bathed Shivaay came.

“ Is anything personal in my room, huh? “

“SHIVAAY !! Fhat the WHUCK ! What is THIS man? “

Shivaay shuffled his feet and looked away. Om jumped up and caught his brother by the shoulder and shook him hard. Om looked at him sternly as Shivaay raised defeated eyes back.

“Say the word, Bhai, I’ll make things happen for you, WHATEVER the consequences,” Om vowed quietly.

“ I don’t see any other choice Om… “

Om gaped and whooped loudly, then slapped his brother hard on his back.

“ Stand by for further instructions Shivaay. Dil Bole Oberoi.. !! “

As Om scampered off to look for his partner in crime Rudra, Shivaay let out a nervous breath.

What’s done is done. The sky won’t fall.

I think so.

***

On the first floor, the women flurried about getting the brides ready for the ceremonies today. Annika sat quietly at the dresser as Soumya fussed about, getting her ready. She chose an elegant minimalistic look with tasteful jewelry. She had neither the time or the money for full shopping for this shotgun wedding she sentenced herself to.

  She had panic attacks aplenty yesterday and the day before, almost rang up Mallika to ask for best places to run away to. But since this morning, a sense of calm crept in. I am not a bad person, I have always had faith and did good deeds. God wouldn’t send me off onto a horrible path. Everything that happens will be for the best.

Well, there’s always divorce.., she thought, Just in case.

She refused to think about Shivaay. How breathtakingly handsome he would look in his groomswear. Devilishly handsome as usual, he would look amazing in all formal traditional wear. She and Soumya sat gushing girlishly before, discussing how handsome the Oberoi brothers were in their sherwanis. But for Annika, Shivaay was always the most elegant. His poise and mannerisms were very suave and made her heart race.

Stupid girl, thinking of Kanji-Aankhon-Wala Bhagad Billa on his wedding day. Like he spared a thought over you. He’s marrying his Sapno ki rani in her Manish Malhotra dress, and you are sadakchap.

A glum expression came over her.

“Uh..uh, a bride is not allowed to have a glum face on her wedding day..” a cheeky voice interrupted her reverie. Rudra hugged her and blew kisses at how beautiful she looked, pretending to put a kaala tikka behind her ear and gushing.

“Hayye hayye… Shivaay bhaiya is going to be staring at you a lot today. You’re too beautiful Annika didi..” Annika slapped Rudra on his shoulder and told him his brother’s bride was in the big guest room upstairs, with the army of handmaidens.

“Chee, Lady Baba just wants to look good in the photographs. So the thick makeup and colors are all for the photos, but if you ask me , shhh, she looks like a painted witch…” he and Annika shared a giggle and a high 5.

Rudra sobered quickly and gave his favourite Annika didi a bear hug. “I love you Didi, I wish you happiness forever. Remember, I will be your side kick always.. Come find me downstairs ok? “  Wiping a tear away, he brought a tray of lassi and fruits. Forcing her to eat, he slipped out.

   Grateful for the drink, she swallowed and spotted the envelope on the tray. Beautifully written on it, was her name. Curiosity filled her as she flapped it open and pulled out the paper within.

***

  My dearest Annika,

     I can’t sleep tonight because I don’t know what I am doing with my life right now. I love my routines and plans, but I can’t find peace in them anymore.

  I miss you so much.

I see you every day, all over the place, busy with your work and tasks, but I don’t “ see” you. I miss talking to you, hearing your crazy words and schemes, your ridiculous stories about some neighbour in your colony. I thought it was just a passing thing, but now I can’t sleep because I miss you.

  I never had many friends, just my brothers. I have people whom I call friends, but they don’t know me well. They don’t know why I am what I am, what my life is like, what I must achieve. I always thought of my life like a rocketship to the skies, always going up. But what is in space but a vacuum? Then you came along and I want something else now.

    I have a vision of you, in my mind, laughing and dancing with abandon surrounded by love and cheer. I find myself wanting to ask you if I could join you in that vision, to hold your hand so you don’t fall, hold the umbrella when it rains on you. I would love to make your dreams come true and chase your nightmares away, just so I can have you in my life. I think I may need it to survive this life.

    I love you Annika, with every fibre of my being. I cannot make the words come out when I stand in front of you. Your eyes demand absolute honesty and I just cannot form the words to say it. I can sense your presence before you even arrive, I can sense that you are in trouble, I am plagued by thoughts of you all the time. I need your permission to be there for you always. My promise.

  I know you are pledged to marry another, but so am I. I find the hypocrisy unbearable now. I want to be free to hold you, to kiss you, to love you, and to be loved in return. I feel it in your eyes, and in your concern for me, that you love me too. If I am wrong, then let me be the most unfortunate man in the world.

   Give me one sign, any sign, that I can have this piece of happiness with you. And I will make it happen, for us. Please don’t take too long to think, we have wasted too much time already.

Love always,

Your Kanji Aakhon Wala Bhagad Billa.

***

Annika read and re- read the letter 5 times before she felt a smile form on her frozen face. A breathy laugh escaped her as she felt a novel kind of joy. Finally somebody loves me , like a madman. He loves me, enough to face the consequences. Because he cannot live without me.

   Her hand shook a little as she picked up her hair brush. She looked at it stupidly wondering what she was going to do with it. Tossing it, she picked up her skirts and ran out to the corridor. She looked all over for Shivaay, but spotted Rudra instead.

    Rudra beamed at her and asked her with a two thumbs up sign.. Blushing and laughing she replied with a double thumbs up. Immediately Rudra started jumping happily like a happy child. Turning quickly he whistled to someone, and made the same sign to Om a distance away. She saw Om smile and ran off into Shivaay’s room.

 Next thing she knew, Rudra grabbed her hand and they were running for the exit. They ran into Soumya, who winked conspiratorially and ran with them. People were bustling in and out with last minute arrangements and didn’t think much of them. Rudra packed them off into his car and they raced off.

   They all giggled like silly girls in the car, the happiness infectious and shared, consequences be forgotten. Swerving into a small building, Rudra jumped out and opened Annika’s door for her to climb out. Looking fancy in her bridal lehenga, she twirled, looking for him.

  Om signalled at her and the party moved together. Annika walked into a beautiful private garden, all green and smelling like roses. She found herself alone, but for a lone figure in white a distance away. He was looking at her with a huge smile, a smile that went all the way up into his eyes, with the crinkles and all.

  She walked slowly towards him, taking in how his expression changed to a serious face. Stopping a short distance, she saw him open his arms. In a blink, she picked up her skirts and ran headlong into it. He caught her and twirled her round before folding her into a hug that swallowed her up.

“You came..”

“I love you too…” came their words in unison. They laughed breathlessly and their well wishers whistled and clapped nearby. Shivaay pulled her close again and hugged her so tight.

“I love you Annika.. Never doubt this ever. This is your last chance, are you sure about me?” he asked her with shining eyes, asking her for commitment.

“Yes. I love you ..”

“Good, because we’re about to get married right now. Now…now ” he stammered a little as she gasped in shock.

“But, Sahil…”

 Suddenly Sahil called out merrily as Om carried him in. Annika went to him and Sahil told her excitedly how Om Bhaiya included him in the super-secret plan for SSO to elope with her. She smiled at Om who had tears in his eyes. Hugging him, she thanked him softly for being such an amazing brother.

   Shivaay cleared his throat from behind them. Everyone turned as he said, “It’s time…” he held out his hand to her and they walked in together to the small makeshift mandap.

  There Dadi stood, with the priest, beaming widely as she saw Annika. Annika gasped and ran to hug the older woman.

“What!? Did you forget I am the source of all this Ishqbaazi genes? “ she said as they all laughed. Annika and Shivaay were seated at the mandap in all the finery.

Minus the rest of the family.

As the priest read out the prayers, Annika tugged at Shivaay’s sherwani. He turned his big beautiful eyes at her, and she stared, temporarily forgetting what she wanted to say. Amused and smiling with his eyes, he nudged her back to present. A moment of uncertainty crossed her face, making him frown.

“Your parents are not here? Will they not be upset? What will happen to Tia and Daksh? “

“We’ll deal with that when they arrive. Badi ma is in on the plan, she sorted out things at home and will be arriving soon. We’ll say sorry and grovel, but Mum will be okay with it. Don’t worry… All that matters is that I love you, and you love me, and we are happy. Ma and Papa will be ok..” he whispered.

    The priest asked for their hands and placed her hand in his for the ritual. They watched their hands on one another, he squeezed hers a little. They gazed into each other’s eyes and then there was no more time for talking. The rituals went on and as they got up for the saat phere, Shivaay’s parents arrived. Buoyant with the welcoming smiles, the couple completed their rituals hand in hand. They sought blessings from the elders, stopping hesitantly at Pinky Oberoi and Shakti.

 She looked at them petulantly with her large kohled eyes. “You naughty kids had your own love stories and didn’t let me help. I watched DDLJ 50 times okay ! I would have driven the getaway car by Gods..” she said theatrically as everyone shared the joke. She cupped her son’s face and saw the smile in his eyes. “Mere bete ko Oh My Mata hogaye, finally..” she said tearily, as she hugged them both.

 Hand in hand, they all danced happily to Rudra’s portable music. In all the laughing and dancing, Shivaay looked at Annika, and saw her dance and laugh happily, as it filled his heart with warmth.

Feels like home.