Becoming Sweethearts [✓]

Part Forty Five

"Annika, why don't you call Shivaay also? Ask him to join us for dinner?" Arvind asked as they all gathered downstairs. She awkwardly met Gauri's glance before saying with a bright smile, "Uncle, Shivaay would be busy. I don't really disturb him when he's at work. Aur galti se agar woh kisi tadi ke mood mein hue, toh ghar aake bin-barsaat badal jaise garajne lagenge!" Everyone laughed, but only Gauri could sense the emotion she hid behind her humour.

"Main garajtha hoon, Annika?" Shivaay's voice at the door startled her, and she looked at him in shock. Rudra said, "Bhaiyya asked me where we were, so I told him. Then Shalu Darling asked me to call Shivaay Bhaiyya for dinner, so I called him, and finally – here he is!" Shivaay smiled at Annika as he walked towards her and in a mischievous yet low tone, he asked yet again, "Main garajtha hoon, Annika?"

Annika, looking away at the innuendo in his words, blushed as she said, "Haan toh! Aap toh hamesha garajthe hi hain! And why didn't you tell me you're coming over?" "If I did, I wouldn't have heard you praising me so much, would I?" Annika looked at him from the corner of her eyes and shook her head, "Aapse main baad mein niptoongi!". He grinned at her, muttering, "I can't wait for that!" Annika turned red, while the rest of them looked away with a teasing grin.

***

At dinner, they all sat to have dinner. Shivaay was seated at the table, while Arvind served him food, as Shalini and Gauri brought the dishes to the table. Shivaay was about to help himself, remembering the episode at Gauri's pehli rasoi, when Arvind asked him to stay seated and relish his meal, given that they were guests at the Sharma House.

Shivaay made an appreciative moan as he ate the first morsel of the dal-tadka with the phulkas and praised Shalini's cooking, who said with a grin, "That wasn't me. That was all this young boy's skills!" Shivaay looked surprised at Rudra, who beamed with pride. "This is amazing, man!" Shivaay said as he ate another morsel. Shalini said, "He said he wants to pursue this passion into a profession." Rudra looked a little hesitant as Shivaay asked him, "You want to be a chef?" Rudra nodded slowly. "And MBA?" Shivaay asked curiously. Rudra shrugged with an unsure look.

Shivaay smiled with a nod, "If you want to be a chef, you be a chef! And I'm confident you'll be an amazing one. I'll have someone look into finding the best institute for you to pursue the course." Rudra almost jumped with excitement as he hugged Shivaay. Then, he hopped around from person to person, hugging them all, before he reached his 'Shalu Darling' and gave her a big hug. "Thank you so much!" he said to her, and she patted his head with a grin.

***

After dinner, they all sat in the living room, relishing gajar ka halwa. Shivaay noticed Gauri looking at her phone again and again with a disappointed look. "Kya hua, Gauri? Om hasn't called yet?" Gauri shook her head and said, "He usually at least drops a message at this time, after he is done with his conference, but I have not heard from him since morning."

The moment she had said that her phone lit up and so did her face. "He's video calling!" she said excitedly and answered the call. "Hi!" she sounded almost breathless, making everyone else suppress their smile at her enthusiasm. Omkara looked like he was in his hotel room as he said with a warm, "Hey there!" He smiled at her, but then furrowed his brows asking, "Who's seated next to you?"

Omkara was surprised to see Rudra peeking into the phone. "Hi, O! Kabhi apne bhai ko bhi phone kiya karo!" he teased. Om was about to reply, when he heard Shivaay say, "Exactly! You've only been speaking to Gauri. Why don't you talk to us more frequently?" Meanwhile Annika quipped, "Arey, apni biwi se baat karne mein aur apne bhaiyon se baat karne mein difference toh hoga hi na? Waise Om, kaise ho? Zyada thand toh nahi hai na wahan pe?"