Becoming Sweethearts [✓]

Part Fifty Six

Three months later

Annika and Shivaay were back in India from Italy after her surgery, which went on smoothly without any further complications. Although in the initial two weeks post-surgery, Annika began to show signs of mild depression, which the doctor had warned Shivaay about. Constant thoughts on whether their irreversible decision on hysterectomy was right, whether a miracle would've been possible where she could have gotten pregnant if she hadn't opted to get her uterus removed – all of this had begun to plague Annika's mind to a point where she would keep crying or sulking for days together. Shivaay had, with the help of the counsellor, patiently and lovingly helped her get through all of it.

It had been a week now since they were back from Italy after she had physically recovered. Mentally, however, Annika was still taking baby steps but was definitely making progress. Kalyani had eventually realized her folly when Shivaay had patiently explained to her that if they wouldn't have opted for the surgery, it could have been life-threatening for Annika. Kalyani had instantly mellowed down towards the girl and sincerely apologized for being unnecessarily cold and rude to her. Annika, of course, was too quick to forgive.

Pinky, however, had an indifferent approach towards Annika, treating her like she did not exist, refusing to even look or talk to her. Realizing how all of this was taking a toll on Annika, Shivaay had shared his pain with Omkara and Gauri. Gauri was quick to ask her parents if Annika could stay at the Sharma Residence until she was completely fine mentally and physically. Shalini and Arvind were more than happy to have her over, despite Annika and Shivaay's initial hesitation, saying that their home anyway felt a little emptier wherein they could use some company. Gauri happily rearranged her room in her parent's home so that Annika could stay there comfortably. While Annika was grateful for that, she also made it a point to visit the Oberoi Mansion with Gauri whenever Daadi would feel like seeing her two granddaughters-in-law.

Although Shivaay always returned to the Oberoi Mansion at night, he would spend every waking minute with his wife, thus irking Pinky. The woman hadn't even hesitated to taunt Annika in front of the whole family as to how her son's life would've been much different if he wasn't married to a 'damaged' woman. A huge fight had followed wherein Shivaay insisted that Pinky apologized to Annika. When she outrightly refused and continued to disrespect his wife, Shivaay announced as a last resort that if she didn't stop, he would be forced to break all ties with her for causing undue distress to his wife.

To his utter shock, his mother declared in anger that it was better to have no son than a son on whom black magic has been done by his wife. Shivaay had decided he would move out of the Oberoi Mansion with Annika, permanently, refusing to share the roof over their heads with Mrs. Pinky Oberoi. Annika, as usual, was supportive of her husband and agreed when they decided they would shift to Shivaay's farmhouse in Goa, far away from the toxic environment of the Oberoi Mansion. At Kalyani Singh Oberoi's pleas, he had promised to visit her often, despite staying away. It had taken time, but slowly, Shivaay and Annika had settled into their new routine of learning to live alone as a couple, slowly finding happiness and support in each other.

***

Omkara and Gauri on the other hand were already savouring their happiest days in their cozy little apartment. The two had now learned to share anything and everything with each other, communicating freely with no hesitation whatsoever, so as to avoid any issues that could crop up between them. As self-promised, Gauri had started practicing yoga every morning, believing that it was an effective way for her to not just work on her temper issues, but also to get her body toned up. Now, while Omkara was happy about how she was working on herself, he kept admonishing her whenever she would look into the mirror or check her weight.