Broken Hearts and Strange Girls || Shivika AU FF

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈

"Om? Could you get dressed nicely today?" Aishwarya asked her husband. Om looked up from his laptop. He looked down at his grey sweatpants and long-sleeved shirt. "Why?" he asked, a confused look sprawling over his features. Aishwarya simply smiled, moving away from the vanity and picking up a few of Adi's toys that had been left scattered over their bedroom floor. "Are we going somewhere?"

Aishwarya shook her head, placing Adi's robot on the shelf and adjusting it until it looked almost like a decorative piece. "Papa's coming today."

Om nodded, understanding. "To meet Annika?"

Omkara was unaware of the incident that had taken place between Annika and Suresh, five years ago. To him, Annika was in Italy as per her own wish, and Suresh hadn't seen Annika because of her busy schedule and his own company's endless needs.

"Yes, I suppose. Please don't tell Annika, though," Aishwarya said hastily. Om grinned. "Oh, is it a surprise?"

"Something of that sort, yes," Aishwarya said nervously. "Now, whether it's a bad or good surprise, only tonight will tell," she mumbled to herself.

Sensing Aishwarya's out-of-sorts behavior, Omkara moved towards his wife, placing his arms around her and bringing her into his embrace. "I'm sure Suresh Papa and Annika will be delighted," he said, kissing her cheek. Aishwarya smiled weakly, settling into her husband's secure embrace.

She prayed Om was right, and everything went well. But with two stubborn people like Suresh and Annika, who could know for sure?

The entire day, Aishwarya was horribly nervous. There was a sinking pit in her stomach, and she did all of her tasks rather distractedly. "What's wrong, Aishwarya?" Jhanvi asked in a motherly tone. Aishwarya moved her focus from the dishes, meeting her mother-in-law's eyes. "Nothing, Maa. I'm just looking forward to seeing Papa again."

That was the only sentence Jhanvi needed to hear. She smiled warmly. "I wouldn't doubt it. When was the last time we all met and had a nice conversation? Even I can't remember. I think it was a few months ago, at Adi's birthday party. Is your mother coming?"

Aishwarya, who had snapped back into her nerve-racking thoughts, didn't hear Jhanvi as she proceeded to snap the ends off of the green beans absentmindedly. "Aishwarya?" Jhanvi called again.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I don't know where I got lost. Uh, yes. Mom is coming, too."

"Oh, that's great! I'll be looking forward to when they arrive. Disha and I have much to catch up on."

"MUMMA!" Adi called from the playroom.

"Aishwarya, leave these to me, why don't you go check up on that little grandson of mine?" Jhanvi offered, taking the plate from Aishwarya's hands. Aishwarya nodded obediently, standing up and walking away to look after her son.

It was time. Aishwarya had never felt so mentally exhausted and unready. She hated doing this to Annika, and she knew her little sister well. Annika would not be pleased at seeing someone she had vowed to never meet again. And once she learned it was Aishwarya's doing, she was bound to react in a way Aishwarya wouldn't have enough time to prepare for. Taking a deep breath, she opened the doors of Oberoi Mansion with a huge smile.

It was true that Suresh was invited to help Aishwarya right some wrongs, but there was a daughter's excitement at seeing her father bubbling in Aishwarya's heart. Her seven-year-old self was still intact inside of her, and she couldn't wait until she could give this feeling to Annika, too.

"Papa!"

"Beti," Suresh Bhattacharya smiled, hugging his daughter. Aishwarya let a single tear fall onto her father's shoulder, and as many had done before it, it sank into Suresh's shirt and he felt it as though it was his own. He pulled Aishwarya apart from his chest and caressed her cheeks lovingly. He shook his head with a small pout, tapping at his chest and Aishwarya couldn't help but smile, remembering childhood memories.