Dearest Shivaay, || Shivika AU FF

𝔼𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝕊𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕙 𝕆𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕚

Anika's cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much. Even after squealing about it the entire night with Gauri, and talking Sahil's ears off for two whole days, and thanking Nikhil until he blocked her contact for twenty minutes, the initial excitement had yet to wear off. 

Gauri was the only one who was almost as excited as Anika herself. She had recommended having a big party with everyone who contributed at a grand opening, and Anika had immediately agreed. She was currently on her way to Oberoi Mansion, to personally invite all the Oberois and tell Dadi, because it was her love and support that had driven Anika greatly.

"Anika?" Pinky asked upon noticing her standing at the doorway. "Whats are you doings here?" 

"Pinky Aunty, I wanted to see Dadi." Pinky nodded her head in understanding. "Comes inside, Mummyji is just in her rooms." 

It was Anika's turn to nod as she stepped over the threshold. She watched as Pinky strutted away confidently, and she let her own feet guide her to Dadi's room. She had spent so much time in the Oberoi Mansion that getting lost was practically impossible. She knew the residence like the back of her hand, and soon found herself at Dadi's door. She knocked twice and waited until Dadi's voice called out, "Kaun hai?" 

"Anika!" 

"Andar aa, puttar." 

She stepped inside the rather dark room only to feel a shiver of fear. Gulping, she called for Dadi again. "Dadi?" 

"I am right here, puttar. Get the light, dear, it's to your left." Hurriedly, Anika reached forward and pulled up the dimmer until she could make out Dadi's facial features clearly. "Were you sleeping?" she asked worriedly as she made her way to the foot of the bed. Dadi shook her head. 

"Jhanvi and Shakti were here a few hours ago. They turned off the light and told me to rest, though I haven't caught a wink of sleep since they left." 

"I'm so sorry! I can leave—" 

"No, dear. I'm just not accustomed to sleeping during the day, and so I'm having trouble doing so all of a sudden. Sach kahun, toh yahan akele behte behte pak rahi thi," Dadi chuckled. Anika smiled. "Waise, aap kaise hai? Tabet abhi theek hai na?" 

Dadi frowned. "Now, don't you start all that with me, Niku! Jo koi bhi aata hai woh mujhse aise baat karta hai jaise main koi mareez hoon. I'm fit and fine!"

Anika giggled, and the two women fell into quiet for a few moments. "I'm sorry I didn't come to visit you in the last three days," Anika said softly. Somewhere, she felt truly guilty for being caught up in her happiness and not seeing the woman who had loved her so much.

Dadi smiled, patting Anika's hand. "I know you had your reasons, sweetheart. And Rudra told me that you called several times after I came home, so I knew your prayers were with me all along." 

Anika hummed in response as she leaned in to hug Dadi. The older woman caressed her back lovingly, before clearing her throat and pulling her away. "Now, I also know you didn't just come to check up on this old lady. What is the news?" 

Anika furrowed her eyebrows. "What news?" she teased.

"Don't be so coy with your Dadi, Niku! I know you have something to say. Your eyes have that glint." 

Anika laughed before sighing in delight. "Dadi, Avantika Events is no longer a dream." 

Dadi took a moment to process her beloved Anika's words before her face lit up. "Really?" she asked in awe. Anika nodded, feeling a sense of pride rush through her. "We got the money, I found a beautiful place, and we signed just yesterday. Abhi sirf kholne ki deri hai, aur uske baad, hum sab ka sapna pura ho jayega." 

"Niku, ye baat sun kar mera dil khush ho gaya! Shuru se hi pata tha mujhe. Avantika ka sapna tune akhir pura karwa hi diya!" Dadi said, her eyes glowing in joy. 

"There's a grand opening, and all the Oberois are invited! Once you get better, of course—" 

"Nonsense! I am perfectly fine! Don't worry, I'll drag all of these people to the place to celebrate your success. Waise, what was Astika's reaction? And Chutki and Sahil? What did they say?" Anika laughed at Dadi's curiosity as she dove into an excited retelling of the events.

"Gosh, Om, your hair looks fine! Rudra, fix your shirt. We're here to congratulate Anika and her family, not get a new girlfriend," Jhanvi reprimanded her sons. "Mom, there's no reason we can't multitask!" Rudra replied snarkily, only to receive another glare from his mother. 

"Wheres is my purses? I can't finds it anywheres! Did I leaves it at homes?"

"Right here, Pinky!" Shakti said exasperatedly, as he had been holding his wife's purse for the last thirty minutes. "Oh My Mata, Shaktiji! Thanks yous! I'm starting to forgets everythings!" 

"Tej, let me be! I'm feeling changi, now let me go inside for my Anika!" Kalyani protested her son's worried demands. "Maa, you'll end up falling sick again!" 

"I don't get sick! I'm an Oberoi!" 

"And they say Shivaay gets his ego from Pinky," Tej muttered under his breath. 

"Ishana, look at how pretty the decorations look!" Priyanka commented. "We're only looking at the outside right now. Imagine what the inside must look like! Godji only knows if we'll even get to go inside." 

Shivaay rolled his eyes as his family conversed amongst themselves outside of the newly christened Avantika Events. The grand opening party was today, and he had only found out about the event from his grandmother two days ago. Ishana did have a point. He was starting to doubt if they would even get to see the ribbon-cutting ceremony. 

"Sir, I parked the car," Khanna said as he approached the Oberoi clan with a gift in his hands. Shivaay looked towards it interestedly and shot Khanna a curious look. The teddy-bear-faced man simply grinned. "Anika Ma'am invited me, as well!" he said happily. 

Shivaay couldn't help his small smile at Anika's consideration, but he kept it tight-lipped and turned to his family. "Guys, let's go in, shall we?" 

Om and Rudra shot each other a knowing look, with heavy smiles threatening to break loose across their faces. "O, lagta hai koi bohot utawla ho raha hai andar jaane ke liye," Rudra commented as he passed Shivaay a small smirk. His oldest brother tossed him a spiteful glare, and if looks could kill, Rudra would have at least been seriously wounded. 

Om snickered as the family nodded their heads in agreement to Shivaay's question and, finally, moved towards the entrance. As Ishana and Priyanka passed Shivaay, he could've sworn he heard his brother's girlfriend mutter something along the lines of, "Eager Singh Oberoi." 

As the words registered in his head, he thought he would have gotten upset, but to his surprise, the smallest of smiles spread across his lips as he imagined Anika's voice saying the same words to him.