Dil tadap k kehta hai

10

[Annika - A, Shivaay - S, Rudra - Ru]

7 months later

[Since this is fiction, let's fast-track COVID. I know it has still not stopped making our lives miserable but its presence is no longer required in my story. So, everyone is vaccinated and COVID is over after the first wave in this story]

Lives could never return to what they were. Wearing masks and regularly sanitizing for the last 7 months has made people a little more hygienic and cautious even though there are no more active cases in the world.

Some industries suffered a lot because of the lockdown. The event management company Annika was employed in, took major losses because of this. Because of the lockdown and restrictions on gatherings, all events got canceled. Launch parties were held online and streamed, award shows were canceled and most weddings became closed affairs. It became hard for the company to survive so they let go of most of its employees after a month of the Lockdown. Annika was one of them even though she was a great asset to the company. They could afford only one of the senior organizers and it wasn't Annika.

With Gauri's Bollywood project on hold and her dance studio closed, they didn't have a fixed source of income anymore. Online dance classes that Gauri had started with her friends, made enough to run the house. They still had to take care of school fees for Sahil and medication for his leg. And Annika was not ready to use her savings, that money was for Sahil's surgery. So she looked for other jobs.

Annika's previous employer had not expected that firing her could mean losing some of their clients. They gave contracts to the company because of their faith in Annika, and her goodwill. And all those years of making lasting relationships with her clients got her this new gig.

Mallika Chaudhary, an architect, used to be one of Annika's clients and when she heard that Annika was let go, she refused to renew her contract with them.

Flashback

Mallika: Annika, I want you to organize my wedding

A: Mallika, I'm honored that you thought of me but I've never organized a wedding before

Mallika: So what, there's always a first.

A: Yeah but you'll only get married once. We can't risk spoiling it

Mallika: Annika, you've been organizing launch parties for all my projects. You understand me and my style and you've been a good friend to me. I know you'll manage it. And anyway, it's going to be a small event with limited guests, lavish decor, and great food. Location is already final, our farmhouse.

A: Okay, I'll do it. But if at any point you feel my work is not up to the mark, you let me know

Mallika: Absolutely

They hugged

End of flashback

Mallika and Siddharth's wedding was a huge success. So Annika decided to start her own event management company. Lockdown or not, the only kind of event that never stopped happening was a wedding.

Today, she stood outside Oberoi mansion thinking about the call she received last night

Flashback

Annika received a call from an unknown number

Person: Am I speaking with Miss Annika Trivedi?