Dil tadap k kehta hai

28

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

A week has passed since Om and Gauri left for their honeymoon. Annika, Sahil, and Shivaay have settled into their new lives.

One day after dinner Shivaay approached Annika

S: come, we have to go somewhere

A: but where?

S: just come

They sat in the car and Shivaay drove in silence for a few minutes. He stopped the car on an empty road near the beach and got down. He opened Annika's door and made her step out of the car and sat in her seat

S: Go ahead, sit on the driver's seat

A: but I don't know how to drive

S: I know, and it's time you learned. That's why we're here, I'm going to teach you. Come on, get in

Annika sat in the driver's seat and fastened her seatbelt. Then Shivaay instructed her and for the next 30 minutes, she followed his instructions meticulously.

A: thank you so much for this Shivaay

S: you can thank me when you get your license.

They got out of the car and Annika spotted an ice cream parlor nearby

A: Do you want to have ice cream?

S: Sure

They got their ice creams and ate them while strolling on the beach

A: can I ask you something?

S: Sure

A: Why do you live and breathe for your siblings? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that's bad, I'm just curious. Like I didn't really have a choice, my family had no one to take care of them, to support them. But why do you make sacrifices for your siblings? You have such a loving family

S: the family you see today, it wasn't always like this. When we were kids, dad and bade papa used to fight all the time. Our business was growing, they were always in competition with each other to bag better deals, and get more assets. They used to have screaming matches every day. That house was toxic for children. And this rivalry went on and on for years even after daada ji passed. And our aunt, Roop bua, made things worse. She added fuel to the fire and created misunderstandings between mom and badi maa also. I am the oldest, so I took responsibility. I had to shield my siblings from all that fighting and name-calling. Rudra was just a toddler at the time when all of this started. And Om is so sensitive you know, he used to cry seeing them fight and once he started crying, Prinku followed suit.

And then finally one day, they asked to split up everything and go their separate ways. Seeing her family torn apart because of money caused daadi great pain. She suffered from a heart attack because of all that stress. Her condition was very critical and that crisis brought the brothers together. Over the following months, they talked and cleared up misunderstandings, resolved their issues, and kicked out Roop bua for manipulating them and making things worse. It took us many painful years to become this loving family.

Annika noticed the way Shivaay spoke, looking at the water, lost in memories.