SOMETHING (BEAUTIFUL) UNFINISHED

Chapter 12: Acceptance

It was a beautiful day, a near perfect day. Annika thought as she watched the waves roll off the coast.

She remembered vividly as a child when Jyoti would plan these days, it was her attempt at some normalcy as a family, for the kids Annika was sure. Annika could see it now, the extremes she had gone through to give them some normalcy in life.

The coast was a few minutes from their property, and as children, they would come and play here often, but these days' things were always different.

Annika watched as Siddharth, Mallika, Rudra and Bhavya laughed at Omkara and Gauri wrestling in the water.

Omkara made the mistake of thinking he would ever get the upper hand on Gauri, Annika often thought Gauri was some kind of hidden assassin, she was ruthless.

Harry was talking with Harsh, probably about Sandesh and Tushar coming home with them, Annika thought.

Jyoti and Jhanvi were building a sandcastle. Annika realized that this is what she's been missing, this is what Jhanvi had missed out on - her family.

Just as Annika was standing to join her mom and daughter, Shivaay came up beside her.

"Hey, Anns."

She turned and smiled but noticed he looked conflicted.

She cocked her head to the side, "Everything okay?"

Shivaay nodded, "I need to talk with you before you leave, maybe we could take a walk?"

Annika agreed and after telling her mother where they were going, they headed off to the path through the forest that led to the coastal peak. Thankfully, Harry had been too busy with her father to notice.

They walked in relative silence, Shivaay asked about their flights home, and how Annika felt about Sandesh and Tushar joining her.

"Good." It was reassuring to have one more person looking out for them.

Then, Annika asked how Shivaay felt, which he didn't really answer.

For the first time since being back, the air between them was awkward and uncomfortable.

It threw Annika because it wasn't something she was used to feeling with Shivaay, it made her nervous.

When they got to the clearing they looked over the water, the waves crashing on the rocks below, the air was colder up there, breezier. Shivaay sighed and looked at Annika,

"What's wrong, Shivaay?"

"I needed to talk to you, before you left."

Annika nodded.

"Okay, then talk" she urged him to continue.

"Look, I know the decision you made all those years ago wasn't easy for you, I can see it, the hurt and the pain. But fuck, Annika. I have to say it before you leave and it's too late. I am so fucking angry at you."

Annika inhaled sharply and closed her eyes but didn't say anything. Whatever it was that he felt he needed to say, she owed him enough to listen. To take all his anger.

Shivaay continued, "I think it took a minute, for the shock of it all to wear off, and the last thing I ever want to do is hurt you. Ever. You know that."

Shivaay paused and sucked in a deep breath, before speaking again.

"But you cost me and her, us so much! You may not have done it for selfish reasons, I know that. But it was fucking selfish, Annika."

His breath hitched and Annika knew he was angry and hurt, so hurt she could see it on his face. The way his eyes narrowed, the way his lips frowned, the wrinkle above his brow. He was angry, and it was her fault.