𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓 | ✓

𝔢𝔭𝔦𝔩𝔬𝔤𝔲𝔢

Annika glanced at the pen tapping on the clipboard in a rhythm: tap, break, tap, tap and then break, tap, tap, break, tap, tap.

She couldn't stop the shaking of her legs as her palms rested on her knee.

"Miss Annika?" She glanced up to see the kind face of a young man. "Would you like some water?"

Annika blinked. "We've been sitting here in silence for fifteen minutes and you want me to drink water?" She asked bewildered.

"I asked if you wanted to drink water," the man replied.

"Dr. Anand," Annika began.

"Dev, please," he smiled.

"Right. Dev," she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry for wasting your time but——"

"This is not a waste of my time," he smiled.

"It's not?" Annika raised an eyebrow.

Dev shook his head with a smile, "You can talk about whatever you want, whenever you want. No judgment. No rush. This is to make a safe space available for you," he forwarded a glass of water.

Annika eyed it warily, "What if my past is too hard to process?"

"Nothing in life is easy," Dev replied, watching her as she sipped from the glass of water. "Some things which may seem easy, tend to become hard beyond comprehension." Annika kept the glass on the table between them. "While on the other hand, things that seem hard in the beginning, become easier over time."

"So I just have to give it time?" Annika asked nervously.

"I'm not here to answer your questions," Dev smiled softly. "I'm here to help you find the answers yourself. I'm just an assistant. You're the detective."

<>•<>

Annika stepped inside the foyer of the manor. The manor was lit with fairy lights and paper lanterns as Gauri chided her husband who looked helplessly at Bhavya who smiled apologetically.

"Bhabhi!" Omkara rushed towards Annika who smiled. "What should we do? Paper lanterns? Or fairy lights?"

"Paper lanterns obviously!" Gauri rolled her eyes.

"But fairy lights are so much cuter," Omkara frowned at his wife. "It's more aesthetically pleasing."

"If you're into tacky decorations," Gauri blew on her fingernails as her husband gaped.

"Alright, that's enough!" Annika shook her head in exasperation. "Why are you annoying my lovely devar, Chutki?" Gauri scowled as Omkara wrapped an arm around Annika.

"Jiji, this isn't fair," Gauri frowned. "Aap humesha inke side leti ho!"

"Because she knows I'm the innocent one," Omkara stuck out his tongue.

"Oh please," Gauri scoffed.

Annika rolled her eyes. "To answer your question, neither." Omkara and Gauri pouted. "Bhavya, call Khannaji and have both the paper lanterns and fairy lights used to decorate the garden."

"Ji, Bhabhi," Bhavya nodded before rushing off to do as instructed.

"Om, make sure the portrait is ready," Annika ushered her brother-in-law up the stairs to his room before turning to her sister, "And Chutki, check on the catering details." Gauri rushed off.

Annika walked upstairs to her room before opening the door. "How was it?" Shivaay asked softly.

Annika sighed, sitting down beside him and laying her head on his shoulder. "I've still not been able to talk about my time at the orphanage."