"And then?"
"And then a year later, we got the news about you", Shivaay replied as he turned to face Annika. "It was Tara's first birthday when we found out", she added on.
"And who named me then?"
"Of course both of us Ansh, if I left it to your mom, she would've named you like she names all her belongings, Champa, Chameli, Chamki, Chikni...and what not..." Annika instantly retaliated by giving him an elbow nudge and Shivaay coughed trying to mask his laughter.
Ansh sat there in front of them as the two resumed their never ending banter. It had been hours since he'd been listening to them narrating the story of their Game of Love, it was almost evening by now. Smiling slyly he winked at Rudra who was waiting for his signal to bring in the cake without the two finding out. Legs crossed, elbows resting on his knees, fingers entwined and his chin resting upon them, Ansh sat there admiring his parents. Strangely with time so many things had changed and yet somethings never seemed to be effected by that phenomenon. Shivaay and Annika were still known for their endless arguments, but OmRu were not alone in admiring this odd display of affection anymore. While Tara would be the one pulling the two apart, Ansh resorted to witnessing them attack each other with their usual style of a battle of words. A little bit of badinage was vital for Shivaay and Annika, it had become a part of their lives. If either one hadn't been a little pesty the entire day, it was worrisome for the other and all others. They couldn't live without fighting with each other, and they couldn't live without each other at all. Such was, is and will always be the love of Shivaay and Annika.
"Shivaay, I'm telling you I'll not hear a word against my Champa okay. Never forget, Champa saved our lives." "Yeah, how can I forget, you made me sit in that thing...", Shivaay raised his eyebrows while Ansh smirked.
"Mom, Dad, seriously guys. 25 years and you're still the same. I admire the consistency and determination, but not today. The guests will start pouring in. Can you two please go and get ready?" Ansh literally had to beg to get them moving but it was worth it. "I can only wish Mom and Dad that the love between you two always stays such", he whispered to himself as he saw the two walk off towards their room, still fighting but trying to keep their voices low enough that Ansh wouldn't hear them nagging each other. He laughed it off and got back to work, preparing everything for tonight's party.
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"Shivaay you said yes to Arish. I never thought you'd take it all so easily." "Even I hadn't Annika. When he walked in the house a day after Tara was attacked because of my business rivalry with the Tanejas, I only saw him as her bodyguard. Flashbacks from that day still shook him to the core. Annika held onto him as she was encouraging him to get over that dark day. "But with time things change and so do people Annika." Annika picked up her hairbrush and added on as she combed through her hair, "you always had a thousand standards you wanted her partner to meet, but you're giving up on all that..." "For her Annika, for her. You know how meticulous I am, about everything in general and much more about everything that concerns Tara. But every time I see them together I see a glimpse of us from the past. We were poles apart and yet something brought us together. Had we not given each other that chance we would never be together. I just wish to give them that chance. Our kids are far more speedy than us in that sense. They confronted their feelings and each other way more quickly than we did. We took our own sweet time and they've taken less than us. But whatever has blossomed between the two is evidently pure and special." "I never thought Shivaay you would be this calm when you get closer to placing her hand in another man's hand." "I don't know if I'm calm or not Annika. But right now I think this is the right thing to do. I let irrelevant materialistic things come between us, I don't want that to happen to them. They're young and they have a lot of time. But I don't want them to find the need to hide their feelings from their own parents. Tara still wants to complete her graduate studies. Arish wants to establish his professional career. I just want to be there for them."
Annika smiled as she reached out for a wooden box and passed it onto Shivaay. Shivaay pulled out two bangles and slid them onto her hands. "Every year Annika, every year you wear these on our anniversary, but never otherwise." "She'd told me to wear them the day my lovestory starts. But I couldn't because I never really realized when in all our fights and banters, I began to fall for you Shivaay. So now I just wear them every time we complete another year together." "You really do miss Mallika." "Of course I do Shivaay...but she's in America so I'll just remember her with these..."
"Annikaaaaaaa!" a voice called out for her from the poolside. Confused the two switched glances and questioning looks, and walked out to find someone standing in the distance. The figure turned and Annika screamed in excitement. "Mallikaaaaaaaaaa!" The two hugged and Shivaay joined in to greet his old friend. "You two never invited me again. But your kids remembered the woman who makes their mother teary eyed every year...just with a pair of bangles." Ansh walked in and Rudra slid off to Mallika's side adding "and of course I helped them reach out to her." Everyone let out a laugh as Shivaay coughed and Om patted Rudra on his head.
"Wow, a family moment without me?" Tara questioned as she entered with Arish. "That's not fair! But I'll deal with all this later, for now we're getting late, so can we please head to the hall." Everyone nodded in agreement.
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Soft music played and everyone danced to it, everyone except Shivaay and Annika who stood off to the distance sipping onto their drinks. Their kids had grown up, settling into their own lives. Shivaay and Annika finally found themselves at a place where they could applaud for what all their kids achieved and cheer into them as they attained greater success. They looked into each other's eyes and it was as if their entire life flashed before their eyes in just a fraction of a second. It all came back to them, all the happiness, the joy, the smiles, the tears...everything. In that moment they relived every bit of it, all that left their eyes glistening and them smiling. All their dreams finally seemed to be coming true, so they let themselves sink into that air of satisfaction and each other's warmth, as they rested their heads against each other's. There was so much to say and yet no words could do justice for what all they wanted to convey to the other, so they let their eyes do the talking till the lights began to dim and fade away.
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THE END
YOU ARE READING
Amor Eterno
أدب الهواة[ c o m p l e t e d ] ~ An alternative ending to the much loved love-saga of Shivaay and Annika. When their Game of Love is put to test again, they manage to emerge victoriously once more. They resume with their lives until one news changes everythi...
