Shivika SS : The Ties that Bind

Part 11

"Shivaay!!" Om spoke sternly in a loud voice. "What's wrong with you? We finally got Bhabhi back and you want to yell at her like this, NOW?"

"I value her right for independence Om. But not her living one foot out the door like this. I have accepted her wholeheartedly into my life, my heart. But I don't know if she has, or she's just waiting for us to throw her out again. I can't fix that piece that I broke!!"

"Shivaay... You're overthinking this. Bhabhi is JUST LIKE YOU. Put yourself in her place, you too would have not wanted Veer to have to enter Oberoi Mansion to get to you, with Dadi, Ma and Chote Ma around, endangering them. She kept Veer away from them, Shivaay. Just like you would. In your absence, she became the second pillar of the house to keep them safe from Veer. I'm not happy with what she did, but I can understand her intentions. I have similar frustrations with you about these matters."

"Annika Bhabhi is just like you. She behaved like you would. She became the Neev of Oberoi family from Veer. Don't be mad at her Shivaay. She must be exhausted now. How much she fought to come back here to you, like this. To survive. Let this anger go. Please. Just go to Bhabhi now. Talk, fight, cry , hold each other whatever. Just go."

Shivaay's shoulder was shaking with silent sobs, and Om held him tight. Then he chuffed his brother's shoulders, wiped off his tears, and sent him off to his room.

***

When Shivaay walked into his room, he found Annika applying salve on the soles of her feet. He knelt at the foot of the bed and gasped at the welts and abrasions she had gotten from her barefoot escape attempt. With tears rolling down his face, he gingerly put the soothing salve on both the soles. Every wince was met with a searching look. Annika wished it to end because he looked more tortured that her about the wounds.

He picked her up, knelt on the bed and sat her with her back against the pillows, arranging her feet elevated for comfort. She let him have his way and cooperated. Then he lay down next to her and rested his head on her lap.

Her tentative hands hesitated to touch his head, but eventually softly stroked his soft hair and neck.

"You're angry, Shivaay?" she asked softly, to which his throat constricted with emotion.

"I am sorry. I promise I will tell you everything immediately from now." She offered innocently. He sat up and she was aghast to see tears streaming down his face again. She wiped off his cheeks. They choked on their sorrys and its okays, and he pulled her into a hug, burying his face into her neck and hair.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you for so long, and you had to fend for yourself." He sobbed into her skin as she dismissed them all with kisses on his hair. He was quite distraught and she sought to pull him out of the misery. When he stopped shaking in her arms, she tried to strike a conversation. But he went straight to the point.

"Annika, I missed the whole first trimester."

"So? You still have the second and the third. Big deal. It wasn't fun anyway." She distracted him.

"Why?"

"Yuck, morning sickness, evening sickness, all day sickness. I couldn't eat a single aloo puri the whole time. By the way, we hate aloo puri right now. Don't make me aloo puris please."

It worked, Shivaay was already intrigued. "Really? You were feeling sick a lot? I was supposed to hold your hair, as you puked!" he said dolefully, and she hit him on the arm.

"Ow.. Wow. That hurt. Are you going to hit me a lot?"

"Why? You want more??"

"No, that kick you gave Veer in his crotch was enough of a visual.." he smiled and she made a mock Supergirl pose. His smile faded.