An Aesthetic Love: A Collection Of Shivika Short Stories

07| finally married. (on track)

"Vivaah sampann hua. Aaj se aap dono pati patni hain." The priest says, and they both stand up.

"Congratulations." He says, hugging her.
"Aap bhi." She replies, with a smile.

The couple is Shivika, who just got married after a lot of struggles in their love life.

After this, and a lot of teasings from their family, they both are in their room.

"Finally." Shivaay says, making Annika giggle.
"Aap itne desperate kyu ho rahe hain?" She asks him, smiling.
He takes quick strides to the bed, and stands in front of her.

"Batane pe aa gaya na, toh tum hi bologi, 'Shivaay, aap kya kar rahe hain?  He replies with a smile.
She blushes.

"Abhi se? Abhi toh maine kuch kiya hi nahi," he says, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"Shivaay!" She says, pushing him away, "kitne cheapde hain aap!"

"Ab aaj ki raat bhi insaan cheapda na ho to kya ho?" He sits straight in front of her, "Annika, aaj hamari shaadi hui hai. Aaj toh aise sharmili mat bano tum."

She looks at him, before saying, "Acha theek hai.".

What happens next is a secret known to only Shivaay, Annika and the moon, who was witnessing the pure union of two hearts. 

The next day, Shivaay wakes up to not find Annika beside him.
"Yeh late lateef aaj itni jaldi kaise uth gayi? Woh bhi kal ke baad?" He says, and then blushes.
"Kal toh..." He smiles remembering how they spent the night.
Then he goes to get ready, and wear some clothes.
After coming out, he is setting his hair in front of the mirror.

Just at that moment, Annika enters the room.
"Good morning," she says, approaching him.
He looks at her, and pokes her shoulder, before asking, "tum Annika hi ho na?"
"Haan, matlab kya hai aapka?" She asks him with disbelief.

"Nahi I mean tum aaj itni jaldi uth gayi, aur khush bhi lag rahi ho, yeh Annika waale symptoms toh bilkul nahi hain." He says, with a weird look on his face.
Annika retaliates, "aap shayad bhool rahe hain. Subah subah sadu singh oberoi aap hote hain. Mai nahi." She says in a 'just stating facts' tone.

"Acha batao na, tum kahan thi? I never thought tum itni jaldi uth jaogi, that too after last night..." He says, with a dreamy look and a teasing smirk on his face.

She blushes, and he smiles widely as his revenge for her 'sadu singh oberoi' remark was accomplished.

"Cheapde. Woh aaj meri pehli rasoi hai toh mai kitchen me thi, khana bana rahi thi." She tells him.
"Acha- ek minute! Kya kaha tumne?" He asks her, horrified.
"Yahi, ki mai khana bana rahi thi.
Aap itna darr kyu gaye-" she is stopped as he rushes outside.
She runs after him.

There, he is being stopped by OmRu from entering the kitchen.
"Nahi bhaiya. Aaj aap kitchen me nahi ghus sakte. Aaj bhabhi ki pehli rasoi hai, unhone aapke liye kuch banaya hai-" Shivaay doesn't let Rudra complete.

"That's the whole point, Annika kitchen me thi, usne kuch banaya hai, mujhe apne kitchen ki haalat toh dekhne do!" He says desperately.
"Kuch nahi jalaya maine," Annika says, coming from his back, annoyed.
Shivaay breathes a sigh of relief.

"Ek minute. Tumne phir se paneer butter masala toh nahi banaya?" He asks, looking at her.

"Ek minute Shivaay. Tujhe paneer butter masala se kya problem hai? Tumhari pehli shaadi ke baad jab Annika bhabhi ne apni pehli rasoi par woh banaya tha, tab to tujhe itna pasand aaya tha ki tu saara kha gaya tha?" Om asks him.
Annika giggles. "Bataiye Shivaay, ab kya problem hai?"

Shivaay looks at them seriously.
"Aisa- aisa kuch nahi hai. You're just assuming things. And anyway, tumne jo banaya hai le aana, I'm at the dining table." He says, and leaves.

Annika and OmRu smile at each other, and take their dishes to the table.

"Ladies and gentlemen, presenting before you, Annika bhabhi ke haath ka khana!" OmRu say in unison, before Annika begins.
"Toh, kuch meetha banana zaroori hota hai toh uske liye toh maine kheer banayi hai." He says, and reveals it to everyone.

"Aur Billu ke liye khaas hai kuch?" Dadi asks her.
"Hai na dadi. Specially inke liye."
She takes a deep breath,

"Stewed vegetable ratatouille with baked aubergine and asparagus in pesto sauce."  She breathes out, as Shivaay looks at her with disbelief, and OmRu look at her with proud smiles.
They had helped her in learning to cook this, from a month before their marriage. And by the day of their mehendi, she had finally mastered it, and now presented it before everyone.

"Shivaay, khaiye na! Bataiye toh sahi kaisa hai," Annika tells him with a smile.

"Haan Shivaay, darr mat," Om says, giggling, and Shivaay glares at him.

Shivaay looks at his favourite dish, and picks up the fork, before closing his eyes and praying to god, "oh god, protect my taste buds."  and then finally putting it into his mouth.
He opens his eyes to see Annika standing in anticipation with one eye open.
He decides to tease her.

"Annika, maine tumhe mana kiya tha kitchen me jaane se!" He says, looking at her.

Annika and OmRu give him a look.

He continues, "par pata nahi kyu kiya tha. Annika, tumne isse banana kab seekha? This is brilliant!" He looks at her with a smile.

"Really?" Annika asks him, shocked despite herself.
"Haan Annika, I'm so surprised! This is even better than mine!"
Annika looks back at him, "thank you Shivaay."

Sometime later, in their room...

"Batao na, tumne cooking kab seekhi?"
"Kahan seekhi Shivaay! Ab mujhe sirf aapki aur meri favourite dish banani aati hai. Aur jahan tak baat iski hai, yeb mujhe OmRu ne sikhayi shaadi se pehle."

"Lekin Annika-"
"Please Shivaay. Ab aap yeh mat boliyega ki you want me as your wife, not as your cook. Mujhe pata hai ki mujhe khaana banana nahi aata iss baat se aapko koi problem nahi hai. Lekin pehli rasoi pe kuch toh banana hi tha na? Isliye maine aapki favourite dish banayi." She tells hims seriously.

"Thank you, Annika." He says, looking at her fondly.
"Aur haan, ek aur baat," he says, leaning in closer to her ear, "I love you." He says, and comes back to his position.
Annika looks at him in shock.

"Finally, huh?" She asks him, still surprised at how easily he said it now, but not when she was pestering him to.
"Finally." He says with a smile, holding her by the waist.

"Acha Shivaay," she says, holding his shoulders to stand on her feet, and now leaning into him, "I love you too." She says, smiling at him.
He smiles back, and they both hug.

Marriage is beautiful, isn't it?
Shivika say yes.