An Aesthetic Love: A Collection Of Shivika Short Stories

20| everything will be alright.

Shivaay Singh Oberoi was content. Content with his life. He had everything a person needs in life - he was a huge businessman, almost the biggest of the world, had a beautiful, amazing wife who loved him to death - quite literally so, Annika, and also had a "cute" - as much as he hated that adjective - and lovely daughter, Shivika.

This is how happy and full of love his life was - until that one incident, he hates to recall and will do so for the rest of his life - the pain was so much, he is going to feel it again just by the thought of that incident.

It was a fine evening, where Shivaay, Annika and his two brothers Omkara and Rudra were playing in Oberoi Mansion's backyard along with 4-year old Shivika.

He was having fun with his daughter - he makes sure to spend some time with her everyday - before witnessing a sight that had him frozen where he stood, expressionless, with shock being the only emotion on his face.

He cannot believe what he just witnessed - he watched Shivika feel dizzy and fall unconscious right in front of his eyes - while she was doing nothing but playing.

Shock was just an understatement - he just felt history repeat itself, from around 30 years ago. The only difference was, that time the four-year old was he himself, this time it was his daughter.

Out of Shivaay's thoughts.... His family has gathered around Shivika by now, everyone completely shook by the development, when Annika comes to him.

"Shivaay aap yahan khade kya kar rahe hain! Dekhiye na Shivika ko kya hua hai, abhi toh bilkul theek thi."

"Shivaay!" She screams when he ignores her earlier call.
He comes out of his thoughts, looking at her.

"K-kya hua?"
"KYA HUA? Shivaay aap kya hua pooch rahe hain? Doctor ko phone kijiye, Shivika ko pata nahi kya hua hai!"

"Haan...haan." He says, taking out his phone and fiddling with it.

By time doctor arrives, Shivika is still unconscious, now laying on Shivaay and Annika's bed.

The doctor does a few things, and gets up. Annika approaches him.

"D-doctor? Kya hua? Sab theek hai na? Shivika theek hai?"

The doctor sighs, "Aapko thoda intezaar karna hoga. Kal subah tak reports aa jayengi, hum tabhi bata sakte hain ki kya hua hai. Excuse me." Saying this, he leaves.

Annika sits beside Shivika, and caresses her face.

"Kuch nahi hua hai isse. Jab tak doctor reports layenge tab tak toh yeh theek bhi ho jayegi. Meri beti ko kuch nahi ho sakta." She says emotionally.

Sometime later, Shivaay and Annika are sitting beside Shivika, when Rudra comes in.

"Bhaiya bhabhi, khaana lag gaya hai." He says, looking at Annika.
She nods at him, and he leaves.
She now sits beside Shivaay.

"Shivaay. Jab se Shivika behosh hui hai, aap kahin khoye hue hain. Mujhe pata hai aapke liye Shivika ko iss halat me dekhna aasan nahi hai, par main-" he holds her hands, pausing her.

"Annika," he says, looking straight at her, "Jab Shivika behosh hui, mujhe bhi tum sabki tarah shock laga. Par shayad tumhe nahi pata ki mere shock ki intensity tum sabke shock se zyada thi. Mere liye yeh meri zindagi ka sabse khatarnak moment tha."

"Maine Shivika ko apni aankhon ke saamne behosh hote dekha. Aur yeh incident pehle bhi hua hai...."

Annika looks at him in shock, fearing that she missed something.