An Aesthetic Love: A Collection Of Shivika Short Stories

25| always you.

"man, I'm so excited," Shivaay says to himself, getting into his car to go home after a tiring day, even though the tiredness is not visible on his face -
"I'm so sure she has planned something special for tomorrow. And I can't wait to see what its gonna be, I love her so much," he says, looking at the woman on his phone's wallpaper before keeping it aside to start driving.

Anyone who sees Shivaay Singh Oberoi today will not believe his eyes.
He's nearly 35, and the best businessman of the country, but today he's acting like he's never done before- not even in his childhood.

Its his birthday tomorrow, and he's excited like a little child who knows he'll be receiving lots of gifts.
As a matter of fact, he has suprised himself with this behaviour, considering he's never got the chance to be excited about his birthday in these 35 years of his life, or until the enigma named Annika entered his life.

She filled his life with colours, broke down the walls that held the staunch businessman Shivaay Singh Oberoi together, and became that person in his life in front of whom he doesn't have to be the Great Wall, the protector, the "mai sab theek kar dunga." She is the one he can share all his problems with, all his happiness with, he can smile with her, he can cry with her, he gets back his lost childhood when he's with her.

That's what makes him love her the most.

So, indulged in her thoughts, he reaches home with a wide, excited smile on his face, immediately running to his room, ignoring the family having dinner.

The all-excited smile on his face dies down as he enters the room to find it empty, and he realises his lovely wife isn't home from work yet.
She has been working on a career-defining event management project, and he doesn't even whine or demand her attention because being a businessman himself, he knows how important such things can be.

But its his birthday tomorrow, and this is the time that he wants to spend with her no matter what - all 24 hours of the day solely meant for him, he wants to be with the woman who rules his heart.

So, with a sad face, he goes back down to have dinner with his family.

He just got back together with her after being separated for so long, and even now, he isn't getting to spend time with her.

He cannot even bring himself to think of those dreadful three months again, it pains so much to think there was ever a time where the both of them weren't together and apparently hated each other's presence.

As he thinks of these thoughts, finishing his dinner alongside and getting up after wishing his family a goodnight, the smile comes back to his face.

He's sensed her arrival.

"Annika," he breathes out, turning around with a smile, for it to be turned into a frown again as he looked at her condition - messed up hair, tiredness clearly visible on her pretty face, and droopy eyes.

He runs to her.

"Tum theek ho?" He asks her, holding her by her shoulders.
She rests her head on his shoulder. He starts caressing her hair.

"Mai bahut zyada thak gayi hoon, Shivaay," she says, and Shivaay wastes no time in picking her up in his arms and carrying her to their room.

'their' room means his room here - ofcourse since their reunion after being separated they are still living in different rooms as ordered by their family, before they get married again.

He takes her to the room and lays her on the bed, still stroking her face with his hands, to realise she's probably fallen asleep as he brought her here. She must be really, really tired for her to be reacting this way.