Annika.. Ya.. Paanika??? Episode 23

This Episode is long delayed but well, better late than never….Thank you so much for being with me in this incredible journey, showering your love, support all the way..!!!In this journey I’ve met a lot of people who are solely responsible for the 23 episodes….I never knew I had it in me,tbh,I still don’t … One of those persons is Awestruck, who is joining the league of ff writers today…All the best to her and her ff-I Don’t Believe In Love..Starting today….Hope you all like this one ..

EPISODE 23
“THIS MARRIAGE CANNOT HAPPEN”
Akira POV:
Oh well,nice!We fight, prepare day and night to finish all the preparations in three days and these people, come at the last and simple try to annul the marriage. My mind wandered to how much money this country loses all in these last minute annulments. My guess ,is ,well, a 50 crores atleast.I forced myself to stop these channel of thoughts when I saw a hand pointing towards me.
“What?”, I asked.
The Woman turned to face me.
Maybe I should have invited her for my sister’s marriage too, but that was no excuse for trying to annul her marriage.
MALLIKA SIDDHARTH RANA?
The last of all who could possibly want to annul this marriage.
What was this woman doing here?
I saw a man beside her, who unmistakably was,
SIDDHARTH VIKRAM RANA?
What in the world were these people doing here?
Annika: Akira?
Akira: Yes Didi?
Annika: How do you know Mallika?
Akira: Mallika and Mr.Rana are my Clients,Didi..

While we were talking, the two men were talking in voices that redefined loudness.
Siddharth: Bhaiya, come home. It has been 2 years at least. And now, you are getting married? Without even telling us? Don’t mom, dad or me deserve to know? Even I wouldn’t have known if hadn’t Akira sent us this picture. Isn’t it time to let bygones be bygones?
And all the people in the room, instead of listening to the brothers’ heartfelt conversation moved their eyes, ever so quickly to gaze at me.
The scene could be best described as how artists look at Mona Lisa’s painting suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
Only, I didn’t react like Mona Lisa.
I blinked back like an owl ready to hoot in the darkness of the night.
My erstwhile jiju and Sid Rana are brothers?
This was what you call Irony.
Nishaad: Akira sent you, this selfie? You?
And my jiju’s eyes joined the list of already-numerous-strangling –strangers –association.
My brain searched all over for an explanation, but there came none.
Without a verbal reply, I took my phone, the cause of all this madness.
Indeed there was a message sent to Mallika. But how?
I checked my contacts list and there it was!

Amazing how much your face changes when you have a logical, possible explanation. I prepared myself, like a politician does to speak to an already excited crowd.
Akira: Sorry, jiju. Actually, I wanted to send my picture to Mita, my friend, who couldn’t come here. In my contacts list,”M” starts with her name. When I stored Mallika’s name a few days ago, her name came before Mita’s name and I mistakenly sent it to her.That’s how she got the message.
I expected an applause at the end of my perfect explanation but got none.
Intrigued and Irritated, I asked Sid Rana,the million dollar question;
Akira: Are you brothers?
I swear everyone in the hall looked at me as if I was a new specimen altogether. Question’s dumb, I know, but that was the starter for the answers.
Siddharth: Yes, we are. Bhaiya and I are the Rana heirs, sons of VIKRAM RANA.
Akira: Then why is Jiju, I mean, Mr.Rana here?
Siddharth: All was well when we were growing up. After we graduated, Bhaiya understood that he didn’t want to be in the shelter of the family business and want to make his identity for himself. So he told dad that he was going to take a loan and establish something of his own.
Oh, Typical father-son-disagreement, mother-caught-in-between cliché!
Nishaad: This did not go down well with dad, who initially tried persuading, then threatening. Ultimately, the deal was that if I wanted to establish something separately, I had to give up the Rana,name and the privileges that came along with it. Which I did.
I finished the rest of the clichéd Bollywood flick in my mind. But, it was not to be.
Nishaad: Initially, I had great plans and worked really hard. I even enjoyed my independence and freedom immensely. Mom and Sid tried persuading me to come back home various times, but I assured them with my self-confidence. But…
Why was there a but?
Nishaad: But, I made a few mistakes and lost a major chunk of my money and was hopelessly lost. Then along came my wife.
I chuckled as I saw Mr.Rana’s eyes go to La La Land.
I tried finishing the story again in my mind. This time, with better results.
Nishaad: She gave me confidence and I saw my business restablished,bit by bit. We were, to say the least, pulled towards each other in those hard times. I realised that people who supported you in your stormy weather were the ones who always deserved to be there. I proposed, she agreed, we got married. Mom and Sid wanted to meet me, I forbid them,because,one;my wife wanted to get introduced in a proper way ,two, because I wanted to be successful before calling them here.
Almost in reflex, Shivaay Singh Oberoi and my sister’s eyes met .I really am good at observing things, I patted myself verbally.
Nishaad: But..
Mr.Rana gathered his thoughts for some time before venturing any further.

In in the midst of all this drama, there was great hush hush among the Oberois. I knew what the well-meaning Daadi was doing. Jhaanvi Aunty and Daadi asked all the guests to leave respectfully, telling them with all subtlety that the party was over.
Shivaay jiju just happened to move forward at a crazy speed and he askedMr.Rana.
Shivaay: But your Dad gave a statement in all press conferences that you were abroad serving business interests there.
Siddharth: My dear erstwhile rival, that is obviously a lie.
To my great surprise, Mallika winced at the remark.
What was it going on here?
Then I saw, the eldest OBro being literally dragged away by his family. After eternity, the elder Rana continued,
Nishaad: But when she got pregnant, we couldn’t afford the best treatment possible. We thought a normal delivery would be fine but then she was always confused about everything, forgetting things. And finally, when I took her to the hospital when she was in labour, she died while giving birth.
Jhaanvi: Oh God! She must have had eclampsia. My doctor warned me about this when I was carrying Om.
Nishaad: I lost all my confidence and my interest in business. Enough of dreams now, I told myself. I had to earn, for this baby. I got employed in a store her and Annika knows the rest.
The other Rana,was flooded with as much questions as I was.
Sid: But bhaiya, this is not your first marriage? And there’s a baby too? How can you not tell us this? Where is it?
As if in reply, wails were heard in the nearby room. The guy maybe all of three months, but is incredibly smart! He knows when he is absolutely WANTED!
Jhaanvi aunty brought the baby to the audience and Mallika was the one who held it in adoration.
Mallika; He’s beautiful. Oh Annika! I now know why you agreed to this marriage. And I thought that you and Shivaay would be the ones getting married.
The proud father smiled radiantly and I did too, understanding that I would be part of two family story recitals today.
Nishaad: How do you know Annika,…Ahm??
Mallika:Mallika…Mallika is my name. I’m your brother’s wife. That means I’m your jethaniji…
Annika: Arey..Mallika…Its Devraniji? You call the elder one jethaniji….
These guys knew each other? No, they were thick as thieves!
Mallika: Annika and I met during Shivaay’s ah….marriage. Annika was his wedding planner.Actually,I ran away from my marriage with Sid at that time since I felt I wasn’t equal to him and neither would I get that right after marriage. I ran to Shivaay’s House and…
By the time Mallika finished her story, I didn’t know whether to laugh or laugh harder? She was Shivaay Bhaiya’s ex? She and Didi bonded so well? She told Didi and Shivaay that they had a very good understanding before they knew it themselves? The pieces of the puzzles fitted perfectly.Shivika’s love story flashed in front of me. Om was right, I had no right to interfere hereon in something that was entirely theirs.

Everyone’s mood lightened.Sid Rana asked the first practical question.
Siddharth: That still doesn’t justify your marriage with Annika,Bhaiya.If you are unable to handle the baby alone, come home along with us. This is not me, this is mom and dad who want you to return home, all your conditions accepted.
Nishaad: No, that’s not it.
And he related the story till the present day.
Mallika: Shivaay is one unlucky guy.And Bhaiya, if you can please come back home with us, along with the baby. Trust me, there are lots of cases in which Diagnosis for cancer has been wrong. We should consult with the rana’s medical team before dropping to conclusions. From this moment, the baby is our responsibility.
I understood why Didi and Mallika were such good friends perfectly, now.
Sid rana looked at his wife with pride.
It was a very happy moment when Nishaad Rana agreed to go back home and before doing that he talked to didi.
Nishaad: Annika, Thankyou.Thank you for being there when I needed you the most. Thank you for being a true friend to me.You know, you are an angel, whosoever’s life you enter into, you bring loads of happiness there. Thank you for all that you have done for me, Annika.
Didi, smiled in reply.
Annika: Nishaad ke bachche,you never once told me the entire truth did you? And now, after going back if you forget me, I’m going to come there and kill you!Go,Nishaad,Live your life!!
The last sentence made everyone chuckle ,since it was pure DDLJ style.
After they left,Didi just flopped down.
Of course, I thought, How could I be so foolish? My sister,who didn’t show her true feelings was the most affected here.
Didi, Are you alright?
Jhaanvi aunty too, sat near Annika….
Didi looked at us both and innocently asked…
“Are you guys not hungry?”