Annika.. Ya.. Paanika??? Episode 24

EPISODE 24

Sairan,this precap is especially because of you, your enthusiasm and energy filled comments. Forgive me for being such an absent minded person. And to all of you out there, here’s wishing a great Saturday!All of this is Akira’s POV unless mentioned. Please point out the mistakes, if any. It will help me to write better.
Recap: Mallika and Siddharth entry into the mandap.Sid and Nishaad reveal their family truths while Akira,Annika and Mallika listen.Sid and Mallika convince Nishaad to come home with them to which he agrees.Annika wishes him all the best.
“Are you guys not hungry?”

We stared at Didi like new born babies stare at shiny objects.
I read somewhere that when a truth is too shocking to be faced ,like a close one’s death, the mind begins to react in an absurd way, not in league with the normally accepted reactions. I was worried.
Akira: Didi,are you alright?
Jhaanvi: today must’ve been too much for you. Come beta, you need to take rest.
Didi, to our astonishment smiled a bit and said,

Annika: I know you both think my marriage get stopped at the nick of time has affected me a lot and perhaps, that’s why I’m behaving weirdly, but let me tell you ,it’s not that. My only sadness is that, never once has my marriage happened in a normal way. Is it asking for too much to have something simple and intimate for the most precious moment of your life? So finally, I’ve given up. Believe me, my only concern now is to go to the restaurant tomorrow and resume work as soon as possible.
It was harder to say who smiled more in relief, Jhaanvi Aunty or me.
Annika: So, Badi maa, Akira….??Aren’t the both of you hungry?

OBEROI MANSION
“What must be happening there now?”
Om POV:
Rudra and I exchanged glances at each other and rolled our eyes for the 60th time, maybe. In the last few hours or so, Shivaay repeated the same sentence like a trained parrot, always with the same intonation, tone and even walking in the same place! It has been so much that we have both lost count. Both of us first consoled him and then when it became too much, we sat down and listened to his ramblings in silence. Only, now I realised how much of a pest I had been few months ago.

“Maybe they would’ve cleared all their misunderstandings and got married?”, he said with a sad, nervous face.
“Or Maybe, Mallika would’ve told them about the understanding she saw in us as a couple and he would have stopped the marriage?”, This one with a hopeful face.
“Or Maybe, Sid, that nerve of a guy, would’ve persuaded his brother to marry Annika just to avenge me.And Annika, wouldn’t say no, no? She’s an idiot, absolutely an idiot!”,this one with an irritated face.
“Or Maybe Annika would’ve told him to go back to his family because they’ll take better care of the baby? She’s very sensible, you know?”
“Or Maybe…”

This is it.This was the last straw.
“Or Maybe, Annika would’ve died of laughter listening to all your stupid explanations and conclusions!”, I said.
Rudra nodded,”Om isn’t as clever as me Bhaiya, but I agree with him today!”
Shivaay put on a hurt face. We went into apology mode.
“Sorry,Shivaay!But you should realise now, that we are hungry and so are you. Come, let’s have food.”, I said.
Shivaay spoke, maintaining the hurt face, “People don’t lie of laughter,Om.”
And for the first time in world history, it was Rudra and I who face palmed….!

AT THE DINING TABLE:
Rudra POV:
O and I wolf down the food hardly noticing Bhaiya for a couple of minutes, but when we do notice him, he munches down the food thoughtfully, as if absorbing its ingredients and calorie count in detail. Sumo could run all over the canteen hall, with her huffing and puffing in the time Bhaiya ate 3 morsels of food. The thought of Sumo, somehow lightened my frustration. I swear if Bhai starts that maybe chant again, I will throw whatever dumbbell I find scattered in my room, thankfully I didn’t have to do it.Only a talk with Annika didi could make him eat better who was now, giving him the silent treatment. I signed O to do something, but my dumb brother didn’t understand.
Rudra whispered in Om’s ear, “Now you see,Om. Agent Rudy’s ,”MISSION Bro-DIDI bhateeji starts now!””

Om whispered back with the same intensity, “Do you mean “Baatcheet”?,Rudra”
Rudra: It’s the same! Focus now!
Rudra dialled a number, which Om looked on in increasing horror.
“Why are you calling HER now?”, Om said, pulling the best scowl possible.
“Why, Om? Why the ‘fark’are you affected? ”Rudra smiled an impish grin.
Presently, Devi Toofani took the phone.
“Listen, holler later! I’m eating out with mom. I mean Badi Maa and Didi, Bye!” she said hurriedly.
“Didi”, Rudra managed in between.
“Oh,Rudy”,Om noted with suspicion how joyous the tone suddenly changed to.
“Why are you calling in Baba’s Phone? I almost thought he was going to speak an earful to me!”,Akira said.
“No Didi, You know, this Om has such a fearful reputation that whenever he introduces me as his brother, girls walk three to four steps away from me.You know how many potential dates he has robbed me of? ”Rudra said sorrowfully.
‘I understand. I really feel sorry for you!”, Akira said in complete empathy.
Om looked at Rudra like he’d be ready to kill him that instant.
“And you said you are out, Didi? ”Rudra asked.

“Yes,Rudra!We are going to eat something at a store here, enjoying the cool breeze ,in the wood benches here.I feel so peaceful”,Akira said dreamily.
Om listened dreamily to this description.
“ I feel so painful”, Said Rudra sorrowfully.
“Why?”, Akira asked.
“Is Annika didi alright, didi? ”Rudra asked.
“You know what, Rudra? I thought didi will be upset but she was not.Infact, she suggested we go out and took us here.It doesn’t matter to didi at all…I am so happy, finally”,Akira said.
Rudra and Om felt someone’s heavy breathing over them. Apparently, Annika’s name had brought SSO from his maybe-zone.
Shivaay was listening to their conversation with a concentration that was hard to match, with his brows knit together and his kanji eyes.

“But Didi,eating out is unhygienic,na?”Rudra asked.
“Arrey Kya Rudra, even you think so? Firstly, it was too hard to bring Badi Maa and Chutki here and now you just took the bull to water. What unhygienic? You know, I used to buy Saahil samosas from a shop nearby. It was very small. And what was the guy’s name?ah..Ramu Kaaka.He used to make each samosa with utmost care and took a lot of time.Everyone was impatient but the end result was worth it.One day when we went to the Beach,Saahil wanted to eat samosa from a hi-fi cafe nearby.He ate it and…..”,Annika paused for effect.
“And..?”,the three brothers said I unison.

“And the next day, he got food poisoning. I gave him jeera water continuously and somehow Saahil got better. So what did you understand from this?”, Annika asked like a proud teacher.
“That you have no hospitals in your area! ”Rudra answered confidently.
“Arre…Its not that. What matters is the emotions of the person who makes food not the size or value of the plate in which he/she makes it!”,Annika said.
“Oh…I get it now,Saahil got food poisoning because he ate from a plate in that café! ”Rudra proclaimed.
Shivaay who was till now holding back his laughter, could hold it no longer and he laughed his heart out.
Annika got Goosebumps and involuntarily a smile lit across her face. She controlled herself and said,”Chalo,Rudra,Om ,Bye!We have to eat this and go home too. If you want to speak to Badi maa,We’ll call you after we get back home!”
“Didi,Will Akira not come home today?”,Om asked.

“Oh..?”Annika said.
“Oooooooooooooohhhhhhhh!”,Rudy said.
“Shut up both of you!”,OmIra said on either sides.
Shivaay went back to his place ,ate his food real quick and said,”OmRu,you guys come soon.I’m going to sleep.Beautiful day tomorrow!”
Rudra and Om exchanged surprised glances.
“Rudra,mere bhai,you stay this way.This way,we’ll see Shivaay laughing all the time!”,Om said earnestly,patting Rudra on the back.
“Yes,O…Only Rudy can be dumb and sometimes act dumb to make his brothers smile!”, Rudy smiled and walked off.

Om brought both his palms together and kept them over his mouth in shock.Then he said the three magical words.
“OH MY MAATA!”