Annika.. Ya.. Paanika??? Episode 25

EPISODE 24
Hallo,everyone!Here again after a wonderful Sunday(which I spent drowsing off the whole day,ofcourse!).Here’s hoping you all had a wonderful weekend before we are off to the Monday Blues tomorrow.And Sairan,sorry for not commenting on your ff so far and I really like any story where Shivaay is remorseful and apologizing to Annika,.(Sadist..I Know)Plus, I’m very lazy sometimes …I especially liked the point from which it started .I loved Jerry’s OS too….
So without much Ado, here goes!
Recap: Jhaanvi, Annika and Akira go out to eat. Rudra-Akira’s convo,RuNika’s convo and finally “Oh My Maata!”

Om POV
“OH MY MAATA!”
These were the first words that came to my mind when I saw Rudra walking away like that. I made a mental note to think a lot of times before actually calling him a “Duffer” again, because it turns out, my kid brother was actually smart! He actually made Brooding Singh Oberoi happy and made everyone laugh as well! Happy, I retired to my haven for the night, actually, our haven! Today had even eventful, yet been over in a flash. How was that even possible? Since our bedroom faced west, I saw breath-taking views of the moon some nights. I would then get up in a flash, proceed to make something of it.After all, inspiration is our bread and butter. But today, all that flashed in my mind was ”You. Lie…their truth….Cannot judge someone…”.Shocked, I snuggled into what part of the blanket was left and tried to sleep.
Someone IS getting into my head!

Next Day Morning,
The residents of the Oberoi Mansion, all ready to have breakfast, assembled in the regal dining hall.Well,almost…Shivaay’s mood swings were unpredictable by now, everyone had got adjusted to it.Sometimes, brooding, solemn, sad and sometimes juggling all three, but food, it was always there. Shivaay’s therapy lay near the swimming pool or in the kitchen. So everyone was shocked beyond their wildest dreams when they heard individual Good Morning wishes.
“Good Morning, Daadi!”,” Good Morning Om!”, Good Morning Saumya!” ,” Good Morning Rudra!” and so on.
Rudra gave Saumya a superhero smile, what with teeth glistening, the eyebrow rising while Saumya responded with the best “Whatever!” that she could.
And finally, after so many days, the Oberoi Mansion felt itself alive and kicking while Brooding Singh Oberoi felt himself come back to life.
Om however, sensed trouble.
With hair of length as much as his.
With a black coat.

On two wheels.

And he turned around in reflex. The sight that met him lived up to the name.
Devi Toofani.
What he saw next was what surprised him the most, however.
Pinky: Akira, won’t you have breakfast? Look at the time!
Akira’s first reaction was to roll her eyes then look around to verify whether it was the same house she had left two days ago.
Giving herself an ‘All Fine!’ assurance, she continued.

“Actually, I have some things to discuss with Tej Uncle, on behalf of Jhaanvi Aunty. Uncle, if you may, could we please discuss this after breakfast?”,Akira asked in a subdued, but professional tone.
Tej took some water, drank it, and gulped yet again. He knew this was coming. She still had her sharp memory intact, he thought. What hurt him, however, was how keen she was on this. Had he been that bad? He answered his own question. Yes he had. Was now the time to turn good for once or remain the same to save this marriage?
“Akira?”, Shivaay called out. “Would you mind helping me in the kitchen while I decide what to cook for you?” “Bhukkad Singh Oberoi here”, he said pointing at Rudra, “has drained out whatever reserve deposit I had!”.

“Bhaiya? I’m offended! It’s my cheat day today! ”Rudra said in a hurt tone.
“There’s no need, Bhaiya. Really, Annika didi coaxed and cajoled a truck load of food inside me though I said I’m late!”,Akira said breaking into a full blown grin.
“Still, I insist!”, said Shivaay with an extra joyous tone at you-know-who’s mention.
And with that both the storms entered the Kitchen.
Rudra and Om looked at each other thinking the same thing.
Shivaay would never allow someone to enter the Kitchen, especially when he was just going to make food for them. He liked it to be the Obros personal haven at that time. NOT EVEN HIS MOTHER WAS ALLOWED.
Some storm was surely going to come.
“Akira, You know…”, Shivaay began.

“This is not about food. What you actually want to talk about is Tej Uncle’s and Jhaanvi Aunt’s divorce proceedings? Don’t worry Bhaiya, I’ve got this!’, she finished excitedly.
“Okay! I’m impressed. What have you planned to do?” ,Shivaay asked.
“Bhaiya, here it is.See,Jhaanvi Aunty’s pretty smart, is literate and can smell deceit from miles away.Plus,she has the bad habit of reading legal documents carefully before actually signing them.So,no loopholes there. From what I have seen, she has suffered a lot in this marriage till now and there’s no possibility of her giving vague or even uncertain answers when the legal authority asks her, which is totally important if we want the judge to throw the file out without even a hearing..”,Akira said.

‘Where here, does any word have to relate with ‘I’ve got this!’,Akira?”,Shivaay demanded.
“Bhaiya, you need to know the bare essentials and the probabilities so that you can support me better”, she gently chided.
“Go on. ”Shivaay ordered.
“Okay. The final solution is when there is the hearing itself.”,Akira observed.
“You want them to stand in court and fight legal battles like any other couple? ”Shivaay asked.
“They also got married like any other COUPLE. Bhaiya, please allow me to finish if you want to praise me better!”,Akira said.
“Now, Aunty will surely ask me to fight for her, which I will. But not the Fight sort of fight…Get it? And you, on Tej uncle’s side will place a lawyer with an excellent track record, to whom I will lose anyway. ”,Akira said with energy.
“Oh… Not Fight sort of fight…I get it.And then ,you will annul the divorce? Great going! ”Shivaay said happily.

“No, Bhaiya Annulling is not what I can do.at least. Alone. I’ll lose Jhaanvi Aunty’s trust. That’s the last thing I want to do, ever. I will just ensure that the judge pronounces a judgement for them to live atleast,one year together, in the same roof. But before all this, I want to know few more things. Is this what Om,Rudra ,Prinku would want? Would Jhaanvi aunty be happy once she’s here? And most important of all, please ensure that Tej Uncle doesn’t become that I-Am-Sacrificing-My-Love-for-her-Happiness type like you did in Didi’s marriage!”,Akira concluded.
‘The first two are really personal questions, which I wouldn’t bother to answering to any person but since you are family, I’m not sure. But I think what I’m doing is right. And the third, you knew what I going to do there? ”Shivaay Said.

“Yes I did, I wanted you to go ahead. I would support Didi anyway, but I was really touched by the way you walked out. I understood that you really love Didi and are truly sorry for what you did. Though I don’t know what you actually did…And second, what did you think of me, Bhaiya. I’m this very observant, very talented, very emotional, very level-headed…..”,Akira continued.
“Very own Oxford Dictionary version of Annika. You and your sister never get tired of praising yourselves, do you?”, he said warmly.
“Actually I wanted to say Very Annika Didi, but this too is fine…And you know what, praising yourself in front of family is called self-apraisal,not bragging, Bhaiya!…And after all, why shouldn’t I praise myself? I’m after all The Shri Shri Shivaay Singh Oberoi ji’s,Sister-in-law!”,she announced grandly.
“Wait….Which way do you actually mean by Sister-In-Law?”, his eyes twinkled mischievously.

“Whatever way, how does it matter, Bhaiya? After all ,I’m family!”, she said with equal mischief glistening.
“But,Bhaiya you’ll surely know when it happens!”, she said.
“Okay! My sister-in-Law. Now should we take your food out, so that you can eat or do you want your own Baba coming here, enquiring after you? ”Shivaay said.
“Bhaiya!”,Akira said, shocked.
“Oh come one,Akira…Teasing is normal. After all,we are family!”
And the two ‘Family Members’ walked out, one armed with a tray, another with a smile, to face the abominable family in the regal dining hall.
History,sometimes,repeated itself!