Shivaay POV
I watched her body stiffen. Did she understand what Badima had said?
“Badima, there are things we need to discuss, but not now.” I said in a low tone, my gaze flicked to Anika standing rigidly by our family portrait.
Badima’s lip curled in mock. “You think she understands a word of our conversation? Then you are a fool, Shivaay. Rudra told me she doesn’t know Hindi. He even told she’s not that educated. I want you to beware of this immoral woman. Try to stay as far as possible.”
I felt my jaw tighten. Anika turned to look at us. Her expression was blank. Her gaze was on Shivani.
“Do not ever forget what she has done!” Badima reminded harshly.er eyes ablaze in anger. I saw Anika flinch slightly. Had I not been observing her, I would not have even seen it.
“I have not forgotten.” I replied sharply. I bent down and lifted Shivani out of Badima’s arms. “It is time for Shivani’s bedtime routine. We will leave you to rest before the party.” I looked towards Anika and spoke in English. “Come, Anika. We will need to settle Shivani before Mina comes and we go for the party.”
I saw her give a reverent smile to Badima as she was about to follow me. “It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Oberoi.”
Badima just ignored her. I felt Anika sigh defeated and somehow that irritated me.
For the second time that evening Mr. Rashid Khan ignored her gesture.
“Badima?” I prompted with a frown.
Badima made some inaudible comment under her breath and briefly looked at Anika. “Thank you for agreeing to bring my granddaughter to see me. I have not much time. She is after all my Rudra’s first child.
Anika gave a small smile. “I am so sorry for what you are suffering.”
Badima scowled and closed her eyes, effectively dismissing her. “You know nothing of my suffering. Nothing.”
I took her elbow and led her away, softly closing the room door as we exited.
“I apologise for my Badima’s rudeness.” I told her as we walked to our room. She is still grieving.”
Anika stopped suddenly “It’s all right, Shivaay. I do understand. This has been a terrible time for you all.”
I gave her a small smile. “I sometimes wonder what my Didi would have thought about you.” I mused. I could just imagine Paro di and Mallika being a team with Anika and doing all sorts of nonsense.
“Where is your di?”
I pointed to a portrait hanging on the wall a few feet away. “My Di.”
Anika took few steps forward. I watched her eyes watch with a hint of joy and awe.
“She’s very beautiful.”
“Yes…she was.” Parvati di was very beautiful. She had the most beautiful green eyes that always sparkled when she laughed and long black hair that was smooth as silk. The only Oberoi heirs that had got it in the family. Despite di being only my cousin, she had been like an elder sister to me that to Om that people at school that Parvati was Om’s cousin and my sister.
Anika’s head turned to face me. I held her gaze.
“Badima has never forgiven me for leading her to her death.”
Anika gasped but remained silent. I watched her as Shivani buried her head in my chest and her tiny hands clenched my shirt. “I was late. We had arranged to meet but I was late. I called her to tell her to fill in the time until I got there.”
“What could have been done differently if one had only known.” She said with a small sigh like even she thought about the same several times.
“She was across the street when she saw me. She waved and called out to me…a scooter hit her as she stepped out.”
“Oh, Shivaay.” She said wistfully. Her eyes full of pity. She gently placed her hand on my shoulder.
“She didn’t see the other car. Nor did I until it lifted her and tossed her like a rag doll towards me.” I turned back to the portrait and let out a ragged sigh. “If I had been just a few seconds earlier…”
“No!” She clutched my arm. “No, you mustn’t think that!”
I removed myself from her hold, securing my baby girl against me as I walked towards her nursery. “You cannot change the past, Anika. You, of all people, should know that. We all do things on the spur of the moment that we regret later.”
She was silent for sometime.
“Shivaay?”
I turned to look down at her, Shivani asleep in my arms. Her eyes looked unhappy and helpless and trapped all at once. “Anika, this is my Badima’s only hope. She may loose her only son but Om needs her. I know this is hard for you…’
“It is not hard for me.” she said with a small smile. “I owe this to my little girl. In another life, in other circumstances, your brother might have gladly accepted Lily as his own. The timing was wrong. You have taken on the role as Lily’s father. I am…her mother. It is up to us to make her life what it should be.”
“And you are happy with that for now?” I asked. Suddenly curious how motherhood seemed to change a woman completely.
She looked beyond me. “I am happy with that.” A tiny sigh escaped from her lips as she raised her eyes back to look into mine. “For now.”
She slowly walked past me and then came to a stop. “We never had a father around and our mother pined for him. Finally, she left us. I will never let that happen to my child.
A small silence swirled around them for several moments.
“Come.” I finally broke the silence. “Mina will be waiting to settle Shivani. And we need to get ready for the evening party with the Kapoors, Mehras, Raichands and the Shahs.”
I saw her stiffen. She turned to face me.
“What will I wear?” Her eyes wide in horror.
Author’s note: Sorry for disappearing for the past few days. I was stuck on how to bring the story forward. But one of my readers is a birthday girl tmr. So I would like to post this small chapter dedicated to Tara. Happy Birthday Darling. Hope you liked this chapter. Please leave your reviews. Brickbats and flowers and all. 🙂