Follow my new story "Until Perfect lasts"

Annika was nervous to the point of forgetting entering into the lift even after the door opened with a 'ding' noise and Vihaan tugged at the hand he was holding.

"Mumma!" he called.

Annika broke out of her thought and ushered Vihaan inside the lift. She pressed Shivay's floor and counted her breathe as the time she was deliberating since a week was finally here yet she hasn't prepared herself enough.

Annika saw a renewed Shivay ever since he dropped at her doorstep after his trip and proposed her. He was happier, hopeful and surprisingly impatient, at least when it comes to them. Two days after the day everything changed between them for good, Shivay told Annika over a casual phone call that he was telling his parents about them that night.

"Let us not delay marriage." He had said.

Annika was pleased, genuinely. Nevertheless she was also anxious. From what she knew about his parents, especially mother, Shivay was going to have a tough time. He refused to tell her what his parents' reaction to the news was.

"It is something I should take care of and I will." He said. "No one will be hurt. Trust me. You will hear more when all angry spats are done with and good bits start."

Annika gave him time and space he wanted. After all, they were his parents. Almost ten days after he told his parents and keeping her in dark about everything that happened afterwards, Shivay informed Annika that any day, anywhere the wedding can happen and his family's presence is guaranteed. Annika didn't believe him. Even her optimism didn't allow her to imagine that Shivay's mother would have agreed let alone his whole family. She was pleasantly surprised when the same afternoon she received a call from Shivay's sister, who sounded nothing but happy for her brother's new found love.

"Mumma's involvement will be...emm...sparse. But, don't worry, she loves him. She will come around."

Annika surely will not hold against his family if they want to be protective about him. She was ready to face all the scrutiny that is going to come his way. She has developed a tough skin against it long ago. Now, at least she won't be alone in anything. She will always have Shivay to watch her back.

After things with Shivay's family settled, came the toughest part. How do they reveal such heavy things to a six year old without confusing him or worse... scaring him?

"He is a brilliant boy. He will understand. Don't worry." Shivay has said. But, how can Annika not worry? She is a mother after all.

The pressure of imagining all possible outcomes from Shivay's side of the family kept her occupied all these days giving her time to blissfully ignore confronting her own family, her son. Now, that he was the only person left to give his accent for the biggest journey Shivay and Annika were willing to take up together, Annika was mildly panicking.

"I don't know how to tell him. Will he think I was selfish to choose a life for myself?"

"Annika, stop over thinking all this. He is just a kid. He wouldn't know to twist truth like some grownups do. He will see it for what it is, that we love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together."

"But, it is going to change his life as much as ours."

"Yes, and I promise that this change will be for good. Let us make him understand it. Let us make him experience it. He will come to love the life the three of us will build together."

Shivay was more optimistic about all this than Annika had ever thought he was capable of. It was as if one crack in the high wall he built around him allowed gallons of virtues his previous self harboured to swim around. More than once Annika was awed by the calmness of this new Shivay and each time found herself fall in love with him little more.

As Vihaan sat on top of Shivay's dining table gulping down a huge glass of nutella shake that Shivay had specially prepared for him, Annika stood in a far corner rehearsing her speech she was going to say to Vihaan.

Shivay chuckled seeing her anxious. He made his way towards her and took her hands in his.

"If you are going to be this nervous, he is not going to understand a single word out of your mouth."

"It is not as simple as you think." Annika said offended at his nonchalant behaviour.

"Is it not?" Shivay's lips twitched. "Let me handle it then. I want to see if it as simple as I assume it to be or not."

Annika knotted her eyebrows. "You can't be really...."

Shivay nodded, a calm smile evident on his lips.

Vihaan concentrated a little more than he would on a regular math class, because that is what his Shivay uncle demanded of him.

"If you have any doubts, you can ask me." Shivay had said. Vihaan wondered if he was allowed to take notes.

"Your mother and I have decided to get married. Do you know what a marriage is Vihaan?" Shivay asked

Vihaan shrugged. Did he know? Should he know?

"Okay." Shivay folded his hands in front of him. "We will sign some papers after which we will become husband and wife. Then we will all live together all our lives. Forever."

Annika looked at Shivay amused. Not only was she impressed with the way and tone Shivay used to get the point across to Vihaan, she was also surprised to hear Shivay use marriage and forever in the same sentence. Few days ago, it would have seemed like a far cry. Now it was a reality. Shivay. Annika. Love. Marriage. Togetherness. Forever. Everything was happening.

Vihaan made a thoughtful face. He knew husband and wife. His friend Sharman said his mom and dad are husband and wife. So, does that mean Shivay and Annika are also going to be mom and dad? But, Annika is already his mom.

"You can ask me any doubts, Vihaan." Shivay said noticing the boy in deep thoughts.

"Will you also be mom and dad?"

Shivay looked at Annika taken aback. It was the topic they were willing to touch last or any other day. Both realized it was going to be a sensitive subject. So, they were planning to take one step at a time. "Let him first grasp the idea of us together first Annika. We don't have to dump him with everything in a day."

Annika arched her one eyebrow at Shivay challenging to call this task 'simple' again. Between the two, she has been a parent the longest and naturally she knows how her son's brain works.

"I am your mom." Annika said in a matter-of fact voice. "Nothing will ever change that."

Vihaan looked at his mother for a minute, before he jumped from his place and ran towards her. Annika immediately took him in her lap and hugged him.

"Is he crying?" Shivay mouthed for which Annika nodded a no still cajoling Vihaan in her arms.

Shivay sat wordlessly unsure what to do. He wondered if he had worsened the situation. May be he should have let Annika handle it. She was the mother. Shivay thought he shouldn't have been presumptuous in trying to play the parent. If dealing with his parents was his sole duty, then Vihaan should have been Annika's. But, Shivay couldn't even bring himself to think that Vihaan was not his responsibility. He loved the little boy as much as Annika if not more. So, he couldn't just leave Annika handle him alone. Shivay couldn't be absent on a day where Vihaan was going to learn that Shivay's presence in his life will be a constant. Moreover, Shivay's reason to make Annika stay away from any news of his confrontation with his parents was to save her the stress and pain that would have naturally been bought upon her. With Vihaan, things were different.

Shivay was about to move out of the room giving more space to Annika and Vihaan when he heard Vihaan's voice come out as mere whisper.

"Are you going to be my dad?" he asked. Annika was right. He wasn't crying, but his eyes were watery with tears just in the waiting. Even his voice cracked when he spoke.

"If you want me to be. But I will always be your friend first. A friend who will play with you, guide you, teach you and be with you always."

Vihaan looked at Annika as if asking her to confirm it. When she nodded with a smile, Vihaan sniffed and looked back at Shivay more determinately.

"Will we live together here?" he asked

"Maybe not here."Shivay said as his eyes flicked to Annika's for a moment. He didn't want to open the news first like this, but what's with life being unplanned and all. "We can buy a new house. In a better place. Maybe near your school where you can have more friends and all."

Vihaan placed his head on Annika's chest. All three sat in silence. Annika had questions for Shivay, but she knew it should wait. Vihaan needed her more.

After much persuasion, Annika convinced Vihaan to take his afternoon nap in Shivay's room. The little boy was wary to let her away from him, so she ended up sitting with him till he fell asleep.

When Annika joined Shivay in the living room couch, he greeted her with a sigh and handed her a cup of Vihaan's left over nutella shake while he already had a cup of hot coffee in his hand.

"Did it go well?" Shivay asked unsure.

"I guess it did." Annika shrugged.

No one can crack the code of parenting. Neither a parent nor a third person. Now all they can do is to wait and see how Vihaan reacts after he wakes up.

"Do you want me to ask or will you volunteer answer?" Annika asked

"About the house?"

Annika nodded. Shivay stretched his leg on the table in front of them and took Annika's hand in his.

"I wanted to discuss it with you." He said sipping coffee. "A fresh start also needs a fresh surrounding, don't you think?" he asked. Annika didn't answer, so he continued. "This place has good memories of us, of course. But also memories of my frustration and helplessness and anxiety. I don't want to start my new life from here." He said. Shivay turned to look at her. "Of course, I have not started to look for any new place. I don't know if we are going to buy one or rent one. Then there is this flat which I am not sure if I should sell or lease. " Shivay shook his head. "There are lot of things to consider. But, all I know is that I don't want to live here anymore. We can discuss and decide the rest, can't we?" he looked at her.

A small smile playing on Annika's lips. Did she miss having someone with her to discuss something as mundane as brand of coffee to buy to something as significant as shifting house? Well, she doesn't have to miss anything anymore. She is going to be spending rest of her life with this man discussing, arguing, pacifying and loving each other.

Annika moved closer to Shivay and placed her head on his shoulder half hugging his arms. "We can." She replied.

Later that evening, pizza plan had to be cancelled as Vihaan woke up cranky after his nap. Annika left with Vihaan in the auto refusing Shivay's offer to drop them.

"Don't stress yourself. He will be fine." Annika told a worried Shivay who looked at Vihaan every two minutes with desperation. However, Annika herself was not sure what was running in her son's mind.

Annika deliberately avoided any talks about what happened in the afternoon and engaged Vihaan with talks about latest updates on his favourite cartoons. In between talking about a cartoon character that has bad hairstyle and boiling water to make Maggie, Vihaan asked Annika, "Will our new house have a park?"

It took Annika a moment to process what Vihaan had just asked. He said 'our house', didn't he?

"Park?" Annika cleared her throat. "Sure. Maybe you should tell Shivay about all that you want in our new house."

Vihaan nodded but didn't say anything after that. When Annika was getting him ready for bed, he asked if he could call Shivay and tell him that he wants a park, an ice cream parlour and a pizza place near the house.

When Annika handed him the phone, Vihaan with ease found Shivay's number. Before dialling the number, Vihaan looked up at his mother. "Should I call him dad?" he asked

"You can if you want to. No one will compel. " Annika said.

As Vihaan made the call, Annika stood beside him with a smug smile wondering how Shivay will react to hearing our home from Vihaan. If Shivay's enthusiastic 'Of course' was any hint, then he must be jubilant.

Annika also noticed that though Vihaan hadn't called Shivay Dad, he didn't call him uncle either. He just didn't address anything. Annika could only see it as a small step forward.

When Annika called Shivay later in night after Vihaan had slept, Shivay was quick to point out the same.

"Now, I feel as if a weight is lifted off my chest." Annika said.

"Yes, I can't believe what I didn't even dare to imagine in my wildest dream after everything that happened in my life is my reality now."

"Ditto."

"Annika." Shivay called. "I love you. Thanks for coming into my life."

He could hear Annika's soft chuckle as she said. "Ditto."

***

Follow my new story "Until Perfect lasts"

So, bonus chapter is done as well.

How do you feel about little Vihaan's reaction? One step at a time, right?

What will epilogue have?

Shivay's mother

Shivay Vihaan equation

Shivay Annika marriage life

Shivay Annika careers

Will Shivay Annika become parents again?

Stay tuned

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