Falling in Love - A Shivika Romance ✔

6. Her First Day (i)

Annika was crying all through the journey till Oberoi Mansion. Not once had he tried to comfort or even talk to her. He looked everywhere but straight at her as if her tears would prick his heart. What bugged her the most was the fact that he wasn't even sitting beside her.

The car jerked stop. They arrived in Oberoi Mansion. Annika wiped her tears and took a look at the mansion, which was soon to be her residence.

Home? She didn't know. Home was where love is. And her said husband, Shivaay, showed no signs of care, let alone love.

The door of the car opened. She turned to find him holding out the door for her. She stepped down. With her first step, she tripped over his feet. He was quick to hold her. Her breath hitched due to the proximity. The attraction was killing her. Now that he was her husband, she had to be careful in every step.

***

They entered the mansion. It was huge, but not that big compared to her old home. She wasn't a snob to care about it though, she just wanted him to be good to her.

Kalyani arrived with a thaali for aarti and a pot filled with grains of rice. Priyanka came with a plate filled with liquid red kumkum, alta.

Kalyani applied tilak on each of Shivaay's and Annika's foreheads. She moved away. Annika came forward and tilted the pot filled with rice grains by her right foot. She stepped in alta and later walked inside the house. This ritual was symbolic to the entrance goddess Lakshmi in the home.

Then Annika dipped both of her palms in the alta and placed her finger imprints on the wall. She just left her mark on this home.

"Good, this ends the rituals" Kalyani announced.

"But Dadi, games?" Rudra asked.

"We will do them tomorrow. For now, let them rest," she replied.

Annika smiled faintly. She was tired, no exhausted. Yet, she looked forward to these games. Maybe those small things will help her fit into this family, and mingle with them easily. She wanted to know Shivaay as well. She waited for them to be in the privacy of their room where she could finally have a heart to heart talk with him.

Om and Priyanka escorted them till Shivaay's room, now theirs, and left after wishing good night.

***

Annika entered his room. It had a blue theme. She liked his room. It was theirs now. She had the right to change it, but she decided against that. She liked the blues in his room, especially the way the water from the swimming pool nearby was reflected in the huge backdrop picture. There were orchids and roses lying on the bed. The room was decorated with fresh exotic flowers.

"I like your room," she complimented.

"Our room," he corrected her, "if you don't like it, you can change the interiors."

"No," she was quick to protest, "I really loved this blue theme."

Shivaay stepped inside and sat on the couch. She sat beside him.

"Tired?" she sighed.

"Very much," he replied.

"Indian weddings are hell tiring," she commented.

"How many did you attend?" he asked since she was speaking like she knew a lot about it.

"Not many to remember. The last one I attended was of a business associate when I was twenty. And then I went to Oxford to study. I was between my friends more than family. And all my friends are still unmarried, you see," she noted.