27. First Photo Together
"Congratulations, bhaiya and bhabhi…" Shivika said softly, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around both Satyam and Jhanvi in a side hug.
The haldi ceremony had just ended, leaving behind a golden glow on their skin. As they stood up, Shivika's eyes sparkled with happiness.
"Thank you for coming… with sir," Jhanvi said warmly.
Shivika smiled and her gaze instinctively found Rakshit. He was already looking at her, a soft smile on his lips as he clicked pictures of the three of them, capturing her happiness like it meant everything to him.
"Aksh… come na," Shivika called, extending her hand.
He walked over without hesitation, slipping his hand into hers. Soon, the four of them stood together as the photographer captured a beautiful moment.
After a while, Satyam and Jhanvi went to freshen up, while Rakshit and Shivika stayed back with the guests and kids.
When Shivika returned, Rakshit immediately noticed her.
"Come here… sit," he said gently, guiding her to a chair. "You've been standing for a long time."
He made her sit, brought a bottle of water, and held it to her lips.
"Drink."
She obeyed quietly, her eyes fixed on him.
After she finished, he took the bottle and pulled out his handkerchief. Leaning closer, he gently wiped her face.
"Your face… and even your hair… got haldi," he murmured.
"But I enjoyed too…" Shivika said with a small smile.
"Of course, you did," he replied, shaking his head softly.
He hadn't stopped her from enjoying, not with Rahul, not with anyone, because her happiness mattered more than anything to him.
"Aksh… bhook lagi hai…" Shivika whispered.
(Aksh… I'm feeling hungry…)
Rakshit followed her gaze and noticed a little boy struggling to balance his plate.
“I’ll help him first and then bring food for us, okay? Don’t get up.”
She nodded.
From afar, Shivika watched him, how gently he spoke to the child, how he helped him sit properly, and even ruffled his hair lovingly.
A soft smile formed on her lips.
“You know… he will be the best father.”
Shivika turned to see Radha aunty beside her.
She sat down and held Shivika’s hand.
"You know, beta… he never called me Radha Maa like other children," she said, her voice trembling. "He stayed distant… never smiling, never expressing…"
Shivika's heart tightened.
"He never shared what he felt… and when he left the orphanage, he just--"
Her voice broke, tears slipping down her cheeks.
Shivika quickly wiped them.
"Aunty, please don't cry," she said softly.
"I am with him now, I will take care of him forever."
Radha aunty looked at her with teary eyes.
Shivika gasped, tears streaming down her face.
They hugged each other tightly.
After a moment, Radha aunty left as someone called her.
Shivika sat there, waiting for Rakshit.
That's when she noticed her.
A woman.
Standing a few feet away… staring at Rakshit.
Not just looking--staring.
Shivika frowned.
She had noticed her before too.
Rahul, who was passing by, noticed Shivika's expression and followed her gaze. A smirk appeared on his face.
He walked over and sat beside her.
"Hi ma'am," he said playfully.
"I told you to call me Shivika," she snapped.
"Yes yes, Shivika… what happened?"
"Nothing," she muttered, crossing her arms.
"You can tell me…"
"Who is that woman?" she asked directly.
Rahul smirked.
"Ohhh… she? Her name is Shraddha. She works here. She was very close to sir earlier… don't know why they stopped talking."
Shivika turned sharply.
"Really?"
"Yesss."
She looked back at the woman, her jaw tightening.
"Naam toh itna accha hai, par harkatein chudail jaisi hain. Mere pati ko aise kyun ghoor rahi hai."
(Her name is so nice, but her behavior is like a witch. Why is she staring at my husband like that?)
Rahul tried to hear.
"What happened?"
"Nothing happened. Why are you sitting here? Go away from here!"
Rahul immediately stood up.
"Why do I feel like I won't survive today…" he muttered while leaving.
Just then, Rakshit returned with a plate.
He frowned seeing her expression and sat beside her.
"Ika… what happened?"
"Nothing," she said, looking away.
He couldn't understand what had suddenly changed.
"Okay… let me feed you," he said softly, bringing a bite towards her.
"Mujhe nahi khana."
(I don't want to eat.)
He looked at her, and just then her stomach growled.
He sighed softly.
(You can take out your anger on me after eating, but baby first eat please.)
Her eyes softened slightly.
She looked at him… and nodded.
Because no matter how upset she was his care always melted her heart.
"Aksh, why are you not taking the gravy properly?" Shivika said, whining softly, her brows furrowing in a cute pout.
"No, baccha, it may cause acidity," he said calmly, making her eat the next bite only with paneer, avoiding the gravy.
Shivika pouted but still ate the bite, though her eyes showed clear dissatisfaction.
"Aksh, I am full now, I don't want to eat," Shivika said, turning her face away when he brought the next bite towards her.
"Only one bite is left," Rakshit said patiently.
Shivika shook her head stubbornly.
"Okay…" Rakshit sighed and was about to eat that bite himself when Shivika quickly held his hand.
"Why are you eating that? It has pickle," she said, frowning at him.
"It's fine," Rakshit said, trying to eat the bite.
"No, it's not. You don't like it. Okay, I will eat," Shivika said, giving in.
But Rakshit shook his head lightly.
"Huh?"
"No, I will eat it now," Rakshit said.
Before he could bring it to his mouth, Shivika leaned forward and quickly ate the bite from his hand.
She looked at him with a small smile, her mouth full, eyes shining mischievously.
Rakshit chuckled softly, shaking his head at her childishness, and stood up to throw the plate.
"I will bring something sweet for you," he said.
"No, Aksh, I don't want to eat sweet. And right now I just want to go home and sleep," Shivika sighed, yawning slightly, her eyes already feeling heavy.
"Okay," Rakshit said gently.
Shivika looked around again, but she didn't find that woman anywhere this time. She let out a small, unnoticed sigh.
Just then Rakshit came back with Rahul, Satyam, and Jhanvi.
Shivika smiled seeing them and slowly stood up, Rakshit gently held her hand, helping her up carefully.
"Guyss, we will take our leave now. She is tired and she needs to rest, and we might not attend the mehendi function," Rakshit said, his voice calm but protective.
Shivika looked at him, a little confused, her brows slightly knitting together, but she didn't say anything. She knew him well enough to understand that he must have his reasons.
"It's fine, sir. No problem, we understand. And please come tomorrow for the sangeet function, it will be fun," Satyam said with a smile.
Jhanvi nodded in agreement and walked towards Shivika. She gently side-hugged her.
"Take rest, okay," Jhanvi said softly.
Shivika nodded, returning the hug with a faint smile.
Shivika then looked at Rahul and said, "Can you please take mine and Aksh's photo?"
Rahul was about to reply when Rakshit spoke first.
"Ika, you don't need to say please to him… and he is too free anyway."
Rahul just stared at him in shock, his mouth slightly open.
Shivika looked at Rakshit, amused, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Sir, you gave me holidays. Now you can't say this," Rahul said, trying to defend himself.
Rakshit just rolled his eyes at his comment while the others chuckled softly.
Without saying anything further, Rakshit handed his phone to Rahul and moved closer to Shivika.
He instinctively placed his hand around her, pulling her gently closer as they both stood ready for the picture.
Rahul lifted the phone, still shaking his head slightly.
As Shivika adjusted herself, Rakshit leaned a little closer and whispered softly in her ear--
(Your author has a memory loss problem, if any photo session has been conducted before please forget it????)
For a second, Shivika froze.
Then a bright, genuine smile spread across her face, one filled with warmth, love, and something much deeper.
"Ready?" Rahul's voice broke the moment.
Rakshit nodded slightly but his eyes never left Shivika.
"Smile, Shivika… sir is already lost," Rahul teased from behind the phone.
Shivika let out a small laugh while Rakshit gave him a warning look.
"Rahul…" he said in a low tone.
"Okay okay!" Rahul quickly said and clicked the picture.
"One more," he added, already taking another shot.
This time, Shivika looked up at Rakshit instead of the camera. And unknowingly, he looked down at her at the same moment.
Click.
Rahul paused for a second, looking at the picture on the screen.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
"Perfect," he murmured.
He handed the phone back to Rakshit.
"Sir… this one… don't delete it ever."
Rakshit frowned slightly but still looked at the picture.
His expression changed.
Something softened in his eyes.
Something settled.
Without saying anything, he locked the phone and slipped it back into his pocket.
"Let's go," he said quietly.
Shivika nodded.
As Rakshit and Shivika walked away, their fingers still intertwined, their soft laughter echoing faintly.
Jhanvi leaned slightly towards Satyam and whispered,
"Now he actually looks like a human being…"
A small smile formed on her lips as she kept looking at them.
Satyam and Rahul both smiled too, their eyes fixed on the retreating figures, Rakshit saying something while Shivika giggled, leaning into him.
"Me too," Rahul let out a light chuckle, shaking his head. "The first time I saw him smile, I was literally shocked. And even now… whenever I see him smiling…"
He paused, his gaze still locked on Rakshit.
"…I just feel like looking at him."
Then quickly, he added,
"Not in the wrong way, guys!"
Satyam and Jhanvi let out a soft laugh at that, but Rahul's eyes had already gone back to Rakshit.
His smile faded into something deeper.
His throat tightened.