You And I

Chapter 7

Meghna sat quietly, while Amey mouthed things on phone. But in any ways, it wasn't easy as pie for Meghna to even assume things, about which Amey was drawling on the phone.

"Yeah. I will be there in half an hour.", Amey said, as Meghna's gaze was sincerely following Amey's. "Yeah. Yeah. Pretty sure. I can make it in thirty minutes. Take care till I come."

"I said I am coming there.", Amey hooted on the phone, gritting his teeth. And this made Meghna recede, rashly. She flashed on Amey's face turning weighty and waspish. The temper that he had until that had come to naught like a camphor in air. Meghna's eye balls had already opened wide, seeing him kissing goodbye to his even-temper. Amey's other hand, which was rested on the table had now balled up and drawn together. Very soon, a whale amount of air escaped his mouth; as he dropped the phone to his pocket. He closed his eyes, and let out an another hush of hot air; trying to calm down himself.

When he opened his eyes, Meghna was still looking at him with commotion overloaded in her survey.

"How about you coming with me now?",Amey lipped, retracing his calmness; and the-cool-husband tone to her. Meghna's eyes had gone widening again, hearing him saying that.

"Wha.. What?", she asked cluttering, blinking her eyes rapidly.

"I have to go now. So, If you can come with me; I can explain things to you over the ride. What say?", he asked, squirming his brows sexily. What he did , made him appear like an immorally hot specimen. Meghna chuckled blandly.

"A first Amey!",She mumbled, trying to make him understand what she meant. It was a try to make him loosen up, too!

"First?",he rolled his blue eyes, and kept staring at her, waiting for an answer.

"You said you've never asked anyone out. Now, you did! A first!", Meghna cooed merrily. A new found happiness that she was going to be his first date.

An entertained chuckle filled in, from Amey.

"Alright!",he chuckled again and enjoined,"A first. My first date. Will you be?", asked Amey in an idyllic approach as his eyes never her's. Meghna's lips bumbled wide into a gleam.

She assented her head, gesturing him an yes; whilst her eyes were caged by his. She could almost see  a newfangled happiness, diving up and down in his orbs. And now Meghna was glad that she did something that was able to redo his frame of mind, on the dot.

Her lips were stretched wide like she never knew how to curtail them. And Amey was grinning ear-to-ear like an i***t.

"I will go, change and come!", Meghna announced with the same smile glued to her lips.

Amey chuckled, and uttered,"Stop smiling like that." He had to say that because he couldn't prevent his lips from getting stretched. It was really not that manageable.

Meghna didn't stop her stride towards the room. As she walked towards the opposite direction, she cooed,"You stop. And then, I will!"

In sometime when Meghna had come to the living room, dressed up in blue denims and red simple pull-over top; that had  full sleeves; Amey managed to come out in his black denims and a simple, black and ash, button up shirt with tartans.

Once they were ready, Amey lopped into the car and opened the door and Meghna vaulted in. The ride was filled with a naked silence. Meghna didn't know why didn't Amey, open his mouth during the ride. But there were frequent stealthy glances and grins. After an half an hour ride, Amey furnished the brakes, and the car came to halt sharply, in front of a spiring building, which had the qualities of being a renowned hospital.

As Meghna's gaze stayed roving over the building from top to bottom, Amey craned his neck and let his eyes examine her reaction.

"Meghna?", he called her out. She turned to him, without much of an expression, boogieing on her pretty face.

"Stay here. I will come back in sometime." He said calmly . She smiled assuring him and sat back. Amey, hopped down and strode into the hospital.

Meghna sat simply,playing Tetris in her phone. For all the one and a half hours, during which Amey had thwarted into the hospital. Thank goodness, that her phone's battery was full; which didn't flee her until Amey came back.

After a wait for a long one hour and thirty minutes, she could finally see Amey; stomping towards the exit gate, with his hands veiled in his pockets. He traipsed towards the car and clambered up, and ignited the engine.

Once they were moving, Amey decided to speak up.

"Meghna! It took so long. Really sorry!", he asked leaving out an apologetic look. He really was! That's not what someone who would do to their newly wedded wife. Or that's not how someone's first date supposed to be. Darn it! He had totally forgotten about labelling this ride as a date. He totally can't do this to her.

An aimless, speechless ride; and a useless wait for almost two frigging hours; in the name of date. So, stupid!

He cursed himself for being so difficult.

"It is okay, Amey. I was playing Tetris all the time. Alright. Is everything okay in there?", she asked rolling her eyes; gesturing the hospital.

The car came to a sudden standstill, hearing what she mouthed.

"We'll talk about that!", his lips moved restlessly. With all what Amey did, Meghna could clearly understand that the thing happening was making him go raging and wrathful.

Meghna bit her lips, to stop herself being such a kid. She was hungry all again. Actually, her stomach had started alarming her even before Amey came back to the car. What should she do now? Why is her stomach playing tit for tat, for something that she'd never done? The fudging muscles of her belly, could never understand this embarrassment of asking for food again and again to her husband.

God! So embarrassing!!

Within Amey could read her facial expressions and draw a conclusion, she decided to disclose.

"Amey! I don't care even If you're going to think something weird...", she said and continued.

"Uhmm.. I am hungry!", she gulped in a go. The next split second, Amey's face held an appeased expression. Meghna being befuddled with how he reacted, kept staring at him with her eyes stretched out. Amey, smiled a bit more and gestured her to look beside her.

Only to see her favorite restaurant, in front of which he had pulled off the car, a long before; she smiled back at him and pressed her lips against one another in embarrassment.

They were now standing in front of Cream Centre.

Meghna squealed in delight,"Amey! How do you know that I am a vegetarian ." Actually, she was amazed. She never told him that she doesn't eat non-veg. But how? How did he get to know that she was a Vegetarian?

"I have my ways, you know!", he smirked. Meghna had to check herself if it was in real or dream; because she did admire him when he left out that heavenly smirk. With the smirk still dancing on his face, he leaned forward to unbuckle her seatbelt; and then a little more to latch open the car door. Only when Amey's face was nearby her when he leaped forward to open the door for her, she did realize that he had an effect on her. It was so blunt! She had never believed in all these sparks and jolts, as said in Romance novels.

But when she had to experience his close proximity, all she felt was bolts of electricity ruffling through her body sending some untamed, foreign feelings. May be, it is this guy who could make all of her hormones go haywire.

May be!

On noticing the flinch that she had jerked out, because of his contiguous proximity, the smirk on his face grew heaps and that made Meghna realize that he gets know what she thinks.

With that, she plopped down from the car; and Amey came down; and on locking the car; they strode in.

Cream Centre had no private turf, for couples. So, they'd to occupy a table for two.

Amey, left the order to her choice. Cream Centre people were mind-blowing in prepping up Mexican cuisine. Meghna's love for the Big Nachos that this Cream Centre had was a never ending one. She ordered all of her favorites, in which Amey stated a few as his favorites too. She was still utterly confused by how did he come to know about she being a Vegan!

Only she was about to ask, Amey started to speak up about his last night's jaunt.

"Meghna! You know right. I went to the hospital."

"Yes, Amey!", she was steady to hear the next line. Because, she doesn't know what was waiting for her to slip out from his mouth.

"Hearing this may give you a real big shock!", Amey, faltered.

"Oh! Come on. Open up!", Meghna almost yelled, being unable to put up with the curiousness eating her up.

Amey decided to let it out. He took in a whopping slats of air, and exhaled sharply, and looked at her earnestly.

"Meghna! That's.. That's my brother. !", he mumbled looking straight at her.

What the heck? Amey had a brother? She never knew that! All she knew was Amey and his elder sister Anjali. She had not been familiar with the fact that Amey had one more sibling.

"Penny for your thoughts!", Amey muttered and pulled her in to the discussion out of her reverie.

"Ah! Yeah! You've a brother!?", Meghna's eyes brows went hunching up, in shock. Amey nodded his head ceaselessly.

"You never told me! Or Neither I'd seen in him in the wedding!", That was right. Even If Amey had a brother, she should've actually met him in their wedding. At least on their wedding day. But no! That was not what happened.

"He is my younger brother. The thing is that  Appa and Amma..", he staggered, and looked leering at her.

"Hmm?", Meghna asked him proceed.

"They've kinda disowned him! No, scratch that. They had actually abjured him.", Amey said, looking at his long fingers that were struggling to get a grip somewhere there.

"Abjured him?", Meghna, almost squalled hearing Amey say that. Being with lovey-dovey parents, she'd never been the victim of her parents' wrath. Disowning their own child something, what Meghna had thought as it-happens-only-in-the-serials kind. But to hear someone, precisely; her husband saying that his parents had disowned their own son; was a biggest shock for her.

"Yeah! You know.. All the deeds that he had done till today have been such a disgust!", Amey gritted his teeth, in wrath.

"Oh!", Meghna could only manage a hum.

"Though my parents never talk to him now,I and Anjali, never had the zest to abandon him totally. I used to talk to him. Anjali, rarely; she does. And my parents know that I talk to him. Though, they never talk to him; they still have a heart to care for him. Knowing that, they'd never denied me from meeting him.", he recited everything like a kid, orating his rhymes. His head was dropped down, as if he felt humiliated. May be, he did! He might've felt it because of his brother.

"Why is he in the hospital?", Meghna narrowed her brows, being involved in her brother-in-law's thing.

"That bastard had drunk last night. And while going back to his room, a truck had hit him!", Amey let it out, with pain getting circulated all over his face.

"Oh my god! Is he okay now? Like, some serious injuries, he has got?", Meghna panicked. Amey was now amazed by seeing her selfless side. She had always been that. Though, she had never thought twice before breaking any guy's face, she would just drag him to her mom; to make him get treated.

" yeah. A few. His legs are fractured and few kore small injuries, all over his body."

"Oh!",Meghna's face had gone hanging down hearing all those.

What was it? A date or something else!

" I don't really know, When will he stop doing all these annoying things! What he did start playfully in his childhood, has now become his full-time duty!"Amey shook his head, wearily. And craned his head up , to meet her gaze. Meghna, followed his gaze as if he was instructing her to look at him.

" I cannot leave him, Meghna. I've had no heart to do that thing, since my parents did. My blood , he is! How can I do that?", Meghna heard his voice which was the outcome of the movement of his lips. She only heard his voice, which was heard to her like she was in a fancy; as she had lost herself in those blue eyes, long ago.

"I don't know where will it lead to or what will it get me, but I still have to do!", He muttered, in a real emotional and doled state. And now he could feel Meghna's hand on his palm.

"Don't worry, We'll do this.", She assured, smiling.

"Thanks, Meghna! For being cool with these things! Thanks a ton!!"

"Oh! Please stop." She chuckled.

"This is not how a date should've been! Sorry!", he gasped, feeling really sorry for giving her false hope on this being an official date.

Meghna decided to play along, and abduct the stuff that had been itching her since a long. The thing of she being a Vegan and he , knowing it already! Within she could start, the food that they had ordered had arrived at their tables.

They started to chew down their food heartily.

"Amey! Please tell me how did you come to know about me being a Vegan? Tell me, please! Puh-lease!", her request ended as an yell. Amey chortled being able to make her go provocative

Amey nodded his head slowly gesturing a no, with his lips curling up to beam in playfulness.

"Okay! Too much is what you're doing!", she pouted and Amey had to stifle his giggle.

"Krish! It must be him. Did you ask him about this?", Meghna's eyes had gone widening out, double the amount of its original size.

Amey leaned back to the chair, coolly and lipped,"Nope!", popping the P. Meghna sat pouting, on finishing all of her favorite food items. Okay, That was a foodgasm what she had at the moment.

Soon, they paid off the bill; and strode to the car.

Once they reached home, it was already evening. And they planned to watch a movie together and sleep. Later that night, when both of them had dived into the bed; Meghna was sleepless. The thought of Amey knowing stuff about her, was irking her to the core. Not that she was complaining, but she wanted to know how was it possible !

She turned to his side.

"Amey!", She poked his arms, with her index finger.

"Hmm?", Amey was about to close his eyes to sleep, but then this girl had shook him out of his sleep.

"Amey!!", She called him again, and poked his arms again.

"Yes, Meghna!", He voiced, slightly annoyed.

"Tell me, Amey!"She urged him, still poking his arms. Even though he was annoyed slightly, he was unable to control his giggle by seeing the way, she asked him.

"You often forget the fact that we're from the same school, Sweetheart!", he voiced, leaving out a smug look, which didn't fumble to seek Meghna's attention at the moment.

"Same school! Okay. While I was in eleventh grade, section A; you must've been in twelfth grade, section something! How and why would you know about my stuff?", Meghna was getting seriously involved in this thing. For each and every question, she could almost observe Amey's face growing roughish, with a devilish grin.

"That's because it is a responsibility of an  average eighteen years old boy to collect all the information about his crush! ", he said and pulled the duvet over him, stifling his giggles; turning to the other side. Meghna had a jerk and she was now sitting upright hearing him say that.

"What did you say?", she squealed.

There was no response from him.

Meghna curled her knees up to her chest and on putting her head into her palms, she just had to think over the thing that she just heard. Was it an Auditory hallucination?

"Amey! Did you just say that I was your crush?", She yelped, turning to him. He didn't respond, again. It was truly hilarious to see her shouting in shock and excitement.

"Amey! Tell me!!", She yelped.

"Amey had slept, long before!", He sang, before getting comfortable under his quilt.

"I hate you!", She pouted, really in a funny manner. That was the second day of their wedding, and she hates him already, it seems. Wow!

"Thank you!", he sang again, making her go haywire. Can an ordinary twenty four old girl's heart can manage to bear so many shocking confessions, in a day?

Her husband hadn't dated anyone! He has a brother who's been abandoned by his parents! And this girl who's been his wife since twenty four hours, had been his crush since years! With still being stagnated in the shock zone, she leaned back murmuring something under her breathe, pulling the duvet over her.

Days seemed like passing happily. There were no befuddlements or late night phone calls, making Amey hop mad. Meghna soon, started working for Jove Ads. Which precisely meant she had to share an office with Amey. That was an extra sweetener for Amey, so that he could have his wife in his sight all the time.

Later that weekend, Amey asked her out for an another date. A late night movie date, this time. Eventually, she agreed.

Both of them enjoyed watching movie together. Thee time that they spent together would always be filled with giggles and squeals! Both of them were happy in the wedding.

Two weeks later, one day; Meghna and Amey were driving back home from the office. Not everyday did they travel together. That day, as they had to stay back at the office for a long time, Amey asked Meghna to ride back home with him, in the car. In those two weeks, he had visited his brother, three times already.

Meghna was riding shotgun whilst Amey was handling the car, skillfully.

When they were riding, Amey's phone chimed. With one of his hands handling the car, his other hand flew to his pocket to fish the phone. As he had to drive through the heavy traffic, he handed over the phone to Meghna and asked her to attend the call.

"Your secretary!", Meghna said, eyeing the display. A half of her was already burning to ashes seeing the caller ID. Yes! She hated Amey's secretary who'd just drool to floods, seeing Amey all the time; which hadn't gone unnoticed to Meghna's eyes within a period of short time.

He gestured her to answer the call, and she did so. On swiping the call, and putting the phone to her ears, all she heard was a seductive voice. She quickly straightened herself and replied,"His wife here. Amey is driving at the moment. He will call you back later, one he gets back to be free!", she said sternly. Amey's face had already gone radiating the thuggish, look; apprehending the response that she was giving on the phone.

"Okay,Ms.! Will convey him.", is all what she conveyed gritting her teeth, before disconnecting the call.

"What did she say?", Amey asked, still looking at the road and turning the steering.

"Nothing much important!", Meghna twisted her lips, and looked aside. Involuntary giggles were escaping Amey's lips seeing the possessive side of Meghna.

"Amey! You're stop laughing now!", She gave him a high-sign, leering at him.

Amey nodded his head slowly, looking at her cockeyedly; compressing his lips to stifle the giggle. Once they reached home, after getting refreshed, Amey made his way to the kitchen; as Meghna followed him.

They had already divided the works, between them. Amey used to cook and Meghna took the duty of doing the dishes.

While Amey was cooking with both of them talking about stuff, about something; Meghna yelped seeing the clock.

"Amey! Its 10.30! Anjali would've come online.", Meghna yelped as she jumped off the cabinet, to bring the laptop to the kitchen. That was their favorite past time,during dinner at times.

Skyping Anjali!

Meghna heard Amey saying that Anjali was not only his sister but also his best friend and well-wisher. Since, Meghna wasn't able to talk to Anjali properly during their wedding, they'd grown closer in these late night Skype calls. And as of now, It was Meghna who was excited to converse to Anjali daily, than Amey.

"Anjaliii!", Meghna squealed as she brought the laptop to the kitchen, and placed beside Amey, and took her place beside it.

Anjali, was now married for four years with a girl kid. She was settled in Germany, with her husband Shriram, who was working for an MNC. It was a love marriage, indeed. Though, Shriram wasn't as rich as Amey's family was; he had decent kind of money and a caring heart to take care of their daughter, which didn't make Amey's parents think too much before getting Anjali married to Shriram.

"Meghna! Is it Amey, today too?", Anjali, voiced; from the other side. She meant If it was Amey cooking today too.

"Dai! Have you ever helped me in whipping noodles, when Amma was out of the house for a day. And now, everything is happening, when it comes to wife.", Anjali, yipped; taunting Amey. While, Meghna enjoyed hearing all those.

"So bad Amey! You haven't helped Anjali!", Meghna fed the fire, and stuck her tongue out. Amey, who was handling the pans; had now turned to the monitor; and gestured Anjali, to stay quiet. Anjali, wasn't going to hear what Amey said.

"Meghna! You know what? The time when this guy had started crushing you, he would just eat me up with all the while talking about you at home. But sadly, all I had heard from him was 'Anjali, I saw Meghna breaking a guy's nose in front of my class room; Anjali, Meghna was taking a guy to the VP, Anjali, Meghna this; Meghna that!", Anjali giggled.

"It was a big mistake that I had told everything to you. Anjali! Shush! Shut up!", Amey yelped gritting his teeth. After that day, Meghna hadn't opened this Crush topic, and now It was brought back because of Anjali.

And that's when Meghna apprehended that Anjali had also known about she being his childhood sweetheart.

"Oh! Come on, brother! I am helping you.", She stuck her tongue out this time. While Amey rolled his eyes to notice Meghna's reaction; she was smirking already.

"No! Thanks, Sister!", he grouched, gritting his teeth.

"And Meghna! It all took one whole night to make him convince to see you that day. He didn't know that it was you. It all happened, and he married his crush, Lucky bum!"

"Anjali! Shushh! No!", Amey rolled his eyes, impatiently and gestured a no. Meghna was now lost in her thoughts. And now her slow brain seemed to realize why did Amey said that he hadn't dated anyone. Adding up that she could now clearly understand why did his eyes carry a glint of something else on that day, though he was sincere orating about his life.

Her lost thoughts were brought back by hearing the squeal of the three year old, Vibah; who happens to be Amey's niece.

"Arjuunnnnn!", she squealed and came running to the monitor.

"Amey uncle!", Anjali corrected, as she lifted her up and made her sit on her lap.

"Ameynn!", vibah, stressed; looking at the monitor. Amey who was stirring the stew had to divert his attention to his little niece, right away; otherwise that little bugger's patience would fly open.

"Hey, My little munchkin.!", Amey chuckled diverting his gaze to the monitor. Meghna was happy seeing the bond that he had with his niece. He had this wonderful rapport with kids, as far as she noticed.

"Ameynnn! Amma is asking me to call you uncle!", Vibah giggled, closing her mouth, with her petite fingers, adorably.

"Aunt Meghna!", She giggled seeing Meghna in the cam.

"Baby! You're not doing fair. If Amey is Amey, Then Meghna is also just Meghna. No Auntie!", Meghna whined, while Anjali had to face-palm; seeing her brother and his wife, making her kid; call them by names.

The next second, Vibah tittered,"Okay, just Meghna!", in her baby voice; that made Amey, Meghna and Anjali burst in laughter.

Soon, after a few more minutes of Skyping; Meghna had to excuse herself to the kitchen to do the dishes.

"Anjali!", Amey gasped, with all the joy that he had till the time getting diffused in to the whiff around him.

"What about Aarav, Amey?", Asked Anjali, with the same amount of disappointment lacquering her motherly face. Amey would always keep Anjali updated, about whatever happens in case of Aarav's matter.

"He is recovering, Anjali. I have to go and get him discharged tomorrow.", Amey sighed.

"What did Meghna tell?", Anjali was bit worried now, thinking about how would she take this thing as.

"No! No! She's really cool about this thing. Supportive and understanding.", Amey heaved, which made her face go clear, a little.

"Thank god! Take care of her. ", She said and Amey nodded.

Meghna's gaze was stuck to her laptop, Her fingers were roving over the mouse pad, rigorously. All of her concentration at the moment was at the photograph that she was editing.

Her concentration on her work was disrupted by her phone's ring. Her diverted gaze, which was now gaping at her phone longingly; made her hands take the phone and swipe the call immediately.

It was Anjali!

Meghna was now confused. Should she tell Anjali about what was happening between Amey and her? Or, Would Amey have told her already? Because , Amey hadn't hidden anything to Anjali, till date as far as she knew.

"Anjali!", Meghna gasped, putting the phone on her ears. That was the fourth week, and She was talking to Anjali after a long gap of four weeks.

"Meghna! What's going on between you and Amey? Why isn't he talking to me properly whenever I ask something about you? It is just the internship why you're at Newyork right now? Or both of you're not on good terms?", Anjali asked it all out, in a go; leaving Meghna to start her waterworks.

"Anjali, that!", She gasped being unable to handle the situation. The air was blocking her throat like no word could jump out of her mouth.

"Meghna! That's why he had sent Appa and Amma here?", Anjali's voice went feeble; when she had to face the fact that Amey and Meghna weren't together.

Meghna did nothing but, drip salty, steamy tears.

"Answer me, Meghna!", Anjali had also started sobbing, which Meghna could apprehend hearing her voice.

Should she tell her? About what happened between them? Why was Amey standing at the standpoint of getting divorced from her?

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