You And I

Chapter 12

"Amey!!", Meghna screamed, as she heard the front door, unbolt; to make certain that If it was Amey, who was retiring back home. Undeniably, It cannot be anyone else coming home, at Ten in the night. However, she still screamed to check If it was Amey. Also, It was just a liveliness to have him back at home, to eat his food, to run off at the mouth about that day's stories, to get lazy kisses from him!

"Yeah, Baby!", There came back his macho words, that made her heart hover in elation. He strode in, majestically and dropped the keys at the stand and paced around to reach the kitchen. He took a peep inside the kitchen, and Meghna turned to look at him. "I have a news to share!!", She bawled in joy, squirming her brows, with an indisputable emotion, making way in her eyes.

"What's that?", he chuckled, feasting his eyes on the excitement that was written all over her face. She smiled wide as her hands scrammed to hold his arms, arrestingly; to tow him along with her to the living room. "Come! I will show.",as she disclosed. On reaching the area and getting hold of an envelope.

"Close your eyes!", she said, as she took the cover to her back, concealing it. "What? Why should I?", Amey winced forward to lay hold of the envelope. She drew it back, preventing him from clutching the cover. "Close your eyes, Amey!", she pouted. On sighing an okay, he closed his eyes. The next moment, he felt an entity being placed on his hands.

"Open!",she chuckled. And only he knew how much that voice was enthusiastic.

He opened his eyes, and mumbled,"What's this?", as his fingers handily took hold of the the letter inside the envelope. As his eyes gadded over the letter, his eyes enlivened and it was an amazing outcry that escaped his lips.

"Woah! Avant-Garde!", his eyes bulged out , and the smile was from ear to ear. That was an offer letter from Avant-Garde, for the intern program that was going to be organized by them. And the Internship was about to take place at the headquarters of A-G, at NewYork.

"I got it this evening!", Meghna chuckled. And Amey was beatific, seeing the offer letter. Because, only he knew how much big of an opportunity that it was to do undergo that particular internship program, at Avant-Garde. He was really enchanted and euphoric about this.

"You have no idea, How happy I am!!", he chuckled, looking at her dreamily. Meghna was all happy seeing Amey feeling happy for her. She dipped herself into that real place in between his arms, and mumbled,"I can feel how happy you're. Prolly, more happier than me."

"I am so proud of you, Meghna! May you soar higher and higher in your career, As you wish!", he muttered, kissing her hair. Her eyes with the tears that was about to be thrown off of her eyes, gleamed against his', as her lips bridged wide.

"Thank you!", She gasped looking at him, taking herself backwards from him. With that, Amey went to get rid of the formals, and while he entered the kitchen, to check for dinner, Meghna mouthed. "What happened with Aarav? What is he saying?".

Amey's teal blue eyes, went gloomy and a kind of resentment started to strew all over his face, making him achy. Meghna went abreast him and held his arms, trying to soothe him.

"I don't know where will it lead! At the end, it is going to end in a dispute between Appa and I!", he sighed. His head was hung down. He seemed like he was humiliated. On slinging out a heavy sigh, he enjoined,"Appa doesn't know that we're affording him and offering him money whenever he asks. The guilt is making me go haywire!"

"It is okay. Appa will understand. Don't worry.", she murmured, looking at him, wretched. He nodded acknowledging her. With that. She decided not to talk further about Aarav,and pester him and wound him. On finishing off, the dinner while they were about to sleep; Amey disclosed,"Did I tell you this? Anjali has gone for a short trip to Norway! Three days, it seems."

"You didn't tell me. Wow!", Meghna cooed, covering herself with the bedsheets. Soon, Amey came to the other side, and laid down his hopelessly perfect body; beside her.

"We'll miss Vibah!", Meghna rapped, coming out of the reverie, herself. There was an apparent bond between Vibah and Meghna. A soft chuckle escaped Amey's lips and he mouthed,"Yeah!"

All of a sudden, something that Meghna uttered made Amey stun and overwhelm. "You think we should make some babies?"

Amey, was highly hazy about what he happened to hear just now. On making himself clear that it wasn't any dream, he straightened his narrowed brows and looked at Meghna firmly.

"What did you just say?", he asked, chuckling. Meghna felt skittish , immediately for having said that to him. "You heard it right!", She mumbled, looking somewhere else, other than his eyes.

"Look at me, baby!", A kind of wolfish grin, started being active on Amey's face. She never told that to him. Meghna bit her tongue, for being without sufficient attention with the words that she let out.

"I will look at you only If you're going to stop looking at me like that!", she muttered, with a smile ratifying her lips.

This was becoming interesting! Amey, giggled amusingly and adjusted himself to pillow himself in his arms, and on lying on one side towards Meghna he asked,"Like what?", still looking at her in the same way.

Okay! This guy was going to drill out everything from her very own mouth. She was not going to let that happen. Her cheeks had already started to scorch like it was set on fire.

"Like you're seeing me for the first time!", she mumbled, with her face turning scarlet. Meghna, was now having rosy cheeks and so in love with this guy who made her go crimson. "Just don't divert the topic! Coming back to the babies...", he stretched, as he let his gaze study her reaction firmly. Meghna smiled contemplatively, at him,"You're responsible for the bedtime stories, If we're going to make kids. I am not really into this story-telling business!"

Amey chuckled softly, and put his arms around her.

"Stories? For our babies?", he asked leaving out an amused expression, that made Meghna smile more wider. She nodded her head and he enjoined,"Alright!" She smiled at him, snuggled closer to him; mumbling a good night. With that they nodded off to sleep, composedly. Meghna slept off, with that contented smile beefing up her lips. How on the earth did she open her big mouth like this and it ended up with a promise from him, to narrate stories when they've kids.

Someone should probably remind them that, kids wouldn't jump from the sky, and to have kids they must reasonably do something! Okay, 'that' thing.

The next day, was all normal until Amey got a phone call from Aarav, asking him to meet him any minute now. Amey decided to ignore the call and Aarav, at the moment as he had other works to be accomplished. Amey's exhausted eyes roved over the time, that was displayed by his watch. It was five in the evening. By now, Meghna should've finished her works, and probably wrapped up. But today, she wasn't here till now stating that she was leaving. Computing that, she must've been having a full plate, his hands rushed to his phone. Only to see an enormous number of missed call notifications from Aarav, Amey's face went got off lightless all again.

He had decided not to answer his calls, and get annoyed all again; for that day. Last time, when they met on that day when Meghna promised him a forever, He demanded for a colossal amount of money, to which Amey refused and Aarav, was pestering him by installments. By now, Amey had started feeling really perturbed and annoyed. He was unable to resolve about what should be done. He wanted to call back and talk to Aarav, at the same time being a truthful son to his dad.. Well, he had come far away from being a truthful son.. Yet, the pain of guilt stabbed like a dart, and he couldn't do that anymore. He had already offered him an immeasurable bulk of money. Money, doesn't matter though!

While he was all engrossed in thinking about all those inestimable deeds that he'd carried out for his useless brother, he heard his door knob uncurl; and in a few seconds all he saw was Meghna peeping in and leaving out a glance at him and cooing!

"May I come in, Sir?", As a mischievous smile made her lips lurch wide. Amey's thoughts that was fallen between cracks, till now; got dispatched right off the bat, as he smiled back at her, evilly; that laid the foundation to the disaster that was happening due to the smile. As she entered and strode in, Amey sat back coolly and let his gaze study her expressions closely.

"Yes, Mrs. Meghna! What brings you here ? To my cabin?", he brow-raised , with his heart-cluttering, one sided smile. Meghna smiled, slyly and mouthed," Mrs. Meghna? I'd rather single out, Mrs. Amey!"

Amey chuckled softly and took his hands to his chin. "Alright, Mrs. Amey! Tell me.", his saucy voice fell in. She smiled more and mouthed," When will Mr. Amey come home?"

Amey smiled quietly and disclosed,"Not for now." Meghna being at a stance of losing her patience, she muttered ' enough of being an employee', and she stuck both of her palms at the table, in front of Amey and leant forward. Amey, was awed already. With one of her palm resting on table, her other hand flew up to clutch his tie and pulled him forward quickly and went to him. Amey, was startled by what she did. With his throat failing to pump up the words, he uttered," Meghna! office!"

She leant more closer, and let her nose brush his' , and murmured,"So, What Amey? We're married right?", she smirked at him. He chuckled amusedly, "Someone is becoming all courageous nowadays!" She chuckled back, and drew back her hands from the grip on his tie. He leant back , adjusting his tie.

"Seriously asking! When'll you come? It'll be boring to be all alone. That is why I didn't go home still!", she rolled her eyes, and gritted her teeth to him. He smiled back being pleasant, and immediately he pulled his mobile phone from the pocket, and dropped it down on the table before Meghna. He gestured her to take the phone, by eying it. She, with a great disorientation picked up the phone and looked at the screen. The screen displayed the missed call notifications. There were about 150 calls, being unpicked. Adding to this, there were text messages aligned in an order. There were about 300 messages, unread. Her mouth shot open in surprise, by seeing the phone. She then looked at Amey, who was watching her with a smile still dancing on his lips.

Her narrows went crooked now, and she mumbled,"You've to meet him?"

"I've to ! But I don't know If I will go or not. It is just too much of intimidation for money. I just can't take it. He is not even giving me an account on what he is doing with all those money. And If Appa asks one day, lately; I will be accused for this whole thing.", he sighed. The words towards the end were merely a gasp! Meghna had now sat back, at the chair opposite to Amey's , and was watching him utter his guilt, sincerely.

"May be, You should meet him and not give him money.", She muttered. Her brows were still knit. What the eff does he want? For some reasons, she had always felt disgusted about Aarav, but had never laid it bare, to Amey as she knew him very well. He would just feel too disenchanted and depressed.

Amey, now let out a hopeless chuckle and lipped,"You think I am his girlfriend to call me and meet me without reasons? Money. Obviously, that's the only reason for him to keep in touch with me, till today. Please to remember!"There came a bleakly chuckle from Meghna and she said,"I can understand ."

As she shook her head in an aversion, that had now seasoned well, they heard someone opening the door. Within they could wink their eyelashes, there strode in a guy, with his kahkhi pants and a royal blue button-up shirt. Meghna crouched back, on seeing him that way. The guy, who emerged in was striding towards them, with an evident antagonism and hatred, brimming over his vengeful, evil eyes.

The entry of that guy, made Amey jump from his seat, and he got in his heels and neared him in no time."Aarav! Why did you come-", Within Amey could complete his sentence, his eyes froze at the way Aarav was reacting, seeing Meghna there. His fists curled up, the vengeance and hatred in his eyes had boosted and spread. Meghna's eyes had already watered seeing someone with so much of retribution. She could clearly recognize the face. This awful face that had once been her unambiguous rival. Aarav's face, glowed evilly and on seeing Meghna, and striding towards her; he mouthed,"Oh-oh! Ms. Rish has now become Mrs. Amey-" That was the first time for them to meet face to face, after Meghna's wedding.

"Shut up Aarav!", Amey tried to stop him, which fell in his deafened ears. His stance turned towards Amey, and he let his hands clutch Amey's shirt by his collar, and shoved him to the wall. He was all patient, even to see him do all that. "Amey!", Meghna lost it and stampeded; at Amey and Aarav; by nearing them.

"Aarav! Take your hands." Amey warned, being on the verge to outbreak. Amey's face reddened in anger, and he pulled Aarav's collars and elbowed him away strenuously, and he lobbed his hands up in air, that it knocked against Aarav's face that had already made his face glimmer red and appear swollen, due to the deadening smack. Aarav, winced back taking his hands off of Amey. Whilst, Meghna stood a few feet away from them witnessing the scene. The real scene and wrath of Amey, that she'd never seen or heard of! She was heavily panting, as those drops of fear and misery kept drizzling.

Only to see Aarav, wiping off those red droplets oozing out at the corner of his mouth, what seemed like blood; Meghna gulped off her fear.

"You've slapped me for this crappy lady-", Aarav was stopped again, and this time Amey's resentment was much more, like an exploding ridge. He was clutched by his collars now and Amey ground his teeth, mouthing; "Not another word, you scumbag! Get the f**k of here. I am not seeing you again, in here!", he routed like,he could just make the building tremble with that pitch of his salvo voice.

Aarav's stance was staying the same, with his shoulders staying squared like he was going to throw his hands up at Amey, as a reprisal. "I said, be off."

As Aarav turned apart, to leave out a menacing, cautionary glance at Meghna, she trembled being startled by the whole of the position. He legged back, without moving his nasty glare on her that was making her go to smithereens, his dirty mouths dropped off ,"Alright Amey! I will do whatever will just favor me!", with an alarming, stupid smirk, making Amey go on his high pitch again. And then , in a jiffy; he unfastened the door and scrambled out.

The moment he faded away from their eyes, Amey's stance seemed let off the hook, a mite. His eyes took a peep at Meghna, who was standing stunned and scared, due to the farce of the event, that befell in front of her own eyes, and made her sob in dismay and panic. Amey, could only think of consoling his scared wife, right away. Not anything else, other than that.

He neared her in three long strides, and soon she fell in his arms, like that's all what she wanted. He accoutered her in his arms, and letting his breathing blow against her collar bones, his hands rubbed her back, soothing her. Whilst, she stood like a corpse; actually half-dead due to the startling confrontation that just grossed her out.

"Baby.. Everything is okay..",he breathed, against her. She gulped. Her breathing wasn't normal at all.

"Meghna.. Come sit!", he asserted, as he took back his arms from his'. She leaned forward, and nodded her head slightly, in negative; gesturing that she wasn't going to leave him. Meghna was still panting, due to the nervousness and dismay.

"Take me home Amey!", that was all what landed out, from the pretty small, mouth of her's. It was indeed, a gasp. As Amey fondled her hair, they stood like that for who-knows-how-many-minutes, and after what seemed like eternity, Meghna broke off, and looked at him with watered eyes. "We'll go home.", he gasped.

She nodded restlessly. While, Meghna took her place nearby Amey, He drove the car. All through the ride, there was a baleful silence shlepping along those two souls. Amey, did not open his mouth. Knowing Meghna well, he knew that she was blanched, after what happened.

That night, when they were in bed; with his arms trying to make her feel protective; and she; trying to pay hostage to his arms. Amey's glance was stuck up to the roof, taking him back to that evening. He could evidently commemorate, everything that happened.

But wait!

Did Aarav's act got worsen and aggregated on seeing Meghna?

And what did he yell? Those words.. Something like.. Crappy lady.... What was that? Why did he tell that?

As a whirl of thoughts kept besetting his upper story, there was a hoarse purr from something within his arms. "Amey?"

"Yes, baby?", he asked back immediately. Her features stiffened, and she looked at him apologetically and mouthed,"Aarav!" With that he felt her breathing picking up in speed, and her facial characteristics weighing down.

"We need not talk that now, Meghna. Sleep.", he wheedled, as his hands shielded her head, watchfully. He could now feel her tears wetting his t-shirt, and words trying hard to wane down her mouth. "Aarav.. Aarav.. I know him, Amey." She disclosed and he was now shocked hearing she,saying that. On an act of letting it all out, he breezed out a huge sigh and tightened his grip around her. "Do we really need to talk now? I don't want you to tremble like this. Relax, baby!", he breathed.

"I am okay, Amey. Just.. Just hold me the way you do now. I am all okay."she heaved and Amey, held her even more tighter. She could now feel an unsustainable surge of relief rifling through her, making her come in peace.

"I've slapped him, Amey!", She mumbled, still staying unearthed into those vigilant arms.

"What're you saying?", He was now confused. He really was confused.

"He was my junior back in college...", Meghna murmured, letting her eyes watch something aimlessly. She looked so pitiful, to be seen like that.

"One day, I saw him trying to harass a girl in the photo lab. And I meddled up and shoved him away, and took him to the Dean" She mumbled as those words came fluently from those lips,

"I've never apprehended him to be Aarav or your brother!", that was again a mumble. She couldn't help but start tearing down, all again,

"And then.. Back at college I never knew his name. He was just some guy. But after that day he use to throw banes at me.", it was indeed a gasp at last. Amey was bothered about the voice from the past in just gutters. He didn't want her exaggerate her shaky state by talking more and more about Aarav.. Or whatever that bothered her. Meghna felt secured and protective when he was around. He embed his hands around her, and she could just melt down in the warmth just would set it, calmly but effectively.

Both of them didn't talk a word later to that. Though, both knew that they were both wide awake they stored that time to find some comfort.

Next morning, when Meghna opened her eyes, she saw Amey awake already. The moment she saw his blissful face, everything that happened and that were likely to happen became colorless. With his sleepy blue eyes being smitten with her face that was with a well-visible sleepiness; her eyes batted open. Only to see Amey looking at her like she was a treasure, she moved her stance and her hands propelled high to blindfold and shut his captivating and mesmerizing shades of blue, in which his eyes would glow. He giggled, and removed her hands from his eyes and leaving out a heroic smirk and mumbled,"Good morning, love!"

She giggled like someone was tickling her, and mumbled back a good morning. The rest of the morning went in blur. Meghna told Amey that she wanted a day off. He agreed, obviously.

Meghna wasn't orderly from the moment Amey drove away. She didn't want to be a barrier between Amey and Aarav. Though, Aarav guy was so heartless and rude; he was still his brother and this guy, who happens to be her husband felt really very defeated to let his brother as such. She wanted to do something. It was two in the noon. She was sitting back at the couch, with her laptop on flipping through the photos that she'd taken, back at Goa for her to enter in to the contest. She still had those photos without watermarks, and there were only a few more days to comply the photographs. She still had a few final steps to be carried out, in the pictures.

Well, Amey had predicted that Aarav would come over again, today and nag him and push him into the worst state of his temper. But to his wonderment and confusion, he never turned up. He could now breathe out. At least, for the moment. That evening, when Amey came back home to much of his shock, he found the door of their apartment wide open, it was not even latched from inside, which precisely meant someone had come home and left it without locking. Or It must be Meghna who had left the door unlatched. With a bit thick of what screamed befuddlement, he strode in.

*•*•*•*•*•*•

"Better call him Amey. We'll ask him what he wants!", Krish grumbled grinding his teeth. Amey, sat there rubbing his forehead in fury. Krish, was all furious to beat Aarav to death, but poor him; he had to suppress his wrath for the sake of Amey and his family.

After thinking for what felt like ages, Amey opened his mouth on the issue. "We'll go meet him in person. This is not something to be finished on phone. That sick bastard would demand for anything. This is our final stroke! If he's going to trouble us more..", as he said; his clenched fists tightened more and his face turned surly.

"Come on, Amey. This is not the time. We've to find out the real thing. I still doubt that sinner. He is playing with us! He has the very thing that he wanted. He is playing with us Amey.", Krish steamed up. Amey nodded his head slowly, saying nay!

"No Krish. He definitely doesn't have what he wanted. Because, from the day Meghna flew away he had been wanting to talk to me about something and I'd been denying. Let's not jump into conclusions before getting to know anything..", while Amey was lecturing sincerely, his phone went off.

Being panicked by the caller ID, Amey's hands trembled while on its way to the phone.

"Julie?", he called shakily, and he could almost hear sobs from the other side by now.

"Julie! Are you there?", Amey hooted, and what he heard made him heave a heavy sigh, which made his life more miserable.

"Amey.. Yeah.. Meghna got her hands fractured!", she stuttered on the phone .

"What the.."

"Yeah. We're now in the hospital"

"How is she?", that was merely a whisper. He had already died a thousand times inwardly. He was done with everything. He, literally was done with everything.

"She is okay. A bit severe fracture.. But yeah.. Okay.", Julie mumbled between sobs. "Why are you crying?  Is everything okay?", Amey had a fit. "No no. Everything else is okay." Soon, Amey hung up.

Krish was informed on what was told on the phone call. And very soon, they decided to talk to Aarav. Amey's fingers moved on the phone restlessly and dialed his numbers. Within Amey apprehended that the phone is being picked up, He hooted; "Hey.. hey.. Aarav."

"Brother! I was expecting you to call."

Amey sighed. "Enough of all the games, Aarav. Let's end this. Please.", Krish was silently witnessing Amey talk on the phone, with knit brows.

"Okay! As you wish. Let's make a deal now!", Aarav squealed joyously, as if he was given some a million dollars. He chuckled, villainously.

"I will be there in your Apartment in another twenty minutes.", Amey spoke hastily, gesturing something to Krish.

"Ahaan! Go to my apartment and make deal with the walls and the windows!", He left out a cruel, cocky chuckle again.

"You're not here?" Amey muttered, with something hitting his slow brain, severely.

"Nope!"

"Where should I come?"

"New York, baby!"

*•*•*•*•*•*•