To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 30

Abhay was waiting for Amrit outside. His mother was unhappy with his decision to go so soon but he had to. He had taken as much time off as he could. Thankfully his father had understood and had supported him.

"How could one more week off affect your work?" Sarla muttered.

"Ma we have already gone over this numerous times in the last two days," Abhay said, "I just can't take any more time off," he said and looked at his dad for help.

"Sarla," Rajesh said, "it is only right. Duty comes first. If you want we can still have Amrit here for some more time," he said shrewdly. He knew it was one thing his wife wouldn't agree on.

"What?" Sarla exclaimed. "How could you even suggest something like this? They have been married for only a week they should be spending time together and getting to know each other and not stay away," she said firmly.

"Alright then they have to go," Rajesh said smiling at his wife's indignation, "now, you could go whenever you want and visit them they are not all that far you know," he suggested and watched his wife's face light up.

"I could do that," Sarla said with a smile.

Abhay felt relieved. His mother was so taken up with Amrit he wouldn't have known how to handle this situation. It was good his father was here. He looked at him gratefully and his father grinned. Then he saw Amrit come out with a heavy airbag and instinctively he moved forward to take it from her. Sarla hugged her.

"I so wanted you to stay with us for some more time but," she said and looked crossly at both her husband and son, "what can I say I have unemotional men in this family. You will soon realize what I am saying when you stay with Abhay," she said shaking her head, "it runs in their genes," she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Amrit smiled. She had already become fond of her mother-in-law. She was a strong lady despite her health issues. But she didn't have an option with three males in the family, she would correct that to three adoring males. And she was glad she had formed a great bond with Sarla, Rajesh and Jay she hoped she could do the same with her husband. He was wearing a red and white t shirt with a blue jeans today. And looking as good as he always did. She knew she would miss Sarla and Rajesh terribly but she had to go.

Abhay watched Amrit and Sarla together. He smiled. They had formed a great bond these two. And he felt a little bad to take Amrit away so quickly but then he had to return he had no option and he knew his mother would not keep Amrit here. She had her own agenda and he knew it. But there was genuine affection here and he could sense it. Somehow Amrit had made a place for herself in his family in such a short time. He had seen her with Sarla, Rajesh and Jay. She shared different levels of comfort with the three but they were all comfortable with her. This was what he had wanted. His family to be happy and they were. Knowing Amrit she hadn't been shy about voicing her thoughts or using that dry humor of hers but they had accepted her with all of that. Even Jay. The first time Amrit had entered the kitchen and made breakfast for everyone, a ritual actually but Jay hadn't stopped eating till his stomach ached not that he had minded declaring her the Paratha queen. Though Abhay had to agree Amrit had made amazing aloo parathas. And she had felt out of depth at all the appreciation. He had seen her vulnerability that day after that of course she had been forbidden to enter the kitchen since she was there only for a short time they wanted her to spend more time with them than in the kitchen.

He had been surprised and intrigued at the same time. Amrit was so different from Natasha. He remembered during the initial days when all had been well right after their marriage his mother had tried to warm up to Natasha and had always found it hard. Natasha had never gone out of her way to adjust to the lifestyle in his house. Getting up early, sitting with everyone for breakfast or lunch or dinner, taking walks with his father, talking to his mother. Instead she had expected everything to change according to her. Rising late in the mornings, breakfasts in bed, going out with friends, coming in late at nights. He had been too immature then to realize how important these things were to bond with families, to extend love and respect, to find a balance between an old lifestyle and a new one. He hadn't understood and he had let her be after a while so had his parents and brother. She hadn't known how to cook so her first time in the kitchen had been a disaster so much so his mother had done everything and asked her to just stir the spoon. And all his parents had wanted was that at least she kept him happy something she wasn't adept at doing because one would think of the other only if one was beyond the self. With Natasha that had never been the case. It was all about her every single time and if things didn't go her way then those things didn't have a place in her life. Just like him.

He hadn't been expecting Amrit to take that step forward and accept his family with such warmth considering her nature. How wrong could one be in judgment? Amrit was so much more than what met the eye. She came across as a rude, selfish, angry woman who didn't care about anyone and yet she was so sensitive to how other's felt. She had made the extra effort to get to know her family, take the time for them, she had even gone to a club with Jay before he had left. She didn't make assumptions easily, she was still her brusque self but it seemed everyone liked that quality in her including himself, he actually found it endearing, the point was she was not what she seemed. Yes, she was rude when it came to certain things and yes she was very straightforward with not one diplomatic bone in her body but it was just one facet to her. There were plenty others. And she had somehow managed to wrap his family around her little finger. They were so much in love with her. And for the life of him he couldn't figure out exactly what she had done to manage that. Not that he was critical he was happy for everyone but this was the intriguing part. He watched his mother wipe tears from her eyes and then walk up to him.

"You listen here Mr.," Sarla said wagging a finger in his face, "you make her cry and you will have to answer to me you understand," she said and Abhay nodded.

"Yes ma'am," Abhay said amused, "I am very aware if I make her cry I will have to answer to a lot of people," he said as he looked at Amrit who was hugging his father.

He had already heard the same thing from a lot of people including his brother before he had left for Bangalore. 'You hurt her and I will kick you where it hurts the most. She is a gem and you better take care of her or you will have to answer me' he had said in no uncertain terms.

Abhay smiled. At least his family was happy. And he hoped Amrit would be able to rub a little of her magic on him too because he was tired of living with the coldness that had become a permanent part of his existence.

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