At His Mercy

Part 39- Adam

Exhausted, I arrive home around 1am. The house is quiet, a few lights burning in the main hall. I've kept in contact with Ami Ji all evening, letting her know I'm okay and what's happening, knowing that she'd be relaying the information back to Aya. Similarly, she's kept me updated on Aya. I've not spoken to her directly as she always seemed to be doing something, whether it was being examined by the doctor, speaking to the police, having her x-ray or even changing her clothes.

I wince as I gaze my hand on the door frame. My knuckles are split and there is a bruise on my stomach where Mukarji got in a lucky shot. After speaking to the security team, then the police and finally a prominent minister, who happened to be at the event. It seems that Mukarji is in for a long and difficult night in a police cell. His career is over and I've made it plain to the minister, if it isn't, he wont be around long enough to see the end of the week. Whether he thought I was an angry husband letting off steam or a man mouthing off after a fight, I don't know, but he was patient and calm and spoke to me in a manner that reminded me of my father and had an instantly calming effect.

The security cameras picked up Mukharji following Aya from the ballroom, then on a different camera hovering around the outside of the restroom, before following her in. It makes my blood boil to think of him stalking her like that. 1 more minute and God knows what he could have done to her. I try to focus on my breathing, even it out after the angry flush that seems to hit me again.

Every time I pounded my fist into that face, all I could think about was the panic in her eyes, the flash off fear there, that bleak look of helplessness as she stood in his clutches. If security hadn't arrived, god knows I would have finished him off right there and then. When the red mist had descended, something savage had been unleashed, I wanted to rip him to shreds, wipe him off the face of the planet, I wanted to break his hands, gouge out his eyes, rip out his tongue. The thought alone makes the adrenaline rush through my bloodstream.

I am barely across the room when I hear the door click behind me. It's Ami-Ji. stood in her night gown, with her face full of concerns. She rushes to me. Gently pushing back the hair from my forehand to get a better look at me. holding my jaw, she turns my face from side to side, taking in the bruise on my jaw. She lifts my hands and tuts as she examines the butterfly plasters there.

'Aya?' I whisper.

'bed' she replies. Still holding my hand, she guides me to the sofa and sits me down next to her. 'Teek hai." Fine she announces clearly disgruntled at the fact that it's all I really need to hear to vilify my actions.

I brace myself for the telling off I'm expecting when I register something is different. There is no scowl or anger on her face, but something else.

'Aya. . .? She says furtively, '-she's pregnant' Ami ji says and then adds 'Both, the baby and Aya are fine' when she sees the concern in my eyes. I can't quite comprehend the announcement. The words float around in my head and sit quietly. Tonight anything could have happened to her. Thank God nothing did. I wouldn't have have forgiven myself. I asked Ami ji to put Mukharji on our table! If I hadn't -perhaps things would have been different...
Sensing my guilt, Ami ji launches into a stream of chastisement. 'grow up. . . act responsible. . . take things more seriously. . . . ' it goes on and on, but all I can think about is her announcement. Pregnant! A baby! I feel my chest expand with an unexpected joy, a rush of excitement, relief and hope. Aya's having my baby. the words sit on my tongue, in my mind and in my chest like a light. Aya is pregnant.

'Aya?' I ask, unable to hide the excitement in my voice. My eyes move to the door, getting ready to rush upstairs to see her. I want so badly to hold her right now. Tell her I love her, want this marriage to work and make sure she knows I will never ever let anything happen to her or our baby.

'Adam' Ami ji says and holds my hands to still me, when I begin to get up, eager to see Aya. 'We have to take care of her, after what happened last time, it's important that she isn't placed under any unnecessary-'

'-what are you talking about?' I interrupt in confusion- last time? Is she blaming me for what happened in our marriage 5 years ago? My mind jumps forward and skips over the last few days, to make sense of what it is Ami Ji is saying '-last time?' Everything seems to have settled between us in the last few weeks. we still have a lot of serious talking to do, but it doesn't mean that our relationship is doomed to fail.

Ami Ji stops mid sentence and then says the words that bring everything crashing down around me 'the miscarriage she had- 5 years ago.'