12.

Abhimanyu:

After a hectic day I was driving back home. All I wanted was to meet my dear wife and ask her about her day. I reached and parked my car in the parking lane and walked in the house only to be greeted by the sound of laughter.

I knew it was my ishi. Her laugh was like music to me. I wanted to hear more of her laughter. I walked in, gave my bag to the maid and removed my coat unbuttoning first to buttons. I went to sit on the couch. "Abhi, how was your day?" Maa asked me "hectic" I replied in one word.

Ishika gave me a glass of water. "Thanks" I took it and gulped down water. "Dinner is getting ready, freshen up we eat together" Ishika spoke. I got up and walked upstairs to freshen up. I washed my face and changed into sweatpants and tshirt. I walked out of the closet only to find Ishika standing there with a cup of coffee.

I walked to her and she handed me the cup of coffee. I sat down on bed while sipping coffee. I felt her hands in my hair as she was giving me a massage. I closed my eyes feeling better. "Mrs singh you give a nice massage.. I'll get used to it" ishika just let out a small laugh. "mr singh like i said use me well"

"How was your day?" I asked her. She stopped massaging my head and sat in front of me. "Abhi i made a new friend Today.." Although I knew about it from Raghav, hearing about her day from her is the best feeling. "Are you that happy?" I asked her. There was a different kind of spark in her eyes.

"Yes I am very happy.. I never had a friend in my life and today I made one friend" i held her and caressed her knuckles. She was genuinely happy and trust me when I say it made me even happier. "Then what happened?" I asked her as she kept on talking about how her day was. "Abhi i wanted to ask you something"

"Puchiye?" (ask away) Ishika was fidgeting her fingers, she looked down "i want to do internship.. I mean it's my final year so for my thesis I need an internship which can be included in my portfolio." i lifted her face by putting my fingers under her chin. "So why are you so nervous? Honey, I have already said it , it's your life you have all rights to make your own decision. You want to work, go work, do what you like" I said, caressing her cheeks.

Ishika let out a wide smile and hugged me. I wrapped my hands around her small figure and caressed her hair. "Okay let's go eat dinner, I am hungry now" I said, breaking hug. We both went downstairs to the dining and sat down. The food was served and we started eating. "Maa, the day after tomorrow we have to go to Ishika's house for raksha bandhan" . As soon as I said it I heard the sound of a spoon falling down.

Ishika:

As soon as I heard what abhi said, the spoon in my hand fell. "Sorry" I said timidly and picked it up. I didn't want to go back there. All those painful memories, all those people I didn't want to go back. "What happened?" I heard maa asking me all I could do was shake my head "nothing maa sorry the spoon slipped" i quietly started eating food quietly. I could feel Abhi's gaze on me but I just looked down.

Maa looked at Abhi. He just gave her an assuring smile before signaling her to eat. After eating I left saying that I had an assignment to do. I sat on bed working on my assignment. I heard the sound of the door opening. I knew it was abhimanyu. I didn't look up. I didn't want him to know how scared I was. I felt the space beside me sanking. "Mrs singh?" there it is he is gonna ask me now. I looked at him. He picked up the laptop and kept it aside. "Now tell me what is bothering you?"

"Abhi can't we just not go?" Abhi looks at me, frowning his brows. "why don't you want to go?" I just looked down trying to form words. It was hard to explain.. Abhi was understanding but i don't know i didn't want to go back there, i was way too comfortable here and going there would be out of my comfort zone. "Abhi it's not like I don't want to go.. Bhai is there. I wanna meet him too but chacha and chachi will also be there also.. I am afraid they'll .." I couldn't complete my sentence. What if they say something to abhi? I would not like them insulting abhi. And for my sake abhi would not say a single word i know that too.

I felt Abhi's hand on my cheek. He was just caressing my cheeks "ishi why are you scared when i'll be there with you? No one.. No one can hurt you in my presence" i leaned on his palm feeling the warmth of his hand. "I am afraid they'll hurt you" hearing Abhimanyu let out a small laugh which confused me. "Why are you laughing?"

Abhimanyu:

As I heard her I let out a laugh. I flicked her forehead. she let out a groan and rubbed my forehead. "Mrs singh i didn't know you cared so much about me" i didn't know she was thinking about me all this time and not about herself. I saw her pouting her lips and she glared at me. 'Aww she looks adorable' I just pulled her in my arms. She didn't struggle and just rested her head on my chest. "Mrs singh remember no one can hurt me.. No one i won't let anyone hurt you i'll protect you like hiding you in my arms so no one would be able to lay their eyes on you"

I planted a kiss on her forehead while she just lay on my chest.

Ishika:

Today I was going back to my uncle and aunt's house. I was still scared but Abhimanyu said he would be there. Being there with me by my side was enough for me. "Bye maa we'll come after lunch" Maa just pats my head with a reassuring smile. Abhimanyu wraps his hands around my waist and we both walk out. The driver was already ready with the car. Abhi opened the door for me. I got in and he got in after me. The driver started driving to my old house.

I was just excited to meet bhaiya and bhabhi. I looked at Abhimanyu who was going through his phone. "Abhi.. like you said you'll be jealous of my jhumka's i'll be jealous of your phone" abhimanyu just let out a chuckle and he wrapped his hand around my shoulder pulling me close , my hand landing on his shoulder. "Which one is good?" He asked me about our wedding photograph. "I want to frame this for my office and one for our bedroom. Which one do you like?"

I took his phone and we both were going through the photographs one by one. We didn't do any specific photo shoot. The wedding photographer was still able to click our candid photos. "This one and this one do you like?" I looked up at Abhimanyu and he nodded, staring at the pictures I chose. "Okayy i'll frame these two"

We both reached my uncle's house. They knew abhimanyu was coming too so they stood there well prepared to welcome me- sorry welcome abhi. We both got out of the car and abhimanyu instantly wrapped his hand around my waist assuring me that he was there no need to worry. We both walked towards the door and chachi did our aarti before letting us come in. I went directly to hug my bhabhi and bhaiya.

"How are you?" Prachi asked me caressing my cheeks. " I am happy bhabhi how are you?" I asked her while Abhimanyu went to my bhaiya to exchange greetings. He ignored my chacha chachi like air. Aditi couldn't take this so she came to me and hugged me as if she loved me dearly. "Ishika beta how are you?" she asked in her fake sweet voice. I knew she was doing this so that she could show Abhi how much she loved me.

"I.. i am fine" i replied not being rude to her. Yash my bhaiya walked to me "ishi lets go tie rakhi then i have to give you a good news"

"What is the good news?" I asked excitedly. I could talk to him freely because Abhimanyu was with me. I knew no one could hurt me as long as he was with me. "First lets go tie rakhi then i'll tell" i nodded and walked in as abhimanyu again securely wrapped his hand around my waist. Soon I tied rakhi around his wrist. Feed him sweet and forwarded my hand in front of him. "My gift?" yash looked at prachi who nodded and brought a small box and gave it to me. "What's this?" I asked taking the box. "Open it"

I opened the box and a gasp left my mouth. It was a beautiful bracelet. Bhaiya knew I loved bracelets so he got one for me. Because this year we didn't do this ritual hiding. Every year I used to tie rakhi to him only when everyone was asleep because chachi didn;t let me tie rakhi to him. "Thank you bhaiya" i took the box and showed it to abhi. He had a soft smile on his lips.

I was happy for the first time. But then my gaze fell on Siya who was standing in the corner gritting her teeths. She hated the fact that Abhimanyu was treating me well. I could see it on her face. I just looked away and went back to yash. "Now tell me what's the good news?" yash and prachi looked at each other and then at me. "You are soon gonna be aunt" yash and prachi said it together. I just went to prachi and hugged her. "Congratulations bhabhi" i looked at bhaiya "bhai now you have to take extra care of bhabhi.. You should go with her to the hospital for checkups.. Fulfill her every demand"

Yash just nodded like an obedient child. Aditi and deepak were happy that they were gonna get heir but they didn't like the fact that yash told me about it first and not his own parents. Soon we were at the dining table for lunch. I was sitting beside abhimanyu. The food was being served. Bhabhi made typical Punjabi food for me which she knew I loved. I started eating. After eating we were going out in the living room and a sound of vase breaking was heard. We all frowned and rushed to the living room. Siya was there and she clearly looked drunk..

She was glaring at me. I gulped that Abhimanyu was on a call. "You ugly girl.. How dare you marry my abhimanyu huh? I won't leave you today i will kill you" she took a piece of broken vase and stomped towards me. My eyes widened. Aditi and Deepak were sweating but didn't stop her. What if she was successful then their way will be cleared. They hoped for the worst. I closed my eyes tightly because I didn't know what to do to stop her. I heard 'slit'

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