Exile

22. MEMORIES OF THE WOMAN THEY LOVED!!

"Ab bolo! Kaise lagali ye chot aap dono ne?" Akshat asked and when he got his answers, he glared his Bhabhs but he looked too cute for Amrita. 

Until then, Amrita was too worried about her boyfriend's anger and the ways to pacify him, to think about anything else. But now that both Akshat and Advitya are glaring at her, she smiled.

 When she thought, she is fated to be alone for all her life, she met Agastya! 

When she considered herself lucky for just having him in her life, he proposed her, making her his family. 

When she thought she had to work hard and reciprocate his love in 10 folds to his family, to make them her family, Akshat and Advitya just took her by surprise with their acceptance. 

She didn't need any reason to love them. They are her Agastya's - the man who meant everything to her, brothers. 

That reason alone was enough... More than enough. 

She never expected anything from them after their acceptance. Their Love and this protectiveness just came out of syllabus!! 

If she felt lucky for just having Agastya, she didn't know what to feel for having Akshat and Advitya as her brothers - Maybe world is yet to define such feeling! She felt so blessed and a little overwhelmed in that moment, that her eyes misted. She has a family that cares for her now!!

Akshat and Advitya mistook her tears for something else and scooted closer to her "Bhaiyya maan jayenge Bhabhs. Jab unka gussa khatam hojayega, he will make it up to you for all the lost time. Ab aap rone mat shuru hojao. Humse handle hote hai ye aansu." Akshat spoke first, making Amrita chuckle through her tears. 

She shook her head and wiped away her tears. She kissed the boy's forehead and Akshat relaxed. With time, he understood that gesture was Amrita's way of saying "I love you" Or "Thank you!". She did the same with Advitya but he didn't relax. He still had that "I am angry" face on. She frowned. What happened to him now? Her eyes widened as she realised "I am sorry, Avi!" She apologized sweetly. 

Advitya looked at her for a couple of seconds and gave in, shocking Amrita. "Itni jaldi maan gaya tu?" She asked him shocked. "Am I getting a free pass for this time?" She is well versed with Advitya's ways of getting back. 

Advitya gave her sarcastic smile "You know me very well, Bhabhs! Brownie points for that but no free pass. Bhaiyya ko manana hai na aapko?" He asked and Amrita nodded, still skeptical of what he is going to do. "Don't expect any kind of help from both of us. Aap khud manao unko iss baar. I am not helping you and neither am I letting AKshat help you! Agar manzoor hai tho, maaf kardunga aapko! For lying to me, for manipulating me into doing something that I wouldn't have done, And for putting youself in danger. Insab ke liye maaf kardunga. Bas aapko sirf ek sharath maan ni hai!! So, Are you in or are you out?" 

Amrita felt like whacking the grown up idiot sitting in front of her, but she is the guilty party for now!! She did manipulate him and she also lied to him. Pacifying Agastya without her brothers' help sucks but she didn't want Advitya as her enemy now. The man can do much damage, than not helping!! She gave in, reluctantly. And Advitya gave her a broad smile.

******* (End)

"Bahut pyaari thi na vo?" Akshat asked startling Advitya! Advitya nodded, blinking back his tears. He didn't realise he was crying. He caressed the picture in his hands. A photo in which his Bhabhs was riding the bike, probably for the first and last time. She looked so lovely with that Helmet that he couldn't stop himself from taking that picture. It will be etched in his memory forever, but he had to frame it. He put back the frame in it's place and looked at Akshat "She was Akki!! Amrita Singhal was the best thing that happened to us" His voice wavered, but he managed. Akshat hugged him tightly "I miss her too, Bhaiyyu! It's ok to cry."