Finding a job... It sucks... Meher realised it just few days. Not because of the tough competition in the corporate world but because of her personal life. Every employer asked her the reason of getting fired and what was she supposed to tell them. The reason was her unplanned pregnancy and sudden marriage. Abeer saw meher getting demotivated every single day she came home, feeling disappointed n dejected. Offering her a job directly will be a blunder, he very knew her that much; so decided to go for a safer option. Well he used some contacts and referred meher. Finally she had a job and her smile returned. Abeer was the happiest person then. His meher was happy and contended, that's what ever mattered to him.
"I'm so happy abeer..." Meher whispered and shifted close to abeer.
He gathered her in his arms and kissed her forehead. This was important, he couldn't let her feel that she hasn't got it within her anymore... Giving her her self confidence was important.
"I'm happy for you..." He said eventually.
"Abeer... I'm so lucky to have you... Best husband ever..."
"I agree..."
Abeer grinned and meher kissed his cheek before putting her head on his chest. He was her home and coming back to him, in his arms, was the best part of the day.
She was enjoying her work and loved the life she once thought would never come back. Thanks to shanaya and her brilliant idea. Meher even brought a gift for shanaya from her first salary. She was like a younger sister, meher never had and now she understood why abeer loved her so much. Life was now like a fairy tale for meher. She was doing well professionally, was having a perfect family with an addition on its way, personal life ful of passion and romance. What would one ever ask for...?? She had everything. Everything she ever dreamnt of..
"Meher take an off tomorrow baby... I just called to remind you..." Abeer told meher.
Meher massaged her already aching forehead and replied "Abeer I can't... The boss refused straightaway...".
"But its important baby..."
"I know but... Anyways I will call the doctor..." Meher said and hung up the call.
Abeer came home and sat in the lawn with madhvi and shanaya.
"Bhai... You are early today..." Shanaya said excitedly.
"Yeah... I didn't had much to do today... Where is meher...??" Abeer answered shanaya.
"Meher is still isn't back..." Madhvi replied after ordering the servant to bring abeer a cup of hot brewing tea.
Abeer sighed and chose to stay quiet.
"Shouldn't she take it a bit easy..."
Abeer looked at Shanaya and wondered the same thing.
"I was thinking of the same... She looked stressed in the morning also..." Madhvi said, making abeer more apprehensive about the whole thing.
When meher walked in, there were three pairs of eyes fixed on her. She smiled at them and made her way upstairs to the bedroom. Abeer followed her, excusing himself. Abeer entered the room and waited for meher to come out of the washroom.
"How was your day...??" Abeer asked.
Meher smiled at him and hugged him.
"Tiring..." She said in a baby like voice.
"Baby... This is not happening... All this is affecting your health.." Abeer said brushing his fingers in her long silky hair. His over caring and protective side taking over his personality.
"What do you mean...??" Meher asked still holding onto abeer.
"Meher... Don't you have a work from home option...?? I'm worried about you..."
"Not until next month... Abeer... Don't be paranoid jaan... We are doing fine..." Meher told abeer, wrapping her arms tightly around him and kissing his jawline.
"Meher... I'm serious... I don't want anything to happen to our baby... And its not only me... Mom and shanaya feels the same..." Abeer said separating meher from him.
"Why will anything happen to the baby...?? Just because I'm working... Other women also work abeer... some even work throughout the whole pregnancy... Chill..." Meher said and sat on the bed.
"Meher I don't care about other women out there... I care for you... Only you... Because I love you... Meher please try and understand... Don't waste yourself on such a 9 to 6 job..."
"What are you trying to say...?? And why is it not about us now...?? Why its always about the baby abeer...?? Why...??" Meher yelled, losing her calm.
"I can't believe you are saying that..." Abeer sighed in shock.
Meher sat there not bothering to continue the conversation or sort out the differences. Abeer looked at her for a minute and returned downstairs.
They didn't talk after that and it was now the next evening. Almost 24 hours... Both of them wanted to reconcile but waiting for the other one to take a first step. Well... Sometimes its about who took the first step... Sometimes its important to see if the other one cares enough or not. It was not letting go... It was seeing if one cared about losing the other. Meher was waiting for abeer to apologise but then realised that he wasn't really wrong. And even if he was, why can't she put her ego aside and apologise. Apologising to him won't make her any less.
"Abeer... Listen... I'm sorry..." Meher said.
Abeer continued working on his happy and murmured a "its OK..".
"I have an off tomorrow.. And the doctor's appointment too...".
"Well... Good luck with that..." Abeer told meher with a thumbs up.
Meher glared at him and sighed in disbelief.
"Why are you being difficult...?? I'm apologising yaar..." Meher said.
"Because you are difficult all the time..." Abeer complained.
"I'm pregnant... Excuse me this time... Abeer I'm sorry na..."
"I'm sorry too..."
Abeer smiled at meher and she took away the laptop and sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I love you..." Meher said.
"I love you too mehu..."
Meher felt her face glowing like a bulb the very instance he addressed her as mehu. She was his. Only his. She closed her eyes then and enjoyed the moment, his arms wrapped around her like a protective layer. Her protector. Listening to his heartbeats gave her immense pleasure and if life was anything like showed in movies, she would all day sit in his arms listening to his heartbeats.
"You know meher... I missed us so much..." Abeer whispered.
"I know... I missed us too..." Meher whispered, holding a fistful of his shirt.
The moment which gave abeer happiness and satisfaction somehow started a turmoil within meher. She couldn't help but wonder if she didn't take up this new job. This new job was definitely taking much of her time. The time which she should have ideally devoted to her husband, her unborn child and her family. Was she failing in fulfilling her duties... Was she unable to balance the pressure of handling her professional and personal life together... Was she unable to be the meher abeer loved.
"I love you so much..." Abeer whispered, still hugging meher - his priceless possession.
If it was any other day, meher would have been elated listening to his love confession but today it made her guilty. There was something terribly wrong.
"I feel so in love with this abeer..."
"Me too... Magically in love with it..." Abeer said taking the ultrasound picture from meher's hand.
"Ohh hello... You can't snatch it away..."
"Bhookhi sherni..." Abeer muttered under his breath.
Meher bit the inside of her cheek and hugged abeer's arm. She lovingly looked at the white portion in that ultrasound picture. it wasnt a foetus anymore medically, it was their baby... The baby was now much evident and visible... The head forming... Around 2.15 inches in length... One hand covering the face as if shading the eye. How cute...!!!
"Junior..." Abeer said running his fingers over the photo.
"Mera Abeera No. 2" meher said excitedly.
"Its a girl... Mehu junior..." Abeer told meher pointing at the picture.
"We will see... I know better..." Meher retorted.
"We will surely see..."
"Aren't they cute maa...??" Abeer asked madhvi while meher showed her the stuff they shopped in the afternoon.
"Yes... Indeed... But you both never told me we are having twins..." Madhvi asked.
"Huh...?? Twins...?? Meher...??" Abeer asked and looked at meher.
"What...?? Don't look at me like that... We aren't having twins..." Meher replied abeer, glaring at him.
Madhvi almost giggled seeing this.
"OK you two... Why is everything here is in double quantity...?? I can see one is blue other pink... But why...??" Madhvi asked.
"Because meher maan nahi rahi hai... I told her we are having a daughter... So buy everything in pink or red... She is stubborn and you see the result..." Abeer stated.
"Maa tell him that I'm the mother and I know better..." Meher said.
"Ohh hello... I'm father... I also know what's better than the best..." Abeer smirked.
Meher made a face and then madhvi did what was the smartest thing to do... She left the room...
"See... Mom left the room because you are that boring..." Meher taunted abeer.
"Haha... Mom left the room because you are hell stubborn... And she doesn't want to force you to listen to me..."
"What logic...!!! Clap everyone... Get lost..." Meher threw a cushion at abeer angrily.
"Arrey yeh wwe stunts mat karo... Baby seekh gya toh tum hi pachtaogi... Socho he will soon play kick boxing inside you..." Abeer told meher seriously.
"What...?? You mean kicking all day... Ohh noo... Let's drop the topic..."
Abeer couldn't believe meher actually believed him and is now scared... He burst into fits of laughter and mejher realised how innocently she fell into his trap.
"I hate you..." Meher said crossing her arms against her chest.
"Aww... I love you too..." Abeer said pulling meher's cheeks.
Meher tried not to smile but wasn't able to... Blame her husband n his cute tricks.
The next day, Sunday morning was indeed beautiful. Every Sunday morning is beautiful by the way and then comes the most dreadful day of the week. Bloody Monday... Scaring as hell. Meher stirred a little and shifted close to abeer, wrapping her arm around him. Nothing in the world could give her the pleasure, which his pair of arms gave. It was home coming. His golden touch and warm embrace. Meher was about to sleep again when his hand made way to her stomach as if guarding her. She looked at abeer but he was fast asleep and then she looked at his hand placed against her stomach. A tear or two made way into her eyes and she wiped it off. It was his fatherly love and instinct... He wanted to protect his child... And he will... He always will... Meher told herself. She was happy with her life. And thanking god even a hundred times would be less in front of the blessing he has showered on her and her family. A perfect family... Understanding in-laws... And a husband like abeer... Well he is perfection personified... She was lucky and blessed... Indeed she was...
Debate Mansion
Anupamaa
