Avni sat on the bed, exhausted. Her back had been aching, here feet were sore and she could not walk anymore. She closed her eyes and leaned back on the headrest, heaving. But she suddenly shot open her eyes when she felt a hand slowly massaging her feet.

"What are you doing?" Avni asked as she saw Neil massaging her feet with oil. She tried to withdraw her feet from him but he held it tighter and continued with his work. "You don't have to do all this," Avni also continued with her protests.

"You are my wife, Avni. It's my right to do--" Neil began but she cut him off. "We share no such relationship, we are just co parents at this point." Avni said sternly.

"Co-parents?" Neil scoffed.

"We are divorced, what else are we?" Avni asked back, scoffing. Neil got up in a swift and went towards the cupboard. He then took a file and then drawed a paper from it. "This is the one, right?" He asked, showing it to her, Avni skimmed briefly to find that it was their divorce paper where it had both their signature. In the next minute, he tore the paper from its two ends and threw it away.

It wasn't surprising for Avni for she sat there still, looking at him, her eyes turning teary. His eyes softened and he sauntered towards her. He sat next to her and held her hands firmly as she tried to withdraw them. "Batao mujhe Avni. Tumhare dard ko. Please, I'm sorry for everything I've done..." A lone tear left his eyes as he told her, he kissed her fingers softly.

"Tum kabhi nahi samjhati Neil.. You never did. I don't want anybody's pity. I am not going to share myself to anybody anymore. I lost that trust." Avni withdrew her fingers from his grip and stood up to move away from him. He buried his face inside his hands and cried. Everything that has happened in the past months were rewinding between his eyes like it just happened yesterday.

The way he pushed her away when she hugged him crying her heart out, him shouting that he hates her. The broken strings of her mangalsutra. The words he spit out on her after knowing about Neivi being his daughter.

Tum dhokebaaz ho!

Nikal Jaa meri zindagi se! Humesha humesha keliye... Phir kabhi Laut ke mat aana!

The way she was begging him to not take her daughter away from her. The way she pleaded, why couldn't he see that she was breaking from inside?

You never understood me Neil. You would have gotten married to mitali, would have still hated me if the truth didn't came out. You always needed a proof to know me, to trust me, because I was..and will always be a theif for you.. that's how you have always seen me.

He was afraid she was right. He didn't want to believe it.

All of his hopes were coming downhill, will she ever forgive me?

§

“What can I do Bebe? I know I did her wrong, I know I-- I was wrong.. extremely wrong and but I'm trying Bebe.. I don't know what to do anymore, I don't think she will ever love me back the way she did. She will never forgive me. It's killing me that she's bearing my child and I can't even give her the happiness that she deserves.” Neil cried into Bebe’s lap who was caressing his hairs, crying as well seeing her children stuck on the path of life.

“Neil... Everything will be okay. It won't be always like this. Never give up Neil. You messed it up badly but you should not give up on her again. Just give her time but never leave her alone again.” Bebe knew her words were not exactly pleasing or soothing for Neil but she could only say that.

“You have to gain her trust again.”

A voice spoke. They both turned their head towards the direction. “Neela ma.” Neil spoke, turning towards her. Neela walked and sat infront of them.

“I always thought that nobody ever understood her the way you did Neil. But.. you proved me wrong. I know what she did was wrong, but you never dig for the truth as to why she did what she did. I can't believe any of this Neil. I'm saying this very honestly Neil, if not for Neivi and the unborn baby, I would have left with Avni and Ashish to London. I don't want my grandchildren to feel the exact way my child did. But.. if you really want her back, you have to put in efforts and never give up on her. And I won't help you this time Neil..” Neela ma’s words were half soothing and half heart breaking for him. He knew he would have to win his Avni, his Neela ma and his family back and he wasn't going to take a step back.

And suddenly Neil remembered the words of Avni’s gynaecologist from their last visit.

“Neil maybe try for a counselling? Maybe getting a therapy could be beneficial to both her and the baby. If you want, I can recommend you to Dr. Sonakshi. She is one of the best ones we have here.”

§

The doctor waited patiently for Avni to speak, offering her a glass of water. She looked at Neil who was just hiding but seen only to the doctor.

“Dada.. where is Mommy?” Neivi asked peeping from Neil's lap munching her chocolate happily. “Doctor Aunty ke pass he bacha, Mommy will be right back, okay? Enjoy it.” Neil beckoned to the chocolate that she was holding and munching gracefully.

She nodded at him calmly and then fixed her focus on Avni. She signaled for her to drink it, and with great hesitation she drank the glass.

“I will not judge you Avni. Perhaps speaking it all out can calm you. I'm here to help you, not to hurt you.” The doctor's voice was calm and soothing but her words meant nothing to Avni.

Avni took another two minutes to speak up. Her lips wobbled and she fidgeted with her fingers before she took a deep breath and allowed herself. “I.. there are voices in my head... that makes me.. I don't know what I feel..” She closed her eyes midway and bit her lips to hold back the sobs and the tears. “Dont hold them back, the more you hold it back the more it torture you Avni. Tell me everything.” Doctor Sona encouraged.

“I.. I'm afraid to trust people again.. Everybody backstabbed me. Everybody judged me for no fault of mine. Everybody were ready to leave. Everybody left. I don't.. I don't feel connected to anyone anymore. And it's.. its...scaring me.. it makes me feel not normal.. why am I.. why am I not normal? I feel like.. I feel like I'm the root cause of all the problems. I cause problems for people who are close to me. I hurt them...” She paused and allowed herself to burst out into tears. All of this was heard by Neil who hung his head low.

“What are the voices in your head Avni Can you tell me?” Doctor Sona asked again, offering her another glass of water. “Voices that says I'm illegitimate, that I dont deserve to live here, I dont deserve anybody, I'm.. a bad omen and I am a curse to everyone.. I try not to believe but everything that has happened is forcing me to believe it and it feels awful..” Her voice was killing him.

“I’m afraid to be happy.” She said in a low voice, breaking his heart. “Whenever I was happy.. mishaps happened. I'm afraid to be happy because I'm sure anything bad will happen and I don't want to feel that way again.. it's making me not want to live anymore.” As she concluded she broke out into fits of sobs, her body shaking. Neil was crying with her too, cursing himself for the huge blunder that he has caused.

“Do you feel okay now?” Sonakshi asked with a calm smile, offering Avni another glass of water which Avni accepted with trembling hands. “Avni.. I know it's not easy but what if, what if this is another chance for you? Allow yourself to accept it.. allow yourself to be happy, and have it all. You are a fighter Avni. You shouldn't live fearing what the future has stored in for us.. you should go on and face it just the way you did all your life. I know.. I know it's not easy to go back as if nothing has happened, but, for your kids, for yourself, give a chance. Forgive and forget and then move on. That's the only way you heal.” Avni keenly listened to the doctor’s words and somehow it had rung a bell inside her.

All the way back home she was thinking about it.. forgive and forget and move on. What if it works? What if.. what if she gives herself another chance? Would it end in happiness? She was afraid she was going to be proved like always. She was afraid to be welcomed with nothing but desperation and failure after longing for happiness.

Her chain of thoughts was disrupted abruptly when Neil applied brakes. She looked outside to see that he pulled on the beach side. Avni turned sideways to face him. There was a longing in his eyes. Expectation. And nervousness about what her response would be.

“Yayy! wavie! dada we ale going to see wavie?” Neivi asked, jumping in her baby seat out of excitement. Neil smiled at her and then again looked at Avni to see what her decision would it be.

Avni looked at him, “I hate that I can't get out without help anymore.” She mumbled turning her face opposite side. Neil's face adorned a beautiful smile as she said that and he jumped out of his seat and ran to her side, opening her door for her. He then forwarded his hand for her to take and she did, although hesitantly. Neil supported her shoulders as he helped her get out of the car.

He then moved towards the backseat and picked Neivi up. With Neivi in his left arm, his right arm slided into Avni’s automatically as they walked. Avni shivered and gasped slightly but a look at his face and she tightened her hands on his, forgive and forget and move on.

She was going to do that, but not in a go. She was going to give in, slowly, a step at a time. She will be extra cautious before she complete allows herself.

As they neared where the waves touched the sand, they stopped. As Neil was about to put Neivi on the ground, she clutched onto his shoulder’s squealing. Apparently the sound of the waves have managed to scare her a bit. “Kya hua? Apko dar lagti hai?” Neil asked, holding her. Neivi nodded, excited but a little hesitant.

“Aree dada haina bacha.. hold Dada’s hand tightly okay?” Neil said and finally she got down and held Neil's hand. Neil walked towards the waves and when it came towards them, he ran back with her. He repeated this a few times, picking Neivi up and twirling her in the air when the waves came closer making her scream out of happiness.

Avni looked at them, a small smile dangling on her lips. Her hand unknowingly caressed her baby bump. At that moment, she felt a beautiful weird sensation --- seeing Neivi and Neil so happy, playing around.

“Mommy you oso (also) join us..” Neivi called out for her Mommy squealing as the water touched her legs again and again. Avni smiled and walked a little closer so she was at their vicinity. 

When the waves touched her legs she closed her eyes and sunk in the beauty of nature that she had missed. She was like the wave. A comfort to everybody who wanted it. But when they got it, she was left alone. But, she was not going to wince about it anymore. She was ready to give a chance.

While she was busy with herself, Neil was busy on her too. He took a deep breath seeing the way she stood there. The wind touched her soft skin and hair eventually, making them dance along the tuning of wind, her hands on her bump, her eyes closed. Almost seven years since he have met her and she still manages to take his breath away everytime.

“Mommy!” Neivi squealed and ran towards her mother, holding her hand. Avni smiled and caressed Neivi's face, tucking her baby strands behind her ears as they messed up due to the wind.

“Dada here!” She called out for her Dada too. Neil smiled and walked towards them, “Aapko kuch chahi--” Neil stopped his words midway as he saw Avni jump a little in her spot and immediately hold her bump. He worriedly stood beside her and examined her, holding her hands. “K-Kya hua Avni? Do you feel any pain? Chalo hum abhi ke abhi doctor ke pass chalte hai chalo ---” He said and was about to move when she held his wrist.

“He.. he kicked..” She said with words mixing up as she felt a beautiful warmth engulfing her. “W-What?” Neil asked, bewildered. Avni placed his hands on her bump. “He kicked when you said something.”

Neil's eyes widened. “Avni wha--” He shuddered and jumped on his spot too as he felt the kick. Neil went on his knees, his ears on her bump as he felt a happiness he could not describe. He placed a small, soft kiss on her baby bump, his tears wetting her cloth.

Neil then placed Neivi's hands on her bump too and whispered into her bump, “Hi baby..” And within a few seconds they both felt another kick. “Dada wo mela baby hai?!" Neivi asked in excitement feeling it.

Neil nodded, caressing her face with another hand.

Avni looked down, her heart full. And for the first time in the last few years, she felt that comfort and happiness soothe her again.

×××××××

Hows it? Btw, the shot hasn't ended here, it still has a few more chaps to go! Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed reading it! Please drop you views <33