Heya!

Hope you all are doing good.

I'm so sorry i could not reply to any of your comments. But please please please trust me... I was a bit busy but yeah I have read your comments. So don't worry they are safe with me in my heart *winks*

This is the final chapter of this book.

Hope you'll like it.
😊

Do vote and inline comments.

*********

Few hours later Ashish entered the room only to find avni sitting with the same bouquet in her hand. This time there was no smile on her face it was just as blank as a fresh sheet of paper.

He gently placed his hand on her shoulder taking her attention to him.

Ashish: kya soch rahi ho bacha?

Avni: kuch nahi...

She looked away placing the bouquet on the table.

Ashish: kuch to hai beta... Neil ke bare mein soch rahi ho?

He made a guess. Because he knew she could be doing so. Avni chuckles at the mention of his name. A lone tear escaped her eyes. She smiled wiping her eyes.

Avni: pata hai usne aaj phir propose kiya... Maine naa kardi... phir se....

Ashish looked down in guilt. It was all because of him.

Avni: lekin aaj maine aapke liye naa nahi kaha...

Ashish frowned looking her.

Avni: Agar thodi si bhi zindagi aur hoti na to shayad aapko diya waada toot jata ...

Avni chuckled sadly wiping her tears. Ashish hugged her close to his heart.

Ashish: i'm sorry beta...

There was no next word said in the room. Neela who had witnessed all this standing outside the room placed a hand over her mouth trying to muffle down her cries. It was difficult for the heart of a mother to let her child go down to the death.

**************

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city a bungalow is seen beautifully decorated with lights and Flowers.

It was Khanna Mansion. there was group of cheerful men and women buzzing around looking after various chores. A group of girls laughed on a stupid joke while applying mehndi on their hands.Every one was happy except for one... Neil.

He sat in the corner of the garden wandering in his own world. He was bought back to real world by a pat on his shoulder. It was Prakash. He had seen him sitting there silently so went close to him.

Prakash: kya soch rahe ho Neil?

Neil: nahi papa kuch nahi... bas aise hi...

Prakash: to yaha kyu baithe ho? andar jao sab ke paas... sab ke saath baitho.

Neil: nahi dad bohut log hai waha. ghutan si ho rahi thi isiliye yaha aagya.

Prakash chuckled at his son. he had never known how to lie. He knew his son can be impulsive but had a sensitive heart. Three years back when he heard about Avni from shweta he wanted to confront neil but a father in him stopped him.

Today Neil sat away from each and every person in the house. he knew what it actually meant. A small chuckle escaped his lips.

Prakash: dekho Neil waqt kabhi kisi ka saga nahi hota... Tumhara dil sach janta hai use pehchano... ab tu woh teen saal pehle wala Neil to raha nahi jo bewakoofi kare...

Neil looked at him.

Prakash: yeh jo hone wala hai na... yeh waqt tere paas wapis nahi ayega... Ek baar ka impulsive decision sari zindagi ka pachtawa ban jayega...

Neil thinks.

Prakash: tu samajhdaar sayaana ho gya hai... abhi bhi do din hai... tu jo faisla lega... hum tere saath hai... 'Main' tere saath hoon.

This was for the first time Neil was speaking to his father this freely. His father had always been a strict man, he was always scared of him but today he realised that this was concern for him.

Prakash: baap hoon tera... tere saamne dhaal ban ke khada rahunga... Bas Tu kisi ke saath galat nahi karega... samjha?

Neil could only nod and hugged him tight. He was free from one side. All his life he had never ever cared for the world. anything that mattered to him was his mother and father. As long as he doesn't offend them he is happy.

Half of the burden was down of his shoulder now the other half Naina was to be dealt with.

Neil thinks. He knew Naina is a good girl and almost a perfect life partner he could wish for. The only thing lacking in there relation was love. He don't love her he is clear with it but what about her? He never want to hurt anyone because of any reason.

Looking up the sky he heard his phone ring. Seeing the caller ID he was surprised. It was naina.

Naina: hi Neil.. kaise hai aap? safar kaisa raha??

Neil: hi... main theek hoon...

Naina: Neil mujhe aapse kuch puchna tha...

Neil: mujhse kya?

Naina: woh aaj na main adhe ghante mein apni bridal lehnge ki selection ke liye hane wali hoon.. Aap free ho to please aajana.

Neil thinks.

Naina bit her lip immediately after placing her demand. She was not sure how would Neil react to her wish.

Neil: okay.. address text kardo main aata hoon.

Naina: thankyou neil.. main abhi text karti hoon.

She was excited thinking about shopping with Neil by her side. All their courtship she had grown fond of him.

Exactly half an hour later both met at the bridal designer's.

Naina excitedly started looking at the dresses. She found a beautiful crimson lehnga.

Naina: mujhe yeh pasand hai... main try karke aau?

Neil looked at the piece and nodded

Neil: jaisa tumhe theek lagr..

Naina took the dress and walked to the trial room. Few minutes later she walked out wearing the lehnga.

Naina: Neil.

She called him soflty. Neil who was still in thoughts around avni turned and saw 'her' dressed in beautiful red crimson lehnga.

He was surprised seeing 'Avni' wearing the lehnga. She looked mesmerisingly beautiful.

(Ignore jewelry)

She popped up her eyebrows at him.

Avni: kaisa laga?

Neil: beautiful...

He walked up to her. It felt as if he was in some sort of spell or magic. He took his hand caressing her left cheek. Avni closed her eyes feeling his touch.

He smiled.

Their trance was broken by the shopkeeper's voice.

Shopkeeper: sir madam final kar du isko?

Neil jerked of his head and saw Naina in front of him. He looked around but there was no avni.

Neil: I'm sorry woh..

Naina understood his actions. She removed the pallu from her head and placed it on the table. A sad chuckle escaped her lips.

Neil looked at her with guilty filled eyes. Naina smiled and stepped closer to him.

Naina: mujh me avni ko dekha?

Neil looked away from her eyes and nodded in a 'No'. Naina smiled and sat next to him.

Naina: sach keh sakte ho aap.. mujhe bura nahi lagega...

Neil: naina I'm sorry main pata nahi kin khyaalo mein tha... aaj ke baad aisa nahi hoga.. kabhi nahi kabhi bhi...

Naina: jab usko itna pyaar karte ho ki har cheez mein usko hi dekhte ho mujhse shadi kyu kar rahe ho?

Neil shot a gaze a her. she was right he was so affected by his love for avni that everywhere he could see her and only her. He remained silent. Naina sighs.

Naina: kabhi kabhi sab kuch sahi karne ke liye... 'Kuch' galat karna padta hai...

Neil looked up at her confused.

Naina: aapko pata hai apne bataya tha ki koi miracle hai jisne aajtak usko zinda rakha tha...

Neil nodded in a yes.

Naina: Woh miracle koi aur nahi balki aap ho Neil.

Neil: huh?

Naina: aapka hi intezaar tha usko... usi ke liye woh aaj tak zinda thi... aapki yaado mein zinda rahi hai woh... mujhse yaa kisi bhi aur insan se zyada zarurat usko hai apki.

Neil sat there fidgeting with his fingers. He didn't knew what to say.

Naina: shadi tod do Neil... aur Avni ke paas laut jao.

Neil looked at her shocked.

Neil: nahi Naina mera woh matlab..

Naina: matlab vatlab main kuch nahi janti... mujhe sirf itna pata hai ki is shadi mein koi khush nahi rahega... na aap kabhi mujhe pyaar kar payenge aur na kabhi avni ko bhula payenge...

Neil looked into her eyes with soft gaze.

Naina: mera kya hai.. mere piche to line lagi padhi hai ladko ki... koi bhi mil jayega...

She smiled at him raising her imaginary collar. Neil chuckled at this dialogue. It was same what he had said to her few years back when they first met.

Flashback:
Naina: agar maine mana kar diya shadi se to?
Neil: mera kya hai mere piche to line lagi padhi ha ladkiyo ki... Koi aur mil jayegi...
Naina giggled at his reply.
Flashback ends.

Neil: tum sach keh rahi ho na.. matlab main.. avni...

Naina: bilkul sach hai yeh.. aur agar yakeen nahi hai to lawyer ko bulwa ke stamp paper pe utarwadu?

Neil giggled lightly at ths comment. He looked at her with tear filled eyes.

Naina: ab jao jaldi is se pehle ki mera irada badal jaye aur abhi abhi main aapko mandir leja ke phere padhwadu..

Neil: nahi..

He stood up hurriedly and was about to leave when he turned and saw Naina.

She stood at her place with a smile on her face. she frowned so as why neil stopped.

Neil stepped back to her and hugged her tight. Naina was shocked at his stunt.

Neil: thankyou so much Naina,.. main bata nahi sakta ki main... main tumhara shukriya kaise ada karunga? main...

Naina: arrey yaar.. aap speech kyu de rahe ho? Ek kaam karna... mujhe raste mein message kar dena main sari padh lungi filhal aapko jana hoga... jao jaldi is se pehle avni koi aur faisla le le.

Neil: oh haan.. main jata hoon.

Neil bit his tongue and walked out not before thanking naina once again. First thing he did was to book a cab to Mumbai.

Sitting in the back seat of the cab he saw the setting sun and started reminiscing all his moments he spent with avni. The smile on his face never left his lips.

Neil: arrey bhaiya zara jaldi chalao na.. kachua (turtle) bhi apse tez chalta hia...

He said yet again. It was for the 17th time in last 1 hour.

Driver: arrey to kacchua company se wahi order kar lete...

He was really pissed off from his continuos interruptions. Neil bit his tongue and sat back looking out of the window. Taxi driver gave him a weird look and focussed on the road.

*******************

City hospital mumbai.

Doctors handed a file to Ashish and Neela. They had tears in their eyes. As Ashish signed those documents Neela broke into tears.

******************

Neil reached the hospital. He held a small bouquet in his hands.

Neil: aaj bhi agar mana kiya na to i swear utha ke le jaunga tumhe... lekin le ke zarur jaunga.

He felt a gale of cold wind blowing past him followed by a loud thunder. He was standing in the hospital ground looking upside.

Within few minutes raindrops began touching the dry land. He smiled feeling the cold rain over his body. He recalled avni's words in his head.

Avni: mujhe lagta hai ki jab saccha pyaar hota hai na to baarish hoti hai...

He smiled extending his hands sideways feeling each and every drop of rain. He was getting drenched but enjoying each and every bit of it.

Neil: is baar to kudrat bhi gawaahi de rahi hai sacche pyaar ki... Raazi hona hi hoga tumhe avni...

He smiled to himself looking at the bouquet. He was literally blushing thinking about avni. Rubbing the back of his neck he walked inside the hospital.

Those stairs that led him to his love seemed never ending today.

As soon as he reached the ICU floor he was about to collide with a nurse. It was the same one who always used to argue with him regarding his ways of dealing with avni.

Neil: oh nurse madam.. is baar main phool le ke ja raha hoon and don't worry... yeh phool sterlise karke hi usko doonga... lecture mat dena bas.

The nurse looked at him and then at the flowers. A sudden emotion of sadness took over her. She took a deep breath and patted his shoulder lighly before walking away.

Neil found it strange as she never leave any chance to give him lectures on any topic.

Neil: lagta hai isko bhi samajh aagya hai ki main samajhne wala nahi hoon.

He giggled to himself and walked to the room.

Standing at the door he saw Neela and Ashish standing beside avni who was laying on the bed almost lifeless. He frowns. The doctor standing at the opposite side had a sad face.

All he did was shake his head in a no. This was followed by Neela and Ashish's sobbing.

The bouquet in his hand fell on the floor immediately.

Neil: yeh kya keh rahe hai aap?

He rushed to avni's side holding her hand.

Neil: avni... avni.. Utho... avni...

He looked at Ashish and Neela who just pressed their hands against their eyes.

Neil: dekho avni mazaak nahi karte.. utho... doctor aapne.. aapne kaha tha ki yeh theek hai..

The doctor closed his eyes and shook his head no.

Doctor: hum kuch nahi kar sake...

Neil felt as if the a thunderbolt had struck over his head. He slid beside her bed holding her hand.

He noticed her wearing a baby pink sweater. It was the same one which he had give to her the day he proposed her.

Flashback:

Neil: Yeh sweater na meri bebe ne apne haatho se apni pota bahu ke liye buna tha.. agar tumhe yeh rishta manzoor ho to ise pehan ke mujhse ek baar mil lena... main samajh jaunga...

Neil: tum aisa kaise kar sakti ho? Tum mujhe... Mujhe milne se pehle kaise jaa sakti ho?

He heald her head close to his heart crying out aloud.

Neil: AVNI!!!

He was left with nothing but to cry over his fate.

*************

He had walked out of her life for two times. Each time it was Avni herself who did it.

First time she broke his heart saying about her engagement. Even though she consciously did this, she was the one who suffered the most. But she had a hope. There was a hope that may be some day, some place, under some conditions she would meet him again. She would meet 'Her Neil' again.

But The second time she pushed him away was a complete blow to her. She could not even think of loosing him after coming too close to him. The pain of heartbreak was notches higher than the physical pain she underwent. She knew Neil would marry Naina and may be never meet her again. The hope to her life was lost. Not being able to bear this heartbreak she lost the battle of life to death.

************

Was it yet again the destiny who threw two lovers Worlds apart?

If yes then why is it so cruel?
Why does true hearts had to face the harshest realities everytime.

************
Writing an episode of 2500+ words I thought I can give a bit more to my loyal readers. 😁😁

Epilogue is on the way...

😘
❤❤