Chapter 17:

It was daytime, everyone was busy with their schedule and some people were sitting in a café. Avni was standing there all numbed. She was standing like a statue and her eyes were teary. Avni looked at the side from the corner of her eyes.

Neil was standing at the back and was looking at her shockingly. KK was shocked and confused. Neil gulped and his eyes were teary. Neil moved slow steps and moved to Avni. Avni clenched her dress. Neil came to Avni and his eyes were on her. Neil moved and stood in front of Avni and they came face to face. Neil got shocked. Avni’s breath stopped for a while because her love, her husband, her Neil was standing in front of her. They were just looking at each other. Neil blinked his eyes to assure him that it is his Avni. Neil raised his hand to touch Avni and his hand was shaking. Avni looked at the hand and then she looked at Neil. Neil touched Avni’s face and he shivered. He felt a current run through his body. Neil started panting and cried. Neil suppressed his lips and pulled Avni into a bone-crash hug. Avni got shocked. Neil smiled while crying. Neil kissed Avni’s hair and smiled. Avni slowly raised her hand and held Neil’s back. Neil smiled.

Juhi was in shock and she looked at Vidyut who nodded.

Vidyut: she is our Avni.

Juhi got shocked. She looked at Avni.
Neil and Avni were still hugging each other. Neil broke the hug and cupped Avni’s face. Neil kissed Avni’s whole face. KK and Vidyut lowered their head and Juhi looked away. Neil had no sense of surrounding. Neil again hugged Avni and sighed.

Neil: I knew it, I knew that we will meet one day. I was sure that one day I will meet you. I will find you one day.

Avni remained silent and she saw Neav is coming to Juhi. Avni got shocked and widened her eyes. She looked at Juhi who was looking at her. Avni signed her with her eyes and Juhi frowned. Neav came to Juhi.

Neav: Masi…

Juhi and Vidyut looked at Neav. Juhi got shocked and Vidyut frowned but soon his expressions turned into shock. Avni signed Juhi to take Neav from there. Juhi nodded and looked at Vidyut.

Vidyut: Ne, Neav?

Juhi remained silent and Vidyut got shocked. He pointed his finger to Avni and Juhi looked down. Vidyut got shocked and looked at Avni. KK noticed Vidyut and saw Neav. KK got shocked. KK thought. Avni shook her head and joined her hands in front of Vidyut. Vidyut looked away. Juhi bent to Neav and talked to him and then she took him from there.

Neil: where did you go? Does someone leave its home like this? Hmm? meri baton ka itna bura maan gai ke mujhe chor kar chali gai, hmm? (You took my words so badly that you left me.)

Avni remained silent.

Neil: but now enough of it.

Neil broke the hug.

Neil: now you will come with me.

Neil held Avni’s hand.

Neil: Come.

Neil turned.

Avni: where?

Neil stopped and turned to Avni.
Neil smiled hesitantly.

Neil: home. Our home.

Avni smiled.

Avni: that is not my home anymore.

Neil got shocked.

Avni said while looking up, here and there: now, this is my world, my home.

Avni looked at Neil who was in shock.

Avni: Now, I belong to this place.

Neil got shocked.

Avni: We were together only for that period. Now our paths are separate.

Neil got shocked.

Neil: Avni…

Avni interrupted him.

Avni: but it was nice to meet you after so long. Ab, how are you?

Avni smiled.

Avni: you must be happy.

Neil was looking at Avni with hurtful eyes.

Avni: ab… aa. Ok bye now, I have some work. It was nice to meet you. Have a good day.

Avni smiled and passed by Neil. Neil was looking at Avni and he held Avni’s hand. Avni looked at the hands and then she looked at Neil. Neil was breathing heavily and his eyes were teary. Neil bit his lower lip and was on the verge of crying. Neil sighed deeply. Avni was not showing but her condition was also not good. She was controlling her emotions.

Neil: please, let’s talk.

Avni was looking at him. They heard the shouting. Two men started to fight. Avni jerked her hand and Neil looked at Avni.

Neil: Avni.

Avni ran from there.

Neil: Avni.

Neil ran behind Avni.

Vidyut and KK: Neil.

They ran behind Neil. Avni was running and Neil was behind her. Neil pushed aside a man who was coming from the other direction. Neil stumbled and was about to fall. Avni stopped an auto and got in it. Neil saw that and ran behind the auto and he was about to collide with a car but Neil kept his hand on it and jumped to the side. Neil fell and rolled. Vidyut and KK were shocked and they shout Neil’s name. Avni saw that and shouted Neil’s name.

Avni: stop.

An auto stopped and Avni saw Neil who was in pain. Avni wanted to run to him. Vidyut and KK came to him and sat beside him. Neil turned and saw Avni.

Vidyut: you ok?

Neil got up holding his arm and he wanted to go to Avni but Vidyut held his shoulder. Neil looked at the shoulder and then he looked at Vidyut. Neil frowned. Vidyut felt bad and took his hand back. Neil turned and was shocked to see there because Avni was not there. Neil looked around. Neil got angry and turned to Vidyut.

Neil: Are you mad, Vidyut? See what happened because of you.

Vidyut: Neil, you have gone mad. Look at your condition, you are not able to stand properly. You need a doctor.

Neil turned: tch.

Neil: I lost my Avni again.

KK: relax, we will find her. She is in this city.

Neil: what if she ran away once again?

KK: nothing will happen like that. You met her after six years. We have lost hope but you didn’t leave hope and today you met her. Destiny has planned something good for you two. Believe it.

Neil sighed and looked in the direction where Avni went. Neil lowered his gaze and thought. Neil took out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

Neil: Hello, DD…

Neil talked and thought.

Neil: now she will not be able to leave this place. Avni, this time, I will not let you go away from me.

Neil thought.

On the other side, Avni reached her home and she looked very nervous and worried.

Avni: Neav! Neav! Juhi!

Neav and Juhi came and Avni saw Neav. Avni ran to Neav and grabbed him in her arms sitting on her knees. Avni cried and squeezed her eyes. Neav was confused. Avni cupped Neav’s face and kissed his whole face and then she again hugged him.

Neav: Mama, what happened?

Avni gulped and wiped her tears.

Avni: nothing, baby.

Avni broke the hug and held Neav’s arms.

Avni: Mama got worried for you.

Neav: why?

Avni looked on and thought.

Avni: ab woh. I went to the café but I didn’t find you two there so I got worried.

Neav: you got worried?

Avni nodded and Neav cupped Avni’s tears and kissed her forehead. Avni remembered that Neil was used to do it. Neav hugged Avni who got emotional and hugged him. Juhi wiped her tears while smiling. Avni wiped her tears and broke the hug.

Avni: now, you go to your room and play. Mama is coming there.

Neav nodded and ran from there. Avni thought. Avni looked at Juhi with moist eyes and then she got up while grabbing her bag. Avni turned and went to the couch. Avni kept her bag on the table and sat on the couch. Avni ran her hand through her hair and held her neck. Avni sighed. Juhi came to Avni and stood beside her. Avni felt that.

Juhi: was that Neil?

Avni looked at Juhi and nodded. Juhi got shocked. Avni looked down.

Avni: he is Vidyut’s best friend.

Juhi: I know.

Avni looked at Juhi who sat beside her.

Juhi: I saw his pictures with Vidyut.

Avni looked down and thought.

Avni: what he is doing here? Why he came back into my life after years? When he, himself asked me to go away from his life then why he can’t leave me alone?

Avni panicked.

Avni: what will happen when he will get to know about Neav?

Avni got shocked and Juhi was too. Avni turned to Juhi.

Avni: what if he tried to snatch Neav from me…

Juhi shook her head. She tried to hold Avni’s arm.

Juhi: Nothing…

Avni didn’t hear her.

Avni: no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. no. no. I will not let him snatch my Neav.

Avni said while crying: Neav is my son. He is my son.

Juhi was crying and nodding.

Avni: I have raised him.

Avni sniffed.

Avni: he was so, so small. I raised him. Maine usay phool ki tarha seench kar bara kiya hai. He is my son.

Juhi nodded and hugged Avni.

Avni cried: he is my son. He is my Neav.

Juhi: yes, he is.

Avni cried and gulped. Avni broke the hug and wiped her tears.

Avni: now, we will not leave her. We will go from here.

Juhi got shocked.

Avni: yes, we will go from here.

Avni was about to get up but Juhi held her arm.

Juhi: Avni, relax, calm down.

Avni: Juhi, you are not understanding. You don’t know him. I know him, I lived almost three years with him. I know him when he will get to know about Neav then he will snatch him from me. He will think, I lied to him and hid about Neav. He will get angry and you don’t know his anger. He can do anything in anger.

Avni panicked.

Avni: no, we will go from here.

Juhi: where will you go, hmm?

Avni got shocked.

Juhi: where? Avni, till when you will run like this.

Avni: till my last breath.

Juhi got shocked.

Avni: I and Neav are going from here mean we are going.

Juhi and Avni looked at each other and Avni got up. Avni was going from there.

Juhi: Neil doesn’t know our address.

Avni stopped. Juhi got up and turned. Avni also turned to Juhi.

Juhi: you don’t need to go anywhere. We will manage.

Avni thought.

On the other side, Neil was sitting on the bed in a room. His hand was covered with a bandage and a bandage was on his arm. Avni was sitting by joining his fingers. Neil saw the images that he met Avni and hugged her. Avni ran away from him and he tried to chase her.

Neil's point of view with flashes:

Six years, sir years, I waited for you. I have been trying to find you. Six years, I have craved for you, your love. There was not a single day when I have not thought about you. Six years, I wait for this moment when I will meet you, when you will be in my arms and it slipped from my hand in a bit of a moment. You ran away from me. Why are you running away from me, Avni? I am your Neil. I know, I hurt you a lot but six years have passed. You have not forgotten anything. Your wounds are still fresh. But don’t worry, now I have come, I will make everything fine.

Neil smiled.

Today after six years, I saw you, I touched you. You have no idea how I have lived in these six years. After your going, I left my room. (Neil locked the door and held the padlock in his hand and then he looked at the door.) I had not kept a step in my own room for six years. My family got angry with me. (Shweta and others scolded him and Neil was looking down and then they walked from there) They didn’t even talk to me for days (Everyone was giving silent treatment to Neil) but then slowly things started to get normal and they forgave me after all they are my parents, my family so how can they stay angry with me for a long time. They forgave me but I could never forgive myself and I will never forgive myself until you forgive me.

Neil’s point of view ends.

Neil sighed.

Neil: but now, I have found you. Now I will not let you go away from my life. I will apologize to you for my every misdeed, for my misbehavior, for each word that pierced your heart. I will pacify you and then we will live happily together.

Neil smiled.

On the other side, Vidyut was standing outside the home and was thinking about something. Neav’s face came in front of his eyes. KK came to him and he was also disturbed. KK huffed. Vidyut looked at him.

KK: life is so strange we came here to meet Juhi and here we got Avni Bhabhi.

Vidyut looked down and nodded. KK looked at Vidyut.

KK: what happened? I am watching you since we came back from the cafe, you are lost. Which thing is disturbing you?

Vidyut: Nothing.

KK: you will lie to me? Tell me what happened.

Vidyut looked on.

Vidyut: Nothing, just thinking about what happened today.

KK nodded and thought. KK was not satisfied because he saw Juhi taking Neav from there. KK and Vidyut were looking straight, here and there. They stood there for a few minutes.

KK: Who was that kid with Juhi?

Vidyut got shocked and looked at KK. KK also looked at him.

KK: you told me that Juhi’s friend's name is Avni and she has a son Neav. Avni Bhabhi is Juhi’s friend, right? And that boy is…

Vidyut: Neil’s son.

KK got shocked.

Vidyut: Neav is Neil’s son.

KK got shocked.

KK: you…

Vidyut: I also got to know that today.

KK lowered his gaze and was in shock.

KK: what will we say to Neil now?

Vidyut shook his head.

Vidyut: don’t know, this thing is disturbing me. One side is Neil who has suffered a lot in these years, we have witnessed his suffering, and on the other side is Avni Bhabhi who doesn’t want to reveal Neav’s identity to Neil. You know she joined her hands in front of me.

KK was shocked and thought.

KK: we should tell the truth to Neil. He is Neav’s father. It is his right to know about Neav. Six years have passed. Six years. Six years are not a joke… Now this time Bhabhi is doing wrong with Neil.

Vidyut nodded.

Vidyut: hmm. Maybe her wounds are still fresh.

KK looked away.

Vidyut: Neil asked her to go away from his life so now she doesn’t want to come back in his life.

Vidyut sighed.

Vidyut: anyways, destiny has brought Neil here now let’s see what destiny is holding for them.

KK nodded.

Vidyut: where is Neil?

KK: he is in the room.

Vidyut nodded.

KK: are you thinking of telling him the truth?

Vidyut: not now first, I talk to Juhi let’s see what she is saying.

KK nodded.

Vidyut: where is Neil?

KK: he is inside.

Vidyut: let’s go to him.

KK nodded and they turned and went inside.

On the other side, Avni was sitting on the bed and was thinking about Neil and Neav was coloring his drawing book. Avni saw the flashes of their meeting.

Avni in mind: I saw you after six years. You were near me. You have not changed a bit. You are still the same Neil My cute, naughty, loving, and angry Neil. My angry bird.

Avni was smiling but her smile faded.

Avni in mind: But why your eyes were so dull as if you holds back your pain and tears in your eyes? You were the one who asked me to go away from your life. You felt suffocated with me then why do you want me to come back in your life? Why?

Avni was lost in her thoughts.

Neav: Mama. Mama. Mama.

Avni came out of her thoughts and wiped her teary eyes.

Avni: yes, baby.

Neav: see, my drawing.

Avni smiled and asked him to show. Neav show the drawing to Avni and Avni smiled. It was a drawing of a lady and a kid.

Neav: this is you and it’s me.

Avni: wow, you have made a beautiful drawing.

Neav: but it is incomplete?

Avni frowned.

Avni: incomplete?

Avni looked at Neav who nodded and then Avni looked at the drawing.

Avni: but I am finding it complete.

Neav: no, it is incomplete, Papa is not in it.

Avni got a 440-volt shock. Neav’s eyes filled with tears.

Neav: when will Papa come, Mama?

Tears formed in Avni’s eyes and she hugged Neav.

Avni: soon, soon, baby. Soon, papa’s work will finish and then he will come back.

Neav moved away.

Neav; no, you are lying. You always say this but Papa never comes. You are a liar.

Avni shouted: Neav.

Neav flinched and Avni felt bad.

Avni: Neav, baby.

Avni was about to hug Neav but Neav jerked her hand.

Neav: you are bad. I don’t want to talk to you.

Neav got down from the bed and ran.

Avni: Neav. Neav. Neav.

Neav ran and Avni sighed. Avni saw the picture and thought.

On the other side, Neil was roaming on the road in his car. Neil stopped his car and then he walked there while looking here and there.

Neil: this is the area where I have seen you every time. I am sure, you live somewhere here. The café where we met, that café is also near from here and the place where I saw you the first time is also there and the other two areas are also near from here so, I am sure, you live here.

Neil roamed there and then he went from there.

On the other side, Juhi took Neav to the café to change his mood and they were passing by the gallery.

Juhi: now, we will eat a lot of ice cream.

Neav smiled. Juhi’s phone rang and she stopped.

Juhi: one minute.

Juhi was talking on the phone and Neav saw the balloon seller.

Neav: Masi. Masi.

Juhi: one minute baby.

The man went and Neav took his hand back. Neil ran behind him. Juhi was busy on her phone. Neav was running to the man and calling him. The man stopped and Neav talked to him. Neav bought the balloon and the man went. A group of kidnappers was looking at Neav. They looked at each other and smirked. They came to Neav while looking here and there. A man kept a hand on his mouth and Neav was struggling.