"Um.. I—." Avni broke the eye contact and stirred uncomfortably. Neil regained himself as well, but quickly held on Avni's shoulder.
"Let me do the dressing at least.." he looked into her eyes, and Avni could not refuse. She made a face as Neil took out a gauze bandage. "These type of bruises cannot be bandaged, you silly goose!" Avni pressed a finger on Neil's forehead and pushed him a bit, and broke into a laugh. Neil caress the back of his head and laughed along with her. "I still can't decide on that haha."
There was a moment of silence as the rest of the bruise was applied ointment by Neil. "Avni.. I don't intend to keep Marshall here anymore..." He looked into her eyes and said. Avni felt her breath getting hitched. "...Marshall needs his mother. he needs you.." Avni didn't know how to respond. She just sat there and stared at him. All the events flash played in her memory. The courtroom days, the arguments at the hospital.. "Just like that? It took you so long for you to realise... like always.." Avni murmured under her breath. How she wish that Neil similarly understands her compulsion to stay away from his life... "Yeah.. the typical me. And in the process, it had caused so much harm on Marshall." Neil smiled weakly and Avni regretted her words instantly. No matter how tough the air was between the two of them, there is no way that she can question the fatherly love of Neil. She can never doubt his love for Marshall.
"I..didnt mean--"
"No. Thats how it is, and I have to accept and apologise for my mistake." Neil cut her in.
"Neil?" both Avni and Neil looked at the doorway and saw Prakash standing there. "Metal's parents are here.." He clarified the reason for his presence. The two of them looked at each other, and the reality started to sink in. Prakash left, giving them the time.
"I should get going." Avni wiped of the tears that fell from her eyes. She got up to her feet and then felt the pain of the bruise. It froze her steps and she winced with pain. "Its paining because you got up all of a sudden." Neil straightened himself as well. "Yeah.. but it will be eased once I move forward." Avni replied, not looking at Neil. She heard him sighing heavily, "You can take Marshall with you." Neil said again. Avni still didn't look at him. She just gave a nod and quickly strode out of them room.
The Singhania's were seated in the living room when Neil came downstairs. The maids and Shweta were busy, serving and welcoming them. Mitali sat on the couch adjacent to her parents, with a wide grin.
"Mr.Khanna, we are very excited for the marriage. We know Neil is capable to keeping my daughter happy, and in return, Mitali will look after his soon just like a mother." Mr.Singhania said. Shweta gestured Neil, and he came down and took a seat as well. He gave a smile to the to-be-in-laws, but it disappeared when he saw the expression on Bebe's face. He could read her mind, she was least bit happy with the alliance.
The talks and discussions went on. Shweta was on the cloud nine, and Prakash was forced to take part. Bebe sat there just to pay respect to the guests.
"Marshall!" Bebe grinned wide, as she saw Marshall and Avni coming down. Avni gave a smile to her and descended down. The maid was behind her, with Marshall's luggage. Bebe got up from her seat and moved closer. "Will you miss me?" She asked, nuzzling on Marshall's face. "Of course. I will miss you all. I promise to come and visit you often, but only with Mommy.." Marshall said the last words with certain force. Prakash also walked to them and hugged his grandson. "I love you very much. You can just give me a call, and Dadu will be right at your door-step." Avni gave a smile, to the kind gestures.
Her eyes then shifted to the Singhania's and her breath froze. "Mrs. Avni?" Mr. Singhania questioned, getting up from the couch. "Mr. Singhania.." Avni mumbled. "Ah! Finally I got to see you! How have you been?" He grinned wide and walked towards Avni, extending his hands. Avni had no choice, thus she also did the same. "You know, I recently was trapped in a very tough case, and I constantly tried to reach you for an opinion. I had no idea that you could be in Mumbai!" He explained. Every other person in the room was confused as hell. "Ah, hehe. It has been a few months. H-how's the prosecutions going?" The last question of Avni answered many of the questions on how she and Mr.Singhania knew each other. "All good, except that case. And that case of yours is filed right, after the prisoner's death? Good lord, you are out of stress now and you---" All of a sudden Mr.Singhania stopped his sentence midway. His eyes widened in shock as he looked Avni.
Avni had a similar expression and she slightly shook her head, gesturing him not to burst the bubble. "You-- Mrs.Avni.... you are Neil's ex-wife? and... mother of his son?..." The questions slipped out of his tongue. Neil was hit hard by the question. His senses gave a shock and started working all simultaneously. There was certainly something going on. Avni and Mr.Singhania's horrified expressions were signalling him of that!
"Dad? Whats going on?" It was Mitali, who brought up the question. They were all on their feet now. "Mrs. Avni... You.." Mr.Singhania could not speak further than that. Avni kept on shaking her head, as her eyes overflowed with tears. "Please, no. Its all over... please. Its not going to happen... I have let go of it.. You...can be ignorant of what y-you know.." Avni spoke. She was begging Mr.Singhania.
"Ignorant of what?!" Neil asked, moving closer. "Please. It isn't going to work. I--I've even got my son's custody now.. There's nothing else I need." Avni spoke again, not giving attention to Neil.
"There's nothing else you need, Mrs. Avni. But what about this child? No.. I am not going to let this happen. and let all these people stay in their wrong opinion about you!! No! No one has the right to hold any false opinion on such a noble person like you!!" Mr.Singhania refused to listen to Avni. "I don't care! Please.. it--it would ruin everything..." Agni sobbed out, holding her hands in front of Mr.Singhania. Bebe could not stand behind anymore. She hurried to Avni's side and held on her tightly. She then gestured Bhima to take Marshall inside.
"Avni.. what is it, my child? Share your burden with us.. please." Bebe caressed on her hair, but Avni kept on shaking her head, refusing. "If you don't tell them, Mrs,Avni, then I am." Mr.Singhania's voice again broke the trance for Avni. She then knew that there was no way that she can hide the truth anymore. She straightened herself from Bebe's embrace and wiped off her face. She dialled to someone and requested to bring something.
No one spoke for the past 20 minutes until the door-bell rang. The maid opened the door to Sunehri, who hurried to the side of Avni. She handed over a pen-drive to Avni who carefully took it from her.
"I wanted to keep this till my last breath.. but May be the Almighty is not with me in this decision... 7 years ago, I did not take the drastic step of mine, just because of my some stupid selfish desires. neither did I wilfully walked away." Avni stood in her steps and spoke. Tears were streaming down her cheek. Neil held on to the nearby couch tightly. His senses were telling him that this was gonna curse his entire existence! his heart was out of his pace, and his forehead was shinning with freshly formed sweats.
"You all are, all I ever wished in my life. A normal.. happy family... b-but.. it was never in my stars to have you. Maybe I asked f-for a bit too much." She bit her lower lip to prevent crying out loudly. She looked at Prakash with all her love... and let out a shaky sigh. She gestured Sunehri to connect the pen-drive to the TV and moved to the side of Prakash and held his hand.
Confused with mountains of questions, everyone's gaze fixed on to the TV. *Video footage of how Neela Ma was shot, played on the screen*. Everyone gasped and screamed with the sound of the gun-shot! "NEELA MA!" Neil screamed, extending his hand towards the screen.. and then the whole room went dead silent. Avni squeezed her eyes shut, she could feel Prakash's hand falling out of her grip.
"P-Prakash j-jii?" Sheet's voice barely was audible. Bebe dropped on the the couch beside her. Neil was frozen in his posture and so was Prakash.
