avneil-thru all odds

chapter 55

Next day was Neil's day off and hence he had asked Riya and Amol to meet him at a cafe.

Neil- hi Riya ! Hi Amol! Please sit.

Riya-(smiling) Hi Neil! But why did you called us like this , I mean everything ok na?

Neil-yes! Everything is but I was a few answers from you both so called. Now listen to me carefully when I say this. .....
I know what had happened with Avni (Riya and Amol looked at each other) I know everything from her childhood Neela aunty and Ali told me along with avni.

Amol-(looking away) then what do you want answers for? If they have said this much then you should have asked them the questions as well.

Neil-(sighs) look! I am not good at convincing but since a few questions could be answered by you both only as you both still  stay there so . Will you please help me out.

Riya-(turning serious) look I don't know about the questions you want to know but one thing is for sure . I know if aunty said you all means she trusts you and I can't question that but all what can I say is she is just struggling from childhood. Being elder to her , I couldn't protect her and that still stings me a lot. She was always the one to bear our punishment as well but I couldn't support her only if I had backed her up openly then they would have understood.

Amol-(straightly looking at Riya) only to be taken out like Avni. How many times should I say that we were small and our protest would have meant nothing to them . All what we could do was apply medicines on the wounds casted which we did. Isn't it what Avni says.

Riya-(wishper) you were young for that but I could have backed her. You know right but anyways shoot Neil what do you want to know.

Neil-I understand that it was difficult for you all at that time but still didn't Avni's parents support her? I mean how can they just let the oldie have her way with their kid?

Riya- we stay in joint family Neil! And the fact of joint family is always the elders choice is applied. No one had the capacity to oppose her. Not even now, we both have our own ways so we don't bend but some times we too have to bend to her.

Amol-and mostly my dad !! Means Mr. Ashish Mehta was a puppet of his mother so for her he did everything.

Neil-but being a puppet of her , he forgot that Avni was his own child?( The most hurting questions to him)

Riya- you can say that their love marriage was never about love and themselves after their marriage. First dwm didn't support them , then the society and locality where we were staying and then all the pent up frustration of taunts and harsh realities been taken out on the poor soul.

Amol-I still remember them saying that they opted for kid to impress dwm but unfortunately it turned out to be a daughter. Though Ashish loved her initially but soon dwm started to fill his ears and he turned out as if she is some kind snake.

Neil-(shakes in negative) didn't asha aunty asked Ashish Mehta to stop? Or rather she sided her?

Riya-oh!!!(with displeased face) she !! Was she even a mother back then? How were we to tag her one when all she did was to loath her destiny for each and everything happened . You remember she was was Ayesha Haider,a long lost celebrity. She was attracted to Ashish because of glam, social status that they shared. She didn't knew about his family. She landed herself there and dwm had made her rot her entire life. With Avni being there, she always heared bitter- harsh words to break down.

She always cursed her destiny until Avni came up. She outrightly blamed her for events happening henceforth.

Amol- what can you expect from a person who can't even own up a mistake of hers to take a responsiblity of child? Never ! She always ran away from me and kids . She was always up when people came to meet her showing how sanskari she was but never cared for us.