Avni: kya avni?... Pata nahi kaha konse kone mein dimaag ko chhod ke lock laga ke chaabi nigal gye ho.... Jab dekho tab...
She stopped abruptly seeing the scene in front of her.
Neil sat on his knees holding both if his ears making an apologetic face.
Avni saw him like this and put some brakes on her non stop lecture.
Neil: avni... I promise aage se main apne phone ko gale mein baandh ke rakhunga... Jaise woh Nokia 1100 ko rakhte the na... Hu ba hu waise... Please maaf kar dona...
He said all this with a puppy face leaving no chance for her ignore.
Avni chuckles at his plight and smiled.
Avni: accha theek hai... Ab utho...
Neil got up and sat on the chair next to hers.
Avni: I'm sorry zyada hi bol diya na maine... It's just mujhe laga tum us mission pe chale gye... Main dar gyi thi...
Neil sighed and smiled at her. He slid his chair closer to her and placed hands on her shoulders.
Neil: avni... Tumhe sach mein laga ki main tumhara diya wada tod dunga?
Avni nods her head a bit.
Neil: nahi karunga...
He blinked his eyes in assuring manner and smiled at her. Avni returned it with a small smile.
Neil: ab coffee pi le... Phir tumhe ghar bhi jana hai...
Avni got excited at the mention of going home.
Avni: sach mein Neil humare ghar?!
Neil realised that she was thinking home as khanna mansion. He cleared his throat and said
Neil: avni... Sorry to burst your bubble but... Ghar matlab Mehta mansion. Khanna mansion nahi...
The smile on her face fell immediately.
Avni: Neil par ek raat to ho gyi na... Kya hum wapis humare ghar nahi jaa sakte i mean i miss you
Neil raised his eyebrows showing shock.
Avni: your.... our...I mean... I miss our family... Mummy ji... Bebe... Papa ji... Aur...
Neil smiled at her teasingly.
Neil: aur...?
Avni: bheema tai... Bheema tai... I miss her... Unke haath ki bani coffee... Aur...
Her face was turning more and more red as she was trying to hide her embarrassment. She don't want to have another round of teasing and this time from Neil...
Neil giggled seeing her red cheeks
Neil: avni... Humari deal to do din ki huyi thi na... To I'm sorry... Deal to poori karni padegi.
Avni looked at him with an angry pout in her face. Neil saw her face and gulped.
It seemed like if she had horns on her head, by now Neil would have been flown 3 miles away.
Avni: (huffs) fine... Jaati hoon main... Aur ab to kal bhi laut ke nahi aane wali... Raho tum meri sautan ke saath... Isi ke saath jana honeymoon pe jana...
She gathered her bag and moved out of the cabin stomping her feet.
Neil looked at her retreating figure and chuckles.
Neil: kon kehta hai ki yeh badi ho chuki hai?
He sighed at resumed his work.
****************
Soon the daylight went off to be replaced by bright moonlight.
Avni sat in her room balcony gazing the full moon in the sky. She sighs.
She was missing Neil badly even though it had been a few hours only. She hugged her knees and looks on.
Avni: main janti hoon Neil ki mujhe tumse pyaar ho gya hai... Warna itna miss to koi insaan apni saanson ko bhi nahi karta jitna ek pal mein main tumhe karne lagi hoon.
She smiles recalling Neil putting blanket on her shoulders. She recalled how they used to sit in the balcony for hours after the moonrise and chat.
Their talks were never those lovey dovey kinds *forget about some of the flirty pickups thrown by Neil* winks* it was whatever the world called and everything that they had ever desired.
A loving and a caring partner it what everyone deserves and obviously wants badly. Neil was the perfect one for avni.
Avni took a deep breath and walked to her room. She laid on the bed blankly looking at the ceiling.
Avni: pata nahi itni ajeeb si bechaini kyu ho rahi hai? Avni Tu na overthink karti hai to yeh sab usi ka nateeja hai... Soja...
She laid back and slept off.
***********
Other side, an office is seen.
Neil sat on the chair holding a large paper with the plan of action scribbled on it.
Around him there were DD, shivam, Sid and the DCP Akhilesh Rawat.
Neil: hum log is jagah pe raid kar sakte hai... As long as plan safe rehta hai i think hum kal hi mujrim tak pahunch jayenge.
All nods.
Sid: lekin sir ek problem hai... Sir purane activity records ke according aksar is area ke baad koi signal nahi aata... Aur kuch khabariyon se yeh bhi pata chala hai ki yaha se networks diverge kar jata hai... Kisi strong magnetic field ke induction ki wajah se.
Neil looks on thoughtfully.
DCP: oh no... Yeh to bohut buri baat hai... Is halaat mein raid nahi karna chahiye
Neil: nahi sir... Raid to hogi aur un mujrimo ko pakada bhi jayega koi dusra option nahi lena humein.
DD: sir aisa kar sakte hai na ki hum mein se ek yaha reh ke humein track kare... Is se hum radar pe rahenge safe bhi rahega...
Shivam: aur haan yeh is se kisi bhi emergency mein backup bhi ready reh sakega..
Neil nods.
Neil: to final raha shivam tum yaha rahoge... Mera DD aur Sid ka phone continuous surveillance pe rahega... Kuch gadbad hogi to tum backup le ke aaoge.
Shivam nods.
DCP looks on.
Neil: Sid DD main aur do constables humare saath jayenge...
All nods. Neil looks on with a determination on his face.
They dispersed.
**************
Same night.
Mehta mansion.
Avni was peacefully sleeping in her bad when there was a knock on the door. She stirred a bit.
Avni: (sleepy voice) Neil jao na door kholo...
The knock sounded again.
Avni: Neil tum...
She extended her arm to the other side of the bed to find it empty. She recalled that she was in mehta mansion.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes. It was 12:05 at night she growled in frustration.
Avni: ek to pehle hi nind nahi aati upar se yeh kon aaya?
Stepping in her night slippers she walked lazily to the door.
As the door opened she was taken a back by a loud sound which looks like a gunshot. She covered her ears and closed her eyes tightly.
It was followed a loud cheer.
"Happy birthday Avni!!!"
Avni opened her eyes to see her half crazy family standing at the door step with neela holding a cake and anurag had party popper. This was gunshot she heard.
Gauri: happy birthday chachi...
Little Gauri came a few steps ahead and engulfed her in a tight hug at her waist.
Avni smiled a bit and hugged her back.
One by one everyone wished her and blesses her of a long happy and prosperous life ahead. They connected to khanna mansion where bebe shweta and prakash wished and blessed her. Then Avni cut the cake and they fed each other.
Avni: mujhe to sab kaamo mein yaad hi nahi raha apne birthday ka
Gauri: offo chachi... Main hoon na... main yaad kara dungi.... Papa bhi mumma ka birthday bhool jate hai... main hi yaad karwati hoon
She said with a proud smile on her face.
All giggled at her innocence. Soon they all left her room to their own respective rooms.
Avni closed the door, sat on the bed and smiled.
She had really forgotten about her birthday, as she was occupied with her office and on the top of it taking care of a grown up baby was not easy for her. She was always worried for Neil even though she know that he is self sufficient for taking his own care but still....
One second, Neil had not wished her till yet. She could have expected him paying a surprise visit for this occasion but it was nothing. She took her phone and checked the messages. There were wishes from whole of the world except him. She made a sad pout and placed the phone I'm the side table again.
Avni: Neil ka koi message kyu nahi aaya?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a phone ring. Her face immediately lightened up. As she took her phone in her hands her smile fell. It was abhi.
She took a deep breath and answered.
Abhi: happy birthday avni bhagwaan tujhe bahut bahut bahut khush rakhe.
He smiled wholeheartedly wishing her.
Avni smiled a bit nodded.
Avni: thanks abhi...
Abhi: itna thanda thanda thanks? Accha sun woh main kya keh raha tha... Jaise hum pichle do saal karte the waisa karein kya? I mean ice cream khane chale.... Abhi lene aata hoon main...
Avni: nahi mujhe nahi jana...
Abhi: oh haan... Ab Mrs. Khanna humare saath kyu jaane lagi... Chalo koi ni hum din mein mil lenge aap apne hubby ke saath enjoy karo.
There a tinge of mischief and tease in his voice. Avni made a sad pout and bit her lip trying to control herself. Neil had not even texted her a wish let alone spending time with her.
Avni: abhi... Mujhe nind aa rahi Tu bhi ja soja.. Good night.
She hung up the call immediately without even letting him reply. Abhimanyu found it very weird but shrugged off.
Avni threw her phone on the bed and laid back.
Avni: Neil sach mein bhool gya kya? Nahi nahi avni... Aisa nahi hoga.. It must be woh ghar aaya hoga office se to thak gya hoga... So gya hoga woh... Kal subah wish kar dega...
She thinks.
Avni: kar dega na?
It was more like a question she was asking herself. She was consoling herself.
A message beep is heard. Avni got up immediately and checked the phone. It was from Sid.
Sid: happy birthday avni 🍨🎂🍧
Avni sighs. She texted a thankyou with smiley and laid back.
Avni: sari duniya ne muje wish kar diya par Neil ka ek message nahi aaya...
She slept thinking about Neil only.
****************
Sun rays enter through the curtains lighting everything in the room.
Avni stirs feeling sharp light on her face. Opening her eyes she saw a silhouette standing in front of her.
Avni: Neil...