Chapter 12:
In the penthouse, Avni was half laying on the bed by keeping the cushion on her lap and Neil entered the room. Avni looked up from the phone.
Neil: ab, mom called she called us home.
Avni's face light up she sits.
Avni: really!
Neil was surprised to see her excitement.
Neil: yaa, you are getting excited like kids. She called us what's the big deal in it.
Avni in the mind: for you, it is not but for me, it is everything.
Avni smiled.
Neil: ok, so get ready fast. Bebe asked us to stay there tonight they invite your parents for dinner tomorrow.
Avni's smile faded.
Neil: what happened?
Avni looks down and shakes her head.
Avni: nothing.
Neil: see, Bebe came back from London so please wear something decent.
Avni: ok.
Neil nods. Avni gets up and goes to the closet. Avni stops there and thinks.
Avni: why they are coming? I wish they will not come. I don't want to get spoil my moment with mummy Ji and now Bebe has also come back. What was the need to invite them? This mummy Ji.
Avni opened the closet and choose the dress.
A car stopped outside the Khanna mansion, Shweta and Bebe welcomes Avneil and they entered. Avni sits with Shweta and encircled her arms in her arm and kept her head on Shweta's shoulder. Shweta kisses her forehead. Neil smiles. Bebe was also happy to see the changes in Avni. Prakash comes home. Avni and Neil meet him.
Prakash: How is my daughter?
Avni: super cool and now super happy.
They smile.
Neil: Wow, you got daughter-in-law now you forgot me. First mom was showering her love on her now you all make her sit on your head. I don't have value in this house.
They smile.
Avni smells.
Avni: something is burning.
Shweta smells.
Shweta: my dish.
She gets up.
Avni: no, no mummy ji. Something is burning here.
Avni looks at Neil. All understand.
Neil: you mean, I am burning, I am jealous of you?
Avni: when I said that? Did I take your name? Mummy ji, Papa?
They shook their head.
Avni: see. Don't know why you always give you the importance and think that everyone talks about you.
Neil: you.
Neil comes to her she runs to Shweta.
Avni: mummy ji, help.
Shweta: Neil!
Neil: mom, not fair. And you, I will see you at home. Just go there.
Avni: see mummy ji, he is threatening me in front of you.
Shweta: don't worry if he does something, just call me I will see him.
Avni: done.
Avni hugs Shweta from behind and kisses her cheek. Shweta also kisses her. All smiles.
In the nighttime, Avni was sitting on the floor and Shweta was on the couch she was massaging Avni's hair. Avni was smiling with closed eyes.
Shweta: I am so happy today.
Avni: I am more.
Shweta smiled.
On the other side, Neil opened the cupboard and take out the file from the drawer and something falls on the floor. Neil turns and saw a picture. Neil picked it and turns it. Neil was shocked to see his and Sneha's picture. Neil thinks.
Neil was sitting on her bed by keeping his hands on his mouth and thinking about his life.
Neil: no, I can't forget my motive. I can't give Sneha's place to anyone. No, I can't. Never.
Neil thinks.
Neil was frustrated his heart wants to check Avni because he did not see her for an hour but his mind was stopping him. Neil gets up and roams in the room he runs the hands in his hair and catches his neck. Neil goes to the side table and picks the glass and throws it in anger. Neil looks at the glass piece with bloodshot eyes.
Bheema comes into the room to hear the sound. Neil looks at her and goes out in anger.
Later, Avni comes into the room and saw Neil is laying on the bed and the lamplight is on. Avni was facing his back.
Avni: today, he slept so early. Is he fine?
Avni goes to him and saw his eyes are closed. She checked his forehead. Neil jerks her hand. Avni was shocked.
Neil: don't touch me.
Avni: I was just checking you.
Neil: why? With what right you touched me. You are not my wife so stop behaving like my wife.
Avni looks at him she looks down. Neil lays his head back and closes his eyes. Avni looks at him with hurtful eyes. Avni goes to the side and pulls her bag to the couch and keeps that on the table. Avni takes out her nightclothes and something else also and turns to Neil. Avni goes to change. Neil opened his eyes and thinks. Avni sat near the bathtub and thinks.
The next day was going good with the family. Avni and Neil did not talk to each other. Avni was finding Shweta in the home she saw Bheema in the living area she was cleaning the table.
Avni: where is Mummy ji?
Bheema: In the kitchen, she is preparing dinner.
Avni: oh but why she is doing that. She is not well she has a headache.
Bheema: she told me that she will handle it and asked me to do the dusting.
Avni: God.
Bebe called Bheema she goes. Avni did not see Shweta for an hour. Avni goes to the kitchen but stopped by seeing it.
Avni saw some flashes.
1. A lady was cooking and a small girl was sitting on the counter. The girl was smiling.
2. Person: the winner of the interschool Kitchen champion is Miss Avni Mehta.
3. Lady: I did not expect this from you. I feel ashamed by calling you, my daughter.
4. Avni saw that a piece of paper is burning in the stove fire. A tear falls from her eyes.
Avni was shivering by recalling the past. She steps back. Avni heard the sound of falling something.
Avni: mu, mummy ji.
Avni goes but she stopped at the door. Avni gulps she slowly goes there and all the flashes were roaming in her mind. Avni saw Shweta is standing by holding her head.
Avni: mummy ji!
Avni goes to her and holds her arms.
Avni: mummy ji, you ok? Come, come sit here.
Avni makes her sit on the chair and goes to get water. She comes and makes Shweta drink water.
Avni: you ok?
Shweta nods.
Avni: when you are unwell then what's the need to cook. Why you did not ask Bheema di.
Shweta: I asked her to do the dusting. Sujata is also on leave.
Avni: so you will stop taking care of yourself. How can you do this if I do this you scold me and now you are ignoring your health?
Shweta smiles faintly.
Avni: now come on, go and take a rest.
Shweta: then who will cook?
Avni: me.
Shweta: you know cooking?
Avni's face colour flew away she realised what she said.
Avni: ab, I will order from the restaurant.
Shweta: Bebe doesn't like it. It's ok, I will do it.
Shweta gets up slowly.
Avni: ok, I will cook you go and take a rest and don't worry about anything.
Shweta: but?
Avni: I will manage, I know cooking so relax and go.
Shweta: Are you sure?
Avni: don't you trust me?
Shweta smiles.
Shweta: ok, I am going.
Shweta cups her face.
Shweta: I trust you.
Avni smiles. Shweta goes slowly and Avni looks at the stove and ingredients. Avni thinks.
Later, Neela maa and Ashish came. Avni meets them formally. Then all were sitting in the dining area.
Bebe: You know, today Avni cooked the food.
Neil looks at Avni. Ashish was normal as he doesn't know anything about Avni except her name but Neela maa gives Avni an angry look. Avni looks at her then she looks down.
Bebe: please have it.
Neela maa smiles and nods. She glared at Avni. Bebe has a bit and coughs. Everyone looks at her. The Khanna family came to Bebe and Neil rubbed her back.
Neil: Bebe, you ok?
Bebe's condition was not good. Neil tastes the food and it was too spicy and salty. Shweta thinks and looks at Neil. Avni picks the glass of water and passed that to Bebe but Neil jerked her hand and the glass falls away from there. Avni flinched.
Neil: stay away from my Bebe.
Avni opened her eyes and looked at Neil who was looking at her with bloodshot eyes. He was already frustrated about his feelings towards Avni.
Neil: you wanted to kill my Bebe.
Avni shook her head.
Shweta: Neil, listen to me.
Neil: no mom, not today. I am bearing her for since long.
Neil turns to Avni.
Neil: What han? When you don't know cooking then why do you cook?
Avni looks at Neil. She was hurt.
Neil: And mom, you, how can you let her enter the kitchen. You know she is a boozer.
Avni looks at Neil.
Neil: you know about Bebe's BP problem still you did that. How can you believe this boozer?
Avni's eyes were teary. She looks down. She rubs her hands and looks up.
Shweta: Tillu.
Neil: I am warning you, stay away from my family else it will not be good for you.
Avni was looking at him. Bebe holds Neil's arm to calm him. Neil makes her stand.
Nm: Avni, I did not expect this from you. How can you be so careless? I feel ashamed of calling you, my daughter.
Avni looked at her. She clenched her dress and saw all the images since childhood that whenever she achieved something every time she heard this thing.
The words were echoing in her ears.
" I did not expect this from you. I feel ashamed by calling you, my daughter."
Avni squeezed her eyes.
" I did not expect this from you. I feel ashamed by calling you, my daughter."
"Painting competition. Seriously."
"95 marks you should have at least 99 marks in each subject."
"You cooked food, the daughter of Neela Mehta cooked food. You did not even think about our status. You have tarnished the honour of our family.
All the incidents were roaming in front of her. Avni holds the chair and roars like a tigress and throws the chairs away while saying.
Avni: just shut up.
The chair falls away.
All were shocked. Avni's hair was at her face she was panting. Neil was shockingly looking at her by holding Bebe's hand.
Avni: just shut up, shut up, shut uuuppp.
Avni was panting. Neil tortured her as hell but Avni never behaved like this. Shweta was worried for Avni. She looks at Avni and she knew that now this tigress will not leave anyone. Neil and all were looking at Avni.