At the time of the morning, the birds were hovering over the building. A hospital name was mocked on the building. In one of its rooms, Neil was admitted.
Neil was staring at Avni who was sleeping. Neil stared at her for some time then he moves his arm and Avni woke up. She was sleepy, she looked at Neil who was looking at her and Avni frowns and thinks. She recalled everything and got up instantly. Neil was looking at her, Avni looked down and keeps the hair strand behind her ear.
Avni: sorry, don't know when I slept.
Neil was looking at her. He was guilty of his last night's behaviour. He was happy about her achievement but Vidyut ruined everything.
Avni: how are you now?
Neil: better.
Avni: I should call the doctor.
Avni goes and Neil thinks.
Neil: I overreacted last night. What was Avni's mistake if I did not get the award? Avni got for what she did hard work. She achieved that award, that recognition on the behalf of her hard work and you ruined everything by getting into Vidyut's words. You ruined Avni's happiness also. Tch.
Neil thinks. The doctor entered the room and Avni came behind him.
Doctor: how are you, Mr Khanna?
Neil: better.
Doctor: good.
The doctor checked him. Neil was looking at Avni who was observing Doctor checking Neil.
Doctor: today, we will discharge you but you have to take proper rest for at least one week. Ok.
Neil: sure, Doctor.
Doctor: good.
Avni: Doctor, what can he eat?
Doctor: try to give him light food for some days then he can eat anything.
Avni nods.
The doctor goes with the nurse.
Neil: where is papa?
Avni: I send him home at night, you know about his back pain if he stays here then it could increase his pain so I asked him to go.
Neil: you did right, Avni, but you should also go with him. Why did you stay here?
Avni: you were here how could I go home?
Neil: why?
Avni: because you are my...
Avni stopped. Neil smiled.
Neil: you are my... You are my what, Avni?
Avni: ab, aa, you, you must be hungry. Let me see something for you to eat then you have to take medicine.
Neil felt disappointed. He looked down. Avni turns to go but a ward boy came there carrying a tray of soup.
Ward boy: sir, your soup. You have to have it today.
Neil makes a face, and Avni smiled.
Ward boy: you can eat or I feed you, sir.
Neil: no, my wife can feed me.
Avni looked at him. Neil turns his face to her, and Avni looked down. Avni took the tray from the ward boy who goes after giving that to Avni. Avni sat on the bed and feeds Neil who winced and touched his lips.
Avni: sorry.
Avni blows the spoon and Neil looked at her and he forgets his pain. Avni feeds him. When she blows the soup, Neil looked at her lips, her hair which was moving slightly. Neil stared at her and drank but his all concentration was on Avni. Neil came back to reality when the door knocks. Neil felt to break the head of the person but he remains silent to see his father. Avni got up.
Prakash: how are you, my boy?
Neil smiled.
Neil: fine.
Prakash: good.
Avneil smiled.
Prakash: Avni, Shweta send this breakfast for you. You have it.
Avni: papa, once I feed Neil then I will have it.
Prakash: I will feed him. You have breakfast.
Avni nods. She gave the tray to Prakash and took the tiffin from him. Avni goes to sit on the couch and eats after washing her hands. She opened the tiffin and Neil closed his eyes when the smell of the tasty food of her mother's hand reached his nose. Neil inhaled that. Avni looked at Neil and understand that he wants to eat it so she closed the tiffin. Neil looked at Avni who kept the tiffin on the table. He understands that she is not eating it because of him.
Neil: Dad, I am done.
Prakash: but you did not even have the half soup.
Neil: Dad, please.
Avni: you should finish it. If they came then they will scold us.
Neil: if it is the case then you should also have your breakfast if you did not eat properly and will get ill then I will be scolded by my family.
Prakash saw Avni is not eating the food.
Prakash: why you are not having breakfast?
Avni looked at him.
Avni: ab, aa, I, I was about to start.
Neil: then start it.
Avni glared at him the first time. Neil smirked. Avni pulls the tiffin and Prakash feeds Neil. Neil smiled to see Avni having the food.
At the time of the evening, Neil got discharged. He was about to get up from the bed. Avni wants to give him a hand but Neil stops her.
Neil: it's ok, I can get up. Don't worry.
Avni nods. Neil got up but his foot was injured, he was about to fall but Avni holds him at the right time and he also holds the bed. Neil looked at Avni. Their eyes locked. They were lost in the eyes of each other and their faces were very close. They heard the knock on the door and came back to reality and both were embarrassed they were looking here and there. Avni helped Neil to stand straight and then makes him sit. Prakash came to them.
Prakash: formalities are done. Let's go, home.
Prakash helps Neil to get up.
Neil: Dad, I can get up and walk
Prakash: yeah, I know how far you can walk. I am your father, don't lie to me and don't worry, your dad is not as weak as you think of him.
Avneil smiled. Neil didn't want to put his weight on his father so he was trying to walk but he was feeling pain. Neil squeezed his eyes and Avni saw that. She also puts Neil's arm on her shoulder and Neil looked at her. Avni looked at Neil who nods and blinks his eyes. Avni smiled.
Avni and Prakash took him home. Bebe and Shweta welcome Neil and got emotional to see him. Shweta cries by hugging him. Neil and Avni smiled.
Neil: Mom, I am fine. Relax.
Shweta breaks the hug.
Shweta: fine, my foot. Look at you, you are looking so pale.
Neil looked away then he smiled to see his mother. Bebe also meets him and hugs him, she touched his face while crying, and Neil hugged her more tightly. They sat on the couch and Shweta sat with Neil and Avni sat on the opposite side.
Bebe: Avni, you must be tired, go to your room and have a rest.
Avni: no Bebe, I am fine.
Neil: no, you are not. Bebe is right, go and have a rest, you did not even sleep properly in the hospital so go and have a rest.
The family smiled to see Neil's care. Avni looked down.
Avni: I am fine.
Neil makes a face.
Avni: Bebe, Mummy, what will be prepared for the dinner.
Shweta: that's none of your concern. You and Tillu you also, you both go to your room and have a rest.
Avni: but Mummy Ji.
Shweta: go before I pick my stick.
Avneil and all smiled.
At the time of the night, Neil was alone in the room he was changing his clothes. He had changed his touser by sitting on the bed but was facing difficulty in opening the button of the shirt. Anyhow, he opened two buttons.
Neil: tch. Ssss...
Neil jerks his hand. Avni knocks on the door. Neil looked up then he turns his face.
Avni: can I come in?
Neil looked at him and thinks. Avni waits for his reply.
Neil: yeah.
Avni came and saw Neil is still wearing the same shirt she came forward and saw his struggle. She thinks and goes to the cupboard. Neil looked at her and Avni goes to change. Neil thinks. Avni came back and saw Neil is standing near the couch and is still trying. Avni thinks and came to him.
Avni: may I?
Neil looked at her. Avni signed at his shirt and keeps the hair strand behind her hair. Neil turns to her. Avni opened the shirt button and turns her face. Neil smiled. Avni removed his shirt and helped him to wear a T-shirt. Neil sets that.
Neil: Thanks.
Avni: it's ok.
Avni took Neil to the bed and made him sit. Neil was staring at her. Avni looked at him and their eyes locked in the eyes on each other. Avni breaks the eye lock and Neil looked down in embarrassment. Avni stands.
Neil in mind: what has happened to you, Neil? Have you lost your mind, why are you staring at Avni like this? What will she think about me? Idiot.
Neil looked at Avni who makes the hair strand behind her ear. Neil smiled to see her.
At the time of the night, Avneil were sleeping but Neil's sleep got disturbed because of the pain. He opened his eyes and looked at Avni who was sleeping. Neil wanted the pain killer but he doesn't want to disturb Avni's sleep. Neil got up and slowly goes to the cupboard. He got the box and sat on the couch and have medicine. Neil came to bed and sat. He looked at the window and recalls Avni talking to Ayesha maa and she broke down in front of him. Neil looked at Avni and thinks.
The next morning, Avni came to Neil who was scrolling down his phone. Because of his accident, he was not going to the office.
Avni: Neil.
Neil looked at her.
Avni: I have arranged everything in the bathroom for your bath so.
Neil nods. He kept the cellphone on the bed and Avni helped him in getting up and Neil goes, Avni was behind him. Neil tried to remove his shirt but his hand was injured so he was facing difficulty. Avni helps him, Neil looked at her. Avni signed sit. She gives him a sponge bath and Neil was feeling embarrassed. They can not ask Prakash or anyone because the reality of their relationship will disclose in front of the family. Avni cleans her eyes and Neil got up. He cups her face with one hand and wipes her eye and blows it. Avni opened her eyes and saw Neil. Their eyes locked. Avni looked down and turns to get the towel and wipe Neil's body and helped Neil to wear the shirt. She goes and Neil comes after some time. Avni wipes his hair and set them with her hand. Neil was looking at her.
Neil: Thanks.
Avni: no need, it's my duty.
Avni goes to get the first aid box and changed the bandage on Neil's head. Neil winces. Avni looked at him.
Avni: sorry.
Neil: slowly.
Avni blows his wound and cleans the wound. Neil was looking at her. Avni did the same with his hand and foot. Neil was just staring at her.
Avni: done.
Avni goes to keep the box in the cupboard. Neil was looking at her.
Avni: Do you want something?
Neil shook his head.
Avni: ok.
Avni goes from there. Neil was looking at her, he thinks.