Chapter 111:
It was the time of the morning, the sun was shining over the Khanna mansion. Neil fastly entered his room and goes to the cupboard. He opened that and saw Avni's clothes are there. Neil sighs by closing his eyes then he closed the cupboard but his peace was for a few seconds. Neil turned and something strikes his mind.
Neil: she also had clothes in that cupboard.
Neil was shocked and his eyes falls on the paper on the floor near the dressing table. Neil got another shock and the fear engulfed him. Neil slowly goes there and picks it up with shaking hands. Neil gulps. He opened that.
Neil reads: Neil, I am going to the office. Sorry for going without informing you.
Neil got angry. He throws the chit.
Neil: why don't you ever listen to me? Always being arbitrary.
Neil was angry.
On the other side, in a building, Avni was sitting in her cabin and was studying a file. The door opened and Avni looked up, Neil entered the office and closed the door at his back. Avni frowns to see him.
Avni: Neil.
Neil comes to her.
Avni: what are you doing here?
Neil: exactly, what are you doing here?
Avni frowns then she smiled.
Avni: what do you mean by that. It is my office if I will not come here then who will come.
Neil: don't be so smart, Avni, you very well know what I mean?
Avni looked at him. Neil closed his eyes and bit his lower lip to control his anger and sighed. He opened his eyes and sighed again.
Neil: Avni, you need rest so plllleeasse, please let's go home and have rest.
Avni: Neil, I am fine a lot of work is pending, I did a mistake, I should not let the work on them.
Neil: Avni, you can do it after some days, you need to rest now.
Avni: trust me, Neil, I am fine.
Neil closed his eyes and rubs his forehead and moves his hand to his mouth and he opened his eyes and signed.
Neil: Avni, don't be stubborn please listen to me. Let's go home, you can continue your work after some days. Right now you are not in a state to sit. You have to take a rest.
Avni: Neil, don't worry about me, I will manage, I am fine.
Neil got angry.
Neil: no, you are not fine, you had a...
Neil stopped. His lips were trembling. Avni was looking at him, she looked down at the file.
Avni: Neil, I am fine and I can't go home now I have a meeting in a while.
Neil looked at Avni angrily. Avni saw the time on her watch.
Avni: They will come in a few minutes.
Avni stole a gaze at Neil and again looked at the file. Neil banged his hand on the table and Avni closed her eyes tightly. Neil glared at her for some time, Avni opened her eyes and slowly looked at Neil who was looking at her. Their eyes locked, Neil was in anger, he broke the eye lock and looked down in anger. Avni also looked down. Neil glanced at Avni once then he goes from there furiously. Avni was looking at him, she thinks.
Neil entered the hospital and was in a bad mood, he doesn't want to force Avni as she is in deep grief and his any harsh word can create a crack in their relationship. The doctors were wishing him, he nods but was not in a good mood. A couple stopped Neil in a way, the man was carrying a baby. They were crying.
Man: Doctor, humari madad kijiye. (Doctor, please help us.)
Neil: pehle aap log rona band kijiye aur bataen mujhe kya howa? (first of all, stop crying and tell me what happened?)
Man: ye humari beti hai. Doctor keh rahe hain is ke dil main ched hai aur wo log bohat zyada paise le rahe hain. Hum gareeb log hain, humare pass itne paise nahi hain is ke ilaj ke liye. Doctor kehte hain ye theek ho sakti hai dawai se lekin humare pass us ke like bhi paise nahi hain. Hum ne aap ke bare main bohat suna hai ke aap gareeb or zarorat mandon ki madad karte hain meharbani kar ke humari bachi ko bacha lijiye.
(she is our daughter, doctors are saying that there is a hole in her heart and they are charging very high fees. We are poor people, we don't have much money for her treatment, doctors are saying, she can be cured with medication but we don't have money for that too. We heard a lot about you that you help poor and needy people please save our daughter, please.)
Neil looked at the baby who was just of few months. Neil got emotional to see her, his heart pinched to know that she is ill and he missed his baby. He had seen many dreams about his baby and his happy family but all broke in a single moment.
Man: agar aap hamari madad karenge to hum aap ke zindagi bhar bohat shukar guzar rahenge. (if you help us, we will be really thankful to you for the rest of our life.)
Lady requested Neil: Humari bachi ko bacha lijiye. (please save our daughter.)
Neil: aap dono please rona band kijiye, main kuch karta hun. (you both please stop crying, I am doing something.)
Neil takes out his phone from his pocket and called someone.
Neil: Sanjay, I am standing near room number 10, come here fast.
Neil cuts the call.
Neil: Aap log fikar mat kijiye, mujhse jo bam para main karunga. (don't worry, I will do what I can.)
Neil looked at the baby. He wanted to take the baby in his arms. He looked at it emotionally and smiled when the baby rubs her nose.
Neil: kya main isay utha sakta hun? (can I take her?)
The man nods and gives the baby to Neil. Neil caressed her hair and his eyes got tears. Neil kissed the forehead of the baby and the tear slides from his eyes. The couple looked at each other. Neil smiled fakely and wiped his eyes by turning his face. He squeezed his nose. The couple thought that he got emotional to hear their story.
Neil: aap ki beti bohat cute hai. Kya naam hai is ka? (your daughter is very cute. What is her name?)
Man: Muskan.
Neil: Muskan. Nice name.
They smiled. Neil gave the baby to the lady and smiled to see the baby.
Sanjay came.
Sanjay: Sir, you called me.
Neil: yes, Sanjay, this child has a hole in her chest and they can't afford her treatment. I will bear all the expenses of her treatment if we can treat her here in our hospital, make the bill in my name and if it is needed to concern some other cardiologist then also I will bear all the expenses. Just do tell me.
Sanjay nods.
Neil: I don't want ignorance in this matter. Got it.
Sanjay: yes, sir.
Neil: Aap log in ke sath jaiye ye aap ki madad karenge aur ek minute. (you go with him, he will help you and one minute.)
Neil takes out his wallet and gave his card to the man.
Neil: agar aap ko kisi bhi kisam ki madad ki zarorat ho, mujhe ek call kar dijiyega ya aap yahan bhi aa sakte hain. (If you need any help, just make a call to me or you can come here too.)
The man and lady were thankful to Neil. The man joins hands in front of Neil.
Couple: shukriya. (Thank you.)
Neil: no need for it. (Is ki koi zarorat nahi hai.)
Neil caressed the hair of the baby who smiled. Neil smiled with teary eyes.
Lady: main aap ke aur aap ke parivaar ke liye dua karungi. Main dua karti hun ke aap ke bachon ko lambi umar mile aur wo aap ke sath hamesha khush rahen (I will pray for you and your family. I wish, your children get long life and live happily with you forever.)
Neil looked at her, he looked down and smiled. His heart was aching and getting heavy. The couple goes. Neil turns and looked at them. Neil thinks and he looked at his empty hands. Neil got emotional.
Neil entered his cabin and kept his cell phone on the table and moved to a chair. Neil sits on the chair and was very tired though the day is just started but he was feeling low. Neil took a deep breath and leaned onto the chair. He thinks about his life and thinks about how happy was he, Avni and the whole Khanna family.
Neil: why did you leave us, bacha, why? Everything has changed. Everything is slipping from my hand like sand. Papa and Mamma's relationship, our happiness, our bond, everything. Papa is feeling so lonely. Why did you leave papa? Papa is missing you. Please come back to us. Papa doesn't have the courage now. Now, he is tired, he is tired.
Neil gulps. Neil closed his eyes and tear falls from his eye. Neil heard a baby calling him papa.
Baby: papa.
Neil instantly opened his eyes and sat. He looked around but no one was there. Neil cries and keeps his head in his arms and cries.
Neil: I miss you, my baby. Papa misses you.
Neil cries.