Avni stood mute at the door waiting for it!
"Oh gods, you girls!"
It was Shweta, Avni's mother-in-law who spoke an English dialect of her own creation! She had been wanting to know where Neil and Avni were for last two days. She did not take DD's explanation that he provided Prakash, Neil's dad. She could not believe that her son would just go absconding for work and that at the same time this girl Avni, who was masquerading as her daughter -in -law would be choosing to stay at her home as well! Shweta had sniffed out Avni's house and after not finding her there, her suspicion increased!
She decided to check at Neil's studio apartment as a last option and here she was. Unluckily for Avni, Shweta came at a time when Neil was not there to face his mom and protect Avni from his mom's nonsensical whimsical fancies!
Seeing Avni's situation a heart made of stone would have melt! But Shweta was really immature and small-minded. When a person is plotting against another so much that their eyes are shaded in hatred, then they cannot understand the perspective and pain of the other person. Same was the case with Shweta when it came to Avni. Shweta had never been completely accepted by her mother in law herself! She was a widow when Prakash, Neil's dad fell in love with her and married her! Bebe, Prakash's mom and Neil's grandmom could never accept Shweta. Not due to her situation at the time of marriage, Bebe was better than that! But due to Shweta's erratic and undependable nature. Shweta was silly and doted over unimportant things, leaving the rest of the picture unattended. Bebe just thought her son deserved better than a compulsive liar and schemer!
Avni finally spoke something - "Shweta aunty aap?.." (You?)
Shweta was just looking at Avni's face, but not with pity, but victoriously. She had a satisfied look on her face.
Shweta started with fake sympathy. " Arre Girls.. Ye kya hua? I hopes you are ok. You look so bads!"(What happened?)
Avni kept quiet, she never had had any elders to teach her how to behave while she was growing up. But unlike Shweta she was a decent and sensible human being.
Avni stepped a bit aside out of humility and Shweta went striding in the apartment. She exclaimed - "Arre waaah! Quite beautifuls. Zaroor tumne kiya hoga.. (and then Shweta looked at Avni with hard hateful eyes).. to ensnare my son. My tillu!.."( Very beautiful. I'm sure you would've done it)
Avni shook her head in innocence. She did not realise that no matter how much she tries to explain herself, Shweta will always only see what she wanted to see!
Shweta continued her tirade - "When my sons did not gives you importance. Then you made this plans to trap him? Did you get yourself beaten? Why am I not surprised? A characterless girls like you can fall to any level. But I am happy seeing you face. You know why Avni? Karma. Karma is a bitch. What you got was totally what you deserved!"
"You have nots been my son Tillu's wifes for even two days now! And you already separated him from his own parents?! What a wow!"
Avni was not able to absorb all this. It was evening going into night and she was extremely sad and tired now. She could not take any more emotional baggage. She had faced fear, trauma, violence, shock over last two days. She was not in a strong mental position. She just leaned by the door she was standing against now, and slowly sat down there. Her wounds were paining now, possibly the dosage of painkillers had worn off. But she could not feel that pain, she could just feel the sting of her mother in law's cruel words. She forgot where she was, she forgot she was safe and out of the reach of the goons. She started feeling claustrophobic and trapped again.
To an outsider, Avni was just sitting normally with her head in her hands, but from the inside she was undergoing deep trauma.
Shweta's words continued - "Arre kya natak kar rahi hai ladki. Girls how can you think you will be ables to get away with it? I am with my tillu! I will ensure you are not able to creeps into his life! My tillu is smarts, handsome and he is still my sons! Girls I am giving you an ultimatums. Leave his life!"( What drama are u doing girl?)
Avni could not process much but the negative words were hitting her hard.
Doctor had asked for her to be spared from all tension and confrontation. What Neil had been working hard to achieve since that morning was undone in those 5 - 10 minutes by his mother.
As Shweta continued, Avni joined her hands in front of her as if praying or saying sorry to Shweta. She did not know what she was doing but she just wanted it to stop. Shweta was irritated now at Avni not responding. Shweta was a bully all her life, she would suppress the quiet ones, like her husband, and now Avni. Avni's quiet gave Shweta more courage, and she stepped forward and pushed Avni backwards. Avni's hands were still joined and she fell backwards, into two strong arms.
Neil came in shouting - "AVNI!!". He had dropped the food packets he was carrying and held her firmly.
Shweta - "Arre tillu! Beta how are you! I was so worries about you son!"
Neil was not listening to what Shweta was saying either. His concentration was on Avni's condition. He was alarmed to say the least. Avni was probably not registering that she was in Neil's hands now. Her head was bent down and her hand were joined together in prayer protectively in front of her head.
Shweta - "Oh this girls still pretending! Let me see her!", saying this Shweta moved forward to touch Avni and lift her head. Neil did nothing to stop his mother. He was at a loss how to handle Avni's condition now and was totally lost in her.
Suddenly he saw Shweta's hand coming and holding Avni by the hair and propping her head up! Neil did not know what was more horrible..
That his mom would do such a thing to his wife in front of his own eyes or that some of Avni's facial wounds that were bandaged were bleeding and her eyes rolled back in her head. Shweta dropped Avni's head back saying - "All prentense! She is doing naatak!"(Shes pretending)