The next day was a new start.  She started the day with tradition of Rasoi, with her cooking for her new family.   As she explained to her mother in law and grandmother in law, she was not as good cook in the kitchen.  She had spent more time out of the kitchen rather than in.    She did explain that her birth mother did start to teach her how to cook before she had died.  

She had told them that she could make Poha, which was agreeable to her inlaws.    Her inlaws weren't acting like she was force upon them, they were acting like it was a normal wedding with all the traditions.    As she had finished making breakfast, she had quickly set the table and started to call everyone.   Shweta had told her to go get Neil, as he was still not down yet.

Avni figured it was a good time to find out what was going on.  Everyone was acting normal, when everyone knew that she had married Neil under false pretenses.

"Neil!" yelled Avni as she walked into the room.  The room was empty.  "Where did he go?" whispered Avni

"Why?  Missing me already?  Shall we cancel your PagPhera?" said Neil from behind Avni

"What?  I didn't say that!" replied Avni.

"Mummy ji is calling you for breakfast" stated Avni

"If I am not mistaken, you made breakfast for your first rasoi.  Can you cook?" asked Neil

"No I can not cook.  Now come down.  Ali will be by shortly." said Avni as she left the room.

"Damn, I forgot to ask him about the family's attitude.  Mummy ji didn't like me and now she is treating me like I am part of the family.  Neil is gonna make me lose my mind." whispered Avni.

Breakfast was done, the gift was given, overall it was a typical morning for a newly wedded couple.  Avni was surprised that everyone was so nice to her considering that she had married Neil under dubious circumstances.   Ali had come by to pick Avni up for her PagPhera.   Bebe had given her gifts for Nanno, Neela Ma and Ali.    Bebe had also given Neil instructions to pick Avni in the evening.

Neela Ma ignored Avni's questions regarding Neil and his family, told her to concentrate on her new life, she would deal with Ashish Mehta and his son, Amol.   Before she knew it, it was almost time for Neil to come and pick her up.    As the doorbell rang, she told her Ma that she would answer the door since it would be Neil coming to pick her up.  When she opened the door she was shocked, it was Ashish Mehta and Amol at the door. 

"Ma, your ex-husband is here!" yelled  Avni and walked away.

"Avni, we came to see you." said Ashish.  

"No!  I don't want to have anything to do with you or your family.   My goal was to punish your mother for murdering my mother and trying to kill me.   You weren't there when I needed you and now I am not here for you.  I have all the family I need." and left the room.

Neil had come to pick up Avni, when he witnessed everything.   As he was behind Ashish and Amol, nobody knew that he had arrived.

"Mr. Mehta, I warned you to stay away from Avni.  She has suffered enough." said Neil startling Ashish who realized that Neil overheard his conversation with Avni.

Neela Ma had walked into the foyer, and saw that Neil along with Ashish and Amol had arrived. 

"Neil, come in, Avni is just getting ready.  Her mood is a little off."  

"I know Neela Ma.   I witnessed her conversation with Mr. Mehta.  I will take her home now, and her mood will turn for the better."  he smiled at Neela Ma.

"Wow, my son seems to have knowledge of my daughter down pat" teased Neela Ma.

"Ma, I will just see where Avni is" said an embarrassed Neil as he left the room.  

"I didn't think Neil knew Avni very well" said Ashish.

"What do you two want?" asked Neela ignoring Ashish's question.   "Haven't you and your family done enough damage to my daughter.   All you guys know is to hurt her!" yelled Neela

"I am sorry, Neela Auntie.  I didn't even know that I had a sister named Avni" stated Amol

"Amol, I am sorry, but seeing you hurts my daughter, so please, take your father and leave.  I don't want to hurt you but I will protect my daughter."

Meanwhile in Avni's room, Avni was throwing her pillows around.  "What does he think of himself.   He was supposed to pick me up and he hasn't even shown up.  If he didn't have time he should have called to say he was gonna be late!  Dumb ass!! "

"Oye, I am not a dumb ass!  You shouldn't call your husband Dumb ass!" said Neil watching her from the door.

Avni was so surprised she fell onto her bed.  "When did you show up?   Where have you been?" 

"Wow, I didn't think I would get this kind of welcome!  You were waiting for me!   I'm touched.  I didn't know that my wifey adores me so much that she can't stay away from me.  I came to take you home, and got a welcoming committee of the Mehtas.  Speaking of the Mehtas, Daywanti, Dishka and Ketan were all refused bail.   They will have to stay in jail until the case comes through court."

"Thank you, Neil" said a relieved Avni

"Why are you saying thank you.  You are my wife, it is my duty to protect her" replied Neil

"There you go again, talking like this is a real marriage."  said an exasperated Avni.

"We do have a real marriage.  Just because I haven't exercised my rights doesn't mean that we won't.  We are married.  It will be a real marriage sooner or later.  We will work at making this marriage work.  I know it is hard for you, you don't believe in marriage but Neela Ma does.  And all she wants is for you to have a perfect family, a loving marriage and a couple years down the road, some children."

"Wait, how do you know this?" asked Avni

"My tubelight wifey, do you think that our first meeting was accidental, nope, I knew that you were Avni Ayesha when we met at the cliff.   Do you remember that a year ago, that a proposal had come to your house, and you rejected it without asking who the guy was.  Well, that guy was me." answered Neil.

"What??" said a surprised Avni

"Yep.  That was me.  I had seen you at WYZ hospital, you awere with Neela Ma.  You were teasing her, You had a carefree smile but your eyes were telling me a different story.    I was with Bebe, but I had to step away and take care of a call, when Bebe stumbled, you had helped her without thinking.   You listened to her ramblings, and you mentioned that it was nice to see love between family members, you wished that you had experienced that.  You had mentioned that your second mother gave you the love of mother and father.   But you craved it from your real family as a child.   You made sure that Bebe had the care she needed in the hospital while she was waiting for me.  Bebe fell in love with you that day,  I fell in love with you.  We found out that Neela Ma was a childhood friend of Ma, we decided to send a proposal for you but you rejected it without any thought." said Neil

"But, I didn't want to marry anyone" said Avni

"I know, Ma had asked Neela Ma for a reason, we thought that you might be involved with someone"  said Neil

"I never even had a boyfriend" replied Avni

"Yes.  Neela Ma mentioned that.  She told us your history, so we decided to help you. "  said Neil

"What!!" squeaked Avni

"Yes, this marriage was all a plan.  Riya didn't want to get married to me, she just wanted Dayawanti to stop pestering her for a business marriage.   We made the plan.  She was to run away from the mandap, and Neela Ma was to convince you of the marriage.   Riya is not as bad as you think.  Yes, she is a little materialistic, but that is all a show so Dayawanti doesn't find out.   Riya told me about her cousin, Avni.   Riya was told that you were murdered by Dayawanti.  She had to follow the rules set by Dayawanti otherwise she was to join you in death."  said Neil.

"Oh my God, what a confusing web"  said Avni

"So my parents, grandmother, Riya, Naano, Ali and Neela Ma came up with this plan.   We knew that there was something going on with us, but you, my tubelight wifey, refuses to acknowledge it.   So, we got married with all the traditions" said Neil

"No we didn't" replied Avni

"Actually, we did.  The chunni ceremony, it was between me and you.   I even put the engagement ring on you by making you try it.  The mendhi, you have my initials on your hands.   All the functions, were don't with you not Riya.  Only thing is that we couldn't let Dayawanti or the rest of the Mehtas know.   So Ma pretended that she hated you.   She is real proud of you."

"Really, Mummy ji doesn't hate me.   Is that why everyone was acting like it was a normal marriage this morning?  asked Avni

"Avni, get into your head.  This is a normal marriage.    We are married.    You are mine to love and protect for the rest of our lives.  Now I know this is alot of information, but we will deal with one day at a time.  As for now, we should get home,  Bebe and Ma will be waiting for us."  said Neil

"Fine, but your not off the hook.  You tricked me!"  said Avni

"It was for your good, but I will accept any punishment you give me except you leaving me" stated Neil

"I promise I won't leave you but I will punish you.  Okay.  Let's go, the family must be waiting for us"