"Prakash Ji ab toh kundliya bhi match ho gayi  aur do family ki razamandi bhi hai, toh kyun na bachhe ek baar mil le, agar aapko aitraz na ho", said dayawanti mehta while folding back the 'Kundli 'of the 'marriage worthy daughter 'of the house.

"Ji aab dono parivar ek dusre ko swikar kar liya hai toh meri na kaise hoga.. Jao Neil Avni baat karlo.. ". Prakash Khanna, the father to the groom added while seeping on his cup.

"Avni".

"Jii Dadi"

"Jamai Sa ko upar terrace mai leke jao".

Avni nodded politely while in her mind she was mimicking the words of her dadi saa :" Jamai sa ko upar le jao bitiya! Huhh !Jamai sa my foot! Hey bhagwan kaha phasa diya.. "

A sudden click of fingers brought her back to the world

Avni :Huh? Kuch kehe rahe the aap?

Neil :"Nahi mai toh baas bol raha tha ki upar chale? "

Avni :"Oo haa.. Aiyee", a fake grin dancing across her lips.

Neil:"Waise mai itna bhi bura ladka nahi hu? Aap mind mai itna bhi curse maat kijiye !"

Avni:"Did I spoke it loud? "

Neil:"No you didn't but your face expression says mai sahi bol raha hu"..

Avni :"Amazing !Police officer ke saath saath aap mind reading karne mai bhi diploma kar liya hai kya? "

Neil:"No !Not really par apki aankhe  bohot kuch kehi jaati hai "

Avni :"Flirt kar rahe ho? "

Neil:"Itni khubsurat ladki ko compliment dene ka haq toh banta hai ! Aab apki marzi aap kaise dekhe usse !"

Avni :"Baate achhi baana lete ho "

Neil :"Aur tum chai.. Baas thora shakkar kam hai"

Avni :" Yeh lo shakkar ka katoora. Daal lo jitna chaiye ".

Neil :" Sundarta with Karwahat -deadly combo you see !"

Avni :"Achha yeh sab choro.. Agar Na bolna hai toh aaj e bolna.. "

Neil :"Aisa kyun? "

Avni:"Kya haina ladke wale aate hai, phir dekhte hai uske baad nah bolne mai ek hafte se upar laga dete hai.. Phir na bolne ke  baad ghar mai ek ajeeb atmosphere baan jaata hai..Dadi ki latki hui face, chachi ki indirect taane sun sun ke mai pak chuki hu ".

Neil :"Lagta hai kafi ladke dekhe hai tumne? "

Avni :" Haa.. Tum 4th ladka ho. Iske pehele teen mustande dekhe hai. Par shayed mai tumhara first hu? "

Neil :"Haa.. Yeh sab pehele baar ho raha hai par jaanke achha laga opposite mai jo beitha hai woh experinced hai "..

Avni :"Waise tum kuch zaida hi introvert ho! "

Neil :"Nahi introvert nahi par mai thora confused hu."

Avni :"Confused? "

Neil :"Nahi matlab tum itni khubsurat ho par phirbhi matlab kaise , I mean.. "

Avni :"Reject hoti gayi na?  Actually iska answer toh mujhe bhi nahi pata. Jitne ladke mujhe dekhne aye unka demand list mai yahi tha ki ladki susheel hogi, sundar hogi, gori mem jaisi dikhegi, padhi likhi hogi taki friends ke aage aur future bachho ke school admission ke time 'gawar' biwi ko na leke jaana paare.. But ladki job nahi karni chahiye.. She shouldn't be self independent. Uska sirf ek hi lakshya hoga Pati aur unke parwar ki seva karo and be a bachha paida karne wali machine. "

Neil :"Aur isiliye tumhe lagta hai arrange marraige is just a defunct system of the society?"

Avni :"Aur nahi toh kya! Matlab kaise aap panch minute ke liye ek insaan se baat karo aur apko samaj aa jayega yeah man this guy is my soulmate? Nahi bhi toh ho sakta hai ! Its like forcefully tumhare upar thopa jaa raha!"

Neil :"Haa maine niche dekha ki woh aunty parde ke piche tumhe bohot saare instructions de rahi thi !"

Avni :"I know.. Yeh harbaar ka hai ! Aise kapre peheno, achhe se dupatta lagao, dhyan se walk karte huea chai e  leke jao aur apna saar niche ki taraf karke ek kone mai baith jao ! Ek galat step aur tumhara chance gaya samjho ! Duniya 21st century ki gari pakad li par samaj 18th century mai rehe gaye !"

Neil :" Okay !Calm down lady don ! Yeh lo paani piyo!"

Avni:"Thank you!Par tum bhi toh kuch bolo. Mai akele bak bak kar rahi hu"..

Neil (murmuring to himself):"Aur mujhe sunne mai achha lag raha hai ".

Avni :"  Huh? Kuch kha apne? "

Neil :"Nahi par kya apne kuch suna? "

Avni nods her head indicating that she didn't hear anything.

Avni :"Anyway aap batao kuch apne baare mai !Achanak shadi biya? "

Neil :"Mere baare mai kuch khas hai nahi batane ko..Mere papa chahete theh mai unka business carry forward karu par mujhe police officer banna tha.. Iske wajese papa khush toh nahi theh par jab maine IPS exam crack kiya toh he agreed.. Papa now wants me to have a family of my own .. He feels the so called sahi time is just round the corner..Toh mai chala aya apse milne"..

Avni :" Tum atleast lucky ho tumhare paas apna mummy papa hai.. Mai toh orphan hu aur meri family mujhse chutkara paana chahete hai..Shayed khud se kuch nahi kehete par harkate sab kuch kehe jaata hai.. "

Neil :"Sahi kaha mummy papa hai mere paas.. Bachpaan se humesha pyaar diya hai..Par pata hai Avni zyada pyaar jeene ke liye hanikarak hota hai, it makes you feel suffocate.. "

Avni :"Matlab !"

Neil :"Matlab meri life ki chabi humesha mere papa ne control kiya hai..Neil yeh maat karo, waha maat jao, infact mai kisse dosti karungi woh bhi unhone decide kiya hai.. Kabhi yeh nahi socha mere bhi kuch dreams rahenge, kuch baate mujhe bhi keheni hogi. Anyway meri baate choro apni dreams ke baare mai batao? "

Avni:"Mujhe fashion designer banna hai jo ki philhal abhi nahi ho sakta.. "

Neil :"Kyun nahi ho sakta.. Aisa kaha likha hai ki  agar tumhari shadi ho bhi gayi tum apne sapne pure nahi kar sakti.. Ek baat kahu Avni?  Shadi baas life ka ek part hota hai aur kuch nahi, ek legal certificate.  Shadi ke pehele bhi tum Avni ho aur baad mai bhi Avni rahogi.. Toh problem kis baat ka hai?  Avni problem soch mai hota hai par iska matlab yeh toh nahi ki har insaan galat ho !"

Avni :"Sandeep Maheswari fav hai tumhara? "

Neil :"Kyun? "

Avni :"Tum ek ideal motivator ke tarah baat kar rahe ho.  Toh mujhe laga shayed tum inke fan ho !"

Neil :"Nahi baba aisa kuch nahi hai.. Achha yeh sab choro zindagi mai kabhi pyaar ko chakne ka mauka mila "

Avni :" Haa ek ladka tha high school time ka.. Ayaan nam tha.. Class topper tha ! But aisa kuch serious nahi tha.. We broke up within 6 months.. Matlab aisa nahi tha ki he cheated on me with someone else but things didn't work out.. Humare beech kafi differences theh and ek dusre ke saath reheke cheez e bigarti zaida thi.. Toh we mutually decided to part ways !"

Neil :"Ahannn!Ayannnnnnnn !Naam toh kafi achha hai"..

Avni :" Par aisa kuch nahi abhi.. Infact ghar mai bhi kuch pata nahi kisiko bhi.. You know jab hum relationship mai theh toh raat ko bike rides yah phir local pubs mai jaana sab chupke se kiya hai.  That was fun ! "

Neil :"Tu tumhe long drives pasand hai? "

Avni :"Haa bohot zayeda !"

Neil :"Even I love them !Raat ki andhero mai zyada maaza aata hai. "

Avni:" Haa !Ab toh yeh sab ek sapna lagta hai..Anyway choro tum batao tumne kabhi upsc syllabus se muh uthake pyaar ki syllabus ko dekha? "

Neil :"Haa hua tha hume bhi pyaar.. Her name was Naina.She was a distant relative of my school friend. Ek bar woh kisi shadi attend karne mumbai ayi thi, tab peheli baar dekha tha usse.. I didn't knew it was pyaar or something par maine social media ke through usse contact kiya amd after 2-3 months we grew so comforatble with each other that we confessed each others feeling.. Teen saal tak hum relationship mai theh par kabhi papa ko batane ki himmat nahi hui !"

Avni :"Phir kya hua? "

Neil :"Phir we broke up and now she is happily married.. We are not even on talking terms but mere friend ki through pata chala tha.. Yeh sab bohot purani baate hai.. Abhi tak toh uske nanhe munne bachhe bhi aa gaye honge.. "

Avni :"Yaad aati hai? "

Neil :"Kabhi kabhi."

Avni:" Pyaar ke baare mai dubara nahi socha ".

Neil :"Nahi.. I feel jab hona hoga aiwayi ho jayega. Jor jabardasti toh kisiko bol nahi sakte ki hume pyaar karo, hume pyaar karo.. So mai aab iss sabke baree mai sochna band kar diya ".

Avni :"Absolutely ".

Neil :"Pata nahi kyun Avni maine kabhi kisise itni personal stuffs share nahi ki par tumse kar diya and I am feeling so light "..

Avni :"Haa maine bhi..Ek stranger se woh sab kuch kehe gaya jo shayed mai kisise nahi keheti life mai aur woh bhi itni comfortably.. Thank you for letting me speak my heart out.."

Neil :"Aksar insaan apne dil ki baate kisi apno se zayeda, kisi paraye insaan se karke zaida sukoon pata hai.. Kyunki woh aapko kabhi judge nahi karega/karegi  nahi apko uncomfortable feel karwaenge/karwaengi "..

Avni :"Okay chalo.. Lets go down.. Ghar waale wait kar rahe honge.. "

Neil :"Yaa sure ! "

As they stepped down, they found all the  family members giving them questioning look, making them all the way nervous.. A deafening silence followed until they reached the last step of the staircase..

Prakash:"Toh ho gayi baate dono ke beech? Abhi hum shadi ke dates finalize karne wale hai usse pehele baas ek akhri baar puchna chahenge Neil Avni tumhe pasand hai? "

Neil :"Yess papa !I am ready. "

Avni who all this while was staring at the floor, fidgeting with her dupatta looked up to meet his hazel brown orbs seeking answer for her confusions. All this while she was preparing for another rejection but never in her wildest dream she thought that he will agree for this wedding! But surprisingly this decision made her ecstatic, may be she too somewhere in her heart has craved for such a man as he ! His eyes were like crisp toffee dipped in melted chocolate, she found her peace haven in them.

Her staring session was interrupted as her over enthusiastic cousins took her in a bear hug while her not so lovely chachi stuffed her mouth with sweets.. As the families got busy with deciding the dates for the wedding events, Neil excused himself and Avni, earning hootings and teasing glances from the younger gang of the family..

Neil :"Toh !"

Avni :"Toh what!Tum batao yeh sab kya tha ! "

Neil :"Kya kya !It was the first step  to make you mine forever. "

Avni :"Par tumne toh upar kuch nahi bataya that you like me "..

Neil :"Tumhe sab kuch batana zaruri hai kya ",

Avni :" Kyun nahi mai tumhara fiancé hu? "

Neil :"Ahann !Someone is already haq jataoing.. "

Avni :"Koi haq nahi jata rahi hu..Tum bataoge yah nahi? "

Neil :"Maine isiliye nahi bataya kyunki mujhe janna tha tumhari point of view regarding marriage aur tum kitna zaida typical post wedding life ko hate karti hu..

Avni :" Toh what do you feel I was wrong or right? "

Neil :"Tumne kuch galat nahi bola ! Being a police officer I have seen lots of cases of domestic violence, ending to divorce while other women continue bearing the tortures fearing that the society will demean them! Par Avni zaruri nahi har ladka galat ho. Aur mujhe khusi hogi agar meri biwi apne sapne ko jiye. Trust me Avni koi rehe na rahe mai rahunga tumhare saath !"

Avni :"Sachhi"?

Neil :"Muchhi !Aur ek baat Avni shayed iss waqt humare beech pyaar nahi hai kyunki yeh possible hai hi nahi ki peheli baar mai pyaar ho jaye. Par ek bharosha hai jo maine tumpe kiya hai aur tumne mujh pae. Aur wahi sabse zayeda important hai.. Pyaar ka kya hai !Ek saath zindagi ki safar tyaar karte huea pyaar bhi ho jayega "..

Avni :" Socha nahi tha ki 4th mera lucky number hai !".

Neil :"Huhh? "

Avni :"Nahi tum 4th ladka ho na jo mujhe dekhne aaye theh.."

Neil :"Ajooba ho tum !I think ACP Neil ko zyada homework karne honge to decode this unique code named Avni ".

Avni :" Waise since humari shadi ho rahi hai mai clearly baata deti hu kuch baate !Mujhe na khanna pakana achhe se nahi aata.Matlab mai sirf poha aur noodles bana leti hu.. Aur ghar ke baaki kamo mai bhi thora bohot dagmagati hu."

Neil :"Koi problm nahi.. Kaam adha adha baat lenge.. Subah ki chai aur breakfast mai bana lunga, tum lunch bana lena.Mai dishes dho dunga aur tum kapre dho dena. Mai ghar ki jharu pocha sambhal lunga aur tum baki ka safai dekh lena. "

Avni :"Har problem ka solution hai na tumhare paas? "

Neil :"Tumhari iss pyaari si muskaan ke liye kuch bhi. "

Avni :"Phir se flirt kar rahe ho? "

Neil :"Apne biwi se kar raha ho, yeh toh mera haq hai.. "

Avni :"Biwi abhi tak hu nahi, yaad rakhiyo !"

Neil :" Thik hai toh mai mummy se bolti hu koi dusri chori dekh le mere liye? "

Avni :"Dare not!Hu nahi toh ban jaungi na kuch dino mai".

Neil :"Ahann.. Miss Mehta is pretty possesive.. I am already enjoying it. "

Avni :"Shut up..Itna bhi maat uro..Yaad rakhiyo dor mere haat mai hai abhi ACP Sahab."

Neil :"Okay Madam..Lets go otherwise unhe lagega shadi ke pehele sab kuch ho gaya humare beech. "

Avni :"Hain? Konsa sabkuch? "

Neil :"Nahi kuch nahi Tubelight ji.. Aap chalo. "

Avni :"What did you say? Mujhe tubelight bola tumne? Tum ho tubelight."

Had it not been her cousin Riya who came to call them, Avni would have burnt him there itself with her burning glares .

As Avni stepped in the living room, with Neil following her , she was engulfed in a hug by her sister in law .

Navya-" Bhabi !We just can't wait to have you in our family.. I am so much excited .... " she was glowing in ecstasy , earning a shy laughter from Avni .

Shweta -" Oyee Navya side ho ja thora !Mai bhi apni bahu ko dekh lu.. Kinni soni dikh rahi hai humari bachhi .. Kisi ki nazar na lage .. Dayawanti ji humara baas chalta toh abhi ke abhi hum iss bachhi ko apne saath le jaate par kya kare .. "

Bebe:" Madam Madona suna nahi intezzar ka phal meetha hota hai! Ab chal tu bhi side ho ja .. Mujhe thora apni poti ko dekhne de .. Avni beta tum bilkul nervous maat hona.. I am a very cool sasu mom . Can't really give  guarentee about Madam Madonna but I am quite liberal . "
Avni giggled in response .

Prakash -"Toh dayawanti ji ab hume jana chahiye .. Kafi der ho gayi hai aur kal se preparation suru karna hai .. Agle 25 tarikh ko humari Avni aur Neil ki sagai hai .. "

Dayawanti -"Ji Prakash ji ".

Neil , Avni took the blessings of the respective family after which the Khannas departed .. Neil while leaving turned back once to meet the sparkling glances of his fiancée, the lady who has changed his perspective about love on the very first day . Avni , too , kept on staring at him , pinching herself in her mind to fathom the reality of getting her prince charming in such an unexpected manner .

Navya-"Bhaiya chale? Yah phir aaj aisehi bhabi ko taarne ka plan hai? " she winked at Neil and Avni making them turn crimson red in embarassment .. The siblings and their teasings-integral of everyone's life .

Neil :"Navya meri maa chup ho ja !Ch... Chalte hai .. Der ho raha hai .. " he literally dragged  Navya to the car .. Avni kept on looking to the door till the car reached beyond distinct vision.

Yayyy!Back with another two shot on Avneil "Do naina aur ek Kahani".. A few days back I was seeing a short film on Arranged marriage and this idea popped up in my mind .. So thought to pen down for you guys!Share your honest feedback in the box below and tap on the star button to endow me with your love.. There is a second part of this story .. If I get good response I will write the second one soon!

Till then keep loving

Regards
Shayari.