1year, 6 months later.

MUMBAI 

---------------------------------------

Neela was busy at her office when suddenly Prakash Khanna and his wife shweta, who also were her business partners entered her chamber.

" Namaste Neelaji" shweta greeted. 

"namaste shwetaji, Prakash ji. Aayi na!" neela replied politely welcoming them. 

Shweta chirpily continued, " Neelaji, hum aapke liye itni badi khush khabar laye hai ki aap khushi se jhoom uthengi. Pehle hi keh deti hu Party sharty deni padegi aapko."

Neela looked at them with confused eyes. "kaisi khush khabar?"

Prakash continued, "wo Dayawanti Mehta ke against jo evidences humne court me pesh kiye the, wo saare correct prove ho chuke hai. Agle 20 saalo ki sazza sunai hai unhe. Hum jeet gaye."

" sach" neela cried. Big happy tears rolling down her eyes.  "mujhe to vishwas hi nai hota. Meri bacchi, meri avni  ab poori taraah khul ke jee sakegi...bina kisi dar ke... Ye sab aap  dono ke wajah se mumkin  hua hai. Mein aap dono ka kaise shukriya ada karu.. Mein.." She started crying further and folded her hands in front of them.

" oh Commons Neelaji," shweta hugged her and said,  "yeh sab kehke aap hume paraya kar rahi hai. Aur rahi baat thanks ki, aap hume khane par bulayi ye aur thanks pura hua. Kyu sahi kaha na mene?"

" ji bilkul." Neela said, wiping her tears. "aaj aap sabhi mere ghar aayi ye dinner par. Neil ko bhi leke aayega". 

"ji of course. Ab aap apni pyari beti ko ye khush khabar de. Hum shaam ko milte hai. " prakash said.

After, the khanna's left, Neela called avni and shared the good news with her. Both the mother and daughter cried their heart out and consoled each other. Their years and years of hard work had finally paid off. The evil was in jail and would be there for ages. A sense of relief washed over the mother daughter duo. Nothing absolutely nothing could have made them happier than this news.

*********

That night, parikh house,Mumbai

------------------------------------------------------

Neela was busy preparing the dinner for her guests when the bell rang. She eagerly welcomed her guests.

As soon as, shweta, prakash and bebe entered, Neela asked shweta,  " shwetaji, neil nahi aaya?" 

" sorrys neela ji, uski koi client ke sath meeting thi, Internet pe ya aesa kuch."

" video conferencing kehte hai usse shweta" bebe corrected. 

" oh haa ji! Wohi wohi. Isliye nai aa paya!" shweta completed. 

"Achha, koi baat nai, agle baar milungi toh uske kaan zaroor pakad lungi! Pichli baar bhi kisi bahane se wo dinner ke liye nahi aaya tha " neela laughed.

****

They were sitting at the dining table,  having random conversations about Dayawanti Mehta their business and their kids and their expectations from their kids. 

Bebe had already expressed her desire to get Neil married twice. So as that she could see the face of their par-pota! 

In middle if conversation,  shweta got up and went to the side table, and picked up a photo frame, looking at a pretty girl, laughing her heart out, eyes glinting. She turned to Neela and said, " Neela ji, kya ye avni hai, kitni soni hai!"

Neela turned to her and said, " ji, ye meri bacchi hai. Aaj jaise ki uska naya janam ho gaya ho." she said eyes brimming with tears. 

" kaha hai ye? Aur kya karti hai?" shweta asked. 

" 5 saal pehle mene isse Boston bhej diya tha. Uske baad se wo Mumbai wapas aayi hi nai hai. Par aab aa payegi. Filhal wo Singapore me hai aur humari company ka Singapore branch sambhal rahi hai!"

" very goods, very goods" shweta said, still looking at avni's photo. "shaadi ho gayi hai iski?" she asked.

" nahi, shwetaji, aap to jaanti hai avni ke baare me sabkuch. Ek naya naam ek nai pehchaan aur toh aur wo pyaar se itna dur bhagti hai. Mein ne itni koshish ki hai ki wo ek normal zindagi jeele. Badle ki aag se dur rahe. Par mein usse pyaar par vishwas karana sikha hi nahi payi. Meri bhi yahi iccha hai ki ye settle ho jaye. Iski bhi apni family ho par..."

Shweta went to bebe handed her the photo frame,and said,  "chota muh badi baat bebe, par ye ladki humare Neil ke liye kaisi rahegi?"

Bebe saw avni,and instantly knew that neil and avni were meant to be. She turned to Neela and said, "pehli baar isne barabar baat kari hai, agar tum bura na maano, toh hum iss rishtey ki baat aagey badhate hai."

Happy tears rolled down Neela's eyes.  "uska sach jaan ne ke bawjood? " neela asked perplexed. 

"dekho neela, avni ka sach humse kabhi chupa to tha hi nahi na. Aur ye najayz hona ye badla, in sab me iss bacchi ki kya galti hai. Tum Neil se titni baar mil hi chuki ho. Mujhe lagta hai ye dono ek dusre ke liye perfect rahenge." bebe replied.

"Mein aapka shukriya kaise.." neela was lost for words.  " par avni nahi manegi" neela said. 

" directly puchenge toh Neill bhi nahi manega". Prakash replied. 

" toh what's to dos?" shweta asked. 

"kyu na hum koi aur pretext pe, family vacation ya business ke silsile me dono ko mila de? Wo ek dusre ko jaan lenge, fir shaadi ki baat karey?" Neela suggested.

" ye accha rahega, waise bhi hum Singapore me Khanna Industries ko extend karna soch hi rahe the. Kyu na humare mumbai branch ki tarah hum KI aur PE Singapore ka bhi merger kar le. "  prakash suggested.  

"yes," shweta Said excitedly,  " aur hum Singapore chalte hai business cum family vacation bol kar. Neil mana nahi kar payega aur avni toh wahi hogi."

" ye best hoga". Neela agreed too.

*************************************

So, the real cupid in this story is none other than neela and shweta! When mothers decide what is best, that is what happens. :)

Gear up. Avni and neil meet again in the next Part