I'm so sorry this update is so late- i was abroad with no wifi. But I had written up a few parts in advance still. I really hope this chapter isnt as rubbish as I think it is, and you guys enjoy it. Its mainly a filler chapter and it doesn't contain the precap of the last part yet. But please still show your love and support and vote and comment. Its the reason I am motivated to write for you all. You can expect the next part tomorrow, lots and lots of love.... enjoy💕

..........

Avni stills as soon as Gaurav enters the room in discomfort and foreboding, she trembles as he approaches her. Gaurav ran a finger down her arm slowly and all the hairs on her body stood on end in alertness, she squirmed  in disgust as she could feel his lustful glare heat her skin.

"You'll never guess what..." he breathed on to her, making her wince in disgust. "Your husband has got a huge promotion today..." He purposely said the word almost mockingly, just to provoke her. "Won't you say congratulations, wifey?"

Her insides knotted together at the word, torment biting at her heart.

She couldn't help but remember the way her Neil used to dance around with her on the balcony under the moonlight, holding her gently by the waist. He stared at her in awe, cradling her as if she was the most precious thing he had ever held, their foreheads resting against each other. "Wifey..." he breathed out as if the word was too beautiful to say, "khash mein bus yeh  shabd bol sakthi hu hamesha hamesha ke liye..." Avni chuckled as he admired that hint of blush that brightened her cheeks, then that bold streak came out that he adored. "Agar tum har samai yeh hi bolti rehenga tho tum wo kaise kar payengi?" Neil smirked his charming grin, "Wo kya?".  "Yeh...", and she linked her lips with his, he smiled in to the kiss, and though he wanted to close his eyes in the passion of the moment... his heart didnt let him as it yearned to see her for every minute he could as she was the most hot yet cute, bold yet shy, the most stunning thing he had ever seen.

Suddenly, Avni's eyes glassed over and she attempted to peel away Gaurav's hand off her desperately, as if suddenly realising how this man's touch felt. How rotten and shaming, and disrespectful compared to the love in her Neil's touch.

"Dont call me that!"

Gaurav stayed indifferent, expecting the reaction. He leaned in to her ear and she finched away from his touch and turned her face to the other side immediately.

"Kya hogaya darling?" He purposely prolonged his whisper to send chills down her blood, she stiffened in his touch. "Yeh mera zindagi ki itna bada milestone hai aur tum ko yeh celebrate  nahi karna chati? thodi romance ki saath?"

Avni shook her head desperately, so disgusted by the man in front of her. He fumed at her reaction in frustration, and lashed out and kicked her in the shin, but she refused to react.

"Nahi karonge?" He was quiet as if it was a normal polite, affectionate question but she fixed her adamant gaze on him and shook her head again. "Nahi karonge?!"

She screamed as he kicked her in the stomach. She stumbled backward with a breathless gasp. A look of absolute disgust and embarrassment on her face, and she was sick to the stomach at his grotesque thoughts. She glared at him with a fiery glare of rage of a woman- something to never be challenged.

Her voice was fierce, an streak of old Avni still thrived somewhere inside her- it was completely clear that she has had enough.

"I've suffered through living hell here for the past 5 years and its like- like being sentenced to die a new death everyday... I have given up everything I loved and spent my entire childhood yearning for. My son calls you his papa, he has placed his every single hope on you... and I've had to let him do that, even though I know that one day or another he will find out and you will break his heart. And to the world I'm your wife, I've had to label myself as the wife of an animal. I have given you everything." She pauses to recollect her breath, wiping away tears to hide her weakness behind her armour. "Par mein bhi ek aurat hu, sirf ek maa aur patni nahi... Koi hadh hai mere liye bhi... mujhe meri aatma saamaan hai abhi bhi... wo fighter jo tumhe pehele mila tha..." Her bloodshot eyes were watering in pain she couldn't stand any longer, and a new determination arose within them. "Wo abhi bhi zinda hai... wo aag abhi bhi zinda hai... aur koi bhi wo toot nahi kar payenga... kaas kar tumhare jaisi khaiyar ko nahi... Mr Vidyut Pandit."

"Mujhe Khaiyar bul rahi hu!?" He bellowed at her, shoving her roughly up against the wall and twisting her hand painfully behind her back till it felt like it might snap off its joint. "Zuban sambhal do avni... warna tum ko jhanta hai ki mein kya kar sakthi ho... aapka Nishaan ka aur aapka pyaara Neil ka zindagi mera haath me hai... kya jaane jab... wo haath se nikal jaye?"

"Shut up! Just shut up! And don't dare say those things to me!" She holds his collar with a tight grip, the rage storming in her eyes. "Dekh... yeh hai farak mere aur tumhare beech... tum tumhare dhamke ki peech chupati ho par kuch bhi karne ki himmat nahi hai. Par tum meri pyaar, ek aurat ki pyaar.... uski majboori banaya hai... Aur mein tumhe mera bachha aur mera Neil ko ek bhi kaanch nahi pauchane dooga... mein kuch bhi karne ke liye tayaar ho, mein tumhari jaise ek janwar ki saath bhi rehe loonga."

He stood in utter shock for a second, completely taken by surprise at her outburst.

But then... he shook his head at her with a slow sarcastic chuckle, "Oho Avni... tumhare pyaar ki takat bohot hi strong hai... if only tumhari pati ki pyaar bhi itni strong hoti... shayad wo din tumhare Neil tum par barosa kiya tha... yeh din aayenga hi nahi."

"That was you- it was all you! Wo photographs... it was you! It was you! You kept a gun to my stomach and threatening to kill our baby and forced me to take those pictures! You sent them to Neil anonymously before I could get to him and tell him his life is in danger! You did it all- where is Neil to blame? He will save me from you- i know I can't tell him anything par ek din usko sab pata chalenga aur mera Neil mujhe bachaienga"

Vidyut smiled sadistacally, cupping her face so tightly it was suffocating her. "Why are you kidding yourself? He's not coming- he doesn't love you Avni. You know he's at fault but you're just refusing to acknowledge it. If it wasnt his fault then why were so angry all these years? If he trusted you then why didn't he believe that you couldn't ever cheat him? Why didn't he let you say your explanation for those pictures? If he loved you then why didnt he stop hurting you, disgracing you even after seeing tears in your eyes? Why didn't he give you the chance to tell you that everything you did and have done till this day was to save his life...Pyaar kya hota hai Avni? Barosa na?"

She staggered backwards with teary eyes and a blank expression- as if accepting her defeat and surrendering to fate and a sad realisation. Her eyes shut as he tucked her hair behind her ear pain slowly. "Par Neil ko tha tum par barosa? Nahi na? Kya bulaya wo tumhe? Oh haan..."

"Slut." She freezes as Vidyut spits the word in to her ear, her closed eyes quiver  and tears rolls down her cheeks.

"I'm having a party tonight, dress up se*y because I want them to see how hot my wife is, or else... oh yes. And make it red." He storms out with a malicious smile, slamming the door. She falls to the floor, cacooning herself as she cries.
....

Neil stirred as he heard a knock on the door of his room, he rubbed his eyes as the sudden swoop of light irritated his sight. His eyes fell on Nishaan when they opened and a smile immediately appeared on his face, he slowly strokes his cheek as he admires Nishaan's babyish innocence. He carefully lifted him up in his arms- and for a second he felt a deep intense feeling touch his heart and warm his blood but it went away to quick to comprehend.

He gently placed Nishaan back on the bed, tucking him in tenderly and precautiously not to wake him up. There was something so loving in Neil's every action, something so fatherly in the way he watched Nishaan- that it seems so foolish that he couldn't realise their relation.

Neil walks to the door and pulls it open quietly.

"Tum?" Hatred seethed off from his voice the second Neil's angry gaze trained on Vidyut.

"Haan mein. Good Morning Mr Khanna, kaisi lagta hai tumhara yeh nayi ghar?" Vidyut held out a hand for Neil to shake but Neil could swear that he could hear sarcasm blaring out of Vidyut's voice.

"Your- y- your child is very sweet..." Neil said begrudgingly with a rigid nod, trying to maintain his calm.

"Of course he is..." Vidyut's smirk was painfully arrogant, and his eyes challenged Neil for possesion. "After all... have you seen my wife?"

Neil stiffened and ceased to move for a few seconds in surprise, his teeth gritted and hands turned to fists as rage bubbled inside of him like a volcano waiting to erupt, but he somehow managed to keep it under control.

"What you do you mean?" Neil simmered like he was on the verge of exploding and Vidyut's smile just became wider at the furiousity in his eyes.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, my deepest apologies that the hot beautiful woman is mine. I can tell you've taken quite an interest in her." Then Vidyut's voice became more threatening, an undertone of provocation. "But let me remind you Mr Khanna, that this is my house you are living in and my wife you are oogling at- so remember watch your step..."

Neil's mad rage flooded his body like a tsunami that he had no hold on, he was three seconds from punching this idiot "Oi Dewan saab... zuban dekh kar baat karo... aise bolte hai ek aurat ki baare mein? Koi izzat nahi hai aapki biwi ke liye?" His fists were trembling, itching to take care of this man with a punch to the nose- sickened by the thought that his Avni stayed under the same roof as this man. "And you should know, Neil Khanna is not a man that just takes an interest in a woman. I respect and love them."

Vidyut smiled mockingly, "and if they don't love you back?"

Neil was fuelled up furiously, he didn't know that Vidyut knew of his and Avni's relation but he couldn't tolerate what he was hearing. His stare was burning, "Let me tell you sir, i always take whats mine"

"And I keep what's mine safely with me forever, I never lose." Vidyut retorted as if he didn't know what they were really talking about- when he did.

Finally Neil smiled a little more calmly, as if regaining a little confidence and belief. He put out his hand for a shake, as if they were agreeing on a deal. He smirked snidely, "You do lose it, Mr Gaurav Dewan, if it was never yours in the first place."

Silence settled in the room, Neil's restlessness finally stopped as new determination flared in him- he refuses to lose Avni to this filthy man... Neil didn't get the right vibe from him. He will never sit around and let his Avni be looked at as an object.

Vidyut cleared his throat to recover from his set back, straightening his collar.

"I'm having a party tonight at 9, please... come....."

Neil nodded silently with a victorious smile.

Vidyut smirked.

...

Avni riffled through her cupboards for a dress to wear, scrubbing at her sweat and tears with her dupatta. Her eyes were bloodshot and weary, slowly closing in fatigue. She held her stomach with one hand, it still ached from the kick and it  caused intense nausea.

Then she saw the saree staring back at her, it was crisp and new and unworn. Tears spring in to her eyes at the sight of it, as she strokes the netted silk. The blouse was sleeveless and very  low cut, the netted silk bared skin and she could drape it to bare her stomach... this fit to Vidyut's demands.

But this saree was so much more than that, it was stitched together with the softest most loving memories that literally stung to reopen.

Flashback

Neil walked in to the room and as soon as his eyes fell on her a huge goofy smile spread on his face.

Avni sat in front of the dressing table and was putting sindoor in her maang, she was smiling as she did it, proud of what marked her as his. She looked so beautiful to him, her wet hair cascading down her back in soft waves, leaving droplets on her body that made his throat go dry, her eyes were bright and lined elegantly just making him want to stare in to them even more.

Avni swung her head round at the touch, and giggled as she saw him. Neil was nuzzling his nose into the nook of her neck ticking her slightly but also making her buzz with pleasure. She kissed his hair with a small smile.

"Hello baba... tayaar hogaya party ke liye?"

Neil looked up at her with a grin hugging her around the middle from behind and rocking her side to side, she caressed the side of his face to rest against her cheek.

"Kaise kar sakthi ho? Tumhe dekh kar distract ho raha hu..."

She shook her head at his antics, " kuch bhi bolte ho tum..."

She looked away from him and carried on getting ready, she was trying to find the piercing in her ear to pull her dangling earring through but struggled and huffed cutely in frustration.

He tucked her hair behind her ear and around her shoulder to the other side gently, his fingertips brushing against her soft skin. She shut her eyes at the blissful sensation as he hooked the the earring on her ears. He then lovingly clasped her mangalsutra around her neck, admiring her reflection in the mirror. For him earrings or no earrings made no difference, she was always this beautiful no matter what, he pecked the top of her ear making her shy away and turn to hide her glowing face in his chest, he ran his fingers through her hair chuckling at her adorableness affectionately.

She stood up with an excited smile and twirled around for him, he watched her with smiling sigh and his arms resting behind his head.

"Neil kaisi lag raha hu mein?"

Neil didn't respond- looking away to irritate her so he can see her utterly endearing angry form.

"Neil- Neil- Neilllllll! Yaha dekh na please..." She whined like a cute little child and made those sad puppy dog eyes so he just had to look around at her. "Kaise lag rahi hu mein? Aacha na?"

She was looking as stunning as ever in her glittering pink saree, as lovely as ever making him ache to press kisses to her rosy cheeks, she looked as tempting as ever with wet hair tickling her collarbone.

He pulled a comical disgusted face and shook his head, avni mouth went into a small round as she looked shocked, then she frowned innocently as she folded her hands over her chest.

"Mein acchi nahi lagti tumhe? Teek hai... phir shaadi kyu kari mujhse!?" She turned away from him, furrowing her perfectly shaped brows.

Neil grinned as he crept up behind her and hugged her tightly from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Mazak kar rahi thi meri maharani... tum kabhi acchi nahi lagti kya?" Avni tried to still look angry, but a small smile was was playing on her face. "Avni... gussa hogaya tho gift nahi dekh payenga..."

"Gift?" Her voice brightened in excitement, he spun her round by her shoulders to face the bed to see a wrapped box. Avni's eyes lit up and he watched her in awe as she enthusiastically ripped open the wrapping paper.

"Happy anniversary meri jaan...."

He burst out laughing at her face- mouth wide open and devastated confusion in her eyes. She shook around the saree as if it was a cloth with nothing to it- like a scrap of fabric.

"Pasand nahi aaya?" Neil asked in his deep rugged voice making her look up at him in question and suspicion.

She tiptoed backward as he strided toward her with darkening eyes of desire, "pehele bolo yeh piece of scrap kya hai? Kyunki mujhe nahi laktha yeh saree ho sakthi hai..."

He pinned her up against the wall, trapping her by placing a hand over her head. He stroked his nose down the sensitive skin of her neck and she squirmed in the pleasure of his touch- closing her eyes as she panted, her chest heaving against his.

"Saree hi hai Avni... and you will look irresistible in it. Like a goddess," he nibbled on her ear as he whispered, his voice was breathy like he had lost all control. "And I'll worship you..."

"Neil pagal hogaya kya?" She tried to push him away so she doesn't fall for his charming tricks, but he was relentless and was pressing butterfly kisses on her collar bone. "Is it right for me to dress like this in front of all the elders Neil?"

"Are you dressing for them or for me huh?" He roped his hands around her waist peering at her through her hair and he couldn't get his eyes off her.

"Par baaki log bhi mujhe dekhenga na? Uska kya?" Avni had to pull at his collar to grab his attention, he looked up like a lost puppy- annoyed that he was disturbed. "The men? What if they- they look at me in the wrong way, if they try to do anything-"

"Okay don't you dare wear that!" He pulled the saree from her hands and discarded it to the bed angrily, he turned back to her- his hands skimming his fingers over her bare stomach under her saree possesively. "I wont let anybody look at you like that... get it?"

"Nahi nahi- gussa hone ki zarowath nahi hai Neil... tum mere liye itna pyaar se diya hai na? Tho mein pehen thi hu... there is no guarantee men will do that- why should we fear them?" There was a shadow of a cheeky smile on her face- she was just winding him up. He was furious- his breathing ragged like a wild animal.

"Hai... Guarantee hai... and i dont blame them. Have you seen yourself wifey? No sane man could take their eyes off you... especially in that number. There is no chance your going out in that."

"Is that right? Then I've got the perfect use of the saree."Avni smirked, looping her hands around his neck and pulling him closer, swaying with him slowly as if they were dancing. "It can be my revenge saree, if you ever annoy me I'll put it on and go and party- that will serve you right."

He swooped in and kissed her fiercely, as if claiming his right on her. He refused to stop- cuddling her safely in to his chest. And finally when there lips parted and they grinned at each other breathlessly, he whispered...

"Dont you even think about it...or you'll have to watch as I rip out men's eyeballs..."

"And how would you punish me?"

"Oh wifey.... I've got a perfect punishment for you..."

He leaned in.

END OF FLASHBACK

She took the saree off the hanger to wear it- folding its red pleats tightly enough to bare skin. Her head hung low in shame as she pulled the black blouse over her head- her cries echoing in the room.

.....

"Neil?!"

"Maa!"

Neil ran in to Neela's arms and hugged her so tightly she almost fell to the ground in force- he hid his face in the cranny of her neck to inhale her homely scent. The smell immediately brought him to sobs- she smelt so strongly of that warm motherly scent, the poha thats always made at their house, the flowery perfume she always sprays and a tinge of his Avni. He had yearned for a mother figure for so long- the past 5 years whenever something upsetting happened his mothers were on his mind as he missed their comfort and warming hugs, and whenever something happy happened he thought of them, missing ringing laughter and proud smiles.

"Maa- i missed you so much maa- I missed you much..." Neela tried to pull out of the hug with tears streaming down her face. "Nahi maa- please- mat chodo mujhe... bilkhul akela hogaya hu mein... bilkhul akela"

Neil folded his hands and fell to her feet to beg, Neela looked shocked and had tears incessantly running down her face but seemed reluctant.

"Kyu aaya hu yaha- rishta se mein tumhare maa nahi hu ab-" Her eyes were cold and stern and it felt like a knife stab to his chest.

"Nahi Maa... please aisa mat bolo... rishta dil se hota hai maa... mujhe maaf kejiye maa, mein gussa mein kya kuch nahi kaha Avni ko- meri galati hai par sach me mein usko dard nahi dena chata tha- aap ko jhanta hai ki mein kabhi wo nahi sochenge... par- par- par wo chali gayi maa... mujhe chod ki chali gayi aur mujhe kuch nahi kar payi" Now he had slumped down in agonising defeat, hiding his face in his hands as he weeped. "Aur ab wo mujhe bula chuka hai maa- mein koi nahi hai uske liye...wo ek dusre aadmi ko uske pati banaya hai... aur uska baccha mujhe nahi koi aur ko papa bulata hai... Mein avni ko bohot bohot pyaar karthi hu maa and i cant see her with somebody else- i want her- i want her to be happy and i would do anything for that- par bohot dard ho raha hai maa... mein jhanti hu ki mein bohot badi galati banaya hai par itni bada saza? Maa mein kya karu? Mujhe kuch nahi jhanta..."

Neela's hands itched to comfort Neil, his broken voice was unbearable to any mother- she could see how badly he needed her, how desperately he needed Avni, how he needed someone. But she didn't soften her expression, and tried not to look him in the eye so she could ignore how broken and helpless they were.

"Kyu natak kar rahi hu? If you loved her so much then where were you when she cried herself to sleep? Why didn't you see the genuine pain in her eyes when you were taunting her? Yeah you might love her, but Gaurav was with her when you weren't. Gaurav didn't break all the promises he made to a girl who had just regained faith in love. So, i dont want to hear any explanation. No explanation would lessen the pain I felt when I got a call from Avni who had run away to Australia, crying desperately. Guilty, scared of how she would survive without you and in agony at all that you had told her. And you say you missed me? In the past 5 years... not a single phone call- not even a text. As if when you disappeared off planet earth nobody would be worried sick for you."

Neil was chalk white, like a lifeless corpse that had gone cold. He had a hand to his chest as if his heart had just been ripped out of it. His face was warped, tears trickling down his raw red cheeks. Neela felt guilty, she felt she might have never seen a person in this much pain. It looked as if his heart had shattered like glass and the broken shards were piercing him constantly. He turned wordlessly and picked up something from behind him. His calloused hands passed over a pot planted with violet tulips to his Neela maa.

She held the pot in her shivering hands and gasped in shock, her eyes watering in awe. Violet Tulips... he didn't forget. There were 60 of them, all stamp labelled with the date he had purchased them proving he had bought them every month for the past five years. They were clearly well watered and cherished. Neil turned to leave while sniffling back his tears but something held him back. He turned to see and crying guilty Neela holding his hand, frowning in love and care. Neil went close to her warily. Neela cupped his face in her hands and wiped away all the tears on his face like you would to a small child. She whispered to him softly and soothingly.

"Thank you beta... thank you..."

FLASHBACK

Neil chuckled in to the tea that Neela had lovingly made him with a pinky blush, after she made a cheeky comment about him and Avni, that had been as usual... true. Neela stood by the door watching Neil look so happy and relaxed sitting and sipping tea. He was such a loving son in law, he came to
visit every Saturday even without Avni, after his work at the station just to check whether she was alright living on her own, and to taste 'the best food on earth' as Neil himself said it.

"Maa? Kidhere kho gaya hu? Sab kuch teek hai na?" She broke out of her thoughts to see an extremely concerned Neil staring at her.

"Nahi baccha... Mein bilkhul teek hu. Mein bus soch raha hu ki mein kitni lucky ho tumhare jaisa ek damad mil gaya mujhe..."

"Damad nahi hai mein maa... mein tumhari beta hu na?" Neela smiled with glassy eyes at his sincerity. Then, Neil smirked naughtily, winking childishly. "Par ek baat bohot teek keh diya... bohot kam log ko itna susheel, hoshiyaar aur handsome beta mil tha hai..."

"Hmm..." Neela smiled teasingly. "Susheel sab bus maa ki samne na? Avni ki saath different story hoga na?"

"Uh.... no..." Neil blushed bright red, swelling up like a tomato.

"Oh maa..." Neela smiled knowing he was trying to divert the topic. "Wo garden mein itna violet tulips kyu plant kiya hai? Any kaas reason?"

Neela's eyes fixed on the tulips that were growing outside the window, there must have been more than a hundred by now... tears of pain left her eyes as she stared at them, like an old wound had been reopened.

"Maa! Maa kya hogaya?" He rushed over to her within seconds, holding up her trembling body, tapping her cheeks lightly to bring her back to concious thought. "Maa batao?! Maa?! Mein avni ko call karthi hu..."

Neela stopped him from taking out his phone by grabbing to his wrist, he looked at her in question and she burst out in to despairing sobs. He side hugged her to give her support, panicking about her wellbeing.

"Maa please mujhe batao... kya hogaya? Mein bus tulips ki baare me pooch rahi thi? Kya hogaya?"

She stroked his face reassuringly as if telling him not to worry, she regained her breath and pulled on a brave smile. "Kuch nahi beta... mein bus- mein bus thoda sa ill feel kar raha hu..."

"Teek hai... mat batao" He pulled out his phone, placing it against his ear and watching his maa with a raised brow like you would to a misbehaving child. "Phir mein Avni ko phone kar ke bata deto hu ki aap roh rahi hu... teek hai?"

"Nahi!" She called out like a small child, making Neil smile slightly. "Mein batati hu...."

Her jaw quivered as she spoke, as if it hurt to say... "Jab mein pehele engage hua tha aur mein Mehta mansion me aaya tha... side mein table par ek bouquet tha- violet tulips ka. Violet tulips mere absolute favourite flowers tha... aur jab mein wo bolo tha Dayawanti Mehta ko, wo bataya ki uska beta Ashish pyaar se mere liye har mainne ek tulip karied ke layaenga...." She laughed sadly, cursing her own laughable fate. "Turns out, wo tulips Ayesha ji ke liye tha, ashish uske liye kared liya tha, he kept on gifting them to her giving her and Avni hope that one day he will will come and sweep them away like a fairytale prince... and Dayawanti's promise kept me under the silly, stupid, illogical illusion that one day I will matter enough to a man that he would do that for me... and so mera baccha, i buy myself a violet tulip every month and water and care for them well and keep them as a reminder of my fate, Ayesha ji's undeserved death, Avni's ruined childhood and a reminder that i have to make sure Avni's fate never turns out like either me or ayesha. That her hopes are never shattered."

She tried to wipe away the tears that were streaming from her eyes, Neil removed her hands and started to wipe away the tears for her... he smiled reassuringly but his eyes were shadowed with deep and intense pain.

"Aapka Neil yaha hi hai na? Why will you buy yourself tulips? Why will you fear your daughter's hopes with shatter? Why do you feel no man will care for you, when i am here ma?" He pecked her forehead and she could feel one of his tears fall on to her skin and respect and love for a mother lingering on his lips. "Jab aapka Neil yaha hi hai, aap ko pareshaan hone ki koi zarowath nahi hai... dekh mein vaada dethi hu, har mainne mein hi aapke liye tulip kared ke lei aati hu,.. so you remember that whoever should have been there and wasn't doesn't matter because now your Neil is here and always will be.."

END OF FLASHBACK

Neil laid in Neela's lap, finally finding solace in his mother's arms, "Bohot dard ho raha hai na beta... Dil thod gaya na?" Neil nodded as he sniffled, Neela stroked his hair nurturingly. "Aaj mujhe tasali mil gaya ki tumhara dil sacch me saaf hai... bus galati hogaya tumse... tumhara pyaar sacchi hai...  its okay baccha..." the faith in her eyes made him sob again, she frowned in concern and hugged him tightly, rocking him like she would put a baby to sleep.

"Its okay mera baccha, aisa roh mat... mujhe bhi maaf kejiye, mera baccha kitna akele tha aur mein kuch nahi kiya, meri galati hai, meri galati..." Neil shook his head no, and she smiled slightly feeling pride at his love and caring nature. She placed her hand on his head as if blessing him.

"Par ab beta... tum akele nahi ho, tum ko dhar ne ki ya dukh hone ki koi wajah nahi hai... Ab aap ka Neela maa hai... ab aapka maa hai tumhara saath..."