Chapter 94:

At the time of night, the wind was composing the music, and the trees were dancing; nature was enjoying the peace of the night and in the beautiful room of the hotel: a couple was sleeping peacefully at a limited distance between them, yet! They can feel the presence of each other, but their peace was of limited time and a phone call disturbed the precious sleep of the man, if it was someone else, he will ignore the call but here the person is Neil Khanna, for him, his family is very important and he always tried to be alert for them so, in just two rings he waked up and tried to open his eyes, he had a frown on his face, he takes his phone from the side and frowns to see the caller I'd, he thought for few second and received the call.

Neil: hello! Neela maa.

On the other side, Neela maa was standing in the darkroom and talked slowly.

Nm: Neil.

Neil can sense the tension in her voice he sat.

Neil: what happened Neela maa, is everything alright!

Neela maa cries and keep the hand in her mouth. Neil look at Avni, he gets up, he goes to the side to talk.

Neil: Neela maa!

Nm: Neil, can you both come back?

Neil Shocked.

Neil: what happened Neela maa?

Nm: Neil!

Neil: Neela maa, you are scaring me.

Neela maa look behind to check something.

Neil: what happened, Neela maa everything is alright?

Nm: nothing is right Neil, Ashish.

Neil Shocked.

Neil: papa, what happened to him?

Nm: Ashish is not fine, the day we came back from your home since then he didn't eat anything and locked him in the room.

Neil Shocked.

Nm: after a lot of requesting he opened the door but not eating anything and continuously crying, he is blaming himself for Avni's suffering.

Neil feels bad.

Nm: I know, he didn't believe her and is responsible for that, Avni's anger is valid, but now that guilt is killing him and the doctor is saying if it continues like this than he.

She stopped and cries.

Neil: that much happened and you are telling this to me now.

Nm: we thought he will be fine in one and two days, but he is not eating anything. I didn't want to disturb you and Avni, already Avni is fighting with her past so I didn't want to stress her more but Ashish condition is becoming worse and I didn't have any option so I called Shweta, she told me you both are in Lonavala.

Neil was listening to her.

Nm: I didn't want to disturb you, but I am helpless, I am sorry Neil for spoiling your holiday but can you both come back?

Neil: what are you saying Neela maa, of course, we will come back and is sleeping now I will talk to her in the morning.

Nm: I am sorry Neil, the first time you both go outside and I.

Neil: Neela maa nothing is like that, we can come here some other time, but right now papa's health is more important.

Neela maa smiles while she was crying.

Neil: I am sorry, I should ask about papa before but don't know how it slipped from my mind.

Nm: No Neil, you are already doing much please don't make me fall in my eyes.

Neil sighs he look at avni who stir in sleep, Neil instantly goes to the bathroom as it is a time of night and if she gets to know now then she will stress about it till morning so, he went to the bathroom.

Nm: Neil please talk to her she will listen to you, she will never refuse you, only you can make her agree to meet Ashish, I know, I am asking too much and Avni needs time, but I am helpless.

Neil: I can understand Neela maa and don't worry I will talk to her.

Neela maa get relieved and signed

Neil: ok Neela maa we will come in the morning I will try to reach there as soon as possible.

Nm: thank you.

Neil: Neela mama! I am your son right so a mother say thank you to her son hmm tell me?

Neela maa smiles.

Nm: God bless you.

Neil smiles.

Neil: don't worry everything will be fine.

Nm: I hope so.

Neil feels bad.

Nm: ok Neil, I should keep it now, else Ashish will wake up.

Neil: ok, Neela maa take care, and take care of Ashish papa.

Nm: you too.

Neil: ok bye.

Neil cuts the call, he thinks and signs then he comes out and saw Avni is sleeping he sits, he caresses her hairs and think.

In the morning AvNeil were eating breakfast and Avni looked at Neil, she found his behaviour weird and can see the tension on his face but Neil denied it and said everything is fine, he thought,  after breakfast, he will talk to her.

Later Neil came into the room and Avni was standing near the bed. Neil looked down and came to her she was confusingly looking at him. Neil smiled to see her which gave her some relief, he came to her.

Neil: ab Avni get ready we are going back.

Avni shocked she was looking at him with a frown.

Avni: what happened?

Neil: nothing avni dad called me back he said, there is an important work in the office so we have to go.

Avni was looking at him and he avoids eye contact.

Avni: when you don't know, how to lie then why you tried it.

Neil Shocked.

Avni: I know papa will never call us back and we came here yesterday and before coming here you make sure that everything should be ok and done so that papa will not face any problem and now you are saying he is calling us back and that too in the morning it's 8:30 Neil, papa would be at home this time.

Neil Shocked.

Avni: now tell me what happened?

Neil sighs and holds her arms, Avni looks at her arms and then at Neil, he signs with his eyes, sit.

Neil: sit.

Neil made her sit and hold her hand in his hands and these all antics are scaring Avni.

Neil: avniiii! last night Neela maa called.

Avni: mamma?

Neil nods.

Neil: she said Ashish papa is unwell, his condition is not good.

Avni shocked and her eyes filled with tears, no matter what but Ashish is her father and how much she denied but she loves him, yes, she angry with him and their relationship is not like a normal father-daughter but the fact is: he is her father and she cares for him. Avni was looking at Neil.

Avni: ...w w w What happened to pa papa.

Neil cupped her faced.

Neil: Avni, Avni relax he is fine, he is fine actually since the day he went from our home he stopped eating.

Avni shocked.

Avni: what?

Neil nods.

Neil: actually.

Neil told everything to Avni and her eyes were teary.

Nm: so, Neela maa want us to come back, he needs you.

Avni was just looking at him Neil holds Avni's hand in his hands.

Neil: Avni he needs you. I know whatever happened was wrong, very wrong even the wrong word is less there is no word, which can describe that drastic day but Avni he is your father and he needs you. Avni we both know papa loves you a lot and he got his punishment by living away from you for all these years. Avni I know whatever I say will not justify his action, he was your father and he should believe you but he did a mistake, a grave mistake and we can't change it now but, we can change our future.

Avni was looking at him.

Neil: Avni thinks practically that Raghav played his game so smartly, no one doubts him, not even I. I also lived in that intuition that he is a kind and good person but reality was something different, and avni think how could papa doubt him, who can think that a man can be so cheap that he will misbehave with his daughter in front of him. Avni if I was at his place maybe I.

Avni cuts him.

Avni: don't compare him with you.

Neil looks at her.

Avni: you can never do that, you believed me when I didn't have any proof, you believe me without asking a single question and what he did hmm he was my father and he should believe me if I am saying that he is touching.

Avni stopped and cries she was trying to control her emotions, she shook her head and sighs.

Avni: no, nothing can justify his actions, nothing, nothing.

Neil: Avni I understand and papa is very guilty and only you can take him out from that guilt.

Avni was looking at him, he nods.

Neil: else doctors are saying that there is no hope that he can survive.

Avni shocked and Neil was looking at him.

Neil: Avni, forget the past, and forgive him he is your father and needs you. He didn't do, what he should have done that time; but you have to do, what you should have done, which is your duty as a daughter and I know my Avni, she never runs from her duty. Right!

Avni was looking at him with teary eyes.

Neil: Avni, don't take so much time that you will regret it later like papa is regretting it now.

Neil looks at her.

Neil: do you get my point?

Avni nods.

Neil: So you will come with me, right?

Avni nods. Neil smiles and said that's like my Avni. He keeps her head on his chest and caresses her hairs and Avni's eyes are teary, she clenches his shirt, Neil kisses her forehead. Avni thinks.