Chapter 11:

It was the time of morning, the sun was shining in the sky and the birds were hovering on the beaches. People have started their day. In the Villa, everyone was present in the living area.

The elders moved to sit on the couch and the youngster got busy in their talking. Avni and Neil looked at each other and smiled. Neil’s eyes fell on Juhi and Vidyut. Avni followed Neil’s gaze and she also saw Vidyut and Juhi. They came to Avneil. Avneil smiled.

Vidyut hugged Avni: congratulations.

Avni: congratulations to you too.

Juhi: congratulations, Neil.

Neil: thanks and congratulations to you too.

They smiled. Neil thinks and he sighed.

Neil:  Juhi…

Trio looked at Neil.

Neil: Juhi, I am sorry, I know, I was always rude to you.

Juhi smiled and Avni looked at her.

Juhi: It’s ok. I know, you never liked me or I say, you hate me.

Neil shook his head instantly.

Neil: No, Juhi, I never hate you but it is also true that I never saw you with that eye that you desired. I didn’t hate you, I just didn’t want to give false hopes to you.

Juhi smiled. Avni felt bad for her. They smiled.

Later, everyone was sitting in the living area and they were enjoying the tea.

Shweta: Ab, Bebe.

Everyone looked at her.

Shweta: I was thinking that why not, we make Avni and Neil’s Roka?

Everyone was surprised especially Avneil but Neil got excited.

Shweta: I mean, once we go back then Tillu will get busy with his work and the same thing is with Avni and we live in different cities also so it will be hectic and difficult to go, and that too for Roka only. And our relatives are also here. Who comes daily. So it will be better if we do their roka now.

Shweta looked at everyone and Bebe. Shweta hesitated.

Shweta: It. Is. My. Thinking.

Bebe thinks.

Bebe: you are saying right. But how will it be possible? I mean, shopping for Roka, and all.

Shweta: Don’t worry about things. Almost everything is available. And the things we have to buy, we can buy them today. I and Neela Ji will go.

Bebe: what do you all say? Neela, Prakash, Ashish.

Prakash: I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

Avneil looked at Neela maa.

Bebe: Neela?

Neela: ab?

Neela maa looked at Ashish who nodded. Avneil also looked at Ashish. Neela maa smiled.

Nm: we don’t have any problem. But, we should ask Avni and Neil once.

Bebe: bol, bhai, Neil?

Neil: As Avni would say.

The Khanna family was surprised.

Shweta: aray, way, janab to sudhar gaye.

Everyone chuckled. Neil smiled by looking down.

Bebe: now you say, Avni.

Avni: ab, as you elders decide.

Bebe: you both have no issue?

Maddy: why would they have an issue? In ke mann main to ladoo phut rahe honge.

Avneil blushed and others chuckled.

Bebe: so, it is decided that their Roka will be held tomorrow.

Everyone smiled and Avni blushed.

Avni: ab, I am coming.

Avni got up and she hurriedly goes from there. Neil was looking at Avni.

Bebe: Sharma gai.

They chuckled and Neil looked at Avni who was going. Neil was smiling.

Avni came to her room and she stopped near the bed. Avni kept her hand on her heart which was beating fast and Avni blushed hard.

Later, Avni came to the living area with Sonia where the youngster was sitting. Neil smiled to see Avni who blushed because suddenly, everything has changed between them. Avni wondered to think that how things have changed between them now she is going to bond with Neil. Neil signed Avni to come and sit with him. Avni looked down and she goes to sit with Kareena to avoid the teasing. Neil made a face and then he smiled and shook his head. Riya and Karan came there. Avneil smiled to see them. Riya went to Neil who got up. Riya hugged Neil.

Riya: congratulations.

Neil smiled.

Neil: thank you.

Avni smiled because she understood that Riya is angry with her. Neil also felt strange. He looked at Avni and they broke the hug. Neil looked at Riya and then Avni. Avni was smiling.

Riya: Neil, pass my greetings to your fiancée also.

Neil smiled and he looked at Avni.

Avni: Jiju, say thank you to your wife.

Karan and Neil smiled. Riya glared at Avni.

Riya: don’t you dare to show this attitude to me.

Avni smiled. Avni got up and she came to Riya and hugged her from behind.

Riya: leave me.

Avni: I am sorry.

Riya: go to hell with your sorry.

Avni: but, I want to take you with me.

Everyone smiled. Riya looked away.

Avni: sorry na, yaar. I thought to share with you after your wedding but here the family members had their own plans.

Riya: stop making false excuses. I was here only. It took hardly one minute to say that Riya, I love Neil but no, you choose to not tell me.

Avni: No, my dumbo bestie, I wanted to confess my feelings to Neil first but everything happened so suddenly that I couldn’t get the chance to tell you. I have confessed my love to Neil one day before your wedding.

No use.

Neil: Yes, Riya, Avni is saying right, everything happened so suddenly. You know, if mom would not have spread the news of my alliance then don’t know when she would confess her love to me.

Avni frowned and she made an angry face.

Riya: that’s true, she is really a dumbo.

Avni: Riya.

Riya: what?

Avni: you were angry with me now I am angry with you. Today, my alliance got fixed and instead of giving me best wishes you are taunting me and you, Mr. ACP Neil Khanna, I will see you later.

Neil widens his eyes. Riya and the others smiled. Neil smiled nervously.

Neil: Av, Avni, I, I was just kidding.

Avni nodded. Riya turned to Avni.

Riya: now, stop threatening my Jiju plus Devar.

Avni and Neil frowned.

Avni: Jiju plus Devar?

Riya: yes, now I have two relationships with Neil. One, he is Karan’s cousin-brother and second, he is my cousin-sister’s fiancé so I would have two relationships with him.

Neil smiled.

Karan: oh, yes, I didn’t think this. I also will have two relationships with Avni.

They smiled.

Karan: Neil, we also will have two relationships.

Neil frowned.

Karan: we are brothers, right?

Neil nodded.

Karan: we will be Jiju of each other.

Neil made a face.

Riya: and Avni, we are sisters but now we will be devrani of each other.

Avni smiled and Riya realized that she was angry with Avni.

Avni: now, if your anger is over then can I get a hug from my bestie?

Riya looked at Avni and she smiled. Riya hugged Avni.

Riya: I am so happy for you.

Avni smiled. They broke the hug.

Riya: so, the girl who was used to running away from the word love, finally she fell in love.

Avneil smiled.

Riya: what you were used to saying? Yes, me and love? Never. I and love are like two poles of a magnet that can never unite.

Avneil smiled and they looked at each other.

Karan: oh wow, Neil’s thinking was not so different from hers. He was also used to running from the topic of marriage.

Avneil smiled.

Riya: Avni too used to run from the topic of love and wedding.

Riya: and see, now you fell in love, that too that boy whom she was used to hating.

They smiled.

Riya: Did you remember, Avni, when you came here then I had said that, maybe, you will get your life partner at my wedding.

Neil looked at Avni. Avni thinks and she smiles.

Riya: And see, my words came true. You got your life partner at my wedding.

Avneil smiled.

Karan: means that moment was auspicious. Wow. This means you both are made for each other. Destiny brought you both here to get you united.

Avneil looked at each other and they smiled.

Neil said while looking at Avni: yes, we are made for each other.

Avneil looked at Karan and Riya and they were happy.

Later, Shweta and Neela maa went for shopping and they took Neil with them. The day converted into the night and Neil was waiting for Avni while looking at the moon then he saw the time on his watch.

Neil: I think, Avni will not come today.

Person: right.

Neil turned and he saw Karan. Neil frowned and then he smiled.

Neil: Karan?

Karan came to him.

Karan: today, Avni will not come.

Neil: why?

Karan: because the ladies' group has surrounded her.

Neil frowned.

Neil: means?

Karan: means, the ladies have planned to do a party tonight because they will go from here in one or two days and after that don’t know when they meet each other so, they want to spend time together.

Neil: oo…

Karan: yup.

Neil smiled but soon his smile faded to think that Avni will go to her home and then how will he meet her.

Karan made a sad face.

Karan: those heartless ladies didn’t even leave my Riya. They took her with them also. We have just got married but my cruel sister and sister-in-law took her with them.

Karan cried fakely by hugging Neil who was actually upset. Neil looked at Karan and he made a face.

Neil: abay oye notanki.

Karan moved away and he was making a crying face.

Neil: tujhe to phir bhi teri wali mil jayegi. For you, it is just a matter of a few hours or one night. She will live with you but my girl, she will go to her home and I… I will go my home.

Karan was stunned.

Karan: oh, yeah, you both live in different cities. She will go to Pune and you…

Neil: Mumbai.

Karan felt bad for Neil.

Karan: now what? What will you do?

Neil: I don’t know. I am dying thinking about it.

Karan kept his hand on Neil’s shoulder.

Karan: don’t worry, everything will be alright. Technology has made people closer to each other.

Neil nodded.

Neil: hmm, now it is the only hope.

Karan: don’t worry, this time will pass soon and then you both will be together forever.

Neil smiled and he signed while nodding.

Karan: ok let’s just leave this topic, and let’s enjoy our brotherhood time.

Neil smiled and they moved to the couch. They sat on the couch and soon Jay also joined them and they enjoyed themselves together.

On the other side, the ladies were sitting in Avni’s room.

Riya: Avni, how exciting it will be, you and I will live together after your marriage.

Avni blushed.

Kareena: Riya Bhabhi, how is this possible? We leave in our home.

Sonia: Dumbo, our home, and the Khanna mansion, both are on opposite sides of each other.

Kareena: oh, yes, why didn't this come to my mind?

Sonia: because you are dumbo.

Kareena looked at Avni.

Kareena: Bhabhi, see.

Avni: aww.

Avni hugged Kareena.

Avni: Bhabhi, please don’t say anything to Kareena.

They smiled and the elders were enjoying their bond.

The next day, the Villa was decorated beautifully for the Roka ceremony of Avni and Neil.

Avni and Neil were sitting on the Recamier sofa and a table was kept in front of them. Shweta and Neela maa did the rituals and then Shweta gave the gifts to Avni Neela maa gave the gift to Neil. Neil looked at Avni who turned her face to him and they smiled.

Later, Avni came to her room and the door closed behind her. Avni felt that and she turned her face. Avni was stunned to see Neil.

Avni: Neil, you. What if someone saw you?

Neil held Avni’s hand and he twirled Avni.

Avni: Neil.

Neil hugged Avni from behind tightly. Avni was smiling.

Neil: Sss… I am so happy today. Finally, we became of each other officially.

Avni smiled.

Neil: I am so, so, sooo happy.

Neil kissed Avni’s cheek in excitement and Avni’s breath stopped. Avni widened her eyes in shock. Neil realized what he did. Neil blushed.

Neil: sorry, in excitement, I…

Avni blushed hard. Avni removed Neil’s hand and she ran. Neil was stunned and he saw that Avni ran from there to the bathroom. Neil smiled and he ran his hand through his hair while looking down and biting his lower lip. Neil looked at the bathroom and he was blushing. Neil ruffled his hair.

It was the time of night, the moon was shining in the sky. Avni and Neil were sitting on the mat on the terrace. They were looking at the sky. Neil looked at Avni and then he looked at the sky.

Neil: tonight is our last night here. Tomorrow, we will go from here. You will go to your home and I will go to my home. You will go to your city and I will go to my city.

Avni looked at Neil and then she looked at the sky.

Avni: hmm, true, tomorrow, we will go from here but not to our homes and our cities.

Neil frowned.

Avni: but to your city, your home.

Neil thinks and then he looked at Avni who also looked at Neil.

Neil: means?

Avni: means, we will come with you.

Neil was stunned and Avni nodded. Suddenly, Neil got excited. Neil wanted to say something but he was not able to say anything and Avni was nodding her head.

Finally, one word came from Neil's mouth.

Neil: you.

Neil signed at his back with his finger. Neil wanted to ask Avni that you will come with us but he was not able to say that but Avni understood.

Avni: Yes, I will come with you.

Neil’s happiness crossed all limits. Neil got up and he jumped in the air.

Neil: yes.

Avni was stunned. Neil sat on his one knee and one foot. Neil was panting because his heartbeat was fast.

Neil: you are saying, the truth, right?

Avni cupped Neil’s face with one hand.

Avni: yes, I am saying the truth.

Neil smiled.

Neil: but how did this happen? I mean, suddenly.

Avni: woh, actually, Bebe showed her desire that I come with you people so that Dadu can meet me, and we get his blessings also.

Neil: oh.

Avni: yes and mama and papa respected her desire and they decided that we will come with you people to Mumbai and then we will go from there the next day.

Neil: means, we will go together?

Avni nodded.

Neil: yes, and you will come to our home, right?

Avni: I think so.

Neil: yes, we will go to our home. I will show you, our home, your home.

Avni blushed. Neil smiled and he remembered something.

Neil: Avni, you will stay at our home, right?

Avni: ab, I don’t know about that.

Neil: what do you mean by I don’t know. You will stay in our home and that’s final.

Avni: ab, I can’t say anything, it will be mama and papa’s decision.

Neil: you don’t worry about it, mom and Bebe will not let you all stay in a hotel. You will stay at our home.

Avni smiled and Neil too smiled. Neil hugged Avni.

Neil: I am so happy, we got one more day to be with each other.

Avni smiled.

Avni: I am also very happy.

They smiled and sighed. They broke the hug and Neil sat beside Avni.

Neil: Avni, tomorrow’s whole day, we will spend together. We will sit together in the plan.

Avni looked at Neil.

Neil: don’t worry, I will do the arrangements.

Avni made a face.

Neil: and when we will reached then I will make you sit in my car and will show you my city and then I will show you the Khanna mansion and your would-be room.

Avni felt shy.

Neil: and Avni, if you want any changes in the room then do tell me directly without any hesitation. I will renovate the room according to your choice. And…

Avni: Neilll…

Neil looked at Avni.

Avni: relax. Calm down.

Neil: Avni, I am so excited. I can’t express my happiness, my joy in words.

Avni smiled.

Avni: you don’t need to say anything, it is clearly visible on your face.

Neil smiled by looking down and then they looked at each other.

Avni: I am also very excited.

Neil smiled then Avneil looked at each other.