Neil felt little fingers moving across his face. He squeezed his eyes and opened them slowly. "Happy Birthday, Daddy!" Avni mumbled softly, Evie on her lap and Avni was moving her tiny little hand on Neil's face. Neil grinned widely. "Thank you so much, my butterfly!" He carefully took Evie into his arms and nuzzled on her face. Avni smiled, tears rolled down her cheeks. Neil looked around as he did not hear from Avni. "Hey..." he mumbled as their eyes met. The next instant, Neil wrapped an arm around Avni and brought her closer. Avni rested her head on Neil's shoulder. "Silly girl. You still get emotional over little things eh. Pregnancy hormones gotta settle in soon." As Neil teased, Avni playfully smacked on his arm, and the two of them laughed. "Happy birthday, love." Avni said, caressing on Neil's face. "Thank you so much. I'm ever so glad to call you mine. There can never be a gift more precious than the two of you.." Avni smiled and captured Neil's lips. He reciprocated with equal love and passion. Suddenly Evie kicked her feet on Neil's chest, making them move apart. "Oye! Haha sorry we forgot about you." Neil tickled the sides of Evie. "Noy has called for her ritual, birthday lunch for you." Avni said to Neil, as she got out of bed. "As expected, haha. You're coming with me, right? How about we take Evie with us?" Neil said excitedly. Avni laughed. "Can do that." Neil grinned ear to ear in response. "I'm gonna help out Bebe with something. You'll be with Evie, right?" Avni inquired, as she brushed her hair quickly. "Of course." Neil replied quickly. As Avni left, he settled in bed and carefully wrapped Evie in her blanket. The AC of the room was at a low temperature after their last night's activities. Neil hugged her closer, giving Evie some body heat. As their skin connected, Neil felt as it was the best feeling in the world. "I promise, I'll protect you from every evil of this world, baby." He said softly and kissed on Evie's forehead.

As everyone lounged at the couches after breakfast, Evie was laid down on a bathing mat on the couch. Bebe sat at her foot, and was massaging her body with some herbal oil. Avni stood at the other side of the couch, observing closely, as she really wanted to learn. Shweta sat on the head side of Evie, playing with her hair, as Neil and Prakah sat on the adjacent couch.

"Babies get all relaxed when we give them a massage. Their muscles will strengthen and blood flow would be eased." Bebe kept explaining as she continued her work. "We did a lot of massage on Kareena." "Ah, explains why she is so fat!" Neil laughed out loud. Shweta glared at him. "You were the same, so shut up!" Neil went mum instantly, which broke up Avni into fits of laughs! And so did others.

Their moment was broken as someone greeted out loud from the doorstep. Avni looked at the way. A short, slim girl, who was dressed up in a black jeans and a cowboy shoes. Her striped red shirt was tucked in, and her hair was braided.

"Mitali!" Neil exclaimed and got up from his seat. Everyone got onto their feet and moved towards the girl. Neil hugged Mitali, who in turn reciprocated it and wished Neil. "Thank you!" Neil grinned. "You showed up after so long!" Shweta and Bebe too hugged her. "Come, have a seat." Prakash offered, and Mitali came in. "Avni. So you are Avni! So good to see you!" Mitali came and extended her hands to Avni, who was holding Evie in her arms. "Nice to meet you too.." Avni gave a warm smile, but still was very confused on who Mitali was.

"How come you did not show up all these while?!" Shweta started shooting her questions. "Ah, Mom. Mitali was abroad. Completing a training course of two years."  Neil replied to the question. "Ohh. I got really tensed. Would be right. You were here all the time with Neil before. Starting from your police academy days." Little pieces from their conversation was making the picture clear for Avni. She was glad to meet such a good friend of Neil. Evie stirred a bit and let out a soft cry. Avni immediately lulled her gently. "I'll be back." She excuses herself from the conversation and headed upstairs.

Avni came down after a while with Evie, it was almost noon. Everyone was still in the same position, continuing and enjoying the conversations.
"Neil! They have arranged a station lunch today for your birthday! Let's go! Everyone will be eagerly waiting!" Mitali nudged Neil. Neil was about to get up from his seat, when he saw Avni descending the stairs with Evie. The confused look on her face reminded Neil of their earlier plan. "Oh no. I have already a plan. To attend Noy's ritual lunch." Neil looked apologetically at Mitali. She pouted in turn, "not fair. Last time you promised that you'd come to the station this year. Remember? Siddharth and all have really did a hard work on it this time." Mitali defended their side. Avni took a deep breath, not knowing what Neil would say. "Okay fine. How about this? I'l first drop Avni and Evie to Noya's, and then I'll come to the station. Later I can join my friends and enjoy their lunch." Neil made a quick plan to which everyone agreed...but Avni. As Neil headed upstairs to get ready, Mitali wanted to adore Evie. Avni passed her baby to Mitali and went to their room.

"Um, Neil.." Avni tried saying, as Neil fumbled with the buttons of his new shirt. "Yeah?" He replied, not lifting his head. "It would be a bit...awkward... for me to go without you.." Neil looked at her then. "Why? I mean we are going to Noy's place, right?" Neil didn't understand what Avni was trying to say. She found it difficult to make him understand how awkward she would feel to excuse herself with Evie, on things like feeding. Even though its Noya's place, there will be other friends present, and Avni can feel that it is not goin to be easy for her. "Ah, yes." Avni didnt know how else to respond. She moved to the small cabinet in their room and prepared her bag. A hand grabbed on her waist and turned her around. "Won't tell me what's bothering you?" Neil asked lovingly. "Its nothing.. I just tense out on little things these days." Avni moved away quickly.. Neil could not as further questions as Noya started calling to check on them.

There was a change of plan in the last minute and Neil came to Noya's place at first. Avni felt so good after a decade, to have been met the bunch. The same craziness and care remained in them. Noya had a six month baby boy, Esha and Ryan was married and so was Amra and Nikhil- who came with their respective partners. As usual, Noya had prepared a birthday cake for Neil on her own, along with a special line this time which said "The new Daddy". Evie was all calm an adorable through out, despite being squished by one after the other. Avni wanted to leave as soon as they wrapped up, but Noya wanted her to stay for a little while. Neil agreed to pick her up later, and left to the station.

Avni's concern grew as the twilight neared. It was almost 5 in the evening and she really wanted to go home with Evie before sundown. But to her bad luck, Neil wasn't answering his phone.
"Avi, why are you tensed?" Noya asked, turning Avni towards her. Avni explained her and Noya too was worried. She totally understands her point. Evie was just 1.5 months old and it will not be safe to have a night drive. "Wait, I'll ask Aarav to drop you both. Leave a message to Neil, he'd know that you have left." Avni agreed and hurried to head home.

It was after she reached, Evie became all cranky. She was hungry, and upset for being fussed over by everyone in the afternoon, thus too tired. Avni gave Evie a gentle shower to calm her down, but no luck. Shweta, Bebe and  even Prakash took turns. It took a good two hours to calm her down. Avni fed her and place Evie beside her on the single bed in the nursery, intending to move her to the crib after a while. She had a good plan for Neil's birthday, but fell asleep along with Evie.

Avni's eyes shot open after a dream. She tried recalling but could not put out the pictures so well. Her mind then wandered to the place was in. She almost jumped out of bed after realizing she was in Evie's nursery and she had a plan. Avni searched for her phone and quickly checked the time. It was 10 in the night! Every sense in her body freaked the hell out! Avni hurried to place Evie in her crib and descended the room with the baby monitor.
With the first step outside, she heard the noise from downstairs. Chattering and perhaps some sound of plates? Avni was curious to know what was going on. She headed to the stairs to go down, but he steps  froze with mid-way.
DD, Mitali, some of Neil's cousins and even Noya and the gang was all around the living room. It was... a party. For Neil. But how? Who could have planned it? Because Avni had another plan. She slowly came down the stairs, and her eyes glued on Neil, who was enjoying a conversation with Mitali and another man. Avni's heart dropped. She wondered why Neil did not wake her. Even if the party was thrown by someone else, didn't he wanted her to be there?

"Avi!" Amra's voice brought Avni back on earth. Avni forced a smile when she came and hugged her. "We were wondering where you were." Said Noya, who joined them. Neil's eyes then fell on Avni, who looked back at him, with possibly no expressions. "Avni. DD and I threw this party for Neil." Mitali grinned wide, as if she was flattering herself. "Not me, Mitali actually did everything. So here's to you, Mitali!" DD replied, showing up the glass in the air. Avni gave them a smile, although she was feeling suffocated from inside. She felt as if the crowd was joking at her. Taunting at her because she failed as a wife.
Some of Neil's friends approached her on their own and introduced themselves. Avni was all red, she was embarrassed and feeling awkward at the same time. Neil still was busy attending one guest after the other, yet he never called for her. As the party drew towards the end, the guests left in packs. Noya hugged Avni tightly before leaving and also taking a promise from her to go on a lunch soon.

A voice from the baby monitor made Neil and Avni rush upstairs. Neil was ahead of Avni, so by the time she reached, Neil was already inside. "She's in deep slumber already. Maybe the cry was in her sleep." Neil said with a smile, adoring the little blessing sleeping peacefully. Avni just nodded her head and turned to leave. "Avni!" Neil held her hand and turned her around. "You were asleep, thats why I didnt want to disturb you." Neil justified himself. "Yeah.. I know.." Avni replied softly. "Then why are you so disheartened?" Neil asked again, still concerned. "Sometimes not inquiring about someone's concern at the right time will be a loss... how much I tried to catch your attention when your friends approached to me.. It was so awkward, Neil. I never met them before." Avni couldnt hold it anymore. "But that's fine, right? They knew you are my wife, Avni." Neil's voice was calm, in a persuasive tone. Avni took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Tsk, never mind. I dont know what I'm saying anymore.. I cant do anything right these days, however hard I try." Neil saw her eyes welled up, as she pulled herself away and quickly exited the room.