Dd took driver seat and avneil sat on the back seat together. Neil moved closer to her brushing his shoulder with her. Avni looked at him then looked down. Whereas dd was mumbling something clutching the steering wheel.

Neil: dd kiska intezaar hai abhi chalo jaldi.

Dd: yes sir.

He started driving the car. Avni was looking outside playing with her fingers she was so nervous right now about how would she face Neil's family and how would they react. Her heartbeat was getting fast by each passing second.

Neil looked at her then at her hands. He placed his hand above her and squeezed it gently. Avni looked at him then their hands. He placed his hand around her shoulder and pulled her closer side hugging her.

Dd casually looked at rear view mirror and saw avneil sitting close to each other holding each other hands. He quickly moved his eyes away and concentrated on road.

After sometime they reached Khanna mantion. Dd parked the car outside of Khanna mantion and took a deep breath.

Dd: ( in mind) aaj to bomb phatne wala hai.

Trio got out from the car. Dd took out  their luggage and saluted neil giving some excuses he went from there. Avneil stood outside at the doorstep with their luggage. Avni's hands started shivering due to nervousness neil held her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. Avni took a deep breath to calm herself down while Neil Stared at her.

Bebe's eyes fell on neil standing at the doorstep.

Bebe: arey neil puttar

Hearing bebe's voice neil looked at her and smiled. Prakash was also there reading a news paper. They both walked towards them. Neil bent down and touched her feet taking blessings still holding avni's hand. Avni looked at him, she also bent down to touch her feet but bebe held her shoulder.

Bebe: are puttar kya kar rahi hai betiya pair nahi chuti, gale lagti hai.

Saying this she hugged avni embracing her in her motherly warmth. Avni's eyes filled with tears feeling the love of mother that she craved for since childhood. Breaking the hug bebe caressed her face with a smile. Neil was only looking at avni and was happy at least she smiled.

Moving his eyes away from her neil moved towards prakash and hugged him Prakash patted his back. They broke the hug.

Now the only question roaming in their mind was who is she? And why Neil was holding her hand?  Bebe noticed sindoor on her hairline and mangalsutra around her neck she understood the situation now. Prakash and bebe shared a look.

Shweta: tillu

Shweta shouted happily seeing her son after 1 week. They all looked at her.She came hurriedly towards neil and hugged him tightly. Breaking the hug she cupped his face and kissed his forehead. All this while avni was silently looking at them. Watching shweta's love for neil made her emotional because she never got mother's love. Juhi also came there and smiled shyly looking at neil. Neil smiled at her. Shweta saw avni she smiled at her but next second it replaced with a frown when she saw their intertwined hands. Neil noticed this.

Neil: mom, dad, bebe ye avni hai my wife ( looking at avni )

Shweta and juhi gasped listening this. Whereas bebe and prakash had already guessed it. They both smiled at him blinking their eyes.

Neil looked at shweta her eyes turned glassy but she still couldn't believe her son would do like this. She wiped off her tears harshly.

Shweta: ( cold voice) tillu ye kya mazaak hai?

Neil: ye mazaak nahi hai mom aur avni se Judi koi bhi baat mazaak nahi hai.

Avni looked down tears started to flow down from her eyes. Shweta angrily looked at avni and then their intertwined hands. She marched towards them.

Shweta: tu pagal ho gaya hai tillu dekh bohot mazaak ho gaya ab bas kar.

Saying this she tried to remove their hands from each other but neil tightened his grip.

Neil: mom please don't overreact. I know mujhe aap ko batana chahiye tha par sab kuch itni jaldi me hua ki time hi nahi mila.

Shweta: waah time nahi mila tujhe ab yahi Jagah reh gayi he tere dil me hamare liye. Kya jaadu kar diya hai isne tujh pe huh.

Neil: mom shadi ka decision mera tha aap ko jo kehna he mujhse kahiye.

Shweta turned towards prakash.

Shweta: aap kuch Kehte kyu nahi Khanna saab aur bebe aap bhi chup he kuch to boliye.

Prakash: shweta ji aap shant ho jaiye. Neil hame koi etraaz nahi he tumhari shadi se par ye to bata ye sab achanak aur tu is bacchi ko pehle se jaanta tha?

Neil: ha dad aap ko yaad he me 2 saal pehle Delhi gaya tha comisnor ashish haider sir ke paas ye unki beti he aur

He was interrupted by shweta

Shweta: ashish haider yani ki Muslim hai ye. Tillu tera dimag kharab ho gaya hai? ( shouts)

Bebe: shweta thodi der ke liye chup karegi. Juhi beta shweta ko andar leke jaa.

Juhi looked up from the ground her face was red and tears couldn't stop falling from her eyes. She walked towards shweta and kept her hand on her shoulder. ( imagine juhi's heartbreak by yourself because I can't describe it 😂 )

Juhi: aunty please chaliye.

Shweta: rook ja tune shadi to Karli tillu par juhi ka kya?

Neil: ( confused) juhi ka kya mom?

Shweta: tillu vo tujhse

But juhi held her hand stopping her to speak further. But avni understood her untold worlds.

Shweta moved closer to avni.

Shweta: ( to avni) ek baat kaan khol kar sun le ladki me kabhi tujhe accept nahi karungi.

Saying this she went from there grabbing juhi's hand. Bebe and prakash looked helpless.

Neil saw avni she was crying looking down. Her face was all red and was controlling her sobs biting her lips. Neil wiped her tears with his palm and pulled her closer.

Neil: ( whisper) I am sorry.

She looked at him and nodded her head in no.

Bebe: tum dono yahi ruko me abhi aati hu.

She went from there. Prakash looked at avni and kept his hand on her head.

Prakash: shweta ki baat ka bura mat lagana puttar use thoda time lagega samajh ne me tu tension na le ham sab he na hamari bahu ka saath dene ke liye.

She smiled at him genuinely.

Bebe came there with aarti ki thali. She did their Grah pravesh and placed the small pot of rice infront of her feet.

Bebe: ab kick maar ise Ronaldo ki Tarah aur kar is ghar ke andar pravesh aur saath me hamare dilo me bhi.

Neil: ( whisper in avni's ear ) sach me Ronaldo ki Tarah kick mat maar dena.

Avni glared at him.

She forwarded her foot and kick the pot of rice gently. They smiled looking at her. Avni and neil were about to enter inside but bebe stopped them.

Bebe: are ruko ruko ese kese chal tillu utha apni votti( wife ) ko  phir andar aao.

Neil smiled widely and within a second picked her up in his arms. Avni encircled her one hand around his neck for support and with other one she held his collar.

They entered inside neil placed her on ground.

Neil: ( dramatically) haye finally andar aa gaye mere pair dard karne lage khade khade.

They chuckled.

Bebe: chup kar aaya bada. Waise maan na padega choice acchi he teri. ( looking at avni )

Neil smiled and nodded.

Bebe: ( to avni ) bohot pyari he tu, bohot shoni he tu, rab kare kisiki nazar na lage tum dono ko.

She smiled with teary eyes.

Bebe: jao kamre me, Aaram karo bohot thak gaye honge. Bheema ( servant) ye saman neil ke kamre me rakhva de.

Bheema: ji bebe.

Neil took avni to his room. He opened the door and guided her inside. She looked at the room it was well furnished and neat and clean. She started speaking.

Avni: isi wajahse me yaha nahi aana chahti thi. Dekha na aunty ko kitna bura laga me nahi chahti neil ke tumhare aur aunty ke beech ki doori ki wajah banu isliye me Delhi wapas chali jaungi.

Neil snapped his head hearing the last line. He moved closer to her glaring at her furiously.

Neil: kitni baar samjhaun tumhe me avni phir bhi ek hi baat ko pakad ke bethi ho. I know you are hurt with mom's behaviour but unhe thoda time lagega avni tumhe accept karne vese bhi mom ko adat he drama karne ki.

Avni: neil vo maa he tumhari

Neil: jaanta hu me. Aur agli baar mujhse door jaane ki baat mat karna uski izzazat nahi he tumhe.

He said with a small smile playing on his lips. Avni looked at him surprised the way he was looking at her it made her blush but she controlled her smile and turned her face other side. He chuckled and went to washroom taking his clothes from the cupboard.

Avni shook her head. Her eyes fell on the wall where frames were hanged. She moved closer and smiled looking at the pictures of Neil's happy family. He is indeed lucky she thought.

In shweta's room.

Shweta was pacing around the room mumbling something. While juhi was crying standing at a corner. Shweta looked at juhi and Sighed. She went to her.

Shweta: juhi ye wakt rone ka nahi planning ka he.

Juhi: kya planning aunty yaha meri zindagi barbaad ho gayi he neil esa kese kar sakta he.

Shweta: wahi to juhi ye sab kiya dhara na vo ladki ka he usi ne fasaya he mere tillu ko. Usne neil ko China he na tumse ab tumhari bari jao dikhao use uski jagah.

Juhi and shweta smirked and juhi went from there.

She was passing by Neil's room and saw avni inside his room looking at the frames on the wall. She clenched her fist and entered inside. Avni who was busy in looking at the frames saw juhi's reflection in frame. She turned around facing her.

Avni smiled looking her but she didn't.

Juhi: dekh rahi ho na in photos ko kitne khush he sab par tumhare aane se sab ki zindagi se khushi chali gayi especially aunty dekha na kitni hurt thi vo sirf tumhari wajahse. Aaj jaha tum khadi ho na waha me khadi hoti par tumne mujhse neil bhi chin liya. I will not forgive you avni.

Saying this she went from there plugging a seed of insecurity in her. Neil came out after freshening up in a simple t shirt paired  with trousers. He saw her standing beside bed lost somewhere. He walked towards her and clicked his fingers bringing her back to the world.

Avni looked at him, he raised his brows asking her what. She nodded her head in no and smiled at him.

Neil: tumhe change karna he?

Avni: no am fine.

Neil: sure?

Avni: haa

Neil: thik he tum fresh ho jao me abhi aaya.

She nodded and went to washroom. Neil came downstairs and saw everyone was sitting on couch in living room. He went there and sat beside shweta who in return turned her face other side looking at neil.

Neil: mom ab itni bhi kya narazgi come on cheer up.

Shweta looked at neil and smiled stroking his face.

Shweta: par vo ladki ke liye mujhse kuch expect mat karna tillu.

Neil Sighed . it was indeed a difficult task for him to persuade his mom.

Bebe: kya problem he tujhe itni pyari bacchi he vo.

Prakash: bebe bilkul thik keh rahi shweta ji ek baar baat to kar lijiye.

Shweta: mene keh diya na prakash ji me nahi maan ne wali.

Shweta smirked looking at juhi. She also smirked.

Bheema: bebe khana taiyar he.

Bebe: haa neil jaa avni ko bulakar la.

Neil: ji bebe

Shweta and juhi made faces hearing avni.

Neil stood up and went to his room. He was at doorstep his eyes fell on avni she was offering a namaz. It was the time of second prayer of the day. Neil leaned to the door watching her praying. Her eyes were closed and was making Dua raising her both hands near her mouth.

After finishing it she stood up and folded the mat in which she was praying. She saw neil looking at her lovingly.

Neil: lunch ke liye bulane aaya tha chalo.

Hearing about lunch her mind reminded her about shweta's reaction. she didn't have any courage to face his mom and juhi after what happened in the morning.

Avni: nahi mujhe bhook nahi he tum karlo.

Neil: khud se aaogi ya utha kar lekar jaun.

Avni looked at him surprised.

Neil: I know its awkward for you but trust me main hoon na.

He forwarded his hand, hesitantly she placed her hand on his. They both reached downstairs.

At dining table.

Everyone were sitting there, neil pulled out the chair for avni and gestured her to sit. She sat down and neil sat beside her. He took a morsel and about to eat it but he saw avni who was quietly sitting there looking downwards. He saw shweta and juhi were glaring at her.

He shook his head and placed the morsel near her lips. Avni looked at him he gestured her to open her mouth. She opened her mouth and he fed her. Like this he fed her with his hand. Bebe and prakash adored them. While shweta and juhi were fuming inside.

After the lunch bebe, prakash and Neil were sitting in living room and avni was helping bheema in the kitchen. After completing her work avni came out and stood near the couch where bebe was sitting.

Bebe: tum dono kahi ghum aao ghar Bethe bethe bore ho jaoge.

Neil: good idea bebe thanks

Avni: koi baat nahi phir kabhi chale jaayenge.

Bebe: arey ese kese pehli baar Mumbai aai he na tu jaa ghum ke aa tujhe bhi accha lagega.

Avni noded.

Neil: me change karke aata hu.

After 10 minutes he came out changing his clothes and looked at avni.

Neil: chale?

Avni: haa 

Neil was walking ahead and avni was walking behind him. She saw him sitting on his bike.

Avni: ham bike par jaayenge?

Neil: haa kyun?

Avni: kuch nahi

Avni sat behind him and kept her hand on his shoulder. Neil smiled looking at her in the view mirror.

To be continued.

Thank you so much for your response on previous chapter. Keep showering your love.

Hope you liked it.

Do tell me how was it.

Please ignore the grammatical mistakes.

Love
Z♥️