Coming out of the airport, She smiles widely feeling the cold breeze touching her skin. She closed her eyes and embraced the air into her body.

Her eyes flutters opens as she heard her name from behind, she turns her head around and saw her parents walking towards her.

Neela : what are you thinking bacha?

Avni : nothing much maa! It feels so good to be back in Mumbai.

Neela smiles and looks at Ashish who was talking over the phone with driver of khanna.

They wanted to surprise khanna family but Avni being excited spills out to Manik who happened to be with Nandini and Nandini informed her family to make arrangements for malthora in khanna mansion to stay.

Ashish hangs up the phone and looks at his ladies.

Ashish : driver is waiting for us other side, we need to walk there.

The ladies nodding their head and pulling the luggage walks other side where they found driver waiting.

As the driver noticed them, he approached to them and took their luggage putting them in the car boots.

Ashish thanking the driver took the passenger sit while Neela and Avni sat at the back.

Driver loading the luggage gets inside the car and drove the car to khanna mansion.

Avni leans her head against the window and thought about the moments when she came last time to Mumbai, a  small smile appears on her face.

She chucked her thoughts away and hugging herself  looked outside of window.

As they arrived at khanna mansion, they got out out and headed inside.

Neela rang the door bell. As the door opens Neela was engulfs in hug by swetha.

Neela smiles and hugs swetha back. They broke it a minute later.

Neela : oh god! It been long since I have seen you. How are you swetha?

Swetha : indeed! I'm good. How are you? Happy to see you back.

Swetha pulls Avni into hug and pats her head lovingly.

Swetha : how are you beta?

Avni broke the hug and smiles at swetha.

Avni : good auntie. How are you?

Swetha : better since you all here. It feels so empty not having kids around you. Come inside! Bebe us inside.

They all walked inside and saw Bebe sitting in hall with tv on.

Neela and Avni greets Bebe with hug then touching her feet. Ashish also did the same.

Bebe : lovely to see you! How was the journey?

Avni: it's good bebe. How is your Health?

Bebe : I will say it's better as it should be.

Avni chuckles hearing Bebe and looks for Prakash as she didn't see him so she asked swetha.

Avni : where is uncle?

Swetha : he went office, he will be back by evening. Why don't you all fresh up then have something to eat? I will show the rooms.

Swetha showed them the rooms and Avni was last one to go into her room which was next to Neil's room.

She didn't realise her room was next to Neil till swetha mentioned it.

Swetha : feel comfortable here. This is your home too.

Avni nodded and getting her essentials moves to washroom to fresh up.

Avni comes out of washroom dressed up in yellow traditional attire because she wanted to dress up and wasn't feeling to wear western.

( Avni's attire)

Avni taking her phone walks out of the room, she stops at next room and thought what swetha earlier said before she went to fresh up.

A cheeks heats recalling swetha words. Avni shook her head and glimpsing at the door rushed down stairs to see her patents chatting with Bebe.

She sat next to Bebe and passed smile to her parents.

Bebe : you look gorgeous in this dress, you should more often.

Avni : thank you bebe.

Avni smiles and thought about Neil.

Avni : Bebe , can I ask you something?

Bebe : why not?

Avni : have you spoke to Neil? Or has he called?

Bebe : yes! I have spoke to him. He is on mission so he doesn't get time to call us back.

Avni feels sad knowing he has been in touch with them but didn't bother dropping message or call to her. Bebe noticed that and thought about something.

Swetha comes out of kitchen and calls everyone to dinning table. They all moved and sat down.

Avni offers to help swetha to which she refused saying she is the guest, even though swetha refused it Avni still helped her out.

Swetha adores Avni and smiles thinking about something took her seat and looks at Avni who serves her.

Swetha : thank you Avni! You also sit and eat!

Avni nodding her head sat opposite Neela and serves the food in her plate.

They talked whilst having food, giggles and Laughter continued as they ate the food.

They all sat in living room and were chatting when Avni decided to excuse herself and want to rest as she was feeling tired after travelling.

Avni: maa, I will go and rest!

Neela worriedly looks at Avni.

Neela : are you okay bacha?

Avni : yes maa, just feeling tired. I will much better once I rest.

Neela nodded her head and Avni passing a sorry look to everyone headed back to her room. She puts her phone on silent and climbing on bed, going under duvet lies down. She closed her eyes and tried to fall sleep.

In the afternoon, Neil and his team were after training from the morning decided to take a break. He dismiss everyone and grabbing a bottle of water sat down and gulps it down.

He kept the bottle aside and suddenly he felt something happening in his heart, he felt some kind of jitters. He took his phone out and thought to give call to his mom who might be waiting for his call.

He dials swetha number.

Neil : hello mom!

Swetha : hello Neil! How are you? Are you okay?

Neil : yes I'm okay! How is everyone?

Swetha : everyone is okay! Did you eat?

Neil : finished training. I got some time to call you. I will eat after talking to you.

Swetha : do eat! Don't starve yourself and straining your body while training for mission.

Neil: I will do mom! I can hear some familiar voices? Are Neighbour in the house?

Swetha : not neighbours but malthora family.

His breath stopped as he heard malthora family means she is there too. He composed himself.

Neil : how come they are here? Baby girl marriage? That soon?

Swetha slaps her head hearing Neil and also chuckles at his thought making Neil frown.

Neil : mom why are you laughing? Did I say something wrong?

Swetha: yes my son, you definitely did. They aren't here for princess marriage but not visit Mumbai. Actually Avni was feeling lonely and bored in Delhi and before coming back to her duty in two weeks thought to visit Mumbai and explore the city. That is what princess told us. She does look lost and lonely.

His heart stiffened hearing what his mother said about Avni. He wasn't there to relive the loneliness of hers. He knew she would be missing him, he also didn't met her before coming back to his duty.

Holding his tears and the guilty he spoke.

Neil : how is she? Where is she now?

Swetha : she went to rest. She didn't look happy too. Neil why are you doing this?

Neil : mom, what do you mean?

Swetha : you know what I mean Neil?

Neil : I didn't get you mom. Please elaborate what are you on about?

Swetha : why aren't you accepting what you feel about her? I know what is happening between you both?

He wasn't surprised hearing his mother, she knew him too well.

Neil : I am trying my best mom but it's not in my hand. I don't know what to do. I can't balance it.

Swetha : why don't you talk to her? She needs someone to have heart to heart talk. I think she is waiting for your call. Give her call.

Neil : mom! I will give her call. Please don't tell about this conversation.

Swetha : I won't! You better sort out your relationship with her.

Neil : do I have option?

Swetha chuckles and said no before ending the call. Neil sighs looking at the phone.

Neil had dilemma if he should call her or not. He couldn't decide and even his luck wasn't on his side.

He was called by his teammates. He shook his head and shoving his phone back in his pockets went to see his team.

Picking her phone up , she found few miscalls from Manik and Nandini.

She sighs and opening her phone, she called Manik first.

Avni : hello Bhai, are you free?

Manik : hey baby doll! Yes i am free. Where are you? You didn't answer my call.

Avni : Bhai, we are in khanna mansion. Did you forget that we are going to Mumbai?

Manik : I kind of did! How was the journey? Did you safely landed?

Avni : journey was tiring, yes we landed safely. How are you and Nandini Bhabhi?

Manik : we are good! She is home.

Avni: okay. I will call her. She called me too.

Manik : I know! I was there when she tried calling you. How come you didn't answer the calls?

Avni : I was resting Bhai, I just woke up and saw your miscalls.

Manik : take rest! I will call in the night. Say hello to maa and papa.

Avni : will do! Bye Bhai!

She ended call then dials Nandini's number.

Avni : hello Bhabhi, sorry I couldn't pick your call up when you called. I was resting that too.

Nandini : hello Avni! It's fine. How are you? Did you reach to khanna mansion?

Avni : yes I did Bhabhi! What are you doing?

Nandini : cleaning my room. Your brother is messy.

Avni giggles hearing Nandini knowing how Manik loves to make mess but he also cleans it when he feels like or has mood to clean the whole house.

Nandini : yeah laugh. I will see you when you starts living with Bhai. That reminds me, has he called you?

Avni froze hearing about him. She didn't wanna talk about him to anyone.

Avni took a deep breath and replies to Nandini.

Avni : I don't wanna talk about him Bhabhi.

Nandini : you don't have to Avni. Hearing your words, I can guess he hasn't. He might be busy. Even he hasn't called me. You will get through this. Be strong!

Avni didn't knew how to express what she was feeling at this moment, she felt her hope was dying each day as it passed. How can she give herself hope that it can work between them. She just couldn't think.

Avni : leave all that! What have thought about coming back? You know I will be going back too. Please try to come before that with Bhai. I wanna see you both before going back.

Nandini : I will speak to Manik and see if something can be arrange. Don't lose hope. We are there with you.

Bidding bye to each other Avni keeps her phone on side table and gets down the bed.

~

Hope you liked the chapter.

Vote and inline comments

~