The rising sun cast a rosy hue across the morning sky. Golden fingers of sunlight lit up the sky. The just-risen sun shone softly on the city streets, bringing with it a flurry of early-morning activity.

Today when I and Neil drank coffee at his flat he requested me to stay for a while so that even he will take shower and join me in the park for jogging.

I agreed for a simple reason, I could spend time with Niam and Navya. Though they were sleeping it felt peaceful to watch them resting with innocent smiles. Niam looks more like Neil in his behavior but Navya has all Neil's cuteness.

"Come on you are acting so lazy. Niam and Navya should stop calling you Ms. Powerful, Ms. Strong, and all stuff. They should call you Ms. Lazy!" Neil rolls his eyes at me as I sit on the ground to take a rest.

"Oh please. I am human not a machine." I glare at him.

"Get up, still two rounds are left." He forwards his hand, people around watch us with a head full of questions.

"I swear I'm not gonna join with you for jogging again." Holding his hand I get up and dust myself.

"This is going to be our daily routine now." He smiles at me. "I am enjoying your company."

"Why?" I ask with raised eyebrows.

"I don't know." He shrugs looking down. "Now stop wasting time. Let's go." He drags me with him and the next second we were running around.

The sweat dripping from everybody running in this park is enough for me to get irritated. But this man oh-so-gently jogs beside me, his fresh shower smell is more than enough to relax me.

"That was something." I take a seat on the bench after completing two rounds.

"Yeah." Neil drinks water, now his fresh shower smell is mixed with his sweat, I move a little to stay away from that eww smell.

"What's wrong?" Neil asks seeing my strange behavior.

"You are sweating, Eww!" I hold my nostrils between my thumb and forefinger.

He looks confused a little then chuckles. "As if the smell of sweetness is dripping from you."

I look at myself, maybe I am sweating but that's all because of him. He made me run extra rounds, Navya was right he is so strict sometimes.

"Aren't you sweating Ms.Parikh?" He arches an eyebrow at me, moving closer.

"Yeah, maybe a little." I look away from him not wanting to inhale his smell and hold my breath.

He moves away chuckling, seeing my irritated face. I leave my breath.

"Sweat is natural." He gets up wearing his bag. "Let's go to the nearby cafe and have something. You look tired."

"Aren't you getting late? Besides you have locked Niam and Navya at home." I follow him as he walks somewhere.

"It's still 8:30, being the boss go to the office at 10:00. Niam and Navya will get up and take shower, till I return they will be playing or fighting." I nod at his answer, these three are complete with each other.

"Daily routine from the time we shifted here." He shrugs, reaching the cafe he holds my hand. I look at our hands then at him, he is simply looking forward and walking.

My eyes wander around to find few boys staring at me with those dreamy eyes, I smile at Neil's concern for me. Though I can fight and take care of myself but being cared for by someone else who hardly knows you is so sweet.

"So what do you want to eat or drink?" He asks as we take a seat on the corner table.

"Maybe some juice, Myra will make breakfast anyhow," I reply looking at the menu.

"Two Apple juice please." He replies to the waiter and smiles at him politely.

I frown, "How do you know I want to drink Apple juice?"

He looks at me blankly for a minute before replying, "Actually I wanted to drink it so thought even I'll order the same for you." He fake chuckles.

"Still, you should have normally asked me if I drink Apple juice or not."

I mean, come on, he can't order just like that. "Mr. Khanna, are you spying on me?"

"Seriously." He rolls his eyes as he mumbles something to himself.

"Are you cursing me?" I slam my hand on the table not-so-angrily.

"Easy there, girl." He widens his eyes as he looks around and gives everyone fake smile.

"Did you cruse me under your breath, Mr. Khanna?" I ask again in a high voice.

"Take it easy. Why will I curse you?!" He shrugs. "You seriously have anger issues, Violent Lady!"

I open my mouth at his statement. "What?! You! Urgh." I get up from the seat irritated while he sits there with a silly smile.

"Hey! Boy, are you troubling the girl?" A man with such a long height and a strong body appears out of nowhere.

"He isn't. Please, leave." I force a smile at him.

I look at Neil who is rolling his eyes. "Stop doing that!" I snap my fingers at him.

"Let's go, we need to get out of here before you burst out." He gets up ignoring the giant man and drags me with him.

"No! I'll drink juice and leave." Losing his grip on my hand I turn around.

"Hey, how dare you drag her?" The giant man's voice forces me to turn around, my blood boils as I see the man holding Neil through his collar. But what the hell is Neil waiting for? Invitation? Couldn't he just push him away?

"Relax man. There's nothing like you think." Neil says with a quiet-loud voice. "She said right I am not troubling her."

"I don't think anything, I have seen everything." He shouts at Neil.

That's it my patience time is over. Our problem is our problem, he shouldn't have interrupted us.

I glance here and there to find the waiter holding our juice tray and looking at the scene in front of him. Moving instantly I pick the Apple juice glass and throw it on the giant man.

Sorry, Apple Juice! I know you are my favorite but this man is double my height and I can't easily pull him away!

"What the heck?!" The man looks at me horrified before leaving Neil's collar.

"Avni." Neil holds my hand while I am still busy glaring at the man. "Have you gone mad?" I glare at Neil for acting stupid.

"How dare you, girl?" The man raises his voice at me, people gather around us, a few laughing at the man's juicy state.

"How dare you? And don't raise your voice. Your height may be double than me but my voice is triple than yours." I snap my fingers at him, I had to look up to see his face, and my neck pains a little.

"Avni, it's fine, let's go now." Neil holds me through my shoulders and I push him away glaring.

"Give me money," I demand looking at the man who is gritting his teeth and wiping his face with tissues.

"Which money? I was saving you from this boy not doing robbing money." He glares at me.

"At first I don't need anyone to save me. Secondly, I threw Apple juice on you and you are going to pay for that." I smile at him sweetly batting my eyelashes.

"Is she insane?" He looks at Neil then at everyone.

"Yeah, I am." I nod at him positively. The next moment someone drags me, I see Neil who is giving a look which says 'Unbelievable'.

The next second he takes me in his arms. "I ask sorry to you on her behalf." Neil apologizes to the man.

"Why are you saying sorry? If you want to apologize then apologize but not from my side. I.." I stop saying as Neil glares at me and I had to stop unwillingly.

"Sorry from her side again." He smiles at the man and walks out of the cafe with me in his arms.

"Jerk!" I slap on his arm and mutter under my breath.

"It's you who is cursing." He says rolling his eyes.

"Now put me down, Neil." I kick my legs in the air, annoyed.

"No." He shakes his head looking ahead at the road.

"What a pleasant surprise." I hear the very familiar voice, Neil stops walking, I look front in surprise to see Zar and Myra with that vicious smile.

"Perfect." Myra winks at me as she takes our photo on her phone.

"I mean we were waiting for one long hour for you to return after giving coffee to Mr. Khanna so that we can leave for the park and you didn't even think to inform us before leaving," Zar says sweetly as she gives me a fake smile.

"Put me down," I whisper slowly to Neil.

"Oh, sorry!" He quickly puts me on my feet.

"I am sorry, guys. I wanted to inform you but I forgot and after reaching the park I thought to inform you but then I realized my phone isn't with me." I explain my situation.

"Nice excuse but try something good next time. You could have informed us through Mr. Khanna's phone as well." Zar looks at me suspiciously.

"By the way what was that?" Myra gives me a teasing glance. "Mr. Khanna did you guys last night..." Myra looks at Neil as she entwines both her hands. I look confused at her then my eyebrows shoot up in shock, Neil chuckles slowly.

"I don't take advantage of anyone. Besides your friend isn't easy to deal with so doing that stuff is out of syllabus question." Neil shrugs with a little playfulness in his eyes.

"Neela Aunty." Zar passes her phone to me, taking the phone I move a little away from them.

"Good morning, maa." I smile to myself glancing back at my friends and Neil who have started talking with each other.

"It's fine, maa. You complete your work and then come here." I answer when maa says sorry for not coming here as she is stuck in some business work.

"Yeah. Currently, I am planning the plot, the next month I'll take action. You can come after I finish my project as I'll be free that time."

"Yeah? Neil? There's nothing like that. He is a good man." I look at Neil. "So are his children."

After talking for few minutes with her I come back to the place where these three are busy chatting.

"Really? Then we should sometime go on action challenge." Myra states excitedly.

"She's right. We three are action lovers." Zar takes High-Five with Myra.

"No, No, I don't wanna hurt you, ladies." Neil chuckles.

"Neil, you shouldn't worry that these three ladies are going to hurt you." Myra and Zar say in unison as they put an arm around me.

"Let's see that. I have to go now getting late already." Neil says looking at his wristwatch.

"Bye, girls." He turns around to leave then turns around again. "Bye, Avni" he holds my gaze for a while smiling at me then disappears from there.

"Oho! Bye, Avni." Zar teases me mimicking Neil's voice.

"Sounds ugly from your mouth." I glare at her before leaving from there.

They follow me as they say behind me. "That was rude. You are completely drowned in Neil Khanna."

Sometimes, even I wonder why do I stay friendly with Neil when I hate being close to boys?!

Maybe, because I love his kids.

✧✧✧

The day was hectic with we three being busy in our new case planning. I pick Niam and Navya from their classes in the afternoon. These kids are so well-mannered, I just said them we three are busy with work and they sat silently doing their work. Playing with toys. Few times I found Niam carefully watching us working, no doubt he is sensible than Navya.

It was 7:30 in the evening, I stretch my arms and push my tiredness away.

"I'll spend some time with them," I say to Zar and Myra who nods at me still busy at work.

Entering the kitchen I take three ice cream tubs from the fridge. "Who wants ice cream?" I show the ice cream tubs to Niam and Navya, Navya runs towards me quickly while Niam puts the toys in the bag before following his sister.

"I'll be back, Neil will be here in a while." I nod at my friends who pass a sweet smile to me.

Friends like Zar and Myra are rare to find. They know when to support me when to tease me, when to leave me alone and when I need them. I would never have forgotten the pain of my broken marriage if Zar, Myra, and Neela maa weren't with me.

I take Niam and Navya to my room so that we don't disturb Zar and Myra. "So, you guys felt too bored today? Sorry." I hold my ears apologizing to them as we three settle on my bed.

"It's okay. You are giving ice cream that's what matters." Navya licks her lips and I chuckle slowly.

"Even I love ice cream, a lot." I pinch her nose cutely.

"Now quickly give that to me." Navya bats her eyelashes as she forwards her hands, I keep the ice cream tub in her hands and pass it on to Niam.

We get busy eating our ice creams but Niam breaks the silence. "Are you a secret cop?"

I widen my eyes at him. "N..No!" I shake my head quickly.

"If you can't say the truth, you should just say I don't want to answer. There's no need to lie." Niam shrugs just like Neil.

"Here." Navya puts a spoon full of ice cream on his brother's cheek.

"Nav!" He looks at her sadly.

"Bro, last time you had put the entire ice cream tub on my hair." Navya giggles. "So, revenge time." She puts the half-eaten ice cream of Niam on his hair.

"Gosh!" I suppress my smile, they look so cute! Niam with an irritated face and Navya with a cute giggling face.

"Hello," A voice from the door demands our attention. "Ice cream Holi again." Neil laughs as he enters and takes a seat beside Navya.

"Papa, I finally got revenge." Navya hugs him happily.

"Good." Neil chuckles, the next second his smiling face was filled with horror expression as Niam puts Navya's ice cream on his hair.

"Niam!" He looks at him with a shock.

"I'm not sorry for it. Last time I had put ice cream on Nav and just because she was crying you did the same with me. Now, even my revenge is done." Niam shrugs laughing.

The three looks at each other then burst out laughing as they share a family hug. Then Niam and Navya turn around to look at me while Neil still keeps his arms around them.

"Come," The duo says in unison, my eyes get blur as few tears start forming in my eyes. Through my blurry vision, I see Neil smiling at me and blink his eyes as if asking me to warm up my cold self. I dash myself in them, Niam and Navya wrap their arms around me while Neil's forehead touches mine.

"Everything will be fine, if not today maybe someday for sure," Neil whispers, I know those words are for me, I want to ask why is he saying this to me but words don't come out of my mouth.

"Everything will be okay, Avni." He whispers again in a soothing tone then moves his head a little down as he brushes his hairs on my nose.

I open my eyes and glare at him as I realize he just applied ice cream on my nose which was on his hair he smirks at me and we move out of the hug. The first thing I did was Sneeze continuously three times.

The three laugh at me. "I hate you, Neil." I grit my teeth.

"Don't expect a 'same to you from me." He shrugs, "Niam, Navya go wear your bags."

As soon as they leave he sits next to me. "I know you love kids. Consider Niam and Navya as yours." He cleans my nose with tissue paper I had to take a sharp breath and my eyes close in anticipation.

"Good night, Avni." Pressing my hand in assurance he looks into my eyes for a minute then leaves.

"Good night, Neil," I whisper slowly but I know he heard it as he stood for a second then again walked away.

"Take care." He adds smiling before closing the door.

How does he understand me so easily?

How does he know what I need?

How does he read me through my eyes?

How?

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How was it?

I hope you guys liked it.

The upcoming updates are going to be very interesting, there's something new to come in AvNeil's life! 😉

Thank you!