Avni laid on the bed clutching on to her now big belly, with a frown on her face. Neil sat at the foot of the bed, slowly massaging her feet gently, watching her in concern.
Neil- Ek ghanta hogaya aur tum abhi bhi mujhse baat nahi kar rahi hu… mainne kya kiya?
She pursed her lips like an adamant child, picking up the pillow beside her and chucking it at his face. He gasps as it smacks him in the face. She lightens up and giggles endlessly.
Neil- Hey bhagwaan (he mutters under his breath.) Iske mood swings mujhe maar doonga…
Avni- (She glared at him and he froze in fear, cowering.) Tuhne kuch bola!? Hello mister mein pregnant hu, deaf nahi…
Neil- Mein bus bol rahi thi ki… ki… tu aaj kitni khubsurat dikh rahi hu… (he smiled awkwardly with an open gesture.)
Avni- Jhoot bolne ke liye zarowath nahi hai! Mein ek tapad tera mu par maaru kya?! (She pointed a finger at him with intimidating eyes. He shook his head with adorable child-like scared eyes.)
Bebe appeared at their door, hearing all the noise.
Bebe- Aarey aarey… sab shaant hojao… kya hua idhaar?
Avni- Bebe… (she pouted cutely and Bebe immediately rushed to her in care.) Mein aap ke haath se bana hua laddo khana chaati thi aur yeh idiot mujhe khane ko nahi deh raha hai!
Bebe- itini choote se baat? Sad mat ho…Mein meri pyaari bahu ke liye abhi abhi fresh laddoo bana ke leeti hu (avni smiled as Bebe stood up to leave but Neil stood up and held her hand to stop her.) What is it tillu?
Neil- Mein abhi dekh liya ki aap humesha tumare ladli bahu ki side main hu, tumhare tillu ki nahi (He frowned like a baby, and bebe pinched his ear playfully.)
Bebe- Of course, after all she is carrying my pyaar sa baccha na? Tu kya kar rahi hu nalayak? (Neil pouted cutely.) Now let me go and make…
Neil- Nahi bebe, doctor bola hai ki avni ko too much sugar nahi kha sakta hai, wo mujhe sun ne ke liye tayaar nahi hai aur proper khana nahi kha raha hai. Bolo usko bebe, maa bane wala hai aur phir bhi wo bacche ki tarah tantrum kar raha hai! (He spoke in a panic, exactly like an over protective husband which made Bebe smile in amusement.)
Bebe- Ek baar ke liye uske chood do Neil… one time won’t hurt (He frowned reluctantly.) Aur mujhe bhi mere bahu ke liye kuch meri haatho se bana ne chati hu. Okay tillu? (He looked at Avni’s expectant face and gave up, nodding.) Wonderful! (Then suddenly her face changed as she remembered something.) oh damn it. Mujhe maaf kardo avni beta we’ve run out of sugar… (She looked sad and apologetic.)
Avni- Its okay bebe (Neil looked at his wife. She tried to sound gracious but she was extremely hormonal and this slight disspointment made her eyes well up with tears. And Neil could stand every pain on earth, but not Avni’s tears.)
Neil- Nahi bebe, its okay. (He looked at the clock, it was 10 pm. But he looked back to see Avni trying to hide her tears- the time didn’t matter.) Mein abhi dukhaan jaake cheene kared ke le aati hu…
Avni- Neil? (avni frowned in concern, but Neil just smiled back at her reassuringly. Bebe smiled knowingly and signed for Neil to go.)
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Avni literally inhaled the ladhoos into her system, not stopping to breathe between her bites. Neil sat cross legged on the bed, happily admiring the glow of joy on her face. He wanted to see her this way forever, she had suffered too much now. Avni finally stopped eating to look up at Neil. Realisation gloomed on to her face.
Avni- Shit. Yaar… tujhe bhuk lag rahe hai? (She stared at him in concern, Neil just shook his head with a smile.)
Neil- Tu kha… (Yet Avni still shoved the laddoo in to his open mouth, suprising him. Avni laughed seeing his shocked face while she wiped away the crumbs of food that surrounded his mouth.) Tu bhi yaar… pagli… (He smiled at her affectionately.)
Avni- (She rubbed her belly with a cute sad face.) Mujhe abhi bhi bhuk laga raha hai
Neil- I told you to eat it instead right? My god Avni! What will i do with you, 24/7 hungry…
Avni- Hey! I have to feed 2 people now… And you never let me eat proper food… (She frowned angrily but then Neil pinched her nose and shook it making her giggle.)
Neil- Mein bus tumhare sehat ka chinta hai meri ma… (He held his ears like a school child but Avni surpressed her smile which confused Neil.)
Avni- kitna jhoot bolunga? I thought tum bohot sacch ka saath dene wala aadmi ho? (She narrowed her eyes at him.)
Neil- Mein sacch hi bhol rahi hu!?
Avni- bakwaas…Tumhe meri parvah nahi hai! Tumhe bus tumare baccha ki baare mein pareshaan ho… (She stuck her tongue out at Neil.) and because of that now you are making me miserable with all these healthy drinks and salads and making me sit in bed all day and do nothing… hmph. (She scrunched up her nose cutely and grunted in frustration., Neil tried to hold in his laughter and tried to look serious.) Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant… tum mujhe pehele pyaar kartha tha, aur ab dekh… torture kar rahi ho mujhe!
Neil- Aree baba pagal hogaya kya… (He laughed as he kissed her cheek sweetly making her smile.) mein kabhi tumhe pyaar karne band nahi kar saktha… even if I want to… he nipped her lobe and kept staring into the most beautiful eyes he had fallen in love with. Even if she was completely different from his past lover, he still thought that their eyes looked the same.
Their racing heartbeat and breathing seemed to be in synchronizing with each other. She could just forever keep on staring-falling– into his eyes and not even care for the world.
Avni- (She leaned in to him, and he closed his eyes expecting a kiss in return.) You better not. (She whispered with her classic determined challenging stare he loves.)
Neil- haan haan… I wont… (He says brushing it off, tucking her in to bed and fluffing up her pillows.) Abhi sau jao… mein jaake kuch kaam karti hu…
Avni- par bus 10:30 hogaya yaar… (She whined.)
Neil- Avni… Mein akri baar bol rahi hu, mein pehele bola tha ki sleeping late is not good during pregnancy, (he threatened, raising an eyebrow.)
She pulled the blanket over her head, sighing. She hated being forced to sleep while he is not by her side and goes to his study.
Avni- fine. Dekh kuch bhi bolte… ‘mein kabhi tumhe pyaar karne band nahi kar saktha’ blah blah blah… saach me wo mujhe force karte ho… (She mumbles and mimics under her breath.)
Neil smiles and shakes his head before turning off the lights as he leaves the room.
DD picked up his phone looking at Neil who was working at his desk but not putting his mind in to it, DD knew he was feeling restless leaving Avni at home without him.
Avni- Hi DD (She smiled brightly, she was stretched out on the sofa and panting slightly, feeling a little nauseous.)
DD- (He smiled happily and in excitement.) Hi bhabhi! Kaisi hu aap aur mera pyaar sa chotu? (Neil immediately snapped up his head to look at DD, and then looked slightly dissapointment. He had been turning on the screen of his phone every five seconds to check if he had missed a text or a call- why didn’t she call him? DD glanced at Neil from the corner of his eye, typing dejectedly and smiled a little.) Kyu bulurahi hu mujhe? Bhaiyya se baat karne? (Neil looked up again with hope filling his eyes.)
Avni- Mein sacch me bohot bored hu yaar mujhe company chaata hu. Maa, nanno, rhea, mithali… sab log unreachable hai, ghar se sab log bahar gaya hai… aur Neil doesn’t like me inviting over Ali without him. Kya mein Neil se baat karna chaata hu ? Bilkhul nahi… mein saar mein dard ho raha hai, im not in the mood to hear his nagging DD. Wo khao, wo tusso, kaam mat karo, all day bed mein beto… uske hi waje se mein itini bored hu…
DD- (He chuckled at her childishness, watching the still expectant Neil.) Okay okay, I wont give it to bhaiyya if you don’t want to talk to him. (DD falls back in to his seat and puts his feet up on to his desk, while Neil gasps hearing that Avni didn’t want to talk to him.) Bolo bhabi how can I entertain you? Sorry okay par mujhe gossip karna nahi aata… (he and avni laughed and Neil now angrily tapped at his keyboard making loud clunky noises and turning up his nose in frustration.)
Avni- (She felt a metallic tasting bile travel up her throat and sat up straight as she swallowed it back, holding her dizzy head. DD frowned at the retching noise.) teek hai na DD, mujhe bhi gossip nahi aata… Kaam kaise chal raha hai?
DD- Acche se chal raha hai bhabi par- (Avni shot up as she felt vomit slide up her throat, she sprinted to the bathroom, doubled over the toilet bowl and retched as she vomited repeatedly.) Bhabhi! Aap teek hai?!
Before DD coud hear her reply, in quicker than a split second Neil had snatched the phone from his hand after sprinting over from his desk with a face of absolute horror.
Neil- Avni!? What happened!? (He could hear her gagging and heaving and DD smiled seeing how tears of worry came in to Neil’s eyes, and seeing his love for her.) Avni!
Avni managed to wipe away at her mouth and collect herself for a second to try and comfort and calm Neil.
Avni- Arrey mera jaanu… mein bilkhul teek hu yaar, morning sickness sab hota hai pregnancy- (she puked again and the sound of disgoring made his heart race.)
Neil- Nahi mein abhi abhi aa rahi hu… Stay on the phone okay avni? Are you dizzy? (He got ready to leave at the speed of lightening as he panicked.)
Avni- Mein teek hu Neil… (She sighed at his over reaction.)
Neil- Answer my question… are you dizzy? (He spoke in a stern voice, frowning in worry.)
Avni- Haan thoda sa. (She spoke defeatedly, giving up in fatigue.)
Neil- avni! Mein bola tha ki mein aaj leave lunga.. Ghar ka sab log kaha gaye?
Avni- Shopping- (She was cut off by another belching of vomit.)
DD- (Neil sprinted to rush to his avni, unable to withstand hearing her sick. DD called out behind him.) Bhaiyya meri phone!
Neil- DD chup kar… mein wapas deenga next time… (DD sighed with a smile seeing a teary eyed concerned Neil jump in to the car and zoom off, chattering in to the phone.)
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Neil rubbed her back gently, holding up her, and frowned at her state as she finished vomiting. She fell to the floor in fatigue, leaning against Neil who immediately embraced her to him stroking her arms comfortingly. Her eyes were shut in dizziness.
Neil- Mein doctor ko bularahi hu. (He declared starting to stand up. Avni hit him in the arm roughly.)
Avni- Kyu nahi sun rahi hu meri baat mr ziddi! I told you all this is normal… dont waste the poor doctors time…
Neil- But avni… mujhe dhar lag raha hai tumhe is haal mein dekh kar (Avni heart broke and was warmed seeing his scared expression and care, she sagged in tiredness.)
Avni- Mein teek hu… bus mujhe bed mein lee jawo, agar mujhe thoda rest mil gaya mein bilkhul teek honga… (Neil frowned, unconvinced, but lifted her easily in his hands bridal style and placed her on the bed softly.)
Avni- mujhe pyaar karne ke liye thank you Neil… (She whispered leaving a smile on Neil’s face.) Par when i wake up… you better have gone back to work okay? Im not a kid that you stay at home and miss work for me…
She complains like his usual wifey does, murmuring nonsense in to his neck and he just sits and enjoys the music of her voice.
Bebe and Shweta had arranged Neil’s college reunion at their house so that his old friends can meet his new family- avni and their baby. The house had been lightly decorated and shone in an atmospheric pink glow but Neil’s eyes (or anybody’s) couldn’t peel away from Avni as she walked down the stairs.
She looked stunning, as if she was a carved statue of a goddess. Her face was radiating that motherhood glow as her long eyelashes fluttered highlighting her big doe-like lined eyes. And she wore that killer smile on her full pink lips. She wore baby blue gown with a tight upper half and that clung to her sculpted hips, the back was sheer showing her milky white complexion and beautiful back, and the v cut was low enough to allow some cleaverage to peer through. Her hair was in a loose updo, some strands framed her face and tickled against her collarbone teasingly. The men were doing double takes watching her walk down the stairs, and some women had curled lips of envy. A proud and breathless smile was stuck to Neil’s face, this gorgeous woman was his and his only, and his favourite part was her now slightly protuding belly that held their baby because that truly marked her as his …
He rushed over to her, after being frozen in breathtaking shock for a few seconds, to help her down the stairs. He held her tightly around the waist, possesively, as if claiming her as his. The girls around didnt like this, Neil made every girl swoon back in their college days… and today too, especially today in his tight blue vest, and his white shirt with a few buttons undone that teased his toned chest. And his ruffled bed hair that they were dying to run their hands through.
Precap : Neil on a case and returning chances 10 percent