GggHi, dearies. I’m very sorry for the late update. My health is still not good. Actually, I thought to update on Friday but the chapter was not ready that time. I will update regularly once my health is fine.
CHAPTER 23
PoojAm’s Room
Pooja is lying on Gautham’s chest hugging him while Gautham is stroking her hair.
Pooja: Are you fine, Gautham?? Or still disturbed with the truth you have learnt??
Gau: Do you want to hear the truth or lie??
Pooja: Whatever you wished.
Gau: (hugs her closer) How I will lie to you?? I am very much hurt after learning the truth, Pooja. One thing I am feeling relief is our Ishu has returned safely to us.
Pooja: She has returned, Gautham but not as our old Ishu. Her heart is terribly wounded and it’s not easy to heal those wounds. She has been given the name which she didn’t wish to get in her life. We have to remove that name from her.
Gau: I know, Pooja. That’s why Rudra wants to take Ishu with him to Mumbai. He wants Ishu to take revenge on his family. (Pooja gets up from his chest)
Pooja: What?? Revenge?? No way!! Ishu won’t agree with this. What did you tell him??
Gau: We said the same to him. But he is very adamant for Ishu to take revenge on his family.
Pooja: Poor guy. He is willing to take revenge on his own family just for our Ishu. Ishu only stayed with them for few months but they fought with their family for her. Priyanka has left her family, her surname and the luxurious life and staying at the slum area as a simple person. I don’t know what to say about both of them.
Gau: I and Neil thought the same too. (Thinks something) Wait a minute. How do you know about this?? (Pooja realised that Gautham didn’t aware that she and Avni already know an about it. She tells him whatever happened today. His face turns into anger.) Scoundrels!! How dare they?? (About to get up but Pooja holds him.)
Pooja: Where do you want to go??
Gau: I want to find who are them and arrest them. (Pooja holds her head seeing her angry bird husband.)
Pooja: Where you will find them at this time?? Are they going to stay at the same place waiting for you?? (Gautham looks at her. Pooja hugs his neck.) My angry bird husband, already Rudra whacked both of them terribly for harassing his bhabhi. They won’t dare to come out for few days. So, you don’t have to be angry. Please change your angry mode into romance mode. (Gautham smiles sweetly at her.)
Gau: Romance mode is already on my wife. (Pooja smiles at him. He brings his face closer to her and brushes his nose with her’s.)
Pooja: (screams) Aaaarrggh!!! (Gautham is shocked hearing her scream and sees her wailing holding her nose.)
Gau: What happened, Pooja?? (Pooja pushes him.)
Pooja: My nose is paining. You are the reason.
Gau: (confused) What I did?? I just brushed my nose with yours. How it can be painful?? I know I’m a strong cop but that doesn’t mean a small touch can harm anyone. (Smirks) But still I’m proud of myself. My nose too can’t cause pain to someone. I think I can hit criminals using my nose. (Pooja looks at him in disbelief.)
Pooja: Here I’m in pain but you are praising yourself. What husband are you?? (Cries) Haww!! My nose!!
Gau: Ok. Ok. Let me see what is the problem with your nose. (Takes Pooja’s hand and looks at her nose. He sees the nose ring.) Nose ring?? When did you start to wear nose ring?? You never wear it before this. (Pooja slaps her head)
Pooja: This afternoon only. Not only me, Ishu and Avni too wear nose ring.
Gau: Really?? We didn’t notice this because of today’s tension. By the way, this nose ring looks beautiful on you. (Pooja smiles happily. Gautham goes and brings a small bottle.) The wound must be fresh. The pain will be less if we apply the oil. (Pour some oil and apply it on her nose.) Still paining??
Pooja: I won’t feel any pain when you are with me.
Gau: (smirks teasingly) Then, why did you scream just now?? “My nose is paining!!!” (Gautham imitates her. Pooja punches lightly on his chest and hugs him.)
At the Terrace
RuPriVeer are waiting for Ishana to say something.
Rudra: Bhabhi, please say something. Why NeilGau bhaiyas are not aware that you have adopted Mishti??
Ranveer: Adoption is a good thing but what is the need to hide it from them?? NeilGau would not have object your decision of adoption.
Ishu: Woh…. Actually, we didn’t adopt Mishti. Mishti is actually Neil’s baby. (RuPriVeer are shocked knowing this.)
RuPriVeer: What?? (Ishana nods at them.)
Prinku: Neil bhaiya’s baby means Avni didi’s baby too, right??
Ishu: Avni’s baby but……. (They look at her curiously. Ishana looks at RuPri) You both know right how I got pregnant last time?? This is almost same as that.
RuPri: Artificial insemination??
Ishu: Almost like that but through surrogacy. (RuPriVeer look each other confusingly.)
Ranveer: Ishana, say it clearly.
Ishu: Actually, Avni has met an accident when she was a kid where she has hurt her stomach. She didn’t take it seriously and thought everything is fine. Few years ago, she met Neil and they fell in love. Just few weeks before the wedding, she suddenly cried in pain holding her stomach. We are worried and took her to the hospital. The doctor said her uterus is terribly injured and her egg producing will be less. So, it’s very hard for her to get pregnant. Even if she get pregnant, maybe it won’t stay long. Avni was completely broken and she almost stop her wedding with Neil.
*Flashback*
Few years ago
Avni: I’m not going to marry you, Neil. Let’s stop the wedding. (NeilGau and IshJa who are discussing about the wedding arrangements are shocked hearing her. Neil gets up from his place and goes to Avni.)
Neil: What are you saying, Avni?? Why do you want to stop the wedding?? Did I do anything wrong?? (Avni looks at him with tear filled eyes.)
Avni: You didn’t do anything wrong, Neil and you won’t be able to do wrong too. You are too perfect. You are a perfect friend, perfect brother, perfect father and you are a perfect man. And you will be a perfect husband. (Cries)
Ishu: What are you trying to say, Avni?? Say it clearly.
Avni: Neil is perfect and he deserves perfect too. I mean he deserves a perfect wife which I am not.
Neil: What are you blabbering?? You are a perfect wife.
Avni: No, Neil. A perfect wife is the one can give heir for her husband, she can make her husband as a father. But, I can’t give that to you. I’m an infertile. (Cries badly)
Neil: Shut up, Avni!! Don’t you dare to say that!! (Holds her arm) Do you think that I’m marrying you to get babies?? My love is not weak that I will leave you after learning about your problem. You are perfect, Avni. You are a perfect human being, perfect friend, perfect sister and you will be a perfect wife for me.
Avni: But I can’t be a perfect mother, Neil.
IshJa: You are a perfect mother, Avni. (AvNeilGau look at IshJa.)
Ishu: (cups her face) One can’t be a mother just by giving birth. There is motherhood inside everyone. You are having it too. You are my mother. You know, even though my mother gave birth to me, she didn’t give that much attention towards me. She always lived in fear about the society. She was scared how she will answer if they ask about my father. Because of the fear, she always ignore me. I won’t say that she didn’t love me but she never showed her love towards me. After she died, my father took me with him. His wife has showered the love I craved but that didn’t last for long. Siddharth bhaiya felt that I am snatching his mother from him. So, I stayed away from her. After that, these two are my world (looking at NeilGau). They showered their love towards me. Then, Swetlana bhabhi came and we are sharing a good bond. She loves me a lot and always says that I’m her daughter. That is a mother. You and Pooja too love me very much and ready to do anything for me. You both are not less than a mother. Don’t you dare to say that you are not a perfect mother. My Avni is flawless. (Avni hugs Ishana)
Avni: Ishu, Neil must have wished to have a baby to call him as ‘papa’.
Neil: (pulls Avni from Ishana) Avni, it doesn’t mean that we only can be parents by giving birth to a baby. Adoption is there too. We can adopt a baby and raise him/her as our own child.
Avni: I know, Neil. But I want you to have your own baby, your own blood. You don’t have any problem. The problem is with me only.
Gau: Why are you repeating the same, Avni?? Listen, the doctor is not a God to decide anything. She is not the only one doctor in this country. We can go and consult with other doctors.
Pooja: Gautham is right. I have a trust that there will be a solution for this matter.
Avni: How if the other doctors say the same as this doctor??
Neil: I don’t care about it. That won’t lack my love for you. My love will increase but will never decrease. (Avni looks at him lovingly) Avni, before you came into my life, these two are my world. I never thought of falling in love till I met you. Your maturity, self independent, arrogance made me to fall for you. You know how much I love Ishu?? (Avni nods) My love for you is not less than her. If you leave me, I will become empty. I can’t live without you. (Avni can’t stand anymore and just hugs him tightly.)
Avni: I love you, Neil. I too can’t live without you.
Neil: (kisses her head) I love you, Avni. (They continue hugging each other for some time. IshGauPoo smile looking at them.)
Pooja: So, Avni, will you marry him now?? (Avni nods shyly still hugging Neil. IshJa sigh in relief.) Luckily, you agree for the marriage or…..
Gau: Or….??
Pooja: I thought to blackmail her that I won’t marry you if she doesn’t want to marry Neil bhaiya. (AvNeilGau look at her shockingly.)
Ishu: Really?? I thought to blackmail her that I will not eat anything till she agree to marry Neil.
Gau: You both thought to blackmail her like this?? (IshJa nod) You two are impossible!! (AvNeil laugh and hug IshJa.)
*Flashback ends*
Ishu: Finally, they got married. However, Avni still having guilt that because of her, Neil can’t have his own child. She wants him to have his own blood as his child. We don’t know when and how but she took him to a hospital and has done this surrogacy using his sperm.
Prinku: That means who carried the baby in the womb??
Ishu: Another lady who the doctor has found for the surrogacy. Normally, in this type of case both sides identity won’t be revealed to both parties. It will remain secret. Few days back, Avni received a call saying that she can take the baby. So, she went and brought the baby here. (Rudra looks at Mishti who is sleeping in the cradle.)
Rudra: Bhabhi, how many months old is Mishti??
Ishu: 3 months old. Actually, the baby need to be br*astfeed by the mother for three months. It’s for the baby’s goodness only. The doctor made sure the baby is healthy enough before handing over her to Avni. This is what usually will happen in surrogacy.
Ranveer: Why are you hiding this from Neil?? He should know about this.
Ishu: I know, Ranveer. But we don’t know how he will react after knowing this. Because it was shocking for us too. Avni did this without informing anyone of us.
Prinku: But, bhabhi, how long you can hide this?? One day, he will get to know it. It will be better if you tell him as fast as possible.
Ishu: Yeah. That’s why I asked Avni to tell Neil tonight and Pooja will be telling Gautham. (Mishti starts to wail in her sleep. Ishana lifts her and pats her calming her down.)
Ranveer: It’s getting late. Let’s go and sleep.
Ishu: Yeah. Ranveer, I have arranged a room for you and Rudra. You both can sleep there. (Looks at Priyanka) Priyanka, you sleep with me in my room. (RuPriVeer nod their heads. Ranveer takes the cradle and they leave from there.)
Next Morning
RuRan’s Room
RuRan are still sleeping when Rudra’s mobile rings. Rudra opens his eyes and yawns before answering the call. He looks at the caller ID and smiles. He answers the call.
Rudra: Hello, Soumya!! You are calling me this early morning itself. (Keeps silent listening to her. His face expression changed after a while.) What?? I will call you in a while. (Ranveer who just woke up is surprised with Rudra’s tensed voice. Rudra ends the call.)
Ranveer: What happened, Rudra??
Rudra: Problem is starting again. Come with me. (Ranveer doesn’t understand what Rudra is saying but he just follows him leaving from the room.)
AvNeil’s Room
Avni is drying her hair in front of the mirror. She is thinking how to tell Mishti’s truth to Neil. Neil just came out from the washroom after having his shower and sees her in deep thought. He goes and hugs her from behind.
Neil: Seems like you are thinking deeply about something. (Turns her towards him.) What is bothering you??
Avni: Neil, will you be angry on me if I tell you something?? (Neil holds her waist and pulls her closer.)
Neil: Why I should get angry on you?? And my Avni won’t do anything that can make me angry. (Avni’s eyes are welled with tears seeing his trust on her.)
Avni: What if I had hide something from you??
Neil: (confused) You are hiding something?? (Avni nods)
Avni: Yes, Neil. I’m hiding something from you.
Neil: What??
Avni: Neil, you know right that I can’t get pregnant??
Neil: Avni, you are undergoing treatment for that right?? And I don’t mind if you can’t get pregnant.
Avni: But, you can father a child. You don’t have any problem.
Neil: Again you are starting, Avni.
Avni: Neil, listen first what I’m going to tell you.
Neil: Ok, go ahead. (Avni gathers her courage to tell him everything.)
Avni: Neil, Mishti is not Rudra’s friend’s daughter. She is your baby.
Neil: (shocked) What??
Avni: Yes, Neil. Mishti is your daughter only.
Neil: (holds her arms) What the hell are you saying, Avni?? How come Mishti is my daughter?? Are you doubting on me??
Avni: Neil, it’s not like what you are thinking. Remember last year we went to hospital for my treatment. That time I talked to the doctor and learn about having a baby through surrogacy. I told the doctor that I want to have a baby through surrogacy. She agreed and asked me to talk with you. But I know that you won’t agree with that. I told the doctor to do it without your knowing. She refused first saying it’s wrong to do without husband’s permission but I begged her saying that I want you to have a baby of your blood. The doctor agreed hesitatingly and I lied to you to do a medical check up. The doctor made you unconscious and took your sperm that time. And it has been combined with another woman’s egg. After that, I has been transferred into the woman’s uterus. It has become successful and the woman become pregnant. This is how Mishti has born. Mishti is your baby only. (She finished telling him and looks at him who is holding tears in his eyes. Neil is completely shocked learning this revelation. He never expect that she has took this step to have a baby.)
Neil: How could you do this, Avni?? (Avni is about to hold him but he stops her.) No, Avni. I won’t accept this.
Avni: Neil, I just want you to have your own baby.
Neil: Did I ask you?? I told you right that I don’t care if we can’t have a baby. Then, why?? (He screams at her. Avni is shocked to hear him screaming at her. The man who never has raised his voice is now screaming at her.)
Avni: Please understand, Neil. I just wanted…. (Neil shows his palm towards her stopping her from saying anything.)
Neil: I don’t want to understand anything. And I won’t accept Mishti as my daughter. (He is about to say something again but stops hearing the knock on the door. He signs her to be quiet and wipes his tears composing himself. He opens the door and sees Gautham who is looking tensed) What happened, Gautham??
Gau: Neil, come down fast. (Neil understands that something is bothering his friend. He nods and leaves with him. Avni wipes her tears and follow them from behind.)
To be continued…..
Precap: Why Rudra is tensed?? Will Neil accept Mishti?? Why Gautham is tensed??