Hey all!! Back with the next update!! No sleep at all.. all scoldings… my mom saw my pictures and she’s like “it’s my birthday and you better come back home. Else I’ll rip your case.” A late night party and night shifts.. I didn’t go home for three days.. the best feeling was when I reached home.. a good lunch and a good sleep… but I miss my Diya.. everyone ended up asking me this one question.. if she is my daughter or Dev’s daughter.. lol..
Was Maa’s birthday yesterday and it’s my parents wedding anniversary tomorrow.. and day after is my maasi’s wedding anniversary… wow too much for September.. there’s a lot more too..
Maa, Paa and Chitti.. update dedicated to the three of you.. belated birthday wishes.. advanced wedding anniversary wishes to maa, paa and chitti… Chithappa too.. but he never reads my story.. now I need to get a gift.. damn.. so less time..
Story time.. story time.. as usual.. please do bear with my typos and grammatical errors..
Happy reading ??
Neil came and sat next to Niti and looked at Prerna, who was waiting for her daughter to open her eyes.
“I hope she’ll remember her room” chuckled Neil as he tried to make her mood light.
Prerna’s head snapped to Neil as she saw him wide eyed. He knew. He found out. He smiled as he nodded his head and Prerna closed her eyes thanking God for making things alright. Things were not perfect. But it was falling in it’s place. Neil went and gave Prerna a light hug.
“Her room has not been changed. It is as it was. The way she had left it” whispered Prerna as she couldn’t stop the tears flowing down her cheeks.
Neil wiped them off “no more crying. She’s back. And will never leave us. I’ll never let her leave again” he smiled.
“When is she going to wake up?” frowned Sam as she came in with a tub of ‘Mississippi Mud’ ice cream from baskin robins.
Neil chuckled “she will. Soon” he said.
“Sam I think that’s enough. You’ve had a lot of ice cream” pouted Prerna.
“Mom you too want?” she asked like a kid filling the spoon with a lump of ice cream and showing it to her.
“When is she going to grow up?” scowled Prerna.
“What’s going on?” asked Niti as she woke up.
Everyone looked at her were thinking only thing. When did she wake up? Sam ate another spoonful and hummed as she enjoyed the ice cream. Niti smiled at her childishness.
“Lol Sam. You really are a kid” chuckled Niti.
“How are you bete?” asked Prerna as she ruffled her hair a little.
“Fine aunty” she smiled.
Aunty?! What were they all hearing? Sam almost choked on her ice cream. Neil looked at her and then smirked. Prerna threw death glares at her.
“When did you wake up?” asked Neil. He decided to play along.
“Easy there Sam. When aunty sounded annoyed. When she asked when is she going to grow up?” replied Niti like a little kid.
“And aunty she’s eating for your grandchild. For your son’s baby” smiled Niti.
“Well. Okay” he smiled.
“What am I doing here? Who bought me here? And why are you being so nice to me Mr. Malhotra?” she asked all confused as she looked around the place.
It was her room. It was the same way it was fifteen years ago. She almost had tears as she was in her room. The only place that gave her peace. Her nails bit down the bedspread as she controlled herself.
“You’re there where you’re supposed to be” smiled Neil.
“Excuse me” Niti was confused. She was acting though.
“Now stop this” screamed Neil. He could take it no longer.
“Stop what?” asked Niti.
“He found out” she said to herself as she bit her cheeks to control her smile.
“It’s you. Only you can do this. Being dumb. You wanna play. But I can’t” he said to himself.
“I know you’re my Niti. My gudiya” he whispered as he sat next to her and cupped her cheek.
“Mr. Malhotra..” she started off, but Neil cut her in.
“It’s bhai for you Ms. Malhotra” said Neil as he got angry.
“So… you found out?” she pouted.
“Umm.. yeah” he replied.
“Finally” she rolled her eyes.
“Is this the way you do things? Keeping everyone worried. Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that young lady. Got me?” he spoke in a serious tone as he pulled her ear.
“You stupid. Let go of my ear” she winced as she held his hand. She had needle attached to the back of her hand.
When he didn’t let go “you idiot let go now. Bhabi was so right. You’re an idiot from childhood. I have a needle pricked in my vein, so you better let go” she hissed in pain.
“Bhabi. No please. I’m too young to be called bhabi. It’s no daily soap here. To call him bhai and me bhabi” Sam pouted.
Neil and Prerna laughed. Niti too laughed along. Neil let go of her ear as he is rolled on the floor. Sam frowned as she went to gulping down her ice cream.
“What do I call you then? Aunty?” laughed Niti.
“Aunty?” gasped Sam. Which earned another round of heart filled laughter from Neil and Prerna.
“Ok ok. Enough of it. My wife is so lovely. How can she be called an aunty?” fake cried Neil as he went to Sam and pulled her closer to him.
“Ok. Now see this. All maska. Butter coating” laughed Prerna as Niti too joined along giving each other a high five.
“I know right. Mom he’s the funniest guy ever. I swear” said Niti as she laughed again.
Neil and Sam watched her laugh. Prerna too stopped once she saw her laughing. They all watched her laugh to her heart’s content. Then Niti screamed in pain.
“You okay?” asked Prerna as she held her up.
“It hurts. I’ll be fine” she spoke as she kept flinching.
“I hate you for this. Couldn’t you tell anyone you were stabbed?” frowned Neil as he crossed his arms to his chest.
“Look bhai, at that time it was necessary to take di away. To get away from Saral” she Niti.
“What if something would have happened to you? What would I have done?” hissed Neil as his eyes brimmed with tears.
“Shh… look at me. I’m all fine. Now stop being a drama queen” she rolled her eyes.
“I can’t afford to lose you again” he whispered as he cradled her face in his large hands.
“WE cannot” corrected Prerna.
“You won’t” smiled Niti.
“Now give me a hug you dumbo. And yes, make sure not to crush my back. It still hurts” she chuckled.
Neil pulled her into his embrace. Which was filled with a lot of emotions. Happiness. Love. And the biggest one, fear. Fear of attacking her again. He had tears as he hugged her to him as gently as possible. Niti had her face buried in the most secure place ever. Neil broke the hug and kissed her forehead and hugged her again. Prerna and Sam too hugged her. Now the family was complete.
“I’m sorry” said Neil as he cupped her cheek.
“Sorry for what?” she asked.
“For everything. For what happened fifteen years ago. For what happened at Bird Song” he replied.
“Look I know you’re an idiot. And you make mistakes every single time. So, I forgive you” she smiled as she shrugged her shoulders at the last part.
“Nitheil’s back” smiled Neil.
“Yes” chuckled Niti.
“Now. If you’re in trouble, call me or Arjun” he said.
When Niti gave him a death glare, he smiled. Time to play.
“Okay. If not him, at least Ankush” he smiled.
“Why Ankush?” she scowled.
Neil smirked “he’s Radhika’s brother. A very good trusted friend of mine too” he replied.
“You’re enough” she clipped.
“Lol okay” he smiled.
“I’ll go get some juice” said Prerna as she got up.
“Yes please” pouted Niti “I am hungry. Like a lot” sighed Niti.
“I’ll be back in a jiffy” smiled Prerna as she patted her cheeks and left.
“Come back home” smiled Sam.
“I can’t” sighed Niti.
“Why? What for? Got a boyfriend? If it’s so, ask him to come home and meet you” he clipped.
“Shut up. I don’t have a boyfriend” she scowled.
“Then you’re coming back and that’s final” he snapped.
“Neil” she raised her voice.
Neil stopped. She called him Neil like very rarely. He knew there was a reason behind her every decision.
“What?” he snapped back.
“Listen to me” she said, gesturing him to come closer.
As Neil came close, she rested her head on hai shoulder and told him something. All mute. Sam too sat down and listened keenly. Neil kept listening her.
“So, we act to be like we donno the truth?” he asked as she finished.
“Yes” clipped Niti.
“I’m in too” chimed Prerna as she entered the room with a tray filled bowl of soup and plate of cheese pasta and orange juice.
“Now what do we have here?” clapped Niti like a kid.
“See for yourself” smiled Prerna as she placed the tray in front of her.
“Mom!! I love you for this!!” she squealed as she saw the soup and pasta.
“We love you too” smiled Neil.
“Now this family is complete” smiled Neil.
“Now yet. How can you forget your own kid?” frowned Niti as she kept hogging.
“Umm… okay” said Neil.
“Sam I just keep imagining you everyday with a big tummy. You seriously so cute!” smiled Niti.
“You better eat. How much you talk!! God!” sighed Sam.
“Hehe. You really donno me” said Niti showing her 32s.
Niti had the soup and pasta and juice. She was forcefully fed medicines by Neil. The three of them left after putting her to sleep.
“She’s no less than a kid” said Neil as he blew out air in exhaustion.
“My baby she is” Prerna smiled all proud.
“That she is” smiled Sam “now I want dinner” she pouted.
“Sammy you’re seriously going to turn into Aunty. If you keep eating like this you’ll become a sumo wrestler. No, I think you’ll beat him too” pouted Neil like a kid as he imagined his wife in that way and facepalmed himself.
“Me and Aunty? A sumo wrestler? Idiot it’s your kid in my womb throwing all these tantrums” she screamed as she pointed to her tummy.
Prerna facepalmed herself at their childishness. At the same time she was trying hard to control her laughter. Now she had to save her son. Sam and her mood swings.
“Ok ok. Sam dinner’s ready. Now go freshen up” said Prerna.
Sam left after hugging Prerna tight. Neil heaved a sigh of relief. They then had dinner and went to bed.
On the other side, Ankush had locked himself up into his room. Ever since he had heard of the attack, he was so angry that he knocked down two vases, broke the sand bag and locked himself up. Radhika kept knocking on the door. No reply. Ankush inside was totally broken. He wanted to kill Saral right away.
“Radhika let Ankush be. He needs some time alone” whispered Arjun as he kissed her forehead.
“I’ve never seen bhai like this Arjun. He’s so broken” whispered Radhika as she hugged Arjun tight.
“The effects of falling in love” he chuckled that made her smile too.
“I will keep you safe no matter what” Ankush hissed as he looked at her picture in his phone screensaver.
“I will confess my feelings soon and will be your shadow for life. I love you so much. Saral be ready to face the Ankush you never knew” he whispered as he hugged his phone to him.
He made a call “Karthik” he hissed in anger.
“I know. Relax” he said.
“Need to kill Saral” he sneered.
“No. Not you. You’re not going to jail. We cops will do it” Karthik tried to make him understand.
“Can’t I get to punch him atleast once. For what he has done” Ankush was not ready to give up.
“Ok. Some blows allowed” Karthik gave in.
“Good. Good night” clipped Ankush as he hung up on the call and threw his phone.
“I’ll confess soon. Nithika. Can’t let you be alone now” said Karthik as he sat on his bed and leaned in the headboard.
Done done done…. I know this one was boring.. I almost fell asleep re reading it.. please do let me know of how it was.. now tata… babaye.. love you all loads.. tc.. keep smiling.. bear hugs to all of you ??