Destined ✓

47 - trouble in paradise

Author's POV

Neil can't fathom the view in front of him.

Never in his wildest dreams, he can imagine that the current situation is not a figment of his imagination, but really real.

Anxiety forms a bubble in his head, goosebumps rise like a second skin and his heartbeat escalates, rapid and nervous. The voices are muffled as his sole focus remains on a pair of eyes that are struck, glazed with a strange emotion, tense and restless.

He can feel the sweat forming on his forehead, casually dipping around the back of his neck. He rubs a hand over his mouth to quieten the bubble that is just not ready to leave him. At all.

"This is my son, Neil."

The introduction sends him ten feet down under the ground, the familiarity of it is nerve-wracking because if the woman in front of them recognises him, then game over.

His mom maintains a smile even after his lack of greeting, still a bit confused, he knows as she passes him an iffy look.

The woman looks in her late 40s or early 50s, he isn't sure, a fine line of wrinkles on the corner of her eyes as she smiles, looking beautiful nevertheless. Her straight hair flows down to her waist and he notices - her eyes are a colour of coffee brown.

He manages a smile after a moment, before they skip towards the dining table. He is well aware of the eyes on him, but he doesn't dare catch.

"Neil's very well spoken and sweet." Shweta grins. "I think he's just being a little shy."

"Oh, it's no big deal, don't worry."

The two people that stare back at him are so familiar, and he might just have a hint on how they are related to the woman, though he hopes his hunch fails him.

"Where's Prakash?" The woman asks suddenly, it takes him off-guard, the casual way of speaking, like she knows them.

"Oh, he's on the way. Just caught up with work." His mom adds, and he's reminded of the conversation from an hour ago.

"Mom...please. Is it really necessary?"

"Of course, it's Sunday anyway. You told me you are taking the day off."

"Wait, let me rephrase it for you, mom." He stared, unimpressed. "I said I'll try taking a day off. And you know my work, emergencies come unannounced. I have to go then."

"Okay. We'll see about that."

"Bebe!" He whined.

"I think our children aren't impressed with the lack of familiarity?" He nervously laughs it off at the comment, casually sending a smile to the woman who does the same before focusing her attention back on his mother, Shweta.

"Why don't we have a little introduction for the children?" He screws his eyes shut before turning a little to smile at his grandma. She caresses his hair as she takes out a chair for herself and casually nudges him to sit down beside her. He smiles, doing as he's told.

"Why am I being left out?" The voice of his father booms in the hallway before he comes into view, a leather briefcase in his left hand. His arrival brings smiles to a few faces, the atmosphere more brightened. He offers his hand for a shake before taking a seat on one of the chairs, and the casual conversation goes to the trip and their work.

The more time passes by, the more Neil feels himself crumbling down, because his denial only pushes him closer to the truth. His heart chants a name loud, beating erratically against his chest, and his eyes betray him as they catch a pair of the most beautiful ones he has ever seen. He wonders what Avni will think about it.