Eternally Yours | A MiNeil Fanfiction | Patiala Babes | SouNoor

Part 43 - Neil's vulnerability

He continued to look at the bedsheet without any purpose, perhaps recollecting the beautiful and the worst days of his life altogether.

Mini: Ne.. Neil...

He came out of his thoughts at once and looked at her blankly for a few minutes before continuing...

Neil: Mini, I.. I saw my little sister dying in front of my eyes! It took months to digest this fact. Next day when I woke up I saw my mom unconscious lying beside her bed. Papa shayad bahar gaye the tab. Perhaps, he couldn't take all those things in a day and went out to breathe some fresh air. I was all alone with my unconscious mom. I couldn't think of anything. Main bhi toh teenager hi tha yaar! Luckily ussi time ghar mein kuch relatives aa gaye aur unki help se mummy ko hospital le gaya. Papa bhi tab tak hospital aa gaye the. That day we would have celebrated her thirteenth birthday but ended up being at the hospital, praying and hoping for mom's well being. Woh ander hospital ward mein thi aur bahar papa mujhe...

Flashback

Neil stood dejected outside the hospital ward with some of his relatives while his mother was inside, hovering between life and death. Soon, his dad came running and asked about her health.

Dad: Kya hua hai usey? Aap sab yahan kyun.. doc.. doctor kahan hain?

Elder Relative: Shaant hoja. Doctor abhi usey check kar rahe hain. Sab theek hoga beta.

Neil: Dad.. dad... M..mom.. aap kahan the? Maine kitne calls kiye aapko. Subah jab uth ke aapke room mein gaya toh mom ko unconscious dekha.. main bahot darr gaya tha.. kuch samajh nahin aaya.. par.. par aap tension mat lo papa... Mumma.. mumma will be alright.. k.. kuch nahin hoga unhe..

Neil's Dad: (furiously) AUR AGAR KUCH HUA TOH MAIN TUJHE KABHI MAAF NAHIN KARUNGA!

Neil was shocked beyond words. He understood his dad never praised him for all the good deeds he had done but didn't know he would ever say those harsh words to him.

Neil: Papa..

Neil's Dad: Nahin!! Yeh sab.. sab teri wajah se ho raha hai. Kal apni beti ko kho diya maine aur aaj meri biwi iss halat mein hai.. na tu Naira ko lekar jata aur na yeh sab kabhi hota.. apni chhoti behan ko tune bike chalane kaise di? Itni carelessness, Neil!? Aur tujhse umeed bhi kya kar sakte hain!

Relative: Beta, yeh kya bol raha tu. Aisi baatein naa kar.. honi ko kaun taal sakta hai. Bas abhi toh dua kar sakte hain ki yeh jaldi theek ho jaye.

Neil's Dad: (crying bitterly while kneeling down) Meri bacchi...

Neil was left heartbroken but somehow convinced his mind that his dad only said those words in pain and suffering, and never meant that by heart.

Flashback ends.

He looked at her after recounting his backstory. She could see anger, frustration and helplessness at the same time in his deep, red and puffy orbs. They shared a long eye lock and communicated their feelings through their eyes. Words couldn't do justice as much as eyes did. Neither of them spoke a single word.

"Thank you", his eyes communicated to hers.

"For what?", she asked in gestures.

"For listening to me so patiently."

"I love listening to you", her tearful eyes replied.

She smiled and he smiled slightly back at her. They continued to look into each other's eyes for a couple of minutes. They had some more deep conversations through their eyes. His eyes were staring deep into hers as if seeking permission and she was way too quick to understand his state of mind. She took him into a tight hug and rubbed his back. He snuggled into her and cried like a baby clinging to his favourite toy. They were so close that there was no gap for an air to pass through. They held each other closer. They shut their eyes and let flow the tears of misunderstandings down their cheeks. This time, those tears were for each other, for their eternal love, evergreen friendship and the bond of trust and hope, beginning to blossom.

Hearing each other's erratic breathing, they unwillingly part. An awkward silence fell but little did both the souls realise they were no more strangers to each other... Their hearts had already accepted the fact that their minds were still processing.

Mini felt guilty of her previous actions. She thought to herself how impulsive she had been and not talking to him earlier about his internal suffering. She wished that she had given him the chance to speak and let Arya stay there with him. She wanted to apologise to him but continued to fight with her thoughts in mind.

He looked at her and shook his head in denial with a slight smile playing along his lips.

Neil: Don't even think this way, Mini. It was never your fault.

Mini: I should have at least talked to you.

Neil: It wasn't meant to be. Doesn't matter, Mini! Pehle bhi agar baat hoti tab bhi toh itni hi takleef honi thi.

Mini: Par tumhari takleef aur badha di maine.

He gently stroked her hair and cupped her face with one hand.

Neil: (politely) No Mini... Aisa nahin hain. Please don't blame yourself.

They continued to look into each other's eyes for a couple of minutes before she broke the eye lock. He cleaned the dried up tears off his face and sniffled as he rubbed his nose.

Neil: I was blamed for my.. my sister's demise.. Mini, I... I could never think of it. Pehle toh laga ki papa shayad disturbed the isliye aisa bol diya. Par unka behaviour, woh saari baatein kabhi change nahin huyi...

Mini: Aur aunty?... I mean, your mom?

Neil: Naira ke baad mumma kafi disturb rehti hain. She has been undergoing treatment. Itne saal ho gaye lekin aaj bhi unhe panic attacks aate hain. Pehle se bahot fark hai par...

Mini: I can understand. Kya feel karti hongi woh. She lost her young daughter.. Phir bhi tum unse milne nahin jaate?

Neil: Tanya se divorce ke baad ek baar gaya tha. Kafi disturb tha main. Zaroorat thi unki. But... Dad didn't let me meet her for a long time.. 10-15 minute se zyada nahin ruka main wahan. Baat toh main papa se bhi karna chahta tha par woh toh abhi tak mujhse naraz hain. Mumma ki health theek nahin rehti. Panic attacks kam huye hain toh ab baatein bhool jati hain woh. Abhi thode din pehle hi phone kiya tha maine toh pata hai kya boli woh mujhe? Mujhse kaha ki teri shaadi ke liye ladki dhundni hai, Neil. Kuch samajh nahin aata mujhe.. kyun hota unke sath aisa.. she's so unpredictable.. ek pal sab kuch yaad hota hai toh dusre hi pal sab bhool jaati hain..

Mini: Aur...Ki.. Kitna time ho gaya.. last kab mile the tum unse?

Neil: (smiled sadly) Jitna time divorce ko ho gaya... Teen saal! And guess what, Mini!

She looked at him skeptically.

Neil: Mera yeh accident bina reason ke nahin hua. There is a reason behind this. In fact, she is the reason.
_____________________________________

Whom is he talking about?

Precap - "I don't know what she wants!"
"What are you saying, Neil?"
"...unme se nahin ho jo apni personal aur professional life ko mix kare."